Chronicles VIII: Dawn of the Philosopher Kings

[Helmling]

I whole-heartedly agree. It takes me over 30 min's to get to work and, like Fetch, I spend the first 15 min's here reading your stories. You have a real gift for story telling and I eagerly await your first novel.
So please continue this story...I'm already emotionally vested in the characters

Ah, crap, and now I've gone and killed them all off!

 

[Fetch]

"Excuse me," he said to them, and all turned at once. "I wonder if you'd mind not building there?" They recognized him, and so shrugged to one another and lifted their loads again to move off. "Thank you," he called after them in a strained voice, as if some great wall of feeling hid behind its tones. "We have some plans for this area."
--Excellent way to leave off. Makes us wonder what's going to be built there.

 

[Mr. Hyperbole]

Originally Posted by Mr. Hyperbole
I whole-heartedly agree. It takes me over 30 min's to get to work and, like Fetch, I spend the first 15 min's here reading your stories. You have a real gift for story telling and I eagerly await your first novel.
So please continue this story...I'm already emotionally vested in the characters

Ah, crap, and now I've gone and killed them all off!

Is it similar to how my "citizens" are killed?


Klutzer Khanicious Robofloyd walked into the rotunda, nervous at the information he had to pass to The Stranger. The immortal wiseman had been growing increasingly agitated over the months as news from the farthest reaches of the kingdom trickled in.
"Wiseman, you wished to hear of the latest expeditions?" he asked meekly.
Receiving a nod of the head as assent, he continued. "We have searched from sea to shining sea, from purple mountain majesties to amber waves of grain. I'm afraid we have yet to find a shiny metal you refer to as 'iron,' or the four-legged creatures you refer to as 'horses.'
What issued forth from The Stranger's mouth was a string of curses, the likes of which had never been heard on this globe. Some so filthy, Robofloyed(no mere altarboy with quite a vocabulary himself) blushed brightly.
After enduring some minutes of this verbal abuse, The Stranger, out of breath, reached into his pockets and pulled out two small boxes. He handed one, smooth and glowing a slight green, to Robofloyd and began furiously poking at the other.
"Sir," asked Robofloyd, "what is that you are holding? I've seen nothing like it before."
"What, are you blind?! It's my computer! Now, shut up!"
Though he understood not what a "computer" was, he remained silent while The Stranger muttered under his breath such things as "stupid RNG! NO resources?!" and "now back to the main menu!"
"There!" exlaimed The Stranger finally. Just then, a giant portal appeared in mid-air, supported by nothing, blackness within.
Startled, Robofloyd asked The Stranger, "what magic is this?"
"It's no magic you backwoods hick! It's my next game! Never mind, you'll never understand. Just hold on to that box you're holding. It's a planet buster, it'll go off in just a sec. Bye ya!"
Dutifully, Robofloyd held onto the "planet buster"(really, what odd words The Stranger speaks, he thought) as the portal closed.

 

[Helmling]

Ah, no, they just got old.

I'd never planet-buster my own people! I never even used them in SMAC, except once just to see what they'd do. I laughed my ass off for half an hour when I did. I think, though, that an explosion that big would lay waste to the planet's entire atmosphere, don't you?

Anyway, everyone, Mr. Hyperbole's addition to the story is not canon! I would not abandon my people and I sure wouldn't incinerate them.

 

[Fetch]

I would not abandon my people and I sure wouldn't incinerate them.

I have heard that Greeks are quite tasty, if you can get them crispy enough.

 

[thescaryworker]

Great story! Please write more!

 

[Wallabulla]

The master is back
Hope you'll keep writing on this great tale.

 

[King Flevance]

Nice story Helmling.

I have been trying to get around to reading it for a week now. I am only at the construction of the new city atm but so far its great. My fav part so far was:

“Will you take up a weapon?”
“If I don’t?”
“I will kill you where you stand!”
“Ok, then, I’ll take one,” he answered whimsically.

Good choice.

 

[Rayjr]

Your writing is beautiful. I have really enjoyed the story so far and look forward to more chapters.

 

[Agarwaen]

Very good story! I'm waiting for more

 

[Helmling]

Honey, I'm home!

Thanks for the encouraging feedback, but I'm afraid you're all being far too generous, and in Fetch's case, a little distrubing.

I will be posting the next installment as soon as possible.

 

[Mewtarthio]

Having just read the entire Philosopher King series (save the first one, which I couldn't find), I can most definately state that this one is far and away the best you have ever done--and you're not even past the first column of techs yet!

...I notice that the Scout has to heal. Where did he lose that 0.0 Strength he's missing?

 

[Helmling]

Yeah, Vol. I was lost--posted on another message board and never backed up--but don't worry, you're not missing much.

The Scout had a run-in with some lions awhile back.

And thank you!

 

[ToV]

This truly is one of the better stories I have read on these forums. I never have given thought to all of the little details in the game, let alone how to turn them into a story! It would be interesting if their truly was a continet to the southwest, where that piece of land points. (Since you have already finished the game, I have no doubts that there is land their) Keep up the good work!

 

[omni_paul]

Supoib.

KUTGW.

 

[Helmling]

This truly is one of the better stories I have read on these forums. I never have given thought to all of the little details in the game, let alone how to turn them into a story! It would be interesting if their truly was a continet to the southwest, where that piece of land points. (Since you have already finished the game, I have no doubts that there is land their) Keep up the good work!

Ah, you snuck in between two of my posts, how funny...yeah, I had the gift of foresight, but I knew it while playing the game also because I'd seen it in the world builder when I started. I "cheated" so that I could be sure I was getting an island. I'm picky like that. Ordinarily I like to play Ironman, but for this story I really wanted isolation during this first part and peeking really quick saved me the trouble of playing through several dozen turns before having to restart.

Thanks, and more to come...

 

[Helmling]

Supoib.

KUTGW.

Um...I'm ashamed to admit how long it took me to figure out what that says.

Thanks.

 

[omni_paul]

Um...I'm ashamed to admit how long it took me to figure out what that says.

Thanks.

Sorry , I wanted to give a very brief form of encouragement. Very much enjoying this story, and I hope you can find the time to continue in the same way.

 

[tombeef]

I started reading this story and found myself enjoying it, so far so good. Great incoporation with the game, and good character developement.

As a novice writer myself, I know it is hard sometimes to find inspiration to keep going, and especially to get some recognition. But keep going, it's the only way to make yourself better, you get practice, and critiques. The only way to get recognized is to keep writing (although I realize fame is probably not your goal) but, having been is positions like this before, I can say that not finishing projects are always some of my deepest regrets.

Good luck with future writings.

 

[Helmling]

I started reading this story and found myself enjoying it, so far so good. Great incoporation with the game, and good character developement.

As a novice writer myself, I know it is hard sometimes to find inspiration to keep going, and especially to get some recognition. But keep going, it's the only way to make yourself better, you get practice, and critiques. The only way to get recognized is to keep writing (although I realize fame is probably not your goal) but, having been is positions like this before, I can say that not finishing projects are always some of my deepest regrets.

Good luck with future writings.

Thanks, but actually, what was making think I didn't want to finish this is the knowledge that I really should be working on my real writing project, which has been put on a back-burner (again!) because of this blasted game.

But I've given up any hope of wiggling out of this now...in for a penny, in for a pound.