PERIDOT

[dramatispersonae]

[You're in an oval, almost egg-shaped room, with a high dome and clear walls that allow you to see the other team's rooms, although you can't hear them. In the middle of the room is a table, with some of the items from the Ring scattered about. An ornate book lays there as well, open to the first page:]

"There were formerly a king and a queen, who were so sorry that they had no children; so sorry that it cannot be expressed. They went to all the waters in the world; vows, pilgrimages, all ways were tried, and all to no purpose.

At last, however, the Queen had a daughter. There was a very fine christening; and the Princess had for her god-mothers all the fairies they could find in the whole kingdom (they found seven), that every one of them might give her a gift, as was the custom of fairies in those days. By this means the Princess had all the perfections imaginable."

The Princess is already wonderful, isn't she? What more could you want in a princess?

Comments

INSTRUCTIONS

[dramatispersonae]

All characters receive this information as they enter the room.

Your goal is to build the best princess you can imagine! Your starter princess already has the benefit of modifiers like beauty, wit, grace, dance, song, and music. You have 8 units of ??? to decide where she goes from here!

(You can't quite remember what the units you were given are units of. If you try to focus on that word, it feels like it could be something like "struggle" or "effort," but that's not quite right…)

There will be one round to decide your Princess’s outfit and accessories and justify those decisions, a second round with an opportunity for customized input, and a third for wrapping up and adding more details if you like. DO NOT worry if your selections mean you have units left over, as scoring will be based on your reasoning for each choice in Round 1 and on your creativity and reasoning in Rounds 2 and 3, not on units spent. While all rounds have an important effect on the outcome of the game, the later rounds have the potential for the greatest score impact if used wisely. Please manage your time/discussion with that in mind!

You will receive a final outcome for your Princess in a specific situation depending on what you input, and the cumulative effect of everyone’s efforts will be seen at endgame.

ROUND ONE

[dramatispersonae]

[The book opens itself to the next page. Handwriting in a flowing script that is magically comprehensible even to those who can't read appears on the paper, and you know that the book will record your answer even if you can't write it in on the provided lines. There's a strange sensation when you run your eyes over that ???illegible? word...]

Please choose one item from each list (Clothes, Shoes, Hands, and Accessories). You have 8 units of ??? total to spend on your choices. Justify your choice for each item with an explanation of that choice, even if part of your explanation is "I didn't have enough left to get what I wanted and got this instead."

Clothes
Light armor set. | (costs 3 units)
Simple but elegant dress, cut for free movement. | (costs 2 units)
Beautifully rich and luxurious gown, suitable for a palace. | (costs 0 units)

Shoes
Tough, practical boots. | (costs 3 units)
Decorative but sturdy shoes. | (costs 2 units)
Soft, heavily-embroidered thin slippers. | (costs 0 units)

Hands
Sword and shield. | (costs 3 units)
A heavy book. | (costs 2 units)
A spindle. | (costs 0 units)

Accessories
A full-face helmet and gorget, protecting the head and neck. | (costs 3 units)
A sterling silver key necklace. | (costs 2 units)
A lantern. | (costs 0 units)

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[grade3enabler]

Real consequences, huh...

We should probably focus on practicality.

Re: DISCUSSION

[whyitgottabeblack]

In what sense? Making her capable? Or making her the closest to a classical princess-type possible?

Re: DISCUSSION

[whyitgottabeblack]

Okay this is weird, but kind of a fun one...

DECISION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DECISION

[crueltobekind]

We'll be outfitting our princess with the lantern, the book, the armor, and the practical boots.

The lantern is magical, of course, and she uses it to help keep the Darkness at bay. The book is obviously a tome filled with spells she can use to fight the slivers of it that creep in through shadows, and the armor and boots will protect her and give her freedom of movement for any times when the book and lantern aren't enough.

ROUND TWO

[dramatispersonae]

[The book turns its own page again. This one looks a little different...]

Design a custom accessory or item for your Princess! You can only give her one item, and the item cannot be a person, but otherwise there is no limitation as to what the item can be. You must explain why you chose to give her this item, and the meaning behind it.

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[grade3enabler]

...Why did she feel the need to specify that it can't be a person?

DECISION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DECISION

[crueltobekind]

We're giving our precious princess demon horns. Not only will they let everyone know that she isn't to be messed with, but they're a sure sign that she's made an escape from the Darkness already. A traitor again the Darkness who fights against it for the sake of her adopted people—who has become so beloved she's become our cherished princess. It makes her much more impressive and speaks to the true strength of her heart and resolve.

ROUND THREE

[dramatispersonae]

[The page turns one more time, revealing a space for a small drawing and quite a lot of text under the instructions.]

Provide a final summary of your Princess! This can include personality and history, or be a simple cumulative description of her appearance and personal style. You can include a drawing, if you like.

((ooc: This is where you can add a Dreamselfy link with your text answer. You know you want to.))

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[crueltobekind]

Oh, we're already nearly done with this part, aren't we? The demon horns gave her a good story already.

DECISION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DECISION

[grade3enabler]

The Heroine of our story fell in love with someone from a warring clan. When she feared that she could not be with her lover, the Darkness tempted her with the promise that it would bring them together, and so she became its minion. It was up to her lover to snap her out it, promising to show her another way and offering her a magic lantern and book instead -- items that were magically infused with their love. The power of their love was so strong that the Darkness was easily defeated, and our Heroine was able to return home, holding hands with her lover.

Together, they brought peace to their two clans. And by putting the war at end and bringing the two clans together, our Heroine became the Princess of her clan, and together ruled over them with the combined strength she and her lover had.

BONUS ROUND

[dramatispersonae]

[This question appears at the bottom of the page where you've been recording your choices once you're finished. You know without looking at it that answering it won't affect your game results… but maybe someone's reading this.]

If your Princess was separated from her Prince by grave danger, what would you think she should do about it? Do you think she would be well prepared to do that, based on the choices you have made?

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[grade3enabler]

...We didn't specify that it was a Prince...But I'm pretty sure after all she's gone through, she'd know how to go about saving him.

DECISION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DECISION

[grade3enabler]

Of course she can! She learned how to save royalty from him, and now she's got a favor to return. She'd not gonna let anything get in her way.

FINAL RESULT

[dramatispersonae]

Re: FINAL RESULT

[dramatispersonae]

[You see that your Princess is awake, animated. She stands amid her knights and gives them directions. She mounts a horse herself, heading off with her friends; perhaps even leading them. Her Prince is just over the next hill, and she's going to bring him home with her own hands.]

((to endgame.))