It is the 31st of December, about 23:30. I'm stressed out. Not just because there's almost no time left until the new year, although that certainly plays a part. The questions of when and where are not the important ones. I'm thinking about Josephine, and why on Earth she wanted to meet me tonight. You're probably wondering who Josephine is. She happens to be a coworker of mine. I started out in a new job not long before Christmas. You don't need to know what kind of job it is, and it isn't really important anyway. Josephine is important. She's the most important woman I have ever met. You see, I have a thing for women with spinal cord injuries. Wheelchair users, particularly manual wheelchair users. Paraplegic girls, quadriplegic girls, of all shapes and ages. They all appeal to me in different ways, just as they are all attractive to me in essentially the same way. The beauty of women with paralyzed limbs, gliding elegantly on their very own thrones with wheels, like the queens and
Quest for restoration: Session 1 by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
Quest for restoration: Session 1
"So this is where the citadel fell into the Earth." Four figures were standing over a ravine. The two closest to the edge wore loose-fitting, purple clothes. Both were used to strangers staring, but for different reasons. Hope, a tiefling wizard, had a deep red skin tone, devil horns on her head, and a tail about as long as her legs sticking out from the purple garb she was wearing. The other was Mia, a human monk. Her smooth, round shoulders ended without arms. Behind them, two other women wearing chain mail and shields were set apart from most by more subtle features. The taller of the two was Darya. With her faintly pointed ears and nearly otherworldly beauty, she showed clear signs of her Elvish heritage to the observant. As the three of them peered down into the darkness below, the fourth stared blankly out into the air, with one hand holding behind Hope's elbow. "Hope, Darya, what do you see?" The blind woman, Vera, was a human cleric. She spoke to the tiefling and the
Don't crack your knuckles by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
Don't crack your knuckles
“Don’t do that! Your hands are going to end up all twisted and weird, and you won’t be able to use them when you’re older.” My mom looks up from her phone in disgust, while I’m cracking my knuckles. Pulling my fingers, listening to my joints popping and crackling. It feels so satisfying. “Besides, I can’t stand the sound.” Her problem, not mine. I don’t visit the old folks very often these days. Not hard to see why. They expect me to settle down, get a “real” job, get a stable partner and a house of my own that I actually own... Don’t they see that the world isn’t what it used to be when they were my age? ***** I’m back home now, having left the place I used to call home for so many years. They say someone my age should have their own place to live, alone, or better yet, with a partner. Are they bugging me about grandchildren? I don’t know. I sure hope not. I’m not ready for that. For now, I’m perfectly OK with renting this house with those other two. It’s not as if it’s a bad
Both of my two housemates got back from vacation yesterday. Or all of the three? Let us say two and a half. Because one of them has a girlfriend who was living with us on and off before the summer, and is likely going to continue with that for the foreseeable future. That is not the problem, at least not for me. At this point, she feels more like an integrated part of the wider circle of friends, who just happens to share a bed with one of my housemates for many days in a week, but not all of them. No, the issue is the changes I observed when they arrived yesterday. She has been undergoing surgery for an issue with one of her legs, and was on crutches when she came through the door. Fair enough. That does not disturb me in the slightest. But when she goes on and on about how disabled she is, how she has been using a wheelchair at airports and shopping centres, and all those other words that make my train of thoughts derail... It is an awkward situation. She has no filter whatsoever
The Joy of Accessible Student Housing With Monica having invited David to the chess club, at the same time as Marie had asked him to watch a movie with her, David didn’t know how much the choice would eventually mean to him. In the end, he chose to go with Monica, and never looked back. The two soon began dating, and became a couple. Emma stayed a close friend with Monica, and became a good friend with David as well. She was, as she put it herself, quite literally the third wheel, but she liked it that way. That wasn’t to say she was alone; she did date a number of guys, though none of them seemed right to her. Alexandra didn’t stick around for very long. After a while, they noticed she wasn’t there, and a while after that, some other people came around and cleaned out her room. They found that what little social media presence Alexandra had, was all gone too, and they never found out where she went, and what had happened. Marie still lived there, with David, Monica and Emma. In
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 2 by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 2
The dinner
Anne and Lisa, the twins, followed their father inside, both of them with one of us in each hand. Still, my thoughts were on the sister following behind us. Unlike her older sisters, who had their blonde hair set up in an elaborate fashion, Sonja kept hers flowing freely, straight down. One might think it would be plain, but there was nothing plain about it. Like a golden waterfall, from her head to her shoulders, and a little bit further. Her face was young, but not that of a child. If I had to guess, I would put her close to my own 19, or perhaps slightly younger. Like her sisters and the Governor himself, her eyes were bright b
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 1 by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 1
Summoned
We were standing on deck in front of Captain Maxwell. He sized us up and down, me and five of my fellow officers, while holding what looked like a letter in his hand. Then, he spoke.
“I have just been invited to dinner with the governor of this colony, Samuel Wilkinson. Along with the invitation, I have also received a request to bring with me a few of my officers.”
He paused.
“Those of you who already have a fiancée or wife at home need not come with me.”
The atmosphere between us suddenly changed. The captain didn’t need to make himself clearer, because two of the men saluted him and went to
The Governor's Daughter: Prologue by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
The Governor's Daughter: Prologue
Dear Captain Maxwell
I heard that the Falcon arrived here yesterday, and that you will be staying here for the foreseeable future. The rumours say the current tensions between states could escalate, so they wanted to station a few ships permanently to strategically selected ports here in the colonies. A deterrent, if you will, or a fighting force should things get out of hand. One can only hope your deployment will be a peaceful one, and that brings me to the point of this letter. I wish to invite you and a small portion of your crew to dinner this Sunday.
First and foremost, I think we should meet to discuss current events. Your informatio
It is the 31st of December, about 23:30. I'm stressed out. Not just because there's almost no time left until the new year, although that certainly plays a part. The questions of when and where are not the important ones. I'm thinking about Josephine, and why on Earth she wanted to meet me tonight. You're probably wondering who Josephine is. She happens to be a coworker of mine. I started out in a new job not long before Christmas. You don't need to know what kind of job it is, and it isn't really important anyway. Josephine is important. She's the most important woman I have ever met. You see, I have a thing for women with spinal cord injuries. Wheelchair users, particularly manual wheelchair users. Paraplegic girls, quadriplegic girls, of all shapes and ages. They all appeal to me in different ways, just as they are all attractive to me in essentially the same way. The beauty of women with paralyzed limbs, gliding elegantly on their very own thrones with wheels, like the queens and
Quest for restoration: Session 1 by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
Quest for restoration: Session 1
"So this is where the citadel fell into the Earth." Four figures were standing over a ravine. The two closest to the edge wore loose-fitting, purple clothes. Both were used to strangers staring, but for different reasons. Hope, a tiefling wizard, had a deep red skin tone, devil horns on her head, and a tail about as long as her legs sticking out from the purple garb she was wearing. The other was Mia, a human monk. Her smooth, round shoulders ended without arms. Behind them, two other women wearing chain mail and shields were set apart from most by more subtle features. The taller of the two was Darya. With her faintly pointed ears and nearly otherworldly beauty, she showed clear signs of her Elvish heritage to the observant. As the three of them peered down into the darkness below, the fourth stared blankly out into the air, with one hand holding behind Hope's elbow. "Hope, Darya, what do you see?" The blind woman, Vera, was a human cleric. She spoke to the tiefling and the
Don't crack your knuckles by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
Don't crack your knuckles
“Don’t do that! Your hands are going to end up all twisted and weird, and you won’t be able to use them when you’re older.” My mom looks up from her phone in disgust, while I’m cracking my knuckles. Pulling my fingers, listening to my joints popping and crackling. It feels so satisfying. “Besides, I can’t stand the sound.” Her problem, not mine. I don’t visit the old folks very often these days. Not hard to see why. They expect me to settle down, get a “real” job, get a stable partner and a house of my own that I actually own... Don’t they see that the world isn’t what it used to be when they were my age? ***** I’m back home now, having left the place I used to call home for so many years. They say someone my age should have their own place to live, alone, or better yet, with a partner. Are they bugging me about grandchildren? I don’t know. I sure hope not. I’m not ready for that. For now, I’m perfectly OK with renting this house with those other two. It’s not as if it’s a bad
Both of my two housemates got back from vacation yesterday. Or all of the three? Let us say two and a half. Because one of them has a girlfriend who was living with us on and off before the summer, and is likely going to continue with that for the foreseeable future. That is not the problem, at least not for me. At this point, she feels more like an integrated part of the wider circle of friends, who just happens to share a bed with one of my housemates for many days in a week, but not all of them. No, the issue is the changes I observed when they arrived yesterday. She has been undergoing surgery for an issue with one of her legs, and was on crutches when she came through the door. Fair enough. That does not disturb me in the slightest. But when she goes on and on about how disabled she is, how she has been using a wheelchair at airports and shopping centres, and all those other words that make my train of thoughts derail... It is an awkward situation. She has no filter whatsoever
The Joy of Accessible Student Housing With Monica having invited David to the chess club, at the same time as Marie had asked him to watch a movie with her, David didn’t know how much the choice would eventually mean to him. In the end, he chose to go with Monica, and never looked back. The two soon began dating, and became a couple. Emma stayed a close friend with Monica, and became a good friend with David as well. She was, as she put it herself, quite literally the third wheel, but she liked it that way. That wasn’t to say she was alone; she did date a number of guys, though none of them seemed right to her. Alexandra didn’t stick around for very long. After a while, they noticed she wasn’t there, and a while after that, some other people came around and cleaned out her room. They found that what little social media presence Alexandra had, was all gone too, and they never found out where she went, and what had happened. Marie still lived there, with David, Monica and Emma. In
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 2 by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 2
The dinner
Anne and Lisa, the twins, followed their father inside, both of them with one of us in each hand. Still, my thoughts were on the sister following behind us. Unlike her older sisters, who had their blonde hair set up in an elaborate fashion, Sonja kept hers flowing freely, straight down. One might think it would be plain, but there was nothing plain about it. Like a golden waterfall, from her head to her shoulders, and a little bit further. Her face was young, but not that of a child. If I had to guess, I would put her close to my own 19, or perhaps slightly younger. Like her sisters and the Governor himself, her eyes were bright b
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 1 by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
The Governor's Daughter: Chapter 1
Summoned
We were standing on deck in front of Captain Maxwell. He sized us up and down, me and five of my fellow officers, while holding what looked like a letter in his hand. Then, he spoke.
“I have just been invited to dinner with the governor of this colony, Samuel Wilkinson. Along with the invitation, I have also received a request to bring with me a few of my officers.”
He paused.
“Those of you who already have a fiancée or wife at home need not come with me.”
The atmosphere between us suddenly changed. The captain didn’t need to make himself clearer, because two of the men saluted him and went to
The Governor's Daughter: Prologue by SylasZanj, literature
Literature
The Governor's Daughter: Prologue
Dear Captain Maxwell
I heard that the Falcon arrived here yesterday, and that you will be staying here for the foreseeable future. The rumours say the current tensions between states could escalate, so they wanted to station a few ships permanently to strategically selected ports here in the colonies. A deterrent, if you will, or a fighting force should things get out of hand. One can only hope your deployment will be a peaceful one, and that brings me to the point of this letter. I wish to invite you and a small portion of your crew to dinner this Sunday.
First and foremost, I think we should meet to discuss current events. Your informatio
The Destined Union Chapter 2 by WendellSnow, literature
Literature
The Destined Union Chapter 2
Phiona "Did you decorate his room as I instructed?" I inquired of my best friend and servant, Abigail. “Yes Phiona.” “And did you…” "And yes, I ordered his bath prepared. I don’t see why we have to go to all this trouble for him. It was he that asked for your hand, remember? He has already pledged himself to you," Abigail said while washing my arm in the bath. The water was exquisite, as always. I cherished the time spent alone with Abigail – one of the few moments I could reveal my true self, not the regal queen that duty demanded for my kingdom. "Nothing wrong with making him feel welcome. Besides, he'll get disgusted with me soon enough, once he sees..." My gaze drifted to the pale, withered limbs below. "They aren’t as bad as you make them out to be, Phiona," Abigail said, lifting my useless left leg and cleansing it with a washcloth. It had been five years since I last had the use of them, and the toll was evident. My legs had lost all muscle tone, making them look
First of all: I'm sure we all know that there's a bit of distance between having the intention to create something, and making the effort to actually making it happen. That said, I have the outline of a story ready in the form of a game module, but the story doesn't exist without characters. That's where you (yes, you!) come in. In a perfect world, I would get a handful of players here, and let them play the game with characters with different disabilities, but I think that's too ambitious. The second best is to have others create the characters for me, with as much or as little detail as you please, after which I choose the ones I like best and write the story around them. If you want to make a character application, consider the following: Race, class and background are the key points of character creation. Out of these, I think background is the most important. A fleshed out backstory is how you make your character unique. Characters can have any disability, not limited to those I
Art is not a competition. Art can never be a competition. Whoever thinks otherwise has misunderstood something essential. A competition has a winner and a loser. Most competitions have one winner, and a number of losers. In sports and other competitions with a clear objective, this is fine. In art, it is not. Art cannot have a winner, or a loser. An art competition only serves to discourage the majority of its participants, and if you try to hold one, you're doing the community a great disservice. Do not hold art contests. Do not enable art contests. Do not kill motivation.