The Story Repository

Exactly what it says on the tin: Story ideas, plot lines, and possibilities from all corners of tumblr.(Notice: NOT a story bank; if you want to use one of these for your own writing, please contact and ask the original poster.)

[britainbray]

Sometimes even the villains have standards

[foolfortune]

[writing-prompt-s]

You were born of a sacrilegious union. Your green dragon mom never figured the knight she seduced while masquerading as a noblewoman was a silver dragon in disguise. You’d no idea either, born a human orphan. When your dragon blood awoke, so did the dangers which all your heritage entails.

[worddevourer]

“I was born half dragon.”

“Oh shit, what’s the other half?”

“Different dragon.

[readerofthewilderwest]

#“i’m two halfs dragon” “that’s just being a whole dragon” “no”

[meu-meu-kissy-ceutie]

“im two halves dragon” “thats just being a whole dragon” “YOUD FUCKING THINK SO WOULDNT YOU”

[probablyfunrpgideas]

In Lord of the Rings, Return of the King, there’s a moment where Saruman appears and mocks the heroes. To Galadriel he says “What ship would bear me back again across so wide a sea? A dead ship, and full of ghosts!” This is a sick burn because it references a song Galadriel sang in Fellowship, which Saruman wasn’t around to hear. Maybe it’s on Galadriel’s Greatest Hits Album?

Anyway, today’s idea is to have the villain suddenly, inexplicably and malevolently join in with one of the party’s favorite inside jokes.

[hobbitguy1420]

Not to know-it-all, but Saruman has one of the Palantiri (basically a crystal ball he can use for far-seeing). He was bootlegging Galadriel's concert!

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: the villain pirates your bard’s music :(

[espanolbot2]

Hm, I was pondering about the recent-ish trope of Adventuring Guilds (effectively trade unions for protagonists in fantasy rpg-inspired settings, which I’m sure I’ve seen in a bunch of things but the main example that springs to mind is Goblin Slayer to my annoyance but the Hero Association in One Punch Man has a similar albeit superhero-slanted deal), and how mechanically in the setting they exist to ensure x reward is provided for x amount of work/danger involved but in a meta sense are there so the characters don’t have to go looking for heroing gigs on ye olde Craigs Lyst or something.

It’s an interesting idea, similar in a manner to the many fantasy trope-tinged guilds in the Discworld novels of the late great Terry Pratchett, although an amusing idea occurred to me with the idea of trade unions for fantasy heroes.

Like, if there are unions to ensure employment and fair pay for folks clearing out dungeons, getting gnolls out the cabbage patch, stopping gnomes from going through your bins, and so on, then, logically, there much exist fantasy hero scab workers as well.

Folks that the local king or something brings in for lower pay on more dangerous jobs. Folks who are, say, completely new to the setting, out of their depth, and are thrust into a dangerous situation by a seemingly benevolent authority figure because said authority figure is too cheap to hire someone who understands the risks involved and asks more suitable wages for the role…

Y’know…

[gojirahkiin]

Oh my god… the entire isekai genre is a way for Big Adventure to avoid negotiating with Adventurer Unions!

[espanolbot2]

I mean, even as the person who suggested it I’d admit it’s really silly, but at the same time even modern capitalism sucks when dealing with organised labour, I’d imagine that in a pseudo-feudal setting they’d be even more awkward about it.

[crinosg]

Kid from earth: What? Where am I? Who are you?

Wizard: Do not be afraid young one, I have summoned thee from across time and space to our world, we are in desperate need of a hero to save our world from the forces of darkness. It is your destiny to save our world from utter ruination. Will you take on this epic quest.

Kid: Sure!!!

*Bunch of adventurers kick open the door*

Wizard: Oh shit oh shit no no no no.

Head adventurer: AINT NOBODY GOING ON ANY EPIC QUEST.

Kid: Um, who are these guys?

Wizard: Um, they are agents of the dark lord sent to stop you, quickly run past them and go do that quest.

Head adventurer: Yeah you can shut up now. PAULIE. SILENCE SPELL.

Paulie: You got it boss. *Silences the wizard*

Head adventurer: Look kid, we’re representatives of the local 102.

Kid: Uhhh….

Paulie: The adventurer’s union.

Kid: Ah. Okay I know what Unions are. They have those here?

Head Adventurer: Sure do kid, and we got word that this douchebag was using magic to pull in unqualified under aged non union adventurers from another dimension so that he could avoid having to pay us our proper due. How old are you kid?

Kid: Um….14?

Head adventurer: Come on.

Kid: Okay twelve

Head adventurer: *Turns to wizard* You kidnapped a twelve year old kid to go fight the dark lord? Were you even gonna give them any equipment? Any magical training? Any supervision?

Wizard: *shrugs*

Head adventurer: *Hands kid a scroll* Here is a portal scroll back here, you want to still do this in like six years, give us a holler and we’ll set you up with some basic training and an apprenticeship, Until then, go back to your world and do whatever kids there do.

Kid: Yessir.

Head adventurer: As for you ya douchebag, Go tell that fat gasbag of a king he wants the dark lord defeated he better pony up the cash to hire a real, union certified adventuring party. And you try this crap again then the next kid you summon is gonna have an epic quest of dislodging my boot from your ass.

[pineaberry]

I love this…

[nerd-with-a-cause]

“The Pevensie kids are unwitting scab workers for Big Jesus” was not the take I expected to see today, but I think it’s the take I deserve.

[asimovsideburns]

Sherlock Holmes modern adaptation but the main characters (Sherlock, Watson, Mrs. Hudson, Irene Adler, and maybe even Lestrade) are all vampires and they’ve just been doing their thing since the time period of the original books

Irene gets to be from New Jersey like she is in canon and she’ll occasionally show up and help Sherlock with a case but they don’t ever date or hook up or anything

[asimovsideburns]

OR… Lestrade isn’t a vampire, but there’s been generations of Lestrades, and they all have to deal with this guy

[asimovsideburns]

the latest one isn’t even a cop she works nights at the 7-11 and Sherlock keeps coming in at 2am to slam two gallons of Monster Energy and ask her what what the fuck an “amogus” is (it’s case related) and tell her how much better she is at lateral thinking than her tragically straightforward ancestor and also is her girlfriend still going to school to be a defense attorney, how’s she handling the workload

[anais-ninja-bitch]

okay, but who turned them and when? bc there is a lot of delicious angst and goofiness to be exlored if say:

irene has kids before being turned and is invested in her descendants

john was already with mary and has to see her age and pass

mrs. hudson is the vampire queen

the lestrades are like. the opposite of the vanhelsings. generational disinterest in vampires, but the holmes enclave keeps roping them back in.

[asimovsideburns]

1) Irene adopts and yes she is The Cool Grandma for generations of children forevermore

2) Mary is also a vampire, she got turned at the same time as John, she and Sherlock have Wine Wednesdays every third Saturday of the month

3) Mrs. Hudson is immortal but she’s not a vampire and nobody can figure out what her deal is

4) absolutely 100% correct

whenever anybody asks how they got turned the response is something along the lines of “that was like. Over five years ago. How do you expect me to even remember that.” or “idk man I just woke up like this” or “got bitten by a mosquito on a case” and it’s never the same twice

[asimovsideburns]

Yes the Sherlock Holmes books exist and whenever they’re brought up Watson gets very upset that this dude stole his writing and considers him his archnemesis despite the fact that Doyle is a totally normal human and dead as hell

[anais-ninja-bitch]

imagine Watson’s frothing rage at the Doyle estate insisting Holmes can never be shown having emotions. like he didn’t personally watch Sherlock weep during the moon landing.

[asimovsideburns]

Holmes and Watson are embroiled in a legal battle against the Doyle estate and have been for almost 100 angry, angry years

this is only ever mentioned in passing for comedic effect

[ironychan]

A world where humans have no innate magic but our pets do.

Cat magic is pretty raw and they mainly use it for getting into places they’re not supposed to. They can be trained if you’re patient, and will sometimes do favours for their owners out if the blue, but only if they want to.

Dogs have been bred for specific magic over the centuries and each breed can do certain things. Showing off your magic is an essential part of a dog show.

Horses come in horse, pegasus, and unicorn, each with their own magical talents.

Fuck knows what birds can do, I don’t trust birds.

[ironychan]

For an obvious example… dalmatians have been bred for fire magic. A properly trained dalmatian will run into a burning building and all the fires around it will go out. Caution is necessary, of course, because they can also do the opposite. Their favourite toys are often a bit blackened, and puppies must be kept in fireproof surroundings, with extinguishers in easy reach.

[ironychan]

The Pekingese’ magic is camouflage - they can change colour to match whatever they touch, whether a blanket, a mossy rock, or even a reflective mirror. This ability originally enabled them to hide in a robe, so their owners could take them into places where dogs were technically not permitted. The classic image of a pekingese is of it sitting outside a building, appearing to be part of the stonework… until it reveals itself to growl at an intruder.

[ironychan]

Portuguese water dogs are canine silkies - in deep enough water they transform into curly-haired seals, and when they climb back out and shake off, they turn back into dogs.

[villainous-queer-deactivated202]

Cats are often thought to be selfish and troublesome, to only use their magic for themselves, and for random but odd favours.

This is not the entire truth.

Cat magic is largely Watch and Ward, which is only observable in what does not happen. Cats are known to protect sleeping humans from danger simply by being present, their lamp-like eyes acting as a sort of n’est pas possible upon all possible intruders, from pests to more deadly threats.

Pitbulls over the ages were bred to emit magic to calm children and help them sleep

Collies can multiply themselves for a short time to corral animals

St Bernard’s turn into snow and can feel where an avalanche is going to happen hours before the event

Anatolian Shepherd can shapeshift into other animals around them to blend in

[specsthespectraldragon]

corgi magic is banned in most public areas, and one of the few dog magics not to be demonstrated in show- allowing your corgi to perform magic in public can be punished with up to $1000 in fines, even before the costs of damage to people and property

Golden Retriever magic is sometimes considered “disney” magic, as they typically attract waterfowl and game birds. this is not always the benefit one thinks it would be, as some lines have a penchant for attracting swans! some, however, attract vertebrates of a different sort. one remarkable individual was given an honorary degree in wildlife biology for her prodigious ability to attract frogs and toads, and is currently hard at work in Costa Rica.

[specsthespectraldragon]

#I would die for that fictional golden retriever scientists

no. you must live for her. she demands it of you. how else would you be able to appreciate all these great amphibians she’s finding?

[atreefullofstars]

A cat’s protective aura gets stronger in response to affection and respect. If you bond strongly enough with one, you can actually FEEL the magic working, soothing fear and anxiety. They also work in dreams, catching and killing nightmares. Some can do this from several rooms away, while others like to work more closely and will sit on their owners’ chests or heads while they sleep.

[marlynnofmany]

Yes please to all of this.

[kk-maker]

Rat magic: a mysterious multiplication of SOMETHING–food or other valuable resources generally–which can be pretty handy if you don’t mind the nibble marks.

[madmaudlingoes]

Beagle magic is mostly low-grade telepathy, which is very handy for coordinating a pack hunt, but also makes individual dogs prone to neurosis.

[sleepingreader]

Some cats, like their behaviour of presenting a prey, also sometimes present their owner with a small magical favour. Sometimes this involves a transmuted treat. Sometimes this involves a clumsy owner growing whiskers

[quadradaz]

What the hell do Corgis do that it is illegal for them to do their magic in public?

[tanoraqui]

[writing-prompt-s]

The Chosen One is dead, killed while facing the Dark Lord. Grief and hatred together give rise to an unlikely pair of heroes who come together to defeat the evil now taking over the world unchecked. The Chosen One’s parents are out for revenge, and there is no room for mercy anymore.

[hawberries]

i did thing

my dashing gay crossdressing peahen fake prince on a quest to rescue her long-lost childhood love and seduce ladies

animation class is pretty cool

[aromantic-goldfishdeactivated202]

Instead of a stoic hero and a chatty villain or a chatty hero and a stoic villian imagine if they’re both chatty. Just, the villian trying their best to kill the hero while the two of them have a in-depth discussion about their opinion of pumpkin spice

[aromantic-goldfishdeactivated202]

Villian: *shoots laser* No but seriously orange is a really fun color

Hero, dodging: but your entire room? I’m not painting my entire room orange

Villain: *stabs at the hero and misses* well then why did you ask my opinion on paint colors if you’re not going to listen

[anastasia1marie]

The Princess Bride

[aromantic-goldfishdeactivated202]

Holy shit

[heroofthreefaces]

[xenosaurus]

One of my favorite tricks for designing alien species/cultures is to take a real animal with an interesting lifecycle and think about what that biology would translate to if they had human intelligence

[xenosaurus]

Example: silk moths as a base species

Because the moths themselves don’t eat and only live long enough to mate and then starve to death, the entire culture is made up of children and adolescents. The older children raise the younger ones, with families being made up of hatchmates from different years.

Because molts and eventual transformation into a short lived adult happen on a set schedule, families have a cycle— when your oldest set of siblings cocoon to become adults, you wait at the mating grounds and try to adopt their newborns after they pass. If that fails, you take any ‘orphans’ you can find.

Because death and birth are nearly simultaneous, they have a religion based around reincarnation, and infants with markings similar to a parent are often given their name. Claiming the offspring of a beloved family member is vitally important, because you want to be able to protect their soul and keep them close.

Because it’s hard to track the offspring of your male family members, there are sometimes major fights when a family sees an infant with familiar markings in another family’s clutch.

Between mating seasons, their culture is extremely food-oriented, because everyone is growing and silkworms eat nigh constantly. They spend most of their lives outdoors but sleep and shelter from bad weather in large family dwellings made from wood and the remains of the silk cocoons of prior generations.

[xenosaurus]

everyone is really vibing with the silkworm aliens I see

[probablybadrpgideas]

You’ve heard of Urban Fantasy, now get ready for Suburban Fantasy! 

 Time to wizard duel Helen in the local dog park because she reported you to the home owner’s association!

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

If I may once again dip my toe into the discourse surrounding Greek Mythology, a lot of people like to rewrite or reframe the story of Medusa, and that’s great! Highly encourage it. But, DON’T YOU DARE GO AND DEMONIZE MY BOY PERSEUS!

Perseus isn’t some vile misogynist who hunts down and murders Medusa for the hell of it. He’s a scared kid who’s trying to save his mom from a forced marriage (whom herself has been a victim of terrible abuse from her father) to a creepy evil king and gets duped by the Gods into cleaning up their mess for them. He’s not the villain, he’s just another pawn. So if I see one more motherfucker trying to make him out to be the “real monster” I will throw hands.

You know what would be way more interesting?! Medusa sees Perseus rolling up to her crib and freaks out cause ‘holy shit this is a fucking kid. a fucking toddler with a sword and shield.’ and they hash it out and then TEAM UP to kill the evil kind trying to force marry Perseus’ mother! Think of the dynamics that you could write! The interactions that could occur. I mean, one of ‘em is gonna have to wear a blindfold but hey, minor problems.

What I’m saying is, gimme a buddy cop movie where Perseus and Medusa team up to fight evil in Ancient Greece.

[thebestworstidea]

I’m just picturing Perseus as this fairly well built sixteen year old kid, who looks a little underfed, and he’s like ‘ma’am I’m so sorry, I have to bring your head back to save my mom’ and medusa is like ‘okay, start over. We can work with this’ and compare trauma over some watered wine.

[inkandarsenic]

Danae and Medusa can get married and Perseus can have TWO Badass Moms

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

[hayleyolivia]

I have been successfully tempted once again. No promises for the future.

[tomboyjessie13]

This is weirdly wholesome

[moniquill]

[dragonspiritblog]

Art by  KK Zhang

[purpleweredragon]

[ID: A realistic digital painting of a large wyvern flying amongst an enormous flock of Chilean flamingos above a lake on a bright sunny day. The wyvern has two dark horns, dark spikes on its jaw and down its back and a short squarish snout. It is a similar colour to the birds it flies with, being an orange-pink with a pale underside. There are mountains in the distance.

End ID]

[tiger-in-the-flightdeck]

She knew she was different from the rest of the flock. Larger, more robust. Featherless. But her parents had doted over her egg when they had found it abandoned near their mud pile, rolling it carefully to nestle between their smaller ones, then brooding it until the first cracks appeared in the shell. They had crooned and preened her horns just as they had done for her fluffier siblings. By her third day she was larger than him, yet her father would fuss if she ventured from under the warm and protective haven of his wings. Her mother had gathered far more food that year, to feed her enormous chick.

When she first took to the air, her parents watched on, billing and cooing in their pride that their chick was so strong.

Now, her parents had each taken new mates, and had new chicks. They were all so small, while she continued to grow. The lake wasn’t enough to feed her anymore, but the hills around it provided ample food. The tiny grey balls of down and clumsy legs would tuck around her, giving all of the parents a chance to feed. They knew that she would protect the chicks, and keep them warm. She radiated a heat from within that feathers could never match. Every chick reached adulthood that year.

No brave male ever approached her in the warm and sparkling days of spring to begin the steps of courtship, but she didn’t grieve. They were all far too small and easily knocked over by a gusting breath of irritation. She didn’t need a mate, she could brood abandoned eggs on her own and bring them up without the help. She had learned her lessons from her parents, fussing if they ventured too far from her warmth, cooing with pride when they took their first clumsy flaps to lift them up.

And when the flock took to the wing, she was there with them as they rose in flight.

[bravecrab]

Pitch: a muppet movie where the muppets play D&D, and it cuts between the muppets around the table and the fantasy being acted out, but instead of it just being the muppets dressed up in D&D fantasy costume, it's celebrity actors but the muppets do the voices, and the actors have to act how those muppets would. Imagine a barbarian played by Jason Mamoa voiced by Miss Piggy.

[modmad]

oH. OH I WANT THIS BADLY.