TEST DRIVE: October

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: OCTOBER —

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 September 24th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on October 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: The new season has brought some interesting merchants into town from the outlying cities, and one peddler from Theasthai in particular is creating a lot of buzz with his magical masks that he claims will bring good fortune and riches to the wearer if worn for a full day’s time. Some masks are ordinary and will have no effect, while others...are a bit more unusual. For a modest fee, you may rent one of these masks, but be sure you return them within three days...or the consequences may be dire. Oh, and mind that once the masks have been put on, they cannot be removed until midnight of the following day! Choose wisely...
  

  1. Paper Faces on Parade: Sure enough, many of the masks have strange effects on the wearer’s emotional state. Some may alter their behavior and make them more peaceful or more aggressive than normal, while still others will have more significant effects, like encouraging its wearer to give the next person they see a great big hug or a genuine compliment, whether they like it or not. In cases where the wearer may not go along with their mask’s persuasion, they may find the mask growing tighter and tighter around their head! But if they give in to whatever action the mask suggests, they will find themselves overcome with feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction. It’s not such a high price when it’s just a hug or a compliment, but hopefully your mask doesn’t want you to throw a pie in the face of the next person you see, or even worse, try to kidnap them...
     
  2. Master of Disguise: Yet other masks appear blank when they are put on, and to the wearer, they will continue to appear as a blank, unremarkable mask. But for others who look upon the mask when it is being worn by another, they will see someone important to them who is not currently present in Empatheias. Is it their long-lost best friend they see? An old flame? A bitter enemy? Better think quick! Who knows how they may react to the person they see you as.
     
  3. A Terrible Fate: So, you forgot to return your mask in time, did you? The mask salesman is absolutely not happy, and even if you attempt to return the mask later, he will not accept it. He promises retribution to come soon, and in the next few hours you may start to notice that it almost looks like the moon is getting closer to the island. But that can’t be possible, can it? Yet over the course of the day, it will appear to you as though the moon is rocketing closer and closer to the island, dead set on a collision course! You should tell someone, right? The only problem is...no one else sees the same thing you do. They don’t notice the moon at all! What will you do? Evacuate the city, or submit yourself to asylum? Or commiserate with a fellow offender who neglected to return their mask on time?
     

  
  
  
  • Prompt E: In the wake of the fundraiser hosted by Otherworlders earlier in the month, a certain miniature local celebrity will be making a follow-up appearance at Verens’ mobile petting zoo! Currently set up in the city’s central park, the petting zoo will offer opportunities to both feed and play with a wide range of animals, including goats, alpacas, pigs, rabbits, deer, sheep, and of course, regular-sized ponies for rides. There will also be a few domesticated wyverns available to interact with, for those who aren’t put off by the horns and teeth! While the zoo itself seems to consider its primary audience to be local children, visitors of all ages are welcome and encouraged to enjoy themselves.
  

  1. Feeding Time: Of course, the petting zoo’s primary attraction is the chance to get up close and personal! There are apples and carrots available to be offered to the animals that favor them, as well as plenty of ordinary feed that’s available for a small fee. Some of the animals, however, are less interested in the food and more interested in what their visitors are wearing— goats can be caught nibbling on shoelaces or pant legs, and more than a few hats will be snatched off of heads by curious alpacas. Others are far less mischievous, with rabbits, piglets and fawns that are far more than happy to take any offered snacks and respond affectionately. Whether you’re spending time with one of the more docile animals or having to chase down a mischievous hat-thief, they’re all certainly happy to have visitors!
     
  2. Goat Racing: Taking some inspiration from chicken races of the past, the petting zoo would like to introduce Verens to everyone’s new favorite sporting event: goat racing! Attendees are free to place their bets on goats— all money will go to supporting the zoo itself and continued care of the animals, but the prize is that anyone who happens to pick the winner gets to take one of these little guys home with them for the day! Surely, we’ve all dreamt of temporary goat parenthood. Pick your favorite to win! As it turns out, however, the goats are easily distracted and many will keep wandering away from the race to chew on whatever they can get their teeth around. Some kind and focused encouragement will go a long way towards helping them get back on track, but be careful not to overwhelm them! They’re under a lot of pressure, here.
     
  3. On the Lamb: One of the attendants has accidentally left the gate to one of the pens open, and as a result, there’s suddenly a dozen sheep on the loose! They’re quick to scatter, and many will run off to various parts of the Merchant’s Square and towards Canal Street, with the potential to fan out towards other parts of the city as well. Do your best Bo Peep impression and help to round them up! The sheep are easily spooked and agitated, but projecting a sense of calm and other soothing emotions will help to keep them calm in turn, and make it easier to close in and guide them back to their handlers, while impatience or frustration will spook them further and cause them to flee. Patience is absolutely the key to bringing these lost lambs home!
     

  
  
  
  • Prompt F: Magical Girls are the latest craze in Verens! A local group of enthusiasts have heard enough stories from Otherworlders that they want to create their own festival based around it. Of course, nobody actually needs to be an magical girl to participate, nor does gender necessarily matter. No, this is an event for those who appreciate the genre or just want to have some little fun. For each event, there are star gems to be won, which are traded in for sweet goodies, so why not give it a shot? Extra points for those who come in a magical girl costume!
  

  1. Talent Show: Every magical girl has some kind of skill or ability, right? In this event, anyone can show off their pose, speech, transformation, animal-sidekick... whatever they feel best represents a magical girl! Put lots of enthusiasm into it! Everyone else attending the convention must rate their performance on a scale of 1 to 10. The higher the rating, the more star gems you win!
     
  2. Battle Royale: A closed off part of the city has been reserved for more serious magical girls, where the rules allow any magical girl to challenge the other to a fight. There are no rules for how they wish to engage in fight, apart from the loser having to relinquish all of their star gems to the winner. Do you challenge a fellow Otherworlder magical girl? Or do you form a team with one to beat some of the natives, who also fight as magical girls? Be careful, they're quite good at using their emotional effects to their advantage!
     
  3. Gacha Galore: It's the end of the Magical Girl Festival, and now it's time to turn in your star gems. But there's a twist! Nobody gets to choose their prize, but instead they have to pay 20 star gems and let the roulette pick their prize. If you got what you wanted, feel free to show it off! And if not? Well, maybe somebody can trade?
     

  
  
  
  • Prompt G: Make your own! It could include pumpkin spice and/or buckets.
  
  
  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

[waitingforhope]

[Currently indulging her in own Egg Nog Frappaccino, Mai had been little more than a passive bystander to the blissful exclamations of the customer next to her. In truth, she even smiled to herself a bit. Recalling her first renewed encounters with such delicious flavors. The choices one could make in a world like this, where food and personal preference was abundant and even more creative than she remembered it being before.]

[But even that could not assuage the surprised look in her eyes when said customer then turned to her expectantly. Leaving her wide-eyed and with a strawful of drink in her mouth to awkwardly swallow before she could even muster a response.]

Oh! I...um... [A quick glance at the cup told her very little. Many of the flavors took on a similar hue.] ...I'm not sure. Which one is that?

[jerichome]

What do you expect, Connor? That I'll turn around and start shooting the humans here?

[For his part, Simon doesn't look intimidated by Connor's reminder. He's honestly been expecting worse since encountering the famous deviant hunter, so being told that he isn't trusted and that he'll be watched is honestly not horrible to him. It's about what he expected.

Doesn't mean that he won't be somewhat affronted by his comment. Although, it's not like Simon trusts Connor either... he says that he won't cause Simon any trouble, but he hasn't survived this long being a deviant without retaining at least some caution around potential threats.

...Although, that Saint Benard is really fluffy.]

...Sumo, was it?

[darkearth]

[The moral of this story is Terra and Xion should never meet in canon because, collectively between them, they have maybe 1/4th the truth of everything.]

"Heartless." If you and Roxas are looking for your hearts... don't you think, they are, too? Shouldn't the Heartless have their hearts back?

[Help. He's too ye old days of KH to know what the hell is going on!]

[darkearth]

Hm. I'll just have to try everything I can then. [To see what all the different foods taste like, and to see if any taste like some of the things back home.]

That sounds neat. Giving flavor to what you cook based on what you feel in your heart. I think that's the sort of food I could enjoy eating.

Have you ever had any?

[darkearth]

[Oh. Admittedly, he's surprised when Squall turns the Good Boy shtick around on him. Now that he thinks about it, he really doesn't take much time for himself, does he? There had always been a lot to worry about.

A Mastery Exam, Eraqus, Xehanort, Ven and Aqua. The worlds plagued by Unversed.]

You're right. Thanks. You won't be strong enough to protect your friends if you don't take care of yourself. I let that happen, and I shouldn't have. Maybe I could have been strong enough to help them if I did.

[darkearth]

[smh at the phone correction being petty zoo

Terra takes up a side lead, trying to both keep the sheep together and maneuver them forward. Thankfully, the sheep hadn't gone extremely far, and their walk isn't going to be gruesomely long.]

We'll see if anyone returned them when we get there. [Alright. Be calm. Be calm and composed. Terra inhales firmly, tries to walk with a bit of easy confident, his face set.]

G

[gainsaiyan]

[Gohan had to admit, the seasonal drinks that were available this time of year were simply divine. They had a unique texture and flavor to them that just really was satisfying. He only wished they were available all the time.

He doesn't pay too much mind to the other customer's reaction over the drink; he's seen many such reactions from a lot of the local female population, most of them wearing boots and leggings weirdly enough. It was a weird fashion trend, but hey, he didn't pretend to understand fashion.

But when the customer in question speaks up to him, he's momentarily surprised. Most people didn't really come to these places to socialize with strangers. But Gohan's not the rude sort, so he greets Whis with a friendly smile.]

That's a pumpkin spice latte, right? [His saiyan sense of smell tells him that pretty easily.] Yeah, it's pretty good. Have you tried the maple pecan latte, yet? It's another one of their seasonal drinks here.

[jerichome]

...Thank you.

[Simon says that with complete sincerity. It's almost refreshing in a way that Eikichi is all too willing to offer his apartments for people to settle in. Simon wonders briefly if that offer would still stand if he knew of his true nature, but it seems like in this world, humans are far more accepting of androids and even aliens. Sure, the natives are being slightly hostile, but that's towards all the Otherworlders.]

I understand. Treat them well and they'll respond kindly in return. Most animals behave in a similar manner, so it's not a surprise wyverns fall into the same group. [Well, wyverns weren't real to Simon until he came here, but some basic principles can be applied everywhere.]

And I know I wouldn't mistreat a creature that can breathe fire anyway.

[soccerdrills]

[ He looks down... but not as far down as he's used to. When it comes to interacting with humans at least. Man this is probably never not going to be weird. ]

Not good? I won't know unless I try it! And I'm not an expert but this definitely looks like a fantastic cake.

[ He holds it down closer. ]

I mean look, it's got amazing frosting! And...

[ He squints at the cake a moment. ]

I thiiiink those might be chocolate covered espresso beans.

Nero | Fate/Extra

[qualisartifex]

[ C, with a dash of E ]

Why are there no lions to be had at this miniature menagerie?! [ She sounds right annoyed, though not for the reasons some might expect. She doesn't merely wish to view the lions in their natural habitat. ] This won't do at all...these fantastic serpents are beautiful, but they don't have nearly the same presence!

[ She could totally wrestle a wyvern, but something about it just doesn't have the same artistic appeal. ]


[ F ]

[ Nero heard there was an excuse to go up on stage, and by damn, there was absolutely no way she'd ignore such an opportunity! What's more, she's managed to convince one of the zookeepers to let her borrow a wyvern for a time.

The use of the wyvern becomes readily apparent as the creature swoops right on down onto the talent show's stage and the diminutive emperor descends off its back with a hop. The wyvern flies away, having been given orders by its trainer, but Nero takes no notice of its flight. Instead, she holds her hand up to catch a rose that's falling from...the sky? Basically from nowhere, but the moment it touches her hand, it turns into the fantastic red and black blade of Aestus Estus in a flurry of red petals. The sword's even longer than she is tall. ]

Blessed patrons of this fine display! Open your hearts cast your favor upon Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus! I may not fit the mold of the magical girl, but an emperor of magical might, I am very much indeed! [ She grins, looking as if she expects nothing less than amazement. She's gotten a good portion of the crowd interested with the whole wyvern bit, at least. ] If doubt further clouds your hearts, I shall grace you just this once with a glimpse of the Aestus Domus Aurea!

G

[100stringcheeses]

[ Whis isn't the only one brand new to pumpkin spice everything, let alone the lattes. Android 21 also got drawn in by the crowds, and holy geez was it worth the wait for her. Between Whis blinding everyone and 21 now making the whole area smell like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, it's a wonder they haven't been told to leave.

She turns toward Whis when he addresses her so fast it's a miracle she didn't suffer whiplash. ]

I did! Such a wonderfully sweet taste without being overly so, followed by the mild roasted flavor of the pumpkin, and oh-- so perfectly balanced by the bitterness of the espresso! I'm so glad humans are as creative as they are ...!

Wei Wuxian | Mo Dao Zu Shi

[ghostmuster]

emotions

[A world where emotions power magic...it's a strange concept, but at the same time, he can't help feeling a little hopeful at the idea. If he figures this out, he could recreate all the things he used to be able to do! And he's been putting a good amount of effort into that since he arrived, so today he should be able to.....

He found a wooden plank somewhere, a little bigger than he'd needed - big enough to sit on crosslegged, which is exactly what he's doing now. Focus, focus...positive feelings, right? Yeah, positive sounds right. A minute or two of concentration seems to do the trick, too, as he slowly begins to lift up into the air, board and all--it doesn't go up much higher than an inch or two, but it's enough to make him grin with barely restrained glee.]

--It worked! It's working! Hey, Lan Zhan, I--wah!? [Suddenly remembering that Lan Zhan wasn't here apparently threw him off just enough that the whole board just kinda....physically tipped him back onto the ground. He crawls up pretty quickly though, pointing accusingly at it as if it's some sort of live creature.] You did that on purpose!

master of disguise

[Getting a mask sounds pretty fun - even better if what the salesman says is true and they actually bring fortune and happiness and all that. Of all the masks to choose from though, somehow he found himself picking up a blank one - maybe he can decorate it himself! He might have to return it at the end of the day, but nobody said he couldn't draw on it. Now if only he could find a brush and some ink...easiest way to do that is to ask around, right?]

Hey, excuse me, do you know where I could find--er, sorry, is there something on my face? [Patting his mask just to be sure...]

on the lamb

[Sheep! Sheep everywhere! A whole stampede of sheep! Honestly this chaos is more exciting than stressful for Wei Wuxian, but chasing them down is still somehow difficult despite the laid-back attitude...probably because he's literally chasing them.]

Hey, come back--no, wait, keep going! Left! Left! [Sadly the sheep don't feel like following directions. Left, right, forward! He should be able to herd at least one of them this way, at least...probably.]

wildcard

[because we've always gotta have one of those, right? I can roll with just about anything, try me \o/ ]

PEARL | STEVEN UNIVERSE

[pearlfectly]

★ E3 //

You're being too aggressive! Just...watch me.

[ Pearl's footsteps are completely silent as she tiptoes stealthily towards an unsuspecting lamb. She extends a hand when close enough and settles it upon its unsuspecting wooly back and, after a slight startled jerk, the lamb relaxes and bleats with no intention of running again. ]

See? [ She smiles. ] They're gentle animals. Now we just...have to round all of them back, haha...!

★ G //

Why on Earth are humans so obsessed with these... [ Squinting, Pearl reads the package of ready-made brew again. ] ...pumpkin spice lattes? They're nothing but pure sugar and calories!

★ WILDCARD! //

hit me with your best shot

E-3 c-c-c-combo breaker

[ballseeker]

[ Of all people that Bulma had probably expected to ever, ever see here in Verens? It's Whis. Sure, there's lots of bizarre things always happening in the place - it's not necessarily that surprising in all reality, but considering that she's dodging sheep at the moment with a big bag of food in her hands for the others back at home... Well.

Whis probably hears Bulma before he sees her, shrieking as she tries to save her bag of food and not get taken out by a bunch of stupid petting zoo sheep and solidly wishing that she'd just stopped being so damned determined to not learn to fly and make other people fly for her a little sooner. That's what she gets, though, she supposes, at the expense of her take out as a great possibility that she's not ready to give up on yet.

Another shriek, her arms pin wheeling as she fights falling over, and then - ]

Whis? [ Well, hell, dreams do come true. ]

Whis! Is Beerus here too?!

G - going right back to the combo lol.

[fighting4afuture]

[Trunks is waiting in line for his black coffee with 3 shots of espresso, a bit bleary due to his lack of caffeine. So his reaction time is a little...wanting.]

Um...no, I haven't. I usually just order black coffee.

[He's a regular. The barista doesn't even have to call his name, she just hands it over.]

[seasaltkeys]

Sounds good. Hopefully, we'll get lucky.

[Not that Roxas sounds entirely convinced, but he's also a glass half empty kind of kid.

Still he almost has to laugh at Terra's attempt at being calm. He's been there before.]

You can be more natural though, you know. Don't try to force it.

F

[lightofchaldea]

Somehow, it's entirely unsurprising that Nero would use a magical girl contest as an excuse to literally take center stage. Nor is it surprising that she'd come up with such a flashy way to make an entrance. It's even not terribly surprising she'd use her Noble Phantasm to show off, at that. (Clearly, any Nero is still Nero, after all, whether she's the one Ritsuka knows or not.)

... Honestly, she's torn whether or not to say anything or just let things play out, at this rate. So long as Nero is only showing off her theatre and nothing more it should be fine, right?

Hopefully, at least. If nothing else, Ritsuka could try to interrupt if things go too far, but maybe for the moment it's fine to just watch and let Nero have her fun. Hopefully. Don't prove her wrong, Nero...!

[justamachine]

That's the problem. Deviants are unpredictable.

[And with the limited information he has, there's even less of a chance for him to predict the PL600's actions, though he certainly plans to gather more information if at all possible.

Connor glances a bit suspiciously at Simon when he addresses the dog, but he'll allow the change of subject without protest, even if his tone is a tiny bit defensive. Sumo boofs.]

He belongs to my partner.

E3!

[jamminshield]

[Steven was having trouble getting calm enough to catch the sheep. Because just seeing one of those fluffy guys put him on an aggressive level of excitement! So, he stands back and watches in awe as Pearl unleashes her magic.]

Pearl, that was awesome! [he claps his hands together.] You have the touch. The sheepy touch! [Steven then balls his fists together in anticipation.] I think I get it now. Don't worry, between the two us, we got this!

[21towin]

Billy liked to think he was one of the more sane and mundane ones that hung around Chaldea. Really from obsessed psychos, to crazed celts and Romans all the way into serial killer territory. A simple cattle thief who liked to put on a mask in front of others was probably the least troublesome.

...In theory.

In practice Billy was currently thinking of ways to cheat. What his motivation is, or what he would do with a goat if he won is anyone's guess.

"Mm, so long as I get the rear end."

C

[21towin]

I imagine that lions are quite unknown to these parts, miss.

[Well there goes his quietude, honestly it might take him to get used to these gem things. Oh well, at least it was someone he holds some form of fondness for? It could be far worse.]

G | Hope you don't mind a Rose! =D

[roseheartz]

[Rose chuckles at the question. It's just like Pearl to try and find sense where there is none. She takes a package of pumpkin spice as well, weighing it in her hand.]

Isn't it wonderful? It has very little nutritional value. Humans drink it simply because it tastes good.

[accepted]

Oh yeah, it looks... Sweet.

[Though with the tone he's using it's obvious it being sweet isn't a good thing to him. Caius scrunches his nose up a little as he gets a whiff of that chocolate-y goodness.]

Smells it too. It's probably got way more chocolate on the inside, like chips or some kinda cream or whatever cakes like this have.

[... It's hard not to describe it as good even if he sounds almost disgusted with the cake.]

You could... Try a little? Just to say you've had some I guess. It's either that or wait for the rain you're making to ruin it.

[exqwhisite]

[The fact that he knows this woman is but a trifling detail in the back of Whis's head. That whole timetravel debacle is something he prefers not to think about and he'd already been informed shortly after arriving that he might see some familiar faces. No, what's most important here is the wonderful drink in his hand.]

It's pumpkin spice latte, of course! They are advertising it as their fall special- and for good reason.

[He waves a hand to a nearby sign, which does indeed urge people to try the pumpkin spice. Still, Steambucks's selection is so grand and their specials so numerous, it's still easy to miss the advertising.]

[pearlfectly]

Why, thank you, Steven! [ She stands up too fast and the lamb flinches. Panicked, Pearl kneels down again and collects the little thing into her arms. It kicks and squirms and her grimacing face just barely dodges its hooves, but it calms down nicely when it sees it isn't in danger. ] Okay! Now. Why don't you try it? Do you see more anywhere...?