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

[hardtohandle]

Well, it is an animal, after all. [Kashuu adjusts his hold on the bowl to make sure no raw meat juice touches his fingers] Or, rather, a monster.

[scallopstrategist]

[The baby dragon seems to have worked out that jumping up and snapping isn't going to make dinner happen any sooner. Instead, it crouches on its chubby back legs and opening up its maw and squawking like a baby bird. Jay wrinkles his nose... but drops the meat into its mouth. Job accomplished!]

I don't really see what the point of all of this is. How long are we supposed to take care of these things? This whole thing would be a waste of time if they died after we left.

[hardtohandle]

And I really don't like the idea of hanging around until they're mature... [He's not a babysitter, after all. Not for tantou, not for wyrmlings. This mission seemed absolutely opposite his talents, except for...]

Ahh, though... Maybe, without the village, they'd get along much better? [Not that killing the entire village seemed like a good idea. It seemed too costly, especially with those guns. ]

[scallopstrategist]

Oh. Are you suggesting we convince them to relocate, or just eliminating them? [He shakes his hand, attempting to flick away the smears of blood that transferred from the meat to his fingers.] The latter would be tedious, don't you think? We don't have a firm idea of what their numbers are.

[That's. His objection to murdering what's left of the village? Okay, Jay. Okay.]

[hardtohandle]

I'm just trying to think of a "cut the knot" solution. It's not like this is our world to live in, after all. [In fact, aside from protecting the dragons, they had no obligation to this world or its timeline. Why not skip through the details and try to get the job done? Sure, he preferred humans to dragons, but that wasn't the mission.]

[scallopstrategist]

It's a simple solution in theory, but more difficult in practice. [He holds out a finger for each point he makes.] We'd need to get approval from our superiors, know how many of them we'll have to kill to get the job done, cut off all escape routes, develop a comprehensive elimination plan, gather enough people who wouldn't bog the mission down with objections like "but we're killing innocent people" and "this is wrong"...

[So many details to get right, so many soft hearts that would just get in the way.]

It seems like it would be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

[hardtohandle]

Aaaah, true. I'm used to being around people who understand when a job needs to be done. [And even the ones that dislike violence will take arms against the monstrous Revisionists. Sword company is best company.]

Still, I'd like the complicated planning more than staying here raising dragons... It's like being on horse duty, only ten times dirtier, somehow. [He sees you eyeing this bowl of meat, wyrmling, don't get ideas! Ugh, it's drooling.]