A Big Story Arc?

[Eric Busby]

I had an odd thought and thought I would bring it up.

With the various group here that do Star Wars audio I was wondering what people might think of doing some kind of massive arc that could be carried on in several audios.

Such as I for one would love to be able to do a story that would bring in Nathan's Second Strike cast as well as Sean Koury's Lawg Skrak and many more. Hell maybe even Mak from Crossroads

But of course comes up the issue of continuity seeing as how these character do not live in the same era's in Star Wars history. So I was curious if anyone else was interested in something like this and how it might be gone about.

One idea I had was about a sector of space that transcends time and space where all of these people end up in the long run where the story arc could end.

But thats just a though. Anyone else have any?

Eric L. Busby
Production Head
Darker Projects Audio Works

www.darkerprojects.com

[Nathan Butler]

Well, all of the following already exist in the same universe and have ties, though not all are revealed yet in a production outside of the work-in-progress sourcebook:

Second Strike
Doubts Cast
Dreamscape
The Mob
Addiction
Responsibility
Nothing Changes
Gold Squadron
Resurrection

Those at least for sure.

[LawgSkrak]

Hey Nathan

You forgot to add No Way Out to that list.

I think it's a good idea Eric. And Lawg can be in many different eras. From Old Republic to NJO. He is a member of a long lived alien species.

[Nathan Butler]

Oops, duh. No Way Out and To Overcome also, along with Harbin's forthcoming Kids.

So that's 13 tales.

And, technically, if RON and ASD fit with the official continuity, they'd be in there too.

There just aren't active ties to those yet, nor really for Resurrection. They just are continuity tied.

[Steve Mollmann]

Hmm... the "Betrayed Federation" characters could be a bit difficult to work into any crossover, on account of their taking place in 885 B.B.Y., when most other stuff is somewhat closer to the movies.

Maybe Ste-lom and Kennarigan could show up as blue ghosties? Or maybe in a Jedi Holocron? (Hey, that would actually be pretty cool.)

[Nathan Butler]

Just cuz I'm stoked from the Oscars, I guess I'll explain HOW it all fits:

The short version is that Plitar Shuun i(2S) s originally from Vargas Nor (The Mob), Harriman Braunt (2S) is the cousin of Darran Boggs (Addiction), Kal S'Darcis (2S) has his origin story told (Responsibility), Kristara and Jaren (2S) meet while on a mission to Vorash (Dreamscape), Shista Ti'lana's (2S) father Jor (Dreamscape) was once partnered with Prevoda Vatil (Doubts Cast & No Way Out), and the events of Responsibility play a big role in the survival of Lanas Zlauter's (2S) species.

Among other ties.

As for Nothing Changes, all I'll say for now is that it takes place on Ord Bendis and Ragesh in the Ferr'sol system, while Dehrahn is the moff. As for any other ties to 2S, you'll have to wait and see.

We haven't yet figured out how To Overcome will tie in, but we'll figure that out when we do the sourcebook info for it for the second sourcebook. And we're thinking that Jaren Valkan's mentor, Markus Zimair, will have also trained the main character of Kids.

As for Resurrection, it's an in-continuity story adaptation, as is ASD, and ASD is meant to tie into RON as well, so I guess you can wrap it all up.

As for Gold Squadron, Wil and I are already planning some guest spots for some 2S alumni later.

You can also toss in Parallels and Matted, as both of those fit into my continuity as well, and Michael Haspil is reprising his Matted Kirtan Loor role in Gold Squadron.

Frankly, I think any of the current audio dramas can probably fit into one continuity, except maybe Smuggler's Run, which we haven't heard yet.

[LawgSkrak]

I'm trying to get Lawg into Gold Squadron as well. Haven't heard anything yet though.

[Nathan Butler]

I'd imagine it'll be quite a while until Lawg would fit into the storyline that Wil's crafting. It'll be several eps down the road before even former New Republic personnel would fit, like Jaren and Kristara.

[Eric Busby]

Back in the days before comics cost five buck for a single issue. I use to love collecting them. One of the things I use to love was a massive story arc. Like in the X-Men they would have one story that touched all of the X-comics and tell one massive. Like The Age of Apocalypse, The Mutant Massacre and so on.

DC use to do thing like this too with Crisis on Infinity Earth where all the characters in the DC realm would come together.

That's something along the lines I was thinking here. A massive event that touches many people and could be told in many tales.

One idea I had for an ongoing audio series was about The Imperial Remnant being given something they could use to wipe out the New Republic and become the dominate force of the galaxy once more. But the major question would be should they do this. Or maintain the peace that take several years to achieve?

One concept could be about a branch in the IR that takes this opportunity to try and regain their former might and how it effects many of the character in fan works. But its nothing written in stone.

[Nathan Butler]

The problem there is that most of the current fan audio characters would be dead or out of the picture by then, really.

The main characters of 2S would be gone by the time you were talking about, including the newly-retired S'Darcis.

All the main characters of Anthologies I - V and VII would be gone by then, as would, I'm betting, those from VIII.

All the characters from Ressurection would be gone by then.

All the characters from RON and ASD would likely be gone by then.

The problem lies in that the current stories are multi-era. There isn't one set period. The closet time period to being able to take in several characters would likely be the Clone Wars era, and that would leave out Second Strike, Resurrection, and Betrayed Federation entirely as well.

[Jans_Walker]

Originally posted by Nathan Butler@Mar 1 2004, 12:18 AM
We haven't yet figured out how To Overcome will tie in, but we'll figure that out when we do the sourcebook info for it for the second sourcebook. And we're thinking that Jaren Valkan's mentor, Markus Zimair, will have also trained the main character of Kids.
I think the only way the events in To Overcome will actually be named is to name the planet that that battle took place on (and have fun with that, it doesn't matter to me where). The rest of it is rather personalized. An unnamed stormtrooper took part in the battle of blah blah where he died, etc.

And of course, you don't have to specifically tie in a character or event from a previous audio drama for it to fit into the audio continuity (the AC, I like that. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif) If it stands alone, and fits in with the official continuity, it should fit into the AC by default. So Rise of Nobility would fit.

If you want to make an audio drama about the Imperial Remnant once encroaching on the NR, be my guest. If you want to make it fit in with the OC (no, not that dreaded teenage angst-opera on the WB), then make sure AD Pellaeon isn't the antagonist, because he's not the type of person to turn his back on his word, IIRC. :X

Try and decipher that! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[Eric Busby]

Could set something that takes place outside of the normal flow of time and space.

Say in the core of some kind of temporal anomaly where the normal laws of time and space would not apply.

I do have one idea about something set in the unexplored regions, a realm where ships do not go. A kind of Bermuda triangle in space. This is where the threat could come from that would effect everyone in a different point in time and space. Each fighting against the same foe but in a different era.

Until they have to go into the anomaly themselves where they would run into one another from the different eras due to the effect of the anomaly has on the flow of time.


Eric L. Busby
Production Head
Darker Projects Audio Works

www.darkerprojects.com

[Nathan Butler]

Ugh. I like the idea of a crossover of projects, but not a Trek-ish temporal anomaly storyline, please. I'd rather see something multi-generational that doesn't pull the old "temporal vortex happened to bring all our characters here" gimmick.

And, Chris, perhaps the stormie could've been one that was killed during the Fourth Battle of Ferri'sol that we hear in Second Strike. Ya think?

[Steve Mollmann]

Too be frank... a "temporal anomaly" is too Star Trek. It doesn't really feel Star Warsy. Ditto for a story "outside the timeline."

[Steve Mollmann]

Originally posted by Nathan Butler@Mar 1 2004, 09:00 PM
And, Chris, perhaps the stormie could've been one that was killed during the Fourth Battle of Ferri'sol that we hear in Second Strike. Ya think?
Don't I get a say in where I die?

Actually, I suppose I don't. That was probably part of the point of the story.

[Nathan Butler]

You get no say in anything. You're "not just a bad guy, you're a stupid bloody thick bad guy."

That, by the way, is the funniest outtake of all of Nothing Changes that I have heard. Right up there with Brian going on a Middle Eastern voice riff (the impetus for Jaliib in NC and Habib in Context before it was cancelled) during the recordings for Responsibility.

[Steve Mollmann]

Hey, don't make fun of... um... my guy... yeah... Good grief. I can't remember who I play or anything aside from the voice I used and that wonderful description of him. Does he even have a name or a job?

[Eric Busby]

Well the another concept I had is simple enough.

Four chapters that tell one story that take place in four different eras.

Starts way back with the Jedi who were in Betrayed Federation dealing with something that is not a Sith or a Jedi. But is very powerful in the Force. At the end they believe it destroyed only its not and it returns centuries later during the Clone Wars where it could have an interesting run in with Lawg Skrak.

Then turn up yet again to run into the Second Strike group.

Then end with my Imperial Remnant group.

No one would really meet up with one another. But they would all deal with the same threat at one point or another and the four story would more or less hook into one another and tell a larger tale.

Eric L. Busby
Production Head
Darker Projects Audio Works

www.darkerprojects.com

[LawgSkrak]

HEy now that sounds like a good idea. (And Skrak could be in all the parts except the Betrayed Federation part style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif Cool get to writing!

Seriously though, that would be fun to do. Eric if you actually have an idea, you should get started. I will gladly reprise the part of Lawg, although as usual when somebody else write him, I would need to make sure everything gels with the LS timeline.

Sounds like fun.

[Nathan Butler]

I don't know. I'm still iffy on the idea and how to fit everything together.

For my part, if a story were going to utilize characters and worlds I've created for 2S, Anthology, NC, or the sourcebook, I'd want to be certain that they are able to gel with what's already there. I'd have to be sure about characterizations, situations, and so forth.

Not to mention that we'd have to have the same actors returning, most likely, and that gets us into tough areas. For instance, Dehrahn can't return, even in pre-2S periods, because Clay is likely unavailable.

I guess I'm far more open to the various REA characters being used in cameos, to show a convergence of storylines, rather than having the characters themselves reappear. But then, that's what's already being done to a degree. Sean used Prevoda Vatil in No Way Out before I decided to have NWO be considered part of the overall REA storyline, and Jaren and Kristara (maybe others, maybe more) will likely appear in cameos in Gold Squadron (granted, the Valkans would be off active duty by then).

[LawgSkrak]

maybe I'm just having a brainfart, but what is REA? style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[Eric Busby]

Oh well. It was just a though.

[Nathan Butler]

REA = Rayzur's Edge Audio

The banner under which 2S and Anthologies I - V were created under, as is, technically CR. NC and Anthologies VI - VII are technically under both REA and Ear Candy, as they are part of an REA series or project, but mixed by Steve under the EC banner. Since I'm only including team images for mixing teams on the Fanworks pages, though, you'll see only EC on the pages for projects Steve mixed.

[Steve Mollmann]

I kinda like Eric's idea, though it would need some extra refinement and specifics before I'd allow someone else to utilize my characters (if, indeed, the idea is that Eric write the whole thing-- this was kinda unclear to me).

Anyway, an idea I've been thinking would be neat would for Nathan's PT-era Jedi (i.e., Prevoda Vatil, Jor Ti'lana, Kai Ta'ralyn, and Dira Ritah) to go on some sort of mission that would require the use of a Holocron featuring the memories of Ste-lom and Kennarigan. I love the idea of those two trying to one-up each other in the historical record.

[Nathan Butler]

That'd almost have to be pre-TPM if that were the case, at least 34 BSW4, if not earlier.

In 34 BSW4, Vatil is a year away from promotion from Knight to Master, Jor is Master, and the two of them are one year away (post-promotion) to being teamed up for missions. At that point, Kai would be about 34 and Dira would be 30, and acting as his partner (both as Knights). However, it can't take place after that point (or at least can't and still use Dira) because that's the year Dira is killed by Maul and Kai has memories implanted by Sidious to make him think he was the cause of her death.

Clone Wars era would be doable if early-on, because Jor and Vatil are still together at that point, but about to be separated when Jor is killed just before Doubts Cast. At that point, Kai would be a Dark Jedi working under Sora Bulq for Darth Tyranus.

::shrug::

Now don't you wish the sourcebook was done? Heh.

[Jans_Walker]

This is why I like the motto, "If the shoe fits." style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

Go ahead and write up a treatment (no dialogue, but a script of actions that happen along the way. Always written in present tense) and give it to Nathan to approve if you're going to use his characters.

And Steve, if Nathan consents, I think you could have a say on what planet, but the era has to be between ANH and Jedi because we have Sate Pestage drafting people to fight the Rebellion.

Chris

[Steve Mollmann]

Well, if I were to do it, it'd have to be a while; I'm still working on scripting "The Universe Key." I'll keep thinking about it, though.

And honestly: I got nothing on where "You" died. Go and kill me off wherever you wish.

[Eric Busby]

I'd see this more as a group effort.
There is no way I could write the whole thing,

Eric L. Busby
Production Head
Darker Projects Audio Works

www.darkerprojects.com

[JaggedFel]

Kind of reminds me of that one Green Lantern hardcover I read a little while back, Fear Itself. In it, Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, and Kyle Raner all had to fight the same threat, however each fight was about 20 years apart. Could we collectivly come up with some sort of reocurring threat to the Star Wars galaxy? Sounds possible, but it would have to be extraodinary well done. I'd gladly lend my pilots if we could come up with an idea. Something that arose during the Sith War, perhaps, and reoccured shortly before the Clone Wars, and again shortly after the Rebellion? Each creator could tackle it on their own, working off of an outline, but handle the part of the plot which has their own characters. I don't know. It sounds like a hell of a thing to try and pull off, but, well, I'm interested.

[Danath Vel'triarr]

A wayward group of Vong maybe?

[Eric Busby]

Okay here is something I was thinking about. And believe me I do not know how feasible it is.

There is this maelstrom of in space. It is very strong with the dark side of the Force (Sort of like that tree on Dagobah) From this maelstrom come these creature. Pasty gray skin with dark ebony eyes. They are not Jedi. They are not Sith. But they are powerful in the dark force.

They do not use light, but are very deadly.

They swarm out into known territories in various points in Star Wars history's. Causing all sorts of chaos.

The stories would all be basically be about fighting back against them. However at the end of each story I felt they could end with they hero's from each historical zone having to go into the maelstrom itself to face whatever sent these creatures out in the first place.

Then there would be one last story where everyone meets up face to face. For there is a being at the core of the maelstrom itself and his control over the dark side of the force effects everything with the maelstrom. The laws of time and space do not apply here.

Basically everyone has to gang up to stop the big bad. Then go back to their own points in history.

Like I said it my idea. But I do not know its feasibility.

Eric L. Busby
Production Head
Darker Projects Audio Works

www.darkerprojects.com

[Nathan Butler]

Sounds a lot like the 4-book Star Trek: Invasion storyline that Pocket Books put out around the end of TNG's television run.

See, what gets me about any crossover thing is the time issue. I really, really dislike any notion of merging times, travelling in time, or similar temporal cheats in telling a crossover story. Star Wars does not play fast and loose with time. Time has been dealt with *twice* in the many hundreds of SW stories out there, and even then, one made zero sense (Hegg's Tale in Tales from Mos Eisley) and the other was a matter of circular flow or "future person travels to past to create part of what was already future person's established past" type of "destiny" story in Star Wars Tales. That's it.

There are certain plot devices that just scream "this isn't Star Wars" to me. Star Wars seems to work like Babylon 5 in that there are rules and some cheats that aren't used. In B5 for instance, there are three time travel episodes, Babyln Squared, and War Without End Parts 1 and 2, all of which form one coherent story arc that is the basis for dozens of other plot points, all of which, again, goes back to destiny and purpose, rather than just random events to bring generations together.

I don't see any kind of "everyone fights side by side after somehow finding themselves in the same no-time-exists place" or "everyone gets pulled into the same time frame" story being something I'd want to involve my characters in. I strive to be sure that every story that any of my characters appear in are stories that can seamlessly mesh with the Official Continuity and add, rather than alter or detract, in a listener or reader's experience with the saga.

Besides which, even if that sort of device worked, you'd still end up having to tell several stories just to tell the one, and somehow force characters from each era to happen to go to the right place, and for the threat to just happen to be something so monumental, so galaxy-spanning, so dangerous to life as we know it . . . that it just happens to never be mentioned ever again by the inhabitants of the galaxy far, far away, because, well, Official writers don't reference fan fiction works.

Y'see what I'm saying? It might work great for Star Trek, and, indeed, it did for TNG: All Good Things, DS9: Trials and Tribble-ations, and so forth, but it's not Star Wars, and it's a very forced plot device. If we are trying to throw everyone together for the sake of being together, we might as well have one of the time periods invent Project Quantum Leap or Quinn Mallory's Sliders timer. Maybe toss in some slingshots around a star for good measure.

Would I support a collaborative work like the one described? Sure. I'll support just about anything in fan audio. But would that support include characters from Second Strike, Nothing Changes, or Anthology? No, at least not any characters that I created for those.

Then again, I'm not particularly keen on trying to twist characters and situations into crossovers anyway, as I usually feel that series crossovers like Age of Apocalypse are rarely worthwhile for anything more than a gimmick (AoA being one of the very few exceptions).

[Keiran_Horn]

Damn, what I wouldn't give to shove my Matted characters into a Sliders audio drama. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/scratchchin.gif

[Nathan Butler]

::makes note to excise Fel Ker'tya and Taun from REA continuity::

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devil.gif

[Eric Busby]

To be frank (Although I awlways wanted to be bob) I do not know where I would have found the time to put something like this together. Like I said. Its just a thought.

[Keiran_Horn]

Oh no Nathan, try that and I might use Fel's Mystical Time PowersTM to kill Jaren when he was a baby. That would be...interesting. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devil.gif

[Nathan Butler]

:: changes Jaren's backstory to include a superpowerful bodyguard as a baby ::

[Danath Vel'triarr]

A Jedi with long, spikey gold hair? *shiver*

heh just kidding style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[Keiran_Horn]

Good holy lord God all-mighty of all that is good and sacred!!

Don't even joke about a thing like that, I'm shuddering from the thought. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/banghead.gif