Can't get the song "What is Love?" out of my head now. Argh!
We never actually learned this dwarf's name, did we?... and now my Returning Character Sense is tingling.
I'm looking forward to some short stories about other gods or the people of Arr-Kelaan interacting with them. It's always neat seeing a mythology as unique as the one you've created get fleshed out even more.
seventy2: That's it for "Consequences", the story I've been writing for 3 years. There are lots of gods stories to tell and we'll probably start something new in a few months. My plan right now is to take a few weeks off, start posting the short stories that I've banked up over the last decade for a while and then hopefully have the new stuff ready to go by the time they run out.
I'll be discussing this - and other things - with all of you starting tomorrow. I hope you'll all hang around and give me your input even though I won't be posting any stories this week.
Rosten said: That fact that Inti's follower stumbled across Ronson is one of those coincidences that mythology is chock full of. :)
Rosten, do you know anything about Jung or Joseph Campbell? That's the kind of thing that Carl Jung defined as synchronicity. If you didn't before, good job on seeing that.
Well, just to reiterate, I didn't make it up and it is certainly something mentioned by the Eastern mythologies. For the purpose of my story, I needed to equalize the Judeao-Christian-Muslim religions (which pretty much claim a single supreme deity) to the same level as the polytheistic religions. But that didn't mean I wanted to make it seem like Valhalla or Olympus had gotten it completely right either.
Basically, I wanted to establish that while there are threads of truth through the mythologies, mortal interpretations are not accurate and sometimes they grow into something much larger than even the gods intended.
In reality, though, my beliefs are very different. I am not a believer in any mysticism but I do see the usefullness of it to tell great stories.
Third time posting, but I have to say this.
The Light as it just got explained is mostly a metaphor of what actually happens when we die :
The matter we are made of is spread around and back into the food chain.
The thoughts we left behind (in books, etc) search their way to posterity.
And let's not forget DNA, if we are lucky enough to have children.
Billions of people will eventually be made of our shattered pieces.
But beside this, we are no more.
That, sir, was brilliant !
You put "souls" in your story and then reveal those to be just as breakable as anything else.
I don't know much about ancient or foreign religions, but you destroyed the whole point of having a soul as it is usually understood around here.
If this was done on purpose, it's pure genius !
We'll talk next week. Suffice to say that I have a bunch of short story ideas, and a longer story tentatively called "Taro City" is boiling in my head...
Sijo: This is certainly the aspect that Ronson sees, and might not be the whole truth. Through the light more souls will be born, but they won't be the same souls that entered the light. Using the ocean analogy again: If you drop water into the ocean, then pull a drop out of the ocean, part of it might be the same drop, but not all of it.
So reincarnation is inevitable, but whether a new soul has enough "old soul" in it to be called the same soul is unlikely...and her name was Emily. ;)
Inti wanted a protector for Luranna. Other than that, he had no other motives before leaving Arr-Kelaan. Though I do explain Inti's motivations a bit more in the short story "Inti Resting Times", which will be split into 3 parts (one in each book (or PDF)).
That fact that Inti's follower stumbled across Ronson is one of those coincidences that mythology is chock full of. :)
Oh! And this guy may not even become a follower of Ronson, but if he did he would not be the first.
Ronson's first official follower was Brindle from "Going Home" ... unofficially it was the soldiers from the "Going Home" prelude, as shown in the short story "Tankard of Trouble"
So the whole conversation with Inti's ex-priest was just to get his religion (involuntarily) started? Well, that works. Though feeling apathy towards everything isn't exactly a good philosophy.
Also, I think Ronson misunderstands the Light and its purpose. The way I see it, there IS a True God- it's just that it's nature is so beyond the others that they can only see it as a "Light". I prefer to think that his wife did achieve that (not well enough explained, sorry) need to become one with God again. And who says she might never return? The whole drop-in-the-ocean thing is a reference to cycles- drops do come back, you know. In other words, Helen might reincarnate one day- and Ronson, being a god now, will probably live long enough to find her again...
In any case, congratulations on another complete book, thanks for the entertainment, and hope to see more. :)
PS: Was talking to the priest what Inti wanted Ronson to do?
"it's like that drop of water entering the ocean".
More like a snowflake entering the ocean, if you ask me.
I am not saying I don't like the concept. It just has a very dark tone to it.
I would so picture the Light saying "Existence as you know it is over. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own".
As Ronson himself isn't too happy, it serves the story well.
Nolim: If you equate death with being absorbed into a larger state of being, then yes. Think of it as every soul is a drop of water, when they return to the light, it's like that drop of water entering the ocean ... you'll never see that particular drop again, but it didn't cease to exist ... does that make sense?
"you get absorbed into a light and that's it".
Wait... what ?
A few pages ago, when Ronson said Emily isn't lost but gone, I thought he meant she doesn't want to come back from whatever place she is in now.
Are you telling us that a ghost can die... for real ? *dramatic sound effect*
Krensada at 12:35PM, Aug. 7, 2009
Ronson needs desperately to lighten up. Seriously.
WoodenTable at 2:54PM, July 26, 2009
Can't get the song "What is Love?" out of my head now. Argh! We never actually learned this dwarf's name, did we?... and now my Returning Character Sense is tingling. I'm looking forward to some short stories about other gods or the people of Arr-Kelaan interacting with them. It's always neat seeing a mythology as unique as the one you've created get fleshed out even more.
Ronson at 7:10AM, July 26, 2009
seventy2: That's it for "Consequences", the story I've been writing for 3 years. There are lots of gods stories to tell and we'll probably start something new in a few months. My plan right now is to take a few weeks off, start posting the short stories that I've banked up over the last decade for a while and then hopefully have the new stuff ready to go by the time they run out. I'll be discussing this - and other things - with all of you starting tomorrow. I hope you'll all hang around and give me your input even though I won't be posting any stories this week.
Legolos229 at 12:25AM, July 26, 2009
Ah Ronson. Such a wonderful philosophy of pure Apathy.
TBAWriter at 7:53AM, July 25, 2009
I just realized I called Ronson Rosten. That is really embarrassing. Rosten is one of my characters. That's what you get for posting late at night.
Milky at 10:48PM, July 24, 2009
Another convert to Ronson-ology.
TBAWriter at 7:56PM, July 24, 2009
Rosten said: That fact that Inti's follower stumbled across Ronson is one of those coincidences that mythology is chock full of. :) Rosten, do you know anything about Jung or Joseph Campbell? That's the kind of thing that Carl Jung defined as synchronicity. If you didn't before, good job on seeing that.
seventy2 at 7:55PM, July 24, 2009
you mean that's it??
Ronson at 1:51PM, July 24, 2009
Well, just to reiterate, I didn't make it up and it is certainly something mentioned by the Eastern mythologies. For the purpose of my story, I needed to equalize the Judeao-Christian-Muslim religions (which pretty much claim a single supreme deity) to the same level as the polytheistic religions. But that didn't mean I wanted to make it seem like Valhalla or Olympus had gotten it completely right either. Basically, I wanted to establish that while there are threads of truth through the mythologies, mortal interpretations are not accurate and sometimes they grow into something much larger than even the gods intended. In reality, though, my beliefs are very different. I am not a believer in any mysticism but I do see the usefullness of it to tell great stories.
Nolim at 12:04PM, July 24, 2009
Third time posting, but I have to say this. The Light as it just got explained is mostly a metaphor of what actually happens when we die : The matter we are made of is spread around and back into the food chain. The thoughts we left behind (in books, etc) search their way to posterity. And let's not forget DNA, if we are lucky enough to have children. Billions of people will eventually be made of our shattered pieces. But beside this, we are no more. That, sir, was brilliant ! You put "souls" in your story and then reveal those to be just as breakable as anything else. I don't know much about ancient or foreign religions, but you destroyed the whole point of having a soul as it is usually understood around here. If this was done on purpose, it's pure genius !
Ronson at 10:26AM, July 24, 2009
We'll talk next week. Suffice to say that I have a bunch of short story ideas, and a longer story tentatively called "Taro City" is boiling in my head...
Fnord13 at 9:16AM, July 24, 2009
Great story! Can you tell us anything about what story you are planning to write next?
Ronson at 8:43AM, July 24, 2009
Sijo: This is certainly the aspect that Ronson sees, and might not be the whole truth. Through the light more souls will be born, but they won't be the same souls that entered the light. Using the ocean analogy again: If you drop water into the ocean, then pull a drop out of the ocean, part of it might be the same drop, but not all of it. So reincarnation is inevitable, but whether a new soul has enough "old soul" in it to be called the same soul is unlikely...and her name was Emily. ;) Inti wanted a protector for Luranna. Other than that, he had no other motives before leaving Arr-Kelaan. Though I do explain Inti's motivations a bit more in the short story "Inti Resting Times", which will be split into 3 parts (one in each book (or PDF)). That fact that Inti's follower stumbled across Ronson is one of those coincidences that mythology is chock full of. :) Oh! And this guy may not even become a follower of Ronson, but if he did he would not be the first. Ronson's first official follower was Brindle from "Going Home" ... unofficially it was the soldiers from the "Going Home" prelude, as shown in the short story "Tankard of Trouble"
Sijo at 7:45AM, July 24, 2009
So the whole conversation with Inti's ex-priest was just to get his religion (involuntarily) started? Well, that works. Though feeling apathy towards everything isn't exactly a good philosophy. Also, I think Ronson misunderstands the Light and its purpose. The way I see it, there IS a True God- it's just that it's nature is so beyond the others that they can only see it as a "Light". I prefer to think that his wife did achieve that (not well enough explained, sorry) need to become one with God again. And who says she might never return? The whole drop-in-the-ocean thing is a reference to cycles- drops do come back, you know. In other words, Helen might reincarnate one day- and Ronson, being a god now, will probably live long enough to find her again... In any case, congratulations on another complete book, thanks for the entertainment, and hope to see more. :) PS: Was talking to the priest what Inti wanted Ronson to do?
Nolim at 7:27AM, July 24, 2009
"it's like that drop of water entering the ocean". More like a snowflake entering the ocean, if you ask me. I am not saying I don't like the concept. It just has a very dark tone to it. I would so picture the Light saying "Existence as you know it is over. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own". As Ronson himself isn't too happy, it serves the story well.
Artificer Urza at 7:06AM, July 24, 2009
I think I like it too. Call me converted.
TBAWriter at 6:23AM, July 24, 2009
Yes! I was right!
MarieNomad at 6:03AM, July 24, 2009
Looks like Ronson just got his first worshiper.
Ronson at 4:12AM, July 24, 2009
...I didn't make that idea up, by the way. Several mythologies use it. I just chose the one that would allow me the most flexibility for storytelling.
Ronson at 3:42AM, July 24, 2009
Nolim: If you equate death with being absorbed into a larger state of being, then yes. Think of it as every soul is a drop of water, when they return to the light, it's like that drop of water entering the ocean ... you'll never see that particular drop again, but it didn't cease to exist ... does that make sense?
Nolim at 2:53AM, July 24, 2009
"you get absorbed into a light and that's it". Wait... what ? A few pages ago, when Ronson said Emily isn't lost but gone, I thought he meant she doesn't want to come back from whatever place she is in now. Are you telling us that a ghost can die... for real ? *dramatic sound effect*
Eleika at 12:34AM, July 24, 2009
Very poignant.
Greyman at 12:10AM, July 24, 2009
Nice ending... Very Ronson.
ghostrunner at 10:30PM, July 23, 2009
wow, follow me and i wont care O.o
Poki_rat at 10:15PM, July 23, 2009
He really knows how to win um over. I can understand.