Tribulation (setting)

Tribulation is an Imaginarium fantasy setting created by Tapper Smurf in the EMPATH: The Luckiest Smurf story series. It is based on a futurist interpretation of the book of Revelation from the Holy Bible, with events that lead up to Jesus' prophesied Second Coming in a period known as the Tribulation. The player can take on the role of a Christian, a Jew, a non-believer, or a member of the Antichrist's forces as they live out the events through a compressed storyline.

Story

The story begins with the disappearance of Christians in an event that Tapper refers to as "the Rapture". Sometime following this, the Antichrist makes his first appearance as the savior of mankind, promising peace for Israel for a period of seven years through a covenant that he signs into effect. The covenant begins the period called the Tribulation, through which mankind is plagued with various judgments sent upon it by God while He sends out the 144,000 that He has chosen to preach the gospel message and to bring in a great multitude that will be saved before His Son returns at the battle of Armageddon in seven years. The Antichrist is killed halfway through the Tribulation, but is miraculously resurrected, after which he declares himself to be God and breaks the seven-year covenant with Israel, revealing his true colors.

The events within the story setting include

1. The Covenant With Many (Daniel 9:27)
2. The Seven Seals (Rev 6:1-17)
3. The 144,000 (Rev 7:1-8)
4. The Seven Trumpets (Rev 8:1-13, 9:1-21)
5. The Two Witnesses (Rev 11:1-13)
6. The Fall Of Satan (Rev 12:1-17)
7. The Rise Of The Beasts (Rev 13:1-8)
8. The Breaking Of The Covenant (Daniel 9:27)
9. The Seven Bowls (Rev 16:1-21)
10. The Fall Of Babylon The Great (Rev 18:1-24)
11. The Rider Of The White Horse (Rev 19:11-21)

Characters

• Declan Xavier Smurf, the Antichrist
• Elijah and Enoch, the Two Witnesses

Features

Since the story itself takes place over a period of seven years, users could skip ahead to various points in the story where key events take place.

Due to the gruesome nature of the setting, an age restriction was put in place, as well as a severe warning for the gruesome nature.

Reception

Needless to say, only Empath and Polaris found the scenario to be interesting, while the opinions of other Smurfs who played out the scenario were mixed at best. Most of the Smurfs that played the part of the Antichrist's forces did not like the fact that the story's events were unchangeable and that God and Jesus Christ as well as the Jews and Christians were destined to win regardless. It was also noted to be extremely graphic in its violence, which Tapper defended only on the grounds of keeping the story authentic to Scripture, though even he found the depiction to be somewhat disturbing. Because of this, it is considered one of the least-played Imaginarium scenarios.

Trivia

• While the player of the interactive setting may as a character who is part of the Antichrist's forces choose to accept the "mark of the beast", it only appears on the character within that setting and not on the player of that character, as the "mark" will disappear when the player removes himself or herself from the setting. In Scripture, the "mark of the beast" is a sign that the one who chooses to accept it cannot ever repent of and dooms its receiver to the Lake of Fire. Tapper has simply programmed the setting so that the player will not condemn themselves by making a choice that only affects them within the interactive setting and not in reality.