I have been scarce today, despite waking up at 730am, because I've spent the whole day reading what I had left of Oliver Johnson's The Forging of the Shadows. This is book one of the Lightbringer Trilogy. I was gripped by the book throughout. At times, it was very tense and very scary, but it also set up a grand story of the three main characters and their quest to save the world. (Passe, I know, but you don't know what they've got to do, and I can't tell you, because I'm not giving away spoilers.) The setup could be a great D&D setting, or even as a branch of a highly-modified, but still applicable, Ravenloft. (Mainly for the horror aspect, and the dark nature of the world.)
I was especially gripped by the gods that were in the book: Reh and Iss. Reh is the God of Light and Flame, and is the default "good" god. Iss is the God of Death in Life. They have been warring for centuries, and Iss seems to be winning, but that's given away on the back cover blurb. I found the idea of only two gods in a world very appealing. I mean, let's see *ticks fingers off one by one*, we have Forgotten Realms (well over 50 deities), Dragonlance (only[!?] 19), Kingdoms of Kalamar (45), and Greyhawk (at least 10-15, per the PHB). Midnight only has one active deity, but the implication was that there were many before the Veil was put in place. Do these settings really need all of these gods? I mean, really need them?
As is usual, now that I have finished this book, I want to do something using the world that was presented in it. I like the idea of a Light god and Dark god squaring off against each other. It lets you get really epic, and it really keeps it simple. No weird things like "the chaotic deity thwarted the plans of the evil deity to confuse the good deity so that the chaotic deity will have a six-pack of beer left over". I mean, it's a classic setup: Good vs. Evil. No more, no less.
I'm not stupid (often), so I know that my enthusiasm will carry me only as far as the work truly begins on getting the setting fleshed out. I really despise that about myself, but it's not an easy thing to overcome.
Still, I saw a picture today that practically begged me to write a description for it. (You know, come up with a basic backstory for what the picture is representing?) I think it was particularly neat, and might do more of these in the future. Who knows? I might be coming up with my own setting bit by bit. *wink*
Aside from that, I've just taken it easy today. I've read, napped, read, napped, wrote about the picture, read, napped, and wrote this post. I feel rejuvenated. I feel good. I can't wait to play Aric tomorrow (though I'm going to miss playing Ashe).
I was especially gripped by the gods that were in the book: Reh and Iss. Reh is the God of Light and Flame, and is the default "good" god. Iss is the God of Death in Life. They have been warring for centuries, and Iss seems to be winning, but that's given away on the back cover blurb. I found the idea of only two gods in a world very appealing. I mean, let's see *ticks fingers off one by one*, we have Forgotten Realms (well over 50 deities), Dragonlance (only[!?] 19), Kingdoms of Kalamar (45), and Greyhawk (at least 10-15, per the PHB). Midnight only has one active deity, but the implication was that there were many before the Veil was put in place. Do these settings really need all of these gods? I mean, really need them?
As is usual, now that I have finished this book, I want to do something using the world that was presented in it. I like the idea of a Light god and Dark god squaring off against each other. It lets you get really epic, and it really keeps it simple. No weird things like "the chaotic deity thwarted the plans of the evil deity to confuse the good deity so that the chaotic deity will have a six-pack of beer left over". I mean, it's a classic setup: Good vs. Evil. No more, no less.
I'm not stupid (often), so I know that my enthusiasm will carry me only as far as the work truly begins on getting the setting fleshed out. I really despise that about myself, but it's not an easy thing to overcome.
Still, I saw a picture today that practically begged me to write a description for it. (You know, come up with a basic backstory for what the picture is representing?) I think it was particularly neat, and might do more of these in the future. Who knows? I might be coming up with my own setting bit by bit. *wink*
Aside from that, I've just taken it easy today. I've read, napped, read, napped, wrote about the picture, read, napped, and wrote this post. I feel rejuvenated. I feel good. I can't wait to play Aric tomorrow (though I'm going to miss playing Ashe).