#collection.my projects

[veneritia]

april 2024 camp nano wip intro - when comes the dawn

this is just something silly :)

taglist: @bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always @halcionic

Slide transcripts under the cut!

[TRANSCRIPT BEGINS]

Slide 1: Title slide

When Comes the Dawn, book 1 of 2

Slide 2: wdym my fantasy story has to have magic?

Set in a fantasy world loosely set in the late antiquities/early middle ages., where everyone alive has the capability to harness magic. But actually using it requires strict and intensive education (and maybe a phD or 5) so most people only know very basic spells.

In Trinitarian belief, it’s believed that the goddess Meidther gave her blood to bring humans to life, and because of that people are imbued with magic. No living person can be alive without magic because it’s literally impossible! Wait -- the emperor of Aetier has a what????

So there’s this weird phenomenon where on very rare occasions, babies will be born without magic. Called “deadbornes”, these babies are incompatible with life and usually end up passing away minutes to days later. With one notable exception (we’ll circle back to this later)

Slide 3: the set-up

The Empire of Aetier (or if you ask any local: “the gods’ specialist little empire”) has a very unique way of handling succession in the imperial family. That way is murder. Just murder. All heirs plot against one another in a formal-informal system called “The King’s Game.” It’s supposed to be a competition of skills, but it’s kind of warped itself into state-sanctioned fratricide (NOT to be confused with a battle royale. That’s just uncouth /j)

The last King’s Game ended 22 years ago, when Dantalion vi Aetier defeated and killed his half-sister in battle. As the victor, he crowned himself the new Vasilier of the empire and proceeded to bring in a new golden age of prosperity for his people. And nothing is wrong and everything is beautiful, and there is no way this can go wrong

... right?

It all starts on the day Fenice was born... where instead of being the healthy and uber powerful child Dantalion expected her to be, Fenice turns out to be a deadborne. Deadbornes are considered harbingers of ill omens, and siring one is a terrible way to start your new reign. And even stranger still is the fact that Fenice...doesn’t die? Someone call the priest and ask them what does it mean if your death omen refuses to go away

Slide 4: The plot

The end of the Hesperia-Aetier war brought new lands under the Empire’s rule, and with it, new ways to gain power and prestige in the Imperial Court. The biggest thorn in the empire atm is that Hesperia’s last king is still wandering the lands somewhere, waiting to strike.

Imperessa Fenice vi Aetier (who’s still alive and kicking) just lost her mom in the war, and now she’s desperate to prove herself to her estranged father that she’s more than a disappointment and wasted potential. And what better way to do that than to succeed him as the next Vasilier?

The problem? Only those that undergo an Ascension are considered legitimate contenders for the throne. The other problem? Dantalion won’t give her one.

Fenice: “Trade offer: I receive my own province to rule and an Ascension. You receive the head of the deposed king of Hesperia.” Dantalion: “Deal. But you have to marry his brother though” Fenice: “What”

[in big, bold, italicized font] disclaimer: this is not a romance

Slide 5: The plot pt. 2

Now wedded and gifted with a province of her own to rule , Fenice actually has to set-up her own power base and follow through with her end of the deal to find and kill the runaway king, as well as extinguish the rebellions he’s so keen on igniting.

But the more she looks for him, the more she realizes he’s being backed by someone much more powerful. But who?

And on totally unrelated note, there seems to be some weird rumors going around of some guy claiming to be Aretos vi Aetier, the son of the very same person Dantalion killed during the King’s Game 20+ years back. But that’s obviously fake news. Surely no one will fall for it!

Slide 6: The POV characters

[image description, the slide is split into two parts with fenice on the left and nikephoros on the right. end image description]

[heading ] fenice vi aetier

[image description: a face claim of the character is displayed on an arched frame, the model is female,has long red hair, pale skin, and an intense gaze]

20, she/her, imperessor of Aetier, Kaisarim of Isidore

the deadborne child that just won’t die

The most calculative and petty bitch you will ever meet

Has the constitution of a sick Victorian lady

Has an inferiority complex so bad it loops back around to a superiority complex

May have met god. not entirely sure

(Debuff) (unremovable) an off-putting aura that cancels out all magic in her immediate vicinity

Ginger

She’s soooo aroace

[heading ] nikephoros deominos

[image description: a face claim of the character is displayed on an arched frame, the model is male, has short light brown hair, is wearing a red sweater, and has his chin tucked into the crook of his arm, while leaning off the arm of a sofa. end image description.]

24, he/him, prince-consort, prince of Hesperia

has been having the worst day of his life for 5 years in a row and counting

his country? conquered. his brother? in hiding. his sister? captive. himself? trying not to die of liver failure

the opposite of a wife guy, the only person he hates more than his wife is his father-in-law loves his family, would be nice to see them though.

generally a nice guy but recent events has him very stressed and angry 24/7

has murderous urges almost all the time

At the bottom middle of the slide it says "married in body but divorced in spirit."

Slide 7: Major characters (spar's notes edition)

(no pictures bc face claimsare hard :(

[heading] dantalion vi aetier

47, he/him, vasilier of the empire

a living legend that all history nerds of the future would study

the dilfiest dilf to ever dilf

has many kids. is a father to maybe one of them

has many wives. is a husband to one, maybe two of them

canonically extremely pretty

surprisingly the only vi aetier to recieve the “kinslayer” epithet despite all previous generations also...slaying kin

Is a wife guy but for a specific wife only

conquered Hesperia as a pride thing

[heading] titania of taul

45, she/her, late vasilia of the empire

the most badass woman to ever walk the face of the earth

mother to fenice and first wife to the guy on the left

she dies before the book starts but she’s still present in the story because death has nothing on her

has many fun epithets such as “the strongest mage,” and “the scourge of men”

Titania is to Hesperians as Hannibal was to the Romans

A+ fighter, B+ mom

Not brought up or relevant in the story, but did you know no one knows who her mother is. One day, her dad just walked out into the wilderness to hunt and then a couple weeks or months later came back with Titania. no explanation was given

Slide 8: major characters cont.

[heading] andras vi drochona

44, he/him, imperessor of Aetier

Dantalion’s only full-blooded sibling, and also his only living sibling

the vasilier’s right hand man

lopped off his own sword arm to prove his loyalty

Designated a forever bachelor by the government

terrible at being comforting

likes to mess with his nieces and nephews

[heading] charles vi aetier

18, he/him, imperessor of Aetier

dantalion’s second child

everyone’s favorite person and can do no wrong

has to always be ok or he’ll detonate like a nuke

achilles coded bi-disaster, take that however you will

a disney prince trapped in game of thrones someone please help this boy out he just wants his family to get along

absolute mama’s boy

[heading] sola eidos

27, he/him

that is not his real name, he made it up

could be the star of his own book ngl

primarily deals in information nowadays but sometimes he misses the adrenaline rush that comes from a well-executed assassination. this is what lands him in fenice’s hands

his secrets have secrets, that’s why his hair is so big

slide 9: major characters cont.

[heading] isandros deominos

28, he him, king of Hesperia

Nike’s older half-brother

Had the worst start of a reign ever. He’s proclaimed king and then immediately has to flee into hiding

hates Aetier with a burning passion

is Stressed TM and in dire need for some hot cocoa

[heading] leda vi bryennia

48, she/her, honored fidari

long story short, she once witnessed Titania fight and covered in blood and had such a massive girl-crush she swore to be Titania’s knight the second she was asked

helped raise fenice and is now serves her as her guardian/protector. that is her child thank you very much

had a shounen-style rivals-to-friends-to-lovers arc with fellow fidari Thetis. It’d be great if it wasn’t for their explosive break-up

[heading] sartore vitae

28, he/him

he can mansplain, manipulate, and manwhore his way into and out of any situation

has a cool eye-patch

is maybe a little too invested with Fenice’s relationship with her father

he WISHES he was as cool as lelouch lamperouge

+ many more characters! (seriously this cast is huge)

slide 10: featuring

way too much extraneous worldbuilding

court intrigue

morally dark gray protagonist

family as your allies and family as your enemies

lots of near-death experiences

no romantic subplot!

too many code geass references

slide 11: camp nano goals

write everyday

2wrte 15,000 words total

reach 50,000 words on my draft

slide 12: fin

[image description: the final slide is full of discord screenshots of funny jokes and commentary about the wip. ]

[end transcript]

[veneritia]

WCTD duology in a nutshell: The estranged daughter of the emperor seeks to prove her worth to the throne by following a long-standing family tradition: familicide.

Can you introduce your WIP in one sentence?

[veneritia]

WHEN COMES THE DAWN | a wip reintroduction

↳ General Info

genre: new adult fantasy court intrigue pov: 3rd person dual pov stage: re-planning/drafting started: 9.3.2023 projected word count: ~90k Book 1 of 2

FENICE VI AETIER, a portent of ill omens and the estranged daughter of the Vasilier, ignites a dangerous succession game between her and her half-siblings, where losing means death and winning means an empire.

The end of the Hes-Aei war brings with it a chance to prove her worth to her father. The challenge is simple: bring him the head of the deposed king of Hesperia, and Fenice will be granted an Ascension, marking her as a legitimate contender for the throne. But finding the defeated king in his own lands would prove to be harder than Fenice imagined— especially when the remnants of her father’s last war starts rearing its head.

↳ The King's Game

A system decreed by the first emperor of Aetier that whoever among his children is the most skillful shall inherit his crown. But time has warped the rules of inheritance dramatically. The only way to survive is to win, and the only way to win is to be the last one standing.

↳ The Major Players

FENICE VI AETIER ◇ the contender | The worst-kept secret of the imperial family, and now an unknown factor in the politics of the Aetier court. The King's Game is her chance to stake her place in history. What she seeks is glory eternal, and she will do whatever it takes to get it.

NIKEPHOROS DEOMINOS ◇ the serpent | The prince of a conquered kingdom, now nothing more than a war prize. He muffles his anger with practiced smiles, playing the game of deception even as it tears him apart at the seams. He will lose either way, all that matters is deciding what he can bear losing.

CHARLES VI AETIER ◇ the favorite | The Vasilier's son with the world at the palm of his hand. The lonely prince with a gentle heart and a willingness to turn a blind eye to the cracks in his perfect family.

SOLA EIDOS ◇ the hound | A man of of unknown origin and a shadowed past, his real name buried beneath the soil of his homeland. He is an information broker, a spy, an assassin-- if you pay the right price. The one thing that can never be bought is his loyalty, a worthy master is hard to find.

SARTORE VITAE ◇ the enigma | An eccentric noble from Leohnthal who can charm his way to a seat at every table. Great with words and even better at half-truths, he is a man that sheds faces as easily as a snake sheds its skin.

Find more WCTD content with the series tag #series.wctd and keep an eye out for monthly progress updates with #wctd-monthly -- the first post coming soon!

Tagging: @sourrcandy @helioselene @seasteading @writinglyra @socialmediasocrates @serpentarii @asa-writes-stuff @cheshawrites @atelierwriting

[veneritia]

when comes the dawn monthly update {4.30.2024}

not me being massively late in posting this and also ignoring my draft oops lets all pretend i posted this in april

THE STATISTICS

the draft → 44,247 words words written this month → 6,441 words total words written this year → 35,384 words hours spent writing this month → 9 hours

APRIL CAMP NANO SUMMARY

6,441/15,000 words written. As always...nano's schedule is so not student friendly lmao.

STORY NOTES

Rewrote the aftermath of the banquet scene twice. Still not totally satisfied with what I went with, but at least it won't overcomplicate and derail the plot

Expanded more on Marius Tracellis. He now has a secret librarian boyfriend <3

Added a new scene towards the beginning of the draft and rewrote the aftermath of Titania's funeral. I'm planning on adding a scene between Dantalion and Fenice that's....not quite family bonding but it's certain something.

I got burned out during the majority of April between final exams and nano, so I'll be taking a short break on the wctd draft and will be focusing on lighter stuff like character studies and the like.

EXCERPTS

BLOG STUFF

I might also take a hiatus from posting the weekly updates, since there really isn't all that much to update on

TAGLIST UNDER THE CUT [ask to be +/-)

@bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always @halcionic @caninemotiff @socialmediasocrates @zorya-km @smolandweirdwriter @floweryprosegarden

[veneritia]

when comes the dawn monthly update {4.2.2024}

This was supposed to be posted yesterday but considering I posted like 2 wip things that day + the april fools boopfest, I thought it'd be better to hold off till today lol

THE STATISTICS

the draft → 39,251 words words written this month → 8,008 words total words written this year → 28,943 words hours spent writing this month → 12 hours

STORY NOTES

my struggles this month were centered around 2 major and somewhat lengthy scenes: the poisoning scene at the banquet and Sola's introduction

Reworked the poisoning scene. Changed the route of the poison, and instead of Fenice noticing and successfully avoiding the assassination attempt, she notices the poison a second too late

Aspects of Sola's introduction were also changed. Instead of Sola successfully escaping Fenice and Leda at the banquet and necessitating his search to have a second meeting, Leda prevents Sola from escaping allowing Fenice to make a deal with him then and there

Added an interlude between Dantalion and Andras!

Rethinking some stuff about my current magic system. No concrete changes just yet, but I know that I definitely want to change it

EXCERPTS

BLOG STUFF

I'll be participating in camp nano! You can find my powerpoint wip intro here

Camp nano updates will be weekly and tagged with #event.camp nano april 2024 It'll be posted along side my usual weekly progress updates

Aretos had his birthday on April 1st! You can find the post here

TAGLIST UNDER THE CUT

(ask to be +/-)

@bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always @halcionic @caninemotiff @socialmediasocrates @zorya-km

[veneritia]

Aretos -> Fenice -> Charles

i think "guy who thinks another guy is his sworn enemy but the other guy is just normal about it" is one of the better and funnier tropes ever

[veneritia]

when comes the dawn — major players ; the imperessa's circle

Leda Bryennia as THE GUARDIAN

Forty-eight. She/her. Honored Fidari of the Imperessa Fenice. Leda has served Fenice all her life under different roles, but now she is Fenice's oath-bound fidari, sworn to protect and serve until her dying breath.

Sola Eidos as THE HOUND

Twenty-seven. He/Him. A man of many talents. When a botched job lands Sola under the imperessa's thumb, he must decide whether to bow his head or face the executioner's axe.

Caius as THE HEALER

Twenty-four. They/Them. Caius mends fractured bones and broken skin to atone for a sin that is not theirs, and is burdened by knowledge that can devastate armies and change the course of war.

Necenia Pollonis as THE KEEPER

Twenty. She/her. Mystikoi of the Imperessa Fenice. Daughter of one of the Nine Great Houses of Isidore, her sharp wit and even sharper memory lands her a position in the Imperessa's household-- a noteworthy achievement, if only the Imperessa wasn't the enemy of her family.

Thetis as THE WATCHER

Forty-eight. She/her. Commander of The Vasilier's Sanctorian Guard. The last thing she wants to do is babysit the new Kaisarim of Isidore, but the Vasiler's word is law, and she will fulfill her duties even if she must confront the heart she buried long ago.

Marius Tracellis as THE TURNCOAT

Thirty-six. He/him. Vice Governor of Isidore. The arrival of the new Kaisarim has made his position vulnerable, and having incurred enmity from both sides, he must find whatever protection he can to maintain all that he's earned.

[psd coloring by tuschen]

taglist under the cut (ask to be +/-):

@bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always

[veneritia]

when comes the dawn — the principal actors

Fenice Eucleia Titaniae vi Aetier

"I cannot be a threat if I have no fangs to bite."

i. 20 years old. She/Her. Her Imperial Highness the Imperessa, Kaisarim of Isidore.

ii. A princess and the blight of her father's golden age. A girl that's been dead since the day she was born and yet still breathes. Even if the whole world wishes it so, she refuses to live in obscurity, refuses to die forgotten. Calculative and shrewd, she grasps at any opportunity for advancement that she can, clawing her way to power even if she must sacrifice pieces of herself to attain it.

iii. If the gods have seen it fit to let her live, then there must be a reason for it. And if there is not, then she will carve her destiny into the stars with her own hands.

Nikephoros Deominos

Nikephoros’s eyes burned with rage, teeth bared in a blood-stained smile. “No.”

i. 24 years old. He/Him. His Highness the Prince Consort, prince of Hesperia

ii. The once proud prince laid low. Rage runs through his veins like fire, tempered only by the desire to keep his younger sister safe. Charming, witty, and handsome when he isn't spilling vitriol from his mouth. Once upon a time he was a man certain of his place in the world, but now he must continuously spin himself a convoluted web of reasons to justify his ever shifting loyalties.

iii. All that he wants is to protect those who are precious to him.

taglist under the cut (ask to be +/-):

@bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always

[veneritia]

wtw relationships week → protagonist & antagonist (ft. deuteragonist)

↳ Fenice + Aretos

They're cousins, at least if Aretos is who he truly says he is. And if he is, then they are in direct competition for the throne Fenice desires so much. They developed an unlikely friendship in Hesperia, when Aretos masqueraded as the enigmatic noble Sartore Vitae. Fenice often relied on his counsel and information to help bring Isidore under her thumb. Aretos, meanwhile, sees a lot of himself in Fenice, almost the the point of intense projection. He sees Fenice as an ally in his own vengeance against Dantalion, if only he could make her see that for herself.

↳ Fenice + Nike

They're bound for eternity in holy matrimony. Neither of them are happy about it, but their happiness hardly matters when politics is thrown into the mix. But their status as husband and wife doesn't change the fact that they, and their families, are bloody enemies. Fenice must watch her back against any of Nike's schemes, constantly aware of the viper that sleeps in her bed each night. Nike must sacrifice his pride and be subservient to the daughter of his enemy to protect his younger sister, but he cannot simply standby as his 'wife' plans to kill his brother.

↳ Nike + Aretos

Aretos and Nike have a working relationship. Aretos is one of the powers supporting Nike's brother from the shadows, and ever since Nike's marriage Aretos has been working as the liaison between the two Deominos brothers. But despite this, Nike knows Aretos is the furthest thing from a friend or ally.

Taglist (ask to be +/-):

@bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @prosayst

[veneritia]

my cinnamon roll: charles

my poor little meow meow: six

Idc if you think "poor little meow meow" is annoying, it's not the same as "cinnamon roll/smol bean" and you KNOW this. Cinnamon roll and smol bean were cutesy complimentary words used to mean "precious" or "adorable." When I call someone a poor little meow meow I am embodying the essence of a wealthy victorian widow lifting the chin of a shivering street urchin with her cane.

[veneritia]

04.01 — Happy Birthday Aretos vi Aetier!

Terrible child. Pitiful child. You who were born for a father's greed and a mother's vengeance— do you know who you are? Or do you only know what you must become

To my most pathetic boy <3 you would've been a great protagonist

Taglist + Bonus aretos face claim under the cut

[psd template by @castorbytes (not sure what their new user is now tho) | psd coloring by tuschen]

ty @seasteading for the top tier recolor job <3

Taglist: @bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always @halcionic @caninemotiff @socialmediasocrates @zorya-km

[veneritia]

wtw relationships week → foils

↳ Charles + Fenice

Charles is everything Fenice should be but never was. A constant reminder that she was never, and will never, be enough.

It's funny then that out of all of Dantalion's children, they're the ones that understand each other the best.

Taglist (ask to be +/-): @bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @prosayst

[veneritia]

The Imperial House of Aetier | the Drochonan Dynasty

“It’s a wonder that all of you imperial bastards lasted this long with how easily you try to tear each other to pieces.”

Tag list under the cut (ask to be +/-):

GENERAL → @charlesjosephwrites | @bearunicorn154 I @seasteading | @writting-in-blood | @trapped-inadystopianovel | @inky-duchess | @thats-my-type-writer | @serpentarii | @myhusbandsasemni | @aphaimaniis | @writinglyra | @belialwrites | @amoranza | @pseudepigraphic | @mel-writes-with-her-dragons | @uppoffringar | @fantasydisease | @sourrcandy

WCTD → @zmlorenz | @andiwriteunderthemoon | @ryns-ramblings | @marchdove | @cielnocturnes | @wren-is-writing | @lord-fallen | @tragicbackstoryenjoyer | @bloomingwrites | @marrowwife

[veneritia]

ORISON — a story of cain

Some webweaving to celebrate my short story getting accepted into my university’s literary magazine

Orison by @veneritia // The Sacrificial Lamb by Josefa de Ayala // Cain by Wolfgang Cordan (tr. Herman Salinger) // Peter Paul Rubens - Cain Slaying Abel // Cain: A Mystery, Act III Scene I, by Lord Byron, from The Works of Lord Byron // Traci Brimhall, “Murder Ballad in the Land of Nod” from Come the Slumberless To the Land of Nod (via @godsopenwound) // The First Mourning by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1888 // Cain. by Lys // photo by Ian Dooley on Unsplash

[veneritia]

wtw relationships week → friends

↳ Sola + Fenice

At first, it was work relationship born out of blackmail and the threat of execution. Eventually, it became a partnership, and maybe what one could call devotion. Sola couldn't tell you exactly when it became that way or what drew him to pledge his loyalty to the little princess; perhaps she reminded him of someone, and he was getting sentimental. For Fenice, Sola was one of the first true allies she made in Isidore. He's her confidant, a voice of reason, and more often than not the dagger she uses to strike from the shadows. He is indispensable to her-- not that she'll say it to him out loud.

Taglist (ask to be +/-): @bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @prosayst

[veneritia]

wtw relationships week → side characters

↳Leda + Fenice

Leda was the head of Titania's guard when she was vasili of Aetier. Loyal to a fault, when Titania stepped away from court life after Fenice's birth, Leda followed. Since then, Leda has taken up numerous roles in Fenice's life; a nursemaid, a governess, a protector, and at times a second mother.

With the advent of Titania's death, Leda's protectiveness over her charge has only increased. She is Fenice's oath-bound fidari, her sword, her shield, her guard dog. Leda failed in protecting Titania, and so has sworn to dedicate her life in preserving the last of her legacy.

Taglist (ask to be +/-): @bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @prosayst