Warriors of Curissya - PFA's 2013 NaNo Thread

[PFA]

Two adventurers fresh out of adventuring school start on their journey into the vast world of Curissya, meeting all sorts of interesting characters along the way. However, they find themselves way in over their heads when they discover that the queen of the usually dormant witch kingdom is plotting to take over the world with her dark powers. So now the adventurers must unlock the ancient secrets of magic in order to defeat the witch queen before she succeeds.

---

...I fail at making my plots not sound super generic, but it's totally going to be awesome. >_>

Anyway, yes! I've kind of alluded to this a few times before, but this is the first time I'm really out and confirming its existence. Warriors of Curissya is a game I'm plotting to make that takes place in the same world as Larissa's Great Adventure, about two years before the events of the game in question. It features obviously different characters though, who I recycled for a silly side story I did and suddenly backstory occurred, so I had to write it. >_> <_<

(Though before you get your hopes too high/too concerned for my sanity, I'm not really planning on making the actual game until after I finish LGA, which is probably several years out itself. Which is the main reason I haven't really mentioned this much since I didn't really want to commit to it just yet. <_< But plotting plots is fun, which is what brings me here.)

SO YEAH the point is that this NaNo around is going to be me trying to work out the currently somewhat vague plot, as I've found that the best way for me to figure out plot vagueness is just to sit down and attempt to write the dang thing. So this will either be me figuring out the plot or an elaborate way for me to find out what not to do. It's thrilling!

Expect character bios and stuff to come later, since obviously the characters are pretty much the entire reason this thing exists. :B

[PFA]

Characters!

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Kentu
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Hometown: Taniet Town
Bio: The main character of the story. Fresh out of adventuring school, Kentu hopes to do what he can to help other people. Smart and responsible, he ends up being the leader of his own adventuring group.


Name: Warris
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Hometown: Taniet Town
Bio: Also fresh out of adventuring school, Warris becomes Kentu's adventuring companion early on. He's kind of a goofball, and sometimes tries to bite off more than he can chew. At heart, though, his greatest desire is to keep people safe from danger as best he can.


Name: Raia
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Hometown Rikitek Village
Bio: Having lived near the jungle her whole life, Raia learned survival skills from an early age. Upon meeting Kentu and Warris, seeing how bad they are at surviving, she invites herself into their group. Cheerful and confident, Raia's ambition is to travel the world.


Name: Myrin
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Hometown: Lurieyn
Bio: While most of Curissya has long since abandoned magic, there is a society of mages in the mountains who study it devoutly. Myrin is one of them, and has always been especially studious, even as a child. When the Lurieyn Council learns of the incoming crisis with the witch queen, they send Myrin to accompany Kentu's group and help stop her. Having never been outside of Lurieyn, Myrin is not especially pleased by this, and finds the outside world quite daunting.


Name: Queen Moriella
Age: ?
Gender: Female
Hometown: The witch kingdom
Bio: Queen of the witch kingdom, and the main antagonist of the story. Queen Moriella claims that the witches and warlocks of Curissya have been shunned for far too long, and that it is time to show the world what they are capable of. Cold and ruthless, she will stop at nothing to get what she wants.


Name: Ronnel
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Hometown: The witch kingdom
Bio: One of Queen Moriella's aides. Intelligent and composed, Ronnel often provides a voice of reason when the queen loses her temper. Very loyal, he will do everything he can to assist his queen in her goals.


Name: Zane
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Hometown: The witch kingdom
Bio: One of Queen Moriella's aides. A man of few words, Zane follows orders from his queen unquestioningly. Seeing as he almost never speaks or removes his hood, many wonder if he is hiding something.

hm, those characters look a bit familiar

[PFA]

OH SNAP it's almost NaNo and my characters don't have last names

um

Kentu Mirander
Warris Curt
Raia Laliet
Myrin Amalyn

nailed it

[PFA]

I kind of marathon'd tonight and managed to hit 10k like two days early! YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAH

Of course, here's my annual special wordcount word thingy:

10k: else
20k: the
30k: aback
40k: asked
50k: all
60k(!): Thanks!

I've been wanting to post some excerpts, but there hasn't really been anything worth posting yet. >_> But that might change soon because things are finally starting to turn toward the ACTUAL PLOT OMG.

[PFA]

I am posting this excerpt because it outlines some of the world lore! It ends awkwardly though because the real thing is super long.

"Idle Rumors"

SPOILER: Click to show

They made their way back to the Adventurers' Association, which, as usual, was crowded with people. Kentu had gotten used to moving right through the entrance hall and back to the jobs board, but this time, Warris indicated the receptionists at the front desk. "We're going to have to ask them," he explained.

"Oh, um... okay." Kentu blinked, noticing that even though there were five receptionists, there were long lines to see each of them. "I guess we'll just have to... get in line?"

"Ugh, yeah, there's always a line..." Warris sighed, picking the line which he thought looked the shortest. Kentu followed suit.

Waiting in line was especially torturous, especially considering how slowly the lines were moving. Each adventurer seemed to take several minutes with the receptionist, and the lines must have had at least a couple dozen people in them each. Kentu, not having much else to do, couldn't help but listen in on some of the conversation the adventurers ahead of them were having.

"...I tell ya, it was pretty spooky," one of them said to his friend. "It was like the place was cursed."

"Cursed, huh?" was the reply. "Maybe a witch was practicing magic in there."

"Don't be crazy, man." The first man waved a hand dismissively. "The witches have, like, a whole island to mess around on. What reason would they have to come all the way out here?"

"Maybe she needed some special ingredients for her evil spell," the second man suggested. "Besides, what else would make that kind of stuff happen? Nobody but them has used magic for ages, right?"

"I dunno, the place looked pretty old," the first man told him. "Maybe there was magic residue left over from some ancient mages doing stuff there."

"Does magic really stick around that long? I always thought it wore off after a while."

"Well, there's some old magic stuff around that still works, so it has to stick around, right?"

"I guess. I don't know, though, it still seems kind of weird..."

"Tell me about it." The man shrugged. "But I guess we'll never really know, will we?"

"I guess not..."

The conversation continued on, but Kentu quickly lost interest in it. He instead started pondering the world at large, which he would soon get to experience for himself. The world of Curissya was a vast and wondrous world, with many new discoveries to be found daily. Long ago, it was a world of magic, an ethereal force capable of many amazing things. However, humans had long since abandoned the ways of magic, more favoring the technology and workmanship of one's own hands. Magic now a thing of the past, it could now only be found in ancient artifacts of a more mystical age, and those few creatures who still had the ability to use such power.

Some of the more experienced adventurers would speak of ancient ruins, filled with many magical wonders that survived the ages. Some even spoke of artifacts that allowed those who wielded them access to their power, which Kentu couldn't even begin to imagine. He had always been fascinated by the stories, and couldn't help but hope that one day, he'd be able to see some magic for himself, to see how magnificent it really was.

"Man, this line feels even slower than usual," Warris remarked, distracting Kentu from his thoughts. "What's taking the person at the front so long?"

[PFA]

I hit 20k at a write-in today! That was pretty exciting.

Anyway, I feel like I should post more excerpts, so here you go. Have some backstory. (Kind of mildly spoilers I guess? Y'know, if you care about that sort of thing.)

SPOILER: Click to show

The two of them sat down on one of the logs, hefting their packs off of their shoulders and opening them up. What they found was some rations, the kind that was supposed to last for long periods of time without going bad. While they didn't look particularly appetizing, they didn't want to risk going out hunting at this time of night, and decided to dig in.

"Bleh! These are disgusting," Warris decided immediately. "We're definitely going to have to try and catch some real food tomorrow."

"Yeah, they're okay, but not that great," Kentu agreed. "We'll have to remember, for our next trip, to bring some good food with us."

"Ha ha, yeah, right?" Warris chuckled. "We'll have to get some fruit and bread and stuff. This stuff doesn't even compare."

"Thankfully, Chekiku City is a merchant town, so they're sure to have plenty of food there," Kentu noted. "Maybe even some exotic food."

"Ooh, that'd be nice," Warris said. "I'd like to try some exotic food. I mean, being an adventurer is all about trying new things, right?"

Kentu nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

All fell to silence for a moment, save for the distant sounds of critters chattering in the forest. Kentu took the opportunity to really take in his surroundings. The beautiful scenery, the cool of the breeze, the faint scent of fresh grass... he could get used to this, he thought.

"So, Kentu," Warris spoke up, interrupting the silence. "What got you interested in adventuring, anyway?"

"Hm? Oh, well..." Kentu thought on this, trying to decide how to best answer the question. "It's hard to say, exactly. It probably helped that I grew up in Taniet Town, but mostly, I guess I've just always wanted to help people. To try and make a difference, you know?"

Warris nodded, thinking on this. "Yeah, that makes sense."

"So what about you?" Kentu asked. "Why did you want to be an adventurer?"

To Kentu's surprise, Warris was silent for a moment. A deep, contemplative silence, as he thought on the question. After a moment, he replied softly, "I guess it really started when my mom died."

Kentu was taken aback by this response. "Your... mom died? What happened?"

"I guess it was a few years ago, but it feels like yesterday," Warris explained. "She went on a trip, escorted by a couple of adventurers, of course. The adventurers looked pretty capable, but they were cocky and overconfident—you know the type. They thought they were ready for everything, but... they weren't prepared for what happened."

"And what did happen?" Kentu asked again.

"They were attacked," Warris replied simply. "I don't know what it was, but the adventurers described it as powerful, with incredible magic powers. They managed to make it out alive, but... my mom didn't stand a chance."

"Oh wow..." Kentu gave a sympathetic frown. "I had no idea..."

"I heard they weren't the only ones, either," Warris added. "Apparently some other adventures had described attacks of a similar nature on the same night. Whatever was on the prowl that night, a lot of people suffered for it." He looked up at the sky, where the stars were just starting to appear. "So I decided that I wanted to be able to help, if something like that were to happen again, you know? I don't want people getting hurt like that again."

"That's a very noble goal," Kentu told him, thinking on this response. He had always cared a lot about his parents, personally, and he couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose one of them, especially under such tragic circumstances. He could only imagine what that must have been like for Warris.

"Thanks." Warris gave a slight smile. Then, deciding to change the subject, he took the last bites of his rations, making a face. "Bleh. Nasty. Well anyway, I dunno about you, but I'm about ready to hit the hay."

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I guess so," Kentu agreed, finishing off the last of his own rations. "Let's hope these sleeping bags are comfortable, huh?"

"Ha ha, yeah," Warris replied, pulling out his own sleeping bag and rolling it out. "They seem pretty plush."

"Well, that's promising," Kentu remarked, rolling out his own sleeping bag.

After setting his various equipment aside, Warris climbed into his sleeping bag, giving a yawn. "Well, good night, Kentu."

"Good night, Warris."

They finally met Raia today (finally, ugh), so hopefully I can post some of her wacky antics soon. :^D

[PFA]

I'm having kind of a love/hate relationship with this novel because like, I hit 30k last night and this is the first time I've been consistently ahead of the game, but I'm at 30k and they still haven't met the antagonist

which is telling me this is going to be a suuuper long story and that I'm probably going to have to make like 2010 and continue it next year, which I'm not sure if I want to do or if that will be adequate? (I didn't finish my 2010/2011 story even with the two years of 50k, I write ~really long stories~) (though on the other hand I might not actually have enough plot to continue it next year, I honestly don't know)

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, writing this novel has been really fun and helped me figure out all the plot minutiae like I wanted to, and yet at the same time I keep trying to rush past non-crucial scenes (including ones I actually kind of wanted to write) because I really want Myrin to show up already I desire to write Myrin ugh

I dunno, maybe I'll just write all the important stuff so I can get them to Lurieyn and then I can go back and write all the stuff I'm skipping? No one said NaNos had to be written in order. :'D

[Kristykimmy]

Nov 15, 2013 14:21:46 GMT -5 PFA said:

I'm having kind of a love/hate relationship with this novel because like, I hit 30k last night and this is the first time I've been consistently ahead of the game, but I'm at 30k and they still haven't met the antagonist

which is telling me this is going to be a suuuper long story and that I'm probably going to have to make like 2010 and continue it next year, which I'm not sure if I want to do or if that will be adequate? (I didn't finish my 2010/2011 story even with the two years of 50k, I write ~really long stories~) (though on the other hand I might not actually have enough plot to continue it next year, I honestly don't know)

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, writing this novel has been really fun and helped me figure out all the plot minutiae like I wanted to, and yet at the same time I keep trying to rush past non-crucial scenes (including ones I actually kind of wanted to write) because I really want Myrin to show up already I desire to write Myrin ugh

I dunno, maybe I'll just write all the important stuff so I can get them to Lurieyn and then I can go back and write all the stuff I'm skipping? No one said NaNos had to be written in order. :'D

A lot of the pep-talks this year seem to keep encouraging people to do that if they want to.

[PFA]

Nov 15, 2013 14:26:41 GMT -5 Kristykimmy said:

A lot of the pep-talks this year seem to keep encouraging people to do that if they want to.

Yeah, I've been noticing that theme, too. XD I don't really like to write completely out of order, though, especially with NaNo, because stuff always seems to come up that I didn't anticipate, and then it's just hard to force the novel back on-course.

[Kristykimmy]

Nov 15, 2013 14:49:19 GMT -5 PFA said:

Nov 15, 2013 14:26:41 GMT -5 Kristykimmy said:

A lot of the pep-talks this year seem to keep encouraging people to do that if they want to.

Yeah, I've been noticing that theme, too. XD I don't really like to write completely out of order, though, especially with NaNo, because stuff always seems to come up that I didn't anticipate, and then it's just hard to force the novel back on-course.

I always used to write like that, until about last year. Now I only skip a scene or two ahead, and only when the stuff in between isn't major and I'm really bogged down and need a jumpstart. I was beginning to feel like it was killing my ability to finish, because there was little incentive to actually get in the minor scenes because I done all the fun ones already.

[PFA]

Nov 15, 2013 15:04:03 GMT -5 Kristykimmy said:

Nov 15, 2013 14:49:19 GMT -5 PFA said:

Yeah, I've been noticing that theme, too. XD I don't really like to write completely out of order, though, especially with NaNo, because stuff always seems to come up that I didn't anticipate, and then it's just hard to force the novel back on-course.

I always used to write like that, until about last year. Now I only skip a scene or two ahead, and only when the stuff in between isn't major and I'm really bogged down and need a jumpstart. I was beginning to feel like it was killing my ability to finish, because there was little incentive to actually get in the minor scenes because I done all the fun ones already.

Yeah, I think I could see that. Heck, I think doing it in proper order has its merits too, because pushing through and actually getting to the scenes you actually want to write is that much more fulfilling IMO. :3

But to each their own, of course. If it works for some people, more power to them.

(also, in case I'm sounding contradictory here, I was basically considering skipping out on as much non-essential stuff as possible so I can get to the plotstuff, and then maybe going back and adding in the non-essential stuff later, not just completely skipping ahead to the plotstuff and ignoring the stuff that comes in-between)

[PFA]

Just hit 40k and the plot is finally occurring finally yesss

They just made it to Lurieyn and met Myrin ~hooray~ I'm excited for this C:

(which reminds me, still need to find a Raia excerpt worth posting, maybe I can post one for her and one for Myrin at once)

(also maybe I can try and make it to 60k or ~beyond~?)

[PFA]

Here's a Raia excerpt like I've been promising! The Myrin one will probably come tomorrow or something, since I'm still writing that part.

Raia's Survival Skills (kind of violent, though I toned it down a bit)

SPOILER: Click to show

They ventured into the jungle, where Raia led the way to a field of Wind Lilies. Turning to the others, she said, "Okay! So here we are. How many Wind Lilies did you say you needed?"

"Oh, well, Madam Fayte said she needs at least ten plants," Kentu replied. "I think we had eight plants before, um... you threw them all out because it was Dragonbreath."

"Yeah, okay, that's doable!" Raia nodded, bending down and taking a look at the leaves on the nearest plant. Deciding that it was safe, she immediately pulled up the plant, handing it to Warris. "These are Wind Lilies. See how the edges of the leaves are all smooth, not jagged?"

"I... guess?" Warris blinked, looking at the leaves.

"The leaves are the most notable difference between Wind Lilies and Dragonbreath," Raia explained, moving to the next plant. "There are other subtle differences, too, of course. Like how Dragonbreath has a thicker stem... okay, this one's safe." She pulled up the plant, handing it to Warris again.

"What's the deal with poisonous plants looking so similar to good plants, anyway?" Warris asked, poking one of the Wind Lilies curiously.

"It's probably part of the plant's defense mechanism," Raia said. "See, plants don't like to be picked or eaten, so they'll produce poisons to discourage animals from doing so. So Wind Lilies might have developed to look just like Dragonbreath, so people would think they're poisonous and avoid them."

"Or maybe Dragonbreath developed to look just like Wind Lilies, because it's a jerk and it likes to poison people?" Warris suggested.

"Or maybe it's trying to protect the Wind Lilies?" Kentu piped in. "By looking just like them and being poisonous?"

"Could be! It's hard to say, really," Raia said, observing another plant. This time, however, after checking the leaves, she immediately turned away from it. "Not this one! That's Dragonbreath."

Warris raised an eyebrow, trying to get a better look at the differences between the two plants as Raia moved to the next plant. Kentu did likewise, noticing that the leaves of the Dragonbreath did indeed have sharp, jagged edges... which was something he never would have noticed, had it not been pointed out to him.

This continued for a while, until eventually, they had collected all the Wind Lilies that they needed. Raia smiled, helping Warris shove the plants into his pack. Once she was done with this, she took up her spear, leading the way out of the jungle.

"This way, guys!" she said. "Follow me, and we'll be at Chekiku City in no time."

"I take it you're familiar with the layout of the jungle," Kentu noted.

"Are you kidding? Of course I am!" was Raia's response. "I've grown up here my whole life, you know!"

"I know," Kentu said, "I'm just saying, you must have come out here a lo—"

Suddenly, a deep, guttural growl filled the air. Raia raised an arm to stop the other two, looking around for the source of the sound. Sure enough, within a few moments, a cougar emerged from a thicket of trees, growling at them menacingly. The adventurers, realizing immediately what this meant, pulled out their respective weapons, preparing for a battle.

"Finally, something I know I can do," Warris whispered to Kentu, getting into a defensive stance.

The cougar leapt at Raia, who immediately countered by stepping backward and lunging her spear at its throat. The blow struck true, causing the cougar to crumple to the ground, dying instantly. Raia grinned, wiping the blood off of her spear.

"Piece of cake," she remarked, before continuing onward. "Come on, guys!"

Kentu and Warris blinked, just watching Raia run ahead of them for a moment as they tried to register what had just happened. After a moment, Warris let out a sigh. "Yeesh. Is there anything that girl can't do?"

"Well, remember that she did grow up here," Kentu replied with a shrug. He then hurried after Raia, beckoning Warris to follow. "Come on, we'd better follow her."

Warris grumbled under his breath, but obediently followed after Kentu. While he was walking, though, he thought he heard another growl echoing from the jungle. He blinked, looking around for any signs of the creature. After a moment, he spotted it—another cougar was hiding in the trees, waiting to pounce on any adventurers that dared approach it. And from the looks of it, that was going to be them. Well, not if Warris could help it.

Looking over at the others, he noticed that neither of them seemed to have noticed the cougar, not even Raia. Deciding that this was his chance, Warris snuck away from the group, approaching the cougar as quietly as possible. Once he got close to it, however, it noticed him, snarling and pouncing at him.

"Whoa!" he yelped, quickly moving out of the way. Just as the cougar landed on the ground beside him, he brought his axe down on it, aiming for the neck. The axe hit its target, lopping the cougar's head clean off. Warris looked at the cougar for a moment, making sure it was really dead—though how could it not be?—before breaking into a little jig. "Oh yeah! Who's da man? Who's da man?"

"Warris!" came Kentu's voice, as he and Raia ran to catch up with him. "Are you all right?"

"You bet I'm all right!" he replied, posing proudly over the cougar's dead body.

"You shouldn't wander off like that," Raia told him. "You could get lost!"

"This cougar was trying to ambush us!" Warris explained, trying to give a charming grin. "So I took care of the problem. Don't worry, it was a piece of cake."

"Okay, Warris, stop flaunting your ego and come on," Kentu said flatly. "And next time, warn us before you wander off like that. You scared me for a moment there."

Warris pouted, wiping the blood off of his axe reluctantly and following after the others. "Sheesh," he mumbled under his breath, "just trying to help..."

"Hey, good eye, though," Raia remarked to him. "I didn't even see that cougar, and I'm usually pretty good at spotting them!"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, thanks," Warris replied, giving his charming grin again. "I've always been known for my impressive eyesight, you know."

"Oh really?" Raia gave an amused smirk. "Is that so?"

"Yep." Warris rested his axe on his shoulder, trying to look cool. "That's an important skill to have when you're a warrior, you know."

"Yeah, it sure is," Raia agreed, giggling. "You know what else is a good skill to have as a warrior?"

"Yeah?" Warris asked. "What's that?"

She smiled mischievously, grabbing a hold of Warris' axe. "Watching where you're going."

"Wait, wha— whoa!" As if on cue, Warris tripped over a branch, falling flat on his face. As he did so, Raia made sure to pull the axe out of his hand, to make sure he wouldn't fall on it. She giggled as he picked himself back up, looking rather embarrassed.

"Here, this is yours," she said, handing him back his axe.

Warris made a face, taking the axe back. "...Thanks."

"Always remember to watch your step~!" Raia giggled some more, hurrying ahead of the others.

"Smooth, Warris," Kentu remarked, having watched the whole thing. "Very smooth."

"Oh, shut up," was Warris' response, as he moved to catch up with Raia.

(I'm not 100% certain but I think I might be 'shipping this)

[PFA]

I'm starting to notice as I (finally) get into my "actual plot" bits how extremely sketchy I am on details

Like I keep writing conflicting information because I can't make up my mind, some of it is good but other bits I'm extremely "ehhh" about, like this one major plot detail which I'm trying to establish but I'm not sure if I like because it kind of opens the door for major plotholes? (I have a couple of theoretical solutions for the problem, but I'm kind of "ehhh" about those too)

And then right now I'm establishing character details that are making me realize I should probably completely rewrite the past several scenes, but I'm telling myself not to for now because this is NaNo and editing is for losers

~I don't know~ but that's why this is a first draft :'D

[PFA]

I hit 50k, yay! I already validated my wordcount (after writing some more words, since the website's word counter was less generous than my word processor's), but I'm still thinking of trying to push forward to 60k, just for the novelty of it. I have plenty more plot to write still, so why not.

Speaking of having plenty more plot, I might end up continuing this story next year? Or maybe for Camp NaNo or something? I mean, I've just barely gotten the whole party together, and there's still all the actual plot stuff to go through after that. XD; I guess it depends on if I have any other ~brilliant plot ideas~ by then, I dunno. Though on a similar note, the gap will at least give me time to work out all the plot kinks I introduced. >_> <_<

Still don't really have a postable Myrin excerpt (all ze spoilers are kicking in right about now), but I will see what I can do to remedy that!