Scholars of Novia CONTEST #1 "The Sisters Grim" Starts: September 24, 2014

@rune_74 You're over the word count.

 

Did this question ever get answered? The original wording could even lead to more interpretations than what you indicated.

 

Two stories entries...not one....so....they should be good?

 

Sorry mate, I wish it were so.

 

Ahh well I will just make a note that it will be a future entry....pretty sure they don't have to be self contained stories...although it is.

 

I was able to acquire this journal at flea market in Ardoris. It is obvious that the seller did not know its value, because it was written in an ancient Obsidian cipher. Fortunately, I know a bit about cryptanalysis and was able to break the cipher and I am able to share this diary with immense historic value with you – the reader.

Journal of Dereck Warden, captain of Hilt Guard

Day One
Our task is to explore the lava tubes. There are reports of missing soldiers in one section. Our group consists of Shreya, Zyrus, Winston, Trix and myself. We have started to search through the lava tubes. They look abandoned.

Day Two
We have found what looks like an entrance into the Catacombs. It seems that someone built a tunnel on the other side. We should explore where it leads.

Day Three
We are moving to explore this part of the Catacombs. We have found something that might be an entrance to an underground fortress. We have made an encampment in the large cavern.

Day Four
Zyrus, our sorcerer, blasted the gate open. I have ordered a search of the fortress. It is hard to tell cardinal directions down here, so we decided to call the gate Southern Gate.

Day Five
The corridors are empty except for cobwebs. We have not found anyone so far. No bodies either. It seems someone left the place in the hurry. However, in that case, why was the gate latched from inside? Trix has not returned from his search of the Western side. He was a thief recruited by the Obsidians and cannot be trusted. If he does not return soon I shall send Winston to search for him.

Day Six
We have been underground far too long. I am not sure whether it is day or night, whether it is day six or seven. It seems that this fortress was built by the Obsidians to protect the secret entrance into Hilt. Where are its inhabitants, though? There are no signs of battle or plague. Winston has not returned from his search for Trix. We should all go search the Western area of the fortress.

Day Seven
Still no sign of Winston or Trix. No signs where the former inhabitants went either. We are sweeping through the Western area of the fortress. I have a bad feeling about this.

Nothing. We have completed the search. No bodies. No blood stains. No exits. We found a treasure room. There were not many valuables, however there was a chest we could not open and no one has found a key that would fit its lock so far. We tried prying it open but we broke a sword during our attempt. We found a diary. Zyrus says that the Obsidians used shard metal to make the lock of the chest and some unknown magic. They were experimenting and trying to find the ultimate protection for valuable relics of the past. We should bring it to the Obsidian Sorcerers for further examination.

We have left the fortress. We should reach the lava tubes soon. We will be standing watch.

Day Eight
No one woke me for my watch. Zyrus went missing during the night. Neither of us knows where and when. Only two of us are left now. I am sending Shreya for help.

I have to pull the chest myself now. The sound of my feet on this cursed floor sounds like gritting teeth. Or maybe the sound is coming from the chest. My imagination is playing tricks on me. I could swear that the chest is looking at me, but it has no eyes. I have reached the tubes, but I am tired. I have to have a rest. I hope that whatever evil was hidden in the Catacombs will not follow me in here.

…After this there was only one note in the journal. It is not coded and it was clearly written by another hand…

Dereck Warden was nowhere to be found when we arrived. There is no sign he had left, yet there is no sign of battle either. He simply disappeared. We have recovered the chest and found this journal next to it and we will transport both to the Obsidian Sorcerers. We also blocked this lava tube. Shreya.

The caravan transporting the chest never reached their destination and the chest was never delivered.

_____________
Edited 2014-10-06

 

Thats a very good story Net,scary, hope I can get a book

 

Captain Jack thinks it is not Rune's fault.

Captain Jack feels that the group of the most illustrious Scholars should have picked up on this in their review of the post text, no?

 

It has not been answered yet.

 

Quantity: This contest is limited to one submission per player-author. The one submission can be a single text or several smaller texts making up a series or compilation so long as the total word count is not exceeded.

 

Well, that settles it I should be drawn and quartered for daring to put two entries in.

In all seriousness though, I will be honest and state I just took the two same entries from the previous competition that was cancelled due to lawyering. It's not a huge deal and think it has generated to much hand wrangling in this thread. I can easily solve this by either removing one or both...I haven't decided yet...though I have to admit this seems a bit silly.

 

This would require the Scholars to speak up in clarification, but I read:

• In-game Publication: Portalarium has offered in-game publication at no cost to the contestant as the prize for all winning submissions.

to mean something similar to using the Patron benefactor Magical Printing Press reward, where you get a copy of the "book" in hand without having to pay the publication fee.

 

No worries, man... just pointing to the answer, is all. I enjoyed what you wrote!

 

"Mirror,Mirror..... of the lost"

written by Gaelis Trajan
translated by Tolon


Gordon, ropemaker by trade, was travelling from Owls Head to Kings Port to offer this months production.
It would be the last of the busy marketdays for Kings Port before winter dragged it’s frozen claws across the land.
He had been dallying, reluctant to leave hearth and home as the days were already growing short and chilly and thus,
with dusk already falling fast, he decided to turn in at an old, run-down Inn he had never noticed on previous journeys.
Neither its unexpected discovery nor the somewhat haunted look of the gloomy building
and not even the merry atmosphere in the warm and homely pub room could keep him from his bed.
He had his mind set on getting an early start and make up for the lost time.
As he followed the comely maid up the well-worn, creaky stairs whilst paying way more attention to her equally comely rear than a married man should,
he couldn’t help but glance into the old, cloudy mirror facing him as he came up to the landing.

He stumbled, luck alone keeping him from tumbling down the stairs, as facing him from the mirror was not his face
but staring back at him as through a window was a view of the pub room.
Not the merriment he had witnessed before, the warm glow of the fire and the golden puddles of beer on the polished old wood of the tables.
What he saw was bloody mayhem. The tables slick with blood, the landlady slumped over the bar with a knife in her back and the patrons mangled,
cast across the bloodied furniture in sickening contortions not unlike puppets with their strings cut.
Squinting his eyes shut he wanted to turn away, follow the unperturbed maid upstairs but found himself stunned with fear and surprise.
As he dared to look again at the hellish glass it was but his own face, pale and scarred, looking back at him.

Despite his plans to sleep early and move on soon after dawn and despite the weariness from the journey so far Gordon couldn’t fall asleep.
Every time he closed his eyes he saw the scene from the mirror. Every time drawn to a new horrific detail he hadn’t noticed before.
He couldn’t help it, he needed to take another look at the mirror, convince himself that it was merely a spectre of his imagination.
Slowly, carefully he crept up to the landing of the stair and peeked into the cloudy glass on the wall.
There it was again, the pub room drenched in blood and death. Yet it was not entirely the same scene.
Just at the edge of the mirror, where the lower landing of the stairs was visible the maid stared at him with dead eyes,
still clutching a key akin to the one of his room, her limbs twisted and broken.

Gordon had to steady himself on the wall as he rushed back to his room, all thoughts beyond flight banished from his mind.
He grabbed his things and ran for the stairs, avoiding another glance at the mirror.

Few days later ....

A young merchant making his way back from Kings Port came upon the Inn.
After drinking through most of his earnings with the regulars,
he followed the maid upstairs almost knocking down a old, cloudy mirror as he staggered up to the landing.
He screamed as in the mirror he saw like through a window a view of the pub room, guests slaughtered,
the landlady stabbed and blood on every surface,
.......and swinging gently from a rafter on a very new rope, the ropemaker whom he had missed at the Kings Port Market.

 

Just letting you know so you can edit before the deadline. No big deal.

 

Speaking of editing... it was supposed to be a Homunculus... *scurries off to make the change*

 

I think the confusing part is the top of the page, on everypage:

Scholars of Novia: A Guide to Writing Great Fan Fiction for SotA

• Stories should be short. Around 500-1000 words makes a great length for an in-game book. Longer stories can always be published in multiple volumes.

 

Okay please no hanging of any author. Rune_74 submissions are being looked at and if they can be combined into one that fits the 733, then there is no fault or issue. This is exactly what we are bringing to him and no need to set up the pitch forks or flaming torches... The sisters would appreciate this but it is not necessary.. There is nothing left to see here.. please continue with your amazing stories... unless of course the lynch mob story of Rune_74 is to become a story for the Sisters library, it does not fit in this thread.

It is all under control, so please have yourselves under control as well.. Chaos may reign everywhere *except* the forums.

 

The prize is the publication of the book by Portalarium. Which would mean that the book, like the other books created from the Heart of Britannia Valentines contest, will be out there in the world for people to find and be able to read. They will have their words sealed to the page and unable to change unless someone took the time to write it all down and re-type it out. Which can be done with any publication done on even the players printing press.

So to answer your question - These books would feed the world 'presently'. There may be a time when the author finds his own book delivered to his door step at which point he can do what ever he likes with it. *DLMB*

 

I ALMOST asked what that was supposed to mean... then I remembered who your patron is *grins*