memepatheias | TEST DRIVE: April

Entry tags:

*test drive

TEST DRIVE: April

— 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!

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.
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!
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!

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!
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.
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.

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.
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!
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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's HARMLESS!!!

Mostly.

Tamamo's sudden appearance has Robin jumping out of the way, the paints on his canvas suddenly brighter with his shock.

Then, they turn darker and gloomier.]

I'm not trying to get close to anyone. [PLEASE. AS IF.] I should've known you'd turn up wherever your Master is. Maybe you should have dog ears instead of those freakin' huge fox ones.

Hm? Hmmmm?

[She squints, looking Robin over.]

I was wondering who it was, but it's just a trash mob... Such a weak presence and unmanly personality could only belong to an Assassin, yes? Not to mention such terrible taste!

Hah! I'd be happy to remind you of who I am.

[Dan isn't here to hold him back. Nobody is. It's weird.

He's tempted to aim his crossbow at her face. He's EXTREMELY tempted, but they're not really enemies here, are they? If anything, they have to work together.

Unfortunately. Fox hunting sounded nice.]

But that's an insult towards your Master. For such big ears, you're incapable of listening. I just said her painting looks good. Are you saying it's bad?

[Caster, sadly, was Atrum's Servant until the fourth round. So, did she even meet Robin, who died in the second? Well, at the very least, she may have seen him around, and even butted heads with him before...]

Hm... I'm sorry, I simply can't remember you at all. Could it be that you're some sort of trash that lost so early on you never had a chance to make an impression? Ah, that must be it.

[fate/, why are you like this.]

No, no. I'm simply saying someone as shady as you can't possibly say something without an ulterior motive. And fox ears are the cutest!

[There was definitely some head-butting at least???

Normally, he'd be fine with not being remembered. It irritates him... for some reason... now. It has to be because Tamamo is saying it. In effect, his painting begin to burn into reds and oranges.

He gives her a flat stare and crosses his arms.]

I'm congratulating someone on a job well done when I see it.

[He begs to differ on the fox ears. BIG DIFFER.]

Are you just jealous I managed to say something before you did?

[Honestly, she might be jealous.

But mostly, she just came in after Robin's words, and she had no context for the situation past 'Servant talking to Hakuno', and after the war between the Millenial Capital and Rome, she was definitely not going to let some other Servant muscle in on her turf.]

Heavens me! Jealous of a small fry? Is that your attempt at humor?

Well, it'd be funny if you were jealous.

[Look. Look his face.

Especially since he doesn't want anything to do with her Master beyond the passing "hey, I know you" and that's it.]

But! You're not, right?

[I CAN'T FIT MY RESPONSE IN THE SUBJECT

extella/zero is nasu's prequel, where there are five people fighting in the semifinals and this is somehow okay and fine, and also hakunon is hakubro's soulless clone with a degraded emiya

extella is... it's great if you like nero??? ha ha. ha. (i am a very salty tamamo fan so i may be biased.)]

Obviously, I'm not. I'm just annoyed that something that smells like you could be allowed anywhere near my Husband.

[LKSJGLKDJGD i like nero and tamamo :thinking: but during my play of extella it didn't hook me anyway so rip my 60$]

[Aaah. She's jealous.

It's funny, but he doesn't laugh. He sighs.]

Calm down. It's not like being within my vicinity means she's going to leave here smelling like me or something. If anything, she'd smell like these paints.

[Actually.

He looks at the paintbrush in his hand. At the paint dripping from the bristles onto the floor.

At Tamamo, standing there, thinking he's an Assassin and not an Archer.

He swiftly flicks some of his paint towards her with a snap of his wrist, splattering her chest.

With green. For her envy.]

[nero gets two routes and tamamo stops existing in every route outside her own so like. shrug. IT'S BAD, I'M SORRY FOR YOUR 60 DOLLARS.

i bitch but i really do love the game, i'm just. so salty. please let tamamo have nice things, fate/.]

[... did you just throw paint on her cleavage, robin. She looks down at the paint, then up at him.

She's smiling, but the room is suddenly very, very cold.]

I see. But, you know, if you wish to die so badly, all you needed to do was ask.

[love and hate and their fine lines...]

[He did. She called him Assassin and has been RIPPING ON HIM since she's arrived. Compared to what he wants to do, it's nothing.

Or so he thinks.

He's been known to be Wrong. The change in room temperature doesn't affect him.]

What, and miss out on my chance to see the pink fox change colors? No way.

[listen. i love it because musou is what fate/ should be. but also, PLEASE STOP MAKING TAMAMO WORSE SO YOU CAN MAKE NERO LOOK BETTER.]

[He has been known to be Wrong. Very, very wrong. She's pulling out one of her paper talismans.]

Perhaps I'll take up art, myself. I'll paint a lovely picture from your blood and organs.

[THE ACTUAL WORSE REASON TO MAKE CHARS LOOK GOOD THO?????]

[He's reaching for his hood, pulling it up and over his head to cast his face into shadows.]

Yeah, and I'll make it so you turn into a pelt!

[Hakuno.

Hakuno stop them]

[ooc: also again at work so I can’t post much because I hate phone typing but I had an idea that must see the light of day!]

[And she does.

... By picking up a bucket of blue paint and slinging it’s contents at him.]

Time out! Both of you just stop-!

... Uh... oh, wait. Ah, sorry... I thought that was the bucket with the water in it.

[WHY HIM!?

PAINT. EVERYWHERE. BLUE PAINT.

Most of it splashed on his chest but there's still plenty on his face. On his legs. Literally everywhere.

He's annoyed and the paint on him is beginning to reflect that, but he's giving her the flattest look ever beneath his hood. Apologies won't get rid of this paint. He's now The Blue Man. Part of Blue Man Group.]

You couldn't have realized that sooner?!

[The chill vanishes from the air, as Tamamo just. Watches this unfold in front of her. And she practically doubles over laughing.]

Ah, that's a good look for you!

[Hakuno looks off to the side, a slight flush in her cheeks but wearing a mostly neutral expression.]

I said sorry. But it was for your own good. I don’t want you guys fighting here. That goes for you too, Caster.

[She says as she perhaps unwisely turns her back to Robin to chastise Tamamo.]

Hah hah. [SARCASTIC LAUGHTER] Yeah, laugh it up, you tart vulpine.

[He's attempting to wipe off the blue paint from his MANTLE. His Noble Phantasm is always getting treated like shit.

Turning your back onto Robin Hood, Master Saboteur, really is not the best idea Hakuno has ever had. Especially when he still has a paintbrush with paint on it, in his hand.

Whose own good was it for? She started it?!

While Hakuno is busy scolding her Fox Girl, back to him, he has the perfect opportunity for payback. He's not going to dump a bucket of paint on her.

But he will reach around and swipe the brush across Hakuno's cheeks and the bridge of her nose.]

[Yeah, no. Brush or no, she's going to reach around and grab his wrist with a surprising amount of strength!]

My Husband, I appear to have caught a rat for you. I'll simply burn it to get rid of it right away so it won't trouble you anymore, okay?

Blah!

[Hakuno reels back and shakes her head, but it's too late, she's been marked. She sputters and tries to wipe it off but just ends up looking like she's got war paint on. Ugh. Oh. Wait. Caster's about to kill him.]

Caster, no, stop!

[Aaah, crap, she really should have seen this coming.]

It's fine, really! It's just some paint!

[Paint that's turned bright yellow from her dismay. So that's weird.]

Edited 2018-03-21 03:07 (UTC)

[Whoa, she's quick. He didn't even have time to dodge her grip.

He doesn't pull his wrist away but he glowers down at Caster with a dark smile. The battle sparks fly.

But Hakuno saves the day (him) again.]

You could learn a thing or two from your Master! She's much easier to get along with, even after the war. [She apologized!!! TO HIM???] As for you? Yeah, I'm thinking you'll always just be a huge pain in the ass.

Edited 2018-03-21 03:38 (UTC)

How would you know, exactly? After all, you're the pathetic one who died in the second round.

[okay, being a shit is over, now it's time to be yan.

That said, at Hakuno's words, she does let go, but...]

That said, if you bring a hand near my Husband again, I'll flay your flesh form your bones and boil your blood away while you still live.

[She's giving off an aura of light, but it's not... it's not good light. It's sunlight. Harsh sunlight, the sunlight that bleaches bones, the sun that shines over the desert where almost nothing can live...]

[So this is Hell. Is she just cursed to be the center of people's conflicts forever? ... Probably. She just gently pushes Robin back a few more steps to get some distance between them. She mostly just wants to keep him out of Tamamo's impulse-grab reach, at least for now.]

Nobody's going to flay anyone. We're all just talking.

[She heads back over to Tamamo, shielding her eyes from that ~~SOLAR FLARE!~~ sunshine. She sets her free hand on Tamamo's shoulder and tries to smile despite the uneasy yellow color on her face.]

Alright? It's okay. The war is in the past, and we're enjoying retirement now.

[As BADLY as he wants to push back, he doesn't. Hakuno is able to get him to step back once or twice to give space but he doesn't stop watching Tamamo (in extension, Hakuno) with an expression that shows how much he cares about what she says.

ZERO PERCENT.

... Hold on, wait. "The pathetic one who died in the second round."

That lying sack of]

The hell!? You do remember me, you damn fox!

[Hakuno.... I'm sorry.....

The war might be in the past but Robin never counted on retirement, anyway.]

Of course I do.

[She takes a step, standing behind Hakuno, arms in her sleeves. Suddenly, she's projecting the air of a humble, demure servant.]

It may have been Miss Saber you fought then, but of course, I would keep track of the fights of the one I fell for.

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sovereignpc - 2018-03-29 05:02 (UTC) - Expand

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robindarich - 2018-03-29 09:01 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE: April

omfg

i'm a little sorry

you're not but don't be

okay, but i really am sorry for fate/ timelines

they're a mess????? i hate it thanks nasu

i have literally ranted for pages in discord about how terrible extella/zero is

i stopped playing extella but IS IT THAT BAD ugh

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Multithread drifting go

the hero we need

i cant believe hakuno just murdered robin

She couldn’t be more anime protagonist if they actually let her be the anime’s protagonist

time for him to die again

tIME FOR HIM TO DIE AGAIN

This is gonna end up looking like a bloodbath if you had the game set to mortal kombat green blood

hakuno keeps sAVING HIS DUMB ASS

this boy is gonna get splatooned

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