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expiationmeme2023-02-27 01:04 am
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.
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.
no subject
[He's learned a great deal from her over the years, but if he's been able to teach her anything, it is certainly theatrics— something he's always had a knack for, even before his turn to piracy.
Fran may not show her relief outwardly, but he's certain she's as glad to see him as he is her, and would be even without the decidedly worrisome welcome this place has to offer.]
It's been weeks, by my count, though being grounded has made it feel longer yet. It is good to see you, regardless of the timing— though I wish the circumstances were different.
[That said, he's quite curious to hear her initial impressions of this place.]
no subject
And, yes, she is glad to see him, but the words are not comforting. At all.]
You do not make sense. You and I were only just helping the Little Queen and the others leave the Bahamut as it fell. [She looks down to where she has a fresh burn on her stomach, under the gauze of her outerwear. She's healed herself, but the burn is still there as a nice little scar that she won't be getting away from any time soon.] I was expecting Rabanastre. Not this.
no subject
It's been some time since that particular stunt of ours, from where I stand, though much of that time was spent in Ivalice.
[Recovering. Waiting for the right moment to reclaim their ship from their young friends.]
That is curious, even moreso than the fact that I arrived here some weeks before you did. You're quite right— it makes little sense.
no subject
And it will take more than just a crashing airship into a city to take her down. Her healing magic was adequate enough to keep her alive, but the scar adds to her reputation as a dashing sky pirate, yes?
She turns her head and looks him over, making sure there is nothing wrong with him. She can feel the faint traces of the Mist that cling to the two of them, but there is no greater connection to the powers of Ivalice that she's known her whole life.]
There is no Mist here. [She tries to think of how to put it.] It feels empty, but alive. There is some power that is keeping this world alive, but it is not what we are used to.
no subject
[He makes a small noise of assent as he agrees with her, nodding as his arms come to fold across his chest. He does not have a Viera's keen senses, of course, but he had suspected as much.]
Even to a hume, this place feels different, though Mist or no, I can confirm that our magicks still work. Whatever power does hold this world together seems to be sufficient enough for that. I'm interested to know what else that sharp nose of yours might reveal to us— but if you've been wandering all day, I'm certain you've discovered all sorts of things.
[Fran was always quite good at that. Observant, sharp.]
Of course, I would be remiss not to see to my dearest partner's comfort, first. Are you hungry?
no subject
It's no surprise that he understands her.]
Tis good to know that we are not completely cut off from what we are on Ivalice. [Although, a part of her thinks that she would know if she was unable to use any of her technics or magicks. When he asks her about what else she senses, she frowns.] Humes, sweat, rotted food, desperation, despair, all the smells of populated areas outside the Wood and desert.
[So much desperation.]
Many appear to be very concerned that we are here suddenly. I cannot say that I disagree. [But she's not the type to complain about it like that.]
I would not say no to food, but I have been told that I am now in this fishing contest.
no subject
[Even he can pick up some of that— the more overt smells that even a hume nose can detect— but her ability to note things such as despair, desperation, that will always be uniquely Fran.
Desperation. Yes, he can't say he's surprised to hear there's a fair amount of that here.]
The locals do seem quite keen on making us feel at home. No doubt the tournament has something to do with that. I'll not try to dissuade you should you wish to accept the invitation— if it could even be called that. If you plan to participate, I'll gladly keep you company. I've some working theories about what's at play, and given that fishing is largely waiting, we would have ample opportunity to talk.
[That said, they're both quick to break rules when it suits them. If she'd rather skip and join him for dinner, he would be glad to speak with her there, as well. The where is not important— he's only grateful that she's here.]
no subject
[What he doesn't know is that despair and desperation have sharper smells than all the others. It's a mix of pheromones, adrenaline, sweat, and sometimes even bodily fluids that are better off not mentioning. She's spent quite a few years around the humes, longer than she cares to remember, despite Jôte's desire to shame her the one time she returned home.
And, well, all of Rabanastre and Mt Orm-Burasce smelled like that when they visited. It is a smell she will never forget, now that she has been hit by it repeatedly in a short amount of time.]
I see no reason to not at least participate for a short amount of time. If nothing else, there will be food that we can easily share afterwards.
[And he can talk to her while she fishes. She will listen and respond as necessary, and he can unburden himself. It seems like a winning situation to her.]
And it is a better invitation than some we have had.
no subject
Indeed— fewer cuffs involved, that's for certain.
[Far more welcoming, even if he considers this place a prison of a different sort.]
No doubt you'll put some of the other participants to shame. None of them have ever met a viera before, I'd wager— none know quite what they're up against.
[Fran's survival skills are better than most, something he's always been grateful for.]
no subject
This world is shackle enough.
[She doesn't know that she's mimicking his thoughts, but they both know that not every shackle has to be physical to be useful. His life in Archades, hers in the Woods, all prisons to those who wish to be free.]
Advantages I might have, but there are disadvantages as well. [Standing in water in the shoes she has to wear isn't exactly easy.] Do you wish to see me win against the other participants?