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 This story is a touch out of date - Terees Age (2000-2499) is open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.)
Showing posts with label Mernac Orientation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mernac Orientation. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
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)
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.
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