TEST DRIVE: April

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: APRIL —

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 March 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on April 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. These threads do not count toward AC.

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 Verens Emergency Response Teams are running drills to make sure that the Verens populace, natives and Otherworlders alike, are prepared for any and all emergencies. This means large scale obstruction of public areas, traffic delays, businesses closing their doors temporarily in the name of professional cooperation... and, best of all, Otherworlder participation!

1. Alpha Lava: If you asked Team Alpha, they would say they drew the short straw. They are in charge of the volcanic eruption preparedness drill! This includes cordoning off sections of the merchant’s square and residential district to conduct the following tasks: evacuation drills, where random houses are the "willing participant" of loudspeaker announcements telling them they have thirty seconds to escape their homes before they die; dunamis training exercises, to determine who would be most able to hold back or freeze incoming pools of lava; and, most helpful, the role of victim mannequin. Posing still as a statue for several minutes at a time to simulate being encrusted by molten lava is a thankless job, but someone has to do it.
   
2. Epsilon Epidemic: Team Epsilon's emergency preparedness drill is outbreak of a deadly disease! For this simulation, they will be rounding up helpful Otherworlder volunteers and distributing signs for them to wear around their necks. Following that, instructions are varied. Perhaps some people end up in quarantine, informed that Team Epsilon will shoot to kill anyone who escaped. Perhaps some people are under strict instruction to act out their sign to the best of their ability, and will be penalised if they don't! (What's the penalty? It's quarantine, or no gift bag, or both.) Perhaps they are simply dead and have to lie in the street all day. Yes, that's very boring. No, they don't have a choice. At the end of the simulation, all participants are given a gift bag filled with handmade cookies (courtesy of Team Epsilon's very own multi-talented Agent N) and gift certificate for a spa day for two. Most importantly: have fun!
   
3. Gamma Grandstanding: Team Gamma ended up with the newest preparation drill. Its official title is "People With Indeterminate Motives" (PWIM for short) to keep from throwing a wrench in the Briarlan trade deal and offending sensibilities, but make no mistake: it is about knowing exactly what to do if pirates invade Verens and conduct a hostile takeover. Some Otherworlders will be placed specifically in local business - restaurants, independently owned shops, even the zoo - and trained how to protect them from PWIM. Some businesses will be targeted; others will be ignored entirely (hope you brought a deck of cards!). Other Otherworlders will be asked to play the pirates - sorry, PWIM - themselves, complete with lame costumes (eyepatches, fancy hats, fake parrots to sit on a shoulder, itchy peglegs) for the sake of immersion. Arr! Aye, avast!

• Prompt E: Despite the rain and everybody coming down with colds during the month, everyone in Verens is still doing their best to get ready for next month's Flower Festival. And Otherworlders are definitely expected to help with prep work. After all, it's everyone's festival, so everyone should help make it the best it can be! So here's a few ways to help!

1. Sign Me Up: The Festival needs signs! Lots of signs. And lots of signs need lots of painters! Or one incredibly overworked painter, but in this case, they've decided to go the teamwork route, pairing up Otherworlders and having them make signs advertising various games at the festival! Sounds easy, right? But with emotion based paints in play, be careful. Too much negativity between partners and the wording will change, the paint could run, go too far in the other directions and the signs will be practically glowing, but possibly lead to claims of false advertising!
   
2. Special Delivery Flower Festivals need lots of flowers, and people to transport those flowers! And thanks to handy tech exchange with Briarlan, this year there's some fancy containment units for transporting them. They're really just crates with some fancy looking meters attached, meant to open up when they reach the festival grounds. Unfortunately, these new inventions probably could've used some additional testing and are prone to opening randomly sending flowers all over the place! Try and collect as many as possible and bring them back to the grounds, the festival organizers would appreciate it.
   
3. Flower Round Up! Or maybe painting signs and boxing flowers aren't your thing, so how about...corralling them? With all the good vibes in the air, it seems some of the flower arrangements have literally pulled up roots and are running around the festival. And you can't have a flower festival without flowers, so do your best to try and get them back where they belong before they run off to start some sort of flower civilization in the woods*.
   
   *They probably will not form a flower civilization in the woods, but you never know.

• Prompt F: With Verens trading with more and more cities out there, some shopkeepers have gotten an idea to try and increase sales by encouraging both citizens and Otherworlders to shop local by promoting a tour of various business in the merchant district! Though the crystal has been a little negative, they're still hoping the tour goes off without a hitch! After all, it's too late to postpone it.

1. On the Clock: The first stop is Click, Clack, Clock, a clock shop that offers delivery to anywhere on the island! Unfortunately, due to the poor weather, all of the delivery staff are out with colds, so they're looking for volunteers! And yes, you're on this walking tour, but don't be surprised if you're handed a bicycle and a clock and sent on your way to deliver a clock. Hopefully they remembered to tell you where to go before shoving you out the door.
   
2. Shine On: Assuming you haven't been conscripted into the clock store's delivery force, the next stop is at Verens' very own Restoration Works, an establishment for restoring old antiques and making them look good as new. They've set up an interactive demo for everybody, so partner up and practice using your emotions to bring some shine back to some dull scraps of metal! Sorry guys, they're not going to let you work on anything really valuable during the tour, but if you show some promise, maybe they’ll hire you on in the future!
   
3. Polg-Oh No: Finally, the tour will end with a nice relaxing meal at the Sweethearts Cafe. Or it was intended to be relaxing, anyway (who would've thought the antique store would be the calmest part of the tour?), but it seems no place is safe from the Polgo plague. Better keep an eye on your plates, otherwise the second you’re distracted, the small kitten-sized blue bugs might scurry up the table and try and run off with your food!
   
   Even if you’re paying attention, they might give it a shot anyways. So be on your guard and ready to give chase if it happens!

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include blueberries 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

Vanitas | Kingdom Hearts

[brokendarkness]

[ B - ST0303 Task - Carved Swan]

[Vanitas really isn’t much of a team player. But in a world where a little cash is needed to get by he does have to stoop down to this level sometimes no matter how irritating it is. The task board does offer up anything interesting but the quick cash is really all he needs. So, here he is playing fetch with sometime to kill. He doesn’t like it one bit but he’s tolerating it for now. Standing by the edge of the pit of quicksand, he can’t see the curved swan at all.

Someone is going to have to go swimming it. And that’s where you come in. Stepping closer he gives his ‘partner’ a firm push towards the bit]

Try not to swallow too much sand before you find the swan. I’ll pull you out after.

[Maybe. Teamwork. Don’t worry, this masked face is super trust worthy.]


[ C - Amulet ]

[He gets the gist of it thought it’s still foreign to him. Telepathy....Basically, these amulets are communication devices that can go horrible wrong if he didn’t pay attention to his thoughts. His eyes narrow as he taps the crystal as if to test its durability. Time to get down to business.]

'....Who here is friends with a boy named Ventus? I’m still getting use to this place so it would be ideal to get to know some of the people he’s gotten attached too.'

[Not suspicious at all. Just an innocent request. But to those that are paying more attention there sly amusement under tone that Vanitas really can’t help. Not intentional at all but it’s fine. Ventus didn’t seem to make friends with the brightest of people anyway. If even one of them answered that was enough.]


[ D2. Epsilon Epidemic ]

[His exasperation with this place is just steadily growing and growing. With 'I'm dead' sign dangling from around his neck, Vanitas as taken to casually leaning against a building with his arms crossed over his chest and head tilted down. His posture is relaxed and looks lazy like he has all the time in the world. Really, its hard to tell if he decided to doze off for a quick nap or not. His usual mask hides any indication that his as eyes are open or closed.]


[Wild Card] :

[Got another idea, hit me up here!! Vanitas stalks around just about anywhere so very open.]

C

[brokenlight]

[.....

Something inside of him just drops. There is fear and hesitation, but anger and something else.]

....Vanitas.

[brokendarkness]

[Oh that feels fimilar. He already picked up on Ventus' presence in this world. Still, a faster answer then he expected.]

It's been awhile. Sounds like you missed me.

[He knew mentioning something to do with friends would get a rise out of his light half. After all, that was all he ever harped on.]

[brokenlight]

Think I could've gone much longer without you.

[Ventus sounds irked, but he is focused on finding Vanitas now.]

What's the last thing you remember?

[brokendarkness]

Pretty big talk considering it's most likely your fault I'm even here.

[Let's set this straight so whenever Vanitas does what he does best, Ventus can blame himself for somehow bringing Vanitas to this undeserving world.]

You first. What's the last thing you remember, Ventus?

[brokenlight]

[Vanitas gets to feel a more...strong feeling of regret and anguish. But it's gone as quickly as it came.]

It's been ten years since I've last seen you.

[Is that a better time frame?]

[brokendarkness]

[ Ten years. How was that possible? His defeat to Ventus and the shattering of the x-blade was still a very fresh wound. His jaw clenches tight as his irritation grows.]

Let's make up for lost time then. Better hurry and find me.

[Ventus might have to try a little since he isn't in one of the cities. His emotions are hard to control in a world like this. He's away from everyone currently, staying more towards in the mountainous area until he can get more of a handle on it. Due to oozing with aggravation and impatience the area around him is becoming darker and void of it's color. The grass is dying and various other parts of nature are following suit and wilting.]

[brokenlight]

[It might take some time.

But Ventus gets an idea about Vanitas' location, somehow understanding that his Darkness would not want to linger around an area while emotions run rampant. Eventually, he does find him, and the sight of the wildlife dying strikes him, much like a thunder hitting him.

Seeing Vanitas in the flesh, however, makes him falter a bit. A simple hesitation, a familiar fear and anger clouding his heart. It's been over a decade, but it's still not easy seeing him. The wind picks up around them, a silent hiss in the air as they respond to the turmoil in Ven's heart, almost like a storm brewing as it edges in on from the horizon.]

D2

[thememorywitch]

[Naminé is also a volunteer here today, but she's not really part of the trial. Instead she's helping with snacks because that's a lot more fun to her. She's not really a fan of thinking about people dying, but even then, she approaches the "dead" participant.]

Excuse me? You're welcome to come try the snacks we have since you're done for the day.

[brokendarkness]

[His head turns a bit to look at her. Snacks? How long had he been at this? The whole reason of how he got roped into this nonsense in the first place wasn't for simple snacks or to help out. There was something else. This girl isn't anyone he's looking for, at least as far as he knows yet. She could possibly be of some use. Maybe. Naminé probably can't hear extremely irritated grunt Vanitas as he takes off the 'I'm dead' sign from around his neck and drops it on her]

Here. It suits you.

[He's just going to stride in the rough direction of where the snacks are because he isn't leaving empty handed and free food is free food.]

[thememorywitch]

[She blinks as he does so, turning it to read it again. Naminé is... stunned for a moment before she shakes herself out of it.]

Um-!

[The girl hurries after Vanitas. She takes off the sign and tries to hand it back to him.]

You aren't supposed to leave until the drill is over.

[brokendarkness]

So play the part for me. Pretending to be dead shouldn't be that difficult even for someone like you.

[Ah, maybe he is expecting to much of this small girl. He stops walking. He's been here long enough playing around being told he isn't suppose to leave is a joke. There's been no sign of his Light half nor was he gaining anything by being here other then snacks.]

C

[seasaltkeys]

[Roxas might not currently consider himself Ven's friend, but questions like that never come off as a good thing to him.]

Depends on who's asking?

[brokendarkness]

'I'm asking. Who are you?'

[Question for a question, but that voice is fimilar.]

[seasaltkeys]

[Fine]

Roxas. You are?

[brokendarkness]

Doesn't ring any bells. You're not very important are you?

[seasaltkeys]

[At that, Roxas bristles.]

Well, I don't even know who you are, so should it even matter?

[brokendarkness]

Just call it a nagging feeling. Ventus tends to make friends with those types of people.

[If only he knew more but the name is a start. He's patient. For now.]

B

[thickasthieves]

[Zidane loves money and shiny things too so an easy job for an easy 500 drasks seems like a good idea.

But that sort of gets pushed to the back of his thoughts when he gets shoved by his "partner" in arms. He pushes the hand away and hops back a step.]

Hey- Watch it, Bub. Why don't you go first and I'll pull you out?

[brokendarkness]

[The blond is faster and more aware than he first gave him credit for. Still that isn't enough to get Vanitas much closer to the quicksand. Zidane why do you have to be difficult?]

Because I'm not the one with a long obnoxious tail that can take the place of rope. Be a little more sporting.

[He points to it. It would be an easy leash to drag Zidane by.]

[thickasthieves]

[Just for dramatic effect Zidane flicks his tail from side to side.]

You... Don't really know how tails work, do you?

[Does it look like a rope? Can't just pull someone around by their tail! Yes, he can hang from it just like a monkey but that doesn't mean he wants to be pulled around by it. How unethical!]

Your butt cape thing would make a better pull rope. [Shrugging!]

[brokendarkness]

[Hanging from a tail, being pulled by it....those really are minor differences. It's just a matter of how hard said person pulls.]

Guess I'm giving your tail strength too much credit then. I figured it would be more useful then being attached just for decoration.

[The 'butt cape' comment does get a bit of a scoff but Vanitas is oddly amused. What kind of idiot even is this guy?]

[thickasthieves]

[Dude, he is not about your weird fashion choices.]

You did give it too much credit. [He's also not about jabs to egotistical things.] It's one very important decoration.

Which means... You're up! Go for it! Dive in! I got your back! [He grins.]

[brokendarkness]

[Careful monkey boy, you're not exactly the most fashionable thing to grace the island either.]

Then you don't mind me taking all the credit for myself if you're just going to stand back and be useless. Some hero.

[Vanitas steps closer to the quick sand pit shrugging his shoulders. This wasn't how he wanted this to go at all but he's losing patience with Zidane and he really just wants to get this over with se he can move onto things that actually matter.]

B

[theabjectauthor]

[Lemony eyes that pit of quicksand warily]

I've survived more treacherous situations...

[but he doesn't have to be happy about it. his constant companion, the little black rain cloud, is steadily making it worse. soupier.]