First up, I should note that worded my preamble pretty badly. What I posted wasn't truly a well-formed critique, more like my thought process typed out. I wrote it for myself, but couldn't rewrite it for the readers due to time constraints. So I may use words harshly, but they're not meant in offensive tones.
Comments on Boss/Writer task. Onlky task I'm really qualified to critique. I'll post my thoughts behind votes for other tasks too, though they prolly won't be as detailed. Hope this is enlightening!
*Snip*
The formatting: Fair enough. Duly noted.
The ending: Well, imagine that there's a UN convention on climate change. And then all of the ambassadors, heads of state, scientists, etc get into a very interesting discussion on the merits and challenges of colonizing Mars, and this discussion lasts for weeks, by far eclipsing the original intent of the meeting, all the while forgetting about the original problem (and their original job descriptions). So you have a society where the ruling council and the brightest statesmen and philosophers are having a very intellectual and enlightening discussion... while the world around them is collapsing and none of them are actually doing their jobs. That was the intent behind the ending, anyways. Any criticism is welcome; what do you suggest that I could have improved on to better convey that message here?
Side-note/explanation: The debate also pokes fun at: A. the "Nerf this Card" Dim shield thread. B. the community/general EtG population's response to certain things(t50 is too easy! Good times, no?), and then ties that together with C. an attempt to explore Scaredgirl's disappearance and how the first forum collapsed in a fairy-tale/mythology/Atlantis inspired theme.
The crux of the issue is at the list of the complaints. Until then your style really did reflect the grandiose style of a myth. But the list breaks the fourth wall from the start and asks you join along in the hilarity. But before it can be properly built up the flow breaks with "At this, the Master of Aether grew incensed." halting the list midway. You can sort of envision that this part was a flashback to that day, with the list being read by an impersonal announcer. But still, the story doesn't lead you there naturally. Breaking the story apart could've helped, or changing the font.
After that, the ending resorts back to the original style for a brief moment, which is where the effects of the differences in style become apparent. And by then you've forgotten the crux of the issue, the moment where it can be traced. What pops up is the exchange, which is kinda neutral to the style. If you read the debate and the aftermath, you really can't decide what the perspective of the storyteller is.
Was the debate a historic event? But then where is its significance? The ending depicts the debate to be as mundane as it really is, but mundane is not something which fits into a historical dialogue.
Was it a personal experience by the storyteller? But then where is the passion?
Or was it passed down as a myth, which you seemed to have intended. But then it really lacks in grandeur, especially with how rushed the ending is. A true mythology should've also depicted the actual downfall, the rush of armies to the council building and the chaos.
And if you wanted to tell it in a logic-free fairy-tale, I'd advise you to place the emphasis on the main event. You build up to it and depict its aftermath in vivid detail, so that the event is etched into the reader's mind and the moral can be fathomed by them (if they just gloss over a point, they'll never catch its true significance).
Your references were good, just needed to be threaded together better. If I had to rewrite this, I'd go for a more lighthearted tone and set the perspective inside the council room. You wouldn't have to force the backstory on the reader, but could do it in more meaningful ways. For example, you could introduce Scaredgirl as standing beneath a great statue of himself being blessed by the oracle. And there could be a comment in the debate from Antagon, 'who had won fame through his conquest of three elemental territories in one night.' You could represent the issue of complaints multiple times within the debate, thus building up for the eventual fall.
Also, I'd revise the characters so that they'd be more life-like. 'Master of Aether' and 'wise Idea Guru' are kinda bland without the proper imagery. You're relying too much on people recognizing them and having their iconic stature breath life into them. But you could've done so yourself by enhancing the debate, visualizing their actions (not their speech though, that's the dialogue's job) and introducing other council members to support them.
Of course my ideas might make the story a bit too long, and I'd prefer to keep it short enough for the whole dialogue to be fresh in the mind. So I guess I'm lucky I didn't really have to write it myself xP
