expiationmeme | TEST DRIVE MEME #3

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TEST DRIVE MEME #3

TEST DRIVE MEME #3

Welcome to the TDM for Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with fantasy, science fiction, and some horror elements. We ask that top-level comments are reserved for new characters and players looking to experience a taste of the world and overarching storyline. Characters already in the game, however, are free to use TDM prompts in their own catch-alls and logs. Feel free to submit any TDM / prompt-related questions to the corresponding comment below.

New players / characters looking to app are free to use TDM threads as samples in their application. Preexisting players / characters may use TDM threads as part of their AC proofs (with the stated limitations).

You may find the below links helpful in getting to know themes of the world, locations, the people, and so on.

info | world

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN...

BRAVE NEW WORLD (ARRIVALS)

After receiving the paper with your sentence, the whole world quickly becomes dark and you find yourself falling through what seems to be an infinite void. You lose track of time after a while, but as soon as your focus seems to waver, your vision clears and you find yourself resting rather unceremoniously in a pile of seeds used for chicken feed.

Once you make your way out of the grain silo (and we of the moderator team wish you good luck in finding a fun way out of it), you may find that several other people have been dropped into the world just like you have. Some are disoriented, others are panicked, and others yet are simply angry about being brought somewhere against their will. Amidst the chaos of new arrivals to the world of Expiation, the newcomers will find that there are some people in the crowd who seem a little more familiar with what’s going on.

These people will tell you that you find yourself in a strange new world, and that it’s best to make your way to a nearby town called Aldrip to get settled down there. It’s a few hours by foot away from this area, but it’s the only place in the nearby area that can accommodate newcomers like you.

WE LIKE TO PARTY (WE LIKE, WE LIKE TO PARTY)

Recently, many Chosen have emerged victorious from a hard-fought battle, taking out a gargantuan creature that threatened to suck the energy from the whole area surrounding Aldrip if it had not been stopped. Such efforts do not go unrecognised, and in the aftermath, the locals all decided to band together to celebrate their saviours’ heroics. Nothing less than a village-wide party and parade would be fitting for such an occasion.

This is an undertaking that will likely take a significant amount of effort. While the locals wanted to make this into a surprise, many of them lack skills to put the thing together properly. Chosen who want to get involved in the preparation process can put their organisation and culinary skills to the test to create fixtures and food for the event. Better yet, your efforts over the past months have improved supply routes into Aldrip, meaning that the food shortage has passed, and you’ll have just about anything your heart desires for the occasion.

Alternatively, you can choose to enjoy the spoils of your efforts! Once the day of the party arrives, Aldrip will erupt into a full-scale celebration, and all Chosen are encouraged to party as hard as possible. Good food, good drinks and good times will be in no short supply for the occasion. Additionally, those who took to the front lines in the previous event will be revered as heroes and likely spoiled rotten.

THIS IS HOW YOU GET ANTS

PLEASE PARTY RESPONSIBLY

It’s no understatement to say that some of the Chosen like to party hard- and that’s quite alright! A few days ago, the people of Aldrip had already set aside a few rooms in the inn to act as an infirmary for those who had been injured during the battle with the Branded. It took little effort for them to expand this project into a full medical wing for those who would undoubtedly be acting irresponsibly during the festivities.

It’s up to you to decide what circumstances brought you here. Perhaps you were injured in the previous battle, and have been stuck in bed as you recover from your wounds. Maybe you had just a little too much to drink, and you decided to come by while you collect yourself. Regardless of what your reason for being there may be, the people of Aldrip have guaranteed that you will receive the best of care.

With that said, the place is terminally understaffed. Aldrip’s locals will certainly appreciate any assistance they can get- even if your character might not have the best training or bedside manner. Medicine can’t be that hard- what’s the worst that can happen?

MR. MAGNIFI'S MAGNIFICENT MIXTURES

Once word of the upcoming celebration spread, several individuals from outside town came in to offer their services or goods in Aldrip. One such individual came into town riding on a rickety cart with the words “Miraculous Magnifi’s Medicine! Guaranteed to heal what ails ye!” emblazoned in gold on its side. The thing smells a bit off, with a strong chemical scent coming from the back, but the moustachioed man who emerges from the back assures you that all of his “mixes are made with meticulous ministrations!”

Those who buy and consume the potion might find themselves feeling strange over the next few days as symptoms emerge. Some people wake up to find that their hair has taken on a rainbow of colours during the night, that rats cuddle up to them for no reason, or that their irises have been replaced with strange spiral shapes. Feel free to come up with inventive but harmless side effects for the miracle elixir- it’s meant for some good fun.

They’re strange symptoms for sure, and certainly not the advertised cure-all. However, Magnifi is already gone by the next dawn, meaning that no one can get a refund. Thankfully, the symptoms will go away after a few days, but the chaos that ensues in the meanwhile will certainly make for some fun stories.

IT'S NOT OVER

♪♫ LET IT GROW ♫♪ ► (FUTURE EVENT TIE-IN)

The party celebrating the dread beast’s defeat can be heard from miles outside of Aldrip, but the situation is not quite yet resolved. Much of the once-lush forest outside of Aldrip had its life force absorbed from it, leaving little more than profaned ground and an overwhelming scent of rot. Worse yet, there are reports that some of the beast’s severed golden tendrils have taken on a life of their own, creating snake-monsters that threaten the local wildlife.

However, the monsters are not the only new arrivals in Pessiria Forest. Those who go to investigate the area will find that fairy-like creatures have gathered in the profaned land and are trying their best to help bring the area back to its former glory. At first, they seem to keep their distance or ignore you entirely, but after determining that you mean well, they inform you that they can temporarily bless the Chosen with the power to make full-sized plants burst forth from the seeds they plant into the ground.

It’s still going to be hard work. Even with the power to bring plants to life, planting seeds in the miles of dead forest will likely take a very long time. Still, these strange fairies could use the help, and tough jobs can be better if you bring a little help from your own friends. (Or enemies. No one’s going to judge you for who you bring.)

WHAT'S THAT MYSTERIOUS LAUGHING SOUND?

The process of regrowing the devastated part of Pessiria forest is well underway, but the process does not go entirely smoothly. Partway through the process, locals start to report that they can hear a strange girl laughing in the forest in the middle of the night, but no one seems able to track down its source. Curious Chosen can patrol around the forest at night to try and figure out the mystery.

Those who are particularly sharp-eyed might see a faint spectre of a little girl wearing a straw hat dancing about, but she never seems to stay in sight for more than a few seconds. One blink is all it takes for her to vanish.

You probably won’t be able to catch this strange spectre, but it’s become something of a game among the villagers to go looking for her anyways. Some say that seeing her is a sign of good luck, and wave to her before she disappears. Others say that if you see her while holding hands, it will bless you with a lifetime of good love. Almost all of these assertions are probably nonsense- but what will you do about it?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i. IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN... — ❝ are you alive or just breathing?❞

A. inside the grain silo.
cw: voices + brief hallucination

( jinx jolts awake and does her best to steady her breathing when she does. her mind instantly drives in a frantic mode, with a mixture of her own thoughts and the voices of dead that lives inside her head. the teen can't really make out what anyone is saying -- not when they're blending into a gargling mess like this. but then, she desperately pats herself before taking a hastily glance at her surroundings. if there are other people in this grain silo, jinx isn't paying no mind to them, because they're not of any interest or importance to her right now. but it does seem she is panickily searching for something.

huffing out a frustrating groan, her pinks dart down at the chicken seeds she's sitting on -- now rolling over to be on her hands and knees. the twin braided girl launches her hands to comb through the pile, seeds soaring from every direction and possibly hitting another person or hitting this enormous tin can. )

( abruptly, jinx winces as she cocks her head to the side, eyes squeezing at the screeching buzz that's tickling inside her ear. her palms slam flat against the chicken seeds with her head jerking up to pierce a glare at... nothing (at least to your character, there's nothing there). )

Shaddup! — I didn't lose it...! ... It's here. It has to be here. I know it is. And you're not helpin' me, so shaddup!!

B. outside.
cw: light spoilers of arcane

( whether she had help or she got out on her own, jinx manages to make it on the outside. she is still picking chicken seeds out of her hair, and is gradually growing more frustrated the more she finds another in her locks. but whenever she's done plucking at her strands, jinx finally takes notice of her surroundings and her chest tightens. this... this place isn't at all zaun or piltover. there are no tall buildings she recognizes and the grass is way too green for her eyes. and the most important part? there's sun and fresh air shining on her pale skin and filling her lungs.

without realizing, her fingers cling to her left braid for comfort -- digits fiddling with a few strands. sure, jinx ran off after she shot the missile to the tower, but... she had never ventured out beyond the two cities. it's a little exciting, but she wasn't exactly prepared mentally for this.

a reminder tickles at the side of her temple and she reaches around in her back pocket for the rolled up paper. that's right, she had this before she fell. the teen unwinds the stationery to give it a proper read. it seems to be a list of all of the crimes she had committed back home and well, all sounds about right. but instead of looking appalled or confused, the girl simply tosses the paper over her shoulder and begins to venture on ahead, pushing through the crowd of people. she needs to find higher ground to get a better grasp of this place and whoever is here. because someone here has the crystal and her gear, she just needs find them and then make them regret stealing from her. )

ii. WE LIKE TO PARTY. — ❝ let me drunk dance on table tops.❞

A. preparation?

( jinx isn't sure what's going on besides the fact the city is setting up for a party of some kind. over what? who knows and who cares? but she observes the people from afar very intensely, as if anyone amongst the crowd seem familiar or have something that belongs to her. the gemstone may be hard to spot -- it's obvious it'll be in a bag or inside of a pocket. so the only way to really search is to pickpocket once the celebration starts.

a local innocently approaches her and asks if she would like to give a helping hand with setting up the upcoming festivity. the smile twists mischievous and cruel as she pushes herself off her leaning post. it seems like jinx is going along with this local on assisting, telling them to lead the way as she tags behind. and what this local is unaware of is the teen's wandering hand fishing in her own pocket. jinx gives the two of them just enough distance to let a marble-like explosive roll to the local's direction. someone is about to get a fright of their life. )

B. the germlin is eating.

( she can't remember when was the last time she'd seen this much food in one area. and the teen wastes no time shoving and dashing through people to grab whatever she can, then zipping off to somewhere exclusive to chow down. and jinx isn't seen to be using any sort of utensils for her meal, no matter what it is -- the girl is ripping everything apart with her bare hands and sucking off any juices leftover on her fingertips. and if her mouth is a mess, she uses her forearm to clean.

occasionally, her pink eyes dart up at anyone to decides to get close or look her way. the pupils gleam vibrantly if she meets anyone's gaze then quickly back to her meal in her hands. hopefully staying aloof and frightening will get anyone to back away from taking her food. )

C. the germlin is pickpocketing.

a.you're getting pickpocketed. ( maybe your character is drinking and partying it up or maybe your character is on their way to chat with someone new or old. whatever they're doing, jinx is not too far behind them. her gaze is lock hard on your character's figure then down to their clothing -- searching for any pouches or bags. when jinx feels the time is right, she silently makes her way over with a hand brushing swiftly along your character. will she find something interesting? will your character notice? )

b.you're stopping the pickpocket. ( so what is this short blue haired girl doing exactly? why is she creeping so closely against others and the locals? well, the answer becomes very clear as her hand seems to be doing a quick brush in someone's clothing. and whatever she snatched out of their pockets doesn't seem to be something she is looking. how disappointing. ah, well, on to the next victim. )

iii. WILDCARD.

(idk man. im tired. pick whatever you like to do with me here! PM me for questions. )

[ Ragna has no interest in socializing with either the locals or the new arrivals. What he is interested in, however, is finding out how the eff he's ended up here and what in the world is going on. With that in mind, he resigns himself to participating in this celebration, even if he'd much rather be literally anywhere else. Though "participating" might be a bit of a stretch ─ sure, he's sitting at the table, taking advantage of some of the free food and drinks, but overall keeps to himself, avoiding mingling with others and simply watching and listening for any piece of useful information instead.

Watching the festival unfold, the suspicious behavior of a certain blue-haired girl catches his attention. He follows her movements for a while before concluding some suckers losing their belongings to her is none of his business. That is, until he becomes the target of her interest; the feeling of her eyes boring into his back is getting really annoying after a moment, and he's this close to telling her off when she finally makes her move and begins to approach him.

Ragna sighs, and addresses her without bothering to turn around to face her. ]

Hate to break it to you, but I've got nothing worth your time on me.

[ At least he's sparing her from potential disappointment, no? ]

( her entire body tenses and her hand stills in place when this man acknowledges her. he is the first so far who noticed her presence and honestly, jinx is slightly at loss on what to do next. of all of her pickpocketing schemes, she had always gotten away with it scot free. her instincts are telling her to do the following: a) bolt it out of here or b) harm him before he strikes her. she won't do either (for now), but she shapes her hand in a form of a gun -- index and middle pressing into his back. it's a tactic to fool idiots into thinking they're packing when they're not.

and this teen is lacking in all of her weapons besides one little explosive leftover (the other one, she tossed at a local). humming with a vexatious grin attached, the girl's gaze continues to dance around his figure. )

Then I guess you wouldn't mind if I do a lil' peek-see anyway, huh?

( the man could very well be lying to her. he wouldn't be the first she came across who turned deceitful in the end. )

There's a lot you can do with scraps, y'know. Just gotta use the ol' noggin.

Edited 2023-05-30 17:30 (UTC)

[ Ragna rolls his eyes at this thinly veiled threat. Does she seriously believe he'd fall for that? ... Then again, there are tons of idiots out there who would, so it's not an entirely baseless assumption, huh. No sane person would make the mistake of underestimating the world's most wanted criminal like this back where he's from, but here... he's just another nobody dragged in from a different universe. He figures it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Well, that's neither here nor there. ]

Sure, be my guest.

[ He shrugs nonchalantly, but in reality, it's something of a dare. He's more than willing to teach the brat a lesson in picking her targets better if need be.

(And, for the record, he's telling the truth: his pockets are, in fact, completely and depressingly empty.) ]

( so with her free hand, she begins to pat him down -- hands slipping in and out of pockets and as he stated, jinx comes out with nothing. there's a small huff that flies out her nostrils before she digs right back in for a second time (maybe she just missed something?). only this second attempt, he can feel the frustration brewing in her with the way she searches around. the teen finally gives up though, backing away with her arms throwing up in the air in disappointment. )

Ugh! — You really are a dud...!

( what a complete waste of time (like he said)! folding her arms cover her chest, her eyes glare daggers at the stranger in front of him. )

What's the big deal wearin' all that getup when you don't have anything?! Did anyone tell ya it's not polite to trick girls?

jinx — arcane.

ii C - a mix of both?

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pickpocketing gremlins — a

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B

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ii - b

seester hour!!!!

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ii-a (sorry for late!)

its okiiii i backtag forever.

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ii c

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