empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

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*test drive

TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

— 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.

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.
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.
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.

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.
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.
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.

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.
Flying equipment. The various medical equipment has also taken life, scalpels and needles flying everywhere and stethoscopes ready to strangle.
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!

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[ apparently he was not, and rion's face quickly goes through shame, embarrassment, and just general flustered-ness in equal measures. he clearly had not wanted anyone to hear that and he won't even make eye contact - that fight/flight response is really telling rion that the correct response here is to flee, even though mika has done basically nothing to warrant that other than ask him why he was making weird noises.

he's not very good at this, okay.

fortunately, he's able to answer, though he's still looking at his feet and avoiding eye contact like mika's eyes might be capable of burning his eyes out. ]

I didn't think I was still.... thinking those out.

[ notably, this does absolutely nothing to clarify what those noises were; he's more concerned that he looked stupid than anything else, and apparently is very sensitive to such. ]

[ Okay... that was one way to actually make him feel just a little bit guilty, seeing the reaction he got by bringing that up. The whole lack of eye contact didn't so much bother him as he was used to that from home; from the humans who feared him and looked at him like they would a monster when they DID meet his gaze.

Yet there's something about this that bothers him because it seems like it'd been directly because he'd brought up that whole thing with those noises. Was it a sensitive subject he'd pointed out unintentionally?

Doing damage control would have to come next, a subtle touch of regret showing now on his face. ]

It's alright. That's why I mentioned it to you.

[ Mika pauses then, figuring out how to continue with this and wishing he was better at actually socializing with people properly. He's never been 100% good with that, unfortunately. ]

Trying to control what's broadcast to others is difficult for everyone so you wouldn't be the first who that has happened to.

[ the damage appears to be controlled, though he's still not totally making eye contact. in fairness to mika, making eye contact and generally making conversation aren't things rion is good at, and his reaction is pretty disproportionate to how big a deal it was - but he's a teenage boy, and if there is one constant in teenagers, it is that everything is a big deal to them. ]

I'm not used to being able to hear myself. [ there's a reason that he was so excited about this, after all. he's not sure if he wants to elaborate more yet, but mika doesn't seem... too bad. it's not like he's intentionally making fun of rion.

at least that's what he thinks. he could be wrong; he's been wronger before. ]

[ That was something he could somewhat relate to, being as he was sixteen himself and still a teenager; even if he'd kind of be that until he died, the fact still remained as such. He could only guess that just maybe he wasn't the only one who wasn't the greatest with dealing with people, bringing some small sense of relief there. ]

I figured as much. Earlier you mentioned you could hear your voice even though you can't talk, so that makes sense that you wouldn't be used to it.

[ It was like this girl he'd met not long before this. She couldn't speak through anything else but the amulet either. ]

...if you do not mind me asking. Were you born this way or did something happen to cause it?

[ Mika's careful to keep his voice level, calm and unobtrusive. He doesn't want the boy to feel too pressured here, beyond the press of his general curiosity and not wanting to make people feel too uncomfortable. His expression is calm as well; no sign of anything malicious, judging or mean whatsoever. ]

Edited 2016-10-19 10:51 (UTC)

[ the most answer that mika gets is a shrug. he doesn't say (or think) anything, but he is being mostly truthful. he knows that he wasn't born this way, but he does not know what caused it, and he doesn't actually remember ever being able to talk.

he's fidgeting a little bit; this is a little uncomfortable, especially out with so many people around. rion's emotions are very obvious and swingy - while there's no rain or anything around him yet, his body language, his movements make it clear that he's a little anxious right now.

after a few moments, though, he does reply - though it's not about the muteness. ]

Sorry. I didn't mean to repeat myself.

[ he can't stop himself from apologizing and yet he knows that what he's apologizing for is stupid, so he's mostly just getting himself upset. it's a talent of his. ]

[ Getting that kind of response was enough to tell him that maybe he shouldn't have asked it. If that was the case then he'd drop it just the same if it was something he shouldn't be asking about, the other's body language following that initial shrug more than clear as well. ]

That's fine. It happens. Nothing worth getting upset over.

[ Just the same, he's still seeming calm - a talent of his considering he seemed to otherwise lack emotion from time to time. Keeping them mostly all on the inside. Yet despite this, he's going to do something he really doesn't do at all for humans but somehow there's enough to make an exception.

The poor boy seems an anxious mess and he's not THAT heartless to ignore something so obvious. ]

...If you need anything, let me know. I'll try to help.

[ that simple act of kindness from mika brings a smile to his face. it's a worried smile, but it's a smile nonetheless. that he's willing to like... not question, that he'll let rion open up on his own time. that's important to him.

he's not used to this sort of kindness. ]

Thank you, um...

[ it is at this point that rion realizes he doesn't actually know mika's name, and he can't recall whether he was told it somewhere in this conversation but forgot, or that he wasn't. that awkwardness is coming back, and given that empatheias is... well, what it is, his awkward is palpable.

there is not much of a reason for him to be awkward, but it's there anyway. ]

Mikaela.

[ It's spoken softly and without hesitation, having also realized he had not given his name to the boy anytime prior to this point. He wasn't the best in social situations with people as it was, and tended to not do normal things like giving names to people right away.

He really was trying, though. ]

...What about you?

[ neither one of them is particularly good, which ... really nicely balances out because they're understanding each other's awkward, perhaps. or something like that.

regardless, he's able to get an answer out of the boy. ]

Rion. It's, um. Nice to meet you.

[ the tone indicates that he's clearly not like, hesitant about whether it is nice to meet mikaela or not - more hesistant about not being sure if that's the right thing he's supposed to say in this situation! ]

[ Perhaps his time here had made him more compliant than what he was normally, willing to be patient enough to try and help this poor guy out. Why he ended up trying to give him a smile for what it was worth, even if that was something he felt almost unused to. ]

Likewise. I've not met a human who's quite like you before now.

[ How does he come up with good things to talk about and keep things going along smoothly? An idea hits and he just goes with it on impulse. ]

Where is it you come from?

[ ah, unfortunately, the latter part of that gets completely ignored, because rion doesn't have a good answer for it, other than "home"... and the first part of what mika said is a lot more interesting than the second part.

there is a somewhat concerned look in rion's eyes now - he feels like he should have been expecting something like this, even though mika has yet to give any indication of being hostile towards rion. ]

You haven't met a human like me? You mean you... aren't?

[ he may have some serious issues with handling people, but he's not stupid. that's not something that ... seems like it would fit in with mika's way of talking if he were just talking about people in general, which means there's one conclusion... ]

[ Nobody said socializing was easy. Mika didn't entirely expect that the other would answer the latter question of his but it'd been worth a try at the very least, the look in the other's eyes catching his attention. Sure enough it's followed with something entirely inevitable.

Part of him worried that maybe he shouldn't have let that tidbit slip, the reluctance he felt flashing across his face briefly. ]

...I haven't been one for four years.

[ There was his answer. Admitting it still wasn't easy but he tried to just go with it. ]

Just because i'm not human, it doesn't mean you should fear me. I'm not the type who senselessly harms others so you have nothing to be afraid of.

[ haven't been one for four years, huh? detective rion is... okay, he's not sure if he should be on the case, but the case has been put into his hands nonetheless. 'haven't been one for four years' implies that at one point he was one...

but he's not now. now, this could be any number of things, and rion is aware that mika could very well be something that rion absolutely can't conceptualize - but he's kinda learned that there seems to be some vague shared base of knowledge that everyone has. which is weird, and probably not a coincidence.

he's smiling as he thinks at mika, using that telepathy to respond ]

Well... you're not a zombie, since you didn't say anything about brains...

[ holy crap he's making a joke. he feels comfortable enough, at least, to be a big dork. for now. good job mika!!! ]

[ Initially he didn't know how the other boy was going to take what he'd said or what conclusions he'd come to. There was a number of things people could think of when you said you weren't human and as such there was things Rion could assume him to be all on his own.

Though he catches a glimpse of that smile briefly, the words following making him blink a bit before as a small smile is turned in the other boy's direction as well. ]

I'm also not falling apart or anything, either.

[ Since from his basic knowledge, zombies fell apart and were rather ugly to look at and well... he was far from that. ]

However... you have the right idea. I am dead, but... think of something more on the lines of something that never ages and feeds on only one thing.

[ mika, this probably would have been a good time to like... just leave it at that. rion's eyes widen; he's not sure what exactly mika is, but... he's dead, he used to be human, uhhh.

ah. wait. is this all some sort of ploy? ]

A... um.

[ he's. really not sure he wants the answer to this question, because his knowledge of vampires is that they are manipulative and sooner or later he's going to end up being eaten. maybe he's something else, but mummies tend to be much more obviously... mummies... and he doesn't know what other dead-but-not-dead things there are that feed on one thing. ]

Um.

[ of course. of course it had to be something like this, didn't it? why wouldn't someone who seems alright in fact be like, a vampire or something? just rion's luck. of course he was only friendly because rion would be edible.

he is doing a very poor job of not looking really alarmed. ]

[ Mika had never been one to let people just assume things and he figured letting the other boy know in advance what he was, was better than him figure it out later and be more freaked out about the whole thing. Best to get the whole 'vampire' thing out of the way.

So it's not surprising that Rion seems to come off as uneasy considering the nature of vampires that he himself is acquainted with. People never took the idea of bloodsucking creatures very well, and he wasn't aware of just what kind of vampires Rion would tie in with him. Probably the kind that did nothing but manipulate humans into being their food eventually, which wasn't too far off from what he lived with back home so perhaps clarifying some things would help in this matter.

Especially since Rion looked fairly alarmed now. ]

...Let me make things clear. Just because i'm a vampire, it does not mean i'm going to attack you or have any plans to in the future.

[ His tone is firm, unwavering and he isn't even remotely lying in having said that just then. ]

I don't really see humans as food. [ Mika already hates himself for being a vampire as it is, and the idea of drinking from humans just sets his nerves on edge. He doesn't wanna be like them. ] So you're safe.

[ the problem is that that's exactly the kind of thing he'd say even if he was the kind of person who saw rion as food - unless he's the world's shittiest hunting vampire, like the saturday morning kids' cartoon vampire who admits his evil plans the moment he gets confronted.

but rion suspects that mika is not that. the problem is that he doesn't know if mika is telling the truth or not, because he really wants to believe mika, but he really doesn't want to find himself half dead in an alleyway filled with puncture marks, either, which is what totally could happen if mika is lying.

or at least that's what his brain leads him to believe. so he doesn't answer. he doesn't know what the correct answer is. he doesn't want to accuse mika of lying, but he cannot bring himself to trust him, even though he's the one who said he was a vampire. but why would he say that --

argh, it's all so confusing!!! ]

[ That apt silence is enough to tell Mika that Rion still seems on the fence about whether or not he can trust him, knowing what he was now. His brows draw together in a small frown, before his expression falls a touch.

It's genuinely open, vulnerable and not something a vampire with purely evil, malice-filled intentions would wear. Not believably, anyway. Sure, he'd lost control a couple times over the years but he'd always stopped himself before anything bad had happened and now he was past that and had someone to ground him here. To make sure that would never happen again; he had to stay strong now. ]

...It's alright. Most people distrust vampires where I come from... but i'm trying... to show i'm not like them. I'm not a monster.

[ The tone he spoke with was soft, borderline defeated. Really, he was just wanting the other to know he wasn't like the other vicious vampires who'd sooner treat Rion like livestock and bite him once he got bored of him or whatever. That wasn't who he was. ]

Please. Don't judge me just based off of what I am. Before you had known, we were getting along fine... that shouldn't change.

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TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

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