Discuss the September Contest (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?37792) here.
Okay, I need a bit of clarification on the desired entry.
"...design a campaign setting hook for a series of adventures taking place in Rushon, as well as an outline of potential campaign, adventure, and story arcs."
What is a "campaign setting hook?"
Do you want an outline for a campaign and an adventure or just whatever is "potential?" Do you define campaign to be "a series of adventures?"
The best way to describe a "campaign setting hook," is using those exact words. You need a gimmick, hook, method of capture, et cetera for a campaign setting. The contest is not to design a complete campaign setting (that would be a bit beyond the scope of one contest), but rather to design a good
basis for a campaign in and about the city of Rushon. Ideally, entries would be drafted in the format of:
*Description of Rushon
*Description of festival
*Description of a campaign hook based in/around Rushon
*Description of possible event/adventure/campaign synopses
*List of possible encounters
The thing to keep in mind is that this is basically set up like a rough draft or brainstorm of a campaign and adventure arc. So you're not going into full details on any of the themes, you're just sketching out the ideas in an organized format.
Does that help? If not, maybe something could be reworded better...
Aha, I understand now. Just like an adventure hook is an idea that seeds an adventure. Thanks.
Absolutely! So can we expect an entry from you? ;)
Probably.
Depends on how much free time I end up having in the next few days. :)
Excellent!
Alright folks, Raelifin is throwing down! Word through the grapevine is, no one else is competing this month because they're scared of him. They're scared the big, mighty, elf-eating Raelifin is going to stomp them into mush. Smelly mush! Either that, or they're a bunch of slackers!* What do you guys think of that? Huh?
*Disclaimer: Raelifin never in fact said these things... but he's thinking them.
[note]In this thread, LC whines. Whine, whine, whine.[/note]I have been ruminating over some ideas for this contest, but the prompt is much tougher than last month's. Scholastic obligations may also delay my work.
I'm glad to hear Rael's working on something for it, too. I'd be self-conscious about being the only entrant.
Also, I'd hate to deny him the opportunity to stomp me into smelly mush. I guess.
I harped this with the Cartographers, and I'll say it here.
When the prompt isn't that well defined, it gives you a whole lot more freedom to be creative! So what if the festivals are wildly different, it really becomes you own work then.
Of course that's just my opinion...
I'll be submitting an entry!
Working on the idea now.
Also, don't forget about the torn edge of the map detail guys!
Right, Ivar! That's a seed that needs to be included!
Could someone clarify the "torn edge of a map" detail, then?
When I look at RobA's entry, I see only a compass rose resembling an enameled lens, not a map scrap. Am I missing something, or is the piece of a map the proscribed method of including the compass rose in these entries?
If it's the latter, do entrants have flexibility in including the compass rose via other means? (For example, an actual enameled lens?)
LC,
The compass was created by RobA, but a compass rose by itself wouldn't have much to do with any adventures. I added in the fact that one of the seeds is a torn edge of a map with said compass rose - as well as the indecipherable script - on it, because it seems much easier to include a compass rose with a map into an entry than just the rose itself. However, if you want to include the compass rose in other ways, be my guest. Perhaps part of your hook involves finding an actual, glass compass rose (that came off a compass?).
Interesting entry, Mr Crayon. I feel that it's only fair to warn you that you missed out on a number of the "necessary" items.
Well, two of the "necessary includes" jumped out at me for not having been included, and they are:
*A hidden organization that hides within the city, ready to come into the open at the festival.
*An adventure and/or campaign outline (bullet points) to follow.
However, I'm curious if LC intended this line:
QuoteSoon, creatures native to the dreaming subconscious realm will have access to the waking world.
To represent possibly the hidden organization? And then that entire section of his entry, "Things the Waking Mind Forgets," to be his plot outline? Both would work, though I'm not entirely sure how well the "creatures of the dreaming realm" constitute as a hidden organization. Were you thinking of something else, Rael? Perhaps LC can clarify.
There is no limit to the number of edits one can make before the deadline, so if you left something out, that can be fixed.
Surely the two thiefs that scheme to use the compass to steal without remorse qualify as an organization. Just because it's two thieves doesn't mean it isn't a group that schemes a plot.
An the outline with bullet points seems to be simply the sections he's divided it up in. "The Hook, The Cast, etc."
Just my $.02
Yeah, I assumed that section worked fine for the outline. I'll await final word from LC, but it looks to me as though everything is properly covered.
Yeah, my competitive urges are sated, for the time being. I consider "Poltergeists!" to be more of a homage to RobA and Matthew Funk, and less of a serious contender in its own right. (Hint: Closely examine the names of the three named characters in "Poltergeists!") I was writing primarily to have fun with those inspirations, so I played a little fast and loose with the rules of the contest.
I didn't write a bulleted list, because I don't use bulleted lists when I write this sort of information for myself. I think the same content is present anyway, just in prose form.
Whettum and Knaf are not the "shadowy organization," they're just a pair of guys who didn't really want to hurt anyone, and got in over their heads. The (literally) shadowy organization is the realm of nightmare creatures poised for an invasion. I freely acknowledge that the idea is fraught with problems, but I think the biggest one is that enormous cliché. :)
Little over a week left. Anyone still planning to post an entry that's been kept under wraps for a while?
Heh, I was just about to post the exact same thing :)
*quickly hides a copy of Mind-Reading for Dummies, feigning an innocent grin*
Sorry, my story isn't well laid out. I haven't quite got the hang of all of the formatting options on these boards.
No worries. Also, a very nice way to introduce yourself on these boards! :yumm:
Thanks.
I'm a migrant from the Cartographers guild, I was excited when I found out about the campaign builders guild and their contest.
Oh, and with my entry, is it better to provide names for the specific characters? I was kind of under time constraints when I posted it.
Koor, first of all, welcome and way to get posting like that. We love it when someone just jumps right into things. Secondly, for your question, it will probably make it easier for people to read and follow if there are names, but it's not necessary.
Three more days, everyone! Right now it's a competition of two [excellent] entries; let's get some more going here.
Edit: By the way, Koor, very nice entry. I love the "Disappearing City" hook when it shows up in games or stories, and you have brought it in a very unique way. I really like the fallen paladin aspect as well, as well as the fact that you sketch the details very briefly, so that any GMs that want to use the material will have plenty of room to add in their own touches. Well done, and I look forward to future contributions from you!
Would definitely love to see a few more entries before the doors slam shut.
QuoteI love the "Disappearing City" hook when it shows up in games or stories, and you have brought it in a very unique way.
Brigadoon.[/i] :)
My favorite part of Koor's entry is the story of the mayor's well-intentioned wish and its catastrophic consequences.
Over the next couple of nights i'm probably going to update my entry, but to prevent you from having to read through it all again I'll place the new information and changed information in the little note boxes.
As far as the disappearing city went, I really did pull that from the story itself. To me "The sea had given up on land, and drew back stinging with its salt, leaving a plane of its dried tears behind, before the town of Twilight Splendor." was talk of salt flats around the city, and the once in 80 years portion where the gates open in order to have a festival just made me think the city was swallowed by the sea between festivals.
Two more days, guys and gals! Ivar, Raelifin?
Like I said, I haven't been able to come up with anything. Having freshman year of college has been kinda disruptive too. No entry for me.
That's no excuse! Get your priorities straight, man! :)
So what happened?
A tie!
Now you and I will compete in the tiebreaker: a race through the streets of Rushon, while we are both pursued by sinister musicians and rabid badgers. The current delay is caused by the necessity to wait out Rushon's 80-year cycle of appearance.
There will be a tie-breaker between the three Opal Council members, I promise I'll let you know when we've got it, which should be in the next day or so.
We could just roll a d20...
Or, in light of the previously-mentioned fact that I technically did not follow all the contest directions in the first place, we could declare you the victor.
Or since I didn't even go to the detail of adding proper names to my entry..
A heartfelt congratulations to Koor on his well-deserved victory, everybody!
Thanks Crayon!
Congrats Koor, both you guys' articles were very well thought out, and it's great that you came by and just jumped right into things. I would love to see some more of your work sometime.
I intend on making an entry for this month as well. And eventually I may take the time to write up my world i've been working on too.