WE WERE DREAMING, WAITING FOR NIGHT.
» THE PARK — INTRODUCTORY NOTES
When District 3 opens up, subtle and silent at first, the most noticeable area is the large park. A mixture of open picnic fields and heavily wooded trails, the park offers an escape from the cityscapes for those who seek an oasis amongst nature. Benches and light posts dot the twisting paths, offering a moment's rest to anyone traversing the park for a leisurely stroll or running for… exercise. Unlike its smaller cousin to the south, this park is devoid of statues or monuments, instead more of a tribute to nature and the pursuit of its company. There are, however, several small playgrounds spread around the outer edges for anyone who seeks some playtime with their inner child.
Speaking of your inner child, should you venture to the southern half of the park, you'll find a small carnival that appears to be abandoned. The rides and stalls all appear to be in decent condition despite lying still and silent; if you choose to hop the fence, you'll find that the cables running haphazardly over the grass are connected but powerless. No amount of effort to turn on the rides nor break into the games will prove fruitful, but the park at large has posters stapled to trees here and there advertising the opening of the fun fair very, very soon.
For those who are brave enough to leave the paved walkways to venture deeper into nature, you may find hidden gems—a quiet pond covered in lilypads with a small dock to sit on and dip your feet into the green waters; a romantic pair of swings atop a small knoll overlooking a creek; a shortcut through the trees where even your footsteps are muted by the leaves and dappled sunlight barely reaches your face through the trees above. Here and there you'll find the woods open up to a secluded meadow where the grass is tall and the wildflowers grow thick.
You may also find yourself imagining things just out of reach, like shadowy figures darting from bush to bush, predatory in nature. The phantom call of a crow may echo through the forest's canopy though, like the rest of the city, there is no wildlife to be seen nor heard otherwise. Was that the shout of a woman in the distance, or the cry of a fox? The longer time stretches on, the harder you'll find it is to make your way back out of the treeline, and the trees stretch far above to block out any hope of navigating back to the familiar buildings of the surrounding city. You might want to call for help—if you get find service for your device, that is.
The new park is a permanent location that is open to residents 24/7 as there are no fences nor gates. It's larger than the one new City Hall and has more potential for exploring as well as different features from its cousin. For those that are familiar, it will evoke thoughts of New York's Central Park with its mixture of open areas contrasting with thick woods. Paved walkways, freshwater ponds, picnic areas, and a couple of playgrounds can all be found throughout the park. Along with these, residents may stumble upon other natural and man-made areas such as rocky outcrops, unmarked trails, bicycle paths, fountains, and other things typically found in large urban parks—minus the wildlife. It can be a romantic setting as easily as it can be a horrific one depending on the time of day as well as the company that you keep.
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THEN THE HEAT BROKE, THE NIGHT WAS CLEAR.
» THE FAIR — RIDES & ATTRACTIONS
At 6:00 PM City time on September 19th, the numerous light bulbs of the fun fair burst into blinding color simultaneously, lighting up the darkening sky as loud carnival music slowly churns to life from unseen speakers. The rides all spring into motion, operating on a strict schedule that will allow carnival-goers the time to get on the ride as well as stumble back off after they've had their fun. No one is running the rides that you can see, though they all have the typical podium with an array of buttons that could be used to start and stop the machinery that creaks and groans with age. If you'd like to see what it's like working as a rider operator, you're more than welcome—just make sure you're not making everyone sick.
Due to the fair's small size, the rides are all fairly tame in size and speed. There's a merry-go-round with brightly painted horses to ride along with a handful of mermaids, sculpted hair permanently billowing in the wind. One section at the edge is dedicated to a massive stationary head, evocative of a ventriloquist's dummy, with its mouth gaping open for riders to sit inside, perched on the tongue-shaped bench. For the braver riders, a few other unnerving steeds await, such as a lion with blood dripping from its teeth and claws, a zebra with eight legs, an uncomfortably hairy tarantula, and a gray-skinned creature with its eyeless head split open into a massive mess of razor-sharp teeth. Though the merry-go-round spins at a leisurely pace, staying on if for too long is likely to induce a strange sense of dizziness even after disembarking and attempting to walk it off. The repetitive groan of the pipe organ rings in your ears, hardly helping your disorientation at all though you seek a quiet place to recuperate.
Further along in the fair is a low building comprised of little more than a laminate floor, metal grating roof, and bright red railing that encloses all sides. Strewn about inside are bumper cars, big enough for two if you want to squish in together with a friend, but lacking seatbelts. As you run to find a car you like, you can hear the electricity begin to hum through the roof and spark with the bent antennae of each car as their motors awaken. Loud rock music drowns out the sound of squealing wheels as the drivers begin the arduous task of steering the bumper cars into each other. It's all fun and games at first, but it's easy for a little competition to turn into a grudge match.
The last ride looks like a large metal bowl with steep sides painted dark blue and covered with stars, plantes, galaxies, and a comically simplistic spaceship. The archway standing just in front of the ride's entrance calls it "THE GRAVI-ATOR" with a disclaimer in small print about holding on tightly to personal belongings once on the ride. Stepping into the door cut out in one side, you'll find there are no straps nor seats—everyone should find themselves a comfortable place to lean, preferably in one of the spots that has padding on the walls, because soon the ride will begin to spin and everyone will be pinned down by centrifugal force.
Though they may not be as thrilling as the mechanical rides, there are a few tamer attractions for those seeking a break from the bright lights and loud sounds of the carnival. A hall of mirrors stands to one side of the area, a gaping clown mouth serving as the entrance to the dark building. The laughter and screams from outside are quickly muffled as atmospheric music plays lowly while you try to navigate through a maze of mirrors, many of which distort your appearance. You may see flashes of people that you don't remember seeing come inside, oddly shaped and shadowy where the corners of two mirrors meet. Did you feel someone brush up against you? No, impossible in such tight corridors, but you should probably hurry along to the exit.
There is also, of course, a tunnel of love, though it is a cheap imitation of one. Rather than sitting in a romantic gondola, those interested in going through will do so on foot—a rather daunting task considering that you'll be in the dark once you walk through the heart-shaped door and through the musty red curtains. Still, there's enough time to steal a kiss, or grasp blindly for a hand to hold if you're scared of the dark. Has your lover always had such cold, rough hands? It might be soothing in the muggy warmth you find inside, or maybe it's reason enough to find the way out on your own.
Located in the southern half of the large park is a small fun fair that will open to the public the evening of September 19 with operating hours from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM City time. Before opening, none of the rides or games will be operational; however, there will be fliers advertising its opening all around the city on billboards and telephone poles, and adventurous characters are able to hop the fence and explore if they so desire. However, they will not be able to turn on any of the rides or games, and will not be able to break into the rides or booths under any circumstances.
Upon opening, there will be a number of rides running themselves on a schedule that allows people time to get on, have some fun, and then get back off again. Though there's something unsettling about the music they play, or maybe how shaky they feel, there's no apparent danger anywhere. Residents are encouraged to enjoy themselves with a group of friends, or maybe a date, and experience all that the fun fair has to offer! The fair will not be open forever, though; its gates will close permanently at 11:00 PM on September 30 and all traces will disappear that night to leave a large, open field behind in the park.
This is a good, ol' fashioned carnival designed to bring together groups of people for thrills and fun. Though there are no overt game mechanics at play, we encourage everyone to get creative and add their own flair to this month's event. If you have any questions about player plots you'd like to run, please revisit the Events & Interactions section of the F.A.Q. and drop us a comment on the mod contact for any additional questions.
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IT SEEMED AN HONOR TO HAVE A MOUTH.
» THE FUN — GAMES & FOOD
The majority of the fair is occupied by stalls full of fair games, their walls and awnings decorated in various themes to match. The shooting gallery is a scene from the American West, cowboys astride horses with a background of cacti and orange rocky mesas. The targets themselves are a variety of desert animals: vultures flying from the roof, lizards skittering along the ground, and coyotes chasing rabbits throughout the middle. A handful of rifles are waiting along the half wall in front, chained and bolted to the wooden surface to keep them from getting carried off, and an array of hats hang above them as prizes displayed for winners. There are the typical cowboy hats, then some pink and green ones, some multi-colored jester hats, and a few that look like uncomfortably realistic rubber masks of faces twisted into horrifying expressions.
The next stall over is as different as can be imagined with psychedelic rainbows, glow-in-the-dark smiley faces, and paint splotches covering all surfaces. Inside is a grid of brightly colored balloons that rain silver glitter once they're popped. Cups of plastic darts lie in wait for those who wish to try their luck to pop five balloons in a row, though the observant will notice there are only four darts per cup. The sides are lined with prizes ranging from sticky fingers, slide whistles, and bouncy balls to an assortment of blow-up weapons such swords, hammers, maces, and frying pans.
Another quintessential carnival game is ring toss, set up in an extra large stall with three open sides for groups to play together if they wish. The bottles are all uniform in size, shape, and their clear color, but if you get a good look at a few, some appear to have items floating inside of them, suspended in glowing liquid. Above, massive stuffed animals hang from every possible section of the ceiling. None of them look quite right, though, such as the smiling bear with an extra row of teeth or the goose with two heads at the end of one floppy neck. The dog is pretty cute, but it's missing an arm and a leg in a way that appears intentional, and that cat has its eyes sewn shut.
Of course, no fair would be complete without food. There are plenty of stalls ready to serve, much like the restaurants in the city, where residents are welcome to swing by for some greasy grub. Corn dogs, fries, funnel cake, pizza, shaved ice, and fried junk food are all easy to find around the carnival. Spread amongst the stalls are popcorn machines playing cheerful music, carts with towering racks of bagged cotton candy, and poles planted in the ground with rainbow lollipops and candied apples sprouting from them. In one corner of the fair where the biggest concentration of food stalls can be found, there is an area of tables with umbrellas for anyone to sit and eat. Food at the fair adheres to it's own unique reset cycle and can be found replenished every evening at 6:00PM just in time for opening.
Despite the potential for danger from the shooting gallery and balloon dart games, both are designed to be as harmless as possible—the bullets are rubber, and the darts are made of plastic. While they will still leave a bruise, there shouldn't be risk of blood loss. The shooting gallery guns are chained in place, unable to be stolen. Removing the darts from their stall will result in thiefs walking in a tight circle that always brings them back in hopes the darts will be restored to their rightful place.
Though the food and games are free, the prizes are not—anyone who attempts to steal prizes without winning the games first will find themselves misplacing their items before leaving the carnival. If residents become aware of this phenomenon and try extra hard to focus on not losing their stolen prize, it will nevertheless slip from their hands and be lost—though a keen eye might see it back in its rightful place at the game stall. If you have the right temperament, this could become a game in and of itself!
Additionally, if there are any fair games or foods that have not been explicitly mentioned above, players are welcome to assume they can be found. Nothing as extravagant as a theme park or amusement park will be present as all of the stalls are designed to be mobile—this is a traveling carnival, after all. Similarly, players are welcome to design their own brand of unsettling game prizes as long as none of them can be used as an actual weapon or to otherwise harm fellow fair-goers.
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WILDCARD.
The city is by no means small, and there are plenty of things for you to see. There's no rush in exploring, so feel free to take your time looking around and peering into various nooks and crannies and alleyways—and don't worry, you're not very likely to find anything peering back.
If none of the above prompts appeal, feel free to check out the Locations and Maps pages and write your own freestyle prompt using one or many of the available locations.
This month's event headers come from "Midsummer" by Louise Gluck.
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citylogs2023-09-19 09:00 pm
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You could just ask me, you know.
( she tips her head a bit, swiping up a bit of the melted treat with her tongue just before it gets on her hand. he's going to need to ask fast, it seems, since it does have something of a timer even without her intervention. the glance his way is all fluttering lashes and cloyingly sweet, her impish little grin hidden by a swirl of frozen vanilla. )
I do like it when pretty boys ask me nicely for things.
( whether or not she does anything about it is another matter entirely though. )
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he drags his gaze away from Fearne's mouth to meet her eyes, returning that little grin with one of his own. even though the sun has been down for a while, the air is still summer-warm, so it makes sense that the ice cream won't hold up long. now, Reno can be prideful, but he also loves a game, so he leans in a little and flutters eyelashes, coquettish on purpose. ]
Please share, Fearne~? [ it kind of doesn't matter whether she actually agrees, at this point. Reno's just having fun playing around. ] I'll trade ya for some slushie.
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to see her own antics mirrored to her is objectively funny though, so of course she laughs. )
Aw, well how am I supposed to say no to a face like that?
( the magnanimous fearne calloway, with all her frills and ribbons, makes a grand flourish with the cone in her hand - only to tap it once against his lips to get some on him and likely let him get a bite in before she heartlessly tears it back away. )
There. Good?
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Reno grins. ] Perfect. [ he switches his slushie cup into his other hand, careful as he holds it, and brings his other hand up so he can use his fingertips to wipe the melted ice cream off his mouth and the tip of his nose. each one of those fingertips then goes in his mouth, ostensibly an effort to make the most of the taste she gave him. ]
You want some of this? [ the slushie, he means, lifting the cup he's holding in the hand that's linked through Fearne's. ] I'd try to pull the same trick on ya but I can't think of a way that doesn't end up with half of it down your dress.
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Mm..?
( ahem. )
Oh. It'd be a little chilly even if I do run warmer than most. ( circle of wildfire druid things, you know how it is. ) And I'm pretty fond of this dress? Getting it sticky wouldn't be good, so..
( which means, of course, that the solution is for her to very helpfully lean over a bit with slightly parted lips so he can give her the straw! )
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in fact he does not know how circle of wildfire druid things work, but he can appreciate that it would be unpleasant to have to walk all the way to the mall with a sticky dress, especially if it's a dress you like. so when Fearne leans forward, her lips parting, he just lifts the cup enough to give her the straw, and extremely resolutely does not think about those lips anywhere else.
it works. for the most part. ] What d'ya think?
[ it's a funny trip, from the park to the mall. with the fair being where it is, it's either two train trips or one long walk, and on a nice summer night Reno figures, fuck it—they can use their legs. give her a chance to finish her ice cream, give him a chance to finish his slushie. and talk, and flirt, which makes the time pass quickly enough that it feels like no time at all before Reno is pulling the mall door open with a dramatic flourish to let Fearne inside. ]
After you, [ he says. it's dark in the mall, or at least darker than it would be in the day—thankfully not as dark as it had been during whatever went on there last month. and extremely quiet, Reno notices. the contrast is sharp after the hectic energy of the fair, but he appreciates it. ] You know where we're goin'?
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the rest of the walk is indeed simply just more of this, but hey. by now, he's been given a pretty good idea for how she functions. more or less. the fact that he's choosing to stick around despite that probably has things to say regarding either his character or his patience. )
Not at all.
( but that doesn't stop her from stepping through the threshold with the confidence of someone who does anyway. )
Think anyone's around?
( it's quiet and it's cooler compared to the summer eve air, and she does peek about to see if she can catch anyone lingering still. she's curious. after all, there are definitely types of people who wouldn't like the energy of a fair, not even counting that most of them seem wary of newer places? )
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[ all of Reno's mall knowledge was acquired while he was trapped both in the dark and in an ever-shifting labyrinth of halls and storefronts—that is to say, it's basically useless now. that's fine! it's an adventure.
there may be a few people around deeper in the mall, but Reno can't see anybody within immediate view. it makes sense; in the first place most people are probably still avoiding the mall after the previous month, and if anyone was going to be here to avoid the hustle and bustle, they probably wouldn't be hanging out right next to the entrance. ]
Maybe a couple, but probably not many. [ all the better for them, Reno figures, if he was reading the right meaning into Fearne's earlier glances around for shadowy corners. ] Guess we just wander until we see something pretty, eh?
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less so, here, with no locals to speak of and the oddity of the structure besides. but she doesn't particularly mind, it just means she ends up with more knickknacks than she intended to get originally. )
Are you letting me dress you?
( she already did kind of make a suggestion with the blouse, but, )
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Reno looks down at his own attire. he's certainly less eye-catching than Fearne, in his jeans and shirt and jacket, and while he's not entirely sure that her personal style matches his personal style (or... what he knows of his personal style, anyway; not like Reno's had much of a go at accessorizing during his many years in uniform), he's always game to try something new.
so he shrugs his acquiescence, figuring that the worst that happens is he ends up with some free clothes he won't wear. ]
I'll let you if you wanna, sure! Can't say I have a strong eye for fashion myself.
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Oh, too bad there aren't any seamstresses or tailors at the shops, but we'll make do.
( it definitely looks like she has a few ideas already, at least. the faun even reaches for the front of his shirt, curling her fingers into the fabric so she may better tug at him to come follow. not that he isn't already, but, just so she doesn't lose him. something like that. )
Opinions on leather?
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I like leather. [ he's not wearing any right now, he realizes, but he does have some in his closet, somewhere. ] Looks good, feels better. And it's durable.
[ which is important in his line of work, which is still sadly not a captain, or even a first mate. although by the end of the evening he may look like one. ]
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( a lot of the more modern styles are ill-suit, but it does not stop her from pressing onwards anyway just to find anything that may be close enough. the fashion here is certainly way different than what she's used to, but, thoughtfully picking out a piece or two off of a hanger out of a few of the stores should work?
eventually, she's going to nudge him with an index finger right towards a dressing room, a small bundle of varying pieces of clothing draped over her arm. the shirt and jeans he's wearing gets one last scrutinizing look before she nudges him again. go on, in you go! )
Need help getting that shirt off?
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once it seems like Fearne is satisfied with her armful of clothes, Reno heads back toward the dressing rooms. they're predictably empty, nobody to complain if they take over one of the open rooms for just the clothes and another one for the actual dressing. ]
Help? [ he glances back towards Fearne, then smirks. they've been flirting like this all evening—what's a little more? ] Y'know, maybe I do...
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