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

i: it's a windmill, not a giant

[Nothing about what is happening is setting well with Ven. He wants nothing more than to figure his way out of this mess and return to his home, but he has no idea where he even is, let alone have a way to leave.

So he's going to roll with it. Act natural. Go along with whatever comes his way. His magic was still intact, so blending in as human was easy. As easy as it could be for an over three hundred year old nature spirit.

Acting natural meant helping with the menial tasks that came his way. He sees people struggling with crates and bags of flour, so he moves to assist. It would be easy to summon vines to move them with ease, but again, blending in. So he glances around, spotting someone that looks like they're struggling more than others with the weight of the crate, and he approaches.]

Need a hand?

ii: i'm an x, not a fisher

[It is really cheating when you're just using your natural abilities? Ven couldn't help that the thoughts of the locals betting were so damn loud that he didn't even have to put energy into listening to them. They were practically screaming in their heads.

But finding the winner? That was a little more complicated. He was still being hesitant with using his magic, not wanting to give away anything or draw too much attention to himself, but if he had any hopes of getting back to his people, he needed the money.

Sure, he could work hard and earn it the hard way, but why should he let these rich gamblers keep all their money they wasted so easily when it could serve a better purpose?

His bets are small, not enough to raise alarms, but he earns himself enough that his pocket jingles now. It's a start, and he doesn't dare attempt more.

Instead, he returns to the tables of food, filling a plate and deciding to mingle. Or at least, listen in on the conversations of others. Learn what he can about this place. Glimpse into minds for answers when he feels it's safe to. And when he picks out someone like him, someone else trapped here, he speaks up and asks questions.]

What can you tell me about this place? Have you learned anything of value?

What have I learned?

[ This guy seems to be just as new as he is. As much as Claude has tried to blend in as much as possible (never one of his strong suits, even in places where he ostensibly belongs), there's no harm in sharing resources with another newcomer. He looks Ven over, biting into a crust of hearty, chewy bread to keep his mouth busy while he mulls it over, trying to suss out what's on this guy's mind. ]

I've learned that this place seems to be gifted with more food than most places would know what to do with, and that they're not too shabby cooks while they're at it, [ he says jovially. Then, a little more soberly, he adds on, ] And that they're very religious. They keep talking about... Those Who Were There. Not deities I've ever heard of, I'll admit that much.

For this to be some kind of prison, the locals are...generous. [Not what one would expect when told they were pulled to a strange new world and told they were here because they committed a crime.]

And not bad cooks, I agree. [He doesn't need human food to survive, but hey, he won't complain about a good meal.

It's the mention of the deities that he pauses to ponder. He's heard the phrase too, quite a few times now. Like Claude, it's no deity he knows.]

Let me guess, they're tight lipped about the truth? [There certainly wasn't anything helpful he could glimpse from any of their minds.]

More than generous. Friendly. Welcoming. Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but weirdly so.

[ Claude has never been anywhere where outsiders weren't looked upon unfavourably. No matter if they were upstanding pillars of their own communities, gardeners, healers, nobles, caretakers; all were always painted with the same distrustful brush. To come here as ostensible criminals and to be greeted as honoured guests is downright unheard of. ]

I wouldn't say they're tight-lipped about the truth. As far as they're concerned, this is the truth. And who knows, it might be. [ He has his doubts. But who knows? Weirder things have happened. ]

I'm just trying to figure out what it means. [ He wiggles his fingers meaningfully. ] It's all very cryptic. If you've figured out any more than me, I'd love to hear it.

No, I agree. It is weirdly so. [Ven knows his people are more than welcoming to strangers and runaways. Many of them were considered criminals, in the eyes of the crown. So he understands, welcoming in strange group of people in with open arms. But he could glimpse their minds, know their true intents, and if they had any negative intentions towards his people, they wouldn't be allowed to stay.

Which makes him wonder more and more about these locals and their deities. Why would they allow them-- no, welcome them there, knowing their crimes?]

No more than what you've spoke. It doesn't seem like anyone really knows much of anything. [He finds that incredibly frustrating, but he's not going to take that out on Claude. It certainly isn't his fault.

The biggest thing on his mind, though. Were these deities the one responsible for bringing them there, and were they going to be the ones to carry out this supposed sentencing?]

They don't even seem curious about what they don't know, [ Claude says with a sigh. Just his luck to go from one place with a religion that he neither understands nor particularly agrees with, only to be thrust into another. This sort of thing always muddies the waters and makes it far more difficult to navigate such things.

In this case, it seems to work in their favour, but for how long? ]

I'm sure that if we ask, we'll be able to find out more. Most religions have some sort of priest or something whose job it is to answer those kinds of questions. [ He shakes his head, dispelling his annoyance, frown replaced with a wry grin. ]

But I usually leave theological discussions for after I've gotten to know someone. My name's Claude. What's yours?

Sometimes the only way to cope with reality is to remain oblivious to what's happening around you. [Ven's definitely seen it happen. He wonders what the other humans back home think of their king waging war on magic. Some humans had it, it wasn't just wisp's like him. Did they agree with their king or were they just trying to stay alive in uncertain times?

As an elder in his own tribe and religion, he would be very interested to speak to a priest of this strange new place. But he puts that aside and nods to the stranger.]

I'm Ven. [he refuses to go by Vincent, and he will never admit that's his full name.] Have you been here long?

Oh, it can be all right. Still, I think it's strange. People don't like outsiders on principle. A bunch of outsiders who are potential criminals? [ He shakes his head. It goes against everything he's learned through experience in his entire life. People barely like outsiders who are dutiful, well-meaning contributors to society, and here they are, a bunch of ne'er-do-wells, eating their food, drinking their ale, loitering their streets.

Ah, well. He'll figure out what the deal is here at some point. It's not as though he's going to understand it all day one. ]

Nice to meet you, Ven. My name's Claude. [ He pauses. His initial instinct was to pretend as though he's been here all along, for his own safety, but there are so many of them that he thinks he can at least blend in with everyone else. It'll make his life easier. ] I just got here today, in fact.

Who's to say all that are labeled criminals here really are? And not every culture is so quick to judge and condemn. [Ven simply shrugs. While he's at least partially guilty of the crimes held against his head here, was it really fair to say trying to stop a mad king trying to commit genocide against his people was really a crime? ]

Likewise. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.

vincent conium | original character

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