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Hello and Welcome!

Have you ever wanted to see a Heartrender! Kaz fight a Sun Summoner! Kaz? See a Dark AU Kaz have a crisis fighting a Happy AU version of himself? See two Modern AU Kazes beat each other up between required courses for their business degrees? 

You have come to the right place! 

Held on the account @into-the-brekkerverse on Tumblr, Into the Brekkerverse is the Tumblr bracket competition where we shall pit various alternate-universe Kazes against each other!

Now, you may have noticed this is not Tumblr. Unfortunately, my forays into trying to get nominations on the platform for the past month have largely failed. So, I have gone straight to the source, my beloved Ao3.  And so I ask: 

Do you have any favourite Alternate Universe Kazes to nominate? 

Adaptation to Ao3

You may wonder why you ought to nominate a Kaz when you won’t be able to participate in the polls (those of you who have no Tumblr accounts) and this is an unfortunate loss. However, if there is enough response from people on Ao3 I will be posting updates of the brackets and the wins and losses once the competition begins. 

Guidelines and Rules

Guidelines 

1. This is a competition for alternate universe versions of Kaz from fanfictions. 
2. A variety of Kazes are welcome! The more the merrier! 
3. Be kind! Do not put down fics or authors. 
4. How you interpret the competition is up to you! You might choose based on which is your favourite. You may choose based on which could beat the other up in a fight. 
5. If you’re having any issues, write a comment! I’ll get back to you :)
6. If an author wants to give their permission to use their Kazes, tell me in a comment and I'll let others know!
7. Have fun! Be silly! Feel free to cheer and campaign in the comments. 

Nomination Rules

1. The nature of the alternate universe is that it must be a significant divergence from the canon, one that will have changed Kaz’s character. 
2. Can submit multiple Kazes. 
3. Do not submit the same Kaz multiple times. 
4. Try to answer all of the questions to the best of your ability! They will help a lot when creating the brackets. 
5. Do not nominate Show! Kaz. I might have him face the champion at the end

Nomination Form Notes

1. One of the nomination questions will prompt you to get permission from the author of the alternate universe Kaz’s fic (preferably through Tumblr or AO3 so that I can check). This is in the spirit of giving the author their due respect when it comes to their character. If you can’t get permission, answer “no” and I will overcome my anxiety and ask for you :)
2. I understand that some authors are unavailable, and we will cross that bridge when we get there, but I would feel far more comfortable if we get the permission of relevant authors. 
3. The question asking for a general category is to help me make the brackets. 
4. Another question will prompt you to list some distinguishing characteristics of your Kaz. This is to better help those who haven’t read the fic to vote.

Nomination Form 

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1. A Night at the Crow by Bunnytrix
2. A Shift in the Air by Just_Another_Bookworm
3. Adagio by Whitherward
4. Band-aids on our Bullet Wounds by Patrocool (all_the_homo)
5. Big Reputations by downn_in_flames
6. Condemn it to its Future by dimtraces
7. Hand on Gun, Knife to Your Throat by Celestial_Mess1
8. Helping Hand by boybi_i
9. It's a Feeling of Distance by FullyRealized (WitchHobi)
10. Kaz Morningstar by MysticPirate
11. Liberosis by foxykyuu15
12. Nothing's Changed At All by whynotcherries
13. One for Sorrow by endoftheword
14. Out of the Brambles by thegoldenkneazle
15. Plan F by bbeautifulboy
16. Stains That Don't Wash Out by SeeMaree
17. Sugar We're Going Down Swinging by animmortalist
18. Sweet Summer, Sweeter Company by Serene_Alien (Serene_Victory_77)
19. The Bastard Saint of the Barrel by Spikey44
20. The Crow King by boybi_i
21. The Etovost Plague by Spikey44
22. We All Fall by Just_Another_Bookworm
23. With Bloody Feet Across the Hallowed Ground by madnessiseverything

Note: Since the creation of this list (posted originally on tumblr) our 24th Kaz dropped out. In light of this event, we are doing as is done in sports and continuing without him, advancing his would-be competitor to the second round.

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Revised Guidelines

Into The Brekkerverse is a competition that is, at its core, about celebrating the creativity of this fandom! For engaging in fan creations and appreciating how unique two versions of the same character, even using the same basic premise, can be.

Etiquette

Be kind! Do not put down fics or authors.
The polls are not indicative of superiority, quality, or objective truth. It’s individual people making personal choices.
All fics involved are incredible pieces of art made by passionate and imaginative individuals!
Have fun! Be silly!

Voting

Who Would Win in a Fight Or Personal Preference

Voting based on who would win in a fight is preferable when the fight is balanced.

The above is more likely to be the case in the earlier rounds. However, as the Alternate Universes interact more with different Alternate Universes, actual fights are likely to become unbalanced.

In this case, voting based on preference (Which interpretation you enjoy/are drawn to personally for its unique take) is preferable to give each participant a decent chance.

Propaganda

Do

Explain why you think a Kaz would win in a fight
Explain why you like a certain interpretation of an AU Kaz

Don’t

Put down participants, fics, or authors
Equate the Kaz with the fic
Present your opinion as objective

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Round One Matchups

• Bastard Saint of the Barrel VS We All Fall
• With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds VS Hand to Your Gun, Knife to Your Throat
• Band-Aids on Our Bullet Wounds VS Out of the Brambles
• Big Reputations VS Nothing’s Changed At All
• Sweet Summer, Sweeter Company VS It's a Feeling of Distance
• The Crow King VS Helping Hand
• Plan F VS A Shift in the Air
• One for Sorrow VS Liberosis
• The Etovost Plague VS Condemn it to its Future
• Sugar We're Going Down Swinging VS A Night at the Crow
• Adagio VS Stains that Don't Wash Out

How Matchups are Decided

Matchups are determined by two primary factors, and one secondary factor. 

Primary Factors

• Alternate Universe
  • The determining of matchups based on Alternate Universes is to avoid unbalanced matchups based on who would win in a fight. 
• Perceive Popularity 
  • The determining of matchups based on Perceived Popularity is to avoid unbalanced matchups based on preference or whom people are most familiar with. 

A Note on Matches and Perceived Popularity: 

• I use the word “perceived” because I am just one person and will be making these matchups based on how popular I see a fic as. 
• While the goal of this competition is mostly to see who would win a fight, votes based on preference or familiarity are inevitable, especially so as the competition progresses. 

Secondary Factors

• Theme
  • For fun! 

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Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400972066521088/bastard-saint-of-the-barrel?source=share

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Grisha Healer 
• Can sense the emotions of others 

• Ex-Grisha healer
• Powers cause death from plague
• Can’t control his powers
• Standard Kaz skill set

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400957194633216/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

• Over-awareness of The Barrel and everything in it
• Standard Kaz skill set

• Is a presumably immortal, or at least long-lived, god
• Changing form 
• Teleportation 
• Flight
• Portals

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400950069559296/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

• Standard Kaz skill set 
• Is actively dying 

• Potions 
• Protection charms 
• Travel magic 

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400964639457280/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

• Some amount of crime skills
• Business major

• Photography 
• Crime is alluded to? 
• Law student 

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400897667022848/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

The Crow King

Author: boybi_i

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32856316/chapters/81533083   

AU: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Born in the late 1600s, this Kaz made a deal with a talking crow to never die. Unbeknownst to him, this deal came with a drawback: no one will ever remember him, including his gang. Now in the 2020s, Kaz has resigned himself to his fate, until he meets Inej Ghafa, the one person who does not forget him. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Standard Kaz Skill set
• Violin 

Helping Hand

Author: boybi_i

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34388683/chapters/85577206  

AU: Modern

This Kaz runs the Crow & Cup, a coffee shop. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Some degree of crime? 
• Management 

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400940599820288/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

Plan F

Author: bbeautifulboy

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35067970/chapters/87350293  

AU: Canon Divergence

In a universe where the Auction plan goes awry, the Crows have to flee to Lij, and this is the Kaz who lived through this. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Standard Kaz skill set

A Shift in the Air

Author: Just_Another_Bookworm 

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30621164/chapters/75543182  

AU: Canon Divergence

A Kaz who went deaf from the Queen's Lady Plague.

Skills and Stats:  

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Lip-reading

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400933851283456/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

One For Sorrow

Author: endoftheword

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35389987/chapters/88211452  

AU: Hunger Games Alternate Universe

Hailing from District Six, this Kaz is the victor of the 71st Annual Hunger Games. As a member of the Dregs--and the burgeoning resistance against the Capitol--he puts his skills as both smuggler and spy to good use.

Skills and Stats: 

• Standard Kaz Skillset 
• Smuggling Goods (and People) on the Trains in and out of District Six
• Mentoring Tributes in the Games
• Information Broker for the Resistance

(Thanks to @oneofthosewednesdays for writing this description!)

Liberosis

Author: foxykyuu15

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35450362/chapters/88365442  

AU: Grisha

This Kaz is a renowned assassin in the Barrel, hiding in the shadows and allying himself with no gangs. He is rarely seen, and when he is, it is wearing a dark coat and a sharp-beaked plague mask. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Renowned assassin and thief
• Standard Kaz skill set
• Unknown Grisha type
• Empath 

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400925363060737/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

Condemn it to its Future

Author: dimtraces

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35810200  

AU: Undead, Grisha

This Kaz believes himself to be a revenant, a vengeful creature in the form of his sodden nine-year old corpse, who will only be at peace once the object of his revenge is dead. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Doesn’t feel pain
• Very angry feral child
• Doesn’t heal 
• Grisha Healer (doesn’t know it) 

The Etovost Plague

Author: Spikey44

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40484190/chapters/101423016  

AU: Tidemaker

When a Jurda Parem strain that turns anyone into a Grisha sweeps through the Barrel, targeting Barrel Bosses, Kaz Brekker falls victim to it. Becoming a Tidemaker does not seem to be the only consequence of this event, however, as his sanity seems to be dwindling as time goes on. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Powers of a tidemaker on Parem
• Extra acting and manipulation skills 
• Either fifteen steps ahead or very very confused

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400917603581952/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

Sugar We’re Going Down Swinging

Author: annimortalist

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30822134/chapters/76088162  

AU: Band

Five years after the popular band Crows broke up, Kaz Brekker spends his days writing songs for other musicians and drinking.

Skills and Stats:  

• Singing
• Song writing

A Night at the Crow

Author: Bunnytrix

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32485351/chapters/80563930  

AU: Modern

This Kaz operates a bar known as The Crow

Skills and Stats:  

• Management of The Crow
• He attack

Voting Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/718400909453017088/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

Adagio

Author: Whitherward

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32216233/chapters/79835551  

AU: Modern

This is a Kaz who has long since achieved his revenge and taken over the Barrel as a mob boss. 

Skills and Stats:  

•  Standard Kaz skill set

Stains that Don’t Wash Out

Author: SeeMaree

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33083455/chapters/82126648  

AU: Modern

This Kaz is a forensic accountant hired by Wylan Van Eck to investigate his father’s finances. 

Skills and Stats:  

• Accounting 
• Hacking 

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👑Kaz from Bastard Saint of the Barrel

Bastard Saint of the Barrel! Kaz: 69%

We All Fall! Kaz: 31%

👑Kaz from Big Reputations

Big Reputations! Kaz: 76.6%

Nothing's Changed At All! Kaz: 23.4%

👑Kaz from With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds

With Bloodied Feet Across Hallowed Grounds! Kaz: 54.8%

Hand on Gun, Knife to your Throat! Kaz: 45.2%

👑Kaz from Out of the Brambles

Band-Aids on our Bullet Wounds! Kaz: 38.1%

Out of the Brambles! Kaz: 61.9%

👑Kaz from One for Sorrow

One for Sorrow! Kaz: 57.1%

Liberosis! Kaz: 42.9%

👑Kaz from The Etovost Plague

Condemn it to its Future! Kaz: 31.6%

The Etovost Plague! Kaz: 68.4%

👑Kaz from A Night at the Crow

Sugar We're Going Down Swinging! Kaz: 10.5%

A Night at the Crow! Kaz: 89.5%

👑Kaz from Adagio

Adagio! Kaz: 78.9%

Stains That Don't Wash Out! Kaz: 21.1%

👑Kaz from The Crow King

The Crow King! Kaz: 68.4%

Helping Hands! Kaz: 31.6%

👑Kaz from It's a Feeling of Distance

Sweet Summer, Sweeter Company! Kaz: 25%

It's a Feeling of Distance! Kaz: 75%

👑A Shift in the Air! Kaz and Plan F! Kaz

A Shift in the Air! Kaz: 50%

Plan F! Kaz: 50%

Note: These two Kazes will continue as a team, as determined by a tumblr poll.

👑Kaz Morningstar

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• Kaz Morningstar VS Bastard Saint of the Barrel
• Big Reputations VS It's a Feeling of Distance
• With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds VS Out of the Brambles
• The Crow King VS A Shift in the Air & Plan F
• One For Sorrow VS The Etovost Plague
• A Night at the Crow VS Adagio

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Bastard Saint of the Barrel

Author: Spikey44

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34345318/chapters/85459732 

AU: Grisha

Kaz Rietveld becomes Kaz Lijizko after being discovered as a Grisha Healer by Pekka Rollins and subsequently indentured to his service. 

Skills and Stats 

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Grisha Healer 
• Can sense the emotions of others 

Kaz Morningstar

Author: MysticPirate 

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32696446/chapters/81115060 

AU: Sun Summoner

When a Grisha test reveals that Kaz Brekker is the Sun Summoner, he becomes indentured to the Darkling. 

Skills and Stats:

• Grisha Sun Summoner
• Standard Kaz skill set
• Lightsaber cane 

• Over awareness of The Barrel and everything in it
• Standard Kaz skill set

• Potions 
• Protection charms 
• Travel magic 

• Some amount of crime skills
• Business major

•  Pre-law student 

• Standard Kaz Skill set
• Violin 

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Lip reading

• Standard Kaz skill set

• Standard Kaz Skillset 
• Smuggling Goods (and People) on the Trains in and out of District Six
• Mentoring Tributes in the Games
• Information Broker for the Resistance

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Powers of a tidemaker on Parem
• Extra acting and manipulation skills 
• Either fifteen steps ahead or very very confused

•  Standard Kaz skill set

A Night at the Crow

Author: Bunnytrix

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32485351/chapters/80563930  

AU: Modern

This Kaz operates a bar known as The Crow

Skills and Stats:  

• Management of The Crow
• He attack

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👑 Kaz from Bastard Saint of the Barrel

Bastard Saint of the Barrel! Kaz: 62.5%
Kaz Morningstar! Kaz: 37.5%

👑 Kaz from Big Reputations

Big Reputations! Kaz: 70%
It's a Feeling of Distance! Kaz: 30%

👑 Kaz from One For Sorrow

One for Sorrow! Kaz: 58.1%
The Etovost Plague! Kaz: 41.9%

👑 Kaz from Plan F & Kaz from A Shift in the Air

The Crow King! Kaz: 48.4%
Plan F! Kaz & A Shift in the Air! Kaz: 51.6%

👑 Kaz from Adagio

Adagio! Kaz: 61.8%
A Night at the Crow! Kaz: 38.2%

👑 Kaz from With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds

With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds! Kaz: 62.2%
Out of the Brambles! Kaz: 37.8%

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• Bastard Saint of the Barrel VS With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds
• Big Reputations VS Adagio
• One For Sorrow VS A Shift in the Air & Plan F

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• Some amount of crime skills
• Business major

•  Standard Kaz skill set

• Standard Kaz Skillset 
• Smuggling Goods (and People) on the Trains in and out of District Six
• Mentoring Tributes in the Games
• Information Broker for the Resistance

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Lip reading

• Standard Kaz skill set

• Standard Kaz skill set
• Grisha Healer 
• Can sense the emotions of others 

• Over awareness of The Barrel and everything in it
• Standard Kaz skill set

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👑 Kaz from One For Sorrow

One for Sorrow! Kaz: 75.9%

Plan F! Kaz & A Shift in the Air! Kaz: 24.1%

👑 Kaz from Adagio

Big Reputations! Kaz: 37%

Adagio! Kaz: 63%

👑Kaz from With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds

Bastard Saint of the Barrel! Kaz: 48.3%

With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds! Kaz: 51.7%

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Link: https://www.tumblr.com/into-the-brekkerverse/721204096725549056/character-and-fic-info-below?source=share

• Standard Kaz Skillset 
• Smuggling Goods (and People) on the Trains in and out of District Six
• Mentoring Tributes in the Games
• Information Broker for the Resistance

•  Standard Kaz skill set

• Over awareness of The Barrel and everything in it
• Standard Kaz skill set

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Congratulations to our champion: One For Sorrow! Kaz

First Place

One For Sorrow! Kaz: 42.4%

Second Place

With Bloody Feet Across Hallowed Grounds! Kaz: 30.3%

Third Place

Adagio! Kaz: 27.3%

Closing Message

And that's it!

I started this project way back in March of this year, which is crazy, but simultaneously feels too short a time. It has been an unexpected amount of work ( 24 Kaz drawings...) and often very tiring. But I am so happy to have done it! It was quite the endeavour.

I would like to thank everyone so much! I very much could not have made any of this happen. Thanks to everyone who voted. Thank you,  especially  to all of the authors who gave their permission and who had such enthusiasm for the competition <3