Alrighty! So, several of you have been asking me about the upcoming event we've got planned for you. Because it's easier to answer everyone at once, rather than through a bunch of individual PMs, I've decided to go ahead and post this up today rather than at the end of the week
It's a lot of information, but I figure it's more helpful to have it all in one place.
Firstly! Anything that happens regarding this contest - be it the first "task" or "step" or whatever you care to call it - will be posted in the
"Jump Onto The Site Plot" section, which is a sub-forum of the Plot and World Development area. I'm only posting this here so that everyone is sure to see it. I don't want anyone missing out because they didn't check the subforum! The introduction is posted there, if you've yet to take a look.
The competition will begin on
August 21st, and the final step/clue will be given on the
31st. If no-one has won by
September 1st (based on the ten steps/clues given), I can extend it until someone does.
Here's how the
"race" part comes in:
1. The first clue/step will be posted in the Jump On subforum, as an IC post between Apollo and Holland, followed by two breaks, like this:
And then the step will be listed. Technically, you may not wish to read the IC section, though it will be intended to give you an extra hint if you pick up on it. You could solve it without the hint, though, so that's up to you.
2. The tasks could be anything, from a certain type of post or solving a riddle to finding a piece of information around the site. They won't be too drawn out, so they shouldn't take you too long.
3. Once you've completed the step, you'll follow the instructions given and PM the link/answer/result (whatever applies) to me!
4. Based on the order in which I receive the PMs, I will send out the next step the following morning. So if (random names time!) Tiffany sends a PM before Catherine, she will be sent the next day's step first, and then Catherine will get hers a few minutes later. Each day, the first PM will be sent out at 9 a.m. Central Time. This is partly due to my starting classes on the 27th, and my first class being at 10 a.m. Central Time most days. The order will start over the next morning based on who turned theirs in first the night/morning before. I don't know if I'll be able to post the order each day, just because I'll have started school. So it might be a guessing game as to which "place" you had. But that might actually make it more fun, the hoping you got it first... right? I think it would.
5. The PM will hold the next step/task/riddle/etc that needs to be completed. In addition, a piece of Apollo's puzzle (aka, the information that Holland will tell him) will be sent to you once you get the previous step correct. So if she gives him an ingredient of the potion, a letter in the name of it, things like that, you'll get that information so you can start working out the answer.
---5A: if you get the answer wrong or do not complete the task properly, I will PM you immediately so you don't end up a day behind. Mind, you'll be farther down the order for the next morning, but you won't be out of the running. Not even close.
Note: In order to guess the answer, each of the ten steps must be completed. On the 31st, you'll be given a last step and then PM'd the final clue on the 1st. At that point, you don't need to do anything except guess the answer. This will also be done Via
PM to me. The final clues will be sent out in the order mentioned above, with a few minute intervals as before (like a bike race would be done).
So, really, the goal is to be first at least towards the end, so you'll be given the final clue before everyone else participating.
As long as three people have guessed the right answer, the results will be posted on the
2nd at 9 a.m. Central Time. If you send in a guess and it's wrong, I'll reply so you can go again, but if it's right you won't hear from me until the winners are announced.
POSTING RULES:
Some of the tasks will include posting, though I won't explain why or anything like that yet. That will be given in the PMs. During these posts, the threads/post
MUST:A: Be In-Character (IC) posts/threads
B: Have at least two roleplayers (so no one-shots)
C: Be based around a plot decided upon by yourself and your writing partner(s). If it revolves around the site plot, even better. The threads/posts will not count if there is no basis for them taking place. If your thread has to do with the site plots (Gideon's rise to power, werewolves, changes at Hogwarts), I'll take
THIRTY minutes off your time for the day. So if someone PM'd me twenty minutes before you, you'll end up ten minutes before them and thus get your next task sooner!
D: Not be in the AU, Future or Past forums, as the point of these tasks is to help people get involved in the current events happening on the site.
If you have any questions about whether or not something will count when the time comes, PM me right away. I'll keep an eye on my messages as much as possible.
Note about this: All threads for these tasks must be NEW. For example, if I were able to participate, I would not be able to use my Keiran/Khaat thread for this competition, even if it applied to the topic/task at hand, because we started it a good while ago.
ALSO! If you need to thread with staff members, that's totally acceptable! We won't be competing, but are happy to help out. Our goal is to help people start threads that they can continue after the competition ends. We'll be really sad if you drop them after the tasks end
We don't like being sad, so please don't make us feel that way. Your writing partner would be sad, too.
Something exciting to note:
PRIZES!Yep. We've got a list of things the winner will get, as well as little tidbits for everyone else. And second and third place as well. Here's the rundown:
*
Anyone who participates will be given a medal, which will go on their profile. For every one of these tournaments there will be these medals (maybe a different color for each? Yet to be determined). The number of these tournaments depends on the number of people participating. So if you enjoy it, be sure to remind everyone else to play along, too, so I'll know people want to do more of them
**
Third place gets a bronze medal, as would any third place person in a competition like this one. I'm going to suggest that the letter of the character involved (in this case, Apollo would be an "A") go on the place medals so we know which competition you placed in.
***
Second place gets a silver medal, possibly with the letter, as well as a button (like what you'd see in the Fireplace sections) for your choice of the following: A ship of yours, the tournament name (yet to be determined. Might have people vote on it!), one of your characters, or even your alias with an image of choice.
****
First place gets a gold medal (with letter?), two buttons from the above choices, a text graphic (with either: something about your character, a title like 'Potions Master of Awesome' -- yes, I just made that up on the fly -- referring to yourself or your character, or basically just whatever you'd like), and signature/avatar sets for whichever of your characters need them. In addition, you can ask for ship signatures/graphics for as many of your ships as you'd like.
The graphics/signatures will likely be done by myself, and Eli has offered to help with medals and buttons for the winners :3 The prizes for future competitions may be subject to change if we come across any other ideas, or just to switch things up. As ever,
bragging rights are up for grabs along with the prizes above.
If you have any questions, feel free to post them here and I'll get back to you. Hopefully the steps make sense. If it's a struggle for folks to get the gist, I'll make a sort of step-by-step example with more random names as I attempted above. It's just hard for me to tell when, in my head, it of course makes sense XD Just let me know! And point other members this direction so everyone knows what's going on.
Updates will be posted as we go in the
Jump Onto The Site Plot subforum as said earlier
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