Awakened (Recruitment)

by Christoph Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:22 am

So, I decided to kick off my FoG experience with something rather unusual for me.

Awakened is a supernatural romance (ish, depending on the other writer) that involves a young man who had run away with the woman he loved. He signs into years of indentured servitude to provide for them in a new country, only to have his beloved leave him, running off on some rich man’s arm. Then the story begins.

To smother his heartache, this young man embraces the solitude of his work, tending his employer’s vast estate with thought and care. He doesn’t realize that a Dryad had been sleeping within an ancient tree within a grove near the estate’s border. Over time, this supernatural creature wakes (the first post or two would have her gradually shifting from sleep to wakefulness), responding to the young man’s strong and complex emotional resonance. From there, many things can happen, and I hope to work with my writing partner to decide the story’s course. I included my opening post below, to help illustrate the story’s tone and mood.

Alsander first saw the dryad on the last night of spring. After a hard day of work, he had retreated to the private grove of Countess Annabel, to whom he was bound in indentured servitude, to lament lost love in solitude. Nearly a year had passed since his fair Veronica had caught the eye of a local noble, letting him sweep her away. It stung all the worse because he had left his home, traveled to a foreign land, and sold ten years of his freedom for her. Even the vibrant bloom of the grove in spring and his love of nature scarcely dulled the ache.

The sun vanished behind the trees and the forest quieted beneath the sparkling evening veil. He loved spending dusk in the grove, leaning against the lushly blossoming apple tree at its center. Better this than a cold cottage and an empty bed. Indeed, he visited the ancient grove more than anyone, even the countess who owned it. If one could own such a serenely sacred place. To him, it seemed to possess a life of its own, a certain… something making it more than a patch of forest. Eyes closed, he would listen as the breeze whispered secrets to the swaying branches and rustling grass.

On that half-moon night, when light and shadow ruled as equals, Alsander drifted into a peaceful melancholic sleep beneath the tree. And then he saw her. She first appeared as a playful shadow in his murky dreaming fog. She scampered mischievously between phantom trees, luring him deeper into the woods. Spellbound, he followed her sweet, earthy fragrance and sensuously hypnotic movements.

Will o’ wisps fluttered in the air and a faint chorus of laughter echoed from just out of sight. They came into a small moonlit clearing, and he caught a fleeting glimpse of pale green skin and earth-colored eyes. Long arms caressed him before she faded into a soft breeze of flower petals and leaves.

He awoke, startled yet strangely comforted. In his hazy waking moments, he almost felt the tree itself holding him in a tender embrace. The feeling faded, but left a sense of ease even as he returned home and drifted back to sleep.

All right, if you made it this far then I will assume your interest. I have a few ‘rules’ that I must insist upon. First: In general, though the site rules state that the one on one forum has the same requirements as Casual, I intend for this to be in the Advanced realm in terms of quality. As my opening post shows, I don’t require immensely long posts. However, quality is a must. "Quality over quantity", as they say. Also, my partner should be open to the practice of moderate “bunnying” -- that is, controlling each other’s characters, but only after the actions have been worked out via PM or IM. This primarily helps with conversations between the characters or any other fast-paced interaction. Beyond that, I have few other requirements. I am neither strongly for nor against “mature content”, but I like things classy.

Please post here if interested or if you have any questions (or PM me if you feel so inclined). Include a link to a recent thread that you believe showcases your best writing. I am a tad elitist and have high standards, and I seek somebody willing to work as hard as I will to create something amazing and beautiful.

by Kyrt Malthorn Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:39 am

No takers yet?

by Christoph Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:03 am

It has only been up for less than two hours, so no. None yet. Rest assured that I will make a special post to let everyone know once I've found/chosen a partner.

by Kyrt Malthorn Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:29 am

Ah, I read the post-time wrong, I though it'd been up for a day.

I'm debating whether or not I should be interested. Did you have anything in mind or a preference as to the type of story - as in lighthearted or dark, adventurous or (relatively) mundane romance? It would seem you're aiming for a highly character-oriented story, which is good. A plot's not a plot without a problem to overcome, though, so I'm curious what sort you might be envisioning.

by Christoph Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:17 am

Much of this Role-play's map remains uncharted. I have it pegged as a fairly light, but melancholy tale that also offers glimmers of hope. You were correct that it will definitely be character-oriented, and much of the conflict will be internal conflict. More external conflict can and probably will exist, but I have yet to fully figure this out, and hope to brainstorm with whoever I partner up with.

by **Fate Flyer** Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:25 am

This is an interesting idea, and I'm curious to see where you and your role-playing partner take it, Christoph. Had I more free time, I might have been a taker.

I just wanted to post in here to say that your comment about wanting the standards of your one on one RP to be the same as the Advanced role-plays got me thinking. I decided to change the description of the One on One forum to state that it is up to each RP creator to determine the standards, as that seems to make much more sense to me. Thank you for giving me that idea.