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

[sunsetsitter]

Whoo! Go church dude! You kill that dead thing! [And then, just as enthusiastically,] Yeah nerds! Science the shit outta him!

[pops another piece of illusory popcorn into her mouth]

[churchbelle]

[Church dude? Well, he supposes that's not untrue—]

Miss, it's real nice of ya to try and make this a fair fight, but you're powerfully distractin' over there.

[Let him kick heads in peace for like, two more minutes! Just two! Then he'll be through.]

[sunsetsitter]

[Look...he's a church dude. And it's better than just calling him short man.]

Hey, I'd try to help out more, but I'm corporeally challenged, man. What can I really do besides cheer? Ooh, comin' up on your left!

[churchbelle]

[Okay, true, call him church dude freely. He gives her a look - yes, he noticed the first time she shouted cheers that she's a goddamn pink ghost, that's wild - before ducking quickly away from this other dead, less ghosty thing trying to nerd slap him.

He kicks it in the femur, which also pops right out. This is definitely desecration, ooh. Awkward.] —I feel a lil bad for 'em, y'know?

[sunsetsitter]

Awh, it's fine. I doubt they feel it, anymore.

[She munches on another fake piece of popcorn for the full effect of how much this dead chick doesn't care about respecting these fellow dead.]

I mean, you could also just, you know, run. Door's clear. Poor skelebros probably want to get back to wishing they were boning instead of bones, anyway.

[churchbelle]

[Well, one of them will sort of respect these dead guys. As an afterthought. Mostly. He's still going to knock them down, sooo.]

I'm tryin' to do my part, here. I reckon someone ought to put these poor folks to rest.

[...can he say that to a ghost...... hm]

[sunsetsitter]

[Well, there's no emotional smoke coming out of her ears, so...]

And if breaking them to bits doesn't do it? Whoop, here's another one! Get his ankles, Jerry! Can I call you Jerry? You look like a Jerry.

["Jerry" groans unhappily and reaches out to grasp at Hazel's robe.]

No, the ankle -- goddamn it, Jerry.

[churchbelle]

I've got— for God's sake— [Jerry, he's very sorry, but he has to step back and then immediately step forward again, to pin that skeletal arm to the floor. It'll crack in a second, but for now, "Jerry" is contained.]

You're a spirit, so what do ya think— do walkin' skeletons still have souls?

[Or are they being possessed by nerdy grudges or something, this emotion stuff is wild.]

[sunsetsitter]

[Poor Jerry... Izabel tosses the bowl of popcorn up into the air and it vanishes before she glides over to hover alongside her pet skeleton man.]

I mean, if these guys do, they're being rude as fuck, aren't they? Not being supportive, like me.

[churchbelle]

You're much more inspirin' than our friend Jerry, I'll give ya that.

[And oops- that was the sound of poor Jerry's wrist popping out of its dead socket. Hazel stoops down, studying the skeleton while it weakly groans in protest at him. For a moment nothing happens, then Hazel pokes two fingers against Jerry's skull and pulls his hand away, a thin glowing wisp following after it.

He straightens up with a frown.] Nothin' for it. They've been here longer'n they should.

[And... poof, the wispy thing dissipates as it floats away, and the skeleton on the ground is still. Tada!]

[sunsetsitter]

[O-kay, Izabel's gonna go ahead and back off again, tips of her fingers, hair, and ears starting to tinge with a dull gold a la Thras-aligned emotions. She didn't need church dude messing with her spirit.]

I'm gonna miss Jerry. Stop mourning, though, man, you've almost got the room cleared.

[churchbelle]

[Man, he's not even going to think about the literal ghost concept. Literal half a ghost? He's never seen anything like her, and she's friendly, so— that's... fine?

That is probably fine.]

Ain't nothin' wrong with a moment of silence. Gimme a minute to finish it up.

[He might have to do that weird soul thing again, stay over there. A whole minute later, he'll be done.]

[sunsetsitter]

[IT'S FINE.

What's also fine is Izabel hanging out in the corner, boredly resting her chin on her palms and adhering to any moments of silence missed. Farewell, Jimmy. Farewell, John. See ya later, Jackie. Hit the road, Jack. Man, they must have caught a lot of shit for having such similar names, huh? Better not be siblings. What kind of mother names their kids Jack and Jackie? Or Mikkel and Michael? Cheryl and Sharon?

Anyway, once Hazel's through, she perks up, pretty and pink once more.]

Hey, church dude's got some moves! Guess I can forgive the religious devotion thing.

[churchbelle]

[It's so fine. Anyway, all of these poor dead nerds laid more or less to rest, or... better than whatever they were before, being zombie guard nerds, Hazel dusts off his hands with the satisfaction of a creepy job well done. Enough. Well done enough.

Church dude, again...] Hazel. It's Hazel, miss. Don't worry about any preachin' from me— I've got the good word but the heart's not in it.

[Dear God, fuck you, love Hazel, amen]

[sunsetsitter]

Don't call me m -- huh?

[...Well. That was a name. It sure was a name, and Izabel's jaw clenches a moment, causing her lipstick to tint blue. It didn't seem fair at all that the person she happened to trip across was someone named Hazel, wasn't her Hazel, wasn't a sweet little girl that smiled like sunshine.

Just some church dude Hazel. At least he seemed like an okay church dude. There's that.]

Thanks. I don't really have time to deal with that shit, so... [Biiig breath, blow some bangs out of your face. Squish it down.] Izabel. "Miss" makes me feel older than I'll ever be.

[churchbelle]

[Uh. Well, that's a reaction. Hazel assumes it's more about that "religious devotion" stuff than just his name, since why would it be, so he just... gives her a moment to settle that within herself. He sure is wearing the clothes, but it's as much to earn a free church dude pass to do what he wants as anything else.

People who don't know shit about other people's churches really are something else. Anyway.]

Izabel. Alright. I won't lecture ya about keepin' the faith or walkin' the straight and narrow path to righteousness, rest assured.

[...Well, anyway. Let him wander over to a desk, pick up an old abandoned notebook and flip through it, then tuck it under his arm.] Mission accomplished. Someone'll get somethin' outta Jerry's hard work.

[sunsetsitter]

[Oh, phew, she can go back to some easy humor. Izabel points down to her waist and the intestines loosely hanging out.]

Don't do much walking, and definitely don't do it straight.

[She's hilarious... And she's floating along behind Hazel to peer over his shoulder.]

I doubt it. Jerry might've been an innocent soul in his day, but the rest of them strike me as more the mad scientist type. I don't really trust anything in this place as far as I could throw it. Strictly metaphorically. How much of those notes was mumbo jumbo, at a glance?

[churchbelle]

[Wow, dead people humor. Dead gay ghost humor? He can kind of relate. Not to not having legs, but he's just not going to look down, that's fine.]

I'm a holy man who grew up in the church. What do ya think? [It's a toss up; it's not like he only ever did Bible study, but Bible study and wacky exorcism magic are as scientific as backwater farm towns got, in his experience.

So he has no idea what the hell any of this research is about.] Maybe someone else'll have a better time with all the gibberish.

[sunsetsitter]

Oof, that's rough, buddy.

[Religion sucks... Almost makes her grateful her parents were more devoted to what the enemy called terrorism than to any god. Having to toddle around a church would definitely have screwed her up even more than she already was.]

Fair enough. Even after going to a few different places, a ton of things in this place seem backwards to me. They're totally gonna understand this weird shit! What are they giving you for it, anyway?

[churchbelle]

Hmm. [It wasn't so bad, at the time... but he'll save his bittersweet church boy nostalgia for another time. He flips a few notebook pages again. Still doesn't make sense.]

They're offerin' a pat on the back and a nice "thank ya kindly," more or less. But bein' in the locals' good graces always comes in handy sooner or later.

[sunsetsitter]

[...Hazel...]

Wow. Or they'll see you as an easy mark to fuck over. At least ask for, like, ten coins. Prove you've got a set, however small.

[churchbelle]

[Hey now, he's a great con artist, don't play.]

Bet I can get one of 'em to buy me dinner. That'll do— it wasn't that challengin' to come make a mess down here.

[sunsetsitter]

[Dinner would in fact do, for someone who has to eat, she's got to agree with that.]

I dunno, not everyone could have given Jerry a proper send off the way you did. What's up with that?

[And subtly drifting off a bit because...because.]

[churchbelle]

[Hm? Back on the Jerry thing again??]

Just a lil somethin' I can do. I know it's unsightly, but it's a way of helpin' people deal with their dead.

[Skipping the details... thaaat's okay.]

[sunsetsitter]

[Jerry will live on forever in her heart.]

At least you know that. [The unsightly thing...] Not everyone would.

[But then, it's easier to tell when something unsettles someone when they're swapping colors like a mood ring.]

Huh. Afterlife past this is kinda a new concept for me. Where do you think they go after that?