Beast of the Tundra Plotting Thread

[Ethereal-Star]

There does need to be a beast, however I was hoping to give Nexus some more time to post. Perhaps he just got busy with other things... Anyway, I don't really want to pester him too much but I would also like to see the thread continue to move. So maybe give it another two days or so? If he doesn't put in another post by then, we can do one of two things: open the role to someone else to play the part of the beast, or just NPC it.

So Nexus if you are unable to post something soon, just drop a note here so we all know what to do. No worries if you cannot post anymore here.

[Ethereal-Star]

Also, I like your plot 'ingredients' IcarusDescension! Feel free to keep stirring the pot up with more suspense... I had figured the mysterious fox that was watching Aguta to be one of the Sionhai peoples-the fox shifter residents of Fox Bend I had referred to in one of my posts. Since the Sionhai race fits that mold perfectly, so I need to read up more on them before I say anything more about their people and culture. The dark mage idea is neat too, perhaps this mysterious mage is responsible for the storm? And is working with the beast somehow?

Just some thoughts...

[IcarusDescension]

Thanks for saying Star! I'll keep stirring then. Also, thanks for mentioning the Sionhai race. I wasn't aware there was previous documentation on the fox shifters and so I too will have to do some research before further posting on that front. (Also yeah I was thinking along the same lines in terms of the fox being an observer from Fox Bend. Hadn't really considered what it's motives might be yet.)

Nexus has implied the 'beast' has become as he is from a 'sickness' that seems connected to a head wound. I suppose this could also be the result of sorcery, as in the actions of a dark mage of some sort, since he didn't elaborate on how the wound came to be or upon the nature of the sickness. This is why I was inquiring, because we really need Nexus' input here it seems like. Unless there is a dark sorcerer who is simply using the beast's convenient murdering spree as a cover for his own actions. In which case they could be unrelated. (Hence why I came up with the concept, because I feared Nexus would not be back and we would need an alternate villain.) Of course this is all assuming we do in fact want there to be a dark mage to begin with, which I'm certainly not against. Creepy magical storms, dark magic, roaming beasts... What's not to like?  ;)

Dark thoughts there Chocbread! I like how you think, so brooding and philosophical! I hope we do work in some exploration of humanity and reflections on our own nature in this thread, where creative writing and role-playing meet is a magical place!  :D

[Ethereal-Star]

Yeah, I was wondering about the fox's motivations too, but hadn't had anything useful to add to the whys of it. Perhaps it is just a scout, keeping a lookout and all. And that's all I got on that front. Heh.

The dark mage idea could work and is not a bad thing to consider. Maybe the beast everyone is talking about, is simply the victim of this dark mage's experiments or whatever on it and its acting the way it is out of fear, self-defense or confusion. Or maybe the beast is the real culprit. Until we hear from Nexus, we can just ponder about possible what-ifs. But I don't want to wait too long though.

I tried to explain a bit in my last post why Adelaide is the way she is. Part of it has to do with her magic the other is that she has always really been that way, just part of her normal personality. Traveling alone all the time can make a person a little on the cool side of the emotional spectrum, I think. Adelaide doesn't really like to rely on others anyway. So in that regards, she's on the self-sufficient side of things. Used to paving her own way. Plus she grew up in a small town where she also wasn't exactly that sociable either. I hope this all makes sense.

And keep on stirring the pot! It smells delicious! LOL.

[IcarusDescension]

So, I was doing some research on the Sionhai peoples you mentioned and became uncertain. The wiki describes them as an "anthropomorphic race of a vulpine appearance" implying they are more like a human-fox hybrid than a people that shift between the two forms. It doesn't actually mention shifting at all in fact, just a mention of some elemental magical powers on occasion. Am I misunderstanding something or are these perhaps not the species we're looking for after all? Just curious.

Thanks!

[Ethereal-Star]

Duh to self. You are completely right on that front, IcarusD. They are what I was referring to, although I guess I was being a little absentminded when I thought of using them as the basis for the Fox Bend fox shifters. So, yeah, the Sionhai peoples are not going to be the same as those at Fox Bend. Guess I need to think some more on what exactly their culture DOES entail. Although only enough to get by for story purposes though. I don't wish to go all out.

Thanks for pointing that out to me. I guess I temporarily left my brain somewhere when I posted that.

[IcarusDescension]

No worries, I'm still glad you did post it though! I was actually envisioning creating a character that was along the same lines (a fox-human cross) and would never have realized I was tromping on grounds already documented on SotE cannon. You're clearly more familiar with the material than I was. I'll have to go through and actually read the rest of that wiki someday. A lot of information there.

At any rate, I look forward to what you come up with as far as the culture and people of fox bend!

[Ethereal-Star]

You're very welcome. Glad my goof wasn't totally misplaced. Now I need to find some kind of short, basic template for Fox Bend's people so I can build upon their race. Again, bare bones stuff, really.

[IcarusDescension]

You could go with something of a sort of old school natives theme maybe? Perhaps there are multiple tribes or groups of these shifters, each having a 'totem' or patron/guardian animal spirit. For this group it is the Fox. They could be nomadic and rural by choice, preferring to live according to a natural code of some kind or something related to their animal form? So their culture is mixed with a sort of spirituality that is centered around the one animal they can shift into.

Or perhaps turn the whole concept upside-down. After all humans can't be the only species to be able to practice magic. Perhaps they're actually foxes who have learned to take human form in order to study us, or simply as a practical matter in order to benefit from trading with us? (I think I like this one best personally.)

OR, perhaps nothing so dreamy or far-fetched at all. Perhaps they're a bunch of shapeshifters learning their art. Perhaps they actually travel to a place, learn to imitate some local animal forms and such, and study the natural world, then move on to another place and study that locations ecology and animals in the same way. After all surely it would be every ecologist's / zoologist's dream to study the interactions of an ecology by actually spending time as the plants/animals that inhabit it. Maybe they're focusing on foxes right now.

...Yeah or maybe they can just shape-shift into foxes and I'm WAY over-thinking this... (Sorry, both my threads are at a dull moment and so I'm experiencing a random explosion of unsolicited and off-topic creativity -or lack thereof.)

Anyway, just some random spur-of-the-moment ideas. I'm sure you'll come up with something better.  :-\

[Ethereal-Star]

I actually like the old school natives spirituality kind of thing. I'm going to go with that. Perhaps there are three groups of these fox shifters, with one group in the majority in that particular location. The other two could also visit there for trade or community or whatnot, but only one group is the dominant there. They could have a patron God of Foxes. So, okay not the most original idea in the world but sometimes old ideas are the best.

Thanks for the input. If I put too much thought into this, (which I just might) I may have to make an actual playable character from it too.

[IcarusDescension]

Sounds fascinating! I too have a certain romanticism of the traditional animal-centered spiritual cultures and am glad we'll get a chance to interact with one coming up here! Depending on how much you want to really flesh them out, it would be fun to spend some time around Fox Bend exploring them as a people. Or perhaps if you made a playable character from them you could work that character into the story or something.

If nothing else, should this be too much off topic from this thread's focus, and you do put in the effort to really develop them (which I must say it would be most fun if you did) I would actually get a huge kick out of starting another thread involving these people and really delving into them further.

But then I do tend to get over-excited about these sorts of things... Either way, happy culture-building!

[Ethereal-Star]

Thanks. I know I have at least one book on animal spirit guides so will take a look at that to see if Fox is in there, which I don't see why it wouldn't be. Although it may only be a page or two on it which hopefully should be enough to stir up some more ideas.

I too have found animal spirituality a most fascinating thing to delve into. And one of the ideas floating around in this head o' mine was thinking about some kind of shifter character to make. So it may very well be a fox shifter.

And since Fox is known to be in a sense of trickster of sorts, I may have to work that concept into the culture as well. Best get to typing and stuff.

[Ethereal-Star]

I forgot to add in that going into too much depth with the shifters may deviate from the thread's namesake too much, so we may very well come up with a separate plot line to explore the people further.

[DarkAndar]

Decided to throw in with you guys if you don't mind. New to the boards and this particular story caught my eye. If you have any questions pertaining to my character, feel free to ask away.

[Ethereal-Star]

Welcome to both the thread and the site, DarkAndar! Glad this thread interests you. No questions come to mind at the moment about your character, but if I do have a question I'll be sure to ask.

I'm going to let either Icarus Descension, ChocBreadMarshmallow or Slithix reply next before I put in another post. I think it is safe to say Nexus has lost interest in this story.  :( Correct me if I'm wrong.

[DarkAndar]

Not exactly sure what direction you all wanted to go. I have no objections to Ilvenath's shifter clan getting wrapped up in the beast conflict. If so, he may acknowledge noticing a few of their bodies along his journey. Up to you. Let me know what the deal is and I'll write a follow up.

[Ethereal-Star]

Based on how things are progressing, I would think Aguta accidentally stumbled into this mysterious dark mage's hideout, as that what it seems like to me anyway. I like the direction you took with this Icarus, what will he discover and how will he get out? Anyway, I'm gonna rule that since Nexus is no longer playing as we've all given him plenty of time to respond, both here and on the actual thread, as well as through PM's, that the beast should be NPC'd along with the dark evil mage that conjured the storm.

In light of the couple of posts that Nexus did post, I think we should go with what he wrote there in terms of the beast, that is a sickness which plagues his mind and that its a warrior arctic bear wearing diamond plated gauntlets. Where the beast is now, I believe it makes sense that the mage controls it and its actions. That this wizard guy is simply biding his time for whatever. Anyway, that's all I got for now. Hope that helps.

[IcarusDescension]

Thanks for the update and input Star! Not sure exactly where I was going with the cave thing either to be honest. I guess I was about to ask the same question we all seem to be asking, which is in what direction do we want to go with this thread?

Slithix it seemed like you had some ideas? At least you hinted that your character knows about the beast and its identity - even that his past might in some way be connected to the current events. DarkAndar your character also seems to have prior knowledge? Did either of you want to coordinate or share what you had in that regard? I'm getting close to the point of writing some stuff involving the dark mage and I don't want to contradict whatever the two of you have already thought up.

If nothing specific then I'll just let the creative wheels keep on churnin' and see what I come up with, which is fine too.

As I said in my last post, sorry for my long absence. Good to be back in action and looking forward to some fun RP!

[DarkAndar]

Good stuff. I've been really playing it by ear myself. Just pure ad lib really. The way I see it, the plot could branch out several ways. Some which incorporate the backgrounds of a few players. But lets stick to the simple version until someone says different.

A mage controlling an enraged beast on the open tundra and one that can control the weather to boot. Sounds like a pretty tough adversary. This is sort of reminding me of Conan now! LOL.

Anyhoo, Erathgar can lead them to a few of the carcasses and perhaps they can uncover the shaft that Icarus accidentally discovered. Maybe something delays Icarus at the moment so they can catch up and the group can finally unite. Sound plausible?

[IcarusDescension]

That would certainly be a workable way to go. It also stands to reason that those tunnels have another entrance somewhere (the mage presumably has an easier way of getting in and out than that shaft.) Erathgar could discover an entrance (perhaps the same shaft) and the group could meet up that way like you suggested. I'm perfectly happy to stall Aguta for a bit if that's the direction you'd like to go.

I was originally assuming Aguta would somehow escape the tunnels at some point and meet up with everyone at Fox Bend. However there's no reason we have to do it that way.

I don't think I was envisioning having an actual final confrontation with the mage at this point in the story - it feels kinda early for that and that would be a group scene it seems like rather than any one character going solo - more along the lines of Aguta meeting said mage and barely escaping with his life. Perhaps escaping and returning to Fox Bend with at least some piece of evidence that there actually IS a mage. (I'm still not sure what if anything would inspire Adelaide to act but perhaps it would be that?) Of course that same basic scenario could play out as a group too. I'm fine either way.

But I didn't want to write any of that if anyone had specific ideas already about who the mage is or what they're doing lest I contradict. But it doesn't sound like that's an issue.

Unless the still unspoken Slithix has something to add. I'm curious mostly because unless I'm misunderstanding something his previous posts really seemed to indicate quite strongly that he had envisioned his character's past as being directly related to the beast, the mage, and/or just the village of Fox Bend itself. I wasn't really clear on the details.

I'll wait to hear more before posting anything.