Howdy!

When I did my NaNo post a few weeks ago, I’d said I’d be doing an inspirations post, which I’m finally getting around to. And when better I suppose than Day 1 of NaNo! I’m not actually legitly participating as I have no idea what my word count will be. I’m kind of just hoping I can finish this first draft, but we’ll see as I have some other things to get done as well. Anyway, here’s a bit about my WIP The Mountain Baron!

Inspirations

Back in spring of 2014 I was interning at a hospital in College Station, TX as my last semester before I graduated. One morning was really foggy and I was driving out to the hospital, I started thinking about what it would be like to get out and walk around in the fog, what it would sound like, you know typical writer things. And as I see trees and signs appear and disappear out of the fog, I start thinking about a rider in a mountain fog and what would become this first sentence appeared –

The fog was thick. The rider couldn’t see anything past twenty yards. Rocks and desperate shrubs would loom suddenly in front of him to then fade away as quickly as they had appeared.

I spent the rest of the morning at work coming up with the rest of the scene and bits and pieces of the story. As soon as I got home I sat down and wrote the first page and then began brainstorming this story.

I working on it off and on as PT school and other projects would allow. Until about August/September when I got a big chunk written up. Since I’m a pantser, I’m at that awkward middle part where I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen. Hopefully NaNo will spark that for me and I’ll get through the not-so-sure parts and on to the bits I know will happen. 🙂

Rough Synopsis

The man known as the Mountain Baron turned his back on the world after it turned on him. Branded a traitor and accused of killing the prince, he takes to the mountains of Alsaya and builds a stronghold of outlaws and outcasts. He believes in nothing but the justice he was refused. He wants nothing more to do with God, Alsaya, or his Clan. But when word reaches him that a lord has seized his brother, a Seer of Clan MacDuffy, he rides from the mountains. That would be the lord’s last mistake. MacDuffys look after their own.

Characters

Rhys MacDuffy – the main character. Seven years prior to the story, he was accused of killing the only surviving prince and heir to the throne. #awkward. Subsequently, he was dishonorably discharged from the army and branded as a traitor and banished from his Clan. Naturally, this didn’t do great things for him, and he went to the mountains – unclaimed territory on the outskirts of the kingdom – took over a derelict mountain keep and kind of became the leader of the outlaws that populate the Cardic Mountains. Even though he technically can’t claim his family anymore, they still let him know that his brother has been kidnapped by a lord. Rhys takes mild offense to that and heads out to go rescue his brother.

Sean MacDuffy – a Seer of Clan MacDuffy, he’s never really believed that Rhys did what he was accused of. But he can’t be sure since he hasn’t been able to use the Sight to see his brother for seven years. He has a wife and two adorable little kids, and really just wants his brother back.

Alan MacDuffy – an old friend of Rhys, he is sent by the Clan Laird to go with Rhys to retrieve Sean. He harbors a bit of guilt from seven years ago, since he stood by and did nothing to try and help Rhys when he was banished (also because to help Rhys was to suffer the same fate). He has an awesome wife and a little one on the way.

Lord Adam Barkely – the bad guy. He may or may not have been the one behind the assassination attempt on the prince that Rhys got blamed for, but details. He’s also taken over Seabright Castle (the old seat of the kings) to “keep it in use”. He’s since had plans to expand his domain to the rest of Alsaya and is planning a war to knock off any resistance (namely the Clans and another lord), so he can effectively become king.

The Druids – also bad guys. They’re really creepy and use voodoo like magic. They’re allied with Lord Barkely and he’s using them to help him take over. They’re the ones who got him to kidnap Sean so they could steal his Seer powers, which puts them on Rhys’ bad side. Like waay far on his bad side.

Songs That Inspired

The Islander – Nightwish (technically, the reason why this helped inspired would result in some spoilers, so enjoy the music)

Heathens – Twenty One Pilots (I know this just released this summer, but I’m obsessed with this song and consider it kind of the theme song of this book.)

So that’s a bit about my project. I love it a lot. And it’s kind of dark and a lot of things have happened so far. Also the bad guys are pretty creepy and I kind of worry about myself. 🙂

Are you doing NaNo? What’s your project?