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

[sacredrites]

I am here. [ Her chest tightens when she spares a moment for herself to truly take him in, meeting his gaze. It's striking and is nothing short of a reminder that there was still so much she had to experience at home. Despite the tumultuousness of their relationship, he was her brother. The eye color change tightens something in her chest - corners of her lips shifting into a soft frown as her brows knit before she has to look away.

She moves to turn his hand in hers, inspecting the object in question when she can no longer meet his eyes. Luna had managed to avoid a ring of her own far, fairly certain the person she'd be drawn to would come as no surprise given how the past few weeks have gone. ]

I fear this may not be so easily removed without its match.

[glaivekeeper]

[The fact that she cannot meet his gaze long could mean any number of things. Ravus has to mentally steady himself, push away the grief that had eaten away at him on Eos. She seems so much stronger than when they'd parted ways for what they had known would be the last time in Altissia. How or why, he has yet to discover, but he's grateful that she no longer seems to be suffering.

And yet that doesn't seem to be on her mind at all: she's still talking about the ring, something he'd almost forgotten in his shock. He can still feel its insistent tug commanding him to move, but he won't. Not yet.]

The ring matters little. [He'll figure out some way to get it off, but it doesn't seem to be actively harmful, at least not yet. Her presence, along with the calm she had been projecting, seems to have helped. To distract her attention from it, he gently rests his magitek hand over hers.] Are you well?

[sacredrites]

[ Unfortunately her deterioration would be played out for all to see during her time here, seeming to have been arrived from the beginning of the end. Her time to rely on the strength of others to get her through would come, but until then... She would do what she could to be that beacon of light for those who need it.

The magitek against her skin is unfamiliar, and yet she doesn't pull away. It's enough to draw her attention back to him rather than the ring - a success on his part. She tries to meet his gaze again, digging deep within herself to draw on her reserves. ] I-- [ It's interesting how such a simple question could result in such a complex response. The truth hangs on the tip of her tongue before it's swallowed down. ] Yes. There are quite a few from our world here, most from a time beyond my own. It has been something of an adjustment, but we have all banded together. [ It's the diplomatic answer to his question, testing the waters on how he'll react. ]

[glaivekeeper]

[Ravus can tell she's not being entirely truthful with him, both from the way she hesitates and from the general vagueness of that response. Towards the end, Lunafreya had confided everything in him, when he was one of the sole confidants she had left aside from Gentiana. United in purpose, they didn't keep secrets from each other or fight, not like before. A return to that is jarring.

But he assumes there must be a good reason for her vagueness now, so he won't question it just yet.]

Who is here from our world? Niflheim? [That would be his first guess. There doesn't seem to be anywhere beyond the empire's reach.]

[sacredrites]

[ One day, she'd find her faith in him restored. This place was complex at best, the way it seemed to enjoy bringing in those from their world at different points. She loathed the idea of facing another dinner, rehashing the information that had already been shared. Though, she still seemed to be from the farthest past time - her and Nyx.

Luna's quick to shake her head, having drawn the same conclusion upon her own arrival. ]

No, we are beyond their reach. Prince Noctis, his Retinue, Nyx Ulric - one of the Glaives who helped me escape Insomnia and kept me alive-- [ She's unsure if she needs to clarify who he is, but so much is up in the air. Better safe than sorry. She'd also saved the most uncertain of the names for last as well - almost a delicate test for her brother and his loyalties in a way. ] -- Aranea is here as well, though it would seem she has defected from the Empire.

[glaivekeeper]

[Ravus' mismatched gaze searches her expression as she talks, his expression remaining carefully neutral. He knows of Nyx Ulric from her already and needs no further explanation, but Aranea--]

Commodore Aranea Highwind? [Of course she would have defected, with the Empire collapsing at the seams and their reliance on daemons intensifying by the day. But Lunafreya does not need to know of that future, a future as dark as she had feared in her final hours. So he offers a more neutral response, one more befitting the High Commander she remembered. What he had seen in Gralea was better left unsaid.]

Such is the price to pay for the empire's reliance on mercenaries, I suppose.