[@ArenaSnow][@mdk] when it comes to a collab contest...I've done this yearly on another site.  Sort of.  I mean, who "wins" (and really, the prizes were such that even the last place team TOTALLY won!) was determined partly by rp ability but mostly by covering necessary elements, aand then also by points earned from a large number of puzzle and dollmaker challenges.  I adore the game, and have been in it three times now.  It's been around for four iterations.  Another solo one with puzzles in an rp framework happened twice and was also fun.  It's a good idea, but as mdk said, hard to schedule.  Wayward Squirrel (the event) was stressful.  VERY stressful.  And teams often didn't complete all chapters, or dropped out in the middle.  BUT I STILL LOVE IT AND THE IDEA IN GENERAL.

For themes: teamwork!  possible awards might be it takes everyone (failure/success hinging on /everyone/ contributing), and enemy mine (gotta work with an enemy).  maybe even the latter leading to friendship.