Shaoman 2018

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General

Shaoman 2018 was held October 29 - November 4. The theme of the freeweek was The Legend of the Headless Fade.

7 events were run during Shaoman 2018 and many people participated in different activities. Most participants engaged in the Spamathon, which is hosted every freeweek. Stats from the Spamathon can be found below.

7 groups participated in the Group Theme contest (2 of which were participating together as one theme) and the winner was decided by site-wide vote.

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Introduction post - "Welcome to Shaoman! The Legend of the Headless Fade...". Please expand to read more.

Every year at Shaoman, a horror descends upon the town of Whitebridge, appearing on the bridge that gave the city its name, a horror that no man, woman or child is ever really prepared for. The terror of that night, always expected on the twelfth day of Shaldine, is something no one can truly prepare for. What is this fright, this deep, cold fear that the folk of Whitebridge dread? Gather round the fire and sit back to hear . . .

The Legend of the Headless Fade!

In one age, called the Fourth Age by some, a wind arose over the River Arinelle. A cold wind it was, chilling bones and hearts alike . . . the fear was palpable, making the residents of Whitebridge quake in their very boots. Rumors swirled in the streets and lanes, in the finer inns and in the lowliest winesinks. An apparition was seen on the snow-white bridge for which the city was known. A ghost some said, a ghost with no head. Others said it was a Trolloc. “Trolloc!” one man exclaimed. “Trollocs don’t ride horses, you bone-headed buffoon!” No, it was the Dragon Reborn. No—and here they took care to whisper the name softly—it was the shade of Guaire Amalasan. Still others, pretending they were not afraid, said it was just a skulking cut-purse. But they were all wrong of course, the lot of them.

That night it was seen again at an hour of the night when most folk were in their beds: a figure on horseback in a dead-black cloak that seemed to make the darkness of the night around it seem bright as the dawn . . . and it had no head! The man froze when he saw it, unable to move. Despite the fact that it was missing a head, he had the eerie sensation that the thing—whatever it was—was staring at him with all of the malice of the Pit of Doom. The horse whickered and snorted, smoke coming out of it’s nostrils, and the figure raised a dead-black sword as the horse reared, its cloak hanging utterly still. The man scrabbled back into a hollow at the foot of the bridge that lead to the sleepy square, so terrified that he turned and threw himself into the river below, heedless of the long, killing fall. But the Light preserved him, and the cold waters of the river shocked him so that he returned to his senses—as much as one can return to their senses after witnessing such a heart-stopping display. He heard the shouts of men on a passing trader’s vessel, felt the tug of a rope under his arms and himself being hauled up where he landed on the deck with faces staring down at him, asking him questions. At last he managed to answer one of them: what was his name? “Comgal.” But so exhausted was he by fear, cold, and fighting the river, that he lapsed into unconsciousness.

When he woke up at the Wayfarer’s Rest, the woman sitting beside the bed quickly called for Bartim, the innkeeper, who was no stranger to frightening things. He once saw the false Dragon Gorin Rogad with his own eyes, and when two young men showed up with a gleeman just a few years before the Dragon Reborn proclaimed himself, a small, crazed, dangerous looking fellow showed up asking questions . . . and then a man, all dressed in the blackest of black with a hood that hid his face entirely came asking the same questions in a voice that chilled the blood to hear. Just thinking of it made him shift his eyes about, he remembered the gaze from that hood so well—or the feeling of it on him at least. He swallowed hard when Comgal finished telling him what he saw on that bridge, remembering the years that followed that meeting and the troubles that came after. He recalled the stories told around mugs of ale and games of dice about . . . a Fade . . . Light, could that black-cloaked figure asking questions about the gleeman and his companions really been a Myrddraal? A sheen of sweat broke out on his brow as he swallowed again. A Fade in the square fighting a gleeman. It could only have been the very same gleeman he saw with those two young men. A gleeman he might have been, but he had the look of familiarity with danger. Or maybe he was one of those Light-cursed men who could touch the Source. Some said lighting flashed from his knives as he struggled with the Shadowspawn, others that he died under the Fade’s black blade, and others still that the gleeman emerged victorious. A gleeman killing a Fade? It seemed impossible to believe. But he couldn’t help but wonder if the . . . the thing Comgal described on the bridge . . . wasn’t the very same Fade the rumor all those years ago said fought with a gleeman.

Welcome to Shaoman! This is one of the Freeweeks we have at TarValon.net, where we open up the Faregrounds for fun and games! Gather with your usergroups and pick a theme to dress up, make a thread and play games, and all around have a great time! But watch out for the Headless Fade!

In this forum, JMs need not use titles to address SMs, but remember to respect one another. If you have any questions or concerns, please email outreachactivities@tarvalon.net.

Events

• Group Theme Contest
• Origin Story Contest
• Poetry Contest
• Forum Trivia
• IRC Trivia
• Movie Night
• Spamathon

Themes

• Brown Ajah: Headless Heads of State
• Gray Ajah: Clue
• Red Ajah: Red Bosses
• White Ajah: Quotes of the Dead
• Val'Cueran and Citizens: Wolfwalkers
• Novices, Recruits, Accepted and Soldiers: Whalefire

Winners

• A special Mother Wolf Award was handed out to Alor Sionn for adopting the Citizens during Shaoman 2018.

            

• Group Theme Contest - Val'Cueran and Citizens

• Most Engaging Thread - Gray Ajah

• Most Participants, a.k.a. the Pack Award - Citizens

• Origin Story Contest - Adanys Wynterwulf

      

• Rock Star of Shaoman - Elanda Tonil and Tallan Daar

      

• Spirit of Shaoman - Nayienna al'Eryc and Zeryth al'Damoraine

• Trivia, Forum - Bruce al'Kay

• Trivia, IRC - Bruce al'Kay

Poetry Contest

• Round One Winner - Zeryth al'Damoraine
• Round Two Winner - Randle al'Ren
• Round Three Winner - Anujun Trahearn
• Overall Winner - Bruce al'Kay
• Funniest Poem - Nayienna al'Eryc and Alor Sionn
• Special Award - Anujun Trahearn
• Poem with All The Feels - Randle al'Ren

Spamathon

• Spamathon Winner - White Ajah

• Spamathon MVP - Elanda Tonil

Spamathon Statistics

Round 1

Total posts: 956
Total posts per hour: 39.83
Total participants: 54
Total posts per capita: 17.70

Match Numbers

Gray vs. Blue

• 104.83 posts per hour
• 59 total posts

VC vs. Accepted/Soldiers

• 11.71 posts per hour
• 281 total posts

Novices/Recruits vs. Yellow

• 2.96 posts per hour
• 71 total posts

SDS vs. White

• 9.58 posts per hour
• 230 total posts

Green vs. Citizens

• 6.54 posts per hour
• 157 total posts

Brown vs. DM

• 5.75 posts per hour
• 138 total posts

MDD vs. Red

• 1.13 posts per hour
• 27 total posts

Group Numbers

Accepted/Soldiers

• 164 posts
• 41 posts per capita
• 6.83 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Adanys Wynterwulf with 72 posts; 43.9% of Accepted/Soldier posts in Round 1

Blue

• 2 posts
• 2 posts per capita
• 0.08 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Alyria Ess with 2 posts; 100% of Blue posts in Round 1

Brown

• 85 posts
• 21.25 posts per capita
• 3.54 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Ashlyn Sindal with 39 posts; 45.9% of Brown posts in Round 1

Citizens

• 137 posts
• 17.13 posts per capita
• 5.71 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Nayienna al'Eryc with 45 posts; 33% of Citizen posts in Round 1

Dai M'Hael

• 53 posts
• 13.25 posts per capita
• 2.21 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Vendri al'Varrak with 20 posts; 37.7% of Dai M'Hael posts in Round 1

Gray

• 57 posts
• 11.4 posts per capita
• 2.38 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak with 19 posts; 33.3% of Gray posts in Round 1

Green

• 20 posts
• 4 post per capita
• 0.83 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Faeril Munlear with 11 posts; 55% of Green posts in Round 1

Mahdi'in D'ma Dieb

• No posts

Novices/Recruits

• 27 posts
• 6.75 posts per capita
• 1.13 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Bruce al'Kay with 15 posts; 55.6% of Novice/Recruit posts in Round 1

Red

• 20 posts
• 4 posts per capita
• 0.83 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Theolyn Maryash with 8 posts; 40% of Red posts in Round 1

San d'ma Shadar

• 21 posts
• 21 posts per capita
• 0.88 post per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Wil Cambrae with 81 posts; 100% of San d'ma Shadar posts in Round 1

Val'Cueran

• 117 posts
• 39 posts per capita
• 4.88 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Alor Sionn with 117 posts; 75.2% of Val'Cueran posts in Round 1

White

• 209 posts
• 41.8 posts per capita
• 8.71 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Elanda Tonil with 89 posts; 42.6%% of White posts in Round 1

Yellow

44 posts

• 8.8 posts per capita
• 8.71 posts per hour
• Round 1 MVP: Elania al'Manir with 21 posts; 47.7% of Yellow posts in Round 1

Special Awesomeness

• Round MVP (highest post count): Elanda Tonil with 89
• Highest per capita: White Ajah with 41.8
• Per capitas ending with whole numbers: Green Ajah, Accepted/Soldiers, Val'Cueran, Red Ajah
• Most participants: Citizens with 8!
• Highest post count (group): White Ajah with 209!
• Posters with >50% of their group’s posts: Alor Sionn (75.2%), Bruce al'Kay (55.6%), and Faeril Munlear (55%)
• Post count twinsies:
  • 1 post: Ariadne Davion, Autumn Sapphira, Amarande al'Kalin, Feros Sandulf, Sailea Nerid
  • 2 posts: Alyria Ess, Kethaana Nia Khamara, Erin al'Denael, Morrighan Daghdera, Kelvin Sinclaer, Leira Galene, Brandon Tat'vakja
  • 3 posts: Nebka Galyn, Relinya Ryviarra
  • 4 posts: Syera Faelron, Stephen Lightheart, Izabella Serra, Roheryn ni Galghandhrei t'al'Djinn, Lok Enkee, Keelinnea Isyne
  • 6 posts: Siera al'Cere, Nynyra Falas, Juliya Karisu
  • 8 posts: Elyss Koh'inor, Jahily al'Karee, Kalis Flynn, Theolyn Maryash
  • 15 posts: Ilverin Matriam, Padron Kerenmosa, Bruce al'Kay, Jaim al'Bearach
  • 21 posts: Elania al'Manir, Wil Cambrae

Round 2

Total posts: 4212
Total posts per hour: 175.5
Total participants: 62
Total posts per capita: 67.94

Match Numbers

VC vs. Gray

• 5.17 posts per hour
• 124 total posts

Accepted/Soldiers vs. Yellow

• 6.21 posts per hour
• 149 total posts

Citizens vs. White

• 55.33 posts per hour
• 1328 total posts

Brown vs. Red

• 2.46 posts per hour
• 59 total posts

Group Numbers

Accepted/Soldiers

• 142 posts
• 28.4 posts per capita
• 5.92 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Adanys Wynterwulf with 68 posts; 47.9% of Accepted/Soldiers posts in Round 2

Brown

• 48 posts
• 12 posts per capita
• 2 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Elia LePhant with 24 posts; 50% of Brown posts in Round 2

Citizens

• 535 posts
• 76.43 posts per capita
• 22.29 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Nayienna al'Eryc with 224 posts; 41.87% of Citizen posts in Round 2

Gray

• 84 posts
• 16.8 post per capita
• 3.5 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak with 32 posts; 38.1% of Green posts in Round 2

Red

• 11 posts
• 5.5 posts per capita
• 0.46 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Lok Enkee with 6 posts; 54.5% of Red posts in Round 2

Val'Cueran

• 40 posts
• 20 posts per capita
• 1.67 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Alor Sionn with 25 posts; 62.5% of VC posts in Round 2

White

• 793 posts
• 198.25 posts per capita
• 33.04 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Elanda Tonil with 339 posts; 42.7% of White posts in Round 2

Yellow

• 7 posts
• 2.33 posts per capita
• 0.29 posts per hour
• Round 2 MVP: Mychael Ritoryn with 5 posts; 71.4% of Yellow Posts in Round 2

Special Awesomeness

• Round MVP (highest post count): Elanda Tonil (339 posts)
• Posters with >50% contribution to their team: Alor Sionn, Mychael Ritoryn, Lok Enkee
• Team Work Champs (<10 percentage point spread in contribution levels): Red Ajah (45.5%-54.5%)
• Highest per capita: White Ajah (198.25)
• Whole number per capitas: Val'Cueran, Brown Ajah
• Most participants: Citizens (7)
• Highest post count (group): White (793)
• Post count twinsies:
  • 1 post: Syera Faelron, Autumn Sapphira, Idine Espanyas
  • 5 posts: Mychael Ritoryn, Alenya Al'Roran, Theolyn Maryash
  • 7 posts: Siera al'Cere, Erin al'Denael
  • 11 posts: Elyss Koh'inor, Tannin Venatrix

Round 3

Total posts: 3612
Total posts per hour: 172
Total participants: 17
Total posts per capita: 212.47

Match Numbers

Gray vs. Accepted/Soldiers

• 18.81 posts per hour
• 395 total posts

Brown vs. White

• 153.19 posts per hour
• 3217 total posts

Group Numbers

Accepted/Soldiers

• 240 posts
• 60 posts per capita
• 11.43 posts per hour
• Round 3 MVP: Adanys Wynterwulf with 100 posts; 41.67% of Accepted/Soldier posts in Round 3

Brown

• 1412 posts
• 470.67 posts per capita
• 67.24 posts per hour
• Round 3 MVP: Loraella Melodie with 642 posts; 45.47% of Brown posts in Round 3

Gray

• 155 posts
• 31 posts per capita
• 7.38 posts per hour
• Round 3 MVP: Ilverin Matriam with 72 posts; 46.45% of Gray posts in Round 3

White

• 1805 posts
• 361 posts per capita
• 85.95 posts per hour
• Round 3 MVP: Elanda Tonil with 967 posts; 53.57% of White posts in Round 3

Special Awesomeness

• Round MVP (highest post count): Elanda Tonil (967)
• Posters with >50% contribution to their team: Elanda Tonil (53.57%)
• Highest per capita: White Ajah (361)
• Most participants: Tie between Gray Ajah and White Ajah, each with 5
• Highest post count (group): White Ajah (677)
• Coordinating posts (teammates with very similar post counts >100): Ashlyn Sindal (387) and Elia LePhant (383)
• Post count twinsies:
  • 28 post: Taelinn Dolivras, Aduiavas Ida
  • 32 posts: Tannin Venatrix, Lokadien Vianharl
• Top individual posts per hour (All > 100 posts)
  • Elia LePhant finished with 18.24 posts per hour
  • Ashlyn Sindal finished with 18.43 posts per hour
  • Loraella Melodie finished with 30.57 posts per hour
  • Leala ni al'Dareis t'al'Caleum finished with 32.43 posts per hour
  • Elanda Tonil finished with 46.05 posts per hour

Round 4

Total posts: 2649
Total posts per hour: 110.375
Total participants: 12
Total posts per capita: 220.75

Group Numbers

Accepted/Soldiers

• 1157 posts
• 231.4 posts per capita
• 48.21 posts per hour
• Round 4 MVP: Lokadien Vianharl with 437 posts; 37.77% of Accepted/Soldier posts in Round 4

White

• 1492 posts
• 213.14 posts per capita
• 62.17 posts per hour
• Round 4 MVP: Elanda Tonil with 881 posts; 59.05% of White posts in Round 4

Special Awesomeness

• Round MVP (highest post count): Elanda Tonil (881)
• Most participants: White (7)
• Best Teamwork: Accepted/Soldiers - Narrowest spread of contribution Lokadien Vianharl (37.77%), Jarl Lewin (31.46%), and Tannin Venatrix (25.58%)
• Whole number post per hour: Leala ni al'Dareis t'al'Caleum (15)
• At 16 hours in, Tannin Venatrix, Jarl Lewin, and Leala ni al'Dareis t'al'Caleum were at 220, 223, and 225 posts respectively.

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