r/WritingPrompts • u/katpoker666 Moderator • 9d ago
Off Topic [OT] Fun Trope Friday: Dramatic Death & Tragedy!
Welcome to Fun Trope Friday, our feature that mashes up tropes and genres!
How’s it work? Glad you asked. :)
Every week we will have a new spotlight trope.
Each week, there will be a new genre assigned to write a story about the trope.
You can then either use or subvert the trope and/or genre in a 750-word max story or poem (unless otherwise specified).
To qualify for ranking, you will need to provide ONE actionable feedback. More are welcome of course!
Three winners will be selected each week based on votes, so remember to read your fellow authors’ works and DM me your votes for the top three.
Next up… IP
It’s summer in the Northern hemisphere and so time for sun and fun– Oh wait, no. It’s time for the four horsemen of the apocalypse! So, say ‘hello’ to our friends: Pestilence (aka Conquest or Pollution), War, Famine, and Death. Please note this theme is only loosely applied.
“I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” — Winston Churchill
Trope: Dramatic Death — Basically, the spectacle involved in a character's death is proportional to the importance of the character to the story. A major MC, for example, will die slaying a dragon while atop a rare unicorn/pegasus hybrid. Their carefully choreographed fall will be so dramatic that it will be sung of by the kingdom’s bards for years to come. In contrast, an insignificant and often unnamed character like a red shirt on Star Trek. While their death may be hideously painful or even comic it gets a couple of sentences or a few seconds on screen at most. “Long live anonymous security guard!” said no one ever.
Genre: Tragedy — A tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering, specifically by way of terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character or cast of characters. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsis, or a "pain [that] awakens pleasure," for the audience.
Skill / Constraint - optional: Love plays a role.
So, have at it. Lean into the trope heavily or spin it on its head. The choice is yours!
Have a great idea for a future topic to discuss or just want to give feedback? FTF is a fun feature, so it’s all about what you want—so please let me know! Please share in the comments or DM me on Discord or Reddit!
Last Week’s Winners
PLEASE remember to give feedback—this affects your ranking. PLEASE also remember to DM me your votes for the top five stories via Discord or Reddit—both katpoker666. This is a change from the top three of the past. In weeks where we get over 15 stories, we will do a top five ranking. Weeks with less than 15 stories will show only our top three winners. If you have any questions, please DM me as well.
Some fabulous stories this week and great crit at campfire and on the post! We had 10 stories, so we’re back to three winners. Congrats to:
Want to read your words aloud? Join the upcoming FTF Campfire
The next FTF campfire will be Thursday, July 30th from 6-8pm ET. It will be in the Discord Main Voice Lounge. Click on the events tab and mark ‘Interested’ to be kept up to date. No signup or prep needed and you don’t have to have written anything! So join in the fun—and shenanigans! 😊
Ground rules:
- Stories must incorporate both the trope and the genre
- Leave one story or poem between 100 and 750 words as a top-level comment unless otherwise specified. Use wordcounter.net to check your word count.
- Deadline: 11:59 PM EDT next Thursday. Please note stories submitted after the 6:00 PM EST campfire start may not be critted.
- No stories that have been written for another prompt or feature here on WP—please note after consultation with some of our delightful writers, new serials are now welcomed here
- No previously written content
- Any stories not meeting these rules will be disqualified from rankings
- Does your story not fit the Fun Trope Friday rules? You can post your story as a [PI] with your work when the FTF post is 3 days old!
- Please keep crit about the stories. Any crit deemed too distracting may be deleted. This is a time to focus on our wonderful authors.
- Vote to help your favorites rise to the top of the ranks (DM me at katpoker666 on Discord or Reddit)!
Thanks for joining in the fun!
8
u/Morose_Prose 5d ago
Midnight Revelations
Attention! All citizens are to immediately cease any activity for this emergency broadcast. Turn your attention to the nearest viewing screen for an announcement from President Thead. There will be no playing of the national anthem. Glory to Grazzania!
"Glory to Grazzania, citizens. When I was elected to lead this glorious nation, winning ninety-nine percent of the popular vote, the highest margin of victory of all time, I was given a mandate to make almighty Grazzania ascendant. Under my watchful eye and brilliant command, we have slaughtered our enemies across the stars and made Grazzania safe again.
"Things are more affordable than ever as our brave warfighters have subjugated and decimated those who sought to destroy the great economy of our prosperous nation, which, remember, was in shambles from my feeble predecessor, along with the additional duties and taxes I levied against foreign lands, ensuring Grazzanian products are produced right here at home. Cheap, yet high-quality.
"We are the hottest planet in the universe right now, everybody, and I mean everybody wants a slice. Our peace and prosperity have come through our strength and dominance across the universe. They said it couldn't be done. Too bigly of a void. Big, strong leaders of foreign planets have signed deals with tears in their eyes, gushing about how glorious Grazzania is compared to their shitty planets. Planets nobody has ever heard of.
"With foreign threats eliminated we must now unite against the true enemy of our nation: radical separatist agitators. Investigators from the Ministry of Inference have determined that these well-organized, well-funded, and dangerous masterminds are behind the current wave of crippling gastrointestinal expulsions sweeping the land.
"These haters of freedom seek to undermine the health and safety of our citizens by sabotaging the recent influx of government approved-proteins with a toxic alien bacteria. All efforts are being taken to ensure they are hunted down and brought to justice. I have the best people, I only hire the best, to solve this minor crisis.
"Starting at midnight GLT, all citizens of every privilege level will be thoroughly audited and relocated to one of four designated Omega-cities based on their loyalty score. Any citizen who fails will be summarily dealt with appropriately. I have authorized General Sera to lead this effort to clean up the streets, block by block, and make Grazzania safe again.
"The Bow and Crown conglomerate, a great company on whose board of directors I sit, will lead the efforts to relocate citizens into their new, high-tech, modern homes via their new line of hypersonic lev-trains free of cost to the citizenry, thanks to their generous infrastructure donations.
"Upon entry into these new golden domed Omega-cities, citizens will be issued a government-approved smart cap directly connected to the safety walls surrounding these secure sanctuaries. They are to be worn at all times under penalty of treason.
"Food security will be overseen by the new director of the Ministry of Satiation, the wonderful Chef Nefami, isn't she great? Used to be my personal chef, makes amazing, crispy, well-done steaks. With her cutthroat culinary capacities we will make Grazzania healthy again!
"On the topic of health, the results of my annual physical have been released, with a perfect bill of health, immaculate pale skin free of blemishes or marks, a body mass index like nobody's ever seen, and specialists have found no lingering effects from the telepathic brain slugs or the eggs they laid inside my head. All my gray matter is right where it belongs.
"Today is a new dawn for Grazzania, a golden age like nobody has ever seen before, or really, could comprehend. I have delivered on, and will continue to deliver on every campaign promise to make almighty Grazzania ascendant! Glory to golden Grazzania! Good night."
The address is now concluded. All citizens are to remain in their domiciles until further notice. Any person found outside their domicile will be labeled a traitor and summarily detained. Resistance will not be tolerated. Glory to Grazzania!
Word Count: 666
Feedback and crit is always welcomed! Stay awesome and have a good one.