July/August 2024 Challenge: Well that wasn't meant to happen

[Straf]

As in the main challenge thread I got as genre Skypunk Fantasy - Floating cities drift amongst the clouds, powered by magical crystals and patrolled by airships.

My wheel spins gave me:

Settlement/Landmass on a Giant Creature
Dragon's Lair
Wasteland
In the ocean depths
Mutated Environment

I had to make a sixth spin as I got a duplicate.

"We destroyed everything. We tried to destroy each other. We nearly did but some survived. The planet didn't though. Nobody can really remember what started the global war but some say that a walking corpse and a narcissist psychopath had an argument over who was better at a game involving sticks, balls and a field full of holes. For some reason the whole world got behind one protagonist or the other. Those who tried to say "howay man lads, we've all had a drink but let's just calm down and think about this rationally" in various languages were burnt at the stake until no moderates remained. Soon the missiles started raining fire upon the planet. Then, facing sure destruction, both sides decided to 'puggy the nest' - destroy the rest of the world for everyone in a nuclear war. Oh that was another war, between the "nuclear" people and the "nyoocyoolar" people.

Many saviours came forward to save mankind. Some attempted to build a civilisation on the floors of the oceans. Despite their superior knowledge due to having vastly higher wealth than the highly educated engineers and scientists advising them, who they ignored, their genius and economical vessels constructed of cardboard, Perspex and duct tape, succumbed to the depths. One of the last messages received from the vessel was "The belief just wasn't there. If only we'd employed more Warhammer orcs."

Another saviour, let's call him Melon Rusk, suggested colonising other planets. He'd even had some engineers design and build some rockets. Then had some more scientists and engineers send lots of satellites into space to provide a global communication network to save mankind. He valiantly attempted to rescue trapped children trapped in a flooded subterranean cave system by having a submarine, presumably not constructed of cardboard, Perspex and duct tape, constructed. Meanwhile a skilled diver actually went and rescued the children before the technology genius could build his submarine, so naturally that diver must have been a paedophile. There could have been no other ethical motivation other than increasing stock prices.

As it happened Melon had assembled some of the most brilliantly talented people on the planet and when global destruction was assured they worked together to create a solution to rescue mankind. Or at least some of it. They designed for Melon a really nice sports car that could be launched into space and meet up with the International Space Station. Unfortunately the space station was closed that day and he'll have to come back when his orbit is close enough."

Anyway it turns out that cities became off-world, powered by weirdo crystals from the planet. Dragons and settlements on creatures - sure, maybe I can do something there as well.

All because of golf.

[Chashio]

Hehe, this'll be fun

[Diamond]

Nice. The Melonosphere!

[Straf]

It sounds like a hoot but I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to pull this off.

[Straf]

I'm having to withdraw. This, sadly, isn't going to happen for me. I've got too much on at the moment. I've taken on another two writing assignments that need to be submitted mid-September.

[Chashio]

Well, we can unofficially finish later. I haven't gotten any more done on mine either. Life.

[Straf]

It's insane - just when I think I've cleared up a load of time stuff happens. I wish I could retire. Alas I cannot just yet.