Beginner's Guide?

Hello everybody,

I just found this universe a few days ago and I must say, I am absolutely thoroughly hooked. But, there seems to be so much content that I don't know where to start... I'm trying to read the wiki, and my spoiler alarm is constantly going off. I assumed the manga was the starting point, but it seems like it starts with many things already happened (eg, Anna's transformation).

So is there some kind of of official listing of what order to read things in before diving into the rest? Something like "Read the following items in order, and then go to the active authors thread and read whatever you want"?

Thanks!
PS: I can't believe no one claimed this username yet

the wiki
http://www.felarya.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page


Karbo the founders art
http://karbo.deviantart.com/gallery/#Felarya-manga

http://karbo.deviantart.com/gallery/#Voreness

Thanks for the reply, but as I said, the wiki seems spoiler-laden, and the manga seems like it happens after a lot of key events. I'd like to read things in chronological order if possible.... I guess Anna's transformation is a good example. I started reading her page on the wiki and immediately closed the window because I felt like I was getting spoiled. I don't want to read things in the wiki until I've read about them in their original form (unless the wiki *is* the original form?)

from what i know that comic was the frist advent posted

http://karbo.deviantart.com/gallery/#/djxuj5 hers the comic

I don't think the wiki has too many spoilers of the manga, really. I guess as long as you avoid manga-introduced characters like Lesona, Voidfingers, and Telekline, you're good.

dragonjaj wrote:

http://karbo.deviantart.com/gallery/#/djxuj5 hers the comic

That comic shows her being eaten, but doesn't have anything about her transformation... In fact, when I read that comic, I assumed the empty stomach indicated that she'd been digested, not that she'd escaped somehow. So the wiki is the only place that explains what happened to her?

AisuKaiko wrote:

I don't think the wiki has too many spoilers of the manga, really. I guess as long as you avoid manga-introduced characters like Lesona, Voidfingers, and Telekline, you're good.

I guess I'm undervaluing how much the wiki is involved in the storytelling here. To be honest, it's a little disappointing... I'd rather read a story than read an explanation. I was hoping there was some list of stories like "Any Felarya fan *has* to have read X, Y, and Z". Is there none?

Gulp wrote:

dragonjaj wrote:

http://karbo.deviantart.com/gallery/#/djxuj5 hers the comic

That comic shows her being eaten, but doesn't have anything about her transformation... In fact, when I read that comic, I assumed the empty stomach indicated that she'd been digested, not that she'd escaped somehow. So the wiki is the only place that explains what happened to her?

AisuKaiko wrote:

I don't think the wiki has too many spoilers of the manga, really. I guess as long as you avoid manga-introduced characters like Lesona, Voidfingers, and Telekline, you're good.

I guess I'm undervaluing how much the wiki is involved in the storytelling here. To be honest, it's a little disappointing... I'd rather read a story than read an explanation. I was hoping there was some list of stories like "Any Felarya fan *has* to have read X, Y, and Z". Is there none?

no lists, sorry. but making sense of the universe or even just the manga, is gonna be impossible without reading the wiki.

I'm pretty new to it all too, but I managed just fine... if you want advice from one newcomer to another, I think the best way to get emersed in Felarya is to start small. At first, I only knew about it from what I saw in pictures and stories. Later on I read the manga, which gave me a better idea of what it's like, even if only a little. One I got the general gist of it, I tried coming here, and since you've obviously done that already... the final advice I have for getting to know Felarya better is to talk to people here! People that have been here a while know a lot I've found, so there's tons of information you can get by just listening or engaging with others around here, especially if you're too lazy to read too much into it... sorta like me. I still don't know too much, but I know a lot more than I did a couple weeks ago. It's also good to come up with your own ideas, and see if they fit Felarya standards witht he other people here. The general gist:

1) Read
2) Converse
3) Recycle Experiment

Hope that helps at all, it helped me!

And I honestly don't know where to start either. I started with the manga personally, and moved aronud from there.

Gulp wrote:

dragonjaj wrote:

http://karbo.deviantart.com/gallery/#/djxuj5 hers the comic

That comic shows her being eaten, but doesn't have anything about her transformation... In fact, when I read that comic, I assumed the empty stomach indicated that she'd been digested, not that she'd escaped somehow. So the wiki is the only place that explains what happened to her?

AisuKaiko wrote:

I don't think the wiki has too many spoilers of the manga, really. I guess as long as you avoid manga-introduced characters like Lesona, Voidfingers, and Telekline, you're good.

I guess I'm undervaluing how much the wiki is involved in the storytelling here. To be honest, it's a little disappointing... I'd rather read a story than read an explanation. I was hoping there was some list of stories like "Any Felarya fan *has* to have read X, Y, and Z". Is there none?

Im not sure if there are any stories about her experiences just after the transformation. I imagine it involved a lot of stumbling around and cursing, and trying to strangle Crisis for a bit, and failing since she wouldn't know how to slither yet.

There really isn't a definate order or list to the stories, since there are so many.

The manga, it seems, picks up a couple months after Anna becomes a naga, since her inexperience at fighting is noted by the battlemages she comes into contact with. Its set soon enough afterwards to where she is still a bit clumsy and inexperienced, but late enough to where she's settled in somewhat to life in the jungle.

The wiki is actually fairly light on story spoilers. Its more of a storehouse for basic information on characters and locations, than anything. Its not constnatly updated with every little event that happens in a character's story.

Let's see...Wowandwas is a good author to start on. http://wowandwas.deviantart.com/ His series "The Jungle Bowl" is one of the old favorites of a lot of people. Nice characters, and it proves that you don't need a lot of vore to tell a good Felarya story. It can be about characters, and danger, and adventure.

Randomdude is one of the early Felarya writers, and I know his stories have inspired a lot of people in this community. Haven't actually read them myself yet, but I know loads of people really like his stuff. http://randomdude678.deviantart.com/

Tora044 is a bit newer, but he does good work. His stories revolve around a Sea Krait Naga that was taken offworld as an egg and was raised by humans. Nice series of stories so far. Another writer that prefers to focus more on characters and storytelling over fanservice. http://tora044.deviantart.com/

Aethernavale is a newer writer, and I haven't read his stories yet, but I have only heard good things about him. May be worth checking out. I know lots of people seem to enjoy his stuff. http://aethernavale.deviantart.com/

There's other good people that hang around the forum too. Feardraug, Cauldronborn, and others. Don't have their DA's on hand at the moment, but just check them out when they post. Most people have a link to their DA's under their sig.

This may be a bit shameless, but I shall mention myself too http://rcs619.deviantart.com/ "The Fairy and the Wasteland" is my most current Felarya story, and people seem to have liked it.

Basically, just take your time. It is a lot of info to take in. Just poke around the forum (we have a general Q&A thread), and poke around the wiki. Knowing the stories of various characters really isn't that vital at first. The best thing to do is just to try and get used to the "feel" of the world. Get a grip on how it works, since not all stories are 100% true to the canon. For that, I'd recommend reading the mangas. They probably give the clearest picture of what Felarya is really like. Then you can poke around at various places, and groups in the wiki, and work your way to the characters.

What makes Felarya interesting is its openness to interpretation. Some people ONLY come here for the fetish stuff, which is a shame...but completely within their rights, and it works for that. But that isn't all Felarya is. It has grown into a suprisingly complex and interesting fantasy setting, and has the potential for really great stories that may not even have vore in them, or don't focus on it that much. It really depends what the individual wants to get out of the world, but there is certainly something for everyone, voreaphile or not.

The fact that you came to the forum is a good first step. This is the heart of the community, where a lot of things are discussed, and a lot of ideas are put forward. So just take your time, poke around and ask questions if you got 'em. ^^

Wow, thank you so much salvyrn and rcs for those excellent replies. Now I feel like I have my bearings a bit... I will definitely check out those links and read the wiki some more.

A beginner's guide? I know what a newbie is, I've been a newbie to Felarya and I know how hard it is. Following rcs619's indications - BTW, rcs, thanks, didn't expect that - are more than enough for someone new to this community and the world it's been settled around to begin with.

As said, take your time. There's a lot of material to read and watch, and worth your time, really. Also, this is a helpful community, so you'll have support, feedback and anything you need for a good time and for contributing yourself to this world.

I've actually glanced at Voidfinger's page and all it says are really his quirks and his personality traits, nothing much about backstory or story even.

Gulp wrote:

Wow, thank you so much salvyrn and rcs for those excellent replies. Now I feel like I have my bearings a bit... I will definitely check out those links and read the wiki some more.

Well, you're quite welcome! But even so, I'm probably not the best person to go to for questions; I don't know all that much yet either. I'm sure there are some people that know a lot though, so it helps to jst get to know people. And as others have said, I don't think anything I've seen so far really contained any spoilers, so I wouldn't worry about where the defined starting point is.

Frankly, Felarya's very open-source: everyone and their gramma adds to it. Some are more well-known than others, of course, and it's probably best to pay attention to their stuff, as it's more likely to be recognized as canon by the official wiki (though there's a project underway to give a little more fame to the lesser-known writers and characters). If you've got free time, or are really interested in Felarya, browse around the community here: there are plenty of diamonds in the rough, not to mention a veritable plethora of different characters and writing styles. Felarya can look a lot different when seen from the point of view of different characters and species. Nekos will suddenly instill fear surpassing the threat of any naga in the eyes of a Tomthumb, and vore may seem a lot less sexy to a depressed young girl who watched her fiance get swallowed right in front of her.

As for putting everything in order... well, that's a little hard. Quickie: Anna is swallowed by Crisis, timespace anomaly turns her into a naga outside of Crisis's stomach, the two try to come to terms with it all. Then, a few stories fit in here and there, and then the manga begins. Most stories take place on the side, not directly affecting it. Then, there's the history behind everything: Ur-Sagol, the history of Negav, Akaptor and the odd desert named after him...

I also have some more recommendations:
Felarya: Gunther
A stand-alone story by Rythmear, this introduces Gunther, seller of suspicious wares to unwary travellers.

Isador in Felarya is another of Rythmear's stories, a good one. If I said anymore I might spoil it.

Another writer to check out is Kaiman aka Kaitheguy (on the forums). His Kaiten series is quite good.

Although I haven't read too much of his work, check out Asuroth

Finally, I'll recommend a writer who really needs encouragement. Warrior3000 has written some good stories in the past, however he doesn't feel like anyone reads them.

rcs619 wrote:

There's other good people that hang around the forum too. Feardraug, Cauldronborn, and others. Don't have their DA's on hand at the moment, but just check them out when they post. Most people have a link to their DA's under their sig.^

Cauldronborn's dA
Feadraug's dA

It's not that hard to find.

Welcome!

Felarya started, I think, with the short comic "Naga feeding habits", which you've seen. Then came a couple of comic strip bios properly introducing Crisis and Anna:
http://karbo.deviantart.com/art/Crisis-bio-35245101
http://karbo.deviantart.com/art/Anna-bio-37163059

Then it all developed from there, with other people starting to contribute.

One story you may want to read is Karbo's first (and so far only) text-only story, "Succubi at work" (which goes with this picture):
http://aryion.com/g3/showitem.php?id=17472

In addition to the writers who've already been recommended, I'll add the following:

Ravana3k. His main character, Jade, has rightly become one of Felarya's most popular characters. She's a giantess, and she's the most prominent of the few giant Felaryans who actually don't eat people.
http://ravana3k.deviantart.com/gallery/

Abaddon87, and his "Deluran Delusion" series, focusing on the interaction between Anna's world of origin and Felarya:
http://abaddon87.deviantart.com/gallery/

Globfish, a recent but excellent writer who deserves more recognition. His focus on characters is very good indeed, and should inspire other writers.
http://globfish.deviantart.com/gallery/

PrinnyDood-Abides, for stories capturing that simple voracious innocence which so characterises Felarya:
http://prinnydood-abides.deviantart.com/gallery/

MukatKiKaarn, for "Ibrahim in Felarya" and "The Gerridi came up from Deka":
http://mukatkikaarn.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2nbggg

And of course timing2, a truly outstanding writer:
http://timing2.deviantart.com/gallery/?23716337#My-Stories

And a number of others; that's only a partial selection. Browse around, and you'll come across a few gems.

rcs619 wrote:

Im not sure if there are any stories about her experiences just after the transformation. I imagine it involved a lot of stumbling around and cursing, and trying to strangle Crisis for a bit, and failing since she wouldn't know how to slither yet.

There's this - non-canon, of course:
http://diablodevil2.deviantart.com/gallery/#/dqn54s

I find it ironic AJ that you pick the writers already recognized when you want to give a push the lesser known contributors. Isn't that counterproductive?

Sean Okotami wrote:

I find it ironic AJ that you pick the writers already recognized when you want to give a push the lesser known contributors. Isn't that counterproductive?

I did mention two lesser known writers but anyway, this is not thread for good, lesser known writers.

Beginners should read the well known stories because they are well known. So when people talk about the events in those stories or reference them they know what's going on.

There's a problem: Beginner who read only the well-known story tend to not move on from those authors, so the stories referenced are only those that have been read hundreds of time. That's not a community, it's herding around the same guys while those who weren't as lucky are left completely in the dark, and isn't the point of a community to support each other?

I think its best to start off with the stories that set the highest standards. I don't have a problem with reading the best before I read the rest. In the end it's really up to the newb (such as myself) to take the initiative to seek out the lesser knowns.

You end up reading the lesser known ones. People have read me without being one of the big names, I'm sure many who have reached to me have gone through the "big ones".

For a beginner, they'll be pointed to the most prominent writers, but they're also reminded that the community is more than that and there are those who need some support because they aren't that famous, but have a great stuff to show. And so some of them are mentioned as an example of the variety of the Felaryan community and how quality doesn't know of fame.

And both rcs and AJ have mentioned better and lesser known contributors (if you ask me, yes, I consider myself a lesser known one), it'd be a problem if it was only "a list of famous people in the Felarya community".

Has people moved on to people that have posted for two years and still got no recognition? No. They moved to slightly lesser known guys and formed new herds. And yes, I know I'm harping on this, but it's a legitimate problem. Why did we make the group and the thread listing all known stories if it still doesn't give everyone a chance to be discovered?

I thought FrenchSnack's thread with links to all stories on Felarya was enough. Unless someone around here is really butt-hurt about their own story not being promoted (edit: not saying it's anyone in particular), I don't see the big problem you speak of.
Maybe I just haven't been around long enough to see the other complaints.

I'm the only one who actually complains about it. >.>