A time honored tradition in this spoopiest time of the year... It's time to Scare The Storytellers!
WHAT WE WANT:
New local legends of creatures from in-game locations so terrifying that the locals only dare to whisper of them around the campfire in Rapadruk season. Pick an actual area in Starmourn, consider its existing mobs and denizens, and draft a campfire legend born of shadows and shifting sight.
Think of... the Loch Nes Monster. Is it truly a ravenous beast of the depths the destroys ships and ends the lives of men, or is it a hunk of floating wood mid-identified by an easily spooked crew member? Many common folklore can be explained away by an overly rational skeptic, but their mystery remains!
Genti Milto awaits you at the Belaul bonfire in Paperweight, with the winning stories of fright and mischief from last year for you to investigate. As always, he is searching for new frights and terrors to add to his roster of tales - so make it scary!
[Note - This is the first year of these quest lines. Please send feedback and bug notes as they pop up (because they will!) and we'll try to fix asap <3]
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
- Character Name: [Name]
- The In-Game Area: [Area Name]
- The In-Game Creature: [Mob Name]
- The Truth: [Where the legend comes from / What's actually the cause]
- The Legendary Creature: [Your Legend's Name]
- The Legend: [The tale told about your Legend, as it would be told by locals]
- Extra Flair (Optional) - This can be used to cue players in that they've found the Nightmare (like a unique sound or movement), or may inform us about the Nightmare's attacks, etc.
CONTEST RULES:
- Your entry must include ALL required information detailed above.
- One entry per player.
- Collaboration is ok, but only the person who submits the entry can win.
- No stories or creepypastas lifted directly from current Earth culture. Taking inspiration is fine, but the final product should be unique and wholly yours.
- Goes without saying, but no AI generated content. We're on the honor code here - This should come from you.
SUBMITTING YOUR ENTRY:
Entries should be sent as a Pastebin, Notepad file, or Google Doc link to Argus via in game message and will be shared among game staff for judging, crying, and screaming in terror! (Not necessarily in that order.) Your deadline is 11:59pm EST on November 8th, 2026. We'll take a couple days to decide, then announce the winners!
You are welcome, though not required, to use this new entry form: https://pastebin.com/EqSKA53f
JUDGING CRITERIA:
We will be reviewing the submissions with a focus on how well built out the legend is, how appropriate the Nightmare mob is for the chosen Area, and how truly SCARY the concept is! Feed us a campfire tale that sends shivers down our spines, spacers!
WINNING PRIZE:
Up to the top three creatures will be created in-game as NIGHTMARES, a new seasonal mob that will be huntable for years to come in their respective areas. Once killed, you can turn in its corpse to Genti and learn the truth of the legend.
As always, details about the creature will also be added to our public wiki and the main website, solidifying the fruits of your depraved imagination into game canon forever.
In addition, *everyone* who submits an entry will receive:
- 25 credits
- A special mask only available through this contest
We'll see you in the Rapadruk shadows...
Your Starmourn Admin Team
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To check out entries from previous years, you can check out the website https://www.starmourn.com/scare_the_storytellers/ or go right to the wiki https://wiki.starmourn.com/Scare_The_Storytellers!
