(Originally posted on December 2o, 2014. Only covers Legends of Windemere for a bit, but it was still interesting.)
Lake Town (Duh)
This city may have been mentioned, but it doesn’t make an appearance until Book 8. This means I should explain the Northern Sister City a bit. Everthorne sits on the craggy northern coast of Ralian. It is nestled in a swath of cleared ground between the Swamp of the Sun and the Ice Fields. The swamp is home to various were-creatures and is perpetually warm and bright. It even glows at night. The Ice Fields are home to the mammoths and Ice Goblins who herd them. To the south is a long region of hallucinogenic briars that take a day to traverse down a solitary path. These surroundings make it difficult to visit Everthorne and trade is equally challenging. So this is probably the poorest and weakest of the Sister Cities.
The reason Everthorne is included in Serab is because it is the only northern port. They are maintained by the Duke and kept afloat, but there is only so much that can be done without them giving up all government control. Even though the populace wishes for this to happen, the ruling party refuses. They fear that another cataclysm will occur and leave them on their own, so removing their personal system would leave them susceptible to chaos.
The rulers of Everthorne are called the Pillars and they’re similar to the Grand Counselors of Gaia. Each member is in charge of a certain area and may be a specialist. There’s no way to be sure because the only known Pillar is the King who is more like a Lord, but refuses to change the title. When these people meet, they wear billowing robes and masks to hide their identities. Even their voices are disguised. New Pillars are recruited by a mask appearing at the new person’s house with instructions. Only the King knows that an immortal oracle lives under the castle and watches the future of the city. That is why Everthorne will never truly fall.
The problem with this system is that the Pillars tend to fight for their own interests and rarely come to an agreement. Laws that pass are usually done by setting up a meeting at the last minute to get some of the opposition to miss. Not knowing who is a Pillar and who isn’t, this is a very risky maneuver and is not always successful. In fact, it’s lead to some terrible laws that were immediately removed upon the next meeting. To this end, the Pillars tend to be desperate and will jump at any chance to make progress for their city while retaining their anonymity.
(Reposted from 2022. Although, I’ve now read there are 5,574 tigers in the wild instead of the 3,900 below. So, progress has been made.)
I love tigers. They’re always my favorite at the zoo with red pandas coming in second. So, I’m well aware of how endangered they are. Only 3,900 left in the wild with breeding programs trying to fix that. 3 subspecies are extinct too. Tigers are killed for the following reasons:
In other words, it’s humans again. Should I even point that out? I think it’s pretty well-established that most, if not all, endangered species are in their position because of what we do.
HERE’S A SITE WITH PLENTY OF INFO!
Now, how many tiger species are there? 9 subspecies with 3 of those being extinct. Though, there is debate on if it’s 2, 6, 8, or 9. Let’s go with the bigger number for more pictures.
Bengal Tiger
Amur/Siberian Tiger
South China Tiger
Indochinese Tiger
Malayan tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Extinct- Javan Tiger
Extinct- Caspian Tiger
Extinct- Bali Tiger
And that’s the 9 subspecies. There are also white tigers, but they’re mutations from Amur or Bengal tigers. Now, a video:
The first few days of this week was a trip to the Finger Lakes, which went well. Saturday was a drive up and we made it with good timing. Sunday was a day at the Strong Museum of Play, which was really us on the second floor enjoying the video game areas. Monday was a walk through wetlands and then resting in the room. My son worked on his art while I fiddled with Coven of the Gray. I forgot an important page for Darwin & the Deadland Queen, so I couldn’t work on that. Either way, it was relaxing and had a fun time hanging out with my son.
Unfortunately, the lower stress levels didn’t last. The ride home was rough, but a bigger challenge was getting back in time for my son to have dinner AND make a virtual appointment. It didn’t feel like it would be a problem, but I hit traffic at various points as well as Waze giving me issues. Had a few other situations that required us having to find a rest stop quickly. I made it back with thirty minutes to spare though, but I was exhausted by the time I got home.
Another situation popped up that made me upset. I can’t go into details on it, but I really am getting frustrated. I understand that sacrifices need to be made, but it wears on me when I feel like I’m the only one being asked to do so. Not to mention decisions being made without talking to me in the first place. This issue continued for a while and I did agree to do what was asked of me. Of course, something else happened because part of the first decision resulted in me basically stepping out of another situation where I was apparently the only one stopping it from collapsing. You know, people should really stop putting me in cornerstone positions while also sidelining me. That really doesn’t work out unless I stretch myself thin.
Anyway, work started on Wednesday too. It was teachers only for two days, so I got my new schedule. It’s the same as last year with a 9:10 break and a 1:30 lunch. I’m going to try really hard to stay away from the vending machine. Need to bring my own water, but I do wish I could figure out a way to refill it and keep it cold. Reusable ice cubes won’t last in my lunch bag all day. That’s probably a minor issue with everything else on my plate this school year. All of our kids go to work sites, so it’s going to be a busy, exciting, and slightly scary time. This is on top of my own son stepping into high school as a senior and setting his sights on college.
I did try to work on Darwin & the Deadland Queen when I had a moment. Think it was Thursday evening, but I couldn’t get the section done. It was a challenge to get things started because I had a nonverbal character and it was supposed to be a game of ‘cat and mouse’. The situation wasn’t kicking off right because of how this character acts, so I had to do a small job to just after the incident started. I forgot this takes place in plains instead of a forest too, so the ‘hunting’ tactics I imagined had to get tossed. A lot of writing a sentence or two then sitting back to think. Made it maybe a page before I had to go to bed, but I stopped right before it got exciting. I’ll be happy if this can make it over 3 pages since I just need the action to last long enough to make sense for another character to appear and finish everything. That’s going to be my goal for today. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to write the last two sections of chapter 5 tomorrow. One is a talker and the finale is a chase scene with Darwin, so it should be okay. Doesn’t help that the notes keep mentioning a wagon that I destroyed two chapters back . . . Oops.
The rest of the week will be getting back into work with students there, my son going back to school, and a court date. Needless to say, I’m going to be exhausted fairly quickly. The following weekend has a big Pokémon event, but not one that I feel inclined to spend the entire day at. Probably just the morning, go get lunch, and go home to write with a possible return near the end. Chapter 6 is another 4-parter, so I doubt I could finish it this week. I need to start thinking of posts for November too since my blog is set up only through October. Anybody know of some good author/life topics?
Let’s set the goals and then post a few Finger Lakes pictures:
(Originally posted on January 11, 2016.)
In The Mercenary Prince, Delvin Cunningham goes on his adventure to prove to himself that he has what it takes to be a champion. Luke Callindor starts his adventure to prove he deserves his famous surname. Nyx has been raised to save the world while Fizzle is more interested in protecting his friends. Sari has become a hero out of fear of being left behind by her remaining loved ones, Timoran Wrath is honor bound to stand by the others, and Dariana knows no other path. All of these characters hold the role of protagonist in Legends of Windemere, but the all have different reasons. Many times these reasons change as a story progresses.
Looking over the reasoning, I think there’s always a level of selfishness within a hero’s inspiration. He or she either do it for themselves or do it because they feel like they can’t trust anyone else to do it. This might not be as bad as it sounds since things are never as black and white as we’d like to think. Yes, it’d be easier if a hero was truly good and that was the end of it. That tends to be boring too. As much as people want the boy scout in real life, it seems we don’t really like them in fiction. We also tend to distrust them in real life because ‘nobody can be THAT good’. Supposedly.
So an author has to really think about what to do as far as why the character is a hero . . . or not. To be honest, some characters simply fall into their role as you write. For example, Luke and Nyx were planned. Timoran and Delvin kind of just happened as I outlined along. The point still stands that there are different reasons for different heroes, which one should consider in the case of an ensemble cast. It has to be natural too and not forced because that can simply ruin a character.
So, what drives your heroes?
Boromir telling the truth
(Yeah . . . I want to change the title of this poem, but I find the potential accident too funny.)
In weather sweet or sour
They are found at work
Sweating in the fields
Or wasting in the cube
They push to carry on
Exhausting mind and body
With a spirit barely held
They labor through the yawns
Forgetting broken dreams
That will always haunt their sleep
A longing eye looks out
Briefly to the world beyond
They wish to stop their work
If even for a moment
To enjoy what little time they have
Before they die in vain
(Originally posted on January 20, 2016. Still holds for me.)
Now, I’d like to say that ‘win’ does not always equal ‘survive’. Heroes can be victorious and die. This part is really a clarification of my own stance and I’m also not entirely sure where to go with this because the above quote sums it up perfectly.
It wasn’t only recently that I heard someone say that they have shows, movies, and books where they good guys win. They claimed that it’s unrealistic that good triumphs over evil, which is rather telling about the speaker. I mean, you have a person who accepts that bad guys will usually win. They want fiction to reveal this and the series that they’re into reflect this thought. I’m talking about a person who cheers when a good person dies in Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead. In fact, I watched a series called Defiance and the last season seemed to go full-on GoT. Many people said it was how a show should be made because it was dark and gritty like life. I wasn’t one of this people.
Call me naive, innocent, blind, or whatever insult you have in mind. The truth is that I don’t like having bad guys win unless there’s another story coming where they fail. So far, I’ve only had evil triumph in Catalysts and Raven’s Hold, which are my attempts at horror. Note how often I go back to those. The thing is that I see bad guys winning as a twist ending that has lost it’s use. It makes the rest of the story rather moot since you’re typically following the hero. All the work and trials the protagonist went through were for nothing. In a way, I feel like I was made to waste my time because the world I was invested in has either remained the same or plunged into darkness. I’ll go back if it looks like a new hero has arisen, but there will be some distance.
Here’s the thing with me and the whole ‘good vs evil’ shtick. I tend to think we do live in a rough world where those of darker natures win over those who are good. We’re constantly bombared by sensational headlines and reasons to be afraid of the world. Even at smaller scales, I’ve heard of people getting success by backstabbing and kissing ass while a hard-working employee is locked in their position. Heck, I was even told once that to rise up the ranks, I couldn’t be nice. This left a sour taste in my mouth because negativity begets negativity. I know it’s weird coming from a guy who gets angry or depressed a lot, but that’s another reason I do what I do. My stories give me hope and allow me a bit of positive energy.
That’s the big reason I have my heroes win. I put them through hell and break them at several points, but I like to see them find new reserves of strength. A hero who quits after a setback isn’t one worth following, especially since their story is probably over. Besides, why should I add to the negativity and cynicism that seems to be running rampant today? I hate feeling this way, so I wouldn’t want to make someone else come away from my stories thinking that good will always lose.
Do I think it’s wrong to have evil win? No because it’s a personal choice. It’s simply not the one I make and there are days I feel like I have to defend my decision to stand on the side of good. Not only that, but that’s where the stories and Windemere as a whole tends to go. Bedlam too in a way because that’s about surviving and retaining your humanity in a harsh world.
Anyway, I leave you with this:
(Originally posted on December 19, 2014. Only covers Legends of Windemere for a bit, but it was still interesting.)
City in Narnia
This location has yet to be visited in the books, but it has been mentioned. Ruled by Queen Ionia, Darkmill is a City of Magic and the Eastern Sister City. By City of Magic, I mean it is created from the aura of its ruler. A powerful caster uses his or her aura to create the city and it remains in existence as long as that person is alive. Once they die, all of the buildings and other structures vanish until a new ruler claims the crown and builds a new city. This typically has a new name too, so cartographers are not fans of this city system.
Darkmill isn’t really about the laws since those remain the same throughout the incarnations unless the new ruler changes a few things. In fact, Darkmill tends to be the most independent of the Serabian cities. Many people forget that it is even part of the kingdom since it has a Queen and tends to stay out of the main politics of the region. The laws of Darkmill are kept in a magical tome that always survives the loss of a leader and has the name of the city inscribed on the cover. The knowledge within is immediately revealed to the new ruler through the enchanted crown, so there is very little issue with the transition.
Now, you might be wondering why such a city is under the Serabian Kingdom instead of working on its own. Well, that’s because of the nature of the city. A new ruler is not always an automatic thing for Darkmill and there have been times where a year or two will pass before the appearance of a caster worthy of the crown. Not every caster can do this since it takes a lot of power, so a system is in place to protect the citizens. There are only 50,000 people in this big city because of the risk of losing your home. To help these people, Darkmill has an agreement with Gods’ Voice and they have created a fund to house the homeless citizens around the kingdom. This money is collected as part of the taxes from Darkmill and builds up over time.
For anyone wondering, there are ways to rebuild and alter the buildings created from the caster’s aura. Natural products are used to make the changes and they are ‘absorbed’ into the aura section. One could say that they bond and take some of the pressure off the ruling caster. These parts vanish along with the original, which tends to leave only personal belongings.
(Originally posted long ago on ‘World Pangolin Day’. I feel like people need to remember they exist considering how much poachers love them. Really hope they can be saved.)
I find these animals fascinating. Never knew about them until my son started watching ‘The Wild Kratts’ when he was around 4. I mean, I knew there were armored anteaters out there, but I didn’t know much more than that. So, I had to make a post about the pangolin even if it’s a day late. I mean, they’re on my list of animals to post about anyway. I promise the orangutans will be here in 2 weeks.
Pangolins are the most illegally trafficked animal in the world. For example, in 2019 it was found that 1,000,000 pangolins were trafficked over a 10-year period. That’s one trafficked pangolin every 3 minutes. That’s insane.
Also, keep in mind that trafficking is the only reason they’re endangered. They’re not suffering from a plague, losing their habitat, or being taken out by an overpopulation of predators. Well, that last one is kind of true because humans are the predators. Some countries believe pangolin meat is a delicacy and that their scale have medicinal properties. While the USA doesn’t do that, we do have a demand for their skins to use for leather products. Guess if it has scales, an American will try to make a boot, belt, and/or purse out of it.
Here’s a great site for more information: SAVE PANGOLINS!
Now for pictures of the 8 species. 4 are found in Africa and 4 are found in Asia. I couldn’t find population amounts, which worries me. All pictures found in a Yahoo Image Search.
AFRICAN SPECIES: BLACK-BELLIED PANGOLIN (ALSO CALLED THE LONG-TAILED PANGOLIN)
AFRICAN SPECIES: WHITE-BELLIED PANGOLIN
AFRICAN SPECIES: GIANT GROUND PANGOLIN
AFRICAN SPECIES: TEMMINCK’S GROUND PANGOLIN
ASIAN SPECIES: INDIAN PANGOLIN
ASIAN SPECIES: PHILIPPINE PANGOLIN
ASIAN SPECIES: SUNDA PANGOLIN
ASIAN SPECIES: CHINESE PANGOLIN
There’s all 8. Now for a cute video:
Legends of Windemere 