17th shards christmas 17th Shard's Christmas: Advent Calendar

[Experience]

Here it is! The 17th Shard’s Christmas Advent Calendar. Each day up until Christmas a prompt will be given by either me, @Ookla the Shadowed, or @Ookla the Channelknight, or @Ookla the Ethereal. The prompt will be 1-5 words, and you then make something (art, writing, music, ect.) about it. 

In addition to the word/phrase prompt, there will be an emoticon prompt. Feel free to do two separate things, combine the words and emoticons into one thing, or just use one of them. You’ll put whatever you make in this thread so everyone can see! 

You now have the next 24 hours to post your creations for today, then there will be a new prompt. You don’t have to do every single prompt, though doing so would be extra awesome!
Today’s Prompt: Tree
Today’s Emoticon(s): 
 

@Nathrangking @Ookla's Dice @Ookla the Rhadamanthine @Ookla The Female Chicken @Ookla the Shadowed @Ookla the Ethereal @Ookla the Sarcastic @Aspiring Writer @Ookla the Sly @OoklaWasTaken @Ookla the Channelknight @Chasmgoat @AmazingGoob @Ookla the Grammatical @Ookla the Naxdin @Ookla the Sprinkle @Ookla's Dice @Ookla the Tortured @Ookla the Steampunked @Ookla the Empyreal @Ookla the Bored

Edited December 1, 2020 by Ookla the Shadowed

[Channelknight Fadran]

Tree and mellow... hm.

[Nathrangking]

A forlorn tree stands alone forgotten on a mountain top. It is mellowed by aged and unashamed of it's solemn watch.

It is a guardian at the top of the world. Alight with Aurora's torch it glows.

Merry illumination colors it with a sublime palette. Emotions that it does not feel wash over it as in silence it waits and watches the far north. 

[Chasmgoat]

Spoiler

I only did the first prompt.

Edit: it's also a tad bit too green...

Edited December 1, 2020 by Chasmgoat

[Channelknight Fadran]

Almost done my entry!

Edit: I need someone to post!

@Ookla the Shadowed

Edited December 1, 2020 by Ookla the Channelknight

[Experience]

2 hours ago, Ookla the Channelknight said:

Almost done my entry!

Edit: I need someone to post!

@Ookla the Shadowed

*SIGH* Fine.

I'm almost-sorta-kinda-not-really done with mine. It depends on if I want to spend the next hour working on it to make it really good or not.

[Channelknight Fadran]

For the prompt "tree." I may or may not be writing a series...

Spoiler

“Be strong… steadfast, like the great oak tree.”
Renar frowned. “Our axes cut down the trees, though.”
“Indeed they do.” Eacil continued pacing. “There are always things that we cannot withstand. But can our axes stop the winds?”
“No.”
“But the tree does not bend before the wind, does it? It tempers it, and stands strong.”
“So… I’m confused. Which is stronger. The axe, or the tree?”
“Neither. It isn’t a question of which is stronger, but against what forces a thing can be used.” Eacil looked at Renar. “Like yourself. You are?”
“Renar. Assassin.”
“Do assassins fire arrows on a battlefield?”
“No.”
“But generals do not fall to arrows, do they?”
“No. They fall to assassins.”
“And soldiers don’t fall to assassins. They fall to arrows. So everything has its purpose.” Eacil waved his hand dismissively. “Return to your meditation.”
Renar nodded, closing his eyes. He filtered all thoughts from his mind, leaving room for the Etherea to manifest themselves. Eacil had taught him of all the Etherea: the rivers, the mountains, the storms—there were too many to list. Renar, however, attuned one of the three True Etherea: Life.
All around him, the forest lived. It felt, grew, breathed. Their roots in the ground, their leaves in the breeze. Leaves that fluttered in the breeze, no matter how weak, and roots that held against the wind, no matter how strong. In the midst of storms and fires, these trees still stood. They still lived.
He felt their power flow into him. It pooled into the emptiness that he had opened within himself, filling up the void. His breathing turned stronger, and his senses sharper, as he attuned the Ethereum of Life. It inspired him to become steadfast, like his master had said. Become stronger. Grow into something greater.
Growing… like the great oak tree indeed.
He created pathways with his spirit, letting the Force of Life flow in and out. There was no need to use its power. Better to let the forest’s life live itself. No need to take it away.
“There is a mission for you.” Eacil said.
Renar didn’t respond. He let the flow continue.
“One of the Stellamancers have gone rogue,” Eacil continued. “She doesn’t pose much a threat, but the masters believe that she may have been hiding the full extent of her powers. You are to capture her, if possible, but kill her if you must.”
Kill her if he must. The tragic responsibility of a Druid assassin; one who harnesses the power of Life must be the one to take it away.
“In her training, she tended to draw upon Betelgeuse to redouble her connection to the Ethereum of Tides,” Eacil explained. “She grew up near an ocean, so she became attuned to the water. She was one of the many students who were taken from a lower Shrine to join the Stellamancer Convent.”
“Betelgeuse.” Renar mused quietly. Eacil had taught him about the Ethereum of Aether—one of the True Etherea—long ago. In those teachings, he had also listed each star and what Forces their Aether amplified. Renar had long since forgotten most of these, however. “It will be done.”
“Then go.” Eacil slid two fingers over his hand. “Life speed you.”
Renar opened his eyes, getting to his feet and picking up his staff; not that he’d likely be using it in a fight. The flow of the Ethereum of Life slowed, filling him less as his mind became once again clouded with thoughts and feelings. The emptiness was leaving him, pulling him from the bliss of True Attunement and returning him to the harsh world of reality.
He returned the sign. “Life speed you.”

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Ookla the Channelknight

[Bearer of all agonies]

Woohoo! I like it! It's really good Fadran.

[+Doomstick]

Thank you Monty Python for the perfect addition to this thread!

Edited December 2, 2020 by Ookla the Rhadamanthine

[Mat]

2 hours ago, Ookla the Channelknight said:

For the prompt "tree." I may or may not be writing a series...

  Reveal hidden contents

“Be strong… steadfast, like the great oak tree.”
Renar frowned. “Our axes cut down the trees, though.”
“Indeed they do.” Eacil continued pacing. “There are always things that we cannot withstand. But can our axes stop the winds?”
“No.”
“But the tree does not bend before the wind, does it? It tempers it, and stands strong.”
“So… I’m confused. Which is stronger. The axe, or the tree?”
“Neither. It isn’t a question of which is stronger, but against what forces a thing can be used.” Eacil looked at Renar. “Like yourself. You are?”
“Renar. Assassin.”
“Do assassins fire arrows on a battlefield?”
“No.”
“But generals do not fall to arrows, do they?”
“No. They fall to assassins.”
“And soldiers don’t fall to assassins. They fall to arrows. So everything has its purpose.” Eacil waved his hand dismissively. “Return to your meditation.”
Renar nodded, closing his eyes. He filtered all thoughts from his mind, leaving room for the Forces to manifest themselves. Eacil had taught him of all the Forces: the rivers, the mountains, the storms—there were too many to list. Renar, however, attuned one of the three True Forces: Life.
All around him, the forest lived. It felt, grew, breathed. Their roots in the ground, their leaves in the breeze. Leaves that fluttered in the breeze, no matter how weak, and roots that held against the wind, no matter how strong. In the midst of storms and fires, these trees still stood. They still lived.
He felt their power flow into him. It pooled into the emptiness that he had opened within himself, filling up the void. His breathing turned stronger, and his senses sharper, as he attuned the Force of Life. It inspired him to become steadfast, like his master had said. Become stronger. Grow into something greater.
Growing… like the great oak tree indeed.
He created pathways with his spirit, letting the Force of Life flow in and out. There was no need to use its power. Better to let the forest’s life live itself. No need to take it away.
“There is a mission for you.” Eacil said.
Renar didn’t respond. He let the flow continue.
“One of the Stellamancers have gone rogue,” Eacil continued. “She doesn’t pose much a threat, but the masters believe that she may have been hiding the full extent of her powers. You are to capture her, if possible, but kill her if you must.”
Kill her if he must. The tragic responsibility of a Druid assassin; one who harnesses the power of Life must be the one to take it away.
“In her training, she tended to draw upon Betelgeuse to redouble her connection to the Force of Tides,” Eacil explained. “She grew up near an ocean, so she became attuned to the water. She was one of the many students who were taken from a lower Shrine to join the Stellamancer Convent.”
“Betelgeuse.” Renar mused quietly. Eacil had taught him about the Force of Aether—one of the True Forces—long ago. In those teachings, he had also listed each star and what Forces their Aether amplified. Renar had long since forgotten most of these, however. “It will be done.”
“Then go.” Eacil slid two fingers over his hand. “Life speed you.”
Renar opened his eyes, getting to his feet and picking up his staff; not that he’d likely be using it in a fight. The flow of the Force of Life slowed, filling him less as his mind became once again clouded with thoughts and feelings. The emptiness was leaving him, pulling him from the bliss of True Attunement and returning him to the harsh world of reality.
He returned the sign. “Life speed you.”

 

 You stole my idea! (Not for the story/series itself, but the idea of doing a story series.)

Guess I'll start drawing  

[Channelknight Fadran]

15 minutes ago, Ookla's Dice said:

 You stole my idea! (Not for the story/series itself, but the idea of doing a story series.)

Guess I'll start drawing  

I stole nothing, Mat, and the fact that I'm doing a series does not mean that you can't!

[Vapor]

The first thing I thought of was a christmas tree being graded badly. I'm sorry for all you art people out there. It hurt me to draw it.

[Mat]

22 minutes ago, Ookla the Channelknight said:

I stole nothing, Mat, and the fact that I'm doing a series does not mean that you can't!

Hehe. It’s fine as I hadn’t started it anyway.

[Bearer of all agonies]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Rhadamanthine said:

Thank you Monty Python for the perfect addition to this thread!

Bro. I’m dying right now.

[Hen]

YAY Advent!!!!

I am by no means an artist, but I still want to participate, so here’s my drawing for the day! I might have a few days I miss, but I’m trying to do a Polaroid drawing everyday!

Spoiler

Also this is my 500th post woot woot.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Ookla The Female Chicken

[Experience]

3 minutes ago, Ookla The Female Chicken said:

YAY Advent!!!!

I am by no means an artist, but I still want to participate, so here’s my drawing for the day! I might have a few days I miss, but I’m trying to do a Polaroid drawing everyday!

  Reveal hidden contents

Also this is my 500th post woot woot.

You aren't. An artist. 

Ya right.

[Mat]

Don’t. Ask.

[+Hoiditthroughthegrapevine]

Here's a picture of a fallen tree in the woods today, I didn't edit the color at all, the tree was actually even more purple looking than in the picture. 

Crazy. 

[+JesterLavorre]

OK, this is way more whimsical than I usually write, but let's go (for the prompt: tree):

 

Spoiler

 

Layla was awoken by a tree shaking her shoulder to the sound of a Tyrannosaurus’ roars.

So, it was pretty much a normal day for her.

Layla brushed Tree’s hand from her shoulder, sitting up to rub her eyes, blinking rapidly to try and banish the glaring sunlight from her pupils. Once Layla’s eyes had adjusted, she looked over to where Tree stood at her side.

Tree was, as his name suggested, a tree. Layla couldn’t figure out what type he was, and it seemed to shift with his mood. Some days he would be an evergreen, with needles that got stuck in Layla’s sock no matter how hard she tried to avoid them. Some days he would be a maple, with wide, pointed leaves that fluttered in the wind. 

Today, Tree’s leaves were yellow and brown, the colors of autumn just turning to winter. They fell from his branches as he moved, twirling to the ground. One of those branches was the one that had rudely roused Layla from her sleep. Now, Tree stared at her with his two eyes that Layla guessed she could consider as old and wise, but really looked more like they were squinting while staring directly into the sun.

In speaking of which… Layla quickly pulled her sleeping bag back up over her head, blocking out both Tree’s eyes and the morning sun.

“Not now, Tree… Let me sleep. I can save the world afterwards.”

“*Grrrrggkkk*… “ Tree’s speech sounded like the branches of an old oak blowing in a subtle breeze. “We.... need… your assistance… Lllllayla.” Layla’s name was stretched out to a highly unproportional length by a last groaning creak.

“No, Tree! Humans need sleep. If I don’t sleep I’ll die!” Layla neglected to mention how long that death would take.

Tree paused, his leaves rustling in the wind. It sometimes took him awhile to decipher her statements. Maybe Layla could get in some more sleep in the meantime… But no, the grogginess had drifted from her mind, and a new voice sounded from outside Layla’s barricade of sleeping bag fabric.

“Layla, “ It was Meg, her singsongy buzz of voice sounded normal Layla, after the past year. “Layla, Dinosaur and Space Rock are fighting again." 

Sighing, Layla threw off her sleeping bag, a puff of leaves bursting out into the air around her. Apparently, Tree had been standing here long enough for them to pile up. One landed on Layla’s curly red hair, and she brushed it free, looking toward Meg.

Meg was a Dragonfly. Technically, she called herself something else, putting forward that she had separated from Dragonfly long ago. Layla respected her wishes, but also couldn’t pronounce Meg’s true name, so Meg would have to do.

Meg was also massive. Layla barely noticed it anymore, but Meg was over two feet long, with a similar wingspan. She said she was supposed to be smaller, but humans heard “giant prehistoric insect” and thought big. Layla couldn’t fault ‘em for that.

“So,“ Layla asked, “what’s the problem?” 

“Mmmmm, “ Meg hummed. “As I said, Dinosaur and Space Rock are fighting.”

“Again?” Layla would have thought Space Rock would have separated by now. Didn’t enough people know the difference between comets, meteors, and asteroids yet? Layla had been posting about it on the Shard for weeks now. She would have thought it would be enough.

Meg continued. “We need your help with her.”

Layla groaned. “Why?”

“Because she’s the only one with enough power to take on both Space Rock and Dinosaur. And you’re the only one she listens to.”

Sighing, Layla packed her bag with Rhythm of War, her phone, and a breakfast bar and climbed down the treehouse ladder. Really, she was excited for this. She liked quests. She just wished she had time for breakfast.

Being the only human who knew about the Spirit World was fun, but also tough. It was a lot of responsibility, and Layla was ready for it.

 

Sequel coming tomorrow!

[Bearer of all agonies]

6 hours ago, Ookla The Female Chicken said:

YAY Advent!!!!

I am by no means an artist, but I still want to participate, so here’s my drawing for the day! I might have a few days I miss, but I’m trying to do a Polaroid drawing everyday!

  Reveal hidden contents

Also this is my 500th post woot woot.

What do you mean, you’re not an artist? 

[Channelknight Fadran]

11 hours ago, Vapor said:

The first thing I thought of was a christmas tree being graded badly. I'm sorry for all you art people out there. It hurt me to draw it.

*snorts*

Amazing

7 hours ago, Ookla The Female Chicken said:

YAY Advent!!!!

I am by no means an artist, but I still want to participate, so here’s my drawing for the day! I might have a few days I miss, but I’m trying to do a Polaroid drawing everyday!

  Reveal hidden contents

Also this is my 500th post woot woot.

Ooooooooo. Fadran LIKEY.

7 hours ago, Ookla's Dice said:

Don’t. Ask.

Too bad. I'm asking.

5 hours ago, Ookla the Mok Turtle Soup said:

Here's a picture of a fallen tree in the woods today, I didn't edit the color at all, the tree was actually even more purple looking than in the picture. 

Crazy. 

It was... purple?

3 hours ago, Ookla the Sprinkle said:

OK, this is way more whimsical than I usually write, but let's go (for the prompt: tree):

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Layla was awoken by a tree shaking her shoulder to the sound of a Tyrannosaurus’ roars.

So, it was pretty much a normal day for her.

Layla brushed Tree’s hand from her shoulder, sitting up to rub her eyes, blinking rapidly to try and banish the glaring sunlight from her pupils. Once Layla’s eyes had adjusted, she looked over to where Tree stood at her side.

Tree was, as his name suggested, a tree. Layla couldn’t figure out what type he was, and it seemed to shift with his mood. Some days he would be an evergreen, with needles that got stuck in Layla’s sock no matter how hard she tried to avoid them. Some days he would be a maple, with wide, pointed leaves that fluttered in the wind. 

Today, Tree’s leaves were yellow and brown, the colors of autumn just turning to winter. They fell from his branches as he moved, twirling to the ground. One of those branches was the one that had rudely roused Layla from her sleep. Now, Tree stared at her with his two eyes that Layla guessed she could consider as old and wise, but really looked more like they were squinting while staring directly into the sun.

In speaking of which… Layla quickly pulled her sleeping bag back up over her head, blocking out both Tree’s eyes and the morning sun.

“Not now, Tree… Let me sleep. I can save the world afterwards.”

“*Grrrrggkkk*… “ Tree’s speech sounded like the branches of an old oak blowing in a subtle breeze. “We.... need… your assistance… Lllllayla.” Layla’s name was stretched out to a highly unproportional length by a last groaning creak.

“No, Tree! Humans need sleep. If I don’t sleep I’ll die!” Layla neglected to mention how long that death would take.

Tree paused, his leaves rustling in the wind. It sometimes took him awhile to decipher her statements. Maybe Layla could get in some more sleep in the meantime… But no, the grogginess had drifted from her mind, and a new voice sounded from outside Layla’s barricade of sleeping bag fabric.

“Layla, “ It was Meg, her singsongy buzz of voice sounded normal Layla, after the past year. “Layla, Dinosaur and Space Rock are fighting again." 

Sighing, Layla threw off her sleeping bag, a puff of leaves bursting out into the air around her. Apparently, Tree had been standing here long enough for them to pile up. One landed on Layla’s curly red hair, and she brushed it free, looking toward Meg.

Meg was a Dragonfly. Technically, she called herself something else, putting forward that she had separated from Dragonfly long ago. Layla respected her wishes, but also couldn’t pronounce Meg’s true name, so Meg would have to do.

Meg was also massive. Layla barely noticed it anymore, but Meg was over two feet long, with a similar wingspan. She said she was supposed to be smaller, but humans heard “giant prehistoric insect” and thought big. Layla couldn’t fault ‘em for that.

“So,“ Layla asked, “what’s the problem?” 

“Mmmmm, “ Meg hummed. “As I said, Dinosaur and Space Rock are fighting.”

“Again?” Layla would have thought Space Rock would have separated by now. Didn’t enough people know the difference between comets, meteors, and asteroids yet? Layla had been posting about it on the Shard for weeks now. She would have thought it would be enough.

Meg continued. “We need your help with her.”

Layla groaned. “Why?”

“Because she’s the only one with enough power to take on both Space Rock and Dinosaur. And you’re the only one she listens to.”

Sighing, Layla packed her bag with Rhythm of War, her phone, and a breakfast bar and climbed down the treehouse ladder. Really, she was excited for this. She liked quests. She just wished she had time for breakfast.

Being the only human who knew about the Spirit World was fun, but also tough. It was a lot of responsibility, and Layla was ready for it.

 

Sequel coming tomorrow!

It's amazing!

[Experience]

I'm almost done with my tree. I'll edit it into this post when I finish. If someone wants to post after me I can put the next prompt.

Edit: 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Ookla the Shadowed

[Channelknight Fadran]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Shadowed said:

I'm almost done with my tree. I'll edit it into this post when I finish. If someone wants to post after me I can put the next prompt.

A gift, mortal, to the heretic.

[Knight of Iron]

Oh boy I just found this I better post before the next prompt ahhh

If you ever doubt your abilities as an artist, behold me

Spoiler

idk why its so small

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Knight said:

Oh boy I just found this I better post before the next prompt ahhh

If you ever doubt your abilities as an artist, behold me

  Hide contents

idk why its so small

 

TREE EMOJI!!!