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

2/2

[spiritofjustice]

Oh! I've got one! What do you call a snobbish prisoner going down the stairs? ...... A condescending con descending!

[Hahaha, so very clever.]

[lawlyer]

Ahahaha! ( Now, there's a joke that sends a thrill up her spine. ) Some classic criminal word play, I'd like to see more of that! Got any others for me?

[spiritofjustice]

[More criminal wordplay? She's come to the right address, then. He's got lots of those.]

Did you hear the one about the kleptomaniac's daughter? ...She took after her mother!

[lawlyer]

( Now he's done it. Calisto throws her head back in hysterical laughter, the kind that makes one wonder how the person involved is even breathing. )

Wow, oh wow. You're just too good!

( One of the light bulbs explodes overhead and Calisto turns her attention to look at it. She straightens up as best as she is able, her expression turning surprisingly sombre surprisingly quickly. )

Oops. Was that too much?

[spiritofjustice]

[The second that light bulb explodes, Bobby starts and jumps back in a comical manner. If Calisto has good eye, she may notice that his own emotions still haven't affected the environment at all, but then... Calisto's amusement is doing enough damage for the both of them.]

Whoah! Careful, now. Comedy isn't all fun and games around here...!

[lawlyer]

( Calisto has noticed it, a bit, but it's always more fun to be the one listening to jokes, rather than telling them. She steps deftly away from the shattered glass, the only trace of laughter left in her expression a curl in the side of her lips. )

They should've given us more warning. I didn't think that was going to happen!

[spiritofjustice]

I didn't think that was going to happen either. I've never seen someone around here laugh so hard that something breaks...

[He pouts, twiddling his fingers together. Now that he stops to think about it, emotional responses have been a little grander these days. Maybe whatever's causing these responses in the first place is on the fritz.]

[lawlyer]

Well, maybe they just haven't had much to laugh at lately. Have you thought about sharing your jokes around more? Hey, you could even start up a comedy routine! It'd be - phwwwh - hilarious.

[spiritofjustice]

[Oh, Calisto no. Don't plant bad ideas into his head. He might actually follow through on something like that.]

Really? You really think I have what it takes? [He sure looks excited at the prospect.]

[lawlyer]

Sure, why not. I'd come watch you.

[spiritofjustice]

Then... Then maybe I'll do it! [...] If I can find the time. Being a hero of justice is a fulltime job.

[lawlyer]

A 'hero of justice'? ( She clamps a hand over her mouth. ) Phwwwh... what's that?

( Withdrawing the hand for now! ) Sounds like a superhero movie! Ahaha!

[spiritofjustice]

Ha hah, I have been called a super detective before! [By a kid who gets excited far too easily and also got the wrong idea about what exactly a detective does, but... Details.]

I'm just a humble, devoted servant of law.

[lawlyer]

( A beat. )

Oh, a detective. You should've just said.

[spiritofjustice]

[That reaction sure crushed his confidence again.]

I did say! I mean, it's virtually the same thing as a hero of justice anyway.

[lawlyer]

I don't know about that. It depends on who you ask, doesn't it?

[spiritofjustice]

Aw, c'mon! Not even criminals can deny that any detective who does his job right is a servant of justice! It's a fact of nature- like gravity.

[lawlyer]

Ooh, I think I get it. A detective doing his job just right drags you down, is that right?

[spiritofjustice]

[He frowns, raises a finger, opens his mouth and closes it again. Then his shoulders slump and he ends up pouting.]

But... I wasn't joking...

[lawlyer]

( She just gazes at him, cool as a cucumber. )

I wasn't either.

[spiritofjustice]

[...Oh...]

... Do you... not like detectives?