ninjapitka, The Grandmaster of the Written Word

Member Since

6/11/2018

Last Activity

4/1/2023 11:30 AM

EXP Points

4,864

Post Count

586

Storygame Count

16

Duel Stats

11 wins / 13 losses

Order

Notorious Marauder Exemplar

Commendations

1,072
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 9 Storygame(s) Featured Rated 93.5% 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.

Featured Story 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.

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.

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

Time Management on 12/30/2022 2:21:16 PM
Three hours seems like a lot. I suggest having a firm start time and no set end. If you're in the groove you'll go for a while, and knowing you can stop at any time will help avoid burnout.

Reading list aka Harry Potter can STILL suck it on 12/29/2022 8:19:56 PM
Posted my reads last year and might as well do it again, seeing that the Reading Corner only has it a few posts down. I bet both will still be on the front page for next year's. My rating system for books is just as arbitrary as your storygames, but it should go without saying that anything 9 or higher is something you should stick your nose in. Also, it's worth knowing that Richard Bachman is actually Stephen King. Ass: 9/10 That was a test. Hopefully you passed. The Dark Half: 8/10 Once again Stephen King has a writer protag. You'll notice I copy his style with degenerate main characters in the Sterling adventures. The premise, a writer's villain comes to life and terrorizes himself in, well, real life. Interesting. If only EndMaster could bring Semra to life heh heh heh. Different Seasons: 10/10 A collection of four short stories by Stephen King, one for each season. Heard of Shawshank Redemption? Yeah, it's from this collection. The movie has been rated the best of all time by various critics. I'll let you in on a little secret: the book's better. Lisey's Story: 8.5/10 Hey it's Stephen King, and nope, wrong guess: the main character isn't a writer, but a widow of a writer. Nice try though. Like many of King's characters, the late husband has a dark past that is slowly uncovered by his wife after death. Despite through the eyes of the wife, the husband steals the show through some really incredible flashbacks. Flashbacks, hard to make interesting; however, it's King, and it's wonderful. Insomnia: 8.5/10 An old guy can't sleep after his wife's passing and starts seeing things, like midget doctors killing people. This book is most known for it's big impact in The Dark Tower universe, being mentioned by title in the epic series and events taking place simultaneously as the gunslingers are effing ess up. Also contains the only poem I've ever liked. There's a copy of it hanging on my wall as I write this. Cell: 6/10 This is the only Stephen King I dare rate at a 6 because it gives heavy boomer vibes. Using cell phones cause people to turn into zombies. Written in the mid-2000s there's some humor in watching "state of the art" technology ruin society. I, Robot: 6/10 Movie's better. Rather watch Will Smith in CGI. Ender's Shadow: 10/10 What does EndMaster say, not a prequal or sequal but an equal? Truer words have never been spoken. Hearts in Atlantis: 9/10 A collection of King stories, including one about vulgar college kids addicted to the card game, Hearts, during the Vietnam War. It's got great lines like "fighting for peace is like fucking for chastity" and "It was the kiss by which all the others of his life would be judged and found wanting." Woaaaah. Carrie: 7/10 Maybe it's because I don't much relate with high school girls or care about high school drama, but King's first publish didn't capture me. Blasphemy, I know. The Regulators: 7/10 A Bachman novel, and a real weird one. A dark spirit living within a retarded kid brings a children's TV show to life to massacre a small town.   Eyes of the Dragon: 6/10 This is the only OTHER Stephen King I dare rate at a 6, mostly because it's a slow fairy tale using the same character names from the glorious Dark Tower series. Now I have a hard time thinking of names too, but it's just too confusing and wrong. Dolores Claiborne: 10/10 An elderly woman is questioned for the murder of her employer, and instead she confesses the murder of her husband from several decades past. If you want to experience true character voice, I highly recommend. The entire thing takes place within an interrogation room. I'd be lying if I didn't say I borrowed the idea for True Life. The Running Man: 9/10 A Bachman novel, perhaps the most well known. It's nonstop action and suspense. Real short one too. It's like if Hunger Games were a reality show and took place among real civilization, and any good citizen could turn bounty hunter for a sweet reward at any given time, made even more difficult with the games rules requiring The Running Man to send a vlog daily else prize money is forfeit. Blaze: 9/10 A Bachman novel. A lovable, borderline retard with giant strength sees the ghost of his late crime mentor and is convinced to performed the heist of a lifetime, the score that they couldn't capture during life. Really interesting dynamics with this one. The Long Walk: 8/10 A Bachman novel. Walk at 4 MPH for as long as you can go or else soldiers put a bullet in your brain. How long could you last? 100 kids start the long walk, only 1 wins. Entertaining but wasn't enthralled by the characters. Weird for King. The Lord of the Rings trilogy: 8.5/10 Probably will get some heat for this one. Writing was the best I've ever read from a literary standpoint. Enjoyment and entertainment weren't on the same level. After the Stephen King bookakke until this point in the year, it might just be sudden change from short, fast-paced reads into an ocean of fantasy lore. And yes, it was my first time. Pop. Roadwork: 8/10 A Bachman novel. An elderly man choked out of home and career takes it out on the highway displacing both. It's a slow crawl into self-destruction, reaching a point of no return. The solution: kamikaze, bitches. The Dome: 8.5/10 This is a big boy. The hard copy I borrowed was like carrying around a bible. It's like a mix of Lord of the Flies and the Stanford Prison Experiment extended to an entire town in Maine, all summed up with a single idea: humans think nothing of ants and play, destroy, watch them at our whim: what if humans were cosmic ants? Mind blown. Pet Sematary: 10/10 An exploration on death with an emotional rollercoaster. You think you know the story, and you probably do, but the execution is tremendous and thrilling all the same. The ending is probably the creepiest thing I've ever read, and of course it was the first book I finished alone in my new place. I'm leaving the night light on, thank you very much. The Mist: 7/10 I didn't realize the story was a novella. About as entertaining as the movie. The thing that gets me is the main character slays some bimbo when they're trapped by the mist in the supermarket. Ok, dude. It's been like a day since you saw your wife. Man and His Symbols: 9.5/10 I'm normally too dumb to read nonfiction, but this was a good one, a real thinker. Jung explores the conscious and unconscious self, their relation to one another, and universal human symbols (especially in dreams). Puts everyday life into an interesting perspective. The Institute: 7/10 Kids. Telepathy. Telekinesis. Maine. Typical King story. This one felt too long and dragged during the middle. Still, it's King, and high quality nonetheless.   On Writing: 10/10 Second time running through King's writing memoir, and it's just as banging. I highly recommend site users get themselves a copy.   Beyond Order: 9.5/10 Yeah, yeah, I know Jordan Peterson is a meme. Still, he has some thought-provoking ideas, and being that we are into storywriting, his take on myth, narrative, and archetypes are useful tools. Being from a psychology background, the aforementioned topics are relative to human characteristic and trait aka potentially helpful for writing believable fictional characters. Cujo: 8/10 Rabid dog traps a mother and son inside their car, stalking outside, waiting, daring for them to make a break for it. Since you know all roads lead there, it's not as suspenseful, but thrilling all the same. Bag of Bones: 8/10 Stephen King, and hey, yup, the main character is a writer. Rather than mental powers, Bag of Bones is traditional horror with haunted houses and ancient grounds. So far, this is the only book that's ever jumpscared me like it was fucking Paranormal Activity. Later: 8/10 Kid sees dead people. Sound familiar? Only when he speaks to them, they have to tell the truth. With his single mom being a literary agent and her only client turning up dead, Mr. Sixth Sense ghost writes (heh) the final story. Will they get away with it? Find out for yourself! Night shift: 7/10 Collection of King stories. These ones are reeeeally short, and a lot from way back in the day, including a haunted washing machine and basement of dog-sized rats. The coolest bit is a Dark Dungeon-esque take on 'Salems Lot, which I think sparked the full novel. I think the short story came first. Pretty sure. Kinda sure. Idk. Full Dark, No Stars: 9/10 Never before has a title been named as perfectly. This book contains four stories by Stephen King and each are the darkest bits of writing that I've read. It's downright amazing how he sets the tone without getting graphic. After reading you'll want to hug ma and pa and tell em you love em.

Should CYS become a business? on 12/25/2022 12:53:43 PM
I like the idea. Not going to vote against the site getting resources dumped into it. I've got the same monetization concerns as the others, but that sounds like an Alex P problem to solve: I'm just here to read and write stories.

Prompt Contest Results on 10/3/2022 10:31:15 PM
Everything about this image draws me in the more I look.

EndMaster's Prompt Contest on 6/11/2022 11:13:12 AM
Real gangsters publish a week early.

EndMaster's Prompt Contest on 5/24/2022 11:32:14 PM
It'll be a long time before I join a contest, personal pissing or otherwise. And even then, my story would probably be something like Degenerate 2.0 or Sterling X, where I could sit back and relax and type a few F-bombs and maybe say cunt once or twice as sort of a palate cleanser between serious projects. The stuff I want to complete can't be fit into two months of writing, which I'm still doing by the way, waking up before 6am daily come rain or shine--thwarted only by those nasty hangovers. But yeah, I don't give a shit about writer or site feuds. I just want to read and write good stories.

If you need Ideas for a story game come here on 1/2/2022 2:10:48 PM
I'll take mine in a bucket, easy on the bitters. None of that well garbage. Twist, not peel.

Reading list aka Harry Potter can suck it on 12/24/2021 12:34:22 PM
I haven't read any of the other Ender books (remember I'm just getting around to the OG this year). I've heard good things about Shadow. The others, not so much. I'm content cash out my chips with the prize of Ender's Game. It's such a good book that I don't want to tarnish its memory by doubling down on a subpar sequel. Stephen King's introduction is quite the hook and it only gets better. It's very honest. He doesn't claim to know the ultimate writing cheat code (besides reading a lot and writing a lot). And funny enough, he writes that people inherently have it or they don't. Good writers can improve but they'll never be great writers. That sort of thing. Not all are born equal it seems. Ah. I'd rather follow the ghostbloods than the parshendi. They're better off being the mysterious enemy across the shattered plains; I don't actually want them to take center stage. Give me more political struggle and assassination attempts and Dalinar and Kaladin.

Reading list aka Harry Potter can suck it on 12/24/2021 12:21:22 PM
That's a fair point. But that's where rewrites and additional drafts should come in.

Reading list aka Harry Potter can suck it on 12/24/2021 12:18:16 PM
Damn, that sentence reminds me of the stammering kid trying to remember his dream. The worst part for me, as far as the actual writing goes, were the adverbs. Adverbs everywhere. You get an adverb, and you get an adverb, and you get an adverb. (Throwin them out like Oprah). And worst of all, the vast majority were attached to dialogue. They were a huge crutch that Rowling used instead of writing like an actual human. Out of nowhere, characters are speaking mysteriously, kindly, warmly, etc. with no context whatsoever. The worst one came across near the end where Harry "said [something] questioningly." Bitch, he asked. That's why there's a question mark in your dialogue punctuation. On it's own that's not terrible, but after being bukkake'd by adverbs in the previous 200 pages, that was money shot that broke the camel's back.