A Writing Challenge.

[RegularRaskolnikov]

I am often busy, being in the military. However I am proposing an idea that is entirely capable of being autonomous and finding a life of it's own without any GM or any such nonsense to muck it up.

I'm going to be frank. I'm tired of seeing cliches here on these forums. I don't want to trudge through the same tired old stories. I want to make my own.

I'm proposing to a few ambitious writers here that we create our own mythology. We would start BEFORE creation and simply go from there. However you want the universe to be created, you post it. This will force all of us, as writers, to write possibilities off of the ideas of others. As things progress I imagine that the Myths will become more and more complex. I think it would be fascinating, though, to re-write the Bible or the Qur'an in our own light!

It's only a sliver of an idea. I'm just in love with all of the possibilities. It might be strange as we won't be playing characters, really. We would, but it's hard to write an infinitely broad story (or collection of stories) from the perspective of just one man or woman.

This is just a dream. Let me know if this has piqued your interest.

-RR

[Kate]

im interested this could be extremely interesting if it works.

Good ideas and the medium or forums that can capture them well is something
that is an art to really guess at but hey why not try it with this one huh?

[Zealously Jaded]

It's very interesting concept consider my interest piqued!

[LimitlessNikkie]

Love the concept could be really cool.

[Skystomp]

Dreams are always worth it.
Interesting concept. So how to start it off? Especially given the wildly divergent minds that populate places such as this.

Perhaps something like....

There was no Begining nor End. There was neither Light nor Dark. Good nor Evil. Life nor Death. There just Was.

[EmptyEternity]

So your essentially asking us to create our own homebrew campaign setting?

Eh, why the hell not, count me in.

[Insight]

Yeah I think I could be a part of this. Do you plan on expanding on some guidelines for this universe, or do we just get to run wild?

[zoarster]

Sounds like it could be great--do you have any idea of the "tone" you want for the universe?

[RegularRaskolnikov]

Ah! Excellent! I wasn't expecting to get such a positive response. I see that I have a few questions to answer.

As far as tone goes: The tone is going to be set by each individual and I suspect that the story will find itself as we collaborate on what is happening. I'm not going to set a tone. I want this to be as freeform as humanly possible. I know that this sounds chaotic at best, but that's the point. Our characters will be infinitely powerful beings or even just broad forces of nature who coerce existence out of nothingness. So, yes, we would start with nothing. Just an empty void where there is no universe or even a concept of time.

For example:

Existence is an endless, placid ocean. There is nothing. There is not a ripple to disturb this ultimate peace. There is not a light to offend a soft eye. There is no time to urge me forward. There is nothing to guide me. So then, what am I? This deep black is malleable but not yet tangible. We need something. Progress? I am not yet anything. I am a flickering voice in danger of being snuffed by a tide of endless and purposeless chaos.

No. Something will happen here now.

I am a consciousness, but I am not yet realized. I need something....Form! I need shape and for there to be a shape there must be a mold. For there to be a mold there must be matter. I have nothing to use but myself, and so I shall. Out of my entity I will hew a building block. Comprised of energy, this place will become something more than what it is. There! There it is! Something tangible. A lump of mud floating endlessly in blank eternity. This thing will not go away, and it will not be swallowed by this blank pit. Weakened, I must sleep, and attend to this concept of matter at a later time.

That was a short blurb. It was one of an endless list of possibilities for how the universe could be created by a Deity. It's all about what you can imagine and HOW you can react to that person's idea. That's the concept, anyway. I thank all of you for your interest and I will be following up on all of you with a little PM so that we can brainstorm any other kinks or questions that may come to mind. I'm sure that there are a lot of them.

-RR

[ChaoticSky]

i am also interested, nothing to stroke ones ego quite like being a literal God

would we all be omnipotent in the style of the chrisitan god? or aspected (perhaps by choice if not by nature) to certain themes?

[RegularRaskolnikov]

Darkling! Good to see you again.

I doubt that it will be possible for the various characters we make to be omnipotent. All of the players have the ability to create literally any kind of player they want to. Other than that, though, there won't really be a limitation. The only thing that will be capable of thwarting one of your characters is another character. You won't be restricted in any other way. So we wouldn't be aspected unless we wanted to be. Keep in mind that I fully expect players to have multiple characters. As we all start to form the universe things will probably get more and more specific and more and more personal characters will be required to make things interesting.

There COULD very easily be gods in charge of certain elements, but I doubt that would happen right in the beginning. We're starting in an environment where there's not even such a thing as TIME. So there are more basic things to be created first.

[Insight]

Yeah, I was just thinking that. In most mythologies, there's some kind of "Head God" (Jupiter, Zeus, Ra, etc) should we appoint someone Head God whose job is to create the universe and bring (at least at first) other players into existence?

[RegularRaskolnikov]

I think you're going on preconceived notions of mythology. Remember that this can be anything that we want it to be. My original reason for creating this thread was making a roleplay that was as freeform as humanly possible. So, while it's pretty much certain that there will be first, he/she will by no means be the head of anything. You can come into existence any way that you want to, but I certainly don't want one character to be labeled as some ultimate king/queen of the Gods. That would give said player's posts a little bit more weight than the others, and that goes against the spirit of this idea.

[Ramael]

Sounds interesting...if...a little vague, at the moment, but that seems to be the intent.

Just vomiting a few ideas around...if I was an all-powerful deity, the first thing I'd do, personally, would be to create another set of sentient beings that were similar to me, but not a perfect mirror image. I'd want intelligent communication with other beings but not for them to be quite as intelligent as me. Five, or six, at first, to play with my abilities, to see what exactly I can do and how far I can take it, each one being an incredible being, all of them different and unique, all of them recognising me as their creator.

I don't know what I'd call them...I'd actually wait, and see if they assigned themselves an identity in some way, shape or form.

That's what I'd do first, before creating planes of existence, before creating a planet or anything. A group of sentient but imperfect beings, surrounding me.

[Insight]

Hm, but back up.

When we think of Gods, we think of all-knowing, but what does that mean in a context where there isn't matter - much less time? If you are fundamentally and entirely a thinking thing (as Descartes would say) would you first conceive of the notion to make other thinking things?

I'm really not sure on this one. Input? Would your instinct first be to expand and toy with your own power? Create the world, perhaps?

[Ramael]

Yeah, I was hoping to avoid delving too heavily into philosophy, as then we'd never actually get any constructive writing done.

If you actually want to think of all-knowing (and the concept is, by its nature, is fundamentally incomprehensible for human beings) deities, there'd either be no reason at all for doing something, or every reason to do it, ergo, as the original poster said, quite literally everything is possible, even nothing at all.

...and nothing at all would be boring for us none all-knowing beings.

Creating other thinking beings has just as much validation as creating a world, and yet neither have any reason at all. Why create a world when I could just make beings that don't require things such as neutrons, protons and electrons to exist?

But, like I say, that way lays wikipedia counter-productive navel-gasing.

[ChaoticSky]

that brings up another thought, will we all be competing over the same mud ball? or will we each be setting up our own little plot in the universe?


hell, are we even limited to being in the same 'universe'? (defined as a space that operates based on a set of laws. ie, could one of us have a 'setting' where stars burn pink and it rains M&ms, while another has a normal one analogue to the real universe?)

[Chrystal]

Okay, this is highly interesting... It is also entertaining to see how many people here have ambitions towards godhood!

While having things as freeform as possible is a good idea, I do thing some sort of rules might be required concerning the actual start of everything... Otherwise - well, let's jsut say that if I was feeling really perverse, I might have my character start time running backwards...

That said, who is to say that time is NOT running backwards? We perceive it as running forwards because - well, it's what we're used to...

Yeah, I was hoping to avoid delving too heavily into philosophy, as then we'd never actually get any constructive writing done.

Ramael, I agree to a certain extent, but it's worth pointing out that this whole thing of being a god puts one outside of time and therefore the concept of something "coming first" is irrelevant! Time is, after all, just another dimension.

Another thought occurs: It's my own personal philosophy that gods are, in effect, parasitic beings that feed off the "worship" of humans. This is evident by the fact that gods that are no longer worshipped seem to die off. Is this a concept that we might want to bring in at some point? Don't have to of course, but it's an option...

[Ramael]

Ramael, I agree to a certain extent, but it's worth pointing out that this whole thing of being a god puts one outside of time and therefore the concept of something "coming first" is irrelevant! Time is, after all, just another dimension.

I'm not sure that I said anything about anything "coming first"...

But! Surely a creator would have a sense of something existing before anything else existing? And if you subtract Time away from an RP....we're gonna have no tenses. At all. Much as I think that'll be fun for two posts...

Another thought occurs: It's my own personal philosophy that gods are, in effect, parasitic beings that feed off the "worship" of humans. This is evident by the fact that gods that are no longer worshipped seem to die off. Is this a concept that we might want to bring in at some point? Don't have to of course, but it's an option...

Hey, another Parasitist! Don't get many round my parts. Tell me, are you an Old Testament (Existentialism) or a New Testament (Neil Gaiman) kinda gal?

Either way, I too love this concept!

But we haven't got round to inventing sentient beings yet. That's still in the works. We're on dimensions at the moment.

[Chrystal]

I'm not sure that I said anything about anything "coming first"...

But! Surely a creator would have a sense of something existing before anything else existing? And if you subtract Time away from an RP....we're gonna have no tenses. At all. Much as I think that'll be fun for two posts...

Hey, another Parasitist! Don't get many round my parts. Tell me, are you an Old Testament (Existentialism) or a New Testament (Neil Gaiman) kinda gal?

Either way, I too love this concept!

But we haven't got round to inventing sentient beings yet. That's still in the works. We're on dimensions at the moment.

Heh. You specifically said

... if I was an all-powerful deity, the first thing I'd do, ...

I just find it amusing that us puny humans are incapable of comprehending life outside of time. If you were ALL powerful, you wouldn't need to do anything first. You could do it all at the same time! (Which IMHO is what makes the Genesis story so laughable).

But I take the point about having some sort of chronology for RP purposes!

Actually, I'm more a pre-Christian pagan type parasite.

[Insight]

Woman's got a point.

But we haven't got round to inventing sentient beings yet. That's still in the works. We're on dimensions at the moment.

Well sure, but this might go a long way to solving our dimensional quandary. If a God for whatever reason needs worshippers, is it possible such a God would feel incomplete/dissatisfied/thirsty/gaseous if it didn't have followers? Maybe a God is born and says, "Well damn, time to get some attention," and his first thought is to blow a hole in a city.

Why don't we work off this concept? It gives us all a reason to hate each other, which makes every story more fun! In other news:

hell, are we even limited to being in the same 'universe'? (defined as a space that operates based on a set of laws. ie, could one of us have a 'setting' where stars burn pink and it rains M&ms, while another has a normal one analogue to the real universe?)

I call the universe that rains m&m's.

[ChaoticSky]

mhm you lot are a fan of parasitic gods, i highly recommend steven erikson's Malazan Book of The Fallen saga (first book is Gardens of The Moon). the divinity in the setting is hopelessly parasitic, to the point that the god are often controlled by their worshippers... one god actually falling because he refused to bend to the demands of his worshippers, while another is forced to serve and protect a Very Bad Man because the man is the only priest he has left, and so on. its a interesting setting.

but we wouldn't go that far in this game hopefully... though we would have to consider the larger implications of risking the loss of worshippers if you do not fulfil their expectations. the Chains run both ways.

[RegularRaskolnikov]

Like I said: This is a collaborative effort. If everyone thinks it's a good idea to become dependent on worshipers then so be it. The only issue I see is that this game starts at a point BEFORE followers. It's certainly possible to become bound to followers, obviously. There's no real issue with it. It will only require patience.

These Deities will not be all powerful. It's not possible for us to even conceive of the thought processes of a being that exists beyond our concept of space and time. So, what will probably end up happening is we'll make the Gods that we CAN imagine. So they'll most likely have some sort of flaw. They'll disagree and even fight. I still don't want to impose any real rules on this because the chaos is what makes it a challenge.

I'm sure rivalries will develop over time. Everyone here seems to be trying to AGREE on an approach when I personally think it will be much more fun if the conflicts arise from "I want it done this way, but He's doing it this way. I think I'll try and undo everything that he's doing."

Or...

"I hate everything and want to destroy everything for the sake of causing others pain."

Who's to say what motivates omnipotence?

[Chrystal]

Like I said: This is a collaborative effort. If everyone thinks it's a good idea to become dependent on worshipers then so be it. The only issue I see is that this game starts at a point BEFORE followers. It's certainly possible to become bound to followers, obviously. There's no real issue with it. It will only require patience.

Why? Like I said, if gods exist "before" time, they exist outside it.

Allow me an analogy, please?

Imagine a flick book. You know the sort of thing? A pad of paper that has a drawing on each page, and by flicking the pages rapidly the drawings appear to come to life. It's the most primitive form of animation going and I'm sure we've all drwan flick-cartoons from time to time, yes?

Now, imagine that each page of the flick book is as big as the universe, and the stack of pages is infinite. However, you are the artist that has drawn on each page. You are outside the flick book, and can see any page you wish, can change any page in any sequence you like.  To the characters drawn on the pages, you are God. (Or at least, a god).

The point, of course, is that time is represented by the passing of each character from one page to the next, but as gods, we are outside of time and can see all of it at once. Thus there is no need to "wait" for worshippers to come into being. We simply create them on the correct page of "history" as we need them.

These Deities will not be all powerful. It's not possible for us to even conceive of the thought processes of a being that exists beyond our concept of space and time. So, what will probably end up happening is we'll make the Gods that we CAN imagine. So they'll most likely have some sort of flaw. They'll disagree and even fight. I still don't want to impose any real rules on this because the chaos is what makes it a challenge.

My point exactly. Didn't a wise man once say that man created god in his own image? I think my analogy should help people get the concept of being "outside" time. One thing does not have to follow another. Things can occur simultaneously or not occur at all!

Interesting question: How do gods fight? There is only one way I can think of and that is through their mortal followers!

Woman's got a point.

(quote edited)

I call the universe that rains m&m's.

Why thank you :)

And I call the one populated entirely by naked women!

[Insight]

Any woman can be naked if you know the right things to say. However, "I am God," may not be a good start.

Anyway, this presents a new problem. Seems to me like the Gods would battle it out for as long as it took for everyone to say, "You know what, we'll go with it." If time can be changed in...er...real-time, it seems like the timeline of human history would be set from the get-go and it would never seem, to humans, that there was any God. It could be hundreds of centuries before the Gods figured things out (or maybe the blink of an eye), but war determines who's left, not who's right. Somebody will, eventually, win and set the timeline as they wish it to be.

So let's limit ourselves - no changing events in the past. Perhaps our powers can be to understand exactly what that will cause down the road and allow us to act accordingly?

[Ramael]

Any woman can be naked if you know the right things to say. However, "I am God," may not be a good start.

Anyway, this presents a new problem. Seems to me like the Gods would battle it out for as long as it took for everyone to say, "You know what, we'll go with it." If time can be changed in...er...real-time, it seems like the timeline of human history would be set from the get-go and it would never seem, to humans, that there was any God. It could be hundreds of centuries before the Gods figured things out (or maybe the blink of an eye), but war determines who's left, not who's right. Somebody will, eventually, win and set the timeline as they wish it to be.

Yeah, I'm with this for clarification purposes. Simply going "everything happens all at once" will be a big drain on enjoyability. "There is a great war. There was a great war." Bang. There goes the RP fun of the war itself.

But, Chrystal, fair play, you got me earlier. I misunderstood what you meant by "coming first"...although strictly speaking, if I haven't created time yet, the phrase is irrelevant from its conception, no?  :P

...have we come closer to any solid conclusions on what the RP will entail, yet?!

[Chrystal]

Yeah, I'm with this for clarification purposes. Simply going "everything happens all at once" will be a big drain on enjoyability. "There is a great war. There was a great war." Bang. There goes the RP fun of the war itself.

But, Chrystal, fair play, you got me earlier. I misunderstood what you meant by "coming first"...although strictly speaking, if I haven't created time yet, the phrase is irrelevant from its conception, no?  :P

...have we come closer to any solid conclusions on what the RP will entail, yet?!

Exactly...!

I think that the phrase "The gods play dice with the lives of men, for their own amusement" is the relevant concept here.

Basically we are forming our own pantheon.

Oh I agree completely that the "everything happens at once" thing I proposed is a total non-starter in terms of RP. But at the same time we should not totally discount it. What I mean is that as gods, for our own entertainment, we don't let everything happen at once. We give our creations free will, for the purpose of entertaining us with the idiotic mistakes they make. But the idea of omnipotence remains as a threat hanging over the whole of creation.

Face it, this is effectively the Christian message: they believe their god has the power to end creation at any time he sees fit, and has the power to resurrect everyone who has ever lived and either punish them or reward them according to his private whim! So why doesn't he? Well, either he can't and the Christians are all deluding themselves, or he doesn't want to for whatever reason!

I think that would make an interesting premise too... that at any time any of us could simply pull the plug on what has been created and start it over, but we choose not to because to do so would be pointless!

I think the idea of gods with some restraint is rather what most pantheons are about...

[Ramael]

Or imperfect gods, which I <3. All those in the Greek pantheon, with their fuckups and their humurously mortal trappings, desires and mistakes.

I think we are oscillating around the idea of mortals as well...let's face it, they are going to be a big part of what we're going to be interacting through/with.

And although, being gods, we could create our own solar systems, universes...for the sake of RP, would it be better to all be interacting over one planet, at least to begin with? Or am I dumbing this down now?

[ChaoticSky]

I'm sure rivalries will develop over time. Everyone here seems to be trying to AGREE on an approach when I personally think it will be much more fun if the conflicts arise from "I want it done this way, but He's doing it this way. I think I'll try and undo everything that he's doing."

i once read a philosophical piece that described existence as a dialogue, given that we are taking the roles of Powers That Be, and are starting prior to the creation of the universe, or universes... one could make the case that the Roleplay has already begun. That we, here, in this supposedly OOC topic, have already begun; are are... basically, arguing the laws of existence right now.

so, on that note, i vote for either continuing this discussion in a IC topic, or asking a mod to move this entire thread to a IC board >_>

[Ramael]

Continuing as IC topic ftw.

Subtle character hints can be placed in dialogue. Personality shaped at the same time as the world is.

I like it.

[Chrystal]

Agreed.... :D

We are, in effect, already RPing!

[Insight]

If this is to be the case, then we are well on our way.

It seems as though we have all agreed to create some kind of a universe upon which their shall be some form of life. Therefore, I propose the following:

We create a substance called matter. Matter is defined as a substance by whose dissipation results in an amount of energy given by the amount of matter times the maximum possible velocity attainable before reversing the dimension of space-time. We must then create anti-matter. Anti-matter is defined as matter and acts the same except when they meet. When matter and anti-matter meet, they cancel out into an amount of energy given by the amount of matter interacting.

Finally, I propose we create a ball of one part anti-matter and two parts matter. These substances will annihilate and the resulting explosion will create a universe.

This universe will be a blank canvas, if you will. Laws of physics have not been set yet, so it may be wise to pause time at the outset of this explosion and decide whether we want to maintain the laws of physics we have on Earth.

Ideas:

The force menu - Gravity, Strong and Weak nuclear forces and the electromagnetic force. Should we add a fifth force - ourselves? Do we keep the forces we already have? What about their respective strengths?
Resulting masses - Will our worshippers live on a planet such as Earth? They could really exist anywhere in our new universe.

[Chrystal]

Why?

I propose we create the whole thing, without recourse to any "big bang" stuff. Let's create it stages, do it in a totally illogical and random sequence,  and then back-date the whole thing so that the poor saps who inhabit it get totally confused about what happened.

And why have laws of physics? Why not have suggestions of physics? Wouldn't it be much more fun if pigs could fly? But no, seriously, I think we should have, not laws, but "regulations" of physics. Sure, they apply to most people, but some people are allowed to break them.

On the other paw, we need to have laws of magic!

And why have gravity? I say we should create a single, flat world with a big blue dome over the top of it to keep the air in. Then we tell people it's a sphere and see what happens!

*Chrystal manifests herself into the nothingness where the gods are holding conference as a large naked black feline, or what will, eventually be recognised as such when she gets around to creating felines. She manifests a comfortable chair and sits in it, wrapping her tail around her waist, purring softly.*

[Ramael]

*Chuckles*

I see we have our deity of thought and logic, the Apollo in this pantheon, and on the other hand; our deity of chaos and emotion, the Dionysus(ene?) in this pantheon.

I love it. I request that neither of you alter your views in the slightest. Will make for great tension/relationships.

I will jovially bounce from one to the other, sampling both theories as if they were recipes to be used in the cooking of a gargantuan feast - which, incidentally, I am working on, and I will lay the result of said feast out on a table for the entire pantheon to enjoy.

*Grins and settles back, watching the two closely, slowly manifesting as literal metaphors of what is being suggested*

[ChaoticSky]

your thinking of Eris, which as far as i know is the closest Greek equivalent of a Chaos god(ess). though as you would expect of the great philosophers... she has very negative connotations. which Crystal doesnt reflect.

Di, as far as i recall... was basically the god of party time.

but im just nit picking.

also, Crystal, having 'regulations' of physics (logical laws for he universe to follow), which are not universally true, *and* laws of magic, whos purpose is, at their core, to facilitate the circumvention of the logical nature of the universe seems redundant, seems more eloquent to say that they are infact; two sides of the same coin. Or, scary though, to simply admit that the universe is (that is to say, any universe unfortunate enough to have us as creators) will be a very Illogical place.... in this case, god does indeed roll dice.

[Ramael]

your thinking of Eris, which as far as i know is the closest Greek equivalent of a Chaos god(ess). though as you would expect of the great philosophers... she has very negative connotations. which Crystal doesnt reflect.

Di, as far as i recall... was basically the god of party time.

but im just nit picking.

I think you are nit picking.

Not thinking of Eris, Crystal's post doesn't reflect Eris (or Strife) at all, which is why I said Dionysus.
See -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonian_and_Dionysian

Especially the table of character traits.

Also, he's the god of a lot more than just party time.

Anyway, I wasn't strictly naming the posters as either gods, just making reference to the difference in opinion, which seemed divided very similarly down the binary line of Apollonian and Dionysian.

[Pandamonium]

Hot damn. This is cool. I rather like it a lot. I haven't been on Elliquiy too long but I have seen a reoccurring pattern of the same general idea's for threads. This is quite different though. I'm completely in.

[Insight]

*Bradten manifests as a knight, complete with plate armor, a large broadsword and a shield.*

An illogical universe is one I cannot accurately predict. If an action does not produce a given reaction the same way every time, two timelines of the same events may carry two different outcomes. This is not a future I can predict, and therefore negates some of my powers.

Besides, how can my followers erect a temple to me if their marble is prone to suddenly disappearing?

[RegularRaskolnikov]

I have to remember not to go to sleep with you people around.

I agree that in a sense you guys are already RPing but nothing is actually happening. I propose that we actually start an IC thread for this roleplay if everybody feels ready. I'm curious to see how these theories will all play out in practice.

[ChaoticSky]

I have to remember not to go to sleep with you people around.

I agree that in a sense you guys are already RPing but nothing is actually happening. I propose that we actually start an IC thread for this roleplay if everybody feels ready. I'm curious to see how these theories will all play out in practice.

get to it! :P

[Chrystal]

Chrystal giggles. "Indeed. Let's manifest ourselves into an IC thread and get on with creating the universe. Reg is I suppose (Um you mind if I call you Reg?) the father of the gods, as it's his idea. So I guess he gets the ultimate power or whatever to call the thread into being in whatever way he sees fit...?

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

Now, I'm interested, creating universes, or even parts of universes is always up my alley.

[EmptyEternity]

I have to remember not to go to sleep with you people around.

I agree that in a sense you guys are already RPing but nothing is actually happening. I propose that we actually start an IC thread for this roleplay if everybody feels ready. I'm curious to see how these theories will all play out in practice.

I concur, let's go get a dedicated thread going so we can get his show on the road! It might also be a good idea to create a OOC/idea dump thread as well.

[Moonhare]

This has caught my attention and I would love to be creative with this. ^_^

Ok, I'm game!

[Chrystal]

*looks around at the rapidly multiplying (or at the very least, rapidly adding) deities in this strange realm of nothingness. She shrugs* So is someone going to open a thread and post a link to it? Because believe me, if I do it, you guys are going to seriously regret it! *She cackles evilly.

Oh, and can I ask, oh "father of the gods" who's idea this all is... *just a touch of irony or possibly sarcasm in her voice there* Do we have to stay strictly IC in the IC thread? I mean, things like referring to it as a thread rather than a universe? The way I see it, (being a goddess of chaos and all) it is within my nature to be mildly disruptive of things in that way, breaking the "forth wall" and stuff, you know?

[Ironwolf85]

I'm in! this sounds awesome. I got my post too. where one created it another gave it form.
the shadows, the empty spaces, they burn, I want to reach out... there is nothing to hold... it hurts... wait there's somthing there. somthing new... I can feel it. it's just a blank glob, but it's there... I like it... holding onto it, it makes me feel... somthing. it's formless, shapeless. so am I.. I need form, somthing, gaaaaahhhhh, it feels... much better, I have form, I have features, my mind is more ordered, order out of chaos. maybe I can shape this glob of stuff, give it form, function, bring order out of created chaos. it's malible, soft in my hands, it's beautiful. create a few basic rules, somthing to build on.
I can't make up my mind... wait... that's not the way I wanted it. no. a force to erase mistakes would be nice, there we go I'll call it...Time I think such a silly word... maybe some other force to ballance Time... Space... two ways to measure things. I'm tired, but I don't wanna sleep. this thing is soft and now I've made it more stable. it cannot return to nothingness now.
soft fresh... can I make one of my own? too tired... maybe just a little thing to sleep on so I can stay close... I wanna stay close... maybe a force for that... make this thing stay close to that thing. do more later... too tired...
that sound good?

[ChaoticSky]

i am under the assumption that we will 3rd-person in the IC... or at leased, i dearly hope so!

[Chrystal]

I personally will be 3rd person, or my first person will be. My third person may well decide that she is first person. As for my second person, that's up to you!

Will someone please create the IC thread before I get terminally bored and create a universe full of naked anthro cat-girls...?

[ChaoticSky]

we will wait for RR, patience :P

[Kevben Battleheart]

This looks like something I could enjoy. As long as RR doesn't mind another person that is.

[Chrystal]

*giggles* Awww, but I wanna create a universe full of naked cat-girls! *pretends to sulk* :P

[Ironwolf85]

well let me know when it starts I wrote my peice for now

[EmptyEternity]

So, real quickly, how many of us are truly adamant in partaking in this strange exploration of divinity? I'd like to compile a little list before I post a starting thread and also to put a population cap on our little 'pantheon'.

[ChaoticSky]

are you RR? no, you are EE. thus you are not making the thread -__-

[Ironwolf85]

I am... Probably going to play someone in line with the post I made

[Chrystal]

*Giggles*. Darkling, Darling. I am equating you with the Greek Hera. Wife of Zeus. Is that the role you see for yourself? Or perhaps you are our goddess of Justice? Or maybe the goddess of the underworld? Persephone? The one we all fear to cross and who keeps the rest of us in line? Or maybe you are a simple anthropomorphic manifestation of a primal force, (As Terry Pratchet puts it). Or in other words, Death!

Either way, I think the role suits you. Would you care to pick one of those roles?

[EmptyEternity]

are you RR? no, you are EE. thus you are not making the thread -__-

RR intended this to be an RP that didn't need much GM moderation. I'm just taking some steps towards making it happen.

[ChaoticSky]

*Giggles*. Darkling, Darling. I am equating you with the Greek Hera. Wife of Zeus. Is that the role you see for yourself? Or perhaps you are our goddess of Justice? Or maybe the goddess of the underworld? Persephone? The one we all fear to cross and who keeps the rest of us in line? Or maybe you are a simple anthropomorphic manifestation of a primal force, (As Terry Pratchet puts it). Or in other words, Death!

Either way, I think the role suits you. Would you care to pick one of those roles?

gods i hope not! Hera was a twit. id far rather be a manifestation of pure justice.... and by that i mean more like the nordic Tyr than the greek Justice.

i just feel that this RP is RR's brainchild, even if he wants the game to function just fine without him... its only fair that we wait until he makes the OP, this gives him a chance to lay the ground work, perhaps set the tone, maybe he has something he wants to throw out there at the very beginning. Point is, we dont know, and it isnt right to jack someone elses idea without their consent. i know if someone tried to do what EE is doing in a group RP i made, i would absolutely blow my top.

its impatient and underhanded, and I Have FURY!

(*whistles innocently* at leased, thats how i see it. if you want to start it yourself, atleased get permission!)

[Chrystal]

You are a Fury! Yay!

And EE, D is QR that TT WS by RR. GM or no GM, it is GF to WFH to OU the ICT.


(Sorry, it was the preponderance of abbreviations in Emtpy's thread that made me do that!)

Translation: " And EmptyEternity, Darkling is Quite Right that this thread was started by RegularRaskolnikov. Game master or no game master, it is good form to wait for him to open up the In Character thread".

[Ironwolf85]

I was thinking of trying an anthropmorphic force of nature...
I wanted to do a caring Law-type deity.
what would be interisting is if the deity of death was a good guy....

[Ironwolf85]

tons of ideas... deity that creates time, might also be forced to be it's keeper... and the keeper of things that were...

so many ideas... can't wait *hopping with excitement*

[Chrystal]

Hmmm.... Good point Ironwolf. Yes, the deity who creates time must logically be the lord of time. I think the appropriate title for such a one is Doctor? *snigger*

No, seriously, I agree. And yes, the idea of a benevolent death is something that appeals. Have you read Terry Pratchet's Discworld novels?

*manifests herself a large glass of catnip and sips slowly* Mmmm. Drink anyone? Just while we're waiting...

[Ironwolf85]

thanks... I'm gonna do it that way...
I occasionally play furries of all kinds. somehow the idea of "dark horse" kinda character poped in there.
ahh well...

[Insight]

No offense to anyone, but does anyone else feel this game is becoming quickly overcrowded?

IC thread or not, a player cap may be in order as well.

[ChaoticSky]

No offense to anyone, but does anyone else feel this game is becoming quickly overcrowded?

IC thread or not, a player cap may be in order as well.

not really, just a comfortable buffer. a third of the people in this thread wont even make it to the IC, and another third wont last more than a week or two.

[Ramael]

Either way...it's getting on a bit.

[Ironwolf85]

I'm in for the long haul myself...
but heck, if some of these people wanna split into their own sub stories... they could

[Chrystal]

OOOHKAY.... How long has it been since RR last posted here? Has he forgotten us? Because I think someone ought to give him a nudge... Or maybe a thunderbolt up the arse. Do we have a god or goddess of thunder yet?

Hmm.....

tons of ideas... deity that creates time, might also be forced to be it's keeper... and the keeper of things that were...

so many ideas... can't wait *hopping with excitement*

So the goddess who creates alcohol becomes goddess of alcohol? *swirls the catnip around in her glass and changes it to brandy* Cooool!

[ChaoticSky]

OOOHKAY.... How long has it been since RR last posted here? Has he forgotten us? Because I think someone ought to give him a nudge... Or maybe a thunderbolt up the arse. Do we have a god or goddess of thunder yet?

Hmm.....
So the goddess who creates alcohol becomes goddess of alcohol? *swirls the catnip around in her glass and changes it to brandy* Cooool!

its only been two days. Patience. :P

and i think that might be alittle too limiting. we are all equal... ill imagine that we will all eventually settle into 'things' that we are naturally inclined towards... and will probably be worshipped as the face of, but theres nothing to stop me from screwing causality at a whim, goddess of Time or not. Our aspects are more of a 'preference' than a 'domain'.

as for Time, your welcome to it, too much of a headache as far as im concerned, as long as you maintain that the future is divergent and not linear, ill have no issue. the concept of 'destiny' does not sit well with me.

[Chrystal]

Oh, I don't want time.... And I agree totally. The future is divergent. Each and every decision by a mortal with free will creates a new possible future. Most are minor divergences that run parallel. Some are nexuses that create whole new dimensions. And every so often there is an EarthBreaker - one that will, if the wrong choice is made, have consequences so serious that it must be prevented at all costs!

And, although outside it, we can perceive time's passage from the future, through the present and into the past, as the collapsing of these many vergences into a single time-line called NOW!

And this is how we, as deities, shape the future, by messing with the vergences.

[EmptyEternity]

Domains? We're picking domains already? In that case.

Learning, Knowledge, Art, Change.

There. Dibs.

[ChaoticSky]

Domains? We're picking domains already? In that case.

Learning, Knowledge, Art, Change.

There. Dibs.

you read nothing we just said, did you? >_>

[EmptyEternity]

you read nothing we just said, did you? >_>

hu·mor –noun
1. a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement: the humor of a situation.
2. the  faculty  of  expressing  the  amusing  or  comical:  The  author's  humor  came  across  better  in  the  book  than  in  the  movie. 

Lighten up, being this ridged is just going to alienate people. Although in a sense, I was being a tad serious. I would assume that even gods/creator beings would have a good sense of self BEFORE they set out to create. It just doesn't seem likely that a God would come into existence and immediately set to work on things like space, time, matter, and energy.

[Insight]

Excuse me everyone, I feel like we may be going in the wrong direction.

A God(dess) of time? Of Anything? I will control whatever aspect of reality suits me, and if a Deity chooses to argue, we can decide whose followers are mightier. My goal is to show the world of mortal who the most powerful God is, and which God is most worthy of their affection. I will, accordingly be God of whatever suits me, Lord of whatever turns me on, and Benefactor of whomsoever is nice to me.

What happened to the Goddess of Chaos?

[EmptyEternity]

Excuse me everyone, I feel like we may be going in the wrong direction.

A God(dess) of time? Of Anything? I will control whatever aspect of reality suits me, and if a Deity chooses to argue, we can decide whose followers are mightier. My goal is to show the world of mortal who the most powerful God is, and which God is most worthy of their affection. I will, accordingly be God of whatever suits me, Lord of whatever turns me on, and Benefactor of whomsoever is nice to me.

What happened to the Goddess of Chaos?

The problem here, I think, is we're too quick to pick domains. Remember this is is the VERY beginning to time, we are just forming our individual consciousness and there is literally nothing around us. I think we should be starting at that point instead. A being discovering that, it exists, and holds great power over that existence.

[Insight]

What we need is someone to draw a map. We can decide which mortals we will focus on geographically. Does this make sense to anyone?

[Skystomp]

Someone will have to come up with something we need a map of. For that matter, what are we mapping? That little blob of whatever, mud, clay, dirt...

[Ironwolf85]

we've still not done the RP yet... mine was a prevew... and I'm thinking of the basics of my guy's personality ahead of time.
and yes... guardian of events past could be cool for me, but we'll see what's happened.
since this is elliquiy our deities are probably gonna invent sexy and kinky stuff really fast XD

[Chrystal]

What happened to the Goddess of Chaos?

chaos: noun -  complete disorder and confusion.

If I'm a goddess of chaos, I am at liberty to do whatever I like without rhyme nor reason. That includes imposing order on everyone else if I so desire. It also means I don't have to justify myself to anyone, so ... *sends a very large electrical spark directly at Bradten* Up yours!

The problem here, I think, is we're too quick to pick domains. Remember this is is the VERY beginning to time, we are just forming our individual consciousness and there is literally nothing around us. I think we should be starting at that point instead. A being discovering that, it exists, and holds great power over that existence.

Um, actually, no, this is not the very beginning of time. There is no time. We have no time. Time does not exist where we are. Time, is that stack of blank paper over there, it's beginning at the bottom and it's end at the top. Time is this elastic band *flicks said item in EE's general direction. If he examines it he will notice that it is joined incorrectly and impossibly into a Möbius strip* Time is.. that spec of dust, dancing in the air. Oh fuck, I think I accidentally created a universe inside a speck of dust!

Someone will have to come up with something we need a map of. For that matter, what are we mapping? That little blob of whatever, mud, clay, dirt...

Well said, Skystomp. There is, as yet, nothing to map...

Oh and while I think of it...

*wanders over and gives Darkling a great big sexy kiss on the mouth, with tongue.* You, girl, are amazing and I think I love you!

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

A mobius strip actually isn't impossible, I have one right here.



A rubber band no less.

[ChaoticSky]

@ peace, thats not a mobius strip, a mobius strip has a single twist, so it is used a metaphor in the teaching of dimensions, since from the perspective of a 2D-observer it would be a flat plane, since it has but one 'side' due to the single twist

but you are correct in that they can indeed exist.

Well said, Skystomp. There is, as yet, nothing to map...

allow me to provide said map:

Oh and while I think of it...

*wanders over and gives Darkling a great big sexy kiss on the mouth, with tongue.* You, girl, are amazing and I think I love you!

*blushes and returns the kiss* what did i do to earn that? o_o

[Chrystal]

*blushes and returns the kiss* what did i do to earn that? o_o

you read nothing we just said, did you? >_>

Just a little thing, but it was superbly put. Oh and the "map" earns you another, dear. *Kisses Darkling again, a little more passionately this time*

[EmptyEternity]

Just a little thing, but it was superbly put. Oh and the "map" earns you another, dear. *Kisses Darkling again, a little more passionately this time*

I would be aroused by this, but I do not believe the concept of genitalia or reproduction has been crafted.

In any-case, I propose a vote, we seem to have enough to get the ball rolling, and given the nature of RR's role-play 'assignment' I don't think we should be relying on him to be a constant presence in this whole affair. So all those in favor of starting an official thread, say 'I'.

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

@darkling I'm pretty sure that rubber band is only a half-turn off, so it would qualify, given the necessities of working in reality.

[ChaoticSky]

@darkling I'm pretty sure that rubber band is only a half-turn off, so it would qualify, given the necessities of working in reality.

*squints at the picture again* maybe im looking at it wrong, but id swear it twists, then twists back... maybe im wrong.

*edit*
yea... i think i was looking at it wrong. oh well.

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

In fairness I should've used one of the more obvious models.

[Ironwolf85]

I'm just here to play, start time and space... maybe create a few more forces of nature...
oh gawd... could be a nature deity, but a diffrent kind from the "Hippie types" in other settings

[Chrystal]

Okay. See, this is a bit like E's approval process. All those in favour of not wanting to continue chatting here until RR comes back...



Bugger off and start your own thread.

All those against, remain here...

[Ironwolf85]

wheee chatty chat chat....
I'm thinking of all the options....
here are some of them.
1: Kindly, and indeed cheery deity of death
2: the golden god of valor and honor is gay
3: a god of nature who encourages civilization
4: god of knowlage learning never remembers things
5: Love godess who is and remains a virgin
6: war godess who believs in Peace (though enforced by an iron fist)
7: deity of Law who intentionally forments anarchy so he can crack down on it.
7: Deity of chaos who demands obediance in all things

[ChaoticSky]

those arnt much in the way of possibilites. if one chooses to be a single thing... they will get walked all over by people who do not specialize. since your not gaining anything... a Death God does not have any more control over death than the rest of us... just less control over everything else. mind you, if one wanted to make Death their... hobby. i dont think you would get many people wanting to fight over it... i might be wrong, but its a pertty morbid concept to get obsessed over.

thats how i see it anyway

[Ironwolf85]

I was just thinking of funny things is all... none of that is relivent to the Rp...

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

So, I get the irony of having a cheery god of death, and a god of nature who encourages civilization. But why is it odd that a god of valour and honour would be gay?

[Ironwolf85]

IDK i just wrote down what struck me...
maybe because a I hear it called "immorality" a lot, I it would be funny if the deity of morality was gay

[ChaoticSky]

IDK i just wrote down what struck me...
maybe because a I hear it called "immorality" a lot, I it would be funny if the deity of morality was gay

well, morality and justice arnt necessarily the same thing.  :P

*nitpicks innocently*

[Insight]

Seems to me like we're never going to get anything done here. I want mortals, and I want them soonest!

I'm going to give another shot to the mass consensus idea. Let's see what happens.

Who is in favor of creating a planet? No specifications, no rules or restrictions. Just a single, barren, lifeless planet.

All in favor?

[zoarster]

Sorry I'm jumping back into this late, but things have been sort of crazy around here. There are an awful lot of "starting points" around creating a planet that I'd think we'd want to play out--it presupposes the existence of a time-space fabric, of matter, of space (i.e. the galactic/universal model as we know it)... the list goes on. I guess the image of a "planet" is too concrete/non-mythical for me, and I'd prefer something more poetic; just to use Judeo-Christian mythology as a reference, there's the images of the primeval waters in Genesis and the Word in the Gospel of John that kind of allude to what I was hoping for as a start point. Not to suggest taking either of these ideas wholesale, but just that a "planet" is sort of a very modern, scientific, non-abstract start for a mythology.

[EmptyEternity]

Seems to me like we're never going to get anything done here. I want mortals, and I want them soonest!

I'm going to give another shot to the mass consensus idea. Let's see what happens.

Who is in favor of creating a planet? No specifications, no rules or restrictions. Just a single, barren, lifeless planet.

All in favor?

I for one, support the construction of a lifeless rock.

[Ramael]

Sorry I'm jumping back into this late, but things have been sort of crazy around here. There are an awful lot of "starting points" around creating a planet that I'd think we'd want to play out--it presupposes the existence of a time-space fabric, of matter, of space (i.e. the galactic/universal model as we know it)... the list goes on. I guess the image of a "planet" is too concrete/non-mythical for me, and I'd prefer something more poetic; just to use Judeo-Christian mythology as a reference, there's the images of the primeval waters in Genesis and the Word in the Gospel of John that kind of allude to what I was hoping for as a start point. Not to suggest taking either of these ideas wholesale, but just that a "planet" is sort of a very modern, scientific, non-abstract start for a mythology.

What EE said, but also this, for its vagueness. Let's face it, we need a physical plane on which to deal.

[Ironwolf85]

agreed... I'm done goofing around now, let me know when you guys start playing.
I'm fine with starting with a ball of mud and creating things from there.

[Chrystal]

I still don't see why it has to be a ball? Why not a disk?

Doesn't anyone here read Terry Prattchet? Or why not a cylinder? Or a Niven-esque ring? Hell we could have a CUBE! Six different, flat worlds, on one  celestial body, separated from each other by impassible mountains, each totally unaware of any of the others, and giving endless hours of fun for us deities as we pick up random mortals from one face and plonk them on a different one!

Or... oooh, a mobius world. Like Niven's ring-world, but with a twist!

Heck, we could create a spiral world...



Why be booring. We can have whatever shaped world we want!

[Ironwolf85]

starts as a ball of mud... how we shape it is up to us....

[Chrystal]

starts as a ball of mud... how we shape it is up to us....

Again I ask, WHY?

Why need it start as a ball of mud?  Why not a ball of water? Why not a ball of spaghetti? Why does it have to start as a ball at all?

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!!!!!

[Ironwolf85]

cuz when freefloating things form globs...
you can make it spagetti if you want

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

Freefloating things only form 'globs' because of the nature of space time in this universe. If you were creating one out of wholecloth, you could have the entire universe occupied by a landmass that was in any shape you felt like. After all, gods have no reason to abide by the laws of physics. For gods, it would make more sense to figure out what you wanted first, and create the necessary circumstances afterward. Working from simplicity up to complexity by natural laws requires no intervention.

[Chrystal]

Freefloating things only form 'globs' because of the nature of space time in this universe. If you were creating one out of wholecloth, you could have the entire universe occupied by a landmass that was in any shape you felt like. After all, gods have no reason to abide by the laws of physics. For gods, it would make more sense to figure out what you wanted first, and create the necessary circumstances afterward. Working from simplicity up to complexity by natural laws requires no intervention.

*pounces on PeacethatPowerbrings and smooches him/her/it exhaustively*

I love you. Thank you for saying that.

[Ironwolf85]

that makes more sense...
but where will we start?

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

At the end, naturally.

[Chrystal]

Where ever we want to start... I think the more important question is "WHEN will we start?" Doe anyone have RR's email address? Can someone IM him to let him know we're all waiting?

*has a horrible thought* Gods, I hope nothing's happened to him, I mean that would be terrible - and not just because we'd be waiting for ever, it would be terrible for him and his family too!

*giggles at Peace* "Start at the beginning, go on until you come to the end, then stop!" - Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

[Skystomp]

I love you Chrystal, that you think outside the box like that. However... I'll raise you on that. Why set limits? Why not make an infinite plane and do with it as we wish, like a line of creation, up, down, folded, flat, deserts, rainforests, oceans and plains. We start with the simple and and work out way up to the more complex. Or even better, or at least more creative and creepy, a Mobius strip style world. Litterally you can walk from one end to the other and it's all one peice with no begining or end.... but all that surface is usable. We're going to be Gods, or at least God-like entities, we're limited simply by our imaginations and the play off of each other.

[Ironwolf85]

sounds good to me... as long as I get to play and have fun

[Insight]

Everyone, all this freeform stuff is nice, but notice, around twenty some posts after my last one, and we still don't have a platform on which to create life! Since I haven't checked this thread for too long (sorry, work) let me give a few thoughts:

- The question of when we start...eh. The Gods will invariably find themselves at war throughout this game, so starting later in the timeline suggests that the results of these wars have already been fleshed out. Furthermore, if we start in the middle, create circumstances that lead to that middle, then decide to change them, our work thusfar is moot. Imagine if I decide to create a quadrapedal beast with a tail and snout, and start by creating smaller monsters that evolve into it. What's to stop Chrystal (because she totally would!) from altering their DNA and turning them into flying spaghetti monsters? It may be wisest simply to start from the beginning, even though we do have infinite power.

- As far as the shape of the planet goes, who cares? Let's just make something! If we want a mobius strip, a disk, well then that's fine, but let's at least come to a consensus so we can create something. I don't care if the dawn of life happens on the head of Earth's penis.

- Sorry to this thread's creator, but it HAS been a while. Granted, he said in his first post he'd be tied up a bit, but we really won't get much done like this. We may want to bail on him. I do care for him personally, and hope that he's alright (especially considering his career), but he is welcome to jump back in at any time.

[Chrystal]

I love you Chrystal, that you think outside the box like that. However... I'll raise you on that. Why set limits? Why not make an infinite plane and do with it as we wish, like a line of creation, up, down, folded, flat, deserts, rainforests, oceans and plains. We start with the simple and and work out way up to the more complex. Or even better, or at least more creative and creepy, a Mobius strip style world. Litterally you can walk from one end to the other and it's all one peice with no begining or end.... but all that surface is usable. We're going to be Gods, or at least God-like entities, we're limited simply by our imaginations and the play off of each other.

Aww. You sweet. I'm afraid your love will be unrequited though... *giggles*

I did mention the possibility of a mobius strip world, I believe. But I really rather like the idea of an infinite plane. Only one thing - I insist we have day and night of some sort, because I like to prowl in darkness, and that is no fun if it's always dark... So, someone is going to have to volunteer to get the sun out every morning and put it away again at night.  And no, that's NOT going to be me...

I suppose we could set it up to happen by itself... Or, how about, we let the kings of the people we create do it? And if they don't, there is no sunrise in that kingdom?

Just suggestions.

Everyone, all this freeform stuff is nice, but notice, around twenty some posts after my last one, and we still don't have a platform on which to create life! Since I haven't checked this thread for too long (sorry, work) let me give a few thoughts:

- The question of when we start...eh. The Gods will invariably find themselves at war throughout this game, so starting later in the timeline suggests that the results of these wars have already been fleshed out. Furthermore, if we start in the middle, create circumstances that lead to that middle, then decide to change them, our work thusfar is moot. Imagine if I decide to create a quadrapedal beast with a tail and snout, and start by creating smaller monsters that evolve into it. What's to stop Chrystal (because she totally would!) from altering their DNA and turning them into flying spaghetti monsters? It may be wisest simply to start from the beginning, even though we do have infinite power.

- As far as the shape of the planet goes, who cares? Let's just make something! If we want a mobius strip, a disk, well then that's fine, but let's at least come to a consensus so we can create something. I don't care if the dawn of life happens on the head of Earth's penis.

- Sorry to this thread's creator, but it HAS been a while. Granted, he said in his first post he'd be tied up a bit, but we really won't get much done like this. We may want to bail on him. I do care for him personally, and hope that he's alright (especially considering his career), but he is welcome to jump back in at any time.

The question of when, was not, to me, one of chronology, but one of impatience!

Darkling, you know I am fully on your side about waiting for RR to return from foreign wars and all that, but the natives grow restless. May I suggest we give him a couple more days and then set something up?

[Ramael]

I still don't see why it has to be a ball? Why not a disk?

Doesn't anyone here read Terry Prattchet?

Yup! Wouldn't be very original though if we created a disk-world...

Everyone, all this freeform stuff is nice, but notice, around twenty some posts after my last one, and we still don't have a platform on which to create life!

EXACTLY.

All this slapping down of peoples ideas is pretty negative and is getting us nowhere - that and the OP is AWOL, I'm not sure how long I'mma stick around here.

I did have a feeling it would be this way a while back - "anything is possible" paralyses creativity.

At least we have discerned that from this writing challenge

[Chrystal]

That is why it is a challenge! *giggle*

[Ironwolf85]

I admit did I wanna create time and space as the most simple and basic laws, of course that means I might get stuck running the sun on an infiniate plane... or better yet... one big sun in the sky, only one side burns, the other does not, as it turns slowly it creates night and day.

[ChaoticSky]

mhmm, i fear he is lost to us :S

Alright, if its okay with everyone, well wait a another day. if hes not around by then... i guess ill take responsibility and start it, and take the heat if he gets mad... unless anyone else is chomping at the bit.


...as for me, i vote for a dyson sphere >_> we can just dim the sun for night time. they are awesome, :P

[EmptyEternity]

mhmm, i fear he is lost to us :S

Alright, if its okay with everyone, well wait a another day. if hes not around by then... i guess ill take responsibility and start it, and take the heat if he gets mad... unless anyone else is chomping at the bit.


...as for me, i vote for a dyson sphere >_> we can just dim the sun for night time. they are awesome, :P

But aren't Dyson Spheres made by mortals? If we are indeed gods, can we just call up the sun god and tell him to turn the thing off for a few hours?

[ChaoticSky]

a naturally occurring dyson sphere ^^, rather than having extra solar matter spin down into a ring, which then coalescing into planets... it would form sphere, compacting into solidity. the sun could either alternate between bright and very dim, to cast  the entire surface into day and night... or shine in two 'beams' creating a rotating pattern of alternating light and darkness.

such is the idea in my head anyway. :P

i imagine the subject will be debated more fiercely IC

[Insight]

Well the laws of physics couldn't really apply in such an environment. Gravity would be a mess, as everyone would be pulled inward toward the center of mass. Additionally, unless we make the sphere...huge... or the power of the Sun minimal, the mortals we create would have to be so resistant to heat it boggles the mind.

Another idea would be to create a <#>gon. One thing we grapple with on Earth is the idea of property ownership. What if our world was shaped into a multi-faced solid, each people claiming one side of the planet for their own? Perhaps we should make it one side per God?

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

You can't appeal to the laws of physics and then propose a multi-faced solid. The laws of physics in the game universe would, as I've said before, follow what you want to make, not lead what you can make. The laws of physics which prevent a society from living on the inside of a dyson sphere, would also prevent a multi-faced solid from remaining a multi-faced solid over time. It would become a sphere, because the edges of the flat sides would be farther from the centre of the planet than the centers of the flat sides, meaning that things on the sides of the solid would actually be on a slope, except when they were at the points which correspond to the conceptual sphere you could fit inside of the shape.

I, for one, think that a mult-faced solid would be an interesting idea, but you can't say that a dyson sphere doesn't work because the laws of physics we know in our universe wouldn't apply, and then propose something which has the same problem. Either choose to stick to only the laws of phsyics we have (which permit spherical planets) or admit that when gods are involved, they don't matter.

[Insight]

I disagree wholeheartedly. We simply need to create a situation unto which such an event would arise. Remember - one of the laws of physics I proposed in an earlier force included the Gods themselves as a force. Yes, erosion would take the edges off (literally) over time, but creating such a world in an Adam and Eve sense isn't out of the question. The reason I like laws of physics is that they make the future more predictable. If we just conjure a polygon, then set the laws of physics in motion, all should be fine.

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

Yes, you could create one, but if you use the laws of physics standard to our universe, then every place on such a planet that was off-centre on one of the sides would be on an angle, meaning that you'd basically have a world with nothing but mountains. It would seem flat from space. But on the ground it would be a perpetual downward slope toward the nearest centre of a side.

My point was that, in order to make it feasable, you'd have to change the laws of physics that you apply, and if you do, then you could change them for a dyson sphere as well.

[Chrystal]

mhmm, i fear he is lost to us :S

Alright, if its okay with everyone, well wait a another day. if hes not around by then... i guess ill take responsibility and start it, and take the heat if he gets mad... unless anyone else is chomping at the bit.


...as for me, i vote for a dyson sphere >_> we can just dim the sun for night time. they are awesome, :P

OOOH, can we have a bagless one with no loss of suction and advanced cyclone technology?

I hear they get carpets really clean.

*demanifests herself to avoid the expected hail of thrown objects*


Hey, excuse me, but didn't I already suggest a cube?

I believe I did.

Soooo..... Yeah, I have no problem with either. In fact fuck it, why not have both? Let's have an underworld which is a dyson sphere and an overworld that is a dodecahedron?

[Insight]

Yes, you could create one, but if you use the laws of physics standard to our universe, then every place on such a planet that was off-centre on one of the sides would be on an angle, meaning that you'd basically have a world with nothing but mountains. It would seem flat from space. But on the ground it would be a perpetual downward slope toward the nearest centre of a side.

For the same reason that Earth doesn't feel like a big sphere (it feels flat to us) this would not be the case. There would, however, be a lot of mountains.

So a hollow dodecahedron? Yeah I'm game for that. Can we all agree?

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

This really is just elementary physics.  The only two places on such a figure where the ground would feel flat would be at the centres of the sides, and the verticies.



If gravity is in effect, then an object at the vertices of the shape would be further from the centre of the planet then an object at the centre of any of the sides. If you draw a line between the centre of a side and the edge of a side, one end would be further from the centre of the planet than the other. This funadmentally defines a slope.

[Chrystal]

*bites tongue on a snarky reply*

Okay. The bits that stick up? They would look, to the people on the ground, like huge impassible mountain ranges.

But that assumes gravity pulls towards the centre of the sphere. You are thinking inside the box again, Peace.

Open the box and fly free, my friend. Fly free!

Anyway, looking at your diagram, the points of the polygon are where most of the planetary mass is located. Thus, even if gravity worked the same way in this world as it does in the (un)real one, there would be a greater gravitational pull towards the edges that at the middle, thus creating the correct gravity field for people to walk right up to the edge and fall off!

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

I was just responding to the claim that physics would allow such a shape to be feasible for a planet. I'm all for throwing the rules out the window.

I won't bother explaining why it still couldn't work, even if you were right that the matter were concentrated in the points.

[Chrystal]

*chuckles* Oh, I am fully aware that it wouldn't work. I realised that as I was typing it, but I figured, what the heck.... I'll post it anyway and see what happens.

[ChaoticSky]

completely random question.

ive always wondered if it was possible to 'drown' a star... if you dunked one into a big ass 'nebula' of water.... would it snuff out the suns fusion, or would the hydrogen provide fuel... making the star even more powerful?

[Chrystal]

The star isn't a fire, it's a thermonuclear detonation. Same as exploding an H-bomb under water.

So the answer is, no, you can't drown it. The water would boil off from the heat, split into hydrogen and oxygen, which would then go towards fuelling the thermonuclear fusion reaction.

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

Chrystal is correct. Though, if you added enough water, you'd begin to approach the threshold for collapsing the star into a black hole.

[Ironwolf85]

I admit I usually have my worlds, and ideas grounded in reality... though I go all over the place from there...

[EmptyEternity]

I like to stick to our universe's physics simply because its a lot harder to build your own basic laws of existence from scratch. Therefor, I'd much rather have a standard ball of rock and then work up from there.

[Skystomp]

That's ok Chrystal, it can be platonic love and I can still love you for your mind.

As for the Dyson Sphere problem, I have the solution for you in regards to the day/night problem. Simple really. We make light photons follow a simple rule. They're bright for X amount of time and dim for X amount of time. Example, for this dyson sphere world, photons are bright for 12hrs and then dim for 12hrs. Simplely imagine what something like that would do for time keepers, technology and other things I can't even begin to imagine. We can make it different for each world to.

[Chrystal]

Chrystal is correct. Though, if you added enough water, you'd begin to approach the threshold for collapsing the star into a black hole.

Easier to dump a massive amount of iron into it - a "Causality weapon" (invented by Charles Stross) where you take a lump of the star's core from way in the future where it has almost completed the main cycle, and dump it into the star at present day (Or simply speed up time around the star's core. Makes it instantly go supernova! It's called an Iron Bomb. Once the supernova has played out the remaining matter will collapse back into a black hole.

Actually, no. It's not easier, but it's much prettier!

I admit I usually have my worlds, and ideas grounded in reality... though I go all over the place from there...

The problem with grounding something is that there is no electricity, no spark. Any charge is instantly sent to earth and dissipated.

Be wild, be free! Take a risk. Strip all your metaphorical clothes off and run naked into the ocean, screaming "I want to be a lemon!" Screw reality. Let's screw with reality.

That's ok Chrystal, it can be platonic love and I can still love you for your mind.

As for the Dyson Sphere problem, I have the solution for you in regards to the day/night problem. Simple really. We make light photons follow a simple rule. They're bright for X amount of time and dim for X amount of time. Example, for this dyson sphere world, photons are bright for 12hrs and then dim for 12hrs. Simplely imagine what something like that would do for time keepers, technology and other things I can't even begin to imagine. We can make it different for each world to.

*giggles* If you'd seen where it's been or what it's got in it, sweetie, you wouldn't be saying that!

I still don't see why we can't just switch the sun on and off at random. Why does there have to be a rational explanation for everything? There isn't one in for everything in the real universe. Let's just say "It does this." Never mind photons and time intervals and cats locked in boxes... *looks shifty for a moment* Uh, did I say that aloud? oh well... anyway, I want MAGIC in the universe. You guys can have your physics but I will defy it. In fact, how about this...? A polyhedron on the outside where most laws of physics apply, and a turbo-charged no-loss-of-suction vacuum cleaner sphere inside, where they do not. And a few very thin areas where creatures (as in things that have been created) can cross from one to the other to their surprise and our amusement!

Would that be a suitable compromise to keep everyone happy?

[Insight]

That seems reasonable. Why don't we simply say that all laws of physics apply on the outside world, but certain creatures can edit them? "Wizards" if you will. The inside of the polygon may very well simply be the realm of the Gods. although we'll have to establish exactly how the area will work. Maybe something Cartesian/The Matrix where all things are as you really, truly think they are?

I dunno. I'm not in love with that idea either. But are we all for the bigger picture?

[Chrystal]

...The inside of the polygon ...

Please excuse my pedantry, but I wish to avoid confusion. A polygon is a multi-sided two-dimensional shape. A polyhedron is a multi-sided three-dimensional solid. A square is (technically) a type of polygon, a cube is (technically) a type of polyhedron.

[Skystomp]

I'm not worried Chrystal makes your mind that much more fun ;)

True on all you said, we can simply just alter the rules for that world. Sorta like The Well of Souls does, each section having it's own rules, quirks and critters. I personally like the idea of a world inside a polyhedron, with a lightbuld star inside it, it gives us land area to fool around with, mass areas to seperate from each other if we so choose and a X whatever on the outside. Like a another polyhedron world.

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

I'm all for the hollow polyhedron world.

[EmptyEternity]

I'm all for the hollow polyhedron world.

I'm game too, and if anyone asks how it can work, we just use assertion 12.

It's magic.

[PeacethatPowerbrings]

Nah, its not magic, its physics, at least the physics for that world. The laws of physics that our confused little people will one day have to work out, which no doubt will take a geinus far smarter than Einstein, given that Einstein had nice, neat, rational, space and time to work with.

[Chrystal]

It's a combination of physics and magic. I hope I'm not going to contradict myself here, but lets face it, we are making the rules. Right? So we can make the laws of physics do whatever we want. Right? So therefore there is no contradiction nor conflict between magic and physics.

In fact, the one can be part of the other. Everyone knows chemistryalchemy is one part cookery and two parts magic, so basically physics is two parts maths and one part magic!

[Ironwolf85]

yep...
often when I see magic in books, it's kind of discribed as bending the rules of reality to suit your needs.

[Chrystal]

And then, of course, you have the "advanced technology seen by primitives" kind of magic!

*sings* It's a kind of magic!

<--- Queen fan!

[Insight]

Indeed.

It could be some very strange magic.

<----- ELO fan

[Chrystal]

As long as I can be a Black Magic Woman.

<--- Early Fleetwood Mac fan

[Insight]

So...should we just start?

[EmptyEternity]

So...should we just start?

I don't know, should we?

[Ironwolf85]

whatever you lot decide, let me know