Last Week's Champion

The winner of the previous task was, once again, Roslyn SilverTalon/April! She will receive her hoard packs shortly. She was also the only person who entered again; I will try again one more time in case anyone decides they want to unseat her from her record. Remember, whoever wins the most of these tasks will get the grand prize, and if she wins four tasks, that will automatically be her.

Good luck. The next task will be posted later today.

Emma's Big Secret

Hey - I just have to post, because I was digging through Emma's bank a few minutes ago for something she stole from me, and I found several bags of fresh Aztecan coffee. That actually explains a lot of things.

Wha-wha?! I never stole anything from you, and anyway, I wasn't drinking the coffee. It was just a drop, I promise you! I was going to sell them at my next trip to the Bazaar!

Ha, nice try. You're still in Avalon. I think I should put you on a restricted diet. No more coffee for you! *triumphantly leaves to confiscate coffee*

Hmph. Grace StormRider is the meanest person in the Spiral. I've been practically living on that coffee since I was born, and now she'd take it away just like that? I think she's going to be the next big villain once we defeat Morganthe, and - OW! *clutches head* I need my coffee!

- Emma I

Snow Daaaayy!

Snow is fun
Snow is great
Snow reminds me
Of what I just ate!

Snow I love
Snow snow snow
Snow is deep
And cold I know!

Snow is good
Snow storms mean
'Sno more school
And coffee bean! :D

SNOW DDDAAAAAAYYYY!!

What IN THE SPIRAL is all this?!

SNOW DDDAAAAAAYYYY!!

No, Emma, this is absolutely ridiculous and you are not going to post this on the blog because I know that's what you were thinking of when you wrote it!

SNOW DDDAAAAAAYYYY!! *clicks "publish" button and runs away*

Grrrr. Well, since I'm the only person left and this post exists whether I like it or not, I guess I'll sign it off. See you later. And remember, Sophia could still use your help against the Mordromancers, so please try to enter the contest if you haven't yet!

- Grace S

Chase #2

You let out a sigh of relief as you sit up from being hunched over the page. It took some thought, but you feel fairly certain about the incantation, even though you have no idea what it does. Lestil slemran. It doesn’t sound too intimidating, but if a mordromancer wants it, it must be bad.

Clutching your wand again, you stand up and exit the Necromantic Archives at a brisk walk. It looks like Corwin’s already been here and may be at his Rendezvous point K, wherever that may be. If you don’t want him to pull off his plan, you’d better hurry.

“Hello.” A voice, smooth and mature yet somehow not quite adult, sounds behind you. You turn, staring at the dark figure standing in the doorway to the Theurgic Archives. It looks like he’s been waiting for you, crouching behind the doorframe until you revealed yourself. He’s wearing a pointed hat with a feather and a robe with an elegant, spotless cape, all jet black.

You find yourself stiffening, and your knuckles whiten around your wand. This looks exactly like the picture of Corwin DarkHammer that Sophia showed you, even down to the outfit. He continues, “It was awfully sloppy of me to leave my notes on important historical records. I hope you didn’t…ahem…inconvenience yourself in trying to decipher them. I’m afraid I tend to be somewhat cryptic in talking to myself.”

After a short period of stuttering, you manage to find your voice as you reply, “It was no trouble at all. You’re not quite as confusing as you think.”

For a moment, you see Corwin’s eyes narrow, but then he returns to normal with a silky laugh. He leans back into the hallway and pulls something out. You see the bound form of a wizard with long, violet hair tied back into a ponytail. Unless you’re very much mistaken, this is Amy ThunderBrand, notorious diviner of the White Legion.

“I appreciate your taking the time to delve into my notes, but unfortunately, time is something I don’t have much of tonight. I’m afraid I must run – places to go, people to see!” He points his wand at you and shouts some unintelligible words.

Soon, you find yourself surrounded by a thick black mist. You can see through it, but you know there’s no chance of walking when you try to move your legs but find them stuck. You can’t do anything as Corwin hauls Amy out the door.

Eventually, the mist dissipates, but you know they’re long gone, to that place…Rendezvous Point K. After your epic forgetting-to-dodge fail, you might not stand much of a chance, but it’s worth a try. The memory is pretty far back, but you think you might just know where to look…

(The key to the rendezvous is somewhere on this blog. Look for the Mark of the Mordromancers, and go where it leads you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment.)

Contest things

Look.

Only one person showed interest of any kind in the contest so far. There were no comments, no nothing, other than the series of emails I exchanged with the winner. The nature of contest is to compete with other people for a prize, and as much work and excitement as I put into this, I feel like I might need to cancel it if it continues to do badly.

I will post the next challenge shortly, and if I get fewer than, say, three people interested, I will just cancel straightaway. I might modify the story as a post series or something, because I was pretty excited about this, but we'll just see.

Thanks for reading.

- Sophia E

Last Week(ish)'s Champion

The winner of last week's (actually two weeks ago) challenge was Roslyn SilverTalon/April! Congratulations - she will receive her hoard packs hopefully as soon as I can manage to arrange something. Details for the next challenge will be posted tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Grace's List

Hi.  This is Grace, now that Sophia's been - *cough cough* - oh, sorry, I've had this nasty cough and fever bug that's been preventing me from posting in the last week or so. It's been crazy, but I think I'll be able to post consistently from now on.

Anyway, I've sort of taken charge of the blog without Sophia here, because I know I'd be a lot better site leader than Emma -

I have been summoned! *looks over Grace's shoulder* Ohmyjustwowisthattheblogbeingpostedon?! I can be famous again! You have absolutely no idea how long I have been waiting to get some special spotlight time, and I'll bet the lovely community out there has been pining for just a mere glimpse of my own icy splendiferousness!

*continues writing*
Emma's Issues:
1. Ego
2. Hyperactivity
3. Vocabulary
4. Nosiness
5. Irrationality
6. Obsessiveness
7. Distressingly All-Consuming Lust for Power

*looks over Grace's shoulder again* Hmm...not bad, but I'd phrase it more like this...
Emma's Personality:
1. Self-confidence
2. Energy
3. Vocabulary
4. Caring
5. Speculation
6. Interested
7. Absolutely Deserved Desire to Take Leadership of What Is Rightfully Hers

*sigh* You know what? *coughing fit* I'm done with this right now. I've received word recently that a brave adventurer has found the incantation behind Corwin DarkHammer's search at the Wizard City library, and I will disclose the details tomorrow, followed by more information about the enemy's movements. Further scheduling will proceed as originally planned.

- Grace S 

2nd Annual Contest - Your Briefing Video

(Note: Watch this with your sound on, otherwise you won't be able to make heads or tails of it. Also, my voice sounds weird with this microphone; sorry. Please enjoy!) As a strong wind blows through the room, the candle goes out and everything is plunged into darkness. You can’t see Sophia or Elizabeth, but you hear Sophia making strangled grunting sounds as she struggles to evade her attacker. With a shock, you realize nobody is attacking you and maybe the Mordromancers don’t realize you’re there. You slowly back away until you reach the door to the room. While the group is fighting in darkness, you ease it open, trying not to be heard, but the hinges make a high-pitched squeak.

The Mordromancer growls, “Who goes there?” You can hear his heavy footsteps thumping toward the candle. Without bothering anymore with stealth and hoping Sophia and Elizabeth will keep him occupied, you flee for all you’re worth.

As you run in the dark night through the Commons tunnel, you think about the intercepted letter. It sounds like Corwin is looking for some kind of article that holds information about the White Legion. Although you’re fairly new to this whole business, the name rings a bell. Where have you seen one of those before?

(The article is somewhere on this blog. Look for the Mark of the Mordromancers, and go where it leads you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment. Remember, go quickly; the first to complete the challenge will win two hoard packs, and the first to complete the majority of challenges across the entire contest will win a $10 Gamecard grand prize! There will be a new challenge every week.)

A Third Year Begins

I suppose now would be a good time to spill my own personal beans, after the fashion of Emma DawnRider.

(Note: this post is quite long and fairly personal, so if that makes you uncomfortable, I'm not pressuring you to read the whole thing, or even read it at all. Just thought I'd let you know.)

A More Purposeful "Happy New Year!"

The morning of New Year's Day, I realized that I actually had a lot more to say in the New Year post, but I'd forgotten since I was, you know, half asleep. Probably more than half, actually, but that's beside the point. I forgot to do a recap thing and a list of resolutions, which had been percolating in my mind for about a week prior. x.x Then I left on a short vacation, so I didn't have time to post.

But now I do. :)

In 2013, I...

• Had my contest, which was a blast
• Switched to playing with crowns
• Reached 10,000 pageviews
• Started the Treehouse blog for writing
• Won Camp NaNoWriMo in April
• Switched to Pirate101 for a bit
• Quit the blog and the game from May to September
• Deleted Daniel DeathBlood and created Victoria DeathStaff
• Won NaNoWriMo in November
• Finished decorating my Wooded Cottage
• Maxed level on Sophia once again
• Proposed the Menu Chat Challenge, which starts tomorrow
• Had a total post count of 50 (ouch!)

It was a good year while I was active...and most of the fall doesn't really count for that. I have high hopes for 2014, though, when I plan to...

• Redesign the blog (going up in five days!)
• Have another contest (going up in six!)
• Reach 20 followers (not quite sure how I'll do that)
• Get 5,000 more pageviews
• Decorate more houses (obscure)
• Rewrite Legends of Light from scratch (this will get its own post)
• Launch three very cool things (which will be revealed at or near launch)
• Post 150 times (this is 14 per month with 5 per NaNo month)

Is this overambitious? Maybe - but it makes me excited!!

- Sophia E