Quests & Challenges

[b]Figure Skating - Drown[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29776428] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/297765/29776428_350.png[/img] [/url] Drown tucked his ears underneath his bandana in an attempt to muffle the noise the other dragons were making, letting out an annoyed groan. He had decided to join the Figure Skating event for his brother, mainly because it looked like something QUIET he could enjoy. However, he had severely underestimated the amount of EXCITED dragons that would be here, and their nonstop talking made his headspin. To make matters worse, he was one of the last people who would compete in the event, meaning he'd have to listen to the other dragons for HOURS. With another groan he curled up into a ball, covering his ears. A measily 'necklace' with his Competition Number hung around his neck, a number somewhere after 20. This would be a long, long night.

[b]Day 5: Luge[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=33868594] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/338686/33868594_350.png[/img] [/url] Vanir examined the sled he had been given with a critical eye. If he wanted to reach the end of the racing track without major blemishes, the sled better be in perfect condition. Satisfied with his inspection, he took the sled and trotted towards the place of the actual event. He snorted as he remembered the expressions of his clan members when he had announced out of the blue that he was going to participate in the luge event. There had been a lot of dropping jaws. The treasurer could imagine that the mental scenario of an Imperial sliding down an ice slope in high speed ended in disaster in most of their imaginations. Nobody actually knew that sledding was a secret passion of Vanir's that had started all the way back in his childhood when he was on vacation to the Southern Icefields. He had practised the whole year for this. Vanir supressed a grin (he still had a reputation to lose, after all). This was going to be great.

I won't be here over the weekend so here are my other three entries! [b]Ski Jumping[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=37330002] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/373301/37330002_350.png[/img] [/url] Iara narrowed her eyes. Ski Jumping was not her favorite event, and would likely never be- Figure Skating was by far her favorite- but her clan already had several talented skaters who also wanted to participate. And as the dragon who was the most used to navigate the Southern Icefield, Iara didn't mind stepping around to let them take part. She was a dancing spirit of the wind and ice, and she was powerful and strong and agile. Iara could easily ace this event and leave everyone in the dust. She was one with the cold and the ice, and she did not fear any injuries that could happen. She had been dancing with the snowstorms far too long for to make a silly beginner's mistake. Iara glanced around at her opponents. Several of the dragons looked like they'd be serious competition, and she appreciated that. They'd push her, maybe even to her limits. But when an Ice-Wisp is pushed, she becomes something else... ----- [b]Speed Skating[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=37403630] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/374037/37403630_350.png[/img] [/url] Chirac took a deep breath, closing his eyes and digging his claws into the snow. He felt the cold rush through his small body and he embraced it, breathing in the crisp, frosty air. He fluttered his wings, shaking off several tiny icicles. The small Fae had been out of it for several centuries while he was frozen in an iceberg, but because of that, he was almost painfully attuned to the ice. Before him, the track was agonizingly clear, the glare of the snow comfortable, every turn and twist and possible dip in the snow like a flashing signal that Chirac could easily make out. He relaxed, preparing himself. This would be his first time competing in any sort of sport- he'd never been an athletic dragon, but he was the best choice among his clanmates for this race. Chirac spread his wings, tail thumping against the ground. He was ready. ----- [b]Figure Skating[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38006193] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/380062/38006193_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38362138] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/383622/38362138_350.png[/img] [/url] Periwinkle flexed her claws, the circuits in her wings jittering slightly. She shook her head to clear the tiny icicles hanging in her vision. She'd never been in a place this cold, but the frostiness made her bright and awake and her enhanced physiology made it easier to deal with, unlike poor Firefly and Pumpkin, who had already gotten sick. The Mirror glanced at Rajani besides her, her partner for the figure skating. Periwinkle was immensely agile and flexible thanks to her mutant genes and training- she was by nature an athlete, and she had always liked skating. On the ice, it was as if the inner flaws hidden by her perfect outer shell were wiped away and she was really perfect for once. As for Rajani, she was an acrobat and had picked up skating easily. Enough said. The two of them were a formidable duo, and Periwinkle knew it. Despite the two of them never having competed in sporting events or being very good in front of crowds, they were ready to steal the show. "Periwinkle." Rajani's soft bell-like voice spoke in her ear. "Yes?" "Breathe with me," Rajani instructed. The star spirit princess exhaled, blowing out a puff of steam. Periwinkle obliged and the two quietly stood in the snow, readying themselves for the big moment.

[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22944142] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/229442/22944142_350.png[/img] [/url] [b]Glacierth[/b] was impatient to begin his [b]Speed Skating[/b] run. He was not a dragon known for patience, and waiting for Nameleth to feel well enough for a renaming ceremony before he flew down for the games, had taxed him sorely. But Frozenth had insisted. Now he’d arrived, and thought he should just be able to get on with it! Frozenth had accompanied him, and urged him to relax, but he was twitchy. She was afraid he’d expend all his energy before the race - but in the end, it seemed instead that it got him revved up. He took off like a shot, and it was as if he were one with the ice. “Well, we ARE Ice dragons,” she mused, “perhaps that helps”. Whether it would offer an advantage over the other competitors remained to be seen, but he was certainly off to a strong start! And she was certainly enjoying the view of his tail end, long legs stroking confidently… A chunk of ice slipped from her fur, and she blushed at the direction her thoughts had been heading. Time she took a break and cooled off with a SnoCone! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34515404] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/345155/34515404_350.png[/img] [/url]

[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31293888] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/312939/31293888_350.png[/img] [/url] [b]Pastelleth[/b] hesitated at the line for the [b]Figure Skating [/b]check-in. She still wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to Frinth’s suggestion she enter. Her dancing was a moving meditation, keeping her centered after Angmarseith moved on. She hadn’t expected a long term relationship, but she also hadn’t expected to feel so bereft when both their children also left with him - and so, she danced. Frinth had seen her - spied on her, really - and been impressed with her grace and feeling, and Windrith was always keen for WindSky Weyr to get out and make their name known (as if The Four Winds Bar wasn’t already doing that!) so with the Winter Games coming up, they offered her a pair of figure skates, and encouraged her to try dancing on the ice. She had to admit she liked it! She wasn’t so sure about letting so many others see into her soul. But when the bittersweet strains of her chosen melody began, she took a deep cleansing breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and let the music tell her what to do..

[b]Speed Skating[/b] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=2236933][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=2236933&skin=10491&apparel=12915,20588,24230,24229,13793,12929,12936,24233,21822,20561,13785&xt=dressing.png[/img][/url][/center] [br] Skald had competed in [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/raf/2086025/14#post_25221566]last year's Speed Skating competition[/url] - and though he had won no medals, his son Nera had insisted that he sign up once again. He had a terrible feeling he had started something of a tradition in their family now, whether he liked it or not. Still, he couldn't be sorry. He couldn't deny that there was an exhilaration to Speed Skating that was absent in the rest of his life, and even if he never won a race, he would always enjoy the challenge and the feeling of speed across the ice. He joined the other six competitors on the rink for his event and skated in slow, lazy circles to get the feel of the angled blades beneath his feet. As he gazed around at the stands, he felt a little shiver - nerves, not cold: he was an Ice dragon and the cold didn't bother him, especially not when he was muffled up in gear that had been hastily purchased by his son in the past few hours since his name went down on the sign-up sheet. As the announcers called out his starting position, the Flight he now called home and his name, he raised one paw above his head, seeking out his family in the stands: Daell, sitting with his head and fins angled towards the loudspeakers, and Nera, waving madly and wrapping himself into knots of excitement in his seat. He smiled to himself as he waved back while skating to the starting line - glad to see them both enjoying themselves. He took his place between two other dragons and put his skates in position, ready to take off in a sudden burst of motion. As he pulled his goggles down to cover his eyes and fastened the strap on his helmet, he couldn't stop smiling: this was going to be fun.

[b]Figure Skating[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15627281] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/156273/15627281_350.png[/img] [/url] Hanuel had decided to represent the clan in the [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2358219/23#post_31561163]Dress in Your Best Contest[/url], and she found that she liked the shimmery, lightweight figure skater's costume - so different from her usual bulky wool coat! Certainly it was practical in her job as a courier, keeping her warm, but it was not very... well, flattering. The figure skating costume made her feel pretty. It gave her confidence: even if her leaps and spins were not quite up to Olympic standards, Haneul enjoyed every minute on the rink. [rule] [b]Speed Skating[/b] Once off the ice, she hoped she hadn't overdone it... yes, she had been building her endurance since [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/raf/2086025/27#post_25293626]last year[/url], but she hadn't planned on figure skating. She quashed the little voice in her head calling her an idiot for messing up her athletic plan. Figure skating had been so much [i]fun[/i]. She considered speed skating a test of her mental fortitude, a challenge of meditation. And she was determined to do well.

[center][i]Second Event:[/i] [b]Alpine Skiing - Slalom[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=33072057] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/330721/33072057_350.png[/img] [/url] [i]Mesmer[/i][/center] [rule] Mesmer experimentally pushed himself forward with his ski poles as he got used to the long boards now strapped to his hind feet. He was currently in the general practice area for skiers as he waited for his turn at the slalom event. It was a bit unnatural to stay on two feet, but the poles helped him keep balance, and truth be told he was quite enjoying the novelty of the situation. He gave himself another gentle push and this time tried swerving through the twin posts in front of him that served as a practice gate for his event. He wasn't going at high speeds, and he wasn't on much of a slope right now, but he found he was getting the hang of the movements required. After another couple hours of practice he headed to the top of the hill where his event was taking place when an attendant came to inform him his turn was coming up. Lining his skis up with the starting line he waited for the buzzer, then pushed off with as much force as he could muster as soon as it sounded. He raced down the slope at breakneck speed, a wide grin on his face as he weaved between most of the gates. He missed a few of them, but he was having too much fun to care. He reached the bottom all too soon, and after he'd managed to stop his momentum and keep himself upright he looked back up at the top of the hill wistfully. Perhaps after the official competition was over they'd let him use the course more. In the meantime, he headed back to the practice area, unwilling to give up skiing quite yet.

@jbapple @catslash @jetfeather @clm @idlewildly @Rafikii @shougoney @Katsuokai @Lundlaeva @Maithax @Saraceaser @Marianette @sgkat @Cheshly @Marcel @DeadlyFang @Pennifeather @Hanakoto @NightmareJudge @Eialyne @heartcrusher1 @felistopaz @Gravebloom @Sidegrinder @sockmonkeygerald @Thewarywatcher13 @Rhea @perifinite @elafralah @Disillusionist @Satharen @Touhou @Elysadie @artemisrose @L1llysage @pierrct @heavylobster @sinha27 @Hokayse @Naga @chatoyant @JoyLayne @Rosoidela @LuminousNoble @AthenaCorvus @Azera @MGP1 @IceCrystal @Canisa @SomethingSmarmy [center][size=5][b]Day Four Recap[/b][/size][/center] [columns] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=7165160][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/71652/7165160.png[/img][/url][nextcol][size=4]Welcome to the recap for day four of the Winter Games! Our competition hasn’t shown any signs of [i]cooling down[/i], even as some clans finish their events for the year.[/size] [/columns] [columns] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=8023219][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/80233/8023219.png[/img][/url][nextcol][size=4]As we wait for the results to be tallied, let’s take a closer look at some other festival activities in nearby clans.[/size] [/columns] [columns] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=7165160][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/71652/7165160.png[/img][/url][nextcol][size=4]Did you see that they’re giving away gene scrolls as prizes over at the [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2361341]Coolest Coloring Contest[/url]? Each person can only win once, so it looks like there’s some pretty good odds right now for the prizes. “Bears Keep Returning Like this Ride” is still waiting for entries! [/size] [/columns] [columns] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=8023219][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/80233/8023219.png[/img][/url][nextcol][size=4]I’ve been popping over to the [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2357393#post_2357393]Archivists' Abstruse Enigma[/url] to learn more about Ice Subspecies and, more importantly, earn some raffle tickets for our clan. A new riddle is posted daily so anyone can stop over and enter.[/size] [/columns] [columns] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=7165160][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/71652/7165160.png[/img][/url][nextcol][size=4]We need to head over to the ice arena and check out the next curling match, so that’s it for today![/size] [/columns] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ovJPIry.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/ovJPIry.png[/img][/center] @Rhea "Bravo, bravo!" cried an Imperial in the stands. "What a great twirl!" The dragon tossed flowers onto the ice for the Spiral. Two nearby attendants looked at each other. "Do you think the Imperial knows that this Speed Skating and not Figure Skating?" [item=marigold lei] @WanderingTurtle The attendant gathered the flowers that were thrown onto the ice after the Fae's routine and handed them to him as he stepped off the ice. "N[i]ice[/i] job out there!" [item=Daisy Lei] @JoyLayne A small hatching smiled at Caoimhe as she skated off the ice and shyly handed her a flower before scampering off back to her watching parents. [item=Daisy Corsage] @Gravebloom Pausing just before she entered the waiting area for scores, Mireille gracefully reached down and plucked a flower off of the ice, doing a final twirl for her fans in the audience. [item=daisy flower crown] [i]Prizes will likely be sent after the Gala[/i]