I am beginning to write a fantasy novel. It will be based in a similar world to that of our own but with many differences. It will be a world of magic and adventure. It would be in the same genre as Lord of the Rings and the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

The plot is based around the return of an ancient race that was ravaged in a war that was narrowly won. The same foe that nearly wiped out that race and left the world in a shambles is coming for a second go and without the aid of this ancient race...well you know. The plot will build to their return but it will be very character driven. The few characters that the book will revolve around will have to overcome great odds to pull what is left of the good nations together to form a final defence against the evil ones.

I am in the character sketch phase. This is where I build my heroes and villains; my races and histories of the races and the individual histories of the characters. Playing Obsidian has given me much to reference from Mainly in the human interaction aspect...eg how alliances are formed and broken as well as other nuances.
There are many things that can be taken from things that happen here on Obs.
I could use some help brainstorming some ideas. If you are bored and are on the verge of being forum banned cus you talk to much out of that boredom ....perhaps this might be fun.

I am looking for interesting characters....Like tell me what kind of character you would love to see in a book you read....Got any interesting names?.....What kind of character would you be if you could choose any race?(even ones never heard of)You could give a simple characteristic........ or for the more long-winded folk(Cybershaman haha) you may want to have some fun by creating a bit of a history of a character and delve into what drives him to be who he/she is and maybe where he came from.

As this book progresses I will post chapters. I won't post each bit as I do it, but once I have solid pieces in place and are likely not to change, I will post it in a new thread or give a link to an outside page.

Once the book is complete, I will be looking for some cover art, if anyone is an artist around here.

Anyways, I'm off to rest before I jump to writing in the morning.
Any questions just post here or Pm me. Thanks!
-Mark

Well, bravo! I'm jealous!

I am currently reading the latest book in the Thomas Covenant series by Stephan R. Donaldson. Veeeeeery depressing but somehow the main characters continue on despite all of their many hardships. Your mention of a barely won war and broken alliances made me think of it. You may find some inspiration there.

One aspect of the stories always sent a chill down my spine. (I paraphrase...): The only way to hurt someone who has lost everything is to give them back something broken.

I wont get into specifics but that detail alone resonates with my own life and is what brings me back time and time again to the Covenant books. Try to throw that into your story and work out a clever way for your characters to deal with it.

If it helps, the synopsis of Donaldson's books is on Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Covenant

Also, some encouragement: as much as I love Donaldson's Covenant books I think they could be just a wee bit brighter. They are VERY much more dark than LotR IMHO. After reading each book I often feel as if my best friends/wife/family/dog have all left me or died at the same time. Give a guy some hope!

Rock on, Mark...

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Speaking to you from the third eye of the society machine.

Cybershaman said:
ha nice...gave me an idea I think.

One of the supporting chars will now have a long lost daughter who once showed signs of power.....kinda like a mystic....seeing the future through rifts in time. She was taken in a raid on the small village they lived in.

10 years later she is found as a slave, broken, barely remembering anything of her past. Through happenstance this girl comes into contact with the main group of characters and not until some time do they find out who she really is.
They must piece together what happened to her, as she is neaerly mute and very scared of human contact. She is also haunted by dreams, that find a way of coming true. This character will be a huge part of the heroes of this story coming out on top.
At the same time as helping this girl remember her past(and the future) her father must cope with anger and anguish at what has happened to his daughter. He must also fight the urge for revenge when he finds the ones responsible for it.
I think I will form a link between this girl and the main villain....like while she can be a guide for the heroes, he still can feel the bond between them and know where they are. Also, the villain can effect those around the girl through dreams and false visions that the girl may have. She would never know she is giving false information via her visions....
Something like that maybe. We will see I guess.
Any more pearls of wisdom?
Thankee

Perfect example! In fact, if she were a typical Covenant story character she wouldn't want her old powers back anyway. Something so horrible happed which she may or may not have caused that she has no desire to repeat. Lack of memory and the bad dreams would shadow that very well.

Another idea could be that all magic and enchanted items would be outlawed and are being outright destroyed (if possible) when found. That could provide an interesting part of your backstory and make magic and special items so unique that they almost in their own right become characters themselves. Also, those hidden indestructable items (or mages) could make for some fun side quests just rife with danger and adventure.

You like?

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Speaking to you from the third eye of the society machine.

Perhaps a ban on certain types of magic....more specifically, a ban on the individuals that hold a thread to the multi-folds of the universe in which this girl derives her powers. It may be thought that such knowledge or misuse of this knowledge could destroy the world. The source of her power would be from a connection she has to the fabric of the universe. A normal person doesn't have this link, but in cases of people who can communicate with spirits, see the future/past, or draw on certain types of magic, they would have this link. Kind of like a thread. Some people would have a thicker and more robust thread while others would have a thin and barely perceptible thread. People with any type of connection to the universe like this would have a hightened awareness of events and even emotions or thoughts. Someone wih a very good connection might even be able to trasmit their essence through time and dimension...and perhaps if strong enough, they could physically do so.These magics would be the ones outlawed.
Magics believed to be derived of this world would be totally legal and even trained from a young age.
I don't wanna sound sci-fi, but that is the easiest way to describe what I am thinking. In the actual context of the novel, it will be more relative to the story and have it's own terminology...
Anyways...

That sounds great! Don't mind me... I only have 50 more pages to go in the latest Covenant book and then I'm going to have to wait until 2010 for the next one. Hence why I'm fixated on the mythos of that tale.

Stay true to your core story.

As far as names... Hmmm...

How about: Shwarg. Loflin. Tallendel. Marknor. Kynder.

I remember Stan Lee (Marvel Comics) used to say that back in the day he and his buddies would just sit around and make up names for characters based on how they sounded.

Have fun and keep us posted. (website/blog?)

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Speaking to you from the third eye of the society machine.

Do you need inspiration? Do you want to draw on some elements from a "crap-tastic" story that started out as a joke and then turned into basically an outline written in crayon through pools of drool? Do you need hope to show that you can be a great story writer?

Look no further, brave soul...

(I hang my head in shame as a plug...)

http://www.hellgateguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1652

THERE lies your long winded post to end all long winded posts that suck, my friend. Enjoy!

(P.S. be gentle... <whimper>)

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Speaking to you from the third eye of the society machine.

Pretty good read. Interesting story.

IMO this world will never see true artificial intelligence(AI)

Man has too much ego, insecurity, fear, and an innate urge to be in control of everything. It terrifies mankind to not have control over everything. There is no way humankind would ever relenquish control to a robotic entity, even if it is biologically enhanced with human DNA. This is where the ego comes in....who's DNA would it be? I am sure some people would get jealous.
Soon enough, after these beings have served their purpose, human rights issues would come into play of course. Since human DNA is involved they would likely be deemed as being 'human' and would have human rights. So there would be no shutting them off. In fact they would likely go on welfare and live in a house near you. Eventually they may become upset at the deal they were given......frontline soldiers and pawns in battle. They would start getting flashbacks and blowing up the block.....well I digress.

The long and short of it is this: Mankind would think that true AI would be a major danger to the world and must be avoided at all costs.

Let's just stick with nuclear missiles.

Thanks for sharing your posts.....was fun to read.
-Mark

Dear Mr. Mark...

Wow! It's been a while since I've enjoyed a thread as much as yours!

WELL, Sire! You make some interesting points that will more than likely challenge our society for generations to come! I fall into that category as well! Rest assured you and I will someday be able to say that we were there before the issue of robot/computer sentience was cool!

What really scares me, and I am being very humble sir, is that there ARE people and agencies that are working to ensure that A.I. is going to happen within our lifetime. I am both excited and scared by this prospect! However, I hope, wish and pray that there are men and women involved in the process that will temper the ambitions of the scientists directly involved. To quote one of my favorite actors in one of my favorite movies based on a book by one of my favorite authors: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should."

Oh HO! Now THERE is a big giant can of worms to open and there are many people poised with can openers!

Not only are we talking about the "urge to control everything" via the creation of things that will not only think for us but be controlled by us (Cyber waves to Asimov) but we are on the brink of something that makes the ideas of "The Matrix" or "Skynet" look like a kid playing with toys.

EVERY aspect of how we view our existence is going to be challenged when a machine (some sort of computer at this point, NOT a robot) asks us, much like a child, "Why?"

So... How is that story coming now?

Um... If nobody else has any comments, PM me, Mark. I need a good mental exercise these days.

Again, thank you for your post and comments. Not many people know my story but this has actually made me excited about life again.

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Speaking to you from the third eye of the society machine.

nice read lolz...


ps. can i have my pass bak ?:(

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this is CHIPS!