livinglot | ⇨ Test Drive Meme: EDEN (Rescued Captives)

⇨ Test Drive Meme: EDEN (Rescued Captives)

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!↴

Or, more specifically, Lost Carnival's test drive meme! We've changed a lot this time around and have introduced a whole new method of entering the game. Before we get started, let's lay down some details:

You can (and should) read the plot FAQ here.
Reserves and Applications are currently OPEN.
This round, new characters will be entering as rescued captives. Initially stolen away into this world by the leader of Eden, they will be rescued by current characters as part of an in-game event.
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. They will arrive in the carnival grounds with no entry log necessary.
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.

CURRENT SCENARIO↴

⇨ GARDEN OF EDEN ⇦
Eden is a magical, almost idyllic realm created by a powerful nephalem, with the specific purpose of finding a way to craft the perfect mortal soul. Above ground there are beautiful forest, gardens, and architecture that is otherworldly in its splendor. You, however, don't get to see most of that, because you have been brought to its underground prison, locked away like a zoo animal to be studied by the locals. This is extra weird because everyone living in Eden is some kind of uplifted animal - the beings attending to you are a diverse assortment of species, all with the ability to talk and apparently bend reality.

The underground garden you're being kept in doesn't look like a prison at first. Despite its lack of natural light, it's well decorated with plant life and various water features, its trees growing enough fruit to sustain you indefinitely. But there's no way out. It's just you and the other captives, and occasionally one of Eden's beasts coming in to check on you, or drag someone out to be examined. It's like being abducted by UFOs if the UFOs were talking animals, and the spaceship was a magical realm.

You may have noticed by now that, eventually, individual test subjects stop being returned to the garden. You could imagine this is because they've been released, but realistically, you suspect it's something much worse.

► THE MIRROR: The first thing you remember of your stay in Eden is seeing a mirror, its pristine silver surface being all that you can focus on. You don't know how you got there, only that the reflection seems to reach inside of you and pull something out, as if it's splitting you in half to create your mirror image. Eventually, you lose consciousness, and wake up in the garden prison. It took you a while to get the chance to talk to any of the animals, and they are disinclined to give you anything but the most basic of information - what to eat, where to sleep. They don't seem to want to get attached.

► THE GARDENS: There's not much to do in the garden, besides lounge around and maybe speak with your fellow captives. They have more information for you than any of the animals will - some of them are human, but some of them are obviously alien, telling tales of different worlds far beyond your experience. The lights dim at night and brighten in the day, but there's no outdoors to be seen. There are cushions and blankets laying on the grass for you to sleep on, but there are no beds. No one who has gotten violent towards the animals that attend to you has come back after being hauled off.

► SOMETHING MISSING: Since the moment you've arrived, no magic or powers you had previously have worked. More than that, you feel like something inside of you is missing - like some part of your soul never came back from being split into that mirror you saw. Maybe that's an abstract idea for you, maybe you don't believe in souls. Yet, now it's an instinctive feeling that is hard to put out of your mind. What did they take from you? Can you get it back?

► WILD CARD: Want to try some threads with the assumption that your character is already with the carnival? 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 run the obstacle course? Hang out in the Backyard? Choose whatever appeals! These prompts will be considered non-canon, unless you are applying as a veteran.

Recruits from this month will be signing on with the carnival in an entry log that will be posted around the start of August. You can view the in-game calendar here.

ENTRY STATUS↴

Approved characters will arrive as part of an in-game event log which will cover their rescue. TDM threads are meant to be pre-rescue circumstances, and current players will be tagging in as NPCs or other captured characters.
Characters rescued from Eden can have been imprisoned in the gardens for anywhere from a single day to up to three months. Good luck keeping track, though, there's no clocks down here.
Characters rescued from the gardens will be mostly depowered at the time, but will get their powers back by the end of the event.
Characters will be imprisoned with only the clothes on their back. All items will have been confiscated, but can potentially be retrieved in the event log.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It's called the Silver Mirror. It's a fae artifact, around ten or so feet tall. It's connected to all the reflections of this realm. It can reveal the truth and dispel illusions. Since it's made of Sun and Shade, it can cut the Darkness or Light out of a person's heart."

Despite the fact that Strange is describing this in terms that are honestly a bit vague, he's downright serious about the power of the Mirror and what it can do.

Vague, and full of poetical-sounding turns of phrase - as if Strange got his info from a prophecy or some old monk's tome - but. There's something about that description. Beau frowns, leaning in on herself, and starts mumbling.

"A mirror... Wait a minute. I saw... Yeah, I saw a mirror, before I woke up here. It..."

She raises her hands and looks at them, clenching her fingers and turning her hands over, before looking back at Strange's reflection and speaking more clearly.

"It felt like it pulled something outta me. I haven't felt right since I woke up, I thought maybe they were poisoning the water, or something. You think maybe it's that 'Light' or 'Darkness' crap instead?"

Strange can't help but frown a little as Beau explains things. "But then I would have—ah, no, you said you were here for at least a few days, weren't you."

That tells her absolutely nothing. It tells Strange something, however, as he keeps talking.

"But yes, I think it must have been this 'Light or Darkness crap', as you so put it. However, I can't tell from here which one it was or how it affected you." An awkward pause before Strange continues. "Also, I'm sorry but I've no way to actually get you out of the prison from here."

So if this guy's right - and she still hasn't asked his name, has she? - the reason she can't feel her ki, or move like she ought to be able to, is probably because... some powerful fae artifact pulled it out of her. She's basically cursed. And imprisoned, and the only friendly person on the outside can't actually get her out.

"Shit," Beau says eloquently, then adds for good measure, "fuck. Can you... Ugh, can you tell me about this place, at least? Like... what's outside this prison area, do you have any idea how these animals get in and out?"

Strange frowns a little, thinking to himself. "I suspect one of the animals must have a teleportation power. Each animal has a 'talent', which they use to describe some form of magic they use." That's the answer that makes the most sense to Strange. After all, obviously there aren't doors, or people would have found their way out by now.

"As for what's outside the prison area...I'm not entirely sure. I can only view things based on the reflection itself. I would imagine you're in a cave of some sort, just because a previous prisoner was in a cave. But as for where the cave is, I don't know."

"Right right, yeah, underground somewhere, but who knows where? Nobody knows." Beau sighs and rubs at her face. The only reason it doesn't smear her makeup is, it's been enough days since applying it that it's already essentially gone. "'Course it's magic shit."

"I'm afraid everything about this is magic shit," Strange sighs. From the talking animals, to the lack of memories, to the weird cave scenario, this is just nothing but magic shit. Still, Strange wants to at least find some way to help keep Beau from being too agitated

"If I had to guess, you would be in an underground chamber somewhere near where the ruins are. Thankfully, people know about the ruins and have scouted out the prison that way before so they'll know how to enter the underground area."

Oh, she is getting that idea. Even Strange's presence here is magic shit; it's magic all the way down. The universe could do her a favor and give her a problem she can analyze or knock over, already.

She sits up straighter at this part, at least. "Oh yeah? Are these people scouting around your people, up for making new friends, maybe inviting them along...?" There's no guarantee they'll find this place, if he's wrong, but it'd be nice to have something to hope for.

"They should be. Some of ours were taken as well." Granted, Strange doesn't know where some of theirs were taken, but it should be near this prison area, right? After all, that's where Ignatius is.

"If they don't find you, I'll check in later and we'll finesse a jailbreak ourselves."

Because fuck yeah, jailbreaks. He still doesn't know who this person is, but she seems cool and she seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders (and she's not a bit of an ass like Dark seems to be.) Besides, trapped people. Of course they're going to rescue them.

Beau's plenty an ass, but right now? She wants something from Strange, and all they've got to barter is talking. So she's downplaying the assholery.

Besides, it's not like he's said anything too obnoxious. He seems fine... especially for a carny.

"Some of you taken, and you think you've still got enough people to break them out? Big carnival." Beau's eyebrows raise, and she's a little impressed. After all, the one she's spent the most time interacting with - a few hours spread over a few days - was about ten people strong. And they might have been charmers and flirts and sneaks, but they sure weren't skilled enough to sneak out under the Guard's nose.

"Or we're just a powerful one. Magic shit, remember?" Said as he gestures to himself. He's talking to Beau via a reflection in the water, of course there's magic shit involved. And, magic shit aside, Strange is an arrogant asshat. Of course he's going to talk up the carnival because that also means he's talking up himself.

Just ignore the part where he's stuck in a plot device. Beau doesn't need to know that right now.

"This carnival is rather...unorthodox compared to most."

"Fair enough," she acknowledges. Magic can tip the scales a lot, especially if they know what they're doing. Or if they're a bunch of lucky jackasses... like the group she's been traveling with.

She tilts her head a little abruptly at that thought, and glances back around the space for a minute. No one's approaching them, that she can see. No animals, no captives, and nobody familiar.

"Uhh... hey. While you were looking around down here, did you see like... any other cells, like this chamber? With other people? Like, a big pale lady with mismatched eyes, or a crow kid, or a half-orc with a scar? Just, by any chance?" No biggie, of course, this is real casual and unconcerned, just super convincingly casual.

What the hell's an orc? Strange looks confused for a moment before he shakes his head. He still doesn't really know what an orc is, but big pale lady with mismatched eyes and crow kid? Haven't seen them.

"I haven't seen them. However, I can keep an eye out for them and report back to you if I spot any of them." Though, that does present another problem. "Who should I say is asking for them?" he asks, with a little frown. Because good job rude magician, you don't know this young woman's name at all.

"Shit." Beau sits back and rests her head in her arms, then bangs her hands against her knees a few times. Where are they? She hasn't seen any of them here, obviously, but it's not like she was alone in that inn room. Even if animals snuck in and kidnapped people, Jester at the very least should be here too.

"Beau," she adds abruptly as an afterthought. "it's Beau, you can tell them Beau's looking for them. And, uh, there should also be... A blue tiefling girl, kinda fancy clothes... Maybe a purple tiefling, trying," she coughs out a little pained laugh. "Way too hard to be fancy, a uh - a 'halfling' with a ceramic mask and bandages... and a human guy, kinda like you, but way dirtier, red hair, y'know."

What the hell's a tiefling?! Strange is trying his hardest not to look confused as he listens. He can at least look for a blue fancy person and a purple fancy person, maybe he'll figure out what a tiefling is from that.

He nods to show that he's understood. "You must have a lot of friends," Strange muses. Or maybe she's just not so single-minded that she'd only ask for one or two people, like Strange would have been doing if he were in her shoes. "But I'll look around and see if they're in this chamber or any others."

He pauses before continuing, "And it's a pleasure to meet you Beau, though I wish it was under better circumstances. I am Strange."

Beau studies him as he just... nods, without asking for any more description of any of them. Maybe he's got that kind of super memory, and he'll just know them when he sees them. Because his face seemed a little stiff as she talked. Like he was trying not to make faces.

"Yeah, same, but uh, you... Are you sure?" She's trying to be polite, she's trying to be mannerly, but she has to. "I mean, you're strange, no argument there, but are you sure you got all of them? I can describe them again. In case you missed anything."

Even beyond giving this Strange guy a little bit of shit, it's a serious offer. She wants to know if they're all here or not.

"I think so." And he starts talking, counting off on his fingers as he does so. "Big pale lady with mismatched eyes, crow kid, half orc with scar, blue and purple tieflings who look fancy, a...halfling?" Shit, he doesn't know what that is either. "A halfling with a ceramic mask and bandages, and a person who looks like me but ginger."

And here's the biggest clue that he's just trying to play off like he knows what he's doing and probably needs a bit more details: Strange mispronounces 'tiefling.' He's trying to mimic how Beau pronounced it the best he can, since again, no clue what that word is, so that word is a bit drawn out and in a weirdly American accent.

"Did I get them all right?"

She purses her lips, regarding him for a minute. Considers her options, then lets the air out in a gust of a sigh, before continuing in a too-mannerly voice. "Hey, so, you're at least halfway there, so, good job! Yeah. But, it's 'tiefling,' not... whatever you just said."

The mannerly tone wears off as she talks, until it's back to blunt with 'whatever'. He knows plenty about this place, sure, but wherever he comes from must be - equally, appropriately - strange. No tieflings. What the hell. Does he at least know what demons are, or what?

"Look, man, if you don't know that's fine, just say it so I can make sure you've got this." Beau waves her hand in a circle, "you know, describe them a little more."

Strange can't help but give Beau a little frown as she calls him out. He would appreciate it if she didn't do that! Come on, Beau, cut him some slack!

"I don't know what a tiefling is," Strange admits, like the fact that he had to admit not knowing someone is the end of the world. "But how many blue or purple colored people could there be?"

That's what she meant by blue, right? A blue person? Strange, who's dealt with people who were furry, scaled, or feathery, is at least assuming that's what Beau means by blue and purple.

No, she can't cut him any slack. Wanting to know everything and have everyone know you know it is a great goal. But it just looks stupid if you're not open to correction when you're wrong. That's like, the most basic thing, man.

"...You know what? That's fair. That's super fair." Beau nods slowly, conceding the point with some grace. Mild grace. "You're not wrong about that. They also have horns and tails, so. Just in case."

Well, if he goes looking for fur, scales, or feathers, he's going to be misled. Fortunately for him, they're not even here to be found, so there's not likely to be any mistaken identity.

Strange nods. At least now he looks a bit more comfortable and a lot less confused. Blue and purple, kind of fancy, horns and tails. He knows that this might be splitting hairs, but he's curious, so he asks anyway, "What kind of horns?"

When you're in a carnival full of different styles of horned people, these things tend to matter.

"Uhhh... Spiraly things. Like this." Beau raises her hands to her head, curling them to try demonstrating the ram-like spirals. It... Probably conveys they have horns. Not much besides that.

She makes a face as she does, realizing what it must look like - even without benefit of her own reflection to see, and adds, "don't make fun of me for explaining like this, got it? Even if you're a puddle, I'll find a way to punch you, somehow."

Strange doesn't say anything, but the annoying little smile on his face shows that yeah, he realizes what it looks like, she's making the universal sign for 'someone's a little bit crazy.'

"I'm not normally a puddle," said like it's the most obvious thing ever. "I'm just one for the time being. But I'll do a search for your friends and return here or to a different reflection should I find them." After all, Beau can't hang out by this water forever.

"Is there anything else I need to know before I depart?"

"Gnnng." She digs her fingers in her hair for a minute, because that's an expression that super needs punching and she brought it on her own damn self. "Nope. I got nothing. You go do your scrying thing."

She'll just be here, in this comfortable prison cell, taking a nap by this pool.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

⇨ Test Drive Meme: EDEN (Rescued Captives)

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