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

Luke fon Fabre; Tales of the Abyss

[lefthandedchirality]

F-1

[So this is... a job. Luke can handle hunting down monsters, all right? But now he's got the legs off the pumpkin, and it's still kind of... wiggling the pumpkinny leg-stumps, ew. And he's supposed to be carving a face on it, but he feels bad about it.]

[He feels bad about carving a pumpkin. He can practically hear the mockery already.]

[But that's not actually helping make him do it. Luke leans on the pumpkin to try to get it stop moving, sword in hand and doing absolutely nothing that actually involves the blade. He makes a face.]

I don't feel right about this...

C

[Luke kind of has an edge on telepathy. ... Kind of. The amulets, he reasons, probably work differently from anything having to do with Lorelei or Asch.]

[Even so, he spends some time sitting on a bench in a tree's shadow, just staring at his own crystal, before he finally starts trying it. How did this go... ah!]

This is just a test, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anyone. But-- if there's anyone else from Auldrant here, could you say something? Or-- even if you're not. Just to make sure this is doing what I think it is.

Helloooooo there, C

[fifthreplacement]

Auldrant? Oh. Oh great, you're back again. Wonderful. Just what I needed.

[Probably not the replica Luke particularly wanted to hear from. Sync only actually replies because the word takes him by surprise and it's an instinct reaction]

yoooooooo this is gonna go well, right |D

[lefthandedchirality]

[Whoa, he knows that voice.]

[...that attitude has got to be Sync. Luke isn't sure he even wants to talk to Sync, but his thoughts get ahead of him.]

Again? What do you mean, back again?

Preeeeetty much!

[fifthreplacement]

You were here before. It's something that apparently happens in this world, people come, they go, they return and sometimes don't remember ever being here.

[You can hear how bored he is right now in his tone]

[lefthandedchirality]

[A bored Sync is better than a Sync bent on murder, really.]

[Maaaaybe it's for the best Luke doesn't know where he actually is.]

...was it actually me, then?

[...can you even make a replica of a replica? What would be the point?]

Did we fight, when I was here before?

[fifthreplacement]

[Don't worry Luke. He's already done the bent on murder thing with one of your companions]

Short red hair, annoying as hell attitude, spent a lot of time around the Necromancer and the Fon Master's guardian. Pretty sure it was you. Like I said, normal here.

[He snorts at the second question]

Why the hell would I fight you? On your own, one on one, I'd destroy you. And there's no point here. What would it even be a fight over?

/SLAMS INTO hello friend

[fontechnician]

[Much of the time, the amulet chatter is background noise to Guy. He half-listens to it, getting the gist of any messages sent out and whether they need any input from him.

'Auldrant' catches his attention quickly, and then he realizes it's a familiar voice.]

Luke? If you're trying to get ahold of the rest of us, you've got that much down.

FRIEND HI

[lefthandedchirality]

[It's Guy! Luke half-stands, looking around as though Guy's going to be right there. On one level he does know that's not how this works, but the prospect of seeing a friend even here is more exciting than logic.]

Guy! That's great! Um-- where are you?

[Guess who doesn't know his way around yet.]

[fontechnician]

[Guy's unfortunately not that convenient at the moment.]

I'm just outside the city--uh, Verens--near the lake. Where are you?

[lefthandedchirality]

[Aw. Luke settles down again properly, focuses on the crystal. And Guy.]

I'm still in the city. I'm trying to learn my way around. I got lost for a little, but...

[He's working on it.]

I didn't think I was going to see anyone else.

[He sounds positively gleeful, all things considered. Of all the people he could have hoped to see, Guy is pretty much the top of the list.]

[fontechnician]

The layout is sort of confusing until you get used to it.

[He's happy to see Luke as well, given who he found when he arrived.]

There are a few of us here. Jade, the Emperor...Anise is still around somewhere, I believe. If anyone else we know is around, I haven't seen or heard anything out of them.

[He's walking as he chats, looking for any sight of red hair. Luke said he was in town, but that could be anywhere. Maybe he'll get lucky.]

F-1

[pactfulfilled]

[Admittedly Asbel has been struggling through a similar similar crisis. After all, the pumpkins are probably just trying to protect themselves, to preserve their lives. Luke, however, seems to be struggling with it even more than he is.]

[Asbel sheathes Excalibur and makes his way over to where Luke is. If it's mockery he fears, at least he won't be hearing any from Asbel.]

...I know what you mean. The more I think about it, the more it just feels wrong somehow. But if we don't stop them, who knows what sort of trouble they could cause later on. Or how many people could get hurt with them running around like that.

[lefthandedchirality]

[Well, at least this guy's nicer than Jade would be about it.]

I know.

[Luke knows he's being stupid. He thinks about asking the stranger for help, but... this one's Luke's responsibility. He heaves a great sigh.]

They're just... they're not even monsters, really. All they're doing is running away, right? But people need them.

[Don't mess with the food supply is one of the first lessons Luke learned. He nods to himself, trying to be more decisive than he feels, and adjusts his grip on his sword.]

Okay.

[A curious glance over, which is at least a little bit putting off the face-carving he's been told is necessary.]

I'm Luke, by the way.

[pactfulfilled]

[Probably nicer than Jade, yeah. He's not a troll for starters.]

I'm Asbel. Nice to meet you, Luke.

[He smiles, and there's something like compassion in it. Most of his friends have just been hacking away at the pumpkins, and yet here Luke is, feeling bad about it.]

Yeah, you're right. I'd been trying to think up a way to avoid cutting them down, but it seems to be the only way to return them to normal.

[He might be watching to see what Luke does with that sword. Not impatiently, just because he's curious about his technique, being a swordsman himself.]

I...thought maybe at least we could save the seeds and give them to the farmers to plant next year. It's not quite the same, but it might be the only way to make it up to them.

[lefthandedchirality]

[To be fair, 'nicer than Jade' isn't exactly a high bar.]

[Luke smiles in return anyway, even if he's not exactly feeling cheerful at the moment, and looks back down at the pumpkin, turning his blade over. It's more saber than anything, a broad flat blade with a slight curve to the edge. It is not going to make a neat carving,
but Luke figures, they didn't say it had to be a good face. Just a face.]

[He winces. Gets his weight behind the sword and shoves it into the pumpkin, looking toward Asbel once it bites in.]

It's better than nothing at all, I guess.

[A look down at the pumpkin.]

Hey, do you know if people are still... um... eating them like this? I didn't ask what happened after the face-carving part.

[pactfulfilled]

[Well, Asbel has learned two things from all this, at least. One, that Luke's a kind person. And two, that he probably hasn't had a ton of practice out in the field, because looking away from an enemy after you stab them is usually not a super great idea - you know, just in case... Good thing the pumpkin doesn't have fangs?]

Yeah... At least their legacy will live on that way, even if they can't be around to see it. [Nevermind that they, uh, don't have eyes either.] And hopefully they'll just grow as normal pumpkins from now on.

--Um... Actually, I didn't ask. But I'd assume so? Once they change back, I mean.

[It'd be kind of weird to eat them when they're still monstrous and mobile, and he's not too sure how he'd feel about that either.]

C is for Can't Hold These Feelings

[jeido]

Oh my! You startled me, and I ended up putting too much spices in tonight's dinner, whatever should I do...?

[Don't let that overdramatic greeting fool you, Luke. Nothing of the sort happened, and guess who's happy to hear from a certain someone.]

[lefthandedchirality]

[The glee at someone Luke knows temporarily overrides everything else.]

Jade! You're here, too?

[...dumb question. Obviously Jade is here too. He's talking to Luke. Grimacing, Luke shakes his head.]

...you don't do anything by accident.

[SUSPICION.]

[jeido]

[Tempting as it was to stage a denial, there's a more fruitful opening available so to speak.]

You give me too much credit, Luke. These frail, old hands of mine aren't what they used to be.

[All said in that faux innocent tone he's all too fond of.]

[lefthandedchirality]

[On the one hand: Luke knows that tone. That tone spells nothing but trouble.]

[On the other hand: ...what if Jade's been here a while? What if he really is an old man?]

[A brief war of indecision occurs.]

Just how long have you been here, anyway?

[jeido]

Time certainly flies, I'd say. [Jade effects a resigned sigh.] It's been a good ten years since I've arrived here...

[He allows a small, sober pause to fall over them--at least until he continues, with some definitely uncalled for cheer:]

...is what I would say had my memory been in a worse state, but I suppose in this world's terms, I've been around for a year.

F-1! because luke... honey;;

[arraignments]

[ ...seriously?

The brunette next to him is not sure whether to smirk or heavily sigh. Maybe it's thanks to his time in Mementos and various other places working in his favor (or... possibly other aspects of his life), but he's honestly having trouble imagining what it must feel like to feel bad about this. Or, as the other person put it, to not feel "right" about it...

...Well, in any case-- ]

It helps to not think too much on it. Perhaps if you think about something else, it might help you.

[ Here have a smile. And the hint of a... challenge? Mockery? Goodness, whatever could this be within his tone. Hmm...

It's a mystery. ]

Or you could simply leave this part to me, if it's too much for you to handle.

[lefthandedchirality]

[Luke is pretty sure he's being made fun of. There's a tone that just screams 'smug asshole,' and this guy... well, he has shades of it, at least.]

[It's a tempting offer. Eventually, though, Luke looks up and shakes his head.]

No. I said I would, so I should do what I promised. It's my responsibility.

[He just doesn't like it. :c]

Have you been handling these pumpkins, too?

f-1

[topsjade]

[ .... ]

You good with carving? [ that's his special form of greeting for you, luke. his hand is on his hip and he just insects the pumpkin with a reverent look. ] Because if you are... I have a few suggestions.

[ no, not a few. it's just: make a rappig. ]

[lefthandedchirality]

[Luke freezes with his sword in his hand. He knows that voice.]

[He leans more heavily on the pumpkin and looks over, and, yep, that sure is Emperor Peony. Luke waves, since he's not in a position for anything more formal, but that is definitely not how emperors should be greeted.]

I haven't really tried yet, to be honest.

[Although the fact he's using his sword and not something more suited to pumpkin carving might be a leading piece of evidence.]

They just said it had to be a face, so I thought...

[How good it is doesn't matter, right? It'll get the job done.]

What would you suggest?