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PopeAlessandrosXVIII
Arts and Poetry Mod



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Topics: 122
Posts: 1858
Location: Surrounded by many beautiful naked men

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:31 pm    Post subject: IFQ Issue #45 Reply with quote







The world has just entered a new year. One that some predicted would never come. And yet the world remains, and so too does the City of IF! *raises hands to gesture applause* And, now that the festive season is at an end, the Christmas tree and decorations gone, and the last turkey sandwich been eaten, it is hoped by myself and the rest of the city that we will emerge from this dreadful slump that we've found ourselves in and activity will reign supreme! With SGs old and young, new competitions, and much more on the horizon, let's get the new year going with a bang! *lets off super-explosive rockets to mark the end of the speech*



Story by Tikanni Corazon


What with the distractions of the season, the Christmas period of 2012 was a quiet time for the City of IF. Most of it's residents vacated for the holidays to spend time with family and friends, and to partake in the general merriment. Now, at the beginning of a new year, they're slowly starting to trickle back inside the city walls and resume in the many activities going on.

That said, the City wasn't completely empty over Christmas. A few residents remained and took advantage of Ifs own celebrations for the season. The Christmas Short-Story Competition 2012 brought a small flurry of activity with it's presence, earning itself four wonderful entries for the rest of the City to read and vote for. And, on Christmas Eve, the winning entry was announced. Enthusiastic newbie and general site gem Seraphi, with her short story 'To Be a Christmas Tree'; a charmingly innocent, heart-warming tale from the unusual perspective of a slightly disfigured tree who longs to be chosen for that special position as family Christmas Tree, was voted winner and walked away with one thousand fables! Congratulations Seraphi!

And, due to the enthusiasm that followed the competition itself, plans to make it a regular occurrence are currently in the mix. A further competition has already been opened; Short-Story Competition January 2013. And the theme, due to the (fortunately untrue) prediction that that world would come to an end in December 2012, is just that – The End of the World/The Apocolypse. The City's residents have been challenged to create a short story in any genre they wish, as long as it depicts the coming of the world's end. We hope that it will prove as successful as the last competition, if not moreso.

~~~

As some of you may have seen from the rather loud, bright poster in the Open Forum, the paper has acquired a couple of new additions to the team behind the paper after a HUGE discussion about it at the Inn.

Your main editor will continue to be PopeAlessandrosXVIII, who remains ever enthusiastic about the project, despite the recent decline in activity. Master of darkness misterbiz is also continuing to work in his Mindset, as well as various other tidbits.

And now for the fresh blood to the project. Firstly there is Seraphi, not only a newbie to the paper, but also a very recent addition to the City itself, though one that has proven to be a wonderful asset even in the short time she's been with us. And last but not least, the second new reporter for the IFQuirer is...*ponders*...ah yes! *gestures grandly to self * Your Vice Mayoress has decided to have some imput into the paper also. My contributions are going to be mainly in the visuals department, but I'll be throwing a few literary bit'n'bobs into the mix too. I'm sure I speak for Seraphi as well as myself when I say that we're happy to be a part of the team, and that we'll be doing our utmost to help the guys draw in the readers!

A few of the new items to look forward to in IFQuirers to come are new competitions encouraging the rest of you to get involved in the paper in some way, the rather unusual idea of a character interview which will get the creative juices flowing I'm sure, and The Joke Box, amongst many other things. I'm sure you can all guess what the latter section will consist of. Wink

So there we are, the new IFQuirer Team, and a few of our plans for the future! Together, we're hoping to make some changes around here, and gather new interest and enthusiasm for the IFQuirer!

















Story by Mister Biz


*Mister Biz glances up from his dusty old desk as his appointment walks in the door for her interview. Seraphi, one of the city's newest residents and a new addition to the IFQuirer as well. He snapped his fingers and a skeleton emerged from a room beside him, complete with a piece of parchment and a quill.*

Mister Biz: Ah...welcome to the Manor, Seraphi. Don't mind the skeleton. He's just my secretary. Rodrigo the zombie is wandering around somewhere. Now, first things first, how are you today?

Seraphi: *thinks guilty about the zombie she smacked with her wings while making her landing at the manor* I’m doing very well, thank you.

Mister Biz: Good. Good. Now from what I understand you are quite new to the city. How are you liking things so far?

Seraphi: Liking? How about loving! Everyone has been very welcoming. And there are so many fun things to do in the city...it feels like home.

Mister Biz: Very nice. Now, on that note, have you found a favorite author here on the site?

Seraphi: Yes, I would say...about five or six – or seven or eight – of them, haha.

Mister Biz: Yes...yes...How about a favorite SG?

Seraphi: This is as tough as the last one! I suppose I should be more accommodating with this question.... Hm...I’m really, really enjoying Tika’s A Figure in the Mists, but I am also enjoying Kissing the Darkness – not to be a brown noser, haha! And then there’s Kalanna’s Host that I really like, and Andolyn’s and Pope’s and Sagi’s and...and kkdestiny’s and...oooh...did I mention this was a difficult question? *ruffles her wings at a loss for how to continue, concentrating on her hands and mumbling quietly*

Mister Biz: Flattery will get you everywhere, Ms. Seraphi. Moving right along, you were recently brought on board as a new member of the IFQuirer writing team. You excited?

Seraphi: Very excited! But also very nervous. I don’t want to disappoint anyone.... I guess that means I’ll just have to try extra hard!

Mister Biz: Don't worry. It's quite hard to disappoint this lot. Now, will we be seeing anything from you in the way of an SG in the nearby future?

Seraphi: Hopefully, yes. I’m working on a tale that I want to have up sometime in January – creative inspiration permitting.

Mister Biz: *nods* We look forward to it. Well, I do believe that will be good. It was a pleasure having you at the Manor, my dear. Victor, kindly see her out.

*The skeleton stands and politely escorts Seraphi out of the building while Mister Biz sees to the finishing touches.*



By PopeAlessandrosXVIII


Introducing the first Caption Contest! Below is a picture surfed up on the internet. What we need from you readers is your ideas on the best caption for the picture! PM PopeAlessandrosXVIII your ideas and the editorial team will take a vote. The winner will have their caption displayed in next month's issue of the IF Quirer! Good luck, and let the brainstorming begin!








Kissing The Darkness – Mr. Biz – 3
The Hidden Crime – sagittaeri – 3
Symphony's Requiem – Emperor – 3
To Be A Knight – PopeAlessandrosXVIII – 2
Escaping Eternia – Mr. Biz – 2


Appearing for the first time in the Top Five, Kissing The Darkness by that Master of Horror misterbiz takes first place. With an equal amount of points as KtD The Hidden Crime by sagittaeri pops up into second place. Also with the same number of points, in third place, we find Symphony's Requiem written by Emperor. Fourth place is taken by To Be A Knight by PopeAlessandrosXVIII. Last but not least, in fifth place, the Master of Horror misterbiz makes a second appearance with Escaping Eternia.






By PopeAlessandrosXVIII


Traversing through the space between reality and fantasy, Stein has made his way to Amethyst Estate, setting of the award winning SparkleSteps by Tikanni Corazon, to interview the tale's most popular character, Lord Jem. After some fine tea in Jem's study, the interview began.



Stein: Alrighty. Well, Jem, thank you for inviting me to your beautiful home for this interview.


Jem: *shifts in a slightly uncomfortable manner in his chair, clearly not used to his solitude being broken by strangers* The pleasure is all mine. *he runs a hand back through his golden-hued hair, ruffling it slightly*


Stein: So, I hear you went through quite the ordeal recently. Must have been hard. Especially with the two little ones so intimately involved.


Jem: Uh, yes...indeed. I mean, it was a few years ago now, but such things remain as fresh in ones memory as if they happened yesterday. Lucky that things have settled into a more normal family situation. It doesn't seem to have affected Milo or Winnie badly anyway...*he taps the desk before him*...touch wood.


Stein: Good to hear. From what I've heard, you had a meeting with elves years before your niece and nephew came to live with you. Could you tell us a little something about that?


Jem: Well, to be honest all of that is a bit of a blur to me now...it was such a long time ago. But yes, I've made the acquaintance of a great many...creatures, that the rest of the world haven't a clue even exist in reality. Not all of them good...*he taps the desk before him as he contemplates the past*


Stein: I know what you mean. Things happen some times that. . . . .Anyways. Could you tell us a little about when you were growing up? Perhaps about Milo and Winter’s mother?


Jem: Ah...*a slightly sad expression appears on his face, and he gives a slow nod*...Kathleen...that was my sister's name...she was...*he pauses and frowns slightly, before allowing it to transform into a small smile at a past memory*... She was bright and beautiful...very much like Winnie herself. And always wanting to be out on an adventure. I'll admit, I was only too happy to go along at the time. Looking back on it now though, I can see how reckless we were.


Stein: It's a child's job to be reckless. I bet you two had so much fun together. So, now that you've saved the world, how do you like spending your time?


Jem: *he smiles at that* Well, I guess I'm just...being me. *he gives a small laugh, and gestures to the expansive bookcases situated all around his beautifully decorated study* I read, I write, I contemplate life and it's mysteries. *his blue eyes gleam slightly as he talks vaguely about his interests* But I'm firmly off the 'saving of the world' path right now. Besides, it was far from being down to me alone.


Stein: I see. How have the children adapted to the country life, now that they don't have to worry about late night visitors other then the occasional mouse?


Jem: *looking a little more relaxed now, he beams at the question* Well, for all intents and purposes, they seem to be thriving. Not that they're really children anymore. Well, Milo certainly isn't. A strapping lad of nineteen, I'll have you know. *he laughs, blue eyes twinkling* And Winnie is sixteen too, so not far off being an adult in her own right...though I can't help but look upon them as children really... *he smiles, looking slightly sheepish at the upon admitting how he feels about his nephew and niece.


Stein: *Smiles* Is there anything you'd like to say? Something you think our readers would like to know?


Jem: Um...*he reddens slightly at being put on the spot, lifting a hand to run it through his hair again*...I...hope I haven't bored you all to death, and...*he ponders, his still youthful forehead puckered slightly in a frown*...stay away from deep, dark forests. You never know what might be lurking inside. *he gives a nod, his eyes and the expression on his handsome visage showing that he's at least partially kidding.


Stein: Very sound advice. Oh, on my way in, I noticed an argument between Milo and some other young man. It's seemed pretty heated. Can you tell me anything about that?


Jem: *he frowns, getting up for a moment, and walking over to the window of the study*...Well, I can't see any of them out there right now...*he leans forward to see further into the grounds at the side of the house, before turning and retaking his seat at the desk*...I'll assume the young man in question is Briar. Seems a nice enough young man...though very odd. But Milo has taken a distinct dislike to him. *he shrugs, and smiles* I'm not entirely sure why.


Stein: Perhaps it has something to do with a rumor I hear. I hear the young man is having liaisons with the young miss in her room.


Jem: Excuse me? *his expression darkens*...Are you sure you heard correctly?


Stein: I am quite sure. My source is very reliable.


Jem: *a distinct frown appears on his brow and he abruptly gets to his feet, making quickly for the study door, before turning back*...I...I'm very sorry, but the interview will have to finish there, I'm afraid. I have something to attend to. *his expression darkening by the second, he still politely gestures for you to leave*


Stein: *Smile* Of course. Thank you for having us! Come Rover!


Rover: Wuff *Follows Stein out the door*


Jem: *he returns the smile with a rather forced one of his own, and leads you from the study and to the front door, leading out into the grounds of Amethyst Estate* Um...thank you for coming. It's...been a pleasure. *he extends a hand to shake*


Stein: *Takes hand giving it a firm shake* It really was my pleasure. *Heads down to the grounds*


Jem: *he gives a curt nod, then turns and heads towards the staircase directly behind him, slowly making his way to the second floor, the expression on his handsome face grim*


Stein: Y'know Rover, we might have a real juicy story if we check back tomorrow. *Chuckles*


Rover: Wuff. . . .





Story by Mister Biz.

Come one, come all. Boils, Ghouls and gremlins of all ages. It is time again for the Mister Biz Mindset and we are going to be discussing something rather frightening this go around. Something that goes bump in the night. Something that grabs reaches up through the murk and pulls you under. That's right. Monsters.

What makes a good monster? Does it have fangs? Does it kill with claws or a weapon? Is it immortal? In my mind, a real monster is a creature that usually does not feel. It kill without mercy and on most occasions has a tough time being defeated.

I'm going to point out a couple of traditional halloween-ish monsters and then point out where they went right and wrong in literature and on the screen. First, vampires. The greatest piece of vampire literature out there is fairly obvious. Dracula. The Anne Rices are also quite nicely written followed up by the shows Buffy and Angel. The worst of the lot is also obvious. Twilight. The creatures depicted within are not vampires. Real vampires don't sparkle in the sun. They fucking burn. They light up like a roman candle and they burn. To a crisp. Ash. End of discussion.

Twilight also ruined werewolves. The main thing that irritates me about them is how they change whenever they want...even in the daylight. No. Werewolves only change at the full moon and a lot of them don't really like it because unlike the Twi-tard ones, once you change you have no control. You are a monster, living only to feed. Those phonies in twilight are simply shapeshifters. The Wolfman is a real werewolf. Oz from Buffy is a real werewolf. Even the kid from Being Human is more of a werewolf.

Now a couple of New Age monsters that I think have added to the horror genre. First, Freddy Krueger. Some may not see him as a monster but he is. Just look at him. He hunts his targets in their dreams which means that you are never truly safe because you have to sleep eventually. He was even monstrous as a person before his was transformed into the Dream Slasher. The thing from Jeepers Creepers. Nuff said.

I could honestly go on about this for hours but I will cut it off here. Until next time, kiddies. I am Mister Biz and this is my mindset.



Story by Mister Biz

I am going to be discussing one of the lesser-known masterminds of horror for this article. I am going to talking about Bentley Little. A man who Stephen King even called the Master of the Macabre. One of the things about Little that really inspires me and brings me back time and time again is his ability to takes something small and innocuous and turn it into something horrifying. Let's just look at the titles of his books. The Store, The House, The Town, The Policy, The Mailman. Simple title, each one letting you know just what is wrong in each one yet still telling you nothing.

That's also how he wields his horror. Instead of throwing it all in your face in an effort to scare you. He offers you peeks and glimpses at what evil lies beyond the surface but keeps you on your toes. You know that something is off. Things the characters say or do, it seems wrong. Not wrong in the way that its highly unrealistic, after all a lot of horror is. It just seems off in a very bad way. Then he proceeds to peel away the mask of perceived normality bit by bit until at the end you finally find out what is in control.

A couple years ago, I read The Store while on a cross country trip. Reading it in the day was fine but once the sun went down. His words poured into me and I became paranoid about every gas station we stopped at. Every store we pulled up to filled me with an odd sense of dread. I felt a bit silly too after all, its just a book. And these stores didn't resemble the one in the book. But I was still afraid.

That's what good horror does. It hits you in the darkest recesses of your mind. It makes you look over your shoulder and question everything even the things that seem the most normal. Even though I love Stephen King's works (and will discuss my love of him another time.) Bentley Little is the only author to make me completely paranoid.

And for that he has earned my respect and admiration.



Story by PopeAlessandrosXVIII


This month the poetry will be written anew. Pulling from our fresh minds, the editors try their hand in the realm of poetry.


PopeAlessandrosXVIII - An end in all things


In the first and the last
of all thing noble
one looks upon the future
with a trained eye

Where seeing once again
is not the way of things
but instead the heart
leads the way

Give not to yourself the hope
that for once all will be
as the sunrise or set
in the eve of day

Grant this to your own mind
the way of this great tale
lifts from the ashes
an end to all things



Mr. Biz - Encounter

Bring forth your undead
By the power of Pelor I'll smite you
Double daggers blessed by light
Made just so I can fight you
Your army is nothing
Just a horde of the diseased deceased
Dagger fodder made to fall
You and them alike, you life signs shall cease

I put down the dead
Quick twitch of the wrist to drop 'em
My gaze falls on you
Your fingers move but I move and stop 'em
Minions gone, you're finished
Crit hit, I slit your wrists, stash a blade in your dome
Place the other in your neck
I withdraw the twins, then make my way back home



Seraphi - AVIATOR

One day she decided
to fly with the birds.
It was startling at first,
the way the wind whipped
through her hair
and between her fingers,
how her skin was pulled back
against her bones.
She found that she liked
how her teeth tingled
when she opened her mouth.
She marveled
at how high she was.
She stretched out her arms,
could almost touch the clouds.
Were they as soft as down?
Did they taste like cotton candy?
She was still reaching for them
as she hit the ground.


Tikanni Corazon - Crime and Punishment

Little Jack Horner, sat in the corner
Looking all wicked and sly.
To the left he looked twice
To the right he looked thrice
To check that no one was passing by.

The he did run, like a bullet from a gun
To a biscuit tin sat on the table
He thrust a hand inside
Then leapt back and cried
As loudly as he was able.

For he had a mouse trap, the dumb little sap
Stuck on his pudgy little hand.
A laugh he did hear
And saw Miss Muffet appear
And on the stair she prettily did stand.

“Naughty Jack Horner, you should be in the corner
For not eating your sprout and pea pie!
But you chose to be bad
You wicked lad
And now I'm afraid you must die!”

She whipped out a gun, and bullet number one
Hit Jack point blank in the chest.
She shot again and again
All the way up to ten
Then ran off to the Wild, Wild West! Yee-haw!


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



Story by Tikanni Corazon

Characters

Probably few things are as vital to a story as the character/s involved. True, setting and one's general writing ability fall into the same 'essential' category, but your main character/s truly can make the difference between success and failure.


So, what is it that makes a good character? Think about your own personal favourite books and analyse the protagonist. You might look to Tolkien, selecting Frodo Baggins or Aragorn. Or maybe George R R Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series, with it's multitude of leading characters. I could sit here all day listing brilliant and successful novels, but there's little point, as the choice of your favourite comes down to you as an individual.


Anyway, back to the subject at hand...

Take that character that you've picked out and sit back and think about how that character is portrayed in the book. Is he/she the great hero/heroine? Or do they have a slightly less important role in the story? Maybe you've even picked out the bad guy. I don't know, but I'll be willing to bet that most of them...maybe even all of them have one thing in common. They all have multiple facets to their personalities.


'What on earth is she talking about?' I can almost hear some of you mutter as you read this, and I am about to explain. By 'multiple facets' I mean that they're imperfect, whatever their agenda in the story. Looking at it from the point of the heroic lead. This is the person who saves the day, rescues the princess (or prince), sends the Lord of Evil back to his realms of darkness, and generally makes everything okay. So, when reading about these people, do we want them to be perfection in every way, whatever their agenda? For the hero/ine to be able to slay all the demons as if it were nothing and have the perfect, cool personality that makes women/men fall to their knees and beg them to take them off to their bed?


I'm going to bet that the answer is no.


Or look it in the way of the bad guy. Buffalo Bill in Thomas Harris's Silence of the Lambs is vile, but at the same time has mental issues, is clearly one messed up individual, and not actually pure evil. He's human, like the rest of us, no? Does that make it all the more disturbing?


The truth is life and the people in it aren't perfect, so why do we want to read about these perfect people going about their perfect lives, having everything they aspire to do be a complete success? We don't. We want someone who has issues, or who has a dark secret that haunts them. Someone who could potentially fail even. In short, we want to read about someone real, and who we can relate to in some way.


Taking a couple of the examples I already stated. I'm going by the kind of books that I read personally here, so my apologies to non-fantasy fans...Let's face it though, you are dealing with the Fantasy Mod here.


Firstly, let us take Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings. I would say Frodo Baggins, but I personally never really liked Frodo all that much. So, Aragorn; the brave hero of the tale. Unlike Gandalf who wields magic, or Legolas who's blessed with Elven instinct, speed, immortality, and power of mind, Aragorn is just a human man. He fights to protect the rest of the nine on the quest for the Ring, making tough decisions as he goes. Much is expected of him throughout the story, though he has no bigger critic than himself. Due to the weaknesses of the human race in general, mainly that of his own ancestor, Isildur, Aragorn lacks total faith in himself. He's scared that he will fail his people as Isildur's weakness and desire once did, and, at first, doesn't know if he will be able to be the King that everyone expects him to be.


Moving on to 'A Song of Ice and Fire', let's take...Tyrion Lannister. Born into nobility and money, Tyrion is in possession of an impressive intellect and quick wit. He's devious and has a penchant for hanging out in whore houses, but generally has a good heart, though the pressures of the rest of his family don't really allow him to show this very often, instead being expected to be a 'Lannister', which usually consists of doing anything to rise to power. He's also a disfigured dwarf, who is often shunned by the majority of his family, even though he's expected to abide by their expectations. Despite his short-comings, he also is seen to be very brave at times during the books also, and one cannot help but feel drawn to him and will him to succeed.


And that is the point. You want them to succeed, and to break past the trouble and strife that haunts them. You want to see them prove their worth to both themselves and and the people around them. Because deep down we can relate to them. I don't mean in the 'exact' sense. I doubt there are many people out there who can say they're a sex-mad, quick-witted dwarf of noble blood who's hated by his father. But there are elements of these characters that make them more real. They have their good points and their bad points, as we all do. There's no such thing as a perfect individual in reality, so why should there be in stories?


Another element to take into account is the evening out of the character's personal success or failure in the story. What is there to keep your interest if you know for certain that Mr/Mrs Perfect is going to whip through the story and save the day? Though that generally happens anyway, if you have a character with the potential to succumb to their inner weaknesses, be it desire/fear/wrath/etc, you never truly know what might happen, do you?


So there you have it. Good character = Multiple facets to their personality. Make them diverse in their traits, and you'll be pretty much onto a winner, I'll wager.


Anyway, that's enough babble from me for this issue. Hopefully I've not bored you all too much with my opinions. Until next time, folks!



Story by PopeAlessandrosXVIII


Here in Author to Author we will be castings critical eye on our local authors and seeing which published authors we think they most resemble. Doing the article this week will be Chief Editor PopeAlessandrosXVIII. Please enjoy.


I have been reading Mr. Biz's work for some time now, and I find I love it. At times I feel like I'm reading a book rather then a Storygame, save for the occasional stumble in spelling and such. His main focus is Horror, and has actually earned the official title here on IF: Master of Darkness. Because of the truly fascinating and intricate plots as well as compelling characters, there is no doubt that the man is talented. I always look forward to his next chapter, and he has as of yet to disappoint.

When looking to some of our favorite published Horror authors, I find Mr. Biz's works most resemble a smooth melding of the masterful novelist Stephen King, and the short story guru R. L. Stein. Let us first look at Mr. King.

His books tend to be extremely long and the level of detail is almost neurotic, but this sets the stage for the book in a way most other authors could not dream to attain. The horrors he describes in his books are ones that most people can understand making his works feel rather intimate. While he has an impressive array of monsters in his books, for the most part it's the human elements that makes the tales truly terrifying. It has been noted that the beginnings of his tales are rather slow paced, and at times the set-up seems longer then the actual story we all came to hear. Even with the slow pace, none can deny that the intimate and spine tingling nature of his books is enough to get your heart racing, filling your mind with such images of terror that even after you set the book down, you feel the need to look over your shoulder. Just in case. . . . .

Let us now turn our attention to Mr. Stein. Though his books rarely even approach three-hundred pages, his talent for getting a good scare out of his readers is well renown. While most of his stories are gauged towards young teen to teen readers, even adults can sit down in their spare time and sidle through a tale or two. The short lengths make them more appealing to some. Each word seems carefully selected so the author can ensure the reader will get their money's worth with enough time to take in a fright and still get their work done. The creative collection of monsters, ghosts, killers, and real life based happenings makes it so that almost anyone who likes horror can find something they like.

In Mr. Biz I believe we can see all the best qualities of these two authors. His tales are intricate, some even connecting through characters or locations. Like Mr. King he leaves the reader with a chill along their spine, searching for the horror waiting just out of sight. But unlike King Mr. Biz's works are much more compact. Each chapter has a fulfilling amount of action to satisfy the casual reader like Stein. His descriptions are well thought out, not skimping on the word usage when the instance calls for it, but he's also never overly wordy. The thrill from his writings puts the reader right inside the story. The realism in the story itself, such as how the characters act and react to the world and situations they are put in impresses me to no bounds.

In conclusion, Mr. Biz takes everything that makes Stein and King amazing, and makes it his own.





Story by PopeAlessandrosXVIII


Once again we delve into the dusty old tomes containing out fine city's history for another peek at how this amazing world came to be.


As promising as this idea seemed, the King was determined to not be remiss in making sure he had covered everything. So, his next step was checking back with the Seven Treasures, and the Five Dragons. First he took a look at the Seven Treasures; Friendly Gathering, Strategic Problem-solving, Teamwork, Creativity, Roleplaying, Spontaneity, and Mythic Storytelling. He was pleased to see that most of them were present without question, but two of them seemed to be iffy. These were Roleplaying and Spontaneity/Interactivity.

Setting those aside for a moment he then turned to the Five Dragons; Fixed Location, High Price of Entry, Game Length, Dependency on Players, Limited Number of Players. To his delight, four of the five dragons were slain no problem, but the question about Limited Number of Players remained un-answered.

He finally confronted the three questions that sprung from his assessment. “Is it Interactive?”, “Is it Roleplaying?”, and “Can it work with a large number of people?” Delving into the world of theory he began trying to answer these questions.

First off he looked at the question of Roleplaying. Is it Roleplaying or no? Looking through the eyes of a classic Role-player he posed the question thusly -

”Posting suggestions and voting on a character's actions is a way of storytelling. But it's not really roleplaying. Roleplaying means immersing yourself in your character, speaking in the character's voice, taking on his emotions. How can you do that if you're just one of a hundred people voting on what to do next?

The King concluded it's not clear that controlling a character's actions is necessary for roleplaying. With fandoms all around the world, the readers/viewers of linear tales feel strong connections to characters they did not create, nor have any control over. For example, Trekkies. By giving control, however minor, to the players over a character, the King felt that it would forge a stronger connection between the players and the characters. Suggesting what the player could say or do, even if it's not selected, would be a form of roleplaying.

The King could also see though how this minor control would not be enough for some people. Many players feel the need for complete control over their characters, and storygaming would be a little too out of their hands to enjoy. However Key could also see how this form of roleplaying would be useful to players. If one player doesn’t feel like playing at any given time, the other people in the game can keep the story going, thus taking the sense of obligation off the one who doesn’t want to play. This kind of flexibility would give each person the chance to either sit back and watch, or jump right in at any time they please.

With all this thought out, the King's conclusion was yes, Storygaming is Roleplaying.



That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed reading about our city's history, and join us next time where more questions are answered and perhaps we will see the foundation begin to be laid for what is without a doubt the most amazing city in the world, IF.




I was walking down the street the other day, and someone threw some shampoo at me...it was only once they'd run off that I realized it was real poo!

=+=+=+=

*drumroll* The past, present and future walk into a bar. It was tense. *ba-dum-chhh!*

=+=+=+=





Story by Tikanni Corazon

And in general news this month...

Now that the Christmas and New Years celebrations are dissolving into the past, a slow trickle of IFians old and new has added to the City's activity over the last few days. An old face in the form of Jack_D.Mented is very much welcomed back after a HUGELY long absence, and with a couple of new SGs too, along with the potential chance of another returnee in Crunchyfrog in the near-ish future. Hope that arm gets better soon, Crunchy! Back to the subject at hand, Newbies Seraphi, plausibe_follicile, and pointfulcentre have all proven delightful additions to IF's population, all arriving with stories of their own and and enthusiasm for the site in general. Way to go, peoples!

~~~

Slight murmurs have been whispering through the Inn recently in regards to the soon-to-be-upon-us election. One can almost feel the tension in the air as the City's inhabitants all ponder who might be up for the position this time around. Rumour has it that there is a high likeliness that Andolyn will again run for the position, though who her opponents will be remains a mystery. Watch this space for more information in a future issue!

~~~

And finally, during the creation of the current IFQuirer, there have been some issues with the editing on occasion, specifically with links to some of the other forums. Upon attempting to edit a post with a link, an error page pops up, rather than what should be the newly edited post. Incidences of these occurences have included the following areas of IF: Linear Lane, Role-Players Den, and member profiles. Should any such incidences happen to any of you, could you please send a PM to PopeAlessandrosXVIII with the details. Thank you!

~~~

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.





In the Realm of the Fallen Tiger, Emperor Shonari Turi is a desperate man. He's a mere two years from a thousand years of reign. His enemy, Emperor Hanna Xi of the Victorious Dragons has held his own reign for nearly three thousand years, and should he be permitted to continue, Shonari Turi's life will be forfit.

The Emperor of the Fallen Tiger has sent out a grand proclaimation; whoever can give him the advantage against Hanni Xi will be given the prize of immortality. The race is on. Every man and woman in the kingdom strives to win, family turning against family and friend against friend. For what prize could be more sweet than that of a life everlasting?

A New RP Game - Coming Soon! PM Tikanni Corazon for more details!





By Pockey


Fatback Average – 3009.31

Deadweight Average - 70%


With the business section back up and running let's give a shout of thanks to Pockey, our number cruncher. As you can see the Deadweight is rather high this month. Let's pray this recent upswing in activity will hold steady so we can get that number down!




By Gon


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

An Extra Special Happy IF Day to the first to join us during a December 8 Years ago:

Muaddib


An Extra Special Happy IF Day to the only one who joined us 7 years ago:

Lebrenth


A Very Special Happy IF Day to our member who joined us 6 years ago:

Crunchyfrog


Another Very Special Happy IF Day to the few who joined us 5 years ago:

Novelest_Ninjagirl
DJ
ashkent


A Very Happy IF Day to the few who have been with us 4 years now:

Bronze
snow tiger
sungmeena
LonelyfadedMoon
sheik


A Very Happy IF Day to the several who joined us 3 years ago:

BWSC
trenda08
kerby_brain
dmoser767
raptorjesus92
Rupert
Nshade
Vozthesage
Queen Aphordite
beara0408
spowerq
diamondangel
VemiDale
Abel
ahawk23
Flewwellin
nortyboy40
rockdaeffon
miajohnson
smashface
Tree5002
gamerdude1996
monkeyqueen
Serg
ffxzlc
Spaceponi
satyreyes
Sugar Plum F
grumpygrumpy


A Happy IF day to those who joined us 2 years back:

justjoe
Ladydeath
worldtripper
Atyrra
hollyhawk
creigd2k
raerain94
nickeason
magiphil28
Lost Omega


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

apocalyptichorror
marfrickie1965
VincentDragmadar
Bradster
blackheartprincess
Rydell95
Phantomheart92
Naomi



Congrats to all and Happy IF Day!



"All that was see or seem, is but a dream within a dream." - Edger Allen Poe


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


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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plausible_follicile
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Epiic! xD
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice. I enjoyed most of it. good to see the ifquirer swinging hard again
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah the Ifdays. Can't believe I've been here six years. Time seems to fly.
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is AMAZING, GUYS!!! i LOVE the new sections!! the writing class and author to author are GREAT additions. keep up the good work!!
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