FourToedStatue

I've been out of the loop here for a while, but when I entered it was the line that gave me the biggest inspiration for my story so I'd definitely say keep it as an ingredient. As for the location it might help some people who're struggling with ideas so perhaps include it in the next round and get feedback after to see what people think? The only way to know how it goes is to test it out. Hopefully I'll be free enough to get an entry in this time, very much enjoyed this back in the summer!

Sign me up for this! Hm...ideas ideas...

Springing the captured models from jail could also be an option like it was on one of the scenario maps.

This is the first draft, so any feedback is much appreciated. Words: 1394 Ingredients: Flawed Rebirth, Apprentice, Quote & Train Ticket! ________________________________________________________________________ Foundations of Future Success Darkness. Darkness and silence. Darkness, silence and a complete lack of all sensation. A twinge of pain in the left arm. A sharp jolt on the right leg. Silence again. Darkness enveloping, drowning all possibility of thought. A rush of light and the deafening whirr of machinery and an all-consuming pain. Trying to move leads to the revelation of being strapped down on a wooden table. Words struggle to form on stiff lips that have forgotten how they once moved. “Uurrgghh.” The only sound that can be forced from the uncooperative lips. It is met by a cry of utter jubiliation. “It worked! It really worked…you’re alive!” A blurred figure moves into sight. Tired eyes focus on the ecstatic face peering down. A young, slim man with a shock of red hair held out of his face via a headband. The young man lifts his goggles revealing his bright blue eyes. A memory stirs and the stubborn lips form a word. “Duhh..Doouuhh.” Wait. Think. Focus. “Doug?” “Yes doctor, it’s me. Can you hear me?” the young man shouts. ‘Doctor? Yes, that’s what I am,’ thinks the man on the table. The young man pulls off his thick leather gloves. “I’m going to put this into a sitting position.” He crouches down and starts turning a crank. The bed the doctor is lying on bends in the middle becoming more chair-like. “Whuu…what happened… to me..?” the doctor asks, squinting to bring the room – his laboratory – into focus. Doug looks at the floor sheepishly. “Wh-what happened Doug?” “You died.” Doug risks a glance at the doctor. “I came back to the lab after dinner and you… you were lying on the floor. Still. I’m going to unstrap you now, don’t move too much for a few minutes though.” Doug unfastens the leather belts on the doctor’s wrists and ankles. “I think I… think I remember. I was reading… reading the newspaper and my chest it…got tight,” he pauses and looks around the room. “I remember falling, over there,” it was difficult to move his arm, but he made an effort to point. “Then darkness. Darkness and silence.” He looks down at his arms and notices long thin cuts that have recently been stitched together. “How…how am I here? I died. How am I talking to you. Me. Myself.” “Don’t be coy, doctor,” Doug’s faint Scottish lilt becoming temporarily more pronounced. He pulls a small glass-like gem from his pocket. “This was the second thing I noticed, after you dead on the floor. It was glowing so bright I could see it even from beneath the pile of papers it was hidden under.” His eyes flick to the windows. “When where you going to tell me you had a soul stone?” “When I’d figured out how to use it. But clearly I should have asked for assistance sooner.” The doctor looked at the wires snaking out from his chest and disappearing behind the chair. “So Master Douglas, would you let an old man know how you brought him back to life?” “Everything I did, I learnt from you. I just…applied it differently.” He pulls up a stool. “I was desperate so I was willing to try more extreme methods.” “Go on, lad,” the doctor flexed his fingers and toes while he listened. “Well…when I first found you, I put you in the bath with the restorative agents. Traced copper wires down the bones of your arms and legs. Additional wires around your heart and the base of the brain.” “So far, routine resurrection,” the doctor nodded. Doug returned the nod. “Indeed. Well after that I needed an electricity source. The paper reported no storms in the next week and all the generators we’ve built are meant to be operated by the two of us.” “It’s why I needed an assistant to begin with. Who’d have guessed he’d turn out to be such a genius?” The doctor moves a stiff arm and pats Doug on the shoulder. “So tell me: where do these wires lead?” Doug disappears behind the doctor’s chair and re-emerges carrying a glass water tank filled with a writhing mass of eels. The doctor shakes his head in disbelief. “Electric eels. Genius. They supplied enough power to catalyse the restorative agents?” “Exactly. And the second you were resurrected the soul stone exploded with light.” Doug takes the stone from his pocket again. “I prayed you’d come back, it seems you heard me.” Doug turns away, raising a hand to his face. The doctor extends an arm to him. “It’s okay boy, I’m back now. It worked. You saved me.” Doug turns back, his eyes wet. “No I bloody well didn’t. The process isn’t complete, you always told me that. You’ve got…two weeks, perhaps more but then the reaction will start to fail and you’ll lose mobility and then…it’s all over.” He turns away again with a shudder. “Douglas, there is no need to cry. You’ve done a remarkable thing. You’ve given me the chance to say goodbye. To let you know that you’re going to be a far better scientist than I’ll ever be. The morning I died, I sent a letter of recommendation to the university board. I imagine they’ve read it by now and if all goes well, you’ll be a Fellow of the University by the New Year. Hey, there’s even a teaching vacancy now that I’m…soon to be retired.” Doug laughed, despite the tears. “Thank you doctor. I have something for you, too. I realised the process might not work, but on the off-chance that it did…” He walks to the desk and picks up an envelope. “For you, sir. With my thanks and gratitude.” The doctor reached a hand inside the envelope and slowly drew out an narrow piece of paper: North-East Railroad. One Way. The doctor looked up at Doug, his dead face slowly realising the great gift his assistant had given him. “It’s November First tomorrow. You’ll have time to go back to New England, walk the country roads, see the autumn foliage.” “Fall, Douglas,” the doctor mocks. “I swear you can take the anatomist out of Scotland but…but…” He places the ticket into the envelope. “Thank you. No one has ever done me a greater kindness. I always did wish I wish I could see it again, just one last time” With a newfound sense of purpose he swings his legs off side of the chair and rises to his feet. A series of very deliberate steps and he walks over to Doug. The two men hug. “Doctor?” Doug says with an oddly high pitch. “Yes m’boy?” The doctor beams. “Would you put on some clothes before you hug me again?” The two laugh and the doctor heads downstairs to his bed room to dress. Doug looks around the laboratory that would now be his. Sitting at the desk he looks at a washed out and faded picture of the doctor from decades past. “One day doctor, I’ll do what I couldn’t do for you today.” He muttered to the ancient photograph. “I will cure death.” * * * In a dimly lit room two men sat in silence. The taller, thinner man sat at the table, peering at a newspaper over the dust-covered glasses that perched on his hooked nose. The shorter, rounder man sat on the floor by the door petting a large Alsatian. “This looks like it might be good for you,” the hook nosed man wheezed. The shorter man seemingly didn’t hear him and continued petting the Alsatian. The hook nosed man coughed. “I said this looks like a good opportunity for you.” The shorter man still seemed to not hear him over the panting of the dog. The hook nosed man folded the newspaper and threw it at his friend. The short man jumped and looked at the hook nosed man with surprise. The hook nosed man tipped his head at the newspaper and the shorter man picked it up. In the bottom right-hand corner was a small boxed-off section that read: Laboratory Assistant wanted for help in anatomical studies and investigations to push the boundaries of science. Must be prepared for long hours, heavy lifting and be unswayed by the smell of corpses. Interested applicants send contact information to the university medical department, for attention of Douglas McMourning.

I'd like to sign up too please. The first draft of my entry should be up soon. I'll link to it when it's up. EDIT: Link to the first draft http://www.wyrd-games.net/showthread.php?44771-Iron-Quill-(Something-Wicked)-Foundations-of-Future-Success&p=583901#post583901 Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

My preferred master is Perdita, but I also have Justice... And an unbuilt Sonnia....

I vaguely recall something about The Breach being the big one under Guild supervision but there were some smaller ones that opened later.

Hey so I’ve had an idea and wondered what people thought of it. When I was around 14-18 I was involved in both playing and running play-by-post RPG type games on online forums and the other day I decided it was something I’d like to get back into so I’m wondering whether anyone here would be interested in such a thing? It would be set in the Malifaux universe with players playing as original characters. The format would essentially be I post a scenario, the players respond, I respond, they respond etc. Essentially it would be like a pen and paper RPG a la D&D but without the dice etc. It’s much more informal. There’d be rules to stop people from playing God and being overpowered but a big part of it would be trust based and assume that everyone whose playing is playing because they want to see the story develop. From my experience people making themselves uber-powerful is a rare occurrence and other players/ the GM usually set them straight. Anyway, what do people think? Let me know if you’d be interested and if you’ve any suggestions or whatnot. Note: I know this isn’t writing per say, but it would essentially become an exercise in world/story building so it seemed that this was the best place for it!

I tend to work on the assumption that Earthside is the same as our world unless stated otherwise. Obviously there's a more steampunky thing going on, but I assume the basic continents are the same at the very least. And tldanon, those are all the reasons I thought it was California! I just swapped Gold Rush for Soul Stone Rush.

From what I remember, the Breach is in California. I'm not sure if it's mentioned specifically where within California though.

Hi, I've just signed up for this. Real name: Danny Stones. Just over a month away!