FOG Writing Contest 10/14/12 WINNER!

by Guest Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:04 am

The Spirit of the Game

Welcome to the second official FOG bi-monthly contest everybody! Headbang

The theme for this contest is "The Spirit of the Game". You may write a story about any kind of sport or athletic enterprise, including fictional sports from other works(like Quidditch from Harry Potter as an example) or making up your own if you like. We ask that if you do decide to write a story around a game from a pre-existing work that you use original characters. Canon characters may be mentioned by name but keep the focus on characters that you have created. To give you guys a little more leg room, the word limit is 3,000 words for your piece. Just so you are aware, there will be a penalty in the scores for entries that go above the limit.

This contest will have five reserved slots for entrants. Please reserve your spot in the contest by posting your interest here. Entrants will be recorded in the order that the 'interest' posts were received (i.e. you do not need your entry up yet; however, please do not post interest unless you are planning on submitting an entry). The entrants are listed below:

1. Gadreille - "NWC"
2. ~~Eternal Phoenix~~
3. Kalon Ordona II - "Spirit of the Game"
4. ~~Christoph~~
5.

Everyone who wants to compete thereafter will be on the "reserved entrants" list. These will not be a part of the competition unless one or more of the above entrants does not post their work up by the deadline. If someone does not post by the deadline, one of these pieces will be bumped into the competition (Note: If you do NOT want to compete, and are writing strictly for fun, please denote that in the beginning of your entry). Again, please understand that these limits are to keep the workload of the contest down, so that we may have it more often.

Reserved List:
None yet...

Lastly, if you do not wish to compete, but are interested in judging, please post below. The first two who post interest will be judges for this contest. Anyone who posts thereafter will be offered the judging position on the next contest before any more can sign up.

Volunteer Judges:
1. Sunwolf007
2. Ten

Also, the moderator judging for this contest is Ysopet.

The entries, once completed, should be posted here no later than September 14th, 2012. If your work is not posted by then, you are no longer in the competition. Judges will have until October 12th, 2012 to post their review, and the winner. The winner receives bragging rights, and their work posted in the Archives thread. With any luck, the new contest should be starting a few days thereafter Smile

If anyone has any questions on how this is run, please send anyone on the FOG staff a PM. Let's get the party started! Very Happy

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by **Gadreille** Mon Aug 13, 2012 11:03 am

I'd like to give this a shot. I know nothing about sports...this is definitely outside my comfort zone.

If this fills, please bump me to the reserved list.

by Guest Mon Aug 13, 2012 7:11 pm

Okie dokie! Will do! Smile

Woohoo! A contestant! ^.^

by Eternal Phoenix Mon Aug 13, 2012 8:58 pm

Oh, hell. I can't stay away, regardless of how little time I have for writing these days. I'm in.

by Guest Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:13 am

Thank you, Eternal Phoenix! I cannot wait to see what everybody comes up with. Very Happy

by **Gadreille** Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:51 pm

I've got a couple of really great ideas... However will I decide?

by **Kalon Ordona II** Tue Aug 14, 2012 2:14 pm

I'm loving this idea. Sign me up! ^_^

by Guest Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:49 pm

Okay! Just need 2 or 3 more people! Very Happy

by Guest Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:34 am

We'd still like just 2 more people to join if possible! Remember: the longer you wait to join the party, the less time you have to write before the deadline! Very Happy

by Christoph Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:54 am

Oh snap. I've been away too long! I just saw this, but I would definitely like to give it a go, if that's okay.

by Guest Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:11 am

Sure! Welcome back Christoph! Smile

by **Gadreille** Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:00 pm

Woohoo!

by Lord Revan Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:37 pm

Welcome back Cristoph!

by **Kalon Ordona II** Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:32 pm

Yaay! Missed, ya, man! ^_^

by Christoph Sat Aug 25, 2012 12:30 am

Aw, thanks guys. :3 Only true friends will hijack a contest thread to welcome you back.

by **Kalon Ordona II** Sun Sep 02, 2012 4:55 am

What happens if there are fewer than 5 entrants? :/

by Guest Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:08 am

Well, we'll make do, I suppose. I asked that question in the judges forum.

If anybody else would like to enter this, it's not too late! You still have 11 days to the deadline. Smile

Cannot wait to see the entries! I'm so excited!

by **Kalon Ordona II** Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:16 am

Finished my entry a second ago. Just seeing if I can bear to whittle away about 500 words to get it below the limit...

by **Gadreille** Thu Sep 13, 2012 4:24 pm

Haha. Did you manage?

I am determined to get my entry done tonight. It's not going so well, but I don't want to put up nothing.

by **Kalon Ordona II** Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:12 pm

Spirit of the Game ~ Kalon's Entry

Word-Count

Code removed for true word-count -- Select and paste in http://www.wordcounttool.com/ -- Should be 2983:

Code:: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In the twelfth millennium of the Elf Lords, steeped in starving decline, desperate outriders in search of new lands discovered the Flying Islands. With the help of airborne creatures they had never seen before, those first elves endured wind-torn loss and fierce exertion, determined to climb the islands farther and farther into the sky. In the centuries that followed, a new civilization was built around the flying islands, ferrying its valuable resources down to the surface and even building their own dwellings up among the clouds. This became Ethiria, and 'twas made possible only by virtue of these extraordinary creatures, which they called gammons. Now Ethiria nears the culmination of its first millennium. The elves no longer rely on the gammons for survival, but the memory of that early race for life remains along with their connection to the creatures. Over time a sport developed, to commemorate and relive those heroic days of old. The world called it the greatest sport ever conceived. The elves of Ethiria call it... GAMMONBACK ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Eleventh draught! Runners to the mark!" Rayll's elvish heart kept pounding in spite of his steadying breaths. The draughts were a brutal race, but the runners nodded to each other in good spirit before focusing on the track ahead. Rayll looked up at his gammon, floating in the air beside him. Sheena looked back with one slitted, shimmering eye. At least one of them was calm. "Take your stance." Rayll settled into a crouch, all his weight at the fore of his feet. Sheena moved her muscled tail from side to side, finding the perfect ready position. [i]Just do what you always do[/i], Rayll's inner voice told him. Everything else disappeared--the expectant crowd, the other 23 runners, even the reeling spectacle of the larger islands far below. Only pounding silence remained. "Go!!" Ten steps out before he could think, he was jostling madly with the other humans and elves for position. The desperation increased as the edge of the starting island rapidly approached, and many were shoved aside or over the fall just before the jump. Their gammons tumbled after them even as others from below rose up to the rescue. Then Rayll's feet reached the edge of solid ground, and he coiled and sprang, headfirst, toward the next, somewhat lower island. 'Twas a risky move, but Sheena wriggled herself through the air speeding just under Rayll's flight. Rayll landed outstretched on her back, but gammons are not naturally fit for riding, and the extra weight pushed her toward the ground. Rayll was sliding off already. Just as planned. He'd timed it perfectly, and his feet hit the ground running. Now he was ahead of the pack. Rayll leaped and caught one of the smaller, ladder-islands ahead, swinging his legs up under the clump of earth and twisting so that now his belly was on the top side. Feet under; jump! He caught another. Sheena had caught up to Rayll, one paw nudging in the right direction to give him his bearings. Unfortunately, Rayll was dizzy with exertion when he reached the top; the moment spent gathering to jump was almost one too many. He narrowly missed a launching kick aimed to push him into the sky. The surprise caused him to twist in midair and lose speed, costing him the smooth landing. Catching the ledge he scrambled up, but then the others leaped across to pass him. Only two stretches left. Rayll caught up among the Hazards, smaller islands spaced much farther apart. Momentum was everything. Rayll was at the head of the pack by the fifth hazard, but just then a strong push sent him flying, nothing below him but sky, and time slowed. Somehow Sheena's arm was there. He grabbed, anticipating his pull on her flight path, but instead of disaster, Rayll found himself swung around like a sling! Extreme precision or pure luck ended the arc of his flight at the farthest hazard. He needed at least 4th place. A leap, and he was on the final island, sprinting toward the leaders, pouring everything into a final dash.... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Later that day... "Your majesty, with the last of the 15 paragon draughts completed, we have an exciting group." Three game meisters stood before the Lord of Ethiria, surrounded by dozens of scribes recording every word for the official commentary. The Draught Ring above looked like a great, floating necklace. "Those last five draughts were exemplary, particularly the wild shows of 11 and 14. With such talent this year, what are your predictions for the Gammonback?" "The sport has become much more competitive in recent years. Each group pushes itself harder than the last, and the feats we saw today are a perfect example. Whatever happens, we're bound to see amazing things this year." Another stepped forward. "Your majesty, has the new year changed your opinion on humans participating in the Gammonback?" "Not at all. Anyone may participate. However, there is a reason why, out of all peoples, only humans have ever tried to join. Ever since they first competed alongside us, humans have largely dominated the physical aspects of the sport. Yet each new year proves brute strength is never enough." The third game meister asked, "Lastly, your majesty, before teams are chosen, is there anyone we should watch in particular?" "Obviously the paragons from fifth and eighth, and especially the eleventh and fourteenth. As well, our own Ilaris Elire. But I would add one other. He may have finished third in the eleventh draught, but I think we all remember Rayll Konn. Some of us will cite his uncommon daring, agility or speed. However, his true strength lies closer to the heart of Gammonback. If fortune in teams is not unkind, and if the gammon he finds on the surface is anything like his close companion in the draught, I truly believe we have not seen anything yet." That concluded the round of questions, and the game meisters distributed the entire conversation among Ethiria at large. Tomorrow, the Gammonback would begin. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The following day... The shadow side of the great island loomed over 60 gammons bearing 60 elves and humans, 4 from each draught, lying precariously on their backs. A crystal cream on the gammons' underbellies, a byproduct of their diet which only the flying islands could provide, cancelled the gammon's weight and allowed them to float freely when unencumbered. Bluish crystal growths on their tendrils, scales, claws and muscular tails afforded great control, while stamina held. Thus all 60 gammons descended at an equal rate, and the circle of participants could focus on the instructor in the center. "Gammonback is not like the draughts," he began. "Here there is none to save you when you fall. Plan your movements well and" Rayll already knew all about Gammonback, from blotting other players to establishing relays, strategies for bearing off the primes... His attention moved to study the vertical course in the distance. "Whichever team collects the most primes the fastest earns the winning title. Everything depends on how well you work with your assigned team. Remember, you must fulfill the minimum quota of 10 primes per member. How you accomplish that is a matter of myriad strategy. Now, each of you was given a sealed roll. Open these; you will find an inscribed symbol, along with a clue to one of the 60 hidden crystal primes. Match yourself to players with the same symbol." Rayll carefully reached onto his belt, broke the roll's seal with his fingers, and gripped the unwound edge tightly, drawing it out so he could see. Then he held it up for the others and searched their rolls for the symbols that matched. But as Rayll's team came together, they all felt a growing dismay. Not one of them placed even 2nd in the draughts. With sunken hopes they introduced themselves. "Syri." "Raina." "Tilen." "Rayll." Syri sighed. "Yes, everyone knows you, Rayll. If only they let you keep your gammon, then we'd have a chance." Rayll was all too aware of that. He did have a plan, but he had no guarantee it would work. "What about the other teams?" said Raina. Tilen spoke up. "You weren't watching?" They all looked toward the other 14 teams. "At least the 5 favorites are spread out. But look." He pointed ominously across the ring. "An all-human team." "They'll concentrate on controlling one area," said Rayll. "We'll just have to work around them." "How?" said Raina. "Diversion. It'll work against the other teams, too... I think. We distract them, send one up to the highest islands, and relay to the ground." Syri frowned. "Hard to pull off." "But he's right," said Tilen. "It's our best chance." The surface appeared noticeably to increase. Trees, hills, low islands, and everywhere pavilions of all sizes, covered the ground like colored pebbles below them. "So, who's going to the top?" Raina asked. Syri and Tilen looked at Rayll. "Give me your clues," he said. "And while everyone is catching gammons, try to lift as many other clues as you can. Run until they leave. We'll take our gammons last; nobody will want to delay their climb for us." "Why? What then?" said Tilen. Rayll took a breath. This was the pivotal point, and they would not approve. "We need space for my plan to work. It won't look good for us in the beginning, but that's what we want: nobody will bother to stop us." "How will we make up the time?" Syri wanted to know. "I'll make up the time. Just be ready, no matter what." Rayll didn't feel half as confident as he forced himself to sound, but they had to take a chance. Slowly, looking amongst themselves, the others handed him their clues and took to watching the opposing team closely, looking for targets, taking note of who to avoid. Their circle was nearly level with the tallest treetops when the instructor called them all in close. The teams acknowledged one another and once more wished good spirit to each of their opponents. "The Gammonback starts now," said the instructor. Everyone jolted into coiled readiness. "As soon as we land, capture a wild gammon any" But Rayll wasn't listening; he was studying the clues. Some of the humans and more solidly-built elves were not listening either. They were gone. Exclamations from players and from the crowds below followed these who jumped early from their gammons, risking everything for a head-start. A few more who were less brave or less foolish followed soon after, leaving about half the original number to descend safely--at the cost of first pick of the wild gammons. Rayll, Syri, Tilen and Raina alighted close to earth and bid their gammons a hasty farewell. Rayll took the longest. "Be ready, Sheena." If gammons could smile... Rayll rushed off into the woods nearby, well behind everyone else. Trees closed in, and Rayll hurled himself up into an evergreen branch and started to climb. He could hear murmurs confusion from the nearby crowd. Wasting no time at the top, Rayll leaped into open air and fell some hundred feet to the ground. Just before he hit, there was Sheena, and just as in the race, she flung him mightily through the treetops. Rayll squinted against the needles and rushing air. Gammons sense their kind; Sheena's aim was true. Rayll stretched his arms and tackled an unsuspecting gammon floating among the trees. Rayll held onto it until it stopped trying to wriggle away. When they touched earth, he worked his way around to look it in the eyes. They were the color of flower petals, the slits opening slowly. 'Twas a she. Noise passed by as the others took to the islands above, past the crowds and onto vines and floating rocks, new gammons in tow. Rayll was still panting, eyes locked with his creature. "Can you help me? Please?" The gammon's eyes were fully open, taking him in. Her breathing slowed, and so did Rayll's. "Ready? Let's go!" Both of them got up, Rayll ran, and the gammon followed. Usually that was enough for most. Gammons just trained could support their companions the same way they supported their young. However, Rayll needed more than that if his team was going to win. "Rayll! We got 2 already!" Tilen passed him 2 clues and rushed past. "Hurry! We'll go ahead." 'Twas a long way up. Rayll scaled the vines while the others, with the gammons' assistance, leaped up the rocks. Rayll's gammon helped, too. Once up the first, the team raced onward. Suddenly, running too close to the edge, Rayll's foot slipped, and before they knew it he had fallen! "No! Quick, grab him!" "It's too late!" Syri said quickly, "he'll be fine. Remember his gammon's down there." "But--" "Let's use this time to get more clues, make the others chase us instead of gathering primes!" "Yes! Hurry!" said Tilen. The crowd held their breath as Rayll fell. 'Twas not unheard of for one or two participants to lose their lives in the Gammonback. Rayll's new gammon tried to rush after him, but gammon flight simply didn't work for diving. Just in time, Sheena was there after all, slowing him with such skill that Rayll slid safely to the ground. Then the new gammon was there, fussing over Rayll as if he were one of her young. Sheena drew her attention and communicated with her, as if to explain things. Whatever Sheena was doing, it worked. The second gammon looked closely at Rayll, and Rayll put his hands on the sides of her slender head. "Can you do that for me, too?" he said. "I'll call you... Shy." He looked up. Shy followed his gaze and returned it to his. "Shy, shall we go up?" Raina stood near the edge, keeping the other clues they'd stolen, as Syri and Tilen drew chase from the other teams. Raina gasped, then. Rayll was swinging and leaping, ascending the islands faster than she had thought possible. Before she knew it he'd nearly passed, and just in time she held out the clues for him to grasp. "Find them, Rayll!" While other teams gathered resources, searched for treasures or herbs, fought among themselves, or ventured for crystals, Rayll went straight toward the top--leaping, clambering, making time and training Shy all at once. He found the first crystal prime under a tree root near the edge of one of the high islands. He had to search a cliff face for the next, but he made sure 'twas on his way to the next island. But when he reached the top ledge, Ilaris Elire was there, following the clues same as Rayll. She was on him before he could react, and a third time Rayll found himself in open air. Shy... Rayll caught her arm, but Shy didn't know how to sling him like Sheena could. Despite the setback, Rayll thought he could climb the cliff again and make it past Ilaris to the next island. However... Rayll cried out, startled. Shy's long, triangular scales had opened and stood almost on end, their undersides exhibiting the familiar bluish glow. Rayll found himself ascending freely, and rapidly! "How?!" Such strain to endure! How was it possible? Yet there was the topmost island! "Yes! Shy, you're amaz-- what??" Shy had passed the island and was still ascending. "Shy, what are you doing?!" Shy made a noise, and then Rayll saw it: another island, higher yet, which would normally have been considered impossible to reach. Rayll had not even thought of it as part of the course! When Shy dropped him onto its surface, under its lone tree, Rayll's eyes went wide. Blue crystals were everywhere! Not natural ones; those were found inside the islands, not on top. These were free-standing and carved. Rayll stopped thinking and grabbed as many as he could carry while still keeping an arm free. "Now, Shy! Follow!" He jumped, flinging himself mightily downwards. Do or die. Syri barely had time to react. She steered herself and her gammon beneath what had to be Rayll. Both of them latched on. Syri exclaimed at his armful of crystals, but the wind caught away her words. Tilen was ready and followed the pattern. Now 2 gammons and 3 elves. Lastly Raina leaped on, abandoning her own creature. It would follow on its own, like Shy. The team was descending faster than was safe, but before they reached the ground, all 4 of their original gammons rushed up to meet them, ending their fall at the last moment. Rayll, Syri, Tilen and Raina crumpled to the ground and picked themselves up, staggering to the prime pavilion to turn in their prize. Rayll dumped them all on the counter's table, to the view of a breathless crowd and a shocked game meister. "This is... worth more primes than everything else on the course combined! Where did you get these??" But the Lord of Ethiria was there, and he was laughing with approval. "He did it! Since the very first Gammonback, no one has ever reached the crystal hoard! I put those there, meister. A prize only an outstanding gammon trainer could reach. Even as he talked, several of the other teams arrived and could only stare, open-mouthed, in shocked and admiring defeat. "Ethiria! I give you Rayll Konn, Syri Faer, Tilen Renalt, Raina Telden, and the greatest Gammonback the world has ever known!" Still breathing hard, not quite believing their ears, Rayll and his team looked at each other, smiled incredible smiles, and stood tall, to the thundering cheers and calls of Ethiria and the creatures which shared their victory. In the years that followed, the crystal hoard now a well-known prize, the focus of the sport necessarily regained its true focus: the bond with the creatures that made it all possible. Many great teams and trainers emerged from the Gammonback. Yet Rayll Konn's incredible margin of victory has never been approached.

Kalon's Entry

Kalon's Entry, 2,983 words:

by **Gadreille** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:12 am

NWC by Gadreille

Spoiler:

by **Kathryn Lacey** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:16 am

Woot! Two entries from two out of four entrants! There's still time for the other two!

by **Gadreille** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:18 am

I hope they pull through! Kalon could use some real competition Very Happy

by **Kathryn Lacey** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:19 am

Don't downgrade your own abilities, Gadreille!

by **Gadreille** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:22 am

Haha. No, in all honesty, I struggled with every line. But I didn't want to put up nothing, so I rushed through it. I just really wanted to get waterbasketball out there, lol. I hope everyone enjoys it, even if it is rushed.

by **Kathryn Lacey** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:25 am

I'm sure these entries will spawn a whole host of people trying new sports - and pretty much killing themselves with yours. =D

by **Kalon Ordona II** Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:46 am

Pff, honestly I'm totally happy with mine. Feels waaaay too rushed in places, maybe even overall. It was hard whittling it down, but it was a good exercise in wording things succinctly. xD If you see 'twas in there, that's why. Laughing

I did end up cutting out significant portions of the first race and a bunch of descriptions. Hopefully people can still picture everything. (I did leave some things vague on purpose, though, just to see what people imagined. ^^)

I even shortened the story itself. What I was originally imagining and planning toward probably would have taken closer to 5,000 words or, who knows, maybe more. -_- I didn't think 3,000 words was so little, after doing the 2,000 word contest.

How come, no matter what we put the limit to, we always go over? :/

There is one thing I am totally happy with, though, and that is the intro. ^_^
And, trust me, if you could see everything in my head about the sport, it really might seem like one of the greatest sports conceivable by denizens of a non-magic fantasy world. xD I'm not sure what we got in the contest lives up to that kind of accolade, but hey, I tried. ^_^

by Guest Sat Sep 15, 2012 9:02 am

I cannot wait to read these entries!

Although, Eternal Phoenix and Christoph, since you did not post anything by the deadline, you have been disqualified. Sad

by Blade Barrier Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:39 am

Although it would have been cool to have 4 entries, having 2 makes it seem more like a cool, epic duel.

I was tempted to join, but I noticed the contest a leeeeetle too late, and refused to enter if I couldn't make something that I felt was 100% delicious.

Oh, and unless all the spots are taken, I'll gladly be a judge for the next one. I was invited.

by **Kalon Ordona II** Sun Sep 30, 2012 2:06 am

Found 2 errors in mine. One is where it says they watched the other "team". It's supposed to be "teams", plural. And the other is at the end, when the ruler is talking, I forgot a quotation mark " to end his speech. :/

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