Something I'm going to try in November. · 4:40pm Oct 15th, 2016
So not much has improved. Brain is still stuck. Still unemployed. A little more stable.
I'm trying to set goals and get something moving in my life, so I'm going to try and complete Nanowrimo. I'll post what I've writen every day to my Patreons (Because they ARE my paycheck again) and every week, show everyone else. It won't be pony. Will likely be a light novel. The story that seems to have the most interest is for a human girl who ends up accidentally enrolling in a prep school for monsters.
Essentially, the Darklight Academy exists to allow the offspring of monsters to grow and acclimate to human life. Most monsters have 'old souls' filled with inappropriate instincts and expectations or are so alien that they find human life baffling. Plus there's the issue of getting along with your fellow monsters and suppressing the urge to eat what annoys you. Because while one human is a tasty treat, a swat team is a real pain in the ass. And there's always the Hunters waiting in the shadows for a monster to cross the line and become fair game.
The school is a blend of common subjects and monster related subjects with some after school activities. After all, a werewolf born in the wild might get an A in shapeshifting but can't understand basic mathematics ( "So there's one... and one... and put them together and you have two." "What's two?" "It's what you have when you have one and one." "That's some." "So what's one, one, and one?" "Some more.") or argue with history ("I don't understand what's wrong with slavery. My father owned hundreds of slaves. Okay, serfs, but they were as good as. And Grandfather had thousands of slaves! So what's the big deal?").
The main character is a girl whos big sister was murdered three years ago. It devisated their family, with her older brother 'certain there was more to it' than a simple psychopath. When she visits the scene on the anniversary of her death, she sees her sister's ghost. She follows it, and becomes aware that she is being stalked, and then chased. The ghost leads her into a decrepit old building that turns out to be a school. On a large table is a huge book marked 'registration'. She signs it as the things follow her inside, and instantly enrolls in the Darklight Academy. One rule of the academy: students are not allow to kill, murder, maim, eat, or destroy each other. So she is allowed in... with the expectation that eventually she'll either be killed by accident, or one of the students will break the rules, or she'll break one of the other rules and get kicked out. And note that the rule says absolutely nothing about 'attacks'.
Some of the notable faculty are the mysterious headmaster, who is quite amused and intrigued by the possibility of a human student. No one is exactly sure what the headmaster is. Ms. Pinch is the head dean, responsible for discipline, as well as teaching the Paranormal histories course. As a vampire, she's lived through quite a lot of it. She's quite active at getting the human girl 'expelled'. Humans are horrible, dangerous creatures that killed one of her daughter (vampires can only successfully reproduce once every 100 years. Those other things they create are mindless, murderous, ghouls that have to be cleaned up.) Mr. Scratch is the math teacher, and a reanimate (Zombie is such a crude word). He's quite sympathetic with her as he was once human in his previous life, but quite misses the 70's. Disco will never die for the undead! Mr and Mrs Flea are the gym teachers for boys and girls. Both are werewolves with rather shocking tastes in lack of clothes (When you double your volume while shapeshifting, clothes become an annoying liability. Get something stretchy, something teary, or learn to undress quick. There's nothing more annoying than being choked to death by your own clothes because you reverted.) One time honored tradition in gym is dueling... oh, wait! You mean humans don't practice dueling and die when sharp bits of metal are pushed into them? Wow... bet you're going to improve pretty quick! And then there's science, both esoteric and practical, taught by Mrs. Galvani, a short woman who has a hard time figuring out appropriate labs. "Okay, so is reanimating the dead appropriate for both my science classes, or just the esos?" (Esoteric Scientist is far, far preferable to 'Mad' Scientist.)
The school body does have a student council, but with the exception of the student body president, an angel named Lux, most of them are disgusted that there's a human running around the school. She's probably a spy for the Hunters, anyway! The alpha bitch is a vampire named Rose who is also Ms. Pinch's new offspring. She is desperate for her mother's affection, and hopes that making life horrible for the human will help. She's assisted by Lillian, a succubus that is more than happy to 'play' with the poor, easily embarrassed human, and Talon, her werewolf boyfriend / pet / thug. He just doesn't like humans (They cheat. Killing wolf packs with high powered rifles from helicopters... come on!) and is annoyed being toyed with by Rose. The local bad boy is Nox, Lux's twin brother, though a demon (It's complicated. Their birth was an expression of love, a virtue, and lust, a sin, so the conception split into an angelic child and a demonic child). All he wants to do is leave Darklight as soon as possible. Maybe start a band... anything to get away from Lux.
Helpful co-students are Fang, Talon's younger sister, who isn't quite as bitter at humans as Talon is. She's also not nearly as tough as most weres, and is frequently bullied as 'weredog'. She's also horrible at shape shifting and numbers make her want to chew the carpet. Lily is an angel of death who even most monsters find creepy, but she is quite proficient as ghosts and necromancy. She's also determined to personally reap the soul of Marilyn Manson. She's such a fan! She has a list of her favorite performers and she's determined to collect each and every one of their souls! Hans is a vampire that would be quite happy as an astronomer, and dreams of being the first vampire in space. It'd get him away from other vampires. Finally there's Flit, a faerie exchange student from 'the other school', who finds Darklight terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time.
The majority of the student body are Mannequins, artificial humans that go through the motion of being people, but who will report to the faculty any infraction of the rules. The school is hidden by magic, and teleports around the world seemingly at random. "Okay, so I was trapped in a school with monsters that would eat me if given a chance... but come on. Paris! When else would I see this?!"
The story is essentially about her surviving and foiling a plot to take down the wards that protect the school from sight, as well as a conspiracy to start a war between the Monsters and Hunters. That's just her freshman year.
Go for it bro! That sounds like an intriguing story!
I'm disappointed you didn't go "One, Some, Many, Lots."
Thats sounds fantastic! Reminds me of Rosario+Vampire. I'm going to have scrounge up the funds to get on your Patreon. You're the best Somber! Best of luck to you!
I like the idea behind Mr. Scratch. Seems like it might be an interesting read if I can find time.
Holy cow this idea sounds really interesting. I'd love to read it. Kinda sounds as zany as my Gamma World story.
Well, I'm glad that things are at least a little better.
Hm, sounds like it could be interesting.
The Mannequins are there as exposure training? Put the students in an environment full of "humans" and see how long it takes them to start biting heads off? Will there be any plot for the Mannequins, or have you decided to lock them down as much as you can (confirmed philosophical zombies who can't leave the school) and not have the characters bother with any problems that might remain?
Knowing what you are famous for, It's going to be a million words, isn't it?
4257206 I hope not. 50,000+ words, but more importantly, I'll need to finish. That's the bigger challenge.
So, Harry Potter, but set in the World of Darkness?
I can dig it. Especially if you can make that "old soul" thing really work. That honestly sounds like the most interesting element.
This book sounds awesome. Let me see what funds I can scrounge up to help you so you can write this.
Still catching up, will still fund.
*shaking with excitement for slime-thing*
It sounds like a nice goal, sir. i really do hope your writing for November goes well. *nuzzles very lightly*
Setting goals is good. But just like what Fluttershy said in filli vanilli "Baby steps, everypony. Baby steps" So as long as you keep the pace slow but fast enough to where you can progress then your life will be on track. Like I said to your last blog, Life is like the wasteland that you and Kkat made. Full of ups and downs. But your hero's within the stories surpassed all odds to make equestria a better place. So never give up, just keep going. We, your fans, will guide you and help you when you need it most.
Dude ill see about getting some bits together for you. This sounds like an awesome premise. Glad you are getting off the matress.