Bored writer looking for a project to work on

Greetings!

I have lots of spare time, and I want to use it productively. Creative writing has been one of my main passions since early childhood, as have been video games, but I've never really had much time to put the two together - but I would like to, and I feel absolutely confident that it's something I can do. Nevertheless, I should admit that, if anyone does recruit me, it will be a learning process for me because I'm mainly used to writing short stories and mad ramblings intended only for myself - but this means I will be very attentive to feedback and will welcome fair criticism.

My preferred genres are fantasy (of the usual medieval/early modern-inspired variety), science fiction and historical (especially medieval); I'm not too interested in modern settings, unless there's something very strange going on. I particularly enjoy narratives that contain some meaning or philosophical nuance, rather than those which are told purely for amusement.

I'm not sure I have any writing samples that are ideally suited for video games, but in any case I have compiled some samples of my writings so that you can get an idea of the sort of stuff I come up with:

A short sample of philosophical ramblings (Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, New Beginnings)

(A selection of thoughts from a great-great-great-grandchild of ours):

...It's a kind of death either way, inflicted upon oneself to end the terrible grief that comes from the loss of one's homeworld. It is merely a choice between the Oblivion that is death, and the Void between the stars, where one can dwell forever unwearying. For our ancestors Oblivion was the only choice, and it must have seemed to be greatest mystery imaginable. Only the last few generations prior to the Ruination could begin to conceive a greater mystery, and only to us has that greater mystery become an alternative fate. The Void is surely greater than Oblivion, for it is not a final destination but a road without end, possessing limitless wonders. Limitless wonders, but also limitless terrors. Perhaps it is not so surprising that some do choose death, a final end to their memory of the Ruination, instead of seeking solace in wonder and terror...

A couple of samples taken from a 'history textbook' (epic, semi-realistic fantasy setting)

Battle of the Belching Earth (1166): After taking the county of Erkolan from Duke Nirgal, the Pantocratic armies in that region were set back by a peasant rebellion. In the summer of 1166 the region around the Great Hearth Mountain began to shake, and the local residents made preparations to leave, recalling stories of how the mountain had erupted many generations before. However the Pantocratic army set up patrols around the region, preventing anyone from leaving the area as punishment for their rebellion. When black clouds rose and plumes of fire spat forth from the mountain’s summit, the people of Erkolan gathered together to try to break through the Pantocratic patrols. Those who fought were slain mercilessly, and those who retreated were forced to enter the dangerous region around the volcano. A more violent eruption occurred, killing everyone within miles of the mountain, whilst the Pantocratic army retreated swiftly to a safe distance and suffered minimal casualties.

The event was perceived by many as a sign of divine favour for the Pantocrator, destroying the morale of many of Nirgal’s supporters; it was also said by some that the Pantocrator himself had ordered the mountain to erupt. In any case, Queen Vainavi was disgusted by the Pantocratic army’s lack of mercy, and she ended her alliance with the Pantocracy in order to set up her own resistance against both Nirgal and the Pantocracy. Thus began her rise as a truly independent power, for the masses of the land noted her grief for the burnt populace of Erkolan and came to support her against Nirgal, the Pantocracy and all others.

Vinnik’s Last Stand (1175): Since the Battle of the Changing Wind, Quin Vinnik’s strategic prowess had given Queen Vainavi the advantage against Duke Nirgal and Prince Leonid. But that was all to change in the winter of 1174, when Vinnik invoked the wrath of Leonid’s lieutenant, Husam, by executing his brother, Vilho. In the following spring, Husam seized command of his liege’s forces and relentlessly pursued Vainavi’s army. As spring came to an end the heat of summer took its toll, and Vinnik opted to destroy the pursuers. He vacated to the Palace of Summer’s Wane in the city of Claeftor and ordered the rest of the army to evacuate the city’s residents and escort Vainavi away from the pursuers. When Husam arrived he charged straight towards the palace, whereupon Vinnik detonated an array of explosives around the city, killing Husam and hundreds of enemy soldiers, but also killing himself and obliterating any trace of his body.

Upon regaining control of his army Leonid opted to continue the pursuit. He followed Vainavi’s army to the mountain passes known as the Three Gates. Knowing that Vainavi split her force into three to pass through each Gate, Leonid hoped to attack at her weakest spot, i.e. wherever Vinnik (still presumed to be alive) was not present. He sent scouts forth into each of the Gates, and they reported seeing Vinnik both in the left and right gates. Bewildered, Leonid pursued through the middle gate, only to see for himself Vinnik sitting alone in the distance. Fearing an ambush or witchcraft, Leonid pulled back, ending his pursuit.

Nobody knows how Vinnik pulled off this last, posthumous stratagem. Some claim that he was indeed a sorceror who had actually survived the Summer's Wane Explosion and went on to be in three places at once; others say he had not planned for the encounters at the Gates but that he had improvised that strategy beyond the grave. It is more generally accepted, however, that everything from the explosion to the encounters at the Gates was premeditated, and that he had ordered three look-alikes to impersonate him after his death. If this is the case, then his immense wisdom is further proved by his choice of impersonators, for nobody in the years to come admitted to having played any role in the illusion.

A fairly long sample of dialogue (dark-but-whimsical fairy-tale adventure)

A silent night hangs over Castle Espero. There is no moon nor stars nor lamps, nor any kind of light shining in the dark, except for a solitary candle in Princess Elena's chamber. ELENA, a adolescent but grimly mature princess of Espero, is standing still, staring at the candle, intent on doing so until dawn. She is dressed in black. The door knocks with a distinct rhythm - du-de-du-du, de-du. Elena is startled, but, recognising the rhythm, quickly calms herself.

ELENA: Come in, Wendy.

WENDY, Petra's younger sister, enters. She, too, is wearing black.

ELENA: What are you doing up so late?

WENDY: I couldn't sleep.

ELENA: Neither can I.

WENDY: I didn't think you would.

They pause. Wendy stands beside Elena. They stare at the candle together.

ELENA: What are we going to do, Wendy?

WENDY: I don't know. Everybody's saying you're going to be queen.

ELENA: It's true. You and I are the only direct heirs left.

WENDY: That's not true. There's still Ferdi'...

ELENA: He's been gone three years, Wendy. Nobody's seen him or heard from him in all that time. He's never coming back.

WENDY: You don't know that! Nobody's found him, nobody knows what he's doing. Maybe he got lost and he's on his way home now. Maybe he's being held captive and needs rescuing...

ELENA: Maybe he's dead. Just like everyone else. They're all dead now, except you and me.

WENDY: You don't know that!

ELENA: No...no, I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. But I need to live as though I do know. I can't go on without knowing. All this uncertainty is just too much.

WENDY: I think you just want to be queen.

Wendy turns round and sits on Elena's bed, facing away from her.

ELENA: No. Actually, I don't. And Ferdinand didn't want to be king, either. That's why he left, and that's why he's now probably dead. Now the burden that was supposed to be his is now mine.

Elena goes to join Wendy on the bed.

ELENA: I don't intend to follow his example and pass the burden on to you.

WENDY: Don't speak ill of him.

ELENA: I'm not. He wasn't raised to be king, just as I wasn't raised to be queen. And in some ways being king is a far greater responsibility than being queen.

WENDY: How?

ELENA: Wendy, you know very well the law of our land. Only men may rule in their own right. A female heir must marry and share the monarchy with her husband.

WENDY: How is that fair?

ELENA: Between you and me...it isn't. But it's the way it's been for generations. It is the law of the land.

WENDY: Screw the law!

ELENA: Wendy!

WENDY: No! Listen, if you're going to be queen, you should change that law right away.

ELENA: Oh Wendy, as if it were that easy...besides, I've already told you I don't want to rule. It just isn't in my nature to...control people.

WENDY: But you should want what's fair. But anyway...what's this about marriage?

ELENA: I must marry before I can ascend the throne.

WENDY: Then don't marry. Nobody gets to be king or queen, nobody gets to tell anyone what to do. Everyone's happy.

ELENA: It doesn't work like that. We are in a succession crisis, Wendy! Two male heirs have died and one's disappeared, and now mother and father are dead. If I don't take on this responsibility, there could be war.

Wendy jumps off the bed.

WENDY: So what are you planning to do, exactly?

ELENA: Well, seeing as you're asking...the barons have proposed that I marry Duke Gier of Harrow.

WENDY: Duke Gier?! Are you crazy?

ELENA: He's very wealthy...

WENDY: Yes, greedy and nasty! And you're gonna marry him? And then he'll be...king?!

ELENA: It's for the best. I must comply with the barons...

WENDY: They're only supporting Gier out of fear! You should be uniting them against him!

ELENA: You don't know what you're saying.

WENDY: I know exactly what I'm saying! And I know Ferdi' would agree with me. So...so I'm gonna find him, wherever he is, and bring him back home.

ELENA: He's the one who put us in this mess by running away.

WENDY: All the more reason for him to get us out of it. And then he'll be king, and you know what? I think he will abolish that stupid law, so that this sort of thing never happens again.

ELENA: You'll never find him, Wendy. You won't even get out of the city.

WENDY: You would say that. You stay here and let the villains use you. I, meanwhile, am going to find a hero, who will have the guts to stand up to them.

ELENA: You think Ferdinand will stand up to anyone? He ran away! Wendy, wait...

Wendy runs out of the room, slamming the door shut.

ELENA: (quietly) The only hero around here is you, Wendy...

Some samples of miscellaneous lore (mythic fantasy setting)

First Era of Man: The nine millennia between Kun’s Bleeding and the Exile of the Celeni, during which humankind co-existed with the Celeni. The first generation of Man was born when Pai led the Celeni against Kun, their tyrannical father. When he was defeated, they scattered his body across half the sky, forming the Kunari, the stars, and tainting that half of the sky so that Tenar would not touch it. But his blood and flesh dripped down to the fertile Earth, whereupon Vaienith, the Father Tree, and Maienith, the Mother Tree, grew entwined.

Their beauty was so great that the Celeni decided to nurture them, though the two trees had grown from their enemy's blood, and each of the Celeni planted a seed from his or her own body within the trees. Thus eight new beings were conceived: Paivien, Pai’s daughter, alongside Vontuvea, Tuvea’s son; Rehorvien, Rehor’s daughter, alongside Vonarbea, Arbea’s son; Kaotvien, Kaot’s daughter, alongside Hegvon, Hegderth’s son; and Ekorvien, Ekor’s daughter, alongside Maiyenvon, Maiyen’s son. Each individual emerged with the traits of his or her parent Celen, and each pair emerged as lovers, mirroring the relationships of their parents. But from their love came new children, and thus the human race grew and spread across Yean.

During this period the Celeni nurtured humankind, teaching them how to care for Yean, to worship Tenar and to fear Nargelar. But, over time, the Celeni gained an inflated sense of superiority from their relationship with humanity, and repeated the crimes of their father. Only Rehor relented, and appealed to Tenar on humanity’s behalf to free them from Celeni tyranny, but also to have mercy on them. Tenar gave a lease of power to humanity, allowing them to defeat the Celeni in battle. The Celeni repented, and left Yean in the care of humanity, banishing themselves to Nargelar, where they could protect humanity against the malicious remnants of Kun. Rehor and Arbea each stayed close to Yean, and Rehor alone among the Celeni made Tenar his permanent abode. The departure of the Celeni marks the end of the First Era.

Arogulin Scripture:

The Celeniruvieni: The ‘tribute of the Celeni’, the books written by the Celeni themselves at the end of the First Era, given as consolation for their tyranny. They formed the basis for Arogulin religion in the Second Era, while their rediscovery during the Third Era prompted the rebirth of the old Arogulin religion as the state religion of the new kingdom. There are three main orders in which they are usually presented, when compiled together: the first is to present them as they were first given to humanity, which is called Kesenruwin; the second, is to present the books containing chronicles first, approximately in chronological order, followed by the other texts, which is called Ziemaruneruwin; the third is to take each section dealing with the history of the cosmos and place them in chronological order, followed by the other texts, usually in the same order as Ziemaruneruwin, which is known as Bizruneruwin. There are eight books in total, one for each of the Celeni, listed here in the order of Kesenruwin:

The Singta’arb: The ‘Book of Light’, the first book, written by Rehor prior to the defeat of Pai to help humanity oppose the other seven Celeni. The first half, Dizena’arbulka (‘On Light and Fire’), consists of a discussion on light, on its nature and what it symbolizes, and includes an explanation on how to create fire and its many uses. The second half, Dizenamava (‘On Worship’), consists of a discussion on the nature of Tenar, why Tenar should be worshipped, and how Tenar should be worshipped.

The Singtapai'ati: The ‘Book of Laws’ written by Pai and dedicated to Owanok, the man who defeated him, commanding humanity to obey Owanok as their paiatar as long as he lives. It consists of a set of laws modelled on those of the Celeni, before the coming of Kun.

The Semastaceleni: The ‘History of the Celeni’ written by Arbea, it tells the history of the Celeni from their first memory to the coming of Kun.

The Kunircar: The ‘War of Kun’ written by Kaot, telling the story of the Celeni war against Kun.

The Singtahai’ni: The ‘Book of Seasons’ written by Tuvea, in two halves. The first half, Dizenayean (‘On the World’), details the natural cycles of Yean, the second half, Dizena’owan (‘On Humanity’), deals with the life cycles of people and communities. Each half contains guidance for the ordering of society around these natural cycles.

The Singtasuori: The ‘Book of Origins’ written by Maiyen, in three parts. The first part, Dizenasuortawuod (‘On the Origin of Everything’), discusses the creation of the universe and of Tenar, the second, Dizenaceleni (‘On the Celeni’), the creation of the Celeni, the third, Dizenakunronena (‘On the Bleeding of Kun’), the creation of Yean and humanity from the Bleeding of Kun.

The Singtahern: The ‘Book of Death’ written by Hegderth, in three parts. The first, Dizena’enesi (‘On Souls’), reveals the immortality of human souls and the cycle of reincarnation, the second, Dizenatumahaeren (‘On the Walking Dead’), tells of the dangers of the untended dead, and the third, Dizenadertha (‘On Mourning’) provides guidance on properly dealing with the deceased.

The Calirlag: The ‘Joyful Word’, i.e. ‘Good News’ written by Ekor, a relatively miscellaneous text, which commends Yean to humanity’s stewardship, promises the support of the Celeni in any crisis, and ends by reassuring humanity that the cycle of reincarnation can be broken, though it neglects to mention how.

Titles according to the Ziemaruneruwin: Singtasuori, Semastaceleni, Kunicar, Singtahai’ni, Singta’arb, Singtapai’ati (Sometimes the Singtapai’ati comes before the Singta’arb), Singtahern, Calirlag

Titles according to the Bizruneruwin: Dizenasuortawuod, Dizenaceleni, Semastaceleni, Kunircar, Dizenakunronena, Singtahai’ni, Singta’arb, Singtapai’ati (Sometimes the Singtapai’ati comes before the Singta’arb), Singtahern, Calirlag