TEST DRIVE MEME: OCTOBER

[simpathis]

— TEST DRIVE: OCTOBER —

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 Wednesday, September 24th and Applications open Wednesday, October 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: Create any scenario that could cause your character to display some kind of emotion, be it big or small, and write out how it changes the immediate area. Are there literal sparkles everywhere because they're so happy? Or is the ground starting to twist and warp due to their anger or frustration? Things exploding? Rain clouds? Since this is a test drive, don't worry about any limitations on effects—just write whatever comes to mind! OR write a prompt where they're the ones being affected by someone else's emotion.

• 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: How good is your character using an elemental core? They're magic-like rocks that have one of the three following elements: fire, air, and water. On their own they're not too bad, but they are quite sensitive to emotions. Be careful or that little handwarmer could suddenly create a small blazing inferno!

• Prompt E: Steampunk technology is a lot more advanced than basic medieval technology, but still inferior to modern day devices. No electricity, no cars—just this strange magitech, steam, and clockwork gear systems. How "tech savvy" is your character now?

• Prompt F: BONUS EVENT BASED PROMPT! You were just minding your own business when suddenly you and another person swap emotions. Were they upset and you were calm? Well now you are upset and they're the one trying to calm you down! For this prompt, you can either just have your character a target for someone else to swap with, or you can already have them experiencing some kind of emotion to be swapped with.

• Prompt G: Make your own! It can even involve bulls and a bucket.

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

Jacqli|Ar Tonelico

[former_endboss]

B

[Fran the Chef might not pay well, but she pays regular, and Jacqli can still do other jobs on the side. That doesn't excuse her policy of open carry though, nor her oddly designed maid outfit. I mean, that's not standard uniform for waitstaff! And she isn't even trying to make this a pleasant dining experience-color and taste seems flat when she's near a table. Of course, that's what happens when the waitstaff is bored in Empathias.

Maybe you know Jacqli and are aware of how hard she's working to saveup money. Or maybe the bags under her eyes are the tip off. Whatever the reason-try and brighten up her day, before the doom and gloom ruins your meal. Or just, you know, tell her off like everyone else does for not being sufficiently cheery about this whole situation.]

D
[You might have seen people use elemental cores before. But you've probably never seen someone sing a hymn to one in order to stoke a forge. Jacqli's got her hair tied up, and is singing loudly as she works the metal over the heat, preparing to make something. Maybe it's a commission, maybe it's just a private project for her own use, but she's definitely not the sort you think of to be a blacksmith.]

B

[opportunitycosts]

[despite the. questionable. weaponry, he can appreciate a lady who knows her way around handguns. even without that, how could he ignore a clearly exhausted lady?]

You know, out of all the staff here, I've noticed that you've been working the hardest. Why not take a break?

[former_endboss]

I can't earn tips on break. And I need the money. There's nothing like a grand committee here for me to submit my ideas to fund my research.

[opportunitycosts]

You also can't earn tips if you start stumbling and falling asleep on the job from overwork.

[not said meanly, but he has a point.]

Making money is great and all, but it's not about the quantity—it's the quality.

[he raises a hand.]

Take it from a businessman himself. I know if I were your boss and saw you like this, I'd force you to take a break. Definitely wouldn't be making any tips then, right?

[former_endboss]

Then you wouldn't know me very well if you think I'm going to start falling asleep from a little thing like exhaustion.

[Boredom, on the other hand, can knock her flat on her back in no time at all. She even falls asleep mid-battle.]

And since you're not my boss, I don't think I'm inclined to listen to you. Don't ascribe human frailty to me.

[opportunitycosts]

[well. that gets a little surprised look.]

You're not human?

[former_endboss]

I'm a Reyvateil and proud of it. A song that sings herself.

[And indeed, her mood seems to brighten and the air is full of distant singing.]

[opportunitycosts]

[...wow. was not expecting that. but rather than be weirded out, he's just curious.]

A Reyvateil? Can't say I've ever heard of your kind before. But I'm going to guess it's related to music somehow?

[former_endboss]

Didn't I just describe myself as a song that sings herself? Haven't you heard of the 'music of creation?' In my world, it's more than just a phrase-the right song, with the right emotion, can work literal miracles.

D

[has_a_blog]

Isn't this like the fourth time she's reforged this sword? Let's not over think this.

"So how does that work? I thought the cores only responded to emotions."

Re: D

[former_endboss]

Hey, repeat business is repeat business. And maybe this time, it won't have whatever flaw he keeps finding in the damn blade.

"Try to tell me that good music doesn't make your emotions respond. You're got to put some meaning into it, or else it won't have any power at all. I thought you knew this stuff, being a musician yourself."

Re: D

[has_a_blog]

"Obviously my beats are sick, that was never in question." He said without any particular enthusiasm.

"I guess music wasn't really a huge emotional outlet for me. It's just something to kill time."

D

[former_endboss]

"No offense, but that wouldn't have cut the mustard if you'd been composing for me or my friends." Jacqli reached down and grabbed the blade with her tongs, taking the split pieces over to the anvil. "You might want to stand back, this is going to take a while."

The steel is already good, so no sparks fly when it's struck, or hardly any. But still, it should be plain within a few strokes that the plan is basically to hammer the blade back into an ingot before drawing it out again.

[has_a_blog]

"Then your friends have shitty taste. I hate to be the one to have to break this news to you."

He did step back though. "I just hope the emotional anguish you're obviously going through right now isn't gonna fuck up all those cores."

[former_endboss]

"I'm just saying, if we can't put emotion behind it, Reyvateils can't get any magic from a song." Oh, is that how her weird Bard-Wizard thing works? Or whatever RPG mechanic you want to use.

She just rolled her eyes at that remark. "You keep snapping blades, and I can't weld them back whole without compromising their strength. I can make it whole like this instead of fixing pieces together, even if it takes longer."

[has_a_blog]

"It's a talent. My bro's is unbreakable, but all I get is these legendary pieces of shit. They snap in a strong breeze."

[former_endboss]

"Sure, just keep telling yourself that. Though if you want a legendary piece of shit, I can forge that to."

You do know this is going to take a few hours, at the least, don't you Dave? I mean, she has a power hammer, but that thing is not for fine work.

D

[shanghaiworld]

[Did the rather pale girl over there just sing, while working some metal and fire? Actually, was it her imagination, or did it seem to make that forge work... better? Alice isn't well versed in metallurgy, but that's certainly what it seemed like.

The song was a bit weird as well. She wasn't paying a whole lot of attention, so she may have heard some other things, but she could swear what she heard was... not something she knows how to describe. How annoying. But interesting. The girl seems busy, so biding time and sitting back seems like a good idea.]

Re: D

[former_endboss]

[The song, if Alice can process it, is in a strange language that almost, but not quite, sounds like a mash-up of German, Japanese and Sanskrit of all things. But despite that, it's complete gibberish, despite the nagging sensation that you know exactly what she's saying. Like a magic-eye painting for your ears, where you can only decipher the meaning by looking beyond the physical substance of the material.

Up close, the forge is heated by little more than a single element core set to blazing inferno, and it's owner is keeping it powered up, presumeably, by singing and keeping her own emotions high and focused.]

[shanghaiworld]

[Paying more attention now, Alice is puzzled. It sounds familiar yet somehow, not at all. But there is just a feeling to it. It's really quite strange. Then again, she's not an expert on singing. They always do seem to have some effect on people.

Looking at the actual person however, makes Alice feel a little foolish for not seeing something like that sooner. Usually people in this line of work have a form of body or muscle mass, right? That certainly isn't the case here, from what she is looking at. Yet it seems everything is going fine.]

[former_endboss]

[ Well, despite not having the muscles to back it up, this girl seems to be handling it fine, yeah. Maybe it's magic. maybe it's skill. Maybe it's something from both categories? True, she does have a power-hammer set up by her forge, so she can get away with a little less shoulder stength.

Still, she seems satisfied with the temperature of her metal and she's going to take it out of the flame now, and notice Alice.]

Be with you in a bit.

[shanghaiworld]

[Err, crap. She didn't exactly plan on being noticed like that just yet. While yes, she had some things she wanted to ask, she hadn't yet thought of how to go about that.

But it looks like she has a small bit of time, so let's start thinking on that one...

She does give a nod in response though.]

[former_endboss]

[Alice can watch as, under the force of a power hammer and a roller, the metal is drawn out into first a bar, then a sheet, apparently as part of some larger project as Jacqli then carries it over to compare it to a form...for what looks like an arm far bigger than a human's.]

So, are you here to commission something?

[shanghaiworld]

[... The fuck?]

No, no, I was just wondering about what was going on here... now, even more so. Are you trying to build a giant metal doll?

[Wait, wait, she's heard a word for this one before...]

A robot perhaps?

[former_endboss]

Something like that. I'm working to rebuild my ELMA-DSRX Custom. It didn't come with me, so I'm looking into sourcing and manufacturing the parts I'll need to build another one.

[She grimaces slightly and then admits...]

It's hardly easy, it turns out.