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

[ oh, this one is adorable. fyodor hands over the vial without hesitation. ] They do smell terrible.

But I have found that the most effective medication usually does too. [ he doesn't doubt they're useless as medication but perhaps they can be useful for something. ]

[It's a bad habit of his. To always feel the need to sound like the smartest person in the room. A pathetic remnant from his past life, where everything depended on him being able to keep up the conversation and appear always mature and more educated than others. He might've stopped pretending but some habits die hard.

Akechi raises the vial against the streetlight to inspect the liquid. Then he opens the cork and takes a quick sniff at it. A strong smell hits his nostrils. Is that anise? Maybe.

Then after that he offers the vial back to the man.]

Could as well be colored water, one that was used to boil herbs. We do have healers here, you know. None of them have mentioned of such 'cure-all medicine'. And don't you find this whole set up shady? A miraculous cure just happens to appear when people are feeling the most vulnerable?

[ habits are habits; he is not one to judge anyone on them given his own predisposition to bite down his fingers and chew on his nails until they bleed. ]

Why do you think people are feeling most vulnerable right now? I am new in town, you see, so all of these celebrations seem to be the opposite of people feeling discontent.

Still, have you not paid any attention? [He sighs and shakes his head.] The town, for an example, has seen better days. And the cheerful celebrations do not erase the battle that they just fought. [yes, them. not us]

People lost their lives. And some other were wounded almost fatally by the hands of the Chosen.

No, I'm afraid I haven't been paying attention. That sounds like quite a stressful time but ah, you seem to have come out unscathed from it?

[ ...oh dear. fyodor picks up another bottle, offers it to akechi. ]

Yes, I did. [Look, he was busy doing other illegal stuff meanwhile shh.

He takes the offered bottle, arcing brow up in curiosity.] What do you want me to do with this?

If you look closely, the texture of the liquids is slightly different. Not significant enough unless you're looking for it.

[ he has Hopes for your observation skills, akechi ]

[With a sigh he raises the tiny bottle up against the streetlight, just like he did with the prior one. He squints his eyes a bit while observing the yellow liquid and-- yes, the man is right. It looks thicker, and it's almost as if there's small particles swimming in it.]

Hm, there seems to be variety within these. Other than the obvious color. It could be created just to fool buyer's eyes, or then the these aren't filtered as well as the others.

[ oh yes, good. akechi passes the test. ] Exactly, and while it doesn't seem like poison there may be other effects. Everything in this world so far seems to be touched by the supernatural in one way or another.

Could you tell me more about what happened, the events that lead to there being a party.

[why thank you, rat daddy. this time, instead of handing the bottle he just tosses it back to dostoevsky.

oh dear, where to start???]

It's a long story, and I don't anyone is sure just how far back it goes. A good amount of people went missing while we traveled to visit Rumpiturr because of the food shortage we were facing, some had eerie nightmares that kept following them. Within a month some began to shown strange symptoms: a strange brand-like marks spread around their bodies and they felt sudden drawn towards the forest. It all climaxed a few weeks ago when those carrying the brand lost control over their minds, wreaking chaos and havoc all around while defending a monstrous creature.

It is a quite lot to take in.

[ he catches it. ] Fascinating how such an initially unassuming place could be so chaotic. [ it's delightful because it's not boring. he's been bored for so very long that this is actually... ]

But no one is suffering any true consequences for having caused chaos and havoc, are they?

The people around here seem to have big hearts. [He shrugs. There has been surprisingly few blaming fingers pointing at them. Some might take it as a relief but to Akechi it's just suspicious.]

But tell me, why are you interested in this garbage? [He makes gestures at the vials.] Like I said, there are healers if you sick.

I don't think these are garbage. [ useless, probably but they are curiosities to him, and he is so very bored. what harm does it do if he buys a couple more? ]

This world has magic or, at least some very odd happenings, any participation can only yield more information about our situation. Don't you think?

Hm, I suppose so. [Sorry, he's become rather numb to this worlds curiosities.] I understand your fascination with the magic here but trust me. You'll grow tired of it soon enough, and it'll become just every day occurrence to you like rain or sunlight.

What I'm more interested in is the people here. Or those who used to be.

There is a high transit of people coming in and out then? That's curious seeing as we cannot simply choose to leave if we wish it.

[ he pockets a vial then a second one. ] I have no doubt this place won't become dull but for now I, at least, hope to get some enjoyment from it.

Have you been here long?

Seems like it, yes. I believe that the smartest way to view this place is as a temporary stop. A some kind of purgatory while we wait for our sentencing. Though true nature of how that all works in practice is left unclear to us.

[Akechi has a few theories about the nature of this place, but doesn't feel secure enough to share them with a stranger yet.]

A couple of months. I've seen people both come and go. Oh, by the way my name is Goro Akechi. May I ask for yours?

[ fyodor keeps a mental database of all ability users and information on them; it's how best to keep it safe. that name doesn't sound familiar at all so fyodor inclines his head: ] Fyodor Dostoevsky.

[Not another one.]

You wouldn't happen to be familiar with a man named Osamu Dazai?

[ god why ]

Yes, unfortunately.

Are you a friend of his? [ how many people does dazai have ensnared in his web here? fyodor is not going to have an easy time manouvering. ]

Ah. The opposite actually.

[Dazai had tried to torture him after all...] I assume you share the sentiment.

[ oh that's rather good news. fyodor searches akechi's face for traces of deception. ]

Correct, though he usually has very pleasant manners when he wants something from someone. I'm guessing you didn't bite his bait as he wanted you to.

Hmm. [Sorry, he's just all smiles here. Now whether you trust that or not is up to you, Fyo]

Not quite. I happened to come across rather sensitive topic to him, and well. We had a disagreement.

[ trusting someone??? in this economy??? ]

Oh dear, oh dear, what did you say to upset Dazai-kun? He's not prone to emotional outbursts back home, you know.

it is true and i should feel bad but

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