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

[vergeofgreatness]

[The water started to thin once more as his thoughts shifted away from Tarkin. The Governor wasn't here, he would have to wait to deal with him since there was nothing he could do about it now.]

How many rebels are here then? [Not the worst situation he's been in, he would just have to adapt as he always had. He glanced at Hux once more as they went along, raising his eyebrows. He wondered why this young man was really that recognizable that his identity would pose a problem.]

I would be interested to hear your intel when we are out of the sewer. I would like an idea to expect from the rebels here, how much a problem they truly pose.

[huxceptional]

Eight, with three Jedi that are more aligned with them than the Empire.

[It may not seem like a lot, but never underestimate them. It's been their downfall in the past and Hux isn't going to repeat such mistakes. He's lost Starkiller Base because of a small group of Resistance fighters. Hux can't stop the small amount of anger that builds up at the thought and it's enough for the smell to suddenly become worse. That project that he pooled so many resources into, gone in one day...!

He tries to calm himself down, however, getting angry now won't help.]

There's a lot I wish to discuss with you as well. I'm certain we both have valuable insight that we can provide one other. [Plus he wants to know which esteemed Imperial he is talking to.]

But if you're concerned about fighting the rebels here, don't. Death isn't permanent here, making any assassinations moot on this planet.

[vergeofgreatness]

[Krennic was silence for a long moment. It made sense that some of the Jedi would have survived the Emperor's purge but he doubted that they would be welcoming of an Imperial officer. He had taken apart the Jedi lightsabers, overseeing mining of the sacred kyber crystals from planets once known only to the Order.

But his role with the Imperial kyber crystal research was known only to a few, his public role was overseeing Imperial resources building shipyards and various military installations at least.]

Of course. [He agreed with Hux's statement but how much he was willing to share depended on who Hux actually was and how much Krennic was willing to believe him. Even if Hux was another Imperial it wasn't sufficient for any automatic trust.]

So I assume there is some type of arrangement to keep the peace. [He harbored his own anger towards the rebels. They had the plans to his Death Star and were going to seek what he and Galen had made together. It made him sick just thinking about it and the smell in the sewer wasn't helping.]

[huxceptional]

An unspoken truce, you might call it. While none of us can completely stop our arguing, we normally don't degenerate into a physical alteration either.

[Except for the time that Leia punched him in the face. Damn Resistance general, Hux is never going to forget that. Still, even he can see that only receiving a black eye during his entire stay is really nothing in the end. With the amount of lightsabers and people unable to control their emotions, he's honestly surprised that no one has lost a limb yet.]

Although, there are some individuals here that you shouldn't provoke, Anakin Skywalker being the main one. [Hux doesn't exactly fear him, but he's in no rush to be Force choked by the unstable Jedi-- whatever he is.]

[vergeofgreatness]

Anakin Skywalker? Now that is a surprise. I've heard he had quite the reputation in his day. [He had only heard of the hero of the Clone Wars but had never met the man himself.

At least, so he thought. He's already had the privilege of being Force choked by the former Jedi, an experience he wasn't likely to forget anytime soon.]

Is there anyone else I should know about?

[Jedi would prove to be an interesting complication and he was sure Skywalker wasn't exactly going to be friendly towards the Empire after Order 66]

[huxceptional]

What you've heard is only the start.

[Right, the knowledge of Darth Vader's identity wasn't exactly known to everyone at that point. Well, Hux has no reason to not tell him later on, but right now he doesn't want to share too much information when they are focused on escaping the sewers.

Luckily, the access tunnel is near.]

Kylo Ren, but do not concern yourself with him. [There's definitely a lot he's leaving out regarding Ren and will probably continue to do so in the future.]

[vergeofgreatness]

[He didn't press for details just yet, he wanted to get out before he started to put things together.]

I've never heard of anyone by the name of Kylo Ren. [He wouldn't take Hux's word for that. He would be wary, certainly, but given the fact Hux had brought him up in the first place made him curious.]

It seems as there are many from our galaxy here, then.

[Could Galen- no, he wouldn't let himself get his hopes up but his stomach clenched. There could be a chance, however.]