I would like everyone to pause and thank Traesha for the wonderful job she does with the monthly art challenges. So much time and effort goes into each one. I asked her to describe the process for our benefit. Here's what she said:
The time consuming thing for me is setting up the Monthly challenge based on the theme chosen by the winner, writing it all up, submitting it to the God for approval, creating an image for the initial challenge and getting it all posted on the site. I usually have 3 days to get that all done, so sometimes it's a bit stressful due to the time guidelines. I usually check out the challenge arena once a day to field any questions or problems that arise. I give the artists 3 weeks to complete their renders and get them posted to the thread. I also try to create another render to submit to the challenge too. Then I set up a poll for the voting to begin and select the winner. Then, I contact the winner to find out what the next months theme will be and start the process all over again.
Thank you, Traesha!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Shadow Guard Artisan Contest 1 - Family Portrait
As I've been rambling about for several days now, the Shadow Guard has grown immensely in the last few weeks. I believe it is therefore time to have a family portrait made. I will try to remember all the rules and record them here, but forgive me if I forget to define something. Since I'm in question, answer mood, I'll run this that way.
What's going on?
Terees is going to launch a whole series of monthly art contests. They will hopefully run like the Art challenges Traesha has been doing such a lovely job with, minus the initial example as I don't think we'd get any inspiration from my horrible little blotchy-penned stick figures. The artsy parts of me must have walked off the current plane with my memory.
Who can participate?
Any registered member of Mernac may participate. If you don't have an account, but still love doing art and want to partake in this free contest simply sign up for an account, read a bit of the Shadow Guard background and about the current members... then give it all you've got.
Where do I submit my picture?
I will open a thread in the general discussion forum. You will initially submit here. Eventually, the art must be submitted to the Shadow Guard Lore story.
What kind of picture should I make?
As this is a family portrait, your picture should include Mother Terees and at least two of the guards. If you can get all five in, wonderful. If you can make it a scene where they're not just staring out at people, wonderful. But if you want to go for traditional "family portrait" style, that's wonderful as well.
Are there any stuffy rules I should be aware of?
Yes. Mother Terees wishes all pictures to be rated PG-13 or less. That means the characters should be wearing decent clothes and there shouldn't be too much gore/violence/other questionable material. Now, I don't think you could show too much gore in a family picture of the Shadow Guard, but hey, you never know... and this rule applies to all the monthly SG contests.
Why are there stuffy rules?
Because I'm old-fashioned, a goddess, and I said so:-)
Is there a prize for all my hard work?
Of course. At the very least, there will be silver. The exact amount will be determined at a later time, depending on how many submissions we have. I'd love to give at least one silver to everyone who enters and 25 silvers to the winner of each monthly art contest, as determined by a poll.
Is there a deadline?
Yes, I would like the submissions to be posted to the thread by the 21st of each month. Then, I will create the poll and let it run for a week. That should let everyone know who the winner is by the 29th-ish of each month. The winner will be acknowledged on the thread. Please note, to receive their prize of 25 Mernac silvers they must be a registered member. I will also send a PM, so the winner should also be an active member... meaning you show up more than once a month:-)
What's going on?
Terees is going to launch a whole series of monthly art contests. They will hopefully run like the Art challenges Traesha has been doing such a lovely job with, minus the initial example as I don't think we'd get any inspiration from my horrible little blotchy-penned stick figures. The artsy parts of me must have walked off the current plane with my memory.
Who can participate?
Any registered member of Mernac may participate. If you don't have an account, but still love doing art and want to partake in this free contest simply sign up for an account, read a bit of the Shadow Guard background and about the current members... then give it all you've got.
Where do I submit my picture?
I will open a thread in the general discussion forum. You will initially submit here. Eventually, the art must be submitted to the Shadow Guard Lore story.
What kind of picture should I make?
As this is a family portrait, your picture should include Mother Terees and at least two of the guards. If you can get all five in, wonderful. If you can make it a scene where they're not just staring out at people, wonderful. But if you want to go for traditional "family portrait" style, that's wonderful as well.
Are there any stuffy rules I should be aware of?
Yes. Mother Terees wishes all pictures to be rated PG-13 or less. That means the characters should be wearing decent clothes and there shouldn't be too much gore/violence/other questionable material. Now, I don't think you could show too much gore in a family picture of the Shadow Guard, but hey, you never know... and this rule applies to all the monthly SG contests.
Why are there stuffy rules?
Because I'm old-fashioned, a goddess, and I said so:-)
Is there a prize for all my hard work?
Of course. At the very least, there will be silver. The exact amount will be determined at a later time, depending on how many submissions we have. I'd love to give at least one silver to everyone who enters and 25 silvers to the winner of each monthly art contest, as determined by a poll.
Is there a deadline?
Yes, I would like the submissions to be posted to the thread by the 21st of each month. Then, I will create the poll and let it run for a week. That should let everyone know who the winner is by the 29th-ish of each month. The winner will be acknowledged on the thread. Please note, to receive their prize of 25 Mernac silvers they must be a registered member. I will also send a PM, so the winner should also be an active member... meaning you show up more than once a month:-)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
From Terees's Private Journal 2 - Shadow Guard Gifts
Will the Twenty Gifts I sought, fought for, and sometimes bought serve my Shadow Guard children well? I called their spirits up to fight with their full strength during those awful days while the War for Mirdoren raged in the heavens. Whenever I remember those moments I am in awe of the sheer power they unleashed there, but now I forget how I got them to that point. I know I trained them, sometimes harshly, in Resh'karitas, but I cannot even remember when. I think Pyroglyph will remind me, but I cannot be certain for she is, as always, perfectly neutral.
While I remember, I shall record the Gifts already allocated. These I may or may not have remembered eventually, but logically they fit best. In all cases, I always gifted the Guards based upon their own strengths.
Ember already knew many weapons, so I gave her the Gift Tellen prepared: Martial Weapons Proficiency. She can pick up nearly any weapon invented for soldiers and use it as if she'd been trained specifically on that weapon for three decades or more. Some exotic weapons might lay beyond the Gift's capabilities to cover; however, Ember's natural talents with weapons should allow her to use the weapon without harm to herself or allies. The only difference is that she would not be considered a "master" with such weapons.
Arleas already knew much about books and learning. She would have known more too, had she not been killed so abruptly. The potential for vast learning still lay within her, so when I gifted her with Divine Shared Knowledge, she learned to know what I know. Unfortunately, for both of us, my memory has rather large gaps. Since Arleas has a wonderful memory, whenever I do perchance stumble across a memory, I send it to her. She may not even know it, but sometimes, I think she's my literal sanity.
Shanyaks struggles with himself far more than is healthy. His questionable heritage, his sometimes dark tendencies... these things hit him far deeper than many beings. I think his biggest problem is forgiving himself. In short, he draws trouble upon himself. Therefore, I believe I gave him Gorb's Gift of Trouble Greed.
Naysia Ebberon is a very introspective young woman when she wants to be. I do not think she spoke much even as a child, but that natural instinct to deal with everything internally and always alone grew even more pronounced once she went to one of Elsen's temple. Sometimes I wonder why I picked such internally conflicted people to become my Guards. She's such a sweet girl, fire obsession aside. Who am I fooling? I love her partially because of that fire obsession, for it is a sign of the pure passion within her. One who thinks so much for herself could hardly help but naturally take to a Gift like Foresight. Sola's gift upon her own Race of Elves.
Kataryna Vaelryn trained for many, many seasons to become a seductive and highly successful assassin. Her natural beauty and well developed sense of how to handle people made her perfect for Quont's gift of Complete Attraction. Quont could always get whatever he wanted from any of us.
While I remember, I shall record the Gifts already allocated. These I may or may not have remembered eventually, but logically they fit best. In all cases, I always gifted the Guards based upon their own strengths.
Ember already knew many weapons, so I gave her the Gift Tellen prepared: Martial Weapons Proficiency. She can pick up nearly any weapon invented for soldiers and use it as if she'd been trained specifically on that weapon for three decades or more. Some exotic weapons might lay beyond the Gift's capabilities to cover; however, Ember's natural talents with weapons should allow her to use the weapon without harm to herself or allies. The only difference is that she would not be considered a "master" with such weapons.
Arleas already knew much about books and learning. She would have known more too, had she not been killed so abruptly. The potential for vast learning still lay within her, so when I gifted her with Divine Shared Knowledge, she learned to know what I know. Unfortunately, for both of us, my memory has rather large gaps. Since Arleas has a wonderful memory, whenever I do perchance stumble across a memory, I send it to her. She may not even know it, but sometimes, I think she's my literal sanity.
Shanyaks struggles with himself far more than is healthy. His questionable heritage, his sometimes dark tendencies... these things hit him far deeper than many beings. I think his biggest problem is forgiving himself. In short, he draws trouble upon himself. Therefore, I believe I gave him Gorb's Gift of Trouble Greed.
Naysia Ebberon is a very introspective young woman when she wants to be. I do not think she spoke much even as a child, but that natural instinct to deal with everything internally and always alone grew even more pronounced once she went to one of Elsen's temple. Sometimes I wonder why I picked such internally conflicted people to become my Guards. She's such a sweet girl, fire obsession aside. Who am I fooling? I love her partially because of that fire obsession, for it is a sign of the pure passion within her. One who thinks so much for herself could hardly help but naturally take to a Gift like Foresight. Sola's gift upon her own Race of Elves.
Kataryna Vaelryn trained for many, many seasons to become a seductive and highly successful assassin. Her natural beauty and well developed sense of how to handle people made her perfect for Quont's gift of Complete Attraction. Quont could always get whatever he wanted from any of us.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
From Terees's Private Journal 1 - Reflections on the Shadow Guard
The Shadow Guard grows rapidly. Part of me fears for them. Mernac's futures, all of them, look so grim. I have currently withdrawn from my Guards for a brief moment to feel this pain alone. I cannot let them know the sheer depths my fear run, especially Arleas. She's a wonderful Disciple, but a bit headstrong. With our close connection she would feel everything, and I want to protect her from that.
Naysia, also a headstrong young lady, possesses so much passion, so much anger. I'm not sure where it comes from. Surely, her training in Elsen's temple could not have been that thorough, could it? I knew all once, but that was long ago. I'm not sure how best to help her. She hesitated before joining, and I felt it. The battle within her ran deep. I have not felt such inner conflict since the Fathers made their decisions in 666, or if I had, I had also forgotten.
Kataryna Vaelryn could move mountains with a smile, yet there are fragile parts of her, places she keeps locked from all, even herself. Her beauty and natural charm serve her well, but they also hold her back. She knows her strengths, so she uses them, sometimes overmuch. She also hesitates to forgive herself. I've not yet spoken with her on these matters, but a time will come soon when she faces herself fully.
Ember tor'Ravenwing has a wonderfully refreshing directness about her. She hides her fragile pieces well. I can feel her every worry when I tune in to her thoughts, but her inner strength and resilience astounds me.
Shanyaks, probably the most troubled of my young Guards, always wishes to be better than his past. Sometimes, I think he tries to apologize for his entire Race of Orcs, yet the world will have none of it. Tis true that sometimes the blackest, coldest hearts come from the Races of Light. I wish I could fight all his battles for him, but Shanyaks needs those struggles to learn survival.
Naysia, also a headstrong young lady, possesses so much passion, so much anger. I'm not sure where it comes from. Surely, her training in Elsen's temple could not have been that thorough, could it? I knew all once, but that was long ago. I'm not sure how best to help her. She hesitated before joining, and I felt it. The battle within her ran deep. I have not felt such inner conflict since the Fathers made their decisions in 666, or if I had, I had also forgotten.
Kataryna Vaelryn could move mountains with a smile, yet there are fragile parts of her, places she keeps locked from all, even herself. Her beauty and natural charm serve her well, but they also hold her back. She knows her strengths, so she uses them, sometimes overmuch. She also hesitates to forgive herself. I've not yet spoken with her on these matters, but a time will come soon when she faces herself fully.
Ember tor'Ravenwing has a wonderfully refreshing directness about her. She hides her fragile pieces well. I can feel her every worry when I tune in to her thoughts, but her inner strength and resilience astounds me.
Shanyaks, probably the most troubled of my young Guards, always wishes to be better than his past. Sometimes, I think he tries to apologize for his entire Race of Orcs, yet the world will have none of it. Tis true that sometimes the blackest, coldest hearts come from the Races of Light. I wish I could fight all his battles for him, but Shanyaks needs those struggles to learn survival.
8/28/07 Busy Week - highlights
Terees’s Report:
- Helped Serapella and Shanyaks with character stories
- Edited Jy’s
- Wrote Quest for Celnadon ch 19 Soolin Leaves, Ch 22, edited/ published QFC 6, published QFC 7
- Sent PM to psycha (got reply), tkrain (got reply), Purrdey (got reply) goxen, coalcrystal
- Fiddled with Outlook (evil thing); got template set…still not sure its sending messages right
- Announced Serapella and Shanyaks as Shadow Guards
- Wrote more detailed outline for SG training novel
- Things to write: (secret)
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
How to Become a Mernac Scribe... then Sage
Scribe (taken from On Being a Mernacian Scribe) - writer with one Legend, Character story, and a secondary story (Lore, Place, or Item)
Sage - writer with three consecutive Legends in a particular Book approved by the God of the Age the legend takes place in.
The Legends of Mernac seeks fine writers to join the ranks of our dedicated scribes. For those of you who know nothing about us, Mernac is a fantasy world, hence we seek fantasy writers. Don't let that discourage you if you've never tried fantasy before, I'm a semi-converted sci-fi fanatic.
Step-by-step how to become a Mernac Scribe:
Step One: Read. The world practically bursts with interesting Characters, Legends, Places, Lore, and Items.
Here are some Recommended Reads and the Rationales:
Mothers and the Fathers - a summary of Mernac's 20 gods (7 Mothers, 13 Fathers); these characters come up again and again throughout history, so you might as well get used to their pretty names
Map of Cathall - one of the main continents and home to a whole slew of Races of Light and Races of Dark; makes an interesting setting for nearly any story
Time and Calendar Guide - Moon = month, season = year, [OCC: learn our lingo or go away:-); kidding] "There are 26 hours in a day, 32 days in a moon (or month) and 14 moons (months) in a Season (year)." You should know this if you're writing stories set here.
Bella (Spring)
Della (Spring)
Troval (Spring)
Clina (Summer)
Tropsy (Summer)
Teevil (Summer)
Smarten (Summer)
Fivo (Fall)
Trivo (Fall)
Boolan (Fall)
Tazar (Winter)
Bruda (Winter)
Moroven (Winter)
Himple (Winter)
The God Ages - If you're placing a story in Mernac, you'd better know what Age you want to place it in. For that, you'll need to know which gods are taking stories. This story is a touch out of date - Terees Age (2000-2499) is open
Other tips:
Read - we don't expect you to know everything, but do a bit of research on the place you want to write in, the god(s) you want to serve, etc
Use the search button - it's helpful despite the fact that it doesn't do words under 4 letters
Ask questions - If you have a general question, you can either start a thread about it in the "general discussion" forum or PM a god (Oh, dangerous to say. PM Terees, she'll not bite yer head off; sorry, only one I can guarantee.)
Sage - writer with three consecutive Legends in a particular Book approved by the God of the Age the legend takes place in.
The Legends of Mernac seeks fine writers to join the ranks of our dedicated scribes. For those of you who know nothing about us, Mernac is a fantasy world, hence we seek fantasy writers. Don't let that discourage you if you've never tried fantasy before, I'm a semi-converted sci-fi fanatic.
Step-by-step how to become a Mernac Scribe:
Step One: Read. The world practically bursts with interesting Characters, Legends, Places, Lore, and Items.
Here are some Recommended Reads and the Rationales:
Mothers and the Fathers - a summary of Mernac's 20 gods (7 Mothers, 13 Fathers); these characters come up again and again throughout history, so you might as well get used to their pretty names
Map of Cathall - one of the main continents and home to a whole slew of Races of Light and Races of Dark; makes an interesting setting for nearly any story
Time and Calendar Guide - Moon = month, season = year, [OCC: learn our lingo or go away:-); kidding] "There are 26 hours in a day, 32 days in a moon (or month) and 14 moons (months) in a Season (year)." You should know this if you're writing stories set here.
Bella (Spring)
Della (Spring)
Troval (Spring)
Clina (Summer)
Tropsy (Summer)
Teevil (Summer)
Smarten (Summer)
Fivo (Fall)
Trivo (Fall)
Boolan (Fall)
Tazar (Winter)
Bruda (Winter)
Moroven (Winter)
Himple (Winter)
The God Ages - If you're placing a story in Mernac, you'd better know what Age you want to place it in. For that, you'll need to know which gods are taking stories. This story is a touch out of date - Terees Age (2000-2499) is open
Other tips:
Read - we don't expect you to know everything, but do a bit of research on the place you want to write in, the god(s) you want to serve, etc
Use the search button - it's helpful despite the fact that it doesn't do words under 4 letters
Ask questions - If you have a general question, you can either start a thread about it in the "general discussion" forum or PM a god (Oh, dangerous to say. PM Terees, she'll not bite yer head off; sorry, only one I can guarantee.)
Mernac Character Story: What is it? How do I write it?
What is a Mernac Character story?
As most people know, characters create stories, hardly the other way around. Characters are linchpins, the life-flow, akin to air for a story. While Legends are indeed our ultimate goal, we also want to know who these heroes, villains, and everyday people are, where they came from, and what drove them to act as they did. Thus, the need for a Character story. Mernac Character stories usually range from 500 - 1000 words; they should be no more than 2000 words.
Let's briefly examine a portion of Katarina Calis's Character story:
King Aaron and Queen Diana Calis of Solaris had six sons: Ryan, Cade, Mark, Evan, Collin, andDayton
The first paragraph does not eve mention the princess we're talking about. Is that... okay? Yes, this paragraph sets the stage for what is to come and answers a few questions yet to be asked? What in Katarina's past, defined her? Who were her parents? Where did she come from? What siblings did she have?
How do I write a Good Character Story?
The biggest mistake people make when writing stories for Mernac is simply trying to write the Legend first. (OCC: I made this mistake; my first story, The Black Axe, was written like the story I eventually wanted to write, albeit badly. Ahem, that aside, someone had to clarify for me that The Black Axe story needed to be about the weapon itself.) Even character stories are not immune from this mistake.
Character story should strive to answer some of the following questions:
What race do they belong to?
What is this person's main goal(s)?
Where did this person come from?
What do they look like?
What did they accomplish? invent?
Who bore them? Who fathered them?
What makes them unique? (ie. why should readers care about him/her?)
What weapon, if any, did they favor?
What moments in life defined them?
Who did they marry?
Who did they bear/ father?
What deity did they serve?
What wars did they fight in?
How did they die?
What was this person's general outlook on life and why?
As most people know, characters create stories, hardly the other way around. Characters are linchpins, the life-flow, akin to air for a story. While Legends are indeed our ultimate goal, we also want to know who these heroes, villains, and everyday people are, where they came from, and what drove them to act as they did. Thus, the need for a Character story. Mernac Character stories usually range from 500 - 1000 words; they should be no more than 2000 words.
Let's briefly examine a portion of Katarina Calis's Character story:
King Aaron and Queen Diana Calis of Solaris had six sons: Ryan, Cade, Mark, Evan, Collin, and
The first paragraph does not eve mention the princess we're talking about. Is that... okay? Yes, this paragraph sets the stage for what is to come and answers a few questions yet to be asked? What in Katarina's past, defined her? Who were her parents? Where did she come from? What siblings did she have?
How do I write a Good Character Story?
The biggest mistake people make when writing stories for Mernac is simply trying to write the Legend first. (OCC: I made this mistake; my first story, The Black Axe, was written like the story I eventually wanted to write, albeit badly. Ahem, that aside, someone had to clarify for me that The Black Axe story needed to be about the weapon itself.) Even character stories are not immune from this mistake.
Character story should strive to answer some of the following questions:
What race do they belong to?
What is this person's main goal(s)?
Where did this person come from?
What do they look like?
What did they accomplish? invent?
Who bore them? Who fathered them?
What makes them unique? (ie. why should readers care about him/her?)
What weapon, if any, did they favor?
What moments in life defined them?
Who did they marry?
Who did they bear/ father?
What deity did they serve?
What wars did they fight in?
How did they die?
What was this person's general outlook on life and why?
Mernac Lore Story: What is it? How do I write it?
What is Mernac Lore?
Clina, Viklandics, Brotherhood of the Linge, Siberlee... who or what is what?
The scribes and sages who know such things at the Legends of Mernac classify classes, calendar/ astrology, races, factions, guilds, poetry/song/ proverb, deity & religion, and titles as "Lore".
These stories usually range between 500-1000 words, but can be upwards of 2000 if the scribe gets longwinded.
How do I write Lore for Mernac?
As I recommended before, begin by reading, lots of it. Get a feel for what's out there already before you plunge right in. Learn the difference between Legend and Lore. Legends are the core of our stories. We want you to join us writing legends, but first, let's get your specific faction, guild, or race written. Again, Lore is still secondary to Character, so if you have not defined your character yet you should do that first.
Are you ready?
Let's say your guild is definitely not up there in current Lore and you want to define them. Good for you, here's one way how. Let's take the Brotherhood of the Linge:
Short excerpt:
Be it a bow, sling, javelin, spear or any other manor of thrown weapons, there are none more skilled than those belonging to The Brotherhood of the Linge. In the lower levels of their training, their skills are but physical in nature. However, as their training in both physical skills and mental concentration progresses, many Linge develop their magic force or “Ga” to the point where they can direct these powers into the magic skill of “Blue Vision”. The Brotherhood of the Linge is open to those of any race or deity, however, they are very selective of the members they allow into their ranks – only those born with innate ability to use “Blue Vision” are allowed to enter. This magic skill envelops the Linge when making any type of ranged weapon shot to the point that they can see violet-blue dots on their targets. If the Linge lets loose when that dot is appears in their minds eye, it is all but impossible for them to miss their mark.
Questions to consider when writing a Lore tale (varies by actual type of lore) for simplicity we'll go with Guild:
Where did the Guild begin?
What special skills do they have?
What type of guild is this? (thieves guild, assassin guild?)
Who can join them? (alignment restrictions?)
How are candidates processed?
Who are some famous members?
Which deity or deities do the members worship? (if at all)
What is the heirarchy like?
How many are in the guild?
What place do they operate from?
Questions to consider when writing a Race/people/nation story:
What special skills do they have?
Who do they worship?
Who can join them? (nation/people)
What do they look like?
What famous people belonged to this race or people?
What is their reputation? (fierce, deadly, kind, compassionate, hostile, cold?)
Where do they live?
Where did they come from?
(could you guess?) Where are they going? In other words, what goals does the nation have?
What time periods did they live in?
Clina, Viklandics, Brotherhood of the Linge, Siberlee... who or what is what?
The scribes and sages who know such things at the Legends of Mernac classify classes, calendar/ astrology, races, factions, guilds, poetry/song/ proverb, deity & religion, and titles as "Lore".
These stories usually range between 500-1000 words, but can be upwards of 2000 if the scribe gets longwinded.
How do I write Lore for Mernac?
As I recommended before, begin by reading, lots of it. Get a feel for what's out there already before you plunge right in. Learn the difference between Legend and Lore. Legends are the core of our stories. We want you to join us writing legends, but first, let's get your specific faction, guild, or race written. Again, Lore is still secondary to Character, so if you have not defined your character yet you should do that first.
Are you ready?
Let's say your guild is definitely not up there in current Lore and you want to define them. Good for you, here's one way how. Let's take the Brotherhood of the Linge:
Short excerpt:
Be it a bow, sling, javelin, spear or any other manor of thrown weapons, there are none more skilled than those belonging to The Brotherhood of the Linge. In the lower levels of their training, their skills are but physical in nature. However, as their training in both physical skills and mental concentration progresses, many Linge develop their magic force or “Ga” to the point where they can direct these powers into the magic skill of “Blue Vision”. The Brotherhood of the Linge is open to those of any race or deity, however, they are very selective of the members they allow into their ranks – only those born with innate ability to use “Blue Vision” are allowed to enter. This magic skill envelops the Linge when making any type of ranged weapon shot to the point that they can see violet-blue dots on their targets. If the Linge lets loose when that dot is appears in their minds eye, it is all but impossible for them to miss their mark.
Questions to consider when writing a Lore tale (varies by actual type of lore) for simplicity we'll go with Guild:
Where did the Guild begin?
What special skills do they have?
What type of guild is this? (thieves guild, assassin guild?)
Who can join them? (alignment restrictions?)
How are candidates processed?
Who are some famous members?
Which deity or deities do the members worship? (if at all)
What is the heirarchy like?
How many are in the guild?
What place do they operate from?
Questions to consider when writing a Race/people/nation story:
What special skills do they have?
Who do they worship?
Who can join them? (nation/people)
What do they look like?
What famous people belonged to this race or people?
What is their reputation? (fierce, deadly, kind, compassionate, hostile, cold?)
Where do they live?
Where did they come from?
(could you guess?) Where are they going? In other words, what goals does the nation have?
What time periods did they live in?
Mernac Place Story - What is it? How do I write it?
In a growing place like Mernac, where any writer may join and contribute to the geography, it is vital to define things. Here, I shall focus on Places, but first, I must clarify that these are secondary tales, like Lore and Items. A primary tale, what we call a Legend, is the ultimate goal, but the Places, Lore, and Items also play an important role by providing a foundation for the work to come.
What is a Place story?
Typically ranging from 500-1000 words, a Place story tells of some city, temple, village, continent, country, town, mountain, forest, or other thing that can be defined as a place. Some lines may be blurry on things like temple shrines; is it a lonely place upon a mountain side?? or a thing? I'd probably categorize it as a thing, but again, the definition may be somewhat fluid. For now, I shall confine my definition to something we can all agree is a place: country.
Check out Hobala, by Pyroglyph.
Short excerpt:
The Orvill mountains are particularly rough in this region, stretching long fingers of stone-topped ridges all the way down to the sea. Between these ridges are long, narrow, fertile valleys, watered by mountain streams and glacial runoff. These valleys are lush, but small, and will generally support only one small village above ground. Only in the central portion of Hobala is there a slightly kinder landscape. There the mountains dip down and give way to foothills and even a large grassy plain. In the center of this plain is Tam's Crossing, which is the largest above-ground settlement in the country. It is there that the Races of Light who do not wish to live underground tend to gather together.
Notice how this reads much like an encyclopedia entry. Passive parts exist (gasp), yet it flows smoothly and describes the parameters of this country. The author also slips in bits of topography, economics, valleys are lush, but small, and will generally support only one small village and history there that the Races of Light who do not wish to live underground tend to gather together.
How do I write a Mernac Place story?
If you're new to Mernac, you start by reading, reading, and more reading. Don't let that scare you though; think of it as an exciting challenge. Oh, and try writing a Character story first. The reason for this is that the character matters most. I'll touch on that in a moment.
Say you've got your character and just need a Mernacian place to put him/her, but nothing on Cathall suits you, nor Toberna, nor Brangin. So, make it up! You're a writer, hence the place story. Even if it's not a whole country, you may need a city, town, or village.
Let's examine Morningsong, Solaris:
Short excerpt:
The crown jewel in the quaint kingdom of Solaris, Morningsong delights first-time visitors as well as those who have lived there for generations. Some say the city never sleeps, for food, fashion, and fine plays can be found at all hours. These things alone make Morningsong popular, but the music makes it famous. From the first moment the sun glints off the Temple of Sola’s topmost spire, Nebvidron harps, Kyrie windpipes, and Sekri flutes fill the Market Square with sweet music.
Here the author immediately tells you which kingdom of Cathall you are in. If you actually look at the main page, you will see Mernac > places > Cathall > Solaris, so you will know where you are. The author then goes on to say what Morningsong is famous for, what sorts of attractions it offers, and what is semi-unique to it. While these are not "must" things to include, they're good facts to have. (OCC - It's like eating oreos or peanut butter cups... you can hardly screw up the process.)
Questions you may want to answer in your city story:
Who famous came from there?
What wars were fought there and why?
Is it a City of Light, or a City of Darkness?
What does the city offer in the way of entertainment?
What is the government like?
How did the government change over the seasons?
Who famous passed through there? (See, Morningsong is connected to Katarina Calis, who is she? You'll have to see her character story? What's she got to do with Morningsong? Check out the main Morningsong page.)
What deity takes an interest in the place? (Morningsong, Solaris is joint Elves and Man so Mother Sola and Mother Siberlee have vested interests there; Mother Terees is also fond of the place)
What is a Place story?
Typically ranging from 500-1000 words, a Place story tells of some city, temple, village, continent, country, town, mountain, forest, or other thing that can be defined as a place. Some lines may be blurry on things like temple shrines; is it a lonely place upon a mountain side?? or a thing? I'd probably categorize it as a thing, but again, the definition may be somewhat fluid. For now, I shall confine my definition to something we can all agree is a place: country.
Check out Hobala, by Pyroglyph.
Short excerpt:
The small Dwarven country of Hobala is located along the western coast of Toberna, slightly south of the continent's mid-point.
The Orvill mountains are particularly rough in this region, stretching long fingers of stone-topped ridges all the way down to the sea. Between these ridges are long, narrow, fertile valleys, watered by mountain streams and glacial runoff. These valleys are lush, but small, and will generally support only one small village above ground. Only in the central portion of Hobala is there a slightly kinder landscape. There the mountains dip down and give way to foothills and even a large grassy plain. In the center of this plain is Tam's Crossing, which is the largest above-ground settlement in the country. It is there that the Races of Light who do not wish to live underground tend to gather together.
Notice how this reads much like an encyclopedia entry. Passive parts exist (gasp), yet it flows smoothly and describes the parameters of this country. The author also slips in bits of topography, economics, valleys are lush, but small, and will generally support only one small village and history there that the Races of Light who do not wish to live underground tend to gather together.
How do I write a Mernac Place story?
If you're new to Mernac, you start by reading, reading, and more reading. Don't let that scare you though; think of it as an exciting challenge. Oh, and try writing a Character story first. The reason for this is that the character matters most. I'll touch on that in a moment.
Say you've got your character and just need a Mernacian place to put him/her, but nothing on Cathall suits you, nor Toberna, nor Brangin. So, make it up! You're a writer, hence the place story. Even if it's not a whole country, you may need a city, town, or village.
Let's examine Morningsong, Solaris:
Short excerpt:
The crown jewel in the quaint kingdom of Solaris, Morningsong delights first-time visitors as well as those who have lived there for generations. Some say the city never sleeps, for food, fashion, and fine plays can be found at all hours. These things alone make Morningsong popular, but the music makes it famous. From the first moment the sun glints off the Temple of Sola’s topmost spire, Nebvidron harps, Kyrie windpipes, and Sekri flutes fill the Market Square with sweet music.
Here the author immediately tells you which kingdom of Cathall you are in. If you actually look at the main page, you will see Mernac > places > Cathall > Solaris, so you will know where you are. The author then goes on to say what Morningsong is famous for, what sorts of attractions it offers, and what is semi-unique to it. While these are not "must" things to include, they're good facts to have. (OCC - It's like eating oreos or peanut butter cups... you can hardly screw up the process.)
Questions you may want to answer in your city story:
Who famous came from there?
What wars were fought there and why?
Is it a City of Light, or a City of Darkness?
What does the city offer in the way of entertainment?
What is the government like?
How did the government change over the seasons?
Who famous passed through there? (See, Morningsong is connected to Katarina Calis, who is she? You'll have to see her character story? What's she got to do with Morningsong? Check out the main Morningsong page.)
What deity takes an interest in the place? (Morningsong, Solaris is joint Elves and Man so Mother Sola and Mother Siberlee have vested interests there; Mother Terees is also fond of the place)
Quont's Question of the Week – 6
Quont, Mernac's God of Lust: Question of the Week – 6
How do you relax?
Terees's Answer:
By thinking, of course. Simply willing myself to relax usually does the trick. Maintaining inner harmony is a vital to do my job well. It would be extraordinarily difficult to attempt bringing peace to someone else I let stress and chaos rule my mind.
Reading old scrolls of the ancient days usually helps when thinking alone is not enough to assuage a burning unrest. Writing my thoughts out in several languages is a stimulating mind exercise and keeps my hands busy.
Talking to Pyroglyph can be very relaxing. She makes me laugh and puts a wonderful neutral perspective on everything. There's hardly a swifter way to find the objective point of view on any matter than asking my completely neutral unDragon.
My Answer:
Reading, writing, sleeping, taking random walks, singing (when no one's around to listen:-)
How do you relax?
Terees's Answer:
By thinking, of course. Simply willing myself to relax usually does the trick. Maintaining inner harmony is a vital to do my job well. It would be extraordinarily difficult to attempt bringing peace to someone else I let stress and chaos rule my mind.
Reading old scrolls of the ancient days usually helps when thinking alone is not enough to assuage a burning unrest. Writing my thoughts out in several languages is a stimulating mind exercise and keeps my hands busy.
Talking to Pyroglyph can be very relaxing. She makes me laugh and puts a wonderful neutral perspective on everything. There's hardly a swifter way to find the objective point of view on any matter than asking my completely neutral unDragon.
My Answer:
Reading, writing, sleeping, taking random walks, singing (when no one's around to listen:-)
Monday, August 20, 2007
Editing Process for the Age of Terees (2000-2499)
To those looking to be Shadow Guards or Age of Terees Sages or just intent on writing a lot in the early third millennium and to all others who blunder into this blog meaning to or not, greetings.
I shall attempt to make this brief, but feel I may fail miserably in that regard, as I wish to be thorough.
Here is the official word on the types of stories we will focus on:
Sword and Sorcery – first half of 3rd millennium; Terees's Age or the Age of Discovery
I shall attempt to make this brief, but feel I may fail miserably in that regard, as I wish to be thorough.
Here is the official word on the types of stories we will focus on:
Sword and Sorcery – first half of 3rd millennium; Terees's Age or the Age of Discovery
This age will have themes of explorer’s discovering new and different parts of Mernac. Stories will tend to be more action packed and blood and guts than High fantasy. Many of the cultures discovered will have somewhat amoral protagonists who are often more interested in instant gratification, adventure and self interests than cosmic justice or Karma. Think Conan the Barbarian. Stories in this age will tend to concentrate more on fast moving action and adventure than overly developed society, philosophical or physiological aspect. ‘Man Vs. the Environment’ and ‘Man Vs. Man’ conflicts are welcome, however, ‘Man Vs. Himself’ themes are likely more suited to other ages. Stories filled with battles, fights, chases, rescues, explorations, quests for riches (opposed to quests for divine/magic items) will find a home here. Main character will tend to be non magic users who conquer or defeat there for with sheer brute force and strength (with the help of the obligatory ‘magic item of xxx’ of course
Am I going to hold you to that definition? Goodness, no. I'm not even sure what half that all means. Just strive for action, adventure, and exciting discoveries. Side notes: While blood and guts will most definitely be spilled during such stories, please try to keep it tasteful. People might read these stories at lunchtime or something. Sexual content must be PG-13 to pass my personal approval. For that sort of story, you'll need to see Father Quont and offer him your tales. Look, that doesn't mean the deed can't be mentioned at all; you just have to be tactful about your descriptions. Same goes for foul language. Make up a euphemism or use the language tastefully. By that, I mean it must make a point, if I have to read a curse every four lines I'm dropping your story like those nasty smelling tumba guts.
Disciples and Sages receive first attention, and they alone can command my limited proofing time, and as such, I expect reciprocation. If we get to be too many, we'll set up a rotating system of critiques. For quality control, one in-depth critique is an absolute must, but 2-3 are more realistic. If you want to join the Shadow Guard, send me a PM if you have 4 pictures accepted to the site or have scribe status. I'll define those things better in a different post.
My critiquing style: First thing to note about my style, it is rather stringent. Passive voice, pretty much the bane of my existence, plagues most people's writing. There are indeed times to use it. Second thing to note, I am thorough. Like my dear brother, Quont, I will look for grammar, flow (readability), spelling, and other elements of writing mechanics, as well as the suitability for the Age and the fantasy world of Mernac.
My main goal, besides producing quality fantasy stories, will be to improve writing skills, my own and others. Let's face it, people, our "perfect" stories can always use a good overhaul. Writers have huge blind spots when it comes to their work. Don't even get me started on the actual published poo that slips through the cracks of cracked editors heads. I love editors, but I can think of many a book that should have his the slag pile and kept on sinking.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Check out the New Header Banner
Wahoo.
Oh, guess that's not a really dignified noise, but a happy one to be sure. The ever-talented Traesha kindly put the header together, so now you all can see what I look like, just in case you were curious.
Oh, guess that's not a really dignified noise, but a happy one to be sure. The ever-talented Traesha kindly put the header together, so now you all can see what I look like, just in case you were curious.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Ryna chooses the Shadow Guard
For those of you who haven't met my darling spirit child, The Black Rose, Kataryna Vaelryn. All my children have interesting upbringings and backgrounds. Some scoff to think of an Assassin working with the Mother of Wisdom. Assassin and Killer are mere titles, just as Hero and Savior are titles. Depending upon your point of view a hero to some is just as easily a villain to others.
You're in for a real treat with the short recounting of Kat's last mortal moments. I will have my own reflections upon these events up soon enough.
Short excerpt:
The cold steel of the sword stabbed into Ryna as she dealt her killing blow to her opponent. She staggered backwards under the pain and dropped her sword. Her hands pressed against her wound and she looked down at the blood spilling out. She felt her knees buckle and slowly she fell to the ground. Grey eyes looked up at the target her murderer, now dead, had meant to kill: Arumbus.
Find the whole tale here.
You're in for a real treat with the short recounting of Kat's last mortal moments. I will have my own reflections upon these events up soon enough.
Short excerpt:
The cold steel of the sword stabbed into Ryna as she dealt her killing blow to her opponent. She staggered backwards under the pain and dropped her sword. Her hands pressed against her wound and she looked down at the blood spilling out. She felt her knees buckle and slowly she fell to the ground. Grey eyes looked up at the target her murderer, now dead, had meant to kill: Arumbus.
Find the whole tale here.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Terees's Comments on Tipping
Did you know gods get paid? Ha, neither did I, but at Mernac, they do. Now one may wonder why such an oddity occurs. In short, to benefit the ridiculous amounts of talent coming through. Besides cool art and writing contests. Members have the opportunity to show their appreciation to favorite works by tipping the artisan or writer. So why do gods get paid? Well, to tip more, of course.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
A foretaste of what's to come on the LTF Blog
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the LTF Blog will be under new management. In the meantime, here's the sort of thing you can expect there and here as well.
Title: The Mothers and the Fathers
Author: Rick
Permission to use: Yes
Narrator: Terees
I will begin at the beginning, by introducing you to the gods. To understand Mernac, you must first understand her creators, shapers, rulers. There’s a war on in the heavens, if you hadn’t heard. Miroden, once peaceful home to all twenty gods, changed forevermore when my sister, Siberlee, left to mourn the child she could not have. Don’t get me started on that, I’ll cry. I’m tired of crying, of mourning, of fighting. Let’s move on to happier times and places.
The legends you will read here in the coming weeks and moons will probably mention my brothers and sisters. We’re quite meddlesome when we want to be, especially Roadius. But enough from me, let us hear from one of the Scribes and Sages who know such things…
*****
Not even the mighty Fire Dragon, Kalos knows where or how and came into being, and that majestic creature knows more truth than all the combined Sages in Mernac. It is however, known that they created 20 Gods to enjoy and marvel at the wondrous world that they had created. It is even suspected that these 20 Gods were and children, but only Kalos would know this for sure, and he has never spoken on that matter.
Of the 20 Gods, there were two that were the brightest and most charismatic and they naturally became the leaders: Siberlee and Barak. For centuries, these two ruled the Gods and Mernac in unison with great mercy, charity, and order. It is thought that they may have even been lovers, as one was never seen without the other. The two respected each other, loved each other, and respected each other - for each of them had qualities the other did not possess and each made the other joyful. Under their combined rule, Mernac prospered and grew. All was well, until the advent of
Siberlee had wanted to have children, but for many millennia this did not come to pass. It is said that being overly melancholy about her inability to have a child, Siberlee left the heavens and descended to Mernac to live with the creatures and beasts, for there were not yet races with souls on Mernac. Siberlee went to the creatures and beasts that she and the other 19 gods had created to love them, to nurture them, to try and fill the hole that was in her childless soul.
Barak was devastated to be alone without Siberlee for the first time in eternity. His loss almost drove him to leave this plane, but the other Gods who had remained in the heavens, who loved him dearly, consoled him and distracted him until they devised a plan so that Siberlee would return to them all.
The 19 remaining gods knew that the only way Siberlee would return was if
She could she could have a child.Though the powers of the Gods were mighty, even in those times, they did not yet have the power to create life, only the combined powers of The One and The Other could do that in that lost time. The Gods could not even ask, for The One only spoke through and to Siberlee, just as it is to this day. Siberlee had hidden herself well, somewhere deep in the jungles of the
To overcome this, the 19 remaining Gods determined that each of them must sacrifice a part of themselves and combine it together to create a life and the child that Siberlee so desired. Each provided that part of themselves they felt was the most important to them, which explains why the Mothers and Fathers, even today, are each missing a part of their earth-bound bodies.
Canola gave her ears, though music was her passion. Kala her Heart, though love was the most important thing to her, Elsen gave his legs, though wandering and running was his obsession, and so forth through all 18 of the gods, save Barak.
Barak knew that even with all the parts that the other Gods had contributed it would not be enough. The most important part was still missing. The Soul. For the Gods to be successful Barak would need to sacrifice his soul.
It is written that this is the first Decision of Good to ever be made. A decision of doing what is thought to serve a greater good, regardless of the consequences. Barak made the Decision quickly, for his love for Siberlee was great. The result was the creation of Man on Bella 1st in the first year of recorded history.
Siberlee was immediately consumed with love for her child, the Race of Man. So consumed that she barely even realized the terrible changes that had occurred in Barak. For any beast without a soul, even though it be a God, is a dangerous and needful creature. The once happy and joyous Barak had become sullen and resentful. He was not evil, at that time, but he was empty, for where does one store the love and goodness that sustains life if one is without a soul? For Barak, there now was no place, and the cavity that once held one of the most beautiful souls any of the Planes had ever seen was slowly filling with dark emotions. With none of the joyous emotions that give balance to a being he quickly sank into that godless abyss of self pity that always leads to evil.
With Gods, just as with Man, if there is one in a group with a strong emotion, the emotion spreads with the speed of tallow weeds in a meadow during spring. The strongest dark emotion that consumed Barak was jealousy. Jealousy that his beloved Siberlee dedicated so much of her time to her new child, The Race of Man. Jealousy of how much love she showed for them. Jealousy that it was in fact, his spirit that had been used for the souls buried in the Race of Man; the remnants of his soul in these strange new creatures that Siberlee really loved.
And as it came to pass, this jealousy spread, and many of the other Gods also began to feel strong resentment for this unique thing that only Siberlee had.
It is suspected by those who have studied the words of Kalos that this strife even affected The One and The Other. The One, was ecstatic that Siberlee was so happy. The Other, however, was not pleased with the fact that it was now Siberlee who was garnering all the praise and attention of his other Gods, let alone the complete adoration of any born to the Race of Man. However, The One and The Other did agree on one thing: that the jealousy that was growing daily among the Gods must cease.
Together, they worked through an entire moon's cycle to create 19 more races, one for each of the remaining Gods. The completion of these creations was timed so that early in the first year of Mernac’s sparsely recorded history it would be complete at the time when not one, but both of Mernac’s moons was full on the same night. It was this night that they gave these new races to their children as a gift. With this gift came responsibility. The responsibility of developing and protecting the souls of all those born to the race that each God became a patron of.
My people, the Murmil, grew into great thinkers and honor-bound people. Most make me proud to call them mine, but occasionally, one such as Charnos Dekari and his Eikari, Taldor, bring me much pain. Overall, I guess they have done well for themselves, the Murmil that is. I’m afraid I have been rather neglectful as a patron deity. There is just so much to think about and so few thousand years in which to think.
For over 600 seasons, each of the 20 Gods was happy and busy placing members of the race of which they were the patron in different locations throughout Mernac's diverse geography. However even though the Gods were happy, the conflict that had begun between The One and The Other grew steadily more intense. The conflict centered on how to best protect and develop the new races that were populating their world. The Other, felt that these new creatures should be guided and controlled, told how to best live and survive in Mernac. The One, however, believed in free will and what she called The Decision of Good, that each race must be left to their own devices and she believed that ultimately they would find the best way to live, based on their own decisions.
The
All that know of this tale, know that this is what led to the ‘Dissention of the Gods’ era as is documented in the Book of Govy, and ultimately led to The Other, and thirteen of the Gods being cast out of the heavens on the glorious day that would be known as Libertesious, on Bella 1st 666.
Oh, glorious day indeed. The day when all my fears came to fruition. The day when I and my sisters raised our hands and set our hearts against our brothers and The Other. The day I cannot sleep without remembering with tears. The one day I wish my curse covered, but it does not. I remember all too well that day.
It is on this day that whatever evil and pettiness existed in the Heavens was cast out, forever being chained to the depths of the underworld or to wander aimlessly throughout the harshest of Mernac's geography. This is why, even to this day, The Races of the Light consider the number 666 as one to be revered, and this number is considered lucky by all but the most ignorant in Mernac. The Races of the Dark consider the events that occurred on 666 blasphemous, an insult to the power and the ultimate destiny of The Other to rule Mernac. It was the beginnings of all the wars of Mernac that were to follow for the next 10,000 Seasons.
Ah, mortals are so simple. Give them some ale and a day to be proud of and they’ll cheer themselves hoarse. I understand the need for morale, but such celebrations aren’t exactly keeping the peace down on Mernac. While the Races of the Light cheer, the Races of the Dark brood, and that brooding has turned to action. Those actions have led to much pain and death, and stolen whatever joy I might have taken in such a remembrance day.
On the separation of the Gods, these beings came to be known by different titles. The ones remaining loyal to The One became known as The Mothers. The others that followed Barak became known as The Fathers.
There was a time when we were simply gods, friends, lovers, family in heart.
The Mothers
The Mothers are known to be the leaders of the races of good, sometimes known as the Races of light or the Races of Man.
Siberlee
The Mother of Nature and all that is good.Matriarch to the Race of Man and the Leader of the Mothers.
Canola
The Mother of Music and Dance. Matriarch of the Faerie Race.
Sola
The Mother of Life and Light. Matriarch of the Elvin Races.
Dulan
The Mother of healing and compassion. Matriarch of The Fur Race.
Kala
The Mother of love and desire. Matriarch of the Merfolk Race.
Witriss
The Mother of Virtue and Strength. Matriarch of the Dwarf Race.
Terees
The Mother of Wisdom and harmony. Matriarch of the Murmil Race.
The Fathers
The Father are known to be the leaders of the Races of Evil, sometimes known as the Races of the Dark or the Races of the Beast.
Barak
The Father of all that is Evil. Also known as The Father of Darkness. Patriarch of The Undead Race.
Quont
The Father Of Lust. Patriarch of the Dark Fae Race.
Tellen
The Father or War. Patriarch of the Troll Race.
Bu
The Father of Death and Destruction. Patriarch of the Azeman Race.
Trajen
The Father of Jealousy. Patriarch of the Acquill Race.
Gorb
The Father of Greed.Patriarch of the Ogre Race.
Werk
The Father of Pain and Disease. Patriarch of the Sectis Race.
Abuba
The Father of Indecision. Patriarch of the Orc Race.
Tul
The Father of Anger. Patriarch of the Dabbit Race.
Elsen
The Father of the Ethereal Elements. Patriarch of the Dark Elf Race.
Roadius
The Father of Mischief and Humor. Patriarch of the Gnome Race.
Picu
The Father of Excess. Patriarch of the Giant Race.
Linthur
The Father of Revenge. Patriarch of the Wookalar Race.
Welcome, Again
Ah, home at last. Been walking Mernac in spirit. It's a bit hard to be there physically, since the Mothers are banned from doing so until Chandralee. I forget the reason why. It will come to me eventually, but until then, I shall have to just make do with what I can.
Who am I? I tend to forget more than I know these days, but I am, as ever, Terees, Mother of Wisdom and Harmony. Once upon a time, we twenty gods were simply that, gods, not Mothers or Fathers, each possessing skills to offer the mortals of Mernac. We lived in relative peace and harmony on Mirdoren.
Then, came the Dark Times, times I wish to forget, yet my fickle, oft cruel memory won't let me forget. Sometimes I remember and sometimes I do not, and I think that particular piece of irksomeness has its roots in the Why behind the Dark Times. Only scattered flashes come to me now. Man, yet, the Race of Man... this all began with them....
Who am I? I tend to forget more than I know these days, but I am, as ever, Terees, Mother of Wisdom and Harmony. Once upon a time, we twenty gods were simply that, gods, not Mothers or Fathers, each possessing skills to offer the mortals of Mernac. We lived in relative peace and harmony on Mirdoren.
Then, came the Dark Times, times I wish to forget, yet my fickle, oft cruel memory won't let me forget. Sometimes I remember and sometimes I do not, and I think that particular piece of irksomeness has its roots in the Why behind the Dark Times. Only scattered flashes come to me now. Man, yet, the Race of Man... this all began with them....
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