⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[ringleaders]

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!

Comments

[pokepochette]

I've never performed before though...I've just watched Pokemon performances.

_{[Watching and doing were two separate things, after all. Even she knows this.]}

[fragileandsoft]

"What?! Did I see what??"

Ginko's tension has instantly rubbed off on Greg, who's suddenly feeling very twitchy. On reflex he moves behind Ginko, peering anxiously towards the booth in question.

"Is it there? Should I--is it dangerous?"

[itaidakimasu]

...hm? Oh!

[Yako blanks, rubbing the back of her neck.]

Ah, sorry. Just thinking about my old partner. He might have liked this sort of thing, is all.

[moodstringer]

Yeah, but you were just hungry, and dude, I've been there. [She doesn't remember the particular why, just that she had been at the time, and it was no fun. Was it because grandma's Social Security was late? The matron where she'd ended up deciding she needed to lose a few pounds? That escapes her, and she gives a huff of frustration.]

I guess that's why I'm arguing that. [also possibly due to the fact that of many things that escaped her where she came from, religion was also one of them. Sure, said grandma was religious, but that lasted as long as she did, which...wasn't incredibly long as Nessa's memory went.]

I'll drop it, though. You're uncomfortable enough without me yammering about that. [A bit self-consciously, now, she takes to juggling her drumsticks, flipping one up in the air (about a medium) before reaching up to catch it and flip its twin up as well.]

So, not to try and make you talk too much, but have you always been a naga? Not that I didn't originally dye my hair weird colors, but this is a recent development. [As they can both watch her hair color shift from the greyish red that marks agitation towards the more rosy-pink of embarrassment.]

It's like a freakin' mood ring, I swear.

[fragileandsoft]

Ehh, I try not to get involved with that sort of thing when I can. But I gotta keep up on what my kid's getting into, you know?

[ Though... there's a very small group of humans who get involved with gem stuff, for all the planet being at risk. And even Steven wouldn't think of it as a game, by now.]

Buuut when it comes to games, we're more a checkers family. Not so world-ending.

[itaidakimasu]

Ah, well...

[Personal space? What's that? Is it tasty?

...no, but seriously, her personal bubble has long since been popped. She shifts away slightly more for the sake of avoiding any unfortunate wing-plate collisions, but there's none of the usual indications of personal discomfort—her shoulders don't particularly hunch, she doesn't backpedal, and there's not even a particular expression of distress, either.

Those reactions have literally been beaten out of her.]

Don't take this the wrong way—or as a challenge—but that was practically a love-tap compared to some of the things I've been put through. There are honestly a lot of things that should have killed me, up until now.

[itaidakimasu]

"That's... a good question." Yako herself had earned a pretty mosaic of yellow and white scales dotting up and down her legs beneath her own uniform, but she was almost entirely certain that their growth was a matter involved with her contract, not her cuisine. "Cooking nullifies a lot of them, but every so often something slips through. I haven't come across any that are permanent; most don't last any longer than a case of food poisoning would."

[fragileandsoft]

Greg's smile doesn't falter or fade, but he glances down at his son. Steven doesn't always tell him about what's going on, but he can tell there's been a lot. That's why they need a day like today.

Greg gives Steven a gentle noogie, chuckling. "There's only one Universe, unless there's two, huh? Us one-of-a-kinds do best together."

[fragileandsoft]

Oh but, you were here first, is all--

You can both play at once, y'know.

[The shadowy figure manning the booth has evidently tired of their small talk. SOMEone needs to play, or move along, dang it.

Greg blinks at the figure, then at Carly, shooting her a nervous grin.]

Then, uh... up for a round?

[ferlwin]

"I did... and sort of..." Ferlwin waved her hand a few times and the tree grew larger, bursting into pink blossoms.

"Using music to direct my abilities makes thing a fair bit easier, but not necessary." She gave him a smile, because while not a 'performer' per say, she didn't mind showing off her abilities here.

[fourthscribe]

[It might be difficult to stop, but Tanyuu is more observant than most. So when that hint of a whine comes through she gives Sans a considering look before deciding to let the matter drop. She's had the privilege of seeing him in action once before, even if only briefly--it's not like he's completely incompetent.]

[Just more contrary than a wet cat at times.]

I suppose that's true. Especially for some more than others.

[Tanyuu bends down and gives...is this Times or Roman? She can never tell these dogs apart. But either way it receives a pat on the head.]

Where are the other two? Patrolling, or...?

[pokepochette]

Okay!

_{[Mika, huh. This guy? Bonnie likes him. She likes him a lot already. Not only is he pretty to look at but he's really nice and wants to play with her. Double win. She wastes no time snatching up his hand to tug him in what she assumes to be the right direction.]}

Let's go Mika.

[anti_altruisms]

[ Indeed, he does. Quite adamantly, in fact. He's also seen enough carnage that an eyeball isn't going to make him startle. ]

I'd have to pay you more attention then, wouldn't I?

[ And it does seem like that's the only reason she's up there. ]

[someplacetobeflying]

[If there's one thing Saskia loves, it's people-watching. That's never more true at the Gamer's Circle, and she gets more enjoyment out of it than going through the games on her own. She's done them all by now, so seeing them through a fresh pair of eyes is a treat. When his dart strikes true, she grins and claps.]

Nice one! You'll get something decent for that. Keep going, let's see what else you can get!

[Maybe it's already manifested, though it could be coincidence. Sometimes it's not easy to tell what's her doing and what isn't.]

[anti_altruisms]

[ It bothers him, too. Something is not quite right about this place, but now that they're in, the only way to go is forward.

They're about halfway through when a familiar voice starts whispering quiet sneers. ]

You know you're lost, don't you?

[missionfail]

[Jasper isn't interested in discussing the point of compliments much further, and waves off further commentary with one hand. Why does this one have to be the overly friendly type?]

Whatever. It doesn't really matter.

[She should definitely pick a less public space for her studies next time.]

[missionfail]

[Sorry, Peridot. Jasper really wants to direct attention away from her own endeavors right now.]

I'm surprised your brain hasn't rotted out of your head by now. How long has it been since you've done anything you were meant to do?

[She's actually a little disturbed at the fact that she's been around this Peridot so long she's used to seeing a stunted one without the limb enhancers.]

[hoasen]

[Vietnam definitely didn't expect a voice, and so suddenly jumps, looking over at Archer. It certainly didn't sound like him.]

Did you hear that?

[motivenotfound]

[Look, not all of us can bullshit our way into being 'heroes' or whatever, okay? Some of us just get 'morally ambiguous secondary character' and have to deal with it.]

Wow. Harsh! Is that so bad? You didn't look busy.

[Sincere question. She isn't shooting folks who look like they have something better to do. That'd be rude. But implying that talking to her is so inconvenient would be kind of hurtful if she really cared about your opinion. You could at least lie a little, you know?]

[missionfail]

[Jasper still refuses to call the altered form of Rose Quartz "Steven". She doesn't care what name the leader of the rebellion wants to go by now. She'll always know who she is. And if Amethyst thinks Rose is one of the weakest gems then she really must have all of them fooled.]

I'm saying that's all you have to fall back on. [Peridot is the weakest by far in her mind. Jasper had only been taken out by her because of how much distress she'd been in.]

And your friends aren't here.

Will O'Wisps

[trustme]

[ The Doctor turns around to see who's yelling and waves at him with a grin. ]

Joker! The wisps! Have you had any luck with the wisps? I got one!

[ He holds up an empty jar. ]

[otokogi]

Neither is being sick at a carnival, you know.

[ Mitsuki sets the bowl aside and comes up to the counter. He's not sure if he should tell Tamaki the real story, but maybe it'll make him understand that actions have consequences. ]

Something happened when I was in the fun house and one of the mirrors got cracked. When I came out the attendant just told me to come over here to talk to someone about paying for it, but instead of sending me to a manager, they stuck me in here! I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding.

[ He glances behind Tamaki but there's no sign of anybody else, which seems unusual. ]

Tamaki, are you here alone?

[otokogi]

[ Mitsuki startles a little and turns around (as much as he can with the safety lock in place anyway). It's a combination of the voice and the words--all the time!? What does that mean?

He's immediately distracted from those questions by what looks like stars on the seat, too, until he realizes that no, those are-- ]

Ehh?

[ There are way too many questions to ask here at once, so he narrows it down to the one that makes the most sense among stars that move and men with wings. ]

Give what a shot, working here? I already have a job!

[solaris9]

The place was definitely very odd ... but he couldn't get into that much trouble over one more game, right? Anyway, it was over before he knew it. The race was pretty darn close, too. But his aim went off just a few more times than hers did, which meant he squeaked in juuuust behind her.

"Haha! Not bad!" Goku said with good natured cheer. "That was a little harder than I thought it would be."

[missionfail]

[The marker goes up all of a foot, and Jasper lets out a low whistle.]

Don't hit it too hard now. Those mallets are hard to replace.

[She doesn't sound the slightest bit sincere.]