TEST DRIVE: MAY

[simpathis]

— TEST DRIVE: MAY —

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 Friday, Aoruk April 24th and Applications open Friday, May 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! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format.

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? Positive emotions are going to be particularly effective this time around, especially any type related to love.

• 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: CURRENT EVENT: The Flower Festival is in full swing! Pick one of the many activities available. Relax and watch the flowers, maybe share some cake or other delectable sweets with a partner. Maybe even set up your own kissing booth. Or perhaps you were nominated for the Flower King or Queen? Or won!?

• Prompt E: Every Zephyras season, a flock of small sparrows pass through the island for their migratory flight. Where they come from or where they go is anyone's guess. But this time, the scientists of Verens want to try some new technology to get some answers.

• Grab it! Grab that bird and help bring it to the scientists so they can study it and see if they can find clues as to where it's been.
  
• Protest! Protestors are already working hard to go against the scientists' endeavors. They've heard rumors that the birds would be subjected to extreme animal cruelty, possibly killed for experiments!
  
• Run away! Forget trying to catch them, the birds are attacking! Help!

You also might want to carry an umbrella. There are a lot of birds.

• Prompt F: The toy company that had made the singing whales are back with some new plushies. This time around they are in the shape of long, lizard-like creatures with a bow-tie around their neck, and pig-like creatures in a ballerina dress. The lizard plushies will project the most inner hateful thoughts of the person holding it. The pigs, however, will project the secretive romantic or even lustful thoughts of that person. Needless to say, it's a work in progress.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include (literally) flaming pink birds and/or black garbed assassins.

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

[wrongeye]

"Was that a vague threat??"

Dark One no, please no, for your sake and mine. [Why is he still holding the doll? But he listens to what she has to say.]

Wait, each other? While I'm all for making sure humans pay back their debts in lost goblin lives, what possible reason do you have to turn on your... sisters?

"Specism, not racism!"

[He slams down the plushie down on the ground.]

[former_endboss]

Heh. Well, if you don't want to see it, that's fine.

You talk as if you didn't expect oppressive hierarchies and exploitative power structures to develop independently. Basic divisions even within a society can become toxic over time, and eventually lead to a formerly united and egalitarian group being split up.

[wrongeye]

And you talk as if I've been blind and deaf all my life. Of course I understand. My people have been at the very bottom of any hierarchical ladder since creation. And yes, I'm ashamed to admit that for a time, I allowed my pettiness get in the way of my duty. Differences exist, but our similarities unify us.

We can do... we have to do it differently. Especially after watching a history of so-called PC races wasting how good they have it with their in-fighting.

[former_endboss]

Then you should understand that there is nothing special about a system where you are on the top and a system where you are on the bottom. All that changes from re-arranging the status quo is the nature of the elite. In some ages they are priests, in others kings, in some ages they are known as presidents or scientists or financiers, but they are always smug in their inherent right to rule. The social order that favors them is the one that they support, and the same is true for you, isn't it?

What the heck are you going on about PCs? And even with your ideals, what makes you think any success will last even ten years, let alone a century or ten?

[wrongeye]

[There are so many things he wants to say right now. So many. But ultimately, given the history of the world he's from, she's right. Well. She can be right. It's totally within possibility. He grits his fangs, baring his tusks, but then... he sighs and his anger ebbs.]

... If we got our equal playing field and then, somehow, still botched it up? Whatever comes our way, we deserve. But as long as the world we're on is designed for goblinkind to fail, there's nothing else that can be done besides going spring cleaning on the way social hierarchies work.

[He kneels down and picks up the lizard plush.]

Your home's equally mutual exploitations are at least still equal.

"Can we go back to hating on those square-toothed assholes?"