TEST DRIVE: February

[empevents]

— 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.

1. 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.
   
2. 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.
   
3. 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.

1. 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!
   
2. 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.
   
3. 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!

1. 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!
   
2. 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?
   
3. 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!

Comments

[inheirence]

[ Even though a part of him thinks that he shouldn't look too pleased with himself after that, Oscar can't help but smile and straighten up a bit at the commendation. ]

Yeah, I guess so! Thank you for your help back there, by the way.

[ And then he starts to laughs again, though since his breathing hasn't quite returned to normal yet, it doesn't last long. ]

The look on that guy's face when you stole his hot dog was... well, it was pretty funny.

[viasun]

Hey, I'm not gonna let some guy push other people around. Don't mention it.

[Oh, right! The hot dog! Sun grabs it from between his tail and brushes off the squished bun that's soggy thanks to the messy condiments, and he makes a face at it.]

Man, I don't think this is edible anymore...

[AS IF HE WAS GOING TO EAT IT AT ALL???]

[inheirence]

[ That is one unappealing hot dog... Oscar pulls a face as well, but then an idea occurs to him. After rummaging around in his pockets for a few seconds, he pulls out some of the money given to him at the Welcome Centre when he arrived. ]

Here, I'll buy you a new one.

[ It's the least he can do! Though as soon as he says it, his stomach objects with a rumble, and he dips his head in embarrassment. ]

And... maybe I should get something, too.

[viasun]

[Sun gestures a hand in front of him, and he pushes Oscar's sylvs towards his chest and away. He isn't about to make him pay for his lunch, no matter how hungry he is. The kid's gotta find a way to pay his own way through today.]

Nah, you don't gotta buy me anything... I think I've got enough for something. Least they don't leave us newbies high and dry.

[He grins when he hears the rumble from Oscar's stomach, and Sun's hand moves to rest on his hip, and he looks around.]

Got anything in mind? I bet anything's better than whatever the radio station had.

[inheirence]

[ He reluctantly returns the coins to his pocket for now before considering Sun's question and giving a shake of his head. ]

No, not really. I've never actually eaten out before, so...

[ From a little ways down the street, a door opens as people step inside, and the smell that wafts out catches Oscar's attention. There's a sign outside that reads 'Dinah's Dashing Diner' — okay, that name could use some work, but at least it's close, and they might even have hot dogs! ]

Hey, what about over there?

[viasun]

[Sun nods, swaying his tail along in agreement and trudges on to lead the way, expecting Oscar to follow not far behind him. It looks a little homey, like a Ma and Pa's place, so he can assume the food there will be stellar. Those were always the best kinds of places.

He turns to face Oscar, stepping backwards, and laces his hands behind his head.]

You mean you've never eaten out, ever?

[inheirence]

[ And follow behind he does, rubbing his neck sheepishly! ]

My aunt always cooked for us, and, well, there wasn't anything around, anyway.

[ Even after arriving in Mistral, he'd been too busy training to go check out the city and the things it had to offer. So when they reach the diner, he lets his hand fall and steps forward to peer in through the window, a smile forming as he takes in the steampunk-y interior. ]

But it's like you said. There's a first time for everything, right?

[viasun]

Yeah, guess I kinda did say that, didn't I?

[He offers a sheepish smile back to Oscar as he joins in peeking through the window, pressing his face up against the glass. It looks so... warm inside -- so warm that it makes the air around them seem a little brighter, like the sun itself is burning more than normal, even in the cooler weather.]

Lucky us, then. That's two firsts in less than an hour.

[He moves to the door and swings it open.]

C'mon, we're totally on a roll. We aren't gonna get much eating done standing around outside.

[inheirence]

Okay!

[ With a hearty nod, he walks on through, and once they're both inside, a waitress passes by and raises an eyebrow at their appearances before pointing out a nearby table and then moving along. Oscar takes a seat and helps himself to a napkin, glancing through one of the menus left there as he wipes the ketchup off his face. ]

Wow, there sure are a lot of choices. Even for drinks...

[ He hasn't made it past the beverages section yet and he's already impressed! ]

[viasun]

[Once they're at their table, Sun leans back in his chair, tilting it on its back legs but maintaining his balance pretty well. A menu's in his hands, and he already knows what he's craving.]

It is a restaurant.

[He's still floored that Oscar's never been to one before. That's something everyone should experience in their lives, but at least he's getting to do it now?]

Just wait 'til you get to the food.