Writing Explorations: Week 44, Savior

[The Mood is Write]

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Sorry to spook you guys with the scary exclamation point just to the left, but I have an announcement regarding the status of my upcoming exercise series!

The Planning Practice (working title) exercises will be geared towards 1x1 players, and it will be posted in RP Mechanics, and it will include exercises with creating plots, presenting ideas, dealing with OOC difficulties in the planning process, overcoming hurdles, and more. These exercise types will be rotated or random, and each will include tips based on my experiences.

EDIT: I forgot to say this earlier, but Planning Practice exercises are going to be held off until I have ideas set up for at least the first several months. They may be once every two weeks, or every work with a simplified version every other week to let my brain work out the deets for the more in-depth exercises. I've got a list of topics and subtopics to include. Get yourselves pumped!

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My Writing Explorations series of exercises are a chance for users to explore new concepts and practice the art of raising two fingers to Writer's Block while screaming obscenities to fickle muses: to rebel against the idea that a person requires a mythical force inside them to make new and amazing things.

No. Listen well, users: there is no being inside you waiting to be let out. You are the writer, and in this exercise, you are given a place to push not only against Writer's Block, but also against the forces of stagnation. Feel trapped in your genre? Explore a new one! Stuck with a singular archetype? Do something else! In this thread, you will not be critiqued, and I will read every entry and let you know what makes me happy about it. Should you wish it, I will happily offer my thoughts on how it might be improved, but I will not comb looking for fixes: this isn't the place: this place is for safely trying new things and indulging a love of writing.

Shake the bars of your cell block and roar, writers!

[fieldbox=How do I take part?]Curious about how this works? Good! Look over the offered themes and prompts and the bonus rounds, then think about them. Then, take your thoughts and get writing. You can write to one or more (or none) of the prompts, the theme in the thread title, the bonuses: hell, you can even cast aside all of what I offer if you get a different idea.

The whole point is "get writing!"[/fieldbox]

Themes:

1. Everything is saved at a horrible cost. Most people have no idea, but this is the beginning of the story, not the end.
2. The hero is not only unexpected, but they are definitely not a callow youth. The appointed old mentor is confused about why he has to teach someone like this how to save the (city/world/tristate area/person).
3. A bear plays a prominent role in the plot for reasons unknown.

Bonus Rounds:

• Write in a random genre.
• For theme 1: A witness lies about the 'horrible cost' paid. Tell why.
• For theme 2: Mess with some tropes. Use the hero type from a different genre!
• For theme 3: Also include a spider.

 

[MST3K 4ever]

The year is 2187 and The Illuminati won the Information War of 2175. Humanity is now enslaved to The Illuminati, and they enforce their will upon humanity. Those that they do not deem worthy are put in stasis for either experimentation or organ harvesting at a later date. Those that they deem worthy are allowed to exist by the "good graces" of the chosen. There are pockets of resistance here and there, but none that they would consider a threat to them. Those who have managed to escape detection have rallied others. However, once they have been caught they are either re-educated or there's a stasis chamber with their name on it.

There has been one particular resistance unit that has been of some concern for the Illuminati and that is the unit known only as Iron Ice. They have been known to disrupt The Illuminati's network, free people from stasis units, and even get a few fortunate ones to an area called "free space" where The Illuminati is powerless. However, the attacks lately have been yielding mixed results, to be kind, and supplies are dwindling. Col. Travis, the mythical leader of Iron Ice, has emerged from hiding to meet with his mentor General Stibold who travelled all the way from his safety in "free space" to deliver to him a package one that will spell certain doom for The Illuminati.

The two men meet under bridge near what once was New York City just after midnight. The burned out buildings and desolation are rampant as Travis looks around. Travis was beginning to wonder if Iron Ice's time was winding down. That they could start counting down the time left in terms of days and not weeks. He checks his watch and says into a crude communicator, "Stibold isn't here in five we pack it up. This is too risky and I'm starting to get a bad feeling." A voice replies, "Copy that." Just then a familiar voice says, "You always did have a sense of the overly paranoid." Travis turns to see an older gentleman in a green combat jacket. The two men embrace one another and Travis says, "Good to see you sir." Stibold replies, "As it is good to see you again my friend." Travis asks, "I hate to cut this reunion short sir, but time is not our friend." Stibold says with a chuckle, "Time is however you make it Travis. That being said, I now bring you your salvation against The Illuminati." Stibold points to a darkened area and says, "Come out my child." Emerging from the shadows is a middle aged woman who is wearing glasses, weighing less than 120 pounds, standing 5' 1", with stringy brown hair and looking very awkward dressed in sweat clothes that were too big for her. Travis blinks twice and looks to Stibold. He asks, "Are you kidding me sir?" Stibold replies, "Far from my dear Colonel. This is Maggie and she will be the one to destroy The Illuminati." Travis was stunned as he asked, "How sir?" Stibold replied, "Show him child." With that Maggie let her clothes fall to the ground. Travis could see writing all over her body and he looks at Stibold who said, "That writing my dear Colonel are the technical readouts and access codes to Central One the Illuminati's main computer networking system. Maggie used to work there as an analyst when she realized what they were doing she began writing down codes on the only place they could not detect; her own body. One day she disappeared and she used your own system to get to us in 'free space'. When we heard of your recent struggles we knew it was time to strike. The Illuminati do not see her as a threat. They know the information of power, however we know the power of information and how it can be used. Maggie's codes can destroy Central One, and once it is destroyed The Illuminati is done for."

Travis nods and asks, "What is my mission sir? How do I carry it out?"

Stibold replies, "While Maggie is gifted with great intellect she lacks the physical skills needed to infiltrate Central One. With her knowledge and with you training her as a soldier she can be an army of one." Stibold takes a step to Travis and says, "Remember a stick is nothing to some, but in the right hands it can be a weapon. Make Maggie your weapon."

Travis walks over to Maggie who put her clothes back on. Travis turns back and says, "Thank you sir I…" but Stibold was gone. Travis turns back to Maggie and asks, "You got a last name?" Maggie replied, "Stibold sir." Travis then realizes that this was Stibold's Granddaughter, and if Stibold was willing to risk everything he had to come out of hiding and his own family for them then Travis knew it was time once again to give everything he had for the cause. Travis nods and says "All right Maggie, move it out." She starts to walk away and then trips. She sheepishly says while getting up, "Sorry sir." Travis shakes his head and says walking with Maggie, "I got my work cut out for me."

 

[The Mood is Write]

@MST3K 4ever
Dang, I was over here hoping for more to read! Very well done! I'd love to learn more about Maggie some day. =D

 

[MST3K 4ever]

@MST3K 4ever
Dang, I was over here hoping for more to read! Very well done! I'd love to learn more about Maggie some day. =D

I don't think that this will be the last time we hear from these characters... I didn't want to overwrite....I do have some concepts in mind and if I can fit them into some more exercises....yeah it could be fun.

 

[The Mood is Write]

I don't think that this will be the last time we hear from these characters... I didn't want to overwrite....I do have some concepts in mind and if I can fit them into some more exercises....yeah it could be fun.

Oh man, I can't wait!