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

hahaha

[venera]

[ She may look seven or eight, but Kate's been around for a lot longer than that, having seen many of the mysteries of the world that had existed and since died out. Then again, her maturity level hasn't really moved much past her appearance in a lot of ways. ]

If it's war that must be waged, then it's only natural that we defend ourselves. Fighting is a means to an end, but not the only course of action we can take!

[ Kate is quick to answer, picking out the man from the crowd, speaking to him as if he's below her. ]

A man like you ought to know that sometimes you have to take what you want, instead of sitting around and waiting for others to take action! So which is it, are you a man or a boy?!

[ ...And she completely ignores what he says. ]

LET THE CLASH OF GENRES COMMENCE!

[zetahatsudo]

[Of course she does, Kamille seems to have that kind of luck.]

What I am is disgusted. [Kamille's just giving her the same stare, and the air is starting to chill considerably. Clearly, her ego is great, but he's more than willing to knock her down a peg or two.]

What you're talking about is world conquest. That's more than just war, that's taking over every single country under your banner, and your offer of payment is snacks? Are you even listening to yourself?

[venera]

World conquest is in my blood, it's why I leave my bed in the morning. It's what I eat, it's what I breathe. How dare someone like you try to make it seem like I'm not devoted to this way of life? The future is for anyone to grasp, for the strongest girl out there to take and claim as her own.

[ She's look pretty serious now, not taking any shit from anyone, especially when it comes to her plans for conquest. Plus, she already kinda has Japan under her belt, so how much harder can the rest of the world be? ]

Those brave souls willing to join Zvezda, to throw away the shackles of the boring, common lives they've lived, I share my snacks with as the ultimate show of faith in them. To break bread with a conqueror is to promise to share everything when the time comes, a symbolic gesture to show that I will make a better life for all those who lend me their strength!

[zetahatsudo]

[How much harder? Allow him to demonstrate, then. Kamille's really not amused by your attitude.]

"Devoted to this way of life?" World conquering isn't a way of life, it's the direct manifestation of a person's massive ego, the idea that "I can do this better than anyone else on this planet" taken to the ultimate extreme! [Oh hey, he's no longer giving you that stare, but he still seems pretty pissed off.]

What you're talking about is looking down on the rest of the world, and stomping down on everyone's livelihoods, deeming them worthless in the pursuit of your mad ambition! [The ground's cracking around Kamille, and the air has pretty much super-chilled at this point.] And you think people will just sit there and take it? They will come for you, and they will be perfectly willing to put a bullet in your brain to put an end to that ambition, to protect those 'boring, common lives' they lead! You treat this as if its a game!

[You may have pushed some buttons that Kamille has been trying to hide for a while now. How do you respond?]

[venera]

[ Given that she's been conquering for millennia, it most definitely is a way of life for Kate, though she understands how a normal person could misunderstand her. She's conceited and childish, but not so much that she allows others words to sway her from her goals. Even the sudden change of atmosphere may make her cringe a little, holding her bunny a little closer, but soon she's angry back, growing brighter herself. ]

If someone wants to stop me then they have every right to try do so! But I fight for a cause, one of conquering! I don't want to fight against you or anyone else though...that's why I need you! I can't do it all by myself!

[ She opens her arms toward him, holding Galaktika, her bunny, in one hand. ]

I want to conquer in order to protect this world, as well as any others! The world seeks conquest! Conquest! Conquest! I can hear it's cries!

Conquest of conquest...

for conquest..

by conquest..

This is not a game! This is Conquest!

I'm having fun with this!

[zetahatsudo]

[She's still trying to sell him on this? Is she for real!?]

Don't give me that crap! [The ground has audibly cracked as a crater formed around Kamille, as if testament to his anger.] "The World seeks Conquest!?" Conquest is the last thing any world needs! The number of lives lost for the sake of one person's ambitions will never justify the proposed Utopia that awaits!

And you! You would conquer this world for the sake of protecting it? Your ambitions would drive everyone elses' emotions to such ends that the island itself would crumble! Empatheias would rather take self-destruction over your 'world conquest'! Your 'conquest' would kill us all!

[If it isn't clear, he's saying no.]

haha it's great :D

[venera]

[ Kate's getting annoyed, not only because this man dares to try to tell her that conquering is wrong, but that his presence is currently outdoing her own. And she can't have that. ]

That just shows how little about the true nature of the world you really understand! I have spoken to the people, traveled the world, I know what I have to do!

[ She squeezes on her rabbit without thinking, until she's fired up too, her emotions casting a bright shining light on her like a stage light, until she looks almost sparkling, blindingly bright. ]

I conquer the world to bring fun to everyone! To share our snacks with each other! To live in peace with each other! People hate each other in this world for all different reasons. Religion, land, feuds, I want to take away the need to fight against each other to be united under one banner, to live as one family! That is my future that I strive for!

[ Though to that last part: ]

That is a risk I am willing to take for my ideals!

Ah, fantastic. I also really enjoy the obvious disconnect here

[zetahatsudo]

[Well, she certainly aims high. He'd almost admire her if not for the fact that what she aims for could destroy the livelihoods of countless people. That just means he has to take her seriously.]

Are you, though? [There's a quiet intensity to Kamille's words. Rather than the crater deepening, the air is twisting around him]

Even the noblest of goals can't be achieved without blood being shed. I've seen the lengths people have reached to achieve their dreams, the levels of destruction they were willing to live with. Your goal is to rip the reasons for war right out from under the feet of the people, but that too will just give people a reason to fight you. Are you prepared to fight people unwilling to accept the world you want to create for them, to strike them down in the name of your peace?