TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER —

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, October 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open Tuesday, November 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: The Boreas Harvest Festival is fast approaching, and the farmers are trying hard to work through the bleak weather conditions to get their crops in before they go bad from all the apathy. All hands on deck—but there may be too many unwanted hands roaming around.

1. Scarecrows. The scarecrows that have been set up as a festive reminder of the time of year have unfortunately come under the influence of some errant strong emotions from the farm hands that work in the fields. Unfortunately that includes trying to ward off anyone who enters the fields with pitchforks and is one of them carrying a torch? Maybe if they can be convinced that you are trustworthy they will calm down.
   
   
2. Invading rabbits. There are ton of rabbits ravaging the carrot patches. They're easily frightened, but some are more tenacious than others. Beware of the white rabbit with red eyes.
   
   
3. Save the crops! Several batches are already starting to spoil! The only thing that can save them is dumping as much positive emotions into them. Joy of good food, hope for a bountiful meal, love of eating—whatever will work. Just be careful. Too much and those things might grow and explode…

• Prompt E: Aiada, the Arehtei of appreciation and jealousy, has sent a personal request for those who are interested. There is a small island just beneath Empatheias that she has been cultivating over the many centuries. She wishes to contribute to the Harvest Festival with some seeds and spores. However, the recent atmosphere has also reached down there, and now it's all a mess! Giant mushrooms replaced the trees and there's slime and mold everywhere. The cure? Aside from getting a lot of heavy duty cleaners and pushing it off, appreciation will go a long way to help.

1. Goop brigade. Grab that bucket and shovel and clear the goop out! Just be careful not to have too much get on you—jealousy might take over.
   
   
2. Appreciation balls. To help hasten the effort, Aiada has given several tubs filled with light, green orbs. Once channeled with enough appreciation, they can be used as mini-grenades to help explode and wash the area with more positive energy. Those caught in the blast won't be harmed. If anything, they'll just be very thankful.
   
   
3. Watch the ledges. Careful, it's a fairly small island and the goop and slime has made things slick. If you fall… That's not a good way to go, let's just say that.

• Prompt F: Various parties are interested in the emotion shards scattered all over Thera. But this time around, the focus is on the medical laboratory as the equipment and potential research there is also of interest. For three days those who volunteer are sent back to try and gather as much as possible—but of course this won't be easy.

1. Skeletal Scientists. The remains of the scientists who once worked in these rooms are still lurking, ready to protect their work. Fortunately they're relatively weak nerds, so not too difficult to dispatch. Just be careful.
   
   
2. Flying equipment. The various medical equipment has also taken life, scalpels and needles flying everywhere and stethoscopes ready to strangle.
   
   
3. Questionable liquid. Most of the easy shards have already been taken, leaving the more difficult to retrieve ones left. In particular they're found in strange, dark pink liquid. It's mostly harmless—except that upon contact intense waves of grief and suffering will course through. The longer the exposure, the worse it is. So hopefully a bucket full of it doesn't fall on you…

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include feathers and/or confetti.

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

[malignans]

[She continues to not inspire anything more than the bland expression on his face. He glances down at her as she chatters out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't orient towards her any further than that. Most of what she's saying is just noise to him. Her assessment of him just doesn't matter much to him, after all. By the time she's seeking confirmation for her hypothesis, Dio's gaze is forward again.]

Why ask if you believe you already know?

[malignans]

[Dio looks Eikichi over once. Most everyone else has the good sense to get out of his way before he even gets close. Those that don't have that much at least know better than to linger when he looks at them the way he does. This one, however, seems to lack all intelligence by the way he stands there. Stands there and addresses Dio in a conversation he has zero interest in participating in. He doesn't bother with masking his disdain.]

He's none of your concern.

[deathboss]

[All of his intelligence was put into strength stat that's why.

He shrugs slightly. After being in a school for delinquents, disdain, punches to the face, knives to the stomach and other such riffraff is all too common. Even a few guys probably as jacked up at this guy is. By this point, Eikichi's pretty good at standing his ground.

That and yeah, he does lack a lot of good sense. Or maybe it's just a desperate need to find others like him since he's feeling alone.]

Guess so. Since I have something similar, I was wondering if you were from the same world as me, that's all.

[One would guess not, if he hasn't heard the name Dio.]

[itsoktolive]

I don't believe it's possible to 'make' an ability. [It isn't possible. Isn't that why divisions of the governments around the world- Atsushi pauses.] In my world.

[He taps his foot on the ground to make sure his boot laces are tight enough and adds.]

...how do they do it?

[akashingo]

[The dragons of the future are just as lively as his own - different in some ways but Hiryuu doesn't mind. He can also see the similarities as well, makes him nostalgic and wonder what their life would be like if they'd existed in a time when they weren't in a constant struggle to build Kouka from the ground up.

Hiryuu gives Kija a small encouraging smile as the other man attempts to find words.]

Think nothing of it, young Hakuryuu. You did not which is something to be thankful for instead. [Better to focus on that than be flustered over an accident that didn't actually take place.

As for that, he places a hand on Kija's shoulder to get the full attention of the other man.] While I would appreciate the company, you do not need to protect me so fiercely. Not only would your princess be upset if you returned to her injured but I would also like to fight beside rather than simply stand behind and be protected.

[He is well-aware that his dragons would take any injury for him and suspects it to be true for this Hakuryuu in particular too, but Hiryuu did not become king by standing in the back. King -- Red Dragon God -- he is both of these things but he is also a warrior.]

[supersunny]

[Omgosh Barry! What is with all of the glitter? Is this a new look? Are all the superheroes doing it? Should she get glitter too?

That doesn't account for the feathers though so probably not.]

Flash! [Considering how loud she intended to be, Kara goes for using his hero name rather than his actual name. He is dressed as the Flash, after all.

Either way she is absolutely happy to see a familiar face on this world, especially a friend. Sorry she can't help but laugh at his explanation.]

Well I was thinking maybe you'd gotten into a fight with a Vegas showgirl but I can believe chickens that shoot confetti-filled eggs. [Barry is talking to the girl from another world, after all.] Do you need help wrangling these alien chickens?

[supersunny]

[It is definitely not something everyone can say. Kara is pretty used to weird things so she hardly blinks when he mentions meeting a descendant of one of his allies.]

That would have been terrible! So glad that didn't happen.

[Not that she couldn't have rescued him if it had.]

I suppose one of those balls is almost as good as taking a shower to get rid of any of the gunk that had gotten on you.

Alien cinnamon rolls are very precious, yes.

[supersunny]

[She can eat a lot and the best part about it - she never gains an ounce of fat. This means that Kara gets to eat whatever she wants and can indulge in what others might consider a guilty pleasure. That makes her sister jealous. Even so she still considers food sacred and absolutely cannot let all of these crops go to waste.

When Maya turns towards her, Kara gives the girl her attention.]

I haven't! They sound delicious though. Maybe if we fix these apples up right we can make some.

[supersunny]

[Everyone has their own strengths and it isn't as if Kara would ever turn away someone who wanted to help. She's got human friends who help her all the time and she wouldn't have been able to get as far as she has without them. Flying does make all of this work a little more cleaner, not that she minds getting dirty but it's different when there are emotions involved. Kara has already had her emotions manipulated once and doesn't care to repeat it.

Just like she's not going hold anything against Kija today.]

It gets me around.

[Like that. She picks her own words carefully and doesn't even try to tell him about her other abilities.]

"These doughnuts"? You talk as if you've never had one before! [That is a sad, sad thought to Kara - someone who never had a doughnut. If he hasn't, she may have to fix that immediately.]

With all of us working together, we're sure to get this cleaned up fast. [Let's just not mention that Supergirl is extremely strong and fast on top of being able to fly.]

Yeah, it's nice here and so are the people.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora gets one giant smush of red pulp on his face. Ever so graceful when he needs to be, he stumbles and nearly slips on more slippery pulp on the ground. He yelps slightly and finally rights himself and tries to brush himself off.]

One too many... [He mumbles sheepishly,] You okay?

[thirdprogenitor]

[ Nothing about this is ok considering she's starved for blood and instead winds up with red confetti mixed in with it. If this was someones idea of a joke, she doesn't find it funny and things such as blood shouldn't be tampered with in ways like this.

If not for the sheer anger that she feels regarding this tomfoolery, she would have easily picked up on the girl approaching her but instead, she finds herself glancing over her shoulder when she hears the voice. Rather than strike out at her, she turns, just enough to really look at her and crimson eyes narrow for a moment. It's not because she believes this girl to be responsible for the confetti in the bloodbag, it's more that since coming here, she's felt the need to be on her guard, especially considering where she had previously been. ]

Does it look like I'm ok?

[ Words harsh almost, she turns to fully look to the girl then, blood slowly dripping down her arm while confetti remains stuck to her fingers. ]

What do you want?

aww ;;

[staredown]

[Abi has just enough room to twist out of the way. While he keeps one hand firm around Kija's wrist, the other reaches over and down to grab some other purchase, some of the fabric at his sash. Better weight distribution if he finds himself solely supporting him again.

At this point, Abi thinks Kija will be better served just by him preventing a fall-- having them both pull might put them against each other accidentally, so he tries to hook his legs around the other edge. If he can just keep Kija from tipping--]

Is it too slick for you, Hakuryuu? You're digging in quite deep, I can see that. If you're not in too much pain to start out, you should be able to pull, with me trying to support some of your weight.

<3 <3 <3

[staredown]

[Look, it's a good thing he could see you through that tub, because he's not in the mood to be startled.

However. It was a kind a offer. Abi is a little rankled by the insistence that it's easy, because how dare you imply he can't do something easy, when you can't do anything right at all-- but it was a kind offer. Ouryuu could have easily gone about doing his own task and getting his own work done, yet here he is, trying to help. Abi appreciates that in a comrade.

There's a slight tremor, a slight sense of something happening in the tub of appreciation balls, and Abi looks down in mild surprise, because all of a sudden--

Waitaminute--]

You cheeky little imp. How dare you trick me like that.

[NEVERMIND THAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT ZENO OFFERED TO DO.]

[backstory]

[The sudden surprise attack grounds Kija's fangs. His eyes widen as Zeno crashes into a cabinet, before he turns a glare onto the undead being. With a growl and a swipe, his claws easily smash through the bones, crumpling the skeleton into a mess upon the floor as the ground shakes in anger beneath them.

How dare it attack from behind!?

Attention immediately shifts to Zeno however. Rushing toward the yellow dragon, his face falls in concern.]

Zeno! Are you all right?

[becomeashield]

Ehhhh? I haven't done anything yet! It's all on your own!

[Is he lying or does he not know what Abi is talking about? Who knows. Not like he's going to say.]

Honestly, I was going to suggest you to think about birds to begin with.

[staredown]

Sometimes just knowing I'll have to breathe the same air as you can ruin something.

[Of all the people, why you, Shu-Ten. And why are you coming here to criticize him? Now he's annoyed. That's not going to help the poor, defenseless pumpkin.]

Shut up. I wouldn't blame him if it wasn't his fault, you-- you try having good emotions about eating when the only thing that comes to mind is his utter lack of manners.

[gardenboxed]

[Blood on her lips. The shine of something glittery resides there, but she can see the deep red mixed in with it. Meanwhile, the pool at her feet steadily grows larger. Fingers grasp hold of her skirt and she swallows thickly in an effort to keep from trembling. There could be only one reason someone would have blood upon their lips. Right...?]

I-I thought you might be hurt. [So she... had come forward.] I wanted to help [Her eyes glance down at the blood steadily dripping down her arm.] If you were hurt...

[ Her heart thunders so loudly that it pounds within her ears. ]

Are you hurt...?

[becomeashield]

I... think so.

[He sits down. Several flasks and test tubes have fallen from the impact, and broken glass is all over the floor. But Zeno seems to be alright. But as he moves forward to get up, he feels a sting. On his left forearm, a shard is lodged. And it's bleeding now.]

Awww.

[Oh well, it's not a fatal wound.]

[staredown]

[...mmm, Abi lets his sight drift a bit, at that suggestion. Part of him is about to ask what he can appreciate there, but it's... a different kind of appreciation. Perhaps the birds don't do things for him, but he benefits... he's soothed or cheered.

A little more reaction.

He glances back down at the appreciation balls, then at Zeno. Juuuust the very tips of his fangs are bared but he reaches toward Zeno, wanting to pinch him on the arm or something petty like that.]

Tell me what you're thinking about instead.

[becomeashield]

[Zeno doesn't feel like explaining his thoughts so soon, so instead he moves on to a next suggestion. His smile also shows the tip of his fangs.]

Not that good? There's always Hiryuu for ultimate measures. Because you appreciate him a lot! We all do, of course!

[backstory]

[It will be impossible not to fret over the king. But the determination in his eyes and that sincere gaze is so familiar. If the princess and this man are truly alike, then he knows that on sheer strength of will alone, he will surely be all right.

He stares back a moment more, before his lips turn up intp a smile of excited approval.]

My dream ever since I was a small child was that I would have the opportunity to fight along your side. [Of course this man and his master would have it no other way. Of course they would not stand back and allow someone else to simply fight for them. That is what makes them worthy of their positions to begin with. They are both noble beyond words.]

With the princess and you, I am honored to fight along side you.

[staredown]

[Of course, for all that Abi can see, someone's inner thoughts... no, no he cannot.

He is still impudent -- thought as much -- but Abi can't call that out, not with these good results. For that, Abi must hold his tongue and while that rankles a bit-- he inclines his head.]

You make this appear easy. Whether that's true, or just your own particular skill making it seem so, I can't say.

[thirdprogenitor]

[ This girl seems so... small and yet, there's something about her, something that causes Krul to take an almost in her for a moment. It might be the fact that she can hear how loud her heart is pounding within her chest or the timid nature in which she seems torn with wanting to help despite the bloody mess surrounding her and dripping off her arm.

And yet, she doesn't seem repulsed by the scene given the fact that she hasn't run or shied away from her. Yet. ]

I'm more annoyed than hurt.

[ She tosses the empty bag aside, confetti spitting out from it as a blob of what's left of red blood oozes out onto the concrete. Her attention doesn't even fall on the bag, annoyed with the contents and instead, seems to fall on this girl who seems close in her own age... at least physically. Krul hasn't been anywhere near this age in over 2000 years.

So of course, with the mess dripping both off and around her, she feels the need to ask. ]

Are you scared?

[backstory]

[Concentrating a moment he shakes his head. No, he can do it. It just will take a moment. If his hand wasn't already white, the knuckles would strain so. Using his strength, he pulls himself up slowly, until he can awkwardly grasp onto the ledge with his other hand. With a grunt, he pulls himself up enough to lift one leg up onto the slick surface. And as he does so, he allows Abi to pull him the rest of the way up.

It's only until he is up and fully safe from falling over the ledge, that he allows himself to roll over and just lie there a moment. ]

. . . This is the second time I've almost fallen from such a height. [Maybe he doesn't have any luck with heights... how does Jae-Ha do it all the time?] Once more I saw nothing but multiple grannies...

[gardenboxed]

[For a moment, she hesitates at the question. She isn't sure what answer the girl in front of her is looking for. Would one answer over another annoy her more? Fingers curling tighter into her skirt, she swallows and then nods after a moment.]

A little. [It's better to be honest she thinks, than to lie. She hopes so. The large amount of blood is only too much of a reminder of a terrifying part of her past.] You're a vampire, right...? [Just to be one hundred percent sure. The existence is supposed to be a secret. But this girl... she isn't hiding what she is at all. It's right here in the open.]