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

[laserguy]

[When Scott returns to Zekarion's side, he's carrying a couple of corndogs and a couple cups of lemonade for them to have. How is he managing to carry everything? Skill, obviously, and experience because he has a girlfriend that he often buys food for. Zekarion is unfortunately not his girlfriend, but he'll still have a corndog getting offered almost directly to his face.]

You know, you can do more than just stare grumpily at me. Here, I'll help you.

[He lowers his voice just a little, like he's trying to mimic the older man's voice and when he speaks, that exasperation is still clear in his voice.] 'Thank you very much, Scott, for not only the food but putting up with my ass.'

[chimericalclaw]

[Should he be impressed? Eh. The kid's hands and arms are working, good for him.

He moves slightly out of the way of the corndog—personal space, lad!—but only pauses a brief moment before taking the offered food.]

Scott. That's a unique way of introducing yourself.

[Yeah, that's what he got out of that: information. He holds out his opposite hand to take the lemonade off Scott's hands.]

You trust them not to drug their fare as well?

[Since he did just call them assholes a moment ago.]

[laserguy]

[Oh, right. Guess he never did introduce himself. Well, problem solved now.

Once Zekarion takes his portion, Scott immediately takes a bite out of his corndog, the teen obviously hungry and wanting to eat for a while now. The whole thing about the food being drugged doesn't even seem to stop or slow his pace, with Scott taking another bite and obnoxiously chewing before he sends Zekarion another flat look.

Dude, does this guy ever stop complaining?]

It's carnival food. [He can't really remember when food's been drugged before, but also, he wouldn't be entirely surprised either. The locals have been ruder and everything... but wouldn't that be bad for business? Maybe one could say the same thing about the fortune teller. Whatever.]

If it doesn't give you food poisoning in some way, then something is actually wrong with it. [...] If you're not going to eat it, then just give it back to me.

[chimericalclaw]

[He doesn't even seem bothered by the apparent attempt to annoy him. He simply watches, like he's trying to see if anything changes in Scott's demeanor. There's nothing immediate, at least—he's still being a little shit, as if being sincere might kill him.]

Your nonchalance knows no end, [he remarks, looking to others nearby who are enjoying their own festival treats. They all seem to be acting as if this is no more than a standard celebration, and that bothers him.

He takes a sip of his drink, still staring off into the crowds. It sounds far more defeated than he'd like (read: at all) when he continues on to a different topic:]

Tell me about these friends of yours who've returned.

[No, you aren't getting the corndog back.]

[laserguy]

[Scott remains silent, mostly because he's too busy eating his corndog and giving some sort of attempt to enjoy his time at this carnival. It's kind of hard, both a little envious and glad to see people around them having fun-- someone is at least. He's not sure how long he's going to really stick around the older man, but he's remained with him thus far out of some stupid guilt or empathy or whatever. At least he's drinking the lemonade??

And almost pointedly not giving his corndog back. Fine. It's not like he really wanted it back anyway!!]

What about them? [There's that more stubborn attitude, one that Scott's adopted because he's feeling kind of sour around Altius. He also doesn't want to go into too many details and tell everything to some guy that he doesn't really trust.]

They went home, they came back, and mentioned that no time passed for them.

[chimericalclaw]

[Scott's tone hardly registers in his mind, and the pause is equally not acknowledged. At this point, Zekarion is only interested in whatever information he's getting and trying to bend it into something he can work with. Currently, that means forcing it into a shape that resembles hope, as antithetical to his nature as that is.]

I suppose it explains your complacency, somewhat, [he replies, eyes following a stranger in a cat costume without any real awareness,] if you believe them.

[There's no real question in it, but his distrustful personality is clashing hard with the attempt to believe.]

[laserguy]

Of course I believe them.

[The answer comes quickly, almost decisively. He has no doubts about that. Sure, he isn't super close with Mitsuru, but he still trusts her. Mikey, of course, he'd trust with his life. They managed to get past a bunch of bullshit together and while it sucked at the time, he feels like their friendship is even stronger now. Although, he definitely still owes the biker a kick in the face one day. It just has to be at a time when Mikey's not asking for it.

It's less fun that way.

Nonetheless, the only way all of this is wrong is if his friends got hit with false memories themselves, but the stuff that Mitsuru experienced seemed to match with her friends and everything.]

If you're going to keep asking me questions, you better start eating that corndog.

[chimericalclaw]

You're quite assertive, aren't you.

[Weirdly, it's said without judgment. It's more of a neutral acknowledgement; just an observation said aloud instead of kept to himself as it would be normally.

Well, alright then. Scott believes it, quite strongly—believes these friends of his. For some reason, doesn't suspect that their minds have been tampered with.]

This returning must not happen frequently. [He is not eating the corndog. ... Yet.]

[laserguy]

Great observation, Altius.

[He's not sure how to really take that comment, so sass it is. Always the great defensive comeback to anything anyone says, even if it's partially ruined by how he drinks the remainder of his lemonade in one big gulp. At least he doesn't spill on himself.]

You're not eating still. [He sees that!! Fine, if he wants to be stubborn about it, then Scott will be stubborn right back.] I already gave you an example of how to eat one.

[Congratulations Altius, you've unlocked full brat mode from Scott.]

[chimericalclaw]

You'll have to forgive me for having no appetite, [he answers.] The memory of being covered in blood isn—

[He cuts himself off, mouth closing and eyes shutting with some force. He takes in a breath and shakes his head with tiny, hurried motions as if trying to physically shake the forced honesty out of himself. Under his breath:]

Shut up.

[Okay, yes, he's taking a bite now. If just to get himself to stop talking.]

[laserguy]

[Wow, don't make him lose his appetite during all this. That's so rude. Scott doesn't really know what to say to that, just swallowing down an uncomfortable lump that's formed in his throat. Okay, fine, it's clear that Altius really came from a bad spot, between that important person to him dying back home and being covered in blood.

So, he'll actually give him a small break by not bringing attention to the older man talking to himself. It's clear he's trying to reorient himself and... he honestly gets that. Scott will just continue eating, only taking a couple more bites to polish off his corndog.]

...The inn.

[He eventually says after a few seconds of silence, figuring that he'll try to be a little helpful.] I'd recommend staying there for a while. The locals are being dicks right now, but they're still housing people.

[chimericalclaw]

[Zekarion follows suit, both with the silence and with the eating. There's an almost defiant sense to the way he takes another sip of the lemonade after that, but it fades soon after, once Scott speaks up again.

He responds with a simple question, doubt in his voice no longer:]

Where is it?

[He'll follow the suggestion; he can always assess how valuable it might be when he gets there. And if it comes down to it... he's fairly sure he can protect himself from anything untoward while he tries to rest and recover from whatever this is.

He... won't be saying goodbye or offer any gratitude as he departs, though; the most Scott will get is a pause and a glance after he's gotten to his feet, like the lad is simply supposed to read his mind before he turns and leaves...]