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

Nahyuta, [ she responds, her voice calm and composed as ever, but with that special warmth that no one else but the loved members of her family receive from her. ]

Yes, you need not worry for me. Spare your concern for these poor creatures that I have thoughtlessly distressed by my ill-chosen place for prayer. I thought that by standing on the plaza, the grace of Her Holiness would reach everyone in this city... but it did not go as I had thought. [ what follows is that amused laugh of hers... ]

[Nahyuta is reassured by that reply, and that she seems to be taking things in good humour, so when he responds it's with equal warmth.]

Do not blame yourself. Had the citizens known your identity, I am certain all would understand that there is nothing to fear from your animal companions, and they in turn would not have caused the animals such distress.

[Even tigers are harmless cubs when Amara is around, a fact understandable well enough in Khura'in. Other worlds... not so much.]

I will hurry there at once.

[ what doesn't she take in good humour, most of the time anyway... granted, the situation is rather strange and unfortunate, but she has faith it will soon be resolved with her son's help — there is nothing to fret over, then. ]

I fear this must make a strange sight for the good people of this city.

[ after all, this kind of thing clearly isn't the norm around here, though what with all the emotions around, surely friendly animals cannot be the strangest occurrence... ]

We shall await your arrival. [ "we" as in her and the animals... no royal "we" to be found here. ]

[Nahyuta takes a little longer than he would if he'd headed directly there, if only because he stops along the way to get a few bags full of food that might help entice the animals back to where they came from.

Unfortunately, Amara's continued presence with Nahyuta's added only means that when he arrives, it's with a few rabbits and squirrels close on his heels. He looks apologetic when he spots Amara.]

I am afraid I have brought more creatures to you, Mother, instead of driving them away. Let us begin leading them back to the forest, before more are drawn here.

[#disneyprincessproblems]

[ even though Nahyuta's presence immediately works against solving the problem rather than towards it, Amara still greets him with a smile. ]

That they are drawn to you like this is a sign of spiritual fortitude, a sign of your devotion to the Holy Mother. [ the greater the spiritual power, the more animals are drawn to you... it is something only few of the servants of Her Holiness truly ever accomplish. she doesn't put it in words, but there's an undercurrent of pride in her tone — truly, her son has inherited the best from both his parents. ]

May the blessings of the Holy Mother go with you, [ she says serenely, smiling at the rabbits and squirrels before they join the zoo of animals that's gathered there around them. ]

Yes, we should not linger here any longer. Come, let us go. [ the words are directed at the animals... who, strangely enough, seem to turn to follow the two of them without much trouble. ]

[Such a compliment from the grand priestess to any Khura'inist monk would be high praise indeed, but Nahyuta is more pleased to simply receive praise from his mother, who he reveres so highly. Though he's too reserved to say as much, his happiness is reflected instead in the soft, warm glow that seems to appear around him. He bows his head low, humbled.]

I endeavour to remain faithful to the Founder in all things.

[Then she's encouraging the animals to leave, so he straightens and follows along with their unusual entourage. Sure enough, the animals follow. Even a few birds take flight, following along overhead.]

I have brought with me some food, both as a gesture of kindness to these animals, and so that they may be enticed to remain in the forest.

[The alternative would be to scare them away, which is of course something neither of them would want to do.]

[ around Nahyuta, the air itself glows — around Amara, everything quite simply seems... more. brighter, warmer, the colours appearing as though someone has altered the very saturation of reality.

briefly, she reaches out, brushes her fingertips along the side of her son's face, his head still bowed. for so long, she has not had the chance to be near him, even talk to him, much less show him how much his mother's love always went with him, wherever he was... but the touch is fleeting, barely there, gone the next moment. not because she does not wish to keep the contact, and more because she knows he has not had the comfort of a casual touch from either of his parents — it pains her, but she will not overstep.

(the colours dim, just a little bit.) ]

Very good, [ she says as they walk, giving the people who stop and stare at them serene smiles; fortunately, it seems they will pass without causing an incident. ]

I believe they shall be pleased. The forest is home to all of them — perhaps in the future, we may pray closer to nature. [ that way this won't happen again... also yes, that was an invitation to pray together with her. ]

Edited (oh yeah i could actually answer flghdjh god i'm a disaster) 2017-01-26 22:03 (UTC)

[The touch to his face is unexpected, but not unwelcome, and as she brushes her fingers along his face, he finds himself turning his head ever so slightly to lean into her touch. Even around the family he treasures so much, it is difficult for him to lower his guard in anything but the subtlest of gestures. And yet how many years has he longed for something like this? To be close with the mother he'd barely gotten to know as a boy, before she was cruelly taken from him again.

But the moment passes, and their attention is back on the animals.]

Often, I meditate at the edge of the forest and by the lake, where many animals often take up my company. You are welcome to join me, Mother.

TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY

gently slams into

gently topples over...! HELLO

shyly waves at HELLO!!

i've never threaded with an amara before so i'm super stoked ;w;

well i've never threaded with a nahyuta so the feeling is 1000% mutual ;u;

are you planning to reserve/app, by any chance?

hjghfg i mean this started as me voicetesting and now i'm too deep in feels hell i.. might as well??

yes good, join us and stay in feels hell... rubs hands together