memepatheias | TEST DRIVE: August

Entry tags:

*test drive

TEST DRIVE: August

— TEST DRIVE: AUGUST —

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 July 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on August 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: Helisium, the upcoming festival, is a celebration of daytime games and ballroom dancing. However, the sad truth is that not everyone knows how to dance, or how to play certain sports. To kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, a certain section of the party-planning committee has come up with a new sport that incorporates the best of both worlds. The name of the game? Footloose Ball, and it's the latest craze! Why not join and learn something new? There's even a tournament being held, with a big prize on the line!
1. Training: The rules of Footloose Ball are simple, it's a combination of rugby football but with a twist! The player in possession of the ball must constantly be dancing as they try to reach the goal. But there is plenty of time until the game, so the coach has instructed everyone to go out into the city and dance for a whole day. Going grocery shopping? You must dance! Waiting in line for coffee? You better dance! Talking to someone else? Get them to join!
2. Otherworld Cup: It's the day of the finals game, and now it's do or die! Literally! Maybe. What the rules forgot to say was that the player in possession of the ball must dance, or the ball will shock them with a high voltage! Can they get to the goal and score a point for their team? As for those NOT in possession of the ball, they don't have to dance until they have the ball, and they get to use whatever skills (or magic?) they know in order to stop the other player. Anything goes!
3. Victory Pose: The winners of Footloose Ball Cup have been declared! Now all that's left is a traditional team photo with the trophy. Make sure not to blink! Just kidding. The method that the group "photo" is taken by isn't with a device, but a traditional painting instead, which means the team will be posing there out in the sun for a while. You can't rush art, as they say, so make sure to stand still as the artist does their job. The good news is that players are allowed to talk to each other as they stay still, so why not get to know another a little better now that the game is over? As for those who aren't posing, they are allowed to interact with the players, too. Why not get them a drink? Or heckle them? That's also an option.
• Prompt E: Helisium is the highlight of the summer and every restaurateur in Verens is eager to see their establishment become one of those selected to cater for the festivities. Of course, there are only a few slots available, which means the only way to settle who’s the top chef in town is through some rigorous cooking competitions! These teams of chefs are going all out, and need all hands on deck, so they will be seeking volunteers to help them win their way to the top! Do you have what it takes?
1. A Pizza the Action: One round of the cooking competition asks teams to cook rather traditional dish: pizza! However, nothing is as simple as it seems, and the hosts soon reveal that teams will be required to cook their pizzas with some...unusual (and dangerous) secret ingredients. Are you given a spiky, smelly durian to work with? Are those lobsters actually alive? Or are you asked to serve your pizza while it’s on fire? The more creative you are, the more points you’ll earn your team. Things are sure heating up!
2. Piescraper: Any chef worth their salt will tell you that presentation is key, and in this event, presentation is the only key. Really, it doesn’t matter what you use so long as it’s food, but the judges want to see the most impressive food sculpture you can come up with! Just bear in mind that these creations must stand on their own and be created entirely, 100% out of food products. Your team may earn extra points for making the tallest sculpture as well. Start building!
3. The Great Verens Bake-Off: Desserts are almost as important to Helisium as the regular food is, though the judges for this event seem to be a little less...intense than the others. For this competition, participants are asked to bake and decorate a beautiful, tiered cake with sweet, edible flowers. These flowers have certain emotional effects on those who handle them, and such individuals will find themselves feeling very pleasant and agreeable, no matter how prickly they may ordinarily be! They may even try to assist other teams with their bakes. Oh, well...at least everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. The judges will be making their decisions based on which team had the most camaraderie, so play nice!
• Prompt F: The roleplaying cult of Ortheias seems to have become more prominent lately, having taken in new members from Briarlan. Today, they seem to be playing a "murder game" called Syndicate! They are also inviting people who aren't members to participate… will you join them by picking a role from the purple hat the men in cloaks have to offer, or will you just watch? It's confusing and anger inducing, either way. For those who want to play the game, the objective is to catch all the Syndicate members before they "kill" all the innocents in the game!
1. I Put On My Role and Wizard Hat: Perhaps you are forced by a man in a cloak, or perhaps you voluntarily pick a role from the various strips of paper in the purple hat. The roles are for the Syndicates are: blackmailer, consigliere, boss, and framer. As for the innocents, the roles are: janitor, spy, veteran, doctor. There seem to be neutral roles, as well, such as the survivor, the witch, the amnesiac, and the fool. The game moderators don't seem to intend on explaining what the functions are of each role (thanks, mods!) so go ahead and make up your own backstories and abilities. Of course, they key to this game is to figure out who the other person is without letting your own identity slip. Good luck!
2. Activity Check: Everyone is safe while the sun is still up… Do you have your role and have you gotten to know the other participants of the Syndicate game? Good. Because the game moderators now want you to participate in an activity! You now have to think of a lie about yourself and convince two other people that this is true. Basically - just lie to as many people as you want! Be sure you're convincing… but remember - the moderators are watching you. No unruly business!
3. The Trial: After a day has passed in the setting of the Syndicate game, a trial happens. Why? Because you've lost one person to one of the Syndicates. This person is now dead in the game and cannot be revived. It seems that everyone is suspecting you - whether it's your clothing, the way you're dressed, or just the fact that you're breathing the same air as they are, you are now the primary suspect for the "murder"! Prove your innocence to all players involved, try to pin it on the nearest person, or maybe even get into a fight with everyone? The world is your oyster.
• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include raisins and/or a skirt with holes in it.
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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

PROMP C

[It had all happened so fast. Part of it were still a blur.]

[Crying. Mai had been...crying. An ache in her chest crushing the air from her lungs in a single, mournful scream. Her eyes stinging with fresh tears that blurred her vision. Blurred the world around her. The dead world. Cold, devoid of any other life left. Only she and Trunks survived. And Bulma and Goku and Vegeta...and Zamasu. They hadn't defeated the would-be god. He'd prevailed, succeeding in his goal of erasing life from Earth as they once knew it.]

[Gunshots. She'd fired at the sky, filled with his face. His laughter echoing all around. Taunting them. The very reason for all their pain and sorrow and loss...]

[And then she was here. This...new world.]

[How long had she wandered aimlessly through the city? Seeing everything and yet, for once, taking in so very little. Her eyes routinely returning to the amulet still clutched in her palm. A trinket gifted to her upon her arrival. It glimmered in the light between buildings, and she couldn't help admire both its craftsmanship...as well as the ability it supposedly granted her now.]

...unless, of course, that was just a trick. [Her thoughts were so prevalent, they began to transmit. Unbeknowst to Mai herself.] There's no way it could possibly work the way they said it did, right?

PROMP B

[A choose-your-own-adventure story]

[It sounded easy enough a task, and yet...]

[Mai was a planner. She couldn't help it. Habits developed over the last few decades were difficult to break in so short a time. Particularly habits which contributed to one's survival. Not that there was any danger to this task. Not really. A severe blow to her pride and risk of embarrassment, perhaps, but those were hurdles she was willing to overcome. Almost as severe as the one she was presently facing: writer's block.]

There must be an easier way to overcome the second choice in section four...

[Brows furrowing, she picked up the small chart and began tracing the lines of notes again. Two similar pages sat on the table, beside a cup of pencils and three books she'd checked out to use as a reference.]

[If she was going to broadcast something like this publicly...then she was going to be as ready for anything as possible.]

PROMP E - 1

[Mai tied the bandanna around her head, securing the knot at the base of her neck. A similar knot was used to keep her apron in place. From there, she rolled up her sleeves, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and...]

[...reached for the package of gummy worms.]

"Ingredient One: gummy-stuffed piranha"...

[And there was only one way to get that. With a determined stance, furrowed brow of concentration, and a well-baited hook, Mai crossed the room to where the large aquarium was on display, tossing her fishing line over the top...and stood back to wait for a bite.]

[The water behind the glass began to froth and bubble almost immediately.]

...I suppose it could be worse.

[She sighed heavily.]

WILDCARD

[[Tagger's choice; if you'd like to plot something with me, you can reach me at hina_mun]]

[Gohan couldn't help but overhear Mai's plight.]

Maybe I can help you out? Let's see what you have.

[He comes over to the table she was sitting at to have a peak. He didn't really have any experience with writing a choose-your-adventure story, but he's certainly read plenty of them! It's a good way to build problem solving skills and stimulate the mind.]

Oh, no, I wouldn't want to...

[Any further words momentarily died on her lips, however, as Mai looked up. Got a good look at the young man approaching. He seemed...familiar. Somehow. Even though she was sure she had never encountered a face like his before.]

[Blinking twice, she quickly turned back to her assigned task before her staring got too awkward. Suppressing a light blush of embarrassment.]

Have you...written a story like this before?

[Mai's awkward staring at him doesn't go unnoticed by Gohan. He gives a confused, concerned look, before he scratches at his cheek. Was there something on his face?

When she asks him about his prior experience, that confusion turns to mild embarrassment, his cheeks turning a light pink.]

Aha, no, not exactly... But I've read a lot of them for fun, so how hard can it be to write one, right?

[Not in your timeline, there wasn't.]

[...of course, Mai had never had the privilege of knowing him in hers, and as such...saw not the face of another life, but rather the passing resemblance of someone she knew long ago. Decades. A face that could never completely erase from her memory, but whom...was escaping her momentarily.]

[Until then, she gave a nod at his response. Accepting the generosity of his time and reading experience.]

Perhaps that's my problem, then. It's...been a while since I've had the opportunity to read something like this myself.

[Deliberately remaining vague on the matter, she glanced at him again--still unable to shake that lingering sense of familiarity--and offered a smile.]

I'm Mai, by the way. And thank you. For coming to help.

You should give them a try sometime, then. The stories here aren't as good as the ones I've read back on Earth, but they're still pretty entertaining!

[Don't let him get started, Mai. He'll talk about books for ages if you let him.]

I'm Gohan. Nice to meet you, Mai, and don't worry about it. I'm happy to help.

[He holds out a hand to her for a handshake, smiling that classic Son smile, the one he'd inherited from his father.]

[It was the smile that triggered her memory.]

[Nearly thirty years prior. The day Pilaf made that fateful wish. The last wish Shenron would ever grant before the Namekian's death. And the young boy who had cried out his name--a face she had never gotten close enough to see, yes, but whom...by way of sneaking around...she had gotten a name. A name she would hear sparingly in the last several months.]

[The only son of a man she used to face in battle. Who'd died before he could save the Earth, but returned from the Past just long enough to lend a much-needed hand.]

Go...han?

[The only son of a Son.]

Son...Gohan?

[And Trunks' mentor.]

(Future) Mai ◎ Dragon Ball Super

B

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

c

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

E-1

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

C

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject