The Twelve Labours: General Discussion

[Holmishire]

I've submitted… something. Inspiration didn't strike until the last three hours before the deadline. I think it fair to say that should there be a time for my reign of terror to end, it would not come as a surprise for this labour to be the assassin that pulled the trigger.

[PlatinumSkink]

Was a little late considering how little I had to read, but here are my opinions on the entries.

How to Make Them Equal

... I am immediately reminded as soon as I start reading that I already know how this is going to end due to the labour. Suppose the REAL labour is about how to take that and still make a good story. God knows I failed. Now, how did you do?

My, ain't you portraying the ideal leadership. Why does that feel like a dream too good to be true? Hah.

… Yeah, it was like that, wasn't it.

… Well. That's one depressing way to do it. It tells a story, which in a way is beautiful. It tells exactly what it needs to tell, nothing more, nothing less. A steady, perfectly paced flux taking place over many years towards an inevitable end. It reads well. Nicely done.

Though, I'd never read this for my own enjoyment. It's not an entertaining story to share and like. It just is. But, suppose that's fitting for the labour. I'll applaud this. Sigh. Oh, well.

Forward

I'm a bit confused. Was there, like, a time-skip between each paragraph? He went very quickly from being amused to not being amused. Like, a single sentence with the explanation to why coming first after, which was rather jarring. But, as far as I can tell, there's this giant being/world or so that the people worship, but then they fight each other over it and eliminate themselves, pretty much? … Hm. Okay. Yeah, suppose that's about it.

Going Home

I do still hope you pass. Even if you only got three hours to write. Now, let's read.

Oh. So because they were going to leave Ariana behind, Metzi burned the ship to punish them. But, by doing so destroyed Ariana's hopes of coming home. So, like, the ship was her link to her world, and it was destroyed. … … … Like that? Well. I certainly see how you came to that reasoning.

The writing is as good a quality as always, despite the lack of time you wrote the entry on. These are characters that I feel I wouldn't have minded to learn more about. Alas, circumstances are circumstances and inspiration doesn't come when we want it. But, for what it resulted in, good job. Haha.

[Terminal]

Perhaps there is more to that superstition about four meaning death than one might think.

[PlatinumSkink]

@Terminal Lllllllllllllllllet's not be too hasty there... Whatever you're referring to...

[PlatinumSkink]

... Well. My official explanation in my head was that, because Kurt had inspired Earth to take over the world with him, that had made Earth a large enough threat to be eliminated. That's why, because they idolized Kurt, they made themselves a large enough presence that the Ruwdans felt the need to blast them all to pieces, and that's how Kurt was responsible for humanity destroying themselves through being inspired to fight by him...

But eh. Suppose that didn't do it. Hah.

I'll make a more proper reaction to the reviews a little later.

[Holmishire]

Beyond the crushing defeat that I have suffered in this Labour, I'm a little relieved. Had I somehow passed with that entry, I would have seriously begun to worry that I was incapable of failure—a terrible prospect for anyone who seeks to improve themselves. Not getting the Eighth's Accolade was but a warning. It is only now that the challenge has truly shown its teeth to me.

I do not think that I need to reply to the reviews directly. They were spot on.

Also, @RomanAria, your title drop game is strong.

[RomanAria]

The last time I entered a labour (which was number two (Gosh I feel like a useless excuse for an author now)), Terminal used a title drop in his review of my entry and did it in such a way as to completely devastate me. Ergo, I decided that using title drops as a line of encouragement might not be a horrible idea. ^.^ @Holmishire

[PlatinumSkink]

Response to RomanAria

Er. Someone who fights because of the main character. The Ruwdans are only fighting on Earth because Kurt fled there. How exactly is that not ”fighting because of them”? ... Oh, well.

I'm happy you found things about my entry worthy of being described as ”beautiful” and ”lovely”, haha. … Yeah, now that you point that out, that one sentence is very odd. My apologies for that. And, er... I naturally structure my paragraphs as I find them the most readable. Which, er, ends up being like that. Hm. Not sure what I can do about that. Oh, well.

Thank you for your review.

Response to Terminal

... Ignore my last post, that's not what I was thinking at all. I did not get the memo that it had to be allies that destroyed everything. Because, the enemy is entirely driven by want. They want nothing more than to hunt down Kurt Fortitude. The degree they want him is enough to hunt him across the galaxy and declare wars on worlds just because he landed upon them. That was my reasoning. And then, on top of that, the world would not have been destroyed had not humanity been inspired by Kurt to fight with him to take back their planet. Essentially this results in Earth being destroyed in a war about who gets Kurt Fortitude. And that's what I saw as that it would pass the criteria. … Oh, well. Oh, well. OH, WELL.

Yeah, the detail about that Ruwdan limbs detaching when injured was something I came up with during the planning-phase, but somehow it never ended up in the story until way back then because my own failure to actually make use of it before then... XD

In any case, yeah. I do believe I see what you're saying. Hm. I shall see what I can do next time I write an action-scene.

Tihi. I really liked my odds-thing. It was inspired by that, in the scenario, the odds are heavily, HEAVILY stacked against him. It became annoying after a while, huh? Somehow, this does not make me regret it at all. My apologies. Haha.

Thank you very much for the review!

[Terminal]

Hello everyone, just a quick announcement here. The penultimate labour will be starting on Thursday, September 1st.

Mostly for scheduling reasons but also because it is simply neater that way. Do not question it.

[mdk]

This is an intriguing challenge. Much to explore on this theme...... I must carve out some time for this one. First instinct is to revisit Gogue with a natural follow-up I hadn't considered until this very moment, but then, creation is always more fun.... Hmm. Gotta think.

[PlatinumSkink]

... I am happy to say inspiration struck at once. Let's hope I've properly understood the Labour this time around.

[Loksfjoer]

Yes, unlike the last labour I actually have an idea for this. Let's make this work.

[shylarah]

The sidebar needs to be updated. *goes to see what the new labor is*

[Habibi359]

Just wrote something, for now I'll let it age and continue working with it after few days.

[PlatinumSkink]

... So. During the week-end I hardcore smashed down a pretty lengthy entry that I was inspired to write. But, as I'm finished, I realize three problems.

1. I don't like the ending, and the entire entry is built to build up said ending and I can't really change it.
2. I didn't actually feel an urge to ever read it again after finishing writing.
3. I'm pretty sure it's going to fail the labour based on two minor technicalities in a row that together make an error.

Mumblegnuff. Alright, so either I have this grow on me and convince myself that the technicalities won't actually fail the entry, or I write another one. ... Hahahahahahaha... Geesh.

[Loksfjoer]

I've got the story planned out in my head and wrote down the first paragraph. It will be a multi-part story again, in which the first part will be the one that is actually needed for the labour. Much like with the demon's contract. Although this time I want to finish the whole piece rather than just the part that is needed for the labour...

[mdk]

New inspiration. I think it's pretty great but we'll see..... now to actually, you know, WRITE it....

[Jig]

Write a story about your character being sought out by another. While both should be remarkable individuals, they are not to be equals - upon their collision, your character must perish, and either overwhelm or else empower their foe. Otherwise, your character might elect to evade the confrontation - afterwards, they shall wane and forevermore be fated to mediocrity, a pale shade of their former self.

@Terminal

To clarify, "your character" is the Mary Sue archetype? Or can "your character" be either the seeker or the sought?

[Terminal]

<Snipped quote by Terminal>

To clarify, "your character" is the Mary Sue archetype? Or can "your character" be either the seeker or the sought?

@Jig

Your character should be the Mary Sue archetype.

[mdk]

Aaaaaaand done. With the first draft anyway. Gonna look it over tomorrow before sending it in. I can't decide whether I nailed my idea or got distracted by something sorta close to it.

edit: sent. Hope people like it.