"Not starting over" Judging by the gaps in dates for this story you might think I had given up on the idea. But I haven't. While not writing or contributing I've come up with some good ideas. So instead of trying to finally finish a chapter out of what I did have I will instead further explore what I want this story to cover and where the story might go.

For one thing is the story happening in a particular time period? I was thinking of starting the story either as an origin of the original story or as kind of a "thousand years later" sort of thing.

For an origin story there could be a story line with lots of sadness, misery, war, and corruption. Basically a more realistic reality type of world. Then a new magic is found: trading a reality for a semi-utopia the price of which is one forever-suffering child per generation indefinitely.

The second scenario would basically take place several thousand years after this trade-off magic would have been discovered. The public at large lives a more or less the utopian society described in the story however very few believe it to be true. The story of the magic trade off for a suffering child has become simply a myth or tradition society still practices or pretends to believe but few really think there actually is a child suffering somewhere.

In the first scenario I can think of a couple ways to insert the "walkers" into the story. For instance an initial debate about whether it's worth such a trade for such a great society. A small group decides it's not worth the trade and leaves the city. Or perhaps a villain with a specific agenda finds and attempts implementation of this magic without telling anyone. When someone finds out a civil war breaks out. Eventually the war ends with one side leaving the city to form their own reality-based society in the mountains. Ever since a fraction of the population of the city leaves upon learning the driving force of the utopian status.

In the other scenario there is just the utopian city and the secondary society living side by side with each other. City dwellers no longer leave out of outrage from learning of the secret of the utopia because the child is no longer shown to anyone. The city dwellers and separate society of the mountains live side by side each other and have friendly relations.

Then perhaps something happens. A mysterious third force moves in who knows of the city's secret and thinks it can be harnessed and manipulated to gain power and take over everything. Ok maybe I can come up with a better motivation then "take over everything" at some point.

The two sides band together to fight this new threat not knowing the true motivation is the magic they both think is mere old mythology. Eventually the antagonist reveals the truth: the suffering child is in fact not a myth but really happening and elders of the city and outside societies have known all along. The antagonist manipulates his way to this point in the story with the careful plan of making this news cause the maximum amount of confusion and friction between the original two sides.

Which reminds me: I should really come up with more descriptive names for these two sides. I already decided the city name would be "Towz" so that city-dwellers are "Towzians". The "other society" on the other hand deserver something better than "walkers". Makes it sound like a bunch of old people or something. I suppose outsiders would more or less do.

Both of these ideas are pretty good as far as a story for a NWN module. In fact the second scenario could be a sequel to the first scenario. Or I could just pick one. I'm pretty sure the end-of-story I have now could work with either one. With the latter one anyway. If I start the origin story version I would basically have to start completely over. Thus making the post of this title all the more ironic. Maybe I could salvage some of it for the middle or something.

Wow, what a great brainstorming session. I encourage all readers to post comments/suggestions.

  ¶ 1:57 PM