memepatheias | 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

[Markus opens his eyes when his temperature sensors detect the flash of cold. It’s not enough to kill the plants going full Disney Princess at his feet, but they do stop immediately growing.

He’s never met the Lieutenant, personally, but well, he knows a little about him from Connor, and somehow the man in front of him is exactly what he expects. It’s familiar enough to put a calm, unruffled smile on his face. He has to think for a second how to phrase it to allay the lieutenant’s fears.]

Of course. Lieutenant Anderson, I take it? Connor and I just parted ways so he could meet back up with you.

[Well, in a way that was good. Yet this just complicated matters that without realizing it, the stripes on Hank's shirt were changing to a gold color.. Idly he briefly scratched the back of his neck, groaning.]

Yeah...there's uh...some complications in our future then. [He's not even going to bother to dance around the subject.] Connor's from our past. Apparently it's a common occurrence in this world, but I think we'll both agree that a lot happened in the past few days that changed all of us. The Connor here with me...he hasn't even gone deviant yet.

[Hm, interesting.

As Hank explains the situation, little red and yellow flowers spring up from the springy grass around Markus' feet, as if in response to the thoughtful furrow in his brow.]

Do you think it would be for the best if I stayed away from him for the time being?

[The flowers are a clear sign of the other's emotional response. For a detective like Hank, this just help him asses a situation. However, that's quite a loaded question.]

Honestly, I don't know. I can probably get him to lay off of you...urgh. What a pain. I bet he's already realizing I'm not acting the same as I was from his last memory.

[At least the fact that the flowers are growing and not, like, catching fire or something is a good sign that he's not getting too worked up about it.]

You don't need to stress him on my account. If he does decide to confront me, there's a high chance I could talk him down again. [He flashes an amused smile.] It's kind of my specialty.

And are you from the same point that I am, Lieutenant?

[It is indeed a very good sign and one that Hank is grateful for.]

Heh. Is that what happened? Kinda wondered and all, since I got dragged to the factory by another model pretending to be him.

[But there's only one true Connor, as far as Hank is concerned.]

Probably...unless you're about to tell me you lead some sort of war instead of a peaceful protest.

I can't take the credit for his deviancy. I just gave him the push he needed to realize what was already there.

[Thanks to you, Hank.

Markus leaves verdant footprints in his wake as he steps closer to the Lieutenant. He wishes his answer to Hank's remark could be as decisive as an "of course not." But there had been plenty of times, watching his people be gunned down around him no matter what he did, when he'd wondered if he was making the right decisions. When the pain and rage and grief had grown to be almost too much to bear. Every step of the way he'd been aware that he had a choice, that he could have changed paths, changed tactics and given in to his fear and his hurt, and time and time again he had chosen to demonstrate peace, not war.

The periwinkle blue ring-shaped pendant around his neck darkens for a second, as if a cloud passes over it (or, more accurately, as if Markus' thoughts themselves cast a shadow over it), but Markus' expression doesn't change and it's back to its normal placid color quickly enough.]

No, I didn't. [He smiles, though there's something tired and sad within it.] An eye for an eye, and the world goes blind.

...

[No. Hank doesn't want the thanks ~~he's too tsunder for it~~. He watches in silence as the android comes towards him until he finally speaks again, closing his own eyes briefly.]

Heh. Well...never got to thank you for saving Chris' life so...thanks.

[Considering it's Hank this is progress in the right direction.]

As for Connor...guess we just gotta let him find his own way here.

You don't need to thank me, Lieutenant. Vengeance is a bloody cycle that I was trying to avoid.

[He had never set out to judge humanity's sins. He only wanted his people to be free.]

And Connor will figure things out in time. I believe in him.

[He offers his hand to the lieutenant.]

I'm glad I have the chance to meet you in person, by the way.

TEST DRIVE: August

:D hi

BONJOUR :D

sorry about the delay!

no worries at all!

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