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    Founders Week Writing Contest #2 - The Covenant

     

    Gentlebeings of the Covenant, it is my pleasure to announce that for Founders Week there will be not one but two writing contests going on!  This is the second of the two, a writing contest about the Covenant of the Phoenix itself.  I want to know what brought you to this guild, why you chose to join, what your initial thoughts were and/or what being in the Covenant has done for you.  This is Founders Week so it's only fitting if I force you all to get a bit mushy and focus on what the guild really means to its members.    :haha:  Even if your origins aren't specific to this chapter, it's still ok to get into them!

     

    RULES:

    1) These stories have to fit in one (1) post on the forum without attachments or links to other websites.  This is  not a place for an epic twelve volume 500-page-a-pop novel series.  Though if you could type that much about the guild itself, I would be very impressed.

    2) The subject matter has to focus on yourself and the guild.  ...So long as it doesn't violate any other rules.  I gave an outline in the first paragraph of some potential hooks, but if you want to discuss your relationship with the guild outside of those feel free!  Those are mere examples.

    3) Keep it as close to PG as you can.  Avoid swearing.  No graphic sexual content.  No disturbingly described violence.  If a forum moderator has to delete your entry you will be disqualified from both writing contests.  Keep in mind our forum rules.

    4) Do not disparage any other guilds, past or present.  This is a place to discuss how you've come into our family and what it means for you.  This is not a place to vent and rage about your previous guild.

    5) All entries must be received by Sunday 4/7 by 2 PM EST to be considered! MONDAY 4/8 by 9 PM EST (when maintenance starts) to be considered!

     

    Below this post will appear an example I prepared of my entry into CotP and what it means to me.  This is prepared as an example, I am not participating in the contest since I'm helping run it and will be a judge.

     

    WINNER SELECTION:

    I will be selecting somewhere between 3 and 5 entries myself that I believe fit the spirit of this contest the best.  Whether they be touching or a story that embodies the ideals of Covenant of the Phoenix or just something I believe has a shot.

    After I have selected these entries, I will open up a voting contest on the forums for all CotP members to vote on the winners.  The three entries will be our first, second and third place winners!

    I welcome votes from ALL members of CotP, even those from outside of our chapter.  This writing contest is more than just SWTOR, this is about the spirit of Covenant of the Phoenix as a whole.  However, prizes are in-game for SWTOR Shadowlands Server, so those not in this chapter are asked to refrain from creating their own entries unless they intend to join us.  And you are, of course, more than welcome to!

     

    PRIZES:

    First Prize - Cartel Crystal (Winner's Choice)

    Second Prize - Cartel Pack (Winner's Choice)

    Third Prize - Black Market Cartel Pack

     

    Let me know if you have any questions and good luck to all entries, I look forward to the no doubt touching reading material!

    Edited by Govic
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    THIS IS NOT AN ENTRY IN THE CONTEST UNLESS THERE ARE THREE OR FEWER ENTRIES; THIS IS INTENDED TO BE FOR DEMONSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY

     

    To me Covenant of the Phoenix means more than just a group to play a game with.  SWTOR may be a fun game, but the majority of the fun I have on here is through the guild.  Our brotherhood keeps things fresh, even on my fiftieth time through content.  Without CotP I doubt I'd still be as avidly into the game.

     

    Wapo, who recruited me into Covenant of the Phoenix, I owe you a real debt man.  I know health issues keep you from being around as much these days, and that's a real shame because it's not the same without you.  I'm extremely grateful that I decided to, while I was at work toying around on Cie'ren during a lunch break respond to a shout.  I had joined swtor to play with some friends, but they were very casual and already somewhat burnt out on the game.  I had been trying to keep up my own momentum, but MMOs get boring without friends to play with consistently.  Then, one day, while I was at work fooling around during a lunch break on Ord Mantell I saw a guild recruitment shout.  I almost ignored it and moved on because I had limited time.  It was the best fluke decision I've made in a long time to go against that common sense.

     

    But Wapo's not the only one I owe a debt to.  I had been growing less and less fond of my first character, Govic, especially as I experimented with other new characters.  I found him boring and flimsy and as I began to get into endgame content my frustrations only grew.  Then Valcuria took the time to train me.  My rotation was almost exactly wrong, he helped me learn how to play Combat spec the right way and took the additional time to help explain the whys to me too.  Without him I would certainly have never been part of Progression now.  Not only did you help me learn to play my character right, but you rekindled my fondness for him.  For that, I will always be grateful.

     

    Also to Arlan and Drekken, I want to thank you both for continuing to drive and encourage me to improve.  You've both been a big help with your guidance, even if in a more indirect way than Valc.

     

    The guild has been a warm, open place.  We may all not always get along completely, but we are all civil and welcoming.  I consider many in the guild to be a friend, and it's a privilege to get to play with such an incredible group.  As an officer, I strive to repay the kindness the guild has shown me, not only to those who have helped me but to everyone else in the guild as well.

     

    You guys rock, and I'm glad to be here!

     

    THIS IS NOT AN ENTRY IN THE CONTEST UNLESS THERE ARE THREE OR FEWER ENTRIES; THIS IS INTENDED TO BE FOR DEMONSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY
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    Many, many moons ago my journey began in the lands of Vorringia of Shadowbane. Back then, my calling was to be a firery Confessor metting out religious justice to whom I saw fit. Although I was not yet a part of the mighty covenant I sought shelter elsewhere within the ranks of the Iron Knights. My time there tempered me into a well disciplined and decorated soldier, helping win countless massive battles against our enemies as well as protecting our own borders against attack. My time in Vorringia was cut shorter than I had hoped brought forth by the demise of the lands until they closed the borders forever.

     

    My travels then led me to the lush wilderness of Dantooine, one of the many inhabited worlds in the Galaxies realm. Still I had yet to join the Covenant but found my place in the ranks of The Hitmen. Whilst on dantooine I mastered the art of piloting starcraft and was quick to become a venerable force known to many in the Kessel System. I soon became what was known as Force Sensitive and after a visit from an old man I began my training to become a Jedi Knight. But alas due to a change in the governing body my training was cut off just as I was about to achieve that glorious title and I left the lands in search of a new adventure.

     

    I was soon found wandering the fields of "The Place That Shall Not Be Named." and all I could think was WOW....how can anyone get drawn into here. I left there after only a week or so and moved back to Dantooine. 

     

    I stayed on Dantooine, once again under the flag of The Hitmen, until The Galaxies demise and eventual closure of its borders. Homeless, and clueless as what I was going to do I moved to the glorious realm of Telon.

     

    One day whilst wandering the barren plains of the Cotre Infineum Sanctus in the world of Telon I, being a young Paladin, was making my way through the desert bringing justice to those who would cause trouble and pain to those that could not defend themselves. Chatter in this area was scarce, when a lone voice shouted out for any lost souls looking for shelter and friendship came from a Necromancer named Dreadcraf. I quickly answered and was welcomed into this wonderful community. Within the first week of my admittance, I knew I had found a lasting place for my travels. I learned that the small close knit community that I had come to love and respect was only a fraction of the membership that spanned multiple realms I was ecstatic. For I knew that where ever my travels would take me I would have kindred brothers at my side. I stayed in Telon for a good while, eventually becoming an officer of my chapter. There I stayed in the background mostly, doing what was needed, still leery of what my true purpose that was unfolding. The leaders of this group had unexpected issues arise and had to leave with no clue as to when they might return. This left us without stable leadership and in a state of dismay. I stepped up to the plate and soon found myself as the weary leader. I helped my group grow for more than a year. gathering strength in numbers as well as close allies that aided us in our quests. While we did not achieve our glory of the old days, we were able to tackle the hardest missions and dungeons once again. Eventually I had to leave as a new chapter was being created and needed a stable leader. I left the world of Telon in the capable hands of my closest officer and set out once again.

     

    My Force Sensitiveness brought me to Tython in the lands of The Old Republic seated in the midst of a brewing conflict between the galaxies two major super powers. Here I completed my Jedi training and became an honored Jedi Knight.  Our new chapter grew by leaps and bounds. I couldn't have been any happier on the progress our chapter was gaining. We grew so much that I recruited a Co-Chapter leader to assist. Arlan who had leadership positions prior to joining our ranks was the biggest boon to our chapter at that time. He brought great leadership ability and knowledge to the chapter and we grew even more. We surpassed the once largest chapter in the community by far, and eventually had to recruit yet another Co-Chapter leader, DarkFalcon. The three of us, along with the awesome officer core, met the challenges head on, and conquered most of them. We have had a few setbacks along the way but have powered through them all and set out to better ourselves and the chapter. Eventually we have even risen to the top ranks of the realm as far as the difficulty in our operations, and still push onward to new goals.

     

    Through all of my travels I have never found a better place to be than within the Covenant. The comradeship showed between its members and leaders is by far the closest I have come to know. If not for that one fateful day in the plains of Telon when I heard the call from Dreadcraf, I would never have known what it was like to be a part of this wondrous community. I have set down my roots and will continue to grow under the protection and caring of this guild. There will never be another place that I will call home no matter where the winds take me. I will always know that my brothers and sisters in arms will be at my side braving the unknown with me. There is no better feeling than that. I hope that most of you feel the same way I do about our great community, and choose to stick with us in our combined adventures, and rise through the ranks and eventually become leaders yourselves. The lessons I have learned here will not only pass with me to the new areas I venture to, but will be engrained in my everyday life. 

     

    In closing I would like to thank all of my past and present leaders, officers and members that have made my time with this group the best experience I have had. And wish each of you fair weather and safe travels.

    Edited by Eldonis
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    Monday Night

     

    My daughter approaches me, her entire frame utterly soaked through and dripping all over my living room floor. We get into a brief argument about the status of the floor, in fact. That, and why it is she’s soaked in the first place, of course. Heck, the girl had just come into the house from outside, and I’d watched her trying to sneak past the nearby doorway, so I knew very well she’d been doing something nearby she wasn’t supposed to be doing.

     

    “Why are you all wet?”
    “Well, see, mom … there’s this creek …”
    “Stop. Are you telling me you jumped into some standing water, here in Louisiana, where alligators hide in weeds and leeches wait to suck your dang blood?”
    “Ewww, mom, that’s gross!”
    “Exactly! What’re you doing jumping in water outside?”
    “Well, see, I didn’t exactly jump in there. There was a log that went over the creek. And well …”
    “Is this where you tell me you’re never going to win an Olympic medal for gymnastics?”
    “Yep.”

     

    I decide it’s much more fun to join that night’s Imperial-Side Guild event. Which is where I realize my Operative is never going to be an Olympic medal-winning gymnast, either. That understanding came around the time he tumbled for the third time into the pit of the Ziost Shadow as we continued trying to race around its edges.

     

    Figures.

     

    Tuesday Night

     

    My husband settles a long, flat box onto my lap. I glance at the label on top. “Fifty? Are you serious? I’ll never be able to eat all of that.”

     

    “Well, I certainly hope you can’t eat fifty chicken wings in a setting. You’d blow up three times your normal size, woman, sheesh!”

     

    “Nah, I’d keel over here on the living room floor. Death by chicken wing overdose. We’d have to call in paramedics, maybe.”

     

    “They’d never believe it. They’d haul me in front of a judge determined to prove I did something to kill you. Some lawyer would come up with a brilliant defense. Maybe they’d blame the chicken. No, wait! They’d blame your guild, for scheduling a raid night that runs late so that you had to survive on chicken wings.”

     

    “That makes no earthly sense, babe. Not when they want my chicken wings, too. Listen to them!”

     

    We sit there, listening to the Progression group I’m running along with as they debate the merits of various chicken wing flavors in Mumble. It seemed most of them were inclined to enjoy honey barbeque wings, in fact. We did hear someone argue for Jamaican Jerk.

     

    My husband rolls his eyes. “Why do you even play with those people? It’s obvious what the best chicken wing flavor is! And not one of them even mentioned Buffalo Wild Wings Spicy Garlic, god.”

     

    I couldn’t answer. Not with a chicken wing stuffed in my mouth as I rapidly pressed buttons to heal the group’s members through the “slippery slap” blows the Gargantuan Lobel was currently dishing out.

     

    Wednesday Night

     

    My daughters are arguing. Again. This time it has something to do with the kitchen. I look through the doorway into the tiny space that composes our kitchen to see them standing face to face, both pointing at each other angrily. My oldest looks bitter, with her pale skin flushed red with upset.

     

    “It’s your turn! I washed the dishes last night!”
    “So what? I had to do laundry! Why don’t you try doing that for a while and see how you like it, huh?”
    “You didn’t do my laundry. Know why? Cause I do my laundry myself! That means I did laundry AND washed the dishes! Hah!”
    “Jerk!”
    “You are!”

     

    I sigh in a loud and dramatic fashion, grabbing at their attention. Both girls stop to look over at me, to where I’m situated on the sofa. My eleven year-old has managed to come up with a pretty good number of tears in her pretty eyes. Why is it that of all my kids, it’s that one child who’s never failed to pluck at my sappiest feelings? Geez, maybe my husband is right and kids are born with some kind of magical ability to get over on their parents.

     

    Hey, maybe it’s a Force ability of some sort! Where’s a Jedi when you need one?

     

    “I don’t care who did it last. You! Wash the dishes! And you! Sweep and mop the floors! How’s that for compromise?”

     

    My oldest pouts. It’s not as effective as her sister’s tears. Poor girl. “What’re you going to be doing, huh, mom?”

     

    “Me? I’m going to sit comfortably here on the couch hunting mobs in Section X after earning a salary all day that allows you both the chance to argue over cleaning dishes I bought and paid for that you both used to eat food I bought and paid for in a kitchen that I bought and paid for, and trust me. I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”

     

    Thursday Night

     

    My husband’s computer is loosing booming Panda noises. Or is it monkeys? I can’t tell, except that it’s gosh-awful to listen to.

     

    “Get rid of the rodents, for crying out loud!”

    “What? There are no rats in my game!”

    “Aren’t Pandas big round rodents?”

    “No! They’re bears!”

    “Well, then. Get rid of the bears! They make too much noise!”

    “Maybe you should turn down your game, instead!”

    “We’re fighting Nightmare Pilgrim, can’t turn it down.”

    “Wait a minute. You’re complaining about my black and white bears while fighting some dude dressed up in black and white clothes?”

    “Not THAT kind of Pilgrim!”

     

    Friday Night

     

    I’m not going to log on. If I log on, I’ll be playing for hours. I may end up staying online until the wee hours of the morning, before crawling wearily into bed and bumping my husband out of the warm spot his body would’ve made. Because I like the warm spot, dangit!

     

    I won’t log on.

     

    No, I won’t.

     

    Because I’ve got better things to do, television shows I need to catch up on, books and stories I need to be writing, something.

     

    Not running another alt through the game.

     

    No.

     

    Not even for a moment.

     

    Not one.

     

    But …

     

    What if the guild’s running an operation?

     

    Okay. Maybe I'll take a peek …

     

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    • 2 weeks later...

    Deadline for entries has been extended to MONDAY 4/8 by 9 PM EST when Maintenance starts!


     


    Happy writing!

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