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

[staredown]

[Abi manages to turn around (he'd never force the king to speak to his back) with some decorum-- and the sight of the appreciation ball utterly stuns him. He reaches for it with one hand, a bit hesitantly.]

Will I be able to throw it if it's not my own, King... [He looks down, nearly overcome. Here is the King himself, come to help him, and--

The bits of frost that had begun to creep up on him starts to melt, as Abi is himself filled with such gratitude for Hiryuu's manifold kindnesses and indulgences.]

You're going to ruin your fine clothes, here in a place like this.

[...not that he can express it all that well-- though the other appreciation balls seem to be. Reacting.]

[akashingo]

[Surprise! He's come all the way out here simply to help Abi clean up this mess. Or at least offer what assistance he can in all of this.]

Truthfully, I couldn't say. There is only one way to find out. [Motions to where some of the slime and mushrooms are nearby, gently indicating that they should figure whether it would work. Hiryuu doesn't see a problem with Abi throwing a ball he filled with appreciation, though the effects it has on the area still remains to be seen.

It warms his heart to see that the frost Abi had created is dispersing and he chuckles a little at those next words.]

I'll remember that for next time and wear something more appropriate for trudging through the mess.

[Here in this place, Hiryuu is only king in the eyes of a few. To everyone else he's simply a man and even he has to do his part to help this world thrive.]

[staredown]

[He gives an easy, underhand toss, though even that is perfectly aimed, thanks to his power.

And find out they do. The resulting explosion is modest, but it seems to do its duty... Abi turns back to Hiryuu with... well, he's not smiling, if that's what you're thinking. Of course he isn't.]

King, it's a wonder you lower yourself to this.

[But he picks up another ball, this one well charged after Abi holds it between his two hands. By "this," does he mean the grunt work in the sludge, or does he mean coaching his poor dragon through proper accomplishment thereof? It is a mystery.

He holds the appreciation ball back to the king, whom he shall only ever acknowledge as such:]

This should be yours, as I've taken what was before. [He is literally handing his appreciation for your help to you, Hiryuu.]

[akashingo]

[There is no doubt of Abi's aim with the ball, it will strike the intended target.

He watches with fascination as the area once covered in slime and fungus becomes clean and umblemished, but nothing is more satisfying than the not-smile on his dragon's face. No one will be the wiser that Hiryuu is the one most likely to see these rare sides of his companions.]

I do not see this as lowering myself.

[Whether he's talking about doing this grunt work or teaching Abi is unclear as well. The calm smile seems to have taken up permanent residence on his face and gives away nothing even to the sharp eyes of Seiryuu.

When the new ball is handed to him, there is a blink of surprise as he takes it and stares down at the sphere for a long moment. It's turned over in his hands a couple of times.]

Now I'm uncertain I want to toss this even for the sake of others. [Because that is exactly what it is - Abi's appreciation. It's something precious to him, too precious to throw away.]

[staredown]

Don't be a foolish king, and make me regret my allegiance to you.

[But it's a gentle tongue-lashing, because even if Hiryuu doesn't consider it lowering himself, Abi does, and his gratitude remains, both for the king's care and his companionship.

He taps his foot.]

Look at this [ice forming at his feet again] putrid mess. If you won't throw it for others' sake, do it for mine, and let us go back to where there's actual clean air to breathe, my king.

[Another tap of the foot, but he's... touched, that the king treasures such a stupid little trifle so dearly. He is a foolish king, but he is Abi's king, and if the air around Abi starts to smell like fresh flowers, due to his pleasure at being paid such special attention to, well, he's not going to mention it.]

[akashingo]

[Abi plz. He's a dragon god who became human and intends to stay human for the rest of the days of his life. Some might consider that foolish.

Hiryuu doesn't point out that he's only considered a king to those from their world. The title might remain but he rules over so little in this place.] I would certainly be upset to lose your allegiance, Abi.

[His words are spoken with absolute genuineness. When he took on this human form he never thought his fellow dragons would share their blood to aid him, to be with him in this manner. It's something he's grateful for everyday as the kingdom of Kouka is shaped around them. To lose their respect - that would be terrible.

So he had spoken seriously about wanting to keep this ball of Abi's appreciation, a physical form given to such precious emotions expressed by one of his dragons. The object's importance to Hiryuu is priceless and his hesitation to throw it is real.

Only the sudden change in the air is enough to convice him to throw it at all, knowing that it comes from Abi.] When you put it that way, how could I refuse?

[With that Hiryuu tosses it in the same direction Abi had thrown his, watching as it lands in the middle of a mess next to the now-clean spot from earlier. Like before it clears up immediately.]

Shall we go? [He won't feel too bad leaving, Hiryuu had already put in some time cleaning up before lending Abi a hand.]

[staredown]

You're a king, you fool. You can refuse whatever you wish.

[But if he doesn't wish, okay, Abi is fine with that. Still, really... as much as Abi admired his humility, from a practical standpoint... he takes the offered hand. He won't dwell on this anymore.

He shakes off the ends of his robes. What a nightmare this is. It could not be borne alone.]

We shall, and far, please. I wish we could raise the wages of anyone in Kouka who has to toil like this. There ought to be a law.

[akashingo]

If it were only that simple. [He doesn't explain beyond that, that the expected duties of a king sometimes prevented him from doing whatever he wished. The politics involved in being king are sometimes a hinderance. Though there are definitely things that Hiryuu does that is frowned upon such as going to battle himself.

For now, the time he has here with his dragons and those from the future is more than enough for Hiryuu to enjoy. Material items are not necessary.

Hiryuu leads them away from the area of slime though leaving the minature island to return to Verens is not nearly so easy.]

I do what I can for those who toil in such a life and pay them as well as I can for their hard work. It certainly is nice to get a look at the kind of work they do while we're off training troops or battling.

[staredown]

I think they're free to feel as they will, however. There's something perverse in being forced to summon a positive emotion for this sort of thing.

[If they were going to hate the work, let them hate it, Abi thinks.]