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PopeAlessandrosXVIII
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Joined: 10 Oct 2010
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Location: Surrounded by many beautiful naked men

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 1:47 am    Post subject: IFQ Issue #46 Reply with quote







Lovers and lovesick alike gather around the fire as winter continues on blowing through with it's insufferable chill. With Valentines day fast approaching, will love win out? Or will the business made festival simply pass like any other day?




Story by PopeAlessandrosXVIII


The time is fast approaching where once again IFians will flock back to the city just to have their voices heard. That's right, the Election is almost here!


Every election, IFians who have been gone, or simply reclusive and sulking around the outer edges of IF will rush to the forums, pelting those who would be mayor with question after question, getting the in depth scoop on just why each candidate thinks THEY should be the next Mayor of IF. And after the hustle and bustle of the Q&A, voting begins. . . . . .

We have no word yet on whether or not Andolyn, the current Mayor, will be running again, but reliable sources already have a bead on several IFians gunning for the position.

Over the years there have been many leadership styles seen here in IF. From the light handed "can do" Andolyn, to the iron fisted dictatorship of Chinaren, IF has endured. What will we see next? What direction is our beloved city headed? No matter what happens, one thing is sure; IF will continue to endure.

















Well, we had two entries last month, and the winning submission will be placed bellow, as well as this month's Caption Contest pic!



Crouching Tiger, Flying Kitten!


Haha, good one Mr. Biz. Now for this month's picture! Remember, just PM PopeAlessandrosXVIII your ideas for an ideal caption for the following picture, and if you win, the caption will be featured in next month's issue!




Good luck!





To Be A Knight – PopeAlessandrosXVIII – 3
Kissing the Darkness – misterbiz – 3
Directive – Syranore – 3
Escaping Eternia – misterbiz – 2
Eden's Call – Lilith – 2



Jumping up into first place with three favs we find To Be A Knight by PopeAlessandrosXVIII. Next we have Kissing the Darkness by Mr. Biz falling down one slot, also with three favs. Directive by Syranore with three favs as well pops onto the top five in third place. Hopping up one space with two favs this month we have Escaping Eternia also by Mr. Biz in fourth place. Last but not least, Eden's Call slides into fifth place with two favs.







Story by Mister Biz.

Greetings Boil and Ghouls, it is once again time for the Mister Biz Mindset. This issue, I will be talking about Valentine's Day. Now I know some of you may be thinking. The Master of Darkness talking about the holiday of love, he really does have a kind and gentle soul. You would be wrong. He doesn't. Still a bastard. Others may just be confused why the horror-ible host of the Manor Macabre would choose such a subject to discuss even if it is February. Simpl. I would like to simply give my thoughts on the matter.

My deepest feelings on The Day of St. Valentine are simple. It is an overrated, useless, pathetic, stupid holiday. See. Bastard. Now I know that some of you may not be shocked that these are my thoughts. Others are asking how I could say such a thing. Its simple. Valentine's Day is pointless.

Now I may have a special Mistress of the Dark but that doesn't change my stance on the holiday. It is still stupid. In fact, being married now further solidifies my views. These thoughts came to me a long time ago. Even before I lost Jessica. As I grew older, I saw the day for what it really was. It was a day for greeting card, candy, jewelry and flower companies to make some serious bank. They make millions off of people who feel pressured to conform to the social norm.

Also, if you need a special day of the year to remind you to tell the love of your life how much they mean to you, then you do not deserve them. Period. I show my own Mistress of the Dark how I feel almost every day. I give her presents and stuff just because she's stuck with me. I don't need Valentine's Day to do that. It is also why I don't like Mother's Day and usually don't make New Year's resolutions. Because it you need the calender to tell you to do something you should do anyway, then you are frankly pathetic. If any of my readers feel somewhat offended by my statement, then look in the mirror and ask yourself if you tell you mother or your lover how you feel enough.

The only thing that this holiday really means to me now, is I proposed last year. Now before you get on me about utilizing the holiday, I did it then because my wife still has some hope in the holiday. I also did it in a haunted house as to keep it away from being so Valentiney. It is also the anniversary of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. A group of men under the employ of Al Capone marched into his opposition's warehouse dressed as cops. They ordered the opposing gangster's against the wall and once they had obeyed. Capone's men proceeded to fill them full of lead.

Ah, good times.

Anywho, that's it for this issue. Until next time, my minions, I am Mister Biz and this is my Mindset.





Story by Tikanni Corazon


I don't think it's actually possible to pick a single favourite author, and for anyone that can say differently...I think you probably need to up your reading intake and 'get out there' more, in the world of literacy. But it certainly is possible to have a few favourites. Authors that stand out from the crowd, and that you truly appreciate and aspire to be like yourself. And so, from a short-list that I have crafted for the purpose, I bring you a piece about one such author.

I'm sure that most who know me on the site are going to be expecting me to write about a fantasy novelist...and actually that's not the case. The author that I have chosen for this months paper is a creator of tales of adventure and intrigue, with the occasional chill thrown in. This person, one of my all time favourite writers and a true inspiration to my own craft is Daphne du Maurier.


The first time I heard of Du Maurier was when I was about twenty years old, so pretty late on really. My grandfather came over to our house and, knowing that I'm an avid reader, handed me a book, saying that I should read it. Looking upon the front cover, I saw that the book title was Jamaica Inn. If I'm honest, it's likely not a title that would have appealed to me had I been wandering around a bookshop and seen it in passing. But I took my grandad's word for it, and I began to read it that evening...and I honestly couldn't stop. The book was finished within a day, enraptured as I was with Du Maurier's literacy talents. Set in the county of Cornwall, upon the Bodmin Moors (a real place, I might add, Inn and all) one is transported back to 1820 England and into a world of adventure, mystery, plot, and murder, with even a slight romantic twist thrown in, all seen through the eyes of a young woman by the name of Mary Yellan, and accompanied by hauntingly beautiful descriptions of the Cornish countryside and coast.


Once I'd finished, I was thirsty for more. Over the following six months, I made my way through Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, The King's General, My Cousin Rachel, Mary Anne, and The Scapegoat, along with two books of short stories; The Rendezvous and Other Stories, and The Birds and Other Stories. And yes, The Birds being the short story on which the classic 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name was based, quite possibly giving an insight into how chilling and affecting her stories can be. He also directed films of the novels Rebecca and the original story mentioned, Jamaica Inn. She is also the author of a short story around which the unnerving 1973 film 'Don't Look Now' is based, directed by Nicolas Roeg.


I suppose it was inevitable that Du Maurier would take her place somewhere in the Arts. Her parents, Gerald du Maurier and Muriel Beaumont, were both actors, her grandfather, George du Maurier, and older sister, Angela du Maurier, were both writers too, while her cousins were the Llewelyn-Davies boys, the inspiration behind the characters in J.M Barrie's novel 'Peter Pan'. Surrounded as she was by such people, I find it easy to see why and how she became the writer she turned out to be.


The fact is, for me personally, Daphne du Maurier represents pretty much perfection in an author. I love the descriptive manner in which she sets each scene, painting a picture of not only the physical side, but also the atmosphere. Generally her tales are adventure or mystery stories, though there is very often romance and elements of horror expertly weaved into the mix. Her characters are always drawing, and you urge them on to succeed in their endeavours. She's made me cry, made me hate, but most importantly made me think. Her stories stay with me, and I can ponder over them for days afterwards. Even weeks after reading them, I can still find myself thinking over a certain passage that I liked, or the talent she has for creating atmosphere and intrigue. She inspires me, and gives me an idea of the kind of writer I want to be to latch onto and work towards.





This month we'll take a trip through Artistic Avenue and pick out a few poems from people's personal collections. Enjoy.


Andolyn – Crying for Strangers

Have you ever cried for a stranger?
Ever shed tears for someone you've only just met?
Have you ever had a broken heart for
One you might not ever see again?

Have you ever held a shaking hand?
Would you
Ever reach out and help them in spite of yourself?
Have you stood in the gap for someone
Instead of watching them fall into the crack?

There is One who wept for me.
There is One who gave Himself to save my soul.
He came to me when I was lost and all alone
So how could I not do the same for them?

Busy life and all confusion
Rushing around to meet the goals and dreams unmet
Do we see the pain of others
But turn away as if we can forget?

Spend a day crying for a stranger.
Take the time to slow yourself and experience it.
What if your tears and prayers are
What it takes to help them live again?



Mr. Biz – Arrival

A stranger arrived late thursday night
Dressed all in black in his fog covered flight
He raised his eyes up and stared up at the moon
He needed his rest and he needed it soon
So up my steps he stolled, right to my door
"Open up," he yelled "my feet are awefully sore"
I let him in as not to be thought rude
As he sat down I caught glimpse under his hood
The vision I saw quickly stopped my breath
My late night visitor was none other than Almighty Death
"Take it easy, my lad," he said, "I'll get out of here fast
You see, all this walking and killing is a pain in the ass
So I will rest a bit, then your car I will seize
So hurry up son and give me your keys"
I acted quickand got him what he asked
Then he rose with a pop and a crack
He walked outside and hopped in my ride
Powerless to stop him, I just watched as I sighed
He started the car and prepared to drive away
"Before I go," he said, "there is something i must say"
What he said next filled me with dread and sorrow
"Have a nice night, I'll see you again tomorrow"



DRSmith – A Manly Thing?

Across the bar from where I sit
I'm list'ning to a sexist snit.
Both biased in their attitudes
Toward male and female aptitudes.

“Oh yesh men are, you pampered prig,”
“Shez who,” she belched, ”you macho pig.”
Thus back and forth their spat ensued,
When crudely boasted drunken dude.

“One manly thing you must agree,
Higher than you, a man can pee.”
“I’ll tell you what,” she poked his chest.
“Let’s go out back and see who’s best.”

'Tween tipsied pair I've been viewing,
A pissing match is surely brewing.
I have no clue how she’d compete,
But truly has my int’rest piqued.

Hence, I followed to alley way
To sneak a peek and watch the fray.
“I'm first," she said, "you puffed-up creep.
Now step aside, then watch and weep.”

Hell bent to end their sexist wars,
She lifted skirt and dropped her drawers.
Then arching back she wet the wall;
Whizzed half as high as he was tall.

“Beat that, you twit, as you can see
I’d managed quite a lofty pee.”
“Ha ha, not bad for ditsy blonde,
Now comes the champ with wicked wand.”

But as he pulled his weapon out
And aimed it high about to spout,
She tapped his arm and said so sweet:
“Uh, ah-h— like me: no hands, can't cheat.”

His manly pride just hung exposed.
Nary an inch his pistol hosed.
“Oh well," she smirked, "looks like you lose,”
And left him mute with soggy shoes.



Flying High

Have you ever tripped
into a volcano?
Quite a fall that would be
and very warm indeed.

Think you would
ash and burn?
Or would it be melting
for you and your all.

Could this be the trigger
for the show?
Long years in coming
it would be spectacular.

Would touching the sky
be truly amazing?
What little would be left
would drift with the wind.

Is this what flying
is really about?
Or is flying what your mind did
when you imagined tripping into a volcano?


Submit your own poetry to PopeAlessandrosXVIII to get it published here in the IF Quirer!






Story by Tikanni Corazon


World-Building ~ Part One


The subject of this months Writing Class was actually a request, and it's a rather large one so, as you may have noticed from the title, it's going to be done in probably two to three parts over the next few issues.


Okay, World-Building – probably most associated with the fantasy genre, but can also be used in horror stories and such. Of course, to a lesser degree, there is a certain element of World-Building in most stories, though for most outside of the fantasy/horror genres it could be set in or based around a real place. Such stories are far less about the 'world' and more focused around the 'atmosphere' aspect.


But anyway, I'm talking about World-Building, which is something that I've had increasing amounts of practice in since joining IF. Most of my SGs are in the fantasy forest, and, as is expected I'm sure, are of the fantasy genre. When you're dealing with fantasy, the sky's the limit. Anything that your imagination can conjure up, it's doable. But – and there is a 'but' here – not all such aspects can be thrown into the mix and just be expected to be taken seriously without a little explanation. It really does depend upon the complexity of your idea though. Such ideas can range from using a simple map style, such as in Tolkien's Middle-earth, through to something slightly more complicated, like Terry Brooks Shannara, and onwards to the truly outrageous and/or complex, as is the case with something like Terry Pratchett's Discworld or Philip Pullman's adventures through a series of parallel universes in the His Dark Materials novels.


Let's start with the least complicated and analyse that first. The example given, as you've already read, is Middle-earth, the world in which books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set. Though there are plenty of others, as I would say it's the most frequently used method of World-Building, being simpler but highly effective. They're by no means 'simple' though. That needs to be stressed. But they leave out some of the extra complexities that can be involved in such a project.


So, Middle-earth – it is a complete and total fantasy world, effectively transporting the reader into a land of elves, dwarves, and magic. The world itself is based upon a map, an easy layout. There's no information about the planet on which it's set, the surrounding universe, the reasons as to why the weather patterns are the way that they are, how long a day is, how many moons, how these moons effect the environment and atmosphere – the possibilities are endless, depending on how far you wish to go. But Middle-earth doesn't contain any of these things. The world itself is very basic, and it's the creatures and races in it that the complexity is more focused upon.


Worlds based upon basic map layouts are usually a lot easier to create than the others. Little time and effort is required for the basic creation and can instead be thrown into the races/places/politics/etc of the world instead, which admittedly are also a huge part of the process. They can consist of a large space, containing different kingdoms and such, or they can be focused upon the one small area in which a story might be set. Once you have your map, it's time to split it into areas. Taking the example of a large space, containing different kingdoms and territories, you then work out what race/the like live where, what the environment in that area is like, etc. For example, the elves in LotR live in natural or forest areas, much of the time in the trees themselves. It suits them. It fits. The dwarves live under mountains, in tunnels. It suits them. It fits. The humans live in the more usual village/town type areas, with stone/brick buildings. Again, it suits them and it fits. It's very easy to put together the basic associations between a race and the area in which they should inhabit. It's simple, yet effective, as I said before.


The races used are also of the most simple variety. Aside from the odd tweaks and twists, elves, dwarves, men, wizards, etc are all pretty standard. It's easier to create something around a universal base. Again, simple, yet effective, and if the author should choose to do so, it allows them more time to commit to other things, like politics and religion and such. But the latter isn't necessary... necessarily.


So, for anyone thinking you can't possibly have the time, patience or know-how to create your own world... that's crap. I've indicated the basic principles required and even a plan you can follow.


~ Step One~ Jot down your basic storyline/plot in a notebook, along with any main characters, and the races (if you have more than one) that you'd like to include.

~Step Two~ Take a look at said races, and think about the environment in which they should/you'd like them to live. You don't have to have elves living in trees. They could be snow elves, or evil demon elves from the land of death. *shrugs * Whatever you decide, you need to know what environment they're to live in so that you can include it in your map. Same with the other races.

~Step Three~ Time to make your map. I mean, you don't have to make a map if you don't want to, but from personal experience I've found that it does help keep one from getting confused and such when writing about said world. Either that of you can write it all down, detailing the areas and what the terrain is like, who lives on it, etc. Forests, deserts, mountain ranges, towns, villages, oceans, rivers, etc, all need to be included.


And there you have it. You now have a basic world to work with, and it wasn't too hard now, was it? It's now up to you to keep building upon it and add in any extras that you might want to include. You may even build it up so much that it actually works it's way into the slightly more complex worlds in which I would include the aforementioned Shannara creation of author Terry Brooks. And that, ladies and gents, will be the subject of next months class!


Thank you for reading! I hope I didn't bore you all too much with my babble and I that I may have been helpful in some way. Until next time, folks!






Story by PopeAlessandrosXVIII


It's time once again for us to take a time warp and get a good look at the very foundations of our fine city. Here we will face the two final questions, the last two “Dragons”, and see if they were slain, or victorious. . . .


The next Dragon our king had to face is Interactivity, or more precisely, could Storygaming be truly interactive? For a reference, he took a look at the way Video Game approach the Interactive facets to their games. Rather then laying out the physical laws of characters and have them perform physical action like in a video game, for Storygaming one would lay the laws of drama, and have the characters perform dramatic actions. After looking at it that way the king saw that if he compared Videogames and Storygames this way, Storygaming would always fall short, so he instead looked at what interactivity was inherint in Storygaming itself.


Casting a critical eye at Storygaming the king saw that it had a form and breath if interactivity that both Branching Story-lines and Video games lacked. Through the decisions made by the players there is an infinite amount of directions a story could head. Major characters could die, minor characters could become very important. In other words, the restrictions placed by having a single author, or team of programers in the case of V-games and other tales had been all but eliminated. The walls of set storyline had crumbled.


But would that be enough? Would you feel you made any real contribution if you were just one out of a hundred voices shouting out what you thought should happen next? One quick look at other systems where polling would take place answered that question. Yes. It is almost universal that the simple participation in such activities is more then enough for most people. Even if your suggestion didn't win, most people are happy just being able to make their choice heard. So while Storygaming may not be as visually interactive as Video games, it is indeed, Interactive.


Lastly our king turned to the final Dragon, the most restrictive of them all, Limited Number Of Players. In order to slay this dragon he had to take a good hard look at how one could structure Storygaming in a way that would not limit the number of people giving their input. Luckily, seeing as Storygaming would mostly be done online, the sword one would need to slay this dragon was close at hand, and easy to wield. It all came down to embracing the Democratic Method, Polling and Voting. With embracing collective control the the characters and such in a Storygame, the final dragon was slain, and theory could start becoming reality. . . .

“And with that, we've reached the end of our theory. Our theory tells us the Storygaming has the strong narrative of a linear story, the social interaction appeal of a simulation, and a flexibility not found anywhere else. Our theory tells us that Storygaming might well have all of the treasures of role-playing and none of its dragons. Our theory tells us that this form has huge potential.

But of course, it's one thing to talk about Storygaming in theory. It's another to make it work.

In November 2001, I started to make it work.” - Key



Swing by next issue where we take a look at the actual birth of Interfable and it's first steps into the vast ocean of Story telling, and the unexpected . . . . . .






--Then there's the city where crime has gotten so bad the citizens figure muggings into their budget.

--Sign on bankrupt store: OPENED BY MISTAKE

--Man A: Would you donate 5 dollars to bury a saxophone player?
Man B: Here's 30 dollars, bury 6 of them.

--Why doesn't a shaggy dog ever have a nose 12 inches long?
Because then it would be a foot.

--Why can't a man living in the USA be buried in Canada?
Because he's still alive.

--Father: How were your test scores, Son?
Son: Underwater, Dad.
Father: What do you mean underwater?
Son: Oh, you know, below 'C' level.




By PopeAlessandrosXVIII


===>A relative amount of activity has been flowing through the city, most notably here with our king Key's “First Word story” a new experimental way of playing SGs.

===>Also by Key is an announcement about one of his up-coming infamous Online Improv shows. The show is scheduled for Friday, February 15th, 9 o'clock PM Pacific time. There you will be able to see, live, our king and his troupe participate in live action Storygaming! Be there, or be square.

===>New SGs this month -

---Team Zeta by Kalanna Rai
---Revolution by plausible_follicile
---Storm Riders by pointfulcentre
---Eadgar's Saga by Jack_D.Mented
---Abattoir by Jack_D.Mented
---Monsters? by PopeAlessandrosXVIII

And that's all for general news this last month! If you feel you have a bit of news you'd like to see in the next edition of the IF Quirer, feel free to contact the Chief Editor PopeAlessandrosXVIII at any time during the month.





By Gon


Here's a Happy IF Day to all those who joined in January!

A Very Special Happy IF Day to our 8th year members:

BStheGreat
sparta12

A Special Happy IF Day to our 7th year members:

Kalanna Rai
Jack_D.Mented
Thracia Alba

A Special Happy IF Day to our 6th year members:

Sasuke
Mastermind

A Happy IF Day to our 5th year members:

Kirranna
Mattheus
theend
Scheherazade
Serge WOlf

A Happy IF Day to our 4th year members:

HiddenHeartsCry
Natmiel
ftbritish

A Happy IF Day to our large group who joined 3 years ago:

AdReNaLYNN
phoenix78
dameyoutohell
jess1561
zelda zonk
grace
Guardian_Angel
dariusmf
King_Naterz
misterbiz
gnomes
Fawx
Jaybreezy
Dimka
phaze
omgdude147
itybitydancer
Revenant
igostridge
hangmansipos
zammypk32
busterbaddy1
ThePryn
BrittneyX
Ivanhoe
yeller679
Isaiah
krazysnerd
SuperEL

A Happy IF Day to our 2nd year members:

Pockey
Lelgo56
UndeadCowboy
jezza4899
themus
keada darkness 09
jeana

And finally, a Happy IF Day to those who joined us last year:

h1yena
Logan Ethan Kane
Astaar
Roganz
jimmysdemigod4
mebanana17
KCMO4204
Xelda
Epistrophia
taywah
ShadowHuntress18
roadrunnerasa
Cremuex Levier
missmack

Happy IF Day!


Congrats to all and Happy IF Day!



Words O' Wisdom

I moaned because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet” - Unknown

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


This issue has been brought to you by the IFQuirer Team - Chief Editor~PopeAlessandrosXVIII, Reporters~Misterbiz, Seraphi, and Tikanni Corazon. From all of us, thank you for reading!


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Seraphi
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Joined: 25 Oct 2012
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Location: Penna, having a hot cup of tea

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome job, everyone! Very Happy

Loved your world-building Writing Class, Tika - can't wait for part 2!

And, as always, excellent job on your Mindset, Biz, and on Interfable: A History, Pope!

The poems were great as well Smile
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PopeAlessandrosXVIII
Arts and Poetry Mod



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
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Posts: 1858
Location: Surrounded by many beautiful naked men

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:39 am    Post subject: Post Reply with quote

So, no ideas for the Caption this month? How about it guys, show some creativity!
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