Here are some brief descriptions of some story ideas I have in my mind (as well as a few finished stories). They're basically just fantasy worlds I like to think about from time to time, and would like to compose into some coherent form some day if possible.

WARNING: These stories may contain thematic content not suitable for those of a weak constitution, or an unduly strict moral fiber. If you are offended by the dark side of human nature, I do not recommend you read them. Fantasy can be an escapist dream world of great beauty, but it can also breed the kind of hideous terrors that only exist within the deepest shadows of the subconscious. You have been warned.

Ascension - A story to be told in multiple parts. The first part chronicles a soul's journey from death, through the various stages of Hell, until finally reaching purity, against all odds. A prequel is possible, which tells the story of creation, and how the primary demons descended from Heaven. Ultimately, the story will continue to include the soul (from the first part)'s journey into Heaven after being purified, and the subsequent assault on Heaven from the inside...ultimately ending in the Demons taking control of Heaven and creating a brand new hierarchy of Divinity. (Preview: 13 Stages of Hell)

Jabberwocky - Classic fantasy tale, about a colony surrounded by a dangerous Wilderness full of wild beasts and magical creatures. Fundamentally, it is a story of revenge, about one man's journey to slay the beast that laid waste to his home and family, and everything he knew and cared about in the world. Along the way, he meets a swordsman, an old hermit, and an enchanting fae, whose spell drives him to forget his task and wander aimlessly through the Wilderness before finally reaching the conclusion.

Dragonfaith - Actually, this is entirely intended to be the plot of an old-school 2D RPG along the lines of classic Final Fantasy. A technologically advanced society is utterly destroyed by an unfamiliar ancient artifact in the hands of an extremist religious cult who summons powerful dragons to tear man's civilization apart. The survivors band together to form isolated communities while the Earth begins to grow anew, lush and green in place of the old metallic scenery of man. Many wild beasts keep man's growth in check, as do the elemental dragons who now own the planet, and the cult members themselves who use the artifact's power to extend their lives. Maybe not the most original plotline, but the gameplay is where it all comes together.

The Rescue - Typical faery tale, prince rescues a princess, but with a much harder edge, adult-oriented. The story begins the night of the rescue, and continues as the duo escape through the dangerous Wilderness, overcoming extreme odds, and ends the moment they reach safety. Kind of a fast-paced extreme fantasy action story. Be nice if it was a character study, but what the hell do I know about characters?

Truth and Sloth (or In The Garden of Evelyn & Amelie) - The basis of this story is sort of a combination of two traditional ideas. The first is the idea that there were two women in the Garden of Eden - Eve, and also Lilith. The other idea is the Garden of Earthly Delights, which is a kind of sacrilegious version of Eden. The two women in this story are both predators, but not necessarily evil. The goal of the tale is that it's supposed to be a sort of depressing look at the reality of life and existence - so don't expect it to be a moral religious fable, or anything like that.

The Unicorn - I find rather fascinating the oh-so-obvious innuendo behind the legend of the unicorn. I mean, innocent virginal girls being enchanted by a horse with a shining phallus on its forehead? It's depicted so purely in all the "fairy tales", and yet you just know there has to be something darker going on behind the scenes. Well, that's the idea that led to this story, and be warned, stylistic influences include Kentaro Miura and Clive Barker, so expect it to be delectably dark and disturbed! >:D

The Town That Cried Witch - This story was inspired by the idea to adapt The Boy Who Cried Wolf to a witch-hunting theme. If it has one major flaw, it's that you know how it's going to end before you even start reading it. Still, I think it's a pretty strong story. The goal was to write about the injustices of the witch-hunting mentality, but sometimes a good story gets in the way of a clear and unambiguous moral stance.

You might interpret the ending to mean that the witch-hunters were right all along - that they would have been saved had they stuck to their guns and killed the witch when they had the chance. But this is a dangerous, albeit popular, belief wherein mistreatment of innocents as collateral damage is justified by the existence of real evils in society or the world. In other words, better to kill three innocent people than let one witch go free.

For an alternate interpretation, let me ask you this: do you think the witch would have visited that town had they not unknowingly "summoned" her by spilling innocent blood in an almost ritualistic fashion? In my mind, this is a story of retribution (taking the form they most feared) against a town that allowed innocent people to be punished in the name of superstition.