empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

Entry tags:

!mod,
*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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[B - Caperon Automobiles]

[Zelos hadn't really read the taskboard as much as he'd casually glanced at it, but c'mon, 'attractive and stylish' people? That prompt practically had his name on it.]

[Only it probably hadn't, and when he showed up to the warehouse, he'd wished he'd taken a closer look. There were some things he could understand, but an automated tricycle? Who were they even making that for?]

[Zelos wanted to bail, but his pride wouldn't let him. Were tricycles cool? Hell no. But if there was someone who could make them cool, it was Zelos Wilder.]

[After making sure he's properly dressed, he heads out into town. Whether he feels shame or not is unclear because he's playing this as absolutely cool as he can. Somehow, he manages to attract a few stragglers, and before long, he's leading a a tricycle gang, complete with fangirls.]

[Clearly, this menace must be stopped. Is your character up to the challenge?]

[F-1]

[Zelos wasn't really a fan of work (in so many words), but a good deal of the jobs on the taskboard were right up his alley. Beating up a few wimpy skeletons? That he could handle.]

[What he hadn't counted on was a room of lab equipment trying to kill him. As he ducked behind a desk to avoid a flying stapler, he was beginning to sorely regret telling the rest of the party he could handle this room alone.]

[Someone come back to check on this idiot?]

[F-2/G?]

[He thought he'd been in the clear when he managed to make it out of the lab, but as it was, nothing seemed to be going right for Zelos Wilder. Somebody had taken a bucket of the questionable liquid back into the city for 'testing,' and of course, it had been dropped. Right onto Zelos.]

[He's good enough at hiding his emotions that he can get by for awhile, but soon it's apparent that the redhead isn't his usual obnoxious self. From his crossed arms to the scowl that's found its way onto his face, it's clear that he's not in a good mood. Eventually he has enough, and he flies to the roof of a nearby building.]

[He's hoping for quiet, but his wings are bright enough to be seen from half a mile away.]

[Wildcard]

[Up to you! If you wanna plot, feel free to hit up this journal.]

Edited 2016-10-19 22:45 (UTC)

*The problem with most parties was that people underestimated the healer. In this case, healer meant an actual medical professional. CR-S01 had already had to patch up the wounds of overly zealous party members. Which reminded him of one particularly foolhardy young man who'd decided to power through a room. On his own.*

Hello, Zelos, are you all...*He did manage to duck before he got nailed in the face with a beaker. His usual smooth and calm demeanor changed into one of surprise.* What did you do?

Hey, don't blame me!

[Zelos shouts from behind the desk. After quickly taking a look around the room to make sure that there weren't any incoming office supplies, he quickly pulls CR-S01 down next to him. Strength in numbers, and also against awry office supplies.]

I walked in here and the room started attacking me. Any bright ideas, doc?

Has everything hazardous already been broken? *Because at least that would cut down on the things being thrown at their heads. Not only that...*

Is there anyone actually here besides you and...random office supplies?

[Before Zelos can reply to that first question, a couple of beakers shatter onto the desk above them, sending mysterious goo everywhere. It doesn't look like the room is going to run out of ammunition anytime soon.]

Beats me. [He kind of shrugs in response.] I took out a few skeletons on my way in, but this room was clear. [He rolls a bit to the left to avoid another flask. Like hell he's going to let that get on his hair.]

Did the quest board say anything about psycho lab supplies? [Because, y'know, that would be an important thing to mention. Also, he probably should have read it.]

I think it said something about skeletal scientists. *He needed to get some of the lab stuff unbroken! Those scalpels and beakers would be perfect back at his makeshift office.*

Have you mastered any emotional powers right now? Because if not, I could try something with your help.

Skeletal scientists, huh? I never would've guessed.

[Maybe this wasn't the best time for sarcasm, considering there were still a fair amount of sharp things flying at his head. The doc probably had a point, though.]

That emotional powers mumbo-jumbo? I'm sure I could handle that. Lay it on me, doc.

[Maybe he hadn't so much mastered his powers as never attempted them at all, but really, how hard could it be?]

*Well, nothing like learning on the job.* If I jump there and try concentrating, I could try pacifying the skeleton with calm. At the very least, I could distract it long enough so you could it on the back of the head.

[This was sounding easier than he expected.]

Right, so all I need to do is wait for the okay, and give the skeleton a good whack on the back of the head. Got it.

[If there's one thing that he knows he can do, it's that: he's just waiting for the doctor's cue.]

[A tricycle gang? Seriously?

Okay, sure, why not? She's seen bigger disasters here. But she's not going to let them pass by without taking the time to let them know how stupid this whole thing is.]

You guys know how ridiculous you look, right?

[It's not a lot, but she's not going to throw her A material at a bunch of trikers. Is that a word? If it's not that's what she's calling it. Not yet anyway.]

Especially the guy in the lead, jeez.

[Zelos knows how ridiculous he looks, but he's not going to admit it. He's got experience playing it cool, and this isn't nearly enough to phase him.]

It's okay, babe, you can drop the act. You're welcome to join, there's no need to be shy.

[Someone punch him. Someone punch him please.]

[She's thinking about it, that's for sure.]

Really, I can? Then I can get a tricycle of my own and join your groupies, and look just as stupid as the rest of you?

[She's being super sarcastic, but at the same time, she couldn't sound more enthusiastic about it.

And then the enthusiasm just sort of...dies.]

Who would ever pass that up?

[Keep it up, Junko, and you might actually bruise his ego!]

[Actually, you probably already have. But he's nothing if not an actor, and he's not going to let his facade drop that easily.]

I get it, you're dazzled by our flair and style! No wonder you're at a loss for words. [That's not it. That's not it even a little bit.] Don't worry, there's enough coolness to go around.

More like baffled by the lack of it. Seriously, you guys look like you escaped from an 80s glam rock vid. And that's so not a compliment.

[She doesn't particularly care if he knows what that is or not.]

How much are you getting paid to shill those things anyway? Because we all know nobody would be caught dead on that crap if they weren't getting something out of it.

[Okay, he's actually taking a hit now, if the cold winds blowing through are any indication. Somehow, he's still able to keep it from showing in his expression, but there's only so long that can last.]

C'mon, it got a beauty like you to stop and talk to us! That's a win in my book.

[No. That's not it at all.]

What? A guy can't have eclectic taste without money being involved?

[Translation: 1) Money was involved, 2) it wasn't nearly enough, and 3) Zelos is mainly doing it out of pride at this point.]

So it's a win for you if a a pretty girl belittles and demeans you in public in front of your groupies. A little unusual, but if that's what you're in to, at least you're honest about it.

[She's noticed that cold wind, she definitely has, but she'll just continue to poke at him.]

And of course you can be eclectic without money, but then you're just the weird crazy guy. This, no, there's totally money involved here.

Wow, you're just little miss sunshine, aren't you?

[And that wind's just gonna get colder as Zelos' facade starts to fade. He knew he could only hold it for so long, and he's starting to crack. Good job, Junko!]

You've got me. But, even though there's money involved, think of this as an act of charity.

[Because Zelos sure as hell isn't getting paid enough to go out in public dressed like this.]

Hey, I've always been known for speaking my mind. If I had my official bio here, I'd point it out to you.

[...don't read whatever passes for that here though.]

And all right,, if it's charity, who's the charity case here?

[There's a face Lloyd didn't think he'd see again, but he's happy to see him anyway. Even if he looks pretty dumb.

Which is different from normal... not so much.]

I'm not even surprised that you managed to find an entourage, Zelos, but what's up with that outfit? You look... [Worse than usual? Like someone dropped you in the Temple of Shadow...] sorta funny. I mean, did you steal that from Vharley?

[Wow, rude. Dissing his '80s biker look is one thing, but his normal outfit? They were supposed to be buds!]

[He'd be more hurt if he wasn't so excited to see his friend. The air around them was actually getting a little warmer and fresher, but it was hard to tell through all the smoke the tricycles were letting out.

The outfit wasn't my idea. [It absolutely was.] Wanna join in? You can be the second in command.

[Really, what about this offer wasn't tempting?]

[They're still bros. Honest. Just... ditch the pink. Embrace your new steampunk life. Lloyd's clothes fit right in, sadly. And considering all the things he knows that Zelos and the Meltokio natives find "Fashionable", that monstrosity Zelos is wearing is definitely the redhead's fault.

But, the change in the air is noticeable, considering the recent weather and Lloyd comes over the clap his friend on the back.]

As tempting as that is, I'm gonna have to pass. I've got work and a date with Colette to pass the time. I don't think that she'd appreciate it if I ditched her for...[he waves his gloved hands at the bikes and groupies] this.

Besides, wasn't it you that said there's nothing scarier than an angry girl?

[Zelos happily loops an arm around Lloyd's shoulder in return. Was the air this nice before? Eh, it doesn't matter.]

It's 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,' and...

[He pauses. Something that Lloyd said just clicked into place, and Zelos is having trouble processing it.]

Wait, wait, hold up. You have a date? With Colette?

[That's several thousand gald he's not getting back. He wanted the best for his friend, sure, but given how naive the both of them could be? He's pretty surprised this day ever came.]

Looks like you're in luck. Your best bud came back just in time to give you advice for the big day.

[Sure, let's go with that.]

[Let's not talk about the air before. It's not worth mentioning right now.

And he sort of watches as Zelos actually gets what he's said and gives a half-smile.]

Uh, yeah. She and I have been dating since... six months ago?

[The last time he wasn't quite this excited about the fact that Lloyd had woken up and realized he liked Colette as more than just a friend.]

This is like our millionth date. What could you tell me now that Alvin hasn't already sorta told me?

[ Seriously, Zelos? ]

Now there's an outfit I didn't expect to see again, Zeloser.

[ "Sheena" for: "glad to see you" of course. ]

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TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

Zelos Wilder | Tales of Symphonia

F-1

Re: F-1

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B

junkos!

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B

Re: B

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B: Late!