empatheias_ooc | TEST DRIVE: February

Entry tags:

*test drive

TEST DRIVE: February

— TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY —

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 January 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on February 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: The trade agreement between Verens and Briarlan is in full swing, with the opening of Verens’ very first radio station! As an amplitude moderation (AM) only radio station, it will focus more on news and talk shows than music. That doesn’t mean it’ll lack for education or entertainment, as home radio sets begin to be sold throughout the city. Speaking of which, as a new entertainment business installed in the city’s economy, it can offer something else to the Otherworlders: employment! And a party! Enjoy.

Open Invitation: As soon as the new technology is installed and tested to perfection, the station organises a party to celebrate its grand opening. Invitations are distributed like fliers; in the eyes of the new station, the more party attendees, the better. Held both inside the station and on the block outside of it, there are tables upon tables of cake, cookies, passe horderves, and non-alcoholic beverages. Go ahead and mingle! Every half hour or so, the radio talk show hosts will invite someone on the outside podium to try and entertain the crowd.
What’s Your Favourite Colour?: So, you would like to work as a radio talk show host! It’s open auditions and you’re either the person demonstrating your interviewing acumen as a potential radio jockey, or you're the person being paid 50 sylvs to allow yourself to be interviews on-air. Either way, the day certainly won’t be wasted. Feel free to improvise to your heart’s content or use a handy list of interview questions and suggestions provided by the people proctoring the auditions. There’s also cookies and juice boxes available but try not to talk with your mouth full on air.
Five Nights at Radio Shack: Didn’t cut it as a potential radio personality? Not to worry, the station needs janitors too! Because they hire on week-long contracts, it can be considered more of a temp gig than anything--which is for the best, because the basement underneath the station is dark, vast and labyrinthine. The tasks required are mopping, dusting, taking out the garbage and bringing any equipment from the basement to the ground floor. If there are creaking noises, whispers, giggles, faint voices, all of it can be explained by natural phenomenon or radio interference piping through the walls. Those footsteps, on the other hand...

• Prompt E: A necessary industry of any society is beekeeping, and Verens is no different. Giant bee skeps for equally giant bees need their honey and comb collected, too. Typically, this task is handled by beekeepers and their assistants. It’s a little different this month, however; due to a significant increase in the amount of honey the bees are producing, they’ve recruited outside help. Volunteers get 70 sylvs per day of work as payment and a jar of honey as a goodwill gift.

Honey and Gather: Honey gathering! Due to the unorthodox bees, the skeps are the size of large houses with many twisting corridors and convenient openings for volunteers to enter. The task is simple: in groups of two, wander the hives, collect the comb, and let the honey drain into the buckets provided. Once the bucket is full, bring it back to the closest beekeeper’s household. Get a new bucket, rinse and repeat. Easy, right? A typical large bee is about the size of a person, with the queen being the size of a midsize car. They are friendly enough, although quite curious and prone to brief fits of territorial displays if they feel their home is being intruded upon. Good thing they’re susceptible to Dunamis!
A Queen Imperiled: Unfortunately, opening the skeps to volunteers also makes the beekeeping industry susceptible to mischief and theft. While the worker bees were distracted by the presence of people, a group of poachers managed to get in and steal away the queen bee. Getting her back before she’s sold is imperative, and the beekeepers are willing to pay a hefty reward. Track the poachers to their hideout several few miles away, dispatch them as best you can, and bring the queen back to her people. They need her.
Let Me Be Your Wings: Good news! Now that the queen has been rescued, she is grateful and accommodating to her saviours -- enough so that she is willing to give people a ride back to her home. There’s no need to be afraid, she’s twice as sturdy as a horse. The bad news? Her wing took an unfortunate hit during her capture and she can only make part of the journey. Hopefully whoever rescued her has a plan to transport her the rest of the way back. Ever gone bee walking? It’s a bit less agreeable than dog walking.

• Prompt F: Selenium, the holiday to commemorate and remember lost and loved ones is coming up soon. It will be held in Theasthai, which requires some travel for those in Verens, but with teleporters, it should be easy to get there and get back to the city. It's not the most cheerful of events, but it seems that some of the organisers are more eccentric than traditional. It must have been why they were hired!

The Ring: A few months ago, children (and people who looked like children) received unsigned letters and were found at a bottom of a well in the forest three days later. Investigations led Enforcers to believe that this strange phenomenon was caused by a girl named "Samantha" who passed away in the hospital years ago. In order to let Samantha's spirit enter the realm of the dead properly, the eccentric organiser for Selenium is hosting a wrestling competition at the city square. Samantha's dream was to be a pro-wrestler, and a small festival that shows sportsmanship and competition might help her find peace. Put on a body suit, enter the ring, and tackle your opponent to the ground! Of course, this may or may not be a voluntary thing. . . said organiser can be rather pushy and just shove the suit onto anybody nearby. It's for the sake of the spirits, she says!
Wishing Stairs: One of the temples in Verens has now become a festival attraction. Booths serving small Arehtei-related trinkets can be found at the top of the stairs, and they're lined up leading to the bell at the centre of the temple. Ringing the bell will send a message to the dead, wherever they may be. It's a calling of sorts to them—a means of telling them that Selenium is coming soon and that their loved ones will be connecting with them soon. There is a catch, though. . . going up the staircase up to the temple is a bit challenging. Salt is spread on each step with only two small circular spots for someone to step on. It's said that making it to the top of the staircase without getting any salt on one's shoes means that their wish will come true. Why don't you give it a try?
Shutter: Photographs in Empatheias are still sepia toned, compared to the more modern and futuristic worlds some Otherworlders are from. One of Selenium's organisers got wind of how photos are important to the dead—even more so to those of the living—as it's how they remain alive. One of the halls in the city is now occupied by some Thespian organisers and their Verens counterparts, and they are requesting for assistance in gluing, piecing together, and repairing photographs. The photos are scattered all over the tables in the hall: some are torn, some have ink blots or food stains which need to be cleaned, and some have been folded too much that the creases have deformed the faces in the photograph. Those who wish to assist in this endeavour will receive a plateful of warm butter cookies, hot chocolate, and 200 sylvs. Just watch out, though, because sometimes, the subjects of the photos seem to move when no one's looking.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include sunflowers and/or bear cubs.

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Hakuno gives her a slightly dubious smile, but doesn't press the issue. Maybe this is a gross misuse of divine power, but maybe it'll at least go toward a good cause?

She starts to open her mouth to say something after all, but they reach the top of the stairs and she trails off. If the temple aesthetic wasn't doing enough to remind Hakuno of the Millennium Capital, the cute little festival stalls set up around the temple sure do the trick.]

Wow... This is a lot more elaborate than I was expecting. It really is like a full-fledged festival, isn't it?

[It is, and Tamamo's immediately in high spirits. In fact, there's a bit of sunlight shining from her tail...]

That's right! And of course, when it comes to festivals, there's always one super-important thing, isn't there?

[Hakuno notices Tamamo shining a bit more, but chalks it up to the improvement in her attitude - she's been known to sparkle when she's particularly happy after all. She considers how to answer her.]

[(X) Going with someone special, right?]
[( ) Eating a lot of tasty food!]
[( ) Those goldfish-catching games?]

[man she was thinking the food one...]

Kyaaa, you said it! Now that it's come to this... Come, my Husband! Let's have a lovey-dovey date here, sweet enough to make all the others jealous!

[Crap, there goes a Bond Level opportunity.]

Ha, alright, what did you want to do first?

[She leans a little more against Caster's arm, looking between the stalls for what kind of attractions they've set up here. She idly wonders if getting a kitsune mask would be offensive to Tamamo, but makes a point not to ask out loud.]

[it's okay, if we knock back like seven jars of sake the bond level will go up

extella's bond rules are weird.]

Hm... If it's a festival, we have to try the festival food! Ehehe... Of course, if you'd like, I can make some nicer clothes for us, too.

[No that sounds pretty reasonable actually, that much sake is bound to improve their relationship.

Hakuno looks down at the same dress she arrived in, a simple white number. She's got some simple sandals since she arrived, since going around a strange new world barefoot was going to be... inadvisable. But aside from that, she hasn't really updated her wardrobe.]

Now that you mention it, I am pretty hungry. Some new clothes sound good, too.

[... As long as the process to change them doesn't work the same way her and Saber's Moon Crux transformation works. These fine festival workers don't need to see them go full Sailor Moon on their doorstep.]

Hm... A transformation might be fun, too!

[caster are you peeking at her bracket text.]

But, have you forgotten, dear? I am a Caster. I have Item Construction, after all! Though, I may have slightly altered it a bit to suit me better... But something like new clothes are easy to get!

[Not instilling a lot of confidence in her here, honey. Hakuno lets it pass, though, because looking that statement in the eye can only end poorly for her.]

Oh, yeah, you had an ability like that, huh...

[Hakuno furrows her brow, trying to remember if she ever actually saw her use it before ~~in Extra~~.]

That's pretty convenient, though. Do we need any crafting materials to make it work?

[And does she need to sign off on the final design to make sure she doesn't end up showing as much skin as Tamamo?]

Not at all! All I have to do is say that... we're getting married!

[Suddenly, there's an extremely localized rain nearby, even though the sun is still shining... And someone just rushes up and hands over an red kimono????]

Skill: Fox's Wedding, rank: EX! Ehehe... It's the power of love!

[Hakuno looks around to look for where the sound of rain is coming from, and is a bit taken aback when someone shoves a kimono into her arms. Wait, a red kimono?

... Maybe she should be glad that Tamamo didn't get her a black kimono, given how she always insists on calling her Husband (it's cute, but there are still steps that would be too far). But still, they're not having a REAL wedding, right? It wouldn't be right to have one without Nero, and Altera should be there too. But, well, if they're just wearing the kimonos, that should be okay.]

Wow! It looks great! Let's look for a place to change.

[She'll... probably need help getting into it.]

[listen

she thought about it.

but if she was going to actually do their wedding it would need much more pomp and circumstance.

also she has somehow acquired a set of clothes for herself?]

Then, there's one quick and easy way to find a place for it!

[As long as she doesn't have to wear some big poofy wig and her brides don't get into a fistfight, Hakuno can pretty much just roll with it.]

Um... Ask somebody at one of the stalls?

[Why does she always feel a little nervous when Caster asks her questions like this?]

With a scene transition!

[And then, a few moments later, they're changed, with Tamamo finally playing up the miko part of miko fox.]

[Hakuno looks around, and briefly wonders what just happened to the last 15 minutes or so. Ultimately she chalks it up to her memory issues and decides to carry on. It was probably nothing important anyway.]

You look great! I hope the temple people don't mind you wearing that, though.

[It's probably not a Shinto shrine anyway so it's not likely a big deal, but still. Can't be too careful. Hakuno checks the sash on her kimono and fiddles with the sleeves.]

I don't think I've ever worn anything like this before. It's nice. Kind of... swishy. How does it look?

[don't question the scene transitions, hakuno]

It's absolutely wonderful! You look adorable!

[... not that she'd ever say anything otherwise, but she's being honest]

Hm, the red was a good choice... It complements your hair nicely!

[Even when she knows it's coming and she's expecting it, Tamamo's flattery manages to get Hakuno's cheeks red. And her servant knows her well enough to know that she's weak to compliments on her hair.]

You think so? It almost feels a little too big... But it's not bad. I like it.

[She smiles and manages to stop messing with the sleeves long enough to come back over and take Caster's arm again.]

Now that we're appropriately dressed, let's go check out the festival.

No, no, it fits you perfectly! Your beautiful Tamamo's eye is never wrong!

[That said, she's latching onto Hakuno's arm.]

Our first stop: The festival food!

[Hakuno nods energetically and follows Tamamo’s lead along the rows of stands. There’s not too much bustle, but just enough to make Hakuno stick closer to Tamamo to avoid losing track of her amongst the crowd of generally taller people. Tamamo wasn’t exaggerating, it really does feel like a lovey-dovey kind of date. Of course, it’s not hard to feel romantic while walking along such festive settings with a beautiful woman by your side, wearing fancy clothes, and trying out new and tasty foods. It almost feels like a dream. But her Mind and Soul have been reunited and that floating, bodiless haze no longer clouds her senses, and everything is perfectly clear. Which is good, because that means she can enjoy a nice time with Tamamo without any lingering doubts about herself.

And, also, she can enjoy all these new foods, which she eyes intently as they pass by the various stands.]

So, do you have any preferences?

Edited 2018-01-21 23:46 (UTC)

Aburaage!! ... Or so I'd like to say, but that's not really a common food here...

[She pouts a little bit.]

If it's a festival, cotton candy or caramel apples are the traditional choices, right?

Oh, cotton candy sounds good.

[Fluffy, pink, sugary, it's almost like it reminds her of someone.]

Um, do you mind paying? I... haven't really figured out the money system here yet...

[She grins sheepishly. She hadn't really planned on being a deadbeat husband.]

Of course! A household shares finances, after all! Though it's a bit different to not simply be able to have it as Queen... But I'm sure we'll be able to fix that in time!

[become a queen, hakuno, RULE EMPATHEIAS]

[WE'VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD TAMAMO.]

R-Right, I'll work hard to get a job soon, then.

[So there'll be no need for any conquest or anything like that. There's a lot to be said about being an honest breadwinner! Like being able to afford cheap junk food at quaint little holiday stands!]

It won't be hard for someone as talented as you! I've even done a few odds and ends to earn a bit of money here and there...

[like clean tables, which then turned into a fight to the death

let's never tell hakuno about that]

But since you're finally here, why don't you decide where to go?

I'll figure something out.

[Talented, huh? She's... pretty sure that she still hasn't found anything she'd actually qualify as a talent. Conflict resolution? Child murder? Anything that comes to mind is... unfortunately specialized. She'll have to get creative, it seems.

At any rate, though, she takes Tamamo's cue and hunts down a food stand with some assorted snacks and candy. After they come away with a set of fluffy sugar piles (Hakuno's being pink, Tamamo's being purple), Hakuno takes her time popping little bits of the stuff into her mouth.]

Mmm, it's good. Kind of weird, like I'm eating a cloud. But it's really sweet! Here, try some, does it taste any different? Were they different flavors?

[She takes a bit of her cotton candy and holds it out for Tamamo.]

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