⇨ 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

[rescuee]

[ It's not the most ringing endorsement of the idea, but Jajo will take it. Especially because he wants to get out of here too, and pretty badly at this point.

He steps in close as soon as Koltira has given the word and stoops, wrapping his arms around Koltira's legs at about the hips. He straightens again, Koltira braced against his chest and hefted up easily, and leans back to see if he's gotten him up over the walls far enough to see. ]

How is that? High enough?

[cutcrease]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..

[ She's going to pretend to think about it, only because she thinks humoring the other is as good of a decision as any. She wants to put off doing this stupid set as long as she can. She continues humming for a solid forty seconds before she rushes out her response. ]

I'm tired. [ Among other things. ] Doing something as menial as this every time we go somewhere new isn't even Despair-inducing, it's just boring. It's labor that's meant for ordinary people! Ordinary, ugly, smelly people who can't even get off on the shit their mama gives them. I should've gone with something like your job....Maybe.

[stormcalling]

[She laughs, low and bordering on a level of mournful.]

You make a ridiculous offer. There is a reason to all things, including why I cannot go back. Your people do place value on the beliefs of others, don't they?

[stormcalling]

I thank you but it is wasted. Sympathy does little for either party at the moment.

[She shifts her weight, a tad bit uncomfortable with the idea of being stuck.]

I suspect people around here prefer each other to take the productive route.

[stormcalling]

[Color her pink he actually did lead her out. It might be enough to make a person think he may be a decent person...dragon person. Valamia, while grateful, holds onto her cautious skepticism.]

To my knowledge most spirits prefer rest to worship.

[She shakes her head. Between the reality and her desire to simply lie about her home world it was hard to find a plausible middle ground. She scrapes a hoof against the ground.]

A world that is gone. One that has been for over twenty thousand years.

[stormcalling]

[She chuckles under her breath. At least her company is in the same boat as her which did help keep her from being too pessimistic. She looks down at the ground, hoof occasionally scratching at it while she walks.]

I've noticed that a lot of species are a bit shorter. [She holds a hand up to collarbone.] This seems to run on the tall side for taller species I've run into. I wonder sometimes why they're so small.

[Finally she can complain about being tall with someone. Thank the light.]

ferris wheel

[wild_magic]

[He looks back at that, nodding before glancing back at the ferris wheel one last time and then turning completely to look at him.]

Sorry... I didn't see you. I'm okay.

[He points back at the wheel, a look of wonder still on his face.]

What's that, do you know?

[dontpokethat]

"Right. That's going to be enough trouble even if we just get a few." Ginko sighs and leans back against the fence. "If you ask me, the fewer she picks up, the better."

For their sake and that of the potential employees.

[dontpokethat]

Ginko gives a single, brief nod, and then grabs hold of the thing under the booth and pulls. It squirms in protest but doesn't quite manage to get free, and a moment later a scaly, pale green hide becomes visible, a couple nubby feet trying to cling to the ground.

"Oh, c'mon, don't even try that... I don't care what you found out there, you aren't supposed to be here and you know it," he mutters, as if the snake-thing that he's gradually pulling out from under the booth actually understands or cares. Eventually he gets the whole thing out, a squirming animal bearing a distinct resemblance to a python - though with a set of blunt ridges on its head, and several pairs of short legs down its body.

A couple of its feet cling to Ginko's shirt and it makes a valiant effort to pull itself free, its head and foremost sets of legs straining curiously toward Greg. Ginko makes another irritated sound, trying to keep a grip on its frustratingly smooth body. "Hey-- no, don't do that. Stop it."

[dontpokethat]

That? [Ginko blinks and looks up at the wheel. He can see why this kid would be so amazed by it; it took him a while to get used to seeing it, himself.]

Ah, yeah. That's the ferris wheel; it's something people can ride on.

[wild_magic]

...Can anyone ride it? Is it safe? Is it fun? Is it magic? [It must be magic, he doesn't know how else it would work. He's excited and it shows as he almost bounces in place.]

:3a

[dragonsattendant]

You think so?

[ Medli crosses her arms, deep in thought. ]

Well, how will I get to see this Ringmaster? I don't have enough rupees on me to get into this place... but is there any other way?

[dontpokethat]

Uh... yeah, if you have a ticket. Mostly. That's subjective. And no, actually.

[wild_magic]

It isn't magic? [That answer surprises him, and he looks back at it like he's trying to figure it out. After a moment's thought, he finally thinks he has the answer.]

...Is it alive?

[pullingamiko]

Only way to learn is to try, though, right?

[She has no freakin idea what a Pokemon performance is but WHATEVER, irrelevant. She hops onto the stage, looking around excitedly.] Man, this place really is huge!

[dragonsattendant]

Medli blushes, and scratches the back of her head. "Thank you, ma'am..."

She then looks thoughtful. "Nowhere Island? Hmm... I don't think I've heard the postmen mention it before, but then again that's not my duty, so I don't hear much of what they say..."

Okay, Medli, you're getting off-track. Focus on the original problem! "You wanted to get out of this maze, right? I think I know a way!"

[puddingemote]

No, Iorin does. So maybe I can take it back to him.

[Absolutely no explanation of who "Iorin" is. Tamaki follows Ψiioniic toward the game jockey. Yay yay, free games!]

[dontpokethat]

No, it's a machine. [Okay how does he explain this. It would help if he knew anything about machinery, but anyway.] It... works kind of like a cart, but more complex. So that all the parts move each other.

I flipped three tails in a row, sorry gil

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh peers over, about to smugly announce his victory, but then...]

...

[...]

...

[babbylon]

[...it was tails.]

My first favor is to not immediately kill you you on the spot.

Joker's Wild

[bespotted]

[Here is someone who well remembers Joker's own acclimation to those first few weeks of service, and as such finds some amusement in watching the younger man direct veterans and newcomers alike with his easy flair. It's a skill the acrobat respects, at least, and if asked he would confess he could think of none more suited to the role.

It's with an ounce of that camaraderie shining on his face that the knight calls out to his recently-appointed supervisor.]

Joker! It's about time for your break, isn't it? Play a game with me.

[The very appropriately named Lancer rests Gáe Dearg upon his shoulder, and nods toward the circle of booths once Joker's broken away from the fledgling recruit. Tired of playing nigh-impossibly rigged carnival games for fun and profit after three years? Not this guy.]

[puddingemote]

You broke a mirror?

[Tamaki is so amused by that idea that he actually has to stop to laugh a bit at it. Mitsuki is always saying that he's a responsible adult, but he broke something? That's hilarious! And it can't take that long to pay off a mirror, right?

But at the question, he looks around like he expects someone to materialize, before looking back at Mitsuki.]

Yeah. So what?

wow gil, sucks to be you

[rescuee]

[ He pulls it back to look for himself, although it seems exceedingly unlikely that a guy like this would do anything but loudly and happily claim victory, if he had it. And: tails it is. Well then. He looks a little pleased with himself, and decides maybe this dirty little thing is actually lucky. That's good, he could really use some luck. ]

I'll take it. And for a second favor, I think I'd like...

[ For a while he's suspected that there's very little he could want for that stranger can give him. By now he's almost sure it's true. And so: ]

...To know your name.

[puddingemote]

Oh, alright.

[He'd rather just have someone pay for him to play the games, but that option has been shot down, so he has to try paying his own way. So long to his Ousama Pudding stickers...]

Are you gonna play games too?

[pipers_son]

[It's been a long busy day- and with this place, who knows, maybe it's actually been a couple and none of them have simply caught on. Still, Joker prefers days like this: entertaining guests, trying to go after easy marks, chatting it up with other workers. It keeps his mind busy. Their recent little, ah, "take of leave"? A nightmare for him on some level. Now, he's back in action, and it feels good.]

[Still, even someone with his absurd amounts of energy needs a break sometimes. Joker's starting to feel it, he thinks, wings drooped a bit after dealing with the latest recruit. That familiar voice is just in time, and he twists around to grin at the acrobat.]

Maybe it is, ha ha! Lord knows I could use one. [Stretching his good arm over his head (and trying to avoid the antlers), he saunters over.] Wotcha gonna do with that, win a game with it?

[His head nods to Gáe Dearg, even as a teasing smile curves along his face.]