Cornucopia Speech Contest

[fisheyes]

// Re-posting this in its own thread, since it seems it's easy to miss things in the Cornucopia Trading Company thread.

May 31, 2016 18:14:41 GMT -5 fisheyes said:

New posters are nailed up in locations where adventurers frequent...

The Cornucopia Trading Company
Exotic Goods and Money Lending


Speech Contest

On the 21th of Kythorn, the Church of Waukeen observes Brightbuckle, a High Festival including parades, wearing fine clothes, feasting and inspirational speeches. The Cornucopia Trading Company will mark this day by hosting a speech contest.

For fairness sake, all speeches shall be on the same topic: "The best method to make Cormyr a wealthier nation."
Speeches should be no longer than 10 minutes.
Contestants may only participate with one speech.
The speech does not necessarily have to argue for something that the speaker believes in.
While arguments and ideas are important, the most inspiring speech wins.
All questions and counter arguments of speeches will have to wait until after the contest. It is a speech contest. Not a debate.

The contest will be held at the Cornucopia Trading Company office at the Marsember Naval Docks on the 18th of Kythorn.

To participate, please sign your name below.


Prizes

First prize: 25,000 Lions and 5% interest rate deduction on any loans for one year.

Second prize: 5,000 Lions and 5% interest rate deduction on any loans for one year.

Third prize: 1,000 Lions and 5% interest rate deduction on any loans for one year.

Merchantess Valera Serena

Contestants:

// I'm not going to be too picky with the maximum 10 minute limit. It's more of a guideline.

// We'll start around: 4 PM US Eastern, 9 PM London time, 10 PM Central European Time. Here's a link to a handy countdown. Or here to compare with your time.

[lucid]

A name and comment is scrawled upon a few of the posters.

LORIA
WILL BE HERE
AND SHE WILL BE
AMAZING

[fisheyes]

// Bump. This will happen next Saturday, June 18th, at 21:00 UTC.

// Don't miss the chance to ramble uninterrupted for up to ten minutes and a chance to win 25,000 lions! Feel free to spin the topic ("The best method to make Cormyr a wealthier nation") in whatever way that fits your character. Pretty much anything goes as long as it is an inspiring speech (of course, people may not like speeches for something obviously illegal or evil... like undead slave labour... but think of the profit!).

[River Rogue]

On one of the posters sprawled in beautifully written, cursive writing with a touch of elegance is a signature - "Vandal Moore X"

[fisheyes]

// Bump. The Cornucopia Speech Contest is tomorrow Saturday the 18th of June.

We'll start around: 4 PM US Eastern, 9 PM London time, 10 PM Central European Time. Here's a link to a handy countdown. Or here to compare with your time.

// Edit: Amazing. Even with timezone links, I posted the wrong time for US Eastern. Think I fixed it now. I and timezones don't go well together; therefore links.

[fisheyes]

The Cornucopia Speech Contest starts in about two hours from this post, at the Cornucopia Trading Company in the Marsember Naval Docks. Quickest way there is to take a skiff from the Marsember gates.

[fisheyes]

As the contest concludes, rumours spreads through Marsember of how Loria won third prize with an enthusiastic speech on ship building, piracy and raiding of foreign cities. Second prize was won by Vennis Haler, a close associate of Valera, with an intellectual exercise on wealth redistribution from nobles, churches and adventurers, and calling for the wealthy to invest in new business ventures. Most notable of course, are the rumours of the first place winner. The Thayan, Salazar von Nefzon, apparently claimed first prize with a surprisingly inspiring speech on supporting the poor and those less fortunate. Rumours also circulate concerning how he declined the prize money, and generously split it between the other speakers. Some claim that he may have bribed a man in the audience to help make his point, and that his donation of ten thousand lions to Valera's charity basket may have influenced the outcome of the contest. Valera denies that his money had any influence on the contest, since the money is for charity, and that both she, and Sarana the Waukeenar High Priestess from Arabel, both gave him high points along with the voting audience.

The posters for the speech contest are soon taken down.

// Unfortunately I forgot to take screenshots at the end, and missed Keth's and Slate's speeches. But here's at least a taste of the speech contest. Feel free to post more screenshots.




Loria claims that the best method for a wealthier Cormyr is to invest in logging, construction, and infrastructure... and then build a thousand ships and go viking! Conquer our neighbours for fun and profit!



Vandal thinks that adventurers should pay taxes to fund schools and homes for the poor. A noble suggestion. The audience is not amused.


Tailor begins by tossing coins to the masses and explains his different view on wealth; your friends and loved ones, and knowing you have enough, is what it's all about. He claims that the best way to make Cormyr wealthier is by paying your taxes, stand up to corruption, have faith in the Crown, and kick out the Thayans.


Jasswyn believes Cormyr needs heathen hamsters and rangers everywhere since the nobles don't want to get dirt under their finger nails. Camaraderie, adventure, steel on steel... the stuff of legends! Kill the bad guys, and take their stuff! Then kill someone richer, and take their stuff too! Keep on killin'! For the good of Cormyr!



Calah defines wealth, and teaches how to feed worms to babies, so they can hunt their own worms. Rich and powerful birds should give worms to poor birds.



Master Vennis presents an intellectual exercise that he then says doesn't work, but then shows the way forward: support new business ventures, like sea expeditions!


Salazar, the Thayan Ambassador, makes a most un-Thayan speech... then reaffirms his nationality: "Knowledge is wealth."




// Thanks to everyone who participated! And special thanks to DM SBS for the placeables and NPCs!

[The Tallest Dwarf]

//I took some, here's two: