Fanfiction -- Lunar: Crimson Hope (34 chapters as of 10/30)

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:16 pm

Yes, it's time for advertising. Or maybe "desperate begging." I'm good at that, too.

Anyway, I've begun a new Lunar story. Unlike my previous Lunar efforts ("Pirates of the Meribian," the Mia Ausa Fan Club stories, and a selection of short Leo fics--thanks, Alunissage, for remembering those!), this one is a genuine fantasy epic. Since it takes place roughly 300 years after SSSC, it could be considered a kind of "Lunar 1.3." Hopefully, it will feature the same kind of mood, characterization, drama, and thematic issues as the original games do, and present the kind of reading experience that makes you want to queue up your Lunar soundtracks while reading.

I'm posting chapters at a steady rate of one every other Thursday, a pace I'm hoping I can live with. Since Chapter 2 posted yesterday and I'm currently working on Chapter 38, I'm hoping I've got enough of a head start that I'll be able to keep it up until it's finished.

So come on and give it a try! Join Morhault, fallen from the Lion Knights of Ilan (ever wondered where Lionhead came from?), the obligatory blue-haired heroine Elia (no, she's NOT the Goddess Althena or any of her relatives, thank you; she's a completely different cliche!), Jyrian Mageborn of the Magic Guild of Vane, run-off-to-join-the-adventuring-circus sixteen-year-old Tabren, brilliant engineer and dandified fop Deane Carras of Meribia, and Alynd of the Prairie Tribe in seeking out adventure and excitement while thwarting the End of the World (hey, it's been three hundred years since Ghaleon...Lunar is due!). Hope you like it.

A link might be useful, eh? Here you are:

Lunar: Crimson Hope

Angelalex242 · Post by **Angelalex242** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 4:43 am

You didn't include a deity?

...That's just not right. Just...not right.

ilovemyguitar · Post by **ilovemyguitar** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:11 am

Angelalex242 wrote:You didn't include a deity?

...That's just not right. Just...not right.

Well, I don't think there were any deities in Walking/Magic School either, were there? Unless you count D, I mean.

And by the way, DezoPenguin, I read what you have so far, and it's great.

Bravo 29 · Post by **Bravo 29** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:38 pm

Me too, especially loved Edric's sarcasm in chapter two. Does make you wonder, doesn't it? Can't wait to see what the later chapters will be like. I love a good story.

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:21 pm

Thanks, folks! Keeping with my every-other-Thursday schedule...

Chapter 3

Have fun!

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:52 am

The story hits the road, or at least the characters do in this latest installment, featuring more infantry-versus-cavalry gags, a thrilling civil engineering lecture on road-building, and revelations about Elia that probably won't surprise anyone except Tabren.

Chapter 4: On the Road to Nota

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:32 pm

Having a conscience gets a person into more trouble, as Morhault finds out. But then again, he probably deserves it for having one while sporting a nickname like "the Fallen."

At the Red Gryphon

Bravo 29 · Post by **Bravo 29** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:06 am

Ho ho ho ho, very nice chapter indeed. Yes, Moorhault's conscience may get him in a lot of trouble, but then again, it's still early, and none of them have discovered its true meaning - yet. It's definitely a LUNAR fanfic; starts up slow and steady, and then halfway through, the real battle begins. I hope it keeps that pace, I've truly come to enjoy it. Keep up the great work.

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:40 pm

Another two weeks, and another chapter. The gang gets to meet with Edric's mentor, and Elia gets sound medical advice on what to do when everyone is mistaking you for the Goddess Althena with a really deep tan...no, not really, just her memory loss issues. And Morhault throws in a mention of the encounter at the alley which ends up opening new directions just when the plot really needed something to keep people awake.

Sage Advice

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:40 pm

Although not featuring a way spiffy cover like "A Tear in Time" (That does so look nice!

), Chapter 7 of "Crimson Hope" is now up (hey, 14 weeks now and I haven't missed a deadline! Hooray for me!).

This time out, there are fewer wisecracks and more actual moving of the plot forward. Multiple new faces--including one of the PCs I mentioned earlier in the thread! Some exposition as to why that alley encounter a couple of chapters back might be significant, and the beginning of the revelations that there really is some kind of metaplot involved here! A few hints as to just what Morhault did to get kicked out of the Lion Knights!!

So saddle up and join the throng* of people who have already checked out this chapter even before I got to post these advertising updates!

A Vile Light Burning

*"throng" defined as "two, one of whom is my wife"

Bravo 29 · Post by **Bravo 29** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 3:06 am

Hoboy, that was an interesting chapter. Man, kinda got a bit hairy for Morhault there, but at least everyone's okay. Definitely shows a lot about what happened since Ghaleon's defeat, and it's not very good history, by any sense of the word. It's definitely the first hint to the party that evil's in the air. I only hope they're prepared when they face it head on. Great chapter, keep it up.

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:21 am

Thanks for the kind words, Bravo! There's definitely evil in the air...but at least for this chapter, we turn our attention to the past. You can make up your own mind whether Morhault was good, evil, or just stupid when he's convinced to tell the rest of his companions his version of why he was exiled from the Lion Knights of Ilan.

Morhault's Fall

Bravo 29 · Post by **Bravo 29** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:27 am

Oh gosh, such a simple matter became a disaster. And poor Morhault is villified for doing what he believed was right. The only problem I noticed was near the end, the narration was no longer in third person. "When you get down to it." Since it was supposedly an impartial third person, shouldn't it have been "When one got down to it," or "At its core," or something along that line. Just a suggestion, mind you. Other than that, it was another great chapter. Keep it up.

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:11 am

Actually, that line was in the second person--as (obviously not clearly enough shown) by the next clause, the "he realized..." part, that was a paraphrasing (not a direct quote, or it'd have been italicized) of Morhault's thoughts rather than a third-person narrative description. I guess that didn't come across plainly enough.

Yeah...Morhault is a classic case of a crisis of conscience having the worst possible effects. It's actually a very non-Lunarlike moment. I think Alex or Hiro would have done exactly what Morhault did, but if either of them had done it, then war wouldn't have broken out (and to be fair, I think that if Alex, especially, had done it, then he'd have taken steps personally to haul the parties back to the negotiating table--Hiro probably wouldn't, because it would never occur to him that war would break out).

Of course, there may end up being other, more positive consequences later (hint, hint--but, um, don't hold your breath...we're talking several dozen chapters down the road.

).

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:02 pm

One of the downsides of doing an actual novel is that action scenes have to be paced out with scenes of talk, description, and intellectual action. Without that, you get...well, actually, you get R.A. Salvatore, which obviously isn't a drawback in the marketplace, but you get the idea.

The flip side of that is that when you post a chapter every other week, you go a couple of months without a fight scene.

BUT THAT ALL CHANGES NOW!

Night of Blades

Of course, two of my four readers have already read this chapter, so posting the ad a day late probably isn't all that productive...but hey!

Bravo 29 · Post by **Bravo 29** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:17 am

Yep, that was an interesting fight scene. Merely a random encounter, or is someone getting annoyed by Morhault and company? I suppose we'll have to wait and see. Nice to see how the fight ended, wonder what will happen next. But, we'll have to wait until the 29th for that. Until then.....

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:03 pm

If you wanted the aftermath of the fight, well, that's what you get as Jyrian gets formally introduced to the group and the attackers get formally introduced to the concept of interrogation. What will come of it? And just what was Jyrian doing there, anyway? Heck, don't ask ME, go read the story!

Motivations

Bravo 29 · Post by **Bravo 29** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:41 am

Yep, that answers everything. Someone is getting annoyed by the heroes' antics. Hopefully there are no diviners on the villains' side, or the heroes are gonna be in a world of hurt. And that was a very good interrogation, effective without needless brutality. I can hardly wait for the next chapter, should be good.

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:37 am

The investigation continues, as it becomes increasingly apparent that the Burning Hand did not learn Rule #1 of assassination attempts: "CYA."

Meeting at the Well

DezoPenguin · Post by **DezoPenguin** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:34 pm

In the latest installment, our heroes come face-to-face (okay, face-to-back since they're trying to be sneaky and all) with some of the nasties behind what's happening. Put on Dark Althena's song and sit back for Chapter 12!

A Vile Ceremony

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Fanfiction -- Lunar: Crimson Hope (34 chapters as of 10/30)

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