Here's my entry for today's Saturday Centus at Jenny Matlock's blog. The challenge is to write a story in 100 words, not including the phrase given, which this week is:
Hush little baby, don't you cry...
I've decided to tie it in to the propluristemic content idea, so a game rule follows.
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The tissues of the polycosmos are many, and substantial among them is emotion, its endless undulations corresponding to the pains and pleasures of a variform existence spread across all possible worlds, swinging as the moods of all the myriad beings have it.
These tissues too have their parasites and panaceas, and padding the vast supra-existential spaces are entities who would ruffle and crease, or brush out the folds and smoothe the wrinkles away. These types arise in and reflect those of the worlds themselves, for good or ill.
These tissues too have their parasites and panaceas, and padding the vast supra-existential spaces are entities who would ruffle and crease, or brush out the folds and smoothe the wrinkles away. These types arise in and reflect those of the worlds themselves, for good or ill.
Many are in fact mothers.
Hush little baby, don't you cry...
... and universes shred by conflict gurgle happily.
Hush little baby, don't you cry...
... and universes shred by conflict gurgle happily.
- - - - - -
Propluristemic content is material intended for a variety of games, above all wargaming and roleplaying. Some of the previous content has been fairly specific, some of it very vague. Like the last, this will be one of the vaguer suggestions. It's simple.
The universe is changed.
Where this change does not ripple back through time and alter the setting, the nature of the present at least is new. Characters and units arriving to do battle, raid or steal will find their hearts suddenly and inexplicably elsewhere, in greater happiness to enjoy.
In game terms, a character or unit will need to fail a test of a characteristic suitable for motivation - a morale score say - each time an attempt is made to advance towards conflict, or initiate an offensive action, including a round of close quarters combat.
A passed test will instead lead to attempts at dialogue with the other faction or factions, aimed at reaching a compromise or a route out. If the game has no mechanisms for this, the players are to sketch them out, on the spot with the game underway...
_
18 responding:
This was wildly different...loved how you ended it!
Fine, existential musings...love it! Peace and blessings
A very poetic description...well done !
I agree with Jeff. An existential work, for sure, this is well worded and flows beautifully.
Namaste..........cj
Thank you all! I'm glad you like it, odd as it is. It took a bit of squeezing this week to make it work, so the response is a relief.
I like the mom description. Yes, we smooth wrinkles in more ways that one. :D
very creative take on the prompt
I liked this! And we are kind of on the same page this week...
=)
Thanks again! You are all too kind. I'm hoping to have read each and every take so far either later today or early tomorrow.
You have a brilliantly creative brain. Very intriguing.
Cheers,
Robyn
An existential Centus! How perfect! Kudos for bringing a refreshingly unique and creative take to SC! Nicely played, indeed!
This might well go to my head. Thank you both!
This could well be the most creative use of a prompt I have ever seen on Saturday Centus. Holy cow. Some seriously intense writing here. Really impressive.
PS. I'll admit to you that I had to read it several times!
Those are high honours indeed. Thank you very much!
Re the need to reread, it wasn't easy for me either, coming back to it now..!
I don't know how I managed to miss this when you first posted it.
Definitely going into my deck of deal yourself-a-universe cards...
That sounds like a heck of a deck. If it is an actual project you're working up, I'd love to know more. That kind of thing would make a great Worldboat-style project, or even a supplement to the Worldboating - all the universes seen so far, or yet to be visited.
It is an actual project, although with everything else I have going on, I don't expect that it will be proceeding at too frenzied a pace. The question of the essential dimensions that have to be defined to make a universe is still not quite settled, but once I have that framework solid, you'll be hearing more.
That's an exciting prospect and certainly one of the boldest projects I've heard about in a while. I know what you mean about pace too - the mere mention of something like this threatens to turn my thinking from what it should be aimed at!
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