Samuel had known the moment the carnival began to set up that it wasn't natural.  Wasn't...what people would expect it to be.  The mundanes around him were going to enjoy themselves, they thought.  He knew better.  Could see things for what they were.  The strong man who wore only a loincloth wasn't merely a strong man.  Couldn't they see the disfigurement?  The warped, knotted muscles and the putrifying skin?  How would the mundanes take it if they saw him in his true form?<br/><br/>The spellcaster noted that there were others like him minglign within the confines of the carnival.  The Night Parade hadn't turned up in any of his research grimoires, but that wasn't surprising.  He was a mage of moderate talent, but he didn't have the time yet to devote to research.  Samuel needed a familiar, and when he saw some of the creatures within this dark circus, well, it was too perfect of an opportunity to pass.  Before he'd stepped within the area of influence the Night Parade had, though, he'd prepared a number of defensive spells and a few talismans to assist him in the endeavors.<br/><br/>Daylight seemed to prevent much of what he expected, though.  A few people, here and there, seemed to sneak off with the gypsy like folks that ran around the place.  The poor bastards.  They were mere food for the creatures they decided to try and play with.  Samuel grinned to himself as he saw one pair in particular.<em>Won't be a happy ending there, mate</em>.  At least the creatures had the decency let the poor folks climax before ripping their souls out of their bodies.  Clean kills, the bodies stashed away or fodder for something that didn't care if a meal was alive or not.