TEST DRIVE: JANUARY

[empevents]

— 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 Friday, December 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open Friday, January 1st.
  
  
• OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are currently allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.
  
  
• 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. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!

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?

• 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. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.

• 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: A new card game is sweeping through the streets of Verens: "Magica Ex Arehtei." Players take on the role of an Otherworlder and form battle decks out of minions, monsters, dunamis, and even the Arehtei themselves. It’s insanely complicated in its details, but this hasn’t stopped a seller from handing you a starter deck and all but pushing you into a chair to face an opponent… who may have just been conscripted themselves.

• Prompt E: After a long period of quiet (something about ‘emotional and physical harm to Empatheias’ and ‘manufacturing plush weapons without a Class E(X) license’), toy manufacturers have flooded merchant stalls and storefronts with a new offering, the hyper-cute stuffed Thras. No negative emotions, they promise! Plush Thras is so full of bravery, he’ll inspire anyone who holds him to new heights of courage and valor!

Naturally, magiscience has gone too far, and picking up the doll instills you with vigor, energy, and fearlessness past the point of recklessness.

• Prompt F: Thundersnow! A phenomenon in which a snowstorm is accompanied by lightning and thunder, and not a terribly uncommon one in Empatheias. But today’s thundersnow is more like an apocablizzard -- lighting lashes through the sky and lances down to catch buildings and trees with its fury, all hidden behind whirling sheets of billowing snowflakes that have blanketed the city in a foot of snow with no sign of stopping.

The outside is cold, windy, miserable, and potentially dangerous. Are you trapped in a building you didn’t expect to be in? Or perhaps you’ve joined up with an emergency emotion squad, trying to impose calm or cheer on the raging storm?

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include lumps of coal or moose.

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

[explodewiththerage]

[Nope he's innocent as a babe.]

Oooo fishing sounds like a great way to see what kind of animals live around here.

[celestial_wizard]

[ Innocent her foot! ]

Hehe, yeah, I thought you might think so. We'll look into it tomorrow.

[ And since it usually took a while to catch something, she could sit and read or write while he fished. She glanced at him, her meal mostly finished. ]

Do you want seconds still?

[explodewiththerage]

[SHe has no proof otherwise!]

Mmmm yeah I'll have seconds. Would hate to let it waste.

[celestial_wizard]

[ Maybe not BUT SHE KNOWS. ]

Well don't force yourself if you're full! I can still salvage this for tomorrow.

[ Or well, she could if anything was left over. Though with Natsu wanting seconds, that would finish it off quite nicely, as she pours the rest of the curry into his bowl. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[He knows he's innocent tho!]

Not forcing myself at all. This is so good~

[celestial_wizard]

[ She totally knows he isn't! Being innocent through cluelessness doesn't count. :> Lucy smiled softly as she watched him enjoy the food so much. ]

Haha, it's funny, it even tastes different from how I made it back home, but I didn't really used anything different ingredients. Maybe it's just the way they're prepared here before they're sold.

[explodewiththerage]

[You just made that rule up didn't you?]

Yeah I noticed that too. Maybe the ingredients just work differently in this place. Either way I can't complain really.

[celestial_wizard]

[ Who me? Nevah. It was just in the uh..fine print. ]

Mm, same here. Help me clean up the dishes?

[ By which she means 'don't lick them clean'. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Suuure it is.]

Huh? Oh okay. I'll even dry em off for you.

[celestial_wizard]

[ Well did you read the handbook? Huh? Didja? Didja? ]

Yeah? Okay then, I'll wash, you dry.

[ That was a pretty fair plan - and it wasn't like there was a lot to wash. Gathering up the bowls, she trotted into the kitchen with him, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[What handbook? wonders if the pile of ash was that thing?]

Sounds like a plan!

[He quickly takes up his place by Lucy's side and starts flash drying the bowls and plates as they are handed to him. Literally flash drying.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ This is why we can't have nice things; you burn up the rules and handbooks all the time! XD ]

You're such a show off.

[ She can't help but tease him for flash drying the dishware, though she appreciated it. It made doing humdrum chores like this less tedious. ]

Just don't get too fancy when you're doing that - I don't want to turn and see you start juggling these or something.

[ ... she shouldn't give him ideas. Can he even juggle? ]

[explodewiththerage]

[HE just chuckles and shakes his head.]

I'd need more bowls to pull off a cool routine with that.

[Seems the idea is not that unlikely though. Oh no~]

[celestial_wizard]

[ Oh that's all she needs, having enough dishes in the sink for him to flash dry them while juggling. ]

You can put THAT idea out of your head, Natsu~!

[ She chuckled, nabbing a towel to dry her hands and giving a stretch. ]

[explodewiththerage]

What you think I can't do it?

[Oh dear is she making it a challenge? This might not end well. The last thing he does flashdry is his hands before padding up closer to Lucy to poke at her side while she's stretching.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ That's not what she meant! ]

Wha... T.. That's not what I said at Aa-ckk!

[ No fair poking her in the side when she's mid-sentence! Her words end abruptly with a squeak and she hops back, protecting her poor ticklish spots. ]

Quit that!

[explodewiththerage]

I don't think so~ That was too fun just now~

[He suddenly makes another poke this time at her other side]

[celestial_wizard]

HYAAH!~!

[ Another squeak, and this time she backed away, towel in hands as she snapped it at him to keep him at bay. ]

Back! Back I say!

[ Down dragon! No tickling the celestial mage princess! ]

[explodewiththerage]

Oh you think that's gonna keep me away~?

[He says prowling after Lucy circling around to bring her with her back to the sofa.]

[celestial_wizard]

That's the idea...!

[ She giggles, towel-snapping her 'weapon' at him when he got too close. ]

Down! Down, dragon! Hya--hahaha~!

[ Although she wasn't..paying attention to the fact that he was steadily maneuvering her into a sneaky spot - i.e. the couch behind her. Uhoh! ]

[explodewiththerage]

That only works on a small pet you know~

[Just one more step. One more step and he'll pounce.]

[celestial_wizard]

Well, it's working on you - does that mean you're a small pet?

[ She giggled, aiming a whop of a towel at his arm. Stepping back, her calf bumped against the couch, startling her enough to throw a quick glance behind her. ]

Huh? Oh - whoops! [ Well that's easily rectified! She can just move -- right? ]

[explodewiththerage]

Is it really? What if I'm just staying back on purpose?

[ANd that is all to do...this! As he lunges at her which sends them tumbling onto the couch!]

[celestial_wizard]

Eh? Why would yo-AAII!

[ ATTACKING DRAGON! ATTACKING DRAGON! She flailed with that startled shriek, tumbling back onto the couch in surprise! ]

Natsu...!!

[ This is somehow unfair! ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Grinning, the dragon towers over his defeated prey!]

See~? I told you it wouldn't work.