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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.
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Thanks. I'm sure my mom came up with it.
[Fury doesn't exactly seem like the creative type after all.]
Woah! You have business cards? You must do something pretty important then?
[That's okay, the logistics of how useful they'd be here paled in the face of him having them at all. It's a very Important and Grown Up thing to have.]
I'm always happy to help. Later I can show you where I'm staying, so if you ever have any questions you can just come find me. Or I guess you could just message me once you get a communication charm.
[His outburst causes her to break into giggles. She hadn't considered that his ears might hint at his diet.]
You don't eat meat at all? You must have to eat a lot to keep so big and muscle-y then.
[All the muscle guys she knows eat a ton of meat. Say it's important for their muscles. So without that... hm.]
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Then there’s Rinoa’s giggling, wit, and teasing behaviour, which earns yet another sweep of the tail across the ground, which is fierce enough to kick up a small dust cloud from the dirt road. The more he tried to be professional, the more he found himself slipping out of the façade as she keeps on finding little cracks in his armor. Worse yet, no matter how much he tried to hold his composure, his tail gave him away too easily. She was *too* good at this.]
It's not that I can’t eat meat. Some Kuranta elite in Kazimierz eat steak as a show of status, for example. Still, most dislike it- we tend to prefer vegetables. It suits our metabolisms better.
[Part of Mlynar hoped that the novelty of the topic would be enough to distract Rinoa from the fact he had not disclosed what his work was. It wasn’t anything personal- he just viewed his role as a corporate pawn with a certain amount of shame.]
Though you aren’t wrong about the appetites. When we had knight-halls, some of the Kuranta fighters stacked their plates up enough to hide their faces once they sat down. They were a true terror to the cooks, who had to keep them satisfied.
[It’s a nostalgic memory of days long gone. In corporate Kazimierz, knights no longer ate together. They now belonged to their respective companies, and there was no camaraderie or sense of common spaces or community.]
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Luckily for Młynar, Rinoa has no idea what his tail moving means. Isn't even sure if it's something he controls or if it like... moves on it's own or something. And she's not really in a good position to ask. This time anyway.]
Oooh. I guess that makes sense. It's not that most herbivores can't eat meat, it's just that they're not suited for it. And don't really have the palette for it.
[If they did, they'd probably adapt into omnivores with time, right? She's pretty sure that's how that works. Luckily, she's not quite brash enough to ask if this means he eats grass and hay and stuff like that. Especially not once he mentions halls and plates. Who'd stack their plate high up with grass? Surely it's just like... cooked veggies and stuff?]
We don't have anyone like you back where I'm from, but I've definitely seen fighters who can pack away a scary amount of food. Seems like it's a pretty common thing.
[That sounds really sad, and like the sort of thing Rinoa would fight against if it happened on her world. Which is probably why her crime is Rebellion.]
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Still, Młynar finds himself genuinely surprised by how intelligent Rinoa is proving to be. First, she seemed like a silly girl. Then, she had shown a teasing side. Now, she's able to grasp the nuances of the metabolisms between different races on Terra. It’s quite impressive, and definitely not what he had expected from the girl.]
Right on all counts, including how common it is. One of my fellow knights even called it “feeding the flames of his bravery.”
[The Kuranta most certainly did not eat hay and grass. If she had asked, she would have discovered that apples were Młynar’s favorite food. When he had traveled as a knight-errant, he had become close friends with a farmer who would give him some each time he came by. Unfortunately, the old woman perished during a raid after his deployment, but he would always enjoy one in her memory.]
I’m surprised to hear that you spend much time around fighters though. You… don’t seem like the kind to spend time in combat.
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Feeding the flames of his bravery? Oh! Zell would love that. I'm going to remember that for when I see him again.
[Because she's going to see her friends back home again someday. Surely. She's not forgotten that she's not from here.
If she ever finds out, she's going to start carrying an apple on her just in case she runs into him in the future. Careful with that.]
I'll have you know I'm not such a bad fighter myself. Ranged combat is still combat after all. And I've been around plenty of fighting.
[Sure, she's more Magical Artillery these days, but that's still ranged fighting. And she's managed to say all that without admitting that she's a resistance fighter or anything that's actually incriminating. Go Rinoa.]
no subject
Besides, he had personally learned that lesson all too well in his younger days. As a wandering knight, he had almost perished from underestimating a particularly irritable ice Caster.]
Good. I imagine that there are some dangerous kinds here, based on this world's focus on punishment for grave sins. I would hate to see you come to harm.
[That’s strange- he genuinely means it. There’s a part of him that believes that this world is better off for having someone like Rinoa around. He’d only just met her, and he was already coming to these conclusions? Maybe he was going soft.]
Still, there you are again, mentioning the things you’ve seen. You’re oddly cheerful for someone who knows combat. Not to generalize, but most of my peers from the battlefield are shockingly more… jaded, perhaps.
[He means traumatized, but he doesn’t dare say it. There’s a halting hesitation in the knight’s words. Almost as if he was afraid of somehow damaging some kind of delicate innocence that he saw in the girl. She had just told him that she was a fighter, but somehow it was difficult to accept based on what he knew of her.]
This thread's really Going Places whew
Though so far there hasn't been anything like the anti-sorceress sentiment that's common where she's from, so maybe being out of the broom closet wouldn't hurt in the grand scheme of things.... within reason.]
Honestly? Everyone I've met so far has seemed pretty okay. A lot of them seem just to be folks like me and you. People who fought for change.
[She glances up at the sky thoughtfully. The puffy white clouds scooting by peacefully. Honestly, this place isn't so bad. Even if Rinoa wouldn't have chosen to be here if given the option.]
But they say there's two sides to every story. The hero of the tale for one person is the villain for someone with a different point of view.
[She turns her attention to him when he says it, taking in his comment thoughtfully. Honestly? It woke her up some nights, memories of the fighting. Of the almost deaths. It's a lot to have to shoulder. And maybe if Squall was here, or any of the others, she might have even talked about it. But as it is, she's not going to share that particular burden with a stranger.]
Sometimes it's the only way. Sure, I could let it get to me, let it get me down... but it's not like that'd change anything, you know? So I choose to try and make the best of everything, see the best in everything still. You could say it's just another act of rebellion on my part.
PTSD brings people to *very interesting* conversation topics, it seems.
Or perhaps more accurately, he broods. At least, that’s what his sister calls it.]
That is reassuring to hear. Though I'm hardly so noble. Or villainous. I’m just a soldier who fought for his country. Then I stopped and took up paperwork once I decided I couldn’t endorse the acts done under that flag. In that sense, I’m the opposite, the good man who did nothing.
[A brief sigh leaves his lips. He was once again sharing more than intended, as if Rinoa’s openness inspired the same in him. It was strangely terrifying. However, it’s her attitude that impresses him far more. She speaks like a soldier. He had heard similar words many a time from his comrades, and he realizes that he had been wrong to underestimate her.
As a small show of respect for her honesty, the knight drops all pretenses, lifting the box away from their shared grasp and balancing it on his shoulder. If she wants to question it, he’ll leave it up to her. But for now, a single arm holds it in place as the comically oversized object teeters in place.]
It’s what makes me respect your approach. Voices expressing doubts and regrets while doing nothing have long echoed far and wide. Your rebellion seems more productive- I can’t help but wonder what kind of cause inspired it within you.
[In another life, Młynar could have been a poet, with his penchant for prose. Those that know him eventually get used to it. Hopefully it’s too much for Rinoa.]
Aw, I actually really love the way their CR is going already
At his demurral, Rinoa shakes her head. Because of course he did.]
While a soldier, to the soldiers you fought against you were the enemy. But to the people you fought for, you were a hero. That's just the way it works.
[She listens to the rest, thinking for a second. Before realizing what it reminded her of exactly.]
You sound like my dad. He could have done something, but didn't.
[So she'd done it instead. Despite not having his resources, the respect of people, and all that. Still, as she's learned he'd had his reasons.]
I didn't get it at the time. Sometimes I still don't get it, but he had his reasons for why he didn't. Just like I'm sure you do.
[Oh good, this means she can just walk along next to him while they talk and her shoulders don't have to get sore from holding her arms up for no reason. That's fine.]
I don't know about productive. Passion without experience and knowledge just gets you into trouble. If we hadn't had help.... it would have been really bad.
[Which makes her realize something. And she tilts her head, watching him as they walk. Only keeping a vague idea of where they're going.]
Maybe you just haven't met your catalyst yet. Sometimes people need something or someone to get them to do the things they wouldn't do otherwise.
[Because Squall's life definitely would have been a lot different without her interference. Maybe he, too, would have been someone who could have done something, but didn't. Only she'd dragged them all into it with her.]
Same here. I'd never even thought of these parallels, they're incredible.
You might be onto something there. My country, Kazimierz, made my brother and his wife “go missing” when he spoke words the Council disliked. They’ve sent assassins after my nieces for espousing their father’s ideals.
[Meanwhile, his nieces were unaware of his efforts behind the scenes to ensure that they don’t get killed. They just kept on doing what they believed was right, despite the danger to themselves.]
So, I excused my inaction as a deal with the devil to make the Council overlook their actions and keep my family safe from further tragedy. It’s my duty as the eldest in the family, especially now that my father is gone.
[His new companion isn’t that far off the mark about catalysts. Before being swept into this world, his nieces had forced his hand with their heroics. While he’d berated the girls for their aspirations in the past, he would not sit by and let others endanger them. Once bows had been pointed at his family, the Nearl family patriarch was about to remind the world how he’d become renowned as a legendary hero.]
It's enlightening to hear the other side. Perhaps, if I weren’t trapped here, that could have been my catalyst.
She's prone to getting in trouble. Pseudo-niece figure in his future?
Maybe they don't know what you've done for them, but I think if they did. They'd still be grateful. Maybe they don't agree with your choices and maybe you'll never see eye to eye but.... I'm sure they know how much you care.
[Rinoa doesn't have to see the crack to hear it, the subtle little cricks of wood not happy with the pressure it's under.]
You're gonna give yourself splinters, Mister.
Almost certainly at this point. He just can't help it, he's a softie inside.
One can hope. Though their safety is enough for me, in the end. The rest is ultimately futile to worry about, in the face of greater concerns.
[The poor box has a noticeable hole in it at this point. Thankfully the goods were contained in smaller sacks within the crate. Still, Mlynar takes a moment to turn the crate and brush away any splinters before trying to find a safer handhold.]
Your other concern is well noted-though. A crate of this size could have had us both quite well-coated in flour, had the locals not shown such prudence in their logistics.
[Mind you, the idea of both of them being covered in flour is a hilarious mental image.]
Guys like him usually are. Luckily, it's going to be a mutual adoption.
[And alienating his family long term, just for their safety in the short term. Wouldn't that be sad? Rinoa thinks that sort of option is terrible. Surely there's gotta be another way. What, she doesn't know. Considering her own strained relation, she's not really able to say either.]
You're not even just strong, you're really strong aren't you?
[Rinoa knows who she's going to call for help when she has heavy things to move from now on. She'll be completely shameless about it too. Though she'd never take advantage of a friend. Help given with have help returned. Or at least a good meal and company in payment.]
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One can hope…
[He’s short with his words, mostly out of a desire to not dwell on the subject. He had resigned himself to being hated long ago- both by his family, and by the people of Kazimierz who cursed him for refusing to fight against the corporation-dominated Council. It was just a price that had to be paid.]
Not so strong as you’d think. I once knew a mercenary who cut entire buildings in two with a slice of his claymore.
[Terra has some absurd contenders. Młynar is definitely up there among them, but he’s also fought against and alongside people who could level entire cities on their own with brute strength. He isn't like that. For all his power, he actually prefers fighting with trained finesse and disciplined Art usage.]
no subject
In my experience? [Which might not be saying much, after all she's only what... 18 now?] Change is one of the few things in life you can't stop. Everything changes. Nothing stays the same forever, good or bad. That's just the nature of things.
[Aw, that'd make her sad. And also determined to show him that at least here, he can find people who won't hate him for things he's done before. Sure, maybe it's because they weren't there, but there's something to be said for a fresh start.]
Woah, people must be built really differently where you're from.
[She says like he isn't clearly built differently, given the ears and the... everything. Silly Rinoa.]