Young Writers Society

Welcome to the world of Nye. It has its share of messes, both big and small, but we're really only here to follow Clandestine and James and how their paths meet. And uh, where the path goes from there.

Clandestine is a monster hunter with a mysterious past and forbidden magic, while James is... well... a bunch of question marks, at least, at first. Though he does give off kind of a cowboy vibe. Maybe it's the jacket? The hat?

What starts as a casual business agreement for their mutual benefit - making money, since they're both pretty much broke - explodes into a much bigger storyline filled with monsters, dragons, goblin turf wars, corrupt kings with evil plans, and an even darker force watching... and waiting for the right time to wake.

And in the midst of all of this, they'll have to dig up their pasts and everyone else's to make sense of it all. Or at least a small portion of it. Yay.














*more to come but honestly the cast is massive thanks

Think typical fantasy setting, but only just beginning to enter the age of guns and steel sort of thing. Technological and industrial advancement has been a bit stunted because of the calamity (a world-shaking series of disasaters about 80 yrs ago) and the world's still recovering. At this point, humans are finally really getting back on their feet. The most advanced peoples are the Goulonians, the rest are lagging behind because of lack of (human and physical) resources and focus on other industries. As far as guns go, they have simple handhelds reminiscent of the kind of guns in westerns, but there are still a lot of people who carry swords and traditonal medeival-type weaponry (axes, swords, bow + arrow, crossbow, maces, etc). Usually there's a mix of both, because you don't bring a knife to a gun fight, but you also don't bring a gun to a sword fight.

In terms of feel/vibe, think like, a mish-mash between westerns and fantasy magic stuff.




Western Isles: a union of smaller islands in the west, along with a few mainland coastal cities. They’ve formed a strong community of fisherman (deep-sea, and in shallow waters) and a strong economic presence in terms of seafood, sailing and seafaring, with other related products. The Isles also boasted a developing navy for the protection of their alliance and to defend against sea monsters.

Lettera (North): While often accused of being stuck in the past, the Letteran Kingdom highly values the study of the earth’s mythology and reveres the dragons of old - mainly, the dragon of earth. Dragons in ages long ago, used to reign on the earth as benign rulers. As the Letteran Kingdom is a largely agricultural society, they value the stories of the Dragon of Earth, whom they believe blesses their land to be plentiful. The ruler of their Kingdom goes by the name of King Margrave.

Goulon (East): a collection of small cities strongly focused in industrial advancement. They offer a lot of factory work and make a lot of advanced weaponry. They are not shy about their intentions on building a strong army to defend their land, and are viewed as an unstable threat to the other realms. Their government is run by a group of representatives from each city-state that gather to vote and agree on policies.

Moonlight Kingdom (South): a kingdom under the reign of King Blackfield. Due to Blackfield’s reputation as a strong, successful leader, he has a strong foothold of influence in the south and surrounding regions. Within the walls of the main cities, the kingdom is considered to be very wealthy and highly admired. The lifestyle the residents of the Moonlight Kingdom maintain is one of prestige, and they work to ensure that their populace is educated and that they grow up to be hard-working citizens. From the outside, many people view it as the ideal place to live. Many people looking for a new start and seeking success will come to the Moonlight Kingdom in hopes of a better life.

Desert Settlements: Neutral lands with small independent government entities, most allied with and connected to Moonlight Kingdom or Letteran forces. Intersects with many goblin territories (which are considered hostile in an ongoing "war" between goblins and humans).

The Outlands: Lawless lands, filled with and overrun with crime and violence and criminals. Often likened to a living hell because of the chaos and constant turnover of leaders.

MAGIC

So uh, this is a fantasy world. Is there magic?
Yes, there is! But bad news: it's outlawed. And most all humans are super afraid of magic and anyone who uses it!

This is a world with a long history of a magic-centered culture but a decades long magical disaster left humans near extinction and fearful. The magic that was once welcomed into human society was shunned - over time, creating a deeply rooted fear and distrust of anything of magical origin.

Humans shut out magic from their lives - quite literally, with towering walls and heavily guarded boundary lines, in their greatest attempts to keep magic out.

How Magic Works:
Human magic (along with other creature's) is limited. They can only manipulate what already exists: they can't create anything out of nothing, and they can't make anything more magical than it is. Only dragons can do that and we don't talk about them ; )

People can manipulate one kind of element. Typical examples are water, earth, air, fire, etc, stuff like that. But you can get more creative or more specific if you want. It's very similar to "bending" like in ATLA, for example, but they don't use that terminology.

what do i love? subplots.

how many do i have? TOO MANY!!!!!! i want to write........ like 20 episodic tales of Nye that follow the fates of a lot of minor characters but tell them from the minor character's perspective. So like, they'll meet some main guys and stuff still but.

Hhhh I just have so many ideas.

Specifically these two brothers from Goulon who meet James at one point. And people from Bo's past. Like his ex-girlfriend Jordan.

And people from Clanny's past and all her adventures. So many. How many people she's helped. ALL OF THE MONSTERS SHe'S FACED

Also, side-note, feedback and questions are 100% welcome. Just in case anyone was like woah sound's feed is all organized, don't wanna ruin it lol (or at least,,, that's what i think when I look at other people's threads haha,,, ,ha)

Hiii Sound <3

Okay, so like I said before, I love your blurb. Its voice is amazing and really speaks for how the story (might) end up. However, I will say, it’s not perfect (gassssp). It’s structured well, but we only really hear a paragraph of the big plot, and boyo boy there’s a lot of information to digest in that third paragraph. Monsters? Dragons? Turf wars? Corrupt Kings? And a darrrrker force? Ooooh, that all sounds interesting, but where’s the big plot here? I know you have eight arcs thought out, so you definitely have some kind of big plot in mind for at least the first arc. So who’s the big bad? What’s the major conflict here? Does it also fit into their past?

Again, I love it, but there are parts here that are a little to vague for me. I love the character part, but there’s so much to unpack here. How does it all play together? It’s a hard thing to do (I had the same problem for my first five blurbs) but I know you can do it. Something to tie this all in together would really really really make this blurb shine. Maybe it’s their past? Idk, I don’t know too much of your story sooooooo

I am really interested in the world shaking series of disasters that happened eighty years ago. Are we going to hear more about that? Also, will that tie into your story at all?

I totally get that you’re having troubles with just condensing your info into something that’s legible lol so ill be your cheerleader! U CAN DO ITTTTT I WANT TO SEE MORE I feel like I haven’t seen anything of the plot yet and I want to sooooo much. I can’t wait to read what you have for the first chapter ^^

EDIT: I forgot to talk about this whoops so how does the title fit into all of this? I'm super interested ^^ and i didn't get really much about a lost dragon from your blurb lol i just wanna know all the stuff tbh tell me EVERYTHING sound

Hey u wanna know something dumb is that the eight arcs are probably 4 because I don't know for the life of me how to split things up and I'm still re-working the plot in more ways that I even initially expected so it's really uhhhhhh fuzzy in terms of where "arcs" end and start. HHAHHAH *sweats*

But Arc 1 is basically about establishing Clandestine and James as a duo? I guess. Gosh I suck at organizing my thoughts okay pls bear with me. Enspoilering b/c I don't know what the HEcK is too spoilery:

I love going through your list of characters and seeing how many of them I already know! It'll be so cool seeing them running around in your story once LMS kicks off, and I'll be fangirling over like every single one of them. The memes are definitely a nice touch as well!

I think some of the most unique parts of your story are the wide variety of characters and the world itself - I haven't seen many stories that mix fantasy and westerns together, and I'm absolutely thrilled to hear more about this one! Props to you for coming up with so much about the world already.

Also why is Bo so relatable?

So after our jam last night I am way more invested in this story! I love James and Clandestine, but I also love the world that you're building for them and I'm excited to see where their story goes!

Your character descriptions are the best! Especially Bo, Kixig, and Alexander's. Those are my favourites. But just reading through everything- all your characters feel so fleshed out and familiar already! The memes help a bit with that lol.

You have so much worldbuild and it's so amazing ahh <3 also, the map! I'm not the type to like westerns (although I love fantasy), but honestly what you've included in your posts seems super interesting! It's probably going to sound strange, but I think it's pretty cool magic is outlawed. I've encountered so many fantasy-types with magic that have it as just the grand highlight and all powerful, and I think it's really cool when it's a problem instead.

Also I haven't encountered fantasy novels that are on the tipping point between guns and the usual medieval-style weaponry, which is super cool! I can't wait to see how this is implemented and how the characters interact with this!

also, dragons. I'm super excited for these hints of dragons

@saen omg the fact that you'll be fangirling makes me all the more excited to post :,,) and I'm glad you like the MEMEs lol. They were only ever just for me goofing around but I included them here haha.

And aa!! I'm glad that this story seems different to you!! Haha, it's honestly like, a hybrid of a bunch of things I really like. I love diverse casts! I love westerns w/guns and horses and cowboys and stuff!! But I love knights and swords and kingdoms!! LOL so I was just like "hECk it I'm gonna make a world where it all works and if people can't suspend some disbelief then oh well."

And lol idk maybe cause he's probably the most like me? Maybe I'm relatable? LOLOLOL or maybe he's just like, the most down to earth IDK sahdgjkahdsalfgj

@StellaThomas YAAASSSS OMG thank u so much!! LOLOLOL I'm so happy you love them and I'm excited >:) that you're excited!! >:D

@scribbleinks BAHAHAH I love that Alexander is included in your favs when his description is literally just "help him." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAha BUT FORREAL THANK U SO MUCH. And DUDE, these characters, some of them have been under four years of development so I'm glad they feel fleshed out. At this point if they aren't what the HECK am I doing hahah. :,)

And duuuuude YESsss I love worldbuilding and I loved!!! Drawing that map!! Idk making maps is literally so... relaxing?? And oh I'm glad that you like the fact that magic is outlawed! Though just to note, it's only outlawed among all human civilization.... so that doesn't speak for other fantasy races among them (harpies, goblins, ogres, and one more I'm not mentioning because >:D).

And yeah, the whole transition between swords and guns kind of affects the main cast? It's definitely not like a main story point but depending on the areas they go there will be a lot more people with guns or swords.

AND YES. DRAGONS. Dragons play a huge part in this story. But I'm so afraid to leak anything about them because I'm like!! I want all the dragon stuff to be a big surprise hoO hOO HEE

AHHHHHHH I finally have the time to go through this thread and appreciate everything!!!

Your characters are so darn lovable like AHHHHHHhhH. I can tell this story will be heavily character driven. (I'm not sure what the actual plot is but I saw you spoilered it above but um NO NO SPOILERS I WILL W8 2 READ.) You've got a diverse, detailed cast of good guys, bad guys, and supports. SRSLY. I can imagine the dialogue between all the characters to have a mixture of reactions: some will be like lolololol, some will be like OH NOOEEZZ, others will be like OMGOMGOMGOMG. wow wat am I saying uM I just luv ur characters ok they sound really fun to read

Also, I almost spit out my water when I saw the dorky-lookin' Kixig going YEET in the meme LMAO

I see similar underlying themes with my story and yours, which I found interesting. Obviously they take place in different settings, but the whole magic being in your DNA struck a bell with me. And btw, the whole "magic takes practice and stamina" bit completely makes sense. *TAKES NOTES* also they're both character-driven AHHH *fangirls endlessly* also we both have characters named Mel lol wow

ANNNyways, it's refreshing to see a fantasy world that's not just about magic and dragons and armor and defeating goblins and stuff. What I find interesting about your story is that this world has technology. And guns. And swords. LIKE. They coexist??? Pretty uncommon. And oh ya dragons, but ofc we don't talk about dat. :winkyface: I also find all the pictures super helpful IT'S LIKE OPENING MORE PRESENTS EVERY TIME I CLICK THE SPOILER BUTTON AND SEE A PIC. Your worldbuilding skills are 10/10 gj gj gj

lol compliment overload

(also, pssst, some of your pics died ;_;)

So, the main question I have for ya is this: what's the main conflict? It really could be anything, and if I had to guess, it'd be that the charries are traveling and stuff and drama llama and AHHH bad guys. Ya know, pretty typical adventurous stuff. But I'm also wondering why the bad guys are bad. Like, are they outlaws who want to bring back magic? Or maybe have something to do with James/Cladestine's history? Is the main conflict mostly with the characters, or does a Big Bad Thing happen that'll affect everyone?

omg these sound like big q's um um I want to follow along with the story, so eek NO SPOILERS OK.

@Carina LOLOLOL

ANNNyways, it's refreshing to see a fantasy world that's not just about magic and dragons and armor and defeating goblins and stuff.

*sweats*
*tugs at collar*
Hahahaha, uhhh, yeah so uh, THOSE THINGS ARE IN THE STORY, but that's not like, all it's about. Dragons play a big part (otherwise there wouldn't be "dragon" in the title) and goblins are a foe in the first arc. Magic also plays a big part even though it's outlawed.

But yeah uh!! A LOT of the part has to do with things in the character's pasts that catch up to them. Clandestine and James meeting is way more fateful that you'd think. So in a way, yeah? It's really character driven? And they go on lots of adventures and stuff but a lot of it is their significant pasts that's moving the plot forward b/c they can't escape it and their past demands action and answers lol. To put it SUPER VAGUE.

So yeah the main baddies I can confirm are from either James or Clandestine's past/have to do with it. Though the bad guys aren't outlaws. That much I can tell you. And the conflicts at least in the beginning of the story only affect the characters but there is one big overarching thing that has big implications and could affect the (human) world if they don't intervene. The BIG BAD though could potentially have world-changing implications. So the stakes kind of gradually increase. NICE! More stress for the characters.

As far as tech. goes I should PROBABLY do more research to clear a few things up (like, do they have indoor plumbing at all) but yeah it's a fun mix and I am forcing swords and guns to coexist. Swords still carry a big presence because the main pioneer of guns has been Goulon, but the Moonlight Kingdom, Lettera, and the Isles still are mostly sword-centered, at least, when it comes to fighting. Guns have leaked primarily into the Deserts and the Outlands, hence, more of the typical western/wild west type culture feel out there. But yeah, the MAKING of guns is largely secluded to Goulon. Which kind of scares the other kingdoms...... so take that for what u will.

AND YES Magic is very much a stamina thing. It's like... when someone who hasn't run in ten years tries to run a marathon vs. someone who's been training and running marathons for years. Imagine who comes out of that race without passing out or dying from dehydration or literally pushing their body way past what it can handle! obviously the metaphor is flawed but,,, it helps

BUT OH I'M SO HAPPY YOU LOVE THE CHARACTERS ALREADY LOL. I really hope you like them when you actually read it too hahahaa *sweats* no pressure or anything on myself haaaa. Kixig is totally a dork and the only way he knows how to flirt is by doing push-ups and we will literally eat anything if you say its edible. BUT THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE COMPLIMENTS AND IM GLAD U LIKE THE PICS AND I'LL STOP NOW

Also note: Enspoilered things are actually very spoilery. Read at your own risk.


Harpies are often likened to humans with wings, but as far as appearance goes, there's a lot of variation. Some harpies have more bird-like features, having more feathers, or even bird-like feet and talons. Some have less feathers and more skin, of many varying shades. Their feathers can also come in many colors, but the most common are browns, blacks, and earthen tones. Rarer colors include reds, greens, yellow, and most rarely, purple. They tend to traditionally wear light, flowy, clothing that drapes on their frame, but soldiers wear light armor that fits more closely. Sometimes they will decorate their garments with feathers as well. But clothing also depends greatly on regional differences, as does the thickness of their coat of feathers.

For centuries, harpies have closed themselves off to humankind, isolating themselves in the mountains and cliffs, and generally areas that are difficult for humans to access. No one really knows at what point in the past humans and harpies got bad blood, but it was largely the fault of the human race, who de-humanized harpies by labelling them as monsters and less than people. Harpies have lost most all respect for the human race and largely ignore them.

Harpies are graceful and strong, but their wings don't grow to full size until their teenage years. Once their wings grow large and strong enough to bear their weight in flight, harpies are quickly taught how to rule the skies. It's traditional for all harpies to learn aerial combat, even if they don't enlist themselves in defensive and protective forces as a life-path. Until the point their wings are grown however, harpies follow a sort of "the village raises you" kind of method. Those who are skilled in different areas share their teaching to young ones, take them under their wing (LITERALLY, HAH) and so on. Harpies also have a big healing magic culture, as healing magic runs through the blood of many a harpy.

Different harpy villages vary, but they usually operate under a Chief, who is the head of the village, and then there is a counsel of elders. Chiefs are held in great respect.



Ogres are the largest race in all of Nye. They grow to be about two to three feet taller than any human, and naturally pack on muscle very easily. Ogres again, are humanoid in nature, but cannot grow hair. Instead, they are covered in small scales in shades of green and green-blue. Their eyes are dark and black, and they have large, long canines that jut out of their mouths. Their clothes are typically composed of furs and skins. They never wear shoes over their big, two-toed feet.

Ogres are probably the strongest humanoid race, but live very peaceful lives. Hidden in coves and swamps, along with a string of slightly more aquatic ogres in the isles (with webbed feet and hands), ogres live quiet lives and live off the land. They don't build large structures of architecture, but rather carve into the earth caves. If you were to walk into an ogre camp, it might not look much like a typical camp. They like to leave the earth better than when they left it, and don't like to hack away at it to make it more comfortable. Instead they adapt. At the core of every ogre is adaptability and flexibility.

Ogres aren't a well populated race, as they usually only have one child per family. But each child is carefully taught and educated by their parents and close family, and at the age of 17, just before a goblin hits their big growth spurt (at 17 goblins still stand at typical human height) are given the opportunity to dive deep into whatever they are most passionate about with their parent's blessing. That could literally be anything from like, making hats to becoming a scholar of the stars. But whatever it is, they're encouraged and pushed to be the best and given full support. The only thing that is incredibly taboo is leaving their tribe. Ogres rarely ever travel, and if they do, they do it together as a tribe - a family unit. They do not go exploring into the world, and they especially, most definitely, do not interact with humans.

When ogres hit their growth spurt, they eat enough to feed a village. Fortunately, they have very different digestive systems than humans and can eat a much larger variety of foods - like many more plants, and raw meats and stuff without any worry. It's not often that they cook meat either.


Goblins are very similar to humans in structure, except that their backs are more arched, their feet are longer, and their nails are naturally sharper and harder. They have rough, leathery, green skin, and long, floppy, slightly pointed ears. They also have sharp, pointy teeth and larger jaws, along with yellow or orange eyes. They're often seen wearing brightly colored clothing and armor that's practical and simple.

Goblins exist in a very honor centric culture. Authorities are rarely questioned and to do so is seen as mutinous and extremely disrespectful. But on the flipside of that coin, leaders rise to power by proving themselves worthy through acts of honoring and respecting others. They are masters at working as a unit and efficient at using the strengths of others to push towards a common goal.

Goblins typically do not speak any human tongue, and this is often weaponized by humans as a means of dehumanization (would a better word be like... depeopleization? I mean they're not human, and humans aren't the standard for what makes a person a person... i just can't come up with a better word?).

Over the years - though specifically since the calamity - goblins and humans have been in a turf war. Because of the magical calamities displacing many humans and goblins alike, humans began to move in on goblin territory, which was seen as a threat to the goblins. Because humans and goblins have refused to talk about it (with language barriers being a big issue), there has been no real resolution. Every time humans try to expand into goblin territory, war is amok until the humans back off.


Not much is known about werewolves. According to humans, werewolves are dangerous and volatile in wolf form, and can't control their bloodlust. They also apparently "awaken" on full moons.



Dragons are like people! They're just... very large, scaly, and dragon-shaped. So really, they're human-like in mind. Although because of their age and origin, they are both considered and actually are wiser, smarter, and more knowledgeable. Or like, you'd sure hope so anyway.



Fun fact: all of these guys have sour feelings towards humans, but are generally amicable with one another. They kind of bond over their dislike of humans and have strong disagreements with humans and their shutting magic out of the world. To any non-human, it's seen as a denial of who they are and it goes against the rules of nature, since they live in a magical world.

Also @Omnom here, be satisfied.

Also note: Enspoilered things are actually very spoilery. Read at your own risk.


Monster hunters are in their own special kind of "sect" of public service in the military, and nowadays they're all trained and equipped by military resources. Kind of like a special forces unit I guess. They're educated on all the sorts of beasts (that are known), and how to defeat them and stuff. As for their social status, the ones that make allegiance to a kingdom are higher up in social circles. Pledging allegiance to the protection of a kingdom is actually expected of them, and for those that don't and are "freelancing" hunters like Clandestine, are heavily looked down upon since their work is seen less like a service to the kingdom and more just like adventure seeking, since it's more for their own benefit. After all the magical disaster stuff, monster hunters are really appreciated, and their role in society (as far as society viewed it) went less from adventure - seeker to a more protective role. That's what makes freelancing so distasteful - it's like a return to the ways of the old guilds (which openly practiced tons of magic, which is feared and illegal now).

Monster hunters get their assignments from the kingdom, who gets reports of monster sightings and incidents. Sometimes they're stationed in areas where interactions with monsters occur more often.

Most people view their job as very serious and risky, as the casualty rate of the job is pretty high. So they're respected, but not many people go into the field of work. They are few. Most of the people involved are monster "enthusiasts" or something of the like - like adrenaline junkies. Normally though, they're armored and are skilled in different practices of weaponry.


Note: Dragon slaying is very much a pre-calamity thing. The two who were titled dragon slayers were lost to history.

Because of old myth it is believed that whoever slays a dragon receives all of the dragon's magical power (therefore becoming like a god) -
Of course, the practice of dragon slaying isn't really seen as an honorable pursuit in most circles. It's often seen as a fool's errand, as there are very few who have claimed to accomplish it, and even fewer who prove so.

So here's the thing with dragon slayers. There are two who have been given the title in the past 100 years and proven to do so, but the thing is, their stories are pretty unique. Most who truly endeavor to slay a dragon are ridiculously outmatched, and either never return because they're killed, or they are driven away in fear for their lives. Some, in shame, never return to their previous homes and instead start new lives. Of course, it depends on the level of enthusiasm and the amount of pride that they left off on their journey with, and just how much humility they got served to them when they actually met the dragon. B) HAHA.

THAT SAID, today, people don't even know where the HECK dragons are, so even if they wanted to slay a dragon they'd have to FIND one first which is really hard in itself.

BUT ANYWAY.