Writing General: 'ancient evil' edition.Welcome to /wg/, the thread for all /tg/ related writing. Whether you're plotting your campaign, trying to come up with a character backstory, or just trying to write some setting fluff, this is the place to post it. You don't even have a campaign, just an idea you want to develop? You're welcome here. While the rest of /tg/ is arguing over monstergirl mating and which way rivers are supposed to flow, we're here to help you turn your thoughts into an actual finished product.As the successor to the Storythreads, we're also open to /tg/ related fanfiction (D&D, Warhammer, Battletech, whatever). In fact, if you've written any vaguely /tg/-related short stories, you can try them out here. We also have flash-fiction challenges from time to time.There's a discord for writers herehttps://discord.gg/6AwKHGFThe previous thread can still be found in the archive here>>93015447And finally an archive of /tg/ fiction can be found here:http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Storythread (dead link, but may be resurrected one day)https://2d4chan.org/wiki/Storythreadhttps://1d6chan.miraheze.org/wiki/Storythread
A lot of settings have an Ancient Evil, but it's so cliché at this point how do you make it compelling? What are your favourite Ancient Evils from literature, games, etc? Personally, I think the goat will always be Sauron (pic related)
>>93076074>>93076604>>93077860>>93078094>>93078219>>93078302>>93078387>>93078493Great posts, anon, thanks.
>>93081511Well, maybe you can make one for each element, which is what I decided to do for my story just now. I just need some ideas on what the ones besides the Fire Ancient Evil might be like. I was thinking that they’d be fallen gods, what do you think?
>>93082577It's 2024, anon. Stop using kitschy, unimaginative D&D tropes like the four elements. It's sooooooo Fischer Price. Just yuck.>>93081552Ironically enough, the way to make Ancient Evils interesting is to remove any equivalent oppositional "ancient good". There are no good gods or whatever. The ancient evils are all there ever was.There are no rivals to their majesty, so the lesser creatures of the world cannot dream of any other way things could be.There are no good guys, so anyone who wants to be a good guy is a radical, revolutionary development in the consciousness of the people who learn of him... and the ripples of consequences which develop from this easily drive the plot all by themselves.There may be cooperation between the Ancient Evils, stagnant stalemates, a seething chaos of betrayals and constant grimdank war or any number of other contexts. It's a freedom of world design you can't have if the Ancient Evils coexist with Ancient Good of any kind: because you'd have to explain why one side or the other hasn't won despite being oh-so-profoundly opposed to each other.Or my favorite, there's no Ancient Evils, either. There is only Ancient Grey. Things beyond mortal ken forever, and therefore dangerous to ever know about, let alone attempt to commune with. Power doesn't have to be evil to be incredibly dangerous. There is a certain majestic quality all its own to cosmic scale power - and wise players are both awed and terrified of that power. That it is beyond childish notions like "evil" should horrify them even more. And that's much more effective and satisfying than "ancient evil" could ever be.Because "evil" is banal. It's boring. It's ordinary. It's what you experience every day.And thus, "evil" isn't worth telling a story about.
>>93081581Happy to help, sorry I had to rush stuff towards the end.I'll still be around for this thread if people have more questions re: Mesoamerican history and archeologyReposting the summarized timeline
Man I finally went public with my story and Im not getting ANY traction. Like I think I'd take being told its utterly dogshit over complete nothing.
>>93081552You start by not giving it a generic name like 'ancient evil'. You can also...-Make it not quite ancient, but in the distant past-Humanize the 'evil' either through further exposition are forcing them into a dilemma-Make them less of an individual and more like an enigmatic, immaterial entity-reveal the big bad is actually a group of people working under the same name-the ancient evil has already taken root within the protagonist
>>93084023Well, give us a link then. As your shit has to be known to be sold, either artificially through ads and marketing or through talent.Also unrelated, I need to write a short folk tale for in universe that would justify searching for ruins up in the mountains, does anyone have any tips regarding those?
>>93081552I like the Witch King, just because it's such a cool fucking name.
>>93087174Witch king is straight up the reason why one of my characters is named the Witch Queen.
I have multiple ancient evils that fight each other and overtake each other during certain ages to put their own flavor of evil onto the world.It's not just 'destroy all'. They want their will to be done and their wills clash.
>>93084277isnt selfadvertising against the rules?
>>93088480One thing is spamming other is asking for criticism. I doubt mods will care that much. You can always post excerpts as pictures or pdfs, as other anons have done here in the past
Heavens, it's the "seek and destroy every single common trope in your work else you suck as a writer" rabbit hole again.It makes me sad this attitude is still prevalent at a point in time where "gray morality" hasn't been anything uncommon and innovative in media, but have been fashionable for at least a decade now. I feel by now there's an opposite situation - People are being bullied out of classical fairytale narratives, with labels ranging from "unoriginal" to "cringe". Only Tolkien seems absolved, because he was Tolkien. And myths because they're old.I'm again reminded of my lecture of Joseph Campbell, commonly seen as the author of "How to Hollywood Screenwriting for Dummies". Having paved way for research about the monomyth, he concludes in the book that "everything is universal" but people keep reading that as "nothing is original".Yeah, gray morality is a realistic element of this world, and I have enjoyed works that contain it. But there are times when I'm nostalgic about fairytale narratives, and I get the impression they're getting rare nowadays, in this belief that originality is the main point your work should be graded by.Really, why is that? How important is originality as contrasted by other elements? More important than the message, the characters, the narrative? Is it a saving grace for an otherwise poor work? We can't all be hyper original, can we? Or should we fight for the remaining bits of originality like they were oil fields, else everything we try to create is worthless?
>>93089351I wrote a bad short story (revised, the original was even worse) and posted it here several years ago. Originally started it as an experiment in regards to this TVTropes mentality. I tried to sacrifice everything to make as "original" thing as I could and still call it prose. So I got rid of as many tropes as I could. Reduces chances of cliche ones, no? I was left with a piece of "prose" where the audience knows next to nothing - what the main "character" is, what is happening around it, and what is the entire thing about. The few responses that I got said they started enjoying it from the moment when "it" finally starts developing humanlike personality and for the first time, has a conversation with another being. The moment where the sanctity of 'originality' has been spoiled by tropes. Then it became another copycat of The Hero's Journey - the first being's travel gained meaning of self-discovery, and the second being had the role equivalent to The "Mentor" in the monomyth.Yaawn. Seen those cliches a million times already. Booring.Think what you will, I'm tired of deprecating classical motifs as "unoriginal" as a stealthy way of saying "juvenile", sometimes not even realizing how mature the meaning below it can be.I'm also tired of how I can no longer enjoy my 'Light versus Dark' stories, because I'm no longer supposed to like them when I'm old enough.
>>93089374>>93089351Thats why in my writing I dont really care about tropes. Tropes happen, I like tropes, some are fun and enjoyable, some can be overdone, but all have their place if the execution is good enough. And try to live by that principle. If I CAN make a true love's kiss sort of situation work, I wont shy away from it just because its been done 1000 times. Ill play things straight, ill try and subvert the obvious once in a while, but im not gonna tear myself and my story apart because its not 2000% original.
So I was having this idea of making a session with a plot twist but I have no ideas of how to setup or even progress.So it goes like this, previous campaign was a bit of a failure because of dice and bad decisions all around, but players are excited to make new characters and still try to win over the main villain.And while I want them to do that, I kinda want to represent what society turned out under his rule, so I was going to set them as trainees for a military regiment that is peacekeeping on their old hometown but they suspect that there's a saboteur among the forces, but that's the setup, they can't know that they are working for the bad guy, they must think that they are some liberating force, and on top of that flip the conception of "there's a bad guy saboteur infiltrated here" to "there's a good guy between us", that will be revealed to be one of the surviving party members of the previous campaign.I don't even know how to setup this, and seems like more trouble than it's worth, so I would like some ideas.PSA: Players in my group are very gullible.
>>93081511I have trouble motivating myself to write, and occasionally suffer from bad writer’s block, what’s your secret for dealing with that?
>>93097547There isnt any. you really just need to discipline yourself and try and force yourself to write, anything at all.
>>93081511I'm working on a novel set in a scifi neo-noir setting I used for the best campaign I ever ran. It's not a record of the campaign, but a completely different story in the same Miami-Vice-In-Space city. The characters are all ancient play-by-post characters of mine and some buddies from our collective youths. It's been surprisingly fun to write and blast out some words, a goofy little crime thriller, but right now I'm running on fumes when it comes to the excitement and energy to write. It's not that I have writers block, I know exactly how the rest of the novel plays out, it's more a general lethargy towards writing at all. Over 33k words into a rough first draft, and if anyone's interested in reading it I can post the PDF. I know that's probably more a /lit/ thing to do, but considering the genesis of everything, and the genre, it might be much more /tg/.
>>93102258Why not, here it is. I can't guarantee it's any good, in fact I've really enjoyed writing trashIf any of you anons want to give feedback directly you can send me your thoughts belowblankpagesandstarlight@gmail.comThanks!
>>93084277Just make it relevant to your plot- we don't know the framework of your story.Off the top of my head I would just say there is a sage old man that meditates in the ruins of his former home. Reach him for "more information" about (relevant plot point)
MINDLESS WRITING EXERCISE"Lore dump edition"Priceverse factions 2.0...TEMPLARS"Who makes war with the beast?" "WE DO." - Templar affirmationFounded somewhere around 1200 A.D., the Templar organization is primarily composed of arcane-awakened individuals of Abrahamic faiths, due to their contact with angels and focus on counter-acting Diabolist activities. All active members are expected to possess advanced degrees of combat training in means both mundane and arcane- in fact, save for senior-aged advisors, regular combat training via Alternate Reality Immersion Simulation (A.R.I.S) and more mundane but rigorous physical and mental training is mandatory for all positions- Templars are notoriously paranoid that at any moment, the gates of hell will crash open into reality and they will undergo a decades long siege.Templar beliefs on The Great Facade (The maintaining the widespread belief that arcane phenomenon are fictional) can be summed up thusly: "The world is not ready." Given their dealings with Diabolists who will use any means possible to achieve power, Mammonites who would use magic to starve the world out of spite, and Breakers whose only concern with magic is how it can be bent to torture and kill the young, the wide consensus among Templars is that, one day, the world *might* be ready for magic to be revealed- but that day is far, far off. This being said, they are not of the Mammonite bent to deny those in need simply to widen the gap between have and have-not- a magus who openly proclaims to be a magical healer will be dealt with. A magus who subtly heals those in need and silently allows their works to be ascribed to 'miracles' is acceptable.
>>93108473EQUIPMENT AND MAGIC:Templar equipment tends to be modern military equipment with magical enhancements that aren't immediately obvious- unless a situation is so out of control that overwhelming force is needed- it's easier to explain rifles that somehow hit their marks regardless of cover or distance than it is to explain why holy water grenades managed to melt one target to the bone but spared nearby hostages. All Templars have training in rudimentary healing magic to increase odds of survival, but some eschew rifles for magical foci to better use spells of holy light suited to incinerating demonic or evil foes.Templar armor likewise follows the same principles- looking much like special ops equipment with magical enhancements that aren't immediately obvious. Glamours provide false insignias to provide a plausible cover story as for who a Templar Team actually represents, with only certain arcane spells or items able to detect the red cross that is the Templar insignia.When forced to fight in primarily mundane-populated areas, Templar magi provide subtle, indirect support, healing wounded, causing enemy equipment malfunctions, or telekinetically dropping loose or damaged structures onto enemies. In cases where they are allowed- or forced- to unleash their full powers, they call down storms of holy water and lightning, searing waves of fire, and hurl whatever isn't nailed down at their enemies. In such cases, even taking hostages provides no form of relief- a Templar magus will simply alter their blast of searing light to ignore the hostage and scorch the coward holding them instead.
>>93108629ENEMIESContrary to rumors, the Templars and Illuminati are not enemies and will work together whenever needed- they just have very different views about when and if the world will be ready to accept magic and the responsibility that comes with it. Friendly rivalries exist, of course, but both ascribe to a belief best summed up as "The enemy of my friend is going to die a slow, horrible death when I get my hands on them."Diabolists are considered the Templars primary foes most of the time, given their religious opposition. Unfortunately for the Diabolists (and fortunately for everyone else), the demonic powers they wield are by and large inferior to the boons provided by heaven- the latter are given more stringently and only to those who prove themselves, but unlike demonic invocations rarely injure the user when utilized. In addition, while Templars can call down storms of holy water and bursts of holy light that can discern friend from foe, the Diabolists have no such advantage.Mammonites may not be the primary focus of the Templars, but still are considered 'kill on sight' targets nine times out of ten. Templars find the Mammonite modus operandi of 'greeding'- or stealing something they don't need from someone who desperately needs it- to be one of the hundreds of despicable acts that warrant a bullet through the head- or a laser through the heart.Breakers are almost universally despised, but there is a special place in Templar hate-lists for them. A Templar might offer redemption to a Diabolist who repents after seeing how depraved their seniors are in a quest for power, or a Mammonite child who can't stomach the horrors their parents create in the pursuit of wealth, but no such leniency is ever given to Breakers. Allegedly, the Templar seniors have been told thusly by their angelic contacts about the Breakers- "THEY ARE BEYOND REDEMPTION. DESTROY THEM ALL."
RECRUITMENTMost Templar initiates are awakened individuals who have grudges against Templar enemies- more than one young magus has lost friends to Breaker 'discipline runs', sworn revenge, and undergone the brutal training regimen to become a Templar all in the name of ensuring that every Breaker unfortunate to cross their path pays dearly. Others may join out of religious inclinations, or because they side with the Templars on the debate of "when will the world be ready"?The initial phase of recruitment involves screening the candidate- not everyone is mentally, physically, or spiritually fit to be a Templar. Those who pass must complete rigorous training regimens designed to weed out the unfit who weren't filtered out in screening and to ensure the rest are prepared to deal with the most horrific nightmares hell can conjure up. Washing out, however, does not mean an applicant cannot take time to address the flaws that disqualified them and then try again- those who fail, recover, and then press on make for some of the most hardened foes hell ever faces.Indoctrination involves explaining- in gruesome detail- who the Templar's enemies are and why they are considered enemies. Heartbreaking scenes of the few who survive Breaker tortures or Mammonite trafficking are not uncommon, designed to whip new Templars into a fury.A.R.I.S. training involves a divine sort of virtual reality in which multiple Templar agents are put into an unwinnable scenario in which they are expected to survive for as long as possible, only ending when all agents have been slain. This is to prepare agents for the pain and trauma of combat, as well as making scenarios where success is, in fact, possible seem relatively easy in comparison. A.R.I.S. training is traumatic, however, and under no circumstances are agents to be subjected to a session more than once every two months. (Note: rumors of a 'Juste Haven' who managed to win an A.R.I.S. simulation are just that- rumors.)
ILLUMINATI"We are the light in darkness. The foe of ignorance. The friend of reason." - Illuminati credoTheir exact date of founding unknown, the Illuminati are devoted to the advancement of responsible magic with the hopes that humanity can, as a whole, utilize it without the risk of extinction. While more optimistic about humanity's eventual fitness to awaken to magic than the Templars, the Illuminati are not naive or stupid- shutting down arcane experiments that could cause catastrophes and 'disappearing' those who would sow chaos for chaos' sake. They are also aware certain forms of arcane phenomenon- i.e. demon summoning and soul binding- can never result in anything good, and expend great amounts of time and energy to see such practices are erased from the pages of history.Illuminati beliefs on The Great Facade boil down to the idea that the world is not ready yet- but it will be "soon". Or, for the more cynical-minded members, the world will need to *be* ready soon, because The Great Facade could fall at any given moment in such a way that repairing it would not be feasible. Those who believe magic in and of itself makes one fit to rule humanity or who would abuse magic have no place in their ranks, but the inquisitive mind who seeks to advance humanity as a whole will be welcomed with open arms.Illuminati resources may be devoted to research and advancement, but their militant members are well-versed in making problems disappear one way or another. While Templars prefer a more straightforward approach, a target that earns the Illuminati's ire will generally meet with an 'accident'.
>>93102300I'm sorry I don't have time to read all of this, but I did take a look at the first two pages. The prose could be tightened up a little, but it's really not too bad. You certainly capture the neo-noir aesthetic.>>93108473Nice to see you back dude, always love to see your stuff.
>>93110097I appreciate the look through. It's very much a first draft, and I'm looking forward to doing the second draft to really make it shine. But first I need to blast through 40k more words and get it all down. No big deal, right..?
>>93109063EQUIPMENT AND MAGICWhen pressed, Illuminati agents prefer subtle means of taking out a target- assassinations, discrediting, or in the case that an individual is reasonable, attempting to explain why their actions would be catastrophic. When subtle removal isn't viable, strike forces are formed to take down targets with lethal precision.A Illuminati's gear may look mundane- if eccentric- at a glance, but it's only in combat that the multiple layers of enchantments are revealed with horrifying purpose. Pulse weapons that induce cardiac arrest. Spells that induce brain aneurysms, or more chillingly still, violently erase knowledge from a target's mind. Alchemical weapons that can be keyed to a single person's genetic signature and cause overwhelming despair, resulting in spontaneous suicide. Holographic armors that allow an assassin to fade from sight. Bodysuits that allow an infiltrator to move through grates and openings no wider than the thickness of a dime. Illuminati generally lack the more 'divine' powers that Templars can bring to bear, but have no qualms about asking for their assistance when dealing with demonic foes- although some Illuminati members (nicknamed 'Saints') are sufficiently devout that they can manifest blessings on par with Templars, they are the exception to the rule.In short, while Illuminati forces can and will 'go loud' if pressed, they prefer that the deaths they deal out are mostly indistinguishable from mundane accidents or health problems.
>>93110581ENEMIESThe chief enemy the Illuminati are concerned with are the Mammonites, due to their philosophy of "all for us, none for you". Mammonites seek to horde magic- and all other resources and luxuries- for themselves, eventually reducing the rest of the world to sub-medieval peasants in the name of widening the gap between have and have-not. On rare occasion, however, a particularly rebellious Mammonite youth will balk at their elders' sociopathy and seek asylum- the Illuminati are willing to grant such and rehabilitation in exchange for information.Diabolists also rank high on priority targets for Illuminati, because their very source of power is by its nature corrupting and indiscriminately destructive, and their actions are all too often based on a philosophy of 'power at any cost'. Even the most religiously disinclined Illuminati is aware that Diabolist methods lead to disaster, and so they aid Templars in shutting down such operations wherever they may be.Breakers, again, are utterly despised and are always deemed "Kill On Sight". However, sometimes a particularly unlucky Breaker will be taken alive for interrogation that often involves Illuminati agents with a personal grudge against the Breakers doing the 'questioning', which the unfortunate Breaker never survives. The fact that little to no useful information has been obtained from these interrogations is of little concern to Illuminati seniors. Templar attitudes on these interrogations range all the way from 'it's a waste of resources' to requesting footage of such events to bolster morale.
>>93110682RECRUITMENTIlluminati recruitment is often done via scouting candidates long in advance before an offer is made, gathering intel on their actions, their day to day life, attitudes, etc. Newly awakened magi who show cunning, discretion, and responsibility are prime candidates for induction. More zealous, aggressive individuals are left alone but recommended to the Templar recruiters- after all, the Diabolists need to be kept in fear lest they grow too powerful.Training involves a combination of extensive physical, mental, and arcane conditioning, though the Illuminati draw the line at A.R.I.S. use, believing it to cause needless trauma. The use of psionic memory installation (P.M.I.) is more accepted- the memories of agents that have survived combat are copied and implanted into trainees minds. Templar instructors consider this method dangerous, as aside from there being a slim but present chance of a receiver going insane from memory conflicts, acting off another person's methods in do-or-die situations clashes violently with Templar beliefs. Nevertheless, P.M.I. continues to be used in conjunction with more mundane training scenarios.Note: A rare few agents undergo both A.R.I.S. and P.M.I. training. The mere presence of these few individuals has been known to make demons retreat in sheer terror.
>>93110829ARCANE COURT"Security. Stability. Sanity." - Arcane Court CreedThe Arcane Court's primary concern is ensuring that both the mundane and arcane world survive the day-to-day conflicts between magical factions, the wayward experiments of magi both well and ill-meaning, and to try to steer newly awakened magi towards a responsible path so that they don't inadvertently blow themselves and their neighborhood up. The Arcane Court will work with Templars and Illuminati when necessary, but tries to handle issues by itself when possible, viewing leaning too much one way or the other on the former two's philosophies to be dangerously close to forgetting their primary goal- keeping the world at large intact.While not as glamorous as a career in Templar or Illuminati circles, Arcane Court members are respected for their devotion to keeping smaller fires under control so that specialists can focus on larger problems- a demon managing to manifest into reality and wreaking havoc on mundanes is a blue-moon event. Having to hunt down poorly coded rituals to prevent disasters or suppress a crazed magus before he blows up his neighborhood is unfortunately far more commonplace. Respected as the arbiters of arcane law, the consensus by the lawful and moral arcane communities is that the Arcane Court has the 'final' word on laws pertaining to magic- protests and appeals can be made in a lawful manner, but until new rules are hammered out, their word is considered the law of the land. These rules generally boil down to restrictions on dangerous experiments or immoral uses of magic such as 'love potions', soul-binding, mind control, etc.
>>93119409EQUIPMENT AND MAGICGenerally speaking, the Arcane Court prefers to handle most incidents as a quietly as possible so as to maintain The Great Facade. Because of their alliance and support from both the Templars and Illuminati, however, they are well prepared to address most day to day threats.Officers of the Arcane Court prefer to issue stern warnings to younger magi who seem they may stray off the path, warning them of the penalties they will suffer should they continue. More often than not, these situations resolve quickly with the younger magi being informed their well-intended idea was dangerous, to not attempt it again lest they regret it, and the younger magi goes about their way slightly shaken but wiser as to what is expected. More unrepentant suspects can expect to suffer magic suppression rounds and other non-lethal but very unpleasant means of subduing magi. In the event a magus proves to be too great a threat to be taken alive, however, special teams are brought in to ensure the threat is terminated swiftly and decisively.The Arcane Court has the authority to impose penalties, jail time, fines, community service, etc. to offenders, but the most dreaded punishment of all is Tabula Rasa- in which all arcane knowledge- and any events related to it- is forcibly stripped from an offender's mind. Survivors of this procedure often suffer major depression and psychological issues due to massive gaps in their memories, coupled with the ever-present feeling of having lost something irreplaceable. There is a rising amount of protest against this procedure, saying that if it is warranted, it's far less crueler to just kill them and be done with it, especially after the horrific gaffe that was the case with Melody Pierwood, a teen who was falsely convicted and subjected to Tabula Rasa, then tortured to death by Breaker, Mammonite, and Diabolist agents. (See https://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/64127004/#q64188298 for details.)
>>93119516TABULA RASA CONTROVERSYMelody Pierwood was a teenager who complied with arcane law and used a volunteer position at her local hospital to heal burns. Due to this charitable action, she became a prime target for both the Breakers and Mammonites. Several failed direct assaults ultimately resulted in Diabolist agents instigating a smear campaign via planted agents in Templar and Illuminati precincts, which resulted in her being false accused of firebombing her own hospital, being subjected to Tabula Rasa, and being targeted by the arcane community for assault before her kidnapping and torture by Diabolist, Mammonite, and Breaker forces. This incident resulted in a massive lost of trust by younger magi in the Templars, Illuminati, and Arcane Court, as well as multiple new initiates in the aforementioned three societies resigning in protest. Judge Delta, who presided over the case, put forth a new law in memory of the falsely accused victim.MELODY'S LAW"All involved in an accusation considering arcane misconduct or abuse of magic are to have their identifies verified to the satisfaction of the court before evidence presented by said parties is considered. Furthermore, it is my personal petition that any attack by a hostile power on any magi in good standing should be considered the beginning of a greater attack campaign."Prior incidents where innocent magi were subjected to Tabula Rasa were also brought into review, noting that in the best cases, victims had to regain every bit of arcane skill back step by step, and even then were notably diminished in their ability to retain even mundane information. Many other instances resulted in suicides or psychotic breaks. Because of this, Tabula Rasa is administered far, far less frequently, with death bizarrely being seen as a more merciful sentence.
>>93119627ENEMIESThe Arcane Court of course opposes the efforts of Diabolists, Mammonites, and Breakers whenever they can, but by and large their primary concerns are unaffiliated rogue magi who are aware they are breaking arcane law and decide to do so heedless of the consequences to themselves or others. This is not to say that the three aforementioned enemy groups do not consider the Arcane Court a threat- numerous attempts have been made on institutions and personnel. However, recovered intel reveals that attacks on the Court are considered risky not only due to the extensive power at their disposal, but the fact that the Templars and Illuminati will also retaliate against an aggressor.While the Arcane Court is mostly concerned with magical happenings, they do pay attention to more mundane goings on, slipping information to law enforcement about dangerous or immoral activities, or when necessary, intervening personally.Breakers are, again, considered the lowest of the low, and a summary execution is the best outcome a defeated Breaker can hope for at the hands of a Arcane Court agent- Breaker agents have little pertinent information to offer on the other enemy groups and usually have limited knowledge of their superior's plans (beyond the torture and execution of minors). While torture is considered ineffective in terms of getting information, Arcane Court agents who either personally have lost someone to Breaker activity or know someone who has will gladly spend days, weeks, even months painstakingly giving their 'guests' a thorough understanding of their displeasure regarding their activities.
>>93121019RECRUITMENTWhile not as stringent as Templar or Illuminati requirements, Arcane Court agent training is arduous- procedures must be memorized, combat training is a must, and routine psychiatric evaluations are used to ensure that agents on the brink of a mental meltdown are given time to recover. The Arcane Court typically abstains from the more elaborate recruitment methods- a simple enlistment center in the midst of an arcane community is usually sufficient. A fair number of recruits come from awakened magi who had relatives in law enforcement.Non-combat roles, such as lawyers, secretaries, data analysts, and researchers are given to those who, as in mundane society, show the most aptitude and skill for the given position. While combat training for these positions is not mandatory, it is highly unusual to find a member in these ranks who doesn't have some form of defense training, be it firearms or combat magic.
>>93110097Always good to know you're alive.
BREAKERS"Hail to thee Grausverstand, and praise our righteousness!" - Breaker blessingThe original source of the Breakers- the Condemnationist Church- was founded sometime in the 1850s as a radical divorce from the teaching of conventional Christian theology, casting Jesus as a rebellious son who went against God's plan to punish most of humanity, and denouncing the idea that salvation could be given through redemption- only Condemnationists would be permitted to reign alongside God, punishing the rest of humanity for all eternity. In 1940, Zebediah Grausverstand, a devout member of the Condemnationist church, was run out of town after forcing his way into a widow's life and beating her only son to death. During this exile, he wrote 'The Codes Of Discipline' in which he decreed that all youths who were obedient, studious, or charitable were inherently evil and beyond redemption, and caused all of society's ills by broadcasting 'disobedience waves' and engaging in 'obscuring obedience' and 'deceitful charity' as cover-ups. He further encouraged his followers to torture and execute such individuals to keep the rest of the 'sinchildren' in fear.Grausverstand unfortunately managed to amass a great following that persists even to this day, although the activity waxes and wanes with every decade and the short lifespan of its members. In 2001, after the 9/11 tragedy, Grausverstand followers decreed sinchildren (that is, youths who were obedient, charitable, or studious) to be the cause of the attacks and began a bloody campaign of torture and execution, resulting in then president Barbara Bush to formally declare Grausverstand's group a terrorist organization that sought to break honest youths. The Condemnationists adopted the moniker "Breakers", but retaliation from organizations mundane and arcane saw the Breakers suffer a sharp decline due to massive losses in the U.S. Smaller cells exist in other nations, but stay mostly silent for fear of eradication.
>>93121284EQUIPMENT AND MAGICBreakers have very limited resources when not receiving aid from Mammonites and must make do with mostly mundane arms, improvised explosives, and unending cruelty. Rarely a 'High Disciplinarian' will possess enough intelligence to learn magic (usually taken from a slain young magi) and decree such phenomenon 'Wisdom Blessings', or a Mammonite sponsor will grant supplies in an effort to ensure the younger magi of the day are kept in check, but for the most part, Breakers are on their own, despised and reviled to the point few criminals want to do business with them.It is because of this lack of equipment and magical power that they typically go after mundane 'sinchildren'- only when their target can be isolated and alone, with no witnesses or bystanders to intervene. Many Breakers have met messy ends when they assumed a young magus to be mundane and were forced to deal with a target that could fight back- as one may have gathered, Breakers are a cowardly and loathsome lot who are unprepared to pick on someone their own size or greater.
>>93121362ENEMIESIt is far easier to state the few organizations that are not enemies of the Breakers than to provide an exhaustive list- due to their kidnapping, torture, and execution of minors, Breakers are considered a terrorist group by all law enforcement agencies both mundane and arcane, with very few of their agents ever surviving to face trial.Diabolists will only *barely* tolerate Breakers when absolutely necessary- many Diabolists find Breaker theology to not only be disgustingly vain and self-serving, but uncomfortably similar to the religious abuse many of their members escaped from.Mammonites will support Breakers when it suits them, generally to ensure that the other arcane agencies are kept busy stomping out cells and rescuing minors. Sometimes they will provide weapons and magical items to ensure their survival, if only for the Mammonites' collective amusement. Everyone else wants the Breakers to die screaming in a fire. A newly awakened magi who hunts down and kills an enemy with magic can expect death or Tabula Rasa. Killing a Breaker openly will get a mild admonishment to do so more covertly. Killing a Breaker covertly and *creatively* gets a measure of kudos in arcane communities.
>>93121523RECRUITMENTDue to the inherent problem of being hated so deeply that even the most pacifistic soul believes a Breaker is better off dead, recruitment of future Breakers is done by invitation only, and only to those who have been vetted to have a deep hatred for 'sinchildren', the ability to self-deceive, and a lack of motivation to question the many, many logical fallacies in Breaker beliefs.Nevertheless, the Breakers still find new members to join their ranks- sadistic teachers, child molesters, and bullies who never grew up all can find a home among their number. Breakers offer none of the power or wealth that Diabolists or Mammonites can- those who join with the Breakers do so because they want nothing more than the opportunity to inflict pain on those who can't fight back. The Breakers in turn only ask that they do so as often as possible- a new convert need not even really believe in Breaker philosophy, so long as they can follow orders with brutality and cruelty.Breaker cells usually meet in whatever places they can, away from prying eyes, with the smarter ones preparing an alibi for any unwanted intruders. Respectable Magi who confirm a Breaker meeting place will sometimes forgo reporting it, instead deciding to use the occupied structure to test out an area of effect spell.NOTE: Accepting recruitment into the Breakers is a point at which a person becomes COMPLETELY beyond redemption. A Diabolist might realize Satan isn't as misunderstood as they thought, or a Mammonite might decide the atrocities committed in the name of wealth aren't worth their soul. A Breaker becomes a Breaker because they want to hurt and kill children.
Thoughts on including fake quotes before the start of a chapter?To be honest, I love them when they're done well and thematic, but I feel pretty arrogant putting one at the start of my first chapter
>>93122388Well, Hitler, as long as they make sense in the context of chapter or the further story, yes. Perhaps show us what would it look like in the first chapter and let the masses of the thread decide.It can look good if it's a beginning of a prophecy or an in-universe history book about the future etc.I actually might steal this since its a very cool idea, but you probably are going to need people to read the quotes to tell you whether or not they suck.
>>93122388Make them relevant and noticeably important to the immediate plot. Those work great. Don't add any 2deep4u subtle bullshit.
>>93122388Seconding >>93123095 and >>93123514, they can be a great way to set the tone for a chapter by introducing a bit of in-universe lore relevant to what's about to happen. If you're going to try for some kind of philosophical quote, make sure you know what you're doing otherwise it'll just come off cringe.
>>93126803>>93123514>>93123095Nta but I like to do these sort of quotes post-chapter. Some sort of in-universe description of some relevant event or quote by someone, or just a simple [[ominous words]] relating to the chapter that just happened. For example I just had a chapter where an important character sacrifices themselves and gets kidnapped, which leads to their eventual tragic downfall.>"Its all too often that the first step on the path to damnation is sacrifice."A bit of a spin on the good intentions/path to hell saying but it works out.
MAMMONITES"Prodest super omnia" (Profit above all)...The Mammonites are said to be concerned with wealth above all other things and will say so in their own motto, but this is selling short the horrors they are willing to commit. The Mammonites are aware there is a finite amount of wealth to be hoarded, and so to further make the wealthy wealthier and the poor poorer, they conspire to deprive those beneath them (i.e. all non-Mammonites) of everything, from the most modest luxuries to the basest of essentials, all in the name of widening the gap between have and have-not.Mammonite status is dependent on two primary virtues- how much wealth one has- be it in raw currency, connections, or goods- and how profitable and active one is in accruing more wealth. A taboo word regarding one's fortunes is 'enough'. "Enough" is for the lesser people, a measure of the absolute bare minimum needed to ensure profit for their betters. A Mammonite who ever shows satisfaction or the ideal they have enough is blasphemous.They despise charity, especially magi who use healing magic to treat others for free. Partially because this denies them the profits made from extensive medical plans and prolonged treatment, but mostly because Mammonites believe that everyone beneath them deserves to suffer- a life not spent in agonizing pain is a privilege, not a right. Those who donate to charity or help the unfortunate can earn the ire of a Mammonite for no other reason than sheer spite- it is sadly not unheard of for instances such as, say, an obscenely wealthy Mammonite to hear of some obscure act of charity done by an elementarystudent, be offended by the very idea of helping those in need, and then sic Breakers on said child in 'revenge'.Mammonite loyalties to one another exist only as long as they are profitable- a Mammonite who somehow loses enough wealth to have their status revoked can expect former friends to descend on them like a horde of famished locusts.
>>93128914EQUIPMENT AND MAGICWhile Mammonites loathe the idea of parting with their hard-earned wealth, even more unthinkable is to let slights- even if they are made unintentionally by charitable elementary students- go unpunished. Rather than get their own hands dirty, however, the Mammonites prefer to pay others to do their dirty work for them. When dealing with soft targets such as youths, they may use Breaker contacts to deal with the problem. In the event they must deal with a target that can fight back, they employ special mercenaries who care only about payment for a job done. To further progress their goals, Mammonites are not above coercing magi into doing research for them, though this has fallen out of vogue in favor of actually paying some morally unscrupulous magus to do quality work- the loss of wealth is an annoyance, but it's far preferable to a captive magus calling for help, sabotaging a project out of spite, or any number of other nasty issues. The line of work for those willing to perform labors for the Mammonites is ultra-Darwinian and merciless. Those who provide the expected results will be paid. Those who don't will be executed horribly as an example to the others.Of particular interest to Mammonites is True Immortality- that is, a living body that will not die of age, sickness, or injury. Many Mammonites are well aware that whatever awaits them in the afterlife is severely unpleasant, and that redemption would mean restitution and renouncing their ways, so the idea of avoiding death remains a pressing concern. Some have attempted Lichdom to avoid their deaths. As has often been the case, they go insane after some time, either due to loss of sensation and ability to sleep, or discomfort experienced at the moment of transition, which due to the nature of becoming a Lich becomes constant- for example, a would-be Lich who had an eyelash in their eye at the moment they became a Lich would feel the sensation for the rest of their unlife.
>>93129065ENEMIESMammonites consider everyone who balks at their ideals to be an enemy, but have a special hatred for the Illuminati, whose goals are the antithesis of their own. The idea of a world that can benefit from magic freely horrifies them- how will they create scarcity or charge absurd amounts for healthcare? Hence, the war between Mammonite and Illuminati is unending, with neither side willing to abide any concessions for the other.The Templars are also a major concern as of late, due to how many of their progeny trend to falling in with them- not every Mammonite child finds the idea of executing servants for the slightest mistake to be a gleeful prospect- in fact, some of them, despite their parents' best efforts, have developed pesky consciences that have them abandoning the pursuit of wealth. The Templars subject such recruits to harsh training like any other but are eager to give them a chance- those who have tasted the wages of greed and turned away can make for the most hardened Paladins and Exorcists.Alliances between Diabolist and Mammonite are also uneasy as best- Mammonites are aware a Diabolist will happily cut out their heart and offer it to their demonic lords if given the word to, and Diabolists are aware the moment an alliance is no longer beneficial to a Mammonite, they will be regarded as liabilities.This situation leads to Mammonites being paranoid and unable to fully cooperate, as well as exacerbates the problem of the next generation abandoning their methods- to quote one escapee, "What good is all the money in the world if you're too busy looking over your shoulder to enjoy it?"
>>93129205RECRUITMENTMammonites are only willing to hire the best of the best who will 1. provide results on demand to their exacting specifications and 2. don't have pesky moral quandaries about things like brain-controlling people into slavery or harvesting organs from living marks. Membership into Mammonite society requires obscene amounts of wealth and devotion to the ideals of Mammonite beliefs- that the wealthy deserve wealth by virtue of being wealthy, and that everyone else should suffer.Mercenaries who can stomach the Mammonites' requests and provide results will rarely want for work, but this is only on a contract basis. The primary mercenary outfit willing to work with the Mammonites- Black Hole- consequently charges exorbitant amounts to ensure quick, effective, silent work and to replenish soldiers and gear lost in the line of duty.
I think ancient evil works even better in sci-fi than fantasy. Cosmic horror has a scale to it you can't really match with fantasy.
>>93123095>>93123514>>93126803Okay, here we go:>“They dream themselves a god we call Empire>By their own pride, they doom us all to die“>-Testaments of Silver, Artos 2.6, -43AEFull context won't be understood until later, but it's the words of a doomsayer prophet who promised that the fantasy Roman Empire would collapse in a horrible catastrophe in 25 years. That's why the time is -43AE, with 0AE being the founding of the successor Empire. Artos the bard was one of the first disciples of the seer, he thought he was recording the words of a drunken shepherd in a roadside inn. Different people would record the words of the seer, different things in different ways. Artos was a bard, so his are written in verse.In the story, a similar tragedy has happened prior to the opening. The main character is hopeful about the future, assuming that it's all over now, it's time to rebuild, that there won't be aftershocks. He is incredibly wrong, the worst is about to happen. This time it was the Wizards who formed an empire and had it blow up in their face, the people are storming the grand academy for retribution.
>>93131562It's okay, if a bit generic. When you're using in-universe quotes, you have to ask yourself: 'is this significant enough for people in the setting to repeat it over and over again?'. Or in other words, is it a quotable line?
DIABOLISTS"We are the beast, and the beast is us." - Diabolist chantDiabolists date back to time immemorial, when allegedly the first deal between mortal and Satan was struck. While through history these deals were concerned with a variety of things, today the primary concerns are arcane power and victory. The Diabolists are in a never-ending war with the Templars, seeking to one day saturate the earth with the blessing of hell (that is, corrupting humanity as a whole with unending violence and anarchy) so that demons can walk freely on the earth without the complex and limiting rituals that give them limited time on the mortal plane. In turn for their dark obedience, Diabolists are granted powers without the need for rigorous study, but these powers come with hefty prices- consuming the life of the user, their allies, and damning them further.The consequences of demon summoning are well known in arcane society- a demon does not see its summoner as an ally, trappings of a Diabolist be damned. To a demon, every single living thing is an enemy, to be used and discarded, or simply destroyed. A demon may feign friendliness, only to ensure their 'allies' death and damnation when the time is right. Demonic powers have no ability to heal or restore- only for selfish gains that ultimately cause far more harm that outweighs whatever benefit they immediately had. A Diabolist who needs healing must gain such magic the old fashioned way, or accept demonic prosthetics that serve hell more often than their wearer.Despite this, Diabolists see new recruits constantly. Some are drawn by the promise of power, but a disturbing amount of new recruits come from homes and societies where religion-based abuse is common- after fifteen years of being belted, slapped, and told how worthless they are in the eyes of God for any number of minute flaws decreed as 'sinful rebellion', a teen may decide that if they are damned despite their best efforts, they may as well enjoy the ride down.
>>93136798MAGIC AND EQUIPMENTDiabolists use both modern firearms and armor that have been enchanted for further improvements, as well as a slew of destructive, horrifying spells to kill and horrify their targets. Unlike Templars and more disciplined Illuminati, however, they have not yet managed to perfect the art of having spells that can exempt allies, meaning that friendly fire is a constant threat. Many of their spells center around the elements of darkness, fire, and acid to devastating effect.Demon summoning is, contrary to rumors, a last resort done only when the benefits outweigh the costs (at least, from a Diabolist point of view) and in specific circumstances. A demon cannot be summoned within the confines of holy ground, and unless the area has been specially maligned to the power of hell, bringing a demon into the world is an arduous and expensive affair. A demon when summoned, however, is a terrifying foe for an unprepared target- shrugging off most forms of punishment, attacking a foe's mind with horrific visions and overpowering temptations, and unleashing terrifying and painful assaults. Templars are prepared to deal with such threats via blessed weapons and spells aligned with Heaven, which have a devastating effect on demons.Undead summoning is very rarely used, due to the relatively fragile state of non-sentient undead- an attempt at raising an army of the dead by a necromancer in Texas came to a quick and embarrassing end when gun owners jumped at the chance to put down the threat- which lasted all of two hours with no casualties.
>>93137323ENEMIESThe Templars are the first threat a Diabolist must worry about, and with good reason- from day one, a Templar is taught effective means to both resist and undermine the very powers of hell, and every Templar takes the existence of a demon in the world as a personal affront. While Diabolists have won victories by virtue of preparation, traps, and numbers in prior engagements, the bottom line is that battles with Templars rarely end well- if the corpses are salvageable, a slain Templar can be resurrected and is often less traumatized and more furious, to say nothing of their allies. To quote one Diabolist survivor of a Templar raid done in retaliation for several slain agents, "Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light is willing to do."Aside from that, the Illuminati and Arcane Court also pose a perpetual obstacle to Diabolist goals- the Illuminati cannot abide the unchecked destruction that Diabolist magic brings or the horrors that come of demon summoning, and the Arcane Court has no tolerance for such things either.Furthermore, Diabolists only hold a tenuous alliance with each other, rapidly loosing comradery and seeing each other as mere stepping stones to greater power and prestige. A Diabolist may join in their youth thinking that their fellows are merely misunderstood outcasts, but will soon learn the only friend they have is their own counsel- or they will be fodder for another's schemes.
RECRUITMENTDiabolist recruitment happens covertly, with younger magi or mundanes being the preferred targets. Many of their new recruits come from homes that profess Christian values and yet treat every mistake as a dire sin deserving of death, with brutal beatings and denials being a 'merciful' alternative. Senior Diabolists find this both a delicious irony and a powerful means of creating devoted members.Other times, they will find new recruits in juvenile halls, failing schools, or places where hopes are few and desperation runs high. Older recruits are not too unusual, but current seniors prefer younger candidates that can be molded into virulent agents of evil.Inductees are put through an acolyte period in which their trust is earned, but gradually the goal is to foster feelings of selfish desires, a coveting for power, and a lack of empathy for ones fellows- failure must be seen as a weakness, as not wanting to succeed. Candidates who decide to leave at this point are allowed to do so, but usually meet violent ends- often false-flagged as attacks by members of the Templars or religious zealots.Once past the acolyte stage, training becomes (pardon the pun) hellish. A batch of two hundred new recruits may have ten, five, or one surviving at the end of the training period, or, if the current crop is too soft or they have the misfortune to be in the care of a particularly sadistic trainer, none at all. It is not unheard of for surviving graduates to attempt to kill their trainer if they discover a weakness.Very rarely, a Diabolist will leave the fold and make their way to the Templars. The reasons for this vary, but the most common is some variant of "It finally hit me that I will be spending eternity in hell if I die right now." Redemption in these cases may mean an ex-Diabolist spends the rest of their life in captivity with no use of magic, but for those who realize what the alternative is, such sacrifices are small prices to pay.
>>93084023The trick is to keep posting shit. You get lost when you are one number amongst many. If you keep putting stuff out though, you'll catch someone who will keep reading your stuff, and you'll grow over time. My writing (which is trash) has managed to get an almost consistent audience of like 2000 and I post a new chapter about once a week.
>>93097547I bounce ideas with people. It usually doesn't matter what the other person says, so long as they say something because it at least lets me know the direction I don't want to go in which gives me more to build on. >>93122388Just so long as the audience gets a gist of what you mean in the quote without it sounding like you are up your own ass.
>>93139385Im currently posting once per day. I want to slow down to once a week, but Im scared about such a drastic slowdown.
>>93139470You shouldn't be that scared. Burnout is to be avoided. Also shilling is important. Or more charitably self-promotion. Looking around on 4chan boards would be a good start, figuring out where the audience for your work would be.
UNAFFILIATEDBelieve it or not, not everyone wants to be engaged in a forever war. Some are aware of the arcane wars, but lack the capacity to join the fight. Others simply want to be left alone.Others still feel that none of the major groups can be trusted, stemming from past incidents and abuses. Even the three benevolent groups have past stains on their reputation- The Templars, from the 1920s to the late 1940s, would execute newly awakened magi in droves for fear of demonic contamination, a practice that only ended when they were cut off from divine counsel and assistance for thirty years, forcing a massive restructure in ethics and personnel. The Illuminati kidnapped newer magi and put them into lethal experiments as both a recruitment practice and for experimentation, which ended after a massive internal civil war. The Arcane Court has a slew of instances in the past where draconian punishments such as Tabula Rasa or lifelong imprisonment were handed out on flimsy or no evidence whatsoever. More recently for all three is the damning Melody Pierwood incident in the 1980s that brought about Melody's law. Her refusal to accept resurrection only inflamed outcries about the horrific results of the mistrial and unjust sentence, and attempts to regain the good faith of arcane society have been a long, difficult affair. The incident, however, also raised awareness about the barbaric methods of their enemies, which meant that no one benefited from the horror in the long run.Sometimes the issue isn't one stance politically (or a lack thereof), but simply different goals for a magus. Some devote themselves to various arcane disciplines, believing the existence of magic a calling in and of itself to refine all its applications, be that development of spells, alchemy, or the creation of artifacts. Others offer more simple services within arcane communities- magi, no matter how powerful, still need to eat, drink, and have entertainment.
>>93139709>Burnout is to be avoided.I have almost 90 chapters already written, I wont have to deal with burnout for a while even at a daily pace, but I dont want to burn the entire backlog in a year. I'd rather keep this going for a longer period of time, help build a fanbase more.
>>93139709>>93140228Posted without asking but, I know webcomics go on /co/ and stuff, but where does one go for self-made Literature, aside from this thread?
Hello all, newfag here. Recently stumbled across stat blocks and such for Fear and Hunger monsters for DnD 5e. Felt pretty inspired by them to write a campaign for Funger 2 Termina in an alternate setting, where PC's are tasked with eliminating the game's contestants, having been moonscorched and failing the original premise of the festival of termina. This is my first time writing a campaign and its incredibly daunting, even though i have the game's maps, characters, and encounters already available via the wiki. Any tips for a first time homebrew campaign writer?
>>93081511Been stewing on a campaign/setting idea for awhile but wasn't sure how it might land. The concept is: A more whimsical and noblebright-ish setting with plenty of magic where adventurers deal with outright bad monsters and borderline saturday morning cartoon villains. There's hints of what used to be an "Old World" in the form of multi-millennia old ruins that most dungeoneers don't think too much about beyond looting. In reality, the ruins belong to a long dead civilization that was vastly more grim and hopeless where magic was rare and the "ancient evil" they fought against was a lovecraftian nightmare from beyond the stars. Only a handful of scholars know a portion of this information and they mainly keep to themselves. The idea would be for the party to initially go on fun adventures and slowly uncover the truth and horror of this forgotten age and come to the realization that this eldritch entity is actually still down there somewhere in the depths. Slumbering, waiting.
So i am currently working on the Backstory for a new character and could use some pointers for the backstory question my DM sent me. This is in a homebrew setting (sort of renaissance era) so i wil ltry to keep it a bit on the gerneral side:The short rundown so far: A squid encountered the Carcass of a Magical animal or Magic anomaly and was infused, transforming it into a being thats sort of humnoid in intelligence, connected to nature/magic that created it, often with animalistic aspects but also somewhat alien to normal humans called a "Schrat". (they usually live in peace with humans, but are often looked at with fear and scepticism and most keep away from civilisation). They don't have defined appearances, as their racial power is to mutate themselves a lot. After hanging out in the see after being newly formed she met a small commune of other aquatic Schrats where she heard tales of live above water, humans and ships and such. Which made her curious and start having contact with Humans, after a while she met a member of a society of good guys and was invited to join as they sort of collect exceptional individuals. (A surface species that can also communicate in ultrasound which she heard and got curious about)Her Personality is curious but also somewhat careful (often camouflaged against the background) and has clear tendencies of predatory animals (usually hunting and killing fish by hand and eating them raw) and isn't necessarily well adjusted to surface/human life. Here's the questions from my DM i could use some inspiration / pointers for:What are the biggest Wishes and Biggest fears of your Character? What is your characters biggest nightmare, what does the Character dream of normally? (Dreams are quite central in the setting)What does the character do in her free time?What is the basic Motivation of the Character? Which secrets does she have? How could the Character Develop?How would the Story of this character end? How would she die?
>>93141137i worked out some rough ideas for those questions but i'd be happy for suggestions to establish it a bit better, im not the greatest backstory writer:>What are the biggest Wishes and Biggest fears of your Character?wish: establishing meaningful personal relationships, being accepted by peoplefear: being stranded somewhere without water>What is your characters biggest nightmare, what does the Character dream of normally? (Dreams are quite central in the setting)Biggest nightmare would be drying out in a desert or something like that. A nice Dream would be floating on the ocean and looking at the full moon while sorrounded by colourful jellyfish etc.>What does the character do in her free time?Swimming, Snooping in places where she doesn't belong, hunting mice&rats>What is the basic Motivation of the Character? Curiosity, Need for Social Contact>Which secrets does she have???>How could the Character Develop?Adjustment to human society, finding faith in the dominant theology (Sun&Moon Worship)>How would the Story of this character end? How would she die???
>>93140410Select the encounters you like and write the story around them, because combat takes by far the most amount of time. It's been a while since I was a DM, but I used to start with the encounter then plan non-combat scenarios to go before and after it that I could either cut or pad out as needed. E.g. an NPC that could be more or less intransigent about giving the PCs the next clue depending on how much time there was left in the session. That way one session = one chapter of the story.You don't have to write like that, of course. It's absolutely find to just run continuously, picking up wherever you left off last session. But I found it convenient to 1. have a satisfying conclusion to end the session, and 2. it meant that if someone suddenly dropped out of a session I could write their character out by sending them off on a side quest, without having to pluck them from the middle of combat or something equally vital.Of course, sometimes my players were dummies who couldn't solve the simplest problems and took way longer than I expected. But that's the second lesson: be prepared for your players to take you off script. Write a main plot, but sketch out outlines where there are possible divergence points.
>>93141137>>93141729Are you asking us to provide you alternative answers (unless you meant something else by saying "pointers") to all of those questions, or to only fill out the two you didn't nail yet?
I feel like I made my characters too powerful to experience proper horror scenes. I know I can just depower them but I feel like I presented my audience with a certain expected level of competency, and dipping below that only brings frustration. I cant really "uncross a threshold" and bring it back to spooky ghosts and demonic possessions and such
>>93144709i am somewhat happy with most of the answers i have (and so was the DM from what i saw), but i am really struggling with the questions>which secrets does she have? and>How would the Story of this character end? How would she die?And i feel like the answers to "What is the basic Motivation of the Character?" is still a bit weak and basic. Especially in regard to that this character is supposed to be a bit more alien. I was thinking for the secret maybe something like "Ate a human before she really knew what humans were" to showcase the somewhat animalistic origins, but i have the feeling that might be a bit too edgy?
>>93148366DBZ has shown us that there's no limit to powercreep.
