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

Padmé Amidala | Star Wars

[nabooangel]

Prompt A.

[Emotions were a funny thing when one was a politician. Back home she always had to hold back on her emotions on some instances. Especially in her case where her marriage had to be hidden from the rest of the world. While others she could easily show. But this wasn't back home, this was a world that she was still trying to grow accustomed to. And yet as the Senator touched her amulet she couldn't help but feel confused and lost as the skies above her turned grey the signs of an early rain were slowly starting to rear its head.]

[actualhumandisaster]

[ Seeing Padmé here, in Verens, was difficult, to say the least.

It was a painful reminder of the promise he made her and the oath he had sworn to himself - That he would save her, no matter what. But here, in Verens, he had learned that his approach of doing so ultimately would lead to her very death.

In the weeks Anakin has been in the city, he has been able to distance himself from what has been going on back in their own galaxy.

But now, seeing her here, he wants to tumble right back. Wanted to latch onto the false promises made by an elderly man he partially still wants to consider his friend, but at the same time feels utterly betrayed by.

It takes him a moment to compose himself again before he steps forward, his eyes darting up to the sky and the forming clouds above before setting back onto Padmé. ]

You... Might want to try dunamis.

[ He speaks with a little hesitation, but reaches up with his still human hand, attempting to touch hers. ]

I bet you're better at controlling them than I will ever be.

[nabooangel]

[She's not really paying attention lost in her emotions when she hears his voice and looks up to see his familiar form. The sight of him causes her heart to almost leap in her throat and her feet to freeze on the spot.

Can it really be him?

Thank you for the suggestion.

[All lingering doubt disappears when she feels his hand against her own. Her fingers instinctively lace themselves against his. An anchor in this strange world giving her some small comfort of home.

Your confidence in me is appreciated but I'm sure I'll need a lot of practice.

[She touches her amulet next to her jappor snippet as her gaze continues to settle on him. Her mind trying to make sense if this is real. She wants to wrap her arms around him in an embrace but her thoughts cloud her movements.]

[actualhumandisaster]

You'll do great.

[ He affirms with his voice soft, a squeeze to her hand and a small smile on his face. A smile that isn't as untroubled as they used to be. That hasn't been without any weight threatening to pull it back down ever since his first day in this city.

And yet he tries his best to be reassuring. For Padmé at the very least. ]

I have faith in you. You might even outdo Obi-Wan.

[ And it's him who pulls her into an embrace now. An attempt to soothe her obviously troubled mind and soul. She's still fairly new to the city and its effects, and if Anakin knows one thing, then it's how getting used to it can overwhelm someone. ]

[nabooangel]

[She smiles more easily now, his faith in her really comes as no surprise. He's always been a supporting husband when it came to certain things.]

I hope so.

[The mention of Obi-Wan comes as the surprise to the young Senator. So he's here as well. It causes her to wonder just who else might be here...but then the thought vanishes as she finds herself in his embrace. It's like he's read her thoughts. Her arms loop around him and her head rests on his shoulder for a moment. She realizes who much she has missed him.]

Obi-Wan...Now, Anakin you're giving me too much credit.

[She lifts her head to look at him. She's flattered really. He always did put her on a pedestal.]

I couldn't outdo your Master.

[oratorical]

[Padme may be a person Leia didn't know before arriving here and only had a few months with before she left, but she's still a person Leia isn't bound to forget. She may not know what time Padme's from, or if she'd even have the vaguest idea who she was, but seeing her here now, clearly confused, Leia can't ignore it. Padme hadn't when Leia was new. A different time, a potentially different Padme perhaps, but that doesn't change how Leia feels.

She approaches, doing her best to keep her demeanor warm and welcoming.]

Is something the matter?

[nabooangel]

[To hear such a question, Padmé isn't sure of an answer. Sure there are a lot of things wrong. Being trapped in this place while a war was going on at home. A war she had tried hard to prevent and troubled her mind. But she reminds herself that she isn't home now, she is here and had to get control of her emotions.

She looks at the woman approaching, not really knowing who she is, but a welcoming presence is better than being choked by uncertain thoughts. She smiles trying to push the uncertainly away]

This place is quite peculiar.

[It's not exactly an answer but it is a start.]

[oratorical]

Peculiar is putting it lightly.

[She tries an understanding smile with those words. Her response is all Leia needs to know to tell Padme doesn't remember her, which isn't all that surprising. It's best to not ambush Padme with that information, to not shove all the peculiarities of Empatheias on her at once. It's overwhelming and being eased into it is much better than being thrown into the deep end.]

But, I can try and explain it, if you'd like.

[nabooangel]

[Padmé smiles at the kind stranger's offer. It's something that she will more than happily accept. Any explanation will help her grasp things better than guessing.]

That would be appreciated. May I have your name?

[oratorical]

Leia Organa.

[Her last name included, because while she may not want to bombard Padme with the knowledge that she's her mother, the gamble of providing a last name she knows Padme would know seems worth it to Leia.]

It's nice to meet you, circumstances aside.

[nabooangel]

[The last name strikes a familiar chord with the Senator.]

The last name is familiar to me. Are you by any chance from, Alderaan?

Nice to meet you as well, Leia. My name is Padmé.

[She'll stick with that for now since titles here aren't the same as back home.]

[oratorical]

I am. I believe you may know my father.

[Well. Leia knows she knows both of them, but there's really only one man there that she would actually call father, and it's not Anakin.]

[nabooangel]

[Her brow furrows in confusion but that can't be can it? As far as she knows the Senator and friend doesn't have any children.]

You are Bail's daughter? I never knew....

[oratorical]

[She offers a hesitant smile at that, because while she may not be too inclined to explain her birth family situation to Padme, there's no way around the time paradox they've fallen into here.]

Perhaps not in your time. You'll understand better soon enough, but time doesn't function as as we're used to here. From my own perspective, there are people thirty years in the past and future from our galaxy.

[nabooangel]

[She is quitet for a moment letting it sink in. Time only worked one way as far as she knew but then here she was in this strange place.]

Time...That is unbelievable.

[And now she has questions the shock is still taking hold and running its course.]

Others from our galaxy you mentioned. Which others? Is your father here?

[oratorical]

[Her smile grows warmer and more genuine at Padme's question, a reminder that Bail is, in fact, here and alive and that she actually gets to spend more time with him now.]

He is. And I believe you may know Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. The both of them are here.

[nabooangel]

[Padmé is taken back by the news of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan being here. She wonders...]

Qui-Gon Jinn....Oh goodness. He was a good friend....Obi-Wan also...is he young?

[Maybe they are both from the same time period?]

[oratorical]

He's younger than he was when I met him.

[If you can really consider seeing him from a distance as he gets killed meeting him, but that's neither here nor there.]

What age did you expect him to be?

[nabooangel]

You've known him before?

[This place is really weird, she thinks. But she can't let her mind fall into a chaotic mess.]

Early 30's I believe.

How did you meet him?

[She wonders if she knows Anakin as well.]

[oratorical]

I knew him through my father.

[Which is true. She never actually met Obi-Wan--at least, not in any capacity where she'd be able to speak with him--until arriving here. But she'd heard enough about him from Bail to know what sort of person he generally was.]

But, he seems to be around that age here. It's possible he's from near your time.