ninjapitka, The Grandmaster of the Written Word

Member Since

6/11/2018

Last Activity

9/28/2024 11:35 PM

EXP Points

4,978

Post Count

608

Storygame Count

17

Duel Stats

11 wins / 13 losses

Order

Notorious Marauder Exemplar

Commendations

1,148
Half an hour later he was sitting in front of the blank screen, thinking he had to be a glutton for punishment.

Trophies Earned

Earning 100 Points Earning 500 Points Earning 1,000 Points Earning 2,000 Points For contributions of being the creator of stories of remarkable quality on this site. Winner of the 2021 Manifest Destiny Contest! Having 8 Storygame(s) Featured Rated 96.9% of all Stories Given by BerkaZerka on 09/09/2021 - Collect the whole set! Given by EndMaster on 08/30/2020 - For multiple contributions to the site Given by Gower on 03/22/2021 - "...first taking a few gulps from your waterskin. It’s not cold. It tastes slightly of the leather pouch." Given by Killa_Robot on 09/28/2022 - Long since deserved. You're an amazing author and highly active on the site. Given by MadHattersDaughter on 03/11/2021 - For your sheer amount of and incredible stories. Who did you sell your soul to for some spare time? Given by mizal on 03/29/2020 - For silently and sneakily becoming one of the most valuable authors on the site, and being a great reviewer. Given by ninjapitka on 10/20/2022 - Your reflection looks damn good in gold, baby. Given by Will11 on 03/25/2020 - For your excellent stories, positive attitude and dedication to writing :)

Storygames

Featured Story Blackbirds
Citizens! The High King requires the patriotic swing of your sword! Enlist today! Benefits include free passage to the New World, unparalleled brotherhood, and a sense of purpose! Talk to a recruiter today! Alteran, a superpower nation unlike the world has ever witnessed. Proper, rule-following, like a civilized nation should be. Magda, a territory threatening to rival Alteran in both might and colonization of the New World. Supreme Leader Fargrave (spit), ever a constant presence at the High King's heel. Harri'ar, natives of the New World, standing a full head taller than the average civilized man. Mere beasts in a human-shaped body. The old ways are dying; the new are upon us. Author's note: Official endings will be labeled as such. Be sure to hit the "Go Back" button should you come across a premature death. Submission for the War on Intfiction.

Degenerate
An alcoholic writer. His career going nowhere. The daughter of a business tycoon. Author's note: This story is dedicated to Jay in response to their constructive feedback left on Unbroken. Thank you, truly, for being the inspiration behind the title. Enjoy.

Gunslinger
Solitary is the life of those who carry iron and deal in lead. Their trail is littered with the fallen, both friend and foe alike. A man seeks rest, his body exhausted from the journey, his mind never finding stillness. Evil grows in the western frontier, a place of adventure and danger. And where those things exist, so too does the gunslinger.

Author's note:

All endings are titled. Your score will be tied to one of 7. They are:

1: Tethered to Darkness
2: For Whom the Bell Tolls
3: Death at Midnight
4: A Death Preceding Your Own
5: Blaze of Glory
6: Final Smoke
7: A Soul in Trade of Another


Entry for End Master's Manifest Destiny Contest.

Mercenary
They betrayed you, left you broken and bleeding in the dirt. They should have finished the job.

A second chance at life. More men to kill, more gold to earn.

Author's note:

Be warned: this is a different type of storygame. Consider it an interactive novel. There are several ways to reach the ending, but I suggest reading without using the Back button.

Nameless
Strength of body, strength of will. Both are required. A man's freedom depends on his willingness to act, to rise against those who would place him in chains. Small choices add up, building towards differing outcomes. In the moment, one does not often know the implications of his actions. Inevitably, all is revealed. Author's Note: There are several "cinematic" links in the story. You will have the option to view multiple events happening simultaneously. While not adding to the branching, they do offer deeper insight into the story.

Pitka's Fables

Hello. It's me, Pitka ("Ninja" to my friends), your morality guide. Together, we will embark on a journey filled with lessons on life and ethical behavior, while having fun along the way, of course!

I've written a series of short fables for your benefit. Come, take my hand as we navigate through life's innermost difficulties.

Author's note:

Entry for Bucky's Year's End Contest.

Featured Story Rockstar
Hope you packed your smokes, poured a flask. Here, we're all alkies; no harm, no foul if you hit a mean power chord. A rockin' adventure in your favorite city. Author's Note: There are four official endings. If you don't like yours, find another.

Safe
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through


Author's note:

Entry for MHD's Fantastical Fairytales Contest.

There are nine total endings. I encourage you to discover them all.

Sheol's Passage and the Fallen
Thoughts appearing as fragments. A mind shattered. Broken. Weak. One of us. Author's Note: Official endings will be titled "Epilogue." There are seven total to discover.

Featured Story Sterling City
She offers everything a man could want. Sterling City, an unsteady lover, but a lover nonetheless, filled with gunfire, liberal women, and elevator dings! One day her embrace is warm, and the next, it's the cold shoulder and couch for you, baby. Best to get out while the going's good. Author's Note: Contest entry for IWT 13: The Resurrection.

Sterling Suburbs
It's the 'burbs, baby. Wipe that city grime off on the door mat. You know what, why don't you just remove those filthy shoes entirely. She's calm, collected, and safe. Sterling Suburbs, nothing like her erratic sister, filled with carpool lines, trick or treaters, and a steady supply of Budweiser. Author's Note: Written for Mara's Halloween Writing Jam. A small-sized, suburb-dwelling Sterling City spin-off!

Featured Story The Book and Devil's Altar
A new day. The chance to move on. Weigh the options, then commit. Whether you choose right or wrong, the journey begins by taking a step forward.

The Hunter, a man marked by tragedy, plagued by the internal voice. His past appears as phantoms, seeking to claim his soul.

The Sorceress, places little value on the lives of men. Humanity is but an obstacle on her rise to power.

The Warrior, built by honor. Straightforward in battle, straightforward in thought.

The Rogue, unable to leave behind what isn't his. Some artifacts are best left as they are.

The Book, a tome of black magic. Ancient curses rest in its pages, longing to be read.

Author's note: There are six official endings to discover, two of which have characters crossing over from Sheol's Passage and the Fallen.

Entry for EndMaster's Edgelord Contest 2.

The King's Command

The Providence of Kria consists of two major nations: The Kingdom of Brelia and the tribal territory of Rath. The ten-year peace between Brelia and Rath is quickly unraveling. In attempt to prevent another war, heir to the throne of Brelia, Prince Urijah, is sent on a diplomatic mission to appeal to the Rathans. In your older brother's absence, the burden of defending the kingdom falls to you. Your choices will determine the fate of the kingdom.

Runner-up for Corgi's Unofficial Contest: The Lords of the Land.



9/1/19 Update: Corrected a few punctuation errors

Featured Story The Sanguine and Blackbeard's Cutlass
Taking place during the Golden Age of Piracy, assume command of The Sanguine as you plunder and search for treasure in the profitable Caribbean. In this swashbuckling fantasy, you embark on a dangerous quest to an ancient Aztec civilization. Peril lies behind every tree, stone, and indigenous spear.

Author's note:

The story adds fantasy elements to events occurring in the 1700s. There are many real life characters and places in the story. Many are factually accurate, and many are not. I highly encourage you to research the people, places, and deities after reading.

Entry for Gower's Battle in the Ruins of a Dead Civilization contest.

Featured Story True Life
It's got sex. It's got booze. It's got heartache, hurt, and happy times. This is True Life, not a love story for the kids. Author's Note: You'll find the storygame takes place in a familiar city. That's Sterling, baby, and don't you fuckin forget it; she may be a hot mess, but she's my hot mess. Fortunately for you sick freaks, there's enough to go around. Enjoy. Just be sure to wash up afterward.

Featured Story Twin Arrows

1852 - The Territory of New Mexico

The hunt has taken me to to the outer edges of civilization. Out here, lawlessness abides. There are no godly folk. Only heathen. The inner demon in me can relate to the call of anarchy. No rules, being bound by nothing; it sounds like freedom. In the end, that "freedom" is simply the self-indulgent, care-free living that is a poison upon humanity. If killing a man will save society from the infection of lawlessness, then I will gladly do what is necessary.

You eye the journal at your lap. The freshly written ink expands and bleeds to the perfect width of the quill. Satisfied that it won't smear, you shut the book and toss it aside. The meager fire at your feet does little to warm your body, but its original use was already completed. The frail, thin-boned squirrel did little to satisfy your hunger. Still, it would keep you alive until the next meal. You pull the leather waterskin from your pack to gauge how much longer it would last. With a gentle shake, you estimate it'll last a couple more days with strict rationing.

The road is lonely. In a former life, you dreamed about wandering the world without any responsibility or burdens. The reality of the road's harsh living conditions were nothing like the trigger-happy romanticized versions of the lawless west. Here there are no home-cooked meals, no warm body to lie next to yours. It's only you and the necessary task. Someone had to die.

You gaze up at the night sky. It seemed foreign at first. Without city lights to disorient the constellations, it looked like an entirely new sky. If you traveled at a good pace, you'd reach Canyon Diablo by midday. You pull the bone-carved pipe from your pack and light a match against the sole of your foot. You lie down on your bedroll, breathe in the relaxing tobacco, and drift off to sleep...

Author's Note:

The Wild West is a dangerous place. Be sure to make good use of that "back" button. I've hidden three achievements throughout the story. Yes, your total score will show if you've discovered them or not. The highest score possible is an 8/8.


Point Breakdown:
Achievements: 1 point each
Epilogue: 5 points

Entry for mizal's Lone Hero contest.

8/28/19 Update: Fixed the symbols appearing in the description

Featured Story Unbroken
There is no escaping our nature. It simply exists. The voice within me, the one that causes me to commit terrible deeds, burns a low ember. Still, it remains, always present, always looking for fuel to burn. It wants to escape. I feel its lust. It wants to devour. This day is no different. I must battle the darkness within. Author's note: In various sections, you will be given the option to view a simultaneous event happening in the story. While not directly affecting you, the reader's path, they may create a more cinematic feel to the story. Originally written as the last page for Sixteen Words, I hope you enjoy my full adaptation of Contemplation.

Budweiser
unpublished
Just drink it!

Articles Written

Embracing the Writing Process
So you want to be a writer, huh? It ain't easy, kid.

Embracing the Writing Process II
So you STILL want to be a writer? Your funeral.

Recent Posts

Endings on 3/3/2024 11:51:58 AM
For my next trick, reset game links!

Endings on 3/2/2024 5:57:34 PM
It only takes one for a top fantasy storygame.

IFDB Outpost on 3/2/2024 10:42:01 AM
Power corrupts. Especially for nerds with no friends.

Reading list... POTTER STINKS! on 1/3/2024 10:42:52 PM
Still got about 30 more to get through. The jury's still out.

Reading list... POTTER STINKS! on 1/3/2024 10:27:57 PM
RIP Costco hot dog.

Reading list... POTTER STINKS! on 1/2/2024 9:45:35 PM
I'll keep an eye out for those. At this point I can't imagine spending money on a Grisham novel, but the nice thing about those crazy output crazies is that a lot of copies are floating around. Currently sitting on 3 Clancys that I picked up from the neighborhood exchange. If some PTA mom wants to bitch about not putting anything back, I've got a whole collection of theology and spiritual growth baddies to contribute. Try me. I dare you, Donna. I'll put a damn Wild at Heart copy in your husband's hands. Checkmate.

Reading list... POTTER STINKS! on 1/1/2024 8:41:54 PM
Another year, another list. This is 2023's for historical purposes. It might be a decade or two before these finally hit the Reading Corner's second page. I know, I know, you're all too busy reading and reviewing storygames to spend time here. Highly recommend grabbing anything rated 9 or higher (be like Malk at a New Year's party). --- The Shining, Stephen King: 9/10: Started the year in a funk. Couldn’t focus on reading, so picked up a classic to kickstart things. What else is there to say? Here’s Johnny! Elevation, Stephen King: 9/10: Little guy (130 pages, maybe) about a dude who loses weight until floating off into space, presumably dying of asphyxiation on the way up. It’s a, ha, light-hearted outlook on impending death. The Colorado Kid, Stephen King: 7/10: King is at his best with character narration. The entire story is told from two elderly reporters sharing a local mystery with a young reporter. I just wish I didn’t lend my copy to a coworker. She got fired, and I ain’t getting it back. The Stubborn Structure, Northrop Frye: 8/10: Something about literary criticism. I don’t know. These nonfiction books are too smart for me. Best to stay in your lane, Ninja. Full points for quality, zero points for entertainment, so, 8/10 I guess. Poor Folk and Other Stories, Fyodor Dostoevsky: 6/10: There was a time when Dostoevsky was my favorite author, believe it or not. Returning to stories like this collection makes me question previous life decisions (Notes is still great, though). Inferno, Dante Alighieri: 8/10: See comment on Northrop Frye. The Outsider, Stephen King: 8/10: Classic case of King rushing out the gates in spectacular fashion to hit a wall mid-late in. Like all his books, The Outsider is connected to the King universe. This one, however, seemed to lean on it rather than give a subtle nod. The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis: 7/10: See comment on Northrop Frye. Joyland, Stephen King: 10/10: Another Hard Case crime novel. King knows people and what grabs them. Take out the usual kids with powers, and you’re left with a solid little read that is underrated among the King collection. Fifty-to-One, Charles Ardai: 9/10: The final Hard Case for the year, and the only that wasn’t written by King. Man, to sum up this book: bad to worse. Out of the frying pan, into the seventh circle (or whatever, see comment on Northrop Frye). Plus, who doesn’t love pulpy bimbos. The Dark Run, Michael Brooks: 5/10: Sometimes those neighborhood book exchanges house gold, and sometimes they house…this. It took me midway through to realize the author was trying to be funny. Sad thing when your reader can’t tell the difference between serious and sarcasm. 11/22/63, Stephen King: 10/10: This might very well be my new King favorite. The main character discovers a portal to 1963 where he travels to prevent the Kennedy assassination, only he can return at anytime to the present to “reset” the timeline at no apparent consequence…or is there?? Fun side note, I discovered a new watering hole while working on this book. Frosty mugs and King, couldn’t complain (though stumbled home afterward). Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn: 10/10: Remember those neighborhood book exchanges? Sometimes you mine gold, like Gone Girl. Ya’ll know I’m a King freak. Gillian Flynn is the only author to come close. Sharp Objects, Gillian Flynn: 10/10: Second book on the Gillian Flynn tour, and man, this one is juicy. It’s another first person female POV, which I find strange as a self-insert reader. With a copy of Sharp Objects in hand, I think that means I’m allowed in the women’s locker room. Dark Places, Gillian Flynn: 9/10: Easily the worst of Gillian Flynn, yet 9/10. Yes, she’s really that great. Seriously, check her out. The Silent Patient, Alex Michaelides: 10/10: This book got a lot of hype from the New York Times shit list (we’ll get to that next). Sometimes the hype is real. I started and finished this guy in 24 hours. Couldn’t put it down. High recommend. Dark Matter, Blake Crouch: 4/10: Also from the NYT shit list. Wow, it was painful. Not only is it written in single word paragraphs, the message is jammed down your throat. Like, don’t make it obvious at least. The Maidens, Alex Michaelides: 8/10: The long-awaited sequel to The Silent Patient. The author admits it’s a hard act to follow, and I appreciated the honesty. He was damn right. If It Bleeds, Stephen King: 9/10: A collection of King short stories, including one drawing from The Outsider. The opening story was downright creepy (and yes, it had a kid and dark powers involved). The Green Mile, Stephen King: 10/10: Remember that thing about the hype? This one lives up, and more. It follows a guard unit on death row as their prisoners await their date with Old Sparky. You know how it ends, and you have to see it through regardless. The Tommyknockers, Stephen King: 8/10: Strong start, midway drag, yep, Stephen King, ladies and gentlemen! And yes, there’s mind powers and aliens and Maine involved. The Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling: 9/10: Ok, ok, I’ve been dreading getting here. I picked up a copy at, you guessed it, a neighborhood book exchange, thinking I got what I paid for hehe. The plan was to finish the book, so I could shit on the Harry Potter series some more. Well, it was actually really good hehe. Prodigal Son, Gregg Hurwitz: 8/10: Another exchange pick up. Hurwitz’s best quality here is the pacing. It’s always go go go. You may not know this, but I read a lot of Stephen King, and his books are largely the same. I’d pick up another if time permitted. The Boys From Biloxi, John Grisham: 6/10: My first delve into the world of Grisham, and I regret the journey. In this case, it was about the destination (aka putting it down to read other books). Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins: 10/10: Navy Seal turned ultra athlete, Goggins leads an inspirational life. While reading this, I went from running 10 miles for the first time, to running 10 miles with 100 pushups/mile (1,000 total), to waking up one Saturday and running a marathon. All within 4 weeks. And yes, my knees still hurt. And no, I haven’t had a rest day since. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Stephen King: 7/10: This is a neat novel revolving around a girl lost in the woods using her obsession with the Red Sox to see her way through. The chapters are baseball themed, too. Unfortunately, the story does read as neat as the idea. Never Finished, David Goggins: 10/10: Goggins’ second book. The theme here is daily struggle to greatness. Doesn’t matter if you ran a marathon without training in December. This is January, bitch, what’d you do today? Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, Lisa Unger: 7/10: A recommendation from a friend. It was a fun change-up, though I could have done without the “men are animals” theme. Like that horrible Blake Crouch book, the message wasn’t subtle about it. I hadn’t read any Lisa Unger before, nor do I plan on reading more. If there’s a template to mass book appeal, this is it. Still, it was fun for what it is. Billy Summers, Stephen King: 10/10: Similar to 11/22/63, our hero is an assassin who must spend large amounts of time around the city he’s plotting to kill in. It tugs at the heartstrings, while having some good old-fashioned shootin and killin. I remember Billy Summers receiving bad press for dumping on Trump. It happens, sure, but the light is never really shined there. Everything’s Eventual, Stephen King: 8/10: Another King collection. The first one is from the POV of a man paralyzed by a snake, declared dead as a result, while attempting to regain movement on the autopsy table before the docs slice into him. One part becomes un-paralyzed in a female doctor’s hand. I’ll let you guess which. The Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling: 9/10: Oh boy. Book 3 is still really good. I hate myself. Gerald’s Game, Stephen King: 7/10: Moral of the story: if you’re going to engage in BDSM, don’t accidentally kill your husband while chained to the bedpost. Don’t do this especially if you’ve been molested by your father, suppress memories, and now have no way of escaping them mentally or physically. The flashbacks was good reading, the small action detail attempting to escape the cuffs wasn’t as good. The Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling: 9/10: Ah shit, here we go again. Hey, at least these aren’t 10/10s. I’m reading the fifth, currently. See you next year. Empire, Orson Scott Card: 7/10: Decently ok short read from a neighborhood exchange (I really just wanted to finish the year with something other than Harry Potter). The most interesting part was reading on American political party divide from 2006. Apparently, it was a dumpster fire back then too, who woulda known. I’m not planning on reading any more in the series, but I’m pretty sure Card set up his secondary protag to bang the primary-now-dead protag’s wife-now-widow. Silly, Card. Shoulda stuck to kids in space exterminating alien races.

Monday Night WRITING Questionnaire on 12/26/2023 9:11:42 PM
Why the hell are you in the forums instead of writing Embracing the Writing Process XLIILXIX? You already used up your annual 5 posts!

Monday Night WRITING Questionnaire on 12/9/2023 6:47:45 PM
Branching story readers are too spoiled. They expect a meaningful choice presented every page. Every page! Like real life presents such drastic turn of events in short timespans. Get real, kids. Whether my three links take you to the same page, all is meaningless, utterly meaningless! That's straight scripture. Do me a favor. Go to your local grocery store and check out. Whatever dialogue choices you make all result in a plastic bag of goods and the uggo cashier telling you to "have a good one." Short of choosing a LOLRANDOM decision, stealing or removing your shirt to swing it overhead singing "Welcome to the Jungle" at the top of your lungs, you're getting a plastic bag (or paper, gee thanks), told to "have a good one," and sent on your merry linear way. No, nothing annoys me.

The CYS Review Competition! on 10/7/2023 12:04:38 PM
Blah, blah, blah, thanks for the reviews, blah, blah, blah. You know how these things go. So SummerSparrow wins first. And it's not due to the text block (which is politely formatted for easy reading, probably unlike Safe and its parenthetical detours, kinda like this one). The winning factor? The review shows thought and depth. It's not just a summary of what they like and disliked. I'm given good feedback to stick in the toolbox for the next story's construction. The inclusion of re-written segments of Safe was a tasty surprise too. Beside SummerSparrow on the podium, we have fresh_out_the_oven with silver, and PerforatedPenguin with bronze. I like Fresh's focused review style using the site's 8 point system towards self-made categories. It feels real. Like the overall rating isn't just a number pulled from a hat (or butt). Peng writes more of a top level (if not flattering) review style, which can often seem like a stray cloud on a foggy day, but was refreshing among the microscopic reviews of Summer and Fresh. May the powers that be grant you with pointless points. Thank you once again, for writing these wonderful and enthralling reviews.