Memoirs of Adventure Creative Writing Contest (NA) - Discussion/Practice Thread

[Rynn21]

I began my adventures six years ago, unaware of the impact Eorzea would have on me.

I traveled with my soul mate those first days, initially split up in Ul'Dah and Limsa Lominsa. It felt like an eternity before we could be reunited and travel the lands together. We had no clue how the world worked, but we were amped to see all she had to offer.
Together we fought many beasts and primals while falling in love with an incredible story about friendship and hardship. We were here to stay.

What affected me to my core, what helped me heal from some personal problems, was finding strangers from near and far to fight alongside. Some came and went, but some became my closest and dearest friends. It never mattered where we lived. We lived from all over the world, yet communicated as if we were face to face. We talk, laugh, and relax together all the time to this day. I'm so thankful to whatever force helped bring us together. My family has grown so big.

Eorzea became a second home to us, and we couldn't imagine our lives without her.


Prize: Gaelicap

[LyallSevus]

This is my first post! Just practicing and making sure everything goes okay!

[dreamyproject]

testing completed

[Hyshadow]

Through the stars, I heard a voice calling for strong warriors to defeat one of the most powerful Ascians to ever exist. Surrounded by a pillar of light, I was whisked away.
When the pillar vanished, it was clear who our target was, Hades. There were 8 of us in total, and we would need to work together to crush this monstrous foe. With a quick nod of agreement, the Scholar, Urara, was the first to attack by sending out a bolt magic without hesitation. The rest of us followed her into battle, except for Mjrn. Stumbling from her sudden summoning to our location, Mjrn was disoriented. Chaos ensued as the battle began. With giant fists, Hades launched his counterattack.
Leaping in front of the Ascian, Matt blocked the punches with his mighty shield. With the power of my draconic blood, I, Shadow, leapt above and pounded the foe. My dance partner, Nivea, was matching my actions with her own damaging moves. Lowering her gun, Marlo blasted lead in the Ascian’s face while Amethyst threw out black and white magic at the fiend. Despite the efforts of Lucca and Urara, the dazed Mjrn unfortunately fell to an attack from Hades. Lucca resurrected Mjrn who was ready to join the fight. We weaved between Hades’ attacks, assaulting him with our weapons and healing ourselves.
Infuriated, Hades went on the offensive by channeling his energy as well as drawing power of the dead. The puppet audience of the battle were called into the fray. Aggressively, they charged us. They pinned us down. As we struggled to break free from the clutches of the puppets, unhindered Hades gathered the energy needed to release his true and sinister form. This new form was accented with long talons and the faces of the dead. Using this new power, Hades unleased a pulse of darkness as we lunged at him.
With sharp claws, Hades slashed us. We struck back. With black magic, Hades cursed us. We renewed with healing magic. We pushed Hades into a corner where he beseeched the dark powers of Zodiark. He bound us in chains, consumed all the light
and prepared to wipe us from existence. Using Hydaelyn’s “United States of Smash”, we broke free and withstood his attack. Weaken but not beaten, Hades sent out pulses of darkness as a last-ditch effort. After the first wave, half of the party fell. Alone, Urara worked to keep the rest of us alive. After each wave, some of us would come up, some of us fall back down. Until, at last, Hades began casting Black Cauldron. It was the battle ending spell. To be victorious, we needed to stop Hades before the completion of the spell. Panicking, we laid down every means of attack. Unfazed, Hades finished the cast sending out deadly damage. It knocked all of us to the ground; all hope was lost. Until we saw Nivea rise from the ashes as Hades fell backwards into the darkness. Nivea hoisted a bloody chakram above her head.
One by one we stood in shock and disbelief. Though weary, we let out a joyous cheer, “HAZZAH!”
We won the battle.
(Prize: Noble Barding)

[Joshura]

I waited. A gentle breeze brought the acrid, sulfuric air from the kobold's mines, attacking my senses with the same ferocity of the earthen primal's thralls. The glint of the waning afternoon sun reflected off the decorative flourishes of my drachen mail armor.

From my perch atop the natural northern wall of Camp Overlook, I waited, not just for the inevitable rumbling quakes that would signal Titan's renewed vigor, but for those I lost, who I knew would return. Five years, I waited, that we might adventure together again.

"It's been four hours," said a nearby guard.

"Too long… He said he just wanted to see the monkeys," a softer voice replied.

"Can we spare any of ours for a search?"

"Hmm… no. He’s a big guy, anyway, he’ll be fine."

The Storm’s ranks had been depleted by the same Titanic threat that kept me here. But that’s what adventurers were for, right? I stood in as cool and calm a manner as any could and clumsily jumped towards the cliffs to the north, an area favored by the local ringtail opo-opo. Yes, I am very cool.

"Hey did you see that dragoon?" I heard one of the guards say, who I knew was impressed by my exit.

"Yeah, there was a crowned giant, blue blob on his head…"

Had I heard them say “That looks extremely silly,” I might have corrected them. If I’d heard them laugh, I might have asked what they thought was funny. But I didn’t, so I carried on my way, dodging the attention of the varied wildlife too agitated to avoid the paths of man.

I arrived at the cliffs to hear a voice moaning, an impossibly familiar, deep voice. No… it couldn't be…

A bow lay loosely upon the ground, a yalm from its unpracticed owner's hand. A sea wolf Roegadyn lay prone, arms outstretched as though welcoming the heavens. "Leon…?" I asked as I removed my helm.

Then I noticed the stench.



"Noooo…! No more…" the Roegadyn moaned. Then, "O-poop-o… yeah… that's what they should call them…"

I had no doubts left. Though there were more scars upon his face than before, it was him.

"Leon! It's you!" I removed a small tuft of Phoenix down from my pack and applied it to his chest. The wispy feathers dissolved into light as energy flowed through the massive archer's body.

"Hah, I found you!" he shouted, squinting in the sunlight as he brushed brown “dirt” from his shirt. "They said the outer cliffs of La Noscea, and I knew you'd be hanging out with monkeys."

"Uhh, sure."

"We're putting a crew together, Ali, and I want you to help us lead it. Rein's already working on the war chest."

"That smelly hyur is back, too?!" As cool as I certainly was, I could hardly contain my excitement. But… "You can't even fend off the might of a few monkeys, why would people join us?"

"Charisma, my friend. Charisma and bribery."

"A war chest, huh?" I grinned.

And thus a free company was born.


[Bluebird Earring]

[grinkdaboy]

practice makes perfect

[Rahdiyan]

The sounds of battle rage all around. Garlean forces fight against the alliance of the three Grand Companies, desperate to conquer, even as the red moon of Dalamud looms ever closer in the heavens, firebombs raining down upon the Carteneau Flats and the realms beyond them. Their leaders watch the tides of battle, even while a group of adventurers dives into the heart of the fray, fighting as long as they have strength. They must fight. They must win.

Then, from above, one of the pillars that pierces the Dalamud comes free, landing in the middle of the flats. The stunned warriors regain their senses, only to see the very moon itself crack open, but the horror does not end here; from within, a great dragon bursts forth, full of fury and destruction, which he rains far and wide, changing the very face of Eorzea. Most who look upon this incarnation of fire and death see only the impossibility of facing it, awed and despairing at its power. Who could possibly tame or end its wrath? Foes and allies alike scatter to the winds, praying for their lives as they go.

Just when all seems lost, however, a shield rises, protecting them from an oncoming blast. The adventurers cast their gaze upon a nearby outcropping, where the Archon Louisoux stands, determined and unflinching, the staff Tupsimati held aloft. Aware of the threat Dalamud posed, he and the other Archons had formed a plan—a desperate but vital one, where they would summon the power of the Twelve in order to seal away the danger that lurked within.

While the immediate threat was averted, Louisoux’s shield falters against a new attack, until it shatters completely, leaving all exposed to Bahamut’s wrath. It seems all hope is lost—but no! The other Archons, in their various locations, work to channel the power that has been released into a new form. Glowing light begins to form a new prison for the enraged primal, while the symbols of the Twelve appear around it, all directed by Louisoux himself. Hope shines as brightly as the light working to seal the dragon away.

But it was not to be so. The Elder Primal Bahamut breaks free of his prison, scattering the power that had been summoned against him, and even shattering Tupsimati. Louisoux seems to sigh within himself, and turns his attention from the dragon to the group of adventurers below him. Summoning up the last of his power, he steals them away to a safer place—a safer time—where they might prove of great benefit to the realms once more. One by one, they are stolen by the light, until their leader has but time to cast one last look up at the man who saved them by sacrificing himself.

“In one fleeting moment / from the land doth life flow / In the same fleeting moment / thou must live, die, and know.”

And so, each day, I live on, inspired by his selfless heroism.

[TheGeneral]

Aye, pull up a stool. Name’s Rolfe. Reckon you’re wanting to hear about my best time galivantin’ around Eorzea, eh? I suppose that’d be the time we fought that rocky whoreson of a kobold god.

So, picture this, see: I’m with my pals, Jon, Flynn, Whyn'tir, and Kiyohana. We’re pretty deep in our cups when Flynn says, “Ya heard Tidus was back?”

I says, “Who?”

“He means Titan.”

“Shut up, Jon,” says Flynn, throwing down more ale. “Anyway, they say he’s downright ‘extreme’ this time. Last time he was just hard.”

I laugh. “That’s what she said.” No one else laughs. They just roll their eyes. I get that a lot.

“Well,” says Flynn, goin’ on, “whatay’all think?”

“Reckon we aught to take care of him,” I says.

Next thing I know, Jon calls Flynn a fool, on account of trying to “sink us” before the fight. I have to admit, at this point I was thoroughly confused—and a bit drunk. “Sink us?” I ask. “I didn’t even know we were gonna be usin’ a boat.” Why do we need a bloody boat? Aint no water ‘twixt us and Titan! They keep yappin’, and then they turns to me. They ask me, “Sinked or unsuinked?” I have no clue what they’re even talking about, and I don’t know much about boats on account of bein’ a “landlubber,” but I know sinking is never good. “I don’t know what bein’ at the bottom of the water is gonna do for us, and I’d like to avoid sinking.” They have the cheek to look at me like I’ve sprung sylph wings on me back so I just gave ‘em a shrug and finished my drink.

Next thing I know, there we are, face to face with the big ugly. Didn’t never even get in a boat. Now I’m even MORE confused. But I aint got time for that. Titan’s look right at me, so it’s time to rumble. Flynn goes running in, yellin’ something about “Tidus” again. Got knocked right out. I would’ve laughed, but that wasn’t the time.

Now Jon—he’s usually a right moron. But on this day, he did some moves that inspired me to take up bein’ a ninja. Well, I say that, but I never did. But he was savin’ lives and stealin’ wives—least he was till he got knocked out too. Still, me an’ Kiyo ended up downing him. Put a proper beating on him, we did. Well, all’s except Whyn. She got trapped in one of them rock prisons he likes to call out of nowhere. We broke her out, just in time for the big lug to send her flying off the edge. Never saw her again. Reckon she died.

((If I win, I’d like a Scarf of Wondrous Wit))
((Don’t have any screenshots, but I did upload the fight way back when. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm-G6qJZQ0Y ))

[TheGeneral]

Aye, pull up a stool. Name’s Rolfe. Reckon you’re wanting to hear about my best time galivantin’ around Eorzea, eh? I suppose that’d be the time we fought that rocky whoreson of a kobold god.

So, picture this, see: I’m with my pals, Jon, Flynn, Whyn'tir, and Kiyohana. We’re pretty deep in our cups when Flynn says, “Ya heard Tidus was back?”

I says, “Who?”

“He means Titan.”

“Shut up, Jon,” says Flynn, throwing down more ale. “Anyway, they say he’s downright ‘extreme’ this time. Last time he was just hard.”

I laugh. “That’s what she said.” No one else laughs. They just roll their eyes. I get that a lot.

“Well,” says Flynn, goin’ on, “whatay’all think?”

“Reckon we aught to take care of him,” I says.

Next thing I know, Jon calls Flynn a fool, on account of trying to “sink us” before the fight. I have to admit, at this point I was thoroughly confused—and a bit drunk. “Sink us?” I ask. “I didn’t even know we were gonna be usin’ a boat.” Why do we need a bloody boat? Aint no water ‘twixt us and Titan! They keep yappin’, and then they turns to me. They ask me, “Sinked or unsinked?” I have no clue what they’re even talking about, and I don’t know much about boats on account of bein’ a “landlubber,” but I know sinking is never good. “I don’t know what bein’ at the bottom of the water is gonna do for us, and I’d like to avoid sinking.” They have the cheek to look at me like I’ve sprung sylph wings on me back, so I just gave ‘em a shrug and finished my drink.

Next thing I know, there we are, face to face with the big ugly. Didn’t never even get in a boat. Now I’m even MORE confused. But I aint got time for that. Titan’s look right at me, so it’s time to rumble. Flynn goes runnin’ in, yellin’ something about “Tidus” again. Got knocked right out. I would’ve laughed, but that weren’t the time.

Now Jon—he’s usually a right moron. But on this day, he did some moves that inspired me to take up bein’ a ninja. Well, I say that, but I never did, truth be told. But he was savin’ lives and stealin’ wives—least he was till he got knocked out too. Still, me an’ Kiyo ended up downin’ him. Put a proper beatin’ on him, we did. Well, all’s except Whyn. She got trapped in one of them rock prisons he likes to call out of nowhere. We broke her out, just in time for the big lug to send her flyin’ off the edge. Never saw her again. Reckon she died.

And that, ladies and gents, is the story of the mysterious boat ride what never happened.

((If I win, I’d like a Scarf of Wondrous Wit))
((Don’t have any screenshots, but I did upload the fight way back when. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm-G6qJZQ0Y ))

[seyionopico]

testing testing