livinglot | ⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #1

Entry tags:

⇨ 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!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Champloo laughs -- because how well he knows that score.]

Hyahya! If you keep your soy sauce trapped in a packet, it cannot flavor your rice, and when it bursts you will be terribly salty! Better open it up now.

"Hey Miss, ya seem a bit outta sorts."

The voice that speaks up to her is so British it hurts, accent adding a lazy softness to the words spoken. Joker is technically by all means on his break after he's finished some things up, but he still likes to stroll through the carnival grounds and occasionally get himself involved in other people's business. Usually, it's just to get them to play a game, or see a show, or what have you.

Right now, however, those sharp pink eyes seem a bit more focused as they look over Georgia. It's not unusual to find folks who are more than a little wary about such a strange place.... but something here is off to Joker.

Oh please. It's not like I'm the one who let those things free to do whatever they want.

[The woman's not very good at bluffing it seems.]

And I hope you wouldn't stoop so low that you'd pin the blame on an innocent carnival guest.

Bonnie. Susie. Same difference!

... and I'm not rude. I'm confident. When you're the best, you gotta have swagger. I don't expect YOU to understand.

[Why yes, in spite of what he said earlier, he will be wasting more time with childish arguing.]

Well, no, but!

[But Ahaaa!] But you did just deliberately let one go right now..~!

[Kadin has been getting used to the fact that he's not quite so different here. There's beasts and creatures and half-humans of all sorts here, so while he might still be fairly unique, he doesn't stand out as much. He's not automatically the odd one out, the one treated with thinly veiled distaste and suspicion. It's got him off balance, this one undeniably positive thing among rest of this disastrous place.

This woman is basically the epitome of the kind of treatment he's not used to. Showing comfort and understanding to a near complete stranger. He hasn't had someone be so kind to him since Shen left for his pilgrimage. Under normal circumstances, Kadin might try to keep her at arm's length out of some combination of suspicion and self flagellation. But in the moment he is tired, and feels strung out. Not only from the exertion of feeding, but the prospect that in just a few hours time he'll have to do it all over again. So he lets himself relax, takes a swig of the bitter potion he's been given, and pushes his doubts aside.]

I wouldn't mind chatter.

Oh yeah, mate, see it all the time.

[The voice comes from just a little behind Mitsuki and, if he looks, he'll find Joker sitting on top of the seat behind his own but he's not locked in like safety common sense would demand. Instead, he's casually sprawled on it, wings stretched out and the soft glow of spots in his under feathers mimicking the shine of the stars.]

[He's up here for a break, don't mind him.]

S'one of the nice things about workin' here, ya should give it a shot.

[After nearly two year, it's hard to still view Jasper as a threat. They don't exactly get along, but at this point she's just another grumpy coworker, more or less.

Amethyst's wandering around on a break when she spots the big gem attending the Test Your Strength game... Her strength increase in exchange for another year of carnival service is still extremely recent, her thicker, pawlike hands a testament to this, and she figures, hey, why not?

She ambles over with a shit-eating grin on her face.]

Hey, wanna let me have a try?

[Jasper doesn't recognize this man at all. Lapis hadn't even made any mention of him in her interrogation before their return to Earth, and if she had it's highly likely the larger gem would have forgotten about it long ago in its irrelevance. Right now all she sees is a customer, and her job is to handle them rather than scare them away.

She holds up two fingers, then holds out her hand.

The mallet slips downward but doesn't hit the ground. She's now gripping it with her foot - which is actually another hand, ape-like in appearance.]

[It's not polite to gossip, but Lizzie is very skilled in the art of whispering regardless; she's able to latch onto Vietnam's every word, and when she whispers back in turn, it's with delicacy:]

I cannot say I have anything to offer... I have neither pockets nor purse, so I can't carry anything with me!

[She's still not got the idea that she could give up anything else. It's all so unorthodox and frankly she's used to having her maid shell out payments whenever necessary.]

Huh, okay. [She digs something out of one of her claws with her teeth...] Zombies are OK, I guess.

Edited 2016-10-01 17:34 (UTC)

No, I don't. You're confusing.

_{[Maybe he really did have swagger. Everything he says just makes her confused and tempted to have Dedenne shock him! But, she'll be good. She's a good girl after all. Not mean like this guy.]}

If you were the best you wouldn't have to tell people you're the best. Show, don't tell.

Looking up at the sound of the voice, she shakes her head. "I'm not lost in my thoughts, just taking a wander in them."

Ferlwin grins and then chuckles softly while stretching, catching a whiff of whatever Joker had in it, making her want something sweet as well. She had her apples and berries at the moment though, so she pushed that want aside.

"Pull up a patch of grass of you'd like, I've wandered enough down memory lane for one day."

She gives him a wry smile and then adds "Though when are you not a pain?" Her tone and grin take any kind of sting out of the comment, as it's clear that she's just teasing him a little.

As she's staring long and hard at one of the various workers of the place, a low but amused laugh rolls out from behind her. "Miss, I think yer gonna make a few folks shy if ya stare like that."

Wings folded along his back and brilliant pink eyes crinkled over his smile, Joker tilts his head down at her. Really, it's not a reaction he can complain about. So long as no one starts screaming about the... unique changes that come with working at the carnival, he's more than willing to let people be curious or marvel.

Why thank you, [Elizabeth says, quite clearly; she's extra careful not to mumble, although she's embarrassed by this person's forward comment. It's peculiar to be complemented by a man, and a stranger at that! For a second she looks away from him to peer at the dart she'd thrown, and purses her lips into a dissatisfied line. Mother would tell her that it wasn't a perfect shot.

But she gathers herself up, skirts and curls and dignity, flushing slightly.] I have never gambled before! [she announces a bit loudly, as if everybody needs to know this. Then she settles down some.] Um, well... It's not difficult to aim and release. I know it's brutish, but— [She clasps her hands tightly.] But isn't that rabbit cute!

[Joker doesn't do the admission part of the business. He could, if he wanted, but it's not where his interests or ambition have led him. However, he is hanging about while time is inbetween the shows going on in the big top, purely to make sure the clerk doesn't starve to death by accident. So, he's around as he overhears that little exchange, and Childermass is almost immediately greeted by a grin as he comes through the gates.]

Looked pretty nicely made, but ya didn't seem ta care much at all, did ya?

Heh. Think of it as a prize you get for being a winner.

[He eyes Dedenne again.]

Is that your only Pokemon?

[Elizabeth admires women of beauty and poise so much that it's nothing less than a relief when Aramat speaks to soothe her. Lizzie lets out a long, slow breath, sinking a bit, seeming to lose some tension. Her hands stop clasping quite so tightly.] Thank you, [she says softly, honestly touched. Then she brightens, and her hands fall to clutch at the sides of her skirts, a delicate gesture.]

Um, um, Miss! You're very kind, so— Is there any prize here you really like? I think I could win it for you, too!

Joker is completely passing by when he overhears that little comment, and he can't help but stop to laugh into his hand. It's not even entirely wrong, honestly, but that just makes it funnier. Deciding where he has to be isn't an emergency, he pauses to linger around and gives Kerubim a wide grin.

"So are ya volunteerin', then?"

[Matthew withdraws his hand, using it to give a slightly exaggerated shrug before he links his fingers behind his head, his arms stretching out and up on either side of his face.]

Fair point. The stakes are rather lower than I'm used to dealing with too. But there is a certain sense of satisfaction that comes from cheating a cheater.

[Matthew's attention has shifted subtly. Before he was less interested in the boy, and more interested in what he could do, but now his guarded answers have piqued Matthew's curiosity in their own right. Someone who harassed people for fun, but then passed up the chance to do the same while winning something, (even something of such negligible value). It's an interesting stance to take and Matthew's favorite puzzles have always been the hearts and minds of his fellow men.]

_{[Whatever Blue. Whateva.]}

Dedenne? Um, yeah. He is. My brother caught him for me because I'm not old enough to be a trainer yet...but I get to take care of him until I am! Oh, and there was Squishy too, but Squishy is gone now.

Bit of a trouble, mate?

[Joker isn't bewildered at all by the presence of a tiny dragon, considering what he's seen, but he does pause since there seems to be a bit of trouble. He's on his way to other things, but he has a bit of time to spare if there's a problem. Besides, keeping busy is why the Ringleader likes him so much, so he doubt she'd be inclined to complain.]

I'd try a different booth.

[The strength test is based around using the mallet, after all. There are rules to some of these things, otherwise how is she supposed to fairly reward prizes for semi-rigged games?]

Aren't you a little small for this anyway?

[Her tail flicks in restrained amusement.]

Squishy? Was that like a Grimer or something?

[He takes one of the pokeballs attached to his belt and rolls it around in his palm lazily.]

[ A grin that isn't returned in kind. The most Childermass will do is size Joker up (he's suspicious of everyone here, let's be real) before offering him an answer. ]

On the contrary, I care for my cards very much. They hold far more value than any money I might have.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 24 of 98

⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #1

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Wild card

WORKING

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Admission

no subject

no subject

Gamer's Circle

no subject

no subject

Gamer's Circle

no subject

no subject

no subject