Contest April-May 2025 Short Story Contest (entries close May 14th)

Grrr, !mrahil

 

Unless of course one of the stories features the Chaos Dwarfs. Then it isn't really a contest at all. More like a one-sided pounding with the CD story holding the sledge hammer.

A half core idea featuring really tall hats?

 

Doesn't really work with the theme. "Slann"... Incompatible with CD, unless you want the godly magic of the Slann wrecking the CDs and utterly humiliating them.

Even that doesn't work though... CD don't do Lustria, they do Dark Lands like edgy little gremlins.

 

Killing a Slann would fit the theme. So would a multitude of other potential angles. The options are only limited by the imagination of the writer.

If the past short story contests are anything to go by, that could not be further from the truth. In the time I've been following these contests, the Chaos Dwarf stories have a nearly perfect record of victory.

Those that push back against the Chaos Dwarf stories are likely those that fear it most. Unwilling to harness the power for themselves while cowering at the thought of another wielding it against them.

There is no escape from Chaos. It marks us all.

You mean hard mode. The toughest place to eek out an existence. Surrounded by untold enemies and danger. The Lizards by contrast have it easy.

 

Except Lustria is "Very Hard Mode" and the lizard bois turned the most inhospitable land in the world... into their bitch.

Dark Lands = Minecraft
Lustria = Dark Souls

Though really, no matter what you say, I am loyal to my peoples. I am a very dapper skink. Bask in my hat.

 

Most inhospitable? It is literally teeming with life of all varieties. It is a living place. Sure it's dangerous (it's Warhammer after all), but you can't throw a stone without hitting something living. In contrast, the land of the Chaos Dwarfs is literally a wasteland filled with nothing but monsters and things that hunt monsters. The very land itself mutates and distorts all that reside in it. It's survival of the fittest dialed up to an eleven.

Then consider who borders each race. Lustria is pretty isolated, with the only permanent significant force being the emo Elves to the north. Aside from that, you've only got the odd incursion to deal with (the Skaven being the only really threatening one), but not much more. The Chaos Dwarfs reside in the region that is home to the most powerful forces in the Warhammer World, namely Chaos. From savage tribes and mutated monsters, to the Warriors of Chaos themselves... let alone to living on the doorstep of the realm of Chaos itself. Then to the south they have every significant Warhammer race in the game outside of the HE, DE and Lizardmen. There is a reason why the continent of the Old World is the main setting for the Warhammer Fantasy world. It's literally grand stage upon which the majority of the story unfolds, with the most dangerous region of it being the Chaos wastes.

 

You always say that!

 

I find myself with an unlikely ally. Let us take this moment to enjoy this brief convergence.

 

Sneaky sneaky.

 

One way to be sure that Chaos Dwarves will be incorporated in a story this contest is to write one yourself

Grrr, !mrahil

 

You ask for the very thing that would bring about the paradox that destroys the short story contest's integrity.

The paradox:

• @Scalenex has imposed a rule that no writer may vote for their own story
• I have a rule that I will always vote for the Chaos Dwarf story
• it is likely that I may enter the sole Chaos Dwarf story (or in the case of multiple CD entries, my story is the one that is most fanatical in their celebration)
• this creates a situation where our two rules stand diametrically opposed
• what will come to no one's surprise, in a situation where I must choose between @Scalenex 's rule and @NIGHTBRINGER 's rule, I will always side with @NIGHTBRINGER 's rule
• the unavoidable fallout of this situation thus stains the legacy of the short story contest for all time

And then of course there is the potential outcome, however remote, where my Chaos Dwarf story wins the contest. You guys thought I was insufferable before in my celebration of Chaos Dwarf stories penned by other writers?


My dear @Imrahil , you should be much more careful what you wish for. I am an agent of Chaos.

 

I foresaw the same paradox, but who are you to let a paradox stand in the way of more Chaos Dwarf glory

Let us see if that can become a reality

Grrr, !mrahil

 

Let the record show, I never said it would... only that it could. It is theoretically possible, even if improbable. At the very least, I'd score a guaranteed two votes. With typically low voter turnouts, that is not inconsequential.

Luckily I've been able to bring about Chaos Dwarf glory without ever having to put virtual pen to virtual paper. Like a Chaos God working in the background; motivating others to achieve the task through the granting of gifts/blessings.

There is no escape from Chaos. It marks us all.

 

Grrr, !mrahil