TEST DRIVE MEME #11

[expiationmods]

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.

Full Navigation

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)!

♡

Comments

meee toooooo

[spiritualize]

[ well that's something, at least. he lets braveheart vanish in a flash, sighing.

one of the hells? hells, multiple? he's only heard of the one, and he'd briefly met the guy who runs it. this definitely wasn't his style. atonement, though... riku keeps his voice carefully neutral. ]

That's an interesting criteria. Who's this "idiot"?

if only i had the energy to dust off my xion account

[nightwild]

If I knew that, I'd've kicked their ass already.

[She runs a hand through her hair, sighing.]

This whole place is apparently a "simulation" run by something called an AI... And there's more than one? Maybe? It's all complicated, and I'm just here to beat up the assholes who think they can do this.

xion...! precious girl wonderful...............

[spiritualize]

You're not from... this place, then.

[ fauna's words are giving him serious "world visitor" vibes, but from someone who isn't concerned for, or maybe aware of, the world order. but he still chooses his words carefully.

an ai, though? riku thinks of tron and the dtd, and his venture through the sleeping world, and frowns. this place isn't glowy neon lines enough for any of that to line up with what he knows. ]

At least you've got a goal in mind. [ amused. sounds like some people he knows. ] I'm Riku.

i love her. my perfect daughter.

[nightwild]

[She doesn't know about a world order... and frankly, even if she did, she wouldn't care. She just wants to commit violence.]

Riku, huh... I'm Fauna.

[Her tail twitches a bit as she studies him.]

And no. This place kidnaps a ton of people from, as far as I can tell, a bunch of different worlds, for stupid 'crimes', as if the AI has the right to judge us for it.

she IS perfect. deserves the world

[spiritualize]

[ it seems weird to offer a pleasant greeting given the circumstances and fauna's general... demeanor, so riku just nods in recognition of her name. he studies her with equal scrutiny, uncowed, but always a little wary.

at least with that explanation, there was one less thing to worry about. world order's out the window if there were so many offworlders here anyway. no need to tiptoe around details. ]

"Kidnapped"? So... this is basically a prison?

[ he looks up, again, at the cages. ugh. ]

i will protect her with my life

[nightwild]

Basically. Out of one cage, into another. It wants you to "atone" for the crimes you've committed, but it's basically all bullshit.

When I first showed up, the simulation was pretty much falling apart, but everyone else wanted to fix it instead of just letting it break... so getting out of here might be hard.

[She's carrying herself with the poise of someone who is extremely ready for violence all the time, and confident that she'll be the winner if she does have to fight.]

So we just have to find the mastermind to kick their ass, I guess.

so would riku u _u

[spiritualize]

A simulation... like a datascape.

[ he was still sort of hazy on the details of how all that worked, no matter how patiently diz, and later ienzo, had tried to explain it to him. what he did understand is having one fall apart was definitely not a good thing, but he lets fauna's comment slide. she's been here longer than him, maybe it was different. and there was no point saying something dumb and pissing her off when she was being helpful, and also ready to break things.

well. maybe being trapped in a data prison was belated karma.

it does prompt him to pull out his gummiphone from his pocket, clicking ienzo's number first. then, after a brief hesitation, roxas's. the connection subsequently failing for both is... a major worry. he frowns and puts the phone away. ]

Seems like that'll be a tall task, if it's all as complicated as you say.

as he should after days.

[nightwild]

[She's eyeing that phone. A smartphone? It looks a little weird... A transformation device? No, it doesn't look weird enough. A really, really weird phone case? Maybe?]

It might not be. I'll be the first to admit I'm not very smart. But so far, some people have been here for a long time... and we're apparently not the first batch.

look. hey. he tried. but he has priorities. priority. look

[spiritualize]

Just hunt down the big bad and beat 'em up, huh.

[ with a thin smile, riku puts his hands on his hips. honestly, he's done pretty much exactly that before, so maybe fauna's not too far off from the solution here. there's going to be a lot to learn, but he's grateful for her straightforward attitude explaining the gist of it. ]

I'm pretty alright at that, too.

im looking.

[nightwild]

Good. About time someone else around here got that. Everyone else keeps wringing their hands to wait and see- I'm glad someone else is willing to take action.

As long as you're any good with that sword of yours, anyway.

[TEAM VIOLENCE

Fauna doesn't doubt his skill with whatever that weird sword was, exactly. But a lot of people here are swinging in very different weight classes, and it's very hard to tell at a look who falls where. This guy might just be a normal kid with a weird sword... or maybe he's on the same level as Rogue, or even stronger.]

LOOK!!! its FINE now (in xions case) (the Status of the Priority is now an unrelated issue)

[spiritualize]

I'm not saying I'm not prepared for a bit of waiting and seeing. Plenty used to that, as well.

[ but there was somewhere else he was meant to be. this city was big, but it didn't have the sleek, shimmering, skyraking scale of where he'd intended to end up. so the quicker they found their way out, the better riku would feel.

but what was another wait, after this long, really. ]

What kind of combat do you specialise in, Fauna?

we'll find out when kh4 releases in 2079

[nightwild]

[She can't help but smirk at that question. What kind indeed.]

All kinds. Doesn't matter what- As long as it's a fight, I won't lose.

i am so tired (so is riku)

[spiritualize]

[ her confidence is simultaneously encouraging and concerning.

beginning to walk, all the while scanning the hanging cages that seem to continue along this whole quiet stretch of street, he hopes but does not expect her to follow. a question is an incentive to do so, however. ]

What was your world like?

[nightwild]

[Yeah, sure. She'll tag along. She shrugs as she walks, glancing around, though her ears remain focused on Riku.]

Don't really know what to compare it to. Japan, Earth. Twenty-first century. It's a shitty place. Close-minded. Anyone who doesn't fit in is forced out.

I'd be happy to ditch it, if this place wasn't even worse.

[spiritualize]

[ he doesn't know her well enough to offer any consolation, and it seems rude to make assumptions about her homeworld... but it sounds like she had been taken from one prison just to be thrown in another. no wonder she was so gung-ho about escaping.

instead of saying any of that, he nods solemnly. ]

Yeah, you're not painting a pretty picture about this world.

[ he fishes out his gummiphone again. no luck, again.

casually; ]

You were eyeing this thing earlier too, right?

[nightwild]

Good. If I was, it'd be lying.

[She's eyeing the gummiphone again, but...]

... Yeah. It's a weird-looking phone.

[spiritualize]

Is it that weird?

[ he turns the bulky thing in its silly chassis over in his hand. the crown detail was kind of pointless, sure, but... ]

It's the only one I've ever had, so I wouldn't know. It's not working right now, anyway.

[nightwild]

It looks too fat to fit in a pocket, but... I dunno, I've never had a phone, so maybe I'm wrong.

[girl pockets would make that even harder, in fairness.]

Yeah, no way it'd work here. If we could contact the outside, this whole prison would be pointless.

[spiritualize]

[ being able to get service in the realm of darkness had been surprising to the point where not getting service here was way more concerning than it should've been.

pointedly, he slips it back in his jacket pocket, where it fits just fine. maybe that's because the clothes are magic. ]

So whoever runs this place can restrict communication, but we can still have weapons and roam around an area like this freely?

[nightwild]

Yep.

I've dealt with people like that before. Means they think no matter how much we struggle or wander, we'll never be able to reach 'em.

[Admittedly, it's usually been things like mirror dimensions or dream worlds before, but this is still the same principle. Right?]

[spiritualize]

I know the type.

[ and. well. it hasn't exactly always gone perfectly, but. riku, at least, is still here. ]

Thanks, Fauna. For explaining things.

[nightwild]

... Huh?

[The idea of being thanked seems to just... take her off-guard. She has no idea how to handle it. Someone is... thanking her? She did something helpful? Huh???]

I... D- Don't mention it. I didn't... I mean, I didn't get much of an explanation when I showed up, so I'm just doing what I can now.

[spiritualize]

[ there's a rather poor attempt to stifle a laugh behind his hand. ]

You're doing great. It's a rare day when someone's so straightforward with me, y'know?

[nightwild]

[WHY THIS]

Ugh....

[okay, no, regain composure. she can do this.]

I get that... I just hate it when people try to beat around the bush, you know? Being straightforward is better.

[spiritualize]

[ okay he's trying really hard to not be amused by this but you have to consider that it's extremely funny. in like, a relatable way. sorry fauna. ]

Couldn't agree more. [ hypocrisy? only a little. even with the secrets he keeps, he's more straightforward than most people he knows. ] So, it sounds like you've been trapped here for a while.