ringleaders: (firebreather)
Lost Carnival Mods ([personal profile] ringleaders) wrote in [community profile] livinglot2016-09-29 10:38 am

⇨ 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!
wild_magic: (12)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2016-10-08 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
It just goes up and around? I guess it could be fun. It would be more fun if it flew or something.
meanlook: (Here am I sitting in a tin can)

[personal profile] meanlook 2016-10-08 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[He looks back over to the various new arrivals he was observing earlier.]

Nah. That tends to sort itself out. They'll be fine.
dontpokethat: sorry about the huge amount of damage and all the fires (to everyone who said)

[personal profile] dontpokethat 2016-10-08 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
...I'll admit, that mostly sounds worse to me. But if you like the sound of it, I'm pretty sure we've got a couple rides more along those lines.
meanlook: (My hair disagrees!)

[personal profile] meanlook 2016-10-08 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Did your brother come to the carnival with you?

[He doesn't seem especially concerned about the bad news he's probably moments away from delivering. It doesn't really effect his life or goals one way or the other. Better to jump right into the pool and get it over with, he thinks.]
wild_magic: (12)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2016-10-08 10:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, flying is fun! So that would be fun, too.
dontpokethat: me i say things that make sense (some say love is a river)

[personal profile] dontpokethat 2016-10-08 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
[...Huh. That's unexpected.]

You have experience with flying, then?
wild_magic: (1)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2016-10-08 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Not a lot... But one time, I used a spell to turn into an owl so I could fly with my familiar. It was pretty fun.
otokogi: (go ahead and tell everybody)

[personal profile] otokogi 2016-10-08 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ohhhhhhhhh. That explains that, then. If Tamaki hangs around for a bit Mitsuki might try to get to the bottom of it but right now it feels very live and let live, or at least let live. Tamaki's not the type to go digging.

It might be because he's as intuitive as he is, though. Mitsuki smiles and nods when Tamaki comes to lean on the counter. ]


No, I guess not! Have you gotten a chance to see much of the carnival yet? I haven't been to one like this before but when I get out of here, maybe we could go around together.
dontpokethat: or a cool looking leaf. either one (i hope that one day i will find love)

[personal profile] dontpokethat 2016-10-08 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Really?

[He doesn't sound at all skeptical, just interested. He's seen far too much by this time to question this stuff - and it is interesting.]

Mind if I ask what a familiar is? Can't be sure if I'm interpreting the term right.
wild_magic: (1)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2016-10-08 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Um... She's like, a magic animal, kind of, and she can talk to me and turn into other animals and stuff.

[personal profile] babbylon 2016-10-09 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
Very well, Jajo.

[Gilgamesh was sort of a mouthful in itself, but he can still appreciate a shorter nickname.]

And that is correct; I am one of the veterans of this place. If you had questions, I may be inclined to answer.
dragonsattendant: (proud)

[personal profile] dragonsattendant 2016-10-09 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes! My mentor once told me that if you ever get lost, keep your hand on the wall and follow it until you're out!" Medli beamed at the memory. "A-and if that doesn't work, we try the other wall. But anyway, let's try... this one first!" The girl turns with her back to Hinawa, and plants her hand on the left wall. "This is the way I was going when you saw me, after all."
puddingemote: (i been sleepin here instead)

[personal profile] puddingemote 2016-10-09 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
I came for the food first. This is good! But not as good as your cakes.

[He takes another bite before continuing.]

But if you get out of here, we can play games! And ride rides! And see the show!

[He's getting more excited as he talks, like a little kid. It's probably not surprising that he's never gotten to do anything like this before.]
missionfail: (crossed)

[personal profile] missionfail 2016-10-09 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Jasper makes a disgusted noise and the sparks fizzle out. Obviously this is something she brought from her own world, unless this is a sort of magic being given out by the Ringmaster that she's unaware of. If it is, she has no interest in it.]

I'm not gonna fight it.

[It seems to be connected to her, after all, and there are rules against fighting other members of the carnival. Jasper has some amount of honor.]

Calm down. Your stuttering is annoying.
missionfail: (frustrated)

[personal profile] missionfail 2016-10-09 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
How is it that you managed to miss the whole war, hiding away in your hole?

[Jasper scowls at her, pleased to see her riled.]

I wonder if you were a mistake from the beginning - one those who kept the records couldn't even be bothered to dig up when they needed more soldiers.
missionfail: (furious)

[personal profile] missionfail 2016-10-09 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
[Jasper would have been a lot more willing to just let Peridot scamper off if she hadn't done so with one of her papers in her mouth. She has all of her own notes will memorized by now, but she hates the idea of any of that work being in the hands of a traitor.

She starts after the other gem, long strides able to cover more ground. She'll tear Peridot's arm off to get the paper in it if she has to. It doesn't matter how she feels physically. That's surely a result of all the magic she's been practicing lately.]


Thief! Give that back!

[She lifts up a whole bench, tossing it out of her way.]
missionfail: (downward)

[personal profile] missionfail 2016-10-09 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Jasper takes the bell back from Greg. Then, holding it in one hand, she raises it up and slams it down hard, sending the marker flying up to ring the bell at the top.]
drrdrrdrr: (ugh!)

[personal profile] drrdrrdrr 2016-10-09 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
I don't care what they wanted! [Her expression says otherwise, but, you know,] Anyway, I -- I'm glad they didn't dig me up, if it would've meant I'd end up like you!
pokepochette: (pic#10618761)

[personal profile] pokepochette 2016-10-09 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
No...we got separated because Dedenne ran away and I ran after him...then I found this place.

[But just because Clemont wasn't with her then didn't mean he wouldn't come find her! He always managed to.]

But he'll find me.
pocketofsunshine: (hugs)

[personal profile] pocketofsunshine 2016-10-09 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
Well I'm sure I'll find something to do.

Can't be that hard right?
missionfail: (talking)

[personal profile] missionfail 2016-10-09 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
[The larger gem lets out an amused snort.]

You would have never been good enough to end up like me.
drrdrrdrr: (ugh)

[personal profile] drrdrrdrr 2016-10-09 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
[Amethyst glares.] Yeah. Guess I got lucky.
pocketofsunshine: (I..love..you..too...)

WISPS

[personal profile] pocketofsunshine 2016-10-09 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
[And she thought she was bad at catching little creatures when she started out]

I...don't think you're going to catch anything like that.
fortuneglass: credit - haptisms @ lj (OnO)

[personal profile] fortuneglass 2016-10-09 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
Oh.

[Well! Say that sooner! The girl laughs rather uneasily, the sound quickly devolving into further sputtering.] I- I'm no-

I don't do this on purpose..!! [She protests.] It's not easy to stay calm when people start things either..!!

[...Well at least. It isn't easy for her. You know.]
meanlook: (Please don't tell me)

[personal profile] meanlook 2016-10-09 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
This place isn't just a place you can 'Fly' to, y'know. It doesn't exist in our world. If he didn't come in with you, finding you isn't going to be easy.