TEST DRIVE: JANUARY

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: JANUARY —

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 Sunday, December 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open Sunday, January 1st.
  
  
• OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are 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: Isn’t it supposed to be frozen and snowy this time of year? Normally, yes! And the fact that lately the sun has been out and the temperatures have been rising to almost early spring temperatures certainly… is strange. Has pollution ruined the environment of Empatheias beyond repair?! No! Of course not. While concerning at first, the unseasonably warm weather is because of the extreme amounts of positive emotions running through the population of Empatheias. While this early thaw might be nice, it’s not exactly expected and comes with some unfortunate side effects other than a pleasant afternoon in the sun.

1. There’s been several snowfalls, and the ones at night are especially prone to staying for a while only to melt away as the days go on. This has caused a few problems, especially during the daytime. Large piles of mushy snow will slide off of the high angled roofs of the city, and wet, mushy snow is way worse than normal snow. Ice patches on the sidewalks are even more frequent and dangerous, so careful where you step.
   
   
2. Homes and sidewalks aren’t the only thing suffering from this fluctuating weather. The roads too, are becoming dangerous. This means only one thing! Any idle hands are given shovels and bags of salt and are put to work handling the iced over roads. Just watch out for any skidding carriages and wagons as you work!
   
   
3. Draining water is creating a problem in the slums as well. Many volunteers are being deployed to the lower sides of the slums to help direct water with the use of dunamis or more traditional ways such as sand bag piles and other obstructions. The buildings themselves are also suffering from the cold moisture and ice that form under the awnings. Careful not to get spiked if one falls.

• Prompt E: This year for Selenium more intimate get togethers are happening throughout the city alongside the regular practices. Smaller gatherings around warm fires to stave off the colder nights are the stage, and small delicately sweet snacks accompany refreshing drinks for those who decide to camp around the fire for a few hours. But it wouldn’t be Selenium if they weren’t honoring the dead, so of course that takes center stage.

1. Those who have gathered around the fire are, at one point or another encouraged to get up and share a story about a love one they’ve lost. It can be a happy or sad memory, or anything in between. Of course, there is no obligation. Perhaps your character is chosen to go next? Or is there a lull between storytelling where you get to talk to the neighbor seated next to you?
   
   
2. Instead of being sold, these simple bracelets are given to those who volunteer a memory to go inside them. Fashioned from leather, a golden hued metal and copper, the bracelets’ centerpieces are elaborate containers with a glass top to display the tiny fragment of memory petal inside. The petal, once a part of a larger one has been infused with a warm memory of a loved one at request of whoever managed to obtain a bracelet. Though most memories are of those past, in this case those who are alive or separated from the bracelet’s creator can also be depicted. What image appears on yours?
   

• Prompt F: There have been reports of "ghostly activity" occurring around the various cemeteries and graveyards in all three main cities. Most have been harmless, but others have caused some alarm and help is needed.

1. A few of these incidents are harmless pranks by the local and foreign kids teaming up with one another. Moving flowers and gifts, making strange sounds or running past as shadowy figures. Help find these kids and put them in their place! Or maybe it's you who is part of the pranking.
   
   
2. While the world does not have traditional ghosts, those of the dead can leave residual emotions that can take on a ghostly form. They can wander about and act out on the emotions left behind. Anger, grief, joy, regret—anything is possible. While they cannot directly harm anyone, they can still directly cause damage through their own emotions, not to mention the emotional damage from those who witness them. For now they remain near their graves. Help keep them there and disperse the lingering emotions to put them at rest.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include blueberries and/or chipmunks.

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

[lothrat]

D-1

Careful where you step? Oh, Ezra's watching his step, alright. The sidewalks may be dangerous with the way the snow has melted and refrozen into ice, but for an adventurous and athletic teenage boy?

Watch out, Hera! Ezra's laughing and sliding at breakneck speeds down a hill, and if you're still in his path when he gets there? Well, you might end up sliding with him, too, as he grabs on to pull her along!

"Hera! This is fun!"

[phoenixleader]

"Ezra, Ezra, no-!" She's grabbed by the arms and pulled into a slide with her young charge down a dangerous and icy slope. Nope, nope, not fun, not fun-
For someone who grew up on a desert planet, ice and snow is something she doesn't particularly enjoy. She doesn't like how cold it crawls up her skin, especially with nothing to cover her lekku. A shiver runs up her spine as she tries to grab a lamppost to bring them to a halt.

"Ice! Ice, really-!" She knows it snows on Lothal sometimes, that he's more used to it than she is, but this is honestly terrible for her.
"Slow down-!"

[lothrat]

Sometimes, yes, but not all that often in the part of Lothal he lives in. Which, honestly, is just as well, since he could never have afforded to heat the abandoned communications tower he calls home. Most of the time, a cheap space heater had been enough to get him through the winters. Ice and snow like this on a regular basis would have made it a lot harder for him.

But the few times it did snow there? Those were fun. Hera should count herself lucky he hadn't decided to throw snowballs!

Skidding around the lamp post with (relative) ease (and maybe a quick scramble for balance with the Force), Ezra laughs again. "Come on, I thought you were a pilot! You're supposed to like fast things!"

[phoenixleader]

If he had decided to throw snowballs at her, it would have been open warfare. Fingers grasp at the sturdy metal lamppost, cold biting through the leather of her gloves as she clings to it for dear life, scared to go skittering down the icy path again.

"Fast things in the sky or in space, not on the ground-!" Her face is a pale green, from fear or nausea she's not sure. But Ezra... Ezra's having fun.

She's missed that smile.

"... If I could keep my feet a little more steady. Teach me."

[lothrat]

Though their momentum has worn off enough that he no longer has to hold on to help her balance, Ezra's hold on Hera remains just as it is, warm and secure and absolutely not a hug. He's just supporting her in case she slips, that's all.

(He might still be so glad to have her here that he'll take any excuse he can get for physical contact and reassurance.)

"Alright, sure. You'll love it once you get the hang of it, I promise!" He feels pretty confident about that. Hera does like fast things, after all, and there's not much that's as wild and free as a mad slide down a hill that depends entirely on your balance and skill to keep you from planting yourself in the snow. "First, look down at your feet and mine. See how I'm standing right now? Not too stiff, not too loose. You need to be able to bend, or turn, or shift your weight almost without thinking. Kind of like when you're flying and you have to be prepared to reach for controls or adjust settings depending on what's happening."

[phoenixleader]

Ezra has a hold on her, and she can't help but return it with one arm as the other grasps around the pole. It's a hug, as far as she's concerned, though she'd certainly deny it for Ezra's sake She has to admit, she's missed him like this, happy and carefree. Younger.

Before Malachor.

Her heart sinks slightly eve as she watches his excited face, cold picking up around her as she feels a sort of dread gnawing at the pit of her stomach. If she and Ezra were here, from different times, then what could that mean for the rest? Could Kanan show up, blind and morose, keeping his isolated vigil that he had only just broken out of? Or could Sabine show up not even knowing who she, or the rest of the crew, were?

Snow is falling fast around Hera's shoulders, almost as if summoned by her glum thoughts. At least it will help re-ice the pavement to go sliding down. She has to keep that into consideration.

"Sounds more like instinct than posture, Ezra." She manages a weak smile, reaching up to tousle his hair. "But go on. Loose stance, like in combat. What next?"

[lothrat]

Watch as he doesn't even mind the hair ruffling, just taking it in stride instead of taking offense at being treated like a "kid." The snow might have a hard time actually touching either of them, what with the warm little bubble of air around him that's doing its best to combat the cold. He's happier than he's been in a month, now that Hera's here, now that he knows that Kanan will be alright. Maybe he doesn't know specifics, but that's okay. Just knowing he makes it off Malachor is more than enough for him.

"Well, I won't lie. There's a lot of instinct involved. But posture's important, and so is practice. Here, we can start off slow. Just follow my lead!"

He skates forward, tugging on her now to get her to let go of the post.

"Don't worry about falling! I've got you!"

[phoenixleader]

"There's a lot of instinct involved in flying, too." Her smile is starting to widen as she feels the warmth creeping up her arms. Happiness- it's nearly infectious with how warm it feels, seeping through her leather gloves and soothing away her worries. If Kanan comes, if Sabine, if Zeb or even Maul or Thrawn, they'll find a way to make things work. They always have.

"Maybe whenever we get back, I'll let you pilot the Ghost." It's something she's been meaning to do, to let him pilot in Kanan's stead. Even before Malachor. The snow starts to increase around them, though, as her thoughts turn back to Kanan's blindness. How Ezra blamed himself. ... She'd have to tell him eventually.

[lothrat]

"Really?" Ezra's response comes quickly, betraying the excitement he tries to suppress and pass off as nonchalance. "You'd let me- You'd teach me to fly"

Does she know what that offer means to him? He doesn't think he's ever admitted to her that he used to dream of being a pilot. That dream's faded a little, eclipsed by his dream about becoming a Jedi, but it hasn't ever actually died.

With the growing chill in the air, his only response to it is to curl a little closer into Hera's side as he slowly skates with her, seeking warmth and seeking to give it. (No, it's not just another excuse for his hug.)

[phoenixleader]

"Really" Hera replies, letting a smile slowly grow across her face as she sees just how excited he's becoming at the prospect.
"Perhaps if we can find something fast enough here, something stable enough... I mean, you've already done pretty well with the Phantom. Time to move on to the big leagues." She grins at him, feeling the warmth crawl up her arms with Ezra's excitement. Her own chill seems to be dissipating at the prospect of flying, and she holds him all the tighter to try and keep his excitement as her own.

"I've already been talking to someone about modifying one of those airships. If we can get it stable enough- it'd be pure sublight and inter-atmosphere only, but we could probably make something work." Mind you, it meant taking apart power cells and building a completely new structure.

No problem, right?

[lothrat]

No problem at all. He'll even gladly help - at least for the first few days. Menial and-or tedious chores that keep him close to Hera feel totally worth it to him right now. She may want to take advantage of that while she can.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to make it just as good as space flight," Ezra reassures her, not at all smiling because of that compliment, and definitely not feeling something warm and proud in his chest. "If you need someone handy with tools, you know I'm good."

Good to try, at least. He's never had any formal training, but he's picked up a lot of things, both from his time on the streets and repairs and maintenance he's helped with on the Ghost.

[phoenixleader]

"Well, let's make it our project, then." She manages to hold him a little tighter, enjoying the warmth that he exudes. It resonates with her, bringing warmth into her own body, dissipating the cold of her own thoughts. "I'll need some help making the adjustments. Don't exactly have Chopper running around."

And besides, the kid's good with repairs. He's done his fair share during battles. When the odds have been against them, it's been good to have someone else who can help repair things like comms or shields when the little astromech was working on stabilizers or hyperdrive coordinates.

[lothrat]

The prospect of having a project with Hera, something for just the two of them to share, is something special in its own right. Even if they end up involving other people, the project will still be theirs. Ezra gives up any pretense of not smiling now, and now he's just plain hugging her. Having something they can do together reminds him all over again of just how much he missed her.

"Heh. Chopper would probably go nuts in this place. No computers, no ships, no technology like we're used to." If the droid ever showed up, Ezra might almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

Once the two are done heckling each other first, of course.

"I can't promise I can do what he could do, but I'll be there. I want to help."

[phoenixleader]

It feels good, to have him hugging her. It feels good, to have the happy young padawan back beside her. And she wastes no time in pulling him into a hug, letting his warmth resonate within her to dissipate her negative thoughts and emotions. She smiles down at him, and he brings up a point that almost makes her laugh.

"Considering the tech of this place? Even Chopper couldn't do what he usually does. I think you'd be a much better help." And with that she reaches one glove up to ruffle his hair.

Here's to new beginnings.