Game Narrative 3 - For Asgard

OUT - THE GARDEN OUTSIDE THE TAVERN - DAY

A Viking comes out of a tavern and heads towards a woman who is sitting on a bench drinking her mead. He walks up to her and very politely, smiling, strikes up a conversation:

EIRIK: "Greetings! My name is Eirik! Is this mead tasting that good? I just got one in the tavern."

FREYA: "It's reeeeally great! I am Freya, a shieldmaiden. Welcome to our village, where the gods of Asgard still hold sway."

EIRIK: "Indeed. The gods have blessed us with strength and courage, and we should be proud to honor them in battle and in peace."

FREYA: "The gods take good care of my village, but be warned, out there are many dangers in these lands. Giants, trolls, and other creatures of darkness still roam the wilds, seeking to do harm to our people these days."

EIRIK: "That is why we must always be ready to defend ourselves and our places. Soooo would you like to hunt some of them in the forest?"

FREYA: "Yes, let's rip some heads off in the woods! Together, we shall vanquish some of these disgusting creatures."

EIRIK: "Then let us begin! The gods are with us"

FREYA: "May the gods guide and protect us, as we set out on this task... And bring us back for more meads, of course." (laghing)

EIRIK: "As we prepare for this dangerous hunt, let us remember the words of our ancestors. "The sword is the soul of the warrior, and the shield is the heart of the shieldmaiden."

FREYA: "And let us also remember the wisdom of Odin, the All-Father: A good warrior is never without a weapon, and a good shieldmaiden is never without a plan."

EIRIK: "Indeed. We must be strong in both: body and mind, if we are to succeed in this quest."

FREYA: "For my clan honor and loyalty are extremely grassy. Can I really trust you?"

EIRIK: "The path ahead will be long and treacherous, honor and loyalty will keep our strenght together, but with courage in our hearts and the gods on our side, we will emerge victorious. You will see! You can trust me! I'm your friend already!"

FREYA: "Let us go forth, then, and make our ancestors proud. Valhalla awaits us, and the glory of the gods is within our grasp."

EIRIK: "For Asgard!"

FREYA: "For Asgard!" - And they drink from their cups.

HALDOR: (panting) "Help! Please, someone help me!" EIRIK: "What is the matter, traveler? What has happened?"

HALDOR: (trembling) "It's... it's a dragon. A massive dragon has attacked my village, and it's burning everything in its path."

FREYA: "A dragon? Are you sure? Those creatures are said to be extinct."

HALDOR: "I saw it with my own eyes! It's huge, with scales as black as night and eyes that burn like fire. It's destroying everything in its path."

EIRIK: "We must act quickly, before it's too late." (to Character 2) "Freya, gather our weapons and armor. We will need them to take down this beast."

FREYA: "Right away, my friend."

EIRIK: (to Character 3) "And you, stranger? What is your name?"

HALDOR: "My name is Haldor."

EIRIK: "Haldor, you will come with us! We will need your knowledge of the land if we are to track down this dragon and put an end to its reign of terror."

HALDOR: (nodding) "I will do whatever it takes to save my village."

FREYA: (returning with weapons and armor) "We're ready, Eirik."

EIRIK: "Then let's go! For Asgard, and for the honor of our clans!"

FREYA: For Asgard!"

HALDOR: "For my village!"

Game narrative 3: Sacred pal tree

Sacred Palm Oil

FADE IN

INT. - A BRAZILIAN AFRO ESPIRITUAL CENTER - NIGHT

The small living room in the Umbanda Center has a tiny veranda with open windows, and decorating the walls there are paintings with elemental beings, hanging plants and a six-pointed star made of metal. From outside the room comes the hooting of an owl. On a glass table are arranged sculptures of old black men and women. Jorge (the protagonist), the Pai and Mãe de Santo are sitting in humble armchairs, talking.

PAI DE SANTO: "Welcome to our terreiro, my child. I am the Pai de Santo of this community. What brings you here?"

PLAYER: "I am here to learn more about Umbanda and its practices. I've heard I can use the things I can learn here to make myself wise... And help people!"

PAI DE SANTO: "Umbanda is a religion that brings together the worship of African and Indigenous spirits, as well as Catholic saints. It's a way of understanding the world and our place in it, through rituals and ceremonies."

MÃE DE SANTO: "I am the Mãe de Santo of this community. Umbanda is a way to connect with our ancestors and the spiritual realm. It's a way to heal ourselves and others."

PLAYER: "Can you tell me more about the rituals and ceremonies?"

MÃE DE SANTO: "Sure, we have different rituals such as the 'trabalhos' where we make offerings to the spirits and ask for their protection and guidance, and the 'passe' where we receive the spiritual energy that allows us to heal ourselves and others. We also have ceremonies to celebrate the saints, such as Saint George and Our Lady of Aparecida."

PAI DE SANTO: "Umbanda is a way of life, it's about living in harmony with nature and the spirits, and respecting the sacredness of everything. It's a way to understand the world and our place in it."

PLAYER: Can you tell me about the different entities and spirits in Umbanda?"

MÃE DE SANTO: "Yes, there are many different entities and spirits in Umbanda. We have the pretos velhos, who are wise and experienced spirits, the caboclos, who are Indigenous spirits, and the crianças, who are young and playful spirits. We also have the exus, who are trickster spirits, and the pombagiras, who are feminine spirits associated with love and sensuality."

PAI DE SANTO: "Each spirit or entity has its own characteristics and qualities, and we honor and respect them all. They can help us in different areas of our lives such as health, work, love, and more."

PLAYER: "How can I become involved in Umbanda?"

PAI DE SANTO: "Umbanda is open to anyone who wants to learn and participate. To become involved, you can attend our terreiro, participate in the rituals and ceremonies, and learn from our elders. It's also important to study and read about Umbanda, so you can deepen your understanding of the practice."

MÃE DE SANTO: "You can also seek guidance and help from the spirits and entities through our mediums, who are trained to communicate with the spiritual realm. Remember that Umbanda is a way of life, it's about living in harmony with nature and the spirits, and respecting the sacredness of everything."

PAI DE SANTO: "My child, you have learned much about Umbanda and its practices. Are you ready to take on a challenge that will test your understanding and commitment to the religion?"

PLAYER: "Yes, I am ready."

MÃE DE SANTO: "Great, we have received a request for help from a family whose crops are failing. We believe that it is the work of a malicious spirit. Your challenge is to identify the spirit causing the problem and perform a ritual to banish it and bring peace to the family. Can you do that?"

PLAYER: "How can I identify the spirit and perform the ritual? I've started studying already, but I don't know much. Forgive me."

MÃE DE SANTO: "You will need to study the signs and symptoms of the problem and consult with our elders and mediums to determine the spirit responsible. Then, you will need to gather the necessary materials for the ritual and perform it with the guidance of our elders."

PAI DE SANTO: "Remember... This is a serious matter, and it requires your full attention and commitment. We will be here to guide you, but ultimately it is up to you to complete the challenge and bring peace to the family."

Game narrative 2 - Liberation (Presentation)

Liberation

Welcome to 'Liberation,' a digital game that delves into the complex and tragic history of slavery in Brazil. You will take on the role of a newly-arrived enslaved person, navigating the brutal conditions of a sugar plantation in the 18th century. Through various challenges and decision-making, you will experience the harsh realities faced by millions of enslaved people and gain a deeper understanding of the legacy of slavery in Brazil and its ongoing impact today. Are you ready to embark on this important journey of self-discovery and liberation? It is important to note that the topic of slavery is a sensitive one, and it is crucial to approach it with empathy, historical accuracy and respect. That's why we consult with experts and representative of the communities that were affected by the horrible slavery.

War Crime

 

Today I watched the movie 'the secret of Berlin' where one of the elements of the movie is that act considered War Crime. I really liked the plastic of the film; and like every Soderbergh film it has an interesting ending.

From the film, something more subjective remained in me to consider: The need to conceptualize a war crime. - This simply demonstrates how complex the human being is. And so perhaps the idea of ​​classifying some acts committed in a war, in a list of abominable acts, has its origin in the possibility of minimizing the brutality that, in a situation like that, would already be a recurring event. On the other hand, this effort, perhaps political, will come to suggest that a war is something acceptable by the nations, communities and their component individuals. War crimes are heinous acts within a larger heinous act.

A war must not be perceived as something acceptable, simple and normal. There are no 'war crimes'; THE CRIME to be considered by nations, by communities, by individuals is war itself!

PS: The Vietnamese girl runs naked and crying in the photo taken by photographer Huynh Cong 'Nick' Ut, from the Associated Press, because her body is raw, as a result of having taken a gas bath, launched by US fighter jets. Kim Phuc was just nine years old when the village where she lived was attacked. In 1994, she was designated a UNESCO ambassador and since then has been dedicated to promoting peace and to the Kim International Foundation, which helps children who are victims of war.

Beauty for smart reasons

 

The girl in the photo is Beth Ditto, North American, rock singer and completely outside the brazilian beauty standard. However, she was named "Sexiest Woman of the Year" at the 2007 NME Awards. Is this nomination important? I think not! There is something more important: ATTITUDE and mental freedom, because those who do not have happiness in themselves, will not find it anywhere! The TOPSHOP store invited her to do a commercial, for which the singer would receive millions of dollars... And here is  her response to the store's millions of dollars: "I don't do commercials for stores that don't sell my size." - I think that's exactly what the Brazilian woman needs to learn, so that in the end she doesn't complain about the quality of the man she's attached to, since she attracted him using the wrong reasons.

Game Narrative 1: Monster (Introduction)

 

Monster

INT. THE CREMATORIUM – DAY

Mr. West opened his eyes waking up from an agonized sleep with his heart pounding, sweating profusely, because the heat was infernal: “My God! I slept?" thought the old man in surprise. It had been many years since he had someone lying beside him that he could be talking to, so there was no one to ask if he'd dozed off. "I don't remember coming to bed."  Mr. West had the strange habit of sleeping late even at age 60, as they say that an old man sleeps early. He arrived tired from work, from everyday stress at the law firm, and from hearings in which he was involved.

As soon as he graduated in Law, having tuned in with a small part of the faculty, Mr. West decided to use the techniques and schemes learned from these professors, professionals with expertise in the market, to win the case regardless of the value judgment of his clients. Whether they were innocent or guilty was not the most important information. And even though he considered it boring because it was all the same, doing more of the same, over time and with the fame he was acquiring, he began to devote himself to defending the guilty; it was more worthy; the effort of the work of giving freedom to the guilty earned him more money.

He married when was 20 years old and divorced when his eldest son Paul was 5 years old and the second son, William, was 3. He didn't have time to pay attention to his children, and this recurring complaint from his wife, among many others regarding being a husband, made him decide for a divorce, as he had to dedicate himself to his career: “I have to care about myself first!” He thought back to the moment of that decision and grew old thinking exclusively in this way.

His children grew up without a father, as his wife decided not to look for a new partner; the impact and stress of the litigious divorce, added to her relationship with Mr. West as an absentee ex-husband and father of her children, made her prefer a solitary life to going through this same experience a possible second time. And despite living in the same city, Paul and William only saw their father's face in photographs. The pension was never late.

"What darkness is this?" Mr. West looked for the light from the lamppost that came through the cracks in his bedroom window, but it wasn't there. Total pitch! “Could it be that there was no light? It's like that when there's no light in the neighborhood!" He knew that this conversation with himself was fear creeping in, but he couldn't feel fear; he believed he didn't feel; he was a rational, intelligent man, and he told himself he couldn't feel these weak people's things. He never felt fear, anger, sadness, passion, or pity for anyone: "Everyone only gets what they deserve!" - He told himself if anyone was having a problem, a need, whether in the office or on the news. For all these years it was not possible to deny help to a friend because he never had any. He didn't even remember how that happened in his childhood: having friendships.

As a teenager, guided by his father, he had to devote his time to graduating in law to earn a lot of money, maintaining the West's status, fulfilling his role of being the expected pride of the family. For this the people around him could not have any value; he would always be the best. No one ever helped him, why would he have to help anyone?

His mother, a very sweet human being, always told you that her methods would result in suffering, that there were other ways to deal with earning money, but her orientations were seen by her son as someone who does not know how to live reality. His father was the hero.

"Well, let me get up so I can see what happened!" And in the first movement of this attempt, West hit his forehead on a hard surface and fell back down on the padded surface where he had been lying since he woke up. Feeling along the sides, he realized he wasn't in his room as he imagined: “Where am I? My God, what is this? Where am I? Is it a box? A box? I'm in a box…” He began pounding both fists on this surface above his face and yelling, “Help, help! Where am I? Get me out of here!" - Have I been kidnapped? Calm down, I have to stay calm! Am I in the trunk of a car? With my legs stretched out I wouldn't fit in a trunk... So where am I?” – He thought and shouted again: “Someone get me out of here! Help! Help!"

Outside, wherever Mr. West was, he began to hear many footsteps approaching, voices of some people and someone closer who addressed him: “My brother, I heard you screaming, asking for help, I'm here to help! Can you get out of there?” - Mr. West, with his eyes rolling in his sockets, changed from fear to anger and shouted: “If I could leave would I have screamed for help? Are you dumb? Get me out of here!" The stranger's voice outside got closer: "You need to get out there… and fast!"

In a cold sweat, West tried to calm down, but he was seized by rage and agitated, shouting angrily: “Get me out of here, you idiot! It's to get me out of here, do you hear? Come on! Tell me where I am! Tell me!" - A silence from the stranger and a murmur from outside, as if a small crowd were some distance away was all he heard for some time. “I've been here checking how long you have to stay in there! And being you I would leave this place soon!" Said the stranger: "You're going to be today's first customer here at the crematorium.

“Thousands of books sold by mediums and they live from misery to misery, without luxury? They must hide a lot of money. And all this humanitarian aid, this solidarity... They don't fool me!” Whenever he saw something related to helping others, institutions that aimed at non-profit solidarity, he brought to his mind the concepts of charlatanism, of being corrupt and dishonest. So thought the lawyer who dedicated his career to dishonesty in himself and others towards others. For Mr. West Conscience and Self-knowledge were professions of charlatans, a waste of time.

"Do you know me? Why did you do this, kidnap me?” Very sweetly the voice told him, “I didn't arrest you, but you need to get out of there! Wake up!" Anguished Mr. West considered the need to wake up, why did that stranger say these things? “I'm awake, you crazy! Otherwise, how would I be wasting time talking to you? Help, somebody help me!" – The lawyer was kicking.

"You died yesterday!" – The doctor at the service of spirituality was there at the request of Mr. West' mother, who in fervent prayer asked the Father for help for her recently disincarnated son, and the request was answered by an old doctor friend of the family, who herself was a volunteer at the colony in the astral plane.

"Are you crazy? And what kind of game is it? Did you lock me in this box? Kidnapped me and are making up this story that I'm dead? Mr. West, a hedonistic atheist, could not have said anything different. “My dear, we don't have much time, and I can tell you that stuck in your body the way you are, the experience of being incinerated is not going to be very pleasant; you will feel your every muscle burning to ash!" - A mixture of indignation and anger took over West' mind:

"Help! Get me out of here! There's a madman arresting me, police!"

Sweating cold and trembling, not with fear but with rage, Mr. West was silently planning his way out of that dark place. He then decided to install the character of the lawyer within himself, in order to persuade his kidnapper to release him. After taking a few breaths, he began to pretend a calm voice:

“Tell me, my son! If I died why am I still here talking to you? I already know it's a joke, right? Was it someone from the office? Let me out, I'm tired already, look at my age. And then, if what you say were true, then why would you be helping me?”

West' secretary was the one who organized the funeral, and even he didn't bother to witness the boss's cremation. “I'm not the only person here waiting for you; There's a crowd out here and it didn't come to your wake, believe me! This crowd intends to present you with a reception worthy of the worst criminal wanted by the police anywhere on the planet; they want revenge and I can help you. Make your choice!” - Patiently said the doctor. “When you leave this coffin, you’ll have the freedom to decide what do you want. However, know now that lying is not possible here. I'm helping you because nobody deserves the worst.”

As he listened to the voice speak, Mr. West searched in his memory who could have done this to him, who was really taking revenge in this way, would it be the families of the victims of the criminals he had defended all these years? Who had played this trick on him? - “There is no such thing as cause and effect, you good-for-nothing! See the life I live! Money and pleasure without much time for worthless people like you!” – Mr. West suddenly shouted.

A crematorium employee slowly lit the flames in the oven where the lawyer's coffin was. "I think you'll leave for bad." - Spoke the doctor without any irony in his voice. And Mr. West, unbalanced, enraged, kicking and punching the walls of the coffin, shouted: “I'm alive! Alive! I can't get out! I'm not leaving here, you rascal!

"No problem, I wait!" The doctor sighed in resignation.

After feeling the flames consuming his body with a lot of suffering and despair, Mr. West faints. Without the proper sense of time he woke up in a place, once again dark, but now with a horrible stench: “God, where am I”?

Is it drama or romance?

 

In the most varied ways of express affection for another person, we can perceive a conflicting aspect that is, in an attempt to offer such a feeling, we force the other to receive in the way that pleases the one who offers it, under penalty of being kept as slave of this gift or the non-acceptance of the same (it happens!), which, coated with beauty, has only one purpose, to create a colorful and fragrant dungeon; of making sharp scissors, made of gold, studded with diamonds, widely used in this peculiar exchange of affection. Scissors like those are made to cut... Cut everything that is deep, broad and ineffable like our wings. Drama!

It is possible that this same demonstration of affection comes full of real colors and perfumes, and therefore, with the purpose of building a paradise of happiness and harmony, where there are no limits between those who offer and those who receive affection, because between them there is no there is distance. These have two wings, each one in a body, providing a solo flight, but in two. The solidary and loving balance between the unequal, which provides the flight to the heights of growth in partnership. But the flight plan must be reflected in two, so that the unequal parts of the bodies with each wing meet smoothly in the sweetness of altruism, in understanding, listening and guiding. There are those who prefer the solo flight, and thus donate affection to everyone... It is also a beautiful and true flight! Romance!

I was thinking about this after seeing, some time ago, a couple at a college here in Salvador-Bahia-Brazil arguing and fighting, using aggressive gestures and words, in the institution's parking lot. I don't know if we're sure what we want for ourselves when we think about happiness, but we only look to the other fas a source of pleasure. Happiness is something else; something different from what is seen in these current relationships, where emotional addictions are the spice of the relationship, where there is an understanding that conflict is the thermometer of this search for happiness. 

We need to understand and separate what is Drama from what is Romance, so that a Tragedy will not to be modeled in the end. Separate what is useless from what is useful. Worship the good, the beautiful and the necessary for oneself, in order to know how to offer the same to the other. On pain of seeing time go by and not really knowing or realizing what is the style or modality of what should be a complete Work of Art, the definitive text, which was built over the years, and which most of the time, we mistakenly call it a relationship.