S
Soup Kitchen
Guest
Original poster
Soup Kitchen's Marvelous Request Thread of Wonders
(OPEN AND SEARCHING)
(OPEN AND SEARCHING)
Who am I?
In the flesh I'm a young male homo sapiens with too much free time on my hands. English is not my main language, thus the sentencing might be awkward at times. But I like to think of myself as, if nothing else, an aspiring adept in this foreign language. Although my posts may vary in length, I am confident enough to say that I will always deliver well written ones. The characters I write tend to have roots in reality, but are of course limited by being fictional people. I'm very active in out-of-character conversations, but my post frequency in role-plays may vary. I often have to wait until I'm in the mood to write fiction, but I will never leave you hanging for long. Predominantly male, I don't shy away from taking on female characters. In fact, I enjoy playing both genders, and like to alternate between them. In nearly all of the plots listed below, I will be very flexible on genders. And although this is the one on one role-playing section, I very much enjoy including multiple characters. Also, I'm fine with including romance.Who are you?
I haven't a clue, but I'd like you to be someone I can cooperate with to create a fun and functional role-play. I often find myself the one dragging the whole story along while my supposed partner is just along for the ride. Thus, this time around I'm going to be careful to only partner up with people who I can share an equal responsibility with, as partners should. Your level of writing should preferably be on par with mine or better, but I'm not going to be strict about the length. As long as you deliver words with thought and heart behind it, I'm not going to force another paragraph down your throat. 2-3 paragraphs is perfectly adequate, and I will range about the same. Also, communication is a wonderful thing, and if we communicate well out of character, the role-play flows all that much easier.As a side-note: I don't care about who you are in the flesh at all, and whatever gender preference you might have in role-plays is fine with me. This is an intellectual arena, and it's about the story and the characters, not about either of our miserable love lives.
Plots
As a part of humanity's desperate attempt to map the universe to discover new habitable planets, hundreds of space vessels are sent out in all directions. Neither their safety nor their return is guaranteed, but the need to colonize foreign planets outweighs any possible casualties. One of the vessels, the MS Phoenix, has been drifting into space for years. Its entire crew has been in stasis for this duration, which is set to wake them up when the automatic controls of the vessel land on a potentially habitable planet. However, when they wake up they find that it's not an earthly planet they have landed on. They seem to have docked on an enormous, hulking space station. It wasn't built by men, and it seems long abandoned. Who could have built it? And are there any signs of life to be found? With these questions in mind they begin a tentative search of the station in hope of uncovering its secrets.
A small group of highly trained mage-hunters travel on a mission to put an end to a source of evil that rests in the northern Wastes. They know not what they are hunting, but it's clear that whatever it is, it's polluting the world. Otherworldly creatures are emerging from the north, rivers are turning black, freak storms occur and the skies change color from one hour to the next. These are but some of the strange happenings which plague the lands. It seems to rest on them to rescue the world from certain doom, thus they travel stalwartly on through the barren wasteland in search of the source, battling the elements as much as the foul beings they encounter. Usually solitary individuals they are united by this unholy quest and gradually develop close relationships. What they do not know, however, is that what they're hunting cannot be defeated by the hands of men.
After a group of travelers are ambushed by dark elf raiders, those who survive the attack are taken as prisoners. They bring the prisoners with them to their home deep beneath the earth's crust; the underground city of Svartalheim. Connected to countless sets of tunnels, its maze-like structure is a prison unto itself. The prisoners are sent into slavery, starting at the bottom by digging for ore with crude tools. The labor is strenuous, The only way out is through dark, cavernous pathways that only the dark elves can navigate, making escape an impossibility. The surviving travelers, however, are intent on finding a way.
The dark elves are lithe and slithering creatures, grey-skinned and stoop-backed. They are notorious thieves, raiders and slavers whom prey upon the weak and undefended while they cower beneath the earth's surface, digging themselves ever further from the sun. However, as they abhor manual labor, all of the digging is done by their slaves. In Svartalheim there are nearly three slaves for every dark elf, and they are controlled mainly by fear. They are treated harshly, live in poor conditions and receive the bare minimum of nourishment. Troublesome slaves are quickly made examples of.
The dark elves are lithe and slithering creatures, grey-skinned and stoop-backed. They are notorious thieves, raiders and slavers whom prey upon the weak and undefended while they cower beneath the earth's surface, digging themselves ever further from the sun. However, as they abhor manual labor, all of the digging is done by their slaves. In Svartalheim there are nearly three slaves for every dark elf, and they are controlled mainly by fear. They are treated harshly, live in poor conditions and receive the bare minimum of nourishment. Troublesome slaves are quickly made examples of.
Since the beginning of time, the seasons of the year have governed the conditions for life. From the shimmers of light at the first break of spring to the bright green of summer follows the wind, rain and colors of autumn, then inevitably comes the unforgiving winter before it breaks to give way to spring again. An endless cycle bound to be repeated forever, or until the world collapses. Whatever else in life that falls short, one can trust in the changing of the seasons. The farmer sows in the spring and reaps in the autumn. The bear eats in the summer and sleeps in the winter. The bird flies south in the autumn and returns in spring. So do the years go by, one season flowing into the next, as precise as clockwork. Yet one time, long ago, something terrible happened which threatened to disrupt the seasonal flow.
It was spring. Rivers ran wide with the melted snow. The light you saw lasted longer than before, stretching the dawn and dusk to where they were a year ago. Everywhere you walked, the birds chirped to one another, signalling the early days of warmth. The fields now bare were already being worked on, preparing it for the warm days to come. Yet as days became weeks and months, something appeared completely wrong. It was about time for summer to come when the trees already begun to their transformation to red, brown and yellow. Their green color never peaked, and neither did the heat. It was the shortest summer in man's memory. The crops had barely grown before it was time to bring them home. Everyone were in panic, as neither animal nor man had food enough to get through the cold winter. No one knew how to explain it, and blamed the Gods and the winds and everything in between. Making it through that harshest of winters, most lived to see the spring again. Yet the days hardly grew warmer before the weather declined into autumn's rain and wind. Again, summer had eluded them. This second time, everyone were in panic. What would be of the world without its days of warmth? The kings and rulers of the lands asked for answers, but even the wisest of men could not explain. What had happened to the season of the sun?
By the third year, food was becoming dangerously scarce. Would this go on, the world could perish. The thought set fear into the mind of man. Desperation gripped many. The sounds of war could be heard from one kingdom the next, everyone fighting for a future of their own. Those who did not benefit from war had to fend for themselves. Lawlessness spread like wildfire as man turned to beast, feeding on the next man's feast. It was a dreadful time of chaos and decay; the candle of hope burning quickly away.
Yet not everyone had lost faith. In a town like many others, there came by a strange merchant. The carts his oxen dragged were bulging with exotic wares from every parts of the land. Though most would save what money they had for food, many peculiar items were also sold. From the depths of one of the carts, one customer had found an old children's tale. Long forgotten by people past, it was a tale of the four seasons. Everyone thought he was a fool for buying it, but he had a childish hope of maybe finding an answer to why the summer had gone. It was called "The Legend of the Summer Sword."
The tale spoke of four brave knights who were supposed to be the protectors of the whole world. They defended man through all the seasons by guiding the weather and keeping the peace. It was their duty to ensure that the seasons went by as they did. Incredibly powerful, they each wielded a unique sword, which each had the powers to govern a season. Feyline, bright and earnest, held the Sword of Spring. Edeyrn, having the defining qualities of a knight, held the Sword of Summer. Horwin, stout and trusting, held the Sword of Autumn. Gabriel, perhaps the strongest of them all, held the Sword of Winter. They had to work together to make the seasons function as they should. Yet Gabriel, arrogant and hungry for more power, was bound to break the peace. Especially, he was envious of Edeyrn's powers. Everyone enjoyed summer; it brought light and warmth to everyone. Winter did not. It got to the point where he begun to hate Edeyrn and his Summer Sword. Thousands of years passed without more than quarrels, but the tale took a grim turn when Gabriel challenged Edeyrn to a duel, to prove which season was the strongest. Reluctantly, Edeyrn went along, in an attempt to appease Gabriel. But the fight got out of hand, and Gabriel cut Edeyrn down. Feyline and Horwin watched in horror as Gabriel ripped the Sword of Summer from Edeyrn's hands. He had finally proved his might, and the two other knights didn't dare challenge him. In the years to come, he vowed that the world would see a lot more winter, and locked the Sword of Summer away in his tower. The Tower of Winter, it was called, its walls impregnable. The knights continued to weave through the seasons, but it was not the same. The balance had been broken, and darkness covered the lands.
It was a disappointing ending to a children's story, but on the very last page there was a map. It was a map of the real world, and it marked the location of the Tower of Winter, far to the north. It was too much of a coincidence not to be of significance. Maybe the Sword of Summer had been taken. It would explain a lot. Yet, could the legend be true?
It was spring. Rivers ran wide with the melted snow. The light you saw lasted longer than before, stretching the dawn and dusk to where they were a year ago. Everywhere you walked, the birds chirped to one another, signalling the early days of warmth. The fields now bare were already being worked on, preparing it for the warm days to come. Yet as days became weeks and months, something appeared completely wrong. It was about time for summer to come when the trees already begun to their transformation to red, brown and yellow. Their green color never peaked, and neither did the heat. It was the shortest summer in man's memory. The crops had barely grown before it was time to bring them home. Everyone were in panic, as neither animal nor man had food enough to get through the cold winter. No one knew how to explain it, and blamed the Gods and the winds and everything in between. Making it through that harshest of winters, most lived to see the spring again. Yet the days hardly grew warmer before the weather declined into autumn's rain and wind. Again, summer had eluded them. This second time, everyone were in panic. What would be of the world without its days of warmth? The kings and rulers of the lands asked for answers, but even the wisest of men could not explain. What had happened to the season of the sun?
By the third year, food was becoming dangerously scarce. Would this go on, the world could perish. The thought set fear into the mind of man. Desperation gripped many. The sounds of war could be heard from one kingdom the next, everyone fighting for a future of their own. Those who did not benefit from war had to fend for themselves. Lawlessness spread like wildfire as man turned to beast, feeding on the next man's feast. It was a dreadful time of chaos and decay; the candle of hope burning quickly away.
Yet not everyone had lost faith. In a town like many others, there came by a strange merchant. The carts his oxen dragged were bulging with exotic wares from every parts of the land. Though most would save what money they had for food, many peculiar items were also sold. From the depths of one of the carts, one customer had found an old children's tale. Long forgotten by people past, it was a tale of the four seasons. Everyone thought he was a fool for buying it, but he had a childish hope of maybe finding an answer to why the summer had gone. It was called "The Legend of the Summer Sword."
The tale spoke of four brave knights who were supposed to be the protectors of the whole world. They defended man through all the seasons by guiding the weather and keeping the peace. It was their duty to ensure that the seasons went by as they did. Incredibly powerful, they each wielded a unique sword, which each had the powers to govern a season. Feyline, bright and earnest, held the Sword of Spring. Edeyrn, having the defining qualities of a knight, held the Sword of Summer. Horwin, stout and trusting, held the Sword of Autumn. Gabriel, perhaps the strongest of them all, held the Sword of Winter. They had to work together to make the seasons function as they should. Yet Gabriel, arrogant and hungry for more power, was bound to break the peace. Especially, he was envious of Edeyrn's powers. Everyone enjoyed summer; it brought light and warmth to everyone. Winter did not. It got to the point where he begun to hate Edeyrn and his Summer Sword. Thousands of years passed without more than quarrels, but the tale took a grim turn when Gabriel challenged Edeyrn to a duel, to prove which season was the strongest. Reluctantly, Edeyrn went along, in an attempt to appease Gabriel. But the fight got out of hand, and Gabriel cut Edeyrn down. Feyline and Horwin watched in horror as Gabriel ripped the Sword of Summer from Edeyrn's hands. He had finally proved his might, and the two other knights didn't dare challenge him. In the years to come, he vowed that the world would see a lot more winter, and locked the Sword of Summer away in his tower. The Tower of Winter, it was called, its walls impregnable. The knights continued to weave through the seasons, but it was not the same. The balance had been broken, and darkness covered the lands.
It was a disappointing ending to a children's story, but on the very last page there was a map. It was a map of the real world, and it marked the location of the Tower of Winter, far to the north. It was too much of a coincidence not to be of significance. Maybe the Sword of Summer had been taken. It would explain a lot. Yet, could the legend be true?
One-liner Plots
The plots in this category are deliberately vague and need a lot of work.
During an open conflict between two kingdoms(or noble Houses), a band of mercenaries find a way to profit from fighting on both sides of the war.
An FBI agent is sent to a small, rural village to investigate the murder of a young girl, which he does in cooperation with the local sheriff.
A renowned bounty hunter is paid well to bring home the run-away daughter of a railroad tycoon, but when he finds her it's she who gets the drop on him.
After a failed writer miraculously survives a terrible plane crash unscathed, the Christian community believes that he was saved by God for a good reason and labels him the next Messiah. (Other character is up to you, e.g. friend, girlfriend, brother, or anyone else in his life circle which would be closely impacted by this)
When the life of a princess/prince is threatened by internal intrigue, she disappears together with her loyal knight guard and goes into hiding in the country.
During the Klondike Gold Rush, a ragtag stick-up crew is covertly tracking the movements and labors of a group of excavators whom they believe are quietly sitting on the wealthiest spot of land in the region.
If you found anything which peaked your interest, or if you think you'd like to role-play with me and have your own plot ideas, send me a PM. I will not respond to comments to this thread or wall messages on my profile.
