TEST DRIVE: March

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: MARCH —

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 22 February and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on March 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.
  
  
• 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!
  
  
  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: Self-proclaimed knight (and actual millionaire) Vermouth Pennybags has heard a local legend about a the infamous Chalice of Wisdom, an ancient relic said to be hidden somewhere within the city and only attainable by the most valiant and quick-witted in all the land. Of course, Vermouth Pennybags is not valiant or quick-witted, but he is very rich, and so he has enlisted the help of the Otherworlders in following the clues to find the Chalice. If you are successful, you will be rewarded handsomely...but only if you find the Chalice.

1. The Knights Who Say...: The first task that Mr. Pennybags sets forth is for you to find a...shrubbery. Yes, a shrubbery, that supposedly, when its leaves are used to make tea, will leave behind dregs with another clue once the tea is drunk. As such, not just any shrubbery will do. You will need to fetch a shrubbery from a certain glade in the Ferril Mountains, where you will find a number of nice-looking and not-too-expensive shrubberies. The question is, which is the one the legend speaks of? One has golden leaves near the base, and that’s the one you’re looking for. However, it may take some time to find it! Did you bring your garden shears?
   
2. A Vicious Streak A Mile Wide: Once the shrubbery is obtained and Mr. Pennybags drinks the magic tea, his next clue will lead him to conclude that you need to capture a...deadly bunny rabbit. What exactly makes a bunny deadly remains to be seen, but fortunately for you, there are plenty of farms nearby that keep bunnies around. There is indeed one very violent one among the bunch, but it won’t be so easy to find it. You will have to focus your own feelings of anger and hate to find the bunny in question, and even then, you will need to be careful. Once it’s been found out, the bunny will attack! Defend yourself against nibbles and wrestle the unruly beast into submission. The Chalice is on the line.
   
3. What is Your Quest: Mr. Pennybags decides that what he must do with the rabbit to determine his next steps are to...set it free, because it keeps biting him, the little bugger. Instead, he conveniently finds a map at the local library that purportedly leads to the Chalice’s location! Following the map will take you deep into the woods on the far side of Lake Niras, where you will find a bridge across a ravine. The bridge is rickety and old, and a fall from this height will surely kill you. If you dare to cross, only bolstering feelings of confidence and courage will see you safely across. And should you make it to the other side...you will find Vermouth Pennybags himself there, snapping a picture of you and informing you that this was all just an elaborate set-up for a story in tomorrow’s newspaper. What a con. Well, enjoy those fifteen minutes of fame!

• Prompt E: An engineering society in Briarlan named The Beta Alpha Engineering Society or B.A.E.S. recently developed a new entertainment system called Crystal Simulation. The Crystal Simulation is a means to create a four-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with on a seemingly real or physical way by a person using a specific equipment: a pair of bulky transparent rimmed eyeglasses made from the same crystals that can be found in the mines. This is a huge step in forwarding technology in all of Empatheias, and Verens is more than lucky for the B.A.E.S. to have decided to use the city as their testing grounds. Put a pair on and let the B.A.E.S. teleport you into an alternate reality through telepathy.

1. Tutorial: The moment you open your eyes after putting the Simulation Glasses on, you find yourself in a desert. There's sand everywhere, even in your shoes. At least, it definitely feels real. Even the heat of the sun is scorching hot despite it being winter in Empatheias right now. You find that your clothes have changed, and you feel like such a beginner with your light clothes and small dagger. A long rectangular white box floats in front of you, and above it reads: ENTER YOUR NAME. The first word or name that you think of ends up being your name in this reality. You think of your actual skills from your home world, and these thoughts are transmitted to the B.A.E. in charge of your simulation. They sent you a mental image of a row of empty boxes in front of you, and on top of it reads: LVL 1, AMATEUR. At the very least, there seem to be other amateurs around you - in fact, all their names are floating above their heads!
   
2. Level Up!: After finding out that this 4D reality is something similar to a "game", you find that in this reality, there are missions to accomplish. Unfortunately, you cannot accomplish anything while you're still an Amateur. Thanks to your trusty dagger (which needs to be re-sharpened every time you kill a monster), you can chop up the many cacti all around, kill Fluffy Bunnies, or head to the nearby oasis and make a fishing rod and catch fish. Doing these tasks add to your EXP, and once you reach level 5, you'll be prompted to change your class. You've been promoted, and it comes with new skills and a neat costume change! Although… if your B.A.E. thinks you're amusing in a bunny costume, then they won't hesitate to put you in one, instead. Nobody said this simulation was perfect!
   
3. The Desert Dragon: Once enough players have reached level 5 and have changed classes, the desert will suddenly get dark. Winds will blow and howl until the sandstorm blinds everyone temporarily. Then, a roar. Once everyone's regained their sight, they'll find a white dragon with eyes glowing. It reeks of hatred and anger, and each claw is gripping a large gold ball with a giant star emblem on it. The dragon flies around the desert wreaking havoc and destroying the settlements in the oasis. Your job is to defeat this creature. Use your skills, your emotions (perhaps love and happiness will counter the dragon?), and try to pop those balls. They seem to be giving him power! Once the dragon has been defeated, the simulation is over and everyone who participated will be given 100 sylvs for their trouble. Thank you!
   

• Prompt F: Every year at Lake Niras, a group of fishing enthusiasts host the annual Iron Fish Tournament, in which everyone can compete as individuals or as a team in order to catch the rarest fish. A winner is determined by the size and rarity of the fish, but most of the veterans are here for only one prize: to catch the legendary Demon of the Lake. What is the Demon of the Lake? Well, nobody has really seen it with their own eyes, but there is definitely something in the water, but those who managed to get it to nibble have never been able to reel it out. Maybe this is the year that the demon is conquered?

1. Fishing 101: The nice thing about this competition is that everyone can borrow their own gear and boats, which is welcoming even for those who just want to have a relaxing day fishing. There is an instructor teaching a class the basics of fishing just near the water, but if someone already knows their way with a fishing pole is encouraged to take a novice on board and teach them the ways. Who knows, whether you're both beginners or one teaching the other, you might just make a great team!
   
2. The Game is On: Once people are out on their boats, they'll quickly learn that Empatheias isn't your typical world and conventional fishing wisdom may not apply here. For example, aside from using the correct lure and bait, one must be in a right emotional state in order to attract the fish they want. This is all explained to any of the newcomers, of course. Talking about happy things will attract small exotic flying fish, while experiencing negative emotions will attract the heavier fish, although they're not as rare as the former. Remember, winning results are based on both size and rarity! There is also a third type of fish, although they're not attracted to any strong emotions nor are they part of the competition. Why is that? Well... that's because these ones explode if they're not thrown back into the lake quick enough. They can be identified by a small unicorn-like horn on their foreheads, so watch out!
   
3. Catch Me If You Can: Those who are persistent enough will eventually feel a strong bite, although most attempts at trying to reel their prize will end in their rods being yanked out of their hand. Those who are less fortunate will probably fall into the water, too! Perhaps this is a two-person job. Those who are strong enough to actually hold on to their rod will only have it be broken, too. Surely this is the legendary Demon of the Lake! Unfortunately, there is no way to catch it... but hey, the fish is the friends we made along the way, right? As for those who are frustrated enough to dive into the water, it'll be too hard to see the figure of the demon, but a giant tentacle will catch them and their partner and throw them out of the lake!
   

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include goldfish and/or carrots.

Comments

Naeris Maial | Dungeons & Dragons [OC]

[snackattacks]

[A]

[Lliirans tend to be emotional folks, but they thankfully tend to focus on the positive stuff like joy and happiness and general warm fuzzies. Naeris, in all her plucky little elf glory, is no exception. So even though she’s been stuck in this strange land-slash-world for the better part of a week, she’s taking it relatively in stride.]

[At the very least, she’s finding things to do to keep her mind off the situation.]

[That includes practicing with the special Michael Bay style effects her emotions have on the world! And what better way to practice than to help some poor crying kid who dropped their ice cream cone.]

[Who the heck eats ice cream in the middle of winter?]

[Anyway! That won’t do! Naeris stops in her tracks and approaches the bereft child standing over the cold corpse of vanilla bean and pistachio. Press F to pay respects.]

[After a few moments of trying a pep talk and some funny faces, she does the next thing that comes to mind: she stands back and, true to her performer roots, flips over into a handstand. But of course, that in itself isn’t going to be enough to impress, so she focuses on as much joy as she can, and…]

[POP!]

[Confetti bursts into the air in a flurry of red, orange, and yellow bits.]

Ta-daaaaaaa!!!!

[It takes a moment, but the kid starts to giggle between his sniffles as he claps his hands. Satisfied, Naeris hops back onto her feet and gives him a little bow. The child smiles and scampers away (probably to get himself a new ice cream cone, that little nerd), leaving Naeris on her own with her own wide grin. She turns around to continue along the street when she notices… your character! Woaahhh!!!]

Hey there! Did ya enjoy the show?

[B - GT0205]

[Parties are kind of a big deal to Lliirans. Like, kind of a lot of a big deal. So much of a big deal that Naeris may have gone a little overboard with her crafting.]

[This poor little elf can be found dragging a giant bag full of puppy party decorations that’ll make any Pinterest user sweaty in their palms and weak in their knees.]

[There’s enough collective glitter in this bag to drown Sosyne herself and then some.]

[Martha Stewart better take a knee because there’s a new party prodigy in town and her name is Naeris Maial.]

[Unfortunately, even for someone who’s as excited and happy to get to a doggie retirement special event as Naeris, physics can only be bent so much. She takes a moment to set her bags down and breathe, glancing over to whoever could spare a moment with a furrowed brow and a quick pout of her lips.]

Excuse me! Could you, um, maybe give me a hand? I think I bit off a little more than I can chew, here…

[C]

These amulets are pretty neat!

[That’s the first chirpy thought that Naeris decides to send over the network. It’s not the boldest way to test the waters, but even she has enough decorum to realize that it may not be a good idea to introduce herself with some odd fanfare.]

Someone said that I’m aligned with… um… Daimonia, I think is the name? Who else is aligned with them? Let’s chat!

[WILDCARD]

[Wildcard! Naeris is a performer through and through, so she could be found singing in the street for tips (or doing some flips and other clowning around because why not). Maybe your character needs some good old-fashioned tabletop RP-style healing from a seasoned cleric? Or come up with a scenario of your own! I’m flexible!]

B!

[sevenyrsworldly]

[That is...a big bag.

And honestly, Harry was following that trail of glitter in an attempt to clean it up. Which really just involves using aguamenti to spray it into the nearby gutter with water. Mostly because he doesn't think folks want to wonder why they're now trailing glitter everywhere themselves.

Then he comes across the redhead (go figure) and the source of it all. He's staring at it when she speaks up.]

Er...what is it all for?

[snackattacks]

[That stare is totally a look of awe and wonder at the creative marvel that she's cobbled together, right? Right.]

[So when Harry asks his question, Naeris beams back at him!]

It's for a puppy party!

Isn't that wonderful?

[sevenyrsworldly]

[...Somewhat.]

...What kind of puppy? [It's not Cerberus, is it? He's had enough of that "puppy".]

I...suppose? What exactly did you need help with?

[snackattacks]

Huh. That's a good question.

[She drops the bag's handles as she brings a hand to her chin in that classic 'hold pls I'm thinking' posture.]

I don't know what kind of puppies they are. I do know they're retiring today!

...So maybe they're more dogs than puppies.

Anyway! I helped get some decorations together, but I think I may have gone a bit overboard. Could you help me carry these over to the party hall? Once we're there, I should be able to take care of the rest!

[sevenyrsworldly]

[A slow nodding, that makes more sense.

Harry gives her a nod, pulling his wand out from a pocket inside his robe.]

Yeah, I can make it float at least. I'd take a hold of the handles so you can pull.

[snackattacks]

Ahhh! That's perfect! Thank you so much!

[She's so happy, she's gonna give Harry a hug. A big hug. The kind of hug that crushes bones but hey, at least you know you're loved?]

What's your name? I'm Naeris!

[sevenyrsworldly]

Erk! [Not a bad "erk" honestly, one that usually comes along with one of Hagrid's bone crushing hugs.

Putting a hand to his ribs, making sure they're intact.] Harry. Harry Potter... [God it's so nice to not be known.]

[snackattacks]

[If Naeris notices she’s caused Harry some discomfort, she certainly doesn’t show it! Instead, she’s smiling up a storm, pleased that she’s made a friend!]

It’s nice to meet you, Harry!

[sevenyrsworldly]

Same!

[Getting out his wand, if he hasn't already.]

Ready to grab a hold of the bag?

[Really he should know the locomotor spell by now but I don't think he does? Wonder what grade of spell that is...]

C

[ninjabanish]

It seems my alignment is to one named 'Peromei'.

[Alice returns the telepathy with some hesitation, worry bleeding through into the link. How does she know if she's sending too much? It's too hard to tell if what she wants to go through is...]

Though I admit, I've no idea what this means.

[snackattacks]

[Naeris catches that worry, and meets it with waves of happiness. Maybe that'll help this potential new friend out?]

Something about arehtei? I think that's what they're called!

Do you know anything about Peromei? They sound pretty cool!

[ninjabanish]

[... happiness is met with further confusion and alarm. what is this? she tries to shut down her own emotions because foreign happiness is weird and alarming.]

Nary a thing beyond the name, I'm afraid.

[snackattacks]

[Oh no! That doesn’t seem to be working, so Naeris puts the kabosh on trying to meet Alice with happiness, although her own nearly perpetual mirth gives off some soft vibrations on her end.]

[Still, she can’t help but wonder why this stranger is so down, and that well-meaning curiosity can be found underlying her words.]

That’s okay!

Speaking of names, what’s yours? I’m Naeris!

[ninjabanish]

[hahaha god. Names. That is a loaded topic, though she manages to mostly keep that inside, forcing an anxiety spike down.]

My name is Alice. Alice Kozakura. It's a pleasure to meet you, lady Naeris.

[snackattacks]

[It sounds like Alice needs one heck of a hug...!]

The pleasure is all mine, Alice! And no titles necessary, promise!

Have you been here for a while? Do you know any good places to eat? We should try one! Ooh... I bet there's someplace nearby that has some good dessert. There has to be.

[If it sounds like she's having a one-sided conversation... it's because she kind of is. Naeris' thoughts are moving at a mile a minute and she's not taking much care in filtering them. Hoo boy.]

[ninjabanish]

[... you're not wrong. she needs a great many hugs. Fortunately, she's used to this- Talking to Naeris is like talking to Lulu, except less verbose. A bit of warm friendship crosses her mind as she thinks about that.]

Understood... Just 'Naeris', then?

I've not been here long. A mere few days, hardly enough time to understand the land. I hope dearly that my stay will not be much longer than that, either.

As for desserts, you have my apologies. I know none.

[snackattacks]

Just Naeris, that's right!

[She listens to the rest of what Alice has to say, nodding along even if her new friend can't see it.]

That's okay! Let's find a place!

Even if we're not planning on staying for a while, it can't hurt to learn about the local places, right? It'll be fun!

[ninjabanish]

[... She really is reminded of her party. It's like she's talking to a weird mix of Lulu and Sophie. Which means it's just completely second-nature when she responds, entirely on reflex-]

A dessert will come only after a proper meal. If you fill up on sweets, you'll get sick.

[snackattacks]

[That's a good sign, clearly! That can only mean that Alice is totally comfortable with her, and nothing else! That's why Naeris is so cavalier when she responds.]

You're right!

Let's do dinner, too!

[ninjabanish]

A healthy dinner, I assume you mean.

[this is why you shouldn't be friends with doctors.]

[snackattacks]

[There's almost an audible record rip before Naeris responds.]

...

Define healthy.

[ninjabanish]

[fucking rip, naeris.]

An appropriate balance of nutrition, including vegetables, and lacking in sugars, appropriate to your species and body.

b

[spitefullight]

[ The thing is, the elf girl probably asked the wrong kid to help out.

Not that he wouldn't be willing to, but if he had to rate his strength on a scale of 1 to 20? It'd fall around an 8.

And with a bag that big he kind of eyes it a little bit with something of a flat look. ]

Ummmm...well, I mean, I cooould but I think I'd end up wearing the bag...

on my body.

'Cause It'd end up crushing me.

[ There's something of an awkward pause before he says; ]

I'm saying I'm weak.

[snackattacks]

[Aw geez. Even this pipsqueak of a lady has a higher strength than that. But no matter! They can make do with it!]

What if we worked together? You take one side, and I take the other!