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

[thirdprogenitor]

[ Normally, she would be so much better at detecting when someone (or something) was approaching. Given the tremendous amount of anger that was bubbling beneath the surface and causing cracks to shatter concrete beneath her feet, she hadn't heard Mika's approach and so when she heard her name, she threw the now empty blood bag to the side and spun to grab at the other's neck.

But when she saw who it was, saw those strands of blond and crimson red eyes that were once blue for years, she stopped, nails barely touching Mika's throat. ]

Mika.

[ It took her a moment to have that rage fizzle out and remove the fog that had cast itself over her logical mind and she pulled back then, gaze softening as much as it could with her.

So he was here. Mika was here. He was alive.

His question caused her to laugh under her breath as she glanced away from and off to the torn bag of plastic that lay on the concrete amidst a pool of blood and red confetti. ]

I don't know what they consider to be blood here but I don't find it amusing.

[ It's only after a sharp fang grazed over her lip that she discovered the red confetti to have stuck itself to her lips. Fingers brushed the glittery red nuisance away and flicked some off each finger one at a time. It seemed as though once this sea of sparkling red attached itself to you, it was difficult to get off. ]

But you. [ She looked him over quickly, assessing him and taking in anything that might possibly be different about him; he didn't seem to be injured to her. ] What are you doing here? I thought I told you to get away with Yuu.

[sanguisdolore]

[ Given with how mad she seemed to be, the hand that shot out to grab his throat didn't come as much of a surprise as it may to someone else. A very subtle wince escaped him, remaining still until the flash of recognition actually showed on her face and those fierce red eyes softened enough that the rage she had felt wasn't reflected within them anymore.

Raising a hand to touch where she'd had her hand along his neck, his attention was drawn briefly to the fallen plastic Krul had tossed onto the ground prior and that was when he noted the subtle shimmer that didn't quite belong to blood itself. That... wasn't what normally happened to be in the blood packs like that; as far as he'd experienced here, at least. ]

Ah... I can attest that not all of the blood is like that. [ Then, for clarification, he continues after a moment. ] I haven't had any problems with that until now.

[ With how odd the fluctuations in emotions are around here, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume that maybe someone'd been feeling perhaps a little too cheerful when handling that blood pack and resulted in that weird glittery stuff being a part of it. Something which seemed to still cling to her lips stubbornly, which he surmised probably wasn't the most pleasing and likely part of just what had earned her ire previously.

Yet she took no time in focusing back on him afterward, drawing attention to words he'd been completely unable to forget as they were essentially the last thing she'd ever really said to him back home. ]

I did. Yuu is here with me... we escaped Nagoya together.

[ Mostly a truth since they ended up here at different times, but they were both doing well now that they'd been here in Verens together. Granted there was that problem of Yuu's that still needed to be dealt with. Not that he's just going to bring that up easily, however. ]

...or we would have if I hadn't arrived here. Yuu showed up a month after I did and he's been living with me since, though neither of us know just what it is that brought us to this place.

[thirdprogenitor]

[ The hows and whys concerning their arrival here were of no importance to her so long as they were out of sight from the humans and vampires. She had done so much - given up so much - to ensure their safety when she took them in under her protection within the vampire city and to think that meddling thorns in her side had caused everything to come undone... it's no wonder she harbors such anger within her small frame. ]

I see. [ She turned after and glanced to her hand, the stubborn red confetti still stuck to the tips of fingers. ] Then I suppose you don't need me, do you?

[ It was a trick question almost considering Krul was never one to openly admit much to anyone. Crumbs here and there as though feeding pigeons in a park, it was typically the extent of what she gave most.

But she smiled soon after, eyes closed and an almost soft laugh deep within the back of her throat. There was something different about Mika now that she had properly seen him. Something she had noticed back in Nagoya but hadn't a chance to really mention with the chaos that had gone on due to the humans and their lust for power and attempts to harness the power of God. ]

But you finally gave in, didn't you? After all these years you finally did what I told you to do.

[ At that, she turned to face him again, her face soft yet amused and she couldn't help the grin that tugged at the corners of her lips. ]

You drank human blood.

[sanguisdolore]

[ It wasn't entirely something he'd ever wholly considered.

The idea that once he got Yuu and got away from both humans and vampires, if he would ever need Krul. A part of him argued that he didn't want anything else to do with the vampires from home anymore, though another stubbornly clung onto that ridiculous sense of loyalty that had been brought about by serving under Krul herself for those four years. He remembered just how initially he'd intended to help her when Crowley and Ferid sprung that attack without warning during that last battle, only following her orders to leave her and escape with Yuu with a small level of reluctance.

If he didn't remotely care about her or need her, why did he even feel concerned when she'd been in danger? ]

If I outright said I didn't, it would be a lie.

[ To a fault, Mika had always been painfully honest and it showed here, unable to hide the truth of the matter here. Yuu would always be his number one person in his life but maybe there was something like gratitude he felt now, as if she hadn't turned him four years ago? He wouldn't have lived long enough to reunite with Yuu again and be able to see that bright, vibrant smile of his.

He'd hated that part of him but was slowly coming to accept it.

Something that she pointed out, bringing to light that indeed he really had given in to what she'd been trying to push him into doing. Telling him he needed to do it but he'd refused to do so before he reunited with Yuu in the fear that he'd just see him as nothing more than a monster; like all the other vampires out there. ]

I... wasn't given much of a choice.

[ Which was entirely true. The person in question whom he'd drank from had ensured that much, using convincing words and actions to break what was left of his resolve on the matter. It hurt so bad to keep fighting at that point that he'd given in, to do something he never thought he'd be able to force himself to do.

Explaining why there was a small smile on his face now along with an almost gentle look in his eyes. Something that had only begun to appear more recently where Yuu was involved. ]

Fighting it anymore wasn't something I had in me. Yuu... he convinced me to give in and I ended up drinking from him.

[thirdprogenitor]

[ There's a certain sort of warmth, or something close to it that she feels at Mika's words concerning his need for her. It's nice to think that he still needs her- still wants her around and she can't help the smile that tugs at her lips, glancing away as if to hide such a thing. She turned him into the very thing he hates, against his will for that matter yet he still needed her around? Still wanted to have her presence in his life? It's... sweet, though the sentiment feels strange to her.

His explanation, however, caused those crimson red eyes of hers flick their gaze back over to him. So it was Yuu's blood he drank. Somehow, she's not all that surprised given his overwhelming determination to find and protect him at whatever the cost. If there was anyone Mika would please, regardless of consequences to himself, it would be Yuu. ]

So you'll listen to him but not to me? You really are difficult, aren't you?

[ Her words are meant to tease though the truth isn't all that far from them and she knows he knows that. But she understands his desire to be with Yuu, to protect him and never let him out of his sight. She felt the same regarding her brother once upon a time and she's yet to actually find him after all these years...

...how lucky for Mika to still have his family with him.

Those thoughts are pushed away for the moment, not needed what with red confetti stuck to her fingers and lips and having found the blond again. Roughly, the back of her hand wiped across her mouth in an attempt to rid herself of the bloody confetti that had caused her temper to flare in the first place. ]

So he's here with you then. You're both safe?

[sanguisdolore]

[ Even if she had meant to come off as teasing, there was no denying the truth that resided within what she'd said. It wasn't something that Mikaela himself could deny, as the one other person who had a higher value than anyone really was nobody else other than Yuu. Other people came after, which would stand to reason to why not even Krul had been able to convince him to drink blood and accept what he was.

For years, he'd been told his life would be made much easier if he just gave in and each time he would resist with the words saying he didn't want to become a monster before he was able to reunite with Yuu. It had been impossibly painful but he'd been driven by pure stubborn will to not give in, though he'd come SO painfully close a couple of times that it had scared him. How his body had been taken over with instinct and the desire to drink human blood to the point of physically hurting him, and he never wanted to go through something like that again. ]

...I suppose I am.

[ It's somewhat of a simple admittance but who is he to shy from that truth, mutely watching her as she attempted to fully get rid of the confetti that had caused her ire to start with.

Not the best impression he would have wished for her to have to this place. Verens was undeniably not the worst place they could end up, the worst being the backlash from their emotional effects and the little-known arehtei that seemed to run this land or something to that effect. That was all something he figured he would have to explain to her in time once they could sit down; he did owe her that much. ]

Yeah. We haven't had any problems since his arrival. He adjusted quite well.

[ Which was no surprise to anyone. Yuu was the kind of person who adapted well to his surroundings and rolled with it, especially since he'd arrived here in chains and hadn't really figured out much of the emotional aspect here. Well, he'd tried to explain it some but part of it had likely gone over his head so he couldn't exactly be sure of how much of it'd sunk in.

It was with his gaze on her that he glimpsed a small spot she hadn't gotten with her hand before, hesitating for just a second before moving to kneel down and reaching a hand up to carefully wipe away the last little bit of bloody confetti that'd been left behind. ]

...Are you going to be alright now, Krul?

[thirdprogenitor]

[ Krul blinked the moment Mika knelt before her and for a moment, she stared to him with an almost curious expression. It was only when he lifted a hand and wiped away whatever she had missed in terms of confetti that her gaze softened and she stared to the blond who now shared the same pair of red eyes with her.

Fingers slowly combed through blond strands of hair and rested at the back of his head after a moment. It was then that, gently, she pulled him towards her and embraced him on his knees just like that. There were no words whispered, no heart beats quickening, no flush of colour to cheeks. All there was in the moment was silence and a gentle caress of fingers through his hair.

Moments like these were often kept between the two of them but with how empty the street seemed to be at the moment, it was almost as if they were within the confines of her room and she can't help but recall those earlier days for a second. This difficult "child" of hers who struggled against his acceptance of her ultimately saving his life and granting him immortality had finally become a full-blooded vampire and while she hadn't been there when the transformation had finally been complete, she felt a sort of relief that he had accepted his fate (regardless of the circumstances) and chose the life of a vampire rather than waste away to a mindless, crazed demon.

She had already lost her brother that way, to think that Mika had been close to doing the same...

Flecks of glitter fall around them from the sky, causing her to glance up and fingers to still in his hair. Was this a result of what she was feeling with having Mika here like this? ]

How annoying.

[ Fingers slipped out of his hair and she glanced off to the side, gaze falling to the empty packet of blood that she had discarded after the confetti disaster. ]

Keep an eye on him. Trouble seems to enjoy following him.