Optical
The Fall of the Eleventh
This story will become a legend of Civ storytelling history. Thanks for writing it, it's been truly awesome to follow.
Unbound
- Thread starter the unbound
- Start date
Thanks for the great read! I hope you're planning to write more! 
Exactly. I recommend others to read Helmling's The Philosopher King too. It ended just recently as did this one. Both were great reads.
Exactly. I recommend others to read Helmling's The Philosopher King too. It ended just recently as did this one. Both were great reads.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
i realy liked it. This is one of the best civ stories.
Are you going to write and another story?
Are you going to write and another story?
the unbound
Chieftain
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2011
- Messages
- 57
Thanks for reading everyone.
I feel like I should explain a little bit for those of you with questions. I originally planned something very similar to this story several years ago, after I killed off my alter-ego narrator in my Civ IV Philosopher King stories--oh, speaking of alter egos, let me rid myself of this one...
I feel like I should explain a little bit for those of you with questions. I originally planned something very similar to this story several years ago, after I killed off my alter-ego narrator in my Civ IV Philosopher King stories--oh, speaking of alter egos, let me rid myself of this one...
Right, there we go.
So, like I was saying, I'd planned to do something very similar to this with Civ IV, but there was a file mishap and I decided it was a sign to give it up. (It was so long ago I couldn't even figure out what e-mail or password I used for the first "unbound" account I set up; you can view it here.) A few weeks ago, and I can't remember why, I started thinking about it again. Somewhere along the way I decided to do two stories: the story of the leader who has lost all touch with his humanity and the human story of one of his subjects. Once I had that idea, I thought it would be really interesting to do them in tandem, and hopefully attract some common readership for both so that you'd be reading the same story in two different places without realizing it until very near the end.
So that's the short version of why I did it this way, and I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it...or "them" I guess.
So, like I was saying, I'd planned to do something very similar to this with Civ IV, but there was a file mishap and I decided it was a sign to give it up. (It was so long ago I couldn't even figure out what e-mail or password I used for the first "unbound" account I set up; you can view it here.) A few weeks ago, and I can't remember why, I started thinking about it again. Somewhere along the way I decided to do two stories: the story of the leader who has lost all touch with his humanity and the human story of one of his subjects. Once I had that idea, I thought it would be really interesting to do them in tandem, and hopefully attract some common readership for both so that you'd be reading the same story in two different places without realizing it until very near the end.
So that's the short version of why I did it this way, and I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it...or "them" I guess.
I never did watch LOST. I should Netflix those sometime.
The identity of the narrator is a little complicated. In my previous Philosopher King stories, I built up a mythology connecting Civ and SMAC. So, really, the narrator is kind of like an alternate-dimension version of me, a version of me who's died, been reconstituted and gone mad with power.
It's silly, I know. But when I started writing these stories years ago, I wrote them about the games I played, so at the time I just kept using my name as the leader name.
Verarde
Pondering Wearing A Hat
All is revealed! After a quick glance through The Philosopher King, I saw all the connections! The Oracle, Atticus, everything! What a great idea, Helmling! These two stories should forever be remembered as excellent pieces of writing!
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2010
- Messages
- 8,873
Cheers on an excellent story, Hemling, Unbound, whoever you are. 
I kinda half expected that something similar to this would happen, but it is still an awesome story anyway.
I kinda half expected that something similar to this would happen, but it is still an awesome story anyway.
CrazyHorseSouix
Chieftain
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2011
- Messages
- 27
Brilliant! Both this story and the Philosopher King held my attention from the get go and seemed to set themselves apart from the rest. Now it is apparent why. A very genius idea indeed. Hopefully you will grace this forum with more of your writings in the future. Under whichever alias you see fit of course
A very genius idea indeed. Hopefully you will grace this forum with more of your writings in the future. Under whichever alias you see fit of course
Optical
The Fall of the Eleventh
I totally and completely didn't see this coming.
GreyWithAnE
Warlord
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
- Messages
- 137
(Emerging from lurker status here.)
Helmling: I discovered this and all the Philosopher King stories at about the same time, and I knew from the style that "the unbound" was either you or someone pretending very hard to be you.
And for what it's worth, the experience you've gained in the last 5 years really shows. Not that the Civ4 Philosopher Kings were bad, but this story and the Civ5 PhiloKing are at a level of cleanliness, clarity, and unfettered emotional impact that the older stories don't quite reach. Whereas the old Chronicles were a well-described cool story and concept, The Unbound is genuinely literary...I hope that makes sense.
Excellent work.
Helmling: I discovered this and all the Philosopher King stories at about the same time, and I knew from the style that "the unbound" was either you or someone pretending very hard to be you.
And for what it's worth, the experience you've gained in the last 5 years really shows. Not that the Civ4 Philosopher Kings were bad, but this story and the Civ5 PhiloKing are at a level of cleanliness, clarity, and unfettered emotional impact that the older stories don't quite reach. Whereas the old Chronicles were a well-described cool story and concept, The Unbound is genuinely literary...I hope that makes sense.
Excellent work.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
One question. Did you get any infraction for having two accounts?
Christos--is there a rule against that? Oops. Hopefully they'll excuse it, since it was in the name of art.
GrEy, thanks and I know what you mean. I looked at this as something other than a game report--more of a meditation on power.
And everyone, thanks a lot for reading. I'm trying to wring Civ out of my brian for a while so I can focus on my next novel. My daughter also wants to co-author a book (she's 12!) so I needed to finish this project up to shift my mental resources elsewhere. It's been fun, and if the past is any indicator, I won't be able to stay away forever.
GrEy, thanks and I know what you mean. I looked at this as something other than a game report--more of a meditation on power.
And everyone, thanks a lot for reading. I'm trying to wring Civ out of my brian for a while so I can focus on my next novel. My daughter also wants to co-author a book (she's 12!) so I needed to finish this project up to shift my mental resources elsewhere. It's been fun, and if the past is any indicator, I won't be able to stay away forever.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
I got an infraction.
I KNEW you were an author!
Oh, I write, but not for a living. That has eluded me thus far.
Linkman226
#anarchy
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2007
- Messages
- 2,493
Great job. This was an awesome read.
Tambien
Theseus, Duke of Athens
I agree. Now, tell us when your novel comes out so we can all rush the stores!
