Story Starters

Situation: Confront dangerous rival
Denizen Type: Dark witch
Outcome Direction: Good harvest
Mundane Problem: Can’t find a good mentor
Theme Quote: ‘Happiness is like the statue of Isis, whose veil no mortal ever raised.’ Landor.

Situation: Make camp
Denizen Type: Loser
Outcome Direction: Troubled by deception
Mundane Problem: Breaking up
Theme Quote: ‘Du moment qu’on aime, on devient si doux — From 15the moment one falls in love, one becomes sweet in the temper.’ Marmontel.

Situation: Shopping
Denizen Type: Immortal
Outcome Direction: Inspired solutions win the day
Mundane Problem: Car breakdown
Theme Quote: ‘Nothing is more hurtful to a truth than an old error.’ Goethe.

Situation: Night on the town
Denizen Type: Chain wielding brigand
Outcome Direction: Complete success with honors
Mundane Problem: Brought wrong person into your life
Theme Quote: ‘Care is no cure, but rather a corrosive, / For things that are not to be remedied.’ 1 Hen. VI., iii. 3.

Situation: Carry a heavy load
Denizen Type: Married couple
Outcome Direction: Unexpected changes
Mundane Problem: Bad habits
Theme Quote: ‘The phœnix soars aloft, hovers with outstretched wings, filling earth with her music.’ Carlyle.

Situation: Reflection on the unknown
Denizen Type: Clairvoyant
Outcome Direction: Bad today but good for tomorrow
Mundane Problem: Deciding on your tattoo
Theme Quote: ‘Friend, however thou camest by this book, I will assure thee thou wert least in my thoughts when I writ it.’ Bunyan.

Situation: Walking through a rough neighborhood
Denizen Type: Sailor
Outcome Direction: Troubles are more imaginary than real
Mundane Problem: Trying to stay trendy
Theme Quote: ‘Good counsel rejected returns to enrich the giver’s bosom’. Goldsmith.

Situation: Face desolation
Denizen Type: Thought thief
Outcome Direction: Run into obstacles
Mundane Problem: Need to do something crazy
Theme Quote: ‘If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.’ Longfellow.

Situation: Loss of supply
Denizen Type: News courier
Outcome Direction: Problems among your friends or family
Mundane Problem: Making excuses for yourself
Theme Quote: ‘Studiis et rebus honestis — By honourable studies and occupations’. Motto

Situation: Help the needed
Denizen Type: Chief or manager
Outcome Direction: Good business
Mundane Problem: Parents don’t understand you
Theme Quote: ‘Great deeds immortal are — they cannot die’. Aytoun.