Congrats!
(I like your profile picture, by the way.)
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Thanks!
It’s a highland cow of some sort, cropped really close so you can’t tell what it is.
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It did look like a highland cow, that’s why I like it. (Highland cows are cute.) 
Glad I was right.
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Weirdly related I just found this: Extracted 1688 Map Images by Zarkonnen
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My ADHD makes it a bit difficult to just make these up whole cloth. The closest thing I have, I think, is starting out by writing a reply on this thread. Sometimes that kickstarts it. But since Evernote started being a dick to me two weeks ago, I haven’t been able to touch my game more than opening it. …Because Evernote was a huge part of my system, it was where I kept all of my character notes and notes on how the code works, etc.
…I’ve tried replacing it with Joplin, but getting used to that new tool is… difficult. It works on Markup and I’m not great at Markup. So now I’m having to get used to that, and it’s… frustrating.
As for music, I’ve kind of discovered that I really like soft Jrock? its just enough lyrics to keep my attention, but not enough that I can understand to distract me. At the same time, though, I have a hard time just putting it on and listening to it, because I have this weird guilt that comes up whenever I put on headphones with my husband in the same room. Like I have to be available to hear whatever he has to say. (plus he has a nasty habit of interrupting me every ten minutes to show me something or share something he thinks I’ll like with me. XD)
Yesterday I was supposed to take four hours, and record three hour-long-videos of me coding. But then I got a migraine. And I spent all day suffering.
I quit writing full novels (and even fanfic) back in 2018 too. Weird. That said, one thing I think you should keep in mind is that, even when you ‘throw in the towel’ or take a break from it, you’re still working on it. Because part of writing is EXPERIENCE, it’s experiencing the world and learning new things that you didn’t know before. Sometimes that alone can open up a block.
I really like Tale Foundry. They give lots of in-depth readings and explanations on existing peices and tropes, and explain how the stories work, psychologically.
OOF.
THAT IS GORGEOUS. I love the little lines that represent the waves around the land!
Holy shit congratulations!!!
As I mentioned above, my goal was originally a good 4 hour long block of recording coding (and therefore coding), but that’s shot for this week. So now I’m gonna go do a quick 1hr video of coding as an excuse for getting at least SOME coding done.
Wish me luck, guys.
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Can relate to ADHD making routine tricky 
I’ve been meaning to get out of the house for days both because exercise good but also cause I do my best thinking on walks; the number of good ideas I come up with while walking is astonishing. Unfortunately it’s snowing and I’m not used to that, so I’m antsy about walking around in it D:
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So true.
I hope your head feels better and that you get some writing in today. Good luck!
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Now I’m annoyed I can’t graduate just by picking it on a level-up instead of it being a quest reward, I certainly should have enough EXP for that 
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THANK YOU! It actually did feel better, and I got some coding done. In fact! I made a VIDEO!
It won’t be out till tomorrow, but I’m counting it as my snippet. Ya’ll can watch it here:
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Well, it’s 15th on my timezone, so have a peek on my notes files!
On subject of magical lawyers
“Wait,” you say. “Was that actually magic?”
“Yes, of course,” Vortex replies. “I’m a lawyer, remember?”
“Lawyers are not mages.”
“Are we not?” he asks. “We bind the world to our will with our words alone. If that is not magic, I don’t know what is.”
”What’s he gonna do, sue me?”
”You laugh now, but wait for when he does.”
“Not in this courtroom. Not today.”
”Please try to refrain from breaking the furniture. These aren’t reinforced courtroom tables.”
Vortex accepted the contract to guard the entrance from the demons, even though he complained how using the word demons left way too many loopholes.
I love writing Sparkgap. (This one is probably on the 'stab them in the back' route.)
The sounds of approaching footsteps and the door opening and closing startle you awake from your thoughts, and you put the statuette back on the shelf.
“Hey,” you hear Sparkgap’s voice close to your ear, and you jump. He laughs, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind, snuggling against your neck in a manner that would make you very very worried if he indeed was a vampire, breathing in your scent (which, you’re pretty sure, is 90% sweat by this point, so you don’t really understand the inclination). “What are you doing?”
“Nothing much,” you lie, leaning into the touch. “Val.”
“Mmh.”
“Val, I’m sweaty.”
“I noticed,” he mumbles onto your skin. It tickles. “Need to check that AC, stupid Old World trash…”
“Val.” You pat his head. “I’m serious. I need to take a shower.”
“Oh.” He lets you go so fast it would give you whiplash if you weren’t already used to how he snaps from one thing to another like someone flipped a switch. “Oh, of course. Silly me.”
Random collection in no particular order. This actually IS how I plot!
“Oh, come now. What is a little backstabbing among friends?”
“…did you actually go and kidnap [hero]'s kids?”
“I mean, if you want to be technical about it.”
Now freed from [hero]'s grasp you find yourself spinning in the air, but before you crash into a wall with unpleasant results, you’re caught in the mechanical tendrils of the security system that, you truly can’t tell, may or may not be older than the whole complex it resides in. (How it’s still functioning after all this time, if that truly is the case, you have no idea of, but you can’t really complain.)
“It’s not my fault you don’t understand the concept of safety margins!”
“I’ve been punched in the face way too many times to make any assumptions.”
“And you’re all just… okay with that?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. No one’s okay with getting blown up. Not even Blastwave, and that’s what he does.”
“And this machine…” you say. “I have no idea what it even does.”
“Pancakes.”
“Pancakes?”
“It makes pancakes.”
“You have a super weird device for making pancakes?”
“What’s the point of being a mad genius if you can’t have high-tech breakfast?”
“In what world is this a good idea?”
“So what is your name?”
“Knowledge-that-kills.”
“…your parents must have hated you.”
“Ancestors preserve us,” Vega says. “Lord Inquisitor has gone mad.”
“You’re a supervillain!”
“Yes. And?”
“Why would I go anywhere with you?”
“Because I’m trying to keep you from getting killed. Good enough?”
“I can’t take your respirator, then you’d be without one!”
“It’s fine. I tend to disregard breathing most of the time anyway, these days.”
”I would tell you to pick an opponent of your own size, but it would be an insult to these children.”
“Really, all I need to do is leave you to your own devices long enough for the air to get to you. I’m estimating… two months? No, have to calculate in the magic. Five, give or take.”
“Would you like to talk about that?” you asked.
“If we are being honest,” he said, “I do not.”
“So there’s… wolf-folk, fox-folk, bear-folk, moose-folk, swan-folk… what are you?”
“Eagle-folk.”
“But you’re an owl!”
“Of holy fire.”
“Do you actually expect me to believe that?”
“Something that doesn’t put me in the worst possible light? No, not really. Wish, perhaps, but expect? Hardly.”
“I’m not sure I would go that far. He’s been perfectly reasonable. You know, for a dangerous zealot.”
The room was illuminated with pale green light, coming from the lambs that were hanging from the roof, baaing softly.
He couldn’t have looked more baffled if someone had hit him on a head with a baffle.
”I don’t mind you asking, as long as you don’t mind me not answering.”
”Do not judge him too harshly. He walks the dark places few dare to tread.”
“Tch. Vampires.”
“Finally, something a demon and a nightmare agree on.”
“Just because I’m capable of something doesn’t mean I couldn’t prefer to not do it. If you think I enjoy consuming eldritch abominations, you’re sorely mistaken. They’re a nightmare to keep contained.”
“I take offense to that.”
“You’re right, I apologize. Nightmares are way easier to contain. You just lock them in a broom closet and hang a ‘do not open’ sign on the door.”
“Yes. And? Abominations, you just kick through a portal and slap a ward on it.”
“Touché, my friend. Touché.”
”Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
”Breakfast?”
”Hhh. Humans. So fragile.”
”You’re… not really helping to change your image as a supervillain.”
”Not really trying to.”
”You wanted to draw in the monsters. Well, here I am.”
“What is this, Sidekicks United?”
It was like chasing a weasel playing basketball.
”I’m not an eldritch abomination,” Rider says, annoyed. ”I’m an ancient nightmare.”
”Uh… what’s the difference?”
”Don’t even get me started.”
”You are giving me the urge to punch something.”
”Ah yes, this is the part where I’m supposed to spout my evil master plan."
”Stop! You’re under arrest!”
”For what? Getting people out of a burning building?”
”Yes. No! Your evil plan. Obviously. Whatever it is.”
”My what now?”
”Your evil plan. You’re a supervillain, you must have one.”
”I’m retired, you idiot.”
”Yet here you are, running at the rooftops donning a mask and tights.”
”The city’s on fire. The suit is fireproof. That’s all there is to it.”
”Do you really expect me to believe that?”
”I couldn’t care less what you believe.”
”Yes, trash talk! That’s what I’m talking about!”
”I’m not claustrophobic, I just don’t like enclosed spaces.”
”Powered types! Always jumping off the roofs.”
”It’s a ranger armor, not an exoskeleton. You don’t need a biotech engineering degree to put it on, not any more than you would need one for putting on a three-piece suit with a bowtie. I mean, one could say the armor is less of a challenge.”
“I’m not here for parental rights, I’m here to make sure our kid stays alive!”
”Hmm.”
”You figured it out?”
”No. That wasn’t an ’it’s all coming together’ hmm, it was a ’this is weird and I don’t have a slightest clue’ hmm.”
”Guess I’m out of practice.”
”If you think you can use that to blackmail me…”
”Blackmail you? Is that what you think of me? Why on Earth would I even do that? I have more money than you do.”
”So you’re saying you got beaten up by Afterthought. Afterthought! The one least intimidating thief in the whole city! The one who doesn’t even fight! I need better henchmen.”
He stepped back, hands defensively in the air, wearing an expression that wouldn’t be out of place if he was face to face with an ancient cosmic god.
That of utter boredom.
”They will know what hit them.”
”I think the phrase you mean is they won’t –”
”Don’t patronize me. I know exactly what I said."
”Why are you staking out a two-bit pizzeria?”
”I’m not staking out a two-bit pizzeria.”
”No? Because that’s what it looks like to me.”
”There’s a who’s who of the whole underworld of the district at the top floor.”
”…oh.”
”And it’s not a bad pizzeria!”
”Whatever you say.”
”How bad is it?”
”On the scale ’must be Tuesday’ and ’the end of the world as we know it’? I’d say Thursday."
”Where are you going?”
”I got a track on [N]. See you later.”
”Wait, I’m coming with you.”
”No you won’t. Not tonight.”
”What are you talking about? You can’t do this alone – ”
”The full moon is sacred. The hunt is not to be taken lightly. I will see you later.”
”Wait – ”
”You’re… you’re… you’re a monster.”
”Yes. But a monster other monsters are afraid of. I will keep you safe.”
”Why… would you do this?”
”Oh, no reason. Maybe I just thought it would be fun.”
”You’re contradicting yourself.”
”Am I? Then maybe I’m lying, too.”
”Don’t even think to try anything. We have the technology to neutralize your powers.”
”No you don’t.”
”Don’t get smart with me. We’re holding some very dangerous powered criminals.”
”I’m not your garden variety villain. You’ll keep me only as long as I allow it.”
“Why are you sitting here alone? There’s a party downstairs. The launch was a success, you should be celebrating, not working.”
“I am. Celebrating, that is. I’m eating pressed duck.”
”Do you ever wonder,” Afterthought says, absentmindedly knocking the head of the gargoyle he’s crouched on, ”what is it with these guys? Why were the Old World people so obsessed with them?”
”No idea,” you say, perched on top of another gargoyle. ”But they do make a nice vantage point.”
”On that, we can agree.”
Then the skylight came crashing down, Local gracefully landing among the pieces, and you wondered, not for the first time, how on Earth did his fedora stay in place.
”Well, this is inconvenient,” Vortex said. Chained up, unable to move, and looking annoyed more than anything else.
”I would say I need to eat too, but that wouldn’t be exactly true, so I suppose I can give this one on the house. Consider yourselves lucky.”
“I can’t believe you lied!”
“Yes, it is such a shocking surprise that a professional liar lies.”
I have scales, I have vines, I’m the beast of old,
I’m the echo of a story which the elders told.
I’m the heart of a dragon and the soul of a thief,
I’m a hunter’s tale, just as strong as belief.
I’m a phantom of time, yet I cannot die,
I’m a whisper in wind, but who am I?
I am the mare that rides in the night,
The darkness that cannot be breached;
I am the phoenix that stands and fight,
The dragon that never yields.
“You think I’m some kind of a fallen paladin, but you’re wrong. I’m a hunter, a predator, a beast of the mountains, and you really, really shouldn’t have made me angry.”
And to wrap it up, an intro (well, a version of it mid-iteration) I had to cut because it was too long.
A sudden scream bursted out of the receivers, then cut off just as suddenly. They froze, looking around, taking a quick headcount trying to track where it came from, but there was no obvious trouble inside the lab, although that was not reassuring in the slightest.
“Sorry about that.” Vortex’s voice appeared a moment later, almost inhuman over the radio. “I’m out of habit of having a comm system open.”
“And you have a habit of practicing shrieking when you’re guarding doors?” Quicksave almost yelled back at him.
“Oh, please. I specialize in death glares. Obviously.”
“Cut it out, you two,” Chalk was unfazed as usual. “What’s going on?”
“Boogies. Seems you were tailed after all. I have half the mind to double my fee, but I doubt you’ll be there to pay me when dust settles.”
“Can you stop them?” Chalk glared Quicksave into silence, a trick that surprisingly worked, given that the lab was enclosed in complete darkness.
“Tempting, but these guys are spec ops, and there’s only one of me.”
“What kind of Eldritchian works solo anyway?” Quicksave muttered.
“The kind that provides his services without official contract. Now hush, Quicksave.” Chalk returned his focus to the radio. “Is there nothing you can do?”
“Ah, whatever. I guess demons of the past count as demons too. Sure, I’ll give them their money’s worth. But if they start whipping doomsday weapons, I’m out of here.” A click on the channel, and the voice was out.
“Please tell me you don’t trust him.” Quicksave was, undoubtedly, furious.
“Not quite as far as I can throw him,” Chalk said. “But beggars can’t be choosers.”
[page break]
When they arrived, it was like stepping into complete nothingness. The darkness wrapped around them like a blanket, muffling voices, hiding broken concrete and sharp edges. At first, Aaron feared it was too dark, too impenetrable — after all, Alex was only a human and didn’t have the enhanced senses the others of their ragtag group had.
But Morgana assured the night vision mode in the mask worked, that the target was worth the risk, that everything would be made all right. He wasn’t sure he believed her, but the others seemed to, so they kept going anyway. Maybe they shouldn’t have. And maybe she was right.
Maybe they only were too late.
[Maybe.]
The room was silent, no environmental noises: all the systems of the base were down, even backup generators had stopped running, unsurprisingly enough. The only sounds were the silent humming of the cybernetics, and the whirring caused by Alex’s frantical typing… whatever he was trying to accomplish, since there was no power.
The regular sounds of such a mission.
There were no words; a more sensitive person might have said how the darkness itself forbade them, but Aaron was nothing if not goal-oriented — he had to be, and there was no time for such sensibilities. There were no words, because they were not needed. Everyone knew the plan, and what little was needed to convey, was efficiently delivered via hand signs. Search around a laboratory with lack of light was slightly more challenging, but they were built for that.
[And then, flicker.]
It all went smoothly, until it did not. A well-oiled machine broken. A quick, surprised yelp, and then a crash as Morgana glitched and the test tube rack she was holding slipped through her hand to the floor. Alex was already on the move before anyone else could react, running analysis on Morgana’s systems on the fly.
“What’s the verdict?” Aaron asked, breaking the silence since there really wasn’t hand signals for this kind of discussion for someone who wasn’t fluent in a sign language.
“I got her rebooted in safe mode, but that’s treating the symptoms more than anything. There’s something running interference on your systems.”
“You don’t say. But what? The base is down.”
“Beats me. I could do some scans, but it may not reveal anything.”
“Do it.”
It didn’t take an empath to see how Alex was terrified out of his mind, but he nodded and set to work anyway, focused to the end.
[Not that it mattered.]
Morgana was the first one to go. While Alex was busy focusing on his equipment, she moved forward, out of his line of sight. Aaron was about to go and give her an earful about leaving her partner behind, when her blip in the radar disappeared as well, alerting everyone.
"W — " Alex managed to articulate, then changed his mind. "This doesn’t make any — "
The realization hit Aaron a moment before the others. "Pull back! We — "
The team started to retreat, slipping out pair by pair, only for their blips on the radar to disappear one by one and pair by pair. Alex didn’t budge, stress obvious on the line of his shoulders, still running his scans, even though the answer was obvious by now. Maybe it wasn’t to him.
“Quicksave, get out of here.” Aaron’s voice was calm, much calmer than he felt himself to be, but he was the leader of the unit and a professional, and that did come with some sacrifices required. Alex responded immediately, dropping what he was doing and slipping into the darkness without giving him a second glance. Not running, never running when you’re trying to go undetected on metal-covered surfaces. Like a good professional, Aaron noticed with grim satisfaction.
And then the hard shutdown command of exoskeleton came through and dropped Aaron on the floor.
[Defenseless.]
Aaron tried to track Alex’s IFF signal to see whether he got out or not, but it was nowhere to be seen, as if it was already shut off, which couldn’t be caused by the shutdown command since he used different hardware, so why would he have shut it off?
Except maybe he didn’t, and it was just the shutdown command messing with the radar. Aaron tried to do a system reboot, which was impossible since the internal commands were locked down by the system, which was a realization that made him feel like an idot in the first place, which didn’t mean he couldn’t still hear the sound of boots —
Wait, what?
The sound of boots, and following them a sound of commands, and following that came other sounds, and then —
[Then there were none.]
[Prologue :: The Early Worm Catches the Bird]
The morning dawned with pale light, bustling streets, and a dead body.
Business as usual in Dogwood City, as it were. What was unusual, however, and as such of interest for a regular resident, was the fact how the body wasn’t in its bed, or in hospital, or in fact in any socially acceptable location for a deceased human organism to reside. Instead, it was found at the early hours of the day, in the calm before the daily morning rushes in the Governmental District, by a night shift patrol returning from a routine call, floating exactly two inches over the parade stairs of the Central Police Station.
But that was a few hours ago. Right now, the streets are filled with a massive crowd of people, vastly overshadowing the regular daily rush on the district, drawn in by the strange occurrence. There’s surfacers, immediately recognizable by their respirators, and skyders, wearing different kinds of protective eyewear more often than not. Civilians ogling, reporters hunting for a scoop, police trying to secure the scene and keep people behind the line.
And then there’s you.
Sorry, that got needlessly long. 
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I quite like this bit. 
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They don’t actually belong together, sadly
Further explanation for those interested
The answer to the first one is “Flock of Dreadnoughts” - kinda-sorta half-mythical space whale creatures some use as warships, that are a cross between Mass Effect’s Reapers and Farscape’s Leviathans. They’re just called “dreadnoughts” because there’s no other spaceship types going by that name since it’s kinda outdated (and because the meaning fits oh so well, they are very very scary).
The second one is the creed of the Ashguard, an organization that protects the lands from interdimensional horrors (or eldritch abominations, or “demons” as the regular people call them). The creatures abide by weirdly literal rules, a major one being that they “exist in shadows and edges of perception”, which means that a major way to get protection from them is getting rid of the shadows, so the Ashguards pride themselves being this impenetrable darkness (because total darkness isn’t a shadow anymore) and all in all a shield between the horrors and the rest of humanity.
Sorry, I miss my writing buddies. 
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Happy 15th of the month, everyone!
Here it is the 15th of the month, and the sharing of excerpts tradition is now eleven months old.
This month, I am going to share an alpha excerpt which I sent to a few readers for feedback on what “Persona” attributes they wished to see in the “flavor” choice included in the excerpt.
Once again, I invite everyone to share an excerpt (as @LiliArch has).
Remember that excerpts shared here are not intended to elicit proper critique and feedback, but a friendly word is always welcome.
01-15-24 Excerpt
Now that the murmurs have died down, a foul, stale odor worms its way into your consciousness.
The vile smell violates your sense of well-being and your nostrils widen involuntarily. You recognize the odor as a mixture of voided bowels and spilled blood, which you realize is pooling around you in a sticky mess that revoltingly coats your skin. Interrupting your self-reflection, you take another deep breath, regretting it almost immediately.
“Distasteful…” A willow-slender woman with pitch-black skin and white hair that cascades down to her waist stands before you. “Isn’t it, Hadran?”
“Ugh!” The one called Hadran is crouched down, staring at you with lowered brows over his coal-black eyes. “They are sitting in blood and guts and that’s all you say, Hel?”
“Be nice, Hadran.” Hel stretches with a sensual vigor and pivots on her heels to stare reproachfully at her companion. “It seems we are called forth once again.”
“Hel.” Hadran looks to Hel before returning his gaze to you. After a pause, he gathers himself and stands up, taking a few steps away. “It is good to see you, as always.”
“So…” Hel runs her hands through her silky hair and narrows her pure white eyes as she watches you sit on the dirty floor. “Who has summoned us?”
“They are one of Charon’s spawn.” Hadran waves his pale white hand your way while moving to stand near Hel. “I guess we know why we are called here, Hadran.”
It takes you moment to process what these two standing before you are saying. Hadran, the tall muscular giant of a man called you “Charon’s spawn” … and somehow you summoned both him and the lithe lady known as Hel. Who, or what is Charon?
Is this really happening, or is this a dream or even worse a hallucination? With that thought in mind, you…
*choice
#I pinch myself.
You take your index finger and thumb and pinch a bit of your thigh between them. A twitch of pain lances up and down your leg and you see an irritated bruised mark settle where you pinched yourself.
#I lower my face into my hands and wail.
You lower your face into your cupped hands and let out a strangled wail. As your scratchy unused voice fills your ears, you involuntarily flinch and pull back from your hands.
#I shrug and try to wipe as much blood and guts off of me as possible.
You shrug, accepting that things are what they appear to be and start wiping the blood and guts away from your lap, thighs and legs. Unfortunately, it does little good, the vicious goo clinging to you like glue.
*page_break
“Yea.” Hel interrupts your introspection and draws your attention back to the two standing nearby. “As if the death scene wasn’t enough of a clue.”
“Er?” You push yourself off the ground and lean against the wall of drawers that you fell out of, all the while attempting to clean yourself up from the blood and guts covering you. “Who are you two?”
“I’m The Divinity’s advocate.” Hadran jerks a thumb towards himself then holds out an index finger from that same hand and points to Hel. “She is Lady Luck’s advocate.”
“I --” You feel your chin drop in incredibility and consciously close it once more. “I really don’t know what being an advocate means, who the Divinity is, nor who Lady Luck is either…”
“Look…” Hel glances at Hadran and waits for his nod before replying. “We don’t have much time here. Someone will be here shortly to help you figure things out.”
“Yea.” Hadran takes a step towards you and rolls his shoulders in a shrug. “So let’s establish the basics, then do our thing and then go our separate ways.”
“Uh.” You take a long, hard look at the pair and still, nothing clicks in your brain. You shake your head to try to clear it and huff out: “If you say so, Hadran.”
“So…” Hel bares her gleaming white teeth in a smile she directs your way and steeples her fingers out in front of herself. “Let’s play twenty questions, shall we?”
There has been some wonderful discussion in the past two weeks!
Thanks to everyone who added their voice to what was being talked about, there are many who lurk that benefit from you doing so.
My mid-month check-in:
I have completed both the narrative skeleton and the mechanics skeleton for the first deathsight scene.
Now I will be fleshing everything out to make sure this works as the model for all other deathsight scenes in the story.
So far, this month’s productivity has been lower than normal. I hope to change this for the back-half of the month.
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likewise 
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Time to add “Those Who Lurk” in my list of potential titles
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This month I have not really been active or even lurking in this thread, I guess the sharing day is not a bad time to join in.
- I have added a little of explainations, but I want to add more.
- I have added an injury system and exhaustion system to my demo.
- I did not finish this by the end of last year.
- This is what I am currently stuck on. Combat with so many power options tires me out.
- I semi did this. The chapter isn’t done, but I have written one of the endings!
This months goals:
- Finish writing the combat in Chapter 24
- Add more endings
- Start writing the RO sub plots back into the story.
I am having a hard time on figuring out what to share. Most things are in major spoiler territory that I have been working on recently.
So I guess WARNING THE FOLLOW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE FINAL BATTLE IN DAWN OF HEROES (WIP). ALL THE EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Its safe for kids. That last part was a joke.
Dawn of Heroes Chapter 25 Spoiler Snippet
Providence sees our approach and starts to cast a spell to fight us off and she flies higher in the air. @{Flight I take off after her and catch her by the foot. I throw the woman back to the earth. | Hivemind chases her until he catches her. Before her spell can be finished, he throws her to the rest of us.} Breaker leaps at the woman and I can already smell the ozone in the air before her punch lands but does nothing. Of course, Providence would insulate her armor.
I @{HasMartialArts slide to the other side of Providence and kick | roll to the opposite side of Providence and punch } her head back to Breaker. The two of us ping pong her head back and forth until she breaks away. @{ProvidenceWings Her wings activate in a fury driving us from our feet as she takes off back into the air. | she points a hand as each of us before unleashing blasts of energy at us. Not strong enough to kill us, but enough to drive us away.}
The angel starts to charge a blast using both palms. It grows is size faster than I expect, allowing her to fire it directly at the ground.
*choice
#I take cover.
*goto Dodge6
*if ForcefieldOthers
#I shield everyone on the battlefield.
*goto ShieldAll6
*elseif Forcefield
#I pull up my forcefield.
*goto Forcefield6
*else
#Someone else protects me from the attack.
*goto Shielded6
*label Dodge6
There is no time to stop her, only enough time to take cover @{(P1Speed >= 40) I dash behind a pillar and hope that it is enough to stop the attack. | I leap for a pillar but I do not move fast enough.} Providence's attack hits the ground, and the blast sends out a shockwave before the physical energy spreads every direction, striking everything.
*goto Continue6
*label ShieldAll6
My first thought as the attack is moments away from hitting the ground is to make sure that everyone is safe. I quickly gather up everyone's locations before throwing up barriers over everyone. Providence's attack hits the ground and it sends out a shockwave that my shields easily absorb. Then a wave of visible energy hits and all of the shields rattle.
Once I feel safe that there is not more to the attack, I dismiss the forcefields.
*goto Continue6
*label Forcefield6
The only protection I can rely on is my own. I throw up a forcefield just in time to absorb the impact of a shockwave before a second burst of energy radiates from the impact. Once more my shield shakes off the attack in strides.
*goto Continue6
*label Shielded6
There is no time for me to react and properly defend myself. I pull my hands up in front of myself to shield myself the best that I can until
*if not(HivemindInjuried)
*set HivemindInjuried true
Hivemind and several of his drones land in front of me taking most of the blasts.
*elseif not(GenesisInjuried)
*set GenesisInjuried true
Gensis drops in front of me and places a shield in front of both of us.
*elseif not(BreakerInjuried)
*set BreakerInjuried true
Breaker knocks me to the ground and covers us both in her cape.
*else
*set CamouflageInjuried true
I am knock to the ground by someone I cannot see. Camouflage appears before me as she braces to take the attack.
The force of the first attack hits us but does little, my guardian relaxes just for a second wave to come out. Before either of us can react, the attack hits and knocks us away from Providence.
We scramble to our feet, not wanting to give the @{ProvidenceWings fallen angel | power armored fighter } time to try as second one of those.
*label Continue6
Writing buddies are the best. I won’t say that I could not have come this far without them, but it makes things so much easier.
8 Likes
A far-too-belated Happy New Year and Happy January to you all! How on earth is it nearly halfway over already, oh dear…
Having spent the last few months of 2023 moving across the country and without enough time to properly sit down and write the way I like, I was all excited and ready to go on putting together a list of goals for the month! Anyway then I came down with the nightmare sickness of nightmares and spent most of the last couple weeks in bed without the mental energy to put anything on paper 
Just about emerging from the illness miasma now, so I think as far as goals for this month, if I can get back into a schedule that gives me any amount of time in a day to work on my WIP that’ll be good enough for me.
Good luck everyone!
10 Likes
I’ve never chimed in with a snippet, so forgive me if I’m doing this wrong, but here’s a section from chapter 2 of my WIP.
Excerpt from Chapter 2 of Royal Spy (Working Title)
“How much time have you spent in the Temple of Power and the Bonding Grounds with your kindred?” you ask.
“Nearly every day for five years.” Kai isn’t bragging. There’s no play to him right now, only absolute determination.
You lower your voice. “Is your sole motivation the mission you’ve been denied, or is there something more?”
A wry smile tugs at his mouth. “You’re clever. Mostly, I’m motivated by revenge, but I’ve always pushed myself to see how much I can take. How much I can grow.”
*choice
#I want to know more about Kai’s mission to add to my arsenal of secrets.
*set sec %+10
*label askmission
You lower your voice. “Tell me more about this mission of yours. How did the government you want to take down destroy your family?”
Kai hesitates. "You're sure you want to know? It's a sore subject with several council members. They might accuse you of conspiring with me if they find out."
*choice
#That only makes the spy in me more determined.
*set sec %+5
"I'm sure," you insist.
*goto kaisquestintro
#I want to know more about what drives Kai.
*set r_kai %+5
"I'm sure," you insist. "I want to know what drives you."
*goto kaisquestintro
#I've changed my mind. I don't want to talk about this now.
*set spon %-5
*set nokq true
"Actually," you say, "maybe it's better if we don't talk about this now."
He shrugs it off. "Wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to get involved."
You answer with a small nod and shift your eyes to study the warriors sparring.
*goto spar01
*label kaisquestintro
Kai takes a step closer, angling his body so he stands beside you, as if you're doing nothing more than watching warriors sparring on the training field. He touches a rune on his arm, and says, "This will prevent anyone from using magic to hear us, but we should pretend we're talking about training or initiations."
"Got it." You paste a casual smile on your face.
"The Governance formed when I was a kid," says Kai. "At first, it was touted as a collection of countries coming together in the name of peacekeeping. It turned out to be a group of elites positioning themselves to take over most of the world. As the previous government collapsed, my parents joined the ranks of the Governance." Kai shakes his head, hair falling into his eyes. "They were fooled by the glitz and status, as was my little brother. My sister and I, we saw through it eventually, but only after we lost our mother."
"Where is your sister now?" you ask.
A low grumble sounds in his throat, like a tiger's growl. "She's back in Providence, in the black heart of the Governance. As a spy." He takes a breath, then lowers his voice another notch. "I was supposed to follow, but instead I was informed by the council that if I carried out my quest—a mission they had originally approved, mind you—they would exile me, my sister, and her Kitherin wife. And they would petition to have our kindred exiled from their homes in the otherworld."
*choice
#My mouth drops open.
*set spon %+5
The council's threat seems extreme. You shut your mouth, not wanting to draw attention, but when you meet his eyes, he nods. Kai's gaze is dark with purple shadows.
*goto lowthreat
#I put my hand on his.
*set r_kai %+5
You wrap your hand around his, giving a squeeze before letting go. Empathy. Support. Companionship. All communicated in a touch. When you meet Kai's gaze, his eyes are bright with golden glimmers.
*goto lowthreat
#I show no response, giving nothing away.
*set sec %+5
You make no move that someone might interpret as suspect, falling on your experience as a spy to keep your emotions in check.
*goto lowthreat
*label lowthreat
Threatening to exile Kai is one thing, but to exile his sister and her wife, when the mission had already been approved? And to punish their kindred for helping them…
*choice
#It's a low threat. Completely unreasonable.
*set r_kai %+5
*goto questintroend
#It's harsh, but Kitherin have power and the council has the authority to keep them in line.
*set spon %-5
*goto questintroend
#There's something rotten at the core of the council, and I'm going to find out what it is.
*set ten %+5
*goto questintroend
*label questintroend
"Why did the council change their minds on the mission?" you ask.
Kai leans closer. "You've met Garrack? Argumentative, bald head, starry void eyes?"
"That describes him perfectly." You remember the way Garrack grilled you from the start in the Council House yesterday.
"I think he's conspiring with the Governance." Kai looks away, watching Rae get her ass handed to her. She falls to the ground, rolls, then gets up and runs at her laughing opponent.
*choice
#I want to help Kai because it's the right thing to do.
*set spon %+5
*set onkq true
"I want to help," you say, matter of fact.
"You do?" Kai's brows twitch, showing a hint of surprise.
*label helpkai
"You deserve a chance to get justice against the council," you say. "It sounds like your mission would benefit the harmony of the worlds. Isn't that what the Kitherin are all about?"
"Thank you." He blows out a breath. "That's what I told the council, but Garrack has made me out to be some crazed vigilante intent on a massacre. He says it's personal, so I shouldn't be allowed to go. According to him, my judgment is tainted."
"Did he not know it was personal when you had the mission approved before?" you ask.
Kai winces. "We kind of left that part out. Somehow, Garrack got wind of my relation to a Governance council member. Probably my sister or her wife let it slip in one of their reports. Still, it shouldn't matter."
"No, it shouldn't." You agree. "If anything, it makes you the perfect person for the mission."
"Exactly." He falls quiet, @{(rel_kai) but brushes his hand over your arm in a brief, comforting touch.|as if contemplating what he might do next.}
*page_break
You and Kai look out over the sparring field, where groups of tattooed Kitherin sweat and show off their skills.
*goto spar01
#I want to help Kai because I like him. A lot.
*set rel_kai true
*set onkq true
*set sen %+5
"I want to help." You show him how much you care in your gaze.
"You do?" The words whisper from his throat, not with surprise but something softer. Recognition, perhaps.
*goto helpkai
#Kai's quest is his own thing. I'm staying out of it.
*set ten %+5
You have enough going on as a spy for the king of Minare and the initiations required to become Kitherin. You don't need Kai's quest complicating your life, but you recognize the trust he's shown telling you about it. You tip your head, acknowledging what he's shared. "I wish you the best of luck."
"Thanks." He blows out a breath. "I don't know how it'll work out, but one way or another, it will."
You and Kai look out over the sparring field, where groups of tattooed Kitherin sweat and show off their skills.
*goto spar01
#I want to know more about Kai's mission because I'm beginning to care about him.
*set rel_kai true
*set r_kai %+10
*goto askmission
#Let's just get to the sparring already.
*set nokq true
*set prow %+10
You and Kai look out over the sparring field, where groups of tattooed Kitherin sweat and show off their skills.
*goto spar01
Mid-month check in: I’m 16000 words into chapter 4 and have a couple more scenes to write (actually the same scene that needs to be written two ways, depending on PC’s choices) before wrapping up this chapter and moving on to the next. I’m ahead of deadline and happy with how it’s coming along so far. Grateful for that progress, as the deep chill has me housebound. This is day 5 of temps too low to go outside and play. I’m missing my daily hikes and feeling a bit down as that nature time keeps me (relatively) sane in my otherwise busy mom-life, but this too shall pass. Onward I go. One day at a time.
I’m enjoying reading everyone’s snippets. Happy writing, all!
11 Likes
Took a week off of writing to give my brain a break. Now hopefully I can write more consistently without getting burned out. I should finally complete The Mage’s Adventures’ update in February if I’m able to meet my goal of 500 words a day on average.
9 Likes
Here’s a bigger snippet than I tend to do! This is from a later chapter, and is an example of a set of testing choices, plus a bunch of personality flavour in the PC’s dialogue which I’ve been doing a lot of for Honor Bound. The flavour takes a bit of time, but I like doing it so the dialogue feels consistent with how the PC is currently behaving through the game.
The Honor Bound PC handling Korzha and Alva having a mild disagreement
"You look dreadful, Varenn," she says. "Like you've been spending every night under those awful neon lights in the laboratory. Let me get the coffee."
${varenn} rubs ${var_their} @{(hb_gender != 2) smooth|} cheek. "I'm doing very well, Field Marshal," ${var_they} ${var_say} quietly.
*if ch5_help_var
"Particularly with ${hb_title} ${hb_surname}'s assistance."
"Balan protect us," Alva says, "you can't just say that and expect everyone to believe you."
*fake_choice
#Before ${varenn} can offer, I go to get Alva's coffee. It might save some effort. @{hb_showstats [Tests Cautious or Humane]|}
*if ((hb_dec < hb_opp_mid_under) or (hb_callous < hb_opp_mid_under))
*set mil_rep %+hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %+hb_rel_med
You rise smoothly to your feet. @{(hb_rebel > 50) "When you're done bullying ${var_full} into resting, or whatever you're doing," you say, "I'll get you a coffee."|"Let me get you both a drink," you say. Then, as ${varenn} starts to get up, you add, "Please. I'm very happy to."}
It's not long before you have three mugs made just right. ${varenn} gives you a grateful look, as Alva turns her attention to you.
*else
*set mil_rep %-hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %-hb_rel_med
You rise to your feet, but are a little slow compared to ${varenn}, who's already heading toward the little stove.
@{(hb_dec > 50) "I was about|"You don't have} to do that," you protest, but it comes out a little sharply, and ${varenn}'s brow furrows.
"It's fine," ${var_they} ${var_say}. Alva watches ${var_them} in silence as ${var_they} @{var_pl make|makes} the coffee and @{var_pl bring|brings} it over, then turns her attention to you.
#I crossly tell Alva to back off and leave ${varenn} alone. @{hb_showstats [Tests Rebellious or Emotional]|}
@{(hb_callous > 50) "Do you really need to pick out every little thing?" you say. "It's not relevant."|"You're making ${varenn} uncomfortable, and honestly me too," you say. "Please back off."}
*if ((hb_rebel > hb_opp_mid_over) or (hb_emot < hb_opp_mid_under))
*set mil_rep %+hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %+hb_rel_med
${varenn} does not seem to know whether to look grateful or admonishing; Alva smiles, spreads her hands apologetically, and rises to fetch coffee for the three of you. When she returns, she turns her attention to you.
*else
*set mil_rep %-hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %-hb_rel_med
${varenn} glares at you. "You don't need to speak to the Field Marshal like that on my account," ${var_they} ${var_say} frostily, and @{var_pl rise|rises} to fetch coffee for the three of you.
Once ${varenn} has returned, Alva sighs and turns her attention to you.
#The moment might feel awkward to others, but I'll let it roll off me. @{hb_showstats [Tests Objective or Decisive]|}
*if ((hb_emot < hb_opp_mid_under) or (hb_dec > hb_opp_mid_over))
*set mil_rep %+hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %+hb_rel_med
@{(hb_callous > 50) You don't need to concern yourself with imagining what ${varenn} might be feeling, and besides, if Alva embarrasses herself that's her lookout.|They're adults: they can deal with any awkwardness between them, and besides, you know they've known each other well for years.} ${varenn} rises smoothly to fetch mugs of coffee for the three of you, and when ${var_theyve} returned, Alva turns her attention to you.
*else
*set mil_rep %-hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %-hb_rel_med
You try to remind yourself that @{(hb_callous > 50) it's not your job to worry about whatever anyone else is feeling,|they're adults and can deal with awkwardness between themselves, and they've known each other for years,} but something must show on your face even so.
"Oh, ${hb_firstname}, you don't need to look like that," Alva says lightly.
${varenn} rises without a word to fetch mugs of coffee for the three of you, and Alva turns her attention to you.
#I join in the fussing over ${varenn}, even though I know ${var_they} ${var_dont} enjoy it. @{hb_showstats [Tests Dutiful or Callous]|}
@{(hb_emot > 50) "I do have worries about how you've been," you say. "Maybe Field Marshal Alva is right."|"It's only smart to rest when it's needed," you point out. "Field Marshal Alva has a point."}
*if ((hb_rebel < hb_opp_mid_under) or (hb_callous > hb_opp_mid_over))
*set mil_rep %+hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %+hb_rel_med
Unusually, ${varenn}'s mouth twitches. "Perhaps if you both think so, there's something to it," ${var_they} @{var_pl concede|concedes}, and ${var_they} @{var_pl rise|rises} to fetch mugs of coffee for the three of you.
As ${var_they} @{var_pl return|returns}, Alva turns her attention to you.
*else
*set mil_rep %-hb_sec_med
*set var_rel %-hb_rel_med
${varenn}'s brow furrows. "I'm not in need of your thoughts on it as well," ${var_they} ${var_say}, and ${var_they} @{var_pl rise|rises} to fetch mugs of coffee for the three of you.
Alva watches ${var_them} go with a sigh, but says no more. As ${varenn} returns with the coffee, Alva turns her attention to you.
14 Likes