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!

Threaded | Flat

( Do Your 'Work' )

[ If you've never seen a peacock throwing knives before, you're in for a treat, because Lord Shen is arguably the finest knife-wielding peacock there ever was. After silently entering the arena beneath a spotlight, a large and regal white bird trailing his long tail-feathers like the train of a robe, he comes to stand in the middle of the ring. After a few seconds of anticipation and at least a little confusion from the audience, music begins to play and the bird begins to move.

He stretches his great wings one after the other, allowing the light to catch and stream through the white feathers, then begins to strut around the arena with them tucked against his back once more, strolling casually. Targets in the shape of various creatures ( including man ) spring up on cue to some music and that's when the real fun begins. In a flurry of graceful movements, Lord Shen flicks his wings and looses several blades of obsidian previously unseen among his pale feathers. They take off the heads or burrow in the hearts of every target that rises or otherwise swoops from the sky. He flips and the fan of his white, red, and black tail spray enough blades to take out a whole line of enemies. The audience who realize a miss could have meant blades in the crowd gasp.

Finally, once the music is over and the targets lay in splinters, the arena darkens to a single spotlight on Shen once more. While doing his best to disguise his panting, the bird looks up among the audience and speaks in a quavery voice: ]

I need... a volunteer.

( Riddle Game )

[ Shen, being something of an intellectual among his kind, always enjoyed puzzles and riddles, but his time in the carnival had made him more than a little obsessive about them; probably to do with all the experimenting he'd been doing with fae magic. The riches within the chests don't interest Lord Shen so much as the problem does.

Nevertheless, there are unmistakable claw marks all over the chest he's circling now. Perhaps you saw him put them there or just heard his tempestuous screaming, but either way, you're close enough now that you've been spotted. ]

You! [ Cries the peacock that's nearly the size of a man, a little hoarse and with his red eyes wide. ] Come here, now!

[ It's all he can do to stay still right now, lifting his head with regal expectation. Of course, should he be ignored or run from, his composure stands fit to snap. ]

( Break Time )

[ Relaxing for Lord Shen usually includes practicing with his guandao, swinging it around him in slow arcs or using as a fulcrum when he plants it in the ground and flips over it. It's a fine show to see, but doesn't really seem to make him very approachable.

He goes on slow walks around the camp grounds, conversing with those that approach him or otherwise beckoning them to come to him ( Lord Shen moves for no one but the Ringleader ). It is a rare occasion of sociability for him, though his geniality is up for debate.

If not that, he is probably inside of his trailer reading, drinking tea, and not in the mood to be bothered. Do so only if you dare ~~or are unfortunate enough to be his roommate. ]~~

(( I am playing Shen as a Showman/Mercenary with the potential to be the Nightrider, depending on how this all goes. ))

Edited 2016-10-02 22:43 (UTC)

A. The Front Gates.

[Well. They're officially back on the road and gathering up new recruits, huh?

Ha - Easel's rattled after the vampire incident like virtually everyone else is; it certainly brings to mind exactly how little some of the people they sign on tonight will have of what they're getting into, but it's not for him to question. He's not even remotely inclined to - he'd be one odd demon if he was the sort of person who was!

Anyhoo! Everyone's got to roll with the punches, keep on moving, and do their job. He's sure as heck going to do that, on his part. Technically, he doesn't have any particular work to contend with - he works under the Nightrider - but still, as a carnival employee, it's his responsibility as much as it's anyone else's to give the folks wandering in tonight an interesting and more or less pleasant experience, at least before everything starts getting quirky, right?

And with that in mind, he's shifted shape and headed over to the admission gates, a half-human-skeleton and half-horse centaur with an oversized gun for a left hand trotting around just inside the carnival grounds, cantering straight up to anyone who looks the part of a visitor with enough space around them for him to fit his horsey body into to give 'em a hearty hello.

Rears up a little to stop with style!]

Howww-dy!

[Annnd all four hooves back on the ground! Tones down his volume a bit, though he still sounds about as chipper as it gets.]

Welcome to the carnival, stranger! Y'all have yourself a wonderful night tonight, won't'cha?

[He sweeps off his hat and bows with it in the way someone might if they were riding a horse, rather than... partially a horse.]

B. Will O' Wisps.

[What do you know - Easel's actually having a bit of luck treating this as any old roundup! Poking around the carnival grounds, he spotted four wisps, went into 'taur mode, ran a careful course connecting their locations, and managed to get three of them fleeing together (no idea where the fourth one went), floating and doing little loops and braids around each other! It's a little too early for a "yeehaw!", but still, this is going great! He's close to getting the three wisps where he wants them when -

They turn around, and stop flying away from him in favor of flying right for his face.

His hooves push back and grind into the ground underneath him, he throws up his arms and crosses them in front of him, yells out a "WHOA, there!" and gets a good dizzying blast of color, light, and heat in the face!

...And when it dies down, he turns himself around. Looks about. ...Huh. Lost track of them.

He shifts back into his ordinary shape for, you know, relative subtlety, and starts backtracking. If he runs into anyone else in trying to work out which way(s) the wisps might've gone, he'll give 'em an amicable "pardon me" - adding in "miss", if appropriate.]

Y'all, uhh...

[...Whoo, there was a little of a swirling in his brain(?) there for a moment. So that's the side effect of exposure they were talking about. Shakes his head out!

...And behind his eye-lights, a little glowing blue thing knocks back and forth between his eye sockets.]

You all ain't happen to see which way a trio of wisps was headed?

C. Wildcard.

[Hit me with anything!]

MIRROR MAZE

By the time she stumbles into the mirror maze, Nala is frankly already pretty disoriented. She'd been travelling for days when she stopped -- ostensibly to hunt but also to despair of her chances -- and that was when the so-called 'carnival' had appeared, shimmering in the evening desert like a mirage. Everything since then has been kind of a blur, and the mirror maze isn't a great deal less overwhelming and confusing than the carnival's lights and sounds and crowds.

Or at least, it isn't until her reflections start telling her she's abandoned her sisters to suffer under Scar's rule and that she has no hope of finding help. Anyone else in the maze (or near the entrance or exit) will hear the echoing roar of a lioness as she uselessly swipes a paw at what she knows must logically be an illusion...

GAMER'S CIRCLE

Okay, she doesn't understand this either. She lives in a cave and doesn't know what money is. She's already lost her tickets because she doesn't have pockets or hands. There are so many unnatural lights and colours and constructions the like of which she's never seen before...

Curious, Nala puts her paws up on the edge of one of the game booths so she can peer at it. No answers are forthcoming. Rubber ducks are involved, but Nala has never seen a rubber duck before, and she can only just about work out that these are supposed to be representations of ducks. She tilts her head.

"What's all this for?"

She might be asking a passerby, or the person manning the booth -- her puzzled attention is still on the ducks.

TRYING TO LEAF

At first she thinks the forest might be her best bet. Coming from the savannah, Nala is definitely more familiar and comfortable with open spaces, but trees still seem less confusing and incomprehensible than the tents and buildings that make up the carnival proper. But it turns out that these trees aren't much like any trees she's used to, either, and it quickly becomes clear that she's not going to be able to find her way back to the desert she came from this way. She prowls through the forest with mounting frustration, head low, tail switching behind her. To anyone not used to encountering lions on an everyday basis she might almost seem like she belongs here...

admission

He's never seen a travelling circus before. Heard of them - maybe in a book about the time before the war, but seeing one all lit up and full of people like it's always been there? That's new. That's very new. Preston is confused, and more than a little bit wary but he's up, trying to work out some kind of admission with the clerk. The least he can do is look into it, and he'd be lying if he said that there wasn't a part of him that wasn't slightly curious.

Something of value. Hard to give up something of value when everything in pack is junk, weapon mods... He shrugs. "I have caps, if you'll take those..."

mirror maze

Roped into trying a few games doesn't detract him from trying to remain on guard, or gather any information about this if he can. The mirror maze seems like it could be worth checking out, if not be kind of fun.

It's not.

Preston swears, doubling back, feeling the dreads of panic as he walks past his own reflection that he swears is taunting him. He's lost.

Half an hour here, now and no sign an exit. Now he knows he hadn't imagined his reflection earlier, it's talking to him, gesturing. "You're gonna fail everyone else, you know that? Why are you even trying? Give up, man." and another "You should have never made it out of there, should've died with the rest of them..." It's nothing that he's never heard before, but it leaves him rattled, none the less.

It's hard to ignore, yet that is what he tries, and it leaves him tense - his jaw clenched tight, hurrying from hall to hall.

trying to leaf

If he were in the mind to explore more, he would. But as it is, he's spent enough time there as it is - Preston makes for the exit and into the bordering forest. He's no expert on prewar floral life, but if he had to hazard a guess, he'd say trees didn't look much like this. Everything is so green, but not only that - it's glowing.

Holy shit.

He's lost, though. Even though he knows for a fact this is the way he came, and he hasn't been turned around, it's a shock when the front gate once again looms in front of his path. Preston turns, and begins back for a second time.

And for the third time, he's standing right at the carnival gate. "What the hell?" He whirls around to the nearest person. "Hey, 'scuse me! Can you tell me if there's another exit, or something? I'm a bit lost, I think."

wildcard

[ Games, rides, food! Anything you wanna throw at him. Just not in the literal sense of throwing. ]

Edited 2016-10-03 01:54 (UTC)

DO YOUR WORK

[ shiro has been here for a couple of weeks already, long enough to acquaint himself with the job he's meant to do. he's alone in one of the practice rooms, dressed simply in workout clothing, his human hand neatly taped. he's looking rather dubiously at a pair of white silks cascading from a sturdy metal frame. when he'd been assigned to his job, he'd found it almost laughably unsuitable - he's essentially expected to dance mid-air - but as he'd been trained, he'd found a certain logic in the pursuit. he had the strength and the flexibility to be an acrobat, it was simply a matter of shifting his frame of reference to that of entertainment rather than that of combat.

he works himself through a series of stretches, starting out easy and quickly ramping up.

that said, suitability aside, shiro still finds himself awkward in the role. he's not a performer. he's not particularly fond of showing off in front of others. working with the silks requires creativity, ingenuity: and more than that, an understanding of what an audience wants. they'd told him it was only a matter of time before he was given a partner, or two, or three. before he had to start choreographing his own routines.

for now, he focuses on shimmying up one of the silks. he pauses about halfway up, reaching out for the neighboring silk --

-- only to have it come loose from its hook. shiro makes a startled sound, fumbling for balance, fumbling to stop the silk from billowing away --

but he's ultimately unsuccessful. at least he manages to land in a crouch. the silk billows away, its length and breadth lending it unexpected heft. it'll smack straight into the face of whosoever decides to venture into the tent, effectively swathing you in ghostly white. were you simply exploring the empty practice rooms? well. sorry about that.

shiro, upon noticing what had happened, spares a moment to think rather unkind thoughts about his senior performers (because they'd likely set up the "prank"), before hastening to your side. ]

Hey. You alright?

BREAK TIME

[ after fixing up the silks and getting a few hours of practice in, shiro had decided on an early lunch. he'd found a quiet spot in the backyard and had spread out under it, his bagged lunch sitting yet-unwrapped next to him. exercise rarely left him hungry, so he's simply resting against the tree at his back, watching the bustle of people around him.

when he reaches for his water bottle, however, the flex of his arm - and the resulting constriction of his t-shirt sleeve - has him staring rather quizzically down at himself. it's true that he's felt oddly ... bulky in the days past, though it's been a gradual progression rather than a sudden one. he might have written it off as the result of his work with the silks, but there's no way that a couple of weeks as an acrobat could have bulked him up more than months of training as a paladin. in fact, it's downright impossible.

he abandons his water bottle, arms held out straight before him. he flexes both arms, first the biceps, then his forearms. there's an obvious difference from what he used to be - and it's not only his muscle mass. his pants are shorter than they used to be, too.

not only that - his galra arm has definitely grown to accommodate the difference in his human arm. normally he'd write that off as galran engineering, but now he's not so sure. is this place changing him, as he's seen so many of the others changed? is that even possible?

while he's deep in his contemplations, you might wander into the backyard to the sight of a young man frowning down at his own arms as he continues to flex. ]

WILD CARD

[ Do your worst! ]

(I. But You Gotta Put In Work Work Work)

[Chara's new job as a cashier isn't the worst. It's boring as sin most of the time, sure, but at least they aren't shoveling animal feces or performing like a trained monkey. There are a few perks, too: they can get a good first look at a lot of the newcomers, and there are also ample situations where they can mess with people.

This is one of those situations. Your character doesn't have anything traditionally valuable to pay for admittance, and Chara has gleaned this from the way they're acting. It turns out that Chara is not very fun to barter with, and they are definitely not completely following protocol. But if you're a fresh face, how would you know the what the rules really are?

There's also a chance your character was caught sneaking in without paying. In this case, after the bouncer has brought them over, Chara will be even more ruthless. Regardless of the specifics, there's a definite theme to her approach.]

I can't accept any of this. If that's all you've got, then what we're going to take is your SOUL. [They shrug.] It's a painless thing. If you're good, then we'll give it back to you after a year.

(II. And I See My Reflection)

[Chara likes the mirror maze. They enjoy the company of their reflections more than pretty much any of the actual people they've met so far, even when they're acting bad. For whatever reason, being amongst them feels more calming than anything.

Your character can find Chara deep in the maze, seated cross-legged and surrounded by a dozen of their reflections. All of them are showing Chara the same way: lying splayed out on their side, covered in golden flower petals… and quite clearly dead.

Chara glances up.]

Oh, hello. You know, not very many people like to come this far. I wonder why.

Do Your Work

[Most of Saskia's work involves her being elsewhere; scouting for the carnival and 'acquiring' whatever's needed on behalf of the Acquisitioner. So, there's not a lot to be seen unless she's taking a partner along, which sometimes happens. Just as often, though, she works alone.

When she's working within the carnival itself, the slight and perpetually active teenager is usually filling in for someone. Need a ride jockey? She's been around long enough to know how most of the major ones work, especially the roller coaster. Or perhaps she's encountered at the gamer's circle as a shill, showing just how easy it is to play those dart or water gun games and win something neat. Nevermind her sharp eyesight and reflexes, anyone can do it. Anyone approaching will be met with an infectious grin as she claims one more prize for her pile.] One more win for me! I can't seem to lose tonight. Go ahead, maybe my luck will rub off on you.

[That or she's patrolling the area in search of disgruntled customers to pacify. Most of the time, Saskia doesn't even bother to rely on her animal magnetism to improve their disposition towards her, as offering free tickets or vouchers usually seems to do the trick. Upon spotting the nearest source of distress, she'll wander over, as calm and cheerful as ever though with a sympathetic air as well.] What seems to be the problem?

Will O'Wisps

[Oh, not again. Saskia sighs upon seeing some of the rogue wisps at the center stage as workers are setting out chairs and stands for a musical performance. There isn't much time left before it's set to begin, but the presence of the wisps could easily delay or entirely derail such plans. Knowing the carnival needs to run as smoothly as possible, Saskia will glance around for the nearest poor soul, and beckon them over.]

Yeah, you! C'mon, help me play wisp wrangler again before the concert begins. Just don't touch them or get too close, if you can help it.

Trying to Leaf (for newbies)

[Saskia hasn't been interested in escaping the carnival for years, having willingly signed on after that first incident. She's sent out often enough to keep her from going stir-crazy and there's usually enough to keep her attention when here. So, freedom breaks aren't a thing that happen with her.

That said, she isn't without sympathy upon spotting yet another person turned back around from attempting to depart. Observing them from nearby, Saskia flashes an apologetic smile. Anyone who seems to need a friendly face will get one, if she's around.]

Sorry, but you're not getting out that way. You can keep trying, but you'll either end up here again or lost out there...and as weird as the forest is, I wouldn't recommend it. Gum? [She offers her pack for them to take a piece or not, as they please.]

[ooc: There be Trespasser spoilers here! Read no further if that's not your thing.]

Admission Fees

'Anything of value?' [Well, that's vague. The slight elven woman takes a moment to reach her travel bag, taking a little longer than usual by her standards to get it open. Her left arm below the elbow is no longer present (sleeve pinned up to avoid showing the stump), and that's taking some getting used to. But familiarity wins out and she takes out a couple of books with a small fond grin.]

I have signed copies of the works of Varric Tethras; Swords and Sheilds and The Tale of the Champion. Might those count?

[A signed copy of All This Shit is Weird remains in her satchel. She's not giving that up, or the heartfelt message within, for anything.]

Trying to Leaf

[Danae's had her fun exploring the incredible sights the carnival has to offer, but it's getting late and what remains of her left arm is starting to ache. That's usually a sign that it's time to rest, and she'd rather deal with phantom pains and bouts of anxiety somewhere familiar. She plans to return, though, which is convenient given that her trek takes her back to the carnival entrance. Glancing back and then forward, she frowns in confusion and decides to ask around before making another attempt.]

Excuse me, but do you know how I can leave?

Do Your Work

[And then Danae doesn't want to leave anymore, not planning to do so for at least a year and a day. It was a strange bargain, to be sure, but Danae has made stranger in her time, and this one is already proving to be well-worth it.

The newest member of the carnival's patrol awaits her assigned trainer by the Big Top, admiring not only that structure but her brand new arm. It might seem strange for the elf to be turning her perfectly normal arm this way and that, but this is one limb she is not taking for granted. After what she's been through, a normal arm with no sliver of green attached to it is exactly what she needs.]

Edited 2016-10-04 00:19 (UTC)

RIDDLE GAME
Yoohoo! Over here. [ She's shouting-- at a terrible volume. With no regard for those around her, Junko rushes over to her nearest victim. Whether you're a newbie, or a vet, maybe even someone who has yet to have the same fate as her, she's going to come and approach you either way. ] You. Yeah, you! It's kind of embarrassing how totally generic this opening is but, hear me out.

[ She pulls them aside, aiming to get to the most secluded area she can in as little time as possible. In other words, behind the restrooms. After taking a good look to make sure they weren't followed, she dramatically whips around and holds up a box. ]

You must be thinking, 'why is she carrying this box'? [ She covers the keyhole on the chest before opening it-- almost like she's playing peek-a-boo. ] Ufufu....but it's not. [ She purposely left the little note on the chest exposed, clearly her excitement got the better of her. ]

You're smart, aren't you? Can't you do this?

DO YOUR WORK
Ooohhhh, here she comes! She'll spit....chew...oh, whatever.

[ Obnoxious singing can be heard from outside the tent. Junko, if you don't know her already, is one of the many Daredevils. The one that puts her life in jeopardy as much as she possibly can-- the one that everyone is sure that, despite her pretty looks, there's just something off about her. Maybe wrong if they squeeze hard enough. ] But why would they? Stop talking. That isn't the point of this introduction anyway. [ She tosses a knife up and down rather carelessly, looking off into the distance. ]

As the sun beats down on the beautiful, promiscuous Daredevil, she is tasked with one single job. Outside of parading around the universe, wondering how her hopeless classmates are doing, does Enoshima Junko wonder how she got so lucky.

[ A hand goes to her hip, expression freezing. From what it looks like, she seems to have either lost track of her narration, or lost all interest in doing an overplayed gag like this. She sighs, rolling her eyes. She plays with the knife, pressing the tip of it against her finger. She's woken up early to try and get this done today, so much that she can even sneak inside the tent to get a better view at things.

If you wake early enough, you can either catch her monologue, or her simply waltzing inside the tent. ]

WILD CARD
[ set up any prompt and junko will be down!! ]

DO YOUR WORK .

[ Working as a scout of new universes is almost like second nature to Byakuran--he's had tons of training for it, even before coming to this place. Honestly, even just getting prepared for a day of good work makes him realize how well suited he is to this type of field work--it just gets him excited to think about what sorts of new knowledge he can acquire and how quaint the inhabitants of this place will be. ]

Ya ~ ho!! I'm all set!

[ Byakuran dusts himself off, fully prepared to be on his merry way, with or without his co-workers. He's just that excited!! Feel free to stop this jolly young man who seems to have a bit too much pep in his step just at the prospect of new adventure, new blood. ]

BREAK TIME .

[ The way he chooses to spend his free time is, well, quite frankly, gorging himself. He has an insufferable sweet tooth, and that much is obvious just by the near sight of him: from where he is nonchalantly sitting on a lone log, there is an array of candy wrappers that have seemingly come from a number of different worlds. Despite the large quantity of wrappers, it doesn't appear that he is going to be stopping anytime soon, as he continues to take bites out of a peculiar looking chocolate bar that he must have acquired on a quest during one of their stops. If you come close enough, you'd hear him humming to himself!! ]

WILD CARD .

[ Anything goes!!! He'll be more than happy to show up invited or uninvited just about anywhere. ]

Admission Fees

[A ticket- anything of value. Elizabeth looked at herself- she didn't have any coins, not a purse, anything. The only thing that could be remotely valuable, she supposed, was her thimble. She looked down at her left hand, where the small cap covered the last missing knuckle on her pinkie.]

Would- would this work?

[She plucks it off, holding it out to the worker. She didn't want to get rid of it, hating the way the tip of her finger was missing. She'd kept it covered with that thimble for years. But there were others to be had. She was certain of that.]

Gamer's Circle

[This looks like fun! Elizabeth hardly has to be goaded into playing one of the games. She's already having what appears to be the time of her life at the ringtoss game, looking to win herself some inane stuffed animal.]

Oh, come on! [she cries when her ring falls uselessly to the side of the glass bottle.] One more try, I know I can get it this time!

Trying to Leaf

[Elizabeth had never been in a forest before. And this one was dark, and certainly not like anything she'd ever encountered in any of her books.]

Well this sure is something...

[She mutters to herself, continuing to walk forward. She should be able to open a tear, but she hadn't seen a single one since she'd arrived here. Odd, given that was how she'd stumbled into the carnival in the first place.]

This is starting to look familiar. I could swear I passed these trees on my way in.

Wild Card
[have at it!]

Edited 2016-10-04 18:12 (UTC)

( mirror maze )

[ A really, really tall purple guy is making his way through the maze... or trying to. He's wide as well, and there are some places that he just doesn't seem to fit into. Several times he's run into a doorway too small for him and had to double back. It was fun at first, it really added to the lost angle, but now...

...Well, his own reflection is starting to get a little unnerving, and it's lost some of its charm. He's just scraped his horns on a low doorway and accidentally kicked a mirror with one of his metal feet, and at this point he'd really just like to get out before anyone comes after him for property damage. ]

Excuse me! [ That's out a little too enthusiastically from the large purple man, currently stooped over, who has just spotted someone other than his own reflection for the first time all maze. ] This might be a little cliche, but -- you wouldn't happen to know the way out, would you?

( gamer's circle )

[ Jajo has been watching this ring toss game for a while, and he has some suspicions. He's spent some money of his own here and there, but it's more satisfying just to watch. Most of these games, though, and the ring toss in particular -- he's just not sure how much of a legitimate business this whole thing is.

It's strong sense of duty that has him approaching whoever may be currently giving the ring toss game a shot, and one huge, three-fingered hand taps with an almost comical delicacy at a shoulder. ]

You might want to save your money on this one. [ He says it low, like he's afraid of offending the wisp of smoke. You never know. ]

mirror maze;

[ 'You will never be free.' 'You will never be forgiven.'

Koltira's long ears twitch as his reflections hiss at him, their expressions cruel, their laughter harsh and mocking. He had despised this place as soon as he set foot in it--by accident, and out of ignorance--and he's desperate to escape. The still images were intolerable as it stood, but now they've begun to move and speak. It's more than he can bear.

He tries to shut them out as he searches for the exit. He struggles for focus as he clenches his jaw, as his hands ball into fists. He cannot endure this for much longer, but as he rounds a corner, he finds only another long stretch of gleaming mirrors. Koltira takes a step forward, and every warped image turns to stare at him, animated and hateful. They whisper about his brother, about the people he's killed, the destruction of his homeland. They whisper about Sylvanas, and his imprisonment.

Some of those details are not quite right. He strides forward, angry and purposeful, frowning as a few of the taunts ring discordant. Even if they're wrong, they grate on him, they pull at his nerves.

He draws the sword from his back. He's had enough. ]

Silence!

[ And then he smashes the mirrors nearest to him, slamming Byfrost's tremendous blade against the delicate glass. The mirrors crack and shatter, bursting into a spray of jagged shards. Koltira scowls, heaving just from the intensity of his temper.

That's gonna be a 50 dkp minus. ]

trying to leaf;

[ Time to get the hell out of here, if that's even possible. After an hour's worth of walking, Koltira's thinking not. The path keeps twisting around on itself, leading him back to the same clearing, the same copse of trees. The carnival gates are constantly visible through the treeline, and Koltira--impatient by nature and design--only grows more frustrated as time passes.

It's dark now, and growing darker. Koltira's eyes glow with blue lichfire, and his sword gleams darkly, too, its runes all stationary and bright as fresh ice. The burning flowers in the branches hanging low above him offer the only other source of light, and he finds the effect irritating rather than romantic. Koltira reaches to rip a handful of the candle flowers from their tree; in his open palm, they quickly freeze, turning solid and pale.

If he hears someone approach, he'll crush one of the flowers, staring up and straight at whoever's there as the glittering powder falls through his fingers. ]

Bal'a dash. Show me the way, or move on.

Fright night;
[There was a chilling sight in the mirror maze, though perhaps not so unexpected for a carnival setting -- a skeleton, rattling slowly through the mirrored corridors, his skull a macabre mask of death. Fog rose up from the maze floor, lending him a positively ghostly air.

Those who were deeper in the maze might not yet have caught sight of him -- but doubtless they could hear a ghostly voice raised in somber song.]

♫ Yohohoho... yohohoho... ♫

All skin and bones;
[As Brook continued through the maze, however, the images in the mirror began to change. At first, it was grotesqueries that leered back at him: distorted death's heads, ghoulishly grinning. Gradually, however, the faces that were reflected back in the mirror became that of a living man, with thick hair, sunglasses... a man that might have been Brook, if he still had flesh on his bones.]

Why, it's me! Look how much hair I had!

[There was a note of wonder to his voice, the tone of a man in the start of a thrall.]

Ah, that brings back memories. It's enough to make an old man cry.

...although I don't have tear ducts! Yo ho ho!

Do Your Work

Succoria enjoyed this, in fact some people may say she enjoyed her job too much. After all, she was getting to beat people up for fun. Not only that, she was getting a hoof up on correcting the future from the one that Humans owned.

"The Season of Pain still reigns on!" She shouted out to the audience, flexing a little. "What a glorious time to be alive, for either you will fight for me or grovel!" She was cocky of course, she had all the reason to be. She circled the arena, leaving prints in the sand as she gestured to the audience, waiting for someone to stand up to her.

do your work
Danna, how about playing once? It's easy~

[ Can Knock Down isn't a hard game, so come have a try. This odd-looking fox-man with a kiseru that emits purple smoke is only friendly and welcoming. ]

break time
[ It's not like there's anything much different from work time for Gon, except that he has moved from whatever game he's been stationed at to the cookhouse to eat like the glutton that he is, and eventually take a nap right where he's sitting - or halfway to the backyard. If he's lucky he has managed to reach a hammock or a patch of grass in the backyard but he doesn't mind taking a nap against some wall or other. ]

wildcard
[ I'm good with anything. ]

Admission fees

[ Having never left Dragon Roost Island before, Medli is a little bit... sheltered. Not so sheltered that she didn't know how money works, but she wasn't exactly overflowing with rupees. Which quickly becomes a problem.

"It looks like you're a few short, little miss." ]

A-ah, really? It's all I have at the moment... I didn't know I'd be traveling so far, so I...

[ "Sorry kid, I can't bend the rules for anyone. Better luck next time."

The Rito girl walks a ways away, dejected. She could ask another visitor for a share of their money, but what if she couldn't pay them back? She could just look for a vantage point and fly over, but that's breaking the rules!

Lost in thoughts and worries, she crosses her arms, staring blankly down at the ground. ]

Trying to Leaf

[ Well, that settles it. If she couldn't get in, she should just go home and go back to her duties.

Except... which way did she come from, again? Medli wasn't sure. And so, despite not being a transformed worker, her arms suddenly transform into wings as she flies up to a sturdy branch to get a better vantage point.

She then spots someone below, seemingly trying to figure out the same problem, and addresses them: ]

Excuse me... have you been able to see anything past these trees?

gamer's circle
[Susan has lived a somewhat sheltered life, and so the sights of the carnival all catch his eye - even the ones that wouldn't be surprising to someone from a world like his. The boy is running from place to place, excitedly looking at the people around, until he sees the games in front of him. He's never seen any of these before, and so he can't help but run from game to game, watching others play and trying to decide what to do. It's hard, though, when he wants to do all of it...

And so that's what he eventually ends up doing. If he could, he would play all of the games at once, but instead he ends up going between them, back and forth, trying to make sure he doesn't miss anything. Some games he's good at, but most he's bad at, but he doesn't even care. He's having fun and winning little trinkets to take home to his brother, what more could he want?]

ferris wheel
Woah...

[Susan has never seen something like this, before - his cloak and simple tunic probably giving that fact away just as much as the look of awe on his face as he looks up at the ferris wheel. He has no idea what this thing even is or could be, but it looks amazing and he can't stop looking up at it - not even noticing if he's in people's way or not.]

WILL O' WISPS

[Near the hustle and bustle of the front entrance, there's a human figure clad in black treating the visitors standing around like a living obstacle course. Someone managing to follow him as he darts and weaves between bodies will soon notice he is chasing a particularly artful wisp. While the pursuer manages to always stay within a few millimeters of the ball of light, his attempts to get it into whatever he's holding always fall short. Little mind is paid to the visitors he's nearly colliding with, his eyes are locked on his target and he hasn't got time to waste with pointless apologies.

In spite of all this effort having made him visibly tired, the futility of it hasn't seemed to sink in for him yet. His face is contorted in absolute concentration, and any falter is treated as if it never happened. Apparently, at this point, it's personal.]

WILD CARD

[At the edge of the woods, a boy sits on a stump watching the poor souls trying to escape with a lopsided grin. In one hand he lazily rolls a dual colored orb, its surface glinting in the moonlight.

Perhaps of greater interest, however, is the bat-like creature flapping in the air just a few feet away from him. It too seems to be watching those attempting to flee, turning its red eyes down to the boy with a chirp that seems like it's asking a question.]

I dunno. They've been trying for an hour. I give them another thirty minutes before they wear themselves out.

MIRROR MAZE

[Leni...is, well...she doesn't tend to usually overthink things, and while normally some magic mirrors that eventually gain sentience and torment those on the other side would make most people unnerved, Leni is not most people. She's been stuck in that maze for two and a half hours, but she's not been lonely in that time.]

All I'm saying is a velvet scarf would look, like, totes adrobs on you.

"Awwww really? I thinking about wearing but then there was a super adorable teal one that I just had to try"

"But velvet and orange are like complimentary colors, and would work better with your jacket this season."

"But we all agree for that one shade of red? Like, totes gross right?"

Oh you bet.

WILDCARD

[It normally takes some coxing, but Leni usually loves nature and all the little creatures that dwell in it, hence why she decided to take a walk near the forest, it seems normal enough. There's even a little ball of fluff, that's gotta be a squirrel right there...right?]

Hello little forest friend, I don't mean to bother you I was...

[When she gets closer it starts to look less like a squirrel and something with more legs, it uncurls itself revealing to be a colossal hairy spider, before it even has to chance to move, Leni does what she does best when comforted by a giant arachnid...scream and run away flailing]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SPIDER SPIDER SPIDER! SOMEBODY KILL IT!

Edited 2016-10-08 05:30 (UTC)

[Content warning/permissions!]

a. gamer's circle (for newbies)

Oh, you look a good shot. [Alois coos this at practically every customer he sees, but it still somehow seems tailored to the person he's speaking to now. He's leaning against the game's stall in an indulgent way, looking comfortable with himself, ankles crossed, wrist limp, fingers beckoning. He has a way, too, of looking impressed with the person he sees now, but it's so subtle that it seems natural.

It's also completely a lie!!! No hard feelings, folks, this is just how things go around here. So he's very sweet and encouraging, the picture of a pleasant boy, when he says,] Try just one more round, oh, do! I was certain you'd make it that last time; there's no way you won't do it, if you try again.

b. break time (for veterans)

[Now Alois had grown accustomed to a very particular lifestyle—that is, he was spoiled, back in Waddesdon Manor. As he'll tell anyone: he's an Earl back home, you know! He's used to getting whatever he wants. So for some time after his arrival at the carnival, he'd been a giant baby, even prone to tears of frustration or yearning. Don't you know that it's hard, he'd snivel. And, yes, it was hard.

But it's not so bad here. He's known worse.

These past few months have taken him back to what childhood was like (as if he's an adult now!), and Alois has receded, some, returning to a younger, hardier self. He still tries very hard to keep clean at all times, but he complains less about having no one to bathe him, no one to tuck him in at night and rouse him gently. When he does complain, it's not because of those creature comforts, but because he misses Claude so much...

Anyway, he's more or less mellowed out a little, too, after being here for a while. He whines less (though he still does whine). One might call him more subdued, overall, though honestly that might just be depression. But he knows how contracts work.

Right now he's lying on a bench, taking up almost the whole thing—his knees are bent, feet flat on the bench, so there's just enough room for one person to squeeze in at the end. And he's snatched a bottle of nail polish from makeup, and is painting his nails, slowly, lazily. It's idle, but in that way, it's soothing. Be thankful he's occupying his time like this, instead of being a brat somewhere. It's always a toss-up, which one he'll do.]

You're in my light, [he says softly, not quite snappish. He doesn't even look up.]

c. will o' wisps (for veterans)

[He'd thought this would be fun. You know, like catching butterflies. Butterfly hunting was always a great time in the gardens of Waddesdon Manor—the excitement... the glory... and all the fun he had with Claude. Then Claude turned to shit. Butterfly hunting stopped being fun.

Catching these little buggers would, Alois hoped, bring back the joy he'd felt in the gardens. This time, he'd be doing it alone, but maybe that was part of... oh, what is it all those unknowing idiots say... maybe it was part of the healing process. (Gross.) So Alois had set out on a hunt, jar and net and burlap sack all fumbling in hand. And he's been trying to catch them.]

Bloody hell!

[—Trying. It's not going so well. Unfortunately, the wisps don't care for the confines of a net or a sack. They keep phasing through material like it's nothing, and Alois is growling in frustration as he tries to catch this one in particular. His mouth keeps getting worse and worse, too:] Jesus fucking Christ!

[Despite his language, he looks like a child about to throw a fit, even growing a little red in the face.] You're a hardy little bastard, [he says to the wisp,] but just get into this bag, won't you? It's not so bad! I know it's sad, but come now...

[His voice oscillates between wheedling and angry—and he's so invested in his plight that he doesn't notice whether anyone else is nearby.]

Trying to Leaf

[ Chiaki had really thought that the more she walked, the more she'd become numb to the pain. That was how it worked in games - eventually, you just got used to the lower stats and worked with it. And she was really good at that.

In fact, the opposite had been true.

The blood coming from her head was now obscuring her vision in her right eye entirely. Her bloody arm ached. Her leg, bleeding from the spear wound, shook every time she put weight on it and occasionally gave out completely, causing her to spill to the ground. It was losing her precious time. Her friends needed her.

The trees turning her magically back towards the carnival just caused her to cry out in frustration. This could probably be brute-forced, right? She turned back to try again. ]

Gamer's Circle

[ Sometime later, after she'd been healed, she finds Midway. This, at least, she can understand. Trying not to focus too much on her situation, she picks up a water gun and starts shooting away, hitting the targets more often than not.

She's in deep concentration, but she's a little jumpy - it's possible to distract her. The cat ears swiveling atop her head are definitely a little more sensitive than she expected, too. ]

Mirror Maze

[ Still vaguely looking for a way out and exploring the grounds, Chiaki happens upon the maze - and only lasts a few seconds in it.

Before long, she's back outside, sitting near the entrance with her knees pulled to her chest, trying to catch her breath.

So this is what a panic attack is like. ]

[ Wild Card is also available. ]

Edited 2016-10-13 06:20 (UTC)

mirror maze

[ conceptually, ilyas hadn't found anything wrong with the mirror maze. sure, it seemed like a wasteful use of glass-- but maybe, the carnival comes from a place where things weren't so strict. he could give that a pass.

however, in practice? the first few minutes were an uneventful sort of confusing, but now he swears he can see things moving in the background. never if he looks too close, or straight at them; but every time he turns, out of the corner of his eye? it's the 'realest' manifestation of his problems he's ever encountered, and it puts him more on edge than he can ever recall being.

ilyas stumbles aimlessly through the maze now, often putting a hand on the nearest mirror for the reassurance of solidity. for the lack of illusion, though that's unconfirmed... ]

Sorry, I just thought I saw-- [ he mutters mostly for his own benefit, regardless of whether or not there's somebody there. ] Sorry.

Trying to Leaf

[This is the third time he's been past this carnival and it's frankly ridiculous. He knows full well how to navigate a forest! He snaps a stick off a nearby tree, squats down and starts drawing in the dirt. Navigation calculations, a quick map of what he estimates the boundaries of forest to be, and...

He looks frustrated. None of this makes any sense and he can't stop fiddling with the stick. Shouldn't he be able to figure this out?]

Admission fees

Look, I don't want to go inside. I just want directions! Is that so hard?

[Why is this so hard to understand? He has school tomorrow! But the guy at the ticket counter won't listen to him, just insists on something of value. The only thing of value Jeremie has are his laptop and his cellphone, and he's not about to give those up.

Maybe someone can help mediate this.]

Gaming Circle

[...Spectres?!

This whole carnival is run by XANA's Spectres?

OK, no, step back, Jeremie. Literally, he takes a step back to think about this. XANA is gone. Well, as far as he knows. He thought he knew pretty far but he guesses there was always a chance he hid in some virus or another, waiting to come back. But if that was the case why here, why now and why this? If it were a tiger trap, XANA could take the forms of actual humans, right?

And through all this, he's just sort of standing in the middle of everything. Cut him some slack, this was the last thing he ever expected to see.]

Wild Card

[For all other shenanigans.]

Admission Fees

[It's not like he doesn't have money - or munny, as the case may be. It's that it's so meaningless to him that he's having a hard time supplying enough.]

Whaddaya mean, it's not enough? The sign says 1000, this is 1000!

[The shadow in the booth just continues to hold out a hand.]

Mirror Maze

[Axel's been stuck in this maze a while... and the reflections are mocking him. Some seem harmless, or even stupid, but others' comments are more biting, more cutting. He's tried the trick with his left hand, but the maze is now calling him a cheat, too. Seems it doesn't tolerate those kinds of techniques.

He doesn't even object to the reflections calling him a murderer, it's the ones that point out that he never could've felt anything for the ones he called friends that drive him up the wall. He's having a very hard time not punching a mirror to shards. Finally, he snaps.]

Just shut up already!

[He swings his arm back, calling for his chakrams. Someone stop him before he gets himself in trouble?]

Trying to Leaf

[... He's pretty sure he traveled in a straight line.

So how is he back here? Maybe he got turned around in the woods? He tries again, and again, and finally as a last ditch effort opens a corridor of darkness and steps through... Only to arrive back in front of the ticket booth, about 10 feet from where he started.]

What?

Wild Card

[Anything else you want to play!]

Edited (Forgot Wild Card) 2016-10-18 14:43 (UTC)

Threaded | Flat

Page 3 of 4

Lord Shen | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Veteran | OTA

Easel | Graffiti Kingdom | Veteran

Nala | The Lion King | Newbie

preston garvey / fallout 4 / newb

takashi "shiro" shirogane | voltron | newbie

chara | undertale | newbie

Saskia Oriana | World of Darkness OC | Veteran | OTA

Danae Lavellan | Dragon Age: Inquisition | Newbie | OTA

Junko Enoshima | Dangan Ronpa | Veteran

Byakuran | Katekyo Hitman Reborn! | Veteran

Elizabeth | BioShock: Infinite | New

Jajo | original

koltira deathweaver | warcraft | new