Quests & Challenges

@Charliex8 - I am a little unsure, but do we need pics to go along with numbers 21 - Litter picking and 23 - Invasive species?

Ok, I’m finally ready to start! @/Charliex8 just to warn you, I’ll be updating from this post only. I don’t want to clutter up the thread too much, and this way you only have to look through one post ^^ Onto the challenges! [quote= Introduce Yourself] Heyo! I’m ObsidianMage, but feel free to call me Mage. What I enjoy most about nature is the greenery and plants, but I don’t enjoy the insects quite as much. :P Anyways, I can’t wait to start this challenge! Maybe I’ll find a merperson? [/quote] [quote= Make your Name Card] [url=http://imgur.com/3TGvz1P]Notecard feat. terrible pen[/url] I put way too much effort into this. Oh well. [/quote] [quote=Tree] [url=http://imgur.com/ReKoIE5]A tree.[/url] Nothing too fancy about it, not much could hide behind that thin trunk. But maybe something could perch in the branches? [/quote] [quote=Flower] [url=http://imgur.com/toRKAgt]Ooh, a pretty bunch of flowers![/url] This was actually on a different tree not too far from the other one I photographed. [/quote] [quote=An Unusual Stick] [url=http://imgur.com/7HJuYX7]Hmm.[/url] Looks a bit odd to me. Why are you so short? [/quote] [quote=Clouds] [url=http://imgur.com/Y22qAiP]Hmm. Looks like rain.[/url] So much for cryptid hunting. I did see a bird fly by, but I wasn't fast enough to catch a picture of it. [/quote] [quote=Biggest Rock you can Find] [url=http://imgur.com/n9FGybz]Another picture from my school![/url] There's just a huge rock that sits out by the front, and people paint over it constantly. It's like a billboard, but a rock. [/quote] [quote= Something you think is beautiful] [url=http://imgur.com/zt2p1vp]One of my school’s courtyards![/url] It was kind of abandoned and left to overgrow, but I think that makes it look even better. [size=2][size=4]If the picture is too identifying, PLEASE let me know and I’ll remove it right away. [/quote] [quote=Sunrise/Sunset] [url=http://imgur.com/x4CjUig]Look how pretty it is as the day ends![/url] Sorry about the screen in the window, I couldn't go outside to take the picture. [/quote] [quote=Feather] [url=http://imgur.com/s7vxpod]A bird has been here.[/url] It might have been a while, though, that feather looks wet. And it only rained a couple days ago. [/quote] [quote=Fungus] [url=http://imgur.com/U6ob2jD]Someone left an orange peel outside.[/url] It grew. Wait... is it... moving? [/quote] [quote=Lake, Pond, River, or Stream] [url=http://imgur.com/bX5C1RZ]How about a creek?[/url] This is actually in my neighborhood! And it's at most a 5 minute walk from my house, so sometimes I can go there and just relax. :) [/quote] [quote=Animal Tracks or Traces] So, I actually have two pictures for this! Feel free to count whichever you want to. [url=http://imgur.com/Vd3dga2]This was going to be my entry, originally.[/url] It's an abandoned bird's nest that I discovered at my school. It looks like it's been there for a while. However, when I was exploring by the creek in my neighborhood, [url=http://imgur.com/eS1ZbNf]I found this![/url] There was a little muddy clearing that deer apparently walked through, and I found a lot of good tracks! [/quote] [quote=Bird] [url=http://imgur.com/amL9dy0]Don't mind the little birdy![/url] It was just hopping along, so I snapped a picture. [/quote] [quote=Creepy Crawly] [url=http://imgur.com/9LCnCpz]This little guy kept running across my notecard.[/url] It took a while before I got a decent picture, I hope it's ok that my name is cut off slightly on there. [/quote] [quote=Grow Something!] [url=http://imgur.com/rksPzye]A single seed.[/url] I would post an 'after' picture, but it still hasn't grown yet. Silly apple, just grow! [/quote] [quote= Draw a Plant or Animal] [url=http://imgur.com/G6qxeEz] A drawing of a fox![/url] Sorry the color is so bad. [/quote] [quote=Create a Cryptid] [url=http://imgur.com/7eAh17c]My proud creation.[/url] I'm not sure what to call it, but it's a hawk/snake hybrid. I can't wait to take a picture of it in the wild... :) [/quote] [s]Will finish editing in a bit, need to check which link goes with which photo[/s] All done! Feel free to look through those photos now ^^ @Charliex8 Just pinging you again to make sure you know I updated! I tried to keep them in challenge order, so you might need to do some scavenging of your own through my post. :/ [quote=Picture of a Cryptid] The final challenge. It is done. I couldn’t decide which picture I like the best, so here are three! [url=http://imgur.com/NXTzpwl]Pic 1[/url] [url=http://imgur.com/cJ948eF]Pic 2[/url] [url=http://imgur.com/vOV5oTl]Pic 3[/url] Behold! I have captured pictures of the Avem Anguis! It is an elusive creature, perching in trees for the most part. If it wishes to hide in undergrowth, you will not be able to find it. I was lucky to find several, and take pictures of each! [/quote]

This isn't an entry but I have to share the picture anyway. I found a decent-sized spider in my room and thought I'd get a picture of it before my cat ate it. [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/b9300703f8889da56901fb887b6be886/tumblr_p93jv4ezOD1ufsmydo1_540.jpg[/img] Not pictured, the sound of a large spider running towards me across a sticky note and me screaming

I'll be editing this post for all my entries to make it easier for me to track; this looks really fun! Some photos might be a bit fuzzy since I've got really shaky hands, but it wouldn't be cryptid hunting without blurry photographs right? [rule][center][b][color=#367841]Starting Out[/center][/color][/b][rule] [quote="1. Introduce Yourself"][b]Username: @/RecursionErr0r[/b][br]Hey! I'm r_e, and I like going on hikes and climbing tall things. There's a particularly iconic rock in my town that I plan to become on top of for the "largest rock you can find" thing, though it's more of a hill. Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying to get all of these, I need to like. go outside. after being an acceptor last week for Lightning's push. I haven't seen the sun in daaaaays[/quote] [quote="2. Make your Name Card"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/QzQA4e4]so boring ft. countertop[/url][/b][br]really basic, since I couldn't find my art pens and just my school pens[/quote] [rule][center][b][color=#367841]The Hunt![/center][/color][/b][rule] [quote="3. Tree"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/duxJVyn]a tree. the first of many[/url][/b][br]this is my neighbor's tree since it was closest while I was going out and testing my name card + photography skills; my city is named for trees though so expect to see a LOT of them in frame...[/quote] [quote="4. Flower"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/9FkYKEH]some flowers in a basket[/url][/b][br]we just got some lovely dark petunias!![/quote] [quote="5. An Unusual Stick"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/tcNpjMW]pesky russian weed[/url][/b][br]My unusual stick here is a tumbleweed; known for adding to suspense in western films and considered a hallmark of the american west, these spiney nuisances are actually from siberia! Another fun fact is that I'm allergic to their pollen. They do indeed roll across empty parking lots, fields, the interstate, and dramatic scenes in real life just like in the movies, though![/quote] [quote="6. Clouds"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/eLPDJfw]swear this ain't shopped[/url][/b][br]it's really bright out today, made a cool effect with my (blurry) name card next to the biggest cloud available[/quote] [quote="7. Three different types of Leaves"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/p5TfTRw]grass, stalky plant, tree[/url][/b][br]the base of the grass blade tasted deliciously sweet, the tree leaf came from the same plant as my berries entry, and the stalky plant I didn't recognise but had oily leaves so I was super careful only to touch the stem and was my hands after.[/quote] [quote="8. Biggest Rock you can find"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/6j6TXUR]distance view[/url].[url=https://imgur.com/ehI2LQb]off the edge[/url][/b][br]this is called "table rock" and you can see it from almost anywhere in the rivervalley my city is built in. It's a popular spot for charity events and class trips (ie, sponsor someone to walk up it), and I remember my middleschool combined the both options once. It's just a flat outcropping of the same stuff as is under everything else, but it looks cool[/quote] [quote="9. Something you think is beautiful"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/eYhG4TP]lense flare, hills, and clouds[/url][/b][br]this is why I love the northwest. It doesn't come accross entirely in the photo, though it does capture well on camera, but the feeling of vastness you get from the mountains here is amazing. These are just the foothills to the nearest range, but in spring and early summer they turn so many wonderful colors. I'm a bit late for the pink/purple/red but it's still early enough that the green is still showing. Not to mention that our clouds are [i]amazing[/i] here.[/quote] [quote="11. Feather"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/Ofn1P54]an assortment of feathers[/url][/b][br]one from a goose in a local park, one (dyed) ostrich from a craft store, one make-shift featherduster, and one bit of down from an arctic bird off an icelandic beach (it's the one in the jar of sand)[/quote] [quote="12. Fruit or Berries"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/ooTH1Ia]an old berry, and some new berries blending in[/url][/b][br]it's not the season yet for most fruitful plants to be done with blossoms and on to fruits, but this one had a few old dried ones that showed up nicely on camera[/quote] [quote="13. Fungus"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/E4joFum]3 mushrooms at an odd angle[/url][/b][br]most of the groundcover here is lichen, so I'm entering some of the mushrooms I found instead; you can see the lichens on the rock entries. That reminds me, my favourite biology joke goes like this: "Annie Algae and Freddie Fungus met in a puddle and took a Lichen to eachother"[/quote] [quote="14. Lake, pond, river or stream"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/cHPEb1U]a puddle[/url][/b][br]this is one of the puddles from on top of my big rock entry; there were a few so I chose one close to the edge without other people too close to frame[/quote] [quote="15. Animal tracks or traces"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/vlipEej]mollusc shell[/url][/b][br]Evidence that...there were once a snail 'round these parts...though I sure as storms ain't ever seen one alive[/quote] [quote="17. Bird"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/0JOc6KB]original[/url] . [url=https://imgur.com/krS1UoI]circled + enhanced[/url][/b][br]the really loud and angry pigeon on my neighbor's roof Cause it's so bright out he's hard to make out since my phone's bad with contrast, but in the second photo I've turned up the contrast and drawn a circle around the bird to make it visible.[/quote] [quote="19. Bee, Butterfly, Dragonfly or Moth"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/PpsoSSw]wasp momentarily trapped in bird feeder[/url][/b][br]exactly what it says on the tin; took a bit to find one of these guys standing still long enough to get both my name card and camera up.[/quote] [quote="20. Creepy Crawly"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/odZeeth]a teeny little invader[/url][/b][br]ants are a major pest problem here, this is the latest [s]scout[/s] victim of the land war we engage in every summer[/quote] [rule][center][color=#367841][b]Activity Quests[/center][/color][/b][rule] [quote="21. Go Litter Picking"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/gR41xiO]some broken glass on a bench[/url][/b][br]because this [i]is[/i] a popular spot, there was a lot of broken glass around. I cleaned up the area I had my 'picnic' in, after taking a shot of some of the trash with my id card next to. I was careful and used gloves, don't worry![/quote] [quote="22. Go on a Picnic"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/ELZLMnY]picnic provisions ft. corn cereal, jerkey, and lemonade[/url][/b][br]had me a nice rest on top of this rock on one of the provided benches! the view was lovely, and my snacks tasty :)[/quote] [quote="23. Research Invasive Species in your Country"][b]Entry: [url=http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Signs-of-Bark-Beetle-Infestation/]informative website[/url][/b][br]There's this type of beetle invasive to the northwestern US, we call 'em bark beetles. They burrow into trees and are doing a number on our evergreen forests; you can recognise a tree they've gotten to by its brown needles, and it's really hard to stop the spread of them since by the time you can identify* a tree has been infested it's too late to save it. *close examination of bark can reveal an infestation earlier, but on the scale of forests they typically won't be identified until trees appear dead.[/quote] [quote="24. Grow Something!"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/GQiB1Ew]seeds in[/url] . [url=https://imgur.com/sKv8wLU]dirt on[/url][/b][br]It's not the best time to be adding anything to the garden itself, since all the space has been allotted for plants that have already been planted or needs to be clear so they can grow, but some nice grass seeds on the torn up section where there used to be grass can't be too bad an idea.[/quote] [quote="25. Feed or water your local wildlife"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/cvhWats]a catnip shrub I planted a decade ago[/url][/b][br]I hope this counts, @/Charliex8 tell me if I'm wrong? But this is the latest itteration of the catnip bush in my family's yard, and so maybe we're not feeding local wildlife so much as nourishing their souls... The local strays come by all the time for this stuff, I like to think it must be the best supply around :) I'm just rly proud of my catnip[/quote] [rule][center][b][color=#367841]Creative Challenges[/center][/color][/b][rule] [quote="27. Describe your Walk"][b]Entry: [/b]Today I walked up/around a local landmark up in the foothills. It's a lot windier up there than down in the valley, which was refreshing as I was just in scandanavia for the semester and am still getting used to temperatures in the states again. It's been raining a lot recently (a lot for the area, not a lot of rain) and so there's still some mud and puddles on the ground up there. I heard a lot of birds and bugs, but I was only able to get close enough for a picture of a fly. It was nice smelling the sagebrush again after being away for so long, reminds me why I don't mind coming back here.[/quote] [quote="29. Nature Rubbings"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/0L26Kqt]an attempt was made[/url][/b][br]didn't turn out so well, mostly because my paper was stiff and I only had a pen, but you can kinda see the center vein of the leaf and its edges (left) and the bumps from the lichens (right)[/quote] [quote="30. Draw a plant or animal"][b]Entry: [url=https://imgur.com/CLPy4Yo]a picture of a flower[/url][/b][br]I love drawing irises, but I'm a little out of practice so this is mighty sketchy and suspect. Done off a live model (left) on a notecard with a pencil (right). No raffle entry card in frame because I have but two hands, so my username and # are visible on the entered sketch.[/quote] [rule][center][b][color=#367841]The Final Challenge[/center][/color][/b][rule]

Updated my post with some info about what i photograph. Tomorrow i plan to take better -morning- pictures ^^

@Syceris - Got your entries up to date! I'm glad you enjoyed your day of exploring ^_^ That stick...is definitely alive!

@Hinumi - Hi again! I knew I recognised your username! I'm so glad you enjoy the hunt so much! Great photos so far! Great collection of tracks you found!

@GrimdarkRoxy - Your bone collection sounds awesome! I've never heard of those cryptids but they sound awesome! Love your name card!

@IvyLight - Oooo Great idea using Google Docs! I absolutely love that chinchilla rock!

@ryttu3k - Whoo! Great start! Wow! Those are certainly some noisy birds! Meganium definitely counts as nature! And is also one of my favourite pokemon! And yes! That is plenty of water! lol

@heartcrusher1 - Haha! You sound a lot like my sister! She likes nature...as long as it isn't touching! lol Good luck getting some good photos!

@Cheshly - Hi there! I'm so glad your excited for this event! Good luck! I love Nessie on your name card :D

@Snek - *grumbles* please don't talk about charmander....I completely forgot about the event! And I really wanted a shiny...lol Great photos so far! Love that cheeky squirrel and those tree pom-poms sound so cool! Thank you piking up some litter!

@SpectralRose - Oooo! How cheeky! Those dragons are gorgeous though...and your right, I never specified! Points are yours...Just don't go telling everyone else! lol That is definitely a face in that rock!

@Ragnell - Good luck! I love the doodles on your name card!

@alyblaith - Oh No! Sorry to hear your park is closed on your day off! The event is open for 2 weeks so I hope you get a chance to get a few challenges done ^_^

@HSoup - Wow! Great start! There are plenty of ocean cryptids! The most famous probably being the Kraken! I love your wildlife photos! Especially the squirrel! And that Palm Mat is fantastic! What a great idea!

Sorry for the confusion ^_^' For challenge 21 - Litter picking, I'll need a photo. Just your name card by the litter will do but an after photo of it in the bin would be great. Challenge 23 - Invasive species is just research so no photo is required :)

@RainyRose - Love the use of the popsicle sticks! Great photos so far!

@Forestwolf - Your name card is amazing! You're very talented :) I didn't know that about dandelions! Not sure I actually want to try one though...Looking forward to seeing more entries (and info) from you!

@Rosie1450 - Oh my gosh! That would have totally freaked me out too! Thank you for sharing your scary nature encounter! :D

@RecursionErr0r - Great entries so far! Sure your catnip can count towards feeding the wildlife :) I hope you enjoy your climb to the top of that rock! ^_^

@Charliex8 - Thank you. I wanted to be sure. =D

[b]Username:[/b] GrimdarkRoxy [b]Challenge:[/b] 3. Tree [b]Entry:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/4nBGbUA.jpg[/img] [b]Details:[/b] It looked specially cool since it's a large tree that is surrounded in a circle by smaller ones [b]Challenge:[/b] 5. An Unusual Stick [b]Entry:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/zh8dMFd.jpg[/img] [b]Details:[/b] When I first glanced at it I thought it was just a bunch of sticks that had gotten tangled but it's a single thing! A single, strange thing! [b]Challenge:[/b] 7. Three different types of Leaves [b]Entry:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/q0Amj42.jpg[/img] [b]Details:[/b] The challenge says 3 types of leaves but honestly there are probably 4 or 5 different kinds in here. Also, I hope the name card is alright, it was extremely sunny and this was the best I could do at that moment. If it needs to be a better quality I can retake it another day :)

@Charliex8 - I'm going to post my story here since my original post is huge already and I'll just add the link to it here like I did for the photos. [b]Challenge 26: Write a story[/b] [color=#3CB371][b]________________________[/b][/color] [columns][center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=41224443] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/412245/41224443.png[/img][/url] [color=#01b1b7][b]Anchor[/b][/color][/center][nextcol][center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38251586] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/382516/38251586.png[/img][/url] [color=#05b8cc][b]Sharkbait[/b][/color][/center][nextcol][center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=45877][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/459/45877.png[/img][/url] [color=#01b1b7][b]SandDune[/b][/color][/center][/columns] “Yes they are." "No they're not." "Yes they [i]are[/i]." "No they're [i]not[/i]." "Yes they ARE! They [i]are[/i] real. I saw one." "No you didn't." "Yes I did!" "No you didn't." "Yes I DID!" "What in Sornieth are you two arguing about?" SandDune asked the two youngsters. Sharkbait answered him, "Anchor says he saw a Groot in the forest. Groots aren't real. They are only in the comics." "But I did see a Groot. Honest, I did." Anchor replied. "You just made it up to tease me." Sharkbait countered, stamping her little paw. "I'm not teasing. I really saw it. It was a little tree with arms and legs. And I saw it moving around. Why won't you believe me?" Anchor pleaded with her. "I don't believe you because you made it up!" "No I didn't." "Yes you did." "No I DIDN'T!" "Yes you DID!" "OKAY, okay! No more arguing you two." SandDune looked at the two unhappy little dragons. "You two are best friends and there is no need for this arguing. When adults want proof of some new thing they have seen, they try to capture a photograph of it. Or try to find other evidence like footprints or maybe find where the creature lives. Why don't you mount an expedition back to the area Anchor thought he saw the Groot and see what evidence you can find. Okay?" Both youngsters agreed to the expedition and Sharkbait ran off to get her gear and to tell her dad Aloha where they were going. When she was out of earshot, SandDune put his paw around the little snapper. "You know Anchor, you might not be able to find proof of the Groot on your expedition. But I want you to remember that even if you find nothing and Sharkbait still doesn't believe you, it will be okay. [i]You[/i] will still know what you saw and sometimes that has to be enough." [center][color=#3CB371][b]________________________[/b][/color][/center] Did Anchor and Sharkbait find any proof of the existence of a Groot in the forest? If they do find something the evidence will be added here. =D

@Charliex8
My post has been updates quite a bit!