Tales From the Meeting

Our story tonight takes place in a certain conference room. It could be anywhere. It could even be . . . in your town.

"There's no use trying to minimize it. From the numbers I'm looking at, it seems like our latest municipal advertising campaign is simply unlikely to justify the expenditure given our targets."
"I don't believe it. Everyone likes parks."
"Unfortunately, it turns out that's true. They like them so much they already have them. Our next campaign needs a new, fresh, exciting focus. Anyone?"
"Our natural beauty?"
"We don't have any."
"Our skate parks?"
"The popular ones are illegal."
"Maybe we should just, you know, tell everyone about the vampires and werewolves. And so on."
"And so on, right, but Dan, we've been trying so hard to keep that a secret. You know that. Why would you want to scare them away?"
"Yeah, but, see, it's fall. Specifically, October."
"And?"
"And the judge of the big contest for the best-carved large orange-colored gourd is the king of vampires, which means if advertise that, and I think we should, people will ask who this guy is and why he's such a big wheel."
"I hate to say it, but you might be right."

There you have it. Another clutch of fools and their worthless initiative saved . . . by SERENDIPITY. "But surely not every decision is made this way," you protest. If only you knew. If only you knew! Muhahahaha!
Finis

Modern Fantasy

Look at this grandpa with his kilns. We call those flamechambers now. And archers? You must mean the arrowguard. Get with it!

Scary Games Recommendations

Overblood. I've never played any other scary games, but I do know one thing: I am the real me.

Addendum

You could also have two villages attack each other in a jousting-like arrangement, but that might be too exciting. You might become famous, and then how will you get your shopping done?

Starting Your Story Off Right

You're tired of having the main character's village be attacked and you know having the main character attack a village is old hat by now. How sad. But have you thought about having a prologue in which a village is attacked and then have the rest of the story never touch on that in any way? The critics will praise you. The readers, well.

Addendum

It can make the place smell a certain way too, but I figure all magic does that, or else how could you tell?

Pumpkin Magic

What would it do? Scare people and keep you regular, two priceless functions for daily life.

Characteristics of a Champion

As a young man inclined toward droopiness and acquainted with the slouch entered the clearing, a voice belonging to no body spoke.
"Turn back, for those who enter the mysterious forest become lost in its wandering ways without its secret, one not learnable through woodcraft. Wait. Did I not warn you of this already?"
"You did, but I didn't get lost at all," the youth complained before tromping ahead into the depths.
Hours later, an interval shorter than usual, the voice spoke again to address a fellow coming into the clearing as to his peril. "Turn back, for, hold, you again? How can this be?"
"I keep getting magically whisked outside every time I reach the heart of the forest or whatever it's called," he said while scratching his neck. "I thought I was supposed to be trapped here forever, unable to return home. Might you instruct me a little in the forest's purpose?"
"Astonishing. Could you be the one capable of reaching the truth of this world by unerring routes? Should you become my instrument, wielding my powers beyond the wooded confines, how much might be accomplished!"
"If that's an excuse to go far away, I'll do it."
And so a new legend began.
Finis

Reason #249 for 2XKO's Failure

I don't know anything about this game, but watching Evo Japan, I don't see any cool guys, charming rogues, or edgelords in the roster. They forgot the most fundamental archetypes. It seems to be the only one of these games the French play though, so that must mean something. Publishers! Check if French people like your upcoming game! If they do, worry!

Maturity's Dawn

It's when you look back on the fantasy and science fiction games you enjoyed as a youth and wonder, "Wait a minute. How many of those settings and stories were some guy's Dungeons & Dragons/GURPS/Traveller/Vampire: The Masquerade homebrew campaign?" The answer is 86.7%, by the way.