Since the release of the first Episode, I have been asked questions, and having just dropped Episode Two in February, over the weeks that have followed, I have received messages via e-mail and WhatsApp. Speaking of WhatsApp, I often leave long voice notes to cover the question, because everything is connected and the lore is so huge and still growing, to answer what would appear to be a simple question, can take a while. During one such phone session I got the idea to go back, and/or remember the most popular questions I’ve been asked and do a little Q and A article. As much as I enjoyed writing it, I did second guess myself from time to time, honestly, I am not that popular, my reader base is very small in comparison to others, but I am ever so grateful for those of you who stick by and have become invested, it does mean the world to me, and I hope I do not disappoint you with what I have lined up in the future. More on the progress of Volume Five at the end because I do have an update, not a big one but something worth mentioning. Right, let’s get to answering these questions, some were asked a while ago, others were quite recent, not all of them are story related as you can likely see with question one, I’ll do my best to be as spoiler free as possible, but because Episode One has been out for some years now, I think it wrong of me to keep covering it up. So minimal spoilers for Ep2, big spoilers for Ep1, I’ll be as honest as possible, let’s go.
1) How big is this series going to be and how long will it take to complete?
When I began this story during my college days from 2003 to 2006, it was going to be a happy little trilogy. The series was to be called Mythology, the first instalment was named Seeds of War, the sequel was Roots of War and the final third, Flower of War. As work progressed through University, from 2007 to 2009 it became a quintology, evolving from a Mythology of three, into The Ancestral Odyssey of five. After my brush with death, during my long road to recovery, from the sofa I expanded the history and created a backlog of entries, compressing them into a period known as the Mythorigin. The Mythorigin is a broken, mainly unaccounted for timeline, involving seven characters from history spread across the world of Equis occupying different times and ages. These characters are not all human, they range from Druids, Driads, Imps, Vampires, Nymphs all of those wonderful things entrenched in classic fantasy give a twist with my own imagination and so on. Each character/creature has his or her own story, a short story consisting of ten chapters, that I hope to write and publish one day; There will be seven of these in total. These characters eventually become part of Equis’s folklore having made a dent in history. The Ancestral Odyssey comes long after this period, TAO has to its name five episodes, and each episode is made up of three Volumes. So, as it stands this is what I set out to achieve:-
Mythorigin 1-7 Short Stories
Imp, Banshee, Witch, Driad, Vampire, Siren, and Druid.
The Ancestral Odyssey 1-5 Epic Fantasy Episodes
The Utopian Dream, Rise of the Black Doves, Seeds of War, Rainbow Dawn, and The Chosen Kindred.
Each episode has three Volumes so that’s fifteen Volumes and each volume is about the size (often a little larger, if volume four is anything to go by) than your standard book, well over three hundred pages. These books take a long time to write and to shape, I am always learning and coming up with new ideas that challenge the guideline so this can delay things. Beyond this work I do have a life outside, and life has a funny way of getting in the way of projects such as this. I too have to go to work from Monday to Friday, just like everyone else, and sometimes I require time away to focus on other interests. I would of course love to do this full time, but that is up to you fine people, if the demand goes significantly up, chances are I’ll be able to negotiate something but as it stands, and likely will stand for the rest of, I have to make-do. There is no telling how long this will take, but it is fair to say I’ll be doing this for a long while, I’ll always have something on the cards to accomplish so, always something to write, whether it be a short story, one of the epic titles or articles like the one you’re reading now. I hope that answers your question.
2) What happened to the film project you were working on?
It’s still a dream for the future, it’s still something on the cards and something I’d love to accomplish. A lot of the foundational work has been done and at one point the process was really speeding up, I was very excited. The problem was money, that’s it, it wasn’t my contacts or how to make such a project work, it wasn’t to do with transport, equipment, skill sets or the script, no, all of those hurdles can be tackled and overcome, the issue was funding, and I could not get any. As much as I tried, the further I looked, the harder it became, some companies even made it political, others in their terms and conditions pressed a hard-left agenda, said that they’d only give out support if your work met a specific quota. The short film I want to make involves two characters, two alpha females central to the plot (not that that matters but nowadays apparently it is forced to the front), and still I was ignored or refused funding. This sort of behaviour pushed by the mainstream is disgusting, it’s wrong and I object to it. Has foul and discrimination happened in the past, absolutely, is it a good thing to see other people of both sexes and all races be given more opportunities, yes, although not at the expense of the art you are trying to create, and this goes for white people too. I’ve covered this more extensively in other posts, my essay called The Last Bastion takes a nose dive into this topic; If you’d like my full view on political correctness/woke culture and why it’s so dangerous and damaging, be my guest and check that article out for yourself, but in short, if you’re adapting something to screen from a book, from a game or re-telling a moment from history (especially if you’re re-telling a moment from history), I believe that those in charge of the project have the responsibility to make it as close to the period or source material as possible, and if you’re forced to make changes, be sure you’ve the wisdom to know what you’re fucking doing. Because I hold such views, I’ve been called racist, sexist and far worse than that, I do not know what I have to do to prove otherwise than say, I am none of these things, or I point to my past, there is evidence all over the place, for example, I’m in my thirties now, I’ve dated a handful of wonderful women, all so different from the other and never NEVER once did I abuse them physically or emotionally, sure the relationships didn’t work out but at no point did I ever wish harm to come to them, and still do I care about them all today. In my work alone, work I’ve been crafting for twenty years, the central characters are mainly women – Most of my favourite films have female leads, even the games I play star women. If anything, people should be calling me sexist towards men, but because no one cares about men these days, no one bats an eye. This is also not true by the way, my Dad is my hero in this world, and I still strive to be someone stoic, someone who can take punishment and find my feet without destroying honour and integrity – Have I made mistake, and been defeated before, yes and I’m not ashamed to admit that, I regret in some cases I wish I had dealt with things differently, but there is nothing you can do about the past, other than learning from it, and it was men who taught me that, men taught me how to be better and it is these traits that I instil in some of my heroes, heroes like Lethaniel who fights an unwinnable battle and Braygon who searches for real human connections. Truth is, I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman (unless I’m romantically interested or involved), I do not care what colour your skin is or where you’re from. I see people as individuals, as who they are beyond arbitrary traits, I see people with agency with their own unique thoughts, feelings, ambitions, and ideas, who gives a fuck about race, it’s a part of you but it is such a small detail in comparison to what makes you a decent human being. Treat me and others with kindness and some respect and I’ll happily return this gesture to you, and we can perhaps build something.
In this case I wanted to make a short film that starred two young females, their characters are already pre-established, mapped out in the books I’ve written and am writing. These women need to meet a certain criteria and I was not willing to change this to fit a quota which would have butchered the illusion in which you got from the book if you’re a reader, and the readers are the people who have given me everything that I am, who put me in the position I am in, they took the time to read and invest in my work, they are the ones who deserve an authentic interpretation and I’ll go to see that they have it – If I ever get the opportunity. Because I respect my work and will not bend the knee to this intersectional agenda, my options at every turn were diced. Yes, the characters I wanted to portray were two young white women, one is in her twenties, the other is in her early thirties, so what! I wanted them to be as close to how they appear in the pages to match the vision, I do not see a problem with this. Call me everything and anything you want under the sun, try and get me to conform but I won’t do it, because it is wrong on so many levels, and let me just say that if I was making a film that starred people with a different heritage, if I was making a film set in Japan or Africa, I’d behave in the exact same way, I’d fight tooth and nail to see the vision be done properly and authentically, as close to the history, the culture or from the source material as possible, but hey, I’m the villain here for holding such unreasonable thoughts. My vision for the film was stumped due to funding and who would be eligible, it really is that simple. I was working on a way to pay for this myself but the truth of the matter is that even for short films, they cost tens of thousands, everything you see and hear has to be produced and it takes a talented team to do so, not only that but it needs to be shot correctly, edited with precision and queued with the right music, and I love my music, it is one of the most important parts. I bit off more than I could chew, my eyes were bigger than my stomach so to speak, and I had to retreat, there is no shame in this, I learnt a lot. I’ll keep my eyes and ears pealed and should something happen in the future I’ll be sure to jump all over it. I will keep working on my script in the meantime, I really do love the short, and will submit it here and there coupled with a killer presentation in the hopes I’ll receive funding, it’s a wait and see.
3) Did Isabelle love Teo and why did it take so long to land?
Yes! Absolutely she loved this man and he too fell hard for her, it’s just a shame they didn’t get longer together. I think the events that unfold in Volume Three capture Isabelle’s fire for him rather well, we do crazy things when we are in love, stupid things. In my own experience I often wonder if anyone is behind the wheel in my mind at all, it’s crazy…Then I realise that no one EVER is, so that’s settled…Afterall, Isabelle dove into strong currents of freezing water to reach him, she turned her back on her final mission, one that she had spent close to a year figuring out and realising through much trial and much error to uncover. She destroyed her reputation with but a wave of her long staff Violethelm and fought her own people most violently might I add, to ensure Teo’s safety when he was captured and on route to a brutal execution. Don’t mess with a Star Caller, especially when they are experiencing love for the first time and especially when you threaten to take that away from them, it won’t end well. It’s important to recognise though that although their love was very brief, it was powerful and can easily compare to and outweigh a love that lasts for many years, it’s not necessarily about the longevity, but how you make one feel because that never goes away, it will always be remembered. Sometimes that is how it goes, sometimes people just have that impact on us, in our world and in worlds such as this. To top things off, the fact that these two characters are on different sides, which I will delve into next, I believe makes for a lesson in love, for which there are many.
It took some time for Isabelle to develop feelings for him, but of course it did due to their unique circumstances, they are almost polar opposites, one is a High Priestess the other is a Master Thief. Imagine trying to build something with someone who sits on the opposite side of the spectrum as you in almost every aspect of life, it’s unlikely anything will flower, but as writers we like to dabble in such situations because not only do you get to think about and explore such wild dynamics, but the payoff is entertaining and will maybe just maybe, get people to consider another point of view or consider a new angle to the situation presented, because as Isabelle says “There are always two sides to a story.” Dark Rogues have been vilified in Equis and this has corrupted Isabelle’s perception of them as well as the general populace, propaganda does not always go down the ladder, but it goes straight to the top as well, into the minds of those who wield great power, and that is a scary thought. Teo also withholds his true identity from her, for a long while, and when he is caught thanks to Lethaniel’s efforts, she interprets this as an act of lying, this too would naturally put a delay on the order of things, especially so early on in their relationship; More to consider, Isabelle is in the later half of her twenties, remember she is new to this game, she is so fresh into feeling such things for someone so when she experiences the hurt, hurt that will inevitably come from those we care about, it hits her a little harder than the average person – who has had his or her heart trodden on in the past and learned to deal with it. Isabelle has NOT been exposed to such emotional exposure before, she is a virgin, a glorified nun as pure as you can be essentially, and as a result, she overreacts and pushes him away, for a time. However, we can’t be mad at someone forever unless their crime was ghastly, and quickly she comes around. Isabelle’s issue that which she struggles with hence fourth, and I wish I put more emphasis on this in the book when it comes to Dark Rogues, is being able to trust someone who thrives in lies, deception, shadow, and trickery. To better answer such a question, I’ll leave you with one of the greatest quotes of all time, from a man who needs no introduction:-
“Me I’m dishonest, and you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest, honestly. It’s the honest ones you have to watch out for, because you never know when they’re going to do something incredibly stupid!”
Captain Jack Sparrow
4) Will Braygon be in Episode Two?
Yes. Braygon Augiene’s story is far from over and you will see him in Episode Two. Those questions hanging over from the last instalment, such as the contents of the pouch, the whereabouts of Mathias Sious and his journey back toward the Magpie, will be answered and taken further. Like Lethaniel Presian, these two went to war together, they lost close friends and witnessed their lands burn. They came face to face with horrors, horrors they can never unsee and through the madness, a bond of brotherhood was forged, with blood, steel and despair. You’ll see that bond challenged in Ep2, you’ll see both Lethaniel and Braygon in a new light faced with new trials and challenges to overcome. It has been twenty years since the events of The Utopian Dream, they’re older and wiser but are by no means any less dangerous – In fact they’ve evolved, they’re as lethal now as they’ve ever been, age doesn’t just bring weariness and fatigue, it can also refine and sharpen one’s senses, and Braygon, as with Lethaniel have not slowed down or are showing any sign of becoming any less formidable. As a writer dealing with older characters who have had a chance to build up a relationship within the minds of the readers, it was exciting to show these two from a different perspective, they’re almost legendary at this point so their reduction in page time is merited, for their presence is more powerful than the younger, newer characters who have to earn their way into your heart. Lethaniel and Braygon have proved their worth, you know what they are capable of and who they are as people, you’ll see them in action, you’ll see them vulnerable but more importantly, their stories will progress, and I hope, no, I know, you’ll love what I’ve done with them.
5) Who is the Magpie and what is he doing?
The Magpie’s real name is Juroot Narsidous. He is an ancient being descending from an extinct race known as the Dolopkidians. This ancient race who too worshipped the twelve Celestial Souls (like our protagonist Norkrons) were eradicated during an event known as The Purge, a cataclysmic moment that happens when the Godlike entities unify having grown displeased with their mortal subjects, and in turn persist to wipe the slate clean, to make way for a fresh beginning so that the next race can step in and have a turn to prove to the twelve Gods that they are worthy to inherit Equis and then the rest of the world. The final heresy committed by the Dolopkidians was the idea that they could employ Celestial powers to fight their wars and when their Star Caller, their High Priestess of the time successfully unleashes the gate hidden inside the Column Temple, their undoing is made inevitable, for the powers the Celestials wield cannot be matched by any craft or technology we possess. Resistance is futile. This one reckless act saw in the fruition of the Dolopkidians own destruction, the powers they sort to harness and protect them became the very instruments of their undoing, and Juroot protested these actions from the get-go! His plea for peace and reasonable reconciliation were dismissed, and the Dolopkidians sealed their fates. Juroot and his High Priestess were spared The Purge however, he was favoured among the Gods and granted the blessing of long life on the condition he passes on his knowledge and wisdom to the races that transcend his own. Juroot became the leader of the Dovidian Circle, wields the rapier of doom, a weapon sacred to the Dovidian people one that saw them through their tribalistic days, he was there all along throughout the ages, seeing to it that as many people looked to their own strengths and ingenuities instead of relying on the holy to solve the chaos of life. Juroot knows of The Purge, knows what the Celestials will bring should humanity fail them and fall into the same trap as his race. His love for humanity drives him to act accordingly, to ensure that no one else wield or risk Celestial interference. It’s this motivation that leads him into the events of Episode One-The Utopian Dream – Juroot forms a group, a group who become known as The Black Doves to strike at Krondathia’s pressure points in the hopes they’d cripple Krondathia and prevent them from repeating history. Unfortunately, his Black Doves are defeated but Isabelle, the Norkron Star Caller the one capable of bringing Armageddon is removed from power and this at least postpones the possibility of a Purge. Twenty years later, however, the Norkron Priesthood in their desperation found seven potential Star Caller candidates to take the place of Isabelle and once again the fear of annihilation emerges into Equis, but the Magpie and his Black Doves are not so easily swayed nor defeated, and with the rise of Norkron power so to must the Black Doves rise to stop them! This is the story of Juroot, he goes from being subservient to the Celestials to someone who rebels against them, but the question remains, how do you fight beings who outmatch and overpower you significantly in every way? Well, the answer rests with a young girl, a girl named Cephie.
6) Is Alexius really gone and why did you do this?
I cannot apologise enough for this. Everyone who reads my stuff, whether they message me right away or comment later, everyone gets upset when Alexius is killed, some people have even said as they’re reading ‘I hope you don’t kill Alexius, please do not let Alexius die.’ I am sorry, I truly am, he is an awesome character and not the only one I feel the regret of killing, but understand that it was his time, no battle this brutal can be fought without casualties, and Alexius added to the list who fell at this pivotal defensive moment. He’s Lethaniel’s best friend, he’s one of the most relatable of the group given his status, influenced by my real-life brothers, Tom and Oliver. He is the reluctant hero who by the end, works up an impressive record. Alexius agrees to take a long journey with Lethaniel, despite the numerous dangers and the fact that he has grown accustomed to comfort within the golden city of Imrondel. He follows orders even though he bitches and complains all day long about it, he still gets the job done; One mission of which requires him to make a short trip across lands that are under watch by the enemy who ride on ptriva striders, to warn a friendly settlement of an incoming invasion and that they should evacuate immediately, he does this by himself with no protection or escort, time is of the essence and rides Seridox, and Seridox is very particular with who he allows onto his back, but he welcomes Alexius symbolising trust. Alexius too fights alongside Lethaniel, Braygon, Mathias and Thao with as much fury and gallantry as these incredibly skilled individuals, all the while Alexius has only received minimal training by comparison proving that even the common man can be an obstacle not to meddle with. Alexius rides to war with his unit and survives brutal encounters with some of the fiercest foes in Equis, one of which is an Ulgoran in the valley of Thnel – When the Norkron Norfoon Watchtowers are attacked in the dead of night, Thao bravely stays behind doing what all Honour Guards are trained to do and stands his ground against the ogre beasts happy to sacrifice himself for his family, friends and country. It was Alexius of all people, the loudmouthed, rude, borderline alcoholic who made the decision to ride back through the thickness of heavy bombardment to fetch him and convinces the leader of the Honour Guards to fall back and to fight another day. Had Thao Hikonle stayed, which he was going to do and likely would have died for the protection of others, would not have been able to organise the defence of Korthak Bridge that became apparent later, it would have fallen quickly to The Dovidian Covenant and Krondathia would have seen an invasion. Alexius too volunteers himself to fight a top the wall of Imrondel, his position to behave as a conduit between key locations where is friends were stationed, he being the courier as he is, this was the best job suited for him and once again fights with as much fury as his friends. It is on the wall during the second wave where Alexius finally succumbs to arrow fire and dies doing what he loves on the way out (smoking a massive roll-up). It takes a lot to bring him down, Alexius does not go out with a solid fight, and he does all of this as a heavy smoker and at times partially intoxicated. People who read my work seem to like Alexius, he is one of the favourites in Episode One, offering light humour, a sense of relatability with the common man, and that natural comment a normal person would make when faced with dire situations. I miss writing Alexius Marsay, I really do, and it is a joy to read him again whenever I find myself going back to The Utopian Dream, as much as I am tired of Dream, I never get tired of Alexius, but his story, his legacy is not forgotten, it echoes throughout Episode Two, his brave actions are remembered with reverence by Lethaniel and Braygon, who talk of him like he was a biological brother. It is through Keira however, that Alexius lives on, Keira is his niece and was a young child when he died, twenty-years later and she has grown up into a plucky young go-getter, someone who idolises Lethaniel and does all she can to impress him, to earn her place in his good favour as her uncle did before her. Little does she realise that forcing your way in is not the way to go about getting Lethaniel’s attention, and she stifles herself time and time over. As their relationship plays out, Lethaniel eventually lays out the law for her, tells her how it is in an honest but blunt fashion, telling her that HE is no one to be idolised and that it is her uncle she should be aspiring to. I love this scene in Rise of the Black Doves, it shines a light on Lethaniel who is far wiser than he once was, having seen the horrors of war and what scars it brings both emotional and physical, while Keira is still naïve, she’s inherited Alexius’s silliness but fails to deliver, where Alexius could afford to act the fool, he played a knight and did so brilliantly.
There is actually a piece of music that really resonates with me when I think of Lethaniel, whenever I play it, I cannot help but associate the notes with his tragic story. I’ll link it below, but the piece is called The Winter by Rivers Arms, Balmorhea, and it sums his journey up perfectly. It begins on a low, but you can feel the intensity in the piano work married so well with the violin gradually increase, suggesting there is hope, until you can fucking feel the weight of the keys hitting you, as if Lethaniel himself is hope incarnate, taking and dealing with punishment, each strike/key more aggressive than the last. This track wells me up inside, honestly I’ve been brought to tears when I think of what he has gone through and is to go through in future Episodes, it grips my heart when I realise the bitterness of his situation – Lethaniel gave up his youth, his freedom to serve Krondathia because deep down he knows that when power is placed into the right hands, good can overcome evil and a better, kinder world can be forged, this is the bond he and Isabelle have, both sacrificed their days to usher in a utopia, a utopia that we later find out is merely a dream, but despite this, it’s going to take the combination of his steel and her magic to accomplish it. Lethaniel believes that he can do it! Believes that he can make Krondathia and in turn Equis better. It’s a young man’s dream, sure, but dreamers are driven, after all he was partially inspired by Alexander the Great, the biggest dreamer of them all, fuelled by tempered emotion and the desire to conquer the corrupt while maintaining a level of respect, but as strong as he is, he loses people, he loses friends and rarely sees family, and by the end, he finds himself totally alone, haunted by the memories and choices in his past, not only does this keep him awake at night, but he finds himself growing into a world that is moving on without him, a battle simply no one can win. In Episode Two for example, we’ve the evolution of black powder-based weapons that were introduced in Episode One, but this technology was in its early stages of development, so the ways of the sword reigned supreme, and remained to be the weapons of choice when it came to rouse and ended conflicts, but not for much longer. In Lethaniel’s case, one would think this would bring him joy, joy to know his days would be overtaken by a more efficient means of combat, but in fact it sparks the notions of irrelevancy at the cost of one’s honour on the field, it takes time to learn how to fight with the sword, there is a level of skill and bravery you need to meet head on if you’re to engage on that one to one level, but with the rifle, this sense is stripped down and stings him on a fundamental level. This changing of the times swings Lethaniel in every which way, for the very thing that makes him special and unique, his swordsmanship is what gives him the air of invincibility IS the very thing he is fighting against, he doesn’t want to do this anymore, he wants to sheath his swords and never pick them up again, but time and time over finds himself walking/riding into the fray to take down the most vile disgusting men in Equis, all the while the years are ticking by and he is only getting older while his opponents are getting younger and far more ferocious. Lethaniel may be almost invulnerable when holding a sword, but that hardest lesson for one and for all is to know that one day your time in the light will come to a close, and when dealing in the realms of blades and war, that lesson usually comes at a painful, brutal end, it’s a nightmare.
7) Is Othello the biological father of Lyra?
Yes. Lyra is Othello’s daughter and Eva is the mother. As you know if you’ve read Ep1-Dream, Eva was with Lethaniel, since childhood they’ve always been close and as they grew, they formed a loving relationship. The pair engaged in what young people usually engage with, but as they aged and responsibility called, Lethaniel, blessed with his swordsmanship abilities, found himself in the run to becoming a Visarlian Knight and then a potential candidate as General of the Norkron armies. This required a great deal of sacrifice and much hardship, he had to spend long periods of time away from home when in training, away from his friends, his family and away from Eva for months at a time, sometimes even stretching a year with nothing as much as the odd letter or two as contact to go by. When we meet Lethaniel in Episode One, he has finally achieved his goal and is the youngest General to ever command the greatest fighting force known to Equis, but his relationship with Eva has changed. On a personal note, I know how this feels, I’ve been in long distances before, with someone who lived in Australia, so I’ve gone the whole nine yards, I’ve lived it, felt it every day, and it’s hard, I did it for a whole year. Truth is, however, contrary to what you may hear among your friend group or family, it can work; On the conditions that both parties love each other and have formed a long-term goal to be together, it will and can work. So, there is a touch of realism in this relationship, people in long distance will be able to empathise with how hard it can be, how amazing it is when it does work and how devastating it is when it doesn’t. In Lethaniel’s case, it does not work, even men like Lethaniel lose. Eva did try, she tried for so many years, but when Lethaniel returns bringing the hopes of a new life, Eva gives it one last try, but when he fails to make their date, she realises that this is the life Lethaniel leads now, and as painful as it is, she gives him away and Lethaniel spends a night on a bench. She doesn’t leave him for someone else, she isn’t rude to him, and neither is he, when you love someone you’re never intentionally rude to them, you’d never raise your guard against them that’s not how love works, at least not how I see it, you may end up hurting them but it’s never intentional, this other person is or potentially your future, you never hurt them. Eva meets Othello working at the Distribution Centre and is instantly attracted to him, but what she doesn’t know is that this instant attraction is not instant at all for Othello is half Lethaniel they being siblings. Eva is drawn to the same person but doesn’t realise because as far as she is aware, Othello is an only child, Lethaniel is an only child, no person would begin to make such connections, so they start something. Sadly, it is cut short, Othello is roped into helping Lethaniel and his Norkron crew fulfil a mission so once again, Eva is left waiting for a man to return. During their time they do have sex and because no contraption exists, she falls pregnant, and Lyra is the beautiful result. Lethaniel and Eva do re-establish their relationship by the end of Ep1-Dream, Othello having been ‘corrupted’ by obscure forces is destroyed by Lethaniel in an insane clash of swords and strength among the ruins of an ancient underground city, but the relationship is salvaged, Lyra is surrounded by the best people, Uncle Lethaniel who gladly mantles himself as the father, Master Eran who will become her teacher and Grandmother Luthiel.
8) Why does Telsi have violet eyes?
It’s inherited. The first Star Caller, Regina Corah had a ribbon of violet circling her irises, and Telsi has the same, linking her to the past and the most influential figure in all of Equis. It was her eye colour in fact that got her to where she is today, had Telsi not been blessed with this unique colour, it is very likely she’d have not been picked up by the Priesthood and enrolled into the Star Caller candidacy, at best she’d be seen as an above average Glyph Wielder with a bratty attitude, but because of her eyes she’s treated like royalty. Nielata Vou, High Councillor Charity takes issue with this, for she had to work for everything she owns, had to struggle, and sacrifice, yet Telsi was simply born, handed everything from wealth, privilege, and possesses power Nielata could only dream of. It’s this tension that sparks their rivalry, and leads to some interesting places down the road, you’ll see clash of class to begin with, but then the winds change, and the reversal becomes true. How these two characters navigate is something of a show to watch, they start off somewhat mocking one another, the reader will get the impression that there is no hope for these two to see eye to eye, Nielata experiencing much of what Alessa Coldan has to go through on a daily basis, for Telsi is not easy to work with, but when the pressure is on, when the chips are down and one or the other has the chance to mock or cheer in childish victory over the others misery, a more mature response is taken, a mutual respect between Star Caller and Glyph Wielder, or perhaps that these two just have an understanding that they actually need each other, especially with what is coming their way. I’d like to reveal more for you, I feel like this segment is being cut short, I’d love to delve into the history of Regina, and talk further about Telsi’s future, the title The Ancestral Odyssey really being the biggest clue that bonds them, beings connected through time, but in truth, I am still figuring out the complicated history; I’ve a good idea with what happened and in what order, but there is still so much to consider to make what I want to work. If I do succeed and am able to accomplish the story I am trying to tell, one of past, present, and future, I promise you when I reveal it, it is something beyond shocking, something you won’t see coming and if you’ve been paying attention, something that whence revealed will make you feel like you had a hand in Equis’s undoing yourself. This book is not only about entertaining you, but I am also trying on a deeper level to reach out and get you involved – Depending on how you invest through this journey, who you believe in and why? Will either reward you with a sense of reassurance in your ability to differentiate between good and evil, or will come back to bite you by which time it will be too late, if it’s the latter then heed Isabelle’s warning, the first words ever uttered to the public domain through a direly simple, animated trailer:-
“Nothing is ever what it seems.”
23rd Star Caller of Krondathia – Isabelle Verano
9) Which character do you as the author most identify with?
There is a piece of me in all of the character’s, I think. Besides characters like Xavien and his monstrous ilk, those that involve themselves in unforgivable, ghastly acts like child murder and rape, as the writer there tends to be a little or large piece embedded into the character, that is how it starts anyway as a seed. You begin to write them, but upon a second, third and fourth visit you start to flesh them out, you instil depth, motivation and meaning which usually comes from something inside you, whether it’s something that resonates strongly or not it depends who you’re working on, but the idea is that you explore what makes the character special and in turn that node you found within yourself that birthed this fictional person. For Isabelle it is that sense of discovery, that spark of curiosity that leads to questions, questions that challenge the deep-seated truth that you thought were watertight, but the more you explore, the more your faith is swayed until you eventually change your mind-set. With Lethaniel it’s the confidence, when I was much younger, I was extremely athletic, I was a natural and that elevated me into competitions against boys older than I was and I still was able to trounce them. This birthed Lethaniel, the more I worked on him the deeper her became influenced with other great heroes of our time topped off with the realisation that you cannot be at the top of the league forever and one day you’ll have to step down. With that said there are some characters that do have more of me in them as others, this does not mean that they are better or more profoundly written, as matter of fact the characters that start from more of an obscure place usually turn out to be more interesting, because I’ve had to take the time to learn about that aspect of myself and work on bringing it to life on page. I’m not saying I get this right all the time, but I’ve given it a fair shot. To answer the question though, I feel like it boils down to two, maybe three characters who have a heavy dose of Duncan in them.
One of which is Draygo Dumear, a rebellious, petty thief pick-pocketer, who transitions from someone born to lose, into one of the most dangerous Dark Rogue ever to exist, and when teamed with Riagel Tyorn who compliments him in what he lacks, the pair become something not to be meddled with, riding that line between men of meticulous action and just plain luck! Having been trained and raised by Catherine, founder of The Dark Rogues, under her wing she teaches Draygo the artistry of the spy game, the craft of deception and how to hide among your enemies in plain sight. Draygo is a rebellious, fool-hardy risk taker who takes issue with authority, hates being told what to do and justifies his thefts in a cheeky sort of way – One way or the other he WILL even the score whether you know it or not; If you think you beat him, chances are your luck will suspiciously fall short in the future and you’ll be left to question if it was him or not? You may defeat him in the moment, but if that be the case it was likely by his design and him losing in a small way is better than losing in a catastrophic one, so either way Draygo steals the victory in ways beyond that from his roots of petty theft. Not that Draygo is bereft of principles and rules, he does not steal from those weaker than him, not from sweet old ladies or people struggling to get by on a daily basis, his targets are usually much larger, people who tread on the little guy, organisations or sects with more power and wealth than they know what to do with, these are who he steals from; So he’s not a total bad guy, he’s just honourably dishonest, a trustworthy con artist who runs his mouth, grins like an idiot and is always on the lookout to get ahead. This is his foundation, but as the Episodes progress, you’ll see a change, he reconciles with his questionable history and uses it to grow into something strong, he comes face to face with the reality that the shell he is inhabiting, needs to broaden, the thief must evolve into something that can endure in the ever-changing face of Equis. Dark Rogues naturally are fantastic at adapting to their situations and environments, but for Draygo the change needs to come from within him, and it’s not until a harsh wakeup call when this starts to happen and his journey hence fourth has to change direction. On the surface he is a hard nut to crack, he’s guarded, resilient, athletic, and explosive in movement, hailed as the fastest Dark Rogue in the faction while Riagel is the strongest. But under this façade of boyish charm and masculine bravado is someone quite soft and it is Chloe Augustine, only Chloe who is able to see through it and expose him for who he truly is, a man forced into a dog-eat-dog world, someone who has adapted well but is struggling to keep it going. In one particular scene Draygo is caught by Chloe in a very vulnerable state, it is here she sees him without his armour, and sees the scars he bares all of which he endured to protect her, someone who stole his heart and not the other way around, a scenario that draws into focus a combatant who was able best him, and it came not from an enemy, demon or monster, but from Chloe, a young woman wilder than he is, the only person who can disarm him by her presence alone.
So where do I relate to Draygo, well in Draygo’s youth he found himself alone, alone in a world he didn’t understand and often punished him for it. It wasn’t until Catherine took him under her wing and trained him in what he is, in doing so Draygo found his own tribe, easing that sense of loneliness and isolation to be part of something larger, a group that respected him and treated him justly. Catherine was not alone in founding The Dark Rogues, she had help from a man named Toula Windeuce and together they built the renegade group over decades. Had you been selected by Toula you’d eventually come to wear the mark of the owl, often learning brutish fighting styles, honing your craft around raw power all the while doing so using subversion and ambush tactics. Learn under Catherine and you’d come to wear the mark of the feline, under her guidance you’d learn to be more deceptive when combating foes, often practising stealth, a swift fighting style and the art of sabotage without the use of weapons. Both parties are similar but as you can tell they differ. Point here is that throughout my youth I often was alone, even the activities I did engage in required lone practises, for example athletics was at the time my strong point, but athletics requires you to rely on yourself, it is not a team game, training often meant doing things solo. Being part of something was the other side of the fence and occasionally I’d look over and hoped that one day I could be part of something. I suppose this is why I loved making my trailer so much or participated in the creation of those short films when working with Mr H, it felt like I was part of something and for the first time in what feels like forever, I was seen and recognised as being important. Writing, gaming, learning, all these activities are lonesome acts, things I engage in often, I’m an introvert extremist who sometimes longs for connection in the creative space, this is my node that links me to Draygo, I can do the lone wolf, I’ve done it for the majority of my life, and as much as I like my solitude, I do sometimes crave a sense of belonging, like there are people out there who get me, and when I find those connections, I never let go of them. Enter Riagel, Riagel is inspired from a real-life friendship that is still alive and well today, Riagel represents the other half of Draygo, the side that compliments him but at the same time doesn’t let him get lost in his own bullshit, Riagel grounds him, isn’t afraid to tell him how it is and at the end of the day loves him like brother. Draygo brands the mark of the feline, and if you know me personally you’ll know that I love cats, I’ve been surrounded by them all my life, they’re not only hilarious creatures that provide an unlimited source of entertainment, but at the same time they’re something to be feared and respected, always teetering on that edge of mystery like they’re half in and out of reality, this speaks volumes to Draygo’s character and something I can relate to, which is being aware of who you are, what you’re capable of but more importantly not to get lost in your own misplaced sense of where you fit-in in the world. Sometimes my confidence or cockiness can lead me into the path of a landmine, and it takes a Riagel or a Catherine to tell me how it is. Over time I’ve made a point to surround myself with honest people, because there is nothing worse than entrapping yourself in a bubble or being surrounded by yes men, you won’t grow, you won’t learn and you’ll find yourself generally agitated and unhappy, it’s like we NEED some friction, we NEED some level of conflict in our lives…This is a general point and not necessarily linked to Draygo, I just thought it was worth mentioning. Draygo’s weapons of choice are daggers, he used to use a bow, I am no stranger to archery, but daggers frighten me, utilising the weapons that scare you, becoming proficient with them, is a ways to overcome the fear, and even though I do not use daggers in real life (I mean why would I in the modern day) it is symbolic of learning the tools I am uncomfortable with, in order to succeed in life, such as putting myself into situations that bring about a sense of discomfort; My new job for example has forced me/encouraged me to practise skills I otherwise have been neglecting BECAUSE they were a discomfort for me, but with each day that passes, the more and more I walk into the new job, the better I get and in turn helps you grow as a person until there is no fear left. Draygo’s statue too is similar to mine, he’s light and lean and often this is confused for being weak, and I can see why, the bigger you are the more intimidating, I get it, however the door swings both ways. Men like Brock Lesner, some of these heavy weight boxers, even Rugby guys would cripple me one on one physically, I am humble enough to admit this and smart enough not to engage with them on their home ground, instead if I had to fight them, I’d be sure to do it in an arena of my choosing where I could not lose nor risk harm to myself, where I exploit their shortcomings and embrace my strengths, because challenging someone like Brock Lesner to a wrestling match would be fucking suicidal, adopt the Dark Rogue approach and you’ll likely never lose. Riagel has survived this long because he is big and intimidating, Draygo has survived this long because he is lean and athletic, people don’t expect him to be so combative, his enemies take one look at him and size him up as being just a regular dude, all to their peril, because Draygo can move faster than you think, before you’ve even finished insulting or threatening him, two battle daggers have already found their way into you, and because he’s a Dark Rogue he does not fight with honour, its dishonour that works in his/Rogue favour, instead of standing toe to toe like good soldier he’ll wait until you turn your back, drop your guard and then he will bash you over the head with something hard and call it pragmatism. Some people may call this cowardice but at the end of the day you walk away unscathed, and that evening you will be alive and well and not dead or in recovery. He’s also rubbish at Maths for which I am too. I could actually go on, but I feel like I’ve written enough here so I’ll move on.
The next character I’m on board with is Seridox, that’s right, I relate to a horse, but Seridox is as much as one of the main characters as Lethaniel is, he has his own personality and you as the reader I believe, will come to rely on what to expect from Seridox moving forward. Seridox does not like being boxed in, he does not like being locked in a stable nor tied up. He is also very particular with whom he lets get close to him. Seridox is another set of eyes for his riders, an early warning system for his friends. These are relatable traits, but the one to focus on is that I too don’t like being boxed in; What I mean by this is – I consider myself to be a creative person, and I’ve set myself on a path to exploit what I’m good at and love doing, but when the world constantly kicks the shit out of you, when you’re beaten over the head with failure, whether it be of your own making or failure coming from an ill-conceived place, having to deal with an ever changing landscape/market topped off with people in your day to day life encouraging you to stop and focus on something else, you do feel boxed into a corner, you do feel constrained in a lot of ways which is unhealthy. Seridox symbolises this, he doesn’t like being cooped up and constrained, told what to do and where to go, he is a fast wild horse that needs space to live, to be in the open air with the freedom to go and to do what he chooses. Am I saying these liberties should be handed to you, no, of course not, we all have to pay our dues, we all have to enrol into jobs we do not like and work at things we have no love for, this I understand, but when you follow the rules to the best of your abilities, when you put into the system, at some point you’ll want to withdraw from it, and when all you can withdraw is more of the same or a shitter deal, who wouldn’t want to break down the doors and fuck off to the high hills in search of something else. This is what Seridox represents, a character who starts off rather combative when he meets Lethaniel, but realises that they strive for the same thing, freedom, and together they ride, together they fight and really this relationship is one that endures, becoming something of a beating heart as the story progresses, some of the most powerful scenes not only in Ep1-Dream, but later Eps snatch at the heart strings – Here we have two characters who have been together since their rise, understanding one another on a fundamental level, they’re one in the same and it kills me when I flash forward when there bond is tested and threatened. These two believe in one another and would never abandon the other, stirring a connection that rivals those we have with most humans, and is one of the reasons I do what I do, to feel something that otherwise has not happened, but I know it’s there and it exists in this fictional friendship. Lethaniel and Seridox is an area in TAO that I love, and as the story unfolds the more valuable it becomes, forever a joy to write about and continue with.
10) Who is the girl with the silver finger?
Her name is Zoe Nebrie, and to start with she plays an innocent, somewhat insignificant role in the story. She is barely in it but when she does pop up, she’s usually working or struggling to make ends meet. I think this is important to have in a story such as this mixed into the narrative, especially when you’re constantly surrounded by great men and women of power, when you’re dealing with subjects of life and death, the lineages between the past and present, the ideas of utopia all spun with a fantastical spin, it’s important to see how the regular person fares in this world, and what impact they have. After all, it is such people Lethaniel and the Star Callers fight for, it wouldn’t make much sense not to see at least one of them, and Zoe represents the normal person, the downtrodden and those with compassionate hearts. Zoe is adorable, she is kind, warm and extremely hard working. Barely able to afford her accommodation this does not deter her from staying, because she loves the house in which she lives. Having fallen into a feud that she is not responsible for which resulted in the loss of her finger at the hand of a mob boss who uses a hammer, she has inherited problems that she has to pay for and repair, she must remain vigilant and on her toes at all times to do so; That’s why you always see her running from place to place from job to job and will likely catch up to her at the end of a chapter after being involved in larger than life characters such as the Star Callers, while Zoe is fucking exhausted. There is not a bad bone in her body despite her troublesome situation, she warms my soul when she meets up with some of the main cast, always remembering her manners, quick to apologise for things she does not need to apologise for, she’s ever so innocent and sweet, too good for this world. I just want to dive in and give her a hug. I can picture her smile, her figure, her face like she was a real person, she is the kind of girl you’d want to date in a heartbeat, would want to marry, make happy and take away to a romantic cottage in the country to raise her children. Zoe is the innocence and kindness that still exists in Equis however rare it is to find, she is what you fight for, she is what you want to help and protect. Zoe too has more of an impact than you might think, you might not realise it when you get to then end of Episode Two, but her character influences other characters (one in particular) to stay the path, to keep going even when all seems lost. Women have the power to do this, men will move mountains when they’re connected in this way and find a strength they never thought they had. Lesson here I guess is, do not underestimate the common man/woman, it is amazing, incredible in fact how powerful one person can be. This ties into the question of power we’ll touch on later, Zoe has none, and yet without her, the face of Equis would not change.
I apologise if I am talking in a vague manner, it’s easy for me because I know where this goes and all you have is the four instalments to work with, it’s unfair I understand, but trust me when I say that even the most insignificant things are not to be overlooked, especially characters like Zoe Nebrie, a woman with a heart of gold, representing the working commoner, who our heroes strive to protect. Oh, by the way, there is no relation to Scarlet and Zoe, they bear a similar second name, Nebrey and Nebrie, but they are very different, no relation whatsoever. Someone did ask me this a long time ago and their brain did start to cook on it, this is flattering but in this case for them it wasn’t worth the energy. I will do all I can to prevent unnecessary routes of thinking in the future.
11) What can we expect in Episode Three-Seeds of War?
The driving force behind Episode One-The Utopian Dream was purpose. Behind Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves was betrayal. With Episode Three-Seeds of War it’s journey, and I will deliver you a journey, one that you’ll never forget! True, the story did begin with Dream and the stakes were raised to nightmarish proportions in Rise, but this instalment is my last chance to open up the world of Equis in ways I don’t think you’d come to expect. This won’t be your run of the mill journey you’re used to seeing/reading about in your everyday fantasy book, this will be different in oh so many ways, paths with spread, stretch, entwine, and rip each other apart in the most brutal/fantastical of ways. I’ve a multitude of creative ideas going, each character will be set upon a path which will explore those corners of the map you’ve not yet had the chance to indulge in, and I will go even further. The cast was very large in Episode Two, it was almost unbearable in some instances, so much was going on all at once reaching a devastating climax, it was seriously intense stuff and I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. In Episode Three, the cast will be narrowed but everyone who survived Rise will have a part to play in the third episode; What do I mean by narrowed? Well, without spoiling anything, the journey will consist of several groups, this will become the structure, whereas before it was focused more on the individuals, this time when the journeys begin, they will be doing so in groups. Not only will this give readers something a little easier to follow, but it will make it slightly easier for me as the writer, as I said I enjoyed writing Rise but I won’t let up, it was a nightmare at times – I’d spend up to an hour or two just re-reading what had come before, before actually adding anything new, this time however, will be different. There will be some solo journeys, this I can confirm, not only can I promise new landscapes and exciting environments both of natural and unreal, but there will be the introduction of some new characters, such as the Troll Hunters, the Witch Hunter Mercenaries and the Vargan. This as I’ve said, is my last chance to explore the world I’ve created, because when Episode Four-Rainbow Dawn rolls around, you’ll discover that there is no more room to be trapsing around undiscovered lands, the story will tighten up and focus on the heart of The Ancestral Odyssey before moving onto its finale.
Seeds will obviously be a continuation, it’s the middle of the series and this has its fair share of problems and advantages. Because I was meaning to start off here from the very get-go, the realisation of having gone on a such a long hiatus is something I’m still coming to terms with, but we’re here, I’ve started, progress is slow, but I have made some headway. You can expect to see new vistas that contrast from the last, further character arks are to be forged, intense action sequences that have the task to outdo the last, a feat which seems impossible where I currently stand, but with enough time, labour, and love to invest in this Episode, I’m sure I can match or surpass what you’ve already experienced. But more importantly, you’ll come to learn more about the characters, not all journeys require you to go from A to B, some require you to look inwardly to self-analyse and to re-assess your path, I believe this will be at the core of Ep3-Seeds, not only is it an adventure across lands, but one that transcends into other place. To add on a lesser note, the colour palette I’ve gone for, for this Episode is forest green, what other choice is there when you’ve Seeds in the title, it must be green.
12) In the world of Equis, what is the largest creature?
Well, it depends what age we are dealing with, it is also important to consider that I’ve not finished the series yet so something could come along that dwarfs what was originally the largest last minute, if it fits within the context of the story that is. It is hard to answer right now, plus does this include the aquatic life, or are we focusing on land dwellers alone? Do we include the Celestial entities into the equation because some of them can get pretty big, but they’re not technically part of the ecosystem! I suppose the best way to answer is this way – The largest sea creature in Equis, in the current TAO timeline is the Cetotherium whale, it has a brief appearance at the end of The Utopian Dream, when Isabelle is sailing the channel with Teo, she sees its tail fold out of the water only to disappear seconds later, its massive and beautiful or at least this is what I envisage when picturing this scene, I cannot think of anything more majestic than to be out at sea, alone, under a starry sky and be met with a singing whale, beautiful. Don’t let that fool you, there are other lifeforms lurking in the deeps that are huge and have a taste for flesh, such as the ophidian serpents, the vaurodile reptiles and something I am saving for Episode Three, something found in the frozen waters of Maire, which will terrify you when you encounter it. On land, the first thing that comes to mind are the Chrocian Titans, these giant bronze beetles sleep for long periods of time in the deepest of sand dunes, and throughout the events of Episode Two, you hear through rumour that they are being dug up for unknown purposes by Xavien. I promise the Chrocian’s will make an appearance in later instalments but all good things in time. Just for an idea as to how big these Titans are, babies are the size of your standard living room in your traditional house, at the beginning of Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves, four Dark Rogues sleep comfortably inside a hollowed-out shell. In the skies (excluding the Celestials), the largest flyers are the dragora, think of them as the cousins of dragons. Dragora are also called dragoons, they’re tamed predators flown by the Requorn Dragonflies, a unit which you will meet in Episode Two, the Captain of which is called Zard Luthion who flies Atlas, his Lieutenant is his sister Ventrice who flies Xsigesy. If we go back to the Age of Giants, I cannot answer this question with full confidence because as I’ve said before, I’m far from finished, but the Age of Giants is called that for a reason, think of it like the dinosaur age with a bombastic fantasy twist, everything is gloriously magnified and woven in with all the wonders of my imagination, I wish I could hire a room full of artists to draw each one. In Episode Two you will learn about a small selection of giants, one of which is called the Wodashique, a swift rodent lizard that once inhabited the depths of the wild forests. We’ve Redulatas Titanboa the sand snake and the Rhionax, all of which are large creatures but the Rhionax in particular was far bigger than most others of the era, a sinister ape like beast that all other giants feared due to its size, its raw power and unmatched aggression. Nothing but the bones of the Rhionax remain today but this might not necessarily mean we’ve seen the end of it. Big things are coming, things that blades cannot cut, nor fire can sear. The same goes for the Mythorigin timeline, I am still in the process of its creation so at this point anything can happen, it is safe to say though that no creature in this period will dwarf (in size) that of what has come in The Age of Giants and in The Ancestral Odyssey, all we can do is wait and see what I can pull out of my imagination. As for the Celestials, excluding Aries that is literal living fire, which can shrink and expand to unknowable degrees into any shape, the largest thus far is Aquarius, a dragon behemoth of grand proportions especially with its majestic wingspan. Able to wield magics that make most Human wielders look pathetic in comparison, Aquarius can breathe down buildings, shred through boulders and separate seas with its otherworldly abilities. Now this has been said, the only thing left to cover is the demonic side of this story, Saphuries for example, the Blood Angel. She’s still being realised, I’m onto some ideas of what she transforms into and what she looks like in all her terrifying conditions, sometimes not knowing is scarier than knowing but you will see her make an appearance in Rise, in a form which I hope disturbs you. It’s the subjects of Saphuries I am focusing more on at this point, her Monarchy which are in the process of rising the more power she amasses, all with their own roles to play, and all in thrall to her and her wish to make the world cry blood. This Monarchy consists of a number of servants, each horrifying and unique in their own grotesque ways it is so much fun coming up with such monsters. I’ve covered some in this Blog alone, a few most certainly appear in Rise of the Black Doves, but most notably is the Tunneller; A descendant of a Driad architect who sold his soul to Saphuries and was gifted with nightmarish abilities which liberated him from his earthly bonds, giving him the size, strength, and uncanny powers to shift otherwise impossible clusters of rock. As a mortal Driad male, such feats were far out of his reach, little did he know when pledging to her allegiance, he enslaved himself into the throes of Saphuries, to be her servant for the rest of time, becoming the Tunneller, a foul creature of monstrous lumbering proportion and it only keeps growing. Do read my C.R.E.A.T.E. article to learn more about this portion of story, I’ve put a lot of time into it and am looking forward to seeing what you think when it appears on the page. So as you can see there are so many different beasties in Equis, all from all different periods and environments, and I’ve not even covered them all, believe it or not there is more, at this point possibilities are endless, but with all what we’ve just covered, there still is a clear winner, maybe I should have just written this sentence and saved you the time, but where is the fun in that? If you’re a reader, you’ll know about The Realm of Theed, inside this realm exists a creature called Gargolems, and they, the guardians of Theed, are the largest beings known to man, beings gargantuan proportions that stand taller than some of the greatest mountains in the world of Equis…Minor spoiler here, one of our characters stands against one, without magic or technology, he stands his ground in a show of bravery I cannot comprehend, how do you fight a being that dwarfs the size of a mountain, it’s insane, but this is what I do here and would like to present. Clues to a Gargolem’s weakness can be found in the pages of Episode One-The Utopian Dream. Read carefully, it is in there.
13) Who would win in a swordfight between Lethaniel Presian and Ridian Messiah?
Love this question, I really do, it creates lots of fun dialogue. It’s such a classic question between good versus evil and which is more powerful in a throw down. It can also make for some really interesting conversations, to see what others have drawn from the material and analyse who has the more accurate assessment between who would win. It can even teach you as the author a few things into what you’ve created, some people lend a different perspective, one that you have not considered, and it can really open your eyes. If you’ve read my work though, as attractive as this question is to ask and to answer, you’ll know that these two characters are not truly good or bad, they’re a blend of both, they’re capable of doing great things as well as questionable and that is what makes things interesting, it is what makes them human and well-rounded characters, they’re not two-dimensional cardboard cut-outs frozen in one state of mind, existing only to serve one another in the story as it chugs along, they both have their own goals, motivations, individual struggles, their pasts flooded with a string of victories and defeats. What they’ve in common is their skills with a sword, and their competence in battle – Both are veterans, both have seen their fair share of combat and have proven themselves as valiant combatants from among their ranks. Seeing a showdown between them is the question in the front of everyone’s mind after having read Episode One, or at least it was for some, strong enough to generate a genuine question, hence why I’m compelled to cover it here. You could argue that Ridian is far more antagonistic than Lethaniel, and at this point in the story, before we breach Episode Three-Seeds of War, you’d be absolutely right in saying so, but remember, this Odyssey is far from over, there is still so much to learn and to experience, especially with these two iconic characters, they’re far from done, there is still room for growth, so to put them in a one on one situation with sword in hand, and asked to evaluate which one would come out on top, is like guessing the outcome of a race between two race car drives, having only seen them in action separately going round separate tracks. For instance, we saw Lethaniel fight Othello, his closest call yet, Othello very nearly bested him and for longest part, it looked like he was going to, Othello showed no sign of slowing down and barely broke a sweat, being in control of the situation for the majority of the conflict, but Lethaniel endured, and was able to connect a fatal killing strike, through a dextrous manoeuvre at the back of Othello’s knee, a blow that rendered him useless despite his strength and experience. Once crippled the finish was easy, and Othello fell into a river of Glyph. Ridian, on the other hand fights with one hand behind his back, his sword, Harlothon, requires no handguard whereas Lethaniel’s do, and he uses two of them, Firmusiege and Aquantye. Ridian’s fights so far, do not last long, they’re often over swiftly and sometimes he does not even need to draw his own blade, able to disarm and misdirect his opponents as if toying with them. Ridian also slices through a handful of Ulgorans, an ogre like creature larger and as strong as a brown bear. When Thao Hikonle, an Honour Guard, one of Krondathia’s best struggled to topple one, Ridian bested a bunch of them in a matter of seconds, killed their leader and threw his head through a burning cathedral! Does this mean Ridian would trump Lethaniel, no, in all honesty talking this way (although quite fun) isn’t I feel doing these characters much justice, I am more interested in who they are as people, where they’re going and what developments they go through to tell an interesting story, one that we can relate to and perhaps learn from because there is a lot going on, but because this question was asked on more than one occasion, I’ll do my best to answer it. My answer is, in a standoff, as they are currently in the story – I believe Lethaniel is the greater swordsman, however, and this is a massive however, he would not get away unscathed, Lethaniel prides himself on his infallible record, hundreds of duals with no defeats, Othello being the closest to best him but even he failed to floor him and it was Lethaniel who walked away from that situation alive and well. Ridian, has not yet realised his importance, nor would he let Lethaniel get away with taking his life without him suffering for it, so I suppose my money is on Lethaniel, but victory would come at a cost, perhaps even a fatal one. I’ve spoken to others about this, as I said it does make for fun conversations, and some have said Ridian, others have mixed things up a bit and suggested how they would fare on the battlefield, among hundreds if not thousands of others, the scenario would be different, introducing an infinite number of factors to consider. So, I am not totally on Lethaniel’s side here, in a closed off clinical environment, I’d bet on him, but how often do these conditions align in reality, rarely, so Ridian’s chances against Lethaniel are matched, perhaps they’re even higher, and knowing him, being two, three, sometimes four steps ahead, I hate to say it, but Ridian comes out on top, you should not fuck with this guy, yes he is beatable but it’s not easy. In Episode Two, I’ll give you a little teaser, Lethaniel and Ridian do meet on the field, the situation is dire, unlike anything you’ve seen before, and their swords are drawn. It’s an intense moment with so much more going on at the time, there are others present, so much is happening and yet you have these two facing each other down in – It’s wicked.
14) Who is the most powerful character in The Ancestral Odyssey?
That would be telling, but I do know the answer to this one but before I get to that, I suppose a better question to ask is; What do we/you define as powerful? It’s a genuine question to consider and something I thought about a long time ago when I was creating this series; What is power and what is the most powerful form of power? Lifting weights for example makes you stronger over time, strength is a form of power and can be used in offence and in defence of others. Having large sums of money can buy resources and afford freedom, you can make problems go away or you can invest in new technologies to overcome obstacles, this is why it is attractive to be wealthy, lots of everyday issues just disappear, do other problems emerge, absolutely, the rich do not get away with it entirely, but those general problems like rent, transport, food, bills etc become things of the past. Being highly intelligent is what lifted our entire species out of the wilds and birthed the civilisation as we know it, it wasn’t our raw strength and speed (such as it is) that did this, it was our intelligence alone and our ability to work and hunt together, and look how far we have come, we can fight and cure diseases that would have otherwise killed us swiftly when we were in the caves and jungles, we can transport ourselves across the planet with relative ease, our food is (for the most part) edible and made easy to find and our water is clean – Is this the case all over the world, no, but for a large percentage, we take these remarkable strides for granted and we’ve our intelligence to thank for that. So, I ask the question again, what do you consider to be powerful and furthermore, when you’ve the answer, ask yourself, is there a form that challenges it? The most powerful character in The Ancestral Odyssey embodies what I consider to be the greatest form of power, without giving away his/her identity and to avoid any more spoilers, this character you’ve not met yet, but you will quite soon, and I look forward to the reveal. It will not be obvious at first, but as the events play out, as the young foolishly bound into the future under the illusion of control, it will become clear when licking their wounds.
15) Are you left or right wing?
It is rather sad that I’ve been asked this on more than one occasion, but unfortunately it is the day in which we live, heck it would be weird if I hadn’t been challenged politically at this point. Everyone is obsessed with politics now, everyone wants to know which side of the line you stand on, because unless you align with every hot topic issue, you’re often taken to task for it or labelled something of an extremist in that same dialogue. Of course, I have my political views, some are stronger than others while there are areas where I just don’t have a clear answer, not everything is as straight forward as left or right, win or lose, yes or no, or right and wrong, life sometimes is more complex than that, in most cases in fact it is not black and white, but a shade of grey. This is not what I want my blog to turn into, nor do I want to alienate anyone who reads my work but happens to disagree with me say on religion, gun rights, abortion or the death penalty. I have gone off on rants in the past about certain issues, if you’re an avid reader of mine then you’ll have more of an idea of where I stand or could make a better guess than someone who is new, but for those of you who are new or are just curious, I am neither left nor right wing, but am somewhere in the centre, and this may sound like a copout of a response, but I assure you it is the truth, I sometimes lean left or lean right depending on the subject, so I’ll let you decide what that means, but what I can promise is that I far from the extreme. A more appropriate question which was asked ages ago, back when I was making my Live-Action Trailer, was if I was going to insert my political leanings into the books I am writing, and this is a very good question. The best way to answer it is to accept that my views will inevitably creep in, I am the author after all, and this entire series comes from the bubbles in my own brain. As the creator however, whenever I approach an issue that could be considered political, I try to offer the counter points from the other side. For example, there is a character in Episode Two, a corrupt Minister called Danica Roaman, who elevates women to high positions even employs them in her guard regardless if they’re capable for the job, and she constantly punishes and degrades men whenever she can, is rude to them and offers up nothing in terms of pleasantries or respect. We all know it is wrong to discriminate on the basis of sex, sexism is bad if it happens to women and to men, any reasonable person can understand this, and it would appear that Danica is just a sexist piece of shit – Despite all the great and noble things brave men have done out there, her mind has been poisoned by a warped movement and she cannot help but generalise. This IS indeed a political talking point, and the reader if he or she has logged online or taken a look around them will swiftly be able to see what point I am trying to make here, that sexism is wrong! I hammer this point quite strongly in these scenes and it does feed into the general storyline by the end, so it is not just dropped in to feed my own ego, there is reason behind it. What I am aware of though, as the author, is that it is easy not to recognise the roots of this argument, and I do address them, perhaps not in Episode Two, it’s too early, but they are addressed in later instalments, and seeing as we’re here, I’ll offer up a teeny spoiler. Women HAVE been discriminated against in the past, in our world and in Equis for simply being women, and they still are to some extent. Sure, things have gotten much better (in both worlds) and women in the west are thriving, but sexism exists on the other side too, men are discriminated against just for being men and when their suffering is highlighted or attempted to be highlighted, it’s often ignored and ridiculed. Danica is the embodiment of this double-standard, a woman who has had foul things done to her which justifies her anger but has become blind to the opposing side and it has made her bitter to the extreme, combine this with her rise in political power, going from a Minister to a Judge to something more and it can (and does) get dangerous. This is a small example of what I mean, I have my own views but when and if they happen to creep in to serve the overarching story, I do my best to present both sides of the argument, it may not come at once, but it does come. I can list more examples, but I think I’ll leave it there: Long story short, since I became politically engaged somewhere in my mid-twenties, I identified as someone centre left, then I had to adopt the term old school left due to the fact that the left were going further and further over. Eventually I preferred to not say anything when asked if I was left or right, then I began to see the lunacy of the left, claiming that men can be women and women can be men by simply saying it; Encouraging fat positivity when really you should be encouraging exercise and good health. Removing or altering pre-established characters and replacing them with black actors in the name of diversity while willingly ignoring the double standard. The systematic destruction and endless ridicule of masculinity because bad men exist and have existed, hence we must humiliate and degrade all men including the good ones. The downfall in all media outlets, from comics, movies to gaming, corrupting them for modern audience at the expense of the story’s soul. The deconstruction of comedy, the banning of words, the enforcement of laws that take away from valuable police time while screaming ‘Defund the Police’ the list goes on and on and on and it’s all coming from the left, not to mention they’re embracing socialism which is basically communism wrapped up in neater packaging! Any one of these hills would make anyone re-consider their side, if not dissociate from them completely; The right have their fair share of nutjobs too, both sides are guilty for harbouring fucking crazies and it would be wrong to use these examples to paint everyone with the same brush, whether you’re analysing the left or the right, not all are communists or nazi’s, but at least the right over the same time period (ten years approx) stayed traditionally right, at least when I spoke to people on the right, they allowed for dialogue even when in disagreement, they were friendly, fun to chat with and raised some points that challenged my own, they may not have converted me over but they gave me something to think about. Whereas on the left, they have over time become more and more extreme, fuck, simply having bringing up some of the points I’ve brought up in this section has made me somewhat ill at ease, they’ve do have a tendency to cannibalise their own, even their champions, just look at J.K Rowling. If you do not agree with all their views, then you’ll suddenly find yourself in a hairy situation. They claim to be all for freedom, fairness, and equality for all, but too much freedom and you invite anarchy. Some barriers should be challenged and perhaps changed, absolutely, but some barriers and hurdles exist for a reason and need to be respected and maintained, the left seems to be attacking every barrier, every organisation until they’re literally ripping down statues, defacing iconic historical figures and calling for the breakdown of Britain’s Monarchy. So, for plebs like me caught in the middle of this culture war, it really is hard to put a pin in as to where I stand. I suppose it depends on what is being discussed, best name a topic and ask your question. While the left has slipped further and further left to the point of madness, the right has for the most part remained where it is, I’ve heard the phrase disenfranchised leftist being tossed around, this is something that resonates. As I said earlier, old school lefty is a comfortable term to use, traditional liberal or English liberal I believe is a fair description as to where I stand. It is fine to disagree, it is fine to challenge and ask questions, but this is where I stand in 2023.
16) What is your favourite tea?
Easy. Yorkshire Tea Gold with a dash of milk and small amount of sugar and I am all yours. Remember to give it a good stir though, some people put the sugar in but just leave it sludging at the bottom, this is a sin, you must give it a stir to get all those flavours moving. Of course, sugar is not a deal-breaker requirement, the tea is still delicious without the added sweetness, and to be fair, the less sugar we consume daily the better so…Coffee is also incredible, when I was living in Australia, I remember drinking some Blue Mountain Coffee and it was fucking divine. I’ve been meaning to purchase some more since I left and that was years ago but have never got around to it. Yorkshire Gold Tea and Blue Mountain Coffee.
17) What is the Celestial War?
Need to be careful with this one. The question came from someone I’ve been speaking to for a long while now, she’s read everything more than once and loves to pick my brain for more info, she even tricked me into dropping a spoiler. Given this question some consideration, I’ll share with you an idea of what is to come, without getting too spoiler heavy. The Celestial War, for me will be a celebration, to simply having arrived at that point in the story will be magical, why? Because everything I am doing is leading up to it, from the lore, the history, the journeys that the characters are on and more importantly the delivery of the message will be fully realised. You’ll note this phrase uttered in Episode Two, echoed in the instalments hence until it becomes apparent that Equis is set for an apocalyptic war, a clash between every race and all the creatures and technologies they employ, every character who has made it this far will come to their journeys end in this moment, giving readers just one more act before the curtain falls for the final time. Every magical cast, every God/Demon you’ve been reading about will be present here in what I can only describe as the greatest battle sequence ever put to page. This is ambitious thinking; will I hit the mark and deliver such a feat? Well, as I am right now, no, but with time and training, I’ll develop the skills necessary to bring you what I envision for this final act of this story. What I love about Volume Six of Episode Two, is that it’s a whisper of how the entirety of Episode Five will unfold, it is one of the reasons why I am so excited about showing you, because I am very confident it will leave you shaken. Give me enough time and I’ll be able to write a whole book with the same level of intensity, and this is the goal I’d like to achieve. Not only will the Celestial War call a close on TAO, being the crown jewel of this life project, but it will also be my own personal sign off, a statement that says, ‘This is the best I can do.’
18) Where can I buy your work?
The best place to pick up my work is from the Amazon Store. I am doing my best to branch out and get my stuff stocked in other retail outlets, it is available in Blackwells now or at least I think it is, and if my chap came through for me it might even be found in some libraries, but I cannot be 100% sure, as I said, the best place as of yet is Amazon. Links are provided below; I hope this is enough.
It is not up to me to tell you where to start or what editions to buy, naturally I’d hope you’d start at the beginning and work your way forward, but seeing as we’re here I may as well going put in my two cents on the matter, because I think it is best, you’re well informed into what you’re buying. I advise the Paperback or Kindle editions, start at Volume One and go from there, who knows this book, or my writing style might not be your cup of tea, so you may wish not to continue. If you do like it however, and you’re a busy person who is always moving, perhaps the Kindle is the way forward. If you’re someone like me however, who likes to find a quiet space and sit still when he reads, Paperback is a nice touch, but I cannot recommend you get the Hardback, I even leave a warning on my website because I do not want you to freak out when you see this thing. The Hardback is heavy and finely printed, it looks gorgeous, and I am proud of how it turned out, but this thing will fight you. So, in short, depending on who you are, decide for yourself between the Kindle and Paperback editions, I’ve put a lot of work into them and am happy with the results, I know you will be too, and be sure to leave me a review when you’re done, I need as many as I can get, it would be lovely to hear from you, and will put a smile on my face for the rest of the day so please, help a brother out.
19) Why is the text so small in your Hardback Edition?
When I was starting out, I just went for it. I wrote the best book I could with what I knew at the time and decided to take each step at a time. When I had finished the writing stage, I quickly learned that I had written a lot, editing did take place and eventually it was trimmed down to what you find now. Because of its size I had to think strategically and manage/present the project in the best way possible, I asked myself the question what is the simplest way to offer up this thing now that I had something? So, in the case of Episode One, I divided the book into three Volumes, because the Volumes were as large as your standard book, I made it possible for readers to purchase each volume individually via Paperback and Kindle. The Hardback on the other hand has ALL of the Volumes inside, but in order to publish it in the format I wanted, I had to shrink the text to save on pages, otherwise it would simply not be possibly to make, at least in a form that looks professional.
This is how the series will look going forward, now that I have set myself a standard, each Episode will have three Volumes:
The Ancestral Odyssey
Episode One – The Utopian Dream. Volumes 1-3
Episode Two – Rise of the Black Doves. Volumes 4-6
Episode Three – Seeds of War. Volumes 7-9
Episode Four – Rainbow Dawn. Volumes 10-12
Episode Five – The Chosen Kindred. Volumes 13-15
The Volumes will be able to be purchases individually via Paperback and Kindle or (if you’re hardcore) you can go in for the Hardback which will contain all three Volumes with the awful text. Seeing as we’re here, I think it be wise to note that it might not be possible to release a Hardback with all Volumes inside, due to the fact that it is so big. We will see, I would like to continue the trend but it’s unlikely, and I’ll perhaps will have to release a Hardback part one and part two of Rise. As for the Mythorigin titles, these will all be one book per character, simple.
20) What will you do once you’ve finished?
Probably check myself into rehab or the nearest insane asylum and welcome the straight jacket…Kidding, or maybe I’m underestimating the hold this project has on me. If I don’t work on it, in some form or another for a long period of time, I become agitated and once I even got depressed. I sometimes get a bit snappy when kept away from writing and fail to focus on anything else, constantly looking for that brain high or dopamine hit that only writing can provide. TAO has always been there, before my love for anything else (Final Fantasy VII not included), it’s always been a crutch and a ladder in which to build myself up from when low. It’s hard to know this early on, I’m no spring chicken anymore but I am not old nor feel it, there is still so much to do and to experience in and out of TAO. I am encroaching on the mid-way point now in the story, with the milestone that is Episode Three-Seeds of War, and the feeling is bizarre considering that this was the story I wanted to write in the beginning back in 2007, now I am here, I’m actually doing it and it’s unfolding day by day, it’s hard work and I feel like I’m not in control of it what with how Episode Two ended, will this manifest a problem, we’ll have to wait and see. I suppose when this is all over, when I finally finish IF I finish, I do not want to pull a George R.R Martin and refuse to knuckle down and work through the series to its end, but if there is time when it’s wrapped 100% I’ll likely want to start a new chapter in life after a long holiday, or live out my days in a cabin in the forest somewhere, I’ve no idea. Maybe it is important to savour and enjoy the journey instead of focusing on the ending, the ending will come, one way or the other, in the meantime, I’ll let the story fall as it may, and consider the future as it comes day by day, and this doesn’t just apply to me, I think this is solid advice for everyone who is embarking on a journey.
Thank you for reading guys and gals, and personal thank you to those who reached out to ask a question or two on e-mail or by phone, it really is appreciated and very touching to know that you want more of this crazy world. Volume Five is likely to start its editing phase soon. I have contacted an editor who is interested and we’re to start negotiating a contract in a few days’ time. Because Volume Five is a little smaller than Volume Four, it won’t take as long to launch, and as for Volume Six, as mighty as it is, it is the smallest edition to Episode Two, following on from the same traditions as Episode One. Mr Will Towns has made progress with the new character art, I have seen a small segment of the sketch and if this trend continues, it would appear that he has nailed it, always can rely on Mr Towns to deliver fantastic work, ever so proud of him for making headway with his art. Hopefully I’ll be able to convince him to put together a portfolio and assist in ways to get him into the creative field, instead of having him rot in a job that can be performed by a pilchard – I’m not taking the piss, I too may have changed occupations, but it’s still a galaxy away from what I really want to be doing. Anyway, that’s about it, I’ve a few more articles in the works which will be published when ready, I am also looking to escape for a long weekend away, somewhere where I can just be alone and consider how to tackle Episode Three; Because of the events of Episode Two, it has left Equis in somewhat of a dark, sorry state, what was initially planned can still be achieved but authentic changes have to be made to the storyline, and the earlier you can plant the seeds, the more organic the story will flow. It’s all a bit of a nightmare but I know when I switch up the gears I’ll fly through it, but in the meantime, enjoy what you can with Episode Two.
If you’ve any questions you’d like to ask, or if you feel like I didn’t answer any or all of the above properly, especially the political one’s which didn’t get enough attention and could perhaps to some use further insight, drop me an e-mail when you can and get in touch. I’ll do my best to respond quickly but if you do not hear back right away, it’s likely I’m just busy or chilling with the squirrels. Do have yourself a great day. PEACE!
E-mail – taotome@outlook.com
Twitter – @MegasTeque
Official Website – http://www.taotequevault.com
Promotional Material YouTube – www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nc_VEmC27AIz6pP51UVkQ
Promotional Material Bitchute – http://www.bitchute.com/channel/x9K5vwi2SsNu/
Author Page UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6
Author Page US – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6
The Winter (Lethaniel’s theme, ends at 3:48) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9cVN4ZqNIM
D.W.Gill
Taoteque: The Blog 