Aia del Mana

A first attempt at the GoTR challenge:

 
And a second attempt, using a similar technique:

 
Given that creating flow will eventually devolve into something somewhat less orderly, I found it was useful to capture these images well before they settled. Additionally, touching up abnormalities will tend to create more heat, which will decrease the contrast. Nonetheless, the touch-up of the second image resulted in this, which perhaps has more semblance of the alliance logo.

Symmetry is somewhat possible, provided one follows the same direction as the existing flow. The above was drawn by merely drawing two (diagonal) figure 8's.


This is my attempt at laminar flow:


This was achieved by moving from the top to the bottom in parallel lines in one direction only. When there are small eddy currents, these can be laminarised by simply drawing over them - again, in the same direction.

Symmetry is somewhat possible, provided one follows the same direction as the existing flow. The above was drawn by merely drawing two (diagonal) figure 8's.


This is my attempt at laminar flow:


This was achieved by moving from the top to the bottom in parallel lines in one direction only. When there are small eddy currents, these can be laminarised by simply drawing over them - again, in the same direction.

Please welcome the allmighty One-eyed Whatever!
 

UPDATE: Post here your creations for the contest. Upvotes count for the score.
 
There is one section in md that is waiting for more than a decade for a page. Here is an experiment worthy of the wait i hope.
Concept: all your actions create unstoppable consequences. You may revert or stop your actions, but the consequences they created keep happening. Events are not singular dots on the map of things, they are streams with certain shapes. Heat-based magic uses your heat to create eent streams, unavoidable circumstance, in both past and future, that make things happen in a certain direction.
 
Interface ...  i will le others share this first
The first person to have access to this experimental interface for testing purposes is Ailith. (was simply the first person that responded, when i decided to make this public)

Feedback is welcome, images soon.

Attempting to create some order:

 
And, oddly, attempting chaos appears to bring some order:

 
Commencing in the centre and swirling outwards will also create some order:

 
Of note, I believe that static imagery doth not show the beauty or mesmerity of this feature. One could consider to meditate while watching such movement.

Attempting to create some order:

 
And, oddly, attempting chaos appears to bring some order:

 
Commencing in the centre and swirling outwards will also create some order:

 
Of note, I believe that static imagery doth not show the beauty or mesmerity of this feature. One could consider to meditate while watching such movement.

Lets see, the next one to get access to this experimental feature will be whoever reads this and contacts me first about it. Luck must certainly play a role in such advanced things

Death Ray has received a coloured Water Elemental for his victory in this quest.

I have granted Ledah his reward for this quest, a very valuable coloured Water Elemental.

As this appears to run concurrently with my quest, and doth provide of a readily available source of heads, I am quite in favour of this contest, and will sponsor a coloured creature (winderwild, elemental, moss, priest, or the yet unreleased new coloured creature from this year) to the winner, and also to Mallos for arranging this contest, if he should so desire.

I declare this contest closed.

Ledah has received his prize for the contest Of Heads - a coloured Water Elemental.

I count four total entries for the contest Of Tales:

chriselnenepr about chriselnenepr
Ledah about jakubhi
Fang about Fang
The Puppeteer about The Puppeteer

1. @chriselnenepr about chriselnenepr
 
A nice poem with alternating rhyme and with some depth to character, with an ominous conclusion which would make me want to read more from the writer in question.

2. @Ledah re: @jakubhi:
 
The bolded line, I believe, is the most amusing in the contest. I assume that this was added not by an artificial intelligence of sorts, given that the line in question is the only one in the entry which does not fit the rhyme.
The remainder of the entry reads well, and creates some depth to the character in question.
 
3. @Fang Archbane re: Fang Archbane

This reads as if a human wrote the entry in completion, and the story is the most engaging of the lot (although the other entries are constrained by the fact that they are poetry, and not prose.) It is difficult to compare the entry with the others for the aforementioned reasons.


4. @The Puppeteer re: The Puppeteer
From a strictly linguistic perspective, this rhyme is the easiest to read and to follow, and the perspective were one which it were easy to sympathise with.



It is difficult to choose a winner, but as the contest rewards will go to the top half of submissions (i.e. two entries), I will award the two prizes to jakubhi (for the most enjoyable read - note that Ledah wrote the entry, but the prize will go to the subject of the entry), and to chriselnenepr, for the most engaging.

Would the subjects (jakubhi and chriselnenepr) please kindly contact me to obtain this new coloured creature - a Water Elemental.

I have granted Ledah his reward for this quest, a very valuable coloured Water Elemental.

Upon the boughs of Raven Hold, I have - with permission from Mur - created scene with the aid of the mind of artifice. With Mur's permission, it is eponymously named.
Following its creation, I did issue a challenge to overcome the enchantment placed upon its entry, and @death ray is the first - without administrative power - to visit Aia's Retreat, having done so within two weeks.
For this I have granted him a wishpoint. I also confirm that at the time of this declaration, the method that he had used were still available to any who wish to visit - although further visitors will not receive a wishpoint reward for this feat, I maintain that observation of the scenery were also a reward in itself.

Upon the boughs of Raven Hold, I have - with permission from Mur - created scene with the aid of the mind of artifice. With Mur's permission, it is eponymously named.
Following its creation, I did issue a challenge to overcome the enchantment placed upon its entry, and @death ray is the first - without administrative power - to visit Aia's Retreat, having done so within two weeks.
For this I have granted him a wishpoint. I also confirm that at the time of this declaration, the method that he had used were still available to any who wish to visit - although further visitors will not receive a wishpoint reward for this feat, I maintain that observation of the scenery were also a reward in itself.

Upon the boughs of Raven Hold, I have - with permission from Mur - created scene with the aid of the mind of artifice. With Mur's permission, it is eponymously named.
Following its creation, I did issue a challenge to overcome the enchantment placed upon its entry, and @death ray is the first - without administrative power - to visit Aia's Retreat, having done so within two weeks.
For this I have granted him a wishpoint. I also confirm that at the time of this declaration, the method that he had used were still available to any who wish to visit - although further visitors will not receive a wishpoint reward for this feat, I maintain that observation of the scenery were also a reward in itself.

Upon the boughs of Raven Hold, I have - with permission from Mur - created scene with the aid of the mind of artifice. With Mur's permission, it is eponymously named.
Following its creation, I did issue a challenge to overcome the enchantment placed upon its entry, and @death ray is the first - without administrative power - to visit Aia's Retreat, having done so within two weeks.
For this I have granted him a wishpoint. I also confirm that at the time of this declaration, the method that he had used were still available to any who wish to visit - although further visitors will not receive a wishpoint reward for this feat, I maintain that observation of the scenery were also a reward in itself.

In the 17th year of the realm, there emerged a figure that was likely to become a character of MD legend.  They did not disappoint.
Aksel has extraordinary energy and insatiable curiosity, and this led to being launched into notoriety, just a year after arriving in the realm.  When Aksel learned of the Land Weapons, and the trail of bread crumbs that Mur had left, there was nothing for it but to try to ring Marind's Bell.
An unlikely collection of motley characters was recruited to fill out the numbers required for this adventure.  I, Fyrd Argentus, class clown, amateur musician, alchemical experimentalist, and tabloid journalist, was approached to join the venture.  I decided I could participate as a neutral observer, as long as I followed Aksel's remarkably complete plan, that included all the crazy rituals needed to activate the MB land weapon.
Other team members were Blackshade Rider, with an amazing talent for clashing with GM's that held his fate in their hands, Mallos, chronic malcontent with remarkably contrarian ideas about how to grind, and Fang Archbane, that elusive flamboyant sky rider that never seems to be where he is supposed to be.  As a special 6th member, recruited to observe the results from outside, was Jakubhi, who always seems to be in an opposite time zone.  We attempted to recruit Handy Pockets, but initially could not locate her on short notice, so we began the attempt, ironically enough, without a single Marind Bell citizen.
We five took our positions and commenced the rituals as instructed.  Four were successful, but one was not.  As part of the rituals, we could not leave our stations without bolloxing the works, so we called upon Jak to come inside MB and help, where he discovered that the fifth station had been mistakenly identified, quickly performed the ritual and we were in!  
Or rather, using the controls at Wind's Sanctuary, we had locked ourselves in.  The mistakenly identified 5th station turned out to be an unopened door to secret places in MB and we continued to have difficulty opening them.  We thought perhaps that our lack of citizenship was hampering us.  Thankfully, Kets was finally contacted at this point, and we opened the gates to let her in, to help.  Unfortunately, many others had been alerted to our efforts and slipped in through the briefly opened gate to see what was up.
That's when our team effort began to come unraveled.  Each team member chased after their best guess as to how to open secret places.  I myself found myself nodding off and slipping into another dimension, so I can't really relate the final findings - and wouldn't if I could.  After a few hours, the effects wore off and MB was back to normal.  All I can say is that future attempts will be made, with even more preparation.  Will it be to Marind Bell again, or some other land?  Only time will tell.

I suggest an award for the most popular player (as judged by daily votes) and for the most infamous (as judged by most negative daily votes). I do not have access to this data, so cannot nominate these players.

This is enchanted as desired. Let me know if it doth not suffice.

This is enchanted as desired. Let me know if it doth not suffice.

This is enchanted as desired. Let me know if it doth not suffice.

@Ledah has won the pre-commencement round Of Heads, and I will await his choice of prize.
The second round Of Heads has commenced, for those who have been preparing. I will remain accessible as I may; this will usually mean I am present at the Gazebo of Equilibrium, or whithersoever the day shall take us, during the Anniversary.
 
A reminder that the quest Of Tales remains open, and, as an anniversary contest, I will be requesting plushies for all those who would participate in either contest.

@Ledah has won the pre-commencement round Of Heads, and I will await his choice of prize.
The second round Of Heads has commenced, for those who have been preparing. I will remain accessible as I may; this will usually mean I am present at the Gazebo of Equilibrium, or whithersoever the day shall take us, during the Anniversary.
 
A reminder that the quest Of Tales remains open, and, as an anniversary contest, I will be requesting plushies for all those who would participate in either contest.

Aia has it, you gave it to her.
Trade log:
 
As a reward I would love your friendship ❤️