Test Drive: April

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: APRIL —

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 March 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on April 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: Arehtei Amusements is a new company in Verens seeking to bring Arehtei themed festivities to the people of the city. This might've not been the best idea as it's not endorsed by the creatures themselves and coming up with festivities for some of them can be a bit of a stretch, but they've already incorporated, so it's a little late for that now. Anyways, first up is Piphron, which might not be the best or the easiest choice, but it's too late to change their focus now. So visitors to the Piphron Party will find a few activities awaiting them:

1. Catch of the Day: One of the first activities people will notice resembles a game of frisbee. But with blindfolds! What better way to build trust if you can't see or at least that's the line of thinking here. Participants will be grouped together and whoever's turn to catch will be blindfolded and have to rely on their partner's directions to catch the flying disc. Everything about this seems like it was a better idea than on paper, but it's probably too late for that now. Especially if one of them is flying at you!
   
2. Leap of Faith: For those who want to try out something with less of a chance of getting hit in the face with a frisbee, there's also a trust fall activity going on. But unlike the regular team building exercise, this one seems to have been taken to the extreme and mixed it with bungee jumping. After a brief lesson in Dunamis, one person will be escorted to a platform to fall off it and work with their partner on the ground to slow their descent using emotion magic. And don't worry, it's completely safe! The area under the platform seems full of what looks like foam padding, so there's nothing to worry about if someone messes up or falls too fast.
   
3. Paper Trail: The Arehtei have two sides and since balance is important, they've also tried to incorporate feelings of distrust into today's activities (besides the feelings of skepticism one might have from watching this nonsense and learning the event organizers are planning on more things like this). The organizers were trying to set up a mock murder mystery to try and sow feelings of suspicion or distrust in good fun, but it seems like someone's stolen the sign up sheet listing all the roles! So now they're asking for help to recover the sheet and the culprit responsible! It could be anyone, but odds are they're still in the park somewhere. Or more likely, the wind blew the paperwork away when someone wasn't looking, but they don't seem to be considering that one, so good luck hunting for the mystery thief!
   

• Prompt E: Whether he finds you on a random street corner, inside a grocery store, or at the library, a butler who introduces himself only as Benson is handing you an invitation and informing you that the illustrious Count Dunnit has invited you to stay at his manor for the weekend with a few other select guests. The Count has yet to name an heir for his abundant fortune, and he apparently has decided to bequeath his estate to whoever he enjoys spending the weekend with the most. How can you possibly refuse? However, should you choose to join Count Dunnit and his other guests at the manor, you may find that this weekend is more than you bargained for...

1. Curious Cuisine: Upon arrival at Count Dunnit’s manor, all guests will be invited to partake in a sumptuous dinner of all sorts of rare and exquisite Verenthian delicacies. The food comes in all sorts of strange varieties and colors and aren’t the sort of things that one can find at any restaurant in town, though perhaps for good reason. Whether or not any of this is appetizing is debatable. Have you ever tried grilled wyvern tail? How about bat wings? Snakes? Just snakes? Well, if the cuisine isn’t to your liking, towards the end of the meal, the lights flicker out and when they return, Count Dunnit has crumpled down into his seat, dead as a doornail. Things just took a turn, didn’t they?
   
2. In the Dining Room with the Candlestick: So, Count Dunnit is dead, and everyone in the room is a suspect. You’re a suspect. Anyone here might have killed him to steal his fortune. So it falls to you and your fellow guests to analyze the evidence and discover who the culprit is! Dunnit was poisoned, ostensibly, so starting your investigation in the kitchen and interrogating the staff may prove fruitful. However, it also appears that Dunnit has a stab wound in his back, leaving you to find a knife. To complicate matters further, there is also an injury from blunt trauma to his head. Anything might have caused that. How will you investigate the murder? And moreover...can you trust your fellow guests?
   
3. Goodnight Sweet Prince: As your investigation continues, it becomes clear that there are simply too many variables in this situation for there to be any one culprit, and all clues point to the murder being a joint effort by the members of the staff in an effort to prevent any of the guests from receiving the fortune they feel they rightly deserve. Once the jig is up, however, they release a sleeping gas into the manor and make their escape before anyone can pursue them. These sleeping gas has some extra special properties that make those under its influence particularly cuddly and snuggly when they lie down for a little nap. You may wake up closer to someone than expected. Maybe they’re a complete stranger and you can both agree to never mention this again...or maybe not!
   

• Prompt F: As the years go on and more people begin to get a grasp of their Dunamis magic, Mr. Bubbly, a man with a vision wants to start training exceptional children to become the island's first official superhero group. He believes that by teaching them to harness their Dunamis by an early age, as well as instilling in them a strict moral code, they'll be ready to defend us from anything in the future. The name of this class? The Umbra Academy. Meanwhile, another man with a different set of ideals, Lord Saline, wants to begin his own program, The Astra Academy. While his school teaches young minds to control their Dunamis as well, he is viewed more as an extremist who wants to tear down the wealthy. While the schools are aware of each other, they have agreed not to clash directly.

1. First Class: As both academies officially begin class, they are going to need both students and teachers. Anyone aged 17 and under is welcome to join either group, be it as a student or a teacher. Anybody over that age will have to apply as a teacher/guardian, as the students are largely made up of ten year olds. Either way, whether you're a student or a teacher, you are tasked with standing in front of the class and introducing yourself. Talk about your world and most importantly, what it means to be a hero! Be prepared to take questions, too.
   
2. The Clash: Astra Academy's first mission is underway! Lord Saline has tasked both students and teachers to break into the vault of a museum, using only Dunamis and non-lethal methods when disposing of guards. Ideally this is meant to be a stealth mission, so it's best not to get caught at all. The target? A pink diamond, belonging to a corrupt owner, which Lord Saline intends to sell and distribute to the poor. Meanwhile, the Umbra Academy has a mission of their own! Their students and teachers are to stop an ongoing burglary of a popular museum. If it wasn't obvious so far, it quickly becomes clear that both groups are sent to the same location, with the goal to prevent the other from succeeding. Looks like it's the clash of the academies!
   
3. The Last Stand: Eventually, it's revealed that Mr. Bubbly and Lord Saline are in fact the same person, a legendary con man known as Jet. He created both academies and pit them against each other so he can steal the pink diamond for himself, which he succeeds. Now, even though they're officially disbanded, it's going to take the full force of both academies to catch this criminal mastermind before he gets away. Jet commands a luxury airship full of well-paid guards and mercenaries, which is easily tracked down by our heroes. Using your lessons of stealth and combat from either class, it's time to find your way around his cronies and get that diamond back!
   

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include spiders and/or capes.

Comments

Hiei | Yu Yu Hakusho

[jaganshi]

c. amulets vs. the evil eye

[ Of course Hiei, of all little demons that come out of the demon world, is intimately familiar with things like telepathic communication and all kinds of mental forms of spying or communication. It all spawns from the third eye covered on his forehead.. though it does have a bit of a mischievous and… evil nature. Such is the gift and curse of the Jagan eye.

Those nearby Hiei will probably feel it first, a bit of a strange, invading force in their minds. It has an odd, alien, and inherently bad feeling about it. Almost like getting the creeps because someone is watching you, just.. from the mind out.

With all of the extra input and possibilities opened up Hiei hasn’t quite learned how to get the Jagan on lock down yet, which may lead to quite a few creepy feelings before Hiei’s voice breaks through. ]

Tch. Pain in the ass eye.

d1. frisbee without keen ears

[ Bonuses of being a little fire demon with pointed, keen ears : Hiei doesn’t need directions to know when an object is flying at his face. After a few rounds of effortless catches, though? The organizers catch on to Hiei’s little cheat – (probably because he’s also unnaturally fast) – and give him ear plugs.

These dampen the soft sound of the flying disc enough that he can’t hear it and go by the sound alone, but don’t dampen his thrower’s voice enough to make the task impossible.

Still, Hiei seems confident, still standing there in full cape as if this is a child’s game.

(Hint : it is because the last time he was playing something like frisbee it was a huge circular sword and he took it to the gut.) ]

Just throw it. This will still be child’s play.

e. murder mystery!

1. [ Hiei.. well. He’s not at all fussed about the food. He literally eats fermented guts sometimes as part of Makai’s exceptionally disgusting cuisine.. so wyvern tails and snakes? Not the worst thing he’s ever eaten.

So there may be a child-looking little demon chowing down on strange foods like it’s absolutely nothing in your vicinity – people of Verens.

React accordingly. ]

2. [ Murder on his first day? Seems like home. To a point anyways. The more Hiei takes in of the situation the more it seems - ] Amateur effort. It’s sloppy all around.

.. And probably from someone closer than a guest. [ Just from the sheer amount of aggression it takes for a strike to the head as well as an ineffective stab. For a guy who’s pretty well versed in stabbings, guttings, and general gore it’s all something he’s achieved by the time he was a small child and surpassed by five years of age.

… So excuse how utterly disapproving he seems of the whole situation, approaching the corpse to give a few, testing sniffs. ]

Juvenile and unnecessary with that level of poison. A human wouldn’t be able to survive that anyway.

g. spider snacks kept in capes

[ Because Hiei is just nasty as is the nature of a demon who lacks the simple ability to be cool - he considers spiders of considerable size to be snacks. Which may mean that, at some point, to any nature observer around or just someone who doesn’t really like spiders, Hiei can be spotted, you know –

Plucking a spider off of a tree or other conspicuous place, roasting it with a quick flare of his natural, hot energy… and eating it.

Sorry, Otherworlders and locals alike. ]

WILD CARD OPTION

[ Hiei is a little demon who will probably stick out like a sore thumb to anyone with the ability to sense other worldly beings, that kind of thing. If your character has those abilities feel free to use them on him to call him out, etc.

I’m pulling him from end of series, so by then he’s an S-Class demon. ]

[paragliding]

[His fork lingers near his mouth as he regards the woman with a neutral expression.]

... I've eaten worse?

[Which is quite true. He's eaten (by accident or not so much by accident) monster parts before and has even cooked with rocks. Dubious as it is sometimes it's what gets him through a night without starving.]

A

[kynslod]

[Really, it's a miracle Atreus waited long enough for Link to wave. He gives a big smile and waves in return, then immediately takes a running leap off the tower with a Whoo!

Is it going to work? Will Link catch him?!]

B

[kynslod]

[... Okay, that's honestly funny. There's a humored grin on his face, even as the voices of the pigeons roar in his head, as he veers from his path to step closer to Eizen. He's on the ground and Eizen's on the roof, but at least they can communicate if he raises his voice.]

They just like the color of your hair!

[It looks like hay!]

[paragliding]

[He does understand her sentiment that she thought she might never see him again. He wondered the same things. But here she is front of him and while Link is still rather confused about that he knows not to question a blessing from the Goddess. He quietly nods.]

Only a few days. Enough to get the lay of the city.

[It rivals some of the cities he's traveled to. He's impressed yet he knows this place isn't home. That his responsibilities are elsewhere. That thought makes Link's expression fall to something more neutral.]

You said among company? Are there others?

[paragliding]

[Oh-- A rather rambunctious child--!

Link makes a small noise at the back of his throat and then quickly has to attempt something. Anything-!

With thoughts of how paragliding makes him feel Link suddenly creates a whoosh of wind underneath the child. It partially works at making him fall slower! But might knock him around a bit. Hopefully he's not too fragile.]

[kynslod]

[Honestly, Atreus wasn't even expecting to be caught. Just falling from that height into foam sounded fun enough!

But then he is. There's a gust of wind like he's being pushed up, as if he's a sail caught in it. It's rough for sure, but that's what makes it more fun! And it does slow his fall, yet doesn't break it, and he still hits and bounces on the foam, though certainly not at the velocity he would have done so.

Once he's settled on the foam, Atreus breathes heavily from all the adrenaline, then sits up with a grin.]

That was great!

[There's a whirlwind of his own that pops up, gentle and playful, from how excited he feels about all this.]

[paragliding]

[The joys of being a child. Link watches him fall like he is sailing in the wind himself into that foam pit. To know it was his thoughts of how soaring through the sky makes him feel alive and well is what helped is a bit amusing. Emotional magic is really something different.

He moves to the edge of the foam hit and holds out a hand to help the boy out.]

Well done.

Sparklebright | Velveteen vs.

[nomoresparkle]

A

[So much of Sparklebright's life has involved suppressing or denying her emotions in favor of presenting the face the Super Patriots Incorporated want of her. But here she's supposed to express what she feels, and it'll affect the world around her? That seems... dangerous. Right now the only emotion she'd really aware of is confusion. Which is causing the water in the fountain she's sitting on the edge of to swirl and churn. And splash out a bit, soaking you as you pass by. Sparklebright jerks up, eyes wide]

Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen!

F.1

[Finally, something Sparklebright can understand. Well, okay, the source of the superpowers is a little weird, but if she's honest, no weirder than some of the origin stories in her own world. And sure, she's never exactly been a teacher, but she's done some mentoring, so that should count, right?]

Hi there! My name is Sparklebright and before coming here, I was a professional superhero, so I thought I might be able to share some of my experiences with all of you.

[She's slipped into her 'corporate voice' unwittingly. Once she realizes she's done that she frowns briefly before her smile is firmly back in place.]

Does anyone have any questions?

[kynslod]

[The foam isn't the greatest thing to stand up on, no, so Atreus accepts the help and takes Link's hand, pulling himself up. Once he's on his feet, he lets go, and that happy expression hasn't dimmed the slightest, nor has the whirlwind around them.]

Hey, you're the one who caught me! How did you do it? Did you feel anything?

[dedunce]

[To be fair, his theatrics are weird for pretty much everyone. He's not the model of normalcy, but to him that's the highest flattery. After all, a Manderville man must always seek to exceed expectations extraordinarily!

He nods with enthusiastic encouragement as Atreus begins to speak - for all his oddity he actually seems to be paying rapt attention. As the story ends there's a moment of silence.

And then the tears begin to flow.]

W-worry not, for I weep with joy! To see one so young who embodies the manliest of ideals... it feels as though I've stumbled upon a fantastic treasure. Bringing joy to all, the living and the dead alike...

[He stands up tall, and begins to applaud with gusto]

Bravo! Bravo, young Atreus - a fine man, you will make!

[paragliding]

[He nods a bit. Link still doesn't understand all the fundamentals of controlling emotions but he's getting there.]

A little exhilaration, I suppose. It must have created the wind.

[dedunce]

...

Ah ha! You've given me a most valuable insight - allow me to share with you the fruits of my awesome intellect!

...

But first... would you, erm, mind terribly to readjust my back? I seem to be trapped within the throes of an enthusiastic muscle spasm.

[dedunce]

[What's this? A child in need? It doesn't matter if the child is of a species he's never seen before - a child is a child, and so Hildibrand thinks nothing of it as he leaps into action - quite literally, in fact, as he lands right behind the small goat-child to strike a pose. Flexing his muscles, he leans forward to place his upper body between Asriel and the cloud.

Which just means Hildibrand is now getting repeatedly zapped.

This was not a carefully-constructed plan.]

Are you - yeowch! - alright? Quickly, you must think a happier thought, or don rubber adornments posthaste!

[tailsneverfails]

[ Tch!

He can't really argue with that fact now can he. If he actually sat to think about it, it'd make sense for them to be attracted to his hair, and even more so the shiny buttons on his outfit, but that didn't make it any less annoying to be treated like some bird's perch. ]

I can't possibly be the only blond they've ever met!

[ The bird on his head coos and bends over to stare Eizen in the face which just gets a loud sigh out of him. ]

Shooing away birds would be easy I said....

[tailsneverfails]

[ Hmmm... He gives her another look before taking a sip of his own. She wasn't wrong, the flavors really were incredible. Not something he would thing to have normally, but it was an interesting experience! Unfortunately for him it was a little too late that he noticed her voice starting to change back to normal. When he opens his mouth to say something, his usual gruff and low pitched voice sounds more like this. ]

Hey Hey, man is it wonderful to find a drink this good with some lovely company..!

[ Eizen smacks a hand over his mouth with a look on his face that looks utterly horrified. ]

C

[tailsneverfails]

[ Honestly it didn't surprise him at all when he felt this strange creepy feeling following him. He felt strangely used to such feelings looming around him.

That didn't make it any less irritating to feel though, even if it didn't freak him out. So when he hears a voice speak up he crosses his arms and snaps a little. ]

That's not the only thing being a pain in the ass.

[glitchinthesystem]

[ The man's just going to get the most dead eyed stare as Glitch holds the frisbee.

But, Glitch could be an adult and like the adult he is, he just slowly shoves it under his hoodie and folds his arms over it. Clearly, he was the most mature.

Or he felt like it was a challenge either works. ]

Don't need my name on it now.

[glitchinthesystem]

[ Okay, good he asked because again, he didn't want to splat. As for how this magic worked he can only give a blank stare in return.

Emotion magic was still confusing and weird to him. ]

Um, maybe it's like you believe really freaking hard and it happens? Like picture me not turning into a mess of organs on the ground.

I think. [ Yeah, he doesn't sound at all sure how this works. ]

[glitchinthesystem]

Do I look like I can fix your messed up back?

[ Him all lanky and small? No he really doubts he could. If this man did have some valuable insight he wasn't sure he could buy it with this man's ridiculousness.

Glitch just sighs, puts his foot on the man's side and just shoves. Maybe if they fall over that'll fix it. At least it doesn't take as much effort. ]

D2-B ish

[sidoff]

[ at the base of the tower is the Zora prince himself, whose arms are already wide--- just like his smile, and eyes are fixated up above him upon the lone figure at the top. if the foam landing area wasn't good enough for Link to spot, the sparkles that illuminate the giant red fish should be. ]

Link! Do be careful. I hope you have a backup just in case, but never fear--- I, Prince Sidon, will catch you no matter what happens!

d2

[jumpedahead]

[As Klaus prepares to jump, Five's eyes flicker down to the foam padding. Compared to all the shit they've already been through in their life, an activity like this is as safe as hopping off a kiddy trampoline- especially if one were to include the apocalypse that was retconned. ...Twice. Needless to say, Five won't be taking this all too seriously.]

Ghost army, huh?! You think that's a threat? I'm not the sibling who can see ghosts, genius! [That's about all Five gets to shout up at him, because the next second, Klaus has taken the leap of faith. Aaand he's not slowing down.] Oh god damn it all!

[Unsure of what even to do, he raises both hands and attempts to picture an upwards gust of wind. Unfortunately, there isn't enough emotion accompanying it to actually produce more than a light breeze. That's definitely not enough to catch Klaus's weight.]

[dendera]

How could he simply tell her she’s good when he needs her to know she’s already of a hugger station and he’s offended she forgot? Using words sparingly is for lazy and vague people. Pharaoh is no such person. That said...

Such a grand offer is not to be taken lightly. I am sure it will take people some time to prepare the suitable offerings to pledge themselves to my radiance.

That is to say no, no takers.

[dendera]

[Gil you can couch this in whatever weird framing you want, as far as Oz is concerned, you are his friend. Just also a fierce rival he would strike down if his hand was forced. It’s fine. Also it’s bold of you to assume the Sphinx doesn’t still shoot lasers.

That said, Ozymandias’s temperament isn’t quite as impossible as Gil’s, but he’s still a king with a great deal of pride, especially in the face of someone of similar standing. He cannot afford to lose face, and for that reason has to go on the defensive.]

Truly you demonstrate your lack of understanding in the matter of divine beasts to refer to my Sphinx as a mere pet. Though their form is diminished, the Great Sphinx of Abu El Hol represents the great power of my people and our feats of magecraft and architecture.
[Ignored, Awlad drops the spider, and when the poor arachnid tries to skitter away, that featureless face emits a very distractingly bright laser. Far smaller than the proper great Sphinx but enough to roast the spider.]

[miphasgrace]

[She was set to depart for the proper afterlife, with her and Ruta's duty fulfilled. Yet, she ended up here...and alive. With Sidon's—and now Link's—presence, Mipha cannot describe how fortunate she feels to have this opportunity, for however long. And though she knows Link has his own duty, she allows herself to be selfish in this moment.]

I see... [That explains it; she'd been a bit worried that he had been here for longer, and she neglected to find him.] ...You might have noticed the great difference between the natives of this land, and...the rest of us. Verens is full of..."otherworlders", as they call us. We all ended up here without warning... that is what I meant by "company".

However, if you meant others from Hyrule, then...no. I have not seen anyone-- except... [her bright smile returns in full-force] Sidon is here as well! All grown up...

[Mipha sort of watches his reaction, to see if Link recognizes Sidon's name—if he's already visited Zora's Domain since awakening, at the very least.]