We are proud to announce the winners of the BETWEEN THE LINES contest held by the groups and
First of all we would like to thank all participants - we had 20 great entries in the contest, and the voting was very even until the last moment. At the end, we have a tie on the first place, both pictures getting 30 points in the voting! The second place got only 4 points less (26), and the third place got 23 points.
But that's not all... I also won a 1 year PM and a t-shirt ^3wyl's Tresure hunt [link] (Here's the right solution if you are curious, there were some mistakes in the letters: [link] )
And IRL, me and my boyfriend just bought a flat (with mortgage, but it will be truly ours, not just rented!!!), we signed the contract this Friday.
As I am talking about winning, I realized I forgot to post a journal when we won the 2012 Team dArt Showdown [link] back in June. I'll do it now to thank my great team: and me
There were 3 tasks, for which we collaborated in doing art -
1. CHANGE: We decided to depict the tale of Three Raven Brothers during the different seasons
2. SHADES: with animation just the picture And here it's in higher quality on youtube: [link]
3. BUG'S EYE VIEW
And last, but not least, I want to thank all my wonderful friends here at dA, and feature some of their works.
IMPORTANT: the login into the submmitting system currently doen't work. I'll try to fix it somehow, but until then, the "Try it without login" link still works. If you submit the solution to a cipher, it will give you a link to the next one. It just won't remember your position in the game, so better save that link, or remember the solution so you can get it again.
Dec/24/2012 We have a next winner! It's =WintersRead, winning 306 points!
Nov/11/2012 - The second winner is =nuvak! He generously refused the point reward, so there is still a lot of points in the pool for the next winner!
Oct/12/2012 - We have the first winner! It's ~ninquetari, who wins 475 points!
The easy day was yesterday! Today, the game begins! And It's just in time for dA's birthday!
to participate, you need do one (or both) of the two following things: a) donate points into the pool on my front page (they are points solely for the prizes in this game) - you can donate any number of points, starting at 1, if you didn't already b) post a journal about this game (c) or at least this journal, if you really don't want to do any of the above...) - this is required because the more people play, the more points you can win! I will not check it though, so it is just a matter of your own honor. You can do it anytime during the game, not necessayrily on the beginning.
the game consists of 16 ciphers
the solution is always one meaningful English word
enter the solution of the current cipher into the submitting system, and you will get the link to the next cipher. You can log in with a google or facebook account, and the system will remember your position in the game, or you can try it without login (but it's a good idea to write down the solutions somewhere in that case)
Please DO NOT comment about the cipher you are just solving, or ask for solutions in any internet forums! You can comment about the previous ciphers, though - i.e. if you are just solving cipher Nr. 7, you can comment about the ciphers 1-6 in the comment section below it (nowhere else!). All comments about the current cipher will be deleted.
the first 9 ciphers are in the form of a tutorial, with the different principles of encryption explained
when you get to the 10th cipher, you will be able to send me an art request to add to the list
if you are stuck on a cipher, you can ask for a hint - you need to fulfill one art request from the list below and send the link to it to me in a note with the name of the cipher you are requesting a hint for
when you solve the 16th cipher, you will get a winning code. Send it to me in a note, and you will get HALF OF THE POINTS that are currently in the pool on my frontpage
there is no deadline or time limit
You can get one free hint during the game, with the exception of the last cipher. Send me a note with the link to the cipher you want a hint for.
ART REQUESTED FOR HINTS:
animated cobra with a rattlesnake tail avatar for ~Dimensionwalker21
a russian-blue female cat, doing anything or nothing for =WintersRead
a steampunk-made animal (any) in any art form (story, drawing...) for ~Pianocanival
Galadriel and Celeborn (from the Lord of the Rings) or Eärwen and Finarfin (from the Silmarillion) for ~ninquetari
(if nothing from the requests above inspires you) a magical tree in any art form for =MirachRavaia
...
You can request art when you get to the 10th cipher.
This is a joint contest of three Tolkien-themed groups: and
The topic is BETWEEN THE LINES
Illustrate a scene that is not depicted in the books or movies, but could, or even should happen. You can "read between the lines" in any of Tolkien's books: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales...
Examples: Galadriel and Finarfin meet after the War of Wrath, Aragorn and Arwen playing with their kids, A conversation between Elrond and Elros, Aragorn sparring with Glorfindel, Oropher playing with little Thranduil...
The entry should be new, submitted in July 2012 or later
Maximum three entries per person
You have to be a member of one of the three groups to enter (it doesn't matter of how many of them)
Submit your entries to the contest folder in ONE of the groups, it does not matter which one. You can submit it to a regular submission folder in the other groups.
CONTEST FOLDERS: :[link] :[link] :[link] (The folder is titled "Between the lines CONTEST". Do not mistake it with the "Between the lines" folder, as this group's focus is collecting such pictures together with fanfiction and fanfiction illustrations)
All types of art are allowed, but make sure to NOT use copyrighted images for manipulations
Deadline: September 15th
PRIZES: 1st place: - 3 month premium membership or 636 points - a hand-painted t-shirt from =MirachRavaia - 100 points from *DragonRider3
2nd place: - 1 month premium membership or 396 points - a drawing or writing commission from =MirachRavaia - 50 points from *DragonRider3
3rd place: - 1 month premium membership or 396 points - a drawing or writing commission from =MirachRavaia - 30 points from *DragonRider3
All winners will receive a feature from:
If you wish to donate a prize, please let us know! It will be greatly appreciated
I usually do not post my fanfiction stories here at dA (and won't until they enable to post multi-chaptered stories as one deviation, otherwise it would make a mess in my gallery...) I post them under my fanfiction.net: [link] and Stories of Arda account: [link]
Now I got the idea to post at least the links to them here, together with the banners and illustrations. My stories feature mostly Aragorn, and several also Eärendil, but there are a few with other characters as well. I will update this journal when I post a new story. IN PROGRESS
The Riddle of Strider - The verses about Aragorn in Gandalf's letter were written by Bilbo. This is a story about the relationship of the Ranger and the Hobbit, and the events that inspired each of those verses. - rating: K - genre: family, hurt/comfort - characters: Aragorn (Estel), Bilbo, Elrond MULTI-CHAPTERED STORIES
The Song in the Darkness - AU. After the battle on Pelennor fields, Aragorn is captured by the Nazgûl and brought to the Dark Tower. His will is the only thing that stands between Sauron and the One Ring. - MEFA '09 nominee - rating: M (torture!) - genre: angst, drama, hurt/comfort - characters: Aragorn, Sauron, the Mouth of Sauron, Gandalf, Elrond, Arwen, Elladan&Elrohir - 14 chapters, 35.641 words, complete Youtube trailer: [link]
B2MeM 2010: Aragorn in the Last Battle - Stories written for the challenges of B2MeM 2010, organized by Silmarillion Writer's Guild - rating, genre, characters: varies - 32 chapters, 30.852 words, complete
B2MeM 2011: Haradhrim Nights - The adventures of Captain Thorongil under the hot sun of Harad - fragrant nights, oriental smells and music, merciless desert, sharp sabres, honour, treachery and unexpected friendship. - Written for the challenges of B2MeM, one chapter for every challenge, creating together one continuous story - MEFA 2011 Honourable mention in Adventure: General and Smaug's treasure - rating: T - genre: adventure, friendship - characters: Aragorn, Kadar (OC) - 32 chapters, 21.926 words, complete
The Name of a King - Aragorn just joined the Dúnedain, after his true name has been revealed to him. He is not Estel anymore, but he does not feel like Aragorn either. Between the two names, he has to find out whe he really is. Features Aragorn, Barrow-wights and Tom Bombadil. - 2nd place in Teitho: Names - MEFA 2011 Nominee - rating: T - genre: adventure, drama - characters: Aragorn, Tom Bombadil - 5 chapters, 8.185 words
A Spirit in Shadows - Gondor in the 4th Age. The Queen has been poisoned, and the King would do anything to save her. Will that be enough? And what about Sauron after the loss of his Ring? As the line between friends and enemies blurrs, Aragorn finds himself in a difficult situation. - rating: varies - characters: Aragorn, Sauron, Maedhros, Finrod, Námo, Ghán-buri-ghán and many others - 58 chapters, 27.310 words - This story was written for B2MeM 2012: "Bingo Baggins' Bingo Bash" organized by Silmarillion Writers' Guild. The bingo cards had thematic prompts on them, and you could claim as many as you wanted. Obviously, I claimed too many… (but they were so interesting!) And not only did I do that, but decided to write one continuous story with them as well! I didn't write it chronologically though, just added the prompts to the place where they fitted in the story, writing all chapters simultaneously. If the story seems strange to you, that might be the reason. I tried to edit it afterthe end of B2MeM. The state it is now is not as good as it could be, but it would need more time and effort to improve it, and I would like to bring this endeavour to closure already, so I'm going to post it at it is.
"THE EARENDIL SAGA"
Gil-Estel - A story about hope and despair, as Eärendil the Eternal Mariner watches from above the last of Elros' descendants battle for his life. This was a real-time story, updated every day - MEFA 2010 Nominee - rating: T - genre: hurt/comfort - characters: Aragorn, Eärendil, Elrond, Elladan&Elrohir - 17 chapters, 21.396 words, complete
Hope of a Star - A sequel to Gil-Estel. Eärendil watches the events of the War of the Ring, and the events after it. Some of them touch him more deeply then if would seem, and at the end - what is the hope of the Star of High Hope? - MEFA 2010 Nominee - rating: K+ - genre: family - characters: Eärendil, Elrond, Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Arwen, Elwing, Gandalf,Glorfindel - 11 chapters, 27.616 words, complete
A Hawk and a Star - prequel to both, taking place in the Second Age. A tale about the beginning of the friendship between Eärendil and Eönwë. Darkness lurks somewhere still, and it hungers for light... - MEFA 2011 Nominee - rating: T - genre: friendhip, adveture, hurt/comfort - characters: Eärendil, Eönwë, Elwing - 12 chapters, 25.020 words, complete
When the Stars do not Shine - one-shot, taking place between Gil-Estel and Hope of a Star. What if Eärendil does not sail, just when his light is most needed? What delayed him? And will Aragorn survive this night? - 2nd place in Teitho: "Return of the Light" - MEFA 2010 Nominee - rating: T - genre: angst, hurt/comfort - characters: Aragorn, Eärendil - 4021 words
ARAGORN-CENTERED ONE-SHOTS
TheLong Journey - A series of drabbles in different POVs about Aragorn's journey from Bree to Gondor's throne, and the changes it brought - for himself, for his friends, and for Middle-earth. - 1st place in Teitho: Moments of Transition - rating: K - genre: character study - characters: Aragorn, Sam, Legolas, Boromir, Éomer, Halbarad, Elladan, Gandalf - 914 words
The Grace Given to Me - How do you know that today is the day to die? How do you spend your last day? The thoughts of Aragorn. - 1st place in Teitho: Leavetaking - 3rd place in MEFA '09 - rating: K+ - genre: spiritual - characters: Aragorn, Arwen - 2.088 words At dA: [link]
The Taste of Victory - There is a custom among the heirs of Númenor before the meal to stand silently and look towards the West. The feast on the Fields of Cormallen is ready, and Aragorn honors that custom and contemplates about the road that led him here. - Written for Teitho "Eat, Drink and Be Merry" - rating: K+ - genre: character study - characters: Aragorn - 2805 words
Crossroads of Light and Shadow - In a rainy night, Aragorn walks through the Midgewater marshes. But not all paths lead to good ends, and dark things lurk at the crossroads… A story with sound and visual effects! - 1st place in Teitho: Crossroads - MEFA 2010 Nominee - rating: T - genre: mystery, horror - characters: Aragorn, Gandalf, Mewlips - 6.381 words
Returning to Cirith Thoronath - It is Midsummer, the day when Gondolin fell. Will Rivendell fall also? Someone else will take the place of Glorfindel in the pass of Cirith Thoronath, and the Balrog Slayer must deal with the past to find his place in the present. - 2nd place in Teitho - Trading Places - MEFA 2010 Honourable mention in Drama:Hurt/Comfort - rating: T - genre: hurt/comfort, drama - characters: Aragorn, Glorfindel - 5.353 words
Tree of Life - When Aragorn found the sapling of the White Tree upon the slopes of Mindolluin, it was seven years old. When the first leaf of its ancestor opened, Isildur was healed. When did the new tree begin to grow, and why? - 1st place in Teitho "Trees" - rating: T - genre: hurt/comfort - characters: Aragorn, Isildur, a tree - 7.161 words
Out of Darkness, Song - Aragorn listens to the sounds in the darkness. Some can bring pain and despair, some can bring hope… - Written for Teitho: Music - rating: T - genre: hurt/comfort, mystery - characters: Aragorn, Elladan&Elrohir, Elrond - 1.399 words
Isildur's Code - A mysterious note is found in the archives of Minas Tirith. The three hunters meet again to hunt for a treasure, while Arwen just tries to tell something to her husband. - 2nd place in Teitho: Alcohol - rating: K - genre: humor, mystery - characters: Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, Gimli, Faramir - 3.390 words
"DARK POV" STORIES
Look into my Eyes - Not just a flaming eye, but a person... The last moments of Sauron. - rating: T - genre: character study - characters: Sauron - 1557 words At dA: [link]
You Wouldn't Dare - The Mouth of Sauron came before the Black Gate to negotiate with the Captains of the West. What did he think? What began as movie-verse is now a connection of the scene in the movie and in the book. I think that Aragorn is more in character this way... - MEFA 2011 Nominee - rating: T - characters: The Mouth of Sauron, Aragorn - 3 chapters, 2083 words, complete
To See the Light - We are trapped in eternal shadow. Who shall call us from the grey twilight? Who shall give us freedom? Will he dare to walk our paths – the Paths of the Dead? - 1st place in Teitho – The Price of Freedom - MEFA 2010 Honourable mention in Times: Ring War: General - rating: K+ - characters: the dead army, Aragorn - 2.388 words
Shadows and Memories - They walked in each other's shadow, and only after their meeting, they can be free. Éowyn and the Witch-king – let each of them tell you their story... - Written for Teitho: Devil's Advocate - MEFA 2011 1st place in Villains:General - rating: K+ - genre: tragedy, romance - characters: Éowyn, Witch-king - 3.334 words
Shades of Grey - Manwë visits Melkor in the Void, and finds pity for the former enemy in his heart. Sometimes, there are shades of grey between white and black... - rating: K+ - genre: spiritual, hurt/comfort - characters: Manwë, Melkor - 2.201 words At dA: [link] Translation to Chinese by Pomela: [link]
OTHER ONE-SHOTS
The White Flower - She was born in the body of a maid, with the spirit and courage to match the heroes of old. She longed for great deeds, but there was always some excuse for the White Lady of Rohan to stay behind. - 3rd place in Teitho: Excuses - rating: K+ - genre: character study, poetry - characters: Éowyn - 3.052 words
Dreamers - While Ar-Pharazôn dreams in his eternal sleep in the Caves of the Damned, Faramir of Gondor dreams of dark waves and prophecies. Can their fates touch, and what will come of it? - 3rd place in Teitho: Dreams - rating: K+ - genre: spiritual, mystery - characters: Faramir, Ar-Pharazôn, Irmo, Námo - 4.362 words
Namárië, or the Hues of White - The White Lady of the Golden Wood, Galadriel, Artanis, Nerwen. She is the last of the Noldor Exiles in Middle-earth, the most powerful of the Elves upon the Mortal Shores, but behind the picture of power and wisdom, there is a woman with feelings... - Written for Teitho: Colours of Middle-earth - rating: K - genre: character study - characters: Galadriel - 3.459 words
A letter to Amarië - The night before going with Beren to fulfill his oath, Finrod writes a letter to Amarie. She never got it. It remained locked in his study, and was destroyed with Nargothrond... - rating: K - genre: romance - characters: Finrod, Amarië - 534 words At dA: [link]
The wight and the mercenary - A story written for *Lirulin-yirth, taking place in his alternate universe of 4th age Arda. Kaldir is my character, a son of Aragorn's daughter and a decsendant of Bard. Deanar is a son of Melkor and Arien and belongs to Lirulin. It's published under his profile among the stories of the same AU, where it makes more sense. - rating: M - genre: adventure, friendship, hurt/comfort - characters: Kaldir, Daenar (OCs), Melkor - 3.109 words At dA: [link]
POETRY
I have several poems posted separately, but now I'm gathering them all into this collection: Poetic Arda - Inspired by Poetic Edda, a collection of my poems from Middle-earth. At dA: The Last MallornI saw
Sta.sh
Judges' Preference
Honourable Mention 
IMPORTANT: the login into the submmitting system currently doen't work. I'll try to fix it somehow, but until then, the "Try it without login" link still works. If you submit the solution to a cipher, it will give you a link to the next one. It just won't remember your position in the game, so better save that link, or remember the solution so you can get it again.
to participate, you need do one (or both) of the two following things:
this journal, if you really don't want to do any of the above...)
animated cobra with a rattlesnake tail avatar for ~Dimensionwalker21
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