Sandcastle Contest

Winners

The winning submissions are posted on the 2nd Annual Beach Bash page.

Loravelle

The Mother of Tides - Selene

Bucketfuls of sand are poured onto the table, intentionally haphazard at the table's edges but gradually brought into a more detailed focus of jagged rocks jutting out of an unseen sea. In their midst, on the largest rock, sits woman carved out of wet, compacted sand. Due to Lora's height and the size of the table, the goddess depicted isn't very large, but her detail is striking. Without appropriate tools, Lora has created makeshift carving tools out of twigs and smooth shells collected on the beach to aid in creating detail and texture where necessary. The dress covering the goddess's frame is short-sleeved, deliberately stylized to both mask Lora's somewhat lacking skill in sculpting fabric realistically and to imitate the illusion of falling water washing over Selene's frame into a swirling flood of water surrounding her and the carved out 'sea rocks'. Her hair is treated similarly, with the mass of pressed sand used to depict it carved into with a myriad of lines to represent the flow of water down her back, over her shoulders, and to the table below. The hands are carved simply, with few lines in the portion of wet sand used to depict them, and rest within the goddess's lap, palms up. The bodice area of the gown is decorated with a collection of seashells pressed into the sand that Lora has collected on the beach, and while she made an effort to try keeping the design symmetrical, it's far from perfect. A handful of pebbles criss-crosses the goddess's frame in lines to imitate strands of pearls. A circular-shaped divot in those hands invites passersby to place an offering there, perhaps a candle given its round shape. The goddess's face is the most detailed feature of the entire sand sculpture. Small pieces of dreaming water opal (rather than a green stone, as myth so often refers to Selene's eyes as green) are set into the sand and layered over slightly to give the 'eyes' created proper lids, and her lips are carefully shaped into a smile.

Loravelle

The Trident Bearer – Zaytor

On a separate table, a long piece of forked driftwood punches skyward as it's held within the grasp of a large hand made from sand. The weight of the hand Lora has carved means that it rests on the tabletop rather than held proudly aloft, like a proper statue carved from stone. But she uses this weight to her advantage, and only carves the god Zaytor from his muscular shoulders upward, and covers the remainder of the table in a layer of sand which she draws circles into around both the hand holding the driftwood trident, and the shoulders of Zaytor's body to imitate ripples. It is as if he is just emerging from an unseen pool of water with his trident. Since this sculpture is more or less a bust, the majority of the detail Lora focuses on is for the face. Once again she uses small pieces of dreaming water opal to create the sculpture's eyes, though they're set in a stern face. The god's hooded brows are angled downward just slightly toward his large, curved nose. Instead of stylizing Zaytor's massive beard and mane of hair to look like water, Lora makes more effort with her twigs carving into the sand, to create large masses of shapes that look like hair at a distance, but are flatter planes when viewed up close. The handle of the bucket for the challenge is carefully pried free, and set atop Zaytor's head. Several pointed turret shells are placed just in front of the handle so it helps keep them all properly aligned, and the water god is properly crowned.

Kanna

A... Sandcastle?

What is submitted is… certainly an entry. Did goblins or trolls even have the attention span to make a sandcastle like this? A small bit of opal has been ground into a fine dust and has been mixed into the sand to give the piece a glittering effect. The shape is nebulous at best. Is it an Elvish capital G? Is this an obscene word written in Dwarvish layered on top of one another to create a single shape? A snake tying itself into knots? Why are there holes in it? Well, it is none of these things. It is a treble clef, a motif that most people unfamiliar with anything musical would recognize due to its lack of prominence outside of bardic circles. The circular dents in it are meant to be windows of a building, as evidenced by the small twigs shoved into the holes to make window panes. Flower petals have been used to decorate this piece as well, though the hot summer sun has dried them out, making them look more like detritus. Sven, Hind, and Lore, bless Kanna, for she really did try.

Daisy

Sandcastles in the Saaaaaaaand

Will you just look at this day? It is a Rynvale day on a Rynvale beach by the Rynvale water, because what else is there to do on an island than go to the beach? Well. Probably plenty, but today is for sunning and funning and beaching. Other places are for other times, you know. Back to today! Today there are kittens leaving offices (that may or may not exist) of men who may or not be angry at her for leaving flowers in it. Gifts! Gifts for the frowney face men and pretty women who don't like to wear shoes. She looks down at her own toes digging in the sand. No shoes here either. All the best ladies are barefoot, right kitten? She giggles and tots closer to the water. Inhale. Exhale. That sea air is her zen. Her happy place. And happy places deserve happy activities! Bag and towel tossed to the bit of dry sand there, she parts her feet, places a hand on one hip and stretches her other over her head. One side, other side, back again. Beach yoga is probably a thing somewhere, but not here. No, the kitten is just getting in a little loosening up before she gets to that task at hand. Came to her in a dream, it did. A glorious day for being an archiect, it is!

She plops her tush right down in the sand and starts to pile some of it up in front of her. Scoop scoop, pack pack. A little smile shoves all her cares in the world off somewhere for someone else to deal with. Sorry not sorry to that guy. The mound of sand gets bigger and bigger until it is as tall as she is. All four feet of her! Standing back, she takes in her accomplishment for a moment. It isn't fancy, just a mound of sand that is wide at the base and pointy at the top with a crab on it. Wait what? Where did you come from? She moves closer to peer at the little eyes peering at her. "Are you the crab king?"

That little crab waves its little pinchy hands at her, doing a snipsnip clack like you do with the tongs when you're grilling so the food tastes better. Daisy isn't food, little king! She huffs and shakes a finger at the crab. "This is my castle, get your own." Demands are made of invading crustaceans, but kings do what kings want and this king wants this castle. It snips some more and dozens more crabs scurry towards the castle, surrounding and smothering and causing a general ruckus. Soon the castle is covered in those little blue crabs. They shimmer and shine, speckled and glittering and glistening in the sun.

Daisy waves both hands in a jazzy manner at the tiny army, trying to shoo them away the best she can. Them crabs are all kinds of fearless though. Fine. You know what? Hunger wasn't a thing a minute ago, but invasive tasties need to be dealt with. Was there a bucket by her bag and towel? There is now. A smooth sided bucket with a handle. One by one, the crabs are plucked from her castle and put into the bucket. Well one of them crabs isn't too keen on being this feline's dinner! So when the little murder mitten gets close, the crabling raises its little pinchy hand and snap!

Daisy howls in pain, shaking her paw and flinging the offensive creature out into the ocean. Stupid crabs! She pouts while sucking on that pained digit. This is probably enough anyway. The bucket is full and castles have lost her interest. Now is no longer for the beach, but for the snacks instead. Maybe she'll run into Mahri or Inks for sharing dates.

Quintessa

Castle Blacksand

The sandcastle before you is sturdy and practical, if nothing else. Obsidian glass has been grounded down into a fine dust and mixed with the damp sand, giving it an eerie black swirled texture before being shaped into crenellations, reminiscent of four high towers built in a defensive battlement arrangement. Tiny seashells and pebbles embellish the structure, mimicking the stone detailing of true castles as the central keep rises proudly in the middle, its sandy turrets commanding respect. Around it a moat has been carved out, water from the ocean full of foam and grit stagnating in a wide protective barrier, the only access to the castle being that of a single driftwood drawbridge. Atop each of the five turrets flies a seaweed banner perched on tiny twigs, dry enough to flutter in the light sea breeze. Last but not least are the tiny bewitched hermit crabs that patrol this miniature fortress, each wielding diminutive pikes as they drone in endless circles around the sandcastle’s battlements. Here Castle Blacksand stands proud, a modest garrison of six crabs ready to defend the realm from danger (or invade the castle next door.)

Arlyeon

Definitely a Sandcastle, and not a Horror Show

At a glance, this heap of sand could be mistaken for normal. Almost cute, really, given that its been shaped into an overtly large semi-sphere, with a pair of triangular outcroppings on the top, which seem to be mostly kept in place by sticks. Add in a pair of circles made out of sea shells, some kelp to colour the interior, and a oddly shaped piece of drift wood - and there's the facsimile of a fox. All it's missing is...

The smile. Even at glance, there's something acutely off with the small arrangement of water-sodden planks which have been crammed into the front of the sphere. With a surprising degree of care, and a liberal use of fire breath, they've been charred into points- so that when they get together, it looks more like a fragmented obsidian, than any semblance of a welcome grin. Worse, however, is the knocking. Every so often- the noise emerges from within, sometimes with enough force to send flecks of charred wood into the air.

Which is all by design, really- since those chunks of wood were never meant to last. At some point during the night, that grinning maw will give way- and from it's depths spills forth a dire atrocity.

Undead Flying fish - Alchemic light emanates from their ghoulish faces- all to highly the rad neon blues their bones have been painted. Hopefully, it helps to highlight the 'Welcome to Rynvale' streamers that have been glued to their tails. At least, the ones which haven't fallen off.

Times must really be tough, if a Necromancer agreed to this revival gig.

Fiadh

A Sandcastle by Any Other Name

Although not extraordinarily impressive from a distance, this "sandcastle" has been meticulously crafted to resemble a detailed topographic map of Rynvale Island. Elaborate in its detail, the rocky shores to the north of the island are marked with carefully placed pebbles and shells. Sea foam algae is scattered amongst the sandy trees of the fog forest to appear as if fog were rolling through, opalescent sea shells are artfully pressed into Selene's temple, and broken sand dollars form the pattern of the cobbled streets of Port Rynvale.

The rocky plateau of Vhys is constructed from chipped stones, and its expansive forest is represented by carefully positioned seaweed atop sticks and other small pieces of driftwood. Gamorg is covered in algae and traces of sea water. Strands of seaweed have been shaped to resemble miniature hibernating dragons emerging from sandy caves in the dragon lands, and a kraken even rises from the shallow water that has been filled into the sea water filled "moat" encircling the island. The driftwood tentacle of the kraken wears a welcoming look rather than a menacing one, suggesting that this was possibly the intention of the creator.

All in all, while not particularly grand in scale, the creation is evidently a product of deep affection for the island itself.

Magikrios

Not So Sand Castle

Instead of a sandcastle, there appears to be teal and purple shards of glass of different sizes spread within a small circle. Whoever tried to build a sandcastle apparently got hot-headed and let some steam off. Oh. There is also a spilled pina colada in the middle of the shards. Upon closer inspection, a blackened handprint seems to wrap around the glass. That's odd. Don't worry about the knocked over glass. It'll be picked up before the end of the day. Also..There may or may not be ferret paw prints circling the pile of shards in an attempt to build a moat. And..Is that a small beach chair and umbrella next to the "moat"? What happened here?

Mathollak

The Best Buns on the Beach

The inspiration for this grainy piece of creation is said to come from someone in particular; someone blessing the beach and everyone at the bash with their beautiful backside. They say that creating a truly convincing forgery of an artwork is nearly as difficult as creating the original, and the effort dedicated to this derriere suggests that may be true. Though he was a mere mortal, and so his grainy sand-work couldn’t compare to the one he counterfeits (it was obviously made by gods).

The great work begins with two twin pillars molded out of sand soaked with too much seawater. It’s heavy, and it falls. Less, next time. Adhesion fails, and it crumbles. Ah! It would be so much easier to pick a much smoother booty, even if the second best was depicted instead of the first. But no, that wouldn’t do. The alchemy of the rarest of rumps is eventually solved. First the thighs, up to the waist. Assless legs. Then, layer by layer, the tush is built up, spanked firm with dampened hands and caressed into roundness lovingly.

When the work is done, the golden bubble-esque buns stand proudly facing the sea. Nude, to give no clues. One must see beyond the bathing suit to discern the true form and only then, may one be able to guess who has the best buns on the beach.

Penelope

Beware of the Sea Faerie

Within the dimensions of space sits a very small, intricate sandcastle. Tiny, soft pink sandstones glisten and line up crookedly to create a cobble-like pathway leading to a damp, dark wooden door that is about five inches in height and two inches in width. The dark, wet oak seems to be a stray part of an old log that had been washed upon the Rynvalian shores. This tiny castle looks like it might be made for a faerie drawn to the sand and sea. The walls of the castle are decorated with plain white quartzite stone to give the small building an enchanted feel. Whoever created this castle made the top edges of the classic fairytale towers precisely square and cut in that zig-zag nature. The person who created this little vision is someone who is precise in nature. The walls are cut with a clean scalpel. The roof to this castle, however, is open to the eye where one tiny, glamorous room sits for a very elegant little faerie. A pale pinkish cream clam shell sits still joined at its ligaments open like a bed for a faerie to rest their head. Makeshift clothes are cut and created from seaweed and old fish catching net are laid out along the clam shell bed as if the faerie was choosing to dress up in this garb. Seaweed curtains line square-cut, windows and broken bottle glass fit as window frames to create a glimmer of light from the sun. Across the room rests an old, miniature purple velvet jewelry box resting water-stained against the wall. Inside the jewelry box is an exquisite allure that is pristine. A gentle, iridescent glow shines from the cube–a pearl sits inside–as well as a cracked mirror from the wear and tear of the salty waves. A single stone is placed next to the jewelry box like a vanity. The castle is simple which would not come across as surprising if one knew the creator of this castle. Last, but not least, a moat has been dug with a single thumb around the borders of the faerie castle guarded by a singular, small-scale fish as well as a single wooden chunk to create a miniscule bridge with a carved sign that says “Beware of the Sea Faerie”. That luminescent pearl must be guarded at all costs.