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

[actualhumandisaster]

Mandalore.

[ He replies, then looks away. His time here in Verens aside, it's still a fairly recent memory. Him and Obi-Wan had parted ways with Ahsoka when they were being recalled to Coruscant to rescue the Chancellor.

It's only been a few days. And there's one more thing she might need to know. ]

Where I'm from... Order 66 is just about to be executed and I-

[ He pauses there to look back at her. ]

I'm not sure how much I can do to stop it once I return.

I'm sorry.

[nojedi]

I know. [There's no judgment in her tone, just... quiet acceptance. The past is, as far as she can tell, locked in place, and while it would be nice to think Anakin could somehow change everything... the world's been the way it is for too long for her to believe that.

Anyway, the corruption was too deep for Anakin to really even be that much of a deciding factor. Maybe Vader wouldn't be terrorizing the Galaxy, but Order 66 probably would have still happened.]

How much do you know about your future? [About who he becomes?]

[actualhumandisaster]

[ There's this way that he crosses his arms while quietly keeping his gaze set on her for a few moments before replying. ]

Enough.

[ This is where he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying not to let that specter that appeared before Galen haunt him instead. He may never fully unhear that disturbing, mechanical breathing noise. ]

Enough to understand that I'm not exactly popular among those that arrive here from the future.

[ Which is... Really most everyone else. ]

[nojedi]

[That's enough to break through Ahsoka's caution. Most of it anyway. This is her Master as she remembers him, not as what he became. She knows he has the potential to fall, that even here, even knowing the future, it might happen. But for now, at least, he's himself, and if Ahsoka's not leaving him this time.

She reaches out to clasp his shoulder, giving him a small smile.]

Maybe not with everyone.

[actualhumandisaster]

[ The gesture may be small, but it's filled with warm reassurance and familiarity. He glances at her hand, then back at Ahsoka herself and finds himself returning her smile. ]

Thank you.

I missed you.

[ And unless she makes a move to prevent it, he will give his former padawan a hug. ]

[nojedi]

[She doesn't move to prevent it, though she is stiff and unresponsive at first. Then she relaxes, a little, and hugs him back.]

Me too, Anakin. Everything's gone so wrong.

[actualhumandisaster]

I know... And I'm sorry.

[ Yes, he may be repeating himself, but he doesn't care. He lets go of her and takes a step back. ]

Maybe... Maybe I should just have gone with you.

[ He had often thought about leaving the Order anyway, but in the end he had just wanted to be a Jedi... ]

[nojedi]

[She can't really argue that. The Jedi Order was a lot more corrupt than either of them had anticipated. Or at least, a lot more leashed to a corrupt government.]

Maybe I should have gone earlier. But it's too late for us to ever know for sure.

[actualhumandisaster]

It's too late for many things.

[ Anakin admits, glancing away. ]

But I refuse to accept that it's too late to change anything just yet.

[nojedi]

[She gives him a watery, sad smile. It's just so Anakin that it makes her heart ache for the old days. Never one to give up without a fight, even against things that have already happened.]

I hope you're right. But going back in time has never been a power I have, so it probably is too late for me.

[actualhumandisaster]

Probably... I may not be able to affect your past, but... There's an Ahsoka in my time as well.

[ And he rather wants to find her again instead of fighting her. ]

I have met those here that are from my future, and they all deserve better.