Young Writers Society

This art by awanqi on tumblr inspired me for an engaging fight for the future. it's titled 'allegory of history'

Posted!

Who is the man? How does Zoey know him? How is he alive? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Mana!

@Rydia, @Sheytato! I'm loving these posts so much. <33333

I'm still itching for a fifth band member, but our pace has increased with the Final Fantasy Four-Man-Party System. What do you all think? And do you have any friends who might be interested in the weird Fantasy style we have here?

I'm not opposed to another character joining the group. Hmmm, not sure. I'll have to think about who may be interested in this style.

I've invited @DemonGoddess to look over what the writing looks like and see if she'd be in. I failed to mention that it can move really slowly at times, or seem dead at others (the nature of a storybook with Lumi! Uwa! So Candle!)

I've written up four possible outcomes to Sheyren's account of the trial. As dice rolls, named simply "Danger Rolls" they are:

1-4: "Ally" on their flight to Praetoria. Remains a neutral NPC as trial was won.
5-9: "Jailor" on their flight to Praetoria as the trial was lost. Hostile NPC.
10-14: "Horde" leader of the ship's crew. Fight sequence between Espergale & Praetoria. Trial is won.
15-20: "Vendetta" once the airship arrives. Becomes a hostile boss. Trial is lost, Praetoria is penal colony.

The roll was...


I want to hear from you all before I advance the story. Should "Vendetta" be a boss in the Dominion of the Pontifex? Or should he be our keeper unto the penal colony, and his defeat marks our escape into territory we wanted to reach anyway? I've been thinking over a lot of these and I can't choose! I'm not putting up a poll, either. I want your real life pixels.

It would be really funny/horrible if the "vendetta" had something to do with Ziafar's little adventures in murder. In any case, I'm in full support of the "vendetta" being a boss en route to the penal colony, because it's more dramatic (and I doubt the Dominion of the Pontifex would allow any murder to occur under their roof; the better to monitor the group and shrug if there's any little "accident" in some distant land). We could feasibly consider him the post-final, less challenging boss in a chapter, or the opening boss to another chapter. Can anyone think of other reasons as to why the guy would be a hostile boss (my headspace is meh right now and I can't really think of anything)?

I dunno, perhaps it's after the book Astrid has. Maybe it learned she is in possession of it, and wants it for some reason. A dead love or something. I dunno, just spouting ideas. I feel like the book is too co a concept to swept under the rug.

I like the idea of the vendetta being en-route as well and agree that it would be fun if he has issues with multiple members of the group as well as Zoey, though whether it's linked to Ziafar's murder plot or a desire for the book of the dead, I don't mind

I like all, so I'm accepting all. Also, our entire cast just posted in the DT. I believe we get a challenge point for that!

But onto Guelan (which is the new name for Vendetta), he is now a pillar of the plot, so I'll be posting next with the trial outcome; not sure how far I'll take the post, but suffice it to say one of you will be embarking our flight.

So Guelan is going to be deeply baked into Zoey's backstory. That will be unfolded through the entirety of two chapters. That means I would prefer his head not to be on a platter for the Espergali gods of war...yet.

He will sous out the necromatic magics of Astrid's and pursue the powers of the ethereal Libro. And as for him finding out about Ziafar's murder in Howlengale, suffice it to say that he shouldn't blast that as much as he'll tease it later on when we're attempting to get home.

Then there's Zoey, who will be his ultimate involvement. Shey is leading point on developing that, as you each should run point on developing your own misgivings with him.

I feel this chapter will be very Valon-rested, narrative-wise. It's exciting. >:]

Beautiful post @TheSilverFox! Maybe at some point we should have Astrid find out he lost someone so dear to him and be conflicted about offering to help him speak to her spirit/ not using her necromancer powers. Or maybe at some point during the face off with the mages of the same kind, she could accidentally/ out of dire need pull spirits to her aid and one of them could be Ziafar's girl because she's been following him/ stays close to him?

Just a few thoughts!

A side-note to this DT post: with one more DT post from @Rydia and one more post from @TheSilverFox, we will have our full cast posting 3x each in the DT! If my math is off, do let me know and we'll talk more.

So we have lots of emotions running the course of chapter 3. I'm wondering about Zoey. I'm wondering about Astrid. BUT ZOEY had that visceral reaction upon seeing Guelan--he must certainly be a heavily negative part of her past...her fellow inmates should be interested in discovering the emotional truth so they can comfort her. Perhaps a Valon mission? Or will Astrid step in for a shining streak in a chapter that has her name written on it?

I want to know from you guys if you'd like the boss information for Thunderous Guelan now, or if you'd like it to be a surprise! You received a small glimpse at the head of the chapter during the trial, but those powers were contained.

Beyond that, there will be monsters based on the Tuatha de Danaan from Celtic mythology allllll around the next two chapters. Obviously part of the Mana challenge is to describe some in a unique way, and I think that'll be fun for all involved. If you're unfamiliar with the Tuatha, let's talk about them here.

I also have a map of Alanaar finished editing from a google stock fantasy map aaaaaand Praetoria is divided into four main locales:

1. The Broken Coast
2. Dominion of the Danu
3. The Fae Redoubt
4. Sidhe, the besieged capital

In fact, here's the map!


Dungeons are emphasized in highlight, but due to a.) our ability to teleport and b.) our need for speed, they should and hopefully will go quicker than our previous two chapter-hogs.

Raids are highlighted in red, but one is hidden from view.

Regarding these: once we get on the Broken Coast and get quested up, do y'all want one of them to send us to the Isle of Lost Heroes? *looks up at poll with hope in his eyes*

@Rydia: Whoops, I totally forgot to respond. I like the idea! As Astrid struggles over the consequences and moral issues of necromancy, it would be interesting to see her put those ideas to the test (or at least think of them more extensively) in Ziafar's situation. Or, as in the other option, it may happen by accident, and right when the group is in a pivotal conflict. In either case, there are fascinating implications for the both of them (it will likely mess with Ziafar significantly), and I'd definitely like to see Ziafar's secrets opened up a little down the road. So yeah, I approve!

@Lumi: Hmm...if Astrid already has the spotlight in the next chapter, perhaps it would be best to have Valon comfort Zoey, if only to develop that romance and add a subplot. As for the boss fight, I'd like the information to be mysterious beforehand, as they can add a nice intensity to the story when they arrive. The part with the Tuatha de Danaan sounds cool (yes, I'm not too familiar with them, but I can likely use Wikipedia for that). Aaand, lastly, it's called the Isle of Lost Heroes, so why not send everyone over there? Coincidence is fun.

@TheSilverFox No worries and excellent, this is going to be really fun to put into motion! I think Ziafar and Astrid are probably the least bonded of the group so forcing them to interact like this makes me happy.

Such a pretty map, @Lumi and I'm looking forward to visiting the Isle of Lost Heroes!

A biiiiig exciting announcement that makes me all giddy and Valon all moody: @soundofmind is joining us upon reaching Praetoria's Broken Coast (or maybe her character will be the titular castaway of the Isle of Lost Heroes???

Either way, please welcome her hardily and prepare to see some real feats of strength because whoooooo boy I've seen what she has in store.

JUST POPPING IN to say HI and I'm way too excited to write with you guys.