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Also, I have to remind everyone that it's nearly orctober, and Ame has a mean talent for green-skins! Get your character art! #WritingCommunity #Art

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Do you know ominous positivity? Here's an example: Alchemical Exiles is coming. It's inevitable. Related: If you have read book 1 of the series (important!), Alchemical Dreamer, and would like to ARC-read book 2, registrations are now open: books.mikestruan.com/AlchemicalEx...

Cover of Alchemical Exiles, showing an ancient stone wreathed in blue flames, with three people (dwarf, half-orc, human) in the background.

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Kragh, my main character, carries a small vial around his neck containing the first alchemical mixture he ever did: a glowing paste. It's not very bright, only about as much as a candle flame, but he uses it frequently throughout the story!

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 24/09/2026

Fall is great for Kragh, my main #AwesomeCharacters. The heat of summer is over, and the world gets colorful! He loves the golden afternoons to go mushroom-picking in the forest! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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#Septopolis Winterstone has some places for relaxation in wonderful, guild-approved ways! High society has its own teahouses and taverns in the Silver Spires, and the Park District has bathhouses and theaters. You should stay away from the shady etablisments of Oldport, of course, unless you're poor

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 24/09/2026

Fun fact: The speaking character in this #WIPSnips has been recently renamed, due to some very good beta-feedback! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

“My name is Koltharar, son of Jomkeromp,” Koltharar said. “And what business is that? I hope you’re not planning to meddle in troll affairs.”
“Meddle?” Dagna burst out, her head tilted, trying to get water out of her ears. “We’re not ‘meddling’; we —”
“Are you referring to anything specific, Koltharar, son of Jomkeromp?” Valir asked innocently, and the troll just glared at him for a few seconds. Valir held his gaze.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 23/09/2026

Light and Darkness are literally alchemical Principles, encompassing all kinds of sub-principles, like energy or warmth, but not morals. There's nothing inherently "good" about the Light principle. #SeptemberWorldbuilders

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 23/09/2026

#AwesomeCharacters Kragh: Okay, let's talk it through first. Valir: Oookay? Will it work? Dagna: Great. It'll get us out of trouble. But now I'm worried about the plan more than the problem. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 23/09/2026

Okay, so Kragh did something really embarassing. Must be tuesday. Between this and the previous #WIPSnips, one could really think I hate my main character. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

Kraghtol walked slowly, occasionally supported by Valir when he stumbled or tumbled. After the immediate confusion had made way for a throbbing headache, he hadn’t said one more word. The ground hadn’t shown him the mercy of swallowing him whole, even after the memories of what he had thought — and said — returned.
“Sorry,” he said, avoiding looking anywhere but at the earth in front of him. He couldn’t see the eyebrow rising that way, but he could imagine it.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 21/09/2026

Words that make me happy! Aside from "Schadenfreude" and "Wanderlust", I really like a good "stele" in "autumn" when the sun "sparkles" on the leaves, while the air you "exhale" "transforms" into clouds.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 21/09/2026

Most people in Wardenreach are afraid of Kragh, my main #AwesomeCharacters, and they can't really be blamed. He's the only half-orc in Wardenreach, and if you're not used to an almost two meter guy with green skin and tusks, you might get nervous. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 21/09/2026

I'm afraid we don't see Kragh in his highest spirit in today's #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

Only when the fog lifted and he was alone in the mysteriously glowing forest did he stop. A strangled noise, half sob, half cry of anger, broke from his chest, causing a flock of birds to flee. Tears were streaming down his face, and he was unable to stop them. He leaned against a tree and slid down the glowing trunk, soiling his clothes with resin.
His hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and he punched them against the tree until they hurt.
Four fairies fluttered near, wide-eyed staring at the huge green man sobbing. One of them asked something, but Kraghtol just swatted at them, an unarticulated growling sound forming in his throat.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 20/09/2026

Hello #Septopolis! Winterstone exports finer crafts, and, especially, alchemical wonders. It's position and strong Alchemists' Guild presence makes it perfect for being the top player in terms of wondrous potions, salves and mixtures.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 20/09/2026

Hard to say. For Kragh, my main #AwesomeCharacters, at the end of book 2, he has seen plenty of shit already. But there's always more to come, right? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Here we go! Animals! 🥉 Aleron and Jared from Dam Breakers, best known for letting horses fly and dragons crash. 🥈 Valir, and his horse Wynter Rose (credits @annavernerauthor.bsky.social) 🥇 Kragh, surprisingly, and his late-aqcuired good boy. #AwesomeCharacters #WriteSky #WritingCommunity

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The civilization living near the ocean aren't big seafarers, so the ocean to the west isn't fully explored at all! Luckily, a very industrious dwarf takes it upon himself to check what's beyond that horizon. He doesn't like what he finds. #SeptemberWorldbuilders

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Hello #Septopolis Welfare? *laughs in Guild of Commerce* Both medical care and education are fully within guild hands. Education is heavily gated, both by money and by permission. Not everone needs to be able to read and write, right? Now, medical care is different, and kinda worse.🧵

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 18/09/2026

Tricky one. I've decided to go with pipe instead, and the most prominent pipe-smoker in my book! #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

He took a drag from his pipe and blew the smoke into the wind.

“I know most of them since they knocked on my door, with nothing but dreams in their hearts and some rubbish tale of a mythical dwarf in their ears. Every single one of them is deeply capable and wonderfully unique. This Kraghtol lad probably knows more about alchemy than most of the dusty guild clerks back in Winterstone. And my niece… she’s a genius, plain and simple.”

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If we're being quite literal, his Orcish heritage makes Kragh, my main #AwesomeCharacters strong. Physically strong. It's also a constant source of trouble and shame for him, at least at the beginning! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 18/09/2026

There is a very specific one! Some trolls (Freylar, child of Garseldomp, to be exact), have received a warning that all sorts of bad stuff will happen if the ocean to the west "wanes". How does an ocean wane? #SeptemberWorldbuilders

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 18/09/2026

Hello #Septopolis! While being one of the larger cities of Wardenreach, Winterstone isn't so big you'd need much transportation inside the walls. Most goods are delivered by hand or ox cart. What is interesting is the Bronzerun River, where river ships dock to trade with Bronzebreak in the east.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 17/09/2026

I guess judging by the amount of times I've read the exact phrase "poor Kragh", I'll have to go with my main #AwesomeCharacters, the only half-orc in Wardenreach himself. Also, according to *some* he is also very huggable. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 17/09/2026

Hello #Septopolis! This is quite interesting for Winterstone, since the city is not, in fact, meticulously planned. The capital of Wardenreach, Ironwatch, is a planned city, with straight streets and square blocks. Despite being a human city, Winterstone is not. 🧵

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 17/09/2026

As started yesterday, Valir is continuing to lie without even blushing. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

“I’m sure you didn’t expect a human — or an orc and a dwarf — in this part of the world. As I said, we’re from Haven, a city where all races live together in harmony. Imagine my shock when we traveled these lands and found a conflict brewing, with no effort to talk it out.”

“Shocking, I’m sure,” the Grand Factor murmured into his beard, earning a mild side-glance from the other negotiator.

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Mike Struan @mikestruan.com · 16/09/2026

I guess people could have the urge to punch Wyrdroot, a strange side #AwesomeCharacters, because he's so... difficult. Other than that, Roderic Hawke, Fist of the Guilds, surely qualifies! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Buy my book because... ...the hunky half-orc hangs out with trolls and needs to be hand-held through the basics of asking someone to be his boyfriend, *by the guy he wants to be his boyfriend*. books.mikestruan.com/AlchemicalDr... 🏳️‍🌈📚🪐📚💙

Book cover for 'Alchemical Dreamer' by Mike Struan, Book 1 of the Alchemical Green series: a hooded figure holds a glowing blue bottle with a swirling magical liquid inside, surrounded by green mist. Tags around the cover read: Ancient Secrets, Found Family, Half-Orc with a Healer's Heart, Enemies to Lovers, Hopepunk, Slow Burn M/M Romance, Maps Inside, Guilds and Intrigues.

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Check out this stunning piece of art!

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Hello #Septopolis! There are two major events in Winterstone! One is the yearly winter solstice celebration, with feast and wine, music and dance, even sock puppets and presents for the children. There's a whole day in the calendar reserved for the winter solstice that's not part of either year. 🧵

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With Wardenreach being landlocked, my characters have never seen the ocean before. When they first come to it, they're positively overwhelmed! #SeptemberWorldbuilders

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