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

[beatupgrass]

[Damn Gundham. You just came straight out of the gate with words Rocket has never heard when a person first catches sight of him. His experience tends to range from "the hell is that?" to "the sign says no pets allowed" to variations on "filthy vermin."

All terribly unpleasant.

He is not accustomed to accolades, and, as such, is not sure he can trust them, but at the same time... Damn it feels good to hear noble tacked onto "beast" besides things like "freaky" or "disgusting."

Which means he can put a lot of the apprehension on hold, because his ego trumps everything.] Power level? Is that what the kids are callin' it these days? [He chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest. It does nothing to make him look tougher or more badass. He's still three feet tall and his tail is swishing.] I prefer to think of it as "general badassery," and I've got a ton of it. Name's Rocket.

[hamnation]

[Tanaka lives to defy expectations, and to admire incredible animals. He may sometimes be wary of bipedal animals, but the feats of this 'Rocket' have captured his attention so far.]

I know little of the ways of children. My ways are my own! [He's 2 cool to be a kid.] But your term is also acceptable.

To think that your name even reflects your power! How interesting. Speaking of power, just in case you have never heard my name whispered in the shadows, I am known as Tanaka the Forbidden One!

[beatupgrass]

[While Rocket is easily offended by any slight against him, he has zero problems being a little jerk about other people... to their faces even. In the wake of that introduction, he stares for a moment, waiting for another shoe to drop or a punchline.

And one never comes.

Sweet mother of Thanos. This kid is for real. And the only thing he can do in this situation is start to chortle.] I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but... the forbidden one? Did you pick that name yourself?

[The chortling becomes a high-pitched laugh.]

[hamnation]

[Gundam is quickly unnerved by that response. If it wasn't coming from a creature that managed to be both adorable and badass, he would have been a lot angrier, but as it is, he's somewhat restrained and just insecure.]

Hrgh! [He grips an arm defensively.] I... I did not choose it! I earned that name through my own dark power! I even sealed my true name away...

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket covers his muzzle with his disconcertingly human-like hands and tries to muffle a laugh. "Tries" being the word. He does not succeed and there's not much indication that suggests he really wanted to.]

Oh. That's, uh- [his voice rises a bit in pitch as he tries to talk mid-laugh] Okay, but how lame was your real name that when you earned a title like forbidden one, you were like, "Okay, never gonna go by that again."

[hamnation]

[He bristles as he folds his arms, trying to maintain his patience.]

There is nothing lame about my true name. I have merely declared it a taboo for the time being and sealed its power away! Hrngh... I thought that you would understand more of my ways.

[beatupgrass]

Oh no, sir. I definitely understand. [the laughter bubbles up again and he ends up doubled over.] I-I definitely understand why you'd think I'd- [snort] Sorry, why did you think I'd understand? Just... for reference here.

[it clearly has nothing to do with his sense of fashion, even if he is still wearing Ravager chic right now.]

[hamnation]

[Now he rolls his eyes at the answer, and then he speaks.]

It is simple. Because you are a proud demon beast, of course. Your level of enlightenment and spiritual insight should be much higher than those of lowly humans.

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket's laughter cuts off abruptly.]

A demon?! [can he even take offense to that? that actually makes him sound even more badass than normal, even if he's not sure about the enlightenment or spiritual insight.] Oh man.. Okay, crazy-boy, let's, uh... clarify something here. The only spiritual insight I've ever had is when I looked down a liquor bottle and realized it was empty.

[hamnation]

[Now he looks utterly flabbergasted in response.]

What?! Y-you partake in human vices?!

[Alcohol can't be good for a raccoon!]

[beatupgrass]

I would not call them strictly human vices, dude.

[that is speciest. alcohol is good for everyone. well, maybe not good, but it would certainly make this conversation make a lot more sense.]

[hamnation]

[Tanaka looks away with a frown.]

...My apologies. It was foolish of me to confine that to human delight. Even demonkind has been known to enjoy such things... Yet it can be more deadly to various types of beasts.