This contest is open to entries written in English, but is being ran on the International Translation Archive - go to this page to register and to link to entries!


Phew! After all the effort, the weeks of training, the dozens of broken ice axes and a few power naps on the gigantic sheets of paper, you have just hoisted yourself to the top of the Great Literary Beanstalk. As you pull your backpack up on your shoulders, you see a cabin of gigantic proportions looming before you: perched atop its misty island, the House of Lore stands. Its sheer size is making you feel as though you were a little mouse, and you are already looking for a way in. Fortunately for you, near one of the hinges of the wooden door is a crack. Come on, you're almost there!
You jump several meters down onto a tiled floor, and your landing echoes through a corridor. In a swift motion, you collect your grappling hook before surveying your surroundings. Each tile is the size of a small apartment and the black-and-white pattern is giving you the impression of standing on a gigantic chessboard. But are you the bishop, the rook or one of the pawn? A pleasant odor attracts your sense of smell. It seems that someone is cooking in a room further down the corridor. Intrigued by the odor, you decide to remove your shoes to make yourself quieter and trust your nose to guide you.
You pass through a peculiar "Lore Bureau." In this room made of the rarest wood, the candle lighting is mirrored by the immaculate floorboards upon which no one has set foot in the longest time. Suddenly, something catches your attention. On a lectern, the book series A Song of Ice and Fire in Quarto format sits majestically, along with an additional, unknown volume. Taking a closer look, it appears that tiny pieces of paper, coming from God-knows-where, are flying up toward the pages, as if a recording of a book being torn apart was being played backwards. In awe, you once again smell the irresistible aroma and move on forward, but not without noticing familiar elements on your way. A bust of Isaac Asimov, with robotic features, sits besides a portrait of Marcel Proust, just above what appears to be a worn computer monitor flashing a title: The Elder Scrolls VI.
After a few minutes, you eventually reach a large, closed door. The delicious aroma that has brought you there is leaking from the medieval-looking keyhole, which is big enough to let you through. Now acquainted with this strange climbing sport, you throw your grappling hook onto a giant splinter and begin your ascent. God, is it hard to focus with this wonderful smell filling your lungs!
When you finally reach the height of the keyhole, you are treated to an unexpected sight. A… cooking class?
"Splendid, splendid, my little goblins!" a bipedal giant with green skin rejoices, ladle in hand and wearing a toque blanche. "I can see your little lores are mixing, it's beautiful!"
"Chef, Chef," a similar-looking creature interjects, with a more childlike appearance. "I've got greenish clumps in my lore!"
"Let me have a taste…" the teacher says before immersing his ladle in the titanic goblin's cauldron. "Ah, yes, a little too much worldbuilding. Mmmmh, try adding some emotional tension!" the chef suggests as he hands out what looks like Gulliver's salt shaker.
"Um… Chef?"
In the back of the classroom, a cauldron is making very large bubbles as a panicked, juvenile titan watches.
"Woah, what's going on in there, my little Kaos?"
"I… I dropped my dice in the pot…"
"Oh no," the goblin chef mutters before starting to scream. "Take cover, everyone!"
As the pot of lore explodes, you see a wave of multicolored soup surge towards you, preceded by a dozen fleeing colossal goblins.
The Mighty Lore and Aesthetics Contest

Contestants & Entries
The contest is over. Here are the entries.
The Winners
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Czech wiki nominee

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Polish wiki nominee

[REDACTED]
Portuguese wiki nominee
[REDACTED]
Russian wiki nominee
[REDACTED]
Thai wiki nominee
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Ukrainian wiki nominee
Unofficial branches will be added if at least one entry is posted on the concerned branch.
And the bonus INT winners
Review and translation
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Art by nihonio,
Al_W0onder and
winterward
Thanks to Dr Lekter,
Jerden and
slashannemoo for their help!