Welcome to Author Games: Victors of the Arena! We've made many changes since A Knight's Valor, and even more since the Hanging Tree Games. Lots of rules have been updated, and we have some new systems in place that will hopefully make things run smoothly and create a more interesting challenge for you all. Here's what you need to know before we begin:

1. This is what we have decided to call a Revival Games. As of now, we have two of these planned, with the second being Author Games: Breath of Life (Not Reincarnation, that's different). The way we see it, everyone has a character they wish they could write more about. We all have that one particular Victor that has just stuck in their minds for much longer than they should. So, in these games, we've decided: Well, why not? You are allowed to use any character you have previously written, from any timeline, so long as they are a Victor, in this competition.

Let us say this one more time, just in case: If you have a Victor you would like to write about again, this is the place to do so. We WANT you to re-use your character.

Age does not matter to us. Whatever competition they're from does not matter to us. If you can make it work, and if you're really determined we're sure you will, then you can enter them. However, if you don't have Victor, you can still compete. Just make one up! There will be more on this later on, answering all of your questions.

2. THESE GAMES ARE GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING. With the exception of Hanging Tree Games: Revisited, this will be our most thought-provoking, most stress-inducing, most challenging Games. Why? Because these characters will all be Victors. The arena has been designed by Victors. What do you think would possess us to give you some mamby-pamby easy as sin tasks? Absolutely nothing. That being said, if you do not think you are going to be able to cope with these challenges or continue to participate once we begin, please think carefully before considering joining.

3. The Choices Game. This is something new that will be trying at PanemEt. Without giving too much away, know that the arena in this competition will be highly volatile. The Choices Game will help to make that all the much worse. As we announce each task, we will also announce a Choice. This may be anything from a simple "Red or Blue?" to much more complicated questions. At the end of your entry, as well as your deaths and ballots, you MUST put your answer to the question. Failure to do so will immediately take away half a point from your score. These choices will determine how the Games changes for you, and what obstacles you may have to face.

4. Our New Extension Policy. We have decided to try something a little different now, instead of giving out extensions or giving you an allowance of time. From now on, until we decide otherwise, this is how extensions will work:

Excused Extensions will be given only to the Sponsored, and even then they may have a limit of only one. These Extensions will last a full 24 hours, no questions asked.

However, if you are not sponsored and you turn in late, our new policy will take affect. If you are five minutes late, you will be okay. If you are ten minutes late, you will be okay. If you are thirty minutes late, you will lose HALF a point from your total score. If you are one hour late, ONE POINT will be taken from your score. Two hours will be two points, and after five hours we will give you a zero.

We hope that you won't abuse this system by automatically assuming "Okay I can turn in twenty nine minutes past the deadline and be safe" or "Okay I can turn in fifty five minutes past the deadline and only lose half a point." Because that's not how it's going to work. The closer you are to that thirty-minute mark, the more likely you are to lose that point. We want this system to work because we don't want you to be racing the clock and rushing endings we know should be fantastic. Please don't abuse it, or we will be those guys and take it away entirely. Don't make us those guys.

Think of this as your permanent extension for the remainder of the Games. If you PM us asking for an extension, you either need to be sponsored or some horrible crisis must be preventing you from completing the entry. We're not totally heartless, we've been in that horrible crisis moment and we know that life always comes first.

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That's all for right now! Expect more updates as November goes on and be on the lookout for our reservation date, which should be set soon.