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(group member since Jun 13, 2016)
Taylor’s
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from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.
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Mythical Creatures A-to-Z Spell-It-Out10 Jul 16 - present
Completed: 2 / 26
Books Read: 18
Arae: Female spirits of curses in Greek mythology, particularly of the curses placed by the dead upon those guilty of their death.
A - The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin (14 Jul 16) ★★☆☆☆
R - Raithe in Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan (20 Jul 16) ★★★★★
A - The Land of Smaerd by Andrea Von Botefuhr (1 Aug 16) ★★★★☆
E - Earendil in The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (10 Jul 16) ★★★★★
Barghest: A monstrous dog in Northern English folklore that appears only at night and is an omen of death.
B - Bennet, Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (22 Aug 16) ★★★★★
A - Arren in The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin (14 Aug 16) ★★★☆☆
R - The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (19 Aug 16) ★★★★★
G - Gandalf in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (20 Aug 16) ★★★★★
H - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (6 Aug 16) ★★★★★
E - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (4 Aug 16) ★★★★★
S - I See Kitty by Yasmine Surovec (5 Aug 16) ★★★★☆
T - Thomas Wilker in A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (26 Aug 16) ★★★★★
Cwn Annwn: Otherworldly hounds from Welsh folklore that participated in the Wild Hunt on Halloween night.
C - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (27 Feb 17) ★★★★★
W - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh by Walt Disney Company (12 Oct 16) ★★★★★
N - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (8 Feb 17) ★★★★★
A - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (10 Mar 17) ★★★★☆
N - Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Jan 17) ★★★★★
N
W - Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett (Dec 16) ★★★★★
N
Reva wrote: "Hey Taylor! Welcome to the game."Thank you! I love the idea of the game, and that it combines two of my favorite things: books and RPGs! :) I'm looking forward to getting more involved.
Harry Potter Sorting Hat Challenge7 Jun 16 - present
Level: Hard (16 books)
Gryffindor - 10 pts
1. Read a book about a lion (or a shape shifter who turns into a lion)
2. Read a book that has a predominately scarlet or gold cover
✓ Read a book featuring ghosts or in which someone was decapitated or beheaded - The Silmarillion: The Epic History of the Elves in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (10 Jul 16) ★★★★★
✓ Read a book in which the protagonist is courageous, chivalrous, and brave to the point of recklessness (sometimes) consistently throughout the book - Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan (20 Jul 16) ★★★★★
Slytherin - 15 pts
✓ Read a book which features a snake on the cover or in the story - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (27 Feb 17) ★★★★★
✓ Read a book that has a predominately green or silver cover - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (6 Aug 16) ★★★★★
✓ Read a book in which a suicide or murder takes place or which has a protagonist who loves someone who does not love them back - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (31 Jul 16) ★★★★★
4. Read a book in which the protagonist is cunning or shrewd consistently throughout the book or in which the protagonist irked you
Hufflepuff - 11 pts
✓ Read a book that is set in a medieval time period - Illustrated Grimm's Fairy Tales by Ruth Brocklehurst (17 Feb 17) ★★★★☆
2. Read a book that has a predominately yellow or black cover
✓ Read a book about someone who is extremely religious - The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin (14 Jul 16) ★★☆☆☆
✓ Read a book in which the protagonist is hardworking, patient, or loyal consistently throughout the book - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (20 Aug 16) ★★★★★
Ravenclaw - 17 pts
✓ Read a book which features an eagle on the cover or in the story or which is about someone who can shape shift into a bird - The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin (14 Aug 16) ★★★☆☆
✓ Read a book that has a predominately blue or bronze cover - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (8 Feb 17) ★★★★★
✓ Read a book that takes place in Scotland - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Jan 17) ★★★★★
✓ Read a book in which the protagonist is scholarly, bookish, all knowing, etc. - Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho (28 Jul 16) ★★★★☆
House:
I love this idea!!As It Flows Challenge
7 Jul 16 -
Level: Endless (25+ books)
Completed: 18
Sword in hand, Gregoff rushed into battle. Inspired by The Silmarillion, the lore of the magnificent elf-made jewels of legend, the Silmarils, which gleamed with the light of the realm of the gods, Gregoff had placed a fiery red gem in the hilt of his sword when he had wrought the weapon, and that fire glowed and burned within him, too, as he lunged at his enemy. It was just as well: the creature he fought was an otherworldly shadow from the The Tombs of Atuan, and in the face of such darkness, the gem's illumination kept fear, on which the thing preyed, at bay. It was a battle the likes of which had not been seen since the Age of Myth, when great heroes had arisen to rid the world of the loathsome ancestors of that shadow creature.
When the Sorcerer to the Crown had announced the monsters' return, Gregoff was one of many second sons who had picked up their fathers' swords and headed out into the wastelands to face the shadow fiends. The sorcerer, known as The Great Gatsby, had magically broadcasted the announcement across the kingdom so that his voice rang in the ears of all the king's subjects. "The portal to The Land of Smaerd has opened once again," he had declared, "and as before, nightmares walk among us." The sorcerer had gone on to describe the various monstrosities a brave warrior might face if he chose to march out into the wastelands and engage these shadow fiends in battle, and one had stood out to Gregoff among the rest, one that sent chills down his spine: The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
" I See Kitty gave ye her love," growled grizzled Ventor nearby, interrupting Gregoff's thoughts as his sword sliced through another wraith. He knew that Ventor was referring to the ribbon Katherine, the woman Gregoff had been sweet on since childhood, had given him to bear on his sword as her favor when they said their goodbyes in The Secret Garden, their quiet, special place on her family's estate.
Gregoff resisted turning his thoughts to Katherine, and instead nodded with a laugh to Ventor's infamously ugly and battered old battle helm, hollering, " The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, I see!"
"Aye, lad," Ventor replied, tapping his helmet with the flat of his sword, "and ye shan't find a fitter bucket though ye search from here to The Farthest Shore!
"An' o' course I wouldn't dare take on such foes as these without The Magic Bunny!" As he hollered at Gregoff over the din of battle around them, Ventor held up The Velveteen Rabbit's foot that he wore on his belt for luck.
Laughing and shaking his head, Gregoff remarked, "You're lucky no amount of Pride and Prejudice on my part could make me question our friendship, Ventor -- your sanity, on the other hand, is another matter!
"But what of The Hobbit?" Gregoff shot back, his eyes searching for Ventor's old blade which had broken in their last battle together, and which Ventor stubbornly refused to dispose of.
Their friendly banter was cut short when something enormous, dark, and serpent-like slithered towards them through the fray, causing the earth to quake, some great wyrm Gregoff might have read about in A Natural History of Dragons as a school-child. Watching the shadowy behemoth, Gregoff felt like he was gazing into The Eye of the World, peering into his destiny. This thing must have been summoned by the cultists in the dark ritual caverns of Persepolis, and he would send it back to the realm of Smaerd from which they'd called it. His mother always attributed his strength and good health to Baby-Led Weaning; Gregoff whispered a quiet prayer of thanks to her for her wisdom and as he heaved his greatsword and rushed towards the beast.
Before Gregoff was able to swing at the beast, however, someone came to stand between them, holding aloft a ball gleaming with light: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
(Ending: As he ran out into the woods, he saw a faint glimmering light in front of him and followed it.)
The Twelve Towers Challenge7 Jul 16 - 7 Jul 20
Level: Slow and Steady (up to 5 years)
Completed: 11 / 78
Books that you've acquired most recently - 4 / 12
1. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
✓ The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin (14 Jul 16) ★★☆☆☆
✓ Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan (20 Jul 16) ★★★★★
4. The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
5. Shakespeare's Wife by Germaine Greer
6. The Sea and Civilization: A Maritime History of the World by Lincoln Paine
7. The Queen's Bed: An Intimate History of Elizabeth's Court by Anna Whitelock
✓ Savage Kingdom by Benjamin Woolley (13 Feb 17) ★★★★★
9. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
10. Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie
✓ Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho (28 Jul 16) ★★★★☆
12. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Books that you never find time to get around to or that have been on your shelves the longest - 0 / 11
1. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
2. Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford
3. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
4. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
5. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
7. Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe
8. Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe
9. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
10. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
11.
Books you randomly select from your shelves - 0 / 10
1. Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey by Isabel Fonseca
2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
3. The Odyssey by Homer
4. Pashazade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
5. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
6. Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans
7. 1984 by George Orwell
8. All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare
9. Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon
10. The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyavatara by Śāntideva
Sequels, series continuations, or spin-offs - 1 / 9
1. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
2. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
✓ The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin (14 Aug 16) ★★★☆☆
4. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
9. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan
Novellas or short-stories (they can be part of anthologies, you don't have to read the whole book) - 0 / 8
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Books that everyone seems to have read but you - 1 / 7
1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
2. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
3. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne FrankThe Final Empire
✓ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (22 Aug 16) ★★★★★
5. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
6. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
7. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Anticipated releases - 0 / 6
1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling
2. Age of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
3. Untitled by Zen Cho
4. The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin
5. A Colony in a Nation by Christopher Hayes
6. The Golden House by Salman Rushdie
Books that were recommended to you via Goodreads - 0 / 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Books that you started but never finished - 1 / 4
1. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
✓ The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (20 Aug 16) ★★★★★
3.
4.
Books that you've already read before - 2 / 3
✓ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Jan 17) ★★★★★
✓ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (27 Feb 17) ★★★★★
✓ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (10 Mar 17) ★★★★☆
Books with covers that you don't think fit the storyline or that you don't like the covers of but everyone raves about the books - 1 / 2
✓ The Silmarillion: The Epic History of the Elves in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (10 Jul 16) ★★★★★
2.
A book that intimidates you - 0 / 1
1. Holy Bible: New International Version
Quest Accepted - You Can't Close the Doors if They're Not BuiltYour horse has gotten into Mr. McRoland's garden for the third time this week! He's threatening to call the authorities on you.
You decide it's best if you build a barn of some sort. That way you can actually close the doors to keep your livestock in rather than the stern look and the word "stay" that you've been trying up til this point.
You even decide with your grand new barn that you can expand your lively collection of farmy creatures. How wonderful!
To create your barn you need the following:
4 books with at least 1 tree on the front for lumber
Receive 1 barn and 5 experience.
To add your new farmy creature read:
A book with a sheep on the cover or "sheep" or "ewe" in the title or series (may be plurals but not part of another word)
Receive 1 Sheep. Your sheep will produce 1 Ball of Wool every Sunday.
~~~Four books with at least one tree on the cover:
A book with a mostly red cover:
A book with doors on the cover:
A book with a sheep in it:
✓ The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A book with a sheep on the cover or "sheep" or "ewe" in the title or series:
Quest Accepted - From Ashes Comes My BirdGregoff has a small bird. It's red. It's spirited. It has a tendency to catch on fire and burn to death. But! There's a plus. It comes back to life again afterwards. He's named this bird Falala. Although you think your friend may have some sort of strange Santa fascination, you humor him.
Gregoff is in dire straights. He's a bit of a gambler and lately the odds have not been in his favor. For the low low price of saving his butt, he'll trade you Falala.
Right before you walk away to get his payment, you ask him about the name.
He replies. "It stands for From Ashes Live Again Limited Availability."
You snort and walk away.
Pay off Gregoff's gambling debts of:
10 Salts
6 Rat Tails
Receive 1 Falala Phoenix and 5 experience.
Falala will die each Sunday and shed 1 Phoenix feather. She will revive shortly after to live the rest of the week.
~~~Books containing a character who is at least a millionaire:
1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. A Passage to Shambhala by Jon Baird, Kevin Costner, and Rick Ross *
3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Spell Quest Accepted - FireboltThe most basic of all fire spells is the firebolt. Learned by entry level heroes for centuries, the firebolt is steeped in tradition and accidental arson. At its core, it involves lighting a ball on fire and hurling it at your target.
Fred the Magician sets up 3 targets. If you can successfully destroy the targets, he will announce that are you are trained in the art of the Firebolt.
Firebolt - Base Attack 10
Casting Materials - 1 Phoenix Feather (From Ashes Comes My Bird), 1 Ball of Wool (You Can't Close the Doors if They're Not Built)
Firebolt Target - The simplest of all enemies. The straw test target. (Population: 3)
0 Attack, 10 HP
Reward: 2 experience
After destroying the 3 targets, using Firebolt, that have been set out by Fred, he will declare you are trained in Firebolt and you can use them in the field against more formidable targets.
July 2016 ClassifiedsRead a book where a character becomes royalty (3 gold) - The Princess Bride by William Goldman
+3 gold
July ClassifiedsRead a book where a character becomes royalty (3 Gold)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Level Up!Sir Taylor is now Level 2 and gains 2 HP for a total of 12 HP.
10 XP needed for Level 3.
Attack Sewer RatThe bane of all young heroes, the iconic sewer rat. Biting at ankles, he makes his presence known one nip and nibble at a time. Maximum hero level of 7. Sewer rats will flee from any hero level 8 and higher.
Sir Taylor: Level 1, 10 HP, Level 0 Sword (0 AP), Level 1 Magic (3 AP)
Sewer Rat: 5 HP, 3 AP - 1 XP reward
Sir Taylor attacks the Sewer Rat with Magic Staff for 3 AP. Sewer Rat loses 3 HP, 2 HP remaining.
Sewer Rat attacks Sir Taylor for 3 AP. Sir Taylor loses 3 HP, 7 HP remaining.
Sir Taylor attacks the Sewer Rat with Magic Staff for 3 AP. Sewer Rat dies!
+1 XP
Last killed 5 Jul 16, available again 12 Jul 16.
Quest Accepted - Quick! Lies!You stumble up to the gates of the nearest town desperate for a nice cozy, rat infested room at the inn. The guards stop you and ask for your reasons for visiting. Not willing to spout your real reasons, you quickly spin a tale explaining the purpose of your visit.
Read up to 5 books and construct a story using their titles as part of the tale. Post your tale in the tavern when done.
+1 experience per book, +1 additional exp if all 5 books are used.
~~~Books to Use:
1. Troublemaker
2. Into The Dragon’s Maw
3. Blood of Elves
Quest Accepted - Spock, Guardian of ForeverMr. Spock has traveled back in time using the Guardian of Forever and gotten lost! Help Captain Kirk and the rest of the crew search for their beloved friend.
Search for Spock in Books - Spell out the name Nimoy using Spell-It-Out Rules.
Search for Spock in History - Read 3 books written by Leonard Nimoy or set in outer space.
Search for Spock in the Hearts of Men - Read 3 books about sports, dogs or food.
Search for Spock in our Memories - Read 3 books about history or set in the past.
Search a second location to gain an additional 4 experience.
Search a third location to gain an additional 5 experience.
Search the final location to recover Spock's lost Plasma weapon. There is only one charge left but it may be used as an instant (no battle turn used) attack of 10 points.
~~~N - Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
I - An Elementary Study of Islam by Mirza Tahir Ahmad
M - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh by Walt Disney Company
O
Y - The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
Books written by Leonard Nimoy or set in outer space:
1.
2.
3.
Books about sports, dogs, or food:
1.
2.
3.
Books about history or set in the past:
✓ The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
✓ Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
✓ The Cimaruta: And Other Magical Charms From Old Italy by Raven Grimassi
+3 XP
Quest Completed - Lady Kelly's Missing QuestsAfter hard day hunt, you enter into the Tavern looking forward to some cool ale and maybe some nice stew you know that's simmering in the back. After all it was you who brought rat meat for it. You're sitting at your table, drinking ale and thinking about quests that are waiting for you tomorrow, when you hear sniffle behind you. You turn around trying to find where the sound came from, but only Lady Kelly is sitting in that direction. You're little scared to approach her, after all she's the Master here, but your kind heart can't say no to damsel in distress. As you start approaching Kelly, you hear her muttering "They are gone. They are all gone. What am I supposed to do now?!" and she starts crying again. You sit beside her, offer her your not so clean handkerchief and ask her what's wrong. Through tears you find out that someone broke into her room and stole all her future quests.
"All future quests?! But how's that possible? There are no thieves in Novel Kingdom! I'll help you Lady Kelly. Don't worry, you'll have your quests back!?" you yell and storm out of Tavern to find a thief.
To find Lady Kelly's quests read:
Lady Kelly will gladly pay 10 gold for her missing quests.
~~~Books where someone steals something:
✓ Rogues edited by George R.R. Martin
✓ The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Books where someone finds something:
✓ Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
✓ People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
+10 gold
Quest Accepted - Taste the RainbowQueen Skye has been moping around the castle. It's gloomy outside and dark and drab and grey. She'd like a bit of color in her life. It's always good to be on the Queen's good side.
Read a book that is either primarily (75%+) the color or has an object that is commonly that color in the book's title.
+1 experience for each color, +2 additional experience for all colors.
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green,
~~~
+1 XP
Quest Completed - Hello, My Name Is...You wish to advertise your services as a proper knight so the citizens know who to call if they have trouble.
Introduce yourself or post a link to your existing introduction to earn an easy +3 Exp.
~~~Introduction
+3 XP
Level Up Magic#1 in Wheel of Time series - The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Obtained Level 1 Magic
With nothing but a wicker Welcome Basket and a goofy grin, Sir Taylor sets forth on her journey through Novel Kingdom for gold, glory, and good reads!
Reserved.
