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

yuri plisetsky (yoi!!!)

[yuranium]

prompt c: calling all cars

hey. quick question. who the hell would willingly do this? it's creepy. stop sending me all your stupid thoughts. it's annoying.

prompt e(1): rivers in the desert

[ after inputting his name and feeling the hot rush of the simulated desert, yuri can't help the stupid grin spreading across his face. he's already whispered all right! under his breath, little hands balled into tinier fists at his sides. he could get used to this. this place wasn't so bad after all if it had this badass technology.

imagine the selfies he could take --

then there's that floating image 'LVL 1, AMATEUR' and he frowns. it's more of a poignantly pretty pout, but who's keeping track? ]

Amateur? [ he says it with such disbelief, lips twisting into an uglier frown. until he notes someone else nearby. ] Hey! Hey you! What's the deal?

[ as if YOU are the one behind this. ]

prompt f(3) catch me if you can

[ this wasn't going according to plan. at all. yuri despise being terrible at things. granted, he can't be great at everything, and he knows that, but things that require strength and athletic ability usually go fairly well for him. and at the very least, they don't end up in utter mishaps.

such as this. the yank causes his feet to slip out from beneath him and in a flash he's dropped the rod and ended up belly first into the water with a huge splash. ]

Son of a - !

[ yes, there's a foul-mouthed boy crashing into the water, sitting up, blonde hair dripping wet. look what the cat dragged in. that has to be embarrassing. the water is turning to small, thin sheets of ice around him mirroring his annoyance and inner dismay at the situation. ]

F3

[dnaofahalfa]

[Sorry, Yuri, but that is honestly absolutely hilarious.]

[And there's a kid now laughing at the side of the lake. Though it should be noted her own fishing rod isn't far away and the line is a tangled mess. Won't stop her from laughing though, little pops of light going off around her.]

You look like a wet cat.

You okay?

[yuranium]

[ he’s torn between being delighted at being called a cat and pissed off someone dared point out his plight. ]

Of course I’m okay—

[ he begins, grumbling and fussing like a pissed off, wet cat would. he stands finally and shakes the water from his hair and sleeves. ]

Don’t waste your time. They aren’t biting.

[ LIES!!! ]

[dnaofahalfa]

That looked like a pretty big bite to me. Unless you loss tug of war to a log.

[She looked him over thoughtfully.] I figured out a magic trick to help get dry. Well, dryer at least. Wanna hand? [She holds out her hand.]

[yuranium]

[ everything inside of him, mostly his pride, is telling him to say no. instead... ]

Whatever. Sure.

[ no reason to be openly hostile to her. he sighs and extends his hand, almost wearily. ]

[dnaofahalfa]

[What is pride, can you eat it?]

[She'll take his hand.] Stay still, easier that way.

[And she's focusing and after a moment, there's a sudden feeling of coldness and a strange feeling of weightlessness and then a splash as most of the water just falls to the ground. She lets go and the strange sensations are gone and now his hair and clothes are just mildly damp.] There. Better, right?

[yuranium]

[ his eyes widen. for a moment he looks surprised, eyes dropping to his limbs. how? how!!

then, yuri pivots to look at her with even wider eyes. ]

Teach me!

[ there are sparkles around him now!! he’s so excited and in awe. ]

e1

[infiltrationtools]

[The person Yuri singles out is another LVL 1, AMATEUR. Tall, fluffy hair, with aesthetic goggles over his eyes that actually serve a convenient use in the desert. The name in red next to his grey level and class, the first thing he thinks of when asked for his name, says JOKER.]

Huh?

[Joker blinks, not expecting to be addressed by some... tiny blond emo kid. The aggressive tone of the emo kid's voice sets Joker's expression to something vaguely defensive.]

...The deal with what?

[yuranium]

[ he thinks those goggles are kind of cool but he refuses to say that. not yet anyway. instead, yuri huffs and drops a hand to his hip. he’s garbed in a sweatshirt that’s way too warm for this climate, the inside of which is very notably leopard print. ]

I said, what’s the deal with this amateur bullshit?

[ he jabs defensively in the air, little sparks of red floating around him. ]

It’s annoying. How do you remove it?

[infiltrationtools]

Oh. That.

[He glances upward, and puts one hand in his nerdy adventure pocket.]

I dunno. I assumed it was your... class, or rank, or something? [Where the hell is Futaba when you need her?] If I had to guess, raising your level would fix it... but hell if I know how to do that.

[Also, what kind of person gets so damn offended when a video game calls them an amateur?]

[yuranium]

[ a very bratty little boy. but that’s fine. he’s almost sixteen so he sort of has an excuse.

his nose wiggles a little bit at akira’s explanation. ]

I don’t understand. I’ve never played a video game before. Not like this.

[ he means he’s played maybe two or three since most of life has been devoted to other endeavors. he narrows his eyes for just a second before they brighten considerably. ]

Wait. You play games?

[infiltrationtools]

Not... really.

[Not unless they're, like, retro ones that he bought for a really cheap price from a secondhand store.]

But I have a friend who never shuts up about them, so I pick things up from her.

[yuranium]

Ah. Right.

[ akira’s cool points went down but at least yuri isn’t as envious now. he sighs and glances between their display names. ]

What’s that about?

f3

[reillumination]

[ by all accounts, ryo doesn't belong here.

then again, he doesn't much belong anywhere these days. but here — this is the first he's been away from akira since this all started, but far from the first time he'd felt the tendrils of panic. as much as he knows (which is very little), he knows at least to gauge the situation with a kind of suspicion that most wouldn't carry through to their bones.

it's likely why he doesn't end up participating.

instead, he'd taken to watching others from a distance on the shoreline, one of his last remaining cigarettes lit between his fingers and the amulet he'd been given tucked away in his pocket. he'd watched any number throw themselves to the lake, but ryo's familiar with uneasiness that ripples through his frame. even with the thick canvas of his coat shielding him, it's a vain effort. he knows something isn't —

oh. well, at least he doesn't seem surprised when the nearest person is pulled into the lake. he barely even lifts his head. ]

Don't just sit there.

[ he sniffs once. it isn't in the styling of anything derogatory. it doesn't wrinkle in his nose, pull up a corner of his lip with it. instead, it seems as though he's scented something — his gaze (for so it seems, behind the dark of his glasses) fixed out over the expanse of the lake. he doesn't extend a hand, but he gestures a little with the tilt of his chin toward a relatively flat patch of shore that he's memorized. ]

Hurry up and get out. [ he drops the stub of his cigarette after a beat — grinds it out beneath the toe of his boot. ] Freezing to death would be the least of your worries.

[ at least, he has reason to believe so. ]

[yuranium]

[ all right, by all accounts, yuri brought this on himself. anyone less stubborn than yuri likely would have called it quits and proudly walked away with what dignity they still had intact. but yuri is young and he’s outrageous at times and he hates that something as mundane as this is getting the best of him.

so when ryo says that, drops that cigarette butt (yuri coughs, the smell reminding him too much of certain “undesirabelsl), he scrambles back up to the surface.

much like a wet cat, he looks positively pissed off, face flushed and hair matted to his face. if humans could hiss, he certainly would be doing it. ]

I didn’t ask for your advice!

[ he snaps it, shaking his arms to try and get the water to dispel faster. ] This sport is stupid, anyway.

[reillumination]

[ that's true. however, ryo himself is also stubborn and prideful in ways that don't make themselves immediately apparent. it might be in part due to his flat affect, if the sudden and odd play of light didn't reveal the small line that forms between his brows. ]

It wasn't advice.

[ he pauses, shoves his hands in his pockets. he looks a time capsule against the modern fashions, his mannerisms and styling all wrong. his expression neutralizes and so too does the warping of light. ]

I never liked it either, [ he says, as though picking up another line of conversation. there's something else in that sentence, but he doesn't verbalize it. it's cruel, perhaps. after all, ryo had always preferred the company of animals. ] No one's pulled up anything worth keeping.

[ it isn't to soothe yuri's ego, but it is an indication that he's been observing the proceedings long enough to deduce that it isn't likely that anyone would have done well in the manner they were expecting. ]

[yuranium]

[ yuri can’t exactly talk with his Unique taste of fashion, garbed in every type of animal print. cat, preferably, usually. he had a zebra phase and he blocks anyone that brings that back up.

yuri squares his jaw and continues wringing the ends of his hair. why are all adults so invasive and prodding? he isn’t a damn child. he can handle himself. ]

Oh yeah? [ he says it drlyly, barely lifting a brow. ] So then why are you hanging out?

[ suspicious. the young blonde is suspicious. ]

[reillumination]

[ questionable fashion thinks alike. but, ryo isn't exactly an adult. he looks like one, maybe, with the way he hides himself under layers of fabric and smokes cigarettes less for his nerves and more so that he doesn't look like he's full of them. it smooths his sharp edges, gives him something to chew on that isn't the inside of his own lip.

but, largely, it's the sunglasses. they square out his face, distract from the softer angles of his jaw. he prefers it that way. he's less susceptible, vulnerable. ]

Isn't it strange that no one's caught anything? [ he asks, as if he hadn't heard the question. his attention flits from the lake, settles on yuri. it's more felt than seen, a tangible weight. still, it only lingers temporarily, before returning again to the water. maybe he did hear that question after all. maybe he's leading yuri to reach his own conclusions. maybe he's deflecting. ] Think about it. You weren't the first one to end up in the lake.

[yuranium]

[ this feels like a lecture - he hates it immediately.

at the inquiry, his expressions flatten even more. his shoulders square and while yuri isn’t tall whatsoever, he angles his jaw up enough so he looks a modest half inch taller. it’s something, certainly. maybe. who knows. ]

I don’t make it a habit of lurking around like a creep.

[ yuri idly kicks at the discarded fishing pole (the traitor), before moving further away from the accursed lakeside. ]

Smoking sucks, by the way. It isn’t cool.

f1

[thermoregulate]

[ It certainly is a different sort of experience. Todoroki isn't sure yet what exactly to make of it, but is intrigued all the same. The word above his head is simply his first name, Shouto, along with the amateur label as well. ]

It's just a status. If it's a similar case for us all, this is indicating that we're brand new to this game.

[ . . . Obviously. ]

But your guess is also as good as mine.

[yuranium]

[ it’s an answer but not one that’s entirely satisfying. at least this other guy has the same title so yuri isn’t the odd duck out.

still, he digs his heel more into the “sand”, trying to physically take out his frustration in the least noticeable and destructive way. ]

This game is pretty shitty, if you ask me.

[thermoregulate]

[ So long as he doesn't cause damage in the real world. ]

Maybe it's still in its production stages.

[ Not that Todoroki has much experience playing video games as a whole or fully gets what that means. ]

Still, if you dislike it, then simply stop. No harm done.

[yuranium]

[ stop... right, stop. he could do that, but ... ]

I don’t know how.


[ ... he grumbles it, awkwardly pinching the ends of his hair. ]

[thermoregulate]

[ He frowns as well. ]

. . . I'm not sure, either. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

[ They could take their glasses off, maybe? ]

[yuranium]

[ yuri isn’t so sure about this. he eyes this stranger and then laughs a bit humorlessly. ]

And give up when we’re still amateurs?

[ gosh!!! the word tastes weird in his mouth. he hates that it’s about him and it’s justified. gross. ]