Annual Ball
Annual Ball
Mount Olympus is the mystical mountain, with stories upon stories spoke about where the Gods and Goddesses are said to reside. Hushed whispers and songs by the fireplace invite you to imagine, they provide the wonder that Mount Olympus thrives on. Clouds cover the base of the mountain, appearing to ascend upwards, an end never quite in sight. The aura around the entire area is that of magic and power. Even the fiercest of monsters are silenced by awe when they gaze towards the edges of the peak.
Many mortals have tried to reach the top, and many have failed. Some say that there is no top. That Mount Olympus just keeps going up, and up. For many ages only the Gods and Goddesses and their companions have been able to lounge about in the sky brushed peaks of Mount Olympus. Mortals who try and approach their Kingdom disappear, never to be heard from again! …But what does that matter to you?
For once, the gods have opened their palace to the curious eyes of mankind. Touch the famed marble. Look at the wonders previously unknown to mortals. You are invited to sit upon the furniture in the sky, to eat the sweet food of the heavens, and to travel. Travel between the parties, the gods. Decide which party is worthy.
Annual Ball
There appears to be a board, hastily put on the edge of the sheen marble column to your left. You walk over, wondering why such a contrast could be permitted.
General Updates:
**These are the general updates for the ball. New information will become available as soon as the new plot updates are up, as well as if any times or important information has changed.
Updates:
7/26/10-Blissy & Sabs would like to thank everyone for attending the 8th Annual Ball. We hope that you had a wonderful time, and that you will join us again next year for the 9th Annual Ball!
7/26/10-We would like to remind everyone that all contests are now closed. Please be patient when updates are done and prizes are given out- it could be a few days before everything is processed, due to the ammount of entries.
7/25/10- We are sorry for the delay in plot updates. Due to unfortunate events and severe weather conditions, Blissy who was in charge of the room's plotline was not able to attend most of the ball. We are very sorry that we could not continue the plot, however we would like to thank everyone for still comming out and making their own fun through the main plotline! We <3 you all!
Plot Update History:
Day 2- Hera's Fury
Day 1- Zeus and Hestia's Quarrel
Annual Ball
- ---Passing the bulletin board, you again notice some oddly placed signs. They seem to point to various areas of the palace, and the ball. You decide to go look at the rule room. Making the gods angry isn't the smartest idea.
Quote:
First PostWelcome --------------------------------------
Second Post Mt. Olympus----------------------------
Third Post Updates-------------------------------------
Fourth Post Hosts & Navigation & Rules--------------------------------
Fifth Post Goodies----------------------------------
Sixth Post The Divine------------------------------------
Seventh Post
Eighth Post Hestia's Challenge---------------------
Ninth Post Hera's Temple---------------------
Tenth Post Zeus' Riches---------------------
Eleventh Post Other Contests---------------------
Eleventh Post Thanks & Links---------------------
Second Post Mt. Olympus----------------------------
Third Post Updates-------------------------------------
Fourth Post Hosts & Navigation & Rules--------------------------------
Fifth Post Goodies----------------------------------
Sixth Post The Divine------------------------------------
Seventh Post
[[x]
About The Ball---------------------Eighth Post Hestia's Challenge---------------------
Ninth Post Hera's Temple---------------------
Tenth Post Zeus' Riches---------------------
Eleventh Post Other Contests---------------------
Eleventh Post Thanks & Links---------------------
- After about an hour of navigating through the oddest halls,
you arrive in a room with a large plaque on the wall. Finally. One would think that such a high respected palace would have better directions. You step closer, but are careful not to touch the marble.
RULES
-DO NOT FLAME/TROLL-This is an event created to bring everyone on Gaia together, in a positive atmosphere to have fun.
-DO NO SPAM/BUMP- Within this thread I ask that you don't spam or bump. The purpose of this event is to come together and have meaningful conversations, RP and discussions. All "spam" found in this thread will be automatically deleted. As for bumping, this is a sticky, it's already at the top.
-DO NOT CYBER- I will only say this once NO CYBERING.It is against Gaia TOS and could ultimately result in banning. All incidences will be reported.
-DO NOT STRETCH THE PAGE -Do not post large images, long strings of words and/or emoticons to stretch the page. Why? because it's just annoying.
-TURN SIGNATIRES OFF- Please disable your signatures within this thread, so conversations can be followed clearly and with less hassle.
-RESPECT- Please respect one another and your hosts.
-DO NOT QUOTE THE FIRST PAGE- Do I even need to give a reason for this?
-FOLLOW ALL GAIA ONLINE RULES- Yes, That's right, all GAIA rules stated in the Rules & Guidelines and/orTerms of Service still apply here.
-HAVE FUN!-Because that's what it's all about right?
-If you read the rules of this thread, please highlight the following: rain drop and include it in your first post as well as all contest applications you may submit.
REMINDERS
-TURN OFF YOUR SIG- During times of high traffic, the site slows down quite a bit. Disabling or removing your signature will help speed up loading for everyone.
- Items will most likely not be released during this ball.
- The ball will close at 1 pm (CST) on Monday July 26th..
- You can contact any of the Forum Helpers to deal with problems, but please contact an actual moderator for ToS violations.
- Do not bump or spam in the rooms.
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Q)Who is running the ball this year?
This year Psycho Sabs & xtrueblissx are the hosts and we are really happy to share this year's production with you! We all can't wait to see how the ball turns out and hope to make it especially spectacular this year!
Q)What is the Annual Gaian Ball?
The Annual Gaian Ball is an event made by and for the users of Gaia Online. It's about hanging out and having fun, RPing a bit and getting to know the other users in this huge community we call Gaia.
In 2003, Misao made the first ever Annual Ball. The admins were so impressed with what she'd done that they released the red rose corsage and black bow tie for her ball. Note that these were the first non-store items on Gaia ever!
In 2004, Misao refused to make the next annual ball convinced that the greed on Gaia was far too much to yield it. In light of that challenge, Setzer appeared. He made a topic in QnF calling for people to help out and make the 2nd Annual Ball. This year, instead of one host there were many each with their own distinct rooms. It gained so much popularity amongst the users that Setzer decided to ask for our own forum to party in. As some of you know, the answer was yes. This was the first time Gaia had ever opened a Forum up for a user run event. Really this ball is extraordinary. Not only that, but again the admins seemed to be impressed and decided to release the G-pins (much to everyone's surprise since we (the hosts) didn't think there would be ANY items involved.
In 2005, it was that time again. Setzer passed the torch onto Razumi Yazura to host the 3rd Annual Ball since Setz thought that it would be best to change the main hosts every year (a very wise decision). That year we developed a theme which was planetary. All the rooms were based off of planets, but they each had their own underlying themes. Again the ball gained popularity and of course we asked for a forum. But this time we were getting the mansion! This of course was the first and last time the mansion was going to be opened for a User event. No items this year, but it was still a HUGE success!
In 2006, the fourth annual ball was hosted in a guild , due to unforseen complications, and the fact that the admins didn't want to open up the mansion for the ball. The slim staff of 16 worked day and night a mear two months before the official date of the ball, to keep this seemfully dying tradition alive. No official host was named this year, and command was shared between all those who were involved. Needless to say it was a quiet year that year, but it was the first ball that had a plot totally made by the users! Quiet, but still a success and fun!
In 2007, Leyna hosted this year's ball and the moderators allowed the ball the have it's own forum for the 5th Annual Ball for the public to join in on the fun. The Ball's theme this year was Elements and it was quite exciting being able to make it public once more to a new generation of Gaians. It was a huge success and helped to open up the Ball to more people to help.
In 2008, with the Ball so successful as the year before everyone wanted to make this year's the biggest and best of them all. This year's host was chosen to be Freaksrus! Again for the 2nd time in a row the Ball was able to successfully gain a forum for the6th Annual Ball. The ball was able to gain new ideas with the publicity of the last year and the ball's theme was chosen to be Time Periods after a quick change. Despite being a previous theme chosen for the 2ndd Annual Ball all that participated had a ton of fun especially with a fun twist on the plot and the Ball's first time have it drawn out Manga style!
In this year of 2010 we plan to make the ball bigger than it has ever been! With more new people and more new ideas the ball has gotten off to a great start! The theme has been picked this year to be Greek Mythology and so many can't wait to see how everything with unfold!
Q) Is this an official event?
This isn't an official event from Gaia as it is user-run. We are merely supported by the admins (ie. the forums).
And for the LAST time. This is not the anniversary ball, that's in February and is an actual Gaia Online admin-run event.
Q) Will I get a free item?
That is a tricky question to answer since the first two years yielded items, yet the last few years didn't.
BUT it is safe to say that NO you will most likely not be getting items. The choice to give out items for this ball is purely up to the administration and we have no say in that (as far as anyone knows).
The Ball has plenty of games with a ton of neat prizes though, so don't worry you will still have a chance at some prizes.
Q)What have the past Balls been like?
The first annual ball, at the time were the Gaia population was tiny compared to what it is now, was held in Barton town and treated like a typical role playing ball thread. Then there was the surprised of the red rose corsage and the black bow ties!
The second year was much different, not only did we have our own forum, but multiple threads/rooms to hang out in each with a different atmosphere. This ensured that EVERYONE had at least one room they felt at home in. And then Gino decided to pass around G-pins, another huge surprise!
The third year was much like the second, multiple rooms and such. But this year had a theme that was planetary, but each of the rooms still had their own type of atmosphere.
The fourth year was held in a Guild, so it wasn't quite as busy and hectic as it is with the balls that had their own forums. It also had a story line that had you on the edge of your seat the whole way through!
The fifth year the ball had a chance to go public even though there were some troubles finding out who was host. Though the generations of Gaians had changed there were still many of the older generations that remembered the ball. The ball withstood many changes and continued to withstand the test of time.
The sixth annual ball was a chance for the user-run event to really shine with all the new members giving their ideas and helping out. Again a forum was open and this year instead of just a regular written plot the plot was drawn out Manga style giving a new spin to the ball.
The seventh annual ball was a mix of sticking with old traditions, and establishing new ones. A forum was open, and for the first time there was a chat room opened up for the ball staff to use. Along with the brand-new live closing ceremonies in Virtual Hollywood, it was a fun ball with some interesting changes.
Q)What is this years theme?
This year's theme was chosen to be Greek Mythology, which include:
♦ Mt. Olympus
♦ The Sea
♦ Hades Palace
♦ The Harvest Celebration
♦ The Forest of the Divine
♦ Romance among Roses
Annual Ball
- On your way to the contest rooms, you stumble upon another large room. You slowly walk in, afraid of the gods. You then see a table, with food and things all laid out. A simple sign says "Take Me." You decide to agree, and check out what there is to offer.
"Some Cake & Tea, a small sample of what we god's eat!"
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- ---You exit the room, wondering where to go now. Doubtful that you could find some food, you decide to wander around for a bit. As you walk outside, you notice a room that appears to be bigger than the rest. Curious about the contents of this seemingly endless room, you hesitantly enter. Smiling at you is Hestia. As you stare at her, speechless, she introduces the people sitting around the huge throne room.
Psycho Sabs - Mt. Olympus Co-Host
Name: Psycho Sabs
Age: 15
Likes: Cookies, retro music, random singing of Broadway, rain drenching me, spending hours doing nothing but thinking, odd things like that. But I like cookies very much.
Dislikes: Annoying people, spoiled brats, busy work, when I have too many things to do. Oh, and when it's really hot outside.
Extra About Me: 'Ello! I'm Psycho Sabs, otherwise known as Sabs or Sabby. I started helping last year, after having a really fun time in Club Surge. However, I didn't find the planning staff until April. Aftrer last year's ball, I stuck around, and somehow ended up in charge. But I love this ball, and I love the people. The Annual Ball is truly the spirit, the hearth of Gaia. And with that, enjoy the ball!
xtrueblissx - Mt. Olympus Co-Host
Name: xtrueblissx
Age: 23
Likes: My amazing Boyfriend, Drawing, Gymnastics, manga, Reading, Writing, Poetry, Gaia's Fishing, GCD, Guilds, Music, Hot Summer Days, Going to the Zoo xd , Swimming, Running & much much more...
Dislikes:Rude people, Angry Customers, people who think they are always right but really have no clue, early mornings, winter & much much more.
Extra About Me:I'm xtrueblissx, but you can call me Bliss or Blissy if you like. I first started Gaia around mid 2003, and have been around more or less ever since. Since then, I have had the pleasure to attend all of the annual ball's, however, I didn't decide to become involved in the planning until 2006, where I had the pleasure of hosting the Middle Ages Room. In 2009, I hosted The Castle Room, which was also a great success. Now this year, I am back again, and am quite looking forward to giving everyone a great time that they will never forget!
xXCrystalTearXx - Mt. Olympus Co-Host (Zeus)
Name: xXCrystalTearXx
Age: Unknown.
About Me:
Hiya. I’m Crystal, and I’m honored to be a host at this year’s 8th Annual Ball. I’ve attended two Annual Balls in the past, but loved it so much that last year I decided to do what I could to help out for the next one! The wonderful sense of community it brought to the users of Gaia is really all I needed to see before I signed on. As for me, you don’t need to know that much. I love writing, reading, roleplaying (isn’t that obvious?), and all that good stuff. Fantasy is a genre I most definitely adore. Some of my other favorite things include dragons, turtles, apple pie, rainbows, video games, and clouds. Enough of that, though; let’s focus on the main attraction! Why don’t you stay awhile and see what we have in store for you all?
Quote:
We are Mt. Olympus' room's NPC Characters! Please try to interact and get to know us, we just love meeting new people! biggrin
Echo - The Mysterious Nymph
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*********] - The Helper to the God's-----
Heracles - The Strong Adventurer
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Annual Ball - The Annual Ball Mule-----
Annual Ball
You notice a contest as you press on further, a pageant. However, this contest spans across all the parties, and it appears a winning pair is chosen from the rooms. Interesting. You also notice last year's Fairytale winners, and marvel.
Contest Information:The Mr. & Ms. Annual Ball has been a tradition of the ball since the 5th Annual Ball. With this year's theme being Greek Mythology it is my great honor to present the titles of Divine Queen to the female and the Divine King to the male in which users have a chance to vote on. For the next year, you will rule over the lands with your mighty divine powers until the next year in which the new Mr. & Ms. Annual Ball is crowned.
Submissions:
In order to enter you must first be a semi-finalist of one of the five different rooms. If you happen to be chosen you will automatically be entered into the final contest to be crowned either King or Queen. Respectively, there will be one female winner and one male winner. The role of Mr. & Ms. Divine is a great responsibility, and thus we allow you to only enter one contest for the chance to be crowned Divine Queen and Divine King. Please choose carefully to which room you wish enter as you can only win once. Think about which room would best fit you!
How will they be picked?: Everyone will get to vote for their favorites. The voting will occur in a separate thread and I shall link it to this thread when we open it.
-When: Voting will begin 8 AM PST in the morning of the 25th and last until 8 PM PST of the 25th, the last day of the ball! The winners will be announced about 9 PM PST.
The voting threads for Divine King and Divine Queen are now avaliable!
***Please Note:
-If you become aware of anyone using Mules to enter more than once please contact Annual Ball. Proof must be presented before they can be disqualified.
Contest Prizes:
1st Place (both winners): July 2010 letter and 50k
2nd Place (both runner-ups): July 2010 letter
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Think you’re a real scribe? Enter the Muse’s Writing Contest!
Time for you to make a legend! Write us a story about the powers of the Gods, fearsome creatures of lore, or the mortals who encounter them. Anything Greek mythology related is acceptable! Just follow our few simple requirements, and PM Annual Ball by 11:00PM EST on Sunday, July 25th. Judging will take place shortly after!
Submissions:
-Must be your own Writing.
-Storymust be of one of the Room hosts or NPC characters in this thread.
-You may submit more then one entry.
-You will be judged on creativity, detail and accuracy by all 3 hosts in this thread.
***Please Note:
-If you become aware of anyone using Plagiarism please contact Annual Ball. Proof must be presented before they can be disqualified.
Contest Prizes
1st Place: TBA
2nd Place: TBA
3rd Place: TBA
Stories Submitted:
Click Here to see Story's submitted.
Annual Ball
A big thank-you to our artists CherryBlossom112 & khaeja.
This thread could not be what it is today without your amazing artwork <3
This thread could not be what it is today without your amazing artwork <3
A big thank-you to our layout and graphic artists Pixilated Envy,
xX Pennie Lane Xx & AquaGurl14. We would be lost without your
amazing layout & post styles!
xX Pennie Lane Xx & AquaGurl14. We would be lost without your
amazing layout & post styles!
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