empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY

— 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.

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

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.

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, I think not. These look good enough to eat, though, so they're probably worth paying for.

[She plucks the shrooms off the ground and tosses them into the bag, one by one, looking them over just in case.]

It's just you and me, as far as I know. [She tilts her head at him curiously. His face isn't familiar to her, but between blurry visions and a secluded lifestyle, that doesn't really mean much.] Where are you from?

[He blinks, not expecting such an innocent and obvious question. Surely everyone in Alma Kinan has seen more than enough of him by now, after a second war that involved their archers...

...the reasons why she wouldn't have met him are somewhat worrisome.]

That is a difficult question to answer truthfully. I suppose you could say I hail from the Fire Bringer.

Oh!

[Geddoe is right to be worried, kind of, but the recognition that dawns on her might come as a small comfort. She knows what the Fire Bringer is, at least!]

So the Fire Bringer was reformed after all. That's a relief. [She's spent the past month wondering if the ritual to break the True Water Rune's seal was a success, so this is a good sign!] Time flows differently here, or so I'm told, so I had wondered...

[time flowing differently is something of a relief compared to "fell out of a tree or gored by a mantik" or anything else Mr. Grumpy can come up with.]

Does it? That might explain. Yes, it was reformed, and we were victorious. Eventually. If you have not yet lived through it, at least take heart that the world was not destroyed.

Then the ritual must have been successful...

[A warm glow surrounds her, like a ray of sunshine — she's obviously very happy to hear the news.]

Thank the spirits! I had faith that they would stop the Destroyers, but I'm glad to hear it.

[dammit Yun why so adorable? He'd smile, but the mention of a ritual clouds him a bit. Literally, where she glows he exudes shadows]

If you mean the one for True Water...

[his stoic face is great at hiding his emotions, but this world betrays him, revealing them for him against his will. The shadows become actual clouds as he runs through his thoughts, swallows his grief, and tries to think of something more coherent to say than that.]

...yes, it was.

[Yun studies him for a moment, her smile fading as she watches the clouds and shadow forming around him.

The sunshine, too, disappears as the realization comes down on her. She knew that Wyatt was fated to die, but she'd held on to the hope that his daughter would be able to save him.]

... Did you know Wyatt?

[Geddoe has always trusted the Alma Kinan with some things he'd never tell a Duck. They're just so much more capable.]

He was my best friend.

[the clouds thicken but no rain comes. There's so much good mixed in with the terrible, it's just gray and foggy - like Geddoe's entire existence.]

I'm sorry.

[Yun has always been okay with her own death, but that was a path she chose herself. She can't accept the death of others as easily, when they don't have the same choice that she did. Especially not Wyatt, who she had known and loved, who she knew was loved by others, too. Like Chris.

Her heart is breaking for Chris — and Geddoe, as well — right about now.]

My name is Yun. I was the shaman who foresaw the war, and... the sacrifice they used to break the seal. I knew Wyatt, too, and his daughter. He was a good, kind man.

[He tries squashing down those memories, because if he doesn't it might actually start raining on them.]

Geddoe...though you could probably have guessed that, if the shamans told you everything of the Fire Bringer. [or, well, Wyatt, because that bastard probably gushed about him everywhere and he'll never live it down]

...he was, wasn't he? For what it's worth...I'm sorry there even had to be a sacrifice. [though he understands, probably better than Chris]

I thought that might be you. It's nice to meet you, finally — Wyatt spoke very fondly of you. [But that's all she'll say about that for now, before it really does start to rain.

She shakes her head, a small smile creeping back up on her face.] It's all right. My one sacrifice helped to save many other lives; I can't complain about that.

...that is all any of the Fire Bringer can hope, that their sacrifice is not in vain.

[others may rail about what is or what should be, but Geddoe is old and he's Been There. He understands the Alma Kinan ways, and the Chishan, and Duck and Lizard and everyone else. No judgment here. Though, he does move to brush his gloved hand over Yun's.]

Here, at least, you can know the outcome. I can assure you, it was for the best. And on behalf of the entire Grasslands, thank you, Yun.

[Yun wants to say something like "anyone else would have done the same," but she knows that's not true. Not everyone would give their life the way she did... but that's fine. Not everyone will understand the ways of her people, and that's fine too.

Geddoe seems to, though, and she understands even more, now, why Wyatt (and many others) spoke so highly of him.

The sunshine returns, peeking in through the clouds, as a healthy, happy blush colors her cheeks.]

Thank you. I helped pave the way, but you helped finish the job. And being able to hear the good news is more than I ever wished for.

[the sunshine is infectious, though the clouds have a little trouble breaking up directly around Geddoe. He'll be lucky if he doesn't have a single gray cloud following him everywhere in this place.

He looks to see that his bag of shrooms is full again, hooray! so he closes it up and ties it.]

Then, I suppose I have served at least one purpose in finding myself here. How is it, being so far from Kuput and the village?

TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY

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