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

oh hell... <3

[neededapilot]

[He had just ducked a ROCK that was thrown, catching from the corner of his eye a snowman that took it to the face, head knocking back and half off. That... would have hurt. Did he stumble into the middle of someones war?]

[Had he been looking where he was going, he wouldn't have ran into the guy, but instead, he was looking at what might have hit him in this gauntlet of snow beasts, and just clearing it.... ran into a bigger monster.]

[He stumbled back a step, his own expressions ranging from surprise, to an apologetic stutter, to... annoyance. Then anger, glaring at the masked man. Mentally he felt at his help, looking for the weight of the lightsaber he still held. THEY had been in the middle of a fight before he found himself here some time earlier. The others said Ren was here, but this is the first time he had... the 'pleasure' to running into him.]

[His lip curled at the others unnatural calm as he hea rd his old code name.]

It's Finn.

:D

[lostapprentice]

[Kylo Ren remembered quite well how he defeated FN-2187 on Starkiller Base—he reminded himself of it fairly often, when frustrations brought on by the pilot or the scavenger began to grind away his patience. It was mainly due to that that he managed to keep his cool, despite the strong envy hatred he had for the young man. He could end him at any time. He just... chose not to. For now.

Ren's tilted his head slightly as he observed Finn and heard his retort.]

You can call yourself what you want, traitor. I have no intention of allowing you to forget your place.

[But his eyes were drawn to Finn's side, where a particular silver and black hilt had been brought to his attention. He remained silent for a few moments, attempting to connect the dots...]

[neededapilot]

[He was stiff now, watching the other very carefully. He had hoped this place was big enough not to have to run into this one. His chin lifted a bit though, and he said he would play it cool if ever he did find himself staring at that stupid black mask.]

Funny how we meet again. In the snow. [he said at first, a reminder of where he last saw the man, not... that he remembers all of that battle. Being in the middle of it and then being here was hard to take at first.]

I found my place, and it's not with the First Order. Call me Traitor if you want, but I know where I am wanted.

[That silver and black hilt is only partly seen, but it's also very clearly the one he used to... almost... beat the other one.]

[lostapprentice]

For your sake, you should hope it doesn't end like our last encounter.

[Ren exuded confidence, which probably wouldn't give Finn much hope as to how their fight went... would go.

He ignored the rebellious proclamation to zero in on the object of his interest, and spoke authoritatively, like he wouldn't accept anything but a proper, direct answer. Like he was speaking to a stormtrooper.]

The saber. Did the girl give it to you? Or did you arrive with it?

[neededapilot]

[He's... heard. He's not so sure he wants to believe that though, but he also didn't ask more on it. Nor will he. He's smart enough not to fall for the comment though, not to say more to it or be defiant in that subject.]

[Defiant in this other however? Yes. His chin lifted and he stood as tall as he could, foot sliding back a bit as if to hide the hip the lightsaber was on.]

Wouldn't you like to know. [Yes Finn, that's why he asked. Still, he would stand his ground, as best he could. He came with it, but was that really all that important. He and Rey both had one, which was weird enough as it was. Also, in his annoyance, if a Snowman happens to chuck a snowball this way, he doesn't take blame...]

[lostapprentice]

[When Ren sees the white projectile heading his way, he holds up a hand and stops the thing in midair. This gesture alone isn't nearly as intense as what Finn had seen on Jakku, but with a much more aggressive, wide sweep of his arm, all the snowmen behind the young man are destroyed, snow scattered about haphazardly. A few of the piles with arms attached still feebly attempt to continue their assault on each other, but by and large the emotional energy fueling them has been scattered and disrupted by Kylo Ren's anger.

His patience is draining, and the air is warming around him.]

I can take it from you if you'd prefer not to answer.

[It's an offer of sorts. Finn can either tell him what he wants to know and continue the conversation relatively peacefully, or he can face him in battle again.]

[neededapilot]

[He flinched.]

[Damn it.]

[DAMN it. He didn't mean to flinch, but he felt it, the destruction of the snow creatures that suddenly broke and crumbled. He glanced back just enough to see it there, then glanced back to the dark figure before him.]

[oh come ON, why did he have to run into THIS guy, alone. Not that he can't take it (okay, he can't). But still...]

[He hated himself for it, but he answered him instead of fighting it, at the moment.]

It came with me. And it's not yours to have.

[lostapprentice]

[Good. FN-2187 should be scared. He should be as scared as he was the night of their attack on the village on Jakku, and stay that way. Ren often regrets not taking care of the trooper that very night himself, after having sensed the hesitation in him.

Ren takes a step towards Finn, intent on invading his personal space and looming over him.]

It's not yours either. You don't deserve to hold that saber. You don't deserve to be alive after what you've done.

[Kylo Ren would deny it for eternity, but what Finn had—the saber, the companionship of the girl, the acceptance of Han Solo and General Organa, and a real second chance away from the First Order—they were things that he wanted dearly. That jealousy burns at him when he looks at the former stormtrooper, and it drains the life out of any plants nearby, causing them and anything made out of wood to begin to crumble.]

[neededapilot]

[Oh he had fear enough. Was it colder around here? Because he felt colder. Where the other was making things... die around them, Finn was more making it... colder. At least it felt colder to him. Part of the melted snow that Ren blew up a moment ago was freezing over.]

[If you asked Finn, that wasn't him. That had to be Ren's doing.]

I'm holding onto it for someone else. And why does it matter to you if I'm alive or not. To you I was just an expendable bug to toss around as you needed. Didn't matter how many of us died, did it? I got out of that! I don't want to kill anyone.

[The cold fear heated up a moment later as he started talking. He could say what he wanted to, now. Kind of. They didn't have the same control over him, right? A wave of bravery hit him as he sucked it up, staring at the other.]

What about you? Why are you so intent on throwing lives away?!

[lostapprentice]

[The heat only intensifies as it begins to be powered by Ren's anger, and his posture becomes more aggressive, leaning towards Finn as he speaks.]

Do you have any idea of the damage you've caused? Your betrayal lead to the deaths of likely thousands of your former comrades. Do not act as if you've become some sort of paragon of compassion, that you care about their lives any more than I do.

[A lowly soldier, throwing away their ideals for the sake of what? His personal feelings? The thought of it nearly made Kylo Ren shake with anger. FN-2187 had no right to do such things and suffer no consequences.]

I do what's needed for the good of the galaxy! If people die in that process, so be it. What you or I want has no bearing on anything of importance. Your Resistance friends will do nothing but coddle those sorts of weaknesses and it will drive the galaxy away from the order and peace it deserves. [His final words are accompanied by an emphatic pointing gesture at the ground. Finn has probably heard these sorts of words from officers many times—it's just more First Order propaganda, drilled into Ren's head as much as it was Finn's.]

[neededapilot]

[Finn looked as if he had be struck for a moment. Eyes widening then narrowing. It was something didn't want to think about, but when he had heard that they did, in fact, take down Starkiller Base, he felt sick. It was a lot of people cut down for no reason, but that weapon was a bigger terror.]

No!. You're wrong! That's just propaganda! We took out five planets! An entire system! That base was destroying an entire sun to take out a 6th, or more! How many more systems did they intend to take? We were always taught that the First Order was just and would restore peace, but destroying so many lives and killing so many planets isn't the way to do it! Innocent people! Entire cultures wiped out in a flash! What the Resistance did was terrible, but it's in no way as bad as what the General commanded! Or even just the people on Jakku, that you had killed for no reason! I know I got to live with what I helped do, but how are you managing?

[If there was snow around here still, it wouldn't be for long. The two of them were both heated, and though Finn had stepped back, he was still standing his ground.]

[lostapprentice]

[His hands itched to close around this traitor's throat and end his pitiful diatribe, but Ren knew there'd be no point. He simply clenched his fists at his sides, his leather gloves creaking with it.]

It was necessary to end the Republic! And with the Resistance gone there would have been no further need for the weapon to be used again. Two systems eliminated, for the sake of stability for a billion others. It would have been easy for Supreme Leader to bring in a new era for our galaxy after that. Painless. But instead you've made certain more will die.

[Ren ignored the light drizzle that began to patter at his helmet and robes not much else around him. Acknowledging it would mean he had to confront the sorrow that spawned it.]

You can throw whatever words at me you want, but I will never betray Supreme Leader. Once we return to our galaxy I'll put an end to you, the Resistance, and the last Jedi. For good.

[neededapilot]

[He's almost expecting it, the choke of an invisible hand around his neck, but he's so mad right now he can only brace for it. While the Ren was being pattered on by rain, a little patch of that shriveled dead grass started to smolder, the attempt of a fire catching in anger but having to fight the melted snow and water around it, leaving it to smoke and hiss.]

You actually believe that?! That it was better to destroy so many planets all in one go? That there couldn't BE another way!? Why planets that had people on it at all? If it's just to demonstrate the power the First Order ha,d why not target a dead planet! There are a ton of those out there in space! It would have been enough to scare billions! Ruling in fear isn't the way to peace!

You can try all you like, but more like me will start waking up. Your troopers will start to fall when they realize what nut job your leaders are!

[he stomped on the smoldering attempt at a small fire, putting it out with his foot and growled.] And stop setting fire to things! That's the last thing this place needs! [Poe might have mentioned that part before. Whoops. He just assumes it's the other guy.]

[lostapprentice]

If you don't get it now, you'll never understand.

[Not that he expected FN-2187 to ever see the error of his ways, not after everything he did. Kylo Ren would just have to take care of him properly when the time came.]

You were a defect. Full of faults easily cleansed from the rest of the troops. They'll remain loyal.

[As far as being accused of catching things on fire, however—Ren is fairly certain his aggravation isn't the only contributing factor, and he replies accusingly.]

Mind your own emotions.