takshaka.

[soulping]

You find yourself transported across to the far end of the pond - although how you got there (and why you're suddenly separated from the other teams), you can't be sure.

In front of you, you see a long wooden table with scrolls on it - one blank one with a quill and ink ensemble next to it, and a few others with words written on them in dainty script.

Comments

rules.

[soulping]

As characters arrive into their "rooms", they implicitly understand the following rules:

▶ This is a poetry-making game! But since some teams have found it difficult to write their own poems, the swan maiden has provided you with some words she found in library books for inspiration.

▶ Round 1 is the writing period - teams will be asked to compose one 4-8 line poem, as well as give it a title.

▶ Teams are not required to use the suggested words, but they will get points for using them. So if you feel like you got a bunch of crappy words and that you can write your own poem that'll knock everyone's socks off, you're welcome to. Additionally, poems must be sensical - "dog cat bark forest / happy green pink" (aka simply listing out all of your words) will not be eligible for a points win.

▶ Teams are also not required to use rhyme/meter/follow a particular style, but these factors may be used for tiebreakers or may factor into the echo's favorite win.

▶ Round 2 is where teams read the compositions of other teams (anonymously) and vote for their three favorite in rank order (ex. favorite is #1, second favorite is #2, etc.). Teams may not vote for their own poem.

▶ If a team can only be present for Round 1, then they are ineligible to win as a popular poem.

▶ The three win categories possible are most points, most popular, and echo's favorite. The number of wins given to each category is up to my discretion.

▶ Round 1 will run from 8-9:30pm PST, and Round 2 will run from 9:30-11pm PST.

questions?

[swansonged]

please direct any ic or ooc questions (mark it in subject) here!

round 1.

[swansonged]

word lists.

[swansonged]

[ Upon further investigation, you may notice that the scrolls with writing on them contain the following words... ]

verbs.

[swansonged]

chop
boast
cycle
ask
buzz
harm
multiply
enter
use
tip

nouns.

[swansonged]

children
hair
ice
grass
town
men
thunder
step
vein
wave

adjectives.

[swansonged]

long
enchanted
mysterious
friendly
befitting
hard
sable
narrow
sneaky
woozy

adverbs.

[swansonged]

actually
quickly
however
hastily
rightfully
together
suspiciously
poorly
vivaciously
wisely

prepositions.

[swansonged]

onto
anti
between
to
with

discussion.

[swansonged]

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

...How good are you at poetry, Nightingale?

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

... Extremely bad.

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Damn. I'm not very good at it either.

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

Maybe we can forfeit...

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

No way! We have to at least try!

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

At least the presentation is anonymous, but still...

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

As long as we try, that's enough.

[ starts tapping her finger against the table ]

If we can use some of the words, we should do alright.

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

There's no connection between these words at all... Can we really make a good poem out of this?

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

[ doesn't answer for a minute, biting her lip thoughtfully ]

"Long peals of thunder roar above all heads,
while children quickly curl up in their beds.
The men gather together and buzz over such a mysterious storm
and the women wisely ask for more wood to use to keep the homes warm."

That uses some of them... How does it sound to you?

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

... I think you weren't giving yourself enough credit.

That last line feels too long to the rest, though...

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

It's easier having words I know to work in.

We can cut wisely out, then.

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

No, let's keep the 'wisely', then we can go for a win in points... Sounds like meter doesn't matter to points.

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Hmm... Then we can add another word to the third line and switch out a word in the fourth.

"The men gather together and some buzz over such a mysterious storm
and the rest wisely ask for more wood to use to keep the homes warm."

Does that sound any better?

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

... I think the 'use' makes it worse, but it's one of our words, isn't it...

I don't think we have the words for a third part, do we?

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Um...

[ thinks for a moment ]

"The howling wind makes the grass wave, and hail falls from the sky,
pelting the town with ice and grounds the birds still trying to fly."

That adds four more words to our points.

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

... And you said you're not very good.

[STARE]

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Like I said, the list of words makes it easier. I'd hate to try and make one up from scratch...

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

What should we title it? Something simple like "Storm"?

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

That sounds as good as anything will!

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

Let's submit, then...

turn-in.

[swansonged]

please give your poem's title in the subject line, and the content of your poem in the message part of your reply.

also, for ease of scoring, please bold all used suggested words.

turn-in is due by 9:30pm PST.

storm

[barrette]

Long peals of thunder roar above all heads,
while children quickly curl up in their beds.
The men gather together and some buzz over such a mysterious storm
and the rest wisely ask for more wood to use to keep the homes warm.
The howling wind makes the grass wave, and hail falls from the sky,
pelting the town with ice and grounding the birds still trying to fly.

round 2.

[swansonged]

[ Suddenly, the scrolls in front of you vanish - only to be replaced with more scrolls, each covered in writing... ]

discussion.

[swansonged]

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

Absolutely not the first one.

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Definitely not. That sounds more like terrible rap music than poetry.

I like 'Communication' though.

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

Yeah. That's my favorite. My list would be Communication, Storm and the Sea Serpent, and Swan Lake. What about you?

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Those are my favorites too. Will we submit them in that order?

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

That's my order, but you really like those in the same order as me?

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

I like Storm and the Sea Serpent more than Communication, but I don't mind using your order for them.

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

I thought you would.

I don't really mind, either way...

Re: discussion.

[barrette]

Then we'll go with yours!

Re: discussion.

[experiencepoints]

... Okay. I'll go turn it in.

turn-in.

[swansonged]

please list your top three favorite poems (by listing their titles), in order, with 1 being your favorite and 3 being your least favorite of the three. you may not rank your own poem.

turn-in is due by 11pm PST. should you fail/be unable to turn-in, your team will be ineligible to win via popularity.

Re: turn-in.

[experiencepoints]

Communication, Storm and the Sea Serpent, Swan Lake.

Re: turn-in.

[swansonged]

[ To endgame... ]