expiationlogs | TEST DRIVE MEME #11

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TEST DRIVE MEME #11

Test Drive Meme #11

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

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand!)

Characters have arrived in Expiation, a seemingly idyllic fantasy world where they have been told they will be judged and sentenced for crimes they were charged with upon arrival.

Every two months, several characters are chosen for sentencing, where they’re brought to City Hall and told to perform a task related to their assigned crime.

Their only contact at City Hall is a mysterious and long-suffering man called Jerry.

Over time, characters have begun to realize that not all is as it seems in Expiation: as it turns out, the entire world is a simulation that seems to be run by an artificial intelligence.
This AI claims that its purpose, and thus the purpose of Expiation, is rehabilitating the Chosen after their crimes.

In March 2024, after the destruction of City Hall, the city of Aldrip was forced into an upgrade status. While this upgrade was being implemented, characters were pulled into a false reality where they believed they were natives to the city of Aldrip.

Aldrip has been a bit of a glitchy place for many, many months. However, in Summer 2024, these glitches became difficult to ignore, and pointed at evidence of a catastrophic systems failure. For several months, characters experienced chaotic effects as elements from their worlds and many others were thrown into the setting without warning, even going so far as to import a Gnosia infection.

The AI in charge of Expiation believed that performing a system reset might be the only way to stop the glitches before they could impact the world as a whole.

In September 2024, characters complied with the AI’s request and performed a reset. Although this set the AI back to a default state where it felt more neutral–rather than affectionate–toward the Chosen, several people created a system backup that they hope will return some of the data that has made the AI more sympathetic toward the Chosen.

When Aldrip was reset, City Hall became a Courthouse, and this is the new building where Chosen are now sent for sentencing.

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.

October's TDM takes place on October 21st.

You can view our CALENDAR to keep important dates in mind. RESERVES open on October 21 and APPLICATIONS will open on October 24. After this, applications will next open in December 2024.

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Arrival

Spooky season has come to Aldrip in full force! City and outskirts gardens are full of pumpkins to harvest, trees begin turning red and orange, and there’s a chill in the air that’d have anyone reaching for a cozy sweater. The wind picks up occasionally, howling through the trees, especially near the forest… While the seasonal weather is welcoming, the locals are anything but: they send disapproving glances and keep a wide distance. Unfortunately, this may only be heightened by the new arrivals to the city…

Newcomers to Aldrip face a rude awakening this month. Strange iron cages have appeared on surfaces all over town, short and tall alike, and this is where new Chosen find themselves upon arrival. The cages themselves aren’t terribly hard to open, honestly; the latch is on the outside, and it’s a bit finicky, but it’s not locked or anything. That said, some of these cages are quite high up. They’re sometimes near ledges and windows, but not always, and some new Chosen might need a helping hand to get down.

Yeah. The optics aren’t great. No wonder the locals are a little nervous!

The fall carnival

On the morning of October 21st, a Fall carnival pops up, seemingly out of nowhere. It hasn’t been well-advertised–maybe a flyer or two around town–but luckily for the Chosen, those who work there don’t seem to have the same opinion of them as the locals do. Costumes are not required for the carnival, but they’re definitely encouraged! There is a large tent near the entrance with lots of costumes to choose from, and changing rooms as well, should the Chosen decide they’d like to give it a try. The tent workers will be so excited to help with this process–but they might find some very unexpected choices for the Chosen!

There are plenty of rides, games, and food stalls, so come on down! Some special attractions the Chosen may take note of include:

The Funhouse
Billed as a standard house of mirrors, the Chosen are encouraged to try to get through the maze as quickly as they can. Push your limits! Test yourself!

Inside the mirror maze, the Chosen will find more of a test than they might have expected, at first. As they go deeper into the maze, the mirror reflections seem to change. At first, it’s just little things: your reflection might look in a different direction, or move when you stand still. But deeper within the maze, these mirrors begin to show things about the Chosen that they might not be ready to admit just yet. Some reflections may try to confess to the character’s crime to anyone who may be in the funhouse, even going into detail about it. Some may even show the crime as it happened, or a warped version of that crime. Anyone present can see and hear these reflections.

The reflections will follow Chosen until they find their way out of the funhouse. Unfortunately, that could take quite a bit longer, since those reflections are so very vocal and distracting.

Pumpkin Pick-up
You know those duck games at a fair where you pick up a rubber duck and the bottom of the toy has a prize written on it? Well, we know better than to pick up a duck in a ~~dungeon~~ carnival here in Expiation, so for extra spooky flair, these are small pumpkins instead, with painted jack-o-lantern faces! Picking up a pumpkin should reveal a prize…but what’s this? It’s a challenge instead? Interesting.

Written on the underside of each pumpkin is a truth-or-dare style directive. Players are free to make up any challenge they want, here! If you’re looking for some ideas, we’ve provided some examples in the details cut below.

Click here for a list of example challenges!

Tell someone your biggest regret
Tell someone about the scariest moment you’ve ever had
Confess your deepest shame to a stranger
Take someone’s shoes
Attempt to pickpocket someone without them noticing
Find a stranger and show off a secret talent
Tell someone about the thing you hate most, deep down
Kiss or hug a stranger
Eat something that doesn’t look like food
Tell someone about the cruelest thing you have ever done
Start dancing in the middle of a crowd, but only if there’s no music playing
Tell a stranger about the worst lie you ever told
Ask a stranger out on a date
Set off a small firework without warning
Give away your shirt and do not replace it
Confess your greatest weakness
Put on an extra silly costume
Exchange clothes with a stranger

You get the idea! Feel free to use these as a jumping off point and make up your own–there are no limits to what the pumpkins might say. Once the task has been completed, Chosen may turn the pumpkins in at one of the prize booths for whatever prize they would like. There’s no visible indication on the pumpkin as to whether the task is done or not, so you’re welcome to try bluffing, if you don’t want to complete it…but somehow, the booth worker always seems to know.

Dueling Potions
One of the stalls is a game of chance: two identical potions sit before you on a table. The carnie claims that one is a luck potion, and that choosing that potion will give you excellent luck for the whole day…but how do you tell which is which? By drinking the potion, of course!

There’s a 50% chance of victory, here. One vial does indeed contain a good luck potion, and if you choose that vial, your luck will be incredible for the next 24 hours. Unfortunately, the other bottle contains a bad luck potion, and that will have the opposite effect: for 24 hours, you’ll be plagued by disaster, bad happenstance, and maybe even some extra clumsiness. Does it seem a bit like you need to have good luck to get good luck, here? What, is this a commentary on something? Hmm.

Fortune Teller
Want some woo in your spooky season? A midnight-blue tent covered in stars seems to invite you in. You’ll find a bonafide fortune teller within, complete with crystal ball and heady incense. How fun! They’ll give you a cursory reading, either by palm or with strange-looking cards. You get the feeling that this reading is fairly accurate, but strangely…it’s hard to recite details later, if you try to tell someone else about what they told you. How odd. Maybe it was the incense.

It’s not just a hazy fortune and a nose full of frankincense that Chosen leave this booth with: they also feel a compulsion to speak their minds more than they might otherwise. Whether this is telling secrets usually kept close to the vest, expressing their opinions more readily, readily admitting to crimes they’ve been charged with or other wrongdoings, or some other manifestation of this effect is up to players!

There are plenty of other games, rides, and booths to explore, many of which have perfectly standard fare for events like these. Characters can use these booths to win tickets and get prizes: many booths offer cute stuffies and kitschy toys, of course, but Chosen can also find useful items like weapons, food, clothing, accessories, and things like that.

Witch hunt

Last year’s Witch Hunt was metaphorical in nature–this year, it’s much more literal. A limited number of witch hats are placed on a table in front of the carnival. As soon as the clock strikes noon, the Chosen may grab one and try to keep it out of the hands of fellow competitors. These hats are first-come, first-served, but it really doesn’t matter who starts out with one–it’s who ends the hunt with one that counts!

It seems to be like a city-wide game of tag. The Chosen’s job is simple: obtain and keep a witch hat on their head until the clock strikes midnight. If a “witch” is caught by another Chosen (by way of being tagged), they must hand over their hat, or they’ll be disqualified.

There’s no official sign-up for the hunt, so characters can join in whenever they’d like, or may decide not to join at all. So, what’s this all for? Anyone who manages to have a witch hat on by the time the clock strikes midnight is guaranteed a prize! OOCly, this prize is any small non-magical item from home, either personal or not; ICly, Chosen will not know what this prize is before entering. How do you obtain this prize? There’s an RNG for those who would like a chance to sign up to win an item. Sign-up is optional, and TDMers are welcome to join in! New items will be delivered at the start of November, so any new applicants who win the hunt will be able to obtain their items as well.

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)!

♡

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

—Huh?!

[ Without so much of a thought! Goodness gracious, she could never. ]

W- wait, are you sure that's okay?

[ Well... it can't be any worse than anything he's faced in the past, or so he figures. ]

If it's the good luck potion, it'll be fine.

[ It's then that the wind suddenly picks up, an unusually strong gust battering the wooden sign above the stall. It shudders before suddenly falling loose, tumbling from its post and smacking Minato on the head on its way down to clatter on the floor.

He blinks, frown on his face as he lifts a hand to rub at the spot where the sign landed on him. Probably not the good luck potion then. All right. ]

...I guess the other potion is safe for you.

[ The gust of wind comes as a surprise, but what really gets her to yelp is the sign coming down; Koharu leaps back, utterly startled as both wings puff outward, and she certainly doesn't think to pull him out of the way.

Regrettably. It thuds right into him, and though he didn't, like, fall over or anything, guilt washes over her in the aftermath. ]

—Nevermind that, are you all right?! Did you break anything...?

[ He responds with a small shake of the head, palm still rubbing his head where a welt must surely be forming. ]

No. It's fine.

[ Minato's fairly confident the sign hadn't cracked his skull open. It would surely hurt much more if it did. He pulls his hand away, something wet sticking to his fingers and -- oh. That's blood. Whoops. Oh well.

He glances over at Koharu and closes his hand, hoping she hadn't caught a glimpse of that. Let's not ruin any of her fun, he figures... ]

The other potion -- it's yours, fair and square.

[ You think she didn't see that, buddy? Right over his fingers?? On his HEAD???

Panic rises, but not so much that it doesn't dawn upon her he won't be horribly stubborn about this, given how utterly blasé he's reacting already. And so, after some quick thinking, a compromise: ]

I'll only take it if we find you a bandage for that right after!

[ He's prepared to wave any concern off, only because it truly is a mere flesh wound in his eyes. "It's okay. I've had worse," is on the tip of his tongue, but -- nah, he'd better keep that to himself. ]

...okay.

[ Minato opens his hand only because he's been caught literally red-handed. The red's smeared from his fingertips all across his palm. ]

But... we might not find one until my potion wears off.

[ Because it sure would be a bout of bad luck if they couldn't find one. On the other hand, perhaps the good luck potion would counteract that... ]

Luck potions aren't even real!

[ Says her, a literal mythical being. But as far as she's concerned, it's mere coincidence; Koharu's more concerned about the contents itself, but considering he hasn't died from spicy or puked or anything of the sort, Koharu's quick to grab the second bottle and chug it down like this is suddenly a drinking contest.

She finishes with a deep exhale, and grabs his hand. The other one without blood, that is. ]

Okay, come on! There's usually a first aid station in these places, right?

[ Minato's seen a lot of strange things over the past few months. Luck Potion is pretty mild. Totally believable.

But before he can chime in about how anything's possible, the girl is already grabbing his hand in preparation to tote him off. ]

Maybe? I don't remember seeing one.

[ Would Aldrip's resident doctor Ethlyn be there? If so, he can't disappoint her by showing the woman he'd gotten into trouble again... ]

It's okay, I can fix this on my own.

[ A minor heal spell should do the trick, he thinks, leaving Minato reaching for his Evoker with his free hand. ]

Huh? Do you have any—

[ She turns to look at him, but freezes when she spots him pulling out an actual goddamn gun. ]

[ He blinks; why does she look like her blood's run cold -- oh. Minato glances down at the hand resting on the device's grip before his eyes flicker back up. ]

It's okay, it's not real.

[ It's easy for someone so accustomed to using an Evoker to forget they're suspiciously weapon-shaped. Koharu's reaction is a good reminder though. Better not do this in public.

He shakes his head, offering an apologetic expression as he lets go of the Evoker. It's not worth frightening this stranger any further. ]

...I forget about the way it looks. Sorry for scaring you.

—It's a fake?

[ That raises other questions rather than answering any, really, but at least a wave of relief washes over her. Still puzzled, however, Koharu lets go of his hand, giving the maybe-not-actually-a-gun a quizzical glance. ]

What were you grabbing it for, then?

[ He said he had... something for his injury, but she isn't connecting any dots here. ]

[ There's a nod this time. ]

It's used to cast magic. I... know some healing magic.

[ Not that it'll do much good, given that there are still too many people milling about to use it discreetly. In fact, a whole extra crowd of people come wandering down the street. Definitely too many people around now. A stroke of bad luck, perhaps. ]

I can't do it here though. Somewhere with less people would be better.

[ So he turns on his heel, ready to head towards the less populated edge of the carnival, only for his toe to get caught on a stray pebble. He blinks, though once his mind registers gravity pulling him towards the floor, his expression shifts to something more resigned. This may as well happen, he supposes as he tumbles face-first into the dirt. Ow.

Maybe he should have respected those potions more after all. ]

[ Well, she sure has some questions, but those will have to wait because today is not his day.

Koharu yelps as he goes down, with no real chance of catching him along the way. She is quick to kneel beside him, though, offering him a pair of hands to help pull himself back up. ]

I think you're going to need that magic sooner rather than later...

[ Whatever this so-called magic he's got is. ]

[ Minato takes those hands gratefully, using them to carefully haul himself up. To an outside observe, he must appear overly cautious given the manner in which he moves slowly. But it is necessary, given that no one could possibly predict how his bad luck might manifest.

He dusts himself off with a nonplussed expression. ]

Thanks. ...Yeah, I guess so.

[ He glances back at Koharu as a thought comes to fruition. ]

Maybe you should lead the way. Just in case.

[ Surely the supposed good luck potion she'd finished off would ensure they make it unscathed? ]

R— right! Somewhere empty, somewhere empty...

[ She glances around quickly with a touch of frantic flair; she doesn't know these grounds super well, but she's trying to think back to where she has been. ]

Um... Let's try this way! [ Tugging at his sleeve again, Koharu hurries forth. ] I think there's a performance tent somewhere down here—maybe there aren't any shows happening right now.

[ Minato's careful to trail close behind Koharu. At best, the luck potion would ensure smooth sailing. At worst, both potions cancel out and they have a very middling and uneventful trip to said empty performance tent.

He spares a glance at the girl who's currently extending a healthy dose of kindness, all while ensuring he keeps apace. ]

You didn't have to help me, but... thanks, for doing that anyways.

[ After all, she could have easily just walked away from that carnie's stand. ]

—Huh?

[ The obvious way her surprise shows is by the gentle flutter of her wings. Koharu spares a quick glance over her shoulder, a little blank, but is just as quick to avert her eyes pack to the path ahead. Fortunately, nothing seems to go wrong along the way; the crowds even begin to thin out, the further they go. ]

Why would I leave you behind? That must've hurt a lot.

[ It's Minato's turn to be surprised, though instead of a gentle flutter of wings, it's the slight raise of both brows. The astonishment quickly fades, only because he realizes he would have done the same. ]

It's fine, I'm --

[ "Used to it," is what he'd like to say, fairly accustomed to putting his life on the line. He decides against it though, cutting himself off and lowering his gaze. ]

...it's kind of you, that's all.

[ A beat follows, then: ]

It's nothing—really.

[ Genuinely. Koharu can't imagine being the kind of person who'd simply turn the other way. ]

I think this is it.

[ She says, as they approach one of the larger tents; with the entryway empty, Koharu jogs ahead and peeks inside. ]

... Just as I thought! It doesn't seem like anyone's around.

[ Then, she's the sort who won't think twice about lending a hand. People like that are often referred to as fools.

It seems luck is in their favor for the time being, or at the very least, neutral luck is doing some heavy lifting. Minato heads for the tent as well, wandering inside and casting a quick glance around. Yep, not a soul in sight.

Only now does he fully retrieve his Evoker from its holster, holding the pistol-shaped device in one hand. ]

...can you turn around? Or close your eyes. Either or.

[ ... ]

I'm supposed to keep how this works a secret.

[ A lie, but it's not too far off the mark. Even he realizes he's more or less a complete stranger asking for her trust, but he also thinks it's better this way. And if she doesn't feel comfortable with complying, that's fine too. She can watch if she insists on doing so. ]

—Ah? O- oh.

[ Is that why he was insistent on finding somewhere private? Koharu gives this only a short thought before both hands go over her eyes, and for good measure, she even turns to face the other way. ]

Okay! I won't tell anyone.

[ Minato blinks with mild disbelief. Trusting a stranger's word that the very gun-shaped item at their side was not in fact a gun, and then agreeing to close your eyes and look away while in their presence...

On the other hand, he supposes he would have done the same.

Once Koharu's covered her eyes and turned around, he lifts the Evoker to his temple and pulls the trigger. The tent is suddenly awash in a bright, blue light as a small pixie-like creature takes shape. The Persona turns to Minato, and upon seeing the damp patch of blood against his hair, shakes her head while casting a small healing spell.

Minato raises a hand to carefully press the spot where the sign had landed. His fingertips remain dry. Good, he thinks as he slides the Evoker back into its holster. ]

...you can look now. It's okay.

[ Pixie remains hovering near his shoulder though, arms crossed as she surveys Koharu with a curious look. ]

[ If only she were privy to such thoughts. For now, though, for as timid as she's been, Koharu doesn't flinch at the loud ring of a gunshot; but she does see blue illuminating their surroundings through the cracks of her fingers, just barely peeking through in awe.

She doesn't turn around until he gives the okay. Koharu cautiously peers over her shoulder, eyes growing wide when she spots the newly appeared entity fluttering close to him. ]

... She looks like a fairy.

[ Which would check out; he did call it magic, didn't he? ]

[ The new creature shakes her head. "Pixie, not a fairy," she insists while clicking her tongue.

Minato, on the other hand, responds with a shrug. ]

Close enough.

[ He points at the spot on his head that now sports partially-dried blood. ]

All gone now.

[ No explanation for who or what exactly the creature hovering near Minato might be. Meanwhile, Pixie points at Koharu while giving Minato a quizzical look. "And who's this supposed to be?" she asks, to which Minato's gaze follows the direction of her finger. ]

...

[ Now that Pixie's pointing it out -- ]

I... don't think I caught your name. Thanks for bringing me here though so I could take care of things.

[ Right, he should probably introduce himself first... ]

I'm Minato.

[ ... She talks? She talks!

Koharu gives another dumbfounded stare—between the... Pixie and the lack of injury upon his head—before dipping into a polite bow. ]

R—right, I'm sorry, that was rude of me! I'm Koharu—it's nice to meet you... both.

minato the brave...

or perhaps... minato the foolish...

(csi voice) yeeeeeah

can't possibly be any worse than the hand his own canon deals him 🙏

wdym he was just a normal guy doin normal highschool things

so true actually

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cw gun/suicidal imagery

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