by Bigmouthstrikes » Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:23 pm
So...after months of dragging my feet (years, some may even say); here is my entry into this contest. Take a deep breath because this is going to be a long post.
When I was a kid, playing with toys, I had my own way of doing it. All of the toys represented individual characters, that I crafted. They each had their own personalities, powers ect. and existed within a universe that had a definite continuity. Each room in my house was a nation. I made a lot of stories over this time, but most of them were kids stuff. The characters, however, were interesting enough and over the years, I've thought back to them and conceptualized a story that I will hopefully be writing sometime in the near future. My story would reboot the continuity and keep the characters. The story will, if and when it's completed, cover about 80-90 years of my world and country's history. I'll be sharing the world and few of the more important characters from it (a few of the many).
I'll start with the world.
Runus: The world of Runus is astronomically similar to Earth, yet very different in all other regards. The entire land area of the planet is conjoined in a supercontinent that is slightly smaller than Earth's land mass. But more importantly, Runus has two forces of power on it (different, though not mutually exclusive): magic and Heroicism. Magic is straitforward enough, but Heroes in Runus differ from those in other worlds. For performing exceptional deeds, some people are "blessed" either by a white energy or a black one. Nobody understands how it works, or why those who are chosen are. Those who are blessed, or "Heroes" as they are called, are ageless, can only be killed in combat and are usually blessed with some kind of unique ability. They are frequently warriors and leaders.
For centuries, it was ruled by two great kingdoms whose people were inertly blessed with magical prowess. The West was ruled by the Kimiki Empire, made up of dark skinned bloodline highly trained in military disciplined, and the East by the Unia people, a fair skinned, red haired race which focused on culture as much as combat. The two took over their respective parts of the world and all its non-magical residents until only they stood. Then, after 200 years of rule, the two kingdoms entered a devastating war between each other that culminated in the total destruction of both. The core ruling population of both sides was wiped out and the original territory of the Kimiki Empire was reduced to a vast, inhospitable desert. At the end of the war, most of the Unia and Kimiki people had been killed, and those surviving reduced to wandering tribes while the rest of the non-magical population was left to rebuild their own nations from the ruins. Dozens of new nations sprang up as each former country gained independence, and technology grew to replace the magic that had dominated it in the past. Magic still existed, but confined to the surviving Unia and Kimiki people who inherited it and those talented enough to learn it the hard way. Guns replaced spells. Airships and automobiles replaced the many creatures that had been domesticated for their purposes. A divide was created between the old world of magic and the new world of technology.
By the time the story proper starts, there are more than 25 nations, and the peak technology is comparable to that which had emerged around the First World War. The nation the story follows is Illia, an economic powerhouse that has, for the most part, stayed out of world affairs. Illia is ruled by a monarchy that seized power during the chaos that followed the Magic War. Under its latest king, the country has grown increasingly dictatorial, clamping down on protest, free speech and other forms of expression deemed dangerous by the crown. It has also begun to move into the world arena, involving itself in a war to take over a major trade area that has expanded to include most major powers. The war has been brutal, costly, and has drawn to a standstill. The story follows Illia's history to this point.
Antagonists
King Marcus Theod
Age: 38 (biologically 35)
Heigh: 5'10
Hair: Medium, slicked back black hair
Build: Thin, but fit
Bio: When his father died, progressive, book smart Marcus ascended the throne over his older brother. Initially vowing to continue the Democratic, economically liberal position of his father, Marcus ascends with ambitious plans to bolster the economy and change the predominantly agrarian Illia into an industrial force. When the Senate blocks his plans and he becomes increasingly frustrated with his ability to rule, Marcus dissolves the Senate and slowly spirals into authoritarian dictation of his people. Though he hold lofty ideals of fairness, equality and prosperity, the means by which he enacts them become increasingly brutal over time. His nation prospers economically, it is highly oppressed causing a great deal of unrest. He initially sticks to an isolationist policy, he involves himself in a worldwide conflict on behalf of the aggressors when an emerging Democratic power jumps into the fray.
Hero Ability: Becoming a hero upon ascending the throne, Marcus has a mystical weapon dedicated to him. In his case, it is a hammer endowed with a number of abilities.
Sidney Van Dyke
Age: 72 (40, biologically)
Height: 6'4
Hair: Long with a salt and pepper color
Build: Tall, broad and muscular
Bio: Sid Van Dyke was a commando for the King's Protection Force, a group comprised of the nation's Heroes. While the old king was on his deathbed, Van Dyke maneuvered his way through the ranks and became a fervent political supporter of Marcus over his brother in the ascension debates. Gaining Marcus's trust, Van Dyke is promoted to the commander's position upon Marcus's crowning. He remained a highly influential adviser to the King and was a major factor in his move away from democracy. When Marcus entered the war, Van Dyke was kept on the homefront and charged with hunting down resistance organizers and defecting military personnel
Hero Ability: Van Dyke possesses the ability to absorb the powers of any Heroes he fells. Over his years of service, he has gathered a large collection.
Thelonius Wolfe
Age: 41 (57 biological)
Height: 6'3
Build: Broad. Slightly pudgy
Hair: Black and slicked. Wears a mustache
Bio: Growing up in extreme poverty, Wolfe was a gangster in the unruly southern province. He rose to power by uniting smaller gangs and eventually used it to consolidate all crime into one syndicate, killing or buying out his competition. From there, he seized more legitimate businesses and made himself one of the richest citizens of Illia. Respecting a strong ruler, Wolfe gave tacit support for the King. As the resistance gained strength, however, his faith wavered. Wolfe remains a wild card; his true affiliations unknown as he, at times, seems to support both sides.
Hero Ability: Though Wolfe became a Hero, it is unknown what special ability he possesses. Few have seen it used and those who have all appear to be dead.
Protagonists:
This is a list of the major good guys in my story, at least at the start. Many will come and go as the story progresses across Illia's history. The initial story will mostly switch between these people, examining how the events unfolding effect their lives and the places they take in their nation's history.
Lawrence Leone:
Age: 32
Height: 5'9
Hair: Medium length, parted and blond
Build: Slim. Athletic, but not overly muscular.
Bio: Lawrence, or Larry as he prefers to be called, is a humble accountant for the Department of Economic Development at the start of the story. Though lacking political ambition, he is extremely intelligent and compassionate. His plans for growth and social equality have made him a rising star in the department. His father, however, is a famed army general and war hero. When the crown accuses him of being a conspirator in a plot to oust the King, he is executed and his family, including Larry, are interned in a forced labor camp. From here Larry leads an escape that catches the attention of a resistance movement. Larry soon finds himself the common thread between a civilian resistance and the disgruntled elements of the military, as well as the leader of the movement and nation.
Felicia Shepherd
Age: 25
Height: 5'6
Hair: Long black and curly
Build: Slender and long legged
Bio: Felicia was the daughter of a popular Illian Senator prior to the dissolution and execution of the Senate by King Marcus. When the police came for her family, Felicia alone escaped. She adopted a false identity and began living a secret life, constantly on the lookout. Though she is eventually captured, she befriends Larry during their internment and eventually helps plan and execute the inmate escape. A former teacher, Felicia is kind, smart and diplomatic. Her personal charm helps her assist Larry in binding the various factions through Illia into a more cohesive movement.
Terrance Buchanan
Age: 26
Height: 6'0
Build: Broad shouldered, athletic
Hair: Dark, short and slicked back
Bio: The wealthy son of a business magnate, Terrance was born into a family financially supportive of King Marcus. When his father dies and he inherits the company, Terrance begins to develop his own relationship to the King. Torn between his loyalty to the ideals of the King and his brutal means of enacting them, he undergoes a great deal of soul searching to find a way to contribute to his country. Despite his aloof nature, Terrance is a shrewd businessman and skillful political actor.
Bucky Norman
Age: 23
Height: 6'2
Hair: Brown, Medium length and messy
Build: Lean, muscular
Bio: Bucky was a steel worker in the industrialized western area of Illia. Because conditions in his plant were poor, and pay equally so, Bucky and his fellow workers organized a strike. Angered by his production base being shut down in the middle of the war, Marcus orders the strike violently put down. Bucky and 4 of his friends escape the slaughter and go on the run. Bucky is strong, even headed and quick thinking, though hardly savvy in regards to interpersonal relationships. Not being an academically minded person, Bucky becomes a foot soldier against Marcus's rule.