[CBI] Rafe's Dilemma - Your Opinions, Please!

[Rafael]

Hi all,

I have a rather harmless, but delicate question for you all:

So, you might know by now that I am taking a year off to write a novel.
(It's about the life of an English poet, historical mystery, nothing big.)

So, when I am writing that heavily, I have the habit of doing a second side project on the way as kind of an exercise,
and I am pondering if to write a fantasy novel, among other things, because there is next to no research involved in that.

Now, this is where you come in: I have more than enough notes, including an unfinished manuscript, to work easily on my own stuff.

However, lately it vexes me if I couldn't do something based on our campaign as well - no, don't get me wrong, by far not a retelling of the LFC.
Rather sort of an unofficial sequel, set in the far future of the game, in a different world.
(Not in the "Starborn" setting as well - that's Havard's and mine to equal parts, if we ever get it completed.)

I doubt that I would use any of your characters, or their background information, but I feel it wouldn't be right not to ask you even so,
since this is your game the same way that it is mine.

My dilemma consists in that I will probably never have as much time to write as next year, and should better evaluate my projects soon.

How the manuscript will ultimately reflect the game/your characters/whatever we do here, I obviously cannot say up until now.
All I can say is that you would probably recognize the symbols, but next to noone else will.

(No WelComeback Inn, or whatever. No touchable resemblance to Blackmoor, whatsoever.)

Me writing that would in no way influence our game here - you all know that I have scheduled this campaign's run until mid-2012, which is a far call for a PbP.

And, of course, that the end of the LFC will mean the end of this adventuring party as far as I am concerned
won't mean that it will also necessarily mean the end of this gaming group.

To bring my incoherent ramblings to an end,
I am currently torn between writing a fantasy novel based on Romantic 19th century fairy tales and a D&D-ish sword and sorcery approach.
While I favor the latter, I feel like I might touch motifs and ideas that you.
my fellow players at least influenced.
- And while I have nothing concrete in mind right now that I would take from the campaign, I'd rather ask you before I start writing than afterwards.

So, basically, if you're uncomfortable with the idea, I'll do the fairy tale,
and if you're okay with it, I'll do the D&D-ish story.

Your call!

Yours,

Rafe

[Rafael]

BTW, the reason why I am taking this time out is not by any means negative.
It's just that German university releases me in April, with my exams finishing in November.
And the new job doesn't start before October 2011, which will leave me ten months of wonderful introspection, becoming digustingly obese and playing Zelda.

[sheridan]

Pursue whichever direction your muse takes you. In the end, that will be the most satisfying.

[Rizak the Really Horrible]

Write what you know. I wouldn't even have had a problem if you had wanted to use what I've helped to created here.

[Dave L]

Well, if you're asking which one to write - you're on your own, I'm afraid.

If you were asking which one I would read, well that's a different story.

19th century fairy tales are just not my thing.

[Havard]

Go ahead

-Havard

[Rafael]

Thanks, guys!

I think I would end up doing sword and sorcery anyway,
because I think it's the best time for me now -
in the sense that I have been engaged with heroic fantasy for the last ten years.

I'm terribly invested in the genre as other fanboys are - in the sense that I don't read much fantasy,
and that my main connection to the genre is through games.
once I cease being involved in gaming, I figure the genre will become much less accessible to me than it is now.

As to what resemblances the final manuscript might have to our campaign - I do not have the slightest idea yet.
I figure I'll have some of your character's descendants have some cameos, or something like that.

[Dave L]

I figure I'll have some of your character's descendants have some cameos, or something like that.

That's assuming we survive to have children, of course!

[gsvenson]

Did I send you the document I had outlining Sven's decendents until 1299?

[tarlyn]

Not advising you either way, but just do what you want to.