Sandy

[color=Green][font=Century Gothic]I'm sorry, [B]Knuckles' Girl[/B], but this game, although it fills all the technical standards, is just too ridden with typos, bad grammar and poor storytelling that I just can't let it stay open with a good conscience. I've noticed that you like to create game after game after game, but how about, for a change, you focus on the games you've already created? Put more effort to them, spend some more time checking out the spelling, make more innovative stories, all that jazz. This game, it is no good. Sorry. If you feel like talking about the quality of your RPGs more, you can always PM me. [B]*thread closed*[/B][/font][/color]

I knew somebody would ask this. Because most of the kids still remember their "old life", not that much time has elapsed. Two to three years, I'd say. It's not accurate, because there's nobody keeping up the clocks and calendars.

[CENTER][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d3/Tribe_logo.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [FONT=Century Gothic][CENTER][B][The Underground][/B][/CENTER] Welcome to The Tribe RPG. You can find the recruitment thread of the game [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=54997][U]here[/U][/url]. This thread is meant for any and all questions and comments that might rise about the game and during the game, so feel free to speak out your mind.. Now it's time for some additional information about the world of The Tribe. [CENTER][B][The City][/B] [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/map-city.png[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][The Ruling Tribes of The City][/B][/CENTER] [INDENT][COLOR=DarkRed][B][Motorbulls][/B] were founded by a group of young motorists. Their shiny vehicles and tough looks attracted many followers, especially among other young men, and with the advance of fast moving on their side, they soon took over a large part of the streets in The City. Motorbulls aim to look as intimidating as they can. Leather jacket, piercings and large helmet with metallic horns attached to them are all a part of a good Motorbull's attire. They also decorate their motorcycles and headquarters with graffitis and paint and dark symbols. The worst part about them is their ruthlessness to hurt or even kill anybody who stands in their way. Even inside their tribe there is a chaotic hierarchy, where an individual can only climb up in status by erasing his rivals. Motorbulls aren't gatherers or farmers, they are looters. Every evening they ride on their bikes further and further into the city, and take whatever they can find: food, technology, furniture... there are rumors even of human slaves. They live from fear, but also in fear - just like all the other kids in the world.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][B][Brainstormers][/B] started out as a group of science and computer nerds, who managed to crack through the security system of a tall office tower located at the City Center. Using the hi-tech devices they found there, they started to work on a surveillance system that allowed them to see what was happening in each part of The City. They have also managed to control some satellites, so they run the only TV channel in The City. Their motto is "Knowledge is Power", and they value information and technology over anything else - even life. With firearms they force other kids to hand out their computers and other gadgets. They reward loyal people with gifts like electricity and batteries. Because Brainstormers usually stay inside their tower, nobody knows for sure how many of them there are. It is obvious that their strength doesn't lie in numbers, though. Whenever they venture outside, Brainstormers wear matching uniforms, inspired by the old science-fiction shows. Helmets with dimmed glass vizors are also a part of their outfit. Brainstormers know that they are vulnerable. Their power generators are still running, but they are very aware that once those shut down, Motorbulls, Sewer Rats and other tribes will come pouring into the tower, and that will be their end.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkGreen][B][Children of Gaia][/B] are nature-loving pacifists who live on the outskirts of The City, taking care of their fields, lifestock, greenhouses and forests. They are comprised by kids coming from the countryside. Their leaders and founders call themselves "elders", and they hold definite power over everybody else. This tribe prefers to wear clothes handmade from natural materials such as wool, cotton and leather. They decorate themselves with feathers and ribbons and paint like the "real" native tribes of America and Africa did in the past. The Children are looked down upon by the other major tribes, but at the same time they are vital for the survival of the others. Children of Gaia ration out food that they produce to The City in exchange of being left in peace. They don't meddle with the affairs of other tribes in any way. However, there are those among them that don't see exclusion as a solution to find peace.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][B][Sewer Rats][/B] have found a perfect hiding place for themselves: the endless sewage- and subway tunnels beneath the ground. They are a filthy, rag-tag bunch who avoid sunlight. Surprisingly, they are also the largest tribe in numbers, but most of them are little children. The Rats are gatherers, first and foremost. At nighttime they crawl out of their manholes and take whatever they can find back into their lairs. They have huge piles of everything they need, and equally huge piles of everything they don't need but keep anyway. Because they have spread so widely across the tunnel system, not even Brainstormers know all their hideouts. Their biggest fear is water. Most of them are so scared about the thought that water would suddenly flow back into the sewers and drown them all that they don't even wash themselves. This also makes them very unappealing to communicate with to other tribes.[/COLOR][/INDENT] So there. Besides these four, there are also a large number of other, smaller tribes, along with people who live by themselves or with only their siblings and closest friends. Then there is of course the [B]one tribe[/B], that still needs to be founded. It won't have a name until we players decide it during the game, but it will be the tribe that tries to bring peace and order back to The City. Will you join that tribe?[/FONT]

[CENTER][IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d3/Tribe_logo.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [font=Century Gothic][center][b] [The Virus][/b][/center] Nobody knows where the Virus came. Maybe it fell from the Outer Space, or maybe it was the result of a bacterial warfare or a scientific experiment gone very wrong. The fact remained that everybody over twenty years old were gone. There was nobody to run the hospitals, the schools, the governments? There was just a horde of kids, all hungry and desperate to survive. Quickly the horde began to split up into gangs, all rivaling against each other for food, technology and domination. All who declined to join these groups got stamped under their feet. If you wished to survive, the only option was to form your own Tribe. [center][b][The City][/b][/center] Whatever the name of the city was in the past, it is now simply called The City. It acts as the battleground of several power-hungry Tribes of juvenile survivors. There are the [b]Motorbulls[/b], who terrorize the streets on their tuned motorcycles, wearing helmets decorated with long horns. Then there are the [b]Brainstormers[/b], who control the office tower at the City Center and use its high technology to their advantage. Furthermore, the pacifistic [b]Children of Gaia[/b] rule the fertile outskirts of The City, and [b]Sewer Rats[/b] live in the filth of the forsaken sewage system. A large number of smaller Tribes can be found from many schools, malls and apartment buildings, but then there are many of those who live just by themselves or with their friends and siblings. Most of these children and youth have at least a vague memory of what life was before the Virus struck, but there are new kinds of laws in power at the streets of The City: the laws of the concrete jungle. The laws are dictated by the Motorbulls and the Brainstormers and other larger tribes, but some believe that their rule of chaos isn?t eternal. If enough of those who still believe in justice and equality would gather up and form their own tribe, the madness could be put to an end, and they could start building a new civilization, maybe even better than the one they were born into. There is one enormous problem standing in the way of peace and harmony, though. The Virus did not vanish with the billions of people it killed. The children grow up to become young adults, and by the end of puberty, they die. As long as the Virus lives, there is no hope of a better tomorrow. [center][b][The Game][/b][/center] Welcome to the post-apocalyptic future, where you will have to survive against the rivalling tribes, the Virus, and all the odds. This game is loosely based on the Newzealandish youth series [i]?The Tribe?[/i], of which you can get more information [COLOR=White][url=http://www.tribeworld.com][u]here[/u][/url][/COLOR]. This game will not, however, follow the storyline or have the characters of the original series. You are free to get inspired by whatever you find from the site, though. This game is going to flow quite traditionally, with no posting orders or chapters, but there is a risk of [b]elimination[/b]. Inactive and poor players have a high risk at getting their character killed off without a warning during the game, but if you put effort to your posts you don?t have to worry. All the players will belong to [b]one tribe[/b], formed at the beginning of the game after a series of chance meetings. The characters all come from different backgrounds, some may have already been in a tribe before, others may have arrived from another city. They do share a [b]common goal[/b], though, and it is to end the tyranny of the ruling tribes and restore order. They might have their own ways of reaching the goal, some more questionable than others, but that is the aim of the game. There is also the Virus to worry about, threatening all those approaching adulthood. Will this one tribe succeed or fail, it is totally up to the players. Please note that the [b]rating[/b] of this game is the highest possible, so you can be as explicit as you want in your posts. You can find more information about the game, and ask questions about it at the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=54998][U]Underground[/U][/url] thread. [center][b][The Characters][/b][/center] Here is the character profile sheet you need to carefully fill. [indent][b]Name[/b]: The City was once an international metropolis, so the character can origin from pretty much any country, which is reflected on the name. Put at least the first name and the last name here (with the exception of a child too young to remember either), but also the possible nickname which can very well be the name the character is known in The City. [b]Gender[/b]: Male or female, simple as that. [b]Age[/b]: From a child old enough of walk and talk to a teenager at the end of puberty, the scale is from 4 to 18 years. [b]Appearance[/b]: A photographic picture of a real person, please, no drawings! As a hint, there are many characters in the original series with great looking outfits, of which you can find pictures from the [COLOR=White][url=http://www.tribeworld.com][u]site[/u][/url][/COLOR]. [b]Personality[/b]: What type of person is your character? Don?t be too subtle here, boldly assign features to your character. He or she can be timid, outspoken, foolhardy, conniving, self-righteous ? make it interesting. Not meaning everybody has to be like they?ve escaped the psychiatric ward, though. [b]Background[/b]: Here?s your chance to really make your character stand out. What?s the story of your character so far? Was your character born in The City, or just arrived there? Was he or she part of another tribe before, maybe even a member of one of the ruling tribes? How did your character recover from the shock that the Virus caused, or did he or she ever even recover? Tons of possibilities here, so use them! [/indent] As an example, I put my character's profile here. [indent][b]Name[/b]: Silas Jordan, also known as Sage among the Children of Gaia but prefers to go by his own name at The City. [b]Gender[/b]: Male [b]Age[/b]: 17 and a half years, dangerously approaching the age where the immunity to the Virus disappears. [b]Appearance[/b]: [IMG]http://www.tribeworld.com/images/photos/bray_bio.jpg[/IMG] [b]Personality[/b]: Silas is the calmness himself. He reacts even to surprising situations in a relaxed, collected manner. His charming looks and soft, pacifying voice are enough to appeal to most kids around him. He loves to be the father figure, the "adult" among children. But to think he lacks emotions is very wrong, he is just extremely good at hiding them. Deep inside there is much fear. Fear of the Virus, fear of losing his charms, fear of everybody turning against him. That's why he aims to collect as many friends as possible. [b]Background[/b]: Silas was born to a religious family living in the countryside far from The City as the youngest son. The faith never grew up on him, though, and he was already planning to move away at the young age of fifteen, when suddenly the Virus struck, killing his whole family. Seeing that he had no chance of surviving at his home farm, he wandered towards The City, and along with few others, founded the Children of Gaia. Like everybody in the tribe, he changed his name to something close to the nature. He chose Sage, for multiple reasons. His smooth voice and zealous words got many of the children coming from the countryside to join the pacifistic, nature-worshipping tribe. Silas was a great asset, but also a threat at the eyes of the other leaders of the tribe, "elders" as they were called. As years passed, the other elders saw that Silas was slowly stripping away their power inside the tribe, so they made a collaborative decision to banish him, blaming him for his "unnatural" habits. Filled with anger and vengefulness, but staying calm and collected from the outside, Silas packed his few belongings and left for The City to find a new life - and a new tribe.[/indent] Simple as that. Make your character good, and you?re in. There is [b]no limit of how many people can join[/b]. The sign-up will not be closed, so anybody can apply at any time for as long as the game lasts. Cool, huh? So take your chance and join The Tribe![/font]

[I][B]#3[/B] They evolved the forums Long after their favorite show was off the air.[/I] [B]Answer:[/B] Digipeeps, as were called the frequent users of the late Digimon forum. If I don't get [I]this[/I] one right, I'm not worthy of being an OB member. I already messed up the Survivor-question, and those were my own damn games! [I]*bangs head to the wall*[/I]

[quote name='Sakura][COLOR=Navy]I actually think the answer to [B]#2[/B] is [B]OtakuBoards Survivor: Game On![/B'][/COLOR][/quote] *faints* Of course it is! I got mixed up with the two games! There goes that point! X( Oh bleh...

[quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue']I?d have to say that number two is the OtakuBoards Survivor thread hosted by Sandy.[/COLOR][/quote] Buenas tardes from an internet café in Fuengirola, Spain! I'm going to have to stop my vacation for a moment to correct that the answer to the riddle is in fact [B]Final Fantastic Survivor[/B], out of the three I've hosted. ;D And the riddle in question is [B]#2[/B].

For me, asking what color have I [I]not[/I] dyed my hair with would produce a shorter answer. ;P My natural color is dull brown, although now after almost a decade of dying, it's probably just grey. At this moment my hair is golden brown. Just two days ago, it was blonde, almost beige. Before that it was copper red with yellow on the top. I've also had it bluish black, black with blonde highlights, dark brown, medium brown, brown with blonde highlights, brown with red highlights, fiery red, dark red, orange, platinum blonde and once a quirky purplish brown. My hair is straight as a straw (which is funny when we're talking about me ;P ), so I would kill to get a few curves to it. The longest I've got it was shoulder-length. It's also been cropped short, but I've never had an army cut (mainly because I never went to army). The shape of it has changed almost as many times as it has been colored, and I often change it myself by applying gel, spray or wax. So yeah, I'm a hair freak, and I'm just looking forward to the day I have the guts to color it green.

I've got an[B] announcement[/B] to make, which Doublehex already knows: I'm leaving to a vacation in Spain tomorrow for two weeks. During that time, I won't have access to the internet (except if I visit the netcafé in the town), so I've left Carrot under the control of Doublehex for that time. When I get back, if the game's still running, I'm more than happy to join back in. Don't let the game die before that, guys! ;D

Congrats on your Final Fantastic achievement, Daggy! ;D [QUOTE=Dagger] There should've been an option[spoiler] to recruit Seifer, Edea (Sorceress version and non-Sorceress version), Laguna, Kiros and Ward as permanent party members. Or at [i]least[/i] Seifer and Laguna. Imagine Squall fighting alongside his old man![/spoiler][/quote] But there wasn't [spoiler]very much diversity in the six main characters themselves, so if all the guest party members had remained permanently in your fighting party, you'd only have your hands full of characters you don't really need or want or have time to train. I do agree though that it would've been neat to spend more playtime with all the guests.[/spoiler] [quote]By the way, what does the organ do?[/quote] When played correctly (check a FAQ), [spoiler]it calls out Omega Weapon, the toughest monster in the game, which of course with Auras and Hero Drinks isn't that tough.[/spoiler] [quote][spoiler]Heck, while I'm re-writing the game, what about Ultimecia? LAME. The only way she could possibly have been an interesting enemy would have been if she were actually Ellone in the future (I was hoping for that to happen!). It doesn't have to be Ellone, even--make her Rinoa, Raine, Selphie, Cid after a sex change... it's just awfully hard to care about a villain(ess) who's little more than an enigmatic name.[/spoiler][/quote] [quote] One final question: [spoiler]Why was Griever suddenly a GF?[/spoiler] [/QUOTE] These two issues you raised actually have everything to do with each other. Since the release of the game, there has been [spoiler]a huge debate between FF-fans wether or not Ultimecia is Rinoa/Rinoa's descendant. Griever is one of the biggest evidences for it. Remember how Rinoa copied Squall's pendant (nicknamed "Griever")? Nothing more was put into that event during the game, but many things can be deducted from it...[/spoiler] Of course nothing official hasn't been said about it, so all we can do is fanwank it until we die. :P

Here you can find the official Japanese site to this game: [B][url]http://www.square-enix.co.jp/ff3[/url][/B]. As you can see by visiting the site, the four main characters are: [B]Luneth[/B] - apparently the courageous leading character [B]Ingus[/B] - blonde handsome guy who will probably have some sort of rivalry going on with Luneth [B]Arc[/B] - wimpy bookworm type of guy, who I first thought was a girl (for some reason, there aren't much of these type of characters in the series) [B]Refia[/B] - token female character who looks to be one sassy redhead (hopefully she doesn't act as a love interest to any of the boys, though, as at least in the original they're all adopted siblings) There has also been screenshots about the NPCs who were all aboard in the original version as well: princess [B]Sarah[/B], [B]Desh[/B], [B]Cid[/B], [B]Dorga[/B], [B]Unne[/B] and [B]Elia[/B] the mermaid. The jobs are mostly familiar from the original as well, but I think there's a few new ones thrown in. The magical jobs are: [B]Black Mage, White Mage, Red Mage, Invoker, Magus, Devout, Scholar, Summoner, Geomancer, Sage[/B]. The physical jobs are: [B]Warrior, Thief, Monk, Knight, Dark Knight, Viking, Dragoon, Bard, Ranger, Ninja, Martial Artist[/B]. So there appears to be a total of 21 different jobs available for all four characters. Sigh, maybe I'll one day own a DS and will be able to play this game... [B]*returns to his [I]ancient[/I] GBA SP with FF IV Advance*[/B]

[quote name='shadowofdeath13][size=1][color=dimgray]Apparantly the girl in the trailer might not be the main character, but the main character is supposed to be from the same lineage of the King, who's job it is to protect the crystals. [/color'][/size][/quote] Sorry, but you've mixed up what little is revealed about [B]FF XIII[/B] to what little is revealed about [B] FF XIII Versus[/B]. There has been talk about the heroine "Lightning" not being the main character after all, but the prince protecting crystals is the blue-haired guy from Versus. It's all very complicated with this little details about the storylines, but I reckon we will get more information sooner or later. ;D

[quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue'] Ironically that?s part of what I like best about it. The numerous different quests getting stuff. [/COLOR][/quote] Actually, I don't mind doing numerous quests outside of the story, without being overly spoilerrific FF XII's minigame is all about sidequests and I'm really looking forward to it. The quests in Star Ocean are annoying to me because: [B]1.[/B] They're obligatory (although there are a few optional ones) [B]2.[/B] They have little to nothing to do with the actual storyline (for example the quest in Vanguard which is just a tutorial with no connection to the story whatsoever. Why couldn't Fayt just crashland in Elicoor II to begin with?!) [B]3.[/B] They're highly unrewarding (in most cases, the only things you get are experience and money) When the whole game is constructed upon this sort of quests, it gets all over the place without any focus point. :/ I was also expecting more planet-jumping, but apparently Elicoor is [I]sooooo[/I] important. :P

[COLOR=DarkRed][I]At the infirmary...[/I] Carrot wasn't exactly pleased. She was among those lucky ones who had passed the Trials without injuries, but she had ended up at the infirmary any way. Nurse Mallon and her aides had their hands full, so of course Carrot was ordered to help. [B]"They were like [I]my[/I] Trial had been a piece of cake just because I didn't come out carrying my head!"[/B] Carrot explained to Ayame as she was helping her back into her sickbed. She was awarded by an amused chuckle. [B]"You must be exhausted, then?"[/B] Ayame asked kindly. [B]"That's the worst part: I'm really not! I wish I wasn't always so damn responsible..."[/B] Carrot murmured. [B]"It's funny, really"[/B] Ayame said softly, staring at the ceiling. [B]"You seem to have two Carrots in you: there's the easily inflammable grumpy Carrot, and then there's the caring nurse Carrot. I think I like the latter one better."[/B] [B]"Sorry, but there's only one Carrot - you can't have one side without the other"[/B], Carrot said faking seriousness and shaking her index finger, causing Ayame giggle again. [B]"I'm glad to be in your caring hands"[/B], the normally so bubbly girl said suddenly as she closed her eyes. Of which Carrot was thankful, because that prevented Ayame from seeing her deep blush. All those times she had talked dirt behind Ayame's back, hating her cheery naïvety and overly social behaviour... and Ayame was [I]glad[/I]?! Was she making her very first real friend now? Against all the odds...[/COLOR]

Maybe it's my bleached hair, but I just don't [I]get[/I] this Game. X( This is like one of those philosophical paradoxes, and I'm not that big into philosophy. It's too elitist to my taste. :P And so is The Game. I can envision it before my eyes: a hundred years from now, a bunch of stuck-up snobs sit in a smoky gentlemen's club repeating: "I lost".

Meh, my name origins are boring. X/ [B]Sami[/B] (my first name) is a Finnish alteration of Samuel, from the Bible. [B]Juhani[/B] (my second name) is a Finnish alteration of John, from the Bible. [B]Hietanen[/B] (my last name) literally means "sandy" in Finnish. *points at his username* So there. :P I've always dreamed of having a unique name, but what can you do if you're born to an average family with everybody having common names? I wouldn't go as far as to change my name, though...

Yeah! For once I'm here at the right time! *bounces from joy* [B]#4[/B] Visit your friend's town across the globe, Or go on a fun drive thanks to these. [B]Answer:[/B] OtakuBoards Frappr

I have to say that your idea sounds great. I planned a similar-kind of post-Season 2 fanfic myself when I was still hot on Digimon. ;D If you want 8 Digidestined, maybe you should predetermine the 8 crests and make sign-uppers choose from them (instead of making their own). That way you can also control the names of the crest (the thought that they represent the things that the kids are trying to restore to the world is very cool). Just don't have both "Liberty" and "Freedom", because, you know, they mean the same thing, heh. ;D It's good that you make the game the way [I]you[/I] want it, not following the "canon" too succumbingly, but be careful that you don't godmod (tyrannize) your game to death. Some people in these Boards tend to do that, making the participants lose interest prematurely. Make some room for the other players' ideas too, and you'll have a winning concept at your hands!

[quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue'] If I remember correctly you can get the guide at Amazon for less than $15 dollars. Trust me, it's money well spent if you like the game.[/COLOR][/quote] Pfft! Why pay for something you can get free from [URL=http://www.gamefaqs.com][B]GameFAQs[/B][/URL]? ;P Anyways, I've played Star Ocean: Till The End of Time up to the point where you return to Elicoor II from [spoiler]the other dimension[/spoiler]. So far the game has both intrigued me with it's many plot-twists and locations, and bored me with it's countless amount of pointless cutscenes and stereotypical characters. So yeah, the plot and the world are major pros, and the storytelling and characters are major cons. The pacing of the game also sucks. You'll find yourself doing numerous indifferent quests fetching stuff you'll soon find needless and fighting out-of-the-blue bosses with absolutely zero background or foreshadowing. As said, I haven't made it to the end yet so I can't say anything about the conclusion, but my hopes certainly aren't very high up. :/ Then the battles... They are good in their own action-y way, but certainly not my piece of cake. My timing and hand-eye-coordination are pretty stiff, and too often I have to resort to simple hack&slashing to make it out of the battle alive. Every time I try to strategize or try something new (such as switch between characters during the battle), I suddenly have two dead allies and one near death trying to escape. XP [quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue']His name is Albel and I think you?ll get a kick out of that little warmonger. He?s pretty funny in his own way just like Cliff.[/COLOR][/quote] Out of the massive amount of characters crammed into this game, Albel is my number one. ;D

[COLOR=DarkRed]After the trials, Carrot lingered in the hallway to see how others had fared. Most of them came out victorious, some without even a bruise but terrifyingly many with some sort of injuries. One of the most badly wounded was Ayame. Some Instructors had to carry her out of the Trial Chamber - even the Instructors looked like they had been involved in a battle - towards the infirmary. Just hree months ago Carrot would've laughed at how pathetic "that crazy chick" was. Not anymore. Now as she had gotten to know Ayame better, she felt sorry for her. She wished she would be at the infirmary to give her the best care she could. But Carrot had something else to do now. [B]"Gotta go"[/B], she suddenly said to the other students who were waiting for their friends to emerge from the Trials. She saw a momentarily flash of disappointment in Alex's face, but soon enough he turned his eyes on his feet again. [B][I]That silly boy[/I][/B], Carrot thought.[B] [I]It's so obvious that he's got a crush on me, but as long as he keeps it to himself, I'm not going to do anything about it. Spirits know that he might be just another wanker wanting a piece of me![/I][/B] [I][B]He is cute, though,[/B][/I] she added as an afterthought. She couldn't help smiling as she approached her room. After getting in she immediately went to her Communicator, a holographic device she used to contact Dad. Not many students could afford one, so they had to rely on letters or that sort of old-fashioned ways if they wanted to be in touch with their folks at home. Not that many did, as Carrot had found out while talking to her new-found friends. Well, [I]comrades[/I], at least. Carrot dialed Dad's number, and soon enough a holographic video feed was projected above the Communicator. Dad had a big, anxious grin in his youthful face. [B]"Hello, Carrot! How did you do? You've got to tell me immediately!"[/B] [B]"Hi, Dad. I passed! Well, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I had anticipated"[/B], she bragged. [B]"However, there were injuries in other Trials. How could that be, Dad? I thought we were all just against illusions?"[/B] Or at least she thought that after her Trial was over. Before it, she hadn't had a clue what she would face. [B]"It's unfortunate, but accidents in Trials aren't that uncommon. When there's magic involved, [I]anything[/I] can happen. A spell can reflect back on the caster, a summon spirit may go hayward...[/B]" Professor Burnheart looked uneasy. [B]"I've heard rumors here that a few years back one girl accidentally transformed herself into pure air. She didn't know how to reverse the spell, and the Instructors couldn't find her anymore. Magic is not to be trifled with, my Carrot."[/B] [B]"That's [I]terrible[/I]!"[/B] Carrot gasped. Now that she thought back, that Inner Flame of hers could've burned her body into ashes! [B]"Dad, I've got to ask you... During my Trial I got trapped into ice, and I somehow managed to heat up my body and the ice melted instantly. How was that possible? I didn't even have that kind of [I]magi[/I]![/B]" If the professor had looked uneasy before, he know looked downright awkward. [B]"Carrot... It's a long story, and not one to be talked over a Communicator. This is an official MENRA line. All I can say is that it has everything to do with your mother."[/B] [B]"My mother? Who... [I]what[/I] was she? Dad, tell me! I've got to know!"[/B] [B]"Not now, my Carrot. You'll find out soon enough."[/B] Professor Burnheart's blue eyes reflected deep sadness. Carrot was utterly confused. [B]"Goodbye now, dear. And congratulations on passing the Trial. You'll surely become a top Risk Breaker."[/B] [B]"Thanks, Dad. Bye."[/B] Carrot shut the connection. For a long time, she couldn't do anything but look at the Communicator and ponder Dad's words. Who was her mother?[/COLOR]

The best element of this genre, in my opinion, is that you don't know [I]who[/I] to trust. Even the main protagonist can turn out to be working for the bad guys, and in many cases one of the bad guys is actually a double-spy. It makes things very intriguing and captivating, and this story isn't an exception. ;D Hmm, I wonder if Sandy made a wise decision to trust Revelation... Or maybe Revelation was wrong to trust Sandy. ;P It all remains to be seen...

[COLOR=DarkRed][CENTER][B][I]Carrot's Trial[/I][/B][/CENTER] Carrot Burnheart didn't know what to expect. All she had been told about the Trials before stepping into the darkened room was that they were different for each individual, and they tested the participant's skills in combat. Here it was, the moment she'd been training full-time for almost an year now. After this, there was only the Final Exam before she would graduate to become a Risk Breaker. Maybe she would even see Dad at the graduation party... [B]"Focus!"[/B] she said to herself, repeating the favorite word of Instructor Aki. There were no more classes held by the Instructors after this point. This was [I]it[/I]. All Carrot saw was a dark room, with a faint light coming behind her. Then she began hearing sounds. Something, like a door or a gate, opened with a creak at the far side of the room. It became clear to Carrot that she was now in a large hall. Then she heard something walk in, something with more feet than two, something [I]huge[/I]. She heard it breathing, she heard it's claws scraping the floor. She would soon be faced with a [I]real[/I] monster. Suddenly the room temperature dropped drastically. Carrot's breath started to steam, and cold shivers ran up her spine. She glutched her mace tighter. Carrot couldn't help feeling a bit confused. She was obviously supposed to fight this beast, but she hadn't trained to become a fighter. She was a healer, for spirits' sake! A moment of panic caught her: maybe they had put her in the wrong trial room! Then she saw the monsters face coming out of the darkness. It was pale white, with large tusks protruding under a long muzzle, and cold black eyes searching for a pray. It's breath was freezing, and a whole aura of coldness surrounded it. It was shaped almost like a lizard walking on all fours, but it was covered with thick fur. Carrot couldn't name it, and frankly she didn't care what her opponent was called at the moment. She pointed the tip of her mace at the monster, and a familiar spell came into her mind. [I]Ashes to Ashes[/I]. The monster howled in pain as the ray of concentrated heat burned a whole to it's forehead. It rose to it's hindlegs, took a deep breath, and aimed a cloud of freezing vapor towards Carrot. She was luckily alert enough to duck out of it's way. To her surprise, a hand grasped hers and helped her up. She looked up to see Alex Glesen with a serious expression on his face, and Rinoa Ryuzaki two steps behind him. [B]"We came to help you"[/B], Alex said matter-of-factly, and waved his longsword in front of the monster. [B]"Is... that allowed?"[/B] Carrot wondered, astonished to see the other two students. [B]"Don't worry"[/B], Rinoa said with a warm smile, unsheating her katana. [B]"We'll get rid of that abomination together."[/B] [B]"But this is [I]my[/I] Trial! I..."[/B] she opposed, but a few second's distraction was enough for the icy breath to hit her. Her whole body was suddenly covered by a thick frost. She was stuck. Carrot couldn't do anything but to watch as Rinoa and Alex fought [I]her[/I] battle, shredding the beast's fur and skin, cutting it's other tusk, piercing it's chest. Blue blood spilled everywhere, and the monster cried out in pain. It went for a last, desperate strike. Carrot's eyes widened as she saw Rinoa get pierced by the monster's remaining tusk. She screamed inside, because her mouth was covered by a layer of ice. She tried to release her numbing limbs from their icy prison, but in vain. She could do nothing but watch as Rinoa's limp body fell to the blood-stained floor, red mixing with blue. This was [I]her[/I] trial! She had prepared for this in every way imaginable, and now she was losing this easily?! [B]"NnnnNNOOOO!!!"[/B] Carrot yelled from the bottom of her lungs, and something inside her woke up. She felt as if her heart had suddenly burst into flames. Her blood boiled, heating every inch of her body instantly. The frost covering her began to quickly melt, and in one explosion of strenght, she was free. As her Inner Flame cooled down, she observed the situation. Alex tried to finish off the monstrosity, but the more he hurt it, the more enraged it seemed to become. Carrot could quite easily end the beast with her fire magic. She picked up her mace, but then her eyes stopped at Rinoa's body. She appeared to be still breathing, but her wounds were lethal, and if something wasn't done quickly, she'd die. Carrot was facing a difficult decision, but she remembered what Instructor Phoenix had said in the very first lesson of Support Magic: [I][B]"In the battlefield, the user of support magic is a healer first, everything else comes second."[/B][/I] So actually, the decision was quite easy. Carrot let go of the mace and ran to Rinoa. She placed her hand with the golden ring adorned with the [I]magi[/I] of both fire and healing on top of Rinoa's gaping wound, closed her eyes and conjured the Phoenix Tear. She felt a flash of warmth, and she opened her eyes. It was suddenly very bright in the room. Laying in front of her instead of Rinoa, was Instructor Merele Shandala. Carrot glanced over her shoulder, and saw that the monster was gone, and Alex was replaced by Instructor Ruben Cavalier. [B]"Congratulations, Miss Burnheart"[/B], Instructor Shandala said smiling as she got up. [B]"You have passed your trial."[/B] [/COLOR] [SIZE=1][B]OoC:[/B] As I'm the first to actually pass a trial, I'm not sure if this was what you meant, Doublehex. I hope you're okay with what I came up, though, because I surely am not going to write this all over again! XP [/SIZE]

Would you mind adding the link to the website on your first post in this thread? It would be so much easier to find then. Thanks! ;D

Uh, why can't people just [I]get along[/I]? ;P If I were you, Sara, I'd go and sort things up with them personally, face to face. It would be much harder for them to put the blame on you, and you wouldn't have to burn the bridges behind you. Just explain why you felt unjust by the sudden call, and ask why they hadn't said anything about the dishes/curtains before if they were bothered by it. I'm sure you'll come to a reasonable solution, and avoid law suits and other further problems. :)

Here's a new and improved list of the school faculty that you can use in the website if you want, [B]Doublehex[/B]. I took the liberty of adding first names, but they can be changed. [U][B]Argo Arx Arcanum Academy Faculty[/B][/U] [INDENT]Headmaster [B]Enteri[/B], Aramis Head Instructor [B]Phoenix[/B], Elward - support magic Head Instructor [B]Gillium[/B], Jane - summoning magic Head Instructor [B]Reyes[/B], Xaviera - elemental magic Head Instructor [B]Cavalier[/B], Ruben - weapon training Instructor [B]Shandala[/B], Merele - combination magic Instructor [B]Gantz[/B], Ford - summoning magic Instructor [B]Uzume[/B], Eira - summoning magic Instructor [B]Andrews[/B], Michael - blue magic Instructor [B]Atsu[/B], Ryumei - fire elemental magic Instructor [B]Iraki[/B], Solomon - water elemental magic Instructor [B]Marax[/B], Shaka - ice elemental magic Instructor [B]Aki[/B], Keiko - thunder elemental magic Instructor [B]Aki[/B], Heishiro - magic weapon training Professor [B]Mox[/B], Abraxas (deceased) - black magic Nurse [B]Mallon[/B], Pam - infirmary[/INDENT] Note that there are now two Instructor Aki's - one that teaches Carrot and one that teaches Alex. Maybe they're married or siblings, heh. ;P Hope you like it!