#finnraal

I’m ... Alive?

More or less! This year is not like other years, that’s for sure, and thus my writing productivity has not been like it has been in other years.

However! I’d still like to give NaNo a try. I’ll be doing updates for my word count daily, as much as I can, and I will give excerpts as well! As for the project...

Muunfel Tales!

The Muunfel project encompasses the histories and epics of many characters and places. The aim of this year’s NaNoWriMo endeavor is to flesh out some of these histories, from the antics of Elias Dawn and Eral the Arbor Pixie, to the history-altering adventures of Aaron Stride, to smaller-scale revolutions like Finnraal’s. Some familiar characters will make an appearance, as well as some new ones.

I’ve been back and forth for the whole month of October on whether I will participate in NaNo this  year, and I decided I may as well at least try! I’m going to be tackling a brand new story set in the Muunfel universe, featuring some brand new characters that I’ve been wanting to write for a while.

I will do my best to keep up with it this year, and I’ll also post excerpts from time to time (maybe not daily, we will see if there’s enough interest). 

Finnraal and the Piper

Things were slow today! I’m very late in finishing it up, but I think I did okay. To clarify something, Finnraal has Dissociative Identity Disorder! That term doesn’t necessarily exist in Muunfel, though, nor does some of the understanding we have of it in the real world. I’ve been working on the character for a while, though I want to preface this by saying I still have a lot more research to do on how to depict DID in a fantasy setting. These excerpts are meant as WIPs only; once I’ve had some sensitivity readers for the story, it should be a lot more solid!

Word Count: 8733

Excerpt:

The world above was an uncomfortable sort of thing. Everything, everyone felt like a charade of sorts, like the settings and actors of a play. Riddle didn’t trust them, and he didn’t think the others should trust them on principle, either. Maybe it was because he made a point of knowing the least trustworthy people he could find when he was out front.

Information was one of the most important commodities he could possibly gather. More than money, more than spare parts from the shops, maybe even more than food. Information paid like the most sparkling diamonds, if one knew how to spin it. Riddle was good at collecting it. Finnraal and Kala were good at turning it into something else.

His contacts never stayed in the same place for long, but they always left signs for those who knew how to look. Signs leading to their latest nest would be found in the alleys and back roads of the bustling city.

Riddle hadn’t gone to them in some time. He almost worried he had lost his edge with finding the signs, but he noticed a series of notches carved into a signpost. Progress at last. Is anyone watching?

Yes, good job, Finnraal thought drily from within. This is literally why you’re the one in front right now.

I attended my first Write In today! It was very chill. Basically imagine going to the library and working on writing and not really talking much to the people around you, but you’re all there for the same thing. That’s what the write in was like.

Word Count: 21340

Excerpt:

They reached the bend in the tunnel and rounded it together, only to find that the visitor had backed off even further. He was several feet away, awkward in demeanor from his mussed, straw-colored hair to the worn leather boots that spoke of long travels on rocky roads. He wore a tunic that had long since faded from its original green dye work, and his trousers had a similar well traveled look.

Despite his rumpled style, though, the man had a face full of youth and health, much more befitting the noble origins of his clothes. Blue eyes regarded them with a sharp intelligence that contrasted with his shy stance.

“Ah. Hello,” he stammered. “I admit I’m a bit unsure of how to greet you.”

It’s a win!

I made it to the end of the goal despite a cold really kicking my butt for the last half of the month. I’m so pleased with how it came together, especially with all the new characters and the perspective(s) of a plural system.

Finnraal did a good job. It’s time for him to get some much deserved rest.

Word Count: 50040

Excerpt:

“No,” he said wearily, revealing none of his qualms. “I’m afraid that is a mission too large for someone like me.”

“But … you saved all of us!”

Finnraal sighed. “Someone else made me aware of the situation. He told me a lot of children were at risk here.” He glanced down at where Elodie hid timidly behind him. “My mission is to make sure kids like us don’t grow up alone.”

The young man pursed his lips and glanced Elodie’s way, and then back at the group of young people milling about near the center of the room. “There’s not all that many of us,” he said, some doubt creeping into his voice again. “And we’re all so fresh. What if they don’t listen?”   

Happy (late) Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrated it! I had a nice quiet day with my mom decorating cookies yesterday. And then today I’ve slept a lot and avoided any sort of stores. Oh, and also I’ve made a lot of progress on my NaNo project, which is awesome. I don’t usually like running right up until the end of the month with it, but the remainder is pretty manageable and I’m honestly really proud of how much I got written with a brand new story and batch of characters.

Word Count: 49386

Excerpt: 

“Finn?” Eshin tilted his head to try to meet his gaze.

Finnraal didn’t know how long he’d been standing there staring. His body ached and he was tired right to his bones. He shook himself off and took a steadying breath, if only to stay awake until he could get himself home safely.

“Still Finn, right?” Eshin asked again, this time quieter and with a deeper understanding.

Finnraal nodded absently, then blinked. “Yes. Finn, at the moment. Mostly.”

Eshin smiled. “I wanted to introduce you to someone I met when I arrived here,” he said, before turning just enough to reveal the small figure hiding shyly behind him.

It was a young human child, wispy and shaky. One of her hands had been replaced with a mechanical one. The fingers on it twitched in constant, jerky motions as if not calibrated quite right.

“This is Elodie,” Eshin said quietly, even as Finnraal knelt down to be on her level. “Elodie, this is Finn. The one I told you about.”

Elodie scanned Finnraal with a guarded expression in her too young and too knowing eyes. She’d been through quite enough already, and she inched closer to Eshin before she found the bravery to speak. “You have a house for … little kids like me?” she said. Her voice shook as if she might cry at any second.

It begins! I’m hardly doing any outlining at all for the start of this story, since I kind of know what I want the Plot to be, but I still need to nudge the characters to the plot. They’ll get there sooner than any of them would like, I’m sure.

Word Count: 2066

Excerpt: 

What had stood before had crumbled, and what they built on top of it could crumble, too. They could leave their mark on the ruins of old Solian buildings, and then they would join history.

It has been a long weekend. I felt so busy, but at least I didn’t fall behind on words! I actually got things into the action of everything!

Word Count: 34248

Excerpt:

“So you’re upset with me,” Riddle slurred, even as the prism elf switched off his stun baton and strode towards him. There wasn’t much fight in him at the moment, and the elf seemed to recognize that. Riddle couldn’t feel anyone else close to him at all, and for a moment that worried him.

“Not upset, exactly, but surprised,” the elf admitted. “I didn’t think you’d come looking for us again, not after you managed to get away the first time. But here I am, the one to bring you in after you strayed.”

Riddle grinned, but it turned into a wince after only a second. “I wouldn’t mind you telling me what’s going on.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t,” the elf said gently. “But since you’re so slippery, I have no intent of detailing everything to you until we’re sure you’re in check. You understand.”

Riddle wanted to sling another protest, some other snarky response, but he wasn’t in time for the elf to produce a simple handkerchief from a pocket in his kaftan. As hasty as he was, he was also ridiculously graceful as he leaned forward to tie the cloth around Riddle’s mouth. Silk dug into his cheeks and the knot at the back of his head tangled in his shaggy hair.