The Grand Writer's Contest!

[Zarsies 6795]

Already starting on a piece.... I see Auv'll be some of a nuissance.... :3

[SDJFDSJNFDSLKJVNDFBN 315]

I'm for sure entering this, just gotta brainstorm up an idea. To the man-cave!

[Auvreaeath 263]

Shall I make an Alternative Ending? For Neko Freya's Sake atleast.. <3

[Twilight Druid 188]

Is there a limit to how many things you can enter?

[~ Ashdrek / CalmCrysis ~ 32]

My entry, is completely generic, with as few names as possibly.

The old merchant wanders a backdrop of forest, following the lonely, stone road, like a serpent wanders the desert, hungrily eyeing all opportunities he views. His oakwood cane supports his small, old and fragile body, which is doused in a rippling silk crimson robe. His wagon of pinewood and iron trails behind him, leaving no trace of its heavy passing, on the stone road. He has not sold anything since last Elven week, and his hunger builds, like rolling thunder, unleashing its wrath on him furiously, demanding its hunger to be sated. The large grey oxen that pull his wagon, old as their master is, growl at the predators that seek their death. Ahead, he spots a small dust cloud. His deep blue eyes light up, as a torch would at the touch of a flame, and he drops his cane, knowing that his hunger shall be sated. As he watches the cloud come toward him, he notices two men, mounted on chestnut mares, and richly dressed. They slow to a trot underneath a great oak, which boasted the largest trunk the old man had ever viewed. Looking to his cane, he smiled, but ceased as a tear came to his eye, but his fear arose once more, with the riders staring at him and their horses neighing.

"Who are you, and why is your wagon blocking my way, old man?" questions the first rider, draped entirely in a dark blue hauberk, with a red silk tabard over the top, showing a tree sprouting from the body of a wolf. His face was that of a child, it clearly being only 17 or 18 years since his first nameday. He had scars on his face, scars of fire, scars of war, though in his face, was warmth and compassion. The boy had seen the world, seen its darkness, though he had yet to father any children, or even bed a maiden, for he was a eunuch

"I-I..am...Loreth, son of Herson, and I a-am a Merchant of Oren, d-do you re-require anything, my g-good sirs?" replied the frail old man, his voice awreck with fear, quivering. The old man, whom had just retrieved his oakwood cane and was leaning upon it protectively, waited for an answer, fearing the riders, his robes swirling in the dense wind, coming from the North.

"We require new mounts, if you have any? Not that a lowly peasant such as yourself would have. Most of this is probably stolen goods." proclaimed the second man, whom was dressed in flaming red robes, similiar to Loreth's, but with the same red silk tabard over the top. He had a scornful face, with deep lines in his face from stress. He was clearly a noble, and the other armed horseman was obviously his sellsword.

"W-well, I-I-I lack t-the mounts you s-peak of, t-though I-I do possess a number of mules, t-two to be precise" muttered the old man, whose oakwood cane was being eyed greedily by the sellsword.

"Mules!?" scoffed the nobleman, gesturing to his sellsword to unsheathe his sword, a "hand and a half" bastard sword, designed for mounted combat. Cowering, the old man dropped his staff again, begging for mercy, and spitting out apologies for his arrogance. After calming, the nobleman replied simply,

"We are headed to the walls of the Crimson Keep, to speak with its Eunuch, Tirys. I will not arrive at that damned place on a mule, and if you lack any proper mounts, then you should not be called a merchant" and with that, his sellsword struck the old mans oakwood cane, whipping it from his hands, and then struck a blow to the old man himself, cutting him from shoulder to waist. The man fell to the ground, the crimson blood unable to stain his already crimson robe. The man cried out in pain, his sorrow overwhelming him, sorrow for his children, his wife, who he would now join. He died clutching the one thing his wife gave to him as she died, and now he would die clutching it as well, his oakwood staff.

Hope you enjoyed it. I had fun writing it, so if I do not win, I will not be too disappointed.

[The Zealot (Sir_Wyvernos) 248]

Is there a limit to how many things you can enter?

Only one entry per person unfortunately.

Keep the entries coming everyone!

[Twilight Druid 188]

Only one entry per person unfortunately.

Keep the entries coming everyone!

May we change our submissions once they are entered?

[The Zealot (Sir_Wyvernos) 248]

Absolutely, its fine by me. The final date before judging will be June 30th.

[Zarsies 6795]

Ugh... pumping out so many ideas is painful. <~>

[The Zealot (Sir_Wyvernos) 248]

There is still quite alot of time so keep up the entries everyone! The final date is still set at June 30th.

[Rissing 199]

- snip -

[Goliath 384]

Euhm sir,

My poems are like alot of sentences.

But they are short if you really see them in words.

Could you tell me or these are allowed?

You don't have to read all of them just one.

Or if looking at the length is enough.

It'll be nice if I knew or it was allowed.

Thank you :3

http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/50614-asters-poems-3/

I believe you're banned?

[Dash_Rogers 130]

Summary: The retelling of a true event that just happened 6/14/2012. When a request sent to Shiftnative asking if we can get his help as a dungeon master to open up a simple randomly generated mossy cobble dungeon. He takes the message and builds a whole dungeon raiding event out of it.

The Tale of The Seer, The Cook, The Huntress, The Doctor, and The World Finder.

As you take in your fresh brown ale in its pint sized tankard, feeling the cool buzz wash through your gullet, while sitting at the bar with your friends and some strangers around and about you or next to you, within The Riggerous Quest tavern, within the town of ShadowVale, Dash Rogers tells you a new tale.

His back is turned to you as he washes a mug. He turns around and rests his elbows on the bar counter getting in closer to you and those listening and continues the tall tale.

"I had found it, years ago. Nearly one of the first days here in Asulon, or perhaps later on. I know the road to Alra- The first one mind you, before it got torn and moved. The Seven Skies knows why- But it was right below it. I remember the day. I was strolling along and I heard them. The horrors of underworlds argued amongst themselves below the freshly paved and most nobel Alras road. I stopped whatever I was doing to kneel down for a better listen. It was unmistakable, monsters lurked the caverns below, I was to be the man to cleanse them. I moved off the road into the swampy marsh, my bow drawn. The sun was high, but the fog was low. I moved carefully searching for a hole in the surface of the world.

The ground was soft, mushy and muddy. Red and brown mushrooms peppered the landscape, pools of murky water bubbled up and popped like oversized frog warts that exuded a horrid smell of something long since dead, willow trees stood like warped and thinned warlock necromancers who have studied the arts for lifetimes, but never took a break to eat. Small insects populated the skies and ground, creeping, crawling and feeding.

I surveyed every angel of the flat swamp land, letting my hunter/survivalist instincts take control of my being, prepared for anything. The ground become harder to see as fog rolled over it, thicker than the open negative space in front of my eyes that was my surroundings. Every step I took was unsure and a risk, but that was exactly what I was looking for and it's also what I found.

My next step, the ground become a lot softer and changed from a solid dirt, to a dark mud, then fell out from under me causing me to drop to my back, plopping right into the muck. The pit I fell into was more of a crater that when the propulsion of my body dropped down into it, blew all the fog up and out of it.

What was revealed was a enlarged rabbits hole hugged by the roots of a large willow tree. It was as good an entrance to the depths as any.

I took a stake wrapped with animal fat in wool, clicked my flint and steal over it to light the material and proceeded down below with torch in the hand that also held the grip of my bow, both grouped together in my left hand as my right held an arrow at the ready.

As I ventured deeper, the ceiling raised higher and the cavern began to fork. Up and right, or left and down. I chose to go down and left. Still no threats but instead met with what I half expected to be here.

I hugged the walls allowing the dim light of my torch to illuminate my path and find the out of place stones. It soon appeared into view, mossy cobblestone, a beacon in terms of lost forgotten ruins. I marveled at the sight, running my hand over the sunken pillar protruding from the cavern wall, as if it was swallowed by the earth. The moans and groans of the evils within grew louder as I drew closer.

I knew this to be a fight I could not win on my own. I did what was right and sought out the king of Alras to inform him of troubles below his passage to and from the Cloud Temple. I was met by his heir instead, if I remember right, and led him to the source of dread. After looking it over, he assured me the problem will be delt with.

Perhaps their way of dealing with it was to move the road entirely as that is what seemed to have happened. That pathway was constantly under siege picking off passerby's as more monsters crawled from that netherish dwelling. Almost 10 years later, walking on the safe new detoured road, I reminded myself of the darkness just over closer to the swamp. It was time I took the quest on for myself!

I gathered everything I needed for the dungeon raid and suited myself with my mithril chain set allowing for me to stay agile as any archer should and was just about to enlist my party mates when they showed up on their own accord to ShadowVale. My dearest friends, Velwyn Ashfrod, the Doctor and Julianna the Huntress.

Velwyn stands about as tall as me, 6'4 and I would say outshines my handsomeness with his wavy black, yet short locks and a long chiseled young face. He wears the cloths that of someone who knows how to support a life of fine living and Julianna has soft and pleasant female features, yet has a sort of sharp punctuality about herself that stands as a warning to those who look at her wrong.

The two just happened to be coming over to visit me. I was going to invite my best friend, Beary Winespit the dwarf, as every cave needs an expert miner, but he was sleeping.

Juli had also brought the aid of her fellow Nawari friends Delaselva The Seer and Jhonen the Cook who near instantly become my friends. Upon meeting these two for the first time "formally", I got the impression that The Seer is more than just an expert trader. He looked of someone who had a greater understanding of our mortal forms and as such emanated a sort of magical presence, but that just might be me over thinking. The Cook to be honest, I took for more of a fool than myself. He lacked combat experience and was taken under the wing of the Huntress to learn how to fire a bow. Good luck with that I say. Velwyn of course came ill prepared, so I lent him my finest diamond set of armor so he can take point. I think he was enthusiastic about his role. We prepped ourselves for the jaunt and headed out into the day light.

The five of us marched like misfit knights bound to a quest from ShadowVale, to Cloud Temple and onward to the forgotten road dungeon. Monsters riddle the swamp land, but stood passive and idle for they have built a resistance to the sunlight enough that they do not burn anymore but instead are blinded and wait mindlessly with senses dulled like the giant spiders from the beating sun. We move quick and silently dispatching creatures with ease so we don't have to deal with them when night falls. Velwyn and I are the first to descend. The Doc taking the forward position in my brilliantly oriented diamond armor that gave him the appearance of an undefeatable legend while he held his two handed broad long sword unsheathed and kept upright. He edged on into the unknown with each step echoing out into the cavern ahead as if to say to the terrors beyond, "May you all suffer for the displeasure you terrorize my people with nightly."

As Vel conquered ground step by step, I provided light support cutting into the walls and inserting torches while I instructed him the right path to take. It was I who got first blood though. We had just reached the fork and as soon as I sparked another torch to life, for a split second, the form of a disquieted dead appeared in view before us. The light illuminated a great deal of our surroundings upon combustion but then dimmed back to it's normal luminary range. Within that time of brilliant light, the beast was in full view. The light startled the monster from what it was currently doing to snap a look in our direction. Its pure black eyes made it hard to tell apart from its pupils, but we were able to seem them dilate. It had an angry grin that oozed with blood and foamed frothing from his mouth as it snarled. Yet it just stood there slightly hunched, claws tense and twisted eyeing us. We all stood looking upon it unsure of its intentions, but knowing them full well.

As the light slowly dimmed and receded back to our direct surroundings, it began shrouding our enemy little by little while transferring light to it's eyes causing them to glow a sharp yet fuzzy white.

As it screeched it reappeared into the light lunging for us, but my instincts had already fired and arrow for the bridge between its eyes and not a moment any later since I released my hand of the bowstring, Velwyn had rotated his body putting the force of the gods in his sword, sending a horizontal chop through the center of the zombies being slicing it clean in half before the creatures realized it was already dead but still in mid attack as my arrow had only just taken it's life a moment before. I nodded to my good friend as he nodded right back and we all proceeded deeper while the Nawari took up the rear.

As previously discovered, reaching the supposed ruin took short time and any resistance found was eliminated without difficulty. We displaced evil and darkness with our presence and light, occupying the underworldly territory.

With the location secured I approached the encroaching ruins taking sticks of dynamite from my bags and placing them where I think would clear an appropriate opening for us. Having no experience as a blacksmith, placing TNT for me is a hit or miss scenario. Blacksmiths know all the tricks of where and how to properly place mining charges to blow a cave just how they want it, where as I, a man whose skills include things more along the lines of map making and sailing, place TNT charges willy nilly in hopes I get the results I can at least work with.

I instruct my friends to stand clear, light the fuses and sprint for safety. With a crack boom and shatter that echos and shakes the foundations of the cavern, yet holding strong and unmoved, we all rise from our hidey holes and peer upon the clearing dust.

A few of us cough and wave the dust from our vision. The suspense building in our faces, but soon change to a fearful frown as we begin to hear the skittering, hissing, and shrill shrieking of what sounds like an army of arachnids. Our fears proved true when we caught sight of the disastrous silky webbed designs intertwining all within the wrecked, mossy cobblestoned structure. The more the dust cleared, the worse the situation evolved.

From the back of the crypt, the horde of oversized, black legged, thousand red eyed abominations are seen racing our way.

Unfortunately for them, being the unwavering heroes we are, we welcome their rebuttal with our war cries and charge forth into the fray! Those of us who were ranged classes let loose our spiked sky fury. The Cook was not as bad a shot as expected and collected many a kill. I on the other hand, conjured soul arrows attempting to exhaust every fiber of my being into slaying all who come in my sights killing dozens. The Seer fired along side us adding to our thunderous rain of arrows, but the force of evil continued advancing to meet Juli and Vel, so he unsheathed his sword to join in for a closer taste of the action.

Even though he wore the heaviest set of armor the world can manufacture, the Doctor charge like a war boar head first into the coming darkness with the Huntress just inches in front of him with her thin double bladed saber as arrows flew over their head and shoulders killing some and stunning others for quick assisted kills by the two swordsmen as they crashed into the war. Juli Sliced and diced through scores of eight legged cretins as she moved like a untraceable dancer, near back to back with Velwyn who killed with every movement he made, slamming through countless decrepit creatures at one time.

The two danced in the rain of flying limbs and falling spiders as arrows filled whatever space they weren't in, when The Seer arrived into the front lines from overhead slamming down into a pack of lunging beast headed for Juli.

The force of purity cleansed the cave relentlessly, all working as one uniformed being with flawless ease.

The defending force gradually quelled and the team stood amongst their fallen enemies in total victory. An enliven breath streams from the lungs of the heroes as their swords, bows and combat stances fall back into a passive state and a cheer erupts as they look towards their spoils, an opened ruin.

I take from my side, the coiled rope ladder and grappling hook, giving it a single twirl and tossing it up to latch on the ledge just out of reach. A test tug ladder and a climb, we are all up look into into the web infested nest. The first chest is found. Slightly battered, and small with a rusted and broken lock. The chest made of dark pine wood and rusted iron nearly disintegrates as we delve into it. Little is found but a compass, gold, and other odd findings. Jumping down into the less man made spider nest area of the structure, another chest is found that I rush straight for. This chest was in better shape and looked like that of nobility ownership. Inside rested a gold kings crown atop 5 gold bars, another compass of more intricate and delicate design than the first found, a single sheet of paper with writing that I did not look at initially upon looting, but when further inspected, had the same lettering found in the magic book at the Cloud Temple. Then other than those, nothing else worth remembering was found in that chest.

Within the far wall, neatly packed, we found a boxed collection of TNT crates. Naturally, I was still in the mood to blow things up, as I always am, so I drudged through the webbing, tell my mates to stand clear once more, light the fuse and duck for cover.

There was a problem though, the fuse did not light but the fire was still live. They all told me to get out but I could not resist, I rushed for the cluster and lit a second box in hopes that wick was not wet. It sparked in an instant only giving me enough time to dive for a clearing. The explosion caved the walls around me only just enough to allow me to crawl out. I was greeted with a mix of insults and love from my friends and in all, was worth it when a gold light flecked across Julianna's eye from a reflective surface that bounced the light of one of our torches. Juli called out for my rope ladder and when I questioned her, she simple grabbed it from my side and pushed me down proceeding to use it as planned. For good reason though, she had found a flawless, unchipped, buffed, solid block of gold. She goes on to inform us of the good news and as I pull myself back up once again I question again in disbelief. To which I receive a slime ball to the back of the head from a strong toss by Velwyn. I turn to face the Doctors dumb smiley face when Juli whistles at us all and pushes some rock away so we can have a clear look at the block of wealth. Oi! Boys! She says. My angry frown quickly melts and transforms as I clammer for the ladder and get up to the Huntresses level. I clap and rub my hands together and we just look at each other, her smile cute, mine a rumpled mess. We get right to it, securing a taught rope around the block and providing slack for the others to grab hold and have Velwyn stand guard.

After countless efforts of tugging and pulling and failed heaving and hoeing, I make a fast trip to ShadowVale taking up an iron pick axe and bringing it back to break the block from of its stuffed position. I gifted the block to the Nawari for their help in the event. We marched triumphantly from that defiled place but instead left it a lot brighter, as if the seven skies had gone down and filled in with holy lights from the heavens. It even appeared to be more of a sanctuary than the unwelcoming surface world. We exited the cave at night during a downpour, but we walked with chests of treasures over our shoulders and a song in our hearts.

Unfortunately, when you live in a hostile world such as Asulon, feelings of victory and security are often short lived. The Seer perked his nose up, he was sniffing the air, then he said it. I smell brimstone... We all knew exactly what crisis had just befallen us as we turned out sights to the clouds. It howled an outcry of one million Iblees tortured souls just as we caught sight of its silhouette blocking out the moon. A dragon soared above. the only entity in the above the earth.

I commanded everyone to avoid a fight with it and just reach safety, but I am sure I did not even have to tell them that. Though I did not follow my own command, I was not commanding myself in the first place.

I always had the impression that all beasts are tamable and a dragon is no different. I was ill equipped for the task, but that never stopped me before. I don't believe it saw us and instead of attacking, flew on to a high mountain perch where I followed. As I climbed the mountain side, I saw right beside me, Juli. Initially I was surprised she would commit to something only someone as stupid as myself would attempt, but instead of shooing her away nodded to her as if to say, your company is always appreciated.

It did not matter how high the mountain it landed on was, we followed, fully dedicated to the new quest.

There it rested, quite content with its new setting. We snuck for it, with the game plan being, jump on it's back and hold on for dear life till it gets used to having a man on its back and accepts me like becoming immune to a virus. Things, as expected, did not go to plan, for the mother beast caught sight of us rather quickly. I attempted to run for a ride, but it had already lifted into the air. I insulted the thing, yelling at it in hopes it would try to come for me. I got what I wanted, but had to try and dodge instead of leaping up for a ride. It took a snap for my shoulder and just barely nipped me."

Dash loosens his shirt around his right shoulder and neck to reveal a large dragon made gash.

"Had it not been for my mithril chain armor, it may have been worse. After that I tumbled from the mountain side, and ran for home with everyone else. That night we celebrated with cake, the finest wine I could provide, I played my accordion and everyone danced. Velwyn, the great dog of man and Juli, even had their own ways of celebrating, but that my friend is for another tale. Now who of you can drink me under the table eh?"

Dash proceeds to pour another round of whiskey into each of the shot glasses and downs whatever's left of the whisky jug.

[The Zealot (Sir_Wyvernos) 248]

To all applicants, the final day has been moved to the 25th. Judging will begin on the 25th as well.

[Rom 59]

I presume this post can be counted?http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/59078-the-death-of-romulus-dreadshade/