I originally thought this might be something to go in the Word games forum, but it's a bit more complex than associating one word with another, and it will take a bit of thought. Additionally, it has to be cohesive and not random, and I like the idea of an actual story coming out of this rather than just a jumble of paragraphs.

The Project:
The project itself is for users of the Lit. forum to write a story here in a thread. Each post consistutes one paragraph (or two small ones) of the story - if people were allowed to do more I think it would encourage the total hijacking of the story, and I think it's more interesting if input is spread out.

The Subject:
The subject is a fairytale - I haven't chosen which fairytale character is at the centre of it, but I think a female character is probably best (maybe someone like Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, or Cinderella). The fairytale world is populated by characters/settings from any and every fairytale that has ever existed (this means no OC characters). The plot is up to us - we move it along with every post that is made, and it's important to look for cues from the post/s before the one you make to help direct the story in a cohesive fashion.

I think the tone of the story should be dark/black humour, because ... well, I like dark settings.

Edit: Important - Please Take Note.
We've decided to let all fictional characters/settings/elements in, so if it's appeared in a book, a game, a film, a television series etc. it can appear in this story.

This Isn't a Roleplay
It's not an RP because we don't all write different characters - we write the same character. I'm not saying we can't write different points of view or different characters, but if, say, Little Red Riding Hood is running through the forest, then everyone writes that scene - there's no switching over to Cinderella buying a new pair of glass slippers unless Red's scene closes out.


Anyway, is this something people in the lit. forum might find interesting?

I'd be up for it, its just like Round Robin. It sounds like a good idea to me. =)

Cool :)

Well, it only takes two people to start, but I probably should begin - not because I'm an egomaniac who needs to be the centre of the universe, but just to lead by example ;)

I don't have a preference for the start of our fairytale, though - is there any character you're partial to?

I would love to join. I think that fantasy would be a good place to start. We should be able to build the character's background if we start with a few names and decide relationships.

- sapphire

The setting and characters are from fairy tales - this was chosen because most people have a good grasp on fairy tale details. If we create everything from scratch, we'll spend pages coming up with things that might not even matter - I guess a big point (possibly the biggest) of this collaboration is for us to discover these things as we go.

With fairy tales we already know their names and enough background information on them to not be walking around in the dark (Goldilocks has golden hair, likes porridge, dislikes bears; the twelve dancing princesses like dancing, secret rendezvous', and keeping their private lives from their father etc.).

Relationships within stories are established by the fairy tale the character was taken from (Little Red Riding Hood has a grandmother, and knows a wolf and a woodcutter) - we can probably assume that Red would get along with Peter from Peter and the Wolf (and that there's probably a union of wolves where they complain about the hardships of finding children to eat), so ... you know, it's just making mental connections like that as the story goes (or maybe they don't know each other at all? We're making it up as we go along).

I'm ready when you are, feel free to start whenever is best ^^

Can others jump right in? This is a fascinating idea. I love the idea of other fairytale characters doing cameos.

Anyone can jump in at any time - I'll try to keep any relevant information in the first post, but I think if we come across any contradictions in the story made later on we'll just have to creatively figure out a way to explain it ;)

Anyway, I'm starting it off now - just remember you can take the story wherever you like, but you've only got one paragraph (or two short paragraphs) in which to move it.

---

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, a girl with golden hair dashed through the woods, tripping here and there and biting back sounds of pain and fright. Her legs were weary from their running, and sharp twigs scratched at them as she went past. Her stomach rumbled; porridge was no meal for someone escaping from what she was escaping from.

In a moment she lurched forward, her tattered dress becoming caught on a prickly-looking shrub, and crashed to the ground. The breaking twigs alerted nearby creatures to her presence. Goldilocks swore loudly - this wasn't her day.

The sunlight was streaming through the trees, taunting her with its beauty. But looking around her, she could feel the panic welling up to be caught in her throat. She angrily pushed herself up off the ground and began to run again. For a fleeting moment, that stupid expression you can't see the forest through the trees popped into her head, and this annoyed her.

Her footsteps fell into an easy rhythm, but she fancied that she could feel a hot breath on the back of her neck, or those wild brown eyes boring into her skull. She shuttered, causing herself to lose her footing once more, and crash back to the ground. This time though, Goldilocks listened, and flinched as a twig snapped behind her. But it didn't sound like a bear... "Hello? Who's there?" Not the wisest thing, but she didn't quite have all of her wits.

• Not that there was time to reconcile her mistake, for no sooner had she finished speaking the last word than she felt a great paw on her back, with sharp nails digging into her dress. She stopped breathing, muttering "make it quick; I don't like pain," but even as she did, a far-off noise came, and the beast fled off, howling in what appeared to be fear - just as she had a moment ago for this same creature - and she saw no more of it. She rolled over onto her back and sat up, brushing herself off, now as bewildered as she had been scared, wondering what was going on. Something much greater was afoot.

She set trembling, the sunlight streaming through the dancing leaves, causing shadows to appear and disappear at a moment's notice. It didn't help her decide where the trouble was coming from, for there were noises suffocating her. Goldilocks began to stand, moving her arms around to try and loosen the stiff and sore muscles. It didn't feel like the bear had punctured her skin, only bruised it.

"Hello?" she called again, hoping that a friendly voice would answer. "I want to thank you," her words were uncertain, and quiet. "I won't hurt you." It was a terrible idea to say that, but she felt like she needed to.

Well, it looks like keeping a lid on the word count might be a bit hard, so ... maybe two or three short paragraphs or two normal sized paragraphs or one very large paragraph would be a better idea. If you're adding dialogue (which will likely break down into a few one-sentence paragraphs), just keep the length in mind.

Also, if people introduce new elements from other fairy tales, they should link to them in the text (like I've done at the end of my contribution below), just in case the story is a bit obscure or to help catch people up a bit.

-------

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Goldilocks froze, and her eyes grew wide with disbelief. "P-pardon?"

The bear made a noise that indicated she was hot, blowing air upwards to cool off her face. "I could tear you apart, you know," said the bear. "I won't-" she said quickly when she saw Goldilocks' expression change again. "But I could," she added with an unmistakeable grin.

Finding her voice, but being careful to stay as far away as she possible could, Goldilocks tentatively spoke. "Who are you?"

The bear giggled, and like something of a cloak, she lifted up her bear skin and revealed a girl, not much older than Goldilocks, wearing a dress made of moon-beams.

Goldilocks was instantly astounded by the gorgeous dress that the girl wore. "Where did you get something so beautiful?" All of her previous fears swept out of her as she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Her trembling fingers reached out to touch the soft cloth which felt like a summers rain at midnight.

Suddenly, Goldilocks took a step back and stared up in horror at the girl. "What are you, and what do you want with me?" Her golden hair flung in the air as she cast her head from side to side, scanning the forest to see if there were more bears, or other threats, lurking in the shadows.

But there were no bears - none that Goldilocks could see, and none that were taking off their skins or wearing shimmering dresses, either.

"You're all over the place, aren't you?" the girl interrupted Goldilocks' thoughts. She grinned again, amused, but friendly, and held out her hand. "I'm- well ... you can call me Bear," she said.

Goldilocks looked at the hand, still wide-eyed and confused. "How did you do-"

"Oh, this?" said Bear, holding up what looked like a rug and what had previously made her a terrifying beast. "I don't know - my father gave it to me. Neat, isn't it?"

"If you can call such things scary, then yes," Goldilocks thought, but didn't voice. Instead, she said, "Why would he give you such a horrid thing?" She was afraid to touch it, though Bear, as she had been told to call her, lay it before her, as if to say "it won't bite". Goldilocks looked up at her, and asked, "You never answered my question. Just what do you want with me?"

"Do I really need to want something from you? Or is just saving you enough?" There was a glimmer of laughter in her shining eyes, that enchanted Goldilocks. She was taken hold by this glimmering girl, but she could still feel the fear present in her chest. She was almost beginning to trust her. "Actually, there is something that I want you to do for me, if that's alright with you."

"Oh, now I have a choice?"

"Well, I could just turn back into a bear, if you're more comfortable with that ..."

"No! No," said Goldilocks. "What do you want?"

Bear smiled again, and perhaps Goldilocks was mistaken, but even as a girl there was something of an animal in Bear's gleaming white smile.

"I'm having a small problem with someone," Bear said with a casual, pacing around as she spoke. "And, well, I want them to fall asleep forever."

Goldilocks gave her a hard look. "Harsh, much?"

"Anyway," Bear interrupted. "I need for you to find me a spindle."

"A spindle? What?"

"It's a special spindle, made by a wicked fairy, and-"

Goldilocks held up her hand. "Stop. A wicked fairy? You've got to be joking."

"Why do you think that I would joke about something like this?" Bear stepped closer, her voice turning into a growl, her smile into a snarl. "Do you think this is a game?"

Goldilocks took a shaken step back, but was otherwise unharmed. "What am I supposed to do?"

Bear laughed, a sparkling laugh that set the moonbeams on her dress into the sky like diamonds. "First, you must travel to Hollow Bastion where you will meet the wicked fairy. She will try and trick you, but you must not fear her. You have to find out where the spindle is located. Do you understand?"

"Again, I ask, do I have any choice?" Goldilocks shivered as she felt ripples of magic crackling in the air. "No."

"What will I do when I find where it's located then?"

You know, I actually think that is a completely cool idea to add non-fairytale elements. In fact, I'm going to edit the first post to include all fictional worlds - I guess this story could dangerously veer into fanfiction territory, but while our OC-type Goldilocks is the main character, we're probably good to go.

-----

"Wait," said Bear, retrieving the bear skin from the ground. She placed it around her neck and once again she was a bear. "Just wait," she said, and she turned around and slowly walked away.

Bear's instability, her sweet and sinister smiles, weren't the only thing that worried Goldilocks - she had escaped the three bears, but the dark of the woods was not inviting, and the spindle felt like it was on the other side of the world.

She been taught by her grandmama that in the kind of world they lived in, quests or favours, not matter how worrying, should not be refused lightly.

Goldilocks dusted her dress off and walked into the darkness.

-----

(End of the scene? You can break to another scene with Goldilocks or introduce a new character, if you like.)

• ______I think that as long as we add in a reference link that has sufficient information, than I think it should be okay. That's why I checked to make sure that there was enough info to go off of before I used Hollow Bastion :)
  
  - sapphire

- - - ¤ - - -

She walked for sometime, the sun sinking into the ground, deep shadows growing and causing the girl to become more frightened with every step. For a second, she wondered what her mother would be thinking, but then she dismissed the thought. She did not want to think the consequences of not following Bear's orders might be.

She had stopped and closed her eyes to catch her breath. With her eyes closed, Goldilocks fancied that her senses were heightened. At least, that is how she would later explain how she knew to duck as an owl soared overhead. It landed on a nearby tree and tweeted.

"Who? Who?" It seemed almost like a question to Goldilocks, and she felt a little foolish for answering. "I'm Goldilocks. Who are you?"

"Who? Who indeed?" It turned it's head from side to side examining the girl.

"Did... Did you just say 'who indeed'?"

"No," the owled replied and closed it's eyes.

Goldilocks waited for the owl to say more, but it barely moved, and shortly afterwards it seemed to fade into the darkness behind it.

"Excuse me."

Goldilocks looked to the owl and saw it hadn't mov-

"Excuse me."

The voice was coming from below.

Goldilocks looked around, and was startled to see a tiny cricket at the base of the tree. "Um, hello?" This was getting more awkward with each passing second.

Goldilocks was beginning to think that she was losing her mind. "You nearly stepped on me! Why don't you watch where you're going!"

"So-Sorry." Goldilocks bent down, careful to tuck back her skirts so they wouldn't hit the cricket. "Do you know how to get to Hollow Bastion?"

"Of course I do." The silence hung in the air for a second. "Not. But I may know someone who does." Goldilocks let out her breath, and nearly blew away the poor cricket. "That wasn't very nice! But you don't seem like you are a nice person. Are you? Eh? Eh? Are you a nice person?"

"Of course I am!" said Goldilocks, taken aback by the cricket's implication, but the force of her words was such that the tiny creature sprang back in fright..

"Hey!"

"Oh!" she exclaimed and knelt down. "Oh," she repeated herself with a more quiet tone when she noted the cricket's stern expression. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it- I wasn't thinking, I-"

"Stop, stop, stop," the cricket chirped. "We'll be here all day at this rate. Now, Hollow Bastion, Hollow Bastion, Hollow Bastion." Saying the words over appeared to help the cricket think, for within a few seconds he made another chirping sound that sounded much more positive than the ones before. "I know! Follow the yellow brick road- oh wait, no, that's not it."

Now it was Goldilocks' turn to wear a stern expression.

A cat with a smile like the crescent moon slunk down from the tree and curled its tail around Goldilocks.

"Darling, you shouldn't listen to little insects like that. Why, how could they know anything? One step and squish!"

The cat flashed his ever bright smile at the cricket. "But I suppose I will be merciful, little bug." He swished his paw and sent the cricked careening away.

"And who are you?"

"Who am I? Who am I indeed... Why don't you ask the rose on the rose bush?"

And with that, the cat vanished.

"Wait!" Goldilocks cried but to no avail.

----
I couldn't find the story of the rose on the rose bush online, but it's from a Grimm fairytale where a with is chasing a brother and his sister. The two foil her by transforming into a duck (the sister) on a pond (the brother) and a rose (the sister) on a rose bush (the brother).

Goldilocks got up and started to walk away from the insane weirdness behind her. "Everythings talking now. It would be really weird if that rose started talking" she thought.

"You know, your going the wrong way." Goldilocks turned around. The cat had come back.

"Who are you? Which way am I supposed to go?"

"My dear I am the Cheshire Cat. And you are suppost to go that way." He pointed to her left with his tail then slowly faded away. The last thing to leave was his smile.

Goldilocks looked left. The way was covered in mist. She thought she saw a dark shape, but was unsure. She did know that she wished she had a candle. Suddenly a voice called out to her.

"Goldilocks! Goldilocks! Look!" a small white round light bobbed up and down, speaking in a high voice. "Hello! My name is Navi."

"What are you?" Goldilocks asked.

"I'm a fairy. You're not Link, but you look like you could use my help."