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memepatheias2019-04-18 08:52 am
empevents) wrote in memepatheias2019-04-18 08:52 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive: May
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 24th of April and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on May 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!
- For any concerns or questions, head over to this top level.
Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!
• 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: Perhaps one may have heard that Verens used to be a floating island, and it was! When the island then ended up on the surface, creatures which explorers have called "Dinosaurs" (quotation marks included) were discovered inhabiting the plains and the mountains in a far off area. It's time to go back to the jurassic world for a very important mission: gather as many Amaranthus Rubus, red pearl-shaped fruits that heal any and all wounds on one's skin. The hospital needs it! As such, one needs to prepare.
Explorers do not wish to harm the "Dinosaurs", as they are afraid the "Dinosaurs" would go extinct should any danger be placed unto them. This means that one's option when encountering volatile and aggressive "Dinosaurs" is to run away. A fun run is now being held in Verens a few days prior to the trip to the "Dinosaur" plains, where 50 sylvs and a t-shirt that says "I successfully ran away from a 'Dinosaur'!". The colour of the shirt is random, though, but there are as many as the colours of the rainbow. Maybe trade with somebody else who's finished the run if you don't like yellow so much.
• PROMPT E: Once the preparations have been made, it's time to set forth into the land of the “Dinosaurs”. As you enter their domain, it may be difficult to resist the temptation to interact with these rare and unusual creatures, and some of the “dinosaurs” are indeed tranquil and herbivorous. Go ahead and feed the long-necks leafy branches and if you're feeling daring, climb up on their backs for a ride! However, many of the “dinosaurs” are quite a bit more dangerous, and they are very territorial. If you cross paths with the a pack of raptors, prepare to run, fight, or distract. All explorers have been supplied with strips of alluring jerky to placate the beasts. Who knows, you might even make a friend! Be careful not to lose and hand, though.
The Amaranthus Rubus is thickest near the home of the most terrifying “dinosaur” of all, the "Tyrannosaur", and if you are daring enough to approach the lair of this creature to reap the fruits, you may not even have the chance to run away before the creature corners you, roars, and...wiggles his sad, little arms. It seems poor old "Tyrannosaur" just wants some kind of tool to extend his reach! Help him out and he will let you go. Or refuse, and he'll eat you. Sounds reasonable, right?
• PROMPT F: It seems like the land of the "Dinosaurs" isn't so bad after all! Perhaps "Dinosaurs" and man can co-exist, but for that to happen, much research will have to be made regarding a "Dinosaur"'s way of life. Now aboard the ship to head back to the city, researchers are talking about another excursion in the future that's solely for researching on "Dinosaurs" - various species, what they eat, their excrement, and the like.
The trip back to Verens is a little long. Perhaps you're just resting in one of the rooms when there's an explosive sound that can be heard. Oh no! It looks like the engine's running out of steam! Luckily, there's a steam generator in the ship, but steam can only be made through cooperation, anger, and sadness. The entire ship needs your help to get back to the city safely, and if you have to hold someone's hand, slap them, and yell at them to get them to manifest their emotions tangibly, then do so!
• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include swords and/or stones.
no subject
The idea of being “transported across time and space” is a little too ridiculous for her, but...if Junko says this is reality, then this is reality. If Junko says this is a video game, this is a video game.]
I-I understand! It’s just a little surprising. [There’s a lot of questions on her mind, but she’s hesitant as ever to ask them. The plan must have went wrong, right? Everything they worked so hard for...I mean, it must have gone wrong after the accident with the spears, right? An accident...]
Um... [She’s so pathetic. Really. What would she have done if Junko hadn’t come here and saved her. She rubs the Fenrir tattoo on her hand.]
So, what’s the plan now? We were in the middle of something back there, so...
no subject
[Junko frowns, seemingly confused by that.]
Here I thought I was at the end of something. Or maybe it was the beginning? Or hey, maybe even a broken clock is right once in a while and it was the middle? It's hard to tell sometimes, I always have so much going on.
[It sounds like a real mess, but she snaps out of it quickly enough, going back to normal. It's fine, it's fine. Just the struggles of dying at the end of the game and kind of continuing to poison the rest of the franchise after that. No big deal.]
But you know what? I think we'll stick with that broken clock one for now. I totally was in the middle of something back home and it was despairingly rude to bring me here in the middle of all that. But a plan, I don't know, don't you think that's a little played out now? It'd be super boring if I had some sort of despair inducing masterplan for this place, don't you think? That'd reduce me to being super one note, like that's all I do.
[She doesn't sound like she's serious about this at all. Nope, it's definitely not something to be taken seriously by anyone.]
no subject
[Her gaze flickers between Junko and the ground beneath her. She looks...different. A little older, maybe? That doesn’t exactly make sense but...neither does much else.]
I just thought you might want my help with something. Like before. Or you could tell me what you’ve been up to here. If you wanted.
no subject
[Which isn't necessarily a good thing, but it is what it is.]
And I guess you could say right now I'm in the middle of plans? I've done some stuff here, some stuff there. Tried to drive one of the big super important magical creatures here insane, got murdered twice, framed someone for it the first time, did some work for hire, that really didn't pan out. Unlike you I guess, I'm just not cut out for selling my talent. Nothing really on par with what we were doing at school, but I keep busy.
no subject
But all that comes out is a tepid, submissive:]
How can I help you?
no subject
But for now, shockingly, Mukuro's the focus of her attention. It's been years since she's seen her and the last time she was here, she wasn't very cooperative, so this opens a few different avenues for despair than what she's thought about previously.]
I mean it's not like I need your help or anything. You're stupid, smelly, disgusting, and have a super limited skillset. I'm sure I could find somebody who can do all that and not need an air freshener stapled to them to keep people from trying to flee.
[Despite the unpleasant statements, there's no real vitriol here. It's basically the verbal equivalent of just shrugging at something. It may have been quite a while for Junko, but she's had this conversation before and slipping back into things is fairly easy enough for her. ]
But! As despair inducing as leaving you to twist in the wind without any sort of help or direction, knowing you'd be totally lost, like someone stranded at sea would be....
[She's excited by the idea, grinning from ear to ear, her emotions even giving off little sparkles while she thinks about it, her hands a blur, shredding Mukuro's poor attempt at a want add into confetti.]
I still kind of want to, and I might do that a little, but you can definitely help! I have the perfect role for you, it's foolproof! Mukuroproof even!
[This is pretty clearly a trap, right? She's definitely up to something, picking up another slip of paper to replace the other one and grabbing a pen from her bag.]
So want to know what you can do?
no subject
...Mukuroproof?
[she can’t help but perk up at that]
Oh! That sounds perfect for me! [and she smiles in the way that she only smiles at Junko - one of blissful submission.]
Please, tell me!
no subject
[She's in such terrible despair too. Those sparkles blacken and fall, like they've changed from glitter to ashes as she swings the pen at her sister, seemingly planning on burying it in her face.]
Die.
[She isn't expecting it to succeed. Surely Mukuro will dodge it, she always does that up until...well, that last time. And she's in despair over knowing it won't succeed. But in the off chance it does, knowing the penalties for murder as well as she does, knowing she hasn't killed anyone here yet, knowing she threw a ton of things away just to murder her sister (and in full view of whoever's around no less), she can despair so much over that as well.
Please don't die though, it's only the test drive.]
no subject
Mukuro dies.]Huh?
[In a lightning quick movement, Mukuro is already holding onto the pen, its tip just millimeters from her eye. Mukuro quickly leans to the side, looking at Junko with a smile that is way too affectionate for the person who just attempted to murder her.]
But I only just got here...
I see you haven’t become any less impulsive. [She says it all with a great sense of fondness, rather than legitimately talking down to her. In fact, she might be worried if the outcome of this were anything different. To be able to provide her sister a target to attempt to hit and miss is quite a privilege - one that she very much enjoys.]
That’s my Junko.
no subject
[Junko lets go of the pen, letting her sister have it. She's completely over the idea for now. It'll probably be revisited later, but for now? Nah.]
And what's this crap about me being your Junko? That's so gross, even for you. Makes me want to hurl just hearing it. So I'm definitely going to have to find something else for you, if only to limit the amount of times I have to hear garbage like that!
[It's fine. Everything's fine. Most her irritation's exaggerated, knowing that this can lead to way more despair down the line. Especially since she's sort of backsliding here, she really has become less impulsive in the last couple years, but maybe she's just about done with that. After all, it'd be boring if she didn't change things up every now and then and she's long overdue for that.]
no subject
Um.
Okay.
[The dance of despair is so sweet. Denying her sister the despair over her own death, which in turn leads to its own kind of despair. Mukuro can’t help but feel like it’s a kind of beautiful relationship. Her cheeks flush slightly as she shrinks back against the board.]
I should probably find some place to stay while I’m here...
no subject
[For a second Junko tries to remember where the hell the prior Mukuro lived but the second passes and she decides not to continue that trip down memory lane. And she definitely knows they still do have the temporary housing and things like that, but Mukuro doesn't need to know that she knows for sure.]
But who knows what you'll end up doing if they don't. I'd be in such despair if my sister didn't have anywhere to stay...
[She could almost cry over it...which she considers and also passes on for now. Also, she probably has a spare room in her home, but it's way more despair inducing to not bring that up and have it come up later. Or at least that's her thinking on that one for now.]