A place where Raven is at rest

[Ungod]

This is a writing contest, for those of you who want to polish their writing skills a little.

The task is to write a story of at least a page length, based on the following visual cue:

The rewards are: 3gc + 1 RW + choice of a common item (will be updated when I buy those) - 1st place

                            2gc + 1 RW + choice of a common item - 2nd place

                            1gc + choice of a common item - 3rd place

The condition is that you must get at least half of the maximum score to get rewarded, though

If there will be an exceptional story, it will be awarded a WP as a sole reward, 2nd place will get rewards for first place and so on (4 stories to reward in this case).

Time: about 3 weeks.

[Ungod]

This is the common items list (from which you will choose your reward, these items are not to be include3d in the story...unless you want to)

Orange peel 

Marble Slab 

Lavender sachet

Small pouch 

Granite stone 

Bag of Spices 

Sloop goop 

Embers 

Incense burner 

Bone meal 

Metal Clankers 

Knator's claw 

Quarter Staff 

Dried leaves 

Grimy snake skin 

Voodoo doll 

Bone clock 

Champagne flutes 

Exotic Perfume 

Columbina venetian mask 

  Also, entries are to be submitted through pm to me.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Ungod

[Ungod]

1 more week and only one submission

[Faceless]

well I will give it a try, check your in game PM

[Ungod]

Hmmm...the deadline is approaching fast

Writing stuff is good training; experimenting with words may add magic that makes us feel closer to one another...you need time, you need practice, but most of all, guts. Guts to run down naked in the street of words, for all of the world to see.

This is exhibitionism in its highest form, punishable by law.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Ungod

[Faceless]

On 24/09/2016 at 6:10 AM, Ungod said:

1 more week and only one submission

*pokes Ungod* so, time expires, *smiles*

[Ungod]

we have to wait for the judges

sometime next week the results will be announced

[Faceless]

*put a following mark* thanks 

[Ungod]

For whoever is interested, here are the stories that I received:

Spoiler

 

Loss. Search. Infinite.

    I had to find it. It was my life's goal. My Grail. My reason to walk on this cursed ground. I have been looking for it for too many years. Time was ticking. My form would no longer hold. I need to change it. But I cannot without it.
    With her dying breath the air witch whispered something about a raven and a bridge. I didn't understand. The bird was long gone and it had not been a raven but an air scout. I tried to squeeze more from the dreaded witch but I couldn't as she died right in front of me. It didn't make sense!! Why can't those foul creature speak direct? I hate parables and riddles.
    It happened the same with the druid. He also said something about not moving and resting. That was long gone as well. And even so, I could move even in that form. Few paces a day but I could. He died an awful death suffocated with his own staff as he couldn't tell me where to find it.
    And the water wizard. I drowned him in his own cauldron. He mumbled something about snakes and glowing blobs. I don't like being reminded about it. Especially since I am trying to escape it and nobody is helping.
    So at this point I had to find someone who could help me. I suspected that all those mumbles of the now dead, meant something but I could not put the pieces together. She was my last hope. Nedia. I knew where to find her. On the sacred Kelet'ha mountain.
                            Π
    “Nedia!” I yelled as I approached one of the pyramids. “Nedia! Show your face!”
    “I was expecting you.” I heard a scratching voice coming from inside. “Will you kill me the same way you did with my sister and brothers?”
    “No! How could I? They all died in different ways!” I said puzzled.
    “Pea brain!” I heard her mumble.
    I stepped closer to the pyramid entrance. “Don't come one step further if you really wish to be helped!” I stopped and waited. After some time which seemed an eternity I heard her asking: “What did they tell you before you took away their lives?”
    “The first one told me about a resting place and something about not moving. The second one said something about a raven and a bridge. The third one mentioned glowing blobs and snakes.”
    “And you didn't figure it out?” I heard her softly chuckling.
    “If you're trying to mock me I will shove hot coals on your throat!” I yelled.
    “Pea brain!” I heard her yell angrily. “You need to find the place where Raven rests! That's where you'll find it! “ she said bitterly.
    “How will I find it? Do I need to dig? Cut trees? Swim in the lake and look on the bottom of it?”
    “LEAVE before I kill you!” she yelled getting angry by the minute.
    “You CANNOT kill me!” I shouted and then entered the pyramid, grabbed the witch and throw her in the blazing fire.
                          Π
    Here it was. Raven's Peace. But what should I do now? Why couldn't I remember more? Why couldn't I piece the puzzle together. I started screaming and screaming and screaming. My lungs were on fire and my throat felt like thousand razors. My eyes became red with effort and my vision started to blur because of the tears. I was running the words in my mind: raven, bird, bridge, blob, snakes, rest, not moving, air witch, forest druid, water wizard, raven, bird, bridge, blog, snakes, rest, not moving, air witch, forest druid, water wizard...Nedia. They started spinning faster and faster. I could feel it. I could have stretched my hand and grabbed it. I was so close yet it seemed galaxies away.
    My heart was pounding like a hammer. I felt my cold blood run through all my veins. And suddenly everything exploded! I saw it. It was on the ground. A box shaped book with the 2 snakes. And then I saw the rest. The air scout, the walking tree, the water daimon. All three next to the book. But wait! If the water daimon was there where was I? I stretched my hands and looked at them: they were human hands. And I could feel my human legs and feet again. And no more hissing snakes on my head. The weight of the bow was pressing on my back. I could smell the sweet smell of feathers from the arrows. My cape was was fluttering and hit my legs at a rhythmic pace.
    I stepped forward, grabbed the book from the dust, opened it and read the first phrase:
     “So this is the story about the Raven King who was punished to lose his sanity and cursed to only find it through blood and sorrow...”
    And then I knew I had found it. What I had lost and had to retrieve. I sat down and started reading about my life before and after.
    “...and King Raven sat on a stone to read about his lost sanity and how he got it back through blood and sorrow.”

 

Spoiler

Mountains rise and waters shift, winds blow through beautiful turquoise leaves spurring seeds to fall from tree to earth, ensuring the next generation of life. A bright golden Winderwild soars through the skies, surveying the lands before it as it spots a strange object, much out of place in the surroundings. The Winderwild flies closer to investigate and gently lands upon the grass before the unnatural object. It is a sealed box, heavily cracked and worn by the elements, jutting out from the ground precariously. Edging ever so close to the box, the bird cautiously pecks against its stone casing. The box falls against the ground and shatters emitting a bright flash before crumbling into the soil leaving no traces. Startled, the bird flutters, takes flight once again and disappears into the distance.
    Soon, rumbling can be heard beneath the lake growing steadily louder and more prominent. The waters ripple and displace as an island, fully formed with flora already in place, grows and protrudes from the center of the lake. As the landmass finishes ascending from the depths a few very unnatural and smooth orbs roll off of it, each hovering as if not to touch the water below. Four… Five… Six… Each orb following the last, bound close together by an unknown force. Slowly they glide to the lakeside, stopping just before and hovering over the water. Small waves can be seen in what should now be a perfectly calm lake, and eventually, bubbles. An insect lands upon the surface of the water near the orbs, only to be snatched up and eaten by a snake. The snake then swims towards shore before another joins it, then another. The snakes surface, and reveal that they are not snakes but the many hairs of a daimon, tall, blue in hue and carrying a long red polearm. The daimon slithers upon the shore with its serpentine composure and examines the surroundings. Pleased with what it sees, it returns to the lake and rests waist deep in the water near a few growing cat tails.
    Awoken by the sound of footsteps, the daimon starts to hide fully submerged again and lies in wait. The source of the footsteps grows nearer and eventually is seen, a young humanoid draped in red and carrying a large bow. The archer emerges from between the trees and makes its way across a wooden bridge before stopping halfway. “Odd, that shouldn’t be there” it states as it eyes the orbs hovering over the water. Quickly it wields the bow it is carrying, bone in structure and held tightly curved by a thick string. One hand retrieves an arrow from a quiver strapped onto its back and places it against the string of the bow, drawing it back as the archer aims towards the levitating orbs. It releases the string and watches the arrow fly, only to veer past the target as the winds shift. “Perhaps I should get closer” the archer mutters to itself as it begins walking towards the shore. It walks knee deep into the water and then stops, unknowingly alerting the daimon lurking below to its proximity. Slowly and stealthily the daimon swims closer to the archer, readying its sharp weapon for what could be the next meal. The archer sighs, and plucks another arrow to use in its bow. Aiming once again the archer shoots at the orbs. The arrow connects, shatters an orb and leaves only 5 remaining. Noticing this the archer acclaims “Good, so they can be broken! Onto the next.”
    The daimon recoils slightly as the orb breaks, feeling strange sensations of guilt, frustration, but also freedom. It reaches a point in the water close to where the archer is standing, and makes its move. The archer picks another arrow and draws it, but stops as it feels a current against its leg and looks down into the water. What it notices: A hint of red, shifting waters, a blur of movement. It jumps back, narrowly avoiding the thrust of the daimon’s polearm before yelling in pain and dropping the arrow as red steel strikes red cloth. Blood spills into the waters, a slash from the attacker has connected with the archer’s thigh. Another slash is incoming as the archer raises its bow to block, and succeeds. The archer catches the daimons weapon within the curves of the bow and begins to twist the bow around to lock the polearm in place. While doing so the archer also gives a kick to the daimon’s body and connects. The daimon springs backwards and frees its weapon from contact with the archer’s bow, then swims back into the water. The archer takes its chance to retreat, slightly wounded and limps away from the water as fast as it can while drawing another arrow. Spinning around to face the water again, it notices the daimon is already upon it thrusting the polearm once more. This time it is too late, a fatal blow is struck through the chest of the archer, and it falls limp against the ground.
    Resentment builds as the daimon views the lifeless body before it. Turning around to view the orbs, it regains the sense of freedom it felt for brief moments previous to its battle. Propelled by new feelings the daimon heads opposite of where the archer once came, a new task in mind, to repay the deed done to its place of rest. Through the vast forest the daimon travels, around bends and along paths of gravel until it reaches a grassy plain at the edge of the trees. Two very large, golden gatekeepers of the forest step in front of the daimon's path and command “Stop” while wielding long weapons similar to the daimon’s between them, as if to emphasize their command. The daimon takes no heed as it purses its lips and points its weapon at the wooden gatekeepers. A strong heat emanates from the polearm, quickly overcoming the two trees as they burn to ash releasing their weapons, unmatched to the increasing powers of the daimon. Starting its journey again it heads east until it reaches two large gates, stepping through and beginning a tale for another time.

Spoiler

There is a place in Loreroot kingdom, where lies one Raven, but not a single Raven, but the most beautiful and powerful.
One day the people tree dissatisfied with the water people came before the Raven for 
a conciliatory hearing, unfortunately the leader of the people of the water did not 
like the news of having to appear for a hearing and hear complaints from the tree people.
So she hires a mercenary to kill the leading tree people and serve as an example for all others.
The mercenary made a blood pact with the water people leader and left to set an ambush your target.
But he ran into a big problem, how and where he would be able to ambush him in Loreroot ...
His only option was to wait for the night and hope that a tree needed sleep, but soon he 
realized that trees do not sleep, in a fierce fight the mercenary is injured and needs to flee, 
their only way to avoid death is to go towards the people of Water.
The trees warriors followed him and realized that everything was concocted by the people of water.
Then came the time of the hearing with the Raven, the leader of tree people explained all 
the problems that had been having with the people of water, including the recent attack.
The leader of the people of water, realizing that would not have arguments to resolve the impasse 
in their favor, ask for a trial by combat, which is readily accepted by the leader of the trees.
The fight is impressive, despite the great difference in size, the leader of the people of the water 
is a formidable opponent, but unfortunately for her, not enough and is mortally wounded.
So the Raven decides in favor of the tree people and demands that the people of water not step 
on solid ground, being banned from Loreroot for a year as punishment.
Thus peace returns and this place became known as Raven's Peace.

Spoiler

D u a l   r e f l e c t i o n s .
 
      A s   t h e y   s a t   o n   t h e   s h o r e   o f   t h e   w a t e r ,   t h e   g r o u p   o f   f r i e n d s   l a u g h e d   a n d   r e m i n i s c e d   a b o u t   y e a r s   g o n e   b y .   A   g e n t l e   n o i s e ,   n o t   r a u c o u s ,   t o   h a r m o n i s e   w i t h   t h e   m e l o d y   o f   t h e   l a p p i n g   w a t e r   a n d   t r e e s   s h i f t i n g   t h e i r   l e a v e s   i n   t h e   b r e e z e .
  . . . I   t o l d   y o u ,   i t   w a s   G A R G A N T   w h o   d e a l t   t h e   f i n a l   b l o w    s a i d   d s t .
  O h   w a s   i t ?    r e p l i e d   M R F   U g h . .   m y   m e m o r y   i s   g e t t i n g   w o r s e .   T h e y   a l l   l a u g h e d   a g a i n .
 
 T h e y   a l l   p a u s e d   t h e i r   c h a t t e r   t o   l o o k   o u t   a t   t h e   w a t e r .   D o   y o u   s e e   t h a t ?    w h i s p e r e d   S y r i a n .   T h e i r   e y e s   w i d e n e d   a s   t h e y   r e a l i s e d   w h a t   w a s   s t r a n g e .   C o l o u r . . .    s a i d   S u n f i r e   . . . I   s e e   C O L O U R S . .   a n d   c r e a t u r e s   w a l k i n g   f r e e l y .
 D a r k r a p t o r   n o d d e d   i n   a g r e e m e n t   I   s e e   t h e m   t o o .
 
 T h e   s t o n e   t a b l e t   b u r i e d   i n   t h e   g r o u n d   b e g a n   t o   g l o w   a t   t h e   c e n t r e ,   s u c h   a   b r i g h t   a n d   p u r e   l i g h t   a s   n o n e   o f   t h e m   h a d   e v e r   s e e n .   I t   w a s   w i t h   t h e   l i g h t   t h a t   t h e   a n c i e n t   v o i c e   b e g a n   t o   s p e a k .
 
  W h o   i s   i t   t h a t   w o u l d   d i s t u r b   m y   s l u m b e r ?
 
 H a n d s   h e l d   i n   f r o n t   o f   t h e i r   e y e s ,   t h e y   t u r n e d   t h e i r   f a c e s   t o   e a c h   o t h e r .
  I s   t h a t   t h e   R a v e n   t h i s   s c e n e   i s   n a m e d   f o r ?    a s k e d   L i n t a r a .
  P f f f . . .    s a i d   d s t   N a m e s   a r e   j u s t   n a m e s .   T h e r e   i s   N O   l o r e   b e h i n d   t h e m .
  Y e a h    a g r e e d   M R F   M u r   s a i d   t h a t   l o a d s   o f   t i m e s
 
 Y e t   t h e   v o i c e   c o n t i n u e d . . .
 
  Y o u . . .   y o u   w h o   w o u l d   p l a y   a t   w a r   a n d   h o n o u r . . .   y o u   w i e l d   p a i n   a s   a   c h i l d ' s   t o y .   Y o u   s i t   a n d   l a u g h   a n d   m a k e   a   m o c k e r y   o f   t h i s   p l a c e
 
 B e f o r e   a n y   c o u l d   r e p l y ,   i n t o   e a c h   o f   t h e i r   m i n d s   c a m e   a   v i s i o n . . .   t h e   s a m e   o n e ,   s h a r e d   b y   a l l :
 
 T h e y   s a w   t h e   s a m e   p l a c e ,   b u t   t h e   t r e e s   w e r e   m u c h   y o u n g e r .   T h e   o r b s   w h i c h   h o u s e   t h e   c r e a t u r e s   h e r e   w e r e   n o t   p r e s e n t      i n   t h e i r   p l a c e   s t o o d   a   y o u n g   h e r e t i c   a r c h e r ,   m u c h   b i g g e r   a n d   s t r o n g e r   t h a n   t h e   c r e a t u r e s   w h o   n o w   b e a r   t h a t   n a m e .   A c r o s s   h i s   h a n d s o m e   f e a t u r e s   w a s   a   m i x t u r e   o f   w o r r y   a n d   h o p e .   H i s   s m i l e   b r o a d e n e d   a s   a   b e a u t i f u l   y o u n g   w o m a n   p a s s e d   h i m . . .   f o r   o n e   b r i e f   m o m e n t   t h e i r   e y e s   m e t ,   b u t   s h e   c a r r i e d   i n   w a l k i n g .   D a y   a f t e r   d a y ,   t h e   w a t c h e r s   w i t n e s s e d ,   t h e   s a m e   t h i n g   o c c u r r e d ,   w i t h   n e v e r   a   w o r d   b e t w e e n   t h e   t w o .
 
  W h y   d o n ' t   t h e y   s p e a k ?    l a s h t a l ' s   v o i c e   b r o k e   t h r o u g h   t h e   v i s i o n   l i k e   a   s h a r p e n e d   a x e .
 
 T h e   v i s i o n   s h o w e d   t h e   w o m a n   a s   a   y o u n g e r   g i r l ,   c r y i n g   a n d   c u r s i n g .   N e v e r   a g a i n    s h e   h a d   s c r e a m e d   f r o m   t h i s   m o m e n t   o n ,   I   s h a l l   n e v e r   s p e a k   w o r d s   o f   l o v e   t o   a n o t h e r .   I f   t h a t   h a p p e n s ,   m a y   w e   b o t h   b e   s t r u c k   d o w n   a n d   c u r s e d . .   b y   t h e   f o r e s t   o f   t h e   r o o t ,   I   s w e a r   t h i s   t o   b e   t r u e .
 
 T h e n   i t   c e a s e d ,   f l i c k e r e d . . .   t h e   b r i g h t   l i g h t   c o n s u m e d   a l l . .   t h e n   a n o t h e r   p i c t u r e   w a s   f o r m e d .   T h e   w o m a n   w a s   o l d e r   a g a i n ,   a n d   s h e   w a s   w a l k i n g   p a s t   t h e   l a k e .   T h e   h a n d s o m e   a r c h e r   w a s   n o t   t h e r e   a n d   s h e   w a s   a m b u s h e d   b y   f o u r   s h a d e s .   A s   s h e   f o u g h t   t h e m   a s   b r a v e l y   a s   s h e   c o u l d ,   s h e   s c r e a m e d . . .   a n d   a s   i f   f r o m   n o w h e r e ,   h e r   a r c h e r   a p p e a r e d .   H e   f o u g h t   t h e   s h a d e s   v a l i a n t l y   a n d   w o n ,   t h o u g h   h e   w a s   m o r t a l l y   w o u n d e d .
  M y   l a d y    h i s   v o i c e   w a s   q u i e t   a n d   s o f t   E v e r   I   h a v e   l o v e d   y o u ,   s i n c e   t h e   m o m e n t   m y   e y e s   w e r e   f i r s t   t u r n e d   u p o n   y o u .    H e   c o u g h e d   a n d   c o n t i n u e d   I   k n o w . .   I   k n o w   y o u   c a n n o t   s a y   t h e   s a m e   f o r   f e a r   o f   t h e   c u r s e . . .   b u t   p l e a s e . . .   l e t   m e   l o o k   i n t o   y o u r   e y e s   a s   I   d i e .
 
 T h e   w o m a n   s a t   n e x t   t o   h i m ,   h e r   e y e s   l o c k e d   i n t o   h i s .   S h e   s l o w l y   r e a c h e d   h e r   h a n d   t o w a r d s   h i s   f a c e .   Y o u   h a v e   f o u g h t   f o r   m e   a n d   n o w   y o u   l a y   d y i n g . . .   h o w   c a n   I   f e a r   a n y   c u r s e ?   I   l o v e   y o u . . . .   B u t   i t   w a s   t o o   l a t e ,   s h e   h a d   s a i d   t h e   w o r d s . .   b e f o r e   h e r   h a n d   h a d   t o u c h e d   h i s   f a c e ,   h e   d i s a p p e a r e d .
 H i s   v e r y   e s s e n c e   w a s   a b s o r b e d   i n t o   t h e   g o l d e n   s y m b o l   a d o r n i n g   t h e   s t o n e   t a b l e t   s t r e w n   a t   t h e   w a t e r ' s   e d g e .   T h e   w o m a n   d o u b l e d   u p   i n   p a i n ,   h e r   h e a d   f u l l   o f   w h i s p e r s .   I n   h e r   d e s p e r a t i o n ,   s h e   t h r e w   h e r s e l f   i n t o   t h e   w a t e r . . .   s c r e e c h i n g   c a m e   f r o m   t h e   d e p t h s   a n d   t h e   w a t e r   s e e m e d   t o   b o i l . . .   b u b b l e s   f r o m   w h i c h   r a i s e d   u p   a n d   r e m a i n e d   i n   t h e   s a m e   p l a c e   a s   w e   s e e   t h e m   t o d a y .   I n   t h e   l a k e ,   t h e   f o r m   o f   a   l a r g e   w a t e r   d a i m o n   s w a m   a w a y   t o w a r d s   t h e   d e e p e r   e d g e   o f   t h e   l a k e .
 
  N e v e r   t o u c h e d ,   n e v e r   k i s s e d ,   a n   e t e r n a l   l o v e   b e a r i n g   e t e r n a l   p a i n
 
 T h e   l i g h t   a n d   t h e   v i s i o n   s t o p p e d   a b r u p t l y .   T h e   c o l o u r s   a n d   c r e a t u r e s   h a d   v a n i s h e d   a n d   a l l   w a s   a s   u s u a l .
 
 U n g o d   l o o k e d   i n t o   h i s   c u p   H o w   s t r o n g   i s   t h i s ?    H e   h a l f   s m i l e d ,   n o t   r e a l l y   k n o w i n g   w h a t   t o   s a y .
 
 T h e   r e s t   o f   t h e   e v e n i n g ,   t h e   g r o u p   s a t   i n   s i l e n c e .   E a c h   o n e   t h i n k i n g   o f   l o v e   t h e y   h a d   n e v e r   s p o k e n ,   w o r d s   r e g r e t t e d ,   b u t   m o s t l y   t a k i n g   i n   t h e   p e a c e f u l   b e a u t y   o f   t h e   p l a c e .
 
 O n e   b y   o n e ,   t h e y   d r i f t e d   a w a y .   A z u l l   s t o o d   b y   t h e   w a t e r ,   l o o k i n g   o u t   t o   t h e   t r e e s   b e y o n d   i t   a n d   L i n t a r a   c a m e   t o   s t a n d   n e x t   t o   h i m .
 
  S t r a n g e   h a p p e n i n g s    s a i d   A z u l l
  Y e s . .   I   w o n d e r   w h a t   i t   m e a n t    r e p l i e d   L i n t a r a .
 T h e y   b o t h   l o o k e d   d o w n   i n t o   t h e   w a t e r ,   A z u l l ' s   r e f l e c t i o n   r e p l a c e d   b y   t h a t   o f   t h e   a r c h e r   a n d   L i n t a r a ' s   b y   t h e   w a t e r   d a i m o n .   T h e   w a t e r   r i p p l e d   a n d   t h e   t w o   f a c e s   m e r g e d   t o   c r e a t e   a   g i a n t ,   l i v i n g   t r e e   a d o r n e d   b y   s h a d e s   a n d   s k u l l s .

I'd like to thank all who took their time to write stories, and to thank the judges. I didn't find time to make them look nice, so that's why you see those weird formats/fonts. Also, I didn't read them, I put my blind trust into the judges, who were pretty much unanimous.

[Ungod]

And the winners are....

Ailith - 1st place,

Mallos - 2nd place, 1 point difference,

dst - third place!

Please pick your common items from the list

[Faceless]

Congratulations all, that was very nice to read

[dst]

If nobody wants it, I'll choose the Grimy snake skin.

[Guest]

Thank you I can't quite believe that, congratulations to Mallos and dst.

I would like the quarter staff please.

[Ungod]

Ok, the items are sponsored by Assira the Black, so let's stalk her.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Ungod

[Guest]

I received 3 Gold from Eara today. Thank you!

[dst]

I got the coin as well. Thank you!

And congratz to the winners.

[Chewett]

Modded

[Assira the Black]

I will be around some tomorrow to pass the items out at the GoE. I can be around some more here and there if someone lets me know the times that are good for them. 

forum pm is the best way to get a hold of me. 

Edited October 15, 2016 by Assira the Black