Changes: Halo Fanon:The Weekly

Latest revision as of 12:33, 16 April 2024

The Weekly is a community project in the form of a series of micro-fiction contests, inspired by the discontinued Community Writing Competitions on Halo Waypoint. Each week, users can challenge themselves to write a short prose response to a prompt chosen at the start of the week by the competition's judge. At the week's end, the judge selects a winner to receive a shiny new Weekly Winner eraicon on their entry's page, and the entry will then be displayed on Recent Changes for the next week for all to easily see and read.

The project was conceived in response to a long-standing downturn in prose writing on the site, in hopes of encouraging more prose by presenting a painless, easily-attainable length as a target instead of a hopelessly-long novel length. The ideas the writers incorporate to hone their craft under such constraints might then become the seeds for events their own characters go through, or even be worked into whole other long stories.

How To Participate

At the beginning of each week, a new prompt will be posted on this page, for users to write in response to. Working with in the length and topic restraints (which could have to do with the theme, or subject, or writing style like "only dialogue"), users then write their response and create a new page on which to post it. Remember to include a Writer Template ("{{Writer|your username}}") at the top and categorize it "The Weekly" ("[[Category:The Weekly]]") at the bottom. A paragraph at the top can be added to introduce the piece and context for it without going towards the word count, so long as there's a horizontal line ("----") between to make set them apart distinctly. The word length for each entry is variable and set by the prompt's judge, but typically ranges between 500 to 1000 words. While you may submit multiple entries for each week, they must be individual entries (while having multiple entries be sequels/prequels to one another is a grey area, they must still work as stories on their own, rather than multiple-part stories).

Once an entry is complete, simply add a link to your entry's page in the scrollbox for the appropriate week for it to be counted. The judge in charge of that week's prompt will then read the entries and pick a winner for the }}week. The judge will also provide feedback for each entry. Bear in mind, the judge's decision may be based on subjective judgements, but good spelling, grammar, and punctuation go a long way towards impressing by presenting a professional and easy-to-read appearance. Winners will then be given a unique Weekly Winner eraicon and displayed on the Recent Changes page.

Judges and Prompts

In order to facilitate community involvement in the Weekly project, any active site editor may put themselves forward to write a prompt for a given week. That individual will then be responsible for selecting a winner from among the entries provided as well as providing timely feedback for each entry. Administrators and site patrollers will hold primary responsibility for selecting prompts and ensuring project stability. If a prompt receives no entries, a new prompt will still be submitted for the subsequent week. Prompt suggestions may be submitted on the talk page.

Weekly Challenges

Week 311: In The Bleak Midwinter

Judge: Actene

Here we are, the end of another year. It's been a long year and I congratulate everyone who has contributed to the Weekly project in 2023. As the days get darker and the weather gets colder (for those of us in the northern hemisphere, at any rate) the holiday season provides ample opportunities to reflect on the things that matter most. For this final prompt of the year write a holiday or Christmas-themed story to deck our digital halls. I encourage you to look up some Christmas short stories out on the broader internet. Even a brief perusal of the literature will show you that a Christmas story does not necessarily have to be a cheery affair (But don't let that stop you if you want to write something jolly!). Write something that inspires you during the Christmas or winter season.

As this will be the final prompt of the year, write a full-fledged short story for this one. Hold your entries to within three thousand words in order to keep things under control. Good luck, Merry Christmas, and thank you for all your work and creativity!

Start Date: 9 December 2023

End Date: 31 December 2023

Wherever I Need To Go, I Go by Arminius Fiddywinks

Week 312: So That's Our New Number Six

Judge: Ahalosniper

Welcome to 2024, folks! The lead-up to 2023's end already got a prompt about changeovers and new beginnings out of the way, so with this being one of those special Halo numbers, I want to take advantage to look back a little at SPARTAN-B312, and the game that got quite a few of us today into Halo and the background story Reach hinted at.

So the prompt is simple: give me a story about some minor character in Halo: Reach brushing up against Noble 6 during the campaign. It could be one of those civilians in Exodus waiting for the elevator as B312 holds off Brutes, an Army trooper holding out just long enough to be saved by Noble Six's arrival, or a Covenant soldier trying not to get killed by the hyper-lethal vector. Readers will be familiar with the scenarios you describe, so use it too hook them in! You can feel free to specify Six's identity in your own work or not as preferred. The 1000 word ballpark is the target as usual; try for within 100 words of the goal in either direction.

Start Date: 1 January 2024

End Date: 7 January 2024

Subject Carbon by Arminius Fiddywinks
Black Ink by AlphaBenson (Winner)

Subject Carbon by Arminius Fiddywinks: So, wanting to start off by saying your characterization of different team members is strong here. Serious concern for the mission from Kai, aloofness from Basab, the voices are unique to each. And, while surprising for a moment, I actually kinda like the reversal of typical human-Sangheili interactions during the war with Noble Six professing a kind of faith where Kai doesn't seem very reverent. It definitely deviates from the end of Halo: Reach as we see it, but not by too much. Six still ends up dead, just a few seconds later than that last camera cut from Lone Wolf. But, here's where I really gotta have it out. You're very able to convey different personalities between characters, but the specific voices you choose to give these characters aren't Sangheili voices. I've remarked before they sound like Generation Kill characters, which I was actually told you may've included as one of your inspirations? Good series, but those voices don't make for very convincing aliens. It pulls me out of suspension of disbelief when every canon source portrays Sangheili diction so differently. I encourage you to read The Flood or Cole Protocol, or even review some of the Arbiter cutscenes from Halo 2. That's the culture which Sangheili come out of, and their speech is result of it. You could maybe say Kai, Mik, and others are from a Sangheili colony world with a bit of a different speech pattern, but the Covenant's religious monoculture doesn't make a lot of allowance for dissent. Even with that excuse, you'd still end up with aliens that just don't sound alien. Heck, replace "boss" with "excellency" and you're already a decent amount of the way there. On a technical level, the prose is great--it's just this insistence on a human speech pattern that really throws me out of enjoying the story.
Black Ink by AlphaBenson: Descriptions are solid here, from greasy hair in waves to Julia's nail-biting habit. It does, however, leave me wondering where to place it a little bit. Since it's not about familiar characters and is circumspect about what exactly the "Party" is, this could be happening at a lot of points in the timeline, though I do think of the "heard Noble Team had an interesting morning" line from the old Gamescom trailer. Though I guess that morning, Six wasn't part of the team yet... anyway, this might actually be a good time to use a Time Stamp template, mimicking the Halo novels' giving of Military Calendar times and locations. Gives the reader their bearings at once without requiring anything inserted into the prose's flow. I do end up wanting a bit for description of Noble Six, since the prompt was about rubbing shoulders with them, but this does allow us to see them in action from the other side. And what's more, having them completely unseen thanks to Active Camouflage means everything from gender to armor configuration remains unspecified for the reader, which may have been your intention. If it was, the lack of specificity for the time and place and Party in question makes more sense. It's been thoroughly considered for its audience, and for that, it's got my support for the week.

Week 313: Recollections May Vary

Judge: Actene

Last year I kicked things off with an attempt to create a series of interrelated prompts, an effort that I thought pretty well during the time I kept it up. I hope to do something similar once my schedule quiets down a little. In the meantime, here's a prompt I've had banked for a while now. Perspective is an important tool to use in prose, conveying nuances in character through how individuals understand what's happening around them. Just because you and your friend witnessed the same thing doesn't necessarily mean you have the same perspective on what happened. Prose can be a powerful tool for exploring this fascinating reality. A grizzled Marine veteran may experience a battle briefing on the Infinity very differently from one of the "egghead" support scientist. For this prompt, come up with a single scene and then depict that same scene from two different characters' perspectives. Do your best to show how the characters pick up on different things that may completely change the direction of the scene.

Since you're essentially repeating the same events, aim for brevity on this prompt - allow about 300 words for each of the perspectives you're depicting, with a combined total of approximately 600 words. As always, if you have any questions about this prompt feel free to ping me on Discord.

Start Date: 12 January 2024

End Date: 19 January 2023

Two Sides of the Same Coin by TheAussie1417 (Winner)
Pelahsar and Rassiron by Arminius Fiddywinks

Two Sides of the Same Coin by TheAussie1417 (Winner) : You jumped into the core concept of this prompt, offering two perspectives on the same terrible battle while making good use of the prompt limit to quickly give your reader insight into both Hari and Glikbap’s character. One suggestion I would offer would be to switch the order of each POV segment, offering Glikbap’s more triumphant perspective before switching to Hari to unveil the full horror of the Covenant’s victory.
Pelahsar and Rassiron by Arminius Fiddywinks: This is a tough piece for me to provide feedback on, since in my opinion it is one of your best entries to date and meshes beautifully with the prompt while also falling well outside the word count I set. I’m willing to take most of the blame here as in hindsight the limits I set didn’t give writers much space to work in. While I must ultimately decide in favor of “Two Sides” by virtue of staying closer to the word limit, this is a wonderful piece exploring the lesser-touched aspects of Sangheili history. I particularly liked your concise prose surrounding the fight itself, which conveyed the swiftness of the violence while leaving yourself more space to explore the characters and motivations. Well done and I hope to see more entries like this in the future.

Week 314: To New Beginnings

Judge: Actene

The New Year is a time for resolutions and new beginnings. These resolutions are sometimes the hardest part of enacting change. It takes courage to change our circumstances for the better. This is doubly truth with writing, where sometimes the hardest part is simply creating space and time to put words to paper (physically or digitally). For this prompt, write a piece in which a character resolves to change something--either externally or internally--and takes steps to change it. Be sure to make it clear to the reader what it is the character is after as well as to include some challenge to their plan of action to make the entry more interesting. Aim for around 750 words with this one.

This is a prompt I'm shooting out on my way out the door to go out of town; next week's prompt will return to something a bit more thematically Halo in tone. I'll also get feedback in to entries for previous prompts next week.

Start Date: 19 January 2024

End Date: 26 January 2024

Resolve by Brodie-001 (Winner): Magnus is a character with a lot of history behind him and this piece serves as a good refresher for his unusual presence within the Halo Fanon pantheon. The action here is largely passive, limited to Magnus’s own internal ruminations, but his recollections work to establish not only his character but the ruthless party of killers he leads—characters who in some ways serve as extensions of Magnus’s own violent but constrained position. The final imagery of broken chains is also a great way to help visualize Magnus’s own visceral nature.
Departure by Valikeitel : I think I say this every time I encounter an entry dealing with the Banished, but more Banished on the site is a net positive. I also liked seeing you work your entry into events on Zeta Halo. This was a solid entry, but it felt a little rushed considering there was a higher word-count on this prompt. The brief exchange between Takra and Karth conveyed your story well enough but there was room to expand on this piece a little more, even if you just added more descriptive text or extended their dialogue a bit. You set up interesting future events here, but the piece left me wanting just a little more depth.
DT 2024: For My Friend by Distant Tide : I’ve noticed a few Roland-centered entries from you, an interest that took on an added poignancy when I double-checked my lore and realized that Roland has been MIA since the /Infinity/’s destruction. Your exploration of Roland’s efforts to stay in touch with the ship’s embattled crew, especially poor, comatose Murphy was quite enjoyable and served as an interesting window into the grind of ship-board life amidst the chaos of staying free in a Created-run galaxy.

Week 315: This Timeless Place

Judge: Actene

One of the most compelling components of the Halo universe are the eerily beautiful Forerunner ruins that make up the majority of the games' locales. From the very first scene in Combat Evolved we are invited into the haunting legacy of profound alien power. The organic environments of Combat Evolved, the overgrown temples of Halo 2, the incomplete ring in Halo 3 and the damaged superstructure in Infinite all tell a story that stretches beyond the science fiction battles raging on the screen. For this week, use whatever language you can to harness some of this sense of wonder and mystery at the heart of Forerunner technology. Feature any characters or situation you want. My one stipulation is that you not write any scenes featuring the Forerunners themselves and instead work to evoke the celestial mystery their absence evokes through what they left behind.

1000 words or so for this prompt.

Start Date: 29 January 2024

End Date: 5 February 2024

DT 2024: Hibernation Promise by Distant Tide (Winner)
The Temple by Arminius Fiddywinks

DT 2024: Hibernation Promise by Distant Tide (Winner) : I was already intrigued by your earlier focus on Roland and this piece serves as an excellent follow-up to your previous entry. Writing for AI characters is always a mix of challenge and opportunity, and you captured the poignancy of Roland’s uncertain fate in the aftermath of the Infinity’s destruction. Your descriptions are often the strongest part of your writing and you did a great job of conveying Infinite’s beautiful Zeta Halo environment in prose form. There was a sense of awe and grandeur in Roland’s recollections that I think did a wonderful job tapping into this prompt.
The Temple by Arminius Fiddywinks: Another remarkably evocative entry that did a great job conveying both the mundane and the alien. The discussion around the temple reminded me of the scene in Glasslands where Sangheili farmers detonate a previously sacred shrine to clear away farmland. You put a lot of work into throwing out a lot of alien terms to ground the reader on the planet and to convey the life Prin and Kre are living. My only substantive criticism is that this entry was almost double the prompt word limit. Great job all the same.

Week 316: Spy Games

Judge: Actene

Despite all the action-heavy set piece battles encountered in the Halo games, a good chunk of the lore we enjoy in this universe is centered around espionage and cloak and dagger affairs. ONI plays a massive role in the Halo canon, influencing galaxy-shifting events from the shadows and inspiring countless concepts and characters present on this site. For this prompt, write a scene involving clandestine activities or backroom machinations. Naturally you don't have to limit yourself to ONI--there's also the quiet movements of Insurrectionist cells, corporate skullduggery, and even the vast machinations of the Covenant and other alien entities. Challenge yourself to limit the action and instead craft an interesting scene through more subtle methods.

1000 word limit for this prompt.

Start Date: 5 February 2024

End Date: 12 February 2024

Compromise by Brodie-001
DT 2024: Academy Whisper by Distant Tide
The First Step by AlphaBenson
A Sacrifice for Ambition by Valikeitel
The Temple, Part II by Arminius Fiddywinks

Week 317: Seasonal Hearts

Judge: Distant Tide

Actene requested I take over the Weekly this week while he takes a break to catch up on his backlog. It's that week this week, that day of the year again. Valentine's Day is here. Romance isn't a pillar of Halo fiction, but fanfiction certainly weaves romance into any and all fandoms through shipping wars and occasional canonical stories featuring B-plots about some relationships, even for Halo. Some are more steamy than others, of course. That said, this week, write a short story of about 1000 word-target featuring a theme relating to romance. This prompt does not require actual romance, but anything related to the genre is acceptable: heartbreak, one-sided attraction, etc.

Start Date: 12 February 2024

End Date: 19 February 2024

Confessions by StribogE17 - Winner

Confessions by StribogE17 - Winner: I had hoped for more entries but if it feels of anything special, I'm glad you offered me a Valentine's Day story to read. It's very natural feeling, the characters of Ava and Vilmos (mentions of Yvan are always appreciated too) are animated, subtle, and conversational - I really enjoy their back and forth dynamic, talking about what might be of little importance, daily chatter but for these characters, its a matter of dear life. They're all Headhunters, and being special and sent out into the galaxy to do nigh-impossible things gets just darn lonely. Then, the tech comes down and the walls with them. I love seeing your characters' backstory lore come to life this way, a step forward from summaries on a wiki page and exploring who your characters are dynamically, meeting them at their most honest and most vulnerable. I would say this piece ultimately doesn't do much with romance, but it does focus especially on intimacy and vulnerability, and makes mention of faux-romance. For those elements, I'd say this piece fits well enough and is the winner this week. Great work! - Distant Tide: Hunter - Killer

Week 318: By The Waters of Babylon

Judge: Actene

There's been a tonal shift in recent Halo lore that seems to minimize the destructive nature of the Human-Covenant War. Decades of war, dozens of colonies glassed, and billions of humans dead, yet most of human society shrugs its shoulders, makes peace with the Sangheili and other ex-Covenant species, and moves on. While there is some historic precedent for the human desire to just get on with life it can be a little disconcerting when Olympia Vale starts chanting Sangheili prayers in front of HCW veterans like Locke and Buck. For this prompt, write a scene in which a character reckons with the destruction wrought by the "Great War." They can be a colonist grieving over lost home and family, a soldier coming to terms with the cost of war, or even a former Covenant warrior reckoning with what their holy war wrought. Hew to about 1000 words here.

Start Date: 26 February 2024

End Date: 4 March 2024

Helping Humanity and How We Failed the First Time with Pud B'Scul (excerpt) by Arminius Fiddywinks (Winner)

Helping Humanity and How We Failed the First Time with Pud B'Scul (excerpt) by Arminius Fiddywinks (Winner): Seeing as this is your third entry in recent weeks that has slipped well over the prescribed wordcount (nearly triple, this time), I feel obliged to point out that I do check these things when I read entries. This was a reasonably interesting piece with the creative setting of a late-night talk show, though the viewpoint character's removal from the conflict limited the emotional engagement somewhat.

Week 319: Strange New Worlds

Judge: Actene

After a few more specifically honed prompts, I'm in the mood for something basic this week. Write 1000 words or so of a scene featuring the sci-fi staple of an exotic alien locale. Do whatever you want thematically, just make sure to incorporate a strange planet or alien culture into what's going on. I'll narrow the scope a little bit by saying that if you choose to focus on the strangeness of a culture, use an existing Halo species and be creative within the bounds of established lore. Use your imagination and do something interesting!

Start Date: 4 March 2024

End Date: 11 March 2024

DT 2024: Baoding Suns by Distant Tide
Rock Music by Arminius Fiddywinks (Winner)

DT 2024: Baoding Suns by Distant Tide: I appreciate how thoroughly you embraced the “strange” element of my prompt. We’ve debated the merits of highly descriptive prose before, and here you really played to your strengths by imbuing the Forerunner apparition with a wonderfully ethereal quality. Merlin’s disembodied musings were contrasted with the UNSC vessel’s businesslike approach to solving the problem. I do wonder if you might benefit from slapping timestamps on your “DT” shorts just to help readers place where they are in your ongoing saga. Overall this was a fun, short piece that captured the space and time bending wonder of the Forerunners.
Rock Music by Arminius Fiddywinks (Winner): This was a fun piece, especially given its framing during Operation: TREBUCHET or one of the other Insurrectionist-focused conflicts. The juxtaposition of the entirely human combatants with the alien environment made for some great imagery. The cleverly titled “rock music” itself was also very evocative, especially when contrasted with the tension-breaking combat. While it was a difficult decision as always, I decided to give the win for this prompt to “Rock Music” for its condensed but fully formed narrative.

Week 320: A Face in the Crowd

Judge: Actene

Sometimes characters surprise you. Sometimes a character you invented just because you needed a name dropped in somewhere or a minor detail smoothed out grows and takes on a life of their own - and maybe becomes one of your favorites in the process. For this prompt, take a minor character from your work and flesh them out. Think about things from their perspective, give them hopes and dreams and motivations. Do whatever you want as long as you aren't focused on your "main" characters. And if you don't happen to have anyone who fits the bill, create someone out of whole cloth and start writing fresh with them. 1000 words or so, please.

Start Date: 18 March 2024

End Date: 25 March 2024

Expired by Arminius Fiddywinks

Week 321: Hard Starboard, Aye

Judge: Actene

I'm stretched a little thin this week so I'll keep it simple and ask for a scene involving naval combat in some way. It's a Halo staple so there's not much need to elaborate here. Just have fun with the prompt and write a compelling scene in 1000 words or so.

Start Date: 25 March 2024

End Date: 1 April 2024

Fallen Oak by Falkeno (Winner)

Fallen Oak by Falkeno (Winner): This entry’s a bit meaty at about 1500 words (I am checking these things a bit more carefully than I have in the past) but seeing as this was the only submission it’s not too big of a deal. I really liked the decision to narrate the kind of scene I’ve thought about many times: the frantic effort to evacuate a UNSC ship on the verge of destruction. Your narrative helped drive home the humanity of Kieran and the crew that form the lifeblood of any warship and I liked the frantic yet controlled effort to reach lifepods. This piece was a bit exposition heavy at the start (always a challenge in Weekly entries), but once the real narrative kicked off the evacuation flowed well. I did notice a few improperly capitalized nouns as well as some possessive forms in place of plural forms (frigate’s instead of frigates, Spartan’s instead of Spartans) that could do with some proofreading but otherwise a very solid entry.

Week 322: Heckplunging

Judge: Actene

You get two options for this week: you can take a more serious approach and write a 1000 word piece involving ODSTs or you can submit a 1000 word piece that embraces the site's new identity and takes place within the Helldivers universe, spreading managed democracy one word at a time. No other stipulations here, just enjoy yourselves with whichever option grabs your interest.

(For the latter option, be sure to post your entry in a namespaced article.)

Start Date: 1 April 2024

End Date: 8 April 2024

Sage Advice by Arminius Fiddywinks

Week 323: Wordy Dreams

Judge: Actene

We all have that scene we're dying to write. The climax of story, a critical moment in a character's journey, a daring escape or exciting confrontation--these are the scenes burning a hole in your brain that you've just never had the chance to put into writing. Until now. And as someone who's managed to get many of these scenes out of my brain, I have to warn you: the end product isn't always the thrilling piece of literature you imagined. But that's all part of the writing process: get it out of your head where people can see and critique it, then double back and refine, refine refine. For this prompt, write a scene you've always wanted to write and give it a go. Be sure to provide a bit of context outside of the prose itself to help center the setting.

In order to give you more room to do your scene justice, I'm upping the word count to 2000 words on this one. Cut loose and have fun!

Start Date: 8 April 2024

End Date: 15 April 2024

An Exercise of Wills by Sonasaurus
Life and death by Falkeno
Isn't It a House? by Arminius Fiddywinks

Week 324: Photo Bomb

Judge: Distant Tide

Hey again, Distant Tide here stepping in to assist Actene while he's going through another busy week. This week's prompt will be another close proximity to canon. Write a short story about your characters and concepts occurring in the same vicinity of canon events or characters. Were your ODSTs or Marine pilots helping the Master Chief behind the scenes? Was your civilian family among those evacuated by Noble Team's efforts at Visegrad and New Alexandria? Did your character and faction get stranded thanks to Cortana's attacks with the Guardians? Are your characters and troops stranded on Zeta Halo in parts unknown trying to survive under Escharum's thumb?

Word total is 1000 words this week, good luck!

Start Date: 15 April 2024

End Date: 23 April 2024

The Ties That Bind by Sonasaurus

Changes: Halo Fanon:The Weekly

Latest revision as of 12:33, 16 April 2024

Contents

How To Participate

Judges and Prompts

Weekly Challenges

Week 311: In The Bleak Midwinter

Week 312: So That's Our New Number Six

Week 313: Recollections May Vary

Week 314: To New Beginnings

Week 315: This Timeless Place

Week 316: Spy Games

Week 317: Seasonal Hearts

Week 318: By The Waters of Babylon

Week 319: Strange New Worlds

Week 320: A Face in the Crowd

Week 321: Hard Starboard, Aye

Week 322: Heckplunging

Week 323: Wordy Dreams

Week 324: Photo Bomb

Archives

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 At the beginning of each week, a new prompt will be posted on this page, for users to write in response to. Working with in the length and topic restraints (which could have to do with the theme, or subject, or writing style like "only dialogue"), users then write their response and create a new page on which to post it. Remember to include a Writer Template ("<nowiki>{{Writer|your username}}</nowiki>") at the top and categorize it "The Weekly" ("<nowiki>[[Category:The Weekly]]</nowiki>") at the bottom. A paragraph at the top can be added to introduce the piece and context for it without going towards the word count, so long as there's a horizontal line ("<nowiki>----</nowiki>") between to make set them apart distinctly. The word length for each entry is variable and set by the prompt's judge, but typically ranges between 500 to 1000 words. While you may submit multiple entries for each week, they must be individual entries (while having multiple entries be sequels/prequels to one another is a grey area, they must still work as stories on their own, rather than multiple-part stories).
-Once an entry is complete, simply add a link to your entry's page in the scrollbox for the appropriate week for it to be counted. The judge in charge of that week's prompt will then read the entries and pick a winner for the week. The judge will also provide feedback for each entry. Bear in mind, the judge's decision may be based on subjective judgements, but good spelling, grammar, and punctuation go a long way towards impressing by presenting a professional and easy-to-read appearance. Winners will then be given a unique Weekly Winner eraicon and displayed on the [[w:c:halofanon:Special:RecentChanges|Recent Changes]] page.
+Once an entry is complete, simply add a link to your entry's page in the scrollbox for the appropriate week for it to be counted. The judge in charge of that week's prompt will then read the entries and pick a winner for the
+}}week. The judge will also provide feedback for each entry. Bear in mind, the judge's decision may be based on subjective judgements, but good spelling, grammar, and punctuation go a long way towards impressing by presenting a professional and easy-to-read appearance. Winners will then be given a unique Weekly Winner eraicon and displayed on the [[w:c:halofanon:Special:RecentChanges|Recent Changes]] page.
 ===Judges and Prompts===
@@ Line 14: / Line 15: @@
 ==Weekly Challenges==
+===Week 311: In The Bleak Midwinter===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+Here we are, the end of another year. It's been a long year and I congratulate everyone who has contributed to the Weekly project in 2023. As the days get darker and the weather gets colder (for those of us in the northern hemisphere, at any rate) the holiday season provides ample opportunities to reflect on the things that matter most. For this final prompt of the year write a holiday or Christmas-themed story to deck our digital halls. I encourage you to look up some Christmas short stories out on the broader internet. Even a brief perusal of the literature will show you that a Christmas story does not necessarily have to be a cheery affair (But don't let that stop you if you want to write something jolly!). Write something that inspires you during the Christmas or winter season.
-===Week 192: Dear Humanity===
-'''Prompt:''' One year ago, I dropped a stupid "hindsight is 2020" joke as a prompt; this year, I'm doing the same again, since it isn't any more. On a more serious note - since the 2020-in-review picked out some particularly good character-driven pieces, I'm hoping to pivot a little more towards those these days.
+As this will be the final prompt of the year, write a full-fledged short story for this one. Hold your entries to within three thousand words in order to keep things under control. Good luck, Merry Christmas, and thank you for all your work and creativity!
-This prompt is all about regrets; things that were done, weren't done, or things that could-have-been. These can be spanning years, decades even - or just muttering "I should ''not'' have said that-" as soon as someone leaves the room. Go wild - at least, as wild as you can while aiming for this week's more generous 1000-word target.
-'''Start Date:''' January 2nd, 2021
+'''Start Date''': 9 December 2023
-'''End Date:''' January 17th, 2021
+'''End Date''':  31 December 2023
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
-*'''[[DT 2021: By The Stone]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}} - Winner!'''
+*[[Wherever I Need To Go, I Go]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
-*[[UNSC Transmission 17065J-03]] by {{Name|Auguststorm1945}}
-*[[Bad Day Here]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}}
-*[[Seashells]] by {{Name|Actene}}
-*[[Suits of Armour]] by {{name|LastnameSilver}} - Just to be clear, don't review this.
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
-All of these were really, ''really'' good - even once I was done reviewing I hadn't picked, and it was a tossup between all of the entries <s>that weren't a length that scared me away from reading them</s>. The win was only clinched by a hair, and I don't tend to say that lightly.
+}}
+|-|
+</tabber>
-*[[DT 2021: By The Stone]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}: ''Every'' day since 2553? Has Andra been fighting people while in slipspace transit too? Actually, don't answer that.
-::Retirement - and not in the "retirement", inverted commas, ONI-arranged sense - is something talked about more than shown, at least from what I see and get around to reading. While I'm not quite sure where this particular bit of touchiness takes place in the grand scheme of Andra-related things (or if this is even "canon" within that, given the name of the story series) it's still a really nice, character-driven short. While there's a lot of tying into other characters and past history, it doesn't feel like those are required knowledge or pre-reading like it's easy to fall into, and the regrets tie into it strongly. Being a nobody, being normal, being changed from the ''gung-ho child soldier of yesteryear'' builds into a sense of closure that's still tinged with the pathos of talking to those absent.
-::For me, that last line is honestly  ''*chef's   k i s s*''. That, combined with the balanced weight and delicateness of the descriptions (in spite of the slight clumsiness of expositing Andra's past-to-date), and the slight touches like the Colonial Literature and related chatter, are what really make this piece.
-*[[UNSC Transmission 17065J-03]] by {{Name|Auguststorm1945}}: Damn, were you the last 30 times I posted a message- or documentation-based prompt? :P
-::Far shorter than what the prompt asks for - never mind from what I expected - but an excellent piece nontheless. This is a short but very sweet piece that's tight, to-the-point, and close to the prompt while in an unexpected direction. Plus, it plays right into my own favourite interpretation of ONI as cold but not ''unnecessarily'' cruel, and caring more about Getting Shit Done™ than overtly castigating or making an example of people for something that's already been done. Also very nice touches are the undertones that, in spite of this colossal cock-up, STONE HILL is still competent or valuable enough that keeping them on is preferable to a token resignation - plus, the header, names, and mixture of curt and clinical in IRONWOOD's tone make this a piece that's far stronger than its word count would suggest.
+===Week 312: So That's Our New Number Six===
+''Judge: {{Name|Ahalosniper}}''
+Welcome to 2024, folks! The lead-up to 2023's end already got a prompt about changeovers and new beginnings out of the way, so with this being one of those special Halo numbers, I want to take advantage to look back a little at SPARTAN-B312, and the game that got quite a few of us today into ''Halo'' and the background story ''Reach'' hinted at.
+So the prompt is simple: give me a story about some minor character in ''Halo: Reach'' brushing up against Noble 6 during the campaign. It could be one of those civilians in Exodus waiting for the elevator as B312 holds off Brutes, an Army trooper holding out just long enough to be saved by Noble Six's arrival, or a Covenant soldier trying not to get killed by the hyper-lethal vector. Readers will be familiar with the scenarios you describe, so use it too hook them in! You can feel free to specify Six's identity in your own work or not as preferred. The 1000 word ballpark is the target as usual; try for within 100 words of the goal in either direction.
-*[[Bad Day Here]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}}: Well, now you've got me listening to the HW soundtrack on loop again, dammit.
+'''Start Date''': 1 January 2024
-::While a little more loose on the prompt than some of the other pieces here, I still really quite enjoyed this, and the character dynamics between Machete and what I can only assume to be their handler. The dialogue isn't hugely original in its ''ideas'' - the team bantering with Amber and Erin's pep talk later are both relatively by-numbers - it's still very nicely executed, feeling organic and believable and comfortably steering clear of the cliches it could fall into. While that makes up the bulk of the work, the opening half is wonderfully vivid, sharp third-person descriptions and the surgeon not pulling any punches bring some colourful images into mind, and the admission of a cock-up by superiors is an unexpected touch.
+'''End Date''':  7 January 2024
+<tabber>
+Entries=
-*[[Seashells]] by {{Name|Actene}}: ''But did he keep the shell-?''
+{{Scroll box|
+*[[Subject Carbon]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
-::This is certainly the prompt played straight, arguably in most direct way out of all of the prompts. Like Tide's, it's something that does feel like further knowledge, context, background would lend this piece an extra supporting pillar - but like Tide's, it still stands plenty strong on its own. The dynamic between the three, particularly how Stray (it still feels weird calling him that) stands relative to the other two, is an interesting thing in itself and does lend a bit of awkwardness to the process of reading and ''getting'' the goings-on, alternating between dogsbody and close companion, but either way still makes the latter half of things really good. The only thing I would say is that the timeskip is a little awkward; even marking it with a line would've helped separate the two halves, but on first read it did make me double back to see if there's anything I missed. Still, a very nice piece, especially with the melancholy tinge to it.
+*'''[[Black Ink]]''' by {{Name|AlphaBenson}} (Winner)
+}}
+|-|
+Feedback=
-*[[Suits of Armour]] by {{name|LastnameSilver}}: Is this ''Mucho Texto™️'' out of spite for me saying that I was still open to an entry from you?
+{{Scroll box|
+*[[Subject Carbon]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}: So, wanting to start off by saying your characterization of different team members is strong here. Serious concern for the mission from Kai, aloofness from Basab, the voices are unique to each. And, while surprising for a moment, I actually kinda like the reversal of typical human-Sangheili interactions during the war with Noble Six professing a kind of faith where Kai doesn't seem very reverent. It definitely deviates from the end of ''Halo: Reach'' as we see it, but not by ''too'' much. Six still ends up dead, just a few seconds later than that last camera cut from Lone Wolf. But, here's where I really gotta have it out. You're very able to convey different personalities between characters, but the specific voices you choose to give these characters aren't ''Sangheili'' voices. I've remarked before they sound like Generation Kill characters, which I was actually told you may've included as one of your inspirations? Good series, but those voices don't make for very convincing aliens. It pulls me out of suspension of disbelief when every canon source portrays Sangheili diction so differently. I encourage you to read ''The Flood'' or ''Cole Protocol'', or even review some of the Arbiter cutscenes from ''Halo 2''. That's the culture which Sangheili come out of, and their speech is result of it. You ''could'' maybe say Kai, Mik, and others are from a Sangheili colony world with a bit of a different speech pattern, but the Covenant's religious monoculture doesn't make a lot of allowance for dissent. Even with that excuse, you'd still end up with aliens that just don't sound alien. Heck, replace "boss" with "excellency" and you're already a decent amount of the way there. On a technical level, the prose is great--it's just this insistence on a human speech pattern that really throws me out of enjoying the story.
-::I guess me saying that was really
+*[[Black Ink]] by {{Name|AlphaBenson}}: Descriptions are solid here, from greasy hair in waves to Julia's nail-biting habit. It does, however, leave me wondering where to place it a little bit. Since it's not about familiar characters and is circumspect about what exactly the "Party" is, this could be happening at a lot of points in the timeline, though I do think of the "heard Noble Team had an interesting morning" line from the old Gamescom trailer. Though I guess that morning, Six wasn't part of the team yet... anyway, this might actually be a good time to use a Time Stamp template, mimicking the Halo novels' giving of Military Calendar times and locations. Gives the reader their bearings at once without requiring anything inserted into the prose's flow. I do end up wanting a bit for description of Noble Six, since the prompt was about rubbing shoulders with them, but this does allow us to see them in action from the other side. And what's more, having them completely unseen thanks to Active Camouflage means everything from gender to armor configuration remains unspecified for the reader, which may have been your intention. If it was, the lack of specificity for the time and place and Party in question makes more sense. It's been thoroughly considered for its audience, and for that, it's got my support for the week.
+}}
-::''*equip sunglasses*''
-::'''opening a pandora's box.'''
-::😎😎😎
 </tabber>
+===Week 313: Recollections May Vary===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+Last year I kicked things off with an attempt to create a series of interrelated prompts, an effort that I thought pretty well during the time I kept it up. I hope to do something similar once my schedule quiets down a little. In the meantime, here's a prompt I've had banked for a while now. Perspective is an important tool to use in prose, conveying nuances in character through how individuals understand what's happening around them. Just because you and your friend witnessed the same thing doesn't necessarily mean you have the same perspective on what happened. Prose can be a powerful tool for exploring this fascinating reality. A grizzled Marine veteran may experience a battle briefing on the ''Infinity'' very differently from one of the "egghead" support scientist. For this prompt, come up with a single scene and then depict that same scene from two different characters' perspectives. Do your best to show how the characters pick up on different things that may completely change the direction of the scene.
-===Week 193: The Kids Are Alright===
-'''Prompt:''' Partly inspired by Tide's ''interesting'' [[Kill the Split-Jaw|playground game]], and partly from how I actually had ''fun'' writing [[Beneath Artificial Stars|something]] to this theme last year: this week's prompt is all about the young'uns. Something about children, about youth, with a pretty broad scope thematically - after all, kids can be kind, they can be cruel, they can be innocent or jaded, and the Orion Arm has a vast range of different environments to grow up in. Still, I'd rather it at least be something in line with an image of childhood rather than just "takes place with young characters". In particular, while young, early Spartan candidates being taught the best places to stab someone isn't ''really'' what I'm after - and while lighter moments like in my piece above would work, more mundane human (or alien!) kids growing up would be plenty welcome too!
+Since you're essentially repeating the same events, aim for brevity on this prompt - allow about 300 words for each of the perspectives you're depicting, with a combined total of approximately 600 words. As always, if you have any questions about this prompt feel free to ping me on Discord.
-Looking to be a little shorter and sweeter this time; 800 words is your target.
+'''Start Date''': 12 January 2024
-'''Start Date:''' January 11th, 2021
+'''End Date''':  19 January 2023
-'''End Date:''' January 24th, 2021
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
+*'''[[Two Sides of the Same Coin]]''' by {{Name|TheAussie1417}} (Winner)
-*[[Halo:_Invisibles#Found_Child.27s_Case|Found Child's Case]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
-*[[An Age of Peace]] by {{Name|Actene}}
+*[[Pelahsar and Rassiron]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
-*'''[[Going To Have A Talk]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}} - Winner!'''
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
-*[[Halo:_Invisibles#Found_Child.27s_Case|Found Child's Case]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}: A Master Chief doll! '''''A Master Chief doll!!!'''''
+*'''[[Two Sides of the Same Coin]]''' by {{Name|TheAussie1417}} (Winner) : You jumped into the core concept of this prompt, offering two perspectives on the same terrible battle while making good use of the prompt limit to quickly give your reader insight into both Hari and Glikbap’s character. One suggestion I would offer would be to switch the order of each POV segment, offering Glikbap’s more triumphant perspective before switching to Hari to unveil the full horror of the Covenant’s victory.
+*[[Pelahsar and Rassiron]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}: This is a tough piece for me to provide feedback on, since in my opinion it is one of your best entries to date and meshes beautifully with the prompt while also falling well outside the word count I set. I’m willing to take most of the blame here as in hindsight the limits I set didn’t give writers much space to work in. While I must ultimately decide in favor of “Two Sides” by virtue of staying closer to the word limit, this is a wonderful piece exploring the lesser-touched aspects of Sangheili history. I particularly liked your concise prose surrounding the fight itself, which conveyed the swiftness of the violence while leaving yourself more space to explore the characters and motivations. Well done and I hope to see more entries like this in the future.
-::The case, intentionally befuddling; the characters, wholly invisible - I can't help but feel that, like Other Homeworld Theory, the pieces laid out here don't quite click together into much of a definitive, cohesive story. The dates seem wrong for any Spartan intake; the willingness to refer the whole case to ONI, the vagueness of the recollection (both in terms of description and how it's a little awkward to discern from the story's present-day), and the lack of context as to what's going on in the here and now - all of it comes together in an end result that never feels like it quite ''clicks'', and I'm not sure if that's intended.
+}}
+|-|
-*[[An Age of Peace]] by {{Name|Actene}}: Does Jamat have an H-word pass?
-::A dialogue piece set entirely between youngsters, slap-bang in the Created era, ''and'' with a young Sangheili in the mix? This wasn't quite a combination I expected.. The dynamics of the youngsters bouncing off one another, even with their familiarity, were really quite enjoyable to read - somewhat similarly to Tide's piece, it didn't seem to have a particular direction or plot it was going in, but the dialogue and inference of the going-ons in the world still kept it cohesive and left loose ends to ponder on. Very comfy, for sure.
-*[[Going To Have A Talk]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}}: HI GROUNDED, I'M DAD.
-::This was - this was a ''huge'' bundle of "awwww". An ''oh no'', segueing into laughter, and then into an ''"awwww"''. Zoey's own guilt, her trespasses that she spends the whole time agonizing over, takes centre stage - yet it doesn't quite ''weight down'' the piece. The overreaction, the angst of her wanting to flee, expecting to have to, and piling up a world of blame on herself over something already been and done and ''non-fatal'' - it gives her voice and the piece overall an immature feel. It's a feel that - once the punchline hits - is oddly endearing, a mixture of funny and outright wholesome <s>100</s> that gives the payoff such a grin, especially after the almost slight absurdness of Gav's Certified Dad Moment [TM]. All three pieces here are well written, both technically and set in the wider world, but this one in particular hits the ''childhood'' mark for me right on. Really fun to read, but really warm at the end of it, too.
 </tabber>
+===Week 314: To New Beginnings===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+The New Year is a time for resolutions and new beginnings. These resolutions are sometimes the hardest part of enacting change. It takes courage to change our circumstances for the better. This is doubly truth with writing, where sometimes the hardest part is simply creating space and time to put words to paper (physically or digitally). For this prompt, write a piece in which a character resolves to change something--either externally or internally--and takes steps to change it. Be sure to make it clear to the reader what it is the character is after as well as to include some challenge to their plan of action to make the entry more interesting. Aim for around 750 words with this one.
+This is a prompt I'm shooting out on my way out the door to go out of town; next week's prompt will return to something a bit more thematically ''Halo'' in tone. I'll also get feedback in to entries for previous prompts next week.
-===Week 194: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie===
-'''Prompt:''' Something dug up from the past - that's the theme of this week's prompt. Whether at a individual, organisational, or even governmental, perhaps some time capsules should stay buried. Some memories may be too harsh to cling to; some scandals or heresies should stay buried. Maybe they're not even horrible revelations to their people or institutions, just a reminder of how they used to be better, of how far they've fallen. Maybe they're painful notes of what they've lost. Maybe they'll be used as impetus for change - or maybe they'll be buried again, deeper this time. It's all up to you, in the space of 800 words; although as always, that's a target, with a fair amount of flexibility above or below.
+'''Start Date''': 19 January 2024
-'''Start Date:''' January 26th, 2021
+'''End Date''':  26 January 2024
-'''End Date:''' February 7th, 2021
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
+*'''[[Stories from the Sigmaverse/Resolve|Resolve]]''' by {{Name|Brodie-001}} (Winner)
-*[[Halo:_Invisibles#The_Burn|The Burn]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
-*'''[[Blood and Stone]] by {{name|LastnameSilver}} - Winner!'''
+*[[Departure]] by {{Name|Valikeitel}}
-*[[An Ugly Request]] by {{name|Falkeno}}
+*[[DT 2024: For My Friend]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
-*[[Halo:_Invisibles#The_Burn|The Burn]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}: It's like ''The Babysitter'', but ''literally'' this time!
+*'''[[Stories from the Sigmaverse/Resolve|Resolve]]''' by {{Name|Brodie-001}} (Winner): Magnus is a character with a lot of history behind him and this piece serves as a good refresher for his unusual presence within the Halo Fanon pantheon. The action here is largely passive, limited to Magnus’s own internal ruminations, but his recollections work to establish not only his character but the ruthless party of killers he leads—characters who in some ways serve as extensions of Magnus’s own violent but constrained position. The final imagery of broken chains is also a great way to help visualize Magnus’s own visceral nature.
+*[[Departure]] by {{Name|Valikeitel}} :  I think I say this every time I encounter an entry dealing with the Banished, but more Banished on the site is a net positive. I also liked seeing you work your entry into events on Zeta Halo. This was a solid entry, but it felt a little rushed considering there was a higher word-count on this prompt. The brief exchange between Takra and Karth conveyed your story well enough but there was room to expand on this piece a little more, even if you just added more descriptive text or extended their dialogue a bit. You set up interesting future events here, but the piece left me wanting just a little more depth.
+*[[DT 2024: For My Friend]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}} : I’ve noticed a few Roland-centered entries from you, an interest that took on an added poignancy when I double-checked my lore and realized that Roland has been MIA since the /Infinity/’s destruction. Your exploration of Roland’s efforts to stay in touch with the ship’s embattled crew, especially poor, comatose Murphy was quite enjoyable and served as an interesting window into the grind of ship-board life amidst the chaos of staying free in a Created-run galaxy.
+}}
+|-|
+</tabber>
+===Week 315: This Timeless Place===
-:: I really do have mixed feelings about this one, although admittedly said feelings might be a little overly familiar since I've said similar about works from yourself in the past. The piece is certianly well-executed, the description tight and the Kallas's introduction sympathetic. But I can't help but feel it has a little trouble building itself up, at least as the piece goes on. The tie-in to the Deltas feels a little bit tacked-on, although I'm also unfamiliar of any further history behind them - but the recollection of the ambush in particular feels a little wooden. The opening and ending of that segment, both with the focus on burning, hit hard, but the rest doesn't share much of that energy, instead feeling like more of a plod through the events one step at a time.
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
-:: The bartender is something that a lot could've been done with, and I definitely would've enjoyed seeing the two of them bounce off each other more, but the fact that he's not even named by the end of it is makes the whole interaction feel a bit flat. More banter between the two, or at least more sharing of information from the bartender beyond being ex-Navy, would've opened up the piece a lot more and offered more sympathy for Kallas; finding someone he can unload and share stories with rather than - well, rather than babysitting.
-*[[Blood and Stone]] by {{name|LastnameSilver}}: A little dusty, but the Silver Magic™️ still lives!
+One of the most compelling components of the ''Halo'' universe are the eerily beautiful Forerunner ruins that make up the majority of the games' locales. From the very first scene in ''Combat Evolved'' we are invited into the haunting legacy of profound alien power. The organic environments of ''Combat Evolved,'' the overgrown temples of ''Halo 2'', the incomplete ring in ''Halo 3'' and the damaged superstructure in ''Infinite'' all tell a story that stretches beyond the science fiction battles raging on the screen. For this week, use whatever language you can to harness some of this sense of wonder and mystery at the heart of Forerunner technology. Feature any characters or situation you want. My one stipulation is that you not write any scenes featuring the Forerunners themselves and instead work to evoke the celestial mystery their absence evokes through what they left behind.
-:: This was... honestly, thoroughly enjoyable all-round. Pretty much everything I see you write with hingies goes well, and this is no exception; you can feel Kino's frustration, his tiredness, his lament for what Sanghelios once was. Even with the almost-contradictions of rose-tinted nostalgia - admiration of the mighty fleets he used to see in the sky, yet disdain for the Covenant leadership of his time - the desire for something better for his ''people'' as well as himself is dripping from the page. "Thwack, ruminate, thwack, ponder" certainly isn't an avant-garde way to get emotion across via text, but it's one that's done very nicely here.
+words or so for this prompt.
-:: Once Kino gets into the cache, there's a swerve into external description from internal musings that feels a touch abrupt, but while said description would feel like filler with a poor execution, here it works well to show off the age of the place, the scale, the grandiose feel of what it truly was that he uncovered. Some odds and ends find themselves a little extraneous - Kino's spluttering over the bugs, for example - but none of it feels overtly out of place, none of it detracts from the story being told. The only thing I'd ''really'' say is that the final line of the insect's flight feels a little clumsily handled; not necessarily being too on-the-nose, since being so direct fits the sheer scale of the story being told, but just a little fumbled in its wording, without the grace or majesty or hope I feel that was meant to be implied.
+'''Start Date''': 29 January 2024
-:: Still, a lovely piece, and one (like Sundered Shore) that I'd love to see future follow-ups to and repercussions of!
+'''End Date''':  5 February 2024
-*[[An Ugly Request]] by {{name|Falkeno}}: My apologies for taking so long with this one - I was, uh, ''savouring'' it.
-:: I believe this is your first Weekly submission, so I have to offer my apologies again for leaving you hanging for so long over it - I've certainly given the thing a wealth of rereads, at least. With a relatively common set-piece like this, it's up to the execution to carry the piece, and there's a fair bit to work with - the principle one being the contrast between how well emotion is put across in varying ways.
-:: I can't help but feel that the dialogue between the two leaves something to be desired here - sure, all that they're saying is certainly plausible for the situation, believable, but it doesn't add much to it. The emotional appeals to one another are a little blunt, and struggle to get across the more personal feel that would help colour a relatively plain setup. It's hard to dance around the feeling that the situation has a touch of cliché to it when their lines seem to steer the piece straight ''into'' that direction. On the flip side, though, the internal voice of the piece is much stronger, both directly via Dylan's thoughts and indirectly with how the scene is put across and described. The opening two paragraphs are especially good with this, neatly mirroring his physical struggle to get the two of them out of there with his mental one (although both may have benefited from a proofread). Later snippets of it are more cut-down and function to bracket the dialogue, but the capping off at the end then swings it back into good territory. The final note about coffee might have been meant just for humour, but it works excellently as a view of Dylan moving the trauma aside, replacing the torture of what-ifs with the jobs of the here and now.
-:: Definitely a solid Weekly debut (I think?), and more from you would be welcome!
+<tabber>
+Entries=
+{{Scroll box|
+*'''[[DT 2024: Hibernation Promise]]''' by {{Name|Distant Tide}} (Winner)
+*[[The Temple]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
+}}
+|-|
+Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
+*'''[[DT 2024: Hibernation Promise]]''' by {{Name|Distant Tide}} (Winner) : I was already intrigued by your earlier focus on Roland and this piece serves as an excellent follow-up to your previous entry. Writing for AI characters is always a mix of challenge and opportunity, and you captured the poignancy of Roland’s uncertain fate in the aftermath of the ''Infinity''’s destruction. Your descriptions are often the strongest part of your writing and you did a great job of conveying ''Infinite''’s beautiful Zeta Halo environment in prose form. There was a sense of awe and grandeur in Roland’s recollections that I think did a wonderful job tapping into this prompt.
+*[[The Temple]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}: Another remarkably evocative entry that did a great job conveying both the mundane and the alien. The discussion around the temple reminded me of the scene in ''Glasslands'' where Sangheili farmers detonate a previously sacred shrine to clear away farmland. You put a lot of work into throwing out a lot of alien terms to ground the reader on the planet and to convey the life Prin and Kre are living. My only substantive criticism is that this entry was almost double the prompt word limit. Great job all the same.
+}}
+|-|
 </tabber>
-===Week 195: Perchance to Dream===
+===Week 316: Spy Games===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
-'''Prompt:''' Sleeping. Snoozing. Getting some shut-eye. Riffing off of the previous prompt in an uncharacteristically (for myself) original way, the key to this week's prompt is having its central character(s) asleep throughout. Not preparing or getting ready, not being tired or waking up; but actually being unconscious, for the bulk of the piece if not all of it. The primary angle to take here, as hinted in the title, is dreams - memories, weird mashups of waking experiences, or even psychedelic dreamscapes are all very welcome - but I also would be open to something as simple as an ongoing description of the goings-on around them, by their bunk or camp or bedroll, as they rest.
+Despite all the action-heavy set piece battles encountered in the ''Halo'' games, a good chunk of the lore we enjoy in this universe is centered around espionage and cloak and dagger affairs. ONI plays a massive role in the ''Halo'' canon, influencing galaxy-shifting events from the shadows and inspiring countless concepts and characters present on this site. For this prompt, write a scene involving clandestine activities or backroom machinations. Naturally you don't have to limit yourself to ONI--there's also the quiet movements of Insurrectionist cells, corporate skullduggery, and even the vast machinations of the Covenant and other alien entities. Challenge yourself to limit the action and instead craft an interesting scene through more subtle methods.
-words is your goal, as per usual.
+word limit for this prompt.
-'''Start Date:''' Feburary 7th, 2021
+'''Start Date''': 5 February 2024
-'''End Date:''' February 21st, 2021
+'''End Date''':  12 February 2024
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
-*'''[[Restless at the Top]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}} - Winner!'''
+*[[Stories from the Sigmaverse/Compromise|Compromise]] by {{Name|Brodie-001}}
-*[[Timeless Meditation]] by {{Name|CBrando89}}
+*[[DT 2024: Academy Whisper]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
+*[[The First Step]] by {{Name|AlphaBenson}}
+*[[A Sacrifice for Ambition]] by {{Name|Valikeitel}}
+*[[The Temple, Part II]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
-*[[Restless at the Top]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}}: Heavy lies the crown, eh? At least, depending on local gravity.
+}}
+|-|
+</tabber>
+===Week 317: Seasonal Hearts===
-:: Darrow's musings - and descriptions of the world around him - are a real strong starter to this piece. I was originally planning on saying that they felt a little purple, a little overly poetic, but on a reread after bouncing back to check the prompt I ended up finding it fitting. It's a slightly excessive, too-real feeling that I think this piece could've benefitted from a little more of. The fight is certainly well-executed, cleanly and powerfully enough to follow while being badass in a mental visualisation, but its grounding saps a little something from the story. The whole segment still seems like something that straight-up could happen, that outside of the "but it was a ''dreaaaaam''" added on the end it was firmly grounded. It's absolutely a very good piece in any case, but I just feel that - especially with the power (and perhaps worry over the renegade) getting to Darrow - the dream feeling a little more not-quite-right, a little more surreal, would have enhanced the feel of the thing a great deal.
+''Judge: {{Name|Distant Tide}}''
+Actene requested I take over the Weekly this week while he takes a break to catch up on his backlog. It's that week this week, that day of the year again. Valentine's Day is here. Romance isn't a pillar of Halo fiction, but fanfiction certainly weaves romance into any and all fandoms through shipping wars and occasional canonical stories featuring B-plots about some relationships, even for Halo. Some are more steamy than others, of course. That said, this week, write a short story of about 1000 word-target featuring a theme relating to romance. This prompt does not require actual romance, but anything related to the genre is acceptable: heartbreak, one-sided attraction, etc.
+'''Start Date''': 12 February 2024
-*[[Timeless Meditation]] by {{Name|CBrando89}}: As ironic as it is to put this first - the finisher on this piece is outright ''delicious''.
-:: An unknown date and location and a (relatively) unknown-to-me Cain come together to make... a piece that's a really nice read. It's definitely (and noticably) shorter than the 800-word target, but it's still sweet in its shortness - there's no fat to trim, and it segues very nicely and very cleanly from her awakening to the ancilla's introduction, and beyond. The dreamscape pulled from her memory - tall grass, warm sun is a nice touch (and certainly more pleasant than the sleep/dream-related writing we've had here and in previous prompts!), and there's just enough information on the background and situation outside of the cryptum provided to give it all context. The talk of picking out snapshots from a childhood and uncertain memories adds a flavour to the whole thing, but to me the best bit of it is the offhand compliment given to Cain. The contrast between her being ''only'' human relative to whatever's going on outside, but treated graciously as a cunning, seasoned ''Reclaimer'' once inside, really brings colour to what could easily otherwise feel cold or by-numbers. There's certainly far worse places to be locked asleep in.
+'''End Date''':  19 February 2024
+<tabber>
+Entries=
+{{Scroll box|
+*[[Confessions]] by {{Name|StribogE17}} - '''Winner'''
+}}
+|-|
+Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
+*[[Confessions]] by {{Name|StribogE17}} - '''Winner''': I had hoped for more entries but if it feels of anything special, I'm glad you offered me a Valentine's Day story to read. It's very natural feeling, the characters of Ava and Vilmos (mentions of Yvan are always appreciated too) are animated, subtle, and conversational - I really enjoy their back and forth dynamic, talking about what might be of little importance, daily chatter but for these characters, its a matter of dear life. They're all Headhunters, and being special and sent out into the galaxy to do nigh-impossible things gets just darn lonely. Then, the tech comes down and the walls with them. I love seeing your characters' backstory lore come to life this way, a step forward from summaries on a wiki page and exploring who your characters are dynamically, meeting them at their most honest and most vulnerable. I would say this piece ultimately doesn't do much with romance, but it does focus especially on intimacy and vulnerability, and makes mention of faux-romance. For those elements, I'd say this piece fits well enough and is the winner this week. Great work! - {{DT Sig Short}}
+}}
+|-|
 </tabber>
+===Week 318: By The Waters of Babylon===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+There's been a tonal shift in recent ''Halo'' lore that seems to minimize the destructive nature of the Human-Covenant War. Decades of war, dozens of colonies glassed, and billions of humans dead, yet most of human society shrugs its shoulders, makes peace with the Sangheili and other ex-Covenant species, and moves on. While there is some historic precedent for the human desire to just get on with life it can be a little disconcerting when Olympia Vale starts chanting Sangheili prayers in front of HCW veterans like Locke and Buck. For this prompt, write a scene in which a character reckons with the destruction wrought by the "Great War." They can be a colonist grieving over lost home and family, a soldier coming to terms with the cost of war, or even a former Covenant warrior reckoning with what their holy war wrought. Hew to about 1000 words here.
-===Week 196: Behind Seven Proxies===
-'''Prompt:''' A techy macguffin is the order of the day this week. I'm after stories about sneaking, breaking, assaulting your way in in order to much with something techy, that's the top and bottom of it. Maybe it's innies going after a relay like Col. Holland was worried about; maybe a proof-of-concept test, testing RED FLAG's feasibility of boarding and fighting through a ship to break into its battlenet; maybe it's some bold (or suicidal) corp trying to get its hands on schematics for recreational McINKVs. All I ask for are two key elements - both physical ''and'' technological intrusion.
+'''Start Date''': 26 February 2024
-I'm also playing with wordcount a bit here after the last few were varying degrees of over-target; I'm willing to take ~800 for if the story focuses on just getting ''in'' or getting ''out''; or ~1500 if you cover the whole op. See if you can back up your ambition.
+'''End Date''':  4 March 2024
-'''Start Date:''' 1st March 2021
-'''End Date:''' 14th March 2021
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
+*'''[[Helping Humanity and How We Failed the First Time with Pud B'Scul (excerpt)]]''' by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}} (Winner)
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
+*'''[[Helping Humanity and How We Failed the First Time with Pud B'Scul (excerpt)]]''' by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}} (Winner): Seeing as this is your third entry in recent weeks that has slipped well over the prescribed wordcount (nearly triple, this time), I feel obliged to point out that I do check these things when I read entries. This was a reasonably interesting piece with the creative setting of a late-night talk show, though the viewpoint character's removal from the conflict limited the emotional engagement somewhat.
+}}
+|-|
 </tabber>
+===Week 319: Strange New Worlds===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+After a few more specifically honed prompts, I'm in the mood for something basic this week. Write 1000 words or so of a scene featuring the sci-fi staple of an exotic alien locale. Do whatever you want thematically, just make sure to incorporate a strange planet or alien culture into what's going on. I'll narrow the scope a little bit by saying that if you choose to focus on the strangeness of a culture, use an existing ''Halo'' species and be creative within the bounds of established lore. Use your imagination and do something interesting!
+'''Start Date''': 4 March 2024
-===Week 197: Chitter-Chatter===
-'''Prompt:''' A story told through dialogue. Not a particularly original idea, but one that I'm wanting to put a spin on anyways. The key being - through dialogue, but through remote dialogue; dialogue that ''needs'' to be put through remotely. COM talk. Ship-to-ship transmissions. The frustration and loneliness of the cold, slightly-distorted voices that remind someone that they're inside a tin can floating in the void. The discomfort and unwanted intimacy of seeming to have someone right inside your helmet with you; the low, background drone of dust storms reminding you ''why'' you have to all be suited and sealed up like this. A story told through dialogue... just not talking directly ''to'' someone.
-(And a story that's relatively short since this is just a one-weeker, to put us back on track with judging cadence - I'm happy with it being longer, but 500 words is the target to aim for).
-'''Start Date:''' 15th May 2021
-'''End Date:''' 23rd May 2021
+'''End Date''':  11 March 2024
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
-*[[Hazardous Ops]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}}
+*[[DT 2024: Baoding Suns]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
-*[[DT 2021: Between Stars, Hey Again]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
+*'''[[Rock Music]]''' by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}} (Winner)
-*[[Void Survival]] by {{Name|Ajax 013}}
-*'''[[Hope's End]] by {{Name|Actene}} - Winner!'''
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
-*[[Hazardous Ops]] by {{Name|Ahalosniper}}: Feet first into, uh. ''Literal'' hell?
+*[[DT 2024: Baoding Suns]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}: I appreciate how thoroughly you embraced the “strange” element of my prompt. We’ve debated the merits of highly descriptive prose before, and here you really played to your strengths by imbuing the Forerunner apparition with a wonderfully ethereal quality. Merlin’s disembodied musings were contrasted with the UNSC vessel’s businesslike approach to solving the problem. I do wonder if you might benefit from slapping timestamps on your “DT” shorts just to help readers place where they are in your ongoing saga. Overall this was a fun, short piece that captured the space and time bending wonder of the Forerunners.
+*'''[[Rock Music]]''' by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}} (Winner): This was a fun piece, especially given its framing during Operation: TREBUCHET or one of the other Insurrectionist-focused conflicts. The juxtaposition of the entirely human combatants with the alien environment made for some great imagery. The cleverly titled “rock music” itself was also very evocative, especially when contrasted with the tension-breaking combat. While it was a difficult decision as always, I decided to give the win for this prompt to “Rock Music” for its condensed but fully formed narrative.
+}}
+|-|
+</tabber>
+===Week 320: A Face in the Crowd===
-:: Now - to get this out of the way first - I ''did'' end up looking up Stratos before going further into it. It does bring further context to the piece, but I do think that was a difficult thing to do within the scope of "dialogue-only". Admittedly, most of the dialogue covering info and as a recap didn't feel too overtly "hey here's an infodump for the reader to understand things" (which is honestly an achievement given the prompt ''and'' the story's setting'') but I do have to say that a few moments did feel rather anime- or videogame-esque in terms of ''I am here and must narrate everything that I'm doing''. The last third or so of the piece was more clear of that, though, with the joke to Erin and more matter-of-fact narration(-ish) from Amber grounding things nicely, and bringing it to a clean (apart from maybe the ''oh no'', which felt a touch off) ending.
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+Sometimes characters surprise you. Sometimes a character you invented just because you needed a name dropped in somewhere or a minor detail smoothed out grows and takes on a life of their own - and maybe becomes one of your favorites in the process. For this prompt, take a minor character from your work and flesh them out. Think about things from their perspective, give them hopes and dreams and motivations. Do whatever you want as long as you aren't focused on your "main" characters. And if you don't happen to have anyone who fits the bill, create someone out of whole cloth and start writing fresh with them. 1000 words or so, please.
-*[[DT 2021: Between Stars, Hey Again]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}: You've got mail! It's, uh, interstellar innuendo.
+'''Start Date''': 18 March 2024
-:: This piece I actually found a touch tricky to mark. In a vacuum, it almost feels a little stilted, a little ''overproduced'' in the back-and-forth between these two; but after a few rereads they both started to grow on me. It gives off the sense of them knowing each other, and intimately so, but also of being an outside observer as to what's going on and not quite ''getting'' things the way that the two do for each other with their bond - which comes off a mixture of heartfelt and awkward. But there's still a closeness to the writing that works its way through the thread of the conversation, mixed in with the stiltedness of long whole video messages rather than a real conversation, and arrives itself at... at an ending where I'm not quite sure what the payoff is. It's hard to tell if it's purely bouncing off of that "Let me know when you get back", or if there's something else (warm? touching? ominous?) meant there - and that's what I'd probably call the weakest part of it.
+'''End Date''':  25 March 2024
-*[[Void Survival]] by {{Name|Ajax 013}}: In space, no-one can hear you... sound drunk?
+<tabber>
-:: I do have to say that the slurring ''really'' caught me off guard the first read, and had me more confused than anything before I remembered that oxygen deprivation was a thing. Beyond that, well - it's a really really mixed bag. The initial conversations are pretty good, a pep talk that could have easily come off as cliché instead coming off clean and well-executed, with that ''sailors are too stubborn to die'' line standing out as real great. After that and the rest of the conversation - well, the arrival of the hunter-killers is quite clearly telegraphed, but beyond that it's really quite hard to tell what's going on. The gaps don't give the best of ideas of how much time is passing, or who's listening to what - who's asking or answering what, or even the meaning at all of that last line. On the other hand, the HK's line is... ''deliciously'' Sangheili-y.
+Entries=
+{{Scroll box|
-*[[Hope's End]] by {{Name|Actene}}: "How lucky can the ancestors be? They're ''dead."''
+*[[Expired]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
-:: A neat message-transcription header and footer. An half-story, half-confession, half-AAR (yes, I'm aware that I can't count) - and one that dares to set itself squarely in the face ''of'' fighting the Created, rather than simply tiptoeing around them nervously as a story topic. Oh, and it even leans towards ''Infinite'' and its setup, too. I can certainly see the ambition of this piece, and honestly? It pulls it all off really well. The stilted, formal, honourable language between the two Sangheili is as grandstanding as ever but doesn't mask how genuine the exchange is; and while some of the repetition (the gods / our ancestors // are dead, or the emphasis placed on being a warrior at the tail end) borders on heavy-handedness, it's very effective nonetheless - especially with some of the snappier lines.
+}}
+|-|
+Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
+}}
+|-|
 </tabber>
-===Week 198: Mercenary===
+===Week 321: Hard Starboard, Aye===
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
-'''Prompt:''' Not necessarily "mercenary" in terms of "guns-for-hire". Just mercenary as in the adjective. As in greedy, as in immoral. As in one only concerned with their own back and enriching it at the expense of another. As in a giant corporation deciding that they're far more worthy owners of remaining technology or resources on a glassed world than the survivors still living there. Or, as in a member of a team or expedition deciding that she  needs the ammo - and the share of pay - far more than that shaky new kid who can't watch his corners properly. As in someone who'd sell out their own grandmother to the Flood in order to come out of things richer, or safer - or someone who was made to.
+I'm stretched a little thin this week so I'll keep it simple and ask for a scene involving naval combat in some way. It's a ''Halo'' staple so there's not much need to elaborate here. Just have fun with the prompt and write a  compelling scene in 1000 words or so.
-No "if" gimmicks this time though - it's back to an 800-word target.
-'''Start Date:''' 15th May 2021
+'''Start Date''': 25 March 2024
-'''End Date:''' 30th May 2021
+'''End Date''':  1 April 2024
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
+*'''[[Falkeno Weekly Submissions#Weekly_321:_Fallen_Oak|Fallen Oak]]''' by {{Name|Falkeno}} (Winner)
-*[[The Ronin]] by {{Name|Actene}}
-*[[DT 2021: Traffickers]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
+*'''[[Falkeno Weekly Submissions#Weekly_321:_Fallen_Oak|Fallen Oak]]''' by {{Name|Falkeno}} (Winner): This entry’s a bit meaty at about 1500 words (I am checking these things a bit more carefully than I have in the past) but seeing as this was the only submission it’s not too big of a deal. I really liked the decision to narrate the kind of scene I’ve thought about many times: the frantic effort to evacuate a UNSC ship on the verge of destruction. Your narrative helped drive home the humanity of Kieran and the crew that form the lifeblood of any warship and I liked the frantic yet controlled effort to reach lifepods. This piece was a bit exposition heavy at the start (always a challenge in Weekly entries), but once the real narrative kicked off the evacuation flowed well. I did notice a few improperly capitalized nouns as well as some possessive forms in place of plural forms (frigate’s instead of frigates, Spartan’s instead of Spartans) that could do with some proofreading but otherwise a very solid entry.
+}}
+|-|
 </tabber>
-===Week 199: The Hard Truth===
+===Week 322: Heckplunging===
 ''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+You get two options for this week: you can take a more serious approach and write a 1000 word piece involving ODSTs or you can submit a 1000 word piece that embraces the site's new identity and takes place within the Helldivers universe, spreading managed democracy one word at a time. No other stipulations here, just enjoy yourselves with whichever option grabs your interest.
-'''Prompt''': A relatively simple prompt for this week: write a short in which someone must confront an ugly reality. This can take the form of internal conflict, such as a character facing their own weaknesses or flaws, or external truths. Perhaps a Sangheili warrior must face up to the fact that he is a coward or a UNSC commander must accept that a battle is lost. Be creative and try to use this prompt to explore your characters in a moment of weakness. Aim for somewhere between 500-800 words.
+(For the latter option, be sure to post your entry in a namespaced article.)
-'''Start Date''': 30 May 2021
+'''Start Date''': 1 April 2024
-'''End Date''': 6 June 2021
+'''End Date''':  8 April 2024
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
-*[[DT 2021: Do No Harm]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}}
+*[[Sage Advice]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
-*'''[[The Regret]] by {{name|slowfuture}} - Winner!'''
-*[[Solitary (TPF)]] by {{Name|ThePeteFiles}}
-*[[Garden]] by {{Name|Timothy Emeigh}}
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
+{{Scroll box|
-*[[DT 2021: Do No Harm]] by {{Name|Distant Tide}} : This is a neat collaboration regarding Navisu’s Yuki AI. The choice Cortana’s Created presents an AI is an inherently interesting one and Yuki’s divided loyalties created a compelling dilemma. Yuki herself remains somewhat ambiguous throughout the piece—perhaps by design—and by the end her intentions toward the Created remain vague. Will she submit to the Created in an effort to minimize suffering or will she subvert their efforts from within? The piece is a compelling take on the dilemma faced by the galaxy in the wake of the Created uprising, though it does lean a bit too far into exposition for my liking.
+}}
-*[[The Regret]] by {{name|slowfuture}} : Slowfuture’s piece is a great look at Amy-G094 (soon to be known as “Hera”) in a moment of impressive weakness. This may even be the moment where she stops being Amy, severing old ties to become Hera. A Spartan’s frustration over the loss they’ve endured at ONI’s hands is ripe material to explore, though I do find some of the dialogue between Amy and Frendsen a bit stiff. Interestingly, the character who must ultimately face the hard truth seems to be more Frendsen than Amy—Amy embraces her anger and leaves Frendsen to reflect on the harm he has caused the Spartans under his authority. Stylistically this wasn’t my favorite entry to read, but it made me think a bit more than the other entries and as such it’s my pick for the winner.
+|-|
-*[[Solitary (TPF)]] by {{Name|ThePeteFiles}} : Everyone’s had a moment when they find themselves alone at mundane tasks while their friends slip out to do something fun. I appreciate TPF’s use of a relatable pang to help the reader empathize with Sam’s solitude. I did find it hard to pin down what exactly Sam was meant to be facing in this entry. Several problems are presented through expository prose rather than action or dialogue, which left me uncertain of what to take away from the short. This entry might be focused a bit more by cutting out a few extraneous details to let the narrative focus on Sam’s discontent with his situation.
-*[[Garden]] by {{Name|Timothy Emeigh}} : Sasha’s confrontation with her past makes for some wonderful reading. Her visions are conveyed with a great focus on imagery and Sasha’s reactions to the scenes before her. However, more so than the other entries submitted for this prompt I felt that this entry was cut from a larger story. I wasn’t entirely sure what Sasha was doing in the Forerunner complex that clearly triggered her visions and as such I was left puzzling over what to takeaway from the piece itself. Overall this is a very well-done entry but the lack of a broader context makes me hope for more embellishment in the future.
 </tabber>
-===Week 200: Bury Your Dead===
+===Week 323: Wordy Dreams===
-''Judge: {{Name|Distant Tide}}''
+''Judge: {{Name|Actene}}''
+We all have that scene we're dying to write. The climax of  story, a critical moment in a character's journey, a daring escape or exciting confrontation--these are the scenes burning a hole in your brain that you've just never had the chance to put into writing. Until now. And as someone who's managed to get many of these scenes out of my brain, I have to warn you: the end product isn't always the thrilling piece of literature you imagined. But that's all part of the writing process: get it out of your head where people can see and critique it, then double back and refine, refine refine. For this prompt, write a scene you've always wanted to write and give it a go. Be sure to provide a bit of context outside of the prose itself to help center the setting.
-'''Prompt''': I'm cranking up the emotional investment requirement. A week after Memorial Day in the States, I figure this could be as good a time as ever to write about losing loved ones and where that leaves the living. What are they left with? Gratitude? Guilt? Loss? Memories? Or maybe a material debt? A unfinished dream, an unsettled account? When those that pass leave our world, their presence can and will still be felt. Death is one kind of end, but its not for everyone. Standard fair, aim for a 500-800 word limit but I'll play loose with the goalposts.
+In order to give you more room to do your scene justice, I'm upping the word count to 2000 words on this one. Cut loose and have fun!
-'''Start Date''': 6 June 2021
+'''Start Date''': 8 April 2024
-'''End Date''': 13 June 2021
+'''End Date''':  15 April 2024
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
-*[[Headhunters (TPF)]] by {{Name|ThePeteFiles}}
+*[[An Exercise of Wills]] by {{Name|Sonasaurus}}
+*[[Falkeno Weekly Submissions#Weekly_323:_Life_and_death|Life and death]] by {{Name|Falkeno}}
+*[[Isn't It a House?]] by {{Name|Arminius Fiddywinks}}
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
 {{Scroll box|
-*[[Headhunters (TPF)]] by {{Name|ThePeteFiles}}: I guess you get the victory by default but that's no passing remark on your skill or polish. You've got quality in your words Pete, this win regardless is deserving despite my critiques that will follow. I hope on some level I can help you improve on your path as a writer. The first thing that stuck out to me was the use of passive voice in your narration; this short really is all narration which isn't bad but I would have liked to see some more show than tell for a prompt like this. I probably asked too much in the first place, it is a heavy topic to address and handle. What's there flows well, no hiccups in the sentences as I can see it. As for that passive voice, I'm referring to your use of "were/was -ed" sections. They're not super problematic but for someone who's super-aware of them in my owning writing, they stick out to me. Fairly common advice for writers given by English teachers is to eliminate such passive voices and try to write sentences that don't use "were/was/had/have" to force you into a more active narration. It gives more presence and immediacy in your writing as I understand and one of the things I look out for most. Whether this is actual useful advice, I'm not really sure. It's hard to tell between writers, even with feedback. Do what you feels works best for your style and level of engagement. For me, the passive voice did not detract from your description. It was straightforward, what you described here was facts and the reality of the situation. It holds up. But that set aside, my overall take from this short is that its also too-matter-of-fact. It reads like one of your articles, which are very enjoyable but I would like to see more of your prose. I've already accepted this prompt isn't the best for that when matched with the word count. But still, I would have liked to get more than what feels like a mix of history and a journal entry. Sam didn't take any action in this story, he didn't have anything to interact with other than to tell the audience what he's been through and experienced. What he experienced comes through loud and clear, but its also very simplistic. I would not call it formulaic though. Sam's decision process is clear here and we understand why and who he is because we have a mix of external narration and pseudo-thoughts to carry on. It's an internal rationale, a mantra. This piece feels like that, reinforcing what he believes in and why he does it. Not as impactful as your previous pieces about his home life but this one still adds a critical item to his story. Glad to be an indirect part in bringing that to life.
 }}
+|-|
 </tabber>
-===Week 201: Spartans never Die, except===
+===Week 324: Photo Bomb===
-''Judge: {{Name|ThePeteFiles}}''
+''Judge: {{Name|Distant Tide}}''
+Hey again, Distant Tide here stepping in to assist Actene while he's going through another busy week. This week's prompt will be another close proximity to canon. Write a short story about your characters and concepts occurring in the same vicinity of canon events or characters. Were your ODSTs or Marine pilots helping the Master Chief behind the scenes? Was your civilian family among those evacuated by Noble Team's efforts at Visegrad and New Alexandria? Did your character and faction get stranded thanks to Cortana's attacks with the Guardians? Are your characters and troops stranded on Zeta Halo in parts unknown trying to survive under Escharum's thumb?
-'''Prompt''': In {{Halopedia|A Hero Falls}}, the Office of Naval Intelligence declares SPARTAN-117 Killed in Action. Throughout the trailer cutscene, we see a variety of individuals reacting to the news of Humanity's Savior dying in the line of duty. How does your character react to the news of SPARTAN-117 being listed KIA? How would a veteran of the Human-Covenant War react, a service member in the UNSC, or even an everyday civilian? Feel free to pick a Point of View. You're also free to explore the reason why Master Chief was declared KIA, to ensure people didn't know he went AWOL and so forth. Aim for about 500-800 words.
+Word total is 1000 words this week, good luck!
-'''Start Date''': 13 June 2021
-'''End Date''': 20 June 2021
+'''Start Date''': 15 April 2024
+'''End Date''':  23 April 2024
 <tabber>
 Entries=
 {{Scroll box|
+*[[The Ties That Bind]] by {{Name|Sonasaurus}}
 }}
 |-|
 Feedback=
 {{Scroll box|
 }}
+|-|
 </tabber>
 ==Archives==
-*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2016|2016 entries]]
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2016|2016 entries]] {{C|Weeks #1 to #52}}
-*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2017|2017 entries]]
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2017|2017 entries]] {{C|Weeks #53 to #86}}
-*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2018|2018 entries]]
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2018|2018 entries]] {{C|Weeks #87 to #120}}
-*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2019|2019 entries]]
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2019|2019 entries]] {{C|Weeks #121 to #156}}
-*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2020|2020 entries + Year In Review]]
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2020|2020 entries + Year In Review]] {{C|Weeks #157 to #191}}
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2021|2021 entries]] {{C|Weeks #192 to #227}}
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2022|2022 entries]] {{C|Weeks #228 to #270}}
+*[[Halo Fanon:The Weekly/2023|2023 entries]] {{C|Weeks #271 to #311}}
 {{HFNamespace}}
 [[Category:The Weekly]]