#if you like baldurs gate 3 but want something a touch more comical

[duskforged]

State of the Author: January 2024

Normally, I wouldn't do a thing like this. However, because I have not actually updated y'all on my WIPs in a while, I thought I might as well!

We'll start with the thing most of you followed me for: long-form fiction. And I call it that since all of these will be over 15k words (hopefully). There are three novels I'm currently focusing on.

LONG-FORM FICTION

Lodestar is currently stuck in a worldbuilding spiral, since it's a near-future humanity in space. While I do love sci-fi, science and math are not especially my forte. I hope to start drafting by the end of the summer, around September.

Vespertine has started on the first draft, though I'm also outlining still - something of a combined process. I am excited to share more of it with you, though it may be tough since most of it still lives in my head. Such is the woe of the artist.

Unto Summer Kings is in the first draft and currently hovering around 15k words! So far it's the longest I've gotten on a novel, and if I stay on track I could start my second draft by May, and begin beta reading by August.

LONG-FORM FANFICTION

I hesitate a little to touch on this one, just because. However, for the pure self indulgence I will. I have three major fanfics currently posted on my AO3, all of them multichaptered.

The Hanged Man is a Naruto SI!OC as Hatake Sakumo, immediately before his death. I currently have 8 chapters out and the main beats of the fic are fully outlined as of this month, which marks a major turning point in the fic's planning.

The Ever-Growing Gloaming is another self insert, this time into the events of Baldur's Gate 3. Vespere, the main character, whose name is subject to change, has been plucked from August 2023 and has not played the game since early access March 2023. Therefore they know less than you might expect.

Finally I have my Supernatural series, For Want of a Broken Nail (Broken Nail Verse). And I know what you're going to say, it's super meta to have a self insert in that fandom, you're writing SPN fanfic in 2024 what is wrong with you, etc etc. But the concept seized me full on by the balls and I already have the first 5 seasons outlined. Sorry, not sorry? No one is obligated to read it anyhow.

I also have a billion ideas on the backburner, ranging from fandoms like Game of Thrones and the MCU (for some reason) to Avatar: the Last Airbender and Star Wars. I'll post 'em when I post 'em!

ART PROJECTS

Wolf in Shepherd's Clothing is a comic of humanity's first lycanthrope, taking place in ancient Mesopotamia, in what is modern day Iran. The main character, Lahar, is gender neutral/ambiguous. So far, I'm stuck in outlining and drafting but hopefully soonTM.

Witchboy (title wip) is a story I'm working on with my partner @fallenorpheus based on various YA novels we read growing up. So far we aren't super set on the story, but it's definitely about a boy who is (accidentally) a witch, his best friend, his adoring father, and his estranged mother.

Dame-Errant (title wip) is a story that, instead of in comic form, is a story that is illustration snapshots, accompanied by short story prose. It is about a butch knight, Dame Johana Talon, who is tasked by Queen Atossa to find her missing son, Prince Khosrow. Typical 'prince(ss) in the tower shenanigans' but then, politics. And boy does Jo hate politics.

I have other webcomic ideas (mtf vs bbeg accidentally breaking a prophecy, team of bipoc/minority characters getting thrown into a fantasy world for an adventure, etc) so feel free to ask.

PERSONAL

I hesitate to touch on this, really, since it's not something that just anyone needs to know, but I've been struggling to find a good name for myself. Hesperos is a good name, but doesn't necessarily feel like 'me' these days. I do enjoy the h/e sounds... I've considered Ezra, but that's just the name of an OC and I'd rather not get quite that meta.

Ah well, sure it'll sort itself out eventually.

THE END

Anyway, thanks for reading! I know that's quite a lot for this one post to cover, but you stuck til the very end. Not sure when I'll start posting again in earnest but I hope sooner rather than later!

[rainbowbarnacle]

I nabbed this from @lizardlicks!

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you have WIPs

One of my favorite ways to get in the right frame of mind to work on crap is to talk about it, so here we go:

Raise Your Glasses High (Baldur's Gate 3, a little thing examining Astarion's hunting trips as well as his interactions with Cazador and his "siblings")

Where Beauty Moves and Wit Delights (Karstarion fic! Astarion makes the best out of a crappy situation (Karlach being too fiery to touch safely right now) by driving her absolutely insane with teasing.)

Godtender Chapters (HELLO NEGLECTED 2023 NANO.)

thief VS marshal dream (Ever have one of those dreams where it's an entire story plus credits at the end? I HAD ONE, it was interesting: snarky elven thief leads an increasingly exasperated Marshal on a merry chase.)

Perchance to Dream (Original story I'm writing for @mercurialmalcontent: two very lonely long distance lovers meet up in a dream)

There is a very bored and lonely 50-something... (This is an old one: Lottie confesses to her therapist that she actually hates her life a lot and misses having a companion and it would be an improvement even if the fairies came and took her away ... ... and it turns out one was listening.)

Heyokastory (Set in @vastderp's comic, Heyoka and Kano go to an autumn fair with apple picking and a petting zoo. I started this one way back in 2019 because I missed my chance to go to one that year and I missed it like crazy. Note the year, it would be a LONG TIME before that opportunity came back around...)

letters (a series of snarky notes and letters between my original characters, L. Fangtooth and Fausto de la Cruz.)

possibly more indulgent emetwol stuff (This thing! It's been "possibly more" for over a year now ahaha)

As for tagging, hm. I say if you see this and want to do it, GO DO IT, I WANNA SEE. :D