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

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.

[melodiouspacifist]

The familiar voice, but one he hadn't heard in awhile caught his attention. Demyx turned around and blinked before smiling. "Roxas!"

Maybe all was not lost after all, maybe in the moment he'd succeeded, but if that was the case, it didn't answer the vital question of where they were.

"Man am I glad to see you!" He said with a bubbly smile and held out his hand. "Now it's perfect and we can go back and everything will be fine!"

[seasaltkeys]

"Huh?"

Roxas, admittedly, hadn't been expecting such a friendly reaction. Certainly, Demyx was friendlier than most, and when it came down to members of the Organization he's happier to see him rather than say Saix or Xigbar.

"Uh...what do you mean?"

How does he break it to Demyx that going back is a thing they can't do? And even if they could, it's not something Roxas wants to do.

[melodiouspacifist]

Demyx got to his feet, dusting dirt off of his pants and coat. "It's been awhile since you've left and things just aren't the same without you." He said, as though it was idle chatter and not orders to bring him home at all costs.

"I've been looking for you. I thought I'd failed for a moment, I even thought...well nevermind that. Here you are. We can go back to the castle and they might finally stop running me ragged. There's so much more work now." Demyx chattered on in a friendly manner. This was easier than trying to intimidate Sora.

[seasaltkeys]

There's a number of things that Roxas wants to say. He's sure things are different, but somehow the way Demyx paints the picture is a bit different from the reality. He ruined their plans, which was probably a bit different from a minor inconvenience and work piling up.

Not that he feels bad that Demyx is run ragged. Serves him right in a way.

"Uh, Demyx...thing is, we can't go back. We're stuck here." He pauses. "Welcome to Verens."

[melodiouspacifist]

Why did Roxas and his Somebody have to make everything so complicated?

The overt cheer dropped, although he didn't look terribly upset all the same, just a little less forced.

"I've never heard of Verens." That in itself wasn't necessarily meaningful.

"Did I really...?" He murmured and frowned at Roxas. Then again, wasn't Roxas supposed to be alive, or at least with his Somebody? He could feel a headache coming on.

"This doesn't look like the afterlife. Not that I thought I would have one." He knew he'd been fatally wounded.

[seasaltkeys]

"It's...it's not an afterlife. It's more like, a whole other world. That sort of pulls people into it. There's people from all over here."

Roxas's ill will evaporates with a small breeze, almost like dust blowing through the air. So Demyx had...Roxas didn't want to think about it. Frustrated as he could get with the other Nobody, it's not like he wished that fate on hi.

"It's a lot nicer here than the alternative though."

[melodiouspacifist]

"I'm pretty sure from how I understand it, the alternative is nothing." Demyx responded. "I didn't want to disappear."

It had been a selfish desire, since he was never meant to exist in the first place.

"Maybe someone heard me." He didn't really know, and wasn't likely to pursue anything in regards to the why of it all.

Roxas should have known he'd perish, it was after all the fate of darkness in a world where light was meant to triumph.

"The Superior is going to have a fit when he realizes I've been pulled somewhere and not returning to the castle." Before he might not have worried, but then again he was at the moment the number one liability, assigned a suicidal mission that he was destined to fail.

He knew enough to know that was the desired outcome.

[seasaltkeys]

Roxas really doesn't blame Demyx for any selfishness. He is fairly selfish himself in wanting to stay here, to continue existing when the alternative is to not. And as much as he wants to believe Sora, that Sora will find a way for Roxas to stay his own person, he still can't let go of the idea that that's not possible.

"Well, unless he shows up here, I don't think there's anything he can do about it. This place plays by a lot of different rules, one of which being that we're stuck here. And I've heard that when people go back, they don't really remember their time here unless they come back."

But he doesn't like the idea of Xemnas showing up here one bit.

[melodiouspacifist]

Anyone would want to exist instead of not doing so, and a heart definitely wasn't required for that.

"If I can't ever leave and he really can't come here, then..." Then what? Demyx hadn't been out of the Organization for years.

He was a little thrown as to what he was supposed to do with himself. Dragging his feet all the way, he'd had a set pace, a day to day life to follow, regimented to some degree, and he'd been there since he was younger than Roxas. The prospect was daunting.

"I'm fine if he can't." He confessed softly, digging his toe in the dirt. If Xemnas did appear, he'd have to return to his side.

[seasaltkeys]

"Yeah, same."

There's always the chance that he could, but he hasn't yet so Roxas will continue to hold onto that.

"Guess you can think of it as kind of being on vacation or something."

[melodiouspacifist]

"If he does come, do me a favour and not tell him I said that." Demyx said with a meaningful look. Roxas could rat him out, and there was little he could do about it. He wouldn't be successful at the backstabbing their comrades enjoyed so much.

"A vacation, huh." He smiled a little brighter at that. "That sounds nice right about now. I'm not kidding about all the work, chasing you around the worlds is a headache and a half."

[seasaltkeys]

Roxas nods. If Xemnas shows up, Roxas can't guarantee that he'll be having a lot of conversations with him. And he doubts the ones he does would involved Demyx, but that still doesn't mean he'll throw the other Nobody under the bus.

"It's not like I went far."

Just to Twilight Town and back again. Technically. Give or take the odd computer in there.

[melodiouspacifist]

"You're kidding right? I looked for you all over." Demyx complained. "Ax would have totally been better at this, but who knows what he's doing?"

Times had changed a lot since Roxas left, mostly because he left.

"Don't worry about it though, you're here now, and you're not in the other one so that's even better. Except we can't go anywhere...so it kind of doesn't help. Sorry. Nevermind." He looked a little sheepish.

"Anyway, I think your Somebody killed me, which means I failed, but I'm not dead so...yeah, if we get to go, the Superior's gonna be mad at me."

[seasaltkeys]

That's a lot of information in one go, and it takes Roxas a moment to sift through it all, several answers forming in his head and then being shoved along as the next one comes up.

"Sora...Sora did what?"

He was not told this information.