expiationmeme | TEST DRIVE MEME #2

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TEST DRIVE MEME #2

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Noel isn't frustrated, exactly, because he's not waiting on the hammer. But he has been hoping to observe this process --he still kind of doubts it's gonna work, to be honest-- so he's watching Izuku and trying to damp down his eagerness to see how this is going to go.

... So. Sorry. For adding that pressure.

He's quiet for a few minutes, assuming that this waiting is all just part of the process, but finally he can't contain his curiosity anymore.]

So-- are you gonna hit it, or what?

[So one of the things about Izuku that Noel is about to learn very quickly is that this kid can focus. When he wants to study something, analyze a situation, or absorb a skill or maneuver by watching another person doing it, the Midoriya Thoughts Engine hones in with laser-targeting precision.

Which means, paradoxically enough, that he is INCREDIBLY easy to startle.

Case in point: the moment he registers Noel speaking he practically jumps, dropping the hammer as what can only be described as a full-body flinch transitions smoothly into the teen whirling around with his hands raised, palm-out, in front of his chest.]

WAAhI'm so sorry! Am I in your way?

[Don't worry, he heard what you said. He just, well, has kind of primed himself to assume he's messed up somehow at the current moment. ...more so than usual, anyway.]

[... Wow, that sure is a reaction. Noel cringes as the hammer hits the table with a clatter, putting his hands up in similar fashion. He's seen easy to startle, but he wasn't expecting it right here and right now, not in a place that seems more calm and peaceful than anything he's ever dealt with.]

Woah, hey, sorry. [In spite of how sudden that all was, his voice is kind of light. In a way, it's sort of funny, isn't it?] Didn't mean to scare you. I wasn't trying to... [Uh. Do whatever it was Izuku was doing. He's not nearly at that point yet. He puts his hand down, rubbing the back of his neck with one of them.]

I was just curious. That's all.

Oh...i-it's alright, really.

[He's still tense and a bit high-strung, but mostly Izuku's just feeling embarrassed now. Which isn't really Noel's fault, either. So he takes a steadying breath and gives him a small, awkward smile. Curiosity is something he understands, after all, and he'd love to be able to help sate it.]

I can move over a little bit, if you'd like a better look? I've never done this before, though...

[That makes two of them feeling embarrassed. Aren't they a pair? Noel tries to reflect the smile --it still feels a little foreign, to be honest, after spending a lot of his recent life as a brooding edgelord-- and shakes his head.]

Neither have I, to be honest. It's still weird to think about people just...doing stuff like this.

[Having hobbies is, apparently, a wild concept.]

[Izuku doesn't quite catch that implication, alas. He's observant, he'll get it eventually.]

I knew people did this kind of thing, but I never really thought about how before.

[Speaking of which, Izuku turns back to the table to pick up his hammer again - and repositions himself and his geode so Noel can stand at the table next to him and see more clearly, just like he offered. He's still worried about messing up and ruining the geode somehow, of course. Yet oddly enough, knowing he has an audience...helps, almost? At least it makes him not want to leave Noel waiting too long. So after a one nervous moment, he takes a deep breath and starts giving the rock firm taps with the hammer, the way he saw the jewelcrafter doing it. Any moment now...]

[Noel nods a bit. He wondered that, too.]

It makes sense, once you see it, but before that... [A small, nebulous shrug. Stuff like this always feels inaccessible before you figure out how it works.

Speaking of seeing it, Noel fixes his eyes on the stone as Izuku starts tapping it with the hammer. Looks like one of those situations where it's important to be gentle...right? Or is there such a thing as too gentle? He moves a little so he can see the rock better. Is that a little crack he sees? Or just his imagination?]

[Izuku's very aware of how important applying exactly enough physical force is - when you have scalable super-strength you learn how to gauge that real quick - so he's trying to find the sweet spot of hard enough to break through but not so hard that it shatters. He seems to be finding his mark, as yes, there is a crack forming! It grows a little bit with each successive tap, once, twice-

Snap!

And finally the geode breaks open...unevenly. There's two small crystal-coated slabs lying on the table amid a dusting of excess tiny rock bits, the lines where they split from the rock and each other running slanted; the main body of the geode is still fairly intact, though enough has broken off so that its glittering insides can be seen, even if the opening is a bit on the small side and angled kind of funny.]

Ah...

[Seems that while breaking a geode open is fairly simple, getting a pretty break is harder than it looks.]

[Noel isn't sure what to expect, but he kind of leans on the idea that the rock could be solid enough that nothing happens at all. Better not to get their hopes up, right? When it does snap, he sort of starts a bit; he'd almost talked himself out of expecting it to happen.

It may not look pretty, by expert rock-splitter standards, but Noel is fairly impressed anyway, peering closer with a curious eye.]

Nice work. [As if a compliment from him means anything???] So it really does have crystal inside. I guess the question now is...what do you do with them?

[That compliment in fact means everything. Izuku had been perfectly ready to believe that he had messed up, that the geode was ruined now, but having someone else look at the outcome and consider it good? And say so, with no quantifiers or buts? It helps. It doesn't completely counter those negative thoughts - he's still convinced he bungled it - but it's enough to make it feel like it at least wasn't the total disaster he'd set himself up to believe it was.]

I'm not actually sure? I mean, I'm used to seeing them polished up to be decorations, but I don't know if that's what they do here.

Uh...huh. I see.

[He doesn't sound completely convincing, here -- he's never understood the whole "decoration" idea, personally. But Izuku sounds like he's seen it before, so...sure? People in other times just have enough stuff to put rocks in their house and look at them. Okay. That's not weird at all.]

They look like things you'd trade in as crafting materials. But I have no idea how you'd use a rock to make a weapon.

[Clearly Noel should never see Izuku's dorm room at home. Or absolutely should - gaze upon his merch-plastered nerd shrine and witness the majesty of the ultimate fanboy!]

Neither do I. We don't really have anything like that where I'm from...

[Sounds like something out of a video game it him, really. Though he supposes there are all kinds of Quirks that can do things like convert or recombine matter...Yaoyoruzu would probably have some ideas for how it could work. The next time he sees her he should--

Ah. Right.

The sudden reminder of his predicament seems to drain all the pep out of the teen, leaving him much more subdued.]

[OH BOY OH BOY i definitely need that to happen.

Anyway, Noel thinks about it for a second, peering closer at the geode as if it'll suddenly spark a revelation. It won't. He never knew the first thing about weaponsmithing, or any kind of crafting, and he barely knows anything about rocks, either...

... But he does know a few things about people, and the change in Izuku's demeanor is notable.]

... Hey. You alright?

[Izuku glances up in surprise at the question, and immediately his expression switches to a well-practiced reassuring smile. He's not good at dealing with people showing concern for his well being - he just feels bad for worrying people and works even harder to not burden them with himself or his problems. And while he promised himself and his classmates that he'd be better about not trying to shoulder everything alone and let them help, here in another world, while dealing with a stranger? That just feels like all the more reason to not be a bother.]

Yeah, I'm fine, I was just thinking. Sorry.

[Because of course making someone feel like they should check on him is something to apologize for...this kid.]

[There's something about that smile that's so familiar, almost frustratingly familiar. Serah, Yeul, even Hope and Snow...how many people has he seen put on that brave face and try to shrug things off like they're nothing? He can't say he doesn't understand the appeal -- he's probably done it, too. Doesn't mean it's a good thing.

Maybe that's why he says what he says, instead of just letting it go.]

You don't have to be sorry for having something on your mind. Even if no one else is talking about it, ending up in a place like this...it's a lot to take in.

[... Maybe the other reason he says it is because it's been on his mind, too.]

[...that is something no one has ever said to him before. He's not really sure how to process it.

His smile does get a bit more genuine, though.]

Really, I'm fine. I just...forgot where I was for a bit, I guess.

[It's still so strange. He'd finally allowed himself to rest for the first time in weeks, was surrounded by his classmates in one of the safest places he knew, and then suddenly he was somewhere else. And everything's so calm here, so completely different from the functional war raging at home...maybe it shouldn't be so surprising that this place managed to lull him into thinking of it as normal so well.]

[In a way, maybe it's hard not to push the issue -- failing to do so in the past has resulted in some pretty bad end situations. But if he was getting pressed that way, he sure as hell wouldn't want to say anything. So he nods, dropping the issue.]

... Kind of a weird place, huh? Is it anything like where you're from?

[Call it a change of subject.]

[A change of subject he's happy to have.]

No, my world's a lot different. There were places a little like this in the past, kind of? But those were on the other side of the world from where I live, and it's been centuries since then anyway.

[And this place sure seems like it has a lot more in common with fantasy stories than the history of Europe, regardless. It's really strange...though he supposes not much more so than ending up in a different world in the first place.]

What about you? [Since Noel did call this a "weird place" and all.] How different is this from what you know?

Centuries? Sounds like a big world with a lot of history.

[That's what it makes Noel think of, at least. The way Izuku describes it makes it sound like a totally different culture...or an ancient one, maybe.

He pauses when the question is turned back around on him. He should have expected that to happen, but somehow, he's still not prepared to answer. He exhales thoughtfully as he tries to figure out how to answer. It's not that he wants to keep secrets, exactly, but...the history of Pulse and Nova Chrysalia is tied too closely with things he doesn't want to talk about right now.]

It's way different. Like night and day. There's a ton of stuff here that I've never even seen before, so it's been a big learning curve figuring things out.

I never thought about it like that. I guess I never really had anything else to compare with.

[It's difficult to say where your world ranks in relative size and length of written history when you've only got the one, after all.

That pause and exhale speak volumes, though not enough for Izuku to fully understand what exactly is going through Noel's head. He knows what someone thinking through their answer looks like, though, and doubly so when they're unsure how to broach a topic; he's been on the receiving end of adults doing it enough times in his life. But he doesn't know why, and he doesn't want to make any assumptions, so he just tucks the information away in the back of his mind and sticks with what he can respond to.]

If you ever need help with anything, you can ask me. I'm new to a lot of this myself, but I'll do what I can, and we can always learn something together.

[Two heads are better than one, after all.]

[If he's being honest, Noel is a little taken aback by the generousness of the offer. How long has it been since anyone in his world offered up their help with such sincerity? Even he had his own selfish reasons to help others. Some kind of...atonement, or penance, or something like that. Settling his score with the world, maybe.

Is it weird, or is he just too used to how isolated everyone was in Luxerion? Either way, it's not the way he wants to live anymore.]

Thanks, [he says after a moment, a faint but genuine smile in his expression.] Maybe we can figure things out together. What's your name? I'm Noel.

[Izuku's the kind of person who wants to help everyone with his whole heart. If that makes him weird, well, he's used to being the odd one out.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Noel! I'm Izuku. Izuku Midoriya.

[...but, hmm. Name complications. Obviously Noel is fine just being called that, if that's the only name he gives. With is own name, though...well, when in doubt, go with the professional option!]

But it'll probably be easier if you call me Deku instead.

Deku, huh? [Some kind of nickname? Noel doesn't entirely get it, but...he'll take it. The rest of the name is a bit of a mouthful -- not that he's one to talk. Traditional Farseer names were, too, back when the places they came from still had names.]

You got it. Nice to meet you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE MEME #2

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