Ok, I am currently writing a book and I'm about 7,000 words in. Before I go on I want to get my plot squared away though. So I'm going to post my plot and hopefully get some help fleshing it out and the like. Sorry if its a bit convoluted. A great civilization built on the foundation of magic is wiped out in an instant by a terrible calamity. The only survivor is the civilizations emperor who flees the capital and lives in seclusion on a distant mountaintop, in a broken emotional state as his mind begins to degrade. When he eventually works up the courage to leave the mountain he finds that a new civilization has sprung up and that millenia have passed as he lived in seclusion. The art of magic is lost and technology has taken its place. The idea of a calamity, and a magic civilization is nothing more than legends. Anyways fast forward a bit. While one of three civilizations is excavating ruins near the mountain they find mention of the mans civilzation and a strange object called the Mencalor. Believing the object may lead to the resurection of magic, the three civilzations, who have been waging a kind of cold war, start all out war against each other as they scramble to find the object first. Fast forward to the end, end highly subject to change. The Mencalor is found, however it is not an object, but a powerful being, the being who was the cause of the calamity that ravaged the world. The three waring civilizations must unite to fight off the new enemy before it ravages the world once more. One last thing lol.The Mencalor was a being the original civilization created while trying to create God. They sealedit away but not before the calamity struck. Also all three civilizations are corrupt and power hungry so there isnt really a good guy or bad guy.
Well, I'm useless on the front of epic fantasy, but! the ending note reminded me of something. That would work well if you have a character from each nation; and that even though they're fighting and they hate each other and they consider the other to be so different, they each have similar, human problems. similar flaws, similar strengths. It would give a sort of 'human' scale - some general or advisor in the government, or something, and he's trying to deal with the war and keep his high position and get people to take his advice.
Thats a good idea, thanks. I did something like that with my last book I tried. I told the story from a soldiers point of view on one faction and for the other I used a regular citizen. It probably would work well here to. Thanks a bunch.
Although I can't help right away, feel free to drop an email or pop on msn(mine is drydon@hotmail.com). I like the idea though.
loved the idea, but what about the emperor? You mentioned him at first then it seemed like forgot about him in your middle and end. Maybe he decides to teach one of the civilizations magic, or a few from each that he thinks worthy. When they find Mencalor maybe he gives them its history and what happened. Or mayhaps he sacrifices himself in the end to stop the Mencalor, and his act of goodness makes the three civilizations see the error of their ways? just some ideas, the story seems FABULOUS to me because Im a big lover of fantasy, cant wait to see how this pans out! Check my short story out if ya want!