Ambrosia Software Web Board: Cythera Chronicles Challenge! - Ambrosia Software Web Board

For more info, see this topic.

This is the basis for this thread:

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As those of you who have been watching the other thread are aware, I thought of the possibility of doing something with cache22's organizations: the Blade and the Dragon; cache has kindly given his consent to this idea. Since they are his groups, I think it best that everyone follow whatever rules that he gives concerning this challenge—the main requirement is that both groups must remain secret at the end of each challenge. This is the information on those two groups, and it might be helpful to read the chronicle "Dark Legacy." (I can give a link to this if you wish.)

Answers to this challenge must be posted on the Cythera Chronicles Board, although links to them may be posted here.

Challenge:
Write a short story (preferably at least 200 words although I won't be counting so it wouldn't matter) concerning the manipulations of either the Blade or the Dragon (or both) in Cythera.

Requirements:
Both groups must remain secret and their identities unknown at the end of the chron.
There must be at least one mage from the Cythera game involved or mentioned somewhere in the story.
These words must be used in the story: balance, elements, Alaric
Set at least 20 to 25 years after 'Ruffian Encampment', following the events of 'Dark Legacy'
The Dragon must be remain more secret and unknown than the Blade—the Blade itself must know almost nothing about the Dragon.


This was typed up in something of a hurry, so if anyone has any questions or something is unclear please feel free to ask me and I will do my best to answer or explain.

This post has been edited by Selax: 18 December 2006 - 05:21 PM

The rule of setting the stories at least twenty years after 'Ruffian Encampment' almost negates the requirement for their secrecy to be maintained. That can be firmed up if we further stipulate that the stories must be set no earlier than, say, a month or two after the events of 'Dark Legacy', which falls into the same time frame. However, given their secretive nature, I would prefer if at least the Dragon remained largely unknown by the end of the story. It might also be worth noting that by the end of 'Dark Legacy' the Dragon had one known contact in Cythera: Sideline. That doesn't mean there can't be others, but they'd be few.

This post has been edited by cache22: 17 December 2006 - 09:31 PM

How many years after "Ruffian Encampment" is "Dark Legacy"? (I thought about using years after TSs so people would be more easily able to place the timeframe; is this acceptable, or do you wish me to drop that and use the timeframe of a month or two after "Dark Legacy"?) I'll go back when I have time and add another requirement stressing additional secrecy for the Dragon.

At the time of 'Dark Legacy', Jadia and Kurt are 16 and 17 years old respectively. That puts the timeframe for the chronicle anywhere from 18 to around 25 years after the current Cytheran era.

I'd say keep 'Ruffian Encampment' as the primary time reference, since it's more relevant to the current posters, but qualify it with a reference to 'Dark Legacy'. So, I'd suggest something like "Set at least 20 to 25 years after 'Ruffian Encampment', following the events of 'Dark Legacy'."

I'll also update the description of the Dragon a bit later, with a couple of items I've thought of that will hopefully make their modus operandi a bit clearer.

This post has been edited by cache22: 18 December 2006 - 03:31 PM

I'm going to add another challenge: anyone may reply to one or the other, or both if anybody feels like it.

Challenge #2:

Write a short story (preferably at least 200 words although I won't be counting so it wouldn't matter) in which Alaric and the Seldane are the villains and the Undine are the heroes

Requirements:
The opening sentence must be: "It was too late."

Here is my response to Challenge #1. (If you want me to make any changes to it, cache, please let me know and I'll do so.)

Nothing comes to mind. Nice job!

Selax, on Dec 19 2006, 11:23 AM, said:

Hmm, so you mean pretty much from the Undines' point of view? When I am feeling more literary, I just might have a go at that...

Thank you, cache.

And what I mean, CrazyChick, is story in which the good and evil roles are reversed (the Seldane are evil and the Undine are good), told from anyone's point of view.

And what I mean is that the Undine wouldn't think they were evil, would they? They would think anyone else was evil...

Well, that's one way to look at it, although I mean a reversal of who the game player sees as evil or as good. You may do it that way if you wish; it would be interesting to see things from the view of the Undine.

This post has been edited by Selax: 19 December 2006 - 05:15 PM

Maybe in a few days I will be feeling literary enough to take up the mission...

And here's my response. Couldn't manage 200 words, sorry. You'll just have to settle for 3300.

cache22, on Dec 28 2006, 05:14 AM, said:

Maybe I should consider setting a maximum word limit... (just kidding )

(By the way, this is slightly off-topic, but New Horizons Part III seems to suffer from the same problem that the Hand of Fate Chronicles did.)

This post has been edited by Selax: 28 December 2006 - 07:27 PM

It almost seems as if no one else is going to try something for this...

I hope someone does. Time for another challenge, perhaps?

Maybe so...it could be made a monthly thing with a different person issuing the challenge each month.

Sounds like an interesting Idea!

Mind you, I'm not sure how much effort I could put into another challenge at the moment. I'm already currently working on the third story in the Ronin chronicles (it'll take a while, it's BIG - now approaching two pages, and that's just the introduction); on top of that, I'm still working with Moonshadow (or trying to, she's been a bit quiet of late) to iron out the kinks in the first segment of my blip-chron explaining the Ronin's current absence.

Of course, taking a break to do something shorter might give me some space to breathe.

I would love to join in such a flurry of story generation. Does the specific damage in combat situations need to be porportionate, or are we talkin' a more action-adventure monoluge. (Ts style, or Tavern)

This post has been edited by cgends: 10 January 2007 - 05:59 PM

Whatever you like, I suppose, as long as it fits the requirements of the particular challenge. The three responses to the last two challenges, which you can read over in the Cythera Chronicles forum, followed more or less traditional chronicle format.

Any thought of accepting either of those challenges? Please?

I assure everyone, the second, the very second I think of an idea for a chron, I will start writing it. Unfortunately, I am a little short of ideas at present.

I might end up doing a second entry for Challenge #1, although perhaps I should try doing one for #2 first.