Post by LJ on Sept 12, 2006 7:56:13 GMT -5
Hi there everyone, this is the first time that I have ever posted on these boards. I have been a silent observer for several years now and have posted on the OMB. I just wanted to say a formal hello, I know there is actually a place for that but I'll do it quickly here.
Well i have been debating with myself whether or not to post this for some time now. I began writing it probably at the beginning of last year or the end of the year before. It was a spur of the moment thing and it only took about 30 mins to do. The reason why I have done nothing to it since is because shortly after I had written this I managed to get myself a copy of Alan Dean Foster's Hand of Dinotopia. It was quite unnerving actually, I had never read HoD before and yet as you may well see when/if you read my story there are some startlingly similarities.
I felt as if I had almost stolen his idea, well some of them at least, and I didn't want to continue down that path. This being my first attempt at any form of fan-fiction threw me a bit.
Well, I shall let you decide whether or not my story idea has merit and I would be grateful for any opinions you may have.
Thanks,
BD,SP
LJ
So here it is:
William,
I am writing to you in desperation but I fear that the information that I am about to divulge to you will seem unbelievable. No a single person who I have spoken to believes a word of it they say I must have hit my head and lost my senses and I am now starting to question much of it myself. There are just some things that I can’t explain away.
I had set out on an expedition into the Rainy Basin in search of clues to the myth of Poseidos after I had discovered some references to it in the archives at Waterfall City. No one seemed to take much interest in the information I had found, just dismissing it as fanciful tales invented for children. I departed Bonabba about a month ago; yes I left with the summer convoy that departed on midsummer’s day, against much protest I left the convoy reassuring them that I had adequate gear and provisions and would be able to take care of myself.
I found some more references at the Palace of the Kings to the legendary race of part human part ceratopsian beings, known as the anthroceratops, which lead me to believe that they had indeed existed in ancient times. The most interesting, and yet peculiar piece that I discovered in the palace ruins was a small pendent in the shape of an anthroceratop holding a blazing sun above its head. The artifact was beautifully carved out of a large piece of oyster shell. The thing is that they are only found in Warmwater Bay, the only place where the water is calm enough this side of the treacherous reefs. There was also an ancient wall frieze map of Dinotopia. It was terribly faded and worn but I could still work out the major landforms. There was a great three clawed claw mark through Warmwater Bay so much of that area was beyond recognition. There was however a small symbol on the Outer Island, on the eastern side of the mountains there. Incredibly it appeared to be the same as the pendant with the anthroceratops supporting a blazing sun. All references were pointing to the east. I set out across the Rainy Basin heading in the direction of Rocky Pass; it was for sure the quickest way to the east coast if not the safest.
I made it out of the Basin with out much conflict although I only narrowly escaped a confrontation with a Tyrannosaur group near the eastern borders but was fortunate enough to evade detection by burying myself under ferns and palm fronds. Once I had made it through Rocky Pass I joined a family of Triceratops that was traveling to the coast for the summer. They were an inquisitive lot, curious to know what a lone human I was doing so far out of the way. I told them of my explorations of the myths surrounding Poseidos but I do not think they believed in much of it but they were interested in the information I had uncovered concerning the anthroceratops, being ceratopsians themselves. I told them I was headed for the Outer Island and they said they were happy to take me as far as Prosperine.
I have discovered some ruins on the Outer Island which contain some revolutionary findings. I found some very ancient maps and writings from what I presume to be an adventurer. They contain information about the legendary sunken city and a group of people who escaped its demise only to find themselves stranded on the Island. From what I can gather from my extremely quick exploration of the ruins these people thrived here for quite some time. It appears that there was a colony of settlements here that existed without the knowledge of the main land. The buildings I have seen are of incredible design, quite unlike anything else on the mainland.
Unfortunately my stay was cut short by an incredible occurrence, my last recollection, prior to my awakening, was of studying an intricate wall frieze and I heard a faint murmuring behind me I turned and saw, now this may sound crazy, but I could have sworn that I saw an anthroceratops individual. I only caught a glimpse of this creature when suddenly everything went black … I assume I was knocked out. I awoke just yesterday to find myself in the hospital of Bonabba and I have absolutely no idea how I got here. The nurses here say that I was found unconscious in the Rainy Basin with no gear but the clothes on my back and a single page of writing which they found hidden in my boot. I had collected numerous maps and pages of writing from the ruins which I kept in my pack but for some reason, I don not know why, I slipped this curious page into my boot. The rest of my gear has vanished I’m guessing taken by the creature that knocked me out
From my calculations there is a period of nearly a week missing; from the time I was knocked unconscious to the time I was found;
Well i have been debating with myself whether or not to post this for some time now. I began writing it probably at the beginning of last year or the end of the year before. It was a spur of the moment thing and it only took about 30 mins to do. The reason why I have done nothing to it since is because shortly after I had written this I managed to get myself a copy of Alan Dean Foster's Hand of Dinotopia. It was quite unnerving actually, I had never read HoD before and yet as you may well see when/if you read my story there are some startlingly similarities.
I felt as if I had almost stolen his idea, well some of them at least, and I didn't want to continue down that path. This being my first attempt at any form of fan-fiction threw me a bit.
Well, I shall let you decide whether or not my story idea has merit and I would be grateful for any opinions you may have.
Thanks,
BD,SP
LJ
So here it is:
William,
I am writing to you in desperation but I fear that the information that I am about to divulge to you will seem unbelievable. No a single person who I have spoken to believes a word of it they say I must have hit my head and lost my senses and I am now starting to question much of it myself. There are just some things that I can’t explain away.
I had set out on an expedition into the Rainy Basin in search of clues to the myth of Poseidos after I had discovered some references to it in the archives at Waterfall City. No one seemed to take much interest in the information I had found, just dismissing it as fanciful tales invented for children. I departed Bonabba about a month ago; yes I left with the summer convoy that departed on midsummer’s day, against much protest I left the convoy reassuring them that I had adequate gear and provisions and would be able to take care of myself.
I found some more references at the Palace of the Kings to the legendary race of part human part ceratopsian beings, known as the anthroceratops, which lead me to believe that they had indeed existed in ancient times. The most interesting, and yet peculiar piece that I discovered in the palace ruins was a small pendent in the shape of an anthroceratop holding a blazing sun above its head. The artifact was beautifully carved out of a large piece of oyster shell. The thing is that they are only found in Warmwater Bay, the only place where the water is calm enough this side of the treacherous reefs. There was also an ancient wall frieze map of Dinotopia. It was terribly faded and worn but I could still work out the major landforms. There was a great three clawed claw mark through Warmwater Bay so much of that area was beyond recognition. There was however a small symbol on the Outer Island, on the eastern side of the mountains there. Incredibly it appeared to be the same as the pendant with the anthroceratops supporting a blazing sun. All references were pointing to the east. I set out across the Rainy Basin heading in the direction of Rocky Pass; it was for sure the quickest way to the east coast if not the safest.
I made it out of the Basin with out much conflict although I only narrowly escaped a confrontation with a Tyrannosaur group near the eastern borders but was fortunate enough to evade detection by burying myself under ferns and palm fronds. Once I had made it through Rocky Pass I joined a family of Triceratops that was traveling to the coast for the summer. They were an inquisitive lot, curious to know what a lone human I was doing so far out of the way. I told them of my explorations of the myths surrounding Poseidos but I do not think they believed in much of it but they were interested in the information I had uncovered concerning the anthroceratops, being ceratopsians themselves. I told them I was headed for the Outer Island and they said they were happy to take me as far as Prosperine.
I have discovered some ruins on the Outer Island which contain some revolutionary findings. I found some very ancient maps and writings from what I presume to be an adventurer. They contain information about the legendary sunken city and a group of people who escaped its demise only to find themselves stranded on the Island. From what I can gather from my extremely quick exploration of the ruins these people thrived here for quite some time. It appears that there was a colony of settlements here that existed without the knowledge of the main land. The buildings I have seen are of incredible design, quite unlike anything else on the mainland.
Unfortunately my stay was cut short by an incredible occurrence, my last recollection, prior to my awakening, was of studying an intricate wall frieze and I heard a faint murmuring behind me I turned and saw, now this may sound crazy, but I could have sworn that I saw an anthroceratops individual. I only caught a glimpse of this creature when suddenly everything went black … I assume I was knocked out. I awoke just yesterday to find myself in the hospital of Bonabba and I have absolutely no idea how I got here. The nurses here say that I was found unconscious in the Rainy Basin with no gear but the clothes on my back and a single page of writing which they found hidden in my boot. I had collected numerous maps and pages of writing from the ruins which I kept in my pack but for some reason, I don not know why, I slipped this curious page into my boot. The rest of my gear has vanished I’m guessing taken by the creature that knocked me out
From my calculations there is a period of nearly a week missing; from the time I was knocked unconscious to the time I was found;
I can see that quite a few people have looked at it, but still... Heh, heh! Oh well, I'll just archive that for later, maybe...