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

perfectly acceptable reason!

[zadeya]

[ zaveid takes his eyes off the form at the corner - he's fairly certain it's curdling in itself, somehow, just as he's pretty damn certain any form of water can't do such a thing on its own.

he turns his gaze to the other being. huh. maybe his focus is too concentrated on that thing that he's completely blindsided by the fact that he isn't alone. he briefly acknowledges the irony of the situation, before he takes a step back - casual, casual - and angles his body so that he's facing two things at once. ]

Pretty sure I haven't cracked a joke today, sweetie. [ who has the material time to do it, anyway? ]

[likescaves]

[ Whelp, there goes any semblance of her taking this man seriously at all. Merisia scowls, ruby-red eyes narrowing as she jabs an accusatory finger at Zaveid. ]

Don't call me "sweetie", you heartless casanova. If you want to humor me that badly, then find a way out of here before I use you as a battering ram.

[ Normally Carbuncle would be happy to see Zaveid, especially considering he got along with him last time he was in Verens and it's been a while since he's seen his friend, but right now he's aimed at the...whatever that creature is, and he's hissing loudly. The familiar's glowing form is enough to make him visible enough in the dark, but sadly not bright enough to act as a proper source of light. His perch on Merisia's shoulder does enough to illuminate her grumpy visage, though. ]

[zadeya]

[ wait what. he feels as though he's been dropped in the middle of something-- well actually he was, but this something and that something are two different somethings and-- okay, simply put, he's confused. ]

Heartless casanova? [ he laughs a bit at that - automatic reflex. now that he can see who he's talking to, as well as her obvious grumpiness towards him, he straightens his shoulders a bit. he doesn't particularly like having to explain himself, especially when he has little idea on why he's expected to. but he keeps his tone light. ] Been called a lot of things in my long life but I usually do something to earn it.

[ which translates to: what the hell did I do to you and why don't I remember it? or you?

the hiss catches his attention again, and zaveid glances at it - judging by its stance, though, it seems unlikely to attack - for now. ]

[likescaves]

Oh, you've done plenty to earn that title, you gods-be-damned seraph. The only reason I'm not giving you anything worse is because Little Shepherd Boy might not be too happy about that.

[ Merisia folds her arms to give Zaveid the fiercest glare she can manage, ice already forming at the edge of her robes and cooling the air around her. She reaches up to give Carbuncle a quick scratch behind the ears before she reaches for the grimoire on her belt. ]

Now isn't the time for you to be playing dumb. In case you haven't noticed, we're both in a bit of a predicament.

[zadeya]

[ --right, so she knows he's a seraph, awesome. which begs the question how, and why, and because he's on a roll when it comes to questions, who, what, where? ]

It's always so comforting to hear that I owe my current safety to His Sheperdness. [ he likes the boy, don't get him wrong, but this conversation is starting to grate on his nerves, and he grips his pendulum tightly in response. what, none of his fellow seraphs could warn him that he may have some potential enemies around the place? isn't that what beings in friendship circles do? ]

Well at least we agree on something. [ a flicker of movement catches his eye, and soon he's seeing the water curdler rise up, up, until zaveid has to crane his neck to look at it. well. isn't this a familiar feeling. ]

For the record, sweetheart, I don't know anything about you-- [ the water thing attacks, and zaveid only manages to dodge before its claw-like appendage darts forward to attack him. ] --but one thing I can say is that you have a hell of a way of making a lasting impression.

[ ...kudos? ]

[likescaves]

[ Merisia's about to fish out the next insult she can find when it dawns on her that something here isn't quite right. The scowl makes way for a look of confusion before it's once again shrouded by irritation. ]

... Of course. You don't remember a damn thing.

[ For Oschon's sake, why this, and why Zaveid?

Of course, when the water beast rises up to attack, Merisia decides to stow away her sharp tongue for the moment, pulling out her grimoire and unleashing a burst of Ruin II: not enough to do a whole lot of damage, but it should blind the damn thing, and it's an instant cast: enough for her to move out of the way while Carbuncle begins charging his own wind magicks. ]

Save your flattery for later! And do us both a favor and stay out of my way!

[zadeya]

[ oh he remembers a lot of damned things, just not those that she's familiar with. probably.

but she's casting and so's that thing perched on her shoulder and zaveid grins, the excitement of the battle coating his bones. it's similar to when he's fighting with sorey and rose and the other seraphs, and if there's a thing zaveid is good at and frankly enjoys doing, it's fighting. ]

And leave you all alone in defeating this thing? Like hell.

[ he swings his pendulum, and proceeds to do every bit of his martial artes which are tinged with earth. in his world earth is stronger than water, and with the size of this thing, every bit helps, though it escapes him that elemental properties might be different across all worlds. whatever. his actions aren't as fluid - after all, the earth artes aren't in a single branch of movements - but they do well enough damage.

and it shows; the thing shrinks to almost 3/4s of its original height. ]

[likescaves]

Do I look like a helpless maiden to you, seraph? I can handle this just fine!

[ Carbuncle unleashes a burst of wind, soaring into the air and slamming into their mystery adversary while Merisia flings an instant Bio spell at it. Arcanists aren't good with doing immediate powerful damage. No, their strength lies in control of the battlefield by way if whittling down their enemies over time, slowly sapping their strength out of them by way of manipulating their aether until they collapse under their own weight.

Arcanists also excel when in a team, but Merisia is stubborn about working with others, especially wind seraphim that she has a poor history with. She's starting to see that she has little choice, however, and fortunately Zaveid is competent. Whatever he's doing is working, and she'll happily contribute to that if it means getting rid of it. ]

But if you really want to be useful, keep that thing distracted!