Maebius

Happy Happy Happies to you, sir!

I knew you only in passing, but those passages are recorded in my Story as good ones. I wish you luck in all your adventures!

[b]We have a winner! [/b] Below are the entries I received, which were sent to the judges as below, with names stripped off and all images uploaded to my website for further "anonymity" and to hopefully prevent bias (otherwise un-edited). Each judge picked their top three choices and I gave 3 points to their first pick, 2 pts for second, and 1 pt for their last choice. I then combined all the "points" to find the overall winner of the competition, as shown below. 9 points! = Guillak (Entry #5) 7 Points = darkraptor (Entry #3) 5 Points = joshdragon (Entry #4) 4 Points = Princ Rhaegar (Entry #2) 3 Points = Tom Pouce (Entry#1) 2 Points = Soothing Sands (Entry #6) Guillak earns a Wish from me. Second place wins an Angien from me (or choice of other crit/item below) Third place and below can choose from the following prizes (+angien if darkraptor doesn't want it): Tormented Soul, Pimped Grasan, old Unholy Priest, Imperial Aramor, FreezeCreature Stone, Prot Attack Stone, Prot Heal Stone, Prot Defense Stone, Prot Freeze Stone,Prot Heal Stone, Prot NoMulti Stone, Prot NoArmor stone, or Prot Movelock Stone, or Silver Coin. Entry 1: [log='Entry #1']My entry for the quest, whats in sage keep, picture follow next message What's in Sage's Keep How would you envision that inner room? When one find the inner room, one try to grasp bits of universe knowledge What one found is intriguing At first one see on a pieddestale a cube, (is it THE CUBE? or only a symbol?) then one remark in each in its own resess 2 statuts oposite to each other one of an angian, the other of a shade and on the end wall, one see that a strange symbol thas was etche by flames, having burn the stones. That symbol an inverse spiral cross by lines, one remember those symbols and know in his soul that it as a higher meaning, if only one could remember. Who as made this place? An angien and a shade, does it mean that they where once friendly to each others? Is it a picture of past time or futur times? And the CUBE! is it relate to the strange dream one had comming in this universe? Is it relate to the famous cube that Knator Commander once travel with? is it relate to the legendary Book of Principles? Evidently that will feed for many years study material for the scolars. And as for symbol what more than shade and angien to illustrate the symbol of dark (hiding) and light (energy) principle. Each one balancing the other illustrating the balance principle. The spiral that illustrate the principle of cyclicity in each of its turns, and also principle of time as it progress outward. The cube symbol of the immagination principle, as who know what is in the box. For symbol of principle of syntropy if the scene showing agien and shade mean that they will be friend in futur to be made thats it, and if the scene showing agien and shade mean they where friend in the past, its the principle of Enthropy that degrade and change things with time. [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/innersage.png"]innersage.png[/url][/log] [log='Entry 2 ']1) Sketch of Sage's Keep structure, with few assumptions that may not be true. [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/pic1.jpg"]pic1[/url] One of the assumptions is that inside Sage's Keep is symmetric, without additional doors though, which makes the other side of the Sage's Keep (the visible wall part in the scene) small and empty as is the beginning. 2) Assumptions: The two towers are symmetric and have two floors. This is the first floor, right tower. [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/pic2.jpg"]Pic2[/url] Inside the tower from perception I made an error in while drawing. Those sketches between first and second window seen on the left are about books and scrolls, and they're supposed to be repeated between each of the windows. where you see the scenery from the window-gate, coming from the bridge that connects the two towers: [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/pic3.jpg"] Pic3[/url] Second floor, the setup is the same, tho the drawing perception is slightly better. [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/pic4.jpg"] Pic4[/url] Difference is, there are no books here, this is the place for practical research, experiments and testing. [/log] [log='Entry 3 ']Sages Keep Sanctum Beyond the entrance there is a door that leads to a dark room, in the center of this dark room there is an old trunk, around it all the room is secured by steel bars. The trunk holds your fears and everything you want put out of your life. This is a place you want to forget and yet you keep visiting it everytime you face one of your fears, to put one fear in you always have to open the trunk and face the ones already inside. So don't forget to close the stell door behind you before you open the trunk! [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/3_SageInterior.png"]http://everthorn.net...ageInterior.png[/url] [/log] [log='Entry 4']Attached Image: Sage\'s Keep Inner Room.jpg [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/4_SageKeepInner.jpg"]http://everthorn.net...geKeepInner.jpg[/url] The vague line slightly below the center of the drawing is the part of the scene that begins to arch upwards turning from a floor into a wall. Immediately above it, the window with the sun clearly visible through it is supposed to represent the concept of Marind Bell – a land of light, build around the civilization of the Angiens, creatures that personify light themselves just as much as the Shades personify darkness. Above the window, with not even a break between the two, is a shelf of scrolls. This represents the knowledge that the Seekers of Enlightenment pursue and also is a direct reference to the scene poem (“Scrolls of every shape and size that could lead to the world’s demise”). The lines that form the backbone of the building itself and are the bulk of the walls… they are cyclicity, syntropy, and balance, packed into one. The carpet/path leading up to the window represents the path that must be taken in order to reach enlightenment. It is a straight path, but very narrow, for in such a venture it is all too easy to veer off the path and ultimately fail. The knowledge contained within is also the reason that the room looks and feels somewhat closed; this particular sort of knowledge is something very few people have access to, and the room is meant to represent that. [/log] [log='Entry 5'] Here is my entry for "What's on Sage's Keep". According to the Adventure Log, Sage's Keep is supposed to have winding corridors, etc. That's not an aspect we see in the main scene, so I just imagined what was a little further in the keep based on the main scene only, at the same level. Here you go, in seven points! [url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/5_SagesKeepinner.png"]http://everthorn.net...esKeepinner.png[/url] 1. In the continuity of the main scene, a vast, rather empty, room, bathed in a strong light coming from four stained-glass windows. 2. The floor is abruptly replaced by a deep hole. It seems rather dark below, and nothing prevents people from falling. If you flood the room with water, you'll get a nice waterfall. 3. The wall is covered with shelves full of various scrolls and books. There are three levels here, but there are more below apparently. The floors are supported by thin but robust pillars. Still nothing prevents people from falling. Better be cautious if you go there: the higher you come, the harder you fall. And we don't see the bottom of the hole. 4. Nicely curved stairs connect all levels of the "library", including the lower levels. They are half-continuous: each floor entails a short pause before continuing to the next one. The same design is repeated on all levels. (Drawing is perfectly unrealistic, imagine they are built inside one of those "towers" we see from outside Sage's Keep. So they are *behind* the right wall actually, we shouldn't be able to see them from where we are). 5. A serious breach in the wall. It seems as if vegetation had business in here: there's even a tree who managed to force its way in, attacking the wall itself, and grow there, through time and perseverance. Now its leaves suck almost all the light from the last window. On the one hand, it brings shade to the shelves, hence helping to preserve scrolls and books. Too much light is not good for them. On the other hand, it completely deprives the lower level from receiving a single bit of light, making it all the more dark. We can also hear and feel an intermittent hissing wind from the breach, and even feel humidity from the lake. Elements are no good for the preservation of paper … 6. A candlestick. Pick it up if you intend to go down the lower levels. Its three candles should suffice to light your path. Beware the draughts though, they could blow them out. 7. A desk is right under the windows: obviously, you need light to work. There are a couple paper sheets and a pen to write down whatever you need. A single desk, a single chair: this is a place of solitude. Not many people come to this place, and nobody will help you if you totter. You're on your own: watch your steps. [/log] [log='entry 6'][url="http://everthorn.net/Misc/images/backofkeep.jpg"]http://everthorn.net.../backofkeep.jpg[/url] No description provided.[/log]

Thanks Seig, the way I have it setup there is only one winner( then the clickie shuts itself down), so I wasn't sure if that was $10 or two sets of $5 you offered? [b] Ze Riel Diel won on 04.28.12 @ 06:30:19 PM Ze Riel Diel knows it was [Orlaegh] at the [Trial_of_Agony] with a [Reindrach].[/b] Congrats! I'll be contacting you with a few creature codes soon! The clickie will then be reset on it's own at the Full Moon, with minor prizes provided to each winner thereafter via the clickie interface. (timing shown left may be slightly off due to having messed up the first round a few days in) (Comments, complaints, regarding the overall quest are also welcome.)

Quite a few people very close to the "answer" but no winners yet. The clues will reset automatically in just about 6 days too, so there's still time to try this out. Good luck to the participants.

Since I loved the idea of the quest and did it more "[i]for fun[/i]" than anything else, I wonder if I could simply have a pickle, and shift my reward down to the next person, so I am effectively "number 7" in the winning (because it's a !7! sort of quest anyway! ), instead of where you list me up there? I feel a it uneasy in freely sponsoring it, then actually seeing my name on the list. However, it is your quest, so if you insist, I'll take a silver and a fresh Pickle as my reward.

Thanks wookie. I figure if I commission the art and get the original drawing, to scan in myself, it's "mine" anyway, to give to MD then.

Could I get a clarification a related question? If I know someone who draws, but is not a player of MD (nor will probably ever be, they are not the gaming type)... who scribbles me an image of a really neat "character sketch" they made, hearing me blab on about "maebius" often... Can I commission them for a similar sketch with the letters "MD" included, and upload it as my avatar? (since I did not "draw" the image, but know it is an original work and physically "own" the paper-sketch used to scan/upload it?)

I'm not familiar with the core mechanics of Illusions, but perhaps a functionality somewhat related to being Frogged. For a while you can not do anything, but after a certain timeperiod (when you'd be able to cancel the illusion), you could try to 'cast it/infect' others with a single use of the spell that recharges every 24/48 hours. If others attack you they also risk "intoxication/infection" as a passive effect too. Hmm...

Submissions gathered up and sent to the judges. I'll know in a few days the results, unless there is a solid tie requiring more deliberation. Congrats to ALL the folks who submitted ideas. If anyone wishes to not have their work shared, let me know privately, otherwise I'll be posting the final entries after the judging is complete.

Why call them zombies? I like the overall concept but agree that it should be more MD-ish. Taint? Or that odd Black Sludge that used to be around rp-wise? It's semantics, yes, but would make a difference. Otherwise, very interesting idea!

I tip my hat to you, Azull. You were a grand Protector, and one I looked up to. If you need my spells, until I also drop, you know where to find me.

While a bit icky if you view it in certain ways, why not imagine Skin and Fat to be Hide/leather, or "tar" (think of the old oilskin jackets worn by sailors). The tank could be supported as a sort of virtual waterskin? Perhaps not as feasible, but I'm merely brainstorming ideas for perhaps the gutters or "shingles". As for the metals, Why not consider Aramor-sacced Fenths?

make it 5!

I'll start the bidding with 3 Silver for the Angien.

Double high five!

I would agree, it was very interesting to choose an interesting New Thing (the Attractor), to spur us into action. I also really liked how the gatekeepers/guards were free to make up their own challenges. That sort of cooperation and creativity is probably what klightsage means by "the good old days" (though I argue these are pretty awesome days too). It added a nice flavor to the entire Challenge, having to get through the individual Riddles on our own, with a pretty difficult-yet-acceptable Penalty for failure. Challenge fit the Rewards, I'm sure. I'll admit being somewhat selfishly frustrated by the timing, as I wasn't online as much as I could have been, but that does nothing to diminish the effort of the Guards themselves and the added Challenge of getting through all of them at the times they were available. It's a volunteer effort after all, and I commend those who gave their time to sit and ask the same sorts of questions over and over to those struggling through the Dominion. Well done. My only thought was to have extended it one more day or so. (but that more a selfish thought). With the timezone differences I simply did not have enough days to shift around my work schedule and be awake for each of the guards at the appropriate time. So I left. Again, though, that is more -my- issue than any proper complaint against the Challenge itself overall. Waiting for the next Guard was a nice opportunity to talk to those who had gotten forced back, and were waiting to move onward again, so share ideas and chat together, on myriad random topics.

Agreed, while It's interesting and frustrating, and joyful, and angry-making (depending on your stance) this thread seems more for archival purposes, and I'd hate to see it devolve into a flame war agaisnt any of the participants, or their motives.

freebie clues updated above. Good luck folks! (and to answer Udgard, yes the random choice of answer/Clue and all that is automated to keep it fair for me too. I can not see the correct answer myself "by default" , but can dig into the stored data to find it if I need to, fairly easily)

I've had a request to extend this another day, due to the Birthday celebration sucking time away from folks doing other quests. The argument was very well made, so I'll extend the deadline for submissions until wednesday the 25th. Once that day fades away at 23:59, the gate will close and I won't take any more ideas. So, if you were still wanting to scribble up any ideas, feel free to do so.

Got a few really excellent submissions. Those helping to judge will just get the images and detail, removed of the "name" to also help keep bias out of it as best I can. Good luck folks!! [i]Also, seeking a backup judge, as some folks I was in contact with had mentioned wanting to submit an idea of their own (no one has een anythnig submitted except myself thus far, so that's safe). If they did participate, I'd like a non-participant to help judge submissions to keep it relatively unbiased. [/i]

Seconded (or fourth'd)! I've seen some really awesome little impromptu events popping up all around, plus the official things people planned. It's so nice to see so many helpful chats gonig on, in multiple scenes! Kudos indeed!

Yes, unfortunately, it kept resetting the answer, when things went wonky, so I totally reset things, and it's potentially Different now from your prior clues. To answer Udgard, I'll be posting additional clues tomorrow, to catch folks up. Unfortuantely, because the stored variables kept getting corrupted, I can't figure out exactly how many people had at a specific moment in time,. The backup was reverting to single clues when I tried restoring it. Sorry!!

two more days left! So far, only a small few submissions. You don't have to be an artist, even simple doodles count if you explain a squiggly line is a "vine" or some sorta roundish thing is "supposed to be a globe", or whatever your imagination and intuition show you!