Presenting the Genta Wars!

Since it was announced months ago, we have been very blessed to receive many entries from Dreaming Door patrons in our epic contest to introduce a new species into the world of Hierophant. Now, at last, we are ready to share the incredible results with our beloved community of Patrons...

...in the form of a duel to literal extinction by your powerful judgments!

How It Will Work

Ten species of Genta (complex language-using beings capable of abstract thought; "sentient" beings, essentially) have been submitted, meditated and iterated upon, and are ready to be included in the story-rich world of Newhome. Their cultures have already been explained at length. They are (using their universal Luxa names), the Fyrsa, the Rofsa, the Chaka, the Rhusa, the Valsa, the Nekora, the Shenka, the Idiva, the Yhara, and the Pikalka.

The winner of the contest will be decided by a series of duels between two specific candidate species. One by one, each pair shall be presented to you, the patrons, along with a brief reminder description and a basic illustration showing the physical morphology of each species in question.

A voting bout will then open on that pair, available to all patrons of Creator level or higher. The polls will remain open for one week. The winner will move on to further rounds in the tournament of patron opinion. The loser suffers the fate of extinction.

Other bouts will be revealed every couple of days, including during the voting period of other bouts. When the first round of five bouts has ended and half of the species have been eliminated, further details will follow on the final elimination rounds.

Once a final victor has been chosen, their appearance in the game and at least minor involvement with global events will be assured.

Immediately afterwards, those of the Draak-Kin level of support will be given a Ballot of Salvation, and their vote will redeem one of the nine defeated species as an additional winner, also to be included.

Dreaming Door Studios also reserves the right to choose one or more (or none) of the eight remaining species for inclusion in the game, for a minimum of two winners, and the possibility of more.

Note that while this will take a little longer than one big 10-option vote, this method ensures that all species have a fighting chance, and that the final decision will be between two very strong candidates who have won multiple bouts. "Runoff elections", tiered competition of this nature, tend to ensure more fairness to all and stronger, better results.

(It's also more fun this way.)

A few notes before we begin with our first bout tomorrow:

Please let your vote be as informed as possible. Don't just look at the sketches and vote for the cooler-looking one; have at least some idea of the inner lives and ways of the beings you will be consigning to non-existence by your vote. Judging a book by its cover is not wise, and judging a species by any one aspect of it is precisely the same kind of foolishness. If you have time, please consider a thorough read of each candidate's write-up, which is already available and will be linked to in each bout's poll, though if you only have time to read the short reminder versions on the ballot, we will understand.

Give a thought to the impact. The winner of this competition will surely change the course of Newhome's history. Which will do it in the most interesting way? Which will provide the kind of stories and experiences which you would like to live through when you are lying on your throne of pearl and lavender, Tailed Hierophant of the Koba People?

Most importantly, we would like to thank those patrons who submitted these candidates. Every act of creation is risky, an act of courage, and you shared your imagination with us. The end result might not be exactly what you wrote or drew, but we hope you will see your own spirit burning brightly in each of these submissions which you took the precious time to give to the community. We hope that the winners will enjoy the thrill of seeing their creations come to life, and that everyone else will rest in the knowledge that their species was admired by many, and lived in the minds of others for a time, out of the sea of infinite possibilities.

This event begins April 26, and will run through May 27, and is occurring entirely thanks to you, our beloved Patrons.