livinglot | ⇨ 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She's quiet as he leads her on and then tends more to her hands.While he did, she was relaxing a little more at the scent of all the food and the warmth the place gave off. Though, despite what he listed, she knew there wouldn't be anything she could eat her.

Not without causing... issues anyway and as much as she loved the gore that came with feeding, even she knew a place like this wouldn't exactly appreciate her kind's feeding methods.

"Oh? Zhen I am sure everyone enjoys all zhe vonderful smelling food."

No, most people didn't mix that kind of thing together with normal human food and while this place did cater to a lot the cooks had their limits. He's smoothing out the gauze before tying it off. Only then will he pocket the rest for later in case he needs it and he'll guide her to somewhere she can sit down and rest. There are plenty of tables and the view is dazzling with all the lights and the wooden accents.

He'll sit across from her with his hands on the table. They have her blood on it still and he's not going to touch anything else, "We are allowed to take food and cook for ourselves but meals are provided. It's not so bad working here for a short while. Time doesn't pass in my world so there is no need to worry about abandoning anything important." Even if she no longer had a choice. It was just a matter of time.

The bandages seemed to hold while she test them and only then did she decide to look around the place more. She had to admit, the lights and accents definitely had their appeal. But, why would she want to stay here?

Again she flexed her fingers before resting them on the table. She leaned forwards on her elbows and eventually turned her attention to Tyki. Now that she didn't have something taunting her, Rip was actually able to focus and already her mood was starting to shift into something more curious and playful.

"Iz zhat so? Vell, I doubt zhey serve anyzhing I could eat. You could say I haf a very specialized diet zhat's not easy to cater to in most places. Zhough, I don't understand vhy anyone vould want to hang around and work a carnival at all."

...It really was only a matter of time before she realized just how caught she really was.

He kind of liked lowering someone's guard after a stressful moment. While he wouldn't be able to watch the contract being made out of respect and privacy for everything the Ringmaster did, he would enjoy teasing Rip later that she essentially did it to herself.

He glances down for a moment towards her soul and he can already tell she wasn't human but this was a prime opportunity for information, "Now you have to tell me. You've piqued my curiosity, Miss Winkle." It would be nice to put a soul to a reference.

If that later came, Rip might just try and punch him for talking her into it depending on how angry she was at that time.

Rip didn't have any idea what he might be doing but, she did know curiosity when it reared it's head and she loved to use that to her advantage to tease others.

"Do I? It might be more fun if you guess und if you guess right, I might zhink of a revard for you."

Try to punch him and he'll have to restrain her or sit on her to get her to calm down. Probably shouldn't make punching a habit, Rip Van Winkle.

He grins small because he knows where this topic is going. "Might, hmm?"

He pretends to think hard but because he only knows of a couple of things besides a human, he gets his right the first shot, "Is it blood?" His second choice would've been flesh or brains.

Then maybe he shouldn't make teasing her a habit for both of their health. Then again, if he tries to restrain her, she might like it.

"Yes, might~" And where exactly did he think this topic was going? Rip may surprise him.

As he seems to be thinking, she's leaning forward to watch him. Part of her is curious of what he'll guess and another part is more amused than anything else. However, at his guess, she just grins and hows off her fangs.

"I'm surprised, you guessed it on zhe first try. If I didn't know any better, I vould zhink you haf experience vith my kind."

Sorry but when he finds people who are easy to tease it doesn't really stop. She'll either learn to control her temper or she'll find herself flat on her face more than she likes or stuck somewhere.

He's nosy and while not rude he does reach out to poke one. Sorry, but he just had to make sure it was real, "Not particularly. I've heard stories and blood is the most obvious choice, other than flesh, brains, and energy."

Chances are she will end up flat on her face quite often before she tames her temper or at the very least figure out ways to tease him back. Either way, it will be entertaining to see what happens.

Rip watches as his fingers come close to her fangs with a smirk and then a playful snap to prove that they are definitely very real. " Zhen it is good you guessed zhat first. I vould haf been insulted ozher vise."

Just don't go pissing off a fae and taking the rest of them down with that rage. Tyki won't appreciate that at all.

"It's also easier to obtain than the others. Especially since you are likely to be here for a while... until you find your way out. Or you can hold out until your vacation is over."

Give her some credit! She knew better than to piss off things that might kill her. Somewhat...maybe. This will be a learning experience for her.

"Oh? Zhat is good to hear. Zhough, I don't know vhy I vould be sticking around her longer zhan necessary. I haf a mission to complete vhen I get back home."

Well, she did just break a lot of mirrors even if that was a well set up trap. His hand slides upwards to his cheek as he leans into it and starts to grin rather wide.

Ignore the way the blood from his gloves smears onto his cheek. He certainly doesn't mind, "Because the Ringmaster is going to come for you and you have nowhere to run."

For a moment, she's distracted by the streak of crimson on his cheek. Even she had to admit..it looked good against his skin. However, what he said next made her tense up and for a brief moment, fear laced through her before she shoved it down with a soft growl.

"For vat!? Vhy vould zhe Ringmaster come for me."

She was still unaware of just how caught she was, but, even then she had a feeling of dread.

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."

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!"

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."

⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME: WISMUTH

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