Jump to content
Banner by ~ Ice Princess Silky

searching A Musing (1x1)


-Octavia-

Recommended Posts

Intended to be mano a mano, as it were, this exchange will attempt to push the boundaries of your writing talents and character development. And hopefully mine, of course; it's been a dreadfully long time since I've written anything of note, and I'd certainly like to do so again sometime before our nearest star collapses.

Any and all types of characters are welcome. Know this, however: it is far less about who you are physically, and absolutely everything to do with your perspective. Does love swell within your breast, a warm embrace to secure your hopes and dreams, to push ever forward towards a better tomorrow? Or is love a lie, dissipating as the wisp of a dying ember, leaving a chill to settle on a darkened, embittered husk of a person? Does the immutability of time pervade your fears, creating an overwhelming sense of self-doubt in the face of life-altering decisions and consequences? Or do you freely give time away to others more in need than yourself, secure in the knowledge that the essence of life is ever changing? Do you know which resource, be it material or metaphysical, drives your growth as a person? Such grandiose questions will weave the thread of our narrative, creating a canvas upon which one's character shall be weighed, measured, and found wanting.

Your medium will be a Muse whose own fountain has run dry these many years. Inspire her. Or don't. She will probe your being with every intention of finding what is well hidden from most. Perhaps shattered pieces with which can be built a beautiful mosaic, granting a perspective that elevates the mind and assuages a sore heart. Or will you prove as jaded as your interrogator, succumbing to a grim reality that steers a moral compass into subservience of carnal desire and indulgence? Think critically, speak from the heart, and hopefully you'll come to know the world more intimately and comfortably than most, assured of the path you're walking through it.

The musk of yellowing pages wafting across the study of a well-used library. A sharp, elegant studio overlooking one of the grandest parks of Manehattan, leaving the eyes wanting for nothing. An abandoned concert hall still filled with the lingering, smattering of applause of a ghostly audience. The setting can be whatever you wish in the company of such a worldly individual, and she would much appreciate it in turn if you added your own perspective to the world around you. These conversations should be equally illuminating for both parties. If you believe you'd enjoy some semblance of enigmatic, philosophical discourse in surreal, hyper-realistically written environments, then allow me to introduce:

                                                              Your host,
                                                                         
                                                                                           your Muse, 

                                                                                                                                   Aria Rosewood

 

  • Brohoof 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

@-Octavia-

Interesting premise, though I'd like to understand better the purpose here. Are you looking to simply have a deep philosophical discussion? Are you looking to have a talk about the philosophy within the world established by the show (In that the perspectives discussed would be that of those characters we choose)? Or is the world in question one of our own design, using our characters as puppets in the creation of a better world than the one they were dealt?

This intrigues me, and I'd enjoy hearing more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

@Illiad Easle
Mm, that depends entirely upon your reality. Canonically, she could meet you nigh anywhere within the established world, though she lives and breathes the heart of Manehattan. Philosophically, the topic could be of any design, for I'm aiming at you. Yes, you, the writer. I want you to consider the full scope of the life held under the weight of your pen. I want you to reach into the recesses of your character and from the depths discover elements you've yet to develop in any other work. It's limiting, surely, what few stories we write, in truly coming to appreciate and live within our characters. Some often go quite underdeveloped, being good only for a one-off of superficial consequence where nothing of merit is gleaned. Should there be anything you've wished to explore with your character, be it physically, emotionally, morally, what have you, there's undoubtedly a thread that can tie us together. And if you wish it to be a story that bleeds into your character and their other works, current or future, that would be a treat. In fact, that's rather the idea.

On the whole, I'm hoping you'll humour me in delving into Aria's bitterness. I've written plenty a page where she's a confident, sassy mare beyond compare. You've only to ask @Randimaxis , the site's second best writer and her best witness, for the evidence. But I lost a part of myself a long while ago, and so, in essence, has Aria, but I never fully explored what that means for my past, present, or future. And so after these many years, she has grown as stoic as the callouses on her professionally trained hooves and deaf to the beauty of her notes. She shan't be a complete bore, I hope, but perhaps not as lively or considerate as one might like. She'll put your mettle to the touchstone to find some trace element of herself in you. It might even feel like an interrogation, or cynical therapy at points. But she's looking to establish a connection. What your character is looking to derive from it, I leave entirely up to you. As for the reason, perhaps they simply enjoy classical music. Mayhap they're writing a story on the arts. Should you need a prompt to get the ball rolling, I'd be more than willing to provide one. She's well-studied and well-travelled, so excuses to run into people are plentiful. 

In summation, yes, deep philosophy is on the table. Not primarily within or about the lore of the show, although that can still be discussed if that is an element of your character you'd like to explore. I would like us to more or less live the experience of our characters. Or, if it's easier, impose your will upon your character to see how you'd like to develop them. You can consider it a roleplay like any other, if you wish. Perhaps even frame it as SoL, if its easiest. Just mind that there is no overarching plot or end goal. There are no winners or losers. Simply an endearing chat with an old soul with a cup of cocoa on the side. If you'd like to help world build, you're free to do that as well. If you'd like me to create the world in its entirety for you to play in, that's also perfectly acceptable. If at any point you believe our discussion could do with another friend or two, I can change it from a 1x1 no questions asked, although I do prefer the intimacy of just one other person in soul searching. Just some things to keep in mind, if you're still intrigued.

Perhaps it would be best for me to write a sample opener so one might get a better sense of the world into which they're delving.

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@-Octavia-

No need to praise @Randimaxis to me, him and I have a storied history together and he could tell you the depth of the worlds I've written out. I've always been one to give every character a purpose, goals, motivation, etc. Everyone has a purpose for doing the things they do. I think we could mesh well together. If you want a preview of some of the worlds/characters I've built out a good place to start is my Cultural Exchange series here on the forums, most especially the one that is ongoing with @Randimaxis himself.

But enough about myself, I would love to proceed. You provide a prompt such that we can begin, something to set the scene and establish an initial motivation for our meeting, and we'll see how it goes. I'll start out with my most well developed character and we can see how things go from there.

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2021-02-20 at 2:46 AM, Illiad Easle said:

You provide a prompt such that we can begin, something to set the scene and establish an initial motivation for our meeting, and we'll see how it goes. I'll start out with my most well developed character and we can see how things go from there.

Wonderful. Might I inquire as to which character you'll be using such that I might write a sensible scene in which they can be introduced?

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@-Octavia-

My most developed character is Illiad Easle, though he comes in a few forms that you can pick one of:

General information: Illiad Easle is an Empathic Unicorn Stallion, Empathics are those with the innate ability to sense and manipulate the emotions of those around them. Illiad was born in Canterlot to Lyre Easle, a painter/teacher, and King Truss, an architect/engineer. He has three younger siblings, one of each of the three races.

Youthful Illiad: Before the incident that convinced him he needed to leave the country, Illiad was an optimist that worked in the Canterlot Archives and was sweet on Twilight Sparkle from a distance. She was almost wholly unaware of his existence.

Balance Illiad: About two years after leaving Canterlot and Equestria to live in Deltrot, Troy, Illiad was called back to Equestria by none other than Princess Luna who intended to use him to recover an artifact for her. The artifact bound to him however, an as such he now bears the balance of kharma and is tasked with maintaining the balance between Mercy and Vengeance.

Consul Illiad: At Luna's suggestion Illiad ran for public office in Troy and was elected to serve as Consul, the highest power in Troy. Now on top of his duties as the balance he also has duties to his nation as it recovers from the costly Summer War.

The next three are alternate endings to his timeline.

Returned Illiad: After having been banished to Earth for 25 years by Discord, Illiad seeks now to pass on his responsibilities to the next bearer of the balance and live out his days trying to undo the damage Discord did.

Alicorn Illiad: Rather than be banished by Discord, Illiad achieved the strength necessary to defeat Discord, destroying himself in the process. His selfless sacrifice allowed him to reform as an alicorn, guiding the survivors of Discord's destruction to rebuild a better world than the one they had before.

Illi the changeling: The incident that caused Illiad to flee Canterlot instead killed him, his body discovered by a changeling he had befriended who decided, with Lyre's permission, to take Illiad's place to spare the rest of his family the grief of loosing Illiad. Illi blames himself for Illiad's death.

 

Personally I'd recommend one of the first three, or the last one they involve the least world explanation on my end.

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Illiad Easle
Mm, so judging from this and the Cultural Exchanges, then, Illiad currently resides in Troy? Certainly it's not infeasible a place to begin the story, if that's most convenient for you. Just looking to collect such initial, superficial details to create a scenario in which they'd meet without it feeling forced. He is, I presume, an artist of sorts? Enjoys the stuffiness of a library, perhaps? Attends symphonies? Has a studio for artwork? What have you?

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@-Octavia-

Depending on the version of Illiad you want he could also be reasonably placed in Equestria as well, but in Troy is the easiest. He is a bit of a loner, preferring to spend time alone rather than being out socializing, but he does go out on occasion, he spends time at the local library when not working in the studio in his house. His art is mostly centered around security seals, watermarks, and the like, so most of his clients are business and wealthy types. Attending symphonies is a rarity for him, when he does he does so in the local changeling hive as he's established himself as an ally to the local changelings.

An easy encounter would be either approaching him in the library, or commissioning his work in some way.

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...