Flight Rising Discussion

[center][size=5][color=Green]~ Welcome to the second annual ~[/color][/size] [color=darkred][b][size=7]Ominous [i][color=green]Species[/i] Christmas Countdown![/color][/size] [emoji=snowflake size=4][emoji=gloom tile size=4][emoji=gloom tile size=4][emoji=gloom tile size=4][emoji=snowflake size=4] [size=7][color=red]OSCC 2020 has ended! Thank you to all who participated![/color][/size] [color=red]Due to some personal matters combined with private messages being limited, I will be late on messaging everyone about the raffle. Sorry! [color=blue]As always, this SHOULD be the correct spot in forums for this, I think, but if mods feel otherwise this year, let me know. I know this has gone from a small post to a fully-fledged annual event. I apologize for the wall of text, but please do read it! I'm not very good at making elegant forum posts. I tried to at least section it to make it easier to read. [size=4]Hello! Welcome to the second annual [i]Ominous Species Christmas Countdown[/i]. This is a successor to the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2581922/1][i]Ominous Snapper Christmas Countdown[/i][/url] I did back in 2018. In 2019, I reimagined the countdown to be the Ominous Species Christmas Countdown and chose Skydancers as that year's representative. As determined by the vote last year, this year's species is[b] [i][color=red]Wildclaw[/color][/i][/b]![/size] [center][color=blue]But what is the Ominous Species Christmas Countdown? It's simply a countdown to Christmas, but more ominous! Seriously, it's kinda in the title. But for real, what is it? Well, it's a silly little thing I threw together after having an odd dream in 2018 that resulted in the Ominous Snapper Christmas Countdown, which is linked above. Each day I will photoshop an ominous dragon with a sign counting down to Christmas. Am I good with photoshop? Sorta, yeah. Will these images reflect that? Probably not. Does that add to the comedic value? I hope so! And yes, I know breed and species are not the same. I just wanted another word that started with S to replace "snapper".[/color] [size=5][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2940761/1#post_45505663]Click here to go straight to the images![/url][/size] ----------------- [color=red][b][size=5]Here are a few things I'd like to note:[/size][/b][/color] [color=red][b]- Please do not ping me when you are submitting a dragon. I am subbed to the thread![/b][/color] [color=red][b] - If you'd like to be added to the pinglist, use the google form at the bottom of the post! Please make sure to read everything. You do need to sign into a google account. Trying a different method of pinglist this year. - Use the link, please! If you don't have a google account you can ask to be added, but otherwise, PLEASE use the link! I'm usually very busy this month and I often forget to add everyone! The forum is there so you don't have to rely on me! - I will be holding a small raffle on a separate post once the countdown has ended! Please continue reading below for more information. - Please do let me know if I've made a spelling error or anything in this post! I've checked it over many times but I'm just blind sometimes. - If the wording of the rules confuses you, don't be afraid to ask me to clarify! I have tried to word it the best I can, but I have historically had trouble trying to make the rules clear and concise. - I have lost the 2019 pinglist. I apologize if you do not get pinged for this when you asked to be last year, but I got a new PC earlier this year and had to purge my old google drive where I kept the pinglist. I was contacted by someone who shouldn't have had my email and I quickly deleted all I had linked to that email. Combine this with the new computer (files on my old PC have been damaged or lost), and the pinglist was unfortunately lost as a result. - If you were pinged but cannot find the ping in question, I pinged everyone from the 2018 pinglist for the aforementioned reason. - My computer screen has recently broken. I will not be able to fix it this month. As a result, I am doing all of the photoshop work on a TV screen, and I may make a few mistakes. I apologize.[/b][/color] --------------------------------- [color=green] [size=5][b]Rules[/b][/size] - [b]You may submit [i]one[/i] Wildclaw or a Wildclaw scry each day from now until the 22nd. Each day you submit a Wildclaw or Wildclaw scry, you will earn one ticket for the OSCC raffle that will be held at the event's conclusion. The prizes aren't anything incredible, but they are free, and you can win this year's OSCC Wildclaw! You cannot buy tickets - the only way to get a ticket is to submit a dragon! I do this in an effort to ensure everyone has an equal chance. A link to the raffle can be found below.[/b] - [b]Please do not discuss the raffle on this post, however! The raffle is something separate I am doing as a thank-you to those who participated in this event. Anything raffle-related should be asked in PM or on the raffle post (linked at the bottom of this post)[/b] - Each day, I will choose one dragon that was submitted to be featured in the next day's post. I choose these at random in order to keep it somewhat fair. I ask that you trust I am choosing them randomly, but if you truly do not believe me, I do keep proof that the selection is random. Simply PM me and I will provide proof. - If you submit multiple Wildclaws or Wildclaw scrys for a day, I will use whichever you put first. Submitting multiple dragons per day will only count as if you'd submitted only one. - I had some rules here about when to post images and when I will post but due to some legitimate technical difficulties I've seen removed them. Just submit a dragon daily - Your Wildclaw or Wildclaw scry does not need to be ominous! It can be any Widlclaw or Wildclaw scry. - If your Wildclaw or Wildclaw scry is featured in an image, you may continue to submit a dragon daily, but must submit a different Wildclaw or Wildclaw scry than the one that was featured. - [b]Please do not submit dragons with primal plague eyes. While it does not bother me personally, I am aware that some people do not like to see them, and I would like to keep this enjoyable for all. Any submissions using primal plague eyes will not be accepted.[/b] - I'm usually too lazy to change the image size but I do try to only use high-resolution images. If an image is too hard to see, you can probably zoom in! - Once the countdown has concluded, I will be opening a google form to give feedback on the event and vote for next year's breed! There will also be an option to add yourself to the pinglist for next year's countdown. This will, unfortunately, require you to sign into a google account. Tis' the [s]season[/s] only way I can sort of limit responses to 1 per person.[/color] ----------------------------------------------- [color=purple][size=5]LINKS:[/size] [size=4] [url=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uqIEetCrqjufbkD-q_ykQR9BprM9z0pmReAWwqaw9gQ/edit]Click here to add yourself to the pinglist[/url]! [url=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19j7cn4ASjjtGPmVyLgStDsdi-VvwqX_Kc9z4qNfNLl4/edit]OSCC Closing form (Feedback, next year's pinglist, vote for next year's species)[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/raf/2940760]Link to the OSCC raffle post[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2581922/1]Link to the 2018 Ominous Snapper Christmas Countdown[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/2785010/1]Link to the 2019 Ominous Species Christmas Countdown[/url] [/size][/color] -------------------- [color=blue][b]With all that out of the way, let the countdown begin! Who knows what will happen this year?[/b][/color][/center] -------------------------------- [i]"Ah, yes. The classic alleyway. Where the countdown begins every year. At least this Wildclaw seems to respect social distancing." [/i][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0PkBECB.png[/img]

[center][i]"Ah, yes. The classic alleyway. Where the countdown begins every year. At least this Wildclaw seems to respect social distancing." [/i][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0PkBECB.png[/img] [i]"A cave? Really? Have you learned nothing from the last two years? You'll find no safety here."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/HBe1GP3.png[/img] [i]"Warehouses are full of useful things - but an abandoned one probably isn't."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Y33Dvkv.png[/img] [i]"Why do you keep going into abandoned buildings!?" [/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/bNJzOpJ.png[/img] [i]"Forests are filled with all kinds of creatures. Ominous dragons are no exception."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/qQRljUY.png[/img] [i]"Mars again? Didn't work last time, won't work this time. You cannot escape the countdown."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9RNHVO4.png[/img] [i]"Be careful, don't get tetanus. I'm sure there's rusty metal all over that floor."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/9RFvBh8.png[/img] [i]"Nighttime walks are nice. Just be sure to check for dragons."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/tOpimoV.png[/img] [i]"Ruins are nice. So much history! Shame you can't enjoy them without being watched." [/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/hYWeddE.png[/img] [i]"An old train? I don't think that will be very helpful in escaping the Wildclaws."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/3asdicU.jpg[/img] [i]"Did he nail that to the wall...?"[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/gZ63SFe.png[/img] [i]"I can't imagine how many bugs must be in that grass. Skydancers, go wild."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/f9fyptf.png[/img] "Excuse me, what? What is he even standing on?" [img]https://i.imgur.com/73BUNDv.png[/img] [i]"Hey, maybe it's just a coincidence he's on the same trail as you!"[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/GLiKy1a.png[/img] [i]"Huh. How did that end up there?"[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/QNo9dhJ.png[/img] [i]"Wrong holiday. A little confused, but they've got the spirit."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/D3SOedX.png[/img] [i]"Hey, that's pretty [b]cool[/b]."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/4WnnfmV.png[/img] [i]"Isn't it a little late to be buying a tree? All the good ones are gone!"[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/cZiezUO.png[/img] [i]"He's not even trying to be subtle about it."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/CiqUVoD.png[/img] [i]"Those walls could use some new paint. Maybe your new Wildclaw friend is willing?" [/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/wfFtsm7.png[/img] [i]"This place seems... familiar."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Fqlk44D.png[/img] [i]"Ice caves are gorgeous! So nice of your Wildclaw friend to accompany you!"[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/mbmonNy.png[/img] [i]"Odd place to put a sign. Where's the- ...oh."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/AjspjqD.png[/img] [i]The sign is shattered. In the rubble is a note with a single word scribbled on it: "Tomorrow."[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/4exRE2Z.png[/img] [center]You flip over the note you found in the pile of broken wood. On its backside is a set of directions to... well, you don't know where. Following the directions, you eventually come to a small cabin in the woods. Briefly looking it over, you notice that it's devoid of any holiday decorations and that what seemed like string and tape is present all over the house. Something was taken down in a hurry. As you approach the door and give it a hard few knocks, you are filled with curiosity and unease, unsure of what to expect inside. To your surprise, however, a friendly Wildclaw pulls open the door and greets you. "Hey! You must be here for the party. Ya know, the one we throw every year? Well... I've got some bad news. Someone... well, someone stole Christmas!" They exclaim, before noticing your puzzled expression. "Well, okay, not literally. But they took all of our decorations and presents. They even knocked over our tree! The nerve!" the dragon snorted, turning around and motioning for you to follow. As you follow the Wildclaw, you notice that it's a lot nicer-looking inside than outside. The faint smell of mint and cookies lingers in the air, and scraps of wrapping paper are littered all over the ground. More tape and strings, with no decorations except a few scattered ornaments. And in the corner... a knocked over Christmas tree. [img]https://i.imgur.com/b3Wv0XL.jpg[/img] The Wildclaw sighs. "They pretty much stole everything. But... don't worry," the dragon says as she perks up a bit. "A few things weren't here yet, so we still have a few gifts. And it's not the decorations or the tree or even the presents that make Christmas special! It's our friends and family. And sometimes... sometimes everything goes wrong. Sometimes we can't see each other, or be with them on a special day. Sometimes no matter how much you plan or what you do... some things are just out of your control." [color=green][b]Hey everyone. This year has been interesting, hasn't it? Between Covid, the mess that is 2020, and more, I've seen a lot of people who unfortunately can't be with their families or friends for Christmas. And a lot more who can't afford that many gifts for others this year. I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and I hope that you have a wonderful rest of the year. This year has been rough on everyone, so make sure to let those you care about know how much they mean to you, even if you can't be with them this holiday season![/b][/color] The Wildclaw lifts the tree back upright and turns to face you. "Of course, I'm still going to find who did this. And I'm going to make sure they understand the error of their ways. We're holding a raffle with the leftover presents, and we hope that although small, it makes your Christmas a little better, win or lose!" Who smashed the sign and stole the presents? Why would someone do that? Is this a clear rip-off of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"? Find out next December when OSCC returns for another countdown!