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Ideas for Dark Fantasy Novel

    • 273 posts
    June 22, 2016 1:31 PM EDT

    I was thinking that the Church worship an adapted version of the actual Gods (In a similar fashion to Alessia's Pantheon).

    I'm considering making him slightly delusional, believing the dragons are the true Gods and that they will wipe out the Church alone and rule atop the world in their rightful place.

    • 273 posts
    June 23, 2016 11:57 AM EDT

    Added Lore for the Un-Gods and for the Giant's Storms.

    • 273 posts
    June 24, 2016 11:26 AM EDT

    What do you guys think of the main character being a mercenary? It would give him an excuse to travel and then uncover something during his assignment.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 10:37 AM EDT

    Added God-Monarch lore and expanded character section.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:31 AM EDT

    I personally like the name Renoldus for the God-Monarch, just a suggestion.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:33 AM EDT

    So, what is the actual aim for the character? Rags to riches, defeat the monster are a few that could work, though defeat the monster would work the best.  Do you have an aim for him, like rebellion, stopping the dragons, giants or anything else?

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:37 AM EDT

    Also, in your G-M lore you say that the GM is supposedly Yor, god of storms, when you earlier cited that Yjorma also takes that role. Is that intentional?

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:41 AM EDT

    He is disgusted by the lazy, manipulative Church and aims to take it down, in the process he uncovers that the man opposing the Church wishes to resurrect the Dragons to rule supreme over the world in the place of the Church's blasphemous Gods.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:42 AM EDT

    Yes, Yor is the adapted human version of Yjorma, the humans have completely forgotten their ties to giants to the point that they have forgotten the real Gods and have settled for ones they have conjured up from memory.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:47 AM EDT

    I feel bad for the God-Monarch now. To be stolen from your parents, then trained harshly to become a manipulated ruler. If he steps out of line, he will probably be crushed. I'm guessing the people would call him Yor, like all GMs, but it might be good if he sides with the main character, wishing to escape this jail he has been forced to rule, and become himself.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:48 AM EDT

    That name does have a ring to it, actually.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:52 AM EDT

    As suggested by Mercurias too, he will realize that he has been manipulated and assist the main character in bringing down his adviser and his advisers associates. This won't be until quite late in the novel, however.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:58 AM EDT

    What type of mercenary will he/she be? A grim, aged veteran who sees the world as grey? Or a bright, young bounty hunter who has good wishes?

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 11:59 AM EDT

    And for names, I suggest you sift through here to get them. I used it to get Renoldus.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:02 PM EDT

    And will the character posses Elemancy? I can see the advisor being gifted in it, and Renoldus, but the character might not fit the role of having shiny, impressive magic. 

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:02 PM EDT

    Young, but certainly not uninformed about how cruel the world is, I want to avoid a "family killed by <insert enemy here> cliche" for this, maybe he just sees things for what they are? They have good wishes, but aren't afraid to do small evils for the sake of the greater good (No villains on ledges going "if you're such a hero, you won't let me die", he would kill them).

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:04 PM EDT

    The main character won't, as he will already be more powerful from the Un-Gods blessing/curse. The Adviser would certainly be more of an antagonist if he did, so I'll probably do that. As for Renoldus, I could change the lore slightly and make it so that the God-Monarch is only kept if he shows affinity in the Lightning Elemancy and is born on the same day of the God-Monarch's death.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:05 PM EDT

    Oh, thank you, this will be useful.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:15 PM EDT

    Gremlins would amuse me, and probably not work, but still...

    Names for the advisor are Vauquelin, Ivo, Dryke, Elspat and Merilda. The first 3 are male, last two are female. These were got off the medieval generator, which will probably be of the most use to you for the church names.

    Unfortunately, the bounty hunter generator generates nicknames, which could be used, but are not as useful as an actual name.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:23 PM EDT

    Gremlins, Elves, Goblins and Dwarves have been completely avoided, since they've been done to death in fantasy in my opinion (not saying I don't like them, I do, but avoiding cliches is a big thing for me right now).

    I like the names Ivo and Dryke, personally.

    I'll see what I can do for the main character name.

    • 404 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:26 PM EDT
    What about aliens and machinemen? Ratmen could be fun.
    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:29 PM EDT

    I agree with him on the ratmen, not sure about the others.

    Ratmen (Achavens?):

    Servants of the Hags or Corrupted merchants who have struck a deal with the church, they could occupy a bordering country, that has been warring with the character's country for a long time. Possibly conquered, and added to the empire

    Also, for the Gm, you could make several children picked. It would be a traumatic experience for him, watching his fellows be killed off one by one as they fail to achieve the Churches ambition. He could be guilty, and mourn for them, feeling his hands are as dirty as theirs.

    You could make the Church corrupt before the reign, so he is aware but too afraid to do anything about it, or he will be mercilessly crushed and another picked. 

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:40 PM EDT

    If and when I write a sequel I do have an idea for some kind of animal men.

    Yes, that's a good idea, that'd make the odds of finding a child with Elemancy easier, since they aren't exactly common.

    They were, remember that the selecting means that there is at least an 18-year gap between Monarchs.

    How about something like this: each adviser has an apprentice who they teach to control the church and keep the God-Monarch unaware, they are the true rulers, the God-Monarch is an idle figurehead.

    • 54 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:45 PM EDT

    Yes, that is a good idea. Also, with such power, the advisors will want to stay alive to enjoy it longer. Vampirism, if it gives immortality, would be a path that Dryke would be likely to take.

    • 273 posts
    June 25, 2016 12:46 PM EDT

    I'm surprised I didn't think of that myself, that was an obvious one.

    Great idea.