It Began in a Tavern (OOC Thread) (Part 2)

[Louanne Learning]

maybe, there are different universes, but Kurai and Yuuna only have dominion over this one.

When the gear turns, our characters are transported to another universe as "temporary housing"

 

[ps102]

maybe, there are different universes, but Kurai and Yuuna only have dominion over this one.

You are a part of this story too, so if you want multiple universes, just add them in anyway you like The only thing I ask is it doesn't nullify existing lore. We do want consistency.

When the gear turns, our characters are transported to another universe as "temporary housing"

The queen will drive the gear to go to God, not another universe. That's her goal after all. I'm thinking that she ends up in nothingness (because a God doesn't exist) and she desperately searches, but eventually finds a reflection of herself—meaning that she is the architect—and that everyone is the architect. The gear basically takes her to herself.

Or... in the darkness... she finds another version of herself. Maybe the good side of her.

What happens after that? I dunno, but we can figure it out in the moment. This whole thing will be part of the last couple of posts so we need to make sure that it's as epic as possible! Most importantly, we want to make sure that there is a message to it all.

 

[Louanne Learning]

so if you want multiple universes, just add them in anyway you like

The queen will drive the gear to go to God, not another universe.

Well, a couple of things - in my last entry, it was established that turning the gear represents the death and rebirth of the universe

I guess during this time, Melina is on her quest to find God, but where is everyone else?

 

[ps102]

Well, a couple of things - in my last entry, it was established that turning the gear represents the death and rebirth of the universe

I have to apologize. I never noticed this. Can I ask for some elaboration on what that means? I want to understand this better and what you had in mind when you wrote it.

I guess during this time, Melina is on her quest to find God, but where is everyone else?

It's hardly a quest. What I described there can be covered in something like 1,500 words. It's not the battle itself or anything like that, but Melina discovering the truth we've been talking about this whole time.

Remember the battle we were talking about? The good side will also have some gear fragments like we agreed. The battle will be about the good side ceasing the rest of the gear fragments from Melina so they can stop her. This is where everyone is, including our trio. But the opposite happens and Melina obtains the gear fragments from the good side, constructing the gear and going to God.

A good final battle often has interesting turning points like this, one where the opposing side seems to be on the brink of loosing everything. Melina then uses the gear to tear through space in order to go to God. That's obviously a bad thing, but our characters find a way to prevail afterwards anyway.

This has been the whole plan all this time if you look at Act 3 of the plot thread:

• Melina, with her army of demons, wages war so she can obtain the rest of the fragments. The battle for the gear starts.
• Melina succeeds in recovering all of the fragments. Filled with rage and lust for power, she constructs the gear and drives it.
• She uses it to tear through space in order to go and kill The Architect (God). Olive follows her there and does her best to stop her.
• The two, together, discover a startling truth about The Architect.
• At some point, the battle comes to a conclusion. Olive uses the gear to restore the sun, moon and stars.
• The world slowly goes back to normal.
• Denouncement scenes happen and all character loose ends are tied.
• The story ends with a hopeful note.

The reason I made it this way is because it makes sense. Melina wants power and the gear is her way to that. She wants to go to God, kill him, and become a Goddess herself. It makes sense when you consider everything we've had so far. Melina is supposed to be angry with the world just like Kurai is.

However, this is not final, so we can discuss changes. Do you want any? Do you not like this plan? Please feel free to tell me

 

[Louanne Learning]

Do you not like this plan?

It's a great plan!

Then there has to be steps in the turning of the gear.

Maybe half a turn gets Melina through the tear in space and time.

But before she can do the full turn, our heroes stop her

 

[ps102]

It's a great plan!

Then there has to be steps in the turning of the gear.

Maybe half a turn gets Melina through the tear in space and time.

But before she can do the full turn, our heroes stop her

That makes sense to me. The way she turns it affects what it does.

To make this possible, we can alter the existing lore like this so (see the bold text for the change)

The gear is an extremely powerful palm-shaped object that can alter and influence the world. The spirits used it back in the beginning of time to create everything as it is now. For example, Yuuna made light and Kurai darkness. It can be used to alter the world in almost anyway. The only thing the gear cannot affect is the most basic element of existance: Ether. It can only use Ether to create bigger elements through combination. It can also be used for fast destruction.​

​

In the early days of humanity, it was discovered and used by the leader of a tribe to destroy their enemies. The leader did not stop there and sought to conquer everything—until the spirits stepped in and fought to seize the artefact. The effort to do so resulted in a massive battle that resulted in mass death, suffering and destruction. This day, known in history as "The Calamity", was also the day spirits went to hiding due to dissapointment and fear. Yuuna in particular felt shame for her creation.​

​

To prevent another such occurance, they split the gear into seven fragments and scattered them across the country in hopes that something like this would never happen again. The only reason they succeed in recovering it was because humans were not yet fully capable of harnessing is power.​

​

The user must drive the gear in order to harness its capability. Spirits can do it naturally, but humans cannot. They require immense Ether reserves to use it meaningfully.​

​

It works with turns. The way a user turns the gear affects what it does. A full turn will cause the rebirth of the universe.​

This makes perfect sense. Melina, as the Goddess, would want to re-create the universe in a way that she likes after she gets rid of God. If that sounds good to you, I can make this edit.

 

[Louanne Learning]

If that sounds good to you, I can make this edit.

Sounds great! Thanks so much.

 

[ps102]

Sounds great! Thanks so much.

Okay, I will make the edit when you have the Book of Embers lore ready.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Okay, I will make the edit when you have the Book of Embers lore ready.

Oops, I forgot about that. Sorry, thanks for the reminder. I will do it right now.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Book of Embers

This is what I have so far. Do you have any suggestion for the paragraph about "its functions?"

The Book of Embers

The Book of Embers is the sacred scriptures of beginnings and endings. From the smallest to the largest things, including life itself, it lays out how to bring about change.

In our story, its knowledge was used to resurrect the Ghosts of Kodama Abbey. The Book described how the High Mage and High Scientist would come together with a royal violin, and thus awake the ghosts.

The Book of Embers describes the various uses of the Celestial Gear. Not only does it describe the gear’s structure, but also its many functions. (What to add to this paragraph?)

The final chapter in the Book of Embers outlines the doctrine of Eternal Recurrence. This doctrine states that the universe echoes through an eternity of infinite cycles, dying and being reborn in the fire of change. This is accomplished with a special turning of the Celestial Gear, which may result in a rearrangement of the circular motions of the heavens, leading to either purification or corruption, depending on who has control of the moving image. In other words, the type of magic used to make the turn decides the future.

 

[ps102]

This is what I have so far. Do you have any suggestion for the paragraph about "its functions?"

My suggestion is: speak broadly over its functions. There are many (considering it was used to construct everything) so write about the vastness of its usefulness and power.

Other than that, I see no other conflicts with the existing lore.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Post and link in OP made in Lore thread

Post in thread 'It Began in a Tavern - World and Lore Encyclopedia'

Today at 12:19 PM

The Book of Embers

The Book of Embers is the sacred scriptures of beginnings and endings. From the smallest to the largest things, including life itself, it lays out how to bring about change.

In our story, its knowledge was used to resurrect the Ghosts of Kodama Abbey. The Book described how the High Mage and High Scientist would come together with a royal violin, and thus awake the ghosts.

The Book of Embers describes the various uses of the Celestial Gear. Not only does it describe the gear’s structure, but also its many functions. Its applications are broad in scope, the cause...

• Louanne Learning

 

[ps102]

Scrolls of Yuuna and Kurai​

The two scrolls, along with The Book of Embers, are part of the three scriptures.

The Scroll of Yuuna predicts that three women, each representing one of the three major social classes, will embark on an adventure to change the world. Each of the trio will provide their own unique experience to create the diversity required to bring balance and order instead of chaos, discord and inequality. Light, peace and harmony are the core themes of the scroll.

The Scroll of Kurai predicts that a warrior will cease the legendary gear and grasp all of existence. She will use her power to tear the world apart and restore it anew. A big part of the scroll tells epic stories on how the warrior will achieve the feat. Many of the stories hint how the warrior will destroy the sun and bring darkness, but darkness is portrayed as positive.

Both of the scrolls were written by Yuuna and Kurai. They encapsulate the will of each spirit. Kurai wrote his scroll to depict the warrior Melina is meant to be, while Yuuna wrote her scroll to tell her of her ideal visions for humanity and the wider world.

 

[ps102]

Whoops, I meant to post this in the lore thread! Haha... I'll do that. Can you also link it?

 

[Louanne Learning]

Can you also link it?

Done!

I thought of something that Katara and Ravenna can do to fulfill the Scriptures and realize their fates - retrieve the gear fragments that will come into possession of the good guys.

 

[ps102]

I thought of something that Katara and Ravenna can do to fulfill the Scriptures and realize their fates - retrieve the gear fragments that will come into possession of the good guys.

I thought of the same thing multiple times. But I never suggested it because I wasn't sure it was a good idea since they are non-mages. Now that you mention it though, I think it's a great idea.

Katara is half-scientist, so maybe with her big brains. She can outsmart everyone, including the mages. The experience is meant to develop her so it would work.

Ravenna has a lot of survival skills as a lab rat, so she can provide those and help Katara that way.

What do you think? You will be the one writing this for the most part, so it's up to you, just like how Sophia is up to me. I am merely providing suggestions.

 

[Louanne Learning]

What do you think? You will be the one writing this for the most part,

I think it is a great idea, because Olive needs more time where she is, and Melina has to gather her fragments.

So what do you think? We talked about the colours of the spectrum corresponding to the fragments -

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet

If I recall correctly, both Barnabas and Melina are each in possession of one fragment. What colours do they have?

That leaves 5 to be recovered. Who will recover which colour?

Do we want to build a lore around the seven different fragments?

 

[ps102]

If I recall correctly, both Barnabas and Melina are each in possession of one fragment. What colours do they have?

I remember this. Melina has green and blue. Barnabas did handle the green element but it was in the royal labs for experimentation, which the queen is in control of.

It's important to remember that the fragments were scattered by the spirits. Certain spirits will know the answer to where they are. Yuuna will certainly know where at least one is. We can't say that the seasonal spirits know because early in the story, the Alphabet Society said multiple times that they didn't know the location to any.

That leaves 5 to be recovered. Who will recover which colour?

There are five fragments left to collect. You can decide whichever ones Ravenna and Katara go to collect. Melina will get the rest.

Do we want to build a lore around the seven different fragments?

We can, but I think it's enough to say that they are just parts of the gear. But if you really want to, what we can do is assign a fundamental and universal truth to each one....

For example:
1. Red — Chaos
2. Orange
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Blue — Harmony
6. Indigo
7. Violet

You get the idea. I'm struggling to think of anything else though. It's hard haha... I could only think of the obvious ones.

 

[Louanne Learning]

For example:
1. Red — Chaos
2. Orange
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Blue — Harmony
6. Indigo
7. Violet

How about if we choose 7 of the ancient primordial Greek Gods?

Choose 7 of these -

Key Primordial Deities

• Chaos (Khaos): The original void from which everything emerged.
• Gaia (Gaea): The Earth, Mother Earth.
• Ouranos (Uranus): The Sky, husband of Gaia, father of Titans.
• Nyx (Nox): Night, often paired with Erebus.
• Erebus: Darkness, husband of Nyx.
• Tartarus: The deep abyss, part of the Underworld.
• Eros: Love or Procreation, driving the universe's expansion.
• Aether: The upper bright air, light.
• Hemera: Day, daughter of Nyx and Erebus.
• Pontus: The Sea, father of sea-related deities.
• Chronos: Time (distinct from the Titan Cronus).

 

[ps102]

How about if we choose 7 of the ancient primordial Greek Gods?

I think the only way this can work is if we say that the South (which is literally based on Ancient Greeks) came up with the names.

If you like the idea, then let's go with that. I can pick three, and you can pick four.