Novel, New Edition DQ & More Gaming, Snow and Socialising

[tcpip]

The Outcast Girl continues in NaNaWriMo. Have fallen behind significantly over the past five days (writing on only two of them), but am not so far behind that I can't complete in the allocated time. Currently dealing with the fun to be had at Krakatau, drinking soma, and encounters with Garuda and Naga.

In very big news I've received a thumbs up from Jolly Roger Games to write a variant of DragonQuest set in the Barbarian Kings world. This has caused quite a stir among the various DQ lists and, of course, our own core of DQ players.

In other gaming news I've ended up in a Diplomacy PBeM. anthanum (France) and myself (Germany) have formed a promising Franco-German alliance. Tomorrow will be finishing Slave Pits of the Undercity in the Norman Britain AD&D game. It has an extra bite.

On Wednesday went to the National Rhododendron Garden as part of a Unitarian Church outing. Rather unusual for Australia in November, it snowed. tau_iota_mu_c (who visited the evening previous from NSW) informs me that NSW/ACT also had the same experience. This is late spring in Australia. It shouldn't be snowing. The weather is broken. Other social events include another great dinner with ser_pounce and wolf_in_winter on Monday. Tuesday night dining was provided with anthanum and missmilky with fine Japanese cuisine. Last night played Scruples with caseopaya and zen_cat.

Comments

[amazinggoatgirl.livejournal.com]

Oooh, how cryptic.

So it's acid? Are you just not going to say?

I guess I'll just have to read it when it's done.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

How else is one to travel to the realm where myths and legends are real?

Directly from the book thus far...

Moonlight streamed in through the tiny entrance, momentarily illuminating Topeng. "Yes, yes", he cried, "now is indeed the time!". He thrust an opened gourd towards Teman.

"What is this?" she asked.

(End of chapter 3)

"Soma!", he responded. "The nectar of the Gods. One must drink of it to enter into their realm."

Teman sniffed at the sweet-smelling liquid. She had heard of soma, of course. But she never really believed it existed, let alone that she would have the opportunity to have some.

Macario and Wen were resistant to the idea. Wen because he was uncertain of its alchemic effects. Macario because he scoffed at the proposed effects. Robert, in contrast, figured he would drink anything once. Especially if it there was even the hint of it being alcoholic.

Topeng however was most insistent. "Soma allows one to visit the realm of the gods. One must drink it before we can find the garuda spirit. It is a gift of Chandra the moon goodness!", he exclaimed, beckoning at the moonlight in entrance.

"As it says in the Rigveda.....


She, the immortal goddess, throws her veil
Over the low valley, rising ground, and hill.
But soon with bright effulgence dissipates
The darkness she produces soon advancing
She calls her sister Morning to return,
And then each darksone shadow melts away"


"Alright then, we'll drink of your devilish brew", said Macario. "Anything to finish this goose chase, or whatever bird it is that we're supposed to be trying to find. I just want my ship back in order with its guns and stock."

Topeng poured the nectar into a bowl under the moonlight. He gathered everyone around and began to chant:


This Soma is a God; he cures
The sharpest ills than man endures.
He heals the sick, the sad he cheers,
He nerves the weak, dispels their fears;
The faint with martial ardour fires,
With lofty thought the bard inspires,
The soul from earth to heaven he lifts,
So great and wondrous are his gifts;

Men feel the God within their veins,
And cry in loud exulting strains:
We've quaffed the Soma bright
And are immortal grown:
We've entered into light
And all the gods have known.
What mortal now can harm,
Or foeman vex us more?
Through thee beyond alarm,
Immortal God, we soar


He then drank from the bowl and passed it around to those gathered. All drank with trepidation and quiet, so powerful was Topeng's aged voice. After drinking however, the great weariness felt from their journey left their limbs, and they felt their heartbeat strengthen. A few minutes later, they all experienced great clarity of sight and and other senses. Despite the darkness of the cave, there was a sense of light all around them.

Then everything went very strange indeed.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Chapter Four: Of Naga and Garuda

At first Teman felt a great sense of euphoria from consuming the soma. This was so overwhelming that for a minute or so she felt distinctly uncoordinated in her arms and legs. With a single step she almost floated, travelled twice the distance that would normal, only to clumsily land and stumble as she regained her footing. As she paced around the cave trying to compensate for her changed momentum she noticed that the others, except Topeng, were likewise engaging in such excersises. In contrast Topeng, obviously experienced in the use of soma, was simply stretching his limbs.

Having regained control of her limbs, Teman noticed the cave itself seemed to have changed. Instead of the golden-brown walls with their unadorned smooth walls and flat floor and ceiling, there was no a kaliedoscope of images and movement. At first they were simple, like golden rays and sparks emanated which from the walls, that pulsated like they were breathing. The rays looped, formed rings, occurred singlerly and in bundles. From the ceiling drops of golden light, like rain without substance, fell to the ground from euphemeral clouds.

Initially these occured at the periphery of Teman's vision, but they increasingly grew in strength and complexity until they took up her entire field of vision. In addition to the golden walls, bright luminous sheets of colours in red and green danced rapidly around Teman, touching her. There was a sense of synesthesia; the red provided warmth and crackled, the green sexual sensations and whispered. When the golden rays touched it cancelled the effects of the others, giving a heightened sensual clarity as it sung.

Suddenly the lights and rays, the clouds and the rain, vanished, and the cave returned to darkness with the exception of a brief glow from the walls and ceiling. The walls had returned to their dull golden-brown colour, but continued to pulse. In the silence and darkness there was audible, but distant, hissing sound. Slowly, swastikas began appear forming in mid-air amongst those present. These were joined by small coloured squares, the yantra, symbol of Durga, and Shiva's three-pronged trishula. Then the aum, symbol of the primordial mantra, the primal sound, appeared.

But that was not all. The hissing sound in the background increased in volume, and lines began to form around the Hindu holy symbols. The lines formed humanoid heads on them and started to move like a snake through the air. The heads would strike quickly at any symbols they encountered, consuming them, and then disappearing. Every symbol, the yantra, the trishula, the swastika and even, lastly, the aum, were consumed by these symbolic serpents. Then there was nothing; there were no sounds, there were no visions, nor light. Teman was even aware she had utterly lost her sense of touch. She tried to let out a cry, but there was no air and she wasn't even breathing. At that point she even lost of sense of continuity. Time itself ceased to exist.

Out of the nothingness, came a single sound, slow, distant and as gentle as a heartbeat. Aum....Aum....Aum.... Gradually consciousness reawoke from its slumber. The mantra became stronger as Teman and her friends became increasingly aware of themselves and their surroundings. Eventually their eyes flickered and they awoke, one by one, to find themselves lying on the floor of a building not dissimilar to the cave the entered, but most certainly not the same place. Sitting in the lotus position in a trance-like state, his eyes still shut, Topeng was clearly the source of the chanting.

"That was close", said Topeng, opening his eyes. "I was worried that some of you wouldn't make it."

[amazinggoatgirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, snap!

Superb.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

My first reviewer comment!