AUSTRADIAN EMPIRE 1/5

The City State of Tryll- The Trylls culture and architecture have a strong Greco/Roman influence. Their cities and structures are made of white marble, and magnificent statues line the streets. Trylls place a huge emphasis on art, culture and learning. They are generally non confrontational and have a reputation for being open minded. The Trylls are also known for throwing lots of parties, every month has at least a two day celebration. They have a democratic government that tries to represent their entire people.  As a result their congress is full of hundreds of senators and political decisions move slowly.  The role of their king is commander of their armies.

Strengths:  They are highly educated and open minded. It is widely accepted that the Trylls are the most magically advanced. Their cities are beautiful. They produce the best garments and most delicious foods.

Weaknesses: The Trylls are a softer people; and have a problem with obesity. They are slow decision makers. They also have a bad reputation for being lascivious.

Map of the known world

Coin Names

What coin names do you like better for "The Painted Story?"

A) Gold Troves, Silver Stocks, and Copper Gobs.

B) Gold Arum, Silver Entum, or Copper Cuprum.

www.poll-maker.com

Concept Sketch Papprika #1

Concept Sketch of Artus #1

Story Skeleton - Chapters 1-4

Prologue -

A tall masked goddess visits six year old Artus, and rewards him for solving her puzzle.

Chapter 1 - All but Awake

(10 years later Artus is studying at a prestigious Academy known for teaching lord-lings and princes) Artus is suffering from not being able to sleep, a result of his curse from Papprika. He approaches a teacher with a unique take on solving an impossible to break painting. Prince Vallir (the son of the emperor) asks for Artus' help with an advanced glyph, the glyph rifts and both boys sustain serious injuries.

Chapter 2 - Biscuits and Blue Feet

While Artus is at the healers Papprika creates a temporary cure for Artus' curse. She crafts some small biscuits that induce sleep, but Artus  must eat them every night to fall asleep. Like all of Papprika's dishes the biscuits have a debuffing side effect, the biscuits make your feet cold and turn them blue. Vallir's mother the empress is enraged by her sons near death experience (she is at the healers via an automaton surrogate). Artus receives the blunt of the empresses displeasure and is expelled from the academy. Papprika drops out to help Artus find a permanent cure for his curse. After being expelled two of Artus' older siblings arrive to escort him home as partitioned by their mother. Upon hearing about their younger brothers curse they agree to convey the message to their mother of Artus' desire to search for a cure. Neither sibling can help since Artus' situation seems manageable and they have urgent business of their own. They do however offer to give his adventure a jump start, they give him a small piece of a rare and valuable mineral to help cover his adventuring expenses. They also give him a small cuboid shaped crop made of a blue stone and threaded with a leather strap to wear around the neck. The crop is called the Seal of Pizalae; it is a one time use artifact that summons a powerful warrior djinn as a last resort. All of his older siblings have had it on their adventures but none have used it.

Chapter 3 - The Irrefutable Inknose

Artus' and Papprika go to the great library and meet with a young ruin-djinn (ruin-djinns spend all their time reading) in exchange for Papprika agreeing to record her progression and discoveries as a gouremage he agrees to help them scan the library for reagents that might reverse the curse. They discover there is a potential reagent but the text offers only rumors to it's location. the djinn tells them the great Observium can locate almost anything but that it has been sealed for almost eighty years. He tells them that if they want to learn more about the Observium they should talk to the Old King, since he was involved in the events that lead to it being sealed  (The Old King is not the current king, he is a 256 year old hero who has been everything from a king to a beggar in his time). The djinn also helps them locate a nearby reagent that Artus could possibly harvest for paint. After leaving the library they find the old King Kabuto at a tavern trading stories with other white haired veterans.

Chapter 4 - A King a Key and a Keeper

When asked  by Artus the Old King recounts the story of how and why the Observium was sealed. He explains that the key to the Observium is in the back of a small wind up mechanical figure. And that the riddle to find it is still around but the riddle to catch it has been lost. The Old King takes them to the map room in his manor and shows them the riddle, the answer to the riddle is a trigger word you speak to the map and it will reveal the location of the mechanical figure. The figure is currently in the buried city. Which is where it has been for the last fifty years. The Old King explains to them that the buried city is extremely dangerous and the last adventures looking for the Observium key suffered heavy losses before relinquishing their quest. The Old King suggest that if they are desperate enough to enter the buried city that they should try seeking out the fowl lady first. The fowl lady is a dangerous witch but far less dangerous than the buried city. The fowl lady is the most adept curse remover in the entire kingdom. The Old King suggests they talk to her first and if she can't help them, then he will personally help them retrieve the key.

©2013

The Protagonist - lead

*Artaius (Artus) Haldayne 
(changed 8/29/2013)
Description:
Age: 16
Height: 5'11"Weight: 135 lbs
Hair Color: Honey Brown
Hair Type: Slightly Curly
Hair Length: Ear Length
Eye Color: Icy Blue

Flavor: face often smeared with paint

Abilities:
Artus is a finger painter. Painters are spell casters who use "reagent enriched" paints to write their spells in the form of "glyphs." A brush is required to paint glyphs, with out a brush an individual would be forced to write a spell long hand. Finger painters are the exception to the rule and can manipulate paint with their hands, and paint in a truncated glyph style.

The finger painting ability has to be gifted by a god caliber being.

Painting School: Artus is of the school of Binding. Binders specialize in breaking (unraveling spells, unlocking things, reverting a complex item to simpler state, etc..) and binding (locking, sealing, enchanting, etc..). Binding and enchanting are the most popular focuses for Binders. Artus however is unusually adept at breaking. His entrance exam showcase into the academy (at the age of 10) included the breaking of a small insect into it's basic organs and limbs harmlessly while it was still alive, then piecing it back together again. Artus' focus at the academy was spell breaking.

Background: At the age of six Artus solved a sculpture-puzzle that had appeared in his town a year before he was born. Although the giant puzzle pieces would move at the slightest touch; no one could solve it. Until it was solved by young Artus  When the puzzle was solved a tall masked goddess appeared to him she explained that it was a special puzzle that solved people, and that he had the innate traits she was looking for. She then asked him if he would like to be her helper, at his concession his hands were gifted the ability to finger paint.

Artus is the fifth oldest in a family of eight children. All of his siblings tend to have adventuring tendencies. His second oldest brother is a renown hero.

Motivation and Strengths: Artus has a drive to measure up and find a place in his family. He has a thirst for knowledge and a desire to push the limits of his power. Loyalty, honesty, and responsibility are the virtues he strives to emulate.

Weaknesses: Stubborn, easily embittered by unfairness. Artus suffers from a curse of Insomnia. He can only sleep after eating a specially prepared dish that induces sleep.


*I have a difficult time naming characters, especially main characters. I suspect the name of the lead protagonist will change often though out this writing process.

©2013

Chapter 2.1 Biscuits and Blue Feet

Artus opened his eyes. His body was sore but the aching in his head that had been his constant companion for the last seven day was all but gone. Somehow he had fallen asleep. Closing his eyes he tried forcing himself to recall what had happened. Slow as sap memories came back to him: His head throbbing like it was going to burst open, the pain in his arm and the blood running down it. Valir screaming in agony, and Papprika giving him something to eat, had it been a cure?

Slowly he tried to sit up, a tall metal man wearing a long white coat walked across the room towards him. “Careful now.” The automaton grabbed a pillow from an adjacent bed and placed it behind Artus for support. “How do you feel?”

“I’m ok I think,” Artus looked down at his bandaged elbow, he knew he was going to have a really bad scar. “Where is Valir? Is he ok?”

“The young Lord is in our finer accommodations. The damage he sustained has left serious scarring along both arms and some of his face, they are of course permanent, but no deep damage was done.”

Artus felt his stomach drop. The heir of the imperial throne had just been permanently disfigured, and he was going to be blamed for it. He doubted the amnesty promised him by Valir would buffer him from the wrath of the Empress. His thoughts turned to Papprika. “Has a girl about my age, with pink hair come to visit me?”

“Yes, when you were brought here you had become catatonic from the pain, normally when the body reaches a certain pain thresh it goes unconscious, but yours didn't.  We tried to administer an anesthetic to you but nothing worked. Finally your pink haired girl showed up and insisted that these little biscuits,” he pointed to a plate on a nearby stand with a stack of square bite sized biscuits on it, “are the only thing that will make you sleep.” the automaton picked up one of the biscuits and examined it “very curious.”

She had found a cure, Artus felt a wave of relief despite his predicament. At Least that nightmare was over. Another thought entered his mind. “I’ve never seen an automation healer before, can you paint?”

The automaton placed the biscuit back down and shook his head “I’m afraid painting is impossible for automatons, no i’m just a doctor, a surgeon in fact. Restricted to razors, natural herbs and the wondrous regenerative properties of the human body”

“That’s kind of funny becoming a doctor, when automatons don’t need them.”

“No funnier than a human becoming a mechanic to help repair automatons.” the doctor retorted.

“I suppose you’re right.”


©2013

Write the books you want to read

I was just reading "How to steal like an artist" when I came across this quote "Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use-do the work you want to see done." -Austin Kleon

I love reading, but it is rare I find a fantasy genre book that satisfies. Most books of the genre seem to be written by amateur authors; and the writing comes across as cliche and juvenile. After drudging though a few chapters I always get itchy to write a story that I would want to read.

I'm sure my writing will also come across as juvenile and cliche, but hopefully with enough editing and mentoring I will write a story where the reader can be absorbed by a juicy adventure unencumbered by the slog that is so prevalent in the fantasy genre.

What I want in my story

• I want the writing to feel intelligent and concise.
• I want the story to feel creative yet familiar and relatable.
• I want to use pronouns that seem familiar, and are easy to remember.
• I want to break away from the traditional and well used dark fantasy genre (goodbye orcs, dwarves, and elves).
• I want the reader to feel like they are learning something, even if it is fictitious.

First post

I'm making this blog as a way of recording a story idea. I've had this particular idea rattling around in my head for awhile and I'd like to see if I can get it out. The story is called "The Painted Story." I'm just going to write and post as ideas come to mind. Constructive feed back is appreciated.