I've been working on the first draft of Bulletproof (Book 1 in my new western/ steampunk/ fantasy series) for over four months now, and the end is quickly approaching. The first draft is currently speeding past 103,000 words, and it'll likely be done within the week. In light of this, I thought I would talk about some of the more interesting parts of the current setting.
In this world, there are four kingdoms with four very different cultures and beliefs. In some of the countries, succubi (and other magical beings, collectively called the mythicana) are considered unholy demons, and must be eliminated. In others, they are barely tolerated. The main character of the series, Larodia, is a succubus, and keeps her powers hidden for fear of banishment or imprisonment.
Bulletproof is set in the gritty, wild-west city of Stresta, where men and women walk around with revolvers on their hips. There is order (in the form of constables and lawmen), but there is also chaos. It's not uncommon to find bandits and ruffians within the city, although most people can walk around without fear for their safety, if they stay within the more proper areas.
Steampunk is not something I'm very familiar with, so it was kind of a surprise when my characters led me here. For those unfamiliar, steampunk is defined by urbandictionary.com as: "a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan 'What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner.'"
Stresta, as with most cities in the kingdom of Renais, is powered by what the people call "twist" technology - energy is communicated by a series of crankshafts and gears buried underground, with access points spread throughout the city. Lights and basic mechanical systems are all powered from these cranks, much as electricity runs through modern society, vastly unnoticed except for power outages. The crankshaft is powered by the nearby river, and supplemented with steam.
There is also a secondary source of "power" in Stresta - that of charms, created by highly specialized Mechnicians. These are small trinkets powered from gemstones, and proliferate the populace in many different ways. There are protection charms, which defend the aura and provide vitality and strength. Communication charms act as modernized tin can phones, except much more effective. There are charms that act as GPS, and charms that can hurt, and even charms that control basic robots. The possibilities are endless, and one of the side characters in Bulletproof - Owin, an eleven year old adventurer - is the son of a Mechnician, hoping to follow in his father's boots one day.
The world is constantly evolving as I write and explore it. I've learned so much about the three other countries through this draft, and I'm very much looking forward to exploring them all in the subsequent books in the series. Right now I'm planning one book per country. And yes, one book will feature dragons! Because dragons make everything better. :)