empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: APRIL

Entry tags:

!mod,
*test drive

TEST DRIVE: APRIL

— TEST DRIVE: APRIL—

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 Saturday, March 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on April 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: The Flower Festival is soon, and that means that a lot of caterers, cooks, restaurants and anyone involved with cooking are gearing up to participate in the celebration. This means that there’s plenty of places that are offering food at enormous discounts, or running food related events outside of their stores. One particular setup is in the center of the market area, where tables upon tables of food have been set up as a sort of buffet: pick what you want and pay as you leave! Unfortunately, someone mischievous has created a real problem. The buffet has turned into an all out food fight and it doesn't look like it’s stopping anytime soon...

Join In. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Might as well join the fun since it’s happening anyway, and you’ve probably already found yourself victim to an errant pizza slice or something already. Grab a handful of whatever is nearest you or pick up a spoon and get that food flying!

Pay up. The fun can only last so long, and none of the vendors are happy. While the food fight has been broken up, the place is still a mess. Participants and people caught up in the crossfire are all being blamed equally. Grab a mop and a dustpan and get cleaning. Or, try and argue your way out of being taken to the local enforcers station and given a hefty fine.

• Prompt E: It’s already spring, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t people who are still interested in a few last minute winter escapades. Luckily, with cores and emotion fueled dunamis, things like this aren’t exactly off the table yet. A small portion of Lake Niras has been turned into a winter wonderland, down to a thick layer of ice that’s almost strong enough to be skated upon. However, this isn’t what it’s being used for. The local Polar Bear club has decided to hold a springtime version of their usual event and currently has open registration for those who think they’ve got the willpower to take the plunge in the icy water.

Dive Deep.Strip down to your skivvies or don a bathing suit and jump in! The challenge is to stay in the longest of 4 or 2, or to just beat your personal best. In lieu of joining up yourself if you don’t feel like freezing your tush off you’re more than welcome to lead the cheerleading team!!! ... Who are all dressed as different interpretations of Sosyne...

Maintain The Cold. Those who aren't the participating kind might find themselves attracted to the more “Stage hand” like portion of the club event. Those who have practiced dunamis, the art of using your emotions to create all sorts of manifestations under control, might be able to help maintain the frigid temperature in the air that’s causing the snowfall. Or, if you’re just a really negative person you could be unintentionally making it worse. Otherwise, there’s always a need for a few extra hands at rotating the frozen water cores which are helping keep the water particularly icy. Just be careful and try not to get too excited or you’ll melt the cores!

• Prompt F: Ghost tours have become all the rage in Verens, and tonight you find yourself coming along, either willingly or by having one of the organizers pester you into it. But being a guest isn’t the only way to participate—they’re taking volunteers to “assist” as well, to help spice things up and improve the mood. Harness your emotions to make the atmosphere more sinister, or just hide in some bushes or around some corners to surprise someone with an old-fashioned “boo!”

Sewers Dark and dank, the tunnels underneath the city are already a good place to scare or be scared. The tour takes characters through a lesser-used portion of the sewers, meaning it’s slightly less smelly, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for spooky stories. Don’t get caught by the mossgator or the restless spirits of its victims...

Inside the Memory Tree The giant tree that stands in the city’s square hasn’t always been a safe place, especially the dungeon-like spaces inside. The twisting wood and vines have been home to all sorts of monsters that have been a threat in the past, from moving plants with sticky vines to shadow creatures with sharp teeth—or so the tour guides will say. The tree may not have been around long enough to have much history to it, but that doesn’t stop them from playing it up.

Abandoned Buildings

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include maraschino cherries and/or knives.

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

[She watches Elize for a moment before continuing on sweeping and adding to the pile that was starting to grow bigger.]

It might. [Velvet doesn't know what the girl's guardians are like but...] In my experience, most guardians merely want to make sure that it won't be repeated. If you've already learned your lesson there's not much need to be unfair with the punishment. I'm sure they don't want to punish you but they do want you to make smart decisions and be good. Were it me, I'd be proud that you stuck around to help.

{She didn't say anything at first. Instead, she was just soaking in the information, thinking on it a bit. She'd gotten used to thinking of Alvin as her dad, but even now it seems so surreal that she can experience things like this too; Even if it meant she was going to get into trouble.}

So... That's what it's like to have a real family, huh? {That slipped out. Just finishing up cleaning the table she was working on..} Well, I'm glad to help, even though it was partially my fault.

{Ah...}

Oh uhm.. My name is Elize. It's not the best circumstances, but it's a pleasure to meet you. {Gesturing towards the floating doll now.} And this is Teepo.

Hiya!

[Life is funny that way. One day there's no one and then suddenly someone has gotten close, had become family. Even if that was never the intent to start with, even if it wasn't something that was wanted it could happen in what seemed like an instant.]

Yes, that's what it's like. [She allows her eyes to close for a brief moment before pushing that aside.] The people will appreciate your help.

[Oh, right. Introductions. That's a thing apparently.]

Velvet. [A few moments of staring at the floating doll named Teepo.] Is that a malak?

Ah, Sorry. I'm just... I'm new to actually having a family that I actually remember. It's nice.

{And judging by how bright her surroundings are getting around her, you can tell she's happy when she thinks of them.}

It's nice to meet you, Velvet. {Pausing for a second.} A what?

I'm not sure what that is, but Teepo here is what they call a Booster. He enhances my artes power, but more than that, he's always been my best friend.

{You know, besides the fact that he's really just a puppet saying what she's thinking, but she's not going to mention that part. That's still... a bit of a sore spot for her.}

Edited (What is 3am tagging?) 2017-03-18 08:07 (UTC)

You don't have to apologize for that. [Family could be good.] Having someone you care about and who cares about you isn't anything you should ever have to apologize for.

[Velvet can tell how the idea of family makes this girl feel. That is how it should be.

A single nod of her head to return the niceity. It's followed by a wave of her hand. If Elize didn't know what a malak was then it obviously wasn't one.] Never mind.

[At the explanation she considers the usefulness of a Booster.] How did you cross paths?

[Teepo certainly looked alive and who is Velvet to judge a creature on whether it was a puppet or not so long as it was useful. She may or may not (spoilers: she is) be interested in discovering how to acquire a Booster for herself.]

Well.... He's been with me for as long as I could remember. I... Well... I forgot a lot of my past for the longest time and I was able to remember with the help of my friends, but it's not a pretty past. There was something about perfect synchronization between Teepo and I and that data he'd gathered was useful for a terrorist group, but I don't know too much on the subject myself past that.

{She's gotten past this by now, but talking about it still hurts. And the fact that he never calls her Elly anymore, but those are things she can get over in time.}

Most Boosters though... They can cause harm to the user, depending on the type of Booster. It seems Teepo is one of the better ones out there but... I used to know someone who had one implanted in his brain and it had it's consequences.

[The story strikes a cord deep in Velvet, to hear that the girl had such a difficult and painful past. Not everyone could have a happy childhood and she knew how that pain could stay with someone for a long time.]

Even despite all of it, you've found a place for yourself, haven't you? Found someone you think of as family and who feel the same in return. It doesn't matter how or why you ended up together.

[Elize is a strong girl and does make her think of Laphicet. As for a Booster causing harm to the user... she isn't particuarly worried about that.]

It's good that you have such a nice Booster. What kind of consequences?

{It was probably more difficult than Elize was letting on, but she didn't want to drag her down with sad things; At least, not more than she needed to.}

Yeah. My friends came and saved me and I was able to see the outside world for myself. I was able to experience so many new things and I'm happy to have come this far. For the longest time, Teepo was my only friend. Now I have a mom and a dad who care about me and a bunch of friends who have my back.

I want to keep growing and learning more. I want to make as many friends as possible and see more of what the worlds have to offer. Rieze Maxia, Elympios, and Verens alike.

{With that said...}

Hmm... Well.. It depends really on the Booster and the placement. How far the Booster's research has gotten... If it's experimental like Teepo or completed. The person I knew had it in a dangerous location of his brain and he'd used it too much.... Well.... He... didn't make the end of the fight because he pushed himself too hard.

{Excuse the mixed feelings floating around now.}

[Velvet doesn't doubt that. This wouldn't be the first young girl who had a terrible time growing up that she's met. The more Elize talks, the more she sees the similarity between her and Phi.]

It sounds as if you're truly living then. Try everything for yourself, never let anyone stop you. If they try, send them my way and I'll take care of them for you.

[She means that and Velvet won't even eat them. Probably.]

Hm, that's no good. [Mostly said to herself. Dying before the fight is over isn't an option, besides, the one she has to kill isn't here and whatever power she acquires here won't go home with her.] Was he your friend, the person who had the Booster in his brain?

[The mixed feelings are something she might end up getting a lot. Sometimes Velvet was too blunt and fixated to stop.]

{That does make her smile though.}

Thank you, I appreciate it. I'll be sure to do that.

Uhm well... That's... complicated. I wanted to be friends but... circumstances put us on the opposite sides. I wish we could have been friends over fighting. I wish I could have done something to save him... To save all of them.

{God does she miss Jiao.}

[That's better. Elize should smile more and not let Velvet make her too sad.]

Unfortunately circumstances do that. [No one knows that more than she does.] I'm sure you did everything you could. No one can ask for more than that.

[Even if doing everything possible means not being able to save anyone at all.]

One of them is here though. She didn't have a Booster like the other did, but she was apart of the group.

She's... I guess she's technically my mom now. I don't know her that well, not like my dad, but... I want to. I want to get to know her better.

{Yay family.}

[So Elize too has someone who was once an enemy that is now part of her family. While Velvet wouldn't call her group a "family" (especially not a normal family), she does know about getting close to someone who would have been fine killing her and vice-versa.]

I bet she'll like that idea, very much. Perhaps you could ask her to do something with you - just the two of you so you can both get to know each other.

[A miniscule smile that might be otherwise missed if it weren't for the warm breeze that swoops around them.]

I wonder what we could do though... We made Alvin a scarf together a few months back.

Do you have any ideas?

{She thinks Velvet looks better smiling, too.}

[Considering that she's fairly new around these parts and doesn't know all what's available, Velvet can only suggest a few things. Things that she might tell to her brother or even Phi.]

You could take a trip. Not a long or far one. Down to the water and spend an afternoon laying in the shade with a book. You could both bring your favorite one and read a little bit to each other. Or you could ask her to try something with you that you've never done before. Cook a meal together for your father or bake some sort of sweet for him. You could ask her to teach you something, anything you want to learn.

[A smiling Velvet is a rare sight.]

Oh, those are great ideas! {She's making a mental note for all of those.} Do you have any family here, Velvet?

Glad to help. [Velvet has to stop herself from scoffing.] Not exactly. I'm not sure any one of us would use the word 'family' to describe our relationship but I have allies. People I trust and can sort of consider friends.

[Even calling them friends could be a bit of a stretch.]

Phi is about as close to family as I have here. You could say I took him in and looked after him which is better then the life he had been attempting to live. [It's complicated, Elize.] I think the two of you would get along.

Well... Honestly, I don't have any family left; Not legitimate ones anyways. My parents were killed when I was younger, so I couldn't remember them myself without help. Jude, Milla, and the others took me in when I was all alone and they've become like a family to me.

It's strange to think about, but the one guy I couldn't stand at first became the most important person in my life. He's a jerk and teases me all of the time... He betrayed us so many times, I lost count, but in the end we got closer and I decided to give him another chance once he started to show he wanted to really be friends with everyone...

And now.. he's become my dad here. So I think that it's possible for friends to become family in their own ways. Whenever I think of family, I don't think about my actual parents, I think about my friends.

{All of those sparkles....}

I'm sure he thinks dearly of you. {With her own experiences...} I'd love to meet him sometime.

You can find a family. Just because you lost the one you were born into doesn't mean you can't find a new one. I'm glad you found a new one that cares so much about you. [She really does mean that.

There's always one, isn't there? Someone who you don't get along with - who betrays you but you still end up trusting them. Of you know, you could end up like Velvet and only live in order to kill them.] Magilou's like that. Turned us over to the authorities first chance she got and I never fully trusted her. Still, our goals are the same and she's useful so I let her stick around.

[Because that is exactly how it worked. If Velvet didn't want someone in the group - they weren't in the group.

As for what exactly Phi thinks of her, it's difficult to say. He cares about her but Phi is also from further back on their adventure.] I'll talk to him about it. He might be interested in meeting someone who's closer to his age.

The others kept letting him come along and I was confused as to why... They still had faith that he wanted to be friends, but I wasn't convinced for the longest time. It was through his actions and seeing how lonely he really was near the end that made me reconsider.

That would be great.

It was smart to not be so easily convinced, especially if he had betrayed you more than once. Someone should have kept an eye on him if the others were so trusting. He may have proved himself in the end but you couldn't be completely sure of that. Trust is something that should be earned once its been broken.

[Velvet hadn't trusted Magilou from the start so it hadn't mattered. Though she did expect the witch to turn on them again.]

Well, I think after the second time, there was a much closer eye on him. The night I decided to give him another chance, he talked about how he realized how hard it was to gain real trust, but he didn't want to run away anymore. He at least learned from the time all of us have been traveling that it wasn't the life he wanted anymore. He's changed a lot since then.

Edited (ugh am tagging) 2017-03-19 07:35 (UTC)

[Both arms cross over her chest, broom pressed into her side.]

Other people are often the cause of change in you - either for the better of the worse. It's only natural that he changed when traveling with all of you.

[Even in their time together, people in their group has changed a little. It's more obvious in others like Laphicet and Eleanor but even Velvet's changed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE: APRIL

don't mind the account switch

No worries!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject