December 9, 2023

The Post-NaNo Report

So I said I'd do one of these a month and then didn't do one last month because I'm 🎉 reliable 🎉

Anyway hi! Last month was National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo, aka an excuse to finally get me to write shit. 50,000 words in 30 days. And I pulled it off! The sequel to Vapormage, tentatively called Vicehunter, is...

Well it's not done. I hit 51k, but I still haven't done the last chapter and a half. I know what'll happen, but the ending should be tied tightly to the themes and ideas of the story. Vicehunter has themes and ideas, but when you're trying to slap down 1,666 words a day, yeah, that stuff falls apart fast. Nevermind me realizing good themes to work with only when I'm halfway through the story...

But I have something to work with here, a detective story that does both trans allegory and explicit trans narrative, because Vapormage wasn't queer enough, dammit. It starts from just asking what Rocko was up to during the course of Vapormage, and quickly spirals into a much more metaphysical tale than Vapormage's grounded action tone. I know I need to answer some of the questions Vapormage is leaving, but I can't answer too many.

As before, I'm taking December to let the story simmer, then rewriting in the new year. I may/should take this month to actually fill in more of the WorldAnvil wiki/story bible I've started. If so, I'll link it, but it will probably be stuffed with spoilers.

Look at these things

Currently reading: Godkiller by Hannah Kaner, pitched by Powell's staff as a queer adventure for Elden Ring fans. Dunno if I agree, but it's a breezy read for sure.

Currently listening: 大​​​理​​​石​​​の​​​フ​​​ァ​​​ン​​​タ​​​ジ​​​ー by Haircuts for Men, the sort of effort-included vaporwave I actually enjoy. (Because it's actually chillwave? I dunno man. Genre is a fuck.)

Currently playing: Small Saga, a game that would be my "queer indie RPG" peer if I actually went game dev with Vapormage. Except it's all rodents and very British.

A little story

The way I structured Vapormage is that the chapters themselves have all the action, and in between are little epistolary asides. Like data logs in video games. They've been a bitch to write because they're each a different style, from military memos to screenplays, but oh well, I hoisted this petard.

For this letter's bit of reading, I've included the Aesop-like that I wrote to give one of the Guardians, Vakonivak, a bit more mythological flavor.

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Long ago, before man, Vakonivak kept watch over the beasts of the land. One day, she bid the beasts gather around her home, for she had something to say. “My friends,” said she, “I fear a great curse will befall this world soon. Our eyes will cloud and our hearts will ache.” The beasts were terrified by her words, but Vakonivak reassured them. “If you work together in kindness, then we shall continue to live on.” As her wisdom had been true before, the beasts agreed, and sought to make their plans.

Soon, one beast, the serpent, approached Vakonivak. It held its head low in sadness. “Great Vakonivak,” it said, “this plague worries me. I wish to help the other beasts, but I fear I cannot.”

“Why not?” Vakonivak asked.

“I am seen as deceitful,” the serpent said. “I slip and hide among the grasses as I fear the dangers of the world. Yet they believe I hide as I plan to betray their trust.”

“Is that what you intend to do?” Vakonivak asked.

“No,” the serpent replied, “but it is my nature to be vile thus.”

Vakonivak considered these words. Soon, the wolf approached Vakonivak and quietly sought to speak to her. “Oh dear Vakonivak,” the wolf said, "the other beasts have been planning well, but though I wish to help, I feel I cannot.”

“Why not?” Vakonivak asked.

“I am seen as prideful,” the wolf said. “I walk through the world alone, as I do not wish to burden others. Yet they believe I am too proud to give aid, and will only bring argument.”

“Is that what you intend to do?” Vakonivak asked.

“No,” the wolf replied, “but it is my nature to be vile thus.”

Vakonivak considered the wolf’s words. Later, the crow perched near Vakonivak. “Mother of birds,” the crow said, “the other beasts have prepared greatly, but I fear I could not help them to do so.”

“Why not?” Vakonivak asked.

“I am seen as greedy,” the crow said. “What others leave behind, I take for myself, as they have no desire for it. Yet they believe I will take from them what they require to survive.”

“Is that what you intend to do?” Vakonivak asked.

“No,” the crow replied, “but it is my nature to be vile thus.”

Vakonivak considered the crow’s words. Having done this, she summoned the lion, as he was respected among the beasts.

The lion answered Vakonivak in worry. “Great Vakonivak,” the lion said, “we have prepared ourselves as much as we can. Yet there is worry that it will not be enough.”

“You have done all you can?” Vakonivak asked.

“Indeed we have,” the lion said.

“And how did the crow assist you?” Vakonivak asked. “Or the wolf? Or the serpent?”

The lion thought. “They did not,” he said, “for they are too greedy, too proud, too deceitful.”

“They are not,” Vakonivak said. “They are tidy, lonesome, afraid. Speak to them, and listen to them. Only if you do will you be prepared.”

The lion trusted Vakonivak and followed her words.

Some time later, Vakonivak bid the beasts gather around her home. “My friends,” said she, “I am pleased to see you work together wisely and well. I do not see our world falling to darkness anymore.”

“Are we truly safe?” the hedgehog asked.

“Yes,” Vakonivak said, “for you have cured yourselves of a great curse of misunderstanding.”

Many beasts were confused by her words. Soon, the lion spoke. “Was there no darkness? Were you untrue to us?”

“I was not,” Vakonivak said. “The curse would scatter and cloud us, but you joined as one. Even the beasts deemed vile were of help. Without them, the curse surely could not be broken.”

The beasts understood. Yet the lion said, “You did speak true, but we feared greatly at your words.”

Vakonivak shook her head in apology. “Then it is my nature to be vile thus.”

— Fable of the Vile Beasts, Author unknown