Each month we disqualify many entries completely, and many more we
give large negatives to. Why?

Because they are not distinctly Achaean.

We get drawings of Knights. Great, but not enough. There's nothing
distinctly Achaean about a knight.

We get drawings of wizards, even excellent ones. They will never win,
because there is nothing distinctly Achaean about a wizard.

Wyverns, Trolls, Dwarves, Dragons, Crenellated walls, Swords and
Quarterstaves and Druids, Lions and Tigers and Bears. OH MY! The art
may be excellent, but there's nothing that says "This is Achaea."

If you want your entries to keep getting downgraded, or thrown out,
that's fine - keep submitting works that have nothing distinctly or
uniquely Achaean about them. Generic warhorses and generic butterflies.

For those silly few remaining who would like a chance to win some
time, try this:

Try concentrating on uniquely Achaean things. Things that aren't
anywhere else. Things that say "This is Achaea, not just any old
realm."

IDEAS
-----
This might mean making sure that your fighters are wielding the
proper number and type of weapons, and maybe even that the weapons
have runes on them. Perhaps some sign of having been envenomed. Maybe
one of the more obviously Achaean races, like Mhun or Rajamalan.

This is not about labelling either - don't just put "Maldaathi" on
a pennant and think that's enough.

We know you can do it! Next time around, submit art that just shouts
Achaea!

Penned by my hand on the 9th of Ero, in the year 365 AF.