Chain Story

[darkgoddess2478]

Schedule:
1st- darkgoddess2478
2nd- Falling to Fly
3rd- Firey Jen
4th- Mistress Jett
5th- Selena Kittyn

Any writers no longer interested in participating, please PM darkgoddess2478

The story will be called Deus Ex Machina.The first Chapter for each character should be Deus Ex Machina: Chapter #: Character Name. Each chapter thereafter should be titled Deus Ex Machina: Chapter #: Chapter title However, sometimes Literotica won't let us put the additional title. We just go with whatever they want to do. *shrugs*

We will follow in order according to the schedule Each person has two weeks to complete their chapter to the story due to time constraints and will continue until the story is finished.

 

[darkgoddess2478]

I am interested in doing a chain story and I am looking for people who might be interested in writing one with me. My areas of expertise are BDSM and non-human. I would like to set the story in a World of Darkness type of setting. Kind of like the world from Sin City... dark, dangerous and corrupt as all hell. The police are all in someone's pocket and the people all fend for themselves. I have one character and an idea where I want to go with his story. I would love to collaborate with a couple of other authors for a chain story for this year.

More about the World of Darkness:

The World

In the World of Darkness, nothing is necessarily what it seems. There is often mysterious significance to coincidental events. There are things that go bump in the night and many people are too afraid to bump back. It's easier to ignore the signs that there is something else out there than to face them. Many people are willfully blind, fearing what might just be out there after all.

If you have ever seen the show "Supernatural", it is an accurate idea of the World of Darkness. The World of Darkness is like a slightly creepier version of our world today. The house down the street isn't just abandoned, it's haunted. Nobody goes to the old quarry anymore. Some teenagers didn't come back. That new nightclub is so cool, but creepy.

Exploring a world of mystery that tries to keep itself hidden in a world that punishes those who look too deep, but those who refuse to look suffer even worse. There are no easy answers, and knowing is not half the battle. It's only the first shot in a long, grinding war against the shadows.

The World of Darkness is like our world today, but different. There are police officers who aren't corrupt, but they are few and far between. Many of them are in someone's pocket. Either way it goes, there just aren't enough cops around to do the jobs that need to be done. Due to that, there are sections of many cities that aren't policed. Some of those places are safe. Some not so safe. Most people, though, don't really seem to notice.

People pretend nothing is out of order and go about their lives as usual out of fear of the unknown, telling themselves it is only coincidence. Those who do confront the shadows do so with a sense of dread because what goes bump in the night might just be something real outside of your imagination. A world of mystery that tries to keep itself hidden: a world that punishes those who look too deep, but those who refuse to look suffer even worse. There are no easy answers and knowing is not half the battle. It's only the first shot in a long, grinding war against the shadows.

Otherworldly Beings

Are there those out there who can weave the type of magic we have only dreamed about? Are there immensely powerful beings who can bend reality and shape the future to their wills? Is this the stuff of fairy tales or a dark reality? Semi-cosmic, nearly phenomenal power sitting next to you on the subway... Come back to your senses. Magic doesn't exist!

Immortal blood drinkers who walk through the centuries causing death and destruction, blight and famine where ever these fallen angels tread. Maybe the letter you received from your college roommate last week is worth opening now that they contacted you out of the blue before winding up dead and, coincidentally, missing the fluid of life. Do you dare open the letter? Could it hold clues as to what happened to him? The letter you never opened is still sitting on your table.

Huge stalking creatures drawn by the power of the full moonlight who are repelled by crosses and who are allergic to silver. One bite and you wind up with the same ravening madness that consumes their souls, destined forever to wander the forests and wilderness that is quickly disappearing. The full moon may grace the landscape with her light but also calls to the supernatural. While you may be able to escape one, wolves run in packs. That can't be true. There's no such thing.

The tree in the back yard of your childhood home has always given you the creeps. There's just something off about it. For some reason, when you put your hand against it, it feels as though the ground might give beneath your feet and swallow you. Your brother's car suddenly veers from the road and crashes and burns after he replaced the engine. An odd old picture that has been in your mother's family for ages has always brought you a sense of peace but when it comes up missing, all sorts of nasty things keep happening to you and your family.

What is going on??

Why are these things happening?

It's just coincidence, right?

Right?


It's not as innocent as you might think. Welcome to the game!

In talking with the first interested party, fireyjen, we came up with an idea for the story structure. I have cut and pasted the conversation (with minor edits for space) in this post.

Did you have anything in mind that you would like to work with? We should come to some sort of an idea with the storyline before we get started. *grins*

That's totally fine I hadn't really thought about a topic too much... I like those chain stories that have a common theme but not necessarily the same characters (like the Greek Myths Chain Story, for example), but I'm open for anything.

I am not familiar with chain stories other than I thought one person would write until they couldn't write anymore, then they would turn the story over to another person, a lot like what we are doing with my RP in an online messageboard I am on. My friends and I get together, we write on the story and then we submit each section as a chapter.

Not that I've ever participated in one... but I've read plenty of them. It's a chapter by chapter deal, usually one per author. Some use the same main character and are chronological, and you have to read what the author before you wrote and build on that. That would be the more classical chain story, I think.

The other type I was referring to only has a common theme. The main character is different for each story and often, they can be read in any order. This type of chain story allows for bigger differences in writing styles and such, which is why I prefer it.

You know what I think would be neat? If we did the chain story as a mixture of the two. We can each have our own characters and write a chapter from their perspective and do it in order that way, kind of like the Greek Myth story you were talking about, but we could read the chapter from the other stories and tie it into our chapter if any of the ideas strike us. The characters could meet up if we wanted... or they could run across one another just in passing...

If you are interested, please post here or private message me.

Thanks!!

 

[MissBri]

 

[darkgoddess2478]

Why not? I need s'more nudges to get more writing done.

I have another writer who is interested as well. She and I are scrapping ideas together and we will post them here so we can get your feedback, too.

Sound like a plan?

 

[fieryjen]

Great. So we have three people so far.

I've been PMing with darkgoddess, and she voiced a great idea I'm waiting for her to post.

We still do't have a topic. Any ideas, MJ?
ETA: Oh, goodie. You're fast.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I have some experience with dark future works. Some with non human as well. Not familiar with sin city however.

 

[darkgoddess2478]

Okay, I edited the first post to include the new information. As we lay down ground rules I will edit that first post so it's here for posterity. Also, I will edit the second post when we get things ticked off the list.

I am a perfectionist and like to be VERY complete and organized. Hopefully those participating won't want to kill me by the end of this. :sweat:

Please take a read of the first post and let me know what you think!

 

[fieryjen]

I do like the idea of a very dark setting. I haven't seen all of SinCity, but enough to have a pretty accurate idea. Would it feature both nonHuman and BDSM elements? (I'd say yes.)

Darkgoddess, would you be willing to describe the general outline of your idea? I'd just like to have a feel for what's on your mind, if that's okay.

Okay, I edited the first post to include the new information. As we lay down ground rules I will edit that first post so it's here for posterity. Also, I will edit the second post when we get things ticked off the list.

I am a perfectionist and like to be VERY complete and organized. Hopefully those participating won't want to kill me by the end of this. :sweat:

Nah, don't worry. I'm the same way with certain things, so it doesn't bother me.

 

[darkgoddess2478]

The World

In the World of Darkness, nothing is necessarily what it seems. There is often mysterious significance to coincidental events. There are things that go bump in the night and many people are too afraid to bump back. It's easier to ignore the signs that there is something else out there than to face them. Many people are willfully blind, fearing what might just be out there after all.

If you have ever seen the show "Supernatural", it is an accurate idea of the World of Darkness. The World of Darkness is like a slightly creepier version of our world today. The house down the street isn't just abandoned, it's haunted. Nobody goes to the old quarry anymore. Some teenagers didn't come back. That new nightclub is so cool, but creepy.

Exploring a world of mystery that tries to keep itself hidden in a world that punishes those who look too deep, but those who refuse to look suffer even worse. There are no easy answers, and knowing is not half the battle. It's only the first shot in a long, grinding war against the shadows.

The World of Darkness is like our world today, but different. There are police officers who aren't corrupt, but they are few and far between. Many of them are in someone's pocket. Either way it goes, there just aren't enough cops around to do the jobs that need to be done. Due to that, there are sections of many cities that aren't policed. Some of those places are safe. Some not so safe. Most people, though, don't really seem to notice.

People pretend nothing is out of order and go about their lives as usual out of fear of the unknown, telling themselves it is only coincidence. Those who do confront the shadows do so with a sense of dread because what goes bump in the night might just be something real outside of your imagination. A world of mystery that tries to keep itself hidden: a world that punishes those who look too deep, but those who refuse to look suffer even worse. There are no easy answers and knowing is not half the battle. It's only the first shot in a long, grinding war against the shadows.

Otherworldly Beings

Are there those out there who can weave the type of magic we have only dreamed about? Are there immensely powerful beings who can bend reality and shape the future to their wills? Is this the stuff of fairy tales or a dark reality? Semi-cosmic, nearly phenomenal power sitting next to you on the subway... Come back to your senses. Magic doesn't exist!

Immortal blood drinkers who walk through the centuries causing death and destruction, blight and famine where ever these fallen angels tread. Maybe the letter you received from your college roommate last week is worth opening now that they contacted you out of the blue before winding up dead and, coincidentally, missing the fluid of life. Do you dare open the letter? Could it hold clues as to what happened to him? The letter you never opened is still sitting on your table.

Huge stalking creatures drawn by the power of the full moonlight who are repelled by crosses and who are allergic to silver. One bite and you wind up with the same ravening madness that consumes their souls, destined forever to wander the forests and wilderness that is quickly disappearing. The full moon may grace the landscape with her light but also calls to the supernatural. While you may be able to escape one, wolves run in packs. That can't be true. There's no such thing.

The tree in the back yard of your childhood home has always given you the creeps. There's just something off about it. For some reason, when you put your hand against it, it feels as though the ground might give beneath your feet and swallow you. Your brother's car suddenly veers from the road and crashes and burns after he replaced the engine. An odd old picture that has been in your mother's family for ages has always brought you a sense of peace but when it comes up missing, all sorts of nasty things keep happening to you and your family.

What is going on??

Why are these things happening?

It's just coincidence, right?

Right?


It's not as innocent as you might think.

 

[darkgoddess2478]

The main character from my part of the story is a character of my own design, just tweaked a bit so I can actually POST the story on Lit. *grins*

Character's Name: Baby Boy
Age: 18
Personality: Overly cheery and friendly unless you know how and where to look. His eyes might tell a different story if you catch him off guard
Appearance: 5'6", 115 pounds, lithe. He is rather androgenous and wears clothes of both sexes that he finds attractive. He has short black hair that hangs just past his ears around his face but is very short and spiked in the back. His eyes are a pretty shade of blue, adding to his innocent appearance.
Race/Species: Human
History: His name is one of his most unique features. He was born in a hospital, but his mother hadn't named him before they were released to go home. She never bothered to name him after that and returned to her usual life on the streets with a baby in tow. She tried living with her parents again for awhile, but being a baby herself, she left again and took Baby with her into China town. He grew up on the streets sometimes in a ragtag apartment and sometimes wherever they could find a warm place. His mother tried working odd jobs but supported her drug habit more than she supported her child. When an offer came to her from a wealthy family to buy Baby from her, she handed him over without a moment's hesitation. Baby was six years old.

After moving in with the family who bought him, he was given food and a room, cleaned up and dressed. He was tutored to read and write. For four years he lived as a normal child with the family. His tenth birthday held a surprise for him, though. One he really doesn't like to talk about.

Baby has been on his own for a year and is back in Chinatown working as a stripper and a behind the scenes prostitute.

Other: He has convinced himself that he will never find true love and his life is mostly meaningless, yet he makes a life for himself anyway. The kid has lived in the school of hard knocks and is leery of anyone with a fancy hand.

 

[MissBri]

 

[Selena_Kitt]

This sounds like a lot of fun... I'd be interested!

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I may contribute a lupine character. I'll look at it. My vampires tend to be a little less creepy than the mood here suggests would be approriate.

I've got two posted, I call the Abyss and down the long lonelynights. If that's the "feel" you're going for I can probably do a vamp character. But I'm leaning towards a lupine. SImply because I haven't tried that before.

 

[MissBri]

 

[fieryjen]

I just walked to my evening class and back, in the badly lit streets, and totally freaked myself out while contemplating my storyline.

Those ideas sound really promising so far. I came up with the idea of a woman investigating her sister's suicide/murder. There would be a vampire involved, and it would also deal with police corruption and such.

Now that I think about it, I am a bit nervous about my writing not being up to par with that of the other participants. I'm not saying that'll stop me, but it is a bit intimidating. I hope I won't let anyone down with my part of the story.

 

[fieryjen]

Just giving this a bump

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Character's Name: Chlamydia (Middy)

Age: 23

Personality: Middy is quiet, reserved, and solemn. She is very watchful and observant. She keeps to herself a great deal and isn’t very vocal. She is very kind-hearted and generous.

Appearance: she's tiny, 5'3", petite, shoulder length dyed-black (naturally brown) hair, green eyes, a tattoo of a butterfly on her right hip, a bee on her left shoulder, and an ankle tattoo of an ouroboros (snake). She has her bellybutton, tongue, clit and nipples pierced. She has a soft voice and soft hands, in spite of her outward appearance.

Race/Species: Human

History: Her mother was a prostitute who named her after one of the various diseases she’d been diagnosed with over her lifetime, just because she thought the name was “pretty.” Her father was a strange character that came and went with regular irregularity in her mother’s life. Her mother spoke of him with love and affection. Middy doesn’t know what happened to him, and doesn’t remember ever seeing or meeting him. She was raised in a brothel/strip club, until her mother disappeared when she was ten. After that, Middy stayed and earned her keep by cleaning and cooking for the house full of women. Over time, she discovered an affinity for midwifery as she assisted Madam Bella, who takes care of her girls who have unexpected pregnancies.

Middy is different. She knows things. She can always predict when something is going to happen, and yet no one ever believes her, even when she proves right again and again. Middy starts to notice that when she touches a baby as it is being born, she knows its future in a flash.

 

[darkgoddess2478]

So far I'm thinking perhaps a vampire prostitute... punk girl, lesbian... kind of like some of the Sin City girls and what I imagine they might do behind closed doors. Y'know, if they were vamps.

Sounds like an awesome idea. So far, everyone else's characters are so... creative compared to mine. *blinks*

I may contribute a lupine character. My vampires tend to be a little less creepy than the mood here suggests would be approriate. I'm leaning towards a lupine. SImply because I haven't tried that before.

That would be interesting. *grins* It's whatever you will be comfortable writing. My vampire character Winter and my modern day mage character Makiros will most likely be making an appearance in the story as well. I think either will do well. I will check out your stories.

I just walked to my evening class and back, in the badly lit streets, and totally freaked myself out while contemplating my storyline.

Those ideas sound really promising so far. I came up with the idea of a woman investigating her sister's suicide/murder. There would be a vampire involved, and it would also deal with police corruption and such.

Now that I think about it, I am a bit nervous about my writing not being up to par with that of the other participants. I'm not saying that'll stop me, but it is a bit intimidating. I hope I won't let anyone down with my part of the story.

I love the ideas everyone is coming up with. Sounds stellar!

When you freak yourself out thinking of a storyline, you know you're doing something right! *laughs*

I am sure you will do fine! Don't worry about it. I am sure all of us, at one time or another, have felt like we were the short man on the stick! I work as a free editor for Literotica and I have read SO MANY stories that just... well... weren't very good. I have also read stories that were absolutely amazing.

You'll do fine, I'm sure.

Character's Name: Chlamydia (Middy)

Awesome character. I think she'll fit right in. Who knows... maybe she'll run into Baby. *laughs*

 

[fieryjen]

Ah, questions...

I'm in the process of writing up my character. Do we have any ideas for the title of the chain yet, or a name for the city this is set in?

Also, research: Can anyone tell me what the typical hierarchy in a police force is?

 

[darkgoddess2478]

We can set it in any city that we want. We can even call it another name and base it on a real life city. I would like to keep the big city feel to the story, though, because otherwise it would be too personal. People in bigger cities don't pay as much attention as people in smaller towns.

I have a book of jobs for characters. I will have to look it up if no one else knows about the structure of the police system.

And for what we want to call it? Hmmm... I will have to perk on that for a bit and let you know what I come up with.

 

[fieryjen]

I'm working on my character. I swear I am! I just have been so busy this week. Two take home tests will do that to a girl. Argh.

 

[darkgoddess2478]

Don't stress, sweetie! It's okay! We have an entire YEAR to write this thing. *laughs* I just now fleshed out what is going to make Baby so interesting.

*leans in and whispers* You'll never believe it when I tell you.... *grins*

I figure that we all have a little bit of time to get in and working on the stories and ideas. I have a speaking engagement this weekend, I have two anthology pieces to write for publication and I have a magazine pestering me for contributions. I understand what it's like to be busy! *laughs*

We will take this a bit at a time and worry about writing when we get it done. *grins*

 

[MissBri]

 

[darkgoddess2478]

Okay, Ladies! Here we go!

Since we are doing this in a different sort of way from the traditional methods for a chain story, I propose each of us writes the first chapter for our story. These will then be submitted to the site when they are finished. Post a link here when your chapter is complete. We will then go and read each other's first chapters for the story. From there, each of us will write a chapter via schedule. The stories can intermingle and interweave as much as you would like as long as we keep true to the other person's character.

Do not kill someone else's character. Try to stick as much to their character as possible if you use them. PM that person if you are hung up on their character.

Each writer will have a week to write each chapter of the story until it is completed. We will go in rotation until the storyline is finished.

After the first chapters have been submitted by each of us, we will volunteer to go 1-5.

We need a title for this chain story. What shall we call it? I was thinking Deus ex Machina (Machine of God) but we can come up with something else if that doesn't trip everyone's trigger. My reasoning for the Machine of God is all of these stories are seperate, but I am sure they will come together and play out beautifully together, interweaving and becoming a unified whole under five creators.

When a chapter has been completed, please post a link here to the thread to let everyone know it's done so the next person can move on. If you are unable to complete your story on time, PLEASE let us know so we aren't thinking you died somwhere in storyland. *grins*

Also, how many chapters will it take to finish each of our storylines?

Okay, what does everyone think? Comments, questions, suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Count me in, if you're interested. I run VtM in RP anyhow, hehehe... and I have a perfectly marvelous pair for this... a fae and Setite that could be a great addition.

So.. if you're up for another author, let me know. I can have their profiles up in less time than it would take to think about it.

(edit)

Gah... I forgot... sorry. Seph and Galen would probably take about ten chapters for me to run through in whole, meeting to parting, but I can start them off as a couple and weave them through the other characters in any way that would suit. They were flexible in game, they should be even more flexible in writing.