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

D

[oathkeeper]

We gotta put all our happy good feelings into these crops so they don’t wilt!

[Sora seems overly optimistic about this job. With him and Kairi on the job how could it go badly?]

[He reaches out for a tomato plant and touches it. He thinks about something that makes him happy which is simply that Riku, him and Kairi are all in one place right now. The plant automatically perks up and the red fruit seems brighter.]

It works pretty much like flying with Peter Pan works. Just think happy things and it should go right into the plants! Try it out, Kairi!

[heartsome]

Peter Pan?

[Kairi doesn't really actually remember that, with Neverland. Mostly because she didn't have her heart and all. Even if she did pick up bits and pieces from Sora himself.

But she watches as he works on the tomatoes, eyes widening as it brightens.]

It worked! Okay, um...happy thoughts...

[Well. All three of them are here. That's good, something she's happy about. That she's not waiting and wondering on Sora and Riku this time. And that seems to work, judging by the general brightness of the area around them and the way the tomatoes seem to react, reddening further in response.]

[oathkeeper]

Remind me to show you super glide sometime, Peter Pan taught me how to fly around with happy thoughts. It's neat!

[He wonders mildly if he can teach Kairi how to do it too?

He grins warmly at her when the plants seem to perk up a bit more and at the brightness around them.]

See? Easy. What were you thinking about?

[heartsome]

Super glide? You can -- you can do that?

[Well, with all the worlds out there, it probably isn't so surprising there is one where people could fly. Kairi does seem curious, and even a little excited at the idea.

It's only when he points out that it works that she realizes her success, so distracted in that moment he'd mentioned flying with Peter.]

It--oh! I did it! I was thinking how it's nice that I'm with you again. Riku too. That we're together again.

[oathkeeper]

You bet I can, It's really cool.

[Puffing up a little? Puffing up a little.

He gives her a warm smile.]

I'm glad too, even if we can't go home right now it's sort of like we've got a little slice of home now with the three of us here. I hope everyone's okay at home while we're gone.

[His emotions seem to brighten the crops even more and one of the plants seems to bulge up but Sora doesn't notice.]

[heartsome]

[She can't not giggle at him puffing up all proud like that. It's nostalgic, bringing forth memories of days long past when he and Riku were all the more competitive in their racing or sparring. How proud Sora would be each time he managed to get a win. She doesn't immediately notice, but the plants are responding to her emotions too.]

Right! It's the three of us together again. I hope they're okay too, but for now, I guess the best we can do is to make the most of it all here while we can.

[oathkeeper]

[He watches Kairi for a moment, a little longer than he should be watching the plants. The happy smile on his face still pulling at his lips. It's nice to see her happy even with simple things like this.]

This place has become a second home to me and Riku. It'll never replace Destiny Islands but it's been good to us. It'll be good to you too.

[One particular plant seems to start growing bigger and bigger. It might pop soon!]

[heartsome]

You haven't been homesick?

[He and Riku are more used to being away from the Islands, in comparison. So perhaps she might not be so surprised if that were the case. But still, he does admit it couldn't replace their home. That seems to reassure her somewhat at least.

She blinks, noting one of the plants growing rather large.]

S-Sora! It's...how do we make it stop? Won't it break?!

[Help. How does the opposite work? Think sad thoughts? It's probably better they don't explode any, quite aside from the mess, it'd be a waste, after all!]

[oathkeeper]

Oh, I have. Plenty. I'd go back home in a second!

[Sora is used to change and adapting to different places. But nothing would ever change how much he loves home and how important it is to him. But Verens has made a big mark on his heart as well. He has friends here he'd consider family for life.

He's jostled out of his thought when Kairi exclaims and turns to see the plants growing larger.]

Uhhhhhhh?!

[WHAT DO? He doesn't know! But it's growing and growing--]

Duck!!! Quick!!!

[SPLAT!!! The red vegetables explode like a bomb.......]

[heartsome]

[She's about to respond to that initial homesickness. But well. The impending exploding plant kind of takes priority. At least she does sort of duck to cover herself from the worst of it when it happens.

She probably got some on her hair and back though, as she straightens, looking unsure at the rest of the crops.]

I think maybe that was....a little too many happy thoughts.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora gets one giant smush of red pulp on his face. Ever so graceful when he needs to be, he stumbles and nearly slips on more slippery pulp on the ground. He yelps slightly and finally rights himself and tries to brush himself off.]

One too many... [He mumbles sheepishly,] You okay?

[heartsome]

Y-yeah.....

[She straightens, about to offer a hand when he trips, but luckily he manages to keep his balance somewhat. She's wiping some from her hair before glancing to him and giggling because. Right in the face. Oh, Sora.

Still, she glances to the other plants for a moment, noting their progress.]

You think this is enough?

[oathkeeper]

[Sora brushes at his hair and cheeks and makes a face. Ick.

He glances back over he field of growing plants and even if it was only a few moments of shared happy thoughts the plants do seem to have perked up. They're just a little bit greener and and little bit more vibrant.]

Might be. For now! [He smiles at Kairi.] Seems like the plants like us talking about home just as much as we like talking about it.

[heartsome]

I'd say so. Considering that one just before.

[She can't keep giggling, even as she watches Sora attempt to somewhat clean the worst of the stuff off of him. She reaches and helps wipe more out of his hair, from his face before glancing to the surrounding crops.]

So I guess it's working. We just have to be careful not to be.....too happy.