As hybrid creatures, Snowgrems initially were genetically engineered to be able to take on the form of the domesticated canine. This ability to change forms at will gave Snowgrems the gift of canine sense, speech and strength, and was a game changer for the working fields.
Their capability to withstand winter climates and harsh environments aided people in a multitude of professions including transportation, while the use of their innately enhanced canine senses (such as hearing and smell) proved a crucial benefit to fields of work such as search-and-rescue, tracking, and other sensory related tasks. In addition, their ability to communicate with other dogs also facilitated the dissemination of information between human and canine, enhancing the bond between species and creating a strong workforce in the process.
However, in recent times rumors have begun to spread of Snowgrems who have managed to stretch this ability even further, breaking the genetic restrictions with which they were created by taking on new and previously unheard of forms. Though many still doubt the validity of these tales, it would appear that this all may be more than simple wayward gossip, and now it seems that your Snowgrems growing curiosity has also led them down the path of change. It is time to awaken a new part of themselves!
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Welcome to the Trial of the Animal!
The completion of this trial will allow your Snowgrem to leave behind their current animal form and reconnect with an entirely new one!
Recently you have begun to notice a change in the air. An odd stirring in the wind. Other Snowgrems you meet in passing who seem more agitated than usual, on edge, and distant, almost as though they are seeking out something that they cannot quite find, you would think it odd if you hadn’t already begun to feel it too… Like a voice ringing out from the back of your mind. The call of the wilds tugging at your heart. Someone is out there waiting for you, you must go and find them.
Across every corner of Palleth there are grounds, places of spiritual power, where the voices of the wild can be heard. A chorus of the many spirits of animals who would seek to help you awaken what lies within. Complete the trial given to you by the voices of the animal, gain their knowledge, and earn their favor. Now it is time to dance with the animal within you and become anew!
There are five animal classes available in total:
- Ursidae
- Birds of prey and Corvids
- Felidae
- Canidae
- Cervidae
> Your snowgrem will need to meet with an animal or spirit animal within ONE of these families in order to complete their trial.
> The spirit or animal you meet with and the trial you choose are up to you.
> While completing the trial, if you choose to draw your Snowgrem in its animal form, only your current animal form will be available for you to draw within the prompt. (The form that is currently on the masterlist entry for that Grem.)
> At the end of the trial you will be granted an item that lets you choose which animal form you would like your Snowgrem to change to. The new form you choose does not have to match the spirit/animal you decided to meet with for the prompt.
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Below is a list of trials for you to choose from, you will only need to do ONE of them to complete this prompt.
TRIALS OF THE ANIMAL:
Endurance
The ability to persevere is important for an animal. When any creature is put into an environment that is relentless, it’s time for them to take on the challenge of the wild and do whatever means necessary to survive. Welcome to the trial of endurance, you are here to surpass your boundaries and push yourself above and beyond. Whether it be withstanding harsh environmental conditions, weathering through an unforgiving storm, adapting to a diet outside of their comfort zone in order to survive, or running over endless stretches of territory to keep up with the pack. Show your Snowgrem toughing it out in the wilds with their spirit animal/living animal group and really pushing the boundaries of their comforts.
Objective
- Survive in the harsh wilderness with your chosen animal or spirit animal for a day. You should be running, jumping, swimming, eating, or muscling your way through a natural course of obstacles… Your chosen animal or spirit animal should be undergoing the trial along-side you, or observing your progress.
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Intellect
For many animals, keeping alive for another day means being inquisitive, knowing how to improvise, and when to be cautious or stealthy in uncertain situations. Whether it be outsmarting the competition, beguiling their prey, knowing how and where to hide, or simply being perceptive enough to tell the difference between an easy meal and a well laid trap, intellect is often an integral tool to surviving in the wild. How do you think your spirit animal would survive when placed into a similar situation? It’s time to take a page out of their book and prove your wit.
Objective
- This is where your Snowgrem will learn about the world their animal lives within. You are tasked with taking on the responsibilities of said animal, learning to read the trails as they do, hiding your scent, camouflaging yourself, or watching your prey from a hidden place before you strike. But it’s not always enough to simply be stealthy, at times you’ll also need to use your head, learn what is safe to eat, what tools you can use to make your life easier, and learn how to use your environment to your advantage in order to stay alive. Show your Snowgrem picking up one of these important survival skills and putting them to use. Your chosen animal or spirit animal should be undergoing the trial along-side you, or observing your progress.
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Strength
Confrontation between opposing forces is a common spectacle in nature, where clashing horns, claws, and teeth are utilized alongside well-muscled bodies in a dance where the fittest get to survive and pass on that strength to their kin. Animals will fight not only for their own survival, but for the survival of their offspring and for the survival of those in their group as well. Strength comes in many forms, and many animals must show what they’re made of in order to prove their worth. Whether they are fighting to defend, to protect, to hunt, or to assert dominance, it's time to show us what your Snowgrem can do and where their true power lies.
Objective
- Depict your Snowgrem protecting their chosen animal or animal spirit from harm or working together to defend each other from an outside threat, Or Have your Snowgrem go toe-to-toe with their animal of choice, to either wrestle and fight for dominance or to hunt down a meal for your spirit animal's group to show you are fit to lead and thrive. Who comes out on top in a battle of strength?
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Bonding
It’s not always all work and no play! Spending time with others of your kin also helps to develop your social skills and to build trust among those in your group. Whether they are caring for the young, mediating quarrels, or simply eating and relaxing together, many animals participate in some form of group bonding activities that inevitably strengthen the pack and its coordination as a whole.
Objective
- Show your snowgrem bonding with their chosen spirit animal. Are they enjoying a meal together, playing with another from the group, or simply lounging around and providing relaxing company for one another as they travel?
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Objectives:
- Select one of the trials to complete from the list above and follow the objective for that specific trial.
- Your chosen animal/animal spirit MUST be shown accompanying you for the duration of your trial.
Restrictions:
- This prompt can ONLY be completed by snowgrems that you own.
- No other grems may appear in this prompt aside from the grem that is completing the trial.
- This prompt can be completed once a month per snowgrem you own.
- If you own multiple snowgrems and would like to complete this prompt for each then you will need to complete and submit their trials individually. Please do not submit bulk/compiled images.
- Pieces submitted must be created uniquely for this prompt. Pre-existing pieces cannot be submitted.
= REWARDS =
There is no Gibs payout for this prompt.
You will instead receive the following:
Minimum Requirements:
> Pieces submitted can either be Drawn (digital/traditional) or Written.
Drawn pieces:
- Entries should be at minimum cleanly lined (Lineless work is also allowed but must be cleanly portrayed.)
- Your main grem must be present in the image and at least 50% of their body should be clearly visible.
- Your piece is not required to be colored or shaded.
- backgrounds are not required.
- If your character is heavily obstructed/obscured (Whether by blurring, effects, clothing, or shading.) so much so that we cannot tell who/where they are or easily make out the detail in the piece, then your entry will be declined.
Written pieces:
- written entries must be at least 800 words, and primarily feature your main grem.
- If submitting through a google doc entry, please be sure your link is set to “shareable” so that it can be opened and viewed by the prompt team.
- Using or including other Grems is NOT allowed for this prompt. The prompt may only be completed by Snowgrems that you own.
- Any Grems present in your entry must have an up-to-date masterlist entry. Meaning your Grem should be under your name and all designs present in an entry must match with their current masterlist images. (Ex: If you have recently redesigned your Grem, you will have to wait until the masterlist has updated with the new version before including it in an entry.)
- Collabs are not allowed, the entire entry must be created solely by you!
- Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Please do not submit works that are not your own.
- Artwork cannot be traced or made using pre-existing templates/bases (including memes.) (References towards memes are ok, but the piece should still be largely original content.)
When submitting your entry, please be sure to fill out the "Characters" and "Rewards" section, as well as any forms needed in the "Comments" section. Submissions that fail to do this may be sent back to the user so that characters used and any reward choices they may have forgotten can be added. For more info on how to submit a prompt, see here!
Please be sure any and all prompts submitted follow our community and submission guidelines.
