Tuesday, January 29, 2019

The Ruined City

Welcome everyone!

Today, I'm going to tell you of one of the greatest and also most tragic places in all of Celandine Valley: The Ruined City.

In the west of the valley, hidden in a mountain pass, is a massive city. It was the first great city of Celandine, and it fell. The walls, tall and thick, have been torn asunder in six different places. The great gate is gone, and the high arch above it caved in.

The great road leading to the city is still lined with the statues of lions, rams, angels, gargoyles, and such, but most have been defaced in ages past. Seven high towers once stood in the center of the city. Only three remain intact.

The buildings are all disheveled. Undulations under the earth have displaced their foundations. Rows of once proud structures are now lines of crooked, jagged teeth. Weeds grow between the cracks in the streets. The wind howls among the ruins.

However, there is life here. Rare herbs grow in the dusty hollows of the city. Healers from Vitalba and Everpass make secret journeys here, collecting the precious leaves, stems, and berries to make their potions.

Huntsmen leaders, who know the secret paths to the city, come to venerate the great generations of the past and to lament the fallen state of the valley. Though long abandoned by the valley-people, the ruined city still serves Celandine's citizens.

Some hope, maybe in a day in the distant future, the people will have the courage to return.


Peace,

-Troy

Monday, January 28, 2019

Missing Goals and Setting New Ones

Welcome everyone!

I'm very happy with the quality of the work being done on my cover and layout. However, they are taking much longer than expected. I submitted my work back on Jan 3rd, and I feel like it could be another two weeks at least before I see a finished product. Maybe longer.

As a result, there is no way I will be able to launch my book on February 14th like I had hoped. I won't lie. This disappoints me a great deal. I targeted that date three years ago when I set out on this project, and made every attempt to hit that goal. Alas, I won't.

Instead, I hope to put my book up for pre-order on that date. If I can manage that, I will still be happy. Wish me the best of luck. I think I'll need it :)



Peace,

-Troy

Friday, January 25, 2019

The Furrows

Welcome everyone!

Let's continue our tour of Celandine Valley today with a look at one of my favorite spots: The Furrows.

South and west of Vitalba lay a series of lush and rolling hills. Farmers graze their sheep and goats along these hills and harvest herbs in the valleys. Far from the bitter cold of the Everpeaks, the Furrows provide sustenance and comfort to the people of Celandine Valley. Many poems have been composed while sitting atop a grassy knoll at sunset here.

The fertile knobs are the main source of meat in Vitalba. Shepherds and goatherds are common here, and once can see their tents erected on the hilltops in any season save winter. The herders of the Furrows are a friendly lot. They treat any man or woman hey meet as a friend. Their stews are renowned for their taste and hardiness. No one knows these foothills better than those who tend their flocks on the gentle slopes.

The Furrows are a place of refuge in a land swarmed by evil and violence. Occasionally, a dire beast of some kind makes its way here to prey on hapless sheep, yet it is the rarest of occurrences to ever seen an Unhallowed profane this land with its presence. Huntsmen are seldom needed here. The shepherds are able to handle most threats in this pastoral part of Celandine.


Peace,

-Troy

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

New Book Art! - The Mountain Pass

Welcome everyone!

It's good to be back after a holiday weekend. Let's kick off the week with some new art.

Today, I have a picture from the last third of my fantasy novella. It depicts a mountain pass that the characters must find. There are no real spoilers here, so there's no harm in describing it.

The pass was build a long time ago to commemorate a battle, the details of which have been lost to time. The statues are a marker the main characters must use to find their destination.

The statues are gigantic, at least 11 feet tall. They depict warriors with axes kneeling. The sun rises behind them, making their faces shadowed and menacing. It's eerily quiet here. Few plants grow and birds fly silently overhead.

Peace,

-Troy

Friday, January 18, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-1-18

Welcome everyone!

I might get snowed in this weekend. The good news is, the interior of my book is getting done! I've been sent the first layout draft and already sent back suggestions for improvement. So that's something I'll be doing this weekend. Also, I've got more writing and editing to do. It's a busy time!

Goals

-Review second layout draft
-Prepare entries for blog next week
-Editing
-Super Secret Project #2



Peace,

-Troy

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Tatterdemalion's Tower

Welcome everyone!

Today, I get to to tell you about one of the coolest places in all of Celandine Valley: Tatterdemalion's Tower.

Tatterdemalion is the lord of the vampires. He and his nightwalking minions ousted the huntsmen from their great fortress of Greyfell two centuries ago. It is now a place of nightmare and horror designed to lure then entrap anyone who enters the valley.

With the help of dark magic from Lord Dreadstone, the vampires twisted and perverted the once proud bastion. The tower now resembles a disjointed stack of black cubes, a tall and broken ziggurat. The once delightful stained glass windows of the fort that portrayed heroes and saints from ancient times are not blood red and seem to glow with unearthly light.

The interior of the tower is an ever-shifting labyrinth. The rooms move about inside the redoubt to suit the whims of the vampires that live there. Navigating it is nearly impossible for anyone except the dark ones and their servants. Only they know the secret passages that lead between the rooms and to the exits.

Within the tower and thrall pens, where the captives of the vampires wait to be drained. The unhallowed bloodsuckers promise a life of peace, free from work and responsibility. All they ask for in exchange is blood. Many have willingly taken them up on the offer. At least a hundred villagers and travelers are captive here.

The throne room of Tatterdemalion is a cesspit. Full of the desiccated corpses of their victims. Offal and other detritus also line the walls of the room. The stench is unbearable. A special pen, with a dozen thralls wait near Tatterdemalion's throne.

Huntsmen have rarely infiltrated the tower, and those that have, did so at great cost. In all of Celandine Valley, there is not place as insidious or dangerous at Tatterdemalion's Tower save Dreadstone Keep itself.


Peace,

-Troy

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

The Golden Fells

Welcome everyone!

North-east of the Dwarf Caves in Celandine Valley are rounded mountains with a delightful secret. In this part of the valley, the winds once blew far more fiercely than they do now. As a result, the spiky peaks of the mountains were worn down to roundtops. Plants began to grow, and one plant in particular, was able to take hold and spread: wild wheat. The Golden Fells got their name from the wild wheat that grows on the mountainsides. The journey to the fells is long and arduous, so few villagers from Vitalba ever make it. However, the bountiful harvest of sweet wheat kernels is unforgettable. The wheat-fields do have their dangers, however. The abundance of food has given rise to a vicious breed of rat. These “dire rats” as they are sometimes called stand three feet high at the shoulder and pack a diseased bite. Their fur is a sickly grey-brown matted coat that is unsuitable for skinning. While the dire rats are an endangered species, they are quite vicious and a huntsman will have to be quite skilled to kill one.

Peace,

-Troy

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

The Safehouse

Welcome everyone!

Today I'm going to tell you about the safehouse that lies right in the middle of Celandine Valley. 

Near King's Crossing, there is a stone building about thirty feet long and twenty feet wide. It's a simple structure with only one room and few amenities. There is no furniture, no lamps, no closets or storerooms - just bare stone floor.

It has two large fireplaces with stone chimneys that poke through the roof. Only one of them sees frequent use. Stacks of cord wood are piled up nearby and resupplied by woodsmen every month except in winter, when the snows are so thick none can traverse the valley anyway.

Travelers and huntsmen frequent this safehouse. It was built specifically for that purpose. It's a shelter from the elements, a protective stopover for anyone going to Vitalba Village or to the Coal Mines. What it lacks in comforts, it makes up for in sturdiness. The harshest storms cannot shake its foundations nor damage its walls.

The safehouse was built only a few decades ago, so it's actually one of the newer structures in the valley. The threat from the unhallowed monsters of Celandine continues to grow, so it may be that the huntsmen will have to construct even more such buildings in the near future.



Peace,

-Troy

Monday, January 14, 2019

New Book Art - The Coal Mines!

Welcome everyone!

It's Monday, so how about some artwork? A few weeks ago I posted about the Coal Mines in my setting. There's an entrance to those mines that's very unusual. I felt that my description of it might confuse the reader, so I commissioned an artist to do a rendition of it:


The results turned out well, I think. You can see the two armored figures holding up the entrance. It's an ancient carving made in days gone by.

I hope this gives the audience a good picture of what it looks like. What do you think? Do you like this piece?

Peace,

-Troy

Friday, January 11, 2019

Goals for the Weekend 2019-01-11

Welcome everyone!

This weekend I'm going to be very busy. For those who haven't heard, I've suffered a couple personal tragedies this past week. To people who were very close to me have passed away. I'll be attending services Friday through Sunday as a result. Thus, I doubt I'll have much time to work on my writing.

On the plus side, the cover for my novella is coming along wonderfully! I'm getting regular updates from the artist, and I love what I'm seeing. I can't wait to share it with you. Also, I believe layout for the interior will start soon. That's going to be exciting.

Anyway, I'll see you back on Monday. Be well and take care of each other.



Peace,

-Troy

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Dreadstone Keep

Welcome everyone!

Today I'm talking about Dreadstone Keep, one of the few actual castles in all of Celandine Valley.

North and a little east of Vitalba lies the center of evil in Celandine Valley, Dreadstone Keep. It sits upon a high plateau looking over the valley. Many legends exist about this accursed mass of stonework. Some have said a great vampire lord lives here, others say the spirits of evil that killed the man from across the sea lives there, immortal and undead. Others say the lord of the keep is the manifestation of all evil in the world taking up residence in the fortress’s infernal halls. The true nature of the malignity in Dreadstone has never been revealed, but its vile effect on the land is ever-present.

A blackness permeates the ground near the keep. No trees or grass grow there. The soil has turned the color of tar. A constant, but faint whail can be heard coming from the lonely spires of the soul forsaken castle. Even the moon and clouds look more menacing when viewed from just outside its walls.

Travelers unfortunate enough to blunder near the castle are rarely seen or heard from again. The bastion is roamed with the unnatural and sunlight offers no solace or safety. Even the huntsmen are wary of treading this ground where the stones cry and the soil seems to scuttle underfoot.

In bygone ages huntsmen have attacked the keep, but never successfully. The gates are made of the strongest iron and the lord of the keep has any number of hellish creatures inside to counter whatever assault may be made. It’s an area best left alone. No good can come from it.


Peace,

-Troy

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

The Coal Mines

Welcome everyone!

I wanted to create a setting for my book that was not just a typical medieval fantasy trope. I wanted to move it up to right as the Renaissance was starting. It occurred to me that I could signal that to the reader by adding in fossil fuels (and their consequences). So, the Coal Mines were born.

In the central part of the western Betherian Mountains lies the coal mines of Celandine Valley. They are a network of spaghetti-like tunnels twisting in all directions in search of the precious fuel. The main entrance is a massive gaping maw where three carts can pass one another abreast and still have plenty of room to spare. A side entrance is guarded by two massive statues of ancient huntsmen. The mines were once a sacred huntsmen gathering place, but were turned over to the citizens once coal was discovered.

A well-worn road leads directly from the mines to the village. Deep ruts betray the number of carts that have traveled back and forth bringing fuel to the town’s steamworks. A few merchants from outside the valley also come to purchase cartloads of coal. Most of the proceeds are split among the miners' guild, the city government, and The Huntsmen's Lodge and are used to fund repairs and improvements for the village or roads.


Peace,

-Troy

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Empyrean Falls

Welcome everyone!

Today, I'm discussing another location in my fantasy novella's setting: Empyrean Falls.

The falls are actually two different waterfalls. There's the Lesser Falls that feed into Lake Serenity, and the High Falls that are a sacred place for Huntsmen.

The Lesser Falls are huge. They tumble down over 100 feet, and their constant roar can be heard for miles. It is a lovely place, and the sapphire pool where the water crashes down is so deep, one cannot even see the bottom.

A path leads from the lake to the falls and further up the plateau to the much smaller High Falls that tumble down from the mountain above. Travelers and villagers seldom go to the High Falls. Stories abound of it being haunted by the spirits of the dead.

A select few Huntsmen are chosen to enter The High Falls, but how the one is chosen is a deep mystery. A Huntsman knows it is time when a light from the falls shows so brightly, nothing else can be seen. Only the Huntsman who is called can see light, and the light can travel any distance.

Other than the beauty of the water, there is little other reason to visit this location. It's far out of the way of normal trade routes. No special herbs or trees grow in this area. The land is not well suited for grazing or farming since the soil nearby is so rocky. Not to mention, there's always the ever-present danger of unhallowed monsters roaming this area.

For the most part, the falls are relegated to tales and legends among the citizens of Vitalba Village. While the Huntsmen may hope for the honor of being called to its lofty heights, the Empyrean Falls largely goes unmentioned in their daily conversations.


Peace,

-Troy

Monday, January 7, 2019

Holidays are over and I'm Back! - Book ART!

Welcome everyone!

I made it through the holidays in great shape. I hope the same is the case for you. I'm glad to be able to get back to work. I've got both writing and business management stuff to take care of. I'll get back to talking more about the setting for my book tomorrow, but for right now, how about some art?

Back in November I showed off a piece of art for the Hunters' Lodge in my novella. I stated at the time that I wasn't sure if I'd use it or not because it didn't really capture the size and grandeur of the building.

Well, I commissioned a second piece of art from another artist. This time, I'm happier with the result. It doesn't line up with what's in my mind 100%, but still, I think it does a better job of conveying the imposing nature of the Lodge.

So without further ado, here it is:


It's got a blue tint just to make it more appealing on the internet, but in the book it will be black and white.

The details are great. I love the animal heads, and the belching chimney gives the Lodge a more more foreboding look. When the main character first walks up to the front door, he's very intimidated by it. I didn't think the other image communicated that as well. This one does a better job.

I love half-timber buildings. Most of my setting uses that architecture, and I think the artist captured that style excellently. I'm also into the Gothic peaked windows, which are very cool.

Anyway, tell me what you think. Do you like it? Do you want to know more?

I'll be back tomorrow with some more stories to tell. Until then, take care of each other! :)

Peace,

-Troy