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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There's a slight blush across his face when he sees her grinning and clapping, but to Jean's credit, this time he doesn't make a complete fool of himself. He re-holsters the triggers, and brushes a hand through his hair again, trying not to look too immodest.

When she asks the question, it sobers him somewhat, and the expression on his face darkens. He should've seen the question coming, of course, but he had gotten distracted. He's still new to interacting with humans who don't live under a reign of Titan terror. ]

It's -- for fighting. [ The Titans are nightmares, and even though they're nightmares he's come to accept, he still isn't fond of talking about them. And so, he rushes on, holding out a hand to her. ]

My name's Jean, by the way. Jean Kirstein.

[ a soft and almost inaudible "oh" escapes her. for fighting, huh? she can definitely see it.

that's all she asks, though, not wanting to pry any further. it could just be some kind of small club where people fight each other for fun, or it could be something bigger. it's not her business, and even she has limits to how nosy she can be.

she just met the guy! ]

I'm Weiss. [ she takes his hand and gives it a firm shake—something politician would do, more than anything, actually. ] Weiss Schnee.

[ once she lets go of his hand, it goes to her hip. ]

I may not look like it, [ probably. ] but I fight, too. I don't think I could ever use your gear in a battle, but I can imagine how handy it would be.

[ Jean is filled with relief that they're glossing over the topic, and he's more than keen to let the spotlight shine on her, nodding attentively when she gives her name. ]

Weiss. [ He echoes it, committing it to memory, and lets his palm idly rest on the 3DMG trigger again, a subconscious mirror of her.

Since she's brought up that she's some sort of fighter, too, Jean finally allows himself a proper look at her, taking care not to let his eyes linger too long on anything inappropriate! The faint blush is returning now that the serious moment has passed.

Oh, and she's a fighter, too? Wow. ]

What do you fight with? [ There's genuine curiosity in his voice, because he can't quite imagine it. It's not that she doesn't look like a fighter to him -- sure, she's very elegant and proper-looking -- but from some of the people he knows back at home, elegant and proper can pack quite the punch. ]

[ she really doesn't look like a fighter! she has a short stature and her muscles aren't exactly toned; she looks more like a princess than anything else. still, she has some experience under her belt and it's something she's proud of.

when she responds, she holds her head high. there's a hint of arrogance when she moves, but it shouldn't be enough to deem her obnoxious. ]

I have a sword. It's not with me at the moment, but it's what I use, along with my Semblance.

[ a "semblance" probably doesn't mean anything to him, so she adds: ] A Semblance is a special ability each person from my world has—mine is to cast Glyphs, and it can do all sorts of things.

Of course, with the emotion magic here, everybody can do something to that effect.

Edited 2017-04-26 12:02 (UTC)

[ Jean reads the arrogance as confidence, and it's charming! Whether she actually has the skills to back that confidence up is something that remains to be seen, but for now, he'll give her the benefit of the doubt. He's given the benefit of the doubt (barely) to the likes of Armin and Christa, after all, both tiny things that have no business being Scouts.

He doesn't really comprehend much of what Weiss is saying now asides from the sword bit, but her explanation of what a Semblance is helps. Glyphs throws it all upside down again, though, and so does emotion magic -- he's still not very familiar or comfortable with how his emotions sometimes manifest here. The idea of harnessing it as magic is downright absurd. ]

So, your sword and... Glyphs. [ He's squinting a bit as he says the last word. He's going to need more clarification. ] I... don't know what a Glyph is. Or what real magic is, either, actually. [ "Real" magic. What a phrase. ]

I don't know what real magic is, either. [ weiss is definitely not aware that magic exists in her world. dunamis exists here, but it's not native to her, so she holds it in a different regard when compared to the elements that make her world something out of a fantasy. ] Glyphs, on the other hand...

[ with a flick of a finger, a glyph--two snowflakes on top of each other inside a circle--appears right where he's standing. the snowflakes rotate, going in a different direction from the other. ]

Try moving.

[ his movements are going to be extremely slow while the glyph is in effect. it only lasts for about five seconds at best though, before it disappears. ]

[ Jean steadies himself when he realises that Weiss is going to go for a practical display of her skills, much like the one he gave with his 3DMG just moments prior. He doesn't even really see her flick her finger before the large snowflakes appear, and then his eyes are wide, because he hasn't seen anything like this before. That only lasts for a split second, though, because he squeezes his eyes shut instinctively, bracing himself to be hit with something cold. They're snowflakes, after all!

When nothing happens and she prompts him, instead, Jean opens his eyes and tentatively -- very tentatively -- tries to take a step towards her, anticipating some sort of counter-attack. Nothing happens again, though -- or rather, too much of nothing, because Jean can see, in utter dismay, his limbs refusing to cooperate. ]

Wh-- what the heck!? [ -- is what he tries to say, anyway. He's probably making a very stupefied, maybe outraged face in s l o w - m o t i o n before the Glyph suddenly expires, and then he's stumbling forward towards her, losing balance from trying to overcompensate within the snowflake circle. ]

H-hey!

[ Will he collide into her or into the forest floor again, is the question! ]

[ her reactions are just as delayed, even if she's not affected by the glyph. it was actually pretty funny seeing his horrified face in slow-mo. she cannot hide her laughter, but she should have. because jean hits her hard and she goes down to the ground.

this was her fault. ]

Ugh... [ she groans as she places a hand on her head. she didn't hurt the back of it, thankfully, but there is a sting. ]

That was not the best example.

[ Jean's on the ground next to her, having gone onto his knees after finding a slight buffer for his fall in the form of one Weiss Schnee. Ow, though. That didn't do his knees any favours. ]

Wasn't the best example? [ He echoes, and it sounds outraged... but if you catch the look on his face, he's actually rapt despite the state of the both of them. ] What do you mean!?

[ He turns to look at Weiss, about to continue, and then realises -- ]

-- Oh! Uh. Wait, are you okay? [ He looks at her with concern, but the underlying excitement is still evident, perhaps making him appear a little insincere. ]

[ she rubs her temple a little pushing herself up. she settles with sitting on the ground for now as she gathers her bearings. that definitely took her off guard, making her heart jump. she'll have to rest for a few moments for her nerves to relax. ]

Yes, I'm okay-- [ she tells him, meeting his eyes. he does look a bit insincere! almost as if he finds this whole thing funny. it's why what she says next might sound a bit dismissive. ] Something like that isn't enough to hurt me.

[ even though it did! ]

[ Jean also decides to situate himself on the ground, leaning back and resting on his heels, although he twists a bit so he can see Weiss better. She says she's okay, but she sounds a bit abrupt about it, which gives him pause. Fueled with adrenaline is when he works and thinks best, and he sure just had a dose of that after witnessing Weiss' Glyph thing. Alert with adrenaline, he's less dazzled by how pretty he thinks Weiss is, just temporarily. ]

You don't have to pretend, you know. [ Which sounds presumptuous coming from a near-stranger, probably, but he means it plainly. It might help a little that he looks a little more sincere now, despite the bluntness. Jean's never been one to dress up words. ]

Excuse me?

[ blunt is right, and weiss does not appreciate it. she's blunt herself, but she sure doesn't see how hypocritical she's being when she immediatelt files jean under "jerk".

he can still probably redeem himself. ]

I'm not pretending.

[ Jean senses that something went terribly wrong within the last thirty seconds, but he's not sure what. ]

Oh. [ Is the safe thing to say. And he should maybe just leave it there, but then he ventures -- ] It just looked like it hurt, is all. [ But if she says she's fine, then surely he can continued to be enthused about -- ]

Your Glyph thing was incredible, by the way.

Thanks for the concern.

[ it's said dryly, and she only really means it fifty-percent. ]

And yes, they are. [ the line her lips have formed slowly curve into a smile, then she stands up. she offers him a hand soon after -- not something she would do all the time. jean is lucky this place has made her slightly softer. ]

[ Jean seems slightly surprised when Weiss gets up, and is even more surprised when she holds out a hand to him -- probably because he thinks she's a little unimpressed by him. Nevertheless, he takes her hand as some sort of show of good faith on his part, lightly pulling himself onto his feet. ]

Thanks. [ He lets go and dusts off his knees. ] Will you show me more? I mean -- not now. If you don't want to or if you're tired or whatever.

[ whatever good impression jean's made earlier has been thrown out the window, that's for sure. but that doesn't mean she should be a jerk towards him, hence the helping hand.

once he's up and back on his feet, she lets go and dusts off her skirt. it's a light shade of lilac so the dirt can easily be seen, and she's none too pleased about it. ]

I think next time might be best. Besides, you were going somewhere, weren't you?

[ why else would he be flinging himself in the air like that? it's not like he'd be training for something.

is he? ]

[ Well. ]

Nope. [ He doesn't seem perturbed or bothered by her assumption, simply crossing his arms as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, studying the way she dusts herself off. He's completely unaware that she might be displeased about the dirt on her skirt. ]

Swinging around in the trees was definitely my plan today. [ It sounds sarcastic. It's not! ] It's my practice run before I give a go at jumping onto another island!

[ another island?

weiss turns to look around, as if dazed. it's not like she can see the other islands from here, but it's a means to prove to herself that the other islands aren't anywhere near what they're on now. the surprise she feels quickly disappears and what immediately fills her head is the idea that this guy might be stupid. (i'm sorry.) ]

For what purpose? If you really want to go there, just use a teleporter or something.

[ still giving him the benefit of the doubt! lucky jean. ]

[ w h a t .

Jean stares uncomprehendingly at her as she looks this way and that, and he doesn't get what she's saying at all. Why is she looking away? What is she looking at? What's a teleporter? ]

A what? [ And then: ] I, uh, don't know what that is.

Oh.

[ it's a disappointed-sounding one, at that. she turns to face him so she can converse properly. she doesn't look stressed, but her face is all scrunched up as if she's bothered by something. ]

You're... new? How long have you been here?

[ Jean's frowning when Weiss turns back to him, and the expression sticks when he sees the way she's scrunching her face up. ]

A week? [ He ventures. It's roughly a week. The first few days were a bit of a blur, and it took him a while to get his bearings, but he's at least pretty certain he hasn't been here longer than a week.

He decides to address the expression on her face. ]

Hey, look, I might be new around here, but if you're going to start treating me like I'm an idiot just because of that...

I never said anything about you being an idiot.

[ not yet. ]

In case anybody hasn't told you what a teleporter is, it's a device that lets you travel from one place to another in a very short amount of time. Think of it as disappearing from one place, and then suddenly appearing in another in a blink of an eye.

[ she sighs, then rolls her eyes. ]

This place really needs a better welcoming committee.

[ ... oh. That's what the expression was all about. He feels sheepish at going on the offensive now, so much so that the wonders of a teleporter become lost upon him temporarily. ]

R-right. Sorry.

[ Then, trying to recover: ] Uh, well, you know, you'd make a pretty good welcoming committee?

[ ... It's a compliment. ]

You're not wrong. [ she has a bit of an ego, and he definitely helped inflate it a bit more. ] I'm still learning about this world, but I'd like to think that I have some good knowledge of how this world works.

[ a pause, as she shifts her weight to her other leg. ]

In any case, my point is that if you're going to travel between islands, it would be a lot better and safer to do so using the teleporter.

[ Jean nods, absorbing the information properly this time. Something that can instantly take him to another location? Well, it sort of makes sense considering how this place can somehow bring people here in the first place... ]

I guess safer is better. [ Which is a subtle way of saying he still thinks he can jump there! ]

But, so you're saying, the teleporter can take me anywhere? Because I signed up for this job, and I'm meant to go get things off an island that's gonna come by or something, and if it's that easy, how am I supposed to be first!?

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject