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

[razzledazzles]

One of each?

[Jae-Ha looks over to stare blankly, and the light above his head flickers in his shock. One of each??? One of each. Except corn. He stares back at the muffins.] Your eyes must be bigger than your stomach.

[pruning]

Nonsense. I simply know how to appreciate quality baked goods.

[He could have said something like "I'll save some for the next week," but that would be lying. The muffins look a little fresher and warmer as he reaches for the first one to go in his box. Look at them.]

[razzledazzles]

[Dear lord, that is too many treats. At least the owner of the bakery must be very happy to watch D delicately place way too many muffins in a box. Meanwhile, Jae-Ha takes his lonely single blueberry muffin and pays for it, sitting at one of the little two-person tables as he waits for D to finish. This is something to behold...]

Are you normally this eager for baked goods? I'm surprised you can keep your figure, if that's the case.

[pruning]

[D will be the favorite customer in mere days. He's set on it, mostly because he's set on muffins, and he's definitely fawning over a piece of that cake when he reaches the counter, too. He's so pleased, the whole room smells a little more delicious when he finally joins Jae-Ha.]

That is a trade secret. [what trade,] Is there something wrong with baked goods?

[razzledazzles]

Not at all. [He smiles as if he wasn't just being rude, resting an elbow on the table so he can place his chin on his palm.]

I haven't tried most of them, actually. They do look lovely. [He can admire the food by looking at it! He hasn't even touched his own muffin yet, though.] I almost don't want to eat mine.

[pruning]

[Eat the muffin, scrub... D glances at him, but he's definitely going to sit here eating this cake, sooo it's Jae-Ha's choice, certainly.]

It compliments the baker to eat it after you've admired it.

[razzledazzles]

You have a point.

[It would be a waste not to eat it while it's warm and fresh, too. So alright!! He will try some of this blueberry muffin. It's delicious enough to cause a brief and gentle breeze through the shop at Jae-Ha's first bite. He covers his mouth with his free hand. Ah, it's good...]

What's your name, by the way?

[pruning]

[This bakery is officially Paradise, good work. But ah, let him finish this bite of cake and delicately cover his mouth with a napkin just in case, before he answers.]

I am Count D. [Does this guy know what a count is... eh.] And you?

[razzledazzles]

[Judging by the lack of his reaction: no, he doesn't know what a Count is. It sounds like a strangely foreign name, just like everyone else's. How convenient.]

Jae-Ha. Since we get along so well [by which he means he likes this guy's clothes, he's pretty, and he can put up with his rudeness...] I thought it only made sense to officially introduce ourselves. Nice to meet you, Count D.

[pruning]

[When will he find out... Surely that will be an exciting day.]

Likewise, Jae-Ha the pirate. [what,] Eat your muffin before it gets cold.

[razzledazzles]

My, if you're going to give me a title, it should be more mysterious than that. How about the beautiful man who soars through the skies?

[He's eating the muffin, he just doesn't devour it!! Look, he takes another little bite of it.]

[pruning]

Isn't that less mysterious than a simple "pirate"? Besides, it's quite the mouthful.

[Everybody's a critic, Jae-Ha.]

[razzledazzles]

It's more mysterious that a man would soar than be a pirate.

[Let him have his long title.] At least let me be a beautiful pirate.

[pruning]

[But it sort of gives away the whole thing, soaring through the skies... beautiful... come on.

D considers him with a little hum.] Jae-Ha the beautiful pirate? Now they're both rather unwieldy.

[razzledazzles]

Do you think so?

[Come on, where's the fun... He's disappointed, and he glances down at his muffin like he is. But this is fine, he'll recover.] Then how about just "Jae-Ha"?

[pruning]

[This man... is a moron. D has decided. He watches Jae-Ha for a brief moment, then turns his attention back to his cake.]

Goodness, alright. If you insist— I will refrain.

[No, he won't.]

[razzledazzles]

How kind of you.

[He better refrain!! He is a very intelligent man who happens to be dragonkin, give him some respect. He's at least enjoying his muffin enough to eat it a little faster than before, so there's that.]

I've heard there's another city down below that's recently allowed visitors. I can only assume it's much different than this one here. [Casual talk over muffins about serious things... with a stranger. This is fine.]

[pruning]

[Now see, if Jae-Ha introduced himself as a dragonkin, this would go a lot differently. Alas. Anyway let's say someone explained this ground stuff to D so he's not a useless idiot here.]

I have heard that city is where some of the more interesting creatures here come from. [like dragons,] Although a newcomer's handful of coins will not buy the fare down to the surface, will it?

[razzledazzles]

Really? I haven't heard anything about that just yet...

[Interesting creatures... He crosses one leg over the other as he considers this, tearing off another piece of his muffin.]

But you're right there. I can't afford it at all. I've already tried picking up a part time job to cover the expenses.

[pruning]

[Interesting creatures...... very mysterious.]

Oh? And what honest work does a pirate find in a city like this?

[razzledazzles]

Advertising.

[Stop pointing out that he's a pirate, that's his thing to point out freely!!] I soar through the skies and deliver coupons and advertisements for a store that sells shampoos, lotions, creams and so on.

[pruning]

[That doesn't sound very piratey, mister!! D leans forward minutely, smiling, definitely not smiling in a mocking way. He's not! He is not.]

How lovely. And do you have any with you? [give him stuff]

[razzledazzles]

[Haha... Gosh. Well, he gets paid based on how many of these he gives away, so he'll just reach into his robe and then slide this 10% off coupon across the table.]

Just for you.

[pruning]

[Ooh, 10% of the money he doesn't have, because he blew it all on baked goods. Nice!!]

"10% off all mood-changing hand creams, satisfaction not guaranteed" and a drawing of a winking face... What a novelty. [God, this place is weird.]

[razzledazzles]

Well, it was the only place hiring at the time. [Hahaha... don't try the weird emotion creams.]

I'm surprised these muffins haven't caused some sort of emotional change, honestly.