It has been ages since we’ve had a forum writing game so I decided to start one. The subject of this one is using different writing styles and points of view. So if you’ve enjoyed the forum writing games in the past or have never experienced this is perfect chance for you to give it a try. It is also the perfect opportunity to improve ability to write using different styles while trying to keep the story consistent. The rules are simple: 1) Write a paragraph continuing the story where it left off in the last post. 2) You can only make one post in a row. 3) At the end of each post you must choose either a new style or new point of view to continue the story in. 4) You must write your post in the style and in the point of view as determined in the proceeding posts. 5) Have fun!!! I’ll start the ball rolling. style: Film Noir POV: Down on his luck detective It was cold and dark. The kind of dark you only get when you’re tied up, blindfold, and shackled to a water pipe. I wasn’t sure how I got here, but I figured the throbbing pain in the back of my head that was wet with blood might know. But then that wasn’t exactly true. I did know how I ended up here it involved a pair of huskies that went to the Klondike and back, and saddest sob story I’d heard in a while. So like all problems this one had started with a dame. Next style: Historical Epic

Beautiful was she, fair and blonde. Her face could have launched a thousand ships to the sea. Her complexion was so pale and so bright snow hid in shame from her. Lamia was her name. And when I looked at her, I knew my heart was forever bound. Alas, she was the daughter of the Duke of Sartan, and to the Earl of Willoughby she was promised. The war between them had been pending for the last two decades, and it had been agreed that nothing should happen if the wedding was to be prolific, and the Earl had a son. Her distress touched me so deeply that I acted with foolish bravery, and I rescued a damsel that needed it not. I abducted her during her early-evening walk around her father's castle, and rode her to a mineshaft I knew of, on the marches of the Dukedom. There I knew we would be safe from pursuers, and could wait a little while things decanted. But too soon after, Willoughby came riding with his men to marry, and seeing his promised gone, threw on the moment the gage he had been holding back for too long.



Next: Sports comments



Yours faithfully,
Nicolas FOURNIALS

In previous conflicts, this man Willoughby has proved unstoppable when it comes to breaking down a defense. Believe it or not his last four challenges saw him break a cumulative total of 7 bones bones in his opponents. That's a record matched only by The Great Slayer of Norfolk who, as we all know, was hanged for illegal use of wheat-germ based steroids. So looking at the impending match-up we have here, our hero is going to have to do something special if he's to survive this face-off let alone win it. Now our hero has opted to hide out in the mineshaft, which some may consider a safe maneuver, but let's not forget that he is still carrying a slight limp from that nasty fishing accident back on Lake Placid last season. Combine it with the poor lighting conditions and the uneven ground and the challenger may spot a potential weakness.

Next style: Anime Cartoon in written form

Lady Lamia of Sartan crouched in the mouth of the mineshaft, looking adorable as she peered, wide-eyed, over the top of a boulder at the confused mass of men and horses. The Earl of Willoughby sat astride his great black stallion, waving his sword in the air as he game orders. The Earl's face was impressively purple with outrage that anyone would dare hide his bride-to-be from him and embarass him in front of all his men like this. He gave orders that the Lady must be found, and quickly; if she escaped he would lose face in front of the whole kingdom! Of course, the innocent Lady Lamia could not hear his orders from where she crouched. "Oro? What's going on, I can't hear!" she pouted and stood up a little more, with childlike certainty that no one would spot her even though she was directly in their line of sight. "Why's that duke making so much noise? He'll scare my tame birds away!" She stomped her foot. "If he thinks he's going to marry me he'd better be nice to my birdies!" She gathered herself and, amazingly nimbly for a pampered noblewoman in a long gown and high heels, sprung over the boulder and dashed toward the Earl before I could grab her. Missing my grab I caught a faceful of boulder instead. "Shimata..."

Next style: parallelism. Show how 2 or 3 characters are doing or thinking more-or-less the same thing at the same time, to comic effect.

_"Aaaaah!! There she goes..." I squeaked.
_"Aaah! Here she comes!" sighed Willoughby.

There wasn't much time to grab her back and have her settle nicely in the cave before all hell was loose...
_"Linus? Go get her, sit her gently in my tent, and let's let all hells loose on this ruffian, for God's sake! I am tired of waiting!"
"how many people are there, out there?" thought conjunctly Lamia, Willoughby and I. Lamia was lamenting over her loved birds that were getting upset in their mating moods, Willoughby and I were also getting upset in our own mating plans, and both of us were calculating our chances of making it without actually being unable to live to see the day where the girl would be ours. Or mine, anyway. And I was starting to dread I would not see the day at all.

"Charge, Linus! Do Charge!" cried Willoughby, infuriated.
"Run, sunny Jim, run!" urged I myself...

As I sped downwards towards Lady Lamia, I saw a mounted figure galloping uphill towards us, and the hem of my fair Lady billowing in the breeze like the tail of that pony over there, now close, so close, way too close.

We both reached her in the same shared moment, and he gripped her fair hand while I held onto the other, but his pony sidesteped, which made me trip over, and sent me tumbling downhill. And I was still holding Lamia. Oh Boy...

next part: "I want a sonnet! Or baby talk... make a choice..."

Yours faithfully,
Nicolas FOURNIALS

Down the hill we both rolled
our tumbling we could not stop
then off the hill into the river cold
the both of us did drop

We were pushed by the current swift
I tried to find something to grab ahold
to stop us from our hopeless drift
while nearly frozen from the cold

Then came my chance
"Hold on tight"
I grabbed a branch
We made it to shore with a fight

"Lady Lamia what should we do"
"That" She said "I was going to ask you"

Next style: Elevator Proposal

We had not been sitting on a log for more than three seconds when the mud started to shiver, and we sled across the muddy bank and back into the water. Too late to find another solution. And while we were clinging for life on that nearby handy log, an eerie voice came out of nowhere:

_"Welcome aboard the Log 3000B lifeboat raft. Emergency issues can be found at the front, on the sides, and at the back of the log. Please fasten your hands around the branches, and hold on while we gain some speed."

And indeed, we DID gain some speed as we were drawn towards the whitewaters.

"We are now going with the flow at an average speed of 15 miles an hour, and will soon be experiencing some turbulences. A meal will not be served until we hit the shore anew, so if you are hungry, just don't say it. Meanwhile, since refreshments are at hand, you may speak for yourself what it is you desire..."
_"What I desire is to..." I begun.
_"...to the central branche..."
_"WHAT I DESIRE..." started I, nearly out of myself. Lady Lamia looked at me in awe.
_"...after the beep."
_"..." I sighed with a demented grin widening on my face
_"BEEEP"
_"What I desire" I began anew, with a more purposeful voice, and a slight tremolo in my voice, as I was speaking to a branche, in the middle of whitewaters, with a Lady at my right, and wasn't as sure as previously that I was completely sane, "is this log to turn to the bank. Right now." added I a little worried that I might not work. Reflectively, the fact that it SHOULD work should have me a lot more worried.
At once, the log competently oriented itself towards the shore, and started floating in a straight line, despite the flow.
_"Will you explain me what happened?" asked Lady lamia, now haughty and frightened at being seen dripping wet in the company of some unknown wannabe knight.
_"I am not sure I can. Maybe this...talking log?... can tell us what it is?" said I rather lamely I must admit.

As we neared the shore, the log spoke again:
_"Thanks for choosing the Log 3000B lifeboat raft for your aquatic escapade. Please drag me ashore and wait until completely dry before letting go off me. You will now be able to choose your next move. If you want to find out where you are, just say "map" aloud. If you want me to have a cabriolet sent here to pick you up, just say "cabriolet" aloud..."
_"map" said I.
_"If you want to have a meal served, just say "meal" aloud..."
_"MAP" shouted I, as dryly as a dripping wet man can.
_"If you want your clothes and hair dried, just say "dry" aloud..."
_"MAAAAAP!!" I bellowed. Lady Lamia was absentmindedly trying to wring the hemp of her dress.
_"Please talk after the beep."
I tried to calm down long enough to be able to pronunciate the word one more time in a voice that would not show my lack of nerves. The log beped while I was drawing my breath, and before I could utter a sound, Lady Lamia beat me to it, and said:
_"Dry us."
I almost choked to death as I heard the voice answer "The Log 3000B Lifeboat raft is proud to ignite itself. The fire provided by the full combustion will be more than enough to dry you quickly. Once again, thank you for choosing the Log 3000B Lifeboat Raft for this whitewater experience. We hope to see you once again on your next aquatic escapade." The thick smoke that was coming out of the now smouldering and drenched trunk was unfortunately not the only reason for the tears that ran on my cheeks.
_"Why did you have to go and do that for? Maybe it could have helped us out of here!"
_"Well! I was soaked to the bones! I can't be rescued in this state of humidity. I am the only daughter of the Duke of Sartan. I am a person of value." she explained.
High in the sky the thunder was rolling, the clouds were clustering, the trickle of smoke was beginning to wane as the mouldy trunk smouldered less and less, and the echoes of hundreds of horses galloping towards us, with an angry Earl leading them, came back from the foothills.
_"ATCHEEEW!!" I exploded. To top all that, I was getting cold and A cold at the same time. The day was going from bad to worse. When a horse whinnied some yards away from where I sat, I knew I was in for some rough hours.




(Sorry for this, but I could not wait longer for someone to add something, so I made this one up. It does not fit exactly the requirements, but sort of loops back to the beginning. So in order to atone for my lack of inspiration on the elevator proposal, i'll leave the next chapter open for stylistic choice. Have fun!)

Yours faithfully,
Nicolas FOURNIALS

style: Documentary

We have here one of natures most beautiful sights, it’s the classic ritual of the beta male trying to impress the alpha female after being saved from drowning by the enchanted log. However what is particularly interesting and unusual about this instance is that he has opted not to go with the traditional approach of using the enchanted log to guide them safely to unassuming inn just on the other side of the hill, where they would receive a lavish meal and luxury room to stay in for free. And instead has chosen to burn the enchanted log thus losing a valuable possession and no doubt dooming the two of them to certain death at the hands of enchanted log fearing bandits that roam this country side. But perhaps this was all part of the beta males clever plan to seduce the alpha female? Let’ watch closer and see what develops.

Next style: Telling a Tall Tale in a Pub after a few drinks.
(If your reading this thread and haven't particapted yet, don't be scared and give it a go anyway.)

"... So the Earls henchmen set off in hot pursuit on their own logs."
"Your log is still on fire, right?"
"Yeah yeah. One of the pursuers boards us and a log-running contest ensues. He is no match for me though. I send him swimming and turn around to receive the admiration of Luna ..."
"Lamia."
"Right, Lamia. But she is gone. My superior log-running skills had taken their toll."
"Perhaps she came to her senses and recognized you for the ugly twat you are."
"So I pull myself up by the hair to see if I can spot her from the air ..."
"Hang on, not only is that physically impossible, it's not even original! That's straight out of Baron Münchhausen."
"Look, were you there?"
"No, were you?"
"Ok it wasn't me, but I'm telling you, I have the entire story from a reliable source."
"Your ass?"
"George."
"George the Tosser rescued Lady Lamia from the Earl of Willoughby?"
"No, his cousin happens to know the girl who does Lamias nails."
"You're full of it."

Next: Stream of consciousness, James Joyce style.