I’m bored and I have a lot of time on my hands. In the name of keeping a more active, friendly antibox and entertaining myself, we’re going to play a game. Anyone is welcome to step in and play.

Here’s how this works: I’m the Game Master (GM). I’m going to lay out a little scenario, and anyone who wants can step in and participate. You have to announce a character for yourself the first time you step in, and work with that character going forward. You announce what you attempt to do, and when I come back I’ll work everyone’s intentions into the ongoing narrative.

Example:

“Cameron: You are in a sunny meadow. The grass is green and birds are singing. A groundhog ambles across the way.

Sam: I’m Bob, a Park Ranger. I step into the meadow and throw a rock at the groundhog.

Andy: I’m Fleming, a Cheese Enthusiast. I also step into the meadow and search Bob’s pockets for cheese.

Cameron: The rock narrowly misses the groundhog, and Fleming finds a piece of cheese in Bob’s pocket while he’s distracted by the animals. He pockets it. A low rumbling emanates from the ground. You start to worry if the groundhog had friends.”

A few rules:

1. No contradicting me. It’s like improv—you work with what you get and move forward. You can attempt to interfere with what other people are doing, but if I say it, it happens. I’ll pull everything together and make it work.

2. You can’t state that you actually DO anything that affects anyone else. You can only attempt it, and I’ll make the call for the story. For example, Sam could tell me that his character combs his hair, but he could only attempt to comb Andy’s character’s hair.

3. Each time I come back and check the posts, I’ll move the scene forward depending on what actions were attempted. The more people who step in, the crazier this will be.

This should be fun. Come on! Don’t be afraid to step in.

It’s a sunny day in Sunnyvale. The birds are chirping, the mailmen are whistling, and the pandas at the zoo are wistfully remembering Asia. Not all is well, here, however. For the town sits atop a HELLMOUTH! Terrible. What evil events might lurk beyond this tranquil scene of normalcy?

Downtown, behind the Bronze (a popular night club where all the teens hang out), a shifty looking man is about to kick a puppy. The puppy is the image of cuteness and innocence. It looks up mournfully at the man, its puppy eyes round and saucer-like, as though wishing it had the words to beg him not kick it and simultaneously knowing it would do no good.

The puppy winces and braces for impact as the foot comes rushing toward it, ready to crush whatever cute, soft, downy fur-covered puppy-parts it might come into contact with.

The GM mutters to himself angrily about double posting.

Post updated by cameron on 2008/08/15 13:17

Winston, an English foreign-exchange student, tears his attention away from a drunken coed and attempts to tackle the shifty man. ”’Sblood! BACK OFF, you pet-abusing blackguard!”

The shifty fellow, startled by the sudden outburst of archaic language, half-turns in mid-kick and misses the puppy by half an inch. The unexpected lack of resistance throws him off balance and he windmills his arms before crashing to the ground. The puppy scampers off to the safety of the nearby trash pile.

Seconds later, the man is getting up and dusting himself off, glaring angrily at Winston. His attention no longer on the drunken co-ed, Winston notices for the first time just how big the guy actually is. Quite large. And angry looking. He starts to wish he had a few friends with him back here.

The man starts walking towards Winston, purposefully.

While unloading his DJ equipment into the Bronze, Terry steps out the back door to light up a smoke. Terry is oblivious to the outside situation and as he lights up his cigarette, he stands between the shifty fellow and Winston.

Winston looks back and forth frantically, hoping someone will take his side before the dog-kicker crushes his frail English body.

Terry exhales heavily blowing the smoke straight up. While playing with his lighter, Terry notices the shift fellow to his left; eyes full of angry. Terry calmly says to the Man, “What? can’t I smoke out here?” unaware that the man’s angry is not directed towards him.