memepatheias | Test Drive: April

Entry tags:

*test drive

Test Drive: April

— 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:

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!
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.
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...

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?
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?
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.

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.
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!
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.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Arden's happy to convert over to video. He pets the little wyvern on his shoulder, then waves at his amulet. ]

How's that?

[ He's all smiles, by contrast with Replitwo. He's also wearing his Sweetie Pies apron, for maximum shock factor on Hiro's end. ]

Painter and musician, yes. I sell - I used to sell my paintings, so I suppose I could do that here.

[She'll need to pay the rent somehow, after all.]

How about you? Are you a woodcarver by trade?

[ That gets a genuine laugh out of him. He was only mildly curious about this Lucy woman at first, but she was definitely more interesting than he gave her credit for. ]

Safe? Pah! Who needs safety.

[ he lets out a frustrated growl and lets his eyes gaze around the room. He spots a napkin near the woman and quickly grabs for it. He pulls out a pen and starts scribbling on the napkin. For a scary looking man, his handwriting was actually pretty fancy looking.

When he was done writing he pushes the note back over to her. ]

I don't know what's wrong with me, but this is NOT how I usually sound.

[ For now, it seems everything was peaceful again. The frisbee actually made it to Eizen and he caught it was ease. ]

See that's a much better throw.

[ And throwing it right back. Maybe a little less aggressively than he did the first time. ]

[ he winces a little more, but her suggestion didn't actually seem any weirder than this happening in the first place. ]

Do books even eat chocolate?

[ Well, he isn’t the Once and Future King for nothing. ]

I have met your challenge. I have so far caught every one of your tosses, have I not?

[ He’s a little surprised by the much gentler throw he receives this time from his partner, but glad for it. The wind dies down. Arthur catches it one last time before reaching up to pull the blindfold down from his eyes so he can see his partner properly now. ]

Returning such a challenge would be petty and I find that unbecoming for both of us. If you wish to test a warrior’s mettle, there are better stages for doing so, even here.

[ Looking at his partner now, he vaguely recognizes him from Chaldea, so it seems his suspicions that he was facing a Servant weren’t wrong, but he doesn’t know the man’s True Name. ]

I yield.

[ It’s not as if anyone was having fun with this game anyway. ]

[Kamala points to him in the spirit of being schoolmates!!!] Yes! I'm listening. What's your question?

You know, Arthur’s really starting to get that impression, honestly.

But, even if he is the 4th Worst Gilgamesh, he’s still definitely a Gilgamesh and the remark about being Arthur’s better just proves that Goldie here still can’t breathe a single breath without putting someone else down while raising himself up. Actually, it’s a little funny and Arthur has to laugh. To him, it’s predictable and ironic that even this one does the same thing. He knows why his world’s Gilgamesh constantly does it and he has to wonder if this one does it for the same reason.

“Oh?” he says, through his quiet laughter, “I was not aware that you were a master in the locals’ strange magic. I see now that your criticism was a segue into upstaging me in the art of dunamis.”

[ Well, that’s why you have a cat that shoots laser beams, of course!

A little part of Arthur cringes inwardly at the haughty, booming laughter Ozymandias makes, because, ah, his ears were not really prepared for that. Mention of their “roles” though gives him pause as he’s reminded of that time they fought in a faraway city. He wonders briefly if they’ll ever Arash here. No, it would be too much a stroke of fortune to expect, wouldn’t it... ]

I have not forgotten. Must we be opposing forces even here though? Would it not be best to ally ourselves in this place for the benefit of the world we have unwillingly left behind? Ritsuka is your Master and she will be Master to me as well in the future. All our current interests are aligned here.

[ Well. Except for you being friends with Gilgamesh, Oz. He has no interest in that, really. ]

Yeah. That's all right to use if you don't have a computer. It's just harder to figure out complicated math, that's all.

[He'll certainly have fun trying to figure things out.]

Yes!

[He looks excited to be called upon! And he proceeds to practically echo her in his question.]

Um, can you elaborate on punching holes in the skies? It doesn't... hurt the sky, does it?

[Arden might be able to tell immediately that Hiro reacts and draws in a breath to say something, not to mention in the air behind him, his confusion manifests in HUDs that crumple themselves like paper and reform to say ERROR in large red letters...

Except. He's not wearing a black coat. He's got a tiny friend on his shoulder (he wants one). And he's wearing an apron. He kind of looks like he should be working for his aunt. So he stops.]

I think I met someone who looked like you. You sound the same, which is why I was confused. Someone who traveled to my world and was causing trouble, until Sora and his friends came and explained things to us.

What's your name?

[It's certainly easier for Hiro to catch a frisbee without worrying he's going to lose a hand.]

Did you just get here too, Mr. Reaper?

[If Steven weren't so earnest, Kamala would be positive he was trolling her. She shakes her head, softly laughing.] Uh... no! What I mean is pushing past your limits! Be the best version of yourself.

a.

[Going out for a walk had seemed like a good idea at first. He'd been holing himself up in his room for so long, avoiding the outside world, that he'd convinced himself he needed to get out and take in the city. Pick up some food, maybe. Interact with people as little as possible. He was sure that could be done.

But the world outside was so large. So alive. This is entirely the opposite of what he'd wanted as he holed himself away in the labyrinth of Amala. There were too many people, too much noise. It felt like his failure was being shoved in his face. Even if Naoki had managed to bring his Reason into being, this wasn't that world anymore.

Isamu is a mass of emotions at the moment, the pendant around his neck glowing brightly. He's drawn away from the street and onto the curb, and all around him the color has been drained from the world. The grass, the pavement, the bench he isn't quite sitting on - all are now in gray monotones as a reflection of his anxiety.

He sits with his head bowed and his fingers laced over his hat, causing it to fall over his eyes.]

c.

So where's the best place to go for real Japanese food around here? I can't eat heavy. I have to watch my figure.

I miss the vending machines.

[He's going to act like he meant to say this all in one go and he didn't just let his thoughts spew out more than necessary.]

e2.

[Isamu really doesn't want to be here right about now. He only came for the food, as he already knew he wouldn't be able to earn the fortune. Maybe before everything went to shit he might have been able to smooth talk his way into having a good time with the old man, but not anymore. (And who is he kidding? He wasn't nearly as charismatic as he used to think he was.)

As they begin searching for the culprit, he tries to fade back into the crowd. Maybe he can put some of those emotional powers to use. If he wills himself to feel lost and forgotten, not hard at all, he might be able to literally disappear. Now he just has to make sure he's only becoming invisible and not ceasing to exist altogether.

An empty feeling wells up in him as he brings those emotions to the surface, and when he looks down at his hands he can see his fingers start to fade away...]

wildcard.

[Anything else!]

[Fucking Hero-Knights. He thought Lancelot and Gawain were bad--now he has to deal with the biggest and best of all of them.

He's got a headache forming.]

You have met my challenge, yes. In every way. Most would not be able to keep up so easily, so it truly makes a man wonder.

[Once the man admits that he wishes to yield to him, Arjuna doesn't take long in taking his blindfold away from his face. He examines the man, now--the armour he'd seen a flash of with his Clairvoyance holds nothing he recognises right off the gate--except for that colouration. Golden hair with blue eyes--silver and gold armour...

He frowns.]

But I agree. There are far better ways to test one's strength, and that does not require a child's game.

[He winds the blindfold around his knuckles... staring. His expression a complete stone, butt here's something sharp in his eyes. Wild, curious.]

...Only a Heroic Spirit could easily stop my throws.

Unless you are something greater even than that.

[Where else would one expect to find a fish person than the beach? Other than the Lake? ...Assuming one is expecting to find a fish person at all? Karmala...probably is not.]

[Mipha's made her way to the port, though, following one of the streams out of curiosity and taking care not to go anywhere near the edge of the floating island. That's where this human catches her eye. She's seen humans swim in their clothing, of course, but she thought they ultimately preferred to dress down? Well, it's not any of her business. What is, is making sure she doesn't surprise the human—there's been more than a few times of accidentally spooking a swimmer or fisherman, and she feels awful every time.]

[So, the zora stops swimming a respectful distance away and surfaces, making just enough of a splash to alert to her presence. And then she gives a shy but polite wave hello, just for good measure.]

[ Arthur folds his blindfold over the frisbee and starts walking towards his partner, noticing the frown the other man wants, but not really sure what it means. It doesn’t seem as though he knows who Arthur is either, so the knight is left to wonder if he’s displeased with him being able to keep up with that arm of his. ]

I thank you for the kind words.

[ In spite of the other man’s frown, Arthur only gives him a soft, contented smile. And a nod. ]

I am a Servant, if that is what you mean. I have been to Chaldea. I take it you are as well? I remember seeing you a few times, but I confess I do not know anything else about you.

The broadcast, dear. You said...

[Rosemaster laughs softly.] Oh, forget it. It simply wouldn't do for me to explain my own joke.

Rosemaster looks equally dubiously at the bat wings. She may not have ever had a chance to cook things, but she doubted the Doughnut Kingdom's famous chefs cooked... that.

"Well, people eat with their eyes, or so I've heard," she says. "Quite a strange saying, but the metaphor holds - you shouldn't force yourself to eat anything that doesn't appeal to your visual palate."

[Rosemaster grins at Aoi.] Very much so, dear.

[Indeed, there was nothing but sincerity in his question. And now he can give a breath of relief, knowing that the sky isn't being harmed!]

Ohhh, so it's just metaphorical sky punches. I can get behind that! [He says with an eager nod. He even takes a few soft jabs at the air.] It's really inspiring... Thanks, Miss Khan!

He keeps an eye on her as she begins to struggle, knowing she'll probably need a break soon. The point of this is not to hurt her of course. There's nothing to be gained from her pulling a muscle or straining herself, but he also wants to see if she has the discipline to know when she's taken on more than she can handle and the strength to admit as much.

"Careful," he says. "Use the muscles in your arms, not your back."

The computers must be pretty amazing if they can do all this. It sounds like you have probably a lot of things I didn't, back in Corona. Which is kind of exciting and amazing, isn't it? All these people from so many different places, we can learn so much!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 37 of 51

Test Drive: April

Voice > Video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Yes, yes, Your Royal Bitchyness

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

he is so cute ;;;

Isamu Nitta | Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

no subject

port niras

Poor Arjuna, tired of knights, lol

no subject

no subject

no subject

it is his natural state of being

no subject

no subject