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Community Garden Poetry and Short Writing Contest
(A somber poem written in the perspective of a growing sapling planted in the community garden. It tells of its relationship with an adventurer that comes to water it.)
"The Watering Visitor”
Scintillating sunrays sparkled,
as I woke from my soil-sheltered slumber.
With my husk split behind me,
did I grow, sprout and flourish.
Water came pouring, drenching me in its wake,
up I peeked and saw, a fresh smiling face.
Joyously did this boy scamper away, with his aramor at his side.
Thankful I was for his water, as my leaves grew in size.
Years did pass when I saw him again,
a fine young man he was.
From his wooden bucket, water splashed, spilled and fell.
Upon my woody roots did this cool water splatter,
as he sat tiredly beneath my leafy shade.
Counting coins in his pocket, muttering about quests and trades.
On the grassy ground he stood,
and from the crossroads he walked away.
Decades have elapsed since his last visit.
He came with a gray scraggly beard upon his chin.
On my gnarled bark he sprinkled with his wizened hand,
little water droplets.
From my top-most branches he plucked,
a ripe juicy fruit.
Offering it to the young child beside him,
and ambled together into the distance.
From my fruity bosom did my seedlings start to shoot.
In came the child with an urn and a bucket.
While he spread his grandpa’s ashes upon my winding roots,
the other hand with bucket in tow spread my seedlings with water.
Community Garden Scarecrow Contest
(My 2 Submissions)
Lashtal's "A Day of Fear"
The victim of this fearful ‘raucous darkness’ ritual will be no other than Metal Bunny.
As we all know, Metal Bunny is a rabbit. A bunny in is nature has poor frontal sight and poor vision in the dark. It is also coupled with the fact that they have a very strong sense of hearing. With these two key points I have come up with a ritual that will scare the ‘bejeesus’ out of Metal Bunny.
First, building upon the fact that a bunny has poor vision in generally. A situation which will really scare them would be an environment with little to no light. To achieve this, Instant Darkness Powder will be used to enshroud Metal Bunny in the dark, rendering him unable to see.
It is then in this utter darkness that shrieks of banshees, scraping noises, witchy cackles, hollow deathly howls etc. will be summoned via a "sounds from hell incantation". Due to Metal Bunny’s keen bunny hearing, these noises will be amplified. In tandem with the darkness, the fear induced from this ritual with be multiplied manifold. To REALLY scare Metal Bunny, these noises will be coming from all directions and it will get louder and louder until it seems like these ghostly sounds and noises are made just next to his poor bunny ears, until he can’t handle this anymore and faints from fear.
Due to the impairment of two of the most vital senses of bunnies due to this ritual (the lack of sight and distracted hearing), Metal Bunny will be amply scared even if he IS a Metallic Bunny…
Lashtal's "A Little Brain Teaser" Challenge
(Was asked to pick which principles best encapsulated the features of a few specified lands in MD)
I think to ascertain this, we have to first identify the underlying qualities that these three lands possesses. The underground is the dark underworld of the MD realm, hidden deep in the belly of the Earth. The MDA is a land filled with vast collections of scriptures, with surmounting pieces of knowledge that transcends time with its physical existence. Lastly, the Tribunal is the mysterious land which takes a large physical toll every time you travel through it.
Consequently, for the Underground, I believe the Principles of Darkness, Light, and Element are most applicable. The Principle of Darkness is fairly self-explanatory, seeing as it the land solely without contact with the lively radiant rays of the sun. While the Principle of Light seems paradoxical from my previous statement, the underground is not without an end, there is always a bright shining exit to the endless darkness within the depths of MD. I believe that this is also a very fitting metaphor to life, in that even if one is experiencing ‘darkness’ in one’s life, there is always an opportunity, a chance, a ‘light’ out of whatever troubles one is in. Lastly, I think the Element Principle is very fitting because I believe that it is the underground that contributes to the elemental constitution of everything in the realm. Seeing as the common elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind are borne directly or indirectly from the ground, I believe that Element Principle is somewhat applicable.
For the MDA, I believe the Principles of Time, Imagination and Transposition are most relevant to his land. I think that these three stated principles relate to the concept of ‘Knowledge’ that serves as the crux to this land. To begin with time, books and writing as we know are physical manifestations of knowledge. Seeing as the MDA is an archive of such pieces of writing, this knowledge is able to transcend time and provide its information to the citizens of MD for many years to come. As for Imagination, I believe knowledge comes from Imagination. Without a spark of inspiration, knowledge will never be created. For instance, seeing as MDA is the place where players can acquire their personal papers, it seems fitting to say that Imagination is very relevant in that the MDA is a place for players to develop, to create, to imagine their roles and significance in this realm. Transposition is very much like Imagination. Because the writings in MDA harbor such extensive knowledge of old and new players alike, I think that we utilize these rather ‘lifeless’ pieces of information and manipulate them to create something with meaning, imbuing it with cherished memories. As a result, these three principles are very significant to the MDA.
Lastly, for the Tribunal, I think the Principles of Cyclicity, Entropy and Syntropy are suitable. These principles are applicable largely because they have a relationship with the expansive nature of the Tribunal as well as its large AP cost to travel in it. Starting with Entropy, other than the obvious ‘ending’ of one’s AP to travel across these lands, I think that the Principle of Entropy is related to the Tribunal on a deeper basis. Seeing as the Tribunal is so big and expansive, one would think that there is no end to this land. However, there is and this represents how most things in life do come to an end, like how the Tribunal does not go on infinitely. The Principles of Syntropy and Cyclicity relate closely to the nature of AP usage in the Tribunal. Because AP gets used up so quickly in the Tribunal aforementioned, with every regeneration, more AP is ‘created’. While it gets used up again and again while travelling through the Tribunal, AP with again and again be created. Consequently, one is never in a standstill, but in a perpetual cycle where one will be in stages of entropy and syntropy.
Tom Pouce's Challenge - "Draw Your Perception of Tom Pouce"
Herbalism
Waterhandling
Finesse
Gardening
