2018 January - February Duelyst Lore Contest

[mmf]

Hi folks! It’s a new year and you know what that means!.. Wait, you don’t? Well, why don’t I educate you! We’ve made a few changes to the Lore Contest that should make it fairly interesting! Namely, the prizes have been changed!

Changes:

• 1st place will now receive 5 Spirit Orbs along with the title and place in next jury
• 2nd place will now receive 4 Spirit Orbs + a place in the next jury
• 3rd place will now receive 3 Spirit Orbs + a place in the next jury
• All other eligible submissions will receive one Spirit Orb

Make sure to thank @ThanatosNoa for the prize increases when you get the chance

We will also be switching back to the monthly submission deadline time period rather than the previous 3 month time period.

January’s Prompt:
Defined by Design

You have just been accepted as a 2-drop minion. Write about your experiences!

Contest Rules and Information:

• A Title or 1-2 sentences of flavor text
• 300 - 600 words per submission (Title/Flavor text not included)
• Submissions must be based on a 2 mana cost unit (lower mana cost not included)
• Submissions are only acceptable on this thread. Only 1 submission per user (edits only allowed before submission deadline ends)
• Submission deadline is from January 10 - February 7 11:59pm PST
• The Top Ten Entries will be sent to a community voting round from February 8 - February 11 11:59pm PST (Any entries from current judges will be used as examples and will not be included in the final community voting poll).
• No entry shall violate the forum Moderation Policy.

Format of Your Post should be as follows
Name of Card
Italicized flavor text or Bolded Title
Submission Text

Tips:

• Think of the culture behind each minion. Why do they exist and what do they do in Mythron?
• The clothes you wear, or even a lack thereof, tells a lot of who you are and the Duelyst minions are no different!
• Location is important so if your character is doing something somewhere then there has to be a reason for it!
• The units in Duelyst often have a lot of connections to each other and information that you can’t find in one card can often be found in another.

Prizing:

• 1st place - 5 Spirit orbs + Loremaster forum title + Place in Jury for next contest (henceforth abbreviated as JNC)
• 2nd place - 4 Spirit Orbs + JNC
• 3rd place - 3 Spirit Orbs + JNC

All other eligible entries will be awarded 1 Spirit Orb

As always, stay creative!
-MMF

[boronian]

Can I write about the best 2 drop in the game, Flash Sunsteel?

[mmf]

… Um i need a moderator here pronto. We’ve got a code yellow, I repeat we’ve got a code yellow here over.

that’s a no :[

[oranos]

or even better
flash mechaz0r

[oranos]

Suzumebachi

dont fight if you have nothing to gain from winning or losing

First they ignore you Because they dont know you

Just another fighter for the arena A desperate chance taken
A body to fill the ranks their talent forsaken
Observant eyes clouded blind to power unshown
A face in the crowd with purpose unknown
Not strong, not fast, not special To those only known as such
Just spell-fodder and bloodstains The fate of those you touch
promises of glory only one shall savor
shall end in blood of those in favor

Then they ridicule you Because they refuse to see you

Costlier than katara Who kills for fun
Weaker than chakri Who train as one
Duller than a bandit Who takes just one more
Slower than a boar As one bred for war
Untrained in arcane might hoarded and hidden
Untouched by bound blood its power forbidden
Untrusted for secrecy of the unseen attack
Unable to hold power because you hold back

Then they fight you Because they fear you

Sneakier than katara cowards one and all
Swifter than chakri how the mighty fall
Greater than a bandit whose strength rolls the dice
Cheaper than a boar whose power comes at a price
Powerful in the arcane with goals unseen
Holding the greatest secret that none shall gleen
Untainted by blood its cries unheeded
Discarded power stored until greatness is needed

Then you win Because they cannot stop you

For victory is not made of shattered bones
Not the loudest cheers or the deepest moans
Not for satisfaction of those with greed
But the survival of ones in need
For power thrown is power free
Greatness stored where none can see
Many will weep for a great long while
But even in death you show a smile

In spite of knowing what will be

Victory is in the happiness you will never see

[mmf]

I can’t believe that they actually made a serpenti emote…

[diplodoraptor]

Only since they nerfed triple-flash juggernaut. Triple dfs-variax/revenant are also strong plays (and they are possible P1T1). Blood Taura would also like a word.

[diplodoraptor]

So it’s supposed to be from the perspective of the two-drop; not the card text for a two-drop, right?

[mmf]

Yes, the 2-drop itself.

The card text can be integrated into your story though.

[d5dr4k3]

Can other cards be introduced into the story? Like having young silithar as the main protagonist but have veteran silithar as a side character?

[mmf]

Yes, so long as the narrative is written from the perspective of the 2 drop.

[boronian]

Araki Headhunter

It’s time to earn some bounty!

It took him many moons to find some trace of his prey, but he is finally hot on the trail again! Did the prey really think that his new name could hide him? And he has the gall to call himself “Dejected Thrall”. He killed his lord together with the wife and the kids before he ran away. But the Headhunter know his target’s real name, a name nobody can ever forget. It is time to end that, money is almost completely gone and he is getting tired of these long hunts. Not enough fighting for his taste, too much hunting.
Now they are in Windcliffe. The Araki Headhunter has no idea what the Thrall wants to achieve here. The city seems to be buzzing about some mercenary army being recruiting though. Maybe that’s his goal? The Hunter decides to check it out the next day. But first he sharpens his blades, smiling about the fact he gets the bounty for delivering a dead body too, that always makes things much easier and more enjoyable for him!
These mercenaries are having recruiting fights in an arena and the target is there too! The Thrall apparently thinks he has a chance to join. He is probably right about that, he is infamous for his skill with his shield and that nasty sword he has. Also for his temper, the reason the Araki is here today… A quick surprise attack during one of the Thrall’s fights and this business will be done.
He is watching the Thrall preparing for a fight. The plan is to get closer and to wait for the right moment. The Thrall’s opponent is apparently some burning guy, nasty looking. That worries the Headhunter a little bit, maybe he must step in sooner than he thought, this is his kill not the one of some living torch!
But the fight is already starting, not a second later the Thrall is under the attack of a fireball which he dodges, and runs towards his opponent not expecting that his real foe is not the one in front of him. At the same time the Araki is moving closer through rows full of spectators and possible recruits to the arena waiting for the right moment to act.
Suddenly he jumps down to the arena and runs his hands holding the grips of his double swords towards the Thrall who is moments before achieving victory. But captured by close victory he doesn’t hear the audience’s uproar nor his death coming closer till he heard a voice from behind him calling “Steve!” The Thrall froze – who knew his real name?! – and that second he froze cost him his life. His reaction being too slow turning around the Headhunter’s double swords cleanly cut his head off. While the head still rolled through the sand the Araki bellowed “I am an Araki Headhunter and claim Steve’s body, he is wanted for the murder of Lord Ironcliffe and his family! He is mine!”
The arena fell silent when they heard that there is one of Mythron’s most famous headhunter tribe down in the arena, claiming a bounty.
After a moment a mercenary captain steps forward and says: “Nobody refutes your claim to your bounty but if you are willing, we’d have a job for you afterwards…” The Araki looked at Steve’s head lying in the sand, still feeling the adrenaline’s rush in his body, considering the offer. Then he crossed his swords in front of his face, nodded towards the officer, grabbed Steve’s head and went off towards a new future.

[diplodoraptor]

I am now in a hell where I have to keep playing a pretty awful deck on ladder until I pull off the dream of dropping P1T1 variax.

[epicflygon]

How? because no 0 mana abyssian minions exsist.

[mmf]

Can’t you just triple DFS into an arcane devourer into variax?

Yes, it’d require all 5 cards in your opening action bar, but it’s possible in theory

[oranos]

no. thats why variax was nerfed to 8 mana.

the only dream play that gets variax out turn 1 is as P2
wraithling swarm/ double zyx taking 2 tiles, DFSx3, variax

acane devourer is optional since it costs 1 less, but makes variax cost 1. either way its 2 mana.

its slightly easier to get it out turn 2. for example turn 1 gor, turn 2 double DFS arcane devourer on the tile, variax

[mmf]

Alright that’s it. Since the whole Variax T1P1 has been disproven, no more discussing possible variax shenanigans here or else I’ll have to start flagging posts.

If you have any questions regarding contest submissions please post them here or send me a private message. Otherwise, have a good day.

-MMF

[diplodoraptor]

You play dreamgazer zyx and capture a Mana tile.

[beelakor]

Nightmare Operant

Even after my death - Fear the nightmare I represent

It was a stormy night under a full moon. The Sea of Fog seemed saturated the air with water of the waves gushing on the rocky shores beneath the city of Kaero. Far down by the cliffs, away from the lights of the vetruvian metropolis sat a hunched figure. It was humanoid, but the shimmer of the night sky gave away that its surface was varnished metal. The coating originally consisted out of a tarnished purple that was meant to hide the mech away from sight in dark surroundings. Though continuous sprays of water gave its shape away by a slight shimmer on its surface. Then clouds covered up the moon, casting it back to invisibility.

It was waiting. Since its gaze didn’t bother with the life in the city above it wasn’t waiting for humanoid prey. Not this time. The organization it was alleged to had a far greater contract to fulfill tonight than a simple assassination. An invasion was coming, unknown to the people and their neat little homes and sandshrouds. They were coming from the sea.

Clicking and scratching noises grew louder and louder. Then the clouds uncovered the moon. Out of the floods rose millions of carapaces with raised pincers, climbing up the cliffs with their armored legs. It was mating season for the Common Carcynus as in each time of a year under a full moon. The reason why they had to be handled - at least on this perimeter of the coast - was that these crabs were seven feet high and due to their courting habits - very agressive. In the higher ranks of Kaero this reoccurring situation was a known fact and the reason why the common people didn’t know about the danger outside was the convenient existence of silicium based mercenaries.

The mech on the cliff reacted to the approaching crabs by drawing its energy fueled sword. As the enemy was getting closer faster than anticipated it might have to fight. It raised its blade high above its head, focusing its energy on the tip until it was brimming with power. Then it released it all and a flash of forked lightning erupted with a nightmarish scream into the night sky. The first duty was done, the signal was set.

But the carapaced pests were still there. And the contract was to protect Kaero. Moreso after the late detection of their arrival. The mech collapsed a bit as it calculated its chances to retain its body in the upcoming storm of clicking pincers. A single drop of oil leaked out of its optical sensor as it processed that it would never be part of the unit it just summoned.

It had to stop its derailed program as the ground began to shake from the impact of just too many legs climbing up the cliff. Many of the dumb creatures fell back into the water or even on their own kind by the tremor they were creating. The mech noted this as a helpful side effect in his calculations. The result was still grim.

Then the first Carcynus came near to his position. With wide swings of his sword he severed stilted eyes, pincers and legs. The body tumbled down, knocking other creatures off their feet.
Right when the mech recalibrated, a dozen lovecrazed crabs stormed over his position, casually pinching off his body parts in a passive agressive manner.

The last thing the mech got to record was the auditorial signs and heat signals when the MechaZor squad opened fire on the perimeter.
Operation: Success

[mmf]

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