Secrets of the Hidden Library - Fiction Competition

http://www.thedarkcity.net/t6666-recruiting-drive

Here we go

I look forward to reading both.

This is already being a more solid success for entries than I had hoped, this is great.

As has been said, all these amazing entries will give a lot of tough time for the judges!
Speaking of which... who are the judges? I think I know but I was wondering when it will be officially told?
umm... not that im plotting anything, ofc!

My entry. Better get back to work now!

The calm before the Storm of Blades

Mngwa wrote:

Speaking of which... who are the judges?

I wasn't planning to announce who the judges were, I figure that helps protect them if they desire anonymity for their work.

Plus, I want all the bribes to come through me for a tithe

Thor665 wrote:

Mngwa wrote:

Speaking of which... who are the judges?

I wasn't planning to announce who the judges were, I figure that helps protect them if they desire anonymity for their work.

Plus, I want all the bribes to come through me for a tithe

I can sneak peek you the next chapter of "The Dooms Hidden" before anyone else sees them. Hows that?

Seriously. Dont tell who the judges are

One week left.
If you were planning to put it off till the last moment - then that moment has likely arrived

Remember, no entries submitted or edited after June 8th, 12am, EST are eligible for prize support or even judging.

Had to join in with this as I love writing little stories to go along with my armies. Here's one for my Haemonculus Coven:

http://www.thedarkcity.net/t6738-the-osseous-halls#73290

Read, enjoy and be afraid...

This is looking awesome.

Expect me to post up the Reader's Choice poll basically right on the 8th - I'll leave the poll open for a week and then have it set to close down. The winner of the poll will get a prize. If we manage to pick 1st place and Reader's Choice as the same person we'll give the RC award to the runner up and whoever the lucky person was who won both will still get only one prize, but will get plenty of bragging rights

My own additions. Thank you Thor for the impetus to spend my lunch-breaks more productively.

Bound in Bone & Stitched on Skin

We have reached the deadline for entries - any further entries will simply be for the joy of writing.

Thank you to all of our participants, I am certain I will enjoy all of your stories, and will probably have to grumble and squint to find flaws and manage to pick out a winner.

In other news - Reader's Choice Poll will be up soon!

Twelve stories were written for the theme word ‘Storm’.
Each was unique and interesting, but only one can stand up as the ultimate winner.

Twelve Stories Enter, One Story Survives:

Before we get too much into the winners and losers we-

BLOOD!

...what the hell?


Greetings one and all, puny things that Kharn has yet to kill. I am here to kill you, but first I am hosting this special awards ceremony!

Kharn...what the heck are you doing here?



The sad truth is - he polls really well with the masses, we can't get rid of him.

Lilith? I thought you and I agreed I only fantasized you during...y'know...less public occasions.

And I think we can both agree that you may die horribly if that thought goes any further than it already has.

Is there horrible death about to happen? Kharn approves!

So...is Leo going to show up?

Funny that...he doesn't actually poll all that well.

Plus he smells up the car during the roadtrips.

Okay, whatever, but the real question is, what are you guys doing here?

Fanservice...also, skulls for the skull throne.

But-

Writers usually have nice rounded heads, they work well on armrests.

Also, we're here as a cheap teaser plug, to hint that the Dark Olympiad may be coming back.

Yeah, I understand it's *really* cool and not uncool...like, y'know, Tau or something else uncool...like Tau.

...

...

TAU SUCK!

Okay, so cheap plugs for the possible return of - The Dark Olympiad aside, what are you here for?

To make this drivel 'any worth listening to at all' mostly.

Fair enough, okay, so let's see, we have a few announcements to make about some of the stories-

I liked all the stories with blood in them!

I liked the ones that featured me...and by that I mean there was only *one* that featured me, and I'm pretty sure I was backup and not the frontman, so it's basically like an insult at that point. I presume it is simply because eleven writers opted for 'suicide by living goddess' today and one opted for 'eternal torment in a pain amplifier', so everyone who didn't venerate me properly can please line up over here so I can practice my decapitations...

It's all in the wrist.

*Ahem* Okay, well, first off let's offer up a few;

INTERESTING YET TOTALLY USELESS FACTS!

• There were a total of 3,970 words written for the competition (not counting about four stories not judged)
  
• The longest story was Harpy of Tears by Partridge King (358)
  
• The longest legal story was Recruiting Drive by Tengu and also The Calm Before The Storm of Blades by Burning_Eye - both at exactly 350 words.
  
• The shortest story was The First Cut by KnightSeerValkia at only 185 words.
  
• The most popular length was 349 words (with three entries at this length)
  
• Partridge King originally wanted 'Harpy of Tears' to be his entry - due to limitations of word length he was forced to use 'A Moment's Calm'.
  
• The Judges universally liked Moment's Calm better than Harpy
  

Wow...

I know, pretty impressive, huh?

Yeah, you were right, those are utterly useless.

All that matters is whose prose took a chainaxe, lopped off the other stories' heads and danced a hurdy-jig atop their graves to the tune of 'I'm so Pretty'!

Riiiiiight. Okay then, let us first reveal our first winner;

Reader's Choice Award:

Moving on!

2nd Place:

Well, as fascinating as that was, here's the real question, whose prose reigns supreme? There were many fine entries, indeed the Judges debated a few personal favorites back and forth.

That said, there was one story that stood out as special to all of us...

1st Place:

Hope you all have enjoyed reading the stories here, and I hope to see you all next time if we manage to do this again (there seems to be a decent amount of requests already). Feel free to weigh in below on anything you'd like to see changed if we were to do the competition again (different entry length, more/less time to write, more/less time to judge, ect. ect.)

If you were a prizewinner, please PM me your mailing address so we can get to work sending you your awards. You also can feel free to snag the *highly artistic* brag banners I made for you. Feel free to make nicer ones for yourself if you wish

Also, remember to say thank you to *all* the participants, for making this first competition such an awesome success. I know I was only expecting maybe 5-6 entries, and the sheer amount of response and positive input was STAGGERING to me and super awesome. Thank you everyone who participated, I hope to have the chance to laud one of your works in a future competition!

Also, remember to pay attention for the return of the Olympiad. There will be more blood, more action, more lewd and low-brow comedy passed off as wit-

And more Kharn!

Well...nothing's perfect.

Yay. So many good stories. Really glad i decided to enter. Thanks for the votes.

Walks along street disconsolately kicking stones in the manner of a sulky teenager.

Congrats to everyone, both the entrants and the judges, I must try harder next time!

I really enjoyed taking part and seeing everyone's take on the different ways of incorporating the theme into a piece of writing, can't wait to do it again, though perhaps 500 words next time?

High praise indeed Thor, I thank you, and those who voted for me. To be counted first amongst such an impressive group of works is quite humbling.

However I will not let my guard down my fellow Archons...In fact I shall be redoubling my personal guard.

I look forward to the next competition!

I'm definitely wanting that banner you made Thor!


Also...second place! Sweet, I have to thank you everyone for such a great experience, to all those that voted in the competition and especially all the great works everyone came up with =D

For next time, I'm setting my sites on first place...so Darkgreen Pirate enjoy your title...for now anyways

Congratulations DarkgreenPirate on your well-deserved victory, and thanks to everyone for an awesome read!

I look forward to next time!

Congratulations to the victors! Do watch your backs... you have now been painted targets to be beaten, your positions to be taken, and your own good names besmirched and thrown into mud! It is what motivates our kin the most, after all - defeat and a thirst for revenge!

But really, great work everyone!

Big applause to all the winners, was an exciting competition and I liked that you brought a little... roleplay or whatever you can call that.

Lelith wrote:

I liked the ones that featured me...and by that I mean there was only *one* that featured me, and I'm pretty sure I was backup and not the frontman, so it's basically like an insult at that point.

...does this mean I have to run or that I should go talk with her?


EDIT:
Now that im here, I also want to advertise something I have been working on and what I would like to have more readers: http://www.thedarkcity.net/t6400-the-dooms-hidden
I have a break on writing that right now, but will get back to it someday.
...it is slightly inspired by Trueborn.

Congratulations Darkgreen Pirate, KnightSeerValkia and MongooseDog, your names shall echo through the halls of Commorragh for aeons to come!

And well-done to everyone who entered, I thought they were all great stories. I am looking to reading many more.

Hey, one thing yet...
Who were the judges?
My farseer suggests Cavash and Lady Malys, but I require confirmed info!

Not me!

... what are you doing consorting with a Farseer?

Yes

Its bad enough there being so many defectors

Lady Malys wrote:

Not me!

... what are you doing consorting with a Farseer?

maybe its a pet .

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

Lady Malys wrote:

Not me!

... what are you doing consorting with a Farseer?

maybe its a pet .

Indeed it is a pet. And more importantly, pet food.

Hello there dear khymerae! Today on the menu, we have boiled farseer eyes and fresh eldar toes!
Enjoy!

Now to start looking for a new pet. Farseer stores are hard to find though.
Still... who are the judges??