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| Thread: I, too, am writing a book | |
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted August 18, 2008 08:50 PM |
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I, too, am writing a book
That is, if I can actually sit down and start writing. I get it planned in my head, but get bored when I actually sit down and write. My inspirations are too numerous to list, but some of them include the Dune series, "Atlas Shrugged", the Soul Calibur series, the Halo series, the Final Fantasy series, and, of course, HoMM, as well as others too numerous to list.
World
The world is made up of many dimensions, and the structure of the universe is somewhat chaotic. It used to be one universe, but was ripped and some of it was folded. As a result, it is difficult to travel normally between the various dimensions. In between the dimensions is the Void, where various giant Void beings live. Ships with Warp engines can travel between the dimensions, and this is the only way to travel between them, except by using teleports or magic, in the beginning of the story.
There are six races:
Humans - regular humans.
Elves - like humans, but are pointy-eared and live longer, and are generally better at using magic.
Dwarves - typical dwarves.
Kha'gars - humanoid aliens. Basically look like Covenant Elites, and are able to produce a protective shield around themselves for a short while.
Microsapients - intelligent bacteria. Typically, they interact with other races while using their Sapient Armor, which they control, and is about half the height of a human, and is somewhat humanoid in shape.
Demons - demons. They vary in appearance. The Demon Lords look like Barons of Hell from the original Doom, and others look like Imps from that same game.
Besides the races, there are also four tiers of Gods.
Lesser Gods - include Odin, Horus, and others. Many of them have been vaguely remembered by humans, and have been the subjects of many a pagan religion.
Middle Gods, also called Omnipotents - stronger than Lesser Gods. They used to rule the world, but were destroyed in a huge war. They are distinctive individuals, though they tended to think in groups, back when there were a lot of them.
Greater Gods - some of them are basically forces of nature. They are not sentinent or only semi-sentinent, but very powerful. Most of them, however, are dormant in distant parts of the Void.
Creators - the two Creators, Quorgiendr and Xaim. No one knows where they came from. Quorgiendr is semi-dormant, and has basically become a lake, of sorts - a lake of spirits, through which some souls cycle. No one knows where Xaim is.
Background story
The Creators created the Whole Universe. Then, while Xaim was resting, Quorgiendr created the Elder Gods. Xaim was not too happy when he woke up, knowing that he had been excluded from part of Creation. He and Quorgiendr then created the Middle and Lesser Gods together. Then, when he was sleeping again, Quorgiendr created the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Kha'gars, and Microsapients. They were relatively volitale compared to the Gods, so Quorgiendr didn't allow Xaim to interfere with them. Xaim, angry, created the Demons. Thus began the world.
Xaim went among the various beings. He managed to convince 1 Elder God, most of the Middle Gods, and some Lesser Gods that they had been cheated out of their fair share of Creation. Xaim, his followers, and the Demons made war upon the rest. Quorgiendr and his followers fought against them. Much of the world was ripped in the First War, but there remained a few dangerous paths between the parts. Quorgiendr's side won, but suffered losses. Most of the Elder Gods fell into slumber in the far reaches of the universe. Xaim was locked in a distant prison in a corner of the universe. Quorgiendr, tired after all of this, tranformed himself into the Lake of Life, which would enhance the Species' spell-casting ability, and which would allow souls to cycle through the world. It was sealed off, and completely inaccessible.
After all of this, there were still many Middle Gods who remembered Xaim's promises. They knew that Quorgiendr wouldn't do anything to them, so they began to enslave the Species. Most of the Lesser Gods fled, as well as some of the Species. The Middle Gods built the Great Tower of Garkath, which was a giant tower that was also a stable, solid passage between various dimensions. It was built over the Lake of Life, which was underneath it. They built their capital city, Garkath, around it. Then they began to call themselves the Omnipotents, because they were the strongest beings left.
After a while, the Species began to rebel. The Resistance Group was formed. It included all of the Species except for the Demons, of whom most were still suspicious. But the Group was rather ineffective in combatting the much stonger Omnipotents, until a man named Eruscir discovered that the Species could use magic. This made them far more effective.
Eruscir, a member of the Group, learned how to use magic, and taught many in the Group how to use it, although not all were equally talented. He later realized that the ability to use magic came from the Source of Life, which was sealed beneath the tower of Garkath, at the capital of the Omnipotents. He realized it when several resistance members were able to hold off four Omnipotents near the sealed door to the Source of Life for several minutes, and then were able to teleport an extremely far distance to the headquarters of the resistance, a task that they would not have been able to do under normal circumstances. This new knowledge allowed him to put magical power into the words of the language of the Omnipotents. When someone focused his or her will and said the words of the spell that he or she wanted to use, the spell would cast, and it would require far less concentration than casting it without using the language and simply concentrating. It was also safer. If a distraction occurred, the spell would still work if it was cast in the language, but it would fail or be redirected otherwise. Eruscir also fashioned runes for the storage of certain spells within them. Under certain conditions, the runes would activate and use their spell, or one could concentrate his or her will on the runes to activate the spell within them. Eruscir, using various magics, became an immortal sage.
The actions of the resistance and several slave rebellions did not convince most of the Omnipotents that they were mistreating their slaves, but told them that they needed to become more brutal. However, one Omnipotent, a minor lord named Ulur-Ki, took heed and began thinking that the enslavement of the species is wrong. He managed to contact the Resistance, and served as their spy for a long time.
Also, at that point, the Resistance decided to ally with the Demons against the Omnipotents.
The Resistance, with their new allies, managed to drive the Omnipotents’ forces to their capital around the Tower of Garkath, and besieged it. The Omnipotents put a powerful barrier around it so the Resistance could not invade. Thus, a stalemate was reached.
Many hundreds of years passed. The Resistance stopped being a monolithic group. It split into many various sub-groups. Many groups worshipped various Lesser Gods. One group started studying the structure and psyche of Species, and specially trained certain Species members in various skills gleamed from their knowledge, for the purpose of preserving or creating certain ideas and skills they deemed necessary to the survival of the Species. Another group developed cloning technology, and began to look at genetic modification. Yet another delved into death magic, and created zombie warriors. However, the majority was focused at creating and maintaining a stable government and system for the defeat of the Omnipotents and taking care of the living things after their defeat.
Around that time, a man named Hazir was a member of the Resistance. He had three friends: Albert, Dole, and Rav'il. The first two were humans, the last was a Kha'gar. One day, they investigated a cave, looking for a powerful sword created by the Omnipotents earlier in the war. They found it. Dole grabbed it, and was possessed by its evil spirit, though initially he did not realize it. He started using the sword, which became known as the Oblivion Blade, and it greatly helped the Resistance in their various battles. But the Resistance was becoming less and less of a monolithic group. After a conflict between the worshippers of the Water God and the Necromancers, there was much ill will. Rav'il, who was a worshipper of the Water God, decided to go and bring the Necromancers back into the fold. But, in his attempt to become both a servant of the Water God and the God of Death, he died. This sacrifice, however, convinced the Necromancers to come back.
The Omnipotents gathered their strength, took down the barrier around Garkath, and attacked the forces besieging their city. However, the Resistance quickly reacted, and gathered all of its forces for the final battle against the Omnipotents. Then the evil spirit that was possessing Dole acted, and made him fight against the Resistance. Albert, who was an excellent fighter, fought him and killed him, with much regret. When it looked like the Resistance was going to win the battle, the demons thought that they would be able to rule the world if they attacked when both groups were weak, so they betrayed the Resistance and attacked both sides. The Resistance realized that they could not win against two opponents, and so decided to destroy the Tower of Garkath. They blew it up, and the fabric of the universe tore even more heavily, and destoryed most of the Omnipotents except for Ulur-Ki, who was sucked into one of the Cracks of the Universe, and slipped into the corner of the universe where Xaim was sealed. He went into Xaim’s castle, and the latter, with his dark powers, turned Ulur-Ki to his side, granting him new dark abilities. Ulur-Ki started calling himself Enoz. He could not escape, but he contacted an old follower of his, named Dmirz-Lwid. He taught him how to use the dark powers.
Thus ended the Age of Beginning.
Afterwards, the Resistence crumbled into various pieces. The Organization of the Hidden Dagger was a group that studied the physical and mental capabilites of the various Species, and decided to build a utopia. Their mysterious plans were unknown, but they appeared to be relatively benign. The Traders of Flesh experimented with various genetic modifications and cloning, while moving towards unknown ends. The Necromancers practiced necromancy and worshipped the Death God. The majority of the Resistance, though, joined the group led by Hazir and Albert in the Universal Alliance. It essentially functioned as a giant country. It built the city of Lutius, and set it up as their capital city, as well as inhabiting other cities. Various other splinter groups seceded, and worshipped various Lesser Gods. Most of these groups were hostile to the UA. For their treachery, the demons were imprisoned in a dimension. Unbeknownst to the UA, a tributary of the Lake of Life flowed through that dimension, and it was also occupied by the one Greater God that Xaim corrupted. As a result, the dimension was soon filled with demons and other foul beings, looking for revenge.
Dmirz-Lwid quitely began to look for followers. He found several, and gave them some of the power that Xaim had given Enoz. They formed the Shadow Group, determined to bring Xaim back.
However, at first, they went unnoticed by the UA. Hazir was elected as the Prime Minister of the Alliance, and appointed Albert as Minister of Defense. For a while, all was relatively prosperous. The UA developed an army of magic-using warriors, and used it to fight those hostile to it. The UA hid the Oblivion Blade deep within it, and protected it.
Thus passed the Quiet Period.
The Lesser Gods became restive. They didn't think that they were getting the respect that they deserved, so they decided to take a slice of the pie from the new world. The War of the Gods that resulted then became the stuff of legends, with Albert's military genius and with Hazir's political acumen dominating. The Shadow Group also chose that moment to strike, and stole the Oblivion Blade from the UA. After a long war, Hazir and Albert were victorious. The Lesser Gods agreed to not intervene with the world. During the final battle against the Shadow Group, all of its members were destroyed except for Dmirz-Lwid, who bound his soul to the Oblivion Blade and concealed it. When his body was destroyed, he didn't perish.
After the War, Hazir and Albert were hailed as heroes. The Traders of the Flesh struck a deal with the UA that they would reconstruct Albert every time he'd die, so that he would basically live forever. They offered to do the same for Hazir, but he declined.
Then started the Long Age of Peace.
Of course, that isn't an entirely accurate name, since there were various skirmishes, but it was peaceful compared to the wars that preceded it and the wars that were to follow. The most important things that happened during this period were the invention of Warp engines and the Heritage Doctrine. The Heritage doctrine set up the homelands of the various species (i.e. for the Humans, it was Earth) as Heritage Zones, and members of the UA were forbidden from interfering there. Also, all traces of the UA, including all of its magic and technology were removed from it, except for observation posts. Also resultant from this was the Non-Intervention Doctrine, which stated that the UA would not intervene in the dealings of the Heritage Zones, no matter what happened. Another important development of the period was the two Immortality techniques. One was the typicial Necromancer one, where they would bind the soul to the body for as long as the owner consented. The other was the Flesh Trader method. They would install a hard drive in everybody's brains, and it would record all of their thoughts and experiences. Then, when that person would die, they would put that hard drive into a clone of that person, which would essentially be the previous person ressurected. Also, the UA engaged in brain picking from the Heritage Zones: when a prominent personage would die, they would clone him or her, and have him or her participate in the various activites of the UA, some in science, some in politics, etc.
Yet there would come a moment when the Non-Intervention Doctrine would be sorely tested: the Jesus Incident. What happened was that one of the members of the UA government went to Earth and began to preach a doctrine of his creation, combining it with local ideas. He used magic, and this won him a wide following. He didn't win much favor with local authorities, who tried to execute him. However, they were no match for him. He tricked them into thinking that he was dead, then, when he was left alone, he escaped and continued his work. At this point, his following was growing, and it drew the notice of the UA. They tried to bring him back, but, before they could do anything, the Lesser Gods acted. They were afraid that his actions would be blamed on them, so they panicked and threw him into the void, where he continued to live to the beginning of the story.
However, Non-Interventionist sentiment prevailed in the UA parliament, and the Doctrine remained. The UA continued to watch the Earth and saw how it was developing. It dismissed World War I as "growing pains", but World War II greatly alarmed them. The numerous deaths involved in it, and the use of nuclear weapons finally lead to the overturning of the Doctrine. UA agents would covertly intervene in various matters.
It is at this point that the first story begins.
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Eccentric Opinion
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Asheera
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Elite Assassin
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posted August 18, 2008 11:08 PM |
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Great story mvass
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted August 18, 2008 11:12 PM |
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OmegaDestroyer
Hero of Order
Fox or Chicken?
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posted August 18, 2008 11:14 PM |
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Just try not to have the protagonists get caught up in a quote war. 
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The giant has awakened
You drink my blood and drown
Wrath and raving I will not stop
You'll never take me down
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted August 18, 2008 11:23 PM |
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Quote:
Just try not to have the protagonists get caught up in a quote war.
I'll try. 
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Eccentric Opinion
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Cepheus
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
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posted August 18, 2008 11:27 PM |
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The premise is quite good. Also it's a nice coincidence that you'd choose the Creators as the name for deities, since they exist in Might and Magic too 
(yes, I'm badly addicted to this storyline)
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted August 18, 2008 11:31 PM |
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Cepheus
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
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posted August 18, 2008 11:33 PM |
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Edited by Cepheus at 23:34, 18 Aug 2008.
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Yes, though the MM ones weren't exactly the benevolent kind. The only thing they Created was the Kreegans.
Anyway good luck! And don't get bored halfway through and quit, it happened to me
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted August 19, 2008 12:13 AM |
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Well, I'll post the outline here, and if you people think that it's good enough, maybe I'll write it. It's easier to write the outline.
Updated the outline.
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Eccentric Opinion
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Doomforge
Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
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posted August 19, 2008 10:03 AM |
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good
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doomnezeu
Supreme Hero
Miaumiaumiau
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posted September 07, 2008 12:56 PM |
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Quote:
The world is made up of many dimensions, and the structure of the universe is somewhat chaotic. It used to be one universe, but was ripped and some of it was folded.
The strange thing is, a couple of years ago I wrote a short story that went the other way around, with the world being created as a multi-dimensional world, with them finally merging into one.
I guess multiple dimensions are a very sought after subject.
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Aculias
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
Pretty Boy Angel Sacraficer
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posted September 08, 2008 10:24 AM |
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I know the feeling & it's the best way.
When you get in the zone & really start having feelings, you can write some really heart felt stories.
Keep up the good work 
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Dreaming of a Better World
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Doomforge
Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
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posted September 08, 2008 10:42 AM |
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I am using multi dimensions in my book too for many reasons:
1. possible to implement different physical laws
2. further improves the vastness of the "world", underlines the demons' superior intelligence and consciousness since they can comprehend 9D worlds.
3. gives the mysterious "hey we don't know what's there" feeling 
4. and because I've built my story around it
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted September 17, 2008 05:43 AM |
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Quote:
The strange thing is, a couple of years ago I wrote a short story that went the other way around, with the world being created as a multi-dimensional world, with them finally merging into one.
Lol, that's actually going to happen near the end of my cycle.
As for the nature of the dimensions, they are more or less the same, although with obvious differences. And most "dimensions" are not actually alternate dimensions in the strict sense, just areas of the universe that got partially or fully pinched-off.
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Eccentric Opinion
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