ringleaders: (Default)
Lost Carnival Mods ([personal profile] ringleaders) wrote in [community profile] livinglot2018-01-05 10:28 am
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⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME: WISMUTH

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!

Or, more specifically, Lost Carnival's 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 (and should) read the full premise here.
  • Reserves and Applications are currently OPEN.
  • Recruits can be either willing or tricked this month.
  • You can apply as a newcomer or as a "veteran" character who has been in the carnival for up to three years. In the case of veteran characters, you will need to come up with an explanation of why they haven't been around the carnival recently.
  • TDM threads can be used as game canon after the fact if both characters are accepted, the players agree to it, and it makes any sense contextually.
  • If you are interested in additional IC and OOC plot responsibilities, consider applying for a Supervisor position. Head Cook and Treasurer are currently open. Otherwise, we're pretty much down for anything, roles wise.


CURRENT STOP
WISMUTH

Wismuth is a large coastal city on the east shore of what would usually be the United States. The world it's part of is an Earth variant, meaning that while some aspects may be different, overall it will contain a similar look and feel to Earth many are accustomed to, including some overlapping celebrities, corporations, and technologies. Its most notable feature is that this planet is a part of what is called a 'Pillar of Creation' - a focal point of Creation's energies in the multiverse. The effects of this feature are the only aspect of the setting that will be relevant for this testdrive, as recruits will be entirely within the carnival as opposed to out in the city.

VIBRANCY OF CREATION: The immediate effects of this trait are that everything in Wismuth, and in the carnival because of its connection to Wismuth, is filled with an unusual sort of vibrancy - colours seem brighter, sounds seems to resonate more deeply, and all other physical sensations will strike visitors as oddly intense, including their own emotions. It's a subtle effect rather than anything that will be overtly disorientating, but it's almost as if everything is more "real" here than it is anywhere else. Obviously, the locals, whom are mostly just ordinary looking humans, have had plenty of time to grow accustomed to this. On the bright side, as a tourist, you have the opportunity to experiment with this sensation as a form of recreation.

Recruits from this month will be signing on with the carnival between Day 8 and Day 11 on the season calendar.

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. 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 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.

TUNNEL OF "LOVE": A brand new attraction in the carnival, the Tunnel of Love is mostly what you'd expect from such a ride - two people sit in a boat together which journeys through some glitter filled caves, complete with mood music. Unfortunately, there is also something else in there with you... in the form a moody kraken living in the waters, who has very particular opinions about shipping, and may either stubbornly interfere with any attempted intimacy, or may politely encourage it. Or they may just generally be a dick if they're in no mood for either. The Ringmaster insists it is a romance expert.

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.

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.

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!

DUNK TANK: Sometimes acting like a dick will earn you the gentle reprimand of being sent to work in the Dunk Tank for the afternoon - you know that game where people throw balls at a target, and if they hit it you get dropped into the water? It's like that, only sometimes there are daunting (but harmless) critters in the water, or some other strange magical affects to spice things up. Hopefully, the visitors will have bad aim.

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!
worldlyafflictions: (ch020pg11p3)

[personal profile] worldlyafflictions 2018-01-11 05:12 am (UTC)(link)
[Takes the time to finish chewing and to swallow so he has a second to think about how he should answer the real question.]

--Ah, the nabe ya made for the Christmas party was great too. Have ya done that yet?
worldlyafflictions: (ch010pg40p5)

[personal profile] worldlyafflictions 2018-01-11 05:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Just um.. smiles a little wider at that.]

What was your reason? Ya seem ta be set ta stay a while. Or maybe ya've been here a while already? I didn't think you could heal up like Okumura-kun.
worldlyafflictions: (ch090pg19p5)

[personal profile] worldlyafflictions 2018-01-11 05:31 am (UTC)(link)
[WHY ARE CHILDREN ALWAYS LIKE THIS]

Hey, there're plenty of other places ta sit!
reflash: (sad boy in snow)

[personal profile] reflash 2018-01-11 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
Immunity to demonic possession. [Which... comes in handy if you're someone with Yukio's family history.

Look, unlike someone, this guy isn't trading away a year and a day of his life for anything that won't benefit him.
]
worldlyafflictions: (ch039pg12p2)

[personal profile] worldlyafflictions 2018-01-11 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
I'm pretty confident at the end of the day you'll still be the cutest! Ya wanna try one of these cheese thingies? I'm Shima Renzou by the way ♥

[Offering her one of the cute peach-shaped pastries]
worldlyafflictions: (ch072pg05p3)

[personal profile] worldlyafflictions 2018-01-11 06:18 am (UTC)(link)
Hooh... I wonder how that'll work. Ya aren't maybe concerned ya need ta be like slightly possessed ta access those powers ya wanted ta wake up?

[Just asking]
soft_focus: (say what now)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-11 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I know. ...But I'm sitting here now, [She's decided.] ...Maybe you won't scare away tall girls, if I'm here.

[If it's anything like how Wonderfully Well Sawatari kept anyone his age around, at least, her big guess is that she is now a Valuable Asset (also she just wants to sit here).

Anyway.
] ....Who are you though? [This was probably something she should have asked a while ago.]
blooktunes: (death by writer's block)

napstablook | undertale | new recruit

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-11 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
a - gamer's circle

[This. This right here is why Napstablook never leaves their house.

Even going for a walk was dangerous, because it meant they risked running into other people. Other people who might try to talk to them or something. Slipping off to the Ruins was usually a safe bet if they needed to get out for a while, but today they must have gotten a bit turned around. Somehow, they've wandered into the forest, which seemed much bigger than usual, floating around for quite a while before finally emerging to find theirself at...some kind of...festival? With big crowds of strange looking people and bright lights and huge scary looking rides and loud noises and??

Okay, so they must have gotten REALLY turned around. The setting is strange enough on its own, as is the sight of more creatures in one place than they've seen in...maybe ever. But worst of all? Some of those creatures are pushy carnival barkers, and they're trying to talk to them.
]

Oh, no...I was just looking...I don't want to play...no, I mean, I'm sure it's a fun game, I didn't mean, to, umm...sorry, I just...I wouldn't be any good at it, anyway, so...no...sorry...I just...I should...go......sorry.........

[They're so flustered over trying to extract theirself from this interaction that they aren't looking where they're backing up. Hopefully YOU are, or you're about to have a panicked ghost phase right through you.]


b - other/wildcard

[Wherever you were going, you suddenly find your path forward blocked by...a spooky ghost!! Well, it looks more like a pillow with a face, but it's actually a ghost. A ghost that is just, really overwhelmed right now and has decided to deal with the situation by simply laying on the ground very still and pretending they don't exist in the hopes that this will all magically go away by the time they open their eyes. Who knows! It might work!!!

In any case, they're in your way now. Deal with it.
]
prazerbutterfly: (sly)

[personal profile] prazerbutterfly 2018-01-12 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
She can practically see the squish of his glove as his grin stays transfixed on his face now that it won't go away. She's getting agitated again and it was too much fun to stop.

"I don't want to ruin the surprise. Maybe you can still hide or outrun her. I doubt it. This is her realm and you likely can't leave anymore."
singinghuntress: (you were saying?)

[personal profile] singinghuntress 2018-01-12 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Hasn't he learned it was dangerous to agitate her yet? Rip pulled back from him and shook her head.

"Like hell I can't! I haf to go back und complete my task! Zhere is nothing anyone can do to stop me!"
exaomori: (🐍 4)

[personal profile] exaomori 2018-01-12 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
[Ignorance is bliss, truly. She would have to question him later on what he knew, but for now, she'll let it be.]

Weird rules? What kinda weird rules does she have?

[please explain... Shura's already come to realize that she's done something since she couldn't make her way out of the forest, but just what she did is still a mystery to her.]
prazerbutterfly: (zpost exo - too happy)

[personal profile] prazerbutterfly 2018-01-12 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
No, he's learned that it is quite fun to agitate her. He loves getting a good rise out of her already.

"Go ahead and try then, Miss Winkle. Run until you can't anymore."
soft_focus: (Hair11)

B - I'm so sorry Napstablook-

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-12 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[Empath that Reira is, one would think that the overwhelmingly obvious anxiety Napstablook emits to regular people would get her to clue in that perhaps, perhaps, it could be best to leave the Spooky Ghost Pillow Thing alone. Unfortunately that is not what Reira does at all-though in her defense, it's less out of anything malicious and more because she's a bit worried.

The tiny half-rock-skinned seven year old stoops down right there, hands on her knees as she holds said knees close to peer at the ghost closing his eyes. And she stares.

And stares.

..And stares.

...

...She isn't going away...
]

....umnnnnnh....

[Empathy would be a lot easier to work with if it told her Why people are Feeling Things.] ...why are you on the ground...?
blooktunes: (hit that mf snooze button)

this_is_fine.jpg

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-13 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
['oh god someone's there i can hear them getting closer oh no

okay just stay still and keep your eyes closed they'll surely go away any minute now

...any minute now

any...minute......now.........

...THEY'RE NOT GOING AWAY THEY'RE STILL HERE WHY ARE THEY STILL HERE AAAAAAAAAA-'


Yeah, it doesn't take an empath to feel the waves of nervous energy practically rolling off the ghost. Maybe if they close their eyes EVEN TIGHTER it will convince this stranger that they are TOTALLY 100% ASLEEP. Ooh, maybe a little snore will help too.
]

.........zzz...

[...yeah, they just said the actual letter "z" out loud. Three times. ARE YOU CONVINCED YET.]
soft_focus: (-bites lip-)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-13 12:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Points In Blooky's favor: Reira is gullible as heck, or at least more than most. Points against...if he's sleeping, he is not sleeping well. ....At all.

....Also this is sort of the middle of the road, and Reira...is rude.

She Pokes The Napstablook.
]

....hey... ....You can't sleep here. People might get hurt, or even hurt you with an accident...
blooktunes: (jesus christ how horrifying)

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-13 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
[The Poke earns her the tiniest little yelp from the ghost, not unlike poking a squeaky toy. Also...it feels sort of weird and ectoplasm-y? Being incorporeal is like that, I suppose.

But it seems to do the trick, since they immediately bolt upright and cringe away from the touch, floating back a few feet.
]

O-oh...sorry, I wasn't...trying to be in the way...or make anyone get hurt...oh no...I didn't think about that...I'll just...move over...here...I guess...sorry...
soft_focus: (............no? D:)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-13 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
Umnh-! [Whooo-! Now that's a shock-she nearly falls backward herself, though it probably doesn't look much like she was phased at all. Her eyes widened, at least. And she's spooked on the inside, and that's what counts-

Regardless, she does stand, looking a little more worried.
] ...I didn't think you were trying to do things like that... ...but...

...Shouldn't you almost getting hurt be important too?
blooktunes: (what's a "me-me")

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-13 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
Umm...well I'm...a ghost so, I can't really get hurt...since we're incorporeal and stuff. So it's not really...important at all, actually...
soft_focus: (extra 10)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-13 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
Why not though?

[No, really. Why isn't that important! Everyone's feelings are important, she's pretty sure that's just how it works.

.......Also.
] ...If you're a ghost, what kind of ghost though? ...There's lots of different ghosts.
blooktunes: already cried, currently crying, prepared to cry some more (shy fly and ready to cry)

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-13 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
Because...it...doesn't? [???] Since I can't get hurt, so it's not worth thinking about...

Ummm. I'm just...a ghost...ghost? Oh...that's not the answer you wanted, is it...sorry, I'm not...good with...strangers, so...

[Throughout this conversation they've been slowly drifting away, inch by inch, like they're thinking about bolting for the nearest wall and disappearing through it. Social interaction, the scariest monster of all...]
soft_focus: (extra 11)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-13 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
[Reira, ever the stubborn child, has been Following, inch by inch. Or at least she's following whenever he's a bit too far away, it's hard to talk that way after all.]

...I didn't want a type of answer, I just didn't know what the answer was, [She explains, blinking.] ...There's lots of things I don't know, so... ...it's better to ask about things. If you're a ghost, that means you know what being a ghost does, or feels like... ...so I have to ask you to know, right?

[She says it like a question, but really, she's pretty sure she has it Correct.] ...if you can't get hurt though...

...how did you feel when I poked you?
blooktunes: IN THE AAARMS OOOF THE AAANGEL (muffled sarah mclachlan in the distance)

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-13 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Man, the last time a small child cornered me like this we had a nice little video game battle. Why can't this situation be as straightforward as that?]

Oh, no...you're right...it's my fault...I probably just didn't understand the question.

[inch inch inch]

How did I feel...? I felt...like someone was poking me I guess...
soft_focus: (Extra41)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-13 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
[Sadly, Reira is not good at Video Game Battles. Only Card Games.

The woes of being from a Card Game Anime, really.
] ............that's definitely not your fault... [Actually, come to think-] ...I don't even think someone can be 'at fault' with things like this....

[Anyway.] Umn-! So then...you'd have still felt if someone stepped on you, or went through you, or...

...It'd still feel like something, and you'd know it wasn't a nice thing, like a hug. [The Point.]
blooktunes: it's Good. (why're people against being on the floor)

[personal profile] blooktunes 2018-01-13 05:31 am (UTC)(link)
Oh......that's true but...they couldn't really touch me...it would just feel weird...but it wouldn't hurt so it's fine...
soft_focus: (extra 07)

[personal profile] soft_focus 2018-01-13 05:34 am (UTC)(link)
Is it...?

...is it fine for you though..? ....I guess things are ok when all of the people are ok but... [She shakes her head.]

...it's not fair if someone doesn't like what's happening to them.

[...speaking of things that people should do for each other, though-] ...um...

...what's your name though? ...it's not ghost, is it?

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