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Contest January-February 2019 Short Story Contest

Discussion in 'Fluff and Stories' started by Scalenex, Dec 26, 2018.

  1. Lord Skal'terakk
    Chameleon Skink

    Lord Skal'terakk Well-Known Member

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    Hello! I'd like to participate but I don't understand the theme. What are we supposed to do with it and why everyone gets it and laughs about it except for me

    I mean I laugh but I don't get it
     
  2. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    We certainly would like to see you participate in our upcoming contest!

    The joke is that every contest before this had a very broad and open ended theme and this one has a painfully specific theme.

    January-February 2015: Theme was "Recovery of Lustrian Artifacts"
    April-May 2015: Theme was "Chameleons"
    July-August 2015: Theme was "Man Versus Nature"
    October-November 2015: Theme was "Spirit of Horror."
    January-February 2016: Theme was "Continuity and Change."
    April-May 2016: Theme was "Anti-Heroes."
    July-August 2016: Theme was "Conjunction and/or Choices"
    October-November 2016: Theme was "Freedom and Slavery."
    January-February 2017: Theme was "Hope and/or Vengeance"
    April-May 2017: Theme was "Man Versus Self or Cold-Blooded Honor."
    July-August 2017: Theme was "Time and/or Fire."
    October-November 2017: The Theme was "The Rat and the Serpent"
    January-February 2018: The theme was "Power of Music."
    April-May 2018: Theme was "Beast and Master."
    July-August 2018: Theme was "Food and Drink."
    October-November 2018: Theme was "It Came from Above."
    January-February 2019: Theme is "Glyph Forty-Three on Plaque Twelve of the Third Chamber of the Sacred Archives of Oyxl"

    It's also kind of funny because it takes a long time time to say. An old cartoon I liked as kid made a whole gag about a monster spawning in the refrigerator "The Creature That Lived In The Refrigerator, Behind the Mayonnaise, Next to the Ketchup and to the Left of the Cole Slaw" and every time the monster was referenced, each character said the full spiel.

    I almost told @thedarkfourth that "Glyph Forty-Three on Plaque Twelve of the Third Chamber of the Sacred Archives of Oyxl" was an unacceptable contest theme, but I decided not to be an ironfisted moderator and try to see where this goes.

    Original submission was "Glyph Forty-Three on Plaque Nine Hundred and Twelve of the Third Chamber of the Sacred Archives of Oyxl."

    I thought it was unrealistic that a minor temple city like Oyxl would have over 900 plaques in it. The way I see it, there probably aren't more than a couple thousand plaques in all of Lustria, though that's not canon, that's just how I see it.

    So basically if you want to incorporate glyph forty-three on plaque twelve of the Third Chamber of the Sacred Archives of Oyxl, great. If not, no one will hold it against you if you use the much broader theme "Interpretations of Prophecy."

    EDIT: Now that I think about it. The golden plaques were a HUGE part of Lizardmen fluff in Warhammer Fantasy from 5th edition through 8th edition but some forumites may only have read Age of Sigmar fluff about Seraphon.


    To my knowledge, the golden plaques aren't really featured at all.

    Here's a quick primer for those who have not read pre-Age of Sigmar fluff.

    The Old Ones (the primoridal gods of order that created the Lizardmen) left the Slann a bunch of golden plaques with rules and prophecies on them. The golden plaques are presumably ALWAYS RIGHT but they are often very vague and hard to interpret. Whenever a stupid human (or dwarf, or elf or whatever) saw a golden plaque they normally just wanted to grab the gold and this threw the Lizardmen into a tizzy because the sacred words of their gods was stolen and must be recovered AT ALL COSTS.

     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2019
  3. Paradoxical Pacifism
    Skink Chief

    Paradoxical Pacifism Well-Known Member

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    Hello!

    Personally, i would suggest writing what ever you feel like you want to write - you don't have to strictly follow the theme ( i think) . The story's connection to the theme can be as vague as much as you would like it to be, and other stories in the past had done this very successfully.
     
  4. Lord Skal'terakk
    Chameleon Skink

    Lord Skal'terakk Well-Known Member

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    Awesome, thanks! I'll try to write something up these days
     
  5. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    For those who want additional inspiration. Here are some angles to work with for "Glyph Forty-Three on Plaque Twelve of the Third Chamber of the Sacred Archives of Oyxl" based on the last word, Oyxl.

    Oyxl officially in GW canon is an occupied ruined temple city, but there is relatively little official fluff. It is called the Eternal City. Rome is also called the Eternal City. It may be a fun idea to link Oxyl indirectly to real world Rome or fictionalized portrayals of Rome. Or maybe since there is a quasi-religious focus to this theme, on the Vatican.

    Oyxl is located pretty far south where the jungle gives way to the Culchan plains where some Skinks ride on the backs of flightless predatory birds called Culchans, possibly based on these guys.

    [​IMG]
    Besides the presence of these birds, we know very little about the Argentina of Lustria.

    The Culchan Plains has some landmarks with no official fluff but very intriguing names. Check out page 25 of the 8th edition Lizardmen book.

    Lustria's second southern most swamp is called the Fire Bogs. Legends say there are Skaven Of Unusual Size there, but I do not think they exist.

    The Fire Bogs border a "miscellaneous" (ie not Lizardmen location) called the Hissing God. Spooky!

    The Swirling Swamps is where the Culchan plains meet the sea, so it's probably salty and maybe involves whirlpools.

    In the jungle part, east of the Oxyl you have geomnatically linked monuments called the Sky Roads. That sounds impressive.

    South of Oxyl at the intersection of jungle, mountain and plains you have the Crater Valleys. That sounds like an epic place for rival forces to clash if I ever heard one.

    North of the Crater valleys where the jungle meets the mountains is "The Lost Valley." Who or what was lost here?

    At the very tip of the mountains (or possible hills because they get smaller) at the southern edge of the Culchan Plains is a chain of four monuments called the Southern Sentinels. Mystic statues? Sleeping gods? Actual Lizardmen sentinels standing guard?

    Most of the smaller jungles in Lustria have menacing names, north of the Sky Roads is the Headhunter's Jungle. That's got to have a story behind it right. North of that is a series of large odd shaped forest clearings called the Marks of the Old Ones. That's go to have a story too.
     
  6. spawning of Bob
    Skar-Veteran

    spawning of Bob Well-Known Member

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    I'm up to 4880 words, and now the hero will monologue about how great he is for another 2000 or so. I'm tempted to let Scalenex try to abridge it for the comp, but, no. Not that cruel o_O.

    If I have another idea, I'll blast in a valid entry at the last moment :turtle:.
     
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  7. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    Hope you guys are typing up a storm. I haven't gotten one final draft or rough draft yet. :(
     
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  8. WhenTheSkinksMarch
    Saurus

    WhenTheSkinksMarch Active Member

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    Work has kinda ruined me this month, but I will still turn something in
     
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  9. Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl
    Slann

    Lord Agragax of Lunaxoatl Eleventh Spawning

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    Exams have finished now, thank the Gods, but with 7 days and a particularly unusual theme, I’m pretty unsure if I’ll be able to think of something good :(
     
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  10. Paradoxical Pacifism
    Skink Chief

    Paradoxical Pacifism Well-Known Member

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    still thinking on it :p
     
  11. Y'ttar Scaletail
    Troglodon

    Y'ttar Scaletail Well-Known Member

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    109 words for me thus far :p
     
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  12. Y'ttar Scaletail
    Troglodon

    Y'ttar Scaletail Well-Known Member

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    Am done bar a quick proof reading. :p
     
  13. Paradoxical Pacifism
    Skink Chief

    Paradoxical Pacifism Well-Known Member

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    cool - i finished mine too
     
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  14. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    I had no doubt I'd get multiple good stories plus the one I write.

    The question is, will we reach the coveted threshold of six entries (at six entries, readers get TWO votes) rather than one.
     
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  15. King Dust
    Saurus

    King Dust Well-Known Member

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    You will be getting a last minute entry from me!
     
  16. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    That was me until two days ago.

    That's about where I am now.

    My piece will be the piece that looks rushed and is full of spelling errors.

    Anywho, if all three of us right something, that will push our total entries to SIX.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2019
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  17. WhenTheSkinksMarch
    Saurus

    WhenTheSkinksMarch Active Member

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    Well I'm still at 0 words with the intent to do a late night write off, so it will be a contest! Pick which piece is whose based on spelling errors alone!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 30, 2019
  18. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    Booyah! Rough draft done two hours. If only I could paint like this.

    My piece makes four. We got a lot of people saying they were writing something that I haven't gotten yet and about 41 hours to go! We should definitely hit six pieces.
     
  19. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

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    w00t! Six entries so far. 14 hours and some change left for someone to submit a seventh.
     
  20. Paradoxical Pacifism
    Skink Chief

    Paradoxical Pacifism Well-Known Member

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