God Saga

The God Saga is the second saga in the FOG series of books, comprising the accounts of the 16 and their descendants in a science-fiction inspired narrative as they live a utopian like existence. Each of the 16 is a ruler of their own kingdom in this part of the series.

As the saga progresses, Stacey, Eli, and the others' seek to explore the universe and come into contact with other species', ultimately wiping them out and becoming near omnipotent.

## Narrative Challenges

The God Saga presents a very real dilemma for the author, because the 16 are idealized as uber powerful spiritual gods even from the start of the saga--since the saga starts where the last one ends at total victory over every evil thing in the universe. Due to this power, the author doesn't know what the antagonist will be yet.

There are other species that the 16 and their populace will encounter, but since the previous group of books sets them up as virtually all powerful, the species are no match. They are essentially a race going against a lovecraftian monster.

There was an idea that the God Saga could simply outline the victorious feats of the 16 as they travel the galaxies, likening them to Alexander the Great, however without a conflict the narrative will fall flat. Another concept is to make the 16 at war with each other in some way, though this also counteracts the set-up from the previous saga which focuses on the fact of there being peace now in the universe. In actuality, the main idea of the series should be brought up here, as that's what's being challenged. The author originally wanted the message of the entire series to be that a utopia is possible--however, would causing the 16 to fight against each other instead say that there can never be peace, because that's the nature of free will? Both messages have been set as main ideas in books/movies/other media before and either would be redundant. Perhaps there is a third option or way of thinking of how free will reacts in a free environment, and perhaps that's the challenge that the God saga could explore.

See "Possible Conflict Scenarios" below for potential solutions to the lack of story arc.

## Original Direction for the God Saga

The very first idea for the God saga that the author had was to establish Stacey as a paradigm of beauty and the restoration of the woman. To be more plain, as a picture of elevating women from disgrace to esteem. Stacey's story follows an arc of character building and growing in strength, so her personal life would bleed into and lend to this narrative arc, ending in what is meant to represent the "end all" for the female race, to be in a place of esteem, respect, self-acceptance, and joy. Politically, there are several issues with this idea. One, the author is male, and identifies as male, and could neither relate to being a woman, nor realistically portray them. Were he to do so, it can be imagined that the series could neither be taken seriously by any female readers not accepted as great narrative, simply because to attempt to portray the entire experience of the female life--every positive and negative experience--in an effort to get female readers to see Stacey as the ideal place females should be in, *without* experiencing it himself is offensive. It could be related to, for example, a middle class student writing a book about someone in poverty rising to riches and total life happiness, while he himself never experienced any of the pains of poverty of the hard work of getting to that point, all while expecting a reader who *is in progress of going through that* to appreciate the narrative, as well as open their mind to what the author says broke-to-rich should be like.

To put it simply, there is no way the author can connect to, allow catharsis, inspire, or help [female] readers to achieve their dreams (all of which are goals the author seeks to achieve by sharing his writing) by using Stacey as a narrative construct for the epitome of womanhood.

## More About the 16 Cities (Possible)

*As with all paragraphs outline with the [possible] descriptor, this paragraph includes concepts that are not currently included in the FOG canon, rather are simply ideas, and may be put into the stories in the future.*

As described above, after Eli, Thames, Stacey, and the other 16 become gods, they begin ruling over one of 16 cities in their own way--how they rule is related to their own personality and point of view, specifically following one of the 16 MBTI personality traits.

When reaching godhood, the 16 attain world peace by the formation of these cities, and the cities allow people to live in communities that hold their point of view, yet the 16 cities also interact, trade and intermingle. They aren't separate in any way, whether politically, idealistically, etc. They simply aggregate into groups.

Were a situation like this to happen in real life, it wouldn't offer "world peace." There is a missing piece to this puzzle that the author will have to add later to make this possibility even make sense.

Another part of this concept is that each of the 16 aren't actual rulers or kings or queens, but are just the first of whatever personality archetype that their city represents. Along with this, (and the following part is canon, not [possible]), the people who live in the cities are humans that reached godhood, just like the 16.

## Narrative

With the challenges fully apparent, a possible scenario involving the God Saga could include an internal threat that seeks to destroy the force that bring peace to the sixteen cities. From there, the sixteen as well as several others could travel the galaxy to defeat that threat.

### Gear

During the War of Silence, each of the sixteen are able to fashion weapons and tools to fight against the Silent. For now, the basis of these weapons are "intent," in other words, it doesn't matter whether the weapons are physical, observable, or manifested, simply that the power of each of the sixteen is intended to perform something. The nature of the sixteens' powers are metaphysical; they don't require physical forms to work. However, physical objects are used to communicate that a user is *intentionally* acting. For example, when Amos uses a light bow, he's using his "light of God" trait on a specific point. An argument could be made that the abilities, therefore, resemble the powers of the Marvels' Green Lantern's: that one can manifest anything based on imagination.

### Each of the 16 as a Rulershp of a Planet

This [possible] concept is about each of the 16 ruling a single planet based on their abilities. The core idea here that is revolutionary to the FoG as a whole is that Stacey and the INFP's of the City of Heart are the rulers and life force of Earth.

The logic behind this idea is that there are 16 planets or 16 planet types (or maybe solar systems) that are ruled and overseen by one of the 16 cities and all their inhabitants.

The reason Stacey and the other INFP are chosen for Earth is due to Stacey's representative god in the Greek Pantheon: Either Ivy or Hermes, goddesses very similar to "mother earth."

If one expands this idea further, it suggests there are other planets/solar systems that have completely different biology and ecology from earth based on the fact that their represented by the other 16 types.

## Stacey's City (The City of Heart)

### Disambiguation

This section is preserved to describe details about the city that takes of the Heart of God, when the God Saga commences.

### The Guardians

[possible]

This is a concept about a group of beings that are composed of trees, ground, foliage, etc. which are sentient and serve as guardians for the moral and physical standards set out by the 16 cities, usually serving in the city of Heart exclusively.

Their physical mass is imposing in and of itself, being comprised of tons of earth, rock, fungi, and small life, and this serves as a suitable blockade to certain threats. However, they are also gifted with certain of the "heart" traits such as empathetic healing, trauma healing, death control (which means they can allow or deny all power to death), etc.

Later in their history, they turn into galactic guardians, being made of dark matter, stardust, and planets instead of earth and stone. As to how this evolves, the author is uncertain for now.

### Ellelalondis and Terelondis

[Possible]

The City of Heart is walked daily by two beings called Ellelalondis and Terelondis. This are essentially Stacey's "hand of the queen" and are guardians by their word. Their spoken word has a lot of power.

[Author note]

I've been inspired a lot by George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series. A lot of the ideas in the God Saga point to this. It's a general fantasy world, so Tolkien's ideas are here too. The idea of the Guardians comes from the tree people in C.S. Lewis' Narnia books.￼

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Terelondis and Ellelalondis are both gold blonde haired females, yet also somewhat giant, being taller than normal humans, with Ellelalondis the taller one. Another male person of importance, named Ezoe, who is the "Breath of God," also appears in the City of Heart quite often. He is like a leaf in the wind, but having the trait of "breath," his power compress the life of all things. He and Stacey form a bond.

These three hands, or executives, hold the highest power in the City of Heart.

### Other Notes

As with all the 16 cities, the City of Heart is connected with them, not a single metropolis. Ideally, the City of Light (stared by the 1950's English stockbroker who has this trait) will supply weapons and tools made of light to the City of Heart; tools such as the light bow, which remove darkness. Such tools are based on one's intent, as physical manifestation of anything in the God Saga is simply a reflection of a person's intent.

[Author Note]

There is so much about the God Saga or whatever that I don't know how to make senae. For one, the intent thing. Basically I'm trying to make a high fantasy world that's higher than LOTR and is based on intent. It's such a crazy concept because everything in human life is physical, that I'm basically trying to make up philosophical ideas. Whatever. I'm just figuring this out as I go.

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## Possible Conflict Scenarios

Following are a list of *[possible]* scenarios to fill the void of meaning in narrative which was described above.

### Maintaining a Utopia From Outside Force

One idea for a conflict scenario is to require the beings of the 16 cities to maintain their utopia from outward forces or species. A concept is that each of the main 16 characters use their represented abilities to create weapons that their people use. For example, Amos being the Light of God would make weapons out of light that can affect matter. A specific example is a light sword that can divide matter, or darkness, which is the absence of light. As another example, Stacey could make a bow that creates death where it lands.

The culmination of the God saga is the war with the Dreamers, which is the climax of the entire series saga. In this battle, everyone could use everyone else's weapons as well, for example Amos could use a death bow, but since each power set is an extension of that person's and people's personality and character, they will be able to use it best.

During the War of the Silent, the 16 use their abilities without weapons and conceptual constructs like bows or guns. They just have to will it to be and it is.

### Internal Forces

Perhaps the people of the 16 cities could disagree and be in conflict with each other. This could start with the 16 or with the others in the cities.

### Stacey and the Current Iteration Issue

A specific example of an internal conflict is the idea presented here, showing that the reason the people and the 16 keep looping is because Stacey (in her god form) is looking for a way to undo what happened to Rose in her earth life. This would mean that everything that's happened in the story is one iteration of the story--actually, the current iteration--meaning that this has happened all before. The 16 in their god form are directing actions on Earth in the current iteration, and it's possible that the events in *Gems* specifically are a conflict of direction of Stacey, Eli, and others *versus* Amos Hemmingway. In *Gems,* Thomas is also in conflict with the earthly in-story forms of Stacey, Eli, Eliza, etc., but his god form may have other intentions. Up until this point, neither Amos nor Nathaniel are physically in the story at all (In the *Heart* trilogy, the *Day* books, the *Silent War* books, or any of the 16 commencement books, nor any of the *Gems/Underground Enterprise* books). So, their place in the narrative is uncertain to the reader.

Author notes: I actually don't know Amos' or Nathaniel's place in the entire story right now. At the moment Nathaniel comes back when the 16 war with the Silent, which takes place after the Gems' busts, and before the God Saga begins when the 16 transcend humanity. Amos is only in his own story which takes place in 1950, but he's not mentioned again. I'm only talking about the fandom pages for the books and small things I've written; none of these stories are fleshed out. (12/2/2022)

Basically, this Stacey's desire to be with Rose could start a war of the gods. Each of the 16, as well as the people themselves, would need their own motivation to join either side of the war.

### The Final Understanding Conflict

Another idea is for the people of the 16 cities to spend their existences seeking a final understanding. In cannon, this refers to the complete collection of knowledge of all kinds, which would result in the solution and understanding of every problem. The 16 and the people would travel the galaxies, worlds, and realities to find this understanding--be it knowledge itself, a person, a force--and would meet other alien forces along the way. These other forces wouldn't be the Silent, but other organic humanoids. Since the 16 and the people are all-powerful, this isn't really a conflict, more just an exploration. However the 16 could encounter the Dreamers at the end of this universal conquest, which would lead to one final war, and then the final understanding. Currently, the idea is that when the 16 etc. defeat the Dreamers, they will exit the ouroboros loop they're in.

#### Humans as the Antagonist

One idea to pair with the universal conquest is a point of view of the other species being conquered, showing a tragic side to what's happening, basically making humans the antagonist of the entire series.