The Ruins of Corgate - A Collaborative Epistolary Story
@corgate-epistolary
Pseudo-Victorian magical setting focusing on the exploration of ancient ruins & the growing relationships between the characters | A collaborative writing project between @aki-no-hyo and @submerged-in-stories
The Ruins of Corgate is an epistolary novel being sent through the real-life postal system between @aki-no-hyo & @submerged-in-stories. It is being cross posted to Archive of Our Own [here].
The Setting
Psuedo-Victorian with established magic. Magicians are required to have full time "Agents" who are intended to look after the Magician, ensure their safety & other's, and generally keep the Magician from blowing the world up with a hubris-fueled arcane bomb. Magic is treated as an academic subject, complete with universities, grant competition, and peer reviewed journals.
A set of ruins has recently appeared in the coastal mountains near the village of Corgate. The area is isolated but not unexplored. After an intense competition, Mg. Leland Hawkins was selected to begin the exploration of the site.
The Characters
Ms. Elowen Vance, A.Mg. to Mg. Leland Hawkins (she/her)
Mg. Leland Hawkins (he/him)
Mx. Eris Mirrows, A.Mg. to Mg. Cephei Equlee (they/them)
Mg. Cephei Equlee (he/him)
The Authors
@submerged-in-stories
Writing Elowen Vance & Leland Hawkins
More info here:
Which character POV are you writing?
I'm writing Elowen Vance's POV! She's currently exploring ruins in a rural mountainous area near the
@aki-no-hyo
Writing Eris Mirrows & Cephei Equlee
More info here:
Which character POV are you writing?
I am writing Eris' & Mg. Equlee's POVs!
What made you want to start writing this?
I am lucky enough
Interested in Adding to the Story?
We are really open to canonizing fanworks as part of the overall story! We think that having an outside force speculating on the plot (even
hey so i went to Cares About You So So Much Island and built a little house and lived there forever and ever until all the stars burned out and the universe went dark (and still i remained)
[Delivered to Corgate May 14th, 624 – Received by Elowen Vance on May 14th, 624)
[Front of Envelope: Letter was mailed in a brown craft paper envelope tied with natural twine, addressed to:
Elowen Vance
Corgate Post Office
May 12th, 624
With the return address of:
Eris Mirrows
87 Lancedragon Strt.
Avalon
In the top right, there is a sticker depicting a black engraving-style steaming cup on a white background, below which is the word “BONJOUR”.
Back of Envelope: The letter was sealed in mottled grey-pink & green sealing wax, with a wax seal depicting a crescent moon surrounded by orbital shapes & stars. Letter was tied with craft twine, with a small treble clef & key tied to the cord.
Interior pages: Written on light brown paper. It is lightly, almost invisibly, lined with slightly darker brown lines. The writing is tidy, slightly rounded print in black ink.]
May 12th
Dear Miss Vance,
I trust this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Once again, I find myself most agreeably surprised to receive your correspondence so promptly. I assume your next letters will be farther apart but know that I am delighted that you are enjoying the countryside and the ruins. Your descriptions render it all rather enchanting.
I have no doubt Khali would have loved to accompany you and run around the forest and shores. It seems he is missing you dearly, as he stares and whines at the door everyday around the hour you would come get me for lunch. I cannot help but wonder if it truly is you he longs for more, or the delightful bits of your meals you so discreetly offered him from the table. It may delight you to know that I finally had him groomed and he now cuts a most dashing figure - all gleaming with a newfound elegance.
The groomer’s attendant, a rather chatty individual, took [scratch out - him] it upon himself to analyze my character based on my familiar, going on and on about supposed traits I must share with his idea of a scary canine. Do I strike you as fierce
[end of page 1]
May 12th
and protective, dear Elowen? Because certainly I must be, according to him. To a rational mind, these words are no more than quaint superstitions akin to the tales of women branded as witches for keeping a crow as their familiar; or the ill fortune said to befall those bonded to a black cat. How do you think he would’ve read me if I had presented him with Astrea, or better yet with Malice?
Though I would not want to bore you with the tales of my many companions, know that they most dearly miss your presence in their lives. I can feel their discontent at your displacement quite vividly. I have brought Astrea to your apartment in my assiduity to take care of your home garden and she even spared your lowest-hanging plants. That is to say how tragically sad this whole ordeal makes her. She and Cephei do share a penchant for dramatics.
As per your express request, I ventured to the university library to delve deeper into the lore of the region you are assigned to and to uncover what is currently known about long-lasting magic. For the latter, I had to enlist the assistance of Mg. Equlee, as most of these documents are beyond my clearance as an agent.
[end of page 2]
It seems you are venturing into rather perilous waters if the necessary documents require such attunement to the Weave. Fortunately, Mg. Equlee, always eager to assist, drafted a summary of the knowledge contained within those parchments for me to peruse safely. He also expressed, at length, his displeasure at how such works remain inaccessible to those outside the field of magical studies. I fear he may one day wage war against the Council in pursuit of a more egalitarian field… Luckily, I managed to divert his attention with your tales and by reading your letter, prompting him to return to his own projects.
I hope this has not raised your hopes too high, but alas, Mg. Equlee’s extensive summaries have not revealed anything that would be of use to you. Numerous experiments have been conducted in recent decades to create a type of magic that would outlast its caster; however, none have succeeded, no matter how gruesome the process. The most that has ever been achieved was to channel a spell through the caster’s own blood, with the effects lasting mere minutes beyond the caster’s death—until their blood had dried. You would be
[end of page 3]
May 12th
correct in assuming this experiment was conducted well before the establishment of the Ethics Committee. Since then, no further breakthroughs have been made.
Regarding the folklore of Corgate village and its surroundings, I have come across a few tales that seem pertinent to your case study. I will draft a summary of my findings and have it sent to you at the earliest opportunity. With any luck, it will reach the post office before your return to Corgate, and you will have the pleasure of discovering everything simultaneously.
Before I leave you to immerse myself in these documents, I would like to inquire about your thoughts on training Valberry to make the journey to the ruins. The postal system, while convenient, often results in delays between our letters, and I fear that an urgent matter might go unaddressed for too long. I would feel much more at ease if one of my own were by your side, ready to fly to Avalon should you find yourself in need. It would take a few weeks to train him properly, and I would require your assistance—mostly in providing him with treats when he arrives—but it could prove invaluable in the future.
[Delivered to Corgate May 6th, 624 – Received by Elowen Vance on May 14th, 624)
[Front of Envelope: Letter was mailed in a brown craft paper envelope tied with natural twine, addressed to:
Elowen Vance
Corgate Post Office
May 5th, 624
With the return address of:
Eris Mirrows
87 Lancedragon Strt.
Avalon
In the top right, there is a sticker depicting an black engraving-style ice cream bowl on a white background, below which are the words “FOR YOUR HEART”.
Back of Envelope: The letter was sealed in mottled red & white sealing wax, with a wax seal depicting a crescent moon surrounded by orbital shapes & stars. Letter was tied with craft twine, with a small treble clef & key tied to the cord. In the bottom left there is a sticker depicting a black engraving-style steaming cup on a white background, below which is the word “BONJOUR”.
Interior pages: Written on mottled medium brown paper. It is lightly, almost invisibly, lined with slightly darker brown lines. In the top center, approximately 1 inch from the top, the words “THANKS FOR LIVING YEARS” can be seen on the paper. The writing is tidy, slightly rounded print in black ink.]
Eris Mirrows, A.Mg.
87 Lancedragon Strt.
Avalon
May 5th, 624
Dear Ms. Vance,
It is with great pleasure and a hint of surprise that I receive your letter. I did not expect the Corgate post system to be so quick to get your words to me. The simple fact that they have railroad tracks still amaze [sic] me. I do not know how Mg. Hawkins convinced you to move with him to this backwater part of the country without so much as a raise. What you would do for him, I wonder… Or rather, what he would do without you.
I am pleased to read that Mg. Hawkins is in his element in the countryside and having a great time. Meanwhile, I have rarely heard Mg. Equlee complain so much as in the past few days. Something about how they will succomb [sic] to boredom without the most entertaining clown in town. I am divided between patting him on the back for the loss of his favorite pastime of picking a fight with your mage, or believing his condescending tone and idly nodding along. I have no doubt that they will
[End of Page 1]
[Eris Mirrow’s address & the date appears on all pages, and have been eliminated for clarity]
find a way to piss each other off despite the distance, but I would never dare ruin the sulking of Mg. Equlee; which is the reason I have passed your most sincere apologies with as much dramatics as I could muster. You would, without a doubt, have been a better performer of this trick than I was. I do not know which shocked Mg. Equlee the most; to hear an apology from my mouth or that Mg. Hawkins did not leave a message for them through your letter. Either way, they resumed their theatrics a little less loudly so I suppose it must have worked.
For what it is worth, I do share your reservation on this assignment. The Council does not make a habit of sending their greater mages away from Avalon without a reason. I remember on Kathrina Devolee, a good five years back or so, who’s [sic] name had been sullied by dirty rumors of unconventional use of magic, to which the Council had answered with a swift assignment to the North. I do not believe anyone has heard much from her since. (Writing these words, I realize it was indeed you who told me this tale. It goes to show, once again, that you are the ever flowing source of gossip in this part of town. I will do my best to fill the role in your absence, but do not keep your hopes up.)
[End of Page 2]
I have been around Vimes Place to get your satchel back. It was, as you have so helpfully provided, propped on the front table. You will forgive my curiosity as I could not help but wonder exactly what novels you would put alongside such ever-so-important notes. I am unsurprised to find there your classic Aliyah Prestance. I do not remember a time of our lives where you did not carry at least one of [scratch out - “your”] her works. I might’ve shipped a few recommendations of my own in your satchel, so do not be offput [sic] if it seems heavier than you remember it to be. Mg. Equlee was glad to put some complex lock on the whole package, no doubt just a tad more complex than necessary, just to be annoying. I hope you will be able to retrieve the contents fast enough.
I will, of course, keep a watchfull [sic] eye on your plants. My green thumb might not be as good as yours but how hard could it be, right? Your plants are safe with me.
I hope the countryside treats you well and
[End of Page 3]
that you will keep describing its people and sights in your letter. The world always seems brighter through your eyes, though I ever so wonder where that enthusiasm keeps coming from.
I am hopeful that the Coucil [sic] will call you back soon enough. In the meantime, have my good wishes and thoughts.Awaiting your reply, Eris.
[To the right of the signature is a sticker depicting a tiger, a small girl, and a rabbit. The small girl is pulling clothes out of a suitcase the rabbit is sitting on. The art is done in an engraving style, with black lines on a white background.]
We are really open to canonizing fanworks as part of the overall story! We think that having an outside force speculating on the plot (even if the theory is wrong!) will richen the world & allow exploration of themes & ideas that wouldn't necessarily come up in Eris & Elowen's correspondence.
That being said, in order to make sure that the story's canon remains consistent, we've decided that we'll split fanworks into 2 categories, canon & non-canon.
We may interact with non-canon works, but we'll always specify that it's non-canon. We really want you all to feel free to engage with the source material & have fun with it! If we reblog something here because it's cool, but we're not integrating it into canon, we'll tag it as #non-canon.
Canonized works will be tagged #canon and may or may not be referenced by the characters in the letters. They'll also be linked to the Ao3 work, either through links in author's notes or through "inspired by" links if the canonized work is hosted on Ao3.
If you want your work canonized, here are a few thoughts to keep in mind:
The letters you are reading are private correspondence, between two people who are fairly anonymous in the grand scheme of things, and who would be fairly closed-lipped about their work. If you are referencing something in the letters, consider whether it would be public knowledge.
The magic system is not deeply discussed in canon, as the characters are very familiar with how it works, but it's more than a "soft" system. The more detailed you get in your magical technobabble, the more likely it is to be non-canon! We may consider writing a guide to the magic system later on. In general, this is a world where most magic is knowledge/education based, and the majority of people have a baseline level of knowledge similar to first aid knowledge here in our world. Magicians are doctors, but most people can put a bandage on. If it's a Cantrip in D&D, assume a random person can do it or knows someone who can.
We're very inclined towards canonizing "newspaper articles" speculating on the plot. In the same way that contemporary news can often be wrong about the truth while still being a primary source, your journalist can make speculation about current events, be wrong, and still be a primary source.
We ABSOLUTELY welcome plot-unrelated work! Want to write a faculty gossip sheet about characters & loosely tie it into the characters? Go for it! Same with diaries of characters not involved whatsoever, that are slice-of-life or speculative about current events.
Reach out to us, in-character or not, if you have questions or thoughts! If a journalist would reach out, you can too!
Your fanart is cool as hell and we're probably going to love it, canonize it, and scream to each other about it.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send us an Ask! We may update this post if you bring ideas about how to handle this better.
I am lucky enough to have a great friend who thinks a lot like me and appreciates the same stories/tropes who wanted to get into a roleplay and storytelling project through letters, which is something I've been wanting to do for a long time.
What's the most difficult part of writing for you?
The most difficult part for me is definitely to keep the right tone for the story? English is not my first language so sometimes it can be difficult to use the right words to fit the Victorian tone. It feels like the way my character speaks is too "modern" and I have difficulties finding the right way to put my thoughts.
What's the easiest part of writing for you?
I would say the easiest part is the slice of life bit of the writing. Telling anecdotes of a fictional character's everyday life feels very natural and I have a lot of fun with that.
What do you want to achieve from this project?
I want this project to bring me and my cowriter fun and I want us both to reach the end of a beautifully crafted story.
[Written on off-white writing paper with a smooth but lightly textured hand, in golden yellow-brown ink, in cursive. Letter was folded into its own rectangular envelope, and sealed with a wax seal depicting a cat surrounded by moons, mountains, and window-like arch frame. The wax seal is gold, olive green, and silver swirled together, and pooled in an oblong rectangular shape]
Elowen Vance, A.Mg.
Corgate Village Post Office
May 6th, 624 [the number 6 bears evidence of having been altered while the ink was fresh, from a 5 to a 6]
Eris Mirrows, A.Mg.
87 Lancedragon Street
Avalon
Mx. Mirrows:
I am sending this down for posting with the team that brought up our bulky supplies, so if you have sent me a reply I have not yet seen it.
What a place these ruins are! [scratch-out] And the mountains themselves! I am very glad I had some shorter skirts made for the practicalities, for it is all rocks & clambering about. We are on the ocean side of the [scratch-out, “mountains”] ruins, and each evening I see the sun set across the water - though in truth I saw little our first night, as there was much fog.
The whole air is alive with the scent of the trees, which are both unmistakable pines & also quite strangely fashioned.
[end of page 1]
They smell quite sweet, mingling with the ocean & the kelp & a general sense of earthiness. It is all wild loveliness, & each vista is more wondrous than the last.
The ruins we have yet seen little of, with all the setting-up & organizing. What little I have seen seems to align with the general knowledge of the place - a city, no, a town, of great & concentrated magic. The oddest thing is that, within its borders, one feels a queer… tingling? It is as if each molecule in the body has been made more alive. This is of course fascinating, as no known magic can persist beyond the life of the caster. But then again, that is indeed the purpose & focus of our time here. Obviously, there is some mechanism by which this town’s ruins could remain cloaked for all of living memory. Would you look in the university library on my & Mg. Hawkins’ behalf with regards to any information on lingering magics, or perhaps folklore of unnaturally long-lived creatures in these
[end of page 2]
mountains? We would both be most thankful.
Let it also be noted that I feel no change of psyche. I feel entirely & utterly myself, just unusually invigorated & ravenous for all life.
Mg. Hawkins is doing quite well, and has overseen the construction of our base of operations with admirable efficiency. It is always quite fascinating to see how organized a magician can be when they put their mind to it, is it not? We now have a trio of cabins, quite well-appointed & comfortable. The first is Mg. Hawkins’ living quarters, the second is mine, & the third (& largest) is a workroom for Mg. Hawkins, as well as [scratch-out] an ad hoc guest quarters if there should be a need. I am ever grateful for the privacy of my own cabin, so that I may rest & [scratch-out, “rf”] reflect on the day.
I am hoping this letter finds you in good health & I look forward to hearing from you soon.
[Written on off-white writing paper with a smooth but lightly textured hand, in golden yellow-brown ink, in cursive. Letter was folded into its own rectangular envelope, and sealed with a wax seal depicting a cat surrounded by moons, mountains, and window-like arch frame. The wax seal is silver, pale green, and gold swirled together]
Elowen Vance, A.Mg.
Corgate Village Post Office
May 3rd, 624
Eris Mirrows, A.Mg.
87 Lancedragon Street
Avalon
Mx. Mirrows:
We have arrived safely at Corgate. The [scratch-out] villagers have been, on the whole, extremely [scratch-out] welcoming to Mg. Hawkins & myself. For once, Mg. Hawkins country manners are serving him far better than my own, as the locals see him as one of their own come home again. I know Mg. Equlee is bitterly disappointed by the council’s decision (and if it were in my power I [scratch-out] would have [scratch-out, “recom”] recommended to send both, [scratch-out, appears to have been a closed parenthesis] as irritable as they can be to [scratch-out, “the”] each other) but I do not believe he would enjoy this section of the trip. Please do express my condolences & apologies if you feel it
[end of page 1]
would be in his best interest.
The train journey was fine, & the tracks in this area are in good repair. Should you ever have cause to visit, it is about one day’s journey via the train from the city to the station in Corgate, which is very small but well kept. I am told from here it is another two hours’ [scratch-out, “tra”] travel to the ruins. As such, I am intending to make the journey to the station for mail & supplies once weekly, and will consider it a morning’s work.
While I am away from Avalon, would you please keep me abreast of the latest happenings with the council? And of course the general public knowledge of our colleagues & their doings. I know you find it a little trivial, however [scratch-out, “evew”] even you must recognize the importance of good information before some other magician drags yours into some risky scheme. We have a duty to ensure that they do not blow themselves up, after all. I ask only because Mg. Hawkins (and I, in my less charitable moments) is convinced that this posting, far from the city & the university, is intended as a quiet exile as punishment for Mg. Hawkins’ lack of interest
[end of page 2]
in pursuing more formalized proofs & magical education. I am sure you can hear in your mind his perennial exclamation that he is “getting along just fine as I am!” I know I can even though I can hear him snoring quite plainly through the inn walls.
Such walls! The buildings in Corgate seem made [scratch-out, “of”, but written poorly] of tissue paper to my eye - all frame, wattle, & daub and no bricks to be seen. I am not so sure I will be truly suited to agent’s work in the field, but I can certainly see that Mg. Hawkins is quite in his element. He seems quite at peace with himself here in a way he has [scratch-out, “nev”] never seemed back home. Like a bird let loose from a cage, I suppose. I am ever so glad he is happy, but I will have to learn his trick of avoiding the country mud before I go mad.
On an unrelated note, however, would you please stop by Vimes Place and look for my brown satchel? In the scramble to get Mg. Hawkins (and all his supplies) out the door, I believe I left it
[end of page 3]
on the front table. It [scratch-out, “on”] only has a few novels & my copy of the notes on the ruins, which I could copy over again if needed, but I do not want to, AND you have the key. I would trust it to you & to the post office [scratch-out, at the bottom of “office”] here in Corgate, but ask Mg. Equlee to put a little locking on it first.
I will look [scratch-out, “y”] for [scratch-out] your letter when I come down to Corgate next. [scratch-out, “Stay we”] Stay well!
Ms. Elowen Vance, A.Mg.
P.S. Please let me know if any of my plants start looking sorrowful. And do forward a newspaper [scratch-out] or two from time to time if you can
I'm writing Elowen Vance's POV! She's currently exploring ruins in a rural mountainous area near the coast, with her boss Mg. Leland Hawkins.
What made you want to start writing this?
Dracula Daily is an epistolary novel and I wanted to capture some of that magic.
I've always found in-character letters/diaries/etc. easier to write somehow?
I really wanted to do a collaborative project with @aki-no-hyo
What's the most difficult part of writing for you?
For this project... the hand cramps when I write the actual letters. In general, plotting!! I like characterization and world building far more. I generally struggle to find plots to connect the character moments I want to show off.
