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Ho Ho Ho and
Happy Solstice...

<.Happy Solstice?.>
<.waitaminute, it was just Halloween and now it's Solstice...
what happen to the turkey in between?.>

It is I, WarriorNutcase here...

<.Well, that answered *that* question.>

it's time for the third
and final Bard Challenge of the year...

Writing Premise #1:
Write a Solstice story (using XWP-Xenaverse characters), any length/any style (prose/verse/playÇ-gen/alt), which contains at least 10 of the following 20 elements:

1- A penguin                
2- Handcuffs                
3- The number 42         
4- 'What She Said'                          
5- A dartboard                        
7- A Xena Convention             
8- Watermelon                     
9- Fuzz                                    
10- Suspenders            
11- Baby Booties                            
12- A red ribbon
13- A crown
14- A Siamese cat
15- The color purple
16- A dog biscuit
17- A dumbbell
18- Leather pants
19- A bouquet of daisies
20- A tattoo
21- An egg  


Writing Premise #2:

Graphics Premise #3: Our brand new category
Design the Solstice/Holiday card (cover image) and write the inside sentiment that any character(s) in the Xenaverse (you choose) would send to her/his/their friends.

For example:
Design a Solstice card that Ephiny would send out to all her friends or to a particular friend
Or
Design a Solstice card that Ares would send out to one or more of his friends, if he had any <.g.>
Or maybe
Design a Solstice/Holiday card that an Uber character (or characters) would send to his/her/their friends  (very important, see rule #4 below)


The cover image may be created in whatever medium the artist wishes to use...hand drawing, montage, photos, clip art, etc. 

The really cool techno expert Academy elves have requested for me to ask you to submit your entry as a single image jpeg (with front and inside side-by-side)  and keep it under 125kb. 




Now the rules stuff...
okay, every time I list these someone comes up with a loophole...
the first one that finds one this time and sends me an email
at (WarriorNutcase@aol.com)
gets a surprise goodie too.  
I DARE YA!  <.eg.>  

RULE #1A: A Bard may enter as many of the 3 categories as they wish...but no more than one entry per category. The writing categories will be posted anonymously, as in the past challenges. 
RULE #1B: Please do not reveal your participation to anyone who has the potential for being a voter.
RULE #1C: Please do not post any of your entries on any other sites or lists (private or public) until the end of the contest.
RULE #1D: Please do not stuff the ballot box...we at the Academy have gotten very good at identifying this behavior.  We won't publicly embarrass you but we will quietly eliminate you from the contest.
RULE # 2: In the writing categories, please underline the required words.  There is no limit on how long or how short the entry must be, only that it contain a minimum of 10 words from the respective list. Remember, items must be used in a coherent manner and be an integral part of the story. 
RULE # 3A: If you are entering the graphics category, please sign your work.  These will not be posted anonymously.  Many artists have a particular style, which will be quite evident...<.shrug.>.. so we won't bother with anonymous posting.
RULE # 3B: Voting rules will still be the same, even though the graphics category is not anonymous, so please do not lobby for votes on any other lists (private or public).
RULE # 3C: Please do not post your entry on any other site until after the contest is over.
RULE # 4: In the graphics category you may use Uber Characters but with these limits:
(a)they must be "popular" fan fiction uber characters...well known and easily recognizable by many or at least by...
The Official All Powerful "Roools Committee"
Steph, Ms Mighty Munchkin
Cadryn, the expert techno elf
Ruth, the missing at the moment <.g.>
and
I, the great OZ
AND/OR
must include story specifics to make them easily recognizable as belonging to a particular fan fiction piece.
(b)they cannot be original fiction characters
**for example, Missy's Dar & Kerry are a "yes" but Mary D's  Eva & Zoe                    
    are a "no"
(c)The "Roools Committee" reserves the final say on anything being included which is outside the standard XWP-Xenaverse realm.

So, tell us which particular Uber characters you would like to use and we can give you the specific "yay" or "nay".  Okay? <.bg.>

Questions/comments/loophole identification to
WarriorNutcase@aol.com or PHIL728@aol.com

Official BC#3 site:
http://www.academyofbards.org/contest/challenge3/