Young Writers Society

On second thought, I probably won't be able to post this week, but I probably will sometime next week.

I've thought it over, and it seems like an assassination, even an attempted one would be pretty clumsy on the factions' part. They'd have to get in a position where they could easily take the crown, or end up in a war. So here's the very rough outline of the story so far:

Everyone's characters are introduced, sky pirates and rebels skirmish with corporations, mostly Nano. Various mages and alchemists struggle with being on the King's court.

A secret, corrupt group of rebels lead by the Pirate Lord stages an assassination, using Sirjad to take the fall. They know if the successfully assassinate the King, it will start a war on the corporations, weakening all of them. Then this organization will seize control of the crown. However, the attempt fails, leaving the corporations accusing each other of the crime.

Nano attempts to divert all of the æther to a compound under their control, but fails and blows up everything. The King is killed, the corporations go to war, the citizens rise up against them, and the Pirate Lord smiles evilly from a swivel chair on a big, flying ship.

When the dust settles, the Pirate Lord has taken the throne, with the support of the people. The corporations have mostly been defeated, but the Pirate Lord has essentially established a dictatorship.

The protagonists end up banding together and working with the remnants of several corporations to defeat the Pirate Lord (and maybe establish a democracy?)

Keep in mind, this is a very tentative outline for the story that will probably be changed drastically. Anyway, thoughts?

I think that looks good. I haven't been involved enough with this DT, so I'm gonna try and get my activity boosted.
By the way, my character template is up.

Yeah, I know... I approved it, but I'm a little worried about what it says about your state of mind...

Hehehehehe

I'm liking the sound of the main plot. Should the Pirate Lord be driven by pure ambition? Or should he have other main motivations or intentions. I imagine that there should be a good reason for the protagonists to overthrow him.

I think the Pirate Lord's main drive is ambition, but if anyone has a better idea, I'd be happy to hear it. And why we overthrow him... He created a system where he had absolute power, and, for a while, everything was good. At first it seemed like he was a good leader, and the protagonists thought so, too. But then we'll do something to show how cruel he really is. Probably an under the table execution. Basically, he doesn't care who he kills, he just likes the power and perks of being a dictator, which is a bad quality in a leader.

Sounds good. So what are the "positions" of the characters around him?

For example, the Nobelias might believe he is the cure for this corruption, but later learn his kingship was as bad. And then turn against him.

I can't speak for the other characters, but Artemus will be delighted by the change in leadership, especially since the Pirate Lord is someone she respects. Later, when it is revealed that he's evil, she'll feel shocked and betrayed, not believing it at first. Later, when she's accepted this, she'll hate the Pirate Lord (who could really use a name) more than she ever hated the corporations.

Tabs doesn't really care about the change. He's not a very political cat.

Arlen would be pretty concerned at first, but feign indifference. However, when it it revealed that the Pirate Lord is evil, he would be very fearful for Rahel. He would try nearly anything to keep them safe.

I think Caroline would have an intuitive "no" to the Pirate Lord come on,
we have to think up a name, SBers because she doesn't like violence but stay quiet because she doesn't want to argue with her family.

A name for the King would be nice, too...

Pirate Lord: Redrash Itchybeard. Respectable name.

Itchybeard? Does his beard itch or something? And Redrash sounds like a rash. Does the Pirate Lord itch a lot?