Here's a new quest, prosers. The central idea is Creative and Fictious writing.
What do we do?
It is kind of like "Round Robin" but on a broader scale. One noder creates a character in one city (it doesn't have a name). The noder's character has a short story which has certain elements and different people in it, then the next noder creates their own character, but in the same city and they take certain elements from the last noder (or noders) story/ies. The more nodes, the more elements to draw from. One thing I recommend doing is putting in bold characters or elements that are used in the next story. It will help the reader out.
The first write-up is written by myself and will kind of be like an example. It will be the launching pad for the Quest. Now that mine has been posted, the next noder will take off from my story.
Got it? Good
Ground rules
- Stay inside the city. Do not wander outside of the city or drift the story outside of it, rural areas included. Sub-divisions may be welcome.
- Take at least one obscure character out of the previous stories and implement into your story. Make the story revolve around this character. This seems limiting now, but actually it will challenge you to be more diverse in your writing.
- Animals are welcome. Node about any imaginary city pets.
- /Msg other noders if needed to help you understand what elements might be best to take and what may not. Side note: We have created a room called City of Souls where you can easily discuss with others what is going on, exchange and share your ideas and what is going on with your stories.
- The format is Walking Man style, in that each node is like a chapter, so that a noder will be able to node more then one story. That is why this node is entitled City of Souls I. So when you got to post up your first story post up on City of Souls II, because this node is locked. If you are mad that you aren't able to write more, we have City of Souls II and then, eventually, City of Souls III
- Here's the tricky part. Chronology. The stories must be in synch with each other so the time period will be present time and the season is spring. I see the city as resembling New York or Chicago, so snow is involved. However, the weather can change and the snow can melt, just be consistent. Also, I want everything to go in order and I want more people to draw from the previous noder then the first story written, so I will let you know if you should wait for a little bit and then start writing. Believe me it will be worth it.
- You don't have to keep it private, but if you want to do it without the risk, there's this little box that says, "Don't display in New Write-ups", click it.
- Please notify me FIRST before you even start writing. I know who is writing what, so we won't get the stories entangled and details mixed-up. I can tell you what character has not been written about and where you can take off from.
- Move forward! One problem I am consistently seeing is that we are tending to keep things in the same neighborhood. Let's move this puppy around, people!
- If your story or writing isn't satisfactory, I or a god may come to you and tell you to try again. I want to keep the standards somewhat high on this quest.
If you have a problem with somebody's write-up, tell them, don't tell me. I am not a Content Editor or a god, so I have no control over other peoples WU's. Also, be encouraging. Don't slam their feelings into oblivion.
Finally, If you wait, something better may come along
I admit, I'm not a good creative writer, but this may help me learn more as well as others who struggle in this area.
Runtime: As long as we can go.
Think "The Sims", but on a broader, literary scale.
People who are in and their stories.
City of Souls I
1. Inflatable_Monk- Snowstorm - Main Character: Sam Parizzi
2. drownzsurf - Shelter from the Storm - Main Character: Michael Callahan
3. RoyHoo33 - "Thanks Sam" - Main Character: Leyton Webb (Note: Roy has decided to destroy his work. Any characters used from his piece are still valid.)
4. Posmella - Twinned Storms - Main Character: Damien and Sarah the screaming married couple
5. crewgrrl - Stormy Surprise - Main Character: Valerie, Michael's ex-girlfriend.
6. CoolBluesMan - A Student of Some Depth - Main Character: Katie Reeves
7. allseeingeye - Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight - Main Character: the Gangbangers, Lamont and J-dawg
8. Gartogg - Clarity - Main Character: John the Publican
9. Habakkuk - The Call - Main Character: Frank, the parking lot attendant.
10. Diabolic - "If anyone asks, I'm not here." - Main Character: Alvarez, the Chief of Police
11. Haschel47 - Unexpected Windfall - Main Character: Earl, Frank's Brother-in-law
12. disarmed42 - Zeitgeist - Main Character: The Zeitgeist Building
13. TanisNikana - A Long Lunch - Main Character: Nolan Danielson
14. Swap - Ptichka uletyela (The bird has flown) - Main Character: Stairwell Drunkard
City of Souls II
1. Inflatable_Monk - Under the Weather - Main Character: Don the Weatherman
2. Dep - Winter, Sex, Spring - Main Character: Valerie and Michael
3. Habakkuk - Dorothy's Story - Main Character: Dorothy, Don's assistant
4. Haschel47 - A Time of Discovery - Main Character: Derek Olsen
5. drownzsurf - Escape - Main Character: Michael and Valerie
6. katana - Untitled - Main Character: Mrs. Kortchek
00100 - HAS CLAIMED REBECCA the Waitress
JordanM - HAS CLAIMED MS. MYERS the Landlady
iambic - HAS CLAIMED BRENDA, Nolan Danielson's Secretary
waterhouse HAS CLAIMED JOHN the News Anchor
People who are waiting to post
Izubachi
icicle
Simulacron3
Chiisuta
Andromache01
bane221
fondue
Infinite_Burn
mauler
Stealth Munchkin
vandewal
Andrew Aguecheek
00100
bookw56
Proguar
zgirll
Vos
kowalski
Lastwords
momo
Chad Reasco
waterhouse
TanisNikana
Note: This has gotten bigger then I expected, so don't be surprised if I say wait.
City of Souls I is now closed for new write-ups, but City of Souls II is now open for new write-ups.
Snowstorm
It was midday and a dark cloud hung over the city making it look like evening at lunchtime. Sam's Deli decided to close up early, because of the impending blizzard. Sam Parizzi, a tired looking man, with a thinning hair line and a truly Italian looking face; decided it would be best to go back to his place at Sun Vista apartments rather than face driving home in the snow. Sam fumbled for his keys in his coat pocket as the soft falling of snow coated the outside sidewalk.
Michael Callahan came burling down the street, bundled up from head to toe. Michael was a young man in his mid-twenties with brown hair and a seemingly permanent five o'clock shadow.
"You need any help Sam?"
"Naw, I'm fine. Just locking her up early before I get snowed in there."
"Shoot! I was looking to get a sandwich after work!" Michael said with a grin.
"I'll make ya a knuckle sandwich! Hows about that!" Sam said with a smile.
Michael laughed. "Oh well, you need a ride home?"
"Well, I don't live too far from here..."
"Oh come on! My car's just parked on the other side of Main street. Come on, I'll give you a ride back to the apartments."
"Oh. OK" Sam replied.
Michael took Sam's arm and they walked over to Michael's car. A few young gangbanger types were outside checking all the cars for goods.
"Isn't a little cold outside for you kids to be outside. You should be shoveling sidewalks for money or something." Sam said.
"Isn't it about time for you to die, ol' man?" One of the gangbanger kids said with a heckling voice.
"Just ignore them Sam." Michael said.
Michael helped Sam into the car and they drove off. They had a little trouble at first because at this time the snow had accumulated just enough to make the roads slick.
Sun Vista apartments had the marks of what used to be a respectable and expensive place to live, but now, the gangs had moved in, the foundation was rugged and cracked. There was a fountain in the little courtyard in the middle of the buildings, but vandals had though it would make a good trick to steal it. The beauty had faded from Sun Vista. As Michael and Sam walked down the hall with the wooden floor creaking and aching at every step, screams of babies and a married couple resonated from the paper thin walls. At the end of the dimly lit hall slumped a drunk old man with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand.
"Here it is." Sam said as he fumbled for his keys. "You wanna come in? I'll make you a sandwich" Sam said with a grin.
"Nah, as good as that sounds, I better get back to Valerie. She told me if I'm not home by 7, I'll be sleeping on the couch."
"Ooh. That hurts! Who's wearing the pants in this relationship eh?", heckled Sam.
Michael replied with a grin, "I dunno, but I'll let you know as soon as I find 'em. Hey, you have a good night Sam" Michael then waved goodbye and made his way down the hall.
"Bye Michael. See ya later."
Sam stepped into the apartment. For a single, male adult his apartment was surprisingly clean. Sam was a man of order and he made sure everything had a place. Dolores, his deceased wife, always told him he was a perfectionist, but he never thought he was. He just liked things to be where he put them the next day.
The apartment was small, but big enough for Sam. The carpet was an ugly, greyish brown and the walls were white once but had now become a pale yellow. He had one TV and one couch. Both had survived the 70's and 80's, but had a little trouble during the 90's.
Sam put his coat in the closet and went to the fridge to pull out a TV dinner. After he put the dinner in the microwave he then sat down...and cried. Just like every night, with his face in his hands, the tears came down the weathered and lonely face. He remembered her and how she always knew the right things to say, how she enunciated her words, and how whenever she held his hand, he knew they were still in love. After she died of cancer, Sam didn't think he could go on, but he kept the shop going and he kept living. But now, he felt as though the life had been drained out of him. Everybody saw him fade and breakdown, just like and the apartment he lived in.
Ms. Myers, the landlady, said he could keep living at Sun Vista for free if he kept up the maintenance. So he stayed and watched everything change. The neighborhood and the city changed, but he stayed the same. His shop reflected it too. Nothing in the Deli was updated. Donny, a regular, used to call the Deli "the last living relic in the city".
The microwave beeped. Sam slowly stopped weeping, got out of his chair and took his meal out of the microwave...his last meal. He knew it was time. He could feel it in his bones.
Take a fork and spoon. Use a napkin? Why? It's not like I'll be cleaning up afterwards.
He sat down on the couch with the TV tray on his lap, then turned on the TV with his remote.
What should I watch? The news? No. I don't want to hear about anything bad before I die. (click) "The Jerry Springer Show"? No way. If I'm gonna die it's not while watching that tripe. (click) Ah, here we go. "Jeopardy". The one thing I always watch I can't miss. Not even this time.
So he sat, and ate, and watched.
After his meal he set his utensils down and closed his eyes.
One final sleep and he wouldn't be waking up.
Please take from this elements that you see that can fit into your story. Have fun!