https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Centipede 2026-04-26T12:04:20Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.39.2 https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Which_is_Better%3F&diff=10006 2005-12-22T22:23:39Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>'''A Comparative Look at the Treatment of Games in both Perplex City and Earth'''<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> Over the past few months of being involved the hunt for the Receda Cube, the study of Perplex City has revealed one major difference between our home of Earth, and the land of Perplex City. This revelation is the way in which each society glorifies people. More specifically, how one world favours brains and one favours brawn. <br /> On Earth, while we do celebrate intellectual advances in civilisation, we do not treat the intelligent as superiors in the same sense that people apparently do in Perplex City. Here, we have a much more primitive, (at least in many people’s opinions), habit of worshiping the strong, the athletic and the physically fit. While your world holds an annual tournament to discover the champion with the highest intellect, ours holds several well publicised physical tournaments. The most notable, and probably the most comparable to your PCAG is our Olympic Games Tournament. Do not be confused by the title though, this is no test of mental endurance. The most recent Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece, and consisted of 301 different events. The Olympic Games lasted a total of 17 days and over that time many physically draining challenges including Running, Archery, High Jump, Long Jump, Swimming, Boxing and Weightlifting. As you can see, our culture is obsessed with advances in the physical limitations of the human body. Sadly, the human mind is rather underappreciated, and we do not have a mental equivalent of your PCAG. <br /> <br /> Our Olympic Games date back to 776BC, some 2781 years ago, in Ancient Greece. They were played as a form of tribute to the Gods of Olympia, and the games were staged on the Olympian plains. The games consisted of trials based on ancient Greek myths, and were supposed to test the endurance of the human body and mind. However, since the revival of the Olympics in 1896 the human mind seems to have been noticeably unchallenged in the Games. <br /> <br /> To the best of our somewhat limited knowledge on Perplex City culture, there does not seem to be a physical competition to rival our Olympic games. Whether this is true or not is difficult to ascertain. However, as a society Perplex City citizens appear to be a physically fit culture. So whilst you are healthy and physically active, you just don’t celebrate physical achievements in the same sense that we do. <br /> <br /> While it is true that we on Earth do not have a mentally challenging competition on a global scale to date, I feel that Perplex City’s influence on our culture has brought about this change. People all over the world are competing (and perhaps confusingly banding together) in order to locate your missing Receda Cube, and a large part of this is the puzzle cards created by your very own Puzzle Scribes at the Perplex City Academy. We are being mentally stimulated, and this may be what our culture has needed all along. The regular updates in the Perplex City Sentinel are keeping track of our progress, and any worthwhile achievements are being celebrated in the main articles (and in several cases berated in the letters column). Perhaps in return, we on Earth can help set up a huge Olympic scale physical competition in Perplex City? I do not know how well this would be accepted in Perplex City, but maybe it would be fair to allow those who favour physical challenges over mental challenges to finally prove their worth? As a culture that is literally obsessed with puzzles and conundrums, it must be difficult to participate in everyday life if a person isn’t exceptionally bright. <br /> <br /> So to conclude, I have decided that neither of our cultures have it completely right just yet. We shouldn’t just be celebrating brain OR brawn, but achievements in themselves. It is fine to give praise to people in society for being the cleverest, or the quickest, or the most logical thinking, or the strongest, as long as we include all of the above, and not just a selection. I feel that what we can all learn most from our communication between worlds is how the other civilisation lives.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Authors&diff=9947 2005-12-19T20:43:44Z

<p>Centipede: /* Centipede */</p> <hr /> <div>Authors should write about a 50 word blurb for themselves. This can be just about anything at all. Who are you? what would you like the worlds to know about you? If you don't write one, someone may be inviteed to write something about you. *cackle* *cackle* *cackle*<br /> <br /> <br /> == IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS ==<br /> <br /> As you may know, to get this book published we need to get each author to sign up to the Creative Commons licencing agreement.<br /> <br /> To do this you will need to send an e-mail to Ellen Moriyama containing the following to text as this will then sign you up for the agreement. Without this your work '''CANNOT BE USED.'''<br /> <br /> The address to e-mail to is emoriyama'''SPLAT'''seaside-press.com with the subject line including 'Tales from Earth' and your mail should include the following text: <br /> <br /> '''I, [insert name here], confirm that the work submitted in my name is licensed to Seaside Press under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 deed (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/).'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Can you also cc the e-mail to tales.from.earth'''SPLAT'''gmail.com as well so that we know you have complied and won't spend time chasing you up!<br /> <br /> Thanks<br /> <br /> SledgeCallier<br /> ----<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> __TOC__<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Editors==<br /> ===Centipede===<br /> A true New Yorker, he has no patience for traffic of any kind. Travelling should be done in the shortest time possible, no matter what. In his spare time, he teaches spiders to count past 8. He is also working on creating a video game using Java: Sesame Street Fighter. He is tempted to use the Cube as a paperweight once he finds it.<br /> <br /> ===Scott===<br /> Scott is an American, fFor which an apology seems appropriate. No sensible cause can be fFound fFor the queer lisp apparent in his writing, though sometimes gothic architecture is to blame. He is proud to drink plenty of hard liquor; He only smokes when on fFire, which as you can imagine is all the time. He has a bit of a fFastener fFetish, loves pirates, bad movies, and pi.<br /> <br /> ===SledgeCallier===<br /> Having spent his formative years in rural Leicestershire, SledgeCallier was transplanted to Oxford in a failed attempt to absorb knowledge. Instead he found himself working as a Cartographer. After a few years of this Sledgecallier came to his senses and moved into an IT Helpdesk role from where he now hides his powers from the rest of the world.<br /> <br /> ==Authors==<br /> ===Ammonite===<br /> Ammonite (real name Alex Fleetwood) lives in London, England. He works for old media. His favourite things include choral music, Anthony Lane reviews, shingle beaches and beer.<br /> <br /> ===Coxtin===<br /> Conceived with an unusual amount of purpose and vigour Chris Martin finally arrived into the world after a record six thousand nine hundred and seventy two week gestation period inside his surrogate mother-Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips. Standing tall at six foot nine he often strides around London parks mimicking Peter Crouch mimicking John Cleese mimicking Hitler. Attaching loaves of bread to his shoes, elbows and eyes, tourists are often shocked to see a tall man goose-stepping around Hyde park with Ducks, Swans and Chihuahua dogs biting at his flailing arms, legs and head. Academically the man appears to be inconstant however his main ambition when he sat his GCSEs was to spell out the name of his best friend, Adae, with his results. Although this was seen by the London School of Economics and Political Science to be a failure Chris could only see his results as a good thing and wondered if anyone was called Lseps. Frequently bored by his job he can often be found sitting in a second floor office in Blackfriars, in the city of London, making absurd claims about his life-he never tells people about this hobby though as Chris feels that no one would believe him. As far as hobbies go this crab ridden freak of man has few-however he does tie small children to famous buildings. He once tied up Jimmy Cranky to the Taj Mahal. He was greatly distressed to find that Jimmy was not a small child, but just a bit odd. Chris, aged nine, can be easily recognised because he has a head made out of corrugated iron, wood and apples.<br /> <br /> ===Cronogenesis===<br /> <br /> Conogenesis (Jack smith) is a student/giant/pirate from Heanor, Derbyshire. Although living in this area, he is actually a citizen of the nation of Lovely, a small country in the middle of London boasting a population of 52,000. Cron has been searching for the Cube since the early days althought is usually ignored due to his mass speculation. He is best known for his poetry, rather than stories. Some of his better known pieces include &quot;Weather&quot; and &quot;Mr. Moonlight&quot;. If you are looking for Cron you will usually find him listening to Viards 'The Silver City' or helping some stranger. He says hello, have a great day and may fortune smile upon you in the future :).<br /> <br /> (http://www.citizensrequired.com)<br /> <br /> ===Duckiemonster===<br /> Duckiemonster is a medical student looking for something to fill the hole in her life left by the recent demise of a three-year relationship. She loves to write, play bass guitar and also runs knitting classes.<br /> <br /> ===Enigmaster===<br /> Born and currently living on the friendly island of Jersey, Enigmaster (real name Lyle Entwistle) often finds himself cut off from the action surrounding the efforts of the mainland Cube-hunters, but still enjoys the thrill of the (metaphorical) chase. When he's not surfing or solving, he indulges in fresh and varied rock music, gadget shopping and can even be seen attempting a 'normal' teenage social life - with debatable success. Carpe Noctem!<br /> <br /> ===Fantasticalan===<br /> Fantastic Alan takes absolutely no pride in the ridiclously non-modest nickname he was given once upon a time. Similarly, however, he doesn't attempt to stop its propagation (well, would you?). Hailing from God's own town of Hinckley, in God's own county of Leicestershire (OK, I'll stop there), he isn't yet thirty and might do karaoke if he's drunk enough. He doesn't like cushions.<br /> <br /> ===Frankie Roberto===<br /> ===Forg===<br /> Forg comes from a small little village outside Loughborough in which he has just inhabited. Starting his first year of A levels and spends all of his life either at his wonderful girlfriends house, working or spending huge amount of times sitting here learning about the wonderful world of Perplex City. Being fairly new to the community he is just getting settled into the goings on however he's loving every minute and one day, we will find that cube! The rest of his wonderful life is spent eating sleeping and playing his guitar.<br /> <br /> ===GasparLewis===<br /> ===Gibbet===<br /> <br /> The story of Gibbet stretches back over two centuries. In the year 1765 at the crossroads between Coventry and Kenilworth, three scoundrels were hung for murder on a freshly erected gibbet. Flash forward to the present day and this place has become part of the vibrant Warwick University campus. And in 2002, young David Hill enrolled as a fresher. It took a rugby drinking social to notice the connection between his surname and this famous section of campus. But since that day Gibbet he became. Some say that if you listen to him talk you can just about make out the screams for mercy from the condemned men hung there all those years ago. Others just say that he talks rubbish! On a lighter note, he enjoys racket sports, plays trombone and spends far too much time on the computer!<br /> <br /> ===Hituro===<br /> Hituro is an electronic enigma, a personality created by an out of work web designer with too much time on his hands. When translated into the real world Hituro enjoys reading, writing, roleplaying, gaming and running large multi-player online games which take up entirely too much of his time!<br /> <br /> ===Josh Black===<br /> ===MagikGuy===<br /> MagikGuy (Stefan Marseglia) falls under the Perplexian zodiac sign of &quot;The Apple-Thief&quot; and is currently studying A-Levels at his local Sixth Form in the areas of English Literature, French, General Studies, Information Communication Technology and Sociology. MagikGuy would like to aspire to become a Journalist when he is older and would like to study at Marmalejo College in Perplex City, the same place where Scarlett Kiteway is currently majoring in Journalism. MagikGuy has been a devoted member of the Perplex City phenomenon from early August 2005 and wishes to do his best in order to help out Perplexians by finding the whereabouts of The Receda Cube.<br /> <br /> ===Katie Goldblatt===<br /> Katie Goldblatt is, at seven years old, one of our youngest participants in the cube retrieval scheme. This brown haired, green eyed young cube hunter goes to St Peter at Gowts in Lincoln and says her most treasured possession is a picture of Scarlett Kiteway that was sent to her by Sente's youngest daughter. Her interests include her baby sister Amy, playing and talking and learning about Perplex City. Her favourite computer games are the SSX series of snowboarding games and Sims 2.<br /> Katie's mum &amp; dad, Nikki Jenkins &amp; James Goldblatt, have been known to join in with cube hunting too! They all play together online as Roxeth.<br /> <br /> ===MikeyJ===<br /> <br /> MikeyJ, was born in Plymouth, UK and is slowly making his way northward. A seasoned porn star (under his full name Michael J Cox), he now intends to turn his hand (and other parts of his anatomy) to more literary pusuits. He hopes you prefer them.<br /> <br /> ===Mokey F. Rock===<br /> Mokey belly dances and studies Japanese, which (sort of) accounts for her strange hybrid of the two cultures in her story. She believes in literature, the theatre, games, and all forms of healthy entertainment. When she isn't goofing off, Mokey writes and teaches English, which unfortunately does not mean she gets paid to talk about Shakespeare every waking moment -- just some of the time.<br /> <br /> ===number9dream===<br /> Number9dream (aka Simon Douglas): fondness for flying kites, wearing ladies underwear and drinking espresso. That’s it. <br /> <br /> ===oliverkeers13===<br /> oliverkeers13: Real name Oliver Keers. This young man started his life of crime early. His most recent, and arguably most infamous, illegal activity was at a recent Cube Hunting event in London, UK, Earth. He beat up several small children, and an elderly couple, in order to obtain exclusive cards. These were held by a secret illegal organisation, prompting much speculation as to his involvement with this organisation. Oliver refuses to comment on this matter.<br /> <br /> ===Ryan Andrew===<br /> Ryan Andrew is 20 years old and from Manchester, England. He is currently studing Television Production and Design in London. He recently made The Sentinel when there was a small outcry asking for his public execution. A method involving &quot;a corkscrew, a 9 volt battery, and a colony of fire ants&quot; was asked for, but that bizarre, and frankly mentally unhinged request was denied due to Ryan being an (almost) upstanding member of the community. <br /> <br /> ===Sentinel===<br /> ===Specterz===<br /> Erik Nusselder, aka specterz, is from the Netherlands. He is 21 years old, and studying law school. His hobbies are music and tennis. <br /> Although quite new to the Cube Retrieval Team he has been diligently read up on everything, and hope to assist in finding the cube for the people of Perplex City.<br /> <br /> ===TheBozzball===<br /> <br /> TheBozzball is a mathematician with a PhD from the University of Memphis, and is for a very short time working as a Junior Research Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge before going off to be a quantitative analyst in New York. When not doing mathematics/mind problems, he likes to direct, adapt and perform in theatrical adventures such as his five-man adaptation of Twelfth Night.<br /> <br /> ===The Unfiction Community===<br /> ''See colaborative story fFor this blurb''<br /> <br /> ===Watusi===<br /> Watusi is a dance or an album by the Wedding Present or a Rwandan tribe, or a small person who got sucked into the whole Perplex City thing and appears to have entirely too much time on her hands.<br /> <br /> ===Zaeil===<br /> Stacy Gray, aka Zaeil, can’t write a paragraph to save her life, let alone a story--but she’s been drawing since she was able to hold a pencil and hopes that a picture really is worth a thousand words.<br /> <br /> ===Sentinel===<br /> Real name: Lee Horsley, Star Sign: Taurus / The Wave; 22 year old 'student' *Ahem.* Doesn't like writing about himself and so disguises it in a third person perspective; does like reading, astronomy, and basically anything that challenges my brain... I mean his brain =/</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Authors&diff=9946 2005-12-19T20:40:21Z

<p>Centipede: /* Centipede */</p> <hr /> <div>Authors should write about a 50 word blurb for themselves. This can be just about anything at all. Who are you? what would you like the worlds to know about you? If you don't write one, someone may be inviteed to write something about you. *cackle* *cackle* *cackle*<br /> <br /> <br /> == IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS ==<br /> <br /> As you may know, to get this book published we need to get each author to sign up to the Creative Commons licencing agreement.<br /> <br /> To do this you will need to send an e-mail to Ellen Moriyama containing the following to text as this will then sign you up for the agreement. Without this your work '''CANNOT BE USED.'''<br /> <br /> The address to e-mail to is emoriyama'''SPLAT'''seaside-press.com with the subject line including 'Tales from Earth' and your mail should include the following text: <br /> <br /> '''I, [insert name here], confirm that the work submitted in my name is licensed to Seaside Press under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 deed (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/).'''<br /> <br /> <br /> Can you also cc the e-mail to tales.from.earth'''SPLAT'''gmail.com as well so that we know you have complied and won't spend time chasing you up!<br /> <br /> Thanks<br /> <br /> SledgeCallier<br /> ----<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> __TOC__<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Editors==<br /> ===Centipede===<br /> A true New Yorker, he has no patience for traffic of any kind. Travelling should be done in the shortest time possible, no matter what. In his spare time, he teaches spiders to count past 8. He is also working on creating a video game using Java: Sesame Street Fighter.<br /> <br /> ===Scott===<br /> Scott is an American, fFor which an apology seems appropriate. No sensible cause can be fFound fFor the queer lisp apparent in his writing, though sometimes gothic architecture is to blame. He is proud to drink plenty of hard liquor; He only smokes when on fFire, which as you can imagine is all the time. He has a bit of a fFastener fFetish, loves pirates, bad movies, and pi.<br /> <br /> ===SledgeCallier===<br /> Having spent his formative years in rural Leicestershire, SledgeCallier was transplanted to Oxford in a failed attempt to absorb knowledge. Instead he found himself working as a Cartographer. After a few years of this Sledgecallier came to his senses and moved into an IT Helpdesk role from where he now hides his powers from the rest of the world.<br /> <br /> ==Authors==<br /> ===Ammonite===<br /> Ammonite (real name Alex Fleetwood) lives in London, England. He works for old media. His favourite things include choral music, Anthony Lane reviews, shingle beaches and beer.<br /> <br /> ===Coxtin===<br /> Conceived with an unusual amount of purpose and vigour Chris Martin finally arrived into the world after a record six thousand nine hundred and seventy two week gestation period inside his surrogate mother-Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips. Standing tall at six foot nine he often strides around London parks mimicking Peter Crouch mimicking John Cleese mimicking Hitler. Attaching loaves of bread to his shoes, elbows and eyes, tourists are often shocked to see a tall man goose-stepping around Hyde park with Ducks, Swans and Chihuahua dogs biting at his flailing arms, legs and head. Academically the man appears to be inconstant however his main ambition when he sat his GCSEs was to spell out the name of his best friend, Adae, with his results. Although this was seen by the London School of Economics and Political Science to be a failure Chris could only see his results as a good thing and wondered if anyone was called Lseps. Frequently bored by his job he can often be found sitting in a second floor office in Blackfriars, in the city of London, making absurd claims about his life-he never tells people about this hobby though as Chris feels that no one would believe him. As far as hobbies go this crab ridden freak of man has few-however he does tie small children to famous buildings. He once tied up Jimmy Cranky to the Taj Mahal. He was greatly distressed to find that Jimmy was not a small child, but just a bit odd. Chris, aged nine, can be easily recognised because he has a head made out of corrugated iron, wood and apples.<br /> <br /> ===Cronogenesis===<br /> <br /> Conogenesis (Jack smith) is a student/giant/pirate from Heanor, Derbyshire. Although living in this area, he is actually a citizen of the nation of Lovely, a small country in the middle of London boasting a population of 52,000. Cron has been searching for the Cube since the early days althought is usually ignored due to his mass speculation. He is best known for his poetry, rather than stories. Some of his better known pieces include &quot;Weather&quot; and &quot;Mr. Moonlight&quot;. If you are looking for Cron you will usually find him listening to Viards 'The Silver City' or helping some stranger. He says hello, have a great day and may fortune smile upon you in the future :).<br /> <br /> (http://www.citizensrequired.com)<br /> <br /> ===Duckiemonster===<br /> Duckiemonster is a medical student looking for something to fill the hole in her life left by the recent demise of a three-year relationship. She loves to write, play bass guitar and also runs knitting classes.<br /> <br /> ===Enigmaster===<br /> Born and currently living on the friendly island of Jersey, Enigmaster (real name Lyle Entwistle) often finds himself cut off from the action surrounding the efforts of the mainland Cube-hunters, but still enjoys the thrill of the (metaphorical) chase. When he's not surfing or solving, he indulges in fresh and varied rock music, gadget shopping and can even be seen attempting a 'normal' teenage social life - with debatable success. Carpe Noctem!<br /> <br /> ===Fantasticalan===<br /> Fantastic Alan takes absolutely no pride in the ridiclously non-modest nickname he was given once upon a time. Similarly, however, he doesn't attempt to stop its propagation (well, would you?). Hailing from God's own town of Hinckley, in God's own county of Leicestershire (OK, I'll stop there), he isn't yet thirty and might do karaoke if he's drunk enough. He doesn't like cushions.<br /> <br /> ===Frankie Roberto===<br /> ===Forg===<br /> Forg comes from a small little village outside Loughborough in which he has just inhabited. Starting his first year of A levels and spends all of his life either at his wonderful girlfriends house, working or spending huge amount of times sitting here learning about the wonderful world of Perplex City. Being fairly new to the community he is just getting settled into the goings on however he's loving every minute and one day, we will find that cube! The rest of his wonderful life is spent eating sleeping and playing his guitar.<br /> <br /> ===GasparLewis===<br /> ===Gibbet===<br /> <br /> The story of Gibbet stretches back over two centuries. In the year 1765 at the crossroads between Coventry and Kenilworth, three scoundrels were hung for murder on a freshly erected gibbet. Flash forward to the present day and this place has become part of the vibrant Warwick University campus. And in 2002, young David Hill enrolled as a fresher. It took a rugby drinking social to notice the connection between his surname and this famous section of campus. But since that day Gibbet he became. Some say that if you listen to him talk you can just about make out the screams for mercy from the condemned men hung there all those years ago. Others just say that he talks rubbish! On a lighter note, he enjoys racket sports, plays trombone and spends far too much time on the computer!<br /> <br /> ===Hituro===<br /> Hituro is an electronic enigma, a personality created by an out of work web designer with too much time on his hands. When translated into the real world Hituro enjoys reading, writing, roleplaying, gaming and running large multi-player online games which take up entirely too much of his time!<br /> <br /> ===Josh Black===<br /> ===MagikGuy===<br /> MagikGuy (Stefan Marseglia) falls under the Perplexian zodiac sign of &quot;The Apple-Thief&quot; and is currently studying A-Levels at his local Sixth Form in the areas of English Literature, French, General Studies, Information Communication Technology and Sociology. MagikGuy would like to aspire to become a Journalist when he is older and would like to study at Marmalejo College in Perplex City, the same place where Scarlett Kiteway is currently majoring in Journalism. MagikGuy has been a devoted member of the Perplex City phenomenon from early August 2005 and wishes to do his best in order to help out Perplexians by finding the whereabouts of The Receda Cube.<br /> <br /> ===Katie Goldblatt===<br /> Katie Goldblatt is, at seven years old, one of our youngest participants in the cube retrieval scheme. This brown haired, green eyed young cube hunter goes to St Peter at Gowts in Lincoln and says her most treasured possession is a picture of Scarlett Kiteway that was sent to her by Sente's youngest daughter. Her interests include her baby sister Amy, playing and talking and learning about Perplex City. Her favourite computer games are the SSX series of snowboarding games and Sims 2.<br /> Katie's mum &amp; dad, Nikki Jenkins &amp; James Goldblatt, have been known to join in with cube hunting too! They all play together online as Roxeth.<br /> <br /> ===MikeyJ===<br /> <br /> MikeyJ, was born in Plymouth, UK and is slowly making his way northward. A seasoned porn star (under his full name Michael J Cox), he now intends to turn his hand (and other parts of his anatomy) to more literary pusuits. He hopes you prefer them.<br /> <br /> ===Mokey F. Rock===<br /> Mokey belly dances and studies Japanese, which (sort of) accounts for her strange hybrid of the two cultures in her story. She believes in literature, the theatre, games, and all forms of healthy entertainment. When she isn't goofing off, Mokey writes and teaches English, which unfortunately does not mean she gets paid to talk about Shakespeare every waking moment -- just some of the time.<br /> <br /> ===number9dream===<br /> Number9dream (aka Simon Douglas): fondness for flying kites, wearing ladies underwear and drinking espresso. That’s it. <br /> <br /> ===oliverkeers13===<br /> oliverkeers13: Real name Oliver Keers. This young man started his life of crime early. His most recent, and arguably most infamous, illegal activity was at a recent Cube Hunting event in London, UK, Earth. He beat up several small children, and an elderly couple, in order to obtain exclusive cards. These were held by a secret illegal organisation, prompting much speculation as to his involvement with this organisation. Oliver refuses to comment on this matter.<br /> <br /> ===Ryan Andrew===<br /> Ryan Andrew is 20 years old and from Manchester, England. He is currently studing Television Production and Design in London. He recently made The Sentinel when there was a small outcry asking for his public execution. A method involving &quot;a corkscrew, a 9 volt battery, and a colony of fire ants&quot; was asked for, but that bizarre, and frankly mentally unhinged request was denied due to Ryan being an (almost) upstanding member of the community. <br /> <br /> ===Sentinel===<br /> ===Specterz===<br /> Erik Nusselder, aka specterz, is from the Netherlands. He is 21 years old, and studying law school. His hobbies are music and tennis. <br /> Although quite new to the Cube Retrieval Team he has been diligently read up on everything, and hope to assist in finding the cube for the people of Perplex City.<br /> <br /> ===TheBozzball===<br /> <br /> TheBozzball is a mathematician with a PhD from the University of Memphis, and is for a very short time working as a Junior Research Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge before going off to be a quantitative analyst in New York. When not doing mathematics/mind problems, he likes to direct, adapt and perform in theatrical adventures such as his five-man adaptation of Twelfth Night.<br /> <br /> ===The Unfiction Community===<br /> ''See colaborative story fFor this blurb''<br /> <br /> ===Watusi===<br /> Watusi is a dance or an album by the Wedding Present or a Rwandan tribe, or a small person who got sucked into the whole Perplex City thing and appears to have entirely too much time on her hands.<br /> <br /> ===Zaeil===<br /> Stacy Gray, aka Zaeil, can’t write a paragraph to save her life, let alone a story--but she’s been drawing since she was able to hold a pencil and hopes that a picture really is worth a thousand words.<br /> <br /> ===Sentinel===<br /> Real name: Lee Horsley, Star Sign: Taurus / The Wave; 22 year old 'student' *Ahem.* Doesn't like writing about himself and so disguises it in a third person perspective; does like reading, astronomy, and basically anything that challenges my brain... I mean his brain =/</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Where%27s_My_Meniscus_and_other_time_wasters&diff=9945 2005-12-19T20:07:03Z

<p>Centipede: /* Laniball */</p> <hr /> <div>__NOTOC__<br /> <br /> <br /> There are many well-known games that have been played for hundreds of years on Earth - Backgammon, Chess, Go, Poker, Sorry! and Tennis are the obvious examples. But in Earth's late twentieth and early twentyfirst century, in the magnificent city of London, their lived a group of people who loved games, but tired of the predictability of the currently available batch of games. So they decided they should invent a collection of new games, and play them at all opportunities. Furthermore, they kept an ear out for other &quot;underground&quot; games. This may be the first attempt to list and document the games this group played, so that they are available to a wider audience. <br /> <br /> <br /> {| border=1 width=75% align=center cellpading=10<br /> |<br /> '''Editorial note:''' A longer list of games has been spotted over here: http://botzone.schtuff.com/bot_games - This should not be taken to be part of the article. This is simply a pointer to an expanded list of games fFrom more of the same people.<br /> |}<br /> <br /> <br /> == Where's My Meniscus ==<br /> Also known as the spirit level, this is quite possibly the greatest drinking game of all time. It was invented before the group convened, at the George Pub in Borough, London, on Sunday 17th June 2001.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * The game is for 2-10 players, although the optimal number is around 4-6. For the purposes of explaining, there will be precisely 5 players.<br /> * Each player should be provided with a full glass of a (preferably alcoholic) drink whilst, at the same time, the whole group should be given a pen and sheet of paper<br /> * The game consists of an unlimited number of &quot;sets&quot;. The prize for winning a set is a brand new drink (which does not play a part in the game) at the start of the next set.<br /> * Each set consists of N &quot;rounds&quot;, where N is the number of players. Each person is &quot;first guesser&quot; in exactly one round.<br /> * At the start of a round, everybody covers their drink with their hands and drinks (or pretends to drink) from their glass.<br /> * They maintain the cover of their drinks. (Sometimes hiding said drink under the table)<br /> * When everyone is done drinking, each person (starting with the first guesser, and continuing clockwise around the group) shall guess the ranking of liquid heights in the glasses from highest to the lowest.<br /> * These predictions are written down on the paper with the pen.<br /> * When everyone has made their guesses, their glasses are exposed and the levels assessed.<br /> * The predictions are scored on their accuracy, with two points given for each correct rank.<br /> ** Thus if the correct order were Caine, Tippy, Anna, Aiko, Sente, and the guess of Tippy, Anna, Aiko, Sente, Caine would be worth 0 while the guess Sente, Aiko, Anna, Tippy, Caine would be worth 2.<br /> * Noone may drain their drink until the final round of each set.<br /> <br /> == The Ainsley Harriot Game ==<br /> This is a game that successfully convenes those two ever popular styles of games: the guessing game and the memory game.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * The game is for at least 4 players. 6 is quite possibly optimal.<br /> * The players should form the concept of a democratic counsel with policies for nomination, election, demotion and destruction. This counsel should then have a nomination of members, and an election. This counsel should decide a way of splitting the group into two (or more) teams of roughly equal size. When this has happened, each member of the counsel should be demoted, and the counsel then destroyed. This step may (and should) be omitted if the players decide upon teams in another manner.<br /> * Pieces of paper shall be torn into thin strips, but not too thin to be written upon.<br /> * Each player takes 3-5 &quot;or so&quot; pieces of paper, writes a phrase on each, and puts them into an object called &quot;the hat&quot;.<br /> ** Oft used phrases include:<br /> *** Actions involving famous people, for example:<br /> **** Ainsley Harriott is cooking my garlic.<br /> **** Charlotte Church knows how to swim.<br /> *** Lyrics from songs, for example:<br /> **** Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles.<br /> **** I thought I'd test it on the Love Connection.<br /> *** Lists of buildings and birds, for example:<br /> **** Albatross Empire State Building Mosque Ostrich<br /> **** Church Cock Church Cock<br /> *** Complete Nonsense, for example:<br /> **** The beatles independent can run but was.<br /> **** Chef carp.<br /> ** Oft used hats include:<br /> *** A top hat<br /> *** A pint glass<br /> *** A quality street tin<br /> *** A pizza hut box<br /> *** A pizza hut box<br /> *** A KFC box<br /> *** A pizza hut box<br /> * A time limit is agreed by mutual consent. Often this time limit is 15 seconds.<br /> * Now the teams play 3 rounds.<br /> * Round 1<br /> ** A player, chosen at random, retrieves a piece of paper from the hat.<br /> ** He attempts to explain what is written on the piece of paper only using words not written on the piece of paper.<br /> *** For example, if the piece of paper said &quot;Charlotte Church knows how to swim&quot;, the player might say &quot;Highly Talented Welsh Singer is aware of the method you need so that you can travel in water&quot;.<br /> ** If his group get it before the time limit runs out, they keep the piece of paper, score 1 point and the player takes another piece of paper to explain. Otherwise, they put the piece of paper back into the hat.<br /> ** At the end of the time limit, it is then another team's turn, and they choose a player at random. <br /> ** Play continues until all pieces of paper are removed from the hat, at which point, they are returned to the hat.<br /> * Round 2 (Also called the Cambridge Evening News Headline game)<br /> ** As in Round 1, but each player when describing may only use three words.<br /> *** For exmaple, if the piece of paper said &quot;Charlotte Church knows how to swim&quot;, the player might say &quot;Singer travels wetly&quot; <br /> ** The only other difference to round 1 is that each correct answer is worth 2 points.<br /> * Round 3 (Also called Charades)<br /> ** As in Round 1, but each player when describing may only use gestures.<br /> *** For example, if the piece of paper said &quot;Charlotte Church knows how to swim&quot;, the player might move her mouth as if singing, while performing a breast stroke.<br /> ** The only other difference to round 1 is that each correct answer is worth 3 points.<br /> <br /> == The Bono Game ==<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Two or more players each write the name &quot;Bono&quot; onto a post-it. They then stick each post-it on which they have written to another player's head, in such a way that each player has exactly one post-it on their head. Mathematically, it can be proven that the only way to ensure that this is possible is if each player writes on precisely one post-it.<br /> * The players take it in turns to ask yes or no questions about the celebrity whose name is written on the post-it on their forehead.<br /> * The player who first correctly guesses that the celebrity written on his forehead is Bono wins.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> ==== The Post-It Game ====<br /> * Play follows precisely the rules of the bono game, except for using either or both of the two following rule variants:<br /> ** Instead of writing the name &quot;Bono&quot; onto the post-it, the player may write any celebrity, such as:<br /> *** Delroy Lindo<br /> *** Shakin' Stevens<br /> *** Erich Fromm<br /> ** Instead of guessing that the celbrity written on the forehead is Bono, the player must actually identify the celebrity that really is written on his forehead.<br /> <br /> == I'm a Wagstaff Kepi ==<br /> One of the more meta- of the games suggested, and thereby one of the least popular, I'm a Wagstaff Kepi should never have been played, nor should it have been put on this list.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * This is a game for 4 people.<br /> * Player 1 (we'll call her &quot;Host&quot;) invites the other 3 players around for the dinner.<br /> * During dinner, the players should drink copiously.<br /> * Afterwards, searching for something to do, Player 2 (we'll call him &quot;Arkansas&quot;) should suggest playing a game.<br /> * Player 3 (henceforth called &quot;The Jester&quot;), should suggest the game &quot;I'm a Wagstaff Kepi&quot;.<br /> * Player 3 should then ask Player 2 to explain the game &quot;I'm a Wagstaff Kepi&quot;, and forever claim that it was Player 2 that insisted this was the name of a game.<br /> * Player 2 should come up with some extremely insufficient rules explaining the game, attempts should be made to play it, and then the conversation should promptly move on.<br /> * Player 4 should retire.<br /> <br /> == The Buzz Game ==<br /> Whilst the buzz game is not the least derivative game invented by this group of individuals, it has often provided much entertainment. <br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * At least three players are needed.<br /> * The player carrying the fewest number of coins is chosen to be the original buzzmaster<br /> * Each player, apart from the buzzmaster, is given a score of 0<br /> * The buzzmaster asks a question, often about general knowledge or shared knowledge of the group. Examples of questions used are:<br /> ** How many plays by Charles Dickens feature a character called Peter?<br /> ** What is the average length of a Walrus' eyeball?<br /> ** What was Olivia's most recent order at the bar?<br /> * Players may &quot;buzz in&quot; at any time during or after the question by saying the word &quot;buzz&quot;.<br /> * The buzzmaster judges who the first player to &quot;buzz in&quot; was, and that player must attempt to answer the question.<br /> ** If the player is correct, his score goes up by one. This is called 'scoring a point'.<br /> ** If the player is incorrect, the buzzmaster continues asking the question, and other players may &quot;buzz in&quot;.<br /> * If a player has made an incorrect guess, she is allowed to have another attempt if he wants to, by saying the word &quot;rebuzz&quot;. (This practice is called 'rebuzzing in'). It is the buzzmaster's option whether to allow a rebuzz. Rebuzzes are usually rebuffed unless every player has had a chance to answer.<br /> * When a player reaches five points, they win and become the new buzzmaster.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> ==== Imbecile Buzz Game ====<br /> * A version of the game which is extra challenging because most of the participants are imbeciles, failing to get even the most obvious questions (for example: &quot;What is your name?&quot; or &quot;How do you spell 'I'&quot;), and asking questions which are invalid (&quot;Who wrote the book 'The Clockwork Orange'&quot; or &quot;H<br /> <br /> ==== 96-97-98 ====<br /> * The buzzmaster is called the Jahrmeister<br /> * Instead of asking a question, he sings a popular song. Examples of songs sung are:<br /> ** Land of Confusion by Genesis<br /> ** The One and Only by Chesney Hawkes<br /> ** Yes by McAlmont and Butler<br /> * Instead of answering questions, players buzz in to guess the year in which the song was released.<br /> * A player who correctly identifies the year gets a point and may claim up to three bonus points for identifying the title, artist and album.<br /> * A player who correctly identifies all four discographical elements is said to have &quot;done the grand slam&quot; and becomes the new Jahrmeister<br /> <br /> <br /> == InterSect ==<br /> This game is one of the simplest games of bluff there is, invented by the author of this document in Memphis, Tennessee. Two members of this said group of people from London have designed a contraption which will allow this to be played without a referee, and are currently prototyping it with the aim of selling it to a games company.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * The game requires two players, a chessboard, 32 checkers of each colour (black/white) and a referee. Let us call the players &quot;Violet&quot; and &quot;Scarlett&quot; and the referee &quot;Sente&quot;.<br /> * Violet chooses a row of the chessboard, giving that information to Sente. Scarlett chooses a column of the chessboard, also giving that information to Sente.<br /> * Sente observes the row and column that have been passed unto him, and note that they intersect in one square called the &quot;special square&quot;.<br /> * Scarlett and Violet alternate placing checkers on the board.<br /> * When either player plays on the &quot;special square&quot;, Sente announces that player has won.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> * Misere: whoever plays on the &quot;special square&quot; loses.<br /> * Alternate: each person can choose to play a piece of either colour. Whoevers piece is played on the special square wins.<br /> * Random: Instead of having 32 checkers of each colour, there are 64 othello pieces (black on one side, white on the other). Each player flips a piece on their turn, before deciding where to play.<br /> <br /> == Crab Mother Goose Mother ==<br /> Word memory game. Good word memory game. Good Hawkhurst word memory game. Challenge.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * This game is, as heretofore, the crown.<br /> * There should be at least 2 players, or precisely 1 bored player.<br /> * The first player says a sentence.<br /> * The next player, and the player after her, and so forth around the circle clockwise, must, at the time of their go in the game, insert into the sentence that was uttered by the previous player, at any point, a word, so that the sentence makes absolute sense.<br /> * Big up to those players who use as their extra word any of: Mother, Crab or Goose.<br /> * Each player who forgets the phrase or messes up with metaphorical mud all over their face is out of the game.<br /> * The last player in the game wins.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> * Parathi Rules<br /> ** A player may at any point utter the words (which might have once been rumoured to appear in the Koran) 'Crabbe Parlez'. The previous player must now provide their sentence in full. If they forget to do so, they are out of the game.<br /> ** It is not allowed to utilise the power of 'Crabbe Parlez' more than once per turn.<br /> <br /> == Disguise Uncle ==<br /> A fundamentally flawed game of disguise and intrigue, Disguise Uncle should only be played when drunk or silly. Preferably both. Seriously.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Between three and nineteen players sit in a circle.<br /> * The players should stand up and choose a member of themselves to be &quot;The Uncle&quot;.<br /> * The uncle leaves the room, and eat some diapodigaglobulis or equivalent thereof. <br /> * The other players chat, drink and have more fun than the uncle.<br /> * The uncle now cunningly disguises herself with anything he finds nearby.<br /> ** Oft used disguise items include:<br /> *** Tinfoil<br /> *** Cardboard boxes<br /> *** Soap on a rope<br /> *** A bottle of the refreshing drink Dr. Pepper. What's the worst that can happen?<br /> * The uncle, disguised, returns to the room and mingles with the others.<br /> * It will become increasingly difficult to be unaware that the number of people in the room has returned to that at the start of the game. Thus, one person in the room must be the disguised uncle.<br /> * Each person must try and work out which person in the room is the disguised uncle. This will be hard, as the uncle is indeed disguised and so now looks unlike the person selected at the start.<br /> <br /> == Laniball ==<br /> The wisest and best looking member of the group has the nickname Lani, and is rumoured to have considered nuptials with Sean Penn. When not considering this, she took time to invent a game of such stunning fortitude that once played will never be forgotten.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Three to ten players sit around with a piece of paper and a pen.<br /> * One player is nominated &quot;The Jefe&quot;. The Jefe provides three 'answers'.<br /> ** A sample set of answers could be<br /> *** The Flumps<br /> *** Two Ballerinas with a Power Saw<br /> *** Freddy vs Jason<br /> * Each player must write a guess as to what question the Jefe was thinking of for each answer. Meanwhile the Jefe writes down the correct questions.<br /> * All guesses are given to the Jefe, who reads out each potential question.<br /> * Each person gives a vote as to which of the potential questions is &quot;best&quot;.<br /> * Each person is generously given two points for guessing the correct question, and one point for each person who votes for their question.<br /> * The player with the most points becomes the Jefe, unless there is a tie for first place, in which case the current Jefe just chooses who the next Jefe is.<br /> <br /> == The Colour/Country Game ==<br /> Another game invented before the group formed, this game was invented by the author in Moscow. However, it has filled many an uncomfortable hour with joy.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Each (of at least 2) players takes turns to say the name of a colour.<br /> * Each person who says a country, by mistake or through the effects of tedium, is out of the game.<br /> * The last person to remain in the game wins.<br /> <br /> == The Fun Pun Game ==<br /> It may have been proved by sociologists that in any group of people, given enough time, this game is bound to have been invented. I'm sure you have already played this game, so feel free to skip to the next one.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * One player is chosen as the punmeister.<br /> * The punmeister must come up with a cryptic clue leading to a series of words that sound like a famous celebrity.<br /> ** The first example created by the author was the following: Suppose that the popular songstress who sang &quot;The Best&quot; and &quot;Goldeneye&quot; were to become the monarch of england, and to start wearing beige trousers, which film director would you ask for advice?<br /> ** Answer: Queen Tina Turner-Chinos (Quentin Tarantino)<br /> ** The author's best man created the following: Let's say, right, that I ran a chip shop. And that, having heard that the Scots are fond of battered Mars Bars, I decided to create my own sweet/savoury treat. And that I decided to make this new delicacy by taking a lean pork sausage and covering it in conserve. Which celebrity might I get to lend his name to this new creation?<br /> ** Answer: Sir Jammy Saveloy<br /> * The punmeister is also allowed to use the magic words: &quot;I Haven't Got One&quot; to pass the role of punmeister to another player<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> * The Stupid Pun Game <br /> ** You gain extra kudos for puns that don't sound like what they are supposed to. Two examples by &quot;Nick with the Home Boy&quot;:<br /> *** Which film director would you ask if you had a bunch of metal lorries driving around a glacier, each taking thin strips from the outside of this glacier?<br /> *** Answer: Steel Vans Peel Iceberg (Steven Spielberg)<br /> *** If you wanted to know if somebody was still willing to accept their male child as being their progeny, despite having become very hip and starting to wear sunglasses, which actor would you ask?<br /> *** Answer: Do You Acknowledge Your Cool Son (Jack Nicholson)<br /> <br /> == Sparrows and Narwhals ==<br /> A guessing game which a published mathematician has deemed to be worthy of note, Sparrows and Narwhals shares much in common with games.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Any number of players may play<br /> * Each person flips a coin, keeping the nature of the flip a secret from the other players.<br /> * If there are fewer than 3 players, each player still in the game is deemed to have won.<br /> * If there are 3 or more players:<br /> ** Each person looks at the result of their flip. If they flipped a head-coin, they are deemed to be a &quot;Sparrow&quot;, whilst if they flipped a tail-coin, they are deemed to be a &quot;Narwhal&quot;.<br /> ** One player is chosen to be the picker.<br /> ** The picker goes around the players clockwise, guessing if each is a &quot;Sparrow&quot; or a &quot;Narwhal&quot;.<br /> ** If the picker is incorrect in guessing, the pickee can choose to correct the picker, showing his coin for confirmation. The picker's turn is over, and the pickee becomes the new picker.<br /> ** If the picker is correct, or the pickee did not choose to correct the picker, the picker continues around the players.<br /> ** Whenever a picker has guessed the entire group of players, with no corrections made, that picker wins.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Where%27s_My_Meniscus_and_other_time_wasters&diff=9944 2005-12-19T20:04:14Z

<p>Centipede: /* Laniball */</p> <hr /> <div>__NOTOC__<br /> <br /> <br /> There are many well-known games that have been played for hundreds of years on Earth - Backgammon, Chess, Go, Poker, Sorry! and Tennis are the obvious examples. But in Earth's late twentieth and early twentyfirst century, in the magnificent city of London, their lived a group of people who loved games, but tired of the predictability of the currently available batch of games. So they decided they should invent a collection of new games, and play them at all opportunities. Furthermore, they kept an ear out for other &quot;underground&quot; games. This may be the first attempt to list and document the games this group played, so that they are available to a wider audience. <br /> <br /> <br /> {| border=1 width=75% align=center cellpading=10<br /> |<br /> '''Editorial note:''' A longer list of games has been spotted over here: http://botzone.schtuff.com/bot_games - This should not be taken to be part of the article. This is simply a pointer to an expanded list of games fFrom more of the same people.<br /> |}<br /> <br /> <br /> == Where's My Meniscus ==<br /> Also known as the spirit level, this is quite possibly the greatest drinking game of all time. It was invented before the group convened, at the George Pub in Borough, London, on Sunday 17th June 2001.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * The game is for 2-10 players, although the optimal number is around 4-6. For the purposes of explaining, there will be precisely 5 players.<br /> * Each player should be provided with a full glass of a (preferably alcoholic) drink whilst, at the same time, the whole group should be given a pen and sheet of paper<br /> * The game consists of an unlimited number of &quot;sets&quot;. The prize for winning a set is a brand new drink (which does not play a part in the game) at the start of the next set.<br /> * Each set consists of N &quot;rounds&quot;, where N is the number of players. Each person is &quot;first guesser&quot; in exactly one round.<br /> * At the start of a round, everybody covers their drink with their hands and drinks (or pretends to drink) from their glass.<br /> * They maintain the cover of their drinks. (Sometimes hiding said drink under the table)<br /> * When everyone is done drinking, each person (starting with the first guesser, and continuing clockwise around the group) shall guess the ranking of liquid heights in the glasses from highest to the lowest.<br /> * These predictions are written down on the paper with the pen.<br /> * When everyone has made their guesses, their glasses are exposed and the levels assessed.<br /> * The predictions are scored on their accuracy, with two points given for each correct rank.<br /> ** Thus if the correct order were Caine, Tippy, Anna, Aiko, Sente, and the guess of Tippy, Anna, Aiko, Sente, Caine would be worth 0 while the guess Sente, Aiko, Anna, Tippy, Caine would be worth 2.<br /> * Noone may drain their drink until the final round of each set.<br /> <br /> == The Ainsley Harriot Game ==<br /> This is a game that successfully convenes those two ever popular styles of games: the guessing game and the memory game.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * The game is for at least 4 players. 6 is quite possibly optimal.<br /> * The players should form the concept of a democratic counsel with policies for nomination, election, demotion and destruction. This counsel should then have a nomination of members, and an election. This counsel should decide a way of splitting the group into two (or more) teams of roughly equal size. When this has happened, each member of the counsel should be demoted, and the counsel then destroyed. This step may (and should) be omitted if the players decide upon teams in another manner.<br /> * Pieces of paper shall be torn into thin strips, but not too thin to be written upon.<br /> * Each player takes 3-5 &quot;or so&quot; pieces of paper, writes a phrase on each, and puts them into an object called &quot;the hat&quot;.<br /> ** Oft used phrases include:<br /> *** Actions involving famous people, for example:<br /> **** Ainsley Harriott is cooking my garlic.<br /> **** Charlotte Church knows how to swim.<br /> *** Lyrics from songs, for example:<br /> **** Jennifer Eccles had terrible freckles.<br /> **** I thought I'd test it on the Love Connection.<br /> *** Lists of buildings and birds, for example:<br /> **** Albatross Empire State Building Mosque Ostrich<br /> **** Church Cock Church Cock<br /> *** Complete Nonsense, for example:<br /> **** The beatles independent can run but was.<br /> **** Chef carp.<br /> ** Oft used hats include:<br /> *** A top hat<br /> *** A pint glass<br /> *** A quality street tin<br /> *** A pizza hut box<br /> *** A pizza hut box<br /> *** A KFC box<br /> *** A pizza hut box<br /> * A time limit is agreed by mutual consent. Often this time limit is 15 seconds.<br /> * Now the teams play 3 rounds.<br /> * Round 1<br /> ** A player, chosen at random, retrieves a piece of paper from the hat.<br /> ** He attempts to explain what is written on the piece of paper only using words not written on the piece of paper.<br /> *** For example, if the piece of paper said &quot;Charlotte Church knows how to swim&quot;, the player might say &quot;Highly Talented Welsh Singer is aware of the method you need so that you can travel in water&quot;.<br /> ** If his group get it before the time limit runs out, they keep the piece of paper, score 1 point and the player takes another piece of paper to explain. Otherwise, they put the piece of paper back into the hat.<br /> ** At the end of the time limit, it is then another team's turn, and they choose a player at random. <br /> ** Play continues until all pieces of paper are removed from the hat, at which point, they are returned to the hat.<br /> * Round 2 (Also called the Cambridge Evening News Headline game)<br /> ** As in Round 1, but each player when describing may only use three words.<br /> *** For exmaple, if the piece of paper said &quot;Charlotte Church knows how to swim&quot;, the player might say &quot;Singer travels wetly&quot; <br /> ** The only other difference to round 1 is that each correct answer is worth 2 points.<br /> * Round 3 (Also called Charades)<br /> ** As in Round 1, but each player when describing may only use gestures.<br /> *** For example, if the piece of paper said &quot;Charlotte Church knows how to swim&quot;, the player might move her mouth as if singing, while performing a breast stroke.<br /> ** The only other difference to round 1 is that each correct answer is worth 3 points.<br /> <br /> == The Bono Game ==<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Two or more players each write the name &quot;Bono&quot; onto a post-it. They then stick each post-it on which they have written to another player's head, in such a way that each player has exactly one post-it on their head. Mathematically, it can be proven that the only way to ensure that this is possible is if each player writes on precisely one post-it.<br /> * The players take it in turns to ask yes or no questions about the celebrity whose name is written on the post-it on their forehead.<br /> * The player who first correctly guesses that the celebrity written on his forehead is Bono wins.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> ==== The Post-It Game ====<br /> * Play follows precisely the rules of the bono game, except for using either or both of the two following rule variants:<br /> ** Instead of writing the name &quot;Bono&quot; onto the post-it, the player may write any celebrity, such as:<br /> *** Delroy Lindo<br /> *** Shakin' Stevens<br /> *** Erich Fromm<br /> ** Instead of guessing that the celbrity written on the forehead is Bono, the player must actually identify the celebrity that really is written on his forehead.<br /> <br /> == I'm a Wagstaff Kepi ==<br /> One of the more meta- of the games suggested, and thereby one of the least popular, I'm a Wagstaff Kepi should never have been played, nor should it have been put on this list.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * This is a game for 4 people.<br /> * Player 1 (we'll call her &quot;Host&quot;) invites the other 3 players around for the dinner.<br /> * During dinner, the players should drink copiously.<br /> * Afterwards, searching for something to do, Player 2 (we'll call him &quot;Arkansas&quot;) should suggest playing a game.<br /> * Player 3 (henceforth called &quot;The Jester&quot;), should suggest the game &quot;I'm a Wagstaff Kepi&quot;.<br /> * Player 3 should then ask Player 2 to explain the game &quot;I'm a Wagstaff Kepi&quot;, and forever claim that it was Player 2 that insisted this was the name of a game.<br /> * Player 2 should come up with some extremely insufficient rules explaining the game, attempts should be made to play it, and then the conversation should promptly move on.<br /> * Player 4 should retire.<br /> <br /> == The Buzz Game ==<br /> Whilst the buzz game is not the least derivative game invented by this group of individuals, it has often provided much entertainment. <br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * At least three players are needed.<br /> * The player carrying the fewest number of coins is chosen to be the original buzzmaster<br /> * Each player, apart from the buzzmaster, is given a score of 0<br /> * The buzzmaster asks a question, often about general knowledge or shared knowledge of the group. Examples of questions used are:<br /> ** How many plays by Charles Dickens feature a character called Peter?<br /> ** What is the average length of a Walrus' eyeball?<br /> ** What was Olivia's most recent order at the bar?<br /> * Players may &quot;buzz in&quot; at any time during or after the question by saying the word &quot;buzz&quot;.<br /> * The buzzmaster judges who the first player to &quot;buzz in&quot; was, and that player must attempt to answer the question.<br /> ** If the player is correct, his score goes up by one. This is called 'scoring a point'.<br /> ** If the player is incorrect, the buzzmaster continues asking the question, and other players may &quot;buzz in&quot;.<br /> * If a player has made an incorrect guess, she is allowed to have another attempt if he wants to, by saying the word &quot;rebuzz&quot;. (This practice is called 'rebuzzing in'). It is the buzzmaster's option whether to allow a rebuzz. Rebuzzes are usually rebuffed unless every player has had a chance to answer.<br /> * When a player reaches five points, they win and become the new buzzmaster.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> ==== Imbecile Buzz Game ====<br /> * A version of the game which is extra challenging because most of the participants are imbeciles, failing to get even the most obvious questions (for example: &quot;What is your name?&quot; or &quot;How do you spell 'I'&quot;), and asking questions which are invalid (&quot;Who wrote the book 'The Clockwork Orange'&quot; or &quot;H<br /> <br /> ==== 96-97-98 ====<br /> * The buzzmaster is called the Jahrmeister<br /> * Instead of asking a question, he sings a popular song. Examples of songs sung are:<br /> ** Land of Confusion by Genesis<br /> ** The One and Only by Chesney Hawkes<br /> ** Yes by McAlmont and Butler<br /> * Instead of answering questions, players buzz in to guess the year in which the song was released.<br /> * A player who correctly identifies the year gets a point and may claim up to three bonus points for identifying the title, artist and album.<br /> * A player who correctly identifies all four discographical elements is said to have &quot;done the grand slam&quot; and becomes the new Jahrmeister<br /> <br /> <br /> == InterSect ==<br /> This game is one of the simplest games of bluff there is, invented by the author of this document in Memphis, Tennessee. Two members of this said group of people from London have designed a contraption which will allow this to be played without a referee, and are currently prototyping it with the aim of selling it to a games company.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * The game requires two players, a chessboard, 32 checkers of each colour (black/white) and a referee. Let us call the players &quot;Violet&quot; and &quot;Scarlett&quot; and the referee &quot;Sente&quot;.<br /> * Violet chooses a row of the chessboard, giving that information to Sente. Scarlett chooses a column of the chessboard, also giving that information to Sente.<br /> * Sente observes the row and column that have been passed unto him, and note that they intersect in one square called the &quot;special square&quot;.<br /> * Scarlett and Violet alternate placing checkers on the board.<br /> * When either player plays on the &quot;special square&quot;, Sente announces that player has won.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> * Misere: whoever plays on the &quot;special square&quot; loses.<br /> * Alternate: each person can choose to play a piece of either colour. Whoevers piece is played on the special square wins.<br /> * Random: Instead of having 32 checkers of each colour, there are 64 othello pieces (black on one side, white on the other). Each player flips a piece on their turn, before deciding where to play.<br /> <br /> == Crab Mother Goose Mother ==<br /> Word memory game. Good word memory game. Good Hawkhurst word memory game. Challenge.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * This game is, as heretofore, the crown.<br /> * There should be at least 2 players, or precisely 1 bored player.<br /> * The first player says a sentence.<br /> * The next player, and the player after her, and so forth around the circle clockwise, must, at the time of their go in the game, insert into the sentence that was uttered by the previous player, at any point, a word, so that the sentence makes absolute sense.<br /> * Big up to those players who use as their extra word any of: Mother, Crab or Goose.<br /> * Each player who forgets the phrase or messes up with metaphorical mud all over their face is out of the game.<br /> * The last player in the game wins.<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> * Parathi Rules<br /> ** A player may at any point utter the words (which might have once been rumoured to appear in the Koran) 'Crabbe Parlez'. The previous player must now provide their sentence in full. If they forget to do so, they are out of the game.<br /> ** It is not allowed to utilise the power of 'Crabbe Parlez' more than once per turn.<br /> <br /> == Disguise Uncle ==<br /> A fundamentally flawed game of disguise and intrigue, Disguise Uncle should only be played when drunk or silly. Preferably both. Seriously.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Between three and nineteen players sit in a circle.<br /> * The players should stand up and choose a member of themselves to be &quot;The Uncle&quot;.<br /> * The uncle leaves the room, and eat some diapodigaglobulis or equivalent thereof. <br /> * The other players chat, drink and have more fun than the uncle.<br /> * The uncle now cunningly disguises herself with anything he finds nearby.<br /> ** Oft used disguise items include:<br /> *** Tinfoil<br /> *** Cardboard boxes<br /> *** Soap on a rope<br /> *** A bottle of the refreshing drink Dr. Pepper. What's the worst that can happen?<br /> * The uncle, disguised, returns to the room and mingles with the others.<br /> * It will become increasingly difficult to be unaware that the number of people in the room has returned to that at the start of the game. Thus, one person in the room must be the disguised uncle.<br /> * Each person must try and work out which person in the room is the disguised uncle. This will be hard, as the uncle is indeed disguised and so now looks unlike the person selected at the start.<br /> <br /> == Laniball ==<br /> The wisest and best looking member of the group has the nickname Lani, and is rumoured to have considered nuptials with Sean Penn. When not considering this, she took time to invent a game of such stunning fortitude that once played will never be forgotten and should never have been.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Three to ten players sit around with a piece of paper and a pen.<br /> * One player is nominated &quot;The Jefe&quot;. The Jefe provides three 'answers'.<br /> ** A sample set of answers could be<br /> *** The Flumps<br /> *** Two Ballerinas with a Power Saw<br /> *** Freddy vs Jason<br /> * Each player must write a guess as to what question the Jefe was thinking of for each answer. Meanwhile the Jefe writes down the correct questions.<br /> * All guesses are given to the Jefe, who reads out each potential question.<br /> * Each person gives a vote as to which of the potential questions is &quot;best&quot;.<br /> * Each person is generously given two points for guessing the correct question, and one point for each person who votes for their question.<br /> * The player with the most points becomes the Jefe, unless there is a tie for first place, in which case the current Jefe just chooses who the next Jefe is.<br /> <br /> == The Colour/Country Game ==<br /> Another game invented before the group formed, this game was invented by the author in Moscow. However, it has filled many an uncomfortable hour with joy.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Each (of at least 2) players takes turns to say the name of a colour.<br /> * Each person who says a country, by mistake or through the effects of tedium, is out of the game.<br /> * The last person to remain in the game wins.<br /> <br /> == The Fun Pun Game ==<br /> It may have been proved by sociologists that in any group of people, given enough time, this game is bound to have been invented. I'm sure you have already played this game, so feel free to skip to the next one.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * One player is chosen as the punmeister.<br /> * The punmeister must come up with a cryptic clue leading to a series of words that sound like a famous celebrity.<br /> ** The first example created by the author was the following: Suppose that the popular songstress who sang &quot;The Best&quot; and &quot;Goldeneye&quot; were to become the monarch of england, and to start wearing beige trousers, which film director would you ask for advice?<br /> ** Answer: Queen Tina Turner-Chinos (Quentin Tarantino)<br /> ** The author's best man created the following: Let's say, right, that I ran a chip shop. And that, having heard that the Scots are fond of battered Mars Bars, I decided to create my own sweet/savoury treat. And that I decided to make this new delicacy by taking a lean pork sausage and covering it in conserve. Which celebrity might I get to lend his name to this new creation?<br /> ** Answer: Sir Jammy Saveloy<br /> * The punmeister is also allowed to use the magic words: &quot;I Haven't Got One&quot; to pass the role of punmeister to another player<br /> <br /> === Variants ===<br /> * The Stupid Pun Game <br /> ** You gain extra kudos for puns that don't sound like what they are supposed to. Two examples by &quot;Nick with the Home Boy&quot;:<br /> *** Which film director would you ask if you had a bunch of metal lorries driving around a glacier, each taking thin strips from the outside of this glacier?<br /> *** Answer: Steel Vans Peel Iceberg (Steven Spielberg)<br /> *** If you wanted to know if somebody was still willing to accept their male child as being their progeny, despite having become very hip and starting to wear sunglasses, which actor would you ask?<br /> *** Answer: Do You Acknowledge Your Cool Son (Jack Nicholson)<br /> <br /> == Sparrows and Narwhals ==<br /> A guessing game which a published mathematician has deemed to be worthy of note, Sparrows and Narwhals shares much in common with games.<br /> <br /> === The Rules ===<br /> * Any number of players may play<br /> * Each person flips a coin, keeping the nature of the flip a secret from the other players.<br /> * If there are fewer than 3 players, each player still in the game is deemed to have won.<br /> * If there are 3 or more players:<br /> ** Each person looks at the result of their flip. If they flipped a head-coin, they are deemed to be a &quot;Sparrow&quot;, whilst if they flipped a tail-coin, they are deemed to be a &quot;Narwhal&quot;.<br /> ** One player is chosen to be the picker.<br /> ** The picker goes around the players clockwise, guessing if each is a &quot;Sparrow&quot; or a &quot;Narwhal&quot;.<br /> ** If the picker is incorrect in guessing, the pickee can choose to correct the picker, showing his coin for confirmation. The picker's turn is over, and the pickee becomes the new picker.<br /> ** If the picker is correct, or the pickee did not choose to correct the picker, the picker continues around the players.<br /> ** Whenever a picker has guessed the entire group of players, with no corrections made, that picker wins.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Which_is_Better&diff=9791 2005-12-13T15:44:50Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>'''<br /> == A Comparative Look at the Treatment of Games in both Perplex City and Earth ==<br /> '''<br /> <br /> Over the past few months of being involved the hunt for the Receda Cube, the study of Perplex City has revealed one major difference between our home of Earth, and the land of Perplex City. This revelation is the way in which each society glorifies people. More specifically, how one world favours brains and one favours brawn. <br /> On Earth, while we do celebrate intellectual advances in civilisation, we do not treat the intelligent as superiors in the same sense that people apparently do in Perplex City. Here, we have a much more primitive, (at least in many people’s opinions), habit of worshiping the strong, the athletic and the physically fit. While your world holds an annual tournament to discover the champion with the highest intellect, ours holds several well publicised physical tournaments. The most notable, and probably the most comparable to your PCAG is our Olympic Games Tournament. Do not be confused by the title though, this is no test of mental endurance. The most recent Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece, and consisted of 301 individual events. The event lasted a total of 17 days and over that time many physically draining challenges including Running, Archery, High Jump, Long Jump, Swimming, Boxing and Weightlifting. As you can see, our culture is obsessed with advances in the physical limitations of the human body. Sadly, the human mind is rather underappreciated, and we do not have a mental equivalent of your PCAG. <br /> <br /> <br /> Our Olympic Games date back to 776BC, some 2781 years ago, in Ancient Greece. They were played as a form of tribute to the Gods of Olympia, and the games were staged on the Olympian plains. The games consisted of trials based on ancient Greek myths, and were supposed to test the endurance of the human body and mind. However, since the revival of the Olympics in 1896 the human mind seems to have been noticeably unchallenged in the Games. <br /> <br /> To the best of our somewhat limited knowledge on Perplex City culture, there does not seem to be a physical competition to rival our Olympic games. Whether this is true or not is difficult to ascertain. However, as a society Perplex City citizens appear to be a physically fit culture. So whilst you are healthy and physically active, you just don’t celebrate physical achievements in the same sense that we do. <br /> <br /> <br /> While it is true that we on Earth do not have a mentally challenge competition on a global scale to date, I feel that Perplex City’s influence on our culture has brought about this change. People all over the world are competing (and perhaps confusingly banding together) in order to locate your missing Receda Cube, and a large part of this is the puzzle cards created by your very own Puzzle Scribes at the Perplex City Academy. We are being mentally stimulated, and this may be what our culture has needed all along. The regular updates in the Perplex City Sentinel are keeping track of our progress, and any worthwhile achievements are being celebrated in the main articles (and in several cases berated in the letters column). Perhaps in return, we on Earth can help set up a huge Olympic scale physical competition in Perplex City? I do not know how well this would be accepted in Perplex City, but maybe it would be fair to allow those who favour physical challenges over mental challenges to finally prove their worth? As a culture that is literally obsessed with puzzles and conundrums, it must be difficult to participate in everyday life if a person isn’t exceptionally bright. <br /> <br /> <br /> So to conclude, I have decided that neither of our cultures have it completely right just yet. We shouldn’t just be celebrating brain OR brawn, but achievements in themselves. It is fine to give praise to people in society for being the cleverest, or the quickest, or the most logical thinking, or the strongest, as long as we include all of the above, and not just a selection. I feel that what we can all learn most from our communication between worlds is how the other civilisation lives.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Which_is_Better&diff=9790 2005-12-13T15:44:27Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>A Comparative Look at the Treatment of Games in both Perplex City and Earth<br /> <br /> <br /> Over the past few months of being involved the hunt for the Receda Cube, the study of Perplex City has revealed one major difference between our home of Earth, and the land of Perplex City. This revelation is the way in which each society glorifies people. More specifically, how one world favours brains and one favours brawn. <br /> On Earth, while we do celebrate intellectual advances in civilisation, we do not treat the intelligent as superiors in the same sense that people apparently do in Perplex City. Here, we have a much more primitive, (at least in many people’s opinions), habit of worshiping the strong, the athletic and the physically fit. While your world holds an annual tournament to discover the champion with the highest intellect, ours holds several well publicised physical tournaments. The most notable, and probably the most comparable to your PCAG is our Olympic Games Tournament. Do not be confused by the title though, this is no test of mental endurance. The most recent Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece, and consisted of 301 individual events. The event lasted a total of 17 days and over that time many physically draining challenges including Running, Archery, High Jump, Long Jump, Swimming, Boxing and Weightlifting. As you can see, our culture is obsessed with advances in the physical limitations of the human body. Sadly, the human mind is rather underappreciated, and we do not have a mental equivalent of your PCAG. <br /> <br /> <br /> Our Olympic Games date back to 776BC, some 2781 years ago, in Ancient Greece. They were played as a form of tribute to the Gods of Olympia, and the games were staged on the Olympian plains. The games consisted of trials based on ancient Greek myths, and were supposed to test the endurance of the human body and mind. However, since the revival of the Olympics in 1896 the human mind seems to have been noticeably unchallenged in the Games. <br /> <br /> To the best of our somewhat limited knowledge on Perplex City culture, there does not seem to be a physical competition to rival our Olympic games. Whether this is true or not is difficult to ascertain. However, as a society Perplex City citizens appear to be a physically fit culture. So whilst you are healthy and physically active, you just don’t celebrate physical achievements in the same sense that we do. <br /> <br /> <br /> While it is true that we on Earth do not have a mentally challenge competition on a global scale to date, I feel that Perplex City’s influence on our culture has brought about this change. People all over the world are competing (and perhaps confusingly banding together) in order to locate your missing Receda Cube, and a large part of this is the puzzle cards created by your very own Puzzle Scribes at the Perplex City Academy. We are being mentally stimulated, and this may be what our culture has needed all along. The regular updates in the Perplex City Sentinel are keeping track of our progress, and any worthwhile achievements are being celebrated in the main articles (and in several cases berated in the letters column). Perhaps in return, we on Earth can help set up a huge Olympic scale physical competition in Perplex City? I do not know how well this would be accepted in Perplex City, but maybe it would be fair to allow those who favour physical challenges over mental challenges to finally prove their worth? As a culture that is literally obsessed with puzzles and conundrums, it must be difficult to participate in everyday life if a person isn’t exceptionally bright. <br /> <br /> <br /> So to conclude, I have decided that neither of our cultures have it completely right just yet. We shouldn’t just be celebrating brain OR brawn, but achievements in themselves. It is fine to give praise to people in society for being the cleverest, or the quickest, or the most logical thinking, or the strongest, as long as we include all of the above, and not just a selection. I feel that what we can all learn most from our communication between worlds is how the other civilisation lives.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9789 2005-12-13T15:39:31Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> *&lt;BIG&gt;&lt;BIG&gt;'''Deadline For Entries Is December 16th!!'''&lt;/BIG&gt;&lt;/BIG&gt;<br /> *Entries should be themed: '''Games'''<br /> *Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> **For example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> *'''Also note: Authors should collect their blurbs here:'''<br /> **'''[[Tales From Earth:Authors]]'''<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Which is Better]] - [[User:Ryan Andrew]] 13-DEC-05, 701 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Brains vs Brawn.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community 6,800+ words Editor:Scott'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> ''[[Tales From Earth:Collaborative]] -- This is presently work-space. The final product is some way off.''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Games We Play]] - [[User:Duckiemonster]] 11-DEC-05, 450 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A chance encounter<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2100+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kabuki Belly Dancer]] - [[User:Mokey F. Rock]] 08-DEC-05, 2584 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story of escaping reality.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:DVD Games]] - [[User:MagikGuy]] 9-DEC-05, 1600 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A review of the Harry Potter 'Scene it?' DVD game.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's (Not really)Edited by SledgeCallier'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:people games]] - [[User:Hituro]] 11-DEC-05, 2000 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> Playing games with People<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Spay's Invaders]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 09-DEC-05, 1331 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> This is not a game!<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream.<br /> ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Chanko-nabe]] - [[User:ammonite]] 09-DEC-05, 6583 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A girl who fell in love with a sumo-wrestler.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Rebel Pirate]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 11-DEC-05, 271 words Editor:SledgeCallier<br /> Somebodys stolen the ships booty! But who is the culprit?<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Pawn]] - [[User:Zaeil]] 11-DEC-05, Illustration<br /> Lone pawn on a chessboard, watched by more powerful pieces. Black and white illustration.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Hide and Seek Peek]] - [[User:Zaeil]] 11-DEC-05, Illustration<br /> Peeking while others hide. Black and white illustration.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:To Epiphany and Beyond...!]] - [[User:fantasticalan]] 12-DEC-05, 847 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> Fantastic Alan guides you through the Christmas Games Season here in the UK.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Triad]] [[User:Cronogenesis]] 13-DEC-05, X words 4632 didgits<br /> A stray email is picked up on Kurt's key, but what does it say?</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Expedition&diff=9690 2005-12-09T18:04:09Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>The Expedition<br /> <br /> The small gap in the curtain gave the a sun chance to introduce itself to the world. It crept in to the tiny room, bringing it to life. Now it was my turn. The sound of the alarm indicated another day, a sound I dreaded the most. It just seems to repetitive, get up, drag myself to the shower, zombie like drag myself back, and then continue to prepare for another day at that dreaded place. School. <br /> <br /> Music swam through my room; I was so much more awake now, with a little Jimmy Eat World ringing through my ears. As I threw my jumper on, I stood in front of the window, my empty reflection stared back. &quot;Here we go again Maz,&quot; I sighed once more, I grabbed my bag and made my way to the next step of the preparation stage. <br /> <br /> As usual I was greeted by darkness, I pulled the curtain back and turned the light on, &quot;Much better,&quot; I thought aloud. Time sneaked up on me and it was soon time to make my way out into the long journey. <br /> <br /> The journey, the worst part, but also the best part, no homely worries surrounding me and no school paranoia lingering. Yes, the best part had to be the journey.<br /> <br /> The ground wore a coat of frost, and the wind pierced through me, sending a shiver down my spine, a definite English winter! The sun had gone; it hid behind a black painted piece of cotton wool. Few cars were on the road, their headlights illuminating the way, spot lighting me as I slumped down to the nearby busy roads. The smell of fumes polluted the air, together with the morning smell, the kind that refreshes the air, however doesn't help with the fact there was another 6 hours to spend away from home. <br /> <br /> 50 minutes later I was there.<br /> <br /> I walked up to the meeting place; everyone was laughing already, the same people in their place. The lonesome boy next to the buildings, staring down the path, desperate for someone he knew to come and join him. Someone I knew but didn't acknowledge me, standing in the car park with her friends, chatting. The cricket players playing with a tennis ball, cheering as one of them screamed &quot;OUT!&quot; Why was it so noisy? It was 8:15 in the morning! A wave of dread sprinted through me, I froze in the yard, and there was the huge group I was part of, raucous laughter emanating from it. But today I stood away from them, and looked around. It's amazing the different groups. You have the 'stuck up' girls, wearing the shortest shirts and the tightest trousers known to the human race. Then there was the 'who cares' girls, who sat talking of smoking and drugs. They glared at the 'grebs', their rivals; smart but not obviously smart and didn't care about what anyone thought. They were joined by the girls who worked, but weren't geeks, now they were glared at by their rivals; 'the hard boys,' you know the type, trousers tucked in their socks, mo-ped helmets on show as if it were a trophy. In just one yard, so many groups, but that's what I hated the most; the tension as one group past another, 'you could cut it with a knife,' the sound of the bell yanked me out of my thoughts at this point. <br /> <br /> Time for registration.<br /> <br /> All through it I worried about the day ahead; lessons I had, never feeling noticed at dinner, and as time went on I began to dread it even more, I longed to be at home, but all too soon was it time to go to first lesson. English.<br /> <br /> The alienated smell suffocated me as I dragged myself into another hour of inner torment. Laughter hugged the air, as conversations between friends sparked. Frozen. 'The higher authority' sauntered in, immediately, the once empty space sank into silence and lifeless expressions rose upon the faces of the inmates. You could always tell another lesson had begun by those dead expressions. Every lesson was the same, you had the robot-like students on auto-pilot, looking straight forward as if hypnotised, or on some form of public transport! To think, I had another 5 lessons of this. <br /> <br /> When dinner landed, after four gruelling hours' worth of lessons, I was totally exhausted. Time seemed to go so slowly over the 40 minute period. One person sat on the small wall; I knew that was soon to change. I sat near her, the usual start of a conversation, &quot;Hi, how are you?&quot; (Always a good starting point in my opinion). The air was still fresh from the morning smell, although specks of evidence suggested it was fading. The worst part of the day, it was loud, too loud. The little years screeched, arguments flared and the slap of the soles rang out as they sped around a compact space. It seemed rather like a prison, or a chicken pen. As I sat and watched the world from my step, the one person group soon developed into a ten person group, that's when it starts. The real torture of this expedition, as more and more friends appeared, the more I distanced myself. They seemed to spring out of thin air! I sat on the step, just watching and occasionally listening, being stepped over as I sat on a planet other than this one, staring out to the field. It seemed like such an empty world, like when you look out to sea, endless blue, this was like an endless green, completely empty, almost deserted. Compared to the chicken pen I was sat in, it seemed like heaven! <br /> <br /> Then the migration happened, a swarm of students all heading for one place. Slowly, I joined the stampede, ready for another hour of clock watching. <br /> <br /> Even though it was the same journey, just backwards, it didn't feel the same, there was more of a &quot;used&quot; and &quot;old&quot; smell about, and more cars on the road, so much noise in such a small space. But I made my way over to my world.<br /> <br /> A place by the canal.<br /> <br /> It was quieter, the kind quiet you get in the early hours of the morning, with the odd bird singing. Everything just seemed so different, I didn't feel so alone; no one could hurt me here. I sat and watched the water for awhile, I could feel no cold, it was like I was in a bubble; until time silently jolted me back to Earth. I sighed, &quot;Better go then,&quot; and once again I dragged myself along the straight, tedious road. <br /> <br /> As I walked into the room, a blast of cold air hit me, that melted me like chocolate in a pan, &quot;Mum must have gone out,&quot; I thought, &quot;Looks like I have the house to myself again,&quot; I went straight to where I had started from, my room. <br /> <br /> At last, a common smell overthrew what seemed like an ever-lasting unfamiliarity, which had glued itself to me, refusing to let go. I was safe. Security jerked over me, a smile crept up. Privacy was mine; locked in a world of peace and tranquillity of which only I knew. Imaginary guard dogs waiting to pounce on anyone who dared intrude this world of peace. That's what this was to me, my own imaginary world of peace, and I was not prepared to give it up for anyone. At last I was where I wanted to be, where everything seemed so much easier, and nothing seemed impossible, tools of release sat patiently if I needed them, and after another expedition I sighed with relief, only to think:<br /> &quot;I'll have to go through it all again tomorrow.&quot;</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9665 2005-12-08T17:26:42Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kabuki Belly Dancer]] - [[User:Mokey F. Rock]] 08-DEC-05, 2584 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story of escaping reality.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2100+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9664 2005-12-08T17:20:20Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kabuki Belly Dancer]] - [[User:Mokey F. Rock]] 08-DEC-05, 2584 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story of escaping reality.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2100+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:The_London_2012_Olympic_Bid&diff=9663 2005-12-08T17:19:46Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>Midday on Wednesday 6th July, and on Earth many people are staring at TV screens as International Olympic Committee Chairman Jacques Rogge steps up to a podium to declare the winning country in the contest to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. Opening the envelope and quickly reading the answer, Jacque Rogge declares, '' 'And the winner is ... London!' ''<br /> <br /> Huge cheers erupt from the London bid supporters in the audience, in London, and around the United Kingdom. This is the finale to a two-year bidding process involving huge amounts of time, money and hard work. And the Games themselves aren't for another seven years.<br /> <br /> The Olympic Games are held on Earth every two years, alternating between winter (cold climate) and summer (warm climate) games, and is a tradition dating back to the times of the Ancient Greeks. The Ancient version of the Olympic Games is said to have been partly a religious affair, with only male athletes, who performed naked in celebration of the human form. The Olympic Games were then reborn in modern times, starting in the late 19th Century, and have grown in size each year, with more and more athletes and countries now taking part. The only times that the Olympic Games have been suspended are in times of the two World Wars taking place in the mid-twentieth century.<br /> <br /> To be given the right to host an Olympic Games, a country must formally submit a bid to the International Olympic Committee, formed of 115 members from many countries. Countries are generally very keen to host the games, as it draws media attention and tourists from around the world and can boost the local economy. Hosting the games can require a huge initial cost outlay though, as specialised stadiums need to be built, as well as other Games infrastructure such as transport links, athlete accommodation and media centres.<br /> <br /> Before the London bid, the UK had submitted bids from other cities (Birmingham and Manchester), but neither city made it into the final shortlist. After these bids, it was widely thought that only London was a well known enough city internationally to stand a chance of actually winning. This caused some controversy however, as many British citizens felt that the north of the country would benefit more from hosting an Olympics Games than London, which is already widely perceived to receive more than its fair share of national resources.<br /> <br /> The London bid does, however, involve one of the poorest areas of the UK - East London. Home to a diverse but fairly poor population, East London is an area that the government has marked for 'regeneration' - transforming derelict and run-down locations into new businesses and facilities for local people. The Olympic Bid ties into this regeneration strategy by creating jobs for local people and by leaving behind a legacy of sporting facilities.<br /> <br /> The core location for the 2012 Olympics will be in an area that is currently an industrial wasteland on the banks of the Lea Valley. Housed in this area will be the Olympic stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies are held, as well as most of the track and field athletics events. There will also be an aquatics centre for water-based sports (such as swimming) and a velodrome for cycling events. Some of the other olympic sports will take place in famous locations around London, such as the archery taking place in Lord's Cricket Grounds and beach volleyball taking place by the Horses Guards Parade. Gymnastics will take place within the infamous Millennium Dome, built at huge expense to commemorate the year 2000 on Earth.<br /> <br /> One of the biggest criticisms of London's 2012 Olympic bid was over the provision of adequate transport. Whilst London already has a fairly extensive network of underground railway lines (the 'Tube'), suburban train lines and a large fleet of buses - these often run at capacity already. With the Olympics typically bringing millions of extra tourists into the city, there were questions over whether the transport infrastructure would cope. The bid team responded to these concerns by pointing out that the main Olympic Zone in East London was already well connected to tube and train lines, and that by the time the Olympics is held, there will be a new fast-speed line between Central London and Stratford (near where the games will be held in the East End). Special 'Olympic Javelin' trains will run as a shuttle service between London and Stratford over the course of the games, taking just 7-8 minutes to arrive.<br /> <br /> By tradition, an Olympic torch is lit on the site of the ancient Olympics in Greece, several months before the games are scheduled to begin. The torch is then carried in a relay by runners around the world. For the 2012 Olympics, the torch relay is planned to include the countries of Nobel Prize winners (awarded to those who do work to advance the cause of international peace). After having been carried by hand from person to person, across great distances, the torch is used to light a caudron, which burns for the duration of the games.<br /> <br /> Since London was declared the winning city, most of the preparatory work has been the formal processes of setting up committees and acquring the land on which new stadiums will be built. Before the 2012 Games takes place, however, there will be the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, a wholly different country. Citizens of London will no doubt be following these games with interest, wondering what they have let themselves in for...</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Kabuki_Belly_Dancer&diff=9661 2005-12-08T16:30:02Z

<p>Centipede: A short story of escaping reality.</p> <hr /> <div>Part I: Onnagata<br /> <br /> The kabuki belly dancer shifted her hips and vibrated like an electric toothbrush. Her white face remained placid next to her midnight hair. Soft, albino hands posed above her head, fingers touching each other lightly, wrists swiveling in tiny circles.<br /> <br /> <br /> An odaiko drum beat the rhythm of the story. A demon, a trance, a ghost. The pale woman danced this story in her electric hips.<br /> <br /> <br /> It was Sam’s story. Others in the audience around him shouted at the stage like wolves barking for their dinner. They called out names of actors, dancers, musicians. <br /> <br /> <br /> Sam didn’t know the dancer’s name, but he didn’t want to shout anyway. He just came to watch her belly wriggle. In and out, in and out. She sucked her navel in like a starving child and then pushed it out so far Sam swore he could see each tiny bead of sweat zig-zagging its way down to her scarlet hip scarf.<br /> <br /> <br /> He wasn’t in love. The woman wasn’t even very beautiful. But when Sam sat there in that creaky old theatre seat with its spongy orange cushion, something happened to him.<br /> <br /> <br /> The first time, Sam had almost run out screaming. But he had kept his cool. He had stayed. From that night on, Sam came nightly to watch his kabuki belly dancer swivel. It didn’t matter that the kids were waiting at home. With his cell phone on silent, Martha could shout at his voicemail all night about a divorce. The work reports for Frank would never get done. <br /> <br /> <br /> As long as she could dance, Sam could watch.<br /> <br /> <br /> And as long as Sam could watch, the visions would get better.<br /> <br /> <br /> At first it was just a flash, a glimpse of his future. He hadn’t understood it that first night. The dancer had entered, and Sam was shocked to see a female in the show. This wasn’t a man made up to look like a woman. This was a woman. And as she peeled away her multi-colored veils to reveal her chalk-white belly, a window opened up in Sam’s eyes.<br /> <br /> <br /> He didn’t see the stage anymore. Instead, he saw Stacie, his high school sweetheart. Stacie, standing in front of him with a grin on her face and a check for ten million dollars in her hand. She reached out for Sam…<br /> <br /> <br /> Every night at the theatre brought a new installment in this story, in Sam’s future. The odaiko drum moved the dancer, and the dancer shook until he saw it again, only in more detail, for longer.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stacie laughed that way she used to when she would sneak out late at night to drink stolen gin with him in his dad’s car. Her cheeks blushed against her golden hair. In the vision she whispered, “We’ve done it, Sam. After all these years. Now we can finally be together.” She pushed the check toward him…<br /> <br /> <br /> That was as far as he had come. Three weeks of at least four hours a night had brought him here, and he wasn’t about to give up now. Stacie was going to tell him how they could accomplish it.<br /> <br /> <br /> Of course she meant the robbery. <br /> <br /> <br /> In their tightest moments in his dad’s car, Sam and Stacie used to joke that only a ridiculous sum of cash could stop her family from sending her away to college. Her parents only loved money. They wouldn’t even mind how she got it. “You could rob a bank for all they cared. As long as you gave them a check for ten million dollars, I could stay.” <br /> <br /> <br /> “They’re such money-grubbers.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “My parents don’t understand me.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “I understand you, Stacie. Don‘t we understand each other?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “I understand you’re drinking all the gin! Share, you lush!”<br /> <br /> <br /> There was no other girl like Stacie. Certainly Martha couldn’t hold a candle to her. Plain, dim-witted, pregnant Martha. It baffled Sam how any woman could be so fertile in the womb and yet so sterile in the brain. <br /> <br /> <br /> Sam relaxed and closed his eyes. He listened to the drum. He breathed in the sweat of the room. <br /> <br /> <br /> ''Dance for me. Bring me Stacie. Show me how to get what we want. Dance for me. Dance. Please.''<br /> <br /> <br /> A familiar feeling filled his body. For a moment he was the dancer on stage. He could tell her movements without looking at them. Now she was twisting her arms like a snake. Now she was moving her rib cage from left to right. He felt his own muscles contract with hers. <br /> <br /> <br /> And then Stacie kissed him on the cheek as she dangled the check in front of his nose. Her lips were so soft he barely felt them, but her breath was sweet and warm, and it lingered near his face. <br /> <br /> <br /> Sam whispered, “How can I do it, Stacie? How can I get you back? It’s been fifteen years. I don’t know how to find you.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Hey! Weirdo! What’s your problem?” A man next to Sam nudged him, but Sam refused to open his eyes. He couldn’t let Stacie get away this time.<br /> <br /> <br /> “Tell me, Stacie. I’m going to do it. We’ll go away together.”<br /> <br /> <br /> The odaiko drum slowed, and Sam knew the dancer was strutting around the stage, her sequins jangling and clanging like tiny cymbals on her breasts and waist. <br /> <br /> <br /> Stacie blushed and twirled her golden hair. She kissed him again, on the lips this time.<br /> <br /> <br /> “The safe,” she breathed into his mouth.<br /> <br /> <br /> The curtain fell.<br /> <br /> <br /> ***<br /> <br /> <br /> “Any idea who done it?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Actually, yes. An employee of mine. Sam Kaster. He hasn’t been in to work for weeks. No one knows where he’s gone.”<br /> <br /> <br /> Detective Peterson nodded and smacked his chewing gum. Frank tried to conceal what he knew would be an expression of disapproval. <br /> <br /> <br /> “What’s missing?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Some jewelry, documents, money, safe deposit key, jigsaw puzzle.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “A jigsaw puzzle?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Valuables.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “You keep all that at the office?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Yes.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “How’d this Sam guy get in the safe, then?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Well,” Frank said. This part embarrassed him a little, but things had been different before. Sam had been down on his luck. Frank had offered him a job. “We gave him the key years ago, when he first became manager.”<br /> <br /> <br /> The detective snorted softly. <br /> <br /> <br /> “Look, he’s always been trustworthy. It was only the past month or so that things went downhill. He stopped coming to work. His wife would call crying. To tell you the truth, I didn’t give the safe another thought.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Right,” Peterson said slowly, and Frank was certain he was being insulted. “How about we letcha know if we get any leads on your former employee? That is to say, he is a former employee now, isn’t he? Not going to hand him over the key to your bedroom next, are you?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Thank you, detective,” Frank said. “I’ll look forward to your call.”<br /> <br /> <br /> The rest of the morning, the empty safe haunted Frank. Hundreds of memories jangled his mind until he finally pulled out the black and white photograph of his parents that he kept in his bottom drawer. He stared at his father’s grinning eyes and remembered the last conversation they’d ever had.<br /> <br /> <br /> A man arguing with a nineteen year-old boy shouldn’t take anything too seriously. But Frank’s father had. <br /> <br /> <br /> Before his father had destroyed himself, he must have destroyed any pictures with Frank in them; Frank had never been able to find a good family portrait. The only photographs were of his mom and dad alone. <br /> <br /> <br /> Frank wished Sam hadn’t stolen the puzzle as well. At least once a week for the past fourteen years, Frank had felt an uncomfortable obligation to pull the jigsaw out and looked at the pieces lying in their box. He remembered quiet afternoons with his father, hours upon hours of silent jigsaw puzzling until at last they could sit back and enjoy the picture they’d created. The only quality time they ever had together was spent in silence to avoid the fighting.<br /> <br /> <br /> It was only two hours after lunch that Frank got a call.<br /> <br /> <br /> “Kabuki Club,” said the voice on the other end, smacking his chewing gum into the receiver.<br /> <br /> <br /> “Excuse me?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Peterson here. Yer favorite -- er, former employee was last seen at the Kabuki Club downtown. Two nights ago. Talking to himself.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Let’s go.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Huh? You mean you go with me? Naw, thanks. I’ll do this on my own. Don’t need company.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “I want my things back, detective. I’m coming with you.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Right. Well, I’ll be there at 7 for their show tonight, but clients don’t come with me on these things. It’s --”<br /> <br /> <br /> Frank hung up and shot a quick email to his wife about missing dinner.<br /> <br /> <br /> “We’re gonna have to sit through the first part of the show,” Peterson said when Frank arrived. “Manager’s busy until then, and there’s no seats in the lobby.”<br /> <br /> <br /> Frank nodded and went to a squeaky old chair in the musty theatre. Detective Peterson sat next to him, squeezed into his seat, breathing heavily under the weight of his own skin. <br /> <br /> <br /> Several characters entered the stage and began speaking in Japanese. Soon it was clear that these were all men, though two of them wore old-fashioned kimonos and had feminine pins in their wigs. <br /> <br /> <br /> ''Japan’s drag queens.''<br /> <br /> <br /> But somehow they came across differently. The audience cheered for them and applauded their acting. These actors were respected as artists, not the fringe of society.<br /> <br /> <br /> Though he had no clue what they were saying, Frank felt mild amusement watching the show. For a moment he wasn’t Frank Milner, the Richard Corey of his day. He relaxed a little. Here he was just another man having an evening away from it all.<br /> <br /> <br /> As the actors played on, Frank let the real world melt away. His job, his sins, his wife, his dead father…<br /> <br /> <br /> Had Sam come for the same escape?<br /> <br /> <br /> A muscle twitched at the corner of Frank’s eye. Poor Sam. Frank would have felt guilty, but he couldn’t be held responsible for his friend’s nervous breakdown. No matter what had happened.<br /> <br /> <br /> Near the stage, a drummer began to beat out a rhythm deep and slow. The actors exited to cheers, and the lights dimmed. A solitary figure entered, wrapped in colorful veils. <br /> <br /> <br /> Frank sat up straight to see better, taking care not to nudge the snoring Detective Peterson. Was that performer a woman?<br /> <br /> <br /> Piece by piece, the dancer unwrapped herself, veils floating gracefully to the floor behind her as she glided around. <br /> <br /> <br /> It ''was'' a woman, and she was a belly dancer. Frank blinked. That didn’t make sense. A kabuki belly dancer? But she was. Her body was covered in white paint, and the pattern on her blood-red hip scarf bore a vague resemblance to the kimonos the actors had worn.<br /> <br /> <br /> She began to twist in place, her hips sliding to the right, her ribs sliding to the left. The dancer made figure-eights with her body parts as though nothing inside of her was actually connected. Frank watched her, entranced. She wasn’t the most beautiful woman he’d seen, but she commanded attention. An overwhelming power reached out from her midsection and took hold of Frank.<br /> <br /> <br /> And then a strange thing happened. Frank’s eyes closed without his willing them to. Inside the darkness of his eyelids, he was the belly dancer. He could feel his head, his chest, his waist being isolated and moving on their own. His legs worked with hers. His fingers brushed the air. <br /> <br /> <br /> Someone appeared before him. A crying woman with dark brown hair and a plain face. She stared at him helplessly, and he knew her right away.<br /> <br /> <br /> Martha. <br /> <br /> <br /> In an instant, Frank felt a hidden guilt clutch at his gut. He watched the vision of Martha turn to Sam, red-faced and furious. <br /> <br /> <br /> “How ''could'' you, Frank? My own wife! Is no woman of your own good enough for you? You have to take mine?”<br /> <br /> <br /> This faded until he saw another young woman. She was crying. Her golden hair stuck to her red cheeks as the tears spilled down. Frank knew her. What was her name? They’d dated. He’d broken her heart.<br /> <br /> <br /> Stacie.<br /> <br /> <br /> He cringed as these memories played before him. Stacie, the girl he’d stolen when Sam couldn’t afford to follow her to college. Stacie, just another girl he had never cared about.<br /> <br /> <br /> The images went further back into Frank‘s past until he heard Sam‘s voice over a telephone. “Frank. It’s about your dad. Your mom called me over. She wanted me to let you know. That argument you two had. He’s … hurt himself. You need to come home.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Dad,” Frank whispered, his closed eyes stinging. “Sam.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Hey, Milner. You going batty over there?” Peterson’s voice pushed the images out of Frank’s head.<br /> <br /> <br /> “Huh?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “You’re talking to yourself.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Sorry. Must have dozed.” Frank took a deep breath and wiped a band of sweat from his forehead. “It’s too hot in here.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “Tell me about it. I’m ready to go talk to the owner about your employee. You wanna come?”<br /> <br /> <br /> Frank looked at the stage and saw the belly dancer bowing out to let new actors on. Two of the men looked so familiar…<br /> <br /> <br /> “When did this get here?”<br /> <br /> <br /> Frank looked at Peterson. “When did what get here?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “This,” he said, handing Frank a small package. “It was on the floor.”<br /> <br /> <br /> It was addressed to Frank Milner.<br /> <br /> <br /> Frank opened the package and found the entire contents of his safe. On top of everything lay a letter in a language he couldn‘t read.<br /> <br /> <br /> 私の友だち、　ごめんなさい。　サムはしんでいます。　今、私は女形です。　あなたの父も女形てす。　ありがとうございました。<br /> <br /> <br /> Peterson breathed on Frank’s shoulder as Frank sifted through the contents of the package. His wife’s jewels. The company papers. The safe deposit key. The cash. <br /> <br /> <br /> His father’s jigsaw puzzle.<br /> <br /> <br /> He imagined the old, dusty smell of pieces aging over years. For the first time in a long time, Frank really wanted to look inside and touch the game his father had taught him how to assemble almost thirty years ago.<br /> <br /> <br /> Peterson leaned in closer. “What‘s the letter say?”<br /> <br /> <br /> Frank opened the box to the puzzle and saw that it wasn‘t his jigsaw. The old generic autumn scene was missing. Instead, he found a simple puzzle, the kind a child could manage, with only ten large pieces.<br /> <br /> <br /> Slowly, he put them together until the black and white image became clear. <br /> <br /> <br /> His mother. <br /> <br /> <br /> His father. <br /> <br /> <br /> Him. <br /> <br /> <br /> All smiling. All happy. <br /> <br /> <br /> “Oh, my God.”<br /> <br /> <br /> “What is it?” Peterson huffed foul breath, leaning into Frank‘s seat. “What’s that letter mean?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “I think I’m forgiven,” Frank said.<br /> <br /> <br /> ***<br /> <br /> <br /> The kabuki belly dancer shifted her hips and vibrated like an electric toothbrush. Her white face remained placid next to her midnight hair. Soft, albino hands posed above her head, fingers touching each other lightly, wrists swiveling in tiny circles.<br /> <br /> <br /> She looked out at the audience. A handful of people seeking answers.<br /> <br /> <br /> Her belly, her paint, her sequins offered something for free -- not quite truth, but better than that.<br /> <br /> <br /> Men and women wander through their days like treadmills, she thought. They wake, they feed, they work, they rest. They do it again and again until their souls wear with the grooves of repetition. They want, and want, and want.<br /> <br /> <br /> Whenever someone wanted her, whether they knew it themselves or not, she felt a tugging at her navel. Something pulled her out onto the stage to perform. It twisted her body like a pretzel and shook her muscles like an earthquake. She danced when she was needed, and lately, she was always needed.<br /> <br /> <br /> The kabuki belly dancer rolled her stomach upward to welcome her audience back to the world of anti-reality, to the relaxation of entertainment. <br /> <br /> <br /> ''I’ll give you something different for once. My work is your leisure.'' <br /> <br /> <br /> The men and women who found her would skip a meal, miss a job, forget to rest. And they would find themselves.<br /> <br /> <br /> She danced on the stage, watching the people watching her. Some with eyes closed, some with mouths open. Who knew what they saw? She had no idea. For them, the escape was the kabuki belly dancer.<br /> <br /> <br /> For the kabuki belly dancer, an escape did not exist.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9660 2005-12-08T16:03:09Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kabuki Belly Dancer]] - [[User:Mokey F. Rock]] 08-DEC-05, 2584 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story of escaping reality.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2100+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9657 2005-12-07T21:29:26Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2101 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Draco_Venatio&diff=9656 2005-12-07T21:24:58Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>A lilting wind rustled through the many reeds and grasses of The Cordian Plain. Nestled complacently alone amidst gentle fauna was a massive stone. It seemed to be sleeping placidly, or daydreaming, or whatever else rocks do when no one is around. It had been there for a very, very long time.<br /> <br /> And on this day, as was inevitable to happen once every 13 years, the lilting winds gave way to an increasing thunder of might and fury. Shadows darted across shrubs. Small animals ran for burrows while the mighty thing in the sky swept by. And then another shape careened from the North. And another from the East.<br /> <br /> The first dragon to cross the fields, Phenlambiak, a swift gold-and-white dragon, let out a great shrieking roar, which echoed off distant mountains. This was, as the others would know, a greeting. Despite the great breadth of wings and length of body, Phenlambiak landed softly, gracefully. His legs sunk into the soft ground, claws raking away at The Earth.<br /> <br /> &quot;Cerenyx!&quot; the massive red dragon of the north bellowed, greeting the third. She too landed with grace, her tail swishing across the tops of wildflowers.<br /> <br /> &quot;And you, Strallienne!&quot; the blue dragon replied sharply. Cerenyx circled the giant stone, gliding in with wings outstretched. He landed with matched only by his counterparts.<br /> <br /> &quot;Then we are short but one,&quot; observed Phenlambiak. &quot;It is unlike Jyaktyl to be late.&quot;<br /> <br /> The three paused, considering what to do. Cancel? A pity if Jyaktyl were simply delayed. Traditions this old should not be ignored. Go look for her? She could, of course, be anywhere in the world. Consider themselves snubbed? No, Jyaktyl was not an especially offensive sort.<br /> <br /> &quot;Perhaps a delay while on the way. I received no messengers.&quot; The foursome was not often together, but Strallienne was something of a contact point for the rest. Dragons were never known for their social tendencies, but if one wanted to call a dragon social, one would be referring to Strallienne.<br /> <br /> &quot;Nor shall you.&quot; A voice -- a human voice -- took the three by surprise. It was easy enough to not notice the man approach them before. Who in their right mind would approach three dragons? But to engage them? Swift Phenlambiak pounced across the field, full force, with claws drawn. He aimed to crush the man, but he was not caught flat-footed. The man dodged with stunning prowess and managed to get out the words &quot;Jyaktyl sent me!&quot;<br /> <br /> Strallienne and Cerenyx let Phenlambiak handle this, looking on with interest. Phenlambiak let forth a rolling, growling sneer, steam billowing from his nostrils, making sure the man knew with whom he was dealing. &quot;Where is she?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;I am here to take her place in your game this day.&quot;<br /> <br /> Strallienne laughed the sort of laugh only a dragon can do. Cerenyx smiled. This seemed to bother the man more than Phenlambiak pouncing on him.<br /> <br /> &quot;Of course you are joking. Why have you come, and not Jyaktyl's messenger?&quot; Phenlambiak barked.<br /> <br /> &quot;What was your name?&quot; Cerenyx asked.<br /> <br /> &quot;Graeme of Drocksworthy&quot; he announced. He sounded fairly proud of the distinction his name yielded, but knew it would have a certain backlash in present company.<br /> <br /> &quot;The Dragon Slayer?!?&quot; Strallienne thundered. &quot;Have you slain Jyaktyl!?&quot; She rose of on her hand legs, wings outstretched, every bit of fury within her pouring out. She needed only but to breathe a slight wisp of fire on this man and his days would be ended.<br /> <br /> Graeme knew he had to talk fast. It was true, he had slain a dozen dragons. Jyaktyl was his twelfth. He did not do this out of nobility or pureness of heart, but mostly because he was paid to do so. Graeme was, at heart, a rogue who managed to work a niche market helping people deal with their dragon problems. For all their beauty, dragons were of course a scourge to the lands. Graeme could have spilled lies to soften the truth, but he knew he may as well be honest, so he said, &quot;Yes. I slipped poison into her mutton. Her dying wish was that I should meet you all!&quot; he exclaimed, getting ready to dodge behind rocks or trees, mostly wishing they were not in an open field with almost no cover whatsoever.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak let out a rolling laugh. &quot;I'll bet she did!&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;She said killing a dragon is easy, but beating one is much harder, and if I wanted to see a true challenge, I am to come to play your game in her place.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;He lies! The lies of man are not for us to burden ourselves with!&quot; Strallienne looked at<br /> <br /> &quot;It is as she has said!&quot; Graeme said swiftly.<br /> <br /> &quot;I believe him,&quot; Cerenyx announced calmly. &quot;Only a fool would suggest such a notion.&quot; He turned to Graeme. &quot;But does he have any idea how to play our game? Surely Jyaktyl would not have us teach him all the subtleties.&quot;<br /> <br /> Graeme was visibly calmer, although his life was still on the line. &quot;I have spent some years studying ancient texts. Your game is not unknown to men. Although I surely cannot be so presumptuous as to know all the intricacies, nor have I had centuries to dwell on strategies, I have devoted my time almost entirely to...&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Yes, yes, we are all very impressed.&quot; Phenlambiak cut him off. &quot;A pity it was all for naught.&quot; He prowled towards Graeme, eyes gleaming.<br /> <br /> &quot;Gkrr'whrimmm!&quot; Cerenyx said sharply in a deep and solid voice. Graeme had no idea if that was a word or a growl.<br /> <br /> &quot;HRoarhh'Ymoirrrr!&quot; Phenlambiak countered. Graeme now counted himself as one of only a few humans ever to hear a dragon argument. There were words there, he was sure of it. He was also pretty sure he didn't want to know what they meant.<br /> <br /> Strallienne screeched, stretching her neck high and letting out a great blast of breathy fire. Graeme could feel the heat from where he stood, and was afraid, but stood his ground.<br /> <br /> &quot;It is Jyaktyl's will!&quot; Cerenyx demanded. &quot;There is no denying the dying wishes of another!&quot;<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak looked annoyed, irritated, and defeated. He hung his head. &quot;It is Jyaktyl's will.&quot; Graeme had slain dragons for years, but defeat was an expression he had never seen. He was amazed.<br /> <br /> Strallienne looked at Phenlambiak. She too bowed her head, irritated. &quot;It is Jyaktyl's will.&quot; She looked back at Graeme, then at Cerenyx. &quot;But he would do well not to try my patience. Jyaktyl may have wanted him to join the game, but she said nothing about how he was to walk away from it.&quot;<br /> <br /> Cerenyx assumed the position at the head of the rock. Despite all the fierceness of actions in the plains today, the mighty stone still seemed to be daydreaming.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak dragged a claw across the top of the stone, scoring it's ancient surface, as if to wake it up. Cerenyx blew an icy wind across the rock. Strallienne bellowed a burst of flame across the rock. The three looked at Graeme. &quot;Well? Go on, breathe on it!&quot; demanded Strallienne impatiently. Graeme strode to the stone. He hadn't really considered where the game was to be played exactly. The stone slab was nearly as tall as he was. He looked at it, thinking he probably should do whatever seems right, and exhaled all his lungs contained, across the surface of the stone. He almost felt as though he should be breathing fire himself. And with that, the stone began to glow, and all the playing pieces shimmered into view. &quot;Interesting,&quot; Graeme thought.<br /> <br /> Cerenyx began. He took a number of pieces off a pile, placed some on the board, and handed out others to the other players. The pieces were like great chunks of polished stone. Graeme could hold no more than one at a time. He arranged them on his side of the board, while the others did likewise. Phenlambiak noticed he was, in fact, able to get the setup right. There may be hope for this human yet.<br /> <br /> Cerenyx spoke up &quot;Of course, you probably think we're going to kill you after the game, Graeme of Drocksworthy.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;I do, yes.&quot; Graeme said with steely gaze. He hadn't really thought about that part, but then he hadn't really expected he'd get this far. Death was something of a given, really.<br /> <br /> &quot;Well then we'd better make it more interesting. We'll only kill you if you lose this game. If you win, you will come back in 13 years and play again.&quot; Strallienne seemed to like this idea very little, but seemed to quickly realize he would not win. There was of course no way he actually could win. Absurd. This was nothing more than posturing anyway. &quot;Fine&quot; she puffed.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak placed his opening pieces on the board. He was using a standard opening. Graeme countered in kind. He needed to climb on top of the large stone slab to reach, and then he hauled two pieces into place. Strallienne placed hers next, barely waiting until Graeme had scurried off the playing board area before placing a piece right where he was standing. Cerenyx started a counter move in another corner of the board, boldly using 3 pieces to secure his station.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak started the second round, advancing mostly on Cerenyx's pieces. Not the wisest move, but a safe one. Graeme saw Strallienne couldn't possibly achieve the next best counter-move against him, so he placed one piece soundly in the middle of hers. She growled, seeing that he was, in fact, a decent player. She placed one piece across from Phenlambiak's opening bastion, and one piece between Graeme's opening move and advance, splitting his pieces up. This of course also broke up her own pieces. She was obviously trying to cover multiple angles. Cerenyx concluded this round by doubling up what he had before. This was a very risky tactic. Phenlambiak saw all this and was amused, mostly at Graeme who was doing quite well.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak began the third and final round. He paused thoughtively. The third round was where the whole game was won or lost. He took his time, sinking into deep thought. The sun settled in the West and rose again in the East. Days passed. Seasons churned. Eons lapsed. Cerenyx cleared his throat, breaking the tension. Phenlambiak placed four pieces around the board in careful precision. It was Graeme's last move, so he studied the board. When … suddenly … Graeme couldn't believe it! He might just have a chance! He thought a moment to make sure he wasn't missing anything, and then dragged three pieces onto the board. This was a very sweeping play! His heart thundered! Strallienne's eyes widened. She saw it too. She knew she couldn't win. She placed one piece just to the left of one of Graeme's. A defeatist's action. Cerenyx played upon what was taking shape, knowing he too had lost.<br /> <br /> All assembled knew who the winner was. Phenlambiak stood fully upright announcing his congratulations. Graeme couldn't believe it! He had won! Cerenyx gave a roar into the evening sky. Strallienne was utterly beside herself, speechless and motionless.<br /> <br /> &quot;Another 13 years,&quot; Cerenyx announced. &quot;Three years for each of us, and one year for all of us!&quot;<br /> <br /> Strallienne screamed harshly as only dragons can do, stretching her wings far and wide. She blew fire angrily into the sky, as she ran some steps across the field until she took flight. Gigantic wings slashed at the air.<br /> <br /> Graeme smiled, knowing what he had won. But then quickly became fearful. She would not forget this. Ever. A fair game among friends is one thing. But defeat to a human? An absolute insult. He looked at Phenlambiak and Cerenyx. &quot;I should go. Quickly.&quot;<br /> <br /> Cerenyx raised an eyebrow. &quot;Yes. You should.&quot;<br /> <br /> Graeme ran off across the Cordian Plain, into the woods, abundant joy bounding inside him.<br /> <br /> &quot;You know.&quot; said Cerenyx &quot;counter-rebuffing is never a good idea when you have the center board to yourself like that.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;You don't say?&quot; Phenlambiak looked back at him. &quot;What a bad move for me then. I suppose the man will eventually realize this, as well. Probably just as Jyaktyl rips his heart out. The fool. You would think someone like that would know you cannot poison a swamp dragon.&quot; He stretched out his wings. &quot;Another 13 years then, old friend?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Indeed.&quot; And with that, the dragons went their separate ways. A lilting wind rustled through the many reeds and grasses, and the playing board and pieces sifted off into dust and blew gently away, leaving only a daydreaming rock alone in the field.<br /> <br /> Scott Myers, 2005</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Draco_Venatio&diff=9655 2005-12-07T21:06:12Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>A lilting wind rustled through the many reeds and grasses of The Cordian Plain. Nestled complacently alone amidst gentle fauna was a massive stone. It seemed to be sleeping placidly, or daydreaming, or whatever else rocks do when no one is around. It had been there for a very, very long time.<br /> <br /> And on this day, as was inevitable to happen once every 13 years, the lilting winds gave way to an increasing thunder of might and fury. Shadows darted across shrubs. Small animals ran for burrows while the mighty thing in the sky swept by. And then another shape careened from the North. And another from the East.<br /> <br /> The first dragon to cross the fields, Phenlambiak, a swift gold-and-white dragon, let out a great shrieking roar, which echoed off distant mountains. This was, as the others would know, a greeting. Despite the great breadth of wings and length of body, Phenlambiak landed softly, gracefully. His legs sunk into the soft ground, claws raking away at The Earth.<br /> <br /> &quot;Cerenyx!&quot; the massive red dragon of the north bellowed, greeting the third. She too landed with grace, her tail swishing across the tops of wildflowers.<br /> <br /> &quot;And you, Strallienne!&quot; the blue dragon replied sharply. Cerenyx circled the giant stone, gliding in with wings outstretched. He landed with matched only by his counterparts.<br /> <br /> &quot;Then we are short but one,&quot; observed Phenlambiak. &quot;It is unlike Jyaktyl to be late.&quot;<br /> <br /> The three paused, considering what to do. Cancel? A pity if Jyaktyl were simply delayed. Traditions this old should not be ignored. Go look for her? She could, of course, be anywhere in the world. Consider themselves snubbed? No, Jyaktyl was not an especially offensive sort.<br /> <br /> &quot;Perhaps a delay while on the way. I received no messengers.&quot; The foursome was not often together, but Strallienne was something of a contact point for the rest. Dragons were never known for their social tendencies, but if one wanted to call a dragon social, one would be referring to Strallienne.<br /> <br /> &quot;Nor shall you.&quot; A voice -- a human voice -- took the three by surprise. It was easy enough to not notice the man approach them before. Who in their right mind would approach three dragons? But to engage them? Swift Phenlambiak pounced across the field, full force, with claws drawn. He aimed to crush the man, but he was not caught flat-footed. The man dodged with stunning prowess and managed to get out the words &quot;Jyaktyl sent me!&quot;<br /> <br /> Strallienne and Cerenyx let Phenlambiak handle this, looking on with interest. Phenlambiak let forth a rolling, growling sneer, steam billowing from his nostrils, making sure the man knew with whom he was dealing. &quot;Where is she?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;I am here to take her place in your game this day.&quot;<br /> <br /> Strallienne laughed the sort of laugh only a dragon can do. Cerenyx smiled. This seemed to bother the man more than Phenlambiak pouncing on him.<br /> <br /> &quot;Of course you are joking. Why have you come, and not Jyaktyl's messenger?&quot; Phenlambiak barked.<br /> <br /> &quot;What was your name?&quot; Cerenyx asked.<br /> <br /> &quot;Graeme of Drocksworthy&quot; he announced. He sounded fairly proud of the distinction his name yielded, but knew it would have a certain backlash in present company.<br /> <br /> &quot;The Dragon Slayer?!?&quot; Strallienne thundered. &quot;Have you slain Jyaktyl!?&quot; She rose of on her hand legs, wings outstretched, every bit of fury within her pouring out. She needed only but to breathe a slight wisp of fire on this man and his days would be ended.<br /> <br /> Graeme knew he had to talk fast. It was true, he had slain a dozen dragons. Jyaktyl was his twelfth. He did not do this out of nobility or pureness of heart, but mostly because he was paid to do so. Graeme was, at heart, a rogue who managed to work a niche market helping people deal with their dragon problems. For all their beauty, dragons were of course a scourge to the lands. Graeme could have spilled lies to soften the truth, but he knew he may as well be honest, so he said, &quot;Yes. I slipped poison into her mutton. Her dying wish was that I should meet you all!&quot; he exclaimed, getting ready to dodge behind rocks or trees, mostly wishing they were not in an open field with almost no cover whatsoever.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak let out a rolling laugh. &quot;I'll bet she did!&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;She said killing a dragon is easy, but beating one is much harder, and if I wanted to see a true challenge, I am to come to play your game in her place.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;He Lies! The lies of man are not for us to burden ourselves with!&quot; Strallienne looked at<br /> <br /> &quot;It is as she has said!&quot; Graeme said swiftly.<br /> <br /> &quot;I believe him,&quot; Cerenyx announced calmly. &quot;Only a fool would suggest such a notion.&quot; He turned to Graeme. &quot;But does he have any idea how to play our game? Surely Jyaktyl would not have us teach him all the subtleties.&quot;<br /> <br /> Graeme was visibly calmer, although his life was still on the line. &quot;I have spent some years studying ancient texts. Your game is not unknown to men. Although I surely cannot be so presumptuous as to know all the intricacies, nor have I had centuries to dwell on strategies, I have devoted my time almost entirely to...&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Yes, yes, we are all very impressed.&quot; Phenlambiak cut him off. &quot;A pity it was all for naught.&quot; He prowled towards Graeme, eyes gleaming.<br /> <br /> &quot;Gkrr'whrimmm!&quot; Cerenyx said sharply in a deep and solid voice. Graeme had no idea if that was a word or a growl.<br /> <br /> &quot;HRoarhh'Ymoirrrr!&quot; Phenlambiak countered. Graeme now counted himself as one of only a few humans ever to hear a dragon argument. There were words there, he was sure of it. He was also pretty sure he didn't want to know what they meant.<br /> <br /> Strallienne screeched, stretching her neck high and letting out a great blast of breathy fire. Graeme could feel the heat from where he stood, and was afraid, but stood his ground.<br /> <br /> &quot;It is Jyaktyl's will!&quot; Cerenyx demanded. &quot;There is no denying the dying wishes of another!&quot;<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak looked annoyed, irritated, and defeated. He hung his head. &quot;It is Jyaktyl's will.&quot; Graeme had slain dragons for years, but defeat was an expression he had never seen. He was amazed.<br /> <br /> Strallienne looked at Phenlambiak. She too bowed her head, irritated. &quot;It is Jyaktyl's will.&quot; She looked back at Graeme, then at Cerenyx. &quot;But he would do well not to try my patience. Jyaktyl may have wanted him to join the game, but she said nothing about how he was to walk away from it.&quot;<br /> <br /> Cerenyx assumed the position at the head of the rock. Despite all the fierceness of actions in the plains today, the mighty stone still seemed to be daydreaming.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak dragged a claw across the top of the stone, scoring it's ancient surface, as if to wake it up. Cerenyx blew an icy wind across the rock. Strallienne bellowed a burst of flame across the rock. The three looked at Graeme. &quot;Well? Go on, breathe on it!&quot; demanded Strallienne impatiently. Graeme strode to the stone. He hadn't really considered where the game was to be played exactly. The stone slab was nearly as tall as he was. He looked at it, thinking he probably should do whatever seems right, and exhaled all his lungs contained, across the surface of the stone. He almost felt as though he should be breathing fire himself. And with that, the stone began to glow, and all the playing pieces shimmered into view. &quot;Interesting,&quot; Graeme thought.<br /> <br /> Cerenyx began. He took a number of pieces off a pile, placed some on the board, and handed out others to the other players. The pieces were like great chunks of polished stone. Graeme could hold no more than one at a time. He arranged them on his side of the board, while the others did likewise. Phenlambiak noticed he was, in fact, able to get the setup right. There may be hope for this human yet.<br /> <br /> Cerenyx spoke up &quot;Of course, you probably think we're going to kill you after the game, Graeme of Drocksworthy.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;I do, yes.&quot; Graeme said with steely gaze. He hadn't really thought about that part, but then he hadn't really expected he'd get this far. Death was something of a given, really.<br /> <br /> &quot;Well then we'd better make it more interesting. We'll only kill you if you lose this game. If you win, you will come back in 13 years and play again.&quot; Strallienne seemed to like this idea very little, but seemed to quickly realize he would not win. There was of course no way he actually could win. Absurd. This was nothing more than posturing anyway. &quot;Fine&quot; she puffed.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak placed his opening pieces on the board. He was using a standard opening. Graeme countered in kind. He needed to climb on top of the large stone slab to reach, and then he hauled two pieces into place. Strallienne placed hers next, barely waiting until Graeme had scurried off the playing board area before placing a piece right where he was standing. Cerenyx started a counter move in another corner of the board, boldly using 3 pieces to secure his station.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak started the second round, advancing mostly on Cerenyx's pieces. Not the wisest move, but a safe one. Graeme saw Strallienne couldn't possibly achieve the next best counter-move against him, so he placed one piece soundly in the middle of hers. She growled, seeing that he was, in fact, a decent player. She placed one piece across from Phenlambiak's opening bastion, and one piece between Graeme's opening move and advance, splitting his pieces up. This of course also broke up her own pieces. She was obviously trying to cover multiple angles. Cerenyx concluded this round by doubling up what he had before. This was a very risky tactic. Phenlambiak saw all this and was amused, mostly at Graeme who was doing quite well.<br /> <br /> Phenlambiak began the third and final round. He paused thoughtively. The third round was where the whole game was won or lost. He took his time, sinking into deep thought. The sun settled in the West and rose again in the East. Days passed. Seasons churned. Eons lapsed. Cerenyx cleared his throat, breaking the tension. Phenlambiak placed four pieces around the board in careful precision. It was Graeme's last move, so he studied the board. When … suddenly … Graeme couldn't believe it! He might just have a chance! He thought a moment to make sure he wasn't missing anything, and then dragged three pieces onto the board. This was a very sweeping play! His heart thundered! Strallienne's eyes widened. She saw it too. She knew she couldn't win. She placed one piece just to the left of one of Graeme's. A defeatist's action. Cerenyx played upon what was taking shape, knowing he too had lost.<br /> <br /> All assembled knew who the winner was. Phenlambiak stood fully upright announcing his congratulations. Graeme couldn't believe it! He had won! Cerenyx gave a roar into the evening sky. Strallienne was utterly beside herself, speechless and motionless.<br /> <br /> &quot;Another 13 years,&quot; Cerenyx announced. &quot;Three years for each of us, and one year for all of us!&quot;<br /> <br /> Strallienne screamed harshly as only dragons can do, stretching her wings far and wide. She blew fire angrily into the sky, as she ran some steps across the field until she took flight. Gigantic wings slashed at the air.<br /> <br /> Graeme smiled, knowing what he had won. But then quickly became fearful. She would not forget this. Ever. A fair game among friends is one thing. But defeat to a human? An absolute insult. He looked at Phenlambiak and Cerenyx. &quot;I should go. Quickly.&quot;<br /> <br /> Cerenyx raised an eyebrow. &quot;Yes. You should.&quot;<br /> <br /> Graeme ran off across the Cordian Plain, into the woods, abundant joy bounding inside him.<br /> <br /> &quot;You know.&quot; said Cerenyx &quot;counter-rebuffing is never a good idea when you have the center board to yourself like that.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;You don't say?&quot; Phenlambiak looked back at him. &quot;What a bad move for me then. I suppose the man will eventually realize this, as well. Probably just as Jyaktyl rips his heart out. The fool. You would think someone like that would know you cannot poison a swamp dragon.&quot; He stretched out his wings. &quot;Another 13 years then, old friend?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Indeed.&quot; And with that, the dragons went their separate ways. A lilting wind rustled through the many reeds and grasses, and the playing board and pieces sifted off into dust and blew gently away, leaving only a daydreaming rock alone in the field.<br /> <br /> Scott Myers, 2005</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9654 2005-12-07T20:55:29Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2101 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9653 2005-12-07T20:47:50Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D) Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Draco Venatio]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2101 words'''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words Editor:SledgeCallier'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Number Cruncher]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 07-DEC-05, 0 words, lots of 0's and 1's'''<br /> A nice little binary puzzle I quickly wrote. The code should work but feel free to check it.<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Carnival of Monsters]] - [[User:MikeyJ]] 07-DEC-05, 192 words'''<br /> An excuse to insult people.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:Ramblerhymes_I_and_II&diff=9631 2005-12-06T22:53:56Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>A work from the compilation [[Tales From Earth]].<br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> '''Ramblerhyme I'''<br /> <br /> I’ll talk about this and that, like a Fireside Chat, with Roosevelt in the 1930's. Are your shoes dirty? Then wipe them on the doormat. It is 'cause you're sore that your format was broken like the hearts of hobos in Hoboken? Well, I'd take that statement back but it's already been spoken. I need tokens for the subway fare to reach the daycare and lay there until they stare at me with funny looks before throwing cookbooks and encyclopedias at my head to inflict brain damage like the modern media! Or is it that Liz lit a fire for a funeral pyre for your self-respect? Or do your finances do numerical digit dances because your taxes and bank balance faxes weren’t double-checked? Incessant prattle like baby rattles damage eardrums, but drunkards drink beer, rum, and martinis until they can't see me because their heads are in the loo. I may be quite silly and speak with words written willy-nilly, but I'm smarter than you! And so is your pet goldfish, which made a bold wish for a cold dish of fish sticks! Is it a cannibal like Hannibal with gills and fins? In that Hell-sent event, nobody wins. But the winner is only the worst as losing. Would that be twice as bad, or am I just being confusing? Well, I know I'm being absurd with bird-turd quality word combos. Care to mambo? Or foxtrot, perhaps, over sad saps that have fallen astray, and now spend all day staring at a screen or an ashtray. Those folks, I suppose, have lungs filled with sludge darker than German double fudge smudged on a pudgy boy's mouth. I'll migrate south to avoid stumbling into the moral void created caused by society's crumbling. Or is it that I'm just mumbling? Well, I know I am tumbling and doing logical back flips and sinking battleships and messing with minds like bad acid trips on LSD, which makes everything groovy. Now, drugs are bad, like the Devil, but he’s on a different level or plateau, and Dr. Moreau’s freakish creatures are to be featured in the next big blockbuster Hollywood horror movie. And once the credits roll, all your happy friends will watch the sappy end to their favorite high-rated drama show. The main character had heart trauma, no? Either way, I'll change channels and traipse through the annals of human thought and frown upon them like a pack of apes with all the pointless worldly possessions they bought in feeble attempts on the happiness they sought. Of course, now they're caught up in the disturbing truths I brought up, so I'll get a running start on the gunning part of the expected village mob. I enjoy being wise to fools whose eyes are tools to the business guys' master plans to mine jewels. But, hey, it's my job.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''Ramblerhyme II'''<br /> <br /> I consider these rants to be somewhere between 50’s beatnik poetry slams, 80’s old-school party jams, and vaudeville slap-happy stage hams. But good comedy is a dead art, sunken in time like the lead part from an ancient machine, like a lock from a cage crafted in the Iron Age and hammered into shape with rocks. Like parrots, many people talk and squawk without knowing where the conversation’s going, hopeless of finding a self-concocted opinion like a lifeboat rowing through the Sea of Japan. But, man, it can become a dull time fearing Orwellian thoughtcrime and bearing through intellectual lulls. Like that man mulls it over before acting on an impulsive whim! And he convulses at the thought of abstract things too complex for him. He can try to comprehend it, or light it aflame. To the wise, it’s atrocious, but to him it either depends or it’s really all the same. Because he doesn’t want a universal truth that could cause pain like a cavity-cracked tooth; he wants a sugary lie that can soothe and explain. The opiate of the masses is the dentist’s Novocain! Talking in imperfect circles until lack of air makes my skin purple, almost like suffocating from a face full of back hair. I'm not going back there, back where black stares penetrate your essence, unless you don't exist like an invisible presence. I got presents for Christmas until I converted, after which all the local nuns were alerted to my change in faith. In righteous fury, they hunted me down like Tolkien's ring wraiths. Meanwhile in Middle Earth, the middlemen argued over the worth of potions made of clover and myrrh. My girlfriend asked for a bottle, but I have a notion the exchange rates will seal the fate that I won't get any for her. So, instead, I'll wrap her in furs and the finest mink stoles that I stole 'cause I'm a fink, but that's fine, 'cause they're crap. Is this bad freeform poetry, or a bad freestyle rap? If it's a rap, then it's outdated, overrated, emaciated pap, which deserves a well-weighted bitchslap; but if it's a poem, then the audience can go ahead and clap. Why, you ask? Because poetry is a complex task without a definite goal, where sheer density of concept can create ideological diamonds from coal. Or maybe it is just nonsense that I'm doling out while strolling about the town square in just long john underwear. Should I care? Of course not, self, it’s not like anyone is there! I mean, nobody's looking while I'm cooking a fragile word soufflé that could rupture and deflate any day. Or maybe it would pop and explode like Pop Rocks and Coke simultaneously in the same belly. If the myth were not true, then would somebody tell me? Well, be on your way, for this fine day grows finer like the aging of French wine, Chateau Beloux, 1944, Calais. An excellent year, worth shedding a tear, for the travesties of man were found incredibly near those wineries so dear with the evil mastermind in a bunker, underground. Most look back and reflect, while others, not a sound. Could it be an irrational fear of revelations profound, or a national cheer for silence and lack of exclamation? The sad thing is, since you're such a technical wiz, if you wince at these proclamations, you can just change the station.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:ilovenatalie.exe&diff=9630 2005-12-06T22:46:18Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>Natalie had been missing for days; everyone worried himself or herself sick for her, as they hadn’t seen heads or tails of her for three weeks. Ads in the paper, appearances on television, cash rewards for accurate help; nothing had worked. The entire Hilsenrod family was struck with anxiety and sadness. But nobody, not even Natalie’s own blood relatives, felt the pain that William felt.<br /> <br /> William had supported Natalie’s decision to work for the Wexler Biotechnology Co., even if it meant only coming home on the major holidays. She would always write from her base, the specific lab where she and a few other scientists from around the world toiled night and day in search of various cures. It was definitely taxing on their marriage, but the distance only made their love stronger, helping to keep it alive.<br /> <br /> But now, things had gone horribly wrong. Three weeks earlier, Base 9 had caught on fire, and all the staff that was working there, including Natalie, had gone missing. Once the fire had been put out and the damage assessed, no signs of any workers, nor a handful of research documents, could be found. But, one deduction was made very clear by the investigators: it was no accident that the compound went aflame.<br /> <br /> William wrapped his arms in as comforting a hug as he could muster around Natalie’s mother as she continued on another fit of bawling. As much as he could sympathize with the rest of her family, the constant air of sadness was getting to him. All the memories, concerns, what-ifs, what-weres, what-could-have-beens; it was simply too much for William to bear for so long in one sitting.<br /> <br /> He told the Hilsenrod family he was going to take a nice, long walk through Battery Park; perhaps the cool, autumn New York air could clear his mind and soothe his nerves. He donned his favorite brown jacket, left it unzipped, and meandered out of the apartment’s lobby in the park’s general direction, furrowed brow and panicking imagination in tow.<br /> <br /> The light breeze blowing in his face was helping him relax. His shocks of dark brown hair swayed back ever so slightly, and William was lost in the moment. He had always loved New York City; the experience of being alone among so many people, and happy about it, would constant bring a light smile to his chapped lips. As the fall rainbow peered its way around the corner, he ambled along to the mouth of the nearest walkway, finally in the little safe haven he knew so well.<br /> <br /> The state of affairs still weighed heavy on his mind, so he sat down on a convenient bench along the path. The wood creaked in welcome of William’s body, acclimating to his weight and holding him as he sat. He flung his head back, sighed, and took deep breaths of the chilled air around him; pragmatic meditation, one might say.<br /> <br /> Minutes passed uneventfully, save for the occasional passerby, fantastically unconcerned with what William was doing. He was well relaxed, if not quite ready to return either to Natalie’s parent’s apartment, or his own. It was a blissful period of floating, detaching himself from the tethers of his chaos, if even just temporarily. At least that was the case until an older man sat down on the other end of the bench.<br /> <br /> A fair period of silence passed between the two, until the man began studying William’s face intently. He was desperately trying to recall where he had seen William before, racking his brain and squinting thoughtfully. Then, it struck him very suddenly, prompting him to ask, “Sorry, but are you that guy whose wife got lost in that big Wexler fire?”<br /> <br /> Grudgingly pulled from his makeshift zen, he rubbed his eyes and mumbled, “Yeah, why?”<br /> <br /> “I saw you on television; hey, tough break, I hope things turn out alright.”<br /> <br /> “So do I, believe me,” retorted William with a sliver of distaste in his tone.<br /> <br /> “Well now, that’s no way to talk to well-wishers, kid.”<br /> <br /> “No way to talk to twenty-something adults, old fart.”<br /> <br /> “Cheek. Well, regardless, I think you might want this.”<br /> <br /> The man opened a briefcase he had placed on the side opposite William, out of his view, and produced a piece of paper. It was a long string of three-digit numbers organized in a grid.<br /> <br /> William took it, pondered over it, and then leered aghast as the meaning of the paper came to him. He recognized the pattern almost instantly as the emergency code he and Natalie shared, in case anything ever happened to one of them.<br /> <br /> William glanced back and forth between the paper and the unknown man, his mind racing back to the present crisis at hand, and how crucial this paper was. Eventually he regained his senses enough to ask the gentleman, “Where the hell did you get this? How did you find me?”<br /> <br /> At this, the mystery man leaned in and spoke very, very low. “I’m a colleague of your wife’s, the name’s Carter.”<br /> <br /> “Carter Ford?”<br /> <br /> “Yeah.”<br /> <br /> “Natalie mentioned your name from time to time, aren’t you the supervisor of her base?”<br /> <br /> “Bingo. I’m one of them, at least. I was off the work cycle that day when I received a fax from the lab. It was Natalie, she wrote that the guards in the lab staged a takeover and abducted most of the scientists. She was barely able to get the message to me before they got her and wrecked the base, I guess. I messaged her back with no response. That was all she sent, other than this grid and the clear instructions to find you in New York and make sure you got this.”<br /> <br /> “I can’t thank you enough, Carter.”<br /> <br /> “No problem. I know that the safety of my team is in danger, and I especially would hate to see Natalie in trouble, she’s one of the finest researchers we’ve got.”<br /> <br /> “Alright, but I need the key. Did she give you that?”<br /> <br /> “Nope,” Carter announced sternly.<br /> <br /> “What?! You rotten bastard, what I am supposed to do?!”<br /> <br /> “Wait for a while, I know you’ll get the key.”<br /> <br /> With a sigh, William relented. “You’re right, sending a code and key at the same time is stupid, even in a panic, Natalie would know better.”<br /> <br /> “Well, take care of yourself, kid.”<br /> <br /> “You too, old fart.”<br /> <br /> “Until we meet again.”<br /> <br /> “When’s that?”<br /> <br /> “Beats me,” Carter gleefully chirped.<br /> <br /> With that, Carter shifted himself upright from the bench. As he closed and picked up his briefcase, the bench creaked its goodbye, and he walked quickly away. Carter sat dumbfounded, he was desperately trying to piece everything that just happened together with the situation. It sloshed about in his mind like a restless tide, each wave dredging different thoughts. <br /> <br /> And then it all clicked in William’s mind: the code, the key, and the message were all before him. He jolted from the bench, folded the paper neatly in his pocket, and dashed for the subway entrance he passed on the way in, hoping to catch the soonest train home.<br /> <br /> On arrival, William scrambled to his computer, booted up, and immediately scanned the numbers into an image and grafted the grid into type. From there, he dug deep into his file directory and pulled out what would open the way to an adventure the likes of which he was totally unprepared for.<br /> <br /> ilovenatalie.exe.<br /> <br /> He dragged the text into the window, entered the key, and watched the message unravel letter by letter before his eyes. The sheer immensity of what William now faced was so much that he was dumbstruck at what he read. Once he escaped the trance of his disbelief, he immediately booked the soonest possible coach flight out of JFK or LaGuardia, and began packing hastily for tomorrow night.<br /> <br /> 333 428 088 050 013 510 027 304 121 137 220 013 103 010 010 222<br /> 230 015 318 150 220 561 050 222 005 077 615 007 150 005 010 341<br /> 413 015 220 150 026 586 121 140 005 072 220 015 181 005 200 428<br /> 483 077 440 100 220 586 115 057 005 077 165 005 150 022 080 077<br /> 023 062 318 100 206 250 115 318 110 005 484 010 140 015 010 341<br /> 516 134 121 020 013 535 027 086 083 126 341 004 126 023 220 150<br /> 540 237 066 160 323 137 110 072 022 088 286 001 118 021 220 253<br /> 540 325 121 210 220 352 027 028 005 016 484 005 150 010 010 206<br /> 483 015 318 170 170 137 115 085 110 083 318 014 214 013 010 031<br /> 516 253 186 160 170 112 027 347 027 110 615 016 118 005 010 341<br /> 516 134 121 230 206 250 121 072 022 077 022 022 070 016 150 325<br /> 460 015 341 210 220 352 033 336 110 005 066 008 007 020 070 077<br /> 380 103 363 150 066 474 132 014 022 110 220 013 103 010 160 237<br /> 103 253 286 130 013 510 115 401 083 126 187 001 181 005 220 253<br /> 150 150 341 040 183 708 066 014 011 088 022 020 165 015 050 310<br /> 150 310 242 140 286 224 027 028 005 115 121 013 038 025 100 325<br /> 023 237 088 060 130 387 033 236 126 121 187 016 188 027 160 356<br /> 070 015 341 150 066 586 121 280 005 066 220 028 038 022 080 077<br /> 173 077 440 140 267 250 088 280 005 148 615 016 173 003 010 237<br /> 150 150 341 040 116 250 072 028 027 033 363 020 027 022 080 077<br /> 070 253 318 170 013 387 148 014 038 027 341 022 157 004 160 150<br /> 276 237 363 250 286 224 005 318 066 027 561 010 157 025 010 325<br /> 483 341 022 270 130 387 038 140 077 005 133 013 007 022 100 237<br /> 483 015 341 060 260 025 027 333 050 126 066 016 188 010 220 134<br /> 206 150 462 250 130 163 027 065 073 050 286 027 054 016 160 062<br /> 310 356 066 120 053 025 110 183 050 077 165 004 126 015 160 341<br /> 586 253 440 200 363 025 011 236 126 121 318 027 188 005 130 206<br /> 046 077 220 150 103 586 077 183 027 115 341 022 062 005 210 077<br /> 173 356 022 200 053 535 022 072 016 083 088 005 165 008 100 325<br /> 333 077 462 210 013 188 027 207 148 066 363 024 038 006 160 310<br /> 643 253 516 250 130 336 066 222 027 132 121 020 046 001 040 077<br /> 516 134 121 060 013 561 027 236 033 077 022 022 070 016 150 325<br /> 230 325 516 170 286 423 083 236 126 077 022 022 007 013 100 077<br /> <br /> ''Where is William going tomorrow?''<br /> <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> <br /> ''' ''PLEASE NOTE'': The code needs to be double-checked for accuracy, as I encoded the whole thing by hand (which sucked). If I could get a PM from someone willing to be given the method of deciphering and having the answer spoiled, I would greatly appreciate it.'''</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9629 2005-12-06T21:30:38Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D)'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Dragons]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2000+ words'''<br /> ''(Very nearly completed - Probably will get a better title.)''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9628 2005-12-06T21:20:55Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D)'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Dragons]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2000+ words'''<br /> ''(Very nearly completed - Probably will get a better title.)''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9627 2005-12-06T21:10:50Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D)'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Dragons]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2000+ words'''<br /> ''(Very nearly completed - Probably will get a better title.)''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9626 2005-12-06T20:57:36Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D)'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Dragons]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2000+ words'''<br /> ''(Very nearly completed - Probably will get a better title.)''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:ilovenatalie.exe&diff=9625 2005-12-06T20:53:53Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>Natalie had been missing for days; everyone worried himself or herself sick for her, as they hadn’t seen heads or tails of her for three weeks. Ads in the paper, appearances on television, cash rewards for accurate help; nothing had worked. The entire Hilsenrod family was struck with anxiety and sadness. But nobody, not even Natalie’s own blood relatives, felt the pain that William felt.<br /> <br /> William had supported Natalie’s decision to work for the Wexler Biotechnology Co., even if it meant only coming home on the major holidays. She would always write from her base, the specific lab where she and a few other scientists from around the world toiled night and day in search of various cures. It was definitely taxing on their marriage, but the distance only made their love stronger to keep it alive.<br /> <br /> But now, things had gone horribly wrong. Three weeks earlier, Base 9 had caught on fire, and all the staff that was working there, including Natalie, had gone missing. Once the fire had been put out and the damage assessed, no signs of any workers, nor a handful of research documents, could be found. But, one deduction was made very clear by the investigators: it was no accident that the compound went aflame.<br /> <br /> William wrapped his arms in as comforting a hug as he could muster around Natalie’s mother as she continued on another fit of bawling. As much as he could sympathize with the rest of her family, the constant air of sadness was getting to him. All the memories, concerns, what-ifs, what-weres, what-could-have-beens; it was simply too much for William to bear in so long in one sitting.<br /> <br /> He told the Hilsenrod family he was going to take a nice, long walk through Battery Park; perhaps the cool, autumn New York air could clear his mind and soothe his nerves. He donned his favorite brown jacket, left it unzipped, and meandered out of the apartment’s lobby in the park’s general direction, furrowed brow and panicking imagination in tow.<br /> <br /> The light breeze blowing in his face was helping him relax. His shocks of dark brown hair swayed back ever so slightly, and William was lost in the moment. He had always loved New York City; the experience of being alone among people and happy about would constant bring a light smile to his chapped lips. As the fall rainbow peered its way around the corner, he ambled along to the mouth of the nearest walkway, finally in the little safe haven he knew so well.<br /> <br /> The state of affairs still weighed heavy on his mind, so he sat down on a convenient bench along the path. The wood creaked in welcome of William’s body, acclimating to his weight and holding him as he sat. He flung his head back, sighed, and took deep breaths of the chilled air around him; pragmatic meditation, one might say.<br /> <br /> Minutes passed uneventfully, save the occasional passerby, fantastically unconcerned with what William was doing. He was well relaxed, if not quite ready to return either to the Natalie’s parent’s apartment, nor his own. It was a blissful period of floating, detaching himself from the tethers of his chaos, if even just temporarily. At least that was the case until an older man sat down on the other end of the bench.<br /> <br /> A fair period of silence passed between the two, until the man began studying William’s face intently. He was desperately trying to recall where he had seen William before, racking his brain and squinting thoughtfully. Then, it struck him very suddenly, prompting him to ask, “Sorry, but are you that guy whose wife got lost in that big Wexler fire?”<br /> <br /> Grudgingly pulled from his makeshift zen, he rubbed his eyes and mumbled, “Yeah, why?”<br /> <br /> “I saw you on television; hey, tough break, I hope things turn out alright.”<br /> <br /> “So do I, believe me,” retorted William with a sliver of distaste in his tone.<br /> <br /> “Well now, that’s no way to talk to well-wishers, kid.”<br /> <br /> “No way to talk to twenty-something adults, old fart.”<br /> <br /> “Cheek. Well, regardless, I think you might want this.”<br /> <br /> The man opened a briefcase he had placed on the side opposite William, out of his view, and produced a piece of paper. It was a long string of three-digit numbers organized in a grid.<br /> <br /> William took it, pondered over it, and then leered aghast as the meaning of the paper came to him. He recognized the pattern almost instantly as the emergency code he and Natalie shared, in case anything ever happened to one of them.<br /> <br /> William glanced back and forth between the paper and the unknown man, his mind racing back to the present crisis at hand, and how crucial this paper was. Eventually he regained his senses enough to ask the gentleman, “Where the hell did you get this? How did you find me?”<br /> <br /> At this, the mystery man leaned in and spoke very, very low. “I’m a colleague of your wife’s, the name’s Carter.”<br /> <br /> “Carter Ford?”<br /> <br /> “Yeah.”<br /> <br /> “Natalie mentioned your name from time to time, aren’t you the supervisor of her base?”<br /> <br /> “Bingo. I’m one of them, at least. I was off the work cycle that day when I received a fax from the lab. It was Natalie, she wrote that the guards in the lab staged a takeover and abducted most of the scientists. She was barely able to get the message to me before they got her and wrecked the base, I guess. I messaged her back with no response. That was all she sent, other than this grid and the clear instructions to find you in New York and make sure you got this.”<br /> <br /> “I can’t thank you enough, Carter.”<br /> <br /> “No problem. I know that the safety of my team is in danger, and I especially would hate to see Natalie in trouble, she’s one of the finest researchers we’ve got.”<br /> <br /> “Alright, but I need the key. Did she give you that?”<br /> <br /> “Nope,” Carter announced sternly.<br /> <br /> “What?! You rotten bastard, what I am supposed to do?!”<br /> <br /> “Wait for a while, I know you’ll get the key.”<br /> <br /> With a sigh, William relented. “You’re right, sending a code and key at the same time is stupid, even in a panic, Natalie would know better.”<br /> <br /> “Well, take care of yourself, kid.”<br /> <br /> “You too, old fart.”<br /> <br /> “Until we meet again.”<br /> <br /> “When’s that?”<br /> <br /> “Beats me,” Carter gleefully chirped.<br /> <br /> With that, Carter shifted himself upright from the bench. As he closed and picked up his briefcase, the bench creaked its goodbye, and he walked quickly away. Carter sat dumbfounded, he was desperately trying to piece everything that just happened together with the situation. It sloshed about in his mind like a restless tide, each wave dredging different thoughts. <br /> <br /> And then it all clicked in William’s mind: the code, the key, and the message were all before him. He jolted from the bench, folded the paper neatly in his pocket, and dashed for the subway entrance he passed on the way in, hoping to catch the soonest train home.<br /> <br /> On arrival, William scrambled to his computer, booted up, and immediately scanned the numbers into an image and grafted the grid into type. From there, he dug deep into his file directory and pulled out what would open the way to an adventure the likes of which he was totally unprepared for.<br /> <br /> ilovenatalie.exe.<br /> <br /> He dragged the text into the window, entered the key, and watched the message unravel letter by letter before his eyes. The sheer immensity of what William now faced was so much that he was dumbstruck at what he read. Once he escaped the trance of his disbelief, he immediately booked the soonest possible coach flight out of JFK or LaGuardia, and began packing hastily for tomorrow night.<br /> <br /> 333 428 088 050 013 510 027 304 121 137 220 013 103 010 010 222<br /> 230 015 318 150 220 561 050 222 005 077 615 007 150 005 010 341<br /> 413 015 220 150 026 586 121 140 005 072 220 015 181 005 200 428<br /> 483 077 440 100 220 586 115 057 005 077 165 005 150 022 080 077<br /> 023 062 318 100 206 250 115 318 110 005 484 010 140 015 010 341<br /> 516 134 121 020 013 535 027 086 083 126 341 004 126 023 220 150<br /> 540 237 066 160 323 137 110 072 022 088 286 001 118 021 220 253<br /> 540 325 121 210 220 352 027 028 005 016 484 005 150 010 010 206<br /> 483 015 318 170 170 137 115 085 110 083 318 014 214 013 010 031<br /> 516 253 186 160 170 112 027 347 027 110 615 016 118 005 010 341<br /> 516 134 121 230 206 250 121 072 022 077 022 022 070 016 150 325<br /> 460 015 341 210 220 352 033 336 110 005 066 008 007 020 070 077<br /> 380 103 363 150 066 474 132 014 022 110 220 013 103 010 160 237<br /> 103 253 286 130 013 510 115 401 083 126 187 001 181 005 220 253<br /> 150 150 341 040 183 708 066 014 011 088 022 020 165 015 050 310<br /> 150 310 242 140 286 224 027 028 005 115 121 013 038 025 100 325<br /> 023 237 088 060 130 387 033 236 126 121 187 016 188 027 160 356<br /> 070 015 341 150 066 586 121 280 005 066 220 028 038 022 080 077<br /> 173 077 440 140 267 250 088 280 005 148 615 016 173 003 010 237<br /> 150 150 341 040 116 250 072 028 027 033 363 020 027 022 080 077<br /> 070 253 318 170 013 387 148 014 038 027 341 022 157 004 160 150<br /> 276 237 363 250 286 224 005 318 066 027 561 010 157 025 010 325<br /> 483 341 022 270 130 387 038 140 077 005 133 013 007 022 100 237<br /> 483 015 341 060 260 025 027 333 050 126 066 016 188 010 220 134<br /> 206 150 462 250 130 163 027 065 073 050 286 027 054 016 160 062<br /> 310 356 066 120 053 025 110 183 050 077 165 004 126 015 160 341<br /> 586 253 440 200 363 025 011 236 126 121 318 027 188 005 130 206<br /> 046 077 220 150 103 586 077 183 027 115 341 022 062 005 210 077<br /> 173 356 022 200 053 535 022 072 016 083 088 005 165 008 100 325<br /> 333 077 462 210 013 188 027 207 148 066 363 024 038 006 160 310<br /> 643 253 516 250 130 336 066 222 027 132 121 020 046 001 040 077<br /> 516 134 121 060 013 561 027 236 033 077 022 022 070 016 150 325<br /> 230 325 516 170 286 423 083 236 126 077 022 022 007 013 100 077<br /> <br /> ''Where is William going tomorrow?''<br /> <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> <br /> ''' ''PLEASE NOTE'': The code needs to be double-checked for accuracy, as I encoded the whole thing by hand (which sucked). If I could get a PM from someone willing to be given the method of deciphering and having the answer spoiled, I would greatly appreciate it.'''</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth:ilovenatalie.exe&diff=9624 2005-12-06T20:31:07Z

<p>Centipede: </p> <hr /> <div>Natalie had been missing for days; everyone worried himself or herself sick for her, as they hadn’t seen heads or tails of her for three weeks. Ads in the paper, appearances on television, cash rewards for accurate help; nothing had worked. The entire Hilsenrod family was struck with anxiety and sadness. But nobody, not even Natalie’s own blood relatives, felt the pain that William felt.<br /> <br /> William had supported Natalie’s decision to work for the Wexler Biotechnology Co., even if it meant only coming home on the major holidays. She would always write from her base, the specific lab where she and a few other scientists from around the world toiled night and day in search of various cures. It was definitely taxing on their marriage, but the distance only made their love stronger to keep it alive.<br /> <br /> But now, things had gone horribly wrong. Three weeks earlier, Base 9 had caught on fire, and all the staff that was working there, including Natalie, had gone missing. Once the fire had been put out and the damage assessed, no signs of any workers, nor a handful of research documents, could be found. But, one deduction was made very clear by the investigators: it was no accident that the compound went aflame.<br /> <br /> William wrapped his arms in as comforting a hug as he could muster around Natalie’s mother as she continued on another fit of bawling. As much as he could sympathize with the rest of her family, the constant air of sadness was getting to him. All the memories, concerns, what-ifs, what-weres, what-could-have-beens; it was simply too much for William to bear in so long in one sitting.<br /> <br /> He told the Hilsenrod family he was going to take a nice, long walk through Battery Park; perhaps the cool, autumn New York air could clear his mind and soothe his nerves. He donned his favorite brown jacket, left it unzipped, and meandered out of the apartment’s lobby in the park’s general direction, furrowed brow and panicking imagination in tow.<br /> <br /> The light breeze blowing in his face was helping him relax. His shocks of dark brown hair swayed back ever so slightly, and William was lost in the moment. He had always loved New York City; the experience of being alone among people and happy about would constant bring a light smile to his chapped lips. As the fall rainbow peered its way around the corner, he ambled along to the mouth of the nearest walkway, finally in the little safe haven he knew so well.<br /> <br /> The state of affairs still weighed heavy on his mind, so he sat down on a convenient bench along the path. The wood creaked in welcome of William’s body, acclimating to his weight and holding him as he sat. He flung his head back, sighed, and took deep breaths of the chilled air around him; pragmatic meditation, one might say.<br /> <br /> Minutes passed uneventfully, save the occasional passerby, fantastically unconcerned with what William was doing. He was well relaxed, if not quite ready to return either to the Natalie’s parent’s apartment, nor his own. It was a blissful period of floating, detaching himself from the tethers of his chaos, if even just temporarily. At least that was the case until an older man sat down on the other end of the bench.<br /> <br /> A fair period of silence passed between the two, until the man began studying William’s face intently. He was desperately trying to recall where he had seen William before, racking his brain and squinting thoughtfully. Then, it struck him very suddenly, prompting him to ask, “Sorry, but are you that guy whose wife got lost in that big Wexler fire?”<br /> <br /> Grudgingly pulled from his makeshift zen, he rubbed his eyes and mumbled, “Yeah, why?”<br /> <br /> “I saw you on television; hey, tough break, I hope things turn out alright.”<br /> <br /> “So do I, believe me,” retorted William with a sliver of distaste in his tone.<br /> <br /> “Well now, that’s no way to talk to well-wishers, kid.”<br /> <br /> “No way to talk to twenty-something adults, old fart.”<br /> <br /> “Cheek. Well, regardless, I think you might want this.”<br /> <br /> The man opened a briefcase he had placed on the side opposite William, out of his view, and produced a piece of paper. It was a long string of three-digit numbers organized in a grid.<br /> <br /> William took it, pondered over it, and then leered aghast as the meaning of the paper came to him. He recognized the pattern almost instantly as the emergency code he and Natalie shared, in case anything ever happened to one of them.<br /> <br /> William glanced back and forth between the paper and the unknown man, his mind racing back to the present crisis at hand, and how crucial this paper was. Eventually he regained his senses enough to ask the gentleman, “Where the hell did you get this? How did you find me?”<br /> <br /> At this, the mystery man leaned in and spoke very, very low. “I’m a colleague of your wife’s; the name’s Carter.”<br /> <br /> “Carter Ford?”<br /> <br /> “Yeah.”<br /> <br /> “Natalie mentioned your name from time to time; aren’t you the supervisor of her base?”<br /> <br /> “Bingo; I’m one of them, at least. I was off the work cycle that day when I received a fax from the lab. It was Natalie; she wrote that the guards in the lab staged a takeover and abducted most of the scientists. She was barely able to get the message to me before they got her and wrecked the base, I guess; I messaged her back with no response. That was all she sent, other than this grid and the clear instructions to find you in New York and make sure you got this.”<br /> <br /> “I can’t thank you enough, Carter.”<br /> <br /> “No problem; I know that the safety of my team is in danger, and I especially would hate to see Natalie in trouble; she’s one of the finest researchers we’ve got.”<br /> <br /> “Alright, but I need the key. Did she give you that?”<br /> <br /> “Nope,” Carter announced sternly.<br /> <br /> “What?! You rotten bastard, what I am supposed to do?!”<br /> <br /> “Wait for a while; I know you’ll get the key.”<br /> <br /> With a sigh, William relented. “You’re right; sending a code and key at the same time is stupid; even in a panic, Natalie would know better.”<br /> <br /> “Well, take care of yourself, kid.”<br /> <br /> “You too, old fart.”<br /> <br /> “Until we meet again.”<br /> <br /> “When’s that?”<br /> <br /> “Beats me,” Carter gleefully chirped.<br /> <br /> With that, Carter shifted himself upright from the bench. As he closed and picked up his briefcase, the bench creaked its goodbye, and he walked quickly away. Carter sat dumbfounded; he was desperately trying to piece everything that just happened together with the situation. It sloshed about in his mind like a restless tide, each wave dredging different thoughts. <br /> <br /> And then it all clicked in William’s mind; the code, the key, and the message were all before him. He jolted from the bench, folded the paper neatly in his pocket, and dashed for the subway entrance he passed on the way in, hoping to catch the soonest train home.<br /> <br /> On arrival, William scrambled to his computer, booted up, and immediately scanned the numbers into an image and grafted the grid into type. From there, he dug deep into his file directory and pulled out what would open the way to an adventure the likes of which he was totally unprepared for.<br /> <br /> ilovenatalie.exe.<br /> <br /> He dragged the text into the window, entered the key, and watched the message unravel letter by letter before his eyes. The sheer immensity of what William now faced was so much that he was dumbstruck at what he read. Once he escaped the trance of his disbelief, he immediately booked the soonest possible coach flight out of JFK or LaGuardia, and began packing hastily for tomorrow night.<br /> <br /> 333 428 088 050 013 510 027 304 121 137 220 013 103 010 010 222<br /> 230 015 318 150 220 561 050 222 005 077 615 007 150 005 010 341<br /> 413 015 220 150 026 586 121 140 005 072 220 015 181 005 200 428<br /> 483 077 440 100 220 586 115 057 005 077 165 005 150 022 080 077<br /> 023 062 318 100 206 250 115 318 110 005 484 010 140 015 010 341<br /> 516 134 121 020 013 535 027 086 083 126 341 004 126 023 220 150<br /> 540 237 066 160 323 137 110 072 022 088 286 001 118 021 220 253<br /> 540 325 121 210 220 352 027 028 005 016 484 005 150 010 010 206<br /> 483 015 318 170 170 137 115 085 110 083 318 014 214 013 010 031<br /> 516 253 186 160 170 112 027 347 027 110 615 016 118 005 010 341<br /> 516 134 121 230 206 250 121 072 022 077 022 022 070 016 150 325<br /> 460 015 341 210 220 352 033 336 110 005 066 008 007 020 070 077<br /> 380 103 363 150 066 474 132 014 022 110 220 013 103 010 160 237<br /> 103 253 286 130 013 510 115 401 083 126 187 001 181 005 220 253<br /> 150 150 341 040 183 708 066 014 011 088 022 020 165 015 050 310<br /> 150 310 242 140 286 224 027 028 005 115 121 013 038 025 100 325<br /> 023 237 088 060 130 387 033 236 126 121 187 016 188 027 160 356<br /> 070 015 341 150 066 586 121 280 005 066 220 028 038 022 080 077<br /> 173 077 440 140 267 250 088 280 005 148 615 016 173 003 010 237<br /> 150 150 341 040 116 250 072 028 027 033 363 020 027 022 080 077<br /> 070 253 318 170 013 387 148 014 038 027 341 022 157 004 160 150<br /> 276 237 363 250 286 224 005 318 066 027 561 010 157 025 010 325<br /> 483 341 022 270 130 387 038 140 077 005 133 013 007 022 100 237<br /> 483 015 341 060 260 025 027 333 050 126 066 016 188 010 220 134<br /> 206 150 462 250 130 163 027 065 073 050 286 027 054 016 160 062<br /> 310 356 066 120 053 025 110 183 050 077 165 004 126 015 160 341<br /> 586 253 440 200 363 025 011 236 126 121 318 027 188 005 130 206<br /> 046 077 220 150 103 586 077 183 027 115 341 022 062 005 210 077<br /> 173 356 022 200 053 535 022 072 016 083 088 005 165 008 100 325<br /> 333 077 462 210 013 188 027 207 148 066 363 024 038 006 160 310<br /> 643 253 516 250 130 336 066 222 027 132 121 020 046 001 040 077<br /> 516 134 121 060 013 561 027 236 033 077 022 022 070 016 150 325<br /> 230 325 516 170 286 423 083 236 126 077 022 022 007 013 100 077<br /> <br /> ''Where is William going tomorrow?''<br /> <br /> <br /> ----<br /> <br /> <br /> ''' ''PLEASE NOTE'': The code needs to be double-checked for accuracy, as I encoded the whole thing by hand (which sucked). If I could get a PM from someone willing to be given the method of deciphering and having the answer spoiled, I would greatly appreciate it.'''</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9623 2005-12-06T20:29:45Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers Editor:Centipede'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D)'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Dragons]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2000+ words'''<br /> ''(Very nearly completed - Probably will get a better title.)''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.</div>

Centipede https://perplexcitywiki.com/w/index.php?title=Tales_From_Earth&diff=9622 2005-12-06T20:14:35Z

<p>Centipede: /* Index of articles */</p> <hr /> <div>==General==<br /> <br /> *[[Violet Kiteway]] wants us to write a book for her.<br /> *She plans to have it published by [[Seaside Press]].<br /> *Once it's published, she can use her credentials as a published author to get access to the diary of [[Anthony Granier]]<br /> <br /> ===References===<br /> *article, 05-DEC-05 &quot;[[Seaside Press|Seaside]] Announces Plan to Release [[Tales From Earth|Earth Anthology]]&quot; ([http://www.perplexcitysentinel.com/archives/2005/12/seaside_announc.html link])<br /> <br /> ==Requirements==<br /> <br /> *'''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Let me re-emphasize: '''Entries should be themed: Games'''<br /> **Any game will do, and I believe if a submission is strong enough we can probably look the other way if it doesn't have much to do with any literal games.<br /> *We do not have a given length minimum or maximum on individual entries.<br /> *Entries may be poetry, prose, or most anything else.<br /> *[[Seaside Press]] have said they will allow some illustrations.<br /> **However this is not an art book, bear in mind. Think black-and-white.<br /> <br /> ==Instructions==<br /> <br /> Use this page as an index of other pages.<br /> <br /> Please format your page titles thusly:<br /> <br /> '''Tales From Earth:Title'''<br /> <br /> Add a link on this page your own work, like this:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Title]] - [[User:YourName]] date, length'''<br /> Add a short description of the work here.<br /> <br /> So for example, if Sente were to write a piece on his family, he might format it like so:<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Kiteway Crazies]] - [[User:Sente]] 28-NOV-05, 5000 words'''<br /> A short treatise on my lunatic daughters, both of whom cavort with strangers.<br /> <br /> Also note, people may choose to post articles on some other site (such as a blog) and link to it from here.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> --------------------------<br /> <br /> ==Index of articles==<br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tower of Cards]] - [[User:Gibbet]] 04-DEC-05, 1242 words Editor:Centipede'''<br /> A story of persistence to fulfill a lifelong dream. ''(Feedback will be welcomed)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:ilovenatalie.exe]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 2-DEC-05, 1300 words and a big pile of numbers'''<br /> William's girlfriend is missing, and somebody planned it.<br /> Can he solve his way to her rescue? Or rather... ''can you?''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Ramblerhymes I and II]] - [[User:GasparLewis]] 29-NOV-05, 1000+ words'''<br /> A free-form, semi-poignant tirade about nothing... in a good way.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth: The night]] - [[User:Specterz]] 29-NOV-05, 500 words'''<br /> A little rant about nights on Earth.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Coffee Addiction]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1081 words'''<br /> A NON_AUTOBIOGRAHPICAL story about a man who loves coffee.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:peta]] - [[User:Coxtin]] 29-NOV-05, 1225 words'''<br /> A story in which a monkey gives relationship advice which is unwelcome<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Expedition]] - [[User:Forg]] 29-NOV-05, 1290 words'''<br /> Another day comes, another day goes...<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Reality? Virtually!]] - [[User:Sentinel]] 28-NOV-05, 2581 words'''<br /> A discussion of the ever blurring boundaries between reality and the world of gaming.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The Assignment]] - [[User:Enigmaster]] 29-NOV-05, 1337 words (:D)'''<br /> A short story, illustrating one of the many pressures of student life.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:The London 2012 Olympic Bid]] - [[User:Frankie Roberto]] 3-DEC-05, 1000 words'''<br /> An article on London's successful 2012 Olympic Bid.<br /> ''(comments, feedback and proof-reading welcome)''<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13305 Tales From Earth:Collaborative Effort] - The Unfiction Community'''<br /> ''(A work in progress - A proper title is to be deteremined.)''<br /> This story is being written and assembled by a volunteer collection of forumers.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Games-Sports-Ultimate Frisbee]] - [[User:kobeyu]] and ??? 01-DEC-05, 614 words'''<br /> ''(Abandoned -- feel free to finish it - A work in progress)''<br /> A description of one of Earth's newer sports.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Perplex City D20 Module]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 0 words'''<br /> ''(A work in progress)''<br /> A role playing game module based in Perplex City.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Dragons]] - [[User:Scott]] 01-DEC-05, 2000+ words'''<br /> ''(Very nearly completed - Probably will get a better title.)''<br /> Dragons play games, the likes of which no man has any business playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Where's My Meniscus and other time wasters]] - [[User:TheBozzball]] 02-DEC-05, 3186 words'''<br /> A description of the games played by a group of people in a place.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Tuberunning]] - [[User:ammonite]] 03-DEC-05, 866 words'''<br /> London is a game. In many ways. This is about a few of them.<br /> <br /> <br /> '''[[Tales From Earth:Moonbeam]] - [[User:Cronogenesis]] 06-DEC-05, 2,087 words'''<br /> A stranger a letter and an ancient coin... A rewriting of part one an old series I once wrote and did noting with.</div>

Centipede