TEST DRIVE MEME #2

[expiationmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME #2

Welcome to the TDM for Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with fantasy, science fiction, and sometimes subtle 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

BE OUR GUEST

You may possess any number of questioning thoughts as you traverse the blindingly white room and are dropped into a darkness beneath your feet, but perhaps those same thoughts will be replaced with an awe and curiosity as you come to. Expiation has you now and you have joined the ranks of the Chosen, a seemingly select number of individuals who have arrived with parchment either in-hand or near them, detailing physical and mental statistics in addition to a particular crime to which you have been accused.

How you choose to spend your time here is largely up to you...

IT'S A WINDMILL, NOT A GIANT

     

As you begin to acquaint yourself with the lay of the land about you, you'll find that not too far from where you've woken there's a rather grandiose tower windmill. Its blades rotate at a casual pace as it faces the ocean and its accompanying shoreline. It appears to be in relatively pristine condition, implying that it is cared for well and often, likely by the locals of the town of Aldrip, which can be easily spied from the elevated level of land upon which the windmill sits.

Outside of the main structure is a collection of wooden crates in various display. Some of these are closed. Some are open. If you observe for long enough, you'll eventually find that a few relatively muscular sorts arrive on the scene to retrieve some of these crates and take them back the distance toward the town that lingers at the base of the mountains. If you choose to inspect the crates, you'll find some of them filled with heavy canvas sacks that contain flour. If you choose to ask the town locals retrieving them about this, they will explain that the windmill companion you have woken near is just one of the many implements that the locals use to provide sustenance to dining tables, festivities, and more.

You have the option to help the locals carry crates back, potentially to curry some favour with them, or simply take some sacks of flour yourself. Crates require more than one person to carry due to the weight, but two able-bodied adults should be able to handle the job quite well. A sack of flour can generally be carried by one, but perhaps you'll find yourself needing some assistance anyway. Maybe ask one of the others who've woken up near you. It certainly seems you're not alone in this new endeavour.

---

WHERE ONLY THE BRAVE MAY GO

     

If windmills and manual labour aren't your thing, you may find yourself drawn to the seemingly mysterious cave at the foot of the mountains, not far from the windmill in question.

The locals refer to this cave as Lorentia. Jagged rocks poke out around the entrance and have been sculpted and shaped to resemble what appears to be the massive sharp-toothed mouth of a dragon. It is possible you may be momentarily stopped by one of said locals who will explain that the Lorentia Cave is a passage system that leads through the interior of the mountains, though due to some collapse of the inside, the passageway does not go in far and is currently blocked off for the safety of local citizenry. In other words, proceed with caution.

If you're still feeling brave and care to take a peek inside, by all means. No one's going to stop you.

The interior of Lorentia Cave consists of both narrow passageways and some larger, more cavernous like rooms. There are assorted mining implements scattered along the ground, propped up against the walls, and carts that are filled with various ores, rocks, crystals, and more. The locals of Aldrip use Lorentia Cave for largely mining purposes and many of the things that are retrieved can be used for the smithing forges, the crafting of weaponry, or fashioning into jewellery and other accessories that are sold locally and taken to other towns on the continent.

There are some crudely designed signs that note to take care and depict simple skull drawings, indicating that certain paths may be a little more dangerous to traverse than others. If you are especially lucky (or unlucky, as the case may be), you may even spot some skeletal remains from some less-than-fortunate souls who got caught in a dead-end path and simply never made it out again.

If you listen closely, sometimes you hear the flutter of wings and a distant roar. Maybe it's best not to linger...

NO SOMETHING FOR NOTHING

MAXWELL'S SILVER ROCK-HAMMER

     

The townsfolk are welcoming to newly-arrived, something that has largely been met with a fair amount of scepticism and wariness from prior arrivals. That said, they continue to be hospitable, eager to share stories and songs about their land, their people, and their traditions.

A jewelcrafter is displaying their work today, putting their various wares out for locals and members of the Chosen to admire, or perhaps to purchase. Part of their demonstration is opening geodes with rock-hammers and showing off the impressive inside of colour and masterful natural works of art gifted to them by the land's bounty. They may choose to speak a little on how they revere the land, the resources they've been given, and how all of this has been bestowed upon them by the very gracious Those Who Were There, a mysterious and seemingly celestial higher power.

For those who are interested, they have the opportunity to offer some assistance to the jewelcrafter by opening some geodes as well. There's plenty of rock-hammers to go around and the most recent retrieval from Lorentia Cave's mining appears to have been very successful. The jewelcrafter is so moved by the offer of help that he's more than happy to let those who aid him keep one opened geode for themselves at no cost.

Congratulations on your new piece of decor!

---

FORGING BONDS IN THE FIRES OF PASSION

     

If you were a brave soul who made visit to the Lorentia Cave and came back with some weapon or armour crafting materials (including skeletal remains), you'll find that the smithies of Aldrip are eager to do business and many of them enjoy their craft for the sake of being passionate about what they do.

They'll waste no time in starting the forge and should you have a specific piece in mind you are requesting, as long as they have the materials on hand, they'll even be willing to show you the general process from start to finish on a rough draft of the piece in question. If you're feeling especially keen to help, they may offer to let you work directly on your project, though they will express apprehension and a wary eye for those who fail to have prior experience with such gruelling tasks.

Once your piece is finished, you can either wear it immediately, learn the best way to maintain and keep your equipment, or put it out on public display to show the rest of Aldrip and its residents, new and old alike. If you choose to let the smithies keep your piece, they'll pay you the cost of the materials you've brought them, plus a small percentage markup depending on how much personal effort you put into the craftsmanship personally.

Better yet, you may have just come out of the situation with a permanent bond. The smithies have an appreciation for those who share similar interests and may be willing to provide future discounts to those who purchase their wares.

FEEDING THE MASSES

YOU'RE A REEL CATCH

     

Aldrip locals always have a need for food and with many Chosen having recently arrived, that need has increased exponentially, for now they have a larger number of mouths to keep fed and stomachs to keep happy. To help inspire this retrieval of food, Aldrip is hosting a fishing competition and anyone who's interested in participating may do so, provided that they follow the guidelines set in place.

All participants must use local fishing equipment and this will be provided by the various merchants in town free of charge, save for those who wish to keep their fishing tackle. All fish caught within the local rivers, ponds, and the nearby ocean are acceptable for submission. Citizens (local or Chosen) are forbidden from using magic or technology as a means to catch their quarry. Anyone found breaking these rules will be disqualified and will be fish'd (that is, they will have raw flopping fish thrown at them).

The winner of the competition is chosen by having caught the largest fish (determined by size and weight) and will be announced at the end of the competition. The applicable winner may keep their fishing tackle free of charge and have their winning fish cooked in the style of their choice by the locals, which can then be shared amongst the people if they so choose (a fantastic way to make friends). The winner will also have a mediocre fish sculpture awarded to them with their name chiselled into the details in honour of their glorious victory.

OOC Notes:
Both TDM participants and characters already in the game may participate in the fishing competition. Please use the designated comment if you wish to partake. On the 13th of March (after applications have closed for the cycle), the winner will be announced and drawn by RNG. We will announce who the winner is on this TDM post (in these notes), the moderator plurk, and the OOC community.

---

I'M A [X], NOT A FISHER

     

If you're not a fishing kind of individual yourself, there's still plenty for you to get involved with.

Aldrip has need of people who are capable of preparing meals, especially seafood. It is probable that many participants of the fishing competition will end up fishing up things that are not fish or eligible for submission, but still edible. These include crabs, lobsters, jellyfish, octopuses, clams, and other related sea life. If you have experience with cooking or simply want to help out, the Aldrip locals will welcome you with open arms and may even pay you for your assistance.

If cooking isn't your forte, you'll find that some of the Aldrip citizens enjoy a betting pool from time to time. If you have some coins or something else you don't mind putting up for gamble, you might just come out with the whole pot if you put your currency on the winning fisher. Anyone found to be attempting to rig the betting pool and competition, however, will be returned their bet. We don't take kindly to cheaters here.

At least not openly.

Fishing can be a sometimes dangerous pastime. You may find a fisher who has gotten themselves accidentally hooked on their line or perhaps when they were freeing a fish, the hook got lodged into their thumb. Aldrip welcomes those who have healing abilities to help assist those more unfortunate situations, so fishers can go back to casting out their lines to make the most of the competition. That said, there's nothing in it for potential healers, just the notion that you've done a good deed.

Comments

kotone shiomi | persona 3 portable

[orphne]

[Well, this might as well happen.

"Go with the flow," had kind of been her M.O. for the past year, and even with the entire world yanked out from under her, again, there's really not much reason to stop now. Kicking her feet and causing a fuss without a single ally really, really sounds like way more effort than its worth, at least until she knows more about what's going on.]

1. it's a windmill

[In spite of this weird situation, she's feeling more invigorated than she has in weeks. Taking in what's going on around her, she grabs a bag of flour and hugs it tight to her chest. She's done a lot of physical training between Tartarus and sports club, so while there's no way she can go about hoisting a whole crate herself, a single bag of flour is totally doable. Of course, she's never been the type to keep to herself, so in short order, she sidles up next to someone else,]

Want some help with that? [and unceremoniously drops her own bag on flour on top of their crate,] It'll be easier if we lift it together! [But she also did just make it heavier...]

2. where only the brave may go

Helloooooo~!

[Oh, sorry, were you having a peaceful time here in the cave? Don't mind Kotone, cupping both hands around her mouth and calling out into the darkness just to hear the echo.]

Echoooooo!!

3. forging bonds

[When she wasn't yelling into the cave just to cause problems see what would happen, she was retrieving equipment! It's just like a Tartarus run, except way, way less profitable. For now, she's sitting in the corner with a piece of paper, sketching out a naginata. There are a few other pieces nearby, one of which has a sketch that looks like some kind of pistol, though she seems to have abandoned it for now. If someone ventures over, she doesn't hide what she's doing, but she does glance up with interest.]

Oh, hey! Are you going to have something made, too?

4. wildcard!

[mix and match a prompt, do your own, or PM me for Something Else!]

2 asdasd im sorry

[fatalism]

[ oh, for the love of all that is holy— fyodor wanted five minutes of peace, thank you very much. ]

I think you should try a little louder, there might be someone in here who hasn't heard you.

don't apologize i'm laughin

[orphne]

[Far from being off-put, she turns a bright smile on the young man and clasps her hands behind her back.]

Oh? Think you could be louder?

[She's well aware that wasn't at all what he meant by the comment, but she's choosing to ignore that. It's either make a joke or apologize, and she's not in the mood to apologize needlessly today.]

this man is terrible so i must make him suffer at any given opportunity

[fatalism]

Why don't you try and find out? Maybe this place has some sort of creatures who will be inexplicably drawn to the sound. [ and is that sarcasm in his voice? it absolutely is!

he is holding a lantern in one hand, sturdy boots for his exclusion as he taps the wall with a foot. solid, very solid, also very likely soundproof. getting caught out here would be terrible.]

big "someone's going to die" "-OF FUN!" energy over here

[orphne]

That's kind of the point.

[The sarcasm simply bounces right off her as she rests a hand on her hip and smiles at him, unbothered.]

If there are creatures, better to see them coming than have them just drop from the ceiling. If they're big enough to be a threat, maybe they'll come running. If they're small enough, maybe they'll get scared and run away!

[-And, like, mostly she just wanted to hear the echo.]

and it's so beautiful

[fatalism]

[ he's surrounded by foolish, sinful people but at least this person just seems foolish so far. he'll take what he can get at this point in this place. ]

Do you have a weapon to deal with anything that might come running and try to maul us? I will be the first to tell you that I am not a wildlife expert, so if something akin to a bear or moose or lion comes, I'll die.

[ ...is he being dramatic? absolutely, he has to match the yelling from before in his own way. ]

[orphne]

[So dramatic. She laughs a little and grabs a long wooden implement from where it had been leaning against the wall nearby. It's not an obvious weapon, but instead looks like the kind of stick one might play field hockey with. She twirls it in one hand and taps the butt lightly against the ground.]

If something charges us, I'll distract it while you run to safety, okay?

[She's never fought actual wildlife, but like, it has to be way easier than Shadows, and while she's pretty sure there's no way she can summon her Persona right now, they're still in her head to lend her strength if she were in any actual danger. Probably.

Only one way to find out!]

I'm Kotone Shiomi, by the way. What's your name?

2

[theleadingman]

[It's precisely the sort of thing that one of his younger companions back home might have done, and so despite the fact that hearing someone's voice echoing throughout the cave makes him bristle at the thought of catching the attention of something unpleasant, there's a sort of comfortable familiarity about it.

He pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment before turning to double back around the bend, bringing him face-to-face with the young lady responsible.]

Well, if you wanted to be certain that anything potentially violent here knows we're coming, I think you've just about managed it. Lost your way?

[orphne]

Oh! No, I'm not lost. Are you?

[She certainly wasn't expecting another person to come back around the bend. Way less alarming than she'd been expecting. She blinks up (way up) at him and offers a bright, untroubled smile.]

If there is something dangerous, I thought it would be better to startle it into motion instead of waiting to see if it would drop from the ceiling.

[She explains it confidently and matter-of-factly, even if the logic is paper-thin and really all she wanted to do was see how loud the echo would actually be.]

[theleadingman]

Certainly not.

[He's never been one to consider himself 'lost' even at the worst of times; occasionally, one simply hasn't sorted out their destination just yet, but in this case, he's as aware of his surroundings as any one of them can hope to be.

He sighs, regarding the young lady in question with some amusement. Well, there's a sort of logic to that, he supposes.]

Reasonable enough. And if that 'something' turns out to be much larger than either of us? I've heard more than a few whispers concerning a dragon around these parts.

[orphne]

A dragon?

[Hm, her field hockey stick probably won't do much against a dragon, unless it's a little one. One of her Personas probably could handle it, but again, she's not totally sure about just how safe/easy/possible summoning a Persona might be here outside of the Dark Hour. At the very least, it would lead to some annoying questions she'd have to answer.

Hmmm...]

Well, I'd probably run away and hide somewhere small until it leaves.

[theleadingman]

Confident you can outrun one, can you?

[Not that he hasn't seen it done. Hells, he's done it, if only just barely, but the creatures in this place are still largely unknown to him— as they are to the rest of his fellow prisoners, because regardless of what this place looks like, it is a prison, as far as he's concerned. There's no guarantee that dragons or any other ferocious fauna here will be the same as those he encountered in Ivalice— matter of fact, he would be surprised if they were.]

I will say, I do appreciate your confidence. Better than running and hiding is not to get caught in the first place, I've found.

[orphne]

Hmmm... I guess you have a point.

[About not getting caught, that is. Considering how much trouble it probably would be to fight a dragon, maybe it's best to let sleeping lizards lie. No matter how much she wants to see what it looks like.]

Have you ever seen a dragon before? [Because with everything else that she's encountered, it's possible! Hell, she's had dragon Personas before.]

3

[nullificates]

(dazai's nosy, that's mostly how he ends up in the forges. saying he's not exactly a fighter is a fair thing - he is not by far the strongest physically in the armed detective agency, nor was he in the mafia. in the former, it's his brains and 'no longer human' nullifying the abilities of others that gets him anywhere, the latter... - it had been his cruelty.

none of that matters right now, however, when he's not at all fighting. dazai's just whistling contently, stepping inside to see whether he recognizes any faces in the crowd. accidentally, or perhaps not so much, he does bump a little against the girl sitting on her own. it's with a smile that dazai's long limbs bend to sit next to her, taking one of the drawings in half-bandaged hands, wrapped much like most of his visible body.)

Oh, wow! You drew this?! What a spectacular talent!

[orphne]

Oh... you think so?

[She blinks in polite confusion, because she wouldn't call it great. Just enough of a diagram to hopefully get the point across so she'll have an actual weapon. The paper in his hand is that of a large two-handed axe, something that would be comically big for her body -- but useful for a certain someone she knows.]

That's nice of you to say! Do you work here in the forge?

[nullificates]

Oh, no, no. Too much work.

(lifting heavy things, organizing, debating, sweat, burns, heat, none of these things are at all attractive to dazai, who would much rather read a book with one or five bottles of alcohol as company.)

You should, though. There's certainly potential!

[orphne]

Hmm...

[She hums, a sound made up of equal parts thought and doubt. She's 160cm tall and, as Akihiko would tell her, built for speed, not for strength. Then again, wasn't Thor supposed to be a god of the forge? She fused him once. Like, she doesn't have him with her, but maybe Odin would have some of that knowledge from when she fused Thor and Loki together to create him?]

Well, if the smith needs it. They all seem too busy to teach me, though.

[nullificates]

You can always try another day when it isn't this chaotic, though I don't know if there is such a day!

(it's funny, even sitting they can tell the height difference, with him being nothing but lean limbs and 181cm tall, his legs against his chest as he watches the drawings.)

If not that, you got plans?

[orphne]

Yeah, I brought some stuff back from the caves. I'm hoping they can make it into something usable.

[Again, it's just like looting Tartarus, except this stuff is just material like she'd bring to the antiques shop instead of something easily equipped. That's stuff she never had to figure out on her own; Mitsuru or Akihiko had guided her through it until she knew enough to find equipment on her own.

She taps her pencil against the paper and spreads it out, revealing a few different designs of naginata. One looks more basic, like a hockey stick; the other looks more ornate, as if its blade is made more of feathers than metal.]

You never know when you might need it!

1

[heroondecku]

[Izuku flinches a bit in surprise at the sudden voice and accompanying thwunk, but he recovers quickly enough, gracing his unexpected assistance with a smile.]

Um, sure, if you really want to! I wouldn't mind.

[Nevermind that he has incredible scalable super-strength in his swiss army knife of a Quirk and could probably juggle a half-dozen of these crates without breaking a sweat. He knows all too well how important being able to and allowed to help others can be. (also he's just way too socially awkward and worried about upsetting people to say no to her in the first place)

He's a little baffled, though. Usually this kind of interaction goes the other way around!]

[orphne]

Great! My name's Shiomi, by the way. Kotone Shiomi. Either is fine!

[It doesn't even occur to her that he might be just fine on his own. The crates were too heavy for her, and besides; this is a great opportunity to talk to people! She gives him a bright smile and bends at the knees to prepare to hoist up her chosen side of the crate.]

One, two, three-!

[And lift! She only has Normal, Fairly Athletic Strength, but she makes up for it with energy and determination.]

you have given me a beautiful gift, ftr

[heroondecku]

[She'll be able to see the moment that cheerful "either is fine" clicks in Izuku's head, because he immediately flushes hard enough for his face to be a passable imitation of a strawberry. Sure, he's gotten a lot better at talking to girls after actually making friends, but...first name basis? With a girl he just met??? He's not even on that level with his best friend!]

Oh, ah, i-it's nice to meet you, Sh-Shiomi!

[He can't do it. He can't do it! It's just too forward!

Flustered as he is, he manages to not leave Shiomi hanging; he has to scramble a bit but he's crouched in position and ready to lift his side by the time she's finished counting down. He's not bothering with anything more than his own normal strength, since it's not exactly necessary, and he's plenty buff as it is. Kind of has to be to not have his super strength blow his limbs clean off. (He still tends to almost blow his limbs clean off, he is not very good at taking care of himself.)

With the crate lifted, Izuku's perfectly happy to let Shiomi take the lead. She's essentially done it already as it is, and he's just as comfortable as a follower as he is a leader, so it just feels natural to just continue following the flow here.

Also he's still pretty flustered, and it's going to take him a bit to recover on that front. She scored a direct hit without even trying, it's honestly kind of impressive.]

I, um, I-I'm Izuku Midoriya. Y-you, ah...you c-can... [NOPE, STILL TOO FORWARD, ENGAGE WESTERNER PROTOCOL] ...you can just call me Deku! I mean, i-if you'd like.

[Yes. He sure did just actively encourage her to call him Useless. ]

i'm gonna cry he's so sweet help!! baby boy!!

[orphne]

[Aaw, he's shy! She can't help but giggle a little at how red he turns, and a figurative little gremlin in her brain readies its hand over a switch labeled "big sister mode" or "mischief-maker" as she turns the crate so they can both walk sideways. It's a little slower than if one went backwards, but it's easier if neither of them trip.

>Encourage him
>Tease him]

Wow, you want to use nicknames already? How forward! [She tilts her head to toss him a grin and a wink. She won't leave him hanging too long, though, continuing with,] It's nice to meet you, Midoriya-kun. Where are you from?

he's such an awkward, anxious lil broccoli, I love him

[heroondecku]

[His freckles are going to vanish into a sea of red at this rate. He ducks his head behind his side of the crate as best as he can and makes a quiet wheezing sound, like some tiny dying animal. Save him, All Might.]

I-it's just...something I'm used to...

[Which probably sounds more depressing than Izuku intends it to, given that it is his superhero name; but it's his superhero name specifically because he was inspired to reclaim it from being a nickname used to bully him, so...

Nevertheless, he's glad the conversation is moving on. Maybe he'll actually manage to get his foot out of his mouth long enough to salvage this first impression and not seem like a total loser nerd. Maybe. There's a first time for everything!]

Me? Oh, I'm from Musutafu. [A beat.] Um, in Japan, on Earth.

[It feels so weird to have to specify all of that, but, well. He's clearly not located anywhere near Musutafu, Japan, or Earth at the moment. It's probably safer to be too specific instead of risking being not specific enough.]

he really do be out here doing his Best 😭

[orphne]

Hmmm...

[She's mischievous, not intentionally cruel, and it doesn't feel right calling some guy she barely knows "useless." But she doesn't have enough background to refute it, and if it's a nickname he's offering, it feels kind of weird to tell him not to use it when she doesn't have the context.

"Musutafu" doesn't mean anything to her, but her expression brightens when he clarifies "Japan."]

Oh, really? I'm from Japan, too! I'm living in Iwatodai right now! I'm a second-year at Gekkoukan High.

[She isn't sure how widely it's known outside of the area; considering all the strange phenomenon around its past, it's possible that others might have heard of it, but she won't hold her breath.

Then her brain catches up with her words and her brows knit briefly. There's a lot wrong with that statement, isn't there...?]

Or, well... I guess I was living in Iwatodai, and I was a second-year.