TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY—

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 Wednesday, January 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open Wednesday, January 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: Over two years ago, the ill fated Red String of Fate toy made its debut. At the time it seemed like a solid idea, but as it turned out… it didn’t exactly work as advertised. People found themselves tied together with entirely incompatible people instead of the proclaimed “emotionally compatible” and to top it off, personal, influential and private telepathic communication came out drenched in sap and overly lovey-dovey overtones. It was, without a doubt, one of the company’s least successful product launches ever. And you would think that they would have learned. However, they decided to try again, and… well. It wasn’t exactly all that well thought out the second time around. But third time’s the charm, right? Wrong. Even if this time, it’s in the form of rings that will draw two people together in a “matched pair” rather than a string.

1. There’s not really anything wrong with believing in true love, but trying to formulate a product that can detect someone’s ideal mate is innately flawed. Which only means that no matter how many times the product is adjusted, it’s just not going to work. Those who wind up with the product shoved onto their fingers (by a sales rep or through actually purchasing the product) will find themselves, once again, pulled by an unseen force to the nearest person they are “compatible with”. Same height, same hair color, whatever. It’s not exactly discriminatory. …Unfortunately as poor a match as they may be, the two cannot be separated until they share a meaningful embrace. So settle in, you might be together for a while.


2. In certain pairs, normal conversation is often unintentionally made amorous, simply from inflection in voice, or perhaps a heightened affectionate emotion. Or, on the flip side, anger and aggression is increased ten fold, but it’s kind of 50-50 as to what effect will take place, all dependant on which hand they wear the ring. Left, romance, Right? Anger.

• Prompt E: The inexplicably cavernous sewers of Verens are no place for a sane individual, but here you are anyway—dropped there by some horrible emotional shift that made an entire section of street vanish and then reappear above your heads as if nothing had happened. You and the poor fool you’ve been dumped down here with need to find your way to the access tunnels and climb out, or perhaps go the other way and swim out through the Lake Niras outflow. Or just smash your way out, if you’re feeling destructive. But your own emotions will work against you, as you struggle against the terrible scent, the darkness, and the entirely-justified questioning of why your life has taken this horrible turn.

1. There’s something odd about the way the water and sewage is sloshing around your ankles, almost as if it’s rising. But wait, that can’t possibly be a pair of eyes you see under the oil slick surface… could it? You’ve heard rumors about all sorts of beasties down here but surely your mind is just playing tricks on you.


2. Remember that part about emotions turning against you? Maybe you’ve been trapped down here way too long with someone who’s just not living up to your expectations, or you’ve got something else on your minds—but the smell around you certainly seems to be growing thicker, the scent growing harder and harder to ignore. The water and grossness at your feet also seems to be growing thicker almost as though it’s curing like cement. The cause? Negative emotions. But are they yours or the person you’re stuck here with? Perhaps you should work through those post haste…


3. Escape! You’ve made it out, but not without a great amount of effort on both you and your partner’s parts. Did you manage to find a way out through the access tunnels? Or perhaps you really did travel through all that much to the Lake Niras outflow… whatever it is, You’re certainly stinky, and possibly tired and cranky too.

• Prompt F: Some bandits went and stole another airship, only this time the Enforcers are prepared with a few of their own. Join in for some intense air battles. Just don't make the ship explode—they'd like it back in one piece please. Unless you're actually on the bandit team, in which case you probably want to blow up the Enforcer ship.

1. What's an airship fight without some on deck action? Either the bandits are swinging over to the ship you're on, or maybe you're swinging over there. Whatever the case, it's a full on brawl. Just watch out—those bandits are well-armed with some interesting firearms and weapons. If hit, one of the following emotions will start to take over your senses: unquestionable rage, debilitating fear and panic, and sleepiness. Needless to say, these effects will hinder one's ability to fight.


2. Can you fly or are you okay with climbing up the full height of your airship? Then grab a few sleep and apathy grenades and throw them at the bandits. Just be careful not to accidentally hit your allies. Otherwise they will be the ones feeling sleepy and want to give up. Also watch out for flying nets and bullets. Those bandits will definitely try to bring you down.


3. While the enforcers are trying to maintain the integrity of the stolen ship, the bandits feel no such need to hold back and are freely unloading their weapons onto the Enforcer's ships, forcing them to defend themselves. Other than decapacitating the bandit behind the weapon, it's also possible to overload it with intense emotions. Explode it with rage or clog it with happy, loving flowers.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include bubblegum and/or toadstools.

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

[notsolomon]

[While William understands the basics of the situation and how this world works, he doesn't understand the little factors behind. And it's hard when he's not that good at controlling his emotions, despite his attempts at appearing reasonable and measured.

But someone has to try.]

Slowly, but surely that is how. Just lift one foot at a time. [And he demonstrates, though it's hard. William's not a physically strong person by any means. Quite the opposite. So this whole trial has been extra vexing for him.] Just keep doing that and thinking on the road ahead and what awaits us when we exit this place.

[Clean clothes. A nice hot bath. Hopefully no one important seeing them in this state. It actually warms his heart a bit and for a moment the going is easier.]

[spiritedafey]

Hiiiii...

[Maya stares at him for a moment, and the silence feels a lot longer than it actually is before her face visibly droops into a fit of exasperation. What is he even doing?]

Uh, Apollo? You can get off me now.

Jaeha | Akatsuki no Yona

[soaringleg]

Prompt E2

[To be dropped down somewhere when you were usually more used to be able to soar freely through the skies was certainly annoying. Of course it hadn't always been that way, but perhaps that was why it was upsetting him more than it should. That or that he wasn't here because of his own choice.

On the outside, he tried to stay light-hearted, occasionally kicking a wall here and there in an attempt to break through the walls, but of course this wasn't the place where emotions stayed hidden very well.

Though the foul stench was something Jaeha didn't want to relate to himself, he could tell the more upset he became with the situation, the stronger it got. Hopefully, this wasn't anything his companion realized, too... overplaying it might be the best choice, right?]

To think they want to keep trapping someone as beautiful as me here.. suuch tragedy!



Prompt F2

[Dealing with the bandits here did remind Jaeha of his time with the pirates, even though a ship in the air felt kind of different than the one on sea. At least he couldn't say that he didn't like it, it had something quite refreshing. And while explosives weren't his usual style of fighting, he could see why they were necessary in this world.

With a big jump Jaeha landed on the deck of the airship, a small wink appearing on his face.]

Hello, I brought a small present for you guys.

[And with that Jaeha tossed the grenades at the bandits - hopefully not (almost) hitting an ally with it accidentally!]



Prompt G

[Wildcard me!]

Barriss Offee | Star Wars

[failinglight]

A: There’s No One Around

[Confused and confounded by the situation, Barriss Offee was decidedly not at her best today.  She tried looking on the bright side of things, to remain calm, to remember Master Unduli’s teachings, to trust in the Force, but this was not Drongar.  She’d just stepped out of a surgery and into someplace totally different, a primitive seeming place that looked like a fantasy. This city was definitely not anywhere near Drongar, or anywhere else she could think of and that simply shouldn’t have been possible.  

And to make matters more complicated, it was cold.

Very, very cold.  Going from a jungle with temperatures just on the cusp of boiling to a sudden temperate winter not unlike Mirial wasn’t an unwelcome shift, but she was decidedly unprepared for it.  Walking down the streets in her thin robes, Barriss shivered and looked around for places to go, but nothing stood out to her save the humans milling about.  Humans that were staring at her, no less, commenting very obviously on the state of her dress and her skin, and try as she might she couldn’t keep from scowling.  Who were these people, and why were they acting like she had three heads?  These questions and more swirled through her thoughts, clouding her mind, having effects she hadn’t even considered. 

Each step came more slowly, each footfall on the cobblestones making a heavier thunk, but that was just the cold slowing her.  Wasn’t it?  Barriss continued on, until one step came down less like a boot touching down and more like stone grinding on stone.  Looking down to inspect her foot, what little thread of calm she had left evaporated, leaving only stark horror.  The sudden burst of fear chilled the air even further, sucking in all the warmth around her and turning her words into a breathless cry for help.]

This…this cannot be happening!  This has got to be a dream.

E 1: Dianoga Surprise!

[As if the day couldn’t get any better, Barriss was falling.  Or rather, landing with a splash in some murky, dimly lit water that was…like the rest of this place, freezing cold.  Whether that was from her own frosty demeanor or the winter she wasn’t sure, but what was done was done.  Scrabbling to her feet, she looked around and spotted another person, offering them a hand up.

Only as she reached down, something brushed past her leg and made her stiffen.  An uncomfortable silence followed, a stillness that often preceded danger settling over the tunnel.  Uh-oh.]

Get up.  Quickly.  There’s something else down here. 

Wildcard:

[This is where you throw something at me and I roll with it.  If you want to plot something specific then please hit me via pm or plurk at axiomaticgrue. As a note her canon point is during the Medstar books, early in the Clone Wars.]

[raisdiant]

Maybe you just miss the company of demons that much.

[Gilles doesn't actually think William cares to spend time with him, but it's fun to pretend. It amuses him. But he doesn't offer any information about his shadows, which continue to slither around, hinting at some kind of agitation. Gilles isn't exactly honest about his feelings.]

If you missed me, you only had to say.

[He laughs when William's sparks fly up.]

You're much brighter than usual down here! I wouldn't ever be lost. There's always the easy way out. Straight. Up.

[Gilles points, and his finger crackles, to remind William that he can just blast his way up through all this pesky infrastructure.]

[oathkeeper]

[Sora's face first on the wooden deck out like a light. He might have a pretty nice shiny bruise on his forehead when he walks up. But don't worry, he won't be worse for wear!

Luckily, the effects of the sleep bomb won't last that long. Sora eventually stirs and groans in pain, sitting up. He blinks his eyes and rubs his head and then looks to see Kairi, keyblade drawn and all.]

Kairi??

[IS HE STILL DREAMING]

This is fine

[nojedi]

You know who I am, Barriss!

[But Ahsoka is smart, smarter than her knee-jerk anger, and the pull of her rage, of the Dark Side, is not enough to keep her from recognizing several important things.

Barriss hasn't aged at all. It's been long enough that she should be an adult like Ahsoka. That or dead for her crimes. And she's not lying about her confusion. It is possible to lie to a force user, but that level of confusion can't be faked. Barriss doesn't recognize Ahsoka, and doesn't know why Ahsoka is angry.

It doesn't make her rage go away. Ignorance doesn't undo the past. But it's enough that she powers off her lightsaber, glaring through skirted eyes. She isn't a Jedi. She can seek recent if she wants. But there is too much to figure out first. And if a part of her is relieved she isn't going to kill her friend, well, that's probably a good thing. Fighting in the Clone War and the Rebellion hasn't completely destroyed her yet.]

Don't you?

[rocketpunch]

Symbology is what nerds do at home. Sure, you can make a cool weapon with it, but that's still technology. And don't you think robots are cooler than magic? My Robbie is cooler than any spell or fireball.

[She is very invested in technology.]

It sure is.

[failinglight]

No...I don't.

[Barriss answers immediately, keeping her hands up, the picture of open honesty. She is not lying when she speaks, and trying to make it all the more obvious that the weapon isn't necessary. Her posture remains stiff even after the saber clicks off. There's a furtive wariness to her stance and the desire to just bolt in the face of that rage is almost overpowering. But she manages to hold herself together.]

You feel like Ahsoka Tano. But...you can't be her. You're fully grown.

[Her eyes open slowly, taking in the hard lines of the togruta's face, but never once meeting her gaze. She's afraid of what she'll see there, if she looks too deeply. Rage, the yellowing that accompanied a fall into the Darkness, and something else. The fury that was directed at her was almost palpable, and that meant something. Even if it was just...confusing.

Face falling, Barriss starts mumbling to herself]

How would that even be possible? Ahsoka is younger than me, and two people can't feel the same...? Can they?

[kitchenfistfirechaosstyle]

[Champloo reaches in to practically pluck the bandit off the ground with one meaty hand, then casually hurt him to take out the bandit that had been fleeing.]

Prinnies never do well in cooking classes -- ahyahya, but they also taste terrible, so they sometimes manage to survive them.

Geddoe | Suikoden III | open

[trueltning_fury]

B

[there's an extremely tall man with an eyepatch, clad in leather and really looking mercenary-like, perusing the offerings from the various hunting guilds. Relocating wayward bears, or hunting mist creatures? There's some good choices here. How to narrow it down? Ask the nearest passerby.]

Excuse me. This hunting guild - they do mean hunting, right? They're not going to get touchy if anyone actually kills these beasts...

[because sometimes it's hard to hold yourself back from overkill. Also, look at those bounty prices...]

D...ish

[There's a spectacle going on here where the new rings are being sold and tested. A sales rep has swept in looking for a very easy target, but didn't notice until already into his pitch that the guy is wearing thick, leather gloves. So no matter how hard he tries, he just cannot get a ring onto any fingers. Geddoe is really not helping the matter at all by, you know, taking off a glove. He just stands there stoically, staring at the enthusiastic sales rep like he can't believe this guy.

And then, the rep tries to pull off one of his gloves.

Geddoe yanks his hand back as if scalded, and his expression goes distinctly dark and angry]

I said to leave it alone. If you try that again I won't be responsible for what happens.

[come laugh at him while he endures the attempted sales pitch, or see what happens when a man with secrets gets upset.]

G/wildcard

[Nothing beats an exploratory stroll along the edges of the woods and lake. Out and about? You might see the burly black-clad figure of a man crouched to pick toadstools, taking a moment to inspect each one - sniffing it, looking at the underside of the cap - before stuffing it in a bag. Is it for personal consumption or a job? It's hard to say. But if he hears approach, he stands up quickly, almost like he's trying to cover what he was actually doing just now.]

Say...I don't suppose you're familiar with the local flora and fauna?

[hamnation]

[As she leaps off, he stumbles a little before he regains his composure and crosses his arms.]

Hmph... So you finally wake, to the sounds of calamity?

Is it not obvious? I, too, have been summoned here to do battle with the demons of the sky!

[foxtastic]

I don't know. [ hard for him to talk around his tongue like this, but it's the only way to get the direct flavor out of his mouth. ] Maybe they're playing a trick on everyone?

[ except it's changing again and he quickly brings it back in so he can suck a little harder and...

oh what is THIS ]

... cheese. Tomatoes? [ what a weird combination! ] Is yours changing like mine is?

[88dbs]

[Apollo's brow furrows a little further. He gets the relax, Apollo spiel often enough, and probably more from Trucy than anyone else (she seems to have infinite patience for his temper, more or less), and sometimes that just makes it worse-- he knows he should relax and chill and zen out and whatever else, but sometimes he just can't.

Like now, when everything is way too weird for him, which is no mean feat.]

I bet, but that requires getting used to it. I don't know how to do that.

[hadthehighground]

[When she lets go, she'll his soft blue eyes hold a knowing sympathy. That's a sentiment he's all too familiar with. What with the destruction of the Jedi, allies and friends were few and far between.]

Do the names Hera Syndulla and Ezra Bridger ring any bells?

[88dbs]

[This is all a bit of a commotion. It jars Apollo enough to where both he and the vines sort of just... freeze, and he turns slowly to look at the man who seems so intrigued by his predicament.]

...sorry, what? A specimen?

[88dbs]

[Apollo takes a breath to try to calm down a little, but he realizes immediately that breathing deeply down here is a mistake, and spends a moment coughing into his elbow.]

Ugh. Yeah, okay. ...wait, but even if we aren't heading toward the actual exit, shouldn't there be, like... I don't know, manholes or something under the city? So we should be okay either way, right?

[88dbs]

[Oh, shoot, the boss man. Obviously Mr. Wright has seen Apollo in less-than-ideal circumstances before, but it's still not exactly something he wants to have happening. Especially when it's a situation that's basically entirely his fault and should pretty much be within his power to control.

Unfortunately, being embarrassed just kind of makes it worse, and the atmosphere around him... sparks a little.]

I'm fine--!!

[No he's not.]

[88dbs]

Ack-- sorry. [He finally manages to apologize at least partway properly, and... he tries to back up to a respectable distance. He really does. The effort is obvious. But he can't seem to get more than the smallest bit of space between them.

Hm. Not ideal. Don't freak out, Justice.]

...I don't, uh. I don't think I can, actually.

[allthelittledemons]

[ He may not be impressed, but she just looks flat-out bewildered. Her forced "mysterious" tone even goes to something more ordinary and genuinely confused. ]

Stopped one? Aren't you a demon or vampire or other such being? Don't you start those sorts of things?

[hamnation]

That would only be true if measured in centuries!

You spout lies like a fountain noisily spouting water! Machines are foolish and unwieldy. Altogether they are dull! They pale in comparison to the raw power of magic! If only a select few can use it, then that makes it all the more interesting! Kehehe...

[notsolomon]

[Oh now he's getting even more irritated and a bit embarrassed by this, because he does miss the company of certain demons, just not this one. So there's quite a few little sparks here and there, like fireflies, only red.]

...I do not know that blowing our way out of here is the best. We don't even know what is above us.

[William had considered using his own magic, but something about all this weighty air made him feel pinned down.]

I don't want to pay damages, do you?

[spiritedafey]

[Maya raises an eyebrow at him, staying perfectly still as she watches him make all the effort in the world to move away from her, but the distance he’s managed to move before he stops isn’t very impressive.]

I wonder what Nick would have to say about this! [Maya gives her chin a thoughtful tap and then takes a few steps away from him.] I know we’re friends and all, but… [She’s only teasing, and her grin only serves to further prove this.] Are you okay?

[She takes a couple steps away from him to give Apollo (and her) some space.]

[allthelittledemons]

[ "Also"? ... Though the way he was dressed too, maybe she shouldn't be surprised. But no, there's no way Yohane is going to let this guy come in and out-do her in such a blatant way. No way! ]

And who are you to make such a claim? There are none in this world with more dark energy than Yohane! [ Maybe he's just delusional. She smirks, and shrugs. ] But no matter. You will see for yourself soon enough! Apologize at that time, and maybe I'll consider letting you follow me as one of my little demons.

[ephemerous]

[Don't breathe in too much, Apollo... Just don't.] That is precisely why I am hoping we will encounter a ladder soon.

[Rather than running the whole gamut of the tunnels and hoping this comes out at the lake or something, finding a ladder to a manhole somewhere would be so much faster. With that in mind, and his spirits a little less gloomy, it's suddenly easier to move in the sewer again as Nahyuta carries on the tunnel trek.]

If worst comes to worst, we have our crystals with us, though it should not need to come to that.

[Maybe they'll even find a priceless national artefact down here and have some heartwarming bonding time, concluded with a near-death experience. Wouldn't that be fun?]