empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: MARCH

— 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:

Someone is deliberately provoking you to try and make you mad.
Someone else has blown their top and the device (and nearby fireworks) are exploding.
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.

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.
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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

When they had finished collecting, Hak leads the way back in his usual silence. His thoughts do drift back to the mayhem from before, but...well, he isn't going to really dwell much about it.

"So you really think I'm a jerk?"

Instead he's going to bother her about it. Really, he's heard similar sentiments before, so it doesn't get to him. But things are kind of weird between them right now, and what better way to dispel than by flustering and annoying his princess?

For his trouble he gains just that. She dips her head to try and conceal the embarrassment at her previous actions; mostly because they weren't entirely her own. She had no problem with throwing things at Hak and yelling at him, she just didn't like the thought that something out of her control could make her do it.

"Sometimes." She wasn't going to say he wasn't a jerk. That wasn't true. Sometimes Hak was the jerkiest of jerks, but he was also loyal and kind.

She thought about what he'd said to her and she turned to look up at him. "Do you really think I'm spoiled?"

"Sometimes," he answers.

However, although he won't say this unless she asks, compared to before when she was still living at the castle, the spoiling she receives is of a different kind. And he certainly spoils her even if it's not always through attention or doing everything she wants.

The look on her face doesn't deny that the words weren't the ones she wanted to hear, but at the same time she appreciates that Hak is being honest with her. She knows that she still has a long way to go, but 'sometimes' is better then 'always'. She holds her bags a little tighter as she lets her mind wonder in thought. Just because she's here she can't stop training. She'll need to get a bow and a sword and for that she'll need to get more money. There are a lot of places she could look into, but she's been looking and there is one place she wants to know more about.

"What are the Enforcer's like?" She knows what most people know about them, and if she wants to protect people it would be the best place for her to look at, but she needed to know more. Although, if Hak was an Enforcer they couldn't be bad people.

The arduous sigh Hak makes is the only tell about his initial thoughts on his employment. Well, not that he dislikes the Enforcers generally. Just...some of the higher-ups he has to follow. And even that is just a "means to end" and "kill time" until he returns home. After all, his loyalty could never be toward anyone or anything other than King Il and his daughter, Yona.

"A bunch of clowns who are surprisingly capable when they actually have to do something."

Not exactly glowing praise there. However, there's another reason why his sigh had such a unhappy air to it. He has an idea of why she's asking, but he'll ask her anyway.

"Why? Interested?"

She nods, eyes shifting to her hands.

"Just because I'm here doesn't mean I should stop trying to help people." It really was a given that she would think that way. To her being here wasn't some sort of vacation or an inconvenience. It was more like a challenge. She needed to stay strong and keep helping people even if she wasn't in their world.

"True, but this isn't like how it is back home." He turned slightly to glance back at her. "The crime here is about normal, and we're really only use the full extent of our abilities when someone really screws up. But those are few and far between.

You'll get bored."

That may be more of a reflection of his own mindset there.

"Besides, there are other ways to help people."

Less dangerous ways. Less weapons involving ways.

If he thinks for a moment she's going to neglect her weapons practice then he's deluding himself. She's already started to squirrel away money so she can get a bow and arrow and a sword to keep practicing.

She stopped, turning to him almost expectantly.

"Like?"

She's pretty sure he's going to try and suggest something safe, but making sure she was safe and sheltered was what kept her from knowing what her country was really like; how many people needed someone to stand up for them and help them.

It's one thing to keep up with practice so she can defend herself and be his kickass princess. It's another to actually constantly use it and go against her father's wishes. What a terrible conundrum she had place Hak in.

"There are a few social groups, especially for dealing with the poor and needy. Like all worlds, this place has people who live in poverty. Not as bad as back in Kouka since they actually seem to care." Unlike the various Fire Tribe villages they traveled past. "But still bad enough."

This was why she had been thinking of joining the Enforcer's investigation team. She wouldn't have to constantly use weapons or hurt anyone. Instead she could use her brain to figure out things and help make things better. At least those were her thoughts on the matter.

Hak's suggestion however was actually really good. She frowned, pausing a moment to think about it. If there were people who needed help then it was her job to help them. Still, there was a part of her that wanted to join the Enforcers anyway, not to fight, but to help. If they had resources then she might be able to talk to them about using them to help in the areas that needed it the most.

"I could do both." She concluded, starting to walk again. After all, she was a girl with suddenly a LOT of time on her hands.

He sighed. "Had a feeling you would say that."

Although. There may be an entirely different reason why he didn't want Yona around the Enforcers. Like trying to keep her away from a certain cake loving freak who would make his life hell if she ever knew about his princess.

"So what exactly do you want to do with the Enforcers?"

Even keeping her away from the Enforcers probably wouldn't help. There would eventually come a time when Yona dropped by to pick Hak up or insisted on going just to know more about it and the pair to meet. It was an inevitability.

"Investigation." Her words held no hesitation, clearly she'd been thinking about it for a while since there were so many places she COULD have chosen. She'd leave fighting to those that were better at it and simply continue to train for when she needed to fight.

"Hm...well, it is true you like putting your nose in places where it doesn't belong," he said idly as he pushed away a branch and actually be polite enough to hold it up so that she can pass through.

She looks away, hiding a small blush. Why does Hak have to be so nice to her sometimes? She knows the answer, because they're childhood friends and because he cares.

"If I'm with an organization you trust then you won't have to worry about me so much." The dragons weren't here and she knew he's worry if she was left off on her own. Granted, she wouldn't be walking away from problems she found, but she'd have more people to talk to about it when it happened. She'd be able to gain their strength to help others.

TEST DRIVE: MARCH

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