Plot Challenge: The Yowling of the Beast

[Diana]

PLOT CHALLENGE!

A PLOT CHALLENGE is where you are given a word, a phrase, a sentence, or a setting and you have to come up with a plot idea that is inspired by those words!

The object is to THINK FAST and share the first ideas that come to mind. It's an exercise in quick creative thinking. You can do this challenge any time. Or multiple times!

To Participate: THINK FAST. Don't waste any time. The first idea(s) that comes to mind, write it down and post it! You are to write down a plot premise or basic idea. This isn't about writing scenes, this is about writing up a setting!

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

Challenge Phrase: The Yowling of the Beast​

 

[Pattern]

His name is Ichabod Jones, a typical man with an unfortunate name. We all know the story of the other Ichabod, yes, but this particular Ichabod shares a similar string of bad luck; he is a man haunted by the mystery of his own house.

As a recluse and a novelist, Ichabod Jones can be found in the comfort of his home; sometimes by the fireplace after dinner, and sometimes in the foyer, staring at the dying grandfather clock with much interest. Some would call him eccentric, others call him mad, but most know him as Crazy Ichabod.

He has been in that house for the longest time, and was never seen walking out or mingling since that night, the night he heard them.

They may call him anything, but he cannot blame them. They know nothing of his house.

They know nothing of his sleepless nights, cowering next to the fireplace.

They know nothing of the howling he hears in his ears every night.

They know nothing of the tremors and groans he feels from the walls of his home.

Or the fact that there was something living in the house with him, something that did not belong there.

The howling was getting closer to the house.

- - -​

[ It is done.​

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We hoped you enjoyed it. ​

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It seemed more of a synopsis than a plot.​

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Well, as long as it doesn't spoil anything. Tee-hee. ]​

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[Mixavia]

Changed it!

A small village deep within some kind of swamp or forest. Only a bunch of people live there, and they all know one another. As they first arrive (trying to find their place on earth or simply running away from the war) and decide to build, they notice the yowling that fills the air around them. It never stops, not even for a second. For the first few days or weeks they want to leave (but they do not since they don't know where that yowling comes from), but soon enough they find themselves trapped due to their fear. Some villagers try their luck and venture into the wilderness. They never come back. Paralyzed, they hardly ever do anything apart from things that are vital to their survival.

After that time, they are growing used to the yowling. It becomes a simple background noise, just like the sound of snapping branches or swooshing waters. And just when everything seems swell, one night the yowling stops and they notice it the next morning. Because it was with them for so long, now they are worried and disconcerted, and the whole process of being paralyzed by fear repeats itself.

Soon enough, however, people start to turn at one another, and it all ends in a massacre when they start killing themselves, blaming one another for the lack of yowling and angering the beast. They await the attack from the otuside, but it never comes. No one ever sees whatever made the sound in the first place and only one girl escapes, miraculously reaching another village. As she does so, and there is no one else in the village, the yowling starts again.

Players could form a group of investigators/possible villagers/random bunch of poor folks that ventured into that place. The roleplay would be sorta Lovecraftian, I guess, so more of a psychological horror filled with unknown than anything else.

 

[Shadowheart26]

Yowling of the Beast

You are one of the many monster hunters that roams the land in search of your next prey. You come across a particularly large village one day that is in chaos. You learn that yet another man has been killed by a murderous demon werewolf that has being attacking the village for the past few weeks. The werewolf comes in the dead of night to claim it's victim and usually leaves a bloodly mess, but this time, you learn that the beast has actulally taken the man's son! You agree to rescue the young boy and are directed to the large, vibrant forest that the monster frequents. With your bag slung over your shoulder and your weapon at the ready, you enter the forest with a determined look on your features.

 

[noodle]

A survival game in which you hear monster's roars whenever you are hungry, and you must keep yourself fed- because the monsters are connected to you, and if you are hungry they will hunt you down. Unfortunately, your stomach growls often, and with that comes the yowls of the monsters on your island. Food is scarce, and safety even more so.

 

[Doctor Jax]

A blood-curdling, unfathomably loud bawl crossed the hollers and rills, bouncing off the mountains. It had a high tone, though its timbre was low, a gut-wrenching yowl of pain. It emanated out the windows of a cottage, the windows aglow with the light of a cheery fire, the outside brushed clean. A cat on the porch ignored the sounds from inside and instead cleaned between its footpads as it considered whether to fulfill its duties as mouser, or laze before the warm window.

Another yowl burst from the house.

"Oh, Rupert, you should have thought of that before you chased a porcupine. Never mind that you sat on it," an old woman's voice said from within, as a quill was subsequently tossed out the window and onto the porch.

 

[PoetLore]

"I'm telling you Jacob..I heard a beast...it sounded horrible and huge!"

"Dina...to you EVERYTHING is horrible and huge..."

"But really..I'm serious...come with me I'll show you. You'll hear it too..." She grabbed his hand and started to pull him off the chair.

"Ok ok ok.."

She took up the hill behind their house and then down the other side, over the small stream and then up another hill.

"What were you doing all the way over here?" he asked wondering how far they were going.

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him, "Following the monster's yowling of course..."

"Of course...I should have known."

She stopped about halfway up the hill and crouched down, "Shhh...." It didn't take long for the howling echoing cry to reach their ears. "Told ya," she whispered.

Jacob stood and waited for it to sound again and then he started to follow it. It didn't sound like a monster to him though. He went a ways and then frowned when it seemed to be behind him then. Strange. He stopped and then it seemed to be coming from directly below him and he crouched down and saw a crevice. he waited and sure enough, the sound echoed up from that spot. "Dina stay right here," he instructed, "Don't move so I can find this spot again. I need a shovel..."

Dina blinked, "A shovel?" she asked but he was already running down the hill. He was back faster than she would have thought possible with a shovel and a pick and hammer as well. "What are you going to do? Dig up the monster?"

"It's not a monster silly,...you'll see..." He began digging and using the pick to break up the harder rock and digging more. Soon he had a good sized opening and could see down into the place. He made the opening bigger until he could lower himself down a bit and get a better look. Sure enough there at the bottom was a dog, tangled in roots of some sort. It's tail began slapping against the dirt as he neared. "there boy...it's all fine. i'll get you out."

"There's a boy down there?"

"No Dina..it's a dog...he's stuck."

"Maybe I should go in and get him. I'm smaller."

Jacob pulled himself back out and looked at her and then the hole. "Maybe...but how will you get back up?"

Dina shrugged, "You'll pull me up."

Before he could ask how she planned to get the dog up, she was down the hole. She freed the dog's legs and then looked around. "Hmm...how did he get in here?" she asked and then crouched down and saw a light. "Hey...there is another way out..."

Now free the dog went back the way he'd come and Dina held up her hands, "he's going out...pull me up."

Jacob pulled her up and brushed her off as the dog came running over to both of them and licked their faces. "Let's go ask Mom if we can keep him."

"Even if she says no..I think HE is keeping US!"