TEST DRIVE: MAY

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: MAY —

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 Monday, April 24th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on May 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: Elios’ land was a great place to hold this year’s festival, but it’s always best to leave a place as you found it. This is especially important for the surface, as there’s a lot of work put into trying to heal the different domains that span the land down below Verens. Anyone who volunteers for cleaning duty is getting paid, and vouchers to several of the cafes up in Verens as a reward! For anyone not interested in cleaning but interested in a new closing ceremony of sorts, they can instead attend a fireside dance that will be held for the next few nights at the site of the festival once things are tidied up.

1. Cleanup Ordeals. Not too much mess was left around luckily as most people who helped organize the Festival understand the importance of cleaning up the mess you make, but it looks like the tent areas have a lot left to clean up and take down. Removing flowers and string lights, packing up fabric and blankets, and generally picking up trash here and there left by festival goers is the main job. It’s a big job, and the festival organizers encourage anyone with special skills or dunamis practice to use whatever they have at their disposal to speed things along.
   
2. Fireside Dance.It’s a small, simple gathering done once the sun has gone down and the sky is dark. The fire is stoked hot, surrounded by worn black stones painted with Elios’ symbol in red and orange tones of paint. The dance is a quick one, requiring two circles, an inner and outer one. Partners on the outer circle travel the inner circle and wind up dancing with each person in turn. Luckily it’s pretty quick to learn and everyone spirits run warm to match flushed cheeks. At the end, each participant is asked to throw a small twig into the fire and express a moment of love or hate, in the pursuit of balance.

• Prompt E: During the festival this month there was a curious prize at one of the game booths. Some of the Elios plushes from the bobbing for ducks booth seem to not have been plushies at all! After a few days of having one in your possession, The plush will engulf in non spreading flames and burn completely out, revealing one small egg, white or black. Depending on your mood the past few days, the egg will either hatch a leathery or feathery winged creature. Hopefully you’ve been in a good mood! Luckily, the creatures are only around long enough to perform their duty before winking out of existence again.

1. Bad Egg. Negative emotions have lead to a sour and dark winged creature who is up to mischief. They will not listen to their “owner” and instead are quite often out to make things difficult for them. 3 misfortunes or specific instances of bad luck will happen over three days to their possessor while they run amok. A claw shaped trinket is left behind as a reminder to try and enjoy life and not get caught up in bad moods.
   
2. Good Egg. Positive emotions will lead to a happy, bright and angelic feather winged creature. They’re mischievous as well, but often in gentler ways, and sometimes try to play cupid for their owner. These playful creatures will grant 3 small wishes over three days for their owner, such as desires for better weather, tastier food or small trinkets. No wishing for a million sylvs here! Once it poofs out of existence in a puff of glitter it leaves behind a small pearl as a reminder to value the things they have and experiences they get that make live worth living.

• Prompt F: A small ring of Circus performers from Thesthai have traveled up to Verens and set up a tent out near lake Niras. It’s a small Circus performance, a prelude to something that might be bigger in the future. All performances are done by the Circus members themselves, from acrobatics and magic tricks, to displays of fearless daredevilry with the help of Verens steam-punk inspired vehicles. Overall it seems to be garnering a lot of attention, causing a several day repeat showing of the activities. Performancy plays a central role in some setups, and they seem to be the most popular...

1. Animal Experience.Enjoy the animal menagerie, all sorts of creatures are here. They’re all well taken care of, and seem to enjoy the food and pettings they’re getting from the attendees. Happy animals make for happy animal loving customers afterall! There IS one catch.. mischevious circus performers will cast performancy on those who aren't paying enough attention to their surroundings, and circus goers in the menagerie area may find something new if they look in a mirror. Animal ears and tails and a host of other features! Don’t worry. It’s temporary and all in good fun.
   
2. Carnival Games. Carnival type games have been set up outside the main tent, including a lot of familiar games that may have been seen during the Zephyras Flower Festival. Ring Toss, water laser races, darts, and the good old fashioned strong arm competition are all part of the setup. The prizes here range from simple small toys to bigger 4 foot tall plushies. Careful though, some of these setups might actually be rigged. The house has to have an advantage, in the end. Where would they make their money?

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include geese and/or potatoes.

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

Hak | Akatsuki no Yona

[hakingitup]

Prompt B - Squirrels

[What was the problem with squirrels? Ao had been such a nice, friendly squirrel with very little issues. But now they have them eating roofs? What the hell.

No, you know what, he's not going to ask. He's just going to...try and capture the squirrels and stow them away. If they eat things, though... what the hell is he going to store them in?

Another cage he's found just has a hole in it, and Hak is starting to lose his patience here.]

Just stay.

[He puts another one in another cage. And tried to pacify it with a nut.]

Prompt D-1

[He doesn't have much in the way of special skills, the powers that some of these people seem to have. However, Hak is talented with long, pointy things. And fighting. Too bad he only needs something long and sharp as he walks around picking up trash. His mood is fairly decent, as he's whistling along while picking things up, one at a time.

Hey, it's helpful. He can be helpful.

Picking up garbage, sure, but it's still helpful.]

Hey.

[Calling over to the other person he sees cleaning with him.]

I need another bag.

[Because otherwise he was going to break this one. With how far the stick does down into it, he's already got a tear in it.]

Wildcard

[Honestly, I'm voice testing so I'm flexible on what they do. If you have any ideas, feel free to go for it.]

B

[farseen]

[But, what if Hak grabbed the wrong squirrel by mistake? Ao, having some freedom to wander around Verens on her own due to Shin-Ah's trust in the city's safety, had made friends with some of these rooftop eating squirrels-- and she was trying to convert them to the joys of dumplings instead of building materials.

Unsuccessfully, obviously. That was why the humans had been tasked with removing the squirrels.]

Kyuu! Kyuu!!

[Ao squeaked around the acorn she had been offered after Hak had put her in the cage. She had shoved it into her mouth without second thought-- and then started kyuuing and scampering around frantically once she realized what was happening.

Did this person seriously not recognize her???]

[hakingitup]

[His first sense that something is wrong?

The squirrel didn't escape.

After a few minutes, he looks down, picking it up. Still in there. And then... well. Now he recognized her.]

Wrong squirrel.

[He opened the cage door, and held his hand inside to help her out.]

Sorry Ao.

Prompt D-1

[handsome_genius]

[Yoon stares at him.]

So go get one.

[Obviously. You're the stronger one here Hak, gosh.]

I'm busy too.

[He's repotting plants.]

[hakingitup]

[staring is rude.]

Well that's new.

[He'll disregard his current chore to come over. ALSO IT'S AN EMPTY BAG HOW WEAK ARE YOU YOON.]

What are you doing?

[don't snark.]

Wildcard: F-1

[backstory]

[ He'd never heard of a circus before. But it appeared to be a large gathering of performers and animals. In interest he was impressed with the array of wildlife and how tame and well behaved they seemed in regards to the activity that surrounded them. The various performance acts were impressive, too. It reminded him of Zeno, who was skilled in juggling and other strange talents.

At some point he'd gotten popcorn-- which was much more pleasant than his experience in the corn maze, when he caught sight of Hak. The other man stood up ahead in front of a tiger exhibit, and Kija watched him for a moment with slitted, blue eyes. So he was curious about what could be found here, too.

. . . Though perhaps the tiger exhibit wasn't a surprise to him. Hak was known as the Thunder Beast, after all. Kija approached quietly and stopped beside him, before he held up his bag of popcorn. There was too much and he didn't mind sharing.]

Here. Have you tried this yet, Hak? It's called popcorn.

[It was actually delicious if a little too buttery. Something was off, however, about the White Dragon who had come to halt beside the younger man. Something he didn't quite seem to notice himself. His white ears twitched upon his head, while the tail that peeked out from beneath the bottom of his robes swished back and forth lazily from one side to the next.]

It comes from a vegetable plant that grows in these lands.

[hakingitup]

[Tigers are pretty fascinating creatures. He almost never sees them like this. Almost never, at least. He's distracted for a moment, still holding tightly onto his glaive before he hears...

The white snake. As a cat.

Excuse him while he tries not to laugh. His mouth is closed as he knows that if he opens his mouth, he's going to just break into laughter.]

T... that so?

[Oh god, he's about to lose it. This just looks so ridiculously stupid. His face starts to get red as he just...

this is so stupidly funny.]

b

[staredown]

[...squirrels indeed.

Abi secretly finds Ao to be nearly as cute as his own little pet, and he is completely willing to give her the title of fluffiest.

This is not reflected in his face, which is... a strained kind of bored. It may be reflected in the handful of seeds he produces from his sleeve, which is always freely given to Ao and Anji.

He's trying to tempt the squirrels, but they're completely ignoring him.]

Pu... kkyuu...?

[He tries speaking their language. They continue to ignore him.]

Wildcard

[herpath]

[Yona had been focusing a lot on work and training for a few months now. Here and there small group outings happened, and of course the catastrophe with Abi almost being arrested for murder, but things had evened out since then and she had returned to her normal focus.

At it happened she was currently working. Waiting on customers with a smile and a small fennick fox curled around her neck. Placing a cup of cappuccino down in the table she noticed a familiar halibard blade and her sun pendant began to glow brightly with hope. It was possible that she was mistaken, but it had to be. She'd been hoping so much that he'd come back, even if he probably wouldn't remember his time here.]

Leon | Kingdom Hearts

[morebelts]

B

In retrospect, perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to try his hand at topiary using his gunblade.

It had been simple enough, at first. Carve out a face, a body, some long ears. Sure, the tail ended up on the large side, and it was sort of … square in general. But it could pass for what it was meant to be. Leon had actually been a little proud of it.

That was before he lopped off an arm.

Now, Leon stares at the one-armed, blocky rabbit with a look bordering on dismay.

How is he supposed to fix this…?

C

[ An image of a rather square three-legged topiary rabbit appears. Then the background swirls away, and the rabbit is alone on a desolate street, struggling to hop along on its three leafy limbs. It falls to its side, and the ‘camera’ zooms in on a single leafy tear rolling down its cheek....

[ Then it’s back to the first, clear, decidedly inanimate image. Looks like someone’s having a little trouble keeping their imagination in check. ]

Does anyone know how to re-grow this?

WILDCARD

[ COME AT ME BROS ]

B

[innermonologues]

"I wouldn't worry about it. Someone's bound to find it artistic somehow," the stranger's voice came up from behind.

Squall got a glance at the awkward... animal(???) shape and the missing arm it had, and honestly it was a little hard not to snort in amusement. It's not like he could do any better with the whole thing, but it was still a little amusing in a way.

B

[seasaltkeys]

[Roxas is not really sure what he just saw but he'll try his best to help.]

Uh...try focusing on an emotion? Like...something happy?

[sonicblade]

"I was under the impression a gunblade is meant for fighting your enemy, not inanimate object."

Cloud really couldn't resist, crossing his arms as he leaned against a nearby tree. The poor bunny, what did it do to deserve having itself amputated? His lips quirked up in a small smirk.

B HELLO

[oathkeeper]

Squall! Hey!!

[Don't mind Sora as he spots Leon just as that weapon lops off an arm. Laughing, he bounds over and hugs Leon.

... That's weird, "Squall" sure is a little taller and more muscle-y this morning.]

You kinda ruined your rabbit. Unless you were making a pirate rabbit with one peg leg.

[He might just be thinking it's the other Leonhart for the moment...]

By the way ... Did you have protein shakes for breakfast or something?

Pidge | Voltron: Legendary Defender

[reverseengineer]

A

[Pidge is nothing if not scientifically minded, so it doesn't take long for her to start experimenting with her sweet new emotion powers. But she isn't going to go about it all randomly, oh no. She's ready to very meticulously experience every emotion she can and write down exactly what happens. She has sensors attached to her head, transmitting to a laptop, a notepad available. She's made a list of all the emotions she can think of, both from talking to other people and just from brainstorming. Some of them will be harder to test than others. She's put a star next to the ones she thinks she can make herself feel.]

Trial One. Anger.

[That one's easy. She thinks about Commander Iverson and the Galaxy Garrison lying to her about her family. She thinks about how they let her mother think Matt and her dad were dead, would have let her think it too if she hadn't refused to believe their bullshit.

The piece of paper she's put on a pile of rocks for just this purpose bursts into flames.]

Success! [She beams, but before she can turn to write down her findings, her sudden pleasure at her victory bursts forth in a spring of flowers, bright enough and vivid enough to completely put out the flame. She scowls slightly.] ...sort of. Note to self, keeping emotions separate enough for controlled experiments is going to be... difficult.

F

[Pidge spends a while just watching other people playing the games. It's not that she doesn't want to play herself, exactly. It's that... yeah, they're definitely rigged. Pidge could, arguably, roll her eyes and move on. And she considers it! But if she thinks about it, this is a challenge. And she can't resist a challenge.

She spends over an hour hanging out and watching players attempting to win a game.

Then, she runs up to the closest person who looks like they might be helpful.]

Hey. Want to actually win at something?

F

[rebelpugilist]

[Luckily for her, Snow is a great partner-in-crime for anyone who's looking to exact justice of any kind, and doing something about these rigged games-- whatever that something is-- definitely counts.

He offers a wry, lopsided smile as he turns away from the game stall he'd been examining, folding his arms across his chest.]

So, you noticed too, huh? You've got a plan, I take it.

F

[jamminshield]

[There is a boy nearby who is looking a bit discouraged after having lot a few games. But he brightens up as Pidge addresses him, and with a smirk he slyly answers:]

Iiii'm listening!

F

[heartofalioness]

[Allura gives Pidge a healthy blink, having separated to enjoy the festival and a bit surprised to run into her again so soon.]

I... Sure, is everything all right, Pidge?

Demyx | Kingdom Hearts

[melodiouspacifist]

[Prompt A]

Demyx's eyes opened and he drew in a breath. He was...well he had no idea where he was, actually. He sat up slowly, dropping his head on his hand a moment, pushing a few strands of hair out of his eyes.

Moments before he was...

No, he could possibly not have died, because he was physically sitting somewhere unknown and if he was dead he would be nothing.

What he did know was that he'd failed in his mission. Xemnas was not going to be happy with him and Saix was going to have a field day. Damn it. He was a little shaken, wasn't he? He felt a little uneasy and he felt like his limbs were heavy. He came to the conclusion he must have portaled away in his last moments, because otherwise he would be dead and gone, right?

Upon reflection, he remembered feeling something so primal and sudden in that moment, but that couldn't be. He pressed his hand to his chest. No, still no heartbeat, he was still a Nobody. It must have been an illusion, or he must have been mistaken. It was just the heat of the moment, wasn't it?

[Prompt E]

The dance looked like fun, but just as interesting was the melody, and didn't it seem like it was missing something?

Demyx grinned and summoned his sitar, strumming along to the harmony just to add a little depth to the music.

Certainly, he'd dance if someone wanted to, but if not he was content to play and provide the music.

A

[seasaltkeys]

"Huh? Demyx?"

The name is out of his mouth before Roxas can really stop himself. He's surprised to see the other Nobody, but at the same time he really shouldn't be, all things considered. He's seen enough people from enough timelines come and go after all.

Hawke | Dragon Age series

[questionablewit]

B

[Hawke had naturally gravitated towards the Task Board. Do random favors in exchange for unspecified rewards? Pretty much her raison d'etre, or at least the way she'd always gotten by in her life.

That said, the favors usually involved killing things or rescuing people. Chasing squirrels was a new one. It'd sounded simple enough, compared to fighting a dragon or finding Wexler's lost hat, especially with her mabari's help and a sling. What were a few squirrels, even exceptionally intelligent, metal-eating ones?

A bloody big nuisance, it turned out. Killing them would probably be frowed upon, since she was supposed to 'rehabilitate' them. Someone else would have to take care of that part, assuming she ever managed to catch any. She nearly snarled, scrabbling at her hair as one of them jumped on her head to get to the next branch. It turned around to laugh at her when it landed, she was sure.]

I should have taken the job with the wasps, or gone to explore that new island. Anything but these Maker-blighted, buck-toothed, bronto-baiting squirrels!

[It was rare for Hawke to get annoyed, but the squirrels were definitely managing it.]

F-2

[Hawke was actually enjoying herself at the carnival. Some of the games were familiar to her, some not, but she'd always enjoyed testing her luck and this was no exception. Some games were obviously too rigged to be won, others possible.

She was busy with one of the latter, throwing darts to pop balloons. Her deadly aim had already earned her one of the prizes on the next-to-highest shelf; if she hit a few more, she'd get one of the giant stuffed animals. Maker only knew what she'd do with it if she won--give it to some random small child, most likely--but that wasn't her motivation. She just wanted to win.

She picked up another dart and let it fly, barely seeming to look at the target first, and grinned as balloon snapped. Some of the onlookers she'd attracted cheered. The next targets were much further away and the balloons much smaller, but they seemed to believe she could do it. So did she.]

Wildcard! Bring it.

!!!!!!!!!! (/ﾟДﾟ)/ B!

[mewnifestos]

[ The squirrels aren't Anders' excuse for being out here in this particularly infested patch of wood, and yet he's still had enough of their chattering and rattling about through the low branches overhead, anyway—

If not quite enough to have to utmost sympathy for whoever that is shouting and carrying on after them. Even if that particular choice of expletives is startlingly familiar. Brushing himself off as he stands out of the brush and dirt, satchel and staff in hand, he casts a look around through the trees for the source. ]

Do you mind? Carrying on like that's only going to attract something much worse.

Rocket | Marvel Cinematic Universe

[beatupgrass]

a.cranky when collared

[It's been a couple of days. Rocket was mourning Groot, so he had other things on his mind. Stupid random planet. Don't know how he got here. Probably had something to do with the fact that his friend literally exploded around him, and he was feeling a little vulnerable about it. Because that's what this is about, right? Feelings.

Well, now he has a new feeling. Rage. Quiet, burning rage, because he's finally noticed his new accessory, which sits on his neck just loose enough to not feel confining, but just tight enough that what it looks like is unmistakable.

A fucking collar. And, of course, he can't take it off. Well, he can, but it would probably kill him after awhile. He could probably get one a little less like something someone would put on their pet at some point, but he'd rather be angry about it, since everything here is taking a hard right turn at frickin' inconvenient.

He's muttering under his breath, tugging on the stupid amulet like he's going to find a way to comfortably adjust it without taking it off, and growing increasingly more frustrated, the anger building to a crescendo that sends a crack through a building behind him, loosing a large section of the roof and bringing it crashing down.

He turns slowly, tail twitching a bit, hands still stuck up under the amulet, the crystal of which has started to turn a shade of blue.]

...Whoa.

g. his dex stats are so broken

[The reason why his amulet is a collar becomes abundantly clear the first time he takes to the trees and the tops of the buildings as a quick and efficient form of travel- anything that dangled would get tangled up when he went down on four legs instead of two, and if he does any running, it's always on four. Two legs just doesn't cut it for speed and agility, but it's still nice to be able to switch between the two.

Right now, all he's doing is getting the lay of the land from the perspective of a decent vantage point. If anything attacks this stupid city or thinks to chase him, he's going to have this covered, so at least there's that. Always finding the advantages in any prison, that's Rocket.

He leaps down from a building and onto the ground, snapping back onto two feet, effortlessly. He brushes a few twigs and leaves off him and sets to putting himself back in order. Yes, you probably just watched a raccoon in a jumpsuit perform the hundred meter dash in parkour form across the city. Feel free to compliment him or marvel at his wonder.

Or tell him how cute he is with his little paws and his face and his tail. Aww.

Maybe not that one.]

g!

[hamnation]

[When Rocket lands, there is one edgily-dressed young man who seems utterly engrossed by what he just saw! Gundam Tanaka's eyes widen in surprise, though he quickly tries to regain his composure as he addresses the creature.]

That was quite good... You must have a remarkable power level to accomplish such a feat with such agility! [And he is very cute too, but Gundam doesn't mention that aloud. But, as cool as he's trying to be right now, some sparkles shine around him.]

Kehehe... What is your name, you proud beast?

G!

[questionablewit]

[Hawke's never seen anything like Rocket, it's true. But the fact that he's standing on two feet and wearing clothes is a pretty big indicator that this is not your everyday rodent. The gadgetry on his back is another pretty large clue.]

Maker's breath, you're fast. I've never seen anything like that.

[Hawke is no idiot. If something dresses and acts like a person, it gets common courtesy, until it deserves uncommon discourtesy or knives. Besides, she's impressed, and it shows.

Unfortunately, her dog--very, very large dog--is not so restrained, and bounds forward to smell this strange creature. His short stubby tail wags furiously with excitement. This guy would be so much fun to chase...]