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

[A boisterous bit of laughter answers her declaration in return. Had she look to see who the ring had gravitated towards, she'd realized it managed to find her late husband in the crowd. Somehow it actually worked??]

Well that's a shame, because I can't think of anyone more suited to be with me than you.

[Regardless of whatever Amara felt between them, Dhurke just kept a smile on his face, more than happy to be able to see his wife once again.]

[ in hindsight, it is a wonder how she missed him in the crowd — perhaps something is to be said for not seeing what you do not expect, and for all the people she expected to see, her husband surely is not among them. ]

... Dhurke —

[ — is about all she manages at first, looking both rather shocked and faint at the same time. there'd been a time when she had believed fully in her sister, believed the cold, harsh story of her husband trying to kill her and then fleeing the palace. there'd been a time she thought Ga'ran was only protecting her, when she'd thought of her sister solely with trust and affection.

and no matter how much she'd wanted to keep believing... the events that had unfolded had made one thing clear — Dhurke had always told her the truth. before, she'd had only his word; now, she had evidence. a cruel twist of fate that had both given her the certainty she'd always wanted and, at the same time, taken away the one who had never done anything but loved her. ]

... Has my soul finally traveled to the Twilight Realm? Is is the will of Her Holiness to once more both reunite and divide? [ for before, she had been reunited with her children but parted from her husband; is she now reunited with him, but at the cost of leaving her children behind, Rayfa without her guidance? ]

No, we're among the living, just in another world. Both our children are here as well. [He was quick to assure her this wasn't the Twilight Realm, even if his presence doesn't make sense. He shifts slightly where he stood, in case she looses her footing.]

Welcome to Empatheias.

[ we, he says, and her lungs constrict painfully. what strange manner of a dream must this be, for she hadn't thought they would meet until she, too, passed into the Twilight Realm. ]

Nahyuta, Rayfa... [ it is their children that occupy her thoughts, then, a relieved breath escaping her. they are not alone. she needs not fret. ] I see. I had been told this was a world full of miraculous phenomena, some of which I have had the privilege to witness... yet it all pales in comparison to what I now hear and see.

Had I known of this... [ this, her family being here as well — upon arrival, she had been so confused, still in the midst of recovering from the gunshot wound, that looking for those she knew had not been possible. and yet —

she would have looked for them. her husband, her children. can they truly be together again? is this a blessing from the Holy Mother? ]

[Dhurke remains silent, a rare feat for a man who constantly calls for attention to himself. He could see Amara needed some time to process the information he had given to her, and so he would wait. It was an opportunity for him to come to grips in silence that his wife was indeed here, standing in front of him. Fourteen years since he was last standing in her presence like this, and he wanted nothing more than to embrace her right now. With the recent events back home though, he isn't sure he'd get a warm reception at this juncture.

And so instead, he finds her hand and holds it in both of his. It's more assurance for her that he's here, and something for him to grasp onto than just her appearance and words.] Don't worry too much about it. You're here now and that's what matters. [He puts on his biggest, warmest smile, even the area seems to brighten for them.] We can finally be together as a family.

[ he takes her hand and suddenly, the world rights itself. all the concerns running through her mind seem trivial, matters that cannot hold her attention for any longer. softly, she lifts her other hand, places it on his. her expression barely changes, but there are flowers blooming underneath her feet, butterflies starting to gather around them, their wings flashing white and blue and purple.

slowly, she nods. ]

... Yes. [ he is right — that is what truly matters.

she opens her eyes, looks up at her husband. there is a touch of something else than her usual serenity in her smile. ] I see you have not lost your command of the spoken word. [ more and more flowers keep blooming beneath her feet, if there's suddenly a flower field in the middle of the city don't blame her. ]

[Whatever people had to say, he ~~beat them up~~ didn't care. He had his wife right here, the world around him becoming distant. He gently pulls his wife closer, her face mere inches from his. How long has it been since he seen her smile like this?]

There's more where that came from, if you know what I mean. [His pickup lines are still the worse.]

[ his pickup lines are horrible, but he's lucky that as ever, she seems to find them (him, really) charming in their ridiculousness. she laughs lightly, gentler and softer than usual, a sound not heard often from her — and why would it be, when she's had little reason to laugh like that in the past fourteen years? ]

I do not doubt that for one moment. [ ... how she has missed this. ]

[He got her to laugh, he'll consider that a success as he laughs softly along with her. He presses his forehead against hers as he frees a hand to wrap his arm around her back. He sorely missed this, these small moments with her, these affectionate touches he used to share with the love of his life.] Well then, here's the first of many to come.

[He couldn't contain himself any longer. She let him this far in already, surely her lips will welcome his as he gives her a long overdue kiss. The sun may as well be shining down on them and them alone, giving life to the flowers that had blossomed beneath them. The gravity didn't seem to be working properly either, as loose articles around them started to float slightly above the ground.]

[ what a sight they must make — it is not only the small rocks and leaves on the ground that start floating around them, but the flowers grow like vines, pink and blue flowers blooming one after another as they rise up, up, thin pillars supported by nothing but the force of their feelings.

despite this, though, she stiffens up just slightly at first, until the last of her defenses breaks away and she leans in, allowing herself to forget everything about being calm or proper or anything a queen should be — a queen certainly shouldn't be kissing her husband out in the open like this, but Dhurke's always had that effect on her, her love for him overpowering everything else. ]

TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY

I've been so undecided how to tag this, but some variation of D

that's fine because i'm a) internally keysmashing and b) floundering w her voice so you know

The feeling's mutual, so it's going to be fine, right? 8')

absolutely............ ;n;

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I don't have the right icons for this asjkhgajk ahhh

neither do i flgjfj fandom should really get on this, provide for us