TEST DRIVE MEME #13

[expiationmods]

Test Drive Meme #13

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 the Courthouse (formerly City Hall) and told to perform a task related to their assigned crime. Their only contact at the Courthouse 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 September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-In November 2024, a strange event overtook Aldrip and turned it into a week-long eternal night where technology ceased to work. During this time, the simulation that generates Expiation seemed to malfunction, causing a strange crack to appear in the surroundings. Through this crack, characters were able to see some sort of metal enclosure. They could reach a hand in, but little more than that. This crack has disappeared, for now, but what it means for Aldrip's future remains to be seen.

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. Current players may use TDM threads as part of their AC proofs. Applications for February are closed to current players only, as we're at player cap. But we are still allowing for new players to hop on the TDM!

You can view our CALENDAR to keep important dates in mind. RESERVES open for current players on February 18th and APPLICATIONS will open on February 21st.. After this, applications will next open in April.

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THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE AIR TONIGHT

Aldrip's Day of Devotion celebration has become tradition among the locals. This year, to celebrate the occasion, the events center will open its doors to both locals and chosen for a special party. Strangely, not a lot of the locals seem to be attending...well, at least it's not crowded. The party takes place in-game on February 17.

The party is a little lackluster, if we're being honest. Corny cut-paper decorations, low-budget food, sappy music. The staff seem to be dedicated to making this event a roaring success, though! They'll be obsessively pairing up any single folks they see, even if that just means grabbing the closest random stranger. Altogether, the event coordinators are doing their very best to make sure every Chosen in attendance gets in on the fun, even going so far as to pull people off the street if they look like they might be trying not to attend! They’ll try to insist on characters playing their games, but they’re only human, after all–they might miss a few people.

Within the events center, Chosen will find a bar with some specialty themed cocktails, as well as a dance floor and a lounge area. They’ll also find some games and activities. Some of these are normal: cards, dice, even charades. Some…well, some seem to be taking the theme of devotion rather seriously.

A (SPEED) DATE WITH DESTINY

You find yourself seated at a table. On the table is a five-minute timer and a list of increasingly personal questions. Seated across from you: another Chosen. Maybe you signed up willingly. Maybe the event coordinator shoved you over here. Maybe some well-meaning friend has bullied you into it. Whatever the case, here you are, on a series of speed dates that the event coordinators are hoping will end in amour!

(But we all know it’s not that easy.)

The idea is simple: you each read a question for the other to answer until the five-minute timer is up. Then, either you and your new beloved leave the table together, or you change tables for a different match. Simple! Thing is, sometimes the timers don’t really work the way they should; you may find yourself feeling like this five minutes is a very long five minutes. And the questions are sometimes romantic in nature (what quality do you look for in a partner?), but sometimes they get a little…conceptual. (is humankind inherently good or evil? as an example.) Some of these questions may also assume a level of familiarity that some Chosen don’t have. Better just to roll with it.

We’ve included some sample questions here, but please do feel free to come up with your own!

CLICK HERE FOR QUESTIONS

Romantic:
-What do you admire most about me?
-What’s the hardest thing about being in love?
-Would you ever be the first to confess your feelings?
-What's really working for you in this relationship?
-What's the best kiss you've ever had?
-What makes a kiss enjoyable?
-What color underwear do you want me to wear?
-Do you prefer sexy or smart?
-When did you know you were in love with me?
-Which part of my body do you find attractive?
-If your body was a plant, how many times a day would I have to water it?

Less…romantic:
-How do we know we're doing the right thing?
-Why do you think we're here?
-Do you have a right to be happy or should you earn it?
-What is a person? Is it the mind or body?
-Is it more important to love or be loved?
-If you died today, would you be satisfied with the life you've lived?
-How do you know you're not dreaming right now?
-Do you feel happier in summer or winter?
-What color do you feel like best describes yourself?
-If you could be an animal, what would you be?
-What is your most secret wish?
-Describe your perfect day.
-What is a “soul?”

SECRET DELIVERY

It’s not an errand, it’s a scavenger hunt! …or so it’s billed by the event staff. They promise they’re not pawning their work off on you. Each Chosen is given a small box–about the size of their tablets, actually–at the door, and they’re tasked with finding the person this small box belongs to. There’s one for every event attendee, but none of them have names on them. That would be too easy! Instead, the tags have simple directions: Give this box to someone with brown hair or give this box to someone who looks sad. The descriptions vary from box to box, and can even include activities (for example, give this box to someone who was dancing!). As per the rules, if someone already has a box, they’re not allowed to accept another.

So. What’s inside?

Opening the box, Chosen will find a small trinket nestled delicately within layers of tissue paper. It’s a pin, or a hair clip, or a pendant on a chain–something Chosen will be inclined to wear. Strangely, even though the box wasn’t addressed to them by name, each Chosen will notice that the subject of the trinket somehow speaks to their experience or their past. Perhaps a butterfly means something personal to them, or a dagger, or a dog. All are asked to put on these trinkets in the spirit of the event; the event coordinators won’t punish anyone who refuses, but they will offer to help put them on, and they’ll gush over how beautiful they look.

These trinkets have a strange effect, though: they compel the wearer to speak their true feelings. These feelings can be romantic in nature, but need not be; they simply feel compelled to tell the truth about how they feel on any particular subject.

SECRET TUNNEL! SECRET TUNNEL!

The banner over this tunnel, inexplicably located on what you really thought was an exterior wall of the building, reads “Tunnel of Love and Treasure.” Doesn’t that sound nice! But entering this tunnel isn’t without complication: as the attendant will tell you, everyone who enters must be paired with another person–and it’s that attendant’s job to do the pairing! You might get paired with someone you know, with a partner or a friend…or you may be paired with a total stranger. It’s subject to the whims of this attendant, who is enthusiastic but seemingly a little clueless about whatever bonds might currently exist between people.

The second rule: explorers must hold hands the entire time they’re in the tunnel! There’s no better way to grow the feelings between you than touch, as everyone knows. Once Chosen enter the tunnel, they’ll find they actually can’t let go–their hands are stuck fast. Welp. This is fine. Right?

The tunnel is strangely…realistic inside, looking like a cave rather than the inside of an event hall. How odd. There are all sorts of nooks and crannies in which a treasure might be hidden, but examining them leaves no trace of anything that might be considered a treasure. But not to worry! There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, eventually–in quite a literal sense. It opens into a large cavern, where another event attendant sits, strumming a small guitar. Go ahead, ask him where the treasure is. He’ll tell you, “the treasure was the bond you made along the way!” Or maybe he’ll sing it to you, if you’re lucky. (Unlucky?) And…well, that may sound like a crock, but you’ll find your hands unstuck and your way back out of the tunnel clear and easy.

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

[abandonware]

[How warmly that Beta speaks of this machine makes A2 frown to herself, discomfited. It's such a bizarre thing to hear from a human — to imagine that the enemy she'd hated for so long could serve such a magnanimous purpose to humanity.]

So she's capable of independent thought. [...] Like Pascal. [Like the machine children.] But the other machines from your world aren't — they're like animals, right? [A little huff.] That's so weird. The machines from my world are completely different.

[She appears to differentiate herself from the machines, however.]

[nobetawedielike]

Gaia's machines were intended to be part of the natural world as it repaired it. They wouldn't be violent if HEPHAESTUS weren't sentient and trying to make them more formidable.

[ she's turning curious eyes on A2. ]

What are the machines like where you're from? You talked about Pascal before. Are they your friend?

[abandonware]

[HEPHAESTUS, HADES... subroutines, she thinks Aloy had called them. Networked machines, maybe, except their master program was benevolent, unlike those eerie children from her world. And yet they had broken free to defy her.

Beta's curiosity about Pascal and the other machines isn't unexpected, but A2 closes in on herself a little anyway.] ...

[She sighs.] At first they weren't anything. [This is said with some disdain.] They weren't like us. They were just mindless killers. That's what — what we thought. They were [she almost says "stealing," and amends herself.] learning from us. Some were cut from their network and started to... evolve. To change.

Pascal was... Pascal was the head of a machine village in the Forest. It was full of peaceful machines that had been separated from the main network. None of them wanted to fight.

[nobetawedielike]

So they progressed toward it naturally.

[ from violent machines to peaceful...it's a dream compared to Gaia's corrupted machines or the Faro plague.

she manages to restrain the urge to start enthusing about that. now isn't the time. ]

It must have been a shock. [ almost hopefully, ] A good one?

[abandonware]

[There's a hopeful note in Beta's voice that A2 can't help but hear. It occurs to her to lie, to say something that might confirm what she's likely thinking. But instead she says:]

... I don't know. It's not easy to exist like that in my world. [She rubs absently at her wrist. Thinking of Pascal. How the pointless cruelty of their world had destroyed him.

Had he been happy, though, before? Had it been worth it?

...] Peace never lasts very long.

[Her gaze drops. Then she sighs, stands to her feet.] C'mon. I'll tell you more as we walk.

[nobetawedielike]

[ she can't hide her feelings for anything outside of life and death; Beta's smile turns sad. that seemed to be a trend, she noticed, whether ancient history or warring tribes, there was always some kind of fighting going on. it never really went away, just blessed for brief periods.

she rises with A2 anyway. ]

Is there anything about your world you like?

[abandonware]

[It's a while before A2 answers. She's giving the question thought, searching among the debris of her short and ruined life for something in the rubble.

The words are soft, hesitant.]

The ocean. When I first saw it, I couldn't believe how much it shone in the daylight. [...] Trees. Birds. The Earth is beautiful.

[She rubs at her arm. More quietly:] ... It's what I think, anyway.

[nobetawedielike]

It is! I'd like to see so much more of it. The first time I saw the sky was amazing.

[ she's gently bumping shoulders with A2 again, don't be nervous!!! ]

I haven't seen the ocean yet, but it must have been wonderful.

[abandonware]

[Barely jostled by the nudge, A2 is caught off guard by it nonetheless. She mulls over what Beta has said — her captors had prevented her from seeing anything non-artificial. A nightmare. She tries not to think about how this place, as realistic as it seemed, was very much the same.

She wondered who their captors were. But she doesn't say this.]

...

I think there's an ocean here. Might be able to make a trip, one day.

[There's light ahead — their cave adventure is almost through.] Almost to the end. Got anything else you wanna grab?

[nobetawedielike]

I'd like that.

[ She gives the cave one last look around, swinging A2's hand a little again. It's pretty, but it was clearly more for the effect than anything. Ah, well. There's plenty here to explore. ]

I think I'm good. It was fun just seeing it. Thanks for coming with me.