Isyan Explorer Set - OMG I WANTZZ

Once again, my pixel-fetish has gotten the best of me.  OutSpark is hosting a new 2 week + long event over the forums, FaceBook, and in-game.  It's quite ambitious and the prizes are very lucrative.

At stake are permanent version of the new white cat ear and white cat tail along with an EXCLUSIVE in-game title of Isya Explorer.  Everything that surrounds the word 'exclusive' seems to pique my curiousities.

I really do have to hand it to the GMs on this one, they have thus far run this event with few bumps in the road, the contests have been well thought out and planned.  The prize pool is fantastic and it definitely has me checking the Event Calendar daily to see if I can participate on that given day.

Along with those permanent prizes, some other Explorer-themed prizes are being doled out in accordance with the events, collect all four of the costume pieces and you win one of the grand prizes mentioned above.
I've already competed in several of the contests and events and have done fairly well so far.  I picked up the 7-day Explorer Costume as an Honorable Mention winner in the Screenshot contest (entry shown above), and received the Explorer's Pack from one of the early FaceBook events.

The FaceBook events are really difficult for me since I have to login and attempt these at work, typically.  I have some browser issue that randomly disconnects me irregardless of my choice of browser - Firefox, IE, Chrome, etc.  So as I rapidly hit refresh trying to get the next clue/question, I oftentimes get disconnected.  Or I'm greeted by this lovely message as I attempted to login to FaceBook one day... great.

I think I have a pretty good shot at winning the Explorer Goggles from the forum's Story Telling event.  I submitted two entries, the first was a poem that I'm still not all that thirlled about.  The second entry, written today, I am particularly proud of.  There weren't much limitations on what we could write about as long as it was Fiesta related and stayed within the 200 word count parameter.  I really hate maximum word limits as I tend to be quite verbose in my writing, but limitations like this force me to focus on word choice that much more.  My original written story was about 260 words, so I had a lot of paring down to do.

Here is my entry, hope you enjoy it:

Hooligan. Miscreant. Menace. Murderer.

I’ve been called many things in my time wandering this Abyss. But what they don’t know is something I cannot reveal. All is not well in Elderine. Yes, the streets are beautiful, the structures well-maintained, but opulence and safety has a cost. And that cost is paid for in blood.

The tales of the Abyss lure adventurers with promises of riches far greater than you would find anywhere else, but at what cost? Your honor? Your sanity? Your life?

The Abyss is a trap, a hunting ground for those like me. Somewhere in life, I wandered down a path that should’ve been left alone. I made choices that cannot be reversed. There is no redemption for souls such as mine.

I hunt humans; souls that Helgaleshi devours for strength. I have become the efficient killing machine of his will feeding him hundreds a day, more efficient than any minions he has summoned to the surface.

This secret pact between Elbama and Helgaleshi keeps Elderine safe; sacrificing few for the good of many. Before the axe blade falls, I see that terror in my victim’s eyes, it’s the same terror I feel should I fail to deliver.

 One very nice caveat the GMs granted us was the ability to trade items with other players should we run into duplicates or items that would help others complete their sets more readily.  This was extremely generous of them and the Community appreciates it.

Well wish me luck, 2 pieces down, 2 more to go!