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expiationlogs2024-02-11 08:51 pm
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.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.
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!
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!
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 |
a
Before he has a chance to make his escape, however, a teenage girl runs right into him, holding on to his shirt for her dear life for one reason or another. He blinks, looking down at her, and the person he sees is─ ]
... Saya...?
[ How long has it been since he's seen her face, heard her voice? Months, he knows, but somehow, it feels like longer than that. Not that he could ever forget, no matter how many years they spent apart.
... But then he blinks, and his vision goes all... weird. Wait, this is wrong. All wrong. Saya is not here... she could not be here. And besides, the girl looks completely different, now that he takes another look at her; she's familiar to him, yes, but she's not his sister. As he finally recognizes her, he shakes his head, wrapping one arm around her shoulders, ready to escort her out of the building. ]
Smurfette. [ He corrects himself, hoping she doesn't pick up on his blunder. ] Yeah, let's get outta here.
[ After this... whatever it was, he wants to leave the room immediately. Now that he knows something in here can affect his senses to this degree, the place feels even more oppressive than the stuffy atmosphere from a couple of minutes prior. ]
no subject
I can't breathe.
( she admits this silently and unable to keep her breathing in check. maybe they can dip somewhere more exclusive, so she (and him) can regain her bearings. after the month she's been having thus far, maybe she'll be better off if she just passes out. the lack of oxygen might be doing her a favor. )
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It's okay. [ He says, though he has to admit he doesn't sound too convinced; he chastises himself mentally, desperately trying to get him mind back on track, and gives it another shot: ] I've got you. You'll be fine.
[ He can't know that for sure, of course, but hell if that'll stop him from trying. The man gives her shoulder what's hopefully a reassuring squeeze, and begins to guide her out of the room, doing his best to shield her from the curious looks until they reach the terrace. The weather's still chilly, so thankfully, there's no one there at the moment, and the cool air hitting his face does wonders to Ragna's focus. He exhales slowly, allowing himself a brief moment to regain his composure before glancing down at the girl. ]
... Better?
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since when did she become so weak? since when did she lose her terror edge? jinx is a hunter, the demolition diva, the one who made people piss themselves or quiver just by her name being uttered. and now here she is, being completely controlled by some unknown forces and lily-livered over some nobodies. tears threaten to flow, but she holds them back -- forcing them to return to retreat to whatever endless pool they came from. with her head low, her grip on ragna's clothing tightens again. her voice trembles and reeks with enraged self-disgust. )
I'm not... the prey.
( her quivering voice squeaks out, doing her best to convince herself that her world hasn't shifted. )
— I am not afraid of these losers, and I have control. No one controls me. I'm Jinx and I do whatever the hell I want.
( and despite it all, the tears did flow -- not as drastic, but they gracefully trickle down her cheek. )
I'm strong... and I'm perfect. I'm still... good for something.
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[ She doesn't need to tell him that, but he doesn't think he's the one she's trying to convince here, anyway. In the same vein, his reassurance might mean little to her, but he still offers it. The man moves his hand towards her cheek, gently wiping her tear off with his thumb. It's a small comfort, and frustratingly, he can't do much more than this at the moment. ]
Hell, you're more than that. The fact you're still here, in spite of everything? If that ain't strength, then I don't know what it.
[ In his mind, no one could blame her if she stayed locked up hiding in her room for the rest of the month ─ between what they've done to her, the laughable conversation with she had with Jerry that she's shown him, and this whole mess of a party... it's too much, and despite what she says, she's still just a kid. A girl who gets punished simply for who she is.
Right now he's more concerned with getting Jinx to calm down a little, but at the back of his mind, Ragna swears that he will make the Council pay for each and every slight against her. ]
no subject
because he's right, the voices are wrong and whoever sees her as "just an ordinary human" -- because no ordinary human could still be standing after the shots she had to withstand. not just from the council, but from her sister, caitlyn, her father, quentin, ekko, and that disgusting maze. each of them threw their punches to her noggin, and some even managed to tip her over on all fours. regardless, she stood up. each time, she hoists herself from the ground -- despite how tired or bloody, despite how her body screamed to abandon all hope. jinx never quitted, and it'd be stupid for her to do it now. )
I'm still here.
( she mutters his words, allowing them to roll off her tongue and to get a feel of it. and then, she gingerly pushes herself away from ragna's hold -- stepping forward. )
You hear that?! — I'm still fucking here!!
( possibly to onlookers, it just seems like she had lost her marbles and is just bellowing out to the atmosphere. and maybe she is, but jinx knows the council is watching and their eyes are everywhere, even if they're concealed. )
You can do whatever the hell you want with me or to me, but I'm not going to back down. Not for you or for anyone! — I'll still be here! So do your worst!!