expiationlogs | TEST DRIVE MEME #7

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TEST DRIVE MEME #7

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 February TDM is going to be forward-dated to February 19.

Our CALENDAR is here to help to remember dates. That means RESERVES will be opening on February 19 and APPLICATIONS will open on February 22. After this, applications will next open in April 2024.

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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.

Sure is cold out here. For new arrivals, even moreso: they find themselves waking in this strange new place in the middle of Aldrip, most of them harmlessly sprawled on the ground. Some may have landed in a snowdrift. A few unlucky folks may have appeared in one of the fountains or on a rooftop. Either way, their unfortunate state is on display for all to see. It may be embarrassing, but hey, at least it makes getting help a bit easier.

Locals and Chosen alike will be happy to brief newcomers on where they are and what's going on. Welcome to Aldrip, many will say, though they're clearly very busy. Newcomers will quickly learn that they're preparing for a delegation from a neighboring city, a diplomatic visit that should hopefully ease tensions between Aldrip and neighboring Ketsora, after one of the Chosen attacked the latter city. Apparently Aldrip agreed to host a lavish party for the Ketsorans, but they're a long, long way away from finishing it. Attitudes are tense, but cautiously excited; who doesn't like a party, right?

Oh, and don't mind the toads. They're fine. Everything is fine.

FESTIVE PREPARATIONS

As a show of good faith to the Ketsoran delegation, Aldrip's locals hastily turn the events center into an elegant reception hall. Apparently it's Ketsoran tradition: visitors to your city should be welcomed with a lavish party--the more days and expenses paid, the better. Aldrip is determined to make this party generous and opulent enough to appease their neighbors to the south. There's a long, long list of things to do in preparation–not just setting up for this party, but rebuilding and cleaning up damages left behind from January's events.

i. REBUILDING

Aldrip’s run-down state was of little concern right after January’s tense situation, but now that they have guests to impress, the locals are working themselves into a frenzy trying to get the town back to normal. Any Chosen seen with idle hands will be asked, cajoled, guilted, or outright volunteered into helping the clean-up process. This isn’t limited to rebuilding or clearing rubble: some may be put to work cleaning up public spaces, like the inn or the many businesses in town that could use some love. Some will even be asked to tend to green spaces or clear out monsters lurking too close to the town borders. Chosen-run establishments that are necessary to the community, such as the clinic, will also receive extra attention, getting their supplies and maintenance requests handled quickly.

ii. WORK HARD, PLAY HARD

Naturally, the other focus is on preparing for the party itself. The entire town is getting decked out for this: fresh paint on buildings, colorful flags, banners, and lanterns strung in public places and gathering spots. Local businesses will be putting their best foot forward, and some may need extra help to make that happen. The Chosen will find themselves pulled into this prep work as well, not just in the events center but around the rest of the town as well. They may be asked to run errands for businesses, work on decorating, prepare a delicious menu of food, or even to practice an act they can perform at the party. Better brush up on those juggling skills.

As always, we leave the type, scope, and placement of any of this work up to players!

A MASKED AFFAIR (19-23)

iii. ALL DRESSED UP

Aldrip’s tailors and seamstresses have their work cut out for them. All the way up to the first night of the party, and even in the evenings between party days, they’ll be doing their level best to make sure everyone in town, locals and Chosen alike, look their absolute best for the ball. They may even grab some reluctant characters off the street to deck them out in the latest fashions. They do take requests, of course, but those Chosen with no opinion may find themselves at the whim of the tailors’ creativity. There’s no telling what they’ll come up with.

Tailors are available to alter, clean, or completely change characters’ costumes between party nights, but they may come up with something less elaborate after more than one go-around. They may even be less altruistic about giving things for free.

Not everyone is lucky enough to get these ornate getups free of charge, unfortunately; some of the clothing shops in town got hit pretty hard by recent events! Chosen who pick certain shops may find that they’re asked to work to earn it in a variety of different ways. Some characters may be asked to model new fashions outside of shops, or to run errands for the shopkeepers. They could find themselves distributing flyers to advertise for the store, cleaning up, cooking meals, or any number of different tasks. We leave the options in your capable hands.

Please note that this event is a masquerade, meaning that masks aren’t just encouraged, they’re required. Tailors will often offer to provide a mask, but if there’s another way a character would like to obtain a mask, please feel free to utilize it.

iv. FOR LUCK

Aldrip’s locals certainly are a superstitious bunch, which might explain why they decorate the elaborate formalwear with certain motifs, designs, or colors. Some of the Chosen wearing embellished clothing may find that it enhances certain aspects of their personality or appearance. For example, Yellow can encourage a sunny disposition, or a heart could make them seem more desirable. Perhaps a flower brooch makes them smell like roses, or a peacock design has them preening and strutting. Maybe matching patterns could even inspire feelings of friendliness or affection. On the other hand, raindrops or dark colors may make them feel a little gloomy. Please note that this is optional, and that the range of effects is entirely up to you.

NIGHTS AT THE BALL (19-23)

Thanks in no small part to the help of the Chosen, the events center has been transformed into a lavish dance hall. Thick velvety curtains drape from ceiling to floor, adding an air of luxury to the whole event. Servers carry trays of delicious, exotic foods and drinks, offering them to attendees. Various performers and acts will rotate through the space as the week progresses, featuring different types of music, dramatic numbers, joke telling, acrobatics, and any number of other things.

Some may see familiar faces working in various capacities throughout the week. That’s right! Some Chosen may choose to–or be volunteered to–work during the event as bartenders, servers, cooks, entertainers, game runners, etc. Maybe they need the cash? Or…maybe they’re just bored.

Partygoers may find, oddly, that their masks make it suspiciously difficult to recognize their friends–they may even have trouble recognizing their voices. Some may even mistake a total stranger for someone they know, or vice versa. Either way, it’s strange, isn’t it? Almost as if the masks are obscuring peoples’ identities.

v. SAVE ME A DANCE

A local at the door is offering dance cards to those who will. Those who choose to participate in this fun game will find that they’re missing something–or several somethings, around 4-8. These could be any number of things, including but not limited to: physical items, appearance traits, memories, powers, attributes, or anything else you can think of. How do characters get them back? By dancing with other Chosen, and writing their names in the dance card. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make a new friend!

vi. ALL FUN AND GAMES

Some of the gaming tables from the casino make a return, as well: there are small rooms in the back for blackjack, darts, pool, and other games. There are other games, too, for people who will. A flower vendor encourages people to buy single roses in different colors, each with their own meaning in the language of flowers. Various scavenger hunts ask people to find people wearing certain colors, patterns, or shapes in their elaborate clothing. Some even play games like charades.

At the stroke of midnight on each night of the party, the band stops playing their music, just for a moment. They count down to the last chime of the clock, and then everyone removes their masks. Surprise!

WILDCARD

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. To help with this, the SOTG for February is here. If you have any questions about what is and is not possible, please don’t hesitate to ask!

TOP LEVEL DIRECTORY

Click to view:

CANON	CHARACTER/TOP LEVEL
The Case Study of Vanitas	Vanitas
Circle of Magic	Sandrilene fa Toren
The Dresden Files	The Archive
Dungeon Meshi	Mithrun
Final Fantasy VII R	Aerith Gainsborough
Final Fantasy VII R	Cloud Strife
Gnosia	Sha-ming
House M.D.	Dr. Gregory House
The Locked Tomb	Gideon Nav
Metro Exodus	Colonel Miller
Naruto	Kakashi Hatake
Onmyoji (Netflix)	Abe no Seimei
Original	Astralin Turnont
Persona 3	Aigis
Persona 3	Minato Arisato
Persona 4	Naoto Shirogane
The Tarot Sequence	Addam St. Nicholas

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

💀 ( i. arrival )

[ It is truly the fecal cherry on top the shithole sundae that is Gideon's life that in the midst of the first decent sleep she's had in ages, she's abruptly sent plummeting face first into a large snowdrift by the side of the road. Being suddenly shocked awake by cold isn't anything new, but opening her eyes to a mouthful of fine white powder certainly is, and may in fact rank somewhere in the top ten worst wake-up calls in her life. She instantly leaps about six feet back like a startled cat, spitting and gagging and frantically trying to wipe every fleck off as if it were flames rather than snow clinging onto her skin. ]

Oh, eurgh! Harrow, you absolute bitch, just what the fuck have I done lately that warrants getting dropped into a pile of bone ash--

[ It's only now that her mind finally catches up with the adrenaline spiking through her body and she realizes that the white substance covering her isn't the dry dust of human cremains, but something entirely unfamiliar. She stares at the snow melting on her fingers, up around at her surroundings, then - as cautiously as if she were approaching a vat of acid instead - slowly scoops another handful off the ground to examine it. ]

...the hell is this and why's it colder than a nun's mummified tit?

💀 ( ii. festival preparations )

[ Did someone say monster hunting? Finally, a job she excels at! For the most part, Gideon can be found in the outskirts fending off monsters with a feral grin on her face, a rapier in one hand and knuckle-knives on the other. She's quick on her feet with enough strength to counter any missteps, but those skilled in swordfighting or general combat may be able to notice that she occasionally hesitates or miscalculates her blows, as if she's far more used to fighting with a different weapon.

Alternatively, it's easy enough to spot someone of her height and vibrant red hair getting all decked out in a tailor shop. Up until now, Gideon's wardrobe has consisted entirely of black church robes, black pants, black shirts, and whatever black rags could be recycled from the latest dead priest. Concepts such as style and color and getting to pick out her own clothes are an entirely new and exciting territory for her! Perhaps a little too exciting, as when asked what color she wanted her outfit to be, her answer was 'all of them' - which unfortunately has resulted in her getting fitted in a hideous kaleidoscope of clashing fabrics.

...maybe someone kindhearted can steer her gently in a less blindingly nauseous choice of attire?

Or just watch this fashion disaster go down. The only time Gideon protests what's happening to her is when a stylist approaches her with an intricate mask, waving them off casually. ]

Nah, none of that fancy shit for me, thanks. Don't worry, I brought my own mask. [ She reaches into her pocket and whips out a pair of aviator sunglasses, perching them on her nose with a flourish. ] Ta-da!

💀 ( iii. party time )

[ Thankfully at some point Gideon's been talked down from her fashion crimes, showing up to the gala in a white and gold suit with a cream undershirt and a skeletal mask. Stubborn to a fault, she's placed her shades over the eyeholes on the mask. It looks exactly as stupid as one would imagine.

Even stupider still is the argument she's currently having at the entrance with an exasperated attendant, heedless of the increasingly impatient line behind her. Her hand clenches at the hilt of the rapier at her side - not threateningly, but moreso in the manner of a child refusing to give up their comfort toy. ]

Look, all I'm saying is that you've let in all these people with brooches and jewelry and those fancy dangly crowns, what's so different about mine? A sword totally counts as an accessory! [ A horrible pause. ] After all, it makes me look...sharp.

[ A moment of silence passes in which Gideon waits for laughter that does not come. Her shit-eating grin is huge and unrepentant nonetheless. ]

💀 ( iv. wildcard )

[ Have another idea you want to play out? Hit me up here or at

octanes! Gideon in the ball will most likely be found a) standing by the wall with a plate of food so large she's probably being mistaken for a server, b) looming intimidatingly over card players as she tries to figure out the rules, or c) extremely awkwardly and obviously trying and failing to work up the nerve to ask strangers to dance with her. ]

Edited 2024-02-14 04:21 (UTC)

[ a stunned, uncomfortable silence befalls the gaggle of onlookers that have congregated to watch gideon be thoroughly rejected from the ball. it settles in as tightly as a bolt screwed into a dresser, but aerith can't help but think to herself: she always did have a little bit of a weak spot for morons with swords. she could picture cloud doing this, and the joke that she tells could easily have come from zack. so even if she's been flitting around the party with as much unrestrained familiarity as one might expect from a deer frolicking in the forest, she peels herself away from the festivities to intercept. short heels clicking on the floor announce her arrival as she appears at the side of the attendant, just as robed in white as the sword-wielding stranger is. aerith touches the attendant's arm with soft familiarity, hesitant but somehow sure. it accomplishes her goal, making him slip his stare from the person he's trying to kick out to aerith. she smiles then, eyes crinkling beneath the white domino mask tied to her face. ]

I'm sure it's no big deal, right? [ aerith tilts her head, doe-toned hair spilling over her thin shoulder in a wavy cascade. ] It really does complete her outfit, you know. I'm sure she wouldn't even hurt a fly with it. [ ...if she didn't want to, goes unsaid. instead, a short back and forth ensues—

"but what if...?" and "it sets a bad precedent." then, "next thing you know, everyone's gonna be whipping out their swords!" are whispered back to aerith, and she just looks at the swordswoman with a thoughtful glance before saying, ]

How 'bout... we make a deal? Anything you do tonight reflects on me. You wouldn't want to make me look bad, would you?

[ something tells her someone stupid enough to make a pun like that doesn't really have any intention of doing anything dangerous for the evening. nope— this is someone who is going to head to the buffet table and hunker down for the evening. and that is far more amusing to aerith than any bad joke she could tell.

and maybe she wants to tease a little bit. it's fun. ]

[ contrary to all outward appearances, gideon does in fact possess some modicum of self-awareness - not enough to stop herself from running her mouth, of course, but at least she knows when she's being an obnoxious asshole. she's not expecting to convince the attendant with her stellar elucidation nor for anyone to come running to her defense; really, all she wants here is to have the very petty last word and then hopefully sneak in through a back window into the kitchens to hork down all the free food.

so it comes as a bit of a surprise when the argument is suddenly interrupted by the click of heels that sends her back straightening out of some primal instinct, followed by a sort of hush falling over the crowd that she's only ever heard in the wake of coronabeth tridentarius sweeping into a room. and by god, could this new arrival sweep. not perhaps in the same manner of supermodel glitz of the princess of ida, but with a similar result in the end nonetheless: all eyes on her, trapped like a fly in a beautiful spider web. gideon would almost feel sorry for the poor man caught in her wake were she not too busy panicking herself.

and then - horror of horrors - the woman turns to address her directly. trapped underneath the gleam of glossy hair and an amused voice that reminds her too much of a girl in a sickroom far far away from here, gideon suddenly feels her tongue grow too dry and thick and clumsy for her mouth. ]

Uh.

[ come on, nav, shape up. she's already faced down dulcinea's enormous blue eyes, coronabeth's coronabethiness, and even harrow not being an outrageous bitch for two seconds of her life. surely all that practice has given her enough resilience to string together a full sentence without making a complete fool of herself! finally noticing that her back has been military straight for the past minute, gideon attempts to adapt a more natural and relaxed pose, one shoulder rising in what she desperately hopes is a casual shrug. ]

Sure, I guess. I don't whip out my sword in public unless someone forces me to. 'Sides, I left my bigger one at home.

[ if someone could just murder her now, that'd be great, thanks. ]

[ it isn't a very long moment wherein aerith stares up at the woman. in fact, it's a very unremarkable amount of time— it feels, however, like watching sand trickle through the tiny slivery hole in a sandglass. it takes forever for her to come up with a disaffected sounding retort, reminding aerith wholly too much of a friend. it's awfully amusing, and she even smiles in a twee, knowing way before patting the bouncer on the shoulder with practiced familiarity. "see?" the movement says. "she's just playing." in the wake of aerith gainsborough, the poor guy is simply nothing.

passing him by, she places a hand on the stranger in white's arm instead— clearly meaning to guide her into the party itself. ]

That was very nice of you to think about room on the dancefloor like that!

[ she leans forward to peer up into the peculiar mask of the stranger, even if her comment is pointedly for the bouncer playing too cool for school right now. but her attention fully shifts to the ginger haired possible-SOLDIER (?) and her voice is all smiles and sunshine. ] Hey, Cinderella, let's really get you inside, now. C'mon. [ there's just something about her— maybe it's how easy it is to picture her as a SOLDIER, endearing aerith to her immediately. she wonders if there's a polluted, blue-green stare beneath those shades, and resolves to peel them off before the end of the night. she has to know.

...she does not realize she used 'cinderella' incorrectly, in any case. ]

You doing okay? Try not to worry about him. Or any of them, actually! They've been giving us all a hard time tonight.

[ Toph is nearby taking a much-needed break from monster hunting. The fighting part she could do all day, but she needs to take periodic rests to warm up her feet.

After more than a month of this song and dance, she has a routine down and knows her limits; there's a small fire by the side of the road in a little rough earth tent just big enough for her and the flames. The ground itself is raised just a couple inches in a neat square around her, suspiciously clear of snow.

She hears the cursing and pokes her head out. ] Never seen snow before? [ she asks, mildly interested but sounding more bored than anything. ]

[ The fire catches her attention more than the strange earth tent; being from a planet where the temperature never rose above butthole-clenching-cold, Gideon automatically gravitates towards any source of warmth like a giant buff lizard. She's about to go huddle by it when a head pokes out of the tent and -

- wow, tiny. Look, she knows she's not the greatest judge of age, what with literally every person save one back home being at least fifteen years older than her - but this girl looks even younger than the already way-too-young Fourth teens. Is this...a child? Is this what a children looks like? ]

Is that what this is? I've seen it in comics, but I figured it to be ancient or made-up stuff. Why would anyone want to deal with frozen water falling from the sky?

[ Seeing her approach, Toph ducks back in and scoots backwards to make a little room, perfectly willing to share her fire. It's small and rudimentary, clearly not meant to last for too long. She has a small pouch of fire-starting materials that she carries around with her now. Toph has her feet stuck as close to the fire as possible. They're dirty, calloused, and perpetually verging on frostbite lately. ]

Don't ask me, I could really do without it. The cold or the water.

[ Hi this is your resident earthbender children. ]

Where're you from that you think snow is made up? [ That's weird even for this place. ]

gideon nav | the locked tomb | tdm

iii omg gideon my beloved

aerith my also beloved!!

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