Pay attention! There's a LOT to take in this week, if you want to complete the Race.

DISPATCH WEDNESDAY

One Racer will be dispatched on Wednesday, Scroll Time, this week.

By 5 pm Scroll Time on Wednesday each Racer MUST have completed the following tasks:

1. Posted ONCE in the 'Story' thread in Fiction and Poetry as the character you have been assigned, unless you have any additional posts owing to you.

2. Used up any extra posts you have been alloted throughout the course of the Race, or forfeit them.

3. Written in a diary thread as often as you like. Write in character in YOUR original diary, commenting on the action in the story thread, sharing your personal thoughts about aspects of the race, etc.

4. Completed the following task.

********************

EIGHTH TASK

It's that time of year - report cards.

What we want to know is, what kind of scholar is/was your character? What subjects did they undertake? What did their teachers think of their progress, or lack thereof? Are there any general comments on their academic, sporting or social progress that give insight into the person they are, or were destined to become?

It's up to you whether you write the report card for your character at the age they are now, or at an earlier age. Apologies if you call report cards something different in other countries.

Start a new thread for the report card you write. We will be looking at creativity AND presentation, when awarding points for this task.

********************

DISPATCH SUNDAY

The final Racer will be dispatched, as per usual, on Sunday, Scroll Time, this week. The remaining Racer will win the Race.

By 5 pm Scroll Time on Saturday each remaining Racer MUST have completed the following tasks:

1. Posted THRICE in the 'Story' thread in Fiction and Poetry, on different days, as the character you have been assigned. Be careful not to miss a day.

2. Written in a diary thread as often as you like. Write in character in your diary, commenting on the action in the story thread, sharing your personal thoughts about aspects of the race, etc.

3. Completed the following task.

********************

NINTH TASK

Where are they now? The Race is almost over. What will your character do once it is finished (assuming you survive)? What will Zeus and Hera get up to.

We want you to tell us by writing, in this thread, about what Zeus, Hera and the remaining two racers will do after the Race is over.

********************

DON'T FORGET! Points will be awarded by Zeus and Hera for the most CREATIVE contributions, each week.

The person with the least points at the completion of each task will be DISPATCHED!

In addition, those who don't fulfill all their tasks by the allocated time will be BOOTED.

The race concludes ... can you survive?

Cool pic of dite, thanks!

Give ya an A+ on that.

Always happy to help.

It was Australia Day on 26 of Januray, so Ame and I forgot to do our dispatch. Sorry.

To make ammends, we'd like the final two racers to take a break and not do any more racing until Monday.

That means you'll have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to do your final posts and task, and then we'll knock the last player off on Thursday. Don't forget that you'll need to post once each day, to stay in.

Good luck!

DISPATCH THURSDAY

The final Racer will be dispatched, on Thursday, Scroll Time, this week. The remaining Racer will win the Race.

By 5 pm Scroll Time on Wednesday each remaining Racer MUST have completed the following tasks:

1. Posted THRICE in the 'Story' thread in Fiction and Poetry, on different days, as the character you have been assigned. Be careful not to miss a day.

2. Written in a diary thread as often as you like. Write in character in your diary, commenting on the action in the story thread, sharing your personal thoughts about aspects of the race, etc.

3. Completed the following task.

********************

NINTH TASK

Where are they now? The Race is almost over. What will your character do once it is finished (assuming you survive)? What will Zeus and Hera get up to.

We want you to tell us by writing, in this thread, about what Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite and Xena will get up to after the Race is over.

********************

DON'T FORGET! Points will be awarded by Zeus and Hera for the most CREATIVE contributions, each week.

The person with the least points at the completion of each task will be DISPATCHED!

Please hold off until Monday before starting this lap of the Race.

The race concludes ... who will survive?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hera:
_

_NINTH TASK_

Where are they now? The Race is almost over. What will your character do once it is finished (assuming you survive)? What will Zeus and Hera get up to.

We want you to tell us by writing, in this thread, about what Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite and Xena will get up to after the Race is over.

********************

---

Zeus

Zeus and Hera have been chatting about the history of the chakram lately. There were seismic disturbances when Iolaus destroyed the temple. This wouldn't have happened if it were an ordinary temple built by the gods. But two high-ranking Indo-European gods that Zeus doesn't believe in created the temple and the chakram hearth. So what other legeneds associated with these gods could be true- he needs to discuss this with Jupiter. Whether Mars gets killed or not, after the race is over, Zeus will pay a visit to rival Roman chief god, Jupiter. The Olympian will discover that his counterpart isn't such a bad guy after all & that they have a lot in common. Maybe it was rumors started by Apollo or Mercury that fueled the needless bad blood between Zeus & Jupiter all these centuries. After Zeus introduces Jupiter to Odin (to think they've yet to meet!), the trio becomes great friends and they create a god's lodge where once a week they can bowl (mortal bones are used as pins, skulls as bowling balls) or talk about idiot gods, sexy goddesses & mortal babes, and drink rum until they fall flat on their faces. However, Zeus' friendly overture to Jupiter and the creation of the lodge will pay-off in a big way years later. It will be a sign that it's time for pantheons to recognize one another with diplomats and embassies. Aphrodite has a future job lined up for herself.

Hera

Hera has long known the time of man's independence from the gods was approaching. The destruction of the chakram temple & hearth will prompt Hera, at the end of the race, to see that the gods no longer bestow any more god made weapons to mortals as well as collect any and all items (except one) on earth that would give proof that the Olmypians even exist (temples to the gods being the only exception as long their furnished 100% with mortal creations). Hera will assign some minor gods with the task of collecting the gods' belongings on earth while she inventories them upon their return to Olympus. This task will take a very long time as some mortals will be particularly troublesome to deal with in giving up their godly goods. Regardless of what happens to Mars, if Xena ends up with her chakram again, she will have it for the remainder of her life. Hera will have had enough of the chakram by then. Many centuries later, pieces from this collection of Olympian made articles will be up for auction on p-Bay, the pantheon auction site on the net of the gods. How else are Zeus & Hera to pay for those electronic games and accessories in the far off future?

Xena

Xena is going to be nagged by Iolaus or someone to go home, visit her mother. It has been a long time. The warrior princess, when the race is finished, will plan on staying at Amphipolis for a few days. But her plans are bigger than her memories of the small village. She will spend more time grooming Argo than hearing mom tell her what's happened since her last visit. Mom can talk for hours without much of a break, Xena will recall. She won't be much for chit chat when mom finishes talking and wants to hear about all these deaths of her friends and foes over the last month or two. Xena will make mental notes on where to head next after leaving her place of birth. Using her carrier pigeons, she's sent out word and recieved replies from well placed contacts in Greece to discover if there are any gods, kings, warlords, warped shamanesses, vengeful survivors from her past and any other kooks who might be out to kill her. I won't say what the replies told her, or where she decided to venture off to, you'll just have to read about it in somebody's scrolls. She'll have stayed in Amphipolis a whole day and a half- way over a day too long by her own standards- before riding away to another new beginning.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite will still be adjusting to life on earth. Being the new goddess of happiness will take some getting used to, something that will mean more working directly with the mortals involved in recieving happiness (something she never worried about with love). Once the race has ended, she will spend time with the former happiness deity, Eirene, to get some tips and advice. She won't have a temple in her name nor any priests. She has been entertaining the idea of a 'traveling music, medicine and life management' caravan. Dite doesn't believe staying in one place will do much for her new job, so taking the job on the road may be the best remedy for her. This way she gets to meet and interact with many people (Hera may ask her to keep an eye out for missing godly goods along the way). If she does go with the minstrel show thingie, dite would want to make sure her buddy Demeter comes along as advice-woman to the farmers as well as making sure someone besides her can keep an eye on any troublemakers. If the road show proves successful, Aphrodite might convince some other gods to begin their own acts and mingle with the mortals. It will be a good way to survive the end to the worship of the deities and to still draw crowds of humans wherever they are. That's entertainment- or eternal-tainment as the gods call it.

"People in our line of work don't live to be that old."

"Eh?" asked the young woman.

The old tavern keeper flashed a grin at her.

"I saw you looking at the old woman in the corner over there. I saw what you were thinking."

"That I when I'm her age I ought to be knitting socks rather than making out a list of who's gonna get it when the Revolution comes?"

"That's right. But you've chosen a different path. Amphipolis is not where you will end your days. Well, probably not."

"But Granny--"

"Hush, child. I made my peace with your chosen path long ago. Your mother may not ever."

The young woman sighed gustily at the mention of her mother. Relations were definitely strained at the old homestead. Mother had heard of the that little incident in Sparta. Rumors, all rumors. Well, mostly rumors.

"Well, like mother like daughter. Did you ever get over her chosen path?" the young woman added pointedly.

"Of course, not!" scoffed Granny. The blue eyes flashed fire. She tried to scowl, but her lips twitched suspiciously.

"Like I said, Granny. Like mother, like daughter."

The young woman glanced anxiously at the door. Mother was expected any time now for the little family reunion with Granny, Uncle Lyceus, Aunt Ephiny, Cousin Toris.

Granny went to fill some more cups. At the table a large fellow had clearly had too much drink and Granny was refusing to give him anymore beer.

"Old Woman," he said standing up. "Who are you to dictate to me?"

"This is a respectable house. Don't make any trouble here."

"That's right."

The young woman turned and looked back at the door. A tall woman warrior stood at the door. Her blue eyes were cold and filled with contempt as she looked at the obnoxious drunk. She flexed one guantleted hand unconciously.

"Or what?" roared the drunk. "I'd like to see you try!"

Now that was unfair, the young woman thought. After a long journey Mother must certainly be tired. She shook her head at her as though to say, "Let me take care of it."

"If you whippersnappers want to fight," growled Granny, "Take it outside!"

"Make me,' slurred the drunk as he made a grab for Granny's arm.

A laugh escaped Granny's lips. The young woman gestured toward her mother, motioning her out of the doorway. The warrior woman got out of the doorway just in time to miss the flying drunk.

"And don't come back 'til you learn some manners!"

"Mom! we could have taken care of that for you!" the warrior woman chided Granny.

"I know, Gabriella. But you've had a long journey." Granny added, "Besides, it needs to be known that noone disturbs the peace in this tavern, but me."

"I don't think you have to worry about that Granny," the young woman remarked with a grin. "Your reputation for keeping order is known far and wide."

Gabriella sighed, "Is this what I can look forward to in my retirement?"

"Mother," the young woman said, "People in our line of work--"

"Don't get to retire!" chimed in the two previous generations.

*******

"Zeus," drawled Hera.

"Yes my love?" answered her husband.

"The Fates tell me that Xena's thread will be cut soon."

"Ah...already?"

"Have you asked her recently if she'll join us on Olympus permanently? I think she'd do marvelous things to help us in our game with the mortals."

"Yes, dearest. Her answer was the same as it always is. Aprhodite said, 'I told you Pops!'"

"Pity." Hera mused, "But then I don't suppose she'd be Xena if she gave up mortality."

"Oh well, we can always try in her next lifetime."

********

may i just butt in here to offer my standing ovation to you both? beautiful work, both of you.
*throws roses*