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Challenges
Collections of vignettes based on themes from Middle-earth

Seasons ~ Toys ~ December 2008 ~ and ~ Rohan ~ May 2008
Two challenges, one for stories about toys to celebrate the Yule season, and one from earlier in 2008 about Rohan.

Length: 6 pages ~ 2 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Legal Challenge ~ March 2008
The challenge: a story, advertisement, legal brief or any genre of creative writing based upon a legal entanglement between persons, either canon or original, inhabiting Middle-Earth as described by Professor JRR Tolkien or embellished upon by the members of The Burping Troll Adventurers.

Length: 5 pages ~ 2 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Yule Fare ~ January 2008
The Yule Challenge for 2007 was to write something light-hearted about festive food of any kind, and involving one or more of our more unusual or neglected characters. It indeed brought a few of our most unusual characters out of the woodwork.

Length: 27 pages ~ 4 Vignettes ~ Classification: Humorous ~ Authors: Various

Dreams of Destruction ~ November 2007
The folks of the Burping Troll experience a night of unsettling dreams in which all their worst fears seem to be realised.

Length: 33 pages ~ 7 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Voices of the Mountains Challenge ~ August 2007
"Mountains speak and wise men listen." - John Muir
With what voices do the mountains of Middle Earth speak? What tales do they tell the elves, hobbits and men who dwell there? Listen to the wisdom of the mountains as heard by the Burping Troll Adventurers.

Length: 43 pages ~ 10 Vignettes ~ 5 Haikus ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Yule Words Challenge ~ December 2006
To write a Yule vignette based upon or containing at least two of the following 20 words or phrases: Mistletoe, Cherry brandy/beer/ale/wine, Gift(s), Candle(s), Snow, Songs/singing, Stray, A feast, Pie(s), Icicles, Cider, Wæs thu hæl, Snowballs, Dancing, A scarf or scarves, Ginger cookies/biscuits, Music, A sled, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Frost.

Length: 13 pages ~ 4 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

A Dark and Stormy Night ~ October 2006
For Halloween ~ Slightly different in that the vignettes are contained within a broader story. Given the horrid weather outside the Burping Troll Inn that night, Bob decides an evening of ghost stories might be 'fun'.

Length: 25 pages ~ 5 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

The Making of a Hero ~ September 2006
Some heros are born to be courageous - others perform brave deeds by accident or of necessity. Some heroism involves fighting or physical struggle, yet some is the unnoticed sacrifice of one person for the sake of others.

Length: 11 pages ~ 3 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Memories of Childhood ~ May 2006
Vignettes about childhood in Middle-earth ~ from Hobbits to the Rohirrim ~ from Gondor to the outer void.

Length: 28 pages ~ 8 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Winter Plants ~ December 2005
Holly, ivy, herbs or vegetables, flowers or weeds, shrubs or trees ~ what grows in winter in Middle-earth? We challenged ourselves to write short stories related to seasonal vegetation.

Length: 16 pages ~ 6 Vignettes ~ 5 Haikus ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Fly on the Wall ~ October 2005
The challenge was to paint a scene involving a Middle-earth character completely alone, from the point of view of 'a fly on the wall', i.e. describing behaviour, but no thoughts or inner emotions.

Length: 6 pages ~ 4 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Light ~ August 2005
Into darkness comes light ~ stars and moon ~ campfires and candles ~ the fierce flare of destruction or the enduring glow of hope ~ thus we present our vignettes about Light.

Length: 13 pages ~ 8 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Awards 2005 finalist: Best The Hobbit ~ Best Vignette or Short Story: Light of Fury ~ by Naerinda, Best Vignette or Short Story: The Sentinel ~ by Celebsul

The Hunt ~ July 2005
From wildlife to wild men, everyone in Middle-earth at some point must hunt ~ to eat, to seek that which is lost. The challenge was to write 500 -1000 word vignettes on the theme of 'Hunting'.

Length: 7 pages ~ 4 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Awards 2005 runner-up: Humour ~ The Making of a Feast ~ by Celebsul
Includes Mithril Awards 2005 finalist: Concerning Other Races ~ The Making of a Feast ~ by Celebsul

A Flowering of the Mind ~ May 2005
"Here Spring was already busy about them…" From Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbits, The Two Towers

Spring. A time when hope surges and hearts are made light by the renewal of the earth. Wanting to throw off the final grasp of winter, we set the challenge to write of flowers. From that simple seed came the following blossoms for your enjoyment.

Length: 22 pages ~ 8 Vignettes ~ 5 Haikus ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

 

  Includes Mithril Awards 2005 finalist: Best Tolkien Character: The Lilies of the Gladden Fields ~ by Meri, Best Vignette or Short Story: Dandelion in the Wind ~ by Azaelia

Winter ~ March 2005
When winter first begins to bite
and stones crack in the frosty night,
when pools are black and trees are bare,
'tis evil in the Wild to fare.

Upon hearing these words the hobbits talked and thought of the past and the perils they would face upon the road ahead. What images did these words bring to the mind of our writers? The answer to that question lies in the vignettes submitted in response to this Winter Challenge.

Length: 32 pages ~ 8 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Awards 2005 finalist: Best Gapfiller ~ Best The Hobbit: What Has It Got In Its Pocketsss? ~ by Sevilodorf

He Falls ~ November 2004
Presenting a compilation of '500-word' vignettes by various authors, each framed on the challenge phrase, "He Falls." Deceptively simple in appearance, the phrase inspired an outburst of remarkable thought and prose, which we are now pleased to share with you. Read and enjoy!

Length: 19 pages ~ 11 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various


  Includes Mithril Awards 2005 finalists: Best Original Character ~ Best Gapfiller: To Hope's End ~ by ErinRua, Best Tolkien Character ~ Best Vignette or Short Story: And In The Darkness Bind Them ~ by Sevilodorf, Concerning Hobbits: Gossip and Greetings ~ by Merithehobbit
  Includes MEFA 2005 Award winner: The Silmarillion: The First Age: The Valaquenta Award: Shadow ~ by Celebsul

Wicked Creatures ~ August 2004
There are many wicked creatures in Middle-earth: sometimes obvious, sometimes less so, and it all depends on who you are. Maximum vignette length 1000 words.

Length: 26 pages ~ 10 Vignettes ~ 11 Haikus ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

 

  Includes Mithril Awards 2005 finalist: Best Action/Adventure ~ Best Original Character: Sunrise on the Sand ~ by Rilith, Best Vignette or Short Story: Fire and Water, Rage and Tears ~ By Merithehobbit
Athelas - www.wanderingfirepottery.com

Healing ~ June 2004
The Houses of Healing offer the inspiration for this challenge, though any form of healing within Middle-earth meets the criteria. Maximum vignette length 1000 words.

Length: 12 pages ~ 5 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Mother's Day ~ May 2004
To mark Mother's Day, the challenge was to write about the mothers of Middle-earth and the stories they tell. Maximum vignette length 1000 words. (Some people cannot count.)

Length: 28 pages ~ 8 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

The Spirit of Yule ~ December 2003
If the Spirit of Yule were to visit Middle Earth, like Dicken's Ghost of Christmas Present, who would he be and where would he go? Maximum vignette length 1000 words.

Length: 17 pages ~ 8 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

Thunder Rolls ~ November 2003
Take the opening sentence: The thunder rolled across the sky like granite boulders and everywhere the rain poured in sheets of chilled crystal. What story does this herald? Maximum vignette length 500 words.

Length: 9 pages ~ 6 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Semi-Finalist 2004: Best story focusing on Hobbits ~ The Tales Retold ~ by Sevilodorf

Knock Knock ~ October 2003
A knock at the door ~ Who's there? In answer to this challenge, doors are opened, real and metaphorical, from the Shire to Minas Tirith, from Mordor to Nan Elmoth. Take a look inside. You never know who you might meet. Maximum story length 1000 words.

Length: 25 pages ~ 11 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Semi-Finalist 2004: Best characterisation: original character ~ The End of Hope ~ by ErinRua

Creation ~ September 2003
Golden Rings and Precious Things ~ A challenge to write a vignette about a creation in Middle Earth. Starting with the forging of the One Ring in Mount Doom; it took much more than fire and craft to create such a terrible device. Maximum story length 1000 words.

Length: 18 pages ~ 9 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Semi-Finalist 2004: Best story focusing on other races ~ Foresight Unknown, Beauty Unrivaled ~ by Merithehobbit

Banners ~ July 2003
Thinking of Bastille Day, the Fourth and Flag Day, Henneth Annûn challenged people to write standard bearer stories, or the sight of seeing a banner flying. Here are the responses of the Burping Troll writers.Word limit: 500.

Length: 12 pages ~ 9 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

  Includes Mithril Semi-Finalist 2004: Best gapfiller ~ King's Standard, Queen's Hand ~ by Merithehobbit

Memorial ~ May 2003
May 26th is Memorial Day in the U.S. The challenge issued at Henneth Annûn was to write one character's remembrance of war. This could be a eulogy, a lament, a memory, a visit to someone's grave. The only restriction was that the work must be no more than 500 words in length.

Length: 8 pages ~ 6 Vignettes ~ Classification: Various ~ Authors: Various

 

Includes MEFA 2005 Award 3rd place: Gapfiller: The Grey Company: The Black Chasm of Moria Award: Weeping Iron Tears ~ by ErinRua
Also Black Chasm of Moria Author's Award 3rd place: Gapfiller: Drabbles: ErinRua

  Includes MEFA 2005 Awards: Gapfiller: Honourable Mention: For the Common Man ~ by SilliMarilli  
  Includes Mithril Semi-Finalist 2004: Best characterisation: minor character: Among the Fields of Green ~ by ErinRua 

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