World Building

Ugh that was a long day...


Alright lets get this put together.


Now you may be asking yourself what kinda crazy ass scheme does the old man have now? Why can't he just write some shit up and let us get started? Nah fuck that boss this is ME we're talking about and because it IS me I have naturally thought it all through, then over-thought it, then crumbled those thoughts into a ball lit them on fire, and that's why this shit is so hot.


Ok crazy out of the system. Moving on.

OK the failure of the elements in the prologue is just a catalyst to catapult Malkate back into the past and let us write this book fresh, we still need an overall premise for the first book, and I think through world building I have come up with one. So what's world building?

World Building, its the core of any great novel. The more interesting, and more importantly engaging your world is the more your reader loves it, the more they curl up into it and get lost. That's what you want, and I have been building this world for years. Good world building has the added side benefit of making the writing process a lot more enjoyable as well, which you'll find out soon enough.

So what's wrong with the world you say? Why glad you asked comrade! The world is weak, it's weak as fuck, the Sethi are brilliantly designed, their abilities are balanced, the cities and culture are good, but their environment, their world purpose just flat sucks. Don't worry though I've fixed it.

First of all we are going to take the world and rip it in two.... ethereally the world you see and know is the normal world, ruled and populated by the souls of the living moving about in their bodies, doing all the things living people do, you know fighting, loving, hating, screwing, eating and killing.

However there is going to be a small change to the living world. And it's a simple one, and at the same time profound. I'm giving every living person a pocket dragon. I cant think of anyway to better describe it. Think of a fully formed western dragon that at adult size reaches maybe 8 or so inches long. It stays with you at all times, and it's incredibly important to you. You'll find out why in a moment.

Now moving on to dying. When you die shit gets real. Once you are dead you immediately awaken in your body in the inverse version of the world (insert not thought up yet name of said world here) you awaken in your own body, with your pocket dragon, (don't worry we'll come up with a better name than pocket dragon) In this world however everything is faded, weaker hollow and desolate. Nothing thrives here, everything is weak and dying. And one more thing, If you were a light sethi in life you are darkness in death, that goes for every element.

Now the worlds are in a constant precarious balance. There are a finite amount of souls in the world, you guessed it, one for every pocket dragon. These dragons ferry the souls from the dead world tot he living world when new people are born. They are one of only two ways you can cross from one side to the other.

The other way is a race of small assassins highly trained and with abilities that allow them to move between the two worlds, they are a driving force whose only goal is to kill people in the living world to populate the dead one, tipping the balance and making the dead world the actual living one.

So there's you idea now we have something to start with after we move past the prologue, something we can work on. Like it? Hate it?

It's an interesting thought actually- but I'd suggest that not *everyone* have a dragon or at least not that all know it. Make them something maybe of a Myth to the people that have just heard it for so long they take it for advantage- or something mixed in to it? so not everyone's running around with said pocket dragon. Also: its 2am and I've been working on Building things in SL all day so my brain is clear near to mush so if ive misread this i'll likely add on more tomorrow.

otherwise, assassins. makes for... amazing plottage. also the idea that no new soul is 'created' only transferred between.

also: nuria is usually closely associated to malkate's history in all of the verisons i've written of her, she's the arch nemesis to her kind of body. nuria's the one who died, and yet was embraced by shadow. donno, if you run with this idea it's a possibility of something later to tweak as she'd be an abomination of sorts, or perhaps something similar to the assasin race that can hop between worlds.

/ramble.

Hmmm, I agree with Shan a bit in that I don't think everyone should have this dragon. I say this because, really, I think a soul can only go through so many "stages" before it simply ceases to be. Like, at some point, you just can't be reincarnated. I like the concept though.

Fair point, there is plenty of room for play with the system, Perhaps the dragons only exist in the dead world and one needs to seek it out and then earn its loyalty before it will bring your soul back to the world of the living. then If it ever dies you go back to the world of the dead. That would explain why people aren't coming back left and right?

Maybe there could be some kind of social status associated with people who come back with the dragons.

Another option entirely would be to make the dragons become weaker or more sickly every time they bring you to one side or the other limiting the times that you can make it back. Maybe some kind of horrific consequence like if your dragon dies not only are you trapped in the dead world but you turn into a gibbering madman as well

As for the Nuria thing I was actually thinking of a similar concept myself, Like with Sitherack rather than twins what if he was a displaced soul, In essence he can only exist in one world while Las exists in the other, maybe a climax to the book would be a tear between the worlds that lets a few through, to exist in the living world simultaneously?

Ooo I really really like the idea of a tear at the end, leaves it open for the readers to continue and find out what's going on, and the book will kinda lead up to that?

As for the Dragons, I actually like the idea that you've gotta find them rather than sickly. Sometimes people get lost, or spend centuries finding their dragons or just wish for a final peace rather than another long journey. Social status.. Oooo. Like, Royalty. Or some form of it, they're regarded as demi-gods?

oooor lepers? pariahs? you came back from the dead you are either a god or an abomination i would suppose

pssst Call me Hesus. >_>

More notes, I apologize for the format I just opened Notepad and typed as I thought:




Dragon Concept:

If sticking with the idealogy of a dragon, make it an actual part

IE: the dragon can manifest but is usually shown as a sort of tattoo
-Perhaps a bit more defined/raised from skin, glowy, etc.


Creates the sort of "class" of the more "spiritual" people
Will also create the jealousy and envy of wanting to be one of the "few"

Can also give way to a fake creation, tattoos that aren't actual dragons
but can possibly appear like they are
-Blessed by Magick/Dream Sethi or something similar to create the facade

Also creates a much more attuned feeling in that those with this creature
are able to feel the "other side" and - like a sort of oracle - are able
to sort of predict events that will occur

____________________________________

Specific gateways inbetween the worlds (IE: Bleach) known and unknown

Established by the "Dragon Class" who eventually gained knowledge of the
two worlds as a way to monitor and almost control what does and does not
pass through

this is getting better and better I may write a quick short story to get the feel for it

phypmcSBell
I posted some more notes, just wanted to see what you thought

I love the idea of a Tattoo, or something phantom.
1:57 PM

phypmcSBell
It just seems like having something that's actually tangable hovering around you all the time is a little much

I actually love the idea of being able to fake it, them being considered a spiritual people- especially the idea of those who can actually being more in tune.
yeah and everyone seeing and knowing is hard to grasp at

phypmcSBell
And along the lines of everyone having one - I think the strength of the Sethi are the Elements and their anatomy, adding another aspect might be overboard
2:03 PM

phypmcSBell
You know what I mean? I really like the concept, I just don't think it's best to have EVERYONE have them. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I don't think Daegan should have one for the sole fact that it will add even MORE depth to him.
I mean, he's a Necromancer not a Death Sethi, but still
2:04 PM

phypmcSBell
And I'm pretty sure Pops is at work SO YOU GET TO DEAL WITH IT

ahahaha. I'm sure he is. AND I DONT MIND. I'm buildign in SL again, trying to get crap up to sell so it's a nice distraction.

phypmcSBell
What the fuck is SL

I think that people shouldn't always be aware of them either, even if they have one I think it should be a myth
Second Life >_>

phypmcSBell
Ahh
2:06 PM

>_> it's got a medieval RP sim that's insane. but I think you'
d kill everyone for being idiots.

phypmcSBell
I certainly would
Like I'm about to do to you for using those goddamn chink eyes
2:07 PM

phypmcSBell
Really, I'm just looking for things as to why Daegan has the disposition he does. I mean, aside from him picking the profession he did before all of this madness began - there really isn't much that caused him to be so dark and jaded
Outside of my emotions being pushed into him

Responsibility, early childhood truama

phypmcSBell
Oh shit that's right, he killed his family
2:09 PM

>_>
minor detail

phypmcSBell
At least I thin... fuck I can't remember
2:11 PM

phypmcSBell
Are you familiar with Bleach at all? That last note I had I was obsessing because the goddamn Manga wasn't out, but it made me think that there HAS to be some sort of doorway that the dragons pass through or whatever - not just willy nilly
2:12 PM

I've seen some of Bleach but haven't seen a lot, but I know the general premesis. and yeah, I'm sure the dragons have limitations to crossing around too

phypmcSBell
The basis of what I was referring to is that there are "Gates" between this world and Soul Society and inbetween is a sort of limbo world that is monitored BY Soul Society and blah blah blah
2:16 PM

*rubs chin*
2:18 PM

phypmcSBell
I think we can sort of manipulate that into the assassin aspect in that the Sethi don't really know about this "middle world" inbetween the Life/Death plane (since that's easier to refer to it as)
And that's where they exist

Oh, I like that
intertwining planes
2:19 PM

phypmcSBell
Think of a ven diagram
Or whatever the fuck it's called
'Cause I mean, let's think, if we have some fuck creeping around trying to be all stealthy - Daegan is going to know
2:20 PM

phypmcSBell
So, much like how Lasius teleports through Lightning and Daegan shifts through the Shadow - they pop in and out of this middle world to continue on undetected
I'm really just rattling this shit off as it comes into my mind
2:54 PM

I like it, though honestly. IT makes sense. three layers, like the circles that intersect

valid points however a few notes,

crossing back might make you more sensitive to the other side but I don't think it ought to give you any additional abilities on either side. The knowledge of what exists in both places could be advantage enough.

As for having something tangible around you that may be a lot in RP, having to write for it but it also gives the characters something to interact with when alone, which works in the novel side, plus there could be other aspects to it as well it doesn't have to be viewed as a strength look at it in another way.

What if it mirrors your emotional state. What if you are trying to be calm when you are agitated and your dragon is flipping around snapping at stuff, it gives away your feelings which could be critical. Also if it is ever killed well hell you are pretty much fucked, I was thinking a one dragon rule; you cant earn the loyalty of a second, only one attaches to you, ever.

bringing us around to the point of an in between world. this is a valid idea, but it shouldn't be jumped into right away, the revelation of the different worlds could make very significant plot points. However with the assassins being from the in between world, why then would they be trying to tip the balance between the life and death world? What would they gain by populating the dead world?


Side note. I think you will be ok with Daegan, I'm altering the life and death elements slightly to prevent an over powered issue for life and death Sethi. Death Sethi, and necromancers, can animate the dead, and control their remains but not manipulate their souls, and by the same token Life Sethi can heal wounds and sickness but not Resurrect the souls of the fallen. I may make an exception to this with the use of the Arcs, however to use the Arc to rip a soul between worlds would leave a tear. PERHAPS the first tear in which the dragons could use to move between was created as such.

All this is speculative I welcome debate on the subjects.

I do like the concept of it being tangible - the dragons that is - but I thought that the tattoo-ish design would be, like, when walking around in every day public when the user persay doesn't want the existence of the dragon known.

That's a good point about the middle world. Like I said my mind shifted to Bleach 'cause I was pissed Japan is being lame and not releasing the shit. THOUGHTS SHALL CONTINUE.

so like a tattoo that crawls off your skin on command? how fuckin' awesome would that be?

what less if the thing was a visable, viable object: point, think similar to bob in Harry Dresden (which if either of you haven't read, shame on you.) as more an intangable spirit. Usually only seen to you BUT, can be seen by others in rare instances. It would make fun too, and could see scenes of someone arguing with said dragon actually- and others thinking they've lost their rockers they're arguing with nothing. Which would make sense if you were to death and came back, you'd be slightly insane. Maybe it would help on something it. The dragon in the "living" world could form as a tattoo like a fetish binding.