Quimi

Ugh, feel so weird today. Just wanna sleep. Or read. Or both, if that's possible. =.= But I can't quit so close to the end!

So. Characters. Even the MCs could use a little more fleshing out, and as for the rest of them... *sigh* So here I go. Gonna try and answer the questions for today's challenge specifically (the one about where they do and don't fit in seems especially interesting), but don't be surprised when I tangent off the deep end.

Paori: Born in a cave. No, really. Parents ran away moved to Beacon Town to start a new life as miners or something. Not sure of their names yet, but I think they died in an accident (or "accident") a few years back. Paori's an only child, and was taken in by the local temple, which he'd been considering joining anyway. He did feel he'd belong there forever, but events are going to change that, alas. He's fairly comfortable in caves, but I think by the end of the book his belonging will not be a place so much as a person and/or calling. >.> Shh, don't tell. Also, I get the feeling he's not naturally patient. So he'll probably wind up often doing things on his own rather than trying to explain what needs doing to others.... *mwahahas* Oh, and he's 20, and the three most influential people... one or both of his parents, and one or more of the priests who taught him: the head priest Paloma, and the priest that taught him to read/basic lightworks.

Vester: Born in the northern forests, very close to the mountains. 17, and his most influential people are his parents (killed just before the start of the story, very tragic and angsty) and the shaman-like person (aunt? uncle?) who taught him to whistle. Since he's travelled nearly all his life, he's most at home on the road, though the northern lake where his people live are a nice "home base" for short periods of time. Not claustrophobic, but gets antsy with a roof over his head for too long.

Sylver: Born on the coast, just outside a fishing town. (These brothers were not very convenient in coming into the world, I wonder how their parents managed. And what they were thinking.) Vester's parental info applies to him, of course, though I think he was more attached to a different relative at the lake— one who told a lot of interesting stories. His wanderlust is a little less Vester's "gotta keep moving" and more a desire to explore new places. Especially comfortable in the caves where he can squeeze into unlikely crevices that others can't reach. 8.

Flynn: Born in the eastern swamps or whatever I make that area. Really didn't fit in with the way of life there, and the way people tried to utterly ignore the powers of light and sound, even when they clashed accidentally and screwed things up, so he came to the ruined city to learn more about what happened and why, and how it can be fixed. Also a grandparent really instilled in him a passion for history (as well as passing on the ancient writing, which most people don't bother with). A handful of other people came with him, including his wife (second influential person) and their two little ones who were born there, and he's really come into his own as leader/archaeologist. Third influential person was the parent that tried to stop him from wasting his life on the dead past, and thus led him to leave in rebellion.

*sighs* I was hoping to get to Paloma, and Virue, and maybe even a couple other characters, but. Sleep. It beckons. No, it drags me by the collar. Still, I accomplished a few good things here....

*yawns* Busy weekend. Fortunately today's challenge was pretty simple: just a matter of how the education system works in my world. Which, since I already knew that most of the people just trained to take after their parents, or sometimes another relative or acquaintance, may be the first time this challenge really has only taken 15 minutes— most of that spent on tangential information about the church, which does teach a few people to read histories and keep records.

However, I also went ahead and brainstormed with my sister (huzzah for familial sounding boards!) about what exactly was divided in the cataclysm I've been calling the Division. And I had some fairly epic breakthroughs. Whiiiiiiich I am not going to share with you just yet, muahahaha. XD

...Okay, okay, I'll give you a couple of scraps:

~In some places, the Division may also be called the Dischordance. *checks dictionary* Or Discordance. >.>

~Vester can whistle to call fire.

*mwahahahas herself to sleep*

Remember that annoying teacher in middle school that made you turn in your outline and research notecards and such as separate grades from your final draft so you couldn't put the whole paper off until the night before, like any sensible student? =.= Yyyyyyeah. Meet today's assignment:

Get out your timeline, your economic/political groups, and your list of syllables.

Because I totally made nice long, comprehensive lists of these, and not just some vague ideas to use in future planning. *nods*

As I look at what I do have, though, I don't see much that really doesn't fit the mood. Mood's been one of the strongest parts of this story almost from the beginning, and been key in most of my choices regarding characters and names and such. (In fact, I'd be more worried that this strong mood sense has kept me from trying more interesting elements that don't seem to fit at first.) And a lot of the mood has to do with execution, too: a cave full of magic crystals sounds epic and mysterious and awe-inspiring.... until you think of Rainbow Brite.

Anyway, in case I haven't spelled it out, or it's changed since I started this, let me reiterate my mood:

-blue and grey and muted purple and forest green
-a wooden flute lilting an elegy from a cliff by the sea
-the occasional epic symphonic choir
-a small yet warm fire holding back a blizzard (...maybe?)
-moonlight on snow
-tiny, everyday things coming together for a purpose greater than one can imagine (is this mood or theme?)

Basically, I want something awesome and stunning, in the original senses of the words, something clear and pure that takes your breath away, not only in the manner of a mountain's distant majesty, but also in the nearness of a hummingbird on your finger.

(....and now I have to come down off that mountaintop and go back to naming merchants. *rolls eyes and reminds self that the tiny things being meaningful is kind of her point*) Anyhoo, things to keep in mind:

-definitely will not really call the other continents Urbania and Suburbia. Really. >.>
-should possibly figure out what Paori's people call their continent.
-see if anyone else thinks it seems jarring/contradictory to have people names be random-sounding syllables, while place names are "translated" to English. (opinions, anyone?)
-One of the keys to making all the mundane things like mercantilism relevant to the mood and epicness will be the demons. Which means I need to figure out what they're doing and why, dangit.
-STOP WAITING UNTIL IT'S SO LATE TO DO THIS. *headdesk*

Tried thinking about this at work again today, but this crazy "work every day" concept is taking its toll on me. I just could not brain enough to focus on it very long. Or anything, really. But I managed a couple of vague ideas, so I'll see if I can add to them before I lose consciousness...

Day 6:

I'm still not sure if they mean all sentient races, like elves and such, or just human races; and I can't seem to limit myself to where peoples evolved natively or whatever, but at this point, screw it, I'm just gonna roll and see where I end up. :P

So far I've gotten two main things:

1. Humans are the only humanoid sentient race on this planet. There are gods (or at least one god), and demons, and other sorts of creatures that happen to be sentient: I'm thinking something catlike, something birdlike, and perhaps something dolphin-like. There is interaction among these races, but not interbreeding, thankyouverymuch.

2. Paori's continent is either the lost cradle of civilization, where humans began, spread throughout the world, and then waned and was lost to disasters; or it started as an ancient colony, like a cross between the Pilgrims and 18th-century Japan, secluded from the rest of the world and largely forgotten. I suppose it could be both, but this seems unlikely.

3. (Okay, I said two, but this is basically derived from 1 and 2, so.) The non-human races did start on the other continents, but at one point some traveled and lived on Paori's continent, too. However, most of them died out soon after the seclusion of the continent— probably due to lack of breeding possibilities, or something more sinister— or did they? >.> So while they would still exist on the main continents, they're merely legends and superstitions to Paori's people— always be polite to a cat, don't tell secrets around birds....

4. (Attempting to actually answer the question...) What they look like? Well, Paori's pale, but that's mainly b/c he's underground so much. I want to say that those that settled in the east/central parts of the continent are darker-skinned.... OOH MAYBE I CAN HAVE A TRIBE WITH HEAT-SENSITIVE MELANIN-PRODUCING ENZYMES LIKE SIAMESE CATS. XD *bounces* Also, I think blondes might be even rarer than redheads around here. Not sure.

Okay, think that's about all I can manage for tonight. Still more than I thought I'd get when I started! \o/

*falls over ded*

So.... two weeks before I fell off the "post a week" wagon. Oops. But I shall not give up, nor shall I whine angstily about lack of motivation or audience!

(Audience: *breathes huge sigh of relief* Crickets: *are thwarted in their attempt to chirp*)

Instead, I shall write.... A LIST.

(Crickets: *chirp eagerly*)

Not just any list! An epic list! A list of all the stories and 'verses that I must write, that I want to write, and that I will probably never write no matter how imploringly the plotbunnies stare at me!

(Crickets: ........ )

Oh, come on! *sniffs* Well, even if it's boring to everyone else, I am going to do it for myself. That way, five years from now, I can look back on this list and go, "Oh, yeah, I remember that story, lamest idea ever, no wonder it never went any— wait. That's brilliant."

( EPIC LIST OF FUTURE LITERARY GREATNESS )

Not sure if I shall update this post as priorities change and new bunnies appear to gnaw holes in the old ones, or if I'll just periodically post the whole thing over again. (Not too often, I promise!)

(Crickets: *cheer*)

Oh, har de har, guys.