Empatheias Events (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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memepatheias2018-11-19 07:38 am
empevents) wrote in memepatheias2018-11-19 07:38 am
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Test Drive: December
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 25 November and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on December 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.
- Enable Me/App This Pls. Talk about your app plans or look for a cast HERE!
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 same committee of natives that decided to tackle Halloween have decided to take on the winter holidays of Otherworlders as well! After interviewing several Otherworlders to acquire some grasp on the traditions associated with these holidays, the committee determines that many of the typical winter festivities just aren’t up to snuff with what they like to see in Verens. So after running away with some ideas and getting the locals involved, there are all sorts of new and unusual winter activities popping up around the city! Which one will you give a try?- Tree Toppers: At various locations throughout Verens, there are massive, fully decorated evergreen trees standing tall for the public to enjoy. However, there are more to these trees than meets the eye, and should you approach, you will see a placard among the boughs: climb to the top of the tree, and snatch the crown at the top to become Winter Royalty! Sure enough, the trees are topped with crowns made of real gold, but reaching the top may not be as easy as you think. The trees are several stories tall, and they are not particularly stable. Perhaps you need a partner to spot you, or maybe you’re racing to the top! Either way, it’s going to take some effort to reach the crown.
- We Won’t Go Until We Get Some: Groups of natives have taken up caroling and arrive at your door to serenade and ask for some figgy pudding. The thing is, they are relentless. They will not leave until they have received some figgy pudding, so if you don’t have any on hand (and why would you), it’s time to take a trip to the grocery store and whip up some of the requested dish. Hopefully you know how to make it...or find someone who knows how, quick! Those carolers are getting awfully hungry, and it’s getting late...
- Elf on a Shelf: Through the course of their “research”, the committee learned of toy-making elves, though they seem to have conflated their understanding of them with another creature from folklore. They have taken imps from the forest, dressed them up in cute red and green costumes, and set them loose in the city, claiming that whoever captures the most “elves” with be rewarded with a giant rocking horse. Some of the “elves” will hide and thus need to be sniffed out, but others still are far more mischievous and are likely to get into your cabinets and drawers. Oh, dear...perhaps you’ll be earning that rocking horse, whether you wanted it or not.
• Prompt E: The recent death of an Arehtei has prompted some people to believe that there may be some Arehtei who have yet to come back, or have yet to be discovered. As such, a team not at all enforced by the local government are going around encouraging others to join their cause: find new Arehtei.- Make 'em Talk: As most Arehtei are like giant animals, the group has captured all kinds of creatures from all over the world and are trying to see if certain emotional reactions will make these creatures talk. Arehtei talk, after all, so it would only be natural for the undiscovered Arehtei to be capable of speech. Perhaps you come by the petting zoo or perhaps you were asked by a member of the team to help out. Your task now is to make the creature before you speak.
- The Monthly Rituals: The various emotions represented by the current living Arehtei are all well and good, but what about emotions such as Hot and Cold, Rich and Poor, Alive and Dead, Woke and Lit? There are apparently so many other emotions that don't fall under the spectrum of what the current Arehtei represent, and the group is now hosting a ritual at the park in hopes of summoning new Arehtei. People attending the rituals are partnered up again and they have to make their partner feel these new emotions. For your efforts, you are given a cup of either peppermint mocha or raspberry iced tea!
- Emotional Effects: Maybe even summoning the long forgotten Simpathis, Arehtei of Apathy, might help. Despite the destructive effects of the lack of emotion, people are encouraged to turn off their emotions for a minute or two in hopes of the emotion drops in people's crystals to help the Arehtei in some way. After all, feeling certain emotions make the emotional state of the world tilt in a particular manner. Should there be a lot of apathy, then the Arehtei of apathy might (re)surface and bring some balance! Just watch out for people suddenly making the ground shake. The glass you're holding might suddenly break, or perhaps the street you're walking in might suddenly lose all its colour.
• Prompt F: Life in Empatheias is generally a peaceful one, but it's also important to be perpetually prepared for any kind of emergency. The Verens General Hospital has issued a half-day mandatory First Aid course for all of its citizen. The staff are aware that these kinds of classes tend to be boring for most people, which is why this one will come with some exciting twists! The first thing everyone will notice is that all the training takes place outdoors. To be precise, it's a forest that looks more like a boot camp. Remember, attendance is mandatory!- Stayin’ Alive: The first course is a classic CPR course - you and a partner are given an instruction book on how to resuscitate a person, then apply those skills on a dummy. That's what seems to be the case for most pairs, but some others won't be so lucky! It turns out that some staff members will shoot poison darts from afar. If you're hit, it's your partner's job to either suck out the poison, or run back to the supply cabin for the antidote. This is the REAL test! Isn't it thrilling?
- I Will Survive: The second course is another much-needed skill when it comes to saving lives; namely the fireman's carry. Once again, you're paired up with a partner, but this time only one has to do most of the work, while the other has to do their best to play their part. What does this course involve? It's an army-style obstacle course, where one has to carry another person through various obstacles. How exciting!
- How To Save a Life: The final course involves performing emergency surgery. Don't worry! The surgery is performed on a test dummy, of course. With the most basic training instructions (which is completely inadequate for this task), you and your partner are tasked with surgically removing the dummy's kidney and replacing it with a fresh one from your medical box. Work slowly and carefully together... and don't panic. Seriously, don't. The staff have also released some monster snakes nearby, just to add to the excitement. Stay calm, and the creatures won't sense your presence. Alternatively, one partner can fight them while the other one works on the patient. First Aid has never been so blood-tingling before!
• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include music and/or jump ropes.
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! - Tree Toppers: At various locations throughout Verens, there are massive, fully decorated evergreen trees standing tall for the public to enjoy. However, there are more to these trees than meets the eye, and should you approach, you will see a placard among the boughs: climb to the top of the tree, and snatch the crown at the top to become Winter Royalty! Sure enough, the trees are topped with crowns made of real gold, but reaching the top may not be as easy as you think. The trees are several stories tall, and they are not particularly stable. Perhaps you need a partner to spot you, or maybe you’re racing to the top! Either way, it’s going to take some effort to reach the crown.
GLAD TO SEE YOU and I saw that and went "... welp, I know just how to screw with Gil :3"
Not that that matters just the moment.
"Some sort of dart, I guess...?" Really, she's more surprised than anything so far, pulling it out with only a slight wince.
Of course, having done so, it becomes apparently that the dart and its needle nose are indeed hollow. Hollow, and now rather empty, barring a drip or two of some unknown substance still left oozing from the tip.
stop making him think about things that aren't himself he has a full schedule
What isn't a win-win situation or the start of a good day is the mysterious dart that Gil's little master pulls from her arm; his eyes flick from the dart to the wound as he reaches out catch her arm with a surprisingly gentle-but-firm hand, squeezing her arm as he frowns, brow furrowing. "How do you feel?" One doesn't need clairvoyance to have a bad feeling about things. Gil probably had more than a few assassination attempts during his semi-mortal existence, if we're frank.
... and at the end of the day, this is his master. He is the only one that brings discomfort to his vassals. Somebody's going to pay for this, bodily and bloodily.
bah, it's good for him! Plus it's a change of pace to keep from getting bored, right?
"Fine, I think?" Other than a little sore from, you know, being jabbed in the arm by a dart loaded with who knows what. But she should still be immune to poisons, being here probably doesn't invalidate her contract with Mash or anything. Probably.
... Look, it's not like she went around testing it just to find out, okay? She knows better than to do something that potentially stupid.
hdu use gilgamesh logic against gilgamesh logic whomst do you think you are
So given the context, is FSN Gil basically Gilgamesh Alter?"That is not a sufficient answer," he says with a scowl, continuing to put pressure around Ritsuka's wound in order to--stop the spread of poison, or prove the presence of it? He's not entirely sure, and since being unsure is absolutely contrary to his status as The Ultimate Truth, he makes a decision.
That decision happens to be sending a selection of his finest blades in thd direction the dart had come from, in case there was someone full of answers and also repentence in the form of blood.
now now Gil, don't be sore because someone outsmarted you~ ;)
Needs more ambiguously brown skin but that works sure.Truthfully, Ritsuka's a little uncertain, herself. Normally, she wouldn't have to worry--if not even a Servant's deadly poisons affect her, something on this level shouldn't either--but, well, this is a different world and all, and Mash isn't here, either. Does that make a difference? Ritsuka doesn't know. But she does know that the natives who put together these sort of things usually don't mean any actual harm, even if their ideas are... odd, so surely if she keeps calm they can ask and--
And of course Gil would have to go and do something like that.
"Wait!!"
Well, she had been managing to keep pretty calm up until now. Good going, Gil. Better hope that an increased heart rate doesn't speed the poison's spread or something.
you can't outsmart him with his own thoughts you terrible parrot
The less we talk about the string of odd decisions involved in the Faker, the better.If the Shielder ever shows up, Gil is going to have some wine-soaked soulcrushing words with her because processing emotions like a normal person is for human worms, and Gil is exactly the type to take his discomfort out on others. He scowls when Master's panic spikes--and what a combination that must be, Gil's angry
worrieddispleasure and Ritsuka's worry of something getting a sword to the face--and turns his ire on her.Again, emotions, healthy expressions. Who that? Gil don't know her.
"They have two seconds to step out and grovel an explanation." Or the Gates of Babylon are doing yard maintenance for the first time in their long existence.
uh-huh, sure, you keep telling yourself that Gil.....
Gil taking out his anger on Ritsuka is perfectly fine as far as she's concerned. She's already seen enough people die, she'd rather not needlessly add to that list, thanks. Especially not people dying because of her.
In any case, she glances around quickly, trying to spot the organizers, or at least someone helping to run this crazy event.
"I'm sure there's... Ah, can you tell us what the dart's about?" she asks quickly when she sees a likely person, trying to get her question in before Gil can speak up again.
are you questioning the arbiter of truth!! and other things that win at scrabble!
See, they wouldn't be dying because of Ritsuka; they'd be dying because of what they did to Ritsuka--bringing harm upon a worthy Master's person is a crime punishable by death. Ritsuka's so-okay-she's-looped-back-around-to-pretty-good as far as Master's go, which meant that she was worthy of being under Gil's protection, which meant that no one else got to mess with her. A rather frightened volunteer was left in the wreckage of the foliage, looking a touch wane as the telltale gold glimmer of weaponry being called back to the treasury lit the area around them.
"It's. It's supposed to help you practice with... getting, uh, p--stuff out of a wound," they ventured, like a deer in headlights in front of the Gates' golden glow as Gilgamesh went from visibly annoyed to a neutral, narrowed expression--which was, frankly, the more dangerous of the two expressions. That expression meant he was ready to aim.
no, no, of course not! After all, we already know who's right, don't we? ;)
That's too uncomfortably close to dying for her for Ritsuka's taste, though. And she doesn't like seeing people dying in general anyway, she has some bad memories of that by now.
"Gilgamesh..." She sees that look and is pulling out the 'please don't, I'll be upset if someone gets hurt' tone now. Since giving direct orders is typically counter-productive, after all.
Though, while the poor hapless volunteer is here, she may as well try to get in another question before they possibly need to flee for their lives.
"With what? Is there another treatment?"
y... yes? of course we do wait is this a trap are you trying to trick me
... or is that unique to Gil's experience? Just him?
Death is a necessity! Some people need a good killing, but that's probably why Gilgamesh has Chaotic as part of his overall alignment. Gil doesn't turn to face Ritsuka, stare firmly pinned on the poor, quaking volunteer who really didn't get paid enough for this--but when she says his name, in that voice, his eyes do slide to look at her for a long, silent moment. He squeezes her arm, a minute twitch of his jaw the only change in his expression as he clenches his teeth in frustration.
The Gates continue to shimmer, but nothing comes out of them.
"Y-you're, uh. Supposed to look a-at the um, page in your instructions f-for snakebites and the like, a-and suck out the poison--but they've also got antidotes at the central cabin!" The words come out in a bit of a squeak because it's been a long day, and sometimes a man just doesn't want to almost catch an axe to the face twice in a ten minute period--and the long the volunteer's here, the closer that particular scenario comes to being their route ending.
Trick you? Now, why would I even assume you could be tricked in the first place?
Ritsuka... Well, she arguably can't claim there's never times when it is necessary, but those are always only ever regretfully so. And when all other options are exhausted or otherwise unavailable.
But so it is poison, huh... Probably a relatively mild and/or slow-acting one, considering this was just for 'practice' (or so one would hope) and even if it were fairly potent, well.
"It's probably fine, then." Granted, Ritsuka isn't entirely sure of that, but if Hassan of the Serenity's poison had no effect on her, she doubts whatever they came up with here would, either. Assuming that Anti-Poison skill is still active here, that is.
"But if we want to be safe, we could go get some of that antidote."
As in, go do that and not fling pointy objects at people.
because... mongrels... gotta... mongrel...
Ritsuka is a soft, delicate thing, and Gilgamesh almost admires her dedication to finding peace when war is the easiest option. The audacity of her kindness and her determination is an amusement in the worst kind of way, but Gilgamesh will permit it for now.
Answers retrieve, there's a long, long moment where Gil considers putting a blade through the offending mongrel's favorite vital organ, contenting himself with choosing between the heart, or the brain, or the lungs... but there was a more pressing matter, in the end. The natives are stupid creatures, and who knows what idea of a concoction might entail. Sucking it out is clearly out of the question, so Gil needs to get Ritsuka on a move on to the command center with her poison tolerance in the air and too risky to take chances on.
He fills his need for suffering by sending one last sword streaking from the Gate, expertly aimed to just barely shave the native's hair and embed deep in the tree behind them. He takes their shriek of terror as payment and turns, dismissing his magic to tug at his master's arm, trying to push her to hold the limb over her heart. "Come."
There are never any promises about flinging pointy objects. The flinging will continue until the mongrels improve.
surely though the futility of such an endeavor should be obvious, right?
Ritsuka flinches when Gil sends off that one last shot after all, though since he didn't actually hurt anyone with it, it's really not worth trying to argue with him over. Even if it's probably obvious that she doesn't approve. She'll just settle for giving the poor native an apologetic glance for now.
She nods and follows Gil's instruction without complaint, though. She's not keen on taking any unnecessary risks herself, and it seems unwise to chance antagonizing him further, given his current mood.
a king must always strive for grander things and less dumb citizens
The native seems very busy crumpling into a heap after the goddamn time they've had. Gilgamesh immediately dismisses them from his mind; he has not the time to kill them, nor the patience to deal with Ritsuka's inevitable sad puppy face if he did go back to finish the job, so the mongrel goes in one thought and out the other. He continues to pull her along, trying to remember the swiftest path back to the nexus of this stupidity... but as he goes, the thought nags at him.
Activity increases the heart rate, which speeds the spread of poison--which may or may not effect his master. The idea that it's getting worse before it's getting solved is maddening for one who expects immediate favorable results, so the clearest answer is that Ritsuka needs to stop taxing herself... but Gil isn't one to fetch.
The answer is clear. "Be grateful for this boon, Master," he says, with no intention of explaining himself as he turns and moves to pick her up.
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At least, though, she knows better than to protest, let alone resist. Not that she'd be inclined towards the latter given the sheer trust she has in all her Servants, but still. Gil can just enjoy the look of utter surprise on her face, at least!
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As it is, he gives an approving nod, an amused look crossing his face at her surprise as he shifts the hold to more of a princess carry--she hasn't earned the potato sack treatment today, and she's also kind of poisoned. "Keep your arm up to slow your blood flow," he murmurs as he sets off at a quickened clip, power-walking like a man on a mission.
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Still, though... Circumstances aside, it's nice to see this side of Gil every once in a while. Proof that, for all his attitude and arrogance, he is indeed capable of being a good person. Or at least a decent one.
Not that she has any intent of even hinting at that particular thought, of course. That would just ruin things.
"Thanks," she says quietly and sincerely, instead.
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Gil wasn't a kind king; he deserves the title of tyrant and wears it like a badge of honor. He was, however, still a king--and for all his proclamations of the world bending around his will and his desire, there was always still something inside of him that protected what was his and wanted good things to trickle down to his people. It's always been there, in his heart of hearts--under the nihilism, the greed, and the self-centered glory.
It's a rare treasure for him to share with anyone, second only to the namesake of his Chains of Heaven.
"Hm. I can hardly permit you to flounder about in such trouble. I don't care to hear the wailing of the rest of your pack of mongrels," he replies, tone not matching the words in the slightest. He sounds... fond? Pleased, maybe? Either way, he's quickening his pace when he sees the station just ahead, eyes narrowing as he draws up to his height and the playful jerk starts to shift back into the tyrant king.
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Still, she glances up at those words, or more particularly that tone behind them. "Well, I'm still glad anyway," she says with a slight smile. It's rare to get such a sincere reaction from Gil, she has to get a response in while she has the chance.
And a good thing, too, since to judge from his demeanor he's already reverting to his usual attitude as they near their objective. Ah well, that's Gilgamesh for you.
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He shifts his hold on Ritsuka so that his hands are back to their safer, more neutral grips as he struts in through the wake of cracked wood. "Antidote. Now, mongrels."
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So she glances around the room, trying to first make sure anyone in here wasn't injured by that entrance, and second give an apologetic look to anyone else she happens to spot.
"For the darts," she clarifies, just in case there happened to be more than one. Given how things have gone so far, she really wouldn't be surprised if there were other poisons and antidotes being used.
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"Now, before I lose my patience." See! He's being a good boy! Normally he'd make someone bleed and then state his desire; he switched the whole order of doing things for Ritsuka's happiness. It probably helps with keeping her heart rate down, right?
At least one of the volunteers managed to unstick herself and scrabble towards a box on a nearby table, for everyone's sake.
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Not that Ritsuka thinks that's worth even attempting to explain to Gilgamesh, especially given the state of mind he's in just now.
"How do we use it?" she asks the poor volunteers instead, hoping to... distract from Gil's temper a little, and also fill the time to allow the poor woman who's working on retrieving it a chance to do so without Gil berating her for being too slow for his preference.
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The volunteers sort of start to edge around, like rabbits in front of wolves that've realized they either bolt or die. Another man speaks up, fine tremor in his voice as he tries to help. "It's, uh. An injection. Or you could drink it? Maybe?" Gilgamesh's eyes narrow, flicking between the woman fumbling through the case and the people trying to look very busy at the edges of the room behind cover.
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"Well, if you can give us whatever we need for it I'm sure we can handle it," she says, both to give some directing or prompting of what to do next, and to keep talking before Gil gets a chance to open his mouth again. Or open his Gate, for that matter. Granted, Ritsuka's less than thrilled with the situation, but she can always apologize later.
And that's not even to mention how awkward this is with Gil still holding her. She's really trying not to think about that, either.
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