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Cirque du Cosmos
Troupe inside Triple Threat
PLANNED FOR RELEASE LATE 2024
"Come one, come all, and be amazed as the Cirque du Cosmos turns your world into a stage!"
The Cirque du Cosmos ("Circus of the Cosmos" or "Cosmos Circus") is an intergalactic-traveling Troupe of circus performers. The skill set among Cirque members is as vast as their namesake, and this diversity remains its biggest draw—the cast and crew, of course, are no less colorful! So long as the end result is entertainment, there is little the Cirque would turn away in terms of ability. (It may, in fact, be the most eccentric gathering of Starlyngs amongst all the factions...) Without a doubt, to witness a Cirque du Cosmos show is to make a memory you'll never forget!
Since the Cirque's goal is to charm audiences across spacetime, they do not have any one true base of operations. Instead, everything that they are is found within their spaceship, the Legerdemain, and on on one of the Firmament's many "orbiting bodies", nicknamed the Standing Ovation. The Cirque will semi-routinely revisit the Standing Ovation to restock, recruit new members, or rest, although it is rare that entire vessel makes the trip for the former two. It is far more common for the Cirque to deploy its members, enlist its various branch groups, or employ the Cosmic Couriers for their needs, the last of which they already heavily rely on for advertising.
On the topic of branch groups: while the Cirque is generally known for its singular, main body of performers, there exist several branch groups that act in affiliation with the Troupe. Many times, these parties are either very specialized in what they do, wish to achieve differing agenda, or seek to further their own popularity independent of the main group. Additionally, the Cirque is in close association with the Symphony of the Stars and Masked by Moonlight, so overlap between these Troupes (and members belonging to multiple) is not unheard of. As a result, these Troupes are often rounded into a collective called the Trifecta (or Triple Threat). Overall, the Cirque is rather lax in who they allow to call themselves members.
The Cirque and its members are regularly sponsored and assisted by the Seventh Seat, Oberon (he does not, however, lead them).
The Cirque rarely remains in any one place too long, although when they decide upon a "world tour," they very much mean performing at each and every venue possible on a planet. However, how the Cirque goes about doing this depends upon the civilization itself: if inhabitants are aware of and/or welcoming (used to) of extraterrestrial travelers, then the Cirque will arrive with no shortage of celestial fanfare! However, if that's not the case, then they'll arrive and go on tour more covertly. Masters of disguise will also typically scout ahead to understand the climate of proposed planets.
- RINGMASTER: High-value acts, masters of ceremonies, directors, etc; very similar to regular ringmasters. Cirque Ringmasters (or Ringleaders) must be highly experienced in the other ranks (and longtime members of the Cirque) to be voted into this position, discounting some exceptions. Ringmasters can help or rejoin the All-Star, Sideshow Act, and the Stagehand ranks should they choose to. There are multiple Ringmasters and thus no true leader of the Cirque, although some have felt the Sixth deserves this honor.
- ALL-STAR: The main performers of any show. These members are the ones that usually get the crowds roaring, take up the most time during a show, and have their faces plastered all over advertisements. All-Stars are, above all, front and center! Many legends were born in this rank and have used it as a stepping stone toward greater things. If not to go fully solo, countless Ensemble Acts have left the Cirque to form and lead their own branch groups.
- SIDESHOW ACT: The side performers of any show. Sideshow Acts that garner enough attention (or experience) may go onto become All-Stars. Many Sideshow Acts are assistants, backups, or background performers for All-Stars. Every All-Star member was once a Sideshow Act, but not all Sideshow Acts go onto become All-Stars. This can be for various reasons, such as preferring less attention or enjoying what they do already. (True Stardom can also be quite difficult to achieve.)
- STAGEHAND: The Cirque members that truly make everything happen! This rank involves everything that goes on behind the curtains, including props, costumes, lighting, etc. and crewing their spacecrafts (see: Pioneer's Permit). Those that join the Cirque must at least spend some time as a Stagehand to truly grasp and appreciate the inner workings, yet many entrants only ever wished to become Stagehands in the first place! Further, it is not uncommon for Sideshow Acts or above to return to this rank after failing to find success, wishing to retire from the limelight, etc. or simply discovering that they preferred being a Stagehand altogether.
