Names and Marks

[gor mu]

I'm making this forum post mostly to promote my story, Names and Marks, which is in its early stages with three chapters published so far, and to share with readers my thoughts and expectations for this story, and the topics I'd like to address with it. Additionally, of course, I would love to get any form of feedback from readers: comments, questions about any aspect of the story, constructive criticism, or anything, really. This is the first full-scale story I write in English (which is not my native language), and it's possibly the longest and most ambitious story project I've ever done, so I would really appreciate any input (the presence of a proactive and interconnected community is one of the reasons I chose GA to post my story in the first place).

 

Essentially, I started writing N&M as a means to explore the world of Tenno, which serves as the setting for the story. More specifically, the majority of the plot is set to take place in the city of Corienor, which is the capital of an expanding empire known as the Dominion, led by a civilization variously known as the Vahay (Vachaio), the Westerners or the Sunset people. One of the main characters, Tistan Dresaceri, is a young (19 years old at the start of the story) nobleman from an important family in the royal court of Corienor. The other main character is Aaru, a "savage" who hails from a distant land to the East. At the beginning of the story, Aaru has been captured by slavers from the Dominion (slavery is an important aspect of Vahay society) and in Chapter I, he is sold to Tistan as a "companion", a fancy word for bed slave.

 

Understandably, it would seem I'm setting these two up for some sort of non-con/dub-con action, but I should clarify I do not intend to write any form of explicit or implicit sex between the two main characters where there is no consent. I'm not personally comfortable with that, though I don't have any problem if you are. It's just not going to happen in my story.

 

Though slavery is a central axis of the plotline and will be a persistent theme through the story, I'm not interested in writing about power relations, submission or domination. I believe this is an overused trope in slave-fiction (though I have nothing against writers who chose to use it) to which my story would not offer anything. The focus of N&M will be the political and social transformations that come from Tistan and Aaru's unlikely relation (I know right? Sounds fun).

 

I think that's it for now. Once again, please do share your thoughts about all this and if there's anything you'd like to know about the setting of the story, don't hesitate to ask. 

Edited October 25, 2017 by gor mu

[AC Benus]

...that's a beautiful map...  

[Parker Owens]

24 minutes ago, AC Benus said:

...that's a beautiful map...  

 

I agree completely!

[AC Benus]

This looks like a very intriguing story. From what I have read so far, I really like the interactions between the two central characters. I also enjoy the mother's presence in the background. She seems caring and pragmatic at that same time.

 

Looking forward to more  

[gor mu]

1 hour ago, AC Benus said:

...that's a beautiful map...  

Thank you! It only shows the part "Western" part of Tenno, and it depicts much of the Dominion's territories, including Corienor, which is marked near the center.

 

27 minutes ago, AC Benus said:

This looks like a very intriguing story. From what I have read so far, I really like the interactions between the two central characters. I also enjoy the mother's presence in the background. She seems caring and pragmatic at that same time.

 

Looking forward to more  

Yes! The mother will be an important character in the coming chapters. Once again, thanks a lot!