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

Leia Organa | Star Wars(Legends) | prompt e

[leia_organa]

This wasn't Hoth, clearly. But that planet had left her with enough memories of snow and cold to last her a lifetime. Maybe two. She'd nearly lost both Han and Luke along with some of the fleet that had been unable to get away. She should have planned better, organized better, evacuated sooner, she should have done something and the only comfort she had was in the number who did escape and live on. There would always be casualties but she could do her best to minimize those.

She probably shouldn't have been thinking so hard, focusing on memories so ripe with troubled emotions so near to anything that bore even a passing resemblance to a wampa. Those sorts of mistakes lead to bad things happening, and when she could swear she saw movement out of the corner of her eye she started to worry.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." She murmured and stepped quicker through the path lined with snowy creations. First one and then another and then half a dozen towering shite creatures turned to follow in step.Snowy maws gaped to show icy teeth and bellowed a soundless roar. "Stang!" She cursed and dodged around what seemed to be a large snow tree. Leia padded herself down but she had no weapons, well when had that ever stopped an attacker?

Think! Think!

Steps sunk deep in the snow, softly muffled for the weight and size of the snowthings. They are snow, so she needed heat, or something with a reach she could hit them with from a distance. Like the largish tree branch bear her feet. And a little help right now would not be amiss. "Where's a blaster when you need one?" She gripped the branch and looked around for her options ready to run at the first opportunity.

vibrates with excitement!!

[lostapprentice]

It was only a matter of time before his mother showed up, Kylo Ren thought to himself as Leia's presence suddenly shone like a beacon at the edge of his senses. He wasn't sure why exactly he was approaching the source, guided perhaps by some manner of masochistic curiosity, but approaching her he was, and when he turned a corner and spotted how she was surrounded by monsters made of snow—

Well, he didn't do much at all at first, standing there staring, observing. His black garments were a stark contrast against the white of the snow, the metal inlays of his mask reflecting that color and standing out under his hood.

When one of the vicious-looking things dove forward to attack her, however—his gloved hand shot out and the thing was thrown harshly against the nearest rock with the Force, dashing the creature into harmless bits of snow. The aggressive feelings that kept them together weren't enough to reform the beast again, but there were still others that trailed after Leia that needed to be taken care of.

Not!Son! *hugs*

[leia_organa]

The movement was sudden and silent, she'd been ready to dash across to better cover as soon as the thing drew near enough but there was quickly no more monster on the side. As much as she wanted to find out why, the opening it left her was too good to ignore.

Leia ran for it, tree branch brandished like a sword more than a club she swept it low, catching another beasts thinnest point near the knee. A low battle cry rushed from her lungs as the branch sliced through the dense snow and the creature toppled. She pun to keep her momentum from sending her over to and let it carry her to a large flat sided boulder.

She caught her breath in gasps and finally look at the direction she'd felt the presence. Dark, all in black. Face hidden behind a mask and radiating waves of dark energy. "No...no." She shook her head, her father couldn't be here! He couldn't!

:D

[lostapprentice]

He came closer in long, urgent strides, retrieving his saber from his belt and igniting its blade, heedless of her apparent shock. He hadn't had much opportunity to use it against much here, so he welcomed the challenge as many of the monsters turned their attention towards him and his bitter anger.

Kylo Ren's movements were simultaneously reckless and elegant, his twirling, fiery blade cleaving easily through the snow in streaks of red light. Although he certainly resembled Vader, there were certain things that marked him as another man: the voice filled with unrestrained aggression that echoed out in a battle cry, the easy movements as he spun to face the creatures, the particular shape of his hooded silhouette, and his height—though he was a man that easily towered over most people, he wasn't quite as tall as Darth Vader had been in his suit.

[leia_organa]

No, it wasn't Vader. After the initial shock wore off she could see that. Not as tall, much leaner and more lithe. His movements ere also less brute force and more grace. This was a rapier not a broadsword. Though speaking of blades the saber he carried was unlike anything she'd seen before.

Leia watched as he moved past, the low rasping snarl of his voice as he dove into battle as though he'd longed for this. He moved like it was second nature to him at any rate. This was not her father, but there was something about him that boarded on the familiar. Luke? No, she'd learned the feeling of her brother's presence and that was not it. This was new, with undertones of something older than he could possibly be. She couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Who are you?"

[lostapprentice]

With the creatures largely decimated and surrounded by piles of melted snow, Ren deactivated his lightsaber and turned his attention towards the woman nearby—though he didn't turn entirely towards her, only moving his head to peer at her from the side of his visor.

"Can you not sense it?" he asked bluntly. But he hesitated for a moment afterwards, able to tell that something... something was... off. Doubtless the woman before him was Leia Organa, about the same age as his mother was when he was born, and yet...

"No... perhaps not." The masked man turned towards her fully this time, standing at his full height proudly despite the numbness that bleached the ground under his feet. "My name is Kylo Ren."

[leia_organa]

"..No." But yes, there was something. Leia was never one to cower and she wasn't breaking form now. The branch, nothing of a weapon compared to the saber he held, was still in one hand. Her grip on it lose but ready, who knew when she might need it again.

She looked up at him, there was no recognition in her eyes or her mind. She didn't know him, but she knew the essence of his feeling. It was like some melody in her mind she could never banish nor properly remember. A ghost of an echo and no more. "Leia Organa. I guess I owe you my thanks." She gestured toward the melted snow with her free hand. "I was a bit too caught up in my thoughts."

[lostapprentice]

His voice was even, almost blank. Her gratitude wasn't something that interested him.

"I know who you are."

He moved on quickly, avoiding any explanation of who exactly he was, or the connection they had that the woman was surely lying about sensing. His eyes went to the branch she still held as he clipped his own weapon on his belt once more.

"I suggest you find something to properly protect yourself. A piece of wood makes a poor weapon against the creatures found on this island."

[leia_organa]

"That isn't usually a good thing when I don't know you." Leia kept her stance and her stick, mighty or not it was the weapon she had at hand. But she would be working on getting something more substantial.

"So you'll be on your way then?" Because right now this man read like screeching static in her head and she was not looking forward to getting any closer to him.

[lostapprentice]

Ren half-turned, almost as if he had decided to leave but was hesitating. And he should leave, honestly. What good would it to speak with this woman? And yet he couldn't deny the desire to let out some of his pent up feelings.

"I wouldn't expect one of the leaders of the Rebel Alliance to know me," he said, an edge of bitterness to his voice as he recalled his mother's tendency to get caught up in her work. "You're far too busy for that."

He began to slowly step to the side as if to circle her, but at the same time, he was moving out of her path.

"Whether or not I go will depend on if you plan on foolishly trying to fight things you don't understand with a stick."

[leia_organa]

"I think I'd remember you if we'd met." Because with the way he was sending up red flags in her gut there was no way she wouldn't have found some way to get intel on him.

"Since you know so much about me already, you know I fight with whatever I have at hand. If a stick is all I've got then I'm going to make it count. Lucky thing nothing else here is aggressive at the moment tough, isn't it?" Half warning half show of diplomacy. There was no need for altercation, she would let him be if he did the same.

[lostapprentice]

"Perhaps."

She would probably need to get information about him elsewhere, here—Ren wasn't likely to share any details about himself at the moment unless something unexpected happened, or Leia came the conclusion herself and said something. His mother already abandoned him once. He had no intention of allowing that kind of betrayal to happen again, even if this wasn't exactly the same woman.

He would have to process that thought some other time.

"Come with me."

He didn't sound as if he was interested in hearing any argument, and he turned towards the busier parts of the city, waiting and watching her expectantly. As much as he was tempted to pull the stupid branch out of Leia's hands, he restrained himself, barely. But if the woman hesitated for too long, he might be tempted to do it anyway, to encourage her to listen to him.

[leia_organa]

She'd walked into the predators den before, but this time there was something in it, some feeling she knew. Leia couldn't explain it but she trusted him enough to at least warily follow.

"Where are we going?"

She questioned but still fell into step, not cowering or hiding but matching his stride and yes she fully intended to hold on to that branch. She'd hurt bigger things with less.

[lostapprentice]

"Where there's no snow for idiots to charge their aggression into."

Which is to say, the marketplace, where there are too many people walking around and buying and selling things to have left anything but slush. But from this part of the city, all that's obvious is that he's heading towards the giant tree where the clock tower used to be.

"Drop that. You won't need it. You can get a proper weapon soon enough."

[leia_organa]

"Look I appreciate the help back there, but I don't exactly follow orders." And she really wasn't liking his tone either. "You know me, I can assume from all this thinly veiled loathing that we don't get along. You can just cut me lose anytime and I'll find my own way. It's more or less what I've had to do most of my life."

So thanks but no thinks for bringing the attitude with you Mr Whoeveryouare. Leia was done with it, and if she tossed the stick away that was her choice, but only because she would find something better. There was bound to be a space port or cartel station somewhere. Even the backward planets had markets and vendors were always willing to make a deal.

[lostapprentice]

Despite the numbness he thought he'd drenched any feelings for his mother in, her wording—cut me loose—struck right through the cold walls and into his feelings of betrayal and abandonment. He whirled on her, fists clenched and the heat of his anger radiating out in uncomfortable waves.

"And something you force on others when it suits you!" he retorted with something between a hiss and a shout. "Don't pretend as if you're some innocent victim!"

This would probably lead to some need to actually explain himself, which was the opposite of what he wanted, but he'd never been terribly great at thinking of the consequences of his actions.

[leia_organa]

"Look, I don't know who you are, or who you think you are. But I don't owe you anything. I could have gotten out of that back there without you Maybe not as neatly or with as much flair, but I would have." She was barely over five feet tall but when she worked p her ire she could seem like a tiny hurricane.

"I'm not forcing anything on you, you can walk away whenever you like." And she wasn't about to back down, she'd stood up to Tarkin and Vader, she could hold her chin high to this one too, whoever he was. "I don't pretend anyone is innocent, because innocent or not people die all the same." If he had wanted a reaction he got it, dark shadows stretching outward from her feet, or was that just the ground scorching like so much crust of a long dead, burned planet.

[forcetobereckoned]

Being in Verens left little to the imagination in what was possible with emotions, or at least that's what Starkiller had always assumed. The beginning of Spring was set to knock that mindset down apparently. The snow crunching under his feet stopped when he heard- no, felt someone else within the trees. Seeing where the tree that they were likely behind was the easy part. The not so easy part was when a lot more snow came stomping his way.

First instinct, as always, was to fight. Except there was an unknown element, a somewhat familiar tug when he tapped into the Force, and in that critical moment it dawned on him. This might just be who he had been hoping to finally meet and destroy.

Vader.

Abandoning his footprints, Starkiller dashed towards his target. Both the sound of his feet planting into the snow and his blue lightsaber humming to life brought his sudden presence, full of determination; but that only lasted for a moment.

"Senator Oragana?" How was he able to even sense in her now compared to when they first met? The nature of foreigners arriving from different times, even alternate timelines, paired with how she looked a bit older. Starkiller recovered quickly and stood up straight. "This might serve you better." He took out the hilt of another lightsaber, the twin to the one he had in a reverse grip, and offered it to her. From the sounds of trees being crushed or pushed aside, he doubted that branch was going to do much good.

[leia_organa]

There was a shock, she was addressed by a title which had little bearing on the state of their society anymore. Leia whirled to face someone she recognized but...who? The face was familiar but from so long ago. He looked unchanged.

She blinked and tried to think of what was appropriate to say but, well rather than fumble through it she simply and quietly nodded. She blinked, wide eyed at the lightsaber but took it in hand. She was still new to the tools of the Jedi but it felt oddly natural and comfortable in her hand.

"Thanks." That seemed like entirely too little to say but knowing she wasn't alone, knowing she had someone who could understand and have her back was endlessly comforting. Even if snow creatures were still bearing down. Leia's lost expression turned to a dangerous grin, whatever they were a weapon like this would make short work of them. "Let's go."

[forcetobereckoned]

Half of him wasn't expecting her to take it, refusing to even associate with him, and the other half had his eye locked on her hands; her attacking him outright for his framed betrayal wasn't unbelievable. Even if she was older, he felt she'd be perfectly within her right to do so after being Vader's pawn.

He took a deep breath of preparation, and relief, at her grin.

Breath still hanging in the air, he nodded. "Go for the legs. I find that works best." On living things at least. Though he wasn't going to voice his uncertainty in handling emotionally charged sculptures.

The loud stomping drew closer and he ran from one tree to the next to draw their attention away from Leia. All he needed was to let her get in unnoticed at first and that was easy enough to do. A simple leap got him to where he needed to be: in the air. Lightning shot forth from his hand and arc jumped between the two nearest him.

Heat worked! Which meant lightsabers would be key.

[leia_organa]

Well, he was handy wasn't he? Leia had some memory of him but as always she had to learn to separate her emotion from her situation and this one was a time to be clear headed. Leia watched him leap into action and she herself whipped out form behind cover igniting the saber and finding it felt all too natural in her hand. She surprised herself with the ease and comfort of it.

She spun forward dropping to a knee and slicing through the upper legs of one of the snow beasts. It fell with a silent roar and she swept the blade through the mound of snow and ice that formed it's neck. The monster fell still.

With a grin and an invigorated rush of energy she had not felt before she jumped back to her feet and moved on. Another snow beast fell in pieces before her. Just where the skills, lacking in finesse if not brute force, had come from she didn't know but she was not going to question them now.