Wonders! A pseudo-contest

Polycarp · May 31, 2006, 01:23:33 AM

We humans may have an innate urge to list things. While anything can be called "one of the best," it takes some special arguing, comparing, appraising, and so on to hammer out a list of the "10 best." Maybe that potential for argument over trivial rankings is why we like lists so much.

The Seven Wonders of the World, in this tradition of ranking and categorizing, have become an enduring comparative list by which we judge the achievements of the modern era. Even now, people talk about the Wonders of the Modern World, or the Wonders of the Medieval World, or the Wonders of the Natural World (the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, and so on). Wonders - especially manmade ones - are powerful in both the present and the past as symbols of progress, authority, national pride, communal achievement, military supremacy, economic hegemony, religious fervor and community, and so on. The Pyramids of Egypt aren't just amazing because they are very big, or very enduring, or very well built - they are also a powerful symbol to modern people of ancient Egypt, of Egypt's power and glory, and of Egypt's spiritual connection and belief.

To contemporaries of the Pyramids, or any other of the "ancient wonders" (even those not on the original lists), such symbolism must have been even more powerful. In an age before TNT and explosive engineering, the Pyramids demonstrated that the Pharaoh could even build mountains in the desert. The power and leadership this represented must have been undeniable. The Pyramids probably were also a constant reminder of the power of the Gods, kin of the Pharaoh themselves.

So, with that in mind, I would like to challenge the community here to a pseudo-contest. I say "pseudo" because I have really nothing to offer as a prize, and I'm not sure I'd be a good judge anyway. Take this as an opportunity to demonstrate your wonder-designing prowess. Here are the guidelines:

1) You are to design a fictional, fantasy wonder. While I encourage you to make it a wonder from your current campaign world, this need not be the case.
2) Each person may post up to two wonders.
3) A wonder may be natural (a waterfall, a canyon), artificial (a wall, a palace), deific (a landform or building that the gods made), magical (a bridge made of cloud), or any other kind of category you can think of. The field is wide open, so long as they are physically present and designed with some degree of permanence. Thus, "the invention of magic" is not a wonder, nor is a really intricate sandcastle that blows away in a few days. Wonders can be living things, so long as they have some degree of permanence - an immense tree, for instance, or (in the spirit of the Arabian Nights) a huge sleeping whale with an island on its back. Permanent does not mean stationary - a flying citadel that is always moving could certainly be a wonder. Wonders can be lost or destroyed, though they must at least be permanent in terms of enduring memory and lore.
4) You should give us the name of the wonder, a physical description (of the wonder and its location), the history of the wonder, and all information neccessary to describe your wonder in full. Remember that the goal here is to illustrate the wonder's connection to your world or the societies therein; feel free to tie in lots of material from your campaign.
5) That said, please link to anything lengthy and important the ordinary reader wouldn't know. Don't post too much tangential background info here; for example, it's not neccessary to lay out the entire history of the Empire of Glomgink in order to describe the Great Palace of Glomgink. You could describe events that precipitated and led up to the building of the Palace, and link to your history of Glomgink. Some related background will do nicely.
6) Feel free to discuss other people's wonders here, this isn't a strict contest-only thread.
7) Because some deadline might encourage you to post, this contest expires in two weeks (June 13th). At that point, if we have some decent numbers here, I'll open a poll and perhaps we can get a winner through public voting.
8) There is no real prize for the winner(s); if a winner is picked, I suppose you could put "Master Wonder Designer" in your sig or something, if you'd like that. The one prize I can personally offer is that I will give priority to reading (and commenting on) your campaign, for what it's worth.

To spur you onward to creative heights, here is an example of a wonder I came up with. This is just one way to do it: I just put in the basics of history, physical description, and relevance. Feel free to take a totally different format - you could write from the perspective of an adventurer writing about his travels, for instance. Feel free to write as much as you want, as well - my example isn't meant to be a guideline.

[spoiler=The Elephantine Bridge]
The fabled Vashiban King, Muargha, was credited with many fantastic and downright impossible deeds in his much storied lifetime. One deed that is not questioned, however, is his construction of what is easily the greatest bridge in all Ralum, the Elephantine Bridge over the River Gau.

Muargha was the first man to successfully unify Ubei and Gau-Vashiba, two kingdoms dating back to the Migrations that had long been rivals; sometimes trading partners, sometimes enemies, but always competitors. Both the Ubeians and Vashibans, however, valued their pride as a people greatly, and Muargha almost managed to lose his control on Ubei when, after announcing his capital would be in a Vashiban city, the societies of Ubei rose in revolt. After managing to restore order to the Kingdom, Muargha came upon a brilliant plan to rule over both peoples without offending either: he would build his capital between them, on the River Gau, that separated the two lands.

The bridge is nearly two miles long, built out of immense rocks and carved to appear like a double series of elephants, each oneÃ¢,¬,,¢s trunk holding anotherÃ¢,¬,,¢s tail, that meet in the middle. The legs of the elephants form the squat pillars that carry the weight of the bridge. The river itself had to be dammed and diverted in order to build the structure, which itself was an impressive feat. The bridge is a quarter mile wide, and in the precise center rises MuarghaÃ¢,¬,,¢s peerless palace. The palace is elevated above the bridge itself by columns, so carts and chariots can pass unimpeded underneath. The building is draped with vines and greenery, watered by huge cisterns within the structure. The palace itself is quite marvelous, even were it not so astonishingly placed, with richly decorated rooms and running water (powered by gravity from the high cisterns). As an added note of interest, the tusks of the elephants in the bridge are actually real elephant tusks Ã¢,¬' they have yellowed with age, and now more closely resemble the stone they are set into.

Even today, the Elephantine Bridge continues to be the seat of the Muarghids (MuarghaÃ¢,¬,,¢s dynasty), and it is customary to refer to the government of the Empire as Ã¢,¬Å"the Bridge,Ã¢,¬Â so closely linked are the bridge-palace and the state. The Palace is a symbol of state and the Ubeian-Vashiban union, more so than any scepter, crown, or other royal accoutrement carried by the present ruler. The Bridge ties the Empire together both physically and psychologically, providing an enduring symbol of the unity and power of the Ubeian-Vashiban state.[/spoiler]

Come on then, show us your wonder skills!

Túrin · May 31, 2006, 07:41:34 AM

Here is something I once created:

[spoiler=The Independence Memorial]The gate to the courtyard of the DukeÃ¢,¬,,¢s castle opens. And then you see it. A hundred feet in front of you is a huge statue of a dragon. Its magnificent wings spread out to be everywhere you look. Its tail sweeps across the ground in a wide arc, ten or twenty times as big as you. Its body is black, and looks as if each individual scale reflects the light in a different way. Its face looks proud, but as you look better you see it is really an expression of intense fear directed upward. You follow the dragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s gaze and are shocked. Looming over the dragon, looming over the castle, looming over the entire city perhaps is the largest stone construction you have ever seen. The two immense columns you noticed behind the dragon turn out to be the legs of a giant man, wielding a silver sword in one hand and a golden beam of lightning in the other, each shining brightly in the sun in an almost blinding way, as if you were looking at the sun itself. He is ready to deal the final stroke to the dragon. The statue is highly detailed: you notice the manÃ¢,¬,,¢s hair falling naturally over his shoulders, his facial features including such details as eyebrows and teeth, his long, flowing blue mantle adorned with symbols of lightning and his chainmail armour with golden ornaments. If one has not seen the Independence Memorial and watched it in awe for at least a full day, one has not truly been in Luvul. -Moran Ganive

History: A few weeks before Duke LÃƒÂ©gard declared the independence of the Enlightened County of Baron, he was wandering in his own courtyard pondering this very same decision. If only Heironeous would give him some sign he would know whether or not declaring BaronÃ¢,¬,,¢s independence was a good idea. Suddenly, a messenger came running at the Duke, screaming: Ã¢,¬Å"A dragon! A black dragon is coming! Do something!Ã¢,¬Â The Duke was shocked, but quickly came to his senses. He ordered the city guard and every soldier or mercenary present in Luvul to occupy the towers of the city wall and the two castles with bows ready to fire. He himself climbed the central tower of his own castle, and looked out for the dragon. The messenger had not been lying. A black dragon breathing a strange green fire was headed for the city, and was already quite close, leaving a trail of destroyed farms and roads behind him. The Duke waited until the dragon reached the city walls, and then ordered anyone capable of doing so to fire. A rain of arrows, but also fireballs, cones of cold and even magic missiles was thrown at the dragon. Unfortunately, the dragon was old and its scale had become almost impenetrable: the archersÃ¢,¬,,¢ arrows and the wizardsÃ¢,¬,,¢ magic hardly bothered it at all. Throwing some of its green fire around, the dragon headed for the DukeÃ¢,¬,,¢s castle, apparently with a clear purpose in mind, though what it was is unknown to this day. Arrows kept breaking on the dragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s scales, and magic couldnÃ¢,¬,,¢t stop it either. It started circling the castle, and its green fire made a large black spot on the western tower, that twenty-five years of cleaning has not been able to remove. People in the castle started to panic, when suddenly the miracle happened. A bolt of lightning struck down from the otherwise spotless sky, hitting the dragon and taking it down. The dragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s scream of death was a terrible sound, and the shock of its impact with the earth could be felt dozens of miles away. While the people rejoiced, an expression of unbelief still on their faces, the Duke noticed the dragon had fallen in his courtyard, on the exact same place where he had pondered declaring the independence of his County. Another messenger arrived, informing the Duke that the dragon had apparently survived the fall, and might regain his senses sooner or later. He had made his decision.

A few weeks later, Baronian independence was declared by the Duke. To his people, he announced the erection of a grand memorial at the end of the summer. To conceal his work, he ordered magical darkness to be placed over the courtyard the entire period. The opening of the monument was a great party in which all of Luvul participated. Eventually, the darkness was lifted, and the people were stunned. The Independence Memorial was a group of two statues depicting Heironeous slaying a black dragon. The dragon was about as big as the great wyrm that had attacked the city during spring, and the statue of Heironeous was more than twice that size, visible from everywhere in Luvul and even many miles away from the city. The dragonÃ¢,¬,,¢s tail swept back and forth in a regular arc, and the expression of fear in its eyes seemed very lifelike, not to mention the variety of the scales. While the colossal statue of Heironeous dropped everyoneÃ¢,¬,,¢s jaw to the floor, it is the dragon that keeps surfacing in conversations everywhere in Luvul. For is it the real dragon? No one has ever seen the corps of the dragon after it was taken away by the DukeÃ¢,¬,,¢s personal guard, and the dragon now standing in the courtyard seems awfully real. Yet its feet (the only part that can be reached from the ground) are cold and stony to the touch, and the movement of the tail seems mechanical rather than natural. It is the hope and fear of the people of Luvul that no one will ever know.

For more information, see http://www.thecbg.org/settings/12/baron.html, which also includes links to more information about the city of Luvul and other related topics.[/spoiler]

I read about the Elephantine Bridge. Interesting idea. Was magic necessary for its creation?

Túrin

fw190a8 · May 31, 2006, 11:38:42 AM

The previous two are both excellent and really creative. Mithridates's has got me thinking about how many elephants there must be supporting that bridge and Túrin's has me wondering if that is the dragon, waiting to get his revenge. :blink:

I don't have a current campaign :crybaby: so I just made this up totally. Keep these coming though because I'm dying to read more!

[spoiler=The Tears of Jarinza]
The large and once prosperous city of Riazamatanza lies in the foothills below the great mountain-god, Bunugh. He is more than a mere deity; his physical manifestation rises tall and proud from the ground itself, peaking so high that not even the clouds, on the rare occasions Bunugh allows their presence, can soar above him. He watches over every inhabitant below, all-seeing. He answers prayers of the faithful and passes judgement on those who do not believe, yet he takes no action against them. It was not always this way.

Were it not for the cityÃ¢,¬,,¢s prime location between the bare, rocky crags of Bunugh and the sandy wasteland of the Waskani desert below, it might not exist at all. From high on BunughÃ¢,¬,,¢s mighty form, the Flarzagkh meandered and twisted its course down through the city, bringing liquid life to every man, woman and child, then disappearing underground before so much as a drop could reach the vast desert.

Ever since the trade route had been established with the city of Estrirk far to the west, the people of Riazamatanza had learned of other deities. It wasnÃ¢,¬,,¢t long before a number of minority religions sprung up, although their temples and shrines were always on the opposite side of the city to Bunugh and facing the opposite direction. It was not enough to fool him, and the Riazaman prophets had foreseen this day.

In one tremendous earth-shaking moment, the wrath of Bunugh burst forth from his peak and rained down upon the people of Riazamatanza. Many perished in the initial cloud of poisonous dust and gas or were mercilessly crushed by falling debris or masonry, and worse was to come. The surviving inhabitants were struck with terror when they saw the fiery arm of Bunugh reach out and rush down towards them. Jarinza was among them, and though she was wide-eyed with the horror of seeing people simply melt away as BunughÃ¢,¬,,¢s touch flowed over them, she realised her destiny.

Jarinza rushed to a spot as high as possible on Bunugh, and counting on him being preoccupied with his murderous and vengeful act, began to work her magic to move the very earth that was the mountain-god. But, every time she summoned enough arcane energy to create a wall of rock, BunughÃ¢,¬,,¢s arm simply consumed it again. Jarinza quickly realised what she had to do. Summoning every last ounce of energy within her, driven on by the images of the slaughter and doom below, she tapped into her most powerful magic and flung herself onto the arm of Bunugh.

It was not until the survivors, few though they were, came together and collated their accounts that they realised that JarinzaÃ¢,¬,,¢s supreme act of heroism had defeated Bunugh, his arm forced in a different direction, away from the city. Tragically there was no sign of JarinzaÃ¢,¬,,¢s body, but the people noticed an even more alarming occurrence: the flow of the Flarzagkh had been staunched! When Bunugh had pitifully retreated his arm back into his mountainous form, a new underground cavern had opened up and the lifeblood of Riazamatanza now flowed deep underground, long before it could reach the city.

To honour the great sacrifice made by Jarinza, the survivors gathered all the help they could from the distant city of Estrirk and set about creating a wondrous monument to solve their cityÃ¢,¬,,¢s water crisis. Now, over a hundred years later, but only twenty since the monumentÃ¢,¬,,¢s completion, the city of Riazamatanza is on the way back to its former glory and its people can once again see Jarinza, for a colossal likeness of her face has been painstakingly carved into the body of Bunugh himself. The two great mechanical gates in the monumentÃ¢,¬,,¢s eyes divert the flow of the Flarzagkh back to its old course, and from below it looks at though the city is sustained by the Tears of Jarinza flowing from her eyes. Although it is a joyous time for Riazamatanza, the weeping of Jarinza serves as a constant reminder of the terrible loss of life that Bunugh inflicted upon the city. The monument also serves to remind people that the mountain-god was defeated on that day and he shall never again try to punish those who choose to worship other deities.
[/spoiler]

Túrin · May 31, 2006, 12:43:36 PM

Hi and welcome, fw190a8! Thank you for your kind works about my wonder. Your entry is VERY good as well, though, with an interesting history to back it up. Roman aqueduct building is nothing compared to this. :D

I second your second comment: these things are good to read. Keep it coming everyone!
Túrin

Polycarp · May 31, 2006, 01:31:17 PM

Thank you both for the excellent entries! I especially like how both tie in magic to add that extra feeling of awe and mystery - the veiling of the Independence Memorial in shadow (not to mention the state of the dragon), and the sacrifice for and function of the Tears. How does the water system work?

Also, fw190a8 has brought up the possibility of wonders being very pragmatic as well. The original Seven Wonders were basically all either religious or designed for the opulent leaders of society, save the Pharos (Lighthouse of Alexandria) - it's interesting seeing how such wonders can actually be things that people depend on, rather than simply admire.

My world is quite low-magic, so my wonders are similarly low-magic. To answer your question, Turin, while Muargha most likely did use the services of court Arcanists (move earth, stone shape) and probably did use poets (my world's bards) to inspire the workers, most of the labor was done by free laborers (Muargha ended the long tradition of slavery in Gau-Vashiba, and it had already been taboo in Ubei).

Remember, the maximum is 2, so both of you can still submit one. And fw190a8, if you can come up with something like that, you can certainly come up with a campaign. :happy:

Numinous · May 31, 2006, 03:43:08 PM

I like what I've seen, and I'll be sure to enter. However, I am swamped with school, so it might not be for a while.

Look forward to the some dwarven architecture from me, though I haven't decided on a fancy name yet.

Wix of Bel-Air · May 31, 2006, 03:48:56 PM

I'll probably submit my natural wonder Lone Fallen God, from the Plateaus of the Midland in the realm-province of Ahmal from the my campaign, Golia. It's slightly magical, but onyl in the superstitous sense.

Túrin · May 31, 2006, 04:06:58 PM

Can't wait to see your entries, Critical Threat and Wixman!

As for adding a second entry of my own, I don't know. We'll see how it goes.

Oh, and I second Mithridates' last comment. I'd be interested to see a CS from your hand, if you ever decide to make one, fw190a8.

;) Túrin

Xathan · May 31, 2006, 11:43:05 PM

I'll be entering, probably one from Datrik and one from Sooth. When does the contest end?

And fw, I'm with Turin and Mith. I really want to see what you come up with - everything I've read of yours looks awesome.

Raelifin · May 31, 2006, 11:56:30 PM

"7) Because some deadline might encourage you to post, this contest expires in two weeks (June 13th). At that point, if we have some decent numbers here, I'll open a poll and perhaps we can get a winner through public voting."

I'll probably submit the Ouchkim Library and the Sunken Temple in Buuromar.

fw190a8 · June 01, 2006, 11:56:04 AM

Thanks very much Mithridates, Túrin and Xathan for your encouragement. I don't think you will see a full campaign setting from me, but I am happy to contribute to smaller creative works like this one here, or to a larger team effort. :)

Raelifin · June 04, 2006, 11:09:37 PM

The Ouchkim Library
[spoiler=Pronunciation Guide]

English	IPA	Answers.com	Breakdown
Ouchkim	aÃŠÅ xim	ouKHÃ,,'m	out-chanukah-eep-mat

[/spoiler]
Ã¢,¬Å"Of all the treasures in the world, none can match the unsurpassed wealth of information stored in Ouchkim.Ã¢,¬Â
Ã¢,¬Æ'Ã¢,¬Æ'Ã¢,¬Æ'-Uslar Worldstrider

The volcanic island of Hissim has been the homeland of the jachkamital since the beginning of history. Ever since the importation of rin papyrus from Melseh Ubau, the Shaimoi, a knowledge-hungry tribe of jachkamital, have hoarded their lore in precious scrolls. It is unclear when, but several generations ago, the Shaimoi leaders decided to collect and archive all the written information possessed by the tribe. In the high, mountain city of Ouchkim, a gigantic stone building was designed by the shinubru architect Reludu Stonefinger. This building, capable of holding hundreds of thousands of scrolls, was also built into the mountain wall and is said to have a series of secret passages intended for hiding secret knowledge. The first library in creation was crafted and one-by-one each written document found was moved there. Over the decades, jachkamital spies have collected a vast tapestry of information which was hand-written and hidden away in the library's vaults. The sheer value of the papyrus itself is worth a small fortune.

The building is a classical example of Ubain architecture. Built almost entirely from granite slabs held together with hydraulic cement, the library walls are waterproof and thick. Though the building was designed as a library, major steps were taken to make sure the building could double as a stronghold, should Ouchkim be sacked. The roof is sloped toward the entrance, with the back end of the building entering the mountain so that the general shape of the library is similar to that of a wedge. Simple yet effective, arrow slits run along both sides of the building and there are no secondary entrances or exits. Fire danger was also included in the building's design. Smoke and ventilation ducts connect each room, letting hot vapors escape through diagonal slits in the walls of the top floor. For protection and security, all scrolls are kept in granite shelves and footlockers that have stone lids and doors. Because of it's lack of natural lighting and the heavy, blank walls, the inside of the library often gives a feeling of claustrophobia that is only heightened in the dark tunnels under the mountain.

The vast knowledge stored in Ouchkim is one of the Shaimoi's greatest bargaining chips, and representatives of various tribes and nations come from all over Phaedoras to trade for secrets of the past or present. Because of how highly valued the information is, none but an elite group of Shaimoi called The Keepers of the Scrolls may enter the library. The Keepers are trusted with the handling, maintaining, copying and defense of the library and its contents. The path to becoming a Keeper is long and hard, usually starting at age eight.

DeeL · June 07, 2006, 06:55:38 PM

The Lost Continent of Sorian

A little over four centuries ago, Sorian was the homeland of the elves. There were some gray elves present, and the sea elves made their embassy there, but it was in truth the dominion of the high elves. It was there to which they withdrew when they realized that peace was failing; it was there they made their stronghold when dragons and giants went against each other in the dreaded Drakojovian Wars.

In those days, the Shining Roads connected many of the mortal lands with the Outer Planes, and much concourse was had with many worlds. And as the combatants called outsiders to their cause, and raised the bodies and spirits of the dead to be their weapons of terror, it was on Sorian that the elves crafted cities after their kind, and instilled beauty in everything they touched, as a kind of rebuttal to the blood being ruthlessly shed in other lands.

When it became clear that the Drakojovian Wars would claim all the lands, the elves belatedly grew desperate; and in their haste to find salvation, they found that the salvation could be had, but not for themselves. Titans of Celestia imparted knowledge to them, and the Gods of Arvenior gave leave for their children to pay the cost, if they would. Old elven wizards, so old they were on the very verge of departing mortal lands forever, began a ritual that was nearly a century in the making, all the while the younger elves began extending aid to the young race, Humanity, in order to make them fit successors when the flowering of the elves was over.

A little over three hundred years ago, the Sorian Sacrifice was enacted.

The greater population of the High Elves withdrew to Arvenior, leaving Sorian inhabited only by those brave souls necessary for the conclusion of the Sacrifice. The lesser races - humans, dwarves, spellscales and others - were given as much warning as could be had. On the day of the Sacrifice, the greater moon was in its full, and the moonlet eclipsed it as dawn broke across Sorian.

Light filled the sky, so that the stars went unseen and even the sun was drenched with whiteness. The lesser undead crumbled instantly to dust; as did most of the greater undead, with only a few survivors scourged into the depths of the underlands by the searing light. The Outsiders, good and evil, felt the world around them revolt against them, pressing them with a grinding urge to return to their own worlds; and the Shining Roads sealed themselves in their wake, never to be reopened.

A very few of the High Elves remained in the mortal lands; they said that they could never return to Sorian, and were granted a nation for themselves in the easternmost part of the world, closest to Sorian; but to Sorian they never did go. And when the peoples of other nations went forth to find Sorian, they found a land of crystal, green and violet and red and white and all the colors of the rainbow. The entire continent had been so transformed as to beggar the beauty of all the world, but there was no food there, and no fresh water to be found. Crystalline dragons arose from its peaks and shores, ready to defend Lost Sorian from looters and raiders; some say they are the souls of those elves who remained in the land of the sacrifice, but the dragons themselves will not say.

Few are the mortal eyes that have beheld Lost Sorian, but all have beheld its beauty. For every since the Sacrifice, Sorian has filled the dawn with wild and shifting colors, as if a rainbow sea were poured out upon the eastern reaches of the world with each rising of the sun. Many are the artists and poets who strive to capture such beauty in their creations, but the remaining nation of the elves finds only poignant beauty therein. Whatever business in which they find themselves, those elves leave it for a time, and turn to the east at the rising of the sun, even in the depths of the earth where they may not see the sky. They do this in honor of Lost Sorian.

Epic Meepo · June 07, 2006, 08:38:15 PM

The Tomb of Eros

Centuries ago, the god Eros was wrecklessly summoned to a great carnival dedicated to his person. Tens of thousands had gathered admidst scattered fountains, gardens, monuments, and pavilions to witness the living incarnation of Eros. But when the god's power was unleashed upon the mortal world, all present were dissolved into mindless sludge, Eros included.

The site of this fateful summoning and subsequent transformation has since been dubbed the Tomb of Eros. Its grand pavilions are long gone, its fountains broken, and its gardens overgrown. Only scattered monuments and the ruins of a few toppled aqueducts remain, looking like cyclopean tombstones on a field of oversized grass and brambles.

True to its ominous appearance, the Tomb of Eros is a dangerous trap for travellers. Those who stray too close to the site inevitably hear the call of the liquified deity, and are compelled to join Eros in the pool of all-consuming sludge that churns in the drains and sewers one can find beneath the old fairgrounds.

[spoiler=History]Like the other Mage Kings, the champion known as Iktomas possessed arcane powers that rivalled the might of the gods. Unlike most other Mage Kings, Iktomas was also a devout cleric. Iktomas dedicated his arcane powers not to his own glory, but to that of his patron god, Eros, deity of love, beauty, and pleasure.

The ultimate hedonist, Iktomas invented novel ways to provide himself and his fellow worshipers of Eros with amusement and convenience. Placing immediate gratification above all else, Iktomas often failed to consider the well-being of others, whom he readily bound to his will. Just as often, he enacted short-sighted plans that ended in disaster, usually revolving around the wreckless use of new technology.

Before long, these two failings came together when Iktomas invented a device he called the Dreamcatcher. With it, he could bind the soul of a deity into a mortal host to create an avatar of great power. On a whim - and without thinking to consult his god - Iktomas decided that he would summon Eros into the body of his favorite concubine, that he might experience the divine love of his patron transformed into a tangible, feminine form.

To showcase this lacivious spectacle, Iktomas prepared a grand carnival for the worshipers of Eros. Wielding epic magic, the Mage King created a marvelous fairground. Tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered here to witness the incarnation of their god. After a week of orgiastic celebration, the faithful watched as the climactic event of the grand carnival was prepared. Placed upon a pedestal at the center of the fairground, the favored concubine of Iktomas was strapped to the Dreamcatcher and fed enough love potions to drive her - and the avatar that she would become - mad with desire.

Iktomas then activated his device and bound Eros to the maddened host, ready to experience heights of bliss never before known to mere mortals. Unfortunately, Iktomas had underestimated the danger posed by a deity's unrestrained affection. The maddened avatar immediately dissolved every living thing present - herself included - into a single pool of living sludge, to be mindlessly fused for the rest of eternity. This diefic ooze then settled into the sewers of the fairground, where it remains to this day, calling out to those who come too close...

For a more background information on the deities and the Mage Kings in general, click here.

As for the fate of the Dreamcatcher, the device was a single-use item, and is thus no longer operational. In theory, another could be constructed, but only Iktomas - and possibly the Deceiver who first developed arcane magic - knows how to craft an artifact of this sort. Meanwhile, other Mage Kings have discovered alternative means of capturing and manipulating deities.[/spoiler]

Polycarp · June 12, 2006, 08:32:35 PM

This contest will be closed tomorrow... better post now if you haven't, or if you want to post a second one.

The Campaign Builder's Guild

News:

Wonders! A pseudo-contest

Polycarp

Túrin

fw190a8

Túrin

Polycarp

Numinous

Wix of Bel-Air

Túrin

Xathan

Raelifin

fw190a8

Raelifin

DeeL

Epic Meepo

Polycarp