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

[hatesripley]

[Ever the committed optimist, Mina had lifted the sign back up to try and draw in more customers. As soon as she heard him, however, the sign slipped from her fingers and clattered on the ground. She stared blankly at him for a few seconds, the only movement a slight twitch of her right eye.]

He... was behind the counter... and asking for help...

[Without thinking, she grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him.]

Are you telling me we're out here in these ridiculous costumes for no reason? As a prank? That we're not getting paid??

[She spins around and notices a few strangers not far away, leaning out from a back alley and pointing and snickering.]

I don't know about you, but I'm feline pretty angry.

[rnjr]

[ It's aggravating, to be sure, and he feels that spike of annoyance - but takes a long breath in, heaving it out, even as Mina proceeds to effectively rattle him. Honestly, it's pretty tame compared to the kind of thing he's used to. Mina's no Nora, that's for sure. ]

Let's not jump to conclusions. There could be a perfectly good explanation for this.

[ Even if he's not inclined to believe that's the case. ]

So I think we should make sure that when we start asking questions, we make sure they know we're not kitten around.

[ is this even intentional anymore ]

[creatability]

[Momo smiles brightly, patting Mina on the shoulder and looking the ears up and down once again. She certainly can't hide the same way Momo herself does, at least. But then...]

You know, if you did a disguise like this on a mission you could probably pass yourself off as some sort of cat themed hero? It's not like your Quirk is anything obvious, and you just happen to have pink skin and hair. So, you can make it work.

It's not like there aren't strange people around at home all the time, right?

[After all, people don't bat an eyelash at Fat Gum and Thirteen at home right?]

[hatesripley]

There could be, sure. [The way she's gritting her teeth, however, says otherwise.]

[She takes a deep breath and tries to think... what would Midoriya do? ...well, he's probably over-analyze things and their only lead would slip away. But thinking like a hero now...]

[She picks up the sgin and starts waving it, with an even more frenetic energy now, then leans over to him and whispers.] We need to flank them so they won't get away. One of us needs to get on the roof and get behind them.

[She doesn't have a permit so technically she can't use her powers or do any sort of hero work. But anyone can ask questions, right?]

[rnjr]

Leave it to me.

[ He's kind of his team's ninja, after all. This sort of thing is right in his wheelhouse. ]

Give me twenty seconds to get in position once I move.

[ He follows her lead for a few moments, waving his own sign while keeping an eye on the questionable party through his peripheral vision. The moment they aren't looking, when their attention wanders away from the two of them for just a second--

He's gone. The sign falls to the ground as he leaps up and backward, soaring in a graceful arc that lands him on the rooftop - wasting no time in dashing for the opposite end of the building so he can get into position at the alleyway's opposite end. Is this a little much for the sake of a harmless prank? Maybe.

But emotions are running a little hot. Blame the crystal, whatever. ]

[hatesripley]

Hmmm... and if I created special cat ears that fit over my horns, no one would suspect anything. And maybe the costume could be a little less cartoonish. [Her brow furrows as she's already thinking about the possibilities. Designing a new costume could be kind of fun, too! Maybe Hatsume could even help her come up with some cat-themed gear?]

Thanks for the great idea! [She snickers a bit.] But it's not like I'm not already a little strange myself, you know... but I've always liked to think of it as fashionably unique!

[onebadapple]

Oh my! How comfortable sounding! I'm sure it's all well deserved rest and lounging!

[hatesripley]

[Probably just as well he's handling that end of things. She could climb up pretty easily as well, but melting handholds into the wall of a building wasn't a great impression to make.]

[She'd had every intention of carrying on with her over the top gimmick, to keep their attention on her and not realize he'd disappeared, but... those were some impressive moves, especially for someone without(so far as she knew) a Quirk. She managed to regain her composure long enough to inch away from the store front, spinning the sign around and flipping it into the air.]

[Fourteen... fifteen... sixteen...]

[She flipped the sign into the air, angling it forward just enough so her first lunging steps would look like she was trying to catch it.]

[Nineteen... TWENTY!]

[Those steps turned into a sprint, the sign trampled beneath her feet. The strangers bolted away. Into the alley like she expected. Her own fury starting to boil over, she clinched her hand into a fist. Maybe it was a silly prank, but she didn't care for pranksters and bullies. She didn't even notice a few drops slipping from her fingers as she ran, the pavement hissing and boiling behind her as she ran.]

[Hopefully Ren was in place, because she really wanted some answers.]

Oh hi! :)

[servaturus]

A sneer crossed his callous expression. He knew she was right and found his efforts were in vain. Nevertheless, he had to complete the task he was given and even if it meant listening to an upstart, it was better than having no knowledge at all. He kept his arm raised yet he didn't turn to face Lumina. Caius knew her voice and understood her presence was necessary.

His scowl remained fixed on the lumbering creatures that shifted in the darkness. He needed to learn how to fight them without his powers and without his sword. The only recourse he had was his physical strength as a warrior, which was all that remained of the former Guardian and destroyer of worlds. He was a contradiction at one point in time.

His voice lightened just enough to address Lumina. "You intend to instruct me how." Though in his mind, he doubted that was the case and so a smirk replaced his taunt lips.

Absolutely! Loving it already. :)

[servaturus]

[That voice and the ring of bullets shattering bone, the swift swing and ring of steel is a familiar sound to him. He knows those sounds all too well. He takes a brief moment to take in what he sees and nods once. Teaming up with Lightning is the last thing to cross his mind yet it seems fitting in this place that she is the best person to offer him aid since she knows him better than anyone else at this point.

He shifts his weight to stand back to back with his once enemy and raises his hands to gather the chaos that he can in his hands. They have to come with something and fast. The skeletons he crushed with the chaos coupled with Lightning's steel isn't going to stay down. He scowls as he studies the way the bones shift and rattle back together to become whole yet again. Of course, nothing is ever as simple as smashing them to bits.

He lets out a groan in disgust.]

Any ideas?

[It irritates him that he's not the one in charge this time, but it's necessary in the cases where he's not certain what to do other than smashing things which obviously didn't help at all at this point.]

[rnjr]

[ She says Quirk, he says Semblance - though his Semblance has nothing to do with his ability to make jumps like that. That's just the result of a lot of practice and a little something called Aura.

... look RWBY has a bunch of weird power mechanics okay, I didn't invent it.

Regardless, she might be a little concerned at the fact that there's no Ren blocking the other end of the alley when she first gets there - and it's been twenty seconds, she didn't miscount. The alleyway is a little long, sure, but it won't be long before the suspects make it to the opposite end and out into the open, where they'll have little trouble weaving into a crowd or slipping out of sight for long enough to make a getaway. Looks like Ren botched it.

Except there's a pumpkin, one that came running all the way from prompt F-1, that comes skidding to a stop to completely block off the end of the alleyway, vines missing to prevent it from running any further - and atop it stands Ren, arms folding over his chest as he gives what will one day be a no-doubt devastating Dad-Level stern glare to the now-trapped hooligans. ]

I don't think so.

tfw you are a baby watching a bigger baby

[punchesgod]

[ The way he phrases his replies strikes a deep chord in Tatsuya's heart. It's a reflection of how he's been feeling stumbling along in his own way and he can't help but see a little bit of himself, maybe more of little Jun in Emil.]

It's okay.

[ A long stretch of silence passes between them as Tatsuya tries to find the words to express advice and encouragement. He feels so at a loss trying to give advice but not trying isn't an option either.

So he thinks of his older brother, what he would say.]

I don't think thats a bad thing. Some people spend their entire lives trying to find who they are and...when you get older...things can change.

You're still "you" even if things change.

[punchesgod]

[ The 90s was a tough time for us gays okay? There was demon cults and old gods and Satan had eight titties.]

The persona game? If you didn't play it how did you get your persona?

[ He wishes Lisa was here, she was always the best at explaining it. ]

Are we still able to enter the Velvet Room in this world?

m for m craiglist personal to fix my broken personality

[punchesgod]

[ I doubt Nyarly would have had the personality to work retail.

-and back in the day, he was the navigation, thank you very much. Him and a tiny little map. Up the hill, both ways. ]

I guess it makes sense you w-

[ The words die in his throat as he watches Yuu shove the pumpkin in his mouth. Does coming from the future give you bad taste?]

...Aren't you worried about what eating something that could will itself to explode is going to do to you?

meme fast die hard bad tags do it well

[punchesgod]

[ Tatsuya isn't really sure what to do with his hands during the hug, but he settles on patting Eikichi gently on the back until he releases him and completely ruins his makeup.

He looks more like a club kid trying something avant garde than a fearsome visual kei artist now, but Tatsuya smiles gently like his face is immaculate rather than an ocean of snot and tears. ]

I see. Was Fuuka one of these future persona-users? Did she mention anything about..what the world in the future was like?

[ The news that Eikichi of all people is running a spa and Jun is here surprises him more than anything about other persona users or other worlds.
Eikichi....Spa....Spa...Eikichi? Hm. ]

If he's been with you, then he's definitely alright, but...a spa....
I feel like your old man would actually approve of that, which makes it sound like something you'd hate.

if u get a happy meal at mcdicks

[punchesgod]

[ He wasn't afraid of not being forgiven, but he had been afraid of this. The last thing in the world he wanted was to make Jun suffer.

He walks up behind him and drapes his bike jacket over Jun's shoulders, pulling the hood up so it covers his head. ]

He didn't need to torment you anymore. You did it enough to yourself.

[ He holds up his hand so the both of them can look at it. ]

I was weak and I failed you all. I had to be punished because I still had pride and thought I could fix things.

[ He closes his hand into a fist. ]

I failed you and Maya most of all.

[nailed_it]

Huh? [A glance aside.] Oh.

[Pulling a face, she flicks the glob of pumpkin guts off her shoulder.

Watching it fly off, her attention is drawn to a chunk of rind still attached to that lone remaining vine as it pitifully attempts to drag itself to...freedom? She's really not sure.]

...I've never felt sorry for a vegetable before but...

[She gestures vaguely towards the sad, sad sight. Do they put it out of its misery? Yang's not sure she can make it more "dead" than it already is.]

god I am out of witty punbacks you are a true master

[deathboss]

[He's paving the way for the future! Of...terrible dirty makeup, obviously.]

She was! Well honestly it sounds a lot like us with more modern stuff...Futaba's the one who showed me a lot more of the technical side...their phones are thin and so colorful! Oh si beau!

[He's excited, here comes the broken french...]

Heh heh! See, that's what I thought too, then it grew on me. Maybe it's the thought that it's more than a spa now...besides! How could I debut anything in this town without my two bandmates? Michel may be able to fly solo, but it feels like an opportunity wasted...

[You know Eikichi, he like waiting for the perfect moment aka he's still bad at singing. The voice of an angel if it had broken a leg.]

m for m looking for a guy who will make motorcycle noises behind scooter

[izanyagi]

[Yu just laughs and dismisses it like it's nothing big.]

Ahh don't worry about it. I've had a lot worse.

[This doesn't help! It only creates even more questions.]

My friends had...unique....cooking talents.

[That being said, he suddenly seems to realize they have skipped a very crucial part of their conversation. And so, he extends his hand.]

I'm Yu Narukami, by the way. It's nice to meet you.

it's k they can BOTH be babies it's all good

[eyesofstone]

[Tatsuya's words are strangely reassuring, even if was a complete stranger. Still, Emil found that there was no need to know a person for a long time to provide some counsel.

He misses Kaine and Nier.]

You... you think so?

[Surely, if somebody else felt that way, it must be true.]

That sounds like something that Kaine and Nier would say! They're my --

[Friends? Was that the word? The word was still so foreign on his tongue, even if it made him feel warm.]

-- my friends... From... back home...

[His voice trails off as he realizes he's alone. Desperate to find some common ground with this new person, Emil speaks again.]

Um, are you here alone too, mister?

[riderfist]

[Satan is down to a respectable six titties now, all is well]

There's a game? That... doesn't make sense. All of us were awakened to that power in the Metaverse. How can that be considered a game?

[at least the resident P5 expert Morgana would enjoy that]

I don't know. I don't think so, but I've really only been there once myself, under some very strenuous circumstances.

[kaboop]

Then let's stop it right now.

[Nora grips her hammer and grins in anticipation. Stopping a crazy pumpkin sounds like fun. Then she breaks into a run after it.]

[forreal]

[For a while, he just kind of stares at Naoto as if she's grown an extra head. He never understood this crystal and emotional mumbo jumbo and this is making him understand it even less. He blinks the stinging out of his eyes again.]

Yeah well, heads up – don't look up when stuff that isn't rain starts fallin' from the sky. It's been all kinds of different things... I think I'd rather have frogs than diamonds. Least they don't get stuck in your eye.

D#2

[regisrex]

It is not how things usually are, you know.

[ Regis is... aware that Lunafreya's brother is once again in this place. But... there seem to be questions. About remembering his previous stay, about... what has happened to him, on Eos...

So Regis tries for a conversation as neutral as he can manage. Should Ravus look over, he will find him looking serenely at the stall, both of his hands - whole - resting on top of his cane. He looks - haler, definitely, than his last moments in Insomnia. Calmer, too. ]

[forreal]

I guess...?

[God, now he has to explain the sciences of pizza to a kid. He mulls his answer over in his head, sliding his free hand into his pocket while the other continues to squish the piece of pineapple. It's a lot harder putting into words what a Hawaiian pizza is. Pizza is just... pizza, for the most part.]

It's like, uh... they put it on pizza – the pineapple. With things like ham and cheese. Ain't really good, though. It's like the tryhard of pizzas. Fruit doesn't belong on a pizza.

[He's starting to sound offended just talking about it.]