memepatheias | Test Drive: May

— 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!

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: 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Markus’ logic is that he’s fast enough to lag behind just a little — faster than many of the humans here, if he’s judging based off his own experiences, not accounting for any strange abilities or “magic” that some here seem to have. A glance over at the other man, brows furrowed, and he offers up an explanation that might act as a bit of brainstorming between them, if John has any better ideas.]

Do you remember the map of this area?

[It’s more of a rhetorical question than anything else, because he continues without truly waiting for an answer.]

There’s lake about a hundred yards to the east of here. You can see the cliff above it from this height—

[A gesture in that direction, and observant eyes would indeed confirm what Markus is saying.]

If I can provide a small distraction with what rations I have in my bag, we can make a mad dash for that same cliff, make a leap, and land safely in the water below. The force of impact isn’t enough to shatter bones, if my numbers are correct.

[And since when are an android’s numbers ever incorrect?]

Just hope you're not afraid of heights.

[John looks in the direction of Markus's gesture toward the lake, and he only glances back briefly at "land safely in the water." His expression doesn't particularly betray any alarm, though he does appear mildly surprised, and a few branches of their tree creak a bit ominously.]

Heights ain't really a problem, but. [He's not afraid of heights. Or jumping from them. Or water, honestly. It's just, well... things are what they are, and right now some of those things are a rather big problem.]

Well, I ain't the best swimmer, to be honest.

[He'll fucking drown, Markus.] You think we could throw that food of yours off the cliff? Make these bastards do the jumping?

[John. John please learn to swim someday.

That constitutes something of a problem, the branches groaning under his feet as he shifts his balance, considering. Markus is quick to discard the suggestion, not because he puts no stock in the ideas of others, but simply because he doubts that it'll work.]

Dinosaurs hurling themselves off a cliff edge for a few pieces of meat? Survival instincts will probably override any of those impulses, especially since we'd still be the main targets.

[Processes search for a compromise, and land upon the most obvious one:]

I can swim well enough. I can probably even help you back to shore once we land in the water, if you just trust me.

[Which is, honestly, a lot to ask from a stranger, but Markus wouldn't offer he wasn't quite serious about it.]

[John has one brain cell, okay, it's doing its best!!!

To his credit, John doesn't look particularly displeased that Markus shot down his suggestion. He always looks a little displeased, but that's just his resting angry face.

He frowns a bit deeper at Markus's alternative, though. He's understandably not too fond of the idea of jumping into a watery abyss with nothing saving him but the promise of some stranger. But, well, the alternative is staying in a tree surrounded by a pack of hungry, vicious predators and a tendency to break things with his emotions. John's got his feet perched precariously on two separate branches and a pair of strong handholds for precisely that reason.]

Don't think I've got much choice, friend. We stay up here, we're both dead. I'm dead either way, most likely. Least your way, one of us's got a chance of surviving.

[It's not that he doesn't trust you, Markus, really! He's just... not an optimist, is all.]

Have a little more faith.

[—says Markus, the android who runs on faith as much as Thirium, metaphorically swatting aside John’s cynicism. This act will take a leap of faith, after all, and he’s already digging into his bag for the scraps of jerky given to them in case they find themselves in such an… unfortunate situation.

It seems almost laughable, really, in the face of those hungry dinosaurs down there, large with taut, corded muscles, and too-sharp teeth. It’ll have to do, though.]

I won’t let you drown. But like I said, you need to trust me. Do you think you can do that?

[It's literally only the fact that this man reminds him more of Charles than Dutch that keeps John from throwing himself to the raptors after hearing someone tell him to have a little more goddamn faith. Still, the branch under his right hand does loudly snap, forcing him to rebalance himself and thank what few lucky stars he's got that it was a hand branch and not a foot one. He tosses the broken stick away, and one of the raptors snaps hungrily at it as it falls. John scowls. This isn't going to be fun.]

I think you probably ain't the type of feller who'd just let a man drown, if he could do anything to stop it. [Whether or not Markus can do anything to stop it, well. They'll have to wait and see, won't they? It's not the most glowing endorsement, but the way John sees it, he's just being pragmatic. Wanting to do good doesn't mean shit until you can actually pull it off.]

So unless you see these bastards makin' any better offers, I'm with you. Now are we gonna do this, or are you planning on yapping about trust until we damn well get eaten?

Test Drive: May

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apologies for the wait!!

no problem!!

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