TEST DRIVE: APRIL

[empevents]

— 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...

1. 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!


2. 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.

1. 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...


2. 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!”

1. 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...


2. 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.


3. Abandoned Buildings
Always a necessity for any ghost tour, this leg of the trip will take characters past and through a few rundown places, including an old warehouse, a creaky mansion, and a set of dirty apartments. Don’t forget all the dark alleyways in between, or the stories of long-past serial killers who choked their victims to death right over there…

• 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!

Comments

oh yes B)

[artoriuuus]

[Velvet continues her barrage, not once letting up as she throws pie after pie. But ammunition has a way of running out, and once she automatically grabs for a pie that's no longer there, it, of course, happens to be the time Rokurou decides to toss his... fishy weapon at her, for the lack of a better word.]

Tch.

[She manages to duck in time and do a roll to avoid another stray food projectile thrown in her general direction. Gritting her teeth, she leaps towards one of the fallen tubs of ice cream, grabs hold of it, and tosses the half-melted tub at Rokurou while charging towards him, left hand balled into a fist as she attempts to sink it into his face.]

[bladesbro]

[so she's ducking and rolling, is she? well then perfect, this will give him another chance to arm himself once more! while she was busy steadying herself rokurou had already moved to grab a breadstick. now he was right once again!

until she suddenly tossed ice cream at him. this was an easy maneuver, he could dodge this with his eyes closed. he moved to jump out of the way, the ice cream now spilling everywhere.]

Is that all you got? [he called out to her, ready to defend himself against her next attack-... when he suddenly moved to step and he slipped on a slipper pile of unknown substance.]

Kuh-! [sure he could ready himself again, no problem, but what he couldn't do now was dodge her incoming punch. bam!! it connected with his cheek!!]

[artoriuuus]

[It wasn't Rokurou's nose as she initially intended, but a punch to the face is a punch to the face, and she smirks in satisfaction as it connects. Rage appeased, she withdraws and says:]

That's for ruining my new weapon. Now, let's clean up.

[bladesbro]

Ahhh... [rokurou, now rubbing his cheek, just nods at her.]

That was a good hit... guess I accept defeat. For now. [because that was a cheap shot! it was all this food on the ground, it was at fault.]

[artoriuuus]

[Velvet doesn't miss the challenge in his lattermost statement. Typical Rokurou.]

Hopefully the next time won't involve food.

[It's such a strange thing to say after what she's done, but admittedly, this whole affair is such a waste of what looks like good food. It's been a bit harder for her to care on that front since she's become a daemon, but she'd be lying if it didn't bug her, even just a little. Thankfully, the food fights around them seem to be slowly petering out, and any one that looks like they're about to throw something their way is immediately cowed by severe glance from Velvet, who could look easily menacing if she wanted to.]

Now, to look for some cleaning materials... did you see anything we can use?

[Because as far as Velvet could see, there's nothing but food carnage around them.]

[bladesbro]

Ehh- think I spotted a mop or two over this way.

[sure, there was tons of carnage and food everywhere, but this was still a market, and there had to be cleaning supplies somewhere. perhaps a stall or two had left them there before they abandoned ship.

rokurou walked, rubbing his neck as he did, and he looked around for anything he could find. underneath a table he found a broom, and upon further inspection he saw a mop... though it was covered in sauce.]

Just these- so hopefully they'll work.

[artoriuuus]

[Despite having done her share of food slinging, Velvet can't help but shake her head at the spilled food around them. While her reasoning for acting on impulse back then more was more or less due to the resignation that the food was going to be wasted anyway one way or another, she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel the least bit unsettled by this gloriously stupid waste of food. She remembers all too well how it's something that's difficult to come across in Aball--or at least the varied sort that's lying around them in various states of decay and inedibility.

...Which is why she's trying to make up for it for cleaning up the mess she contributed to, not that she'll admit it to Rokurou or anyone.]

I suppose it'll have to do. [She gingerly picks up the mop, holding it at arms length as she allows the worst of the sauce to drip away for the moment.] Think you picked up any water artes or spells while you're here?

[She highly doubts it, but she supposes it's worth an ask.]

[bladesbro]

[rokurou hadn't even thought about the wasting of food, it wasn't like he had grown up in the same situation as velvet after all. he was used to finer things, at least from being in his clan and serving certain lords.]

Nnnnope. [sorry, but no water artes at all.] But I'll be quick- I'm great with weapons.

[he even proved a point, now twirling the broom in his hand.]

[artoriuuus]

We'd better make good use of your skills, then.

[She spares him the barest of smiles. Much as a battle freak Rokurou is, Velvet does know she could depend on him when it counts and when he says he's up to a certain task.]

Shall we make it a race to who could clean up the most?

[...Or at least when it comes to making a competition out of things. Though she's not entirely sure if Rokurou would fancy this kind of battlefield.]

[bladesbro]

Oho now you're speaking my language! A challenge, is it? I definitely can't back down from that!

[she knows how to get him all riled up!! he'll certainly challenge her to the best cleaning job.]