livinglot | ⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #1

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!↴

Or, more specifically, Lost Carnival's first 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 open October 5th at 12:01AM EST.
Applications open October 7th at 12:01AM EST.
You can apply as a newcomer or as a "veteran" character who has been in the carnival for up to three years.
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.
Supervisor applications will start being processed a few days after apps open, and will be selected on a competitive basis. If you want a supervisor position, it is best to submit your application as close to the beginning of the application cycle as possible. If you don't get chosen for your desired supervisor position, you will be given time to rework your application to be a regular veteran, or to apply for a supervisor position that is not yet taken.
Lost Carnival could use some additional moderation assistance! If you are interested, please let us know here.

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.

► 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.

► 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?

► 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?

► 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!

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Eheh, if you don't mind? I wouldn't usually ask but I...kind of need to.

[He manages to look a bit sheepish as he flushes red, glancing down before bowing and straightening himself. Yuugi especially hates having to ask this kind of thing from strangers, much less drawing attention to his shorter stature.]

I'll split the prize in return if you want.

_{[You could say almost shockingly soft.

Right...her brother. Her search for him is what had lead her to stumble upon this carnival in the first place.]}

Uh huh...we got separated when Dedenne ran off...now I can't find him!

Nah.

[If he'd seen them he could have grabbed them pretty trivially, he thinks, but he hasn't really been going out of his way.]

But, like everybody keeps telling me, I have more important things I should be keeping my eye on.

Sorry. Doesn't really fit my job description. The Warden's supposed to watch out for stuff that's dangerous.

[He's not actually sorry.]

That joke would make no sense if you didn't know Psii's name, but Sans does, and hell if he doesn't appreciate this guy's dedication to a schtick. He snickers through his teeth.

"Nah. Everyone sounds pretty worried that there will be, though. It's an anxious bunch we've got here."

[Roman flinches back, making a weird warbling growl sound and snapping its boney jaw. It looks like it's ready to spring if a fight breaks out, but for now it's controlling itself, even as it hunkers down warily.

Sans can sense it's urge to attack, but he warns it off. It's nothing to worry about, he's pretty sure. He's kind of curious to see what she'll do, most visitors don't react so casually to the sight of these guys.]

[He shrugs his shoulder, that flash of anger receding as he works to internalize it.]

Eh. Scheduling conflicts.

Dedenne it was just saying hello!

_{[Or that's what she thinks, at least. After all if it had wanted to attack her or her Pokemon it would've already. It wouldn't have been sniffing around. Not exactly happy to be scolded, Dedenne more or less give the mouse equivalent of a pout as she moved to scoop the Pokemon up and put him back in her pochette. She doesn't seem particularly scared of the potential ghost Pokemon. If anything she seems apologetic. She hasn't noticed Sans yet, however, far too focused on the unsure creature before her.]}

Sorry, you just surprised Dedenne, that's all...but wow! You're neat! What are you?

_{[Is she repeating herself? Sure, but it serves to be repeated!]}

Edited 2016-10-01 07:41 (UTC)

[Of all the strange, surreal, unexpected things at this fair, running into the gem who kidnapped and harassed his son and friends is perhaps the most unbelievable of all.

But, since Greg never met Jasper in person, the incredulity of the situation never dawns on him. All he sees is another technicolor carnival worker manning a fun game where he can show off what's left of his muscles. Everything is pleasant and fun and only slightly weird.]

Now here's a classic! [ He rubs his hands together. This is gonna be a disaster, and he knows it. ] How many tickets?

[As Sans becomes more sure of her intent, Roman lightens up a little bit as well, its tail tentatively beginning to wave back and forth as it leans up to investigate again. Small puffs of cyan fog come from between its fangs, apparently some kind of excited reaction.

Sans appears next to the creature, very suddenly. The two of them share some features, as Sans has developed some canine-esque bone structure in his feet and hands, though his tail is presently wrapped up inside of his shorts.]

Heh. They don't talk much. Might take a while to get an answer out of them.

[He mouth doesn't move at all when he talks.]

Uwah!

_{[Oh so this skeleton dog belonged to someone! And that owner was...also a skeleton. Man, what a day this is turning out to be. It's not that she's scared, so much that it's startling to, well, look at.]}

You're a talking skeleton! Wow!

_{[Probably...not the reaction Sans might expect from a little girl with a mouse in her purse but hey, at least it's positive?]}

Are you this ghost Pokemon's trainer?

_{[On second thought...it's probably not a Pokemon. Then again she did meet a ghost with ghost Pokemon so who knows! The possibilities are endless!]}

[Mitsunari quickly turns in the direction of said voice, instinctively drawing his sword and pointing it at the voice's general direction. The fact that it's so dark in this forest doesn't exactly help, but he's furious with himself at having been caught off-guard. How could he have allowed somebody to sneak up on him?!]

Show yourself!

There's no ringing bell for hitting the right target, but that yelp lets Natsu know he sure hit something.

To be fair, there are a lot worse places than the gut to get pelted with a speeding ball, especially when you've got a bit of extra gut than average. This thought is of little consolation to Greg right now.

"Hooookay. Oorgh. That's fine. I'm fine. Aaaahahaoww..." He leans heavily into a post, dripping spilled soda. "Mmmghkhnicethrowghhh."

( It might be bad manners to enter an out of use tent, but really, at some points this carnival seems so crowded that Mika barely feels able to breathe through the bustling mass of guests and performers passing by. Not to mention the headache from all of the murmurs that add up to a dull roar, punctuated by occasional applause. None of those things are too bad in moderation, but after a few hours, Mika is starting to imagine that this may be what Shu feels like every time he goes out into the busier streets. So, staying aside in the quieter tent, he takes a moment to catch his breath. It actually takes him a bit to notice the company he's sharing in here, but he spots a little blonde head onstage soon enough. )

Huh? A li'l girl? ( There's a mix of puzzlement and concern to his voice, but he takes a few steps towards the stage, calling out to her. ) Hey, are ya lost or somethin'? Uh, there ain't a show right now, yanno.

[Sam looks understandably wary as an older woman addresses him the minute he steps out. He's a guy with a lot of patience, but at this point it's beginning to slip. He'd let his anger fade while in the Mirror Maze though and by now he just looks tired.

But the minute he notices this lady's eyes, he's on guard, reminded of the Yellow-Eyed Demon. What would be a nice subtle way to slip in "Christo" here? ...There probably wasn't one.]

A way back to where I was before showing up here would be nice, if you're offering. But I get the feeling the answer's either not going to be given easily or I'm not going to like it when I hear it.

[There's no actual hostility coming from him here, nor is it an accusation of any sort, but it's not exactly openly friendly either.]

["Otherworldly" was one way to describe this place, and its apparent inhabitants. Sam's definitely on-guard.

The woman doesn't exactly sound dangerous, but then not everything dangerous does.]

I can't stay. I'm needed back where I was. Where will I end up if I leave through the front gate and just keep walking?

[Because he'd been walking through the motel room door when he'd arrived, and whatever portal he'd entered doesn't seem to be there anymore. He's more than willing to leave the carnival entirely but it seemed the closest place to look for answers. And considering he'd wound up right in front of it after walking through that door, it also seemed the most likely place to have the answers.]

Then it is done. Let's play.

[Well okay then. Sam's life is weird and apparently just keeps on getting weirder. At least he can try and be grateful he hasn't run into any clowns here yet. Just... nobody who looks like a normal human would, either. Funny how he considers four horns and four oddly colored eyes and glowing freckles still less disturbing than a clown, but. Well, that's Sam.]

Okay... [That was definitely the least helpful answer ever, buddy, thanks.] Can I ask if you work here? Or did you just sort of wind up here like I did?

[Having just paid his own admission fee, and stopping for a moment with his hands in his pockets to check that he didn't drop anything, Yuugi is about to leave before he overhears Greg's conversation with the clerk. Without much of a pause, he pulls his wallet back out and comes over, already in the process of pulling some money out.]

You needed some to cover the game tickets, right?

[...She pauses for a moment, only because it would've been interesting to see this strange egg. Coconut-egg.] But it did not cook well...?

[And she catches the paper mask, slipping it over her face before straightening up, ready to work.]

This will do, thank you very much! I will commence. If you need me for anything, do not hesitate to ask. [And she starts washing the dishes! But really, no matter how used she is to this kind of duty, the fact that this failed dish could be a health hazard and possibly a weapon of some kind? Making it quite difficult to scour the gel away--

Ah?]

It's wriggling quite strangely. [And then there's a strange bubble which comes out of it...before it pops.]

[ This is no laughing matter, sir, and the look Kanata shoots him is saying so. ]

They got devoured by the Shinigami Flower, just like people are if they aren't careful.

I thought trees had leaves... [ He was sure of it until he heard this weird guy talk. ] I know flowers have them but I thought trees did too...

[ Papyrus, you're changing how he looks at the world here. ]

"I--!?" Kanata had already been shocked by the fire that came from nowhere (it's some amazingly advanced pyrotechnics, he's never seen anything like it) and he takes a few steps back without noticing it. "I don't have any---I only have disinfectants an' medications, you can't use 'em..!" He slips right into the accent he grew up with due to the sudden distress, and he clutches to the bottle of disinfectant in his doctor's coat pocket. But there should be someone that knows, right? Right? He looks around. "Ain't there any fire extinguishers 'round here anywhere?!"

"Try moving it a little to your right."

It's an innocent comment, but from the prizes stacked up to one side of his part of the booth, it looks like he knows what he's talking about. Yuugi gives a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck as he puts his own gun down on the booth counter and steps down from his little box, hands sliding into his pockets as he comes over. A tilt of his head and a nod reconfirms his statement before stepping back a little to allow her room.

"I didn't get it at first either but it works," he supplied rather unhelpfully, shrugging slightly before looking at how she was holding the gun. "And try holding it with two hands without squinting. Both eyes open so you can focus."

I don't know if it's gambling, I don't know much about it...

[ These games are all so old fashioned though, it's pretty cool. What's also pretty cool is that she hit so close to the middle that easily. ]

But Miss, you're really good at that, have you done this before?

[ He has not. He uses the anti-Shinigami gun regularly but that's the closest he gets to these sort of things. He mostly plays video games when he plays games, though he's done some Japanese festival games before. ]

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⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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► TRYING TO LEAF

GAME OFF

tent!

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admission

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fire in the hole

gamer's circle

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