I'm calling it Ice in the Margins, and I want to see pure fluff fiction. You've read the in-character blurbs that lead off articles in Dragon, or the chat room transcript snippets in Shadowrun, or the first few pages of every chapter of every White Wolf rulebook, right? I want to read as many of those as possible that have a winter theme. They can be plot hooks or final resolution scenes, pure description or pure character thought, action or exposition.
Here's The Deal
Ice in the Margins will be much less moderated than Winter Is Coming. I want to see pure fiction with no game stats and no breaking the fourth wall by referring to players instead of characters. Fit your best literary winter scene painting into 150 words (more or less) and paste it into a comment on this post. If you want to post it to your blog and only include the link here, that's just fine by me. If you're inspired by something you've read in Winter Is Coming, feel free to mention that article as an inspiration. I'm looking for pieces that can be used to set the scene, introduce a setting element such as a city, or describe offstage action in an RPG. Keep it short, evocative, and sweet. Also include your name, twitter handle, and blog or other site you want linked so I can credit you for your work.
I'm not 100% sure what I'll be doing with these, but I'll at least gather them together and try to put some sort of order to them. If you want to write a serial of several stories that's OK, but try to keep each chunk fairly self-contained and able to stand on its own.
Brush up your flash fiction skills and have at thee.
See the entries in the Winter Is Coming RPG Blog Festival.
"The frozen rope bit into his hands as he dangled precariously over the edge of the crevasse, a chilling breeze spinning him ever so slowly. He reached out with his feet to steady himself, bracing them against the ice covered face of the holes walls, making himself as a still as possible.
ReplyDeleteHe’d made that mistake originally, attempting to climb out had shaken the brittle edge and a small storm of ice shards had fallen, cutting into his face and gear. Their had been a terrifying few seconds as he waited for the sound of his gear to thud on the floor.
After the initial attack that had caused him to slip and fall, he'd not heard anything from the group he was travelling with. Had the frost giant killed them all, or had they fought it off and forgotten about him, or were they planning a daring rescue..."
Cold.
ReplyDeleteI slowly awaken, and cold is all I know, all I have known for some time.
Pain.
Oh, the pain! This is all I feel.
Ice.
Yes, ice. I am encased in ice. I cannot move. Why?
Prison.
I am imprisoned? Yes. Captured... in battle?
Warrior.
I remember... something. I am a warrior?
Moradin.
I serve Moradin, in his divine army. But the battle... turned against us?
Archon.
Yes, I am an archon, and flame is my essence, though now I feel but a flicker.
Stygia.
I was captured, and imprisoned on Stygia.
Rescue.
Will Moradin send someone to free me? Oh, I pray he does!
Hopeless.
My hope fades, and with it, I feel the fires within do the same.
Cold.
The cold overtakes me yet again.
Sleep.