It's getting late, here. I'm tired. But, what better time to explore some initial thoughts about the Ancient Ones.
Let us begin by taking a glimpse at a couple of Alamaze-related documents:
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Demon Princes: The natural enemy of the Ancient Ones the Princes use fear and intimidation to impose their will. The unusual abilities of this kingdom are perhaps greater than any other. Possibly having more available wizards than any kingdom other than the primary wizard types, if left alone this kingdom will wreck havoc throughout the known world.
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=7
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Demon Princes: The minions of the Demon Princes are men. The Demon Princes themselves, however, are certainly not. They are hell-born demons who appear to have always diametrically opposed the Ancient
Ones. They are terrible in their wrath and conquer through fear and intimidation. Able to travel interdimensionally, walls are of no use against them and the fear they create just through their presence. Their military at the outset is middling to poor. The focus instead is the Demon Princes themselves. The Seven Hells of the Demon Princes are among the most feared kingdoms, due in large part to the ability of the Demon Princes to appear anywhere in Alamaze through teleportation (“gating”). However, the kingdom as a whole is not overpowering and a successful player will be skillful and devious..
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=6
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When I write text narratives of this type, I try to tie in what I am writing with things that came before my entry into this project. So, let's see where we can begin, in fleshing out a new text narrative for the Ancient Ones. What can we glean from the two passages quoted above?
The Ancient Ones and the Demon Princes are natural enemies. The Demon Princes hail from the Seven Hells. The Ancient Ones and the Demon Princes are diametrically opposed. OK, this makes as good of a starting point, as any, I suppose.
And, now, a look at the previous narratives for the Ancient Ones, themselves.
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Ancient Ones: The Ancient Ones were not even known to exist until correlations in events throughout history recently proved the existence of a behind-the-scenes power. Led by their Archon, this mysterious cult manipulates others to maintain order in the world, subverting the efforts of those more powerful kingdoms who would intimidate and conquer the weaker. There are only a handful of these beings, but they seem nearly immortal. Little else is known of them. The Ancient Ones are a non-traditional position that requires quite a bit of skill and interplayer diplomacy.
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=6
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Ancient Ones: While beginning with perhaps the fewest number of brigades this kingdom has excellent troop quality and leadership and more advanced wizards than any other kingdom. Their unusual abilities are able to influence events unlike any single king. Not viewed as overtly as many other kingdoms this king's elusive aptitudes can play a major factor in the outcome of events throughout Alamaze.
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=7
-------------------------
While I don't have access to any of the stuff that I wrote for Kingdoms of Arcania's kingdom narratives that was stored on my last several computers, one of the things that I was trying to do with that setting was to incorporate a quasi-angelic quality into the tapestry of certain kingdoms.
I've never played the Ancient Ones in a game of Alamaze. Thus, I don't know what they "feel" like, when playing them. I don't know what it is like to be absorbed into their position. I do not have the benefit of having role-played them in games of Alamaze in past years. If anyone reading this does, I invite you to share your thoughts with me on who or what you perceived the Ancient Ones to be.
Whenever I undertake tasks of this nature, I tend to post my thought and ramblings aloud in forums such as this one. Invariably, it tends to generate feedback, and I tend to feed off of that feedback, in order to further refine my vision of the kingdom under consideration, and also to further refine the specific wording of the text narrative, itself.
After a night of sleep, my gun instinct tells me to head in one of several different directions with the Ancient Ones. In no order of preference, here they are.
1. I see the Ancient Ones as being similar to the Maiar of Tolkien fame, not so much Ainur as lesser Ainur. This would make their behind-the-scenes leader that Rick McDowell has titled an Archon to be the quasi-equivalent of a Vala.
2. I can also envision the Ancient Ones as Children of the Stars. Aliens of some kind, be they space aliens or extra-dimensional aliens or inter-dimensional aliens. This could account for their power, relative to ordinary humans.
3. The Giant-Kings of the pre-cataclysmic Thurian continent come to mind. I am not well-versed in them, but it was Dale Rippke's book that got me to thinking about them.
4. Then there are the Children of Nephilim, to imbue the Ancient Ones with a tie-in (or a vague link) to biblical mythos, if I may characterize it that way. In essence, the question for me is, since the Ancient Ones have power, what is the source of that power ultimately traceable back to? In essence, what is the "behind-the-scenes power" that Rick's prior writings referring to?
As a child growing up, I liked comic books. As an adult, I tend to like over-arcing story lines. The background tends to interest me more than the foreground of what is being told. Hence, I care less about playing the Ancient Ones, from the perspective of game mechanics, as I would about playing them, based upon who they are or what they are.
It could remain a mystery, of course. Knowing nothing about them doesn't tend to be as conducive to writing about them as knowing something, however. Is it easier to role play something, or nothing?
Anyway, those are the thoughts that I will open with.
Let us begin by taking a glimpse at a couple of Alamaze-related documents:
-------------------------
Demon Princes: The natural enemy of the Ancient Ones the Princes use fear and intimidation to impose their will. The unusual abilities of this kingdom are perhaps greater than any other. Possibly having more available wizards than any kingdom other than the primary wizard types, if left alone this kingdom will wreck havoc throughout the known world.
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=7
-------------------------
-------------------------
Demon Princes: The minions of the Demon Princes are men. The Demon Princes themselves, however, are certainly not. They are hell-born demons who appear to have always diametrically opposed the Ancient
Ones. They are terrible in their wrath and conquer through fear and intimidation. Able to travel interdimensionally, walls are of no use against them and the fear they create just through their presence. Their military at the outset is middling to poor. The focus instead is the Demon Princes themselves. The Seven Hells of the Demon Princes are among the most feared kingdoms, due in large part to the ability of the Demon Princes to appear anywhere in Alamaze through teleportation (“gating”). However, the kingdom as a whole is not overpowering and a successful player will be skillful and devious..
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=6
-------------------------
When I write text narratives of this type, I try to tie in what I am writing with things that came before my entry into this project. So, let's see where we can begin, in fleshing out a new text narrative for the Ancient Ones. What can we glean from the two passages quoted above?
The Ancient Ones and the Demon Princes are natural enemies. The Demon Princes hail from the Seven Hells. The Ancient Ones and the Demon Princes are diametrically opposed. OK, this makes as good of a starting point, as any, I suppose.
And, now, a look at the previous narratives for the Ancient Ones, themselves.
-------------------------
Ancient Ones: The Ancient Ones were not even known to exist until correlations in events throughout history recently proved the existence of a behind-the-scenes power. Led by their Archon, this mysterious cult manipulates others to maintain order in the world, subverting the efforts of those more powerful kingdoms who would intimidate and conquer the weaker. There are only a handful of these beings, but they seem nearly immortal. Little else is known of them. The Ancient Ones are a non-traditional position that requires quite a bit of skill and interplayer diplomacy.
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=6
-------------------------
-------------------------
Ancient Ones: While beginning with perhaps the fewest number of brigades this kingdom has excellent troop quality and leadership and more advanced wizards than any other kingdom. Their unusual abilities are able to influence events unlike any single king. Not viewed as overtly as many other kingdoms this king's elusive aptitudes can play a major factor in the outcome of events throughout Alamaze.
SOURCE: http://kingdomsofarcania.net/forum/attachment.php?aid=7
-------------------------
While I don't have access to any of the stuff that I wrote for Kingdoms of Arcania's kingdom narratives that was stored on my last several computers, one of the things that I was trying to do with that setting was to incorporate a quasi-angelic quality into the tapestry of certain kingdoms.
I've never played the Ancient Ones in a game of Alamaze. Thus, I don't know what they "feel" like, when playing them. I don't know what it is like to be absorbed into their position. I do not have the benefit of having role-played them in games of Alamaze in past years. If anyone reading this does, I invite you to share your thoughts with me on who or what you perceived the Ancient Ones to be.
Whenever I undertake tasks of this nature, I tend to post my thought and ramblings aloud in forums such as this one. Invariably, it tends to generate feedback, and I tend to feed off of that feedback, in order to further refine my vision of the kingdom under consideration, and also to further refine the specific wording of the text narrative, itself.
After a night of sleep, my gun instinct tells me to head in one of several different directions with the Ancient Ones. In no order of preference, here they are.
1. I see the Ancient Ones as being similar to the Maiar of Tolkien fame, not so much Ainur as lesser Ainur. This would make their behind-the-scenes leader that Rick McDowell has titled an Archon to be the quasi-equivalent of a Vala.
2. I can also envision the Ancient Ones as Children of the Stars. Aliens of some kind, be they space aliens or extra-dimensional aliens or inter-dimensional aliens. This could account for their power, relative to ordinary humans.
3. The Giant-Kings of the pre-cataclysmic Thurian continent come to mind. I am not well-versed in them, but it was Dale Rippke's book that got me to thinking about them.
4. Then there are the Children of Nephilim, to imbue the Ancient Ones with a tie-in (or a vague link) to biblical mythos, if I may characterize it that way. In essence, the question for me is, since the Ancient Ones have power, what is the source of that power ultimately traceable back to? In essence, what is the "behind-the-scenes power" that Rick's prior writings referring to?
As a child growing up, I liked comic books. As an adult, I tend to like over-arcing story lines. The background tends to interest me more than the foreground of what is being told. Hence, I care less about playing the Ancient Ones, from the perspective of game mechanics, as I would about playing them, based upon who they are or what they are.
It could remain a mystery, of course. Knowing nothing about them doesn't tend to be as conducive to writing about them as knowing something, however. Is it easier to role play something, or nothing?
Anyway, those are the thoughts that I will open with.