Zion, A Reader-Driven Story (pre-write)

Story by comidacomida on SoFurry

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Zion

(A reader-driven character-based story for Fur Affinity and so Furry)

Due to the success of the Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, I am going to be introducing a new

reader-driven story. Having started with a few ideas in my head I have managed to whittle it

down to a few specific storylines. Since this IS a reader-driven story, I figure the power

should be yours to decide which one we will be using. That being said, let's discuss the basics

before we decide on which storyline.

This isn't just any story... oh no... in THIS story, the readers are the characters-- or, at

least, characters they create are. And this isn't just a single story-- this is actually going

to be a complilation of several stories playing out simultaneously. Unlike the Zombie

Apoc-Fur-Lypse, all of the groups have a strong possibility of interacting as everyone will be

in the same basic area. This means specifically that FA and SF groups may end up interacting.

Scary, huh?

Once the story genre and arc are selected I will start accepting "character applications". This

will be your chance to add a character to one of the several groups (some for FA and some for

SF). These stories will involve any amount of mayhem, so I ask that you only submit a character

if you accept the fact that they might, in fact, die. Depending on the storyline, this may be a

possiblity, very likely, or almost a guarantee.

Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty so every interested party can understand how this

story/game works. Much like the Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, the story that is to be presented will

depend largely upon the actions, votes, suggestions, and submitted characters as presented by

you, the readers. There will be some changes, however, as some of the story ideas will have a

different flavor-- that is to say, some will provide more direct reader involvement, while other

options may simply requrest readers to nudge characters along. If the Apoc-Fur-Lypse was ranked

on a 1-5 for the amount of control the contributing readers received then it would receive a 3.

Some of these story concepts may offer more or less.

Each character submitted to the story/game is submitted by you folks. I won't accept all

characters, and it's a lengthy and complicated elimination effort on my part to select ones

that'll work "just right" in a storyline... but more on that in future posts. For now, let's

get this party started with a description of the storylines. Each possible story will include a

brief genre description, group count, and level of reader-character control, followed by an

advertisement-style story summary.

Once the storyline is selected we'll move onto the next step involving character

creation/submissions, an outline of the selected 'game mechanics', and a chance for readers to

provide their own input into just what this story will be. For now, however, let's go over the

possible storylines. If you see one you like, shout it out. I'll add up the votes and the

storyline with the most votes will be thet reader-driven story I'm presenting. So-- without

further ado; the storylines:

Option 1

Zion - The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse

Modern hollywood horror genre with heightened action elements

Four Groups (2 FA and 2 SF) of 4-6 characters each (12-16 reader supplied)

Reader Control of 3 (Plot and Character Direction)

Just like the last Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse, readers will contribute a survivor of the initial

'outbreak' and the storylines will follow these groups as they attempt to continue staying alive

in a city inhabited by the walking dead. The basic story elements will remain the same but the

plot, city, and cause of the plague will alter-- this is a new story, after all. This

Apoc-Fur-Lypse will be slightly more action-heavy and include more elements of combat rather

than constant retreat, hence elements of an action movie genre. You can expect the ISTAYALIVE

system to come into play once more along with the voting system for both contributing and

non-contributing readers.

Option 2

Zion - Light of the New Moon

Dark High Fantasy theme, medieval/fantastic action-adventure genre

Five Groups (numbers based on interest from each site) of 3-5 characters each (10-15 reader supplied)

Reader Control of 4 (Some RPing elements and semi-direct control of characters)

The land was once lush and verdant; sadly, that was long ago. The Great Moon Goddess Tah'aveen

created the word for the benefit of all her children, but her worshippers splintered and the

factions that arose around the worship of her many faces soon blanketed the world into 200 years

of war. The centuries took their toll on the realm and what was once pristine has become

broken... twisted... wrong. The six great cities are small islands of refuge against the wild

and unsafe world. The peace, tentative as it is, however, may soon come crashing down as the

lords of the realm discover that something has gone very very wrong.

Option 3

Zion - Final Memories

medieval warfare action/drama with fantasy/magical elements

sub-stories and shifting character focus, 48 characters total (20-30 reader supplied)

Reader Control of 2 (Plot Direction and Character Decisions)

With the discovery of The Lost City, kingdoms near and far flocked to be the first to place

their flag and lay claim to the wonders that could be found within. Exploration led quickly to

disagreement, disagreement to dissention, and dissention to war. Now, locked in a bloody

conflict over the treasures of the Lost City, two powerful kingdoms vie for the right to call it

theirs. Treaties are formed with petty nobles, action plans are drafted, forced are deployed,

battle lines are drawn, and the soldiers involved are about to die at the request of their lords

without anyone knowing just what it is for which they fight. Within the ravages of war,

however, stories are born just waiting to be told.

Option 4

Zion - Walking the Void

dark science fiction horror with ghost story elements

Four Groups (2 FA and 2 SF) 4-6 characters each

Reader Control of 1 (Plot Direction)

The Argonaut class space carrier, one of the greatest modern marvels that the Unified Council of

Worlds has managed to date. Capable of sustaining over 50 different atmospheric norms based on

the needs of its passengers, the ship is built for sustainable coexistence of a crew of over

  1. Created to function as a deep space exploration vessel, the Argonaut class space carrier

has seen service for dozens of cycles, but the newest carrier, the Zion, has many upgrades that

were meant to assist it with a wormhole jump, something never before tried by the UCW. The

newest technology, the best gear, and the extra training received by the crew was all meant to

give them the greatest chance for success--- but there was one thing they didn't count on...

Option 5

Zion - Master of the Lotus

hollywood style (non-supernatural) modern martial arts action/drama

sub-stories and shifting character focus, 16 characters total (10-14 reader supplied)

Reader Control of 4 (some control of combat activity with RPing elements)

When the ancient Master of the Lotus invites hand-picked martial artists from around the world

to compete in a special tournament nobody is exactly sure what to expect. What they come to

find out, however, is that there is more at stake than they first thought. Ancient techniques

passed down from master to disciple are pitted against modern street-fighting and newer ways of

the warrior. The combattants' mettle, both physical and emotional will be put to the ultimate

test in order to find out just who is worthy of claiming a title offered only once a generation.

If you have questions, I'll be happy to take them. Please post here in comments so everyone can

see what questions have been asked/answered. You may reply with an intent to join, but I won't

be taking submissions for characters yet-- for now, just vote for your favorite storyline!

comidacomida