This is an idea givin to me while i was reading a short story by Edger Allen Poe....
A new plague is spreading across the land killing it's host within only a few days. The only way people know that their infected is right before they die, they began to blead from their eyes, nose, nose, and mouth. Thier skin turns red as blood is pushed to the surface of the skin. Now as I said it's spreading like wildfire and a lord of some place (I havn't really thought that part out) has an idea. He invites everyone that is important to him to come to his mansion, which he locks down so that they are protected by from the Red Death. He hires servants and musicians to play 24/7 so to muffle the sounds of the dying. The story takes place from the views of the people who are protected/trapped inside the mansion as wierd and bizzare things happen.

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I would advise that you steer clear of plotlines that have already been written, for plagiarism purposes, as your storyline does not only seem inspired by Poe's work, (also titled "The Mask of the Red Death") but, in fact, sounds <i>exactly</i> like it.

Granted, this is informal message board, so you are unlikely to be infringing upon any copyright laws (at least any that they will track you down for), but still is it bad form to use the direct characters, plotlines, or ideas of other noted authors.

The copyright on this book is no longer. There are many places on line which have online books for free to read at your leisure and this means they no longer have copyright.
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Poe%2c%20Edgar%20Allan%2c%201809%2d1849

this is where I've found this book.

As I have already stated, he is unlikely to get into any legal trouble.

It is, however, considered unprofessional among writers (otherwise considered "bad form") to take the specific characters, plotlines, ideas, etc. of another as your own, whether it is deemed legal or not. It is better to only occasionally expand on an idea, as you learn more if you apply the work to your own ideas, not your ideas to the work.

the setting is the same yes and the start is the same, but how can the eventual outcome be the same? when several people are writing it, some of whom may not have read the original text. then the outcome could be very different.

Because, as is obvious, it is the DM who is leading the plotline to the specific points s/he wants it to take, not necessarily the characters. I would have thought you'd have realized this, having stood so incredibly steadfast by this unspoken rule before.

i was going to take it in another direction. Cause in Poe's writings, everyone dies. And the story only lasts a few pages withonly one problem. I intended to add a bit more of a twist and was hoping to make it much larger.

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Buhamut, I'm here to say that I like your idea, and support it fully ^_^ Like Fyre said, you ARE using a previously used plotline, but with so many people collaborating on it and working from their own styles, perspectives, etc, it would be highly unlikely that it would come out exactly like Poe's work.

Good idea using your inspiration so constructively!

(and Ex says he gives you a thumbs up to!)

In other words: Count me in ^^

boku mo (Japanese for "me too")

yeah,sounds good!

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thanks for you support all ^_^

K, now that we have people All i need is a basic outline of who your char. is, how he knows the king/duke/lord, and which room they want to stay in. The rooms are:
-The Midnight room (A room made with onyx walls, dotted with lighter colored onyx impurities, giving it it's name. The apulstry (sp?) is mostly black leather with the exception of the bed, which is a dark mahogany covered with black velvet sheets. The massive window located opposite of the door, is a massive stain glass mural of a starry night sky with a comet in the center.)
-The Daylight room (The room is tiled with white marble that captures the colors with the light from the stainglass window, muraling a picture of a white sand desert blowing in the wind with a red sun in the center, and seems to change colors as the day goes on. Under the bed is an arabian carpet. The bed itself is oak with pale egyptian cotton sheets.)
-Dawn room
-Dusk room
(I know that the last two rooms have no descriptions at the moment but I have no time to get them down, but if you want to volinteer for them I'll be glad to let you create your own description, as long as it follows the theme; although, i might make some changes to it so that it doesn't affect the storyline.) These rooms do play a pretty big role in the story. If anyone else joins later on you'll probably have to either bunk with another person or talk to me so we can fit you in.
PS. This post is probably riddled with spelling errors but right now im a bit in a rush so please exuse them.

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Ahh,but none but a few of are really good at spelling anyhow.

Room: Midnight room.

Name:Cleeishies (Clee-eesh-eez)

Age:24

Height:5.6ft

Eye color:Light brown

Race:Elf

Hair color/style:Long wavy waist long ,and a light Amber color

Compextion:Light tan

Build:Slim

Cloths:A flowing light blue sleaveless dress that stops right at her feet. Which matches the blue pendent she usually wears around her neck.

Background: A outspoken opionnated woman who speaks her mind no matter what. She is concider very wise and all ways seems to have the right advice. It is said that she was once a princess form a land far away,but was banished from her kingdom for some unspeakable crime she commited.

Relation to the King: She is one of his must trusted advisers.

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~Once I knew who I was, until I met someone who knew me even better.~
http://dragcave.net/incubators/incubator_Mirravin.png

Name: Ivory (no one knows what her REAL name is, except MAYBE the king)
Age: unknown, but it's assumed that she's fairly old, despite her young appearance.
Race: human or half-elf, no one knows for sure
Height: 5'7"
Weight: ???
Hair: White, rather short (about mid-neck), and dreaded (think of how Shiva in FFX's hair would look if it were shorter).
Eyes: Just around the pupil: silver and around that, amber/gold in color
Clothing: Usually a white "tube top" style top, thin silver bracers with gold embellishments, white pants, a silver and gold belt, and running from her top to her waist, where it connects to her belly-button ring, a gold and silver flower design/jewlery piece (I know that's vague at best... I'll try o get a pic of her up in teh art gallery for all to see).
Build: slim and lithe (she's thin, but is one who can visibly hold her own and is obviously athletic)
Complexion: tan surprisingly enough in comparison with the rest of her light appearance

Relation to the king: One of his top warriors (actually, she's a ranger) and most trusted source of information/advice in matters of battle and war.

Room: Daylight room

Weapon: Bow and staff

Personality: Friendly and happy to lend a hand when its needed, though she's also a little reserved and generally will share what wisdom she has when necessity calls or when asked. She's a legend among the warriors, being a hero from the most recent war in which she pulled together the Rangers under the king's banner and drove the enemy out of the Ancient Wood. But that doesn't go to her head at all. In fact, she tries to separate herself a bit from her hero-status, seeking the quieter, simpler life. In fact...

Reason for being in the city: Her reason for being in the city was to visit the king, being summoned for counsel on the plague and to update him on the the movements of enemies abroad.

I'm going to wait a week and see if i can get anyone else to join. If not I'll fill in the spots.

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I would join, but I'm busy with other RPGs and I don't like taking too much inspiration from another's work

thanks for that treasurable snippet Chalgrish..

anyway, here's mine.

Name: KC
Age: 24
Race: Human
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 11stn
Hair: Blue and spiked up.
Eyes: green
Clothing: Cargo pants and with big boots, a grey teeshirt with leather wrist straps around each wrist. They have emblems on them. He wears a head band around his head.
Build: tonned
Complexion: just a normal one, slightly paler than most perhaps,
Relation to the king: the royal summoner.

Room: Daylight room

Weapon: he relies on his summons and his acrobatics.

Personality: energetic and likes to hog the limelight a bit. He is however also loyal and trustworthy.

Reason for being in the city: to seek an answer for the trouble with the plague. His village is stricken and his family are dead.