Writing
This page is dedicated to my writing projects. I’ve always enjoyed reading and telling stories throughout my life – anyone who knows me will tell you so! Over the years I have continued to write in different genres to improve my skills, especially when it comes to writing fast for projects or assignments. For almost all projects I have worked on the last two years, I’ve written some kind of short story about the setting, characters or world. These often serve as inspirational jumping-off points for the team and are a fun way to flesh out a world – transforming them into living worlds rather than just a concept on paper. I usually jump between working on these writing projects based on what has inspired me recently, and sometimes I let them rest for a while so I can return later when my skills have improved further.
Started Fall 2018 - Ongoing
Icebrink
“Outside the shuttle the icy mounds stretched and craned in every which way. The light from the shuttle bounced between them, causing the world around them to shimmer blue and green. Just enough light to work by. Above countless stars shone down on them and far in the distance, the city glowed faintly.”
The last remains of humanity cling to life on the frozen planet Earth. Long ago, beyond the records of history, the sun disappeared and Earth was sent hurtling through cold space. Humanity has survived in an ever expanding city, where all questions of ethics have been silenced. Those with superior genes are forced to procreate and people are willing to have their limbs replaced with mechanical enhancements in order to work harder and longer.
I have been working on the world of Icebrink for a few years. Originally conceived as a thought-experiment about the sun dying out, the world of Icebrink has transformed into a bleak sci-fi universe where humanity struggles to survive through the use of incredible technology and the people’s unwavering dedication to maintain the city. Work is life, every life has purpose and everyone must fulfill their purpose. Recently I have started writing anthology-style short stories set in this universe, showing off different aspects of living within the city and the troubles people go through to thrive and find their place.
I currently have three stories done in this universe. Let me know if you want to read them.
Started Fall 2020
The unknown Land
“All cursed things come to these lands. Whether they are drawn here or seek it out makes no difference. Whether they come here seeking release or to sink deeper in their depravity makes no difference. They are here, and so are you. You cursed, wretched thing.“
Across endless seas, shrouded in fog and mire, lies the unknown land. Beyond the reach of mere mortals, all things cursed end up here. Time has no hold here and ages long past are forgotten. Cursed with eternal life and suffering, a stranger washes up on these shores, clinging to the last of their humanity. An old crone greets the stranger on the beach, telling stories of the inhabitants of the island and their circumstances. There is only one chance to lift the curse and be free: Reach the summit of the highest mountain before the sun dips below the horizon. Fail to reach the summit, and the stranger will be bound to life in torment alongside the other inhabitants.
I started this project to practice writing mythology-style stories. Simple plots with grand story arcs, told as if shared around a campfire. I envisioned a 3rd person action game, where the player had to fight a gauntlet of bosses while moving towards the top of the mountain. Leading up to each boss-area, the mysterious crone tells the story of each boss and how they became cursed. The seven bosses were based loosely on the seven deadly sins to give it a classic feel, and each boss came from wildly different cultures and time periods. It was a fun exercise in writing with a specific style and an excellent challenge trying to make use of tropes without being too derivative.
Fall 2020
In the shadow of a knight
“You would have had me spare him, boy. Leave him be and move on so that he could live out his life in that forest with his wife and son in that modest hut of theirs. He did no harm, you think, but are you certain his former comrades would say the same? Do you think his commander simply let him go, or that he fled in the heat of battle where he would not be missed? Just as likely that he had to slip a blade between the ribs of a fellow soldier to escape, or that he feigned death as his comrades were slaughtered around him.“
A knight and his squire share a unique bond between them – though it is not always a good one. Traveling from castle to castle, the knight becomes both parent, teacher and master. The squire must learn about the world, combat and honor, all while devoting himself entirely to assisting his master. The world is mired in difficult choices and grey areas. The knight will do as he sees fit, but perhaps the squire has ways to affect him after all.
This project was a concept I worked on with a classmate. We were both fascinated by the idea of telling a story about a squire and a knight, both from the squires perspective. We wanted to explore a mediaeval setting from the perspective of a person unable to defend himself. The knight would be brutish and curt, but the squire would have subtle ways to try and affect the knight and change the course of the story – especially how the relationship developed between them. I decided to feature this concept here, because it is a great example of a “Mood-Text”, which I often write for all the projects I am part of. For these short stories, my greatest strength is my speed and descriptive language. This particular short story was written in 45 minutes.
Started 2018
Lake of Rennoth
” It would seem people turn in early in Rennoth, he thought. One of the few remaining lights were hanging right above him, shining down on the well like a spot at the theater. Ike turned to look down into the well, but the light only went so far. He felt uneasy looking down the black hole at the bottom, but fascinated at the same time. He poked his head down the well to listen, and felt he could hear a faint sound of waves.“
In the early 1900s, Ike Lauren receives news that his father has recently passed away. Though he never knew his father, it seems that he has inherited an old house in the isolated village of Rennoth. To find answers about his path, Ike travels to the scottish highlands in search of his past, discovering that something is horribly wrong with the people of Rennoth, and the lake that provides them with life.
This story is one I keep coming back to. I wanted to try my hand initially at writing horror, but no matter what I did, the story kept getting longer and longer. I’ve put this story down and picked it back up several time over the years, each time making more progress. It takes a lot of work to write a full length novel, so I return whenever I feel my writing has improved. This story is actually a cosmic horror story and takes inspiration from the classic C’thulu mythos.
February 2020
Beyond
“Raymond quickly turned the radio off. It wasn’t clear how or why Hotel California became the de facto transition melody for so many people, but all he knew was that he was sick of hearing it on the radio, intercoms and stereos across the country. That song meant transition, and for Raymond transition meant work.
Following the directions of a worn GPS, he took a turn off the highway into a barren suburbia, rolling past all the empty houses and lawns, overgrown with weeds and tall grass.”
In the near future, the world is left almost empty. The few people that remain rely on people like Raymond Sami to take care of their possessions and handler their affairs, once they leave. As an esteemed agent of Beyond Partners, Raymond takes pride in his work and ability to handle clients ever changing needs – no matter how difficult.
This is a short Twine game I wrote over an extended weekend. The original idea came to me years back and after taking a writing class at DKA, I was spurred to finally write it. It has a few different endings and is short enough to warrant multiple playthroughs. This was my first experience with creating branching narratives, and made my aware of how difficult it is to diverge from ones own original “main” storyline. Nonetheless, it’s a neat little story.