TEST DRIVE: MARCH

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: MARCH —

Welcome to empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:

• Date reminders. Reserves open Tuesday, February 23nd and Applications (Canon | OC) open Tuesday, March 1st.
  
  
• OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are currently allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.
  
  
• Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.
  
  
• Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.
  
  
• Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.
  
  
• First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!

Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!


PROMPTS

• Prompt A: How about giving the emotions a try?

• Prompt B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.

• Prompt C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...

• Prompt D: Fireworks are a common source of entertainment for the island, and each year the equipment and technology used get more advaanced—and more dangerous. This year they're trying to contain the explosive emotional power from the easily angered by using a new device based off the Tree of Memories petals. Except the "device" includes the explosive powder for the fireworks. You can only imagine how disasterous that could be. YOUR OPTIONS:

1. Someone is deliberately provoking you to try and make you mad.
   
2. Someone else has blown their top and the device (and nearby fireworks) are exploding.
   
3. General firework and explosives mayhem.

Note: Calm emotions will help diffuse the situation, but you might want some water or something else to help douse both the literal and metaphorical flames.

• Prompt E: The spring season of Zephyras is on its way, so there's a lot less snow these days. To make the most of it, a lot of the local children have built as many snowmen and snow creatures as they can. Some adults have also taken to it, some actually treating it like some kind of competition. The resulting creations range from the standard to the incredible. Behemoth, monstrous creatures with gaping jaws and horns, majestic unicorns with ice sculpted wings and horns, lifelike human sculptures in various poses. Normally all of these would be considered works of it, but when you're in a world where emotions can sometimes give things a mind of their own...well. Creativity isn't the only way to "breathe life" into them.

1. Emotions can affect these snow sculptures in various way. Those that trend on the happier side will cause the snow creations to move and frolic around in place, perhaps even try to "play" with those around them. Those that trend on the negative, however, will give the opposite, especially anything that could make them more angry and violent.
   
   
2. A few people have caught onto this and have actually created a snowmen army! Using "stock" made snowmen, at least ten from each side slide and wobble around, chucking snowballs and rocks at one another for pure snow destruction. Hopefully you don't get caught in the middle of it.

• Prompt F: Have you ever ridden on a hover board? Or a flying motorcycle? Well if you haven't, you get to be one of many to try out a new design set to come out by the summer months of Eurus. Of course, they are still in development, so expect some hiccups and stalls. Even more, to help with fuel and power efficiency issues, the engineers have created a system that would help absorb and channel the user's emotions into the machine. Now, it's supposed to only take the energy from emotions and not actually be affected by what kind is given. In theory, even a sad person could power their new flying vehicle! However, that's a kink that still needs to be hammered out, so the test vehicles are still prone to emotional effects just like everything else. Angry emotions will have fire bursting from the exhaust, giving it a super huge boost in speed and power, but lack of control. Joy and excitement are also good boosters, but prepare to have a trail of stardust that could blow back in your face. Some other side effects are: rust, engine stall, decreased acceleration, suddenly flying upside down. Oh yeah, these don't have seat belts. But you get a helmet and a parachute! Good luck.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include empty barrel and/or chickens.

For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!

Comments

Thomas Jefferson | Hamilton (musical) | C, E, F

[moreequal]

C

[Thomas has never been a fan of letting people inside of hiss brain. His opinions are loud when they have to be, and he knows how to say the right things to get people on his side but that's as far in as he will allow people. His brain is only his to know, so he's a little wary about this telepathic conversation thing.

But he's also an incredibly curious man, and everything he's seen in this place has picked his interest. The Crystal isn't any different. And really, why have a tool if you're not going to use it? He'll be able to keep his own thoughts to himself and only project what he wants to. He's sure. And he makes sure that that confidence is what he projects in his thoughts.]

I have to admit this is pretty handy. Fancy way of communicating, really. But isn't anyone else concerned about the long term effects of having people constantly barge in into your own mind?


E

[Jefferson isn't a fan of snow, either. He understands the necessity of it, like everything in nature. But that doesn't mean he didn't get pissed off every time a snowfall at the wort possible time ruined an year's worth of crops. However, if all the snow creations acted like these he'd change his mind in a heartbeat.

Have one Thomas Jefferson grinning as he plays around with some little snow-unicorns (unicorns! whaaaaaat). He seems to be in a very good mood since the creatures are responding very positively to him as he tries to teach them how to respond to certain commands. He was never in charge of training his own horses but that doesn't mean he didn't learn a few tricks. Better than dogs, certainly.

Around Jefferson, now that he's very obviously happy, everything seems to be... brighter. Shinier, even. Like covered in sequins or glitter.]


F

WATCH OUT!

[Have one (1) Thomas Jefferson going straight towards you at a frankly alarming speed in one of the hoverboards. Look, he thought they looked pretty cool. He wanted to try them, try to go faster. It's not his fault he's an emotional rollercoaster, and that the constant flux of emotions doesn't exactly seem to work well with the machine's engine, okay?]

F!

[workingon3]

OH SHIT--

[Laurens dives out of the way of the man on the... whatever that thing is. He lands in a conveniently located pile of snow. As much as you can refer to snow as 'conveniently located', anyway. Now safely out of harm's way, he turns to look at the man zooming about. Specifically, what he's wearing, because John has gotten used to most people here wearing, well, very little in the case of many people. Different worlds, different times, he's starting to get used to it. This dude's wearing

well

Laurens can't exactly call it a sensible outfit, it's pretty ridiculous, but it at least seems like it might be from his time, more or less.]

[moreequal]

[After a pretty dramatic swerve that nearly makes Jefferson fall to the ground, he hovers right in front of Laurens. He's honestly not worried that he's hurt someone, simply the repercussions of it, but it's still enough to calm down the mess of emotions he usually is and focus enough to control the hoverboard until he can calmly hop off.]

Yo.

Didn't actually hit you did I?

[workingon3]

I've got better reflexes than that.

[He stands up, shaking the snow off himself, and stares at the hoverboard.]

The hell is that, anyway?

[moreequal]

Hover Board!

[He hands it to him for him to inspect.] I do not know how it works yet, but I plan on taking it apart and investigating it soon enough. With a little luck I'll improve it.

Who am I talking to?

Fun as telepathic conversation merit be... F.

[itsatie]

[ Madison is. Quietly not okay, looking at all the strange things around him with a frown, so his eyes don't go as wide as saucers. Everything is a shock and he simply refuses to panic.

It's working, for now, but he's not sure how much that'll last.

And then something is flying at him, large and dark and... ]

Thomas?!

[ And because he is, indeed, capable of thinking fast, ]

Do you need a hand down?

[moreequal]

No!

[He didn't mean to scream. But honestly the moment he recognizes James's voice the hoverboard decides it's time to go crazy and fly up up and away. Or, only a couple inches but still hard enough that Jefferson has to kind of... kneel down and grab to the edges because this is not safe. Not safe at all.]

...Maybe?

Hello.

[itsatie]

[ Madison clenches his teeth, but still holds out a hand. Just in case.

He does appreciate not being run over, at least. But now that the original shock is over, he squares his shoulders. ]

Thomas? What are you doing?

[moreequal]

[Yeah, no, he sees that look. He ain't coming down until he's sure he's not going to be Passive Aggresive'd at.]

Well, I saw these devices. They call them 'hoverboards'- you can fly with them. Fly with them, friend! How was I supposed to resit trying one?

F because I WANNA BE A COOL KID TOO, also assuming they met while Laf was in France.

[fightingfrenchman]

Merde--! [What even is that, Thomas, Christ, you're lucky he doesn't have his pistols here. He, too, is diving out of the way, landing hard on the pavement. Ow. Thankfully, he's had worse, but he gets up, rubbing his shoulder a little cautiously. There is a squint at the man on the --whatever that is, and he steps close, ready to duck again if need be.]

Jefferson? What are you doing?

[moreequal]

Bonjour!

[Jefferson grins, looking- okay, he does look slightly guilty about having almost run over Lafayette. He actually likes the guy.] I did not expect to see you here, my friend. Then again this place is so strange you never know what to expect.

I am flying around! These [He motions at the device.] Are called hover boards. But they are tricky to use.

[fightingfrenchman]

You are a madman. [It's fond, though, and he's coming to get a closer look at this weird board thing here.]

Men who can fly, friends from other times entirely, this place is...[A pause, and he switches to French for a moment because it's just easier.] I do not see how it can be real.

[moreequal]

I do not either. And yet here we are.

[He hands him the hoverboard for him to inspect, a grin on his lips.] By now I know better than to question reality just because I do not understand it. There is an explanation, I am sure. We just need time to find it.

Would you like to try?

e, GONNA BE A TRAILBLAZER

[rhymeswithsir]

[...There's no mistaking that outfit. And if there's anyone he would prefer to be here less than Hamilton it's almost definitely this guy.

Burr stands off to one side of this display for a few minutes, watching Jefferson play around in the snow. And he almost goes on his way without saying anything at all (he'd actually prefer Jefferson not know he's here at all), but...he's gotta. He's just gotta.]

I've got to say, I wouldn't have expected this. From you.

YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT

[moreequal]

[He recognizes that voice, and the tiny unicorn decides Jefferson isn't worth its attention anymore and lets out an angry whine, shaking away the pats that it had been enjoying a second ago. It's not that he actively hates Burr, they agree on just barely enough to avoid that.

But he can never, ever trust someone who's even more manipulativ than he.]

Aaron Burr, sir.

'This' being?

[rhymeswithsir]

[Okay but can we agree that he's still less of an objectionable human being? Like he's the Bad Guy but he's not a bad guy. Mostly.

Burr watches the unicorn get huffy all of a sudden. Hmmm, was that him? Oops.]

Mr. President.

'This' being [He's gesturing at tiny snow unicorns.] snow creatures.

[moreequal]

[Burr if you were more of an objectionable human being than Jefferson here you'd have to look at your life, look at your choices. Seriously.]

Oh, I did not make them. [He grins, looking at the unicorn as it does its best to calm down.] I did not even know our emotions would influence things this much. I am simply reaping the benefits of the kids playing around.

But I think they are kind of cute, aren't they? [Who's a sucker for animals? He's a sucker for animals.]

E!

[onerous]

[Yuri and snow aren't getting along so well lately, but thankfully this is much better than getting accidentally pulverized with snow during intense snowball battles. The snow unicorns re, at least, cute.

Cute enough that not even someone like Yuri can ignore it completely, and eventually she wanders over to see--That and the glitter effects had caught her attention. She watches quietly for a few moments, hands clasped behind her back.

Again she eyes the glitter and looks vaguely amused] Is it difficult, training them? [She speaks up at last, honestly curious. She had a vague idea of how unicorns were supposed to be like and these...weren't really it. But then again, they're snow-unicorns. Maybe the same rules don't apply.]

[moreequal]

[Jefferson grins, the public smile on as soon as he realizes it's not someone he recognizes. She's kind of cute, too, so it doesn't hurt to try to turn his charm on.]

Assuming they would act the same as horses... if you would want to train them completely, then yes. And it'd be nearly impossible to do it if you are not around them since birth.

Luckily these are more than willing to learn, aren't you guys? [He says with his attention back to the unicorns. They shake happily shake their mane, as if trying to answer.]

[onerous]

[Curiosity successfully piqued, Yuri steps a little closer, but her gaze goes back to Jefferson with interest]

Do you train horses often? They respond well to you.

[in contrast to the sparkles that seem to pop off around Jefferson and the area around him and the unicorns, Yuri exudes an almost constant aura of calm. The unicorns nearest her take deep breaths and exhale slowly, looking content and almost sleepy. She spares them a glance and thinks oops, because that might make training them a little more difficult now but... Oops.]

Ah, sorry-- I didn't introduce myself. [She bows politely, a habit she hasn't been able to break yet even if most people here seem to be from where West] Kozukata Yuri. Er, that is-- Yuri is my given name.

[moreequal]

[Thomas glances at her bowing, raising an eyebrow. Then he offers him her hand for her to shake because he's always stuck to his own way of doing things and why should that change now?]

Thomas Jefferson. Thomas is my given name. Lovely to meet you, Yuri.

I didn't train them often, but I did ride them a lot. I learned a little.

E ignore burr I was here first IN SPIRIT

[allshotsfired]

[Shit, he knows that coat, only one man outside of a circus ringmaster would wear something that terrible, and what the hell is he doing? Shouldn't he be back home, ruining the country like everyone expected?

(He's not bitter, he isn't. Never mind how the wind kicks up small snow flurries into the air.)

But oh hey, that's an idea. He's far enough away that hopefully Jefferson hasn't seen him, so he heads over to some lumpy mess of a sitting snow animal, and he does some work. Ears, a mouth, he carves out the tips of dull claws with his fingers, and and pulls the mass of snow on the neck into a rough mane. Eh, he's not known for being a sculptor, okay? So he stands back to look at it, and starts thinking about how Jefferson just needs to get punched in the face once in awhile, for his own good. But hey, if the unicorns would get it instead...

It takes only a few moments for the sculpture to jump to life, and he gives it a smack on the rump as it barrels past him and towards the other group. Hey, let the lion and the unicorns duke it out, that's how it's supposed to be.

...It hits him a second later that perhaps he should have planned something for when the lions were done with the unicorns. Shiiiiiit.]

/tells everyone Burr was here first

[moreequal]

[The scream of 'WHAT' can probably be heard all across the place as Jefferson takes a step back and watches the... well, it's not a carnage. Not really. The unicorns were in a far too peaceful mood to react to the lion, and by the time Jefferson's mood catches up it's already too late and he has a mangled little hill of snow where the unicorns had been.

Well, that sure did happen. He takes a couple steps back because that lion is really obviously angry and Jefferson doesn't feel like being attacked by snow creatures today. He shouldn't be surprised, if someone took the time to make unicorns it makes sense someone else would make other animals as well. But a Lion, really? Who would even think of-

And then he spots him.]

You.. [And suddenly nothing around Jefferson is bright or shiny. Everything is dull, matte and... unpolished. Way to go, Alexander.]

[allshotsfired]

[Okay, that lion is looking a little beat up, so he feels he doesn't need to save Jefferson from... well much of anything actually, but in particular a rampaging snow beast.

But oh man, mission accomplished, just the look on Jeffersons' face. He tries to not look too smug. It's failing.]

Hey, Idonno why you're lookin' at me, I was just passing through.

[moreequal]

Were you, petit lion? [He raises an eyebrow, yeah he ain't stupid and the nickname was pretty well-known. But no, okay, he has to compose himself because this is ridiculous. He rolls his eyes, going for a more-mature-than-you attitude.]

I can't even play with these animals in peace, must you ruin every little thing?