Remus/Sirius Games

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Challenge
Name: The R/S Games
Date(s): 2008-2017
Moderator(s): justaidan (2008), basisers_gais (2008-2010), brighty18 (2008-2017), littlemissgg (2009), cackling_madly (2009-2017), whitestar (2011-2014 & 2016-2017), pica_scribit (2011-2017)
Founder: justaidan, basisers_gais and brighty18
Type: Games
Fandom: Harry Potter
Associated Community: rs_games on Livejournal, rs_games on Dreamwidth, rs-games on tumblr
URL:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The R/S Games, inspired by the Snarry Games, is a fanfiction and fanart contest in the Remus/Sirius fandom. It was founded in 2008 by justaidan, basisers_gais and brighty18 because "Why should Snarry have all the fun? PuppyShippers can win games, too! So here is our chance to go for the proverbial gold and have a little canine fun along the way." [1] The last year of the R/S Games was 2017. That year also saw the fest moving to Dreamwidth due to the LJ controversy causing many fans to leave Livejournal.

The Games have two teams, with varying names/themes. The teams have their own team communities in which they can discuss their work, the fest, socialise and cheer each other on. Each team elects one or more team captains to assist the mods in facilitating these matters.

Rules

The rules have changed little over the years; the participants sign up to be placed in two teams, who compete against each other for points. Scoring has changed slightly, but entries have been judged on three parametres from the start: a) how well the prompt has been used b) how well the entry adheres to the genre/team/theme and c) how much the consumer liked the work.

Voting is open to the public, but team members and mods cannot vote.

Minimum word count for fics is 1,500 words.

Overview of Teams & Winners

Green denotes winner, and yellow denotes years in which the teams tied.

Overview of Teams & Winners
2008 (round one)Team MWPPTeam Post-Hogwarts
2008 (round two)Team MWPPTeam Post-Hogwarts
2009Team AUTeam Canon
2010Team AUTeam Canon
2011Team RemusTeam Sirius
2012Team RemusTeam Sirius
2013Team MWPPTeam Post-Hogwarts
2014Team MagicTeam Muggle
2015Team MoonTeam Star
2016Team TimeTeam Place
2017Team RemusTeam Sirius

2008

Overview & Timeline

The first year of the R/S Games was somewhat turbulent. There were two rounds as follows:

Round One:

Round Two:

There was some friction between mods and participants for various reasons, some due to scheduling, some due to scoring (source?).[citation needed]

The entries were hosted off-site, on a site owned by a fest participant. The site went down shortly after the conclusion of the 2008 games. (http://rs-games.livejournal.com/51243.html) Subsequently, the R/S Games acquired a Dreamwidth mirror. All 2008 entries were uploaded to this mirror and the links were fixed.

Teams

The teams during the 2008 round were Team MWPP and Team Post-Hogwarts.

The winners of both Round One and Round Two was Team Post-Hogwarts.

Scoring

Entries were scored in the following manner:

  • How well did the author/artist use their Genres? 1 to 10 (1 being the least)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 10 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 10 (1 being the least)

Masterlists

2009

By 2009, the fest format had been modified to include only one round of posting and voting. The Medal Ceremony was discontinued and replaced with a 'The Winner is...' reveal post. Additionally, in 2009 the fest introduced an overall theme for both teams to adhere to, and introduced special awards for participants and non-participants. This is the format and timeline the fest has followed since.

Timeline

  • June 1 - June 1: Sign-ups
  • June 15: Teams announced
  • June 16: Prompt table goes up and closes June 23
  • September 27 Works are due
  • October 1: Posting
  • November: Reveals

Theme

Over The Rainbow:

In 1978 the Marauders were enjoying their first year of freedom from Hogwarts. James and Lily got married and our boys were busy with the work of the Order of the Phoenix.

Meanwhile, in the Muggle world, a San Francisco artist named Gilbert Baker designed an eight-stripe, rainbow hued flag to fly over the Gay Freedom Day Parade. The flag represents unity through diversity and was inspired by the song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The original version had eight stripes from top to bottom: pink (sexuality/love), red (life/strength), orange (healing/understanding), yellow (sunlight/happiness), green (nature/peace), turquoise (magic/art), indigo/blue (serenity/understanding), and violet (spirit/spirituality). Our theme and our prompts are based on the symbol and meaning of this flag.

Teams

The teams during the 2009 round were Team AU and Team Canon. The winner was Team AU.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • Is the author/artist true to their team? Yes/No vote ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

And The Winner Is...

With the 2009 Winner Reveals, the R/S Games started a tradition that would also affect the Remus/Sirius Small Gifts. The format of the Winner Reveals takes that of a 4th-wall-breaking fanfiction, in which Sirius and Remus interact with the mods and eventually reveal who the winners of the Games are.

Excerpt:
Sirius glanced over at Remus who was sprawled out on the grass enjoying the warm, autumn sunshine. Despite the fact that his boyfriend looked entirely peaceful, Sirius could not contain his excitement.

“So,” he began, “whom do you think is going to win this year’s rs_games?”

Remus gazed at him for a moment through narrowed eyes. “You don’t find it a little creepy? That these people write stories about us? And that some of them… you know… describe us… erm… making love.” He ran his fingers through his sandy hair, a bright pink blush coloring his normally pale cheeks.

Sirius threw back his head and laughed. “Actually, Moony, I find it quite entertaining – not to mention sexy. I can’t blame them, really. We are quite good-looking, you know.”

Remus just rolled his eyes.

“So,” asked Sirius, “Who should win the gold?”

Special Awards

With the 2009 round the mods introduced special awards. These awards follow the theme of the round (Over The Rainbow).

  • The Pink Award: For true love of ship. This is for the non-Games participant gives good comment, and truly loves R/S.
  • The Red Award: For those that had the strength and the stamina to go above and beyond the call of duty.
  • The Orange Award: For someone who was extra kind, helped smooth out a situation, or provided some sort of extra "healing" type of service. Many thought of this as the beta and feedback award.
  • The Yellow Award: For those who were always sunny and happy and positive. You know, the ultimate cheerleader who supported others and gives good comment.
  • The Turquoise Award: For those who exemplified outstanding achievement in art, icons, and banners.
  • The Indigo Award: For the person on the other team who seemed to comment the most on opposite team works or best exemplified Inner-Team Friendships.
  • The Violet Award: for team spirit. This person thoroughly personified team spirit with constant comments on works, good pimping, and general, overall coolness.

2010

Timeline

  • June 1 - June 11: Sign-ups
  • June 15: Teams announced
  • June 17: Prompt table goes up and closes on June 23.
  • September 24: Works are due
  • October 1: Posting begins
  • November: Reveals

Theme

Music:

Music is what life sounds like. ~Eric Olson

Music is inspirational. It defines eras in our lives, keeps us in tune with our feelings, and sometimes it just plain makes us happy.

And in our estimation, the Marauders were no different.

Music is forever; music should grow and mature with you, following you right on up until you die. ~Paul Simon

If Remus and Sirius were moved by the music of their times, so should you be. Whether it be rock, classical, jazz, punk, disco, big band, show tunes, or whatever was on the radio at the time, we are all influenced by the music that surrounded us when we were young.

However, this is not about song fics. In fact, you will notice that there is no category for song fic at all. Music should be about mood and lyric and the way you feel when you hear a song played on a soft, summer night while gazing at the stars. It is about dance and motion and muse. It is rhythm, poetry - creation Rarely is it about direct interpretation of the songs themselves, but about the abstractions that they invoke.

Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. ~Charlie Parker

So we give you the music of the Marauders’ Era, and you simply let it inspire you. Fear not if you know nothing about music, hate the seventies, or haven’t the slightest clue as to who David Bowie might be. It’s not about the songs, the genres, the artists, or the lyrics, but about how they make you feel.

Music is life.

Teams

The teams of the 2010 round were Team Canon vs. Team Au. The winner was Team Canon.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • Is the author/artist true to their team? Yes/No vote ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

And The Winner Is...

Excerpt:
“That’s it?” grumbled an exasperated Remus. “You dragged us all the way here to make an announcement?” Honestly, he could have just as easily stayed home and made love to his boyfriend.

“We have beer, wine, and alcohol. That might help,” suggested basisers_gais.

“And some really great food,” cackling_madly added.

“And… erm… other such things,” said brighty18, raising her right eyebrow pointedly.

Sirius’ face broke into a huge grin, but Remus still looked doubtful. “Come on, Moony,” Sirius whined. “It’s a party! It’ll be fun.”

Remus rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. Of course, Sirius wanted to be the center of attention – and the beer and food and “other things,” would only add fuel to the fire. “Well… I suppose…” he began, but Sirius was already reaching for the envelope and ripping into it excitedly.

“Oh!” he exclaimed. “And the winner of RS_Games 2010 is…”

Special Awards

The themed special awards for the 2010 Games were as follows:

  • The Joe Strummer Award for Enthusiasm and Love of Ship: This is for the non-Games participant who gives good comment, and truly loves R/S.
  • The Jimmy Page Award for Being Kick Arse: This award is for the person who had the strength and the stamina to go above and beyond the call of duty.
  • The James Brown (Saves Boston) Award: This award goes to the person who went out of their way to help others.
  • The Bob Marley “One Love” Award: This award is for the person who was always sunny and happy and positive.
  • The Paul McCartney Award for Visual Arts: This award is for the person who exemplified outstanding achievement in art, icons, and banners.
  • The John Lennon “Give Peace a Chance” Award: This award is for the person on the other team who seemed to comment the most on opposite team works or best exemplified inter-team friendships.
  • The Joey Ramone Award for Team Spirit: This award is for the person who thoroughly personifies team spirit.

(http://rs-games.livejournal.com/101229.html)

2011

Timeline

  • May 25 - June 4: Sign ups
  • June 8: Teams announced
  • June 9: Prompt table goes up and closes on June 17
  • September 23: Works due
  • October 1: Posting begins
  • November: Reveals

Theme

[Live is a journey, not a destination]:

“Life is a journey, not a destination”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yes, we know that Aerosmith said it, too, but that hardly makes it less true. (It just makes it more filled with scarves.)

This year’s Games theme is all about journeys. Travel, whether physical or psychological, mental or spiritual, can be the heart of any work of art or fiction. Of course, there are physical journeys, but there also journeys of the heart, of the soul, and of the mind. French writer Marcel Proust once created a questionnaire that is now used as an interview on the final page of Vanity Fair magazine. Famous people from all walks of life are asked to answer, and one of the questions is: What is your favorite journey? Some choose to answer literally (New York to London), but many see it a different way. Past answers have included: reading a novel, returning home, painting a fresh canvas, falling in love, learning a new skill, raising a child, and getting to know another human being.

Yes, journeys are far more than mere travel. Narrative itself is a journey, as is exploring and creating a work of art. Though this year's theme may explore modes of transportation, holiday trips, maps, and other such tangible things, the true journey of life is inside us all - and inside your characters. Life is meant to be explored, so go ahead and explore it through words and images, stories and art!

We are all on a journey, though we may know not where we are going. It not about where we end-up, but about how we get there and what happens along the way.

Teams

The teams for the 2011 Games were Team Remus vs Team Sirius. The winner was Team Sirius.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • Is the Team Character (Sirius for Team Sirius and Remus for Team Remus) most prominently featured? Yes/No vote ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

And The Winner Is...

Excerpt:
Breaking the kiss, Sirius looked Remus straight in the face. “Right,” he said, “but they’re always going on about your gorgeous golden/amber eyes, your dry wit, your responsible nature…” Sirius began to unfasten the clasps of Remus’ dress robes, “… and your sexy scars – which I happen to like very much myself…”

“Hem hem!” came a voice from the corner, and both men turned to see four young, dark-haired women clutching laptop computers.

“How the hell did you get in here?” snapped a rather disconcerted Sirius.

The tallest of the four rolled her eyes. “We wrote ourselves in, of course! We’re writers, we can do that, you know.”

“Like that Rowling bint,” spat Remus. “She killed us both without remorse.”

Special Awards

  • The Geoffrey Chaucer Award for Non-Participants: Yes, technically Chaucer was a part of the Canterbury Tales pilgrimage, too, but, according to the story, mostly he just listened to the Knight, the Miller, the Wife of Bath and the others tell their stories. This award is for the non-Games participant who gives good comment, supported The Games, and truly loves Remus/Sirius.
  • The Ernest Shackleton Award for Going Beyond the Call of Duty: An already famous Antarctic explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton attempted to cross Antarctica by land in 1915. Unfortunately, his ship (the Endurance) sank, stranding his entire crew. Despite the freezing temperatures and vicious weather, Shackleton safely led his entire crew one an 800-mile opened-boat journey to safety and even rescued another stranded crew in the process. There was no loss of life in his party.

This award is for someone on your team who had the strength and the stamina to go above and beyond the call of duty. It might be the person who posted lots of ideas on the Team Community, wrote tons of recommendations, pimped the Games everywhere, organized a team game or function, collected recs for the Daily Snitch, or in any way proved to be a kick arse team member who really kept things moving.

  • The Dan Mazur Award for Unselfishly Saving the Day: Besides being a well-known mountain climber who conquered K2, Dan Mazur is most famous for ascending Mt. Everest to rescue lost climber, Lincoln Hall. Mazur and his party risked their lives and abandoned their own attempt to reach the summit in order to rescue Hall.

This award goes to someone on your team who went out of their way help others, etc. It could be the person who offered a last minute beta to someone who was without, gave great constructive criticism to save a story, stepped in at the last minute to do a Pinch Hit, or anything else that you think saved the day.

  • The Margaret Mead Award for Cheerful Support: Margaret Mead was a groundbreaking cultural anthropologist in the mid 20th-century who was most famous for changing the public view on sexual and cultural morals. She spent extensive time in Samoa and other areas the South Pacific, and was one of the first writers to explore other cultures from an open-minded/less than Western-centric perspective. Later in life she served as mentor and teacher myriad people in her field and spent the remainder of her life supporting others in their endeavors.

This award is for someone on your team who was always helpful, open-minded, sunny, and positive. This could be for the person who helped smooth out a tense situation, helped a fellow team-member though a rough path in the creative process, or just always had a kind word of cheer for others. This person, he or she the ultimate cheerleader who is always compassionate, supports others, and gives good comment.

  • The Ansel Adams Award for Artistic Achievement: Ansel Adams was a photographer and environmentalist who is famous for exploring and photographing remote areas of the American west. Adams created art that showed the public the beauty of nature and helped preserve many a wilderness area.

This award is for someone on your team who exemplified outstanding achievement in art, icons, and banners.

  • The TE Lawrence Award for Crossing Team Lines: TE Lawrence was a British Army officer who is most famous for his role as a liaison and soldier in the 1916 Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. An archeologist as well as Army Officer, Lawrence fully immersed himself in Arab culture, making friends on all sides and even leading rebel Arab armies to victory.

This award is for the person on the other team who seemed to comment the most on the opposite team’s works, consistently rec’d the other team’s works, or just best exemplified inner-team friendships. Think of those who genuinely supported The Games as much as they did their own team.

  • The David Livingstone Award for Team Spirit: Dr. David Livingstone was a 19-Century Scottish medical missionary and African explorer. His travels and exploits caught the imagination of the British public and, for a small time, he was considered popular hero if the British people. More importantly, he explored the world with a zeal and vigor exemplified by his missionary status. This award is for the person on your own team who thoroughly personifies team spirit.

(http://rs-games.livejournal.com/127161.html)

2012

Timeline

  • May 17 - May 29: Sign ups
  • May 31: Teams announced
  • June 1: Prompt table goes up and closes on June 7
  • September 21: Works due
  • October 1: Posting begins
  • November: Reveals

Theme

Tell me a Story... Myths, Legends, Folklore and Fairy Tales:

There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories. —Ursula K. LeGuin

From early cave art to the most recently posted fan fic, stories have been used to teach, to explain, to empower, and to entertain. The telling of tales is as old as humanity itself, and in some senses, stories are the very essence of culture. Through stories (whether written, oral, or visual), people learn to experience other realities and to find themselves in the experiences of others. Narrative is powerful. Pictures are powerful. And this year our theme is all about the power of storytelling.

Myths, fairy tales, folk tales, and other stories embody the cultural experience of many generations. They speak to the heart of ourselves and our history. So, this year we will be exploring myth, folklore, and fairy tales – as well as many other forms of story telling – and using them as inspiration to create our own mythology. And, remember, mythology does not have to be ancient; each culture creates mythologies of their own. Harry Potter? Star Wars? LOTR? these and more are examples of modern mythology, not to mention fantastic storytelling.

This does NOT mean that you must re-write fairy tales or re-tell myths (though you are certainly welcome to do so). No, you will be telling your own stories, creating your own mythology, and sharing with others the beauty of these characters we all love so well. MIT professor, John Jenkins once said, ”Fanfiction is a way of the culture repairing the damage done in a system where contemporary myths are owned by corporations instead of owned by folk.” So, go for it. Tell your story. Help create your own mythology. And, most of all, share the love!

Teams

The teams for the 2012 Games were Team Remus vs Team Sirius. The winner was Team Sirius.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • For Fic: Is the Team Character (Sirius for Team Sirius and Remus for Team Remus) most prominently featured? Yes/No vote ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • For Art: Does this piece of art adequately illustrate the Team Character’s (Remus for Team Remus and Sirius for Team Sirius) point of view? ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

And The Winner Is...

Excerpt:
Moments later the four Mods and two Wizards found themselves in a brightly-lit ballroom surrounded by floating candles, magicked balloons, and, most importantly, over four dozen anxious fan-girls and boys who broke into immediate applause at the sight of Remus and Sirius.

“Welcome to the Reveals Party of RS_Games 2012!” bellowed Sirius to another round of applause.

But Remus just cleared his throat and looked shyly down at the scrap of parchment crumpled in his hand.

“Well…?” asked a smartly-dressed Games Participant. “Who won?”

“Erm…” began Remus. He paused for a moment and unrolled his parchment. “And the winner of RS Games 2012 is…

Special Awards

  • The Fred Savage, Faithful Listener Award for Non-Participants Who Participate. Remember the movie The Princess Bride? Who was the story for in the first place and who tied it all together with his questions and commentary? Yes, every storyteller needs an audience, for the impact of the tale is just as powerful for the listener as for the reader. And where would the Games be without our Faithful Readers and Commenters? This award is for the non-Games participant who gives good comment, supported The Games, and truly loves Remus/Sirius.
  • The Arthur Pendragon Award for Heroism: Granted, the stories vary, but King Arthur is credited with everything from fighting dragons and divine boars to uniting Briton under a single rule. In most versions he creates the Knights of the Round Table, gains possession of the magical sword, Excalibur, searches for the Holy Grail, and establishes a peaceful rule for all people. And, all the time, was a fair and dedicated friend and companion to his friends and fellow knights. Anyway you look at it, Arthur was a busy guy. We have this in the Games, too. This award is for someone on your team who had the strength and the stamina to go above and beyond the call of duty. It might be the person who posted lots of ideas on the Team Community, wrote tons of recommendations, pimped the Games everywhere, organized a team game or function, collected recs for the Daily Snitch, or in any way proved to be a kick-arse team member who really kept things moving.
  • The Fairy Godmother Award for Unselfishly Saving the Day: In many versions of the story, Cinderella had a Fairy Godmother who swooped in at the last minute and saved the day, and many of us read this and wished we had one of our own. But maybe we do? This award goes to someone on your team who went out of their way help others, etc. It could be the person who offered a last minute beta to someone who was without, gave great constructive criticism to save a story, stepped in at the last minute to do a Pinch Hit, or anything else that you think saved the day.
  • The Samwise Gamgee Award for Cheerful Support: In the LOTR trilogy, Samwise faithfully follows his friend Frodo all the way to Mordor and back, fighting spiders and orcs and generally being helpful. But, more than just being brave, Samwise was a true friend and supporter. And we all have friends and supporters in The Games, too. This award is for someone on your team who was always helpful, open-minded, sunny, and positive. This could be for the person who helped smooth out a tense situation, kindly helped a fellow team-member though a rough patch in the creative process, or just always had a kind word of cheer for others. This person is the ultimate cheerleader who is always compassionate, supports others, and gives good comment.
  • The Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, Award for Artistic Achievement: In Greek mythology Iris was a messenger of the gods who told her stories visually as well as orally. Iris was the goddess of the rainbow who created incredible beauty for all to see. And, of course, there are many people we know who create such beauty. This award is for someone on your team who exemplified outstanding achievement in art, icons, and banners.

(http://rs-games.livejournal.com/146534.html)

2013

Timeline

  • June 2 - June 8: Sign-ups
  • June 9: Teams announced
  • June 10: Prompt table goes up and closes on June 15.
  • September 21: Works are due
  • October 1: Posting begins
  • November: Reveals

Theme

For everything there is a season:

For everything (turn, turn, turn), there is a season (turn, turn, turn) and time to every purpose under heaven.

Most of us know the song, if not the actual Biblical quotation, but the sentiment is true as well as pretty – especially for puppy shippers. As of 2013, rs_games will officially be six seasons old. Seasons change… people change… heck, even the Games have changed, but our old friends, Sirius and Remus remain constant as the moon and the stars.

This year’s theme is all about seasons – and all about change. As the earth rolls on her belly, the seasons fly by. The pale-green of spring deepens to the verdant abundance of summer. The riotous reds and oranges of fall eventually succumb to the cold, white winter winds. And then there is rebirth - season after season, year after year, decade after decade.

Stories are like this, too. (And don’t forget that art is story.) There are beginnings and endings, changes and developments, births and deaths, and, of course, many beautiful colors and feelings. We want you to express these colors, to describe these transformations, and to let your readers and viewers know the depth of feeling you’ve created for our heroes.

In this fest, seasons can be literal or metaphoric, gentle background or the main focus of the setting, subtle as a spring rain or as forceful as a mighty blizzard. They can be anything you wish; and your creation can be anything you wish. Just follow your muse.

Teams

The teams for the 2013 Games were Team MWPP and Team Post-Hogwarts. The winner was Team Post-Hogwarts.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • Does the piece adequately reflect the time period? (Hogwarts or earlier for MWPP and post-graduation for Post-Hogwarts?) Yes/No vote ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

Reveals Party

Excerpt:
“Thank Merlin we’re not pitted against each other again,” muttered Remus, realizing that the lovely guests were loosely clustered in two groups.

“Go Team MWPP!” shouted one group.

“Post Hogwarts all the way!” yelled the other.

“But who wins?” called out a guest.

“Here, Remus, you can do the honors, “ said a Mod, handing over a scroll.

“Hem hem!” Remus gave a thunderous throat-clear and the room fell silent. After a angst-filled pause, he continued. “And the winner of RS_Games 2013 is…”

Special Awards

There appear to not have been any special awards for the 2013 Games.

2014

Timeline

  • May 25 - June 2: Sign-ups
  • June 4: Teams announced
  • June 16: Prompt table goes up and closes on June 11.
  • September 24: Works are due
  • October 1: Posting begins
  • November: Reveals

Theme

Perception: The Five Senses:

“Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses, but the soul.” - Oscar Wilde

We perceive the world in many ways, and describe it in, perhaps, many more. Imagine biting into a shiny, red apple… You see the gleam of sunlight on it’s mottled skin and feel the soft, waxy smoothness in your hand. You smell the sharp, fresh scent just before your teeth sink into the flesh with a slightly squeaky crunch, and a burst of sweet-sour juice hits your tongue. All five senses are involved, forming a bond between you, the apple, and the person to whom you’re describing the experience.

Most people agree that some of the best writing – be it fan fiction, novels, memoir, or whatever – is rich in sensory detail. And we all love stories in which we can share the taste, smell, sounds, sights, and feelings, of our characters' world. This year’s Games is all about the five senses and how we use them to explore our world. Sight. Sound. Smell. Taste. Touch. They are your windows to the world.

Teams

The teams for the 2014 Games were Team Magic vs. Team Muggle. The 2014 Games were a tie - the first in the R/S Games' history.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • Does the piece truly reflect the feeling of the Magical (for Team Magic) or Muggle (for Team Muggle) World? ("Yes" is worth 2 points, “sort of” is worth 1 point, and "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

Reveals Party

Excerpt:
The excited murmur of the crowd fell to silence as the four Mods and two Wizards entered the room. Even the silver clinking of glasses ceased.

Sirius looked around and sniffed delicately. “Food smells smashing,” he said with a smile. He poked Remus in the ribs. “See, Moony, I told you the food would be good.”

Remus sighed. “We’re not so much here for the food as we are to make an announcement.”

“And…” asked a participant, excitement oozing from her voice.

A Mod handed an envelope to each wizard, and Sirius grinned as he tore open the heavy, cream-colored paper. “You ready, Moony?” he asked. “On three!”

Remus nodded.

“AND THE WINNER IS…” cried Sirius. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “One… two… three…”

“TEAM MUGGLE!” shouted Remus.

“TEAM MAGIC!” yelled Sirius.

“Huh?” asked a participant.

Special Awards

★ The Shining Rainbow Against Dark Clouds Award For Artistic Achievement

★ The Sunshine On My Shoulders Award For Cheerful Support

★ The First Sip of Tea (or Coffee) Award for Heroism & Unselfishly Saving the Day

★ The Unseen Music In The Air Award for Inter-Team Love

★ The Petrichor (Sweet Smell of Earth After The Rain) Award for Non-Participants Who Participate

(http://rs-games.livejournal.com/183201.html)

2015

Timeline

  • May 24 - June 1: Sign-ups
  • June 3: Teams announced
  • June 5: Prompt table goes up and closes on June 10.
  • September 23: Works are due
  • October 1: Posting begins
  • November: Reveals

Theme

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: THE SKY, THE HEAVENS, AND CELESTIAL BODIES!:

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” ― Oscar Wilde

From time to time we all look up at the sky. It is the constant that all those who dwell above ground may share. From the celestial bodies to the ephemeral clouds to the vehicles that race across it, the sky is populated with images that stir the senses and the imagination. Wizards study the heavens at Hogwarts, as Muggles explore it with telescopes, rockets, and satellites. Whether with brooms or jets, the urge to fly through the sky is strong, for skies invoke wonder, awe, and inspiration.

The sky sets the tone for many a tale; it can say more about a landscape than any tree or mountain. The grey, chaos of a stormy afternoon or a flat, black backdrop set with a thousand shimmering stars can invoke a million memories. Much science fiction depends on it, as do adventure tales of dirigible or balloon flights, and dashing pilots at war. Even our beloved ship is known for heavenly metaphors almost as much as for canines.

As always with the Games, the theme is merely an organizing principle, a theme to inspire and pull everything together. Though the prompts will be based on sky-related ideas, your stories and art need not revolve around it. Rather, the heavens are your inspiration. Whether you have our boys exploring the final frontier of space, snogging atop the Astronomy Tower, battling the Luftewaffe over London, or simply picnicking on a warm, sunny day, the sky is part of their world and yours. So take it, run with it, and make it your own. Second star to the right and straight on till morning!

Teams

The teams for the 2015 Games were Team Moon vs. Team Star. The winner was Team Star.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • For Fic: Is the Team Character (Sirius for Team Star and Remus for Team Moon) most prominently featured? Yes/No vote ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • For Art: Does this piece of art adequately illustrate the Team Character’s (Remus for Team Moon and Sirius for Team Star) point of view? ("yes" is worth 2 points, "no" is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

Reveals Party

Excerpt:
“Why is it that we have to fly to this party rather than Apparate?” asked Remus. He shifted on the seat of the motorbike, shivering in anticipation of the rush of cold wind that would soon be his fate.

“Because the theme is all about the skies and the heavens,” Sirius answered. “And, as you know, I take themes rather seriously.”

“Of course you do,” muttered Remus, trying to conceal a smile. “You take bloody everything rather --” but the last of his words were drowned out by Sirius’s barking laugh and the roar of the engine.

Special Awards

  • The Silvery Moon Award For Crossing Team Lines
  • The Ever-Changing Cloud Award For Artistic Achievement
  • The Polaris (North Star) Award For Saving The Day
  • The Friendly Extra-Terrestial Award For Non-Participants Who Really Participated

(http://rs-games.livejournal.com/201591.html)

2016

Timeline

  • May 22 - May 30: Sign-ups
  • June 1: Teams announced
  • June 3: Prompt table goes up and closes June 10
  • September 21 Works are due
  • October 1: Posting
  • November: Reveals

Theme

There is a Time and a Place for Everything:

“In the real world, nothing happens at the right place at the right time. It is the job of journalists and historians (and fanfic artists/writers) to correct that.”

Mark Twain(ish)

You know who the characters are: Sirius and Remus! But good art and stories are about so much more than character. Plot is often guided by the passage of time and the setting can be a rich, intriguing character in itself. Place and time are manipulated to create fantastical AU works, but they are beautifully present in canon. This year’s theme is all about time and place and their effect on vision and narrative. It’s about creative ways to set our characters, to free them from or bind them to the hands of time, and to explore the boundaries of the map and the clock.

“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.” Aboriginal Australian Proverb

This year’s theme is about creating the right time and place for your art or story to take place. It’s about making the perfect setting or plot situation to let the characters shine. That said, it remains primarily about Remus and Sirius.

As always with the Games, the theme is merely an organizing principle, a theme to inspire and pull everything together. Though the prompts will be based on ideas and images relating to “time” and “place”, your stories and art need not revolve entirely around it. Create naturally and be yourself, and let time and place serve as your inspiration. Whether you have our boys traveling through time in a TARDIS-like device, waiting impatiently for detention to end, snogging in the fire-lit Hogwarts library, or sailing a tramp steamer across the Atlantic, your piece will certainly involve time and place. So take it, run with it, and claim that space-time as yours!

Teams

The teams for the 2016 Games were Team Time vs Team Place. The 2016 Games were a tie.

Scoring

Entries were judged in the following manner:

  • Does this work focus on concepts of time (for Team Time) or place (for Team Place)? (“Yes” is worth 2 points, “Sort-of” is worth 1 point, and “No” is worth 0)
  • How well did the author/artist use their Prompt? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)
  • How much did you like this story/art overall? 1 to 9 (1 being the least)

Masterlist

Reveals Party

Excerpt:
“Welcome!” shouted Sirius.

“Why are you welcoming them, when they were here before you?” Remus stage-whispered. “Do you not understand the workings of time and place?”

The audience laughed, but soon settled down, eager to get on with the announcements.

“This was an interesting year, to say the least,” began Remus. “We started with eighty-four participants from at least twenty countries and twenty-one US states.”

Special Awards

  • The Tardis Award for Crossing Team Lines
  • The GPS Award for Solid Support and Saving the Day
  • The Eternity Award for the Non-Participant Who Really Participated

(http://rs-games.livejournal.com/222992.html)

2017

The 2017 Games were the tenth R/S Games, and also the final Games. A record number of fans signed up for the final round of the Games, with 106 participants in total.[2]

Timeline

  • June 14 - June 19: Sign-ups
  • June 21: Teams announced
  • June 22: Prompt table goes up and closes June 26
  • September 20 Works are due
  • October 2: Posting
  • November: Reveals

Theme

Celebrating a Decade: Anniversaries, Landmarks, and Milestones

Can you believe that we have been at this for ten years? RS_Games officially began in 2007 and has continued to entertain participants, mods, readers, viewers, and voters since its inception. Over the years, it has evolved and changed, but the core idea of making friends through friendly competition and love of our ship has always remained. Our first year featured two rounds and no initial theme, but since then we’ve had different themes (and several different Team designations) each year.

How do we measure life? What landmarks dot our paths? This year’s theme is about celebrations - not just our ten year anniversary, but recognitions of landmarks and milestones of any kind. Throughout our lives we each experience myriad anniversaries, landmarks, and milestones of many different types, and those experiences form the core of this year’s theme. They need not always be pretty or personal, but they must be recognized.

[3]

Teams

The teams for the 2017 Games were Team Remus vs Team Sirius. Team Sirius won.

Voting & Scoring

Due to the move to Dreamwidth and the decision to host all works on ao3, the voting was done via surveymonkey. A survey was created for each work and linked in the end notes of each work. After voting ended, the scores were tallied and calculated in the same manner as earlier rounds.

Masterlist

2017 Masterlist

Reveals Party

Excerpt:

“Do you realize,” began Remus, with a smile, “that each year, for the past decade, you have been the one that makes us late? These lovely people will surely think we’re irresponsible.”

“Perfection takes time, love,” Sirius replied. He leaned in closer to the mirror, straightening the collar of his velvet dress robes and grimacing at a non-existent wrinkle. “Besides, at this point, they should know us well enough to expect it.”

Remus, who had been ready and waiting for nearly an hour, shook his head as he looked at his pocketwatch. “I believe it was King Louis the 18th who said that punctuality is the politeness of kings.”

References

  1. ^ [1] Rules & Information post, February 10, 2008
  2. ^ [2] Team reveals, June 21, 2017.
  3. ^ [3] Sign up post, June 14, 2017
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