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

[a_noble_flame]

[Alice's expression flattens out again.]

Not really. I'm terrible at it.

[Lionel was an amazingly tolerant man.]

[latentforlife]

Geeze, I'm really striking out here aren't I?

[What was their goal again? Oh, yeah, appreciation. Moving on quickly.]

Well, I appreciate I got to know some people who put up with the way I do things.

[Focus on relighting his orbs.]

[a_noble_flame]

[The blonde looks somewhat curious there.]

I'm not really sure how you've struck out. Asking questions that don't give favorable answers isn't really a bad thing.

[Alice considers a moment and then actually smirks just a little as she turns things around.]

Actually you could say I appreciate curiosity.

[That does light her orb up some at least!]

[latentforlife]

Usually I'm a lot better at chatting up strange women.

[Lies. So many lies.]

But hey, if you want curiosity I'm your guy. I'm Shuusei Kagari by the way.

[Since he hit her with a bunch of questions, he figures he can introduce himself. He gives his less powered orb a toss to explode and clear up more gook.]

[a_noble_flame]

[The idea of being chatted up seems to sail right over her head. Instead she takes a moment to try to concentrate more emotion into her orb, thinking on her appreciation of those who speak openly and honestly. It isn't quite the significant hit her feelings for her comrades or beliefs might be but it's enough to make a slight difference when she throws it.]

Good. I would rather have someone who spoke honestly and curiously to me than someone who is closed off. I'm Second Lieutenant Alice L. Malvin of the Pumpkin Scissors squad.

[Yeah, she more or less considers the rank as part of her name.]

[latentforlife]

Oh, titles huh? Well I guess I'd be a Division 1 Enforcer for the MWPSB.

[Can he still call himself that?]

What do Pumpkin Scissors squads do?

[a_noble_flame]

[Ah, another military unit. Alice takes note of that mentally as she reaches for another orb. She gives her reply easily.]

War relief.

[She ought to question as well since he's doing so. Tit for tat, so the saying goes.]

And what about Division One? If you don't mind me asking, that is.

[Their own Section One was a pretty secretive bunch after all, though not as much as Section Two.]

[latentforlife]

Sounds pretty important.

[War relief? Well that's a bit different. There haven't been any local wars in a while.]

MWPSB's sort of like the police. Each Division has a couple of inspectors and a bunch of enforcers.

[That's the nice way to put it.]

[a_noble_flame]

[Like the police. Alice nods a little there.]

It is very important but it's only one piece of an answer to a larger problem. The police are another part of that.

[latentforlife]

All part of the bigger picture, huh?

[He plucks another orb, staring at it.]

I guess Enforcers don't really have to worry about all that. But I do appreciate escaping.

[His orb begins to glow giving truth to that last statement.]

[a_noble_flame]

[The connection with the light and the emotion certainly isn't hard to figure out. So he enjoys freedom and escape, even more so than comrades. Alice considers those facts a moment and then turns her mind to the word 'escape'.]

I think we all look for escape in our own way. I certainly have through my work. And it's taken me some time to realize that's not a bad thing.

[She is the way she is, the Corporal is the way he is and there's nothing wrong with any of it. The noble she is and the Second Lieutenant are both valid parts of her. So in some ways even if she escapes one role or the other, she appreciates those moments of escape.

Her orb lights up gently, though steadily.]

[latentforlife]

It might not be the same. Unless they execute deserters where your from.

[That comes out way too casually in his tone and he tosses his orb before he dwells on that thought. It releases its energy.

He switches gears without even missing a beat.]

But if I had to choose a favorite escape, it'd be cooking. Or video games. They're both pretty close.

[a_noble_flame]

I wouldn't be surprised if that has happened before.

[Her expression is slightly grim but otherwise she seems unperturbed. Her orb does dim a touch before she has the time to throw it however. There may be an extra bit of force behind the throw as well.

She doesn't abandon the topic more than she simply turns to his other words.]

My escape has always been practicing.

[latentforlife]

What do you practice?

[New orb, new thoughts. Is he always going to be this way when he meets someone like this? Probably not. He has a chance to start again.]

I've gotten pretty good in the kitchen thanks to having plenty of time to practice. Also a lot of people don't know how to cook so it's that or get stuck eating over cooked, over spiced food.

[a_noble_flame]

Swordplay. It's what I used to play pretend with as a child as well.

[She seems terribly proud of it too. The point on cooking does have her somewhat curious in the next moment.]

Is it very difficult to learn to cook?

[latentforlife]

Not really if you pay attention and don't over think it. It's definitely a skill though to make it taste good. Sometimes I wonder if their taste buds are dead and they don't realize how bad it is.

[Shuusei plays with the orb, tossing it from hand to hand and rolling it along as well.]

Sword play though sounds fun. They'd never let me have something like that. Maybe a shinai but that's about it.

[A pause]

I guess here though it doesn't matter, does it? Any advice for someone who is about to be a first timer with a sword?