memepatheias | TEST DRIVE: February

— TEST DRIVE: FEBRUARY —

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 25 January and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on February 1st. Apps will only be open for four days!
OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are 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!
Transfer to in-game. If accepted, you can assume threads made on the Test Drive happen in-game if the scenario can reasonably fit. For new characters, these threads do not count for activity check. However, these can be supplementary threads for players already in-game.

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: Years ago, there was a short lived collectible card game fad in Verens called Magical Arehtei EX, combining Empatheias lore, the Arehtei and a convoluted rulebook to bring joy and confusion to Otherworlders and locals alike (the convoluted rulebook might be a reason why it fell out of fashion). And the brains behind it have decided now's the perfect time to relaunch it, both bringing back the card game itself, as well as a bunch of merchandise to go with it since even if the card game's confusing, maybe people will buy cool looking toys of the Arehtei and other various fantastic creatures (most of which are basically two or more animals combined together such as a sharkraffe or crabbear).
1. The Gathering: Like before, there will be demos of the game in the city's parks. Anyone around will be invited to try out the game with a partner. Marvel at the artwork, stare in confusion at the still confusing rulebook (simplifying things was not part of the relaunch), or just do whatever with the cards. The event runners want this to be a success so they're not going to frown on people for making up their own rules (it's possible they don't understand the rules either). So long as people are enjoying the game, it'll get people to buy cards and assorted trinkets or so they hope. Either way, emotions are sure to be all over the place as people try to figure this one out!
2. Bug Catcher 1, 2, 3: As mentioned there are toys of the various creatures in the card game (with some artistic liberties taken to make sure the Arehtei aren't going to file suit about their likenesses used). And they've even partnered with a reputable Verens toy company, responsible for such hits as the FeelSpring and other toys from the city's past that had a habit of coming to life. And this is no exception as the toy creatures are now running amok through the city! Instead of being asked to continue playing cards, Otherworlders will be given nets and asked to go collect the wayward toys from all around the city.
3. Pedometer GO: Once all the figures are collected, the event organizers realize they have a way bigger hit on their hands than their weird card game, releasing the creatures into the park again and branding it as their newest hit, Magical Arehtei EX Go! As in go out there and get them. Otherworlders will be paired into groups of two and given a time limit to recover as many of the toys roaming the park as possible and trade them in for fabulous prizes! Which turn out to be a bunch of unsold cards from the relaunch.
• Prompt E: Arumon, a renowned keychain designer, has promised the public that he plans on releasing one more design before he retires for good. If anyone hasn't heard of him until recently, it's because he made that promise 3 years ago, and most of the public has either forgotten about him or just accepted the fact that the final keychain design is never going to be released. Now, after years of delays and being side tracked with other projects (he's also a zipper designer!), he's finally ready to unveil the ultimate keychain! Naturally, the hype train has started to pick up at full-pace again, making this an event not to be missed. All accessory enthusiasts as well as security detail have been invited to the keychain museum, where Arumon's final keychain design is going to be unveiled at 9 o'clock. Are you HYPED?!
1. Passion: Although it's called a keychain museum, tonight it serves more as an event function, encouraging all guests to mingle with one another. Aside from having Arumon's previous keychains on display, there are also free snacks and drinks being served, as well as merchandise shops or even stations where one can create their own keychain using various arts and crafts. Those who arrive will also receive a free random keychain of their own - did you get one that you like? If not, trading with each other is encouraged! And that's not even the best part... the keychains are infused with special crystals, which supposedly act as a compass to your heart. If someone is at the party who is destined to be your friend (or more?), your respective keychains will react to each other by glowing. This is not scientifically proven and the glowing might just be the cause of something else... but hey, who doesn't believe in friendship?
2. Face My Fears: Later in the evening, an unfortunate side effect is discovered from having all of these keychains infused with emotion crystals. Anyone who harbours any negativity in their hearts, be it malicious or the more personal kind (fear, anxiety, sadness, etc), that negativity is fed into the crystal of everyone's keychains. The more the negativity festers, it in turn begins to affect their owners, influencing their behaviour in an even more negative way. Eventually, some crystals become so full that they start to come to life on their own, which results in pet-sized shadow creatures running amok. They're not strong on their own, but a group of them can make them very dangerous! Only those who don't have malice in their hearts can defeat them - if someone doesn't fit the criteria, their options are to either run or hope someone with a good heart helps them.
3. Don’t Think Twice: With the shadow creatures largely dealt with, it's now time to unveil Arumon's final keychain! It's been a long wait, with many years of speculating what it could look like. The crowd couldn't be more ready! Unfortunately, the shadow creatures have spooked Arumon's confidence in his design, not to mention it's infused with the same type of crystal as the one that feeds on negative energy. He can't in good conscience release this to the public, which means he just announced there is going to be another delay. Naturally, the crowd feels cheated and disappointed for letting themselves get hyped up over a keychain. The whole function now starts generating negative energy, which is all being channeled into the box that contains Arumon's final keychain. Anyone who realizes the real danger here is quickly called to the stage and put on a different show for the crowd. Can you dance? Tell jokes? Put on a two-man improv show? Anything will do as long as it keeps the negativity in check! And should you fail? A large shadow creature emerges from Arumon's box... it looks like his final keychain has taken on the form of a boss battle! Once again, rely on those who have good hearts if you plan on fighting it!
• Prompt F: Yet another unusual craze is sweeping over the city of Verens this month, spawning from a popular play that has taken Theasthai by storm. It involves blindfolding oneself and trying to accomplish everyday tasks successfully, and, as usual, people are getting carried away with the idea, creating entire events and gatherings around the phenomenon as its popularity grows and spreads. Known colloquially as “The Puzzle Box Challenge”, everyone seems to be getting in on some of the action, whether that’s participating, or attempting to stop others from getting themselves killed stupidly. After all, this has the Enforcers quite concerned! Which side of the line will you fall on?
1. Password, Please: In the city park, Puzzle Box Challengers have gathered to play an unusual game. Participants are, of course, blindfolded, and are then led at random around the crowded park by event organizers to stand somewhere well away from where they entered and told a secret codeword. Once the bell sounds, participants must find the one other person in the park who has the same codeword as them. Only then can they remove their blindfolds! To make this a bit more difficult, however, participants are only allowed to whisper. Move about carefully, find your partner, and win the game!
2. Anything You Can Do: Certain groups of Puzzle Box Challengers have formed rivalries with one another and are mostly concerned with one-upmanship, to the point of putting themselves in extreme danger. At their next public demonstration of superiority, one group plans to fly an airship while blindfolded, while the other group is aiming to build a barn while blindfolded. Both ideas are ill-advised, of course, and the Enforcers plan to try and stop them, and in response, both groups are recruiting new members to help them complete their task efficiently. Where will you end up? Helping one of the rival groups, or putting a stop to all this nonsense with the Enforcers?
3. Senseless: Yet another extreme group of Puzzle Box Challengers have decided that blindfolds alone are not enough. The real PBC endgame is wearing a blindfold and earmuffs at the same time. Of course, most people aren’t crazy enough to try this without some incentive, so the group is offering a thousand sylvs to anyone who spends a day with both their ears and their eyes covered. And it won’t count if you just stay home, either. Get out there, go grocery shopping, trip over everything and most of all, have fun! Assuming you don’t get yourself killed, anyway.
• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include a baseball cap and/or getting the wrong order at a restaurant.
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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

“You mean like some sort of zombie? Yikes.”

He doesn’t sound especially worried though. This guy seems pretty chill. Never actually seen anything like him though, but this place seems to bring all sorts. He won’t judge.

If he’s trying to get a rise out of Yuri though, he will be disappointed as he just shrugs.

“Nah. I just don’t feel like it.”

At least he’s being honest?

"The Forsaken are no mere, mindless monsters!" Nathanos shoots back instantly, the handle of the net still in his possession snapping as he tightens his grip at the perceived provocation.

Though in the most basic sense Yuri isn't wrong. The undead people known as the Forsaken may have regained their free will, but physically they remain walking and often still rotting corpses. Of course there are those among them that are dedicating their undeath to repairing the bodies of their people and finding ways to slow the decaying process. Nathanos himself had watched his flesh decay further and further over the years. He is merely lucky to have been granted a new body, even if at times it still doesn't entirely feel his own.

The faint scent of smoke interrupts the undead man before he can snarl anything further and his attention is pulled down to his hand, where the net he has just broken has caught fire in response to his sudden flare of anger. He snarls and drops the now properly damaged tool.

At least that settles any further potential toy catching questions for good.

Which doesn't mean that Nathanos is satisfied without further reprimanding the younger man and so the hand that has snapped the net is now raised enough to at least vaguely raise a lecturing index finger "Watch your words in the future, boy!"

Again blinking at the sudden outburst, Yuri watched as the zombie-not-zombie snapped the net and then caused it to spontaneously combust. When a rotting finger was pointed at him though, Yuri didn’t seem to flinch.

“Hey, easy there, big guy.”

How was he supposed to know that “zombie” would be offensive to those of the undead culture?

“Forsaken, huh? So what wickedness did you do in life to become that?”

Is that what happened to evil people in this guy’s world? Instead of going to hell they become living corpses? Yuri is glad he doesn’t have that to look forward to.

Nathanos growls at that and his pointing finger retreats for him to curl his hand into a tight fist once again.

"I defended myself, my home and my people against the Lich King and his invading Scourge. I died doing my duty, but I highly doubt someone like you knows anything about duty."

Crossing his arms now in a clear display of indignation, the undead looks away from Yuri. He won't kill this human, regardless how much he wants to. Killing a human here would only cause him trouble he doesn't need.

Though maybe also a chance to kill further humans. Now wouldn't that be nice... Slaughtering them in their own homes...

...no. No, that won't do. Not yet at least. For now he'll settle with some more grumbling, especially as he watches a particularly clumsy individual trying to capture one of those toys somewhere in the distance. How easy it would be to shoot the toy and that person with two quick arrows...

Looking up sidelong at the undead giant as he explained, Yuri sighed and looked away. His sight falling on the guy scrambling to get that out of control toy also.

“Yeah, maybe,” he replied nonchalantly.

“Sounds like you got the raw end of the deal though.”

Not unlike some knights he had known. Yuri hadn’t expected to hear a sad story. Especially not from a not-zombie.

A humorless snort escapes Nathanos, which is still a bit of a feat for a man that doesn’t breathe anymore.

“Those people I killed while under the Lich King’s control certainly were raw.” He comments dryly, not taking his glowing eyes from the spectacle ahead. Fine, maybe he had been a mindless monster once, but that time has passed. There is little need to dwell on it.

“So you’re some sort of prince, or what? No care in the world but certainly making an easy target of yourself? I could shoot you from halfway across this dreadful city, your Highness.” Nathanos verbally rolls his eyes as he speaks.

“A prince?”

You can practically hear the “ew gross” in his voice. That had to be a first. He can’t remember anyone mistaking him as nobility, and he liked it that way. The idea that this guy did was almost insulting.

“I bet you could, but I dunno what satisfaction you’d get tossing an ordinary guy from the Lower Quarter.”

Not that this guy would know anything about Zaphias or the Lower Quarter, but that’s who he was. Just an ordinary guy from the slums of the imperial capital. Nothing special, and certainly not a prince.

"Looks can and often are used to deceive." Nathanos replies simply. He takes note of Yuri's reaction, then mentally files it away.

"Besides, nobility rarely makes for a truly satisfying kill. Easy kills, more likely. Especially the foolish ones that believe their crown alone makes them invulnerable."

And yet so far he has to encounter a crown that can block the swing of a well aimed ax. Thus, Nathanos chooses not to be fooled.

"You got a point there."

Most nobility couldn't even be bothered with even putting up a fight as they had others do that for them.

"But I've never taken pleasure in killing anyone, anyway."

Fighting yes, killing no. Even if they were slime balls that caused the suffering of innocent people and got away with it. That was just something that needed to be done.

"So I'll just take your word for it."

There is the slightest incline of the Forsaken's head as he takes in those words.

"But you have killed." he observes calmly.

the circumstances may vary, but there's a clear difference between a man that has taken a life when necessary and one that outright refuses any such or similar violence.

Needless to say that Nathanos has little patience for the latter.

“Yeah.”

And that’s all he says about it. Nothing else really needs to be said. Yuri has blood on his hands, but there’s no emotion or remorse behind that brief confession. He’s not sorry he killed them. They deserved it, and justice was served with their deaths. It’s not a job anyone wanted to do, but someone had to.

"Good."

It's a simple response said in a perfectly steady voice. As far as Nathanos is concerned there are many good reasons to kill. Being undead has only added to that list of acceptable reasons.

"It will happen again." he adds with certainty and begins walking away. Away from those idiots that are still chasing their toys. It's not worth his time or nerves.

Good? That's not something he heard all that often. But well, he supposes he couldn't expect any different from a guy who wasn't actually alive anymore.

Most would be mortified at the idea of the things he's done. He was a criminal, and he'd done some pretty shady to downright terrible stuff. All in the name of justice, and so that others wouldn't have to suffer. Of course, he wouldn't wish his position on anyone. He did it so others wouldn't have to.

The thought of it all brought back some pretty dark feelings, and the blades of grass at his feet blackened and curled in on themselves.

There was no comment to the undead's parting words. Yuri just watched him go in silence, knowing that he was probably right.

TEST DRIVE: February

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