Oh, Crap.

Hello!
Now that work has finally settled down into a quiet normalcy, I have more time, energy and brain power to get some writing done. I’m pleased to say I’ve just passed 15,000 words in The Darkest Realm 3.0, and it’s coming along rather well. Better than the previous two attempts, that is.

I am currently working on Chapter 6 of TDR 3.0. This chapter is set in the desert city of Sepheren, which obviously doesn’t have a lot of water. Those who have read The Lowest Realm would have noticed that the cities on Kia-Mor all have running water and plumbed latrines. There is enough flowing water for that luxury.

In the dry arid lands of the Lorendian Desert, though, water comes at a premium. The people draw it from wells that reach deep into the bowels of the earth. Therefore, when building this city, I realised I couldn’t have the usual plumbed loos. I also didn’t want to make this city a cliche desert city – I wanted something different, that draws the reader into a fascinating new land. I do feel that I need to mention the different latrines in this city, seeing as Nika is from our world and won’t appreciate the open Roman model loos.

This is where research gets a bit shit (pun intended). My searching today has been ancient toilet systems, and methods for wiping. Honestly, I wish I could bleach my eyes from some of the images I came across! I toyed with the idea of having the public latrines outside and letting the turds dry in the sun, but that clearly wasn’t an option.

I’ve decided that I’ll go with the above Roman style systems, only instead of the ick being washed away or manually removed, it will have a free drop into the desert gorge that the city is built on the edge of. ‘Wiping’ will be a cloth rag which can be cleaned afterwards in vinegar. There is no sharing of such rags, we don’t want to spread germs like in Ancient Rome.

I know this is a gross subject, but for writers, we often have to think of things like this in order to keep our writing realistic. Using the restroom is a natural and essential function of our bodies, and we don’t always have flushing toilets available. I for one will forever be grateful of our current technology of flushing loos, and the marvel that is toilet paper!!

Take care all.
Much Love,
~AAC 💜