Secret World Legends Love on Gaia Writing Contest

[Vomher]

March 20, 2023 9:24 PM→April 22, 2023 11:59 PM

Love on Gaia Writing Contest

Love is an ineffably powerful force of the Immaculate Machine: the beloved and loving Gaia. Love flourishes in even the Dark Days. There is no end to the love found on Earth its Dimensions between and amidst their inhabitants. Cherish Gaia and those on Her while contemplating the power of love in all shapes and sizes – its many feelings and forms. Love can be found everywhere on Gaia. Love on, Gaia, Love on!

From the moment the vernal equinox heralds Spring on 20 March 2023 and all the way through Earth Day on 22 April 2023, take your time to exercise your storytelling skills in service of love and Gaia Herself by writing a short story of love!

Power of Love

Craft a story centered around the sweet subject of love as found in the setting of the Secret World experienced by Non-Player Characters or Player Characters using a minimum of 500 words and then post it in the Horned God category according to the criteria outlined in this contest so that your words may in turn be loved!

Whether it is Gaia’s love of her sweetlings, love between those living on Earth and the various Dimensions, or love of something immaterial, love is love. Love exists between friends, neighbors, family, concepts, ideas, foes, and all those that exist. Love encompasses far more than romance.

Dwell deep on love itself and allow your hearts to soar high. Exemplify love with your story. Your words will flow so sweet. We hope you taste and see.

Chosen Categories of Love

There are many forms of love in a multitude of philosophies debated throughout the ages. Four of such concepts have been chosen to represent varieties of love found throughout the hearts of Secret Worlders, Gaia and Her sweetlings all, and every being who lives and loves on Gaia.

Judges will review story submissions for the following four categories of love:

• Agápē - Unconditional love: Selfless love and affection for others, altruistic no matter how requited the love may be.

• Eros - Passionate love: be it romantic or platonic, sexual or asexual. Love is love.

• Philia - Friendship love: the love inherent in friendships of all kinds. Friendships are love, too.

• Storge - Familial love: the love between family, be it born or found or person or pet.

Rules and Criteria

• Submissions must contain at minimum 500 words and MUST contain love found in Secret World Legends in some way, shape, or form as a central focus in order to qualify.

• Stories submitted must be posted in the form of a thread on the Horned God subforum category and must be prefaced with the prefix Love on Gaia: in front of the story name in the title of the thread.

• Each submitted story thread must include the story tag. If the story is about player characters and not non-player characters, the character tag must then be used alongside the story tag. Failure to include these tags may result in the entry being missed by the Custodians, and it is therefore in your best interest to tag appropriately.

• Submitted story threads must include the the nickname of the character to whom prizes may be distributed as posted by the entrant as well as the category of love that their story is to be entered into.

• The writing must be your own work. By submitting an entry, you agree that it is your own writing and that it is in no way plagiarized.

• Only one entry per player per category allowed.

• Please keep entries as Safe-For-Work as Secret World Legends itself. We will not be able to judge intensely sexually explicit stories. Please consider use of the ‘fade to black’ should things start to get too steamy in your scenes.

Deadline

Love on Gaia story entries will be accepted from 20 March 2023 at 21:24:00 UTC through 22 April 2023 at 23:59:59 UTC. No more stories of love, no matter how beloved their contents, can be accepted once the clock strikes midnight. Our Custodians cannot accept submissions sent outside of schedule.

Prizes

Participation: All who submit a qualifying story will receive One (1) “the Romantic” title item for your chosen character, allowing you to show your knowledge of love on your nametag as the only players to so far receive this new title! In addition, qualifying participants will receive One (1) ever-adorable “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” clothing item!

• One (1) “the Romantic” title item.
• One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” clothing item.

Runner-Up Winners: One (1) “Heart Pajamas, purple” award item, One (1) “the Romantic” title item, and One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” for your chosen character. The “Heart Pajamas, purple” item grants both the “Heart pajamas, purple” and “Hooded heart pajamas, purple” clothing items and is exclusive to the Valentine’s Day Community Contests!

• One (1) “Heart Pajamas, purple” award item.
• One (1) “the Romantic” title item.
• One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” clothing item.

First-Place Winners: One (1) “Cat ears headset, pink” clothing item, One (1) “Special Agent Dossier: Jack Boone” agent dossier item, One (1) “Heart Pajamas, purple” award item, One (1) “the Romantic” title item, and One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” for your chosen character.

• One (1) “Cat ears headset, pink” clothing item.
• One (1) “Special Agent Dossier: Jack Boone” agent dossier item.
• One (1) “Heart Pajamas, purple” award item.
• One (1) “the Romantic” title item.
• One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” clothing item.

Grand-Prize Winner: One (1) piece of digital artwork by fellow sweetling “Maru-Maru” depicting a scene from your Love on Gaia story, One (1) “Cat ears headset, pink” clothing item, One (1) “Heart Pajamas, purple” award item, One (1) “the Romantic” title item, and One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” for your chosen character.

• One (1) piece of digital artwork by “Maru-Maru” depicting a scene from your Love on Gaia story.
• One (1) “Cat ears headset, pink” clothing item.
• One (1) “Special Agent Dossier: Jack Boone” agent dossier item.
• One (1) “Heart Pajamas, purple” award item.
• One (1) “the Romantic” title item.
• One (1) “Kawaii Revenant t-shirt” clothing item.

Samples of Maru-Maru’s wondrous works can be found on their thread, Maru-Maru’s Art!

Isn’t this precious?

We think so, sweetlings.

Announcement

Winners to be announced after 28 April 2023 on the Funcom Forums. Stay tuned to the hum of the hive!

We cannot wait to set our incandescent eyes on your stories and excite our love burning so bright.

For you. Anything for you, our love.

We are ever-thankful to Funcom for collaborating on this contest – our electromagnetic hearts flutter and buzz with love!

[Unsafecrayon]

…so no A.I. “assistance”??

[Vomher]

As stated in the rules, by submitting an entry, you agree that it is your own writing. We will not be able to accept Love on Gaia stories that were not written by the player submitting them. Please do not attempt to have AI write your story.

The love must come from your own heart.

Allow the love to flow.

We believe in you.

[Nevys]

I guess I’ll withdraw my entries then - AI tools are a pretty standard part of writing for more technically oriented people these days.

[Kyttan]

Pardon? I am one of those ‘more technically oriented people’ and I have never used AI to write.

That being said, if you want to enter a writing contest with an AI assisted entry, then by all means, do so, but state that AI was used to assist.

We are consciously entering into an incredible time in Human history, and AI isn’t going anywhere, so I am all for embracing it, with full transparency and a hopeful heart.

If AI helps others participate within a digital world, I say Rock It!

[Nevys]

Sorry, that was not meant to be offensive to anyone in any way. I’m used to the mindset of automating what can be and simplifying and improving workflows anywhere that makes sense, and AI tools are quite common in the subculture of my industry.

I enjoyed making my stories, and hope some folks enjoy reading them. The AI tools help cover parts of the process that I don’t enjoy doing, and since I’m doing this for fun, I prefer to spend my effort on the parts of the creative process that I do enjoy. It’s just fine if that makes my stories ineligible for the contest.

[Kyttan]

No offense taken, I’m far too blunt for polite conversation on most days. lol.

In all honesty, anyone who used GDocs and their grammar/spelling program are using AI. I think if you used it for that, then it’s something that is totally different from going to ChatGPT and saying, right me a 600 word story about ______.

[uppastbedtime]

Vomher some clarifications:

1. It’s one submission per player per category, yes? So we can submit one story to each category for a total of 4 stories, correct?

2. If so, does that mean it’s possible to win a first place in Agape and a first place in Eros, for instance? Or in the interest of variety and fun, will authors only be able to “win” once?

3. Is there a maximum word limit? I see the 500 work minimum but wondered if there’s an upper limit to shoot for, like 1k or 2k or something.

Thank you!

[Vomher]

We love to see the love everyone has written so far! It flows so sweet to our hearts. Thank you!

As for the questions immediately above, they are answered here in the order they were asked:

1. Correct! Therefore each entrant may submit up to four total Love on Gaia stories, provided each one is submitted in a separate category. We never want to stymie your creativity and love, so this allows you to explore multiple ideas if you so desire! You will not be judged based on the number of stories submitted. Whether one story or four, we love you. Please do not feel pressured!

2. In the interest in fairness and love (and indeed variety and fun!), you cannot win prizes in multiple categories simultaneously. Don’t worry, the custodians are very good at keeping track!

3. There is no maximum word limit. We do not want to limit your love. If this becomes a problem, we will re-evaluate the word count requirements. Please do not abuse our trust in you!

We hope this clears further confusion and allows you to go full steam ahead towards love with confidence!

[Illesdan]

I just wrote a second story for consideration, but none of the proper tags showed up for me. I put the intended tags in the header.

[OUTATIME]

Wow! Whoever cleared it so my posted story is visible again, thank you! That was fast!

[DawnCharger]

Got mine posted! Thanks for getting the word out about this.

[Juro]

mine got removed since i edited to fast since i found some mistakes and edited it to soona fter Posting … hope its back within the time line also Hello Melendir here

[Vomher]

It fills us with glee to see so many sweetlings inspired!

Less than 12 hours remain to submit a Love on Gaia story! After 22 April 2023 at 23:59:59 UTC, no more stories can be accepted by the Custodians.

If you have already submitted a story or are about to do so, please remember to review the following rules and criteria to best ensure your story meets all requirements to qualify.

@Vomher

Rules and Criteria

• Submissions must contain at minimum 500 words and MUST contain love found in Secret World Legends in some way, shape, or form as a central focus in order to qualify.
• Stories submitted must be posted in the form of a thread on the Horned God subforum category and must be prefaced with the prefix Love on Gaia: in front of the story name in the title of the thread.
• Each submitted story thread must include the story tag. If the story is about player characters and not non-player characters, the character tag must then be used alongside the story tag. Failure to include these tags may result in the entry being missed by the Custodians, and it is therefore in your best interest to tag appropriately.
• Submitted story threads must include the the nickname of the character to whom prizes may be distributed as posted by the entrant as well as the category of love that their story is to be entered into.
• The writing must be your own work. By submitting an entry, you agree that it is your own writing and that it is in no way plagiarized.
• Only one entry per player per category allowed.
• Please keep entries as Safe-For-Work as Secret World Legends itself. We will not be able to judge intensely sexually explicit stories. Please consider use of the ‘fade to black’ should things start to get too steamy in your scenes.

If you are still writing during the remaining submission period, don’t give up - there’s still time! We believe in you and we would love to see your story too!

[WireRat]

Well, guess I’m making an account after all…!

[Vomher]

The entry period for the Secret World Legends Love on Gaia Writing Contest is now over! The Custodians can no longer accept submissions posted past this point.

Should you still be in the process of writing your Love on Gaia story when the clock strikes, and you wish to post it after the deadline, you may do so as a standalone story with the full understanding that it will neither be qualifying nor will it be judged for the Secret World Legends Love on Gaia Writing Contest.

We must reiterate that we cannot accept late submissions.

We simply love to see all that you make.

Thank you, all of you loving bees! We appreciate all sweetlings who was inspired to write for or so much as dwell on Love on Gaia, regardless of whether you were able to participate or not in this contest!

Every single entry will be read with love and care by the eyes of the judges.

Winners are expected to be announced after 28 April 2023 on the Funcom Forums.

Stay tuned!

[Rizzle]

I had hoped that within the past month a selection would have been made for the winners of “Love on Gaia” - Mainly because I wanted to talk about my personal faves after the announcement and offer praise to @Aeryl & @OUTATIME for their wonderfully creative and beautifully told stories.

These two, for me, really embodied something very special. I found them genuinely emotive and loyal to lore and I just want to say thank you to you both.

In particular “The Bee” I thought was a very unique POV to choose and was told just brilliantly.

Thank you also to all who entered all your stories were wonderful <3

EDIT: I appreciate that everyone has different things going on for time, just wanted to mention the above is all.

[Polin]

If I was organizing the event, I would also add a category for the best story as voted by public, but that would require making a separate thread with a poll and links to all the stories and also limiting the voting somehow both timewise and to avoid rigging. It’s harder to make it fair than it seems.

Not to worry though, I’ll reckon we’ll get it somewhere before November at the latest, don’t worry.

[Aeryl]

I don’t envy the judges’ task.

I’m happy that we got to enjoy such a wide variety of takes on the subject. There are some stories that I haven’t even gotten around to reading yet and I’m glad that I’m able to do so without the pressure of having to pick winners for each category.

[OUTATIME]

Thank you for your wonderfully kind words.