⇨ POLARIS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Days 102 - 109
Where: Polaris
What: With the Ringmaster kidnapped and the rest of the carnival imprisoned, characters find themselves at the mercy of a Winter Fae called the Mother of Invention.
Warnings: Graphic experimentation in places.

TRIALS & TRIBULATION↴ After a day of cleansing and processing, where all the belongings and attire of their old lives are stripped away and replaced with something newer and more form fitting, the former members of the carnival will find themselves let loose into the Farm for the first time. A sizable green area, filled with orchards growing inorganic looking fruits and field ready for tending, the Farm is where they will be spending their days for the forseeable future. Food and drink are no longer needed, and so every day is an endless cycle of work. Technicians are seen only when necessary, and when being taken from your place of work to your lonesome cells at night. Every day, there are new postings on the "Production Board", where various dire sound scientific trials ask for subjects. The majority won't be forced, at least not yet, but the system is at work to push its participants to the brink and force their hand. After all, volunteers make the best subjects. ► PRODUCTIVITY: As explained elsewhere, characters will be forced to compete to attain enough Productivity Point to be considered Satisfactory. There are literally not enough points to go around for everyone to attain this, which means that at least some people will be deemed "Below Expectations" by the end of the first four-day cycle. What this means has yet to be discovered, but the Technicians have grimly warned against it. Productivity involves many tasks, including orchard picking, tilling, planting, harvesting, watering, maintenance, and more. Any task you can think of that would take place on a plantation is applicable here. Beyond that, the Production Board awaits you, offering precious Productivity Points in exchange for your cooperation. How you become Satisfactory is up to you, but it's every person for themselves. Only one person can turn in the credit for harvesting or preparing fields, and while you can certainly try to help others by letting them take credit for your work, it's a sure fire way to fall behind the herd, especially if you are already in a low Classification. Fruits and fields will miraculously grow overnight, and will be ready for a new day when you are. You've been told not to eat anything you harvest, but right now you aren't hungry anyway. ► POLARIS BY NIGHT: During the night, you are left alone to your thoughts and maybe an annoying roommate. Solo or in pairs, the entire night will be spent in small sleep pods, as shown on the locations post. Is it possible to sneak out? It doesn't seem like it is, but who is to say? The real question is if you want to dare to try. There is one hour of rest before and after seven hours of darkness. Even if you don't usually have to sleep, you'll find yourself oddly weary and inclined to rest. Supernaturally, almost. ► PARTICIPATION: Sometimes participation in experimental trials is manditory, sometimes it isn't. You are free to handwave your character having been pulled aside for minor examinations, such as blood tests or aura scans. Each time, you will be pulled into a separate part of the station and analyzed by a Technician and heavily automated machinery. Anymore more complex than basic check-up level tests will be posted about in a section called "TRIALS" in the body of the post below.

Comments

[betheman]

Gongenzaka huffs and very nearly growls, narrowing his eyes. "...I, the man Gongenzaka, want 'nothing' from you," he mutters. "...I merely found myself lost within my concerns, and you, within range of my words." Which is to say, he was talking to himself and totally forgot that there were people Right There.

"..I..." Gongenzaka's eyes narrow just as his voice begins to waver. "...I took upon myself one of the trials, and left him with my finished work, so that he could obtain extra credit... He had already missed one day to recover from the poison of that faerie we faced, after all... So then, how could he not have been considered at least 'satisfactory'..?"

Broken up as he is, he realizes that this has very little to do with Strange. And speaking of Strange, there are other red-marks to consider. "...You as well... ...Certainly the 'trials' appear to skew things unfairly but... ...Was there simply not enough work, for all of us here then?" he ponders almost lamentously, sounding more confused with the system than with any perceived failure.

Though, it does still sort of sound like a 'dis'...

[kingsroads]

"I suspect the work doesn't matter," Strange grumbles, as he returns to staring at the productivity board. "Look at some of those names." He gestures to Herbert, then towards Sans's name. "They barely did any work. But they signed up for a trial and somehow are satisfactory."

If the work mattered, then surely signing up for a trial and not doing any work would put them squarely near 'middle of the road.' But it didn't, so the work doesn't matter. And Strange is more than a little pissed about that.

[betheman]

"More than satisfactory in fact," he grunts- perhaps irritably. "Every single one who has done a trial is considered 'outstanding'; hardly any who focused on work are more than 'satisfactory' at best." Which...Yeah.

It means exactly what Strange is saying, the trials are everything. Which brings a problem.

"...All of the prior trials had limitations on who could enter..." he mutters lowly, glancing to Strange. "...Not only in qualifications, but aside from the one concerning Ignatius, in number..."

It's not looking great.

[kingsroads]

It's becoming all the more obvious to Strange that Gon is pretty much just using him for a soundboard and someone to go 'yep, that sure is happening and everything sucks.' And in any other time, Strange would be perfectly fine theorizing things. But he's still a little pissy and (to be blunt) he honestly doesn't know how much Gongenzaka could contribute to the conversation in the first place.

"If you're worried about the limitations, ask for a trial yourself," he says, like it's the most obvious thing ever. "And if you're worried about Yuya failing, sell him out. You've both been changed by the carnival in so many ways, I'm certain you can come up with something that's tailored to either of your experiences that the technicians might find useful."

He hates how cruel he's being here but honestly, it's the easiest solution he can see in his mind.

[betheman]

What else would he use you for Strange. You were just sort of there.

Also, in any other circumstance...well. He suspects in any other circumstance, Strange would be asking how his own trial went with little tact or care.

Not so apparently, and he hisses. "I, the man Gongenzaka, hardly think I need to ask for yet another trial..! And if you feel the solution is to sell out those of us who would not volunteer, then you should be ashamed to have the respect that Yuuya gives you! Such casual tactics...." He takes a step back. "...Will you truly stand by such words when the time comes?"

[kingsroads]

"That depends on what happens when people stay 'below expectations' for too long. I don't know the specifics, but I doubt it's pleasant." Nothing the Technicians said gave him the impression that being 'below expectations' was good. And, on a purely technical note, what good is a fun new lab rat that can't be examined? The Mother of Invention probably wouldn't tolerate 'below expectations' for too long.

"What matters most is the level of discomfort you're willing to let Yuya suffer: the discomfort of going through a trial, or the discomfort of whatever happens to people who don't live up to expectations. I'll make my decision when I know more about the latter."

Which is a very wordy way of saying that he'll wait and see.

[betheman]

He supposes they may well find out. He doesn't want to, but they might.

As it is- Gongenzaka has to narrow his eyes. Somehow Strange's advice doesn't sit right with him- it feels too...clinical. Distant, perhaps. On the one hand, he understands the point of it. He will, quite likely, have to encourage him into signing onto something at some point but...

"Hmn." Gongenzaka turns away, and prepares to head off. "...Indeed, we shall. ...I, the man Gongenzaka, suppose there is only moving forward until then."