Worldember Goals
Shadowfire is vast and has a deep history that I need to explore the impact of in more detail as i flesh out the 'lived experience' of the characters who move through the world. At this time, I have two main areas of focus in the word, which are in support of my writing goals.
The Broken Shores
The first area is the nexus of conflict between the
Motu and the
Protectorates surrounding the
Uferbrech Archipelago. This is where I have focussed most my efforts the last two Worldembers and through Summer Camp 2021.
This location surrounds the drowned ruins of a pre-Destruction city, which hides ancient secrets and powers from the Age of Ascendency. It explores the tensions between two opposed cultures, and the spaces between where others try to forge a united way forward.
The Gleaming City
The second area is the sunside lands under the harsh rule of the
Lords of Fire from their spires in
The Gleaming City. This is what I focussed on for the most recent Summer Camp.
This location at the edge of the Desolation of Ghul Drazul which hides the vast rift of warping magics and spacetime left over from the Destruction. It explores the deeper mysteries and ramifications of the Destruction, and the ways in which the magics of Shadowfire have shaped the beliefs and power structures of those who live there.
Goal is to practice story-telling
My current over-arching goal is to write stories within these areas. I have begun plotting ideas out for an overarching novel (or series maybe) that ties them together and explores the causes and ramifications of deep history that underpins Shadowfire. I'm not yet ready to dive head on into that just yet, but do want to exercise my prose a little more than i have previously, and explore what all this world feels like to actually live in.
I've dabbled with this previously, but hope to do more along these lines.
My focus areas
In support of my overarching goal, I've realised that I need to dive much deeper into the nuances of culture, customs and the detail of lived lives that will give colour to the characters lives as they move through the world and interact with each other.
- Culture, customs, myths and beliefs for the Uferbrech Goblins and The Returned of the Protectorates, and the various factions within that resist or struggle towards a harmonius future for their peoples.
- The History of Refuge that forged the identity of the Returned and the Protectorates.
- The history and events of The Godling Wars - both from actually what happened, to what was recorded and is believed to have happened.
- Stretch goals: If inspiration allows, the focus above may also inform similar cultural and social exploration of the Sunside lands - most notably the peoples of the Stonesky Drainage, and the lower levels of the Gleaming City.
Meta themes
My full
world meta is sprawling and scratchy, written more for me than anyone else. You're free to have a look through of course, but I'm not going to revisit it in much detail as its still serves its purpose quite well.
From that, I do want to continue to explore the central themes identified in my meta of control vs collaboration, stasis vs change, subjugation vs freedom, the collective vs the individual. I can see these being expressed in different ways across each of the main cultural groups, the factions, and down to the family groups and small enterprises.
When in doubt... prompt randomiser
Good luck with WorldEmber this year!