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expiationmeme2023-05-29 10:59 am
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.
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?
no subject
Emet-Selch sucks in a sharp breath. He resists the urge to take a few quick steps forward and see their appearance for himself. He won't give himself that hope.
"It was defeated. Apparently, some of its errant limbs still terrorise the depths of the forest."
no subject
Erichthonios bows his head in thought, hands still carefully cradling the seeds.
"Would it not be best to seek out these limbs and ensure they are dealt with properly? If the creation managed to unleash this much destruction upon the land, 'tis plain that it is too dangerous to be permitted to roam freely."
no subject
He's more than certain now of who they are. Or rather, what.
"...You are from Eitherys, aren't you."
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They are red, like his father's.
"You know of it?"
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He can't hide the flicker of surprise which crosses his face. His people's eyes are distinct. He hasn't looked upon such a face in several ages. But he doesn't immediately connect this man to Lahabrea.
"...You are far from home. And well out of time. What is your name?"
slowly but surely churn the thoughts
And how did he know of Etheirys? He looks so... different, his clothing not the communal robes with which Erichthonios is so familiar, nor any apparent iteration of them.
"...You said I am out of time? By that, you mean... displaced?"
Was this man, then, from a time different from his own?
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He doesn't understand how it can be possible. Then again, being brought here is also impossible. Do the powers-that-be have sway over time itself...?
Then perhaps...?
"Erichthonios..." Why does that name sound familiar?
no subject
Erichthonios inquires with a tilt to his head, hand outstretched and imploring. The stranger has asked for his name, but not offered his own. Who is this? And... why does he look so surprised?
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That's right - didn't Lahabrea have a son? He thinks he recalls how it was considered an unspoken taboo to mention the man's deceased partner as she had suffered an untimely death. Their son had not shown the same aptitude as his father for Creation magicks either...
He takes a deep breath and clenches his fists. Then lifts one hand and draws it over his face to reveal the red glyph of his seat.
"I am Emet-Selch. You will not recognise me in this guise but I trust this sigil is sufficient proof of my office."
no subject
"Emet-Selch! A-Aye, 'tis more than sufficient!" Could he be here on Convocation business? Had he come to investigate? Was there some manner of disruption in the aetherial realm of the Underworld that could be involved in this?
For once, Erichthonios' mind is whirring with questions. None of which actually manage to reach his lips.
"I-- did not expect to see you here."
no subject
"And I did not expect to be here either. Did anyone else arrive with you?"
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"I... did not notice the presence of anyone I recognized when I first emerged from the repository of grain, but I imagine it will not be long before someone notices I am gone from where I should be."
Those in Pandæmonium are yet likely still on high alert, given all that has happened.
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Why this man though? Are the gods here simply plucking out whoever they like at random? Or does this Erichthonios have some significance...
Surely not. He would remember if they did.
"All is well at Pandaemonium, I trust?"
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Yet, Erichthonios is also ill-inclined to paint a picture of despair, least of all when they had managed to save so many that would not have been saved otherwise. It was a work in progress... but they were working on it.
"The circumstances are better now, at least... though two keywards were lost in the events that transpired."
no subject
He remembers Lahabrea seeming changed somehow from the incident as well...
"My condolences. You needn't worry. Pandaemonium will manage without you for a little while."
He says this confidently because he doesn't recall any further disatrous accidents.
fyi I set this thread before he encountered the other two
But as confident as he is in that statement, his mood does not quite manage to rebound. He'd been helping in Pandæmonium, yes. But there were... other people he had hoped to see, as things returned more or less to routine.
o7
It sounds dismissive, but they were chosen for the role because they were suited to it, no? Emet-Selch is confident that there is nothing to worry about. At least, in Erichthonios' present day.
"Well, if you saw no-one else familiar then I suppose we shall have to get along. As a Warder, you will be proficient in containment magicks, yes? That could be useful if another threat arises here."
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Though the threat within Pandæmonium has subsided, if Emet-Selch says there may be a threat here, then it must be so. It would be best for him to prepare for it beforehand.
no subject
He doesn't mean to sound incredulous but he cannot help it - Lahabrea is known for his mastery of phantom creation. Even if the son doesn't quite live up to his father's achievements, surely the boy wouldn't struggle.
In the end though, he waves it off. "Well, nevermind. This land may not be so rich in aether but we shall worry about that when we come to it."
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He must keep trying.
"...Aye."
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"If you have a charm from the townsfolk, you can use it to contact me. Someone there can explain how it works. In the meantime, try not to get killed by the local wildlife, hmm?"
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Lifting his head, he once again meets Emet-Selch's gaze. "You need not worry for my well-being. We in Pandæmonium are accustomed to dangerous creations."
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Reluctantly, he turns away and starts to walk off, waving his hand flippantly in the air as is his particular wont.
"Until we meet again then, Erichthonios."
He sincerely hopes they will.
And that's a wrap!
"May we meet again soon."