232 replies to this topic

[Tempest]

Sorry, Solstice-Edwin and Alexandria would not be able to coexist peacefully, and a romance would have been out of the question. I really like Edwin, but he just wouldn't fit this group. I felt a little sad about killing him, but then I remembered Ilmatar's Valentine's Day joke, so blame her.

[Dark-Mage]

What was this joke Tempest, and where can it be found?

[Tempest]

Check #2. The little scene with Jaina and Annie was also a barb at her-Jaina was the protagonist of a BG fanfic she started a while back, and Annie is a PbP character of hers. All in good fun.

[Shadowhawke]

I love your new chapters, Tempest. I just played catch-up once again. The scenes with Selune were beautiful, and the dream was haunting at the end. As always, the way you play with canon to create those dreams just works wonderfully for the story.

I'm also beginning to like Alexandria more and more, and I can't wait to see what happens and how they face Sarevok. So keep up the good work!

[Tempest]

I intend to.

I'm pretty sure that by now, I'm in the ballpark of ten chapters from the end of At Soul's Edge, depending on how much stuff I write that's not directly related to the plot, and depending on how far I stretch some things out-Candlekeep, for example, could be anywhere between two and four chapters long, depending on the way things go when I write it.

Oh, and just as a word of forewarning, don't expect all loose ends to be tied up in ASE. I'm going to try to flow into the BG2 portion of the tale as naturally as possible, and my bag of tricks is nowhere near empty...

[Dark-Mage]

You have a bag of tricks Tempest? That hardly seems sporting. It's like hitting your story with a wand of wonder and hoping for the best.

don't expect all loose ends to be tied up in ASE. I'm going to try to flow into the BG2 portion of the tale as naturally as possible

Sounds good but I'm curious as to where that leaves Tales of the Sword Coast? Will Alex and co be exploring the expansions storyline at all?

[Tempest]

You have a bag of tricks Tempest? That hardly seems sporting. It's like hitting your story with a wand of wonder and hoping for the best

This particular wand of wonder's been rigged. I've had subplots running for a good fifteen chapters or so that you don't even know are subplots and won't be concluded until near the end of the SoA portion.

Sounds good but I'm curious as to where that leaves Tales of the Sword Coast? Will Alex and co be exploring the expansions storyline at all?

Nope. I don't have TotSC, and since I understand that it has no real influence on the BG1 or BG2 storyline at all, I'm content to skip it. At Soul's Edge will end with Alexandria's ambush and capture by unknown assailants.

[Solstice]

No, you aren't missing much by skipping Tales of the Sword Coast. But I'm looking forward to the tricks lying in wait-I'm guessing Nalia will show up again at some point, and was I seeing things, or were you inserting references to Valygar?

[Solstice]

Dun dun duuuun. Nice introduction of Tamoko, but I thought it was odd that Imoen didn't say anything when Tamoko said Sarevok was heading to Candlekeep. Good stuff as usual.

[Tempest]

Chapter 32 is scheduled to pick up right where this chapter ended-I just decided to end the chapter there rather than go on for another big section. You'll see all of the crew's reactions then. Looks like it will be one more chapter to wrap up Baldur's Gate, then off to Candlekeep. And we all know what that means.

[Shadowhawke]

Whoah... powerful chapter, Tempest, especially when we take into consideration the arrival of a certain female character...

I love the way you've worked her into it. And your descriptions of Scar, Eltan, and the others. And now, seeing as you've adapted each area of BG to your fic so uniquely, I am very intrigued as to how Candlekeep will play out...

In short, I can't wait to see more.

[Tempest]

Well, the next chapter is scheduled to have a brief respite from the grim seriousness, in addition to the usual dosage of darkness. And I must admit that as a writer, it's fun to write the protagonist getting the living daylights beaten out of her every once in a while.

[Scipio]

Hi, Tempest.

I'm the newcomer to fantasy fiction who asked SHS members to recommend some good fantasy writers, which they kindly did. I've been reading Terry Pratchett and I decided: "Hey, this is fun! Gimme more!" After reading just the first chapter of your work I'd say: "Hey, this is fun! Gimme more!"

If Pratchett is an example of a good humorous fantasy writer, then I'm delighted to have made my acquaintance with him.

If Tempest is an example of a more serious fantasy writer, then I'm looking forward to reading more Tempest. You have certainly locked me into "At Soul's Edge".

I see that some of the early commentators suggested your characters were inadequately fleshed out in Chapter I, the opening events were handled too superficially, and you were somehow breaking the rules by choosing the type of protagonist you did. In my opinion: Nonsense! Your writing is good enough and you've put in enough hooks for me to be eager to dive into Chapter II. It's not as if you have to lay bare the nature of the protagonist or describe other characters' reactions exhaustively in the first thousand words of what will be at least a novelette. As for your choice of main character, I greatly look forward to following the adventures of a completely new type of protagonist with abilities I haven't encountered in the game.

According to your profile you're 19 years old. As someone who was an editor and publisher for as many years as you've been alive, and as a professional writer for twice that time, I hope you're going to continue writing seriously. And marketing yourself to commercial agents and publishers. And keeping us entertained by giving us more of your writing in this SHS forum.

[Tempest]

Sorry, just a civil engineering student with way too much time on his hands. Alexandria and the rest of the cast have gotten more fleshed out over the course of the story (well, Khalid aside).

And a teaser for chapter 32: going to have a few more light-hearted moments. Quite possibly including a drunk Imoen.

[Dark-Mage]

Nice tribute there Tempest.

The chapter was good (as was the last one, dont think I commented on it), especially like your representation of Tamoko.

[Tempest]

Well, I've counted up the chapters remaining until the end of ASE, and I'm down to just six, unless I decide to stick another in there somewhere or split one up. After that, it will be on to ASE, Book Two: Malleus Animorum

The Gary Gygax tribute was directly inspired by the Order of the Stick-he deserved it. After all, Alexandria and company wouldn't exist if not for him.

[Dark-Mage]

Malleus Animorum? That means something I'm guessing.

[Tempest]

It's Latin for "Hammer of Souls". Forgive my occasional penchant for being overly dramatic.

[Dark-Mage]

It's Latin for "Hammer of Souls". Forgive my occasional penchant for being overly dramatic.

haha, no need to apologise for being able to use latin hehe

Speaking of latin, does Diversus Eminor translate into Dangerous Enemy?

[Tempest]

Don't know. Took four years of latin in high school, including a college credit course, but that was two and a half years ago. But just mentioning now, since it may cause confusion in the future (you'll it know when I post the chapter), that Eversor is latin for "destroyer".