The Rusty Quill Mini Bang is here to challenge you (yes, you!) to put your creative talents to the test. If you’ve been waiting for the chance to take on an new project or collaborate with other folks in the fandom, now’s the time!
This year instead of running our usual Big Bang, we decided to run a smaller sized event in the form of a Mini Bang - a lower word count goal and shorter run time, but just as much fun as a Big Bang! So come join us when the time comes!
What dates should you look out for?
Writer Sign-ups: July 5th-12th
Full First Draft & Summary Due: August 30th
Artist Sign-ups: September 6th-13th
Match Send Out: September 15th
Check-in: October 4th
Final Fic & Art Due: October 18th
Posting: October 30th
Info for Writers:
Minimum Final Word Count: 5,000
Maximum Number of Fics per Writer/s: 1
Maximum Number of Writers per Fic (collaboration): 2
All fics centered around at least one Rusty Quill original podcast (The Magnus Archives, The Magnus Protocol, Rusty Quill Gaming, Stellar Firma, Inexplicables, Chapter & Multiverse, Trice Forgotten, Cry Havoc!, Neon Inkwell) are welcome!
We will post a link to the sign-up form along with the rules and requirements on the appropriate day, but if you’re interested in participating, you can have a look at the full Challenge Guidelines and other information on our blog right now.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Writer Sign-Ups are now open for the Rusty Quill Mini Bang 2026
Writer Sign-Ups are now open for the Rusty Quill Mini Bang 2026!
Please read through the information carefully to understand what will be expected of you as a participant.
The sign-up link is at the end of the post under the spoiler cut!
You do not need to have decided what you will be writing at this stage, but please consider whether the fic requirements are compatible with what you have in mind, and be sure that you can commit to contacting us on the below deadlines to share your progress (or withdraw your participation if necessary).
Schedule for 2026 (all deadlines at 23:00 BST / 5pm CDT)
Writer Sign-ups: July 5th-12th
Full First Draft & Summary Due: August 30th
Artist Sign-ups: September 6th-13th
Match Send Out: September 15th
Check-in: October 4th
Final Fic & Art Due: October 18th
Posting: October 30th 23.00 GMT
Info for Writers:
Minimum Final Word Count: 5,000
Maximum Number of Fics per Writer/s: 1
Maximum Number of Writers per Fic (collaboration): 2
Confirmation e-mails for sign-ups will be sent out after sign-ups close; if you have not received a confirmation by July 18th, please contact us at [email protected]. We ask that you check your email (including the spam folder!) and reply so we can confirm that your registered email address is correct and you still intend to participate.
Participation Requirements:
You must choose whether to join the Mini Bang as an artist or writer. You may not do both.
Writers will require an AO3 account; if you do not have an AO3 account, please request one via AO3’s login page.
If you wish to write M or E rated fics you must be aged over 18.
All participants must read and adhere to the Expected Conduct guidelines (see below).
Fic Draft Requirements: At the draft deadline (August 18th), we will require a complete draft of at least 4,000 words. “Complete” means that the fic is written from start to finish with no indispensable scenes missing or left as outlines—think, “If I posted this right now, would I be happy with the story it tells?”
Ideally, you will refine and polish your draft in the remaining time, but it can also be your final draft if you prefer.
Drafts will be handed in via a form that will be sent out to you before the deadline. Drafts should be available in Google docs, or if need be in PDF format.
Summary Requirements: A form for the summary will be sent out to you before the deadline. Summaries should briefly outline the general premise, and include rating, ships, triggers and other warnings, and any other relevant details.
Eligible Fics:
Fics of any rating and with any warnings are permitted, as long as they meet the minimum word count (5,000), are centered around at least one Rusty Quill original podcast (The Magnus Archives, The Magnus Protocol, Rusty Quill Gaming, Stellar Firma, Inexplicables, Chapter & Multiverse, Trice Forgotten, Cry Havoc!, Neon Inkwell), and are tagged appropriately.
We encourage authors to take this opportunity to challenge themselves to take on a project that they might not otherwise—though please consider what is realistic in terms of the deadlines as well!
Fics must be stand-alone (requires no knowledge of previous fics to enjoy), complete (resolves all main plotlines within the story, as opposed to being part I of a trilogy, etc.), and previously unposted.
Crossovers are allowed, but the focus should be on the RQ podcast involved. For example: a fusion crossover with the Leverage Team replacing the LOLOMG in the RQG!verse would not be permitted, though the RQG characters in the Leverage!verse would be.
Please be aware that fics with obscure crossovers, common squicks, higher ratings, etc., may be more difficult to match, and thus take a little longer to get snapped up. We will do our best to find you a suitable match, though!
If you have any questions about the suitability of your fic, please contact the mods.
Matching Process:
The artist sign-up will include a list of the anonymised fic summaries. Each artist will select 3 fics which they would be interested in creating for, with additional preferences (favourite show/shows they do not follow, OTPs and NoTPs, Do Not Wants, etc.) indicated in the comment field. Mods will then match writers to artists, taking preferences into account as much as possible.
If fics are oversubscribed or if it is otherwise necessary for matching, they may be removed from the list of eligible fics before the end of artist sign-ups.
If you have an issue with your match, please let the mods know as soon as possible.
Do Not Wants:
In this event, you will have an opportunity to Do Not Want (DNW) the types of content that you do not wish to work on. Similarly, if you’ve had conflicts with certain people in the past and do not want to risk matching to them, you can include this in your sign-up or draft submission, and we will avoid matching you with them (details of these will not be shared beyond the mod team).
The mods will always account for DNWs within reason; however, attempts to manipulate matches via DNWs or otherwise acting in bad faith will result in the rejection of your sign-up or draft. We are also not private detectives, and will thus not be fielding any requests such as “do not match me with anyone who has ever drawn/written XYZ.” Please keep that in mind when considering whether this event is right for you.
Expected Conduct:
By signing up for this event, you agree to do your best to meet the deadlines. If you might need a little more time, please email the mods to explain your situation before the deadline passes. Those who miss deadlines without contacting the mods beforehand may be dropped from the event without further contact.
In order to participate in this event, you must be willing to contact the mods directly in the event that you have a question, concern, or issue with your participation (as in the deadline example above). We are happy to help participants with anything that arises, but cannot accept “telephone”-style communiques on behalf of others.
Be in regular contact with your match—if you’re going to be offline for a significant length of time, let them know. Radio silence from your match in events of this kind can be very concerning. (If you are having trouble getting in touch with your match, please contact us!)
Please take care to credit your artist/writer in your own final post.
Our Discord server has its own list of rules, which are listed within the server. If you decide to join the server, we require you to read and abide by those rules.
Be kind and courteous towards your match and fellow participants. This naturally means that all forms of bigotry and discrimination are prohibited, but even where those are not at play, you are expected to treat others with respect.
We, like Rusty Quill, have an “all headcanons are valid” policy. Harassment or mockery of those with different interpretations will not be tolerated. This does not mean you cannot discuss how you see the characters with others or that your artist/writer should not take it into account at their discretion, but insistence that any one interpretation must be adhered to is not allowed.
If you have concerns that a work or participant may be in violation of the rules, please bring it to the mods directly. Harassment of other participants (including but not limited to callout posts, name-calling, baiting, etc.), either publicly or in the Piles of Nonsense discord server, over their identities, fanworks, or headcanons will result in an instant default.
A full overview of the Guidelines can be found on our Challenge Guidelines page. We also have an FAQ. (Please note that blog pages do not work on the app - you may need to use a browser.)
The writer sign-up form can be found here.
Thanks for reading, and we look forward to working with you!
Writer Sign-Ups are now open for the Rusty Quill Mini Bang 2026
Writer Sign-Ups are now open for the Rusty Quill Mini Bang 2026!
Please read through the information carefully to understand what will be expected of you as a participant.
The sign-up link is at the end of the post under the spoiler cut!
You do not need to have decided what you will be writing at this stage, but please consider whether the fic requirements are compatible with what you have in mind, and be sure that you can commit to contacting us on the below deadlines to share your progress (or withdraw your participation if necessary).
Schedule for 2026 (all deadlines at 23:00 BST / 5pm CDT)
Writer Sign-ups: July 5th-12th
Full First Draft & Summary Due: August 30th
Artist Sign-ups: September 6th-13th
Match Send Out: September 15th
Check-in: October 4th
Final Fic & Art Due: October 18th
Posting: October 30th 23.00 GMT
Info for Writers:
Minimum Final Word Count: 5,000
Maximum Number of Fics per Writer/s: 1
Maximum Number of Writers per Fic (collaboration): 2
Confirmation e-mails for sign-ups will be sent out after sign-ups close; if you have not received a confirmation by July 18th, please contact us at [email protected]. We ask that you check your email (including the spam folder!) and reply so we can confirm that your registered email address is correct and you still intend to participate.
Participation Requirements:
You must choose whether to join the Mini Bang as an artist or writer. You may not do both.
Writers will require an AO3 account; if you do not have an AO3 account, please request one via AO3’s login page.
If you wish to write M or E rated fics you must be aged over 18.
All participants must read and adhere to the Expected Conduct guidelines (see below).
Fic Draft Requirements: At the draft deadline (August 18th), we will require a complete draft of at least 4,000 words. “Complete” means that the fic is written from start to finish with no indispensable scenes missing or left as outlines—think, “If I posted this right now, would I be happy with the story it tells?”
Ideally, you will refine and polish your draft in the remaining time, but it can also be your final draft if you prefer.
Drafts will be handed in via a form that will be sent out to you before the deadline. Drafts should be available in Google docs, or if need be in PDF format.
Summary Requirements: A form for the summary will be sent out to you before the deadline. Summaries should briefly outline the general premise, and include rating, ships, triggers and other warnings, and any other relevant details.
Eligible Fics:
Fics of any rating and with any warnings are permitted, as long as they meet the minimum word count (5,000), are centered around at least one Rusty Quill original podcast (The Magnus Archives, The Magnus Protocol, Rusty Quill Gaming, Stellar Firma, Inexplicables, Chapter & Multiverse, Trice Forgotten, Cry Havoc!, Neon Inkwell), and are tagged appropriately.
We encourage authors to take this opportunity to challenge themselves to take on a project that they might not otherwise—though please consider what is realistic in terms of the deadlines as well!
Fics must be stand-alone (requires no knowledge of previous fics to enjoy), complete (resolves all main plotlines within the story, as opposed to being part I of a trilogy, etc.), and previously unposted.
Crossovers are allowed, but the focus should be on the RQ podcast involved. For example: a fusion crossover with the Leverage Team replacing the LOLOMG in the RQG!verse would not be permitted, though the RQG characters in the Leverage!verse would be.
Please be aware that fics with obscure crossovers, common squicks, higher ratings, etc., may be more difficult to match, and thus take a little longer to get snapped up. We will do our best to find you a suitable match, though!
If you have any questions about the suitability of your fic, please contact the mods.
Matching Process:
The artist sign-up will include a list of the anonymised fic summaries. Each artist will select 3 fics which they would be interested in creating for, with additional preferences (favourite show/shows they do not follow, OTPs and NoTPs, Do Not Wants, etc.) indicated in the comment field. Mods will then match writers to artists, taking preferences into account as much as possible.
If fics are oversubscribed or if it is otherwise necessary for matching, they may be removed from the list of eligible fics before the end of artist sign-ups.
If you have an issue with your match, please let the mods know as soon as possible.
Do Not Wants:
In this event, you will have an opportunity to Do Not Want (DNW) the types of content that you do not wish to work on. Similarly, if you’ve had conflicts with certain people in the past and do not want to risk matching to them, you can include this in your sign-up or draft submission, and we will avoid matching you with them (details of these will not be shared beyond the mod team).
The mods will always account for DNWs within reason; however, attempts to manipulate matches via DNWs or otherwise acting in bad faith will result in the rejection of your sign-up or draft. We are also not private detectives, and will thus not be fielding any requests such as “do not match me with anyone who has ever drawn/written XYZ.” Please keep that in mind when considering whether this event is right for you.
Expected Conduct:
By signing up for this event, you agree to do your best to meet the deadlines. If you might need a little more time, please email the mods to explain your situation before the deadline passes. Those who miss deadlines without contacting the mods beforehand may be dropped from the event without further contact.
In order to participate in this event, you must be willing to contact the mods directly in the event that you have a question, concern, or issue with your participation (as in the deadline example above). We are happy to help participants with anything that arises, but cannot accept “telephone”-style communiques on behalf of others.
Be in regular contact with your match—if you’re going to be offline for a significant length of time, let them know. Radio silence from your match in events of this kind can be very concerning. (If you are having trouble getting in touch with your match, please contact us!)
Please take care to credit your artist/writer in your own final post.
Our Discord server has its own list of rules, which are listed within the server. If you decide to join the server, we require you to read and abide by those rules.
Be kind and courteous towards your match and fellow participants. This naturally means that all forms of bigotry and discrimination are prohibited, but even where those are not at play, you are expected to treat others with respect.
We, like Rusty Quill, have an “all headcanons are valid” policy. Harassment or mockery of those with different interpretations will not be tolerated. This does not mean you cannot discuss how you see the characters with others or that your artist/writer should not take it into account at their discretion, but insistence that any one interpretation must be adhered to is not allowed.
If you have concerns that a work or participant may be in violation of the rules, please bring it to the mods directly. Harassment of other participants (including but not limited to callout posts, name-calling, baiting, etc.), either publicly or in the Piles of Nonsense discord server, over their identities, fanworks, or headcanons will result in an instant default.
A full overview of the Guidelines can be found on our Challenge Guidelines page. We also have an FAQ. (Please note that blog pages do not work on the app - you may need to use a browser.)
The writer sign-up form can be found here.
Thanks for reading, and we look forward to working with you!
Is there going to be a big bang event in 2026? Is there a rough timeline for when it's gonna be announced, when sign-ups are gonna happen, etc?
Zero rush at all, simply curious about if I should plan to anything other than write this summer (/j)
Hello, we are planning to do something this year but are likely going to run a shorter event (both word and time wise) than in the last years due to other commitments for the mods.
We'll announce it in the next few weeks so keep an eye on the blog!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
hi, just stumbled across y'all! i've read some of the past RQBB fics and they're great :) i've done big bangs for other fandoms before, and i missed the deadline this year for RQBB's, but definitely looking forward to doing next year's. quick question just so i can plan appropriately—are multichapter fics allowed if all chapters are posted on the deadline?
Hello!
Yes, multichapter fics are welcome, so long as all chapters are posted on posting day! Hope to see you next year! :)
Somewhere in a pocket of reality nestled close to this one, a being not of this world was watching, observing it all. Lingering.
I had the absolute pleasure and honour to make an illustration for @yourlocalwhovian's incredible fic "The Draw- A Quite Literal Magnus Archives AU" you should go and -> read <- it immediatly omg. This was part of the rustyquill-big-bang by @pilesofnonsense
This fic has everything - chilling statements, an awkward Jon, black ooze(?) and Sasha making the most curious investigations.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Just Close Your Eyes and Pretend That Everything’s Fine
Summary: When Jon falls ill on a weekend that Martin's out of town for a library conference, Gerry does his best to step up and take care of him. Unfortunately, Gerry doesn't have much experience caring for someone who's ill, and Jon is very bad at allowing himself to be taken care of. The more they try to act like everything's fine—to themselves, to each other, and to Martin—the worse the actual situation gets.
Words: 17,182
I’m so grateful that Rusty Quill Big Bang lowered the minimum word count from 20,000 to 15,000 words this year. It made a world of difference for me participating as a writer. Thanks to @pilesofnonsense for organizing this amazing event, and to @alieu-drawz and @kricketbug for the wonderful artwork they drew for this fic (which you can see here and here).
This year I was so excited to work on @organchordsandlightning (aka SupposedToBeWriting)'s fic Space Opera (Wrong Set). I love this fic, it's so creative -- it's very steampunk space opera and that inspired the style of these images, which references woodcut illustrations.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
My piece for this year's Rusty Quill Big Bang, hosted by @pilesofnonsense ! I got to draw this really beautiful scene in CallmeDJ's fic Ship Without a Rudder !
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: The Magnus Archives (Podcast), The Magnus Protocol (Podcast)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Relationships: Celia Ripley/Annabelle Cane
Characters: Melanie King, Georgie Barker, Basira Hussain, Celia Ripley, Annabelle Cane, Fear Entity Avatar Ensemble (The Magnus Archives)
Additional Tags: Post-Apocalypse, Trauma, Canon-Compliant, Bondage, Post-Canon, Action, Angst, Minor Character Death, Manipulation, Toxic Relationships, Canon-Typical The Flesh Content, Canon-Typical The Hunt Content, Canon-Typical The Web Content, Canon-Typical The Slaughter Content, Canon-Typical The Desolation Content, Canon-Typical The Spiral Content, Adultery, Unhappy/Bitterwsweet Endings, Vigilantism, Betaed
Summary:
Set between the end of The Magnus Archives and the beginning of The Magnus Protocol, this fan fic follows Melanie, Georgie, Basira, and Celia in the wake of Towerfall, as they deal with their new status quos. Melanie grapples with her past as a Slaughter Avatar, Georgie has the weight of the world on her shoulders, Basira tries to determine what “justice” means in this new world, and Celia seeks safety in the arms of Annabelle.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Fandom: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Zolf Smith & Oscar Wilde
Characters: Zolf Smith, Oscar Wilde (Rusty Quill Gaming), Azu (Rusty Quill Gaming), Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan, Celiquillithon “Cel” Sidebottom, Commander James Barnes (Rusty Quill Gaming), Sohra (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Additional Tags: Podfic, Podfic Length: 2.5-3 Hours, Rusty Quill Big Bang 2025, AU - Canon Divergence, Bodyswap, (Zolf and Wilde swap bodies during the airship bodyswap arc), Northern Wastes Arc, Spans Episodes 168 - 177, Angst, Grief, Guilt, Death, Arguments, Happy Ending, POV Zolf Smith, Non-Linear Narrative, (alternates between the past [pre-airship crash] and the present [post-airship crash]), Canon Temporary Character Death, (Wilde), Queerplatonic Relationships, Conversations, Getting Together, Love Confessions, (in a queerplatonic sense), Alcohol
Summary:
[Podfic of He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by @bluejayblueskies for Rusty Quill Big Bang 2025 @pilesofnonsense, with more art by @wordsintimeandspace]
Then. Zolf doesn’t know why everyone on the airship is in the wrong body after flying through the borealis, but he does know this: he is in Wilde’s body, and Wilde is in his, and Wilde is not taking it with anything approaching grace.
Now. Zolf has just lost his oldest friend in the airship crash. It’s hard to grieve the death of a friend when you see his face every time you look in the mirror, and harder still when you’re told by a mysterious stranger offering a chance at resurrection that you may not have to grieve at all.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 25/25
Fandom: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan “Jon” Sims | The Archivist, Georgie Barker/Melanie King, Elias Bouchard | Jonah Magnus/Peter Lukas
Characters: Jonathan “Jon” Sims | The Archivist, Martin Blackwood, Sasha James, Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Basira Hussain, Melanie King
Additional Tags: Threats of Violence, Injury detail foot and shoulder, Strong Peril, references to drowning, Questioning of Reality, mild gun violence, mild references to knife violence, references to grief, unreality, mild references to police brutality, Social Isolation, Obsessive cleaning, Arachnophobia, Strong Language, mild claustrophobia references, references to death, implied self harm, Horror, Angst, Mystery, Bittersweet Ending, (Attempts at) Humour, no beta we die like- well- almost all of the characters
Summary:
Set after TMA 200 in an alternative universe strangely similar to the canon, Sasha questions the very reality of her Institute. Something is wrong in the Magnus Institute, and the more she investigates, the more she realises that all is not what it seems.
Meanwhile, Jon completes investigations of his own that have… monstrous conclusions.
Watch the archival crew as they are forced to reckon with power far greater than any of them have experienced. In this reality, at least.
MY MAGNUS ARCHIVES FIC THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE RUSTY QUILL BIG BANG - run by the amazing @pilesofnonsense - IS FINALLY DONE!!
Have a look, if you daaaare~!
On a serious note, this is my LONGEST EVER STORY STORY FINISHED so any feedback would be very much appreciated!
The art is done by the AMAZING @polekands and personally if you like magnus archives YOU SHOULD CLICK ON THE LINK JUST TO LOOK AT THE ART BECAUSE HOLY DAYMNNNNNN
These are my pieces for @morning-softness fic, Just Close Your Eyes and Pretend That Everything's Fine ( : I'm so glad i was (finally) able to participate in the Rusty Quill Big Bang @pilesofnonsense, and so happy that I got to work with Anna and @alieu-drawz (who also made amazing art for this)!
This is a sick fic and hurt/comfort, which means we get to enjoy lots of skrunkly Jon (top tier). it WILL hurt your feelings but I've heard it will also pat you on the head and kiss your forehead at the end too if you can make it. Doing some Gerry/Jon/Martin art was so fun!! Please go check it out.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Surprise!! I got to participate in the RQBB25 event and I had such a fun time!! An extra special thank you to @areyouokaypanda for doing the AMAZING art for my fic, I adore it and appreciate the work you put into it so much!!!
Title & Link: Why Are You Still Fighting?
Fandom: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Relationships: Zolf Smith & Oscar Wilde, Howard Carter & Zolf Smith, Commander James Barnes & Howard Carter & Oscar Wilde, (implied) Alfred "Bosie" Douglas/Oscar Wilde
Characters: Zolf Smith, Oscar Wilde, Howard Carter, Commander James Barnes, Marie Curie, Alfred "Bosie" Douglas
Rating: Mature (Graphic Depictions of Violence, Minor Character Death)
Content Warnings: marked by chapter (general warnings for mental struggles, guilt and grief, snippets of violence, and trying to keep it together in a world that is quickly falling apart)
He just needed something, anything, to do. Anything that would help him get off of his ass and make him useful again. He needed to be useful so he didn’t have to deal with the grief that came with abandoning the only people that cared about him.
He thought about Wilde, but dismissed the thought almost as quickly as it came. Why, of all people, did his mind go to Wilde? The man was an ass, and he probably wouldn't even want anything to do with Zolf more that he wasn't bound by the contract. It had been a few days, so Earhart was probably gone by now. She didn't give the impression of liking to stay in one place for long. It wasn't like it would be easy to track her down anyway.
So who did that even leave?
And an extra surprise, I have a playlist for this fic with all the sources of the chapter titles that you can find RIGHT HERE!!
my pieces for @beheldandcompelled ‘s wonderful fic Not The Villian, make sure to go check it out! thank you to @pilesofnonsense for hosting, i had a lot of fun participating in this event!
