Featured Story: Seas of Affliction

Seas of Affliction is a fantasy story that features a mermaid who come ashore to find a way to seek justice for those she knew who have fallen foul of humans. GreatUnknown is here to tell us more about this story and give us hints about what's to come as our vengeful mermaid crosses paths with a merchant captain.

Give us a brief summary of Seas of Affliction.

Seas of Affliction is a story about two people. It's their journeys to an end goal, that ultimately will bring some sort of even resolution in their life.

In more detail to this, we have two main characters.

Florence, a mermaid who is left with nothing else to lose after parts of her clan and adjoining clans alike are captured and sold on illegal markets for their scales, their hair, their blood, and as trophies. Her sole purpose is to seek justice for her friends and the people she is left responsible for after her father is killed. She has preconceived notions about how to achieve this, but has no idea of what her own afflictions will hold for her.

Theo is a shamed merchant captain, whose alcoholic ways caused death to his crew members and the fiery demise of his ship. After sobering up and trying to come to terms with his costly mistake a few years prior, the mayor of his town commissions him for a journey to a location notorious for its dangerous dealings and illegal trade. Theo does not questions the cargo he is to pick up or the moral implications. His only goal is to prove that he can be a captain again for the sake of his tainted reputation and for the sake of himself, that he is a changed man. Theo's afflictions though will rise to show that not all parts of him has changed.

What made you start working on this story?

The story originally had no fantasy/adventure ties to it. It was just going to be a fiction set in reality, and was going to be called Seasons of Affliction because of the time span it was going to cover. But, I realized I just love writing fantasy too much. I find that I can be at my most creative in that sort of imaginative setting. Like all of the stories I write, it started with a particular scene in my head and then it just grew from there until I couldn't not write something. So, I find myself starting a story I have no business writing because I have other stories that need to be payed attention to. But anyone who writes knows you can't ignore that idea that starts scratching, you just gotta give it what it wants.

Do you have a favourite character?

I so far do not have a favorite character. If I had to choose, it would be Florence. I just imagine qualities about her that I admire and others that I will find challenging to write. Like I said though, I really just love the ones that I've created so far. If anything, I shift from one character to another, depending on where they are and how they are in the story.

What's your least favourite thing about working on this story?

Least favorite thing: the ship lingo. Gosh, how much time have I spent making sure I'm using the correct terminology, correct merchant ships for the time, labeling the right parts of the ship, and keep the time period consistent. I can't just assume things about something that is real, I have to make sure I'm giving it the representation it needs. It's definitely my least favorite thing but it's for the sake of the story, what can you do, you know?

Is there a meaning behind the title?

The title means what it says, really. Their stories take place on the sea and literally from the sea. It means different things to them though. For Florence, it's her home. For Theo, it holds his biggest and most costly mistake of his life. And the 'affliction' aspect is what brews in the time of the story for them in respective ways. They'll have times that they second guess themselves or have obstacles in their way. It's the afflictions of their actions, their present and their pasts, and how all of it just runs into each in ways they haven't even thought of yet.

How long have you been working on Seas of Affliction?

I've been working on this story for, I feel, a very good while mentally. Actually writing it? I would say about six months. I'm finally on break and as soon as I fix laptop problems, I feel like this story and I are going to get pretty cozy.

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

I would just like to say thank you! Keep reading and waiting for my updates, they will come sooner or later!

Special thanks to losing control and Audrey T for editing.

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