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expiationlogs2023-12-10 07:04 pm
- !tdm,
- arcane: caitlyn kiramman,
- arcane: jinx,
- arcane: silco,
- arcane: violet / vi,
- atla: toph beifong,
- fh2 termina: levi,
- persona 3 portable: kotone shiomi,
- persona 3 portable: shinjiro aragaki,
- persona 4 au: ken amada,
- persona 4: yu narukami,
- persona 5 royal: goro akechi,
- reiwa no dara-san: dara,
- x-men movieverse: scott summers
TEST DRIVE MEME #6
Welcome to Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and some subtle horror. As of December 2023, we’re making a couple of structural changes to the way our bimonthly test drive works.
TDM top-levels are now open to all, whether you are already in-game or not. New characters, please put TDM in your subject header so we’ll know you’re trying things out! There will be a directory of newbie top-levels at the bottom of the post. New folks are welcome and encouraged to use TDM threads as samples in their application. Current players may use TDM threads as part of their AC proofs.
The December TDM is going to be forward-dated to December 18.
Our CALENDAR has also changed a bit. That means RESERVES will now be opening on December 19 and APPLICATIONS will open on December 22. After this, applications will next open in February 2024.Full Navigation
You awaken in a room of blinding white light–so bright that you can’t make out any details. You hear voices around you, speaking in muffled tones. It sounds an awful lot like they’re talking about you. You’re on the verge of figuring out what they’re saying, you’re so close...but then the floor drops out from under you. You fall into blackness.
ARRIVALS
i. EVERY WHO DOWN IN WHOVILLE
The last thing new Chosen remember is that black void. And really, in retrospect, it was rather peaceful, wasn’t it? Quiet. Calm.
Quite unlike the chaos they find when they open their eyes. Whatever pulls new Chosen into the world of Expiation seems to be having a…moment, right now, and is summoning people into a variety of different places, all seemingly random, some compromising or even dangerous. Some people may find themselves appearing in the middle of the road, in front of a speeding horse and wagon. Still others, one step away from falling into a ditch or a lake. Some may arrive directly into someone’s kitchen, or shower, or the back room of a store. The point is, these locations are practically unlimited, and are entirely up to you, the player.
Better hope the person who owns this house wasn’t walking around naked at the time. Yikes!
THE WINTER SOLSTICE
The mood in Aldrip is a little less hostile, at least, after November’s harrowing turn. The locals have found slivers of sympathy and respect for the Chosen, not only because they lost people as well, but also because those who returned brought them peace and closure about their missing loved ones. So, in spite of some of the absurd places new Chosen show up, the locals do their best to be welcoming. Some remain a little wary, but many will try to show them a little warmth during this cold season.
At the moment, they seem to be gearing up for some sort of feast, putting out tables and chairs, bringing out warming stoves. But there’s no food cooking and no festivities to be had this particular day, and on 12/21, the Chosen find out why.
ii. THE DARKEST NIGHT
As it happens, Aldrip has a curious custom on the darkest night of the year. It's said that all should lock their doors and darken their lights, as gifts given on this night can be particularly wicked and play tricks on the receiver. True enough, most Chosen will find a mysterious box appearing on their doorstep (or, if they don't have a doorstep, mysteriously on or near their person). Some of these boxes may contain harmless treats or trinkets such as charming talismans to hang, clothing accessories like mittens and socks, or tins of cookies. Some others mysteriously contain nothing.
The next morning, when Chosen with empty boxes awake, they find prankster-like tricks have been played on them during the night. We leave the extent of these tricks in your hands: these effects can be anything you like, from the ability to float to their skin turning purple. Just bear in mind that these should be minor effects, additions, or inconveniences, rather than major powers. These effects will last for at least 24 hours, but could take a few days to wear off completely, at your discretion.
Unfortunately for those unlucky Chosen, the other part of the Solstice tradition is a giant feast the day after that long, dark winter night. The locals seem to go all out for this occasion, bringing out ovens and warmers to keep food piping hot, serving elaborate drinks and sides, and plenty of desserts. Festivities go well into the night. They encourage the Chosen to get involved by bringing their own dishes, but not all of the locals will partake in them–some still seem to feel a bit wary of their otherworldly neighbors. But it’s the Solstice, so they will share their meals, even if some do so begrudgingly.
If they want to try any of the food, the Chosen have to show their face around town…with all the spots, cat ears, or whatever other effects they’ve been afflicted with. No to-go plates here!
iii. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS...
The morning after doors close for Solstice, strange plants begin to appear around town. Yep, you guessed it, there are different varieties of mistletoe sprouting all over Aldrip, in doorways, hanging from trees, and strung over the town’s streets in a variety of places. Those lucky (or unlucky) enough to chance by the sprigs will find that as soon as they come within range of the mistletoe, they find themselves pelted with small pieces of paper courtesy of tiny Missile Toads living within the sprigs. These papers are different depending on what color berries the mistletoe sports.
White berries: ”Now kiss!” The traditional variety of mistletoe, which demands a kiss. Whether a kiss on the cheek, hand, forehead, etc. will do the trick is up to you.
Red berries: ”Now fight!” One of the two (or more?) Chosen stuck here will have to throw at least one punch for the Missile Toads to be satisfied.
Purple berries: ”Now talk!” Time to open up. The festive amphibians will continue to bother the hapless Chosen stuck here until at least one of them tells a personal secret.
The extent of the Missile Toad interference is up to the players. Some of these little creatures can be easily evaded and will give up on their chase. Some others will simply follow the Chosen until they finally give in. A sub-breed of these pesky creatures will launch a sticky substance beneath the sprigs of mistletoe, trapping people until their conditions are fulfilled.
WALKIN' IN A WINTER WONDERLAND
The wagons that were previously offered to take the Chosen to Rumpitur seem to be stabled. Locals will discourage travel down that way, after everything the Rumpiturians did. While plans are still in the works to figure out what to do about them, as well as how to deal with the source of their recent misfortunes, things between the two towns seem to have fallen into a chilly armistice. For now.
iv. A CRYSTALLINE CALL
The chilly weather brings with it a phenomenon that the locals say happens every year around the Lorentia Caves. Along with an aurora borealis-like phenomenon in the sky above it, there seems to be some sounds like a mournful wailing, or like harsh wind blowing through the caves. Sometimes, though, the sound gets a little strange: mechanical, distorted, even a little tinny. Locals insist that it’s nothing unusual, but no one stops the Chosen from investigating. For now, they don’t find a whole lot: there are no wailing humans or sad robots hidden in the caves at this time, unfortunately!
What the Chosen can do is explore the caves, a strangely peaceful experience despite the rumor of a dragon hidden within their depths. The caves are a little warmer than the cool outside temperatures, and while there are some small nocturnal ratlike creatures that could easily give them some trouble, most of them are more than happy to steer clear of lanterns or light sources, should the Chosen not be in a monster-fighting mood. The caves are almost like a series of tunneled mazes, winding in different directions. When one progresses far enough, they begin to feel a heavy sensation and a sense of foreboding that demands they turn back. This feeling becomes harder to resist the longer they press on, and eventually, they must give in and turn around.
Within the caves, one will occasionally find old weapons in various states of disrepair: swords, shields, bows, things like that. They’re more than welcome to keep these. So, too, are they welcome to take the strange, palm-sized rocks that seem to glow when handled. They don’t seem to do much, for now, although they make a nice reading light. Occasionally they seem to vibrate a bit with energy, but…that’s fine, right? Normal? Maybe??
v. THE WOODS ARE LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP
The wailing sound in the woods has come and gone with the fall, and now the woods seem…quiet. Peaceful. Almost too peaceful, in places. Travel deep enough into the woods and the Chosen will find silent clearings that seem comfortable enough to sleep in. A deep, deep sleep, one they are not easily roused from, and one that they are in danger of not waking from at all, if they’re left alone for too long.
Passers-by will find that touch is what seems to wake the hapless sleepers, in the end: the warmth of body heat, the electric charge of ions that naturally transfers from one body to another. It’s hard to say exactly why this works, only that it does–which is good, because it’s getting cold outside–cold enough that most people won’t want to stay sleeping in the elements, especially if it begins to snow. Those that stumble upon their friends are also susceptible to these effects, of course. The sense of touch is what seems to keep this drowsiness at bay, and the effects wear off entirely once they leave the woods.
You know the drill–this is the wildcard one. Just because it’s not listed in the prompts above does not mean it’s unavailable as an option. We encourage you to do whatever you’d like to utilize the setting to its full potential. If you have any questions about what is and is not possible, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Click to view:
| CANON | CHARACTER/TOP LEVEL |
| Code Geass | Lelouch vi Britannia |
| Code Geass | Rolo Lamperouge |
| Final Fantasy VII Compilation | Sephiroth |
| Final Fantasy VII: R | Aerith Gainsborough |
| Final Fantasy VII: R | Cloud Strife |
| Jujutsu Kaisen | Satoru Gojo |
| LoZ: Breath of the Wild | Link (CRAU) |
| My Hero Academia | Bakugou Katsuki |
| Original | Marie |
| Original | Eve |
| Original | Avalon |
| Persona 3 | Minato Arisato |
| Persona 5 Royal | Makoto Nijima |
| Persona 5 Royal | Haru Okumura |
| Project Sekai | Rui Kamishiro |
| Tiger and Bunny | Kotetsu T. Kaburagi |
| Tiger and Bunny | Barnaby Brooks Jr. |
| Trigun Stampede | Vash |
| Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting | Tooru Kirishima |
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Sleeping Beauty's lashes flutter open, drowsily. They close again, and she groans, softly, nuzzling deeper in the petals. Claude's wallet might start to weep at this rate, but she inhales and sighs softly, mumbling something about needing to go do something...
She remembers.
— Suddenly! ]
Tifa!
[ Her eyes snap open, wide and green in a way that certainly isn't natural. Her chest heaves with shock and she's sitting up, wildly, moving quickly to try and stand, but it's hard in a dress with corset-like boning and a train that's probably as heavy as she is. She doesn't need to be stubborn and try to stand on her own, but she isn't putting it together that he's offering her his hand for a moment. She's looking around, wildly, trying to recognize this place, how she got here, and where Cloud might have gotten to.
But eventually she gives up and looks up at the man who woke her. He first thought, unfortunately, is that he's handsome. With a sour twist to her expression, Aerith fearfully looks around, head twisting this way and that way to try and find the pieces on her own. They don't line up. There's a heavy amount of hesitation in her grip when she finally takes his offered hand with her cold, clammy hand. The nail polish is still pristine. ]
This... isn't Corneo's mansion... Is it?
[ There's no way... But, looking at her feet, she sees the remnants of the flowers, and feels horrible that they had to go this way. They're not nearly as resilient as the ones she's raised. These poor children... ]
I'm sorry, I think... there's some kind of mistake. I'm trying to get to Don Coreno's mansion. He's waiting for me. [ ...Which isn't the name she shouted when she woke up. ]
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Poor girl. Claude had wondered, at first, if she was just another Chosen wrapped up in some supernatural happenings, or if her powers had just gone haywire. But from that reaction? She's new here. Poor woman. This is a tough way to realize you're in the middle of nowhere. ]
There are no mansions here. Aldrip is a humble village, you see, and I'm sorry to say that your Tifa and Don Coreno are probably far, far away from here. But perhaps I can fill you in better once we've gotten out of our dear proprietess' hair.
[ He turns, tossing his hands in the air, short frame brimming with theatricality. ] Winifred! Winnie, can I call you -- ooh, that's a no. Winifred it is! [ He saunters over to the counter towards the sour-faced shopkeep and props his elbow against it, fishing his pouch from off of his belt and fishing out some coins and sliding them across the table. ] This should pay for the damages done by my friend there. An accident, as you can see, and one that she won't be repeating any time soon. And a little extra. To pay for your time, as you take a moment this evening to deeply consider my offer.
[ He glances back at Aerith and winks, quick as can be, before turning back to Winifred, who seems much pacified by the bribe. ] Yes, this is fine. Just get out of here before I change my mind.
As magnanimous as ever, my lady! [ With a skip and a hop, Claude loops his arm around Aerith's and begins tugging her out, pausing only long enough to snag two flowers. ] I'm sure you've got questions, and that your questions have got questions, but let's get a change of scenery first, hm?
[ He tucks one of the flowers behind his ear. ]
My name's Claude, by the way, and I'll be your humble guide as someone who was in your position not so very long ago.
no subject
Her head stays lowered, her eyes trained upon the smashed, dying flowers. The irony of her arrival is not lost on her. Her head raises, again, looking at Claude's back. He looks back; does he sense her staring? The wink just makes her feel smaller. It's no fault of his own, though: She'd hardly blame him. Look at him, taking care of her mess. This is awful.
Aerith can hardly tell if it's frustration, embarrassment, or raw determination blooming in her heart right now. Is there a difference between any of these feelings, as burning and all-consuming as they are? There he goes tucking a flower into his hair, like he's used to picking up strange women's messes like this. The starry silver bracelet on her hand jingles as she lowers one arm.
With a nod, she speaks.
Before turning and immediately making for the door, desperate to see the world outside: is it what she thinks it is? That'll be her confirmation. If it is, then she's in for a world of confusion that her sleep-addled mind is not prepared for. But over her shoulder, she responds, nonchalantly. ]
Aerith. I'm Aerith. [ And keeps going, rudely. It's only when she's a few steps from the door that she stops, heels no longer clicking on the floor, and swivels around to look at him again. ] This isn't abnormal, is it? [ At least there's that. ]
no subject
Claude loves it, the hustle bustle of it all, the sensation that he's one of the people instead of above them. But sometimes, too, he yearns for the silence he used to be able to eke out between meetings. ]
It's abnormal to any sane person. Here, I'm afraid it's quite normal. [ His voice is still pleasant, but lacks the chipper brittleness of before. He's no longer trying to sell anything -- or buy anything, as the case may be. ]
If you look in your pocket, you'll find a note. It's your sentencing. Which is to say, it will tell you what your supposed crime is. [ Something to do with whatever she got herself caught up in, no doubt. ] Here's the spiel we're given: we are the Chosen, picked out by the gods of this land for our crimes, and sent here to repent them. We've been plucked from our homes and placed here, in another world entirely.
[ It's a lot to take in, he knows. There's no better way to say it than to just say it, unfortunately. He almost looks apologetic. ]
Sorry, Aerith. I wish I had better news for you.
no subject
Taking another step on the stone of pathways she doesn't know, Aerith... realizes she lacks pockets, actually. There's a lot to sentence her for, she muses with an unladylike snort, parroting back at him: ] A sentencing? [ For what? Eco-terrorism?
...Well...
He's saying something about being "the Chosen" while she's pulling a slip of wrinkled parchment out of her dress. In her hands, she unfolds it, smooths it out, and reads each word like it has the answer for her. What stares back at her is exactly what she expected to see: her damnation. It's a fair one, too, and makes her think of every person in her life she's ever betrayed, or let down, or failed to protect.
Sighing, she closes her eyes, arms going limp. ]
Claude, you've never heard of the plate, have you?
no subject
[ Aerith looks decidedly deflated, which Claude can't really blame her for. This is a lot to deal with. Claude himself had been pretty upset about the whole thing, not that he'd let himself shed a single tear over the ordeal (which is, come to think of it, probably pretty overdue), and had taken months to figure out his purpose here. Which isn't so different than his purpose the first day he'd arrived, but at least he's a lot more organized about it now.
He's terribly tempted to lean over her shoulder to look at her sentencing, but even he's not that bad. Maybe he would have been, back when he was still just a feckless teenager, but he's learned a little bit about discretion these days. ]
Tell me about it while we walk. I run a store not so far from here -- you can get warm, and we can speak freely. If you like, of course. If you want to go exploring on your own, I won't stop you, but I wouldn't recommend it either.