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The Trope Stew Challenge | 1 June 2020


tatapb

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The Trope Stew Challenge

DEADLINE: 1ST JUNE 2020

Some people call them clichés, others call them tropes. They've been done time and time again, sometimes horribly, sometimes beautifully.

 

"Maria... what the hell is a trope stew?"

So glad you asked! A trope stew is when a story has more than one trope. In the specific case of this challenge, it will purposely have more than one trope - five randomly generated tropes to be exact.

 

"Wait whaaa--?"

Here's how it works: I go to our friendly Writer-Bot over on discord and generate seven random tropes for you. You get one re-roll and then you pick five of them, which you will then use to create a stewy trope story that I guarantee I will LOVE reading and reviewing.

 

"What do you mean one re-roll?"

You either a) re-roll one trope out of the seven you got or b) you choose to re-roll ALL of them, no keepsies. In the end, you still need to pick five.

 

"Can you, like, explain it better?"

Writer-Bot generates 1. hurt/comfort, 2. beauty is never tarnished, 3. chronic hero syndrome, 4. period AU, 5. wants a prize for basic decency, 6. metaphorically true and 7. in vino veritas. You don't think 4. period AU would suit you, so you tell me and we re-roll it to 4. after-school cleaning duty.

Marcie and Jack are on cleaning duty because Marcie got caught writing notes in class and Jack admitted to doing it as well so she wouldn't get stuck in detention all by her lonesome. And Marcie (who is definitely not sweating at all while on all fours scrubbing the floor) has a flask of whiskey in her bag. That of course leads to them sitting down next to their discarded sponges and to a drunken heartfelt admission by Jack about how he's always been into Marcie and that, at the very least, he deserves a kiss for sharing her punishment.

Jack's an idiot, but you get the gist. Alternatively, you could just choose to re-roll all of them and get a new batch, from which you'd still need to pick five tropes.

 

Savvy? Cool. I have very little in the name of constraints other than you guys using the tropey mess you got in the draw (that's constraint enough IMO): 

  • If you happen to have a pre-written story that exactly matches the tropes you got and you want to use it, hey, who am I to argue with Lady Luck?
  • You can take more than one stab at this
  • It can be a multi-chapter
  • You can use this nonsense for other challenges as well!
  • If you could include "for tatapb's trope stew challenge" that'd be swell, but not mandatory
  • You can do Original Fiction, HP or any other fandom that floats your boat (just pm me and ask if I know it, but I'm very versatile) and any rating.

Stories must be in the Archives' queue by the deadline, which is 1ST JUNE 2020.

 

"What do we get if we participate in this absurd, nonsense of a challenge?"

The joy of a job well -- nah, I kid, I kid. 

🏅  Every entry gets one review (if it's a multi-chapter it's still just the one)

🥉  3 reviews on stories/chapters of their choosing and 1 award graphic

🥈  4 reviews on stories/chapters of their choosing and 1 award graphic

🥇  5 reviews on stories/chapters of their choosing and 1 award graphic and my undying devotion 💚

Since the whole point of this challenge is also for you to have the best, silliest trope-y fun possible and to push boundaries... people who do hit all seven tropes will get:

🏆 one additional review in any story of their choosing, an honourable mention and, most importantly, bragging rights for eternity

Can't wait to see what you all come up with!

 

LET THE CHAOS GAMES BEGIN!

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Noelle my darling! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll please*

  1. beauty is never tarnished (it's incredibly improbable that you'd be able to do all of that without having a single hair be out of place, but i guess that's the world we're living in.)
  2. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
  3. you didn't ask (i didn't keep anything from you, you just never asked.)
  4. star-crossed lovers (Our story isn't fated to be according to the stars, but honestly, fuck the stars.)
  5. hurt/comfort (We will inflict much much pain on you and then much love.)
  6. jerk-to-nice-guy (even jerks can change sometimes. especially since we're talking about fiction.)
  7. achey scars (you'd think it would stop hurting eventually, but nope.)

Surprisingly coherent, I'd say!!! Would you like a re-roll?

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I can has tropes, pls?

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Melaniiiiiiiiiieeeeee, you're hereeee! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll please*

  1. soulmates (Meant to be.)
  2. mutual pining (JUST GET TOGETHER PLS.)
  3. slow burn (if you really want to torture your readers. the most delicious pain.)
  4. heroic self-deprecation (you're told you're good at many things. believing praise is not one of those things.)
  5. break the fourth wall (hello, readers. i bet you're wondering what i'm doing here.)
  6. i can explain! (i'll have a perfectly good explanation for this if you just give me a second to come up with it.)
  7. power stereotype flip (i'd just expected someone with super speed to be a little less patient. and what's with the firemaker being the voice of reason?)

I think this generator is rigged... Would you like a re-roll?

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Guest Noelle Zingarella
21 minutes ago, tatapb said:

Noelle my darling! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll please*

  1. beauty is never tarnished (it's incredibly improbable that you'd be able to do all of that without having a single hair be out of place, but i guess that's the world we're living in.)
  2. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
  3. you didn't ask (i didn't keep anything from you, you just never asked.)
  4. star-crossed lovers (Our story isn't fated to be according to the stars, but honestly, fuck the stars.)
  5. hurt/comfort (We will inflict much much pain on you and then much love.)
  6. jerk-to-nice-guy (even jerks can change sometimes. especially since we're talking about fiction.)
  7. achey scars (you'd think it would stop hurting eventually, but nope.)

Surprisingly coherent, I'd say!!! Would you like a re-roll?

This...looks awesome. So I'll keep:

2. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
3. you didn't ask (i didn't keep anything from you, you just never asked.)
4. star-crossed lovers (Our story isn't fated to be according to the stars, but honestly, fuck the stars.)
5. hurt/comfort (We will inflict much much pain on you and then much love.)

7. achey scars (you'd think it would stop hurting eventually, but nope.)

If I were to go multi-chapter on this, does the story need to be finished by the deadline, or does it just need to have examples of each trope in the chapters that are published by the deadline?

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Might I have some tropes, please? 😊💛

Edited by just.a.willow.tree
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may I have some tropes please?

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I want all the tropes.  This sounds like my kind of bag.

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46 minutes ago, Noelle Zingarella said:

If I were to go multi-chapter on this, does the story need to be finished by the deadline, or does it just need to have examples of each trope in the chapters that are published by the deadline?

@Noelle Zingarella The trope stew needs to be there but the story doesn't need to be finished! 

 

@Simplicius, welcome to the madness! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. whodunnit (🕵️‍♂️) (Note: yep, that emoji was the !more-on for this trope XD)
  2. what you are in the dark (what would you do if no one would ever know?)
  3. snowed in (The weather is sending us a signal.)
  4. what's the worst that could happen? (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)
  5. deep cover agent (you are deep, deep undercover.)
  6. big bad friend (a long time ago, we used to be friends (but now we're on opposite sides))
  7. masquerade (Characters at a masquerade ball. When the masks come on, your true faces can be revealed.)

Damn, I can see this one working out so well. Would you like a re-roll?

 

@just.a.willow.tree Eva, this is so exciting! ♠️❤️♣️♦️The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*: 

  1. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
  2. boarding school of horrors (there is nothing about this school that isn't either absolutely miserable or actively dangerous. or both.)
  3. suspiciously specific denial (we're certainly not trying to break into someone's room to steal their diary to see if they mention me, if that's what you're thinking.)
  4. metaphorically true (well, from a certain point of view, darth vader did betray and murder anakin skywalker.)
  5. adaptational heroism (this character was never this heroic in canon. just saying.)
  6. enemies to lovers (hate and love look quite alike.)
  7. backsported development (character development can take place in flashbacks. who says it can't?)

Well that's messy and convoluted! Would you like a re-roll?

 

@northbound24 Hey Dave, I think we haven't officially met but welcome to the madness! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*: 

  1. period AU (Regency! The longing looks, the feudal system, what's not to love...)
  2. head student dorm (You know what happens when you put two students together in the same dorm, alone.)
  3. fake dating (we're just pretending...right?)
  4. what's the worst that could happen (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)
  5. cannot tell a lie (well, this is uncomfortable. you'd like to have at least a couple secrets.)
  6. anti-villain (They think they're doing something good, but wow they're fucked up.)
  7. star-crossed lovers (Our story isn't fated to be according to the stars, but honestly, fuck the stars.)

I really do love some of these! What'cha think? Would you like a re-roll?

 

@MalfoysAngel Tasha, you're also joining! This is so many people, whoa! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. nice job breaking it, hero (you succeeded in your mission! unfortunately, "success" means that things just got a whole lot worse.)
  2. PWP (🍆👀) (Note: That's literally the description on !more-on. Congrats, btw, you're the first with a smutty trope!)
  3. killer rabbit (what a cute little - OH MY GOD ITS TEETH)
  4. wrong genre savvy (you think you know what's up. unfortunately, you are incorrect.)
  5. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
  6. coffee shop AU (the ambiance in the background, the smell of coffee, the cute barista, the lure of caffeine...irresistible.)
  7. what's the worst that could happen (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)

Holy mother of whoa, these are all over the place! Would you like a re-roll?

 

CONFIRMED:

Noelle Zingarella (1. attack! attack! attack!, 2. you didn't ask,  3. star-crossed lovers, 4. hurt/comfort, 5. achey scars)

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2 minutes ago, tatapb said:

@MalfoysAngel Tasha, you're also joining! This is so many people, whoa! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. nice job breaking it, hero (you succeeded in your mission! unfortunately, "success" means that things just got a whole lot worse.)
  2. PWP (🍆👀) (Note: That's literally the description on !more-on. Congrats, btw, you're the first with a smutty trope!)
  3. killer rabbit (what a cute little - OH MY GOD ITS TEETH)
  4. wrong genre savvy (you think you know what's up. unfortunately, you are incorrect.)
  5. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
  6. coffee shop AU (the ambiance in the background, the smell of coffee, the cute barista, the lure of caffeine...irresistible.)
  7. what's the worst that could happen (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)

May I reroll for number 6 please? have an idea how to make the rest of them work. 

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I should and im def a maybe bc haha my muse is still rude

 

but please?

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i just want you to know how much i fucking love this challenge omg

i'm a maybe :D

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14 minutes ago, tatapb said:

 

@Simplicius, welcome to the madness! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. whodunnit (🕵️‍♂️) (Note: yep, that emoji was the !more-on for this trope XD)
  2. what you are in the dark (what would you do if no one would ever know?)
  3. snowed in (The weather is sending us a signal.)
  4. what's the worst that could happen? (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)
  5. deep cover agent (you are deep, deep undercover.)
  6. big bad friend (a long time ago, we used to be friends (but now we're on opposite sides))
  7. masquerade (Characters at a masquerade ball. When the masks come on, your true faces can be revealed.)

Damn, I can see this one working out so well. Would you like a re-roll?

I see it! I definitely see it ... but can I write it? That's the question.

Anyway, I would please like a re-roll on number four.

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@tatapb- I haven't done a proper romance story before so I'll keep:

  1. fake dating - it's the kinda thing Eddie Teague would get mixed up in. Well when not fighting dark wizards
  2. what's the worst that could happen - Eddie literally has this said to him and seen the carnage that ensues 
  3. cannot tell a lie - Some idiots shouldn't read potion books.....seriously
  4. head student dorm - Sweet Rowena's Ghost! It actually exists....damn I've just lost ten quid
  5. star-crossed lovers- The Teague clan wrote the book, sold the movie rights and wrote the musical on this trope (well...Two members did)

 

This is going to be interesting

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hello, may I have some tropes? I am super into challenges right now!

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@Pixileanin Pix, you posted like five seconds before me! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. star-crossed lovers (Our story isn't fated to be according to the stars, but honestly, fuck the stars.)
  2. keeping secrets sucks (you may have to lie, cheat, steal, kill, or withstand torture, but you will keep this damn secret.) 
  3. snowball lie (well, it was a white lie that we kind of lost control of.)
  4. new years kiss (The kiss at midnight.)
  5. the corrupter (you) (Note: that was the !more-on XD But like, tv tropes has a more descriptive entry for it.)
  6. selective obliviousness (it's not that you're oblivious in general. it's that you're oblivious about this.)
  7. missing moment (A moment that wasn't shown in canon.)

These are.. interesting? Would you like a re-roll?

 

@MalfoysAngel Yes ma'am! Your re-roll for #6 coffee shop AU is... cursed item (what a useful item you've found. surely there can't be a catch. (yes, there's a catch.))

1 hour ago, MalfoysAngel said:
  1. nice job breaking it, hero (you succeeded in your mission! unfortunately, "success" means that things just got a whole lot worse.)
  2. PWP (🍆👀
  3. killer rabbit (what a cute little - OH MY GOD ITS TEETH)
  4. wrong genre savvy (you think you know what's up. unfortunately, you are incorrect.)
  5. attack! attack! attack! (is this a fight you can win? no. it's truly not. are you going to keep trying? well, you're in denial, so yes.)
  6. cursed item (what a useful item you've found. surely there can't be a catch. (yes, there's a catch.))
  7. what's the worst that could happen (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)

Which five are you picking?

 

@Ineke I 💙 you for trying!!! It's supposed to be dumb fun, not a literary masterpiece! ❤️♠️♦️♣️The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. smut (you know.) 
  2. chatfic (A fic entirely written in the form of messages exchanged between characters. Less words, but not less dramz, that's for sure.)
  3. gender swap (Let's shake things up.) 
  4. in vino veritas (i'd never admit to this sober, but since i'm drunk...) 
  5. amnesia (One character forgets everything. A perfect blank slate.) 
  6. hurt/comfort (We will inflict much much pain on you and then much love.) 
  7. chronic hero syndrome (rescuing people and righting wrongs is a compulsion.)

😆 omg ineke, blame Shreya's bot XD Would you like a re-roll?

 

@sibilant Shreya same!!!! I've been laughing since I posted this - look at those trope combos! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. sympathetic villain (Okay so they're definitely bad, but damn if they aren't likable.) 
  2. smut (you know.)
  3. new years kiss (The kiss at midnight.)
  4. heroic self-deprecation (you're told you're good at many things. believing praise is not one of those things.)
  5. missing moment (A moment that wasn't shown in canon.)
  6. ditch the bodyguards (on one hand, there are very good reasons for you to have bodyguards right now. on the other hand...yolo?) 
  7. if it's you, it's okay ("i'm usually [straight or gay], but i'm so fucking into you rn")

I can see this workinggggg. Would you like a re-roll?

 

@sinnersandsapphics Sam, so glad you could join us! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. time travel (Someone gets their hands on a time turner.) 
  2. killer rabbit (what a cute little - OH MY GOD ITS TEETH) 
  3. protect this house (you've gotta defend your home. and you will. against everything.) 
  4. concealment equals cover (if you can't see me, you can't hurt me!) 
  5. i can explain! (i'll have a perfectly good explanation for this if you just give me a second to come up with it.) 
  6. morally grey character (Too bad to be good, but too good to be bad.) 
  7. genre savvy (you know what's up.)

I'm looking at this like "whuuuuu". Would you like a re-roll?

 

@Simplicius Hell yes you can! Your re-roll for #4 what's the worst that can happen? is... protect this house (you've gotta defend your home. and you will. against everything.)

Quote
  1. whodunnit (🕵️‍♂️) (Note: yep, that emoji was the !more-on for this trope XD)
  2. what you are in the dark (what would you do if no one would ever know?)
  3. snowed in (The weather is sending us a signal.)
  4. protect this house (you've gotta defend your home. and you will. against everything.)
  5. deep cover agent (you are deep, deep undercover.)
  6. big bad friend (a long time ago, we used to be friends (but now we're on opposite sides))
  7. masquerade (Characters at a masquerade ball. When the masks come on, your true faces can be revealed.)

Which five are you picking?

 

@Tanda I've always wanted to be an enabler! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. elemental rivalry (that means natural forces, not the table of elements. don't start pitting radium against argon. unless you want to, i guess.) 
  2. apocalypic log (this is how things went horribly, horribly wrong. (and also possibly how i died.)) 
  3. last-second showoff (maybe it seems like you're playing with fire, but you've got plenty of time. really.) 
  4. retail therapy (maybe shopping will make you feel better.) 
  5. secret history (this is totally a thing that happened! it just got covered up!) 
  6. bluff worked too well (i just wanted to get you to back off! i didn't want it to become a Thing!)  
  7. what's the worst that could happen? (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.)

This may be my favourite one yet omg. Want a re-roll?

 

@northbound24 Always good to know I'm providing interesting opportunities! Are you in or maybe?

 

@victoria_anne You're almost morally obliged to do this! 😆  Thanks for joining!!! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. passing the torch (you can't just retire without picking someone to carry on your work.) 
  2. symbolically broken object (just in case you didn't know something was over, here's a reminder.) 
  3. skewed priorities (you need to sort out your priorities, because what you're putting first is actively concerning.) 
  4. bluff worked too well (i just wanted to get you to back off! i didn't want it to become a Thing!) 
  5. anti-villain (They think they're doing something good, but wow they're fucked up.) 
  6. fake kisses (Like an eskimo kiss!)
  7. wrong genre savvy (you think you know what's up. unfortunately, you are incorrect.)

I will never not be fascinated by these combinations. Would you like a re-roll?

 

@blackballet I'm super glad I caught you in this challenge positive mindset  😆  Thanks for joining!!! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. mutual pining (JUST GET TOGETHER PLS.) 
  2. coffee shop AU (the ambiance in the background, the smell of coffee, the cute barista, the lure of caffeine...irresistible.) 
  3. keeping secrets sucks (you may have to lie, cheat, steal, kill, or withstand torture, but you will keep this damn secret.) 
  4. what's the worst that could happen? (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.) 
  5. heroic self-deprecation (you're told you're good at many things. believing praise is not one of those things.) 
  6. huddling for warmth (🎶 Baby it's cold outside 🎶 (except with consent pls)) 
  7. attractive zombie (on the downside, they still want to eat you.)

This one is so weird, I love it. Would you like a re-roll?

 

CONFIRMED:

Noelle Zingarella (1. attack! attack! attack!, 2. you didn't ask,  3. star-crossed lovers, 4. hurt/comfort, 5. achey scars)

(These prompts were sponsored by @sibilant and the !maria command - generating super weird trope combos for all your super weird trope combo needs!)

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honestly this looks like too much fun to not at least try! may i have some tropes please?

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Maria, I'm starving. May I please have a bowl?

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@belgian quaffle I know right?! It's supposed to just be that... fun! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. enemies to lovers (hate and love look quite alike.) 
  2. boarding school of horrors (there is nothing about this school that isn't either absolutely miserable or actively dangerous. or both.) 
  3. deep cover agent (you are deep, deep undercover.) 
  4. ensemble cast (What happens when you throw a buncha morons together?) 
  5. symbolically broken object (just in case you didn't know something was over, here's a reminder.) 
  6. break the fourth wall (hello, readers. i bet you're wondering what i'm doing here.) 
  7.  insecure love interest (sure, it seems like your crush was flirting with you, but on the other hand, that couldn't have happened because... reasons.)

I mean... ^need I say more? Would you like a re-roll?

 

@northbound24 Very excited for the Teague romantic trope stew! ❤️

 

@crowsb4bros Welcome to my table, where we feast on nourishing nonsense! ♠️❤️♣️♦️ The ingredients for your trope stew are *drumroll*:

  1. everybody lives (There will be no death in this house. HP AU where none of the characters in the First Wizarding War died.) 
  2. fake kisses (Like an eskimo kiss!) 
  3. sympathetic villain (Okay so they're definitely bad, but damn if they aren't likable.) 
  4. selective obliviousness (it's not that you're oblivious in general. it's that you're oblivious about this.) 
  5. what's the worst that could happen? (don't ask this question. you will get always get the answer.) 
  6. final girl (lone survivor of a murder spree) 
  7. nice job breaking it, hero (you succeeded in your mission! unfortunately, "success" means that things just got a whole lot worse.)

Am I just tired or is this even more gibberish that the usual? Would you like a re-roll?

 

CONFIRMED:

Noelle Zingarella (1. attack! attack! attack!, 2. you didn't ask,  3. star-crossed lovers, 4. hurt/comfort, 5. achey scars)

northbound24 (1. fake dating, 2. what's the worst that could happen?, 3. cannot tell a lie, 4. head student dorm, 5. star-crossed lovers)

(These prompts were sponsored by Sibilant and the !maria command - generating super weird trope combos for all your super weird trope combo needs!)

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