World Creation Superdraft 4: May 2020

[Sociotard]

As inspired by the "Burning Wheel" RPG, and a good bit of "The Lord of the Rings":

 

Bonus Domain: Grief and Lamentation

 

 

[death tribble]

4 hours ago, death tribble said:

Sentient Race: The Loyahs

So when Sociotard posted the laughing emoji I did not understand why.

I needed a name for the race that the evil God created and it could not be Orc. So what to do ?

I settled on reversing the name of the god problem solved. I recalled Sheol as a name I recognised but did not want something close to what we had in the past so chose Shayol.

 

It was not until I read through the description again and pronounced the sentient race that I suddenly realised you could say it was the same as lawyers. It fits for the Evil god. But I assure everyone that i did not do the whole evil god bit to make one joke about lawyers.

[Old Man]

 

Inscissivus also found that, like any other problem, conflicts could be resolved with one cut.  Quickly, decisively, and finally.

 

Secondary (extra) domain: Combat

[death tribble]

Should that domain have an ! after it ?

Or Generally Intelligent in front of it ?

Or Mortal in front of it ?

[Pariah]

After some consideration, I'm afraid I have to withdraw from this Superdraft. Final grades are due in a couple of weeks, and keeping up with this thing is going to take more time and energy than I can reasonably commit to during that time.

 

My apologies to anyone adversely affected by my decision.

[death tribble]

Anyone wishing to step in and complete Pariah's take, please let me know.

[Sociotard]

Okay, my plan for Monday was to draft a secondary domain: Frost elves. Elves wholly devoted to the god of cold, and built on his concepts of silence, order, and logic.

 

If you let me take over as god of Cold, I'd be happy to put that as his Sentient Life, and fill out the rest of his slots.

[death tribble]

I'll see if anyone not already taking part wants to join in first.

Otherwise.....

[Sociotard]

hmm, I don't know if I'm custodian of Pariahs draft yet.  So I'll do my monster instead

 

Monster: The Leannán Sídhe

 

It was no marathon.

 

A lone half-elf trudged up the stairs. Her pack of rations was empty and discarded. Her shoes had long since given way to rags, and she left bloody footprints as she climbed. And she climbed. Once, she had paused each sunset, to pray to the Fair Star directly. Now, she only climbed, panting out her pleas without stopping. She did not sleep. She did not stop.

 

She was confused when her hand reached for the next step and found none. No stone at all, but white carpet embroidered with silver thread. Was she asleep. She bit her swollen tongue. No. Not asleep. But did she dare hope . . .

 

"ATTEND TO HER."

 

She saw spectral figures, bearing linens and platters and vessels of all shapes. They cleaned her wounds and dressed them. She drank water from a silver cup, weeping to know where she was.

 

"YOU ARE ABLE TO SPEAK NOW."

 

It was as much an observation as a command. Yes. She could feel the change in her mouth and tongue and throat. But, what? In all her climbing, had she paused to think just what she'd say if she was admitted?

 

"A young man, your fairness. He needs rescue, I think. I had a hand in him growing up, learning, being admitted to the Nogram college of Mathematics. I lead him into it." Her voice caught. "I sent him into it and made him think it was worth so much. I made him think earning his doctorate was worth so much. I did.

Please save him from what I did."

 

"YOU MUST SAY WHAT TROUBLE FACES HIM."

 

"I . . . he . . . he is dying. I think. He is gaunt. I caught him coughing blood the other day, and a tooth fell out. He doesn't eat or sleep, he just works on his dissertation. There is something wrong, but I can't see what." She paused. "And . . . there is a woman. She is at the center of it, I think. I visit him, to get him to eat, to rest, but she whispers in his ear and pushes him on."

 

"SHE HELPS HIM?"

 

An angry shrug. "Oh, she seemed sweet enough at first. She'd rub his hands when he was tired of writing, or give him honeyed teas after he argued his ideas before faculty. She'd bring him texts from the library and they'd always be just the thing he needed to continue. And, um," how to say this before divinity? "She satisfies him in a carnal way. Often. I think that is why he won't listen to any counsel but hers."

 

"SOME HAVE TRIED TO BE CHASTE WITH HER. IT DOESN'T HELP. DISTANCE DOESN'T HELP. A SEPARATION WITH MOUNTAINS AND WALLS DOESN'T HELP. ONCE HER VICTIM EMBRACES HER GIFTS, THE LINK IS SET. SO AS THAT YOUNG MAN EMBRACES HER GIFTS, SO SHE WILL DRAIN THE LIFE FROM HIS BODY."

 

Her mouth dropped. "You . . . know who she is? What she is? What? A vampire, or a succubus?"

 

"SHE ISN'T UNDEAD. SHE PROMISES PEOPLE IMMORTALITY, BUT IT IS THE METAPHORICAL IMMORTALITY OF BEING REMEMBERED AND RECOGNIZED FOREVER. SHE IS THE LEANNÁN SÍDHE." He pronounced it Lee-ahn-AHN SHE. "SHE WAS AN EARLY EXPERIMENT, NECESSARY FOR ME TO FOUND LINES OF MODERN ELVES, AND SHE IS ONE OF THE FEW OF THESE TO SURVIVE TO THIS DAY. SHE HAS ACCESS TO PRIMAL SOURCES OF CREATIVITY AND INSPIRATION USED BY THE GODS THEMSELVES, AND SHE LIVES BY EXCHANGING THAT ACCESS FOR THE VERY LIFE FORCE OF THE YOUNG. THE MORE THEY TAP, THE FASTER SHE FEEDS."

 

"Can't anything break him free?"

 

"IT HAS HAPPENED THAT SOME PEOPLE FOUND TRUE SELF DISCIPLINE. THEY FOUND BALANCE BETWEEN THEIR DESIRE TO CREATE AND CARING FOR THEMSELVES. THEY STILL DREW ON THAT PRIMAL FOUNTAIN, BUT RARELY ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD HEAL BETWEEN USES. THEY ENJOYED AS LONG LIVES AS ANYONE, AND USUALLY FINISHED THEIR GREAT WORKS TOO. OTHERWISE THE LEANNÁN SÍDHE MUST BE LED AWAY TO USE A DIFFERENT CREATIVE TALENT TO MARK WITH A GREAT WORK. SHE'S DONE SO  MANY, YOU KNOW. WORKS OF POETRY, OR MUSIC. FEATS OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE. ONCE, A SET OF STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL INNOVATIONS THAT WERE ENSHRINED IN THE CONQUEST OF A NEW EMPIRE."

 

She nodded slowly. "I either need to persuade him to take it slower and take care of himself or," a pause to look within herself, to find resolve, "find another young male elf with promise, and make her his problem."

 

"YOU NEEDN'T RESTRICT YOURSELF, SHE IS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL, BUT SHE CHANGES HER APPEARANCE EASILY. SHE CAN BE ANOTHER SPECIES, OR A MAN OR WOMAN, DEPENDING ON THE TASTE OF HER TARGET. AND YET, HAVE YOU NOT HAD DREAMS? HAVE YOU NOT CONSULTED THE AUGURS?"    

 

She closed her eyes. "I have."

 

"AND WHAT HAVE THEY TOLD YOU?"

 

"They have said . . . that his dissertation will be great. That his name will be held in awe for many generations and that his legacy will be key in other great works by other people yet to come." Fresh tears now. "They have said it cannot be avoided."

 

"DESTINY CANNOT, NOT WHEN SEALED WITH CHOICE FREELY MADE. DO YOU GRIEVE?"

 

"Yes."

 

"THEN COME, AND I WILL GRIEVE WITH YOU."
 

[death tribble]

We'll leave Pariah's selections until Wednesday.

[Psybolt]

Sentient Life:  Fairies

 

[L. Marcus]

Sentient Life: Dragons!

[Sociotard]

24 minutes ago, Psybolt said:

Sentient Life:  Fairies

 

 

Related to Wee Folk or not?

[Psybolt]

24 minutes ago, Sociotard said:

 

Related to Wee Folk or not?

Maybe distant cousins, second removed

[L. Marcus]

"Wee" as in "tiny", I hope? Not urologists?

[Sociotard]

As my wee folk are little more than magic flying monkeys, no, I would not ask their medical opinion. 😄

[csyphrett]

As the Integral Tree grew through the world, Vulcanis knew it would need people to defend it from villains trying to use it to reach other rings of the world. So he placed his sentient race there to help those that needed it, and push off those who wanted to cut the tree apart. He created his Lemur Legionnaires to be that force for good.

CES 

[death tribble]

No !

 

No !

 

Not the Lemur Legionnaires !

 

I'm sorry but I find that funny.

[death tribble]

On 5/6/2020 at 7:16 PM, Hermit said:

"Why, hello there" -Trickster God

It should be said like this

 

[DShomshak]

2 hours ago, death tribble said:

We'll leave Pariah's selections until Wednesday.

 

I had intended merely to be a spectator (and occasional kibitzer), but I had in idea for something to do with the God of Cold. I'll let you know in a few hours if I'm able to assume Pariah's duties as the god's developer.

 

Dean Shomshak

[L. Marcus]

Yeeess ... Joooin uuusss ...

[death tribble]

3 hours ago, L. Marcus said:

Sentient Life: Dragons!

Care to give this some more background ?

Are they fire breathers or are they like Dungeons and Dragons dragons with different colours etc ?

[DShomshak]

6 hours ago, L. Marcus said:

Yeeess ... Joooin uuusss ...

 

Isn't that the God of Evil's line?

 

Anyway, a little thought and a bit of writing persuade me I have something Pariah might not find too unworthy of Kylvn.

 

Sociotard: If you want to make Frost Elves anyway, I don't object. If it's okay with Death Tribble as administrator of this Superdraft, it's okay with me.

------------

Kylvn speaks seldom at the banquets of the Gods. Thus some were surprised when he rose and spake:

 

Attend, my holy siblings, friends and foes:

An aspect of the World I now ordain.

To some an interference cutting deep

(Thou seest what I did, Inscissivus!)

And yet it may become a gift to all.

 

With thee, O Liminus, I interfere:

A span of time I claim, in which My chill

Pervadest all the turnings of the World.

Recurring cyclical in such a way

That all shall feel its shiver many times;

And “Winter” I decree shall be its name;

A time of dearth for mortals, hunger, fear;

And yet a time of comfort by the fire

For those who plan and their provisions store.

 

But this my gift to you, O Liminus:

In care shall mortals count thy passing days,

From winter’s start to winter’s start, that they

Might thus prepare; and this, my greater span

I do propose that We should call a “Year.”

 

And thee, Volcanis, also meddlest I,

Thy weather to become My vehicle:

With snow and driving hail on bitter winds,

And yet the billows on Thy seas be stilled

And silent for a season, ‘neath the ice.

 

But greater still My meddling! For the Tree

Integral shall be herald of my time

When it put forth great blossoms all of ice

From whence as perfume doth My winter come!

 

And yet you may some consolation find,

For though My winter comest without fail,

Still Thou decidest where the blizzard falls.

And as I workest through Thy sacred Tree,

The precedent is set and order giv’n:

So must the other Gods, if They as well

Their seasons would define within the Year.

 

And to you other Gods these gifts I give,

That Winter may be pleasing to you all:

 

Inscissivus, the Seasons honor Thee

By Time dividing into different spans.

And mortals in their combats may discern

That Winter is a weapon for the wise

To wield against an over-reckless foe.

 

Let Nogram be assured that Winter brings

To mortals care for weight and measure, that

Day by cautious day they calculate

Their provender, that they may have enough

To last the unforgiving Winter through.

And if by carelessness or unkind chance

They find their sums made wrong… Then, Eternus,

Their lives do pass unto Thine empery.

 

To Tasha and to Shayol, I confess,

I often cannot tell you two apart.

Yet both may find in Winter something dear:

For in this time of hardship mortals shall

Their choices make and characters define.

Perhaps they shall be generous, show love,

And place the morsel in another’s mouth

Despite their belly’s ache and selfish growl.

Or callousness display with sumptuous feast

While hungering neighbors shiver by the door.

 

To Andrea, I offer only this:

That in a time of hard reality,

A dream may be the only comfort left

And so its preciousness be made more great.

 

To the Fair Star, alas, I little give.

My inspiration fails; I have but this:

The Cave Elves, living underground,

Shall Winter never know: I make no claim

Upon their subterranean demesne.

 

And last to Fox, whom I know skulketh near,

Unseen, yet seen with Reason’s inner eye,

I offer this — a simple gift for one

Of simple tastes — Which You shall understand

When next you see a mortal strive to walk

Upon My ice — and I need say no more!

 

Dean Shomshak

[Sociotard]

That's okay. I'll stick them in my own roster. Have fun, and thanks for joining!

[death tribble]

I am a little confused. To put it simply is DShomshak saying that Winter is the Interference ?