Here can be found news and other information on the progress of the Chronicles of Arborell from January 2011 to the present day. All older posts from 2002 to 2011 can be found at the Chronicles News Archive. Any questions to the author regarding these postings can be made by clicking here, or by posting your comments at our Yahoo group.

The Troll of Bremn Now Available Although not a part of the Chronicles of Arborell gamebook series the author is pleased to announce the release of a new fantasy title, The Troll of Bremn. It can be said that a Troll's life is never an easy one and when Ignatius Wallot finds a bridge to call his own life only gets more complicated. Cantankerous and ill-mannered his greatest wish is to be left alone, but it will be a wedge of cheese and the kindness of brave men that will change his life and elevate him from homeless Troll to a far greater destiny. Forrest Gump meets the Brothers Grimm in this tale of magic and friendship that changes a Kingdom and exposes the peacemaking qualities of roast mutton. Only one thing can be absolutely sure. When Ignatius finds his bridge the village of Bremn will never be the same again. Click here for your copy of the Troll of Bremn

• The Chronicles is pleased to announce that all the new "parchment" style PDF editions released over the course of this year are now freely available from links provided at this website. All have been reformatted, recovered, upgraded and in many cases rewritten to accommodate the new 6x9 format.
  
  Direct download links for all these titles are available throughout this website and a full inventory of all available titles can be found at the Download and New Release pages.
  

• The submission phase for the 2016 competition has now ended and unfortunately not enough entries were received to conduct a valid Windhammer Prize this year. At this time I cannot say why so few entries were submitted but without a minimum number of entries to support a comprehensive voting phase, or provide even enough candidates to cover the prize pool awards the competition must be suspended for this year.
  
  It is my intention to recommence the competition in 2017, and I will be providing the option for all who submitted entries this year to use their entries in the next. I believe it is important that all the hard work put in by entrants should be worthily presented in a strong competition, one where their gamebooks can be properly evaluated in competition with a range of talented authors, and provided with awards that have the same credibility as those given in previous years. With this in mind I will look to evaluating all aspects of the competition over the next few months then determine a better way forward.
  
  Thank you to everyone who has supported the prize over these years and may Glory and Renown follow all who have participated.
  
  

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of the 2016 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Entries are now being accepted, with the initial submission phase running from the 1st of August to the 7th of September. All prospective entrants should note that there have been some minor changes to the prize pool guidelines and these should be viewed prior to entry.
  
  Now in its ninth year this contest is proudly sponsored by Arborell.com and continues as a means to promote the gamebook genre, and to provide exposure within a competitive environment for aspiring gamebook authors. In particular this prize values creative and original works of gamebook fiction. The challenge given to those who wish to participate the development of a full gamebook experience whilst meeting stringent requirements regarding length and original content. This competition is open to all gamebook writers and requires no entry fee or other costs.
  
  All information regarding this year's comp including full entry guidelines, competition schedule and prize details can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce that the competition guidelines and timetable for the 2016 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction are now available.
  
  This contest is proudly sponsored by arborell.com and continues in its ninth year as a means to promote the gamebook genre, and to provide exposure within a competitive environment for aspiring gamebook authors. In particular this prize values creative and original works of gamebook fiction. The challenge given to those who wish to participate is to develop a full gamebook experience whilst meeting stringent requirements regarding length and original content. This competition is open to all gamebook writers and requires no entry fee or other costs.
  
  All prospective entrants should be aware that the prize pool for this year's competition has been updated and more information regarding these changes can be found at the link given below.
  For changes regarding the prize pool and all other information on this competition please visit the Windhammer Prize homepage. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,124,900
• Total pageviews for 2016 - 42,700
  

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,116,980
• Total pageviews for 2016 - 21,855

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,108,050
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 245,805

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce that the 2015 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction has been won by Felicity Banks for her alternate historical adventure, After the Flag Fell. Merit awards have been won by Philip Armstrong for his quirky fantasy adventure, Sabrage, and Richard Penwarden for his fantastical western, Gunsmoke Along the Fey Frontier. Also this year Commendations have been awarded to Tides of Chrome by Steffen Hagen, Droidchangers: Fight or Die by Andy Moonowl and Alchemist's Apprentice by John Evans. Congratulations to all who have found success.
  
  Sixteen entries were accepted for the 2015 competition, the high quality of those entries a testament to the talent and originality of the authors who took part. It proved again gratifying to see the wide range of genre and subject matter that encompassed this year's competition. In a list of well written and innovative gamebooks alternate histories and fantastical worlds sat comfortably alongside hard-metal sci-fi and real world adventure. Amongst these entries magic found its place once again and brooding horror lurked at every turn. All things considered a truly excellent range of new gamebooks this year.
  
  As with last year the 2015 competition proved a remarkably close and hard-fought contest, with many strong contenders for the six awards. All who have taken part this year should be proud of the quality of the entries they submitted. It indeed bodes well for 2016 and the continuing success of the Windhammer Prize.
  
  As has been the case in past years all entries have now been placed into the Windhammer Prize gamebook archive and can be accessed from that page along with all other gamebooks submitted to the competition since 2008.
  
  
• More information regarding the 2015 Windhammer Prize, and all the download links for entries, can be found here.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,099,800
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 244,108

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,089,800
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 223,863

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of voting for the 2015 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Gathered for your consideration are sixteen entries this year, each an exploration of what can be achieved within the gamebook genre. If you like your sci-fi dark and dirty, your historical adventure intense, perhaps your alternate worlds wierd and dangerous, or maybe you just want more fantasy than you can poke a long stick at, the Windhammer Prize will definitely have something for you. All gamebooks are free to download and all are available at the Windhammer Prize homepage.
  
  It should be noted that as the number of gamebooks has exceeded 14, the competition rules now require an extension on time for the close of voting and winner announcement dates to the 14th and 21st of November respectively.
  
  More information regarding the 2015 Windhammer Prize, and all the download links for entries, can be found here.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,080,850
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 202,556

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of the 2015 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Entries are now being accepted with the initial submission phase running from the 1st of August to the 7th of September. All prospective entrants should note that there have been some minor changes to the entry guidelines. These revisions relate mostly to the proper inclusion of illustrations in entries and the use of real-world settings. It is important that authors consider these changes prior to submission.
  
  All information regarding the 2015 Windhammer Prize can be found at the competition homepage.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Please note that a new Author Development Blog post has been uploaded. In this month's post to readers I talk more on the development of Vaeyawch and look at the structure of the Chronicles and how it has developed over the years. If you are interested in the ongoing development of the Chronicles these regular posts should be informative.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,072,290
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 181,193

• Just a short note to remind all prospective entrants in the 2015 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction that there now remains one month until the commencement date for submissions for this year's competition.
  
  I would like to also remind all prospective participants that there have been some changes to the competition rules that all authors should be aware of prior to submission. All information regarding these changes can be found at the Windhammer Prize homepage link provided below.
  
  This contest is proudly sponsored by arborell.com and continues in this eighth year as a means to promote the gamebook genre, and to provide exposure within a competitive environment for aspiring gamebook authors. In particular this prize values creative and original works of gamebook fiction. The challenge given to those who wish to participate is to develop a full gamebook experience whilst meeting stringent requirements regarding length and original content. This competition is open to all gamebook writers and requires no entry fee or other costs.
  
  All information regarding the 2015 Windhammer Prize can be found at the competition homepage.
  
  
• I would also like to announce that a new post has been added to the Author Development Blog. If you have an interest in the ongoing development of the Chronicles this new post can be found here.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,063,500
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 154,023
  
  

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,055,000
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 131,630

• This is a short reminder to all prospective entrants in the 2015 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction that three months now remain until the commencement date for submissions for this year's competition. All participants in this year's competition should be aware that there have been some minor changes to the competition guidelines and those changes should be reviewed prior to submission. The prize pool has also been adjusted this year and includes commercial publication of First Prize and Merit Award winners, an increased First Prize cash award and certificates memorialising all winning entries. Please go to the Windhammer Prize homepage for more details.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,046,800
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 114,941

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the release of a new Windhammer companion title, Honour Amongst Thieves. This 100 page novella continues the adventures of the Tak Lovar as he uncovers the true extent of his Guild's folly and confronts the deadly consequences of the creation of the Shadowch. Given a new mission the Historian is joined by other men to recover a powerful talisman, and with it in hand find the one who must wield it. If Mankind is to survive the Shadowch must be destroyed.
  
  This new addition to the Windhammer Companion Series is freely available at this link and from the Chronicle's download page.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,039,230
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 91,256

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce that the competition guidelines and timetable for the 2015 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction are now available.
  
  This contest is proudly sponsored by arborell.com and continues in its eighth year as a means to promote the gamebook genre, and to provide exposure within a competitive environment for aspiring gamebook authors. In particular this prize values creative and original works of gamebook fiction. The challenge given to those who wish to participate is to develop a full gamebook experience whilst meeting stringent requirements regarding length and original content. This competition is open to all gamebook writers and requires no entry fee or other costs.
  
  All prospective participants should note that there have been changes to the competition rules and all authors should be aware of these changes prior to submission. Most important amongst these are an increase in the cash prize for the First Prize Winner, clarification of what can be included as a unique setting, and the need for entries to be previously unpublished works. The prize pool remains the same for 2015 and includes commercial publication of First Prize and Merit Award winners, cash prizes and certificates memorialising all winning entries.
  
  For more information please visit the Windhammer Prize homepage. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,030,940
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 67,217

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,022,390
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 43,881

• Development of the next Windhammer novella, Honour Amongst Thieves continues. This new story from the Windhammer Companion Series should be available in April of this year.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,013,190
• Total pageviews for 2015 - 22,718

• Another year passes and its time to review the progress of the Chronicles in 2014. This year was a year spent consolidating the Chronicles of Arborell website into its new presentation format and reviewing the underlying structure of the series. Some new titles were produced but mostly the work done this year was behind the scenes, and in this regard proved very useful indeed. Some milestones were also met and another excellent Windhammer Prize was run. I must say congratulations to all who participated. The entries were all of a high standard and the race very close indeed. Some of the highlights this year included:
  
  
• First off this year we announced the release of five new micro-gamebook adventures. These five PDF adventures; Finding Dannam Tull, The Druhlstone, The Callas'Elanna, Grievous and Old Bones and Moonlight were are slight divergence from the usual two-page microgamebooks in that they utilised a standard rule set that allowed for a much more wide-ranging adventure experience. All were provided as individual PDF downloads and included also in a single compilation PDF edition entitled Legends of the Deep Guild. I can say that these micro-gamebooks proved to be some of the most popular titles this year.
  
  
• Most of the year was spent however, in the development and implementation of the new website format. The Chronicles is a large website that encompasses many different presentation formats and developing a basic presentation that could accomodate all of these differing styles did have its challenges. The result of the changeover, I believe, has enhanced the look and navigation of the site and the work was well worth it. There is still work to be done and this will be continued during 2015.
  
  
• The 2014 Windhammer Prize proved another great success. Ten entries competed this year and the overall competition was particularly high quality. Congratulations goes to Paul Struth and all the other winners, a great job having been done all round. As a point of interest downloads of all entries were the highest they have ever been and this year downloads of previous year's entries were just as strong. A great outcome and a strong indication that interest in the Prize is continuing to grow.
  
  
• A small but important milestone for the author was reached at the end of 2014. After fourteen years as a gamebook website the combined totals for visitors and downloads for the Chronicles of Arborell exceeded one million. May the next million come all the quicker.
  
  
• For 2015 the future is looking bright. Two specific titles are currently under development, the second companion book to Windhammer, Honour Amongst Thieves, and the first of the prequel gamebooks, Vaeyawch (pronounced, Vay-ah-wek). Both of these books will be released in the coming year and will only be the first in a line of new titles to come. The Windhammer Prize will be returning for 2015 and a number of exciting developments are on the horizon. It is looking to be another great year.
  
  Regards
  Wayne Densley
  

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 1,002,240
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 278,262

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce that the 2014 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction has been won by Paul Struth for his outstanding post-war gothic horror entry, The Sacrifice. Merit awards have been won by Philip Armstrong for his trans-dimensional sci-fi adventure The Puttbuster Initiative: Spacetime Golfcrush and Chan Sing Goh for his detailed historical adventure, The Empire's Edge. Commendation awards have also been awarded to Problem? (A Troll Adventure) by Andy Moonowl, Tales of a Captain: To Recruit a Daemon by Stefano Ronchi and The Tomb of Aziris by Sam Beaven.
  
  Ten entries were accepted this year, ranging from classic gamebook fantasy to sci-fi sports and the raw edges of horror. It proved a remarkably close and hard-fought competition with all entries being strong contenders. Interest from the gamebook community has been just as strong. Downloads of competition entries went through the roof this year and for the first time previous year's gamebooks figured also as major download totals. All of this I believe shows a tangible increase in overall interest in the genre and an increasing interest in the Windhammer Prize itself.
  
  The objectives of the prize from the beginning have been to allow new authors to showcase their work and receive feedback from readers, and to test the genre itself, expanding the boundaries of what can be done in interactive gamebook fiction. It is true that this year's entries certainly tested those boundaries and it is good to see the divergence of rule systems and narrative styles that were implemented within these gamebooks.
  
  It is also true that there is a certain discipline that comes with the limitations imposed by the competition rules. 100 sections is not a lot of space to develop and refine a full interactive experience and I believe this year's authors did an excellent job. Well done to all who participated and congratulations to this year's winners.
  
  I would like to remind entrants that payment of prize money to the winners will require a valid PayPal account as described in the contest guidelines. A postal address for the forwarding of certificates will also need to be given upon notification.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who have found success.
  
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 992,315
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 257,624

• This month sees the continuation of development of the second companion novella for the Windhammer Core Gamebook, Honour Amongst Thieves. This has been a project long in the making and one that should be finished shortly.
• Voting continues for the 2014 Windhammer Prize. Notification of results will be made on the 7th of November. Good luck to all who have participated.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 981,200
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 236,143

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of voting for the 2014 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Gathered for your consideration are ten entries this year, each an exploration of what can be achieved within the gamebook genre. If you like your horror creepy, or your sci-fi out of this world the 2014 Windhammer Prize has something for you. If you dig Trolls, have a hankering to find the Light or maybe you'd rather take up a new sport then these gamebooks will have what you're looking for. All are free to download and all are available at the Windhammer Prize homepage.
  
  It should be noted that this voting phase will continue until the 30th of October with winners being announced on the 7th of November. All intending voters should be aware of the voting rules that can be found at the Windhammer Prize homepage.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who have entered.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 969,265
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 209,116

• Entries are now being accepted for the 2014 Windhammer Prize.
  
  Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of the 2014 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Entries are now being accepted with the initial submission phase running from the 1st of August to the 7th of September. All prospective entrants should note that there have been some changes to the entry guidelines. These changes include an increase in the maximum entry length to 25,000 words and clarification of how illustrations and graphics can be used.
  
  All information regarding this year's comp including full entry guidelines, competition schedule and prize details can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 957,530
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 183,651

• The Chronicles of Arborell is proud to announce the release of five new micro-gamebook adventures for 2014. These five PDF adventures; Finding Dannam Tull, The Druhlstone, The Callas'Elanna, Grievous and Old Bones and Moonlight are available also in a single compilation PDF edition entitled Legends of the Deep Guild.
  
  Based on legends recorded by the Deep Guild of Das Vallendor these micro-gamebooks chronicle the greatest missions of the Brethren who delve the deep ruins of Arborell. What makes these micro-gamebooks different from previous releases is the use of a standard rule set that includes more sophisticated character generation and a short bestiary of Arborell. Designed as a two page download for easy printing the rule set applies to all of these new adventures.
  
  All are free to download as PDF documents and require only the standard rule set, a pen and two dice to play.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 944,990
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 156,104

• For regular visitors to the Chronicles it may not have gone unnoticed that the website has been upgraded to a new presentation format. After 14 years of using the previous format it was definitely time for a change and I can say that it will be a while before the entire site is fully converted. There are more than 1200 pages that comprise the Chronicles and I will be going through all of them over the next six months. Most of these pages however, are part of the many online titles available and each will be converted in turn. If you have any comments regarding this new format please drop me a line using the contact details given here.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 932,670
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 131,581

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 919,680
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 106,432
  

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 906,240
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 85,370
  

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the release of competition guidelines for the 2014 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Now in its seventh year this contest is proudly sponsored by the Chronicles of Arborell and continues as a means to promote the gamebook genre, and to provide exposure within a competitive environment for aspiring gamebook authors. In particular this prize values creative and original works of gamebook fiction. The challenge given to those who wish to participate is to develop a full gamebook experience whilst meeting stringent requirements regarding length and original content. This competition is open to all gamebook writers and requires no entry fee or other costs.
  
  
• All prospective participants in this year's competition should be aware that there have been some changes to the competition timetable and guidelines, the main changes relating to an increase in the maximum word count to 25,000 words, and clarification of how illustrations may be included in competition entries. The prize pool remains the same for this year and includes commercial publication of First Prize and Merit Award winners, cash prizes and certificates memorialising all winning entries.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 892,540
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 62,609

• A new series of micro-gamebooks highlighting the legends of the Deep Guild of Das Vallendor are now under development. These micro-gamebooks are slightly different from those released previously in that they come with a standard rule set that applies to all the same. These new gamebooks will be released in a Legends of the Deep Guild compilation PDF ebook and also as individual downloads. All should be released in July of this year.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 880,200
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 43,705
  

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 870,300
• Total pageviews for 2014 - 25,523
  

• 2013 has come and gone and it is time again to recount all that has been achieved within those busy twelve months. For the Chronicles it has been a very productive year, the ongoing development of the series progressing well and the growth of the Windhammer Prize a measure of how gamebooks are once again coming into their own in both digital and paper mediums. What follows is a listing of all new releases published during the year. Each has been given a direct link for readers who may have missed them.
  
  
• The first title released for 2013 was an updated and revised version of the Song of the Dromannion historical journal. This PDF edition was produced with new illustrations, revised text and an improved format.
  
  
• With the release of five new micro-gamebook adventures in 2012 it seemed only consistent to produce another five titles for 2013. These titles; The Secret of Clavette's Keep, Aggeron's Hammer, A Slave's Vengeance Act One and Act Two, and the Capture of Vallen'diil have all become part of what will be a much larger collection of these popular micro-gamebook adventures.
  
  
• As a follow on to the release of the previous micro-gamebooks the Dark Water Omnibus was published mid year to provide a convenient method for downloading all of these short adventures. Including all ten current micro-gamebooks the Omnibus has proven one of the most popular downloads of 2013.
  
  
• As a part of the ongoing growth of the mythologies of Arborell a new title - The Tale Of Ghered Who Found Purpose - was introduced into the legends of the Oera'dim. This tale of Ghered, the Architect of the Great Insurrection follows his journey as he finds meaning in his life and a greater purpose for all the Oera'dim.
  
  
• With the release of the tale of Ghered there came a need to update the Mythologies of the Oera'dim collection. A new Third Edition was published and included an improved format and the inclusion of the Tale of Ghered Who Found Purpose.
  
  
• The final release for 2013 was an adaption of the Watchtower micro-gamebook in a text format. This new gamebook was produced for readers who might not be able to take advantage of the map-based mechanism inherent in the original micro-gamebook and was made available for their enjoyment. More of the micro-gamebooks will be converted to this text format as time allows.
  
  
• Last of course I must thank all the authors and readers who participated in the 2013 Windhammer Prize. This year's competition proved an enormous succes and I must again congratulate all those who took part. May Glory and Renown follow all who found success.
  
  Regards
  Wayne Densley
  

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 858,400
• Total pageviews for 2013 - 274,912

• Arborell.com is proud to announce that the winner of the 2013 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction is Philip Armstrong for his excellent paranormal adventure, 'Normal Club. Merit awards have also been awarded to Ramsay Duff for his outstanding steampunk adventure, The Scarlet Thief, and to Paul Struth for his remarkable sci-fi adventure, Out of Time.
  
  This year sees the introduction of a series of Commendation Awards and Arborell.com is pleased to announce that these awards have been won by Marty Runyon for his crime story, The Independence Job, to Andy Moonowl for his fantasy adventure, Tipping Point, and to Nicholas Stillman for his pre-apocalyptic Western, Gunlaw. Well done to all participants and congratulations to this year's winners.
  
  Fourteen entries were accepted for this year's competition and the interest generated by them has been overwhelming. In the six weeks of the voting period the number of visitors attending the competition webpage more than doubled over last year, with a commensurate increase in downloads and voting numbers. I would very much like to thank all the readers who voted in the Windhammer Prize and to all those who provided feedback to the authors. Without your consideration this competition would be short-lived indeed.
  
  I have said in past competitions that it is no small thing to ask entrants to write original gamebooks for the Windhammer Prize. To write a gamebook (even one that must be limited to 100 sections) requires considerable time and creative effort. It is the type of writing project that can take months to accomplish and I appreciate greatly the work done by all the authors who entered this year's competition. I hope that you all consider forwarding an entry for the 2014 Windhammer Prize.
  
  As has been the case in past years all entries have now been placed into the Windhammer Prize gamebook archive and can be accessed from that page along with all other gamebooks submitted to the competition since 2008.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who have found success in this year's Windhammer Prize.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 844,300
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 249,664

• Voting in the 2013 Windhammer Prize has now ended and what a great competition it has been. Fourteen entries were accepted this year and the voting has been thick and fast over the whole voting period. With the voting now concluded it is now left to myself to collate the votes and organise the feedback that has been forwarded. May I ask anyone still interested in forwarding feedback that they have it to me by the 4th of November. Winners will be notified on the 7th of November and I would like to have all feedback organised and forwarded as a part of that notification process.
  
  
• I would like to remind entrants that payment of prize money to the winners will require a valid PayPal account as described in the contest guidelines. A postal address for the forwarding of certificates will also need to be given upon notification.
  
  
• On another note, as the voting period has now concluded please feel free to discuss the entries in any forum you wish.
  
  
• All entrants will be notified by email of this year's winners on the 7th, with a general declaration through the usual channels shortly thereafter. May Glory and Renown follow all who are successful.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 829,300
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 226,391

• The Windhammer Prize voting phase continues. If you are considering placing a vote in this year's competition please consult the voting rules before doing so. The rules for this year have been changed and votes will be accepted until the 30th of October. May Glory and Renown follow all who have entered.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 817,025
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 204,738

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of the 2013 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Entries are now being accepted and as per the competition rules submissions can be made until the 7th of September. All prospective entrants should read the competition guidelines provided at the Windhammer Prize homepage prior to submission. In particular entrants should be aware of the updated prize information, voting rules and revised competition timetable. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• This month sees also the release of new text versions of the The Watchtower micro-gamebook. Available in both HTML and PDF versions, and for direct play online, these new editions have been made available for readers who cannot use the map-based gamebook of the same name, or who would like to experience this adventure in a more traditional gamebook format.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 804,250
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 179,382

• July sees the release of a new addition to the Mythology of the Oera'dim. The Tale of Ghered Who Found Purpose is the story of the Architect of the Great Insurrection and his journey from nuulwch to Free Being. Told by the oldest of the Living Books, this is a personal account of a Messenger out of step with the world about him who discovers others of his kind, and a terrible purpose that will change the future of all Oera'dim. This new mythology is available as a PDF download and as an inclusion in the Mythology of the Oera'dim - 3rd Edition now available as well.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 796,800
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 157108

• This month brings the release of four new micro-gamebook adventures and the release of the Dark Water Omnibus, a compilation edition of all ten micro-gamebooks available from the Chronicles of Arborell. The new micro-gamebook titles include:
• Aggeron's Hammer,
• A Slave's Vengeance - Act One,
• A Slave's Vengeance - Act Two and
• The Capture of Vallen'diil.
  
  All are free to download and are provided as PDF documents.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 788,650
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 129,131

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 780,600
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 108,565

• Total visits and downloads now exceed 772,000
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 83,380

• The competition rules and entry guidelines for the 2013 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction have now been released. Of particular note this year is a substantial increase in the cash prize pool, continuation of commercial publication of the winning entries by Tin Man Games, the inclusion of a new tier of awards, changes to the voting rules and a more efficient entry list that will ensure all entrants receive the same list exposure. All information can be found at the Windhammer Prize page. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 764,450
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 60,496

• As a part of the ongoing update and review of all titles within this series I am now releasing new versions of the Mythology of the Oera'dim sourcebook and all its included myths and legends. These titles have been updated with a new format, in some cases new covers and revised text. To obtain new copies of these revised titles please click here.
  
  
• Also this month arborell.com is pleased to announce the release of a new micro-gamebook adventure. The Secret of Clavette's Keep is the newest addition to the Chronicles of Arborell micro-gamebook collection and tells the story of a Colonial soldier's part in the Battle for Clavette's Keep, one of the more brutal engagements that followed the First Horde War. This adventure is presented as a two-page PDF document and can be obtained, along with all the other adventures in this collection, from the Chronicle's download page.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 756,400
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 37,790

• Arborell.com is proud to announce the release of a new updated version of the Song of the Dromannion novel. This story is the journal of Emmers Nahr, a merchant of the Old World and one of the surviving members of the Last Fleet of Men. In this new updated PDF edition of his epic journey can be found the flight of the nations of men from the Old World and the rigours of their voyage into the West. To fail can only lead to the death of all, for in this world they have nowhere left to go. If you would like a copy of this new edition it can be obtained by clicking here.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 748,800
• Total pageviews for 2013 to date - 20,749

• Another year passes and it is time to recount all that has been achieved in 2012. It is no exaggeration to say that it has been a most successful year with both new titles added to the growing catalogue of gamebooks and other documents available, and the remarkable success of this year's Windhammer Prize. What follows below is a short overview of the more important achievements in the past year's development of the Chronicles of Arborell.
  
  
• A consistent theme of this year's development activity has been the ongoing work on the A Murder of Crows gamebook. This title has been in development for some time and has proven to be a complex story that has required considerable time and effort to complete. It is my hope that it will be available for download in the first half of 2013.
• Early in the year came the news that Tin Man Games would offer commercial publication of the winners of the 2012 Windhammer Prize. This offer was enthusiastically accepted and contributed greatly to the subsequent success of the competition. More on the Windhammer Prize follows.
• May saw the release of a new gamebook adventure from the Chronicles of Arborell. As a part of the Torchlight series of titles, Well of Shadows served as a prequel to the events of the Quest for the Orncryst and proved to be one of the most popular of titles in the series so far.
• Following on from the release of Well of Shadows there came a new updated version of the Blood and Iron novel. This PDF version included new graphics and illustrations and proved also to be a very popular upgrade to this epic story.
• As has been recorded elsewhere this year's Windhammer Prize proved to be the most successful yet. The quality and breadth of the 22 entries submitted achieved all the objectives of the competition and saw the emergence of a number of fine gamebook authors. Participation from readers expanded four-fold and resulted in more than 100 pages of feedback to authors. It was a great competition and I would like to say once again well done to all who participated.
• 2012 also saw the release of five micro-gamebook titles. These two-page gamebooks are a new format of interactive adventure where the greatest possible information and gameplay is condensed into the smallest possible space. Each title is no more than two pages and each is a full adventure focusing on a specific part of the long history of Arborell. Whether it be the legend of Alwen's Run or the last desperate hours of the Assault on Nem'haleen, these gamebooks allow readers to experience events within the long history of Arborell that might not otherwise be included in the main gamebook series. I had a great deal of fun creating them and will no doubt complete more over the coming year.
  
  
• And that is it for 2012. 2013 looms large with an expanded Windhammer Prize and a whole raft of titles moving inexorably towards release. Thanks go to everyone who has been a part of this process and please feel free to download everything that is currently available.
  
  Regards
  Wayne Densley
  

• Arborell.com is proud to announce the release of five new micro-gamebooks set in the world of Arborell. These titles; The Watchtower, Assault on Nem'haleen, Alwen's Run, The Ghosts of Allan'duril and The Gaelwch are no more than two pages in length and tell stories that might not otherwise find a place in the larger gamebooks within this series. Each is presented in PDF format and each requires no more than a pencil, a sheet of paper and two dice to play. If you would like to enjoy these game-book adventures you need only click on the link here for your free copies.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 739,500
• Total pageviews for 2012 - 205,519

• Arborell.com is proud to announce that the winner of the 2012 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction is Zachary Carango for his futuristic sci-fi adventure, Final Payment. Merit awards have also been awarded to Marty Runyon for his magical fantasy adventure, Academy of Magic - The First Term, and to Ashton Saylor for his exciting sci-fi adventure, Legacy of the Zendari. Well done to all participants and congratulations to this year's winners.
  
  This year's competition has been particularly hard-fought. With 22 quality entries, more than 4000 visitors to the competition webpage over the voting period, and greater than 8500 downloads considered, it proved the most competitive of competitions in the history of the prize.
  
  It is no small thing to ask entrants to write original gamebooks for the Windhammer Prize. This year the quality of the entries submitted has been exceptional. I would like to thank all readers who voted this year for their commitment in evaluating such an extensive entry list. Special thanks must also go to those who provided feedback for authors. The amount of comment forwarded has also been the largest given in any competition year and all is greatly appreciated.
  
  All entries have now been placed into the Windhammer Prize gamebook archive and can be accessed from that page along with all other gamebooks submitted since 2008.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who have found success in this year's Windhammer Prize.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 730,800
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 188,721

• The voting phase for the 2012 Windhammer Prize has now ended. So far this year has produced the most votes ever, and it is indicative of the huge interest being shown in this year's entries. Winners will be announced on the 7th of November. All information on the voting process and this year's prize pool can be found here. Arborell.com would like to again thank all authors for the time and energy given to these fantastic entries. It is great to see the quality and scope of the titles submitted this year. May Glory and Renown follow all who have entered.
  
  
• In conjunction with the ongoing administration of the Windhammer Prize I have also taken some time to develop five new titles with somewhat unusual structures. These titles; The Watchtower, Assault on Nem'haleen, Alwen's Run, The Ghosts of Allan'duril and The Gaelwch, are micro-gamebooks, no more than two pages long and encapsulating complete storylines drawn from the long history of Arborell. The idea for these titles came from a blog post at Lone Tiger Reviews by Stuart Lloyd (a great friend of the Chronicles) regarding gamebooks that could be printed on both sides of one sheet of paper. It was the sort of challenge I relish and the resultant gamebook adventures will be available at the end of November. It was a lot of fun doing them and I would like to thank Stuart for bringing the concept to my attention in his blog.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 719,500
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 164,762

• The Well of Shadows gamebook adventure is now available in a PDF format; as a HTML zip file and can now also be played online. More information on the Torchlight series of gamebooks can be found at the Torchlight webpage.
  
  
• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the release of the 22 entries accepted for this year's Windhammer Prize. From epic fantasy to dystopian futures you can find within these entries a wide-ranging collection of stories that push at the boundaries of the gamebook genre. If you appreciate unlikely heroes, dark deeds, or mythology brought to life then it can all be found within their pages. Go to the 2012 Windhammer Prize webpage to begin your adventure.
  
  
• The 7th has come and gone and with its passing the submission phase for the 2012 Windhammer Prize has now ended. As of the 8th of September twenty-two entries have been accepted for consideration and all will be made available as per the competition guidelines on the 14th of September. All entries will be made available for download from the 14th of September. Information regarding the voting guidelines can be found at the competition homepage.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 709,400
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 144,368

• Its been a busy month for the Chronicles and we are pleased to also announce the release of a new updated edition of the Blood and Iron novel. This 2012 Edition has been made available as a free PDF download and is available now from the Chronicles of Arborell.
  
  
• Arborell.com is proud to announce the release of a new gamebook title in PDF format. The Well of Shadows is a companion gamebook to the Torchlight Adventure Series and is a prequel to the popular Quest for the Orncryst gamebook. This interactive PDF adventure tells the story of how the Deep Guild of Das Vallendor found the location of the Orncryst of the Trell'sara and of the mission that uncovered its whereabouts.
  
  On the western borders of Kalborea the temple-dome of Allas'nerig hides a great secret, one the Deep Guild has been searching for many years to uncover. Within its dark recesses can be found the legendary Well of Shadows and the answer to one of the greatest of Arborell's mysteries. You are one of the Brethren and it is your mission to find the Well, but the true cost of the knowledge it can give may be more than any man is willing to pay.
  
  Well of Shadows is now available as a free PDF download and will shortly be released in html format and to play online. For more information on this new title click here.
  
  
• Its amazing how quickly a year passes. The beginning of this month sees the start of the fifth Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction with the commencement of the entry submission phase. Entries for this year's competition will be accepted from the 1st of August until the 7th of September and it should be noted by all interested authors that this year sees the inclusion of a much larger prize pool and a number of significant changes to the entry criteria.
  
  Winning entries in this year's competition can look forward to not only cash prizes, perpetual hosting of their entries in the Windhammer gamebook archive and highly attractive winners' certificates, but also the publication of all winning entries in a gamebook app to be produced by Tin Man Games, creators of the very cool Gamebook Adventures series. There have been some important changes to the entry guidelines for this year's Windhammer Prize and it is advisable that all authors revisit these rules prior to submission.
  
  All information regarding this year's comp including full entry guidelines, competition schedule and prize details can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 700,300
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 126,543

• This month has seen the commencement of a new gamebook project. To be titled the Well of Shadows it is a companion gamebook adventure to the first in the Torchlight series, Quest for the Orncryst. This gamebook outlines the history of how the Deep Guild of Das Vallendor found the whereabouts of the Orncryst and the mission undertaken to gain that knowledge. As a companion gamebook it will be presented in a traditional format and will not require the card-based materials of the original gamebook. Everything needed will be provided as a part of the Well of Shadows download. The gamebook will be released initially as a PDF document but will thereafter be released also in an online format and as a html download. With all things going well it will be released in August.
  
  
• Development of A Murder of Crows has been put on hold for a month or so whilst I complete Well of Shadows. I also have found a need to make updates to the Blood and Iron novel which should also be made available in PDF format in August/September.
  
  
• I am very much looking forward to this year's Windhammer Prize. If everything tracks as it should there are going to be some great gamebooks submitted.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 692,500
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 112,883

• Development continues on A Murder of Crows. I have also been putting together a few drafts of a new gamebook idea as an addition to the Torchlight series. I will provide more info on this shortly.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 684,100
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 96,236

• Just a reminder for all prospective entrants in the 2012 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction that there now remains three months until the commencement date for submissions for this year's competition. All entrants should note that there have been significant changes to the entry guidelines. These changes include the entry length which has been adjusted to a 23,000 word count rather than the previous 40 page maximum. Also fan-fiction can no longer be accepted. This has been necessitated by the offer in this year's competition of commercial publication of all winning entries as a part of the competition prize pool.
  
  All information regarding this year's comp including full entry guidelines, competition schedule and prize details can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 676,600
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 82,160

• April has seen the ongoing development of the next Jotun of the West gamebook adventure, A Murder of Crows. Altogether it has been another busy month for the Chronicles.
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 667,450
• Total pageviews for 2012 to date - 65,398

• As a part of the ongoing review and updating of current titles in this series I have uploaded four revised titles. The Torchlight pdf and htlm files and the Windhammer Core Gamebook pdf and html files have been updated to reflect minor changes recently made to the rule-set and these changes have been mirrored in the online books as well. All of these new files can be found at the Chronicles download page. Information regarding these changes can be found at the Author's devblog and the Q&A pages.
  
  
• This month sees the release of the 2012 Windhammer Prize competition guidelines and a major addition to the competition prize pool. As a consequence of a generous offer made by Tin Man Games the winning entries from this year's competition will be offered publication of their gamebooks in a 2012 compilation gamebook app developed for the iphone and ipad. All details regarding this new prize offering can be found at the Windhammer Prize competition webpage. Thanks go to the team at Tin Man Games for providing such an important addition to the prize pool. It should be noted by all prospective entrants that there have been changes to the competition entry requirements and these should be considered when submitting this year's entries. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 647,900
• Total pageviews for 2012 - 46,964

• February has been one busy month at the Chronicles. Development continues at an accelerating pace on the second Jotun of the West adventure and in the midst of this activity has come new and important developments in the provision of the 2012 Windhammer Prize. Watch this space for more information. Its going to be another great year for the Prize.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 640,100
• Total pageviews for 2012 - 28,631

• Work continues on development of the A Murder of Crows gamebook. This has been a particularly long project and one that I will be very glad to finish. There's a light ahead and I think its the end of the tunnel.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 633,350
• Total pageviews for 2012 - 14,807

• Its summer down here in OZ and once again its time to recap the major news events of the year for the Chronicles of Arborell. The year that has passed has been a fantastic one for the series and in the last twelve months a number of important new releases, as well as a load of updates and revisions, has extended the Chronicles into new areas, and increased the overall depth of titles and supplementary documentation now available to readers. What follows is a review of all these major developments.
  
  Early in the year came the new Windhammer Enhanced Combat System, a combat rule-set designed to allow players using the gamebooks in the Chronicles of Arborell series the capacity to develop their own individual fighting styles. This title has proven very popular with players who enjoy a greater level of combat control than is available in the standard combat rules.
  
  Around mid-year we released Warriors of the March. This new wargame from the Chronicles has been provided as a table-top wargaming system that allows players the ability to recreate and fight the Horde Wars of Arborell. Using card tiles to represent fighting units an entire battlefield can be developed and played out. This large-scale strategy game includes all fighting units used by the Grand Army of the Four Nations and the Oera'dim Army of the March. A new Sixth Horde War campaign guide is currently in the wind and will be available during 2012. Future additions to this wargame will also include the War of Tree and Leaf and the Great Insurrection.
  
  At year's end came the Quest for the Orncryst 2011 Edition. Whilst not a brand new title it was a major redevelopment of the original game with a complete redo of the gamebook sections and the inclusion of a number of rule additions. This card-based gamebook has proven to be one of the Chronicle's most popular titles and it has been well worth the work required to give it a new polish.
  
  During the course of 2011 a number of titles were updated. These titles mostly were revised and then reformatted as printable PDF files. Most important of these additions were the Blood and Iron PDF edition, the Windhammer Core Gamebook PDF Edition, and the release of a new instalment of the A Murder of Crows Online gamebook. Of these updates the Windhammer Core Gamebook was the most involved, including not only a wide range of improvements but also the incorporation of a number of additional supplementary documents including the Visualising Windhammer appendix. At this time the full A Murder of Crows gamebook is under development and should also be released in 2012.
  
  Of considerable note in 2011 was the successful completion of this year's Windhammer Prize. Easily the most successful to date, congratulations should once again go to Andrew Wright and his entry, Sea of Madness and to the Merit Award winners, Ashton Saylor and Zachary Carango. It was a tough competition and all who participated should be proud of the high quality of the entries submitted. I am seriously looking forward to 2012's comp.
  
  As is always the case 2011 saw a wide range of necessary improvements and updates to the Chronicles of Arborell website and its huge amount of supplementary documentation. Apart from the revision and updating of all the core pages and more than 350 other content pages I also included a new Q&A page to archive some interesting questions posed to the author, plus a new access page for visitors who use screen readers to access the chronicles. This year also saw the inclusion of an Author's Development Blog and the creation of a Facebook page for the Chronicles titled, "Chronicles of Arborell Gamebooks".
  
  For the year ahead the Chronicles has two main objectives. The first is the completion of the Murder of Crows gamebook and the delivery of the Sixth Horde War campaign guide for the Warriors of the March Wargaming system. If time allows the third gamebook in the Jotun of the West series, The Horns of Gorgoroth, will also be commenced.
  
  2011 proved a most successful year for the Chronicles. Thanks to all who have visited and downloaded the series. May 2012 be a happy and prosperous year for us all.
  
  Regards
  Wayne Densley
  

• Release of Quest for the Orncryst 2011 Edition
  
  In 2007 the Chronicles of Arborell released the first in a new series of card-based gamebook adventures entitled "Quest for the Orncryst". At a time when gamebooks were mostly paper-based it was a unique foray into a different style of solitaire role-playing, one where an adventure could be played out in an endlessly variable environment against an ever-changing range of creature encounters, traps and lethal devices. Based on the Torchlight adventure system this game allowed a player to meet a range of quest objectives whilst experiencing a different set of encounters and dungeon setups with each attempt. To achieve this outcome the rule system utilised three main elements; a character generation and combat system drawn from the traditions of gamebooks and interactive fiction; a card-based map creation mode that allowed for the generation of unique role-playing settings; and a manual-based set of 200 section references that provided all the information needed to conduct your adventure.
  
  Since 2007 Quest for the Orncryst has proven to be one of the most popular titles in the Chronicles' catalogue and arborell.com is pleased to announce that it has now been released in a new updated 2011 edition. With a reformatted Player's Manual that includes an improved rule-set and a wide-ranging review of all the game's section references this edition brings Quest for the Orncryst up to date with all other gamebook titles in this series, and in doing so takes advantage of a number of rule enhancements including compatibility with the Windhammer Enhanced Combat System.
  
  Quest for the Orncryst is a card-based gamebook system unique to the Chronicles of Arborell that delivers a totally random gamebook experience whilst achieving both quest and player defined mission objectives. This one of a kind gamebook system comes with a 109 page manual, a set of 77 game cards and a range of additional materials and documentation. If you have ever wanted to play a truly unique gamebook the Quest for the Orncryst is now available for free download both in its card format and as a purely text-based adventure.
  
  Please note that this 2011 Edition is an update of the written materials associated with the game. The card set remains unchanged and therefore if a player already has the original game they need only download the new Player's Manual to update their version.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 624,800
• Total pageviews for 2011 - 218,277

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2011 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction is Andrew Wright for his excellent sea-faring adventure, Sea of Madness. Arborell.com can also announce that Ashton Saylor and Zachary Carango have placed second and third in the popular vote and are therefore worthy Merit Award winners with their entries, Peledgathol - The Last Fortress and Above the Waves respectively. This year has seen an amazing selection of entries, covering a wide range of fantasy and sci-fi settings and all have done very well. Considering the limitations provided by the competition guidelines the authors who have offered entries this year have shown once again, that great gamebook ideas can be made to fit into very small spaces.
  
  I would like to thank everybody who participated, the authors and those dedicated readers who took the time to evaluate all the entries, and also a further thanks to those readers who provided feedback and comment to the authors. It can be disclosed that more than 5300 visitors made their way to the prize webpages over the course of the competition and that from those visits more than 2100 downloads were made of competition entries. From these downloads more than double the votes were forwarded compared with last year. Thank you all for making this the most successful Windhammer Prize yet.
  
  It was my intention to provide feedback and a wrap-up of competition activity at this time, however a large amount of additional feedback has been provided in the last two days that will take a short time to accumulate and forward on to participants. I should have all feedback to authors within the next 48 hours.
  
  As an additional note to this year's winners. As per the competition rules I will require your Paypal address and a current postal address to forward prize moneys and signed winners' certificates. As I do not keep this information once a competition has been finalised I will need these details again even if you have won in past years.
  
  Full details on this year's competition can be found by clicking here. May Glory and Renown follow all who have participated.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 615,900
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 198,477

• The voting phase for the 2011 Windhammer Prize has now ended. Winners will be announced on the 7th of November as per the competition timetable. All information regarding the 2011 competition can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 608,400
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 183,853
  

• The voting phase for the 2011 Windhammer Prize has now begun. Eight entries are available for download and consideration this year and it is a fantastic selection of gamebooks that have been submitted. Voting will continue until the 30th of October with the winners being announced on the 7th of November. All information regarding the 2011 competition can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 600,100
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 166,059

• For some time Windhammer has been available both as an online title and as a html-based download file. As a part of an ongoing commitment to provide all titles in this series in the PDF format Arborell.com is pleased to announce the release of a new PDF edition of this popular gamebook title; complete with updated graphics, 600 sections, more than 400 A4-sized pages and a further 200 pages of supplementary documents and information. At over 600 pages this is one of the largest gamebook titles available in the genre and as with all the books in this series is free to download. For a copy you need only click here.
  
  
• Work continues on the Murder of Crows gamebook. Now that I have finished a number of projects that have been lingering for some time I will now focus on the completion of this title.
  
  
• The submission phase for the 2011 Windhammer Prize has now begun. Entries should be forwarded between the 1st of August and the 7th of September and must conform to the entry format guidelines. Please note that all entries must be submitted as Rich Text File (RTF) documents and cannot contain tables or other formatting not supported by the RTF format. All genres except erotica are accepted. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter. All information regarding the 2011 competition can be found at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 589,500
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 146,162

• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the release of Warriors of the March, a large-scale wargaming system set in the world of the Chronicles of Arborell interactive adventure gamebook series. This new wargaming rule-set and tile system is available free to download and includes everything required to recreate the Grand Army of the Four Nations and the Army of the Oera'dim at the time of the Sixth Horde War. As a part of the growing list of titles available from the Chronicles this wargaming system provides not only an immersive experience commanding the armies of the Four Nations and the Oera'dim but also a large amount of additional background information on the combatants and their fighting forces.
  
  Warriors of the March requires two download files; a Commanders Guide and a Basic Tile Set that deliver all the materials required to play the game. In the Commanders Guide can be found the complete rule-set, information on the setup and conduct of a number of engagement modes including the Standard Game, Historical Battle scenarios and more than a dozen Non-Campaign scenarios. Also included is information on both the Grand Army and the Army of the Oera'dim, unit details for 43 separate unit types and a range of other materials necessary to play the game including Quick Reference Cards.
  
  The Basic Tile Set comes as an 8Mb download and includes 100 full-colour unit tiles, 100 Skull tokens and 2 Movement rulers, enough to build the Armies of Arborell and conduct any of the scenarios provided in the Commanders Guide. This initial tile set is contained on 6 A4-sized sheets and has been designed so that it may be be easily printed and separated.
  
  
• On another note I would again like to remind all prospective entrants to the 2011 Windhammer Prize that submissions commence on the 1st of August. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 581,000
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 124, 074

• A new Facebook group has been put together for the Chronicles of Arborell. Titled "Chronicles of Arborell Gamebooks" it can be found by logging onto Facebook and using the Search tool provided on the site. The direct URL is still a mystery to me as I am still working out the nuances of this site but I'll post the right address as soon as I work it out. Somehow I know its not as difficult as I think it is...
  
  
• Development continues on the new Warriors of the March wargaming system. This is almost complete and apart from a few maps is ready to go. Look out for it in the first half of July. Included will be a comprehensive 55 page manual, 100 full-colour unit tiles, multiple play modes and a range of battle scenarios.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 572,950
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 105,907
  

• For all authors who may be considering submitting an entry in the 2011 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction this is a reminder that there are now only three months remaining until the commencement of the submission phase of this year's contest. All information, including entry guidelines, timetable and prize details, can be found at the Windhammer Prize page. May glory and renown follow all who enter.
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 565,000
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 89, 451

• I am pleased to announce that a new update has been added to the A Murder of Crows gamebook. Including more than 100 new and revised sections this update expands the adventures of Tansen'Delving as he attempts to uncover the truth behind the attack at the Shalamai Hills, and the true nature of the conspiracy that threatens the leadership of the Jotun of the West. To continue your adventure click here.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 557,200
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 69,119

• A new Windhammer Enhanced Combat System is now available from the Chronicles of Arborell. This new combat rule set can be used as an alternative to the standard combat rules and allows for a much more intense and flexible combat process. Compatible with all screen, paper or card based gamebooks that can be found within this series the ECS comprises combat tables, offensive and defensive options, new damage calculation rules and new combat modifiers to account for terrain and opponent scale. For a copy of this guide in PDF format please click here.
  
  
• Its that time of the year again and from the dark dungeons of the chronicles has emerged the rules and entry guidelines for the 2011 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. If you are interested in participating in this year's prize everything you need to know can be found at the competition web page. May Glory and Renown follow all who enter.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 551,000
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 56,366

• I am pleased to announce the release of a new PDF version of the popular web serial, Blood and Iron. Previously available online and as a html download this PDF edition comprises everything found in its online versions. At more than 200 pages, and complete with all supplied maps, it is the newest addition to the growing list of PDF titles available from the Chronicles of Arborell.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 544,000
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 36,939

• A new Q&A page has been uploaded to the Chronicles. This is a compilation of interesting questions posed to myself that provide supplementary information about the world of Arborell. At this stage very interesting for anyone wanting a deeper insight into the culture and motivations of the Oera'dim. I would invite anyone who might wish to pose additional questions to write to me at my email address or contact me through the chroniclesofarborell yahoo group.
• Unfortunately I have had to disable the arborellium forum due to spam attacks that have been loading the forum titles with inappropriate postings. At this stage I am unsure as to how to stop the large number of automated spam accounts that are being logged onto the forum so it will be closed down for the moment. Although this is disappointing the chroniclesofarborell yahoo group will remain active and I look forward to hearing from anyone interested in the progress of this series at this venue instead.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 537,100
• Total pageviews for 2011 so far - 17,685

• Another December rolls around and its time to look back at the progress made by the Chronicles over the previous year. 2010 has seen a number of changes to how the Chronicles are presented, most notably with the development of PDF versions of a number of my existing titles. It will be possible over the course of the coming year to find almost all titles provided online, as html files and as pdf versions with full colour covers. The acquisition of an excellent utility that can merge pdf documents has allowed me to add covers to all the books, and all those that can be converted over to this format will be in the next few months.
• New titles for this year have seen the publication of Hamulkuk and the Moon Dragons, a compilation book of Horde mythologies titled the Mythologies of the Oera'dim, a rewrite and upgrade to Shards of Moonlight, a new Lexicon of Arborell and a revision of the Windhammer Core Gamebook. 2010 also saw the commencement of instalment publication of A Murder of Crows and this will be ongoing into 2011. For myself the mythologies have been the most fun and there are a more to come in the next year as well.
• PDF editions of a number of existing titles have joined the growing list of downloads for the Chronicles including, Shards of Moonlight, the Mythology of the Oera'dim, The First Book of Haer'al, Song of the Dromannion and the Lexicon of Arborell. It is planned that PDF editions of Blood and Iron and A Murder of Crows will follow.
• The website has also seen a number of changes and upgrades the most important being the provision of a Mythology of Arborell page and an ongoing Author's Blog. A lot more is to be improved in 2011.
• 2010 has also seen the successful conclusion of this year's Windhammer Prize ( congratulations again going to Stuart Lloyd for his fantastic entry ) and the establishment of a yahoo group for Chronicles readers interested in everything going on with the series. If you would like to join the group can be found here.
  
  I would like to thank everyone for their continuing support and interest in the Chronicles of Arborell. It is my hope that 2011 will be just as successful, and that the story of Arborell will continue to grow. Happy New Year!
  
  Regards
  Wayne Densley