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[EM Event] Fiction Contest!

EMDrosselmeyer

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Fiction Contest

Hello and greetings! We know that many of our shard’s players are very proud of their ability to put pen to paper, so we are offering up the following contest as a way to not only help out the EM team for a future event, but to possibly even have your fiction worked into upcoming events! As such, we are pleased to offer you two different topics to pick from, with a short blurb on each to help point you in the right direction. Submissions will be accepted from now until March 20th, but the earlier the better! Submissions should either be in .rtf, .doc, or as a full email format. No harsh profanities will be accepted in stories. Keep in mind that where there is established lore or canon (From Ultima Online) to please work alongside it. Also, these fictions should be written either from or about many years in the past, so they would not include any current events/guilds/establishments. When you have a submission, please send them from an email that you can receive correspondence from to both [email protected] and [email protected] .

Tokuno, Land of the Dragon
The monk leaned down to the ground and checked it carefully, looking over the strange tracks they’d found once more. With a few words spoken to one of the heavily armored warriors, the samurai approached his Empress slowly and reverently, bowing deeply before speaking. “Empress, this area is not suitable for our city; The monk has determined that the fierce Yamandon roam through this area. If it is your desire, we will fight them with every bit of might at our command. It is my suggestion that we move on quickly however.”
The Empress considered his words for a moment. She looked back to the large group of refugees that were with her after they had been forced to flee their last shelter by a large force of ronin warriors. Weary they were, but camping here would likely end much worse than pushing them a bit farther on. “We will continue on then, Kaizu. Let us find a suitable home.”

If you choose Tokuno as your option, here are a few suggested topics for writing on:
Legends of Tokuno / Myths / Folklore
Ronin Bands / Yomotsu Gangs / Ninja Clans / Yomotsu Culture
Exploration of Tokuno / Landmarks of Tokuno / Culture of Tokunese People


Paws, The Vanished City of the Sick
The rattling sound of the man’s rib cage was a clear sign to the healer that this particular patient was on his deathbed at this point. The healer could only shake his head as he went to his armoire and took out a bottle of aged brandy and a clean glass. He approached the man at the bed whose hacking noises were so severe, and he poured him a full glass of the brandy. It wouldn’t help him to get better, but it was a small courtesy he could do for one he knew wouldn’t be long for the world. He held the glass to the mans lips and helped him to drink it down, and the man weakly gave him thanks. The healer took the glass away when he was done and said a prayer to the virtues for the man at his request. It was the virtues that had brought him here after all; He was a firm believer in sacrifice and compassion. He began to take a moment of silence in repose when another patient’s wheezing caught his attention. There was always more work to be done…

If you choose Paws as your option, there are a few things to consider in your writing. There is no completely established reason for it’s disappearance, as the towns records were lost. It's often rumored that an orc raid was the cause, but this wouldn't explain how all trace vanished. The disaster occurred within the course of a few days at most; when it was next heard of, the city had been swallowed by the swamps. Paws was situated where the Fens of the Dead are now, North of Trinsic. Paws was where those who were deathly ill or contagious with incurable diseases were sent to. Lord Crawworth was often touted as the last survivor of Paws, but died exploring the Lost Lands. Here are a few suggested topics:

Personal Journals / Letters of Correspondence / Healers Diaries
Folklore / Culture / News articles about Paws
Theories on it’s disappearance / Mysteries of Paws / Proposals of Excavation
Patient lists with diseases / Stories about the Caravans of the Sick

We look forward to your submissions, and if you have any questions please post them here!
 

EMDrosselmeyer

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
FAQ on the Fiction Contest!

Q: How many submissions can I make/should I make?
A: Make as many as you want, but please send different submissions instead of 30 revisions of the same one.

Q:What time period/era are we writing about/in?
A: For Tokuno, The time period is anything from the history of Tokuno all the way up until just after the lands were linked to Sosaria itself. If you were writing about exploring Tokuno, it would depend on who was writing as to what time it would be. If it was from the Tokunese, for instance, it would likely be quite a long time ago compared to a Britannian exploration of Tokuno. For Paws, you're looking at a time just before Lord British was King, and when the only meaning that Trammel and Felucca had was as the names of the moons of Sosaria. Again, please keep in mind the rule about no current guilds/events/characters/establishments with either Paws or Tokuno.

Q:So what really happened in Paws?
A:The only hard facts we have are these; Paws was originally a farming town, and was converted into a town where those who were sick and contagious of incurable or unknown diseases were sent. It was located between Trinsic and Britain, in the area that is now a swamp known as the Fens of the Dead. It vanished within the span of three days at most (Last time that anyone was confirmed there who didn't vanish with the town, up until the swamps encroachment and the town being gone was noticed.) There are ruins along the sides of the Fens of the Dead that are theorized to be part of Paws, but no confirmation is possible. Lord CrawWorth was often said to be the last survivor of Paws, but he never said anything beyond that there was 'An Orc Attack' Which doesn't explain how the swamp devoured the town so quickly. Lord CrawWorth died shortly after this on a dangerous expedition where he was sent as well. Paws is a huge mystery, and no one REALLY knows what actually happened there. There are dozens of theories going around, though...

Q:Which one should I write about? Tokuno or Paws?
A: Whichever one you want to! This is a chance for you to stretch your creative writing skills. I would like to point out that Paws is a much darker, much more creepy storyline, and it's from one of the darker times in Britannian history. We expect scary, dark, and possibly even disturbing stuff. Just please keep it reasonable; If you have to really question whether something is okay to write about, either choose a different part or consult with myself or Dudley. Since Paws is such a mystery, there can be endless theories or scientific articles written on plausible ways that it vanished, since none of these are provable, and even directly contradictory opinions are still viable as opinions. As for Tokuno, it's a much more uplifting and inspiring set of stories; A group of people struggling with their own determination and strength to survive in a land filled with Oni, Hiryu, and Yamandon. Brittanians exploring a brand new land filled with creatures the likes of which were never seen, and new dangers and sights to see, and seas to sail on. In summation, if you want to write a more uplifting or cheery story, you're better with Tokuno. If you want to write something grim and dark, you're better with Paws; But don't let that stop you if you have good ideas.

Q:So you said 4 of the 40 page blue books in game...what does that translate to in word processors?
A: About a page of single spaced typing, in 12 point font. We want lots and lots of short stories, not 1 or 2 novellas. In the future we may need longer stories, but for now we need short stories.

Q:Can you give us an example of something like what you're looking for?
A: An example of a Paws Patients journal will be locked down at the HoC tonight. If requested, a Tokuno based book will be written and available as well.

Q: Will I be recognized for being an author?
A: Absolutely! We're currently looking at several different possibilities in how to give recognition, but if you have your own idea please post it here.

Q:I'm worried that you'll alter or change my story and it won't be my own anymore.
A: There's no need to worry; The reason we want them emailed is so in the event that we DO need to ask about a possible change, you as the original author can change it so it is in the same style. I don't anticipate this being necessary if the rules are followed, but we wouldn't want to try and edit someone else's work; We want everyone's work to be their own, and not anyone else's.

Q:Wait! You didn't answer my question!
A: Then post it here, and it'll be answered as soon as possible. Hope to hear from you all soon, and looking forward to your submissions!
 

Ashlynn_L

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
If I do submit (and I hope to find time) what file formats do you prefer? The various MS Office/Word formats can be picky in experience, so is simple .txt or .rtf prefered? Or how about .pdf? Should work for everyone, right?
 

EMDrosselmeyer

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Either .rtf or just as a full text email is fine. Thanks for your interest in the contest, and we hope to see a submission from you soon!
 

EMDrosselmeyer

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I must admit to some error, and fix a previous Q and A response.
Q:So you said 4 of the 40 page blue books in game...what does that translate to in word processors?
A: About a page of single spaced typing, in 12 point font. We want lots and lots of short stories, not 1 or 2 novellas. In the future we may need longer stories, but for now we need short stories.

Is incorrect. The proper answer is
A:Half a page of single spaced typing in 12 point font is approximately 10 pages in a blue book in game. This means you can probably get nearly 7 pages worth in 4 blue books. Test it yourself to make sure yours fits.

Apologies for the incorrect answer before!
 

EMDrosselmeyer

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
This contest's deadline for submission is being extended to Friday, March 25th.
 

Lord Gareth

UO Content Editor | UO Chesapeake & Rares News
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Wiki Moderator
YAAAHOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Very exciting!!!! *Goes back to writing and reading a few sections from the Bible to use new words* What? I know its weird but they have all those old impressive words that make people sound smart!
 

EMDrosselmeyer

UO Event Moderator
UO Event Moderator
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
All of the submissions we received are suitable for use and will be utilized in the upcoming events that are centered around these two areas. The Paws events will come first, and at least an introductory Tokuno one somewhat shortly thereafter. Keep an eye on your event schedule!
 

Lord Gareth

UO Content Editor | UO Chesapeake & Rares News
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Wiki Moderator
Yea i'm worried because our EMs are being very quiet and that means evil things.... :danceb:
 
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