TEST DRIVE: October

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: OCTOBER —

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 Sunday, September 24 and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on October 1st. Apps will only be open for four days!
  
  
• 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!
  
  
• Transfer to in-game. If accepted, you can assume threads made on the Test Drive happen in-game if the scenario can reasonably fit. These threads do not count toward AC.

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: With the crystal having been mysteriously stolen, the weather has been nothing but uncooperative, lately. Actually, uncooperative is an understatement. Just yesterday, it was raining frogs! Now, well…

1. In the Sky with Diamonds. You might be walking in the streets or in the safe confines of a building when it begins to hail. It's not just any ordinary hail. Instead of ice falling from the sky, it's little beads and pieces of… you guessed it: diamonds! Some are actually fake, but there are some that are genuine. Only the experienced eye will be able to tell. The catch is, it only rains diamonds for ten seconds. And in this short span of time, people have gone berserk over the stone. Looks like some are eager to sell what they've collected, while some are fighting over what "should be theirs". Are you one of those people opportunistic enough to make money out of this, or are you doing something else of your own?
   
2. One in a Melon. The crazy weather has not only been affecting the people living in Empatheias, but also the flora and fauna. The fruit stands everywhere have been selling all kinds of hybrid fruit, ranging from melons the size of a building to blue grapes that taste like chocolate! The latter sounds oddly delicious, truth be told. The vendors are all for giving free samples to anybody who passes by, too. In fact, there's one fruit stand that seems to be selling really well. Investigate, and you'll be given a slice of pineapple! Take a bite, and it tastes like Hawaiian pizza. Is this heaven or hell?

• Prompt E: It's safer to stay indoors given the strange weather, but you can't help but go out in the streets and explore! You're in a new world, after all. There is so much to see! Of course, when it begins to rain cats and dogs (either literally or figuratively), you look for a place to hide. Somehow, you've managed to enter a building that's dark, only lit by a flame in the middle of the room. There are a lot of hooded men and women surrounding the flame.

1. Welcome! When they notice someone else enter, they all look at the door's direction. "Ah! It seems we have a new arrival. Welcome to the Ortheias. You are now in a world where your magic can change the emotions of people. What is your name?"
   
   It looks like you've entered the headquarters of some roleplaying cult. Try and leave, and they will explain to you that nobody can leave. Nobody even knows why they're here. And then someone will casually whisper to you these exact words: "As an OOC Note, we will all leave in an hour and half from now." Do you create a character, or do you play as yourself?
   
2. Getting Acclimated. With everyone in the room doing their own thing and "gathering relationships", as they so put it, you've been left to your own devices. Do you talk to other people who might be stuck here for an hour and half, or do you practice your "Emanis"? It seems that this fictional world they've created lets each person manipulate the other person's emotions by casting spells. A short display of fire can make someone angry, or making flowers appear out of nowhere might make the other person happy. Of course, these are all fake and the cult just narrates their usage of magic without actually displaying it.
   
3. An Event! Towards the end of the roleplaying session, the "roleplay moderator" announces an event! One of the guardians of Ortheias, the Durathei of fire and ice, Seesonne, has attacked the city of Snerev! A part of the city is now burning, while the other half is encased in ice! What would you do in this situation? People are panicking, so you must stop them from worrying too much!

• Prompt F: While Halloween does not exist in this world, Otherworlders have been present long enough for the natives to slightly change their calendar. For the month of Empta (October), they wish to make sure the Otherworlders are feeling at home by celebrating Halloween! They know nothing about it, but they are going to try and replicate the feeling!

1. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. For the rest of Exi (September), farmers are asking Otherworlders to help them harvest pumpkins. Thanks to the strange weather recently, these pumpkins have grown to be the size of a car. They're rather big! What's more, they've also grown legs and can run! It appears they don't want to be caught, but anyone who gives chase will be able to get them to stop easily. Just chop off its legs! And to make it inanimate, one has to carve a face on it.
   
2. What's Your Favourite Scary Story? To prepare for what's to come next month, the natives are asking Otherworlders to go to the Welcome Centre every weekend for a meeting of sorts. One will be able to find refreshments and snacks there, and there are a lot of people listening to speakers who rotate every so often. It seems these speakers are talking about their favourite scary stories. Perhaps you're one of the listeners, or you're speaking and sharing yours! Things are beginning to be spooky, though, that's for sure.
   
3. It Leaves a Good Taste in Your Mouth. Children are selling cookies door-to-door, and the only type of cookies they're selling are maple leaf cookies. It's only 10 sylvs a box, and taking just one bite will send one to heaven! It's so delicious that it might make anyone who eats it react in a strange way (the video is just an example, not the exact reaction). Spectate at how people react to these maple leaf cookies, or be the one that gathers a lot of attention!

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include cat ears and/or nail polish.

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

[chiefdragon]

...what?

[rabbithood]

... That's okay. You don't need to know.

[torsion]

Don't usually run around where I'm from, either. I'd like to say nothing surprises me anymore but this was pretty unexpected!

[ This is an entirely different breed of "monster" than the BOWs from back home. No infecting, no sharp teeth or claws, no real maliciousness at all... they just seemed content running free like any wild animal might. Looking at them as livestock made a little more sense to her. ]

No problem, figure you're not too far off on that assessment. Never was too good with a handaxe myself, but my partner's pretty handy with one. [ That doesn't even qualify as a joke and yet here she is, laughter in her voice though not a single one manages to slip out on its lonesome. ] They didn't exactly specify what kind of "face" to make to you, did they? Wonder if just a few chops here and there wouldn't just do the trick...

[chiefdragon]

Oh. Are you "meme-ing" at me again, Hibiki?

[rabbithood]

Something like that.

[ he's so proud he rembered the phrase? sometime he forgets how young yamato actually is. the rainbows behind hibiki sparkle. ]

... So there's no threat here. That I've heard of.

[ he means intergalactic beings and demons alike. ]

[chiefdragon]

Did the definition of "threat" change since our arrival here, Hibiki?

[And there goes the rainbow, replaced by the grumpy grey cloud of grump that follows Yamato so often.]

I fail to see how being taken to an alien plane isn't a "threat".

[rabbithood]

Our home isn't being threatened. The people we care about aren't in harm's way right now. ... And even if they are, it doesn't matter. Apparently time is frozen here.

[ sure he can be a bit impulsive, but he's ready to approach this with a level-head. ]

C

[keichan]

[ Oh, Satoko thinks she's going to pull one over on Keiichi, huh? He happens to be in the area, but now that he has a heads up that she's put out traps, he's feeling a little paranoid. If she says that he should go around back, then that means she's trying to lure him out there. Which clearly means... ]

Aha! You think you can trick me so easily?!? You obviously put traps around the back... and probably around the front, too!

[ Yes, he thinks he's figured it out now. Clearly, the only safe thing to do is to walk away from her place. ]

[chiefdragon]

So say the ones who brought us here. How do we know this isn't an elaborate scheme?

Prompt F :3 Well hello there~

[cieled]

(Nothing behaves as it should in Empatheias and "Ciel" has had his true emotions revealed more times than his liking. Sebastian might think less of him - not that it matters. They are bound by contract and he is not ready to throw in the towel. Even so, living here is...difficult...for one who lives a lie day in and day out, avoiding missteps in order to keep his life and, in another place, gain his revenge.

The absurdities - as seen with the damned pumpkins - are not helping. He sees a particularly large one downed by a...scythe. A Reaper's scythe. For a moment, he considers calling Sebastian, but -

"He seemed to have no intention of hurting you..."

That's right. Undertaker had lashed out at Sebastian and the other Reapers. He had not hurt him.)

Undertaker. (He approaches at a distance, arms crossed over his chest.) You appear in the most unexpected of places.

[rabbithood]

Everyone I've talked to so far has said the same thing. ... Would they all really be lying?

[chiefdragon]

Yes.

[Hibiki look at who you're talking to.]

[rabbithood]

[ ..... right. ]

I think we're okay. For now. So we can try and relax.

[chiefdragon]

Are you sure? I would like us to start gathering information on the area and these "Areheti" before we relax.

hiiiiiiii o3o

[somakemelaugh]

[He may have heard those footsteps, he may not have. Either way it goes, he gives no indication that he even realizes the young Earl is there, working away at the second eye on his pumpkin prize, determined to make a wicked face on it as he always has each year.]

As do you, milord. [He draws the sotoba back, plunging it in again to finish off the outline for this eye. One good hard shove will put this piece of the pumpkin back into the guts of the thing, as he did with the first one.] What an interesting place we find ourselves in tonight.

Ravus Nox Fleuret | FFXV

[begrudging]

Prompt D #2

[ Truth be told Ravus is really not sure if any of these things are safe to eat. Honestly with the way this place is he's really not sure if he wants to try any of it?! But you can find him with his arms crossed off to the side of the stand as if to investigate it. He's really just trying to see what happens to people should they decide to do so. Don't mind him just standing there with a brooding look on his face while he watches. It's nbd really that's just his normal face. ]

Prompt F #1

[ What has his life come to?! This is...not what he thought he'd be doing with his life here, but yep, there's Ravus taking down a giant pumpkin with his sword in a relatively ease fashion. Of course the damn thing decides to still roll away but he easily rectifies that by carving a long gash into the pumpkin's side. It sort of looks like the beginnings of a smiley face, so that probably makes the pumpkin think its being carved. If anyone wanders by he'll give a terse few words. ]

You there. Help me with this, seeing as how it's far too cumbersome for one person to carry alone.

Wildcard

[ If anyone wants to do specific threads PM me on plurk @ pathogenic! Or PM this journal, idec. ]

[creatability]

Oh you never know.

[Momo can't, you know, tell her too much, because that's against the rules of the test and she thinks that it'd probably cause time-space problems...but that's okay.]

You may find it useful. Disguising yourself perhaps? Heroes have done stranger things.

Do make yourself comfortable. owo

[cieled]

(His inspection of their surroundings is subtle. He identifies some escape points, though, really, what good will they do him if Undertaker pursues him in earnest? Taking a breath - the cooler air is making his chest feel uncomfortably tight - he tilts his head curiously to see the pumpkin better.)

First you remove its only limbs and then you give it a grotesque face? That hardly seems sporting. (Not that anyone plays by the rules of sportsmanship. Really, that's laughable.) Tiresome, you mean.

[rabbithood]

There's some already compiled... so I've heard.

[ he gives a weak smile. ]

This isn't Japan.

[chiefdragon]

That does not mean I should be slacking. We can't trust anyone else to do it right, Hibiki. You know this.

[baymaxing]

So...the ones you breathe on that don't fog up so much, that are lighter weight? I'll try it.

[Even if part of him might be questioning why she is helping him like this. He isn't about to knock it before even trying it himself, at least. So he holds up his hands and breathes out, creating a fog to see which might stay misted longer from it.]

[rabbithood]

We can't do it right if we're tired.

[ do it. ]

[baymaxing]

Like that's surprising. Baymax's diagnosis for me was just 'puberty'.

[He's a teenager. Of course emotionally he is all over the place. Let alone dealing with Tadashi. Losing him, finding him here.....

But. Yeah, he probably should get to trying to stamp out the fire. Which he does, though his sneakers might not appreciate it so much.]

[somakemelaugh]

[The shove puts him near up to the elbows in pumpkin innards, and his arms come out spotted here and there in seeds larger than they should be and stringy orange pumpkin fibers. Had this been a normal pumpkin, he'd be chewing on parts of it by now, but he wouldn't trust this thing in his stomach any more than he trusted it to sit still with those odd legs.] That's what you do with pumpkins, isn't it? Pull off the stem and carve the face?

[The sotoba, he lifts and leans against his shoulder as he turns to finally face the boy. A seed or two are knocked loose with the motion and land on his coat, but he doesn't seem to care, not with his sleeves having fallen victim to the mess as well.]

[chiefdragon]

Are you tired?