# Heresy-Online Fiction Contest - TIEBREAKER THREAD!



## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Well, it seems we've had a wee bit of a tie for first place this year. Honest, this has never happened before, and its probably what i get for not saving my vote in case of a tie. But! Live and learn.  This time i will cast my vote only in the event of another tie. lol we'll see how it goes. 

There was a lot of great feedback and comments regarding the three stories and it seems you all picked your two favorites. 

first we've got 

"Just Another Day" by: The_Inquisitor

and

"Another Day in the Sump" by: Shogun_Nate

So please, if you haven't already, cast your vote after reading both entries! Once again, this has not happened before, so i apologize for the shoddy organization of the whole thing. lol my bad! unish:

Anywho, i would like to extend a special congratulations to *Void_Dragon* for his entry in the competition. I know that he didn't make it to the tiebreaker round, but he really did a wonderful job and had a great story there.  congrats mate! :victory: best of luck to you next comp!

thanks again for participating in this years Heresy-Online Fiction Contest 2009! It has been a great time. and don't forget, i'll get feedback posted for each of your stories soon here, i'm working slowly, but surely. 

THE POLL CLOSES ON SATURDAY 11-21-2009 SO PLEASE GET YOUR VOTES IN BEFORE THEN! THANKS!

write on, 

Commissar Ploss


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

100% of votes for "Just Another Day", so far!

(of course, there is a grand total of one vote (my own) at the time of my posting, but...)


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

lol thats ok! it was indeed a great story. Hopefully we'll get some more votes in! WooT! 

yay for tiebreakers!

Commissar Ploss


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## deathbringer (Feb 19, 2009)

well i seem to be breaking tradition but i loved another day in the sump. I thought nate got the linguistics of the piece spot on and thus gets my vote


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## Void_Dragon (Jun 11, 2009)

I swear (on the bible, pretending I am Christian, on my mother's grave, pretending she is dead, and on my life, pretending I am alive) that the text from The_Inquisitor, reading:

Lloyd M, 18/11/2009, 04:23:36
Heresy short story tie breaker. Vote for your old buddy lloyd please?

Had no impact on my choice to vote for Shogun_Nate's story. 

Honestly, had he not text me, I probably would have voted for him - I liked his story more than my own. XD Silly boy.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Void_Dragon said:


> I swear (on the bible, pretending I am Christian, on my mother's grave, pretending she is dead, and on my life, pretending I am alive) that the text from The_Inquisitor, reading:
> 
> Lloyd M, 18/11/2009, 04:23:36
> Heresy short story tie breaker. Vote for your old buddy lloyd please?
> ...


ouch... sooo much for old friendships! :laugh:

CP


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Void_Dragon said:


> I swear (on the bible, pretending I am Christian, on my mother's grave, pretending she is dead, and on my life, pretending I am alive) that the text from The_Inquisitor, reading:
> 
> Lloyd M, 18/11/2009, 04:23:36
> Heresy short story tie breaker. Vote for your old buddy lloyd please?
> ...


Well you gotta play the odds. Still holding bitter grudges over me continually kicking your grey knights' asses with witch hunters are we?. Give it up boy . You can't hope to beat a superior tactical mind. But this betrayal also means i'll have to whoop you twice as bad next time we play. 

Until then

L.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

ooh, snap!

:laugh:



CP


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

Can I vote for Just another day in the dump? That seems like good middleground


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

you not like either story? its just coincidence that they have similar titles. lol

CP


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Wondering does voting cease on Friday the 20th or on Sunday 22nd? OP and poll sort of contradict....

L.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Here is what it says for me... "This poll will close on 21-11-2009 at 09:44 PM"

so i guess it ends saturday? weird.... i'll change the OP

CP


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Ah *facepalm*. We're in different time zones. Good ol' U S of A are ahead by a few hours. That explains that. 

L.


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## dotalchemy (Mar 4, 2009)

They're both good stories, but my vote for Shogun_Nate's tale was mostly based on it being easier to read with some better grammar and a more flowing style of writing.

Sorry if that's a bad way of looking at it, but I took it as being a competition based on writing skill and story coherency.


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## The Fallen (Jul 15, 2009)

Both are really good but i gotta give it to "Another Day in the Sump". Gotta love a good zombie story :so_happy:


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## Void_Dragon (Jun 11, 2009)

I'm only joking Lloyd, I did vote for you, I just wanted to see your reaction. 

And hey... My Grey Knights were cool... 

And no, it wasn't because he is a friend, I looked at this objectively, and decided that I don't like the Adeptus Arbites. A pirate is just more of a flavoursome character than Judge Dredd...


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Void_Dragon said:


> A pirate is just more of a flavoursome character than Judge Dredd...


But.....he is the law! 

L.


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## Epatus (May 17, 2009)

OOPPPPPSSSSSS! I just tied the vote at 7-7.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Epatus said:


> OOPPPPPSSSSSS! I just tied the vote at 7-7.


thats why i've reserved my vote for last. 

CP


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

Commissar Ploss said:


> thats why i've reserved my vote for last.
> 
> CP


Me and you have had similar thoughts then Plossy.

Though I'm very sure our intentions aren't the same :grin:


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## waltzmelancholy_07 (Sep 30, 2008)

Holy Crap:shok:... Did my vote just broke the tie?... Sorry Inquisitor.. Nate's work was just the best for me... But that doesn't mean it wasn't an epic piece:victory:...


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

_Lines are drawn.

Friendships are strained.

Betrayal looms its ugly head.

This is Heresy-Online Tiebreaker, 2009. Here, history shall be made..._


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Mossy Toes said:


> _Lines are drawn.
> 
> Friendships are strained.
> 
> ...


Love it!!!


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

(because I can)

"Hear ye, sons of the Imperium!" roared the Lord Commissar Ploss from his podium. "Long have we fought this terrible foe, and now we have come to a nigh insurmountable stalemate. But we have the power to break it! It is by our hands that these foul scum shall fall!

"Already, the forces of the so-called Void Dragon have fallen back in disarray! The ancient Necrontyr and their star gods retreat before our might! The miserable dregs of heresy that remain, the scum-wrought plague-zombies and the lice-like pirates of the void, who contest us from our flanks, shall now feel the full wrath of our strength!

"And it is by our might, our devotion to the Emperor, and which of the paths to righteousness that we choose that we shall triumph!"

A cheer rocked the assembled ranks of members of the Forumae 331st, as the Forumites raised their voices in hearty agreement and holy bloodlust.

A scruffy captain (whose High Gothic name of Muscosus Digitus reflected his high breeding, nonetheless), stood, snuffed out his pipe, and approached the vox-mic.

"I cannot rightly add much to the noble Lord Commissar's statements," he said, "but the threat of orbital bombardments, should our naval contingent be found wanting, is too great to neglect facing off against the piratical menace. We must focus our efforts there, in as great of a force as can be mustered. The Arbites clearly have the infestation at our feet under control. Additionally, there are rumored to be our betters who have taken an interest our skyward foe; betters of an inquisitive nature, whom we must be swift to please.

Finally, I must say this: So ruthless and blasphemous a foe as this pirate captain cannot be allowed to escape uncastigated. Turn your attentions to the skies, and we shall board and destroy our foe's vessels!"

Captain Digitus nodded to the arrayed soldiers and stepped back to his seat upon the corner of the stage.

"Most certainly!" affirmed the Lord Commissar. "This deadlock must be broken, and the means and the strength are ours to decide the situation! For the Imperium!"

Another tumult broke out as Ploss spoke, and, this time, not regarding his words. The crackling hiss of gauss-fire filled the air, and a row of tents to the left of the stage disintegrated in a green haze. Through this stepped two mighty beings, flanked by legions of lesser minions - a great, scythe-wielding, shrouded horror, from whom every human shrank in instinctive fear -_IambecomeDeath,thedestroyerofworlds_- as fragments of implanted fear -_feartheReaper_- rose, unbidden, to the forefront of their minds -_Deathdoomdespairdesecration_-. Accompanying them was the beast that they had so recently beaten back, and thought all but destroyed - a silver, many-segmented Dragon of the Void, to whom all the technologies of Man were but basic toys.

I AM THE DEATHBRINGER, said the first in a chill, creeping voice which slipped into the mind without going through the formality of the ears. YOU MAY HAVE HUMILIATED MY BROTHER, BUT TOGETHER, WE ARE A FORCE SUCH THAT YOUR PATHETIC CARRION-GOD COWERS IN HIS THRONE.

To punctuate his remarks, the skeletal, looming figure lashed out with his scythe, bisecting a half-dozen Forumite guardsmen. Necron warriors spilled past the two C'tan, relentlessly pressing forward.

The Void Dragon hissed in agreement. *We Shall Not Be Overturned Again*, it hissed. *You Were Wrong In Your Assessment Of The Foes Before You. We Are The Most Dangerous, Followed By The Ever-Increasing Danger Of The Plague Zombie. The Pirates Of The Empty Spaces Are Mere Pawns, Which An Inquisitor Of Your Race Moves At His Own Whim - So This Inquisitor Taunted Me, As An Attempt To Add Insult To The Injury Of My Retreat. But Little Did He Think That His Jibes Would Spark My Triumphant Return, Beside My Brother. Now, Your Pathetic Army Is Doomed!*

Fighting spread across the parade grounds like wildfire. Lasguns, freshly polished and cleaned for inspection, were turned on the skeletal Necron warriors. Some fell, but more often than not, those that did dragged themselves up from the ground again, an immortal, indefatigable, unstoppable menace.

The green gauss weapons reaped a disheartening tally in return. Green sprays of energy tore apart the bodies of the unfortunate guardsmen that were hit, flaying their flesh, muscle, and bone apart, molecule from molecule.

"Stand firm!" roared Ploss. "We have defeated this menace before! Our enemies shall fall beneath us again!" He led a surge of guardsmen that crashed, as a wave, into the necrons. Bayonets clashed with hooked axe-blades, and the Necron advance faltered.

A new figure, hooded and bearing a pair of ornately wrought pistols, one bolt and one plasma, joined the fight. It darted from the shadows, weapons flashing, each shot smashing apart the skeletal warriors of the foe. He bore a scabbarded sword at his side, and his massive, power-armored bulk suggested almost Astartes modification - but surely the Inquisition didn't allow the Space Marines into their midst?

But it was an Inquisitor, all the same.

"I knew a man, once," he spat to the assembled masses as he worked. "A member of the Ordo Malleus, with whom I, as Hereticus, clashed often in methods. He was an untouchable, but a good man all the same. But he is no more to me; for he has long since been converted into one of your foul Pariahs. I slew him with great prejudice, just as I shall terminate you, Drake of Nothingness!"

"Hear him well!" assented the Lord Commissar. "Your ancient kind, which has no more place in this galaxy, shall fall!"

Off to one side, a rockcrete mixer, one of those unlauded heroes of the defensive fortifications of the Imperial Guard, murmured to himself, "I don't see why the Forumites didn't just finish both enemies when they had the chance. I mean, now the third has come back and all..."

The fight continued to rage. Flickering wraiths carved through reality, shredding guardsmen into steaming pile of steaming organs. Destroyers tore the sky with their passage, spraying spools of deadly energy upon the fighters below.

Despite the prompt action of Captain Digitus to call the nearby squadrons of sentinels into the fray, and the heroics of the Inquisitor and the Commissar, it was clear that the Imperials were being pushed backwards - without the C'tan having to so much as lift a finger.

Commissar Ploss cursed internally. Were only the Chaplain Nate present, along with his fellow Astartes, the tide might be turned. The Inquisitor had his own surprises yet planned as well, and he wondered as to how long the Forumites would have to hold out until the cavalry arrived. He shouted as much to the Commissar, but over the din of combat, the communication was misunderstood.

A minion of the nameless Inquisitor, an alchemist-cum-lex-calculi who had been researching the threat of the plague zombies, brought his own ordinance to bear, after stumbling out of a bunker to see what had created the disturbance. A train of servitors, hastily given orders to switch from sifting data to combat mode, joined the fray. Their effect was negligible upon the fight as a whole - but they were a step forward for the Imperium, and the combat depended upon every one of those taken.

And then the Inquisitor's cavalry arrived, via drop pod. A dozen black-armored figures, wearing archaic power armor and bearing ancient bolters, spilled forth, delivering death once again to the virtually undead Necrons. The Inquisitor sighed internally. He had wished to preserve his brethren, the Fallen, for purging the zombies. A more dire foe had presented itself, though.

*I Tire Of This Fallacious Game, And Toying With Your Insignificant Human Minds*, clacked the Void Dragon. It swept forward, wreaking havoc amongst the assembled humans. Lasguns failed, the motors and servos of the sentinels choked and died, and the glow of a power field died from Ploss's blade. The Commissar fought on regardless, hacking into the Necrons with righteous fury.

Guardsman "The Prez" Epatus, a favorite of the entire regiment (and whose claim to fame had been to watch the Sixth Company of the fabled Ultramarines in action, in a past engagement), threw a krak grenade at the Dragon, and was horrified to see the explosive liquefy in the air and splash to the ground. It seemed that, with the Astartes on one hand, and the Dragon on the other, that the scales were tied.

Commissar Ploss roared curses at the enemy, and another platoon of guardsmen spilled into the fray from the outer reaches of the camp - one that had been on guard duty, but was now turned about to join the fight. They took heart to see the Commissar in the thick of the melee, and poured in as well. The sandbaggers and rockcrete-setters of the regiment, armed only with their shovels and picks, charged in as well. These heroic, untrained menials bought the Imperials precious feet more ground.

The melancholy waltz of death enveloped the tableau - a frantic, scrambling dance that shifted and convulsed. The tide, however, was beginning to turn toward the Imperials. The Forumite guardsmen fought as if Blood Angels, and the metallic foe began to crumble backwards.

This was the most important battle for the planet, reflected Captain Digitus as he cursed at his vox, rendered useless by the nullifying powers of the Void Dragon's proximity. He would have to hope that the artillery batteries had received his message. The mysterious Inquisitor *cough*Cypher*cough* held the importance of the battle in similar high regard, on the other side of the embattled parade grounds.

+++TO BE CONTINUED! YOU DECIDE THE FATE OF THE FORUMITE 331ST! STRIKE NOW, AND END THIS MENACE TO HUMANITY!+++

:wink:

(you'll notice that every post up to this point is accounted for, and almost always presented in a similar vein as the original post)


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

:laugh: really awesome stuff there! This has fucking made my day! :laugh:


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## Zodd (Jul 27, 2009)

His good him Mossey Toes. But i still have casted my wote for "Another Day in the Sump".


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## deathbringer (Feb 19, 2009)

hahaha i love it mossy toes
i do feel my name lends itself rather well to a necron lord


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

OMG just hand the prize to Mossy. Awsome stuff.


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## waltzmelancholy_07 (Sep 30, 2008)

For me.... I can't even find the words to describe the awesomeness of that piece:victory:... KUDOS to you MOSSY! KUDOS!!!!!....


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

:smoke: :king: :victory:

*hastily removes crown and gives it back to Ploss*


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

lol Mossy, had you written one for the comp i'm sure you would have _at least_ made the finals. :laugh:

CP


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Wow. Which sneaky buggers kept their vote till the last possible moment. Harsh to say the least :grin:


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

I'm afraid I wasn't fast enough...

I mean... Nothing :grin:


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

*Winner: The_Inquisitor*

"Not I!" said the brown cow with the purple nose. seriously it wasn't me. I'm just glad i didn't have to ninja my vote in there at the last minute. at least it was someone else. 

lol :laugh:

But! We've got a winner! The_Inquisitor! Please step up and accept your crown! You have now ascended to the level of "Greater Daemon of Fiction" Congratulations! I tip my Commissar's Cap to you. 

With a wonderful piece of fiction and a sweet atitude to boot, The_Inquisitor has clinched this years contest! 

Since we lack any sort of budget here at Heresy, i'm sorry to inform you that all you will recieve is a virtual pat on the back. But hey! its about having fun isn't it! 

Anywho, thanks to all who submitted stories into this competition. We'll get your stories moved and commented on here soon. I'm going to be gone for the next few days, due to the Thanksgiving holiday week here in the USA, but i'll get a new thread up with all the entries listed after i get back. Cheers to all, and once again...Congrats to The_Inquisitor!

*The_Inquisitor*
*Greater Daemon of Fiction*


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Why thankyou Ploss. I accept your crown. I'd like to say thanks to all who voted and congratulations to all participants for putting on a grand show. I wouldn't have liked to be the one deciding between the finalists, all being of the upmost standard.

Greater Daemon of Fiction is little evil Ploss, I like to be thought of as the cuddly, friendly type. Look forward to reading the entries that didn't quite make it to the final shortlist, sure we'll see some hidden gems in there. 

But thankyou to all and to all a goodnight.

(PS looking forward to the climax of Mossy's account of the competition in his own personal style.)

Yours thankfully, 

L.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

maybe i'll think of a new title. lol we'll see. haha

CP


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

I look forward to writing it, too - but I need Shogun_Nate to post to tie it together like I want to! I have a ending suitable for it even if he doesn't, but...it would make it so much more awesome!

Oh, and Deathbringer - I purposefully cast you in the role of the Nightbringer. The names were similar enough, I thought...


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## deathbringer (Feb 19, 2009)

Yes i thought so Mossy Toes but I havent seen nate for ages
Congrats the Inquisitor
Enjoy your virtual pat on the back


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Ah well, I'll have to make do with, and submit to the reign of the cuddly, friendly Greater Deamon of Fan-Fiction.

Three cheers for a well-deserved win by The_Inquisitor (and two excellent runners-up entries)!

Hip hip...


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## waltzmelancholy_07 (Sep 30, 2008)

Congrats Inquisitor:laugh::grin:... And do enjoy and relish that virtual pat on the back:victory:...


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## Zodd (Jul 27, 2009)

Congrats to The_Inquisitor. Will it be The Lord Inquisitor in the future ? From the feared and admired Ordo Literaturus.
Thank You for a very good story. :good:


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## Void_Dragon (Jun 11, 2009)

Yeah, well done Lloyd. You should rewite it in script-format for your next piece of coursework. XD I'm sure you could find a fair few people on here willing to make a film of it even... Get a little online media franchise sortof thing running... :L


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Void_Dragon said:


> Yeah, well done Lloyd. You should rewite it in script-format for your next piece of coursework. XD I'm sure you could find a fair few people on here willing to make a film of it even... Get a little online media franchise sortof thing running... :L


Honestly was thinking of doing it for our last assignement but couldn't think of a way of doing it with no dialogue, which was the spec. Plus any of the scripts written hoping to get produced by the media production course had to pretty much have a £0 budget. But who knows, when they ask for a gritty, futuristic, sci fi script I'm going to be sorted. Or as soon as they let me do what I want, that's the way I'm gonna be heading anyway.  

Thanks for kind words people, much obliged. *Virtual pat on the back being relished.* 

L.


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## The_Inquisitor (Jul 19, 2008)

Zodd said:


> Congrats to The_Inquisitor. Will it be The Lord Inquisitor in the future ? From the feared and admired Ordo Literaturus.
> Thank You for a very good story. :good:


Who knows. I do like the sound of that Ordo though. Purging the galaxy of hallowed chaos texts and whatnot. It could work :good:


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## Myen'Tal (Sep 4, 2009)

Congrats on the win, Inquisitor, and good job to those who participated. Pretty intense competition:victory:!


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