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

[heartofalioness]

[Luckily they have a few more measures of music before they need to separate again, and Allura's happy to answer questions in the mean time.]

It does both; we're currently in the month of Ena right now, the first one in this worlds' calendar? I take it winter is considered the first season in your world then?

[strategyguide]

[Good. They had plenty of time to converse while Robin continued attempting to avoid the jubilliant flowers that bloomed where ever their feet landed.]

Yes and no. The calendar ends in the winter, but spring is still seen as the first season of the year. Around March, the villages around the Halidom's capitol throw grand festivals celebrating the renewal of springtime and their hopes for a fine harvest in the fall.

[heartofalioness]

I see. This festival has a similar purpose, and it's also dedicated to Elios, the Arehtei of love and hate. And on my planet we had a similar festival in the summer to celebrate the berry harvest.

[Strange how that last sentence is past tense, isn't it?]

[strategyguide]

['Planet' was a much wider term than he was accustomed to-- it was something he'd only heard of from astronomers, and those who delved into the scientific realm of academia rather than the historical end which he preferred. 'World' made more sense-- but, semantics.

This realm is populated by a wide variety of unique people, he mused. Surely 'Planet' wasn't so far-fetched a term for many of them.]

Had? You speak of your home as you would a fond memory...

[heartofalioness]

I do--

[Oh hey, looks like it's the end of the song, the whirling people and music replaced by cheering in place. Time for the stick toss.]

Ah, have you heard this part yet? Apparently we're to toss a stick into the flame, one partner expressing a moment of love and the other a moment of hate.

[strategyguide]

In remembrance, or something more?

[This was a key question, for he hadn't heard of this particular custom yet. What else did this land have hidden away within it's homes and among it's people?]

[heartofalioness]

That too, but I think it's more to send our emotions to Elios. And no, it's not exactly a metaphor. Would you care to go first, sir?

[strategyguide]

Very well,

[Robin said, accepting the offered stick with a short yet graceful bow. He hefted it's weight in his hands, idly twirled it between his fingers as he mused over the concepts of 'love' and 'hate'.]

...Is there any that you prefer? [he asked, deferring to the one who clearly had more experience in these matters than he did.]

[heartofalioness]

[She gives a light shake of her head. (Mostly because she doesn't want to force a stranger to choose an option they might end up uncomfortable with.)]

After you.

[strategyguide]

[He drew in a deep breath at those words and closed his eyes, wrapping his gloved fingers around the baton as if it were a fragile relic that deserved to be treated with care and respect.]

...Then the difficult path it is.

[Robin said with deceptive mildness-- and focused, really focused, on his failures to the Halidom, his friends... and himself. The Exalt Emmeryn, a peaceful and gracious woman, was dead because his mind wasn't quick enough. The Fire Emblem was in the hands of someone who would use it for ill because his mind was too weak to resist the powers of the Fell Dragon.

--And, that nightmare. That feeling of horror and self-loathing as he stared at the lightning arching across his fingers in that dreamscape, watched the eyes of his best friend flicker with pain and compassion in equal parts before he fell in a crumpled heap on the ground

'This is not your fault. Promise me you'll make it out of here alive.'

A chill breeze whipped his hair and his cloak at that memory, and the staff luminesced with a cold indigo light as it took those dark feelings from his heart into itself. Robin winced-- a sharp stab of pain lancing through his temples as quick as lightning that compelled him to press a hand against his head for relief.

...They were just memories. Just fears. Just manifestations of a fate that he was still working to avert.

There's still time, he reminded himself. The ritual wasn't completed yet.]

...

That should suffice, I hope.

[He said softly, opening his eyes and levelling his gaze upon Allura. An eerie golden gleam flashed through them briefly before he held out the baton in wait.]

[heartofalioness]

[Whatever Allura HAD in mind for her moments of love or hate? Gone the second Robin starts holding his hand to his head. Concern is in Elios' domain as well, so this should count as a moment of love, no matter how small.]

Are you all right?

[strategyguide]

Just a headache-- nothing more.

[He flashed her a quick, reassuring smile, hoping to assuage her concerns to some degree.]

I admit-- I don't fully understand everything about the Arehtei yet. Perhaps that may have been a little too intense?

[heartofalioness]

[She can tell he's downplaying it for her sake, but she also knows it's not really her place to pry since they just met not even five minutes ago.]

Just a bit; I'm sorry, I probably should've said it didn't need to be.

Still, I'm glad you're all right.

[strategyguide]

[He minimized it to everyone. No one needed to worry about his health when they had the safety of the Prince and the warfront to consider.]

Ah. That would have been nice, but what's done is done.

You needn't worry. This isn't something a vulnerary can't fix.

[heartofalioness]

[Or castle-ships to power or planets to rejuvenate.]

A vulnerary? [She asks while finally throwing her stick into the fire before the moment passes.]

[strategyguide]

... A medicinal potion. It's not as powerful as, say, an elixer, but it does the job.

[How curious, though. He thought a resource like that was common knowledge.]

[heartofalioness]

I see. And are those common medicines in your world?

[strategyguide]

Very. Although you can forego them if there is a healer on hand.

[heartofalioness]

I see. I'm afraid I haven't heard of vulneraries before this, so you might be out of luck. I do know a good healer or two, we can see about tracking them down for you.

[strategyguide]

No need, for now. Those headaches are a nuisance, but they pass quickly.

[This one sparked by unpleasant memories-- although, thankfully, the true cause for the more intense of these bouts was still absent in this world.]

[heartofalioness]

If you're sure. [She's watching you tho and not just because you're a bishonen.] Perhaps something to drink would help us both then, that was quite a bit of dancing.

[strategyguide]

And quite a bit of fun.

[He grew more stubborn in with his grin-- well aware of how wary people can be if there is anything they're uncertain about. Her worry was needless, but he knew that it wasn't going to be easy to convince her.]

I won't turn down water if there's any around, to be honest. It's a warm night.

[heartofalioness]

Then let's go find some.

[She'll start leading them towards the rest area then, breaking down a festival and dancing is thirsty work so there still should be some water there. A few moments into the walk though she flashes Robin a sheepish smile.]

Ah, I apologize, but I just realized we haven't shared names yet. I'm Princess Allura.

[strategyguide]

Princess?

[Brows shot up then with her introduction, and Robin quickly lowered his head in a quick bow of deference at this revelation.]

Forgive me for being so cavalier in that case; I had no idea I was dancing with royalty!

My name's Robin, [he added with a smile.] I'm the tactician who aids the halidom's prince in battle, but I'm also aware that every country has different cultures and standards with their leadership.

[heartofalioness]

Not at all, it's not as if I'm royalty in this world. And if I thought it was too cavalier to dance, I wouldn't have been there at all.

[And would probably have deserved a smack upside the head in her opinion, she doesn't think much of full-of-themselves royals. Except for Rayfa, Rayfa was an exception since she wasn't COMPLETELY spoiled.]

I see, then pleased to meet you, Robin. I have to say "halidom" is a new term. Is it comparable to "kingdom" or something different?