endlesstwanted

The Shoulder Dragon Cafe is packed with everyone you’ve met over the course of your digging expeditions, from professors and cafe managers to congregations of assorted fairies, and some familiar faces from the lunch and dinner crowds. The cafe has even recruited the octopi as eight-limbed shoulder dragon scritchers, deftly preventing most shoulder dragon-inflicted incidents.

At the center of it all sits a giant booth sized for dragons, though at the moment its occupant is the newly awakened brachiosaurus. Despite his metallic composition, he eagerly crunches through the leftover vegetables from your first dig while the professors explain everything that has happened since his (speculated) era and his reawakening.

Around his feet whirl and beep three X-ray machines. The newest arrival’s fashionable hat features a yellow Glorbo gloriously riding in its teacup. (Though, now that you think about it, there should be a fourth – and the faint lemony scent ought to be stronger.)

“I’m glad the little ones were useful in reawakening me! Though, when my husband and I decided to retire, we didn’t expect a Dirt Empire, of all things, to rise and fall atop our old laboratory,” Gary the Brachiosaurus says as he pets the X-rays and blows rings of steam for the pterodactyl fairies to flutter through. He eyes the mechanical components you’ve brought in (and cleaned) from the gardens. “By the way, have you seen him? His name is Harvey, and is a mechanical brachiosaurus, like me. He would be in possession of the rest of our invention’s parts.”

Some of you explain the additional mechanical components you dug up at the Enchanted Vine, and his face literally lights up. His tail swishes happily. “Oh, joyous day! Once we find the rest of him, we’ll be reunited, and he’ll be utterly ecstatic if he wakes up to our fully repaired machine!”

What is their invention for, anyway? You mean to ask, but the professors have already claimed Gary for more questions, and between increasingly esoteric answers you pick up on time portals and alternate dimensions and mechanical life as Gary leans over to tap some instructions into the X-ray machines. The X-rays and pterodactyl fairies zip out the doors of the cafe on whatever task they’ve been given.

Well, you’ll find out soon enough. In the meantime, you’ve done a good thing, creating so much and helping so many people along the way, and deserve a bit of time to relax. It’s time to enjoy the spoils of your hard-earned work!

Main Collection

Grape Collection | Lemon Collection | Pear Collection | Strawberry Collection

Congratulations to first place Team Pear, second place Team Strawberry, and joint third place Team Grape and Team Lemon!

We’d also like to thank all the players for another fantastic round of Battleship, whether you posted works, beta’d works, strategized, spreadsheeted, or cheered others on. The event wouldn’t be possible without your efforts!

Each member of Team Pear and Team Strawberry will get to pick one tag to be on next year's boards. Any member of Team Grape and Team Lemon who posts two or more treats to their team collections between the end of the game and the end of anon period will also be able to pick a tag.

In addition, any player can claim a tag by playing Rare Tag Bingo! Create a copy of that spreadsheet and select at least 25 tags that were claimed 25 or fewer times during the game. Then, create a bingo card (no free space) here or with another bingo card generator. Post works claiming these tags (and fulfilling prompts) into your team’s collection, and once you complete a line of five tag squares, submit your completed bingo card by either posting it in the #rare-tag-bingo channel or emailing it to battleshipexchange@gmail.com. (Optionally, cheer others on in the channel, or share your own progress!). This tag claim stacks on top of placement and treat tag claims. The deadline for earning a tag claim is the end of the anon period, but treats are always welcome.

But first, congratulations on a Battleship well done! Feast upon the over 3000 works created since the start of Battleship! We encourage you to be generous with your kudos and comments!

Creator reveals will be in two weeks: August 13 at 11:00 am EDT (3:00 pm UTC).