A Journal in Time

Myriad Writings from the Desk of Isyldar

Worlds

I have a great many ideas for the things that I would like to put in here. Some of which make sense. There have been several moments throughout my life where I have been a part of building fantastical worlds, or created them all my own. Times when I was simply partaking of others’ creations, or when I was a complete bystander. For all of these, I thought to create a place where I could showcase them, or my interaction with them as I see fit.

Chaos Reigns

A number of years ago I was a part of a project, known as Chaos Reigns MOO, a text-based role-playing game. I was primarily responsible for creating the structure of the game itself. Writing a lot of the code, true, and creating a number of the objects we were all to interact with; but also to create the world itself. Now, the true creator of the world, it’s content, the very heart of the story, was not me. My job was to create representations of it; the places, alleys, streets, corners, meadows and walls that encompassed the world that we were to role-play in. I got to thinking recently that I would like to take a number of the pieces that I created out of that world, and post them here. For the majority, they are simply descriptions of places which I envisioned and crafted such that they could be envisioned by others.

Before I get to that, please let me stress that the world of Gallowmear, its denizens and backstory are not mine; nor really are these bits of text Copyright by any other than the true author of this world, known only to me at this point, as Elijah.

Isyldar’s Library

I spent a great deal of time while working on the game, with my character parked in this room. It was a place that I created solely for that purpose, but also where I could have fun creating random bits of reality that were completely unrelated to the game. In the context of administering and programming, building this type of game, the characters who are responsible for such duties, are known as Wizards; so if you see related titles in the following descriptions you know why now.

Also, this particular area connected to a larger, out-of-context or out-of-character complex, of which I will not be documenting all of it. Many of the other areas connected to it were created by Wizards other than myself, and their works are their own to post if they should so desire. Right now, I’m focusing entirely on the areas connected to the library I created which were mine own creations.

…What you don’t see here is the 2.5 hours it took me to get a server up and running, load the old game software and database, and hack into my old account for which I have LONG forgotten the password…


Ancient Library
A massive library, with huge oak bookshelves containing the knowledge of

thousands of years accumulation stored in leatherbound tomes or parchment
scrolls. Torches and lanterns along the walls and mounted on the ends of the
bookshelves light the library, though only so well as to allow one to read
during the night.
During the day, massive curtains on huge casement windows can be pulled back to
let in the sunlight. Located in the center of the library, at the end point of
the maze of pathways through the shelves lies a large round table, comfortable
chairs situated around it, and many books piled atop it.
You see Shelves, Isyldar’s Desk, and Round Table here.
Obvious Exits:
Hallway and Oak Door
What is not evident here, nor was known by more than the 4 main Wizards at best, was there were 2 hidden exits here: Candellabra, and Bookcase

Through use of a wand that I had built for myself, a key could be summoned to me so that I may use the Candellabra exit…


Magic Room
The room is cylindrical from what you can assume, there isn’t much light here.
Even with flame mounted upon the seven plynths in the center of the room there
is little to be seen. Upon the floor inside the arrangement of plynths is
inscribed a circle, mystical runes of crystal inscribed around and in it. Only
a small circle within all of these inscriptions is clear of any markings.
Above this, floating in mid-air and radiating white light is a large, white
sphere.
You see Sphere of Light, Isyldar’s Workbench, Generic Puppet, Generic Ridable
Puppet, Generic Flyable Puppet, Generic Flying Pupppet, Puppet Utilities,
Puppet Admin FO, and Generic Board here.
Obvious Exits:
Library and Waterfalls

This was my workroom. A lot of stuff is still “lying on the floor” as it were. Let’s head to the Waterfalls…


Vine Hidden Ledge
Standing atop the small ledge across from the waterfall you are able to watch
as the massive amounts of water rush over the cliff and crash into the lagoon
more than three hundred feet below. Luscious plant life fills the area around
the lagoon, dampening the noise of the water falling and amplifying the sounds
of the wildlife that hides in the trees.
Sunlight pours in from the sky above on most days, adding a sense of
surrealness to the whole scene. Vines and underbrush slightly obscure the view
of the waterfall at most times, hanging across the opening that lies at the
end of the path which winds through the cliffs that surround the area beyond
the lagoon.
You see Gold Key here.
Obvious Exits:
Cavern and Steps

The Gold Key you see here is the very same that I had summoned to myself in order to use the hidden exit back in the library. It’s a pesky thing, always vanishing back here once it’s used. To the steps…


Isyldar’s Waterfall
The swirling waters at the base of this magnificent waterfall rush on past the
banks of the river, caring not for those that stand by to watch it, or the
rocks that try to stand mightily in its way. Tall swaying grasses upon the
riverbanks hide many different forms of wildlife, and indeed many different
rocks too. Many a time is it that a passerby through these grasses has fallen
and injured their shins quite badly on an unsees outcropping from the cliffs
above. Along the cliff wall just south of the river and this patch of lush
green land is a set of steps which climbs the cliff face and disappears
amongst trees and leafy hangings halfway up the massive front. Further down
the river’s way you notice little more but mist and the vague outlines of
mountains in the distance, contrasting mightily against the bright blue sky.
The waterfall at the west side of this little ‘cove’ roars mightily though its
noise is muffled by the amount of foliage around.
You see The Great Tower, Flame, and Isyldar’s Hammock here.
Obvious Exits:
Steps and Stream


Stream
The water flows down rapidly from the waterfall over the cliff, forming the
pool that feeds this stream at the bottom. A slow and relaxing current carries
things slowly downstream and away from the waterfall at a very liesurely pace.
A typical day for Gallowmear as the sky is blanketed with white and grey
 clouds.  Occasionally the sun, stars and moons can be seen between partings in
 the clouds.  The day is a normal warm for summer.
Obvious Exits:
Shore

The message about the weather is not one that I would have put in there myself for the room’s description. However, we had implemented a weather system for “outdoor rooms”, of which this was, and while this particular place wasn’t itself located in the main game, it had the weather message attached to it regardless.


Hall of Wizards
A long hallway, well lit but with shadows creeping ‘just around the corner’.
The floor of this hall, like that of the former is made of marble, though the
crystal-inlaid runes on this floor vibrate with magical meaning, making sure
that no harm comes of anyone in this hallway. Silver and gold flames leap up
from numerous jewel-inlaid torches that hand along the wall, illuminating the
vibrantly painted murals on the ceiling above.
Doors along this hallway are marked with various different runes, glowing
different colours in the light from the torches. Each oak door stands
extraordinarily high, reaching up towards the ceiling with any number of
different engravings upon it. Each set of engravings seems to reflect what may
lay behond, indicative of the personality of the Wizard that carved them.
Obvious Exits:
Admin Hall                              Terminus’ Realm
Elijah’s Realm                          Jerimar’s Realm
Lothar’s Realm                          Ceridwin’s Realm
Isyldar’s Realm                         Pheobe’s Realm


 Admin Hall
A large hall, this room is more circular than the rectangular shape of a hall
you might expect. The lighting is kind of dim, casting shadows about the place
from the various brightly lit torches hanging in sconces around the room. A
myriad of tapestries hang on the stone walls, depicting scenes from
Gallowmear’s history and adding colour to the otherwise gray room.
Looking down at the floor, you see a floor of marble, with various intricate
designs engraved into it and filled in with a crystal that seems to hold and
reflect the light from the bright green, blue and white toches about the room
at the same time.
Obvious Exits:
Great Hall                              Floating Sphere
Builder Archives                        Hall of Wizards
Coffee Shop                             Staff Corridor


More to Come!

Sadly, I have run out of time for this little project today; however, I will return and add more of this as time allows!

Cheers,

Isyldar

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