Shy

Michael Hollett began to sweep up the peanut shells and chicken bones that had littered the floor of his family?s tavern. It was another day at Crossroads, and the child had already been working for several hours. If the Holletts had given birth to a second or third child, Michael thought, then maybe his workload would not be so great. Expectations were high for the boy; nightfall saw a flood of new customers enter the tavern, and he was expected to serve almost each and every one of them. His grandfather, who he loved very much, had grown weak with age. All the old man could do was welcome visitors, and perhaps serve a pitcher of ale or two when he felt like it. While he was a lively presence at the tavern, it was Michael and his father who were expected to keep things in order. ?When you?re done with this,? his father patted Michael on the shoulder, ?There are some new customers who had just entered the tavern. Strange looking ones, too. See that they get something to drink, son.? ?Could you do it I?m still-? He turned around to discover that his father had walked away, ?Never mind, I?ll do it myself. [I]Rotten old man[/I].? ?Such strong words for such a weak boy,? a familiar voice laughed from a few tables away. ?I was only talking to myself, sir. I?d appreciate it if you stayed out of conversations that you weren?t welcome to.? He knew the man behind the voice well -- Jacob Baum. Jacob was a close friend to his grandfather and a nuisance to his father, but Michael had yet to form any sort of opinion. Every night for the past 10 years (as long as Michael could remember, anyway) Mr. Baum had been a loyal customer to the Crossroads Tavern. ?I don?t think your grandfather would appreciate taking that tone of voice with me,? he took a drink from his mug, ?Or worse yet, your father. You need to learn some respect.? ??and you?re the one to teach it to me?? Michael asked. Jacob approached Michael with a crooked walk, and put his arm around the young man -- no doubt trying to keep his balance after an afternoon of drinking. ?You?re clever and brash in your age, young Hollett. I promise you that those two things will only get you hurt in life?? [center][font=georgia][size=4][b][i]The Gobblesnout[/i][/b][/size][/font][/center] This, child, is the story of the Gobblesnout. And as you know, the Gobblesnout is a large, ferocious beast that once lived in these very woods. The Gobblesnout eats all forms of man and beast; it sleeps at day, and lives at night. One might find this peculiar, given how the thing is attracted to light. But if you've ever seen a Gobblesnout up close, you're glad that you don't get to see the ugly thing in the sunlight. It's not a pretty sight. The creatures of the woods are terrified of the Gobblesnout, and with good reason. Once the sun sets they hide in their trees, their bushes, or even their cabins. In fact, some were so good at hiding from the thing that they had never actually seen it before. That was the case with young Roy, and because he had never seen one, he began to wonder if there was even such a thing as a Gobblesnout. So while his father was away one evening, Roy decided to search the woods for this fabled beast. And you know what happens to people who come looking for trouble like that? They find it. Which is exactly what happened to young Roy. He came a hootin' and a hollerin' by the river's edge, where the Gobblesnout was looking at the moon's reflection. Before that kid could let out a scream of fear he was swallowed up by the Gobblesnout's enormous trunk. But that's not the end of the story, no. Because when you're swallowed by a Gobblesnout, that's not the end of you. At least, not yet. Roy had plenty of time to sit and think about what he had done inside of that enormous monster's stomach. He had plenty of company, too. Turns out Roy wasn't the only one looking for trouble that night. Little Molly Brown had also been swallowed up, too. Seems like that night was an especially bad time to explore these woods. "My father, my father!" She cried, "My father the woodchopper will save me!" Turns out Little Molly Brown's father was a woodchopper, and this got Roy thinking... "Oh boy, I sure could go for a woodchopper right now," Roy said loud enough so that the Gobblesnout could hear him, "They sure are tasty." This, of course, upset Little Molly Brown, but boy, did it make the Gobblesnout hungry! All day long the creature dreamed about having himself a helping of woodchopper stew,. When the Gobblesnout woke the next evening, the first thing he wanted to do was eat a woodchopper. So he did. Up the Woodchopper went, through the Gobblesnout's trunk like smoke up a chimney, and it wasn't long before Little Molly Brown was reunited with her father. But that wasn't Roy's plan, for if you know woodchoppers then you know that they aren't easily separated from their axes. Roy quickly grabbed the Woodchopper's axe and cut himself a great big hole for which he and the others could escape in, giving the Gobblesnout a terrible bellyache. Roy was free, and so was Little Molly Brown, and the Woodchopper, too. And the poor Gobblesnout? He decided that he'd never take dining advice from his supper again. ?You?re absolutely mad,? Michael lifted Jacob?s hand off of his shoulder, and began to walk off, ?A [I]Gobblesnout[/I]? Our tavern is open at all hours of the night, and you?re the first to ever complain of such a beast.? ?Did you not hear my story I just told you?? Jacob asked, annoyed, ?Would you really stick around if someone had stabbed a hole in your stomach?? Michael thought about this for a moment, ?No, I suppose not, but then where is it?? ?Nobody knows. Or more correctly, those who find out aren?t around long enough to tell anyone.? ?Except for the woodchoppers,? the boy replied. ?Yes, except for the woodchoppers.?

[QUOTE=vicky][SIZE=1][B]I'm guessing when you PM the codes you'll tell some of us how to actually post in the codes, won't you? Because I for one have absolutely no idea what-so-ever how to use HTML (They told it was hypertext mark-up langauge in school, but did they ever tell us how to use it? Nooooo!). Oh, just a small question: How long are you expecting the post to be? Small stories and big, oh and also, how long do you plan on making the whole RPG?[/SIZE][/B][/QUOTE] [size=1]I'll explain to you how to use the html to the best of my ability, my dear. Heh. It really isn't that difficult once you play around with the stuff a bit. I don't have any real expectations for the length of your posts. Write the best posts you can, and don't be concerned about the length. As for the length of the RPG, I honestly don't know. I would expect this project to be under 50 posts in length, but again nothing is set in stone. It depends on the quality of the posts, and how long you guys stay interested. -Shy[/size]

[QUOTE=Alan][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]I wouldn't exactly say I'm a God, heh. >>; Anyway, did that code I whipped up actually work? I remember there was some Firefox-not-IE **** going on, and I couldn't test it, heh. And you never PMed me to tell me if actually worked so I'm pretty much in the dark, lol.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [size=1]Actually, yes. The only real issue I was having with it was I couldn't make it work for a single-color background as opposed to having a background image. But then I started to toy around on my computer, and I created a handful of background images that I really like... so I think I'm going to change my mind on using background images altogether. Here is an example of what a post in "Vignette" is going to look like. Each story should have a title (preferrably after the [b]bookends[/b].) [/size] [center][b]The Handmaiden's Tale[/b][/center] It may be a week or so before the actual RPG is created and before then I?d like to set up how posting will work, and address the questions anyone might have. This will be done in the [b]Vignette Underground[/b], thread to be created soon. [size=1]That is basically an example of what I want. The coding is fairly simple, and it gives you a lot of room to play around with different color schemes and such. I'm going to send out a PM of the coding to every member of the RPG as soon as I see Alan online, and play around with a few things there. For post backgrounds, I've been trying to create one for every character and it's turning out to be mildly successful. If you already have an image in mind (I know a lot of you used images for your post backgrounds in the sign-ups) then that's fine.) I really just want the html to look standardized as opposed to the several different versions that were used in the sign-ups. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]I'm about where Shinmaru was when he wrote his post (130 pages or so) I thought I'd comment and spark a discussion. I was really planning on saving my thoughts for when I finish the book, though. I have a few problems with [i]Oryx and Crake[/i], the main one being that I don't find the characters particularily engaging. I really want to like Jimmy, but I just can't find anything great about the guy. Perhaps later on in the book he really comes into his own, I just don't know... as of right now he's just kind of annoying me. Of course, it's not just Jimmy. All of the human characters in the story come across as being cold and unlikeable, perhaps that might be the point the author is trying to make. In the way it's being described in the story, the world has become a terrible place to live. Jimmy and his family live in a huge gated community, one that is so enormous and self-reliant that he could feasibly spend his entire life there. I believe Jimmy's Mother likened the place to a theme park at one point, saying that living in such a pefect place was making them forget about the outside world. It's definitely hard to imagine what true pain and suffering is when you're exposed to such a superficially happy place all of the time. The only character I really like is the Mother, but [spoiler]she kind of disappears halfway through the book. I'd love to see her return, though. Whereas it seems like everyone is trying to get into these safe, gated communities the Mother flee. I wonder if she knows more than she is letting on, since the company seems to have a great deal of interest in finding her.[/spoiler] As for the post-apocalyptic bits, I don't find them very interesting yet. I love Snowman trying to explain simple things like toast to the Crakes; little moments like that are probably my favorite parts of the book. [spoiler]Calling them 'Crakes' seems to be a way for Snowman to honor his childhood friend, but maybe he plays a larger role later in the story. I don't know. It will be interesting to see how this apocalypse actually came about, and how Snowman is the only survivor.[/spoiler] Also, it's kind of comforting to know that all of the unlikable characters are killed in an apocalypse of some kind. As far as I'm concerned, this genetically engineered world is far more of a utopia than it was when mankind was ruling it. Nothing really specific to say right now. I'm saving my opinions for when I finish this, mostly. -Shy[/size]

[center][size=5][font=georgia][b][u]Vignette Underground[/u][/b][/font][/size][/center] [size=1]Hey all. Let's use this thread for any discussion regarding the RPG itself, and to address questions the players may have throughout the project. Having said that, let me begin with a few things I'd like to ramble on about...[/size] [font=trebuchet ms][size=3][b][u]Post Structure[/size][/u][/b] Basically I expect each post in ?Vignette? to include two things: [b]The Story[/b] and [b]Bookends[/b]. The stories themselves can be told from any point of view or perspective? you have complete freedom with those. My only request is that the stories themselves remain self-contained and accessible, since that is what this RPG is all about. Whereas the individual posts are expected to tell self-contained ?small stories? there is the ?big story? of these characters at the tavern exchanging their stories. The ?big story? deals with interaction between the storytellers, events taking place in the bar, and whatever else you can think that takes place in the ?present.? The [b]Bookends[/b] to the post involve the set-up to the story, and anything else you can think of. Whereas the individual posts are expected to tell self-contained ?small stories? there is the ?big story? of these characters at the tavern exchanging their stories. The ?big story? is covered in these [b]Bookends[/b]. Also, whenever possible, I?d like to have the Bookends have some relevance to the story being told. Here?s basically what I envision a basic post to look like? [quote][i]Example:[/i] [b]Intro Bookend:[/b] Marlow and Charlotte get into an argument about an Arthurian legend. Marlow grew up with a more conventional version of the story, but Charlotte can prove through historical records that his version is incorrect. Gwelldyon laughs at both of them, ?You two are both wrong. I know because [I]I was there.[/I]? [b]The Story:[/b] Gwelldyon tells the story of when she met a young Arthur and shared an adventure together. [b]Closing Bookend:[/b] Both Marlow and Charlotte wonder if Gwelldyon has had a bit too much to drink that evening. Marlow still has unwavering faith in the story he has known all his life.[/quote] Having said that, you don't neccessarily have to limit [b]Bookends[/b] to the beginning and end of your posts. If you'd like to break up the narrative flow a bit and have the Vignette storyteller characters interact [i]during[/i] the actual story than you are more than welcome to. [size=3][b][u]Post Order[/u][/b][/size] Here is the posting order. Wash, rinse, repeat. [list] [*]Shy [*]Heaven's Cloud [*]Vicky [*]Siren [*]Alan [*]Lore [*]Dragon's Warrior [/list] If needed, the posting order can be switched around to accommodate people's schedules. It's really just about posting when you feel ike you're ready to, so if you aren't ready and someone else is... just let them post first. Nothing is really set in stone. [size=3][b][u]HTML in Posts[/b][/u][/size] Not all of us are html gods like Alan, but in my personal experience I have found it easy enough to use. If we (ie: everyone throw in your two-cents) decide to use html, I'd like us to use a standardized coding for our posts. Also, I'd rather not have us use images for post backgrounds. Simple one-color backgrounds seem perfectly fine for me, but if you guys would rather have images then that's okay. But I want the look of the posts standarized, so if we decide to go one way than I expect everyone to follow.[/font] [size=1]We should be starting "Vignette" sometime in the next week, assuming that we're able to settle these matters within that time. Question, comments, concerns? -Shy[/size]

[left][color=darkgreen][font=trebuchet MS][center][size=4]Under the Mistletoe[/size][/center] Lacy paced back and forth under the doorway. Martin had long been a friend, but perhaps, under the mistletoe, he could be more to her... Martin approached. ?Hey Martin, it looks like we?re under the mistletoe together...? ?That?s holly up there,? he began to walk off, ?Mistletoe has white berries.? ?...Merry Christmas.?[/font][/color][/left]

[size=1]Why did I have to die? Oh well, I appreciate the cameo, I guess... Fun stuff, DW. Everything you do is utter nonsense, and that is why you are so beloved. I can't believe we have to wait for next year to see a new animation, hm. -Shy[/size]

[font=trebuchet ms]Sign-ups are now closed. I thank everyone for the [I]amazing[/I] level of support they have given this project so far. I tried my best not only to pick the best sign-ups (which was a difficult task in itself) but to select a diverse group of players and characters. I loved reading each of the sign-ups, and if you ever want to talk about yours or why you weren't selected please feel free to talk to me anytime. So, enough of that then, let me announce the talented storytellers who did make it into ?Vignette.?[/font] [center][size=3][font=georgia][color=white][b]The Storytellers[/b][/font][/size] [FONT=Trebuchet MS][b]Lykos[/b] - [I]Vicky[/I] [b]Gwelldyon[/b] - [I]Heaven?s Cloud[/I] [b]Rail Maximillion[/b] - [I]Alan[/I] [b]Sootfeather[/b] - [I]Dragon Warrior[/I] [b]Marlow[/b] - [I]Siren[/I] [b]Charlotte Hassenpflug[/b] - [I]Lore[/I][/font][/color][/center] [font=trebuchet ms]There you have it, that?s the team. Pretty nifty, eh? It may be a week or so before the actual RPG is created and before then I?d like to set up how posting will work, and address the questions anyone might have. This will be done in the [b]Vignette Underground[/b] thread, to be created soon. Thanks again everyone. I look forward to reading your stories, -Shy[/font]

[quote name='Arcadia][size=1]So .... what is good for everyone else? I'd say that two weeks seems appropriate, but if that's not realistic for somebody else, [i]please[/i'] speak up. There shouldn't be any rush to finish books, no stressing out - it's about having fun and reading a variety of good books. ^_~[/size][/quote] [size=1]Is that two weeks to finish the [i]chapter[/i], or two weeks to finish the book itself? I still work 40 hours a week while school is out, though. I don't know if I can finish the whole book in that time. Three weeks, sure. Anyway, I urge everyone who has picked up a copy of the book to read the first chapter. Feel free to discuss it in this thread while we figure out how this calendar is going to work, and perhaps if we are going to do a book every few weeks we should start deciding upon the next book now. We're not going to exclude those of you who haven't gotten your copies yet, as I had a little bit of trouble tracking one down myself. The first chapter is available at the website linked to in my first post. -Shy[/size]

[left][color=darkgreen][font=trebuchet MS][center][size=4]For Mediocrity[/size][/center] ?You may thinks it?s terrible, but average isn't really so bad, Mom,? the boy argued, ?Average men have built great empires out of poverty; average men steered the course of human history! I?m proud to be one of the average!? ?Average is still average," Mother sighed, "And a ?C? in geometry still means you?re grounded.?[/font][/color][/left]

[size=1]Greetings, and welcome to the first ever Otaku Book Club thread! Anyone can join the Otaku Book Club, but I only urge members to join if they plan on staying committed to the group. Members of the club will select a book for us to read, it can be of any genre or time period, and we will discuss the story in this thread. You people know how a book club works, anyway... We have let Queen Asuka choose our first book, the novel [b][u]Oryx and Crake[/u][/b] by [b]Margaret Atwood[/b]. [quote=Description taken from Amazon.com][center] [url=http://www.oryxandcrake.co.uk/home.asp][img]http://otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=21788&stc=1[/img] [size=3][b][u]Oryx and Crake[/u][/b][/url][/size] In Oryx and Crake, a science fiction novel that is more Swift than Heinlein, more cautionary tale than "fictional science" (no flying cars here), Margaret Atwood depicts a near-future world that turns from the merely horrible to the horrific, from a fool's paradise to a bio-wasteland. Snowman (a man once known as Jimmy) sleeps in a tree and just might be the only human left on our devastated planet. He is not entirely alone, however, as he considers himself the shepherd of a group of experimental, human-like creatures called the Children of Crake. As he scavenges and tends to his insect bites, Snowman recalls in flashbacks how the world fell apart.[/center][/quote] Any members who are interested in joining the book club must post in this thread to express their interest by Sunday, December 19th. By clciking on the book cover above, you will be taken to the book's official website where the entire first chapter of the book is available for reading. You are not expected to read the first chapter by Sunday, though. In this thread we will work out a reading schedule (IE: When you need to read each chapter by) over the course of the week. After that you are expected to track down a copy of your own, whether it be at your local library or a bookstore. The novel itself is quite popular, and is available is Australia, England and the United States. I encourage everyone to join. Please post any questions or comments you have here. Also, if anyone has any suggestions on how to do the reading calendar I'd love to hear about that. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]A murder mystery in four parts. This new *completed* version was the one I actually turned in today for my class. The size of the piece is outrageous, 40 pages, and needs to be spread out across several posts. Special thanks to Alex on getting me on the right track with this. For those of you who have read past versions, I urge you to give a second look at this. It's slightly different in tone, and several important details were added in this version that the previous ones did not contain. As always, comment and critique.[/size] [quote][center][font=trebuchet MS][size=5][b]Day One[/b][/center][/size] I approached the case from an objective point of view, I really did. It?s what I?m supposed to do -- it?s the type of thing one would expect from a detective. A good detective, at least. ?Who is that woman in the corner? Does she work here?? I asked Police Commissioner Daniel Lewis, the first officer to arrive on the scene. Even long before the murder had happened, Ice Cream World was not a very clean place. The shop itself was about seven feet in diameter, placed in a random spot between Salad Club and Incense Etc. Not that it mattered where the thing was, it could have been in the middle of the attic and it would have still received the same number of customers. ?That?s Heather Roberts,? he was clutching a cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of paperwork in the other, ?She opens the shop on weekdays, she found the body at around 8:10 this morning.? ?The sign says this place opens at 8.? ?Yeah, well that?s something you might want to investigate, Felix,? he laughed. Due to vague hint of a friendship we once shared, Daniel felt comfortable directing rude comments towards me. Him being my superior officer only made it worse. ?I know that but--? ?She usually shows up a few minutes late. Nobody ever notices, since the next shift starts at 10.? The mall had opened a few hours earlier, and the place still wasn?t very busy. Every so often the occasional grandmother, or unemployed citizen stared at the police officers collecting ice cream scoops and waffle cones as evidence, and walked away. Body bags are only interesting for so long, I suppose. ?Has she given her statement yet?? ?As soon as I got here, about an hour ago. She?s just been sitting in the food court ever since, I think she?s a little shaken by what she found.? ?I doubt she finds her co-workers? dead bodies very often? I?ll talk to her. As soon as you?re done with the area, I?d like to look around.? ?We?re still cleaning up and collecting evidence, I?ll deliver a full report to your desk this afternoon.? ?Thanks.? Officer Lewis handed me a stack of paperwork, outlining what little information they had gathered so far. There was one cash register, centered between two enormous palettes of ice cream, each containing 12 barrels of different flavors. Behind that was a wide variety of scoops, blenders, soft-serve machines and more toppings than any person could ever possibly want in their dessert. Two cabinets beneath the sink revealed a cold storage and a frozen storage bin. Oh yeah, and there was a dead body lying somewhere, too. I held onto my paperwork with a death grip, and made my way towards the middle-aged woman. I slowly approached her from behind as I spoke in a sympathetic tone of voice. ?Hi. I?m Detective Lafferty. I know this is a difficult time for you? but I just need to ask you a few questions.? The woman kept her back turned and didn?t reply. Perhaps she was more upset than I had expected. This is the most difficult part of the job, talking to witnesses right after the fact. After seeing such a terrible crime scene, most are too shaken to provide any sort of information. I softly tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped out of her seat. The surprise sent me back a few feet myself. ?Oh, sorry. I didn?t hear you, I?m listening to my Oingo Boingo album.? She removed a clear set of headphones from her ears and smiled politely. ?Yes, I was just checking up on you. My name is Felix Lafferty. I?m a detective with the country Sheriff?s department.? ?Oh, hiya! I?m Heather. What?s up?? Heather was a valley girl born and raised. In fact, she may very well have been the prototype. With each new syllable spoken she managed to bob her head in a different direction, it seemed almost rhythmic at times. It was obvious that she put a lot of effort into her looks; her thin frame was heavily toned from a decade of workout videos and weight loss shakes. Although it was meant to help her stay youthful, her amazing body fat percentage and the abundance of eye shadow only emphasized her age. There was very little she could do to hide the trust, she was faded, and long past her prime as Miss Chino ?86. ?Um,? I paused for a moment, slightly shocked at how friendly she seemed, ?Maybe I?m mistaken? are you Heather Roberts, the one who found the body of Thomas Webster this morning?? ?Oh yeah,? she perked up a bit when the subject of murder was brought up, ?I can?t believe that sort of thing can happen here, in the mall! Like, you don?t expect to find a dead body at Ice Cream World.? ?Certainly. I know you gave a full report to Officer Lewis--? ?Daniel?? she interrupted, ?He?s a sweetie, we talked for almost an hour. It turns out I used to work with his sister when I was at Miller?s Outpost, before they built this place.? ?Um, really?? ?Totally.? ?With the investigation going for the rest of the day, the state won?t allow you to open up the shop anytime today, probably tomorrow at the earliest. We spoke with your employer, and you can have the day off.? ?In my union contract it states that even if the shop is closed by a state official, I can stay for the length of my scheduled shift. Thanks, but I?ll be staying right here,? She said, deep furrows forming between her brows, ?You can?t send me home.? ?I? I just wanted to say that we don?t need you at the crime scene for any more questioning. I wasn?t attempting to deny you of your full eight hour shift.? ?Good, because I?m a Shop Steward. I know my rights.? There was an awkward pause. Heather adjusted the neon scrunchie she held in her blond hair, glaring at me the entire time. ?Since you?re not doing much else, would you mind telling me about your job? I don?t have a lot of expertise in the ice cream business, or better, yet, tell me about Thomas Webster.? ?Well, like, I?ve been here for nine years. And because of that I?m an opener. Thomas was pretty new, he had only been here for two years, so he closed the shop last night, I guess. It?s weird how his name wasn?t on the schedule, though.? She stood up and moved closer to the ice cream stand, more like a kiosk, really. Although I didn?t know it at the time, there is a distinct difference between the two. ?After two years Thomas still had to close?? ?No, he just thought he was better than the day crew. He always had volunteer work, or school, or something in the mornings, so he worked nights. Like once I had a hair appointment, and Thomas had a night shift so I asked him to trade, but he wouldn?t do it. Like, it?s not like I wouldn?t have helped him out if he needed it for something really important.? For the next 45 minutes we talked, A lot. Or more specifically, she talked. She told me all about how she misses the crew she hired in with, and how nobody trains the new hires on how to scoop with their wrist as opposed to using their hands (apparently it?s company policy.) For her entire life, all Heather had to show was her experience at this isolated island in the food court. As such, she made a point of making it seem as wonderful and glamorous as possible to me, the first person in a decade who had expressed any interest in what she did for a living. ?Ugh, are you kidding me?!? A high-pitched, red-haired woman whined, staring at the yellow police tape surrounding Ice Cream World, ?There?s yellow ribbons all over the place!? A young woman with long red hair and hazel-colored eyes stood in front of the two of us, looking at the ice cream stand. This girl was beautiful, although a little on the thick side. She only advertised this more by wearing a form-fitting black ?Ice Cream World? t-shirt. The girl complained in our general direction, ?Is this one of those AIDS things?? ?That?s caution tape, Sophia, not ribbons.? Heather replied. I introduced myself and flashed my badge at the young woman, ?I?m Detective Felix Lafferty, and Thomas Webster was murdered at Ice Cream World sometime this morning.? ?Oh!? She attempted to process the previous few sentences in her head, ?So it?s not an AIDS thing?? ?Your co-worker was murdered here last night, Miss. He was discovered face down into a gallon of ?Cherry Crush? with several dozen puncture wounds in his back, neck and abdomen.? ?OMFG! I?m so glad I didn?t open this morning. That sounds serious, and blood and bodies and all that make me freak out.? ?It wasn?t so bad. They show worse things on TV all of the time,? Heather said as she yawned. ?You look like you?re dead, anyway, Heather, so it?s probably not that disturbing to you. Normal people would freak out.? ?Whatever!? Heather stormed off to the other end of food court, agitated by the other?s comments. Sophia giggled to herself, and adjusted her natural assets in front of me without the slightest hint of shame. I began to blush, and averted my gaze, thumbing through the assorted papers in my hands. By no stretch of the imagination was Sophia an intelligent woman. When she spoke she constantly paused, as if she needed extra time to think about what she was trying to say. At first this made me think she was being cautious around me, and somewhat intelligent. This was very, very wrong. However, on specific occasions, like insulting Heather, her handful of brain cells could focus themselves into a powerful laser beam. ?Heather?s just awful! It?s like she?s straight out of Mary Shelley or something. If she would just try to get some help with her eating disorder, and her attitude, and her makeup, maybe people wouldn?t be so turned off by her.? ?She has an eating disorder?? I asked curiously. ?No, but she?s a bitch. A bitchy skeleton woman? SKELEBITCH!? The red-head blurted out, ?Don?t you think that?s perfect for her?? ?She seems fine to me. Everyone?s built differently.? I attempted to regain my credibility, ?And this is not the type of thing we should be talking about in a murder investigation.? ?Murder? Mm.. That.? Yes, that. In my two hours at the scene of the crime I had learned two things: how to scoop ice cream with the wrist, and that there was something seriously unusual about the employees of this tiny frozen dairy shop. Perhaps, I thought, the afternoon crew would be more helpful. Many hours later we were standing in front of Ice Cream World, like I had been doing for most of the entire day. In the brief period after Sophia left, and before the other two showed up I had managed to look through my paperwork more closely. The kiosk closes at 6, while the mall itself remains open until 8 on Sunday nights. More importantly, the employee entrances to the mall remain unlocked at all times. Anyone working could have feasibly killed Thomas Webster. Worse yet, the forensics reports came back in. Due to the terrible job the night crew did of cleaning the place, the chances of using fingerprints to find the killer were pretty much slim to nil. The fingerprints, and even assorted bits of DNA were found all over the site. It would waking good detective work to solve the murder. ?You know what the funny thing about Thomas always was? He could tell you that you were doing a bad job without actually doing. I think he was afraid of one of us snapping at him, or something.? ?Well, not me, not us. I think he was more concerned about Heather? ?Yeah. I would be, too, man. If you look her directly in the eyes she turns you turn to stone.? ?Or sterile, one of the two.? ?Um, is there any way we could continue the investigation, gentlemen?? I made an attempt to butt into their banter. In little less than an hour, I?d yet to make any real progress with my latest string of interviews. Ryan Richey was an All-American. Not that he was an athlete or anything, but he just looked the part. Tall with a muscular build and spiky blond hair, However, this appearance was a little misleading, since after hours he would don leather pants and put on thick mascara. Ryan was a rock star at heart, and he let the whole world know it. His heavy metal band, The Foxxy Reptillicus, would ?jam? into all hours of the night, thoroughly annoying his roommate, Derek Hall, and the 76 other residents at his small apartment complex. He was a friendly enough guy if you got to know him, but on the exterior he was a jerk, and he made that obvious to the customers and his fellow employees. His only real friend was Derek, although Sophia and Jolene were both more than willing to change that.. ?This is part of the mourning process, man,? Ryan said, trying to get some ounce of sympathy out of me, ?We tell stories to move past the tragedy.? ?All you?ve been doing is insulting the people you work with. This is a murder investigation.? He gave me a dirty look, which only seemed exaggerated when combined with the eyeliner he was wearing. ?Moving past the murder so quickly probably doesn?t speak very well for us, huh?? Derek muttered nervously. ?Actually,? I replied, ?Yours are the most emotional responses I?ve gotten all day.? Tall, lanky, and mahogany colored, Derek Hall was the closest thing Ice Cream World had to a minority on it?s crew. A less informed person might instantly call the company?s hiring practices racist, but nothing could be further from the truth. As it turns out there wasn?t exactly a line forming to join the elite crew of this frozen dessert stand. For some reason there was a severe lack of interest in serving the nation?s obese youth. Derek was working there as a second job to pay for his summer trip to Portugal, or something, nobody really knew much about the guy. Sometime early in his career he had pegged himself as an outsider, which in hindsight was probably a good career move. Not even Sophia, who once spent 20 minutes arguing with a voice mail recording, could ever recall getting into a fight with the guy. By managing to confuse his co-workers with big words and trivia Derek was able to put a wall between him and his fellow employees. This only annoyed those of us who had actually received a real education. ?Hey Detective. Did you know that Vikings wouldn?t bury a body, but send it out to sea after a man had died?? ?No, I don?t think that--? ?And they would take all of the man?s belongings, including his wife, and place them on the boat as well, and then set the whole thing on fire!? ?That can?t possibly be true,? I countered. ?No, it is. Men have been setting their wives on fire since the beginning of time.? Ryan let out a small laugh at Derek?s statement. ?You watch too much History Channel, man. Most of what they put on TV is lies, anyway.? ?Well, yeah,? I argued, ?The majority of television is scripted programming, of course it?s lies. It?s fiction.? By attempting to join in on their conversation I had somehow managed to kill it. The two young men shared a glance, somehow communicating without saying a single word. ?Exactly!? Ryan shouted, ?Exactly!? ?I think I missed something?? ?No, don?t worry about it, man. Derek and I just have this psychic friends thing going on. It?s weird.? ?Very.? Derek?s Kermit the Frog watch started to beep wildly. ?Oh, crap. I?m going to be late for my doctor?s appointment.? ?I won?t be keeping you any longer than I need to then. According to the schedules, you closed the shop last night. Did Thomas act strangely at all that evening?? ?Thomas wasn?t at the shop last night, at least not while I was there.? ?So he must have shown up after hours?? ?Or after I left, yeah.? ?Okay then. If I have any further questions I may have to call you back here.? ?Sounds good,? Derek smiled, ?I?ll see you later, Ryan.? Derek reached out to shake his roommate?s hand, and then exploded into an uncontrollable bit of sneezing. Somehow I had missed the fact that Derek was sick, that box of tissues he was carrying around should have been a clue. The dark man walked off to the exit, sniffling and trying to recover his composure the entire time. ?Are you done with me yet?? Ryan asked, snapping his fingers to the beat of some rhythm that existed only in his head. ?Yeah, I guess so. You can leave.? In the distance I spotted an unfamiliar female figure, donning the trademarked green Ice Cream World apron. ?Oh, God,? Ryan rolled his eyes, ?Not her.? ?Ryan!? the woman yelled from across the way. As she dashed towards us I checked my notes once again; trying to figure out who this mysterious person was. I?m so happy to see you,? she buried herself into the Ryan?s chest, making every effort to get him to reciprocate in some way, shape, or form. ?Yeah, um, how?s it going Joe?? She clutched onto her co-worker tightly as I introduced myself to the young lady. ?I?m Detective Felix Lafferty of the Sheriff?s department, and you must be Jolene Martin.? ?Yeah, I must be Jolene,? she seemed offended, ?I must be.? ?I suppose you are wondering why I called you here on your day off?? ?Not really,? the young woman said confidently, ?I figured it had something to do with the murder.? ?How did you know about the murder?? I asked. ?Sophia sent me a text message to everyone this morning, while I was in class. My professor was really unhappy when my phone ringer went off.? ?I?d imagine,? I paused, ?I need to ask you a few questions about your relationship with Tom, if that?s okay.? ?Oh, this might be personal. I should leave,? Ryan suggested. ?Possibly, yes,? I said as Jolene frowned, ?Thank you for your time, Mr. Richey.? ?Bye Ryan,? she embraced him even more tightly this time around, ?Call me later, okay?? ?I?m really busy with my schedule this week, Joe. And um, I need time to mourn.? ?Oh, yeah, yeah. Me too. Maybe we could go to his funeral together?? ?Now about you, Jolene,? I awkwardly stepped in, ?Tell me about Tom.? Jolene locked eyes with me. Seeing this as his only opportunity to escape, Ryan fled the food court immediately. ?Yeah, it?s sad, though. I thought he was going to make a great supervisor,? she sighed. ?Supervisor?? ?Yeah, Tom was going to start his first shift as supervisor this morning.? ?Funny how nobody mentioned that.? ?Everyone applied for the job, but a couple of people are really bitter that they didn?t get it.? ?But you didn?t get the position?? ?Nope.? ?And why is that?? ?The Boss said I have ?poor interpersonal skills,? which I don?t really understand, by the way. What kind of interpersonal skills does Tom have that I don?t? It?s just a line they gave me; once again they are playing favorites, I guess.? ?It?s all politics here, you know?? she continued, ?This sort of thing happened in Pride Club all throughout high school. My parents, my basketball coach, my guidance counselor and even my pen pals kept promising me that things would get better after I graduated. ??It?s only high school,? they said, ?Don?t worry, real life is not that like that.? But high school IS real life, life doesn?t suddenly get any more real after June. The same people who were popular and successful in Pride Club are popular and successful now!? ?People claim to hate politics, but it?s the way we choose to run our lives. No matter what I pursue, no matter who I pursue, I lose out to somebody less qualified because they are better friends with the district supervisor, or they throw the annual barbecue at their house, or they are sleeping with the basketball coach!? ?Um, I wouldn?t really know, I tested out of high school when I was 15.? I said nervously. ?Then you have no idea what I?m talking about.? Jolene pointed her finger at me menacingly, ?You know nothing about life!? As she previously mentioned, Jolene Martin had poor interpersonal skills. Oh boy, did she have poor interpersonal skills. ?How long have you been working at Ice Cream World?? I attempted to stop her train of thought. It was obvious that she was on a roll, and unless I stopped her now it would be quite a while before there was a sufficient break in the conversation. ?Oh, uh?11 months. I came in at around Christmas last year.? ?And did you work with Thomas Webster often?? ?Since the both of us going to school, we usually worked the same shifts. In fact Tom was the one who trained me here.? I motioned for Joe to follow me as we crossed the yellow caution tape and entered the Ice Cream World kiosk for the first time. ?So you were under his tutorage?? I stumbled over an especially high bar of caution tape. ??Tutelage.?? ?Huh?? ?The word is ?tutelage.?? ?No, ?tutorage? is the word. It?s in the dictionary.? ?But you meant to use ?tutelage.?? ?I meant to use the word I used, thank you,? I huffed, ?Can I continue asking you questions, Miss.? ?Oh,? she feigned sympathy, ?Sorry.? ?Were you working with Thomas last night?? Jolene ran her fingers through her short black hair, ?No? I wasn?t here? I think Ryan and Derek close the shop on Sunday nights.? ?And where would that put you between ? 9 p.m. last night and 8 a.m. this morning?? ?I was working on a project for one of my classes, at the campus library, and then later I went home to sleep.? ?Do you have anyone who can verify this story?? ?The librarian, my Mom?? out of boredom her hand traced the outline of the counter, and she suddenly pulled back, realizing that he had touched something in the shop. ?Ugh. I need to wash my hands now.? ?You could use the sink?? I replied, afraid to provoke another outburst from her. ?No. I?m not touching the counter. What if he used it to kill Tom?? The one bit of criticism I have been given by my fellow detectives is that I need to tone down my approach. Bloody details are bad, as I often need to be reminded. I guess working in the field causes you to become a little desensitized; I really couldn?t deal with another crying widow on my record, anyway. ?Okay. Do you know anyone who might have done something like this to Thomas? Have you ever heard anyone speak negatively about him?? Jolene closed her eyes softly, and turned towards the only source of natural light in the mall, a primitive sunroof created by a hole in the high ceiling. ?You?ve never worked in a food service job before, have you?? she lapsed into martyrdom, ?You don?t understand what difficult working conditions people like this create for me. I don?t want to be a part of this drama, I just want to do my job.? An older woman, clutching tightly onto a walker approached the kiosk. ?Hello?? she let out a wide, piano-toothed smile, ?Could I get some pistachio nut, sweetie?? ?I?m sorry, ma?am we?re actually not open--? ?We?re closed today. Do you see all of the police tape around here? There?s been a murder, and I don?t know when we?re going to open up.? The old woman considered this information, ?Oh, do you know when you?re going to be open again?? ?Did you not just hear me?? Jolene barked, ?I don?t know when we?re going to be open again.? ?Should I wait here, or do you think I should come back later then?? ?I think you should just go, ma?am. Just go. And never come back.? Dumbfounded by this exchange, I stared as she wheeled her walker away, it?s squeaky wheels echoed throughout the nearly vacant mall. ?Do you think she have some sort of hearing problem?? I asked under my breath. ?No, it?s just that when you are here with the apron on, most people don?t even realize that you exist.? ?I can completely understand, Jolene. I used to run into problems like this with my old job.? ?And what did you do?? ?Let?s not talk about that. It?s a rough subject.? ?As if it?s any less rough than a murder, detective.? Jolene sighed. ?Oh-oh,? I stuttered, ?I?m sorry, I wasn?t trying to make light of this?? ?No, it?s just that I don?t like talking to you.? Somewhere in the food court, Heather Roberts was still waiting for her 8 hour shift to end.[/font][/quote] [size=1]-Shy[/size]

[QUOTE=James][color=#707875]Well, we are missing Hattori Hanzo. And I consider him to be an important character. What's worse is that ColourDeaf's sign-up was so good -- it suited the character that I had in mind. So...bah. I really don't know what to do at the moment. I have to go through the sign-ups again and see what I can come up with.[/color][/QUOTE] [size=1]You could always pick up on [i]my[/i] idea for Hanzo-san. The wise samurai drag queen. It would definitely push some boundaries, heh. Oh, heck, you haven't seen intensity until you see some of the stuff I had planned for that... -Shy[/size]

[QUOTE=Hevn][B]Question[/B]: How many members are you taking and is there a deadline for submitting sign-ups? Thanksies. Anyway, fascinating idea ^_~[/QUOTE] [size=1]I don't have a set number of members I'd like to include. No more than five or six, I think, just because I'd like to keep the group down to a small number. But then again, I'm not really going to turn away anyone if they have a fantastic sign-up. So... the number of sign-ups I accept depends entirely on the quality of sign-ups I receive. As for a deadline, I also don't have one of those in mind. Also, it's time for final exams for me, so I' quite busy. I have no definite dates set up, though. You have more than a week and less than two weeks, sounds good? -Shy[/size]

[center][font=georgia][size=6][I][u]Vignette[/u][/I][/font][/size][/center] [font=arial]?Thanks for the ale, son,? the older gentleman placed a handful of coins onto the solid oak table, and stumbled out of his chair, ?I best be heading out before the storm hits.? Michael, a young server at the Crossroads Tavern, sighed as he looked upon the job that awaited him. In less than a few hours this elderly patron had managed to send his table, and the surrounding floor into total disarray. It would take a great deal of work to undo the damage that had been done; Michael knew all too well that it would be him to clean up the mess. Unlike his father and grandfather before him, the child had no interest in tending to the needs of complete strangers. It was time for a change, he thought, and if one member of the family were destined for something greater than this drinking establishment it would be him. However, until then, peanuts shells and puddles of ale demanded his immediate attention. ?I hate this place,? he muttered darkly to himself, grabbing a handful of shells and tossing them into the sack of garbage he had placed on the floo, ?Filthy pigs. The whole lot of ?em.? ?Flithy? No. You?re just too young to appreciate the value of this place, grandson.? His grandfather had always kept a watchful eye on him, and sometimes he forgot exactly how close this watch became. Rarely a word could escape Michael?s mouth without the man knowing about it. ?What value does this place hold, Grandpa? How much could your lousy ale possibly be worth?? ?You see value in coins, Michael, I see value in other things? like knowledge.? The youth continued to stare at his grandfather absently. ?If you?d think of our patrons, our guests as more than customers you might see what they bring to our family. Those that frequent Crossroads are travelers, craftsmen, adventurers, and even explorers from lands far off. In exchange for a place to sit, and perhaps a drink, they are willing to share their experiences with us humble folk. ?Everyone has a story to tell. If you?d listen to some of our visitors rather than avoid them so passionately, you might come to learn that as well.?[/font] [center][size=4][b][font=georgia]* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *[/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]What is it?[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]In an isolated tavern an eclectic mix of characters are seeking shelter from a powerful storm. To pass the time and entertain themselves they decide to tell stories to one another; some of these stories are from the characters? own past, some are tales that have been handed down through countless generations. It's called "Vignette," and it's a collection of seemingly unrelated and self-contained tales, as told by our narrators.[/font] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]Self-contained? Unrelated? What?[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]The purpose of this RPG is to tell great stories that are accessible to the readers. Unlike other RPGs where a great deal of background information is required to enjoy the story, each post is a story in and of itself. In theory, you will read the 45th post and be able to enjoy/understand it without having to read the previous 44. No backstory, no flashbacks, just tell your story and do it well.[/font] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]Who are the narrators?[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]You, the players, are the narrators of these stories. Our narrators are a diverse cast of characters, each covering a wide range of archetypes. These archetypes are expected to cover a wide variety of genre; science-fiction, western, fantasy, and more. By playing with established archetypes and genres the stories should be easier for people to follow as opposed to creating a whole new universe and a new set of rules.[/font] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]Will our characters ever interact?[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]They are constantly interacting. The narrators are sitting around a table at the Crossroads Tavern and telling tales of their (and possibly others?) exploits to one another. As I imagine it, the narrators were complete strangers until they met at the tavern, but there are no rules stating that the characters cannot have a history together (which may unfold during a story or two.)[/font] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]But don?t you want us to avoid delving into our characters? histories??[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]I want you to tell the best story possible, and I expect that your character would draw upon their own life experiences for their stories. Getting to know the narrators over the course of the RPG is completely welcome. However, each post should be enjoyable as an individual piece.[/font] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]What kinds of characters do you want us to make?[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]My only concern is that you create a character that does not limit the quality of self-contained stories you tell. A depressed teenager character might not have a lot of potential for individual adventures, but a cowboy, witch, assassin, robot, or even a villain would. I want characters from all types of worlds and settings; characters the reader can instantly fall in love with. Also, if you want to push the storytelling aspects of this even further, you may want to consider creating a unique character. For example, a historian or a grandmother might not seem very interesting but both would be considered great storytellers.[/font] [center][font=georgia][size=3][u][b]What should my sign-up contain?[/b][/u][/size][/font][/center] [font=arial]Character?s Name: Place of Origin: Describe your character in 50 words or less: [b]Submit a story, as told by your character. Whether or not your character is featured in the story is up to you, but I want a good grasp of the character by reading it, and I want to be entertained.[/b][/font] [size=1]Any questions or concerns you have regarding the RPG can be posted here. I expect to start an Underground thread as a companion for this depending on the success of the main title, but until then any discussion about "Vignette" can take place in this thread. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]Okay, here's the deal. I don't understand the html at al. Almost all of us are using different fonts, different sizes, etc. I'm using Trebuchet MS personally, because I think it's the best font ever. I just want to make sure we're all on the same page, and that it looks good. Also, there are those awkward spaces at the top and bottom of each post, I'd like to see those addressed as well. Anyone have any ideas? I think I can get someone who might be able to help, and rework some of the stuff that Desbreko put together just a bit. -Shy[/size]

Leia Organa apprehended on treason, conspiracy chargesPress Chairman Saphap Nopotas announced this evening that Princess Leia Organa, former senator to the world of Alderaan, was apprehended today for several counts of treason against the Empire. ?This is a sad day for everyone involved,? said Nopotas in a press conference, ?But we will not have everything we stand for undermined by conspirators.? Organa, widely known for her brash attitude and animosity towards Emperor Palpatine, was taken from her spacecraft early last night after Imperial Intelligence had managed to successfully track down her whereabouts. Long suspected to be a member of the Rebel Alliance, strong evidence was found to show her connection to the militia group, including backdoor funding she and the Alderaan royal family had been providing for years. This closes a chapter wrought with controversy, and one that brought about the end of the Galactic Senate. By the dawn of the Rebellion, the Imperial Senate had become nothing more than a dated and highly ineffective form of governing. Long bloodlines, which had held these powerful positions for millennia, had faded away during the Clone Wars, and the ensuing turmoil that surrounded the ride of the Empire. New senators, many appointed by Emperor Palpatine himself, proved to be little more than puppets, with either Palpatine or Tarkin often pulling the strings to influence crucial votes. As a result, the senate, which had been tri-partisan for nearly 800 years began to conglomerate. Imperial spending budgets were approved by a record number of votes, with the minority of dissent shrinking each and every year after the Empire?s formation. ?As chancellor of the senate, Palpatine is expected to be present for every vote, in the case he may have to break a tie,? Said Senate Historian Ybrez Dizari, ?In later years, Palpatine was documented to have been absent from nearly 120 votes. He became too comfortable with his position of power, I don?t think he, or anyone was expecting the influence that Alderaan would have on public opinion.? Following decades as a Galactic Senator, Bail Organa of Alderaan retired from his position, allowing his daughter, Leia, to assume the role and it?s responsibilities. Leia was the first new senator to be elected to a Core World in nearly five decades, signaling the dawn of a new generation of young senators. With her intelligence, charisma, and influence as a Core World Senator, Miss Organa made her presence known immediately. Her radical views on Imperial disarmament and cultural diversity had been shared by her father, but were not thrown into the center a controversy until Leia had been appointed as a senator. Her first vote, opposing Palatine?s plan to an Imperial prison in the Outer Rim, was met with his criticism by many senators, including some who had been strong supporters of her father. During the debate, Senator Organa revealed evidence that Imperial inmates throughout the galaxy were being tortured unethically. This revelation, which directly goes against the Empire?s Galactic Freedom Doctrine, caused the subject to be debated for nearly three weeks. In the end, the prison was approved by a two-thirds majority, but an Imperial investigation based on these findings was quickly initiated. ?For a first-term senator to draw such attention to themselves, and openly defy the majority in a way that she did, she really put herself at risk, both in her political career and in her private life.? Said Dizari. Soon after this first historic moment nearly every new vote became heavily contested within the senate halls. Palpatine began appearing at meetings of the Galactic Senate to challenge Organa, despite his deteriorating health. This in turn created a huge rally in support for the Emperor and his policies, but not without dividing the entire galaxy among lines of race and politics. The Core Worlds themselves remained loyal to Imperial philosophies, but it was the latest additions to the Galactic Senate, those of the Outer Rim and Mid Rim that helped to strengthen Leia?s political clout. While the Empire was the overwhelming majority, with every new vote came more shocking Imperial secrets made public. Many speculate that Organa had employed the Bothan SpyNet to uncover this information, which helped to deteriorate the trust that Imperial citizens had in their government. ?While I support the forum that the senate creates,? Said former Senator Jaren Darg in a public Holonet interview, ?I do not agree with the very personal attacks that Senator Organa has made against Imperial policy, or Emperor Palpatine himself. The Galactic Senate was not meant to be such a sensational body of the government, and I believe she should pursue a different avenue to share her information with the public.? Three years into her term and much of the controversy she had created on Coruscant was being largely ignored by the mainstream Imperial press. However, one planet?s citizens maintained a close watch on each and every vote taking place within the senate, those of Senator Organa?s home world of Alderaan. The politically neutral citizens had grown uncomfortable with such a headstrong and brash young woman representing Alderaan, and before the end of her five-year term a major shift in public opinion had placed Leia at odds with her own people. ?This was long before Leia was publicly ?outed? as a member of the Rebel Alliance, and even then the people of Alderaan were very concerned over her political motivations. It was no secret that she had high aspirations, either. She and was being groomed by her father to one day assume the role as Chancellor,? said Fabia Sklav, assistant to Senator Organa and advisor to the Alderaan royal family. Emperor Palpatine had spread the Imperial Navy too thin; in his efforts to gain sovereignty over the entire galaxy, major areas of military weakness were starting to show themselves in the Mid and Outer Rim regions. To correct this mistake more Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters, Imperial Stormtroopers were needed. As it had always been since the Empire?s formation, a two-thirds majority vote was required to increase military funding. Several times throughout the past decade Palpatine or Tarkin had gone before the senate, pleading their case for civilized, unified, galaxy. Much to their dismay, Senator Organa and her growing base of support had anticipated such an event, and had prepared a presentation of their own. This one, taking advantage of a dated senate doctrine, was to put a vote of no confidence into Palpatine?s actions during his reign. Although such a vote required a majority vote to pass, something that Leia would be unable to pass, even setting such an action into motion would create an avalanche would create a public relations nightmare for the Emperor and greatly damage his plans for Imperial expansion. Prior to what was expected to be an unprecedented day in the Galactic Senate, the Imperial High Court ruled that the Senate itself had stepped beyond it?s own jurisdictions by having Organa reveal confidential documents during a public vote. Calling the move ?unconstitutional,? the senate was forbidden to meet again until the issue had sorted itself out and the senators involved revealed their sources. The Emperor himself has no power over the Imperial High Court, but his sphere of influence easily covers it?s 110 appointed judges from throughout the galaxy. Most suspect that Palpatine had plotted this move since day one, anticipating a political nightmare if a vote of no confidence were to be initiated. Organa refused to reveal her sources, even when threatened with a prolonged prison sentence. ?The Emperor had trapped her,? Said Dizari, ?By revealing her sources her connections to the Rebel Alliance would have been made public, and she could have been tried for treason. By remaining silent she saved her own life, and those of her sources.? In a highly controversial vote, large portions of the Imperial Governing Code were amended by the courts, removing what little power had remained from Palpatine?s ascension to Emperor. Calling the governing body ?antiquated? and ?archaic? what had been the major figure of government and stability throughout the galaxy for thousands of years was disbanded through a ruling by the Imperial High Courts and Emperor Palpatine himself. Claiming diplomatic immunity, Leia left Coruscant to take up a much more active role in humanitarian efforts by her own planet of Alderaan. This gave her the ability to travel between back world planets easily, and allowed her to spread the message of the Rebel Alliance. While the specific location of her apprehension, and where she will be held remain classified currently, many expect her trial to be a long and drawn out public spectacle. ?I have no doubt that Miss Organa is already looking for a way out of this,? said Nopotas, ?But I can only assure the public that justice will be served and that she, and the Alderaan royal family will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.?

[size=1]Why am I never a part of these Otaku stories? People must not like me very much. Anyway, it's a very amusing concept. I'll be interested in seeing how the story progresses. Good work. -Shy[/size]

[b][center][font=trebuchet MS][size=3]Issue #6: [I]Crossing[/I][/size][/center][/b] The second of (hopefully) many great posts by Sara here. This one really stands out because of the tone and perspective of it. Even though the RPG itself will be dark at times, the beginning of Sara?s post was lighthearted, almost comical. [quote=Lore]We begin to scan the faces of the crowd, finally focusing on one woman. She is perhaps middle-aged, her hair styled in a way that was fashionable five years ago. Like those around her, she is dressed in her drab winter coat, carrying packages. But her face is bright, and on her coat is a colorful pin--possibly homemade, the sort children give their teachers for Christmas. A snowman, perhaps, or an oversized Christmas tree. In fact, she is a school teacher. Her students know her as Miss Richards, in the quaint way children have. Even into the fourth grade (and further), students are sometimes unaware that their teachers have lives outside the classroom. Her colleagues call her Elizabeth, because that is her name. Elizabeth Richards, Fourth Grade Teacher.[/quote] I love, love, [I]love[/I] that introduction. I can just imagine a generic 1960?s narrator reading those lines, and Elizabeth meekly making her way through the crowd, carrying bags and bags of gifts for her students, past and present. The Christmas setting for this issue in particular is quaint, it?s innocent. That?s exactly the type of thing you can?t portray in most other RPG?s in the Arena. The villain, or even the Guardian doing the fighting isn?t important to the issue. You really get an idea of how Elizabeth reacts to such situations. I told this to Sara earlier, most people would have simply had Miss Richards start throwing cars at the bad guy. Yay for taking the high road, it really pays off here. [quote name='Lore']Incendia is a recent recruit to the Guardians. Less than twenty years old, she is very pretty--a young woman with a fire for justice. Contrary to stereotype, she is known to have a very calm personality...not that it is important right now.[/quote] I like the name, Incendia, heh. Everyone else comes up with better superhero names than I do? Silver Eagle, Captain Light? Bleh. I love Frigida and Incendia, there?s actually a fun parallel there. Frigida is portrayed as being very old and wise, whereas Incendia is young and inexperienced. Not that I expect to look into that any further. It?s a fun coincidence, or a clever move by Sara, who knows? More to the point. It?s a minor character, and with one paragraph of description she seems so much more real, and so much easier for me to imagine. Plotwise, this might seem like a minor issue but there were some major ramifications, and questions that his issue left unresolved. Who was the one to defeat Incendia? Is Incendia even alive? Most importantly, has Elizabeth left her teaching position for good? Seeing Mr. Brown take over Elizabeth?s class was probably the most shocking thing I?ve seen in the RPG so far? it was done very well. Your post was very polished, although you did say to me that you have to rewrite it after you had a problem with saving? so that would make sense, heh. [center][b][size=3]Issue #7 - Part I: [I]Pinnacle[/I][/b][/size][/center] Now here?s where things are going to get truly exciting. This is our first multiple-post issue (six in total,) and the first one that deals with multiple players at once. Also important to note is the fact that it introduces the last two players in the story, Zidargh?s Christopher Dennett and Shinmaru?s Lawrence Moore Jr. Seven issues and five months later Shinmaroo and Zidargh are getting their first real chance to post, sadness. It seems like so long ago that this chapter was supposed to feature ColourDeaf and Zidargh, oh well. This is easily the longest post we?ve dealt with so far, but it?s not as if the length of a post will automatically make it worthwhile to read. Great writing does that, and that?s what Zidargh pulls off here. Admittedly, I found myself more interested with the first half of the post, dealing with the saxophonist and the dream sequence, than the action scene at the conclusion. Characters interest me more than anything else, I guess, and so I?m completely entranced by the dream sequence. For a while I honestly had no idea what was going on, it seemed very surreal. [quote name='Zidargh]it proved futile. He was simply gone. Gone like the shadow that haunted the alleyway every now and again. Even though he didn?t know the saxophonist, it did prove disheartening that the saxophonist who relaxed him so, was to just leave like that. [I']?Probably didn?t trust me.?[/I][/quote] This one little paragraph is really tragic, it seems. The whole dream sequence in and of itself is rather sad, Zidargh is a detective, he?s looking for a lot of things. He?s also looking to find himself, as clichéd as that sounds. The other characters, Elizabeth, Vivica, and Larry are not really doing that. They are too afraid to find themselves, or they aren?t really ready to start that journey. Vivica doesn?t know who she is or what she wants, neither do any of the characters, it seems like. Dennett knows what he wants; he wants to be important to somebody. The question remains whether or not he will get that chance to be a hero. Maybe the title, [I]hero[/I] is misleading.. The way you wrote ?the beast? is quite frightening. I get a bunch of images in my head from the way it?s described, it?s? jarring. For some reason, one of my biggest fears is being suffocated. I have no idea why, it?s just when I see it in a movie or read about it (like this) I find myself putting my hand near my neck, trying to protect it from some unseen force. It?s lame, but it?s an example of how well the writing struck me. [quote name='Zidargh']Choking, Dennett looked into the deep, bulging eyes of the beast. It seemed as if it was crying for help, but from the inside. But there was nothing he could do. This soul?s exterior was killing him, randomly bashing his spine against the plaster, jolting his head backwards and forwards. Dennett felt as if his spine was going to snap.[/quote] Anyway, aside from my fear of death, there was a lot in this post that I enjoyed. The saxophonist rocks, I can?t really explain it. The character fits into Dennett?s little ?film noir? view he has of his life perfectly, and yet, the character kind of shatters that self-image at the same time. He?s way too cool for the room, I?m going to make every attempt to wedge the saxophonist into the story again. Dennett made it out of that battle with his life barely intact, and he?s not any closer to solving the mystery behind this drug. What part does Lawrence play in this? We?ll find out soon enough.[/font] [size=1]-Shy[/size]

It had been another long night in prison for the Cowboy; being the sole American at Fuchu certainly kept him in high demand. It was of no surprise to him that his professional skills made him a valuable commodity among the inmates, but in his first few days there he quickly learned that value was not to be confused with power or respect. Doppo Horigome, Joshua?s first cellmate and proud leader of Fuchu?s most powerful prison gang, taught him that all too well. The man?s thick white frame and menacing tattoos on his backside made Horigome an imposing figure to those who had come to know him. A trio of snakes on his shoulder clearly spelled out the word ?Love.? Him having any American language on his back made him easily stand out; amongst the sea of dragons and kanji symbols Doppo?s markings made him an individual. In spite of his tattoo, his English was broken at best. Although Joshua could often make sense of what he was trying to say, the serial rapist had no comprehension, or perhaps no interest, in his counterpart?s communication. ?Mickey,? Doppo often called him by that name, ?Guards is away.? Like most prisons in the nation, Fuchu was feared for the strict nature of it?s guards. Favoring strict discipline over any form of rehabilitation, the abusive staff took pleasure in watching each and every one of it?s inmates suffer extreme penalties for even the tiniest infraction. On more than one occasion inmates had been beaten for making eye contact with the warden, or laying down in bed before their scheduled ?sleeping time.? Hearing that the guards were gone for a moment filled Joshua with a mutual sense of relief and dread, for he knew what would come next. The wrapped hefty arm around Joshua?s neck, and used his free hand to undress the two of them. Doppo licked the side of Joshua?s face, tightening the hold around his neck, ?Mm.. Gakuya Abazure.? The American had no idea what that phrase meant, but it would follow him for the rest of his time at prison. This routine had become old hat for Joshua, ever since his arrest he had found a strong resentment and hostility and resentment towards him by the people of the country. ?I?m an American whore,? He closed his eyes, trying to escape what was happening around him, ?I don?t deserve any better than this.? Joshua felt the hand of his molester grab his waist, and slowly work it?s way lower and lower down his body. The soft sighs were drowned out by Doppo?s forceful moaning, drawing attention from the other inmates. The two were on display for the whole world to watch, and Mr. Horigome was getting off on it. Several minutes passed, and with each rocking motion the hold on the Cowboy?s neck became tighter and tighter. He struggled the speak, and barely able to breathe, was completely at the mercy of the burly Japanese man. Doppo climaxed just as the victim had blacked out. When his naked body was finally freed, it fell straight to the floor, unconscious and bleeding. He awoke nearly an much later in the prison hospital, unsure of what had just taken place. The balding nurse, an older man with smoke-colored glasses and several missing teeth, sat at Joshua?s bedside. The man was reading a pornographic magazine, and upon noticing that the patient was awake he quickly shoved it into his jacket pocket. He gave the prison bitch a look of disdain, and reached out for the Cowboy?s arm. A few routine inspections later the American was deemed fit enough to return to his cell, and even though he was too weak, and had to be physically carried by the guards, he was back within the hour. This was typical policy, as he was much safer in the confines of the prison than under the watchful eyes of his nurse. Doppo was asleep at this time, covered with a fresh set of bruises from the guards. Just something he would have to deal with tomorrow, Joshua thought as he was placed onto cot that he had been using as a bed. The guards left and soon the lights in and around all of the cells were turned off. It was nearly four in the morning, and all of the prisoners could expect to be woken up at six, just like everyday. Weeks passed, and the routine had continued. Every time Doppo was caught he was punished even more severely for his behavior, and as a result he became more and more aggressive towards his cellmate. Members of Horigome?s prison gang followed his lead; soon the entire prison was against Joshua, crowned [I]Gakuya Abazure[/I] for Fuchu Prison. His only solace during those days was his brief meetings with Adam, plotting and planning and waiting to be released. ?I?ve been thinking about fighting back,? He would say hesitantly, ?I don?t expect to win or anything, but if I hit him in the right spot he?s not going to have much use for me, or anyone else anymore.? Adam would always reply with the same upset sound in his voice. For a thief, a crime lord and an assassin, he had no interest in seeing his special projects suffer, ?That would ruin you in the eyes of the guards. I?m working to have you meet with a judge, and have a real day in court.? ?I don?t know if I can make it here until then, Adam.? Joshua said in a soft tone, almost apologetic, ?I?m sorry if I don?t make it though this. Prison here? starvation, torture, everything is--? Adam cut the prisoner off because he could finish, ?Everything is fine, Joshua. I?ll hear none of your whining today,? He stared down the Cowboy, ?Goodbye.? The tall man adjusted his tie, and walked out.

[font=trebuchet MS]I really love the artwork, Sage, and your post was great as well. I'm very interested in seeing more of both your writing and drawing skills in the future, since both of them put me to shame. Feel free to use this thread to post your work, and I promise that from now on at least [i]I[/i] will respond in a timely manner. Ben wanted some comments on his post, so that's what I'm doing here... [size=3][center][b]Issue #5: [i]Double[/i][/b][/center][/size] Great post by Ben here, and I think it does a good job at exploring Larry?s self-conflict a lot more. Like I said in the sign-up thread, it?s not about the superpowers but how the characters use those powers, and how the powers affect their lives. He?s terrified of the new ability he has discovered, and I think he really should be. The heroes of [i]hero[/i] are an insanely powerful bunch, and there?s a lot of potential in Larry?s ?death touch.? [quote name='Ben']Small things from his childhood came sharply into focus: various insects dying in his hands, friends contracting rare and deadly diseases; his grandmother?s deathbed. Some of these things Larry thought were just coincidence, but now he could never be sure.[/quote] There?s a strong chance that Larry never had anything to do with these things, but he?s going to continue torturing himself over it. Even though the Mafia men were threatening to harm his family and ruin his life, he still feels guilty over the events that had unfolded in his diner. It was merely an act of self defense, it?s not as if Larry had planned to kill the man. He only wanted to protect his family, and now because of what has happened he?s afraid to go near his family, or anyone else for that matter. There were some things I did have problems with, but everything was minor overall. The horse race sequence felt more like a necessary step in the post than some sort of natural progression in the story, if that makes any sense. There weren?t any strong character moments in it like there were in the rest of the post, and I think it could have used a bit more fleshing out. The beginning and the end were strong, but this section in the middle really didn?t come across as well as I would have expected it to. I thought your post could have used a bit more polishing. I realize I?m probably to blame for this, since I know I really pressured you into finishing this post as soon as possible. There are some minor grammar issues and awkward sentences that I would have liked to have seen corrected before you posted, but it doesn?t detract from my overall enjoyment of the post. You?re a fantastic writer, and you?ve grown an awful lot since I first began to read your work (three years ago or so.) I was talking to Sara about it not too long ago, you?ve always been on par with, if not beyond, the stuff we do and that?s pretty darn impressive considering your age. My writing in junior year of high school sucked, in fact, it still sucks. Yeah. (And for anyone who is curious, I?ll be writing Issue #10 of the RPG.) More things I really liked: [list][*]It?s going to be hard for the supporting characters to grow and develop if Larry remains so distant from them. Herman seems like he has some potential, since I think above all Larry needs a friend right now, and somebody who won?t look down on him. At the same time, Herman obviously has some troubles of his own, and I?d like to see the two interact in the future and explore that idea more. [*]I love the way you wrote Titan. Writing for somebody who can shrink or grow to nearly any size is a challenge, and I think you did an excellent job at that. Little things like Larry not knowing where Titan?s voice was coming from, and him suddenly growing to nine feet tall was a nice touch. It amuses me that such a dark and evil characters wears purple, it?s very much in the spirit of comic books from that era. [*]?You?re going to touch the stars, Mr. Friar. You?re going to touch the Guardians.? Great closing line, and it makes for a strong cliffhanger ending to the post. There?s a lot of potential in this, since Larry would be incredibly reluctant to use his powers in such a way. But his family is at stake, and there?s no telling how far he would go to save his brother, who is obviously a very important person in his life.[/list] So yes, keep up the good work. Sara is due to write next, and she gave me the impression that she will be finishing the post shortly. After that will be our first Issue that deals with multiple writers at once, and I?m really looking forward to that.[/font]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']I'm not taking any longer than anyone else has in the past with this RPG.[/quote] [size=1]Hey, I needed those two months.... uh... yeah... Take your time, Tony. I look forward to seeing your post. Also, there is enough KA going on with Tori's Ariana story going on in the Anthology forum. Good stuff, -Shy[/size]

[font=trebuchet MS]Hero sign-ups have been re-opened for a short amount of time. The storyline involves a few more characters than I had originally anticipated, and as such I've decided that this is the best way to recruit players once again. It will only be a few positions, but the RPG has not developed very far in the past few months and this is a good chance to join. A couple of things to keep in mind before posting: [list] [*]I'd suggest looking at the sign-ups that have already been accepted. There is a great diversity among the players, and that, combined with great post quality is what I am most interested in seeing here. [*]This is not Kill Adam, and the RPG is only rated [PG-LV] please keep your assassins and rapists in another RPG. [*]The story is set in the 1960's, look at the history of that era for ideas on what type of character to create.[/list] If you signed up in the past and were not accepted, this is a good chance to give it another try. Some of you were very close to being accepted, and you don't have to make a new sign-up if you don't want to. Just make any changes that you feel are neccessary and repost. The sign-up requirements have gone unchanged, and can be viewed on the first page. I have no definite time for when I will close sign-ups, but I expect it to be no later than a week or so. -Shy[/font]

[size=1]Is there any way you could include a more advanced search feature, that would go over specific categories, such as the hobbies/interests/occupation stuff you put in the menu bar? They seem to have this feature on a lot of blog/livejournal/myspace-type sites, and I think it would be helpful. Members could search for other people who enjoy their favorite anime, or have the same hobbies as them, or even someone of the same age group. Also, simiilar sites let you generate groups (or cliques or webrings, or whatever you want to call it) that give you a greater degree of customization than the simple "friends" bar. I really appreciate that bar, btw, but the idea of having myOtaku cliques, and possibly a separate page on the myOtaku site to display which groups they are a part of (similar to the quiz manager.) Just some suggestions. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]This thread has violated several of our Adventure Square rules, and because of this it will be closed. The content in this RPG is very innappropriate given that the thread contains no warning or disclaimer about it's language and subject matter. All players should be more careful about this in the future, this is your first and final warning. Joey Killer has already been banned for his blatant disregard of the rules. I do not expect any of the other players to follow his example. Thread locked. -Shy[/size]