R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
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abysmalauthor.bsky.social
R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
@abysmalauthor.bsky.social
360 followers 900 following 540 posts
He/Him
Author-in-the-making!
Currently working on: Daughter of the Sword (Draft 3!) Fantasy novel
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abysmalauthor.bsky.social
No disorganisation in Daughters of the Sword, so have some Chaos instead — Reha and Cassiel separated, searching for one another! Will they make it out okay, I wonder?

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Rehara scanned the chaos for Cassiel. Even in the dark she was sure she would see the Wizard, was sure she would sense her somehow, or pick her out from the crowd. She had to be there, she had to be alive. She had to be.
November 27, 2025 at 9:23 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Storm System for today — a snip from Draft 2, as 3 is still underway and little more than a chapter to draw from so far!
I have however almost filled a whole notebook with prep for Draft 3, so needless to say it's going well.

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Night fell completely, and another dense storm system rolled into the plain, channelled by the mountains in towards Runwald. The stars were blotted out, one by one, until even the light of the moons was diffused by the clouds – then the rain started. Light mist at first, then thin drops, which grew fatter and fatter until the landscape could only be seen through a watery haze. The ruins appeared as though underwater, dark stone shimmering and streets murky. No need for fog to make the night any more impenetrable.
November 25, 2025 at 11:03 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
For today's snip, have the DEBUT of Draft 3!
We're back to Daughter of the Sword (singular not plural) title for this draft as I focus more on a singular protagonist. Fear not — Reha will still make an appearance!

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Title: Prologue: Survivor Subtitle: The end of the Mage War. Rain fell over the street, hard and cold – Not hard enough to wash the blood from the stones, not cold enough to quench the fires that still burned where buildings had once stood.
November 24, 2025 at 10:35 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
No crystals at all in Draft 2 — so I found Rubies instead!

Already started planning Draft 3; hoping to begin before Christmas!

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A great brazier had been lit beneath a clawed statue of the dragon god, whose ruby eyes watched all. It lit the entire room with dancing crimson flame, throwing twisted shadows against the walls from the statues of supplicants which faced inward towards the centre of the space.
November 22, 2025 at 10:55 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Finally got to write the fated words every author hopes and dreads to reach: THE END!

Farewell to you, Draft2! I learned much, and have many far better ideas for where to go next.

Draft 3 here we come - new names, new lore, the same story but BETTER!

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November 19, 2025 at 11:01 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
A wintry post for today's snip as the weather turns colder!

Had a great discussion with some friends and fellow writers over the weekend while attending a wedding, so I've got even more ideas for draft 3 — watch this space!

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It was as bitter and cold a winter as any could remember, the season Cassiel spent in the Wizard’s tower. Master Harrow returned there every year to spend the winter in comfort and seclusion, unless a more pressing duty called him elsewhere. With Cassiel having arrived at the beginning of winter, he decided to dedicate the time to teaching her the foundations of magic, the raw theory she would require before beginning to practice the arcane in earnest. It was not easy.
November 17, 2025 at 12:21 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
What happened to the Wizards of old? They are gone from this place, a land of magic now without.

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Once, the Aurora had flashed and flared over every major city in the world, Harrow had told her. That was before the war had taken people’s trust and love of magic. Where magic had gone, malice and avarice had taken seed, and instead of places of learning, they had built temples of stricture and vaults to entomb knowledge that had once enriched people’s lives. The ban on magic had not just ended magic that harmed or took lives; it had banned magic which made crops grow, which saved ships at sea, which healed the sick and expressed beautiful art.
November 13, 2025 at 10:18 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Just a short snip today — haven't got much writing done lately. I know I need to push through to get the last 3-4 chapters of this draft done, but really struggling with time and motivation!

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At first the woman appeared to be fine as Cassiel helped her to her feet, standing to her full height — then she doubled over, hissing in pain with a hand over her ribs where she had been kicked earlier. Under her shirt, a pattern of bruises blossomed on her pale skin, indicating where the ribs might have been broken.
November 12, 2025 at 10:05 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Rehara dallies with the locals in today's snip!

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Rehara told him a little of the lands further south, which she had visited more often than him. The great flat plains of Westereach, where farmland dominated the rich soil, and the rolling hills of Kelmar. She even told him a little of the Huldra Mountains, though she had not been back to her homeland since… since her father had passed. The low tavern was made momentarily lighter as the door swung wide. Rehara felt a ripple of discomfort pass through the room as three more figures entered it; the locals had displayed curiosity bordering on mistrust at Rehara’s presence, but for these newcomers, she sensed fear.
November 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Harrow helps Cassiel prepare for her journey in this snip; no good ones for "Trail", so went with "Path" instead!

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“I have to go that way,” Cassiel said. “I do not know if I am ready to go alone.” Gently, her master placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a rare smile. “You are ready, Cassiel. Never before have I trained a brighter pupil. The path you follow must be your own, I cannot choose or decide it for you, much as it pains me. The way will not be easy. I say this not because you go alone, Cassiel, but because you will face greater demons than you understand, chasing vengeance.” “What danger will there be, Master?” “Only what you bring with you.”
November 5, 2025 at 4:25 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
A lot of options for "Steel", many instances to choose from in this WIP!

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Cloudless nights she spent beneath the moon and stars with an Oneiromancer, who taught her to see the dreams of others. For a week she sat in silence in the hut of a Hedge-Witch, and learned of the herbs and plants that could save lives or take them. Another week, she felt nearly at home as she sweated in the heat of a Dwervic Forge, learning the way they imbued magic into the things they made, making iron and steel sing with blows of their hammers and the right intent.
November 4, 2025 at 10:04 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
No "nice" at all in this draft (which might be telling of the kind of story Daughters of the Sword is) but I did have "Kind"!

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Travel wore off the soft edges of childhood from Cassiel, in her temperament and features alike; she found herself taller, leaner, and less soft than she had been when she first arrived in Harrow’s tower. From place to place they went, offering their services, helping others, and in return taking only what food, clothes, and supplies they might need to reach the next place. The generosity of those they helped was as much as they could afford, and the people of Nordskea were kind to visitors and travellers by compact. In Haugr, they were suspicious, and wary of strangers who might be spies for the Mage-Hunters or the Empire.
November 3, 2025 at 12:35 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Another long gap between snips for me, but I couldn't turn my back on Halloween!
No "blood curdling" directly, but here's a particularly spooky snip from Daughters of the Sword. Should be more of these going forward — as I start writing again!

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Hunched over, it walked upright on two legs in a manner that suggested it preferred to bound on all fours. Despite the animality of its countenance, the creature was unmistakably human-like. Eyes that had once been a man’s glimmered in a human face, under dark brows and a crooked nose which had suffered many breaks in life. No life remained in them now, murky pools of liquid black pulling in all light. Below the eyes, thin grey lips peeled back from sharp teeth, yellowed and cracked with age and abuse; they were jagged and sharp like the edge of a shattered window, and the tongue which protruded between them was slimy, grey, and twitched like a worm seeking water. “What… what is that?” Rehara whispered. Cassiel had never heard fear in her voice before: but it was unmistakable now.
October 27, 2025 at 10:44 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
It's been a good long time since I posted a Snip — I've not been writing recently because next week I'm in a play!
After that I'm hoping my free time will expand and I'll get some words on pages!

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A shrill scream came from a house as one of the black-clad men dragged two women into the street by their hair, throwing them into the dirt as green flames caressed his form without hurting him. The women were both burned, their clothes smoking and blackened in places, and the man left them rolling on the ground without so much as a glance after them. Around his neck shone a silver necklace, probably the home’s only prize. “We have to do something,” Rehara said, looking to Cassiel. “Can you stop the fires?” “I can try,” she said, determined. “Can you take on those marauders?” Rehara grinned, her expression wicked in the unnatural firelight. “Gladly.”
October 10, 2025 at 10:33 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
No actual bears in Daughters of the Sword, but I liked the look of this snip!

Currently beginning planning for a third draft, debating whether or not I'll start it before I get to the end of Draft 2 here — lots of changes to the lore and journey!

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Hooks hung from the low roof, bearing bundles of drying herbs or colonies of tiny mushrooms whose skin beaded with sticky, dark poisons. In the walls, niches and alcoves held jars of all sizes containing floating specimens of things that had once been alive; eyes, tails, tongues, and unidentifiable organs from all manner of creatures.
September 29, 2025 at 8:39 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Rehara recalls her people, the Huldrafolk, in this snip; a group I definitely want to write more for, as I think they're very interesting! They are a hardy, powerfully built people, deeply mystical, spiritual, and magical — and secretive.
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“You’re as tall as a man and broad as an ox. How many other women might match that description anywhere?” At that, Rehara had no response, except to mutter that where she came from, all people were tall and strong. It was true as well – the people of the Huldra Mountains, from where she and her kin hailed, were said to have the blood of the Jotnar in them, and grew tall as a result. The peaks of those mountains were as inaccessible as some stretches of the far North, though the climate at their bases was more temperate, the people who lived nomadic among the mountain ranges and the valleys between were as hardy as they came. Thoughts of her people led, as they always did, to thoughts of her family – and Rehara dragged her mind away from that mire, resisting the allure of wallowing in her pain.
September 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Cassiel... Singing to some goblins? A strange one but a fun one for this snip!

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For a terrified second Rehara was certain that the gaggle of goblins were about to leap upon Cassiel, burying her in their mass and a flurry of desperate stab wounds – but as she ran to support her companion, Rehara realised that the Hilyari had stopped in their tracks, to a man. Cassiel was… singing to them. Her voice was not altogether tuneless, and carried the simple lullaby melody well and clearly into the den, though the language she sung in was certainly not Haugarian. It was melodious in places, but also gutteral in others, and Rehara saw the look of concentration on the wizard’s face as she recited the words.
September 22, 2025 at 1:36 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Yard = Garden for today's snip! Or rather, Gardener.

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Nobody knows which side was the first to turn their dead into more soldiers. All factions made use of the black arts in due course, and the dead-made-soldiers were poor at differentiating friend from foe. They were unleashed wholesale against the enemy, whomever that might be, with no more thought to consequence or collateral damage as a gardener gives to the weeds growing among their roses.
September 19, 2025 at 9:21 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Too real, running man. Too real.
September 18, 2025 at 1:24 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
The *practice* of magic in today's snip! ;)
I had a lot to choose from for this one.

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“It becomes second nature eventually,” Harrow told her after more than an hour spend trying, and failing, to produce the faintest of werelight. “Practice and learning will allow you to condense all of this, every thing you have to concentrate on, down to nothing. Like learning to walk: for a babe it is a difficult thing, every step requiring concentration on balance, where to place each foot. Once you can walk, running comes not long after.” “And running is mastery?” Cassiel asked, hopefully. “No,” Harrow smiled. “Running means you are only a journeyman. Mastery is learning to fly.”
September 16, 2025 at 8:35 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Been a busy weekend for me so I've not posted a snip in a while!
Hoping to get back to writing soon ♥️

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She did as he asked, moving past the Wizard to the stairs, but stopped as she was about to round the curve to watch what he did next, and was glad she did. Feats of magic are a rare sight, even in a world where dragons sleep beneath hills and Sylvans and dwarves walk the land. Cassiel marvelled as the wizard placed one hand on the door, and the other on the snow. With a softly spoken Word, he pushed the door closed and the snow retreated, seemingly of its own accord, to the outside. The howl of the wind went silent as the door closed, and Cassiel continued to watch as the wizard spoke Wards upon the door, though she did not know what they protected from.
September 15, 2025 at 12:33 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Cassiel fights a dragon in today's snip!
I feel like I need more dragons in this story — a note to self for draft #3!

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From the great dragon’s jaws, a plume of fire longer than the trunk of a great tree spat towards her. No flame could be hotter (except maybe the great Dwervic forges) and Cassiel felt a wave of pressure pass her by as she tucked and rolled her way behind a boulder. The intense heat wrapped her up, sapping her strength, and for a heartbeat she couldn’t breathe through the stench of burned ozone and the smoke of burning woodland.
September 9, 2025 at 10:15 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
An admittedly rare snippet of pure dialogue from Daughters of the Sword; not that there's a small quantity of it, just that raw dialogue passages aren't in my usual style!

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“All dead, that’s what I heard,” said a distant voice. “Truly? That isn’t far from us.” “We’ll be next, surely.” “Don’t be a fool. What have we, that raiders would come to us?” “Ah, plenty, plenty. There’s gold in the market, isn’t there? They say they found a dragon in Johansen’s field. Tis a bad omen, sure as can be.” “I heard it was a mage.” “In the field?” “No no, a mage who burned that village to the ground.”
September 8, 2025 at 6:53 PM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Ortan pursues his "greater work" — but what is his end goal? Even Rehara doesn't know...

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He was obsessed with what he called his ‘Greater Work’, some art or study of magic which preoccupied him whenever he was not teaching Rehara or focused on their travel. Even more than the limits of his own magical ability, he refused to reveal even the smallest information about the Greater Work except that it would change the world for the better.
September 8, 2025 at 10:58 AM
abysmalauthor.bsky.social
Rehara makes a not so difficult choice in today's snip from Daughters of the Sword!

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At first Rehara was intent to refuse, but a thought stopped the words in her throat before she could taste them on her tongue. What about Syrene? Every moment they spent in this back and forth was another one that the lost girl was out there, with him, drawing ever closer to that place of darkness. She could be there right now, Rehara thought, terrified and alone. Perhaps she would be in the same narrow stone room Rehara had been put in, shivering on the bare dusty ground with a rag of a blanket to stave off the awful cold. There was no decision to be made.
September 6, 2025 at 1:11 PM