At twilight of that first day of life, Runos created the Toroso. Unlike the Dalmuni, the Toroso did not love Runos, and they did not love light, for he crafted these beings out of ash. When they first looked into the sky on the night of their creation, they beheld the a great course of shooting stars, for Runos was yet arranging the heavens, and were terrified. And from this day forth, fear, violence, power, and death was their creed. Their love of the art of death drove them to supremacy in the art of war. On land, they forged mighty and cruel weapons, developed masterful battle tactics, and constructed enormous machines of war. At sea, they built great and terrible ships and sailed fleets that housed entire armies, floating death. In stark contrast to their noble cousins, the Dalmuni, the Toroso became a barbaric people. Conquerors, adventurers, and tyrants, the Black, Dark Hate became the scourge of the land and of the sea.
The Toroso looked very different from the Dalmuni. They were a dark people, having dark, charcoal skin, straight back hair, and hateful black eyes. They easily matched their counterparts, however, in terms of cleverness, strength, and agility. Like the Dalmuni, the Toroso were blessed with seemingly ageless lives until Runos looked upon their evil hearts and cursed them. He gave the Toroso a choice. Runos did not deem it just for the Toroso to be both very wise and ageless, for, when combined with their zeal for power, the Toroso were far too powerful. The Toroso were forced to choose between their divine wisdom and their immortality, and, seeing how agelessness would better suit their ambition, the Hate rejected wisdom. Hence, the Toroso became of an even more depraved mind, the greatest evil known to both mortals and immortals.
The Toroso gave themselves over to passions and whims. They knew neither law nor order. Instead, chaos and death reigned supreme. And for this reason, they very nearly destroyed each other. But one day, the Enlightened One came. From where, no one knew. But he ruled the hordes with an iron fist for thousand of years. The King of the Toroso, whom few met face to face, is surely a mystery to be solved.
And so the Toroso awakened, the Children of Twilight, Dalmuni's Bane...
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Of the Dalmuni, the Ancient-Young
In the beginning, after the fashioning of the world, Runos created the Children of the Dawn. In later times, they were remembered as the Dalmuni, which means the Ancient-Young. These were his most loved people. They were created in the first morning, and when they first opened their eyes, they saw the sun rising in the east. From that sun-rising on, they strove to create art that could match the beauty of that moment. They were creative, inventive beings. They valued above all else life, life in its purest, most noble form. Light (the rising of the sun) began to symbolize this life. They create many forms of art, but none mastered them all. Among them were lovely dancers, beautiful singers, marvelous musicians, storytelling chefs, fine masters of craft, and even some fighters. In fact, only three of them were gifted with this ability. Though killing was yet unheard of, non-fatal sparring was considered one of the noblest forms of art, for it required utmost trust and perfect control to dance with another blade-wielding partner.
Most of these beings looked very much like the Elves of a later time. I say “most” because some Dalmuni looked radically different from the others…Eight to be precise. The vast majority of Dalmuni were tall slender beings with long, pointed ears; deep blue eyes; soft, knowledgeable faces; and long, golden hair—yes, very similar to our own Sea-Elves. Of the Eight, I shall speak later. However, there was one major distinction: the Dalmuni did not age after their 24th year. This year was considered the mark of maturity and was when most Dalmuni were allowed to practice their art completely independently in society. Also at this age, female Dalmuni could no longer bear children. You may think that this would cause the race to weaken and fall, but that is far from the truth. Because the Dalmuni did not age, they would rarely be weak enough to succumb to disease. And because they never died in war, the Dalmuni led prosperous, infinitely long lives.
When the Dalmuni were not practicing or performing their arts, they would spend time performing everyday tasks for survival. Though the Dalmuni were immortal, they still needed sustenance and shelter to live. Most of their food consisted of the fruits of the land. Fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, pineapples, and strawberries were considered part of their mainstay diet. They also ate vegetables such as leeks, onions, carrots, and all varieties of peppers. Very rarely, the Dalmuni would sometimes eat fish and shellfish. Only once ever did one of the Dalmuni eat meat from a beast of the earth…but that story is for another time. Their housing was made largely from bricks made of clay and sand. They built great and beautiful palaces, with spirally minarets and ornately decorated towers. They made much use of arches and carved many figures and designs into the walls, doorways, and window frames. As for their garb, the Dalmuni wore loose-fitting, light-colored clothing for the climate of that land required such garments.
So, on the first morning, the Children of Dawn awoke. Later on that first day, Runos would create another race…a race that he would regret making…the Children of Twilight…
Most of these beings looked very much like the Elves of a later time. I say “most” because some Dalmuni looked radically different from the others…Eight to be precise. The vast majority of Dalmuni were tall slender beings with long, pointed ears; deep blue eyes; soft, knowledgeable faces; and long, golden hair—yes, very similar to our own Sea-Elves. Of the Eight, I shall speak later. However, there was one major distinction: the Dalmuni did not age after their 24th year. This year was considered the mark of maturity and was when most Dalmuni were allowed to practice their art completely independently in society. Also at this age, female Dalmuni could no longer bear children. You may think that this would cause the race to weaken and fall, but that is far from the truth. Because the Dalmuni did not age, they would rarely be weak enough to succumb to disease. And because they never died in war, the Dalmuni led prosperous, infinitely long lives.
When the Dalmuni were not practicing or performing their arts, they would spend time performing everyday tasks for survival. Though the Dalmuni were immortal, they still needed sustenance and shelter to live. Most of their food consisted of the fruits of the land. Fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, pineapples, and strawberries were considered part of their mainstay diet. They also ate vegetables such as leeks, onions, carrots, and all varieties of peppers. Very rarely, the Dalmuni would sometimes eat fish and shellfish. Only once ever did one of the Dalmuni eat meat from a beast of the earth…but that story is for another time. Their housing was made largely from bricks made of clay and sand. They built great and beautiful palaces, with spirally minarets and ornately decorated towers. They made much use of arches and carved many figures and designs into the walls, doorways, and window frames. As for their garb, the Dalmuni wore loose-fitting, light-colored clothing for the climate of that land required such garments.
So, on the first morning, the Children of Dawn awoke. Later on that first day, Runos would create another race…a race that he would regret making…the Children of Twilight…
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
The Great Awakening
All hail, Culoneus! He has risen from the slumber of winter hibernation and has come back to you now...
Summer is here, and I now have plenty of time to tell of Miendur, the Land of the Gull.
That's right. Today I shall explain the background of Miendur. In the beginning, Runos created the heavens and the earth. And there he placed the fathers of two races: the Toroso and the Dalmuni...all shall be explained in time.
Summer is here, and I now have plenty of time to tell of Miendur, the Land of the Gull.
That's right. Today I shall explain the background of Miendur. In the beginning, Runos created the heavens and the earth. And there he placed the fathers of two races: the Toroso and the Dalmuni...all shall be explained in time.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Of the Geography, Topography, and Climate of Miendur
Forgive my inconsistent blogging, but it’s rather difficult to blog while trying to write a series of medieval fantasy novels while trying to be a good student while trying to live as a subject in the kingdom of God…catch my drift?
So, on to the geography, topography, and climate of Miendur.
First and foremost, one must understand that Miendur is actually an island amidst several others. Miendur is not a planet or country, it is simply a continent. Now, obviously it is the hub of all activities in this world. Truth be told, I have yet to conjure a name sufficient for the world itself.
Miendur…this island is roughly the size of Australia, with land features that largely resemble Europe’s. It’s roughly shaped like an oblong blob. Ideally, someday I would love to post a sketch of it for all to gaze upon, but I have no clue about any of that.
Miendur has several prevalent landforms. First of all, it is extremely mountainous. Where mountains do not exist, highlands are seen. Plains exist in rare locations and usually only on the coasts. There are three rather expansive plains that lie in between mountain ranges and coastlines. Several key rivers, which originate in those various mountain ranges, provide a “valley of life” for several of Miendur’s civilizations. Forests and fens, along with glistening glens and hidden vales abound in this wonderfully sylvan and pastoral land.
Miendur’s climate is very similar to temperate biomes. Save the northern- and southern-most extremities, Miendur experiences four very distinct seasons. The winter months see light to heavy snow, depending on latitude and elevation. Travel during the wintertime can often be treacherous and hazardous. The springtime is the typical time of April showers, vegetation renewal, and crop sowing. The summer months experience the radiant warmth of the sun and can sometimes begin a mid to late year drought. During autumn, the leaves change to red, orange, and yellow and then fall to the ground.
The calendar of Miendur is seasonal. Ergo, there are four “months,” each consisting of ninety-one days (the month of “summer” is ninety-two days to account for the 365 days of the year). The Gnomish (just wait until I get to the races) New Year is the last night of autumn.
So, on to the geography, topography, and climate of Miendur.
First and foremost, one must understand that Miendur is actually an island amidst several others. Miendur is not a planet or country, it is simply a continent. Now, obviously it is the hub of all activities in this world. Truth be told, I have yet to conjure a name sufficient for the world itself.
Miendur…this island is roughly the size of Australia, with land features that largely resemble Europe’s. It’s roughly shaped like an oblong blob. Ideally, someday I would love to post a sketch of it for all to gaze upon, but I have no clue about any of that.
Miendur has several prevalent landforms. First of all, it is extremely mountainous. Where mountains do not exist, highlands are seen. Plains exist in rare locations and usually only on the coasts. There are three rather expansive plains that lie in between mountain ranges and coastlines. Several key rivers, which originate in those various mountain ranges, provide a “valley of life” for several of Miendur’s civilizations. Forests and fens, along with glistening glens and hidden vales abound in this wonderfully sylvan and pastoral land.
Miendur’s climate is very similar to temperate biomes. Save the northern- and southern-most extremities, Miendur experiences four very distinct seasons. The winter months see light to heavy snow, depending on latitude and elevation. Travel during the wintertime can often be treacherous and hazardous. The springtime is the typical time of April showers, vegetation renewal, and crop sowing. The summer months experience the radiant warmth of the sun and can sometimes begin a mid to late year drought. During autumn, the leaves change to red, orange, and yellow and then fall to the ground.
The calendar of Miendur is seasonal. Ergo, there are four “months,” each consisting of ninety-one days (the month of “summer” is ninety-two days to account for the 365 days of the year). The Gnomish (just wait until I get to the races) New Year is the last night of autumn.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
The Creator
The other night I noticed something. The moon. Set amidst the dark, night sky, it shone with a brilliant light. The surrounding stars accompanied the moon with radiant light of their own. I then recalled a scene from earlier that day--the red, orange, and yellow leaves of autumn. I thought, "Wow, how can people not see a Creator behind this?"
My mind continued to wander as I thought about the Apollo missions. Man had gone to the moon. Then I thought about my friends and football and apple cider during the fall. Again I thought, "How can man reject a Creator?"
Look around, his handiwork is obvious. All creation testifies to Elohim.
If I cannot exist without a Creator then how can Miendur exist without its own creator?
Runos (lit. "the judge") is the god-figure of Miendur. A world requires a creator, virtue requires Truth. The standards of justice, freedom, courage, love, loyalty, and wisdom must be set forth by a higher being or else my world revolves around nothing more than the sword-wielding descendants of rocks, slugs, and pygmy shrews.
So if there is a clear god-creator-figure, is there a clear-cut religion? The answer is no.
Runos, unlike Yahweh, does not require worship. Although he is constantly and directly involved int e lives of the people of Miendur, he seeks no relationship of love with them. Therefore, where Yahweh requires worship, Runos requires honor. Where Yahweh requires love, Runos requires justice.
Clearly, it is a flat world devoid of sin as we know it. There are clearly defined lines of good and evil. While any character can fall, they can be redeemed by their own works in the end. Obviously, the spiritual nature of individual people in Miendur cannot be applied to ours. Miendur seeks to simplify the inner struggle in order to focus on the outer struggle. Miendur writ large symbolizes my inner self. The war inside me has a clear-cut victor but hat does not mean the war ceases. Even though Runos clearly embodies good and guarantees its victory over evil, the war in Miendur continues. "Why is this?," you might ask. I haven't the faintest idea.
My mind continued to wander as I thought about the Apollo missions. Man had gone to the moon. Then I thought about my friends and football and apple cider during the fall. Again I thought, "How can man reject a Creator?"
Look around, his handiwork is obvious. All creation testifies to Elohim.
If I cannot exist without a Creator then how can Miendur exist without its own creator?
Runos (lit. "the judge") is the god-figure of Miendur. A world requires a creator, virtue requires Truth. The standards of justice, freedom, courage, love, loyalty, and wisdom must be set forth by a higher being or else my world revolves around nothing more than the sword-wielding descendants of rocks, slugs, and pygmy shrews.
So if there is a clear god-creator-figure, is there a clear-cut religion? The answer is no.
Runos, unlike Yahweh, does not require worship. Although he is constantly and directly involved int e lives of the people of Miendur, he seeks no relationship of love with them. Therefore, where Yahweh requires worship, Runos requires honor. Where Yahweh requires love, Runos requires justice.
Clearly, it is a flat world devoid of sin as we know it. There are clearly defined lines of good and evil. While any character can fall, they can be redeemed by their own works in the end. Obviously, the spiritual nature of individual people in Miendur cannot be applied to ours. Miendur seeks to simplify the inner struggle in order to focus on the outer struggle. Miendur writ large symbolizes my inner self. The war inside me has a clear-cut victor but hat does not mean the war ceases. Even though Runos clearly embodies good and guarantees its victory over evil, the war in Miendur continues. "Why is this?," you might ask. I haven't the faintest idea.
The Races: Originality, Variety, and "Believability"
Something my brother and I really struggled with in the creation of Miendur was the various peoples. We wanted to create something new and something with depth. If I were to mention a race to my brother he would instantaneously have the same mental picture that I would. This makes it somewhat difficult to explain in one setting because my brother and I have probaly put hours of thought and conversation into each race.
Our first goal was to create original peoples. Our races are obviously going to be influenced by some sources, but we really try to create fresh new outlooks on intelligent, social beings.
Our second goal was to create an incredibly diverse and varied set of civilizations who interact with each other. Our own world sees no end to variety when it comes to the civilizations of the past and present, so why should Miendur be any different?
Our final goal was to create peoples that were realistic. Basically, even though it is pure fantasy, I want people to say, "Yeah, I guess that could happen."
Our first goal was to create original peoples. Our races are obviously going to be influenced by some sources, but we really try to create fresh new outlooks on intelligent, social beings.
Our second goal was to create an incredibly diverse and varied set of civilizations who interact with each other. Our own world sees no end to variety when it comes to the civilizations of the past and present, so why should Miendur be any different?
Our final goal was to create peoples that were realistic. Basically, even though it is pure fantasy, I want people to say, "Yeah, I guess that could happen."
Friday, October 01, 2004
Death and Dying
First off, I have added another blog to my favorite funny blogs. This one. And I'm sorry I didn't respond to your questions about heroism Dave, I didn't really undertake it.
Anyways, today I tackle the problem of death. This is a serious problem for me, because there are few things one can value more than life. For instance, my political views are based around this single value. Anti-abortion, anti-terror basically sums that up.
But how do I apply this to a world that revolves around warring with swords? The obvious answer is self defense. However, self defense can be complicated especially when it comes to pre-emptive strikes and the like.
I prefer to look, not at groups, armies, or nations, but at individuals. The heroes of Miendur fight for different reasons. Some fight for their wife and children. Some for the population as a whole. Others may fight for justice. Still some may fight for honor and revenge.
A key point to remember is that Miendur is not under the New Covenant. There is a God but there is no concrete religion or faith. There is no grace or obligation to forgive. So we should not interpret the stories of Miendur to coincide with our everyday life. Rather, interpret them politically and spiritually.
There is a threat, there is an enemy. It could be Osama bin Laden or your own sin nature. Deal with it accordingly.
Anyways, today I tackle the problem of death. This is a serious problem for me, because there are few things one can value more than life. For instance, my political views are based around this single value. Anti-abortion, anti-terror basically sums that up.
But how do I apply this to a world that revolves around warring with swords? The obvious answer is self defense. However, self defense can be complicated especially when it comes to pre-emptive strikes and the like.
I prefer to look, not at groups, armies, or nations, but at individuals. The heroes of Miendur fight for different reasons. Some fight for their wife and children. Some for the population as a whole. Others may fight for justice. Still some may fight for honor and revenge.
A key point to remember is that Miendur is not under the New Covenant. There is a God but there is no concrete religion or faith. There is no grace or obligation to forgive. So we should not interpret the stories of Miendur to coincide with our everyday life. Rather, interpret them politically and spiritually.
There is a threat, there is an enemy. It could be Osama bin Laden or your own sin nature. Deal with it accordingly.
Magicalness
Dude, I was reading my bro's blog. It's funny. Read it.
If there is one grievance I have with fantasy literature, it is magic. Honestly, I utterly despise magicality and spells and potions and sorcerers and wizards and incantations and Donald Trump. One might ask, "Then how can you find enjoyment in LOTR?" This is simple. The LOTR does not have a magical premise. If one were to watch Peter Jackson's films, or just read the trilogy itself, they would say that Tolien incorporated magical themes (i.e. Gandalf the wizard, Sauron the Dark Lord, etc.) into his books. But if one were to twelve deeper into the world of Tolkien, they would discover the truth. Gandalf is, in fact, the equivalent of an angel, and Sauron that of a fallen angel. Middle-Earth was not built upon magic, but upon the supernatural aka Illuvatar aka the One True God.
Plainly put, I like realistic stories. I don't like the magical things like, forgive me, Harry Potter and the like. Not only are they fruity and take away from physical heroism, but they are unnatural and unrelated to our reality. This is not to say that Miendur does not have different geography and, more importantly, different beings than our world, but its emphasis is more historical than fantastic. Next time we gat to tackle the problem of killing i.e. can it be justified?
If there is one grievance I have with fantasy literature, it is magic. Honestly, I utterly despise magicality and spells and potions and sorcerers and wizards and incantations and Donald Trump. One might ask, "Then how can you find enjoyment in LOTR?" This is simple. The LOTR does not have a magical premise. If one were to watch Peter Jackson's films, or just read the trilogy itself, they would say that Tolien incorporated magical themes (i.e. Gandalf the wizard, Sauron the Dark Lord, etc.) into his books. But if one were to twelve deeper into the world of Tolkien, they would discover the truth. Gandalf is, in fact, the equivalent of an angel, and Sauron that of a fallen angel. Middle-Earth was not built upon magic, but upon the supernatural aka Illuvatar aka the One True God.
Plainly put, I like realistic stories. I don't like the magical things like, forgive me, Harry Potter and the like. Not only are they fruity and take away from physical heroism, but they are unnatural and unrelated to our reality. This is not to say that Miendur does not have different geography and, more importantly, different beings than our world, but its emphasis is more historical than fantastic. Next time we gat to tackle the problem of killing i.e. can it be justified?
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
The Sword Conclusion and the Beginning of Parties
My brother posed me this question: So, why do we like swords and not guns as a means of defense and justice in Miendur and other various forms of entertainment? I believe it could have something to do with legos, yes legos. When we were young lads, we used to construct alternate realities with legos. That's right. But we typically did not use modern lego themes. Yes we had some cowboy legos and maybe a few spaceship one, but the vast majority of them were medieval legos. We had the Wolfpack, Dragon Masters, Lion Kingdom, Ninja Dudes, and various other sets that I cannot recall exactly. It all started back then.
And all this talk of legos brings me to another point. We used to set up very interesting little scenarios with those little plastic men. They had names, rank, and even food preferences. However, my brother always took a different approach than I. Ladius used to take one guy and deck him out with all the weapons he was given (we divided our weapons pieces up evenly). This would be his hero. This social outcast would most likely live, with monkey and parrot of course, on some deserted island, only revealing himself in times of dire distress.
I, on the other hand, would create a group of heroes, a party, a brotherhood,...A fellowship if you will. Each member of this group would then have a specific role or two. For instance, their would be a captain who, though not the greatest warrior, would be the unquestioned leader of the group. Then the champion would wield two swords since he was the greatest swordsman in all the lands, therefore he demanded the finest meats and cheeses (Kenny M. From ESPN). Then there would be an amazing archer or a great hunter-type, much like Robin Hood or Legolas. I would probably also have some pyrotechnic as well who liked to execute siege tactics against moving targets. And still there are more: the physician, the warrior maiden, the burly axeman, the falconer.
Miendur has come to respect those differences as my brother and I have come to focus on our own heroic style. He tends to concentrate more on one all-encompassing hero who stands alone against the hordes of evil, whereas I tend to emphasize a brotherhood of battle, where deep relational and even emotional ties exist. For instance, I find gripping dialogues most entertaining, yet Ladius might not even have quotation marks in his entire story.
I feel that group heroism is most useful to illustrate lessons of loyalty, trust, gift-using, and interdependence. After all this story is just one gigantic allegory of the Spirit-filled life, so this illustrates the importance of the Body of Christ in a disciple's life.
And all this talk of legos brings me to another point. We used to set up very interesting little scenarios with those little plastic men. They had names, rank, and even food preferences. However, my brother always took a different approach than I. Ladius used to take one guy and deck him out with all the weapons he was given (we divided our weapons pieces up evenly). This would be his hero. This social outcast would most likely live, with monkey and parrot of course, on some deserted island, only revealing himself in times of dire distress.
I, on the other hand, would create a group of heroes, a party, a brotherhood,...A fellowship if you will. Each member of this group would then have a specific role or two. For instance, their would be a captain who, though not the greatest warrior, would be the unquestioned leader of the group. Then the champion would wield two swords since he was the greatest swordsman in all the lands, therefore he demanded the finest meats and cheeses (Kenny M. From ESPN). Then there would be an amazing archer or a great hunter-type, much like Robin Hood or Legolas. I would probably also have some pyrotechnic as well who liked to execute siege tactics against moving targets. And still there are more: the physician, the warrior maiden, the burly axeman, the falconer.
Miendur has come to respect those differences as my brother and I have come to focus on our own heroic style. He tends to concentrate more on one all-encompassing hero who stands alone against the hordes of evil, whereas I tend to emphasize a brotherhood of battle, where deep relational and even emotional ties exist. For instance, I find gripping dialogues most entertaining, yet Ladius might not even have quotation marks in his entire story.
I feel that group heroism is most useful to illustrate lessons of loyalty, trust, gift-using, and interdependence. After all this story is just one gigantic allegory of the Spirit-filled life, so this illustrates the importance of the Body of Christ in a disciple's life.
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