TEST DRIVE: May

[empevents]

— 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 April 24th 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.
  
  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: A sword in a stone was discovered in a forest, far outside of the city but not far enough for it to not become a tourist attraction of sorts. Veteran hikers claim that it wasn't there before, and researches don't have any theories or explanations to offer. It's completely shrouded in mystery! What's more, the sword cannot be pulled out of its stone, which is also set firmly in the ground. News of this has started to generate some rumors that something special will happen to whoever manages to pull the sword out of the stone. Why not give it a try?
  

  1. Just Like The Legends: There is a crowd gathered around the sword at all times, but most of them are content to just watch on with curiosity as others try to have a go at claiming the weapon. So far nobody seems to be having any luck! Why not partner up with somebody? Two is certainly better than one! Those who aren't strong enough could perhaps offer new ideas of trying to get the sword out, or maybe they can just cheer someone strong on. Heckling is also allowed, as there are no rules here! Anything goes, really, except the sword. No matter how strong or godly the individual is, they will always fail, and the more they keep trying they will notice their emotions being drained until they no longer care for the sword. That's weird!
     
  2. The Moment of Truth: Several weeks have passed and through trial and error, and other mysterious means, researchers have discovered the criteria for claiming the sword! It isn't about strength at all, but it's not entirely easy either. The person who must draw the sword has to be a "woman with golden hair", but she can only do so in front of a witness, and that witness has to confess a secret in order to unlock the seal. The bigger the secret, the more chances of success it has of working! However, those who manage to pull the sword out will discover that... nothing remarkable happens. How disappointing! At least the crowd got to learn somebody's embarrassing secret? As for the sword, it can be kept... but it will disappear again the next day!
     
  3. Was It Worth It? Whoops, turns out something does happen if the wrong person manages to draw the sword. It appears that one of the candidates dyed their hair blonde in order to fool the sword, and for a moment it seems to have worked. The sword is out - yay! But it also comes to life in the form of floating out of its unworthy bearers hand, then uses up all of the absorbed emotions from stronger warriors before to conjure up a wielder for itself. It won't rest until it has slain everyone in the forest, so make sure to defeat it!

  
  
  
  • Prompt E: The Offworld Academic Symposium is putting on their first and most intellectually stimulating (ha) escape room! Entry is free to groups of two with a few quick rules: no playing while intoxicated, no setting anything on fire, no unleashing elephants to stampede through the facility, etc. Remember to have fun! And remember, anyone who chooses to participate in an academia-based escape room deserves whatever they get.
  

  1. It’s Pretension, Babe: The first room is large and rectangular, but largely empty -- the only two exceptions to this are the door to enter from and, on the opposite side, a large wall of blocks. Each block is approximately five feet by five feet, painted plainly beige, and far too dense to move by one’s own hands--or even whatever magical abilities a person might bring with them. Unfortunately, these blocks must be moved in order to unveil the door that allows participants to continue on. Good thing each block is clearly labeled with the emotion that must fill the room in order for the blocks to melt: anything from the conventional emotions of joy, sadness, anger… to the more obscure and harder to define emotions -- such as opia, or deja vu, or exulansis. (Really, anything that might be listed here.) As for how these emotions are created, there are no rules except the ones that are self-imposed. Once at least five blocks are melted, the door will appear. Continue on, young adventurers!
     
  2. Mathematically Yours: The second room is about… math. Yes, math. In an otherwise threadbare room, there is a row of classroom desks, each with its own math problem book and helpful collection of pencils. Feel free to tear through the problems at whatever pace possible--they start off with simple addition and subtraction and eventually lead to advanced calculus, trigonometry and logic. The answer to getting out of the room? Ditch the math, pile the desks on top of each other, and crawl out the window high up on the wall.
     
  3. Murder, She Noted: The final room looks like a conventional fancy dinner party, with a well-dressed table filled with massive plates of expensive food, flawless bone china and hand-chiseled deco wine glasses, a roaring fire in the corner… There’s even a lion skin rug. Homey, right? Well, no. The room has a strong uncanny valley sensation and the reason will quickly become clear: the dinner guests sitting around the table are not living, breathing people, but remarkably lifelike wax models. And one of them is dead! The only clue? A little piece of paper in clutched tightly in their waxy hand with a written message: “The one with the sparrow is in blue, and death comes from their left. On their right, only wine.” No one can leave the room until they come to a unanimous decision on which wax dummy committed this heinous not!murder.

  
  
  
  • Prompt F: The Thespians are now holding auditions for their newest jukebox romantic-comedy musical: Mulan Rouge! It is a story about a girl who runs away from home and becomes a soldier for her country in place of her father. Said girl also pretends to be a male as the army only allows men—what kind of backwater army is this?—but promotes change within the country because of her bravery and loyalty to the King. As they intend to get their main lead from Verens, the first set of auditions are held at the Merchant's Square. As such, there's a long line of spectators as well as auditioners. The panel is comprised of three people: a shirtless man with a manbun (he might be the choreographer), a lovely looking woman with a beautiful voice (it seems she's the songwriter), and a guy with a really long and thin moustache (scriptwriter). Everybody is invited to audition, even newcomers! In fact, some of the staff push just about anybody into the centre of the square. Time to recite your lines!
  

  1. A Mom Worth Fighting For? One might be new to Verens and Empatheias as a whole, but that doesn't mean one is foreign to the concept of bravery and loyalty. With one's partner (possibly another person coerced into auditioning), the two of you must fight (fake or real) until one is incapable of getting up. The fight must be to defend one's homeworld or country or just whatever one believes in wholeheartedly. If no fight begins, then the guy with the manbun will resort to insulting the mothers of the people auditioning and will continue to do so until the fight occurs. What kind of audition is this?
     
  2. To the Beat of the Rhythm: So you've made it to the second auditions! Congratulations! Apparently, the fighting scenes in the musical itself are interpreted through dance. There will be no punching or kicking unless one wants to do the can-can. Manbun guy asks everybody to put on a dancing costume (of any kind) and find a partner to dance to some cabaret music. It's all upbeat and the songs one would listen to at a nightclub, and Mister Manbun definitely will insult the mothers of those who don't do as they're told. So dance, puppets, dance!!! Those who put on a great show with their partner will move forward to the final auditions.
     
  3. Swift as the Coursing River: Now, it's the final stretch! There are less people than there were when everybody was tasked to fight the other because it's the last of the series of auditions being held. Everyone is asked to come to the mountains by the river and catch fish with their bare hands. Try not to accidentally grab someone's foot and mistake it for a carp! What does this have to do with a stage musical? Absolutely nothing, but Mister Manbun says it's an integral part to get the role! And whether or not you actually signed up for this, you have to stay until the end. Otherwise, well… Mister Manbun has some words to say.

  
  
  
  • Prompt G: Make your own! It could include lettuce and/or belts and zippers.
  
  
  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!

Comments

[justpastdawn]

[Mm yes it is always nice when people who are sensible also happen to agree with hi --]

-- augh. Wyverns are wonderful precious dragon darlings. I love them, I love them. [Cue Kevin slapping his hands to his cheeks and doing a horrible little slithery dance there in his chair. A few heart bubbles manifest in the air around him, poit poit poit poit poit, and it sure looks like Rainsworth Girl Mode in here.] Some are proper dignified flying beasts, you know, but there are some that are explicitly bred as meat animals and they are so round and fat and you know I've met cows and even baby cows, and baby lambs, and I'll eat those with no trouble at all but I just can't bring myself to eat a wyvern. Young Master Hunk over in the Lion House has one, you know, a little yellow thing he's named Gordon Ramsey, and she is so wonderful and full of love and always so happy to see me. However could I eat a thing so full of cuddles and squish? I'd feel guilty until the end of my days.

[...for a different reason than the reasons he already is going to feel guilty until the end of his days.]

[alwaysteatime]

[You know, it is surprisingly terrifying to watch this sort of display. It's identical to one of Lady Sharon's fits, absolutely. It's just incredibly startling to watch it knowing that this particular Xerxes Break, this Kevin Regnard, hasn't yet set a foot inside the Rainsworth estate. For all of Regnard's insisting that he were not that person that Reim's come to know- well. He won't say it out load for a number of reasons, but it eases something within him for sure.]

[But he is staring, just a little bit, so he decides to cover his gaping maw by sipping at his tea again. It gives him a chance to recover. Eventually he will also realize that Regnard has flippantly spoken of real dragons and it will settle in that they are so common as to be bred as livestock, here. ]

We can't have that. Perhaps I will ask you again for a recommendation. You know the food here much better than I.

[He says this calmly and indifferently, but there's no mistaking that the air has shifted a bit. A smell of a warm fire and new book briefly over takes the smell of the restaurant around them.

[justpastdawn]

[Breaks gonna Break, really. It's something Kevin just can't appreciate fully even now. Even if he's not so defensive and cranky about the whole thing as he once was, having grown so close to Gilbert before he finally vanished, it's something he's never going to understand until he lives through it. The truth is that he was always meant to be a Rainsworth man, even without any true Rainsworths around, and the Abyss really did put him exactly where he needed to be.

But then again, in a way, so did Empatheias.

Regardless, Kevin doesn't really notice the staring, Reim covers it so quickly with his teacup. Dragons just hit him so hard in his knightly little doki machine. Baby's first sparkle happened because he got to pet a dragon, thank you.]

Oh, you definitely want either the steak tips or the salmon with all the herbs on. Definitely, definitely. I enjoy the former best of all, I think, but it comes with a mushroom sauce, and that seems almost as divisive among the public as black jelly beans.

[The notion of black jelly beans is enough to bring Kevin out of his little fit. The last little heart he spews lets out a somewhat flatulent poit and falls instead of floating, and then the air is clear at last. He does notice the pleasant smell of a fire, but it, too, comes and goes so briefly that he doesn't really register where it's coming from or why. This world is full of tiny sensations like that, and Kevin hasn't learned Reim's personal reactions well enough to know it's his doing yet.]

[alwaysteatime]

[ He’s going to be very curious about these dragons later, make no mistake. As someone who is terribly fascinated by learning, this world full of mystery and magic has had him in awe since he got here. He does his best to hide that, but there is no denying when something catches his attention.]

[There is, however, no subtlety in the way he expresses what he thinks of black jelly beans.]

I’d sooner eat mushrooms for every meal than eat a black jelly bean.

[They are just unpleasant and unwanted.]

I think I’ll go with the salmon, however. I haven’t had any fish so far.

[justpastdawn]

I know, right? [This phrase, Kevin has picked up from the paladins.] My apprentice snuck one into a bag of mine when I wasn't looking and I ate it without realizing, once. So I found this awful large rubber spider that moves in reaction to fear, and I snuck into his room and put it on his pillow --

[Probably the fact that Kevin took an apprentice stopped being shocking when Reim realized that one can replace "apprentice" with "obnoxious younger brother".

Fortunately, the waitress drops by at this precise moment to check on the boys and their pre-game dessert, and to take their orders. If Reim does indeed go with the salmon, Kevin will go for the steak tips. He's made it a point to order something different in every place they visit, so that Reim can have bites from Kevin's plate, too. This, Kevin has explained, is tradition among himself and his bottomless pit friends.]

[alwaysteatime]

[Honestly, between him and a few other friends of Regnard's that he's had the pleasure of meeting, Reim is glad there have been people around to handle him. He has clearly been in good hands.]

You shouldn't teach him such things, you know. You might come to regret it.

[Given what he has seen of the boy and what of Regnard he's seen in him? This all sounds like the start of a terrible war of pettiness.]

[But anyway. The important thing here is the food and Reim does in fact, go with the salmon. The idea of ordering big plates and then sharing it was a little surprising, that wasn't exactly something done commonly back home where ceremony and manners were so important, especially when you spent your time around nobility so often, but he adapted quickly. He was good at that- and he couldn't help but feel like there was something fun about it.]

[And it was important for his research, of course. Obviously.]

[When the food finally comes, he can't help but stare at his plate. Oh, he hadn't realized how delighted by good salmon he was until it was right there under his nose.]

Good presentation.

[He mutters before he jams a fork into it and takes a bite.]

[justpastdawn]

[Kevin -- who is secretly glad to see his apprentice engaging in the fun of a petty war instead of finding reasons to sulk off on his own and brood -- chuckles a little when Reim digs in immediately. The last time Reim was here, there was a distance between them that just couldn't be crossed, for a variety of reasons. Now, although what Kevin is seeing directly on the surface is much the same, he's able to catch many more glimpses of the actual person hiding underneath all that grumbling and propriety. It's nice. It's heartening. Perhaps this friendship isn't so situational as Kevin had been led to believe after all.

He glows a little, one of his wispy curling steam glows, pleasantly visible in the light of the restaurant. His glows used to embarrass the hell out of him and at times they still do, but this time it's okay. After all, it can be blamed on his happiness over this lovely plate that's just been set in front of him. It's obvious to anyone who knows Kevin longer than thirty seconds that he is food motivated, so this definitely hasn't got anything to do with certain complicated feelings. Definitely, definitely.]

[alwaysteatime]

[Reim is not so bewitched by his food that he misses that. And the timing was just a little shy of the plate being put in front of him, he thinks. So, perhaps its the food, perhaps it's something else. Reim isn't sure, but he does know whatever it is, Regnard seems to be happy about it. After all, glowing certainly seemed like a pleasant emotional reaction.]

[There's a pause as Reim finishes a bite and picks up his notebook. It's newer than the one that was on his person when he arrived here (less covered in blood, too, probably), something he picked up from a nice shop here in Verens. He begins scribbling thoughtfully.]

I suspect whoever made the frosting was not in charge of the salmon.

[Which is to say, it's very good.]

[justpastdawn]

No, I suspect not.

[Kevin has not tried to steal the notebook yet just to see if he can, but the idea has crossed his mind. Someday, someday.

Before he goes and dirties up his flatware -- he knows about germs now!!! -- Kevin puts a bite or two of his own meal on one of the bread plates, sliding it over for Reim to investigate while he has his notebook out. So, you know, he can do whatever he has to do with it now and then put it away to enjoy the food. While Kevin has accepted that notebooks and scribbling and research is simply a part of doing things with Reim, that doesn't mean he should let it distract him from what's in front of him, the swordsman has quietly decided.]

When we go to Theasthai...that's when you'll get to try the really good seafood. [Theasthai this, Theasthai that. Conversations with Kevin have often involved mentions of the other city, with Kevin mentioning it and then immediately bottling up as though he has a secret. It's a little obvious that he's been getting excited about dragging Reim there, while simultaneously trying not to spoil all the cool stuff for him.] Because the city is located inside a mountain, they haven't much by way of -- you know, cows and wheat fields and the like. It's all fish and wine, down there.

[alwaysteatime]

[Good luck, Regnard, there are precious crown jewels easier to swipe than Reim's notebook.(Unless you get him irrevocably ill from drinking, that is. Please don't get any ideas.) He doesn't plan on letting it sit around unattended. Maybe one day Kevin will come across his old dirtied one from home, though. Wouldn't that be something.]

[He blinks when Kevin slides him the plate over, pausing just before he accepts it. In turn, he takes another bread plate and drops Kevin some of his own. It's fair!! Even if its possible that Kevin has already had this salmon. They should both get to partake, after all, Reim is the one that proposed the idea and in turn, dragged Kevin with him on this task.]

[Then he gets back to scribbling, pausing long enough to try Kevin's beef tips before humming in appreciation and going right back to scribbling. Once he's finally finished, he tucks the notebook into his breast pocket and picks up his fork once more. Okay, now it's time to eat. Om nom what a tasty job this is.]

You've spoken of this place many times already. It must have left quite an impression.

[A place entirely of fish and wine, though. It sounds nice but it does make Reim wonder about the atmosphere of such a place. Is it rowdy and full of pirates?? Hm, Hm, he supposes if so then maybe it wouldn't be so full of wine.]

I take it we have a few places there on our list?

[justpastdawn]

[Sounds like a challenge, stealing this notebook, everyone needs hobbies --]

Theasthai is wonderful. It's definitely the best place in this world. Definitely, definitely. [Kevin doesn't quite shoot a beeeeeeeeeam out through the whole restaurant, nor is he outright glowing, but he does brighten considerably. As if, you know, he's just been waiting for Reim to give him an opening, here.] It wasn't the first of the other cities that we learned about! That was Shaarnath. And Shaarnath was really great, because they were the first batch of other survivors we found, but given that they live in a dangerous desert they're all about discipline down there, doing your part and meditating and this and that. They're all aligned to Thras down there, so I suppose it's no surprise really.

[Seeing Kevin cheerfully prattle on like this -- it'll be familiar, for sure. Break did it from time to time. But it was rare, over those fifteen years. For the first several that he spent at Rainsworth as a young man, he had to be actively pried out of his shell, and when he realized he was coming out of it he'd often get shy and scuttle right back into it. He'd clam up, if you will. And in later years, given how Break hated discussing the past, the subject matter was usually a book he was enjoying or something funny he'd seen in the square after having snuck out for the day. Small, harmless things.

Once this Kevin gets started, he just goes.]

Theasthai belongs to Daimonia, so they're downright hedonistic in that place at times. Well, they're as focused on balance as everyone else, so while they respect grief very much they're not about to let you wallow in it. Most everyone you meet is a performer of some sort, so there are a great many eateries that put on shows for you, or make it a point to make their food really cute. After spending all my time thinking of swinging a sword around for so many years, being around such harmless, peaceful things is really refreshing! And this fellow who's assigned us this task has definitely never been there for any great length of time, definitely, definitely, because if he had you'd know there's not a single place in Theasthai that isn't romantic if you go about it properly. You can buy street food and eat it on a boat, and that can be romantic. You needn't even go on a boat. The streets are made of beautiful glass cobblestones in all pinks and purples and people will pop out of nowhere to sing or dance or juggle for you. For what he's hoping to accomplish, Theasthai is entirely useless! And they've a bartering system rather than currency on top of that, so he'll be paying us a flat rate no matter how much we enjoy ourselves. Ha! What a silly git. This is what he gets for refusing to do his own research.

[alwaysteatime]

[And he thought Break was a chatty nut. It's honestly difficult to think back to the Kevin Regnard he remembers from his childhood and match them with the man in front of him sometimes. And of course he sees Break in him all the time, but there is something...]

[Something far more unrestrained about this man. He sees the nerves but he sees far less of them. He sees someone who hasn't desperately kept himself locked up tight for fifteen years in fear of everything coming crashing down around him. He sees someone who was pried out of his shell and stayed out of it. At least far more than he did back home. It's something that is going to disorient him for sometime. In fact, it may never not, but- ...that doesn't mean it isn't nice to see him ramble on so openly like this about something as silly about a city he's charmed by.]

[Of course it sounds like they have no reason to visit such a place for this task. The place is clearly very romantic. But given the sort of person this guy is and Regnard's excitement, Reim doesn't seem interested in stopping him.]

A flat rate, indeed. We should estimate high for it, so that it covers everything, plus a fee for us having to go out of town for his sake. That sounds fair to me.

[justpastdawn]

I think so, I think so.

[And then, because it is impossible for any Reim to interact with any Break-shaped critter for longer than half an hour without the latter setting off a bout of scolding and bitching:]

Say, how are you with dinner shows that don't involve very much by way of clothing?

["Unrestrained", indeed.]

[alwaysteatime]

[It's like clockwork really. Usually when Reim is finding himself just the slightest bit complacent.]

[Anyway his question causes Reim to lodge a piece of salmon in his throat, which he spends about three minutes trying to hack it back up while pounding the table and simultaneously denounce Kevin as a scoundrel.]

[So, nothing really unexpected.]