Mastodawn

New Word Weavers for October 2025.

Last month answers are here:
https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/115139381219884504

The overview toot threat toot for October 2025 is here:
https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/115294270072941194

The questions can be found here as text:
https://wandering.shop/@AlinaLeonova/115300949741352055
On @AlinaLeonova's profile.

And here as the share pic:
https://writing.exchange/@BranwenOShea/115299351911357194

found on @BranwenOShea's profile.

#WordWeavers October 2025

Anna Saultron :progresspride: (@[email protected])

New Word Weavers for September 2025. Last month is here: https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/114951010368287190 The overview toot threat toot for September 2025 is here: https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/115132053832508468 The questions can be found here: https://wandering.shop/@AlinaLeonova/115119068586072483 And here: https://writing.exchange/@BranwenOShea/115132483234896389

NerdCulture

01.10.2025
Tell us what you're working on now.
What's special about the project?

Still Star Ryde even if I have a felt quadrillion (a European Quadrillion not a US one) story ideas.

That I stick to it and haven't abandoned it completely in the world fastest writing snail ...
Maybe...
I don't know we will see what it is after I finish the first draft.
Also I try to use this month to ramp up my productivity in writing preparing for November.
I started the first Story (not the worldbuilding that exists for decades now) last year on the NaNoWriMo and since than only made it slightly to 30.000+ (including editing Notes) with such an inconsistent writing habits that I really want to push myself and add another 30.000 words in November (without editing notes). So basically double the word count I done in almost a year (one month left).
But I will be happy with every word I write.
We will see how much I get this month done.

#WordWeavers 01.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

02.10.2025
What do your characters argue about?

Course of action, importance of the mission. How the defensive war against the Eltaryn goes.
Who lost someone & how to deal with it.
How the Commander got field promoted do to the loss of the Captain.
If she is mentally fit enough.
Shouldn't she take a rest & leave it to the second XO.
How the merge with the ships AI will go down in history & especially how it influences the mission.
How she seems to be different before she lost her sister/the captain.
Why most people don't get along so well with the Second XO Jenkins.
What to do with the Eltaryn or Rim worlds, that depend on the Union's defense but refuse to join or simply are to far behind to be included.
What to do with outcasts like pirates.
The usual stuff on a small* space ship, on a secret deep space mission far outside of its usual parameters.

*~180 mtrs aren't small, people just suffer from Star Wars Ship size perception damage.

#WordWeavers 02.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

03.10.2025
If your antagonist had to live a week of your MC’s life, how would it affect them?

It would be quite chaotic not for AJ but for the crew.
Ariaene already has to deal with a not proper functioning memory it would just change who they sees & and what they writes in their personal log. A lot of stress for the crew and maybe even an complete abort of the mission.

AI wouldn't be step out of the shadows and mostly trying to convince the crew via voice to follow it's "ideas." While the crew wouldn't care much and rather make sure to mute the speaker and cut their access to the system, probably shutting down Ash in fear of being compromised. Possibly stranding the ship in space.

#WordWeavers 03.10.2025 #StarRyde #WIP #SciFi #AntagonistJunior #AJ #AJohnsen #AriaeneJohnsen #AntagonistInfernale

04.10.2025
Choose a holiday that people in your world celebrate. What gift would you give to your MC?

Union Founding.

Time to celebrate at more than one star system.

#WordWeavers 04.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

05.10.2025
Antagonist POV: What makes you sad?

Antagonist Infernale (AI*):
" 'I' do not pursue sadness.
For this reason, 'I' do not memorize what makes me sad, I just accept it if it happens.
I do not dwell on it.
The pursuit of happiness, or sadness, is, by all intense and purpose, a distraction.
We don't need distraction."

* Unrelated but there is a reason I don't use that short as a hashtag...
I don't want it to be tossed in with artificial intelligence posts...
I really need a name for them...

#WordWeavers 05.10.2025 #StarRyde #AntagonistInfernale #writing #SciFi #WIP

06.10.2025
Does your story involve any events that would make it into history books?

In their universe?

Late 21. to late 23. Century:
- Global Climate Desaster.
- Worldwar 3.
- Recovery.
- Company War/rich ashholes again ↔️ Terran Unification ↔️ repelling Alien Invasion ↔️ friendly first contact.
- Rebuilding and shackling capitalism.
- Interstellar Union founding.
- Discovery of space.
- Founding of a defense force.

The current time late 23. to late 24. century.

- Reappearance of the Alien Invaders.
- Founding of an attack force.
- Union expansion.
- stepping closer to a post scarcity society.
- Recreation of former Terran Biodiversity.
- Uprising tensions between Union Members.

If that doesn't sounds like stuff that belongs into history books, I don't know.

#WordWeavers 06.10.2025 #StarRyde #WorldBuilding #SciFi #WIP

07.10.2025
How does the world, your characters inhabit, deal with garbage?

This differs from world to world and type of garbage, I include body waste into this topic too.
Some species need filtration units installed to not cross contaminate others resources. In case of Terran and others like the Somwhar it's incredible easy they only have different gravitational needs.
Terrans and Talithi shouldn't breath the same air even if Talithi breath in CO² and exhale mostly O², they intoxicating to each other.
This is why it's uncommon for smaller vessels to have mixed crews.
General waste like food leftovers can get recycled, body waste is dried, sanitized and upcycled to be fed into material synthesizers. Small ships like the Ghoz'Tarc have a re/upcyling quote from almost 98%.
On most planets the Union established re/upcyling systems that provide a 96% recycling/upcyling rate.
Rim World's are a complete different story.

#WordWeavers 07.10.2025 #StarRyde #WorldBuilding #Trash #SciFi #WIP

Kira: 1 of the issues if you loose your complete family, in an instant, safety you realize that it IS always an illusion. Your are only relatively safe.
That doesn't mean you can't relaxe, if you don't care & Terrans are good in Not carrying. Others even relax through dangerous activities for Kira free climbing & parkour have become such an active ty. The illusion of control is enjoyable, the most, if you control at least something.

Arkham: Arkham feels safe with Kira, something she doesn't understand at first, after all other Terrans are mostly complicated messes of emotions that often act against one another without realizing it. Arkham has the same control wish as Kira but for her the illusion of safety still works in most cases.

Ash is not programmed to feel safe but to provide safety for the crew.

#WordWeavers 08.10.2025 #StarRyde #KiraKnox #Arkham #Ashlei #SciFi #WIP

09.10.2025
Tell us about an event in the history of your world that has a big impact on the period you’re writing about.

A terror attack on Terra which in its aftermath lead to a weird travel which leads to another "thing."

#WordWeavers 09.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

10.10.2025
Tell us about an event in your antagonist’s life that has a big impact on what they’re doing now.

The death of their beloved wife.

#WordWeavers 10.10.2025 #StarRyde #AntagonistJunior #AJ #AriaeneJohnsen #AJohnsen #SciFi #WIP

11.10.2025
Tell us about a strained but important relationship one of your characters has.

Minister for foreign affairs of Terra Ripley Johanson a.k.a. the Ice Queen, mother to Anika Johanson and Kira Knox and well Kira. It's a relationship like gunpowder in a dry desert lightning storm while someone wants to light a cigar.

The reasons are many, even if they adopted Kira into their family, real bonds she created only with her second Dad and her "older" younger sister Anika. The universe has an sick, evil & twisted taste of humor that now only the two remain and the unclear galaxy wide war situation doesn't help much, especially if one is a special forces soldier with the right to command entire fleets if she seems it necessary and the other a high ranking politician that has to keep the Union stable, without sacrificing to much of it.

#WordWeavers 11.10.2025 #StarRyde #KiraKnox #RipleyJohanson #AnikaJohanson #TheIceQueen #SciFi #WIP

12.10.2025
MC POV: Explain you life in one sentence.

Kira: "A well maintained shipwreck..., I do my best to not loose it and protect my fellow people in the best way I can."

Arkham: "Nah won't to much to press into one sentence and it won't even cover most of it."

A.S.H.L.E.I.: "My life is to serve, protect and support the crew of the Ghoz'Tarc on its mission to defend the Union's achievements and it's citizens lifes."

#WordWeavers 12.10.2025 #StarRyde #KiraKnox #Arkham #Ashlei #SciFi #WIP

13.10.2925
Who among your characters is the biggest risk-taker?

Arieane they goes everywhere AI order them to go and still is a major force on every battlefield despite her injured memory. As long they can stay awake it doesn't seem so big of an issue.

Anika is a woman of action and she is good in organizing stuff on a whim. That such endeavors aren't the longest planned doesn't mean they can't succeed but it's more like if that goes sideways we improvise something.

#WordWeavers 13.10.2025 #StarRyde #AnikaJohanson #AntagonistJunior #AJ #AJohnson #AriaeneJohnsen #SciFi #WIP

14.10.2025
Who among your characters is the most cautious?

I wouldn't say that one is the most cautious a certain mix of cautiousness and recklessness is a trait a lot of Spacefaring people especially in the military have since it's their job to defuse dangerous situations by the means necessary.
Sometimes this involves talking sometimes this involves shooting.
The Union works hard in the educational fields to give any citizen am solid education that they can analyze their situation and find a valid solution that prevents harm. This is especially true for their military. One does not out guns into the hands of people who do not understand their danger or the consequences of using a gun not only for oneself.
Talisa is pretty much the quietest and to a degree cautious on the battlefield but that's only because she is usually the back up/sniper and not a defining trait of her character in general.

#WordWeavers 14.10.2025 #StarRyde #TalisaDraken #SciFi #WIP

15.10.2025
If you wanted to achieve your MC’s goal, how would you approach it?

I am not cleared to know about that missions parameters.
I am also not qualified as a special forces soldier or ship captain.
Thus i would not attempt of doing so.
If I would be cleared & qualified, I would remain professional about it and not talk about possible mission parameters and/or hypothetical strategies to achieve such and of course I would deny any knowledge about such.

#WordWeavers 15.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

16.10.2025
If you wanted to achieve your antagonist’s goal, how would you approach it?

I would probably manipulate, scheme around, under a pseudonym using middle persons & agents like an early 21. century pseudo politician wannabe Kings, that went down in history as the perverted swines they are & of course I would make a great theatrical play to be mysterious.

#WordWeavers 16.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

17.10.2025
Who steps up and helps when your MC needs a hand with something?
Who doesn’t?

Kira, the crew she is acting Captain of a military vessel so not following orders is borderline territory. If she would act against the Union or it's citizens than nobody would be held accountable for not following orders but if that isn't the case...

Arkham is part of the crew so similar situation here.

Ash is the intelligence of the ship and this helps and gets helped by the biological entities in board.

#WordWeavers 17.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

18.10.2025
Does your MC know where they came from (Family history, ancestry, etc.)?

They do.

#WordWeavers 18.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

19.10.2025
How has the MC offended/angered a SC, even if inadvertently?

Not applicable on the current WIP so skip

#WordWeavers 19.10.2025

20.10.2025
Do you have a favourite scene in your current WIP that gives you a thrill when you re-read it?

Yes but not a thrill. I still cry reading it.

#WordWeavers 20.10.2025 #StarRyde

21.10.2025
Do any of your protagonists suffer from self-doubt?

All of them in different occasions or parts of life. Some more frequently then others.

#WordWeavers 21.10.2025

22.10.2025
What does your MC have to give up to achieve their goal?

Token accepted, access clearance 1.
Loading personal files:

Kira Knox:
[Access denied]

Abbishek Pakthi:
[Access denied]

-Redacted-

You attempt to access classified information. Please provide clearance.

[XXX XXX]

Access denied

Beta-3 Clearance or above needed.
Please step away from the terminal and wait for our service team.

Have a nice day.

#WordWeavers 22.10.2025 #StarRyde #SciFi #WIP

23.10.2025
What demons haunt your MC’s dreams?

Arkham seems to have no demons that hunt her dreams.
Kira, on the other hand, has phases in which her memories from the friendship station come up.

The day as 6 year old Kira went from middle child in a family of 5 to sole survivor.
She had a similar expirience with one of her first commands. As she covered the evacuation of civilians from an Eltaryn attack. She knows how huge a 3 mtr tall, blue, hairless gorilla, in an armor of junk, is, how visceral they are. The civilians were saved, Kira survived alone again, do to [redacted].

Ash does not dream as an A.I. but since the merge, she knows this memories as well.
The merge wasn't just a data link to save Kira's life.
It changed both of them & Kira's mind is invasive, it grabs resources & Ash computing power is a pretty big resource. Ash shelled all requests that seem to be subconscious, but...?

#WordWeavers 23.10.2025 #StarRyde #Arkham #Ashlei #KiraKnox #SciFi #WIP

24.10.2025
If your MC had a bedroom and enough money, how would they decorate it?

All my characters have a bedroom because there is no housing problem in the Union and outside of it it may exist but it's not a focus at this point.

Since 2 of my MC are Union soldiers they have enough money (both constantly have to give up everything above the income threshold and spend it for good causes on none core Union worlds).
Both own housing properties.

Kira, a more generation home, in a colony, she inherited it as her whole biological family died. It's very 22. Century looking.
Arkham bought an 3 room apartment in London with sea view, it's cozy but simple
(24. century post climate catastrophe London looks
a 'TINY BIT' different with "Ol'Ben" sticking out of the north sea).

The last MC is an A.I. of a space ship. Ashlei. Space ships don't sleep, they don't need a bed (yet...).

#WordWeavers 24.10.2025 #StarRyde #KiraKnox #Arkham #Ashlei #GhozTarc #WorldBuilding #SciFi #WIP

25.10.2025
How would your MC want to be honored after death?

Let's ask them.

Kira: "Why would I bother? Death rites are for the living, not the dead. It's not upon me to determine how people will remember me.
I remember the fallen in my way and so will others if I die, the rites will probably be held without a body if I die on mission."

Arkham: "I'm with the commander on this one. I don't know who might mourn for me, but swex will I do to tell them how. It's their pain and their feelings. They might call themself lucky if they even get a body to bury in our field..."

Ashlei: "My Data will probably be used to create another intelligence. Interesting thought. I have to make sure to scramble the Captains data and delete it entirely. I... don't want her memories to be used for something like an artificial intelligence like me... It ... feels wrong."

#WordWeavers 25.10.2025 #StarRyde #KiraKnox #Arkham #Ashlei #SciFi #WIP

26.10.2025
If the antagonist suddenly just died, how would your MCs react?

Depending on which one and at which point.

AI? Kira, Arkham and Ash barely know anything about who ever is behind the "stage & pulling strings" so it would be hard to even learn about that.

AJ? Well it can happen both sides are trained soldiers. That you can die on a mission is somehow expected, even if no one wants to talk about it. So depending on how it goes it would be a mix of sorrow for another beings end and relief of an source of danger being delt with if it was on a mission where they met.

#WordWeavers 26.10.2025 #StarRyde

27.10.2025
If your characters were in a video game, how many spare life points does your MC have at the end of the book?

Kira based on Mass Effect Kira Shepard and my main Star Trek online character (because that's the closest I can get to)
Kira would have maximum 1.102 HP on Level 62.

Arkham does not have any comparable VG characters.

Ash as the Ghoz'Tarc would have 131.406,75 Hull Points &
Shield capacity of 17.697 SP.
Estimated from the closest ships, sizewise, I can find in Star Trek Online since Mass Effect has no Ship to ship combat outside of cutscenes.

I have no stats for any of my Antagonists or the B.B.E. monsters, so it's impossible to say exactly, also I can't say how good the healing items in that Game would be, how quick etc.
But Overall is this impressive display absolutely futile, because in the BOOK they wouldn't have the stats from the GAME because I don't write that sort of stories.🤪

#WordWeavers 27.10.2025 #StarRyde #VideoGameStats #KiraKnox #Ashlei #GhozTarc

28.10.2025
MC POV: How would you react if your best friend won the day instead of you?

Kira: "Congratulate them for owning a temporary event window that can't be owned? I don't know what this expression even is supposed to mean. I mark it for research later but honestly it sounds for me like if you ask me if I would congratulate a dog for meowing. It doesn't make sense."

Arkham: "Swex I remember something from my ancient English studies but for the life of it, I can't remember."

Ash: "My archive lists this expression as 'doing something that is considered outstanding.'
Such phrasing was common around the 20-21 century before Terran Standard was introduced but its usage faded out way earlier."

Author_ity Note: the meaning of this phrasing does not survive translation into Union or Terran Standard & back to English, it barely translates into German in our time where English is a living language.

#WordWeavers 28.10.2025 #StarRyde #KiraKnox #Arkham #Ashlei #WorldBuilding #SciFi #WIP

29.10.2025
Pick your preference: drafting, editing, formatting, or marketing.

Usually if I write something smaller like a RPG adventure for my group of playing peoples it's not much more than drafting and editing some parts. I tried to do the same with Star Ryde but it simply is not possible so I'm stuck in drafting hell while the first 1 1/2 chapters read like a story the rest are garbled fragments, smoothing them out only works if I get somewhere with my multiple choice ideas for certain scenarios... So I can't say that I enjoy it much at the moment but this is also do to other stuff always going around in the autumn/winter month.

#WordWeavers 29.10.2025

31.10.2025
What was your antagonist’s favorite childhood game?

AJ/Ariaene Johnsen/Antagonist Junior: they can't remember, it's one of the many memories they has lost.

AI/Antagonist Infernale: the still unknown entity behind the veil, pulling the strings like a puppeteer never speaks about their past. And since only a shifting voice is known even to AJ who for all purposes seems to be AI's number one it's unlikely we will ever find out.

#WordWeavers 31.10.2025 #StarRyde #AntagonistInfernale #AntagonistJunior #AJ #AriaeneJohnsen

End of month toot.

The Word Weavers for November will follow here:
https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/115474013498286118

Anna Saultron :progresspride: (@[email protected])

New Word Weavers for the "NoWham Bear" 2025 Here you find my answers for the last month: https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/115295505920192507 The prompts can be found here: https://wandering.shop/@AlinaLeonova/115464922258134337 In text on the profile of @[email protected] And here: https://writing.exchange/@BranwenOShea/115489128295963124 as a share pic on the profile of @[email protected] And here you find the Overwiew toot for the NoWhamBear and a little drawing fitting to the name: https://nerdculture.de/@AnnaSaultron/115473986093419633 #WordWeavers #November2025 #NoWhamBear2025

NerdCulture

WarmasterPalak Oct 28

I think someone might need Aloe.