alwayslosingtheplot-blog

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feeling called out today

credit: _ADWills

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Goals and such

Trying to do 90k in 90 days. Seeing as how Christmas is next week and family is arriving Sunday, chances of me succeeding...aren't great. BUT 65k in 80 days isn't terrible either. It's not into the 'islands' thing but instead into a novel about estranged sisters and a magic, consuming forest. So far it's the easiest thing I have ever written (Please don't let this jinx me, universe. Please).

What's everyone else working on?

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Walking in the woods at night doesn't normally scare me too badly. If it does, my dog always knows when to offer reassurance, giving my hand a quick touch with her cold little nose.

Tonight was no different. The dog was her usual self, alternating between walking loyally by my side and romping happily through the undergrowth ahead of me.

There's one section where the path becomes a tunnel, running between and beneath ancient blackthorn trees. Here it's almost pitch black; even the full moon barely penetrates the gnarled, entwined branches of the thorn trees.

I always walk quicker here. As usual, dog sensed my nerves and gave my hand encouraging licks with her rough tongue. She kept it up all the way through, sometimes even giving my fingers a gentle nip. When I saw the halo of the tunnel's end, I broke into a jog, bursting out thankfully into the comparative light of the wood proper.

My dog was sat waiting for me on the Otherside, hackles raised and whites visible all round her eyes. My hand was still damp. Suddenly that wetness felt as cold as ice. I was conscious of the silence behind me; not a breath of wind, not a single falling leaf, all the quiet things of the undergrowth perfectly still.

The skin of my neck crawled and I felt sure that something watched me.

I didn't look back. I ran all the way home.

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Do you like found family? Queer romance? Enemies to lovers and an epic space opera setting with fantasy elements?

well I didn't write that. You are fucked out of luck.

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hope is a skill

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A WIRED article was released on the fallout of the AI drama

It’s a short article but it covers the AI drama and the resignations that followed. Also spoke to a couple of people involved with this mess, who have been massive help in keeping up with everything that’s happened since December.

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It's not that I have a hard time sticking to one idea, it's that I'm a short story writer trapped in the mind of someone who loves coming up with ideas for full-length novels

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Hamadryad

Closer to the equator of this planet than most other island, Hamadryad is a rainforest. It is one of the largest isles, but has the most predators and dangerous terrain. There is a single settlement here, which is currently being re-established after being abandoned due to an illness that killed most of the people living here. Those that survived fled to other isles, where they often faced persecution and superstitions of being cursed. The small contingent of descendants remaining have decided to return. Even before then it was common for younger people to migrate elsewhere in order to better their lives.

A tiny number of people stayed behind and are cautious and weary of those returning, many of whom call themselves Hama even without even their grandparents ever setting foot on the island.

This is an insular culture whose festivals and religions are based in the yearly migration of thousands of butterflies which descend from very high altitudes to cover the island and lay their eggs. The butterflies pollenate the flowers of their crops and bring large harvests, and are followed by flocks of birds which are easy to trap or hunt. The butterfly eggs also cover many of the trees bringing lizards and 'jumping' fish into the rivers which fill the nets of the settlers.

At other times of year, river fishing and nuts make up the majority of the diet of the people here, as this island does not experience any winter. It rains very often, and two layers of large nets cover the streets between houses, the run off of which goes through gutters into a charcoal basin to filter it and provide drinking water. It was (unknown to all but the perpetrator) the unintentional poisoning of this system that led to the sickness that killed most people here. The new arrivals have their own way of gathering water, finding wells amongst them, so the danger is lessened by this.

Snakes, large hunting cats and troops of monkeys are the main source of danger for anyone venturing into the jungle. Other dangers such as poisonous insects, lizards, amphibians and a species of small bird with a venomous oil coating its feathers exist, as do sudden unseen drops in the undergrowth, quicksand and other dangers of the terrain.

The settlement, like most others, is on the coast. It lies in a natural harbor where their are also small sharks, sea snakes and other water-based predators along with porpoises and seals. A section of the harbor is given over to fishing weirs.

I really have to go back and add a lot of these to the index and start making a map. I have a few small plots brewing. Mostly involving the poisoner's apprentice and her 13 year old would-be escort/protector. He might actually be from this island, and have people consider him unlucky or cursed or something. I'm thinking the last of us/Logan/Seirei no Moribito kind of vibe to them.

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Epimeliad - the Shepherd's Isle.

One of the islands closest to the coast, and also one of the largest islands, Epimeliad has a surprisingly small population. The large spaces here are perfect for small cattle and large sheep, both of which are important for their hides and wool. This is what is mainly used all over the islands as a source of cloth. Other fabrics exists, such as a type of linen, but these are the most hard-wearing and reliable sources.

The wool and sheepskin is the reason that Epimeliad is very rarely attacked by any other nations. Sheep are rare on the islands and having access to wool is more important than any other resources invading might offer for now. Epimeliadians have made it quite clear throughout their history that they will kill a herd rather than have it taken by anyone else.

There is a breed of rabbit on another isle that is causing concern in court, are their fur is similar to wool and they require a lot less land and food to keep. Some have suggested large-scale assassinations of the animals take place, while others have tentatively put forward the idea of buying some of investing in purchasing some of the small beasts. Neither idea has gone down well in court with the Shepherds.

A 'Shepard' is the head of a Epimeliad family, as every family has at least three sheep- one male and one female. This is a man, in the tradition of this isle, and the title is inherted by his oldest son.

Some shepherds tend to their small herd themselves and live in little more than a hut. Others live in great manors and might never have actually touched any of their hundreds of sheep themselves. There are other types of families and professions in Epimeliad, but only Shepherds own land.

Epimeliad families are small and spread out, with more land being given to animals than people. There is a small city and something like a royal family, but most families here are related. It is very rare for any outsider to be allowed to live in Epimeliad and even rarer for them to be allowed to marry. This has caused something of an issue for people trying to find someone that they are unrelated to for marriage. Records are extremely important here and every family has a sheep-skin transcript of their family tree, along with a entire population cenus taking place once every ten years.

The children and grandchildren of any Epimeliad person who left home are allowed to move back and marry if given permission from their closest family still living on the island, or the royal family themselves.

Match-making is a vital job in this region and involves a lot of paperwork. As a result many people do not meet their spouse until the day of their wedding. Women marry into a man's family here. Men are allowed to only have a single wife their entire lives, unless given express permission from the royal family for another one. Women are allowed to have two husbands, should the first one die, but must remarry another man from their late husband's immediate family.

Excess children (counted as five and above) are considered as gifts to the temples and are not allowed to marry or have children unless their leave the island. The temples here are required to care for the elderly who have no children of their own, or whose children left the island. The variety of temple size and position in society differs greatly, with a temple inside the royal court being one of the most influential voices on the island, to tiny enclaves in the outer city and countryside which cares for the poorer folk.

Tourists are welcomed onto the island, and in the city their are 'locked gardens' where exist houses whose entire purpose is to extend the gene pool of the island. Everyone visiting the island may visit such a place (although most men only get to do so once). These were opened roughly 70 years ago. Before this foreigners were completely banned from stepping foot outside of the walled-off docks and families were dying off due to the lack of unrelated suitors.

The women who work their are treated well and considered as distant members of the royal family themselves, and harming or humiliating them is usually punished by banishment or death. Locals are forbidden from touching them. Once a woman in such an establishment has two healthy children, she is retired to being an entertainer at court and no longer provides other services.

The children are held in reserve, given an excellent education and are rewarded out in marriage by the royal family. They are married to important trade allies, dignitaries from other islands or to houses which the royals want to honor or any family which cannot find any suitable unrelated spouses for their children (although this is becoming rarer). They have very little to do with their mothers, having nannies and teachers from a young age, but the maternal relationship is encouraged after their mother is retired into being en entertainer.

These entertainers are singers, dancers, poets, but also socialites, mathematicians and philosophers and follow their own hierarchy. They are considered to be the most powerful women in the country other than the Queen-mother and Queen-consort and they too have very valued voices in court. They fall within the remit of these two women, with the Queen-consort given preference and the royal men are forbidden from speaking with them other than in a governmental meeting. They have no vote and cannot own land, but are considered advisors of the court. They are not allowed to marry or to leave the island unless travelling with the Queen-mother or Queen-consort as companions.

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Eleionomae: The Floating Isle

Back to on my worldbuilding kick again.

The island itself isn't unanchored, despite what the name implies, but most of its flat land is made of coastal bog. This bog is fed solely by rainwater, and makes up most of the island.

Eleionomae is called the floating isle because those that live there do so on 'floating' homes that rise and fall with the floodwater. The material used to make these homes is treated specially to survive the acidic water, but even then it may only last up to ten years. These homes lay on top of the stone pillars and columns driven into the earth to make a foundation for the settlers.

There is a single mile to the west and three to the South where the bog does not extend. This arable land is used for farming, with several large farms. For the harvest everyone from the inland wetland comes out to help. They get fed in return for this and also sheltering the farmers during any raids - which are still common.

The houses are connected via small bridges and walkways. The cabin there are small and mostly suited to smaller families, which are encouraged due to how hard and labor-intensive it is to expand the settlement. The largest of these walkways is in the center of the town and is where any family expecting a child may live until the child is five years old. Not every family takes up on this offer, some preferring to stay in their own structures closer to the edge.

There is also a temple, on 'the dry', where the settlement was first founded. The people were driven into the bog by raiding parties, and there found a nature kind of safety and protection. It is easy to be sucked into the mud if you do not have the specialized stilts or the boats (the use of each depending on the level of ground water).

The loss of food during the raids is minimal and, despite all appearances to the contrary, the people here are not poor. The peat that they harvest from the bog itself is sold in many ports, places that do not wish to burn precious wood in the winter to keep warm.

Hardy, tough clothing with feather ornaments is the fashion here and the diet of wheat is subsidized by eggs from the 'ducks' of the wetlands, of which varieties of semi-domesticated and wild are penned in large enclosures with netting over top to stop them flying away. Some high perches and other things are placed in these pens so they can fly to escape any predators smart enough to find a way in.

Children do not go to a school, as such, but are housed together during the day in the innermost section of the town, with the mothers of the youngest and the elderly of the town keeping an eye on them. Tradesmen take turns to show up and teach them how to do simple tasks and, when they are older, those same tradesmen bid for appendices to the family of the children. You may a baker in one building showing a group how to weigh ingredients on one side and a roofer explaining why the type of mud you use for thatching is important on another.

Although most people here are illiterate, there is a need to communicate (for trade mostly) with other islands via letter writing, so a Master chooses three children at age five to learn to read. The families of these children are given a generous stipend but it is set and no bidding war can occur for a talented child, so sometimes parents try to avoid their child meeting with the Master. These children will go on to the governance of the town, as well as appointing Faireoir, the watchmen.

These children spend most of their time either in the tower (the single stone building in the town and the only one above two stories high) learning from their Master, in court or sitting in on political meetings. Sometimes dignitaries or tradesmen get a bit put out by having to conduct their business in front of a gaggle of children and young people but it is a large part of the culture. Once a child turns 16, they may start to join in on committee discussions about matters but do not get a vote until they are awarded one by the elders - only fifty of which exists. A person must retire their vote at fifty. The Master is often a person who has done so.

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horrible news: in order for you to finish a wip, you have to work on that wip and not the 2543524 other wips you were brainrotting over instead of that one. more investigations at 7.

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Was wishing there was a positivity post for original fiction writers since I see so many about how fanfic writers are doing so much for their communities even when they're not actively writing, and then I thought:

Be the change you want to see in the world.

So this is a positivity post for the writers out here who are working very hard on stories with no established community. Who can't talk about their blorbos and plot lines and brainstorming to anyone and expect them to know what any of it means. Who don't have much to share publicly, but are hoping they will one day.

You're doing a lot of hard work, and I recognize and appreciate what you're putting into the world, even when you're resting.

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some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, “what’s the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?” and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is “unofficial”, and we know that’s not the right word, but it’s the only word we can come up with…until finally it’s like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is “artificial”.

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Melinoe and other stuff

I'm back! My relation is healed and no longer requires my care. I have my house back. I have my peace back. I have my time back. Ish. I mean, I still have two small kids but what are you going to do?

But enough about that! Islands!

Melinoe - The Nightmare Isle

This is important about this post : I don't usually give trigger warnings (I probably should but usually the stuff I post is vague enough that I don't think it warrants it). This island is not that.

Nothing is depicted in detail, but it is mentioned.

Trigger Warnings! include rape, pregnancy, abortion, and other things related to maternal health.

Now that's done, let me explain a bit about what's going on. Most of these islands don't reference people or their stories overly much because I'm more interested in establishing resources, geography, governing bodies and things that I feel will later inform character-driven stories. That's not the case here. This island is so shaped (literally) by the stories of the people who landed on it that it is impossible to separate them.

___________________________________________________________VisVisible from the capital city of Daphnaie, the oaken forests of Melinoe could be used to make many ships for the finding of new islands, or for building materials. Unfortunately no one will go near it.

The first to travel to the island were a group of religious men and women, although over time it became a sacred place for the woman.

The forests here are not natural, having been planted by Saint Serena. Saint Serena came to the island following the death of her mother, who became pregnant at an advanced age and did not live through it. She gave up the riches and prestige of being the heir to a noble family to devote her life to the care of women.

The trees she planted are grave markers. Following one particular vicious raid and harsh winter that cost the lives of many children, she invited women to come to the island with the ashes of the children and plant a tree for them. This practice is still maintained on some parts of the mainland.

Saint Serena also began the process of taking in girls who found themselves pregnant with an unwanted child, or women like her mother for whom the pregnancy was too dangerous to continue. Once there the women were given several options, one of which was to give their child to a tree (aportion) and another was to gift the child to another family.

It was around this time that men became forbidden from setting foot on the island. This was mainly done for safety concerns following men trying to prevent a woman making a decision, or force her into one.

Sometimes the women wished to stay on the island and keep their children or leave them there in safety. This was allowed, however young boys had to be sent from the island to a monastery in Laurus (where their mother might go with them or write to them). From there they would receive an education and be allowed to do anything with themselves that a young man may wish.

Over time the trees grew and so did tensions with the government, who wished to use these resources for their own gains. This idea was met with outrage from most of the populace, who saw the trees as a memoriam to their children. However, there was a small number not opposed to the idea who pointed out the lack of resources and space for their living and future children.

In order to promote this idea, chastity was promotes amongst unmarried men and women. Prison sentences and mandatory naval service are all punishments dulled on young men found to have 'besmirched' a woman's honor. However, as Daphnaie follows a Maternal line succession, any woman found guilty of such are given fines (sometimes high enough to be the ruin of their family). The hope was that, in making such things seen as immoral, eventually the public favor might turn against the island.

The next step was to replace it as a pilgrim destination with the new, inland cathedral. Money and stone was poured into this project, art was commissioned from all over the islands and every possible thing was done to encourage people to visit the site.

This worked to some degree, as the number of young women travelling to the island dwindled.

However, there was another problem. For a short time, Melinoe was known as the isle of the 'Second Sisters', as it became quite a trendy place to send the daughters who were encouraged not to marry or have children. Another abbey was built near the cathedral, which offered an attractive alternative.

Meanwhile the nobles involved in government, both men and women, starting talking about the waste of the islands resources. They whispered about the selfishness of the nuns who lived there, and the disgrace of the children born there to their noble friends. Who, in turn, spoke to theirs.

The plan was to shut down the island, declaring it full of trees and to make it a national monument to deceased children for a decade or so, at which both a 'disease' would strike that meant that they would have to fell some trees to preserve the rest. Then a few more. Finally it would be turned into a proper lumber camp.

This might have worked, had it not been for a man named Andrew Cannatta. Cannatta was never meant to be a part of a big family in Daphnaie. He was from another island, and married a second daughter and took her home as a business transaction between the two families.

However, an accident tragically took the life of her older sister and sister's husband. This made his wife the heir to the family and they had to travel back to Daphnaie to take over.

There's was a contentious marriage with both spouses feeling that they should be the one in charge of their business and estate. They had a single daughter and, while Andrew wished for a son, his wife refused him and stated that her duty to their family was complete.

Andrew picked out a husband for his daughter that both mother and daughter opposed in order to favor a business deal of his own. He had the man kidnap the girl and force a child on her, thinking that she would be forced to marry him afterwards. He was mistaken.

His wife had them both arrested and, despite his objections, divorced him. She brought the girl to Melinoe. He never found out what happened there, but his daughter later took on the role of head of the family, married and had three other children. He never met any of them, having been disowned. Both men were forced into naval service, where a friendship between them blossomed.

The man was a family of nobles who were privy to the gossip but not the plan. Both men wrongly blamed the island's existence for their downfall and formed a raiding team to kill all of the women living there to make way for the government to take it over. They imagined that they would be discreetly rewarded for these actions and Andrew even believed that they might force his daughter to welcome him back into the family, or turn over the reigns of it over to him.

They arrived on the island. The woman fought back, but they were less in number and had children to protect. Some children died, but most of them fled on a boat with a nun named Sister Lennara. One child got lost in the tress while they were running away. She ran back to try and safe the elderly mother superior, but did not make it in time.

The men, drunk on their victory, cut down a tree in celebration. It was a symbol of all of their plans coming to fruition.

Nature cares not for the plans of men.

There is a lichen that grows on this island that can be found no where else. This moss was sparse and dependent on small bushes and exposed rocks that dotted the island. It may have gone extinct if not for Saint Serena and her planting of trees. Now the lichen is everywhere, growing on all of trees of the sprawling forest that the island has become. When this lichen is cut, it releases a spore. This spore causes hallucinations.

The men, coated in blood and adrenaline from killing the nuns, turned on each other with astonishing speed. They fought, they screamed and ran into the sea. The last one cut out his own eyes and died bleeding on the beach.

Sister Lennara ran through the city as soon as her boat arrived in the harbor, screaming about the attack. The fishermen responded faster than the officials, and they arrived at the beach the next morning to the scene and bodies on the beach next to the felled tree.

None of them dared to step foot off their boots. Not when the ghost of a prestress watched them from the tree-line with haunting eyes.

This was actually the child that had gotten lost in the trees. Having been born on the island and often exposed to a small amount of the lichen spores made her more tolerate of their effects. She knew that they were never to go near fallen trees, and was waiting for the wind to carry the spores away while the fishermen watched her. After they fled on their boats away from the 'cursed' isle, she starting dragging the bodies of the nuns and children to a place to burn them. When this was done, she planted their ashes with acorns, as was the tradition. She left the bodies of the men for the sea to take.

She remains there still, the grand daughter of the man who wanted to destroy her island, acting as a silent protector to those buried and growing there.

_________________________________________________________

It's good to be back.

[alwayslosingtheplot-blog]

Me: I've got like a thousand WIPs and nowhere close to finishing any of them

Another Writer: I always finish my stories before starting new ones

Me: 🎵🎵🎵 Ooh FANCY PANTS RICH MCGEE OVER HERE--

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if you’re not meant to be a writer then what are all the ideas in your head for