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

[ramblingly]

[Though she was indeed strong for her size, she was still a petite young teenager who hadn't even spent a total of six months in a military academy. Her athleticism was honed because of her experience, but she was by no means a heavy hitter.

Cleverness was her true strength, in the end.]

I'm trying! [She complained, once more making at attempt to do so while she tried to ignore the way her hand ached underneath his crushing grip. Pidge was alomst certain that blood would be drawn by the end of this-- but that was secondary.

So long as she stood as the pilot of the Green Lion, she wasn't going to abandon anyone.]

Listen, [She added, struggling to keep her voice calm in this crisis that had set her nerves crackling like a livewire.] This isn't gonna get anywhere at this rate. We're gonna need to swing--

[A pause, just to let that sink in.]

--Think you can take that?

[backstory]

[At that his blue eyes widen in shock and he stares at her in disbelief. S-Swing!? Swing his way back up there!?]

N-No-- I... I'm not so sure that if I swing you'll be able to support my weight. E-Eh? Swinging...

[Is this really a good idea!? He can swing, but if her own leverage gives out, wont they both tumble down then!?]

[ramblingly]

[She shot him an agitated glare at his protests, wide framed glasses flashing menacingly in the dim light while she struggled to keep her grip.]

Do I look like someone who can deadlift a lanky guy like you? [She demanded, and didn't even wait for an answer before she continued to let the words tumble forth.] Taking that chance is gonna be our best bet here!

[Pidge didn't dare look away from the young man, so as to be certain that he wouldn't take a foolish chance. If their positioning were better, she might have been able to reach for her Bayard and fix this problem entirely...]

[backstory]

[Brows knitting, his jaw tightens, before he gives a firm (though unhappy) nod. The situation is anything but ideal, yet there is little other option. She's right. He's amazed that she's been able to hold him up this long as it is.]

All right. [Once committed, there's no going back. And he can see reason, provided something irrational isn't involved. Like bugs. If it should feel as though she will tumble down along with him-- he can let go. He wont suffer her to die along with him.]

If you are ready then. [With a series of prayers to the gods above, he begins to swing his body, jaw clenched tight for his one and only real hope of getting back up.]

[ramblingly]

[Ah-- the movement hurt more than she had expected. Sucking in a startled breath, Pidge set her jaw and swore that she would find a doctor ASAP after they got out of this desolate abyss of slime and negativity.]

I- I wouldn't be here if I wasn't!

[She grumbled through clenched teeth, eyes sharp for an opening to guide her travelling companion back to the safety of solid ground.]

Just....just a little higher...!

[backstory]

[With each swing he got a little bit closer and with each swing he felt a bit less stable. Through grit teeth he swings his legs up far and at long last his foot catches the ledge.

Eyes widening, he struggles to pull his lower body up without losing his footing on the slick ground and falling once more.]

Pull if you can-- [Jaw tight, his claw almost tightens more upon her, but he has to force himself not to apply anymore pressure upon her delicate arm. Which leaves most his strength awkwardly holding on by a foot.]

[ramblingly]

[--And Pidge does.

Reaching out with her hand that she had been using to support herself, she latched onto that leg and pulled with an astonishing strength for someone so small. The slick mud around them was no help, but in digging her boots deep into the muck she found something solid to push against for leverage.]

We've come this far--!!

[And she wouldn't let go, even though her heart trembled in anxiety and fear of losing this single person to the darkness of the unknown. Even if the both of them were sent careening into a pile of centipedes somewhere in that abyss, she wouldn't let go.]