The CHALLENGE continues!

[Icewalker]

Oh! Cool! Is it possible to put a hold on it for the moment? I'm not quite sure what I'd even ask for, right now. Although I have a couple possibilities forming.

[Glass Mouse]

It appears that the opening post is slightly inaccurate : although the [per 8 weeks] prizecrafting is still unavailable due to material issues*, the figurine for reaching the 18 week mark** (one time occurrence, not per 18 weeks) is still available.

Sweet! And good to see your face here again

For the curious, I got this beauty some... 80 weeks ago. Holy beep. Been a while, Essay. I see you've only gotten better since then

Spoiler

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(dice were not included... if that even needs saying)

Edit:

Oh! Cool! Is it possible to put a hold on it for the moment? I'm not quite sure what I'd even ask for, right now. Although I have a couple possibilities forming.

Absolutely. Just let me know when you think of something

[Lady Serpentine]

No worries. I hope you're okay.

I'm fine. It was more mental state from someone else (who, fortunately, is also about as okay as she gets now) having issues than anything that happened to me.

[Zjoot]

I'd like to take a moment to congratulate Glass Mouse on two years of not only diligently running the challenge, but rising to it as well. Congrats!

And happy 2nd birthday, Challenge!

EDIT: @ Incoherent Essay: Whoa, that's really cool! I'm gonna go browse your thread and see if I get any ideas.

[Lady Serpentine]

My power is going on and off, so I'm not sure I'll be on to post/physically able to write this week, though I'll do my best.

[Neoriceisgood]

Lol I did like 22 comic pages last week, but I completely forgot to send them to you at the end of the week. I'm such an idiot.

[Glass Mouse]

I modified the opening post to include your prize (and my new ones), Essay.

I'm fine. It was more mental state from someone else (who, fortunately, is also about as okay as she gets now) having issues than anything that happened to me.

Good to know

I'd like to take a moment to congratulate Glass Mouse on two years of not only diligently running the challenge, but rising to it as well. Congrats!

And happy 2nd birthday, Challenge!

Haha, oh right, 104 weeks is two years!

For those who don't know, I didn't actually start the Challenge. That honor goes to Rockbird. I just kinda sorta took it over when he burned out at 5 weeks. Also, he coined the link thing that was running in the beginning (I still think that was fun).
Thus ends the history lesson

Thanks, Grimmace!

Lol I did like 22 comic pages last week, but I completely forgot to send them to you at the end of the week. I'm such an idiot.

I think this is your first, so it's fine. There's space for the rare forgetfulness or technical trouble. I've fixed the status post.

Also, this means you earned your second prize. 'Grats! You know the drill - send me a PM, and we'll take it from there

[HeadlessMermaid]

I'm pretty sure that I'm carrying coals to Newcastle here, but I stumbled upon this delightful speech by Neil Gaiman, which is apparently a pep talk for your NaNoWhat'sItsName. And I found it lovely, and I thought to share. :)

[IncoherentEssay]

@Glass Mouse
Thanks . I do keep an eye on the thread so i don't miss anyone reaching the prize. I just don't comment on things, since i don't feel like i have a 'vote' on things due to no longer participating (though also out of a general lurker nature ).
I did consider posting a theme when one was missed, and now that themes 'count' it might be a good idea to have an official guideline for missed themes. Maybe the 'first to post one if there's none by wednesday', or that weeks-sans-themes don't count for or against progress?

[Mercenary Pen]

I'm pretty sure that I'm carrying coals to Newcastle here, but I stumbled upon this delightful speech by Neil Gaiman, which is apparently a pep talk for your NaNoWhat'sItsName. And I found it lovely, and I thought to share. :)

I wouldn't say you were carrying to Newcastle as such (maybe South Wales, but not Newcastle), but I must admit I hadn't yet delved through the NaNoWriMo pep talk archive... so you at least managed to bring it to my attention...

[Icewalker]

I'll be submitting a partial or complete write-up for a dnd one-shot, this week. (Probably partial, given my functional neuroanatomy exam on Monday)

It's not just bullet point notes but is mostly full out written sentences describing situations, PC involvement, reactions, and possibilities. I figure 1500 words of that would count as okay?

[Glass Mouse]

Small announcement time! My schedule is pretty erratic these weeks, so I'm gonna put an "anytime Monday" on the status update. Tomorrow will probably be late. Others may be early. I won't do it earlier than the usual time (good news, close-cutters!), but it can be up to 7 hours later than that.
Nothing really changes otherwise. Sunday is still the deadline to keep in mind.

I'll let you all know when my Mondays turn predictable again.

I did consider posting a theme when one was missed, and now that themes 'count' it might be a good idea to have an official guideline for missed themes. Maybe the 'first to post one if there's none by wednesday', or that weeks-sans-themes don't count for or against progress?

Sure, let's do both. I'm not going to remind people that the theme deadline has passed, but if anyone notices, feel free to chip in with a theme
If no theme has been posted before Thursday, it's a theme free week that doesn't count. Sound good?

It's not just bullet point notes but is mostly full out written sentences describing situations, PC involvement, reactions, and possibilities. I figure 1500 words of that would count as okay?

That's fine

[nersxe]

Sure, let's do both. I'm not going to remind people that the theme deadline has passed, but if anyone notices, feel free to chip in with a theme
If no theme has been posted before Thursday, it's a theme free week that doesn't count. Sound good?

I'm sorry, I must have missed something; the main post says that themes aren't mandatory, are they?

[Glass Mouse]

I'm sorry, I must have missed something; the main post says that themes aren't mandatory, are they?

It's not mandatory to follow them. But for themes to matter and be counted (for those who choose to do them), we kinda need them to be there each week

[Neoriceisgood]

As mentioned in my last entry's PM, the comic folder/stack I sent you for last week's (late) entry also includes at least 8 pages done this week (earliest upload: 23rd) . But I'm sure you noticed this.

[nersxe]

It's not mandatory to follow them. But for themes to matter and be counted (for those who choose to do them), we kinda need them to be there each week

Oh, okay, cool.

Also, my works for the week!

1k words of DnD fiction

Poem:

Spoiler

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I once had wings.
I spread them behind your back-
pristine ivory unfolding
-to try outshining your corrosion.
I failed.
but oh, what glory had I
in those early flights
of fancying I would break free.

And there are two maps in the DnD fiction post. Do those count? They're not super fancy or anything, so if not I can... try to come up with another poem or something. (Or make them fancy. Fancy maps are all the rage.)

[Icewalker]

Egh. Not too happy with my work this week. I mean, it's enough, and it's quality enough to count. I wish there was more of it, and it was more concrete, though. Any other week I'd think I let myself down, but I've been fairly wrapped up with a mix of studying Neuroanatomy, and some Halloween shenanigans. I'm PMing you the content because it's too important and spoilery for me to want to post it.

[Lady Serpentine]

Do arguments count? Because I just got into one large enough to quite possibly make the word count on its own, if so...

More seriously, I'm now gathering my stuff for this; hopefully, I actually managed to get enough stuff written this time.

[Glass Mouse]

Holy Christ on a pogo stick, this whole "two jobs and a study" thing is gonna take some time getting used to!


Glass Mouse passes with 1,667 words of short story starting on a train ride.

C'nor didn't upload/send me anything.

HeadlessMermaid passes with seven city sight and sea zoo photos.

The Grimmace almost passes with two poems and 997 words of fiction writings.

CheesePirate didn't upload/send me anything. You still in?

Neoriceisgood passes with eight of the comics I mentioned last week.

Icewalker passes with 1,550 words of RPG summary, character notes, and campaign scene-by-scene beginning.

Mercenary Pen didn't upload/send me anything.

nersxe passes with 1,000 words of DnD fiction, a poem and two maps.

Yora didn't upload/send me anything. You still in?


Thus, C'nor, The Grimmace, CheesePirate, Mercenary Pen and Yora FAIL this round!

Glass Mouse, HeadlessMermaid, Neoriceisgood, Icewalker and nersxe PASS this round!


Current standing:

Spoiler

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Glass Mouse
Current run: 105 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: 1 week

C'nor
Current run: -
Longest run: 1 week
Themes: -

HeadlessMermaid
Current run: 3 weeks
Longest run: 11 weeks
Themes: -

The Grimmace
Current run: -
Longest run: 18 weeks
Themes: -

CheesePirate
Current run: -
Longest run: -
Themes: -

Neoriceisgood
Current run: 9 weeks
Longest run: 8 weeks
Themes: -

Icewalker
Current run: 9 weeks
Longest run: 3 weeks
Themes: -

Mercenary Pen
Current run: -
Longest run: 2 weeks
Themes: -

nersxe
Current run: 3 weeks
Longest run: -
Themes: 1 week

Yora
Current run: -
Longest run: -
Themes: -

It's C'nor's turn to choose a theme



@C'nor: I'm gonna draw the line at arguments. They aren't really artistic in any sense of the word

@nersxe: Maps count, though.

[Zjoot]

Aww, just 3 words. So close.

[Lady Serpentine]

Sorry about that. A migraine hit me last night, and then when I woke up, i had to deal with the same type of thing I was last week.

And I'll go with Music and Flesh for my theme.

[nersxe]

And I'll go with Music and Flesh for my theme.

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that.

[Lady Serpentine]

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that.

Thank you. I do try to come up with things that are unexpected, so it's nice to hear I succeeded.

[Icewalker]

Oooh. Wow. Interesting theme indeed. I'm tempted to write a poem or a song or a short story to it...

Problem is I'm in the middle of too many projects to do anything big on its own, and I can't work it into any of the existing ones I don't think.

Still. Might write a song.

...it'll probably be a really creepy song.

[Lady Serpentine]

Thanks! And creepy is definitely appropriate.

For me, I'll probably get back to that thing I was writing a while ago about someone who was turned into a living instrument... I've been meaning to get a new chapter up in it for a while anyway.

[Icewalker]

Alright, I'm writing a spinoff tale in the same style as The Devil Went Down to Georgia, on guitar, where the bet is for the boy's servitude as a musician in Hell instead of for his soul, and he ends up losing. Set in New Orleans, I think.

Or maybe it is technically for his soul, and I just describe the loss as his being chained up in Hell forever to be the devil's musician.

Edit: Okay, I am REALLY EXCITED about how this song is going. It's turning out amazing, is built to hit the very bottom of my vocal range like the entire time, and I've got starting points for three of the five crazy riffs in it as well as the whole strumming and chord everything for all the verses.

[nersxe]

1085 words of flesh (+ map):

World's Largest Dungeon: Lots And Lots of Blood Part VI

I'm not sure about the music yet. I've got almost an entire day by my timezone, so I'll try to think something up.

Mouse, I'm going to PM you the beginning to a fic I'm writing (but won't be posting for quite a long time), as I am tapped on the music front and it's 45mins to Monday here.

[Mercenary Pen]

Well, according to NaNo, I have 7800 words so far... I have not used the theme though.

[Icewalker]

Welp. NaNoWriMo will completely overtake the challenge for the next month.

But nonetheless, and slightly hitting the theme, here is The Devil Came Up to New Orleans.

Spoiler

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Verse: Em, G(mute1st), D, Em.
Last line before any riff: Em, G(mute1), D A, Em
Jack: A, D, G, A
Devil: Em, Am, D G, Em
Capo 1


Em G(mute1)
The Devil came up to New Orleans
D Em
Lookin’ for a deal to make
Em G(mute1)
Hell was gettin’ quiet for his tastes
D Em
And he sought for a soul to take

So he stood at the top of an old oak tree
And listened for what he could hear
Em A G(mute1)
And he heard a chord strum on an old guitar
D A Em
Each string singing out loud and clear

(Casual Jack warmup)
A, D, G, A

In a puff of smoke and brimstone heat
The devil was back on the land
The boy turned around with a start at the sound
and heard “You play with quite a fine hand.”

“How’d you like to take a dare?”
The devil bowed low with a grin
The boy grinned back, said “You don’t scare me
Though hearing you out may be sin.”

A jet-black guitar sat in Lucifer’s hands
A smile in white on his face
Strings of bright silver strung taut down the frets
At his feet lay an iron-wrought case.

“I’ll bet my guitar ‘gainst your soul, for a song
‘cause my music’s sure to best yours.”
Em G(mute1)
“My name is Jack and I’ll take you on.”
D A Em
And he played ‘til his fingers were sore.

(Jack’s first riff)
A, D, G, A

“Not bad my boy but you can’t think you’ve won,
This show only just has begun.”
And the devil’s right hand ran down silver strings,
“Time for me to show you how it’s done.”

(Devil’s first riff)
Em, Am, D G, Em
(G fast transitioning to Em)

Jack swallowed his fear, and raised his guitar
Heard the devil’s gleeful hiss
His hands flew like fire ‘cross the strings on the wood
And it sounded somethin’ like this

(Jack’s epic riff)

A D
Jack laughed as he finished playing
G A
Looked for fear in old Lucifer’s eyes.
Em G(mute1)
But the red devil had only glee on his face
D Em
As the echoes of Jack’s music died.

“You’ll make a fine addition to Hell, my boy
My halls can use one with your craft.
But good though you are you know you can’t beat me.”
Jack’s heart sank as the devil just laughed

(Devil’s epic riff)
Em, Am, D G, Em
(G fast transitioning to Em)

Jack hung his head low, ‘cause he knew he’d been beat
As the devil he closed up his case.
And Satan just smiled, and the two stood to leave
A tear on the prideful boy’s face.

Now Jack plays the halls of the souls of the damned
Chained to the stone in the deeps.
And Lucifer’s smile haunts his mind all the day
And torments his dreams as he sleeps.

And here's my NaNo count. I'm over 2500 words, so it's easily over.

[HeadlessMermaid]

I'm preemptively letting you know that I didn't do anything that counts as creative this week. :)

But I've spent a ridiculous amount of energy setting up a photo-blog on tumblr (that is, a collection of other people's photos), and I'm very happy about it, and I invite you all to check it out.