Becoming one of the Grim doesn’t end with being accepted into the company. When the Magister approves a member, they are challenged to prove themselves in the eyes of those who follow the Mandate. Each member must complete two challenges: the Discovery, in which they unearth some knowledge or a relic to be added to the Mysterium, and the Epiphany, when they take that discovery and turn it into a weapon.
Success goes to the bold.
The Trial of Discovery
The Grim Echo seeks knowledge of the past and of the world. Sometimes this knowledge takes practical form – thaumaturgy, for example, is the extremely practical art of learning how to make things explode. Sometimes it does not, but the Grim believe that there is no piece of information, no ancient relic that cannot be turned to our advantage somehow. Therefore the Grim are urged at all times to search out the darkest and most dangerous corners of Eorzea for more knowledge, more treasures, more power.
The Trial of Discovery demands that a prospective Grim show they can contribute to this goal, and to the great storehouse of our knowledge: the Mysterium. The Supplicant must discover something – anything – that was hidden to them before. Maybe it’s the nature or origin of a beast they’ve never seen before, or a mysterious relic, or a forgotten technique – or simply something about themselves they never knew. While the discovery does not need to be new to the Grim, it must be new to the Supplicant – we must be able to see the thirst for knowledge in their eyes, hear the joy of discovery in their voice.
{OOC} This is an excuse for character growth or interaction with the guild. Your “discovery” can be as simple as a treatise on the nature of the gigas, or your craziest fan theory about the game lore, or some particularly interesting item you got in a dungeon that you decided to write a story around. Or maybe it’s about you: something about your character’s past or personality they weren’t aware of before, that you’ve learned as a result of being Grim. If you’re having trouble with it, speak to the Magister and they will help you plan something out.
The Trial of Epiphany
Simply learning isn’t enough, however – scholars the world over are content to let their discoveries moulder in books. The Grim take that second step: they take knowledge, and they use it as a weapon. To complete the second challenge, the Supplicant must take their discovery and transform it into victory, then bring this victory before a gathering of the Grim.
Should the Grim accept the Epiphany, the Supplicant will receive a secret title, and they shall become Named: a full member of the Grim.
{OOC} This is an expansion of your previous trial, and is an excuse for storytelling and a public appearance. Write us a story about how the discovery you made in the previous trial helped you out in a practical way, then tell that story – in character – to the Grim at one of our monthly gatherings. For example, if you learned a lot about gigas for your Discovery, tell us how that allowed you to defeat a gigas in an unexpected way. If your discovery was more personal, then tell us how you used this self-knowledge to make yourself stronger. Based on your accomplishments, you’ll receive a name or short title by which the Grim may refer to you (for example, Giantslayer or Caller) – this is purely for fun, no in-game name changes occur.