TEST DRIVE MEME #9

[expiationmods]

Test Drive Meme #9

Welcome to Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and some subtle horror.

TDM top-levels are 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! You can also put your top-level in the TDM DIRECTORY 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.

June's's TDM is forward-dated to June 20th.

You can view our CALENDAR to keep important dates in mind. RESERVES open on June 20 and APPLICATIONS will open on June 23 After this, applications will next open in August 2024.

NEW FOR APRIL 2024: there is now a top level for everyone to post their TDM top levels into! This is for new characters only. Thank you!

Full Navigation

Arrival

You remember a room of blinding white light—so bright that you couldn't make out any details. You heard voices, speaking in muffled tones. It sounded an awful lot like they were talking about you. You were just on the verge of figuring out what they’re saying, you were so close...but what happened after that?

Ah–that's right. You fell into blackness.

However you awaken, the next time you’re able to stand still and take in your surroundings, you’re approached by a small mechanical creature, which reveals a handheld tablet with a rolled-up parchment within it. Booting up the tablet for the first time brings you the following message:

WELCOME, CHOSEN.
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

So…now what?

Summer Solstice (June 20th)

The summer solstice, also known as the longest day of the year. Aldrip may have received a big upgrade in size recently, but this special day still calls for celebration amongst the locals, who have a long tradition of celebrating various celestial phenomena. For this occasion, the entire city will be throwing a Midsummer celebration! The festival itself takes place from June 20-24, with the solstice happening the evening of June 20. There will be celebrations before, during, and after the festival as well!

On the shortest day of the year in December, the Chosen were told to stay indoors until sunrise. The opposite holds true for the summer solstice: all are encouraged to remain outside from dusk until dawn, and locals throw a festival to keep everyone entertained through the wee hours of the morning!

The streets of the commercial district are lined with sun-painted lanterns, lit as dusk starts to fall and kept glowing until sunrise the next day. Those lanterns illuminate a lively street bazaar featuring exotic food and drink, curious wares, and lawn/party games of all kinds. The Chosen are encouraged to either participate, or occasionally wager bets on other people who may be competing against one another. May the odds be ever in your favor?

As the sun begins to set, locals light large bonfires. There will be music and dancing—Chosen are encouraged to participate in whatever way they’d like, whether they want to perform or lead a line dance. If they’re not inclined to join in, the fires and music still provide a perfect backdrop for a little relaxing conversation and meeting new friends.

After dark, a large fireworks show begins. All in attendance are encouraged to bring (or find!) blankets to lay out so they can watch the show. Clinking glasses with good friends at the height of the show is considered good luck, so it’s not uncommon to see some folks having a drink during this time. As Aldrip is so close to the ocean, some locals even offer discounted boat rides to get a different view of these fireworks.

At dawn, the locals finally tuck in for a few hours of rest. But don’t worry—the Midsummer festival continues even after the solstice is done!

Midsummer Festival (june 20-june 24)

Locals begin prepping for the festival days in advance, and while they won’t drag others in to help the same way they have in the past, they still won’t turn down an extra set of hands. You’ll even get paid for your troubles, either in money or in favors (free meal vouchers, rent at the inn, etc). There’s no shortage of work to be done, from dragging tables around to stringing lanterns or even collecting sticks for bonfires. Just be careful, locals tell of strange whispers coming from Pessiria Forest at odd times of day and night…

The festival itself has different activities and happenings depending on what area you visit. Most of these activities can be done on any day of the festival. Most of the games and contests outlined here are examples—you’re free to make up others if you feel so inclined!

BEACH EPISODE!!
The beach is a prime location in the month of June, and locals really go all out for this particular occasion, setting up a large beach party with food, drink, and brightly-colored umbrellas to provide some shade.

There are various sporting activities such as beach volleyball, windboarding, surfing, and a large, built-up dune for sand surfing. Most of these are just for fun, but if locals see some really good contenders, they might urge a competition between them.

For those less sporting, there are all sorts of activities and challenges. Kite flying, sandcastle building, and scavenger hunts are particularly popular with the locals. Maybe they’ll ask you to bring back a certain number of round seashells, or to make friends with someone sitting under a pink umbrella…the possibilities are endless, really. There will also be official competitions for kite flying and sandcastle building, so put your best foot (or shovel) forward!

Some enterprising locals have also set up boat tours to take locals and Chosen through the nearby waves. In some places, the light makes it seem almost like you can see something in the distance…but it’s not on the map, right? Maybe it’s just your imagination. Hmm.

HAVE A FIELD DAY
The rolling hills outside of the city make a perfect place for various races and games. Bring your competitive spirit, because there will be medals awarded for winning races! Some common games include: bag races, “wife” carrying (gender, spousehood, and pre-existing relationship not required, of course!), three-legged races, relays, baton passes, and foot races.

It’s not all sporty competitions, though! Some older locals will lead more relaxing activities, such as stretching, meditation, and recreational group dances. These are volunteer-led groups, of course, so if those volunteers have to sit down or step away for a bit…well, they’ll have to ask someone to take over for them.

Those with good animal handling stats are not forgotten either, of course! There will be animal races, as well, on horses or even chocobos. There may or may not even be a petting zoo, pony rides, or other fun, relaxing activities with animals. Sometimes you just need to sit in a pen full of bunnies, okay.

Please do be careful, though: increased activity could make some of the monsters roaming outside the city a little bit curious about what’s going on this close to town…

WHEN YOU’RE DOWNTOWN
The green spaces of Aldrip have been decked out in their very finest, and floral season is in full bloom. Some enterprising gardeners will be unveiling new garden designs in honor of the festival: hedge mazes, giant sculpted topiaries, and elaborate fountains.

While it doesn’t hold a candle to the Ketsoran diplomatic masquerade, the event center will also be hosting several nights of dining and dancing during the festival. It may be a little less lavish, but it’ll nonetheless be quite glamorous—and the food will probably be good, too.

The bazaar from the day of the solstice continues throughout the festival. Additionally, various shops and businesses may choose to provide specials, discounts, and other offers to entice new and current Chosen alike.

THE SPIRE
One of the taller buildings in town has installed a large spire near one of the garden squares. They claim that, as the sun rises to its midday point, light passing through the spire will create an incredible light show. They’re right, as a matter of fact: the light reflects and refracts, scattering rainbows across the square. It’s a dazzling display. When the sun passes its midday point, however, the beautiful color show suddenly turns into white light. Anyone looking at this light will find that they are no longer able to keep track of how long they’re watching it. Your mind may begin to go blank, almost as if it refuses to accept something, some deep truth that the world is trying to tell you…

…

No, that must be your imagination. The light vanishes shortly thereafter—or was it ever there to begin with? The unsettling feeling may remain, but it’ll be harder and harder to be certain of what caused it.

This is fine and also normal.

Wildcard

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

[arachnerina]

I mean, it's coarse, and rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere-- [sorry she's gotta make a joke. Gwen doubts Tendi will get the reference, but that honestly makes it almost funnier.]

-- But sure. Why not?

[It's not like she needs to do too much sunbathing. Her dad's side is Irish, she'll burn if she's not careful. Even her spidey powers don't make her sunproof.

So don't mind if she comes and settles down on her knees next to Tendi, starting to play in the sand too. She's not sure what she wants to make yet, but just digging her hands in the sand is still fun.]

I'm Gwen, by the way. You must be new here?

[unprimed]

[Oh yeah, no, the reference goes right over her head. She's too busy thinking about how it's probably coarse because of the silica content, and considering the angle of the beach, the sand doesn't get pummeled by these waves the same way, and--

oh. The girl is still talking.]

Guilty as charged! [That's a human saying, right? She's heard that before.] I guess you're not? I've heard that not everyone here is new. It's nice to meet you, Gwen. D'Vana Tendi at your service-- most people just call me Tendi, though.

[arachnerina]

I mean-- yes and no? I'm new, but I don't think as new as you. I've been here two months now. Which, considering some people have been here for over a year, is still pretty new.

[She's still adjusting and wrapping her head around everything this place is, after all. It seems some of the longer lasting ones have started to settle and make the best of the situation, and she honestly wonders if she'll get to that point one day, too. Part of her hopes she isn't her that long, but ever since getting closer to Peter, a part of her wants to stay a little longer too.]

Nice to meet you, Tendi. [She might just now be noticing that shiny little Star Fleet badge on Tendi's chest, too, and she raises an eyebrow. She's seen that before.]

That symbol on your chest. Does it mean anything? I've seen it before, on two guys I know here. [she never did ask Jim or Spock, but there was a lot going on, on sentencing day.]

[unprimed]

Two months? But--!

[That's longer than any away mission she's ever gone on! That's like, 1/6th of the time she's spent on the Cerritos! That's a long time to fall behind on her bridge training!! A year is literally 1/5 of the Enterprise's original five-year mission! Tendi isn't panicking, really, she's just watching her entire Starfleet career crash and burn before her eyes. She's never going to be a Captain if she's stuck here! This place isn't even Warp-capable!

... All of that being said, one of the most important things she's learned in Starfleet is this: panicking doesn't help. So she takes a deep breath and sets all of that stuff aside.]

Oh-- this? [She puts a finger on her comm badge.] Yeah, it's the Starfl-- [WAIT, GASP, HOLD THE PHONE] You've seen it before?! Where? On who-- whom? is it who, or whom? No, never mind, just, who was it?

[She has a slim sliver of hope, for a second, that maybe her friends are here, too.]

[arachnerina]

[Oh my god. Okay, wow, this girl is panicking. Gwen might not be able to hear Tandi's thoughts, but she can definitely tell her mind is going a million miles an hour, processing what she's been told.

She's just. Going to give her some time to work through all that.]

Umm-- yeah. Some friends of mine wore it once. A Jim Kirk and-- [shit does Spock have a last name? Suddenly realizing she has no idea.] Mr. Spock? Either of those names ring a bell?

[unprimed]

[There's a bit of a pause, here. The look Tendi gives can only be described as that gif, you know the one. Slightly blank, slightly concerned, slightly like pieces of a puzzle are going into place and that puzzle has suddenly become, I don't know, A CROCODILE OR SOMETHING and NOW YOU'RE GONNA GET EATEN BY A CROCODILE, OH MY GOD.

The look doesn't last, though; it's quickly replaced by one of those yeah, uh-huh smiles, as if she doesn't totally believe this is real.]

... Yeah, okay, you really had me at first, but this is-- [The laugh she chirps here can only be described as nervous.] I mean, you can pick any Starfleet officers in the universe and you go with them? That-- that just put it over the top. [This part is spoken not to Gwen but, apparently, to the universe at large:] Come on, Boimler, whatever weird holomovie you're running here, I'm not interested! And-- and it isn't funny anymore! Computer, arch.

[... ... ... nothing happens.]

Computer, arch! [nope] End...program? [nada] Computer?

[Nothing.

... Her face looks a little, uh. Broken. Like a deer caught in the headlights.]

[arachnerina]

[Gwen just...blinks. Because what other reaction is she supposed to have to that? Clearly Tendi thinks this is some kind of joke, especially when she starts yelling at the sky to end the program??

Gwen just gives her a minute, tilting her head as she watches Tendi's expression change from that nervous smile, to now just awkward panic?]

...Right. Yeah. This isn't a computer simulation. Or-- maybe it is. Not actually sure on that one. But it's not one of your simulations. And I wasn't joking. I know those two. They're here. I take it you've heard of them, judging by...all that?

[unprimed]

[This is not panic.

This is not panic, because that would imply that she is panicking, and Starfleet officers do not panic! So of course she isn't going to panic! Her face is just. stuck like this. Stuck looking panicked. Yeah, that's it.

(Okay, she's a little bit panicking.)

But now she's gotta rein it in, because her new friend Gwen (You Do Not Get A Say In This) is asking her a question.]

What? No! I definitely haven't heard of them before. [A little nervous laugh as she waves her hand, as if she can totally dismiss the question. Then, quietly, after a beat:] ...mostly I just. read about them. But! You can't tell them, okay? I have no idea what it'll do if you do. We could create a paradox or maybe Starfleet won't exist anymore or the whole simulation will break-- anything could happen!

[arachnerina]

Uhhhh-- Yeah. I don't-- think that's going to be a problem. They're both from different timelines already, sooo.

[She isn't sure about going into too much detail about that, partially because she doesn't exactly understand it all herself. She only knows the bare minimum about Jim and Spock's dimension, as it is.]

Also, things like that don't matter so much here. We're in our own, contained universe. Or computer simulation. Again, not too clear on that officially yet.

[unprimed]

How can you know that for sure? I mean...have people been back home to see what's happened to their timelines? And even if they're from different timelines, I'm from like-- way in their future! I mean, sure, maybe me saying something could make the Dominion War never happen, but maybe it means the Borg take over instead! Time is super complicated and if you change one little thing, it could have a TOTALLY insane effect on the timeline!

[... ... ... that being said, there's not exactly anything she can do about it here, is there? So she sort of groans, totally defeated, and squashes her hands into the sand.]

I know I'm in Science Officer Training on the ship, but this is just...really, really outside of my experience. In every way.

[arachnerina]

Don't worry, it's kinda outside of everyones experience. Including Jim and Spock's.

[They're all just lost on this one. But at least the simulation theory seems credible. Now if only they could find that AI port.]

I know this is a lot-- really, you're not the only one that's struggled to wrap your head around all of it. I've also met someone from an alternate version of my reality, so. You know. Just all around weird around here.