mattcruise
03-28-2012, 07:44 AM
This is the only thing I have ever really written. I've tried to begin a short story before, but I have gotten frustrated within a couple paragraphs. This time I actually got maybe a chapter done (I could either add more to the chapter or start chapter two I think).
Its a fantasy setting, but I'm keeping things like Elves and Dwarfs out of it I think. There is magic, but I don't plan on overusing and I hint at rules here that suggest it drains their life.
Let me know if this is compelling. Its a first draft, written in about 2 hours (geez its 430 am already). I plan on expanding on descriptions for the people and places as I visualize how they look in my head more. I also may format the back-story differently, perhaps describe wizards before getting into the flashback.
The Mysterious Tome: Chapter one.
High atop the mountain known by locales as Golden-peak, so named for the golden tower that adorns an other-wise mundane two story home, lives the reclusive wizard Marros. His frail body nearing the end of life. It wasn't long ago that He took a ward to live with him upon Golden-peak. bearing no children of his own like most Wizards, life became difficult for the old man, even one gifted with magic.
The ward is a orphan boy. Eleven years ago, two ships arrived in the port town of Tarasir. Little was and is still known of the land the ships sailed from, as the voyage across the wild sea was considered a one way trip. The travellers were weak and did not speak the common tongue. Of the two ships, both lost over half its population. The sea winds brought the smell of their death over the town as the crashed upon the beach.
Among them was boy, not older than three. He stood alone on the dock, wrapped in long black coat for warmth. Refugees poured from the boat, many carrying their dead in their arms, weeping, crying out in foreign tongues. The boy stood stoic, not afraid nor excited.
The townspeople were in awe of the sight of it all. Never has the kingdoms of their land encountered anyone from beyond any sea, nor encountered a language so different from their own. Many towns have developed regional dialects but a completely foreign language was something they never conceived of.
It was was of the few events the people of Tarasir would call upon The Wizard Marros's knowledge for. Wizards spent a life in service to a kingdom, until their twilight years when freed from service, to finish their time in peace. They have been known to fix many problems, occasionally with magic, but usually through practical means. Their hesitance to use magic for both mundane tasks and even tasking ones, has lead to many theories among the peoples, the most prevailing is that they know more about the nature of the world than revealed, but also that the use of magic shortens their already lengthy life span. Many of the social advancements have been a result of Wizard's teaching. Some believe that Wizards crafted the first tools, taught farming, fishing and medical care. Wizards are mostly silent, or deny most claims, but their lateral thinking and vague explanations to situations have lead some to believe they come from another land. Theories they deny or brush off with more vague explanations, they also point out that Magic is learned skill - which they are known to pass on if they find a rare suitable individual. They are also very solitary , mostly live alone except in training another. They express annoyance easily, especially when called upon for trivial matters. "Read a book!" is the most commonly heard response to a question ask on a wizard, that is if you manage to even meet a wizard and pose the question. Should you follow it up by saying you don't know how, the only thing one is known to learn, is why the wizard carries a staff.
So it was agreed that the refuge problem was not a trivial one for the town of Tarasir, so they called upon the Wizard Marros, from atop his nearby mountain. The town-lord Cyril felt the end of Marros's staff a number of times, so calling upon him was not a request he made lightly. Cyril actually felt a little nervous that Marros took any amount of interest in this situation, as most of situations that manage to actually interest him, tend to be the most dire. Cyril's unease grew ever wider as he asked Marro's questions with little annoyance from the old wizard. "Who are they?" What do they say?" "Are they hurt?" It wasn't until "Where do they come from?" that Marros snipped " Across the sea, obviously". Cyril felt a bit relieved by the sarcasm, and a bit relieved his head wasn't bruised in the process.
Marros examined the refugees. Of the Thirty-Two still alive, Twenty-Seven were children none older than Seven. The children's health was significantly better than the adults. While the children did show signs of sickness, malnutrition did not appear to be a problem with them as it did the adults. Marros speculated that the little food they had was rationed to the children first.
Marros turned to Cyril and spoke " I need Thirty-Two beds brought to the town hall immediately!" He demanded. "Do you seriously expect Thirty-Two towns people to give up their beds! Where will they sleep?" Cyril whined. With a swift thunk with his staff to Cyril's head Marros replied " I do not expect Thirty-Two towns people to give up their beds, I expect Thirty-One towns people and One Town-lord to give up their beds! And they can sleep in the barns with the live stock, and if they aren't comfortable I know a spell that can turn them into Pigs, they will feel right at home!"
"Thirty-Two beds, right away sir!" Cyril replied.
(from here I am thinking the kingdom will investigate, and take all the living refugees, I'm not sure if for good or bad reasons yet. Except the boy, sneaks off. The Wizard sees something in him, I'm thinking of showing signs that the boy is inquisitive and bright at a young age, which will actually get him into trouble later as the main plot involves a book, which this story is named after. Also have plans on why he has a tower made of gold, and also that it lead the ships to the town, acting as a beacon.)
Its a fantasy setting, but I'm keeping things like Elves and Dwarfs out of it I think. There is magic, but I don't plan on overusing and I hint at rules here that suggest it drains their life.
Let me know if this is compelling. Its a first draft, written in about 2 hours (geez its 430 am already). I plan on expanding on descriptions for the people and places as I visualize how they look in my head more. I also may format the back-story differently, perhaps describe wizards before getting into the flashback.
The Mysterious Tome: Chapter one.
High atop the mountain known by locales as Golden-peak, so named for the golden tower that adorns an other-wise mundane two story home, lives the reclusive wizard Marros. His frail body nearing the end of life. It wasn't long ago that He took a ward to live with him upon Golden-peak. bearing no children of his own like most Wizards, life became difficult for the old man, even one gifted with magic.
The ward is a orphan boy. Eleven years ago, two ships arrived in the port town of Tarasir. Little was and is still known of the land the ships sailed from, as the voyage across the wild sea was considered a one way trip. The travellers were weak and did not speak the common tongue. Of the two ships, both lost over half its population. The sea winds brought the smell of their death over the town as the crashed upon the beach.
Among them was boy, not older than three. He stood alone on the dock, wrapped in long black coat for warmth. Refugees poured from the boat, many carrying their dead in their arms, weeping, crying out in foreign tongues. The boy stood stoic, not afraid nor excited.
The townspeople were in awe of the sight of it all. Never has the kingdoms of their land encountered anyone from beyond any sea, nor encountered a language so different from their own. Many towns have developed regional dialects but a completely foreign language was something they never conceived of.
It was was of the few events the people of Tarasir would call upon The Wizard Marros's knowledge for. Wizards spent a life in service to a kingdom, until their twilight years when freed from service, to finish their time in peace. They have been known to fix many problems, occasionally with magic, but usually through practical means. Their hesitance to use magic for both mundane tasks and even tasking ones, has lead to many theories among the peoples, the most prevailing is that they know more about the nature of the world than revealed, but also that the use of magic shortens their already lengthy life span. Many of the social advancements have been a result of Wizard's teaching. Some believe that Wizards crafted the first tools, taught farming, fishing and medical care. Wizards are mostly silent, or deny most claims, but their lateral thinking and vague explanations to situations have lead some to believe they come from another land. Theories they deny or brush off with more vague explanations, they also point out that Magic is learned skill - which they are known to pass on if they find a rare suitable individual. They are also very solitary , mostly live alone except in training another. They express annoyance easily, especially when called upon for trivial matters. "Read a book!" is the most commonly heard response to a question ask on a wizard, that is if you manage to even meet a wizard and pose the question. Should you follow it up by saying you don't know how, the only thing one is known to learn, is why the wizard carries a staff.
So it was agreed that the refuge problem was not a trivial one for the town of Tarasir, so they called upon the Wizard Marros, from atop his nearby mountain. The town-lord Cyril felt the end of Marros's staff a number of times, so calling upon him was not a request he made lightly. Cyril actually felt a little nervous that Marros took any amount of interest in this situation, as most of situations that manage to actually interest him, tend to be the most dire. Cyril's unease grew ever wider as he asked Marro's questions with little annoyance from the old wizard. "Who are they?" What do they say?" "Are they hurt?" It wasn't until "Where do they come from?" that Marros snipped " Across the sea, obviously". Cyril felt a bit relieved by the sarcasm, and a bit relieved his head wasn't bruised in the process.
Marros examined the refugees. Of the Thirty-Two still alive, Twenty-Seven were children none older than Seven. The children's health was significantly better than the adults. While the children did show signs of sickness, malnutrition did not appear to be a problem with them as it did the adults. Marros speculated that the little food they had was rationed to the children first.
Marros turned to Cyril and spoke " I need Thirty-Two beds brought to the town hall immediately!" He demanded. "Do you seriously expect Thirty-Two towns people to give up their beds! Where will they sleep?" Cyril whined. With a swift thunk with his staff to Cyril's head Marros replied " I do not expect Thirty-Two towns people to give up their beds, I expect Thirty-One towns people and One Town-lord to give up their beds! And they can sleep in the barns with the live stock, and if they aren't comfortable I know a spell that can turn them into Pigs, they will feel right at home!"
"Thirty-Two beds, right away sir!" Cyril replied.
(from here I am thinking the kingdom will investigate, and take all the living refugees, I'm not sure if for good or bad reasons yet. Except the boy, sneaks off. The Wizard sees something in him, I'm thinking of showing signs that the boy is inquisitive and bright at a young age, which will actually get him into trouble later as the main plot involves a book, which this story is named after. Also have plans on why he has a tower made of gold, and also that it lead the ships to the town, acting as a beacon.)