The Thief’s Priestess: One For Another

Hello everyone, how are we, I hope you’re all well, it has been a while I know since the last post like this was released, where I cover the making of a video worked on by a string of talented people; But a lot has been going on personally which results in frustrating delays, and unfortunately there is little I can do when such hiccups occur, mount that onto other people’s schedules that can change and you’ve a recipe for days being thrown aside like they are nothing. This article/video’s specific schedule has been all over the place for example, it had to be re-shifted, re-organised and this body of text included had to be re-written just for it to make logical sense! That’s how disorganised things have been – Usually, I am not able to post anything until late in the afternoon or sometime in the evening when everything typically is ready to go, from blogs, socials, to the site itself, and today everything was meant to be released in the morning, I had it ready, but alas things rarely go according to plan. With that said these pieces of work I am about to share with you have been building for a few months and I’m really excited to present them and in turn, publish this essay to compliment all those involved, because let’s be clear, I could not have done this without their help and their specific talents, talents I admire and talents I cherish; But before I dive right in, I’d like to touch on a recent event, the release of Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves: Volume Five, a challenging yet very exciting instalment to TAO (The Ancestral Odyssey) series, and what a wild journey it has been thus far – Simply to arrive here feels rather strange, especially when you consider the fact that I started Ep2-Rise back in 2011 (possibly 2012), only to foolishly throw the semblances of a narrative away like trash, and to restart the project somewhere in 2018. The first draft was finished on October 6^th, 2021, Volume Four launched on February 13^th, 2023, and Volume Five released not too long ago, on March 14^th, 2024. And what can I say, I am very proud of it, very happy in fact with how it’s all turned out – I picked up my own copy a few days after it went live, I’ve given a few of my favourite chapters a flick through (Daughters of Omega, Guardian of the Nine and No Turning Back to name a few), shelved it next to the others and continued to make progress with the final third act, with Volume Six, due for release in 2024, providing everything goes according to plan of course, which it rarely does but fingers crossed. Despite a few niggling things displayed on the cover of the Paperback and the embarrassing hiccup involving the Kindle Edition, how a rogue chapter from Volume Four somehow slipped between chapters thirty-six and thirty-seven, which has been sorted, the quality of the work I am certainly impressed with, the text is clear, the paper is soft on the eye and as far as I can tell, the editorial is something of high merit. It’s all very exciting overall, a weight has been lifted and once I get clear of Episode Two entirely, when Volume Six is released and shelved, more of my time can be focused onto Episode Three-Seeds of War, Volumes Seven, Eight and Nine, the continuation which will have big shoes to fill; As it stands, the outline of Ep3-Seeds will have to undergo drastic changes to punch out the heavy-weight that is Ep2-Rise, and some people have criticised me for adopting this lens, you certainly need to tell a story RIGHT for the story and not be overly concerned with what has come before, honour it for sure, but remember it’s not a competition, and although I agree to a large degree with the criticism of this view point, there is an element in the mix that makes me want to trounce what has come before, in terms of writing ability, entertainment, character development, marketing strategy and so on. Sometimes I feel like Ep2-Rise is a monster, one that I have to overcome using Ep3-Seeds as my champion, because I do believe that Ep2-Rise, outmatched Ep1-Dream, don’t get me wrong, I love Dream, it’s a solid foundation on which to build from, but it was after all, my first and worst attempt, the story might be tight, but presentation right out of the gate wasn’t strong, there are parts that are bloated, the pacing could be tightened up and fight scenes do not necessarily need to be as long as they are. That being said, there is plenty to like about it and plenty to get engrossed in. When it comes to the final act of Ep2 and the humbling beginnings of Ep3, there is still lots of work to be done, I am sifting through old ideas I’ve had for Seeds, and like a detective solving a mystery, I am putting the pieces together while writing carefully, but it will take time to make sure I tell the story I want to tell, while being sure to keep the characters consistent and moving in the right direction. Ep3-Seeds will take care of itself in time, for now however, Volume Five has recently been enrolled into The Readers Favourite Awards, I made the earliest possible deadline and as per reward, the book is currently under review, no doubt in a month or two I’ll receive it and post it for display, good or bad I would like it to be read. Odds for winning a Readers Favourite Award are slim for the average author, but for me odds are slimmer due to the fact that this is part of a series and does not technically consist of a beginning, middle and an end, this IS the middle of the second episode, and no matter how proud I am of clearing this milestone, it does not excuse the fact that the academy of writers and readers may look at this project with clinical indifference, which I hope is not the case. Regardless, it’s been enrolled, the results will be announced in September 2024, and I’ll anticipate the review and the feedback. Speaking of feedback, I have received some very heartfelt messages since Volume Five’s release, I have been contacted by some delightful people saying how much they’re enjoying the series, them speculating on what is to come and how they’ve interpreted certain events that befell in the story, it has been thrilling to listen to and hear about other people’s takes, it’s one of many reasons as to why I do what I do. I’ve had a very warm and welcoming reception to the most recent instalment which is rather surprising considering what takes place, and what takes place is not necessarily happy putting it as mildly as I can – Don’t misunderstand, it’s not all doom and gloom, there is plenty of intrigue scattered throughout this instalment, you learn more about the Glyph magic, magic that is expressed in a variety of ways, ways you’ve not seen before, parentage of certain characters is revealed which sews up some hangover questions ever since Ep1-The Utopian Dream, we learn a little more about the ancient history of Equis, more specifically about The Age of Giants and the Pioneers, which has some seriously epic ramifications, and we’re told a genuine story about a selection of characters all from different walks of life, all with something to say and to contribute to an overarching, umbrella plot, one which I am anticipating to see through, much like Lethaniel and Isabelle were the key protagonists in Ep1-Dream, although they were separated by vast landscapes and have polar opposite ways of achieving their goals, their arcs do end up entwining, and this is similar to what happens in Ep2-Rise only you’ve a lot more characters to deal with – But there is a dark side to this, I believe the suspense is built rather well and the payoffs are executed soundly. I worked incredibly hard at this, and I trust myself enough to know that the characters behave in ways which are respectful to themselves, and that the story is delivered in such a way that you’ll be able to follow it without getting too bogged down in exposition, a lesson I had to learn hot off the heels of the first three volumes. It is important to note however, that as intense as this story gets and is destined to get, what with the release of Volume Six later this year, is that it IS just fiction, it is made for your entertainment, it’s here to be consumed at your own leisure if you so choose to do so; This is not supposed to be something punishing, it’s here to be enjoyed, real life is punishing enough, real life is cruel to us all and nature will not show mercy, we’ve all got shit going on, we’ve all a kryptonite of some kind and with the world in the state that it’s in, the more avenues of escape the better, so long as those avenues are depicted well, that they come from a genuine place and are not put in place to further drive the wedge between us. Books like mine are not going to change the world, they are not going to solve any major problems, they’re here to take you away for some escapism, they’re written to give you (yes I’ am talking to you) an outlet, to get lost in some make-believe, and to get excited about something other than the status quo, that’s it, and I think it is important for creative folk especially, to remind ourselves as to why we do what we do. I write to tell a good story, to push the limits of the epic-fantasy genre, to nourish my own mind, to provide me with a purpose and to buy my mother a Porsche should it ever become massively successful, and as a fringe benefit, feed a foolish hope that one day my TAO series might be adapted into a film/tv show (preferably film). Yes, this is extremely unlikely, I am more likely to win the lottery, get struck by lightning and make-out with Emilia Clarke all on the same day (hopefully not in that order), but it’s enough to keep going, enough to see me through the grind of the daily routine. Volume Five is great, it’s a killer continuation after Volume Four, there are many surprises, the best is still to come, and I am eager to know what you guys think. I will be writing a review of Ep2-Rise whence all the volumes are out, and enough time has gone by to avoid spoilers, and I promise you it will be better than my review of Ep1-Dream, which may have hit all the right points, but was awful to read. With all that rabble aside, I’ve another video out now, it’s complete with some fantastic artwork and some engaging music which deserves talking about. To note, this article and video is part of a family of others, there is also; Isabelle’s Theme and A Path Sewn by Fate, if you’d like to listen to them, if you’d like to read about the process and their relevance to the books, I will link them below, but it’s far easier to search them out on my site. I hope you enjoy, The Thief’s Priestess.

The best place to start when talking about projects such as this, is to answer the question; Where exactly does this concept fit into the source material? Before I answer however, I am about to get into spoiler territory, some pretty big spoilers as matter of fact so you’ve been warned – The artwork, painted digitally by artist Ashley Mckenzie, the same lass who painted The Masters Library for, A Path Sewn by Fate, is a depiction of our protagonist, the 23^rd Star Callers of Krondathia, Isabelle Verano as she appears in Episode One: The Utopian Dream – Volume Three. In the book, she is coming to the end of her journey, she is rowing across a channel, from a town called Harbours Edge toward a distant island, called The Zodias Island that is on fire! She has just confronted the Eldor’s Peacemaker on the dock, Mr. Calias Harken, who was accompanied by a class of Glyph Wielders tasked to capture an enemy of the state, someone who is responsible for abducting a High Priestess (Isabelle), someone who was interfering with the Star Callers purpose; A Dark Rogue named, Teo Liolas. Of course, for those of you who have read the book, indeed know that Toula Windeuce, one of two leaders of The Dark Rogues assigned Draygo Dumear and Riagel Tyorn to watch over the Star Caller, to stay with her, to watch over her from a distance, to escort her to safety should the unthinkable arise and to keep her away from all those who wish to do her harm. Originally, Teo was ordered to return to base, to Sentinel, which was situated in Tthenedawn Forest at the time, but they switched assignments for good reason, and it was a good thing they did this too, for it was after all Draygo and Riagel who played a hand in the strategy that ultimately crippled The Dovidian Covenants advance at the battle at Korthak Bridge, preventing the enemy from invading the country which resulted in the turn of the tide, a tide led by Lethaniel Presian and Braygon Augiene. Riagel, also factored into the equation that more men on the ground, pinned at where the war was hot, while Teo kept an eye on the Star Caller, was a better action, and he was right! Riagel displaying brilliant leadership qualities that would elevate him to the rank of Commander soon after the war was ‘over.’ Riagel and Draygo also became Shields of Krondathia to commemorate their brave contributions, to join a cabinet of renowned soldiers and professionals orchestrated by General Lethaniel Presian, this was also a ways to mend the gap between factions of Norkron and Dark Rogue, their alliance becoming something symbolic, but I’ve digressed. Calias Harken on the other hand had a different agenda; His task which was assigned to him by The Eldor, Kastius Greylion, was to arrest Isabelle, but he had to do so in such a way that would not destroy Starillia’s (the Norkron religion’s) reputation, but to find fatal flaw in the woman, in Isabelle Verano herself, so that the empire could keep functioning without pause, without risking its integrity. Calias had to find reasonable grounds in which to arrest and detain her so when the time came to put the woman through the court of law, Isabelle would be found guilty, she would be 100% to blame yet her holy order would remain intact, and the Norkron state along with its highest institutions would be rendered blameless. The people would learn to hate their 23^rd Star Caller, and NOT the culture built around her keeping all those in positions of power, IN positions of power without the need of a reform model, which is what Isabelle represented at the core of her journey and why she had to be stopped. Calias did not achieve this, he came close as you discover in Volumes One, Two and especially Three, but in an attempt at doing so, he learned of the affair between The Dark Rogue, Teo and his Star Caller, Isabelle and threatened to reveal it to the nation. As a Star Caller, they’ve rules which she must follow in order to reach what was prophesised, a utopia, and one such rule is not to form intimate relationships with anyone, for she is holier than thou, she is someone of purity, divinity, someone of uncompromised strength unburdened by the ties of human relations; She is selfless, she is loyal to the order, loved by all and her grace is given unto the people of the faith – This is the message trickled down to the Norkron populace from the preachers in this North Western culture, despite being human, she is not presented as such by her peers, Isabelle has been hailed as The Chosen, to lead the blessed people into paradise. These are not direct quotes by the way, but such phrases are uttered throughout the body of Ep1-Dream, through Volumes One, Two and Three. Calias, with his troop of Glyph Wielders, confront Isabelle on the dock of Harbours Edge, after having captured Teo, Calias knows about their affair, knows that Isabelle cares for this man intimately, and he gives her a choice:- She can choose to falsely accuse Teo of his ‘crimes’ of theft, espionage and kidnapping of a highborn, which will result in his execution, will safe-guard her reputation and enable Isabelle her ‘freedom’ to continue as she is. Or she can admit her acts of insubordination resulting in her arrest but may save Teo’s life for he would not be entirely responsible for the crimes committed. This is Calias’s best weapon against Isabelle, he knows how powerful she is, he knows he cannot physically stand-up to her for she is highly proficient with the use of Glyph magic, she’s a fucking Star Caller, once she flushes her system with this planetary energy (that is Glyph aka Glaphiar) she’s a superbeing, she becomes faster and stronger than anyone alive, and can employ weaponry that can fracture swords like they’re sticks, can stop projectiles mid-air and can crack even the toughest of shields. No one in their right mind would want to fight someone of this class, not unless you are of course another proficient wielder, Calias knows this, so he attacked her heart and Isabelle chose her freedom over Teo’s life…Initially…This is what Teo would have wanted her to do, to see the mission through to the end, to get to where she was going, it’s not until later, not until she sails out on a rowing boat when she changes her mind. Personally, this is one of the most emotional moments in Isabelle’s story, it’s an earned character shift, a notable change to what we’re used to, for throughout she is loyal to her faith, she is for the most part, well-behaved, to the book and dedicated to her practise, someone who is as calm as she can be while exercising her assertiveness given the drama of the story she’s entwined in, so this decision to throw away her reputation, her future as a Star Caller and to turn her back on an order that has existed for hundreds of years, all for a life with a man from the shadows, someone who she has been indoctrinated into thinking that HE is the enemy. To me, this is powerful. I don’t write love stories, I’ll admit I am not actually very good at communicating love, it’s very difficult, like comedy, it’s rather subjective and so easy to derail into a pit of rubbish, so I tend to lean away from love; Comedy, I think I am a little better at (he wrote while shrugging his shoulders), but writing love is a fucking minefield. In saying that however, this demonstration by Isabelle in this scene, I believe works. Feel free to disagree with me, but the idea of someone giving up everything for a chance at happiness with someone they’ve been manipulated into hating, and not only does she successfully dispel this manmade fallacy, but she fights for it, killing the Glyph Wielders who strike at her first, and toppling the carriage that Teo was being carted off in. Unfortunately, Calias not only gets away, but he is able to strike a fatal blow against Teo who quickly shields Isabelle at the last second while her defences are down and is pierced with a sharp piece of splintered wood. Teo and Isabelle force Calias to run but he struck hard enough to cause internal bleeding to Teo, and scarpers. The pair head for the dock, they commandeer another rowing boat and sail to The Zodias Island. This is what is depicted in Ashley’s concept artwork, the journey from Harbours Edge to said island. Isabelle gives up her traditional Star Caller coat, to keep Teo warm as he loses blood. Dark Rogues also employ Day Owls, they’re trained to send messages, to warn of dangers and to scout, Teo’s owl is named Wisp, and Wisp is present in this work, you can see him perched on the rowing boat, he was going to be flying, but because these owls are close to their masters, I thought it would be better if he was nearer to the pair, also I didn’t want to take away from the sky, the night sky is gorgeous, the cloud effects are stunning, and I like the bats in the distance; It’s a nice touch, I like it when artists use their own creative incentive to add to the scene. I did ask Ashely to paint in the end of a whale’s tail, and she did sketch one – Placing it however didn’t go so well, as glorious as it looked, it just cluttered up the concept, it looked too busy, so it was removed. Sometimes less really is more.

As for the music, it was written and composed by Jilaine Wheatcroft, the same musician who produced Isabelle’s Theme and A Path Sewn by Fate. Links to her Soundcloud and her specific works under TAO are listed below; If you do wish to message her about the music or want to get in touch about a specific project you’d like to work with her on, I’m sure she’ll be keen to hear out your ideas, she’s very professional and I am positive you’ll be pleased with what you create. However please please please if you do message, be thoughtful and respectful about it…The music she wrote in question, the theme she designed for The Thief’s Priestess, is as good if not better than A Path Sewn by Fate; The piece is instilled with a heartfelt ribbon of emotion, a melody laced with the notion of a long goodbye, the end of a journey and a sadness that will sit with Isabelle, left alone, forever – And yet there is a reason to still hang onto hope, that Isabelle WILL make it in honour of Teo, a thief that did his job, that stepped up to the challenge his superiors entrusted him with, and delivered her to the doorstep of her final destination. It’s sad, poetic, and inspiring, or at least I hope you find so to. I’ve listened to it several times now in preparation for this segment, and each time I hear it, when I close my eyes and start assembling the vision for the scene pulled directly from the book, it gets more and more vivid, to which I had to come away from my desk and re-read the event (with coffee), for I have been told by others that it’s handled rather well. A lot of people get caught up in the battle scenes of my books, and although this is no bad thing and not a complaint by any stretch of the imagination, readers sometimes overlook the personal battles, and in this case it’s to do with a confliction from within Isabelle, the confliction itself coming in the form of a question; Is Krondathia, is Starillia, is a line bound not by blood but by the spirit worth the sacrifice of one man, of one soul? … Isabelle hesitates when confronted by Calias on the pier, she’s human after all but comes to her senses somewhere across the channel, she finds her courage, leaps back into ice cold water, drags herself up the harbour, and participates in Teo’s rescue, retaliating furiously when attacked by those who had at one point trained under her. This act demonstrates that Star Callers, even though they’re of the same ilk as Glyph Wielders, are still insanely more powerful than they are. I hope this scene moves you as much as it moved me, I hope The Ancestral Odyssey in remembrance (if remembered at all) is known not only for its collisions of epic proportion, but the personal drama’s and conflictions that stir from within its characters, characters that may very well be larger than life in some cases, but deep down are relatable at heart, for if a story is bereft of a beating heart, it lacks all the weight and gravitas needed to make it come alive, to feel real when in the hands of the reader. This is the challenge writers have if they’ve respect for themselves and their material, the challenge of making something emotional and tangible, something that feels alive. I’d like to think I’ve achieved such a feat, and one of the essential ingredients that enables me and perhaps creatives in the same boat, are people like Jilaine, people who can communicate in ways, in languages I am barely able to grasp, people who make my level of creativity look like something cobbled together by an amateur. I am humble enough to admit that I am jealous, even envious of musicians like Jilaine, who can whip up a theme such as The Thief’s Priestess using nothing but a laptop, a keyboard and her own voice, and give it a river of epic professionalism I only thought was possible from major studios; Not only do I think Jilaine’s work is on par with the bigwigs, I believe she’s better despite the fact she works from home between jobs. If huge establishments were to employ people like Jilaine, or give over their resources, their technologies to genuinely creative people and stop wasting time with those looking for a quick buck (buck sounds better than pound), I do not doubt they would be able to utilise their talents and create something worthy of high praise, something of merit and something to be remembered. The Thief’s Priestess is another fantastic piece of music, music that captures the spirit of The Ancestral Odyssey, the sensitivity of the scene and the strength of our lead protagonist of Ep1-The Utopian Dream, Isabelle Verano.

When it came to the layout of the video itself and the effects which you see displayed, the task was to simply communicate that I essentially wanted this video to be the exact same as the video that had come before, say for a couple of different slides, it’s going to be the same. Why? Because this is part of a series, it’s a phase, a family of work so to be speak and I am making sure that these milestones feel connected, that they’re consistent with one another, so when I start a new phase, you will see an edge of difference as if it’s a seasonal change. Jilaine has handled the music thus far, so her signature is secure. Ashley is on top of the conceptual artwork, her style is prevalent and easily recognisable while Alex is in control of the edit/effects which has its own sense of style, and I am of course the one creating the groundwork in which to grow from. Once I had prepared the slides from my end, once I was near in completion of this very article and readied all the socials, I sent the slides off in an e-mail to Mr Alex Hunt, a fellow H Productions associate and good friend of mine. I attached the labelled images with a detailed brief, same process as last time pretty much, but this brief was shorter; At this point, Alex knows the deal and how I work, so the pitch isn’t as heavy as it used to be. What was discussed in this letter and what we followed up on with a few WhatsApp’s, was what we could do with the image digitally, how could we make it come alive like we did with the last one? The answer to this question is simple, we had to work with what we have, and what we have is a lot of sea and a lot of sky – One would think that this posed a problem, in actual fact it was easier to make creative decisions. While the last concept was of a floor in Eran’s library, this one is out in the open, under the night sky blanketed with a galaxy of stars, and the Moon, so let’s make them sparkle, let’s make the water ripple, let’s gently sway the boat and perhaps create the plumes of smoke distort the air space around the tops of the temple, and Alex delivered.

I did mention earlier that the island in the distance, The Zodias Island, was on fire, in actual fact, it’s not on fire, the village of Penstrive is what’s on fire. Penstrive has only featured twice, briefly, in the books, once when Isabelle passes through right at the start with Honour Guard Thao Hikonle, Lucion’s father, and when she re-visits at the end, when it has been set ablaze by an unknown aggressor. Penstrive itself is a place for the renowned, the holy and their servants of Starillia to live, and for others of the faith to retreat to; It’s a small, simplistic settlement consisting of bricked houses, pointed slated rooftops, a central chapel, and an inn called, The Chanting Inn. It’s all situated a short walk away from Cathedral Alley, which leads to the great Column Temple. To help paint a picture of Penstrive, I’ve snipped out a description from Ep1-Dream, from Volume One:-

Across the shiny meadows and woodland areas, the large band of people followed Isabelle under trees and over small stone bridges spanning streams of gushing water. The path soon merged into a greater one, becoming a rocky road large enough for carts. The hills rolled over to reveal a small village. Isabelle looked up at the old, wooden signpost; it signified that this was the village of Penstrive. Small and built for convenience by the servants of the island, it was a grey place and quite lonesome.

The group made their way through the quiet community. Locals had noticed the visitors and were staring at Isabelle with envious eyes as she strolled passed. Women were washing priests’ robes, while the men worked on a stone tower of another cathedral and the children carried water from a well. They all slowed and stared, though Isabelle ignored the whispers and looks that became unwanted. The village although small had many residents; it consisted mostly of buildings of work, storage sheds squeezed between average-sized households not leaving much room for places of leisure, but for a single inn that stood out. It had a large sign above the door, proclaiming its name: The Chanting Inn. Looking back, she could see that people had dropped whatever they were doing and were now following her group with haste, having to jog to catch up. She turned to a priest who rushed forward, eager to listen or carry out a command.

So why is it on fire and who caused the devastation? Well, remember when Calias left Isabelle with a choice? When she went ahead and decided to row away from Teo on that pier, there was an exchange of dialogue between Dark Rogue Teo Liolas and Peacemaker Calias Harken, and it went like this:-

“She lies well, don’t you think?” mused Calias, watching her sail away, standing over his prisoner.

“Peacekeepers do it better,” sneered Teo. They both watched The Star Caller rowing out to sea, disappearing into the darkness, under the shadow of the lonely island. “You’re not going after her, are you?” the rogue asked, taking a steady breath.

“No…I don’t have to follow her anymore; she won’t make it to the temple. Her safety is no longer my concern. My hands are clean in this. I wanted to take her away, back to the city, where she could carry out her duty. What awaits her now is…What she deserves.” His words were soft; no doubt he had practised them for hours as he waited for his prey.

“Is this what it was all about, huh? Catching me, exposing her humanity? Strange way to serve your country, don’t you think? There must be something more to this?” implied Teo.

“Oh yes, there is, but that is none of your concern, not anymore.” Calias looked down upon The Dark Rogue. “I maintain the order. It is my purpose. I follow orders, just like you.” Teo had nothing more to say as he was picked up by two Glyph Wielders and thrown inside the back of an armoured carriage, the kind designed to keep dangerous prisoners locked inside. He was to be transported back to Xiondel City for execution.

Calias is not stupid, far from it, he is an intelligent, cunning villain able to outwit a Dark Rogue and halt a Star Caller; He knows someone, an agent, who is waiting for Isabelle on the island, he knows it’s someone who has a chance to stand against her, he knows that even IF he were to fail to bring Isabelle in, that a counter measure would be in place should she have decided otherwise. Either way, Calias knew he would be victorious and would have come out on top despite what decision Isabelle made. What he couldn’t control however, was Isabelle’s love for Teo and her ability to manage herself when toe to toe against a Cursed, against the agent, Miranda Simbidia, who was knighted by The Magpie as a Black Dove, who was carefully inserted into the orbit of The Eldor, who passed her over to Calias for positioning and tasked to stop Isabelle from entering The Column Temple, which she gleefully accepts, why? Because Miranda was primed to be the next Star Caller, but it was Isabelle who came into the fray, ruining it and invertedly taking away Miranda’s purpose for being. The Utopian Dream’s theme is about finding ones purpose, so when all that you are is taken from you, that would hit hard, Miranda especially, so it’s no surprise that she would jump at the opportunity to face off against Isabelle, she has after all received the same training, she’s a competent Glyph Wielder, a pyromaniac falling to the Curse; From a strategists perspective, Miranda IS the most worthy candidate to defeat Isabelle, there is no other (yet) that anyone knows of who could withstand Isabelle’s power, and Isabelle is a water wielder, also known as an aquamaga – Side note, aquamaga as a class of Glyph Wielder has not been mentioned in any book thus far, so that’s a little exclusive…God I need to get out more…So that’s it, that’s the set up that happens toward the end of Ep1-Dream, and what the concept is centred around, I cannot detail any further because the piece of music that comes next, the artwork that is to follow on from this one, happens to be the scene directly after. Nevertheless, I hope this essay gives enough context for the video, that the music captures the rich level of sensitivity and can assist leading you to that emotional place, which is one of the most heartfelt moments in The Utopian Dream. As I said, I do not write love, I do not write romance, but for an epic, acts of love are necessary because forming intimate bonds is part of what makes us human. I hope I succeeded.

Guys, gals, as always thank you so much for reading today. Special thanks to everyone who was involved in the making of this short music video, a work inspired by the ramblings of a fantasy author whose bitten off more than he can chew, I very much appreciate it, you’re the best. The next music video will be called, Isabelle’s Calling, I do plan on involving the same team to complete this vision and phase, after that I’ve only one more and that’s that for this musical series. Episode One-The Utopian Dream and Episode Two-Rise of The Black Doves are available for purchase, it’s true I’ve still the final third (Volume Six) of Ep2 to edit with Joyce, work has already commenced, we’re up to Chapter 53 leaving only 7 left, but we hope for a mid to late summer release. It is a very exciting place to be in right now, we’re in the final hurdle of Rise, this has been an incredible journey, one that I will never forget, one that I will cherish and there is still so much more I would like to share, so much more to this Ancestral Odyssey which is yet to be put to page; Such as new characters and groups, fresh ideas, intense battle sequences, intricate plot threads, great beasts, crazy creatures and wild environments, so much more to come, so much on the horizon that will all be wrapped up in Episode Three-Seeds of War. The site is yet to be updated, I apologise for the delay, my web technician is a very busy chap, he will get round to me when he is able to, just have to be patient. Links to the work and people’s specific outlets are listed below, as I said if you do decide to message them, please be kind and respectful when doing so. Thanks again, and I hope you come back for the next one. Peace!      

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

X (Twitter) – @MegasTeque

Official Website – www.taotequevault.com

Donation Page – www.taotequevault.com/support

YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nc_VEmC27AIz6pP51UVkQ Bitchute – www.bitchute.com/channel/x9K5vwi2SsNu/

Author Page UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

Author Page US – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

Isabelle’s Theme (Direct Link to Video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfMr6dONTPA

A Path Sewn by Fate (Direct Link to Video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3MgNYB8gss

The Thief’s Priestess (Direct Link to Video) – https://youtu.be/okCBM4Qd5-Q

Jilaine’s Soundcloud (Producer and Composer of: A Path Sewn by Fate) – https://soundcloud.com/jilaine26

Ashley’s Artwork / – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089622653877 Atlas Audio

D.W.Gill

[Book Launch] – Episode Two: Rise of the Black Doves, Volume 5

I’ve had a lot of difficulty starting off this article, it has after all been a while since I wrote one of these essays. Honestly, it is hard to know where to begin especially when so much has happened; I’ve deleted paragraph after paragraph for hours now, trying to break into this body of text, but thus far, nothing has worked, hence the cheap string of words you’re reading now, which I’ll admit, has warmed up my little black heart, maybe I won’t have to delete this, we’ll see. I guess the best place to kick-off this post is from when Volume Four was published, which was on the 13^th of February 2023. Since then, I’ve been working towards this day, just over a year later there has not been a day where I did not do something toward it, toward the launch day of Volume Five if you can believe that, and I am very, very excited for a whole host of reasons, which I’ll do my best to get through one point at a time, yes, I do have some notes handy. Before I begin however, I think it is fair to address the fact that I’ve been absent for a few months, truth be told I’ve been bogged down; I’ve landed yet another job, this one (which I may disclose at a later date) takes up the whole week, it exhausts me mentally and sometimes physically, requires me to know a truck load of rules and regulations and on occasion, it follows me home, which is not ideal considering my creative endeavours, but it pays well, comes with generous holiday time, my pension is being taken care of (not that I need one because I am not getting old) and it’s pretty rewarding; A friend of mine described it as a ‘Level up in life,’ which tickled me because life truly is like an RPG. Technically, I’m still in training, there is still a lot I have to learn in this position, but I’ve been praised for my time, I’ve been verbally commended which must mean I am doing something right, but with that being said, it has been somewhat of a focus over the past couple of months and who knows where it will lead in the future. You also may have noticed if you’re a follower of mine, that the website has had some minor touches here and there, nothing really big but I’d say worth talking about; The Later section looks a lot neater, more reviews have been added to the Home page, the icons in the top right corner have been worked on but just generally it has been updated, making it far more pleasing to the eye and I’ve still a few things to add to it, it looks much better on a laptop than a phone, but hey, I’m glad it’s running smoothly. The main change, however, occurs when you click on the Products tab, I’m offering an editing service where all you have to do is essentially e-mail me through a business address, please describe your work and what you’d like me to focus on, and we can perhaps formulate a plan. I’ve already picked up two clients which is keeping me sharp, I’m confident I can make their work more impactful, and it will be interesting to see how their work fares when published, either way it’s touching to be part of their journeys. I am still hoping to be more than just an editor, I’d like to set-up that Creative Consultation plan, where people can book thirty minutes of my time, where we can chat face to face via Zoom or Skype about your specific publishing route, we can talk about plot, characterisation, world/lore building, the hidden squirrel kingdom that exists between human and rodent realms, villains, heroes and so on. I believe I can offer some wholesome advice for new writers, and give over some tips for those who are already well on their way, and of course learn something in the process as a fringe benefit; Hell, we’re all practising creatives here, there is a lot to be gained from having such conversations, conversations which are best had face to face or in this case, through camera, because unless I know you personally, I am not coming round to your house, that would be weird – Jokes aside, on a personal note, I wish this service existed when I was starting out, or at least it be available on an affordable basis, so many mistakes could have been averted, so much time would have been saved if I just had someone real to talk to, and not have to watch vague videos online, or hope certain forums answer complex questions, but to actually talk to someone; This is of course the main reason as to why I’d like to set this up, I feel like it would be a great asset to have. I’d like to get the service straightened out soon but there is more red fucking tape to snip through than I previously had thought, plus it comes with a hefty price tag to initiate lift-off, a price tag which has had to take the back seat for now, because the laptop I am using is falling apart, it is nearly a decade old and the day will come when it conks out on me entirely, this has slowly become a priority but one I must address before I’m literally forced to go shopping for one, and I hate…HATE…Shopping. There is also new artwork in the making, sketched by none other than Mr Will Towns, oh how I’ve missed working with this legend of a man, having had to deal with ‘other’ people for so long he is literally Gandalf the White! Will is currently going through a house move but has agreed to crack on with a character concept, a character that does make an appearance in Volume Five as it were, and what better way to segway into this next instalment, so let’s talk about it. As always grab yourselves a drink, I just waddled over to my fridge to see what I have in there, not much as it turns out because I’m an animal, so I’ve gone with your classic tea, and for those who are trying to convert me to decafe, for those who think I’ve a problem with my caffeine consumption, I’ll say this:- You are a problem, nobody likes you, you’re a buzzkill, we get annoyed when you enter the room, we breathe a sigh of relief when you leave, everything wrong in this world can and should be blamed on you, it’s your fault everything is falling to bits, you are the ones ruining the very fabric of our society, you should go back to where you came from, stand in the corner and should be ashamed, how dare you! Minor spoilers for Volume Four ahead, I hope you enjoy Book Launch, Volume Five.

So, the book picks up exactly where we left off, to a certain degree might I add; The first chapter in Volume Five is called, Broods of Bats and Angels, it’s set shortly after the end of Ep1-The Utopian Dream, and it’s here where we’re re-introduced to Ridian Messiah and introduced to the Harphiar, who are a winged race of humanoids from a distant continent called Wequinox. This land became uninhabitable for the Harphiar due to rising sea levels and the influx of other apex predators both land and sea, so they were forced to leave, to find a new home amidst a bloody civil war between two opposing factions – They’re harpies essentially inspired from Greek mythology; One tribe led by legitimate King Yamoch Selsio has feathers, the others led by their contender, King Hadred Dratheskin do not, and this type appears to be more bat like and fearsome than their idyllic angel cousins. When the angels left their lands in the face of annihilation, not just from Hadred and his bats, but from other environmental impacts, they took to the skies and flew across the vast sea out of sheer desperation to establish themselves in a new world, to bolster their numbers, fortify their defences and take advantage and ownership of whatever land they could find; Yamoch, confident that his people were protected by their deity, Stratos, were forced to island hop and rest on the water’s surface, where many succumbed to nightmarish sea creatures, a drop in temperature or fatigue, taken by the currents. The bats on the other hand took their time in their exodus and pursuit. King Hadred Dratheskin and his Queen, Sheeka-Krie, commanded their army called the Batalista, to build a huge raft able to sustain their numbers, a base as it were where they could easily feed themselves from, rest and reach the unknown lands of Equis from a place of ease in comparison to the angels, who had lost the bulk of their forces in the escape; The brood of bats, could smell their victory and the end to the civil war, and the reward was to be a new place they could call, home. We met one of these featherless harpies in Volume Four, in Chapter Nine called, Raptor, right before Deacon Garla finds the Witch’s grotto within that honeycomb valley, nestled deep inside The Mountain of Bones. You’ll get to learn more about this harpy within this chapter, it may have happened in the past, but this method of storytelling allows me to expand on this character after he has made an impression which in turn challenges the reader not to judge too soon – His name is Xu, and in contrary to what you might already believe, he does have a redeeming quality, one that whence learned, will change your perspective on him, I promise, he’s not just a mindless monster. Moving on, if you can remember, the last time we saw Ridian on the page, it was at the end of Ep1-The Utopian Dream, at The Battle of Korthak Bridge during The Dovidian Covenants invasion (that is only if you discount the closing teaser snippet on the final page of course) and the year was 1512, this was the last time we saw Ridian; When he realises the war is lost, thanks to the intervention of The Dark Rogues who brought with them new black power based weapons and explosives, technology that Ridian had wanted to seize for himself, Ridian disappeared through the thick smog and evades Norkron capture. Two decades later (where Volume Four starts in 1532) and we’ve not seen or heard anything, he’s mentioned among our ‘protagonists’ here and there but beyond that, he’s almost completely absent. It’s not until THIS volume, the first chapter of Volume Five where we properly get to meet him again and just to repeat, this is a flashback event, one that takes place four years after the end of Ep1-Dream 1512, which puts this scene at year 1516, and believe me when I say, Broods of Bats and Angels starts out with some pacing and world-building, but quickly ramps up the intensity, the action and the drama while Ridian Messiah is at the very centre of play; And I love how he is able to dominate the page, how he excerpts his attractive, meticulous plans which inevitably lead him to his preferred circumstances, where HE gets to have his cake and eat it, where HE is able to govern and manipulate these powerful foreign Harphiar Kings and Queens at his will and for the cherry on top, he is able to deceive you, yes you, the reader! Even when Ridian is thrown into an actual impossible situation, a situation where no regular human being could possibly hope to survive, Ridian does, and he does it not through magic or some other writer’s claptrap, but through his intelligence, his forward thinking, fearlessness, outlandish technology and uncompromisable ability to negotiate. We had a glimpse of this in Ep1-The Utopian Dream, but during Volumes one, two and three, he already had come to power, you didn’t see it or witness it, he was already on top and General of the largest force (thus far) we’ve ever seen in Equis. In Ep2, well, technically speaking in the events that happen in-between Dream and Rise, we get to see how Ridian operates, and it was an absolute joy for me to articulate. There is a reason why I love villains or the anti-hero, and this is indeed one of them, somewhat of a rarity in our entertainment, I do not want to spoil too much because I’ve only just released this beast of a book, but like with our ‘heroes,’ our ‘villains’ have not been sitting still, how can they? I might not be the best fantasy writer in the world (not yet anyway) but one thing no-one can accuse me of is being a lazy-writer, the pieces are moving, everything is moving all of the time and to my mind, spending time to describe said events is not only an enjoyable benefit to the reader, but to the plot, trust me the events in this opening chapter echo and come to fruition in Volume Six.

Before I shift to talk about some of the other key story points, there is a usage of another language in this opening chapter, but it’s handled differently to what you might be expecting. Typically, I’d invent the particular language in my usual fashion, but I’d leave bracketed English subtitles next to the make-believe words, so readers get to read or attempt to voice a make-believe language, but still know what was being said by the character to avoid confusion; This time however, I’ve tried a different approach, allow me to explain. The characters that feature in this chapter are speaking their own language, and it’s called Harphiaron, but from the readers perspective, it’s in modern English. It would not make sense if the harpies were speaking in the same tongue as the humans of Equis, so this has to be addressed, and I am not going to lie, this is a daunting task, but a task that had to be tackled, so I got to work. I decided to make this language somewhat rhyme when spoken, as if it’s a poem, or something you could sing, they are birdlike creatures after all so that’s where my inspiration comes from, if bird men and women could speak, this is how I imagined they’d sound. I also gave the language a lick of something well-mannered and cultured, to give emphasis on the fact that these are or were a sophisticated race who ran into dark times which too can send humankind into a spiral had it happened to us, but I repeat, it is written in English. Bear in mind, Broods of Bats and Angels is not written in this invented Harphiaron language, but should this be portrayed in a film (I wish), everything would be spoken in the Harpy tongue, and subtitled into your preferred language, why did I do this you ask? Because it’s a complicated chapter, a chapter which has a weight to it, important world-building, and explains later events – To have readers squinting and trying to pick through a make-believe language when they should be following the story, is a little too much to ask of them, especially right at the start when all a reader wants to do is dive in and go. I understand the irony here too by the way, having just declared myself as not being a ‘lazy writer,’ one would think this is a lazy move to get around hardship, however as I just described, I leant on practicality and enjoyment over the insertion of another language – Don’t believe me? You should, because when writing the first draft of this chapter, I had completed a fair portion of it, all written in the new Harphiaron language, the same language you hear/read in Volume Four and Volumes to come. For example, flick back to Ep2-Chapter 16 – Eyes on Me, when we’re re-introduced to Draygo Dumear, a Dark Rogue running across the burning desert with his Day Owl, Limbo overhead. Draygo is communicating in the same language as those who appear in Chapter 26 – Broods of Bats and Angels, only this time the bracketed subtitles are in bite-sized, digestible chunks, where readers can dabble but at the same time do not lose any of the pacing. This I believe was the best way to introduce the new language, some people might criticise me for it, but I did it this way to keep readers engaged, a chapter this large written in another language is a bit too much, and less of a strain when it comes to editing. Also, I like the idea that Draygo, a Dark Rogue is using such a language (a language they stole, naturally) to communicate with his owl, which is of the avian species relating to a race of humanoids with wings, I think it’s a neat touch and fits in quite well with the art of storytelling. I hope you agree.

Back to it, Ridian Messiah has taken the time necessary to learn the harpy language (far better than Draygo), how has he done this if the harpies are new to the shores of Equis? Well, if you can recall that ending snippet, literally the last page of Ep1-Dream, Ridian says to Professor Atheriax that he will follow up on the rumours of sightings of winged men spotted on the coast, I quote:-

‘Rumours persist that winged people have been sighted on the shores; by most accounts, the coastlines are teeming with them. I must see this for myself, angles, or demons maybe, I will see.’

-Ridian Messiah

This infers that harpies from Wequinox had made it to Equis, whether they be a few scouts sent on a mission for their King or those who have gone rogue, it isn’t clear at this point in the story, but will be; I will come down on this point in later volumes, to smooth out this dip in continuity, but as it stands, harpies DID visit Equis before the bulk of their factions followed, and this opened the door for Ridian to either capture one such being and learn their tongue that way, or he sort friendship to learn from one another. This makes sense because Ridian has demonstrated in volumes prior that he is highly educated, can speak other languages besides the common ones, he has learnt how to learn efficiently and you could make the case that he paved the way for others, such as Draygo and the Dark Rogue faction to pick up the dialect within that spare 16 years. All of this is covered in a storytelling format in the book, I’m sure you’re smart and understand what it is I am trying to do, but this blog’s purpose is to offer you insights you might otherwise not get, so this is space where such information exists.

Beyond Chapter 26 – Broods of Bats and Angels, we kick off with the Star Caller story, Alessa Coldan, Donna Klade, Amanda Lesil, Kina and Kayna Serisa have finally left the safety of New Xiondel City; Having formulated a plan that was initiated by The Eldor, enacted by Alessa, but together they’ve established the tools necessary to track their beloved Big sis, Isolde Beatrix down, they’re riding fiercely across Krondathia atop their mounts. Alessa rides atop a brown, spotted horse called Hortensia nicknamed Pebbles (yes this is a real horse in real life, one that has rode passed my folks house in Wales many times), Donna rides a grey horse I believe, and is called Sapphire, Amanda rides a light brown and white horse called Olga, Kina rides a ptriva sprinter called Lightning and her twin sister Kayna, rides a tulkan bull called Thunder. This is one thing I regret with Episode One, when we were following Lethaniel and his crew, apart from Lethaniel himself who rode Seridox and Thao who rode Eliah, there wasn’t much emphasis on the mounts, which if I was able to go back, I’d make more of an effort to name them and give them more importance. Moving back to the Star Callers however, more specifically Alessa, she is as matter of fact based on a real person, someone I’ve had the pleasure in meeting and getting to know quite well in real life, it’s not a 100% direct translation from reality to the page, I’m sure when she eventually reads this thing she’ll raise an eyebrow, but the foundation of Alessa’s character starts with the real woman, who has a love for horses, nature, people, she has an adventurous streak and is embellished with leadership qualities – She is my go-to for facts on horses, traits of her personality do rise to the surface in certain instances, but ultimately I hope I’ve characterised an interesting version of her, a version not only the real woman can relate to, but for anyone else who reads Alessa as well. I enjoy writing Alessa, I really do, she represents the leader of the Star Callers, she certainly holds things together when the tension rises, and the reason that is, is because she represents earth, despite the fact that she says she is a multivariant class – A division of wielders that excel with the usage of all elements, she is actually (spoiler) profound with using earth, which makes her an earthenbound, but at the same time I like how real, how ‘down to earth’ she is; She may be this unbelievably powerful character, but she never gloats about it, she always remains reserved, calm but assertive when needs be, putting others over herself in all regions, a quality that all good leaders adhere to. Donna too is an absolute joy to write, she’s fire making her of the pyromaniac division; She’s brash, she’s fierce, she’s Alessa’s right hand, and without spoiling too much, she’s capable of forging some devastating casts, as we saw in Volume Four, when she unleashed Little Red unto the world – As aggressive as Donna is to her enemies, she’s very compassionate toward her own, which gives her a reliable softness you come to depend on as the story unfolds; Fire tends to do that, we gather round it for warmth, it gives us comfort and protection, but if used the wrong way or if we get to close, you will get burned, something that is destined to happen as Ep2-Rise unfolds its narrative. Donna packs a punch when one is needed, she gives the dialogue some grit and expands upon the differences between the Blessed and the Cursed. Kina and Kayna, the Serisa twins certainly add a unique edge to this story, this edge is not properly fleshed out until Volume Six and the reason I chose to handle it this way, is because it adds to the shock value and drama of the narrative. Call me superficial but at the end of the day, it is my job as a writer to entertain you; See the thing with writing is, is that it is not just about formulating a story in your head and writing it down, I wish it was that simple, in fact you have to arrange the events in such a way that not only make sense from a storytelling perspective, but you have to lay it out so that it is entertaining to read. For example, instead of dropping huge chunks of important exposition onto the reader, it is for the most part best to deliver such bodies of text as the story develops. This is not a rule set in stone, it does depend on your book and the style you’ve gone for, but for epic fantasies such as mine, where you’re dealing with different cultures, dozens of characters, otherworldly religions and wild ecosystems, you’ll feel tempted to get it all out of the way before moving into the juicy stuff, things like characterisation and significant plot points, but I implore you young man or young woman, do not give into this temptation, readers will not find it as engaging or entertaining, and you’ll run the risk of turning them off and away before they’ve really sunk their teeth into your project. You might have the greatest idea known to man, you may be onto a billion-dollar idea, but if your execution is not given much thought, you’ll end up missing out on everything that is fantastic about being a writer – So, tip for creatives, be careful with exposition, as important as it is, remember to deliver it gradually. Again, this is something I fell prey to in Ep1-The Utopian Dream, had I the chance to do it over, I would cut down the exposition and give the reader more time to relax into it rather than a bombardment of lore and history. The Serisa’s are an interesting duo, Kina is far more extrovert than Kayna, she’s a blizzera, ice division, a derogatory term brought up by Donna is, Ice Queen. Kina is also the huntress, given her ability to track and…Well, hunt, while Kayna is an inventress with a dash of windrush in her, a Glyph type who specialises in wind manipulation; She leans heavily toward the inventress spectrum however, someone who has the ingenuity to swiftly invent Glyph casts, while most others take a significantly long time to learn and practise the methods to develop something functional, Kayna is a wizard in this regard – Give her some focus, give her a strong enough motivation to dive into the books, and she will, and she will stir something up, it might not be perfect right away but it certainly does pave the way for improvement, making her one of the most important pieces to this venture. While Kayna prefers to be left alone with her books, Kina likes to be outside, their famous father (who you’ll meet in Ep2-Rise) spent a lot of his time with Kina, teaching her how to read the land, how to hunt and how to fight, given a pinch of Glyph/magic into this mixing bowl, a touch that Kina provides, and you’ve a pretty outstanding character, one you’ll find in Kina, but don’t be fooled, there is more to her than meets the eye; Behind her sparky attitude, is someone who masks a deceptive mindset, one that may divide readers especially when it comes to a certain scene that takes place in Volume Five. This brings us to the quiet one, Amanda, the one who has no dialogue, instead she uses sign language to communicate and as time progresses, she utilises another form to speak to her Star Caller sisters (just to reiterate, besides the Serisa’s, they’re not bound by blood, but by the spirit). Amanda is of the rarest division, she’s a mysterious, clairvoyant, someone who is ultra-sensitive to otherworldly forces, someone who is empathetic and arguably has the most vivid of Visons. This strengthens her decision to ride out of New Xiondel City without Elemential (Ele-men-tee-al) armour, it explains why she is distant, why she sleeps separate from the group when it’s time to rest, because she’s respectful of the thoughts and feelings of her fellow travellers, whose minds can be heard clearer at night, opposed to the day when things are busier; Amanda doesn’t ever want to misuse her power or invertedly glean something personal, she’s a kind and thoughtful soul who is often overlooked, not overtly powerful like Donna or as flamboyant as Kina, she’s often floating about as if in another world or riding between two, as if she is working her way through a problem, one that regular types cherry pick from to inspire social points while the intellects of the world are burdened by the indefinite block. Amanda is in actual fact silently doing her best to figure out what their antagonist glimpsed in their collective Visions wants, she is working on connecting with Isolde through the ether while helping her fellow Star Callers succeed in the immediate predicament. Together this group make an interesting dynamic, each one adding their own strengths and weaknesses to the rescue mission; They start out strong but quickly encounter strange occurrences, aged minerals exhumed from canals deep within the earth have somehow resurfaced, relics blemished with primordial traces of Glyph, creatures have been seen migrating and the invasive presence of the one they refer to as, the Glyph Specter, is closing in. The Star Caller story is the beating heart of Episode Two, as was Isabelle’s journey the life essence of Episode One, it requires the flow of the other stories such as Deacon’s, Lethaniel’s, Nielata’s, Glenn’s and so on to blossom into the flower I believe it is, but the Star Caller journey is the centralised story readers of this series have been anticipating, especially now we’ve encroached onto Volume Five, now that we’ve set-up the stakes and set the scene with Volume Four, things are set to get wild, and believe me, the next set of events begin to really unravel what Episode Two is all about.

Next on the list is young Nielata Vou; Where we left off with her, she was entangled in the web of law and order, doing her best to carve a path toward ending a civil war between the Raaminoto crime family and the Quai-Cyndel, two undesirable factions that have been at each other’s throats for decades, factions who have no intention on relinquishing their territories or calling for peace to spare the innocent lives of civilians; She’s also trying to solve a murder mystery, one of the High Councillors of Virtue, Cillian Landris, her former predecessor has been killed, and no-one seems to know why, how or by whom? Seeing as Nielata was once a detective for the X.C.W.D (Xiondel City Watch Department), it would appear she’d be perfectly equipped for this task, but little does she know that this is a different breed of killer altogether, someone (or something) she’s not encountered before, and it isn’t long before she seeks outsider help, guidance from someone far more intelligent than herself, someone who has a well of knowledge that far surpasses her own, and if you know Nielata SHE is the smartest person in the room wherever she goes. You’ll uncover this deliberating trait early on when learning about her character, and if you’re a human being with at least two braincells to rub together, you’ll know that this thought experiment can only end poorly, and it certainly does; Time and time again Nielata has to be told to slow down, to think before speaking, to rise above petty issues and to transcend her problem with authority, but she continuously fails. She is humbled when she is demoted by High Councillor Truth, the oldest and wisest of all the Virtuous leaders – Her Charity medallion is stripped from her person and she’s forced to think long and hard about her chosen lifestyle, forced to consider with whether or not she is up to the challenge, naively having believed that she could do it all by the book, that she can maintain a serious relationship without fault, that she can hold together tightly knit friendships and can show these dry old men who linger in politics who have been doing their jobs longer than she has been alive, better than they ever could! This is only scratching the surface of Nielata’s journey, the costs gradually increase as the story progresses until she is unable to recognise herself in the mirror, getting so embroiled with the tasks at hand she begins to get desperate and does things she never thought she’d do, all in order to savour the validation from others and gain love and respect from her peers and the surrounding populace, which speaks volumes in that or itself when characterisation is considered, but inevitably it all leads to a spiral steadily descending into a dark, lonely place, one where she may be able to live in luxury, but is cut off from those who genuinely love her, those that lifted her over their shoulders in the hopes she’d be something different to your traditional politician, that she could usher in real change, someone to adhere to the people’s needs instead of looking after her own. She’s a compelling character I believe, she might not be someone you like by the end of Ep2-Rise of The Black Doves, but I think you’ll be able to garner some sympathy for her despite her questionable actions, because at the end of the day, she is someone with an overinflated ego (and for good reason when reviewing her accomplishments achieved at such a young age), however even such people with so many flaws, spells room for improvement, development and significant growth, all of which is so satisfying to see in the payoff – We may take some time to get there, but it will be worth it before the final page, and Volume Five is the segment where a lot of her strengths and weaknesses reveal themselves, especially in the instances when she is orbiting the 24^th Star Caller, Telsi Canis Clewvier, a character that objectively trumps Nielata in every way and to make things worse, Telsi didn’t lift a finger to reach such a high status, nor does she even appear to appreciate such privilege, she just is, while Nielata had to work for everything she is and owns. Nielata is torn between getting results through the proper routes, which tempts her to go down an unauthodox path while struggling to maintain friendships and her betrothed. There is a compelling story here, beyond what I have described, something that touches deeper than most of my other characters, it’s not revealed in Episode Two, it is something I’ll have to work on as things develop, but as it so happens, this certain development sprung from an error I noted while reading Volume Four, post publication, I’ve mentioned it before, it’s not a huge error but something not only to take responsibility for, but fix, and to fix it I’ve started to weave an interesting thought experiment that will materialise in Nielata’s story. I’ll be sure to share more on this when it comes to writing my spoiler review of Ep2-Rise, though I cannot do that until Volume Six has been released and a substantial amount of time has passed.       

Deacon Garla was last seen leaving Lucion’s property in the northern regions of Krondathia, with Three. He had received some rather rigorous training to say the least, courteous of the Norkron Honour Guard, and we as readers were witness to some peculiar events, some of which have their payoffs and explanations within the boundary of Episode Two-Rise of The Black Doves, others do not, due to time constraints, and I know what you’re thinking, you’ve probably seen the size of this book and wondered how is time an issue? Given its page count, surely, I’ve enough time to see all my stories through to their end judging by their scale. Well, when I am challenged by this, I realise that it does make sense from an outsider perspective, someone who is not familiar with my work and how I operate, my volumes are slightly larger than your average book, each Episode in that of itself is a tome, a tome some people (Fenix) use for doorstops, however I often remind such people that this is not only an epic fantasy, I am trying to do something a little different; One such feature I include that most others don’t, is the sheer quantity of characters to read through and how they navigate this dynamic world, sure there are other authors in the genre that handle this too (I salute you), but not many! I am also doing what I can to merge genres, Episode One-The Utopian Dream was your classic fantasy, it’s violent and paints a vivid picture of the humans of Equis, but is still within the realm of classic with some rough edges, it’s not until Episode Two where we see a change, not only in the writing but in how it is structured, it’s still a fantasy, that part is very important it will always be a fantasy, but this particularly is friends with horror. I am in the process of writing Episode Three-Seeds of War which will be unique in its own right, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, you get the point. This is also, might I add an Odyssey, and as defined in the Oxford Dictionary:-

Odyssey (noun)

A long journey during which somebody has a lot of interesting and exciting experiences.

This is a big story. This is the only story/series I will write in my lifetime. I’m not a writer that can pump out book after book after book about different things, I do not think I am that talented, nor do I think I’m built that way. Looking back throughout my childhood, through my early teens, when analysing my behaviour, it’s evident that I always was going to be a zero to a hundred type of writer, someone who knows deep down what they want to do, and goes for it without considering in the moment, that this will come with some tall hurdles to clear and thick barriers to break through; Some valuable, humbling lessons will have to be learned along the way. Feel free to criticise my approach, because there are demonstrably better routes to get into writing, approaches I’d certainly recommend over my own, for instance, starting out small and working your way up to your dream project is a smarter approach; It is of my belief that whence I am finished with Episode Five-The Chosen Kindred, when The Ancestral Odyssey is completed, I will just disappear, nudging whoever is left out of my narrow readership with the odd article here and there, just to let you know I’m still alive, but nothing more, because there will be nothing left to read about Equis, nothing left to see from the characters, for they would have come to their ends, and so would I. Honouring the word Odyssey however, is important to me, getting out all my ideas and plot threads to give you a meaningful experience is important to me, and something I consider to be necessary, especially in a world where creativity is being suffocated, whether it be by the tightening noose of political correctness, by big businesses who are doing their utmost to commercialise/monopolise storytelling (good luck with that), or by the rise in A.I that are now capable of writing books, creatives are under threat. I’ve more to say on the A.I topic, but now is not the time to combat it, in another article perhaps which is in the pipeline, something to look forward to, or dread for that matter, that article will come, but I digress; Whether you grant me your reading time is of course entirely up to you, but I hope so, because there is something dear here that speaks to the human spirit, there is a beating heart beyond those things that lured you in initially, the epic battles, the attractive characters or the magic and monsters, there is more and Deacon’s journey speaks to both a soft and hard side of what it means to be human; He’s a significant part of that beating heart. Deacon’s story at that, is a rich one and one of the deepest in the series – His arc I believe, will be something seriously thought-provoking when it is finished, having gone through so much trial and tribulation, when you turn to who he was at the start of the series to how he turns out at the end, will be stark. We pick up where we left off but because of the flow of time, Deacon and Three have somewhat distanced themselves from Lucion’s house and is on his way to New Xiondel City, to return the Celestial Gifts (The Burning Blossom and The Cloak of Flight) to the Star Callers, and to hopefully meet up with Tharas, to live out a long, wholesome life. Obviously, Deacon does not know that all but one of the Star Callers is left in the city and will come across some decisions when he does eventually arrive. Side notes:- There is something Deacon does that mirrors one of my own behaviours, and as odd as this sounds, I wrote it almost without thinking, as if Deacon had always done this, like this was a natural part to the character, it’s true that a fraction of yourself as the creative ends up in each and every character, some more so than others, but it’s true, and this is one of those fractions; Taking a step back I remembered that I’ve always done this in my own life, and that is to spend a moment on the edge of a place I’ve been for a little while. Whether it be a house in which I’ve lived in for years, a place of work I’ve spent a lot of time at, it may not have always been the most pleasant of places but before I leave somewhere, when knowing that I am not coming back, when I can sense that end of the era, I take a moment to hover on that boundary between the old life and the new one in silence for a few minutes, just to reflect and to wonder about the ending of that chapter and the next; This is something Deacon Garla does too, you’ve likely noticed the behaviour in Volume Four, before he leaves Harloth, he falls into this trance on the edge of town, and because this is an epic fantasy, a place where embellishments can flourish, I’ve weaved in a reason as to why he does this. You’ll also come to understand the strange occurrences I promise, such as the old tools spotted in Tthenadawn Forest and why they resonate? Why is he seeing strange apparitions? Why does he struggle to sleep and why was it that he was able to topple one of the greatest soldiers Equis has ever seen in training, when he ‘supposedly’ has not had any combat experience? All these questions that may have raised an eyebrow during your first read through of Volume Four, have long been noted, have been thought out over a space of years and have reasonable, satisfying explanations, it’s just a question of how to execute their reveal – As I said before, you may not get the answers right away, but they will come. Another thing to note seeing as we’re here, you may remember Thao Hikonle in the first book, he too enacts a trait I myself do on occasion, and that is to observe the surrounding area or territory before wandering in. I’m not entirely sure why I do this, but in Thao’s mind it is to make a quiet risk-assessment. Little things like this slip in here and there, and as progress is made, the more books I release, the more I notice it…Weird…Yes, Deacon has a fantastic story, one that is loaded with some memorable action scenes, quippy conversations between some intelligent characters, one of which is the man who taught Jerhdia O’Nen and Kathina how to blacksmith and adds to some of the mysteries that litter this wild world. We’ve already met a living myth, a Witch who ties into the Mythorigin periods, we’ve encountered a Harpy of the Batalista, we’ve dealt with an oligarch, adopted an abnormal ptriva sprinter with three tails, handled powerful artefacts, fought, and defeated an Honour Guard, more specifically, he trounced Lucion Hikonle, Thao’s son from The Utopian Dream and shortly after saved his life from a fatal fall displaying an insane level of strength, not something you’d expect to see in a man of average height and slightly malnourished build and yet we’ve only just started. Deacon builds a syndicate of people, inhabits ancient living armour that touches upon a forgotten sorcery that gives weight to the history and lore of The Ancestral Odyssey; He comes face to face with a monstrous opponent with historical significance that bleeds into Lethaniel’s story, all the while operating with a debilitating weakness, one that we have not seen before, something as deadly as Serpents Coil. It’s an intricate story indeed, but one I know you’ll come to love as much as I have loved developing it, it’s intense.   

Moving on to an experimental phase of the story, and I really do mean that in every sense of the word which I’ll come to later, but before that let’s talk about Glenn Straff; We continue the mission with the Firehand, Bravo Pod consisting of Captain Lysander Istrel, Lieutenant Lars Coan who is also experienced with the use of explosives, we’ve First Private Hayden Barak, Navigational Officer Connor Meek, Private Glenn Straff the illegitimate recruit – A tight secret held between himself, the Captains, Sergent Nate and former General Isaac Willem Huather. And finally, from within the Bravo Pod, we’ve Medic Raquel Skolor and the youngest recruit, as green as grass, Private Jake Cody. They’re travelling across Krondathia via an experimental transportation vehicle, a Sky Carriage that is towed and lifted by a dragora (dragoon/small dragon), a dragora called Atlas, whose flyer is Dragonfly Zard Luthion, one of The Shields of Krondathia and Lethaniel’s new right-hand man since Braygon Augiene went AWOL shortly after the events of Ep1-Dream. They’re in search of the Professor’s Students, a mix of exceptional individuals who study a range of subjects, such as geography, archaeology, biology, and mathematics, they’re pupils in their late teens and very early twenties, who went out on an exhibition to one of many distant dig-sites strewn across Equis, but they never returned home or have had any communication with the civilised world for quite some time. Naturally, the R.F (the Requorn Forces) respond by sending out a search and rescue squad, a small unit in need of combat testing, the Firehands, Alpha Pod, led by Captain Gabriel Oamen, Lieutenant Pierce Lifner, Navigational Officer Griffin Wens, First Private Jared Vox, Medic Terrel Lion and Privates Zack and Zeth Droxten – The units task is to find and return those missing to Krondathian territory, but even they themselves go off grid, encouraging the R.F to send out the Pod in training, Pod Bravo, to track down both the missing Students and Gabriel’s Alpha team. The Firehands are the units that embraced the new black powder based technology introduced at the end of Ep1-Dream in the year of 1512, only now, two decades later year 1532, the weaponry has been researched and has advanced into an array of new forms; For instance, you’ve your classic semi-automatic rifle called, the Long Barrel Rifle (LBR), with an 8 shot round capacity, is capable of firing bullets up to 1200yards and is the standard issue (SI) of the Firehand unit. What’s interesting about the LBR, is that it has three models thus far, model one (M1) is what we saw in Ep1-Dream, a musket like device which at the time was a game changer, but was limited to a single shot, a lengthy cumbersome reloading time, decreased range in comparison to the later models, was prone to breaking and susceptible to poor weather conditions. The second model (the M2) improved upon all these prior flaws while the LBR/SI/M3/1200 perfected them, and it is the M3 which our Firehand protagonist Glenn Straff, prefers to use. Every soldier has to be highly proficient with the usage of this weapon; Same goes for the Scub Pistol, a small pot shot revolver piece with a 6 round per rotating wheel, a pistol that can fit nicely and discretely into a leather holster on a soldier’s utility belt – Don’t be fooled by its size or the innocence in its name, it is capable of break chainmail at short distances, and puncturing leather wears at greater distance. All Firehands are issued with a Scub with a few spare wheels of ammunition, along with some Fin Dynamite. Fin Dynamite is as it sounds, a black stick attached with a fin toward its head, the idea is that the fin’s curvature can assist with the hurl, to help guide the thrown bomb to where the Firehand soldier would want it to go, also the fin has the ability to be adjusted, the fin can turn into a sail and if thrown in accordance with wind, can travel with it and bend to such extremes that an impossible throw would become possible. An LBR, a Scub and a couple of sticks of throwing fin dynamite is part of the package when a cadet earns the right to wear the Firehand uniform, which suit is dyed with a wash of shadow grey, blotched with a black tarnish, slashed with yellow streaks. Next up we’ve my personal favourite weapon, the Trinity Pin-Pointer (TPP/M1/1250), this is a rifle given to those who take point carry, the weapon is slightly longer than the LBR-M1, they have a heavier stock to decrease recoil and can hold the largest number of lethally sharp rounds in a hefty rectangular clip that slots into the side of the body of the contraption. The special thing about the Trinity Pin-Pointer, however, is that it can fire a burst of three bullets per squeeze of the trigger, hence the usage of the word trinity, making this a necessary weapon in the Firehand pods arsenal, it seriously kicks ass. Next up are a pair of weapons that do not have as much page time than the others, and they’re the Blunderbuss and the Twin Barrel shotguns. The Blunderbuss is essentially a metal tube with a chunky handle and a squeezable lever for a trigger, it’s extremely powerful in short distances, its accuracy is awful but is frightfully easy to reload, not that one would have to reload after letting off a shot, because if used correctly, you’ll only need to fire the Blunderbuss once, and the target will be shredded. Same goes for the Twin Barrel, a double-barrelled shotgun with a greater range than our friend the Blunderbuss, but has a narrow surface area of spray when discharged, it’s also longer and heavier than the Blunderbuss and has a variety of shells it can use; This wasn’t featured in the book for bizarre reasons, honestly I’ve so much to think about when writing these books that unfortunately some things slip through the cracks, but the Twin Barrel can hold a diverse range of shells, that separates it greatly from its cousin the Blunderbuss. There are other anomalies that float about the arsenal used by the Firehands, this military type is in its experimental phase, for instance, Glenn holds a rather unique pistol called the Mozzer, which is scheduled to be mass produced in years to come, but Glenn’s pistol is slightly different, he has one of three models in existence with an extra round capacity, that one extra bullet may come in handy one day. LBR’s TPP’s and Twin Barrels can be given attachments, such as bayonets, bars to hold an extra cartridge on the body of the rifle and they can be equipped with simplistic scopes. Captain Lysander arms himself with something called a Scatter Gun (an SG) a customary combination of the Blunderbuss and the LBR, a hybrid almost between the two with both enormous power and a reliable rate of fire which will not knacker your shoulder after going trigger-happy. Then there is Margery, a plot thread that made its way into Volume Four, the suggestion of another projectile weapon that happens to be Lysanders favourite, named after his darling wife, a wife he talks about at various points in the book. Seeing as I’ve spoken in longevity about the weaponry of the Firehands which all is part of world building, I figure I’d share some light on Project Margery, why not give you a little treat to what’s to come; Margery was a prototype weapon in development for the Firehands, but the plans were ‘lost’ from among the Mek/engineers who were designing it, claiming that the schematics had been stolen. Volume Five reveals the truth of the case, turns out that it was indeed stolen by the pesky Dark Rogues who later show that they’ve built one for themselves, having assembled it in their base, Sentinel, but Margery is as matter of fact, the first railgun ever to be constructed by man, a cannon that cannot be physically held by anyone, or at least held in its current state, it needing to be wheeled around upon a cart that has to be deconstructed into a tripod to stabilised the velocity that is propelled from its barrel. It’s indeed a cannon but not in the traditional sense where they propel heavy cannon balls, and even though such types exist in Equis, Margery is a glorified rifle, one that is fifty times larger than an LBR, one that can fire up to four armour piercing shells capable of ripping through stone walls and metal shields.

This all may seem rather high-tech as you read this, I am aware, after all this is a fantasy where men still use swords, shields, bows and arrows, but it all fits within the context of the story and the world from which it comes; The technology is not distributed on mass, it only exists within the realms of the Firehands which are currently only two Pods large, which is approximately 28 to 35 men, not including those who make and develop their gear. The weapons themselves are based off our own rifles, as early as the musket developed in the early 1500’s all the way up to those that we used in WW2, the LBR/M2 and M3 for example, starts with the Garand, given the embellishments of Equis, Krondathia more specifically, a sophisticated medieval England, grown from a faith that admires the stars on the brink of a cultural technological shift into an industrial age inspired with an undertone of steampunk, given that and you have something rather unique I’d say, but something that marries well between the worlds of fantastical and the real; It is something I can see being worked out in this way, it is a world that would be cool to see painted in more than just words, I do have plans to have some of the cities painted by someone talented, it is something I look forward to, but for now, it will have to remain as the written word. So, what has all this got to do with Glenn Straff, well not that much in actual fact, but it is the world I’ve had to consider and build around him that he has found himself thrust into after a tragic event, all because when Glenn was designed back in 2005 or 2006 when I was still a pup with a bushy tail, I wanted him to use a rifle, and the consequences of the inclusion of such technology, requires a heck of a lot of world building, everything has to be taken into consideration when writing in such technology and it needs to be told in a way that gives over a sense of realism to the reader. The ‘event’ as described, is the loss of Glenn’s elder sister, Jessica Straff, who was killed most brutally by method of drowning on their family farm by a deranged individual noted as, The Drifter. When this man was caught, not by the Norkron authorities who could not track him down, but by Glenn and Denzel Suade, who sort vengeance; They caught up to him one day and enacted what they considered to be ‘justice.’ After the incident, Glenn adopted a look that Denzel cannot unsee, therefore Denzel refers to Glenn as Glaze, for the glaze in his eyes developed over the course of the harrowing murder, he was never quite the same again. As a result, Glenn joined the forces, joins a Regular unit, and works his way toward serving as a Private in the Firehands, and that is where we meet him in Volume Four, just after a promotion from Regular to Firehand, all of which having stemmed with the intent to prevent such evil to exist, to spare people pain he has been subjected to. Glenn is a brave soul, with noble intentions and motivations, a man who works hard, trains hard, is saddled with grief that fuels him and a fear of water. His story is one for the underdogs, one that escalates as the pursuit unfolds, and gets ever more unsettling the closer Lysanders Pod comes to Gabriel and the Students. They find themselves going from place to place, following something of a breadcrumb trail, which in turn leads them across the sea, over the Illnio Stretch, and into the country of Klaw, to an old industrial facility called The Hexagon, which was where New Xiondel’s Tram system was experimented on and developed, which immediately paints a picture in one’s head, as to what The Hexagon looks like, an installation stationed over a huge black swamp, a swamp home to the great vaurodile, a reptilian creature that closely resembles that of the salt water crocodile, an animal that scares me to fucking death, honestly, I’ve made a list in the ways of how I’d like to check out and being hunted by a salt water croc does not come close to making the list, so the idea of the inclusion to such a beast is a step toward that of horror, and the best place to start with telling horror stories, is to begin with a question; What scares you?

There is more to be said about Glenn’s path, but I feel enough has already been said, so I’ll leave it there after I put to bed a concern raised by someone who reads my work, and that is the step away from classical fantasy and into this new realm of ‘modern’ technology; She said ‘It seems a bit divorced to what I usually read in fantasy,’ and I’ll repeat my response here. First up, good, that is a good thing in my book, I’ve always wanted to challenge the genre, to push its boundaries, to buck the trends and show you something a little different, marrying genre’s or perhaps adding a dash of other genres (in this case, horror) is a ways in which to do that. Secondly, Glenns unit, or more specifically, Shield, Sergent Nate Kaypak’s unit is an experiment, the R.F is still in the experimental phases of training this new unit that use different tactics and technologies, they’re experimenting with the use of different weapons, the means of transportation is an experiment, the mission itself is a ways to field test the Firehands, the location in which they end up (The Hexagon) is an experimental base for building new technologies and what they ultimately discover from within The Silo is (you guessed it) an experiment. As the author/creator of this mess, I wanted to test myself, Glenn’s story is unique in this way and by the end of Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves, if this is something that is of a concern to you, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to where this breach of genres and technologies ends up, not only have I made sure it organically fits contextually within the realms of Equis, but I’ve made damn sure it doesn’t spill over and get more and more ridiculous, I am aware that even I’ve all the power into what content is added and when, there are still fundamental rules which I must adhere to, to write an effective story which you can be engaged with; I could ignore the rules of course which would result in a catastrophe, this is something I am not willing to do to maintain the integrity of the story, but I am someone who teases, someone who may push and ride that line. If you’re a follower of my work you’re probably aware that I’ve a problem with authority, I’ve also quoted men like Hanz Zimmer who’ve said:-

‘If someone tells you that there is a rule, break it, that’s the only way to move things forward.’

-Hanz Zimmer

I am still in agreement with Hanz, however the rules which he is referring to here are not those fundamental rules that track with world building; When world building for example, it is important you display a degree of knowledge in accordance with the time in which your world is set, such as what technology is currently available to this particular populace, what does the environment look like, what is their culture and value system and so on, when building upon these fundamental rules, not only do they paint a vivid picture in your readers mind, but you build the atmosphere of reality, a reality that sets the stakes. What Hanz Zimmer means, the rules he is encouraging creatives to challenge or break, are rules such as your common tropes, things like:- The heroes must always win by the end, or the man gets the girl at the end, that villains wear black and look evil while all the heroes are handsome and sexy and wear white and gold. It is these things which need to be challenged this lighter set of rules which have grown with the general readership and has over time become common practise. If, however, one wants to challenge the fundamentals, rules that ingrain the readers into the world you’ve created, you better be a good writer, who knows your shit, who has experience and who fills in that bend or break with a fucking good explanation. It’s a tricky business, it’s hard to do, but with some understanding as to what you’re doing, when you know what story you’d like to be told and are willing to do the necessary work to create something believable while treating the fantastical elements with respect, I am sure you’ll hammer home something worth reading. Good luck.       

Denzel Suade has recently sided with a young woman, a Whisperer named Jun Stella. They share the same goals and connect over similar interests, they both want to see the Master Professor, Caleb Atheriax brought to justice, having committed some serious crimes some of which are summed up in a chapter in Volume Four called, The Perfect Murders. Denzel and Jun want to expose him for the madman that he truly is and have him removed from power and see an end to his experiments, despite the fact that Atheriax has made generous contributions to Norkron/Requorn society, his grip must be released from all the industries he has his hands in. In order to expose him however, they need evidence, and Atheriax is smart enough to ferociously cover his tracks in the city, nothing ever gets back to him, he knows not to dabble with the deranged on his own doorstep, so Denzel and Jun leave New Xiondel City, to raid some of his hidden laboratories and deconstruct his findings at one of his most treasured dig sites, a site called, Dolphio. They believe that in Dolphio, they’ll be able to figure out his methods and hopefully find something incriminating in order to turn him over to the X.C.W.D (Xiondel City Watch Department). Denzel’s story compared to the others, seems a bit slow and isolated, this is actually something I would like to get into after Volume Six is released, the flaws, but in short, it’s not as big or explosive as the others to start with, after all Denzel and Jun do not possess anything special such as Glyph (magic) like the Star Callers do, they’re not entrenched in grand aspects of the world building like the Firehands with their tech or Deacon with his lineage to other ages, nor do they share any threads with any legacy characters like Lethaniel and Braygon who fought in The Covenant War – You could argue Denzel and Jun have a tie to Professor Atheriax, but he wasn’t figured out as an antagonist until the very very end of Ep1-Dream, and even then when the timeframe is considered, Denzel was far too young to be at war with Caleb, so I am not sure if that counts, but that being said, Denzel and Jun are on a rather lonesome journey together, they’re not trapsing across anywhere that we haven’t been before in the series either – Krondathia is a wonderful country, inspired by the beautiful English countryside and all it encompasses such as the unpredictable weather patterns depending on the season; If it’s winter for example it’s typically cold and raining, when there is no rain it’s misty and when the mist clears it snows over the woodlands, lakes and meadows both wild and tamed. If it’s summer…Well…It’s often still raining, but occasionally the sun comes out and it’s glorious. But I’ll admit, these scenes were a challenge to write if I am being totally honest, I didn’t have much to work with in terms of environment because you’re already familiar, and I didn’t want to give the reader (you) the impression that I was skipping out on the travelling bits and soul-focusing on the key plot points that move things forward, because geography, the trek is part of it, Equis is a character in that of itself, but that also didn’t mean I could get away with just writing filler until something of interest happens, I had to build, and it was difficult to navigate, because no one wants to waste time reading fluff, so I did the best thing I could in this situation, and that was to build upon the characters strengths, which is of course their intelligence, creating chemistry between them, hinting at sexual tension while exploring the challenge that looms over them – The task of bringing this unstoppable force (Caleb) down, and of course learning the fate of Denzel’s father. Seeing as we’re in spoiler territory, and don’t worry I’m not about to spoil anything with what is to come, but Denzel’s segments may start slow, and perhaps feel a little colder than the others, I assure you that changes, a U-turn does transgress, and when it does, you’re going to realise that all those insignificant innocent details you happily skimmed over, suddenly take on weight, making this storyline a contender for the strongest in Episode Two.            

Telsi has been tasked by Alessa to remain behind in New Xiondel City, while she and the other four Callers go looking for Isolde, to bring her back after finding out why it was she fled in the first place without warning. Alessa’s reasoning is simple, to maintain a religious foothold on their base, to keep the presence of a Star Caller at home where it belongs, among those who need spiritual guidance. This idea was established in Ep1-Dream, briefly, it was uncommon for The Eldor and the Star Caller to be in the same location for long periods of time, they tended to rotate around the country, for they are Krondathia’s guardians her mother and father so to speak, and must govern together accordingly, which in turn means they must spread out, one in the north while one is in the south to put it simply, so their presence is felt everywhere; Because Imrondel City is ruined, destroyed during The Covenant War, New Xiondel was crowned the capital of the country, the last bastion in an unsettled world; So, Alessa made a judgement call, while she, Donna, Amanda, Kina and Kayna are out, Telsi remains to hone her skills, she’s given a chance to build a following and to understand the complexities about leadership, to rule alone without distractions from her fellow sisters. It’s an odd play by Alessa, considering their relationship, and as fiery as it is, this act, I’d say displays a sign of care, a degree of compassion for someone who unlikely would repay it.

Tensions are already high on the streets of Xiondel, political unrest is bubbling, because Isabelle failed to deliver Celestial protection at the height of The Covenant War, and the people’s spirits, their confidence in this faith have been shaken which has turned them to vices, hence the uptick in the use of substances, the rise in crime, the attraction toward Godlessness and other sources from which power or comfort resides, such as putting faith in new technologies or trust in certain men with history and charisma; The idea that a handful will do everything for a populous is a questionable one, and questions are certainly being raised, specifically in Master Eran Othrium’s chapters where some of the main concerns are addressed, who better I figured to handle the rabble than Eran. In fact, I was challenged about this subject not that long ago, about why Godlessness or a societies spirit or lack thereof is a dangerous one. To answer her, I quoted a Russian essayist, historian and novelist/writer, a Soviet dissident who spent his life raising awareness of political repression:- 

“The strength or weakness of a society depends more on the level of its spiritual life than on the level of its industrialisation.”

-Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

I interpret this quote thusly, no matter how powerful you become, no matter the numbers, the level of technology and infrastructure, a country simply cannot endure let alone survive with broken spirits. Krondathia’s people have suffered, their main army was thwarted in battle against a covenant of forces, led by a ruthless man named Ridian Messiah, someone who always remained one step ahead of the Norkron General and his companions, and was able to mount his unified forces on Krondathian boarders poised for invasion; Had it not been for the valiant efforts of Thao Hikonle and his Honour Guards who held the massive force at bay on Korthak Bridge, had it not been for Catherine and Toula, the cunning Dark Rogues who stole Ridian’s black powder weapons while in transit, and organised an effective ambush, then likely Krondathia would have fallen, and the world from 1512 would look very different. During these desperate times, when it was clear that Lethaniel’s men were not getting the job done, the people turned to Isabelle, to Star Call their holy ultimas known as the Celestials, to swoop in and eradicate those who wished to do them harm. Not only did this not happen, but Isabelle failed to perform the star call and took her own life in the process, jumping to her death – This is why the people’s faith is scarred, this is why faith in old Norkron traditions is weak and why a new idea is surfacing, a new people from among the old has risen, calling themselves Requorns. The difference between Norkron and Requorn is simple, they may be of the same race, but their ideas differ spiritually, Norkrons hold onto older traditions which are born out of the faith, Starillia; While Requorns have chosen to side with man, and his technological powers. It’s the Requorns, Alessa is worried about, by removing all presence of a religious icon from New Xiondel would perhaps give over more ground to the Requorns, and Alessa, a Norkron is concerned about this, she cannot be in two places at once, so she allocates Telsi to remain, and that she does. Telsi is by no means serious about her position and status as a Star Caller, in a way she represents the generation after Isabelle’s, someone who is unable to appreciate her incredible gifts and privilege as one of the seven candidates, having been born into this state, she does not know anything other, and this has made her arrogant, selfish, rude, divorced from reality and drunk with power; I guess this is why I like Telsi, there is a lot to work with, she does start her journey as such saddled with said ‘flaws,’ but by the end you could say she is humbled, and has to re-work her frame, having to step outside her bubble and start to interact with others. In Volume Four, you’ll come to learn that she is building something, something that expands upon the powers of Glyph, a project originally thought up by Miranda Simbidia, one that was scrapped by Isabelle Verano and rekindled by Telsi Clewvier. For sakes of spoilers, I will not reveal the outcome of this study, but what I will say is that you get results that are nearing to a conclusion – Telsi may be a young, arrogant, anxious, irritating, prideful, disrespectful, troublemaker but she is not stupid, she is in fact highly intelligent and in some cases however few, more down to earth than Alessa. Telsi possesses all the traits of all the other Star Callers, her underlying power is recognised by Gaia’s Headmistress, Helga, and for all the shit Telsi has brought upon herself, there are people out there who believe in her, who believe she is worthy to be crowned Chosen from amongst the seven, and that is down to the shade of her irises, they’re purple, and the only other Star Caller let alone person born in Equis with the same iris colour, is Regina Corah, the first Star Caller to ever exist, and that IS important! While reading Telsi’s sections, take care, for within these sections something is transpiring, and that has massive payoff within Episode Two-Rise of The Black Doves, much like with Denzel’s sections I doubt you’ll notice them at first glance, but if you do happen to want to read the book again, you’ll see that it flows.        

Draygo Dumear was last seen making contact with Chloe Augustien on the northeastern border of Tthenadawn Forest. Chloe, also known by some as The Silken Spirit, is his former Dark Rogue partner and on and off again love interest that dates back to when they were in their twenties. Now, at 42 years old and she at 41, both having grown further estranged pursuing their own paths, it is made abundantly clear that even after the distance and sporadic meetings in-between, meetings that can either explode into expressions of fierce passion, or two people clashing over differences in lifestyle and choices, feelings still remain, in both Chloe and in Draygo, a relationship that is not well and truly over but stutters and stalls over every hurdle, whether it’s by priorities, principles or world events; Had the pair not have been thrust into Equis’s upheavals, the chances of love blooming increases, but then you’ve other things to consider, such as Chloe, she both loves and hates what Draygo is, it’s his abilities, his lone-wolf persona, his fearlessness and fiery attitude that she finds desirable, but at the same token it is these things that drives a wedge between them, for he has to keep moving, he cannot sit still and lives for the challenges life will inevitably throw at him, he won’t change, he can’t change for he is a Dark Rogue, it’s all he is good at, to give that side of himself up would kill Chloe’s attraction for him but unless he is prepared to sit still, there is no chance a life together would grow. While Draygo, desires Chloe for her ability to empathise, to heal, to understand certain plights, to be that security to retreat to when he’s scarred up and exhausted, all he wants is her, for things to be as they used to, but with certain complications (I’m not going to spoil it here) that can never be. It’s an interesting combination of pros and cons, there is merit for them to be together, while there is also reason to split, which gives this story an aspect of realism. This is not the focal point of Draygo’s journey, Chloe maybe an important piece but she is not the root of it, and I want to touch on this because I think it is important, plus it is something I’ve not eluded to until now, but feel like I have to, minor spoiler ahead; Draygo might be cocky, anti-authoritarian, a little brash, self-obsessed, and has a questionable moral outlook, but he is good at what he does, he’s a thief, a remarkably cunning warrior of stealth and a brute to those who wish to do him or those he cares about harm, but he is haunted, not because of his broken relationship with Chloe, not because of the nightmarish enemies massing on the doorsteps of allied territories, their strength growing in ungodly almost demonic ways, nor the change in the winds that is effecting every soul in Equis, he’s haunted due to a tragedy, a tragedy that HE caused, as he sort vengeance on a group of lowlifes, a group of men and a woman he hunted down who are a shadow of what Draygo could have become – Had it not been for wise men like Toula, Riagel and Frost, had it not been for graceful and devoted women like Catherine, Scarlet and Chloe, then he may have turned petty and rudderless, instead of someone with purpose. Draygo executed these lowlifes without mercy, but caught in that bloody crossfire however, was a child, a child he didn’t mean to terminate, had he known, he never ever would have let that arrow go, but it happened and will never leave him, so Draygo is not fighting for land or power, he’s not fighting for the prosperity of his Dark Rogues or Krondathia or Chloe, he is fighting to rid himself of his mistake, to make the world a better place for every child that is alive today. Confusing as it maybe that he doesn’t directly join the R.F, he is still selfish at heart and prefers to do things on his own terms. Fighting for this cause keeps him sharp, it makes him stronger, and faster than his opponents, it’s why he is so successful as a Dark Rogue and why he has survived so long, his body is riddled in scars, scars that come with memory. There are other elements at play here of course, for instance he enjoys stealing from those who think they’re better than him and more powerful, he enjoys showing large entities or iconic figures that they’re nothing and he is superior, its ego talking of course but still a trait of his character. In Volume Five, we continue his adventure, he finds Chloe, he updates her on the world outside that of Tthenadawn Forest, and convinces her to take him to where she found the wreckage of an ancient tablet in hopes they can savage the rest, for it was the first half she handed over to Riagel that instigated the raid he organised on the underground structure, a Driad necropolis which is/was called, Arosiphere, what Saphuries and her monarchy call it now is unknown but in time you’ll find out. It’s up to Draygo to discover more about the bastion hidden underneath the plains of Sand, it’s up to him to try and convince Chloe, the Silken Spirit to re-join the battle against the Blood Angel Saphuries and her rising demonic forces, but more importantly, Draygo has to put to rest his own issues, his own feelings between himself and Chloe and be the Redeemer he once was – For what is coming, in the dark days ahead, there is no place for softness, no room for sensitivity and love, only resilience, courage, might and an enduring strength every man, woman and child must find.   

Well guys and gals, that’s as much as I am willing to share for now, if I do not stop myself somewhere then I’ll just keep on going and going. Of course there is so much more I could get into concerning some legacy characters, but I feel like I’ve been overly generous in some areas of this essay however when you consider the size of my books, there is plenty to get lost in, I just hope this article will get you started, and act as a fresh reminder as to where we left things in Volume Four, it has after all been a little over a year since its release, feels like yesterday but that is the way time as an adult passes; Speaking of, I had Volume Five finished and ready to go quite some time ago, it was set for an early February release to mirror its procuring title, but it was around that time when my original Graphic Designer, Mr Mathew Bevan had to unfortunately take a step back, to attend to family issues, no hard feelings, these things sometimes happen, but alas, I had to look elsewhere for someone with the right expertise, someone who had the correct software, software that I do not possess and some time to put aside to assist. So, big thank you to Mr Oliver Richards (again), who stepped in when I was unable to find someone who understood what I was after, someone who wasn’t prepared to charge me extraordinary amounts for a relatively simple job, and who is genuinely a nice chap with a book of his own in the works, one which I am looking forward to reading when it’s completed. Thank you to my editor, Miss Joyce Bou Charaa, who worked like an absolute trooper throughout this process, you are a Godsend, best of luck with your own writing endeavours and with Volume Six; It’s significantly shorter than Volume Five but holy hell are the last ten chapters of Ep2-Rise something else with a seriously intense set of ending events! Joyce and I are working hard to bring out Volume Six this year, we are aiming for a mid to late summer release, if everything goes according to plan then the wait shouldn’t be a long one, and then you’ll have to endure me talking about Episode Three-Seeds of War for the next year or two, I am still struggling with it might I add, ironically I thought this would be a smooth writing phase, but to the contrary, it’s turning out difficult. Anyway, thanks for reading folks, I do hope you enjoy Volume Five, the second third of the second instalment to The Ancestral Odyssey series, you can pick it up from the usual places such as Amazon (link below) and Waterstones/Blackwells, you may have to ask for it within the first few weeks, retailers have a lot on their hands right now so they may need a gentle nudge, but in time it will be easily found, and I want to thank each and every one of you who pick it up personally. It has taken a long while to get here, it’s been exceptionally hard at times, but perseverance is the key to success, and I don’t ever give up, despite what people say about me and my approach. I am very happy with the results and thankful for everyone who has helped in the process, who supports me and reads my stuff. I know there is plenty going on in the world right now, so many concerns, tragedies, and distractions, which makes your gaze ever more special. If you’re a reader and you happen to pick up a copy, whether it’s of The Utopian Dream or Rise of The Black Doves in stores or downloaded, thank you ever so much, and please do me an absolute solid and drop a review, good or bad I’d love your feedback; Share some of my links or mention it to a friend or family member, that would be amazing and will help widen my reach…I was going to wrap-up there, but quite literally just a minute ago, Ashely McKenzie, my concept artist just sent me through a digital painting, one that will be going with the next piece of music in the next video – And it looks fucking stunning, the lighting is beautiful, the colours are rich and everything is proportionate. I’ll be sure to update you on the progress of this concept/music video called, The Thief’s Priestess in one of the next articles, this will almost certainly be the next project I will undertake, one I am looking forward to, but all in good time. Have a good morning, noon, or night, wherever you are, whoever you are, take care of you and yours, and I’ll see you in the next one. PEACE!          

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D.W.Gill

The Holy Trinity

I really did not want to post this. Having just written 66 A4 pages, amounting to 57,921 words, in an article (study I’d say is more applicable here) which required a lot of research called, The Exploration of Soma, I wanted to give this one room to breathe, to let it settle in for a while, to headline the blogs front page for at least two weeks – It is my biggest entry into my Taoteque Articles and I am not just talking about in terms of length, but also in terms of the subject matter. We covered a science fiction, psychological horror story in meticulous detail, quoted relevant characters, described research sites, added in my own insights and ideas, delved into ancient philosophy, read up on the book Aion, written by Carl Gustav Jung, listed religious scripture, talked about a danger the invention of A.I poses, made note of some Chinese folklore and Roman history, yeah, there was a lot going on here and even having done all of that work, there were a few things I missed, some thoughts I didn’t get across nor articulate and some very weird coincidences that draw parallel to what is going on in our own reality today; So I think you can understand why I wanted to let this one sit – But I cannot, for reasons I am about to get into, but before I get started with The Holy Trinity which unlike my last article which took many months to complete, this one WAS written in a day, started in the morning and published in the afternoon. I’d like to finish up on The Exploration of Soma, to gently touch upon some of the things I missed and finally close the door on this chapter in my ‘career,’ not sure I have a career but I’m going to use the word regardless. As always before we get started, grab yourselves a drink, compared to my other articles this will be a short one, it has to be because there are places I need to be today, my window is rather small but I squeeze in as much writing as I can as often as I can. I’ve actually come off the caffeine, and when I say come off what I mean is reduced my intake, I’m not a maniac who only drinks decaf. I’ve started investing in some of those fruit teas, last week I was on Raspberry and Lemon, today I’m drinking Strawberry and Raspberry, they’re alright I suppose, the aftertaste left in your mouth is better after your 10^th tea, but I was objectively drinking way too much caffeine, and reducing that intake is wise. Anyway, I’ll quickly cover some finer points of The Exploration of Soma, and then move onto The Holy Trinity. Hope you enjoy.

First things first, the reception to this study was better than expected, I didn’t expect anyone to read it in a day not to mention raise dialogue. Granted, I took time to respond to those who reached out, because honestly, I wanted to escape it for a while, allow me to explain; Usually, when I write an article, my head is in that space, from the moment I decide to write it to the moment I finalise it, my head is there, and upon publishing I am often very open to talking about it right off the bat, it’s fresh in your head, the subject is usually something easily engaged with, this is one of the reasons why I do what I do. This, however, was not your typical article, as I’ve already stated the subject matter was rich, very deep and didn’t leave much room for clear conclusions; Simply put, the questions raised and the problems highlighted were not solvable, rather more it depended on who you were as a person that influenced your outlook, so when people reached out to me wanting to talk about the mess I’d written, as much as I was flattered, I was exhausted, like being underwater for such a long time, I had just come up for air to breath. So, for anyone reading who reached out about Soma, who hasn’t had a proper response from me, I will make time for you. Generally speaking, thank you to all those who read it, thank you for your engagement, it means so much to me, I hope your investment was worthwhile.

One thing I do kick myself for, for not bringing up, involves The Writers’ Strike that is happening in Hollywood right now! You’re probably wondering what this has to do with a story like Soma? Well, in my Exploration of Soma, I talked a lot about the scanning of one’s consciousness, where you would essentially be creating a digital copy of that consciousness. What you could then do is upload that consciousness, the mind of that human being, into another reality or machine, just as you would a file floating around on your Desktop, you could copy and paste it as many times as you like, into whatever viable machine you’d have access to, so if you were to scan your brother or sister, for example, you could replicate his or her conscious mind an infinite number times. That is a very, very brief summary of what goes on in the world of Soma, very brief indeed. I know this is a big ask, but for more information on this concept, either play Soma or read my last article on the website or blog; I go into copious details about this, discussing the benefits (because there are some), the problems but more importantly, the moral implications surrounding this insane concept. It’s mind-bending stuff but I believe it is something worth talking about, because we are in fact living in an age on the cusp of developing such technologies; The more we know, the more we can understand before blindly wandering into this digital frontier, the better equipped we will be at avoiding horrifying dangers and fates worse than death, yes, you read that correctly, fates worse than death! I’ll leave a link to an article below that sums up what Hollywood is proposing, and one of the reasons as to why actors and writers (but in this specific-case actors) are striking against, but in short, Hollywood wants to use A.I generated replicas of actors for a day’s rate of pay, after said actor signs over their digital image, the studio owns that image and can use it in whatever they want, however they want, for as long as they want without consent. Should actors agree to this, the image will live on forever, being used in entertainment and God knows what else because at this point, I am convinced Hollywood is a disgusting pit, full of self-righteous pricks with far too much money, far too much power and hold little to no creative talent whatsoever, for every good film they do produce are a dozen or so awful ones. This circumstance partially mirrors what went on in Soma, replace consciousness with image, sure, but the concept is still frighteningly similar, and Hollywood, of course, has jumped on this idea, like a fly on shit they were all over it, and I am not fucking surprised, they seem to disregard all the moral dilemmas that come along with this concept for a quick buck, and I hate it! Bear in mind that Hollywood cannot even see that this effects them, they are too stupid to realise that they are shooting themselves in the foot, unable to see that this eventually leads to checkmate, and I’ll explain why; The big name actors and actresses we are all familiar with, those household names who make up a tiny percent of the film industry as a whole, they are propped up by extras, or background performers, people just as talented and creative as some of the big names, they make up the majority, I know because I was one, I was an extra, I know how this works, in fact I was in Wrath of the Titans, I was in Captain America: The First Avenger where you can see me for about 4 seconds (proud of that) and I was also in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. My first ever scene actually had me fighting that barbarian man from Gladiator, you know the guy who holds up a Roman’s head in the forest, yeah, I’ve had a fight with guy, obviously I won but they cut that part out of the movie, Ridley Scott was too impressed, but I digress – If you do not have extras, you do not have a movie, it is as simple as that. Imagine watching an epic film like Lord of the Rings or an action film like John Wick or Die Hard, if you remove the extras, you cannot re-create those worlds and in turn you do not have a movie, should extras scan their image, they work for a day, and that studio owns said image and can use it as much as they want. Where does this leave our extra, let’s pretend my image had been scanned back when I was a background performer, I’d no longer keep working with this studio, they have everything they need, can I go to another, no, because my image is owned by someone else, and I am no longer eligible to work as an extra. Bear in mind that many of the actors and actresses we know and love today, a lot of them started out as extras, off the top of my head, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon started out as background performers, but had they had their images scanned, their careers would have ended there, there would be no reason to keep working, and we would not have gotten all of their contributions hence fourth, whether you like them or not, they’ve made huge contributions to many movies and the industry; Last time I checked, these particular guys pull in the megabucks, they are ultra successful but Hollywood evidently do not understand how their own industry works, fuck’em! More specifically, fuck those who make such terrible decisions. Keep striking everyone, do not let these people getaway with something that can and will inevitably turn ghastly.

The next thing I did not talk about is the possibility of a sequel, and if there should be a sequel. I personally think that Soma is watertight, there is no need for a sequel, it says everything it has to say within the runtime it has and I am glad that Frictional Games (developers of Soma and the Amnesia series), have no plans to continue this story, I could find nothing on plans for a sequel or prequel, it would appear they are moving onto other titles, I’m glad. However, after finishing the game for a second time, I did miss Catherine, and I did miss Simon in the following days, my brain was doing what it always does and it started to dream up neat possibilities, asking the question, what if? What if you hadn’t switched off Simon two in site Omicron, or what if Simon two had an inbuilt back-up battery, so even if he was turned off, maybe he wakes up, maybe he makes his way down to the abyss and tries to find Simon three and Catherine, I do not know how he would achieve this without an Omnitool but a good writer who understands the importance of organic/natural writing, can make anything happen; Simon two is after all in site Omicron, I’m sure he can find away to build or obtain another Omnitool and make his way down, and reach site Phi where you left Simon three and from there you could perhaps spring board a sequel. When Catherine goes offline, leaving you in the dark, what if she were to come back, the game opening as it closed to that haunting series of beeps, and says: –

‘Simon, Simon you there, I need you.’

What if Catherine is able to break Simon out of Phi, what if you were then able to access a back-up of PATHOS-II’s consciousness, from the ARK prototype we found in site Theta, and use these scans to rebuild, starting with the facility of course by successfully uploading the appropriate scans into bots you build at Delta. Now that the WAU is dead, I could imagine the system would reset a to default setting, a factory settings perhaps before the A.I was installed. You could also take control as the Catherine or Simon four who are on board the ARK in the satellite, maybe this perfect simulated paradise has been corrupted, resulting in something similar to what we experienced in the first game, you could take it further. This is believable, these are possibilities you could play around with and are what I think, a great headway into a sequel. That being said, Soma is a fantastic story, if it never see’s anymore treatment I will be fine with this, but at the same time, I would be very interested if Frictional Games (no one else) expanded on this world.

Final thing to add about my Exploration of Soma, is the religious topic. I did do some reading of scripture relevant to the deep dive of the plot, I did read a lot of Carl Jung who I believe was a devout Christian, correct me if I am wrong on that one but I cannot imagine someone of his mental calibre, someone who speaks/writes so passionately about these subjects would not be someone who believes in the Christian faith or is a believer in some other fashion. Where this left me on my own beliefs or lack there of after having done all this work, was a question raised to me after it was published, something that I do not think I covered as effectively as I could have, so I’ll try again. For those of you who read this blog, you’re likely aware that I am not someone who believes in a religion, I am an atheist, I do think this life is the only one you get and there is no governing body or entity out there, whether it be all around us, inside us or in a place a lot of people call Heaven. For the record I am still an atheist, I have not converted, I’ve always had a love for some of the stories and art that comes out of such faiths, some of my favourite films as matter of fact are religious based. I’ve no problem with people who are believers, not at all, this article if nothing else has most certainly taught me to be more open to speaking with those that have faith; Where I once only had so much time for people who spoke of scripture, I’ve now a lot more time. Same goes for the astrological aspects that were mentioned, I love astrology/astronomy, I love the art, I love the ideas and concepts but that is as far as it goes, I would never bet on astrology, I would never take it as absolute fact nor advise anyone to do so, like it as much as you want, study it as much as you want because it is fascinating stuff when you get into it, I am actually surprised it is not a religion in that of itself, but don’t take it as gospel, ignore the spam e-mails, never give your money over to those people who make extraordinary claims and get on with your life, treating the study of astrology as a passionate hobby, something light that provokes interesting thoughts. I am a travelling atheist wanting to believe in something real, there, that’s my position.       

So; The Holy Trinity – What am I prattling on about now? In short, tomorrow is a big day, tomorrow is the 1^st of September 2023, and this is not only the day when I go back to work after some well-deserved time off, honestly it has been wonderful, to forget about the day job and focus on Episode Three, to play some truly brilliant games well into the night, go on early or late-night strolls and read some amazing books, but tomorrow is the day when The Readers Favourite announce the winners of the authors who submitted their work (into their specific genres/categories of course) for nomination. My work, Episode Two-The Ancestral Odyssey: Rise of The Black Doves, Volume Four, has successfully been enrolled, and unlike the last time, I am not only well prepared for this competition, but I am confident about this competition, I’ve a good feeling about it. The first time I submitted was back in 2016 with one of the earlier versions of Episode One-The Ancestral Odyssey: The Utopian Dream, which has been updated since then, many times. I didn’t expect to win, I knew the work was questionable, this was my first attempt, and as expected, I didn’t win. This time, however, IS different. Since 2016, I’ve not only been perfecting my craft, but I’ve been evolving my ideas, following the vision I have to bring you something new, something fresh and exciting to the page, something which truly stands out from the crowd within the fantasy genre. I’ve had the work edited by professional people and I’ve really taken on board the criticisms people have made, learned from my own mistakes and have taken even more time to deliver something worthy. I do not know when they will be making the announcements, but I’ll be checking them tomorrow evening, there are five medals to be awarded, if I am awarded any-one of these I will consider it a massive win, if you gain top prize within your genre it is a life changing deal, the possibility of my short film will become something of a reality, production on other projects will gain notoriety and the step to become someone independent could well be real. If you’re a follower of mine, I will write up an essay discussing the results, win or lose I believe it is important to talk about this, because even though writing stories such as mine, is not about winning something or losing, it’s not about being awarded medals or certificates, it is and always has been a love for the craft, to tell stories that will affect us and will change us for the better moving forward, to offer up new perspectives and other sides to life. In saying that though, being recognised by an organisation such as Readers Favourite can elevate writers/creators such as myself, you can use the recognition to land yourself into a situation where you can produce your art for a living, and that is what I’d like to do. This segways into why this article is called, The Holy Trinity because there is something odd happening here, something unique to me in my own life and writing journey. I’ll do my best to explain.

I’ve been working since I was thirteen, maintaining jobs I’ve never had a love for. But even before that young age there were three things, three things I actively fought my parents on (mainly my mother), and that was going to the supermarket, she had to drag me, kicking, and screaming to wheel me round the supermarket where I was in those moments, an awful child. Another thing I absolutely hated was going shopping for clothes, especially going shopping for school uniform because I hated school, didn’t have a good time, every day was torture, every day was a nightmare, I didn’t learn anything because the schools are set up to train factory workers, and I am not a factory worker, I don’t live on the same planet so I was at times, stuck in a room with a book; For the most part I was quiet as a child, but put me in a supermarket, take me clothes shopping or try and get me to go to school, I’d turn into something even Chucky would find terrifying! This is important because later in life, all the work I could get was (can you guess) jobs in supermarkets, stuck behind the tills or putting out groceries on the shelves. When I moved to Oxfordshire, the only stable thing I could find to pay the bills, was a job in a clothing outlet, I did these jobs for many, many years, and this last one, working within a school, completes that trinity, something I’ve called, The Holy Trinity. We all must pay our dues, we all must do things we do not like it is part of life, there is benefit to the grind; I believe I’ve paid mine, I’ve been building TAO (The Ancestral Odyssey) for twenty-years, setting it aside for heartless, passionless, dead end jobs, and I don’t want to do that anymore, I want to prioritise TAO full time, and yes, I know, I know, I’ve had many jobs since I was thirteen, from catering, retail, agriculture and film, I’ve had loads, (film being the best of them) but the ones I’ve been in the longest have been in those that I actively loath, jobs that make me want to jump off a fucking bridge the jobs in retail, working in supermarkets or with clothes, and since landing this last job, a job I fought for, to work in a school, although I do not hate this position, it’s much better than most of my prior positions, but it’s hardly something I get excited about, and I’d like that to change, I’ve been wanting it to change for a long time, like trying to break out of jail – The reason I work so hard, with the writing, making a website, working with artists, musicians why I spent all my inheritance money on a Live Action Trailer (Thank you Grandma), all of this was done not only to create a fantastic world and story, but it was to put me in a position where I could do this full time, because everywhere I go, every job I’ve had does not serve – With the exception of the film job I landed with Mr H, I’ve never fit in, never felt comfortable or felt content with where I am, this must change. The only place where I do feel worthwhile, where I am achieving and doing something meaningful, is by building The Ancestral Odyssey series, by working with other artists and creatives to make something thought provoking, something timeless. This is where I belong, not in an office or behind a till, everyday is a struggle – I do not nor did I expect anyone to hand me anything, I learned this in my teen years, no one is going to do anything for you, you have to do it yourself; Do the work, build your passion brick by brick, and eventually, you’ll find yourself on a platform where you serve yourself, and not someone else. This is where I want to be, this is what I have worked for, some fucking independence, and by gaining the recognition from The Readers Favourite, this dream, this way of life can happen, and it could come true tomorrow.

Thank you for reading guys and gals, as always it is very much appreciated. I know this has been a short one in comparison to my Soma article, but it had to be done before the 1^st of September. This has been article number 97, three more to go and we crack that 100 mark, I am very excited about this. One of my goals when starting 2023 in fact was to reach a hundred essays, and I believe that will happen; Speaking of, if you’ve any suggestions on topics, I’m an easy man to reach, do drop me an e-mail if and when you can, and I’ll most certainly respond and consider it. Before signing off for the day, work on Episode Three-Seeds of War, Volume Seven, has made significant progress, yesterday I finally tackled Chapter Three called, Freya’s Choice, which was a huge headache to complete, when you consider the lore, the history and with what has happened in Ep2-Rise, this was a menace of a chapter to get right. It will of course still have to be meticulously edited, it will still require many re-writes, this early on in the writing phase of Ep3, all the work will go through this treatment, but the important thing to consider at this point is that it is completed, the template is there, and it can only improve hence fourth. Ep2-Rise Volume Five, is making progress, I am working closely with my editor all the way from Lebanon to make sure we deliver a beautiful edit, a follow on from Ep2-Rise Volume Four, we talk pretty much every day, about the world, about the characters, the way in which it is written, I do strongly believe Volume Five will deliver on everything I’ve promised, then all we have to do is Ep2-Rise Volume Six and we’re done with that Episode, paving the way to focus entirely on Episode Three-Seeds of War, Volumes Seven, Eight and Nine…Fuck me, the work simply just never stops.

I did find time to finish the Amnesia series, I finished Amnesia: Rebirth last night and it most certainly surprised me. I think this is what my Halloween article will be about in October, I might review all four games in one sitting; That is a huge amount of work, but this is something I am genuinely considering and quite passionate about, they’re amazing games. I guess that’s it for now folks, there is only one thing left to do, wait for the announcements, wait for that phone call or that e-mail, I’ll certainly write about it whatever happens, but win or lose, I will not stop writing The Ancestral Odyssey, even if I have to struggle through another twenty-years, it will continue until it is finished, until Episode Five-The Chosen Kindred, Volumes Thirteen, Fourteen and Fifteen are made into books, and on that day it will end, but NOT before then recognition or none. Wish you all the best, take care of yourselves, PEACE!    

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com  

X (Twitter) – @MegasTeque  

Official Website – http://www.taotequevault.com 

Promotional Material YouTube – www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nc_VEmC27AIz6pP51UVkQ   

Author Page UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6  

Author Page US - https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

Forbes Business, AI generated Replicas by Siladitya Ray – http://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/07/14/striking-actors-say-hollywood-studios-want-to-perpetually-use-ai-generated-replicas-of-actors-for-one-days-pay/?sh=4aade2ab76b7

Minor note, I did not make the artwork used for this blog. Because I needed this essay done asap, I pulled it from the internet. Here is the official link. Thank you.

https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=Glowing%20Triangle#id=28C1A123DFCBAB5D220BE80A072D29AB328C8EC1

D.W.Gill

[Book Launch] – Episode Two: Rise of the Black Doves, Volume 4

Good morning, afternoon, or evening everyone, we’re back and good God it’s been cold out recently, really looking forward to summer this year, which is a first, usually I love winter over summer, especially October when the seasons really start to shift and everything falls into those auburn shades which happens to be my favourite colour by the way, it’s gorgeous – It’s nice just to take a walk alone sometimes, to take off and just be in your own head for a while, I love it. You know I have this weird system to know when the seasons are changing, beyond that of my own senses of course I rely on my plain red jumper, one that I bought when I was working in retail, but as much as I love it, I can only wear it in the winter. During the summer I would boil if I were to wear it but over the years, I’ve noted that there always comes a day when I put it on, go outside, I get about half-way to my destination only to swiftly take it off, or vice versa and have to go back to fetch it if it’s cold, it’s on those days when I know it’s gone from summer to winter or winter to summer…There is a useless piece of information to start this article off with, other than that I’ am happy to be writing again, it has been a while I know, I’ve lots to cover and am excited to do so, but before I get into this essay, I want you to know that I was hoping to post this much, much sooner than the 13^th, there are a number of reasons as to why I’ve taken so long to make an update, for starters I ran into some issues surrounding our overlords Amazon and my binding associates Ingramspark, I’ll touch on this later but I just thought it be worthy to note right off the bat…So, it’s 2023, it still feels like 2020 in all honesty, all you have to do is glance at the News or go online for an hour or two to see what the world seems to be spiralling toward, is it hell? The bowels of insanity maybe or something worse? I mean did you see the Grammys? I happened to flick past it when the performers were literally worshipping the devil or were trying to summon something from the depths of the underworld while the elite just cheered it on as if everything is normal. I didn’t watch it all, like I said I flicked past it but I bet if I had continued to watch I would have ended up with grey hair or an aneurysm. It’s almost impossible not to feel disgusted or appalled when you see what is going on, while we’re dancing and celebrating people who do nothing, in Turkey there are thousands upon thousands of broken families who’ve just experienced an earthquake, I read a few days ago that a little girl was recently rescued having been buried alive for days with her little brother who she was keeping calm and safe. I’ll leave a link below to where you can easily donate, I know money is tight for us, but these people are suffering, and even a little is a lot. I do hope this little girls story becomes famous though, let’s make sure she and her family are made comfortable from now on, let’s celebrate her courage and ability to survive, people like her deserve to be heard from not people who parade online (usually on Tik Tok or Instagram) making millions of dollars by disrespecting themselves, but this is all I see, we’re truly living in Clownworld, but that doesn’t mean WE have to be swept up with all the degeneracy, so long as we do our best to treat each other with fairness, kindness and respect, collectively we can turn this around, and what better place to start than Christmas or within the first quarter of the year at least. Speaking of which, I might have been the only asshole alive to decide to lose weight over the holiday period; Why did I choose to do this? Well, I noticed during last November I was getting a bit round at the midriff, I was feeling heavier in that area which is unusual for me because I rarely sit still, and it doesn’t follow genetically, my Mum is a blonde ninja and my Dad is Iron Man, so I lucked out in the gene pool, but this does not mean I cannot pile on the pounds and quickly fall out of shape, you have to take care of yourself whoever you are. I noticed the weight gain in the mirror while peering through the curtain that is my hair these days which is in need of a pair of scissors…Or hedge-trimmer come to think of it, and I said to myself “Huh, that wasn’t there before,” so I made the decision to go easy on the tasty treats and instead overload on blueberries and bananas, even made the effort to go on some runs late at night or in the early hours of the day while everyone is sleeping, and over time it worked, I’ve no roundness anymore and the blueberries have given me the strength to lift a car! It only took a couple of months or so (the car lifting thing was a joke by the way don’t call the government) but I’ve achieved a flat stomach again and combining the intake with some light exercises recommended by one of my friends who I swear descends from a Viking warlord, I’ve started to see a six-pack coming through, and it feels so good! Things like this have a positive effect on you mentally and physically, and if anyone is going through something similar, if anyone is struggling with body image or dietary problems and are actively working to become healthier, I’m proud of you, keep going, don’t give up even when life gets you down and ignore anyone who tells you otherwise, you’ll make it if you stick at it and you’re going to be okay in the future. These topics aren’t what I usually talk about on here, so if you’re new to my website or blog, I usually talk about my book work and the creative process, this is what I’m going to be doing today it is my specialty. I do love talking about films, games are a wonderful outlet, horror which happens to be my favourite genre especially if it leans into the science-fiction category. I’ve an unhealthy fascination with the Alien franchise and the Batman character, I thoroughly enjoyed the most recent adaptation directed by Matt Reeves, and I adore the bat suits Ben Affleck wears in Batman versus Superman, I know people give that movie a lot of flak (some criticisms are indeed fair) but there is a lot the production gets right, besides, Batman IS the best of the bunch in the hero department and that’s just a fact, I dare you to challenge me on that, he just is. Art in general is discussed here, I occasionally write reviews, this reminds me that I really want to talk about one of the most profound games I’ve ever played, if not ever since the last 30minutes of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty for the PS2; It really had me staring at the screen in complete shock, the game just waiting patiently for me to make one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in a virtual space, the game is called Soma, and wow is it effective, and terrifying, inspired by the book Aion written by Carl Gustav Jung which I’m currently flicking through trying my best to understand it, but holy hell does it get you thinking. Aion definitely is:-

“The book that will give you nightmares for the rest of your life”

Dr Jordan Peterson

Soma is a simple first person, puzzle solving, horror game with only a handful of characters therein. I love Catherine Chun, voiced by the wonderful Nell Mooney, she serves as one of the leads gracing you with assurance and kindness even when the nightmare gets real, but it is in the moments when she is unplugged from you, when the game creates a sense of horrible dread, something which is hard to achieve these days. When you do reach an area when you can commune with her though, as the player, you feel a tremendous sense of relief because you know she’ll be there to guide you through the next area, it’s in the silence however when you’re navigating this decrepit, underwater complex in the pitch black, tip toeing around monstrosities that I find hard to even describe, where you want Catherine in your ear. She’s fun, sassy, caring, logical and empathetic without her the game would be…Well you wouldn’t have a game… Soma, truly has made me lean into religious philosophy over the past few months, it’s the only game that has inspired some religious insight and astrological conversation from those who know the subjects, and for those who don’t know, I am an atheist, not because of certain trends or believe I’m above anyone else, no, I’m not at all above anyone, I do actually want to believe in something, I am constantly searching for answers and questioning things about myself, my place, what’s out there and why? And an atheistic stance is where my mind takes me, as if I’ve been washed up on an island and until a stronger more compelling tide/argument comes along to carry me elsewhere or if I witness something outside of our known reality that cannot possibly be explained with science and/or critical thinking, I think I’m going to stick on my island for now, to stay with this outlook however bitter and cold it might be, especially to those who do believe in an afterlife or some kind of higher-power. I’ve also started reading a book which will never be adapted into a film or an audiobook (this is why I grabbed it) because it’s narrative ONLY works in the one format and this is something I’m a little jealous of, it exploits a books unique power making it its own. When entertainment mediums use their strengths to the highest degree, it cannot be replicated elsewhere, and this stands out to me. If you’d like an example of what it is I’m babbling on about, check out my article 69 titled, The Irreplaceable: Final Fantasy VII. FFVII is one of my all-time favourite games, it’s almost insulting to call it a game as matter of fact because it’s a story, one of the best I’ve encountered, but what this story does better than any other, is that it uses the game aspects to tell said story in such a way that it only works in a gaming format. Do have a read through that article to get a better sense of this, even if you’re not a fan of FFVII there is still a lot in there that I think you’ll find it interesting; The same principles apply to the book I’m talking about, it’s called, House of Leaves written by Mark Z. Danielewski. From what I can tell this early on is that it’s all about liminal spaces and what it would be like to be trapped inside one, diving into a form of horror I had not even properly considered until now. I think I will review this book at some point in the future, it is well written and very compelling, doing things that no other book has done before, and you’ll see what I mean when/if you get into it. Moving on, one thing you’ll be quick to discover about my tiny corner of the internet are my enormous rants that will convince you I’m a complete psychopath – I wrote what was described (by a friend) as a thesis, on why Rings of Power, the new Lord of the Rings TV show produced by Amazon in 2022, is an absolute insult to what J.R.R. Tolkien envisioned, Tolkien, the grandfather of everything epic fantasy, a realm that only exists in the way it does because of him, and RoP is a slap in the face, it’s an embarrassment and the show and I, well we…How do I put this without using a string of swear words…Rings of Power and I, had a fight, similarly to the scrap I had with the final two seasons of Game of Thrones, and Captain Marvel, and Alien: Blackout, and the last ten minutes of the Resident Evil 2 Remake…Goddamn I overreact when I’m angry…If you’d like to read some of these rants and others like it, if you’d like to see how nuts I truly am, the best place to go is the website (it’s linked below), click on the articles tab and do a little scrolling. I’ll recommend the LOTR one called The Last Bastion, not only do I tear it apart but I dive into the roots as to why our entertainment is rotting, I go into a little history with where the corruption started and Rings of Power is simply a symptom of this dreadful movement, heck I saw the signs of this when I was 19 hence one of the many reasons why I am building my own untouchable series, but I never thought it would get this bad, but I do my best to explain in article 84 The Last Bastion, I did my best not to just break it down but to give reason why this is happening and believe me it was a task to write – I had to do it twice in fact, because upon the first completion, the file somehow became corrupted and wouldn’t open, so I had to start over. It was a nightmare, but I think it is worth your time if you’re passionate about modern culture and what is happening with our entertainment industry. Upon saying that, I think I’d like to change gears a little for 2023 and at times highlight some of these small accomplishments in life, the losing weight thing for example, because it is the little things we do on a daily basis that makes a huge difference. My God I’ve just realised, I’m three pages into this post and I’ve not even started with the meat of this article, I’ve so much in store for you today it’s hard to know where to begin, but this is article number 89. Beyond my book work this Blog is turning into an archive, a catalogue of essays which I am proud of. I think I’m gonna do something crazy when I reach 100 articles, like do a sponsored cave dive or base jump, whatever it is it will have to be something that involves heights because heights do get under my skin…Much like cauliflower cheese, fuck that dish!…Don’t get me wrong, I can handle climbing, I have willingly walked into stressful situations to test how well I’d fare, many people do this, I’m not special, but when you’re bereft of a safety rope so high up or when you find yourself among the clouds, that’s when I get a bit tetchy, that’s when bold becomes stupid and it’s at that point when it could all end with but a single misstep. Tell you what trumps heights though and that’s confined spaces, crawling through caves for example or having to swim through dark underwater tunnels, good Lord, if you asked me to do something like this it wouldn’t matter who you were, I’d tell you to “Go fuck yourself” or I’d ask for a huge, huge sum of money because no! The idea of being trapped, unable to move is for me utterly traumatic, it puts me in a panic, this only emphasises the bravery of that young girl buried in the rubble, I cannot stress this enough, give her anything and everything she wants from now on, I’m not kidding…Furthermore, I understand why people do daring things though, we’ve all done crazy things and there is a reason for this, and to my understanding that reason is to feel more alive, much like with pleasure and pain they are never far apart, it’s all about perspective. The closer you are to danger or death the more you appreciate safety and life, look at any scenario however wonderful it may be, there is always a flip side to the coin, the ying yang is real, the only question you need to ask yourself is; What risks are you going to take a chance on, and how are you going to increase the chances of your success opposed to failure? We all walk this path; the blanket is over us all. Not taking a risk might I add, not doing anything can be much worse than failure, stagnating at first doesn’t seem to have that much of an effect in the moment, but over time it’s horrific. I actually wrote an article quite a while ago now, it’s a favourite of mine and it’s a shame it doesn’t get many reads opposed to that silly Voyage Media post I made, which is my most popular one, yet it is my most dull; It’s article number 66 called, Be a Combatant not a Spectator, it’s about going for the things you’re passionate about, it’s about deciding to take a risk and enter the arena to show the world what you’re made of, it doesn’t matter what it is, whether you’re a writer, a musician, an actor, an athlete or even a gardener, it’s important you find that one thing and get out and do it, be a combatant, and yeah, when you enter the arena you’re going to get beat up, you’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to lose, don’t worry it happens to us all and it hurts when you’re on the floor wounded, but you learn so much in those moments, your behaviour defines you; Are you going to stay on the ground, are you going to let this defeat keep you pinned?…Hell no! It has been a while, years in fact, but my time to enter the arena has come again, I was crushed the first time, I’ve learned my lessons and have come back more prepared. If this were a colosseum, I’d be standing in that long corridor waiting to come out, I’m not a spectator at the moment, I’m a combatant, and it’s terrifying, the change is terrifying. I’ve been feeling a sense of this for quite some time not only with my passion project, but with my job circumstances. I’ve taken steps to change my current occupation, which was no longer serving me, it never served me creatively if I’m completely honest. As daunting as all these decisions are, I am so glad I’ve been making these moves, I was uncertain for a long while but now that I’ve landed a couple of interviews in roles that are pretty lucrative, enabling me to make a lot more money, granting me time away for actual getaways and the freedom to keep up with this creative endeavour – my sword and shield which I call The Ancestral Odyssey, I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to focus more attention on this passion project and so should you work on yourself, and if you haven’t found that passion, that spark, don’t go looking outside, this is a misconception because it’s not out there, it’s not in some far away country or in another town city or person, it’s IN YOU and it always has been. Anyway, fingers crossed things fall where they should for you lovely people, fingers crossed this new line of work can handle my craziness, not even that asylum in Serbia has the power to hold me, but that is a story for another time. Right, enough rambling because today is a big day, today is the day I deliver you a promise, one that I made over a decade ago, something I’ve been working on since 2011, I’ve gambled with something I consider to be the most precious thing we as human beings have…Time…And I hope it’s all been worth it but only you can decide that, all I can do is wait and see, but as always before you continue, let’s uphold our tradition and go fetch yourself a drink, go on, I’ll wait. I’ve gone with that Naked blueberry smoothie, seriously I think I’m addicted to these little suckers, grab yourselves something, come back and I hope you enjoy the first article of 2023, apologies it’s late, you’ll soon see why, it’s called Book Launch.

Today is launch day, what else can I say, today is the day I walk out into the arena (metaphorically speaking) and make Episode Two of The Ancestral Odyssey: Rise of the Black Doves, Volume Four, available from The Amazon Store in Paperback and Kindle Editions. There is nor will there be a Hardback Edition for quite some time because the Hardback will contain volumes 4, 5 and 6, just like the Hardback of Episode One: The Utopian Dream contained volumes 1, 2 and 3, the pattern will continue all the way to Episode Five, where it will come to an end and I can retire – To step away from everything, to log off permanently and live for as long as I have left in peace, knowing I’ve done all I can do. It is coming, I’m still a ways away yet, there are still many chapters to finish and hurdles along the way for instance, I’ve recently lost my editor, Mr Alan Hamilton for one, who departed from the project honourably and professionally. I’m in the market for a new editor, one I can afford and can work comfortably alongside. It will take time to find one because I am also (as previously discussed) in the process in training for a bigger and better job, and editors only accept huge sums of cash. I tried paying an editor with cookies and hugs once upon a time but eventually he had to hold up a sign that said, “I do not accept cookies and hugs,” to which I had to go to work in a job that at first served but did nothing for me creatively. Currently however, Volume Four is done, I am ever so happy to have arrived at this point, it has taken so much time, money, and sacrifice to get this far but it is finally available, please please please pick it up if you enjoy epic fantasy, if you’re into engaging, complex stories with a wide variation of characters, protagonists that are dangerous, impossibly strong villains, creatures large and small and grand colourful worlds full of wonders and dangers, then I believe this series might be for you, if not, that’s fine too, I recognise my style doesn’t sit with everyone, but if you happen to know someone who may be interested, help a brother out and pass a link on, that would be ever so helpful and I would appreciate it. On that note, I’d like to add that over the Christmas period I was working on a re-re-re-re-launch of Episode One, I know I vowed not to do this EVER again, but I found an error that just rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn’t sleep until it was smoothed over. The error was a typo, ‘lead’ which was meant to read as, led. Although I learned that this was partially acceptable, in the same vein as read and read sometimes referred to as an irregular verb (don’t you just love the English language), regardless I could not let this be, I felt the itch and when I tried to convince myself it was fine, it really wasn’t, it never is, when something is off, when something doesn’t feel right it tends to niggle you at first, but given enough time, that niggle turns into an uneasy feeling, it grows and grows from a whisper into a shout and before you know it it’s deafening. I know this, I’ve been through it, and the only option you have is to take action; Someone I’ve been speaking to often over the last few months, got back to me after I pointed this niggling doubt out to them, and they said “Duncan, who cares, it’s fine, people know what you mean, no one is going to be put off by this, calm your tits.” After pointing out the fact that I don’t have a pair of tits (if I had I wouldn’t be able to escape the shower), I succumbed to taking action and made the fix because I DO care about the quality of this work, so much so that I am prepared to go back to the start, over something as simple as a typo, why? Because I’m off my fucking rocker that’s why! Not only did I correct the error, but I went through the book again not only once, but three times and holy shit did I kill myself doing this because Ep1-Dream is huge, seriously you can use the Hardback Edition as part of your daily weightlifting workout routine, it’s a big heavy thing that sends shooting pains right into my chest whenever I look at it; One of my friends even uses it as a doorstop. A while ago I went round his house, I sit down while he makes us a drink and there it was, the book, not on his bookshelf where it was last, but on the freaking floor, holding the door open! If I hadn’t history with this chap, I might have been inclined to take offence, but fortunately I’m not made of marshmallows and let it slide. But I did settle down with the error, I got into the work starting on page one line one, I went through it chapter by chapter, I re-read it, refreshed my memory on the events and character arcs, re-published it in each format which is a bit pricey but this is something I will gladly spend my money on, and as a result I’ve grown to love Ep1 even more, despite its launch day back in 2016 being a complete and utter disaster. Despite it not being perfect like I had envisioned, it still serves as an effective beginning to The Ancestral Odyssey, eliciting emotions through its characters and core message found in the story, one that is far from over. I’d like to talk about TAO’s content further, but this was where I hit a wall with Amazon, when I was re-working Ep1 back onto the market. Amazon got in touch with me, writing one of those long e-mails that’s signed by someone important at the bottom of the page, I do this when I mean business too, except I go one step further and sign the letter in BLOOD so they know I’m not dicking around, but anyway, they hit me with an official letter, saying that they were concerned that the work did not belong to me, that there is a potential threat of plagiarism going on here. To sort this out they wanted me to check off a security list, to prove that the material was mine, but the list only applied to those who had been published via traditional methods. Of course, I’m not willing to go down that route, no one is going to tell me what to do, how to do it and in what order, I’ve a major issue with authority, so doing this independently is and always was my best option, and I told them that, that I was an independent. I provided as much information as I could, and it turns out that this was enough, I really shouldn’t underestimate my e-mailing skills, when I hit that enter button I do it with a fist dammit. The fear however stayed for a while, the fear of knowing that someone could quite easily take something away that’s so precious is a fear I do not want to experience again, it’s a level or two away I suppose from losing your child in a court of law, this feeling terrifies me, it literally freezes and puts you into a state of panic, and being left in that state for a few days at a time does nothing but flood your system with pure anxiety, I got a bit twitchy and at times paranoid, nothing is able to calm you down, not even my adopted cat, nothing, until the problem is solved, and thankfully it was. Once that battle was won, I ran into yet another problem, this one involving my friends over at Ingramspark and Volume Four’s title set-up process. The problem hit me once everything was sorted, everything from story, structure, layout, formatting, cover, table of contents both physical and digital (believe me this takes an enormous amount of time) it was all ready to go, and I began the publishing phase which is essentially seven to eight pages of form filling and uploading your work in the ways that makes it easy for them to manage. I wish it was a simple matter of drag and drop, but it’s not, it’s so far from that simple it makes me laugh so hard I shoot milk out of my nose, even when I’m not drinking milk this process is tedious and fiddly, but once I had everything finished, once I had gotten to the end of this stage and wished to proceed with the publication, I was hit with the error, an error that forced me to start all over again…Baring in mind I am also wading through the sea of job hunting, this hiccup was just another gut punch I had to contend with. It’s okay, I’ve been punched so many times in this field before I barely feel it anymore, it’s more frustrating than anything but it’s in these moments when I do question everything, I question the path I’m on, my endurance, my patience, it’s in these moments when I tense up and squeeze my fingers together…I had to start over, because the page count exceeded the limit in contrast to the trim size by seven pages. There really was nowhere I could go; I had backed into a corner; Either I a) Started over and re-plan with a new trim size in mind. b) Start over having shaved off seven pages or c) Reach out to Ingramspark to see if I could bypass this. Naturally I tried to bypass the problem because I’m lazy ugh I mean because I thought maybe there was a ways around it professionally, all I needed was the height to stay the same and for the spine to grow a fraction wider, but after some communication with Ingram (which took a week) I learned that there was no way around this, so reluctantly after the biggest sigh known to man, I rolled up my sleeves, re-opened the work in Word and made the edits little by little. This took…Ages…Seven pages worth of strategical cuts across both Paperback and Kindle editions is no fucking joke, it took forever, one day I actually went without eating, just a few cups of coffee and an old boiled sweet I found on my desk…It was raspberry, it was amazing, I want more, might be addicted, seeking help, I’m in therapy…But finally, that page count was trimmed down and this enabled me to continue and I restarted the publishing phase, this time it was successful and I was also able to find a Promo code that gave me a discount on the cost, which was a nice little bonus. From there I hopped onto KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) which is an Amazon service and uploaded the Kindle, only took me a few hours but I timed it’s release with when the Paperback was to go live.

Yeesh, anyway, that’s the incredibly dull story of what I went through with getting Ep2-Rise out, it’s always the last few bumps which hurt the most because you’re so close to the end, and hopefully this edition will be it, unlike Ep1-Dream which as I keep saying was even more of a nightmare and needed endless do-overs the most recent of which happened in December. Not all chapters are well constructed, some even with repeated do-overs are rather weak, but had I known what I know now, then I would have constructed it in a better way, but there is a clear beginning, a middle and an end, there is conflict here, there is mystery, world-building is at work throughout, there are intense moments and there is plenty of excitement to be found, as there is a compelling love story which certainly tugs on my heartstrings, even to this day it’s hard for me to read some scenes and not get a bit emotional. One of the biggest, most emotional moments for me, is the scene when Isabelle is rowing away from Teo on the dock, the Dark Rogue, who has been caught by the authority, a Peacekeeper. Teo is seeing her off to complete the final part of her mission and is essentially, caught, pinned down, not even a Dark Rogue could see him/herself out of this situation without a fight and is on his way to be executed, by a mean spirited man named Calias Harken – Upon rowing away, across this channel, Isabelle stops, she freezes, her thoughts, her feelings compiling into one singular act that defies all logic and reason. She stands up, having made the decision to destroy her reputation, turn her back on her faith, ignore her task which is so close, and dives into the icy water, to go back to Teo, to side with (from Krondathia’s perspective) the enemy. Teo and Isabelle had been separated before in the story, but this time it’s different, this time the likely hood of them seeing one another again is final, and Isabelle learns her most valuable lesson, that people, human connection, Teo’s love and the feelings he brought, is more important than the prophecy of a utopia, more important than glory and ascension, and I hope this translates, I hope this message didn’t just sail by because it’s not some prophecy or force of magic that will bring balance to this world, it’s love, it’s as simple as love for one another it really REALLY is the answer to all of this, it’s the way forward in Equis and it’s the way forward in our world and I stand by that. There is also a moment between our boys Lethaniel and his horse Seridox, and this one never fails especially when I know what happens in the future beyond Episode One; It’s when Lethaniel is surrounded by enemies, having walked straight into a trap set by Ridian, Lethaniel is outnumbered, outclassed, it’s a truly dire strategically lost situation to be in regardless of how skilled you are with a sword. Lethaniel has never lost a fight toe to toe, but he has lost battles before and this one was an insane wake up call, especially when children were used as human shields by the demonic Xavien. The only chance Leth and his men have is to fall back into an old, abandoned fort, to seal the gates and fend off the enemy as best they can with what they have, but the moment comes before the gates are sealed when Lethaniel realises that Seridox’s best chance of survival is on the outside rather than inside, so he makes the decision to let him go. This moment really does get to me, it was hard to write and to read, because Seridox is not just some horse Lethaniel rides around on, Seridox is his own character, he behaves in a way you’d come to expect another lead would, he has personality and preferences, loves and fears. When Lethaniel says goodbye to Seridox they both know that this might be it, that this is potentially the last time they’ll see one another, and it brings me and hopefully you to an emotional standstill. There are many other moments of course in Ep1 and so many more to come in future instalments that I promise you, but these two scenes thus far standout as an emotional anchor. Friends often say when I try to explain this “But you know what’s going to happen,” to clap back at this, most of the time I say “Yes, yes I do know, but not always,” that’s the excitement of the writing phase, you may have a plan or an outline, but sometimes the story or the characters you happen to be dealing with get trapped, sometimes your mind runs with the flow of the story and you lose control, and as a result, characters can fall when you do not want them to, and it sucks, it sucks times a million, it’s like they take on their own living breathing personas in the writing and will dictate to YOU what is to happen, there is a reversal of power if you respect this phenomenon, a relationship between you and your story, the stronger the character, or perhaps the more unpredictable he or she is, the edgier it gets when filling the page, because I try to embrace their character. Much like acting, you get into their headspace, it’s intoxicating, Ridian Messiah for example terrifies me, he serves as one of the main antagonists in Ep1-Dream and is back with a fucking vengeance in Ep2-Rise, he is so unpredictable, stirring a side in me that sometimes I do not know what to do with, there is no compromise with him, he’s dangerous, he’s scared of nothing and is always three steps ahead of those we are cheering for. This idea of allowing the characters more control in Ep2 was one of my driving forces and something I’ve been looking forward to experimenting with; Whereas in Ep1 I had to adhere to some hard rules, to tell a classic story to earn my way into this field, and even though I still take risks, if you’ve read it you’ll know what scenes I am talking about, but you do end up with the black knight versus the white knight, you do see a water mage stand toe to toe against a fire mage, you see a clash between those under the banners of red against those under the banners of green and blue. I had to reign in my creativity and let it out when appropriate and Ep2-Rise is not only my chance to do this, but it’s a celebration of the unbottling of creativity, I’ve so much to tangle with. I hope these methods garner the same effect on the wonderful person reading this article right now, as it did me when writing every day for 11 years to bring you to this point, I really am excited and would love to talk further about this next instalment, but before I do we need to rewind, we need some context. I do not wish to spoil Episode One: The Utopian Dream, I do hope you pick it up and give it a chance, so please read on from here with caution because I will be entering spoiler territory while explaining where we last left the world of Equis. I am happy to share this, happy to talk about this, happy to know you’re keen to read.

So, where did we leave off? I think the best place to start is with the key characters; Lethaniel Presian and Braygon Augiene. Lethaniel, General of the Norkron army, a Visarlian Knight (with the help of his friends, The Shields of Krondathia and the elusive Dark Rogues) defeated The Dovidian Covenant led by the cunning Ridian Messiah, who disappeared after the desperate battle at Korthak Bridge. Lethaniel and Braygon were last seen assembling in the courtyard of Xiondel City months after the triumph, to ride out, to search and to destroy the splinter groups of this invading force that were once unified and threatened to replace Equis with a new world order, one where the Norkrons of Krondathia were to be stripped of all power, and are instead subservient to a Covenant of rulers from different lands – Their Norkron wealth raided, their heritage burnt, their bloodlines cut, their faith to be scattered to the winds never to be restored. Ridian and his ilk have good reason as to why they want this nation destroyed, it is revealed at the end when a suspicion of doubt in regard to the Norkron faith is destructive rather than restorative. Lethaniel, hailed as a hero after the war, tries to convince Braygon to remain in Xiondel City, to rest after the ordeal he faced inside the capital of Ivulien, in the grand city of Davune within Castle Tithis, for within this fortress Braygon and his lifelong friend, Mathias Sious, had been sent to assassinate those who had orchestrated the invasion, to cut the head off the snake so it could not strike again, and they were met with otherworldly forces, forces they stood little chance in defeating; Not only were they outclassed but they witnessed the ancient dead rise before them, they encountered a masked man called Juroot Narsidous also known as the Magpie, and were toyed with by a young girl aged ten approximately, named Cephie Melias, with distinct blood red hair. She demonstrated Glyph abilities (magic) like they had never seen before, abilities that dwarfed the powers of their highest ranking Norkron Glyph Wielders could amass, perhaps Cephie was even more powerful than their Star Caller, Isabelle, essentially the finest magic wielder in the world. Cephie was able to move Braygon and Mathias effortlessly through doorways/portholes and manipulate the very fabric of reality, she was able to distort their equilibrium to the point of uncertainty and madness, but Braygon, the only one who was allowed to walk away from this fight for reasons you will come to discover in Ep2, was convinced it all happened, and that Mathias IS still out there somewhere despite the fatal wounds he suffered at the hands of the wicked Magpie, who used one the most lethal weapons ever invented, the Rapier of Doom. Side note – Rapiers are horrifying, when used properly they can slip through joints in armour, run through chainmail with practically no effort and pierce flesh like it were butter, it doesn’t matter if you’re stacked with muscle, it makes no difference to the tip of a rapier. People often gravitate to longswords in fantasy and for good reason, they are seriously effective and magnetic to look at and write about, they’re cool weapons and the go-to choice for most modern-day heroes, but in reality (and my Ancestral Odyssey is grounded in reality) rapiers would have a professional soldier strip his or her armour off just in order to move more freely, because that is what increases your chances of survival, you need to be able to move and move swiftly. In reality you’d put your longsword down and try to arm yourself with something similar, in Mathias’s case at the end of Ep1, he instantly knows he’s in trouble, he does not drop his weapons because that is all he has, but from what I’ve learned about medieval combat, the rapier is a weapon you immediately back away from, it takes an enormous amount of skill and courage to engage with it, your best chance (if not armed with a rapier yourself) is to try and hold the opponent still, stop them from dancing around and finish them quickly. Sorry, rant over, moving on – Once reunited in Xiondel, the pair, Lethaniel and Braygon, ride out of the gate together with a legion of Norkron soldiers and Dark Roues behind them, Riagel and Draygo in their ranks, they’re tasked to secure not only their own country, but the rest of Equis from Ridian (who was in league with the Magpie and Cephie) and what was left of his ilk. The year we left off on, was 1512. Braygon, promoted to Commander, believes Mathias is still out there, and to have a final confrontation with those he’s fought against, figures that he’ll find a lead or perhaps some closure to what he was exposed to in Tithis. As for Isabelle Verano, the 23^rd Star Caller of Krondathia (the High Priestess), she returned to the source of her power, to the Column Temple, the house that resonates with twelve Celestial entities, the Gods among us, and asks for their help. When they fail to answer her plea, when she fails to release them from their walls, she is shown a way through the temple, to the very top to where she sees the ruin of the world. Unable to live with her failure, unable to live without those she has lost and haunted by a nightmare she’s glimpsed through her fragmented Visions, she chooses to take her own life, figures that perhaps Krondathia need no Star Caller, that it would be for better for all, and leaps from the top of the enormous temple. When falling, her Counterpart, the cat Pandora having travelled with Isabelle in secret all the way from Xiondel City, watches her owner die, her green eyes lighting up before the death on impact leaving the question open as to what spell was cast in those final seconds. Krondathia may have been preserved thanks to Lethaniel, Starillia may have been left leaderless, the terrifying Vision of the future never to come to fruition thanks to Isabelle, but Ivulien is left without a governing body, Jureai and the Chimera Order fell in the wake of the rise of Chieftain Kronix, the leader of the maniacal Salarthian Clan, and his weapon Xavien also known as the Demon Man who grows hideous and more demonic with each day that passes, he who is under the influence of a Blood Angel, a terror hidden in the burning wastes of Sand who is yet to be uncovered and challenged by our heroes. Ledera, and most of its settlements are left wrecked, as are the hearts of what remains of our protagonists, each one having suffered the pain of destruction, over the loss of good friends and dear loved ones, but there is still hope, hope to salvage a win, and repair the damage that has been done, and it starts with riding out to meet what is left of the enemy; This is where Episode One: The Utopian Dream ended, not on the mountain of a heroes victory, but at a place of uncertainty in an aching world. Please note, that I left out an incredible amount of story within this description, this extremely brief summary of Ep1-Dream, is but a glimpse of what goes on and how we arrived here, there are so many characters and story threads I chose not to sew in, a myriad of wonderful and tragic moments which I believe gives the story its weight and power. I’ll admit the work is not the best by a literary standpoint, I was a very young writer when I created this book and also, I did not have access nor the network to obtain the best assistance through the editorial and publishing phases, but I did my best at the time, it’s a strong start and only gets better from here, because now ladies and gentlemen, now, I can speak plainly about what you should come to expect from Episode Two: Rise of the Black Doves, Volume four.

To start with, you will notice that Ep2 begins about 11 months after Lethaniel and Braygon left Xiondel City. During that time, they have been busy, they’ve been busy battling, cleaning up, doing what they set out to do with their new allies, the Dark Rogues (arguably my favourite faction in the Odyssey for a multitude of reasons), hunting down the splinter groups one man, one camp, one squadron at a time. Starting in Krondathia, in the lands our boys are familiar with, they strategically spread, sometimes they move as one whole or split tactically depending on the terrain and their opposition. The Norkrons systematically remove the chances of any formidable resistance mounting, using their superior fighting skills and technological weapons of war precisely and effectively, and with the assistance of the Dark Rogues, this happens all too easy, however, Ridian Messiah remains lost, his whereabouts never having been picked up after the battle at the bridge, and Kronix, Chieftain of the Salarthian clan always finds a way to slip through Norkron fingers. The more Lethaniel forces his way from landmark to landmark, the more ground he captures and secures, the more desperate Kronix and his dwindling ragtag legion becomes. When chapter one opens on the cusp of year 1513, you will be at Rivers Finn, on the border of Jureai. Lethaniel has successfully hunted down Kronix, he is nearby, his Red Snake army is close and ready for war, their final stand an inevitability at this point. All our heroes need to do is to engage and win just one more fight, all they need do is capture this last territory and the threat of war or an uprising would be eviscerated. I thought it was important to show this moment in the book, I think this is what readers of this story would like, to see Lethaniel and Braygon battling together as they once did as young men in their late twenties, because when you reach chapter two, you will learn that 20 years has passed, and the year is now 1532. They’re older, they’re wiser but does this mean they’re now less dangerous? No, in fact in both of their cases they’re stronger, less forgiving, grizzled and fiercely capable to deal with anything. Trust me, when you get to Volume 6 you’ll see how far they’ve come in terms of skill and power, how relentless both Braygon and Lethaniel are and how brave they have to be when you consider what it is they’re up against, because if you thought they had met their most ruthless opponents in Ep1-Dream, if you thought they had been tested, guess again because what is coming will frighten you, I know it does me. Also, the world of Equis as you know it has changed, not geographically, but there are new areas, certain places have advanced, other locations are not even around anymore more due to the war, but something new is happening, someone else has risen to power, and she is not to be underestimated, she’s a wrecking ball, she’s on a journey and she is coming for what you’ll grow to love. You can expect a reversal of power in this next instalment, you can expect to have what you know undone, and you can expect an ending (not in Volume Four) unlike anything you’re prepared for. The book is going to throw you off, it’s going to shock you, you really will not see it coming until it’s too late. Volume Four is a light re-introduction to The Ancestral Odyssey, I had to write it this way because it has been a long time since we were here, but from a narrative perspective it had to be tackled at this angle, it was absolutely necessary not just to start off the story in the strongest possible way, but to give the new characters a natural way into the readers minds. Lethaniel and Braygon are still our leads, but they do give over a lot of page time to a new cast of characters, characters I know will resonate, I would not have made them significant if they were not.

Not only will you be re-introduced to Lethaniel and Braygon, but you’ll spend more time with the Dark Rogues this time around, Draygo more specifically in this case, he certainly attains more page time in Rise than Riagel does, but you do get to see how the pair operate together and by comparison when they’re parted. Dark Rogues are great, they’re independent, witty, and brave, and when they are scared, they’re usually bluffing their bravery, but they have the remarkable ability to amass and cripple armies with but a fraction of the numbers, using stealth, strategy, new technology and the lay of the land to overwhelm their foes. Where Norkrons and Dovidians and other neighbouring nations use tried and tested strategies, influenced by what I’ve read up on, things like the Roman, British or Greek empires, Dark Rogues (although perfectly capable of working as an army when they’ve gathered the numbers) use tactics not written in books, they often act with a sense of spontaneity, they’ve often understood the lay of the land before even engaging in combat giving them the edge, this means they know what diet works for them, they know the inhabitants, everything from plant life to the lumbering beasts wandering around, they’ll use all of this to their advantage if needs be. Dark Rogues are not always honourable, noble, or always outright good, and will often break the rules and do questionable things to increase their chances of victory, making them extremely cunning and unpredictable allies and adversaries. This reminds me of a scene in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in fact, it’s the scene when King Theoden catches Eowyn falling head over heels for Aragorn, in Rohan (who wouldn’t, let’s be honest it’s Aragorn) and Theoden says when seeing the look of love on her face “I am happy for you, he is an honourable man”and then proceeds to explain why it was actually Aragorn who won the Battle of Helms Deep, or at least it was he who kept hope alive for Gandalf to show just in time. Aragorn was the one who displayed the quality of a true King and Theoden recognises his own weakness, only to later redeem it at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. It’s a good moment between Theoden and Eowyn, a testament to what they’re fighting for, honour, love and the future; But in a lot of cases in my own work, removing a few characters from this equation because there are honourable men in my series, but for the most part, my male heroes do not deserve that same sentiment Theoden gives Aragorn, especially for the Dark Rogues, they indeed are capable of being honourable and self-sacrificing, in the long run you’ll see in some of them that that’s their journey to earn such qualities men like Aragorn already possess, but mainly, Dark Rogues are rude, snappy, childish, dishonourable, pragmatic, cocky and they find loop-holes to win. In some ways I like it this way, for when they do act heroic it’s all the more impactful, because usually, they’re scallywags. For an example, I assume you’ve seen some of the Pirate movies, let me draw your attention to a scene in Dead Man’s Chest, when the Kraken is swallowing the ship and Jack Sparrow shows up at the last minute to make that shot, to detonate the powder when the mission seems lost. This is a brilliant scene because it’s somewhat out of character for Jack, we know who he is, we know it’s not in him to be heroic and brave, but this moment shows a level of growth and he IS in fact capable of saving the day, putting it simply. It is possible for my Dark Rogues, as mad as they are, to do the same thing, it’s just a question of when and how? Food for thought. This brings me to Riagel and Draygo, their dynamic is something special in many ways not only because it stems from a real friendship but it speaks their differences in how they approach life – For example, there is a reason Riagel dunks on Draygo so often, calling him a pussy, or a weakling, Riagel doesn’t actually mean these things, not deep down, Draygo in fact is the only one who has bested Riagel, Draygo was able to match Riagel’s strength with his speed and from that moment in their backstory, respect was assembled as it often happens with guys. When Riagel takes the piss out of Draygo, it usually comes from Draygo’s emotional expression; Draygo is in love Chloe (don’t worry you’ll meet her in Ep2), he always has been, but their relationship never found its feet, so they separated, but love always remained, despite Draygo not being the best partner, despite Chloe’s constant expression of concern, concern for his choices and line of work, despite the distance and other interests that got between them, they always, always no matter what the circumstances (and believe me the circumstances are extreme) have room for each other, it’s just a question of when they’ve the space and time to re-connect. Draygo never forgot her, he draws both his strength from her and his weakness, it’s one of life’s great conundrums; Speaking from the male experience I can vouch for this, the right woman has the ability to make you punch through a wall, she will stir up enough emotion that will have you fighting to the death just to see her, but this power can be turned on its head, it can blind you and fog your vision; For if she is in trouble, you can easily lose sight of the bigger picture and you’ll behave in ways that require a Riagel to slap you back into gear or sometimes fight with. Any male reading this will be able to relate, any male who has felt this way would sacrifice himself for her eleven times out of ten, it’s innate in us, it’s just there, it’s what we do, and this is what is presented in The Ancestral Odyssey, not in Volume Four although the situation is hinted at, but in later instalments given a slight Duncan twist. Draygo is fierce, he is swift, he is bonkers, like a crazed version of Legolas just without the beautiful aesthetic, and there is nothing he would not do to keep Chloe safe should she find herself in danger. This causes friction between himself in Riagel, where Draygo can be emotional, Riagel is the opposite, he buries his emotions, he bottles them, knowing that one day he will burst and feel the gravity of what he has seen and done, but he figures the time is not now, he must retain this sense of feeling for when the enemy is defeated, because the enemy does not harbour the same sister emotions, they employ evil and evil is strong, evil is corrosive and the only way to fight it, is to employ the same tools. This is the difference between Riagel and Draygo, Draygo uses his emotion to fight, while Riagel retains it. I am curious, what do YOU think is the more effective way? I know our circumstances are different what with us living in reality opposed to this fictional book but if you can, empathise with this pairs situation and ask yourselves who has the right method? This level of thinking makes Dark Rogues more human in a lot of ways, not saying the other characters aren’t human but where Lethaniel and Braygon have been trained over many years, typically entering routines as youngsters having the bad sides beaten out of them, Dark Rogues have come from the wilds and bizarre backgrounds receiving different conditioning; We’ve all a dark side, Dark Rogues (sometimes referred to as Drogues) just tend to feed their daemons more often than most of us, embracing their bad side instead of expelling it, knowing that the time may come where goodness and all its traits are powerless to stop threats that embrace the worst in nature. They embrace ingenuity, they’re adaptable and free; When we saw them last, they and their base Sentinel, which too is evolving as they are, were entrenched in the depths of Tthenadawn Forest, and their armour and weaponry was reflective of the environment. When we meet them in Episode Two, they’re scouring the burning deserts in search of an ancient evil buried therein, their attire has transformed from forest green into scorched earthen leathers and beetle husk hides, their diet has had to adjust along with their shelters and tools moving forward. These things are important, world-building is important, the environment dictates how we dress, what is best to eat, what inhabits the locale, what the people or culture is like and so on; It’s also a chance for you and the creator to show off some imagination. Start with what you know, so in this case if we’re in a desert or wasteland environment, roll up your sleeves and learn about said locations, make a coffee and have a night in, watch some documentaries, learn about the place’s history, the dangers, the creatures that live in that area, this is your base, this is where you as the writer begin. Once you’ve a good understanding of what it is you are dealing with, you can then colour in and what do I mean by this? Well, where reality can be blunt and set in stone, as creatives we can exaggerate, we can invent, we can amplify what is there and that is the beauty of doing what I do, I can set my imagination free, however, it is important not to go too far, you have to be careful not to go overboard to the point of absurdity, keep your ideas in check but remain playful, and this rule applies to every area you find your characters in. This is what draws the lines in the sand between what makes a good writer and a great one, it’s knowing on somewhat of a spiritual level, when to push the strides in your imagination and when to rein them in. It is actually easier to paint an environment similar to that which we have here on Earth because you have a starting point, you’ve an example, it’s when you try to invent places totally made up from scratch that is a challenge. I’ll face this task in Episode Four-Rainbow Dawn, if you’ve read Ep1-The Utopian Dream, you would have heard stories about The Realm of Theed and one day you will go there, but it’s still a concept right now, it’s still ethereal in my own head, it has a history, sure, when it was part of the Mythorigin timeline it was once a beautiful place, that much is clear, but what it is currently in The Ancestral Odyssey period, it’s a dark, mysterious country, a country few have gone to and returned from successfully undamaged both mentally and physically. I’ve been edging closer to what Theed looks like and I’ve some wicked ideas in the works as to what environment it will shape itself into, I’ve been asking questions for years such as; What lingers in the mist and in its deepest crevices? How do you get there? And what is at its core? I’m making progress with it, some of the gaps have been filled in, but I’ve still a lot of work to do, we’ve still Ep2 and 3 to get through, we’ve time. This aside, I am looking forward to delivering you more of the story surrounding the Dark Rogues, they being rather elusive in Episode One, the reader unsure with whether or not they could be trusted, and although that aspect is still alive and present in Rise, you will see them in a new light, see them come face to face with forces that even they may shy away from, and struggle to fight. Not all battles can be fought with by blades, bows, speed and strength, sometimes the demons live and manifest inside us, and that to me is a battle infinitely harder than the physical, and that is what I believe is the ultimate test of a man or woman on the path to becoming heroic – Learning to master yourself, make peace with the past, living in the moment and preparing for the future. So, let’s take this emotional battle further, imagine an entity that can exploit your greatest fears, your biggest insecurities and crippling weaknesses and with those that reside in friends and loved ones; Should a being possess such powers, to reach inside and toy with you on an intimate, emotional level, able to walk through the door into your dreams, invade your most private memories, just imagine the damage it could do should it be malevolent, and then ask the very real, very serious question; What could it be after? What makes the individual, man, woman, or child so significant, that a being of such powers wishes to manipulate, change or extract, to what end and for what purpose? To me, that’s terrifying and even though you may not get all the answers in Volume Four, you most certainly will be given a dose, and by the end of Volume 6, it will all be made clear leaving YOU the reader (hopefully) with two words, two words that scare the shit out of me…What now?

There are a host more characters which I am excited to introduce, some from a creation stand-point are older than those who appeared in Episode One-The Utopian Dream, remember, the first vision I had for The Ancestral Odyssey started with Episode Three-Seeds of War, but when I got round to starting it in University, in 2007, I realised I could not just have them as they were, they needed building, they needed establishing and to fit around the world they were born into – So that was the reason I went back twenty-years, I needed some history, so when they were to enter the frame, it would come across as natural, fluid, and organic opposed to just being dropped into the fray. Sorry to digress; They’re all great characters in their own right, all with admirable qualities and flaws, no character is perfect, none are beyond defeat, I do have a Documentary I made a few years ago that covers them in greater detail, it came out the same time as my Live-Action Trailer, both can be found on my Bitchute, YouTube and website, so if you’ve some time to kill, do have a look, I don’t expect you to sit through it on such a glorious day, I’ve just looked outside and it is nice out; Links are below for convenience, the Documentary is called The Making of RISE: A Year for a Moment, it’s a little over an hour long, I made it using deleted footage from a Sony PXW FS7, and a handful of mobile phones. The trailer, although it’s only a few minutes long took me a year to make, longer to save up for, to put it together, to pay the cast and crew, to location scout, storyboard and so on. It almost destroyed me making this, I had many sleepless nights and days where I wanted to just throw in the towel and quit, but fortunately I didn’t, and I’d do it all again, because it’s what I love doing. A lot of thought and care has gone into this, and I know you’ll like the new cast in Rise, even if they do questionable things they’re compelling and so different from one another. I’d like to cover Nielata Vou to start with because she is someone you have actually already met. If you’ve read Ep1-Dream allow me to take you back to Chapter 52 – Blood Before Gold, remember the baby girl who washed up on the shores of Cuether, picked up by Jeffery Vou who was recently threatened by Lourd, the leader of the Long Coats who wields a goliath spear with enormous reach? Nielata was that baby in the basket, now she has grown up and she has not been sitting still, she goes from being one of the brightest students through education, finds herself enrolling in the Gaia Academy (Gaia – the Glaphiar Arts Institution Academy) on the path to becoming a Glyph Wielder which she eventually achieves in her late teens, and is tenacious enough to push forward to a higher status among her peers. When we meet Nielata for the first time, she is on her way to becoming one of the twelve High Councillors, one of the highest positions in Krondathia short of The Eldor and Star Caller, not to mention she worked as a X.C.W.D. detective (Xiondel City Watch Department), for a year; She’s a high achiever, she is reaching for the stars with so much ambition inside of her, but with all this accomplishment, it has opened a door of jealousy, jealousy toward those small few with more status than her, she suffers from a mild case of delusion of a perfect life having gone through it ticking off boxes, instead of actually having experienced real emotional moments, she may think like she has but she’s still young, so accomplished it’s partially blinded her from what IS important, such as genuine relationships built upon powerful connections, instead she seems to be trapped in something artificial, something forced and rushed only to fill a void she feels within, and this textbook, clinical lens she uses, is her downfall.

We’ve Glenn Straff, a farm boy born in Pura, raised in Krondathia. If you would like to know where Lethaniel’s precious bottle of red wine came from, Bilineenya, it comes from the Glazed Vineyards, where Glenn and his family are from. Glenn is your best friend, he’s the man to fall back on, he’s optimistic, noble, and level-headed. He’s one of the leads in Ep2-Rise and delivers a powerful side to the story. He’s an underdog, often outshined by men larger than life existing in a new unit, one that uses black powder-based weapons, rifles, pistols, and explosives. Again, I do not mean to pull you back to Ep1-Dream, if anything I want to get away from it, but it was the utilisation of new technologies and weapons that turned the tide of the war in Norkron (Krondathia’s) favour. Well, these primitive rifles that were once similar to the musket of our time, have been given passage to advance, and because this is a fantasy, because I am not fastened to the walls of reality, I have taken slight liberties with the advancement of such technology while also keeping it within the realms of believability. Glenn’s pod, the Firehands, are not walking around with modern-day weaponry that would make swords and shields obsolete, no, they are armed with a variety of different rifles depending on their combat style and skill level, that fit around the stage their culture is at, at the time. Think of our own industrial revolution on the brink of the end of a medieval age and meld it with a touch of steampunk. Marinate the dark ages of swords and shields with a pinch of industrial machinery and splice it with some Ancestral Odyssey fantasy, and you’ve the birth of something rather unique and to my mind, something quite compelling and wonderful. My good friend, Mr Will Towns who I do need to re-connect with soon, when drawing some of the characters that appear in Ep2, did a lot of work on these technologies. You can find the sketches in the Gallery section of the website; We’d often get into long conversations about what this particular character has access to in terms of technology, what resources have they in store but more importantly, it’s not making a character to simply look cool/attractive, but the things that stand out, in this case Glenn’s weaponry and armour are a result of the world he has grown up around and the occupation he has fallen into. This is what we writers call world-building and it is crucial to creating something believable when readers are immersed in an unreal setting, there are rules you have to know and learn, some can be stretched and played with depending on the circumstances but often you have to adhere to these rules, otherwise whatever you come up with, well written or not, will not be taken very seriously, and your story will suffer as a result. When writing Glenn and Cephie in some cases I had to really be careful not to break the lore, both characters were on the cusp of doing this and it’s hard because you want to give readers those moments of shock and awe, you want to shatter expectations, and there are ways to do this, you just need to consider…Everything…Everything that has come before, every rule you’ve constructed and give room for the possibility for this awe to happen. I think many writers of fantasy feel like they can just do as they please because their chosen genre is fantasy and because fantasy is not real then all bets are off, in fact this is NOT the case, this is so far from the case my head starts to melt, especially when idiots say; “It’s fantasy anything can happen.” The rules and boundaries you set are everything, through world-building you can create subtleties and hide loopholes which is another form of skill which takes time to learn, but I cannot stress that you have to respect the world you’ve crafted and give consequences to actions and explanations to magics and technologies. Glenn, specifically is a good guy, there is not a bad bone in him but do not mistake this for weakness, he is surrounded by men and women who are icons in comparison, this makes him rather relatable, he doesn’t have much in the ways of political power, he does not have an IQ to match a Master Professors, he does not have the ability to wield Glyph from his fingertips, he is not a legendary Knight who rides on the back of a white horse nor someone who can call Celestial agents from the ether, he’s a rifleman, someone who simply wants to prevent bad things from happening to good people because HE has seen and experienced a pain that would otherwise break most people, yet he has found a way to rise above this trauma and stand-up when all others wouldn’t be able to. This gives him an unwavering spirit, granting him the courage to throw himself into hopeless situations just to help others, this does not mean he doesn’t have challenges and trials to overcome, he certainly does, and in some cases he does fail and disappoint, you’ll soon learn this, but he refuses to wallow and sit still, a trait I believe is worth embracing especially as a competing man, and any man worth his salt knows that you cannot sit still, you have to keep moving and striving towards the things you love and wish to achieve, this is not a tip it’s actually a prescription because if you don’t, the consequences of not moving/building are horrifying.               

Next in line is Denzel Suade. This chap was difficult to write for a multitude of reasons, please allow me to explain, this segment is rather wordy, but this is important; The first issue being was the obvious, relatability, and I am not talking about the skin-deep things that we all as human beings go through, no, I am talking about particular mindsets. I’ve spoken about this before in articles prior, but I cannot currently point to any off the top of my head, I write an absurd amount, please forgive me. But as writers it is important to imbody our heroes, our villains and side characters, we need to know how they think, how they behave and what they do, this gives us a foundation to build upon, in actual fact, the character of Alessa Coldan who you will meet in Ep2-Rise begun this way, she is an actual person, someone I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in real life, and bouncing off of her mannerisms and personality I constructed someone fictional who fits within the confides of this story. Alessa is not the only one, but Riagel too, Riagel (his name isn’t really Riagel in real life) is one of my closest friends, someone who has and I shit you not, saved my life twice, once out at sea, the other when I fell deathly ill in my early twenties, had he not made a phone call when he did, I’d likely be buried by now or forever hooked up to tubes. We’ve had our fights and disagreements, sure, don’t we all, ours just happened to involve swords that one time, I kid you not, but Riagel as with Alessa are real, their traits captured and realised in a fantastical setting. It sometimes brings tears to my eyes to know such amazing people, I had to pause just now to reflect because honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without them, I’d probably break…Back to it…Now, I’ve never seen combat, I’ve never had a gun forced into my hands and ordered to kill people (and hopefully will never be in that situation), I’m not a soldier and by extent, I’m not a Knight who rides around on horseback, like Lethaniel for example, but I have competed as an athlete, I’ve stepped into a stadium full of people, walked onto the track alone, looked into the eyes of my opponents often who were much bigger and stronger than I was and still walked off having claimed victory. I promise I am not using this segment to brag, I’m not, I hate people who do this, I respected my opposition and learned not to underestimate anyone, but this has happened in my life, as I’ve had a dose of military training – I’ve learned how to march, how to grapple, how to throw a punch (it comes from the shoulder), how to use knives, swords, bows (love the bow and arrow) and spears. I’ve also been in situations where people have wanted to cause me physical harm; Side note, I’d much rather be damaged physically than emotionally and always have, reason being, it’s relatively easy to recover from say a laceration or a broken bone (of course it depends but hear me out) the pain is almost visible, it’s just a matter of time and seeking the proper treatment, but emotional damage has the power to sit with you forever, and treatments do not come from a bottle, it’s all taking place in your heart and your head, and that from experience never leaves, not really, instead you make room and carry it with you, like the loss of someone due to a death, for example, I still think about my grandmother, I still think about friends who are no longer here who are not experiencing life on this beautiful day; It’s impossible to rid yourself of the sadness and return to who you were, emotional pain changes you. Physical pain can leave scars too and I am not dismissing it, those who have been wounded at war have my utmost respect, but for your regular day to day person, physical pain can scar, I’ve a beauty across my side, the nerve endings are shredded but this by comparison is easier to deal with than psychological damage. So how do we crazies ugh I mean writers, write people we’ve no real-life experience in actually being, well as I explained, I’m not a soldier but I have had brushes with danger (and the law, does that count?) I have competed and so on, small experiences are there so what we do is we take what experiences we have and we not only learn and research them further, but we amplify them, or at least this is what I do, and from there once you’ve established their type you can then (like a painter) add the wonderful layers of human traits those very real, very relatable things. Seeing as we’re using Lethaniel as an example, he is of high military status, he’s extremely skilled arguably invincible when you put a sword (or two) in his hands, he’s overly confident which can also be viewed as a weakness as well as a strength, he’s diplomatic, sensitive to the well-being those who serve under him and understands that when power is granted to the right people, overwhelming good and prosperity can come from it. These are largely his positives and work toward his character. Because he is/was especially in his earlier years highly competitive, he often makes irrational snap decisions, running off his gut reactions instead of perhaps taking a moment to calm down, this was demonstrated when he was young and in training with Syen Kaaz, because Syen was the better choice to take the position of General, Lethaniel thinks in his naivety, that if he topples Syen physically (which he does building upon a prideful record of zero losses and hundreds of victories), he would elevate his situation, but in fact it has the opposite effect and does him more harm than he realises, paying for this weakness dearly…Dearly in Episode One, when Ridian Messiah literally baits him out into a scenario our hero cannot hope to walk away from unscathed, exploiting his irrationality and exposes a level of gullibility, because Ridian is cunning, because Ridian is a worthy, fearsome opponent, better at what Lethaniel does without even trying. I would love to dive into Ridian’s traits, because I’ve experienced what it feels like to be outclassed by people who are naturally gifted, to be outright overpowered and defeated and I am telling you, the emotional pain, the fear of that as I’ve described never leaves, and this is where Ridian comes from – As the writer he was constructed through the realisations that there is always someone out there better than you, that no matter how good you think you are at something, however hard you strive, fight and soldier for, you will meet someone who will outmatch you, and in those moments your character will not only be tested, but exposed because it’s not what happens to you that’s important, but it’s how you deal with it afterwards and that my friends, is Ridian’s purpose in The Ancestral Odyssey. Mild spoiler, I know a lot of you want to know what would happen if Lethaniel and Ridian met with swords in hand, I had a message not that long ago posing this question, and without giving too much away, you will learn the outcome of such a stand-off. Right, with all that explanation to chew on, let’s get back to talking about Denzel and how he was a challenge. To start with he is extremely intelligent, he’s almost a super-genius, and I am not a super-genius unfortunately, I am just your regular ol’genius, so it was a great reach to get inside the head of such a mind, unlike Lethaniel where I could draw upon some character nodes, Denzel doesn’t have as many I can latch to. When writing his segments, I really had to shut everything off, every distraction around me from the open window near my desk, I needed to pull down the shutter, my phone needed to be switched off, my music had to be muted so I could write carefully, it was a real struggle in some instances and although I feel like I’ve done a good job in Volume Four, come the later volumes I suspect I might look back in years to come and have a re-think. Only time will tell. The second issue is who/what is Denzel’s struggle or opposition? Putting Denzel in a room with someone that matches or perhaps trumps his intelligence was the logical choice and I’ll explain why in a moment, but it took so much thought, creativity, and focus, so much had to be considered because showing intelligence is exactly that, it needs to be shown and not (necessarily) told. I had to ask myself before the story had even been mapped, what do the geniuses of this world struggle with? What problems keep them awake at night? How do these types think and what are their mannerisms? If you’ve ever spent time with people who have an enormous IQ, you’ll be quick to note that they seem somewhat detached, I’m not saying this is how it is for everyone but from my experience, when you are engaged with them and are intrigued to ask questions, they often feel distant, as if they are careful with how to word things taking long pauses between answering, you can almost see the gears behind their eyes ticking and turning. The challenge only increases when they engage with each other! Denzel Suade, does come face to face with someone with an intellect that rivals his and at first it was frustrating for me to construct their scenes often leading into the void, but whence I got going with it, once I’d found a base/topic they could work on, it did feel like poetry – When I had a compelling narrative to build around, when I had the two characters face to face, sizing each other up in their own gentlemanly fashion, it just poured out of me. It’s important to note that even enemies can maintain chemistry, this will be demonstrated too in Glenn’s story, it does not become apparent in Volume Four, but by the end you’ll see the connection he has with someone you’d never expect to find, it’s beautiful, it’s born from tragedy and it’s haunting to learn, at least I hope this is what you gather from the material. I find this interesting because if you look at yourself, if you try to picture or imagine your villain, your rival and do this long enough, something strange starts to happen. You’ll learn that your perceived opposite your nemesis to go to the extreme, has more in common with you than what is uncommon. Your counter is likely similar to you, likely they are interested in the same things as you, even operate in the same profession but differ on some key issues, one leans slightly left, the other leans right. I brought up the ying yang earlier, well it works as a layout for heroes and villains, for you and for me. As an author, in charge of so many different characters of all walks of life, as someone who studies this on a regular basis mixing real human traits in with the throes of fantasy, it’s all I want to do, there is so much you can learn and in turn create. When you first meet Denzel Suade, he is in a pretty rough place, a place which is relatable, he has a simple job but it’s something he enjoys, but this simple life of his, wallowing over relatable problems swiftly shifts into something much larger, he receives an invitation from Caleb Atheriax, the Master Professor who is in need of his help, yet this is not the first time Denzel has received an invite, he has been ignoring the Professor for months, and yes this IS the same Professor that we didn’t get a chance to meet in Ep1, a Professor hailed as an extraordinary mind who by the end you realise is in league with Ridian Messiah and by extension the Magpie, and even though Denzel is not in possession of this information, he still knows the mind of Atheriax because his mind is a similar one; He can see him for who he really is and it quickly becomes apparent that the Professor is working on something, a formula, he is creating something that is unnatural and can interrupt natures law – His experiments having moved on since Ep1, he was after all the one responsible for figuring out how to raise the ancient dead in Tithis, a frightening prospect and Atheriax has progressed, his hands his business entrenched into everything enabling him to enlist eyes and ears everywhere, nowhere is safe, and worse he has the backing, the affection and trust of the Norkron people, he’s seen as a great man among them with ultimate freedom to contend with, and only Denzel, the man who delivers packages for a living, can see it. Only Denzel knows a madman fiddling with the laws of nature, playing God with forces we have no right to meddle with because Denzel has that same level of intellect, and has chosen to walk away from it. That’s the difference between them, that’s the tiny yet significant step that separates one from the other. Denzel has chosen to walk away, chosen a normal life while the other, Caleb is tampering and it’s that dynamic that defines this battle of minds.     

Now, let’s talk about the stranger. You will meet him very early on, during the year of 1512, there will be a gap in the story before you meet him again, but when you’re reintroduced in 1532, he has obviously aged, he is a man now somewhere in his late twenties to early thirties, it’s purposefully unclear because I am an asshole like that and want to keep you guessing. There are blatant gaps in his past that do not make sense and or aren’t covered, but I assure you, there is and are explanations, they are not plot holes nor will it turn into an incomplete story. He’s a loner, a wanderer entering one of Krondathia’s distant, backward settlements called Harloth, a place that has been left alone by the major authority in Xiondel. Its people do not make or produce much, nothing of great significance anyway so it often slips under regular surveillance. Harloth is under the boot of a brutal Minister with an inflated ego, and sinister tendencies towards anyone that cross him, meeting any resistance with terrible cruelty, until this stranger, this broken man sets out to change things, for reasons open to interpretation. This might be to forward of me, hell, maybe what I’m about to say might be considered a push toward a spoiler, but I suggest you read this characters segments carefully, of course I want you to read it all carefully there is so much going on between the lines, things that appear insignificant at first but suddenly become horrifically significant later, things you will likely not pick up on until it is too late and in that moment you’ll see what this has all been leading to. Some of these arcs and story threads do not conclude until later Episodes, this is another subject for a later article, but it’s true, a lot is concluded in Episode One and Two, a lot does arise and come to an end, but some stories carry over into the sequel, into Episode Three-Seeds of War, which I have started by the way, I’ve been on and off with it recently but I’ve a lot planned for it, a lot is in the works, and I am excited about continuing this ancestral journey; Why? So I cannot only exercise this fire inside me, but perhaps ignite something in others, whether it be the push needed for you to get going, to make that stroll into the arena, or simply to give you an escape, because life can be hard at times and we all need a means to retract, and all I’m doing is nourishing what I feel in my heart, so maybe you can indulge. The strangers story is a diverse one, whence it’s concluded in Volume Six you might be thinking it’s bleak, but in some of his segments real warmth is found, where there is love that’s earned, love for others and of life, a reflection of how short and how precious it can be, and I know I’ve been building Episode Two up to be this dark twisted story, and it most certainly is that because now is the time do it, but there are moments of beauty in here, whether it be consoling an animal in its last moments, repairing something for someone that’s always been broken, shining a beautiful light over an entire city, going through hell and back just to get a glimpse of someone special or helping someone out of trouble even when the risk is high, even when he or she doesn’t even know who helped them, true heroes are the unsung ones, those that do not do it for fame or for bragging rights, but the courage and selflessness exists in them, and these moments are present in this strangers story. It’s unfortunate actually because although you get a good dose of the stranger, he really doesn’t come into himself nor transform into his most powerful self until much later, which is annoying because he has some of THE coolest most shocking scenes in the story, growing from someone who begins quite vulnerable, as frail as anyone else, but morphs into something extraordinary not through magic wielding or swishy combat skills, but through the act of sheer will alone, something I believe we all feel at times in our lives, the feelings of powerlessness, unable to make any sort of difference in a world run by the hateful; Well I am here to tell you that that’s not true, you are capable of making a difference, you do possess a power untapped or otherwise and it does not require a distinguished background, all you need is the will to act accordingly when in calm or painful situations because believe me it makes a difference. This is what stranger brings to the table, a journey not just of the physical evolution, but the emotional growth of character, and this applies to us all who are walking our paths, only when we wade through the baptism of fire, we rise; It may take time to reach the reveal, do trust me his story arc is fucking huge, big things really have small beginnings, it’s one which will leave your jaw on the floor and was an absolute dream to write, but as I keep saying, the later Volumes still need to be edited, formatted and published, until they are released, you’re just going to have to sit on his introduction and all those open ended questions for a little while longer.

For this next portion, I recommend you check out that silly Documentary I mentioned earlier, The Making of Rise: A Year for a Moment, it’s a bit rough in places I’ll admit, after all I was working with old, second-hand pieces of equipment and was fuelled on a strict healthy diet of cheese on toast and coffee, I am really good at making cheese on toast by the way. If I were to make the Documentary again I’d certainly make steps to cut it down and shift the volume in certain places, perhaps turn the music down as awesome as it is, it does at times overtake my dumb voice, but if you start watching from mark 30:16 to mark 41:00, it’s a section dedicated to my Star Callers, the centre piece of The Ancestral Odyssey and in truth what really sets this story apart from all others, for as you will hear in my speech, we’ve not seen Star Callers before, they’re close to sorceresses and High Priestesses I suppose, but they’re different in a variety of ways, defined by type, sign, artistry and of course personality. So, the question that is likely on your mind if you’ve read Ep1-Dream, is if Isabelle ended the line of Star Callers, how are there more Star Callers? This is indeed covered in the book extensively, but to give you the incredibly short answer, a country as prestigious and religious as Krondathia, it needs a strong hierarchy. Because the faith, Starillia, has acted as the glue of their great society since The Awakening Ages, a replacement is needed to sew hope together – Even though Isabelle did not name a successor and believed whole-heartedly that the religion would die without this mark of tradition being upheld, the Priesthood took it upon themselves to force things, and believed that someone else could fill the role of Chosen/Star Caller. They began their pilgrimage instantly after finding the body of Isabelle, they scattered into groups searching for the one, and returned weeks later not with a single child, but seven.

Telsi Canis Clewvier the 24^th – Born 1511

Isolde Pistol Beatrix the 25^th – Born 1502

Alessa Antares Coldan the 26^th – Born 1503

Donna Mu Klade the 27^th – Born 1507

Kina Aldebaran Serisa the 28^th – Born 1513

Kayna Aldebaran Serisa the 29^th – Born 1513

Amanda Pollux Lesil the 30^th – Born 1506

These seven children demonstrated and continue to demonstrate remarkable Glyph talent, each special to their own, each able to commune and call upon the twelve Celestial entities, making them Star Callers. However, prophecy states that there can only be one and this is cause for divide among the populace, this is where the threat of civil unrest lies in Episode Two: Rise of the Black Doves. Again, this is covered extensively but to give you a brief overview, two different cultural factions have arisen within Krondathia, the differences are small but significant. On one hand you have those who fall into camp Norkron, people who still have faith in Starillia, that the Celestial bodies are our allies, and the utopian paradise will be ushered into existence by the Chosen Star Caller. Then you have the Requorns, men and women who have lost their faith and put more stock into manpower and technological advancements. No side is good or bad, but there is a divide here, a new cultural movement in opposition to an older one. As a result, Star Callers although still exonerated are not marvelled in the exact same way as we saw in Ep1, they’ve gained more autonomy but lost some of their prestigious status, and this opens the gate for me to get creative with how they interact with other characters, the public and more importantly with each other, a facet I had been looking forward to exploring for so many years when mapping out Ep2. Because we are dealing with seven Star Callers in this instalment opposed to the one, the dynamic has changed, they are the Seven Candidates, and they’re in competition with one another, or perhaps they were in competition for the position of Chosen, the person granted power and the responsibility to continue the line in her image and to deliver the utopia; It’s only when one of the Star Callers, the one who is considered to be the favourite, the golden child nicknamed Big Sis, goes missing, is when it falls upon Alessa Coldan, the woman who shows leadership qualities who instigates a follow up investigation into the missing Star Caller, to learn why she disappeared, to discover where she went and more importantly to address the foul sense of dread they all have been sensing, someone or something who is much like them, but not, and its power is growing, its eyes are on them but it’s not striking, it’s just watching; Why!? This is what the Star Callers have to discover for themselves, each brings something new to the table, their own personality, armour, weaponry, talents, and unique magic sense. Their adventure does not keep them in one place, they have to learn to work together, they have to move and exploit their individual skill sets and to draw courage from one another when this being, this Glyph Spectre shows itself. Furthermore, within this segment of the story, as a creator I expanded on the rules of the magic, you’ll learn more about it, see new and creative ways in which it can be used depending on the Star Caller. For example, Donna Klade is a pyromaniac, it’s obvious here that she is more comfortable wielding fire, creating one of the most destructive casts in the series, it’s called Little Red. Amanda Lesil is a clairvoyant, meaning she is more in her own head and sometimes inside the heads of others, able to read rooms, enter a place called The Space, do not worry you’ll learn about this in the book. Kayna is nicknamed the Inventress and re-constructs something called the Pathian Vector to assist travel and navigation, and Telsi is on the brink of building a Phantom Blade, a hangover experiment from Ep1-Dream conducted by Glyph Wielder, Miranda Simbidia. The point being, each Star Caller is different and each one fares positively or negatively depending on the situation, and believe me, the situations change taking you to places you’ll never expect; You really are in for a ride with this one, it’s so exciting when it picks up speed. I remember writing those scenes, one in particular in Volume Six where I was left in pieces, like broken glass, I have never…NEVER written with such a pace before, a scene so swift, so exhilarating, the ferocity had my hands shaking! That’s never happened before and I’m anxious that I won’t feel that sensation again. The only way to get to that place again is to pour even more energy into Episode Three-Seeds of War. I think I am going to knuckle down and do some writing on Ep3 sometime soon, I really want to make a move with it, it has a cracking opening, one that you will not be expecting, involving one of the lead characters who happens upon a situation that surprises even him. I keep making notes, I never leave my house or go out without my black notebook, because if I happen to forget it, that’s the day when I come up with a sweet idea, only to get home and lose the memory. Just the other day in fact I was in a bar drinking a pint of wine, and I swear I spent more time jotting down notes than actually hanging out and enjoying my drink. Better that than being on a phone I suppose, there is nothing more annoying than going out, sitting down and everyone gets their phones out, or gets it out and plonks it on the table so it’s in sight…I wish people would leave their devices alone, unless it rings leave it be guys come on, be with the people you’re with in the moment, time is important, everyone is addicted it’s kinda alarming when you see people in restaurants, going by on buses, sitting cafés just staring into their phone screens, I wish this would change…But that day however, I did complete a few sketches, I doodled a few pages in one of the Oxford parks, I’m excited to portray this hero turned villain, someone who has gone through some serious augmentation involving some rare technology that appears in Ep2, you’ll see how it fares come the end, I’ve really gone through lengths to make this technology (which is a stretch) believable in this real yet unreal world. This new villain really is something to be scared of and in some moments, to feel sorry for. I’m rambling, you’ve no idea what I’m talking about, my head is in the clouds again as always, where was I? Ah yes, just to finish up, the Star Caller story is the centrepiece, much like with Ep1 where Isabelle was the focus, in Ep2 this follows and it’s Alessa and the other seven that are the beating heart of Rise, I really hope you enjoy it as much as I have writing it, I cannot wait for you to see where it is they go, who they’re up against and where they leave off.

Having spoken so long about these new characters, as exciting and as interesting as they are, I always drift back to Lethaniel, back to Braygon, to Isabelle, Riagel, Draygo, Seridox, Master Eran and sigh Ridian, yes, he scares me, he’s a villain but he’s, my villain. I miss these characters sometimes and it’s so strange, I miss them like they are real people when they’re clearly not, I’ve been with them for so long they’re part of me in some ways, I can enter their mind-sets instantly, I can assimilate them and their circumstances – I do not even have to think about it anymore it’s just like breathing, and I love writing them. There is a moment in Episode Two (no spoilers don’t worry), where one of said characters listed above has not featured, nor has even been mentioned on the page for an enormous amount of time, to the point where you’ll doubt reading them again, and then there they are, there is their name again in the black on white, and I felt it tingle up my spine leaving me grinning from ear to ear; So happy I was to be writing them again and in that moment I re-discovered why I love doing this. This all may sound interesting to those who are curious about the creative process, and it is, I enjoy reading and learning about others in the arts, it doesn’t even have to be other writers, but any creative outlet I am keen to know more, not only because it’s nice to talk and to learn about it from someone, but it also broadens your own experience, it allows you to empathise which opens up doors in your mind that you never even thought were there…When trying to write this next portion I actually paused, I needed a moment to think about what to call this, and sadly all I could call it was growth, sorry, as cliché as it sounds that’s what I arrived at, self-growth; Then I applied it to my characters…They too are growing, they too are not locked in a moment in time, and this is where it gets upsetting as the creative because with life comes lots of things beyond happiness and joy, they’re challenged, they’re fearful sometimes cursed with the changing of the times. Apply the same rules of life that WE live by to the characters that fall onto the page and you open up a world of extremes. In Lethaniel’s case for example, in Ep2-Rise, not only is he exposed to a new threat, and if you thought battling his deranged brother in an ancient crumbling necropolis was the height of his trials, you are gravely mistaken, no, Lethaniel is dealing with multiple threats some that go beyond the physical, beyond the ways of the sword in Rise. Simply put, Lethaniel standing toe to toe against someone with sword in hand is an easy problem for him to solve, he spent the best part of Ep1-Dream proving that he is unstoppable whence he’s armed with a sword, sure he is challenged at the end when in confrontation with Othello, but Lethaniel survived, he walked away from that fight only to be crushed later emotionally, it wasn’t the physical battle that put him on his knees, it was what came next which is truly…Traumatic. In Rise, in the sequel, it is wise as the creator not to do the same things again, you can remind your audience about how effective they are, but if these characters are anything like real people they will behave as such, as a writer in control this comes naturally, it just boils down to structure. As the saying goes; There is no such thing as a bad idea, it’s about execution. So to progress Lethaniel’s character I put up a hurdle that he’ll struggle with, something relatable that just may get around his strength, and I know that’s a hard image to muster, Lethaniel is our hero, he does not beg, he does not plea, he does not back down, he’s physically strong, mentally however, is something we’ll engage in with Rise on a more personal somewhat intimate level, I promise you, the payoff is both satisfying and devastating, he is challenged even with a reduced page time compared to Ep1, he is up against not only a new threat, but a trial which requires psychological endurance, something that is what is considered to some, to be the worst pain a human being can experience, something I hope will never come close to experiencing because I do not think I could take it…I’d just die…But THIS is part of Lethaniel’s journey in TAO, this is his test as a man, as a warrior, as an ageing Knight, as someone who has seen the worst in humanity, who has walked into the valley of the shadow of death, having lost people, people he will never see or hear from again where he will stand up to men, women, monsters or deities and say “No!” Even when all hope seems to have been lost the true test of a hero is when he rises to be the symbol he needs to be – It’s at this moment, it’s here where he experiences the other side of the coin from the darkness to the gift of life. I wish this was all in Volume Four, I wish you could see the end of Ep2 as I have, and you will, just know that this story is far from over, do not delude yourself in thinking that TAO is out of steam because we really are just getting started. We’ve still Episode Two, Three, Four and…Five…And when it comes to Episode Five-The Chosen Kindred, when I get a glimpse of a scene or a moment in this final instalment, it stops me in my path, like a jolt to the heart it makes me realise I am in way over my head, and you’ll get a small serving of it in Ep2 and a bigger glimpse in Ep3…Ep4 is a mess but Ep5 from what I’ve put together is going to be something else. It’s wicked.

One thing to note before I enter the final stages of this post which I’ll admit has gone on way to long, I’m going out for coffee after this, but I do need to talk further about the Hardback Edition of Episode Two. I’ve taken a massive risk releasing the Kindle and Paperback in its current form for two reasons; 1) Volumes 5 and 6 have not been edited and Volume 4 is mighty, the Paperback alone is over one-thousand pages which in turn compromises the idea of releasing a family of books following on from the template Ep1-Dream set, and that family is x3 Kindles, x3 Paperbacks and one Hardback that contains everything to the Episode. I am sure I can continue with the Kindle and Paperback Edition tradition but am unsure with whether or not I can hold all of Ep2-Rise inside a single Hardback due to its size. It is true that Volume 5 and 6 are a little shorter in comparison to its earlier instalments of Volumes 2 and 3, but even given that grace, unless some serious editing takes place with these latter Volumes, it looks as if I won’t be able to release a single Hardback of Episode Two, I’ve ran the numbers three times from a realistic standpoint, and two other times predicting the results of editing and at a stretch further editing and it doesn’t seem possible…Which sucks, because I had the aim to release a consistent series…I will likely have to consider other options, I am on the hunt for a new editor, e-mails have been sent, when I find her or him I will push for a face to face meeting, I really want to have a sit down over a scone (cream first, jam on top, fight me), and talk about how to approach this thing. 2) This is something all writers and artists struggle with, and that is learning to let go. I’ve spoken to so many creatives I’ve lost count and they ALL say the same thing, so it is nice to know I’m not alone, but you work on something for so long and then the day comes to release, but there is just one more thing to do, just one more thing to touch up, it’s not ready. From experience this is often a good thing, it means that you care, it means passion has been poured into this thing and you want it at it’s best before you send it off into the world, like taking your child to school for the very first time, making sure they’ve their lunch, making sure their uniform is neat and they’ve everything they need. I do not have children, a lot of obstacles are in the way at the moment, but I have dreamt of having a little girl someday, it is a fantasy I’d like to make a reality, I’ve even juggled with some names, but I think I need to see her when she arrives before I can properly name her, we’ll see. I’d love to read to her every night; I’ll teach her not to feel small when the world seems so big and scary. I’ll teach her that stars had to explode to harbour our lives, so when you look up, you’ll know that part of the galaxy is within you, that each glint is special, and that she can make a difference; Be the star in your own universe, shine as brightly as you can, and others will want to be in orbit. I’ll make sure no one messes with her, and I’ll raise her to be a warrior, a lioness…A Star Caller…Someone who will surpass me in every way, and I’d want her to. In a mild way, I think this is true of passions you put out into the world, you want to give them the best chance of success, but here is the kicker, you’ll never be ready, it will never be ready, all you can do is your best and let it go. It’s an important lesson to learn, falling into the same category of the illusion of control, no one is ever in full control no matter the situation, and when things go wrong, when things go bad which inevitably, they will, you need to hold onto what little you DO have control over. I had the idea to release Episode Two all in one, everything from Kindles, Paperbacks, and the Hardback, but because this has taken such a long time, I changed my plans and decided to release it piece by piece, it’s one of many strategies and does have its benefits, but it also has its flaws. For example, Volume Four’s story is now set in stone, sure I can go back and adjust any surface level errors like typos and grammar mistakes, but I can’t adjust the narrative, and I hear you; Why release a book if you’re unsure of the narrative? I hear you screaming at me. Thing is I am sure of the narrative, I know it’s strong, I’ve learned my lessons from Ep1-Dream, I still bare the scars I cannot get away from it, I made mistakes and corrections have been made to the best of my ability. But (there is always a fucking but) if I come across something I may have lost track of in Volumes 5 and 6, and that piece of story directly effects an instance in Volume Four (which it likely will because it’s all connected), I will not be able to go back and course correct, as the writer in this circumstance, I will HAVE to get clever and creative, and weave the adjustment in on the spot. Depending on how deep this flaw goes, will depend on the repairs needed for the story to come across as natural and organic to the reader. It can turn into a nightmare if this happens, this is why usually, usually writers get the entire story edited before they enter the publishing stages, to avoid these holes if and when they appear, they can really mess you up and put you into a spiral. Given my situation I think releasing Volume Four now, is wise, it’s not what I wanted to do, but I am more confident in my abilities, I am not a rookie anymore, I’ve still a lot to learn, sure, but I know enough to navigate this maze. Doing it in this way also builds up suspense and tension for what is to come next, opposed to giving everything all at once that can come across as daunting, releasing this thing in bite sized portions is advised, from a marketing point of view. So there are pro’s and con’s to this, I am just not sure I’ll be able to continue the series in the ways I would have liked, you may even see a Hardback Edition of Rise of the Black Doves part one and part two, that might be a likely scenario. With all this said, do not worry, one way or the other it will be released, I will get it done, this is something I really want to accomplish, as I said earlier, I am doing this by myself, no one is going to walk this path for me, I chose it, I chose to claim as much control as I could hence the reason why I wanted to do this independently, but even tilting it all in my favour, I’ve still lost to a certain degree, it’s just a question of how to respond, and that my friends is a key take away of this article, a lesson we all must come to terms with, even Lethaniel; Sorry to pick on him yet again, but he is one of my best characters and it only deepens with Rise. In Dream he sort control so he could do great and noble things, he does everything right to the best of his abilities, he does all he can to make the right moves, and yet, in the end he finds himself alone, lost, confused, suffering in huge amounts of pain in darkness…It’s tragic, having won essentially every encounter if you consider death being the ultimate defeat, he never lost, his record of hundreds of fights and zero defeats something he held so high in pride, means nothing by the end, he still finds himself broken, holding onto someone who had a genuine connection with him, someone he failed to save…I cannot imagine what that feels like, I can empathise greatly with what’s going on, that’s why I’ve explored it in Dream, but you cannot actually live entirely in their shoes, you can only occupy a space for a moment and I’ve sat with it, and it really does tear me to pieces. This is where I reflect on what is to come, this is when I fast forward to Rise and it’s ending, and it only hurts more. I ask myself why I do this, why I bury deep and uproot this trauma? Well, I think it stems from the light and dark analogy; The darker you tunnel the brighter its counter, and I hope these lessons translate, it might not appear this way in the immediate, as I’ve already said when it comes to Rise this is just the first third, but in its entirety, when and if you travel with me through this ancestral odyssey, and we reach Episode Five, it will all be worth it.                    

There is so much I haven’t talked about in this article, so much; Each character I’ve briefly covered isn’t isolated, they are surrounded by others; Glenn for example is part of a pod of military personnel who you’ll get to know, all with their own quirks, personalities, likeable and unlikeable charms. Nielata is a politician with detective tendencies who is mingling with an array of leads with high status, to the secondaries and…Thirdsies…I just made that word up. Some characters you’ll even remember from Ep1, Clarisa Viel for example who ran the Travellers Corner Bar in Harbours Edge, the gal who ran into Isabelle who used a fake name, yes, she made it, perhaps not in the ways she imagined but she’s present and has a daughter, Amber. The Dark Rogues, Riagel and Draygo are not the only fellows you follow, you get to meet others such as Roland, Stephan, Chloe Auger aka The Silken Spirit and the incredible Catherine, leader of this rebellious group, she too is inspired by someone real. The Star Callers are typically surrounded by each other, smearing the page with their royal dignified chops and words of wisdom. The stranger does not sit still for long, he is always on the move, meeting a character who was but a child in Ep1 and is now grown into someone of immense power. You’ll be re-introduced with our golden oldies, Braygon and Lethaniel, and someone else they have to contend with, Keira Marsay, that’s right, everyone’s favourite character from Dream, Alexius had a niece, and she is wonderful, ditsy, smiley and bubbly. This is actually something I’ve been noticing when it comes to the feedback, I get from Ep1-Dream, everyone loves Alexius, and everyone (so I’ve been told) shed a tear when he was atop Imrondel’s wall. I re-read this scene often and it does still sting – He didn’t have to be there, he didn’t have to involve himself in any of it, all he was, was a Knights esquire, someone who carries and delivers messages, and yet he fights with as much ferocity as the trained personnel and does so often intoxicated or high on rolling weed. Never does he allow his lack of skill bring him down, and this tracks, it took many arrows to topple him, he never gave into fear, even the mighty Seridox, Lethaniel’s brilliant steed who oozes personality, let Alexius saddle up and take the reins. I kid you not, but when I had to continue writing into Volume Three, Alexius’s lack of presence was noted, I genuinely missed him, and still do. So, to continue his journey in spirit comes Kiera, the female version of Alexius who indeed has very big shoes to fill, you know it, I know it and so does she. If you feel I’ve shared too much, I really, really haven’t, I’ve just scratched the surface here, the river of this story as a whole is wide and deep and I’m itching to get the ball rolling especially now with Volume 5 and 6. It’s frustrating for me, because I’ve been working on this for so long, back when The Ancestral Odyssey was not even called The Ancestral Odyssey; Did you know The Utopian Dream was originally going to be called The Perfect World, and Rise of the Black Doves was originally going to be called Old Future, I’m so glad I had the chance to grow. All of this was started in the early noughties and was birthed onto the page for the first time in 2007. It took a long time to write Ep1, and it was finished in 2011 close to 2012. From there I began to reach out to Literary Agents and Publishing Houses to no avail. I can only be gut punched so many times before I get sick, so I began to study and look into the Self-Publishing market and realised that it was a better fit for me, the choice of more freedom with all the work, opposed to less freedom but less work, the choice was obvious. I was able to make Kindle Editions in 2016, later I created a tome, the Hardback Edition (which contains Volumes 1-3) then I made the Paperbacks. Later I re-released everything in 2020 during the lockdowns, there was no way in hell I was going to waste my time doing nothing, I had to keep busy, movement is life. In 2022 I did it all over again in preparation for Ep2 which has been in the works ever since Ep1 was finished initially, in 2011. I remember running down the stairs in my parent’s house and seeing my Mum and my Dad in the living room, and I said, “I’ve just started the sequel,” it’s a small but treasured memory, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into, I was very young and very naïve. Nothing is ever straight forward; It’s not just about writing the story, giving it an edit and proceed to publication, you come across many hurdles, life gets in the way of life, you as the artist suffer, you have to contend with those things that erode us all, you’re always learning and evolving and that influences your craft. Travelling Europe, flying to Australia, and exploring Thailand heavily changed my thought processes for the better, it was a wild and intense time, part of me sometimes goes back to those places, whether it be standing in the middle of a forest alone at night, climbing a mountain under the sun, sitting under the stars, swimming a lake with no one around for hundreds of miles or wading through thick snow before an ominous mountain in the distance called Dragons Reach. I’ve left pieces of myself all over, harboured fond and sad memories, this life is a journey and I sometimes stop and wonder what I’m doing, what is this all about? It’s okay to say “I don’t know” sometimes, it’s fine not to have all the answers, so long as you’re searching for them, so long as you’re still breathing, still thinking, you’ll make it no matter where life takes you, truth is happiness lies in the moment. Sometimes it’s a struggle, at times it doesn’t flow nor make sense, it is possible to be bogged down with your own creativity or passion, it can get heavy, people presume that when you’re doing something you love, you’re alright, but they do not see you in the early hours, or on those days when you’re mentally struck and need some time to reset. It’s much like a partnership when on this road, not always are the days clear, or an even better analogy is that you feel like a director in charge of a play or a film, your characters are your actors, the world you created is your set, and you need all the parts to move in accordance with your vision. I’ve this fantasy actually, a dream, that one day I will see some of my characters walking around on an actual real-life set, I’d love to call “Action” and see a scene unfold, just to stand there and be there in the presence of a moment straight out of the books, my God, that would be a dream come true. But if that is ever to happen or be given the chance to happen however small, it starts by filling up that page, and I’ll continue to fill up more pages despite the days where nothing is working, when creativity is stifled. It’s true I’ve many more pages to pour over, to cheer over, to feel excitement for, to be fearful of, to express anger, experience sadness the whole rainbow of human emotions will decorate each Episode, and promise to deliver its own unique theme while building upon the core message of The Ancestral Odyssey, which is…Inheritance, inheritance of what I consider to be the most important thing in this life, and that is our blue planet, the very ground we walk on, the water we drink, the fires that warm us and the winds that sing us off to sleep. If it wasn’t for the order of the cosmos none of us would even be around to contemplate existence in the first place, and if we squander this Earth, if we poison it and fail to preserve the skin of the planet, the thin crust we all live on, we ruin not only a miracle of an opportunity but we prevent future generations from adding layers of connection to what it means to be human; This is what is important, life is what is important, existence, consciousness, empathy and everything it is tied to, and if the corrupt inherit the most precious thing to us all, bad things will ensue and it’s up to the selfless, the dignified, the heroes, and heroes come in so many forms to rise to the challenge and fight against those who wish to do harm, not just for themselves and their time, but for those that haven’t yet come into the world; What can be more heroic than that? It all boils back down to inheritance and I am ever so happy to have written to you today to explain this to you, it’s been an absolute pleasure.

Thank you ever so much for taking some time out of your busy day to reading this article, I really do appreciate and value you, and I hope I’ve piqued your interest just enough for you to make a purchase or perhaps drop a link to someone who might like what I am offering. Whether you start from the beginning at Episode One-The Utopian Dream or if you decide to jump straight into Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves, you’ve my heartfelt thanks and I’m sure I can scrounge up some extra cookies and a hug if I happen to see you in person. Of course, I do hope you make an investment, but please be warned that this is not the happiest of stories, it is dark and deals with a wide range of adult themes. I know you already know but I do not enjoy writing such scenes, I do at times need to take a step back and surround myself with positivity and lighter thoughts, and to remind myself and by extent remind you the readers, that this IS a fantasy, it’s not real, it’s not based off real life events, the characters although some have been built upon real people, they are not exact mirror reflections of said person or circumstances. This is created for your entertainment, to deliver a thought-provoking message, it has been designed for you to immerse yourself in, to escape in, to laugh, to cry (in the good way) and to be excited about. I apologise in advance if some scenes are far too lifelike for you, I do not mean to offend or upset anyone, that is not my intent, but if you feel this is not for you, if it’s in any way having a negative effect, do what you have to do, put the book down and leave it alone, I understand, or pass it on, write to me if you feel like you need to; If I can I will put your mind at ease, my e-mail is listed below, I’m not hard to find or reach. I won’t lie, I am rather busy at the moment but give me some time and I will respond. If you feel angry and want to write me (and this has happened before), that’s quite alright too but please if I may, refrain from name calling, I’m as human as you are and don’t like to be shouted at or worse labelled as something I’m not, with that said I hope you understand. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on the progress of Volumes 5 and 6, rest assured they have been written, they are completed, they just need some professional editing. It will take a while, but all good things come to those who work and wait. This is a big day for me, I’ve worked hard for it, but I’d be a fool and selfish of me not to thank everyone around me, everyone close to me, I owe each and every one of you so much, there is no way I could have gotten this far without your continuous support, which reminds me, huge shout out to my most recent helper Mr Mathew Bevan, who appeared last minute from the ether to assist on the emblem design, the image that appears on the front covers, I designed it but lacked the skill and software to make the effects I needed. Mathew, you really made it into something special, I really enjoyed catching up with you, I could not have achieved the look myself, so thank you so much for your contribution, I hope to see and talk to you again soon in person for drinks and later projects. Big thanks also to Alan Hamilton, such a shame we could not continue with the editorial of Volumes 5 and 6 but I understand why you had to leave, you’ve taught me so much, I’ll miss you, and I wish you all the best in the future, take care good sir. Oh, before I sign off for the day, I’ve still a desire to make a short film, it is not off the table even though it seems so far away, my focus is on the books, it’s on settling into a new job, maybe I’ll have some news in a few months, the crew are still in touch and are on board, but in the meantime, I’ve gently hit the pause button to course correct. Now, go and be an absolute star and pick up Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves Volume Four, on Kindle or in Paperback, I’ve worked solidly for years to get this out and although this does not merit your attention nor your hard-earned cash which I encourage you to prioritise, my only goal here is to gain just one more reader or inspire just one person. If you feel like going that extra mile do drop me a review when you’re finished with it, tell me what I’m getting wrong, tell me what I’m getting right, do not be scared if you think you’ll hurt my feelings, you won’t (unless you’re really mean), I understand that if you want to be successful or if you put yourself out there in any way shape or form you have to develop a thick skin. I’ve been doing this a long time to receive both praise, negativity even hatred, and although I do not hate these people back, I find myself slightly confused as to where the hate comes from. I do hope such people they find their calling; I do want what’s best for them and perhaps for them to reach out in the future with something more constructive to say. So long as people are honest, I will appreciate whatever is said in private or in the public space. If you do not hear from me in a while, it’s because my mind and body need a rest, I do want to get away for a bit, maybe visit a writers retreat or find some time to relax in a cabin in the woods, a few of my friends have told me to do this, they’re worried that I’ll burn myself out, but I will be back at some point in the future to continue with new articles and updates on later instalments. Again, thank you for reading, it means so much to me, I genuinely hope you took something positive away from this essay and can relate with what I prattle on about; The goal of every writer is to capture the essence of the human experience, it’s why I do what I do, it becomes less and less about the fantastical side and more about what it means to be us, living here and now in the moment. I love to empathise and practice empathy toward those who are close and who are distant, in doing so I’ve broadened my horizons and feel like I’ve grown into something stronger than what I was. Speaking of, before I sign off, something amazing has happened, my good friend Jemma (the spitting image of Snow White), someone I met in Austria while I was travelling off the grid, is finally coming to UK, permanently, to live with her husband in London, but she will be making regular trips to Oxford where I live, and I am ever so excited about this, we’ve only been in person for a few hours, but we were able to keep something going for so many years, I remember talking to Jemma while I was out at sea, working on farms, being stitched up in hospital and when sleeping under bridges, I cannot wait to hang out with her again in a normal setting, she’s always been there. Another good friend of mine, Liz, is now back in my life after ten years of radio silence, we hung out for years in our early twenties not in a romantic way, but in a drunken mess kinda way. It really was a shock to hear from her I thought we’d just drifted too far apart when she moved to Japan, we just lost touch; We’ve so much to talk about now though, especially her 8 month year old son who she named Wilfred, Wilfred is the name of the cat I adopted from next door and now he never leaves me alone, while writing this article in fact he has been on my lap for the majority of the time making holes with his claws in my shirt – Oh if you’ve a cat, I encourage you to put on bird or fish videos on YouTube, turn up the volume and just watch them, Wilfred cannot get enough of it, it’s so funny when he checks behind the TV just to make sure. Anyway, Liz and Jemma are back, Ep2-Volume Four is out on Kindle and Paperback, when I’ve more updates I’ll be sure to post them, I’ve a new job to secure which is important, my belly is gone and I want to keep it that way, again thank you for reading. Take care of yourselves, see you soon. PEACE!

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D.W.Gill

A Shade of Red

It’s not enough to write a series of epic fantasy books, it’s not enough to build a folder full of brilliant artwork from various artists along the way, it’s not enough to visually interpret aspects of this story into film and to articulate your writing journey through an archive of essays, but what is important more than anything, is to cast a spell over those who indulge in the/my work, to capture its own unique aesthetic that is bolstered and felt; And one powerful way in which to do this is through the language of music. I love working with creatives, creative people are what bring colour and life to what is swiftly becoming by the day an insufferable cooperate world, one that focuses on nothing but the vacuous nature of making a profit; Creatives are wonderful, but it’s musicians I particularly enjoy collaborating with, and I’ll explain why very shortly, but before you snap at my underlining tone of hypocrisy, understand that I get it, I too hope to expand my reach and to grow to the point where I can retire early, and do nothing but enrich this fictional world I call Equis, this is what I do. My model IS similar to those grey husks of men and women you see walking around in suits thinking they’re above it all, people who’ve long sold their souls to a faceless company, driven mad to do nothing but climb the ladder of wealth only to one day wake up old, worn out, exhausted and haunted with the realisation that their path is not laden with the fondness of warm memories, that their road is not as long nor as comforting as they remember, but instead it’s short, stressed, tired and hopelessly played out – This is a modern day horror story, one that is very real, one I’ve seen and heard of first hand, it tells itself every day, typically to unsuspecting people who’ve had the wool pulled over their eyes having been sold a lie, a lie I’ve been aware of since I was as young as 19. The difference between my world view and theirs, is that I would choose the life I am living now, whether it be in poorness or in a place of comfort, I’d choose it each and every time; Why? Because I believe it is what I am here to do, it was a path that formed naturally, one that spoke to my personal side, one that has been with me for as far back as I can remember. I pride myself on not getting swept up with the hustle and bustle of robotic business, to not die the death of a thousand cuts, cuts that mask themselves as meaningful responsibilities. I relish in the fact that I chose this journey, that I’ve kept with it in times of doubt, even when everyone around me was encouraging a firm stop, and at times saying extremely hurtful things to try and get me to conform. Well, I will NOT conform! Not to you, nor the most powerful man or conglomerate on the planet, I will never leave the road I’m on, I will not give up, but I say to those who have done their best to deter me, I say; ‘Why, why so adamant to derail me!? Your words although spoken sometimes with such passion, are indeed a thin veil of something ugly, something I’ve seen in nightmares and do not wish to touch nor host no matter how tempting the short-term rewards might be. Does this rot you spew perhaps come from a place of insecurity, are you sure that the doubt you see in me is not in fact a mere manifestation of your own grim reflection of the life you’ve chosen to harbour, and would gladly offer it to me despite the misery it stains you with?’ No, I will not conform, I’d rather be poor and have what little I have, than be wealthy and not know the truth, the truth of pursuing that one thing that nurtures our soul. Possessions are passed on, money disintegrates, and the avatar you parade around in will one day return to the earth, but the legacy you leave behind, the feelings you elicit in others will either wax away, or live on, make sure you leave behind a healthy legacy, but for me, I see no better way to leave behind something people can engage with, something that taps into a psyche, teaches them about human behaviour in all its strengths and weaknesses. Musicians, have the ability to bring out our passions and everything in between, if you speak to any one of them worth their salt for long enough, you’ll have no choice but to communicate in ways you never thought existed, because music brings something to the surface, it is a language, it is a conduit, a ways of communication that inspires action, and perhaps change. Without music, life would be meaningless, and without meaning what is a life? It’s with great pleasure to bring you another main theme, a general theme that captures the heart of Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves. Like with the music paired with Episode One-The Utopian Dream released almost a year ago, I worked once again with the guys at Atlas Audio, Julian Kirk and Alex Adams who wrote and composed the music. Everything goes through a process, one reason why I like writing so much is because everything created starts out on the ominous white, everything starts on the blank page it’s the foundation for everything around you, and I would like to take a moment to detail the themes origins, the work that went into them and why I think it is important to do so. Grab a drink, I’ve gone with coffee, make it a big one, I do hope you enjoy A Shade of Red, and of course I very much hope you like listening to the new music, the link is listed below, please check it out when you can, you’ll be doing me and the boys at Atlas a solid.

When setting out to make a piece of music, collaborating with musicians, in this case the lads at Atlas Audio, I’ve one goal in mind, to translate a sense of feeling or a multitude of feelings I’ve been present with throughout my writing journey of a book. The book in question is Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves, the second instalment to The Ancestral Odyssey series. Much like the design flow of Ep1-Dream, I asked myself a series of questions before the collaboration began, questions which I felt were most pertinent when music is being created, questions like; What did this book bring to the table? What feelings resonated with me throughout this story and what is its major theme? This book is an absolute roller-coaster, it’s a nightmare for some of the leading protagonists, an explosion of intense action poisoned with a lick of horror, and a clash of fantastic, poetic (yet meaningful) fantasy violence. Its pace is of a swift one especially amidst volume five, whence you’re re-introduced to Equis set twenty years after the events of Episode One-The Utopian Dream and have a firm hold on the characters, it transforms into an elaborate spectacle spread across a plethora of dynamic stories in different parts of the world, each one unique in its own way, capturing different aspects of the story being told. Rise is a story I’ve been wanting to write for a very long time, when Ep1-Dream was my classic fantasy adventure, a ways and rite of passage into the genre, one that does take risks but at the same time plays that vanilla tune, Ep2-Rise cracks open that shell of familiarity and unleashes a deeper dish of creativity that’s been bubbling under the surface for many years, and soon I get to show it all to you. While Dream was written at a steady pace, following but two protagonists struggling to find their purpose, and the reader often provided with some space to breathe and recover, Rise does not offer you the same courtesy, it is relentless, each chapter taking the reader deeper and deeper into an onslaught of emotional states all the while betrayal resonating at its core, and it’s the theme of betrayal that I expressed to Atlas through a forty minute video call and numerous e-mails.

One thing I made clear during all my interactions with Atlas, was that I am in favour of taking risks over something safe. Instead of relying on a solid theme that would indeed deliver if orchestrated by these lads, I’ve every confidence in them, I expressed it might be wise to gamble on something they perhaps thought to be dangerous territory. I’d often encourage this line of thought, to try things that they were unsure of in the hopes they’d stumble upon something fresh and exciting. From where I stand, I can only advise and offer inspiration from other people’s work, which I did with The Utopian Dream’s general theme, difference here is the tone of the story, obviously it is going to be different because it is a fresh instalment, the level of intensity which has been amped up, and the theme of betrayal bellows throughout. I did my best to express a creeping dread, a slow march toward catastrophe that matches the moves of the protagonists in the book. It’s really something when you create something like this because it allows you to learn about another creative’s perspective, you share in your own unique ways to build something special. I have no idea how to write music, I often express my humility to musicians and do my best to enter their frame when they’re explaining how the development works, in the same way when people reach out to me for advice or to ask about my process when writing a scene in the book, I take them through the steps, relaying to them what I believe is the best, most effective way to tell a story. I am aware that two parties are trying to relate, and it is up to the pair of you to do your best with the languages you have to come to an understanding, a mental handshake and sometimes words are not adequate enough to land this, so in this case specifically, music is introduced. In the same way to Ep1-Dreams theme, which I will link below for your convenience, Atlas and I spoke often, we entered into a video call when are schedules were clear which lasted just under an hour, where we shot some ideas around the room after a detailed explanation of the plot and some details surrounding some of the key characters.

It’s important to recognise before I begin to break this general theme down, that this music as well as the story of Ep2-Rise, is very, very different to Ep1-Dream. In the first story just to recap, we follow two protagonists, a Star Caller named Isabelle Verano, and a young military General named Lethaniel Presian. They’re of the same age, on a journey to achieve the same goal, to bring rise to the belief in a utopia envisioned by Isabelle’s line, and to protect their country Krondathia from an imminent invasion. Both go about their paths in different ways, Lethaniel being the more physical, fighting with sword in hand on the battlefield, dominating his enemies with complex strategies and his unbreakable dexterity, while Isabelle’s arc is entwined with faith and the powers of glyph magic. Needless to say, this creates two different dynamics that coil rather well around the underlining theme of purpose, making for a wonderful piece of music which captures its essence. When it came to Ep2-Rise, we do not traditionally follow one protagonist, not two nor three, but six, and all six are not alone; Glenn for example is a new recruit a rookie, playing the part of an underdog in a special unit who use black powder based weapons called, the Firehands, and within this unit are up to sixteen members, all of which you meet, all of which you get a feel for, some more than others, sure, but I’ve taken care with each of their personalities for the audience to identify with them. In Deacon’s story you meet up to half a dozen characters and that’s not including his enemies, in Nielata’s you meet several you get the idea. So, the prospect of including all of the six story arcs, and those few not large enough to merit a journey in that of themselves but are just as significant, into a single theme lasting a little over four minutes would quite literarily be impossible, and ill-advised. My first task was to narrow it down, I had to choose a character arc to focus on and grow from there – this was easy, I HAD to choose the Star Caller story and I’ll explain why. Had I been in a position to choose between a Lethaniel and Isabelle theme, I would have chosen Isabelle every time, not because Lethaniel is not important, or relevant or his story lacks any significant weight, no, of course not he is indeed vital and adds a meaningful dimension to Ep1-Dream. The reason I would choose Isabelle is because she brings something unique to the table, something I do not think we have seen before. Like it or not, we have seen characters like Lethaniel before and as interesting as they can be, I believe giving people something new is more important, especially in this day and age where we are fed remake after remake. If you can picture The Ancestral Odyssey as a tree, then the Star Caller story is the tree’s trunk, it’s the centre in Dream and so is it the same in Rise, the other stories as crucial as they are, are branches when you put all of this into consideration. However, selecting the most obvious choice was only one of many challenges to come, the Star Caller story in this monster of a book follows the road of eight characters; Isolde Beatrix, Alessa Coldan, Donna Klade, Kina Serisa, Kayna Serisa, Amanda Lesil, Telsi Clewvier and someone else, someone I am not about to name at this point but is deeply tied to these characters, one in particular which adds to a greater mystery and intrigue. Eight different characters pivoting around the theme of betrayal, yeah, this general theme was difficult tackle.

My outline of this theme was similar to the first, I detailed the characters to Atlas, I described the story, talked about their goals, their journey as a group, what they learned, what they lost, I even revealed some of the ending to hammer home some heavy points. The goal here was to relay TAO’s message, to deliver the heart of Rise over to the musicians, Julian and Alex who would translate the black and white into a polished score. I went into meticulous details with each character, they’re all so different each one deserving of their own musical signatures, however I was specific to note that I wanted to hear them in the music as well as the overwhelming threat of their mysterious counter, and so Atlas took the material away, and weaved my descriptions and suggestions of ideas into music, and eventually sent me their first draft. Whenever I receive an e-mail like this, I freeze in my tracks, the day slows down, giving over to the sense that I’m about to be transported to a place that exists only in me; This is not something I’ll be able to see or touch, music is not something you can approach to critique in the same way you would literature, the mechanics of a game or a scene in a film, no, this is something where the objective and subjective blur together, of course there are things that can been defined under the headlines of objective and subjective within music, this is indeed true, all I am saying in my experience when analysing something like this is that the waters muddy, and the fruition depends entirely on how you/the artists feels about it. I’ve been in rooms with musicians who point out flaws in particular pieces of music they’re designing for me, yet I am unable to hear it (unless it’s blatantly obvious), due to the fact that I am running off the positive fumes that linger in the subjective, and whence its changed or has been altered to fit something that is objectively better, often I’ am left not feeling the same way about it. Could this mean my ears are deaf to the objective and favour more in the subjective, perhaps…But in my defence I am not a musician and I regularly humble myself to their word, in which I trust, I would not be working with them unless I trust them, but problems can arise when you’re heart loves something on a subjective level, you’re told it’s broken, the fixes leave you somewhat lesser and you’re asked to choose between the two versions. For those of you who read my blog, you’ll know that I would rather side with the objective over the subjective at every turn, I’d rather have something that is objectively good over something that just feels good in the moment, trust me your work will benefit from it in the long run. With music however I am torn, maybe it is because it is harder to point to, maybe it is because it is not glaring at you from a screen or written in a book that music merits a softer critique. It’s hard to narrow down, as I said I am not a musician and perhaps I need to spend more time with my favourite people to open my eyes, widen my horizons so in the future we can create the perfect piece – Which I intend to do and saddle it onto The Ancestral Odyssey. In the meantime, for this piece and the pieces of music I’ve yet to release (music which I am seriously excited about), I did that which came naturally and listened to those who knew more about this craft than I, all the while doing my best to maintain the subjective feeling I elicit when listening, you could argue this is doing your best to strike a somewhat balance because this is after all my vision, it is my world after all and what I say will go, but it is up to me, to step out my enclosed space as a writer and learn to collaborate with those who hold professions I could not begin to grasp. In my attempts to produce a short film, I knew going in that filmmaking IS a collaborative process, not one man can do it alone especially on the time and budget I’ve set myself, but on the flip it is important to get YOUR vision across, you can meet with other people in different professions all day and everyday but if you as the lead are just going to bend over backwards at every turn, you’ll end up with something alien, a jangled mess of something that barely represents what it is you’re trying to create, so the lesson here is; Be sure to put your foot down upon entering the creative arena, but not so firmly that you break your tether with those that will assist make it into what it is destined to be.

The first draft of a piece of music is arguably the most important, it sets a tone, it builds a framework of what story you’re trying to tell and gives someone like me something to dissect and work with. Yes, I said story, because inside music is the heart of a story, and the more intriguing, thought provoking and interesting the story is, the better the music will be, and I genuinely believe this. The more layers a story has, the richer the characters are and the importance of the message at its core, is all the ingredients needed for the musician to work with, and through this descriptive haze elicits emotion, and emotion is what you want to hear in the music being played, whether it be slow and ominous, fast paced action, desperation, whimsical and romantic it matters not, it needs a fuel, it needs a narrative. The early narrative of the music like with the first draft of a piece of literature, is easier to change at this stage, I’ve often described it like working with playdough or clay, fresh out the pot, its moist, fun to handle and easy to mould into anything you desire. However, the more you handle and play with it, overtime it gets less fun, chunks begin to dry and fall off, the novelty has crumbled and the harder it is to make anything new, the more difficult it is to get anything to stick, until the inevitable time of its binning comes. This is exactly what it is like (in my experience) when working in the creative field, with writing, music, filming whatever, the more you tinker the worse it gets, the more you fiddle the more you realise your vision was not as strong as you might have thought and this is a wakeup call for everyone starting off, or are on the cusp of branching out, taking their work into a new media; Make sure you you’ve asked yourself those tough questions, be sure you know your art through and through, be its master and know what it is you’re trying to create because you will be taken to task if you’re chain of understanding is weak. This has happened to me, it has happened more than once and because I am someone who wants to do great work, I take those lessons as wounds, wounds you would receive in a fight and need tending to before you step back into the creative arena. Had I known what I know now before I foolishly entered, I would have saved years, yes years of my life, so again, I urge any striving artist to know your work, know your strengths and build upon your weaknesses before going toe to toe with those who know better than you, you’ll be better off because of it and save so much pain in the process. As for the first draft of the general theme of Ep2-Rise, a theme I’ve called, A Shade of Red, my initial thoughts were ‘There is a lot in here.’ We were dealing with eight characters and the theme of betrayal, each character needed their own section, each section needed its distinct time and proper placement and Atlas had done exactly that, they were able to squeeze this into a piece of music lasting a little over four minutes and for that I applaud them. It takes a certain level of skill to take all of which I had described and forge a competent theme and beyond anything else I say in this article, this (I hope) should be your take-away, the music exists in all its complexities, it exists and that is incredible. Furthermore it wasn’t what I expected, and at first this draft concerned me greatly, but then I remembered what had been said on our most recent video call, and I said to the boys ‘Do not be afraid to take risks, try something new over something that has been done over again and again’ and I praise them for having taken a dive into areas that were new to them, that challenged them, nothing worth doing is ever easy, if you’re not made nervous by what you do then you’re not onto anything special so I decided to go with it, despite my concerns which were numerous. Having listened to the draft several times, having noted each and every second, time stamped areas of which I thought needed improving or re-imagining, I got back in touch with Atlas and made my thoughts known, all the while I was sure to relay to them my appreciation, my praise for what did work (because there was a lot in here that worked) and encouraged them to press on, and that they did, and it wasn’t long before they sent over their second draft, which was much better. The music itself sounded crisper, certain areas were tightened up, notes that initially went high were toned down and the introduction of a hymn was introduced. One of the concerns I raised in the first draft, is that the music always felt like it was rising and falling, it seemed to be forever reaching with no satisfying payoff, this was due to the number of characters needing their sections, sections that also needed to be overshadowed by this maniacal overarching presence, this needed to be smoothed out, chopped up and adjusted to make for a simpler telling, something people would be able to grasp and form a connection with and that is exactly what we did, Atlas took this instruction and immediately began to trim it down, touch up and iron out those jarring catches in the flow of music, making for a finer, sharper third and final draft. This did mean we had to lose a significant portions of the original piece, re-write smaller sections and re-fit them with new material. These significant portions were in fact character inspired, where there were eight-character themes written out we ended up slicing through three of them, removing them entirely to narrow our focus. Elements of those lost still exist in there but play a very small role they’re almost impossible to identify, unless you were actually involved in this process from the get-go. When I listen to it, I can hear Alessa, I can hear Donna and Amanda, of all the characters Amanda is the quietest due to the fact that she cannot speak, but her theme resonates illuminating her power lifted from the book, expanding the story, the universe in which they operate elevating her above the rest, which was planned but surprised with how well it worked. There are traces of Kina in here and the menace haunting their steps, her sounds being mainly the subtle hymn at the start, but the rest was unfortunately cut, cut in order to make this what it is, an interpretation of the trunk, the roots of Ep2-Rise, told through the language of music and I am so happy this is what it is, giving what was for the longest time but words on a sheet of paper, digital or otherwise.

This brings me to my most important point, it’s not just about writing a book, creating neat artwork or in this case collaborating with musicians to make music, it’s about giving the work a beating heart, it’s about making something faithful to the vision, something you can all hopefully be proud of, and even though this last piece of music is not what I was expecting, I do think it is in keeping with the second instalment of The Ancestral Odyssey: Rise of the Black Doves. Seeing as we are intrenched in music creation I do have something special to report on, Jilaine Wheatcroft the girl who wrote and performed Isabelle’s Theme, the piano piece which is accessible to listen to via YouTube and Bitchute (links below) has been working on some more music orbiting Ep1-The Utopian Dream. She has re-worked the original theme of Isabelle and given it a more of a cinematic touch, given she knows about the short film work I am doing my best to advance with; Jilaine figured she would embrace this moviesque feel and go to work, and for that she earns my endless praise. She also has embarked upon making music married to certain key scenes of the book, layering the emotions she elicited when reading and weaving it into music, music which when you listen to it, can tell it is of the same family, something incredibly hard to do but she managed it, making the unique yet seamlessly flowing. I plan to hire a new, competent concept artist, someone who is skilled with working in colour to draw/paint me the scene Jilaine has chosen; From there I will couple it with the music and animate an aspect of the image to give the impression it is alive, such as the floating mist, busy fireflies or the glinting of stars, a living breathing piece of art, as if time itself has been slowed down to a crawl enabling the viewer to remain in the same spot as the characters, given the chance to feel what they’re feeling, the sense heightened with Jilaine’s insane ability to bottle the emotion and capture the heart of the scene, something that Atlas now continue to do when working on the larger general themes.

Thank you for reading folks, this would be my eighty-fifth article found thus far on this diddy site, and although some articles haven’t aged gracefully and some could do with an update or additional content, nevertheless I am still proud of what has been achieved, and I will continue to build up the Taoteque Articles for as long as The Ancestral Odyssey is in the making, and seeing as I am still floundering around on the first few pages of Ep3-Seeds of War, with two more instalments to follow, I’m not going anywhere, I want to stay until this is done, it’s my purpose so expect at least another eighty (if not more) articles in the future, linked to artwork, music a short film and so much more. This whole project is done while working two jobs so please understand why content is at times slow. If you’d like to support me and the TAO team, the best way you can is by following this blog, subscribing to the YouTube, signing up to the e-mail list on my website, buying the books (they’re cheap as chips now) and engaging so long as you’re prepared to be respectful, but if not, if all you would like to do is dip in and out of this small universe, that’s fine too, I’m just happy you did so today. Speaking of my official website, it is in the final throes of completion, this has been a long endeavour to get this far, and I am certain tweaks will have to be made upon launch. Episode Two is still undergoing editing, actually I’ll be getting back to it after I post this article and release the music. My editor and I are up to Chapter 16 – Eyes on Me, we’ve still a ways to go yet but it’s coming along, it’s reading rather fantastically, and I cannot wait till I announce the day of its release, I promise you it is a book to remember, I promise you it will leave you absolutely stunned, shocked and yearning to know what happens next, not only has the time changed but you’ll note an expansion on this grand adventure known as The Ancestral Odyssey. Thank you, Atlas Audio, thank you Jilaine Wheatcroft, thank you Alex Hunt for cutting together the video and thank you all again for reading and for your support. Be sure to check out the links below if you’ve the time, share with me your thoughts on the music and I look forward to writing again in the future, PEACE!

“I couldn’t end this segment without paying my respects to her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, who sadly passed away on the 8^{th of} September 2022. Rest in peace your highness, you served this United Kingdom with honour, integrity and blessed us all with your wisdom and compassion for all. It certainly feels like the end of an era, but I have faith that with your great example, we can pull together and march on as a people who continue to set a royal standard for not only ourselves to meet in the darkest of times, but for the world to follow, cherish and admire. My thoughts are with you, your family, and every Briton who loves this country, who was touched by your presence, I know I certainly was. You will be missed my Queen, thank you for your seventy years of service, from a humble servant and keeper of the realm.” – Duncan William Gill

I apologise for the lateness of this letter of respect and project as a whole, I had planned to post this article much, much sooner, but due to setbacks beyond that of my and Atlas’s control, the project had to be temporarily suspended. Moving forward in the future with collaboration work specifically, I will be adamant to set appropriate time frames to avoid any long-term setbacks. Once more, apologies to all who have been patiently waiting, you are the best. Have yourselves a great morning, noon, and night, and I hope to see you again in the next one where we’ll conclude my Handful of Horrors trilogy, so much to talk about in that one and easily my best in the series, catch you all later, PEACE!

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

Official Website (UPLOADING) – http://www.taotequevault.com

Promotional Material YouTube – http://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

Twitter – @MegasTeque

Episode One: The Utopian Dream: General Theme –

www.youtube.com/watch?v=itGV60ndqMI

Isabelle’s Theme – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfMr6dONTPA

Episode Two: Rise of the Black Doves: General Theme – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8bW4pwDCuE

Atlas Audio Official Website – http://www.atlas-audio.co.uk  

D.W.Gill

The Road to the Film: Funding

Here we are, some progress to share with you fine people about the short film I intend to make. It’s coming along slowly, very slowly but every day is a small step forward and every day the anticipation builds just a little more. It will all be worth it when the time comes, when we actually start filming on the set, not only will this be exhilarating but will go hand in hand with urgency and a dash of terror. From the experience I have, I enjoy all aspects of film making but being present with the on-set crew is indeed the highlight, getting your hands dirty, solving problems, and collaborating with others who’ve worked as hard as you (the creator) have to bring something otherworldly to life. When everyone is present, when the plan is meticulously prepared, there is nothing, I repeat, nothing better to roll film and see your creation happen second by second, minute by minute. Just to recap, for those of you who missed the first of these road segments, the article prior to this one in the series is titled, Assemble; It was a brief run through of what I have planned, who is involved and what hurdles lay ahead, if you’d like to read it I’ve left a link at the end of this article, or you could simply move onto the homepage and do some scrolling. When I patch up my official website which is STILL broken, when I finally get around to organising that fresh hell I’ve caged myself in, all my essays will be there and easily accessible, a click away from a selection of videos, updates, music, artwork and so much more, but for now Taoteque Articles will have to do because I’ll be dammed if I rely on Twatter ugh I mean Twitter and Facebook, to get the word out. This short segment will essentially be a progress report on what has been achieved recently, what steps have been made and of course, what’s to come and what’s the immediate priority with the film. I hope that when piled all together, when this is all done, these Road to the Film segments will not only serve as a friendly reminder for me in years to come, but could also help someone else looking to achieve what I’ve set out to achieve, because it’s not a small task making a film with extremely (and I seriously mean extremely) limited resources, the issues simply dwarf you, the work washes over you and it’s hard to tell if you’re making any progress at all, but hard work does pay off, and speaking from experience, if you persist even when the going gets tough, if you do just a little bit each day if not more, you’re sure to land on your feet, and using that claimed ground, you can bounce off it to finish your next milestone. Keep up with this practise and you will find success, it might take a long time and you might not finish where you wanted to be, but at least you would have endured, survived, and accomplished something. Such experiences should manifest and when the time comes, you’ll try again, only this time you’re all the wiser and more competent. This is where I am now, having assembled almost a full and talented crew, the time has come to build the campaign and hopefully spark enough interest in the right places to acquire the means to execute such an ambitious short film, one that if made WILL be something different. Be sure to grab yourself a drink, and I hope you enjoy part two of, The Road to the Film: Funding.

As I said progress is slow, ever so slow it pains me to say. I do as much as I can with what little I have, I still have to go to work, still have to step away from my desk and take care of my finances (such as they are) but so long as progress is made with each day that passes, I consider this a positive step forward. What I have found is that most of the time, I am waiting on others, this is not written with a negative undertone, I understand that people have their own lives to manage, that I exist sometimes as a client of theirs and they will get around to helping me when the others are taken care of, this is fair this is their priority, I operate in the same fashion so this comes as no surprise, although the wait can at times be ever so frustrating, especially when you’re waiting on one piece of work that can move the whole project forward several steps. What do I mean by this, how can one small thing push so much forward? Well allow me to explain with an analogy I’ve come up with – Think of this film as an athletics track, only there are many more lanes than just 8. Each lane is its own department, you’ve wardrobe, performers, music, sound, editing, make-up, equipment etc there are so many more so I’ll leave it there, but wardrobe for example cannot make any progress without the character concepts, the camera guys cannot confirm what they can and cannot shoot without the completion of the storyboards, the music chaps over at Atlas Audio cannot work without a completed film so until certain hurdles are cleared, work cannot move forward, the brakes are applied shortly after movement is made and it’s agonising to work in this stop and start motion, this is why at times it can be very frustrating. The largest hurdle I am currently facing right now is (drum-roll), you guessed it, funding. Funding is the bane of my fucking existence, I NEVER have enough on the average day to do anything let alone something large, everything has to be done in baby steps within baby steps that marinate another niggling concern which is the time I have left on this planet. The moment my pay comes in from my jobs, it is instantly divided, to make way for rent and other things you could umbrella under a phrase called the cost of living, which is steadily rising on a level that frightens me more than any horror movie ever could. I am forever having to wait for my paycheque to be cashed, forever organising with those I work with creatively, assuring them that their payments will be in their account next month or at the earliest possible convenience, often at the sacrifice of a weeks’ worth of food. Quite often I am forced to tackle one small project at a time, my next one being the general theme for Ep2-Rise, this I am writing about in a new up and coming article called, A Shade of Red. It took me two months and several evenings without a proper meal to be able to afford this project, yet this is merely spare change in comparison to the amount the film will come to cost. Everything from props, cast and crew, transportation, accommodation, special effects, editing, score, sound, prosthetics, costume, distribution, promotion, concepts and so much more must be paid for. I estimated yesterday when I tallied the numbers that this short film will cost anywhere from £10.000 to £15.000, that’s an insane amount of money for fifteen minutes of footage, more money than I’ve ever handled, and this ladies and gentlemen is the median estimate, in other words it might be more, might be a lot more, but the challenge awaits itself to be met. I am researching sources, I am reading into this, but I’m a realist, even IF I make a successful application, even IF I make all the right moves and excel where so many others have failed, the chances of being awarded a grant is slim, and should I venture into Crowdfunding territory, this too is full of doubt. I could be stuck at this hurdle for a very long time. This segment might be the last segment I ever write with optimism on the subject of the film, a sad truth.

This does not mean work has to stop, I’ve made progress, for example I have found a hair and make-up artist who seems keen, I’ve been over the details with her, and she appears competent, she came across as very professional, I do look forward to working with her when and if the time comes. I’ve not yet found a lead actress to play one of the main roles, I am still looking, but as of yet, no one has caught my eye. I do not want to reveal the name of this character for it will spoil some of your enjoyment when you read Ep2-Rise, so I’ll leave a brief description here and not mention any names – She has to have long, brown, wavy hair and be comfortable for some blonde highlights to be applied. However, different hair is not exactly a deal breaker, we can buy wigs, we can style heads of hair safely and there is still plenty of time for the woman to grow out her lochs, so even if you who are reading this does not match the right hair but happen to check the other preferences, by all means reach out and let’s talk, it would be a pleasure to collaborate. She has to be comfortable with wearing coloured lenses in her eyes, this can be an awkward experience, I myself would struggle with this, but it is essential you wear coloured lenses for the shoot. She must have white skin or be of European descent; Why? Because she is playing a Norkron, and men and women of Krondathian heritage demands it, they being inspired by English pioneers, settlers, the British Empire if you will and have a long and ancient history layered in surviving cold and bitter northern climates. She must be able to hide any hearty accent she has to suit the above statement, her accent should be masked enough so audiences do not detect she’s French, Spanish, or German for example. These accents are fantastic, French especially is beautiful, but they do not belong in this world, nor do any weighty English accents for that matter it has to be a mild one. This character is a highborn, a member of a royal institution and must be able to speak plainly and clearly in simple English. Experience is preferred, but if you’re enthused about getting involved in a fantasy epic, your enthusiasm and charisma alone will be enough to sway me into accepting you. She has to accept to undergo some long staff training and learn how to move. Dr Beverley Wass, my choreographer is managing this aspect of the film, she will show you how to move, will show you how to carry yourself as the character you’re playing right up until rehearsals. She has to be of average female height, between 20-25 years old and be of a lean/athletic build to fit inside armour that will customised to the actresses shape – That’s about it in terms of aesthetics, when I do finally get to talk and meet with potential actress’s for this role, I’ll get on a call with you and begin the auditioning process, I’m sure it will be hard to choose just one and will be upsetting to saying no to the others, but you’ll all have my thanks and appreciation regardless and who knows, should something come up in the future, something you might be fit for, I’ll have your contact details you’ll be the first in line, I’d love to build a network. So, if you feel like you meet the aesthetic requirements for this character, if you are tired of the mainstream production line and would like to be part of a push in a new direction, do drop me an e-mail, title your letter accordingly so I cannot miss it, and I will do my best to make time for you as soon as possible. I’ll release as much information I can with you when the time comes, including payment and career possibilities, in the meantime I’m going to keep browsing potential performers via academy networking sites, it might take a long time to find the right person, but I know it will all be worth it when I see her, this iconic character on screen, I am so excited at the idea of seeing this come to life, I cannot wait, but I’ll need your help to usher it into existence.    

What I’ve come to learn about acquiring funds so far, is that it is much like the ways in which an author searches for a Literary Agent. The Literary Agent (for those who are unaware) is the one who represents you, has your best interests at heart and gets you through the doors of publishing houses; This is why you hunt for one because your chances to gain keys to certain institutions that can help get your project off the ground, increases, everything is made somewhat easier, you still have to work hard but that load is spread around and shared, Literary Agents know the business and the industry well, they offer advice, support and are your go-to when times get rough during your career as a writer. There is an alternative to this traditional path, you do not have to get a Literary Agent, you do not have to go through the traditional means to get published, you could in fact Self-Publish which is much harder and not for everyone. When going down this road, you retain all of the power but harness all of the responsibility, it’s like a trad-off. Simply put, going through the traditional ways means you lose some of the power and rights to your work, but the workload is much lighter, while if you go independent you keep all the power, but the workload is far heavier. Both paths have their merits and both paths have their setbacks, now how does this relate to finding the funds to make a film? Here is my answer; Quite often you need your Production Manager to apply for you, and should you be awarded funds, if they do indeed cut you a cheque, your credibility, your access to resources such as props and equipment becomes available, but it is also wise to note, that somewhere along the way, you lose or at least run the risk of sacrificing your rights over your ideas, your characters and so on the whole thing is potentially compromised because they were one’s after all to lift your work up off the ground and set it into the public space. If your project is massively successful then I’ve almost no doubt in my mind that a conversation will be had with you present or not, and I cannot stress enough, if you are invested and at this point it’s a guarantee, you would not have come so far if you weren’t 100% involved, then these conversations are threatening to your creative house. The idea of losing power over a world I’ve created, to see it in the hands of someone else, making my characters do things they would never do, misusing the environment and disrespecting the core message of the story to appease a boardroom full of brainwashed suits in love with money, and not a legacy, would likely drive me off a fucking bridge. So, what’s the alternative, other than going the traditional road to acquiring funds for you film? Well, there are a few, but it’s not easy, I consider these methods to be the alternative, the unorthodox paths that everyone in my position has seriously considered. One of which is Crowdfunding, this is the most common form, this is where creators go to places like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, to ask the public, the people with common interests for the funds. It’s not always a successful feat, there are plenty of do’s and don’ts, you need to market yourself effectively, you need to set milestones and realistic goals, you have to be active and responsive in the lead up to achieving your goal but from what I’ve read up on, first timers like me, ghosts to this industry have had very little success. Sure, there are some examples people point to, where someone asks for a little and gains a lot, the best example of this I can think of is the young man who made the video game phenomenon called, Undertale released on the 15^th of September 2015, where Toby Fox asked for $5000 and went onto receive ten times this amount. It’s stories like this that a lot of people rely on to get their projects off the ground, because everyone to some degree (myself included) has a bias toward their own creations, and as much faith as I have in my own work, I know that to fall back on such luck is not something of a wise move, but instead to face up to reality and understand that not many people will make donations, at least not right away, which is why it is important in the beginning to set realistic goals, to grow and strengthen your fanbase as best you can before asking them to hand over their hard earned cash. It’s not impossible to find success on these platforms, it’s just important to understand what it is you are getting yourself into, that you dedicate portions of your day to interact with those interested and that you may very well find yourself responsible to deliver on a project you promised the people who trusted you with their funds. It’s one thing to have big ideas, another to be behind the wheel and speaking from experience limited as it may be, I know the feeling when people are looking and depending on you, and it can be daunting.

So how am I going to pay for this, how in the holiest of hells am I going to raise £15.000? Well, I’ve a plan in mind, it’s rough but it’s a feasible plan none the less that involves three methods. I’ll do my best to explain, but forgive me if I am vague here and there, I do not want to overshare because I’ve ventured into an unfamiliar pond, and I am still wearing water wings in the shallow end so hold the laughter to a minimum. As specified, I am using three techniques, the first IS utilising the Crowdfunding route, however I am not prepared to ask the public for much, I’ve crunched the numbers, made some sacrifices, and have come to the understanding that raising £5000 over the course of a year is realistic, I am researching the best Crowdfunding platform, I’ am still in conversations with others but I feel this is a viable option. The second method is beginning to save another £5000 myself. If I put in a years’ worth of savings from every paycheque I have, every handout from my birthday, Christmas etc it will all be fed into a singular pot. Also, when my official website is back up and running, there will be a dropdown menu where lovely people like you are able to donate to this pot. I am confident I will be able to make a hefty sum in a year, I plan to shoot next year in August, so time is a plenty. Finally, for the third £5000 and this is where I will get very vague, is to take out a loan. Fortunately, I am not a nutcase when it comes to money, I am a safe option who has a pretty good history with banks so once a few things of mine are taken care of I am going to take this further, while being careful not to compromise myself in the future. That’s it folks, three methods to raise £15.000 to make a short, independent movie, to adapt a scene from Episode Three-Seeds of War onto the screen, I’ve already a team, I’ve all the necessary paperwork thus far, a clear plan and more importantly a vision, seems doable. Should you see any more road segments like this that feature on this little blog, then that will mean I’ve made progress, overtaken this hurdle or have some pretty interesting news surrounding it so fingers crossed. Work will continue, the brakes are on so things have slowed down. Next month I will be visiting some of the locations and what could potentially be the accommodation my ‘On-Set Crew’ will be staying at. I’ve a new draft of the storyboards being drawn up after a slight revision of the script, the set designer and concept artist are in constant communication, everything is still moving and will do so until this film is shot, and if anything is going to put an end to this vision it WILL be from the barrel of the gun held by the funding.   

Thank you for reading, I wish I had more to update you with, I wish I could hit the accelerator with this project but there is no possible way I can do that unless I’ve the funds to back it up. All the work needs paying for, everyone of the cast and crew needs looking after, the equipment must be selected carefully and rented or purchased while day to day life continues, it’s a constant cloud over your mental state but clears with every step made, I’ve been through something similar, but this feels so much bigger. I do hope this plan comes into being, the idea to see a movie, to see some of these characters that only exist on the page step out from the book and move around, to talk in the ways they would and behave how they would behave in the world of Equis it would be…Outstanding! I’ll leave it there, I’ve another article in the works, it’s kind of like an overview with where The TAO Platform is currently at, I am going to update you on the progress of the next book, the site, the new piece of music but I share in that essay an uncomfortable truth, a truth that I chose not to share in this one because this is about the funding and not other things, it’s something that needs to be said that could potentially land me in trouble, I hope you get to read it when it’s released. Thanks again, take care.

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

Official Website (CLOSED) – http://www.taotequevault.com

Promotional Material YouTube – http://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

Twitter – @MegasTeque

Article Prior: The Road to the Film: Assemble – https://taoscribe.wordpress.com/2022/05/04/the-road-to-the-film-assemble/

D.W.Gill

The Storytelling Medium

I feel like we have all been in that situation where someone says to you in a smarmy kind of way ‘It’s okay, it’s just a book’ or replace the noun with the word film and or a piece of music, we’ve all had these discussions and it’s likely whoever is reading this, myself included, have been on both sides of this isle. In some cases that smarmy douchebag who thinks he or she is never wrong, is right, it IS rather unnecessary to fly off the handle when you see your favourite franchises go down in flames, or when you see your iconic character of your childhood be utterly eviscerated by a production team/company who have no fucking idea what they’re doing, who do not read into the source material, who do not understand the complexities of the media they’re trying to adapt, or even fathom simple storytelling, lacking in both respecting their scripts and unable to make that connection with audiences, which is the most important part. This is frustrating, and can be painful at times to see something you’ve loved and invested in for years just to be demolished, only for then to have someone patronise you with ‘It’s just x,’ but at the end of the day, it is just a book, or it is just a movie or a piece of music, and what was made special all those years ago will always be special to you in some form or another no matter what the future holds for it. There are more important things in life to concern yourself with, such as your family’s well-being, your own health, your state of mind, your four walls and roof and so on, these things matter and everything beyond should be considered a secondary. However, there is a counterargument, always there is a counterargument and it’s wise to explore BOTH sides before any progress can be made – This is what I would like to breakdown today and feel free to call me a hypocrite, because I too have leapt off into the deep end at some poor soul when it comes to defending my favourite pieces of art or criticizing others when I really should have been focusing on establishing my own platform (more on my progression with TAO at the end). I’ve done it and I’ll likely do it again because there is something here worth exploring, something worth dissecting, but before I get into it, I think it will be wise for you to grab yourself a drink, something strong for this one because it’s going to be a heavy hitter. I’ve gone with what’s left of the New Year’s Eve prosecco, it’s not exactly strong but it’s the strongest thing I can reach for while I am writing this article. So, let’s raise a glass to the new year 2022 everybody and begin to analyse why stories both great and small are more important than you may have realised, let’s dig into the many ways of telling stories and lastly, let’s try not to lose our shit in 2022 shall we, we had the rioting in 2020, we’ve just endured the lunacy of 2021, let’s converse like adults this time and not set anything on fire or break anything, you know who you people are and you should cut that out, honestly whenever I turn on the news or log on I see everyone acting like deranged children it’s embarrassing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy The Story Telling Medium, my first article of the New Year, and one I feel is a little late, we’re already nearly done with January.      

I’ve talked about films a lot on this blog, more so than books, some consider this to be a little strange considering that I’ve written an epic fantasy book of my own, one of gargantuan illogical proportions, and the sequel is going to be even larger, if you can imagine such a thing. The reason for this leaning toward film is not exactly a mystery if you’re a regular follower of mine, I apologise for repeating myself to you wonderful veteran viewers but I feel it necessary to do so for anyone here who happens to be new, to explain my process, that way it will be easier to understand my style and in turn the purpose of this article – I am a very visual person, before I write any scene, before my characters dive into any situation I must know every single detail down to the smallest nook and cranny. You’d think this is self-explanatory for writers, however I’ve read stories where key elements are barely touched upon and sometimes outright ignored! I picked up a book not so long ago from Waterstones, it’s cover was striking, it’s synopsis well managed, and the hook was a promising one, but when I read the introduction and the first portion of Chapter One, I was completely lost! I had no idea what to visualise in my head, no indication as to who was who, the scenery in where the action was taking place and thus it ruined my appeal to travel further. This happens and it’s extremely frustrating especially for someone like me who is nourished when such care is given to a story. Of course when it comes to my own work, I do not or at least I do not detail everything each time I present something new, I have been criticised in fact for being overly wordy in the past, my writing has been quoted as unnecessarily bloated, so instead of ignoring such criticism, I am doing my very best to adapt my writing style to accommodate those who cared to review my work, to be conscious of how I present the context of whatever it is I am writing; For example, detailing things that set the scene while noting only the relevant parts is a troublesome balance to master, readers do not need to know what the grass is doing, or how hard the wind is blowing, but glossing over such elements like the environment in a subtle and creative way can give the reader enough colour for them to paint their own picture, after all reading is an engaging experience, readers find enjoyment in exercising their imaginations, its partly the reason as to why they pick up a book, and for the author why it is they write, to explore the world they have created, to live, to breath and to see it. I’ve stated in the past that my first book The Utopian Dream is not perfect, I’m not about to make excuses for myself that’s not what I’m here to do, however I was an amateur back in 2016, I was handling tools of the Self-Publishing trade for the first time, I was working long hours every day at a job I hated to afford travel expenses to Australia and a working visa to ensure a living. The culmination of inexperience, stress and dealings with swindlers disguised as professional editors all contributed to a poorly made, rushed book and it wasn’t until 2020 when I ripped the whole thing down and started over, weeding my way through the text like a worm through soil, removing as many inconsistencies, errors, and thorny typos as possible and still after all my efforts, problems still find their ways to the surface. In short, The Utopian Dream upon release was broken, the re-release in 2020 was much better, cleaner and tighter, and still hangs on a limp, but what you could not accuse it of is a book lacking in vision and scope, what you could not accuse it of is a cheap cash grab leaning on what was considered trendy at the time, pressing up next to such stories like Game of Thrones and anything related to Harry Potter. What you could not accuse The Utopian Dream of is a book lacking in colour and depth and realism within the context of the world, Dream is riddled with wonderful moments that I am still extremely proud of, moments that leave me grinning with glee, moments that leave me gutted and distraught, and moments that let me envisage what’s to come. Ep1-Dream is still layered in awe, grandeur and mysticism boasting a re-enforced foundation where the sequel, Rise of the Black Doves can perch upon with pride. Flawed, absolutely but it offers so much in its wake by employing the visual methods of writing I’ve self-trained in, methods that will carry over into Ep2-Rise and hence fourth.

Having practised this technique for so long, writing in such a fashion akin to visualising the world I wish to welcome you to, the fringe benefit of this has been a massive appreciation toward films and their makings. Whereas before I was able to shut my brain off in a dark room and simply enjoy what was being shown to me, now however I can do no such thing without that level of immersion, now my taste is far, far more selective. You could argue this is a result of getting a bit older, but I say there is something more here. My time is valuable, your time is valuable, why waste it on productions and their company that care little of detailed storytelling, little of strong writing and more about how much of your cash they can milk from your pockets? I am referring of course to the likes of Disney, a corporation that is systematically buying the film industry and churning out title after title that resemble botched clones of themselves. Don’t believe me? Well, if you’ve watched the films, anyone with an eye for patterns will be able to spot the similarities, in tone, humour, structure, run time and so on. Let me direct you to their movie posters, look at the posters of say Aladdin and Star Wars, they’re different movies for sure of totally different genres but they stink of each other, after all they come from the same household, and you’re probably asking me at this point; What is the problem, where are you going with this ranting and raving about Disney? My answer is simple and blindingly obvious to those who are paying attention, there is nothing wrong with Disney’s own unique style as bog standard as it is, I indeed advocate for a world where it’s trait is as accessible to the next film, but because they are buying up all the properties and productions, it won’t be long before it’s all we’re able to see and experience, and that is a hell I do not wish to visit. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if we want to put a stop to this capitalisation on our childhoods, if we want to give way for other talented artists and remarkable creators who are if not more adept than those slaving at Disney, we as the audience have to show up, support and spread the word about the people who are swamped by the hordes of drones who relentlessly cheer on the next Marvel, the next Star Wars or the next ripped, recycled piece of trash that infects the industry. Before you start to wonder, I do practise what I preach, in the past I’ve praised my concept artist Will Towns, the man who is responsible for sketching several of my characters. I’ve shared with you the talent of Oliver Richards who’s editing and special effect skills compliment his works as they did bring my own work to life in the Live-Action Trailer of Ep2-Rise. Atlas Audio graced The Utopian Dream with its own theme music, I made a documentary where the founders Julian and Alex happily sharing their thoughts on the work, I look forward to working with them in the future. I’ve sang the praises of Nate H also known as Mr H on YouTube for his short films Breaking Lights and Black Fields, films I had the pleasure to assist with on set, and today I plan to reveal another artist, so with all that said I think it’s fair to say in this case, I avoid being tarred with the label of hypocrite. All these people are creative artists laced with their own uniqueness and individuality bubbling under the surface, only with such talent do big projects get made, projects that barely see the light of day in comparison to the mainstream and it breaks my heart when so much work, time and energy isn’t even deserving of a glance by the suits who think they know better than you, suits who put profit over anything else. This worries me, but why is it I care so much about this? Aren’t there more critical aspects to life that need work on before we begin to fix the entertainment industry, and the truth is, yes, you’re right, there are, but the answer to solving these problems is intrinsic on the other, both hinge on one another so please, allow me to explain.

     One of my most cherished pieces of work beyond that of TAO, is an article titled The Irreplaceable: Final Fantasy VII. Within that detailed essay of one of the most successful, iconic, and loved stories on the planet, I give reasons as to why the lead protagonist Cloud Strife, is one of my favourites and why he resonates not just with me, but with a generation. If you’d like to read it and I certainly hope that you do, you can find it on this blog simply by scrolling down until you see it, or for easier access, visit my website, enter the Article section, and select it from the on-screen menu. It’s in the folds of this essay where I explore Cloud as a character in meticulous detail, but for the sakes of this article and its word count, I’ll simply say that the reason he resonates with YOU the player, is that he despite everything he has gone through in his harrowing journey of loss, misery, betrayal, inadequacy, is just like you and me. Where most games allow you to embody powerful superbeings, characters larger than life, Cloud when everything is said and done is not like that, he is normal, he is enough just as he is, enough to meet the trials ahead, to face his worse fears head on, who has come from a place as humble and as simplistic as you is able to overcome the nightmare that has plagued him all his life, and with the help of his friends is able to reign victorious and start a new life elsewhere. It’s a message I feel a lot of people especially disenfranchise young males desperately need, giving Cloud massive popular appeal, and it’s through his journey mixed with a diverse cast of others who too struggle, where you learn how to genuinely be a better person, opposed to his closed off hard stoic nature at the start, it’s beautiful in its execution and conclusion. Am I saying that fictitious characters are the key to solving world problems, no…But how many of you have been influenced by such characters in stories you still know and love from childhood? How many of you reading this can say that you’ve never stopped at a junction in your life and consulted the feelings or revised situations of those you’ve learned to love in your entertainment? This IS important because if the heroes you aspire to are terrible people/creatures then it’s likely this stench will rub off on you, yes you the real person in the real world reading this, or perhaps it’s your children who will fall prey to this clear and present cult like agenda that’s eating its way through everything that we consider to be art! Therefore, this is why stories matter, this is why the stories you write matter, they may not be at the forefront of your mind initially during a crisis, but I promise you, resemblances will crop up somewhere, patterns will be drawn given the fullness of time and writers such as myself feel a responsibility to study human nature in all its facets from the good, the bad and the ugly, we are compelled to leave audiences with a sense of duty, to be kinder toward one another, to inspire you to make wise choices over poor ones, to learn from mistakes, to grow and to overcome adversity when it arises.

With all this said, when you sit back and think about what is happening to our entertainment industry, to our culture these days and the ways in which it is being contorted and twisted to fit a damaging, preachy woke like message that is systematically eroding once great franchises, it only emboldens assholes like me to make something of myself, to work harder, to motivate yourself further while under the bitter realisation of the fact that you’re probably, likely not going to amount to anything of significance, at least nothing to deter the great wave of nonsense in circulation today, a wave consisting of quotas, remakes, reboots, comic book heroes, it’s all too much, no one is particularly interested in the independent artists these days, everyone wants junk food fed to them time and time again, but we do it anyway despite the odds, because being creative is a reward in that of itself and deep down you press on because it’s in your heart, it’s in your mind to do something and I’d rather spend my life actively doing something in the field in which I love, to make a dent as small as it is, and when the time comes to pack this in, when the time comes to fold and move on, I can say that that dent was mine. I want to deliver something that will touch audiences, through the soul of literacy, film, and music, and to do that I am going to need some help, help from those who share in my vision and have one for themselves, and on this note I’d love to talk about a piece of music written and performed by Jilaine Wheatcroft, a beautiful piece called Isabelle’s Theme. If you’d like to click the link titled Isabelle’s Theme Music below before reading further, this next segment will be easier to understand, there will be mild spoilers ahead, my work is easily available so if you do not want to be spoiled everything you need is listed, I do hope you enjoy it.

When building a story as grand as this, when you’ve a vision, something you can see so vividly in your head, something you can feel when music is played to the beat of the actions, it’s important to know that each building block deserves equal levels of attention. From the literal work that fills up the pages, from the cover art both inside and out, from the world itself in which the drama is set, to the story arks of your characters they’re destined to fulfil, or not fulfil if you’re brave enough to go there, but I’d like to focus on the music aspect of this article, the music after all being central to this entire essay. I’ve stated before on many occasion that music is a driving force it’s a key ingredient to making your work rival those of the initiated. Music at its best can land you in the moment, pit you right into the heart of the action, build tension, create dread, experience passion, it can also assist you in understanding your characters through their own theme at an incredible depth, like it unlocks a door to a trove of emotions you’d never know were there without it. However, the process in creating music for a character is not as simple as just whipping up a tune, more about digging in deep under the surface than slapping a few notes together over the character in question. It takes time, it takes a lot of trial and error, you need to study his or her journey, examine the ark, dissect the themes, the crucial details, and the outcome. Only then coupled with the help of someone who knows how to write music will you fit together a piece that captures a story in which you seek to tell. To help describe the level of work that goes into such a project, the musician of the Theme of Isabelle recently written, performed, and filmed for viewing has leant her insight which I will share with you in the following.

“First came character exploration. With the authors help and my own knowledge of The Utopian Dream which I’ve read once, I made a timeline in my notebook of Isabelle’s journey. I was sure to list key events while consciously mapping out her emotional states from the very start to the very end. While I studied the character of Miss Verano, I found that curiosity, doubt, despair, love, support, self-sacrifice, and a hint of a deep-seated combative nature framed who she is as not only a great Star Caller, but as a human being.” – Jilaine Wheatcroft

This is true, before a note was even echoed Jilaine requested some insider knowledge of Isabelle Verano, insider knowledge I happily obliged her with via lengthy texts, e-mails and voiced messages which went on for ten to twenty minutes. Jilaine’s interpretation however was already on point, after all she had read the book, was able to articulate her relations clearly having understood Isabelle’s complexities, she was also able to relate to the Star Caller on more than one level giving me a boost of confidence as a writer, a writer who has grand visions for the TAO platforms future. I guess I am on the right track despite my flaws and troublesome doubts. Jilaine indeed was given a thorough detailed breakdown of Isabelle, she was referred to the character study I wrote in 2020, was dropped a handful of spoilers and given my own experiences with one of the most powerful and mysterious protagonists in The Ancestral Odyssey.      

“Following my study of the lead protagonist, I made it an important task to find a key, time signature and chord progressions that would embolden the characters defined traits. The key of F# minor and 6/8-time signature, I felt captured the melancholy, dynamism and internal strength of Isabelle.” – Jilaine Wheatcroft

I’ve always admired those with raw uncompromised talent and professionalism, people who work on a craft, who build themselves into something amazing, who harness a passion this has always garnered my undivided attention. I’ve always envied those who can do intricate math problems, understand physics, and can perform complicated surgeries that save lives, these things are so far removed from the things I do I cannot help but just stand idly by in awe and watch. I also become rather jealous of bilingual people, those who can switch languages on a dime, it’s utterly fascinating to me – Someone I know can speak four languages, four fucking languages and I can only speak one, God I wish I paid more attention in French classes at school. She can just flick through them as easily as it is to click your fingers it blows my mind! Jilaine too speaks a language I cannot, she can tell a story through the medium of music, a talent I can never hope to accomplish, not unless I put down my book work and devote five to ten years of my life to practising. Maybe when this is all over, maybe when The Ancestral Odyssey is done, I’ll go back to learning to play the piano, picking up where I left off as a kid, that might keep my mind ticking over in the wake of completing this insane project of mine that seems to keep getting bigger and bigger. Jilaine assures me that the songs I tend to listen to are not that hard to play, that even for someone like me it’s possible to master well within a year or so, who knows we’ll see. Over the course of working with Jilaine however, I’d sometimes be invited round her house and discuss the music. I’d be sitting there like a shlub, tea in my right, biscuit in the other while she walks me through her incredible process, playing as she explains to the fraudulent creature I am in those moments. She’ll create these elaborate poetic notes she’s been fathoming while I try to hide the drool coming out my mouth as she exposes her talent…Honestly, I hope when this is all over, she finds herself on a stage performing in front of millions in a shimmering golden dress, or perhaps writing pieces for movies that appear on the big screen, that’s where I hope she’ll find herself in years to come.

“Idea generation is easily my favourite part of this process. This is where I explore and create melodies that strongly link with the highlighted themes. This involves lengthy sessions at my piano, sessions that can last several hours at a time. I improvise and perfect various sections until something I’ve made clicks. I know it when I feel it, it often makes me sit up and say, ‘Yes THIS is Isabelle!” And as if I’ve just stuck gold in my living room, I leap upon it, repeating and refining like my life depended on it. The first time this happened was when I was playing with the ideas of love and support. I sent it to Duncan right away, and he too took note of the weighty indications that highlighted a story, a whimsical nod toward the poetry of beginning, middle and end. I believe it was here where real progress was made.” – Jilaine Wheatcroft

It’s no secret that music is a massive inspiration to me a driving force if you will that allows me to find the moment for the scene. I write to music on most occasions, I could not do without it, and it doesn’t have to be music played by your favourite bands, but instead I sometimes listen to those long pieces of music created by those online, videos of a landscape or a floating galaxy say, as relaxing tunes are played in the background, couple this with a hot cup of tea and hours of writing time, it’s likely magic will happen. Music is also one of the key things I look for in movies, if the music is bad then that can weigh the art down heavily, but when it’s done right it can elevate the material in more ways than you can imagine, what can I say other than music is more than essential. Listen to enough pieces of music especially soundtracks and the initiated ear can track patterns, patterns that tell stories on their own without the benefits of the images. One of the worst selection of films in history is the sequel trilogy to Star Wars, they’re terrible on almost every level it’s hard to find anything redeeming about them, it’s insane, but one cannot fault the music here, the music I still respect, it’s gorgeous especially Ray’s Theme or the Imperial March. I can listen to Ray’s theme several times in a row but instead of associating it with the travesty that is Disney Star Wars, I’ll replace it with my own images, images I have of my own story. Quite a while ago on a livestream I did with Mr H Reviews, I made a note of the Fellowship of the Rings soundtrack, and how that’s one of the best pieces I’ve ever heard. Why is it one of the best? It’s because it focus’s on its story, at the beginning you can hear the fellowships theme building, when you get to the council of Elrond and that trek through the mountains the music is booming, expressing that this party is at its height. Soon after the fall of Gandalf the music is hitched to a limp until it’s at a whimper, as Frodo stands on the banks of Amon Hen questioning everything that has taken place since her volunteered himself for a suicide mission, it’s beautiful. The fellowship theme does not appear again until they’re re-united again in Minas Tirth, as if the soul of the adventurers has returned – Now with all that said, as brilliant as the footage to go along with this soundtrack is, you can simply play it and feel a story being told here, you don’t necessarily need anything else BUT the music to elicit such a heart-warming response. Getting this message across to Jilaine was easy, she didn’t even need me to explain she already understood. It was then, in that moment where I knew I was working with the right person. Pointing out the essence of Isabelle’s story, allowing it to transcend into the music she played was the key to making this work, and it worked for sure, you can feel a beginning, a middle and an end, the end being slightly more impactful after the trials she struggles with and passes, as if her ark is coming full circle.   

 “Once that spark has been born into existence, everything slowly falls into place. Progress seems to be swift at this stage and after each step made, I send the creator of the project snippets of the unfolding work and record the feedback. These moments can become tense, for we as individuals resonate with art differently. So, if my client feels like something needs to go despite my own opinions, I must respect those wishes and make do with what I have, honouring the source material. Duncan and I however often agreed at every junction and raised no creative disagreements that may have soured the air. This enabled me to move onto the melodic/harmonic developments where I refine the favourited ideas and play with them until the authenticity bleeds through.” – Jilaine Wheatcroft

I often send snippets of my own work to my beta readers. Beta readers are a collection of wonderful people who have expressed interest in the work you are doing, have a flare for your passion and are open to receive excerpts long before publication. Why do writers do this? We do it to attain a measurement on how well our material is resonating with audiences, we cannot send our work out to thousands, that would be impractical, so we select those who are willing to give up thirty minutes of their day, to evaluate some work, to let us know what they think is working and what isn’t. It’s important as a writer, not to get caught up in the opinions of others, it’s important not to write their story that derails you from your own, rather take the praise or criticism lightly and proceed with it in mind. Simply put, take the feedback, and refer to it as a simple guide. Of course, if every single beta reader points out the same issue, I advise that is something you should investigate and perhaps patch up at your earliest convenience – But if one of say fifteen beta readers takes issue with something, I would say it’s not to be overly critical about. Nevertheless, beta readers are valuable, and every writer should equip themselves with this resource during their writing journey. With all this in mind I believe it’s wise to note that beta readers are NOT as invested as you no matter what they say, unless they are a self-proclaimed writers, editors, or proof-readers themselves they’re insight into the mechanics of your piece will be limited. To better explain, where a piece YOU send you know is problematic, beta readers will often not be able to see what it is you see and dish out praise left, right and centre leaving the author a bit, puzzled. This is how I felt sometimes when Jilaine requested my feedback, I could feel her frustration when all I said was ‘Yeah it’s good.’ I did my best to add more of course, I did my best to hear what she heard. Because it was Isabelle, one of my most cherished and loved characters, I do not think I was completely useless, but was sure to express to Jilaine that perhaps my opinion was not the strongest in this regard and that sounds strange considering that I am the creator of TAO, but it’s true, I suggested she take my words lightly, I suggested she perhaps turn to another musician of experience in order to collect a more detailed piece of feedback one that would assist her in ways I unfortunately could not. Like my beta readers are sometimes unable to read what I read, unable to read what is between the lines, I too felt like I could not deliver an evaluation Jilaine was looking for, so we worked around these problems. I am happy to admit when I am out of my depth, happy to accept that there are somethings I fall short on, but the best thing I and anyone can do in these situations is try, try your best to empathise, do what you can to understand another’s perspective and learn something from it because I guarantee you you’ll find yourself in a similar situation in the future; Would you rather be ill-equipped for this moment, or slightly more prepared? The answer is blindingly obvious.   

 “Finally, I create the overall structure and rehearse it several times. I review what’s missing, what needs more development with the authors help of course, it’s important to keep the client informed and aware with what is going on at every stage. I am conscious of any changes made this late in the work, making sure that the improvements communicate Isabelle’s ark effectively and cutting out anything unnecessary. Capturing the feeling of ‘despair’ was my biggest challenge while working on this project, previous versions were minimalistic but when incorporating it into the piece alongside it’s completed counterparts Duncan, and I both agreed it felt limp, was a little loose and could have done with some movement. Shortly after I made a final recording only to be filmed for the video, a video we hope you watch and enjoy today. This was a lot of fun.” – Jilaine Wheatcroft          

This would be the second time I’ve worked with musicians, and something I’ve noted during the processes is that they run a similar street to that of writers, only it veers off ever so slightly, and it’s within that slight difference, within that fraction where I find them to be utterly fascinating both as people and as artists. Where my voice can be read in the black and white, their voices can be heard through their notes, touching upon emotions in a way unique to its own and because it’s something I lack the skills to manage, this only heightens my appreciation for them. One of these mediums whether it be writing or playing, can be powerful but combined and married well, you end up with a beautiful cocktail, with a project such as this one and I could not be prouder of the outcome. Not only that, but from what I’ve found, musicians as people are soulful, they wear their hearts on their sleeve when in their element and care deeply about their poetry. They’re thoughtful, charismatic, emote a radar of sensitivity, often they’re modest especially when underrepresented, and let’s be real most musicians are underrepresented these days due to the digital age we live in. Where only a tiny, tiny portion of independent artists are recognised, with most of their music lost among the millions upon millions of uploads per day, the life they lead must be frustrating and rough especially when trying to monetise themselves to the public. This I can relate to because now it’s not just a musicians issue, but a creatives problem in general, a problem that has no easy solution other than to persevere (my favourite word in the English dictionary) and persist regardless of popularity; If it’s popularity you seek then I do not think you’re being authentic to yourself and I’d encourage you pursue another line of work to save time. Artists, myself included go by with little acknowledgment, little encouragement and often have to sacrifice the cushty comfortable life style that comes with an office job FOR your chosen craft, because the only thing the artist wants to do is to be creative, it’s our lifeblood! Take my ability to write away, take a musician’s instrument away or a painter’s brush and they wither on the vine, that’s what its like believe me I’ve been there and its hell, the reward for finishing a milestone is I believe universal, there is nothing better and no pay check comes close the satisfaction gained from simply being creative, and those that are walking the path, for those that have chosen the hard path in life you have my utmost respect. We may not see eye to eye, you may not like what I do nor I you, but we share a similar walk of life that MUST be respected, cherished and most of all encouraged despite how difficult and impossible it seems, otherwise what world would we live in, what world would we find ourselves in if we simply stopped. We’d live in a world I would not want to be part of, and I think that those who sit on the other side of the fence would agree with.  

Chaps, thank you for sticking with me throughout this article. Big thank you to the lovely Jilaine Wheatcroft for sharing not only her musical talents but her words for this essay. Thank you as always to artist Will Towns who sketched Isabelle Verano and too coloured the image, I recognise that this was the first time Will practised in colour and I think it looks incredible, really, really good work Will I mean that through and through, you’ve come such a long way. Seeing as we’re here I would like to touch further on Will’s talents, this gent has been drawing for me for about three years now, each and every time he delivers, there is rarely a depiction he misses on if not ever, his attention to detail is insane, I mean if you’ve read my work, if you anything about some of these characters he has drawn, you’ll see not only are they proportionally perfect but the small details that bring that extra gravitas to the character are there. Take Donna Mu Klade for example, if you look closely, you’ll see the hint of her tattoo on her back, you’ll see the Miranda’s serpent gauntlets wrapped around her wrists under the falls of her coat. If you look at this latest one of Isabelle you’ll see the golden locket around her neck, check out Kina Serisa and the feather hanging off her person, that feather ties her to her lineage, a big part as to who she is, and Will was wise enough to draw that in plain to see because he understands that the attention to the little detail is ever so important. There are so many other examples I could point out, but I feel like you understand where I am coming from. Will and people like him deserve some recognition, a reward for all their efforts, and yes I am sure to pay the chap for his fine work, even though he has expressed to me that its not about the money, I hope to one day pass his name onto others, I want to see his career shine and take flight, it is almost painful to me to know that he is working in retail, that his talent is going by unappreciated and wasted, Will should have an office made of glass, he should be surrounded by artwork, have access to some neat tools of the trade, he should be producing work not just for me but for a bunch of people it should be his bread and butter at this point, but it’s not, he like so many of us are being strangled by a world that relentlessly tries to crush us, this goes for everyone mentioned in this blog and all those people I’ve not met. If I won the Lottery, if I somehow come into money, if TAO ever lifts off the ground, I will take as many of you with me as possible because without you I’d be stuck to one artistic medium and as powerful as that medium can be, it’s simply not enough to deliver a tangible vision of an epic fantasy that I hope will change the face of the genre forever.

Thank you to a fellow H Productions crew member Alex Hunt, for editing the music video together so beautifully, you did a terrific job my friend, I will be seeing you soon come April no doubt to assist Mr H on his next project, exciting times. I look forward to working with you all again in the future, 2022 I hope will be a productive year, I’ve a number of projects in the works one of which is the release of Episode Two-Rise of the Black Doves. Yes, the mighty sequel to Episode One-The Utopian Dream IS coming out and I cannot wait! I simply have not been more excited about anything as much as I am about this books launch. It’s been one hell of a long road fuck it’s been hard for us all, but finally we are here, finally we have arrived and are mere months away from its release. After everything the book has gone through, through the chaos that has been the last few years, I am so happy to announce that it will be available in Kindle, Paperback and Hardback Edition. I promise Rise will deliver, I promise an expansion on every level, from the characters, the plot, and the world building itself. I promise it will blow you away, the ending is without a doubt something else, something you’ve not experienced before, something that I think will change you, I hope you’ll be a slightly different going in than you were coming out I believe it has that level of intensity. I’ve ambitions for a short film to be made, my fingers are still crossed, still waiting on a verdict with whether it’s got the go ahead, but even if its dire news I’ll be sure to let you know and begin formulating a plan b, one way or another it will get made. These articles will continue, Will Towns has agreed to sketch for another year so you can expect not only more character concepts but we’ve a few creatures and monsters on the way. I’ve been in touch with Atlas Audio, the guys over there are keen to start up on a theme for Rise, similar to the one we had with Dream but this time its been amped up to eleven…God bless you Spinal Tap…I would also like to hire a landscape artist, someone who can digitally paint some of my environments starting with Krondathia inspired by the English countryside littered with iron mines, and slowly we’ll work our way up to the nightmarish realms of Theed and the blistering snowy tundra of Maire, Maire under the shadow of the mountain Heaven’s Ankle. So much I’d like to get started on, so much I’d like to do between working the day jobs, I’ll be sure to put in some extra hours.

If you’d like to watch my newest video, please visit the highlighted link below and leave me a comment, honestly your input is not only helpful, but it’s massively appreciated. If you want to go above and beyond do share it with folks who you think will also like it, that will do wonders for me, and everyone involved. I’ve a website worth checking out if you’ve a moment that has over seventy more articles like this one listed in its own section. I’ve a handful of other videos such as a couple of documentaries, a Live-Action Trailer of Ep2, more music, and a Gallery that’s growing into something worthy of respect. You can also pick up Episode One-The Utopian Dream on all formats say for audible – this is a project I’ve yet to tackle for the second time so please bear with me while I get my shit together. Plenty is going on but regardless, thank you for visiting this blog, thank you for reading, take care of you and yours and I’ll see you again in the next one. Peace.

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

Official Website – http://www.taotequevault.com

Promotional Material YouTube – http://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

Twitter – @MegasTeque

Mr H – https://www.youtube.com/c/MrHReviews

[ Isabelle’s Theme Music by Jilaine Wheatcroft ] – https://youtu.be/rfMr6dONTPA

Oliver Richards – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8IkMDKc6macVgsP-GtdSow/videos

Atlas Audio – http://www.atlas-audio.co.uk

D.W.Gill

An Authors Voices

Hey folks, I hope everyone is well, it has been a while since I posted here, I’ve been prioritising my time, dedicating it to Ep2-Rise, I am so nearly finished with the writing phase, not five chapters off from the end, hoping to launch the book before September if I really put my head down, but this year is the year, 2021, and so far, it has been a strange one. If 2020 was a drunken mess 2021 I feel will be the horrible hangover. We can only wait and see.

Before I begin, a quick thought on this post because I have been doing a lot of thinking on this topic recently, the topic of the voice of the author, a topic which I have to get off my chest, please bear with me, I will get there – Writing these Blogs is like therapy, writing them, collaborating with other artists and creating new content for TAO series, slows everything down in a good way and really allows me to think clearly. In the real world I come across as quiet, reserved, I do not like confrontation and I basically just cannot wait to run away from the noise of the world and get back to my workstation, because here I can articulate myself far more accurately, I can present opinions, arguments, and general thoughts far more coherently than if I were to be standing opposite someone. It sucks but this is something I have just got to learn to overcome, to be more level-headed and less emotional when engaged with people. Anyway, as many of you are aware, I am involved with an independent film studio called H Productions. Currently we have successfully shot two films, the first was Black Fields which is a Viking’esque horror fantasy, the second is called Breaking Lights, a psychological horror film resonating around male suicide and the dangers of depression. I’ve written about my experiences while working on both of these projects before, they are my Runners Recap articles, and I am proud of them. Every time I come out of a film project, I will write about the experience as soon as possible while the memories are still fresh, plus I really enjoy sharing them with you, I am so glad I am part of the team recently promoted to a long-term crew member, this is not just a one-time gig like I thought it was, this looks like it will be a career pathway. In these recaps I go into extensive details about the shooting process, my role as a Lead Runner, what it is like working with Director H and his company, in fact last night I was shown a cut of Breaking Lights followed by The Making Of documentary, a behind the scenes look at the film, and I have to be honest, I am really looking forward to what you guys think of this. Seeing it as a crew member is a strange thing, because you were there at every step of the way, you were there behind the camera watching it all unfold, so when it is up on screen in front of you, you do get a different perspective on the piece. I am excited about how audiences digest H’s vision, he was born to do this stuff, dare I say I am slightly envious of his talent amd one day I hope to be in his shoes perhaps directing my own short movies centralised around my Mythorigins. I will certainly notify you all when both projects are out on DVD and Blu-Ray, and I would be delighted to know your thoughts. Black Fields being significantly larger and a little more complex is still a work in progress, it may be a little while longer for its release but for the most part, it is nearing completion. As for Breaking Lights, I think it is done and should be being shown at film festivals in 2021, if everything goes to plan. I apologise but before I go on, something needs to be said, everything is uncertain at the moment due to COVID-19 situation, the film industry along with many other industries has been hit hard and now is the time to get involved, whether that be making a subscription, becoming a follower, making a small donation, leaving an encouraging comment, now is the time to do those things and I, as with most others, just want the waters to calm down. We live in a digital age where it has never been easier to do such things, to make your voice heard, and what with the events of 2020, your content creators NEED your support in whatever form that takes. I am not suggesting you hand over your hard-earned cash or sharing everything you come across like your life depended on it, but I am making light of is that these industries are made up of people, people with a little knowhow, people who build and create the things you love, they are usually constrained with funding, time and other pressures life throws at them. In a normal year this is extremely difficult and without support from people like you, these things flake apart, it is that simple, and right now so few people are working and instead folding due to the current climate.

For a little good news, sorry to have gotten a bit bleak, I am in talks of getting a website built, if you’re a regular reader of mine you’ve probably noticed the fair few links I share below my posts, how cool would it be if I could roll them ALL into one? Well that is what I am trying to do, I’d like to build a website but I’ve had to seek some assistance, because I don’t know how to use Wicks or Squarespace or whatever else is out there, and I don’t exactly have time to learn, my plate is fucking full – You see I work hard to keep a roof over my head, living is Oxford is expensive, I cannot afford to miss a shift or get sick, my job requires me to work all through the night starting at 2am, I am still writing the last Volume of Ep2-Rise, I’ve just breached Chapter 53, a chapter I have been talking about for years. With Rise comes a polished new world map, new cover art, I’ve an artist who is sketching my characters who needs checking in on from time to time, he is doing a remarkable job and I hope by the end of this he launches a career of a sort, his name is Will, and he is a solid chap, don’t know what I’d do without him. Recently I had some jewellery cut together, a pendent in the shape of Draygo’s dagger which required some study, love the girl who built it for me, what can I say other she is an utter gem, I look forward to what she comes out with next. I am editing together a TV spot trailer sourced from my Live-Action Trailer and today I was in touch with a young woman who is keen to make me a piece of music to articulate Ep1-Dream so yes, I’ve quite literally not the time to build a website. Hopefully in a few months I’ll have one for you or something to show, a place where all the artwork is stored, all my videos, Blogs and updates can be found. With that pesky update information out of the way, finally I can talk about this article’s topic, the author’s voice. Today I have gone for a Nescafe chocolate coffee, a mocha pretty much but I make them a little different to the instructed recipe. I tip the contents of the sachet into my awesome squirrel mug, add a dash of milk, a little brown sugar and stir. When the mixture is smooth and creamy, I add the boiling water. I suggest you try it, usually I buy semi-skimmed milk but now and then, I buy a small whole milk specifically for these coffees, again, I suggest you try it. I hope you enjoy An Authors Voices.  

So as writers we’ve all heard the phrase ‘Find your voice.’ Everyone at the start of their writing journey goes through an experimental phase to write in their own way, to forge their own style so to speak. Afterall, writers use an ever-evolving pre-existing language to adapt their visions into a cohesive and hopefully consistent piece of writing. Unless you are a goliath in this field like J.R.R. Tolkien who created his own languages or Shakespeare who assisted in the construction of over one thousand five hundred words, you will be using the same tools as everyone else, and there is no shame in this, none whatsoever, you do not need to be a giant in the field to create fine works. Please do not misunderstand me, the more you know certainly helps and I encourage you to learn as much as you can while you find your way, the more strings to your bow the better, and the best way to do this is to engage with your craft as often as possible. You will need to know the fundamentals of course, every profession has a set of guidelines, but do not feel like you need to know EVERY aspect of your language to tell a good story. In the same way a great chef does not need to know everything about his ingredients to cook a great meal, or a professional F1 driver does not need to know how to construct and deconstruct an engine to floor it through a racetrack, you can still be of master class and not know these things, what you bring to the board is often what will resonate with your audience and that is just a fact. People invest in the individual more often than you might think, and if you compare yourself to giants, do not beat yourself up, for they too had giants to aspire to of their own, and that did not deter them, for if it had, we as a society would have nothing at all. So, get out there, learn as much as you can and promote yourself. Speaking from experience and trust me when I say that it’s okay to make mistakes from time to time, it’s okay not to know some things, it’s okay to stumble, it’s okay to get frustrated and angry at yourself, but the idea is not to give up, and this is where passion comes into it, it is your greatest weapon and defence, for if you are in the field you’re supposed to be in, your passion will prevent you from giving up, you almost have no choice in the matter, passion does not let you remain on the floor for long, it’s just not something that happens. This is one of the greatest tells in life, if you end up walking away from something, if you ever end up throwing in the towel or can see a life beyond whatever it is you are doing, you might want to try something else, because you are probably suited for something else and will likely end up happier as a result. This is not advice just for writers, but for everyone. Another tell is to ask yourself; Would you keep working in your current profession if the money was to dry up? If the answer is no, then your passion is tied to your finances and I doubt you’ve tasted passion if this is the case. You don’t do something if the money is there, you do it because it’s what you want to do, a signature of who you are. Of course, do not neglect your finances, take care of yourself in that regard however you can, the goal in life is to make a living while doing something you love, more power to you if you land it, I myself recognise that we all need to pay our way, it is the way of the world, but real passion, to my mind, is not something you tie with a financial reward waiting at the end, you do it when there is money to be made or not, you put yourself out there despite a bonus. To me it is the journey toward accomplishing something you see in your mind, the learning and the experience trumps any paycheque. I laugh at people who claim to love their jobs but at the same time cannot wait to book a holiday off. Not that I can ever afford a holiday, nor do I have the fucking time, I don’t even get Christmas off anymore, but if I was in the position to fly somewhere beautiful and exotic, I wouldn’t be posing in front of a swimming pool with my legs out with a glass of wine, or taking ridiculous cringe inducing, brain spewing selfies while spouting off bullshit, no, I’d certainly enjoy where I was, I’d make the most of it, but I would not leave my book work behind, I’d take it fucking with me – Why? Because it is all I want to do with my time, because it’s what I am good at and have a drive for. That is passion to me and so few I feel understand this, some think that they do, but actions speak louder than words. It saddens me in fact knowing that so many are locked into the one mindset, the common routine of work and rest, work and rest, work and holiday and so on until your precious time escapes you, until you look back and realise that you should have taken those risks, those scary opportunities that present themselves. You can make life whatever you want it to be but in order to do that, you’re going to have to make some decisions and prepare for solid work and for hard times ahead because nothing worth fighting for just happens overnight. It’s not easy and you will struggle, but so long as you keep building, little by little, piece by piece every day, you’re going to make it, you’re going to be okay. And just for the record, I’ve been fighting to make my dreams a reality since I was sixteen, I chose this path, I travelled Europe on less than eight hundred pounds for six months, sleeping rough and eating little while climbing mountains, getting caught in blizzards and rainstorms in the wilds, I moved to Australia to live in a van to work on farms for months, I’ve taken risks dear reader, I’ve practised and saw into fruition what I am preaching. I am thirty-three now and I am still working in a piss poor job, paying my way with pittance while pouring ALL my energy into these books. I do not know if I will ever reach that place of security, where I can create new content at any time without dragging myself off to a dungeon every day to listen to some drone bark orders at me, I do not want to be constantly tethered to my landlord, forever living with this sense of…Hopelessness. I want things to change and the only way that is going to happen is if I keep pushing, but regardless, I’ll always do this, until it is done, until that last word is written I will keep doing this. For whoever is reading this and can empathise, I hear you and I am with you my brother, my sister, we are in this together and I wish you well in your journey, and as writers, as artists, know that people like us, people with ideas and visions, we built the world from the ground up, it isn’t the snidey, patronising, belittling asshole with more money than he or she knows what to do with, no, YOU are the reason this world has colour, for as long as there have been people, there have been those with ideas, ideas which seed the future, and the future is built by visionaries. Our visions have faded over time and are in desperate need of a fresh coat, so the first thing in which you need to do, is find your voice and take it from there. What you’ll uncover is life experience, and life experience will build you as a person, will become a voice in that of itself, a voice you can use when in company of those who might need to hear it.

I remember some time ago, someone asked me; How is it you can relate to someone who finds themselves in a situation that you yourself have never been in nor will ever find yourself? Part of me feels like I’ve already discussed this topic in a previous post called My Villain and Reason, but seeing as we’re here I’ll cover it again, and I’ll start with saying that this is a very good question. It’s true, in Ep1-The Utopian Dream, our heroes find themselves in scenarios that just escape us regular folk, perhaps some people in the military will be able to identify more with some of these situations but even then, my world is a fictitious one, set in an age with swords and shields mixed with magic and monsters, so it’s pretty divorced from the modern age in which we live, even though I do try at every turn to give it a dose of realism. The way I and other writers get around this relation issue, of being able to step into the shoes of a Knight standing toe to toe against his rival so easily, or that of a rogue on the run from the authorities or someone who wields grand magic, all these realms fall into the same category of empathy. You don’t necessarily have to be a Knight to encompass feeling, but you do need to ask yourself some relevant questions, sometimes you need to take a journey back in time to a certain experience you may have had that lands you as close as possible to the thing you are trying to detail or describe, and sometimes this can be tricky to do it right. Seeing as I used the Knight example and one of my main protagonists IS a Knight, I will stick with it for now and hopefully you will be able to apply this formula to the other character classes. You need ask questions like; What is it that Knights do? What are they and what are some of the challenges they face? I could ask a few more but I’ll stick with these three for now to clarify my point. Knights are a high form of authority, they protect the innocent, defend the weak and guard territory from threats governed by their King or Queen. They usually are quite patriotic, well mannered, educated and come from a family close to royalty. They have to prove themselves over and over through trial and failure to acquire such a status, so they have a determined nature backed up with an honourable mindset. It’s these traits that I incorporated into Lethaniel, my hero of Ep1-Dream, and although Lethaniel carries flaws with him, he definitely encompasses some of these adjectives. Writing Lethaniel and many other characters I was hindered, because I am not a Knight (sorry but I’m not), living his journey and giving you, the reader, the ability to do so too, I had to nail his story authentically and one of the ways I did this was to find whatever common ground I could and magnify it. This brings us to my time as an athlete back when I was a diddy teen. If you have ever been part of the athletic community then you will know that it is highly competitive, no quarter is given when you step into that stadium, when you walk onto that track, you take no fucking mercy! I remember waiting inside a cold tunnel, kitted out in my running gear, the scrape of my spikes under my feet, my hands shaking, waiting for my name to be called. It’s an experience man, you do feel alone, even though you have people in your corner cheering you on, in that moment you are alone, and people are depending on you to tip the scores in your team’s favour. Your heart is thumping out of your chest when you step into the light, your mind NEEDS to calm down otherwise it will get the better of you, and then you see your opponent’s, waiting for you on the line who are employing the same mindset, they’re out to destroy you and you so them, it’s tense. Because I wasn’t a massive guy when I was younger, I’m still not massive, I’m only 5’11 and about 160lbs, pretty average but when I was a teenager, I was definitely a late bloomer in the size department, so the boys waiting for me on that line before the 100meter stretch of track, appeared huge, in fact everyone I went up against was huge. They all were a lot bigger than I was, all were stronger and appeared far fiercer than me, and that was their first mistake, this was where they learned not to underestimate their opponent because what do you think happened when that gun was fired? Who do you think won that race by a long shot leaving them in the dust? If you have read The Utopian Dream, you’ll come to understand this lesson if not already, and our characters Lethaniel in particularly, will learn ‘Do not underestimate your opponent.’ Do you see? This is how I started to build my main protagonist, why he carries with him the air of confidence, how he sees and deals with his opponents. It is more about translating a sense of feeling and making it as genuine as possible, taking a personal experience and embellishing it, instead of bogging yourself down with all the painful details of Knighthood and how they did things in those medieval days, I suggest if you’re writing fantasy, focus on the colourful aspects, play on what you see on the surface – Of course bring in some of the grey matter, do involve your works with a little realism, audiences will appreciate it, just don’t overdo it, open the door for your readers to empathise with your Knight, people will be drawn to him when things get tense and at the end of the day this is your job as a fiction writer, to entertain and to engage with those brilliant people who pick up your stuff, not to give them cold, clinical lectures, leave that to the historians and focus on breathing life into your world with your own experiences, your own interpretations with a dash of realism for grounding.

I am not perfect at this, I still struggle in certain areas of writing, with Ep1-Dream, when it was first released back in 2016, it was a complete mess, it was only until recently in 2020 where I pulled the whole thing down, gave it a spice up with newfound techniques and re-released it because initially I was not happy, and to this day I still kick myself for not having acquired that knowledge sooner. This all comes with the experience, this is all part of the journey, I know I shouldn’t punish myself too much, so few people actually finish a book let alone get it published, and that’s taking the size of my first project out of the equation because it’s massive. I did not take those advised baby steps, I jumped from one to a hundred, threw myself into the deep end of the pool without knowing how to swim and believe me when I say I’ve paid my dues. I am both happy and proud of the accomplishment however, I just strive to do better in the future. Those who have read Ep1-Dream, overall appear to be happy with it, and this makes me glad, although I cannot wait till you read Ep2-Rise, because it is much better in almost every way, and testament to how much I’ve learned during my journey.

One of the reasons I am writing this article, is not to give you a light lesson in writing, to be honest the best piece of advice I can give you when it comes to learning about how to write, is NOT to read more, but to write more. The read more lesson comes second on the list I’d say and is something I need to pick up on in fact. I have not read as much as I would have liked in my time, I usually start reading something but rarely finish it for a multitude of reasons, either the characters aren’t serving me, the story is going to places I myself would not take it or it’s simply heading somewhere predictable. These are silly reasons to stop reading I know, and it is good advice to read as much as you can if you are writing your own narrative, but I say, just start writing something, anything, whether it be creating your short stories or longer ones, get started as soon as possible, open a Blog similar to the one I’ve started, pick a topic and go with it. Begin a 2021 journal, write poems, and post them, listen to the feedback, so long as you are articulating your thoughts and feelings authentically and getting it down on paper or digitally you will over time start to modify your craft, you will get better at it, repetition is the mother of skill, find your voice and see where it takes you.

The crux of this article comes from a certain voice in my story, a character, one who is rather close to me compared to others. If you would like to see the character sketched out as he appears in Ep2-Rise, he is on my Twitter feed, if you scroll down further, you’ll see the last sketch of another character called Ridian Messiah, one of the villains of the series. Links to it are listed below, let me know what you think. With that aside, as you know, when you write (dialogue more specifically) you aren’t necessarily voicing your own intuition, you are voicing someone else’s, you’re voicing the character in which you have created. When he or she are asked a question, your immediate response is what YOU would say, but if you’ve been paying attention, a good author will not jot down his own response, but he’d respond in such a way that is married to that particular character. In the same way actors portray different people, writers take this a step further and portray a plethora of characters from the good, the bad and those interesting ones hanging out in the grey middle zone – Bring in Draygo Dumear. He did not have a huge role in Ep1-The Utopian Dream, he, and his teammate Riagel Tyorn, show up here and there throughout, and at the end for the final battle at the bridge, but do not fully come into it until Ep2-Rise of The Black Doves. Because there is so much happening in Rise, I decided to focus on Draygo more so than Riagel in this instalment and give Riagel the spotlight in Ep3-Seeds of War. Having these two characters separated for a little while, to see them operate on their lonesome will be interesting. It will give me a chance to characterise them further and will allow readers to appreciate them more so when they are united, because they do work well when they’ve got each other’s backs, so well in fact that it is rumoured when paired, their outlandish tactics and weaponry could challenge an army of six hundred men. Draygo serves as my voice in the story, or at least he is the closest thing to what I would say and would behave if I were in his situation. He is not me one hundred percent, this is after all a fantasy and utterly make believe, but if you were to tally every character that appears in The Ancestral Odyssey, if you were to score their personality traits next to mine, Draygo would come out on top. Writing him through Rise has been somewhat refreshing, because I am not bound to ‘perform’ as I am with the others, writing him has been easy. All my main characters are developed, Riagel and Draygo were never supposed to be mains, but as time has gone by, they seemed to have earned their place into the central story, and I am bloody glad of it, because of their friendship which is inspired by a real one, they add the novelty of humour and a bromance – Oh come on don’t look at me like that, let me have some quirks with this series, it’s not all super serious stuff, it is warm from time to time.

Draygo is linked to me in a number of ways, not that the others aren’t, all of my characters are explorative voices from within, but Draygo is the closest thing to mine with a few exceptions here and there. The biggest difference between us is an event that happens in his past, not something I will delve into here because I do not want to give any spoilers away, but he does go through something rather traumatic, he makes a mistake that leads to a drastic change, one that he is still unable to overcome, but besides this, everything about him is tied directly to me in some form or another, from the singular glove he wears on his left hand that comes from a past relationship, the iron brace he has fitted to his right arm, his choice of armour and weaponry, his poise, it is exactly what I would choose and be if I were in his shoes. To his aesthetic and physique, what he says, his mannerisms and his choice of class – Dark Rogue, this is how I would like to be portrayed in a fantasy setting if given the choice, and just to note, this is how this TAO series got started, arguably it started before that if I am completely honest, this was and always has been just under the surface, but when the opportunity came to present it with a Colleges resources, how could I refuse to get the ball rolling and what better way to start than to turn all my classmates myself included, into wickedly wild characters. Also, more importantly and how did I not talk about this first, the people closest to Draygo, these are people who have been or are still part of my life today. I do not want to name names, but Draygo’s circle are not only characters in a story, but they are characters built upon real people because said real people are those who have influenced my life either positively or negatively. Catherine Quistel and Riagel Tyorn for example, Alessa Coldan and Anya Freyworth, are real people and everyone is different. Taking the time to learn about those close to you, zoning out to study different characters, their strengths, weakness, their loves, hatreds, and natures, is key to creating great characters that feel real and relatable. Writing is a lonesome business, no one is going to do it for you, so it’s up to you to voice the voices in your head authentically and responsibly.

As writers we’ve been taught to find a voice, I say find your voices to assist with the authenticity. One way in which to do this is to talk to people as stated earlier, is to listen to people and sometimes observe people’s behaviours. The ability to empathise, to share an interest in others will help you understand different mindsets, this does not just go for people you like and agree with, but with people you don’t like and may not agree with. In 2021, it is easy to come across controversy, but before you engage with that person in a negative, before you label them like most people do these days, but instead listen to what is being said, do your best to understand their position and perspective to learn where they are coming from before you respond. I think you’ll find that most people in person are actually quite reasonable, kind hearted and considerate. Who knows, you may actually learn something, you may actually have your mindset changed and there is nothing wrong with adapting to new information presented. I’ve certainly had my mind changed over the last few years, once upon a time I was very black and white, but when I started to pay more attention with what was going on in the world, when I started to let the other side in, I’ve had my perspective altered, in some cases I’ve taken a complete U-turn and I feel it has been beneficial, you see more, you learn more and fewer things become a mystery. There is less confusion and drama in my life as a result and I’ve made more friends. Maybe this is a blessing of being a writer, writing a story such as mine encourages you to seek out flaws in systems, religions and in people, it encourages you to go to the dark side temporarily to escape your own bubble which at one point I certainly was in, I am happy I popped it. Part of writing is constructing characters that carry a story, these characters are usually called your protagonists, and those that go against them are the villains or the antagonists, you cannot get one without the other, so you have to encroach on unfamiliar territory. Write both, with as much enthusiasm, meaning and purpose as possible, blur those lines of black and white to create a grey, give your readers something to think about and to struggle with, challenge them. Simply put, write something thought provoking, it will leave your readers hungry for more.

That’s all I have for today, do check out Draygo and Ridian drawn incredibly well by Will Towns, both are on my Twitter along with the piece of jewellery and the seven Star Caller characters. Write me your thoughts so I can share them, he and I will greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

As previously stated, I’ am involved with an independent film company called H Productions. We have shot two short horror movies, we are looking to create our first feature film hopefully in 2021, it just depends on budget and the man in charge, Mr H. I have left all the relevant links below including H’s. If you’d like to see what he and the team are all about it’s all there. Thanks again and I hope you have a great morning, afternoon, or night, we’ll talk again soon.

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

Twitter – @MegasTeque

Author Page UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

Author Page US – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

My Promotional Material YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nc_VEmC27AIz6pP51UVkQ?fbclid=IwAR26b3631qny1hSdZJx0iASzDUhTptqKI-NszWisWfRkB_uNFVBAGyZATLM

My Promotional Material Bitchute – https://www.bitchute.com/channel/x9K5vwi2SsNu/?fbclid=IwAR2JpxeNGCSbYxTEuuI5D1EiUtbq5CaBiDF2LtUlXAs9K97_w8m0YRmjEBg

Mr H Twitter – @MrHreviews

Mr H Reviews Channel YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxfZa-sV27MUDqy-iJIsfA

Production H Twitter – @Hstudiofilm

Production H Official Website – https://www.productionhfilms.com

Production H Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/productionhfilms

D.W.Gill

Weapons of Redemption

Hey guys, so back in May of 2018 I wrote an article about The Dark Rogues. It was part of my C.R.E.A.T.E. series called A Story in Shadows. So far, I’ve three C.R.E.A.T.E. segments, the first one is of course about my Dark Rogues, then there is one focused on my Mythorigin period – A sort of dark history of a time before the events of Episodes One to Five. The article is called The Seven Stories. Then there is a section dedicated to The Star Callers who are arguably the most powerful class in the series, the article is called A Story of Sacrifice. I have left a link to A Story in Shadows below because you would be forever scrolling to find it, after all it was written almost three years ago. Christ I cannot believe it has been that long! Simple keyword searches will find the other two, they were written throughout 2020 over lockdown and they expand upon the lore of The Ancestral Odyssey. Do check them out if you’ve got the time, I’ve put a lot of effort into creating what I consider to be nourishing reads especially if you’ve read my first book, The Utopian Dream. I intend to write more C.R.E.A.T.E. segments, I think of them as little handbooks, pockets of information you would otherwise not get delivered to you in such a way when reading the book, storytelling is of course far different to documenting. I think they add a certain richness to the content but more importantly, they act as a log for me to refer to rather than sifting through dozens of notebooks. Why am I referring you to the C.R.E.A.T.E. sections of this Blog? Well, it’s because these are meaty articles, I do not want to say the same thing over and over so to save me the time in explaining to you who The Dark Rogues are, and how they formed, to save me detailing their culture and history again, the option is there for you to read more. I will touch on it briefly here however, I’ll give you a quick over-view of The Dark Rogues, I’ll even be expanding on the world building, but for more, the links are provided below, I cannot stress further but so much work has gone into creating this class among others, it has been years in the making. So, with that said, this article will be talking about the character of Draygo Dumear, a Dark Rogue, one of Catherine’s best who survived the events of Ep1-Dream and has a valuable part to play in the next instalment of Ep2-Rise. More specifically though, I want to talk about the incredible sketch recently completed by Mr Will Towns, the same artist who drew my seven Star Callers last year. I’d like to talk about the beautiful wall art I’ve received and the making of an incredible piece of jewellery made by someone dear, an avid reader of mine and hideously talented artist who is embarking on her own journey into the realms of epic fantasy and artistic movement. If you’d like to see some of the artwork, now would be the time to visit my Twitter page, I’m not asking you to follow me, in the same way I do not ask for subscriptions on my YouTube, I simply use these platforms as a shelf. Even though, a like, a follow, and a subscribe would be appreciated, nevertheless the artwork is public for everyone to see. I am talking to someone about setting up a website, all my Blogs will be uploaded, all the artwork and updates will be transferred there, idle hands are the devil’s workshop, but in the meantime, my Twitter, YouTube, and Author Pages will have to do. This is an exciting post, I love the character of Draygo, also known as The Redeemer in his youth. I am enjoying his ironic journey of redemption throughout Ep2-Rise, I love the outside work being done on him, it humbles me in fact that other artists are wanting to get on board with this project and interpret what they have read in their own way, and even though it does not always match up with my own vision, the beauty of art is the collaborative experience, to see and to listen to other people’s opinions is part of the thrill and is so important. Having complete control over projects such as this is not always a positive, you need that discussion to create something to be proud of, and that is what we have here, something to be proud of and I could not be happier. Before I go on, I need to fetch a piping hot cup of tea and a mince pie. Freaking love mince pies man, I’ve been on a bit of a side-quest in fact to find the best mince pie and so far, the best I have found can be picked up in Pret, if you live near a Pret their mince pies coupled with a warm coffee in the evening is what makes life worth living. Anyway folks, hope you enjoy Weapons of Redemption.

So, it started with a fans interest, someone who I was able to talk to in depth with about…Pretty much anything and everything to do with my TAO series. We have had many long conversations about The Utopian Dream and the later episodes, in fact my character study involving Lethaniel and Isabelle came from a conversation I had with this person during lockdown. We talked for hours and hours about their journeys, their struggles, their futures and as such we were able to empathise with them more after a detailed analysis. By the end we came to slightly different conclusions, I favoured Isabelle’s journey over Lethaniel’s, and she favoured Lethaniel’s over Isabelle’s, but so much came from that one conversation, a simple sharing of thoughts, ideas, and opinions. It encouraged me to write an article about it, one of which I very much enjoyed and consider to be one of my best to date. Ironically, the article which I find to be my most boring is the one which garners all the attention…I know right? I give you guys some good work, a look into my two main protagonists of my first book, I break down the heroes’ journey and speculate what is to come and no one reads it! I write about an unpleasant experience I had with Voyage Media, a complaint pretty much and it gets dozens of reads a day, I am lost for words…Sigh…The most important thing I took away from the conversation however was insight into how someone else viewed this thing, and I greatly appreciated it. It wasn’t long before we got talking again, this was when I learned of her jewel crafting ability and that she would be honoured to make one of Draygo’s daggers into a pendent – How could I possibly refuse such a thing but not only that, we collaborated over the next few weeks designing it, she went further than I thought she would in all honesty, bring round A2 sketch pads, her laptop, an array of drawing pencils, I felt guilty when all I had was a mild description of Draygo’s weaponry and a few notes of what I wanted him to have when he entered the spotlight in Ep2-Rise.

In Ep1-Dream, Draygo does not make many appearances. He, and his teammate Riagel are part of The Dark Rogues, a band of men and women who operate in the shadows. Over the years they have been used by the powers of the world as scapegoats for simply not flying their flags, they’ve been relegated to ridicule, whenever something goes wrong, The Dark Rogues are blamed, when things goes missing or tragedy occurs without explanation it is likely The Dark Rogues will be used as an excuse by the world leaders and it works on the people of Ivulien and Krondathia. Dark Rogues have no true allegiances but to themselves, they are rarely seen, rarely engage but they are most definitely active, always watching from the treelines, spying from the tops of cliff-faces, stalking travellers, caravans and entourages through swamps and wetlands blending into their environments like it is second nature to them. Dark Rogues are adaptable, their weaponry is outlandish yet high tech for ages such as this. Their banner consists of the faces of the two top night predators in the world, one that of a feline, and one of an owl. Dark Rogue troopers trained under Catherine Quistel (founder of the faction) wear the feline insignia, those trained under Toula Windeuce wear the owl. Differences between these wings are slight, both are capable to hold their own and work as a group employing high skills of stealth, unique fighting capabilities that often subvert traditionally trained soldiers of regular armies and they utilise surprise tactics. Rarely does a Dark Rogue engage but when he or she does, it is usually part of the plan or as a last resort. Rogues who bare the skull of the feline, the thieves, tend to be lighter, nimble, and faster, choosing speed and projectile weapons over the other forms. Whereas those marked with the owl, the warriors, are bigger, stronger, employ heavy weapons and often wear some steel plates around the chest, shoulders and back. Because they are always moving from place to place, Dark Rogues are constantly adapting to their environments. In Ep1-Dream, you eventually arrive at their base, Sentinel, situated in the dense forest of Tthenadawn. In the beginning, when Catherine Quistel formed this group of rogues, she did it all from a single stolen carriage. Eventually, as she took on more students, as their numbers and power grew, so did their base evolve into a sort of caravan of carriages. Evolution is key to The Dark Rogues success, the ability to adapt to any situation or at the very least be prepared for anything is part of why they are so successful. In Ep1-Dream, our Dark Rogues are camped inside the forest and their outfit reflects that environment. Their camouflage is of earthy browns and rich greens, they also use the trees to move around. In Ep2-Rise, Draygo is the first rogue you meet, running through the hot deserts of Sand with his day owl, Limbo, scouting ahead. Sand is also the name of the territory in the north, where the dunes grow as high as the tallest towers, a sea of golden sand which thousands of years ago, was once a lush oasis in where the Driads, a technologically advanced race of humanoids, thrived in, but due to the war against Saphuries (The Blood War), the land and sky was ruined and scorched. Draygo’s gear reflects his location, he has adapted himself to the stare of the sun by wearing less, his leather is tanned almost burnt, he uses blast goggles for glare and out of the desert his armour finds an upgrade. He and Riagel decide to strip the material off a deceased Chrocian Titan, one of the largest land-dwelling beetle creatures in Equis with an impenetrable shell and they have it forged into armour. Draygo’s signature weapons have remained the same, Draygo like Lethaniel is skilful enough to go in for the dual wielding methods, only Draygo uses two daggers and not two swords. If you would like to see more of them, they are up on Twitter, from the designing to the outcome, it is all there to observe, please go right ahead (@MegasTeque). During Draygo’s journey through the desert you do get a bit of backstory as to how and why he uses an LBR, an LBR is an abbreviation for ‘Long Barrel Rifle’ but before this new black powder technology was invented, he was a professional bowman but decided to drop it after a rather traumatic event which will be articulated in Ep2-Rise when it is released. As for his daggers, they are described rather basically in Ep1-Dream, they are simply two battle daggers as long as a man’s forearm and although that is satisfactory, I quite easily could have left it at that. Back then Draygo was a secondary character, but now he is a main and a main cannot get away with satisfactory, he needs and deserves more to fit his character and personality. So, throughout writing Rise, I have really rolled up my sleeves and got to work on this guy, I have thought more about his history, his relationships with others and his arc overall. Thankfully, I was not alone in this period, I had the help of a jewel crafter, someone who works with metal and gave me a lot of insight into how these things can potentially look. Usually, I work alone but in this rare instance, I had some one-on-one assistance in creating some of Draygo’s tools, more in particular his two daggers called Vaengr and Silaere, which is Latin for Silent Wing. I think you’ll like what we’ve created and as a treat she has shared a few words on this Blog.               

Concept

“The project begins with understanding Mr Gill’s vision, not only for the weapon itself but of the character who will wield it, the culture they are surrounded by and the contemporary technologies that exist. We wanted to bring something to life that truly felt like it belonged to Draygo, to the life and approach of the Dark Rogues, befitting the world and age in which Rise is set. It also felt important that it was something which from a technical standpoint could really work on the battlefield as Mr Gill’s attention to detail in his writing is characteristic of his beautifully immersive work. Mr Gill encouraged me to indulge my own creative vision for the designing of the piece whilst providing the breadth of captivating inspiration of his concept, what needed to be included and considered, from these countless sketches were built and shared. Many in-depth conversations followed and evolved carrying forward the ideas we both loved and tweaking anything that didn’t quite fit the overall design from either insight, author and maker. Finally, I landed on the most recent and final A3 sketches of the individual daggers Vaengr and Silaere and of course the connected short sword they form together; Silent Wing in A2. The collaborative design stage is so much fun to undertake but there is such pleasure in that moment of handing over a final design, watching the delight that the initial vision of the author has been realised in a visual form.” – Wass

It is important to understand and to limit your own imagination. Even though we are dealing in fantasy, in a world of magic and wonder, fantasy itself must have a line, it needs its own law so to speak in order to control the stakes. Without a certain set of rules, whether that be in the magic department or the nuts-and-bolts department, without a level of order everything falls apart, the tension, atmosphere, and realism it all breaks down if you stretch things too far. So whatever it is you are writing/building, whether it be an epic battle of grand proportions to something as small as a character’s dagger, be sure to make it fit within the context of your world. In the case of equipment, technology, and weapons, if you can design something that works in both real and unreal worlds and it meets the requirements of your vision, then you have won. This does not mean to say that anything that stretches the bonds of reality is a bad thing, this is not what I am saying, but just know what you are doing, treat the work with respect, a simple acknowledgment of realism or a realistic trait, a touch of passion is often all you need to score believability points that keeps you and your audience in the moment. For example, when the Mumakil arrive on the Pelennor Fields outside of Minas Tirith in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and the Riders of Rohan are faced off against a dozen or so oliphants a hundred times bigger than the size of regular elephants, as ridiculous and as over the top that is when you say it, no one watching was taken out of the moment, no one rolled their eyes or checked their watch because the creatures worked within the realms of Middle Earth, you could believe such animals existing in those lands. A good example of things going over the top is the most recent Star War movies, what with the conjuring up of thousands of Star Destroyers equipped with Death Star tech or when Palpatine shoots Force lightning into space disabling every ship in the stratosphere, Palpatine being alive after being vaporised, it just takes things way to far, there is no limit to what can happen anymore in this universe and it’s shockingly bad especially when you factor in the budgets, people were paid thousands if not millions to write this toss, writers who I don’t think understand Star Wars a relatively simple story about family. We got a whiff of this horrible escalation in The Last Jedi when Leia flies through space after being exposed to the vacuum of space, after being blown out of the bridge by tie fighter missiles, flying as fast as a space cruiser…Stop…I just cannot suspend my disbelief anymore. There is a difference between raising the stakes and blowing them the fuck out of the water, and sadly we are seeing the latter done far too often. Write your characters, build your world, and design those involved with consistency and respect.   

Design

“The next stage is that of translating the large almost life-sized sketch of a working weapon into the form of a wearable art piece, a solid silver dagger pendant. Considering how much detail it is possible to convey in a much smaller entity, which techniques could be used to bring the piece to life in metallic form is the challenge. In logistical terms my first task was to suggest and decide a size with Mr Gill, shrink the design to fit this and create a pattern to be traced and applied to the silver sheet which I plan to cut with a fine grade piercing saw. This first version of the piece will involve a whole silhouette and additional pieces for the handle and smaller throwing dagger (Silaere) which I will file smooth then aim to hand engrave with a scriber and layer by a traditional soldering method to give depth. Next year, I would like to attempt to re-make the piece as a 2.0 version either as a wax carving to be cast or in silver clay for a medium that allows greater three dimensionality. For now, I am excited to pierce the final hole in the handle, allowing the jump ring to feed through and hang upon the leather cord Mr Gill has selected, a lasting symbol to honour the ingenuity and valance of his Dark Rogues and of course, The Redeemer himself.” – Wass

Draygo’s daggers went through dozens of drafts before we finally found something we could run with. All Miss Wass had to work with was a few mild descriptions in book one, which doesn’t detail much of anything other than Draygo’s character, the daggers are barely mentioned in his few sections of page time. She had some of my own sketches dating back several years, she has my number for verbal breakdowns and that was pretty much it. In all honesty, I am kind of glad I only had a little to hand over to her, this way she was somewhat free to go wild with her imagination and not feel bogged down. In a similar way I work with Will Towns, the artist who draws my characters, I give them a description, I give them some key notes to consider, some of my own suggestions then I pat them on the head, give then a cookie and send them off running, to anticipate what they come back with over the next few weeks. Surprisingly, both artists enjoy this method, they draw me several quick sketches and ask me for some feedback, a conversation takes place between us and progress is steadily made. The designs that do not fit are by no means rubbish, I feel like it is important to keep everything, to save and record everything for it is part of the journey. Just the other day Will hit me with a very rough sketch of Draygo, he was searching for the right pose to focus on until he took it further and I ended up keeping such a sketch, it genuinely looked like something out of a graphic novel, or an off the wall video game, it had its own unique style of polygon’esque suggestive lines, all I needed to do was cut it out, clean up and fiddle with it on Photoshop and boom, I have one interesting, very abstract postcard of Draygo. From here on in, I’ve asked Will to photograph everything and send it over; Why I have not asked him to do this sooner is beyond me because this abstract sketch is something beautiful.

Seeing as Wass was working with silver, designing one of two daggers, battle daggers with the option to slide one into the other to create a short sword, her journey was slightly different to Wills. It was logical that she sketched both blades separately, so that she would understand how such a craft would work and if it COULD work in real life before focusing on the actual forge. Taking inspiration from Greek mythology, more specifically the Spartan swords and Alexander the greats personal sword, he being my favourite historical figure I might add and Wass’s being his teacher, the philosopher Aristotle, she came up with some incredible designs, big designs too, pouring them over my desk in A3 and A2 all of which were marvellously drawn, dark poignant lines, beautifully shaded with a soft pencil, and here was me expecting some notes and doodles, it is fun to be wrong sometimes. They look like they weighed something, like you could pick them up off the page. She too had been paying attention, for if you look closely at the daggers, Wass incorporated The Dark Rogue insignia into the blades. Some of the designs worked rather well, others were not quite what Draygo would use but none the less, these drawings were wonderful, hence why one is now framed and hanging on my wall right in front of me, it would be a sin NOT to frame the final design. The smaller, throwing dagger which attaches to the other larger blade, to extend its length and widen its width, is called Silaere, meaning wing in Latin. The hilt, the heftier piece is called Vaengr meaning silent. When together they make the short sword Silent Wing, but a conjoined blade is not its only trick. If wielded properly, one can swing Vaengr in such a way that it releases Silaere, sending it flying into its target as a spinning projectile, for a sudden surprise attack before Draygo has even engaged with his opponent. If needs be, he has the option to assault with his dual wielding techniques or create a short sword and stand his ground. See what I mean when I say that these guys are suited for almost anything? The Dark Rogues are a creative cunning lot.

Result

“Holding the piece in hand I am delighted with the result, a new type of scriber made it possible to complete etching the detail in a style very akin to my original graphite drawing keeping its character flowing through to the metalwork. I like that the piece is heavy, it feels as though it has already seen battle in the hands of its wielder and is prepared to see many more. The dimension gives a sense of how the mechanism functions as intended, though admittedly I still look forward to the prospect of a 3D version! Nevertheless, it will also be a pleasure to watch this piece age over time as I hope it will gently tarnish and become ever more interesting as the real weapon would. This project has been captivating from concept to realisation, to take the journey of formation from origin story to realisation, now a tangible piece of Draygo’s story.” – Wass

I’ am also involved with an independent film company called H Productions. We have shot two short horror movies, we are looking to create our first feature film hopefully in 2021, it just depends on budget and the man in charge, Mr H. I have left all the relevant links below including H’s, if you’d like to see what he and the team are all about it’s all there, we’d appreciate your input perhaps you’d like to become a member where you’ll receive regular updates. Thanks again, and I hope you have a great morning, afternoon, or night, we’ll talk again soon. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

Twitter – @MegasTeque

Author Page UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

Author Page US – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

My Promotional Material YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nc_VEmC27AIz6pP51UVkQ?fbclid=IwAR26b3631qny1hSdZJx0iASzDUhTptqKI-NszWisWfRkB_uNFVBAGyZATLM

My Promotional Material Bitchute – https://www.bitchute.com/channel/x9K5vwi2SsNu/?fbclid=IwAR2JpxeNGCSbYxTEuuI5D1EiUtbq5CaBiDF2LtUlXAs9K97_w8m0YRmjEBg

C.R.E.A.T.E – Dark Rogues: A Story in Shadows – 1-c-r-e-a-t-e-dark-rogues-a-story-in-shadows

Character Study – lethaniel-versus-isabelle-a-character-study

Miss Wass’s Instagram – @Empotheica_artistry

Mr H Twitter – @MrHreviews

Mr H Reviews Channel YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxfZa-sV27MUDqy-iJIsfA

Production H Twitter – @Hstudiofilm

Production H Official Website – https://www.productionhfilms.com

Production H Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/productionhfilms

D.W.Gill

Two Sides of the Same Coin

Hey folks, today I would like to talk about villains. This is an important topic for me because I love exploring the psyche of the antagonist. I could write chapters on this subject, so I am going to try and keep this article self-contained for the most part at least because I’ve a lot on my mind, I would like to highlight some key aspects of what makes a successful villain without branching off into other topics along the way like I usually do. You guys are busy people too and would probably prefer it if I stick to the one thing this time I’ll do my best – Yes I have gone back and read some of my old work and reached this conclusion myself, I tend to rant – With that being said, I would like to offer you…Yes you…My thanks. I was alerted by WordPress a little while back notifying me of my viewing stats, they have gone up. I do not usually check to see who is reading my stuff, I glance at it from time to time I suppose I am interested to see what parts of the globe light up but even if it was only one person reading my articles or if only one person was reading my book, I would still do what I do, because I love what I do. There is so much to explore and to think about in this one short life we lead, and I use my writing as an outlet to express myself. I made the decision to translate what I saw into a book of epic proportions at the age of eighteen, I knew that after College I could not simply put this away and go and do something else, I had to carry on, I remember it as clear as day in fact, sitting on those steps near my exhibition, an exhibition I spent years creating for all to see and now it was over, but it was only truly over if I decided it to be. This is what I am here to do. I encourage everyone in fact to search for their niche in life whatever that may be, it does not matter what it is, it could be anything, so long as it is not hurting anyone else or anything, go and find that one thing that you want to do, find what you’re passionate about and strive to make your own dent in the universe. If you are unsure about what it is you are doing, ask yourself these questions and answer honestly; Do you want to do it all the time? Are you excited about what you can potentially achieve? Is it something you want to nurture every day? Do you go to bed excited about it and equally excited when you get up? But more importantly, you should not want a holiday from it, no, you take it on holiday with you! That is one of the most important things to think about and is the reason I laugh when I hear people say “I love my job” yet at the same time they cannot wait to just run away. That is the big difference between the passionate people who take risks, and those who simply work for money because it’s easy, because it’s safe, because the road is clear. If that is the life you want to live, if that is what you’re here to do then fine, but the fact of the matter is that most people are too afraid to take the dark path, they’d rather be safe and it may indeed lead you to security and safety, but once you get there you’ll look back and think what if? For those who take that dark path may not make it, they may stumble, they may fall risking humiliation and crisis, but in a way that is the same as where adventure leads, adventures are never easy, the hero often faces trials, he often meets powers he cannot overcome, the risk of failure and retreat is great, but if you make it, if you keep going, if you choose to follow what it is you were put on this Earth to do, you will end up living a life that most people admire, you have to be wise and you have to be brave. You may not be a howling success at it but at least you’ll know what you’re supposed to be doing, it certainly makes the daily chore of life, the day to day endless grind a whole lot easier, by simply knowing that you’ve something waiting for you when you get home after that long, bothersome shift at work or knowing that once you’ve finished that arduous drive along the boring motorway there will come a moment where you can relax into what your purpose is. I do encourage you to go out there and find your purpose, really what have you got to lose? You’re here for three score years ten and you’ll be lucky to get through that smoothly, as far as we know this is our one shot, this is the one time we’ll be here, for fuck sake make it count! Don’t get totally derailed by the events of the world, don’t let it take power over you because you are important, your ideas and what you can contribute is important more so than you know and I implore you to find it, don’t put off your purpose. Once you’ve found it, going back to how you were is almost impossible, like taking the red pill you can’t just go back, which leads me to that dreaded question I was asked not so long ago, they asked; What will you do when all five of these Episodes are completed, what happens when you’ve finished The Ancestral Odyssey? The answer to that question is, I don’t know, I’ve been thinking about it, I guess I’ll have to try something else when all of this is said and done, what that is could be anything at this point, but I’ll find that out on the day. I’ve finished Episode One-The Utopian Dream, I am nearing the end of Episode Two-Rise of The Black Doves, I’ve a somewhat clear idea on how Episode Three-Seeds of War will turn out as with Episode Four-Rainbow Dawn and do not get me started on Episode Five-The Chosen Kindred because simply thinking about those events gives me a lap of excitement. I have already failed guys, I have already ranted, I will do better next time, I hope. Grab yourself a drink, this will not be a long one, but I will do my best to explain what I think makes a great villain, enjoy.

I believe that one of the key aspects into what makes a compelling villain, are his or her own motivations, when they’re made to serve a purpose, to add a meaningful dimension to the narrative you’re constructing. A good villain is more than just a position to be filled and a box to tick to make scenes happen. Villains written with their own journey, their own character and mission in mind, that directly conflicts with your protagonist or protagonists is tantalising stuff, readers are hungry for this sort of material for a great villain is often a bigger selling point than your hero, a hero is not much of anything without worthy opposition. Yes, it is easy to create a villain who wants world domination, it’s easy for creatives to raise the stakes to ridiculous proportions, it’s a quick seductive tactic to insure the importance of your heroes success, but rarely does this methodology work. This idea of ultimate destruction has been done to death, it has become tedious and to my mind is bordering the lines of laziness, unless written with an adept hand it can still be served with a justified impact, you just need to be a master at your craft before you go down this path. However, before one goes this way, I will advise you to rethink this common trope, because you are missing out on something wonderful, you’re missing out on a treasure trove of ideas and a wealth of topics that can assist with your story, your characterisation and your world-building. Exploring your villain’s motivations that counter your hero, allows you to see a different side of the same coin, it will encourage you to know your creation in the utmost detail. If you do this correctly, if you set up your world in such a way that isn’t flawless and create a villain who can slip through the cracks, who looks at the systems, the heroes in a different way, the pool of your story will grow deeper and wider, it will instantly become far more realistic, something almost tangible with a mind of its own. An example I usually use when discussing this, is from a religious angle or a political angle. Religion typically comes from ancient texts, they are full of scriptures, poems, teachings and lessons in life, man’s first attempt to explain the world and for that it deserves credit. Some of the stories contained within are quite beautiful, some are indeed quite thought provoking and hold great meaning and value, others not so much, others are freakish and ghastly. These texts may present themselves as Gods word, but any thinking person of the modern world, someone with an education, who practises critical thinking regularly, will be able to debunk stories presented as gospel, stories considered even to this day to be historical fact when clearly they are not. I am not here to talk religion, but if you need a classic example of this, think of the story of Noah’s Ark, a story which on the surface is cool and interesting, I’ve read it times over and enjoyed the movie with Russel Crowe, but when you actually start to think about it, it just isn’t true, and I know that many religious people will say to me, ‘Duncan it’s all metaphorical’ there are still droves of people who believe it as fact, who don’t care about the science, they just like it because it’s part of their religion, my point is, is that there is a problem in God’s holy book, and there are thousands of issues I’ve just expressed the one, all of this calls into question as to whether or not people should take The Bible, The Hadith or Quran as it’s presented, the word of Gods and prophets and I am sorry, I just don’t! In the US you’ve two major political parties, Republican and Democrat, both parties want what is best for everyone, both want to prosper but the differences come through the execution, they too are a side to the same coin essentially and each side comes with sets of ideas not everyone agrees with due to a whole list of things, from birth place, certain experiences, their history, everyone has a political leaning, everyone has their view on religion and can provide you with reasons as to why they feel strongly toward said views. This is the reason why you never bring up these two subjects when sat around the dinner table or when out with friends, because the moment you do, your once healthy, happy, friendly dialogue will spiral into a whirlwind of bullshit. I actually had an uncomfortable dialogue very recently which resulted in unnecessary tension, they didn’t know any numbers or facts, they didn’t know the names of the certain people I was referring to, they thought I was listing off conspiracy theorists yet they themselves do not even know who Alex Jones or Rachel Maddow are, instead they called me names, labelled me and refused to engage, they preferred to shout and scream which has become the norm these days, but quite simply they haven’t been paying much attention of late, they just recycled go-to arguments, arguments which hold little water, arguments reported by a severely biased mainstream media. I’ve little faith in the mainstream media these days, big tech included because it has been shown to report one side of the story, I always suggest you broaden your search, listen to BOTH sides to assist with your opinions. I’ll leave a link below to a source I trust if you’re curious as to where I get my news, but save yourself the trouble when arguing with people who simply have no desire to listen, pick you battles carefully and do your best to empathise with someone who disagrees, have a conversation, and politely persuade them of your argument if you can and move on. With this in mind, think of your villain as the person who disagrees, colour it in with the world and rules in which you’ve created, add flavour with their sense of style and do not be afraid to give the villain the upper hand, do not be afraid to be bold and inspire empathy toward the antagonist, doing so will result in your audience feeling challenged, it will trigger their thinking and get them to question themselves. Readers and movie goers tend to like this, it tickles them. When a villain perceived to be an absolute savage turns out to be someone the common man can empathise with, creates meaningful friction and gets you a step closer to understanding the other sides motivations, it’s not just mindless.

This is just the basics alright, but so often I see the fundamentals being ignored. It is partly the reason as to why I am writing this, but now let’s take it one step further, let’s advance and get a little more interesting, class is now in session ladies and gentlemen and I am going to start by asking you a very simple perhaps off the cuff question but please bear with me, and that is:- ‘What is the movie Jaws about?’ Before you answer, have a proper think, and consider this next question:- ‘What is Darth Sidious’s greatest power?’ Darth Sidious is The Emperor from Star Wars if you didn’t already know. I use Jaws and Star Wars to explain this segment because they are popular and the likely hood of someone not knowing about either film is extremely remote. If you’ve not seen these movies, if you have no idea what I am talking about, message me directly, there is help out there, you can still be saved, you’re going to be okay…Hopefully you’ve given some thought to my questions, I am hoping that you know what I am about to say because so many people only see what is right in front of them when actually, there is more going on than meets the eye, and this reason alone is why some works of art withstand the test of time and others do not despite their grand spectacle most are pumped full of these days, story it seems has been replaced with spectacle and it should be reversed, story comes first, always it must come first.

Jaws, and you may look a gasp at this is, not about the shark, and The Emperors greatest power is not shooting lightning out of his fingertips. If you thought this then I am afraid you missed the point. Brody, the main character in Jaws played by Roy Scheider, is or was a big city cop in New York. He moved to a small town on Amity Island having grown tired of, from what I gathered from the plot, unable to make a difference. He hates the water, the film does indicate his fear of water quite a few times brought on by a traumatic event (drowning) when he was a younger man, and every time it is brought up he closes down, becomes uncomfortable or grows defensive. This leaves you with the question:- Why did he move to an island in the first place? If you look carefully, when the shark claims its second victim and everyone runs into the water to get their loved ones out, Brody does not put a foot in, his feet do not even get wet. So, what is this all about? The more you think about it the less it becomes about the big fish and more about his character, maybe it is about Brody coming to terms with his worst fears? Maybe it is about him resolving a traumatic experience which has left him scarred and that means going out into the water, to face an authority, an apex predator that just ‘does,’ similar to that of a mindless, merciless criminal by the likes of which he has never seen. Out there in the water he is not the Chief of police, he is not the authority, the shark is, the shark is an embodiment of his trauma that he has chosen to overcome.

In Star Wars, arguably the most powerful character is The Emperor, Darth Sidious. Unfortunately, his character was compromised in the prequel trilogy, why they decided to give him a lightsabre (as with Yoda) was a ridiculous notion. To my understanding, Force users such as himself had transcended the use of such weapons, as Vader points out in A New Hope; “The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of The Force.” Later, The Emperor was brought back and utterly ruined in the sequel trilogy for reasons I will not go into here because – Look, say what you want about the prequels, they were bad but not nearly as damaging as the sequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy as stunning as it looked, was not only executed horribly, their characters were made of cardboard wallowing around in a non-sensical plot, it did nothing but divide the fan base, it was an utter sin what happened to Star Wars – But at least the prequels had somewhat of a focus, at least George Lucas was at the helm and had an idea as to where it was all going, sure he may have been a bit drunk behind the wheel and had too many toys on Adobe Photoshop to play with, but he was a man with a vision, he gave a shit. The sequel trilogy had no idea what it was doing, Force Awakens got off to somewhat of a good start, Last Jedi dialled back the movie industry as a whole, and Rise of Skywalker spent half its time repairing the damage. All you need do is watch them to see this, I am not going to spend an article breaking this down further, the internet has already done so and continues to do so. Right now, I am talking about The Emperor as he appears in the original trilogy, the best three which everyone loves, and one reason why people loved them, was that there was more going on than just the spectacle, there was substance here, there were relatable characters and a plot with a message. Star Wars has always been about family, the duels, the battles, the powers are secondary when compared to the message of the importance of family. This is where The Emperor’s greatest power lies and was lost in Rise of Skywalker, he was able to turn Anakin Skywalker, a good man and father, against his son, it was never the lightning, the Force pushes or the lightsabre’s, it was his ability to corrupt the unconditional love family members have for one another to the point where Luke, was able to turn this around. For the most part the prequels lacked any character investment, there was a little going on in Revenge of the Sith with Obi-Wan and Anakin, but it really hammers home in the original trilogy, in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. There is more than just a battle taking place, more going on than two men hitting light sticks together, it is a struggle to regain control of what makes us human and part if not the most important thing humans have on our side, is our love for one another, particularly the bonds between family and The Emperor infects that. 

Villains do not necessarily have to be in the form of someone or something. In the movies and the book world they often come across as such things, but there is usually a deeper meaning behind their presence that gives them more to think about. A villain can be one’s own anxiety or bouts of depression, it can be disease, even the passage of time can act as an obstacle. There is so much to explore here but it is fair to say, the villain is as important as the hero, for one would not exist without the other.

I’ll leave it there for now, do check out my Twitter if you’d like to see one of my own villains drawn by the same artist who drew The Star Callers, the protagonists for my up and coming book titled – ‘Episode Two. The Ancestral Odyssey: Rise of The Black Doves.’ Episode One. The Utopian Dream is out and available for purchase, the links are below, but please, if you are going to buy it I recommend The Kindle Edition or Paperback Edition Volume One and buy it new and NOT from another seller or worse e-bay. Over lockdown the first book went through a soft edit, I didn’t change the story but I did clean it up, I stretched out the kinks, removed some clutter, fixed the odd typo and re-released it in 2020. Check out The Soft Edit link below for more information. I chose not to make a note of this anywhere else but here. I must admit the launch of Ep1-Dream was a disaster because I was inexperienced, like with George Lucas I had all the pieces just no clear understanding of how to use them, which is why I always advise if you decide to buy my work, buy it new because I want you to have the best experience possible. If you’re wondering who the beautiful woman is in this Blogs header picture, it is a picture of the lovely Holly Yohanne, she played my villainess, Cephie Melias in the Live-Action Trailer found on my YouTube and Bitchute, a project I am still very proud of. Cephie is the lead villain in Ep2-Rise, to my mind she is a worthy adversary for our Star Callers in this next instalment, an embodiment of all their worst fears so to speak, powerful, wild, unpredictable and malevolent, although she is not without meaning, there is reason to her, there is purpose here I do take my own advice and I think you will be very impressed with the results that follow.

Look forward to Ep2-Rise, it really is going to be something, and I will talk to you guys again soon. Thank you and PEACE!                

E-mail – taotome@outlook.com

Twitter – @MegasTeque

Author Page UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

Author Page US – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JMZ2BE6

My Promotional Material YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nc_VEmC27AIz6pP51UVkQ?fbclid=IwAR26b3631qny1hSdZJx0iASzDUhTptqKI-NszWisWfRkB_uNFVBAGyZATLM

My Promotional Material Bitchute –https://www.bitchute.com/channel/x9K5vwi2SsNu/?fbclid=IwAR2JpxeNGCSbYxTEuuI5D1EiUtbq5CaBiDF2LtUlXAs9K97_w8m0YRmjEBg

The Soft Edit Article – https://taoscribe.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/the-soft-edit/

News Source – https://www.youtube.com/user/Timcasts

D.W.Gill