#wip soulwood

[nikkywrites]

WIP Line Chain Game

I was tagged by @amberskywrites @dontcrywrite and @notwritinganyflufftoday so because of that I'm going to do the last three lines in one post.

Rules: Write the latest line from your wip and tag as many people as there are words in the line.

The girl wanders from the town that has been built from the ground in the distance, a bump on the horizon, backlit by setting sun like a halo of wrath.

She has been tense, waiting for a siege to start march, for humans to come with their fire and their fury and burn her just for living. What arrives, though, is a girl with a basket and round face and soft hands; a human Keithia does not believe could be a threat.

That's... 82 words, oh boy. Tumblr started breaking once I got to the mid forties, so I'm tagging 41 people, 2 for each word. I hope that's alright.

Tagging (with no pressure as always): @drbibliophile @gwens-fiction @goblingraveyard @reeseweston @spencecreates @possibledreamswriting @sinish-tem @axel-writes @jovialmisterfox @my-mild-ginger @all-ringils-blazing @gotchaocha @lostdarksoul13 @daddyissuesmademe @writer-aspirantus @nightmaresorpromises @northernrosewritings @ranpo-owns-me @writerdee1701 @thatrandombitch @campcampfanfan @xxtakechancesxx @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @sued134 @coalmine301 @decodamalion @fact-fictionx @imjustalonesomewriter @moonlightcrazyphoenix @vintage-vamp @rebel13lion39 @pinesprings @icannotreadcursive @akindofmagictoo @ziezie13 @little-stories-by-lilly @oxytocin-deprived @beedragony @writtendevastation @talesfromaurea @spockmyashayam

[nikkywrites]

It’s weird how we were both busy yesterday.

In Soulwood, the answer is technically no. There is the briefest mention of a bear. But, in draft 2 (I’ve talked about it more than I’ve written it haha) I’m debating adding in some early Keithia/forest. If I do/it fits, there will probably be an animal of some sort, either aiding Keithia or her helping it.

Underwing Challenge - Day 15

I’m just gonna post my question here, instead of sending it personally today because I’m a bit busy.

Are there any important animals/pets in your wips? If so, please elaborate. If not, why not?

Tagging my lovely adoptees: @dontcrywrite, @avian-writes, @nikkywrites, @fourteenzero and of course anyone else who wants to answer this question is allowed to do so as well (and tag me in your answer if you do)

[ashen-crest]

I cannot stop writing pre-Ocean’s Heart side stories and it is A Problem. Tell me that I need to work on Davy Jones’ POV or Calypso’s even though her POV is already farther along. Or Soulwood because that’s a thing I need to do too.

But I’ve written almost 9k of another side story since Monday and I need an Intervention (it’s also a healthy chunk of dialogue which I don’t understand because dialogue is the worst but this whole thing just keeps flowing and I can’t get out). I’d make a wip intro for it as it’s easily going to be over 10k but it has no title (and yes, making it a wip is an excuse to keep working on it, thanks for asking). These side stories are apparently a thing now and I don’t know how to feel about it. Fool, King of Sea was bad enough but there more. Maybe I’ll gather all the things and do a large intro for the idea of pre-wip stories and mini intros for each individual story?? I don’t know. I have no idea what I’m doing. Thank you for letting me rant.

Good luck with manuscript formatting! Hope it doesn’t melt your brain too much.

side stories are so much fun, though!! and personally, I love dialogue, so I think that's really cool that it's working for you in that new side story! I'll be excited to read whatever you post :)

[nikkywrites]

Character Introduction: Keithia

“You will regret that,” she tells the air between them.

Role: Protagonist, Guardian of a Haven.

Personality: Protective, Stubborn, Gentle

Keithia’s life is simple. Caring for the whole of a forest is difficult work, even with its wellbeing thrumming under her skin, but difficult does not mean complex. She keeps her woods healthy, keeps moving, stays… content. Peaceful. She does not see what else life could have to offer.

And then, from the bump forming on the horizon, comes a girl. A human.

Things stop being simple.

She befriends the human, despite the warning humming in her bones that she is dangerous. She does not seem as such, seems kind, seems gentle, seems harmless. Even before asked, the girl watches where she places her feet as she takes in the haven with wonder.

As if it is something beautiful, otherworldly.

And it shouldn't, probably, but it lights a warmth in Keithia's chest that bids her approach, and she does. She's never met a human before, never had a friend and it's... something she wants, even if old instinct cautions her to keep distance. This is one human, one girl.

What harm could come from a friend?

[nikkywrites]

happy valentines/early tender tuesday! tell me about your favorite in world romantic gestures in your wip. what means "i love you/i wanna date you/marry me?" what worldbuilding have you built up for that?

Happy Valentines! You know what? I’m gonna make up something for Soulwood off the cuff because I feel like of all my worlds, that’s the one most likely to have a different sort of gesture (aside from maybe species-specific ways in TDWAD-world? but that wip is on hold for reconstructing, so. That’s a no go right now). Also, because this is off the cuff, it’s obviously not set in stone.

People dislike/fear Havens, which are places in nature made of and harboring magic. So giving someone flowers is seen as a threat. Wood carvings would… depend on the specific area, perhaps. In towns not close to Havens, they’d be more popular, little trinkets crudely carved tucked in pockets and set on windowsills, typically as a “would you let me court you?” (more intricate = sign of more devotion). In areas closer to Havens, though… it’s either be a sign of bravery, indicating intentions to marry or it’d be similar to flowers, a sign of disrespect.

So perhaps a common form of starting courtship would be finding a smooth stone and on an early date going to skip it and more skips is like a blessing. And a common proposal would be… maybe making a leather bracelet? Because it would show consideration in making it the right size, dedication in the craft (woven bracelets would be more high class and the more delicate, the better?), good survival skills if they get the animal themselves/social skills if they barter to get it. It’d just be a good display of dedication and providing skills.

[nikkywrites]

That’s so cool!! I love it, thank you!

sleepy is bored at work 88.1

this came out nicely. I’d like it if the whole background was muted purple, but that would’ve messed up the letters and leaves. @nikkywrites​ 

[nikkywrites]

Character Introduction: The Girl With No Name (TGWNN)

“Come with me,” she says one day, their fingers entangled. “Come to my home.”

Role: Side Character

Personality: Curious, Dutiful, Restrained.

Her mother has ideas of the world, of how it should be filled and how she should look upon and touch it. People, she's told, shape the world. And you will hold it as I do, someday. So, logically, she must be ready.

Even if being her mother isn't something she wants.

It's luxury, being taught to read and write. She'll need it, to be Baroness one day, but if she uses the skills for other things, to read books she shouldn’t, no one needs to know.

And if she sneaks out of the house, of the town some nights, no one needs to know that either.

Especially when she finds the forest.

There's something about the air and the look and the feels that sparks something like reverence, like her mother on her knees in the square of sunrise. It's never something she's understood. But this-- something about these woods grant her a peek into the feeling her mother preaches she too must feel.

Then she meets the forest girl.

[nikkywrites]

Underwing Challenge Day 3

Who is your main cast? Describe as many of your OCs as you can cram into one post.

Soulwood has three main characters (and kind of just three characters in general oop)

The first is our POV and true main, Keithia. She’s a Guardian — someone who is made to protect magical havens. That’s her purpose. She tends to her forest and keeps the magic in it calm, keeps things that dare disturb the balance away and, against better judgement, welcomes a human into her home, fueled by her own loneliness and the other’s gentle grief.

The next is... an odd one. I’ve taken to calling her The Girl With No Name (TGWNN for short) she does not have a name and that’s a Thing. She is the daughter of a Governess(?) who lives in a new town built close to Keithia’s forest. She’s restless in her home, driven near mad by boredom and sneaks out one night to a forest she’s been warned from, sitting on the horizon like a mirage.

Nile is the third. He’s. His role is a little washy, might change in the next draft. But he lives in the same town as TGWNN, just years later, when it’s more established. He comes from a large, poor family. He befriended Keithia when he was young and he knows she’s magic in some way, it’s something he pretends to be ignorant on. He pretends it even when he drafts himself into the Kings army — an army often sent to eradicate things of magic, led by fearful King’s order.

[nikkywrites]

Find The Word Tag 4

Thanks for the tag @mel-writes-with-her-dragons! I'd caught up with these just about and I have a surplus of people I can tag in these now. I have to find the words hope, peace, morning and silence. These are all from Soulwood.

Hope

If she was involved—

The pieces begin to slot together. It’s a horrible puzzle, a horrible solution, but it’s an answer that she can reach. It is something she can do that has a hope of working.

“Please,” she whispers, her heart chilling over.

Peace

She lets them flutter to the floor and stares at the sky.

It’s blue and bright. What she’s heard village people refer to as a perfect day. There’s a few wisps of clouds drifting across the expanse and it’s peaceful, things considered.

It doesn’t match the atmosphere. The coming fight.

Morning

He whirls around. He’s older now, as is she, though she doesn’t particularly look it. His chin is shadowed with the threat of a beard incoming. Her hair is to her waist. His emerald eyes (the ones she’s compared to the brightest leaves at the start of spring countless times) glimmer like morning dew as he glares.

Silence

“I know.” She opens her fingers and lets his hand fall from hers. More leaves drift to the floor, only just starting to yellow.

He looks away. “Yeah.”

She swallows.

They stand in silence. A few flowers turn brown on the edge of their petals.

I will tag @chiefest-and-greatest-calamity @lexiklecksi @avaeverstone @cracked-pean @andiwriteunderthemoon @jesterlaughingstock to find the words danger, moon, wish and miss.

[nikkywrites]

Thanks for the mention, Moon 🥺🥰

I’m Nikky, I have way too many wips at any given moment and I write myth retellings and fantasy. Lately (like for the last year aggjkl) I’ve been a little obsessed with my take on Calypso. She’s a mesh of Greek Odyssey Calypso and old sailor tale Davy Jones Calypso and I love her. She’s a very cruel person but can also be super sweet depending on her mood and who she’s around. She is also the Kraken and it’s not uncommon for her to just go around with sharp teeth or with her Kraken eyes (the whites blacked out). She’s aware that she’s a monster and is unbothered by it and what others think of her (beside the very exclusive Inner Circle. She cares a little about them).

She’s the star of three wips but my focus of them at the moment is Maidens and Monsters. It’s a tragic WLW romance retelling the myth of Scylla’s transformation from nymph to beast.

You shouldn’t have to worry too much if you’re not that familiar with the original myths, though. I put my own spin on all the characters and take liberties. They can still be enjoyed as their own thing.

You can tag me in games! I’m kind of awful at doing them in a timely manner but I will get around to it.

So since I’m trying to get back into writing again, and I’ve just realized how out of the loop I am on Writeblr while trying (and failing) to figure out who to tag in that tag game!

Writeblrs! Reblog this and tell me:

•A little about your main wip(s) and /or characters. If you want and you have one, you can just send me your wip intro, or you can thpe out a big long rant about it, or you can just type a couple of sentences. Whatever works for you!

•Whether or not you like to be tagged in tag games

•Any other writeblrs you would recommend if you can think of any!! I’m specifically looking for people who write fantasy and romance, and I sometimes like interesting science fiction stuff too!!

[nikkywrites]

Soulwood

soulwood — a wip intro

               ↳ She is, of course, brought into life to fulfill a purpose. She is created alongside her home and it is her duty to protect it.

Genre -> Fantasy, Drama

POV -> Third Person Limited

Themes -> Betrayal, Survival, Lost Love, Nature, Fate and Free Will, Growing Up, Morality, Past and Present.

Status -> Second Draft

Blurb -> Keithia is made to protect her forest, the manifestation of her very soul. She is meant to help foster the magic within it, keep it safe and strong. But some will do anything to eradicate magic — to put themselves atop the chain of power.

Tags to Follow -> wip soulwood

People who may be interested -> @notwritinganyflufftoday​ @drippingmoon @blindthewind @mel-writes-with-her-dragons

Synopsis:

Keithia is placed into being as a Guardian — someone who has a piece of nature anchored to their soul. Hers is a forest, a soulwood, and her sole purpose is to keep the magic in it thriving. It is a simple enough thing to do, typically, except for when the atypical comes.

Humans are— disasters, potentially. They have means of destruction and flared tempers with which it might ignite. Humans can be dangerous.

They can also be kind.

It is ages before Keithia meets her first human and she believes her to be one of the kind ones. She believes the same of what she considers her second human -- one who comes years after the first. She grows, against her better judgement, to trust them both.

Protection comes harder when there is something to protect from. But maybe the struggle of keeping something safe is what’s needed for her to want to keep it safe. Protecting was a duty, a purpose, something given to her the moment she started existing.

Eventually, it becomes a choice.

Extra Note -> This is not told chronologically -- it hops between three periods of time. This was also started by a prompt.

Taglists -> A post with all my taglists. Ask to be added! They are made by demand, so soulwood doesn’t have one but ask and it shall be made.

[nikkywrites]

Underwing Challenge Day 5

What’s your favorite excerpt from this WIP so far?

I don’t want to reshare an excerpt I’ve already shared, so have a different bit.

“Stay the night.”

Keithia blinks. Her mind says don’t. She’s never been away from her forest for that long. It says you need to protect it. You can’t leave it unguarded. It is your duty to keep it safe. Some would think she argues with logic — nothing has ever happened before, why would it tonight?

That’s not why she agrees.

She agrees because her heart says yes. It warms in her chest, a pleasant feeling and whispers stay. You want to. You can. Just say yes.

It will be because of this moment that she learns to listen to her head. But that comes later.

“Yes,” she whispers.

This is the moment she listens to her heart. This is the night the purple flowers bloom.

[nikkywrites]

Underwing Challenge Day 4

What’s the world of your WIP like?

This is an interesting question! For Soulwood... hmm. The world as a whole is pretty loosely built, probably because the story is so contained, but maybe I'll write something wider-scoped one day. But the way magic is/works is pretty interesting.

It’s not possessible or wielded by any people — no witches/djinn/fairies/anything. It’s raw power/energy and is semi-sentient. It is its own bit of nature -- like forests and lakes and such. If left to run rampant it can get tangled and if the "flow" is stopped the energy turns to chaos. Chaos is self-destructive. It's a well of power in too-little space and it bursts, causing natural disasters -- floods, hurricanes, sinkholes and the like. This happens because it weakens the area where the block is, trying to brute-force past it. Most of these blocks usually happened around humans who... didn't create the block but made them more severe, unintentionally, aiding in crossing the point where magic is stifled and where it is corrupted. Chaos is devastating, has wrecked ports and ships and towns. It's how/why humans know what magic is and is all most know of it.

Eventually, enough magic was turning to chaos that it built a protection system. Like I said, magic is not sentient. But it's not not sentient. So what it's able to do is limited. But it made beings in the shape of humans (it knows them like it knows nature, even if it has always gone unknown), tasked with keeping the flow. The guardians that come out aren't quite human -- details not quite right, lifespan all wrong, souls not in them, but they look the part. The key difference is their souls. They are closely tied to magic itself and take shape as havens -- places where magic settles/is more present.

It's not a perfect solution. It's not perfect in a lot of ways. The magic there gets left to guardians mercy, to how they are on an baser level. If a guardian corrupts, so does the magic. That is where they are weak -- magic does not know souls and guardians are easier to knot up, in theory. Some willingly shirk their duties. Some are too trusting. Some are too bitter under the weight of what they have to do. Magic is still corrupting, but slower. Some take the duty with the seriousness it requires. It's a teetering balance.

On the side of humans -- most do not know/believe in the actual magic, only in the chaos because that is what is seen. There is, probably, a religion that worships true magic, but it is not popular. But as Kings get crowned and more of their land is ruined of it -- some seek to rid of the problem. No magic means no chaos.

That is what Keithia has to really worry about protecting from, because at the start her worries had simply been flow -- chasing off intruding bears who are ruining the wildlife and balance of it, altering the flow of a river when it runs too fast, things like that. She (and all guardians) are meant to deal with... not quite physical things. But the passage of time makes bigger threats of humans, giving them iron and blades and tamed wildlife. They are not made to fight armies, do not evolve and grow as much as their shape-sake do. They stay stagnant, watching, and humans grow more powerful.

That's... all I can really put into words, for the moment. It was good to figure this out, but now I worry I'm going to get an itch to actually do something that is wider-scoped, figure out the whole world a bit.

[nikkywrites]

Soulwood Scribble: Last Meeting

I’m thinking of getting into the habit of posting non-canon and/or behind the scene writings as scribbles like I post (or am trying to post) thrown out bits as lost lines.

This is also prompted by flash fiction friday's prompt, "last time". This is 500 words of bitter information. Mostly prose, no dialogue (can you tell I don't like writing dialogue?) but there's quite a bit written between the lines here. Happy reading!

*****

The last time Keithia sees the vessel of her heart, neither of them speak. The air feels oppressive, like thick clouds on her tongue. There are words in there, pleas and apologies and explanations -- things she should say, probably. But there are clouds in her mouth and she is not strong enough to speak through the smog.

She tries to swallow it, fill her lungs with the water logged air but all of it is stuck in her throat, clogging her voicebox with the worst jumble of words she cannot bear to put to reality. The apologies beating at her ribs are true, aside from the fact that if things could be changed, Keithia wouldn’t change anything that fixes the gulf crammed in the small distance between them.

If time went back, Keithia is sure she’d sooner turn her away than lose everything just so she could keep her.

That knowledge sits heavy within her, heart mimicking the flat stone where their lips had first brushed each other, where Keithia’s grip on her own heart started to loosen, reaching for hers instead.

That had been a mistake, in hindsight.

She parts her lips to say something -- a goodbye that is not so heavy as the last, softer words not tainted by fear, but nothing comes. The only words bashing against her bones are untrue platitudes. She is not deserving of that, even now, with their past all marred in blood. She sighs instead and the girl she’s beginning not to love offers a tremulous smile.

It does not mend the gap any. Nothing would, Keithia thinks. She lifts her chin, keeping her eyes on the girl and not the surly boy behind her, tense and displeased. It was not Keithia’s idea, this, but the girl had approached her woods and Keithia could not let her enter, not anymore, not again.

She doesn't know why she came, what she thinks there was to gain from this. She scowls and narrows her eyes, a silent threat for her to leave. She was not welcome anymore.

There is something brimming in the girl’s eyes, something tumultuous and lost. Her face falls a little, eyes still cold, still chilled by that night, by choices both of them made. Her chin lowers and she turns, accepting Keithia’s hostility, remembering it too, perhaps, unwilling to fight it.

Keithia drops her shoulders and stares at her retreating back. A part of her heart not yet stoned off trembles. Is she really letting it end like this?

What other way was there? Their convictions were known and shaping everything into words would not remake all the horrors that tore them apart. Everything they needed to know was known and breath would not reshape anything into anything that changes this. This is how things were and this was how it was all doomed to end.

Maybe it was good, though, to see her again. When things were more peaceful and her vision was clear.

Maybe that’s why she came.

*****

I quite like this, actually. And yes, I am way too proud that it's 500 words exact, I wasn't watching word count at all so it was a happy surprise :D

Tagging: @flashfictionfridayofficial @caffeinewitchcraft @super-writer-gal @drippingmoon @amberskywrites @notwritinganyflufftoday @blindthewind

[nikkywrites]

Chazzawrites Challenge Day 26

Self-promo time! Share a snippet from another project that you’re proud of.

This is from something I don’t think you’ve heard about. It doesn’t have a title or placeholder yet but it’s about a girl who’s bound to a forest and sworn to protect it.

When she was young and her forest was young, she tried to leave.

More accurately — someone asked her to and she said yes. When she was young, she never left the tree line, knew that her forest was bound to her and her to it.

When she was young, that hadn’t been something she kept secret.

The girl who made her say yes does not have a name worth remembering. Not after what she did.

The relation between mortals and magic was tamer back then. She didn’t feel any need to protect herself and her home and her heart. She thought everything was safe.

She thought a lot of things.

Most of them ended up not being true.

The girl she loved — because she did — was a Governess’ daughter. She was respected. She was beautiful from her skin to her heart.

It’s no wonder Keithia fell for her.

It’s less of one that she fell out.

[nikkywrites]

jade, amber and peridoit for the gem asks?? :)

You know what? I’m gonna defy expectations and answer for Soulwood (even though I haven’t worked on it in forever). Thanks for the ask! :)

Jade: Your favorite relationship between two characters

Keithia and TGWNN! It’s got Vibes, especially with how the past sections with them are written.

Amber: Something you learned from writing your wip

That worldbuilding is only fun until I have to do it. (Aka I need to worldbuild Keithia’s forest and havens in general and I’ve been avoiding it and that’s why I haven’t worked on it in forever).

Peridot: What is your protagonist’s greatest strength / weakness

Keithia’s greatest strength would be her determination, probably. And her weakness… trusting too easily, maybe?