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  • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: Vol. II, Parts III/IV/V

    Welcome back, fellow travelers. This is a very fun journey that we are on. Let’s look at some more of the lore, and then at the end, I’d like to share my thoughts on the story.

    Lore Summary

    Volume II, Part III:

    At a ball where the Emperor is expected, Pierre formally introduces Prince Andrei to Natasha. The Prince is often seen as cold, maybe even calculating. However, Natasha feels that he is not like what some say he is.

    Recognizing that this is Natasha’s first ball, he dances with her to ensure she gets the attention she is seeking. Andrei goes to the Rostovs’, growing more affectionate towards Natasha, especially after hearing her sing.

    Natasha’s older sister, Vera, and her husband, Berg, host their first social party, and here Natasha and Prince Andrei continue to grow fond of one another. Natasha confides in her Mother about her feelings for Prince Andrei, and the Prince confides in Pierre.

    The Prince goes to his father and tells him of his intent to ask for Natasha’s hand in marriage. The Old Prince is upset at this notion but says that he will consent if Andrei goes abroad for a year and returns with the same feelings he has for Natasha.

    Prince Andrei agrees, goes to the Rostovs’, and asks Natasha’s mother for Natasha’s hand in marriage. This proposal is accepted.

    The Old Prince, Andrei’s father, is getting older and becoming more cruel. Princess Marya’s, Andrei’s sister, life starts to get worse as a result.

    Part IV:

    Nikolai Rostov gets promoted in Denisov’s absence and receives a letter from his mother saying he is needed to help the family with their dwindling financial situation. He takes leave from his men and, after a party thrown for him, heads home.

    He would much rather stay in the military, as it is another world to him, a much better one compared to his civilian life.

    Coming home, it would appear he is no better with the finances than his father. The elder Rostov puts Nikolai in charge of their hunting venture after Nikolai’s outburst with Mitenka, their servant, who was probably handling the books.

    This hunting expedition is an exciting one involving the hunters riding their horses and hunting down a wolf with the aid of their dogs. They encounter another hunter hunting on the Rostovs’ land, whom the uncle of Nikolai does not like but Nikolai himself begins to like.

    Natasha and Petya, the younger brother of Nikolai and Natasha, go hunting with Rostov, and the men are impressed with her throughout the hunt, with the exception of Nikolai and the uncle, who are annoyed at first with her being there.

    After the hunting, it doesn’t take long for the Old Countess Rostov to try to coerce young Nikolai into marrying Julie Karagin for money. Julie has become very wealthy as a result of her brothers’ deaths during military service.

    Nikolai refuses, gets into an argument with his mother, and during this time, especially after a late night party, grows much more in love with Sonya, who is dowerless. The old countess is stuck between wanting her son to be happy and wanting him to marry for money. Regardless, Nikolai goes back to his regiment with the intent of marrying Sonya, and the old countess can’t help but be ill towards her.

    Natasha grows more impatient awaiting Prince Andrei’s arrival.

    Part V (So Far):

    Pierre faces moral dilemmas in regard to his life, the masons, his wife, and so much more. He discovers that he has become like the rich, lazy, and content-rich that he once disdained.

    Old Prince Bolkonsky moves to Moscow with Princess Marya and Nikolushka, Prince Andrei’s son. During this time, as a cruel joke, his relationship with Mlle Bourienne, Marya’s friend, changes to teetering on the romance side. This is in spite of his son’s romance with Natasha. Marya is horrified to discover that she has her father’s anger when trying to teach the young Nikolushka.

    The Old Prince holds a party with several guests, among these are Pierre and Boris. The Old Prince likes Boris. Marya is so distracted by the treatment she gets from her father that she does not notice Boris’s attempt at talking to her. After the party, Marya asks Pierre about Natasha.

    Boris is undecided who to try to marry, Princess Marya or Julie Karagin. He wants to marry for money. He decides to marry Karagin and make plans for the wedding.

    Natasha meets the Old Prince and Marya and can tell that they do not like her and want nothing to do with her being a part of their family.

    Thoughts

    I wanted to give some thoughts of the above. I understand Marya’s suffering from her father. My grandfather, who raised me, had an anger problem, and he would lash out verbelly. Could be very creul and petty.

    I have had similar feelings to Nikolai Rostov when it comes to not wanting to go home from military service. Now that I am married, the feeling is less so than it used to be. Perhaps it will be the same if he marries Sonya. I hope they get together.

    Nikolai let the views of his uncle give him a prejudgment of the other hunter before he met him. This is a mistake we often make. You never know when we may get a new friend if we allow ourselves to make our own conclusions about someone, after getting to know them.

    Marrying for money makes me think of the stories I’ve heard about people going to college specifically to marry a doctor or lawyer. How sad and deluded not to marry for love.

    We must be careful not to judge others too harshly, for we may become like them if we were put in the same situation, environment, or circumstances. Thinking of Pierre here.

    Marya, on the other hand, I feel for her. I sometimes see my grandfather’s anger and pettiness in myself. Thankfully, this is rare, but unfortunately, I feel it will be a lifelong battle to keep it rare.

    I get Natasha’s feelings. Thinking that you are kind and great (not prideful) and that others will, of course, like you. Only to find out that others will not like you, and sometimes it’s, well, just because.

    Expectations for the Story

    • I am hoping that Natasha and Andrei do get married and that she will be a mother to his son.
    • It would be nice if Marya would come to like Natasha.
    • I expect the Old Prince to die old and angry.
    • I think that Boris will come to regret not going after Natasha.

    Closing

    Thank you again for stopping by. I really like this story, and that probably won’t change. I am excited to see how the future war will affect the lives of our characters. I want to say that I like how Tolstoy goes from character to character, or rather, personality to personality. I wish to be able to replicate this for my own writing.

    Whose your favorite character? What do you think will happen?

    Stay tuned for

    • Oblivion: How the Main Character is not the Main Character (Sunday)
    • Star Wars: Knight Errant- The Dyarchy (Thursday)

    Digital Archiver signing off.

  • Elden Ring: The Search for Lost Grace

    The Golden Order

    The Lands Between was once ruled by the godlike influence of Queen Marika the Eternal, who had established the divine system of the Golden Order of the Erdtree, only for Queen Marika to do the unexpected.

    The Catalyst

    The Queen shattered the Elden Ring, to the displease of the Greater Will, the physical form of order holding everything together, destroying the laws of reality and plunging the realm into chaos. It is said she does this after the loss of her son, Godwyn the Golden.

    The Demigods

    Once the Elden Ring was shattered, the remains became Great Runes.

    Like surviving heirs in our own world, Queen Marika’s children received their own great runes but fight each other for the rest of their inheritance.

    Godrick the Grafted- He has become desperate and weak, clinging to what power he has.

    Rennala & Radagon- a broken royal marriage between a powerful witch and the eventual second Elden Lord.

    Starscourge Radahn- a titan with the power to stop the stars themselves.

    Malenia the Severed- Unmatched warrior suffering from a curse of the scarlet rot.

    The Lands Between Today

    Every region has felt the effects of the chaos that ensued from the Elden Ring’s shattering and the resulting war between the Demigods that followed.

    Limgrave- Fractured from Godrick’s insecurity. Roderika shares her loss of friends due to Godrick’s grafting.

    Caelid- Suffers scarlet rot due to Radahn’s stalled war with Malenia.

    Liurnia- In eternal mourning after Rennala fell from what she used to be.

    Leyndell- A gilded city in a state of decay. A shadow of the past and a reminder of what used to be.

    The Tarnished

    The tarnished are those who were exiled long ago but have been given the privilege of returning to the Lands Between. It is said that among the returning tarnished is the future Elden Lord and restorer of the Elden Ring.

    This tarnished will be guided by grace and will be presented, upon the defeat of the Demigods and collecting their Great Runes, with the power to restore the lands or to let it be cast forever into darkness.

    Why It All Matters

    The Golden Order was not perfect, and the shattering was not random. The Lands Between are caught in a cycle of control, rebellion, and rebirth. The rise of the foreseen Tarnished may be the key to reshaping the future of the Lands Between.

    Closing

    Elden Ring (FromSoftware) was my initial introduction to souls-like games. It was definitely a journey worth taking. I remember trying to finish the game and having a hard time doing it, but there was a buddy of mine who did finish it, and I thought if he could do it, then surely I could.

    I have not played the DLC, but I intend to eventually; who knows how long that will be. Once I do, I will post about it as well.

    I like the fact that you can get multiple endings; however, I was confused as to how that would look. I didn’t realize that you had to choose the ending. I thought that your collective accomplishments would work together to shape the overall ending.

    Very good game, and it is so for a reason.

    Stay tuned for

    • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: Vol. II, Parts III/IV/V (Thursday)
    • Oblivion: How the Main Character is not the Main Character (Sunday)

    Digital Archiver signing off.

  • Star Wars: Knight Errant- The Daimanate

    1032 BBY, the Republic and Sith territories are becoming increasingly isolated from one another. No communication. No authorized travel to and from. This doesn’t stop a Jedi splinter group from going into Sith space to do whatever good they can. Unfortunately, their latest mission fails, leaving one survivor. The Errant Jedi Knight: Kerra Holt.

    Lord Daimon

    Sith Lord of the Daimanate. His own little slice of Sith Space.

    He believes that he is the creator of the universe, and those who have memories “older” than him have them because it serves his purpose for them to have them. His dystopian empire serves to advance his goal of conquering the past by placing himself in historical documents and the universe at large.

    Anyone not in line are visited by his correctors. The people are kept in a constant state of work and sleep. If they die from exhaustion, they’ll just be replaced.

    The Conflict (Darkknell)

    Lord Daimon’s most pressing concern is the defeat of his brother, Lord Odion, who believes he will be the destroyer of the universe. He makes a deal with Lord Bactra. The deal is he allows Lord Bactra, a Quermian, to freely travel in his territory in exchange for an arxeum, a mobile university operated by Industrial Heretics.

    The plan is to set this university so that it will be an appealing target for Lord Odion. This will be a trap.

    Agent Narsk– Working for Lord Odion, he infiltrates Lord Daimon’s research facility to download data on his most recent ship designs and to plant charges to destroy the facility and the ship prototype.

    Upon leaving the facility, Narsk is approached from behind by a woman. Thinking she works for Daimon, they engage in a chase, jumping from building to building. Eventually, the woman catches up to him. She approaches him with her green lightsaber. Realizing she’s a Jedi, he tries to appeal to her good nature.

    She takes his stealth suit, ties him up, and leaves him in a dumpster.

    Jedi Knight Kerra Holt– Using the uncomfortable stealth suit, she enters Lord Daimon’s main facility, looking for a way to take him out. All the while consider what a vacuum of power will do to Daimon’s territory once the other Sith Lords find out he’s dead.

    Factory worker by day, Knight Errant by night, the Jedi leaves with Gub Tengo in exchange for tutoring his daughter. A company called Industrial Heuristics, owned by Lord Bactra, sends recruiters to recruit talented individuals for its company. They recruit Tan Tengo, the daughter of Gub Tengo, hoping that his daughter will have a better future than she would at Darkknell. Kerra sees it as trading one evil for another.

    Sneaking around in the main headquarters. She is unable to kill Lord Daimon, but encounters the Bothan Agent Narsk strapped to a torture wheel. She frees him by rolling him where the trash is thrown and keeps his suit to follow Daimon to his ship.

    Brigadier Jarrow Rusher– Leader of a large artillery mecenery army and lover of history, is recruiting, with permission, in Lord Daimon’s territory. He recruits from better-off families. The exchange is a potentially better future for the young man or woman with resources that are needed.

    He, along with other mercenary groups, is contracted by Lord Daimon to surrender the arxeum along the edges of a crater on the planet Gazzari, waiting for Odion to arrive to spring the trap.

    The Conflict (Gazzari)

    Rusher– Sets up in his assigned location. Lord Odion arrives with a Death Spiral, a cone-shaped machine with devastating power. Rusher loses a lot of his people during this battle.

    Preparing to leave to save who can from his army, he is encountered by thousands of students fleeing to his ship for safety. They are being led by the Jedi Kerra Holt. Reluctantly, he takes them all in and leaves the planet.

    His concerns are now with rebuilding from his losses, and where to dump the Jedi and her students.

    Kerra Holt– After arriving on Gazzari, via Daimon’s ship, she sets out to kill him in his tent. She spies him working on a way to control other beings completely by experimenting on his aide.

    Preparing herself to kill him, she is stopped when she sees ships landing near the arxeum and students filing out of them. She sees Tan Tengo among them. Feeling her Jedi duties tugging at her, she leaves Daimon be to rescue them, knowing Odion will be coming soon.

    She rounds them up, thwarting force mind tricks from Odion to cause those on the battlefield to harm themselves. Spying a ship large enough for the students, she leads them up the hill and encounters Brigadier Rusher.

    Something odd happens as they are leaving the planet. Daimon and Odion stop finding each other and head into space to attack Bactra and his ships, which were observing the battle on the edge of the system.

    After escaping the system, Kerra and Rusher argue about where to take the students. It would be difficult for him to make it to Republic space, leaving her with finding a Sith territory safe enough for the students. If one exists, that is.

    Narsk– Reports to Odion, leading him to arrive on Gazzari. Here he is kept under watch by Jelcho, a Givin, who is among the most loyal in Odion’s death cult.

    Receiving a coded signal in his implant informing him to send a signal of his own, Narsk convinces the Givin to go fight for Odion and find the death he desires.

    When finally alone, Narsk sends the signal triggering the halt of Daimon and Odion’s battle, resulting in the cooperation leading to the destruction of Lord Bactra’s forces and the consolidation of his assets.

    Leaving the planet in a fighter, Narsk observes the invasion into Bactra’s world, heads to a resort on another planet, and then contacts his true master, who tells him she knows about Kerra and where she is and that he has another mission.

    Closing

    Why did Daimon and Odion stop fighting and work together? Who is this mysterious master? What will happen to Kerra and her students? The answers to these questions will lead to something bigger happening behind the scenes.

    I wanted to mention that this book is not like any other Star Wars book I’ve read. It feels different, owing to the lone Jedi, multiple in-fighting Sith lords, and the emphasis on mind control. I also liked the introduction of the Givin. They look like the ghost face mask.

    Have you read this book? What do you think so far?

    This book was written by John Jackson Miller.

    Stay tuned for

    • Elden Ring: The Search for Lost Grace (Sunday)
    • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: Vol. II, Parts III/IV/V (Thursday)

    Digital Archiver signing off.

  • Kingdom Come Deliverance

    The year is 1403 in Bohemia. This medieval world is one without magic. However, the land is filled with shifting politics, war, and survival. The kingdom was once a safe place under the rule of King Charles IV, but upon his death and the carelessness of the next king, the kingdom was plunged into turmoil.

    The Conflict

    King Wenceslas IV- The rightful king, but cares nothing for being what a king should.

    Sigismund- The half-brother of King Wenceslas IV. He kidnaps the king and then raids the land in the king’s absence.

    Nobles- Conflicted. Some are loyal to the rightful king, and some are not. Likewise, some are opportunistic about the fate of the land, and those who feel the rightful king deserved what he has gotten. Regardless of how they feel, they are all caught up in the struggle.

    The absence of the king creates a power vacuum, which leads to the destruction of Henry’s home.

    Key Locations

    Skalitz- Henry’s hometown and the starting point of this journey, is mainly known for its silver mines. Attacked by Sigismund’s commander, Markvart Von Aulitz, for the silver in the mines, to fund his effort to conquer the country.

    Rattay- Political refuge for those of Skalitz and home of the resistance against Sigismund. A place for Henry to begin his journey to becoming a knight, find love with someone who also survived the raid on Skalitz, and retrieve that which was taken from him.

    Talmberg- A strategic stronghold. A place of protection, loyalists, and in some stories, forbidden fruit.

    Sasau- The religious center of the region. The dominating religion is Christianity. The church holds a strong position over the land.

    Major Factions

    Radzig Kobyla & Loyalist Nobles- These represent the resistance against Sigismund. Radzig is the commander of the forces under King Wenceslas IV. Radzig also has a secret which would explain his concern for Henry and why he would give him, a commoner, a chance to embark on his quest despite disobeying orders.

    Cumans & Bandits- These are the hired muscle for Sigismund in the land. The bandits represent the muscle of a conspiracy to counterfeit money for the war effort.

    The Church- Influential for all in the land but divided in the proper course of affairs.

    Henry’s Place

    Son of a blacksmith who found his way, unwillingly, thrust into a war. The attack on Skalitz gave Henry a quest for revenge, which becomes tied to an effort to restore order in Bohemia. He tackles his quest at the ground level, having to learn the skills needed to engage in this conflict.

    He truly begins his journey in Rattay, not only beginning his quest for revenge but also searching for himself. To prove himself and take back the sword his father made, he uncovers a truth that changes his life and his place in society.

    Themes of the Game

    • Political turmoil
    • Fighting for survival in a lawless world
    • Realism instead of fantasy, finding out that the hero’s life is not as it seemed.
    • Social hierarchy, faith, and morality.

    Closing

    Kingdom Come Deliverance (THQ Nordic) allows the player, through Henry, to experience a grounded story free of magic, and yet still compelling. The everyday citizens of the country are afflicted by the historical conflict of royalty.

    What was your experience like in this world? Is there a specific piece of lore I should dive into next?

    Stay tuned for Star Wars: Knight Errant- The Daimanate (Friday) and Elden Ring: The Search for Lost Grace (Sunday).

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    God be with you!

    Digital Archiver signing off.