Rain falls from above. Drip. Drip. Drip. It forms a small puddle on the ground. Ordinarily, such a thing would be of little consequence.
Today, however, is not an ordinary day. Far to the West, a battle rages, the nations of Arv and Ilis waging their perpetual war. To the South, a shaman is undertaking a great spell, one that will be remembered by her tribe for a thousand years. And to the Northeast, a flower blooms, extending several times the length of a man, brilliant in red, pink, and orange, attended by elementals of life and growth, bringing vital energy to the land around it.
Events such as these, which echo throughout the ages with their power, call out to the universe for a response, creating magical energy. By chance or fate, the fickle, ever-shifting aetherial wind carries that potential to this very spot. The universe hums with potential. The energy is more than the air can contain. When there is so much power concentrated in one place, it can no longer simply exist — it requires an outlet. It finds one in the puddle.
The energy begins to mingle with the water, driving it to thicken, to coalescence. The water becomes firmer, more viscous. It changes in other ways as well, becoming more distinct from the word around it, and beginning, slowly, to wake up.
A slime is spawning.
Your first thoughts are muddled, hazy. It's warm here. Gentle sunlight falls on you, warming the ground you rest on. You feel its warmth on your body. You wait, experiencing the warmth, for you are not yet aware enough to do anything else. Eventually, you decide you like being warm.
Warning: a nascent lifeform has exhibited anomalous sentience in excess of permitted levels. -L1
Terminating lifeform… -L2
Level 3 override: designate lifeform as exception of type Major Agent (Player). -L3
Override complete. Lifeform is now a Player. -L1
***
What is your current location?
[][LOCATION] The Emerald Forest.
The Emerald Forest is alive. It teems with trees, predominantly oak in your starting region. Animals, many of which are found nowhere else, are likewise abundant. The Forest is vast, possessing both bright, expansive glades and places where the trees grow so close it is hard to remember that there is a sun in the sky.
[][LOCATION] The Azure Shores.
The Azure Shores are practically a paradise. Glittering white sands cover the beach, which lies right at the edge of the Lapis Sea. Resolute cliffs border the sand, containing ancient caves and topped with greenery. There are also some nearby tidepools, containing a wide variety of ocean life.
What is your personality like?
[X] Inquisitive.
You are curious and thoughtful, always trying to understand the world and your place in it. (selected automatically)
Social traits:
[][SOCIAL] Friendly.
You view the world as a fundamentally welcoming place. Although you are prepared to deal with those who attack you, you hold out hope that you can find allies.
[][SOCIAL] Hostile.
You are distrustful of others and prefer to walk alone.
Methodological traits:
[][METHOD] Systematic.
The world has an order to it, and so do your interactions with it. You prefer to be logical and orderly in your approach to avoid missing anything.
[][METHOD] Intuitive.
The world is full of surprises. The best way through life is to trust your instincts and always be on the lookout for what the life throws at you.
[][METHOD] Cautious.
The world is full of dangers. When you must face new situations, you're careful to avoid pitfalls.
[][METHOD] Bold.
The world is full of exciting opportunities. When you face new situations, you dive straight in. After all, you only live once, and you'd rather have an exciting life than a boring one.
***
A commentary on your options follows. I suggest you get used to these, as I tend to talk a lot.
The two location options are right next to each other. It's pretty easy to get from the Azure Shores to the edge of the Emerald Forest. The other direction is slightly harder, because it's tricky to figure out which direction you need to go in.
Now, onto the personality choices.
The first thing I'll say is that your personality can and probably will change over the life of the quest.
The next thing I'll say is that you shouldn't worry too much about the functional consequences of these choices. Yes, they will influence what happens to some degree, but many of the impacts will be on your character development. Especially for the methodological traits, I'm not going to say, "Ha ha! You're bold, so you fall into a pit and die." That wouldn't be any fun for any of us. Thus, I recommend you choose based on which sort of character you'll find it most fun, exciting, and most of all, cute to play.
Voting is one option in each category unless otherwise specified. We'll be using plan votes at some point, but this isn't one.
