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Miscreants: Inauguration



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Sun Jul 25, 2021 3:30 am
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Miscreants: Inauguration

Allegedly, book I of a trilogy

Premise


A character drama in a fantasy setting, featuring softcore worldbuilding and hardcore character dynamics.

This is a story about Golzar, a 19-year-old commander who has a bone to pick with both the corrupt nobility of the capital city and the leadership of her guild. To achieve her goals of reforming the guild, she finds herself conflicted between two sides, and straining her relationship to her comrades Gerhard and Bryn, and the rest of the chevalier company she leads.

Setting


The Kingdom of Woodlands has just been through a long war against its former king, King Korvus. During the war, a group of serfs and freepersons climbed the social ladder as a 'last line of attack' against the king's troops, creating a new class in the social hierarchy called the 'heroes', which were rewarded with land and titles as minor nobles (chevaliers). Now with a powerful personality coronated as Queen, the kingdom is in a state of temporary peace, but with political instability and conflict simmering beneath the surface.

In the midst of this, a member Golzar wants to start reforming her organisation to avoid the mercenary-like members from potentially wreaking havoc on the local populace, now that they no longer have a common cause.

Potential Titles for the next two books:

Spoiler! :

Miscreants: The Gilded Cage
Miscreants: Reformation


Table of Contents


1. Dramatis Personae
2. Locations
3. Golzar the Vanguard Racer
4. Queen Lucretia Clementius
5. The Politics
6. Social Class
7. Incorrect Quotes
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Sun Jul 25, 2021 3:39 am
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Dramatis Personae


Command structure of the Grey Hound Company

Golzar - (she/her) young bold and charismatic commander who is considered a "stowaway" by older heroes, partly because she's from outside of Woodlands and partly because she has unconventional ideas. Commander of the Grey Hounds company, aka the Miscreants.

Bryn - (they/them) Golzar's more reserved second-in-command, who is a bit of a loner and doesn't like politics. Former scoutmaster. More senior than Golzar both in age and in being a member of the Miscreants.

Gerhard - (he/him) the former Commander of the Miscreants who decided to step down after the end of a war he helped to win against a tyrant king. Now he acts as the company's advisor. Oldest amongst the three, Golzar's mentor, Bryn's friend and the mother hen of the Miscreants.


Royals and nobles

Lucretia Clementius- (she/her) the Queen of Woodlands, with a mysterious past. A severe and modern personality, who seeks to implement massive changes in governance. Somewhat authoritarian.

Raymond Tonguard - (he/him) the Lord Steward, who takes the second-highest position in governance besides the Queen of Woodlands. From a young upstart family in Tome, where coal deposits have recently been discovered.

Lord Redvine - (he/ him) a seemingly frivolous man, the lord of Rosaheim who never seems to be on his estate, always spending time in the capital while his three daughters manage things.

Lord Stephan Skyroot - (he/ him) a mysterious, quiet and powerful man. He's also an overindulgent father.

Lady Dene Skyroot - (she/her) an eccentric and energetic young noble lady. She appears to have made some kind of secret arrangement with William.

Lady Branchlee - (she/her)

Lord Thornlee - (he/him)


Women in and around the Palace - non-nobles

Myra - (she/her) Lucretia's handmaiden who has known her since childhood.

Miriam - (she/her) the lead actress of a famous travelling theatre company.

Annette - (she/her) Dene Skyroot's overqualified handmaiden.


Golzar's company (the Grey Hound Company/ the Miscreants)

Richard [he/him] (the troublemaker)

Tanya [she/her] (the baby of the group)

Robert [he/him] (the mature one; first captain in the Miscreants; has a bit of a problem with stealing)

Alexis [they/them] (the friendly one; good with weapons, second only to Golzar)

David [he/him] (scoutmaster who was upgraded to that position after Bryn became second-in-command)

The Heroes' Guild Council

7 members total

William [he/him]

Ariga [she/her]

Edmund [he/him]

Normand [he/him]

Haywood [he/him]

Othmar [he/they]

Golzar (see above)

Miscellaneous Hero Characters

Thornston [he/him] - corrupt commander of the Lions (aka the Sable Steed Company)

Priests and Clerics

High Priestess Pulcheria - (she/her) an imposing woman who values tradition and central authority

Priest Rose - (she/her) the friendly priest of the temple at Rosaheim.

Vivienne - (she/her) a cleric, and Pulcheria's personal assistant. She greatly admires Pulcheria, who doesn't always appreciate her efforts. Vivienne's sister is very ill and lives on the outskirts of Lucrece.
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Locations


UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Lucrece

The Palace
-- House of Periwinkles
-----Lucretia's throne room
-----The old throne room
----- Lucretia's Chambers
-- House of Red Roses
-- The Library
-- The High Tower
-- The labyrinth
-- The kitchens
-- The stables
-- Gaiseric's Lodge: a small inn connected to the stables

The Old Quarter
-- The house of a merchant supporter of the Heroes' Guild

Neverheim's Lover (a tavern)

The Grey Graue Mountain Range

--The Southwest of Lucrece
-----Halls of the Grey Hound Company



Rosaheim
Located in a valley of the Grey Graue
-----Rosaheim Temple


Witchfield
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Golzar the Vanguard Racer


UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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Queen Lucretia Clementius


UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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The Politics


UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Kingdom of Woodlands is an absolute monarchy. Expectations are that powerful people become powerful by gaining favour with the monarch. The Queen's court is the main location for nobles to gain influence.

Factions:

The Landed Nobility

> The Lord Steward

The Temples

> The High Tower

> The Old Wizards' Guild

> The Witches' Guild

The Freepersons

> The Merchants' Guild

The Heroes' Guild

Zenith
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Social Class


UNDER CONSTRUCTION


Landed Nobility

Chevaliers

Freepersons

Serfs

Bonus:
The clerics and scholars
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542 Reviews



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Points: 41664
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Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:23 am
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Incorrect Quotes


Generator used (settings have been toggled for just the family friendly options)

Miscreants

Gerhard: Where's Richard, Golzar, and Bryn?
Robert: They're playing hide and seek.
Gerhard: Where?
Robert: I don't think you get how this game works.

Bryn: *makes Robert a cup of tea but puts salt in it*
Robert: *sips tea*
Bryn:
Robert: *finishes tea*
Bryn: Didn't it taste bad?
Robert: Yeah, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings so I drank it all.
Bryn, tearing up: Oh, okay.

Robert: I made this friendship bracelet for you.
Richard: You know, I’m not really a jewelry person.
Robert: You don’t have to wear…
Richard: No, I’m gonna wear it forever. Back off.

Bryn, to the squad: And remember, if I get harsh with you it is only because you’re doing it all wrong.

Golzar: If I can't cause tiny bits of chaos every day, I think my body will shut down.

Gerhard: Golzar, you risked your life to save me!
Golzar: And I’d do it again! And perhaps a third time! But that would be it.

Bryn: What's this?
Gerhard, hugging Bryn: Affection!
Bryn: Disgusting.
Bryn: ...Do it again.

Golzar & Lucretia

Lucretia: Golzar, we tried things your way.
Golzar: No, we didn't.
Lucretia: I did it in my head and it didn't work.

Golzar: Am I in trouble?
Lucretia: Take a guess.
Golzar: No?
Lucretia: Take another guess.

Lucretia: I’m here for the cult stuff.
Golzar: How did you find us?
Lucretia: I saw your ad on craigslist.
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542 Reviews



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Points: 41664
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Sat Jul 16, 2022 1:47 am
Liminality says...



Old Inspo Paragraphs


Golzar, an outsider to the Kingdom of Woodlands, must navigate a social class system undergoing upheaval, all the while dodging accusations of heresy by the High Priestess Pulcheria. She has ambitions to become guild chief in order to reform the growing class of chevalier knights they dub 'heroes'.

Meanwhile, she has a complicated relationship with the secular queen Lucretia, who was the figurehead of the intial rebellion. Golzar must walk a tight rope between maintaining her ideals for reform and compromising just enough to get things done in the system of aristocracy and guild nepotism.



Prologue - to explain how they started knighting commoners - desperation during the war and emergence of talent

"The heroes seemed to be a hydra, with multiple heads. One head was a craftsperson, hence the guild. One head was a serf, hence the farms and the stock of most of the heroes. The final head was knighted. They were unthinkable, a monster to most of the distinguished classes. And yet, when one head was cut off, more sprung in its place. They were right for the time, necessary even, to overthrow the hundred-year monarchy."

^This isn't a quote from somewhere, it's just a paragraph I wrote while I was first conceptualising the story.

The heresy plot I brought up here has been kind of left in the dust in the present draft. Not sure if I'll ever bring it back, because the story seems to be doing fine without it, haha. Though attitudes towards the fictional religion in Woodlands are still part of the setting and overall story atmosphere.
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"You're wrong about humanity. They are your greatest creation because they're better than you are. Sure, they're weak, and they cheat and steal and destroy and disappoint, but they also give and create, and they sing and dance and love. Above all, they never give up."
— Metatron