Curse

Adflictatio · Oct 17, 2010, 11:01 PM // 23:01

Hello everyone, this first post is just a introduction/explanation as to how the story will work.

I've been meaning to write a fanfic for a while, and I decided I'd do something a little different then most. I will be letting you chose how the story progresses. At the end of each section I will provide you with a number of choices(2-5 most likely) as to how the story continues. They can be as minor as choosing which door to open, or as major as deciding if a character lives or dies. After the post I'll give you probably 24 hours (maybe less if alot of people vote) to vote on which choice you like best. My hope is that this will get you more absorbed into the story, and therefore more entertained.

I will start writing the first part now and hopefully have it up later tonight.

Adflictatio · Oct 18, 2010, 02:17 AM // 02:17

Chapter 1
"Be Careful What You Wish For..."

"Victor, get out of bed, breakfast is ready!"

My eyes opened lazily,my hand reaching up to my mouth to cover the inevitable yawn.I sat up stretching my arms behind my back before swinging my legs around to the edge of the bed. Standing up, I half-stumbled my over to window on the far wall. Fumbling I pushed it open, letting the sunlight pierce through the darkness, giving me a good look at my "room".

A tiny space no larger than a horse stall, a tiny mattress pushed against one wall, sandwiched between a small dresser and a crate containing my parents extra cutlery, some spare tools, and the shreds of old clothing and blankets.I let out a long sigh, this was not how I wanted my life to be.

Living with my parents at 23 years old, in a "quaint" little village outside Bergen Hot Springs. I thought that by now I would be of on adventures, visiting foreign lands, fighting giant wurms, and saving kingdoms. But no, I don't even have a job. I live off my parents, who own the towns blacksmith, they insist that I don't need to work to pay my rent, that just having me at home is payment enough.

During most of my free time I go out in the fields outside town and practice my weapon skills. After 10 years I've gotten pretty good with a sword, and I can throw a spear pretty accurately. But what good does it do me if I don't have anything to fight. I just wish I had one chance to prove that I'm not just a failure, that I have a purpose in life. Just one cha.....

A high pitched scream cut off my train of thoughts, my head whipped around so fast I almost got whiplash trying to look out the window. I couldn't see anything, it looked like an ordinary day, other than the fact that 90% of the village were exiting there huts trying to find out whats going on. I rushed to put on the first articles of clothing I could grab before grabbing my small hunting knife off the dresser and running downstairs.

As I arrived in the kitchen I saw my mother with her hands covering her mouth, crying, as she watched out the window. My father was rushing out of his den, my grandfathers old sword in hand. Outside I could here a faint chattering noise, drowned out by screams every few moments.

" Mom, Dad, what the hell is going on outside?!"

" Victor, " My Dad said without turning his head. " I need you to stay here with your mother and hide"

" Dad, I can help...."

" STAY HERE!"

And with that he burst out the door, sword held high searching for some invader I couldn't see. And the door slammed close.
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Sorry that this chapter was pretty short (and boring), that will change in the next few chapters. I know that my writing skills aren't the best but I'm hoping that they'll improve as the story continues. I've never actually attempted to write a story before.

Alright now the choices, I'll start with a basic decision.

1. Ignore his orders and go out to help father.

2. Obey and stay in the house to hide with mother.

The Choice Is Yours....

sickle of carnage · Oct 18, 2010, 02:53 AM // 02:53

Option 1

Noobs hide

haha

Thistle Xandra · Oct 18, 2010, 03:01 AM // 03:01

Great start and awesome idea for writing a story and involving your audience

I'll agree with sickle of carnage and go Option 1

Konig Des Todes · Oct 18, 2010, 03:49 AM // 03:49

Well, I'm guessing this is a bandit (tengu or human) raid that's happening. So either option 1 will result in main character's death, a huge wound, or somehow proving he isn't a failure. On the other hand, option 2 most likely leads to the father's death. Of course, the father could be killed either way...

I say option 1 - let the character witness his father's likely-to-happen death and possibly die himself.

I've always wanted to write a kind of interactive story - but usually they either require limitations (if ever in book form), to be huge, or to be done dynamically (like this - which means that only the option chosen gets written). Someday, I'm going to write an interactive story, and it'll be huge and detailed. I hope it would sell. ^^

Adflictatio · Oct 18, 2010, 03:59 AM // 03:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

Well, I'm guessing this is a bandit (tengu or human) raid that's happening. So either option 1 will result in main character's death, a huge wound, or somehow proving he isn't a failure. On the other hand, option 2 most likely leads to the father's death. Of course, the father could be killed either way...

I say option 1 - let the character witness his father's likely-to-happen death and possibly die himself.

Wow, I like the amount of thought you put into this.

And I'm glad you brought this up, this is not like traditional CYOA stories where the main character will die based on your decision. The story will have a definitive ending and will not end based on a vote. The votes can determine if other chars die, but not the main char.

So don't worry about killing Victor.

Also,I already know what will happen in each option, I just need to tally the votes tomorrow and I'll write it.

Konig Des Todes · Oct 18, 2010, 04:10 AM // 04:10

Will you be willing to say what would of happened if the other option was picked? That's what I hate the most about these kinds of works - that is, not knowing what happens in the other path(s).

Adflictatio · Oct 18, 2010, 04:18 AM // 04:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

Will you be willing to say what would of happened if the other option was picked? That's what I hate the most about these kinds of works - that is, not knowing what happens in the other path(s).

Yes I will reveal at the end of every post what would have happened if the other option(s) was chosen

Johny bravo · Oct 18, 2010, 07:04 AM // 07:04

Pretty good idea here, I think I will enjoy this.

Too keep this on topic I vote for Option #1.

Adflictatio · Oct 18, 2010, 09:04 PM // 21:04

Alright I'm going to start writing the next part now and hope to have it up in 2 hours at most.

Option 1 is the winner and therefore Victor will follow his father outside to help fight off the attackers.

Adflictatio · Oct 19, 2010, 12:21 AM // 00:21

Chapter 2

My father was no push-over, he was an arena champion when he was my age, but all those years must have taken a toll on his body. I'm sure he could handle himself in a fight, but I had no clue what was out there, hell it could even be an ettin, I thought that was worst case scenario.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

"Mom, stay here and hide, I need to help Dad."

She nodded." I understand, I'll be fine"

I pulled her closer and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, before barreling through the doorway nearly knocking the door off its hinges. As soon as I saw what was really happening, I almost regretted my decision.

Villagers fleeing in every possible direction, their huts ablaze corpses riddled the ground, flesh singed, devoured, or laying on the dirt 3 meters away. Walking skeletons roamed around searching huts for survivors before burning them to the ground. The villagers that weren't running away or being killed were fighting for their lives with whatever weapons they had, knives, clubs, bows, or even torches, which were probably hurting more then they were helping. Then I saw my father.

He was pinned against the ground by some creature I couldn't even describe. It looked almost like a dwarf bred with a dog, then the child grew up put a sack over its head and broke its spine. My father had the flat of his sword pressed against its neck try to hold back it head so it couldn't bite him. Its claws were scrabbling against the blade trying to disarm him, stopping him from turning the blade to slit its throat. I ran towards him hunting knife in hand, no question as to what I was going to do.

Just as I was approaching, the monstrosity realized its arms could reach around the sword to claw at his face. My father managed to dodge the first swipe, but the second caught him on the chin, he howled in pain and I swear I could hear the beast laugh. Just as its arm raised for the kill strike, I plunged my knife between its collarbone and ribcage. A sound escaped that I can only describe as a yelp as the curved blade of my knife allowed me to rip him off my Dad, throwing him(?) to the ground. It tried to scrabble it way back on all fours, but I met him with my knife, slitting its throat allowing its black tar-like blood to slowly seep through. As soon as I was sure it was dead, or at least not moving my attention shifted towards my father.

The wound was worse then I thought, 3 thick gashes made their way from his ear all the way down to his lips. He was clutching a piece of his shirt to his face to help absorb some blood and stop more blood from getting through.

" Dad, you cant fight like that," I said while ripping a piece of my own shirt off to tie around his head as a bandage." I need you to get Mom, and run to Lions Arch, or Bergen, wherever. Just get some help and inform the Lionguard, make sure they know whats happening."

He nodded, and turned towards the hut, stopping dead in his tracks at what he saw. Our hut burning fire engulfing the structure spewing out of the doorway. I saw a still figure laying on the ground outside sprawled out like it was attempting to escape to no avail. I walked slowly towards the body, my speed increasing as I realized who it really was.

My mother laying face down in a pool of blood, her dress half burned, an arrow in her throat. I started to choke on my own saliva, tears rolling down my cheeks. I heard a slight shuffle behind me, I drew my blade and turned, my eyes full of hate, ready to kill anyone or anything that tried to touch her. My gaze softened as I realized it was my father, hobbling forward, dropping to his knees to begin crying softly into his hands.

" Dad.....I'm so sorry,I should have stayed with her." I choked, still unable to comprehend what was going on around us.

My father looked up, wiping tears from his eyes and shook his head.

" No....she knew the risks." He said solemnly.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, now I'm going to head to Lions Arch, and I suggest you do the same."

With that he got up and walked silently towards the village boundary. What!? walking dead invaded our village, killed his wife, MY mother, and he was SUGGESTING I leave. I didn't have much time to ponder this as the bone chilling sound I ever heard assaulted my ears.

A laugh. But not just a laugh no, that would be only a little creepy. This laugh made the air around me cold and still, drowned out all other noise, invaded your head and filled your mind with images, images of death, murder, genocide, and sickness. It paralyzed you where you stood, convincing you the only way to be free was death. I feel like I would have stabbed myself if it didn't end when it did. I turned to see what could possibly make a sound so horrible, it was probably the worst decision I ever made.

A man stood their alone, his face half rotton, a half-smile showed wickedly sharp teeth. He wore a long, billowing green cloak with a crown on his head. He wielded a staff that I could just tell it was made from a human spine, with a skull on top. He simply exuded evil, cruelty, greed, every bad trait a human could have. A villager armed with a dagger ran at him from the side, and took a swing at his head.

Faster then I could see, the mans arm rose and he wrapped his hand over the villagers wrist. A scream of anguish came from the villager, I could literally see his skin rotting, his clothes decomposing. Within seconds the man dropped him to the ground and he arose a man no longer. The skeleton marched forward, grabbed the knife and walked of towards the nearest hut. I brought my knife up, ready to make my last stand. Just as I was about to charge, I felt a strong push against my chest, forcing me backwards.

I looked down to find a thick wooden pole, on the end a long curved blade. I looked over to see who could be holding me back. And for a second I honestly thought that Death was beside ready to take me to Hell for letting my mother die.

Beside me stood a man, taller than me, with his entire body covered by a long blue robe, and a hood hiding his face. He pushed me backwards slowly a couple more steps before taking his weapon in both hands and slowly walking towards the half-man-half-corpse.

"You did an OK job kid," He said in a deep, calm voice. " But let me handle this one."

"Umm.....Ok....but what-"

" What is he? He is a lich."

A knot formed in my throat, a lich? I thought that there was only one lich? And he was killed by a group of Ascalonian heroes centuries ago.

" Umm....Thank you.. and who are-"

" Who am I? Unimportant. Now go, let me handle the lich, go help in other parts of the village."
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Ok that took longer then I thought. Anyway what would have happened if the other option was chosen.
Summary:
Victor and his mother would have holed up in the hut, however a skeletal sorcerer would have set the hut on fire. Victor managed to kill it, and bring his mother to the village outskirts safely and sent her towards LA after having a discussion similar to the one Victor had with his father . When he got back he found his father corpse, half eaten by the ghoul who was long gone. Then the lich shows up and the story is the same.

Let me now if you think you made the correct choice and why.

Now OPTION TIME!!!
1. Stay and help the stranger fight the lich
2. Stay back and cover him while he fights the lich
3. Go to help the rest of the village fight the undead
4. Search for survivors

Fleeing is not an option

CHOOSE!

Konig Des Todes · Oct 19, 2010, 01:27 AM // 01:27

Before anything, I'd like to apologize for attacking Victor's village.

Father or mother? Is there a right choice? I don't think either way would of done much - though I'd like to expect more guilt coming from Victor after having followed his father (though, there would still have been guilt if he didn't get out).

For my choice: I say number 2. Victor would be a fool to think he'd be able to fight the lich, so it would be better to cover the stranger so that he isn't backstabbed or some such.

(If you didn't get the joke at the beginning, my main character, which my username is based after, is a lich in the story I've made for my characters)

Adflictatio · Oct 19, 2010, 01:47 AM // 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

Before anything, I'd like to apologize for attacking Victor's village.

You are forgiven.

Thistle Xandra · Oct 19, 2010, 03:01 AM // 03:01

I would have wanted the mother to survive, because the dad would have died fighting for his family/village and remembered bravely, but the mom dying at home is just sad

My vote for this part is option 4: search for survivors