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

Ezra Bridger | Star Wars Rebels

[lothrat]

A: Ezra, no

[He shouldn't. He really shouldn't. If Kanan was here, Ezra knows exactly what he'd say if he knew what Ezra was doing. But he can't quite resist the temptation either. After all, how useful could it be to make things crack just by getting angry? If he can figure out how to control the effects... Besides, it's not actually using the Dark Side of the Force since he's not using the Force at all.

Taking a breath, Ezra pushes the fascination away and scowls at the boulder he's picked out. It isn't hard to think of memories to help draw his anger out. The Empire, what they did to his parents, the Inquisitors that kept hunting him...

Something cracks beneath his feet and Ezra swears.]

Damn it!

[Wrong target again.]

D-2: Disney princeess

[It's not cheating if no one's told you if there are any rules. That's Ezra's justification for sitting down in the middle of the carrot patch, legs crossed and eyes closed, as he reaches out, trying to feel the life forms all around him. And hey, if it works, he doesn't see any reason why the farmer would complain. If the rabbits are gone, then they're gone, right?

It's going to be a trick, though, convincing this many animals to get up and leave their favorite source of food. It's going to take a lot of concentration on Ezra's part, and he may be so deeply submerged in the Force, focused on his task, that he fails to notice someone's approach.

Hey, give him a break. It's not like he's a master at this yet.

The real question is, what are you going to do when you find a teenage boy apparently meditating in the middle of a field?]

G: Glitter and mischief

[In a world where emotions can literally manifest visibly, you know what can be fun for a teenage boy with too much time and too little supervision?

Seeing if he can find ways to mimic that effect.

It's taking every bit of his Jedi training to stifle his amusement as he waits, perched in a tree, for someone to pass by underneath. He doesn't want his own emotions tipping anyone off, after all. Sure, it's possible someone might notice the glitter on the ground.

But honestly, who'd consider that interesting enough to note at all?]

Wildcard!

Hit me with your own!

D-2 - Disney Princess Convention!

[hadthehighground]

[This is a sight that Obi-Wan wasn't expecting to come across. He had heard about the rabbit problem as well and came to check it out. What he finds is a child who seems to be meditating, surrounded by rabbits who seem to be paying attention to him.

See if Obi-Wan tried to meditate here, the rabbits wouldn't leave. Attracted by his calming presence. However, he could feel the Force at play here. Which made him all the more curious. So the Jedi quietly and carefully stepped over the rows of carrots and rabbits. Coming up right next to the boy and sitting himself down. Waiting patiently to see if the kid would notice him.]

[lothrat]

[Face screwed up in concentration, Ezra doesn't react to the older man's approach. Neither do the rabbits, other than a few twitches. It almost seems like they're focused on him just as much as he's focused on them.

You want to leave, he tries to push the thought into the Force, tries to communicate the thought to all of them. Obi-Wan might become an unintended victim, too, by virtue of proximity. It's not safe here.

Accompanying a thought is an image of a fyrnock. He's got no idea if these rabbits will even know what one is, but there's really no mistaking the threat of those savage teeth and deadly sharp claws. Several of the rabbits scatter all at once.]

[hadthehighground]

[Fortunately, those strong with the Force were immune to such mind tricks. Obi-Wan himself was a master of them. Thus he went unaffected, and quietly watched to see what the boy would do. He did see the image of the fyrnock though, and watched as many of the rabbits scattered in a panic.

Obi-Wan's brows lifted, certainly impressed with what he just witnessed.]

Well done, young one.

[lothrat]

[Might want to hold off on being too impressed just yet, Obi-Wan. Ezra startles with a yelp at the sudden voice right next to him, all concentration lost, and his head whips around so fast he almost loses his balance while sitting down.]

Wha- How'd you-? Where'd you come from?!

[The remaining rabbits bound away. So much for the connection he'd made.]

[hadthehighground]

[Well he can't expect one so young to be a master yet. So while the boy's surprise is comical, he's not entirely surprised. The Jedi just calmly remaining where he's seated, chuckling lightly.]

Where indeed. It seems you still have much to learn.

[Not really an answer, but certainly an accurate assessment.]

[lothrat]

[It's not an answer, and under other circumstances that dodging might rankle him, especially after being caught off guard, but there's something... Ezra frowns at a nagging sense of familiarity that comes as he really looks at the guy. Something about his face, or his voice...

It takes a moment for it to click. Uncertainty wars with a different kind of surprise, because there's no way. No way.]

Master... Kenobi?

A

[sithkabobed]

[Between the Force and Verens' unique connection to emotions, Qui-Gon can feel Ezra's anger before he catches that outburst. But something about the way it ripples through the atmosphere--controlled, timed--hints at a deliberate use of emotion rather than an instinctual reaction.]

[That heartfelt 'Damn it!', however, is 100% Grade A all natural pissed off.]

[It just so happens that Qui-Gon is strolling through in time to catch the tail end of Ezra's emotional experimentation. Arms folded in the sleeves of his cloak, the old Jedi approaches the boy, expression on the lighter end of neutral.]

I take it that wasn't the outcome you were expecting.

[lothrat]

[Like a kid caught with his hand in the wookiee-ookiee jar, Ezra freezes, anger abruptly vanishing. Of all the people to catch him, it had to be him. Around his feet, the grass starts curling down, as though ducking.]

Qui-Gon-! I mean, uh, Master Jinn. What are you doing here?

[sithkabobed]

[Ezra's reaction is expected and met with a continued neutral gaze. It's the same one he'd given countless Padawans (his own and otherwise) in the past--the kind of look that didn't betray any disappointment or approval, merely observation.]

[Probably one of the most irritating of them all.]

I was just enjoying my morning walk and about to do some meditation.

[Qui-Gon smiles, the corners of his mouth barely upturning with the gesture.]

Perhaps you'd like to join me?

[It's a question delivered in a tone that, while gentle and avoiding admonishment, spells out "you don't have a choice".]

[lothrat]

[Qui-Gon might not be his master, technically, but a master he still is. His opinion still carries a lot of weight - if not just because of his title, but because he's Qui-Gon. Something about him has struck a chord with Ezra from almost the moment they met.

Which means that gentle non-admonishment makes Ezra want to wince. Crap... The curling grass droops completely now.]

Of course... Master Jinn...

[No, no he doesn't, but he doesn't need to have it spelled out that there's no other right answer here. Reluctantly, he falls into step with him, leaving both the wilted grass and the cracked ground behind. Mostly. The grass is still wilting along with his steps.]

Where are we going?

[sithkabobed]

[Thankfully, Qui-Gon is merciful and he doesn't dare hamper Ezra's dignity further by mentioning the way the grass continues to wilt away in his path, but it's a note to keep in mind for later. If he's feeling guilty, then that means he understands the potential gravity of his actions.]

[That means they can have a good talk.]

[He speaks while he strides along, his steps taking on a steady gait free of any rush. It's a leisure walk, minus any trepidation Ezra may feel.]

I never liked the provided meditation rooms in the Temple. The Room of a Thousand Fountains was far preferable.

[There's a reason behind his exposition, Ezra. Promise.]

So I've found that the local woodland has made for a decent substitute. There's a spot by a brook that's particularly relaxing.

[lothrat]

[Kanan doesn't really like to talk about the past all that much, and knowing how painful it has to be, Ezra's never really pressed for details on his master's time in the Temple. He's got his own stories he doesn't like talking about. He can respect Kanan's privacy there.

But Qui-Gon's mention of the Temple opens up an opportunity to be curious without necessarily intruding on Kanan's past.]

There was a room with a thousand fountains? Literally?

[Around him, the grass stops wilting as he's temporarily distracted from his guilt.]

What did the Temple need it for?

G

[oratorical]

[Leia considers it something worth noting, that's who. Because it's something out of the ordinary, even by Verens' standards, and anything standing out from normal is still something that she's almost conditioned to notice.

She pauses right under the tree, frowning at the pile of glitter. She looks up, scanning the bushes for anything out of the ordinary, before her attention is drawn to the tree. She doesn't notice Ezra up there just yet, and while she does back off from the tree, she's still in glitter bomb range.]

Who's there?

[lothrat]

[If Ezra was trying not to draw attention before, he goes absolutely still now. With the way her eyes are darting, she can't have seen him yet. She's just guessing there's someone here. No need to confirm it.

He'll wait a moment to see, watching for a chance, for a moment when her back is turned, or even just not looking in his direction. In the mean time, he tries to study her as best he can through the leaves. Something about her looks a little familiar.

But that's probably just coincidence.

Come on, just turn already. Or- wait. Maybe he doesn't need to wait. He can provide his own distraction. Concentrating, he reaches out and just stirs the Force a little on the ground. It's hard to do it without mimicking the motion with his hand, but it's just glitter. All it needs is the slightest current.

At Leia's feet, the glitter swirls in a lazy pattern.]

[oratorical]

[Ezra's plan works, the movement of the glitter catching Leia's attention out of the corner of her eye, and she turns back toward it. Things moving or making strange patterns on their own isn't exactly that bizarre here, where emotions can mess with nearly everything in many different ways, but the strange thing here is that Leia is pretty sure her emotions were under control. There's no way this swirling could be her doing.]

I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're worried about.

[lothrat]

[If Ezra had taken the time to think about it, he might have noticed a nagging sense of familiarity about her voice, too, but the feeling is shunted to the back of his mind in favor of the mischief at hand. Grinning, he pounces on the opportunity to move freely as soon as she glances down. With his hand stretched out, he makes a scooping motion up, then pushes it, his mind using the motions to help focus his intent. The glitter rises like a cloud all around her before exploding outward. In this case, it doesn't matter if his control isn't the best, because glitter everywhere is still glitter everywhere.

It might almost be pretty, if it wasn't such a mess.

Either way, the end result gets a muffled laugh.]

[oratorical]

[With a cloud of glitter like that, even if she had been able to react in time, it wouldn't have done her much good. Just as Ezra wanted, that glitter is all over her face, in her hair, and on the front of her clothes, and Leia is not happy about it. She coughs, before trying (futilely) to wipe some of the glitter off of her face.

As soon as the coughing is done, Leia and her glitter-coated irritation both turn to the tree. Her eyes narrow, and her hands go to her hips, as she looks straight up at the branch Ezra is probably on. She can't see him, but she could hear something up there.]

You'll have to come down sooner or later.

[lothrat]

[Whoops. Busted. Not that Ezra expected to remain undetected for long after his glitter bomb went off.

Still, he's smart enough to know better than to come straight down!]

Sure I do.

[The voice that answers Leia is young and male, and absolutely way too cheerful.]

But are you going to stay that long?

G

[lukeim_yurlin]

[At some point, along comes a potential victim. A tall fellow dressed mostly in black and green with a small knapsack slung over one shoulder. Dezel has just come from a local bakery where he managed to purchase some sweets, a bit of a feat for someone who's invisible to all the locals and a good number of Otherworlders. A resourceful spirit has his ways, though, and Dezel's come up with methods to get what he wants from shops here and there while still making sure an adequate amount of sylvs are left behind for payment. Currently, he's looking for a place to sit and get into the contents of his knapsack, and that tree right there? Well, that would provide a nice bit of shade while he eats.]

[Something is amiss, though, and it's not just the scattering of glitter in the grass and dirt. Dezel eyes the sparkly mess with disdain, having recently gone through a less than pleasant experience involving glitter at a party. Meanwhile, the breeze picks up, ruffling the tree leaves and causing some of the smaller branches to sway just a bit. Dezel's gaze shifts upward, the wind seraph aware that he's not alone. What he's not sure of, however, is whether the kid perched in the branches just ahead and several feet up can perceive him or not. Well, there's one way to find out...]

I know you're there.

[Dezel's voice rings out telepathically, seeking to connect to the potential prankster above.]

Think you can get the drop on just anyone walking by?

[Little does the seraph know that he's dealing with someone who's Force-sensitive... Just as with Obi-Wan, he's visible to this individual as well.]

[lothrat]

[The telepathic voice startles Ezra just a bit. Jedi-in-training or not, it's not a method of communication he's used to dealing with. To be honest, he's still getting used to even sensing other people's presence in the Force, let alone sending and receiving any thoughts. The amulets have really been Something Else. He hasn't decided yet if he likes how easy they are to use. On the one hand, they're convenient. On the other hand, though, he's leery of accidentally exposing his thoughts.

Too late to choose another form of communication, though, because between the amulets and Ezra's own half-trained abilities, the connection forms easily. Ezra eyes the man on the ground cautiously, unaware that he shouldn't be able to see him at all.]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Can't a guy sit in a tree if he wants?

[No point denying where he is. Not with the guy looking right at him. Time to play nonchalant and innocent.]

[lukeim_yurlin]

[Dezel lowers his gaze again, frowning at all the glitter strewn about. The air currents push at it, causing all the tiny shiny bits to swirl into a tighter, neater pile.]

So you have nothing to do with all this glitter down here?

[All this just seems a bit too coincidental, especially to someone who can be rather suspicious of others. Plus having already been pranked by two women wielding buckets of glitter some weeks before, Dezel is all too aware of how effective the stuff is for having fun at someone else's expense. (His earth seraph friend wasn't kidding when she compared it to herpes... The stuff is almost impossible to get rid of once it's on you. Talk about pure evil. Who comes up with this kind of crap, anyway?)]

Huh... Not sure I buy that.

[Meanwhile, Dezel is taking note of how the kid is positioned and the direction he's looking based on information from the wind, itself. On that alone, he must be able to see something of the wind seraph. Hmm. Interesting.]

[lothrat]

What, just because I'm sitting here means I'm responsible for whatever's on the ground?

[Ezra's aware that his eyeroll is probably lost on the man, invisible through the leaves and branches, but he does it anyway. A good act spares nothing on the details.]

By that logic, shouldn't I be suspicious of you? How do I know you didn't have something to do with it? You're sitting there with it, aren't you?

[lukeim_yurlin]

Remaining alert and questioning the out of place is part of a functional survival instinct.

[Five Lords, Dezel. It's glitter, not a godsdamned bear trap.]

And I just got here. Fairly sure you were here ahead of me.

[A beat passes as he glances up again, looking directly in the kid's direction.]

Though I'm starting to think the more interesting part of this is how you can even see me at all...

[lothrat]

Can't argue with that, though I have to question how much of a threat you think glitter is.

[He debates for a moment continuing the argument about whether or not Dezel might be the actual culprit behind the glitter. Before he can put it into actual thoughts, though, the stranger distracts him with something completely out of left field. Ezra stares at him like he's crazy, then drops the telepathic conversation in favor of voicing his incredulity out loud.]

Why wouldn't I see you? You're right there. You're not even trying to hide.