TEST DRIVE MEME: JANUARY

[simpathis]

— 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 Thursday, December 25th and Applications open Friday, January 1st.
  
  
• 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!

Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!


PROMPTS

• Prompt A: Things are a bit out of control right now, and that includes your emotions and the elemental cores. Just the slightest feeling will be exaggerated. You were only smiling a little? You're now a walking light bulb. Just a little pout? Strong torrential rain is now over the entire block.

• 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.

• 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: Empatheias is currently experiencing an island-wide blizzard. Several thick inches of snow covers the landscape, and with the city's unusual architecture, falling snow from the eaves of roofs is an actual hazard to be wary about. So what can you do with it? Do you play in it? Throw snowballs? Try to help clear the roads? Or does your mood actually worsen it by creating your own mini blizzard or make a large patch of melt or even turn to rain and pools of water?

• Prompt E: The city is worse for wear and needs help getting fixed up. This can be done one of two ways: physical labor or using positive emotions to help speed the process a long. Which do you try?

• Prompt F: Empatheias doesn't celebrate Christmas, but quite a few of the PCs have decided to celebrate it amongst themselves. Will you help spread the season of joy and free will? Or try to ruin it? Don't forget your emotions will reflect your mood.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It can even involve pigs or a bucket of paint.

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

[raijuu]

[one word immediately pops into Hak's mind the moment he hears Hirato's voice and words: annoying. the kind of annoyance he finds whenever he has to deal with condescending, "better than you" type individuals that Hirato is currently proving himself to be.

however, given the incredible fact that there are no visible weapons let alone no mark on the man—a stark contrast to the men on the ground—perhaps that arrogance isn't just for a show. not that it makes it that much better, but it's something that Hak does note. he doesn't look like a typical fighter, no, but he's not unfamiliar with the concept of others having strange abilities. might not be a dragon, but it could be something similar.

so rather than be provoked by those initial words, he just continues on calmly, idly stepping over unconscious bodies as he hears the reason.]

Doubt it. [just going to voice both of their opinions as he stops just short of Hirato.

he looks even more pompous up close.]

But they might have learned who to stay away from—or who to try and kill later. [said idly.

when it came to bandits, that usually was the course of action, at least in his experience. either they avoid troublesome conflict or get more numbers to try and take down the problem. some might say it was out of pride. Hak would say it's out of stupidity.]

Not that that would be a problem, judging from how you came out of this.

[perspicaciously]

[ Hirato will hold up a finger a smirk touching his lips as he speaks. ] Two things which can easily be remedied with a little bit of force. Either way they were quite amusing to watch.

[ He's all smiles as he says that but his tone is cold, if not biting at the words he speaks. ]

It would have gone smoother if they were more willing to talk than act. But simple-minded individuals often resort to using conflict instead of words. [ It would have gone smoother if Hirato hadn't pissed them off by belittling them too, but details! ]

But seeing as how no townspeople were hurt, it is a job well done. As a member of Circus it is my duty to keep the people safe from such things. Even if Circus and it's correspondents are currently not here I feel it my duty to act as a representative for them at the present time.

[ It's a good test towards making good on the name and gathering supporters in this place. ]

[raijuu]

[not only is the guy annoyingly condescending and pompous, but there's something else to it. Hak has his own level of arrogance and not above taunting others, but there's a difference between himself and the man standing before him. he can sense it—both in personality and power. but he maintains his neutral countenance and focuses on a different part of the conversation.]

Circus? [it's a strange word for him, one he hasn't heard before.] Never heard of it. Does everyone there fight barehanded like you? [not that he really believes the guy did fight barehanded, so this is one way to broach the topic.]

[perspicaciously]

[ He can sense that the word is unfamiliar, especially with the way the other says it. He was definitely not from Hirato's world that was for certain. Everyone knew Circus for the most part, though country bumpkins might not, he wasn't certain. Either way he smiles and nods his head in acknowledgement. ] A defense organization whose purpose is to protect and ease the worries of the people of the world. That is Circus.

[ There's other things that Circus does of course. But he hardly feels the need to disclose such information at the present time. He'll smirk at that clearly amused by the question. He sounds amused when he speaks. ] Barehanded? While these "sorts" would have been an option to use such a method on it is not one I typically use. It's far quicker to use this instead.

[ There's a bracelet on his arm that he doesn't quite motion to but his eyes tick towards it in passing. ] A Circus I.D.

[raijuu]

[protecting the whole world? his brows rise just slightly at the idea. with the way his own world is, it's hard to imagine. but perhaps the situation there is different than his own.] Sounds like a tough job.

[but...not a bad idea if it actually worked. though it does bring questions of who runs the organization and what the definition of "protect" is. is it like policing? or is it actually genuine? the questions just keep sprouting, but he holds off on asking. while he's a bit curious, they're also not exactly that important, especially since it's not like they're sitting down for tea and having a conversation about their lives.

so he glances at the man's wrist, following his eyes.

...]

A bracelet? [he doesn't even bother to hide his skepticism.] What—is it magical?

[perspicaciously]

Your skepticism on the matter is amusing, especially when stuck within a place like this. Where magic and other anomalies have been present the entire time.

[ His tone of voice is amused. How silly to have even an ounce of such a thought in the present world they currently inhabited. He's not going to answer your question though Hak, whoops. He's a jerk like that sometimes so he leaves it up to the others imagination. ]

The question I would like to ask is what is a person such as yourself doing out in such a place as this alone, I wonder?

[raijuu]

[he only shrugs.]

I've only been here a few days—it's still taking some time to get used to. [though he isn't completely ignorant about magic. just only when it comes to dragons. ish.]

And I'll answer your question the same way. In a place where people from all over are gathered, is it really that odd to see someone just wandering around to explore a little?

[not a lie, either.]

[perspicaciously]

The first step towards integration is to accept that which is around you.

[ His facial features don't change as he listens to the other's reply. How cheeky. You're quite the amusing subject aren't you? His tone is dry as he replies in kind. ]

Not at all. But usually one takes in the sights throughout the daylight hours. It make for a far more picturesque view. [ His eyes tick to the fallen men again. He'll heft one of the knocked out thieves at Hak with a smile. ]

However seeing as how the sights are a bit dim in this light, perhaps you'd much prefer to help in returning these men to their rightful place behind bars? [ Even if you don't he's going to push them on you because that's how Hirato rolls, just ask Gareki. ]

[raijuu]

[And now he has garbage in his hands.]

Oi—[Hold on a second!] I'm not cleaning up your mess for you.