Forever NaNoWriMo Prep

i. setting

The story takes place in a magical medieval-like setting, in the region of Pacificus. The region is split into three kingdoms, Corvus, Arcanum, and Tyrannus. As old myths describe it, the region was made by Mother Nature. She created humans and many other mystical creatures, before falling into an eternal sleep, her body forming the mountain range that now protects the region. Before she was laid to rest she created powerful, immortal, god-like beings to protect the land she had created. However, nobody knows if this is true since these beings have not been seen for years.

Arcanum and Tyrannus have been at war for about seventeen years now. It first started when the king of Tyrannus, King Malik, invaded Arcanum for more territory. Currently, Tyrannus is winning the war greatly. Arcanum is now a poor kingdom and the majority of the area is destroyed, reduced to merely ruins.

Most of the central land of Pacificus is forest land, filled with tall trees and mysterious wildlife. This area is simply called the "outside." Almost all the land outside of the three kingdoms is unoccupied. The only people living here are often exiled subjects of the three kingdoms, often from Tyrannus. It is also common to find criminals and gangs in the outside.

Arcanum is lodged by the Praesidium Mountains, as it is a mining and lumber town. Originally, it was a very popular trading spot with a bustling economy and many visitors. However, since the Tyrannus army has invaded, it is isolated and demolished. Arcanum is much less advanced than the other kingdoms, with mostly old wooden and brick houses and not much technology or transportation. Walking the streets of Arcanum, you are most likely to see a few cattle-drawn wooden carts and people walking around carrying baskets or crates. The land of Arcanum has been reduced to around a thousand kilometers, most of the land being forest land and the Praesidium mountains. Arcanum's royal castle is located by the base of the mountains, far from the entrance of the kingdom near the forest lands.

The Praesidium Mountains are each around 10,000 feet, and almost impossible to climb. The top of the mountains can reach temperatures of around -34 degrees Celcius, making it unhabitable to human life. However, many magical creatures live up here, mostly in the ice caves and frozen forests. These mountains separate the region from an area known as the Badlands. This dry, desert area is completely uninhabited and rumored to be home to many dangerous creatures.

Past these lands are more kingdoms, however, they must be accessed through a small sliver of land known as Nature's Pass. It is a thin stretch of land at the end of the Praesidium mountains that curves around the Badlands to the next region. This passage is the way Arcanum and the other two kingdoms of Pacificus trade to other kingdoms.

Tyrannus is a much more advanced kingdom. Benefiting from resources they have harvested from conquered Arcanum land, houses are built out of smooth stone, concrete, and metal. They have more advanced technology with horse-drawn carriages and advanced medicine. Tyrannus is located by the Profundus Sea, which gives it a second passage to trade with distant kingdoms. The castle is located by Mercator's Port, the main connection to the sea. Tyrannus is a much larger kingdom, around 10,000 kilometers, which is mostly stolen Arcanum land. There is not a lot of forests or natural land surrounding the kingdom, since most of it has been destroyed to make room for more buildings and houses.

However, the story mainly takes place in the kingdom of Corvus. Corvus is the largest kingdom. It has been peaceful for as long as it has existed, never being attacked by any enemies. Many say that this is because of their king, King Corbin, who is rumored to be some kind of immortal, god-like being, scaring away any enemies that dared to attack his kingdom. Corvus is probably the second most advanced kingdom, being a perfect breed or modern and antique. The houses are made of stones, wood, and concrete, with neatly paved roads and many trees and greenery throughout the kingdom.

Corvus is located in the middle of the entire region, Southwest of Tyrannus and Northeast of Arcanum. There are two walls, the main wall, which circles the main kingdom, and the outside wall, which protects the whole kingdom from the outside. In between the two walls is forest land with a few cottages and farmland. This is where most of the farmers and lumberjacks who provide resources to the rest of Corvus live.

The castle is in the middle of the kingdom, surrounded by the kingdom front and back. The castle is propped on a small hill, elevating it and giving a nice view of the rest of the kingdom. Another, shorter wall surrounds the castle, guarded carefully. Once you get past the gate, you are presented with a large wooden double door. The doors each have a crow-shaped knocker, placed on the inside sides of the door, neatly next to each other.

Once you enter the castle you are lead into the main corridor. On the left wall, there is a door that leads to the kitchens. On the right, a door that leads to the servant's quarters. From there, there are two stairs at the front of the room, one on each side. They both curve around and lead up to the throne room. There there are four thrones, the largest being gold with green cushions and small, golden wings attached to the top on the back. The second throne is slightly smaller and directly on the right of the first throne, silver with purple cushions and similar wings on the back. The other two are on the sides of the first two. The second smallest is on the left with a similar design to the first throne but with blue cushions. Finally, the smallest sits right of the second biggest with a similar design, but with red cushions.

From there the throne room separates into two rooms, with two doors on each side. The left doors lead into a maze of hallways, one being the royal family's quarters. The right door leads to another group of hallways. The rooms vary from sitting rooms to conference rooms and little staff rooms for the servants to quickly grab things they need.

Behind the castle is a courtyard. It's mostly a field of thick green grass, with a tall hill with a tree on top in the very middle. From this hill, you can see the rest of the kingdom. When you enter, you are lead into a patio area. This area is shaded by a roof of swirling patterns covered in flower-covered vines. On the side of the patio, or forward of the entrance, it leads into the main grass area. The patio branches out on both sides into an open stone walkway, shaded by the same vine-covered roof. This walkway surrounds the main area, giving a nice place to walk around.

The main character, Eli's room is pretty plain. Left of the entrance is his bed, centered against the wall. The bed is a curtained, four-poster bed. The curtains, which he always keeps tied back are a deep navy lined with gold. In front of the bed are two oak drawers, and left of these drawers is a large wooden door leading into his bathroom. Straight ahead of the door is a large window that leads into a balcony. His room is in the front of the castle, giving him a direct view of the kingdom.

WC: 1273/1000

ii. main character

The main character of the story is named Elliot Allaire. Elliot is the prince of Corvus, and the oldest son of his family, making him the heir to the throne. Elliot is an overall quiet boy. Growing up he was always taught by tutors and never let outside, so he doesn't have the best social skills. He was also only surrounded by adults until his brother Ezra was born, so some describe him as quite mature for his age.

Most say Elliot inherited much from his mother. He has dark, wavy, messy hair that seems like it hasn't been cut in a year. His father keeps insisting that he cuts it but he refuses. His eyes are a deep brown, almost black. Most of the time, they seem focused and empty, with little to no emotion showing in his eyes. Elliot is a lanky kid, extremely tall for his age yet incredibly skinny. However, he has quite a stern face, one that looks almost like an adult's and matches his mature personality. He's often seen wearing the royal uniform of his kingdom, green with golden shoulder pads and shiny pins fastened to the left side of his chest, but whenever he isn't, he wears casual loose shirts, pants, and combat boots, with his dagger, which was a gift from his father, always in a scabbard attached to his belt.

Elliot is overall a distant and mysterious person, and he is quite difficult to read. First meeting him he seems quite irritable and grumpy, and it's quite hard to understand how he's feeling. He is an analytical thinker, always going off his brain and never his feelings. With his demanding duties as prince (and eventually king), he tends to push down his feelings to prioritize work, causing him to seem almost emotionless at times. Still, he is usually very patient and doesn't get angry or upset immediately. Elliot really only opens up around those he trusts and cares for, even then he barely does it. It's hard to get on his good side, for he isn't very trusting, and requires a lot of work and loyalty. Really the only people he truly trusts are his mother and brother.

However, he can even push away those he cares about away sometimes too. He has a profound paranoia of betrayal, and under great pressure, he can snap. When he really does let his bottled emotions out, it can last for days. When upset he refuses to talk to anyone and has no drive to anything. However, in contrast to this, it's a radiant sight to see him happy. Most people say he's always too serious or grouch, but if enough things go well for him he turns into an entirely new person. It may be a rare sight, but as his mother described it, it 'lit up the whole room.'

Though the region his kingdom is in is known for gruesome wars, Elliot isn't the most athletic. Though he is quite wise and a great planner, when it comes to actual combat, he has little to no training. He isn't very athletic either, since he spends most of his time locked up in his room reading books. However, later in the story, he does get better. Of course, practicality and logical thinking is still his strong suit, so he prefers to fight based on logic, not strength. When fighting, he uses the dagger his father gave him, using tricks and agility to fool the enemy and get the upper hand.

Elliot isn't really an outside person. He hates even just leaving the castle walls. He prefers to stay indoors, read a book in his room or play chess with his brother. The only time he really goes outside is during royal ceremonies that his father forces him to attend, and when his brother forces him to go outside to play tag with him. In his free time, he's often found in calmer, quieter places, such as the castle's gardens or the balcony in his room. Elliot also enjoys playing the guitar, a skill his mother taught him when he was young. It helps remind him of her and his calmer childhood. He also enjoys other forms of art, such as painting and writing. Though he doesn't quite enjoy the outdoors, one of his favorite places to go to is the castle garden, for he enjoys the simple plants such as the flowers and big tree that shades the area.

Elliot was born about three years before the great war on a cold winter day. For the entirety of his childhood, he lived quite peacefully. He was completely different from how he is now, a bubbly, talkative child who would spend his free time playing tag with his mother around the castle and chatting with the castle staff about his new toys. With their kingdom untouched by war, Elliot wasn't even told about the war raging outside of their kingdom's walls until he was six. Even then, he didn't care. Nothing changed when his brother was born, either. The family lived happily and peacefully, away from war and conflict. That was until Elliot was nine.

It started as a small sickness, a cold that the doctor said would go away in a week. But within a month, his mother was bedridden, unable to even wake up in the morning. Elliot was especially close to his mother, and her worsening condition greatly upset him. It wasn't just him, however. Their mother seemed to be the glue holding the family together, the moment she was gone, it all fell apart. Elliot and his father would consistently argue, both under the stress of losing somebody they loved. Elliot started to grow more and more distant, not just from his father, but the world. He became quieter, less lively. However, Elliot and his brother found company in each other, causing them to grow closer. Until this day, he's the only one Elliot really trusts.

At the start of the story, Elliot is around twelve years old, about to turn thirteen. He is crowned king a few days before his thirteenth birthday, and after the timeskip in the story he is twenty-one years old.

Throughout the story, Elliot's personality develops as he meets new people, realizing there are people out there he can trust. After the loss of his parents (uh oh spoilers), he becomes more distant, but through his experiences he bonds with the people around him, developing into a kinder, more caring person. Slowly, he starts to open up, and not just to his brother. By the end of the story, through his experiences, he is much wiser, realizing that not everybody in the world is out there to betray him. Instead, he is more laidback, considering others before himself.

WC: 1133/1000

iii. main plot

The story starts out in a side character, Rainer's point of view. He first introduces himself, describing how he has no memory of his past. However, not too long ago, he met a man named Corbin. He was like him, a traveling warrior willing to fight for any side that would let him fight. The two instantly clicked, and soon after they decided to travel together. Together, the two conquered kingdoms and crushed corrupt rulers. However, one day, the man left, promising he would return. Rainer waited, but his friend never returned. Betrayed, he continued on as a traveling warrior in an attempt to forget about his lost friend.

The story skips to present day. Rainer is traveling through a new region when he is led to a new kingdom by a strange crow. It seems completely untouched by war, even though it is in a war heavy region. He decides to go and explore the kingdom. As he wanders through the town, Rainer feels a sense of strange familiarity, however, he doesn't seem to remember any specific memories of the kingdom. Intrigued by both this feeling and how peaceful it is, he decides to go to the castle, which is open for visitors, to find out more about the strange kingdom.

Once he arrives at the castle, he discovers the cause. After discovering a large painting of who he assumes is the royal family, he realizes the king of the kingdom is his old friend. Suddenly, the two boys from the painting come running out from a room in the hall. The two princes notice him, asking what business he has in the kingdom. They introduce themselves as Elliot and Ezra, asking if Rainer has business with their father. He states he is only visiting and is about to leave when Corbin stumbles upon them. He recognizes his old friend, inviting him to dinner with them. Rainer agrees with a motive to find out more about where his friend really went that day.

After waiting in the garden in the palace, Rainer is called to dinner. He takes a seat with the rest of the family, finding out about their mother, the queen, and her sickness, and also how the family has been growing distant recently. After an argument with his father, Elliot leaves the table. Corbin pulls Rainer away and speaks to him about what really happened. He explains how before he met him he had visited a small town. He grew quite attached, earning the respect of the townspeople through his bravery and strength. After staying for quite a bit, he left the town, only a few days before meeting Rainer. The day before he left he received a letter, tied to the foot of the crow from the mayor of that town, stating that they had been attacked by Malum.

Due to how small the town was, Malum merely looted it and left, however, it had done a great deal to the town. Corbin decided to return, not telling his true intentions to Rainer since he was afraid of what he'd think of him. He helped rebuild the town, eventually building it up into a great empire. Betrayed by his friend's lies, Rainer threatens to leave. Corbin stops him, grabbing his shoulder. He explains that he is the one who led him there, and he has a reason. He knows that his kingdom is slowly crumbling as Malum grows more and more powerful. Each day the threat of being invaded grows stronger. Soon he would no longer be able to rule. However, his son, Elliot, is not fully prepared to be a ruler.

Corbin begs Rainer to train his son, not only in combat but the horrors of war. He himself is unable due to his many duties as a king and he knows how much Rainer understands about war, especially after all he had been through. Rainer is hesitant, but after seeing how desperate and genuine his friend is, he eventually agrees.

Soon, the story switches back to Elliot's point of view. He is quite suspicious of the stranger that showed up in their castle, especially after his father informed him he would be training him. The next day at breakfast his father informs him of his training, and the day after it begins. At first, Rainer is harsh on him. He is ruthless to the boy and makes no excuses for his extreme lack of combat training. However, over time, Elliot grows used to the training, even improving until he can effectively disarm Rainer. That day, his instructor gives him a break and they sit peacefully in the palace garden.

Even his mother, Alana comes out from her bed after stating she wasn't feeling as sick. The family sits happily in the garden, and for once in a long time, Elliot is actually happy.

However, the good fortune comes to an end that night. Elliot wakes to Rainer standing by his bedside. Once he sees the look on his face, he already knows what has happened. They rush into his mother's room but it is too late. They find Ezra already crying by her bedside. Elliot asks where his father is and Rainer hands him a note. In the note, his father explains how he had been crumbling. The pressure had slowly started becoming too much for him, and their mother's death had been the breaking point. Thanks to Rainer's training and his natural wisdom and intelligence, he believes that Elliot is ready to become king. Elliot breaks down, zoning out from his surroundings.

Suddenly, the scene switches to ten years later. Elliot has been king for ten years. Rainer had decided to stay in the kingdom and is now Elliot's most trusted advisor. However, the kingdom has grown weaker due to his father's disappearance. Not only this but Elliot and Ezra had grown quite distant since Elliot had become king. Malum had also grown closer to closer to invading the kingdom of Corvus. One day, Elliot gets news of Malum troops marching on their territory.

He becomes quite overwhelmed and nearly gives up but with help from Rainer and Ezra, he is able to find enough strength to command his troops. Allying with Arcanum, they fight to defeat Malum and finally end the years-long war.

WC: 1052/1000

Side Note: I'm aware I never posted this in time for Preptober, however I'm posting it solely for organization and to help me when I'm writing my actual story.