empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

Entry tags:

!mod,
*test drive

TEST DRIVE: NOVEMBER

— 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.

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.
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.
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.

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.
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.
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.

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.
Flying equipment. The various medical equipment has also taken life, scalpels and needles flying everywhere and stethoscopes ready to strangle.
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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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.]

[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.

[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.]

Edited 2016-11-20 05:51 (UTC)

[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.

[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?

Want to try me?

[Because before, she might have let him go. But now, she's determined to wait it out and see just who it was that decided glitter bombs were a fun time. Leia makes no indication she's about to move, crossing her arms instead of leaving them on her hips.

Something in that voice is familiar, it sounds like one she heard years ago, but she can't quite place it just yet.]

[That feeling of familiarity niggles at him again at her challenging tone of voice. He could swear he's heard that attitude before.

Then again, there are plenty of people out there with bossy voices that make them sound like they're used to being obeyed.

Well, guess what? Ezra's not exactly big on obeying just anyone. He is a Rebel, after all.]

Do you really want to know the answer to that?

Based on your answer, it sounds to me as if you're afraid of taking responsibility for what you've done.

[Not that she'd hand him in to the authorities or anything over this, but based on how much of a smart-ass this kid seems like, Leia's assuming he won't be able to resist a challenge.]

[Wow, way to go straight for the teenage ego. Ezra's protest is quick and entirely predictable.]

Who says I'm afraid?

[A tree branch shakes, then another, and a third, as Ezra hops from one to the next, until he's low enough to be entirely visible to Leia. Looking down, he opens his mouth, a ready retort on his tongue.

Only to stop, a strange look on his face. Because despite the glitter glinting off every part of her, she looks...

Do I... know her from somewhere?]

[Much like Ezra, Leia's retort dies in her mouth as Ezra reveals himself. She's still Not Happy, that much is sure, but instead of instantly jumping down his throat or something, Leia stares at him curiously, brow furrowed, trying to place him.]

...Have we met before?

[Ezra squints, but that doesn't really help him here. Too much glitter, too much distance, too much... something he can't pin down. Still, there's something he can do about at least one of those factors. After only hesitating a moment, he hops down from the branch, landing lightly on the ground a few feet from her.

And blinks when he realizes he's still looking down.

Later, he'll regret the words that pop out of his mouth.]

Wow, you're really short.

[Leia's eyebrows shoot up, and she blinks at Ezra in shock and maybe a slight bit of offense. She knows she's shorter than most people, but wow, that's not how you greet someone, especially not after you throw glitter all over them. Soon enough, her surprise fades, and she goes back to frowning at Ezra, but her harsh look is probably ruined by all that glitter.]

Should I give you another chance to try again? [There probably is no second chance, not in terms of impressions he might make here.]

[Wanna know how quickly "later" can come?

Later can come right now.

Ezra's eyes widen when he realizes what he just said, and he might be hastily backing up a step. Short or not, glittery or not, there's still a very real threat in that look that he'd be an idiot to dismiss.]

Uhh... I mean, hi, I'm Ezra, nice to meet you?

Ezra?

[the irritation in her voice is gone, replaced with confusion and maybe a bit of disbelief. Because as soon as he gave that name, it cleared up the strange familiarity she felt before. Not that she'd say she knew Ezra well by any means--they had only been around each other for a day or so--but he was a rebel, and someone she'd helped out personally. She isn't one to forget the names of people like that. She just assumed he would look... Older.]

You're not Ezra Bridger, are you?

[Ezra starts in surprise at being named. So far no one here has recognized him. What are the chances really, after all? Rebel or not, he's just a kid from an Outer Rim world that most people here haven't even heard of.]

Yeah, how'd you-?

[He stops.

Short, bossy, and pretty, if way too polished and strictly-business for him. The pieces and the nagging familiarity click, and he has to stare again.]

Leia?!

[Sorry, Leia. Formality tends to get left at the side of the road when Ezra's caught off guard like this.

(Not that he's ever been that great with etiquette.)]

[There's no point in confirming his guess, or correcting him on any lack of etiquette here, because he already knows he's right, and hearing any comments about royalty or anything like that brings up some complicated feelings.

Instead, she looks Ezra over critically. It's not like time differences are new to her. Especially not to her. But being on the older side--by years, it seemed--is something she's not that used to.]

It seems we have some catching up to do.

[But first--]

And that you owe me an apology.

[Ezra, on the other hand, continues to stare. Now that he knows who he's looking at, he can't believe he didn't see it before. Same height (he doesn't think she's even grown an inch), same posture, same habit of putting her hands on her hips, even the same penchant for elaborate hair. On the other hand, the differences are there. Ezra searches her face, trying to pin them down.]

You look older-

[He cuts himself off with a look of alarm. Even tactless as he can be, even he knows better than to tell a woman she looks old!]

I mean, more mature?

[No, wait. That's just as bad. Ezra gulps as he realizes he's just digging the hole further.]

Um, I'm sorry?

[Said like a boy who realizes there's no forgiveness here.]

[Leia just arches her eyebrow at Ezra's totally and completely super tactful outburst. She doesn't even have to say anything about that response verbally, her look should do all the talking for her. It's more of a dry "really" sort of look than anything. And it's not that she's actually offended by his remarks, it's more that he just keeps running his mouth and sticking his foot in it.]

I could also say you look like a boy.

[instead of, you know, the age she would expect him to be. But that out of the way, she continues--]

It's been around seven years since we met.

[Her look says everything. Ezra snaps his mouth shut before he sticks his foot in it even further. If his cheeks are slightly flushed, it is absolutely because the day is a little bit warm, not because he just utterly embarrassed himself.

Thank goodness for distractions to take his mind off that. Ezra blinks, staring at her nonplussed.]

Seven...? But I just saw you a couple months ago!

[Wait. Back up a moment.

Boy?

He's unsure if he should be offended by that.]

I'm fifteen.

[She sighs at his answer, mostly because she's not sure how much he actually knew about the peculiarities of this place, and explaining it is always kind of an exercise in patience. Though at least with Ezra there's a lot she can leave out, a lot he doesn't have to worry about since she doesn't think it affects him directly.

She ignores his protest about his age, because there's little point in arguing how much younger fifteen seems at her not-very-advanced age now, and she knows that.]

Time doesn't always function as we expect in this place. There are others here from our galaxy, and some of them come from over twenty years before and after my time.

[The more she explains, the less he understands. Ezra's brows furrow down.]

But- That doesn't make any sense. If someone from the past was here, wouldn't that change the present, or the future? I mean, if you're from the future, and you told me about things I haven't seen yet, and I went back and did things different because I knew about those things, wouldn't that change everything that happens after?

[He's getting a headache just thinking about it.]

[She knows, Ezra, don't worry. She knows. And those things, the ability to change the future, that's something she's hoping for and counting on. But that falls under the "not yet Ezra's business" category.]

I think it's something best not to dwell on. There are theories about how that works, but is it really possible to test something like that?

[Maybe they already accounted for the future and the present changed accordingly??? who even knows. Or maybe they just don't remember and it's all for naught.]

[Ezra mulls that question over for a moment, then makes a face at the conclusion he draws. It really is a good point.]

I guess not. And I guess there's not much we can do about it either. We might've already changed something just talking.

[Though who knows what that could be.]

So we just... pretend this isn't the future or the past? It's just whatever it is?

Thinking of it that way saves you from worrying about the implications of all this.

[which is to say, yes, this is just whatever it is.]

So do you plan on explaining why you were in that tree?

[Ezra opens his mouth, then aborts with a cough. Oh. Right. The glitter. Darn, he'd hoped she would have been sidetracked from that.]

Uh...

[What's a safe way to put this that won't just tick her off?]

Practicing? You know I'm training to be a Jedi, right?

[He's actually not sure if she knows that, at least not in so many words. He knows she knows he can use the Force, since he used it right in front of her when they were stealing her ships, but did any of them ever actually get a chance to explain the situation? Things got a little tricky there at the end when they were trying to keep the Imperials from figuring out that Leia was working with them, what with... you know... shooting her and flying off...

Wow, he's so glad she gave him permission.]

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