Specifically, I forgot that time existed in terms of the timeline of Lord of the Black Mountain. This is not exactly a surprise. I tend to be what is called an pantser when I write. I cannot write according to a strict outline. Instead, I am mostly freestyling and keeping things in order in my notes. Which do not often include timelines. Which I am bad at. In real life.
I lose track of time a lot! I lose track of time in daily life due to hyperfocus and must forever arrive too early for appointments or turn up too late. Therefore, it should not be a surprise if I write as if time is fake. It should also not be a surprise as if the story’s timeline is incredibly vague!
(I kind of suspect I have dyscalculia. It would explain why I had so much trouble learning basic math, among other things. On the other hand, I also have a few other problems not related to dyscalculia symptoms, such as reversing numbers and letters. Especially when I’m experiencing physical or mental stress.)
So far, no disaster has occurred but it has led to me trying to figure out distances, time frames and calendars. This means some on-the-fly worldbuilding. (I always end up doing the worldbuilding the same way I write, though I have also created very elaborate settings and characters I was generally not able to write about.)
No disaster has yet occurred (except possibly the distance from Mir, one of the Assembly city-states and Sewen’s border). But I have been thinking about time, distance and calendars. This also means trying to make one! Which is hard and annoying but will hopefully help me figure out distances correctly.
Some worldbuilding I’m working on: I have decided that the Dosai kingdoms run on a eight day week, and have some variety of a solar calendar. The Assembly meanwhile have a ten day week and a lunar calendar. (As does the country of Horan, though there are differences.) This site has proven to be pretty helpful? I am still working on the calendar for the Assembly, but I also want to get the Sarmateon. So, two weeks is twenty days, and I have to decide if that’s for the border or the capital of Sewen. (I have to re-read to see if it makes sense.)
Other complications:
- The group going to Sewen is about forty people. Assuming they pack lightly/for speed and have remounts, how fast can they travel?
- How far away is a two week journey, based on how fast forty people with remounts can travel in a day.
- Is a distance that amounts to two weeks of travel too far away or two close if the week is ten days?
This is going to require research, and unfortunately, math.
You can read Lord of the Black Mountain on Royal Road. Please comment and review. (They are two different things. Both are very helpful for drawing in new readers.)
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