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

E - he is technically season 1 so I am so sorry for your life thace

[lionroll]

[Hunk has to rub at his eyes, because there's no way he saw what he actually saw, right? Except, before he can try looking again, the ground beneath his feet has vanished and he's suddenly getting soaked in the gross waters of the sewers under the city. With a loud cry, he's scrambling back to his feet, trying to feel for a wall, or something.

Oh, dear, sweet Voltron. Was he really trapped in the sewers of this weird city with... with...

The other person, or in this case alien speaks, and Hunk freezes. His bayard. He needed his bayard!!! Except...

...it's with his armor back at the apartment. There wasn't really a need to be carrying it around Verens after all. Not like there were Galra stalking about, waiting to ambush them. Until now.

Hunk's voice is shaky, and unmistakably filled with fear, despite his attempt to sound brave, steady.]

I-I-I'm not going anywhere with you, Galra scum!

[In response to the obvious negative emotional state Hunk has entered, the scent of the sewers becomes heavy, and heady. The water at their feet begins to feel more like sludge, than liquid. These are all things Hunk doesn't notice at first. He's too wrapped up in the mixture of fear, and anger, he feels towards the other trapped in this place with him.]

IT IS ALL RIGHT, he will deal

[catmmander]

[Thace's eyes narrow. In the initial moments of their fall into the dark and the wet, he'd considered the cause of the human's distress to be—well, the fall, but Hunk's words make it clear what he's most upset about.

Of course. It's not entirely a surprise. This is more the kind of reaction he'd initially expected—and didn't receive—from humans when he first arrived. All the friendly humans who'd acted as if they'd never seen a Galra before. Because they hadn't.

But now he has to deal with real hostility, and the thickening stench and sludge. It doesn't do wonders for his own mood. His agitation probably isn't helping the smell or the sludge, but there's also an added pressure in the air, as if the gravity has grown slightly stronger. That's the product of Thace's agitation.]

This isn't the time.

[His tone may be sharper than usual. He doesn't recognize Hunk as one of the paladins, not in this context and in his current dress.]

If want to challenge me, we can do that once we're out of here. Come this way.

[He actually isn't intending to fight this human, even outside of the sewers. He doesn't see him as a threat (sorry, Hunk). He just wants him to move along. Not that he's of the belief that this person is going to go easily.]

[lionroll]

[Hunk makes a noise akin to a growl, hands clenching tightly into fists. By now he should know better than to let his emotions reign control, but in this instance he can't seem to do it. After all... he would never even be in this place if it weren't the Galra. He'd still be on Earth, at the Garrison, leading a normal life.

Instead he's had to fly through space, fight monsters, get beat up, watch his best friend almost die, all because of those like the one a mere few feet in front of him. His anger continues to feed into the growing heaviness, the thickening of the sludge at his feet, but is also adds something else.

The Yellow Paladin is the spirit guardian of the earth. Ever since his first arrival in Verens, he's had to learn to control things like his fear, and anxiety, because they had the terrible effect of making the ground shake. Much like they were doing now. The tunnel floor begins to rumble beneath their feet as Hunk takes a step closer.]

No! We... we can fight now! I'm not gonna let you leave here, and hurt anyone else! I, I don't need my lion, or my bayard, to stop you!

[catmmander]

Lion—?

[All right, that startles him. His eyes widen, and electricity crackles briefly around his ears, sending off a few red sparks. While he has absolutely no reason to be surprised by a member of another species showing hostility to one of his people, he hadn't assumed that that person would also turn out to be one of the paladins. That's not so expected. Honestly, it strikes him as extremely unwise for a paladin to reveal himself to an unknown Galra when he's alone and unarmed, but now is not the time for a lecture.

Thace braces himself once the ground begins to shake. Events have already proven that this place is not stable, and he half expects the ceiling to start falling in at any moment.]

It isn't safe here—!

[For his part, Thace is more alarmed and frustrated than angry at Hunk. This paladin has no reason to trust him, and he understands that. It doesn't need explaining. The pressure in the tunnel intensifies—the sludge feels even thicker, and the air is even heavier.]

You don't have any reason to believe me, but I don't mean you any harm.

[He doesn't doubt the paladin's sincerity, but he still has no intention of fighting him.]

[lionroll]

[The Galra's statement draws a laugh from Hunk, one that is definitely more on the sarcastic scale of things. In response the shaking does quell a little, as the Yellow Paladin focuses on reigning in his rising emotions. After all, it wouldn't do cave the sewer in on them, it could possibly hurt someone above ground.

While the ground and walls seem to settle, the cloying stench, and the thickening sludge continue to linger as oppressing factors to their surroundings.]

Yeah, sure you don't! Why should I believe you for even a tick?

[catmmander]

[Thace doesn't laugh, or have much of an expression at all.

He's glad when the tremors die down, even though the scent doesn't improve. The sewers are still intact. He'd been about to risk physical injury by pulling the paladin to safety, which he's sure wouldn't have gone over well, in Hunk's current state of mind. He stands his ground, but he still refrains from drawing his blade. Nonetheless, the steady pressure he's unwittingly exerting continues, as if he's trying to exert his control on the situation by pushing it down—but maybe it's himself he's trying to control.]

My name is Thace.

[Hunk has no reason to know his appearance, so he offers his name, in case that's in some way familiar. The paladins should have been told his name, but he's been told that there are odd things about this place, time discrepancies.]

I can't offer you any proof, but I haven't done you any harm.

[lionroll]

[Unfortunately for Thace, his name is not in any way familiar to Hunk. Doubly unfortunate is that the last time Hunk dealt with the Galra it was while rescuing the Princess from Zarkon's home base, where he had to mow down a fair amount with his canon while busting both her, and Shiro, out from the main fleet.

However, Hunk has noted that rather than just straight up attack him, this... Thace has just been merely standing his ground. An unusual tactic for one of the furry, purple fiends all things considered. He is much more accustomed to the Galra's "shoot them now, don't even ask questions" way of dealing with his teammates and himself.]

Just 'cause you haven't tried to kill me yet, doesn't mean you won't as soon as I drop my guard!

[catmmander]

[Well, that answers that question. The paladin has no idea who he is.

Thace remembers very well when the paladins had rescued the princess, but he knows that explaining his role in helping Voltron would be worth very little when he has no proof of his actions. He continues not to make a move toward Hunk, respecting his wariness.]

And you're right, you shouldn't drop your guard in the presence of one you consider your enemy. I didn't ask you to. I asked you to come with me.

[He would expect the paladins to be on their guard around an unknown Galra. They should be, although he'd prefer not to be at odds with them, himself.]

Again, you can challenge me when we emerge, but it would be better to leave this place as soon as possible.