Working Title: The Chaos Plagues (The Shapers Trilogy Volume 2)
One-sentence summary: An empire striving to rebuild in the aftermath of a century-long series of global clans wars which have resulted in a rather deadly and inhospitable world, establishes uncertain peace with an extraterrestrial race who could be utilized to permanently repair the damages done, if only mounting civil unrest can be suppressed before all alliances are unraveled.
Genres: Science-fiction, science-fantasy, cyberpunk-fantasy, post-apocalyptic planetary-romance.
Main Setting: Frummev-Vrumev, the mega sprawl that is the capital of this world’s major empire managed and ruled by the Bluedawn royalty. The sprawl is centered around the royal neighborhoods but surrounded by strife-ridden slums and the constant threat of destructive storms. The century of wars between clans has given way to a time of peace fraught with residual tensions and the aftermath of environmental catastrophes.
Main Characters:
Case (Casell Bluedawn) is a rebellious princess more interested in adventure in the slums or in the solar system than the constant boredom of attending to duties her parents claim are meant to keep the empire strong and the clans peaceful.
Grevin Freks is ex-military turned private detective married to whiskey and beer and willing to take on whatever contracts come his way. His ex-lover and former captain nags him to return to his platoon while his ex-wife threatens to take away visiting rights if he doesn’t provide for his daughter more.
Claire (Creiyeilqwe) serves the leaders of her race, a people who arrived in this solar system about twenty years ago and have managed to make a tentative peace with the local races and its major ruling empire. She is sick of the abuse of her superiors and is seeking just the right excuse to exercise rebellion. For better or worse, she finds it.
Shadowrat (Qrey Jhansi) is a down-on-his-luck trader from a foreign land mostly inhabited by shamanistic reptilian humanoids like himself who is now dipping his fingers in risky and illegal ventures in order to redeem his stature among his people and impress the woman of his dreams back home.
Lid (Lissandra Bearing) is one of the many Tethern relocated to the mega-sprawl slums, a race of humanoids born with wrist-to-ankle membranes meant for gliding between treetops alongside their furrier cousins, the flying squirrels. She dreams of fame and riches which she strives to win through the popular racing competitions or Dives held throughout the empire. This is mostly because she wishes she had greater power to prevent the damage life in the slums has wrought on her people, as the close-knit bonds of her family and friends are slowly torn apart.
Never (Nevera Laston) is a power-hungry slightly-crazed witch and a heart-felt dedicated teacher of martial arts who works for various gangs among the mega-sprawl. While violently keeping her grip on both political and magical power, her shady past working for multiple sides during the final war of the century of clans wars comes back to haunt her and those in touch with her.
