What can I say? A “steady week”: everything’s proceeding as planned. Slightly slower than I’d prefer, but at least it’s moving.

Technical updates

I finally gathered enough experience using my own website to realize: this can’t go on. I dedicated Wednesday and Thursday entirely to technical improvements, resulting in:

• Navigation overhaul—both desktop and mobile. Implemented mega-menu support and reorganized sections. It’s still not perfect, but at least it no longer physically hurts me to look at it. This will do for now; I’ll revisit it during beta.
• Fixed the site’s mobile view with minor CSS tweaks.
• Implemented proper wiki-link functionality with support for tooltips like these pop-upsright here. Now I just need to start actually using them, but that’ll be closer to beta.

I’ve also noted a few more technical issues for the future, but that’s for another time.

Finished the Verdant Verdas

Well… “finished” might be an exaggeration. Let’s call it “escaped.”

The great steppes of Verda have always been a stumbling block for me. I can feel them deeply, but for some reason, describing and expressing their vibe has proven elusive. After a few frustrating days trying to “describe on a Varmego-level something I don’t fully understand” I just threw my hands up and moved on. I completed alpha versions of all the regions, knowing I’ll have to revisit them later, with a more furrowed brow, during beta.

Completed (no direct links, as content keeps updating—find these in “Places → Verdant Verdas”):

• More detailed texts for Narem, Orem, Cape Kapar, the Eastern Shore, the Chillbay, and the cities of Marcolo, Duerbo, and Buso.
• Solkalor’s Tread Canyon.
• The Coppergrass Plains, including Khuur-Tyr Pillars, the disappearing river Stelitri, Lake Koro, and the cities of Shisurr and Shi-Hangar.
• The Rumbling Steppes and the city of Shi-Undor.

All in alpha, some quite early-stage. Still, the Lands of Verda are essentially done! Next up is the Warm Sea.

Actually, there’s still one small exception: I need to separate the eastern part of the Coppergrass Plains, beyond the Malvarmari—the planned “Barrowlands.” Not sure yet; I might return there in beta or perhaps even this coming week.

Art Updates

“One does not simply draw feet”. I’m trying my best, but they keep eluding me. Nevertheless, I added a few new bestiary illustrations and completed two crucial portraits: Ronan and Barghyr, key characters for the planned narrative. Next up is Ismeria—I suspect her intricate jewelry will give me quite a headache.

Plans for the Coming Week

The Warm Sea awaits. I’d love to fully complete it within the week.

Until next week!