The objective of this game is to create an original Summer-themed story while using the keywords that are provided in this post!

Rules

1. Create your own original Summer-themed story, using EXACTLY 12 of the words from the following list:

Beach
Bottle
Captain
Castle
Cat / Mouse / Rat / Parrot (Pick Only One)
Conch
Crab
Eclipse
Heat Stroke
Hurricane / Typhoon (Pick Only One)
Island
Kraken
Mermaid / Siren (Pick Only One)
Mirage
Oasis
Pirate
Sand
Shipwreck
Star
Treasure

2. Your story MUST be related to Sylestia and take place within the world of Sylestia. Your story CAN be in the form of a song or poem if you wish.

3. Your story MUST include at least one reference to a Sylesti (individual pet or species).

4. Your story MUST include at least one reference to a location within Sylestia (zone, region, dungeon, etc).

5. DO NOT post any images with your story. This is strictly a writing only contest.

6. You must share your entire story as a post in this thread. Providing a link to your story off-site will not qualify.

7. Please try and keep your story to a maximum of 1,000 words. This is not a strict rule, but if your story is clearly well over 1,000 words, we may just skip over it and not read it and you will not win any prizes.

8. Please do not use AI to write your story. We want to see YOUR creativity, not ChatGPT's.

9. Your story must be site appropriate (PG-13). Any content that is inappropriate will disqualify your entry and be removed.

10. Please check the Summer Festival Overview Thread for the listed End Time for Forum Games. Any entries posted after this time will not qualify.


Prizes

Everyone's submissions will be judged by the admins and we will select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners based on creativity, effort, and appeal. It is possible for there to be more than just 3 individual winners.

There will be a Participation Prize as well for valid entries.

Have fun and enjoy!


1st Place Winner(s)
Winner(s):
Prizes: Free Stable, [Peerless Avatar Token] x1, 3-Visible Summer Festival Themed Pet of Choice (2-Vis if Majestic) x2 OR Sculpting Mold of Choice x2, [Quick Drying Agent] x1, [Majestic Beach Shovel] x10, [Majestic Fishing Pole] x10, [Premium Clam] x3, [Box of Sculpting Supplies] x1, [Box of Sculpting Agents] x3


2nd Place Winner(s)
Winner(s):
Prizes: Free Stable, 3-Visible Summer Festival Themed Pet of Choice (2-Vis if Majestic) OR Sculpting Mold of Choice x1, [Quick Drying Agent] x1, [Majestic Beach Shovel] x5, [Majestic Fishing Pole] x5, [Premium Clam] x2, [Box of Sculpting Supplies] x1, [Box of Sculpting Agents] x3


3rd Place Winner(s)
Winner(s):
Prizes: Free Stable, [Majestic Sculpting Mold] x1 OR [Fabled Sculpting Mold] x1, [Quick Drying Agent] x1, [Premium Clam] x1, [Box of Sculpting Supplies] x1, [Box of Sculpting Agents] x3


All Participants
With valid submissions

Prizes: Title: Sizzling Storyteller, [Mystery Sculpting Mold] x1, [Box of Sculpting Agents] x2, [Sylestiopoly Piece] x3, [Avatar Item (Summer - Retired)] x2, [Sun Token] x1,000

A hurricane had hit the beach from the distant coast last night, causing plenty of trees to be damaged, and some outright uprooted. It was days like these that I was most glad I was an aquatic being who couldn't drown.

Leaves were scattered everywhere aross the land, sone caught up in a swirling zephyr before being scattered further. Even from here, I could hear the humans in the settlement up north working to repair any damages.

I dove underwater, careful to keep my distance from the flotsam further south, where the aggressive, fiery-haired mermaid lived.

I swam towards the center of the lake, where the old shrine lay largely abandoned, continuing onward towards a small island that was almost entirely sand.

I was soon met by my companions- a female Coral Gardens Sylvorpa and a female Blue Lagoon Kelpari.

As the tides went out, I started building a simple sand castle. My companions went out into the lake, and brought back little bits of treasure to decorate it with. One such piece, a brilliant yellow gem, shone like a star when I held it up into the light. That, I set into the front wall above the drawbridge, like a crest.

When I was done, I decided to take a nap, and we curled up together near my creation.

When I woke, the tide was coming in, the waves beating over the sandy spit of land and crashing against my poor, sad castle like the tentacles of a Kraken. Soon, my little castle was little more than a ruin. I went over, and fished out the pretty conch shell I'd hidden in the castle's keep.

Saddened but unsurprised, we waded into the lake to catch some fish for dinner.

The next morning, when I broke the surface near the western shore, the heat made the land shimmer like a mirage- or was it a haze of magic in the air?

Cautious, I decided to swim back to my oasis, where we didn't need to worry about dangerous humans or vicious monsters.

I played with my aquatic friends, glad that we, at least, tended to be safe from big threats. The water here was almost always tranquil and calm, and humans seemed friendly, at least.

I was never really certain, with them. I usually only played with my Sylvorpa and Kelpari companions. Humans frightened me, and always had. I was just a little naiad, after all. A being of magic, who some feared, some hated, and others wanted as slaves.

Levia neighed, wanting to race, her wings fluttering eagerly. Helimeda darted over, and we shot through the clear, blue water with ease. A few water sprites scattered as we charged past them.

Levia neighed triumphantly, reaching the sandy beach first, as always.

Word Count: 466

Just to clarify, I know we need twelve unique words in the story, but are we allowed to say each word more than once (obviously any extras wouldn't count as another word)? Or can we only say, for example, "sand" exactly once?

Words used: 1.Beach, 2.Bottle, 3.Captain, 4.Cat, 5.crab, 6.Island, 7.Siren, 8.Mirage, 9.Oasis, 10.Star, 11.Treasure and 12.typhoon.



It was an average day for Captain Percival as he maintained the heading around the southeast waters beyond the shores of the Veridian Meadows. His Tidestone Liondrake Vulnyx companion, Cadet, licked a paw delicately unafraid of the rocking of the boat. The sun blazed in the sky warm and bright. Slowly a swell of sweet sound, barely audible, is heard over the lapping of the water around the boats sides. Like a mirage in the distance a ring of tall grey stone stood out. Percival could barely think, his memory hazy, he knows there should be no such barriers. Percival ignores how Cadets ears twitch, not realizing he has started to hum under his breath a melody that felt both nostalgic and yet completely unfamiliar. Cadet straightens, looking alert, even as Captain Percivals hands loosen their grasp on the ships wheel. Between the pillars of grey stone, a figure was seen. Beautiful, ethereal, and indistinct. A siren, calling out and beguiling the captain. Off course, drawn in by the siren song, the vessel was far from the waters Captain Percival knew. Still, he could not tell his folly, not yet. Entranced the Captain steered his boat closer. If not for his loyal companion he would crash into the stones. But Cadet, not meant to be enraptured by the siren song hissed, fur standing on end. Warning growls went unheard so Cadet had no choice but to bite the captain. Pin pricks of pain ended Captain Percivals stupor and he desperately tried to veer the vessel away from the deadly monoliths. The siren shrieked, angered, but the captain was able to steer away from the rocks just in time. Somehow exhausted Percival sighed and thanked his companion, before he realized he did not know where he had taken the small boat. The shining sun, so comforting earlier, made him despair for he could not use the stars to guide himself back on route. Emotions flooded through Percival, gratitude, awe, fear, worry, anxietyall flowing like a typhoon through his heart. Feeling like there was little that could get worse Captain Percival looked towards the deck of the ship and asked in false humor, Which way shall we go Cadet? The Vulnyx, not knowing anything about boating just stared before blinking and resuming his grooming session. Sighing the captain took a swig of mead from his bottle before deciding to choose a random heading, thinking he could always correct his course later when the stars come out for him to navigate. In this manner he saw the sandy coast of an island, unrecognizable to his eyes, but a relief either way. Tiredly he made for the small island. Careful of shallow waters Percival made sure to anchor just far enough away that his ship could not be beached or damaged by hidden reefs. Warily he makes his way onto the island, Cadet by his side. The beach stretches on, trees barely seen in the distance. The two companions move deeper and deeper onto the deceptively small land mass. Sand turns to grass and eventually becomes a vibrant life filled forest, an oasis in this troubling time. A beautiful area surrounded by trees opens up where a series of small waterfalls burble into a tiny lake. Swallowing from a throat gone dry the captain makes sure to get some fresh water from the little peaceful area he had found. Cadet purrs while winding around his feet before curiously bounding off towards the small waterfall feeding into the little body of water. The captain plops down, back to the rough bark of a tree trunk as Cadet explores, careful not to stray to far from his partner. With the warm heat from the sun and belief in Cadet to keep him safe, Percival drifts off, his tiredness getting the better of him. Hours later as the land cools off and the sun goes down Percival jolts awake. He hears the grumbling sound of Cadet and starts to get up, body protesting. He spots Cadets tail swaying in obvious curiosity. Percival decides to check out what has gotten his loyal companions attentive looks and clumsily moves towards the vulnyx. what treasure have you found my furry friend? Percival asks this time with genuine humor. Cadet grumbles but turns around, a small crab figuring made of sea glass and studded with gems within his mouth. Percival feels surprise as he sees the object, Now where in Sylestia did you find that? Cadet trots over and present the small treasure to Percival as if to say that even though things had gone wrong that day there was still good that came of it. Smiling Percival slides his hand between the vulnyxs ears in thanks. Gently, full of gratitude he says, Lets go home, the stars are out to light our way. Together the two return to the boat, using the stars they head home.

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=110495&page=1#3 Author: Slytherin7 Time Posted: 8/15/2025 at 3:37 PM Just to clarify, I know we need twelve unique words in the story, but are we allowed to say each word more than once (obviously any extras wouldn't count as another word)? Or can we only say, for example, "sand" exactly once?

You can use your selected words as many times as you want. The limitation is just that you have to use exactly 12 of the words.

My 12 words:
Bottle, Castle, Cat, Heat stroke, Island, Shipwreck, Oasis, Star, Pirate, Sand , Treasure, Mirage

Ok i wrote a song and then saw it needs to be connected to sylestia and couldnt think of how to make it sylestia orientated so i scrapped it and wrote a news story instead :)


This is Cat Mcgee with Ethernia news.
I am coming to you from Esior's Haven, where a shipwreck has been found on the sand just outside the town. The ship in question sails the waters down the coast of the mainland from Frost Oasis, the island above Umbra forest, all the way to Mirage Marshlands.

The survivors were taken to Esior's Haven to recover from their harrowing experience, and I have the honor to speak to the captain. We sat sharing a bottle of mead as he told me about the night the horror unfolded. Out of nowhere came a ship bearing a pirate flag. They demanded all of the goods the captain had collected from a port at the tip of Mirage Marshlands, including the very valuable Star Ruby that is only found in cave systems inside the Mirage Marshlands. The pirate captain ordered the ship destroyed after it had scavenged everything of worth. Once the ship moved off with its treasure, it fired on our brave men and women, and if not for some friendly Kelpari, the entire crew would have been lost. The survivors are recovering from heat stroke and a range of assorted injuries, but the majority of the crew are thankfully alive

We have reached out to the king and queen to discuss how we will proceed, as we cannot condone a pirate captain attacking other ships in our waters. However, the castle has yet to issue a statement. I hope this is the last time I need to speak about ships being attacked, but I fear this is just the first of a long line of attacks. This was Cat McGee, stay safe out there

Word List: All mentioned words are bolded for the first time they are used. Captain, parrot, conch, crab, eclipse, kraken, siren, pirate, sand, shipwreck, star, treasure.
Mentions: All mentioned Sylesti are linked. Mentioned location is Esior's Cove (I thought it'd be fitting, since it's Summer Fest!)

I haven't edited this. Let me know if there are grammatical/spelling errors.
Word Count: 565

-----

"There's treasure to be found around these parts. The kind that glows like stars in the night sky," Ro had whispered to them, as she always does. "Do be careful, though. I hear that greed strands pirates and sylesti alike." Cryptic as usual.

Viridis is learning (or, well, relearning, considering this isn't the first time something like this has happened), why he should be listening to Ro's warning, instead of bounding out the door every time any synonym of 'treasure' drops from someone's mouth. Sol had reluctantly followed him in an attempt to make sure nothing would go wrong.

...Which ended up with them here. Stranded in the middle of some cave in Esior's Cove. Viridis isn't entirely sure how they got here, just that they'd both gone one too many wrong turns and forgotten which way was out.

"It's gotta be in here, right?" Viridis assures himself. "I mean, treasure's always in some weird and creepy cave."

Sol just sighs and follows him. Viridis marvels at the etchings in the walls as they pass by: old, forgotten stories of sirens tempting sailors in the open sea, giant tentacles of imagined krakens lurching out of rough waves, lightning streaking jagged through the sky as storm clouds eclipse the burning sun.

"I wonder who drew all those," he mumbles to himself. "They're... beautiful."

Eventually, they pass the etchings into a long hallway. It isn't long until the walls open up into a massive cavern. Viridis' hooves splash over puddles of seawater as he walks deeper inside.

"It's... a shipwreck? In the middle of a cave?" Viridis bounds over, circling it in suspicion. He sniffs at the now rotting wood, squinting at the dried barnacles crusted over the ship's hull as if expecting them to move. They do not. He lifts a hoof to gently tap one, muttering an "oops" as it crumbles off like sand. "Maybe there's treasure in here."

"You shouldn't go around touching random things," Sol remarks. Viridis ignores her and nudges aside a dislodged plank, peering inside the ship. Nothing but the remains of something that once thrummed with life; Viridis can almost imagine the raucous laughter that would fill the ship's quarters years ago when it would still sail the seas, the clink of glasses against another and the chatter of the captain's parrot among the cheers. But it's silent now, save for the quiet dripping of water from stalactites onto the wood.

"Nothing," he eventually admits. And so they venture deeper. The tunnel narrows, but Viridis spots a soft glow ahead. The treasure Ro had spoken of, perhaps?

"...Woah."

They round the final corner, reaching a quiet cavern, smaller than the one before. Inside, a bright blue pool glows, light rippling across cave walls in otherworldly patterns. A crab scuttles out from beneath a rock, staring at the two for a moment before returning back under its rock. Conches sit just below the surface of the shallow waters, speckled blue.

"Bioluminescent algae," Sol offers. "When Ro said 'like stars', she must have meant this."

"...Oh!" Viridis replies. "I had thought, that, well... uh..." He sighs, ears flopping in shame. "That she meant, shines like gold, y'know? Since gold coins sparkle a lot? But this... wow."

They watch in silence for a while, awed.

"No more impulsive adventures after this?" Sol asks.

"Not for a while," Viridis relents. "But maybe again sometime."

Word Count: 993

Captain Cat and Ti the Typhoon


Festival music and the smell of sweet, summer treats filled the heavy air of Esior's Haven. The Summer Eclipse was fast approaching and everyone was excited for the coming events. Jinxie sat on the shoreline, away from the festival crowd, watching the waves fondly as the sun set.

"It sure has been a while, Cat" Jinxie hummed softly, remembering the friend she had made long, long ago...

Cat had been an amazing friend. When they first met, he was a wiley rogue who cared little for anyone else. Jinxie was convinced that he would someday become a notorious pirate with how brutish and self-centered he could be, but his dark eyes held more kindness than she ever realized.

A few years had passed since she had seen him last, and Jinxie was quite convinced that he'd probably landed himself in jail by now. Much to her surprise, a familiar voice greeted her from behind. "Hello, Jinxie, been a while, hasn't it?" Cat's casual tone was deeper now, huskier, but still familiar.

Jinxie whirled around, eyes wide in disbelief. "Cat? Cat, is that really you?"

That all-too-familiar mischievous grin spread across his face as swished the hat off his head and did an eccentric little bow, "That's Captian Cat to you, ma'am."

"Captian?" Jinxie hummed in amusement, and the two walked the streets as they caught up on each others lives.

Cat had done some time in prison, captured after attempting to steal from an Ethernian noble. He served his time, but couldn't bear to bring himself back to Esior's Haven and disappoint Jinxie with his shortcomings. So, he had entered the Ethernian naval academy and turned his life around. When he graduated from the academy, he had requested a post along the eastern coast so that he could return to Esior's Haven and visit frequently. Jinxie was quite impressed and touched that she was the reason behind his reform.

That summer, Cat welcomed Jinxie aboard his ship, the Star Treasure during the summer eclipse so that she could see the festival fireworks with an unobstructed view. The moment was magical...until a dark stormcloud billowed in from the sea. It was almost black, not like the dark gray or purple stormclouds one usually saw, and red lightning flashed within it.

"Technically, still a magical moment." Cat grit out through clenched teeth, "Just not the kind of magical most people like to enjoy." Jinxie would have rolled her eyes at his sarcasm if she wasn't so busy chasing him to the wheel and listening to the horrified screams on shore.

Cat jerked the wheel of the ship toward the storm and began barking out orders to his men. They were sailing straight for the storm! Preparing for combat against whatever was creating it.

As they entered the dark cloud, an ominous laugh echoed around them followed by a low, rumbling growl. "That sounded like-" Cat didnt get a chance to finish his sentence as a dark bluish-purple kraken kelpari burst out of the water and roared angrily at the ship, a kraken. The beast's eyes glowed red and it bared it's fangs at the sailors. It's tail twisted unlike any kelpari Jinxie had ever seen, spiraling until it split into several tentacles splashing about in the waves.

Cat's men loaded the cannons and began firing as fast as they could, but their attacks were thwarted by some sort of magical shield. The evil laugh returned. "Canonfire with magic? That will never work!"

Jinxie swished her head back and forth looking for the source. On the back of the kraken, there was a man in black armor. Cat whispered under his breath, "Thats Ti the Typhoon, pirate lord of the eastern coast of Sylestia." Cat glanced at Jinxie and mouthed 'I'm sorry' before turning back to Ti. "Well, if magic wont work, lets try brute strength!"

Cat steered the vessel toward the kraken at full speed, Ti realized his plan far too late. Ti tried to turn the kraken, but it was too distracted by the continued canonfire. Cat's men distracted it while he ran the ship into it!

Jinxie could barely recall what had happened after that. Cat's ship splintered, the kraken screamed in agony, and men yelled as they fell into the sea. Jinxie had awoken on the beach just before the sun rose, bits and pieces of the shipwreck washing up alongside her.

"You're awake, I'm glad." A musical voice hummed and Jinxie turned to see a beautiful mermaid pushing an unconscious sailor's body to the shore. "You took quite the tumble off that boat. I've been pulling people out of the sea all night! I'm Mirage, by the way."

"Jinxie." The fairy nodded her greeting while holding her pounding head and scanning the sailors on the shore. Cat did not appear to be among them. "What happened?"

"That young lad with the fancy hat killed the kraken, and probably Ti the Typhoon too. Last I saw him the vile man's foot was stuck in the saddle, probably drowned with the beast." Mirage's disgusted tone told Jinxie that she wasn't fond of the kraken or its rider.

"And what of Cat? The young lad?" Jinxie asked nervously.

Mirage shrugged, "Haven't seen him since the ship went down, sorry, hun."

Years passed and all that was ever found of Captain Cat was his fancy hat. Jinxie mourned him, but eventually she had to move on. Still, every summer solstice she wandered off to watch the fireworks as they once had all those years ago. It was bittersweet, the memory full of happiness and sadness at his disappearance.

"I imagine you're sailing the stars now," Cat Jinxie sighed softly.

"I wish! Imagine the stories!" A familiar voice quipped and Jinxies eyes snapped open. It couldn't be... "Hello, Jinxie, been a while, hasn't it?"

"Cat?" She whispered, not daring to turn around in case she was imagining the whole thing.

"Actually, that's Captain Cat to you ma'am."

Meet Pirate My Black Pearl Qitari
https://www.sylestia.com/view/pets/?petid=8826509

My 12 Chosen Words are:
Cat ,Sand, Castle, Typhoon, Crab, Mirage, Bottle, Star, Treasure, Pirate, Beach, Eclipse

Poem
"Eisor's Cove Adventure"


Together whilst walking we spy a guiding star
during an eclipse event...it shone very far

A crab so tiny, in the palm of my hand
I found near a small hole in the damp beach sand

A creature stirs near... It's a beautiful cat
The wind so strong, so gusty...Watch out for my Hat!!!

Beachcombing together along the shores of Eisor's Cove
A very long way from the Eventful Lost Grove

Is that a Castle we see?... No, its a Mirage?
A typhoon is coming... causing quite a barrage!

Ahh... something that looks like gleaming treasure
A Message in a green bottle ... "what a delightful pleasure!"

A map with a pathway, that leads to a chest
The Temperature is sizzling....we need a rest

Pirate along side me, my faithful friend
This Story has now, come to an End