Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
On October 23rd, I made a post asking for questions that Timoran can answer. This is to help kick off the hype and final march towards Legends of Windemere: Warlord of the Forgotten Age. Let’s start.
L. Marie asked: What do you do to keep your rage under control? Who among your friends has challenged your ideals? How did you defend your beliefs and still keep the friendship?
- All barbarians are trained to control their instinctual rage from childhood. Our ancient ancestors were true berserkers who were at the whim of their temper. Gradually, they learned methods of meditation and focus to keep this in check. As we grow and learn, we develop the ability to unleash our rage at certain intervals. Every barbarian has his or her own calming focus as well. Some do poetry like my friend Cyrus and others do farming. I prefer philosophy and spending time with friends.
- Nobody has ever truly challenged my ideals. We have great respect for each other since we understand our differences. The closest situation to this would be my own issues with Nyx and her magic. Barbarians are typically fine with magic, but I have always seen the power of casters to be fairly unnatural. Shamans work with nature and priests work with the gods and goddesses, but casters seem to manipulate the energy that permeates us all. So, I see her power as a slight invasion of the soul, which is why she only casts magic on me in emergencies or with permission. Considering we need to depend on each other in battle, I cannot let my beliefs cause trouble.
- I may have already answered this question, but I will add that we have had many conversations about this. That helps us see where we are coming from and find a middle ground. Since I would never force her to give up magic and she would never force me to accept it without question, our friendship is not really at risk.
Colin Noel-Johnson asked: Have you ever found a drink that was too strong for you? Have you ever wished you had a normal non-magical weapon? Who would you rather work with, a Gnome or a caster you didn’t know? Do you believe that your every action is controlled by you or is it preordained or prewritten?
- There is nothing that comes to mind. Some have been too bitter or sour for me, but I have yet to meet a drink that I could not handle.
- Many do think it is curious that I have problems with magic, but use a deflection axe. I will admit that I had some early misgivings about this. Yet, I would never trade it away since it was a coming-of-age gift. My parents had it made by Elan Callindor and enchanted by a caster they were friends with before they passed away. To wish for a different weapon would be an insult to them. I feel using it always helps me remember that not all who wield such magic mean to cause harm.
- My interactions with gnomes has been rather limited, so I would rather work with one of them. Solely for the experience. The few times I have met gnomes, it is has been an interesting mix of fear and curiosity. They are a fascinating people who look far into the future and try to make it a reality. Gnomes are very skilled debaters and conversationalists too, which sweetens the pot.
- Ah, this is always a tricky question. Having a God of Destiny makes many, even in our own world, feel like everything is predetermined. You stub your toe when you are fifteen and you blame Gabriel for it. This is what people do when they wish for a scapegoat or want to avoid responsibility. Many who have read the philosophical books know that Windemere is a world of balance. Part of our lives are predetermined by fate while the paths we use to get there and the more minor pieces are driven by free will. There is also a vagueness such as being in a certain place at a certain time to meet someone who ‘could be’ our beloved. Gabriel has decided that you be there, but it is your own actions that create the final stage. This is especially clear with the champions since we are destined to fight the Baron, but there is nothing in the prophecy to say that we are certain to win. I apologize for this being long-winded, so I will sum up in case I went off topic. Not every action is determined by fate, but the stages and turning points in our lives are. For the world to function correctly, destiny and free will must be in balance.
Victoria Zigler asked: Are you as skilled with other weapons as you are with your axe? Is there a weapon you wish you were more skilled with?
While I have trained with many weapons, I focused on axe-fighting to the point where that is my area of expertise. Most barbarians will have that one weapon they favor since it takes many years of concentration to gain sufficient ability. We also train in hand-to-hand combat, but one could not really say that barbarians specialize. It is more for emergencies in the case of being disarmed or if we wish to take someone alive. Our style is fairly basic with bone-breaking and brute force being the core. There are times I consider learning more about swordplay, but that is only because they are a more common weapon than spears and axes. If I need a weapon in a pinch then that is typically what I would find and my attacks will normally destroy the blade within a blow or two. Still, I know enough to counter and hold my own, which is good enough.
Legends of Windemere 