OFFICIAL RULES

PART 1: U.S. TREASURE HUNT OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING A SWEEPSTAKES. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. Sponsor.

Maurice Africh, 125 S Lexington Ave, Suite 101A, PMB 159, Asheville, NC 28801 ("Sponsor"). Questions: mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com. Certain physical prizes are fulfilled by Saga Press; Saga Press and Simon & Schuster, LLC are not the sponsor of this promotion.

2. What This Is.

These rules govern the U.S. promotion. Residents of the United Kingdom take part in the separate UK promotion under Part 2 of these rules. The Treasure Hunt (the "Hunt") has three parts:

(a) Rewards: digital rewards unlocked for everyone when the community reaches collective point milestones.

(b) Act Sweepstakes: a random drawing in each Act.

(c) The Treasure Contest: The Treasure, awarded to the three eligible participants with the highest individual point totals.

3. Eligibility.

Rewards are open to anyone 18 or older, worldwide, where permitted by law.

Act Sweepstakes and The Treasure Contest are open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 or older at the time of entry.

Sponsor's immediate family and household members, and employees of Simon & Schuster, are not eligible to win sweepstakes or The Treasure.

4. Timing.

The Hunt begins September 21, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Time and ends November 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET (the "Hunt Period").

Act One: September 21 to September 30, 2026
Act Two: October 1 to October 15, 2026
Act Three: October 16 to November 1, 2026

Each Act ends at 11:59 PM ET on its last day. Submissions must be received through the official forms before the Hunt Period ends to count. Sponsor's clock is the official clock.

5. How to Participate.

Register through the Join the Hunt form at SkyPiratesofImperia.com. One account per person. Earn points by completing the activities listed on the Hunt page and submitting proof through the Submit Points or Solve Riddle form. Point values and limits shown on the Hunt page on the date of your submission are part of these rules. Sponsor verifies submissions and its point tally is final. Sponsor may add new activities during the Hunt; any new activity will be available to all participants.

6. Purchases and the Free Alternative.

(a) Points. Each verified pre-order receipt earns 100 points. There is no limit on the number of receipts that earn points. Receipts must be for a traditionally published edition of Cello's Gate, purchased by the participant, one receipt per copy, and not cancelled or returned. Cancelled, refunded, or returned orders forfeit the points and entries they earned, whenever the cancellation occurs.

(b) Sweepstakes entries. Each verified receipt also earns one additional entry in the sweepstakes for the Act in which it is submitted, up to three (3) additional entries per person per Act. Receipts beyond the third in an Act still earn points but no further entries.

(c) Free alternative. To receive the same points and the same sweepstakes entry without a purchase, hand-print your name, email address, Hunt username, and the words "Sky Pirates Free Entry" on a 3x5 card or piece of paper and mail it in a stamped envelope to Maurice Africh, 125 S Lexington Ave, Suite 101A, PMB 159, Asheville, NC 28801. Each mailed request earns 100 points and, up to the same limit of three (3) per person per Act (receipts and mailed requests combined), one additional entry in the sweepstakes for the Act in which it is received. There is no limit on the number of mailed requests that earn points. One request per envelope; each must be individually hand-printed and mailed separately. Photocopied, mechanically reproduced, or bulk-mailed requests are void. Requests must be postmarked by October 28, 2026 and received by November 1, 2026.

7. Act Sweepstakes.

(a) Entries. During each Act, every verified form submission and every correctly solved riddle earns one entry into that Act's sweepstakes. Each verified receipt or free-alternative request under Section 6 earns one additional entry. Entries don't carry over between Acts.

(b) Drawing. Within 7 days after each Act ends, Sponsor will randomly draw winners from all eligible entries received during that Act. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

(c) Prizes.
Act One: five (5) winners each receive one Signed Deluxe Edition of Cello's Gate. Approximate retail value (ARV): $40 each.
Act Two: [ACT TWO PRIZE]. ARV: [ ].
Act Three: [ACT THREE PRIZE]. ARV: [ ].

Limit one sweepstakes prize per person per Act. Sweepstakes prizes ship to U.S. addresses only. Books ship on or after publication.

8. The Treasure Contest.

(a) After the Hunt Period ends, the three eligible participants with the highest verified individual point totals each win The Treasure: a Sky Pirates treasure box as shown on the Hunt page, including a Signed Deluxe Edition and a Signed Walmart Special Edition of Cello's Gate, a custom "Mark of the Crest" 3D-printed bookmark, a Stay Sturdy, Fren t-shirt, three custom foil bookmarks, art, map, and special-edition prints, a hoard of Sky Pirate stickers, three "Mark of the Crest" temporary tattoos, and an Advanced Listener Copy of the Cello's Gate audiobook. ARV: $250 (estimate) each.

(b) Ties. A tie is broken in favor of the participant with the most riddles solved correctly; then the participant who reached the tied point total first, by Sponsor's submission timestamps.

(c) Verification. Before The Treasure is awarded, Sponsor may require a potential winner to show that every receipt counted toward their total is for an order that was not cancelled, refunded, or returned. Points from any order that can't be verified are removed and rankings are recalculated.

(d) Participants outside the U.S. and the UK may appear on the leaderboard and earn Rewards but are not eligible for The Treasure. UK residents compete for the UK Treasure under Part 2.

9. Rewards.

Digital rewards unlock when all participants collectively reach the milestones shown on the Hunt page. Unlocked rewards are delivered digitally to registered participants. Rewards have no cash value. Reward availability may differ by country as shown on the Hunt page.

10. Social Media Activities.

If you earn points for posting, sharing, tagging, or commenting, your post must clearly disclose that you're participating in a promotion (for example, by including #sweepstakes). Posts must be public, must comply with the platform's terms, and must not be spam. Only tag people you actually know. Posts without the disclosure do not earn points.

11. Secret Loot Boxes.

Loot boxes count only when featured by a participating partner of the Hunt and matching the official loot box image shown on the Hunt page. Each loot box may be submitted once per person.

12. Winner Notification.

Winners are notified at the email address on their Hunt account. A potential winner who doesn't respond within 7 days, can't be verified, or is ineligible forfeits the prize; for sweepstakes, an alternate is drawn, and for The Treasure, the next-highest eligible participant wins. Treasure winners may be required to sign a declaration of eligibility and liability release, and to provide a completed IRS Form W-9 if the prize value is $600 or more.

13. Prize Conditions.

Prizes are non-transferable. No cash alternative or substitution except by Sponsor, which may substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Winners are responsible for all taxes. Total ARV of all prizes: $950 (estimate; excludes Act Two and Act Three prizes, TBD).

14. Fair Play.

One account per person. No bots, scripts, duplicate accounts, fabricated or altered receipts, purchased followers, or sharing of riddle answers in public channels. Sponsor may void points, remove participants from the leaderboard, or disqualify anyone it reasonably believes has cheated, harassed other participants, or violated these rules or the Trench Community Discord rules. Sponsor's decisions are final.

15. General Conditions.

Sponsor isn't responsible for lost, late, or incomplete submissions, platform outages, or technical failures. If the Hunt can't run as planned for reasons outside Sponsor's control, Sponsor may modify, suspend, or end it, award The Treasure based on verified points as of the end date, and draw sweepstakes winners from eligible entries received up to that point.

16. Publicity.

Except where prohibited, participating means Sponsor may display your username on the leaderboard, and accepting a prize means Sponsor may use your name or username, city and state, and likeness for promotional purposes without further compensation.

17. Release.

By participating, you release Sponsor, Maurice Africh, Simon & Schuster, LLC, Saga Press, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Discord, and each of their affiliates and representatives from any liability arising from your participation or the acceptance or use of any prize, to the fullest extent permitted by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with any of those platforms.

18. Privacy.

Sponsor is based in the United States and your information is processed and stored there. We use it only to run the Hunt, verify submissions, notify winners, and publish winners' details as described in Section 20. Receipts are deleted once verified. Other information is kept for 12 months after the Hunt ends, or longer for winners as needed for prize delivery and tax records. We share information only with Saga Press for prize fulfilment and with service providers who host our forms. You will not receive marketing email unless you separately opt in. To access, correct, or delete your information, or to object to its use, email mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com. Full details are in the Privacy Policy. Redact payment information before uploading receipts.

19. Governing Law and Disputes.

These rules are governed by the laws of North Carolina. Disputes will be resolved individually, not as a class action, in the state or federal courts located in North Carolina. Sponsor's liability is limited to the cost of participating, and in no event includes attorneys' fees or indirect, punitive, or consequential damages.

20. Winners List.

Sponsor will make winners' surnames and state or county available on request. Email mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com with subject line "Treasure Hunt Winners" within 60 days after November 1, 2026. Winners who object to this disclosure may tell Sponsor when notified, except where a regulator requires the information. Prizes will be dispatched within 30 days of winner confirmation.

PART 2: UK TREASURE HUNT OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. FREE ENTRY IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. OPEN TO UK RESIDENTS AGED 18 OR OVER.

1. Promoter.

Maurice Africh, 125 S Lexington Ave, Suite 101A, PMB 159, Asheville, NC 28801 (the "Promoter"). Questions: mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com. Certain physical prizes are fulfilled by Hodderscape (Hodder & Stoughton), which is not the Promoter.

2. What This Is.

These rules govern the UK promotion. Residents of the United States take part in the separate U.S. promotion under Part 1. The UK Hunt has three parts:

(a) Rewards: digital rewards unlocked for everyone when the community reaches collective point milestones.

(b) UK Act Prize Draws: a random draw in each Act.

(c) The UK Treasure: awarded to the three eligible UK participants with the highest individual point totals.

3. Eligibility.

Open to residents of the United Kingdom aged 18 or over at the time of entry, except employees and immediate family of the Promoter, Hodderscape (Hodder & Stoughton), and anyone professionally connected with the promotion. Points earned by UK participants count toward the UK Treasure and the shared community Rewards, not the U.S. Treasure or U.S. sweepstakes.

4. Timing.

The Hunt opens at 05:00 BST on 21 September 2026 and closes at 03:59 GMT on 2 November 2026 (11:59 PM Eastern Time on 1 November 2026). Acts run as follows, each ending at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on its last day:

Act One: 21 to 30 September 2026
Act Two: 1 to 15 October 2026
Act Three: 16 October to 1 November 2026

Submissions must be received through the official forms before the closing time. The Promoter's clock is the official clock.

5. How to Participate.

Register through the Join the Hunt form at SkyPiratesofImperia.com and select United Kingdom as your country of residence. One account per person. Earn points by completing the activities listed on the Hunt page and submitting proof through the Submit Points or Solve Riddle form. Point values shown on the Hunt page on the date of your submission form part of these rules. The Promoter verifies submissions and its point tally is final. Any activity added during the Hunt will be available to all participants.

6. Purchases and Free Entry.

(a) Points. Each verified pre-order receipt earns 100 points. There is no limit on the number of receipts that earn points. Receipts must be for a traditionally published edition of Cello's Gate, purchased by the participant at the retailer's normal price, one receipt per copy, and not cancelled or returned. Cancelled, refunded, or returned orders forfeit the points and entries they earned.

(b) Prize draw entries. Each verified receipt also earns one additional entry in the prize draw for the Act in which it is submitted, up to three (3) additional entries per person per Act.

(c) Free entry. You do not need to buy anything to take part or to win. To receive the same 100 points and the same prize draw entry without a purchase, select "Free Entry" on the Submit Points form and enter your name, email address, and Hunt username. Free entries are treated identically to receipt entries, up to the same limits. There is no limit on the number of free entries that earn points. Free entry closes at the same time as the Hunt.

7. UK Act Prize Draws.

(a) Entries. During each Act, every verified form submission and every correctly solved riddle earns one entry into that Act's UK prize draw. Each verified receipt or free entry under Section 6 earns one additional entry. Entries do not carry over between Acts.

(b) Draw. Within 7 days after each Act ends, winners will be selected at random from all eligible UK entries received during that Act, either by a verifiably random computer process or under the supervision of an independent person. A record of each draw is kept.

(c) Prizes.
Act One: five (5) winners each receive one Signed Deluxe Edition of Cello's Gate. Value: £30 (estimate) each.
Act Two: [UK ACT TWO PRIZE]. Value: £[ ].
Act Three: [UK ACT THREE PRIZE]. Value: £[ ].

One prize per person per Act. Prizes are posted to UK addresses only. Books are dispatched on or after publication.

8. The UK Treasure.

(a) After the Hunt closes, the three eligible UK participants with the highest verified individual point totals each win the UK Treasure: a Sky Pirates treasure box as shown on the Hunt page, including a Signed Deluxe Edition and a Signed Walmart Special Edition of Cello's Gate, a custom "Mark of the Crest" 3D-printed bookmark, a Stay Sturdy, Fren t-shirt, three custom foil bookmarks, art, map, and special-edition prints, a hoard of Sky Pirate stickers, three "Mark of the Crest" temporary tattoos, and an Advanced Listener Copy of the Cello's Gate audiobook. Value: £190 (estimate) each.

(b) Ties. A tie is broken in favour of the participant with the most riddles solved correctly; then the participant who reached the tied total first, by the Promoter's submission timestamps.

(c) Verification. Before the UK Treasure is awarded, the Promoter may ask a potential winner to confirm that every receipt counted toward their total is for an order that was not cancelled, refunded, or returned. Points from any order that cannot be verified are removed and rankings are recalculated.

9. Rewards.

Digital rewards unlock when all participants, in every country, collectively reach the milestones shown on the Hunt page. Unlocked rewards are delivered digitally to registered participants. Rewards have no cash value.

10. Social Media Activities.

If you earn points for posting, sharing, tagging, or commenting, your post must make clear that it is part of a promotion (for example, by including #SkyPiratesHunt #competition). Posts must be public, must comply with the platform's terms, and must not be spam. Only tag people you actually know. Posts without the disclosure do not earn points.

11. Secret Loot Boxes.

Loot boxes count only when featured by a participating partner of the Hunt and matching the official loot box image shown on the Hunt page. Each loot box may be submitted once per person.

12. Winner Notification and Delivery.

Winners are notified by email to the address on their Hunt account within 7 days of the draw or of the Hunt closing. A potential winner who does not respond within 14 days, cannot be verified, or is ineligible forfeits the prize; for prize draws, an alternate is drawn, and for the UK Treasure, the next-highest eligible participant wins. Prizes are dispatched within 30 days of winner confirmation.

13. Prize Conditions.

Prizes are as described and non-transferable. There is no cash alternative. If a prize becomes unavailable for reasons outside the Promoter's control, a prize of equal or greater value will be substituted. Total value of all UK prizes: £720 (estimate; excludes Act Two and Act Three prizes, TBD).

14. Fair Play.

One account per person. No bots, scripts, duplicate accounts, fabricated or altered receipts, purchased followers, or sharing of riddle answers in public channels. The Promoter may void points, remove participants from the leaderboard, or disqualify anyone it reasonably believes has cheated, harassed other participants, or breached these rules or the Trench Community Discord rules. The Promoter's decisions on all matters relating to the promotion are final.

15. General Conditions.

The Promoter is not responsible for lost, late, or incomplete submissions, platform outages, or technical failures outside its reasonable control. The Promoter reserves the right to amend or withdraw the promotion only where circumstances outside its control make this unavoidable, and will act fairly to avoid disappointing participants if it does; the UK Treasure would then be awarded on verified points as of the closing date and draws made from eligible entries received to that point.

16. Publicity.

By taking part, you agree that your username may be shown on the leaderboard. Winners agree to take part in reasonable publicity relating to the promotion, and to the use of their first name, county, and likeness for that purpose, without further payment. A winner may decline publicity beyond the winners list in Section 20.

17. Release.

The Promoter, Maurice Africh, Hodderscape (Hodder & Stoughton), Simon & Schuster, LLC, and their affiliates are not liable for any loss or damage arising from participation in the promotion or use of a prize, except where caused by their negligence or fraud, or where liability cannot be excluded by law. This promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Discord, Amazon, Goodreads, or any retailer.

18. Privacy.

The Promoter is the data controller. Your information is used only to run the Hunt, verify submissions, notify winners, deliver prizes, and publish winners' details as described in Section 20, on the basis that this is necessary to carry out the promotion you have entered. The Promoter is based in the United States and your information is processed and stored there; this transfer is necessary to run the promotion you have entered. Receipts are deleted once verified. Other information is kept for 12 months after the Hunt closes, or longer for winners as needed for prize delivery and records. Information is shared only with Hodderscape (Hodder & Stoughton) for prize fulfilment and with service providers who host our forms. You will not receive marketing email unless you separately opt in. You may ask to access, correct, or delete your information, or object to its use, by emailing mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com, and you may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). Full details are in the Privacy Policy.

19. Governing Law.

These rules and the UK promotion are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction, without affecting your right to bring proceedings in the courts of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live there.

20. Winners List.

The surname and county of each winner will be available on request. Email mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com with the subject line "UK Hunt Winners" within 3 months after 1 November 2026. Winners who object to this may tell the Promoter when notified; the Promoter must still provide the information to the Advertising Standards Authority if asked.

PART 3: SKY PIRATE FAN FICTION CONTEST & FAN ART CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. Sponsor.

Maurice Africh, 125 S Lexington Ave, Suite 101A, PMB 159, Asheville, NC 28801 ("Sponsor"). Questions: mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com.

2. Eligibility.

Open to individuals worldwide who are 18 or older at the time of entry, except residents of Italy, Brazil, the Province of Quebec, and any country or region where U.S. sanctions prevent prize delivery (currently Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Belarus, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions). Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Sponsor's immediate family and household members, and anyone involved in judging, are not eligible. Entrants are responsible for confirming that participation is legal where they live.

3. Contest Period.

Begins September 21, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Time and ends November 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsor's clock is the official clock.

4. How to Enter.

Submit your entry through the Submit Fan Fiction or Submit Fan Art form at SkyPiratesofImperia.com during the Contest Period. Limit one entry per person per contest. You may enter both contests.

5. Entry Requirements.

Fan Fiction: 500 to 3,000 words, in English, set in the world of The Sky Pirates of Imperia. Any subgenre.

Fan Art: Any visual medium (drawing, painting, digital, sculpture, model, craft), inspired by the world of The Sky Pirates of Imperia. Must show a good-faith effort; stick figures and joke entries will be disqualified.

All entries must: be your own original work; be created by a human without generative AI tools; not have won a prize elsewhere; not infringe anyone's copyright, trademark, privacy, or publicity rights (other than the Imperia elements you're permitted to use here); not include real people without their permission; and not contain content that is sexually explicit, hateful, harassing, or otherwise unsuitable for publication on the Sponsor's website, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

6. Judging.

After the Contest Period, a panel of judges selected by Sponsor, including at least one judge who is independent of Sponsor, will score all eligible entries on:

Creativity and originality: 40%
Craft (quality of writing, or artistic execution): 40%
Fit with the world and spirit of The Sky Pirates of Imperia: 20%

The five highest-scoring entries in each contest win. Ties are broken by the highest Creativity score, then by the Sponsor's decision. Judges' decisions are final. If fewer than five eligible entries are received in a contest, Sponsor may award fewer prizes.

7. Prizes (per contest).

First Place (1): $100 USD (or local equivalent), paid by PayPal or another method agreed with the winner.

Second through Fifth Place (4): one $25 USD (or local equivalent) gift card to a bookstore of the winner's choosing, subject to availability and Sponsor's approval.

Total value of all prizes per contest: $200 USD. Prizes will be dispatched within 30 days of winner confirmation. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitutions are allowed except by Sponsor. Winners are responsible for any taxes. Where a winner's location makes a prize impractical to deliver, Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater value.

Each eligible entry also earns Treasure Hunt points as described on the Treasure Hunt page; those points are governed by the Treasure Hunt Official Rules.

8. Winner Notification.

Winners will be contacted at the email address on their entry form on or about November 30, 2026. A winner who doesn't respond within 7 days, or who is found ineligible, forfeits the prize and the next-highest-scoring entry wins.

9. Your Rights and Ours.

(a) The world belongs to Maurice. The Sky Pirates of Imperia, Cello's Gate, and all related characters, settings, names, and story elements are owned by Maurice Africh. Sponsor gives you permission to use them only to create and submit your entry and to share that entry non-commercially with credit to the source. You may not sell your entry or otherwise use it commercially.

(b) Your entry stays yours, subject to (a). You keep whatever rights you hold in your original contribution.

(c) License to Sponsor. By entering, you grant Sponsor and Maurice Africh a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to reproduce, publish, display, and share your entry (in whole or in part) on Sponsor's websites, newsletter, Discord, and social media, and in promotion of the contests and the books, with credit to you under the name you provide. Sponsor is not obligated to publish any entry.

(d) Similar ideas. Maurice Africh is actively writing in this world. You acknowledge that he has created, and will continue to create, characters, plots, and ideas that may resemble elements of your entry, and that any such similarity is coincidental. You agree that you are not entitled to compensation or credit for, and will make no claim based on, any similarity between your entry and any past, present, or future work by Maurice Africh or his publishers.

10. Publicity.

Except where prohibited, accepting a prize is permission for Sponsor to use your name (or chosen pen name/handle), city/state/country, and entry for promotional purposes without additional compensation.

11. General Conditions.

Sponsor may disqualify anyone who tampers with the entry process, violates these rules, or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive way. If the contest can't run as planned for any reason outside Sponsor's control, Sponsor may cancel, modify, or suspend it and judge the eligible entries received up to that point. Sponsor isn't responsible for lost, late, incomplete, or misdirected entries or for technical failures of any kind.

12. Release.

By entering, you release Sponsor, Maurice Africh, Simon & Schuster, LLC, Saga Press, Discord, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and each of their affiliates and representatives from any liability arising from your participation or from the acceptance or use of a prize, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

13. Privacy.

Sponsor is based in the United States and your information is processed and stored there. We use it only to run the contests, judge entries, notify winners, publish winning entries with credit, and publish winners' details as described in Section 15. Information is kept for 12 months after winners are announced, or longer for winners and published entries. You will not receive marketing email unless you separately opt in. To access, correct, or delete your information, or to object to its use, email mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com. Full details are in the Privacy Policy.

14. Governing Law.

These rules are governed by the laws of North Carolina, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Disputes will be resolved individually, not as a class action, in the state or federal courts located in North Carolina. Nothing in these rules removes any rights you have as a consumer under the law of the country where you live.

15. Winners List.

Sponsor will make winners' surnames and state or county available on request. Email mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com with subject line "Fan Contest Winners" within 60 days after November 30, 2026. Winners who object to this disclosure may tell Sponsor when notified, except where a regulator requires the information.