⇨ 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

GAMER'S CIRCLE!

[fortuneglass]

[Greg has pockets-but Carly?

Carly does not. Whether that's always the case is up for debate. Her cards must surely come from somewhere right?

Right now though, she's a bird. Specifically a budgie sized hummingbird, sitting at one of the balloon dart games.

It's almost like the dart billed bird is planning to try its hand at this game too! HAH! Amazing.

with greg's luck though...]

[fragileandsoft]

[Greg's not sure he's ever gotten this close to a humming bird before, let alone one sitting still. He gives it a curious look over.]

Don't tell me they're charging you for tickets too. You got your darts built right in!

[Obviously he's joking around, but he would not be too surprised if the bird talked back. He's seen too much.]

[fortuneglass]

[As a matter of fact-]

I get an employee discount actually~! [Yes, yes she does.]

I think it would be cheating if I used my beak anyway...

[fragileandsoft]

[...

...Okay, not TOO surprised, but still a little. Greg can't help but stare.]

I... guess that makes sense?

[He rubs at his neck, caught off guard.]

What do, uh. What do birds get hired for?

[All he's coming up with right now is chasing off poopers from the tent, but he's 99% sure that's both wrong and rude.]

[fortuneglass]

Mhmm, of course it d- [WoaaaAAAAAH let's backtrack a minute there buddy- The feathers ruffle, and if hummingbirds can squawk, she's doing it.] I- I'm not a bird all the time!! And it's really helpful too, when you have to find new venues for this place!!

[fragileandsoft]

Oh. [ He scratches at his head, then grins weakly. ] That makes a lot more sense, actually. So um. You're a shapeshifter, then, right...? [ His f a v o r i t e ]

[fortuneglass]

[Good question. There is a flurry of feathers as the hummingbird hops off, a tall bird-lady taking its place.] Um...well, it's just one change, but I guess I am then, yeah!

I can't turn into anything else though..

[fragileandsoft]

[ Oh that's--that's a little different than what he's used to. No big glowing lights or terrifying bulging mutations. ]

Oh. Woah, that's... that's pretty neat. [ He's still not sure how to feel about it, but it is pretty cool. ] Does everyone around here do that...?

[fortuneglass]

Eh? This? [She rather quickly shakes her head.] Definitely not!! This just happened when I asked for a way to travel faster...sometimes you have to be specific about things I guess, haha!

[She says this, but it is a lesson she Never Follows...]

[fragileandsoft]

No kidding...? [ That answer only confuses Greg further, and he never knows what to say about this kind of junk.

There's an awkward pause as he rubs at his neck, trying to think of a good way to continue the topic, but it all seems uncomfortable and maybe a little invasive? ]

S-so, uhh, you--were you gonna play a game, or should I go first...?

[fortuneglass]

Mmhmm! [The obliviousness persists!

At least she seems nice though-she very quickly shakes her head, holding her hands out.] Oh-!! No no, you should go first!! You're actually a patron here, I just work here!!

[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?

[fortuneglass]

Ah...? [....Oh.] OH!! Th-That's right~! We can...both... [Excuse her for a moment, as she seems to be having some trouble accepting the fact she forgot about this.

...It's probably not the first time either.

Well, a nervous cough (or two) later, and she nods.] Y- Sure thing! Let's go!

[fragileandsoft]

[ Really, Greg should have thought of that too. At least he has the excuse of not working here long enough to get bird favors. He hands over his tickets to the shade and gives Carly a disarming smile, putting aside his misgivings for now. ]

All right, but don't go mistaking me for your average player. You should know, I've lived around this stuff a long while, so I'm preeeetty much an expert.

[fortuneglass]

[How long is a while? Also Greg, that was Discount Ticket Number not Customer Ticket Number... Well, Carly's too distracted to point that out, instead fluffing up quite brilliantly as she makes her own challenge.] W-Well...

Well I've lived here for three years..! Which means I was able to play this almost every day!! [....SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE. BUT SHE COULD HAVE.

Her own tickets are handed over, and the girl gathers her darts with a determined nod.] You're on..!

[starseedling]

[It's about this time that Steven finds his way over, done with trying to track down Lion. It turns out that he was sleeping somewhere, which wasn't surprising. Steven had eventually determined that Lion was safe where he was, and then headed back to find his dad - just in time to see him getting into some kind of dart match with a bird lady?

The fact that she's a bird lady doesn't actually affect his view of the situation at all. After all, he's seen a lot of weird people here in the time they've been visiting.]

Dad!

[He calls out as soon as he sees Greg, running over to the competition in progress. He looks up at the booth.]

Are you gunna do the darts? This is a really good one - I was playing it before, because this lady said she would give me her lucky streak, and- [He turns to Carly, getting distracted by greeting her properly.] - Hi, I'm Steven!

[fragileandsoft]

Heya, Shtooball!

[ It's a teensy bit worrying seeing Steven wandering around without Lion--that is, after all, why Greg let him go off without him in the first place--but as ever, Steven can look after himself. ]

We were just gearing up for a little friendly competition. My new pal here has quite the impressive experience, but I like a challenge.

[ He winks at Steven. ]

Pick out which prize you want now, I'll have it for you in a jiffy.

[fortuneglass]

Ahh, maybe this one first, it seems luckier... [During most of the exchange, Carly's devolved into muttering to herself over the darts. Which. All look the same really, but good luck is important, isn't it? She jumps when she realizes she's being addressed, nearly dropping the darts.] AHH! Yes! I'm Carly, I-

[...Oh. Maybe she should do that over.

There's a small cough, and a much calmer, friendly smile heading Steven's way.] It's nice to meet you, Steven! I'm Carly, I work here!

[starseedling]

Oh ho! That's why you look all magic, right? I'm on to you! Does everyone who works here look like that?

[Like, it's pretty obvious, and he hasn't even seen anyone turn into a bird. This is more than just costuming, and an afternoon here makes that obvious. He doesn't actually dwell on it too long, though. He acts like it's basically normal, in fact, even though it's not actually - not even for him. He talks like him spotting it is a bit of clever detective work, all the same.

Okay but he's gotta look at these prizes. He'd been playing at this booth before, but he hadn't gotten enough balloons to get any of the top row items... but wait, there had been one he wanted, hadn't there?]

Oh, I remember! I was trying to get that one, but I ran out of darts!

[He points up at the top of the booth - there's a fairly large stuffed animal lounging over the shelves, in the form of a canary yellow lion.]

It's like if Lion was a sunflower...

[fragileandsoft]

All right! Shooting for the big prize.

[ Greg picks out his darts based more on color theming than theoretical luckiness. Who needs luck when you have skills? ...Well, luck would still be good then. But! Skills help a lot. ]

Okay, Carly. Let's see if your darts are as fast as your fancy bird speed.

[ The shadowy game runner, somehow managing to look entirely unenthused without a face, rings the bell. Let the darts fly! ]

[fortuneglass]

AH! [Well aren't you ON THE BALL, little sir! The marks on her body practically glow (and probably do), and the bird preens.] That's exactly right~! Everyone who works here looks different, but we all look really magical, I think!

[The darts all in order, she watches the two continue their exchange, silently making note of the prize goal. Like a sunflower...] It really does look like one... [she mutters, before jumping back into the mindset of the challenge.] Right!!

I bet they're even FASTER than my fancy bird speed! Double fast! [She insists, turning to her spot. The bell rings-AND THE DARTS WILL FLY!

Lucky dart first! ('AHH!! A MISS!?') ...UNLUCKY DART NEXT! ('IT MISSED AGAIN!!')

She's still got plenty, don't count her out yet!]

[starseedling]

[Steven watches and pumps his fists appreciatively.]

Whoooo! Go dad, go!

[fragileandsoft]

[ YEAH! With Steven cheering Greg on, and the fate of a big toy on the line, there's no way he can lose!!

Especially since he makes sure to aim where there's a lot of balloons left. That makes it pretty easy to hit something, for the first few shots. Greg's first few darts get satisfying POPs, but once the crowd has been thinned it's a lot harder.

By the time Greg's run out of darts, he's only popped six out of ten. ]

Wait! Wait wait wait. Lemme have another go, I can get it!

[ He holds up the tickets before the shade can protest. It's still the wrong number of tickets... but it says nothing, and hands him a few more. ]

Yessss! Don't worry, Steven, I got this, for sure!

[fortuneglass]

Ahhhh-I need another round too..! [Carly's managed the same amount, astonishingly enough-and with her own tickets handed over, she takes a deep breath and...]

GO! [THROW THROW THROW!! She's totally got this this time, she does!!]

Hmmn... [They have a curious party watching as well, in any case. The shadow is certainly amused by the little details everyone is 'missing' at least.]

[fragileandsoft]

[ This time around, Greg makes a careful extra moment to aim each shot, but he's already made it harder for himself with their competition having popped so many already.

A final score of eight out of ten is pretty good though, right? ]

Ahh man... Hey, that's more than ten in total, though! That's gotta count for something!

Rules are rules.

[ Greg deflates. He doesn't have it in him to argue. This job's thankless enough without customers fussing over it. ]

Sorry, Steven.