Back to the Future Part Three: Telling the Tallest Tale

[Crytter]

I can´t say, if I am available on saturday, thats why I would prefer if someone else would jump in. Mayve @OracleSage or another @Gossmere could help out?
I will try to be online as a backup but can not promise anything, sorry.

[Skylad]

I’ll try to be around too, make sure you tag me when you decide a date&time

[Nimueh]

Sounds to me like it’s going to be 7pm UTC on 23rd (this Saturday).

I can do the Bali, unless someone else wants to do it?

[Skylad]

So cruel that you would have it at 0500 but I shall be there bells on

[Nimueh]

Actally, that’s 8pm here in the UK, so all good

Edit: ops, 9pm, and ops, the UTC should be 8pm. Urg, I am too tired for time conversions…

[Skylad]

Hahaha

[OracleSage]

I’ll make myself available for the spell if it comes to that. I’m also helping call the corners Friday so I don’t want to hog all the Goss magiq

[Viviane]

Can I jump in and suggest that groups 2 and 3 coordinate how the story is presented? The original Latern of Low Hollow spell was designed to let only one person hear and control the entity in question, so if we really want more than one person to communicate, group 2 will need to figure out whether adjusting the spell is possible, or we need to find some other way of conveying the story. Maybe as a recording?

[Augustus_Octavian]

Please feel free to tweak my rhymes, by the way! There are a few couplets that I thought were pretty awkward and could definitely use some help. Specifically (but I’m sure there are more:)

@Augustus_Octavian

They found Father’s book, nestled in rocks

and yanked it free, stronger than an ox.

@Augustus_Octavian

“George, Frances, Walter, Beatrice, Thomas, Este,

you have each worked hard this on harrowing day.

@Augustus_Octavian

And they dreamed of quiet, peaceful place,

where struggle was no more, with hearts filled with grace.

@Augustus_Octavian

He returned the last page to Father Oak Tree

and finally could rest too, among the leaves [as a gentle breeze].

Also, please don’t assume this is the final thing we’re reading - if anyone else wants to put together a narrative, we can vote of them - I know there were a few ideas floating around and the nursery rhyme was only one of those.

[Crytter]

I managed to redraw my sketches now. When I was a child I always liked the books with beautiful pictures best (to be honest, I still do). So i hope, that having pictures for the story will make it more appealing to Nate.

Unfortunately, due to very mundane problems my scedule escalated from quite busy to omg I don´t know where to start - so I didn´t manage to colour them or to draw the peaceful end scene.

[Viviane]

Pretty sure if I ever have a daughter, she will be Frances.
These are lovely, Crytter!

[Augustus_Octavian]

I love these @Crytter!!!

@Viviane, I’m already pretty much George.

[Remus]

Okay, so we’re a little more than 48 hours out from the casting time on Saturday, and I wanted to get an idea of where we were all at with this part. From what I can see, we’ve got tons of volunteers here, an excellent poem by @Augustus_Octavian and @Crytter, as well as some pretty swell illustrations contributed by @Crytter. All in all, it seems like we’re in pretty good shape, but I want to make sure of some things so we’re not scrambling about trying to get everything together at the last minute.

First things first, are there any more elements we would like to add to the spell to try and make it more powerful? I know @Augustus_Octavian asked for some people to look over some of his rhymes to see if they could be tweaked a bit. We also have some other artistic mediums that we haven’t dabbled in thus far, though they might be difficult to incorporate in the spell’s current form.

Also, we have the matter of possibly having the power to dispel the Storm at the conclusion of the spell. It certainly isn’t a guarantee that we can, but maybe we should have something prepared in the event that we can. This could perhaps be a place where we could incorporate other mediums, like music.

Lastly, how are we handling the spell? Who are the participants, what do they need to do, and how are we performing the spell (I assume over a Google Hangout, but I’m not eliminating other options)?

There are probably things that I have forgotten to ask about, but I’ve got class in a couple minutes, so I need to get ready to head out. Thank you all for your time, and good luck, Mounties!

[Crytter]

One thing that came to my mind just now: In the poem we do not exactly describe the storm exchanging one book for another. Maybe it would be good if there was a part where the kids & tree offer something that they would exchange for their old book?
And if we add this - which object should it be, now that we may have lost the access to “The little red house” - (or can the storm access it from everywhere?)

[Nimueh]

Maybe it could be altered so that the children loose a scarf and pendant while they get the book? I’m not sure how you guys would do that, the rhyme scheme may not allow it, but that seems to me like the best way.

[Augustus_Octavian]

I tried to do something like this at the end where the Storm sees all the sadness it had wrought, envies those who prevailed and are resting peacefully and decides to join them.

[Nimueh]

To me, that sounds like telling the storm to disperse. I agree with @Crytter that we need to be specific in the story what we’re giving in exchange for the book, otherwise we may well end up loosing someone…

[Augustus_Octavian]

That’s fine. Please feel free to re-work the rhymes as you all see fit. Starting yesterday evening, limited time resources due to mundane life obligations sadly prevent me from spending any further time on this.

[Nimueh]

Okay, so I took a quick look and tried to add another verse with the items being lost:

@Augustus_Octavian

Old Father Oak Tree became dismayed,
while beneath his branches the children played.
“I’ve lost my Book!” He cried and sobbed,
While the leaves of his branches fluttered and bobbed.
“A Storm blew through with a mighty breeze,
and tossed my book out among the other trees!”

The children looked up at Father’ Oak’s face,
“To find your book at once we shall race!”
They cast about the roots of the tree,
but to no avail; the book had blown free.
Across the wide forest its pages were scattered,
It’s bindings wind-torn, worn and tattered.

Little Blonde George who stood in the Northwest,
cried “If we work together, we’ll be at our best!
To find Father’s Oak’s book among the far boughs,
we must gather together and search high and low.
If we go out alone, our chances are slim,
to find his tome and return it to him.”

Red-headed Frances looked out North and East,
fidgeting with her skirt, pleat and crease.
Out from her pack she took her tools,
Lenses, gears, cogs, and wire on spools.
She built a machine that would comb the wood,
and set it out to find the book, as it should.

Impetuous Walter ran too and fro,
Searching high and searching low.
Over the Western Mountains he peeked,
And was the first to spot what they’d seek.
The spine of the book lodged among stones,
Far away from their houses and homes.

Raven-haired Beatrice threw caution aside.
West-by-Southwest she began to stride.
At home among the forest she went ever forward,
The Wild’s most intrepid explorer.
With the other children following in tow,
They walked and walked, with miles to go.

Precocious young Thomas cried “That’s not the right way!
Toward the Southeast, our path does stray.
I’ve read the maps and read the charts,
And I know navigation is science, not art.
Let’s take the pass that leads us straight there,
and victory in finding the Book we shall share.”

Pale young Este held up her hand.
“Hold, my friends, 'till we have surveyed the land.
The paths we walk must head back East
back towards Father Oak tree, at least.
Once the Book’s found, what good will it do,
if we cannot find our way back through?"

The six little children (and Frances’ finding machine)
all made their way through glade and green.
They found Father’s book, nestled in rocks
and yanked it free, stronger than an ox.
They carried it back towards Father Oak tree,
shining with a pride that all could see.

“My Book! It’s been found!” exclaimed Old Father Oak,
then to each of the childen he spoke:
“George, Frances, Walter, Beatrice, Thomas, Este,
you have each worked hard this on harrowing day.
Now rest and slumber, as you each deserve.
You have made me proud, my book is preserved!”

Then Old Father Oak looked at the children once more,
(missing line, cause my rhyming skills need work)
“My dears, it seems finding my book had a cost,
Your woollen scarf and shiny pendant are lost!
But do not despair at paying such a fee,
For happiness you have returned to me.”

(I think there should be a break here, and everything that follows should be for if the first part works)

The children layed down their tired young heads,
Oak’s leaves were their pillows, his branches their beds.
and they dreamed of a quiet, peaceful place,
where struggle was no more, with hearts filled with grace.
Old Father Oak looked on with pride,
at each of his children laying down sleepy-eyed.

And then the raging Storm did see,
Father and children resting happily.
He saw the anguish he had caused;
at that, the anger in its heart did pause.
With the last page held in his grasp,
he knew he had one final task:

He returned the last page to Father Oak Tree
and finally could rest, and at peace be.

I also took a stab at the ending, sounds a little clumsy though…
I’m not sure the following couplet works though:

To find Father’s Oak’s book among the far boughs,
we must gather together and search high and low.

Brough is br-ow (as in ouch, or owl) and low is l-ow (as in oh), though this may be an accent thing…

[Augustus_Octavian]

It’s “bough” not “brough” - like the branches of a tree. Pronounced “bow” as in “bow out of courtesy” and now “bow in your hair”