2nd Exercise from 3 AM EPIPHANY by Brian Kiteley

#2 Imperative: Write a fragment of a story that is made up entirely of imperative commands.

Stipulations: It says "entirely" but it also says a "fragment."  Hmmm.  Can a narrative work entirely in the imperative tone or mood or whatever it is called (yes, I know, but am off the clock for now as a teacher).  It says further in the book that a "you" is implied.  So, this will turn out to be a second-person narrative.  Somehow, I've got to get a story across, from Trithofar, but with nothing but commands.  I am also stipulating that so long as part of any individual sentence is a command, it counts.

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Letter from Sir Vesket Brargley to his Assistant, Novice Etwart Gellebray, Monster Hunters and Holy Knights.

The shadowlash, as we both know, is a very devious and fractious pest in any situation in which they are found; therefore, when investigating an area to determine if shadowlashes are present, it is vital that you remember that you are the being with the soul.  A shadowlash thrives on frustration, uneven tempers, and a willingness to give up, therefore you must not have any of these elements to your temperament.  You must also remember, that a shadowlash is a magical creature, capable of hurt and menace to a household or even community.  Remember also, they thrive and tend to encourage paranoia, false accusations, and infighting among a particular people.

When investigating a shadowlash infestation, investigate all sights of possible attacks as though they were their own different events, and as though they could be something other than a shadowlash.  Do not readily assume a shadowlash is involved.  Investigate all footprints, signs of upheaval, evidence of theft, or any property damage as though a lesser, and more mundane, animal were involved.  Make extra certain there are no leavings that could belong to another animal, because to attempt to exorcise or eliminate a shadowlash will not necessarily work to eliminate one of the creatures a shadowlash commonly imitates.  Furthermore, notice that the shadowlash may imitate the calls, the tracks, even the fur of another creature, but it cannot imitate the excrement of another creature.  Shadowlashes are, quite possibly, Ithite creatures and you should treat them as such, remembering that their goal, and purpose of creation, is to cause chaos, panic, and strife between people.  Consequently, note that their excrement is going to be more along the lines of ectoplasmic sorts of residue than typical piles of common feces.  When investigating any dead animals, check to make sure such a residue is not present.

If a natural culprit cannot be found, you must still not leap immediately to a shadowlash.  Remember, there are yet other creatures who can cause equal disturbance, and which serve similar functions or purposes as our nemesis we are tracking here.  You must render another test to ensure that a shadowlash presence is to be found.  Use your blessed water as well as your blessed icons handy.  Sprinkle sacred water in areas that have not yet suffered attacks, or near people who seem particularly frustrated by the creature's meddling.  Make sure to leave one of these people alone and do nothing with them, especially if it means they will be particularly angry or jealous of your work elsewhere.  If necessary to get someone riled, pretend ignorance or even outright tell them there is little to be done yet, to see if you can increase tension in the village or town or household where the attacks are happening.  It may yet even become necessary to sacrifice one of the animals to ensure that people around you become quite tense.  Again, remember, you are doing this for the greater good of the village, so therefore it is not lying or cheating the people, but helping find the source of the problem.  As doctors must probe a wound to seek out the greatest pain, so must we, that is, you, must probe the area most likely to be hurt or infected, and that, as we both know, is the people with the greatest difficulty holding their tempers; find these hotheads, so, too, you will find a shadowlash closing in.

Keep a steady patrol by night.  Keep one of your hooded lanterns at the ready, but as hidden as possible.  Wait at the house of the man you think to be either the most suspicious of his neighbors or the one you think least trusting in your services.  This will be where the beast will strike, so wait on it there.  Turn in your prayer book to the "Ninth Prayer of Saint Fellisus: The Prayer of Blessed Ignorance."  Pray this prayer as you maintain your vigil, for this prayer was used to make undead and evil spirits ignore certain people in the past and has proven efficacious to believers trying to hide from the wicked and devilry of the Qwadro.  Be sure to sprinkle your weaponry with the blessed water, and be sure to pray over all weaponry individually using the "Fourth Prayer of Leor: The Asking of Extra Power."

Do not attempt to engage this beast in the darkness.  When it comes, and when you know it has arrived, open your lantern.  The light, if you have blessed the lantern properly, will pin the beast to the wall.  You must look sharp for it, as it will attempt to blend in, and become just a mundane shadow, but remember that evil and wickedness can only mock goodness and innocence; therefore, when you see it, note that there will be something off or deranged about the shadows cast where the shadowlash is.  Keeping the lantern light upon it, thrust your sword into the beast until you no longer hear it screaming.  Make sure it is dead by finding the ectoplasmic residue upon your weapons.  This substance, coming in contact with your blessed water and your blessed weaponry, should sizzle into vapor, so be sure to watch for it, along with any contact with the creature itself.  Be absolutely sure to bury the creature and sanctify the ground above and around it.

Send a letter to me of your progress to Larnale, courtesy of the Brookbabble Inn.  Be encouraged by my absolute faith and confidence in your training.  Know that you do not have to be a Ligniite nor are we Ligniites to be effective as a stay against the darkness.  Keep the light in your heart, and it will stave off the evil left behind by those foul loathsome enemies of ours.  Both of us will vanquish the darkness, but you must remember your vows and keep a steadfast mind and heart.  Be brave and be strong, and anon I hope we shall meet to discuss your success at the Brookbabble.

Yours in Alterrus Azurius,

Sir Bragley

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Thoughts on this Exercise:

I don't know if I really wrote a story by doing this.  Telling someone to do something is really an essay, isn't it?  Directions aren't necessarily a narrative, are they?  Then again, my...whatever this is...includes characters.  There is a setting implied as well as a plot implied.  However, it is a second-person story taking place, with any luck, in the future.  An interesting twist on story telling, to be sure, but I certainly could not write an entire novel on this.  Would a short story written this way even sell?  I"m not even sure there were not rule violations going on in this little amount I wrote.

However, I did have a lot of fun making up a new monster in Trithofar for this.  A creature that lurks in shadows and tries to get people fighting amongst themselves by killing and stealing and destroying.  This creature replaces the idea of a shadow gremlin.  I do too much with gremlins, so I need something to take the place of what I used to have as the shadowgremlin.  An evil spirit that plays pranks or does not-earth-shattering-damage to a group of people is not a bad idea.