[Lesallia Surish]

'Haunted' Avatar Contest

Well, well, well... so you decided to come and check out the contest, huh? I'm a tough judge to please, so you better make sure you do your very best. It doesn't matter if the items are rare and expensive or cheap and common; rarity does not always make a good avatar. I look for themes and how the outfit fits together overall. Got it?

Here's the deal: In this haunted contest, you will be given a theme and given three days to enter their best avatar. One entry per person per round. There will be three rounds total.

Prizes given for:

• Best Avatar (one per round and one overall)
• Users' Favorite (one per round and one overall)

[Lesallia Surish]

How To Enter

So you really want to enter an avatar, huh? Well, to do so, please follow these steps:
.

• Make your avatar.
• Save it to your computer.
• Upload it to an image hosting site (photobucket, imgur, etc.).
• Post it in the thread with the form below.

[SIZE="6"][CENTER][COLOR="#FF7722"][B]I Have An Entry![/B][/COLOR][/CENTER][/SIZE]
[B]Username:[/B]
[B]Round (1, 2, or 3):[/B]
[B]Embedded Image or Image Link[/B]:

[Lesallia Surish]

First Round

Theme: Haunted
Entries:

Originally Posted by ml1201

I Have An Entry!

Username: ml1201
Round : 1
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

Originally Posted by Toriki

I Have An Entry!

Username: Toriki
Round (1, 2, or 3): 1
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

No but seriously. Don't you find a talking gate scary?

Originally Posted by Lawtan

I Have An Entry!

Username: Lawtan
Round (1, 2, or 3): 1
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

"Ol' Jack o' Lantern be walking along the road, singing a ditty. Ol' Jack be the last man around, you see, for he's collected the souls of all 'cept thee.

Second Round

Theme: Autumn
Entries:

Originally Posted by ml1201

I Have An Entry!

Username: ml1201
Round : 2
Imbedded Image or Image Link:
If people are wondering what it is for me, its pumpkins and the harvest moon. :3 That's why there's so much orange. XD

Originally Posted by Awen Moonshine

I Have An Entry!

Username: Awen Moonshine
Round (1, 2, or 3): 2
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

This is my way of showing the beauty of the different colours of the changing leaves that catch my eye and the silvers of the crispness of the first frosts of an oncoming winter...

Originally Posted by Tiva

I Have An Entry!

Username: Tiva
Round (1, 2, or 3): 2
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

This has been my fall for years, the huge moon and freezing my butt off at night to sit outside with a book or music and look at the stars. A nod to my college/high school colors with the purple and gold.

Originally Posted by Lucid:

Oooh, I'm glad I made it in time!

I Have An Entry!

Username: Lucid:
Round (1, 2, or 3): ROUND 2: Autumn
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

Originally Posted by Espy

I Have An Entry!

Username:
Round (1, 2, or 3):2
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

So, usually my "autumn" avatars are a bit tribal, a bit celtic, and often have some sort of animal references, but I felt like doing something different. Last fall was when I realized things I had been coping with were related to depression, and that was a major change in my life, like the autumn season itself symbolizes a sort of change, from the liveliness of summer to the coldness of winter. It also marked a change in my music preferences (hence the black outfit, both for wheeeee metal! and the depression).

This year, the fall season also held a lot of changes for me, the main two being that I'm currently not in school, and finally getting treatment for the mental health issues. In that way, it kind of also represents coming to terms that I won't be in Pittsburgh this year, and missing out on a lot of school stuff, but I'll also be recovering at home.

Originally Posted by Maro

I Have An Entry!

Username: Maro
Round (1, 2, or 3): 2
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

I honestly am not 100% sure vvhy I made her have vvhite hair / ears and tail other than a personal preference tovvard animal ears and such. For me autumn is vvhen I get to break out my huge svveaters and ridiculously long and vvarm scarves. I usually vvear pants or shorts but I vvanted to shovv off the leg vvarmers and all the shorts I liked vvere too short to shovv from the svveater... ;A; Either vvay I'm extremely proud of this.

Third Round

Theme: Winter
Entries:

Originally Posted by ml1201

I Have An Entry!

Username: ml1201
Round : 3
Imbedded Image or Image Link:
For me the holidays is about spending time with family and not really about what I got for Christmas. There was a time in my life that I was happy to get clothing from my family because we had lost our home, most of our clothing, and at times couldn't eat or bath properly. That's why people going crazy with shopping on days like Black Friday and last minute shopping before Christmas to get all the deals has never settled well with me, even more so when at times people were trampled to death because of them. The holiday becomes more and more about money and not appreciating the little things in life that makes us happy, which is what I plan to teach my children in the future if I ever have any.

Originally Posted by Lawtan

I Have An Entry!

Username: Lawtan
Round (1, 2, or 3): 3
Embedded Image or Image Link:


The holidays for me have changed a good bit over the last few years. Whereas the time of year used to mean giving, and helping, and charity, the last few years have been uncertain at best. I've been ill the last 3 years during December, and so unable to do as much.
On a positive note, the winter season, by some old traditions, is supposed to be the time of telling old folklore. This, I have taken to heart, and I have shared stories I learned with people from October 31 to February 2. It is very beautiful to me, and to only tell such tales during that timespan keeps them somewhat special and memorable. It has developed my love of storytelling, and is one of the initial things that has helped me move out of depression.
As such, my avatar reflects the old Crone of Winter, Cailleach, carrying a book of lore and a fairy-dragon on her arm. Beneath her robes is a bundle of wood, collected for February 2 - where, if she collects enough firewood, she will keep Brigid locked away for a longer winter. A short winter would mean Cailleach overslept, and is unable to gather more firewood.

A poem I wrote, featuring Cailleach and Nanabhozo, the Ojibwe spring trickster.

"'O’ mighty crone of ancient lore,
Shall I sing you a tune?
For my people wished to honor,
One as fierce as you.'

A-huum, huu-huum

'O, Cailleach, what grand old strength,
You bear within your form,
You embrace all the graces of winter,
So pretty is your frostbitten hair
So nice it is, would you sit down,
I’d love to sing you some more.'

A-roar, ro-roar

'O, Cailleach, what’s this you say,
Your lids droop wth sleep,
Then allow me, fair crone,
To take you to your home,
A cave alone which could be warm,
In the face of eternal winter,
There, you may rest,
And collect your wood in an hour.'

A-oor, oo-oor

'What’s this, dear Cailleach,
You look far too pale and wan,
My people would not forgive me,
If you I let to stray,
Stay and rest and grow well again,
The wood will not move,
Let me play a lullaby for you-
I think it may sound similar,
So let me soothe you into sleep,
And make your worries for today be forgotten…'

So, the Trickster packed his flute,
And left the slumbering Crone,
And he, sun-child, headed west,
Back to his Long-house People."

Originally Posted by Awen Moonshine

The thing I love the most about winter/the holiday season is that it normally means I am curled up somewhere warm, in baggy comfortable clothing reading (with the occasional cup of something hot) Once all the presents have been dropped off at my families places it means I have plenty of free time (after frantically shopping for everyones gifts), although I don't normally get to rest much until after the 19th of December (my baby brothers birthday)... ^_^;; I have a large family so organizing presents and drop offs for said presents is difficult, but can usually be done in one day as they all live close together ^_^ After that I tend to have lots of free time to catch up on things (like finishing old books and starting new ones!)

Originally Posted by Espy

I Have An Entry!

Username: Espy
Round (1, 2, or 3): 3
Embedded Image or Image Link:


Despite hailing from California, I really love the snow and cold, and have a sort of self-imposed tradition to have ice cream or some other frozen treat at first snow. It's a time where, while a lot of things are asleep or perhaps dead, I feel very much alive.

EDIT: Sorry, might be a few minutes too late.

Final Round

(open to winners of the three rounds)

Theme: ?
Entries:

[Lesallia Surish]

I guess it's about time for me to give the first theme, huh? Bet you all were salivating, waiting for me to arrive. The first theme is haunted - use your items to show me that something creepy is happening to your avatar. Are you possessed by a malevolent spirt, are you merely haunted by one, or are you the evil spirit itself? You can even take it to the next level - go for the subtle things instead. Do your best to set the mood and make it creepy.

You have three days to submit entries (until 11/6 at 12pm CST).

[Tiva]

…… *looks at Avi* I need to change and make new ones….. rawr rawr

Can't wait for entries though!

[ml1201]

I Have An Entry!

Username: ml1201
Round : 1
Imbedded Image or Image Link:

[Lesallia Surish]

Why thank you for your entry, ml1201. Added to the contestants list.

Oh, and Tiva, you're a professional on Trisphee, so I expect an entry every round from you, understand? If you don't, I may just have to charge you extra when you come around my store. Haha. Am I joking? Maybe.

[ml1201]

Thank you. XD And I'm surprised that Tiva has not entered their avi yet. What do you do if there's only one entry that round?

[Lesallia Surish]

If there is only one entry, then that round goes to the them. As someone often says, 'fortune favors the bold'. Although, realistically, I would like to be able to have some sort of competition. Come on, Trisphites, you love making avatars and I loathe having to beg!

[Tiva]

I am working on one. Just kind of trying to not use ones i have made and never published. I have been working on the baseless trend and making junk.

[Lesallia Surish]

That's good to hear, Tiva.

I suppose, in that case, that you can continue to shop at my store at the current Trisphite exchange rate. That is my gift to you for entering an avatar. See? I can be reasonable if you just work with me and do what I want.

[Sei]

Now, now, Lesalia.

Tiva doesn't need to submit an avatar, nor do you need to threaten to put an extra tax on her purchases. She's a great user and you're a great shopkeeper. Let's keep it civil, alright? :3

[Lesallia Surish]

I suppose I can manage that, Sei. I will try to be more... civil to future contestants in the future.

Now, on another note! More entries, please!

[Tiva]

…… Thank you Sei for protecting me though I planned on entering so it was an idle threat from her. *kisses cheek* You are still my hero though.

[Fauxreal]

Working on an avatar! Tiva should enter a good one I know!

[Espy]

-faceplants into avi editor-

....wow, I was pretty sure this used to be my forte.