The Children of the Night Carnival: Worldbuilding and Lore Part One

At first a travelling carnival in the traditional means, Mr. Faire had started it as an attempt to cope with his lost memory. Feeling he had a grander purpose in life, Mr. Faire started the circus in hopes of bringing light into people’s lives. With the help from his closest friend Robin, he was able to find other monsters and creatures like himself who needed a place to call home. Having always wanted to be a father and to take care of others, Mr. Faire opened his carnival to any and all who needed a home, love, and to heal.

Upon meeting Muna and Fye, powerful creatures from the Underneathe, Mr. Faire was able to take his carnival to anywhere he felt he was needed. This included going to other realities via the Underneathe, which Muna and Fye could easily traverse. Muna and Fye had joined with Mr. Faire in hopes of locating their lost lover Bron, and opened up the adult cabaret in the carnival.

As the carnival began to grow it started adding on new attractions and features, this included the Cabaret, Scarebrooke, the Children’s Corner, the Vendor and Game Alley, as well as the Cul du Sac where everyone who works in the carnival lives. Scarebrooke became one of the biggest features and easily one of the most popular, becoming a haunted attraction for people of all ages. Scarebrooke also houses the library for the entire Carnival, as well as being the basis for the school. The Children’s Corner is mainly made for kids, featuring small rides, plays, easy games, as well as a daycare for the youngest. The Cabaret offers an adult atmosphere as well as a safe place for more grown-up activity. The Cabaret offers privacy to lovers and easy trysts all the same.

The Cul Du Sac, as it is referred, is where the home tents and carts of the residents are placed. Usually set behind the big top, the Cul Du Sac is almost like a gate neighborhood with all the homes lined up in order for easy access to the families. This area also has the huge cafeteria, and Haytham’s doctor’s tent is place right at the entrance for residents and visitors of the carnival alike. 

Haytham takes on the brunt of the medical work at the carnival, but he has other doctors and healers at hand. This includes those who practice more natural healing, magic users, and even artists for the living statues and dolls throughout the carnival. For medical emergencies, Haytham will call in extra help, or send the sick to a special clinic where they can recuperate in peace. First aid is taught to all members of the carnival, but select individuals are labeled first responders for real emergencies. A special sex education class is offered at various times during the year, and the school offers several health classes to the students. 

The carnival is rich with diversity due to the differing types of monsters as well as humans. Within the community of the carnival families will often host religious meetings in their homes, the cafeteria, or one of the big tops. Often times, depending on where the carnival is, the people will go out into the towns to join services locally. Holidays are encouraged to be shared in hopes of making everyone more familiar with one another and the differing heritages. Intimate family gatherings are a regular too, as sometimes, it is a chance for them to connect with their roots wholly and create a bigger feeling of home within the carnival. Of course, this can sometimes get a little hectic and confusing, so Mr. Faire often uses larger festivals and holidays to theme the carnival entirely. 

One of the carnival’s most favorite locations, Hearthway Hollow, is often the sight where they host their culture festivals. Since Hearthway Hollow has been like a second home to most, Mr. Faire often saves special occasions for the little town. Hearthway Hollow is also the place where most of the carnival residents will retire or move once they decide to leave. 

One of the biggest celebrations for the carnival is weddings. Depending on who is getting married and what is special to them, the weddings are planned around certain sections of the carnival. The big top often hosts the most weddings, but Scarebrooke is also a popular location. Because of how much he loves his extended family, Mr. faire treats weddings like a first class event. For him, no expense is spared when love is on the table.

Birthdays are another big event, but because there are so many individuals within the carnival, it was started long ago that each month there was a communal celebration for all those who share a birthday within that month. Theres birthdays are usually named after the gemstone of that month (sapphire birthdays, ruby birthdays, pearl birthdays), and Mr. Faire will host an elaborate banquet. (This also becomes a pet name from Mr. Faire, often calling the individual My Sapphire, or, My Pearl, if he has a hard time remembering names, he always remembers a gem.) It won’t be until the individual’s actual birthday they receive a gift from Mr. Faire, who wants everyone to feel special. If the individuals have separate birthday parties, it is usually an intimate affair left between them and their immediate family or partner. 

Using skills he has learned from the satyrs Puck and Robin, he is able to grant the creatures and monsters of the carnival a Glamour. A Glamour is and old fae trick used to disguise an individual’s true appearance, granting them a human visage. This allows the carnival to open to humans unaware of the supernatural and mystical worlds. The Glamours can be used out the carnival as well, but the farther from the carnival one goes, the weaker it becomes. It is also this magic which allows everyone to share a common language and communicate with one another. Although it is strongly encouraged and taught in the school to learn other languages. Sign language is taught to all and is usually a good means to share a private conversation. The magic Mr. Faire and others supply to the carnival also allows for electricity to be supplied, as well as internet, plumping, and other such modern necessities. 

Of course, the magic used in the carnival is not limitless, it takes many members of the carnival in order to keep up all the glamours and necessary functions. At least once a year, the carnival must go on hiatus for everyone to rest properly and regain their strength to travel again. It is usually during this time the carnival will go into hiding, or those with seperate homes will go there. This vacation often takes place during the winter when business slows down anyways, they usually try to plan for it to be just before the winter holidays and after the new year.

Hearthway Hollow as well as Robin’s antique shop, are two of Mr. Faire’s biggest resources. More often, Robin seeks Mr. Faire to take care of creatures and monsters he finds. It is Hearthway Hollow Mr. Faire often relocates members who can no longer travel, want to settle, or need to recover. Mrs. Locklear, who has also taken care of Mr. Faire, often houses these cases. In a lot of cases, Mrs. Locklear takes in teenagers or older children looking for families and a set place to call home. 

It also isn’t uncommon for carnival residents to have vacation homes, or permanent houses they can go between tours or when they feel they need a break. Mr. Faire has several homes where he can go or let others stay if needed.

In terms of crime within the carnival, if it is among the residents, a group of elders and Mr. Faire will meet to discuss what to do. Depending on the severity of the crime punishments have included banishment, imprisonment within Robin’s antique shop, or house arrest within the carnival. Crimes committed by those outside the carnival are treated differently, and often taken to the local authority. If action is not taken by the locals, it will then be handled by Mr. Faire and the elders. Cases like these have often resulted in harsher punishment to set an example. 

The end goal of the carnival, for Mr. Faire remains the same. He wishes to provide to the worlds he visits, giving home to those the world ignores and treats with cruelty. He wishes to spread joy to those who visit, and open his heart to the world.