Housing Showcase- Pirate101 Cautious Carlos

 Welcome to Cautious Carlos's Castaway Cove. This house once a fortress left over from the Skull Island colonial wars has now become a safe heavens for rebels and scalawags. Carlos bought this property and turned it into a hotel Musketeer Island although you can still see parts of the older fortress. 

Carlos's favorite area is his dining hall. This area is made special for social gatherings and entertaining the hotel guest. Carlos waits for his guests to arrive. Please wait at the root beer bar to be seated.

 My favorite room is Carlo's gift shop. I can see pirates rummaging for that perfect gift to take home with them. Anybody got a hook I can use? I can picture a claw game here.

Ninth Annual Best Little Dorm in Wizard City- Winners

Congratulations, as always Wizard Players came out in force with some of the most amazing dorms we judges have seen. Without further waiting here are your winners!

Grand Prize

Brooke SpriteShield

The Mystical Mush-Room

SPLAT! A young wizard by the name of Brooke Sprite shield, falls from the sky and hits the ground through a bright vortex that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere! She gasps for air and collects herself as she had just taken immense impact. Luckily, by the power of her healing magic she was able to tend to her injuries. She stands up and looks around to see that she had fallen into an unfamiliar habitat of...mushrooms?? After a rather unsuccessful battle with the old cob, she had been whisked away into an unknown land, banished from his sight. She wanders further into the forest-like village, bewildered at the multitude of fungi homes. As she trudged along the mysterious road, she was met with a small green leprechaun! She flagged the creature down and frantically told him of her tragic situation. The little man seemed to shudder at the sound of old cob's name and continued to explain that she had actually stumbled upon the hidden sanctuary of leprechauns! The little man pulled her along to a dark and ominous entrance of a cave...where could it possibly lead to? Frightened yet curious she let her legs pull her along and slowly opened her eyes.  Her eyes were catching such vibrant colors and creatures she'd never seen before! There were colorful mushrooms of all shapes and sizes growing without limit! Flabbergasted, she stumbles back, catching her balance for she had just entered the mystical mush-room!  

The selected five items mandated for this creative fun little project was definitely a challenge to incorporate into a dorm idea. Alas, a story was formed and each and every item found a purpose and its place! First off, we had the dead briar tree in which luckily was the easiest to find its home given the natural habitat it was already in! Secondly, the folding stool came to play as a picnic table for one of the gluttonous magical creatures residing in the mystical mush-room that carries her ice cream sundae that she just can't get enough of. Thirdly, we have the lovely hanging onions which was definitely the most challenging, but later found its place as a wind chime for the toadstool house! Fourthly, the star chalice ties in with the hanging onions both serving purpose for the mushroom home as a brilliant light source that can be seen from a mile away as well as mimicking the sound of a wind chime. Lastly, i had chosen the butterfly wings as the choice of mount and shrunk multiple of them to the size of realistic ones to add movement to the room along with the fairy-flies without the feeling of cluster, that constantly supply the room with the magical pollen needed to stay flourishing!

First Place

Calamity PixieShade

Internship

So how did I end up here you are wondering? The dusty flat lands of Monquista don't really scream glamorous summer internship do they? Well as it happens failing to sort colors before one does Cyrus Drake's laundry gets you a one way ticket to 2 months as an organ grinder for a monkey named, Gortez. I happened to think pink was a very flattering color for Professor Drake but he did not agree so when it came time to hand out summer internships he was still holding a grudge. So long beaches and nice weather! So long fun! He has gone out of his way to make the journey as miserable as possible. While normally we travel by world gates unfortunately Monquista is a bit behind on technology and instead I will have to travel 13 days by spiral train. I promised to write my friends a postcard to let them know I survived. Wish me luck, I need to make enough for my ticket back home. Now to find this cute little monkey I get to make dance all summer. Here monkey, monkey, monkey!

To My Friends: Note to all never make Professor Drake mad!   After you guys left me on the platform I finally found the “help” desk. (Star Chalice) You'd think with big shining stars the guy working would have a clue, but he couldn't even point me in the right direction for my train (Mount), then I got tangled with one of those Azteca Doomsday prophets. I barely made it. Afterwards it was 13 days in a coach seat across from the hungriest Alphoi I have ever met. She ate everything, cakes, turkey legs, even raw onions.(Hanging Onion)  YUCK. I barely survived the smell. It was 13 days of catching peeks of the same cartoon play endlessly in the first class cabin. 13 days of smelly travelers, and sleeping upright. The seats in coach are so crowded there is barely any leg room at all. We were all trying to weave around the one table (Folding Stool) we have just to stretch our legs. But after nearly 2 weeks we have finally made it! Nothing says welcome like a large sign hanging from a dead tree (Leaf Bare Tree) that reads “Turn Back.” Yup, this will be a great summer internship. Ugh! Xoxo ~ Calamity PixieShade    P.S. Gortez is not a little monkey, and organ grinding is not playing music. Send Help!

Second Place
 Michael Shadowleaf

Fishing in a Whirlpool

On my quest to become the very best fisherman like no one ever was, I came across this unusual fishing retreat. I would like to say that I found this place as a result of my navigation skills, but unfortunately that's not the case. Yesterday I asked Captain Coleridge for a boat and set sailing on Lake Shore. I was searching the Avalonian waters for the elusive Sea Fairy and accidentally directed the rowboat into a whirlpool. Apparently the whirlpool was actually a portal to a secret pond. Strangely enough, someone is currently living here. He saw my ship and invited me to his humble abode. He stated that he was also looking for the Sea Fairy which lead him to this pond. I thought he came the same way I did, but he got here through a whirlpool from Aquila. According to him, the mushrooms here provided the pond with perfect water conditions for the sea fairy. Out of curiosity, I asked him why there's a statue of Poseidon here. He said that it was here before he got here which he thought hinted that Poseidon actually created this pond. What to take away from this experience? Well that's simple, you can be the best fisherman but still be the worst sailor.

The star chalice acts as a signal indicating when someone is traveling through the portal and as a power source to activate the portal. The folding stool is acting as a table. You never know when you need a space to study while fishing. The Pirate Rowboat is property of the one and only Captain Coleridge. My only concern is telling him about how his rowboat got damaged. I'll think of something... The hanging onion is a ward that produces a foul odor for sea monsters. The leaf-bare tree is planted by the Aquilan fisherman I met at the pond. He claims it brings good luck, but I'll stick to my fishing gear.

Third Place
Ethan

The Hidden World Behind the Wardrobe

Cyrus asked me a week ago to clean out his wardrobe on the basis that it was for my community service quota. I opened his wardrobe to find an entire stock of his standard clothes. I'm guessed that he was planning to make me do his laundry again afterwards. The wardrobe, all of a sudden, felt brumal as the cold stings my skin, so I looked around for a coat which Cyrus apparently had in the wardrobe. Once I made my way out of the wardrobe, I saw a strange satyr at a lamp post who called himself Mr. Tumnus. The entire time I pondered why this setting seemed so familiar... He invited me into his house, but he was wary about the trees for some odd reason. We had a great time drinking tea. Then he said, "you need to get out of here before the White Witch find you and beware for some of the trees are on her side." I thanked him for the warning and headed to the wardrobe, but it was gone. Then I suddenly remembered the name of this bizarre world. I could not believe that I have stumbled across Narnia! If this world is Narnia, I should look for Aslan and defeat the White Witch. In the horizon, I saw a castle covered in ice and a ruin which I believe is the stone table. I placed my right hand into my pocket and felt a piece of paper. The paper was from Cyrus, and it stated that he was fascinated by a book titled the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He continued on about trying to create a portal to Narnia only to find it in chaos. I could only assume that he sent me here to save Narnia. I just hope that Cyrus gives me extra community service hours for this task.

The White Witch's castle is fortified by a the star chalice's protective properties. The chalice is apparently so powerful that no resident of Narnia can penetrate through the magical barrier. Christmas is banned in Narnia as decreed by the White Witch, so all of the Christmas trees are to be burned. The poor leaf-bare tree is an example of this instance. The hanging onions are left on Mr. Tumnus' well. I think his favorite snack is fermented onions, but I could be wrong. The folding stool is Mr. Tumnus' door mat. The door mat helps keep his house clean so that he does not track in any snow. Aslan, the permanent lion mount, is residing on top of the mountain. He is searching for the hero of Narnia that will defeat the White Witch. Fortunately for him, I am here to save Narnia.

Judge's Choice Awards

Judge A
Taylor Ashstone

 Judge A- Love the story. Dorm makes me really feel like I'm down a well. Don't worry Taylor I'll let your family know.

Down The Wishing Well

Message in a Bottle, Dated '15th September 2009':

I have always had a fear of water. When I was a child, I had a terrifying experience when I nearly drowned in the ocean. There’s something about the muffling sound of water and the feeling of not being able to breathe that haunts me to this day. Traveling to the deep waters of Celestia was one of the hardest times for me, but hearing that the people of Celestia needed my help to defeat evil kept me going, however, I never really overcame my fear. Knowing that my travels throughout the Spiral would always lead me back to the water at some point or another, I visited a wishing well in Avalon’s Caer Lyon in the hope that I could throw some gold down there and wish that I could overcome my fear of water. However when I did, a mysterious force pulled me down into the well, much like when Alice fell into Wonderland, and now I live in this well, with no means of escaping. It’s not terrible here by any means. Some sort of magical force allows me to breathe, and I made a friend with a fish called Bubbles … I have even made some furniture out of the junk that people throw down here, to make life more comfortable. But, if you are reading this message, the message that I placed in a bottle in the bucket of the well, then do not try to rescue me, for I am long gone. Before I fell, I looked down, wishing into a well. Then I spent my days looking up, wishing upon a star. Keep looking forward, young wizard, you do not need wishes, for if you find yourself in a strange place, wondering how you got there, know that if you overcome your fears, you can make it a place that you can call home. P.S. please send the photo's I have attached to my family so that they know what happened to me, and that I was afraid no more. 

When I was thinking of themes for my dorm room I knew I wanted to think outside of the box and do an underwater theme, so I used castle magic spells such as Triton and King Artorius (Ice) to achieve the underwater effect. I also found myself incorporating the 5 items in a useful way. The Star Chalice is high up representing a star in the night sky where my character spends his days wishing that he can escape. The folding stool is next to the bookcase- my character made it out of old junk that was thrown down the well (he sits on it and reads the books that people throw away). The hanging onions are placed into the walls of the well and represent barnacles, a kind of crustacean which sticks to rocks underwater. One hanging onion represents the rope that is attached to the well bucket, which even has barnacles stuck to it. Finally my mount, the Ice Whirlwind and the Leaf-Bare Tree work together- the tree is sunk into the ground and the branches that stick out are the bones of a shark's tail whilst the mount makes it look like a creature is swimming in the depths of the water-  giving the illusion that the ‘undead’ shark is lurking around the well.

Judge B
Kristen StormRider

 Judge B- Astonishing! Love how the story pulled it all together.

Fairy Folk

After a tiresome day saving the spiral in the legendary Haunted Cave, I took a long walk home to my dorm, to relax before going to sleep. But something seemed very out of place when I entered the back yard; it had been invaded by fairy folk! Before I could protest, their Queen calmly told a fairy tale that I never expected to hear: they were travelling the forest by waterways, rather than flying! At first I thought it strange, but when I heard of the dangers of fly traps (this forest has many), I decided to allow them to share my humble abode. Needless to say, the back yard now belongs to the fairies (oh, and the leprechaun banker, hehe!). I can't wait to see what they do next; I have a sneaky suspicion that more waterways and hiding places will emerge! :)

I used the Star Chalice for a lighthouse beacon, because the fairies will need it to navigate through dangerous passages. The Folding Stool is a small (fitting for a fairy!) dock where shipments can come in, and they can tie up their boats if necessary. The sweater bunny sled mount (I forgot the name!) slides on slick forest moss to deliver goods to the fairy colony; in this case, it was a basket of fairy-sized oranges!  The Hanging Onions are hanging from the mushroom with the house, and they represent puff ball mushrooms (the round mushrooms that look like they are smoking when you stomp on them). As you can see, these are definitely smoking, so I know at least one fairy is poking them, although I can never catch them in the act! The Leaf-Bare Tree has stayed true to its name, the result of being drenched in too much water; however, it has made a fantastic nesting area for a bird, and her nest is completely full of eggs!

Judge C
Lucas Dragonslinger

 Judge C-Original story & visually - particularly the 'onion' chandelier

Lost In Time

To whom it may concern: If you are reading this, I would by now have successfully traveled through time and space. I will include detail instructions on how to use it as soon as I return. However, this time machine has a few kinks to work out. I have found that you can not physically travel in time, but can only send your spirit through time ONCE, with my machine, so choose wisely. I unfortunately had to discover that the hard way, as I am now trapped in the Twisted Realm: a place older than time itself. The Twisted Realm is the place where everything that is forgotten goes, and ends up. It seems that I appeared from a portal overlooking the vast clutter and forgotten junk, as well as magnificent art, including a beautiful antique chandelier! Unfortunately, the portal closed unexpectedly as soon as I stepped out into this new world, leaving me with no way to return to the mortal world. I hope that in time, my spirit guide, Rex, will lead my soul safely back to Wizard City. For now, share this diary and the included instructions on how to use my time machine with the people of Wizard City, and help me get back home!

In the Twisted Realm, everything that is lost can be found here. Many items of furniture such as the folding stool are incorporated into the landscape of the Twisted Realm, consisting mainly of broken junk that has been discarded over time. The folding stool was also used in the time machine for the user to sit and be transported. Overhead, dozens of hanging onions form a magnificent chandelier, which marks the curious nature of this strange and mysterious place. The two star chalices come together to form the magical portal of time from which I came to this place. The portal is rumored to return to the mortal world every 100 years, so I guess I'll be settling down for a while! As for the mount, my blue dragon companion will be my spirit guide will help me lead my soul through time and back to the mortal world. Oh, I almost forgot! to use my special time machine, you need an object as old as wherever you want to travel as a sacrifice. Once you have it you will need to zap it with a lightning bolt to activate the machine. The only object as old as time was Grandfather Bartleby, so in the night, I grabbed a branch, (represented by the leaf bare tree) in order for my machine to work. You've reached the end of my journey, for now, but I hope we will be seeing each other soon. Safe travels, and see you in time!

Judge D
Chris NightBlade

 Judge D-Wonderful use of all the items, and you really do feel like you're on a ship!  The story was very entertaining.

How did I get here!

.....and more importantly, how do I escape?!?!  

Okay, I know how I got here..... you see, it all started when I agreed to help Lucky Hookline catch some Bone Fish. I had stayed up late the night before fighting with those beasties in the Beastman Fight Club and well... I got tired. In hindsight, taking a short nap in Unicorn Way was probably not  my best idea. It gave those Skeletal Pirates time to sneak up on me. I was woken up by them tying my arms behind my back and next thing I knew, they were shoving me through some bone-gate portal they had stashed behind Unicorn Park and onto a ship! How did they even get that there? Did you know they had that? I didn't know they had that! Now I am trapped on their ship, tied up while they wait for their captain, Rattlebones to return and tell them what to do with me. Not sure if I should tell them I might have beat him and sold his feet to the Bazaar a year or so ago... Do you think that would get them to let me go?

Please send help. 

These were fun items to work with this year. To start, I used the Hanging Onion as skulls hanging in the pirate ship's captain's cabin. To make this more effective, I also added some skulls to the Hanging Onion and used Castle Magic to enlarge the item. Next I used the Leaf-Bare Tree as a stand to hold the parrot cages. Ye can't be a proper pirate with them parrots, mate! Than I used the Folding Stool enlarged with Castle Magic as the decorative base holder for my mount, the Pirate Rowboat shrunken down into a model boat. The last item, the Star Chalice shrunken also with Castle Magic, became a navigational tool on the captain's table to guide boneheads in their adventures, a star map and compass to sail the seven seas or the stream in Unicorn Way with!

Honorable Mentions
Ellie Rose

Detention Is In Session

How in the world did I get here?! I mean, I've always been a great theurgist, but landing here in detention? I never knew that practicing spells would end in so much consequence. Detention is definitely NOT the place for me. I walked inside and saw students of all shapes and sizes. Professor Wu had left the classroom for a quick moment for a meeting with Headmaster Ambrose, so it was only me, and the others in the room. In the room, Sophie the dark sprite, was present for bullying other wizards. Porklette was there for using his wand to look at other wizards' answers during tests, while the twin alphois, Marion and Nat were there for playing loud music scrolls during class. Lastly, Elina and Mark were there for sneaking out of class and hanging out in the Commons. And I? I landed in detention because I accidentally casted a gnomes.... well in specifics.. right on Professor Wu's beloved garden. And one would think that a student's learning mistake would be brushed off, but not quite. When accidentally casting gnomes in the wrong area, I nearly destroyed the only living springing onion tree in the entire spiral. And of course, that plant would be located conveniently in Professor Wu's garden. Professor Wu's springing onions are the sweetest, most flavorful onions that one could ever try. When she horrifically found her yearly batch scattered around her garden, she consulted Blossom to find out what happened. That escalated to Professor Wu calling me into her office and assigning me the task of detention due to the destruction of property. So now here I am. How in the earthy world did I land in detention for merely just trying to learn a spell? I wish I could just hop on my stallion, Petal, and just ride to the arena to PvP instead of attending this session. But since I'm already stuck in this wretched place, I guess I'll have to serve my time. I know I am usually a great student, but not today. I hope no one sees me in here or else that would be absolutely embarrassing! Note to self: Never cast a spell in a professor's garden EVER again!

Alex Ash

Lost in the backyard

So there I was going on my daily stroll through the woods in my backyard. Today, I had decided to turn left past the well instead of going back. I was breathing in the nice fresh air when I noticed a horse hiding behind a tree. It looked like it was made out of stars! I decided to follow it and it brought me to a wall. I thought to myself, "Why is there a big wall like this in the forest?" All of a sudden the horse jumps up and I fall off it's back. I turn around just to see this giant tree with a little door at the bottom of it! Next to the door there was a basket of apples, I was feeling a little peckish so I took an apple and oddly enough it tasted just like onions. All of a sudden I looked up and everting was three times as big as before. I've shrunk! The horse starts nodding towards the door, so I decide to go through it. After what felt like hours in a dark cave, I finally emerged from the tunnel, I looked around me and everything was back to normal size, but I'm in some sort of laboratory. I walked up to this book and turned on these fancy lanterns. Looks like whoever lives here like botany. Next to the book was a potion and it reeked of onions. That must be what I ate in the forest! All I could think was, "How go I get out of here?" Belive it or not there was this meter stand with electric sparks spewing out of it. The button on the meter stand read: Press me, so I did! In a split second I found myself right where the tree was, only thing is there was no more door or horse. I gotta head back home and tell everyone my story!

Michelle SpiritSong

What Comes After Saving the Spiral

Just when I think I can relax after defending the Spiral, I get a peculiar mail from someone very special. Who may this person be? Well, the mail is from my mother. She telling me to take a break from saving the Spiral and focus on college. I tell Ambrose about my situation to which he promptly replies: what is a college? After a bit of negotiation, he creates a portal back to Earth. A few months fly by and I'm here at my college dormitory. However, my peers question how I am able to afford this without any government aid. I may or may not have brought in a few hundred thousand gold coins to Earth. The dorm is pretty furnished with a kitchen, bunk bed, TV, bookshelf, and even a washing machine. As part of my negotiation with Ambrose, he gave me a Spiral Tome to keep me informed of current events; in addition, I have to set up a teleporter for the Arcanum scholars and Ravenwood professors to periodically drop by to check up on my magical studies. Magic is a secret affair, so I have to be a bit stealthy around my peers. Some of my friends at college are perplexed about my enthusiasm over wizards and magic. Maybe I should ask Ambrose about booking a visa to Wizard City for them

Brittany Flower

As many have asked; how did a Diviner like me even be remotely successful in family of Theurgist? How did I ever get there? To begin my tale, my family nearly completely consists of Theurgist - my mother, father, grandfather, all of them Life Wizards living under the eon family name of ‘Flower’. This all began under the blessing of our first ever ancestor that had blessed their descendants with an energetic surge of Theurgy that would last for thousands and thousands of years, but under one condition. This condition would be that with each and every birth, once the child has reached their first words, must honor the ancestor with the following favors; light, purity, memory, and life. However, unlike my family before me, when I had been given my magic, where life magic was suppose to draw through my fingertips instead had a crackle of thunder and water echo. I had been born under Diviner magic, and I had shown complete awareness in regard to this anomaly when I would finally walk into the room to continue the legacy of the family. 

Victoria FireFlame

While cleaning out my attic, I came across this bejeweled bronze genie lamp my friend brought back for me from Mirage. I had that thing hidden deep in the depths of the unwanteds, because just looking at it irritated me. Alfred, the genie that resides inside the lamp, is pretty dull and would always cast my wishes to the literal meaning, like once I asked him for a 5000 crowns and he gave me an 5,000 headcrowns, but that's not the point here. You know how genies always come out when you rub the lamps upright? Well, when I blowing off the dust that accumulated on the lamp, I noticed a small cursive script engraved into the bottom of it that read "This end down." A thought came, what would happen if I rub this lamp upside down? So, instinctively, I flipped the lamp over 180 degrees and rubbed it upside down. In a flash, I booked myself a turbulent trip into 8 mm diameter sprout of the lamp -- into Alfred's abode. I faceplanted down onto one of the soft pillows placed near the glowing double helix centerpiece. The harmonious sound of thunderbolts, boiling water, harp playing and astral buzzing was interrupted by firm curious voice. "Master," he said. I lifted my head to see a red swirling tail just a few feet away from me, and pulled myself up to meet the eyes of the fiery red genie. I shrunk, a lot, because Alfred still towered over me. His place was vibrant in color and full of brilliance thanks to the light that seeped through the top windows, the sun rays, crystal lanterns, and the abundant amounts of gems in his inventory. The red curtained walls and the brown glass floor tiles gave the room a taste of elegance and sophistication--just fit for a genie. Alfred was in the middle of brewing his next monstrology spell since he has a knack for potion mixing. He also seemed to like gardening considering how healthy his plants were and crafting since he had a bunch of gems scattered on his desk with some artisan tools. Additionally, he has been studying some Ancient Genie History, the complete volume set. He told me that even though I haven't requested wishes for him in the past 3 years, he isn't lonely much because he has his parrot to keep him company.

Valerian Dreamer

I had been one of the Queen of Albion's service men, strolling along the high castle walls. All I remember is a violet-eyed human with long dark hair, speaking to me in her native tongue before playing a unique kind of flute. It had been maroon and sounded so rich and enchanting, I couldn't believe I didn't see instantly that she was a witch. Orbs began to appear left, right, and center. If not for the flute, I would have been alarmed. The world began to blur- scratch that. The world began to transcend, neither to the heavens, nor to the underworld, but unto her. When I arrived, there was a slight smell of sage burning in the air. A world had been created using the lining of her soul. In other words, she created a veil around her own imagination to create any desire of hers a reality on a parallel plane called "The Night Gardens." How do I know? She speaks to me in her native tongue, and because she placed me in her plane, I can understand her every word. She can talk to me without even realizing she has. I can poke at her subconscious all day. I know she wants something specific from me, a task, but I don't know what, at least, not yet, anyways. Everything I've questioned, there was an answer for, except the simplest one: Why?

Erin DragonHeart

It all starts in Headmaster's/ Gama's tower so I make my dorm younger version of it (Gama is still brown and young and so on... :) ) and it continues in all worlds and houses seen there in the Spiral. I was a noob and my first question in game was: How did I get here? and then: WHAT should I do here?Well there was so many answers, but sadly for tiny noob too many :D I remember that I belive I can be half Fire half Ice, yes it was too funny (look at the photo 3 I make some remake :D), then I learn to do housing, totally happy I build/ decorate and then I pick up wrong rug and PUFF!- half house was gone! :D and the worst enemy in game was of course Malistaire... So many old stories but the new ones are even better! New gardening, team up, spells, worlds...But I'm happy the most that I get here. With you folks which become my friends.  From noob to wizard expert and decorating entusiast was a long but fun journey and I hope will never end.
Happy birthday to us all. 

Austin Shadow

One day, I was on his way to Polaris after a recently finished world Khrysalis, but on his way there, I was stranded in the middle of a Polaris storm! I was knocked out for days but thankfully a peaceful farmer took me in. I woke up thinking I was still in Polaris, but I questioned where I was. "Help! Where am I! How did I get here!" I screamed! The farmer, instead of giving me a yelp of terror, peacefully states: "You are ok. You've been asleep for quite some time. This is my farm. I will take care of you until you get well."

Blaze StormFinder

I still try to find him. My father who left me all those years ago. I remember his laugh, his hugs, and even that weird birthmark he had under his chin. He was taken by one of them. A vampire. That’s how I got here. Ever since then, I have worked continuously to catch the one who took him, and find him- my father. Some said I should look to move on, but I just can’t. I know he is out there somewhere. After years of working to find out how to track those bloodsuckers, I finally found a plan. I found a piece of sacred vampire history, all vampires will want to get their hands on. Just putting it near me is enough to get them to lure out of the shadows and enter my domain. I have set up a secret road, veering off from the Main Street. Here, I have put up a clothesline, and it has worked perfectly to drive them off the road. Each time, the vampires have crashed their small cars into the woods. Trees have fallen all around while they try to locate the secret artifact that led to their location. While they’re reeling from the crash, I capture them. I feed them a truth-telling serum, and then I let them go if they had nothing to do with my fathers disappearance. I even have one outside right now. I use the surveillance cameras above my hut to watch him, to make sure he doesn’t escape.

Amber Willow

My name is Amber Willow. When I tell people who I am, they don't believe me at first. "Do you mean you're from THE Willow family?" and "You're joking, what's your real name?" are normal responses I get. Even when they do believe me, all they are interested in is what it's like to be the descendant of Allan P. Willow, the 'bravest wizard to ever have lived.' The extent of what I know about my distant grandfather is when he gave up his life to save all of the spiral, he cast an advanced magic to turn himself into a star when he passed so he could keep watch over the worlds for generations to come. Legend states that one day, he will be revived from the star by a grand wizard and roam the spiral as a protector once again. I'm not even sure if I believe it. My father, Daniel Willow, passed our great-great-great-great-great(great?) grandfathers soul star down to me just a few months ago. He wanted me to have it for when I went off to study the family school: Death. With a name like Willow, it was easy to get a recommendation for any school I wanted to attend. So, of course I wanted to go to the Ravenwood School of Magical Arts! The headmaster, Merle Ambrose, accepted my application to his school in a matter of hours. I was surprised at first, but Headmaster Ambrose wrote me a letter that made me feel like my aptitude was being accepted, not my ancestry. He even sent me my very own broom and dorm room key!

Paul Pants

Celestian Expedition: Redemption

The date is April 17, 1975. I'm exploring the Eel Cave deep within the Grotto and... I found it! Finally, after four grueling expeditions and millions of crowns in funding, I'll be able to redeem myself. Yes, it was my fault, Paul Pants, that the daring and infamous first Celestian Expedition failed so miserably many years ago. My confidence crumbles to this day whenever those haunting memories crawl back into my mind. So young...So careless...So ignorant. Thurston Plunkett, my captain and teacher, would not have stumbled into such a perilous situation if it weren't for my over-eagerness and impatience. But I can finally right my wrongs and uplift the reputations of both myself and the Celestian Expedition crew! I knew the Eel cave had to have harbored something much more valuable than that piece of junk metal we called a portal piece. The astral obelisks only lowered one of the two gates when the puzzle was completed in a manner I had thought to be "correct." But when I completed the puzzle backward, the back gate opened and I nearly fainted from shock! Now, I did say I found "it," but I'm not exactly sure what this "it" is. As I look around, I can state with some certainty that I am in some sort of nursery. A warm and hazy bluish-green light illuminates the walls around me. It appears to be the perfect sanctuary for the ocean's smallest creatures. That's all for now. I'll continue to explore deeper. Signing off--Cabin Boy,Paul Pants.

Jasmine Soul

One day a death wizard named Jasmine Soul was assigned to banish some lost souls that settled in an old abandoned dorm room. Dworgyn believed Jasmine Soul was up for the task considering she is a necromancer so this would be a piece of cake for her. As Jasmine Soul made her way to this certain dorm room she kept thinking over and over why would some lost souls go from Unicorn Way to Ravenwood and take shelter in a dorm room? Jasmine Soul approached the door to the dorm room and felt a chill go down her spine, right at that moment Jasmine Soul knew that right behind this door something eerie awaited for her. Turning the door knob and opening the door Jasmine Soul couldn't believe what she saw, instead of entering into a room she stepped into a small outside world that had a carnival filled with cobwebs and lost souls having fun under the starlit night sky. It was a crazy sight for Jasmine Soul seeing how lost souls could have so much fun at carnivals, but there was just one question she couldn't figure out, "how in the world did I get here from opening a dorm door?!" Maybe that eerie feeling Jasmine Soul felt was some type of strong magic that made this transportation happen, but who or what caused this..? 

Gorman Vault

For so long I wasn't and then suddenly... I was. I did not know what I was, let alone who I was, but I knew without question I was. It offered no sense of comfort or confidence, but perhaps a certainty. The place in which I existed felt foreboding. As though it had slipped off the shackle of time, and existed in a space undefined. Yet congruently, it felt ancient. Weathered by the ages and the individuals that filled them. But as I shared in this tradition, it was nearly empty. Only one other shared this space. He looked down upon me, his face and intentions veiled by an imposing mask. He stood so still, if not for the gentle flutter of his cape, i'd have sworn he was a statue. As he stared at me, and I him, I wondered, who would be the first to break the silence that permeated the air?

Luke EarthHeart

 My dorm represents the theme "How did I get here?" because it tells the story of a castaway (my wizard) making camp on an island after failing to properly use celestial navigation to steer his rowboat through the ocean's waters. The story of the castaway is artfully realized in the decorations of the dorm. How did the castaway get here? He got here through the push of the ocean's unforgiving waters upon his simple rowboat and his failure to properly study the stars during navigation. The rowboat he used to get here lies on the waters edge near the camp. The camp set up within the heavily wooded island is rudimentary, with only a washed-up crystal ball, named Wilson, to keep the castaway company. A mesmerizing star floats in the sky overhead, perfect to calibrate the castaway's navigation equipment before he sets off to go home. He studies the stars so, hopefully, he'll get his navigation calculations right this time. If you ask Wilson, who claims to have foretold the whole thing, he'll tell you the castaway didn't get here due to improper navigation but rather, due to fate.

Chris RavenRunner

The theme in my dorm is the the theme of how did i get into the gobblers evil mansion. My dorm represent the theme of "How did I Get here" because no one knows about the gobblers evil mansion, especially me. I somehow found a secret doorway that leads into this evil layer. It looks like they are partying and are celebrating the fact that they are about to take over Wizard City again. It looks like the gobblers have stolen a secret portal and are ready to take over the spiral that contains 50 million wizards! How did they capture a wizard! There must be a way to stop these gobblers, firstly, there must be a way to find out how I got here. I think they captured the wizard in the cell from Colossus Boulevard because the wizard was surely questing through the boulevard and encountered one of the gobblers traps where he was put in a cell. They also have a video of how they are going to destroy all the wizards! I must tell Merle Ambrose right now that the Gobblers are back at it and this time more powerful. They are slowly growing in size and in population!

Random Draws

Please show off your dorm using hashtag #Wiz101ApartmentsforTours on twitter.

Oran Rain

Valdus GoldenHaven

Mark Dragonhaven

Amber Roseblossom

Julia Light

Connor LegendThorn

Elie IceRiver

Iridian Willowheart

Austin Dreamcatcher

Nora Frog

Brooke RavenFlame

Nathaniel NightShade

Brianna Rainbow

Gabrielle

Jessica Starbreeze

Garrett DeathSword

Julia FireFlame

Emmaline SummerStone

Ellie SoulBlood

Ethan Firecloud

Alyssa HexMember

Kaitlyn

Jacob StrongHeart

Rachel

Saffron PixieSong

Jack Frost

Sierra

Autumn Sparkleblossom

Artur Spellmender

Taylor Ashgiver

All winners have been emailed.

How Did I Get Here? Marleybone Jail

Hanging out with Freddy Ninelives when I saw some yarn on the ground, I stopped to pick it up and Freddy called the coppers! The Copper called me a thief? I was like Sir it was just laying here on the ground how does that make me a thief? The Copper said for talking back I had to spend the rest of the month in the Marleybone Jail making sweaters for Yuletide in July Ugly Sweater Ball. Yup, that's how I got here in the slammer.

 Every jail needs a star so I used the star chalice on top of the guards desk. The folding stool is in the jail cell, I needed something to sit on to do all that knitting. I used the Yuletide Stag as a decoration on the shelf, after all I needed something to keep me in the Yuletide spirit. The hanging onions I made larger which made for the perfect balls of tan yarn, then we have the Leaf-Bare Tree which became the perfect hat and coat rack for the officer who is making sure I knit those ugly sweaters.

Ninth Annual Best Little Dorm in Wizard City- Contest

I simply love a good story. 

This contest has ended winners will be announced on or before Friday July 27, 2018

Soooo....

How did you get there? 

How did you get to where you are right now, in your dorm room?

Soooo....

Let's get ready to ----DECORATE!!!

Do you have the best dorm in Wizard City?

Do you like to decorate?

The Ninth Annual Best Little Dorm in Wizard City contest starts now! Hurry! You only have until July 23, 2018 4:00 pm Central to enter. This isn't just any little old decorating contest, though. There are twists and turns ahead!

The Twist:
Decorate your dorm to represent what you think "How did I get here!" themed dorm would be like.
Example:  Design your dorm to represent "How did I get here!" Explain in a paragraph how you came to be from point A to Point B in your dorm room designed.
Twist pt 2: You must use all 5 items below.

1. Star Chalice
2. Folding Stool
3. A Mount,can be any mount. Reminder you can buy mounts for gold in the crowned shop.
4. Hanging Onion
5. Leaf-Bare Tree - Just ONE! No more than one! 

Wizard101 Central Wiki  Has an great search engine to find housing items


Wait! Here's your Turn!

The Turn: 
Write 2 paragraphs : Both paragraphs are important, must have both

Paragraph 1 -Write about how your dorm represents The theme "How did I get here!". Explain your theme. Be creative

Paragraph 2 - Write about how you used the 5 special items in your dorm. Making a LIST ( as in 1-5) will not be accepted.  Must be in paragraph form

( Be sure to tell the Judges how you used each of the 5 items and how they worked into your dorm room theme and design.)
Putting an item in the corner and saying, oh I dropped that over there, doesn't give the reason why you used that item. 
This is a decorating contest you must at least try to decorate. Glitching is not required to win

( You may add a title.)


Official Rules:
* Using all 5 items pictured above, you must decorate your dorm to To represent the theme "How did I get here!".
* This contest begins July 13, 2018 and ends July 23, 2018 at 4:00 pm  (Wizard101) Central time. 
* You may use as many other items as you wish to make your dorm complete.
* You may only enter once.
* 2 Paragraphs must be sent with your entry screenshots.
* 3 screenshots will be allowed (no videos), No more than 3.
List of screenshots; 
Since photomancy is a new feature. This year it will not be allowed.  Contest has already started and wouldn't be fair to those who have already entered
Do not edit your screenshots. Do not write on your screenshots.
A. Your wizard (with name showing) must be in one of the screenshots. (This screenshot CANNOT use control G) 
B. This screenshot must show as many of the 5 items as possible , hidden items must be seen, (Judges cannot tell if you have all 5 items if they can't see them). Any of the 5 items not shown must be seen in one of the other screenshots
C. One best over all screenshot of your dorm room. (This screen shot you CAN use control G).
* All prizes will be awarded Via email of entry.
* Nobody may win in more than one category of prizes.
* To be fair to all entries you must stay within the dorm room space. (If you use floating/castle magic techniques you must stay within the walls of your dorm room.) Sinking items into walls is fine. Outside (Blue areas) walls cannot be seen in screenshots.
* Your wizard name must be sent with your entry. (Such as Paige MoonShade)
* Yes you may use build a castle blocks, though you still must stay within the dorm room walls.
* Friendly suggestion; Don't build your dorm in test realm. Reasoning being test can reset or close at anytime with little notice.


How to enter:
Following the official rules posted above, you will decorate your dorm in a "How did I get here!" theme and submit with no more than 3 screen shots of your dorm along with your 2 paragraphs by July 23, 2018 at 4:00 PM Central US time.
How do I submit entries? Send all entries to ContestPaigesPage@gmail.com email.

( If you are under the age of 13 you need to have your parents or guardians permission.)

Late entries will not be accepted. Please make sure everything is correct before sending your entry in. Any entry with more than 3 screenshots and more than 2 paragraphs will be immediately disqualified. No exceptions." No editing will be allowed on screenshots, ( Do not Write on your screenshots). Please take your time and make sure everything is just how you want it.


Please read the Questions and answer in comments before you ask your question it is mostly like already answered. If you get to bottom of page  LOAD MORE for more Q & A. Please do not ask a question that has already been answered a few times . I will not answer the same question that has already been answered please read the Comments to find your answers. 

Good Luck Everyone! 

Here are your prizes. :)

Thank you KingsIsle for these amazing prizes!

Over 50 winners !!!!! 

Prizes:

Grand Prize
50000 Non-Transferable Crowns
Battlemage Keep
Wysteria Villa house
2 Additional Castle Elixirs
Teleport Tapestry Bazaar
Monstrodome
Clockwork Gaunlet
Gobbler-Vision
6 Sonic Springs


First Place 
50000 Non-Transferable Crowns
Battlemage Keep
1 Additional Castle Elixir
Monstrodome
Gobbler-Vision
6 Sonic Springs

Second Place 
40000 Non-Transferable Crowns
Battlemage Keep
1 Additional Castle Elixir
Gobbler-Vision
6 Sonic Springs


Third Place
30000 Non-Transferable Crowns
Battlemage Keep
1 Additional Castle Elixir
Gobbler-Vision


4 Judges Choice Awards 
50000 Non-Transferable Crowns
Battlemage Keep
Wysteria Villa house
2 Additional Castle Elixirs
Teleport Tapestry Bazaar
Monstrodome
Clockwork Gaunlet
Gobbler-Vision
6 Sonic Springs

15 Honorable Mentions
10000 Non-Transferable Crowns
Gobbler-Vision

30 Random Draws(valid entries only)
5000 Non transferable Crowns
Gobbler-Vision

*Valid entry = All 5 items, 2 paragraphs, no more than 3 screenshots of your decorated dorm room and your Wizards name.

CODE DETAILS
Codes can be redeemed from any location worldwide, but are only redeemable at http://www.wizard101.com/promo for use on the KingsIsle version of Wizard101. This promotion cannot be redeemed for Gameforge or Taomee hosted versions of the game.
To enter your game code:
* Visit http://www.wizard101.com/promo
* Enter your account information and click LOGIN
* Enter your unique code and press SUBMIT
* Click ACTIVATE CODE
* Redeem your item(s) from the in-game gift window or look for rewards of Crowns to appear in your Crowns History on the Wizard101.com website.
Maximum number of redemption's per code: 1
Maximum number of unique codes that can be redeemed per account from this promotion: 1
If you encounter an problem redeeming your game code, please send an email to community@wizard101.com and include your code and Wizard101 account name, but never the password!

Misc Information:
Name must be shown in one . How to get name to show, Open Spell book-- gear--first joystick--overhead names everyone.

The meaning of Inside the dorm walls. This means You may sink items into wall for a feel but if you have to go outside the wall space to take a screenshot , it's a no.

How to take a Screenshot!
( Advice is to close chat box)
Players can quickly take a screenshot now using the Print Screen button on their keyboard. This will save the file in your C:/Program Files/KingsIsle Entertainment/Wizard101/Bin folder (note this will capture your entire screen, so if you are running Wizard windowed, it will capture everything on your screen) You will see the following text to let you know you took a screenshot. In your email make sure to state which image is A,B or C

Another way to take a screenshot using your Print Screen button. Follow these steps:
while in the game, press Alt+PrtScn buttons
Alt+Tab to desktop and start MSPaint or similar application
create new image file
press Ctrl+V or otherwise paste the clipboard content
save the file in a safe place you'll remember 

(Desktop is what I use) I would name your screenshot A,B or C
You can then either drag your screenshot into your email or add it as attachment to email to my contest email.