Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) General The Beyond Divinity Novella

Rhianna Pratchett has written a 50 something page small novella that will be available for pre-orders and a special bundle retail pack (what else will be in there?)
For all the dirty details hit this link

Yes, I've read it.

Anyway, I'm always fond of good stories, so I'm looking forward to it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

This is sorta neat. The only game I have bought that had a novella included in it was one called "Knight Orc" for the Mac and Amiga, made by some European company a long long time ago. The game was text based, but the novella was pretty damn funny. Having a little story to read makes em pretty happy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> More games should have novellas with them I think. Is this Pratchett Terry Pratchett's wife then?

Rhianna Pratchett is Terry Pratchett's Daughter.

Stonekeep had a wonderful story, I still love it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

it's not a keychain, but it'll do! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

So this story will have characters,
and places we've been to,
in the game so to speak! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />

is this true? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> that's <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

i read once a short story that was included in the game "dungeon keeper"
it was a very nice story about a ye-old-knight-who-once-slayed-evil-for luch,
but he was in his 40-ties,full of greed and corruption.
so he took one more quest to enter a dungeon full of gold.
the funny part is after you read the story,and start up the game you see the intro movie of the game,
and you knew that it was that knight from the story! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

I find it kind of sad that these small novels fanish into the void after the publishing of the games ... the first Broken Sword game had one, too.

And as the article states Beyond Divinity is available from April 8th 2003 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Is Rhianna in the 20-28 year old range???? :P

I can probaly guess your next question.
Nope, I don't have her picture nor her email :P

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> Death knows all <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" />

and it's a small p not a big P ...see <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

A link to a piccie of Rhianna a few years ago with her Dad is here

She worked on PCzone magazine for a while, so have more piccies if you like.

The daughter of the guy who wrote the Discworld novels is writing a 50 page novella for Beyond Divinity? Nice... I hope she's as funny as her father.

She looks a lot like "Betty" from big brother (Belgium) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

what if you live in the states, but you get a copy of the game that doesn't have hte book. er, is there a copy without the book? then can you still get the book? thinking of IF (which will not happen, others are better then me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> ) i win. or if I get a copy without it.

I doubt it. (I guess now I know where I'll be buying <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" />...)

Er, she looks about as far as you can get from Betty from Big Brother! Are you thinking of the right person? lol

Her writing style is different from her fathers, don't expect all comedy, she's a different writer remember, not a Terry clone!

Yes, that's true. Every single person has his or her individual style <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> .

*Phew* Finally made it in at last. Have been reading the forums for a while but technical problems have stopped me from posting, but now with a reformated hard drive, a new copy of XP everything is fresh and lovely again.

Firstly....congratulations on finding *the* most unflattering picture of me available on the web. You can imagine how happy I was to see that posted on a forum, cheers!

For the record since some of you think it's appropriate to comment on the way I look (and for a writer, it's not something you think people would ever be interested in) that pic is about 3 or 4 years old and the man I'm pictured with is not my dad it's Bernard Pearson, who makes a lot of Discworld merchandise. Here...
MultiplayUK
for those interested in such things is an interview that Multiplay UK did with me a little while ago, which contains a couple of pics. One a stylised Zone shot and another looking very pale and playing Counter-Strike at one of the Insomnia LANs. There's also lots of stuff about my gaming past in there.

Annnnyyyyyway! I hope you guys like the novella and the dialogues they were a lot of fun to write.

Rhianna

I like this picture better. Anyway welcome to the forum <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />. Hope you stay a while. Theire lots of instpiration around here. If you ever need inspiration for a character that is nuts you'll find them here. (Not me I am perfectly sane (at least that what the docters tell me (Damm docters. One day Morbo will rule them all MUHAHAHAHA)))


and welcome again to the forum <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Thank you, I have posted before.... quite a while back but I can't remember why. That shot isn't exactly very natural (since I had a bright light shining in my face at the time)but it's a nice one and in-keeping with the style of the mag at the time before they moved into black and white pics of the staff.

Idd it was in this thread. How could I have forgotten (I blame the docters and theire pills <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />).

So Rhianna, how exactly is it that you got involved in Beyond Divinity?

Also, any hints on what the novella is about? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

yes please, do tell......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif" alt="" />

i like that pic too! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Leather_Raven (aka Rhianna), welcome to the forum. It real nice to see you here. It really makes this forum the best with more and more of the people involed with Larian Studios in the forum. Can't wait to read your Novella.

Welcome. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I don't know whether you have already got used to our particular Forum-Humour here, but I think it's still ... at least rare. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

sometimes medium-rare will do! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />



and welcome from me 2! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to the larian forums <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I can imagine it can be hard to be constantly marketed as 'daughter of the discworld guy' :P His books did made me start reading novels again though.

How did you get in contact with Larian for the writing job? I've seen some articles at the CVG site, small step from gaming journalism to game dev job aparently.
/me glances at el shrimpo...

Well...it happened a little like this...

I really liked the original DivDiv and supported it a lot in the press, I think Zone's score was the highest for a mag in the UK. A year later, just after I left to go full time freelance, I got a call from Leo (Digital Jesters) and Swen asking if I'd be interested in editing what was then Riftrunner, as they'd used a UK journalist previously to edit the DivDiv dialogues but he wasn't available this time. And the rest, as they say, is history. The novella was originally going to be about 10,000 words but it was increased to 21.5k because Larian wanted to give players something a little bit extra and different with the game. It's the longest piece of fiction I've ever written, which mildly worried Swen for a while, but I think he's happy with the way it has turned out <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It basically focuses on the storyline between the end of DivDiv and the start of BeyondDiv.

Thanks for your welcome.

Rhi

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> i just found it funny that i mention "medium-rare"....
and the next reply is from beef! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

wow. we ketch all sorts of fish in our nets here. fish, trolls, authors. wow!!!


glad you could make it and welcome! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />


so what exactly is it about? the skill of rifterrunninger??? riftrunner.


Is it humours? Or do I just have to wait... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

I like it bien-cuit.

btw, for those interested in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />D: fiction, check your :dd: game directory, the game comes with a pdf with a nice background story. I think it was about the battle between the lord of destruction and humans.

If a lot of players find the novella great, it could be the start of a new carrier <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> How's that for genetics, start out as journalist and switch to auther <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Yes, that's true : <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> Has its own small background story.

Apart from that - don't forget me ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

I was so embarassed as I found out they had really included my texts into the game ... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

your texts?

*edit*
this one?

No. Not my style. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" />

lol. more like the "words of wind" I think, not exactly. the guy in front of the magic shop in merchants area.

and the book, i got it in Otto's house. heh.

wow! ms rhianna in the forum! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> oh boy, do we attract really great people to the forum. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> welcome to the forum, lady pratchett. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

ok, in the spirit of the forum, i should say welcome to leather_raven! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif" alt="" />

See, this forum is good, both the devs and the writers post here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

the only ones who are missing are the publishers <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

bring on the publishers down with the clowns <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

Concerning my writings, my ego is bigger than my body. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> My body height is 1.65 Metres. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Hehe,
is this picture somewhat what you mean? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Awwwwww...... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> isn't she a dreamer? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Who is "she" ?

the <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

Isn't the lion a male (unless the cat has some issues) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />

They are both cute <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

cats are so sweet !!

Very cute pic Beany. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, welcome to the forum Rhianna. (steps back for a little hero-worship)
I hope your writing will be as good as your father's. I enjoyed every single one of his books immensely.

If they belong to some else

Interesting idea : What is actually "more" "real" : The one side of the mirror or the other side ? What does the lion think when he sees the cat ? What does the cat see when she sees the Lion ? Two different worlds ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

What matters most is how you see yourself. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

I'd lavish praise too, but its probably just awkward for everyone. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> this way its just me.


nice picture. morbo, the cat could be a boy too, we haven't seen the, er.SOOOO...


whens the game coming out???


*best way to change topic* <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Thank you again for all the welcomes

Well dad has a good 25+ years of fantasy writing on me and as I mentioned early this is my first work of fiction, aside from my tax return form (only joking Mr. Taxman) so don’t build up your expectations too much! It was fun to write and my friends liked it…but since they are my friends they could have well been lying…after all what are friends for, eh? I have a similar sense of humour as my father, which I hope comes through in the story.

Rhi

Not only humans does riftrunning <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I hope so too. I look forward to reading it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Always alert about that `big brother´ might be watching you, hum? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />




Hey, so harsh in judging your friends? Could imagine they´ll now start wondering about what they really are for, indeed! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" />

Maybe they have just really been bewitched by your writing?
Perhaps that´s rather what friends are for? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />
(= being easy targets <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin1.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> )


Ragon

Rhy: I wonder if you played the demo. How did you like the voiceacting?

Who is "Rhy" ? Rhyanna ?

I believe the correct pronunciation would be "Rhi" .... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />
somewhat like her sig says! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

What annoys me, is you still cannot get the novella without paying money for it (GOG for example)! This is irksome as the manual says things like "if you're lucky enough to have the novella" and "if you have the novella, that's my 2 year old on the front, and by the way, if you have the story make sure you read it"! How they could put this in the manual when by their very words they knew not all games would come with the novella, is beyond me (pun intended!)

And the fact it is now on pdf at GOG as an 'extra', why isn't it available for people that bought the original game at full price and supported Larian in the early days?!

Grrrrrrrr!!!

The BD novella is included in the D2:ED fansite kit (17.7MB).