ASCOMYCOTA Prewriting and Plot

Essentially a document for how I want the story of ASCOMYCOTA to go.
ASCOMYCOTA is a short graphic novel series. We mostly follow Avan as they work at Mildew Manor. There are also a couple short stories and alternate views (such as following Leon instead). The short stories are called 'Tales'.
The story begins calmly and is kind of a slow burn that something's wrong. The inciting incident (for the tone shift at least) is Leon entering the Corridor and not returning, after which Beth and Avan go after him. The rest of the story is a little eerie, a bit sad, and more psychological than bloody (though there are some bodily horrific moments). Have fun with the surrealness of the rooms. They don't have to be logical in any sense of the word.
ACT 1 - Work starts ACT 2 - Something's wrong, enter the manor at the end ACT 3 - In the Corridor ACT 4 - Division ACT 5 - Reunion ACT 6 - Finale
TALES: Of Teeth and Time (Machiavelli and Avan) Of Strays and Smoke (Beth and Miranda) Of Two and Tokens (Martin and Diana) Of She and Shelter (Elaine and Leon) Of Dreams and Death (Mikhail and Rune)
SETTING THE STAGE:
Characters:

• Avan
• Beth
• Leon
• Mikhail (Act 1)
• Makara/Martin (Act 3-6)
• Domino/Diana (Act 3-6)
• Miranda (Act 4-6)
• Machiavelli (Act 5-6)
• Rune (Act 6)
• Elaine (Act 6)

Motifs:

• Gardening
• Seasons
• Death and Life

Main Locations:

• Hallow Haven
• Mildew Manor
• The Corridor (Act 3-6)
• The Lyssome Household (Tale of Teeth and Time)

ACT 1 - WORK STARTS

• Mikhail drives Avan to Mildew Manor, and Avan thanks him for his help.
• Avan meets Leon and Bet and feels a bit awkward around both. Very stoic, just here to get a job done, dismisses themself early to get their shed set up
• Beth and Leon are like ehhh okay. Beth likes the hardworking attitude, and resolves to become hardworking again.
• Gardening time! Avan asks Leon for focus areas and works on those places first, before beginning some ongoing projects (sketching things out, showing Leon. He doesn't know a whole lot about gardening so he's curious to see what Avan does and supports them, which brings out a whole new side. Avan is very excited but has to remind themself that their gardening projects will take time)
• Beth is a little less happy that the developments will take so long and Avan's like (not necessarily rudely) why don't you help? and Beth is confused by their demeanor

ACT 2 - SOMETHING'S WRONG

• Time passes... a long, calm opening of at least one project coming to fruition, and some don't work as well but that's okay. Avan gets a bit sad but is quiet about it
• You did your best!
• In the time pass stuff, it's very slice of life, little moments of exploration of the Manor, garden, and each other. Getting tasks done, reading, harvesting, making tea.
• As the story continues, Leon becomes a bit nervous and prefers to stay by himself. He resigns himself to his bedroom often, stays up late (as in, to the daytime) reading, he's distracting himself. Reminiscing a lot about parties and events, and now the Manor is empty...
• Leon leaves to go lay down and doesn't come back outside.
• Beth goes to check on Leon after a bit (she has a love-hate relationship with watching and sometimes helping Avan outside instead of doing her work) and can't find him
• "ugh im your secretary not your maid!" it turns out his room has been neglected, very dusty and messy as if he hasn't been there in ages...
• Beth feels a wind inside the house and realizes the Corridor is open (it was locked before... Leon once claimed it was a source of great pride but has fallen out of use)
• Beth gets Avan to look in the Corridor with her and Avan's like... maybe we shouldn't... he could be elsewhere
• But Beth is like. This is very weird so I'm going in.
• Beth thinks the Corridor is just like. a Museum-type thing but nope it is very supernatural and winding and odd. this is some house of leaves type beat. She's only in there for a few minutes and keeps the entrance in relative sight
• Avan doesn't stop her but time does pass... when Avan goes to bed, Beth emerges from the Corridor (with no Leon), startled that it's so dark out. The three are separated for a time (Leon in the Corridor proper, Beth in the Manor, and Avan in their Shed)
• The Manor changes so the doors leading outside lead to the Corridor instead (including Avan's shed, so they wake up and try to leave and are met with the Corridor instead. It looks different from Beth's first Corridor outside of the entrance. Avan goes back to their shed and tries to leave out the window but tumbles into the same room from a different (and physically impossible) angle. weird times!
• When Avan leaves the Corridor, they find an empty Foyer and Beth comes out from behind them after trying to leave through the front door.
• Looping hallways and running through doors and windows until they stop where they started and enter the Corridor properly.
• They are unsure why they are trapped, but they think Leon must be in the Corridor somewhere at least. Here we go.

ACT 3 - IN THE CORRIDOR

Kind of awkward because Beth and Avan don't know each other very well, only together because they both work for Leon. Beth's a bit competitive about this / the fact that she went after Leon first and Avan didn't

Avan can't really say anything against that because she's right, they figure Leon can manage himself more or less. He's like super old. He has it figured out.

Beth's not so sure... recalling stuff that wasn't right for Leon. Maybe he's holding something back...

Avan: We'll ask if we find him...

Beth: When!! Not if...

Avan just stays quiet after that... not great socially. They do care about Leon, they just want to express it better.

Beth says they should stick together because the same door can lead to different places. But there has to be a rhythm to it... something that determines it. Avan kind of agrees but can't give a solid answer as to what.

Wandering time. Weird rooms, weird times, weird memories and sensations.

The two get tired of the silence (nothing makes noise, not even the wind or clocks, so they begin playing icebreaker games, sharing stories, playing I Spy and all that. Something to fill the space. Beth is especially relieved by these.

When Avan stops and holds onto the wall, they feel that the room is pulsing. The next room is still, but there's a distant feeling...

Avan tries to backtrack, but the rooms are already mixed up and they can't remember which doors they did or didn't go through. They stick to Beth's side... Beth has a very general idea of where they have been, but the details get fuzzy as they wander. Sometimes the rooms are hot or very cold, creating mirages and sudden sweats and storms.

Beth tries to float through the wall but is blocked from reaching the other side--or is it too thick? What is this? It's a dark red swirling mass, almost like a blood vein. Avan calls for her.

She rushes back and jumps to the Corridor being alive. Probably malicious. Tricking them. Calls out for Leon because she's worried.

Avan is surprised by her lowering confidence after the wall-checking-thing and suggests they sit down and rest.

ACT 4 - DIVISION

Avan and Beth rest and try to figure out how to proceed.

Noises of someone else... (it's one of the psychopomps but they don't know that)

Avan starts to follow the noise but Beth holds them back. Doesn't want to be alone.

Avan wants Beth to make up her mind but she's honestly freaking out. Avan is getting anxious too because she's mad and they've been trying their best to be confident but ooh boy it is waning.

We need to stay together. Please. I'm sorry.

The noises are getting closer...

Avan tries to comfort Beth and understand what's going on with her, what she saw. She needs a moment alone but she's also terrified of being alone right now. Avan says she can take her time but they're really worried.

Noises stop. Someone is with them.

Domino. Weird little child looking at them between their fingers (well. Giant hand from their neck)

Avans like. Ayo?? whos child is this??

Domino doesn't like that and tries to figure out who they're looking at. They don't talk much. Their long hair gets everywhere.

Beth thinks they should go.

Domino doesn't like that much either, so as Beth and Avan leave, they form metal poles that drop bolts and screws as they chase after the duo.

Avan and Beth end up getting separated not by Domino but by Beth going through the wall to see what's ahead and Avan being pulled away by Makara. They were also kinda arguing about the weird kid along the way and are just. Not doing so great.

Avan gets knocked out and Beth is trapped within the walls of the house, which eventually gives way to more rooms.

Beth and Avan are separated.

ACT 5 - REUNION

• A lotta funky different POV stuff in this section. The possible directions are Avan, Beth, Mikhail, Machiavelli, Miranda, and Leon.

• Miranda is the person who pulled Beth out of the walls. She's a god here, trying her best but unable to stop what's going on. She can remove rooms at least. That's good.

• Maybe some snippets of Leon in the previous section (contrasting with the noises, which turn out to be Domino)

• Avan faces hunger and meets Makara, who watches from the shadows and keeps his eyes on other participants.

• Beth is alone and terrified of never getting out. A coffin of a house to her. Miranda tries to help with what power she has.

• Mikhail isn't in the corridor. He visits to bring some gifts and realizes the garden is overgrown. It has been at least 6 months outside of the Corridor (delayed grief).

• Machiavelli isn't doing so great. He entered the Corridor after trying to leave his house. There are nameless ghosts, zombies, and vampires that he tries to avoid, clearly still terrified of himself.

• Miranda wanders the Corridor and watches things crumble. She wants things to last instead, but... she probably tries reasoning with Rune, but adults don't GET IT so Rune just hides. Miranda really really gets it though so just. Aughhh.

• Leon is struggling. He keeps thinking his kids and wife are nearby, which is why he went in the Corridor in the first place. We watch his mind slip but he still loves his family (and Beth and Avan) even as he sinks further.

• Even if I die, my love still means something. Leon tries to remove Makara or Domino's masks as he falls unconscious. They take him to Rune. Leon dreams of his wife and where things started to go wrong.

• Avan thinks they're starting to see stuff because they're hungry, and almost ignore their father when they meet again. Avan stares down at him like he's nothing and turns away. Machiavelli understands but damn it hurts.

• At least he could see his kid one more time. And Avan realizes he is real. Shit. Machiavelli chooses his words extremely carefully so he doesn't guilt trip Avan like. He knows this place is the end of the line. He's glad they're here even if for a moment. He's sorry. He doesn't need anything and he promises that. It's kind of a reverse of Avan's situation growing up.

• Avan doesn't fully forgive Machiavelli, but doesn't want to make him suffer the same way they did. Machiavelli's genuinely like. I get it if you don't want to deal with me. and Avan's like. man. I have morals. So they try to look for food and talk quietly. Something to settle the nerves. They understand each other better even if all isn't well.

• Beth starts to lose her grip on her identity (first by losing sight of people she knows, then herself) and hopes that what she's doing (going incredibly far into the Corridor) will distinguish her somehow. Make her remember. Give this meaning. She tries to imagine there is a prize at the end.

• Beth begins unwinding and Miranda can't stand it. It's terrifying. She holds the Psychopomps off and tries her best to redirect Beth to someone else.

• Beth can't find anyone so Miranda shows herself instead. And Beth's terrified, unaware of where she is, who she is, what's going on. She doesn't want to disappear, and that's all she knows. Miranda just holds her close and does what she can. Beth calms down even though Miranda can't tell her what's going to happen to her next. It'll turn out okay. Her time here matters, but she shouldn't push herself to destruction like this.

• Rune watches with Leon. Rune wishes she could have been told these things. A feverish Leon realizes she is just a lost child, too.

• Avan and Machiavelli both collapse after being unable to find food. Makara recalls a brief moment from his past where his father cared for him even as he got sick, and he caves in and brings them food. Curiously, he keeps the Corridor open after he passes through the walls, allowing the two to explore more rooms once they've recovered.

• Time to confront Rune!