Well, Haagrum is like that guy in your tournament bracket you always worry about turning up, but he's my favorite and my pick to take the comp. Love the completing of the arc that he's had running for the End Times story comps. Would love to see if these two make it through to the new world.

Marchosias comes in second place, lovely piece, great continuance through the end of times and through reality breaking apart, would have been my favorite if not for Haagrum.

Then T.D.'s fate of Shadowblade piece, though I think a followup piece with Malus being reborn and taking over Commorragh on a lunch break is in order.

Calisson gets bumped sorry, blame T.D. for jumping the gun on locking the story thread!

Everyone else did a great job, really love participating in all these contests guys, been great fun.

+3 Haagrum
+2 Marchosias
+1 T.D.

Very enjoyable entries as usual. It is nice to see the sustained success of these short competitions!

Haagrum aces indeed, fun and enjoyable story, respecting perfectly the End Times canon and the competition limits.
Lord Drakon's very, very late entry was worth writing. Great character, very consistent with his staunch refusal to ally with Asur as Malekith did. And concise. This said, I hate Khainites.

For the other entries, that's very difficult. I loved how T.D. and Makiwara linked to WH40k universe, even though Maki exceeded the 1000 word limit. L.H. and Red wrote good stories, but somehow I miss some element of surprise which would strike the reader.

Hmmm, difficult.
Should I ask help from Caraoc?

-=-=-

+3: Haagrum
+2: Lord Drakon
+1: T.D.

-=-=-

@ all members of D.net: remember, everyone can vote, and multiple votes are possible if you want to pick up several authors.
@ authors: in addition to your vote(s), you can give +3, +2 and +1 to some authors.

Thanks for the round up and clarification, Calisson.



Eh!? 992 into 1000 gives 8 left over

= 7 words, that's how Microsoft counts.
If you wondered why I use -=-=- instead, now you know.

I was working under the understanding that it was a Druchii word limit; I do what I need to get the job done and shank a few people along the way.

Damn, it was hard to pick my top 3. Some fantastic work here, with everything from Naggaroth's last stand and Commorragh's bolstering to the foundation of new realms and the spreading roots of the Acorns of Ages. I tip my hat to everyone who contributed.

With that said... here's how I'm voting:

3 votes - T.D. Vect's a cunning bastard, and this is exactly the sort of trick he'd pull. The weaving together of the WFB and W40K universes made sense, despite GW's official denials. Plus, there was gratuitous slaughtering of High Elves. What more could a druchii hoping for deliverance ask for?

2 votes - Makiwara. This was a genuinely hard call, because I really couldn't split this one from T.D's in terms of how much I liked it. I loved how this story tied into the lore so well (delving into some Harlequins-style mythology as well). In the end, the only way I could justify the voting decision was that T.D's was slightly under the word limit, while this one was not.



1 vote - Red.... The sheer hopelessness of the situation and the bitter defiance of the protagonist summed up the ultimate futility of the End Times for everyone. In the end, all that's left is how you go out, and Drakarth went out without taking a backward step.

Honourable mentions go to Marchosias and Calisson. I really liked how the four figures in Marchosias's story effectively spat in the face of the Chaos Gods, showing what came after them. It was the same sort of defiance I was trying to achieve with my own story, so it really resonated with me. I enjoyed the soaring ambit (no pun intended) of Calisson's piece, and I imagine that it could be truly amazing if given a longer word limit.

Only a few weeks until the Age of Sigmar hits. It has been an honour, people.

In fairness to all participants, I don't think we should penalise Makiwara and Marchosias. We're very happy to read your quality entries and thank you for the taking the time and effort to post and participate.

The word limit is really to (i) make short fun stories enterable, (ii) stop rambling posts and (iii) stop intimidation of other posters by writing "a book" (i.e. the sort of thing I would do ).

So, we have 8 cool entries. D.net membership: Place your votes now

Yeah, sorry for bringing up that word count.
I did not mean to be a hard limit, but when facing hard choices, well, that was a way to sort out between two equally good entries.
Actually, some took the effort to make a consistent and enjoyable story within 999 words when they easily could have written much more. It is worth to be apreciated.

@ Haagrum, thanks for your kind words. Actually, the word count was not my hardest limit, that was rather... talent? I'm already extremely satisfied to be able to write something meaningful in English. Marchosias is even better than me to make people forget that English is not our mother tongue.

No worries. We all knew what you were getting at. The word limit is a good "tie-breaker"

I voted for everyone. Yes, it breaks the rules, but these are the End Times: nothing makes sense anymore

Chaos wins!

Yeah

In addition, as a writer, you're entitled to give 3 pts to one author, 2 pts to another one and 1 pt to a third one.

1 pt each seems to fit well Nurgle style. Papa Nurgle willing to be equally benevolent to all.
Khorne style would be 4 pts for the chosen one and 0 for all others. Only the fittest deserves to prevail.
Slaanesh would give 4 pts to whoever already wins, 3 pts to the second one, 2 pts to the 3rd and 1 pt to the 4th - and update daily to take into account new votes. Enhance the seduction of who is gifted already.
Tzeentch would attribute 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 pts so as to reshuffle the rankings - and change daily so as to confuse everyone. Be unpredictable!
the End Times victory, well, that would be 0 pt distribuited at all.

I'd assume that a Druchii style would give one or more points to all but the weakests... and adjust before the vote is frozen so as to favour own champion, if victory is within reach!

The fat lady (Chaos Daemon Princess of some kind no doubt) is singing...

We still need:-

1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place

Nominations from:

- Lord Drakon
- Red...
- Lord hajjij
- Marchosias
- Me!

*Closes Tmrw evening*

Just got round to reading all the entries. Fantastic! Every single one. It really was a pleasure to read and take part with such cool and evocative stories

Don't want to separate them out (but a Druchii has to do what a Druchii has to do ):

+3 = Red...
+2 = Haagrum
+1 = Lord Drakon

And now we come to The End of The End of The End

@Lord Drakon



I enjoyed this imagery Thanks

@Makiwara



I have to say it has been a pleasure to watch your mythos develop over the months you have been active on the Elven forums; and this line exemplifies what a deep vein of creativity you have been mining. The writer in me is coming round to the possibilities of a more open dimensional-themed fantasy multiverse (if you don't like GWs particular World ...make your own ) and I think your style will thrive in such an open setting.

@Red...



This story captures the feel of the End Times. It is also how I picture the Elves of Naggaroth going out; which is why I gave it my top vote. I enjoyed both your crisp description and the touches of satire "Light, Life, Beasts and Heavens"

@Lord Hajjij



I really enjoyed this entry, and it seems to have been under-rated by other posters. Beautiful descriptions, fast paced storytelling, and hints of greater depth in the characterisation and naming. Just unlucky to be up against a quality field of entries

@Calisson



What a treat of a tale. This was really quite inspired, and a fitting send off for Caraoc. Just like Lord hajjij, I enjoyed the scriptural references to Revelation/Genesis-level events!!! Whimsical and fantastical, in the best of all possible ways. Most charming entry IMO.

@Haagrum



I don't think I got as much out of this tale as I could have, as I was all storied-out at Christmas and didn't get all the way through either your or Makiwara's continuing mythologies. Thought this one was more predictable and with less clever use of language than your usual competition entry ...but that said, you are still the story-telling and plotting master of D.net

@Marchosias



Another very ambitious entry, that brings to mind a progression of ideas from a sense of betrayal on the part of the mortal followers of Chaos, to reinvigorated hope, to renewal and rebirth.

*******

Hope you all enjoyed the competition as much as I did. Great entries all round. If you enjoy writing, click here:

[+] SPOILER

I'd love to see you progress on to published short stories, anthologies, and the New Guttenberg Revolution of Electronic Publishing

And now to the prizes...


*drum roll*


The winner and Lord of the End Times is:

Haagrum -- The Sister's Swansong

...and the recipient of Nurgle's hospitality:

Lord Hajjij -- Rage of the Beast

Calisson will be doling out naming justice shortly...