Afterword
21/01/2011
And that – absolutely, completely, finally – is it.
I wasn't sure how to write this afterword (in fact part of me was sure I'd never get here at all), and I'll probably look back over it in a week or a month and realise it's all gibberish... but I didn't feel I could cut this baby free without a farewell.
Seven years is a long time. When I sat at my tiny desk in my first year of university doodling chibi Kings of Wormses on my Euripidean Tragedy notes instead of getting some work done like a sensible mature adult, I had no idea what incredible friends I was going to meet in the Elder Scrolls fandom, and just how much they would help me grow and change as a person, never mind as a writer. There are some people I can never repay for the support, encouragement and friendship they've shown me over the years. I know this is only fanfiction and writing's not even my livelihood, but the people I've met through writing this story are the reason the journey has been such a fantastically enjoyable one.
About the story itself... one thing to repeat is that when I began writing this, the only references to the King of Worms' name were some rather obscure texts in The Imperial Library. Of course, the plotline that Morgiah is the only living person to have discovered this name is now ludicrous in the light of every Cyrodiilian in Oblivion talking about Mannimarco, but I'll just have to beg your indulgence. Suspend your disbelief for the sake of an old AU story. Those who have played all four Elder Scrolls games will probably see names they recognise popping up all over the place throughout K&I - wherever I've dropped a name, it's usually a real ES character I've picked up from some obscure corner of Tamriel, either from the games themselves or the corresponding lore. My bookmark to TIL has been clicked so many times I'm surprised it hasn't gone on strike. Now the whole thing's finished, you'll be able to pick out dozens of breadcrumbs early on in the story that link up with the final chapters. I ended up making a bit of a game out of it. Some are obvious, like the text from Karethys' book, and some are not.
As far as continuity goes, after seven years I can't see the wood for the trees, and I thrive on criticism. If I've left plotholes or explained things sloppily or forgotten anything, please make suggestions or just outright rap me on the knuckles, because even though K&I's all wrapped up I'd still like to continue to improve on what I've already written. I doubt I'll ever write anything so long again (although never say die, I suppose), so this will be my standing amateur novel and I'd like to get it as good as it can possibly be.
I guess all that remains is to say, in the best of sobbing Gwynneth Paltrow hot mess traditions, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to each and every reader. It's been a hell of a ride!
Love, hugs and reanimated Dwemer golems,
Rumpleteasza xxx