Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash
In this post, I’ll use world-building questions from the day 31 post to explore the story world and its alignment with the problem.
As I go through these questions, I realize there is still a lot of research to do. I have general knowledge about the world at that time from history texts (I highly recommend Lincoln Paine’s books on maritime history), but to build out the world myself, I will need greater familiarity with what’s available and what the limitations are. That said, I can consider the story world as I understand it now with the story essence I’ve identified: "A young captain facing a catastrophic failure must navigate not just treacherous waters, but also human nature and his own limitations, to find a new way forward and leave a positive mark on the world."
World Foundation
Is there a clear starting point or analogue? I’ve chosen to dramatize the events of a historical event, and I’ll present the story realistically. The story takes place during the time when the actual event happened, early 1794. I may adjust the timing to incorporate other events in the larger world, but this is my starting point. This real-world setting is chaotic—both the sea and the political environment. Both will push him and test his leadership and decision-making abilities.
Physical laws
How do physics, magic, or other fundamental rules operate in this world? Because this is a realistic story, physical laws will operate the way they do in our world. This means there will be no magic other than that of the natural world. The harsh conditions will test Lawford’s abilities and force him to confront his limitations beyond the relative comfort of his ship, where he would feel more competent.
Geography and Environment
What is the terrain, climate, and physical setting? How will this environment affect the pursuit of needs? Much of the story takes place in the Caribbean Sea in and near Grand Cayman Island. I explored some elements of the world in an earlier post that explored the problem and how external elements mirror internal and interpersonal challenges.
Specific to the area near Grand Cayman Island: The reef around one end of the island extends three-quarters of a mile from the island and lies near the surface of the water. A strong current and weak winds act on ships passing by so that their actual location is not what they expect.
The weather can be unpredictable. Although this story occurs outside of the typical hurricane season, other powerful storms can strike.
A recent hurricane has left the inhabitants of Grand Cayman without the resources to support the hundreds of survivors of the wrecked ships. The things Lawford needs to be successful are scarce. The port on Jamaica is hundreds of miles away, and he must wait for a friendly ship to happen by or send one of the merchant ships to get help. Lawford will have to improve his ability to take stock of what remains (people, food, wreckage, equipment) and make effective decisions quickly.
Ocean voyages, even in a well equipped ship, were often dangerous not only because of the external conditions but because of enemy ships, which would include French naval vessels and privateers.
The unpredictable weather, dangerous reefs, and scarcity of resources all align with the story’s essence, especially navigating treacherous waters and human nature. These environmental factors will force Lawford to adapt and test his ability to leave a positive mark despite adversity.
Technology and innovation
What tools, inventions, or advancements exist? I want this story to be historically accurate to a certain degree (the extent to which I need to nail down, so I’m adding that to my list). The technology should mirror that of the period. I’ll need to do more research to ensure that the equipment available makes sense given my constraints. Here are three things I’m considering already.
Limitations of maps and charts. After the wreck of the ten sail, a warning was issued to alert captains to the dangers of the current and reef. But Lawford didn’t have access to this. It’s a problem that is unfamiliar to many of us now since our hand-held devices can give us directions to nearly anywhere we might want to go. If we didn’t have that and needed to travel through dangerous and unfamiliar territory, how would we deal with it? I imagine we would try to tune into the natural world and look for clues, run experiments and gather information, make our best guesses and learn from our mistakes.
Similarly, there would be no timely weather reports, though I suspect that the people of the time were more attuned to environmental signals that indicate changing weather patterns. There would still be a great deal of uncertainty about the weather. Also, on the island, Lawford and crew members must make do with the shelter they can adapt from the wreckage, since there are no accommodations available for them on the island.
Communication. Communication, which is instantaneous for us, would be slow and potentially imprecise. Between ships, crew members can hail one another if they are within earshot. Gunfire and pennants could be used when within sight. Communication between Lawford and his superior officers and the port where he can gain the help he needs can only be accomplished by sending a ship. This means he will have to act on his own a great deal without orders or a mentor.
All of this means that Lawford will have to adapt to the conditions as he finds them. The constraints that force him to innovate will probably provide the insight he needs to find a new way forward after the failure of the mission..
Social structure
What hierarchies, rules, and norms govern society? The Royal Navy is a strict hierarchical organization with plenty of rules written and unwritten that govern how people interact and how conflict is resolved. Chances are, the merchant ship crews will follow a similar hierarchy, but the discipline may not be as strict. The locals on Grand Cayman are fairly isolated and will have adapted their own ways of interacting and resolving conflict. This means Lawford will have to negotiate relationships that are outside his chain of command with people who are not required to follow his orders. But within every human conflict is an opportunity to forge a new way forward to common ground.
This post is part of a 75-day writing challenge and experiment. From September 9 through November 22, I'll be posting daily thoughts on writing, storytelling, and creativity based on recent readings or reflections. While my intention was to keep them very short—250 to 400 words—I've found that this range doesn't give me enough space to cover these topics adequately. I aim to keep them brief enough to be read quickly, but they will often be longer than 400 words.
At the end of the challenge, I will organize and revise the material with intention. For now, the object is to explore and share.