Nagash
Sage
This is it - i've finally done "enough world-building" to seriously start my work as a story-teller, and draft the first chapters of my book series. Over the past three years, i've been working a great deal on this one WIP i've felt compelled to bring to life through writing; but i've never definitely crossed this decisive step where you think "i've got the plot for good; i've got the characters; i've got the greater themes; and most of all, i've got in mind the story's path, where it begins, and where it will eventually end". This is to say that, while i've been in fact working on some minor sequences of the huge work i'm now apprehending, i've never put an end to the seemingly unending stream of world-building and actually got to work and write down the story - until now. At last, i do feel ready to move on.
Thing is, as i stare at the base of what will eventually become my story, i see many, many elements that i'm afraid might be confusing as i forward the narrating process, or even worst, for the reader as he unravels the story, page after page. Basically, i've been hellbent on painting a complex and sophisticated world, lore-wise, but also thematically : after roughly two years and a half spent of world-building, over three-hundred pages on general history, i may have gotten infected with this strong yet insatiable desire to explore every single details of my WIP throughout my book series. Having reasoned myself, i thought it might be better to keep the focus on some main elements of the lore, and keep shadier, lesser pieces of the universe's background to some side-projects and/or novels. Still, it seems that i'm simply trying to put too much content into what seems a herculean task for a writer : i originally planned to write five books (a fairly epic achievement if you ask me), but upon seeing all that which i wished to include, i might as well write nine, or even twelve of them (a life-long work, no doubt). Not that writing long book series is an unachievable task - some did with a fair amount of success - but for mere mortals such as ourselves (me at the very least), it seems like a hollow dream. But i might as well give it my best shot, right ?
Anyway. Its not that i lack the determination - i actually believe i have plenty of that for the time being - but i fear, that too complex a story might be suffocating for the reader, or barely readable because of a far too scattered narration/plot-line. To give you an idea of what i'm dealing with here, i'm planning on introducing over fifty characters - that is to say fifty main and/or secondary characters; not redshirts. Sure, i've planned to kill a bunch of them, but it will eventually get crowded, with many plot-lines crossing one another and making it a rather... "colorful" mashup. I realize that none of this actually makes any sense to you right now, since you don't know anything about my story or its background, so i'll try to give a brief overview of the main plot-lines, characters, major themes and intrigue. Feel free to comment - i give them up to you readers, writers and artists because i definitely need your advice on this one. I must feel like my narrative and lore base is strong before carrying on with my story-writing.
General overview
The story takes place is Zael, a medieval era world considered very old by sentient beings who recently exhumed puzzling ruins and vestiges of passed civilization they know nothing of. There are three known continents and an tropical archipelago, where many races and civilizations - some more well-known than others - have sprung over three millenniums of history. Said civilization have come to interact with each other with time, sharing their later history with the neighboring kingdoms and empires - for a bunch of reasons, while being in medieval state of evolution (technologically speaking), there is a common notion of "international order" and "world leading nations". Many empires co-exist, on land and sea.
As for magic, it is essential in the world in itself, seeing how supernatural events occur frequently, but its practice (by mages, wizards, warlocks and what have you) stays very strictly framed by sects and organization, not to mention religious institutions. Nevertheless, it is obvious that magic operates in the world, and that some kind of unidentified higher power overrules the natural order of things.
The story begins in the year 299 of the fallen age (otherwise spoke as 299 years after the Fall), three-centuries after a consequent cataclysm of unknown provenance, which resulted in the death of one of Zael's two suns. Since it was a distant star, the impact wasn't as important as one might expect, but it still had natural repercussions, resulting in the death of thousands (starvation, climactic changes, etc...). Ever since this dreaded year, untamed magical activity seems to have increased exponentially...
People and civilization
A very quick overview
- Humans : One of Zael's most populous species, divided in multiple ethnicities, and which built some of the greatest kingdoms in known history, across the three continents. In the year 299, six human Kingdoms collaborate in a fragile alliance known as "The silver Alliance", forged in the last great war, one-hundred and sixty years ago - it is a political and military union. However, geographic location has put a strain on said alliance, with only four of the six kingdoms being on the main continent and having lost their keen edge for diplomacy with time, since the thrones were since claimed by different houses. Humans are therefore a deeply divided race, geographically, historically, culturally and ethnically...
- Sehras : The second most populous specie of Zael, and arguably the most powerful. The Sehras are lizardlike humanoids, thicker and stronger than men, and yet extremely intelligent. In archaic times, Sehras fought each other savagely in an unending fratricide war, because of their natural tendency for violence and bloodthirsty instincts - over time how ever, clans were formed in order to survive, and a few centuries later, two rival empires were born - their religious differences made it impossible to melt the two empires into one. The Sehras grew - as a race - to be sophisticated and pious conquerors, always acting in the name of the "greater good". Their first interactions with mankind having been hostile, the Sehras grew closer to each other with time. Today, the twin empires are the strongest nations in the world, collaborating with men in order to maintain some sort of peace in a world tarnished by hate.
- Khalaani : The khalaani are a race of tall humanoids with grey skin and great sensibility to magic - they live in the easternmost region of the main continent, and are the shunned neighbors of the twin empires of the Sehras. Their aggressive culture was built upon a mysterious cult which grew to become a nation-wide religion that is seen as profane, unholy and heretic by most of Zael's other nations. Over the course of history, the Khalaani became the hereditary enemies of the Sehras for a myriad of reasons, starting with opposing cultures, conflicting religions, half a dozen wars and slaughters... The two share a common hatred, which culminated, 160 years ago, into the "Whitened War", where the Sehras crushed ruthlessly the Khalaani, spreading resent amid the population.
- Lycans : The lycans are a race of wolfish humanoids who came from the "second continent" and were originally pirates who foamed the seas. Some time after the conquest of their continent by men, they built a strong and lasting empire over much of the land, having resisted the assaults of the royal armies. They are fierce warriors, only matched by the Sehras, and became great merchants over time. However, when their beloved emperor disappeared (one-hundred and sixty years ago), the empire fell apart in a civil war with the original tribes clashing for the throne. Ever since, the lycans have been living in the ruins of their shattered nations, struggling with a never-ending revolutions, and the threats from beyond their borders - especially with the human Kingdom of Toxo (second continent as well) looking forward to expanding.
- Dravesh : The dravesh are a tough and strong, bull-like humanoid race (minotaurs) who once lived as nomads, on the now inhabitable island of Dragan, which was destroyed during the cataclysm of The Fall (year 0). The Dravesh were saved by explorers and were able to reach the main continent by ship when they sailed back to their homeland. The Sehras have granted the Dravesh the possibility to settle within their lands and build a new home there. The Dravesh are a weakly populated race, although it has been growing ever since their arrival on the Sehras's mainland.
- Orcs : Very little is know about this race from the "third continent" (Tyrashi) - they appeared briefly fifty years ago, when the Tyrashi empire launched a failed invasion from the sea of the main continent, bringing along these tall and physically brutish beings they had enslaved in unknown times.
- Tyrashi : Little is known about the Tyrashi and their empire, far away over the seas, since they have appeared on very rare occasions on the mainland. They are seen as barbaric humans worshiping a cruel and bloodthirsty god we know nothing of.
Thing is, as i stare at the base of what will eventually become my story, i see many, many elements that i'm afraid might be confusing as i forward the narrating process, or even worst, for the reader as he unravels the story, page after page. Basically, i've been hellbent on painting a complex and sophisticated world, lore-wise, but also thematically : after roughly two years and a half spent of world-building, over three-hundred pages on general history, i may have gotten infected with this strong yet insatiable desire to explore every single details of my WIP throughout my book series. Having reasoned myself, i thought it might be better to keep the focus on some main elements of the lore, and keep shadier, lesser pieces of the universe's background to some side-projects and/or novels. Still, it seems that i'm simply trying to put too much content into what seems a herculean task for a writer : i originally planned to write five books (a fairly epic achievement if you ask me), but upon seeing all that which i wished to include, i might as well write nine, or even twelve of them (a life-long work, no doubt). Not that writing long book series is an unachievable task - some did with a fair amount of success - but for mere mortals such as ourselves (me at the very least), it seems like a hollow dream. But i might as well give it my best shot, right ?
Anyway. Its not that i lack the determination - i actually believe i have plenty of that for the time being - but i fear, that too complex a story might be suffocating for the reader, or barely readable because of a far too scattered narration/plot-line. To give you an idea of what i'm dealing with here, i'm planning on introducing over fifty characters - that is to say fifty main and/or secondary characters; not redshirts. Sure, i've planned to kill a bunch of them, but it will eventually get crowded, with many plot-lines crossing one another and making it a rather... "colorful" mashup. I realize that none of this actually makes any sense to you right now, since you don't know anything about my story or its background, so i'll try to give a brief overview of the main plot-lines, characters, major themes and intrigue. Feel free to comment - i give them up to you readers, writers and artists because i definitely need your advice on this one. I must feel like my narrative and lore base is strong before carrying on with my story-writing.
General overview
The story takes place is Zael, a medieval era world considered very old by sentient beings who recently exhumed puzzling ruins and vestiges of passed civilization they know nothing of. There are three known continents and an tropical archipelago, where many races and civilizations - some more well-known than others - have sprung over three millenniums of history. Said civilization have come to interact with each other with time, sharing their later history with the neighboring kingdoms and empires - for a bunch of reasons, while being in medieval state of evolution (technologically speaking), there is a common notion of "international order" and "world leading nations". Many empires co-exist, on land and sea.
As for magic, it is essential in the world in itself, seeing how supernatural events occur frequently, but its practice (by mages, wizards, warlocks and what have you) stays very strictly framed by sects and organization, not to mention religious institutions. Nevertheless, it is obvious that magic operates in the world, and that some kind of unidentified higher power overrules the natural order of things.
The story begins in the year 299 of the fallen age (otherwise spoke as 299 years after the Fall), three-centuries after a consequent cataclysm of unknown provenance, which resulted in the death of one of Zael's two suns. Since it was a distant star, the impact wasn't as important as one might expect, but it still had natural repercussions, resulting in the death of thousands (starvation, climactic changes, etc...). Ever since this dreaded year, untamed magical activity seems to have increased exponentially...
People and civilization
A very quick overview
- Humans : One of Zael's most populous species, divided in multiple ethnicities, and which built some of the greatest kingdoms in known history, across the three continents. In the year 299, six human Kingdoms collaborate in a fragile alliance known as "The silver Alliance", forged in the last great war, one-hundred and sixty years ago - it is a political and military union. However, geographic location has put a strain on said alliance, with only four of the six kingdoms being on the main continent and having lost their keen edge for diplomacy with time, since the thrones were since claimed by different houses. Humans are therefore a deeply divided race, geographically, historically, culturally and ethnically...
- Sehras : The second most populous specie of Zael, and arguably the most powerful. The Sehras are lizardlike humanoids, thicker and stronger than men, and yet extremely intelligent. In archaic times, Sehras fought each other savagely in an unending fratricide war, because of their natural tendency for violence and bloodthirsty instincts - over time how ever, clans were formed in order to survive, and a few centuries later, two rival empires were born - their religious differences made it impossible to melt the two empires into one. The Sehras grew - as a race - to be sophisticated and pious conquerors, always acting in the name of the "greater good". Their first interactions with mankind having been hostile, the Sehras grew closer to each other with time. Today, the twin empires are the strongest nations in the world, collaborating with men in order to maintain some sort of peace in a world tarnished by hate.
- Khalaani : The khalaani are a race of tall humanoids with grey skin and great sensibility to magic - they live in the easternmost region of the main continent, and are the shunned neighbors of the twin empires of the Sehras. Their aggressive culture was built upon a mysterious cult which grew to become a nation-wide religion that is seen as profane, unholy and heretic by most of Zael's other nations. Over the course of history, the Khalaani became the hereditary enemies of the Sehras for a myriad of reasons, starting with opposing cultures, conflicting religions, half a dozen wars and slaughters... The two share a common hatred, which culminated, 160 years ago, into the "Whitened War", where the Sehras crushed ruthlessly the Khalaani, spreading resent amid the population.
- Lycans : The lycans are a race of wolfish humanoids who came from the "second continent" and were originally pirates who foamed the seas. Some time after the conquest of their continent by men, they built a strong and lasting empire over much of the land, having resisted the assaults of the royal armies. They are fierce warriors, only matched by the Sehras, and became great merchants over time. However, when their beloved emperor disappeared (one-hundred and sixty years ago), the empire fell apart in a civil war with the original tribes clashing for the throne. Ever since, the lycans have been living in the ruins of their shattered nations, struggling with a never-ending revolutions, and the threats from beyond their borders - especially with the human Kingdom of Toxo (second continent as well) looking forward to expanding.
- Dravesh : The dravesh are a tough and strong, bull-like humanoid race (minotaurs) who once lived as nomads, on the now inhabitable island of Dragan, which was destroyed during the cataclysm of The Fall (year 0). The Dravesh were saved by explorers and were able to reach the main continent by ship when they sailed back to their homeland. The Sehras have granted the Dravesh the possibility to settle within their lands and build a new home there. The Dravesh are a weakly populated race, although it has been growing ever since their arrival on the Sehras's mainland.
- Orcs : Very little is know about this race from the "third continent" (Tyrashi) - they appeared briefly fifty years ago, when the Tyrashi empire launched a failed invasion from the sea of the main continent, bringing along these tall and physically brutish beings they had enslaved in unknown times.
- Tyrashi : Little is known about the Tyrashi and their empire, far away over the seas, since they have appeared on very rare occasions on the mainland. They are seen as barbaric humans worshiping a cruel and bloodthirsty god we know nothing of.