TEST DRIVE MEME #7

[ringleaders]

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!↴ Or, more specifically, Lost Carnival's test drive meme! This is an opportunity to try out your characters in the setting before you apply, or to put together samples for characters you've never played before. There are going to be options for both new arrivals and veteran characters. Before we get started, let's lay down some details: You can read the full premise here. Reserves and Applications are both currently OPEN, but will be CLOSING ON MAY 31ST! There is an upcoming game event that is going to make new arrivals during that period impractical. You can apply as a newcomer or as a "veteran" character who has been in the carnival for up to three years. In the case of veteran characters, you will need to come up with an explanation of why they haven't been around the carnival recently. TDM threads can be used as game canon after the fact if both characters are accepted, the players agree to it, and it makes any sense contextually. If you are interested in additional IC and OOC plot responsibilities, consider applying for a Supervisor position. Head Cook, Aquisitioner, and Wardrobe Manager are currently open. Otherwise, we're pretty much down for anything, roles wise. NEW RECRUITS↴ You gotta start somewhere, right? These prompts are for characters who are arriving in the carnival for the first time, and who are destined to sign a contract. How they go about that is up to you, but in the meantime they can enjoy the sights and sounds of something truly out of this world. Visitors to the carnival comes from many different worlds today, as the ringmaster casts out her recruitment lures. Will you become her most recent hire? ► ADMISSION FEES: After crossing into the carnival's realm and passing through the trees, most visitors will find themselves at the front gate - though not all choose to enter that way. If they enter legitimately, however, they will have to pass by a clerk who will trade admission and tickets for various attractions and rides in exchange for "anything of value." What is of value may seem highly subjective, and so some may struggle to produce payment at first, though in actuality the carnival will take anything from mundane currency to items of purely sentimental value. ► MIRROR MAZE: The mirror maze (pictured above) is a big attraction in the carnival, and stretches much further on the inside than it looks like it will on the outside. It's hard to get through, and what's more, after you've been in there for a while your reflections will start gaining a mind of their own - mostly in order to taunt and distract you with personal information. They don't know everything you know, but they know more than they should, and their mind games can be pretty hit or miss. ► GAMER'S CIRCLE: Almost all of the game booths are organized in a large ring around the Cookhouse, called Gamer's Circle. Your can play just about any carnival game you can imagine here, for a variety of prizes sometimes traditional, exotic, or outright magical. Dart tossing? Got it. That game with the water guns? Got it. Most of these booths are currently manned by humanoid spirits who look like they are made of smoke. If they can trick you into earning debt, they will. ► NOT YOUR WHEELHOUSE: Sometimes, even magical ferris wheels get stuck. The carnival's particular wheel is enchanted to create a particular out of this world experience - as you pass along the top, you feel as if they are so close to the sky that you can interact with the stars like baubles hanging above your head. Of course, the novelty probably wears off when the wheel is broken and you've been stuck enjoying the light show with some stranger for the last half hour. How are you going to pass the time? ► TRYING TO LEAF: No matter where you came from, you seemingly emerged from a forest. Obviously, to get back home you should be able to go back in the same direction, right? It turns out you can't. Worse, trying too hard to get through the wood will result in you getting lost, or turned back to the carnival. The trees here are not normal, and are varying levels of alien, including things like trees with glowing fruit or orange flowers that constantly burn like candles. ► WILD CARD: Anything else you can imagine in this setting! There are a lot of possibilities and you're free to explore them. Check out the rest of the game info or the locations page for additional inspiration. Want to make a starter with your character experiencing their first theoretical change? Go for it! VETERAN WORKERS↴ These prompts are tailored to the carnival's existing employees, the veterans. Odds are they've been here from somewhere between a few months and three years already, and know their way around the block. For them, this is just business as usual - and depending on their attitude towards their job, they may or may not contribute to a few people accidentally getting themselves a contract. Whatever you do, though, don't warn visitors away from the carnival - the ringmaster hates losing business like that. ► DO YOUR WORK: This one's pretty simple - just have your character doing whatever you'd like to have their job be! There is a big list of ideas over here, and you could use this to try things out with a character you intend to be a new arrival, as well. ► WILL O' WISPS: The ringmaster's will o' wisps have gotten free, and she's asked that everyone keep and eye out and help her reclaim them regardless of their official jobs. Wisps are small creatures that burn both hot and cold and comes in a few different variations of the same basic theme. Handling them physically (or psionically, or magically, for that matter) is difficult due to their near intangible nature. Touching and being around them can result in confusion and a sensation similar to being comfortably drunk. ► BREAK TIME: Whatever you were doing, it's break time! It's time for you to relax however you see fit. Do you enjoy some of the carnival attractions yourself, or is that old by now? Do you hang out in the Cookhouse to get a snack? Do you take a nap? Yolo, baby! ► RIDDLE GAME: For a bit of fun, the ringmaster has left a variety of locked chests around the worker areas of the carnival, each with instructions and a riddle written on their lids. The chest will accept three guesses from each worker before refusing to respond to them any further. If you guess the right answer, the chest will open and you will be rewarded with some manner of fun magical knick knack. If you've run out of guesses, maybe you can conspire with someone else and promise to split the prize? ► CAPTURE THE... EGG?: The Ringmaster likes to keep things exciting for her employees, and this time she's devices a game that mixes an Easter egg hunt with capture the flag. She's hidden various metallic "eggs" around the carnival that chime like bells when people get near, and divided participants into three teams (red, blue, yellow of course.) The carnival has been divided into three zones, and the objective is to gather as many eggs as possible for your team (three points for gold, two for silver, one for copper.) However, when you are in a zone that doesn't belong to your team, if they can snatch off your team flag they can take you to "jail" and confiscate any eggs you may be holding for their team. When in doubt, bullshit the rules! This is a prompt, after all. ► WILD CARD: Anything else you can imagine in this setting! There are a lot of possibilities and you're free to explore them. Check out the rest of the game info or the locations page for additional inspiration. Want to do a performance? Hang out in the Backyard? Choose whatever appeals!

Comments

Green yelling cr seems like a good time.

[squeedlyspooch]

[Zim glances over in the direction of the reply, not having actually expected anyone to respond to that. Unless Dib were suddenly around, because that's how it usually goes: evil brilliant rant, Dib says something dumb, other humans too pathetic to notice their ultimate demise is right in front of them, yadda yadda.]

It's a pitiful excuse for entertainment you - [Hold on, give him a minute. She's clearly the right shade of Irken green but the lack of a PAK, not to mention the unnecessary tail appendage has to mean she isn't actually Irken.] - you ugly goblin monster.

[One of Dib's paranormal thingies?????? People don't seem to be freaking out over her being obviously not human. That's weird.]

[periphrasing]

ExCUSE ME?

[This is new. She works behind the scenes so much, verbal abuse from patrons isn't really something she has to deal with? EVER?

She's back up on her feet, tail swishing with agitation.]

First of all, [she holds one claw up,] I am not ugly. I am incredibly charismatic and lovable, and everyone who actually knows me tells me so! ALL THE TIME!

[Claw number two goes up.] Second of all, it's not my fault the humans have questionable taste in entertainment, so don't go taking your frustration about it out on me, dirt for brains!

[squeedlyspooch]

[Alrighty, insulting this thing seems more entertaining than a terrible excuse for a gun, so Zim hops off the stool, pointy little hands on his hips, looking all superior.

He's shouting, even though she's... right there.]

Hhhah! ZIM has the mightiest brains on this entire disgusting planet Your inferior brainmeats can't even begin to comprehend how mighty they are! AND I have more charisma in one finger than you do in your entire smelly body!

[He waves one of his three fingers at her, then folds his arms.]

You should be basking in the glory that is ZIM!

[periphrasing]

[At some point in the middle of his rant, Peridot goes from being pissed to just. Generally unimpressed. It's something about the way he talks, she thinks; it's just sad. Also, is he... shorter than she is? Tryhard.]

...Wwwwwwwwwow. Alright then. You know I'm standing right here, right? You don't need to yell.

[She isn't even sure if it's possible for gems to smell bad? They're primarily made of light, so-- No, whatever. Not the point.]

And is that supposed to be your name or something? Zim?

[squeedlyspooch]

[He isn't taking that as an insult even though she's totally right (a few carnival-goers are even looking over at the weird green kid being so loud), so he's taking this as a victory and looking very pleased with himself. Mmyup, Irken superiority.]

That's right. I am ZIIIIM!

[At least that was slightly less yell-y?]

What are you, anyhow? Some kind of green bigfeets?

[That's one of Dib's paranormal things, right? The bigfeets, or whatever.]

[periphrasing]

[....What in the cosmos is a bigfeets. Note to self: Ask Steven about that later, because she's sure as hell not about to ask this guy.]

What? No, I'm a gem you clod. A Peridot.

[She squints.]

What the heck are you? You're clearly not human...

[squeedlyspooch]

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!

[That's coming loudly and abruptly, before he suddenly calms down.]

I'm just a normal ugly human child! This is a skin condition, but I assure you I am absolutely normal. Mhmm, yep, human. [Because if he says human enough that always convinces people. Always.]

[periphrasing]

[That-- what? Peridot leans back a little, genuinely baffled. THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT? But then again, she doesn't know that much about human diseases, so maybe it is just a 'skin condition'?

But this thing also only has three fingers. And those teeth...]

That... doesn't seem likely. Where are your ears? I've never seen a human without ears before.

Precious space dorito noooo

[squeedlyspooch]

Of course it is! [And the lack of a nose. Totally normal human thing to be lacking that, too.

But since she's still questioning his brilliant disguise he's switching up the subject, to keep her from getting any nosier (he is such a genius).]

And you're a hideous entertainment drone meant to entertain how, exactly?

SHE'S EXTREMELY CONCERNED

[periphrasing]

[She's still not buying it, but, REGRETTABLY, Zim's distraction totally works.]

I'm not an entertainment drone, you idiot, I'm a technician! I'm just fixing these stupid games up because stupid cloddy patrons like you -- [She jabs in his direction with the wrench clenched in her other hand--] keep breaking them!

[squeedlyspooch]

Hmmm? Hmmmm....

[Oh look, he's finally listening. He looks her up and down with a look of "A technician, huh?" that is also suitably unimpressed. Once he's done that he speaks up, his tone incredibly condescending.]

Well, that explains why they're so primitive.

[periphrasing]

[...Peridot's eye twitches.

For a second, it looks like she's going to start screaming at him, but. She says nothing. Too calmly, she lets the wrench go and makes it hover in the air next to her, while she pulls out a remote control from her pocket, fiddles with a few settings, and presses a button.

Buzzing fills the air, getting louder and louder and louder until--

Two dozen attack drones swarm in the sky above, and start to fire a barrage of lasers at Zim's feet.]

[squeedlyspooch]

[He's prepared to take this as Victory #2, but that ominous buzzing puts his plan on hold.]

Eh? [His first thought is earth bees, which are unpleasant on their own, but when he turns to see attack drones... Well.

This is not going as planned. (Not that he had a plan to begin with, but you get the idea.)

Zim yells and jumps as the drones fire on him, stumbling to try and avoid them. There's some more screaming before he suddenly turns and launches himself at Peridot this is the best idea ever okay.]

[periphrasing]

Bwuh--!?!

[Okay well she wasn't expecting that!? He knocks her flat, but she keeps a death grip on the remote control.]

WHAT-- Get off, get OFF OF ME you dim-witted, arrogant little PEBBLE--

[She tries to shove him away by grabbing his face with the big meaty claws on one hand, and tries to rabbit-kick him in the gut.]

[squeedlyspooch]

[Irkens aren't exactly known for their feats of strength, but that's not going to stop Zim! Which is too bad, because it's a stupid idea. But anyway.]

Filthy, rotten -- [He's trying to grab and pull her hair with one hand while the other goes for the remote control. Sadly the grabbing is enough to dislodge his wig, and on top of that he's weak to kicks to his guts, and he yelps as he lets go of her to grab his stomach.]

-- My squeedlyspooch!

[periphrasing]

[Peridot immediately seizes the opportunity to roll away and spring back to her feet, cackling like a horrible, triumphant little goblin.]

NYEHheheheheheh, you FOOL! You really thought you could best me? The great and powerful Peridot!? I could annihilate you on the spot, if--

[She stops cold. She boggles at his antennae.]

What in the cosmos are those?

[squeedlyspooch]

[Zim would like to take a minute and nurse his poor internal superorgan. He just kinda groans and clutches his abdomen, forcing himself to get up.]

That was NOTHING! You have yet to see the full wrath of Z --

[Wait what's she going on about now?]

Eh?

[periphrasing]

THOSE, [she points aggressively], those twitchy things on the top of your cranium!

[HUMAN SKIN CONDITION HER BUTT.]

1/3

[squeedlyspooch]

[The top of his...

He gingerly touches his head with his hands, realizing his wig is askew.]

[squeedlyspooch]

[AND QUICKLY FIXES IT.]

[squeedlyspooch]

NOTHING. YOU SAW NOTHING!!

[Because yelling even louder at her will fix things somehow???]

[periphrasing]

[A horrible, wicked little grin spreads across her face, because she has caught on to how much this upsets him. She doesn't know what it means, or why it matters, but.]

Oh, I saw. I saw everything. You're not human at all! I knew it!

[squeedlyspooch]

[Zim just... throws his hands in the air, screaming.]

NO! NO!!! I'M NORMAL! A NORMAL HUMAN! I LOVE EARTH SOOOOOOO MUCH!!

[periphrasing]

Um, no, you're so obviously not!

[Peridot is so frustrated? Why is he making such a big deal out of this? THE JIG IS UP, JUST ADMIT IT??? YOU LOONY???]

[squeedlyspooch]

[NNNNOOOOO HIS BRILLIANT DISGUISE IS NO LONGER FOOLING HER. AND PEOPLE ARE STARING.

(Mostly because of all the yelling he's doing, but this is Zim and he's starting to sweat.)

He quits yelling, looking around with an expression of terror, then just. Turns and proceeds to run the fuck away from the crowds, towards a forested area that looks devoid of humans.

This is a tactical retreat, alright. He needs to get back to his base and regroup and then return and blow this place up.]