NaNoWriMo 2021

After the miserable failure that was last November when I dropped out of NaNoWriMo in the first week, I'm back and ready the tackle this year head-on. I spent this summer immersed in the world of Leland, spending Summer Camp preparing for what I thought was going to be my novel this year, only to find three more novel ideas in the process that interested me more. Now after two months of going back and forth, I've finally settled on what I'm going to do.
I found during Summer Camp that having a place to gather my thoughts and set my goals was helpful, so I'm calling this my NaNoWriMo 2021 "pledge document". I plan to include something of a "how it's going" section once November starts, but I'll be filling in information as I develop it for Preptober.
[11.10.2021] I'm officially throwing in the towel for this year. I was able to hit 2.5K before the realization that I didn't have enough of the plot planned out in my head to actually plants my way through as I normally do. I knew *insert rebellious event* had to happen, but I never figured out what that was and therefore wasn't able to come up with compelling information for informants to pass on or for the main characters to act on. So that's disappointing. But I am pleased with some of the world building I did in preparation for NaNo and the way I was able to think about perspectives I hadn't before. For example, in the initial development of Leland's magic system I had to come up with some kind of reason for immunity to Power of Persuasion and I bent over backward to explain it away by magic. It never occurred to me until prepping for this novel that a deaf person would be naturally immune to said Power because they literally could not hear a Command to be affected by it. 
One day I will revisit this project when I have a better idea of how the rebellion plays out, but for now I'll return to world building and start prepping for Worldember. Maybe I can hit 50K to make up for not doing so for NaNo?

The Project

This year's novel, which is tentatively titled Silver's Shadow, is the story of the woman responsible for the Silver Eagle Rebellion which led to the fall of the queendom in 711. More specifically, it details the events of the last days of the rebellion.
Marelena Thiboust possesses Power of Aura, a dangerous thing to have in the later years of the queendom period because visaurants, those who possessed this Power, were seen as a threat by the monarchy and were to be executed. As a child she manifested her Power three weeks later than the mandatory reporting age and was marked as a null, someone with no Power. Though nulls were treated with pity and considered less-than, this allowed her to hide in plain sight so long as she didn't use her Power in an obvious fashion. As a transaurant, someone able to both see and manipulate auras, she had to be especially careful not to affect someone by accident. This led to a growing resentment toward her place in life, being more than what people saw but knowing that if she wanted to live she could never fully be herself.
Marelena's resentment, coupled with other abuses by the monarchy and upper class, were what drove her to unite the various rebellious groups throughout the queendom to act as one under the umbrella of Silver's Claw, with herself as the leader. As the end of the rebellion drew near, she wanted to play a more hands-on role, so she went to Harmonil under the assumed identity of Ellie Sandell with her childhood friend and (at the time) lover Nidra Akshay. Nidra had been by her side through this entire endeavor, so it seemed only fitting they end it together. They infiltrated the Harmonil cell of Silver's Claw and no one was the wiser that the true leader of the organization was in their midst.
This is where the novel opens: Marelena, posing as Ellie, seeing to the final preparations for the attack on the queen to occur during the Lemnorian Feast. The attack will go awry due to an unexpected betrayal and then Marelena will have to abandon her well-laid plans and rely on the Power she's been taught to hide in order to see her mission through to the end.

Tropes that will be present

• Aura Vision - Reflected by the existence of Power of Aura, which is possessed by the main character.
• Ban on Magic - Even existing as a person with Power of Aura is illegal, whether used or not. Also using other enmanities is certain ways is outlawed.
• Defector from Decadence - Cera Arvad is of the Golden Noble Houses and stands to lose much by aligning with the rebels.
• Dye or Die - Marelena dyes her hair when she takes on her new identity because it hides her Irocai heritage, thereby making it less likely for someone to think she's a transaurant.
• La Resistance - Silver's Claw is a rebel group with ties to every corner of the queendom.
• Manifesto-Making Malcontent - Silunsei's Manifesto (written by Marelena) was spread through the queendom following Silver's Claw's first attack on a prisoner transport ship.
• Matriarchy - Many societies in Leland, past and present, have been considered matriarchies due to the value of a mother's bloodline in determining the enmanity of any possible children. The Queendom of Leland (referred to as such even during its few decades of male rulers) is a matriarchy--women heirs have preference in line to the throne and are usually inheritors of titles and property. (It is eventually replaced by an egalitarian system.)
• The Mole - There will be a betrayal of the rebel cause by someone who has been working with The Golden Guard the entire time.
• More than Meets the Eye - Marelena (both as herself and as Ellie) appears to be far less of a threat than she actually is because of her null status.
• Press-Ganged - One of the greatest abuses of power by Golden Nobles was the Commanding of bystanders to join their battles against each other. Though completely legal, non-imperants were obviously terrified and angered by the practice.
• Ruling Family Massacre - This will be an unintentional outcome of the rebellion. Marelena's intent was simply to cut out the tongue of anyone with a claim to the throne, but she was unable to control the bloodlust of her allies.
• Secret Keeper - Nidra and Brother Kalin are both aware of Marelena's secret identity.
• Speculative Fiction LGBT - Lesbians everywhere. Not really, but it feels like it. Marelena is pansexual and Nidra is a lesbian and they are the primary relationship developed in the novel, though it's complicated. Other characters are queer, but may not be explicitly so.
• Standard Fantasy Setting - The particular time in which this novel is set is when the world has a similar appearance to a medieval world.
• Utility Magic - Many enmanities can be used in lieu of performing a task or to make a task easier. Food can be heated using Power of Light. Power of Geonature can be used with metal, stone, and a whole host of other materials to accomplish many different effects, such as making dishes that nothing sticks to (making washing dishes unnecessary).
• Working with the Ex - Despite breaking up, Marelena and Nidra are required to work together on the rebellion they started together. The break up had nothing to do with their feelings for each other (Nidra disobeyed Marelena's orders in a reckless fashion and almost got herself and others killed) and so there is plenty of unresolved sexual tension between them that other characters notice even if they weren't aware the two were ever together.

The Characters

Main cast

Cera Arvad
Marelena Thiboust
Markus Kilmt
Nidra Akshay

Supporting cast

Brother Kalin
Elena Ahyen
Endayla Handronen
Haji Enlow
Kani Arvad
Manilia Arvad

Relevant Articles

Relevant Maps

Harmonil (Seat of the Queendom)

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Harmonil served as the capital city of the Queendom of Leland until the fall of Elena Ahyen in 711.

at a glance

Project Title: Silver's Claw
Current Word Count: 0