karlatrmas

Karlatrmas is a term found in speculative fiction and online communities to denote a fictional phenomenon involving coordinated, ritual-like actions by groups in narrative or virtual spaces. The concept centers on a sequence of tasks that culminates in a shared narrative or world-state change, such as unlocking a plot beat, enabling faction dynamics, or triggering a computed event in a game or story. This article treats karlatrmas as a fictional or speculative concept.

Origins and etymology: The term's precise origins are unclear; it appears to have emerged in fan forums and role-playing communities in the 2010s. It is generally treated as a constructed word, with possible roots in user names or invented morphemes from constructed languages; no widely accepted etymology exists.

Usage and significance: In fiction and game design, karlatrmas functions as a multi-step ritual that requires participation from multiple characters or players; its completion yields a tangible change in the story world or gameplay. The term is also used in studies of collaborative storytelling to describe collective narrative acts and ritual language within fictional cultures. In online discourse, karlatrmas has been used as a meme to discuss group coordination and narrative synchronization.

See also: collaborative storytelling, worldbuilding, alternate reality game.