It took some debating to come up with the title of this thread. I have learned a fair bit from ROaTNO and WN, so I endeavor, with this new thread, to weave an embroidered cloth. One with less flaws, although it doesn't hurt to try something new.
Reference to the "Imaginarium" is almost an in-joke. However, I herewith introduce a new idea, one that is most certainly not novel but challenges the concept of the meta-term. This isn't the Imaginarium. This is the Phantasmagorium. No Children Under Eleventeen Admitted. If you are under eleventeen, leave now.
An Introduction
Silent serenades. Troublesome sighs. Solace in surreal ambience. A desired truth. A dose to dote, to dope, the wayward soul. It only works if you believe it would, sir, mister. Galatea? No, I do not know her name. Lindra, I think she is. Yes, sweetish. Ambrose? What's he to do with this? The supple wine of the nectar peach with rose hip tea would do. We drink a sip to drug our health. Our hearth? No, health. Oh, let him in, Letum's solemn twin. What worse could he do than what I have, such sombre song? I shall slip peacefully for once, sound and somnial some. Eos shall do what she does and I shall wake when it is done. So long imagined sun, the bull waits with you between its horns to enter into Lore.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not chew celery when you're talking to someone?"
That made me lol, anyway, looking forward to the next installment, nothing really to criticize except I'd like more adjectives and such, but that's just my opinion.
You're just asking for a few more puns I haven't used yet, if a "little short" does mean what I think it means. Did I ever mention puns make me paranoid? Trying so hard not to use them now.
Who does that? Are you saying I do that!?
As you know, Bob, I was being a little tongue-in-cheek.
# Regarding "exposition", I don't use any more of it than I feel like because I'm cheating a little. Take the leaps. I never explicitly stated where the Bullman and Stallion are, or how they got there, but take the leap. I can't tell anything isn't clear or the leaps take too much faith, but there should be enough "clues" to figure out what is going on. If there isn't, then this is a problem.
These are and will be a string of vignettes, which isn't new because I've been doing that for a while now. The difference between this thread (and other threads by me except for one) and other story threads is that I do not start and continue a story that is a heavily character-drive or plot-drive flowing albeit clunky narrative. "The Bullman Doesn't Like Prologues" is more than just not having a prologue as is usual in sci-fi and fantasy around these parts (as usual as calling "Chapter the First" the prologue), because I don't like prologues. It's on a different level geekery and fanboyism for me. (I'm a Lesser Nerd King Faux-Geek.) "The Adventures of Plokplok" will shed some light on why these are just vignettes... somewhat.
(Anyone who now figures out why I opted for the other title and why the last entry was "Not Only That, Some Things Really Occur Predictably" gets 1 Gantic Point.)
Reaching? Participles count as verbs, right (being verbs, they should)? Reaching.
Reaching for the wrong answer. I'm looking for the form that would be the first one listed in a dictionary entry.
The Dekas believe that children are protected by their ancestors through the ancestral lullaby translated as the 'Kin Song' until their passage to adulthood. A shaman recites the first seven verses of the song during birth and then anoints the newborn with a mark on the forehead with the ash of cypress and festuca. The song is believed continued after the ritual by the newborn's forebears and follows the child silently through the age of puberty when the final verse is sung.
Alfred T. Kineson, The World through the Fog: A Look at the People and Places around Pacarna
Excellent story, even though I haven't read through written nothings. As long as you do not think in excess while reading this story, the meanings, story, etc, will come to you easier.
Thank you. Written Nothings has less to do with this except stylistically (and one character bit and a reflection).
I think there might be an age factor, rather than overthinking, for "An Introduction" though, since it probably won't make sense to anyone who's not old enough to understand it (like art games).
Snowflakes in the Winter Time
"Brother's here." Stallion Man elbowed the Bullman and pointed toward the front of the gathered crowd. A bullman robed in white, as with everyone else, stood at the front watching the flames burn. The crowd was silent but for the soft chanting of unseen faces to the slow crackle of a fire.
"This is a rebel's death," the Bullman snorted. His brother glared toward the back of the crowd and returned his gaze to the front, unmoving until the flames were no more than embers and the embers no more than ash and the crowd still silent but for the shuffle of feet. The Bullman remained where he stood. As the people dispersed, his brother approached him with two urns.
"You're late," his brother said. "Didn't Mom ever teach you respect, cowboy?" The Bullman boomed, "I am your elder!"
Staring down a bull was an easy thing to do when you were bigger, and the Bullman would, of course, tell you he was the same size, if not bigger, but the facts were to the contrary. But within family, it was always a battle of conviction than caliber.
The Bullman's brother thrust one of the urns toward him. "Kinsiung wanted you to take him to the Obsidian." "Where are you taking him?" the Bullman asked, glancing at the other urn. His brother hesitated. "The Quartz." Regardless, he had won.
I realize this has been going nowhere really slowly and I'm hoping to pick up the pace. It was not a good idea to switch out the Disciples of the Road with Kinsiung.
Must expeditiously get to where I want to be and keep up a semblance of quality and consistency, but in the meantime, a song:
Ebullition
"Long the journey to recognition gained on the path of expedition for I am the Bullman of no competition here to save the world from heinous perdition!" bellowed the Bullman. "Ask the question, make the requisition, about the story, the exposition, of the Bullman who's definition of fighting evil is fighting sedition!"
"Have to sing that awful song?" Stallion Man groaned.
The Bullman continued, "Abannition of evil is his mission, exhibition of nutrition his position for he is the Bullman of no opposition as the spreading of good is his fruition. Where evil divides through bipartition he recombines through reunition for he is the Bullman who needs no addition taking down evil through exinanition!"
Stallion Man remarked, "Even know what these words mean?"
"Oh, he is the Bullman, the first edition, the one who's ever without contraposition for he looks best in any juxtaposition as his name causes evil's vomition! Long was the journey to renowned agnition and one might say it was total circuition but he is the Bullman with unparalleled ambition and at his desition there will be a grand..."
Did I mention the potential "contest" and "tournament" that could spring from this? *hint hint* I think I have. Several times. Over the last two years. Which is further back than I thought.
The Disciples of the Road
Kinsiung's bones were stolen before the Bullman reached the Obsidian. Neither the Bullman nor Stallion Man were awake to keep watch over their makeshift camp. Unfamiliar tracks from the camp disappeared on the road they had travelled. Bark shattered as the Bullman slammed his fist into a nearby tree.
"You believe this is what you are seeking," a voice said.
Three brown-robed strangers stood on the road with their hoods over their heads. The one toward the front held the urn containing the ones of Kinsiung. From his hood protruded the beak of a gull.
"Who are you?" the Bullman asked. "We are the Disciples of the Road," the gull replied. "You do not want this urn."
Boredom has but no rewards, save for that which one records.
I think most of us here (on AG and on AMW) can appreciate this line. I know I never expected to be doing anything meaningful with my time when I wandered here so long ago. Also, I get the feeling that I'm reading too much into your choice of pronoun.
Though, uh, when I saw this had updated, I was kinda hoping to see what was happening with these Disciple of the Road guys. They have a cool name at the very least.
Choice of pronoun is more for meter and rhyme, but that doesn't mean it's not true for anyone else.
Apostles of the Horizon doesn't have the same ring to it. The image I posted is somewhat related to the Disciples of the Road, but it's lacking in the foreground.
The Return of a King
"What do you mean?" the Bullman asked. "I mean what I say." the gull replied. "Then return the urn." "You do not want the urn." "Give me the urn and go on your way." "You cannot have the urn." "Give me the urn or else." "You have no need for hostilities" the gull said.
The Bullman rushed at the bird with his fist but stopped as another disciple struck him the chest with the end of a staff. He threw another fist at the bird but was knocked away by the staff of the other disciple.
"You do not want to attack us. I am the Wayfarer Ibilis, but perhaps you know me as the Keeper of Kompas." The introduction of Ibilis appeared to have placated the Bullman. "The road you travel is not the one you choose. It is your duty to bring the urn to the Obsidian, but you must also choose to bring the urn to the Obsidian. As a Keeper and a Wayfarer I cannot allow duty without devotion. Duty without devotion is a boulder without mass."
The Disciples turned to walk away and the Bullman dashed forward to stop them but froze as Ibilis spoke again.
"You will walk after us, but you will not follow us. If you want Kasam, then this is Kasam, but perhaps Dama suits you better." The Bullman clenched his fists. The Warfarer continued, "Claim a metal staff from beyond the Demon Gate and you will see your devotion. You will need a tigerkin. Be aware that Marabou will wait for you. Destiny has a reminder most astute."
Silence followed the departure of the disciples. The Bullman, the Bullman had, in his entire life, been lectured not by one but by two Keepers. Two. The probability of such events were cosmic. Spectacular people were spectacular because they were born spectacular. He was spectacular. Without provocation. Stallion Man broke the silence.
"Never is normal with you around, is it?" Stallion Man sneered. "Shut up."
Choice of pronoun is more for meter and rhyme, but that doesn't mean it's not true for anyone else.
My angle was that if one records the fruits of boredom, others may too reap the rewards and, through your boredom, rise from there own.
At least I like to think this is somehow rewarding.
Apostles of the Horizon doesn't have the same ring to it.
I have always hated how the phrase "of the horizon" rolls off the tongue. I can never get the dramatic stress where it needs to be without saying another part in an overly casual, almost slurred way.
I think some descriptions are a bit threadbare. Makes me miss Three and a Half Elves. That was fun.
As for the newest segment, I was rather fond of it. I think Lore is developing a bit more smoothly than ROaTNO.
My angle was that if one records the fruits of boredom, others may too reap the rewards and, through your boredom, rise from there own.
Ah. I almost always use "one" in reference to self, but that is the gist of it.
Odd thing is, beyond yourself, I'm not sure who else is actually reading this, though it seems to jump by a hundred views per installment at approximately one installment per week.
I think some descriptions are a bit threadbare. Makes me miss Three and a Half Elves. That was fun.
I can see that, and it nags me when I post. I'm trying to distill a blend of ROaTNO, WN, and my longer unread works into a concise, poignant, and vibrant shorts approaching vignettes. I can feel it lacking but on the other hand I don't want to weigh it down. Yet, it's supposed to get description heavy towards the middle of Lore. Right now, it's already heavy with references (aka diverting detail through preconceptions) and obscure ideas.
Bring back Three and a Half Elves!
As for the newest segment, I was rather fond of it. I think Lore is developing a bit more smoothly than ROaTNO.
Awesome. That was what I was intending. Much better than "a rogue jumps in, whacks you on the head, and drags you to the next part of the story", except I'm still doing that.
