ringleaders: (Default)
Lost Carnival Mods ([personal profile] ringleaders) wrote in [community profile] livinglot2016-11-20 11:34 pm
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⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #2

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.
  • 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 and the players agree to it.
  • If you are interested in additional IC and OOC plot responsibilities, consider applying for a Supervisor position. Treasurer and Acquisitioner are currently open.

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 (NEW): 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? (NEW): 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!
mirrortide: (068)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
This time she stops breaking the mirrors, despite the pleas and cries coming from the ones still left standing. She's torn. It's not that she doesn't believe Steven, because Lapis knows that Steven would do anything to help someone, because that's just the kind of person he is, but also there's still the part of her panicking, telling her that she needs to help these trapped gems.

She's not moving, but she is looking rapidly between Steven and the still standing reflections that are begging to be freed. When it dawns on her that the Steven in front of her is different from hers, while still being the same, that panic comes back full force. Only this time it's directed at Steven's well being. He's quickly getting hugged in return. And also inspected. Heavily inspected.

"Steven!? Are you okay? What's wrong with you- Is it corruption? I don't know how to fix this! What can I do?"
starseedling: (softly but with a lot of feeling: fuck)

[personal profile] starseedling 2016-12-06 04:32 am (UTC)(link)
At this point the changes aren't as intense as he knows they could be. Mostly it's the mossy fur in places (or furry moss?), the lion like ears, the tail. Tiny shimmering replicas of his gem decorate his face and arms like freckles. He blushes at her scrutiny, having almost forgotten any how weird it all is for the moment.

It sets him back a little, at he tries to keep calm and make sense when he explains it, because he really doesn't want her to think it's as bad as it looks.

"N-No! It's... not. It's not corruption, it's just... kind of complicated. But it's okay! I mean, I'm okay. It isn't hurting me."

He knows some other people are less happy about it.
mirrortide: (082)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
Steven you are doing Lapis a frighten.

She doesn't stop going over him until she's sure she's noted all of the strange changes to his form. Even then, she's extremely gentle with how she does it. He says he's not being hurt by it, but that's something that Lapis has a very, very hard time believing.

"Are you sure? Steven- I don't think- Are you sure you're okay? This doesn't look like you're okay!" Do the Crystal Gems know? "Is this natural for humans?" Where's Pearl? Or Garnet? Or Amethyst? Shouldn't they be doing something to fix this?
starseedling: (if you're ever wondering)

[personal profile] starseedling 2016-12-06 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
"It's-"

He starts trying to explain, but then he pauses, looking around at all the broken mirrors, the realization sinking in. The fake mirror Lapis continue to cry out in distressed tones.

"It's not..."

He looks down at their feet - hers bare on a minefield of shattered glass. He can't think of the words. This is so bad. Lapis isn't going to be okay with this. Not even a little. This is the last thing she needs, after everything that happened.

"It's not a human thing," he explains, trying to keep his voice steady. "Or a gem thing. It's..." He falters and rubs one of his eyes as it waters a little too much. "This place really far from home. I'm sorry. Don't be scared."

Even if he isn't doing a very good job of selling it himself.
mirrortide: (067)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't crying, Steven's eyes watering do anything but help Lapis' situation. Steven is crying. He's saying it's not bad, but obviously it is. This place is far from home, but that's fine, because she can fly them back. She can take Steven back, it'll be fine.

"It's alright Steven, I can take us home." It's not like home is too far. There's probably a warp pad around somewhere, and if not? Well, Lapis can just carry him. It's no problem. She bites her lip, finally looking up from Steven at the images in the mirrors all crying out for help. She doesn't like it, but Steven comes first.

It's definitely awkwardly done, but Lapis absolutely has plans to lift him. There's mirror shards on the ground everywhere and she doesn't want him to get hurt. "We can figure it out. I'm- The Crystal Gems might know something? I'm sure they can help you, whatever the problem is."
starseedling: (eating a single dorito)

[personal profile] starseedling 2016-12-06 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
Oh no. He's messing this all up.

He doesn't know what happened. He's been trying so hard to focus on all the upsides if this situation, that Lapis's stark contrast to the forced normality of it has just shaken something loose. He'd been trying so hard, but the truth is, he's homesick. He's never been away from home for so long. Not really.

He doesn't resist her trying to pick him up - being carried is familiar and comfortable as far as he's concerned. His lion's tail bats and sways as she lifts him, and he wraps his arms around her for support.

"Amethyst is here," he tries to explain. "And so is Peridot. Time is all funny so maybe... You probably didn't notice. I... I can go home later, but I promised I would stay. I made a deal with the lady who owns the carnival so... I guess I work here right now."

What he doesn't want to explain is that he can already tell Lapis will have to stay too.
pullingamiko: (jazz hands)

[personal profile] pullingamiko 2016-12-06 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Not a lot of options for comfort up here," Miko gripes. But at least she scoots back into a more reasonable position in her seat. She can deal with just chatting for now.

"Miko. You get stuck in these things often?"

She's joking, probably.
mirrortide: (095)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 05:26 am (UTC)(link)
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Steven." But boy, does she look extremely uncomfortable as she carries him over the glass shards until they're outside again. "Why would Peridot be here? Or Amethyst? Are Pearl and Garnet here too?" She's deadset on taking Steven to them, so it's probably no surprise that she takes to the air.

Clearly whatever it is that is wrong with him needs to be fixed, because Steven shouldn't look like he does. Does Peridot know how to fix whatever it is? Steven says that time is apparently funny here, and that he needs to stay, but Lapis thinks otherwise. Maybe whatever is wrong with him physically is affecting him mentally too.
periphrasing: ((OVERJOYED YELLING))

[personal profile] periphrasing 2016-12-06 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
It's hard to miss the sound of that much glass shattering. As she passes, Peridot has half a mind to go in and chew out the perpetrator, but as lead engineer, she has bigger fish to fry elsewhere. Better to just send Greg in to replace the smashed mirrors later.

At least, that was her initial take on the situation. Her tune changes pretty quickly when, suddenly, those pointy little ears of hers pick up on a familiar voice... One that she hasn't heard in quite some time. Instantly, she's off like a shot, bounding through the house of mirrors on all fours and calling ahead:

"Lazuli?? Lazuli, is that you!?!"

Before Lapis can answer her, Peridot rounds a corner and skids into sight. Immediately, she stands up straight again when she spots her friend, letting out an overjoyed cry that just completely disregards the amount of distress that Lapis is currently in.

"Oh my stars, Lapis! It is you!"
starseedling: (JUMP JUMP)

[personal profile] starseedling 2016-12-06 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
"No. Just the four of us, for gems. And my dad's here, too." He's going to start trying to explain what happened in more detail, but then they are suddenly in the air.

Steven startles when she takes off, clinging tighter even as he immediately figures this is a bad idea. Lapis can be so extreme and he's doing a bad job of helping her be calm right now. He needs to stop-

"Lapis!" Oh no. Oh geez. "Where are we going?! We can't - Lapis we have to go back, you could get in trouble!"

If he fell he could maybe catch himself, but it doesn't matter. He can't just let Lapis put herself at risk when she doesn't even know what she's doing wrong.
mirrortide: (068)

y'all doin lapis a frighten

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
Relief instantly floods Lapis when she hears Peridots' voice. Peridot is here, she'll understand, she'll help Lapis free these other lapis lazuli's imprisoned here. Or rather, that's what she thinks, right until her relief is replaced with horror when she finally regards Peridots' form.

The sound she makes is neither pretty nor relieved, and honestly, Lapis actively backs up away from Peridot as self preservation suddenly kicks into overdrive.

"Peridot?" Obviously this has to be Peridot, but it doesn't look anything like Peridot, and Peridot can't shape shift anyway, and none of this is making any sort of sense.
mirrortide: (004)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
"What? Why? Why would I take you back there? I need to get you home! Away from this place." She can find Amethyst. She can grab Greg and Peridot. They'll all be awkward to carry, but Lapis can probably manage? She's never really carried anyone besides Steven and Greg before.

"We can get them too, You can't stay here, Steven!" Obviously this place is doing him no favours, or he wouldn't look like he does.
periphrasing: (Take it from me!)

BORK BORK BORK BORK

[personal profile] periphrasing 2016-12-06 06:15 am (UTC)(link)
Peridot's grin falters a little at Lapis's reaction, but only for a second before she realizes what the issue must be. It must be pretty startling for her to see her like this, and she hadn't even considered...

The little gem makes a show of briefly glancing down at herself, and then looks back up at Lapis with what she hopes is a placating smile (even though she's showing off some sharp teeth in the process), taking on a more schmooze appropriate tone.

"Heeeyyy, Lapis... It's still me! It's Peri! Your best friend, your CPH buddy!" She steps forward a few feet,
mirrortide: (067)

MIGHTY CONCERN

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 06:22 am (UTC)(link)
It's really not the teeth that are the problem, Peridot. It's the whole... Well, it's all of Peridot that's the problem, and even when Lapis realizes that Peridot isn't just a mindless corrupted Gem, she's quick to understand that she is a corrupted Gem. She must be. Nothing else makes sense.

Is corruption contagious? Should she escape, maybe? But if she escapes, she'll be leaving all of these other Gems trapped. She doesn't want to hurt Peridot. She also doesn't want to leave these other Lapis' here. How long have they been trapped anyway? Hopefully not as long as she was.

Peridot steps forward, and Lapis steps back, cornering herself against one of the smashed mirrors. What should she do?

"What's wrong with you? Why are you like that? Is it corruption? Is it contagious?"
periphrasing: (You'll never know love)

[personal profile] periphrasing 2016-12-06 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"What?" Peridot wrinkles her nose, brow furrowing. She's not particularly sensitive about her looks (barring her height) normally, but still. Comparing her to a corruption? Ouch.

"No no no-- It's just the effect of this place, it has some kind of weird magic," she reassures her, gesturing with clawed hands. "I mean... it is technically contagious, in a way, but you won't get it from me! I promise."
mirrortide: (082)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry, Peridot. Lapis isn't really all there right now, and all she hears is 'It's technically contagious', but it's not corruption, but Peridot is being affected and she needs to find some way to fix Peridot before it gets worse. Whatever 'it' is or means. Also before it affects her.

"What do I have to do to fix it-" Well, at least Lapis is putting Peridots safety above that of the other trapped lapis lazulis. Look how much she cares for you. That being said, as soon as she does take a step towards Peridot, she is keenly aware of all of them staring back at her and loudly begging for freedom. "Peridot, I need to get them out of here, they're trapped like I was, you have to help me!"
starseedling: (do any of you even know my name)

[personal profile] starseedling 2016-12-06 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"Lapis, she'll get mad!" Steven pleads. He's never really been very concerned about the Ringmaster himself - he joined willingly, after all, even if the circumstances had forced his hand. She'd been reasonable about things, besides her recruitment methods. However, if someone gets in trouble for accidentally "stealing" a couple of game tickets, he can't imagine how bad it would be to steal a bunch of workers.

Or try to.

"I don't think there's anywhere to go from here! Dad can't breathe in space! And... and I don't think I can either!"
mirrortide: (010)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 06:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"Then we'll figure something out! You can't say here if it's doing this to you, Steven!" Also who is this 'her', Lapis will throw down for you Steven, you know she will. "I don't think we have to go into space to get out of this place." Lapis did, after all, just sort of walk in. Which means she can walk out, obviously. "We can just go back the way I came in."

Yes, she absolutely knows how this place works. 100%, totally got it. You walk in, you walk out. Even after smashing someone elses property. A lot.
periphrasing: (PLEASE dON'T DIE)

[personal profile] periphrasing 2016-12-06 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Nyeh?" Peridot glances around at the mirror lazulis with mild alarm, belatedly putting two and two together. FOR SOMEONE SUPPOSEDLY DRIVEN BY LOGIC OVER EMOTION, she sure did let her excitement over seeing Lapis get the better of her! Dang!

"Oh... Oh crud," she mutters, grimacing. Now that she's caught on to the gravity of the situation, really understanding just how upset Lapis must be, Peridot turns back to her with what hopefully passes as a more soothing tone coming from someone with a naturally not soothing voice. "Lapis it's okay, they're not real!" She gestures towards a mirror Peridot by way of demonstration, who's just standing there with her arms crossed while looking kind of haughty. "Look, it's just a stupid gimmick some of the ride jockeys came up with to make a dumb attraction more engaging!"

"Still fooled you the first time you saw it," the reflection cuts in, sneering. "You stop talking!" the real Peridot snaps back at it.
mirrortide: (068)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Lapis only knows what maybe half of the words that Peridot is saying mean. Ride jokey? Attraction? But more importantly, not real? That doesn't make any sense, because the reflections are talking back, and now there's another peridot in the mirror. While Lapis might be hearing what they're saying, she's not actively listening.

Importantly, she's opted to ignore Peridot in favour of the other peridot, the one who is trapped in here too.

How many gems are trapped here? Lapis actively claws at the mirror for a few seconds. "I'll get you all out, Peridot help me!" She's already moving to smash another mirror in. Their gems have to be around here somewhere.
periphrasing: (IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!)

[personal profile] periphrasing 2016-12-06 07:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"Lapis NO, it's a trick! An illusion!" Peridot yelps, sprinting forward. Judging by the amount of broken glass in here Lapis has already racked up a sizable debt, and Peridot doesn't want her to add more to that just as much as she doesn't want to earn her own debt. She jumps and grabs the other gem's arm without really thinking, aiming to hold her back/knock her off balance.
mirrortide: (068)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Peridot what are you-" Lapis wobbles, and aggressively tries to regain her balance as she's suddenly tackled by the smaller gem rather forcefully. Unfortunately Lapis' balance gives, and she's sent downwards with Peridot on top onto a floor filled with glass shards.

At least Peridots' fall is broken by Lapis. Momentarily anyway, because about one and a half seconds later there's a Poof, a small cloud of smoke, and a gem on the ground.

Thanks for that.
periphrasing: (OOOHHH BOY OH BOY)

[personal profile] periphrasing 2016-12-06 08:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"Uhhhhh," says Peridot, staring at the gem on the ground, mortified.

"NuuuuuUUUHHHHH," she says again, sweating, glancing frantically at her surroundings to make sure no one else just saw that happen, or maybe in the hopes that someone did and they will be able to help get her shit back together? She's not quite sure which. Helpfully, of the few remaining mirror Peridots lifts her hands to her mouth and shouts from the audience: "Nice work, clod!" The other reflections all snicker in unison.

The real Peridot sits there for a second lashing her tail with agitation, before making the snap decision to scoop up Lapis's gem and hoof it out of the mirror house. She makes a run for her trailer in the supervisors grove, stumbling a few times in her haste, which causes her to comically fumble Lapis out of her hands once or twice.

They ultimately make it there unscathed though, and Peridot scampers over to gingerly place Lapis down on a pillow on the bed that she never uses. Then she backs up a good distance and parks herself on the floor on all fours, grimacing and waiting for her to come back.
mirrortide: (082)

[personal profile] mirrortide 2016-12-06 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
It's a good few minutes before Lapis actually reforms. She doesn't want to be trapped in another mirror too, but she also doesn't want to rush and mess up reforming and end up with a glitchy messed up form. Honestly though, she does seem surprised when she can reform, and just spends the first few seconds looking at her body to make sure, and then her surroundings, and finally, Peridot.

"Peridot?" She's not moving away this time, but she's also not moving closer. "Where am I?" But also, more importantly: "Did you free the other gems?"
fragileandsoft: (that can't be healthy)

Water

[personal profile] fragileandsoft 2016-12-06 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"What the--"

These games aren't the most expertly crafted, and need repairs. Especially when water comes flooding in mid-taping to undo the glue.

"Good gravy, don't tell me it's the toilets aga--Lapis?"

Greg comes out from behind the stall, carrying a broken target under his arm and soaked from the knees down. He gapes at her a moment, then at the flooded stall. Realization twists in his gut.

"Oh."

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