Hey. HEY. This may be your project, but it IS a COMMUNITY project. You made it so. I can't speak for others, but I was fond of the idea of Gruff entering Starstill. If you disliked the idea and asked for him to be removed, and maybe put it to a vote, I'd have nothing against it. But if this project is going to have such "Because I said so" BS, I want no part of it. I will ask that you remove what little I have added to this project.
This is pretty much how I imagined the story starting: Aloise arrives on the plane searching for something (perhaps the same thing as in the Hermit's Burden). She's trying to navigate using a map that references celestial positions. That's not going so well, but it definitely seems to be the right plane. Aloise sets out looking for information to make sense of her situation. She finds her way to the Academy. Exposition ensues. She meets a young firebrand scholar who convinces her the importance of the Moonrise initiative (or maybe just some astronomical stuff. Might be weird for Aloise to buy into something so major too quickly). They don't get official support from the academy but the scholar knows a merchant in Steelbridge that may be able to help. Naturally they head there. A merchant of the Trade Consortium has made raising the moon his/her lifelong obsession. He/she's mostly doing this to immortalize themselves through deeds. Aloise and co. now know what they have to do for the Moonrise. That'd be the end of set 1. They would also have to meet Gruff somewhere. Gruff needs somebody to tag along with and Aloise is too much of a softie to leave him on his own. And Aloise is too important to the expedition to disagree with.
(Chicken) Flavour Nuggets:
Cansiz the Lich Deep in Frostwynd, at the edge of the habitable zone, lies the city and the palace of Cansiz, the Great Lich. Cansiz remembers a time before the Starstill and has turned his palace into a museum of all things from the golden era. One of the world's largest libraries, artifacts from cultures remembered by none but Cansiz himself and a zoo of creatures thought extinct all reside within Cansiz's necropolis. you could say the guy's obsessed with the past. That would be an accurate thing to say. Cansiz's necropolis was once a great and prosperous city. When the Starstill happened the city was plunged into eternally black winter. In a last desperate attempt to survive the city elders turned to necromancy. The king nobly declared that the cure be shared equally amongst all the citizenry, but Cansiz knew there wasn't enough elixir to save everyone. He secreted away a dose (or maybe stole the batch the king kept for himself) for himself and the woman he loved. Cansiz's beloved refused to take the cure when the rest of the citizenry would die. This had a profound impact on Cansiz's psyche. He's a misanthropic pessimist with a constant need to justify himself. The protagonists would need something in Cansiz's possession or some knowledge of his to complete the Moonrise. Cansiz, bored out of his hollow skull, is enthused to have guests over! He might want to keep them longer than they want to stay. Cansiz doesn't really have much faith in the Moonrise and so doesn't see any reason not to keep his guests around. Cansiz's version of immortality disgusts the merchant protagonist and triggers his/her epiphany.
Everwater A small lake in Illpyre magically enchanted to never evaporate. Maybe elves are responsible? It would be neat to see how nature mages interact with water in the desert. The elves jealously guard their lake and have spread the rumor that the water is cursed. Maybe the water is guarded by some sort of awesome critter?
Thinking of changing the canyon named Big Gap to The Great Divide. Synchs up nicely with the set themes.
Wow TP, that's a really great post! I love the idea of Cansiz, but I do have two suggestions: 1) a better name (currently it sounds kind of like Kansas) and 2) he should be more Affably Evil than you're making him out to be; as he is he sounds kind of benign. You alluded to this when you said "He might want to keep them longer than they want to stay." I think it would be cooler if he tried to keep them there forever. You dig?
Btw, Parad, is your story for Starstill what you had in mind for a long time back when this project started?
Lol, no, I'm not Ozymandias! I came up with it as I posted it. It took me like half an hour. How could I have had it in mind since the project started when I incorporated so many elements that came from the community process and posts in this thread?
This is what I do for fun when I'm not making Magic or playing video games: I work on stories. I've had a cyberpunk dubstep vampire television show called Vae Victis in the works for like five years now.
But for this I went in blind. I just came up with the name Starstill off of Lily's post (which originally just said "Ash and Snow" before I said it didn't have to be limited to just two words) and we all went from there together. In any case, that post was just me riffing off of what other people have said in this thread. It wasn't a joke, but it wasn't meant to be taken as a decree in any way either.
By the way, if anyone's interested with how this project started, I had the original thread transferred to this subforum.
@Parad: Ahh, okay, because I actually have my own idea of a backstory that just randomly appear in my head.
Well, I envisioned the backstory for Anjo and Glac to have a certain fairy tale vibe to it.
Bedtime Story
=========================
"Mother, Mother, read me that story again.", little Celica tugged at Mother's dress.
"Hmm, I don't know, sweetheart. What must you say?"
"P-Pleaseee", Celica grinned cheekily.
Mother picked up Celica and placed her on her lap. "Once upon a time, the world was a different place. It was beautiful, where flowers bloomed aplenty and the skies were as clear as sapphire. During the day, people worked. The soft embrace of the sun warming their hearts and lifting their spirits. And at night, they will rest, the cool breeze washing upon them comforting them to sleep."
Celica nodded, she had heard about these strange things called 'seasons' and 'day' about a dozen times now. 'Relics of the past', she often heard the adults say, not that it held any bars to Celica's innocent wish - to see them, feel them one day.
"There were two majestic dragons, one of scarlet born, the other of azure. The scarlet dragon was the carrier of the sun, where on its back rode the sun. The azure dragon was the bearer of the moon, within where its claws held the moon. They were twin brothers and they bring about the coming of day and night tirelessly. The seasons changed with their beckoning. From spring, to summer, to fall, to winter and back to spring. It is the work of the sibling dragons that humanity had managed to prospered."
Celica nodded her head rapidly. Her mother had shown her old books describing the seasons. She didn't understand a big portion of the complicated written text, but the images of lovely grassy hills and beautiful red hazelnut sceneries had etched themselves strongly onto her mind.
"The elder brother is Anjomeddon, the scarlet dragon. With scales of red so bright, he appears to be burning - much like the sun on his back. On the eve of New Day, he beats his wings atop Mount Hejomus, the Sun's Pillar, calling forth the renewing winds of spring. He spits the flames of summer, granting the land the strength of the sun. The younger brother is Glacinorak, the azure dragon. He has blue crystalline scales from head to toe and upon his shoulders, wings the size of castles grew. His wings is said to send autumn winds across the land, signaling the departure of summer heat. A telltale sign preparing all things living to be ready for the arrival of winter. His breath summons the frost of winter itself, granting rest upon the land."
Celica had heard this story over a dozen times and knew what was coming but that did not quell her excitement as she clung to her mother's arms even tighter.
"However, humanity was foolish. As the cycle of day and night continued, the turning of the four seasons persevered, humanity took the enduring task of the twin dragons for granted and the number of thanks and offerings to them dwindled vastly. The prophets and clerics warned the populace of great suffering and disaster should this continue but those advice fell on deaf ears."
Mother patted Celica softly on her head.
"One day, as Anjomeddon flew through the sky, his eyes spied a group of people by a lake. The smiles on their faces were vibrant and everyone was having fun. A sense of nausea and spite coursed through Anjo, he thought aloud the one question he found himself asking more and more, 'Why am I doing this?'. His thoughts were soft, like whispers but even far away, Glacinorak heard them. However, while he understood the meaning of the words, he didn't understand the hint of frustration within them. He had thought he heard wrong. Time went by, years went by, and one summer came. Once again, he was above the same lake. A group of people was there, he wasn't sure if they were the same group of people but he didn't cared enough to care in the first place. One of them, a man, a father of two was shielding his children from the heat. The laughter of joy was present and they were certainly enjoying themselves. Then, he saw it. The father of two pointed at him, Anjomeddon, the Carrier of the Sun. He was pointing at him, and he was furious. Cursing away at the distant sun. His look was one of frustration and disapproval... ..."
Celica tilted her head up. Her eyes staring straight into her mother's, her body was tense, waiting for the story to continue.
"... ...And Anjomeddon roared. The sky crackled suddenly with flashes of lightning and thunder. So much of Anjomeddon's anger was let loose with his bestial roar that the sky appeared to be on fire. The avian resting upon trees miles and miles away shot out of their trees, while the beings of the plains and forests scurried away to the safely of their burrows and dens, leaving the trees and plants shivering in fear of the Sun's wrath. Only humanity stood still, staring at the phenomenon. Were they too scared? Or were they too ignorant of Anjomeddon's anger? Nobody knows for certain. But it was at that instant, that seeds of hatred planted themselves within the great dragon's mind. The injustice of them slaving away to ensure their survival, only to receive the scorn and resentment by them, was so aggravating to the point that it hurt. Glacinorak caught on to Anjomeddon's sentiments, finally understanding the frustrations of his brother. The same repeated grumbled frustration he has been hearing over and over again..."
Celica half-begged, half-commanded, "Next, next, next!". Mother held Celica up and rubbed their noses gently before placing her back on the lap.
"... Finally, came the day when Anjomeddon snapped. His resentment towards the very creatures he has been slaving to protect had gone far beyond what was repairable, consolable with the mingle number of praises and offerings the few temples left could give. It wasn't about the offerings, it was simply the fact that he was being forgotten, that his efforts had gone by unappreciated. Those were the seeds his resentment took roots upon. He stood on the top of Mount Hejomus and bellowed. A wave of heat ravished across the land. The carpet of greenery covering the hills and mountains faded instantly to greying hay. A second bellow followed with a beat of Anjomeddon's strong wings. The earth trembled and cracked and through these cracks the civilization of man fell. Lastly, the scarlet dragon took a deep breath and from the dragon's mouth, poured the vehement flames of summer. However, unlike the calling of seasons, his breath turned half of the world into a vast barren desert. It was at this point that humanity finally realized what they had done. They begged and prayed for forgiveness but it was far too late. Anjomeddon locked away the sun and retreated into Mount Hejomus, becoming the sun itself. Since then, humanity had fervently begged for Anjomeddon's forgiveness, to return the barren desert to what it used to be - a place of beauty and life."
Mother took a deep breath and a sip of water.
"Glacinorak understood what his brother wished for. Not only did he accepted what his brother did, he replicated his actions. He hid away the moon and resided in the middle of the other half of the world. With one roar, the plant life gradually froze and the ponds and lakes became ice. A second roar with a beating of his wings brought snow off the skies in overwhelming amounts. Snow piled upon the lands and along with it, buried the civilization of man. Lastly, the azure dragon breathed eternal winter upon his other half of the world. Half of endless days and the half of endless nights. That, is how our world came to be."
Celica listened attentively, for her favourite part was coming.
"As the dragons retreated, a prophet had laid claim to a prophecy, to a future that the dragons themselves had stated. In the future, a hero will appeared and bring not just humanity, but all life, together. Only with all life supporting the hero, can the hero calm the dragons and only in the hero, will the dragons trust to once again build faith. Only then, will the torment of endless days and nights end and the cycle of seasons restored."
Mother studied Celica's face, "Will you be the one? Sweetheart? This hero of the story?"
Celica grinned, her face radiant with hopes and dreams, "Yes! I will be the one!".
"I believe in you sweetheart. Now, time for bed."
"Aww... but-", Celica begun protesting.
Mother lifted Celica and carried her into her room, "No buts, dearest."
Celica shook her head weakly, clearly disappointed. Mother patted her daughter on the back. "But no worries, sweetheart", Mother whispered, "Rest, and tomorrow is another new day."
Celica was already snoring softly, snuggling up to her mother.
"Sweet dreams", Mother whispered as she laid Celica carefully on the bed. She smiled at her child, "Sweet dreams."
Guess I am detrailing the thread a little? But the thought came to me. English isn't my main language so hope it is alright. Basically, I just think it is actually logical for some sort of fairytale about Starstill's current state to exist. However, fairytales like this isn't exactly historically accurate.
Actually
My own story on Anjo and Glac about what actually conspired. Anjo was frustrated with his task, the endless, ever-growing-thankless job. And so he plotted for a way to gain freedom, no matter how little. Strangely, the ones who came in contact with were vampires. The vampires had wanted a place of their own where the sun don't shine. Anjo had a plan. However, he knew his own brother, Glacinorak, would protest against his plan. So, using the vamps as moles, he planted the idea of distrust within humanity towards the dragons. Using humanity as an excuse/scapegoat, he uses it to try to pressure Glac in relenting, in justifying his actions and therefore, avoiding a direct confrontation with Glac. Glac caught on however and a fight ensued. Anjo carried out his Plan B, finally emerging victorious against Glac on a mountain in the middle of what would be known as Frostwynd. He tore out Glac's heart and placed a powerful enchantment upon it, also fixing the heart's position to that location. Understanding that disrupting a delicate balance is a bad bad thing to do, Anjo needs Glac to survive (also partially out of love for his only kin). Through the vampire's ritual and his channeling as the 'middleman', Anjo created a blood link between Glac, his frozen heart and a powerful vampire (whom I am thinking will be the planeswalker in Moonrise (if it ever happens)), turning Glac into a pseudo-vampire dragon. Glac had the resilience of a dragon and now he too has the immortality of a vampire, but with that, he also gotten the vampire's weakness towards sunlight. Therefore, for Glac to step into Anjo's domain and win a fight against Anjo would be impossible, assuming Glac could survive stepping out of range from his heart in the first place. Also, event-psychic trauma made Glac a little insane and erratic.
So, my idea of a story progression in Starstill would be ->Aloise stepping into the Frostwynd part of Starstill. ->Gruff makes an appearance, straight inside Anjo's chambers. A pure accident, he stole the 'Key' to unlocking the enchantment upon Glac's heart from Anjo's chambers. If unlocked, it would undo the 'bind' Anjo had placed upon Glac, returning the heart to Anjo. Deep down, Anjo fears fighting Glac. ->Somehow, Gruff bumped into Aloise and the key changed hands to Aloise. ->The vamps are plotting something, feeding information about Moonrise to Aloise. ->The Vamp soul-bonded to Glac 'bumps' into Aloise. A lot of things I still haven't thought of yet. Just that Anjo is going down in the last block (If that really actually happens), therefore "Sunfall"
Kinda tired and feels like I am just mumbling incoherent stuff. Sleep time.
Good stuff. Other than the fact that it doesn't seem like the story a little girl would want read to her at night, it all seems... to fit? Not really sure about the vamp-dragon thing though.
Next question would be how they got their job in the first place.
As in the Dragons? Yea, honestly, I haven't figure out that part yet. One thought I had was along the lines of the dragon aspects in WoW but that means we need more god-lier gods than the dragons themselves. Maybe Anjo and Glac were created by a PW long long time ago just like how Avacyn was created by Sorin? Thinking that an actual Starstill occured even before Anjo and Glac were around, in order to avoid the plane from desolation, the PW created Anjo and Glac to replace the already crumbling and dead (weather? I have no idea what is the exact term) system.
And yea, sounds like a wrong story to read to little girls at night, guess it is a poor excuse on my part?
As for the Vamp Dragon thing, was thinking that Anjo would want a second condition restraining Glac. It is possible to make it that Glac has a weakness for sunlight because he was bonded to a vampire too without changing the creature type. In my mind, for Moonrise, Glac is the ultimate mastermind behind it. The Moonrise doesn't really block out the sun in the literal sense (since the sun is Anjo), more like it negates what the sun does. A device that returns the world to a neutral state, giving Glac a chance to fight Anjo at least on even grounds. Vamps were already plotting to steal the Key returning Glac's heart to him if Gruff haven't done it for them already. And the Key went to Aloise, which brings around contact between Aloise and the vamps.
Hehe, that is what I had in mind for the set recently anyway. Personally though, would actually like to see a list of commonly agreed points in how Starstill is gonna progress story-wise on the front page or something. Makes it easier for people to track, especially if people making cards wants to reference things going on in Starstill (Or at least make it easier to picture).
Oh, and a convenient excuse to stage a Frostwynd vs Illpyre war would be nice. Aloise would spend Moonrise accomplishing the Moonrise and Sunfall trying to untangle this war she unintentionally helped started.
Joined: Jul 16, 2014 Posts: 1335 Location: exploring the Multiverse
Preferred Pronoun Set: she
Hello from M:EM! I read this thread and the flavor of this world is interesting, and it would be great to have a Style Guide for it as part of the M:EM. Here are my own comments, as an outsider to the project. Take them however you like.
Creatures: This is my suggestion for the breakdown:
Spoiler
Small: : Elves (plus some Viashino, plants, fungi, saprolings, beasts) : Humans (plus some Vedalken, birds, small elementals, spirits) : Vedalken (plus some Humans, small elementals, tundra animals) : Zombies & Skeletons (plus some Humans, Viashino, small elementals, spirits) (maybe Devils or Vampires) : Viashino (plus small elementals, some Humans, jackals & other desert animals)
Midrange: : Treefolk and Yeti (plus elementals) : Loxodons (plus spirits and enchantment creatures) : Ice Drakes (plus elementals, Haints) : Wendigos (plus Haints, Ogres, elementals) (maybe Devils or Vampires) : Ogres (plus elementals, Haints, antlions) (plus hellions?)
Elemental types (for every size that has them): : fungus, wind, maybe plant : sunlight : ice, snow/blizzard, air/wind : night/darkness : fire, sand, sunlight, rock The lack of water elementals in that list is deliberate.
Naming: * Personally I think Frostwind would be better than Frostwynd, because misspelling "wind" for no reason looks silly to me. * I find the names Glacinorak and Anjomeddon look kind of silly. Mostly Glacinorak, because it's a real English word fused to a fantasy word in some other language. It can't be his real name (it contains Glacier) and it can't be a translation (norak means nothing). I strongly think that names should be made-up, or in English, not both mixed together. * For the whole plane, Parad suggested Velnaria. I like that name. * Name ideas for the center of Illpyre (the pole opposite Frostblight): Scorchbane, Ashhell, Searing Hell * If the whole plane is going to have one real-world cultural/linguistic inspiration, I like the idea of using Inca/Quechua. I think having a bit of a patchwork would better illustrate that the world was once thriving and diverse, but that only works if each culture/faction has a single aesthetic.
Plot:
Spoiler
I like the story of the dragons being Lesser Elders and stopping the sun so that they no longer had to migrate with the seasons. Their disgust with insufficient worship from humanoids could be a factor but I would say it could be less than what the humans' fairy tale claims. "The world was a paradise before Man sinned and the Gods punished us." is such a common story, it'd be easy for people to make it up if they didn't know what really happened. The vampire part makes less sense to me I guess. If they were Lesser Elders, I think they'd be immortal anyway. Making them Lesser Elders would also mean that the Drakes are descended from the ice dragon and the Viashino are descended from the fire dragon.
Bringing together several factions to create the Moonrise seems like a great plot. I do want to point out that, if the world is spherical or spheroid, and the moon orbits the equator (perpendicular to the terminator) then it will be full and bright over the Frostwynd (unless they mess up and make it too dark to reflect sunlight well). It will be new (nearly invisible) over the Illpyre. If it was right on the equator it would in fact eclipse the sun every noon, which could piss off Anjo so maybe having it follow a different path would be the wiser choice if the characters think of that.
I love the idea of lycanthropes showing up in Moonrise.
_________________
Unless I'm trying to be sarcastic or humorous, most of my posts are extremely literal. Please don't "read between the lines" because there's nothing in there. If something isn't extremely explicit and blatant then I wasn't thinking it. I'm incapable of sublety and don't know how to imply things. I never knowingly "imply" anything, ever.
Last edited by Arcades Sabboth on Thu Aug 14, 2014 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Frostwynd was originally a placeholder that just never got replaced. I wouldn't mind changing it one bit. I like "Anjomeddon" but agree that "Glacinorak" needs to change. They were also placeholders. For the core of Illpyre I was thinking the Glass Tops could be a region in Illpyre. THe tops of the dunes crunch beneath your feet because they have melted into glass. IT IS VERY HOT. I'd hold off on finalizing a name for the plane before we settle the cultural background thing.
I agree that the vampire thing doesn't work. I also agree that lack of worship shouldn't be a big factor in the dragon's motivations. The people of the plane don't need to know that though.
Alright, I rewrote a bunch of the Cansiz stuff and posted it on the wiki. Pretty soon the wiki page is going to need to be split up. Cansiz Cansiz is far and away the most powerful undead on the plane. An entire city forms his palace and its inhabitants his army. Cansiz controls perhaps the largest military force on his world, but has no real intention of putting it to use. The world of today means little to him. Rather than conquest, Cansiz focuses his efforts on reliving the past. Cansiz remembers a time before the Starstill and has turned his palace into a museum of all things from the golden era. One of the world's largest libraries, artifacts from cultures remembered by none but Cansiz himself and a zoo of creatures thought extinct all reside within Cansiz's necropolis. His palace is a giant museum to the bygone world of his living days. Surrounded by memories of days gone by, Cansiz spends his days alternating between fond remembrance and self-loathing. He's a misanthropic pessimist with a constant need to justify himself. Cansiz will play a grand host to any guest who braves the icy wastes to reach his palace. He's just a little reluctant to let his company leave... Cansiz was once the scientific adviser to the king of a great and prosperous city. When the Starstill happened that city was plunged into eternal darkness. Food and hope were running low when a man appeared at the gates offering a solution. No living person could survive this far from the sun, but through his necromancy the city could live on regardless. Though many suspected a trap, there seemed to be no option but to oblige this stranger. The king tasked his adviser to analyze the elixir proffered by this mysterious stranger. Cansiz found that the elixir given to the common citizenry would reanimate them as mindless thralls intended for the city officials would leave them retain just enough free will to help the necromancer run the city as his own. Cansiz warned the king of the plot and began working on a solution, not one to save the king, but one geared to his own benefit. The king gave over to Cansiz every single dose of the necromantic elixir. From hundreds of doses Cansiz refined the elixir into just two doses that would allow the drinker to maintain their full will. Giving a fake elixir to the king, Cansiz kept both doses for himself. The other dose he proffered to his beloved, the king's eldest daughter. Cansiz's beloved refused to take the cure when the rest of the citizenry would die. This is the story that shaped Cansiz's psyche into what it is today. Role in the story The protagonists would need something in Cansiz's possession or some knowledge of his to complete the Moonrise. Cansiz, bored out of his hollow skull, is enthused to have guests over! He might want to keep them longer than they want to stay. Perhaps forever, and perhaps as his obedient thralls. Cansiz doesn't really have much faith in the Moonrise and so doesn't see any reason not to keep his guests around. Cansiz's version of immortality disgusts the merchant protagonist, triggering his/her epiphany.
My plan is that Bahraz is the mysterious stranger from the story, and zombifying the city was his attempt to retain some power after the dragons escaped from under his thumb.
Joined: Jul 16, 2014 Posts: 1335 Location: exploring the Multiverse
Preferred Pronoun Set: she
You mention his zoo of "extinct" species and the first thing that pops into my head are a family of very inbred merfolk living in a miniscule tank, who are insane from the boredom and generations of dysfunctional family life in a cage almost too small to move.
Like captive dolphins in the real world, except humanoid.
_________________
Unless I'm trying to be sarcastic or humorous, most of my posts are extremely literal. Please don't "read between the lines" because there's nothing in there. If something isn't extremely explicit and blatant then I wasn't thinking it. I'm incapable of sublety and don't know how to imply things. I never knowingly "imply" anything, ever.
I was thinking that most of the zoo has been zombified. The logistics of keeping a breeding population in the middle of a frozen wasteland is a little shaky. There could totally be sentient things in there though. Cansiz can collect people. I imagine he's probably worked out how to make a decent necromantic elixir of his own by now too.
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