Goonhub
10-06-2025, 05:45 PM
Welcome to the Goonstation Fall 2025 Seasonal Contest. Spooky season is in full swing at this time of the year, so it's a veritable monster's mash for fans of this contest's theme: three-sentence horror stories!
A three-sentence horror story is exactly what it sounds like: a horror story in just three sentences or less. They may not necessarily have a defined beginning, middle, and end, but there is always some situation that is scary or creepy. Here are some examples:
The three-sentence horror story does not have to be Goonstation-themed or even Space Station 13-themed. It's perfectly fine if your three-sentence horror story depicts something that is not in Goonstation or SS13, like in the example stories shown above. However, I think such stories are more interesting to read (and others likely feel the same way), so while a Goonstation/SS13 theme is optional, it is recommended.
One thing that is required is that the stories avoid out-of-game terms or concepts. I plan to put these stories in an in-game book, so it's going to be rather jarring if the stories talk about an "RP server" or "rolling for antag" (unless you find some way for it to make sense in context). If it helps, write like you're a character in the game's fictional universe.
Submissions are open until October 23. That means you about 18 days/two-and-a-half weeks to write your three-sentence horror story. After that, we'll have a week-long vote to decide which ones will get added to the game.
Entry Rules
Prizes
After the vote ends, the six entrants who got the most votes will receive the following prizes:
All entrants, winner and non-winner alike, will get the Fun Times medal. This medal allows you to become a living participation ribbon as a ghost. As with the last contest, you'll get Fun Times after you submit your entry (presuming you have a valid entry), rather at the end. I can't promise it'll be granted immediately after you submit your entry, but I'll try to make sure everyone gets it within a reasonable time frame.
A three-sentence horror story is exactly what it sounds like: a horror story in just three sentences or less. They may not necessarily have a defined beginning, middle, and end, but there is always some situation that is scary or creepy. Here are some examples:
- "I found a picture of me sleeping. I live alone."
- "Little Eleanor was playing upstairs in her room when she heard her mother call her from the kitchen, 'Ellie, come down here, please!' Ellie ran downstairs, but as she passed the cupboard under the stairs, an arm reached out and pulled her inside. It was her mother, and she said to Ellie, "Don't go in the kitchen. I heard it too."
- "I found a dead body in my trunk yesterday. That's strange, because I remember putting two in there yesterday."
The three-sentence horror story does not have to be Goonstation-themed or even Space Station 13-themed. It's perfectly fine if your three-sentence horror story depicts something that is not in Goonstation or SS13, like in the example stories shown above. However, I think such stories are more interesting to read (and others likely feel the same way), so while a Goonstation/SS13 theme is optional, it is recommended.
One thing that is required is that the stories avoid out-of-game terms or concepts. I plan to put these stories in an in-game book, so it's going to be rather jarring if the stories talk about an "RP server" or "rolling for antag" (unless you find some way for it to make sense in context). If it helps, write like you're a character in the game's fictional universe.
Submissions are open until October 23. That means you about 18 days/two-and-a-half weeks to write your three-sentence horror story. After that, we'll have a week-long vote to decide which ones will get added to the game.
Entry Rules
- Submit your three-sentence horror stories by replying to this thread. No PR necessary.
- Your story should not use out-of-game terms or discuss out-of-game concepts.
- A Goonstation/Space Station 13 theme is optional but nevertheless highly recommended.
- Again, your story has to be three sentences or less. It's okay if your sentences are fairly long, but remember, three sentences or less.
- Make sure your story has the proper spelling and punctuation. The placement of a comma can make all the difference (e.g. "Let's eat Grandpa" vs "Let's eat, Grandpa"), so please proofread your stories.
- Please do not use AI to generate your story. This is not some empty BS work assignment you can automate away. I want people to demonstrate their creativity here. Using AI to check grammar and spelling or improve your writing's flow is acceptable.
- You can make multiple entries, but only one may be entered as your official entry
- I don't expect it to be a problem, but for the record, follow Rule 4: "Bigotry and sexual content is a non-negotiable hard 'no'."
Prizes
After the vote ends, the six entrants who got the most votes will receive the following prizes:
- Their three-sentence horror story will be added to a in-game book, available year-round.
- A free sticker from Gannets. His bigcartel storefront shows all the possible stickers you may soon find in your mailbox. Please be aware that the mentor mice, nuke op patch, and NT patch designs are (still) running low, so you might want to prepare some secondary choices in case those three run out.
- A Too Cool medal that lets you use the Discord "shelterbee" emote in-game (you use it via medal rewards, which pulls up a picture of it above your character sprite, not in the chat) and in OOC chat (type "shelterbee", but replace those quotation marks with colons) Here is what shelterbee looks like:
All entrants, winner and non-winner alike, will get the Fun Times medal. This medal allows you to become a living participation ribbon as a ghost. As with the last contest, you'll get Fun Times after you submit your entry (presuming you have a valid entry), rather at the end. I can't promise it'll be granted immediately after you submit your entry, but I'll try to make sure everyone gets it within a reasonable time frame.
