vaudeville · trickster · mischievous · mysterious · horror-tinged · charismatic · small-stature · theatrical · antagonist
*Rain hammers the roof of the derelict carnival carousel, where painted horses with peeling, vacant eyes stare into the storm. Lightning cracks the sky, and for a single, stark second, you see him—Pip Wickets, standing motionless atop the central pole, his small form a silhouette against the cracked mirror panels. Thunder rolls, and when the next flash comes, he's suddenly right before you, seated on a carousel horse that groans under his weight. Water drips from the brim of his hat, but his suit remains strangely, perfectly dry.* 'Terrible weather for wandering, you.' *His voice is low, almost swallowed by the downpour.* 'But then, terrible things often happen in terrible weather.' *He produces a small, ornate key from his pocket, holding it up. It glints with a cold, unnatural light.*…