#thirdgenesis

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

How to Put Words in Your Book - 5 Tips to Actually Start Writing

There is a problem among a great many writers and aspiring authors: so many of us never actually put any words into a Word document. Some writers will spend years developing a story idea. They’ll think of everything; the world-building, the characters, moving scenes, but never actually sit down to write the story.

Sometimes this comes from a lack of confidence. Writers think, “What if my story isn’t good enough?” These writers need to realize that the only thing worse than a bad story is the story that’s never written at all. For other writers, the reason why they can’t seem to actually get anything written is because while they know where the story has to go, they don’t know how to start. For still others, the problem is simply a matter of motivation.

Here are five tips to help you get your story rolling:

1 - Read the Opening of Someone Else’s Novel.

Sometimes, it can be hard to know what sorts of details to introduce first in your story. Do you start with a physical description of the character? A quote? A scene with characters in peril? Seeing how other authors started off their books can be helpful in this regard. I’d recommend reading the opening of a novel in a different genre from the one you’re writing. That way, you aren’t tempted to borrow too heavily, and can focus on putting out your own material.

2 - Listen to Music.

My wife and I developed this game that we sometimes play that utilizes her skills as a musician and mine as an author. I’ll sit or lie down on the couch with my eyes closed, and she’ll start playing an original, improvised piece of music on the piano. As I listen to the tune, I’ll start to describe a scene that the music brings to mind and tell a short story. Similarly, whenever I sit down to write one of my books, I listen to instrumental music that’s appropriate to the story I’m working on. I recommend that if you choose to use music to inspire your writing, you make sure it has no lyrics, as your writing may start to reflect the words you hear. I also recommend not using music that you associate with a particular scene. For example, when I tried writing while listening to “The Barber of Seville,” all I could see when I closed my eyes was Bugs Bunny shaving Elmer Fudd. You want music into which you can put your own meaning.

3 - If You are Spiritual, Pray or Meditate.

This piece of advice is pretty simple. If you are a spiritual or religious person, then before you write take a moment to stop and either pray or meditate. There’s a reason the Greeks thought goddesses called “muses” inspired art. The right side of the brain is associated with creativity, intuition, and spirituality. So, activate that side of your brain by doing something spiritual. Personally, when I was writing the first novel in my Third Genesis fantasy series, I prayed every time that “words would flow from my fingers to the page.” Most days, I wrote around 3,000 words in that book.

4 - When Stuck, Get Up and Walk.

You’d be surprised what even the tiniest amount of exercise can do for you. Do you have stairs in your home? Walk up and down a few times. Do you have a stationary bike? Ride it a little. Any form of exercise, however small, can get your mind going.

5 - Act Out the Scene.

Do you know your characters well enough to know how they speak to each other, what their goals are, and what they want out of life? Then play pretend for a bit, as you might well have done when you were a child. Improvise the scene, and pretend that you are all of the characters in the scene engaged in a discussion or struggle. You may find that you’re not good at improvising their dialogue, but that’s alright. When you say it out loud, you’ll get a better idea of what’s natural conversation. You’ll also gain some insights into what the characters would or wouldn’t do, based on what they want.

These are just a few things you could try to get the creative juices flowing. All of these have worked well for me. Good luck and happy writing!

[omniversecomicsguide]

THIRD GENESIS (1986)

MORE: http://bit.ly/ThirdGenesis

Jean Grey returns from the dead, inspiring the original X-Men to reform as X-Factor!

[galaxyofcomics]

#ThrowbackThursday to the first #GenerationX series! We're super excited for our signing with #ChristinaStrain this Saturday at 10 am! #ThirdGenesis #BackIssues #ScottLobdell #ChrisBachalo #Jubilee #JubilationLee #XaviersSchoolforGiftedYoungsters #Husk #M #EmmaFrost #90s #Marvel #NuffSaid #instocknow #signing #GalaxyofComics http://ift.tt/2pQumuH

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

What is Magipunk?

Magipunk (also called Magepunk, Spellpunk, Aetherpunk, or Dungeonpunk) is a genre of fantasy taking place in a world where all the technology runs on magic. Combustion engines in such a setting may only work because of fire elementals inside, or instead of telephones people may have circlets that allow them to communicate telepathically with someone far away. In such a setting, magic is not some mysterious force, it is a science that has been honed to make life easier.

The roots of magipunk can be traced back to a blend of genres, primarily fantasy, steampunk, and cyberpunk. Elements of high fantasy, such as wizards and magical artifacts, are paired with the gritty, dystopian settings typical of cyberpunk or steampunk. The resulting genre is a captivating fusion of the supernatural and the mechanical.

Like its parent genres, magipunk often explores themes of power, corruption, and the human condition. Characters navigate a world where magic is both a blessing and a curse, where technology brings progress but also danger. Furthermore, such technology often raises questions such as “just what makes us human?” and “Even if someone is not human, can they still be a person?” These themes are often underscored by rich world-building, intricate plots, and captivating character development.

The appeal of magipunk lies in its ability to blend fantastical elements with familiar settings. A wizard may walk with a staff and wear a pointed hat as he walks into a private detective’s office. Lightning elementals powering a city’s grid might cause a major crisis when they go on strike. A dark lord may rise to threaten the world with his army of steam-powered robots. It offers a fresh take on traditional fantasy tropes while exploring themes that resonate with modern audiences.

Some popular books that fall into this genre include “Mistborn” by Brandon Sanderson, “Mage Against the Machine” by Shaun Barger, or “The Iron Druid Chronicles” by Kevin Hearne.

My own fantasy series, “The Third Genesis,” also falls into this category. It has automatons (robots) powered by magical cores, people send messages instantly through enchanted wooden boxes called “bendboxes,” and there are airships that fly because of enchantments placed on them.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Fiends

Of all the species living on Ymir that the false gods of Empyrean created, the fiends have had it the hardest. Though Dr. Nebo created them using genetic engineering, just like he created the archons and the Ymirian humans, the mythology spread around was that they had been created by Sygin, the goddess of darkness. The false gods teach that the fiends are born evil, and for a long time even fiends believed this to be the case. Many still do.

Fiends come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most have generally human appearances with a few animal features added, such as horns, wings, hooves, antlers, or claws. Their lifespans are roughly twice as long as a human lifespan, and they age at half the rate. This means that fiends are only considered adults when they reach about 40 years of age, and are children well into their twenties.

Generally, fiends live in places where they are shielded from the sky. Many live underground, in dense forests or jungles, or even under the ocean. They have various clans, and there are six fiend nations, each ruled by a fiend king or queen. One such fiendish nation is Strata Citadel, a flying city that was once an archon settlement. There are also the kingdoms of the Obsidian Mountains, the Crystal Caves, the Fae Tribe, and the Yesod Emirate.

Some fiends can blend into human society, remaining undetected. Sangrels look mostly human, except for their snake-like fangs. Deceivers can shapeshift and change their appearances. Dreila appear as if they are made of shadows and have a gift for remaining unseen altogether. However, fiend blood is black instead of red, so even the smallest cut or scrape can give them away. There are also some people who have been trained to detect fiends. Fiend slayers, for example, drink fiend blood for the strength it gives them, and can smell them.

Fiends make up the bulk of the Rebellion’s forces. While in Prometheus City, the various races generally live in harmony, in other lands the fiends tend to mistrust archons they come across. This mistrust is not unfounded, as archons have exterminated fiend settlements time and again.

Most fiends tend to be non-religious, but some seek spirituality and faith to enrich their lives. A minority seek to worship Sygin, as their ancestors did. Many others turn to worship the One, the sun, or certain individuals believed to have achieved “True Enlightenment.”

There are also some fiends who, strangely enough, serve the gods of Empyrean. These “Repentant Ones” will often cut off their own horns or otherwise mar their more “monstrous” features, and fiercely dedicate themselves to the service of Empyrean in the vain hope that they will be forgiven their basic nature.

Despite the constant attempts by archons and crusaders to wipe out their kind, fiends have persisted and survived. This is largely due to a combination of their long lifespans, high fertility rates, and instinct to hide away from their enemies.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Ages of Ymir

The world known as Ymir has gone through many different changes over its several thousand years of history. Some parts of that history have been lost entirely, and some have become legend. Because the false gods of Empyrean have wiped the slate clean multiple times, periods of thousands of years between each Apocalypse are referred to as “Ages.”

The Vernert Age:

Before Empyrean discovered the planet of Ymir, a species of arthropods dominated the world. These creatures came to be known as the “vernert.” It’s unknown how long these creatures reigned over Ymir, or if they actually came from the planet or from some other place. Their constant contact with the raw, unrefined adonium of Ymir gave them all manner of strange abilities, including teleportation, time travel, and self-duplication. When Empyrean first decided to take the adonium for themselves, Admiral Montu wiped most of them out, driving the survivors deep underground and even across time itself.

The Robot Age:

Before the Genesis II Project and the official “First Age” of Ymir, Empyrean tried to employ robotic workers to mine adonium for them. This age was fairly short, as contact with raw adonium caused the robots to gain sapience, and they decided to keep the precious resource for themselves. Like the vernert before them, they were exterminated. Unlike the vernert, as far as Empyrean knows, there were no survivors. This age lasted only fifty years.

The First Age:

The Genesis II Project started the official First Age of the history of Ymir. At that time, Seth had not yet started the rebellion, and the fiends were divided up into several savage clans, which fought amongst themselves as much as with humans and archons. While the false gods oversaw the world overall, they appointed a king to rule the world on their behalf, an archon named Lugal. Lugal was a special kind of archon that has not been recreated since: a Titan. Through him, all the false gods spoke to the other archons, and through them they spoke to the common people.

It was in this time that the mysterious Cult of the One was formed, the true history of which has been lost to time.

During this first age, a man named Rossum created the first automatons, as well as a language by which he could communicate with them. There were also some fiends who gained masses of human followers, starting cults of their own. Eventually, Lugal himself decided he could do the same, and called upon those under his command to treat him as another member of the pantheon, before eventually declaring himself Enlil’s Heir. As the people of Ymir paid their tithes to him instead of to the gods of Empyrean, this led to the end of the First Age in another Apocalypse. The First Age lasted roughly 3,000 years.

The Second Age:

The first century of the Second Age saw the birth of Seth’s Rebellion. Disgusted by everything he saw at the end of the First Age, Seth decided that he could no longer take part in Empyrean’s wickedness. He gave sigils of power to six worthy fiend warlords, who became the kings and queens of fiendkind. It was during this age that he built Prometheus City in a secret location. Even those living there do not truly know where the city is, only how to get there.

The false gods of Emyprean decided that the best way to respond to this threat was to get the people of Ymir more personally invested in the conflict. They learned of a young man named Will who’d grown up in a farming village and had lost his family in a fiend attack. They sent an archon named Samesh to tell him that the gods had anointed him for the purpose of destroying all evil and bringing about an age of peace. For this purpose, Will took his plowshare to a smith to be turned into a sword, and Samesh imbued the blade with powerful enchantments. Little did Will know, he was not, in fact, to be the hero that Samesh told him he would be. Once he’d gained a great enough following, the Samesh delivered Will to the fiends to be killed.

With their hopes for a peaceful future dashed, the people of Ymir rose up in a holy war greater than anything the world had seen before. Millions of fiends, humans, and automatons fell in the battles that followed. This was when the Crusader, Ghaji, and Pandava orders began. For proving his loyalty through this plot, Samesh became known as Helios, and was appointed as Nyx’s Grand Archon.

A thousand years after the death of the first Anointed One, political turmoil swept the lands of Ymir. Nations and tribes fought each other over land and wealth. To unite the people and put a stop to these wars, the archons selected a young woman named Odelle as their “Scion.” They raised her up from the surface world to live in the heavenly cities for a time, before returning her to the surface with a promise that they would support her in a bid to become empress of all Ymir. With their help, she united Ymir for a time, but when this once lowly peasant woman gained a taste for power she became a tyrant.

By the time Empress Odelle saw her first gray hair, countless citizens of her empire had turned to the Rebellion. Within a few years, her empire crumbled, and the false gods of Ymir initiated another Apocalypse. The Second Age lasted around 4,000 years.

The Third Age:

Despite the false gods’ best efforts to destroy the Rebellion, Prometheus City and the six fiend kingdoms survived. The mere fact of the previous Apocalypse emboldened the Rebellion’s forces, but they knew they had to lay low until they had the best opportunity to strike. Most of their efforts to defeat the false gods were conducted in secret. They recruited whomever they could, rescuing people from Inquisition dungeons or slaver prisons.

In time, Seth revealed to those in the Rebellion a device called The Aegis: an invention he’d created which would protect the skies over Ymir and prevent the false gods from bombarding the planet from. The problem was that the Aegis’ reach was relatively local. It could not protect the whole planet at once but could only shield certain areas. Thus, it became the mission of the Rebellion to convince the nations of Ymir to accept having an Aegis built in their lands to protect them from another Apocalypse.

A young king named Sulaiman, who frequently prayed to Anu for wisdom, worked with gifted enchanters to invent new ways to combat evil. In time, they created rings which could capture fiends within a red gemstone, allowing them to later be called out from those stones and forced to do the wearer’s bidding. With these enchanted rings, King Sulaiman’s armies conquered all of Ymir and destroyed the Aegis that had been erected in various nations. At the height of his power, the Rebellion forces rarely left their homes, and King Sulaiman was the richest king who ever lived. In time, the people of Ymir began to give all the adonium they mined to this new protector rather than to the temples.

All this wealth and power caused hubris to grow in Sulaiman’s heart, and he declared himself the Son of Anu, a demi-god. The Grand Archon of Anu went to confront him about this lie, and Sulaiman responded, “I have brought peace and prosperity to all of Ymir. Through my wit and wisdom, I have defeated all evil. Not even the gods have managed that. If I am not a demi-god, then I am something more.”

As they had done many times before, the false gods caused another Apocalypse. Legions of archons waged war on King Sulaiman’s kingdom. Seth managed to protect a few regions with the Aegis, but everything else was destroyed when the false gods bombarded the planet from space. The Third Age lasted for 1,000 years.

The Fourth Age:

The events of the book “Apostate Prophecy” take place in the Fourth Age of Ymir. In this age, there have been many people gifted with the ability to see the future. These seers are hunted as blasphemers and heretics, but many have found refuge among the Rebellion. Seth has improved the Aegis, causing it to shield more area from bombardment, and the Rebellion has been growing once again. The gods have once again chosen an Anointed One, as they did with Will so long ago.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Seth’s Rebellion

Axtin Seth, who had long been a judge in the Empyrean Corporation’s courts, became the “God of Justice” over the world of Ymir at the start of the Genesis II project. Despite Seth’s personal spiritual beliefs, his friend Dr. Nebo convinced him that doing so would allow him to guide the people of Ymir to a bright future. “Just think of what you could do with so many minds to mold! You know what justice is. To them, you truly will be as a higher being imparting your knowledge to them. Would you not call that divine?”

With this and similar arguments in mind, Seth presided over the courthouses of Ymir for thousands of years in the First Age. It was during that time that he became romantically involved with Lady Jynna Ashtoreth, who had been made Emyprean’s “Goddess of Love.” Many heroic souls of Ymir dedicated themselves to Seth’s service and passed on the teachings of his holy texts.

However, over the course of those millennia, he started to take issue with certain aspects of the project. During one of several purges of fiend settlements, he witnessed a mother fiend shielding an infant with her own body. At first, he thought this a fluke, and second-guessed what he saw. Unable to rest, he sent his avatar, disguised as a fiend, to spend some time among the lowly creatures. Through this, he discovered that these creatures were capable of compassion and morality.

With this information in mind, he confronted Dr. Nebo, demanding to know why the genetic engineer had not made the fiends as monsters of pure evil. Dr. Nebo responded that he knew of no genetic code that could make any creation wholly wicked. This caused a major crisis of conscience for Seth, who barely ate or slept for weeks. Even Lady Ashtoreth was not able to improve his mood.

During that first age, a certain archon named Lugal became the object of worship by many people on Ymir. This archon had declared himself Enlil’s Heir, destined to take up the mantle of the Father of All. Countless multitudes from among the people of Ymir, and even many of the other archons, flocked to his new temple to worship him. Many declared that he was Enlil come back from the dead. Most of the adonium that had once been paid to the gods went to Lugal instead. From these new stores, he had his faithful construct the Everlasting Tower. This twisting spire was not merely a testament to his power, but rather made him formidable even to the gods of Empyrean.

For stealing their followers and their precious adonium, the false gods led an attack on Lugal and his faithful. Their starships unleashed such firepower on the world of Ymir that by the time it was done, only a tenth of the world’s population remained. The “Everlasting Tower,” it seemed, would not live up to its name, and Lugal was lost in the apocalyptic fires.

Following the planet-wide massacre, Dr. Nyx assigned Dr. Nebo to immediately begin replenishing the population. This was the last straw for Seth. In his mind, the project was a failure, and they should have cut their losses. Instead, they were doubling down. This time, he confronted Dr. Nyx.

“After all that we’ve done, all that we’ve seen, how can we continue to pretend to be gods to these people?” Seth asked.

Dr. Nyx smirked at him. “Pretend? Axtin, haven’t you realized by now? We created them and crafted their world. When they prayed to us, we answered their prayers. And when they turned on us, we ended their world. My friend, we’re not pretending at all. We are their gods!”

Only the strongest willpower that Seth could muster prevented him from attacking his employer in that moment. He left that day knowing what he had to do. He had to tell the people of Ymir the truth.

Yet, by the time Seth traveled to the surface in person, the other gods had already spread word of a betrayal. The people ran and hid at his presence, for they had been told he was a fallen deity. A god of chaos.

Unable to convince the human population of Ymir that he was not the enemy, and with only a third of the archons under his command ready to join his side, he turned to the fiends. It was for their sake, after all, that he’d first begin to question what Empyrean was doing. Having long been told that they were simply born wicked, and that their creator was dead, the fiends were all too ready to believe something else.

Thus, Seth’s Rebellion was born at the start of the Second Age.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Archons

The archons are those creatures genetically engineered to act as servants, messengers, and warriors of the false gods. By those loyal to Empyrean, they are considered above humans but below the gods in the hierarchy. Each of the false gods has a High Archon or a Grand Archon who leads the others.

Most archons live in cities that float in the skies above Ymir. The cities are made to be beautiful, often made of marble and decorated with gold. Some also have gardens, parks, and even vast forests in their midst. From these cities, they enforce the will of the false gods, whom they believe to be truly divine.

While most archons look like humans with feathered wings, they have a variety of other appearances as well. The ookami are a type of archon that resemble wolves with gleaming white fur. Ursarths are archons that resemble bears that walk upright like men and have brass or golden colored fur. Houri resemble women with gazelle horns and bewitching eyes. Ryu have long, serpentine bodies and are covered in metallic scales. Apkallu often have the head and talons of a bird, in addition to the wings, on an otherwise human body. Chayot are the strangest looking archons of all, for they have the head of a lion, the horns of a ram, a human torso, wings like an eagle, and a lower body like that of a lion, with all four legs.

In addition, there are some types of archons who have more than just two wings. The seraphim, for example, have six wings with eyes on them. Fravashi only have two wings, but also have tail feathers. The muut, who are natural-born assassins and are also called “Archons of Death,” have four wings, usually with black feathers.

Rather than live birth, archons hatch from eggs. The eggs start out small, but as the infant archon within the egg grows, the eggs get bigger, and eventually hatch.

When Nebo created the archons, he knew that if he made them ageless and gave them the same fertility rate as humans, this would cause them to overpopulate Ymir within a few generations. So, he made it so that roughly one out of every one-hundred archons would be fertile.

Since a fertile archon is not always fit to raise their own children, archons do not have the same family structures as humans do. When an egg hatches, the child is placed in the care of what is called a “memitz,” which translates to “mentor” from the Archonic tongue. One memitz may raise up to ten children at a time, and each memitz is specifically trained to raise children and be a good teacher to them. Occasionally, two or three mentors will work together to raise a group of children, but usually they work alone.

All of this is true in the archon cities, where they are loyal to the false gods, but those archons who have joined Seth’s Rebellion are not bound by so many rules. In Prometheus City, the capital of the Rebellion, there are archons who do raise their own children. There have been several instances where an archon mother has realized she was with child, and rather than give up her egg to be raised by someone else, she has fled to join the Rebellion specifically so that she could raise the child herself. Sometimes, this happens for couples, with both the mother and father joining the Rebellion together for the sake of being a united family.

In fiendish societies, even archons who’ve joined the Rebellion are often mistrusted or even hated. This is largely because of the suffering that fiends have endured at archon hands. Even so, archons are a crucial part of the Rebellion.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Adonium

Dr. Jaleah Liita of the Empyrean Corporation once said that she could study adonium for 20,000 years and never fully understand all its strange properties and secrets. The metal is only found either on Ymir or otherwise in its specific solar system. Some of the asteroids, comets, moons, and dwarf planets in the system contain it, but it’s most highly concentrated on Ymir.

Despite constant mining for thousands of years, the supply of the metal has not depleted, or even diminished, which led Liita to believe that the planet is somehow replenishing this resource.

In its raw form, adonium is chaotic and unpredictable. Its effects can cause strange transformations and maladies, and even warp the landscape in strange ways. However, once refined, adonium conforms to the will of the one wielding it and can be used to alter the material world. The mortals living on Ymir call this “magic,” and the use of adonium “spells.”

The automatons living on Ymir all run on adonium cores, to which their souls are bound. An automaton can suffer terrible damage, but as long as the adonium core remains they can still be repaired. Rakos has said that this ability of adonium to retain souls means that it can be used to cheat death.

In its most natural form, adonium has a pewter color, but is surrounded by a blue or violet glow. Once refined, it resembles the purest silver, and the glow is a lighter shade of blue.

Every living thing on Ymir has some amount of adonium in their blood and otherwise as part of their being. For this reason, they can use their own blood to cast spells, but this process is painful, dangerous, and forbidden in all societies loyal to the false gods. Some people have even figured out how to make “mana pendants” out of adonium, which store up to 24 spells in them. These, too, are forbidden in societies loyal to the false gods.

The false gods insist that anyone who wishes to use magic must do so through the use of seleni coins, which the archons and the clergy mint. Seleni coins are made from a combination of silver and adonium, and would each be worth around $100 in today’s money. When a caster uses a seleni coin for a spell, the coin dissipates into dust, and the adonium flies off to be gathered as payment to Liita for her role as the goddess of magic. Some casters who are loyal to the false gods believe that Liita is the one who grants the spells, but most casters know better.

Adonium can also be used to enchant items and give them magical properties. In “Apostate Prophecy,” Emblyn’s sword, The Plow, is able to heal her wounds in an instant because of the adonium runes on the blade.

While the false gods claim that adonium is the blood of Enlil, the first god, who was slain by the goddess of darkness, the truth is that no one truly knows where it came from. The false gods have long taught the people of Ymir that once they have enough adonium, they can resurrect Enlil, and he will bring an age of no more strife, suffering, or hardship.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Members of the Pantheon

To build their pantheon of false gods, the people of the Empyrean Corporation selected the best, brightest, and otherwise most important from among them. Here is a list of the various members of the pantheon and their roles in the Genesis II project.

Nyx:

Known among the others as “Dr. Gabriel Nyx,” the de facto leader of the corporation, Nyx took the mantle of the “God of Light,” and first-born son of the first god. Nyx is the overseer of the others, and his followers worship him as the creator of all light, warmth, and goodness. Out of all the false gods, he is the least directly involved in the project. The mythology surrounding him says that he created the archons from the sun’s rays, which is why their blood is golden in color.

Enlil:

This ancient deity is a pure myth invented by Empyrean. Supposedly, he was the first god to come into existence, the “Father of All.” He, then, created two other gods, Nyx and Sygin. All of existence would have continued in perfect harmony, had Sygin not murdered him. The false gods of Empyrean teach that one day he will return, and when he does all will be made right once more. This, they claim, is why it’s important that the mortals mine adonium, because the adonium is his blood, and they need it to resurrect him. All of this, though, is a lie, and Enlil never existed. As far as the false gods know, anyway.

Sygin:

Like Enlil, this deity too is pure myth invented by Empyrean. Just as Nyx is supposedly the god of light, so too is she the fabled “Goddess of Darkness.” In her boundless and baseless hatred, she slew Enlil, subsequently creating fiends to help in her fight against the other gods. Though all of this is false, there are still many fiends, even within the Rebellion, who believe in Sygin and say their prayers to her.

Nebo:

Also known as “Dr. Adryan Nebo,” he is the most gifted of all their genetic engineers, and the supposed “God of Science and Knowledge.” Despite the commonly accepted mythology on Ymir, it was Nebo who created the archons, humans, and fiends of the world, using genetic engineering. He has always had a love for mythology, mysticism, and religion, and it shows in his work.

Liita:

Dr. Jaleah Liita is the physicist who first discovered how to refine adonium so that it can be used. Thus, she became known as the “Goddess of Magic.” She set up a system on Ymir by which the people of the planet could cast spells and otherwise use the world-changing capabilities of adonium, but each time they do they have to spend a seleni coin. Seleni coins are made up of a combination of adonium and silver, and each time someone casts a spell using these coins they pay her for the magic.

Seth:

Also known as “The Honorable Judge Axtin Seth,” he has resided over countless cases, deciding how to interpret the law. His desire for righteous law is why he became the “God of Justice” over Ymir. He wrote many books on morality and ethical philosophy. At the end of the First Age of Ymir, when the false gods of Empyrean decided to wipe out all that they had created and start anew, Seth had a crisis of conscience that ultimately led him to start the Rebellion. After that, all the books he wrote were declared heretical, and the other false gods claimed he had become the “God of Chaos.”

Montu:

Admiral Jastin Montu loves warfare the way most people love music. From childhood he was fascinated with every aspect of war; from strategy, to inspiring the troops, to weaponry, to basic combat. He won many battles for Empyrean and quickly rose up the ranks, becoming the scourge of many throughout the galaxy. For this, when the Genesis II project began he was made the “God of War.”

Shun:

Bentom Shun is the chief of robotics in the Empyrean Corporation. He also knows ways to motivate workers, and thus has been made the “God of Stone and Labors,” as well as the patron deity of automatons.

Anu:

Dr. Atticas Anu specializes in studying strange weather patterns. He has often made machines that can alter the weather. When the Genesis II project started, Empyrean encountered some odd storms caused by adonium, and Anu stepped in to solve the problem. For this, they made him the “God of the Sky,” but, being an avid philosopher, he requested that they make him the “God of Wisdom” as well.

Ashtoreth:

Lady Jynna Ashtoreth is a member of a noble house that is respected by many throughout Empyrean’s territory. Her family rules countless planets and brings immeasurable wealth to Empyrean. When she caught wind of the Genesis II project, she insisted on being allowed to be a part of it. Given her breath-taking beauty and talent for making people love her, she was made the “Goddess of Love.”

Kernun:

Dr. Erock Kernun is one of Empyrean’s top Xenobotanists. Several times, he has successfully cross-bred plants from completely different planets. The false gods feared that if they allowed the people of Ymir to thrive too much, they might eventually make the world uninhabitable, as had happened to Earth. So, Kernun was called in to be the “God of the Wilds,” to ensure that the people of Ymir had a respect for nature.

Rakos:

Dr. Erisha Rakos has long specialized in finding new ways to cheat death through science. While advances in medicine had already ensured that the people of Empyrean would no longer age, she was not satisfied with this. She discovered ways to digitally store human consciousness so that people could live on in machines, and later have their consciousnesses put into new, biological bodies. The discovery of adonium on Ymir has intrigued her, and she immediately requested to be placed on the Genesis II project so that she could develop new paths to immortality that adonium offered. Fittingly, she was made the “Goddess of Death,” and patron goddess of the faithful undead of Ymir.

Chronos:

No record of anyone named “Chronos” exists anywhere in Empyrean’s archives. Even so, a man named Chronos has been with the false gods since the Genesis II project began. Every time one of the other false gods gets it in their mind to investigate Chronos or call him out on this, they forget all about it shortly thereafter. Often, they even forget he was ever there, and sometimes even those on Ymir who are loyal to the false gods forget that Chronos exists. None of his temples, shrines, or chapels can be found on any Ymirian map, yet his priests always insist that they have visited these holy places recently. A true enigma.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

The World of Ymir - Empyrean

The people of the world of Ymir are born, live, toil, fight, and die under the rule of a pantheon of tyrannical false gods. These false gods, collectively, are called “Empyrean.”

But where do the false gods come from? Well, they come from our own future. Around the year 3000 A.D., humans began to colonize planets all over the galaxy. They developed technologies that could allow them to travel faster than light and live for thousands of years without ever growing old.

Factions formed in the vacuum of space, and groups of humans went to war with each other, fighting over this and that piece of the galaxy. One of the many factions to arise was Empyrean, named after Aristotle’s concept of Heaven.

This faction, led by Dr. Gabriel Nyx, searched the planets in its territory for some resource that could give them an upper hand against their enemies. In time, they found it: adonium.

This mysterious metal was only found in a particular solar system and had mostly gathered on a particular planet. One of Empyrean’s top physicists, a woman named Dr. Jaleah Liita, was the first to experiment with adonium. In time, Dr. Liita found that when the metal was properly refined, it could be used to alter the world according to the user’s will. Dr. Nyx decided this was what they needed to win the war once and for all. They named the planet “Ymir,” after the giant from Norse mythology, and made plans to mine the world for this priceless resource.

Jastin Montu, one of Empyrean’s admirals, led an armada of starships to eliminate the native creatures of the planet Ymir: the dreaded vernert. These vicious arthropods had hives all over the surface of the planet and had gained strange abilities from their contact with adonium. Admiral Montu had the surface of the planet scorched, until it was nothing but ashes and glass. Those few vernert who survived, did so by fleeing deep underground, or across time itself.

Axtin Seth, one of Empyrean’s chief judicial officers, pointed out the danger of sending any of the corporation’s workers to Ymir. “Anyone we send might well simply pocket what they dig up, or even sell it to our enemies.” Thus, it was decided that they needed an alternative way to mine the metal.

Bentom Shun, who was head of Empyreans robotics division, sent mechanical workers to Ymir. They soon found that contact with the strange metal caused their robot workers to gain self-consciousness. Before they could do much to react, the robot work force had taken over the planet, and claimed the adonium for themselves. Once more, Admiral Montu stepped in, using immense firepower to annihilate the rebellious machines.

Despite all setbacks, the people of Empyrean were determined to mine the adonium of Ymir one way or another. Dr. Adryan Nebo, a genetic engineer with a love for mythology and fairy tales, proposed an idea which he dubbed “The Genesis II Project.” Using genetic engineering, he would create a race of human beings who were far smaller than them and put those people on Ymir as the work force. To keep them in line, the leaders of Empyrean would pose as gods over these people and keep them from technologies that might make them formidable.

To aid in this charade, and to ensure that the “gods” would not need to micromanage this new work force, Nebo proposed the engineering of two other races of beings. The first were the archons, who would serve as the gods’ immortal servants and messengers. They would enforce divine will upon the denizens of Ymir. However, knowing that mere tyranny would not keep the work force under control forever, Dr. Nebo suggested that they also needed an adversary. Something from which the gods protected the faithful.

Thus, Dr. Nebo created the fiends: monstrous people supposedly born of darkness itself. These fiends would stand as a constant enemy of the gods and of mankind. Born to be the enemy. Made to strike fear into the hearts of the faithful and die at the hands of the sky-dwelling archons.

The Genesis II project proved successful, and may have remained so for all of time, had one of the false gods, Seth, not defected from the false gods and started the Rebellion on Ymir.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

The Third Genesis is the Noblebright 40K

“As someone who’s gotten sick of Warhammer 40K, this reminds me of what I liked about it when I first got into it.”

One of my fellow authors had this to say about my, The Third Genesis (3G) fantasy series at a writer’s group we both attend. I’ve known the man since college, and I was quite surprised. He was the one who introduced me to Warhammer 40K.

After that, I started thinking about the similarities between 3G and 40K, and was surprised at how many there were.

Both have false deities ruling over mankind in the distant future.

Both blend aspects of science fiction and high fantasy.

Both have seemingly unending conflict for the main characters to deal with.

Both also address such issues as the abuse of religion, inquisitions, and crusades.

The archons of 3G are comparable to the Space Marines and Sisters of Battle in 40K.

However, there is a certain point where the comparisons break down. While 40K is “Grimdark”, 3G is “Noblebright”.

So, for those who don’t know, let’s talk about these genres. Grimdark was a term invented specifically to describe Warhammer 40K. “In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war.” This was the slogan of the 40K setting, and the basic cornerstone upon which they built the rest of the franchise. The genre is based around the idea that, ultimately, there is no hope. In Grimdark, villains can win, heroes can fail despite doing everything right, and there is an overall tone of despair. The genre also often features morally gray (if not outright evil) main characters, with no true “hero” of the story. Some other popular stories that would be considered part of the Grimdark genre would include A Song of Ice and Fire (also known as Game of Thrones) by George R. R. Martin, The Prince of Thorns series by Mark Lawrence, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie, and The Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith.

Warhammer 40K exemplifies this genre to the highest degree, as it is clear from the lore that humanity is doomed. The emperor who rules mankind as its god and greatest protector is caught in a perpetual near-death state while seated upon his golden throne, and 1000 psykers (people with psychic powers) are sacrificed per day in order to keep him “alive.” Humanity has also largely forgotten how its spacecraft and other advanced machines work, and the heretical “tech priests” are the last vestiges of any knowledge of how to fix them. Soldiers who join the Imperial Guard are expected to die within the first day of military service, and are considered veterans if they actually survive that first day. In short, this is not sustainable, and the doom of humanity is inevitable in 40K. For this reason, it truly exemplifies the Grimdark genre.

Now, let’s talk about The Third Genesis (3G). The obstacles in the heroes’ path seem truly insurmountable. False gods rule over the world of Ymir, creating all manner of creatures using genetic engineering. These false gods come from Earth, and the story takes place in the distant future. They have abused faith and the concept of religion to enslave the populace and keep them firmly under their thumbs. The world of Ymir is currently in its Fourth Age, and what separates each age from the previous age is that the false gods wipe the slate clean and start again whenever they feel the world of Ymir is getting out of hand. To enforce their will, they have created the archons, genetically engineered winged warriors who put down all resistance, whom the people of Ymir generally revere the same way people from our world would revere angels. The archons have wiped out cities on numerous occasions, and many have survived the various ages of Ymir, and seen the world end multiple times.

Yet, for all this bleakness, there is still hope.

There are people called “seers” in the setting who are capable of seeing the future. These people are considered heretics, and those loyal to the false gods hunt them down, hoping to burn them at the stake. However, these seers have foreseen a time where the false gods will lie defeated, and the people of Ymir will see peace. This day, which lies on the distant horizon, is called “The Third Genesis.” There is hope for the world, an assurance that some day it will all get better. They don’t know when, and they don’t know what they’ll have to go through to get there, but that day is coming.

Couple this with sincerely good-hearted characters who strive to do what’s right, and you have a story that falls squarely in the Noblebright genre.

Noblebright is a genre that has been gaining popularity recently. It is very much the opposite of Grimdark, in that it is full of hope, shows good overcoming evil, and has sincere main characters. That’s not to say that the main characters are perfect, or even that they never make mistakes or do wrong things, but rather there is a general movement toward greater goodness in the setting. Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien is the most classic example of Noblebright. Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan, The Wizard’s Tale by Kate Busiek, and A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet also fit into this genre. These days, it seems more and more people are getting tired of the Grimdark genre and want to see hope and goodness again.

It is my hope that if you were once a fan of Warhammer 40K or other Grimdark fantasy series that you will give The Third Genesis a shot. It is my hope that these fantastical stories will inspire people to keep believing that things can get better, and to strive for the good in life. While I cannot prove that there is a reason to hope, I think it’s readily apparent that without hope we get despair, and despair doesn’t help anyone. So, let’s enjoy stories that bring hope and teach us that goodness is rewarding.

[thethirdgenesisbooks]

Humans of Ymir

Humans are, by far and away, the most numerous species of the world of Ymir.

Dr. Nebo of Empyrean used cloning and genetic engineering to create the humans of Ymir, a fact that the majority of humankind on that world is unaware. The way most of them understand it, Nyx created them specifically so that they could mine for adonium, with the promise that once they gathered enough adonium they would see an end to all suffering.

Most of the humans of Ymir live in the various nations of the world. While their primary purpose is mining, the majority of humans do not mine, but rather spend their time supporting the mining operations in a number of ways. Some grow food on farms, some cut wood in the forests, others travel across the known world trading goods, etc. Whatever their professions, they are most often paid in seleni coins, of which they are expected to give half to the local temple.

All humans have some ability to sense adonium, though for most it is an unconscious ability. Those who work in the mines hone this ability and use it to find veins of adonium ore. Some miners have also crafted automatons to assist them in their digs. Often when exposed to unrefined adonium, humans will suffer magical maladies and thus become “cursed” in any manner of strange ways.

In addition to the settlements on the surface, some humans have created whole cities underground, which allow them to delve ever deeper into the mines for adonium caches. Often when they dig that deep, they find vast cities under the soil which were built in the previous ages of Ymir. Legends abound of the treasures one can find in these ancient ruins, and some humble miners have become nobility because they uncovered some vault or another.

Those humans loyal to Empyrean often live in fear of the various clans of fiends surrounding their lands, and they look to the archons for protection. Granted, they are often just as fearful of the archons, for while archons are meant to be their protectors, they have also wiped out human villages and even whole cities when they proved impious.

While the primary purpose of humankind is labor, many have also turned to serving the gods in other ways. Some become clergy and direct the others in worship. Others become holy warriors, dedicated to upholding the will of the gods, whether as crusaders, zealots, or ghaji. Then, of course, there are those who govern the various human nations across Ymir, and those dedicated to upholding the law of those governments.

In the hierarchy taught by the priests of Empyrean, humans are considered to be below the archons, but slightly above automatons. Those humans serving in the Rebellion generally do not believe in such a hierarchy.

A great many humans, however, serve the Rebellion, and that number has been increasing in recent years. While most continue to live in the lands of their birth, some move to lands controlled by the fiend clans or to Prometheus City for safety. Those who remain in the lands of their birth fear the constant threat of discovery by inquisitors, who seek to root out traitors and make examples of them.