Plot Challenge: The Breathing Rock

Diana

LOOK HOW CALM SHE IS
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  1. 1-3 posts per week
  2. Slow As Molasses
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10AM - 10PM Daily
Writing Levels
  1. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Female
Genres
Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy, Thriller, Space Exploration, Slice of Life
PLOT CHALLENGE

Plot challenges are designed to help you think quick and be inspired. We often play this game in the cbox, shouting out random words or phrases and see what ideas first pop in to people's heads.

To Participate: THINK FAST. Don't waste any time. The first idea(s) that comes to mind, write it down and post it!

NOTE: If you decide to borrow someone's concept for a roleplay, make sure you give credit.

Challenge Phrase
The Breathing Rock
 
He was the cream of the crop. The top of the class. Voted most popular 4 consecutive years in a row - every year. Using his natural gifts of intelligence and determination, he pursued his dream of becoming an astronaut. Their first mission was to a far off earth-like planet. They were to gather samples. And so they did. Unfortunately, he also brought something ELSE back with him...and now, infected by a terrible space-disease, he has found himself becoming even more natural... ...he is becoming a rock. Can he warn others of the impending doom? He hears their voices...the voices of the breathing rocks...and they're headed straight for Earth!
 
On a planet in the Andromeda galaxy, similar to Earth with similar humanoid beings, lives a civilisation, their lives and religious traditions also similar to many of Earth's. Every five years, as it is tradition, these creatures with hunched backs, clothed in brown robes, and always seen carrying a staff make a pilgrimage in dozens of small groups to their planet's life source and energy, a breathing, speaking rock expansive in size and glowing in colour. Although not monotheistic in nature, these creatures pay their respects to the rock as a deeply ingrained part of their culture and religion. They recognise the rock's dire importance for their way of life and planet's sustainability.

But the pilgrimage itself is not safe. The vast lands separating the civilisations from the rock are littered with dangerous creatures, environments, obstacles, and weather. The trek is treacherous enough dealing with the ecology alone but to add to the trouble are rogue outlaws, sometimes including other species, who also travel in bands and hope to reach the rock - and to also kill off the powerful creatures journeying towards the rock in peace. And if they reach the rock first, they have something far more sinister in mind: to drain the rock of its power if possible for eternal life, or to gain control of it to control the planet.

Which will you be? Who will triumph?
 
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Ever wonder why the hell some random person a few hundred years ago started carving weird, ugly animals out of rock to adorn their ugly stone buildings? Gargoyles aren't just coincidence, ya know. Someone didn't just think that was a great idea.
Nah, gargoyles have been around for aeons. We just don't really notice 'em on account that they have this boring habit of acting like they're carved of stone. In fact, they do that for decades at a time! Pretty lame, huh? They get all the nutrients they need by filtering running water. Used to be they liked waterfalls, but ever since some wise guy decided to build a castle they've liked buildings better. The periodic wet and dry helps their thought process or something. Gargoyles are the sages of the mythological kingdom, ya see? They just sit there and meditate, filtering rainwater for years and years, until they're ready to share their profound thoughts. By then they're all calcified and crumbly, and sometimes accidentally leave a leg or a butt behind when they pull themselves off of old buildings to share their insight.
They call 'em breathing rocks in some cultures. Gotta get oxygen somehow, and when the rain ain't flowing, they tend to just breathe real slow and easy. Hard to notice unless you get right next to 'em. If you put your hand on top of one, it's easy to feel the difference between a statue and a gargoyle. A real gargoyle will always be slightly warm to the touch. Just a little. They're alive, after all, just meditating real deep and easy.
Well, they used to be meditating at least. They're waking up now, all across the world. Hundred of 'em just coming out of their trances like that and bounding off to tell the fey about something or another. Who cares? They're just a bunch of rock-brained idiots that sit on buildings all day, what could they possibly know?
 
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The Breathing Rock. That was what they would call their ruler. The golem that had risen up over its mindless counterparts. It developed a personality, thoughts, a mind of its own. No one could kill it. It would only use more rock to heal itself. It didn't need to eat or sleep. It didn't even need to breathe. Under its tyranny humanity suffered. Slowly hope was lost. No one could beat it.

The youth grew up taught by their parents to never question the rule of their dictator. Don't get in trouble. Don't be creative. Don't ask questions. It was pretty much drilled into the minds of hundreds of children. Hundreds of years and dozens of generations flew by, all living under the rule of their overlord. Soon, a small group of children asked their parents why no one tried to kill the ruler. The parents' reply was simple. You can't.

The children weren't satisfied with this answer. They decided that they would find a way to defeat this dictator. They would kill the breathing rock and free their people from its clutches. Soon, they would become the new rulers, a council to represent the different lands and unite mankind in a hundred years of peace and joy.

How would they do this, you may ask? And how would I know they would be able to do this? The answers are simple. The children would grow up and join the few humans allowed to serve their ruler. They would find all of his weaknesses. That is, as long as they weren't caught.
 
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She was a statue.
A simple piece of marble that appeared to be carved just like any other.​
But this statue was not just like any other.​

It appeared to be a maiden,
Long hair appearing to flow in a light breeze,​
Elegantly draped gown.​
Smooth skin.​
But her expression was one of absolute horror.​

The people of the city of Alaxis caller her Niva.
She stood on a pedestal in the central square.​
Her story had been passed down for generations.​
The Woman who had defied the Stone king,​
And been frozen in stone to watch all eternity.​

Time has passed,
500 years have come and gone,​
And still the legend holds the hearts of the people.​

The Stone king still reigns,
His reign is marked with blood and war.​
Hope is nearly gone.​
Only one light remains in the shadow.​
They must some how free Niva,
Set free the living stone,​
And bring breath back to rock.​
 
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In an underwater base in the year 3067, their main source of oxygen is the Breathing Rocks- a strange phenomenon in which coral-like rocks emit large pockets of breathable air. But one day, the Breathing Rocks start producing less...and over the years, threaten to stop altogether. But at the same time, a deadly plague has broken out up on earth, and the only safe place is the underwater facility...and all the escape pods seem to have been sabotaged. You are in the base. What will you do to escape? Or would you rather take the chance that the Breathing Rocks will start up again?
 
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"The breathing rocks is the name given to a strange race of beings that inhabit the caves of the Far Mountains. They are a reclusive race, and therefore, none outside their kind has ever seen them, but their legend still rings throughout the surrounding valleys and plains. It is said that their leader stands over twenty feet tall, and that each step he takes shakes the mountain."

Keiran listened to his Grandmother tell the tale for the millionth time and shook his head. "If he is that big we would surely be able to see him from here." he was NOT a believer. He found the old tales far too ridiculous for him to place any stock in them at all, however, something was happening. The mountain was shaking, and with it their valley and homes. Already great fissures had opened up and peoples' lives had been lost in the blink of an eye.

"If they exist...and I do not believe they do. We need to find them and tell them that they are damaging our homes. It could be possible they are unaware." He had a hard time saying this without laughing but he managed somehow.

"I will go." A soft voice spoke from the back of the room.

"My lady..." Keiran began but was stayed by the hand of the King."

"Let any who desire to go stand forth and present yourself for inspection and consideration," he said with a wave of his hand.

Many stepped forward, close to thirty was his best guess, including himself.

Each gave reasons why they should be selected, but the King gave the selecting over to his grandmother. His shock was apparent, but he stood with the others awaiting her word.

Will you be chosen? What will you find in the Far Mountains? Will you be able to save the valley?
 
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