For all you Author's Games rookies out there, read carefully. In order to understand how to play Magi, you're going to have to understand the basics of Authors Games. I would recommend that this not be the first Games that you try, simply because it's done a little differently, and it's more complicated than other Author's Games.

So for rookies here's how it works (writers who know this can skip this part, but please read through the rules). 

Author's Games are writing competitions. They're usually structured like Hunger Games. 24 writers enter, and each writer makes up a character. Through the competition there will be a certain number of task. Each tasks begins on a certain day. I will give you the task, and you will write short stories called entries from your character's perspective, completing that task. You will have a due date for each task, and there will be penalties for anyone who is late, so be sure and hand in your entries on time. After every task, the lower scorers will be put up for votes, where a certain number will be eliminated and their characters killed off each round. This will continue until the final round, where there is usually three or two competitors left who will compete for the win. 

In each task you will be given a certain number of deaths and ballots that you can use against other writers. Most author's games do this differently, but in Magi, the deaths and ballots will not count against your writing score. Instead, the ones who have the most deaths and ballots will have obstacles that they have to overcome. 

Deaths: 

These are deaths that your character either does in your story, or witnesses in your story. Most generally, especially in Magi, you will probably choose to kill of characters that fit within the plot of what you're doing. 

Ballots:

These are where you can try to hurt the writers who you think are a threat. After your entry, you'll have a section to list deaths and ballots. Ballots are hidden so that only I will know who you are balloting. This is an easy way to target members of an alliance or someone you don't want to know you're coming after them. 

Word count: 

Each task I will give you a word count. You cannot write an entry that goes over that word count, and if you do go over, points will be taken off. 

Due date:

I had a lot of problems with tributes handing in late entries last Games so I'm going to be a lot stricter than I was before. One point is taken off for any entries who are turned in a few hours after the deadline. Anything 24 hours later, will have 5 points taken off their score. 

Voting: 

As I said before, at the end of every task, ones the scores and rankings have been posted, a certain number of tributes will go up for votes. I will list their names, and then everyone will have a certain amount of time. Anyone can vote, whether your in the Games or not, whether you're a current tribute, or even if you've been eliminated before, you can still vote. 

For Magi, if you are a tribute up for votes, YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOURSELF ONCE. 

Sponsorships:

The first round will be scored, but it will take place before your tribute gets to the arena (more on that later). It will let me establish your writing styles, as well as develop your characters. This is the round where sponsorships will be determined. Not only will the Gamemakers sponsor you as writers, so you get benefits through the Games (more on that later), but your tribute being sponsored will help them in the tasks too. 

Perks of being sponsored:

- Unlimited word count on a task of your choice (before the finals)

- Free save from a late penalty IF ITS NEEDED. Don't just hand in an entry late on purpose to use the free save. This save can also be used to save your tribute's life ONCE if you're up for votes. You can use it for either one, but once its used, that's it. 

- In depth critique after every task. I will also send you my grading rubric on how I graded your entry.

- One chance to ask me to critique your entry BEFORE you send it in. You can only use this perk once.

- For two different tasks, you can request to know what tributes are gunning for you (which tributes ballot you). 

- An extra 1,000 words to use on any entry before the finals. You can spread it out too. For instance if you wanted to use 250 extra words for task one, but on task two you didn't need any extra, so you save the rest, and then for task three needed an extra 500 words. That's just an example. 

RULES:

1) Be respectful. Not only should you be respectful to me as your Gamemaker, you should respect your fellow tributes as well. 

2) No bullying! If you're in an alliance and you want to target someone, fine, but don't go after someone constantly, and don't be unfair. Don't target writers. If you want to target someone because of the character they made, and it fits the story, that's fine. But be respectful about it. 

3) DONT BE LATE. I had a lot of trouble with this last Games, and once you're late once, I lose my respect for you as a writer. It tells me that you don't take these Games seriously, and then I won't take YOU seriously. Your score will be hurt if you're late, so don't do it. If you're joining these Games, then stay committed. 

4) Speaking of staying committed, I also had problems with this last Games too. If you make a tribute, then WRITE FOR THAT TRIBUTE. Don't just make a tribute and then never hand in an entry. If you don't plan to write for this, then DONT MAKE A TRIBUTE. Give the spot to another writer who wants and deserves to be in here. 

5) Respect me as a Gamemaker. As the Gamemaker, I make the rules, and all the decisions are up to me. I believe in being fair to everyone, and I will not show favoritism to anyone. I judge tributes on their writing, not on anything else. That being said, with tasks and such, sometimes I can be very forgetful. If you see anything that either doesn't make sense, or plot holes in the writing or rules or something, let me know, but be respectful about it. 

6) No begging or asking other people for votes. You can let you friends know that you're up for elimination, but please don't ask or beg them to vote for you. If you tell them and they care, they'll vote for you to stay. 

7) If you're reading this and paying any sort of attention at all, please put the word magic in your other section of your tribute forms. Keep in mind, if you don't do this, I won't take you as seriously because you're not paying attention to the rules - it shows that you don't care. 

8) Please send all your entries through email. If you don't have one, then you can PM them to me, but I would highly recommend emailing, since it's easier to work with. 

9) If you don't hand a task in, you will receive a zero. If you don't hand in a second time, you will receive a second zero and be automatically eliminated from the Games. 

10) Mature or R rated content is not allowed. We all want to enjoy reading the entries, so please keep in mind who your audience is when writing. 

11) Cussing is allowed, but again please keep it PG-13. A lot of people will lose interest (me included) if you use the f-word and other unnecessary words to excessively.  A little is okay, simply because with some character personalities, I know a few bad words here and there will be needed for character development. But again, keep it PG-13.

12) I'm going to go ahead and say this now, and I don't want to offend anyone, but I would appreciate it if boyxboy and girlxgirl stuff is kept to a minimum. It's okay to mention it, but please don't go into excessive detail. Even boyxgirl stuff still takes away my entries if things aren't kept PG-13, so please show respect to everyone who's a part of these Games and their beliefs - I will do the same for you. 

13) Have fun! This is all meant to be for fun, and I want us all to enjoy it! The next few chapters will explain things specifically for Magi. I know these are a lot of rules, but please don't let them stop you or scare you from joining (especially all of the writers I have worked with in the past). I'm excited for all of you.