Striges Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Friday again, time for a new prompt. Week of March 6, 2015 Propaganda: Regardless of their affiliations, it’s inevitable your character encountered propaganda or disinformation of some sort. Did they recognize it at the time? Later? Not at all? Did they challenge it or write it off as ridiculous? Were they offended? Shocked? Some classes--Agent and Trooper come to mind--might even be active participants. Write a story about your character and questionable official truth. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: If I were a Rich Man - Our characters come from all walks of life. Were credits just a means to an end, or did they ever dream of wealth and how they might get it? Make it on their own (legal or otherwise), inherit from family, or play the Cartel Lotto and hope? In the course of their stories they become wealthy and powerful. What do they do with all those credits? Did money buy happiness? Did they fulfill their dreams, or was their monetary success empty and hollow? Prompt courtesy of Striges. Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Friday again, new prompt for consideration. Week of March 13, 2015 Who?: Remember that character? That original character? You know the one. The one you wrote a story for or maybe several and then petered out? That one. This week, resurrect them. We had “Night of the Living Dead” for prompts, this time, it’s Night of the Living Dead character. Pick any prompt and give a patiently waiting character a story. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLP: Wishes - Wherever our characters go, whatever they do, it's likely they have an eye on something more. Some people keep their fondest wishes a secret; others announce it to the world. Some wish on a star, a falling leaf, a found coin, or other totems. Some find a way to make it happen, and some haven't quite reached it yet. Write about your character's wish. (Prompt courtesy of Eversteam.) Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Friday, time for another prompt. Week of March 20, 2015 What About That Guy?: Stories usually concern major characters. Sometimes the main plot is from the game, sometimes not. Regardless, stories also contain a number of incidental characters and minor plots as well. The guard at the door, the customs official who broke up the fight, a convenient corpse, the character (probably in a red shirt) who dies in the first scene to prove the situation is serious. Not to mention why was there a guard, how did the fight start, where did the corpse come from, what made the situation serious. Every story has places to explore behind the scenes. This week, pick one of your favorite works and fill in one or more of those spaces. (This prompt suggested by Feldraeth) (apologies to Galaxy Quest’s Crewman #6) And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Play Within A Play - (alternately titled My Immortal) - In a world where there are people, there are stories. And where there are stories, fandoms are likely to follow. And where fandoms go...well. Do any of your characters or their companions write fiction? Imagine what they would write in the way of thinly (or not at all) veiled fanfic. What stories do your characters tell about each other? (Keep it forum friendly, of course!) (blame this prompt on @Kabeone:) Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bright_ephemera Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 *blows off the dust as she shuffles to center stage* *a-hem* What About That Guy? I’ve been guilty of quite a few nameless one-off characters. The first one who recommended himself to me was from a one-shot I did after the end of the Lodestone AU’s main events, twenty-four years after the end of the class line. In Lodestone, Imperial Agent Wynston has that scrap of soul that permits for lasting attachments and he makes one with Sith Warrior Ruth. Adventures are had. The good guys win the day. Ruth and Quinn’s son Colrand eventually marries a fellow LS Sith, Avanna. And here, with about 2200 words and no spoilers, their wedding had a lot of guests… Gareth stayed close to Pierce Junior on the way into the hall. Alderaan was stunning. The wide mountainous country outside was stunning and this high glassy hall they were entering was stunning and it was sure as hell a long way from a computer sysadmin’s usual digs. “What do you think it takes to get this for a day?” he asked in an undertone. The massive redhead beside him snorted. “It’s not for sale. Cole just knows a guy who knows a guy.” “Oh. I guess I already assumed he’s one of your Organization guys.” “Not quite. Just the leading lady’s son. He does Sith things for a living, I guess. Nice-Sith, anyway. Don’t know, we never talked much.” Gareth stayed close. This was his first time as Junior’s plus-one to anything. In the early months Junior had managed to let slip precisely nothing about where he was from, what he did, who he knew and how he knew them. If he weren’t so damn hot this might have been a dealbreaker. But this, this seemed like progress. This first glimpse into his life was…dazzling, to say the least. The cybernetics jacked into Gareth’s eye were working overtime telling him nothing about the crowd milling around here. Two or three showed up in HoloNet databases, but the rest? Might as well have stepped out of thin air. It forcefully reminded him just how reliant he was on that cybernetic lifeline. “Crenzo!” Junior was waving enthusiastically at the only thing in the room taller than he was, a – Talz? – whose proboscis was lost in some plasticky prosthetic. “Junior.” It took Gareth a minute to realize that the synthetic Basic voice was in fact coming from the Talz. “Your friend is new to the clan?” “Gareth,” Junior said proudly, locking a thick and comforting arm around Gareth’s shoulders. “Thought I’d take the chance to show him off a little.” “Well met. The clan welcomes you.” “Er, thank you,” said Gareth, since that seemed like the right thing to say to a seven-foot-tall wall of hair and artificial components who had just been nice to him. He didn’t have to think of anything else to say because Junior was already rushing him off. “Vette! Jaesa! Someone I want you to meet!” The progression went on, and on, men, women, aliens, droids, and this wasn’t even the wedding party. “Stars,” he muttered around an hors d’oeuvres he had managed to snag from a passing droid. “All these people know you?” Junior grinned affably. “I’m hard to miss, aren’t I?” He waved at someone who had just come in and started for the door. Gareth kept up. “Is your – that is, uh – is Pierce Senior here?” “He must be before much longer.” The big man passed a hand over his chin. “You’ll get to see the original and the original Beard. Just in case you ever wondered what I’d look like with one.” “I might like that,” murmured Gareth. Junior scoffed. “Nah.” Then, suddenly, he half turned. “Well, I… Stars. That’s him, innit?” “That’s who?” said Gareth, sighting past Junior to see a grey-haired man in uniform. To his surprise his implant had some information: Moff Malavai Quinn, with a list of awards and decorations longer than Gareth had time to read. “Father of the groom,” said Junior. “Notable ex of the mother of the groom. Never thought I’d be in a room with him. He looks less squirrely than advertised.” “His record’s glowing.” “His record’s bullsh*t because Ruth always covered for him. Great lady. Not the best life choices. – Oh, here!” Entirely too quickly Gareth found himself face to face with an older copy of his date. Close-cropped red hair, neat-cut goatee (that was new), fearless brown eyes, and what seemed like multiple yards of cloth that hung like the wearer didn’t do formal wear very often. General Pierce had the presence of a small mountain, and it was all focused on Gareth. “Hello,” he said in a rumbling bass to match his son’s, albeit a shade rougher. “Been wondering when you’d show up.” He twitched his eyebrows and looked at Junior. “From the way you kept this one hidden I thought he’d be embarrassing, like SIS or a woman or something.” Junior beamed. “That’s just awful enough to be worth trying once.” Gareth coughed loudly. “Or would be in another life where I didn’t have such wonderful arm candy already,” Junior recited. “Honestly, I wouldn’t make that trade unless it were a lot funnier than it sounds.” “Yes, thank you,” said Gareth. General Pierce just grinned. “Anyway. About time we find our seats, I think.” “Yeah, you were very nearly late here.” “Checking the perimeter. Someone’s got to do it.” Of Avanna and Colrand, the bride and groom, Gareth knew nothing, except that Avanna did have some stuff in her HoloNet file and Cole was the son of someone important. The two of them stood up there staring at each other to the complete exclusion of any of the readings. Which seemed to make them a little pointless. It was a relief when Junior leaned in to whisper. “I didn’t substitute readings of my own choosing on all the datapads they’re using today. I deserve a medal.” “I’ll get right on that,” whispered Gareth. “I can’t wait.” “Hm. Spot any supply closets near here?” “I’m sure they’ve got servants’…entrances…or something.” General Pierce, on Junior’s other side, shifted ever so slightly, lifting and dropping one knee. Junior sucked in a sharp breath and shut his mouth. In the interest of keeping the peace, and saving Junior’s foot from additional trauma, Gareth and Junior stayed quiet through the rest of the ceremony. Cole was actually kind of entertainingly flustered. His bride had much better composure. The two of them did look disgustingly happy. Unsure of whether to reach out for Junior’s hand, Gareth stayed put. Spooking the big anarchist was the last thing he wanted. When at last the last words were spoken the whole room seemed to rise at once. Gareth shuffled along to join the line or flood or whatever it was making for the line of happy-looking family. General Pierce edged up and Junior let him. “I have the dossier on you,” said the General. “So that just about dispenses with the small talk. You’ve had the background check approved or else even Junior wouldn’t have brought you to a get-together like this. So really all you have to do is not screw up.” “He means that in an encouraging way,” said Junior, pulling a pained face. “Uh, thanks,” said Gareth. “Do I ever get access to these rooms full of dossiers?” General Pierce chuckled. “Play your cards right, maybe.” Head of the line. Where Avanna was short and dark and radiant in white, Colrand was mid-height and pale and striking in black and green. In any other context he might be considered good-looking. Gareth dutifully shook his hand. “Congratulations,” he said. “Thank you,” said Colrand, and for the moment his attention was complete and glowing, a benediction in itself. Sith power? Or just the magic of the day? No way of knowing. He moved on to the bride. Like Quinn, Avanna did have a public file his implant could access. It didn’t immediately seem to have anything funny or embarrassing. Well, better luck next time. She seemed like a nice sort anyway. “You look great,” he told her. “Congratulations.” The chairs were quickly evaporating and tables were popping up around what was shaping up to be the dance floor. Gareth stayed arm in arm with Junior – a comfortable position, one he wouldn’t mind more of in the future – and sat a little ways down from the elevated table where he assumed the wedding party would end up. In fact, Quinn, the slender woman in blue who Gareth assumed was Ruth, and a fashionably dressed Chiss were all coming to sit there. “Huh,” said Junior as the crowd took their seats. “What?” said Gareth. Junior pulled a face. “Don’t know. I just always thought, Quinn, Anti-Quinn, mutual annihilation if they ever end up in the same room. This is a little disappointing, to tell the truth.” “He’s not happy with, er, that other guy?” “The Director?” Gareth commenced a rapid reshuffling of his impression of the slight alien. “I think they’ve met each other three times in their lives and hated each other more every time. Quite a story. I think. Ruth never tells it, because Ruth has no sense of fun. Wynston never tells it, because Wynston still thinks he can keep secrets from us. Quinn might tell it, hell if I know, I’ve never met him before.” “Opportunity for probing?” General Pierce, who had been pretending to look elsewhere, snorted loudly. “No blood of mine’s getting a word out of him. He likes his grudges.” “Which means I have to try,” said Gareth. “You with me, Junior?” “After more champagne than I’ve had,” grunted Junior. “Maybe after supper.” General Pierce’s conversation didn’t bear out the menace inherent in his size and stance, for which Gareth was grateful. They talked about slicing, mostly, and repurposing mil spec equipment, a pastime Pierce seemed quite familiar with. It was good. Gareth had vague visions of getting tossed out on his ear for some transgression Junior hadn’t thought to warn him against. Happily none of that came to pass. “You, me, floor, now,” dictated Junior the moment the music transitioned from soothing background to a peppy dance. Gareth managed to swallow his last mouthful before Junior plucked him out of his seat and dragged him onto the dance floor. He loved this part. Now, even while Junior’s neck kept swiveling as he shot dazzling smiles at dozens of strangers, there was still just one guy he was dancing with. And to be doing it in – however temporary – his territory, with everyone to see? Perfect. “One thing,” said Junior, “and that’s about the Director. If he comes to talk to you it’ll be to figure out what my first name is.” “But I don’t know your first name,” said Gareth, startled by the reminder of what Junior was holding out on. “Sure, I know you don’t know that. You know you don’t know that. But he doesn’t know you don’t know that. You want a spot of fun, don’t let on. Tell him you had to make some extravagant display of loyalty before I would take you to a remote abandoned unmonitored place at midnight where I would whisper, just once. Tell him anything.” “You want me to antagonize your boss?” “Why not? I do.” By unspoken agreement they went for a refill on drinks before the next dance started. At the refreshments table Gareth did a quick scan and hand-covered the confection that contained riffis seeds or something chemically similar. Junior grunted and moved to take something less allergenic. “Come in handy, you do,” he muttered. “I can taste test, too. You know. If you need the help.” He eyed the pastry in Junior’s hand. “Not likely.” Junior opened his mouth and shoved the whole puff of whatever-it-was in, and followed it up with a grin. Gareth’s eyes strayed across the dance floor. Yes, in a different context Colrand would look good. His father, as striking a similarity as the Pierces had, wasn’t so bad himself. “So,” he said. “We had questions?” Junior followed his look. “Oh, sure.” Quinn was standing at something close to attention by a pillar at the edge of the dance floor, watching everything at once. He stayed absolutely still as Gareth and Junior approached. “Moff Quinn, isn’t it?” said Gareth. “You’re looking well.” “I really thought we’d have to beat through a crowd of adoring women to get to talk to you,” Junior said gleefully. “Their loss, obviously.” Quinn’s gaze flicked from one to the other and back, landing with all the force and friendliness of a whiplash. “Is there something you want?” “I think we’re getting this backwards,” said Gareth, drinking in his discomfiture. “I’m Gareth. This is Pierce Junior. We were just zooming in on the most eligible bachelor at the ball.” “You’ve been misinformed,” he said flatly. “Pierce, doesn’t your father have some disaster to incite elsewhere?” “He doesn’t need my help for that,” Junior said brightly. Out of nowhere Ruth appeared. She was a lean woman, shorter than Gareth, balanced and erect, with smile lines setting into her face. “My lord,” Quinn said, turning to her, “would you grant me the honor of a dance?” Her smile set her features alight, and though she cast a curious glance at Junior and Gareth her focus ended up back on Quinn. “With pleasure.” He offered one hand. She took it. Some accidental but very convenient swell of the music happened. And they made a wide circle around Junior to get to the dance floor. “He cheated,” said Gareth, watching. “He so cheated to get out of that one.” “Most powerful woman in the galaxy shows up on your side, you take advantage. Again. No wonder Wynston can’t stand him.” Junior clapped. “Ah, well. Guess we’ll just have to scare up a good time without him.” Gareth grinned. “Count me in.” Lodestone was a deeply flawed piece, including a couple of scenes I would rework entirely to make Ruth less ineffective if I had the chance. Nevertheless. Out of curiosity I did look up the Wynston/Quinn (AntiQuinn/Quinn) encounters in Lodestone. There are a few. Spoilers for Imperial Agent and Sith Warrior throughout the timeline. Canon: Nar Shaddaa: Wynston distracts Ruth from the mission Canon: Alderaan: Wynston’s mission gets Ruth shredded up Canon: Voss: Quinn and Wynston don’t share quest information (Part 2) Corellia: Wynston meets Quinn post-Incident (Part 2) Hutta: Wynston meets Quinn after Ruth’s assignment (Lodestone Finale) Emperor’s station: Guardian Alderaan: Cole’s wedding That’s it. That’s their face-to-face interaction across twenty-five years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 @Bright: Aww, so much fun stuff going on here. The thing that stands out to me is that Pierce Jr really only respects his Dad. Which should come as a surprise to no one. I also liked how Gareth’s cybernetics revealed nearly nothing about the bulk of the guests, and how that informational absence makes him uncomfortable. It makes what he did find about Quinn et al. stand out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Last week of March! Week of March 27, 2015 Incongruity--A wookie with curlers, troopers in armor dancing to a popular tune, a toddler with a lightsaber. Some things just don’t seem to go together. The result may be funny or tragic. When has your character encountered incongruous things or odd juxtapositions? And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLP: Paying the Piper - There might be a couple different meanings to this, but in the end nothing comes for free, and one's choices have costs and consequences. Write about a time your character had to pony up the payment...or end up on the receiving end. (Prompt courtesy of Kitar.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 April Fool! Week of April 3, 2015 Japes, Satire, and Parody: Beings of every kind tell jokes, often about each other. What about your character? Do they delight in mocking those who desperately deserve it? Maybe they’ve been the butt of someone else’s spoof. Or perhaps they just enjoy seeing authority taken down a few pegs. This week, have a little fun at the expense of your character, their friends, or enemies. Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Technology - One of the great things about sci-fi is the futuristic technology. Star Wars boasts all kinds of innovations, from droids, tracking beacons, tractor beams, super lasers, lightsabers, blasters, and omnipresent (or not?) links to the Holonet. Some technologies date from ancient races, and their secrets are forgotten; some new technologies are just in the prototyping and testing stage; some are deployed on every street corner. Write about your characters' experiences with the tech of Star Wars. Prompt courtesy of Kitar. Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 More April Silliness! Week of April 10, 2015 Mistaken Identity: A classic literary device employed in drama and comedy alike. Has your character ever been mistaken for someone else? Have they made an error about another’s identity? What happened? Did hilarity ensue, or was it a more serious situation? And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Mysteries - There's a lot out there we don't know. There's a lot out there some of us do know and some of us don't. Our characters are faced with many mysteries, some perhaps explainable by science or the Force or another sentient's mind, some not. What mysteries have your characters come across? Are they comfortable with not knowing or do they insist on uncovering the truth? Prompt courtesy of @frauzet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Week of April 17, 2015 Paranoia: “Is it paranoia when they really are out to get you?”-- every Agent ever, and a healthy number of Sith besides. So how about your character? Are they reasonably cautious, just planning for the worst, or outright paranoid? Or is everyone really out to get them? Thanks to Frauzet for this prompt. (And credit to Joseph Heller for the paraphrased quote) And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Superstition - Both cultures and individuals can hold superstitions, little practices and beliefs that are supposed to put some spin on reality, make good luck or ill. Then again, some people say it’s all nonsense, and some even tempt fate by crossing superstitious lines. What superstitions does your character hold to? Has any experience seemed to prove or disprove the rule? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Week of April 24, 2015 Scent: Humans as a species aren’t known for having a particularly good sense of smell. Despite this, perfumes and scents are incredibly popular, either to hide, replace, or enhance natural odors on both their person and possessions. Does your character care? Do they have a favorite scent? A soap, a perfume, an incense? Do their species’ preferred fragrances turn off others--or smell really good? How do their companions (some of whom may have better olfactory abilities) deal with the profusion of clashing or complementing scents? Or do they prefer your character au naturel? Credit to Alaurin’s story for inspiring this prompt. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Goodbye - Would you believe we haven’t had this prompt yet? Goodbyes come in many forms, from the quick “see you later” of an everyday contact to permanent loss. Write about a time your character said goodbye…or couldn’t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 May Day, time for a new prompt. Week of May 1, 2015 Dance: We’ve had music prompts before, but what about dance? Whether formal or informal, group, alone, or in pairs, most cultures accompany music with dance. How does your character relate? Do they sit on the sidelines watching others or do they command the attention of all on the floor? It’s May Day! Write a story about your character and how they dance, even if it’s with two left feet. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Fitness - Let's face it, the jobs and adventures our characters go through are physically punishing. How do your characters hold up? Do they specifically work out and train, or do they rely on natural prowess? Do they ever fall out of practice? How do they compare to others, or do they go out of their way to avoid comparison? Prompt courtesy of Kitar. Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Still spring. New prompt. Week of May 8, 2015 Over Your Head- Interesting stories happen when your character is least expecting it, and least prepared. Maybe they misread the situation. Maybe their information was incorrect or incomplete. Perhaps an enemy (or friend!) arranged the whole thing. Or maybe they stumbled into the villain's lair on accident. Maybe the villains stumbled into theirs! What do they do? How does your character handle being in over their head? And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLP: The Sure Bet - Sometimes things just fall into place, and the goal is in easy reach just an action or two away. Sometimes there's a choice between long odds and a safe bet. Or sometimes a surefire proposition walks right up and make an offer. Write about your characters' experience with a sure bet. Did it turn out the way they expected? Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitar Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Evening I had every intention of posting here and in the Short Fic Weekly Challenge Thread with more frequency. I blame RL really. I do have something little and a bit, oh lets call is sweet, for Mother's Day. It was originally written sometime ago for my Kit'ar and Aric story, though i have never actually used it. Which is why I am posting it here instead of in the SFWC thread. It features my very non canon hunter, Kiernan, who is the biological son of my SW Kit'ar. He is simply a Mando, he does not follow any of the BH class stories so he is spoiler free. Prompt: Guilty Pleasures Featuring: Kiernan Spoils: None BELSAVIS Slowly he moved away from the camp, heading deeper into the thick brush. The trail was mostly obscured, vanishing underfoot only to reappear uphill a few meters away. Smiling to himself he silently picked his way along. It disappeared suddenly depositing him at the base of a steep rock-face. Without hesitating he reached up, grabbing the carbonite grey rock, his fingers sure as he scaled the wall. Roughly five meters up the wall was cracked, before him a meter wide path appeared slicing through the sundered rock. Pulling himself up he stepped onto the path, mindful not to scrape his armor against the rock, the sound would echo at this height. Moving sideways stepping lightly on the balls of his feet he continued down the hidden trail. It opened up to a stunning view of the valley below, the large Aphor trees spread out before him, their huge branch-like roots extending for meters before curving gracefully into the ground. At the base of one of the sprawling trees he spotted their camp, the current look-out's armor a flashing glimmer in the mid morning sun. From this vantage he would be able to track any movement from the camp, almost guaranteeing his privacy. Removing his helmet he clipped it on his belt along side his saber hilt. Sitting on the lichen covered ground the Zabrak leaned against a fallen boulder, stripping his gloves off and clipping them to the other side of his belt. His left hand reached up removing his birgaan off his back. Gently setting the scuffed and worn leatheris pack in his lap he closed his eyes and reached out through the Force. The Mando did not feel anything out of the ordinary, no one from their camp had even moved, but one couldn’t be to careful. Opening the pack he pulled out a small brown bag, carefully taped closed. Gently he set the precious little bag on his beskar armored thigh. Next he pulled out a dull metal cylinder and set it on the ground between his legs. Peaking inside the birgaan he saw a neatly folded cloth sitting ontop of a silver wrapped package and another precious taped bag. He felt heat flash through his cheeks as he removed the silver bundle. Carefully he opened the package, a cool brush of air blew against his hands as the removed the sandwich from its wrapper. A quiet smile played on his lips as he lifted the bread, there in bright spicy mustard, was a smiling face complete with pointy Zabrak horns. Unconsciously he reached up and rubbed his own horns pointing out of his mop of thick black braided hair. Realizing what he was doing his blush deepened, inflaming the light bronze of his face. Dropping his hand he replaced his sandwich's lid. He stared at the taped bag, his green eyes widened. If she had made him a smiling face on his nerfsteak sandwich, then inside the bag there must be... he quickly set the silver wrapper on his other thigh as he picked up and opened the brown bag. The warm spices drifted to him as he liberated the bag from its tape. He reached in and pulled out a small golden brown cookie, holding it up he made a small triumphant noise in the back of his throat. Bantha Biscuits! And if she had made him little banthas then she must have given him... he popped the golden cookie into his mouth as he twisted the lid off of his thermajug. It was filled with the brim with a blue liquid. Nerfsteak sandwich, Bantha Biscuits and Blue Milk, his smile was so wide it threatened to crack his cheeks. His absolute favorite, and definitely a meal he could not eat in camp, there was no way he was going to share her Bantha Biscuits with anyone. Looking up to the unseen Space Station he whispered, “Vor'e buir.” AN Mando'a Translations birgaan – backpack Vor'e – thanks buir – mom/parent baskar – mando iron thermajug – thermos I am a huge smiley face maker on sandwiches, in fact my Husband will always look for it when i make him a sack lunch. I am also very guilty of making heart shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, for my daughter's lunch. I can't help it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunafox Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hello *glances around* I haven't been on this thread before. Ki'tar, I just want to say, I really enjoyed your piece. Perfect for mothers across the galaxy Loved the description and the buildup, and the twist, which was the guilty pleasure. Nicely done! Also liked that you included the mando terms, and what they meant too, for more authenticity. Good stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Friday again, new prompt for consideration. Week of May 15, 2015Ships that Pass in the Night: Sometimes, two important characters miss each other completely. Perhaps they’re actively avoiding each other: hiding, in disguise, or incognito. They might notice one another, but without recognition. Perhaps their circles are so different they don’t realize who they've seen. Maybe they don't even do that much, passing like ships in the night. This week, write about the encounter that might have happened, but didn't. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLP: Pimpin' Threads! - This week, a special offer: Many of us have written additional SWTOR fic on this forum or elsewhere involving the characters that we've introduced or mentioned here on the SFC. Here's your chance to post a link and write a description about these extended stories! Please tag nsfw links as appropriate. Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Friday, time for another prompt. Week of May 22, 2015You Can’t Always Get What You Want: Every character wants something. It might be tangible: food, money, an ancient artifact. It could be intangible: respect, success, fame or infamy. Often, their entire story is the pursuit of their desire. But something always gets in the way. What happens when something or someone thwarts your character? Gets in between your character and what they want? How do they deal with it? And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Words, Words, Words - It’s a big galaxy, and the big galaxy hosts a lot of languages. Some people are polyglots, switching among languages easily; some have enough trouble mastering one. Sometimes whole conversations go on in a foreign language, and sometimes only critical words that resist translation are used. Write about a time that certain words proved critical for your character. Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Mny apologies, but my schedule tomorrow is crazy so rather than post very late, I’m posting the weekly prompt tonight. Week of May 29, 2015Lost and Found--Characters lose things: keys, rings, treasures, friends, their way. They find things too: rings (again), companions, their courage. This week, write about what your character has lost, or what they found. Or both. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLP: Irresistible Urges - Cravings can happen for lots of reasons: addiction, pregnancy, a reminder of a favorite creature comfort, or it just being 2 AM right after all the takeout places have closed. What can’t your character do without? Write about a time when cravings struck. Suggested by @irishfino, iirc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Happy Third Birthday, SFC! Week of June 5, 2015 The Short Fiction Challenge turned three on Monday, June 1. In honor of that achievement this week’s challenges are: Milestones:Milestones are more personal than Rites of Passage or Turning Points, both previous prompts. It's something significant for your character, something they might mark, independant of holidays, formal anniversaries, or rituals. The day your character finally paid off a loan--or the day they took one out to finance their dream. The first time your character felt like they belonged among their peers--or when they realized they never would. Their last drink, their first dance, moving out, moving on. Tell a story about your character reaching or remembering a personal milestone. Mixed Doubles: Combine any two prompts you like and write a story! For added fun, choose randomly. Three years of prompts means more than 150 prompts to pick from. Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. With so many previous prompts it seems a shame to feature only one. Starting this week SFC will feature TWO NotLP prompts. Happy writing! This week's featured NotLP: Advice - In a galaxy this big there are a lot of problems to solve and there’s plenty of wisdom, given and received, to help deal with it. Your character is experienced. What advice would she give a newcomer seeking to follow her footsteps? What would he tell his children? Did a mentor give good advice? A rival? Did your character follow it? Was it useful? Prompt courtesy of Striges. Culture Shock - The galaxy is a big place, and it's home to a wide variety of different cultures and species. It's not easy working with someone who may look similar to you, but comes from a radically different culture - not to mention being friends or even spouses with them. Revisit the first ever prompt! Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 More June! Week of June 12, 2015 You Were The Chosen One! Or Were You?: Game stories often cast your character as The Chosen One, the One destined to Fix All The Problems. But not every character fits that trope, and not every one should. Does yours? Or not? Emphatically not? Or maybe they are, but not in the way anyone hoped. Bringing balance to the Force by reducing its practitioners to two Dark and Two Light certainly fulfils the prophecy, but probably wasn't what Yoda expected. Where does your character fall on the Chosen One continuum? Express it in a story. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLPs are: Competition - Life is full of competitions, formal and informal, friendly and unfriendly. Whether it's with siblings, neighbors, colleagues, or strangers met at the intergalactic traffic light, it's human (sentient?) nature to find something to try to be better at. Sometimes there's a clear goal, sometimes there's not. Sometimes there are rules, sometimes there aren't, sometimes there are but nobody follows them. Sometimes there's a prize at the end, and sometimes it's just about bragging rights. Write about a competition your character has participated in – or tried to avoid. Prompt courtesy of Alaurin. Allies - When something huge is going down, or just when you need a hand, who can you call that you know is going to have your back? Whether it's someone completely unlikely or exactly what you'd expect, who can you ultimately always rely on? Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Week of June 19, 2015 Best Buddies: Does your character have a best friend? The one they’d like to hang out with just for fun, whether fun is cross-country skiing on Hoth or downing shots in a Nar Shaddaa Huttball cantina? The person who completed their sentences long before they met their significant other? Maybe became their significant other? Did your character stay in touch? Have they grown apart or away, the friendship almost remembered, but not quite important enough to restart? This week, write about your character being with, losing, forgetting, or reconnecting with their best buddy. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLPs: Vacation - Our characters have traveled hither and thither over a dozen or more planets for work, politics, personal vendettas, and more. But where do they go to relax and what do they do when they've got some time to unwind? Write about your character's vacation time. Prompt courtesy of Alaurin. Confessions - Everybody has things they don't like to admit. Sometimes it's big, sometimes it's just something small. Sometimes it's nice to finally let it out. What does your character need to admit - and to who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Week of June 26, 2015 I Dare You!: Few phrases in the English language have gotten people into more trouble, except possibly “Hey watch this!” So how about your character? Do they feel obliged to accept any dare? Do they dare others? Or do they regard the whole concept as ridiculous, an excuse to overrule common sense in exchange for a fleeting moment of acceptance or popularity? I dare you to write about it. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Hidden Talents - All of our characters are good fighters, but people are good at more than one thing. What else are they good at - and how do their friends and family react to learning about this hidden skill? Congratulations/Awards - Sometimes everything goes right, and sometimes our characters are recognized for it. Write about a time your character received an award or congratulations. Do they feel they earned it? Did it make a positive difference for others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 We haven’t had a Month of Meta in a while. This time the theme is: Senses. Five fridays in July, five senses. Week of July 3, 2015 Sight: Humans are a visually-oriented species, so sight is one of the easiest senses to evoke in a story and most writers use it automatically. We describe how a room looks or our character’s physical appearance. We tell the reader what our character sees. It is the most basic scene setting tool. This week’s challenge: make the character’s vision a central part of your story. Having trouble? Take it away. Maybe it’s too dark to see. Maybe they’re temporarily blinded. Maybe they’ve always been blind. Experiment! And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (yes, we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining these lists. This week's featured NotLP: Rites of Passage - Sort of related to the cultural theme, there are tons of different rites of passage our characters go through. Some are common across cultures, like weddings. Some are specific to a culture, like coming-of-age ceremonies. And sometimes they are just an internal realization that your life has changed. Feel free to take this in any direction you would like. House of Something - The many and various worlds of Star Wars have many and various buildings (or large vehicles) that reflect their builders’ culture. Sometimes the style of architecture is really striking. Sometimes it’s less interesting than the events transpiring all over it. Write something involving a building or monument your characters have encountered. Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 More Month of Meta: Senses Week of July 10, 2015 Sound--Sound is the second most often used descriptor. At the most basic level there is spoken dialogue or ambient sounds. Beyond that, a character may have a distinctive quality to their voice: nasal, raspy, or with a peculiar accent. Maybe they yell. Maybe they whisper. Ambient sounds might be soothing--a waterfall, soft music, leaves fluttering in a gentle breeze. They might be loud--machinery, nearby traffic, raucous neighbors. Used well, sounds tell the reader about the setting and the characters without the writer spelling it out. This week, try to use sound in a creative way. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLPs: Signed, Sealed, and Delivered - Our universes see a lot of contracts made, whether verbal gentlemen’s agreements, electronic documents, or witnessed formal pacts. Sometimes contracts are entered into willingly; sometimes they’re coerced. Sometimes they’re broken; sometimes they’re protected against outside challenges. Sometimes old agreements come back at an unexpected time. Write about a contract your character made or avoided. Catching Up - Pretty much all of our characters have pasts that might catch up with them in the future. Sometimes that's not a good thing, like seeing an old enemy. Sometimes it's great, when an old friend comes to help you when you need it. Either way, it's bound to be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 More month of Meta: Senses. Week of July 17, 2015 What an Incredible Smell You’ve Discovered!-Sense of smell. In the real world, scent can conjure up some of the most vivid memories and strong associations. It adds a dimension of realism to descriptions. At the same time it’s a very difficult sense to evoke in text. This week’s challenge is to make a scent important in your story, as well as doing your best to help the reader imagine it. It might be a perfume; an aroma specific to a place, thing, or event (pleasant or otherwise); or something with significance to your character. Some species or characters might be more aware of or sensitive to smells than others. Experiment! And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLPs: Thank You - Gratitude is a big thing. People give thanks for gifts, social niceties, kind words, significant favors, for being offered company or for being left alone. Sometimes there are specific holidays or times dedicated to gratitude, and sometimes it just comes up on the way. What is your character grateful for? Do they admit it? First Impressions - Our characters meet tons of people on their journeys. What are their first impressions of each other like? Are they accurate, or did someone put up a front? Write about it! Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Striges Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Friday again, more Meta: Senses. Week of July 24, 2015 Blech!--How you Get So Big Eating Food of This Kind? Sense of Taste: Taste is almost as difficult to evoke as smell, and just as subjective. A pleasant flavor for one character might be revolting to another. While this prompt ties to food, taste can also include medicine or even objects. Look beyond the obvious and try to use the sense of taste in a story this week. And, as ever, Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489974post=2 and http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=7489991post=3 (we’re up to two full posts!). Many thanks to Alaurin for maintaining the prompt archive and story index here. This week's featured NotLPs: Shopapalooza - Whether it’s clothes, supplies, trinkets, spaceships, or groceries, our characters shop for a lot of things. Sometimes it’s a spending spree; sometimes it’s just window-shopping for what they can’t afford. It may be in a big chain mall, a backwater planet’s marketplace, an artisan’s gallery, or the Holonet. Write about your character’s shopping experience. Health - Jet-setting around the galaxy means exposing yourself to a ton of different viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Let's go, biology nerds! Got an idea for a prompt? Send me a pm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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