empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: January

Entry tags:

*test drive

TEST DRIVE: January

— TEST DRIVE: JANUARY —

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, December 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on January 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: As the holiday festivities end, the expectation of charity and giving back will be rearing its ambivalent head. Namely, Verens' very own Community and Otherworlder Assistance Centre will be recruiting for its many charitable projects and drives! Like all non-profit organisations of that nature, the expectation is for people to contribute and give without expecting anything in return - so roll up those sleeves and pull out that wallet, because this is going to cost in both time, money, and dignity!

Mr. Top Hat J. Roomba: Looks like you're one-half of the lucky pair who got recruited to go door to door, selling chocolate bars and magazine subscriptions. The money earned doesn't go to you, of course. At the end of the salesmanship, it all goes right back to the charity foundation! Sounds easy, right? Well, not so much. You see, the foundation has had an undue number of thefts lately from its volunteers - and while they're no accusing you, of course! - they are no longer financially comfortable leaving the volunteers unsupervised. Each pair will be followed by a watchful roomba-like device that will belt out situation-sensitive commands deduced by careful monitoring of the situation. It also wears a snazzy top hat.
100% Organic: The Community and Otherworlder Assistance Centre also spearheads an innovation of its very own making: the emotion-sharing program! There are two ways to participate. The first is assisting in imbuing donated cosmetic products with the very essence of happiness and cheer. Having trouble summoning that up on the spot? Not to worry, because you'll be doing it inside The Puppy Room! (Puppies 100% organic. Please, try to keep animal hair out of the bottles.) The second way involves randomly assigning two individuals together for a more traditional approach to emotion-sharing. In this, there's only one rule: don't make the other person cry. And yes, you may also have unrestricted access to The Puppy Room.
It’s The Furry Hour: Lastly, there is the culmination of giving back to the community by putting a smile on each and every child’s face. The best way to do that? Put on a costume, say, this one or this one or even this one, and wander through the streets! Be careful, though -- the costumes are sensitive to Dunamis and any symptoms of emotional distress, regardless of whether or not they’re highs or lows. There are strict fines levied to anyone who dares damage a costume, or you might just end up mopping floors for a month to pay it off.

• Prompt E: Dunamis magic, emotional effects, crystals... one can live in Empatheias without ever really understanding the basics of it. However, it's encouraged to take at least a few courses as it will make adjusting to this new world a lot easier. At the Welcome Center, an eccentric new instructor is offering advanced classes (with a twist!) to new and old attendants. Interested natives can also join the classes as well, and the ones that are available are:

Think Positive! One of the most common types of emotional effects comes in the form of flowers. The most simple example being if one feels overwhelmingly happy, then flowers will start to bloom around them. In this class, Otherworlders will be learning exactly that! To be precise, the class takes place inside a botanical garden, and the exercise is to think positively so that more flowers can bloom. Think negatively, and the flowers will die, or they'll entangle you, or grow poisonous. Easy, right? No! This is an advanced class and controlling one's own feelings is KEY. Because there's also a tiger on the loose. Wait, what? Don’t worry - it only preys on fear and anger, so remember your lessons!
Think Negative! It's also important to know how to harness one's negative emotions, because such feelings are just as valid and useful as the opposite. In this exercise, two students are locked in a meat freezer, and the way to pass the test is to make each other seethe with rage until their fiery emotions bring the place down to room temperature. Make sure to insult each other a lot, and don't hold back! Maybe talking about a painful past can help? Alternatively, what the instructor did not account for, is that passion can be fiery, too. Maybe a kiss will do the trick? Otherwise, somebody will get the students out of there in 40 minutes and give them a nice cup of hot chocolate along with an F.
Think… Neither! Lastly, apathy! It's just as important to know how to harness. This class is a little more traditional, in the sense that everyone is sitting at their desk and watching a slide show. Students can talk amongst themselves in class, but they must not show any emotion! It's a little difficult, however, as the slide show gets more and more outrageous the longer the class goes on. At first it's a series of tasty food, then it's cute animals, and then some scary monsters. After that it moves on to more provocative imagery, such as poverty, graveyards, and... male and female models posing naked. Close your eyes! Or leave the class with the person sitting next to you? Otherwise, just try not to react to anything that comes up on the screen. Knowing when to be apathetic can save your life in Empatheias, too!

• Prompt F: It's out with the old and in with the new! Winter— no— it's not winter that is coming, but rather, the Notus season. Which is winter, technically, but the lovely citizens of Verens and natives of Empatheias call it differently. The season brings about snowfall and occasional storms, which means activities outdoors are limited due to the weather. The various sports teams in Verens have become even more serious with their training. The coaches refuse to let their team members gain weight due to the cold, which is why they're opening their training sessions to the public. Challenge them and win a prize! Make sure these players are given hell, because they won't shape up otherwise.

Hit 'Em High. One of the less formidable teams who play Verens Hoop Ball (patent pending) are the Champsters. Nobody truly knows how the Champsters are in the league when their plays are so awful. The sport itself, the Empatheias equivalent of what Earthlings would call basketball, had only been founded close to ten years ago. There aren't any "legends" yet, but the Champsters are players who will likely never be found in the hall of fame. In any case, they've opened their gym to any contenders who wish to take them on; 1-on-1, 2-on-2, 3-on-3, or even a full-on game. The sad excuse of Hoop Ball players are a sad excuse, needless to say. They play and cry like newborn fawn, and their coach will give anybody who makes them cry a heavy slap on the back and a 500 sylvs gift cheque at Steambucks. Thanks for showing the Champsters how much they suck - maybe they'll get motivated to do better because of this!
There's No Crying in... The managers of the Verens Football (soccer) team are inviting everyone to enter their gym and join their training for the day. All participants receive a 500 sylvs gift cheque to be used at Steambucks! And as soon as one enters the indoor pitch, they will hear the coach of the team screaming his lungs out. "THERE'S NO CRYING IN FOOTBALL!" - and the phrase might strike you as odd. Isn't it supposed to be baseball? And then you hear the muffled sobs of some people at the end of the goal line. . . wait, what? Anybody nearby is going to get yelled at, as well. "Fall in line and add some emotion to each kick!" the coach shouts. And with the intensity of each kick and the added emotions to it, it's no wonder the goalkeepers are getting beaten up. The coach doesn't seem to care, though…
You're on Ice. Apart from the indoor sports being promoted even though it's winter, some Verens officials have frozen the lake just by the outskirts of town for ice hockey and ice skating purposes. There are even cones and other obstacles lined on the ice for people to pass, and the officials are giving out a 500 sylvs gift cheque at Steambucks (AGAIN?!) to anybody who can clear the obstacles. Just watch out for the pucks that are flying every so often. If it hits your head, don't worry! Be comforted by the knowledge that the ice hockey team is doing their best and are making sure they're strong enough for the next tournament.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include crayons and/or pompoms.

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!

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Amd miss the opportunity to have a demon pop out of the ground to punch me in the face? Perish the thought! I mean, better me than someone else at least.

[He laughed. The other made a point that it didn't seem incredibly ominous, then again neither did walking around a rock three time.]

My clan had some chickens we took with us when we travelled. I mean I never touched them, but it didn't look too difficult. Just throw some seed at them and collects some eggs.

You would enjoy that, wouldn't you?

[ Some people just have no sense of self-preservation. And so many of them are elves. ]

Precisely. It's not the most thrilling job, but at least there's less chance of demons springing forth from a chicken coop.

What? No! Of course not! But I mean, if it's going to happen it's probably going to happen to me. [He laughs.] And maybe I might get bored otherwise.

[Oh who was he kidding, chaos and horrible luck was in his blood now. He'd be horribly disappointed if he did some odd ritual and just got flowers or something.]

Less, but not completely impossible. I was attacked once by a rage demon that popped out of a goat.

[ Uh-huh. A likely story. Anders doesn't look particularly convinced, either.

But moving on. ]

Ha! I once saw a rage demon possess a cat. He killed three Templars before they brought him down. I couldn't have been more proud.

A cat? Like a housecat? [He gestures with his hand something small and housecat sized.] Or was there some very important details about mage circles that my Keeper neglected to tell me about?

[Also belatedly realized that he was talking things he had discovered seemed to be fairly uncommon outside of Thedas. At least people kept giving him funny squinty looks when he started rambling on about it.]

Wait- you know what Templars are?

Yes, a housecat. What kind of cat did you think I meant?

[ Anders arches a brow - one that's only hiked higher as this stranger's tone takes a curious shift. ]

I do. You do? Let me guess - you're from Thedas?

The large face-eating kind! [He shrugged and shook his head] I've never set foot in a circle, I don't know what went on there!

[All in good humor though, and he laughs off his own ignorance on the matter. Still trying to think of how a housecat killed that many templars...]

I am, normally I'd guess where you're from but it's always tricky with mages. But I will say you don't sound Orlesian, and if you were from Fereldan I'd have smelled the Mabari on you from a block away. So Nevaran? Free marcher maybe? Possibly Antiva? Somewhere around there?

Lucky you.

[ Anders isn't laughing - but he doesn't pursue the topic, either. It really is fortunate. ]

You're right. You are rubbish at this. Ferelden is correct, though I've spent most of my time in the Marches, of late. I suppose the smell of dog shit wears off, after a few years. Good to know.

[Lad knew enough to drop the topic when it wasn't pursued, there were a lot of varying experience with those in the circle.]

In my defense, you're the only human from Fereldan I've met that does not own a Mabari.

[Not that that was saying a whole lot, this guy was only the second Fereldan human he'd gotten to properly talk to.]

I'm from the Free Marches myself, my clan travelled to the east, by Wycome. Where are you from?

You don't know many Fereldans, then.

[ They're not all tasteless barbarians toting around flea-bitten mutts. Just most. ]

I don't know the area. But I've been living in Kirkwall for the past few years.

Well you would make a total of two human Fereldans! My horizons are broadening already.

[Adanelan winced at the mention of Kirkwall, oh of all the places. No wonder the whole circle thing was a touchy subject.]

Kirkwall? I'm sorry, did you make it out of the rebellion alright?

[ Anders takes the wince in stride; he's a Marcher, he's probably been there. And Anders himself has seen just how well settling near Kirkwall tends to go for Dalish.

But his question prompts a stir of mild confusion. ]

You mean that thing with the qunari? I'm still in one piece, as you can plainly see. I think that's about as all right as one can hope to be, after a horde of rampaging oxmen try to burn your city to the ground.

[It took him a moment to recall just what the other was talking about, sometimes he forgot that terrible things happening in Kirkwall was so commonplace. He'd been away from the Free Marches too long.]

No, no not that one- though I'm glad to hear you got out of that alright all the same. I was talking about the mage rebellion, though.

[ It takes Anders a moment, as well - but it's been quite some time since he's spoken to anyone of that bit of history. Or not so much yet, in his case.

A look of realization lights across his face, and he shakes his head. ]

Oh! No, I'm afraid that one hasn't happened yet, when I'm from. Still a few years off, if I recall. The year is only 9:35, or thereabouts. At least it was when I left.

[Right he had heard that mentioned a bit, and after the nonsense at Redcliff, he can't say that's completely surprising. Still, what a poor time to have lived in Kirkwall.]

9:35?! Oh, well then. You're in for quite a surprise. Sorry I can't say it's a good one... or that it gets better.

What do you mean by that? [ Anders shoots him a look that's an odd mix of confusion and smug certainty. ] I know of the mage rebellion, already. I've even heard the Circles have fallen - although I'll believe that when I see it with my own eyes.

I can't possibly imagine anything better than that.

How about an ancient Darkspawn tearing a hole in the sky? Blew up the conclave where the Divine was going to try and settle the Mage-Templar war, killing the Divine, along with anyone who could succeed her...

[He just casually starts counting on his fingers as he lists of a handful of the nonsense that went on in the year following the incident at the conclave.]

Rifts started opening all over Thedas spewing demons, Grey Warden were hearing a fall calling...

[Oh out of fingers. Welp, list done. Any more detail would probably make him sound crazy anyway.]

I mean we fixed it all eventually. Sort of. For now...

You're an optimist, aren't you?

[ If the Divine was going to do anything before she was quite deservedly taken out of the equation, surely it would have been nothing more than to wave her hand and dismiss the mages once more.

And as for the rest of that— ]

I don't see how the whole world falling apart is any different to how I left it. As long as the mages are liberated, it's a good outcome.

I wish. But someone's got to be insufferably cheerful and uplifting, might as well be me. Great for not getting killed I've noticed!

[He was fairly certain at least one of those things might grab the stranger's attention, but apparently holes in the sky, armies of demons, and all that played second fiddle to that one very short war between the mages and templars. Lad got a chuckle out of the quirk, and thought maybe he should try and elaborate and see if the answer changed.]

Well, Thedas has survived it's fair share of wars, and I was never a fan of the Mage Circle, but one of the fabled magisters that breached the Golden City running out and about with an imitation Archdemon eclipsed that a tiny bit.

[ Sorry, Lad. He's heard that one already, too, and he only looks mildly surprised. ]

Corypheus, right? I'm already familiar. And I'd like to think I did my part the first time we tried to kill him.

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TEST DRIVE: January

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