Lucem Sequimur - Stargazing 2/13

[kwakelaar]

The overview picture from the last update is really nice, a great looking natural landscape with the two villages nestled in the lower laying parts next to water.
Nice story telling as well.

[Tomas Neto]

Fantastic update, really very nice!!!

[dedgren]

I've just read back through the three pages of LC so far, Jason, and I really get a good feeling that, as you gain experience and insight into what works together in the landscapes (both built and natural) that you are creating, there will be something very special here.  You have a unique vision for this MD, and I hope that you share it with us for a long time to come.


David

[canyonjumper]

Fantastic idea for a religion Albus, very creative!

                  Your friend,
                                 Jordan

[Albus of Garaway]

I am so glad to be back after a short break! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Today, we will be revisiting the concept of beauty as worship, but first I must get back to your comments!



(SC4D)

canyonjumper: Thank you! I'm glad you appreciate creativity.

dedgren: Thank you very much, David! I really appreciate your comments. I am, even now, beginning to feel that I am more "acquainted" with merging natural and built together, and I hope others are seeing my improvements, as well. Thanks again!

Tomas Neto: Thank you!

Kwakelaar: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying this.

Nardo69: Thanks! I'm glad you're hooked.

CasperVg: Thanks!

Serebii666: Thanks!

Battlecat: Thank you! That's the look I'm trying to go for.

Nikom: Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

art128: I hope your new year has gone well!

io_bg: Thank you! It has really been tough trying to find custom buildings for this MD, but I think I've found some that create enough variety.

art128: Thank you!

peter007: Thanks for pointing that out.  I didn't notice them until you said that.

HotChocolate: I'm glad you enjoy the story! Thank you.

Novus Lumos



It is the year 350, and religion has just been established in the Freedonian Kingdom. Beauty has become a thing of worship, and to spread beauty is to spread the will of grace of Lumos. This provided a reason for expansion. To turn the rugged, wild wilderness into a sophisticated civilization.



Ulysses the Great, Supreme Ruler of the Freedonian Kingdom, ordered a group of thirty-five men to travel the creek leading away from Sema Aquarius in search of land for a new village.



It was a dangerous journey, where they encountered many dangers and great beasts. Eventually, they found a suitable place to create a village and spread the grace of Lumos.



The village is now nearly as big as Ellis Hominis, and perhaps a bit more impressive. Citizens here live largely in seclusion from the rest of the Kingdom. There is no clear-cut path, and it takes days to travel to the nearest village, Sema Aquarius. For this reason, the village is almost entirely independent, and apart from monthly tax collections, experiences almost no connection with the rest of the kingdom.



The village features an incredible governing hall, where the Village Council meets. It is one of the most ornate buildings in the Freedonian Kingdom.



The village is also home to this incredible structure, which is essentially a place of worship. Villagers climb the tower, which is the second tallest structure in the Kingdom, and feel a deep connection to Lumos as they look down upon the world. The tower and the governing hall are all parts of the spreading of beauty.



One day, a boy was playing outside the village, when he spotted something...



A village! Except no one in the Kingdom was aware of this village. In fact, no one had even contemplated the fact that other people could be out there somewhere, entire Kingdoms just over the crest of the hill. This raised new realizations in the Freedonian Kingdom, that they perhaps were not alone, and that they may not be the greatest, living only below Lumos. Thought radically changed at this discovery, as the Freedonian Kingdom may no longer be the center of everything.



May you seek the light.

Jason

[RickD]

Things are developing very nice. I think it will be fun to look back at the early pages in a year or so.
I am eagerly waiting for the next update. I need to know what's up with the village.

[sumwonyuno]

Wow, the landscape is beautiful and the placement of flora is well done!  I really like that little town as well!   

[peter007]

Wow great. Looking forward to your next update

[Terring7]

Very interesting story

[Albus of Garaway]

Welcome back! Just a few short days ago, our villagers made an interesting discovery. What strange turn of events will this newfound village lead to? We'll find out soon, but first...



Terring7: Thank you!

Peter007: I look forward to seeing you here again.

Sumwonyuno: Thank you very much! I enjoy making the landscapes.

RickD: Well, you'll find out soon, my friend. Thank you!

Explorica



When we last saw our villagers, a new village had been discovered. This brought on the realization that the Freedonian Kingdom was not alone in this world. Now, the question had to be considered: What do we do now? Make contact? Attack?



The village was fairly simple, even uncivilized. The huts were made of straw, and there seemed to be no form of agriculture. Surely it would be easy enough just to wipe them off the map and move on?



Ulysses the Great and his Council met with the Village Council of Novus Lumos to discuss what to do about this new village. The debate was just getting extremely heated when the Councilors heard shouts from outside the window.



As they looked out upon the open fields on the outside of Novus Lumos, they saw a large mob racing toward the town. Those uncivilized savages were attempting to attack! The Village Guard managed to take them out quickly, but the mob was able to light fire to a home and obscenely defecate on the paths in the town. While there was no real damage done, it was clear that relations between these two villages were hostile.



So the Freedonian Kingdom devised a plan. The Grand Army would be go uphill of the new village and hide within the trees. Then, when the time was right, they would charge to village, light fire to each home, and quickly run away. No hand-to-hand combat was necessary. The villagers made the takeover easy by making their village a giant tinderbox.

All was going well with the plan until one soldier decided to look down the other side of the hill, opposite the uncivilized village and into the adjacent valley. What he saw would change the face of the Kingdom forever.



Perhaps taking out this village would not be so easy after all...



May you seek the light.

Jason

[peter007]

again a very nice update. BTW this is the first MD where I'm reading all the stories.

[noahclem]

Nice updates since I was here last! I've been reading the whole text here as well--I think MD stories are like children's books in that they are best kept clever but relatively short-winded and told with lots of pretty pictures! 

I particularly enjoyed the reference to the neighboring villagers' "obscenely defecating"!    Guess that shows my level of maturity (or maybe just predisposition toward toilet humor)  Paints a funny picture anyway.

[Albus of Garaway]

UPDATE: Big surprises coming in the next few days and weeks. Get ready!

Jason

[marsh]

Very good update. And I can't wait.

As peter said, although not my first, this is one of the very few story journals that I enjoy. 

,marsh

[GDO29Anagram]

Let me cut to the chase:

I don't see many city journals or mayor diaries that go THIS far into detail. In fact, most of the CJs/MDs I read just go into a big bustling metropolis or a beautiful farmland. Though those are a beauty to look at, this one's a lot more intricate into its origin and its progression into many technological and social advances.

What's more is that many of the CJs/MDs I find only feature one nation/country/state/kingdom/empire or just one group of peoples, not two or more. Having more than one nation in a MD just makes things more interesting. In your case, it adds a hint to hostility, and imagining how that will happen currently adds suspense.

I like what I'm seeing and perfect timing, too - Looks like we got the possibility of battle on our hands. I look forward to seeing the fate of the Freedonian Kingdom.

[Albus of Garaway]

noahclem: I debated about whether I should include that, as I was afraid it would set the wrong tone for the story. I think it successful, however. Thanks!

peter007: Thanks! I'm trying to keep the story interesting...I think it's about to get interesting.

GD029: Thank you so much for these kind words! They really mean a lot, especially because I agree with you. I think the SC4 community has lost some of its creativity. There are so many "cookie-cutter" journals, where they showcase an average and realistic metropolis, and while they are all wonderful in terms of aesthetics - no doubt - they are certainly lacking in the creativity category. Most everyone seems to take the same route, and while it may be a good route, it is not the most original. I appreciate your support!

marsh: I'm so glad to hear that I'm inviting readers to the exciting world of storytelling!

Year 7104

[For added effect, it is recommended that you listen to
this music in the background as you read the update]


Huntington Research Facility


Building C

Audio Surveillance 00:03 7-17-04 ~TRANSLATED~   
   -Status on the simulation?
   -Positive, sir. Things are going well. There's a lot of activity in Quadrant D. A ton of growth in just 300.
   -How much?
   -See for yourself.
   -Impressive. That's the fastest development we've seen at this stage. I think it might even beat out S9.
/End Audio Surveillance

Audio Surveillance 09:23 7-19-04 ~TRANSLATED~
   -Why exactly are we doing this? We're throwing money into this project, and no one's even told me the benefit.
   -Research purposes, sir.
   -Could you give me more than that? Jesus.
   -That's information I'm not allowed to disclose, sir.
   -...very well. Get out.
/End Audio Surveillance

Audio Surveillance 19:04 7-21-04 ~TRANSLATED~
   -Do you think this is...right?
   -What?
   -What we're doing here. With the simulation. Do you think it's right?
   -Why not? It's just a computer.
   -No, it's obviously not. Those things in there, they are obviously conscious. They have minds.
   -Yeah, minds that we programmed. It's not like they're real or anything.
   -They think they're real! And we programmed their minds so that they think for themselves. Their minds are no different from ours.
   -Why are we even talking about this?
   -Because I think this is morally wrong!
   -Oh, shut up. You act like they have actual minds. Their "mind" is a computer chip.
   -But it operates just like us! What if you knew we were...controlled?
   -Let's stop talking about this.
/End Audio Surveillance



May you seek the light.

Jason

[Battlecat]

Fascinating story!  I love the images as well.

[peter007]

very nice. I have listened to the music when I was reading your update and. Why does it ends so quickly . Your soundtrack is 9 minutes so...
Just fantastic as well, but I hope you will make it a little longer 

[Evillions8]

Are the researchers playing SC4 too? 

[Albus of Garaway]

Evillons8: Perhaps it is something more sophisticated? Thank you for your comment!

peter007: The desired effect for the background music was for ambiance. I did not necessarily want it to coincide perfectly with reading the update. I hope that clears things up. Thank you for your comment, and I hope to see you again soon!

Battlecat: Thank you! I hope to see you again soon.

Balthazaar



"Sire, I bring forth crucial news regarding the Freedonian Kingdom. They have made contact with Istanzaal, and are attempting an attack."
"Let it happen, dearest adviser. Istanzaal doesn't provide much for the kingdom anyway. Let them take the village, for it will only lighten the burden the village provides us."
"Yes, oh noble one."
"Do send a messenger to their city of Novus Lumos, however. I wish to meet these people."
"I will do so immediately, Your Majesty."



After seeing this new, gigantic city, the group of men tasked with burning the small village were astonished. The information would be immediately reported to The Council, if not directly to His Greatness! They decided to abandon their original mission and head home to describe the incredible discovery.




His Great Throne Room.

"I come from the Most Noble Kingdom of Mastul. I bear gifts for your greatness, and request you do the same for His Majesty King Antonius of Mastul. Good day."





"Your Majesty, we have the oddest of news-"
"I don't care what it is. Nothing could be as important as this. Prepare a parade of our finest dancers, jugglers, and gifts, and send it to the city of Balthazaar. I will join as well. The city lies just north of-"
"I know, sire. This was the news! We saw the city as we attempted to destroy the savages...which really aren't savages after all, it seems. We abandoned the mission, as this seemed significantly more important."
"Very well. This is quite acceptable. Go on, now, do as I say, begin the preparations. We leave at dawn."





The parade enters the city of Balthazaar. Incredible tricks and stunts are performed at the amazement of the crowd.


Entrance to His Majesty King Antonius' Palace of the Angels.

Ulysses the Great and King Antonius enter the palace alone as festivities continue outside.



After returning to Ellis Hominis, Ulysses the Great is asked to make a statement regarding His conversation with King Antonius. He chooses not to comment.



May you seek the light.

Jason