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Questors Bold III: The Game Begins
By: Fwirl
Today, Questors Bold III begins-a tale of excitement and intrigue that will take both readers and contestants on an unforgettable journey to amazing destinations. It was quite a road to get to this, the kickoff date-from the very first announcement, through the month of applications, the selection of the Top Thirty by Fwirl and Erin, the voting for the Final Ten, and now, to the very first posts of the Tale-it's been an exciting and challenging journey already for audience and contestants alike. Who can tell what the next months will unveil?
This contest is dedicated to the memory of Josh Boycott, founding member of Terrouge and previous Editor-in-Chief. He was active in such contests, competing in the very first ROC: Survivor! and putting in work on QBI and ROC:S2. His contribution to the evolution of Survivor-style games in the ROC was an important one.
We have a very talented and diverse group of writers this time, with equally diverse (and fascinating) characters. Four good beasts, four evil, and four neutral; male and female, young and old, species ranging from the mouse, squirrel and otter to more exotic kinds such as a mongoose.
The goodbeasts are mainly young. Nian Leafbright, a squirrelmaid afraid of heights, has nonetheless spent her short seasons trying to conquer her phobia-all the more so because her father is a Champion climber. Vitora's family and friends shun her because of a terrible deformity that has left her crippled-crippled of wing, and especially galling shackle to a young bat. Kearney's shackles are more literal-he is a slave, useful only because he can read and write, tolerated by his masters despite his daydreams. The oldest of the goodbeasts is the mouse Lyosha Obolenksy, who has almost as much familial expectation to live up to as Nian-though of a more matrimonial nature.
The vermin range in age, from youngbeasts suddenly tossed into a strange and unfamiliar world to experienced rogues for whom the world has long been their oyster. Madame Claude is one such, subsisting on kidnapping and robbery as she moves from town to town, a wicked weasel indeed. Possibly just as wicked is Ildiko Soska, a marten who puts her dancing talents to more illegal uses-such as a front for theft. A rogue who isn't exactly sure that he is a rogue is Torry Steggims, a quick-pawed little thief who has been taught to obey his Master no matter what he may order. Perhaps the only one not obviously pursuing illegality is the deaf wildcat Almakar, whose short span of seasons have been spent dependant on his mother as he learned the business of hunting of hares in a silent world.
The two neutral beasts are both more obscure species. Fidget Alytirp is a young robin who may not be the most accomplished singer in the family, but certainly has the most enthusiasm for music-along with a quietly festering irritation with his sister Flirt. The mongoose Romiette Sundell makes the tenth Questors-a snake-hunter who is trying to recover from a terrible encounter with the serpent Ssthaisss which has left her horrifically injured and grieving for lost kin and comrades.
All these characters will set out on separate journeys, Quests that will lead them on to strange lands, curious adventures and (for some) even more curious doom. Every day the tale grows, exciting twists and turns building on one another. It all starts with the prologue, which sets the stage for the mysterious and complex adventure to follow, as week by week writers are voted out and characters meet their fates. In the end, three characters will remain, and the audience will pick a favourite. Who will come out on top? Which writer will last to the very end? Only time (and your votes) will tell.
The QBIII site is here. This is where you can view the Questors' biographies (with portraits by the fantastically talented Gloria Higginbottom. See more of her art at her Yerf gallery at http://yerf.com/higgglor), peruse the story as it unfolds, and cast your vote. In addition to reading the tale, you can discuss it with other readers on the Terrouge Forums. Once a week you'll have the chance to participate in a tribute-writing contest-the audience will write poems and songs to honor the character who's been voted off that week, and the best will be posted on the QBIII site.
This is looking like a really good contest, with many weeks and months of great story ahead. We're looking forward to seeing how it unfolds (I hope you are, as well). So-what are you sitting here reading this article for? The players have lined up and game is beginning-go get a front-row seat.