The Game of Perfection - A World Design Game

[AgentPaper]

Inspired by a game of the same name run on one of the other forums I frequent, I'd like to try something a little different here. That game was based around designing magic cards, but I think the same kind of game could be lots of fun here with World Design.

Specifically, the purpose of this game is to write and assemble a series of backgrounds, short stories, maps, histories, and other such bits and pieces to build a fully-fleshed out campaign world. Each week, I will set a challenge, to create the perfect bit of fluff. For example, I might say "Write the backstory for character X who is the current ruler of nation Y. It must be two to four paragraphs long, and provide two adventure hooks." Everyone would then have the rest of the week to write up this backstory and submit it. I'll read through them, pick the winner, and post the next challenge.

Whoever wins the most contests by the end of the game, will become the judge for the next Game of Perfection. Since these kinds of games take a lot of time and effort for the participants, I'd like to request that nobody post any "copy-cat" games, so we only have one of these going at a time. (We don't need a repeat of the "Vote up a X" fiasco :smallwink:)

At the end of the contest, I'll choose a few of the contestants to aid in polishing up all the submissions to turn them into a usable format. Most likely this will be the people who have won the most contests, but that's not a rule, so don't lose hope if you don't win a lot.


Anyways, I think that's enough explanation for now, let's get onto the first challenge:

Challenge #1: Write the creation story for the world.
This can be either a literal account, or myth and legend, or both. Whatever the case, remember that this will go a long way in shaping the rest of the set, so make it good! I would suggest 4-6 paragraphs for this, but no strict limits, at least for now.

You have until 12:00PM Friday, January 27 to submit your entries.

[CoreBrute23]

This is going to be a bit different, so bear with me...

The Settlers of Steel
Before man was man, and death's blessing was but a dream, the realm was naught but the demon Khmer. All that existed, lived on his shell, feeding and breeding as parasites. The world was suffocating, dark, hot, and barren but for the shell of the demon you stood on. The parasites caused nothing but pain to themselves, and to the demon they fed on. There was no rest, for if you slept, the demon would move, and you would be left in the void for eternity.

On the day the visitors came, the parasites hid from the blinding light that emmenated from the metal carpaces. The Settlers seemed forged of the most miraculous of metals, beautiful in their faceless glory. There were six settlers; Battle, Death, Penance, Desire, Thought and Assembly. When they came, they brought weapons, first fending off the parasites, before assaulting the World demon Khmer itself.

The demon tried to fling them aside, but they held on tight with chains and whips. The demon tried outrun them, but they slowed him down with aggrevating injuries. He attempted to eat them himself, but steel was too strong, and their mettle unflinching.

The demon cried out, "What is happening? Why do I feel this way?" And at that, Death answered, "today is the day you met me. Today is the day you stop running." With those words the demon moved no more. From his corpse, the settlers grew a world, and brought life to it, mortal life.

Many of the parasites died, thrilled to be free from their painful existence. Others though, those who drank too deeply of Khmer's blood, feared their end, and ran to live the existence as best they could-by spreading pain, in all it's forms.

OOC: I realize this may seem a bit emo, and I apologise, it's not intended that way. I just thought it would be interresting to have a creation story where death isn't feared. Because when things die, new life can be formed, creating a circle of life, rather than the straight link of never ending pain, Khmer wanted. Khmer came from a misunderstood google search, don't ask.

I also thought it would be interresting to have a story which actually sounds like a warforged creation story. The six settlers are all oposites, in a round about way.

Battle/Death. Battle requires life, and in the eyes of some, a never ending quest for glory/honor. Death is the end of this journey.

Desire/Penance: Looking into yourself versus seeking more outside yourself.

Assembly/Thought. Assembly, because they are machine gods, but it requires physical action to create. Thought represents the planning going into this.

What do you guys think? Any confusion?

[Elemental]

According to an opposing creation myth, there was nothing in the beginning save for a blinding light and the dark goddess Myserata. The light irritated Myserata's eyes and caused her great pain, as such, she clawed her own eyes out in desperation. However her divine nature regenerated them, and the pain returned seemingly stronger than before.

After aeons of trying to permanently blind herself; Myserata began to believe the light was mocking her, always growing brighter and more penetrating. Driven mad by the agony, Myserata lashed out at the light. To her surprise, it fell back before her power. Laughing madly, Myserata condensed the light into a single point and imprisonned it within an impenetrable sphere of darkness.
Finally at peace and able to rest, Myserata fell asleep for hundreds of millions of years...

As it transpired, the light was alive and possessed of a cruel sentience. Focussed to a single point by Myserata's divine power, the light eventually began to grow more intelligent and more cruel. It began to experiment with its power and found that it could weaken its prison, but never destroy it.
But its power grew, and eventually it would escape...

Just as Myserata began to stir in her sleep, the light burst from its containment, blinding her. The light took form as the demon Verinon, and he challenged Myserata to mortal combat.

After millenia of conflict, Myserata was victorious. Unable to destroy her foe, she surveyed the results of their battle. The universe was strewn with the wreckage of objects created as part of their battle. Struck with inspiration, she created a physical prison for Verinon at the centre of creation. Buried under the weight of what became the Sun, his power was essentially nullified, though he was able to create as much light as he wanted.

Myserata then turned her attention to the remainder of the cosmos. She created a world orbitting the Sun, with the intention of populating it with creatures to aid her in Verinon's eventual escape. However, she soon grew tired of her labours before finishing them to perfection. She crafted the Dark Sun to shield her from Verinon's light, and within it she now slumbers.


It's a touch long, but I though it would be interesting to have light associated with evil.

[AgentPaper]

Love the entries so far, just a reminder to everyone that you only have until the end of this Friday to submit your entries.

[Lizard Lord]

The Dreamer:

A great beast of unspeakable horror and beauty flew through the endless void past countless rocks and stars. It is the last of such things for its brethren perished in the blast that made the stars. So it flew through the void, alone for longer than even it could remember.

As it flew the eons of loneliness tugged on the beast and it grew tired. So it was the beast closed its eyes and slept. As it slept it also began to dream.

It dreamed of beings that had also perished in the birth of stars, beings that had been born after, and beings that have never existed at all. It dreamed an age of swords and sorcery, of heroes and villains, of gods, monsters, and men.

The longer it dreamed the more real its dreams became. The world of its dreams eventually formed around it and took a life of their own.

[KoboldCleric]

On that first, most ancient day,
ere fowl did play and serpent stray,
ere beast did walk and hunter stalk,
all did come to fate and talk;
and some were wise, and some were witty;
and some were plain, and some were pretty;
and some were swift, and some were strong;
and some were lithe, and some were long,
but fate was just and fair in bane,
and each to each she gave them reign:
To fowl she gave the wind to bear
his song so sweetly through the air;
to serpent gave she waters deep,
all his secrets there to keep;
to beast the dirt and brush and waste,
to wrack and ruin in all his haste;
but each to each, and just as fair,
she gave them onus, pride to pare:
the fowl has space for wings to spread,
but not a place to rest his head;
the serpent dark to mask his lies,
and yet no truth to light his eyes;
the beast with all his might and run,
naught to eat save brother and son;
but man was wise and held his tongue,
his fane, his folly, his pride unsung,
to man she gave his heart's desire:
art and craft and tools and fire.
His strength lies not in body or mind,
but in his dream to taste divine.

~ Ancient Adlet Creation Story

Heavily inspired by T. H. White's _The Once and Future King_, I offer a creation myth that puts the onus on the creatures of the world themselves rather than on any external forces; I'm specifically curious to see how the playground would handle the interaction between races in such a world. I also attempted, with this myth, to present the duality of freedom and confinement as well as liberty and equality as the unifying themes of the setting while leaving the actual context through which it is presented largely open for interpretation.

Having read each of the submissions before mine, I'm curious to see where this thread goes regardless of which foundation we build upon.

[radmelon]

The following was found in ancient ruins, long forgotten.

Before there was this <untranslatable, ‘world’?>, there was the one <untranslatable, ‘above’?> . This <untranslatable, ‘world’?>was, and is, greater and more complex than this one. The denizens of that realm were, and are, greater and more intelligent than the denizens of this one. They had, and have, greater and more powerful <untranslatable, ‘spells’?> than we do. It was one of those <untranslatable, ‘spells’?>, long ago that gave our <untranslatable, ‘world’?>existence.

For the greatest minds of the greatest realms of this greatest <untranslatable, ‘world’?>were bored. There was nothing more that could be learned without astounding costs, more than anyone would pay. They could not learn these things in their <untranslatable, ‘world’?>. And so, for the first time in a longer time than can be conceived of, they had a problem. The minds thought. And they thought. And they thought. After an amount of time as equally countless as the amount of time as they had not had problems, they came to a solution. A new <untranslatable, ‘world’?>would be made, lesser and simpler than theirs. And so they got to work, their greatest <untranslatable, ‘mages’?> constructed a <untranslatable, ‘abacus’?> that would contain this world. And when it was ready, they <untranslatable, ‘activated’?> it.

It was on that day that the world we know was created. Uncountable eons ago, this <untranslatable, ‘world’?> was created. Since then, the creators have not forgotten us, for they are watching us, and keeping the <untranslatable, ‘abacus’?> functioning. For them we learn what they cannot.


So yeah. We're just a simulation. Let the Matrix jokes begin.

[Howler Dagger]

Once, a long time ago, the world was one of many planes, each overlapping, created by the collective dreaming minds of the Gods. The demons and devils had used this to wage war upon the angels, for any plane could access the other. They fought endlessly before the Angels once again tried to seperate the Planes again. "Without fire we have no warmth!' The Mortals cried, when the Elemental Plane of Fire drew far. The angels ignored their plees, and the mortal world fell into a great winter. As the angels were repeled by the demons again, they seperated another plane. This time they chose the Feywild. "Without our life-stuff, no plants may grow!" And so they fell into a time of famine. The angels kept on losing the fight, for at this time the Mortals, who could do nothing else, had joined the war. The angels seperated another plane, while thd peaceful mortals shouted" Without the Elemental Plane of Earth, we cannot walk " They lived in a never ending state of falling.

The Demon Lord Pzazuzu looked upon the mortals and was saddened. "I now what it is like for everything to be taken away. But I am powerful, I can rebuild your mortal world! I shall completely merge the Elemental Planes of Life, Air, Earth, Fire, and Waater to create a utopian balance of the elements for you. I ask for naught but aid in the fight against angels! Who shall join me?"

The mortals agreed to his plans, not seeing the trikery behind them. They fought against the angels, and drove them back to the Astral Sea, where Paazuzu left them. He fulfilled his promise, merging the 5 elemental planes together to form a new world.

But the emptiness of the cosmos left a void, and it uncovered something that even the Gods did not know of: A tear in the fabric of the universe that lead to what became known as The Far Realm. The monsters poured into the universe, and had nowhere to go but the mortal world. They invaded, leaving the mortal world in ruins, and each day becoming a struggle for survival against the horridness of the Far Realm.

[megahobbit]

Creation myth

Our world was once a void. Then the dragons came. There were ten each named after the color of there hides. They were,
Red the greedy,
Green a rageful,
Blue the vain,
Black the corrupt,
White the beast,
Copper the trickster,
Brass the peacemaker,
Bronze the tactful,
Silver the valient,
and,
Gold the wise.
They discovered there Life, so they used Life to forge a world of valleys and rivers, hills and mountains. But they noticed the world was barren and thus the first species were created
Gold created the elves, protecters of the woodlands and wise mages,
Silver created the dwarves with there steadfast cide of honor,
Bronze created the halfings, and showed them how to build boats and live by the river,
Copper created the gnomes, tricksters and illusiusionists so they could share in his jokes,
Brass created humans, and gave them a choice on what they should be.
Red created the orcs, sharing in his greed,
Black, created the goblins and all there descendents so he could use them for war,
Blue looked at they others and scoffed, they are inferior to me he thought, I will create a race that resembles me for I am the greatest dragon, and so he created the xenophobic kolbolds,
Green created trolls and impleted a small part of life in them giving them there regenerative ability,
White created the gnolls as beastial as he was.
There species then worshipped them as deities in turn. They made many more species and everyone was happy, for a time.
Red decided he would expirement on shard of Life, he corrupted it and the undead were made. Gold, Silver, Bronze, Brass, and Copper wanted Red to be banished. The other dragons came to his defense. Brass was not able to meditiate a desiscion so war broke out. All the species fought for there dragon-god. The Dragons saw this and were sad. Seeing what the had done saddened each dragon and so using Life they reproduced themselves ,hid Life deep away and thus deperted this world.

[Lizard Lord]

So entry submission ended yesterday correct?

[AgentPaper]

So entry submission ended yesterday correct?

Yes, sorry. I'll post the results tomorrow, and the next contest will start then.

[AgentPaper]

Sorry about the delay, but the winner is Kobold Cleric's Ancient Adlet Creation Story. I like the vague nature of it, since it allows for a lot of freedom in interpretation in all the other contests we do. I also like the idea of the various creatures of the world being important, but as always I'll let the playground decide exactly what it all means.

Honorable mention to megahobbit, I have a soft spot for primordial dragons, but was turned off by how it locked us in to using the standard DnD races. We could still certainly use those, but for now I think vague is best.


Challenge #2: Describe a race, culture, civilization, nation, or other major organization.

For this challenge, I want you to write some piece that reveals one of the major forces in the world. This has to be something that exists currently, so no long-dead civilizations. Your piece should be fairly sweeping and hint at what else could be there, rather than a literal description of places and people. We'll go into more detail for each one later on.

For this contest, I will most likely be choosing a number of winners, but you can still only make one entry. I will post the results on Sunday, Feburary 5th. (For reals this time!)

[Elemental]

Hmmm... A powerful organisation...

The Holy Church of the Solar Phoenix:
Short name: Church of the Phoenix.
This is an important faith in the northern lands and is endorsed by a number of states. The heirarchy of this faith often sends out missionairies to convert non-believers, occasionally launching a small crusade against this or that "pagan" state.
The Church used to be much more widespread in past centuries, having ten times as many followers, but it is making a slow comeback.
The faithful also revere two other deities who are said to aid the Phoenix in her duties. They are the Silver Tiger and the Great Serpent.

[The Zoat]

Hang on, does the creation myth outlaw non-human humanoids?

[KoboldCleric]

Hang on, does the creation myth outlaw non-human humanoids?

I think the idea is that the answer to this question is really in the eyes of the beholder (or the respondents of more recent challenges).

From the author's perspective I'd say that such was most assuredly not my intention; though the myth is certainly anthropocentric, there is no context to explain who or what "Adlet" is at all. Adlet could refer to a race, a culture, a civilization, or nearly anything else; this point has yet to be determined. Perhaps the Adlet merely have no knowledge of other humanoid races; perhaps the Adlet are arrogant to the point of refusing to consider other non-humans as equal. These are questions for the playground at large to answer, and I admit I didn't give it much thought myself; I merely stumbled upon the Adlet of Inuit mythology (which are, incidentally, humanoid) during the course of an unrelated study and liked the name :)

[CoreBrute23]

In the Dark you can't see our lies, But in the Light we find no truth-
Creed of the Black Water Masks

Welcome young one, you have travelled far. I see bruises on your bodies, but they do not sting as much as the wounds in your heart? We have many of your kind come to us, young and innocent who believed the words of others as binding as steel. But when pressure was placed, it tore like the parchment promises are written on.

Those of the Black Water Masks are descended from those legendary few who were granted by fate the privilege of escaping the light. Oh yes, you have heard the stories, but our punishment was a blessing in truth. We were taught to hide our lies, while discovering honesty, is a fiction. If oaths and promises, of love or trusts were binding, how come so many are betrayed by those we held close to us?

When we wear our masks, we can put our history behind us-for it too is a fiction. As they say, history is written by the victors. So we bear no heed to those tales. We spread lies, and we hold them as universal currency among those who cannot hide from the light. And our currency always has value.

So welcome young one, to the Brotherhood of the Black Water Masks.

OOC: What do you think? I kept the organisation very vague. Is it a species only one? Is it a tribe of ninjas, a conspiracy behind the throne? Behind all the thrones? What is their final objective? Do they have powers, and if so what?
I tried to take a line or two from the original creation myth, hope your ok with that KoboldCleric. I think that was the objective.

[Ajadea]

In the beginning

Everything here is dead, or dying. The earth is brown, cracked and scarred. Deep, ragged, gashes plunge down to the heart of the world. There are bones, certainly, but no other signs of life. What can the animals eat? No doubt they'd eat us if we let them. And the heat! We too look like the earth, all cracked and brown and burnt.

The chase has stopped, perhaps because no sane person would enter this wasteland. But where does that leave us? Starvation and thirst can kill as surely as a spear can. And if we are lost, our burdens will never be found again.

Have we escaped one threat only to succumb to another?
~~~
One by one they stepped forth

In the darkness, there is water. In water, there is life. So it is that we continue, in the dark. Isolated. I have not walked the surface of the earth for many years, and the children are born without knowledge of the sun. We have buried ourselves willingly and scorned the sun's touch. We have given up our traditions in favor of moving forwards and onwards. We have traded spears for pickaxes and freedom for life.

I find myself wondering if we were not cheated.
~~~
Destiny was never straightforward

We have built our land into the rock, and composed songs of pride for surviving here. I never thought to be proud of my life. We all muddle along in the darkness. Civilization grows along the shores of the wide, rushing, river like some strange parasite. People trickle in - we know not from where. But they stay, and we welcome them to stay. They bring their tales and traditions, and we make both our own even after the people themselves have long since crumbled to dust. Music rises to my ears, outlining the cavern in perfect detail.

Gems are poor substitutes for flowers. Power does not ease the pain of loneliness.
~~~
With their own hands

Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it. This is a fact I have seen. Century after century, the same tales play out with different actors. These misdeeds are forgotten as quickly as they began, only to repeat in some other place, some other time. We keep mockeries of our history. Truth and lies interweave so tightly that only one who has lived those events would know the difference. Our purpose has twisted and not even I can remember why we are here. But we cannot leave this place. Even as my people strive to forget, even though we have lost so much, we cannot seek better lands because we remember, still, far too well.

It is not safe, and it will never be safe.
~~~
Claimed to be everything

I do not fear him now. I sit here, waiting and watching every day for his approach. It does not take a seer to know he comes for me. Death comes for everyone in the end.

I stand here alone in the sweltering heat, a chalice in one hand. My children do not like the sun. It blinds them - it blinds me as well. But I want to see the light, the true light, once more, before I die. I want to remember all that has been forgotten. I want to live my last moments as myself. Not as the powerful leader I have been. I have had enough of telling others what to do. Not as the mouldering relic they see. My people have shunned the past, and with it, their respect for those of the previous generations. And I, as the last of the first generation, am a link to a past they wish to forget.

Footsteps behind me. Of course. Even now, even here. The wheel must turn and the line of succession must move forth. I take a sip, and the poison courses down my veins.

I will not give them the satisfaction of knowing they have slain me.

-----Fin

I don't know what race these people are, but it's told from the perspective of one of their leaders, who apparently has been alive since his/her people first ran from... wherever it is they were before, to this wasteland. It draws inspiration from the creation myth without quoting it too much.

I like to think of those italicized bits as fragments from some other work, mostly forgotten.

[megahobbit]

The Tribe of speaking skulls

Climbing up the mountian you feel the rocks crumble as you climb up. You have to do this you think, i cant shame my tribe. You have spent your years hunting and fishing learning the ways of your ancestors. Today is the day you become a man, complete this task and you will get your tatoo. Its been hard but there is no backing out know, you must prove yourself like your ancestors have. Your thoughts go back to the village thinking of the day when your brother was born, how he was brought to the river and was blessed by the ancestors. Thinking about the ancestors you realize you will finally meet them. Nearing the top you climb the last few ledges and find yourself staring at a cave. Walking in a voice calls out of nowhere. "You have made it to the cave of skulls you are know ready to become a man." Coming closer you notice nothing but an array of skull all staring at you.

I sort of imagine this race as a tribal people who worshipped there ancestors.
(PS thanks for the honorable mention)

[Storm Bringer]

Challenge #2: Describe a race, culture, civilization, nation, or other major organization.

For this challenge, I want you to write some piece that reveals one of the major forces in the world. This has to be something that exists currently, so no long-dead civilizations. Your piece should be fairly sweeping and hint at what else could be there, rather than a literal description of places and people. We'll go into more detail for each one later on.

For this contest, I will most likely be choosing a number of winners, but you can still only make one entry. I will post the results on Sunday, Feburary 5th. (For reals this time!)

The Most Serene Elven Empire.

the Empire is old. When humans were a collection of plains dwelling nomads, Evlen scholars were mesuring the size of the world with nothing but a stick, some math and a bit of intelligence. When humans made thier first, crude copper axes, Master elven smiths worked Mithril into forms so beautiful they are beyound discription. when the first human mage cast his frist cantrip, Elven wizard lords cast spells that reshaped the very land, and created the fertile plains that still form the evlen heartlands. as the humans raised thier stone circles to thier gods, The elves raise a catherdral to thier own gods so large it could seat a hundred thousand,


the Empire is old. is it also a shadow of its former self. Once, nearly the whole continent bent their knees to the Most Serene Emperor, but now, only the old heartlands of the eastern river plains are still elven, the rest lost over centuries of decline and policitcal infighting. Where once the Elves were supreme, now humans, dwarves, halfings and other races hold sway.

However, no "longer supreme" is not the same as "weak". though many lands are lost, the Empire is still stronger than any one of its nighbours. It could be great agian, with the right leaders in the right places. Prehaps the Age of Elves will come agian.......

[Acco Spoot]

Baron Mor,

I was introduced to fear at a young age, the horrors of a life in combat I found could not be properly committed to the quill, lest its fear lose grip over those who seek to institute it.
My life as a retired courtier of your pleasure, however, introduced me to feelings of such high anxiety I cannot easily reconcile.

I sought to better understand my position within the court, being a courtier of reward, unconnected to the blood of my common parents.
There was always a suspicion which followed me, a cadre of noblemen who sneered and made explicit, humiliating punishments, I suffered the thievery of possessions and playing of hoaxes well enough, knowing that my place was assured by your word.
It was the occurrences which began five solstices previously to this letter, upon the approach of a previously well met servant of your court whose name I bare not to mention, I was drawn in, quite warmly, to this noble family and began my tutelage as his ward.
My social respect, upon acceptance of this request, was greatly raised, I felt the burden of judgement lifted and, I am quite certain now, an impression of nauseous fear.
My master began an education of hedonism, his words were never quite malicious, tempting in their framework and very pleasant in its bed of compliments, I was told that I possessed the spirit of old heroes, the nobility only a true warrior could understand, not of my peers.
I was enamoured, taking my moments of studious reflection to absorb what my wise lord taught, I practiced the feast of bounties, gorging upon the bounty of food, til I became sickened with the pale tastes of the conventional, titillating myself with the pleasures of the flesh, til I was no more willing to compete in the pursuit.
More I pushed, exploring my masters teachings, entertaining the exotic first, then the shameful and before long the outright repulsive.
Those moments, fleeting though they were, and I made certain to excuse myself from your presence, of realisation prompted a harrowing expulsion of emotion, fear, sadness and a crushing depression, I would hide away as I bawled.
I had been made ready, my spirit I believed empty of compassion, I desired what my master hath prepared for me.
I try to remember very little of the ritual, I believe I have made a conscious decision to pretend it never occurred, there was a woman, quite young, pale and with the figure of a noble, she was draped in a silk modesty cloth, restrained to a wrought iron frame over a shallow pool.
I felt nothing as I lowered the frame, acting instinctively, possessed by the knowledge of my desire, I wished to see her dead, I am repulsed to consider my emotions, but they were so sharply drawn, my abstinence from joyous emotions having been so long and so slowed I took a shamefully great pleasure as the woman sank into the ice cold water, her screams drowned beneath the liquid.
As I watched her thrash upon the frame, the water crashing from the pool edges, my master came to me, he held me, a cadre of figures emerging into the tiny hall, they smiled, a great ecstasy had overcome them and though my own enjoyment was twice theirs I felt their jubilant stares focused upon me, upon my deeds.
I realised what I had become, I realised the enjoyment of my brethren sucking out a harrowing shame of my corruption, as the water settled and the frame ceased its motion I dropped to me knees and began to weep.
My master leaned into my ear, he whispered, and I shall never forget;

"The fear of corruption shall forever possess your kind, and as long as you hide away crying in corners, punishing yourself with guilt, holding yourself to arbitrary rules, it will please us."

I fled, the throng exalting behind me, their celebration over my soul reaching a feast of sins as I ran. I exited, just outside of the city, I dare not say where, trembling, harrowed and mournful. I remained in the cold for days to come, hoping to forget, to be forgiven.
My return to the city shortly thereafter was the most haunting of my memory, I was welcomed by smiles, from the dark corners of the market square, behind the stalls of the market, out of windows and from every noble family who sought to watch me, pale skinned and terrified as I was in the city that day.

I confess these things to you in the hopes that you recognise the threat, but not that you seek to engage them, there's is a world which will meet your punishments with a festivity in ecstasy.
I cannot bare the horrors I was burdened with, I end this letter with my own life, it is the only escape I cannot perceive will be to their pleasure.

Forever Your Faithful Servant.
Sir Dusan.

[I went the evil cult route, choosing to make them obsessed with the idea of hedonism to the extent they are so desensitised they can now only take pleasure from the destruction of someone else's immortal soul.]

[CoreBrute23]

For this contest, I will most likely be choosing a number of winners, but you can still only make one entry. I will post the results on Sunday, Feburary 5th. (For reals this time!)

What are the results? It's Monday, GMT time anyway.