R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
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R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
@abysmalauthor.bsky.social
He/Him
🚫AI🚫 - Thou Shalt Not Build a Machine in the Likeness of a Human Mind!
Author-in-the-making!
Currently working on: Daughter of the Sword (Draft 3!) Fantasy Novel
Follow for posts about comics, books, movies, games, and WIPsnips
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MERLIN X ERAGON

DAUGHTERS OF THE SWORD

How much would you sacrifice to find out who you are? Where you come from? Where you belong?
For Bronwyn, the answer is: everything. Her life. Her home. In a world of dangers and magic, can she survive long enough to get her answers?

#Questpit #W #F #DF
Yes — emphatically and firmly yes! It's one of the big reasons I've avoided the idea of a prophecy, especially of the main character being a "chosen one". She's not destined for any of this; Bron chooses it, and that choice is powerful. She becomes important because of her choices, not her birth.
#FebruaryWorldbuilders Does free will exist in your world? If you have any kind of prophecy, fortune-telling, soulmates, or destiny in your stories, how are these reconciled along with the idea of free will? Do your characters have any beliefs on the matter?
February 11, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
#Febchantment | 11

Yes, there is a physical cost, and a mental one. Most use of magic requires significant mental effort - although momentary, casting or concentrating on spells constantly for 15 minutes would be quite wearing on the average human and they'd be mentally tired quite quickly.

🧵1/2
#Febchantment Day 11

What limitations did you put on your magic system to keep it from becoming too OP? Is power in short supply? Do spells take a physical toll on the body?

Note that this is about magic done RIGHT. Day 13 will be about when magic goes horribly wrong!

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 11, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Reposted by R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
proud to be part of the long line of german artists doing sexy skeletons for centuries
‘Tödlein’, Death as an archer.
Made from pear wood.
Dated to before 1519; artist: Hans Leinberger
www.khm.at/kunstwerke/t...
February 11, 2026 at 8:55 AM
I like to think there are soft and hard limitations to magic.

True magic - naturally occuring, of the kind used by immense magical artifacts, certain magical creatures or intensely magical beings, has far fewer limits because of their users.

#WriteSky
#Febchantment
#WritingCommunity
#Febchantment Day 11

What limitations did you put on your magic system to keep it from becoming too OP? Is power in short supply? Do spells take a physical toll on the body?

Note that this is about magic done RIGHT. Day 13 will be about when magic goes horribly wrong!

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 11, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Bronwyn draws a sword from stone in today's snip!

Had to use "vibrate" instead of vibe; this comes from a section I'm particularly fond of in this draft!

#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WIPsnips
February 11, 2026 at 9:26 AM
There's no direct prophetic or future-seeing abilities, though of course there are plenty who claim to be able to or are rumoured to have been able to in the past.

Most magicians develop a "sense" which allows them to detect the presence of magic around them; if refined properly, this sense can —
#FebruaryWorldbuilders, good morning! Are prophecies or psychic abilities real in your world? How do they affect the world? Tomorrow I will ask about free will, so if you have prophecies, think about how that influences whether free will exists or not, and have an answer tomorrow😁
February 10, 2026 at 2:44 PM
This is a pretty easy one I think! Assuming a modern-day AU...

For Bronwyn, it's all about the fencing. Either participating or spectating, she's there for the swords.

Rehara, on the other hand, one of those winter Olympics Bi/tri-athalons which involves shooting.

#WriteSky
#AwesomeCharacters
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

It's the Olympics right now, and all your characters are going!

What are they doing? Are they an athlete? Spectating? Which sport would they like to watch/do?

Or are they just enjoying the free trip to Italy?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
February 10, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Principally, magic is performed by speaking aloud Words (capitalised, always!) in the language of magic. This ancient language was given to humans by the Dragons, millennia ago, when they first arrived in the world.

While speaking the correct Word —

#WriteSky
#Febchantment
#WritingCommunity
#Febchantment Day 10

How is magic actually performed? What kinds of speech or actions are needed to execute a successful spell? An ancient incantation? A hand sign? Martial arts movements?

Or is it enough simply for the caster to THINK their spell into existence?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 10, 2026 at 11:56 AM
I had liquid, but "water" was a much better snip for today! Bronwyn dives into the icy depths today — what's she after?

#WIPsnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
February 10, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Came across this on Facebook — and my God is it true. 😂

I'm fortunate to have my beta reader cheering me on, but before then, it really was like shooting in the dark...

#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
February 10, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Reposted by R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
#Febchantment 9

#Atlantis:
Magic only *strictly* requires a kaana crystal. (Technically even that's not required, but using the natural kaa energy stored in your body is both extremely difficult & dangerous.) Sometimes you'll need multiple crystals for big/complicated spells...🧵1/9
#Febchantment Day 9

Let's talk magical tools! What does someone need to do magic in your system? An arcane focus (e.g. wand, staff, orb)? A book of spells? A musical instrument? A bunch of obscure ingredients?

If you have magical companions, they would count here 😁

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 9, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
A little cat and mouse between rivals
From "Endlings"
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPromtps #WIPSnips
February 9, 2026 at 10:05 AM
Strictly speaking? The only thing you NEED is knowledge. Any glyph can be cast simply by speaking it aloud, envisioning the effect you want, and holding the specific meaning of the Glyph in your mind at the same time. Obviously this takes concentration;

#Febchantment
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#Febchantment Day 9

Let's talk magical tools! What does someone need to do magic in your system? An arcane focus (e.g. wand, staff, orb)? A book of spells? A musical instrument? A bunch of obscure ingredients?

If you have magical companions, they would count here 😁

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 9, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Missed this yesterday!

Strictly speaking there is no singular "source" of magic in DotS; magic is everywhere. Magic is in every living thing, and all the spaces between; a river has magic, so does the light of the sun, the warmth of a hearth.

#Febchantment
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#Febchantment Day 8

This week we're digging more into the nuts & bolts of your magic system! So let's start with the source.

Where exactly does magic "come from" in your world? Where/when does it originate? Does anyone know for sure, or are there only theories?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 9, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Hal loses his temper in today's snip - "Choose" instead of Select, as I didn't have any instances of it.

Glad to finally be starting Part 2 now! More writing to come this week and weekend!

#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#WIPsnips
February 9, 2026 at 10:28 AM
For reasons of practicality, magic is not usually used in combat except by those who are VERY skilled; the demands of concentration while in the middle of a battle are huge.
So Bronwyn utilises magic solely defensively (to shield herself from other —

#AwesomeCharacters
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk fighting styles!

How does your character fight? Do they wield weapons? Magic? Are they a brawler? Or do they have a more sophisticated fighting style?

Or are they a pacifist who would never fight?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
February 9, 2026 at 9:26 AM
For Bronwyn, it's beside the forge; she always feels at home by the heat of the furnace, the crackle of flames, the sound of the hammer, because it was in a blacksmith's forge she first felt safe in her life.
Later on, she misses that safety.

#AwesomeCharacters
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

What is your character's favorite place in their world? A place they find peace, or excitement, or joy?

Is it a type of place (forest, mall, etc) or somewhere specific?

Is it somewhere they go frequently?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
February 8, 2026 at 12:57 AM
There's a few - but the one which is relevant to what I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to write today is THE FENNS.

In the real world, "Fens" are peat wetlands, you get them in the North of England; The Fenns in Riviera are based on that, mixed-

#WriteSky
#FebruaryWorldBuilders
#WritingCommunity
February 7, 2026 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by R.J.M. — Writer — DRAFT 3! 📖🎮🎥🤖✍️🦸🏻‍♂️
People kept telling me this is exactly the old Muppet Show and they were absolutely correct. A pure joy to watch. (And I'm VERY picky about my muppet canon.)
sabrina carpenter singing islands in the stream w the muppets has healed me in ways i did not know i needed
February 7, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Bought a new Fountain Pen today, as I prefer using them for my writing planning notes - but it's kinda screwed my day up. The cartridges I bought were a REALLY tough fit for the pen, so and I managed to get ink everywhere in the process.

It's really thrown me off, so, kind words everyone?
February 7, 2026 at 3:42 PM
After casting her first spell, Bronwyn feels her accomplishment brings her closer to the mother she's never known; no "redeem" today, so "accomplished" instead!

#WIPsnips
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
February 7, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Finally finished planning for the next part of Daughter of the Sword, draft 3 — so it's back to actual writing this weekend! 😁

Hopefully means some new snips for you all soon!

#AmWriting
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
February 6, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Bronwyn is a lot like me in that respect: she always needs to have something to do, so she doesn't deal well with being idle. Her work ethic is a lot better than mine though, because she would fill her time with study or something useful like training!

#AwesomeCharacters
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

How does your character handle boredom/idleness?

Do they enjoy a lazy day doing nothing? Do they need it, sometimes? Or do they always want to be doing someone, and idleness makes them restless and unsettled?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
February 6, 2026 at 1:30 PM
So, I always knew I wanted to have magic in my writing; I just think it's such a powerful and important tool, and an integral part of fantasy, no matter what form the magic takes. What drew me to making it language based is primarily my own interest in—
#WriteSky
#Febchantment
#WritingCommunity
#Febchantment Day 6

Tell us about why you developed this magic system! What drew you to the concepts? Why did you choose to make it the way you did? Were you inspired or influenced by any other works?

#writingcommunity #writesky
February 6, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Seems like a good place to talk about the Istval Greatwood!

Home of the Elves, the Greatwood is an enormous forest — and when I say enormous, I mean truly huge. The tallest trees reach literally for a mile into the sky. The branches of —

#FebruaryWorldBuilders
#WriteSky
#WritingCommunity
#FebruaryWorldbuilders What are some flora or fungi found in a notable forest of your world? Are they real or did you make them up?
February 6, 2026 at 11:26 AM