So They Say

[ For the most part, this is just me writing down what comes to mind. I'm mostly talking to myself so that I can organize my ideas and come up with something that is original and can be expanded. For those of you who aren't very good at outlining, try this technique. It works very well for me. ]

DEDICATION: To the man I've loved and lost, to those who encouraged me to share what my soul sings, and to my mother who has been my guiding light.

MAIN IDEA:
In my own world, what exists? When I close my eyes and reach for slumber, what do I imagine? I see a world filled with magic, full of the impossible. I see fantastic creatures that only exist in fairy tales, diving and swooping high above blossoming trees that tower and loom. I see people who are not just people; they are magical, bursting with divine abilities to be honed and embraced at their will. I see animals with the intelligence of a man, participating in the molding of a harmonious community for creatures of all shape and size to live in together.

But there must be chaos. Light and dark. Winter and summer. Fire and ice. For everything that exists, there is an opposite. And where there is good, there is evil. So what hides in my nightmares? What fearful being can I bring to life on this paper? But that comes later. I must first create my world. Isn't that the first thing God did when he created the universe? Pft. Religion. Anyway.

The creation of a world is the most difficult part of writing a story, I believe. Because a world influenced by another is not original. We'll return to this.

What will be the role of animals? Will they be a race all their own? Will they have great intelligence and a means of communication? Will they be diplomatic and participate in the sway of human politics? No, if this were so then they would no longer be animals. But wolves... wolves will have minds that reach far beyond even the king of kings. They will be the ultimate race. But they will be peaceful and seek solitude. They will reign over a portion of the world and leave the rest be. Let's pause to create these beings.


SETTING:

PLOT:

INTRODUCTION: It begins with a dream. One of my chasing dreams for sure, and she can fly. And as she's in the air, a phoenix will appear beneath her. And it'll seem like its hold body is on fire, and yet she's not being burned. It'll take her to places far away at lightning speeds, and it'll be a forest that's the heart of it all and it zooms between the canopies that seem to be immune to its flames, for even as the white hot heat flies past, the lush greenery remained. And as it neared the ground, it immediately runs parallel to the earth and comes to a stop before a wolf. The phoenix will pause and float before this majestic wolf that stands emanated by an ethereal glow. She reaches out to touch the dazzling creature but she wakes up.

RACES:
- the Wolves: What will be their name? I find myself wanting to call them Lycans, but it seems so normal that it doesn't satisfy my desire of a world completely of my own. So I will think of it later. They are magical creatures; some are seers, some are elementalists, and some are shape-shifters. Some have the power to heal while others roam as a normal wolf with the mind of a modern genius. They ruled the world long before man did, but a war between their kind destroyed nearly all of them. The rest live in land secret to most and guarded by many. The land itself is magic and protects these wolves from harm.

[ Now I've decided that all royal wolves have a kind of addornment made of orichalcum, a rare mountain metal that is only mined by the elves. The queen and king wear these golden bracelets above their paws, crafted with elven magic to adjust in size as their bones grow larger and smaller. The mages will have double looped rings on their ear and a decoration on their right shoulder displaying the power they possess. The king and queen's offspring will wear orichalcum rings at the base of the tail. What will the lesser mages wear? One earring? ]

[ The guards are lead by the four generals and their offspring make up the rest of the guard, their oldest being their second in command, with the exception of Dizy and Deor, who were summoned to protect Vahira. ]

         HIERARCHY:
Alphas: Azrayil (F), Ender (M)
Eldest Offspring: Hykonos (F), Helios (M)
Elite Guards (4): Atlas (M), Adelle (F), Claymore (M), Sabella (F)
Royal Seer: Arkania (F)
Royal Mages (4): Cirrus (M), Aspen (F), Ember (F), Iliad (M)
Royal Messengers: Streak (M), Jet (M), Storm (F)

[ I need better rank names for the seers and mages. ]

MAGES:
         The royal mages each control one of the main elements (earth, wind, fire, and water). They are the most powerful out of all the wolven mages, and their control of the elements exceeds all. The lesser mages each control a portion of these four elements; for instance, a mage will learn to wield ice or another will specialize in the control of plant life.

- Cirrus of the skies, wielder of all that exists above. He may control the weather, air currents, sunlight, and may manifest these in whatever way he pleases. He is old and of a stormy gray with eyes that almost appear white. His left ear is torn and sports a scar in the shape of a sun and a lightning bolt on his right flank.

- Ember from the flames can use any source of heat to create fire, including her own body heat. She's a fiery red, a rusty copper hue with glowing orange-yellow eyes. She has a lanky frame, slender and agile with a brand in the shape of a flame on her right flank.

- Aspen of the earth controls all elements of the earth from the stones beneath the earth to vines laced upon the highest mountain. She is of a deep mahogany with brilliant emerald eyes. As all elder mages, a tribal scar of vines and leaves decorates her right flank.

- Iliad born from the sea

CHARACTER IDEAS:

The main antagonist will of course be a woman who is portrayed by me in a way. What will be her destiny? What will be her cause? Who will be her lover? And her friend? Her companion? Her companions will of course be unworldly creatures and possibly another human whose company she does not entirely want... for now at least.

EDIT! She will come from another world. She was born in this land, but she was not raised here. She came from a modern society and was summoned. She will be a woman of great power without even knowing it. The blood in her veins will be rich with magic and history.

Her two companions I believe should be Dizy and Deor, but they should not be ordinary dogs. Ahhh, good thinking. A metaphorical light just switched on above my head. They will be elite wolves. But how did they come to find her? Were they sent to her? Were they born with her? Hm. Regardless, they are elite wolves. Dizy will be a shapeshifter, and I believe Deor should have an elemental power, but I have to think more on that.

And what of her mount? I long for a horse of some kind to always be with her, but a horse doesn't have the strength to face the evils that await her. A magical horse? Hmm. Let's pause to think of mythological creatures. A phoenix! A gryphon? It will be a creature of mighty power and must be bestowed upon her. Someone would have to have given it to her as a gift. Maybe the person who sent her on this quest? If Dizy and Deor were given to her as well, it would have to be someone who is tied to the wolves. Sabre Tooth Tiger? A Raptor? All creatures exist in this world, you know. We'll think of this later.

CHARACTERS

         MAIN ANTAGONIST:
[INSERT NAME]
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Birthday: July 3, 1987

Appearance: Her hair is long and lustrous, a velvet curtain of raven black draped across her back. Her eyes are fiercely jade, two gemstones dazzled by sunlight. And with the endless fluctuations of a woman's heart, her eyes change in sync to steely grey when the world is cold, crystalline blue when the spirit is down, and a vibrant viridian when hope is everlasting. Her facial features are elegant and refined with elfish qualities in accordance to the cheekbones, thin nose, and the shape of the eyes. Her skin, though not quite golden, resonates a kind of olive quality that creates a balance between the contrast of her dark hair and luminous eyes. She's tall and slender with healthy curves and tightly corded muscles.

PERSONALITY: When all has come to pass, and everything has been laid bare for all to see, one will come to find that at heart, Vahira is a very good person. She does all she can to help those who are in need, and she strives to create a better world for those in it to thrive and live peacefully. She has a great weakness for those who are suffering, and in that she finds her greatest purpose: to help and make better. That is Vahira in a raw sense.

If one were to include all past actions and tumultuous battles within herself, one will come to find that Vahira is at war with herself. Despite her empathic nature and remarkable sense of self control, she possesses self-destructive tendencies, allowing herself to stir the darkest depths of sin. If the great apprentices of Aristotle and Plato were to sit down with Vahira and paint a portrait of her soul, they would find an image laced with angels corrupted with a passion for a darker demise. It's a game to her: how far can she fall before her tattered wings will catch the wind and lift her back to open skies?

Although her mind is immensely divided between good for others and evil within herself, these characteristics by no means hinder her performance physically or mentally. Vahira is very skilled in accurately calculating her surroundings. She spends an enormous amount of time simply watching people, studying their behavior in order to better understand how society and humans within society really work. Her assumptions are always almost dead on, though she rarely shares her discoveries for she considers them only to be observations and not entirely the truth.

An overwhelming sense of grace and a quiet fortitude radiates from Vahira like a flame that simply cannot be doused. The way in which she holds herself suggests that she finds no flaws in her making that are acceptable for others to judge. Whatever faults she may have are her own to pick apart and no one else. Insults and attacks on her self esteem seem to reflect and have no effect whatsoever. She seems untouchable in that sense, but everyone has their weaknesses. It's just a matter of how one discovers them that determines one's success in unlocking the puzzle that is Vahira's mind and heart.

Because of her extreme personality, many find Vahira to be a cold-hearted bitch, while others swear that she is the kindest woman one can ever hope to find. There is hardly any in between because that would require knowing the reasoning behind her actions, and Vahira has no friends close enough to know such secrets. Those who find her malignant are familiar with her venomous tongue, her lustful nature, and the darkest depths of her soul. On the other hand, those that find her selfless and kind-hearted know of her dedication to do good though it reaps no reward save for the gratitude of strangers.

The question is: which Vahira will you, in time, come to know? One thing is for certain, no matter if it's the angel or demon that you come across; Vahira has no ties to anyone, no loyalties to any one person and certainly no trust in anything but what she sees before her. Expect nothing, and you only stand to gain.


HISTORY:

         FAMILY HISTORY:

         GUARDIANS:

Dizy: [eldest daughter of Adelle & Atlas]
         Dizy is the epitome of beauty. She's the color of fresh snow that falls quietly mountain peaks. Peer closely enough, and one will find a smooth blend of silken pastels, waves of copper and ash painted across her arctic hide. Her limbs are long and slender, paws wide and steadfast. She is in her prime, a ferocious siren emanating an overwhelming sense of aristocracy. Her eyes are a vivid sapphire, cold and piercing.

Deor: [eldest son of Claymore & Sabella]
         Deor is the exact opposite in regard to coloration. He is the color of a midnight sky, a curtain of black without a single blemish to tarnish such a pure sheet of tar. His eyes are a striking yellow, cold and calculating. Though he is much stronger, he is only slightly larger than Dizy in relation to height, but his body is laced with thickly corded muscles that makes him look far larger than his mate.



My mind is exhausted. I'll brainstorm later.