Shiri2005-01-05 22:23:52
Aw, is one or two really the typical size? How depressing. Well, congratulations to all those that made it! 
Lyren2005-01-07 11:05:26
QUOTE(Shiri @ Jan 5 2005, 10:23 PM)
Aw, is one or two really the typical size? How depressing. Well, congratulations to all those that made it!
25619
Oh, I have absolutely no idea, I'm only guessing.
Melanchthon2005-01-07 20:35:46
Well, it looks like I didn't make the cut. Best of luck to whomever did. Anyway, here are the rooms I submitted...
1. Along a sere lava flow. The remains of this ancient lava flow have cut a sharp path through the surrounding jungle, only the hardiest of plants finding purchase within the now-solidified stone. The porous, black rock extends a ways to the west before finally being reclaimed by the jungle, while to the east it has formed a natural road leading up towards the broken peak of a broad mountain.
2. Under a dense jungle canopy. Light struggles to reach the ground here, casting everything in perpetual twilight at best. Above, the thick foliage rustles to breezes that do not touch the earth, their shift and sway occasionally revealing a patch of sky like a spark struck in darkness. To all sides, a cacophony of insects, birds, and beasts merge together into an alien, primal soundscape. The humid air leaves everything slick to the touch, the hot vapors unpleasantly coupling with the smell of rot rising from the forest floor into a dense miasma.
3. Upon a black sand beach. The volcanic sand of this steeply sloping beach is a lustrous black, crunching under any movement. Shards of shell and driftwood stand out in stark contrast, as if the night sky had been wrapped along the ground into a path amongst the heavens. The roar of the surf is a constant companion, colossal waves cresting higher than the jungle's trees before breaking into explosions of froth upon a hidden reef some ways out into the water.
4. Within crumbling stone ruins. Testament to the fate of mortal endeavor, the partially collapsed remains of buildings lay all around, fields of rubble and the once magnificent. Windows brood like empty sockets upon the deserted streets, whatever coverings having once lidded them long since crumbled to dust. The sounds of the surrounding jungle are muted and distant, as if life had no place here. From within shadowed recesses and open areas alike, gold ornamentation glints freely, strangely untouched by greed.
5. Near the heart of a lively village. The clamor of commerce and conversation rise up all around, interspersed with the occasional shouts of some heated debate or another. Villagers throng the hard packed ground, many carrying the days catch from the sea or large jugs of fresh water upon their shoulders. The single story thatched huts they continuously duck in and out of are painted seemingly at random in bold colors and odd geometric designs. There is an overwhelming sense of vitality here, as if the people cherish simply being alive and have poured that energy into every aspect of their daily tasks.
6. Amongst the dark trunks. Smooth black trunks sweep up towards the sky to every side, their ascent ending abruptly amidst broad sprays of translucent green leaves. Below, the ground is uneven and soft with moss, scents of damp earth and bark mingling languidly upon the cool air as only recent rain can make them. Knifing through the quiet, the long cry of some unseen bird occasionally reaches out for a reply that never comes.
7. Black stone columns. Jutting from the coarse earth, tiered columns of volcanic basalt march towards the heavens, those edging the formation having broken away over time to leave a series of irregular steps to the top. The black stone is coated in the same fine dust found everywhere here, a more recent remnant of this areas creation.
8. A wilding tree amid the ruins. Flourishing amidst the foundations of some elder structure, a wilding apple tree spreads its laden boughs in shelter of the sun, casting shade nearly to the edge of the weathered stonework surrounding it. In the distance, the dark line of a forest stretches east to west, while further south a winding river reflects light like polished silver.
9. Along the hard-packed earth. Countless travelers have packed the earth of this road into a dense surface offering dust with every step. Treacherous ruts mark the habitual path of wagons along it, their depth suggesting an active trade route at some point in time. A low stone wall separates fields of grain and the odd farmhouse to one side, while a thick thorn hedge obscures what lies across the other.
10. By a rotting log. The massive log lying here has almost completely succumbed to rot, much of it little more than a mound of wood and earth. Myriad types of fungi grow happily upon its flesh, caps both small and broad lifting up as they speed this fallen tree's reclamation into the forest that birthed it. Shafts of light spear through the canopy above, occasionally spotting some insect as it scurries through its daily life.
1. Along a sere lava flow. The remains of this ancient lava flow have cut a sharp path through the surrounding jungle, only the hardiest of plants finding purchase within the now-solidified stone. The porous, black rock extends a ways to the west before finally being reclaimed by the jungle, while to the east it has formed a natural road leading up towards the broken peak of a broad mountain.
2. Under a dense jungle canopy. Light struggles to reach the ground here, casting everything in perpetual twilight at best. Above, the thick foliage rustles to breezes that do not touch the earth, their shift and sway occasionally revealing a patch of sky like a spark struck in darkness. To all sides, a cacophony of insects, birds, and beasts merge together into an alien, primal soundscape. The humid air leaves everything slick to the touch, the hot vapors unpleasantly coupling with the smell of rot rising from the forest floor into a dense miasma.
3. Upon a black sand beach. The volcanic sand of this steeply sloping beach is a lustrous black, crunching under any movement. Shards of shell and driftwood stand out in stark contrast, as if the night sky had been wrapped along the ground into a path amongst the heavens. The roar of the surf is a constant companion, colossal waves cresting higher than the jungle's trees before breaking into explosions of froth upon a hidden reef some ways out into the water.
4. Within crumbling stone ruins. Testament to the fate of mortal endeavor, the partially collapsed remains of buildings lay all around, fields of rubble and the once magnificent. Windows brood like empty sockets upon the deserted streets, whatever coverings having once lidded them long since crumbled to dust. The sounds of the surrounding jungle are muted and distant, as if life had no place here. From within shadowed recesses and open areas alike, gold ornamentation glints freely, strangely untouched by greed.
5. Near the heart of a lively village. The clamor of commerce and conversation rise up all around, interspersed with the occasional shouts of some heated debate or another. Villagers throng the hard packed ground, many carrying the days catch from the sea or large jugs of fresh water upon their shoulders. The single story thatched huts they continuously duck in and out of are painted seemingly at random in bold colors and odd geometric designs. There is an overwhelming sense of vitality here, as if the people cherish simply being alive and have poured that energy into every aspect of their daily tasks.
6. Amongst the dark trunks. Smooth black trunks sweep up towards the sky to every side, their ascent ending abruptly amidst broad sprays of translucent green leaves. Below, the ground is uneven and soft with moss, scents of damp earth and bark mingling languidly upon the cool air as only recent rain can make them. Knifing through the quiet, the long cry of some unseen bird occasionally reaches out for a reply that never comes.
7. Black stone columns. Jutting from the coarse earth, tiered columns of volcanic basalt march towards the heavens, those edging the formation having broken away over time to leave a series of irregular steps to the top. The black stone is coated in the same fine dust found everywhere here, a more recent remnant of this areas creation.
8. A wilding tree amid the ruins. Flourishing amidst the foundations of some elder structure, a wilding apple tree spreads its laden boughs in shelter of the sun, casting shade nearly to the edge of the weathered stonework surrounding it. In the distance, the dark line of a forest stretches east to west, while further south a winding river reflects light like polished silver.
9. Along the hard-packed earth. Countless travelers have packed the earth of this road into a dense surface offering dust with every step. Treacherous ruts mark the habitual path of wagons along it, their depth suggesting an active trade route at some point in time. A low stone wall separates fields of grain and the odd farmhouse to one side, while a thick thorn hedge obscures what lies across the other.
10. By a rotting log. The massive log lying here has almost completely succumbed to rot, much of it little more than a mound of wood and earth. Myriad types of fungi grow happily upon its flesh, caps both small and broad lifting up as they speed this fallen tree's reclamation into the forest that birthed it. Shafts of light spear through the canopy above, occasionally spotting some insect as it scurries through its daily life.
Soril2005-01-08 00:48:56
Hmm... A few people talking about this thing like it's finished (well, Shiri and Melanchthon anyway)...
I would have thought that there would be some kind of announcement to let us all know when the choices have been made. If there isn't, then the suspense caused by not knowing it's over could well drive a few people mad.
Please, let us know, Divinities! 
I would have thought that there would be some kind of announcement to let us all know when the choices have been made. If there isn't, then the suspense caused by not knowing it's over could well drive a few people mad.
Please, let us know, Divinities! Unknown2005-01-08 01:10:20
I heard that each God or Goddess picks a builder they want or something? Probably just that evil rumour mill grinding away in my ear again.
Shiri2005-01-08 01:18:32
QUOTE(Soril @ Jan 8 2005, 01:48 AM)
Hmm... A few people talking about this thing like it's finished (well, Shiri and Melanchthon anyway)...
26724
Yeah, I just got that impression from these boards and talking to a couple people, plus it's been about a week since we handed the things in (I think. I lost track of dates in the holidays.) I really hope it's not and there's a tonne of positions.
Unknown2005-01-08 01:34:51
Almost a week, Shiri. On Monday it'll be a week.
I hope they make an announcement. With all the recent quest coding I'm sure they're busy with other things while judging our rooms. Would be fun if they took a few of us. More cities would mean more villages, more planes, more mobiles and quests, so on.. would be logical. Then at least they'll be ready so when RP reasons come up...
I hope they make an announcement. With all the recent quest coding I'm sure they're busy with other things while judging our rooms. Would be fun if they took a few of us. More cities would mean more villages, more planes, more mobiles and quests, so on.. would be logical. Then at least they'll be ready so when RP reasons come up...
Shamarah2005-01-08 02:16:36
Yeah. At least tell us when it's ended, I want to actually know if I made it or not...
Shiri2005-01-11 00:46:46
How long did these things generally take in other IRE MUDs?
Shiri2005-01-15 19:55:42
Ahh, and they did announce it after all! Congrats everyone who got in! 
Trae2005-01-17 14:06:24
I didn't enter. These are rooms I've designed in the past.
They're taken from a single area, as a designer needs to be able to design
dozens of rooms in a single environment. Consider how much effort it takes to
write 50 forest rooms. We should all appreciate the work that the area builders
have done.
The Sewers
Dark crimson fungus covers the walls and the floor. Thick clouds of spores, drifting on a faint breath of stagnant air, cast a soft red aura over the area
and lend an eerie beauty to the desolation. As the airborne specks streak
the water, they foam, birthing frothy pink bubbles across the surface of the
murky liquid.
The Sewers
Clay drainpipes line the walls, cracked and smashed beyond repair in
some spots and partially intact in others. Viscous noxious-smelling
liquids sluggishly drip from the broken pipes to fall into the water. Briefly, iridescent ripples spread as the oily goo hits the murky liquid, before
being subsumed into the dark flow.
The Sewers
An old drainage grate rusts off to one side of the conduit. Bits and pieces
of fallen debris catch hold in the wire mesh as viscous water drains slowly
through the blockage. A sound like a gurgling death cry rings up from the
grate as sewage rushes towards unknown depths.
The Sewers
]This section of tunnel thrums with regular vibrations from below, and
bits of ooze drip regularly from the ceiling into the shuddering water. The
rhythmic pulse has taken its toll, as the conduit is riddled with surface
fractures. Further passage south is blocked by a massive grate.
The Sewers
A dark and crudely carved inscription runs the length of one column. The glyphs, engraved into the ancient rock, are smeared and muddled by filth and time, eradicating any chance at deciphering the message. The crumbling edge of a wall looms nearby, yet another building collapsing slowly under the force of the waters.
The Sewers
Large collections of rotting household debris line the sides of this tunnel. The close proximity of the trash heaps makes the darkness more tangible. Water burbles softly as the slow-moving river continues to wind its way among the obstacles, gradually removing bits from the piles and resorting the mess in random clusters.
The Sewer
Shards of glass peek out from beneath the surface of the water, ready to spear the unwary upon their filthy edges. Jagged bits of crystal take on an almost fae quality as they glare angrily in the dim red light. Small bits of refuse stream past, oblivious to their fate, and uncaring if they should collide against the sharpened shards.
The Sewers
Branches entombed in the earth above channel murky water to cascade down around the remains of a mighty oak tree. The trunk has been rotted away and its warped black form juts down from the ceiling like a jagged decaying tooth. Half-buried in the nearby stream are signs of a cobblestone walk, but the ooze has worn and warped them into amorphous shapes, and threatens to do the same to the tree.
The Sewers
Just visible behind piles of rubble, a ruined storefront has collapsed inward. Rotting strips of fabric entangle the debris, decorations for some macabre
festival of forgotten souls. The water sloshes past, desperately lapping at the cloth shreds that dangle too low, eager to secret them away in its murky caress.
The Sewers
Odd bits of smashed tile rise in jagged points above the murky water. Their sharp porcelain edges catch the surface, forcing the dark stream to ripple and waver as it diverts around the debris. The face of a nearby wall is completely concealed by a congealing collection of sludge, and while clumps ooze down to unite in the water, additional repellent drops slither down from above to replenish the muck.
They're taken from a single area, as a designer needs to be able to design
dozens of rooms in a single environment. Consider how much effort it takes to
write 50 forest rooms. We should all appreciate the work that the area builders
have done.
The Sewers
Dark crimson fungus covers the walls and the floor. Thick clouds of spores, drifting on a faint breath of stagnant air, cast a soft red aura over the area
and lend an eerie beauty to the desolation. As the airborne specks streak
the water, they foam, birthing frothy pink bubbles across the surface of the
murky liquid.
The Sewers
Clay drainpipes line the walls, cracked and smashed beyond repair in
some spots and partially intact in others. Viscous noxious-smelling
liquids sluggishly drip from the broken pipes to fall into the water. Briefly, iridescent ripples spread as the oily goo hits the murky liquid, before
being subsumed into the dark flow.
The Sewers
An old drainage grate rusts off to one side of the conduit. Bits and pieces
of fallen debris catch hold in the wire mesh as viscous water drains slowly
through the blockage. A sound like a gurgling death cry rings up from the
grate as sewage rushes towards unknown depths.
The Sewers
]This section of tunnel thrums with regular vibrations from below, and
bits of ooze drip regularly from the ceiling into the shuddering water. The
rhythmic pulse has taken its toll, as the conduit is riddled with surface
fractures. Further passage south is blocked by a massive grate.
The Sewers
A dark and crudely carved inscription runs the length of one column. The glyphs, engraved into the ancient rock, are smeared and muddled by filth and time, eradicating any chance at deciphering the message. The crumbling edge of a wall looms nearby, yet another building collapsing slowly under the force of the waters.
The Sewers
Large collections of rotting household debris line the sides of this tunnel. The close proximity of the trash heaps makes the darkness more tangible. Water burbles softly as the slow-moving river continues to wind its way among the obstacles, gradually removing bits from the piles and resorting the mess in random clusters.
The Sewer
Shards of glass peek out from beneath the surface of the water, ready to spear the unwary upon their filthy edges. Jagged bits of crystal take on an almost fae quality as they glare angrily in the dim red light. Small bits of refuse stream past, oblivious to their fate, and uncaring if they should collide against the sharpened shards.
The Sewers
Branches entombed in the earth above channel murky water to cascade down around the remains of a mighty oak tree. The trunk has been rotted away and its warped black form juts down from the ceiling like a jagged decaying tooth. Half-buried in the nearby stream are signs of a cobblestone walk, but the ooze has worn and warped them into amorphous shapes, and threatens to do the same to the tree.
The Sewers
Just visible behind piles of rubble, a ruined storefront has collapsed inward. Rotting strips of fabric entangle the debris, decorations for some macabre
festival of forgotten souls. The water sloshes past, desperately lapping at the cloth shreds that dangle too low, eager to secret them away in its murky caress.
The Sewers
Odd bits of smashed tile rise in jagged points above the murky water. Their sharp porcelain edges catch the surface, forcing the dark stream to ripple and waver as it diverts around the debris. The face of a nearby wall is completely concealed by a congealing collection of sludge, and while clumps ooze down to unite in the water, additional repellent drops slither down from above to replenish the muck.
