Noting the change in Shawn's voice, the Pig monster stopped and slowly turned around, his hunched over back lumbering as his hooves shuffled along the metal ground.

OOC: Shawn rolls Striking Looks + (Presence or Manipulation) + Expression vs. Hogwash's Dice Pool of 5 with the following results

0 Successes - Hogwash ignores the gesture, continuing with the conversation

1 Success - 'Oh?....' Hogwash takes notice

2 Successes - Hogwash's demeanor changes considerably

OOC: 06:21, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 5 successes using 9d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more with rolls of 4,8,3,8,10(+10,9,4),7,4,4,4.  Striking Looks + Manipulation + Expression

17:46, Today: Evil Circus - Hogwash rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,5,8,4,1)).

"Well, I'm usually not surprised." Hogwash said, turning towards Shawn. And Shawn could see now that the Pig monster was smiling--if you could call it a smile.

"But the way you said that...someone might be fooled into thinking that you're a member of the theater!"

It was clear that Hogwash was interested in this possibility. It wasn't necessarily that he was convinced of Shawn's embellishment or flattery or even what Shawn said, but perhaps that Shawn was so good at embellishing.

Shawn was inside the room now. An office to be exact. A heavy, red-oak desk with papers stacked as high as could be in several mountains. There was an open, green safe on one side of the room and gaudy, red carpets that looked Persain.

Hogwash sat himself down behind the desk in a large, executive chair, nodding to Shawn to sit in one of two chairs in front of the desk.

"Well, I've done some theatre before. Kid parts, mostly..." Shawn's tone conveyed a deep love of the theatre, but also a recognition that he was young still and couldn't possibly call himself an expert on it, unlike what, for instance, Hogwash might be. He took the indicated seat in front of Hogwash's desk. "I bet someone as stylish as you knows all about the theatre, though."

"The tales I could tell, you would never believe!" Hogwash said, slamming one hand down on the table, a wolfish grin on his mouth, tusks and bent canines protruding at odd angles from his mouth.

"The Circus used to have a large theater. It was more of a show. A drama! This was well before I was dethroned. I used to compete against the Order for the top spot. I had a good run of about seventy years or so. We did drama and plays. We worked on the classics. We took souls and we left towns with nothing, dearie."

Hogwash's voice seemed to portray conflicted feelings about the experience. Proud of his accomplishments and certainly joy for whatever role he had in theater. But there was also a hint of regret about that last part of leaving towns with nothing. Shawn couldn't tell if it was remorse or just an unpleasantness.

"Are you someone who considers themselves creative? As in someone who can just come up with something on the spot?" He asked, some excitement in his voice.

OOC:
Shawn Chooses:

Shawn answers honestly

Or

Shawn lies:

If Shawn chooses to lie, the he Rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge  vs. Hogwash dice pool of 5

“It’s something I’ve done once or twice before. I wouldn’t call myself, like, an expert or anything. But I like to think I’m pretty good.” Shawn’s tone conveyed modesty and deference for the...man sitting in front of him, but it was an honest answer. He thought of himself as a creative person , even if circumstances meant he didn’t always get to share his ideas.

Hogwash began to talk about his own experiences being creative. First his experience as a young child in somewhere in a country Shawn didn't recognize the name of, where he would play in the farm house among the hay, pretending to be a knight and saving the princess. He then spoke once again how he was in the Circus and how he used to 'run the show' after winning the Soul contest each time the Circus came back for a period. He spoke of sword swallowers and lion tamers and a freak tent, all choreographed to perfection.

This time he went on and on, explaining to Shawn the careful detail that went into each preparation. "And then it all came to an end." Hogwash said. "A spectacularly, stunning end of the kind that only a true thespian can understand."

"I got too much into the character. When I joined, sweety, I was frightened and scared and terrified. But let me tell you something honey, you'd be so surprised what you can get used to. The change happened slowly. It was so slow that I couldn't even dare to think in my most wildest, fantastic dreams that I had become something so unbelievably monsterous. I had changed into this...this horrible looking thing." He gestured at his face. "I thought I was still a child, dearie." He chuckled a snorting, pig-like chuckle. "Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. That's who I thought I was. A beatiful work of art, not an ugly thing. But I was ugly on the inside. So much that when I saw the outside--and the change sweetheart--the change was so slow I didn't even recognize my face had changed."

"I had become a monster."

Hogwash began to describe the single moment that caused this realization. He spoke of how he used to have to lower the souls into the Proprietor's well to give the required amount to the Proptietor, the amount of souls collected.

"Sweety!" Hogwash exclaimed, voice shrill and girl-like from behind the large, executive, desk. "I saw him!!!" He squealed, just like a pig.

"I knew dearie, that from that moment on, I could never do it again! I vowed to keep others away from that well. All the children that the Circus captured would stay will me, instead of being used in the Soul Contest!"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:46, Sun 03 Dec 2017.

Shawn couldn't help but notice the similarities in Hogwash's story and Griffix's. And his. And when he tried to look fascinated in the story the pig-man was telling, he didn't really have to act that hard. "Why does the Proprietor let you do that? And what happens to the souls when the Circus ends?"

Hogwash snorted. "In a word, sweetie, the Proprietor has cut me a break, I think." Hogwash speculated. "Because I used to know him, from the Old Times. There might still be a piece of him in there, somewhere, of someone that hasn't been completely lost."

But Hogwash sounded doubtful. "Not really." He second guessed his speculation. "I guess, sweetheart, I really don't know."

"All I know is that I have to do everything...EVERYTHING...to make sure that none of these kids ever get into the Proprietor's hands. And that means sacrificing. Even if it means sacrificing them to each other, sometimes."

Shawn thought he spotted an opening there, and gingerly tried to test it. "What do you mean by sacrificing them to each other? Is that different from what the proprietor does?"

Hogwash snorted twice. "Never." Hogwash rejected the notion. "The Proprietor consumes the souls he's taken. Or they say maybe he gives them to some other, darkly-dark demon, my cupcake. Or some say he tortures them and that he puts them into the flameee-fire. Just like that silly little book they make your read on Sundays."

Shawn's parents never really took him to Church, even though it appeared that Dad might have been more religious than it had appeared to Shawn. Mom said once 'We don't believe in God, we believe in Nature.'

"There are a thousand stories. I just keep my pretties here. To make sure nothing, ever, ever happens to them." Hogwash said, seeming to justify his actions as defensive in nature.

"But the only thing that keeps them from running to him or any other member of the Circus are the acorns. I may have turned into a Monster. But I learned that cooking the acorns with rock soul keeps the kids here. It dulls their senses. It makes it so they'll never, ever want to leave. And that way, sweetheart, they'll never, ever be in any danger."

"But there aren't enough acorns for everyone. So that means that some have be sacrificed, so that other pretties can live." Hogwash reasoned.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:48, Wed 06 Dec 2017.

Shawn heard the defensiveness in Hogwash's story, and immediately rallied to attack the hypothetical people who'd disagree with what the pig man was doing. "Well, I think its brave, what you're doing. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a few to save a bunch, right? And sure, it's a hard choice, but all the kids here that survived when they wouldn't otherwise are lucky you're the one making it."

"How many kids do you usually lose in a cycle?" Shawn's eyes were big and sympathetic, like he knew the answer was something Hogwash felt bad about, and was already commiserating with him about it.

With that statement, Hogwash softened his tone. Shawn could see that the tension in the Pig's shoulders--bony and sharp--had released somewhat. The Pig-monster slumped in the executive chair, the old leather ruffling and the base creaking against the floor.


"I lose....at least five or six of my little pretties." Hogwash lamented. "Each time the Soul contest begins."

"Sometimes I just can't believe I would participate in such a thing. I just can't believe that it used to be me doing competing. I just wanted to win. I didn't think anything of them. I just wanted to win."

"Now I just want to hold onto as many as possible. As many as I can that will survive so they don't get sent down into that god-awful well Oh dearie, you have no idea...."

Shawn nodded sadly. "And this year it might be more. Part of why I'm here is to warn you; Mr. Cherrywinks is losing the soul race now, and he might get desperate. Maybe desperate enough to come after other souls in the Circus..."

The room suddenly grew more noticeable in its business-like atmosphere. Shawn was now more aware of the papers piled on the desks, the bookshelves filled with ledgers and the quill pent that was in the inkwell next to the green lamp.

It was time to get down to business.

OOC: Shawn Rolls Manipulation + (Socialize or  Subterfuge) + Striking Looks Vs. Hogwash Dice Pool of 5

This is an extended action with 3 rounds of rolls. A total of 5 successes more than Hogwash's total is needed

OOC: 19:28, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 9d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more with rolls of 9(+6),4,3,7,7,5,10(+3),1,6. Manipulation + Subterfuge + Striking Looks .

05:22, Today: Evil Circus - Hogwash rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,5,3,7,9)).




"Hmmmm...dearie." Hogwash pondered the dilemma. Bushy eyebrows came together and one lip on the snout began to curl.

"But sweety, this happens all of the time. All of the time, its so exhausting." Hogwash complained, clearly starting to think about the situation.

OOC: Shawn has 1 success that cannot be taken away. Shawn rolls the same roll

“You have to think about what’s best for you and the ones you can save. If you overextend yourself, who does that help?”

OOC: 07:24, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 5 successes using 12d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more with rolls of 7,2,6,10(+9,9,7),8,1,4,5,8,2,7,3.  Manipulation + Subterfuge + Striking Looks + WP.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 12:27, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

20:10, Today: Evil Circus - Hogwash rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((7,8,1,7,9)).




"But what about my pretties!?" Hogwash asked, stunned and clearly in turmoil over the idea that these very kids, the ones he believed he was saving, could be lost to someone else that might punish them...or even give them to the Proprietor.

OOC: Shawn now has 4 successes that cannot be taken away. Shawn rolls the same roll

"I know it's hard, but you're doing what's best for them."

OOC: 22:30, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 5 successes using 12d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more with rolls of 3,2,6,9(+8),9(+7),10(+5),2,4,6,8,3,6. Manipulation + Subterfuge + Striking Looks + WP.

01:57, Today: Evil Circus - Hogwash rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((2,6,10(+5),6,1)).




"It doesn't matter" Hogwash threw up his gnarled, twisted hands and he shook his head slumping. "It doesn't matter at all then. To be honest, there's only so much that I can do. And only for so long."

"There aren't enough acorns."

"I made the mistake. I should have gotten more of the acorns, to make sure my the pretty ones that I took on, could stay here longer, and flourish."

"But I have a soft heart. I feel too much."

"The things here at the Circus, have said 'you're too emotional.' While half of them yell at you for feeling too deeply...The other half of people in the real world admire it..But a larger portion of them think you're absolutely crazy. But you just have a sappy heart… And are brave enough to express it."

"That's what I am."

"To be honest, sweetheart, there's absolutely no way that I can keep these pretties. They'll all die if they stay with me. Not enough acorns. Can I say it any clearer?"

"They'll all die!" 

OOC: Shawn convinces Hogwash to release the souls to The Order

“What you tried to do here, it was beautiful. The important part is that you tried.”

"I know..." Hogwash was choked up. "I didn't...I didn't...save them." Hogwash's hand was quivering, gnarled fingers grasping the quill as it scratched against the paper in fits and starts.

"There..." He said, finishing with a scrawling signature at the bottom of the paper, ready to turn the souls over to Shawn. The paper was yellowed, the scroll at the top sheet of the parchment was a heavy, brown oak. "That's...that's all of them. All of my pretties. All of the ones that I spent time saving. It's...it's probably better this way. Better to start all over again with new crop of young, pretties that have the world's acorns at their fingertips."

He paused and looked down at the paper

"I'm not effeminate. I'm just… animated."

Shawn quickly took the paper, before the pig man could change his mind, but gave him a sad and sympathetic smile. "Well, I think you're cool, Master Hogwash." Shawn tried very hard not to think about the monstrousity of what he'd here done - he just had to justify the same way Hogwash did; these souls were doomed regardless, at least he could save his own life...

OOC: Shawn Joins Thread

Shawn: Griffix is Pleased...And Something Else