AU Roulette Challenge

A multi-fandom AU fanfiction writing challenge running during the month of June 2026

[warlockofpillars]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: NCIS: Hawai'i Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Jane Tennant, Lucy Tara, Ernie Malik, Kate Whistler, Maggie Shaw Additional Tags: Paranormal Investigators AU, Mythical Beings & Creatures Series: Part 2 of The Moon Walker Trilogy Summary:

Paranormal investigators Jane, Lucy, Ernie, and Kate go a hunt for the elusive lunar beast.

@au-roulette

[captainofthenx02]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

My first oneshot for the @au-roulette challenge! This idea came together really quickly for me in the end.

Star Trek: Enterprise Jonathan Archer/Erika Hernandez Titanfall AU

that's it. That's the oneshot.

[au-roulette]

Hi! I was wondering if I could write an au where the characters are scientific experiements for the Scientist au. They arent the scientists, but I feel like it fits the vibe of the au?

Yes, that's definitely a reasonable direction to take the prompt!

[au-roulette]

With the combination of your Gmail issues (stupid Gmail trying to milk people for money, grrrr!) and my time zone (UTC+10) I got my email just before 3am on the 3rd. I'm a night owl so I was still up, and I was like "YAY, MY PROMPTS!!!" I now have a document for each of them in my Ellipsus WIPs folder, with the relevant prompt saved to a draft so it's right there. I don't usually write AUs other than canon-divergence (I write so much canon-divergence, given the abysmal finale) but I wanted to really challenge myself, so it's going to be interesting to see what The Muse comes up with. Thanks a bunch for organising the event, I think it's going to be fun!

You're very welcome! I'm glad you got your prompts eventually, and especially glad to hear you're so excited about them!

(Also, shout-out to Ellipsus, that's where I write a lot of my own fic these days, too).

[fandomclaws]

Pawf's AU-Roulette [2026]

@au-roulette

It is my first time joining this event and I'm very excited to say that on day two of this month I am already able to post one of the three stories for this event !!

My inspiration struck in the middle of the night yesterday and I started this firs little thing, finishing in the afternoon today and now I shall post it already without my beautiful beta reader looking over it because I'm just too excited about how to story ended up coming together.

Alternate Universe 01 out of 03 - Fairy Tale

Title: [Еквивалентност смрти] – A “Godfather Death” retelling Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters: Baron Helmut Zemo, Carl Zemo, Heike Zemo, Heinrich Zemo, Mother God, The Devil, Death Personified Word Count: 1,538 Summarry:

“Take me as your child’s godfather.” the stranger spoke in a voice that was like a cold wind against one's face. “But, who are you, sir?” Zemo asked again, tired eyes watching the figure move closer to him. “I am death, who makes everyone equal.” For a moment Helmut was quietly considering the stranger – death – in front of him. “You are the one. You treat them all the same once their time has come, you shall be my son’s godfather.” Death smiled, a small private thing, and accepted with a silent nod. “I will make your child rich in joy and happiness. He will be loved by the people and will love them back equally, unconditionally. I will stay by his side, for with a friend like myself he need not fear the end.”

Baron Helmut Zemo was a wealthy man with possessions others could only dream of. A beautiful country that laid itself bare in front of him, a marvelous wife that he loved so dearly, and a people that praised his name with every sentence spoken about him. He had it all, love, riches, and the trust of the ones depending on his ruling. Yet until then, he and his wife were not yet blessed with the child they so dearly wanted.

After years of trying God did not allow the couple to have the child they so wished for, the twin sisters destiny and fate seemed to finally take pity on them and allowed Heike to carry their son. It was a complicated pregnancy, the baron and baroness supporting each other through the ordeal, strengthened by the promise of their beautiful baby boy once they got through this. On the night of the delivery, their son born healthy and beautiful, Zemo went out in a delirious trance – looking for a godfather for the child like it was a task given to him. He swore to himself that he will meet the one destined to be by the child's side as he is baptised this cold winter night.

The first person he stumbled upon was a beautiful and tall woman, her eyes filled with all the knowledge as the baron approached her. She already knew what he would say – prepared for him to ask and she answered him before Helmut even could start the question. “I pity you, poor baron, but also praise your and your wife’s strength through this long and hard time of waiting for your son. I will hold your child at his baptism, and care for him, and make him happy on earth.” Mother God spoke, hands carefully folded in front of her. Zemo looked up at the divine woman, tired eyes searching her for recognition. “I’m sorry, but who are you? How do you already know about my son?”

With a light smile, her holiness answered “I am God.” 

“Then I do not wish for you to be my son’s godmother,” Zemo quickly said, feeling slightly embarrassed about almost interrupting Mother God with his retort. “You have held us back from this very child for years, you have not allowed us to become the parents we wished to become for ages while those unfit parents have plenty of children.”

Baron Zemo continued on his way, leaving Mother God to watch after him as he disappeared down the winding streets of Novi Grad in the darkness of the winter night. Next to cross Helmut’s path was a well dressed man with a glint in his eyes that spoke of mischief and deception. “Baron Zemo, let me be the godfather to your son. I will give him wealth, power, and all the joys of the world. That is what you are searching for, is it now?” Helmut asked once more, eyes carefully scanning over the figure of the man. “I apologize for needing to ask, but who are you?”

The man smiled, all teeth and intentions hidden behind thinly veiled lies. “I am the devil.”

Helmut answered almost too quickly once more. “Then I do not wish for you to be my son’s godfather. You deceive mankind and lead them to sin. You promise wealth and joy and power, but do not mention the cost that comes once a simple man makes a deal with your kind.”

Baron Zemo turns away from the figure, his back to the devil, as he continues on in his search for the one meant to be his child’s godfather.

The third person to come up to the baron was a rough looking man, clothes dirtied and stained with what seemed to be dried blood and mud. His are a mess and hands stained with dirt, but his eyes shining in a bright blue that rivaled the most precious of stones. “Take me as your child’s godfather.” the stranger spoke in a voice that was like a cold wind against one's face. “But, who are you, sir?” Zemo asked again, tired eyes watching the figure move closer to him. 

“I am death, who makes everyone equal.” For a moment Helmut was quietly considering the stranger – death – in front of him.

“You are the one. You treat them all the same once their time has come, you shall be my son’s godfather.”

Death smiled, a small private thing, and accepted with a silent nod. “I will make your child rich in joy and happiness. He will be loved by the people and will love them back equally, unconditionally. I will stay by his side, for with a friend like myself he need not fear the end.”

Death kept his word, appearing at the baptism of Carl Zemo in time and proper like he had promised. With him he also brought the small child’s gift – a coin of gold. With the golden token came also his other gift of love, joy and happiness, and Death did not lie. Even Mother God and the Devil attended the baptism, staying in the back but leaving their congratulations and praise for the choice of dogfather.

Carl grew into a small child, loved by all and loving them all back unconditionally no matter what. He kept the golden coin on a necklace, the string being lengthened as needed as the boy grew over the years of his childhood.

Never once did anyone say a single bad thing about the young noble, even animals weren’t wary of the small hands reaching out to promise love and care for the creatures.

It was in the year of young Carl’s seventh birthday that the entire country of Sokovia saw the beginning of its collapse and the promise of its end. Baron Zemo was quick to order his family, nowadays only consisting of his father, his wife, and his beautiful son, to leave the city and take shelter in their country house. He wanted to spare his father the pain of seeing another war this up close in his life, to spare his wife seeing the blood and pain that will befall their country that she helped build into what it was always meant to be, and spare his son from seeing the hate and sadness that follow war like a shadow.

The message arrived with Helmut, who had stayed in the city to oversee their strategies and fight alongside his people, on a dreary but quiet morning. It wasn’t a long message but even those did Baron Zemo not read fully. The first sentence made his blood run cold already: ‘Your countryside house was bombed by an astray enemy.’ It was like his world collapsed just like his country has been for the past weeks. Yet he continued to read. ‘The wreckage shows no sign of survivors.’ And that is all he needed to see before the piece of paper fell to the floor.

Helmut arrived at the wreckage of his once beautiful shelter from baronial duties, eyes filled with tears that refused to leave him, but also refused to shed just yet.

He did not hesitate, ignoring his fellow soldiers that had accompanied him on his journey that he hoped would lead to a rescue mission, but the silence of the small piece of land was deafening as they arrived and killed the engine of the car.

Zemo dropped to his knees in the middle of the rubble, tears finally falling as he clawed his way through the broken pieces of what was meant to be a safe place for his family. He dug through the stone and glass and wood that once resembled a comfortable house. It was like his life played back in his mind, showing him a cruel collection of memories with the only people he had left to love. Not only did he lose his country, failed his people and let them down, he also lost his father, his wife, and his son that was meant to be protected by death himself.

It wasn’t long for the deity of the end to appear by Helmut’s side – his hands cut up and bleeding from digging through the rubble of his lost home, eyes red but void of tears now. “You were meant to protect him. You promised me – him – joy and happiness and love until the end. How is this fair? How could you take him from me before fulfilling your promise to him? This is no end for him, this is no end for any of them!” The baron sat on his knees, dust and blood covered hands coming to his face to wipe at tears once more threatening to spill down his face as death simply stood there, looking down onto the man with a pity that felt like it cut across Helmut’s heart.

“But I have fulfilled it, Baron. His life was rich in joy, happiness and unconditional love. It is not I that decides when one's life ends, I am merely here to make the journey bearable for the souls that get lost – especially those lost too soon like the one of your son. His life-light has burned out, I am sorry, Baron.” 

[dragonstamed-writes]

Iced or Hot?

Sam rocks back and forth on her feet where she is crouched down, eyes pressed to her knees, clipboard held in one hand. She keeps telling herself she just needs to finish inventory and then she can go home. Sam doesn't blame George for being forced into retirement, but she wishes almost anyone else had been hired to replace him. The first thing Bauer did was mess up everyone's schedule. She never worked 10 days in a row with George.

She flips her head to the side when she sees the door open and relaxes when she sees it's just Jack. "Are you supposed to be back here? Didn't you get fired?"

"Daniel called and said Bill called out. I figured I'd come pick you up." He sits down cross-legged next to her and rubs her back.

"You sure you want to sit on that floor?"

"I'll burn these pants when we get home."

Sam snuffles out a watery laugh. She holds onto the clipboard when Jack tries to take it from her. "I got it."

"You sure? We can just make up numbers that seem right, it's not like Bauer would notice."

"Yeah, I got it. I don't want to fuck over tomorrow. Doing it badly now would just make more work for me in the future. Get out of here before you get into trouble."

"Okay." Jack leans down and presses a quick peck to her cheek. "I'll be waiting in the car. I'm parked at the gas station."

Sam takes a shuddering breath in. "Okay. Can you ask T to take my bike home for me?"

Jack smiles at her. "Already did. Keys are in your jacket?"

Sam nods. Jack gives her a hug before he heads out. She counts to ten before standing up again, feet throbbing as she puts her full weight on them once again. She's been in here long enough to get properly cold, something she normally tries to avoid. She wipes the tears from her eyes and gets back to counting. When she's done, she leaves the completed sheet in Bauer's office. She asks Walter if he needs any help finishing close, but he waives her off and tells her to go home. She thanks him and clocks out.

She pulls off her apron and stuffs it into her bag before pulling on her jacket and making her way outside. It's cold and dark out and she can see the heavy breath she takes to fortify herself for the walk across the street. At least she doesn't need to get herself home.

The walk sign clicks on and she shoves herself off the pole of the traffic light to trudge over to Jack's waiting car. It's warm when she slides in, warmer than Jack normally keeps it. He hands her a cup off coffee and a slice of pizza. They're as bad as she knows they're going to be, but after the day she's had, they could be ambrosia from the gods.

for @au-roulette

on ao3

[au-roulette]

Would I be allowed to write the three AU’s as a trilogy from different characters point of view?

Absolutely, that sounds very neat!

[thatforgottenbasilisk]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Magnus Archives (Podcast) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Jonathan “Jon” Sims | The Archivist Additional Tags: The Magnus Archives Season 3, POV Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Ambiguous/Open Ending, Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Mentioned Sasha James, Dead Sasha James, Past Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon-Typical Gore Summary:

The Magnus Institute, of all places, is a likely enough candidate for a haunting. There have been plenty of mysterious deaths in the facility, due to various causes, with various people who may-or-may-not be open to sticking around forever on account of some unfinished business. Besides, the creepy atmosphere of some parts of it feels like it’s begging for a ghost to haunt it.

For those in the know, it’s creepy for other reasons. The deaths were for other reasons. Ghosts have nothing to do with it, and furthermore, they would not choose the Institute, of all places, to haunt.

That’s not even touching on the fact that ghosts aren’t real.

For the AU Roulette, my chosen AU prompt was: Ghost/Haunting

[au-roulette]

You're very quick at answering questions! Thank you!

I do try my best! Yesterday was a bit difficult, as I also try to get to emails fairly quickly, but again, I appreciate everyone's patience so much and am very excited that the event can now get properly underway -- I love seeing what people create for AU Roulette, and I love how excited people get about their prompts.

[au-roulette]

If we thiiiiiink we qualify for a reroll but aren't a hundred percent sure because canon can be interpreted a certain way, where do we get in contact?

Send a message! Either here on tumblr or via the AU Roulette email is fine.

[au-roulette]

I'm asking more for a friend than for me, but would Androids/Cyborgs fit with the mecha theme (more I Robot or BSG than Pacific Rim or Titanfall).

I think that's a reasonably acceptable direction to take the prompt, especially considering "Cyberpunk AU," which would probably be the closest fit for an android story, is not on the list this year.

[au-roulette]

i'm sure i'm overthinking this, but would something that looks like an AU at first, but then is revealed to be in the far future of the canon at the end instead fit? or is that too far off the spirit of the challenge?

That's perfectly fine! Getting creative is encouraged, and there are lots of directions to take some of the prompts.

[au-roulette]

What happens if I really want to write three but an original roll was too close to canon and I have no knowledge of the replacement (and don't feel like I'd be able to do the prompt justice as a result). Can I trade it out 'unofficially'?

If you feel that your re-roll still doesn't work, it's alright to reach out about it! Just send a message either here or via email.

[au-roulette]

Hey! I've managed to write a quick prologue for one of my prompts, but I doubt I'll get the whole story finished by the end of June - the idea I've had is turning into a HUGE multi-chapter epic adventure. Should I wait to the end of June to see how much I can get done, just in case I do finish the lot (honestly unlikely) or is it ok to just publish it as and when, knowing that it won't be completed during the challenge?

How exciting! You're welcome to post the pieces of the fic however you see fit -- as long as you get something up before the end of the challenge, it can be included in the Ao3 collection. Plenty of people get a chapter or two of a story up during the actual challenge, and then keep updating after it ends. Those works are still 100% eligible for inclusion in the collection and here on the blog.

[au-roulette]

Hi there! Thank you so so much for your dedication and enthusiasm with AU roulette this year! I read the recent ask response regarding the high-volume of emails the challenge requires and wanted to to ask if there’s a way that participants (or fans of your work) can show monetary support for the challenge (maybe through a kofi!) no pressure and not necessarily even something that warrants a response!

thank you again! the world is a better place with you in it!

This is so incredibly kind. Usually I would say it's my pleasure to run the event (even with yesterday's hiccups) and leave it at that, but I am actually in the middle of planning a cross-country move to another state to start a History PhD program this fall, which is a very expensive endeavor, so Ko-fi contributions would be genuinely very welcome.

My personal Ko-fi account can be found here.

[au-roulette]

Hi! In previous years, if I'm remembering correctly, there was an option to get another set of random prompts if we completed the challenge early and wanted to have another go. Is that going to be an option this year? (I realise this is quite early to be asking that, but I've been weirdly inspired and might actually have a fic good to go by the end of the week, so it's got me thinking)

Yes! Any author who completes the challenge by July 1st is welcome to message about receiving an additional set of prompts. People often do this if they're considering writing for a second fandom at some point during the month.

[au-roulette]

hello it's my first time participating and i was wondering; has there already been a link posted for the AO3 collection so i can add my works? if so, where because I can't seem to find it :/ thank you for hosting this event, i'm very excited to share my ideas for the AU i picked

The link to the Ao3 collection was shared in the assignment email, but in all the chaos of getting everyone their prompts this year I had not actually shared it on the blog!

Ao3 works can be shared in the collection here, and a post about sharing this year's works will also be forthcoming.