I've spent the last week answering some of the questions I raised for myself in reading Imperfect Hope v1.0. Several pages went into detailing the history of the confederacy a bit more, putting a more specific timeline in place and naming/defining the different regions. The east and west marches have taken on very different flavors, important for other tales in the D'oril world, as well as having a mild effect on the politics of the Empires plot. I put some thought into the reasons for the various regions coming together over the last 120 years, covering the influence the triad enclaves (the three main religions of the confederacy) that they've wielded in influencing the course of the region, as well as the power that the trade consortiums wield in their own way. The barons, dukes, and other regional rulers owe much of their continued success to the wealth that the merchants bring, as well as the knowledge that the enclaves provide, and as such, have been guided by them over the decades.
This doesn't have a direct impact on Imperfect Hope, but it shapes the characters, especially Cerryn, who's father is one of the barons of the western marches. It also has helped me define the role of the questors, the adventuring hand of the enclaves.
That info is important for my writing the new first five chapters. Cerryn's early life at her fathers keep, and her subsequent education at the Eagles Forge Monestary, will lead her to investigating the chaos forest (temporary name for a place ruined by excessive wintergem harvesting), and ultimately introduce her to Randir.
Randir's tale begins with his own journey as a kel healer, and the internal politics of the K'tath as they wrestle with their desire for separatism versus the need to engage help from the south in keeping their own wintergem forests secure. When a small clique within the sen, guided by Elorna, decides to recreate the companions of Elorna from Brandis' time (despite the perceived problems they brought back from the empire lands), Randir is sent south to an enclave university to educate himself, as well as the scholars of the enclave about the k'tath and the wintergems. Eventually, Randir and Cerryn will meet, and begin their journey towards the beginning of Imperfect Hope V1.
Once again, it may seem confusing, but I've a strong sense of where to begin the tale now, and how to proceed. I've a bit more groundwork to lay, including a rough outline of the new start, and... Soon, I hope.
In the meantime, I'm playing with some opening ideas, either Cinda in my frame story concept, or foreshadowing the empires plot with... Something dark and dire. Perhaps when I finish this scotch...
TTFN,
Jim
This doesn't have a direct impact on Imperfect Hope, but it shapes the characters, especially Cerryn, who's father is one of the barons of the western marches. It also has helped me define the role of the questors, the adventuring hand of the enclaves.
That info is important for my writing the new first five chapters. Cerryn's early life at her fathers keep, and her subsequent education at the Eagles Forge Monestary, will lead her to investigating the chaos forest (temporary name for a place ruined by excessive wintergem harvesting), and ultimately introduce her to Randir.
Randir's tale begins with his own journey as a kel healer, and the internal politics of the K'tath as they wrestle with their desire for separatism versus the need to engage help from the south in keeping their own wintergem forests secure. When a small clique within the sen, guided by Elorna, decides to recreate the companions of Elorna from Brandis' time (despite the perceived problems they brought back from the empire lands), Randir is sent south to an enclave university to educate himself, as well as the scholars of the enclave about the k'tath and the wintergems. Eventually, Randir and Cerryn will meet, and begin their journey towards the beginning of Imperfect Hope V1.
Once again, it may seem confusing, but I've a strong sense of where to begin the tale now, and how to proceed. I've a bit more groundwork to lay, including a rough outline of the new start, and... Soon, I hope.
In the meantime, I'm playing with some opening ideas, either Cinda in my frame story concept, or foreshadowing the empires plot with... Something dark and dire. Perhaps when I finish this scotch...
TTFN,
Jim
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