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 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:-)

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 3^rd 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 . Unlike traditional Sword and Sorcery this age will also have a secondary focus on exploration and nautical themes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Man.

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 Tian Islands and her magic was so strong she could be found by none.

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 Battle of "The Matter of Choice" as documented in the Book of Tennor festered as an infected wound and the love between them evaporated into a scab of pain and resentment. To bolster their positions, both The One and The Other began to recruit the 20 Gods into their opposing camps on this matter.

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 1^st 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.