Important Location Naming Consideration

The locations in your story should progress in alphabetical order so that people can look stuff up on the wiki without getting spoiled. This is the digital age, you see.

An Alluring Wagon

A wanderer out on a moon-rich night saw a wanderer of a different sort and addressed him.
"Spirit, how is it that you met your end? Is there danger hereabouts which I am better off knowing?"
"Stranger, this region has the story of a wagon that has no driver nor team to drive it but moves about regardless. We aren't surprised to see it settle beside us on a night like this, where it waits a spell for the passenger to embark and be taken away. Should he not, there's nothing more to it."
"Why then should a man climb on, or why did you?"
"I will pray with what voice I have left to me that you never come to know. Good luck on your journey, traveller."
"And on yours, traveller." The man watched the other fade away.
Finis

Addender

Astrologers are going to have a dickens of a time once we start grinding up stars, won't they? They could lobby to avoid the relevant stars, but those are surely the best ones going by their mystical significance.

Addendum

Though at that point, do you really want them in your space empire? The cost of recalibrating horoscopes from there alone is comparable to their tax contribution.

Astrological Warning Signs

In the future, the authorities will be well advised to monitor how seriously extraterrestrial colonists are about coming up with new astrological systems. Once they don't need Aquarius anymore, the rebellion starts.

Historical Precedent

Now that Bioware is shutting down, will Obsidian do the same thing but with more bugs? Industry analysts say almost certainly.

Halloween Trends

So what new stuff is everybody getting from the same outlets this year? I'm seeing a bunch of decorations that incorporate candy corn, which is passing odd.

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.

Addendum

The premium version will be made of metal and make satisfying clinking noises as you spin it, plus it will have multiple settings so that it can be used for all three books. That might be a trilogy, but it can also be a collection along some other lines.
The temptation will be great to have sentences that only someone with the premium code wheel can read, but it's a mistake. As it is, people will refrain from just looking up the text on the internet because they'll enjoy the process itself, but once they look up the secret message, that's it for restraint. Video game hint books work the same way.

Bringing Books Back Up

People don't want to read because it's far too simple, rote, and quite frankly, if you'll excuse such strong language, lacking in interactivity. What they really want is to buy books that are entirely in cipher and have a big code wheel with neat art on it so they can dive into the process, not just the substance. The code wheel can be signed by the author, the editor, the encoder, or all three for the deluxe edition.

Addendum

Naturally they'll still have radio. Nobody will know anyone who listens to it, but somehow they'll still have it.