Greetings everyone,

I want to introduce a project of mine that has been shoved to the back of my mind for many years now, and I really want to let it out to breathe.

Years ago, a friend and I were partnered in a world-building fantasy project with which we planned to make into novels. It never came to fruition. Life happened and got in the way as it so often does, and now I am older, with far less imagination and no one to aid in the project.

So, a little about the project:

Firstly, my inspirations draw from several varied sources;
Steven Erikson, George R.R. Martin, and Tad Williams to name a few.
I have become so tired of the tried and true fantasy stories, you know, the usual stereotyped epic fantasy story that gets repeated over and over.. White tower vs. Black tower, light vs. Dark, schools for wizards, etc. Its just all become so redundant.

This is why I like Erikson and Martin so much, a main character can die at any time, its gritty, its more real, and there are lots of new and different concepts.

I want this project to head in new directions as well. This is also where all of you come in (hopefully). I have reached such blocks to my imagination that many aspects have become near insurmountable obstacles to me. So I implore you all; Aid me in my quest?

Now, on to the world:

The world is called Anyara. This name and inspiration came from a dream I had many years ago. I want a somewhat broad storyline, many characters, and a lot of action. I want to go light on the side of fruit. The side of grit is the main theme, mixed with some humor, dark humor is best I think.
I have many notes on the world, and some characters, along with maps and other visual aids which I will begin organizing and posting as soon as I can. All of which I need to convert to digital media.

So my first requests are for those of you who choose to help is some help in brainstorming. For starters, plot lines. There can be multiples and to begin with, the more ideas, the better.
I have a couple in mind, at least fragments. But at the moment, before I post any real info or notes on the Anyara world and project, I just want to hear some ideas from you guys, to plant the seeds so to speak.
I like the idea of basing the tale around a quircky regiment of soldiers, and magic, creatures, and high fantasy elements are welcome. Just stay away from big time wizards and warriors and magic school fantasy.
I will try to answer any questions about the world, and I will try to get the meat of my project together and posted soon. (I need time to type it up on a computer, as right now I am posting via blackberry and boy does it suck, lol.)

So, let the ideas begin. I welcome plot outlines, large and small, events, anything for the moment, just to get the creative juices flowing.

Thank you in advance and I hope many of you will become a part of this project!

I think this is a great idea. Hope it comes to life.

I'll be thinking about any little ideas that may interest you.

Ok, still haven't converted my notebooks, but I wanted to post a few ideas with hope that some of you can help me out a bit with them.

My favorite items so far are:

We have a group of soldiers on a ship returning from a lost war.

I'm thinking that maybe while on the journey home a great cataclysm strikes Anyara(the world).

This causes mass flooding, maybe a pole shift situation, and general havoc and devastation.

The soldiers just want to get home but clearly they have problems.

I also like the idea of rediscovery of an ancient highly advanced and mysterious civilization known as Ruid.


Hmm, I'm reminded of the odyssey, lol.
But in seriousness, let me hear your ideas and suggestions please. I really need some help, especially on where to take the story and ending it.

No I was thinking of more group brainstorming. I'm open to as much help as I can get as well. What I'd like to see is everyone making suggestions, posting possible plot outlines, adding character ideas, and whatever pops up.

I know I really need to get all my notes typed up and posted so that all of you may see my full vision of the world. Ill get to that as soon as I can get some free time.

I guess my real goal is to get myself writing again, but on my own I have been blocked for years. So I'm hoping that with help, input, and collaboration here, I can break through that block and we can do something worthwhile together in the process.

Ok thanks, I've had so many ideas over the years for this, but I kind of want to experiment with this sort of surreal post apocalyptic medieval world. Like I can imagine trekking through a desert that used to be a sea, and coming to a port town where all the ships lie in sand and have become residences and businesses themselves.

Or simply a huge drop in population and density of it, leaving the regiment of soldiers wandering an unfamiliar world trying to find their home and the only thing driving them is their will to find their loved ones, hoping against all odds that they had survived.

Maybe . . maybe Ruid is waiting . . for its keepers. (The soldiers ?)

Maybe . . the soldiers have learned . . from their last campaign, that Ruid is
the answer. The ancient city beckons them . . to come and return it to life.

Their world, Anyara, its continued existence, . . .depends on this.

Maybe the returning soldiers are a collection of . . mutants.

Maybe their families, also mutants, face extermination, because . . . it is now
known that this clan will go on to . . . .

Maybe the lost war, however slowed, continues . .