Sing along with us! Just like last year’s contest, this one is simple and fun – for the next couple of weeks, from December 15, 2017 to January 2, 2018, we want to see what songs, poems, and other holiday stories you can come up with that are related to Shroud of the Avatar. When you have a submissions ready (you can submit for each theme category), please post it in this thread! You are allowed to edit your entry up until the contest deadline. THEMES Similar to previous contests, we will be judging entries based on the following themes: Most inventive theme Romantic theme Holiday theme Adventure theme Character/NPC theme PvP/Combat theme Unexpected theme If a theme doesn’t get any entries, we will add a winner to a theme that has multiple entries. Please limit entries to no more than 800 words and 3 pages with up to 4 images (if you need imagery). Shorter is usually better, so don’t feel you need to max out these limits. PRIZES Each winner will be awarded 25 COTOs, as well as the 2016 Winter Holiday Soundtrack – Wax Cylinders – perfect for replaying holiday tunes well into the 2018 new year. Have fun being a creative creator, Avatars!
Surprised by a Snowflake In a small little town where there was never any change where life of an avatar was always the same. Each going from his home to work in a memorized routine and where there was nothing new to say. Each passing another. Not one with a glint of a smile along the way. Even the young children have hearts that are unable to feel because of the deadness and lack of care in every home in the small little town. Then one day there were visitors who brought music and laughter in their voices and even to the town brought a clown. This small little town was so full of Avatars that could no longer see anything but hard work. They could only think of how tired they were. They could not see the visitors who brought music and laughter in their voices and even to the town brought a clown. They could only see the dreary days they were living. They could not see the visitors in their little town as they were giving. One day there was one small child who looked up while the visitors seemed to want to stay. This small child saw laughter on the visitors faces and heard music in the air. The child saw the visitors had even brought to the town a clown. The child wondered how this could be that a visitor would have such a face that caused the lips to turn up. The joy had covered the visitors faces as music filled the air and they had even brought a clown to this small little town. More visitors were now pouring into this small little town. Each had a face with lips turned up into a smile. Joy covered their faces and music filled the air even as the clown danced with glee. Their feet touched the ground and they began to slip around. They were so filled with joy as they played together in this small little town. The small child looked up even further and began to laugh and jump with happiness as well for there were beautiful soft snowflakes floating to the ground. The avatars in their same boring routine saw the small little child and the visitors with the clown dancing and skipping so high. The avatars in wonder looked up to see what the small little child and the visitors with the clown were looking at in the sky. There were millions of snowflakes floating and gliding down to the small little town. Each snowflake was like powder of light gliding to the ground. Then there in the small little town there happened a miracle for there was not one turned down lips not even a frown. Each avatar began to realize that they had been wanting a miracle but had given up thinking they would ever have one. They had lost their ability for joy. They had lost their peace in their heart. They had only a lack of gratitude left on their faces as they daily continued in their places. Now, they saw visitors with joy on their faces and heard the music filling the air as they brought to the little town even a clown. They saw snowflakes floating to the ground and realized they had a miracle all along. Their hearts had hardened. But now they saw they had each other. They had work each day. They had food to eat. They realized that gratitude caused turned up lips as music filled the air and joy came into their hearts just like the visitors who brought that day a clown. They knew that they had a miracle in that day in their small little town where the visitors brought even a clown in a miracle when they were surprised that day. Surprised. Surprised by a Snowflake!
@CatherineRose, I saw your confusion in your message to @LoneStranger - I think Berek likes to separate his contests with two threads; one for contest discussion and one strictly for contest submission entries. If you read his initial post at the top of this thread, he asked us to post submissions not to *this* thread (which Berek says is for discussion about the contest) but to "this thread"; a hyperlinked thread (on my computer it appears as a green link to https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ead-for-2017-creative-writing-contest.106467/) It may be easier to see this on his Website post: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/?p=80763 Because this thread is for contest discussion, you and @Vallo Frostbane should likely submit your entry on the Entries thread to ensure your entries are reviewed. (Fair play is a virtue! ) The second contest Berek refers to is the Avatar's Guide to Knowledge and Virtue. Hope that's clear! Happy New Year! Cheers, Ben
@hroth Thank you very much for taking the time to see what I was missing. I really appreciate it. You are an avatar with true caring virtue.
"In Novia Abounden" (To the tune of "In dulci jubilo", with some creative syllabic / rhythmic substitutions) Oh Avatars with Courage and Truth and Love in flourish! All compassionate and brave from armored knight to foolish knave. The Oracle sees over all in dungeons, taverns, and Gustball. The virtues were forsaken- The virtues are retaken! In Novia and yonder, the Avatars doth ponder: Who was he in Midras' grave? And what's down in this forest cave? Do Kobolds dream of aut'matons? or should we fear Obsidians? Where should I go today? Prob'ly not Blood Bay. In combat and in crafting, the Avatars are grafting! Weaving spells and making suits of armor, clothes, and even lutes! Building decks of greater power in hopes of more XP-per-hour! Beware of skill decay; it's not that bad, okay? Developers with might make Avatars have sight! Within the process give us clues and tell us all exciting news What is coming down the pipe, and what's the biggest player gripe? Until the next release- please grant them some peace! The Avatars shall be a large community! Tho' oft' we do not see the same e'en tho' we play this very game. Messages and comments flow from neophyte to forum troll. Can't we get along? Make our fanbase strong!
@Jack Knyfe, just a note that Berek had asked we post entries in a different thread: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ead-for-2017-creative-writing-contest.106467/ Cheers! Ben
Mogul played the cards just right, for the path of the ranger was the Oracles advice, after he saw his true reflection in the mirror of creation. Just as plain as an opportunistic theft; including many nick-knacks on that path of that particular plight. As he made his way from city-to-city he filled his ornate back-pack so heavily he could barely move; smiling with delight. Old Mogul knew, these little gems he stowed from the shelves and places of merchant businesses would serve him in his pursuits: of enlightenment, as well as with a twist to an old story had become his personal two-treatises on New Britannia. Seeing the necessities of emptied homes abound; led him through Lord British's castle home and some stones had to be kick out, laying on the ground and a perfect escape through a sewer. Once to safety, he gathered eighteen jugs of whiskey from a convenient wagon to his immediate left: to throw at any deal; that would improve his financial situation to procure a tax-free deed potentially. Every Mogul needs a base of operation, every property owner needs a little decoration and with subtle contemplation he waited with anticipation. For the day he could unload some of those wares and gain, rather realize the dream of owning something more, most naturally a loft in a city. Picketed fence not included, yet have a look at my wares (Invulnerable).
