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

too bad despair!chisa is more than ready :'D

[dyedsnow]

[Crocodile tears welled up in her eyes as Munakata called out her name.]

I thought I'd never see you again!

[She all but tackled him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug as she began crying into his shirt, letting out a loud sniffle for good measure.]

this is going to be awful and terrible and wonderful

[againstdespair]

[His arms are around Yukizome before he's even processed what he's doing; it's practically a reflex with her, after so many years. His hands clutch tight, confirming what is undoubtedly a miracle of some kind.]

Yukizome, I-- This is...

[Even as he feels her warmth in his arms, there's an icy, rational part of his mind that refuses to be banished, temporarily shoved to the sidelines.]

...I lost you.

for munakata mostly lmao

[dyedsnow]

[At those words, she took the time to look up at him with her tear-streaked face, calmly shaking her head.]

Not anymore.

[And she buried her face in his chest once more, just happy to be in his arms again--especially after everything that went down. How much of it was genuine was up in the air, but regardless, her heart swelled with happiness all the same.]

Don't say those things anymore, OK? What matters is we're together again.

[againstdespair]

[Munakata cards his hands through Yukizome's long hair for just a moment, still mystified by the fact that she's alive. Even with all the talk of magic and coming from different points in time, nothing has struck him in the same way as this.

And yet--]

How can you say that? How-- You do know what happened, don't you?

[Despite his questions, he almost doesn't want to know whether or not she remembered her death. He still vividly remembers watching that chandelier fall.]

[dyedsnow]

Kyosuke! I thought I told you not to mention that anymore! The dream will end if you continue that train of thought, you know?

[Tears having dried up, she looked up to pout good-naturedly at him.

But oh, she remembered all right. All too well and all too clearly, considering how everything she had done thus far was leading up to that particular moment.

After a moment of consideration, she reluctantly pulled away from him, choosing to hug herself as her expression turned somber at a certain memory.]

I'm sorry. I was just too happy to see you that I forgot myself...

I know what happened. I just... didn't want to remember it. It was so painful and the next thing I knew, I was here, and...

And...

[With that, she began tearing up again, covering her face as she cried again, seemingly traumatized by the memory.]

[againstdespair]

[That exclamation, followed by that pout, comes across so disturbingly normal that Munakata can't muster up anything in reply. She was right--the dream would end if he continued that train of thought.

And reality was a terrible beast that threatened to swallow him whole.

That was why, despite his misgivings, he still reached out to Yukizome when she cried. Though he doesn't embrace her, he brings one hand up to her two.]

Forgive me. I have yet to fully reconcile this whole situation. I'm still living in two worlds.

[And the one without her also condemned her to a role he had trouble accepting.]

[dyedsnow]

Mmm, it's fine.

[She visibly calmed at his touch, shaking her head slowly in a reassuring gesture as she struggled to get herself under control once more.

...Or so it would look to others.]

I suppose it hasn't been easy for you either.

[Yukizome managed a feeble smile, still slightly choked up from all the crying.]

I'm guessing... you know. About how I got tainted with despair.

[There was something about Munakata's previous hesitation that told her so, and while she did not know what happened after she died, she did leave a little... surprise for the other, after all.]

[againstdespair]

[There it was. The proverbial dropping of the other shoe.

Munakata doesn't back away, but his hand drops to his side like a lead weight. The warmth he had felt moments ago retreats as quickly as it came, leaving only Tengan's cold truth echoing in his head.]

So you don't deny it.

[There was a note of resignation in his voice, heavy and isolated to mask the growing feelings of hurt and betrayal. Hands slowly curled into fists, nails digging into skin.]

You-- played me for a fool.

[dyedsnow]

I don't deny it.

[Her tone was solemn, and expression apologetic. Better have the cat out of the bag sooner than later, and better from her than from someone else.]

And I'm... really sorry about it.

[Because she didn't get to hang around and see the fruits of her labor.

That slow, creeping grief once he saw her body.

That slow, creeping anger at the world that robbed him of her.

That slow, creeping despair as he connected two and two, however that might be.

She could imagine it for all she wanted, but it wasn't the same as actually seeing and enjoying it. It was impossible given her role in bringing it about, but still a shame, regardless.]

I was... too weak and helpless against Enoshima's despair. But death saved me, in a way.

[She certainly meant every word of it, though for the wrong reasons.]

You don't have to believe me. And I know a million apologies would not be enough to atone for what I have done.

[That balled fist of his did not escape her notice, after all. And trust, once broken, was one that wasn't easily regained.]

a long despair-inducing wait later...

[againstdespair]

[Liar.

The word--the accusation--is repeating in Munakata's head the moment Yukizome starts speaking. It reverberates in time with a sound not unlike distant, anguished screaming, filling his mind with such dissonance that his gaze shifts from looking at her to looking through her.

Something--logic?--tells him he should hate her. Hate her for the years of deception, for the confusion he is currently feeling. But another part of him can't stand that idea at all. This is Yukizome--his friend, his confidant, his support.]

You say you're sorry? [The words are whispered, as if in disbelief. A derisive smile soon follows, so strange and out of place that it can't survive for long on his face.]

I cannot even say 'If you are actually sorry, leave.' Because everything you say and do is tainted with despair.

[Despair was wearing her face.

...Yes. This wasn't Yukizome anymore.

His eyes refocus on her, as if seeking confirmation--but they are wild and chaotic. Nothing good reflects in his feverish gaze.]