Hoist the colours, proud story-tellers!

Welcome to our voyage of the phenomenal, brave and bizarre creatures of the Bananafish Realms! @Brisby here, filling in for @F3nix (who looks quite festive bound with metallic tinsel and mistletoe). This edition gifted us with a treasure trove of action and potassium references thanks to @Theironfelix's prompt. Now, we know everyone is eagerly awaiting the results but first, let me pour a few fingers of this spiced rum and let's check out The News.

What's boiling in the bananafish kitchen (the news!)

• Thank you to the fantastic @Crowdmind community for the support they've given to the Bananfish Tribe! Their mission to empower crowdsourcing initiatives is of tremendous benefit to the Steemit community. Check out their blog and consider as well a vote for their witness, @Crowdwitness. Let's raise a pint of our best to @Hidden84 and the Crowdmind Community for their sustain! Cheers to you!

• The contest will be on hiatus through January 2nd, 2019. Let's all enjoy this time to recharge our potassium levels and possibly sip something strong in front of a crackling fire. Our sorceress of the pen, @Calluna, will be assuming the helm for Edition #41 with a prompt written by @Tristancarax. Thanks, Cal and Tristan!

• We may have found just the drink to celebrate those who post their endings first (draw first blood) - Banana Grog! As @F3nix puts it, this "will be the drink of our wild nights!" Who will be brave enough to give this recipe a try?

• Don't forget to join the Realms, where you can promote yourself and meet all of us strange creatures!

• Curie factoid: we have been supported by the amazing Curie community with 44 upvotes in 40 editions.The rate is increasing lately..we have now more than an average of 1 curie upvote per edition!.
  @Brisby leads the pack, closely followed by @Cyemela, @Marcoriccardi, @Calluna and @Tristancarax.

Did you vote for @curie as a witness? If not, what are you waiting for!? I know that voting for witnesses often takes a backseat but don't forget that they're the backbone of Steemit. Our votes have the power of shaping the platform. Let's all vote for @curie, a witness that enriches Steemit by rewarding quality.

• Last but not least: the prophet and knights started working on a unique project. A treasure hunt where you will be able to choose your destiny through a labyrinth of stories and death-life choices... in the end, a rich reward of 20+ STEEM will wait for one lucky participant like a pot of gold under a double rainbow! Don't miss our next updates!

..And the winners of this potassium enriched edition are:

• GRAND PRIZE - 5 STEEM: @Dirge
  Also the winner of the favorite vote, Dirge's story took us on a wild ride. The potassium filled deity was transformed through his pen from smiling and benevolent to fearsome. There's action, a nightmare planet, hilariously deranged descriptions and the Potassium Liberation Front. It's better experienced than explained. Take a couple of minutes and treat yourself to Dirge's delightfully deranged tale. Long live the Bananafish!

• SECOND PRIZE - 2 SBI: @Agmoore
  This entry switched the perspective from the script to the lower castes struggling on the Bananafish Planet. The second favorite in our popular vote, this story flows smoothly, giving us both a poignant social critique and unexpected laughs. I truly want to write more but her set up and the arrival of the soldiers is too good to give away. Follow the link and see if you can keep from cheering when reading her ending.

• THIRD PRIZE - 2 SBI: @F3nix
  His first foray as a participant ends with a 'roar'! Our Bananafish prophet gives us an origin to the name of the hunted yellow deity and poetically paints the scope of its immense power. The references from previous Finish The Story editions are not only a wink to the contest but proof to how the cosmic storyteller is connected to countless through the expanse of time and reality. Treat yourself to F3nix's awesome (in all senses of the word) piece! Let's just say that the hunters didn't stand a chance of victory.

• BEST COMMENT - 1 SBI: @Theironfelix for not only commenting and re-steeming the marvelous stories of everyone in this round but for showering a struggling fellow with support and encouragement. Thanks to Felix, the writer chose to join in the fun and submit an entry. Any initiative is only as good as those who are involved. This community is committed to sustaining each other through thick and thin and Felix exemplifies this two hundred percent!
  
  
  

  
  
  
  Sustain the @bananafish project through your delegations! We're a selfless inclusive and decentralized community, we put our heart in what we do and a lot of passion and everyone will be abundantly rewarded for their generosity as the @bananafish will keep growing. Here you may find a guide by @marcoriccardi on how to sustain this project.

A special thank to @gwilberiol, @dirge, @theironfelix, @raj808, @brisby, @maverickinvictus, @cyemela, @marcoriccardi, @calluna, @oivas, @anixio, @ntowl for their precious delegations, making this project a reality!
If you like this contest..SPREAD THE GOSPEL! We're grateful for your resteeming and word of mouth. Everything helps to grow together!

SEE YOU ON JANUARY 3rd FOR EDITION #41, BRAVE WRITERS OF THE REALM!