Flying Koi Carnival

The Flying Koi Carnival is a legendary festival in the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se. Despite its colorful and lively appearance, the carnival is actually a disguise and the circus a front for a band of thieves.

History

After years of scraping by from day to day in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se during the Hundred Year War, Ringmaster Peng created the Flying Koi Carnival with the goal of changing the fortunes of those who had nothing. His circus was merely a front for their band of thieves. In the name of equality, they stole from the rich of the Middle Ring to feed the poor of the Lower Ring, executing increasingly bold grifts.

During the era of Avatar Aang, after the end of the Hundred Year War, a Flying Koi Carnival took place in the Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se. While attending the festival, Rose, a wealthy young woman and daughter of a Fire Nation colonial mother and an Earth Kingdom diplomat father, went missing during one night. Unbeknownst to Rose's mother, Lei, she had been planning to run away with her secret girlfriend, a gang member named Hua. The defiant daughter thus found herself in the midst of a crime syndicates' territory war.

Ringmaster Peng and the members of the Flying Koi Carnival became prime suspects in the investigation. The Flying Koi had recently moved to the territory of the violent Paper Lantern Gang, whose reputation was at stake, and refused to pay the group the respect and dues they were owed, despite the carnival conducting criminal business on the gang's turf. Gang leader Cong was desperate to assert his power.

Both groups were under the watchful eye of young Detective Ziming, who became motivated to prove herself and earn the respect of the Middle Ring police force that doubted her credentials and cunning. The cabbage merchant, who had moved to the capital as a refugee, was an accidental witness of Rose's kidnapping along with his turkey duck, Daisy. The kidnapper took Daisy from the merchant as collateral for his silence.

Description

Sprawling across nine square city blocks in Ba Sing Se's Middle Ring, the Flying Koi Carnival completely changes the scenery of the area into one that is lively and thriving and aglow well into the night. Jewel-toned tents in different patterns — from paisley to polka dot to plum blossom — fill the circus with guests, and cartwheeling, fire breathing, stilt-walking performers pack the alleys between. An aromatic swirl of sugary burnt notes from rows of meat smokers. A chaotic checkerboard of food stalls, carnival games, and tents filled with oddities and attractions surrounds the massive big top tent, the site of each evening's feature show. Along the back edge of the carnival, furthest where the performers and ringmaster live. Despite the joyous veneer of the Flying Koi, it is actually the operating base of a thieves' ring. Pickpockets and rigged games scratch away at the carnival's happy rainbow surface.

Flying Koi performers

Swathed in a veritable rainbow of cartwheeling colors and patterns, this group of performers loyally followed Ringmaster Peng, who gave young runaways with curious talents — benders and nonbenders alike — a place to call home. Each circus worker was unique in some way, whether they expressed themselves in elaborate costume or specialized talent; for instance, an acrobat that walked on her hands while a firebender created amazing firework displays using his bending. While performers distracted circusgoers in the most spectacular fashion, those in the shadows had their hands in guests' pockets. The performers of the Flying Koi were thieves in disguise, executing a number of increasingly bold thefts and using the money they stole from the rich city nobles to feed the poor in the Lower Ring.

Known performers

• Ringmaster Peng (leader)
• Anri
• Maolo

Trivia

• The Flying Koi Carnival is the center of The Vanishing Act, a standalone adventure set in the Aang Era on Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game's Core Book.