Fantasy Writing Contest -Win Cash and Game!

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Story RPGs are story driven. There's a reason for talking to or killing people and monsters, a reason to build or destroy things...

Players of RPGs must have some degree of freedom in how they follow the threads of the plot and, in some cases, how the plot resolves itself. They can often pick the order in which they accept quests or even which quests they take and which ones they ignore. Further, how they conduct themselves during a quest, and how they interact with other characters, can alter the course of the story and its outcome.
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Nyara rummaged through her leather satchel, searching for the ivory lute that had been given as a gift. The light breeze tossed her hair about her shoulders. Finally she found what she was looking for.
"Hurray! Play the Flower Song!" Cui, her weasal familiar, danced with glee around her feet.
"But of course," she said with a smile. Her lips pursed against the instrument and a soothing tone filled the small garden.

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You'll probably notice that my entry is a little more mature in writing style. That's because I thought the videogame would benefit with a more mature description of the world and events. It's still family friendly, but It's not sickeningly cute, as so many pc games that bomb are. If you look closely, you'll see that the dialogue isn't that mature, which is intentional. It is a kids game, right? The wizard, on the other hand, would be for the older kids. The wizard's english is like the "level 3", while Cui is "level 2", and nyara's language is "level 1". Hope you like.

:Begin:

Shared Qualms

"Travel to the outskirts of Varjina, my little one. There, I shall be waiting for you." Those words echoed through solomon's head, increasing the solemnity of his expression. Thunder clapped in the distance, accompanied by a brilliant flash of light, as could be seen from the tower Solomon now stood in. He did not see it, though, and instead turned away from the gaint window. There was no glass, and cold wind whipped through the room, bringing with it the salt spray from the ocean below. Yet, Solomon stayed erect. He kept his old, graying body rigid as an oak, and contemplated the drab coldness of the hard stone walls. The words of Vin rang incessantly through his mind, and his face twisted in mortifiying fear.

"Could Vin know of my plan?" He spoke out loud, his voice hollow and vacuous. Then he turned, facing the window, and the lifeless landscape of the mountains along the shoreline. He flung his bony arm outward, causing the long cloth swimming on his body to ripple. Pointing to someplace in the distance, his sharp eyes cutting in the distance, he spoke: "Go," Solomon's eyes grew harsh, swelling with inky blackness, "bring the girl to me."

The harrowing screech of something horrible filled the room, whipped the stone of it, seeming to dare the storm to break. Then, launching out the window, it was gone.

* * *

Descending quickly over the mountain, dark clouds brewed, making it hard for Nyara to see. She gasped for breath as she scrambled over fallen logs and other obstacles, while the forest brooded over her presence, seemingly watching her every mood, eagerly awaiting a mistake. Finally, she sat, panting from her run. "Resting already, I see." Nyara looked up and frowned.

"You're not tired, Cui?" A weasel shot out of the brush, hovering in the air on feathery wings. His eyes darted from side to side, regarding everything with suspicion. Still, Cui finally stopped flapping and lowered himself onto the rock Nyara sat on.

"You tire easily, M'lady." She gave him a sharp look, but ended up bursting in laughter when he made the face. Cui laughed as well, leaning back on the rock and slumped himself against her side. "Ahh... such soft cloth. I have always fancied what it might be like to wear clothing, M'lady. But it's no use wondering, now that he's after us." Cui gave a long sigh.

Nyara laughed slightly, but now wasn't in the mood. At the mention of him, she stiffened considerably, and began to sniffle a little. "That horrible wizard! That's why we must get to varijna."

"And why we must not waste time sitting in a forest, M'lady." Cui stretched his wings and propelled himself back in the air. "Well, now, See? I've already got my second wind." Nyara ignored him, and concentrated instead on focusing her own breathing. While she thought, she tied her hair back into a tail to prevent it from falling in her eyes. They had to leave Guna too soon; They hadn't been able to get adequate supplies. Suddenly, something caught her eye, then vanished. Nyara instantly snapped to her feet, looking to the sky. "What is it, Ny?"

Nyara's eyes scanned the horizon above the mountain's tree line. Indeed, what was it? The only way to Varjina was through this mountain pass. "Cui... you don't think solomon... would be expecting us--would you?" The cat girl and her familiar's eyes met, passed information instantly. Then, it happened again; the sky, like something invisible, but not quite, shifted. Nyara concentrated her magics in a flurry of motion, queitly chanting the first spell she had learned in Guna: Reveal.

Nyara finished chanting and targeted the magical energy where the shimmer had been. Suddenly, it all came clear. A horrible screech shattered the brooding silence, and the matsadon swiftly swooped down on them. "Look out!" Cui screamed. Nyara dived low to the ground, barely missing the monsters claws. It flew back up and made ready for another pass. "Run!" Cui flew down to nyara and helped her up.

"Ouch..." She rubbed her head. The matsadon got ready. Nyara made a flurry of gestures, and produced another spell. "Fatimina Ruquina!" She pushed her hands outward, and a brilliant flash of light blinded the creature. It fell down to the forest floor with a loud thump, and scrambled to get back up. Nyara and Cui ran off, dodging trees and leaves and things you couldn't imagine, until they came to a large clearing. Inside the clearing were two rows of mushrooms, each with two signs above them.

Nyare kneeled over, clutching her chest and gasping for air. "That was too close for comfort." Cui stated, as if they hadn't just been targeted by one of Solomon's victims. Solomon's victims...Nyara closed her eyes. It had been horrible what Solomon had done to that village, turning all the animals into slaves of his ambitions. She balled her hands into fists. They must get to Varjina. "Say... take a look over here!" Cui said.

Nyare opened her eyes to see what Cui pointed at. "Are those... Mushrooms?" Suddenly, the screech was back. Nyara and Cui heard the matsadon clawing it's way through the underbrush. Nyara turned to Cui, "Which one do I eat?" She pleaded.

"Who cares!?" Cui torted, "They're both the same color! Hurry!"

"No, you numdum!" She pointed at the two signs, "Which one is better?" The matsadson snarled, snapping at the thought of pleasing it's master. Cui took out his glasses, and scanned each sign. Nyara fluttered her hands and cast another spell; It didn't work. The Maatsadon was just feet away from the clearing. "Cui...!"

"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!"

"less talk, more hurry!" The matsadon reached the clearing. Cui pointed at the sign on the right:

"That one say's to eat the mushroom." Nyara rushed over, just as the matsadon's sharp talons closed over her waist, and popped the mushroom into her mouth. Cui tried to attack it, but was kicked across the clearing.

"Nyara!!!" he screamed.

"It's all right." She smiled, and cast the new spell.

:end:

That's it. Let the judging begin.

-Cacafire

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The game is set in a world that is a super-future of our own, which was
destroyed somehow by war or natural disaster and after a long long long long
time, re-awakened with humans alongside fantasy creatures like dwarves ,elves,
pixies and so on.

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This could mean that there are findings from the destroyed civilization which have no meanings anymore within the super-future fantasy world, like for instance a 'no parking' sign.


"meaning - no-meaning", "lost meaning" - "regaining meaning" could be the all tying core of the concept.

As an educational title the game's target is a special part of knowledge, as an entertaining title it should involve more feelings than just success in learning. An entertaining title tries to evoke emotions which are connected to life as a whole. (That's why we were told at school that the core of novels and movies is always about love and death.)


Consequences of "meaning - no-meaning", "lost meaning" - "regaining meaning" as the core of the concept:

#1 The "horrible, utterly despicable, completely evil wizard":

Why is he so evil? - He is evil, because a "cute furry" giant teddy bear imprisoned him through his whole childhood and treated him like a dangerous idiot, while talking kindly with all friendlyness to him.
Because of this conversion of meanings in his former life, he has no fun but conversing and destroying meanings, and he hates all that cuteness and friendlyness, and he does the best he can do to heal these cute furry bastards from their unbearable kindness. Permanently struggling to free himself from the chains of meaning. That's the reason why he continuesly is messing around with meanings, inserting quotes from findings of the ancient time, which are so nicely meaningless...

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Still to do (but more time-consuming to write down than I dared to fear):


#2 Mushrooms:

#3 Nyara:

#4 Flying Weazel:

#5 Enchanted Garden:

#6 Cute Furry Animals/Turned Into Monsters

#7 Magic Book:

#8 Intro Cut Scene:

#9 Interaction/Correlation: Education - Entertainment

#10 Final Solution:

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A short piece of dialog:

Nyara: You are so mean!

Evil Wizard: Mean? 'Mean' doesn't mean anything to me! I'm the kindness in person!
[I guess, that is bad english. German: "Ich bin die Nettigkeit in Person!"]
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Sorry for intruding in your business. Wanna get more of this?

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This could mean that there are findings from the destroyed civilization which have no meanings anymore within the super-future fantasy world, like for instance a 'no parking' sign.

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As an educational title the game's target is a special part of knowledge, as an entertaining title it should involve more feelings than just success in learning. An entertaining title tries to evoke emotions which are connected to life as a whole. (That's why we were told at school that the core of novels and movies is always about love and death.)

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STORY 1

Nyara tethered her pony to an old post and peered into the old garden.

She turned back to her pony and said, "you wait here. I'll only be a moment."

Inside the garden a little chicken chased a big bug, while somewhere in a hedge a starling was practicing the latest songs. Nyara wanted to stay there for the rest of the day, listening to the birds and smelling the perfume of the flowers, but knew that she couldn't linger long.

"CUI, are you there?"

"No - I'm over here little one."

The little weasel bounded over to Nyara, unfolded his wings and leapt atop the split-rail fence.

"Now, little kitten, how may I be of assistance, or how can I help you as it were?"

"Not for me. For my Nana. She needs some herbs. I just can't remember if she needed them for stew or for flu!"

"Hmm - a bit of a conundrum, or a problem as it were." CUI scratched his chin and said, "I know. I can give you herbs that can be used for either flu or stew."

Nyara clapped with joy and said, "That would be great!"

All of the sudden, a horrible buzzing screeched through the sky and little shadows flung themselves through the garden in a spiral, merging into a great, dark figure.

"Stranger, your entrance here was dramatic, or exciting as it were, but a bit too loud I don't mind saying."

"Then I won't stay long. I just need one, little thing."

The stranger pointed to a clump of horseradish. The plants parted, revealing the little chicken.

"Ahh - chickens can hide, but not for long."

A rainbow of sparks jumped from the stranger's hands, surrounding the little chicken. The chicken's feathers turned into rows of spines and her body became covered with scales. Her feet turned to talons, her beak turned big and crooked and she grew a stubby, little tail.

"You didn't recognize me, CUI, did you. I'm Sitani - long gone, and almost forgotten," He turned to that which had been a chicken just a moment before and bellowed, "Cockatrice! Come!"

With a loud buzz, Sitani burst into little shadows, which flew over the trees, with the Cockatrice following behind.

"Come Nyara! There's no time to lose. We must make haste to your Nana's cottage, or get there quickly as it were."

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STORY 2

"But CUI, I hate cleaning the chicken coop," Nyara whined as she took a shovel and bucket from the garden shed.

"Now little kitten, if you enjoyed it then it wouldn't be punishment, would it. You were the one who engaged in a bit of fisticuffs this morning, or got into a fight as it were."

"But Rienne gets to help in the kitchen! It's no fair."

"That's because Rienne hates working in the kitchen. As your counselor, it's my duty to counsel you. To guide you, as it were."

As Nyara came around to the front of the chicken coop, she stopped suddenly and gasped.

"CUI! One of the chickens is sick."

The chicken's feathers were turning into rows of spines and its body covered with scales. Her feet were turning to talons, her beak becoming big and crooked and she grew a stubby, little tail.

Then they noticed the little, grey man sitting in the doorway to the chicken coop.

CUI's fur ruffled and he growled out "Prefri! Leave this place forthwith."

Prefri shrugged "As you wish. Cockatrice - bow for me."

The former chicken, now a beast, coughed up a disgusting mass, allowed Prefri onto her back and took to the sky.

"Hurry Nyara - pack your personal effects, or your belongings as it were, and meet me at the headmaster's office."

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I used the lines with CUI to teach some vocab, and tried to incorporate a little rhyme and alliteration into the prose.

Suggested music would be the old fiddle tune "Cluck Old Hen". MIDI versions can readily be found. With a budget, a musician can be hired to compose variations on this theme for joyous or scary times involving the "Cockatrice".

After story 1, you could have a module of the game that teaches directions (cardinal directions, plus left, right, up, down etc) on the way to her grandmother's house.

-Frank
frankbliss at 30below dot com

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"Eat these mushrooms,"

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Nyara found herself standing in a sunlit field surrounded by towering trees. Her companion, a weasel named Cui basked atop a small tree stump. Before her lay two mushrooms, one with a sign telling her to eat it, the other a sign warning to not touch it. And yet she felt a force compelling her to approach the mushroom with the warning. Cui watched in horror as Nyara approached the cursed mushroom.

“Don’t touch it.” Cui threw himself at her and grabbed her feet.

“Looks so you yummy, Cui.” She pulled herself along the ground, ignoring the protesting Cui who still clung to her feet.

Nyara grabbed the mushroom, and giggled. “Mine…all mine.” It wasn’t until Cui squealed and scurried up her legs that she noticed the cloaked figure approaching.

“Ahahaha. Your foolish human greed has cost this world greatly, and everybody who lives here.”

Horror washed over Nyara’s face. “Who are you? What do you want?” She petted the fretting Weasel.

“I am your worst nightmare. Bear witness to the powers of Calef. Now watch as I remove the English language from existence.” He held out a leather book flicked through the pages. Thousands of words swarmed out of the book, blowing in all directions. Nyara tried to speak but no words came forth.

Calef rose up into the air, and began chanting, a strange ominous sound that left an odd ringing sensation in Nyara's ears. All around her, trees began to change. Vines wrapped themselves around trunks. Animals began to change, turning into strange creatures, snarling and snapping.

“Oh how I love a good hunt. I will give you a small chance to repent for your crimes. Find me and I will turn your world back into its pretty state.” A small sword and shield magically strapped themselves to her back. The book of english lay beside her, its pages devoid of words.

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It seems like we aren't going to get many more replies, so I'd like to bring up the closing date for this unless anyone minds.

The new closing date is this Thursday 8th of June. After that I'll put up a poll for feedback and anounce the winner early next week.

So, if you've been thinking about it, now is the time to put your entry in!

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Nope.

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By Frank Blisset:

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STORY 1

Nyara tethered her pony to an old post and peered into the old garden.

She turned back to her pony and said, "you wait here. I'll only be a moment."

Inside the garden a little chicken chased a big bug, while somewhere in a hedge a starling was practicing the latest songs. Nyara wanted to stay there for the rest of the day, listening to the birds and smelling the perfume of the flowers, but knew that she couldn't linger long.

"CUI, are you there?"

"No - I'm over here little one."

The little weasel bounded over to Nyara, unfolded his wings and leapt atop the split-rail fence.

"Now, little kitten, how may I be of assistance, or how can I help you as it were?"

"Not for me. For my Nana. She needs some herbs. I just can't remember if she needed them for stew or for flu!"

"Hmm - a bit of a conundrum, or a problem as it were." CUI scratched his chin and said, "I know. I can give you herbs that can be used for either flu or stew."

Nyara clapped with joy and said, "That would be great!"

All of the sudden, a horrible buzzing screeched through the sky and little shadows flung themselves through the garden in a spiral, merging into a great, dark figure.

"Stranger, your entrance here was dramatic, or exciting as it were, but a bit too loud I don't mind saying."

"Then I won't stay long. I just need one, little thing."

The stranger pointed to a clump of horseradish. The plants parted, revealing the little chicken.

"Ahh - chickens can hide, but not for long."

A rainbow of sparks jumped from the stranger's hands, surrounding the little chicken. The chicken's feathers turned into rows of spines and her body became covered with scales. Her feet turned to talons, her beak turned big and crooked and she grew a stubby, little tail.

"You didn't recognize me, CUI, did you. I'm Sitani - long gone, and almost forgotten," He turned to that which had been a chicken just a moment before and bellowed, "Cockatrice! Come!"

With a loud buzz, Sitani burst into little shadows, which flew over the trees, with the Cockatrice following behind.

"Come Nyara! There's no time to lose. We must make haste to your Nana's cottage, or get there quickly as it were."

++++

STORY 2

"But CUI, I hate cleaning the chicken coop," Nyara whined as she took a shovel and bucket from the garden shed.

"Now little kitten, if you enjoyed it then it wouldn't be punishment, would it. You were the one who engaged in a bit of fisticuffs this morning, or got into a fight as it were."

"But Rienne gets to help in the kitchen! It's no fair."

"That's because Rienne hates working in the kitchen. As your counselor, it's my duty to counsel you. To guide you, as it were."

As Nyara came around to the front of the chicken coop, she stopped suddenly and gasped.

"CUI! One of the chickens is sick."

The chicken's feathers were turning into rows of spines and its body covered with scales. Her feet were turning to talons, her beak becoming big and crooked and she grew a stubby, little tail.

Then they noticed the little, grey man sitting in the doorway to the chicken coop.

CUI's fur ruffled and he growled out "Prefri! Leave this place forthwith."

Prefri shrugged "As you wish. Cockatrice - bow for me."

The former chicken, now a beast, coughed up a disgusting mass, allowed Prefri onto her back and took to the sky.

"Hurry Nyara - pack your personal effects, or your belongings as it were, and meet me at the headmaster's office."

++++

I used the lines with CUI to teach some vocab, and tried to incorporate a little rhyme and alliteration into the prose.

Suggested music would be the old fiddle tune "Cluck Old Hen". MIDI versions can readily be found. With a budget, a musician can be hired to compose variations on this theme for joyous or scary times involving the "Cockatrice".

After story 1, you could have a module of the game that teaches directions (cardinal directions, plus left, right, up, down etc) on the way to her grandmother's house.

-Frank
frankbliss at 30below dot com

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