#also edited to take out that part about the continent themidis is on

[aplaceforstellasscribbles]

WIP Introduction- Walk Against the Wind

Officially announcing my WIP novel Walk Against the Wind!

For those of you that have been around since 2018 (or earlier) this is actually the same story I've been working on since then. However, it has undergone extensive changes since I last posted about it. Hence, a new introduction post.

Setting

Time Period: Late 1800s, mid-Industrial Revolution. Most scenes in the "Present Day" take place in the late 1870s or early 1880s, but there are some "Past" scenes in the 1860s or earlier.

World: A secondary world very similar to Earth. I'm in the process of drawing a world map, which I may eventually post here. This is a realistic setting with no magic and mostly real-world period-appropriate technology.

Place: The majority of the story takes place in a city called Remmord, set in a valley which controls access to the Silvercape Peninsula on the west coast of the country. Two steep mountain ranges meet at the base of the peninsula, making it difficult to get to from the east. Remmord is one of the major cities of the kingdom of Themidis, a large country known mostly for its unfriendliness towards its neighbors and its large standing military.

Miscellaneous

Remmord and its surrounding region used to be a separate country (called Dalatras) from Themidis, which is a fact completely unknown to the majority of the populations of both Remmord and Themidis

Remmord's government is a dictatorship imposed on them by the Themidian king that was responsible for the absorption of Remmord. Succession of this position must happen through single unarmed fatal combat, by order of the king

Characters

Gilsen Sheridan: Main character, primary POV. He's in his mid-twenties, returning to his hometown after retiring early from his career in the Royal Guard (a blend of police and military). His family is one of the oldest families in Remmord, part of a group of people called the History Keepers that secretly record accurate history and folklore. When Gilsen was a child, he was separated from his family, and he's wanted nothing more than to return to them and help them continue their work of preserving Remmord's history. His name comes from an old Germanic word for "pledge." He's observant, intelligent, compassionate, tenacious, creative, and kind. He has a strong sense of justice and always tries to do the right thing. Like many people of Remmord, he's pale, has curly brown hair and brown eyes, and is tall (by America's standards-he's on the taller end of average for Remmord). He's aromantic and asexual, which will be a significant part of his story (in the lack of a romantic subplot, and also in the importance of his platonic relationships).

Amalia Glenfield: The other main character with a POV. I'm aiming for giving her a roughly equal amount of screentime with Gilsen, but she may end up getting a little less, depending on how things work out. She's the daughter of the Consul of Remmord, which resulted in a sheltered and lonely childhood. Growing up wealthy also gave her certain worldviews that she spends her early adulthood trying to unlearn. She and Gilsen have been friends since early childhood. In the process of trying to expand her understanding of the world, she comes to realize that many things about Remmord are deeply flawed, and she decides to try to change them, mostly through a "tear it all down and rebuild a better version" mindset, fueled by resentment of her father. She blames him directly for most of Remmord's problems, and is convinced that removing him from power is the only way to fix anything. Her name means "unceasing, vigorous, brave." She's impulsive, strong-willed, dedicated, and loyal. She feels intense righteous anger over the state of her city. She also struggles to see the forest for the trees, getting a little lost in the small things. She's pale, with brown hair and green eyes, and is on the shorter end of average height. She's also aromantic and asexual, which will also be a significant part of her story.

Ryan Glenfield: The Consul of Remmord, a position he gained as a teenager when his (also teenage) brother abandoned it. He begins his rule with the best of intentions, but naivete, ignorance, and years of bad advice mean that his actions aren't always good for all of Remmord. His people largely see him as someone who's better than his predecessor, but who does make plenty of bad decisions they disagree with. He's too separated from his people to really realize the full effect of his policies on their daily lives, so he thinks he's doing a great job. He wants to do the right thing, but often doesn't know what that would be. He tried to be a good parent to Amalia, and doesn't really understand why she's so distant as an adult. He's stubborn and thinks he always knows best, but he's also willing to learn if someone shows him he's wrong. I haven't settled on an appearance for him just yet.

Henry Glenfield: Ryan's older brother. He couldn't handle the responsibility of being Consul when he earned the position as a teenager, so he abandoned his post to travel the country. He returns to Remmord after several years to find out that Ryan has taken his post and doesn't really want to give it back. By the time the story begins, he's spent years regretting his choice, believing that Ryan isn't the ruler that the city needs. Outwardly, he's supportive of his brother, but he wishes there was a way for him to make things better without opposing Ryan. He takes in Gilsen when he's separated from his parents, believing it to be his fault that Gilsen's parents are gone. When Amalia and Gilsen come to him with concrete ideas for how to help Remmord in a way that doesn't pit him against Ryan, he's all ears and eager to help. I haven't settled on an appearance for him either.

Plot

When Gilsen is a child, Remmord's most culturally significant holiday is outlawed, leading to protests that result in the arrest of Gilsen's parents. He comes back to his family as an adult ready to hear their plans for how they're going to restore the holiday now that so many years have passed, only to be told that the family has no such plans. He decides that he'll just have to try without them, and begins strategizing for that. Meanwhile, Amalia is also seeking ways to undo many of her father's decisions, so the two scheme together. Amalia attempts to convince Gilsen to challenge her father, but he refuses. She then attempts to convince Henry, but he won't kill his brother. Gilsen thinks that there's another way to achieve their goals: by simply educating Ryan and appealing to his need to do the right thing. With Henry's encouragement, Gilsen exposes the lies Ryan has been taught. When he sees the truth, Ryan is distraught, and agrees that many of his laws should be overturned and that the dictatorship should be abolished. The four of them work with each other and their people to set up a democratic government. Henry is elected as the new leader. He and his council decide that one of the first things they should do is bring back the banned holiday. There's still a lot of work left to do, but it's a good beginning, and for the first time in years the four are hopeful for their future.