As I mentioned last time, I am working on an ongoing story based on a solo RPG that I am playing. My vision is that this (novelization? serialization?) written version of the story will become a separate weekly bi-monthly post on my Substack. Right now I am calling it Red Iron. In my head it has always been called Stonebreaker (which is much cooler) but there is already a fantasy novel series with that name so… I don’t know. Let’s stick with Red Iron for the moment.1
You know that old bit of advice, “write what you know?” Well…
Genre-wise, Red Iron is a low-magic, gritty fantasy adventure set in a completely fictional “iron age.” Things I know nothing about: magic, classic fantasy tropes, and what life was like in an “iron age.” Very cleverly, I made my protagonist, Tamsin Stonebreaker, an iron miner from an iron mining and smelting village. More things I know nothing about: iron, the finding of iron, the mining of iron, the smelting of iron, the forging of iron, or any of those things as done in an “iron age.”
Cue the research. This is the part where I dive into deep and beautiful images of crags all over the world. What exactly is a “crag?” When creating a fantasy world, it is important that the “real” stuff should seem realistic.
But wait, you say, the Iron Age and the Medieval Era are two entirely different time periods. Yes, they are. Which is why I was using quotation marks when referring to the “iron age.” The Iron Age was a prehistoric time. I did some research on that and got pretty bored. But, reading further, I discovered that methods of iron working progressed very slowly and were still pretty basic into the Middle Ages. So, my story takes place in a fictional world sort of like the Viking era in Western Europe of roughly 700 to 1100 CE. More interesting, at least technologically.
Back to research. Can’t skimp on the research. No one can nitpick how your expel evil ritual works, but they can (and will) tear you apart if your early medieval village is smelting iron ore using a blast furnace instead of a bloomery furnace. (I mean, what kind of an idiot?)
Thus, I have watched hours and hours, so many hours, of YouTube videos about the iron working methods of the olden days. I have also read blogs, articles, abstracts and Wikipedia. I am amazed (and a little startled) at how many nerds2 academics and amateur enthusiasts have scrounged up buckets of iron ore, built their own bloomery furnaces, made their own charcoal, and tried to smelt their own usable wrought iron. And, videotaped the whole dang thing.3
In case you’re worried, I have actually started writing Red Iron. I just want to make sure that when I write about the people of Red Crag - Tamsin, her little sister Becca, their foster parents, Denric Rockfoot and Moll Stillhand, Fair Nan, and Alyce Lichenfinder - the setting in which their story takes place feels real, is interesting, and makes sense. Red Crag is where they live, where they work, where they fight, and where they struggle to survive. I want it to matter as much to you as it has come to matter to me. Because I am coming to know it, and them, as best I can.
So, I can write what I know.
For those of you who are curious about solo RPGs, I highly recommend The Soloist Substack. Patrick Buechner, a game player and designer, writes about the expansive world of solo RPGs. Each post has a theme. For those of you who aren’t into “fighting” games, check out the Soloist’s post from October where Patrick highlighted cozy, sweet, gentle story games.
Through the Soloist, I tripped across two other solo storytellers, Castle Grief, and, Write Firster, who are sharing their solo adventures via Substack Notes. Take a look.
As 2023 rolls to its conclusion, I would like to thank everyone who has subscribed, liked, and shared Swirling Words. My goal for 2024 is to build my Substack to help my writing find its audience. I’m a big fan of community-supported creativity. If you like or even love what I am doing, please feel welcome to engage with me and each other. Like, Subscribe, Share, and Comment!
But, let’s also be honest, Red Iron probably isn’t going to stick. It makes me think of Geritol commercials. Or, westerns. I imagine “Red Iron” is the name of some busty, strawberry blonde riding through the Wild West righting wrongs and breaking hearts with her trusty six-shooter. It also makes me think of the Marty Robbins song, “Big Iron,” I used to sing with my Dad. Seriously, don’t get attached to that title.
I can make fun of nerds because I am one. (Which, given the subject matter of this post, you probably already knew.)
Which begs the question of how many more nerds have done exactly the same thing but not videotaped it. It’s got to be thousands, right?
What fun to see how your mind works and what kind of rabbit holes you fall into.
This sentence made me laugh out loud: I imagine “Red Iron” is the name of some busty, strawberry blonde riding through the Wild West righting wrongs and breaking hearts with her trusty six-shooter.
Fascinating how you deep dive into research and how it becomes something you know and can speak and write from. Love how intricately you build worlds!