Explanation

I typed up a short explanation that describes some of the framework for my new story. I don't want to give away too much information, but I think this will be a useful supplement for the first chapter, as the next chapters are not completed yet, which is how I usually explain the greater world at large. Hopefully the next few chapters, at least the second one, will be done by this coming Monday. But I digress...

EXPLANATION:

The world that this story takes place in is like a typical old world fantasy setting, where there is no technology as we see it today. The obvious substitute for technology in a story like this is magic. My vision for magic in this story is not really based on the typical wizard/witch idea, where such people would have a variety of powers. Instead, magic affects people in various ways. Typically, most people have the tiniest affinity for magic, only enough so that they can be affected by it, such as being attacked or healed, but not use it. Some people, though, are born with a “gift”, a specific manifestation of an enhanced ability. These abilities can include the obvious powers, such as controlling fire, water, air, etc., but can also be something completely different, such as being able to change the color of a person’s skin or turn an object into glass. In Rain’s case, she can control raw energy, and in my mind uses it like lightning essentially. Also, this allows her to be unaffected by the collars that block a gifted person’s magic.

Now, in this first chapter, there is not a whole ton of description going on about the setting, other than the prison. Basically, what I intend to expand upon is that the nation in which the story begins is in the midst of a civil war of sorts (and ironically enough it’s most likely going to be split into north and south) that initially began over a dispute of who should inherit the throne after the last king died. In the present, the rebel side (most likely the south) has also set out to eliminate magic from the land, as gifted people are considered dangerous and downright strange. Obviously there is more to the conflict than just that, but that’s what really set off the split here. The prison that Rain and Leon intentionally allowed themselves to be brought into lies just inside the territory of the south. The facility houses captured gifted people who wear collars that hinder their magic.

So basically, there is a lot of stuff going on, but that will be developed on further in the upcoming chapters. I always like to begin with sort of an attention getter that has a mysterious feel to it, and then expound upon the details in the following chapters. Every writer has their own style, and so I think this is the style that suits me best. But that’s basically all I have to say for now. After all, I don’t want to give away too much right now. I will say though that Rain’s sister is being held in the prison, which is obviously her main goal, but of course I did not want to give that away in the first chapter, and so that will be revealed in the second chapter.

One more thing, like a lot of fantasy writers I’m toying around with the idea of creating words from an “ancient language” and putting them in the vernacular, so bear with me on that. So, once again, thanks to anyone who read the chapter, and I hope you will read the draft of the second chapter when I complete it. Any questions, feel free to ask.