empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: MAY

Entry tags:

!mod,
*test drive

TEST DRIVE: MAY

— 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.

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.
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.

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.
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...

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.
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!

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Cloud shrugged at that. His basket was nearly full anyway.

"Up to you," Cloud replied, he wasn't going to push it if Leon didn't want to talk about whatever was going on here. "Seems I got more time these days."

Cloud looked like he was ready to start moving again so Squall shifted a bit with his broom and got ready to follow.

"So...I don't really have memories of being Leon. Sora and me, we've came up with some theories that partially hold up and partially don't so it's still a work in progress, but there a lot of things he's told me that I can't really argue are things I'd do. Whatever force that pulls us here, it must have brought me from a point where I don't recognize anyone... or something like that," He paused for a moment as he glanced over at cloud, maybe just to see what his reaction was.

"Like I said it's a work in progress... You can still call me Leon though, if it's more comfortable for you. Sora does."

He walked over to hand the basket to whomever was dealing with sorting through the lights and flowers. "No memories of being Leon?"

That was awfully strange. He could understand a 17 year old Leon not remembering Sora, they hadn't met yet. But he also didn't recognize Cloud, it seemed. He walked over to a nearby bench to sit, probably a bit easier than actually standing to tell this long story.

"Well, I'll be poking a whole in one of those theories then. You and I have known each other for a long time. We grew up in Radiant Garden together, although you're supposed to be three years older than me. I can understand not going by Leon yet, you didn't adopt that name until after it fell some years back. I know your name is Squall, you just stopped using it. Yuffie is the only one who sort of teases you with it now," He said, crossing his arms in thought. "Do you remember Radiant Garden, at all?"

That answered his question about their relations, but it left so many more questions in its wake. He let out a sigh as he followed Cloud to the bench and sat down with his legs crossed. He fell silent as if trying to remember something, but nothing seemed to come to him.

"I know of a garden, but it wasn't called Radiant. It's called Balamb where I remember growing up," he sighed softly and turned to look at Cloud. His eyes darted everywhere, trying to get a reminder of anything, but he really didn't recognize him at all.

"The only reason why I know the name Leon is because of Sora, but... if what you say is true, why would I have so many different memories? it can't... really be drawn out to be a coincidence. You recognized me right away and even knew my age. Sora recognized me too. So," he gave a vague hand gesture, trying to wrap his mind around all of this.

He wanted to point out that he really only guessed his age but that was neither here nor there at this point in the discussion. Balamb Garden, hm? So this Squall was from a different world entirely, it seemed, as he had different memories to coincide with the different world.

"Hm," He leaned back on the beach to think about this train of thought a little further. Could it be possible? "Did Sora mention this ever happening with anyone else here?"

"He mentioned that he had a few friends that didn't recognize him, seemed pretty bummed too. I just assumed it was something this place did," he said with a shrug.

He didn't really have any proof to say otherwise, and he knew his memories were already pretty bad with all of his GF usage. If it made sense he was willing to believe it.

"Who?" Cloud was curious now. Because if it was anyone they both knew doing what Squall was doing now, then he might cement his theory that was growing in his mind.

"Someone... named Snow and someone named Ariel? I never really went out of my way to meet them, but Sora makes friends with everyone so I never really questioned it."

If Cloud had anything good in mind, Squall was willing to hear, because trying to make sense of all this was really started to give him a headache. It was weird, but the calm way Cloud was handling this made it easier to keep calm himself.

He didn't recognize anyone named Snow, although Ariel sounded familiar. Still, it made him pause for a moment. Even if these two weren't people he knew, it could still lend credence to the theory he had.

"I don't remember you ever losing your memories back when we were teens, so I'm thinking you might just not be the Squall I grew up with," He answered finally, sighing softly and ruffling his spiky hair momentarily. "Although the fact that there me more than one of someone is a bit far-fetched. But I can't think of any other reason why you wouldn't remember even Radiant Garden. And there are multiple worlds out there."

"So you think I come from another world separate of your own? I guess that would really clear up a lot of the differences, but... how can two of the same person exist at the same time," he asked mostly to himself. On top of that, Leon, the one they seem to care for is older than himself, by seven or so years according to Sora.

If he really was a different Squall, or Leon, or whoever this man was, doesn't that just make him a man who stole another man's face, a reminder that their friend is back home while they're both stuck with him?

The more Squall let his thoughts wander the chillier the air grew around him. Ice slowly started forming at his feet and yet Squall didn't seem to react to it, like it was something he was used to.

"It's just a theory," Cloud replied with a shrug. "Either way, it sounds like you're still the same even without the same memories as us."

It was definitely weird to think about though. Another Squall? Can the worlds handle that much surliness? Okay, to be fair, Leon did lighten up once Radiant Garden was brought back to the Light. His skin rose in goosebumps at the sudden chill and he shivered a bit in surprise.

"Hm?" Cloud started a bit when he suddenly saw the ice. There was definitely more to this visible emotion thing than he really realized and he uncrossed his arms to lightly pat Squall's arm, to get his attention. "What's with the ice? You okay?"

Squall snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Cloud's hand touch his shoulder. He tensed up until he realized it was the blond man he had just been talking to and he slowly started to relax again.

"Ice? Oh that," he sounded so casual as he mentioned it. It was a little embarrassing to bring up that his emotions seem to trigger weather patterns from ice and snow to storms, even his more positive ones.

"It's...nothing, don't worry about it."

Cloud raised a brow, snorting softly through his nose. He was a bit of a hypocrite about this, since he tended to do the same thing. However, it was just so much more obvious now.

"Ice forming around your feet is not exactly nothing," Cloud commented lightly. "Sora got to see a little cloud above my head, threatening to rain on me. And I don't think I ever told you my name, since we now know you don't know me. It's Cloud."

It was his own subtle way of trying to lighten the mood. Leon, back home, and he generally traded quips and sarcastic remarks like this. So, maybe it'll get a chuckle or two from this Leon. Er, Squall.

Squall tilted his head a little, a small little way to let Cloud know he was listening. That's when he heard the name and he snorted. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand to hide any amusement that might show. It's not like he could really judge with a name like Squall, but still it slipped out.

"Cloud huh? What a thunderstorm of an introduction," he sounded far more amused than he really should be. Please someone end him and his terrible sense of humor.

He heard the snort and the even more terrible joke and Cloud only rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop the sardonic smile. At least it was a little warmer now.

"Exactly," He answered, he's also not sure he can top that terrible joke. "But I'm hardly surprised. Clouds and squalls tend to go hand in hand in these things."

He tried.

This time it was Squall's turn to roll his eyes, but the amusement in them clearly showed. This guy wasn't bad. He didn't give off a suffocating air, and... well if he knew Leon the way Sora knew Leon, he knew how to talk to him then. It was... an odd sense of relief.

The ice around his feet started melting away and the air became less brisk. The thoughts of this new theory would probably plague his mind later, but for now Cloud had distracted him rather well.

"Sorry if... this is awkward, well.. more awkward than usual," he gestured vaguely. It must be weird seeing the face of his comrade several years younger. Squall's hand moved to his ear to fidget with the amulet shaped like his necklace pendant dangling from it. It was a weird habit he started since coming here.

Cloud knew not to push the issue either, even if the sudden chill had been concerning. Squall would probably say something when he was ready, or if Cloud got him at the right time. He was also a teenager and Cloud remembered those days (wow he feels old now at 23).

"It's okay," He said with a shrug, pushing himself off the bench to stretch a little. "You're not very different from Leon. I think it would only be awkward if my theory is true and Leon does show up. But, for now, we can play it by ear."

The resemblance really was uncanny as he watched Squall fidget like that.

Squall watched him stretch for a moment before slowly standing up himself. If Cloud wasn't going to make this awkward, he wasn't going to go out of his way to do the same either.

"Yeah, that's what Sora said too. Said the only difference is I'm a little more broody or something. Teenage hormones or whatever," he says with the most deadpanned voice he could muster.

"Or whatever," He mimicked, but he couldn't stop the quirk in his lips. "But in all seriousness, you seem to have had a different life. There's bound to be some differences."

He shrugged at that. It was weird and awkward, sure, but there wasn't much that could be done about it. This whole situation was already off the wall weird, even by his standards. There wasn't really a precedent for it, so how would anyone know how to deal? It was simply best to just roll with it for now.

"Anyway, we should probably get back to clean up duty," He said mildly. He wasn't sure what else they could do now, aside from getting back to cleaning up. "Didn't really mean to interrupt you."

Squall snorted softly and gave him a raised eyebrow look. A hand moving to his hip in the usual fashion. Something told him, this was awkwardly normal for him and this Leon.

"Not that I mind you taking credit, but I'm the one who bumped into you. Aren't I the one that interrupted?" He asked with another eye roll.

"Anyway, the moment Sora gets a chance, I'm certain I'll be seeing you more."

Cloud merely shrugged at that. He didn't really care who took credit for what at this point, but it made him smile a little.

"I'm sure," He said with a nod, then waved a farewell to see what else could be done for the day.

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TEST DRIVE: MAY

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