Dark Crystal novel writing contest

[Uwizll]

Im with this guy! Im going for it! But first...isnt the gelfling gathering when the urSkeks gathered everyone to see the purity cleansed from their soul (great division) or am i wrong?

I'm definitely all for going for this contest. Problem is: I'm vague on the Gelfling Gathering as well. On DarkCrystal.com it says the story should take place in the era between the Division of the urSkeks (okay, got it) and the creation of the Wall of Destiny. (Awesome. I understand.) Then on the Author Resources it mentions a Gelfling named Rian. I’m a bit confused about Rian—is Rian’s story and the story we as authors are submitting hundreds of years apart? Or are we supposed to be writing Rian’s story?
Sorry if I’m dumb. I just don’t want to outline and write an entire novel if I’ve missed the entire point.
My understanding of the timeline:

• Day of the Rose Sun (Rosunday?) Rian discovers truth about Skeksis
• "Turn your eye forward now... far into the future." DarkCrystal.com says. That's vague :/
• Gelfling clans "gather" in "7 circles of 7 gelflings" and see the future, creating the Wall of Destiny.
• After creation of Wall of Destiny and the Prophecy, the Skeksis begin attacking Gelflings more openly.
• skekUng and skekTek create the Garthim.

 

[Uwizll]

Im with this guy! Im going for it! But first...isnt the gelfling gathering when the urSkeks gathered everyone to see the purity cleansed from their soul (great division) or am i wrong?

Oh, sorry. And to answer your question - the Gelfling Gathering, I think, is supposed to be the gathering of the Gelflings to make the Prophecy that is the film: When single shines the Triple Sun...

• 2nd Great Conjunction: The urSkeks "purify" themselves and accidently divide.
• Skeksis are young and strong. Pretend that they're friends with the Gelflings.
• Rian discovers "truth" about the Skeksis, discovering the Crystal was cracked
• Rian apparently goes on a quest to warn the other clans of the Skeksis. (Is this what we're supposed to write the novel about? DarkCrystal.com is kind of vague on this...)
• "Far in the future" is the Gelfing Gathering: the Gelflings make the Wall of Destiny http://darkcrystal.wikia.com/wiki/Wall_of_Destiny

I'm so confused what to write about. I was going to write about Rian's quest causing the Gelfling Gathering. But some material makes them sound close together, other material makes it sound like there are hundreds of years between events.

Help

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

I'm going solely by what the backstory packet says here, since they said that's all you need to know.

Our story is supposed to take place any sufficent period of time after Rian discovered that the Skeksis are evil and is supposed to be about orignal characters beginning the quest to unite the seven Gelfling Clans so they can create the Wall of Destiny. Everyone already knows the Skeksis are evil, but they're too few to wage war on the Gelflings. The Mystics are already settled in their valley, contemplating what is to become of Thra. Aughra's probably around here somewhere, doing who-knows-what. And every part of this statement is probably dead wrong.

I wish the website had a place you could ask questions and get responses not written in character.

 

[Uwizll]

ZeppoandFriends I think we're on to something! Thank you for responding.

"Everyone already knows the Skeksis are evil, but they're too few to wage war on the Gelflings." I thought that for a while, too. But I think (I may be totally wrong though) that the Skeksis are still viewed as “good.”

I’ll tell you why.

First: If the Skeksis are already seen as evil, the Skeksis, I think could easily be exterminated by even a small army of Gelfling. (Spriton sounds tough.) This is because the only defense the Skeksis have in this era is the very idea that they’re good.

The Garthim—the defense and offense of the Skeksis that we know of—are not created until after the Gelfling Prophecy/Wall of Destiny. (Which sucks, I want to write a story with Garthim!)

Second: On page 14—The World of Thra: “The listing below describes the world of the Crystal as known by the Woodland clan.”

The Castle is described as glowing “with the radiant power of the Crystal, though some say it is not as bright as it once was. And strange creatures have begun to dwell in the moat.

So it seems that at least the Woodland clan (the clan living in the valley of the Castle) believe that the Skeksis are good.

Seriously, I hope DarkCrystal.com releases some more material. I’m so excited to write but I can’t pinpoint what exactly is going. :/

Please feel free to correct me in anything! I may totally be wrong.

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

Vauge detail begets vague detail.

The best course of action is to come up with a story that could feasibly take place at any point in the given timeline (or can easily be rewritten to fit) and iron out the smaller details if and when the story makes it to the top five.

My main problem is, if this is supposed to be the first of many novels, are we supposed to tell a complete and finite story, or leave it open ended, to be continued?

And, if the latter is true, does that mean that other authors are going to be set loose with the characters we come up with, or will we be given the option of continuing the story ourselves?

...I need to stop theorizing. I'm trying to cross bridges that haven't been built yet.

 

[Uwizll]

I'm having the exact same problem! Stand-alone or first of several connected novels? I need to find an email or contact to direct these questions. Half of me thinks: Oh Henson Co. is just looking for a good story that shows the author's good writing style and active imagination.
Then the other half of me thinks: Wait, but I thought Henson Co. and Dark Crystal was doing this contest to find the storyline for the next Dark Crystal novel(s)?

I'm getting kind of bummed out on this entire contest now! *slaps myself out of it!*

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

The website has a Facebook link, but my computer won't let me click on it.

 

[Uwizll]

The website has a Facebook link, but my computer won't let me click on it.

http://www.facebook.com/darkcrystal There's a link. Hope that helps.

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

Thank you.

Edit: And not a question box in sight. Phooey.

 

[Uwizll]

I know! I scoured that page for a good half-hour! I'm debating going on with this Contest. I have a really good idea for a Dark Crystal novel, but every time I sit down to outline the same dang questions pop up! Bah! *twiddles thumbs*

Sorry to rant on here. Thanks for listening, Zeppo!