Through much of TWOLD’s design process, I’ve envisioned having two cities, that are actually two angles (and maybe different stages) of the same city.

The two cities are The Nameless City and The City of Orphans.

It’s generally been a non-essential idea, but it seems easy to fit into most of the other elements and is useful.

Biblically, it seems like a great way to subtly overlay some of the prophetic themes of Israel, where the Nameless City is 2 Samuel era, and the City of Orphans is Ezekiel era.

Asylum

I’ve always wrestled with which city is the home of the Asylum.

Maybe it can be in both cities?

I could have it be in the City of Orphans initially, and then mention it being in the Nameless City during the final climax as a hint that the cities are actually the one and the same.

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Like a lot of my surrealism, the trick would be doing it in such a way that readers didn’t think I just made a mistake. I expect what I’m thinking of will make people go, “Wait, what?” There’s a fine line between that working and not working, and I’m not entirely sure yet how I would make this work…

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