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?

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[She snorts a little bit of a laugh at the description of it being like a video game. Games had never really been her thing, but if he puts it like that, their lives are kind of like one big video game, huh? Best not to think on that too long.]

It was pretty chaotic. [A beat of hesitation as she weighs whether or not to give more details, but... it seems only fair to warn her newest friend.] Some people got mind controlled to attack the town. If you ever see weird black marks appear on your skin, let someone know, okay?

[But then, because that's just too much of a downer to leave by itself, she adds,] So that means don't get super drunk and wake up with a tattoo you don't remember! [with another laugh.]

[Is that ironic? That must count as some form of irony, right? --Anyway.

Okay, that's quite some information he has to absorb. Black marks appearing on skin, mind control... Of course his first thoughts wander to how that could possibly be related to some form of Shadows. It doesn't sound entirely dissimilar, but-- better rein that thought in a bit. Instead he responds to the last part first, with a soft, friendly chuckle.]

Sounds like I'd better be on my best behavior. [There might also be a hint of irony in that. Not that he's much of a delinquent, really.]

These black marks...what did they look like? I want to know what I should be watching out for.

[There's a joke to be made there, something about how, "just 'cause it's a pretty prison doesn't mean you can become a criminal," but she tucks it into the back of her mind for later. Instead, she just hums thoughtfully, doing her best not to wince or make any other expression that might hint at how sensitive a topic this is to get into.]

They were different depending on the person, but I'm pretty sure they all had a personal meaning. If anyone starts talking about seeing the marks again, make sure you check your back, too. Some people didn't realize they had them.

[Haha "some people," definitely not her!!]

A shocking discovery. [He'd be shocked, at least. Tattoos appearing out of nowhere? Wild.] It must have been tough, trying to keep an eye on your own back like that.

[Not that he necessarily means her specifically -- she's doing a good job at hiding any discomfort about how personal this might be for her. Yep, definitely not her! No way!]

Is there anything else I should be looking out for?

[You know, fog, shadows, being able to suddenly stick your head through a television?]

I bet some people got literal eyes on their backs!

[Haha? Funny? No? Okay, it wasn't a good joke, but she huffs a little bit of a laugh at herself and shakes her head, taking a sip from her juice. Lucky for him there's no TVs that she knows of.]

Not really? I mean, when I arrived, everybody kept telling me about a dragon in the mountains, but I've been out there a few times and I've never seen a dragon. There are monsters outside of town, though, so... are you any good at fighting?

[That sounds like more than "not really," but you know.]

[No, it wasn't a great joke, but Yu laughs anyway.

Ohhh, that's a hell of a question, though, Kotone. He's not entirely sure how to answer, for a moment. True that she hasn't yet given him a reason not to trust her, but that doesn't mean regaling her with everything from the past school year, either. He finally settled back into the same smile.]

No more than any other high schooler, I guess. Maybe I should start taking lessons.

[N...ailed it?]

[She tilts her head, just a fraction, at the way his smile reads more as something reflexive than genuine. If she hadn't spent time with Dazai trying to refine her own expressions into something more difficult to read, she probably wouldn't have noticed, but... it reminds her of what she does when she doesn't want to answer.]

I dunno, two of my friends were on the Boxing Team and Archery Team, and another one of my friends has the meanest headbutt you've ever seen, so-! Oh, and another one of my senpai did fencing, I think.

[SEES members are just built different. At least Akihiko, Yukari, Shinjiro, and Mitsuru have relatively normal high-school weapons. Relatively. Anyway, the odds are so low that she'll have heard of it, but she's always curious, and continues by asking,]

Where'd you go to school?

[Phew. Talk about friends in high places.] You know some interesting people, don't you?

[Maybe he's not one to talk. Somehow his mind flashes back to Teddy first and foremost...hm. Hopefully they're all doing alright. Come to think of it, he'd promised to call his uncle when he got home. Hopefully he's not too worried. (Distantly, he wonders, too, about his parents.)

... Anyway.]

Yasogami High School. It's out in the country, a small town called Inaba. What about you?

Hmmm, maybe!

[Heiress of the Kirijo group at least qualifies as an interesting person, but the rest of her friends are kind of normal for Persona-users, she's pretty sure? At least compared to Akira's little band.

She frowns at the mention of Yasogami. Why does that sound familiar...? Inaba? That also sounds familiar. Could it be...?]

Oh! I've been there! [Interest renewed, she turns to face him more directly as if trying to get a fresh look at him.] I went to Gekkoukan, in Iwatodai. My Tennis Club went there for like, a sports-exchange with Yasogami during the summer. There's an old haunted inn there, right?

Edited 2023-07-12 20:01 (UTC)

[That's unexpected, and it shows in his expression; eyebrows lifted in surprise, he looks her over again. Small world?]

We went to Gekkoukan for a school trip. I was surprised at how big the school was.

[Considering how small the rest of the island was, at any rate.]

[As to the question--]

Oh. Yeah. The inn is definitely haunted.

[Sorry, Yukiko.]

Really?

[Okay, really small world, considering a not-insignificant number of people here in Aldrip haven't even heard of Japan, let alone Gekkoukan.

But she slaps her fist into her opposite palm with a grin when he confirms what some of them had suspected.]

I knew it! [she did not.] Me and some of the other girls were trying to figure it out. The middle-schooler working there was kind of nice, but we couldn't tell if she was a ghost or not, too.

[He nods, chuckling a bit.] Very. [it is not]

My friends and I had some strange experiences when we stayed there. I don't remember a middle-schooler working there, though.

Maybe she's shy around boys...

[Poor Yukiko. She can't help but laugh, though, bumping her shoulder companionably against his.]

It's nice to meet someone else who's heard of Gekkoukan, though. I just finished my second year there. [Sort... of.... well, the year is definitely finished, and she won't be starting her third, but, you know, details.] There's no school here though, so don't worry.

Or maybe your group seemed more friendly. Some of my friends can come across a bit scary.

[Or loud. Or Teddy. In any case, he offers a smile. He hasn't been here nearly as long, of course, but it's nice for him to run into someone else familiar with the area. A bit like the camaraderie he felt with Yosuke when they both talked about being transferred to the city.] It's the same for me. Second year, that is. It's nice to have a break from studying, huh?

[Little does he know. Sorry Kotone. Also he's not one to talk, he'll probably end up doing some summer reading at some point anyway.]

Eh, I slept through a lot of class anyway.

[She's maybe a little too cheerful about that admission, but what's he doing to do, tell the principal? She swings her feet a little from the barstool and grabs her juice again for another sip before tossing him a smile.]

Anyway, what's your story? How'd you end up here in Aldrip?

Too many wild nights?

[He's joking -- you know, that kind of joking where he'd like to know more, but probably won't ask unless given a reason to. He doesn't seem terribly judgey about it, at least; he ain't no snitch, and besides, who hasn't slept through some classes, right?

(Him. The answer is him.)]

The same way as a lot of us, I'd suspect. Unless I'm the only one who arrived with one of those paper scrolls in hand.

Yeah, obviously!

[She laughs, bright and clear, and it almost sounds like she's joking, too. Almost. There's a playful sparkle in her eyes that hints that it's more a joke meant for herself than exactly what he'd said.

It would be a little too mean to tell him that he's the only one, especially when he's only just arrived, so she hums and nods.]

Yeah. Far as I know, everyone who's not a local's got one. What'd they put on yours?

[It's asked in a friendly enough tone that if he choses not to answer, she won't mind.]

[Yu's response is a quiet chuckle. He senses that there's something more in her agreement...but he can'tput a finger on what, just yet. She seems so open, but-- there are things she doesn't seem to want to talk about, too. Yu can understand that; after everything with the Investigation Team this past year, he's learned an awful lot about keeping secrets.

Speaking of, this is a moment of choice, isn't it? He hasn't put much thought into the crime listed on that piece of paper, but he's eventually going to have to choose whether he wants to talk about it or not. Hmm.

......

Better just get it out in the open.]

Loyalty. I wouldn't normally see that as a crime, but evidently the people in charge do. [A shrug. His expression looks pretty impartial; in truth, he's still working out how he feels about it.] What about you?

Oh... really?

[She tilts her head and studies him briefly, trying to gauge if that's honest. Lots of people have reasons to lie, after all, but then again, what difference does it make if he is lying? Dazai had committed way worse crimes than his one on paper.

But after a moment, she shrugs. Whether he's lying or not, that's what he went with, and it's weird enough to be plausible.] Yeah, I don't really get it, but some of the crimes people have been given are... a little strange. Like stuff that isn't normally a "crime," you know?

[She kicks her feet a little again. He seems like the type who'd accept it if she said she didn't want to tell him, but he seems trustworthy in a way she can't put into words. Maybe it's because he's at least heard of where she comes from, it creates a kind of connection. So her lip quirks into a wry smile as she says,] Duplicity, apparently. But I promise I'm not lying!

[Yeah, because that sounds believable. She winces.]

[No matter how Yu feels about the crime as it's written, he has to chuckle at Kotone's response. It's weird, right? No matter what, it's weird.]

So it's not just me. I'm glad.

[You know. In a manner of speaking. In any case, he pauses a moment at her admission, thinking it over. Funny enough, he seems to take her at her word, simply tilting his head a bit while he thinks about it. Another crime that doesn't seem like the sort of thing a person should be imprisoned for...

... Ah, but even though he takes her word for it--] Hmm. That sounds suspicious, to me. [--He has to give her a bit of trouble for her delivery. With a grin, of course.]

Nooo!!

[She sticks her tongue out at him. How dare you!]

I really dunno why I'm being charged with it. Like, I don't really lie all that often...? It seems like it would be a lot of work to keep track of stuff like that.

[Eventually, maybe, she'll have to come to terms with the idea that her crime isn't lying, exactly, but that's a problem for her in the future. For now, she just sticks her tongue out at him again with a laugh.]

C'mon, you've gotta believe me! You're the only guy who's been to my school, other than my friends!

[Her playful response is enough to get a more genuine laugh out of him, rather than a polite chuckle. Yu gets the feeling that Kotone is a warm person with most people, but he can't help feeling glad to have run into her here. Moving around so much has taught him that the important thing is to find friends wherever you go, and meeting someone like her makes him feel more confident that he can do so.]

Alright, don't worry, [he says after a moment, teasingly nudging her with his shoulder a bit.] I've got your back.

[School proximity solidarity? Japan solidarity? Either way, better to stick together.]

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TEST DRIVE MEME #3

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