Lighting up the streets : The Alchemist's Sanctum Roadmap
My most recent project here, and I have big plans for it! Coming from two short stories (in French, here and here) I originally wanted to make a series of short stories during nano, with the ultimate goal of publishing it traditionally. After two weeks of aimless writing, I gave up on the nano due to a lack of time and project deadlines piling up. That allowed me to reconsider the project, especially its publishing method.
With the help of the MidJourney AI, it is possible to generate many images to go along with the story. I still want the Alchemist's Sanctum's story to be told through short stories, but also to heavily illustrate them. Doing so seamlessly is not something I can do well on WA and certainly not in physical format. Hence, I will have to make a website (or really, extend the one I already have) to fit my plans. But before that, there is some worldbuilding to do! Let's see where the path will take us.
The Alchemist's Sanctum
The main story will revolve around two things: the Alchemist, and the shop he runs. The top priority is to give both detailed articles. They are all laid out in my mind, but having things written down will definitely help. As they are the two core articles, expect them first.
The Alchemist
From his noble origins to his apprenticeship under the royal alchemist and his complex personality, there is much to say about the man who is called the Alchemist. His character sheet will contain a whole lot of spoilers, so it will have to be read with caution.
The shop
I probably won't make a full inventory of the items here because... yeah, not going to list thousands of ingredients and potions. Something less exhaustive is more likely, and a map of the place.
After that, only articles related to the next short story will be written. This is to avoid losing myself in too much worldbuilding as I usually do, and make this project more story-focused than anything else.
The Alchemist Apprentice
The first story will naturally be about the beginning: the first step of the man who will become the Alchemist into London. His encounter with his mentor Leeroy McArthur, and how he came to work for him.
Status: First draft (60%) Expected story length: 10K ~ 15K words Expected worldbuilding length: 10K ~ 12K words
Relevant articles (in progress)
New enemies, old foes
Leeroy McArthur walked all his life on the righteous path, attracting many powerful enemies. His student is promising, but the old man will struggle to keep him out of harm's way when an ancient acquaintance settles in London. Circled by vultures, the last adventure of the royal alchemist will unfold here.
Status: Planning (0%) Expected story length: 10K ~ 13K words Expected worldbuilding length: 2K ~ 8K words
Relevant articles (in progress)
[in progress. For real.]The Owl Lady
The Alchemist now owns the shop that he renamed The Alchemist's Sanctum. One night, a young wereowl crashes into his bedroom, and the secrets of his predecessor knock at the door. The world of the night might be more complex than he first expected, and retaining his neutrality will prove a hard challenge.
Status: First draft (20%) Expected story length: 15K ~ 20K words Expected worldbuilding length: 6K ~ 8K words
Relevant article (done)
Relevant articles (in progress)
The Shattering
When the greatest cults ally to perform a forbidden ritual to summon the Outer Gods on Earth, the whole Abyss is in turmoil. The irrational powers granted to the cultists by their iniquitous patrons force antagonist factions to join forces. As the only neutral ground, The Alchemist's Sanctum is the meeting place of the leaders, and the Alchemist himself is forced to play a central role in this large-scale war.
Status: Planning (0%) Expected story length: 15K ~ 25K words Expected worldbuilding length: 6K ~ 8K words
Relevant article (written)
Relevant articles (in progress)
The Painting
A mysterious and powerful painting is hidden deep in the cave beneath the Alchemist's Sanctum. Yet, a nondescript man seems to know of its existence, and wants it back. Has the Alchemist been playing with forces beyond his control?
Status: Planning (0%) Expected story length: ~ 10K words Expected worldbuilding length: 4K ~ 8K words
Relevant article (written)
Relevant articles (in progress)
The Doctor
He is an enigmatic man who ventured deeper into the Abyss than most monsters dare. To the Alchemist, he is the closest to a friend, or at least an equal. But what are his real motives, why is he so interested in the shop's basement?
Status: Primer (100%) Expected story length: 10K ~ 12K words Expected worldbuilding length: 8K ~ 10K words
Relevant articles (in progress)
The Waning Light
[details to come]
Status: Expected story length: Expected worldbuilding length:
Family Matters
[details to come]
Status: Expected story length: Expected worldbuilding length:
Spin-off
At some point, other storylines may appear. Leeroy McArthur, the owner of the shop before the Alchemist, had a great life full of adventures. He built a huge network of providers during his trips all over the world, a man full of stories to tell. There is no telling when I will start to write his series, the only certainty is that it is likely to happen.
The Alchemist's Sanctum is for now my main project, but as always I am working on several others in parallel. I have plans for all of them that you can see here:
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