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

A

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Soundwave, in his alt mode, happens to be resting near the area Munakata is. When he heard the sound of a window shattering, he instantly jolt up and ready his weapon. Million years of war has made it hard for him to break such a habit. Then he remembers that there's no threat here. No war. No Galvatron.

Still in his alt mode, Soundwave revs up his engine and drive out of his spot to investigate the source of the sound.

When Soundwave arrives he spot Munakata and can feel the paranoia coming out of him. Must be the perpetrator then. He decides to approach him anyways and try to calm him down to avoid more damage around the area.

Munakata might notice an armored car(much smaller than an average car thanks to his height reduction) approach him and stop at a fair distance away from him. Then a monotone voice comes out of the vehicle]

I assume that you are not aware that our emotions can have such an impact on this world.

[It's still ridiculous that it is apparently a thing in this world.]

[againstdespair]

[The strange armored car doesn't escape Munakata's attention; it's difficult not to notice it, when it doesn't seem to fit the environment. He carefully takes a wary stance as the vehicle approaches; even if the car didn't look weaponized, he couldn't tell how many people were inside it.

He stares at the car when the voice begins emanating from it, unsure of just where it is coming from.]

I was warned. [He couldn't say he was completely innocent in that regard.] But this is the first I've seen from myself.

[...Still. Was this worth confronting him with a car?]

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Ah, well at least Soundwave doesn't have to explain the working of this world then.]

I see. At the very least you have experience the ridiculousness of this world.[Even if that experience isn't particularly a good one.

He's silent for a minute debating whether it's a good idea to transform in front of Munakata. You never know how a paranoid person will react. He decides to do it anyway, that katana doesn't look like it could harm him. Hopefully it doesn't.

Soundwave transforms into his robot mode. Revealing that it is not just a car, but a 7'5" tall robot. Taller than a human, but on the short side for a cybertronian.]

Greetings, I am Soundwave. A new arrival, like yourself, in this strange world.[He takes a step forward and extend a welcoming hand.] I can offer you assistance to calm your mind, but that will require me to tap into it.

[It's better to ask first. He knows how uncomfortable people get when he use his natural telepathic ability on them.]

[againstdespair]

Ridiculous is a good word for it. [The comment is slightly quieter than his regular speech, as if he had considered muttering it outright.

But any other comments are quickly silenced as Munakata watches the car shift and change before his eyes. The tip of his sword points higher and higher, looking for some unseen weak point, until the same voice resounds from the newly revealed robotic form.]

You speak through a robot? [Or, considering the oddities of this place...] Or you are the robot?

[The greetings could be set aside for now in favor of suspicion, surely.]

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Soundwave eyes the sword before he looks back at Munakata to answer his question.]

I am the robot.[If Soundwave doesn't have prior experience with humans before he'll find it extremely offensive to be called that. Still, he should correct him just in case he meets another Cybertronian. Some won't take it as well as Soundwave will.]

I would refrain yourself from calling us robots the next time you may encounter my kind. Some do not take well to be refer to as a mindless machination. [He speaks those words as much venom as he could muster.] We are just as much of a person as you are.

[againstdespair]

[Munakata keeps his sword leveled at the robot--or, well, whatever mechanical race this creature was supposed to be--for a moment longer, then lowers it back to his side. His frown remains, tinged with suspicion.]

As you say. [His gaze averts to Soundwave's hand as he recalls that extended offer.] I will have to decline; I don't make a habit of allowing strangers into my head. [Does he have to worry about telepathy in this world, too? That was what it sounded like, coming from this other newcomer.

After a short silence, he decides he needs to say more in the face of his mistake.] The offer is appreciated, though.

[peacewithouttyranny]

That is understandable. Not many are comfortable when someone gets into your mind.[He knows that feeling when unwanted thoughts is in his head. But that's when he has no control over his own power; not because someone is deliberately trying to get into his head.

Now that he's here, might as well help fix the window and maybe that way he can increase his relation with the locals in this world. He is given a second chance to improve the cybertronian-human relation and he will make use of it. This time for real instead of just using them.

He looks back at the shattered remains then back to Munakata] You do not need to concern yourself over that broken window, human. I will help fix it instead.

[againstdespair]

[He follows Soundwave's gaze back to the window, releasing a sigh he hadn't realized he was holding. The arrival of Soundwave and his own suspicion managed to temporarily trump any concern about the broken window.]

I would be remiss to turn my back on the issue now. Especially when it was completely avoidable.

[Scolding himself harshly wouldn't be helpful, either, if his emotional 'outbursts' were any sign of his current volatility.]

[peacewithouttyranny]

[He waves a dismissive hand.]

You do not need to blame yourself. I doubt that you can avoid this, especially if it's your first experience.

[Soundwave crossed his arms as he looks back to the window. He isn't the type of person to continuously tell someone not to worry about whatever problem they caused. If Munakata wish to be responsible then so be it.... But that doesn't mean that he can't give suggestions.]

I suggest that you apologize to the owner, though I doubt that they're here at the moment.[If they were, they should be out by now.] ...If you wish to help fix that window then I won't stop you.