The Genesis Scrolls: a book of stories from the Lootverse, publi…

The Genesis Scrolls: a book of stories from the Lootverse, published on-chain & in stores

June 27th, 2022

TL;DR:

Through a no-strings attached writing grants program, the Open Quill Foundation is creating a community-crafted book of Lootverse short stories
This book — “The Genesis Scrolls” — will be published on-chain, online and (hopefully) in stores.
Round one of submissions just closed, and rewards to writers including 5ETH and two Loot bags
Round two is open until 7/13 with another 5ETH rewards pool and an open invitation to all to participate as writers, artists, and editors.
WAGWAB!

In a dusty back room of a long-forgotten librarium, bookshelves overflowing with loose papers, ragged scrolls, clothbound journals and stories — so many stories — a group of strangers gathered around a moonlit table.

On the table, a leather bag, sun-worn and faded, glowing with energy.

From the bag, a rhythmic pulse, like the wings of an eagle approaching its branch.

“The bag led us here,” one of the travelers said, arms spread, marveling at the bookshelves stacked floor to ceiling. “This is the place.”

At once, the pulsing stopped, and the room was now still.

“Let’s get on with it,” said another.

A phantom power emanated into the room from the bookshelves, as if the writers themselves were urging the group forward.

“There’s just too much. We’ll need a system,” said the third traveler, eyes wide with curiosity and wonder.

The fourth man shook his head to himself. “I’ve found my people, and now we’ve found our stories.” Looking up, he met the eyes of the first man. “I feel compelled to start with the scrolls.”

“Yes, let’s start with the scrolls.”

He reached for the nearest bookshelf, his linen robe brilliant in the light of the moon streaming in through the thick glass along the far wall. Seemingly at random, he pulled down the first scroll and spread it on the table beside the still-glowing bag.

They rolled up their sleeves and began to read.

𝓘𝓷 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐣𝐢𝐧...

𝓢𝓱𝓮 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝…

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰…

𝓝𝓸𝓽 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧…

𝓜𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠...

📜 Read all of the entries so far on Loot-talk here →

An idea, a vision, a dream

From the first moments seeing Loot emerge in August 2021, the seed of an idea was born in my mind. Maybe it was a vision. Maybe it was a dream.

But this wasn’t just my dream alone.

Through the mist, a group of strangers came together dreaming a shared dream of the first decentralized, composable, interconnected fictional fantasy universe: the Lootverse.

First a few, then tens, then hundreds of us (and now maybe thousands) — fantasy geeks, sci-fi nerds, artists, developers, writers and builders.

Together, we’re building a world…

And along the way, together, we’re writing a book!

We’re writing a book, together!

Through the Open Quill Foundation’s writing grants program and on-chain publishing system, we are compiling a community-crafted book that will be published on-chain, online and (hopefully) in stores.

This book will be a physical representation one of the first acts of on-chain storytelling, and a celebration of the Lootverse community.

If Loot is a time machine that’s given us a glimpse into the future of composability, collaboration and decentralized world-building, the “Genesis Scrolls” is an artifact of that bright future.

If Loot is a public good for Web3, the “Genesis Scrolls” book will be a physical manifestation of the Lootverse, and an invitation to writers to cross the bridge into this new world.

The Genesis Scrolls is:

Collaboratively-created — by a decentralized community of writers and creators
An open invitation — story seeds that can serve as inspiration for future writers and builders
A book of short stories, published on-chain, online & (hopefully) in stores — an collectible to remind us of the fun we’re having in the Lootverse, and an artifact of the early foundations of the on-chain media movement

We’re about halfway there, and all are welcome to join

Round One blew our expectations out of the water in both quantity and quality.

The stories submitted so far span short stories and long stories, military strategy lit, Borges-inspired reports, ballads, poems, sad stuff, funny stuff, and surprises from the most imaginative minds in the Lootverse
Round on ran from 4/20/2022 to 5/25/2022
41 stories submitted
By 29 writers
Totaling 275 “book-pages” of content so far
5ETH of rewards were distributed to the 29 writers, along with two writers who received Loot bags!

Round Two is open now for submissions

Open now for submissions until 7/13/2022
5ETH of rewards is allocated to round two as well
Learn more here on the Open Quill website

The goal: to compile a set of 30-40 short stories that bring the Lootverse to life and plant story seeds for future writers and creators in the Lootverse.

With these 30-40 stories, we’ll publish them on-chain through Open Quill’s Librarium and then compile them into a book — a real book! — to be distributed online and (hopefully) in stores.

All are welcome to participate, as writers, as editors, or however you can help with the process.

The first project from Open Quill

The “Genesis Scrolls” is the first project from Open Quill, an Web3-native organization built to advance the on-chain media movement.

Through on-chain publishing technology and community-steered writing grants programs, Open Quill’s mission is to kickstart storytelling flywheels by connecting writers and sci-fantasy communities. Through the magic of fictional world-building, we believe we can bridge a new generation of creative people into this new universe.

Open Quill’s first project has been funded by the generous donations from across the community.

Special thanks to Genesis Project DAO, LootDAO, DivineDAO, Banners, Hyperloot, Zoink and Wenl for your contributions to this shared dream.

We can’t wait for you all to open this book and experience the magic together.

Meanwhile, back in the Librarium

Through the thick glass above, the sun shone down like a dragon’s glare, illuminating the bookshelves and beaming down into the bag, still sitting motionless on the table.

In sync to a silent rhythm, the travelers looked up and met each other’s eyes, nodding, grinning. Strangers no longer.

“We are going to write a book,” said the first man.

“We’re gonna write a book!” they echoed.

Through the mist, a faint echo like the hoarse whisper: