Noel Raion.

Jūryoku Ōkami @ Advent World

Noel had noticed the impacts of his ill-gotten reputation changing the regular equilibrium in his normal life. He figured if he were to die, there'd be a lot of people happy - and think back of him as someone wicked. He'd been thinking quite a while about ways of changing this general opinion of him. An answer to this question had become apparent to him a few days ago, where he decided a celebration of art in his name might sway some around. Today was about putting that idea into motion, and testing out if it could yield results.

Deep in the night before, Noel had sneakily entered one of the shops near the center of the town. Sneakily due to him having built quite a reputation, this was a cloak and dagger operation - simply to acquire some hardware in order to put together several different posters. It was quite innocent in retrospect, he avoided the eye of the public while drawing up the advertisements to his grand idea.

It was a contest, more specifically; a poetry contest. On the poster, he'd jot down the details of the location and the time in which he'd accept submissions. So that all interested participants would know where to be. The participants are asked to submit a piece of poetry based on the picture presented to them. A drawn concept art of the actual painting in question was presented on the poster.

He'd spread the posters to a couple of street urchins, dividing a fair share of jewels between them to encourage them to tag the posters around town. Before the contest started, he'd setup a small exposition in the mentioned place. The painting he'd brought over from the Majura Painting Gallery in Oak was put on a nice display. A table had been put in front of the painting along with many different blank pieces of paper. A quill with some ink accompanied this, along with a chair providing those who were willing to participate with comfort as they wrote their poem. Participants were encouraged to include their name in the poem, and once they were done to put their poem into a wooden box that had a slit in it in front of Noel.


To break the ice, Noel decided to be the first one to make a poem. He'd take a seat on the chair in front of the painting, and take a piece of paper and start writing a poem that matched the scene of the painting. He chose the theme of his poetry to be an epic. After being done with it, he'd read it out loud.

"By the shore of Hargeon,
By the shining of hill Marigold,
At the foot of adventure,
In the pleasant Spring afternoon,
Discovery stood and awaited."

After expressing his poem to the streets of Marigold, he'd put the paper he wrote it on in the box next to the painting, he'd stay by the painting with both arms crossed, ready to answer any question and generally safe guarding the painting and the poems. "If anyone would like to make a submission, please feel free to do so." Noel said to the cautious crowd who were somewhat interested to what he was up to.

Spoiler:

Steel had changed clothing from travelling and was now wearing jeans, An open jacket with nothing underneath, socks, shoes and sunglasses. He was standing in a crowd of people on the third avenue of the streets of Marigold. He had seen some posters about a poetry competition and had decided that he would enter. It wasn’t a fight and Steel would still be happy even if he were to lose. He stepped out of the crowd and up to the podium where the man had set up the poetry contest.

He grabbed a piece of paper from the table and a pencil and started pondering on what to write. He then started scribbling a bit on the back side of the paper and crossing out the words that he didn’t like. He went back and forth holding the paper up as he wrote. It was a bit theatrical to walk around in front of a crowd like this but Steel thought it built up the suspense among the people for whatever he was writing

Three deer stood atop a mount.
Free the wind carried through a sea of grass.
Three deer stood atop a mount.

A hunter hiding in plain sight.
Killed three deer atop a mount.

A hunter stood atop a mount.
Free the wind carried through a sea of grass.

Steel wrote on the paper and then put it in the box where the other man had put his own piece of paper earlier. Steel then performed his poetry to the crowd.
“Three deer stood atop a mount.
Free the wind carried through a sea of grass.
Three deer stood atop a mount.

A hunter hiding in plain sight.
Killed three deer atop a mount.

A hunter stood atop a mount.
Free the wind carried through a sea of grass.”
He then jumped off the stage and joined the crowd again.

Steel watched as the person after him went up on stage wrote and recited their poem. It was as if the poem spoke about her wants and a future filled with learning. Most likely it was all based on her personal wants. Then the next person joined the stage and did the same however this time the poem was more about abstract matters such as guidance and purpose. After that person was done she stepped off the stage and seemingly joined the crowd again. Then another one came upon the stage. A boy. He wrote and recited his poem to the crowd. This poem was about seeking inspiration and doing so by exploring the world. It was a good poem.

After that votes were passed and then the result was revealed. Steel's entire being became concentrated on this one event. “Sage Meilyr” The boy who had gone last was the winner. Sure Steel wasn’t happy about losing but then again there was no harm in losing a competition like this. Time passed and Steel decided he would leave the area before he would have to talk to any of the other contestants and so he made his way out of the crowds and away down a lonesome street.

[Exit]