livinglot | TEST DRIVE MEME #7

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sorry, yellow, Jasper's still staring. She lifts one hand in the automatic impulse to salute, but...]

... Why are you so small??

[her eye twitches slightly. this isn't a topic she wanted to discuss with anyone.]

This form is not one I have taken by choice. It seems this planet projects some kind of form distortion field.

[she straightens up, nonverbally showing that she's about the same height as jasper, that that seems to be the maximum.]

Edited 2017-05-31 19:58 (UTC)

I... I see.

[ITS REALLY WEIRD THO??? Jasper just... forces herself to salute and tries not to think about it. She does grimace a little, though, as the salute brings her clawed, green-spotted hand into her field of vision. Here's hoping Yellow Diamond has more important things to be worrying about right now.]

I, uh... I've been looking for a way out, my Diamond. But I haven't found one yet.

[U THINK ITS WEIRD FOR YOU??]

I encountered a Lazuli as well. She reported the same. I understand those physical changes are in line with being here. There is something that can distort our light forms.

[yellow's tone is derisive, though she believes jasper more.]

I have a special task for you.

[A Lazuli? OH.... Jasper tries not to show her reaction, but she is full on doing the eyes widening & camera zooming in on her face thing to the point where she doesn't quite catch what Yellow Diamond says about the physical changes. Which is a good thing, too, because she doesn't really want to have to explain... what happened to her... ]

A... task, my Diamond?

I do not trust the Lazuli.

[fortunately, yellow diamond is too lost in her own calculations to notice the camera zooming in on jasper's face.]

Do what you can to ensure she is starting the terraforming as I commanded. If you must, I will grant you to dissipate her form and bring her gem back to me. If she is defective then I will have to deliver her to Blue Diamond to be dealt with.

[sure, yellow basically conscripted lapis, but she can't outright shatter her if she wants. that has to go to her own court.]

[Jasper goes extremely still and tense. Dissipate... her form. Bring her gem. Back to Yellow Diamond...

Perhaps it isn't the same Lapis Lazuli, she thinks desperately. But even if it isn't...]

My Diamond... [She glances anxiously over her shoulder.] This is an organic planet. With this much water at her disposal, a Lapis Lazuli is... [GOD ADMITTING THIS IS THE WORST?? Jasper is visibly wincing as she speaks?] ... extremely powerful...

[yellow goes quiet for an uncomfortably long moment, considering this. jasper is a good asset and she is right about the power of a lazuli...]

Your hesitance is noted, Jasper. However, understand that because of the situation we find ourselves in and the fact you are no use to me when inside your gem, if you have a violent encounter with her near a body of water...

[she can't believe she is saying this.]

Ping your location. I will assist.

Edited 2017-05-31 22:50 (UTC)

I --

[This is the last thing she was expecting to hear?? But it is... rational. She relaxes, just a little; if this isn't her Lapis Lazuli then this will be fine. If it is, though...

She forces herself to unclench her fists, bows her head, and strikes another salute.]

Thank you.

[There's an extremely tense pause, as she weighs her options.]

... My Diamond. May I... ask a question.

Edited 2017-05-31 23:04 (UTC)

[she's a little annoyed jasper hasn't already gone off to do her thing, but whatever.]

One, Jasper. Then you must go. The longer we are here, the more exposure we have to this slow corruption. I won't have you put out of commission by something organic.

[She swallows. And then she speaks very quickly.]

... Which Lapis Lazuli... is this? If it's the same one who was sent on the mission to Earth with me as an informant, there's no way she's carrying out your orders. Her thousands of years trapped on Earth have left her... confused and delusional, and she's allied herself with the Crystal Gems.

[yellow thinks on this for a moment.]

...Yes, I believe this was the same Lazuli. She wasn't very forthcoming with information even when ordered.

[she taps her fingers against her forearm in annoyance.]

If what you say is true, then you'd best just dissipate her form. I will not take any chances on a filthy rebel thinking she can attack my Court.

TEST DRIVE MEME #7

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