TEST DRIVE.

[futurologists]

test drive Firstly, thank you for your interest! Secondly, since the game hasn't begun and therefore characters haven't actually gone to a world yet, this test drive is going to be a little different. It's intended to be presented as a mini-mission of sorts, on a much smaller scale and timeframe than a real mission in-game but with a somewhat similar feel. Because of this, if you join the game, you're allowed to count this as game canon, so make sure you make choices you want to follow your character into the game! You know how this works, so go forth and have fun, and don't forget to reserve! BASICS Anwick might have been a beautiful town once. It's hard to tell now, since most of the buildings are scorched and crumbling, but they do resemble some rural modern-day buildings. Likewise, the people don't appear to be living too much in the past; several are carrying intimidating guns. For years, Anwick has been terrorized by dragons, living in fear of the next attack. Not anymore. The people have just ended a bloody battle. Several people limp towards the outskirts of town, holding their bleeding wounds or new burns. In the center of town lies a slain dragon, the last full-grown one left in the world. To be honest, it looks like they've already taken care of their own problem. A monotonous voice comes through your communication device to explain. You aren't here to help the townspeople; you're here for the dragons. The one motionless on the ground may have been the last adult, but it certainly wasn't the last dragon. Her children are located in a nearby cave, alone and orphaned. They're the ones you need to protect. WYRMLINGS The wyrmlings are still growing up, only the size of a small dog. Each has a slightly different appearance, but all of them have at least a few bright copper scales. They're beautiful, and they look a little bit harmless... at least, until they notice you. These dragons have never been exposed to humans before. Or anyone outside of their family, for that matter. They're small and scared, and they don't know any other way to protect themselves than to attack. Luckily, because of their tiny size, they can't do much more than small burns at a time — but make no mistake, it still hurts like hell. The cave they're located in is pitch-black and labyrinthine. Every footstep echoes throughout it if you aren't light enough on your feet. It'll be difficult to navigate if you don't MacGyver yourself a torch or other form of lighting. Cell phones will work decently, at least until their battery dies, but you don't want to get stuck deep within the cave with no light. If you do manage to get through the cave and rescue some without getting burned to a crisp, the trouble's not over yet. You'll have to find a safe place to stash them until they can be relocated; the townspeople aren't done with their dragon-slaying yet, after all. Walk into town with one in tow, and you're putting a target on your back. (Of course, this doesn't mean you can't do it.) PROMPTS ONE ✗ GOING ROGUE Not feeling too obedient? Maybe you're ignoring the orders and helping the wounded people in town instead... or just coming to gawk. Maybe you're coming to slay the wyrmlings yourself. Whatever it is, at least try to be sneaky about it. TWO ✗ THE DRAGON'S CAVE Try to navigate the cave, fail to navigate the cave and get lost, or try to take the wyrmlings without getting barbecued. Somehow, you get the feeling that you aren't alone. Those footsteps are probably just your imagination... or they could be townspeople coming to kill you and the dragons. Of course, they could also be an ally, but you'd better hope you don't find out. THREE ✗ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON You've gotten the dragon(s) to a secure campsite out of town, but the fun's not over yet. They're kind of freaking out a little. Some of them are still spitting fire. Even the less aggressive ones are crying shrilly, bound to attract townspeople or at least annoy everyone nearby. It can't be too hard to calm them down; they're basically scaly, fire-breathing babies, right? FOUR ✗ NIGHT TIME It's been a long day, and now it's time for the crew to sleep. Get to know your tentmates, try to ignore them, pray that they don't want to bring along a wyrmling to cuddle... or maybe you've been put on night watch with a few others, in which case you'd better find a way to pass the time until your shift's over. FIVE ✗ CHIT CHAT Network option! Maybe you've got a little downtime and you're bored. Or maybe you're frantically asking the rest of the team how bad a dragon bite is. Maybe you're just trying to figure out how the hell this magical jewelry thing works. No matter what, you get one username to identify you and one only — if you don't enter one, it will default to your real name (for example, Voldemort's would be tomriddle.) Choose wisely... or make it assfarts69, if that's your thing. More information on the network is here! SIX ✗ WILDCARD Do whatever the hell you want. Explore the ashes of the burned city, try to run as far away from this crap as possible, or try to teach a wyrmling tricks. The world is your oyster.

Comments

Frey | Rune Factory 4

[tills]

two ;

[Traversing caves? That's pretty normal for her. Dungeon crawling to save dragons? Also incredibly normal at this point. Time to be a hero!

Granted, she's not entirely pleased even now that she's being used for bizarre missions, but there's a time and a place, and when dragons are in trouble is not the time or the place. Hence why she's flinging herself (almost recklessly) across a chasm, and then reaching back to help whoever's behind her.]

Come on, let's keep going!

three ;

[This is... not what she wanted. She's used to sassy dragons, really, she is, but tiny wyrmlings that screech and cry and try to burn her are not what she signed up for. She has one in her arms, and nearly drops it when it breathes fire at her face (she barely ducks that), and then it clamps its teeth in one of her long ponytails and she shrieks too.]

Why do you have to be this way...!

[UGH.... someone please save her.]

two;

[hardtohandle]

[Kashuu would never complain about moving in heels. It was a stylistic choice to wear them and if he could fight in heels he could traverse a cave in heels. ... still, some people just moved too fast.]

I'm coming, I'm coming. [He doesn't have the pride, at this point, to not take her hand. Pride makes you too sweaty.] You could stand to be a little more careful, you know?

[tills]

Huh?

[More careful, what's that supposed to mean... she doesn't need more babysitters, okay!! Either way, he takes her hand and she pulls with a surprising amount of strength to help drag him over to the other side.

At least her spelunking partner is pretty.]

It's just a cave, so there's nothing to worry about. [Is she oblivious or just too used to dungeon crawling, we'll never know...] There aren't even any monsters yet.

[hardtohandle]

[There's no point in the fool's errand if they don't come back alive. He lands as gracefully as possible after the sharp pull. Girls these days were- quite something, weren't they?] Caves aren't exactly my area of expertise... [His experience with fighting at night made him think he'd be fine- but looking out past the glow of torchlight into the pitch black was a little intimidating.]

I suppose monsters might be a nice change of pace.

three;

[etherlinked]

[Nah.]

He seems to like you.

[...although yes, +1 with sassy dragon experience, and, after a pause, he might've shifted his tail...away from the tiny wyrmlings. Maybe. Meanwhile, wyrmling #2 is off running with his fan.

...Leon might've given up on recovering his fan.]

[tills]

Leon--!

[OW HAIR-PULLING]

Ow ow ow...! [why are you useless.] They could show their like a little less painfully!

[etherlinked]

[Because you're not the only one with long, flowing hair which blows in the breeze and you don't have a thing called a tail.

...

Also because it's entertaining.]

They might not know how. Weren't you an Earthmate? I thought this sort of thing would've come naturally to you.

[Unbeknownst to him, wyrmling #3 might be closing in for the tail kill.]

three

[unsuppress]

The shrieking probably isn't helping.

[...riku, that's not saving her at all. no, it's just snarky commentary from a few feet over, where he's wrangling a bit with a wyrmling of his own. somehow, he's managed to get it to calm down.

or he had, before frey's yells riled it up once again.] Try to stay calm, and they'll settle down too.

[tills]

[Why you gotta be so rude.......

Still, wincing as she is, she does try to calm down, hands still gently holding onto the wyrmling that is none-too-gently chewing on her hair.]

O-ow...! I'll try, but... it's a little hard to be calm under these circumstances!

[unsuppress]

[because that's what riku does.]

If you calm down, he'll calm down. Maybe more of them will—all that noise got this guy aggravated again, too. [which is why riku is trying to avoid getting his hair singed. he just got a haircut recently, he doesn't need another one.]

They're like other animals. They can sense this kind of stuff.

two

[viscontree]

Yes, let's move on. We have no time to waste.

[Julius walks towards Frey and gives her a firm nod. ]

This isn't a secure area so it would be wise to remain vigilant. Stay on your toes and watch where you're walking.

[It's better to be safe than sorry! He's going to be careful too.]

[tills]

[At least they're on the same page...!!!

She just nods, looking as serious as one can manage when they're obviously trying to look serious.]

R-right! I have some experience with dank, dark caves, so I'll be okay!

[viscontree]

That's good. Having some experience will make this go more smoothly.

We wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents to occur while we're out here. [Somehow he gets the feeling that they aren't alone.]

Do you sense anyone nearby?

two;

[bodyscarred]

[ She doesn't have to help Obi; he's already lightly leaping past her, hands in his pockets like he's totally accustomed to traipsing through caverns and hopping about everywhere like a nonchalant monkey.

Spoilers: He is. ]

Almost falling headfirst into a gaping crevice isn't going to do much for group morale, miss.

[tills]

[Wow there he goes, look at that monkey. She blinks in some surprise, before shrugging. Okay, cool, her companion is an acrobat. Works for her.]

Don't worry! Even if I do fall, I have an extremely hard head, so I probably won't be too hurt!

[Frey, that's not.... no...]

[bodyscarred]

... As much as it comforts me to hear that... [ NO IT REALLY DOESN'T ] I'd try to avoid falling in general. Think of all the people who couldn't let a cute young lady get injured, who would try to save you and end up even worse.

three

[demonfisting]

[He's managed to get a couple of the dragons calmed down enough to sleep, and that might have been enough for Kanbei to reach the unfortunate conclusion that he's figured out what he's doing. The two curled up behind him responded well enough to firm handling; maybe young dragons aren't so different from human children, in that respect. You just have to show them who's in charge.]

Handle them firmly. They are unlikely to respect an authority that will not assert itself.

[He reaches over to take the wyrmling's body with one hand and carefully pry its jaws off her hair with the other, not in any way because he's not always a tremendous dick at heart, but solely because if she keeps making those noises, it's going to attract undue attention and ruin everything, of course.

And the wyrmling promptly tilts its head back to give him a brief, scathing look before turning its attention to Kanbei's hand and sinking its teeth into it.

...sweet jesus why]

[tills]

[You were so close to being cool, Kanbei. So close. And then the dragon turns around and bites him, and Frey covers her mouth with her free hand, eyes wide.]

Oh...! Are you okay? That looks... [Painful....ahaha....] It looks like that one didn't like that idea so much.

[demonfisting]

[Thank goodness for thick gloves. Which isn't to say that it's not still painful, because those teeth have no trouble going straight through even that, but -]

It is of no consequence.

[...it definitely hurts. But he gamely keeps a blank face as he pries his fingers out of the wyrmling's mouth and holds it at arm's length, lest it decide to bite (or breathe on) whatever else is in range.]

three;

[philanders]

[Is that a fair maiden in need of rescuing???

... Anon is basically the worst rescuer ever, but he'll be approaching with a grin on his face, before he tries to get the wyrmling off of her.]

C'mon, little guy, I'm probably much tastier than her hair!

[tills]

[She'll rescue you, punk...

that is.

He's tugging and she's wincing because that's her hair.]

Ouch! Wait, hold on, what are you doing?

[philanders]

Trying to divert its attention! Hold on, just give me a little more time...

[He'll be trying to tickle the wyrmling. Who's a good boy (or girl)???]

3

[drunkdetective]

[ _{he laughs a little bit, watching her get The Business from the little wyrmling; since they all started getting back, he's been watching all types getting their face burnt off by overactive dragon babies. he watches for a little while longer before finally coming over.} ]

You okay? [ _{he's covered in ash and burns, but his wyrmling has settled around his shoulders.} ] It helps if you don't hold it so close.

[tills]

[Someone seems more on top of this than Frey. She looks at him for a moment, wincing as she tugs at the wyrmling (which tugs at her hair) and then pauses.]

Usually I don't get this much backtalk from monsters... [Why, wyrmlings, why!!] Are you always this good at taming baby dragons?

[drunkdetective]

Oh, no. First time, actually. The trick's to just let it run itself in circles until it passes out.

[ _{he scritches the dragon's chin, and it huffs some smoke and shifts with a soft chirp.} ]

They're like the unholy fusion of cats, dogs and lizards. Too bad we didn't bring a laser pointer. [ _{OOH IDEA:} ] Maybe try playing fetch with it?