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Young Writers Society


The Gilded City (Summer Novella Challenge Project)



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561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 1:11 am
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Atticus says...



Kalyds, known to many as The Gilded City, is the definition of paradise. It is a haven away from the rest of the world, which is reeling from the Fourth World War that decimated most of the known world. Admission can only be secured with considerable power, money, influence, or a combination of all three. Thick walls, patrolled day and night by vigilant guards, ensure that nobody gets in-- or out. It is the most secure place in the world, and inside the walls nobody has responsibilities—all their needs and wants are provided for by slaves brought in from the Outside or robotic assistants.

The one downside, however, is that no one can leave. Of course, this bothers very few people. After all, who would want to leave the most technologically advanced city on earth to return to a life full of dangers, insecurities, and pain? They have all heard the horror stories of what life on the outside is like, and besides, they have everything they could ever need or want is provided for them.

Magnus Poder, however, is not satisfied with a life of instant gratification and satisfaction. He is determined to see for himself what lies on the outside, and after rallying together a ragtag crew of like-minded adventurers, they plot a daring escape that will challenge their teamwork, physical abilities, and their relationships.

Coming to a Green Room near you this summer, The Gilded City explores the feeling of discomfort, of feeling out-of-place, and ultimately of finding fulfillment. Follow the journey of motivated young people looking to change the status quo and join them as they work towards a better future. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you, too.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





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561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:12 am
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Atticus says...



TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Cast of Characters
  • Outline
  • The Plan
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





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561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:52 am
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Atticus says...



MAGNUS ALEXANDER PODER

EARLY LIFE:
Spoiler! :
- Born on May 19, 2998 to Patrick and Elizabeth Poder
- 2 older brothers (Felipe and Silvia), 1 younger sister (Lizzy)
- Large extended family
- Strict parents
- Attended all recommended education levels and excelled


PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Spoiler! :
- Strong facial structure
- Tanned skin
- Piercing green eyes
- Long, sharp nose
- Bright, straight teeth
- Black hair, long on top and short on sides, always well-kept and styled with lots of gel
- 3-finger forehead
- Exactly 6 feet tall
- Broad shoulders, muscular build
- Approx 220 lbs
- Can bench 180
- 6-pack and V


PERSONALITY:
Spoiler! :
- Natural leader
- Good listener
- Determined & persistent
- Loyal
- Stubborn to a fault
- Easily discouraged
- Wants to make a difference
- Focused and goal-oriented
- Driven
- Motivated
- Seeks discomfort


ULTIMATE GOAL:
Spoiler! :
Magnus wants a life different from the status quo; not a life of luxury, but a life of hard work and discomfort. He pushes himself to be the best he can be, and excels in hard environments. He is not meant to waste his life and is not content in an environment where he is surrounded by people whose highest good is pleasure.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





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561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:58 am
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Atticus says...



LEO ORNSTON


EARLY LIFE:
Spoiler! :
- Born on September 13, 3002
- Attended the same schooling as Magnus
- Did fairly well in schooling but had no desire to pursue higher education
- Fairly wealthy parents, but not famous
- Had it pretty easy as a young kid
- Many consider him "spoiled"


PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Spoiler! :
- Dirty blond curly hair
- Watery blue eyes
- Freckled and tanned
- Dimples
- Big smile
- White teeth
- About 5'11
- 180 pounds
- Slight muscles that he insists on flexing in every picture
- Large hands
- Strong features
- Bushy eyebrows that he keeps well plucked
- Hairy chest & arms


PERSONALITY:
Spoiler! :
- Typical college frat boy
- Loves to party
- Extroverted
- Loud, outgoing, and energetic
- Flirts
- Usually has a girl hanging off his arm
- Enjoys getting drunk and drinking
- Never in a committed relationship
- Has a big social group
- Hates being alone
- Dresses in Hawaiian shirts, khakis, and sunglasses


ULTIMATE GOAL:
Spoiler! :
Leo does not want to be famous or even necessarily rich; he simply wants to enjoy life and party hard. He is exactly the type of person who belongs in the Gilded City—carefree, looking for instant satisfaction and minimal hard work, security, and fun times with friends and love interests. However, despite his carefree exterior, he is a genuine person and a good friend to Magnus and is supportive of all his friends
Last edited by Atticus on Tue Jun 04, 2019 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





User avatar
561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:58 am
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Atticus says...



DAWSON GRANET


EARLY LIFE:
Spoiler! :
- Born on October 9, 2999
- Born to an actor and actress of notoriety
- Grew up with money readily available and accessible
- Attended prestigious schools and did well academically by cheating his way through
- Many family connections



PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Spoiler! :
- Chubby face
- Stubbly facial hair
- About 5'6
- About 225 pounds
- Heavyset
- Beady, dark eyes set deep in his face
- Broad forehead, already has lines etched into his forehead
- Smokes cigars, drinks alcohol, and does recreational drugs
- Has diabetes that he takes medication for



PERSONALITY:
Spoiler! :
- Lazy
- Cheat
- Apathetic
- Frequently bored
- Wanders from place to place looking for purpose
- Secretly insecure
- Wants people to need him
- Emotionally unavailable
- Likes living the "good life", but is looking for a change and wants to be needed
- Favorite things in life are girls and hookups, unhealthy foods and drinks, and cigars
- Unconcerned about health


ULTIMATE GOAL:
Spoiler! :
Dawson has no particular goals in life other than to enjoy himself and satisfy himself. For that reason, it is ironic that he is leaving a place where those are the two things that are prioritized, but he is bored of the pleasures life in the Gilded City has to offer him. He wants to be part of this plan as something new and exciting, and wants to see what else life has to offer. Furthermore, his insecurity is satiated by people needing him, and he knows that he is a crucial part of this plan.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





User avatar
561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:59 am
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Atticus says...



RYAN SEAGUN


EARLY LIFE:
Spoiler! :
- Born on February 2nd, 3002
- Parents were towards the bottom of the social order
- Taught Ryan to work hard for what he wanted
- Parents were strict on him and expected him to work hard and not slack off from his work
- Because of this influence, Ryan excelled in school, but did not go all the way through
- Joined the military when he was 19, the legal age
- More horrified by the behavior of Kalydsian soldiers towards innocent people in the Outside World
- Decided he had to make a difference; connected with Braxton


PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Spoiler! :
- Hair cut close to his scalp in a typical military cut
- Bulging muscles and 8-pack
- Keeps himself in excellent physical shape
- Can run a sub-5 minute mile and do 20 consecutive chin-ups
- Strong jawline
- Clean-shaven
- Deep blue eyes
- Broad, strong shoulders
- 3-finger forehead
- Dazzling, white, crooked smile
- Stands about 6'4
- Weighs about 320 lbs
- Broad chest
- Strong, powerful, intimidating figure


PERSONALITY:
Spoiler! :
- Determined and driven
- Soft-hearted
- Passionate about justice and people being treated well
- Believes he can and will make a difference
- Willing to work hard to achieve his goal
- Quiet
- Dominating figure in a room
- Quick thinker
- Responds well under pressure


ULTIMATE GOAL:
Spoiler! :
Ryan wants to live in a world where everyone is treated with basic respect, decency, and courtesy. If he cannot reshape his current world to be like that, he will upend his world so that it's possible. He harbors a lot of anger against the Kalydsian military for the horrors they inflicted on innocent people, and he wants to make the world a better place and live in a society where people are honored, valued, and respected.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





User avatar
561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:59 am
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Atticus says...



BRAXTON LEE


EARLY LIFE:
Spoiler! :
- Born on April 24, 3000
- Parents were fairly wealthy and connected
- Excelled in scholastic program and participated in several puzzle-related extracurriculars
- Developed a knack for and skill at puzzles
- Didn't feel appropriately challenged in the Gilded City
- Always wanted to find something more challenging but never succeeded


PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Spoiler! :
- Hair cut in the latest fashion and held in place with insane amounts of expensive gel
- Always well-kept; dresses in expensive, fashionable, stylish, and dressy clothes
- Has a naturally muscular body type
- Broad shoulders and chest
- About 5'10
- About 220 lbs
- Dark skin (Indian)
- Well-kept beard
- Almond-colored eyes
- Strong facial features
- Thick, dark eyebrows
- Conventionally attractive
- Confident posture


PERSONALITY:
Spoiler! :
- Quick intellect
- Incredibly smart
- Visual learner - needs to spread visuals out in his workspace to piece together ideas
- Quick-witted
- Presents a casual and joking exterior to the world, but internally is very serious, driven, and smart
- Feels misunderstood by most people because they aren't as intelligent as he is
- Too intelligent to make a run for it without a strong plan and a back-up plan
- Tends to follow the leader rather than take initiative
- Generally distrusts people unless they show him repeatedly that they are on his side
- Lonely; feels misunderstood


ULTIMATE GOAL:
Spoiler! :
Braxton wants to be somewhere where his intelligence is challenged and he needs to work hard and creatively alongside people who understand him to find solutions. He is not challenged in the Gilded City, and so he is desperate to find a way to escape this environment and cultivate a new one in which he can grow and flourish.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





User avatar
561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Tue Jun 04, 2019 7:00 pm
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Atticus says...



RAE BECKETT

EARLY LIFE:
Spoiler! :

- Born on April 24, 3005
- Born to a middle-class family
- Did not excel in school because she was bored and disliked the rigid structure
- Interested in experimenting with technology from a young age
- Dressed in masculine clothes and cut her hair short to rebel against the status quo


PHYSICAL FEATURES:
Spoiler! :

- Short-cropped hair that is not quite down to her shoulders; naturally a dirty blond but usually dyed a bright, excting color like red, purple, blue, pink, green, or a combination of these
- Pale, clear skin
- Wears bright red lipstick
- Dresses in tight, short, black skirts, bright shirts, usually strapless and short, brightly colored, tall heels that match her shirt, fishnet stockings, and heavy silver jewelry
- Hazel eyes
- About 5'6
- About 110 lbs
- Straight, bright, white teeth
- Slender build
- 4 finger forehead
- Pronounced cheekbones


PERSONALITY:
Spoiler! :

- Stubbornly independent
- Analytical
- Passionate
- Loyal
- Friendly, sociable, outgoing
- Enjoys a good party but only occasionally
- Persistent
- Queer (unlabeled but close to pansexual)


ULTIMATE GOAL:
Spoiler! :
Rae wants to be able to be who she is and express herself the way she wants without judgement. She wants to be able to work on something meaningful and do something rewarding that takes effort, perseverance, and time instead of living in a culture of instant gratification.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  





User avatar
561 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 31500
Reviews: 561
Wed Jun 05, 2019 6:40 pm
Atticus says...



OUTLINE:


Part I: The Party
Summary: Alexander roams at a party, feels out-of-place and misunderstood
Key Things That Need To Happen: He sees a casual hookup, drug paraphernalia, empty bottles of alcohol, and drunk people wandering around; he is one of the only sober people there and leaves early


Part II: The Assemblage
Summary: Alexander gathers like-minded people
Key Things That Need To Happen: Alexander visits Leo, who doesn't understand but wants to help, so he connects Alexander with a mutual friend of his who also feels out of place in this society.


Part III: The Meeting
Summary: Alexander meets Braxton and connects with his group
Key Things That Need To Happen: Braxton and Alexander talk about their shared dislike of the Gilded City; Braxton decides that they need to meet right now and calls the rest of the group, and they meet up at Braxton's apartment


Part IV: Planning The Escape
Summary: Alexander, Rae, Braxton, Dawson, and Ryan form a plan for escape, using the connections and resources they have available
Key Things That Need To Happen: Alexander and Braxton brainstorm ways to use their connections to escape & decide that the best way to escape is by going under the walls. They know that the only way to do that is through the sewage tunnels that leads to the outside, so they decide that Dawson will swipe the keys to one of the storm grates, and the four of them will use the sewer tunnels to escape.


Part V: Executing the Escape
Summary: Alexander, Rae, Braxton, Dawson, and Ryan attempt to escape
Key Things That Need To Happen: The group waits until dark, then use the key to open one of the sewer grates, and they climb down into the tunnel and move quietly. On their way through the tunnels, they have to solve puzzles, avoid guards, and move quickly and quietly. They are nearly caught several times and have to work together and think on their feet to make it out safely. Finally, they reach the other side of the tunnel and climb out. They have succesfully made it to the other side, and the story ends as they admire the world around them and celebrate their success.
[he/him]

"tiktok and giving children meth are my passions" ~ @ShadowVyper
"carinas long foretold chaos protege" ~ @veeren
"smol bean, future of chaos" ~ @carina
  








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