The Horned Devil

Direction

2012-01-12T23:07:00.002-06:00

Been working on a couple of things the past week. One for a D&D session i'll be running starting the end of Jan, the other more background for the arrangement in Karat-Si'Zan. The key to this is the relationship between the Zultan and the lords of Karat-Si'Zan, as the lords rule what is effectively multiple thieves guilds/mafia crime families who control the activity of Karat-Si'Zan in order to suck the most wealth possible out of the populous. it is a very effective strategy, and generally keeps the populous happy and unknowing of how they are manipulated to provide those at the top an excessive way of life.

The Zultan is the ruler of Sarlion, and Karat-Si'Zan is the capital, but the Zultan has other concerns than just the capital city. Axius fleets of Noricum carracks have recently been repelled by the war barges of Sarlion, and the Zultan is worried that the next invasion fleet will be unstoppable. The lords have manipulated laws in order to maximize their profits, making psychodelics and other intoxicants and contraband an income stream for the crimelords. The vices of the people help to keep them susceptible to this arrangement, and with the Zultan's redcloaks able to march into the city to instill order if necessary, the people of the city generally work with the hired muscle of the lords. It is easier than resisting.

The most powerful house generally leads the assembly of lords, only seven of which are able to vote on matters put forth. Currently, this leaves out many of the nobles, as Brendon, Zhepnotz, and Kruz-Alzeen have no family with which to back them, and have achieved their position due to their own personal skills. These seats are the primary motivation behind the covert warfare and assassinations that are performed in the shadows of Karat-Si'Zan.

Now to start fleshing out the individual houses and guilds, seeing the natural and forced alliances, and determining what happens from there.

Long time no post

2012-01-06T18:56:00.003-06:00

There is a reason i haven't posted here in a while. i haven't been writing.

Such a strange job, writing. It can be infinitely satisfying at one time, and just as devastating the next. Very much a project of discipline and determination, where you have to just have an iron coated exterior while still being able to listen to criticism and make yourself better. in that, i failed.

Not one to stay beaten down forever, i came back this project recently. The holes are there for me once again, and i'm no longer thinking about getting published with this novel. i'm writing the book that i want to write, and i don't care if it ends up being a 500,000 word (or longer) epic. i'm still going to study the actual craft of writing and edit as thoroughly as possible, and keep it from being something that is slow at any point, but i need to break away from the thought that this could be a way to make a living. It can only be a project that i enjoy to work on, or else it won't happen.

In that vein, i'm currently brainstorming the setup of the lords and Zultan of the city. The story i will write is the total of Tzalaran's activities in Karat-Si'Zan, and to pull this off i'll have to come up with more of the city's political and criminal organization than i'd worked on before. This has me fairly excited and eager to work on it, and as such i might post here a bit more regularly.

Status update

2010-10-28T18:59:00.003-05:00

Drafting Scales of Karat-Si'Zan now. 1st chapter complete.
Going to be doing a project with my buddy in November for NaNo. Should be a fun experience, and will let me get out from 1st person perspective for a while.

Life will slow down a bit after the weekend of Nov 6th - 7th, and i'm looking forward to the winter and significant writing time.

Karat-Si'Zan mines

2010-10-28T18:30:00.002-05:00

Along the southern edge of the city wall, there is a large area east of the Southern Gate that leads to the less permanent areas of the city that has been dug into an extensive mining complex. Here the Tillians of Karat-Si'Zan mine iron, silver, copper along with a few pockets of gold and platinum. The physical area of this mine section covers a quarter of the Hollows, and heavily lashed wooden railings and stairs lead down into the deeper parts of the mine, along with certain areas that have staircases carved into the striped faces.

This area alone matches the mining production of some states in the Tillian Confederacy. Free Tillians work the mine for wages, and there are stockades of shnize slaves that perform the tasks in the mines that require less skill. Two main families run the mines, the profits from the ore allowing them to be amongst the nobility.

Another short story in the works

2010-09-23T19:16:00.004-05:00

Started drafting another short story before drafting Scales of Karat-Si'Zan. Needed to break away from writing everything in first person, so this will be in close third person on a character i've never written about before. Threw together the rough outline/synopsis in an hour the other night, but drafting has been slow. Well, i shouldn't say slow. Just don't have much free time that i can write during right now.

Hopefully i'll post the short story within the next couple of weeks, but i don't know that i'll be done with it in that time (should only take me a night or three, shows how busy life is right now).

On to the Next...

2010-08-27T21:08:00.002-05:00

Well, my revisions on 'Scales of the Assassin' are done. There might be one more readthrough line edit, but for the most part i consider it fini.

Realized i have the basic outline of the sequel done, just need to decide how i want to start out and then start drafting. Think that this one might be more fun to write, it is certainly the story i wanted to write.

Status update

2010-05-13T22:50:00.002-05:00

I don't update this blog often, mostly because i post in my writing diary more often and i never got that feed to work the way i wanted to. So, status update is this.

Finished my revision of SotA tonight. Feels like a great accomplishment, and a month ago i thought i'd never get done. i'm ready to put that aside for a while and start on my next project. Going to leave Scales entirely and do something that i think will be fun to write, and allow me to get out of Tzal's perspective for something to push my writing skills.

Learning to draw is something i've put off forever, and can no longer continue in good conscience. For me to achieve the other goals i have it is mandatory that i learn to draw. i'm going to start with environments of the Horned Devil and city of Karat-Sizan. When i can pull that off with a degree of proficiency i'll move onto the races and characters. going to give myself a goal of 3 years to learn enough to be a competent concept artist (for my purposes, not necessarily something i could get a job at). Just good enough to get my ideas on paper and digital canvasses.

Thanks for reading.

The Job - Short Story

2010-02-21T12:11:00.003-06:00

For descriptions of Tillian races go here. For descriptions of the Valok go here.

i've finally polished this to the point i feel it is ready for reading. Enjoy!
---

This is what I hate about my job: the endless waiting. Watching the mark’s daily routine, learning his weaknesses, and determining where he feels comfortable. The more you know about the mark, the easier the job. Usually, my employer would provide this information, but this time was different. I hated working blind. The process should always be simple: run in, take down the mark, and vanish into the city.

The mark, Trakshul Zzorngaz, and his turf was all I’d been given. He had advanced quickly, already running a small area around the Khalar market for Folzant. When that was all the information provided, I refused the job. Well, Kruz wouldn’t allow it, and I again wished it was possible to read the flat grey eyes in the Dernak’s scaled face. The lips on his snout betrayed nothing, but my gut told me he was hiding something.

So I waited, standing in the shadows of an alley across from Trakshul’s main office. A week of tailing him had left a bad taste in my mouth, with no hint of why I was forced into this job. All the merchants of his area spoke well of him, he wasn’t cheating on his spouse, and he spent every evening with his five children.

The most puzzling thing was that there was no evidence of him associating with warlocks. Every job since I’d started working for Kruz-Alzeen had been against a servant of the fiends. After a week, I’d not detected one tie to Axius or Dranzeem, and that got under my scales. I hadn’t taken a job on a regular Tilian in a long time, and I wondered what made this underboss worthy of my fee.

Shadows grew across the street as Tzol completed his path across the sky, and I waited. After a while, I recognized the muscle entering the office. He was the enforcer who walked Trakshul home for the night. Irritated from waiting, I decided to force the mark’s hand, and unravel this mystery. I moved from my lookout into the steady river of Tillians that always flowed through the Hollows during the day, heading to the mark’s home.

Trakshul lived less than two city blocks from his office, and I made my way to his home with only the vaguest idea of what to do. There was a sense growing in the back of my mind that I had no reason to follow through on this job, and that if I did, it would haunt me forever.

Reaching the home, I slipped out of traffic and moved to the rear entrance. Out of habit, I checked the hilt of the tulwar (a thick bladed, heavy, sword) strapped to my back while a grim resolution settled on me. I pulled my hood lower over my face, and checked the streets to make sure no one was watching before pushing the door inward and moving into the home.

“Kralgan, if you touch that door again I’m gonna tell your father.” The voice came from a Moglith woman standing over a wrought iron stove. She was small for her kind, but her limbs were well muscled from the constant work she was required to do around the house.

“I’m not near the door momma.” The cub’s voice came from a doorway across from me, and a teenage moglith with his mother’s frame walked through the doorway. “Tzargan and I were…” He stopped abruptly seeing me standing there, and his mother turned to look at her son. She saw me as she began to chastise the boy, and her mouth hung open for a moment before she began frantically seeking something to defend her cubs with.

“I suggest you calm down and gather your cubs to the table.” I opened my cloak to make sure they both could see my axes. Their eyes grew wide, letting me know they understood. “If you were going to die, it would be done already. We need to talk, and I need the young ones in here to make sure nothing unfortunate happens.”

“Kralgan, get your brother and sisters.” She faced me, controlling her emotions well. “What is this about? Why bring my little ones into this?”

“What would hurt your husband more, losing you or losing his business? Someone wants your mate dead, and what I want to know is why.”

“He’s made enemies coming up like he did. They hire thugs to off their rivals all the time.” She sneered at me with that statement. As much as it pained me to admit it, she had a point.

“Those kinds of enemies can’t afford me.”

Kralgan ushered his siblings to the kitchen table. I drifted to the other side of the room to take up the position I wanted for when Trakshul returned home. The cubs took their places at the table, and I waved my hand to one of the open chairs offering the woman a chance to sit. She slid into the seat, and I moved the empty chair beside her.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Does your husband have dealings with warlocks?”

“What do you mean warlocks? Those are just cubs’ tales to keep them…” She trailed off as I pulled back my hood and stared at her.

“There is more truth to cubs’ tales than you’d ever guess.” I walked back to my chosen spot. “That’s why your husband isn’t dead right now. I’ve found no trace of him associating with demons or their minions.” I looked at her with the most serious stare I can muster.

“Trakshul is just a warrior, trying to make a better life for the Tillians here. He wouldn’t work with anyone who abused the people.” She looked at me, and I wanted the mark to get here soon. Holding innocent Tillians hostage bothered me, but I had to get the truth before I could decide what to do with the job.

“You’re the Tzarkal aren’t you?” Kralgan’s question stopped my thoughts in their tracks, and I glared at the cub. Looking to his mother for a moment, she looked just as surprised as me.

“Who?” I asked, returning my gaze to the cub.

“The Tzarkal. The hitman who has been taking out bosses in the merchant district and Hollows. I heard papa talking about him with his bodyguards the last time i went to the office.” He looked at me with disdain. “You don’t look that tough, you know. You’re not big enough to scare my papa’s enforcers.” His chest puffed out, and I struggled not to laugh.

“Well, I’m not the Tzarkal, and I haven’t heard of this hitman before.”

“What is that bone there?” The younger boy pointed at my tomahawk, and I shifted my cloak back and pushed the treasure of my youth forward so they could get a good view. The oldest son looked at his mother, but she just stared at me. Maybe she stared at my gear, or wondered why I’d not killed them, I didn’t know. The two boys began whispering to each other, and their sisters squirmed in their seats, the energy of youth forcing them to swing their arms and legs.

“The cubs can move around, as long as they stay in here. I’d prefer to not harm any of you, but if it is necessary I’ll do what I have to.” I said. She nodded to me, calling her daughters to play on the floor by the stove. The boys continued to whisper and look at me. After what seemed like hours the front door opened and a booming voice filled the house.

“Zariana. Great news! You know the...” He stopped as he came into the room, and saw me in the far corner. His hand reached for a blade, but with uncommon self control, he resisted drawing steel and sat next to his wife, giving her a soft pat on the back. He looked at her, inquiring if the cubs or her had been harmed.

“Who have you crossed recently?” I asked.

“What?” Trakshul looked confused.

“Who would hire me to kill you?”

“I don’t know.” He paused looking uncomfortable. “Who you usually work for?”

“Not likely, you can’t be worth my fee based on the area you run.” His eyes opened as I spoke, and he looked at the table.

“How long have you been following me?”

“Long enough. You have no mistress, only go to the boss when called, don’t drink or have any vice whatsoever. But the most important thing is that I’ve seen you make no deals with warlocks.” I looked at him, and it was time to hear him confirm my suspicions. “Have you served creatures from the lower planes during your rise in the city?” I waited for his answer, eager to jump on any hint of a lie.

“No. I’ve made friends with the tenants and shopkeepers, and have enough of a reputation to keep my counterparts from picking a fight with me.” He looked at his sons, waving them over to him. “I might not know my bosses allegiance, but I wouldn’t help servents of fiends willingly.” He looked back to me, and in my gut I knew he told the truth.

“Folzant has many warlocks in his organization, most of what he does is at their direction.” I said.

“That’s why you’ve been working through his advisors?”

I stared back at him.

“That explains why he’s not pushed me to do things for him. I just made one less problem area while he tries to stop you from wrecking his business.” He looked crushed.

“So we’re back to why I’d be hired to eliminate you. The longer I tailed you, the more I was convinced you weren’t a mark I’d take, but I can’t figure out why I’d be forced into the job.” I shook my head and stared at the cubs, whose curiosity finally overcome their fear.

“Papa, doesn’t the Tzarkal have a weapon like that he uses on the bosses?” The cub pointed at my tomahawk.

“Kralgan!” His mother roared, making even me flinch. Kralgan buried himself in his father’s chest, and Trakshul nodded while looking at my tomahawk. I flipped my cloak back around me, covering up my tools, just another traveler in the city once again.

“What happens next?” Trakshul looked at me, and I smiled to myself.

“I return the contract and tell him I’m not a hatchet man. If he ever tries to use me as such again, I’ll take the fee and kill him instead.”

“Won’t that make you a target?”

I shrugged and moved back to the door, stopping at the exit and looking back to the Moglith and his family. “If I find out you lied to me, you’ll wish we’d ended it now. You know how easy I can observe you, and I’ll be checking.” The threat had the desired effect.

“I’ll stick with the territory I have now and stay out of trouble.” He looked at his wife and passed her a loving smile. “We’ve just got a property that will let us live well for the rest of our lives.” He looked back to me, relaxing now that danger had passed.

“Good luck keeping it.” I pulled my hood back over my head and exited the house. Unsure of my next move, I leaned against the building and let out a deep breath. Low voices carried through the walls, his sons asking why he didn’t fight me. His reply sparked the kindling of my anger, creating a blaze that grew beyond my control.

“I’m a warrior, but no match for him. The way he moved was the sign of a killer, and if I drew steel you cubs and your mother would have been dead beside me. Pray you never have to look into eyes like his again, because you might be taking your last breaths.”

Walking to the Devil, each step I took fanned the flames of my rage. Things had been going nearly perfect, and I knew that it had been too good to last. Still, that knowledge didn’t temper the disappointment that accompanied everything changing.

The Horned Devil was busy. Many gangs sat down in the basement, waiting for their companions to arrive so they could compete in the pit. The stone of the Devil’s basement matched the ancient complex that delved far beneath the surface of Karat-Si’Zan, connected to the surface only through the shaft Krabuz had built the Horned Devil around. Gangs would wager on their skill, strength, and stealth in a sparring match in the tunnels below. Kruz hired people like me to go down the shaft in the basement of the Devil. We patrolled the main passages through the maze of corridors and chambers, and years ago we’d mostly secured the northern areas. Mostly, just because every once in a while something from deeper down would make its way past the illusion that separated the pit from the uppermost outskirts of the ancient city Del-Krazeen.

Valok mariners sat in the ring around the hole in the floor, smoking and wagering amongst themselves, and two Moglith leaned upon their spears guarding the shaft that led into the pit. I moved over to the bar and waited for the bartender to finish his tasks. Mornak hobbled over to me with my usual, and I flipped a zzar to him. A smile that split the Moglith’s face quickly appeared, accompanied by a nod of thanks. I shot down the zarzn (strong spirits similar to spiced rum) and moved to the basement to wait for Kruz.

Other patrons moved out of my way, I guess I looked angry. I forced myself to relax, and pulled the hood of my cloak lower to avoid unnecessary attention. None of Kruz’s underlings were in the basement, so I stopped and took a sip of my drink before going to sit in the back room at one of the gaming tables.

Kazf, the priest of Zilanon, sat in his customary booth as far away from the pit as possible. A bowl of the daily stew the cook had thrown together sat on his table. Dodging around some of the young gang members who were heading to the bar, I slipped around the many tables and looked for one that suited my purpose.

Deciding that I didn’t care to play with the Feznar and Dal-Shiz who occupied the dice game, I joined the Valok playing kronark. The entire table looked at me as I pulled back one of the empty chairs. They didn’t appear pleased to have a newcomer. I pulled back my hood and tossed one of my coin pouches on the table. They took one glance at the pouch, satisfied that I could afford their stakes, and I sat down and looked to see if Kruz was here. No sign of him yet, so I got comfortable and took a long drink.

The sailor to my right passed me a long stemmed pipe, and I took a long puff of the mild intoxicant and passed it on. The smoke expanded in my lungs differently than the leaf my uncle had smoked with me after returning from the Zarachtil Tzolanzen. My eyes surged against their sockets as I coughed and forgot how to breathe. The sailors roared with laughter, and I caught pieces of a foreign language that rolled off the Valok tongues in between my fits of coughing and trying to suck in air.

“First time you smoke Valok herbs?” A voice from somewhere asked me.

Finally in control of my body, I managed a nod.

“Take no offense from me brothers. They all remembering their first voyage, and when the first mate offers them their first puff. Among us, it a rite of passage for the sailor.” The voice was coming from across the table, but my eyes were still unable to focus on anything beyond my hands.

I removed the contents of my purse, placing it into convenient stacks of brass, silver, and gold. Not all my money, it would be enough to keep me in the game until Kruz finally showed up. A groan arose from the table, and the sailor across from me broke into a laugh, the golden chain hanging from his nose to his ear flopping around as he dragged the coins lying in the middle of the table.

“You picked a bad day to gamble Ngsinal. The winds favor me today.” The sailor said.

“Ngsinal?”

The sailor’s eyes rolled back into his head before coming back into a normal position. “I don’t know the translation in your tongue. Silent blade in the night the closest I can come.”

“Is it that obvious?” I asked.

“Only if you know what to look for, but it isn’t all bad. In our tales, the Ngsinal were revered by my people. They were the protectors of the Valok nation, arresting criminals amongst the populace and preventing foreign armies from invading.” He raised the bet as action moved to him before looking back to me.

“For centuries, the Ngsinal allowed my people to live in peace. Then the horde from Axius came, and the Ngsinal arranged for the Valok to take to the sea, while they fought the foul beasts of the Kzareka. The Valok escaped from death, but not the Ngsinal. They perished, and now all Valok must be ready to defend their people.”

I sat there, chipping in the ante and folding whenever there was action by the sailors. His story intrigued me, and vague understanding of what I felt dawned on me. I watched the stairwell for any sign of Kruz, sharing their herbs when passed to me before sending it on. Servers brought rounds as my glass emptied, and I had them bring a round for the table as well. I listened to the sailor tell stories from their homeland, finding acceptance from the humans as we gambled away the hours.

The tiles hadn’t been there for me all game, so when I drew a high pair one of my zzar went into the pot. A few Moglith toughs walked into the basement, and the Dernak I waited for walked to the table he usually sat at while running games for the gangs.

Most of the Valok backed out of the hand, with only the nose chained sailor calling my bet. The tile in the center didn’t help me when it flipped, so I tossed in another two zzar hoping that he’d decide not to play the hand. His brows clenched together, and he looked at his tiles before nervously pushing a mound of silver to match my bet. I turned over my tiles, relief flowing over the Valok’s face. He turned over a sequence, and I smiled at the sailor before grabbing my last two zzar and placing them in my pouch.

“The winds did favor you. Thanks for the game.” I stood, and pulled my hood back over my head.

“You’re done?” The sailor stared at me, his arms spread over the table to scoop up his take. His eyes seemed to look through me as he stopped pulling in his winnings.

“Lost all I want to for today.”

“You have a purpose again.” He sat up straight, leaving the coins where they sat on the table. “Ngsinal, if you are going to look for me later to even the score, you should just try to take back your coins now.” He looked ready for a brawl, but I had another in mind.

“I was waiting for someone, and needed to pass the time.” I smiled and spread my hands out attempting to be non-threatening. “If nothing else, consider it a trade for introducing me to your herbs. You’re right. Your tales gave me a purpose, and that was missing.” I gave a nod of my head to the sailors, walked away from their table, and headed over to Kruz.

Gang leaders were lined up at Kruz’s table to compete in the pit, with so many gangs drawn to the competition that Kruz made running this game his largest earner. He made money on each wager, and then hired the gangs out to his contacts in the lords of the city. I circled around the line and was next to the table on the side Kruz occupied before his muscle could block my path. Kruz looked at me, warning off his guards with a wave of his hand.

“Tzal, what can I do for you?”

“Might want to send the contestants away before I say anything else.” The anger in my voice startled the Dernak, and the lips of his long snout twitched as he rapped his clawed fingers on the table. His pointed ears had snapped forward, and he turned so that both of his eyes could focus on me.

“Please come back in five minutes and we’ll get the games set up.” Kruz said to the gang leaders, and I opened my cloak letting them see my tomahawk and axes. With one glance at my harness the toughs disappeared, and I pulled out the small bag that contained the advance fee for Trakshul. A flip of my wrist tossed the bag on the table in front of Kruz, and my nostrils flared.

“I’m not a hatchet man for any of your clients.”

“That sounds like a threat.” Kruz’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me.

“I won’t kill good Tillians so you can profit.”

“You’re making a dangerous decision here, cub. My client is not going to appreciate the job not being done. They may decide that the fee can be used for you.”

“Let him. I’ve been hunted for a long time, so one more looking to join in won’t bother me.” My hand fingered my tomahawk. Only the Valok herbs’ effects allowed me to control my temper, because the flames of rage I’d felt was replaced by a cool determination.

“You’ve not been hunted by people who know the city better than you. My client will want retribution, and there is already a bounty on your head from Kranak and Folzant for the mess you’ve made of their advisors. Don’t push away the only allies you have.” He tossed the coin pouch back to my end of the table, the thin lips around his mouth pulling back in an arrogant smile.

“Tell him where to find me We can take care of it anytime.”

“Tzal, you’re a good assassin. Don’t be a fool and have all lords of the city chasing you in addition to the Zarachtil Tzolanzen. No one can withstand both, not even you” He shook his head at me while he talked, the condescension in his voice almost bringing my rage back.

“The only times I worked for you it was for fiends and their servants. I’ve turned down all other jobs, so if you ever try to have me kill someone not serving fiends again, I’ll strangle you and then go after your client. That’s a promise Kruz.” I snarled at the boss and turned on my heel. The muscle Kruz had brought with him came towards me, so I pulled my tomahawk from its loop and waited for them to make their move. Two of them moved to draw their blades, and I relished the thought of unleashing my anger on the fools who dared stand in my way.

“That is enough!” Krabuz’s voice startled me as he stepped from behind one of the supports, all activity ceasing as the owner’s voice echoed against the stone walls. “No one draws steel in my establishment. If you want to fight take it into the pit.” He was looking at the Mogliths, and I slipped my tomahawk back into place, hoping the old Dal-Shiz hadn’t seen it in my hand. The thugs backed away before Krabuz turned to me enraged.

“Get out of my establishment, Tzal.” Krabuz said as he pointed upstairs. “Go.” I turned to look at him, and decided keeping my mouth shut would be for the best, as the weight of every eye in the Devil on me made me feel naked. With a glance at Kruz I headed to the stairwell, bumping into one of the toughs with my shoulder as I passed. He snarled at the contact, and I sneered back before moving up the stairs.

Mornak, the ex-gladiator mountain that served the bar at the Devil was staring at me as I ascended the stairs The guards around the balcony watched me as well. Mornak hobbled on his missing leg over to my side of the bar, and motioned for me to come closer to him. I moved over to him, wondering what he wanted.

“Head out the back. It will give you an extra few minutes to throw Kruz’s enforcers off your trail.” Mornak said, his normally booming voice down to a whisper. He moved across the bar and opened the door to the kitchen, motioning for me to follow. Almost preferring to fight off the enforcers just to vent my rage, I hesitated for a moment.

“Don’t think about it. Even you will have trouble with everyone Kruz will call in for you.” Mornak’s face was stern, holding the door open and motioning for me to go.

He was probably right, so I followed him into the back room. Mornak hobbled through the walkways between the massive shelving units that covered the floor of the kitchen. Large double doors led to the main storerooms and Krabuz’s office, but I followed the Moglith to the back door to the alley.

“Why’d you do it, Tzal?”

“The mark was clean. I’m not a hatchet man for gold, and now they know it.”
“No, why come here and pick a fight with one of the lords? Why not just move on?” Mornak’s large brow was scrunched together, and I didn’t know how to answer his question.

I looked to the bartender and shrugged. He nodded his head and flashed me a smile.

“You earned my respect, but can’t say Kruz will want to see you for a while.” Footsteps came from down the hall, and Mornak moved toward the racks of supplies before looking back to me. “Get on your way Tzal. Come back tomorrow and I’ll let you know what the word on the street is.”

“Thanks Mornak.” I pulled my hood up and headed into the late afternoon streets, making my way home to wait for the fallout from the job.
---

Just finished the rough draft of Scales of the Assassin

2009-11-26T00:40:00.002-06:00

i need to still draft the last paragraph or so, because i had the perfect ending but then i lost it. so now i'm waiting for that train of thought to come back to me. should finalize those words tomorrow or friday.

This is the culmination of a long, long process for me. started writing this with no clue about anything, and feel that i've grown so much as a novelist during the past few months that i just kept my fingers to the keyboard and typed.

So share a shot of zarzn with me, or better yet get your own. Now i get to start on the sequel to SotA, Scales of Karat-Sizan. Where SotA is mostly about Tzalaran's hunt for a necromancer, SoKS is the story of Tzal starting a war with the lords and nobles of the city who are in league with Axius. this was initially going to be the end of SotA, but due to publishable word length, i've moved those plotlines into a second novel. SoKS is the first novel i will attempt to get representation for, as SotA has some major issues due to how it got cut for word length. i currently am too close to give it the surgery it needs, and i'm hoping that after writing the sequel i'll be up for editing the first.

i'm happy tonight, and hope all of you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.

Del-Krazeen, the city under Karat-Sizan

2009-11-19T17:55:00.003-06:00

on the home stretch to finish SotA, so all my words have been going to work or my draft. my goal date is the 25th, but i might not finish until the 30th...

Del-Krazeen

The central Del city during the rise of their civilization, after the rise of the fiends it was relegated to a Zaranzim stronghold. Del-Triel legends say that this was the reason their people left, as they saw the evil motives in moving the seat of government to one of the newer undercities that had been shaped through their connection with the lower planes.

Today, Del-Krazeen is a rarely remembered name. Known locally as the pit, the only path into the city comes from a shaft connected to the Horned Devil. The uppermost level that connects to the Devil has been cleared of most denizens, and is used as a training ground for the local toughs and street gangs of the city. They wager against one another, placing the coins into a bag that is placed by runners who work for Kruz-Alzeen. One gang goes down and gets a 10 minute head start, and the goal is to retrieve the bag and return to the Devil before your opponents. It rarely happens that way, as the gangs generally fight upon seeing one another, and few of the Tillians don't engage in these contests for the combat.

Below the uppermost level, little is known that isn't rumor or tall tales. Rumors of a thriving town in the deeps persist, despite the attempts to crush the tales. No one living has been to the ancient city of the Del, moved here during the breaking, but there are areas of the upper levels that acted like suburbs that have preserved many artifacts from the Del crafters. According to Del-Triel legends, Del-Krazeen was home to the great pool of Karzuldorn, their chief deity believed to be the spirit of the world itself. Another legend is that the Zaranzim leader still prowls Del-Krazeen, defending it from the fiends until the end of time.

Karat-Sizan - Popular establishments 2

2009-11-11T17:34:00.003-06:00

been busy so this post came a bit later than i intended... anyway, back to more of the notable businesses of the city.

Dernal's Wares

Hidden in a back alley off Aldana street in the Palace district, this merchant carries many of the odd items that are useful to the sailors, adventurers, and rogues of the city. Clothing, rations, lamps, lanterns, candles, and other essentials can usually be found here. The shelves are not as well stocked as when Dernal was younger, and the old Moglith is more eager to tell tales of his youth when sailing the sea.

Many Valok captains still come here to talk with the old sea dog, and rumor has it that he acts as a fence between them and the Tillians they prefer not to deal with. Odd items purchased from the far reaches of the world can sometimes be found here, but there are other shops where these items are more consistent. Dernal has no problem adjusting his prices based on how much he likes the person he is dealing with, and many Tillians simply stop shopping here because of his dislike for them.

Zaranzar's Fine Weapons

The Moglith owner, Zaranzar, is a huge Tillian. He is forced to duck in order to use the main door, and usually turns sideways in order to avoid slamming his shoulders into the frame. The weapons here are more expensive than anywhere else in the city, but that doesn't prevent him from doing business at all. The weapons found here have the highest craftsmanship in all of Tillia, and carrying a Zaranzar weapon is a status symbol outside the city.

The main room of the shop holds racks of weapons for sale, and Zaranzar watches the room like a hawk. There is a door that leads to the smithy, but no patron has ever been allowed to enter that room because Zaranzar guards his crafting secrets closer than his coin till. Rumors abound regarding the reason for this, but Zaranzar will never answer questions about his smithy, and any rogue who has attempted to sneak in has been left lying dead in front of the main door for the street cleaning crews to dispose of.

Karat-Sizan - Popular establishments

2009-11-04T22:05:00.003-06:00

These are primary areas of interest in Scales, along with some of me rambling about the city.

The Horned Devil

The most prominent establishment is the Horned Devil. located on the corner just northeast of the main south gate, the wide cobblestone streets help to ensure that traffic in the area can travel quickly. Although it is a long walk from the docks, the Sailors often travel to this establishment to bet their wages with their friends and the tables devoted to dice and cards.

There are drinks and meals available for purchase, and although the fare isn't known for its high quality it is consumed in large quantities. Krabuz is the owner, and even though he has gone to pasture for twenty years, he is still a formidable Dal-Shiz. He is a known contact for muscle, and many of the current bodyguards of Kruz Alzeen have gotten their positions by impressing Krabuz. He treats his people fairly, and is very protective of his patrons, allowing no fighting in the establishment. That's what the pit is for anyway.

The pit is what caused Krabuz to buy the building in the first place, and during his youth he explored the depths with his old friends. From there, he made enough money to purchase the building, and most of the block. How much he knows of the depths no one has ever heard, save perhaps his old adventuring companions when they talk about the old times. With help of hired muscle, Krabuz and Kruz have made the uppermost level relatively clear of creatures native to the ancient underground city. Here many street gangs come to test their strength and skill against one another, forming another gambling operation that Kruz runs with Krabuz's permission. There are strange things found in the lower levels, and the ones who laugh at tales of the Del and their magic don't laugh upon coming out from a trek into the depths, when they come out at all.

The staff is hard working and friendly for Tillians, treating their customers with courtesy as long as they don't get out of line. There is an old priest of Zilanon who has taken up residence in one of the booths at Krabuz's request, and he treats the wounded who return from the depths in exchange for a healthy tithe for his temple. He has recently taken on an apprentice, a small Moglith youth who has yet to grow his tusks. The apprentice seems to be a quick learner, and has been very helpful and eager to ease the hurts of the Tillians who emerge from the pit.

The Taste of Paradise

A converted wharehouse, this brothel has become the highest class establishment of its kind in the city. The proprietor, Miss Amber, has provided a safe environment for her girls. The head of security, Tienken, is rumored to be one of Krabuz's old adventuring companions, and is an imposing Feznar known for his abnormal intelligence and cunning. He is rumored to have connections to the lords, and provides them with hitmen and muscle when they need it.

Attached to the north of the main stage is an exotic shop. trinkets and odd items from far away lands line the shelves, and fine silks and other expensive goods can also be found here. The Valok sailors seem to have an agreement with Amber to bring her interesting things from the places they sail. There are also a few books to be found lining the shelves, one of a handful of places where written works may be found in the city.

The stage shows here are quite impressive, and draw many patrons who are willing to pay more for their drinks in order to watch the ladies performing on the stage. Their is a chef who's children assist her in the kitchen to feed the staff, but they rarely feed the patrons except during festivals and a few other holidays. There are many rooms which house the staff on the upper floor, and the girls are allowed the most extravagant furnishings that can be found to their desires.

well, next time i'll talk more about some of the other highlights of the city. Plixant's Tomes, Zaranzar's smithy, some of the taverns and inns near the palace, the apothecary's shop, Tower Shields the armory, the leathermaster. still have to talk about the palace, coliseum, bathhouses, mines, the different districts and their lords.

might take a few weeks to get through. kinda nice to have an easily accessible atlas/encyclopedia of the world though. one of these days i'll have to see if i can actually give it a good name...

The state of Sarlion, and Karat-Sizan

2009-10-31T15:49:00.006-05:00

Karat Sizan is the capital of Sarlion, but is not the only city of the state. Here is a map (no color) that outlines Sarlion's boundaries. (this is basically the straight scan of the color pencil map into an electronic file)

Tzenot along the southern coast of the state is the primary shipyard. Although Karat-Sizan has shipbuilding facilities, Tzenot's entire economy and infrastructure are based around the shipyards. Many fishermen provide the mainstay of the citizen's diet, and the city trades pearls that the fishermen find for grains and other agricultural products from their neighbors. at any time, up to 60 military vessels will be in production, and this city has been working in overdrive for the past ten years as Dranzeem began preparing for war with Axius.

Sarlion has no standing army to speak of, but with every Tillian that can walk eager and willing to join combat, large militias can be formed swiftly in the state. The navy of Sarlion is perhaps the largest in the world, but few of their vessels are able to pass the open sea. The recent ships built for the Sarlion navy show a drastic leap forward in maneuverability and seaworthiness, and rumors speak of a large group of Valok who have settled in Tzenot and are improving their knowledge of shipbuilding in hopes of preventing Axius from spreading further.

Northeast from Tzenot on the northern coast is Ritzkers. Ritzkers is the central hub to the most fertile farming ground in the state, and it has a steady stream of barges that traverse the calm Kirak Sea flowing to Karat Sizan and other port cities of the Nation. Precious metals are being found in the hills to the south of this region, creating many more towns and villages.

The area around Karat-Sizan on the tip of the Sarlion peninsula provides many resources and allows the capital to be self sufficient when necessary. most of the orchards of the state are found here, and until the recent discoveries of metals it was the primary source of iron, copper, and silver for the rest of the state. A constant presence of military ships based out of Karat-Sizan controls the strait connecting the Kirak Sea with the Sea of Carkoon. Axius has not yet attempted to break this blockade, although there was once where a Jyn-Lao fleet drew Axius vessels into conflict, with only a single vessel escaping the Tillian victory.

The other towns generally serve as regional centerpoints, with the farmer's and country Tillians bringing their goods for barter and picking up the things they need. There are lords of each town, who have learned that being fair to their subjects keeps them alive much longer, as angry Tillians in force can easily overrun the most well paid guards when they have nothing left to lose.

Sarlion has active and open trade with the states of Tolzar and Jalarad, but less active relations with other states due to its rivalry with the High Priest of Dranzeem. The conflict with Axius has forced them to work with Khilon more than desired, but the refugees from Valok and Noricum that have relocated in Sarlion have steeled the Tillian towards resistance to Axius.

The city of Karat-Sizan

2009-10-27T15:43:00.004-05:00

The Jewel of Tillia, and the largest port city in the world, Karat-Sizan is a melting pot of Tillians, humans, and other races that come to live in the bustling free city. The capital of the state of Sarlion, it is home to the largest Tillian navy and the second largest army in the country. Both military forces are patrolling for Axius spies, and last winter the navy repelled a beachhead fleet that was looking to land in Khilon where the armies of Dranzeem could not be brought to face them.

The nearly seamless white wall that surrounds the city proper was built by the Del-Triel long ago, and a large tent slum has sprung up to the south of the main gate into the city. a few of the more prosperous and enterprising Tillians have begun to build more permanent structures there, and there is talk of building another outer wall that would provide both farmland and room to expand building that would be protected from invasions.

Rule of the city lies with the lords, a group of organized criminals whose wealth and power allow their families to live well while the vast majority of the city struggles to survive in the crowded slums. Nobility is derived from wealth, but the existing lords work hard to ensure that their positions are not taken by others who have recently come into wealth. Assassination is common in the city, and feuds between families have been know to turn areas of the city into warzones during the most tense times. The goal of many poor Tillians is to become hired muscle for the nobles, and to thereby make enough to start their own business or carve out a subsection of the city and rule it in the name of the noble family who they serve, kicking back profits to the family.

The coliseum between the south gate and palace is a marvel of architecture, and during the times when it is full holds 200,000, or about 1/10th the population of the city. Gladiators are worshipped by the young Tillians, and cheers during the games can be heard as far as the city park across town. The large public park is part graveyard, with large crematoriums that house the remains of the commoners, and private tombs build by those families with enough wealth to care about how their bodies are stored in the afterlife. wildflowers and more organized gardens and trees accompany the burial houses, but large grass covered areas serve as areas for children (and some adults) to play zzrat, a fast paced game of strength and skill popular in Tillia due to its brutality. 12 players on each side work towards moving an oblong tzarla skin ball into a scoring zone on the opposite end of the field.

to be continued...

How this writing project came to be

2009-10-26T11:39:00.005-05:00

Well, back around the fall of 1999 i ran into an old girlfriend at a bar. the night is somewhat of a blur, as i was still in the throes of full blown alcoholism and typically drank until i was walking around unconscious. What i do remember is giving her a hug, talking, and waking up next to her. ok, actually i remember this tiny elfin face with a wild mane of platinum hair pinching my face asking who i was, but that was kinda cool too.

She told her son to get off me, and nervously looked at me wondering how fast i'd hit the door. i asked her if this would be a permanent thing, to which she replied "we'll see." (to cut to the chase before people start making incorrect assumptions as to my character, we got married in April of 2000, and since that night have never been away from each other for more than 5 days, and that was when she visited her mom in Maine this past spring. i should also add that i haven't let the bottle run my life for 8 years, and i talk about drinking more than i actually consume alcohol).

This led to me spending time with our oldest son when he was two and a half years old, and us delving into common interests. She knew that during high school i'd played alot of rpgs (paper and dice kind) and tabletop miniature wargames. she asked if i would be interested in teaching her how to play, so i began the sketches of the maps i've posted here in November of 1999.

a year passed, and for that time we lived in the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma. I developed the world in my spare time, and we even had her make a character and ran some solo adventures, but it wasn't much fun. We moved back to Lincoln, NE, and she convinced a few of her friends to give gaming with me a shot. This ended up creating a group that for about 2 years played weekly or bi-weekly.

from those adventures, an epic scope story began to unfold, but as is the nature of circles, our gaming friends eventually moved, changed careers, and i started taking night classes and our gaming sessions were forced to end. still wanting to develop the story that i'd worked on for the past few years, one day while waiting for my next class i started writing what becomes the flashback in chapter 2: the first time young Tzalaran encounters the Zarachtil Tzolanzen mercenary band.

soon, on my lunch break at work i would scribble notes and scenes into my 3 ring binder, and this started to take up all my spare moments between juggling work, school, and my family (which by now had another little boy that did his best to keep me busy and out of trouble).

About 4 years ago, i transitioned this all into the novel i'm currently writing. The initial vision has been cut to conform to publishing standards, (my outline for the first installment would have come in at 250,000+ words based on all the things i had in it) and now i'm focusing on the brothers and their rise to prominence in Karat-Sizan. (because it is all told from Tzal's perspective his motivations and such are more forward, but in heart the story is about the brothers).

life and my own lack of knowledge/confidence with the writing process caused the next few years to not see much progress on the novel, finishing chapter 1 about 3 years ago, chapter 2 a year later, and chapters 3-4 in the spring of this year. in late July, i put all my other projects and interests to the side and started working on writing in earnest. since August 1st, i've finished chapters 5-17, and have written daily except for the first couple of weeks in October when we were out of town for my sister's wedding.

i've recently passed the 76,000 word mark, and i'm almost 2/3rds the way through my outline (chapter 18 of 29-30). i've cut an entire storyline that was initially the focus of this book's ending to be a second volume, in order to avoid the 250,000 word debut novel which had no hope of being published. if i don't get picked up by an agent for this, i'll write the sequel and see how that goes. should they both fail, i'll look at condensing them into one volume as i initially envisioned and self publish them so my friends and gaming group can get physical copies that they can read (since they have asked for them and seem to assume if i finish the book, it will be published. lol, only i've done enough research to know better).

So, in a nutshell (long nutshell but not bad for a 10 year summary) that is how i came to this point. My wife and sons have been a great help and inspiration in this endeavor, even if the boys can't refrain from being quiet when i'm trying to write, the few times they do make up for any of their transgressions. i'd never have been able to come this far without 2 websites, StoryFix.com (story architecture is a must know piece of information for any storyteller) and HollyLisle.com, (write a book with me has kept me working on my novel like no other tool i've found) both of which i link to in the sidebar. for any aspiring writer, i suggest that you look at those sites and absorb the valuable information that they contain.

That's how i got my start, and thanks for reading!

OK, i love the ability to post my maps here...

2009-10-24T14:11:00.004-05:00

So here are the two main maps.

World map:

Maps of Karat-Sizan:
Base sketch:

City Detail area:

Both maps pulled into 1 digital file to expand into a full detail map (still working on expanding this to the whole city...):

Axius

2009-10-24T13:35:00.002-05:00

The Empire of Axius has grown significantly in territory over the past century, as the ascendancy of Tzarana Rai to the throne triggered an expansion unprecedented in the world. The Nations of Noricum and Valokan fell to the armies of Axius in a 5 year span, and over the next few years they expanded to the borders of Tillia, conquering the entire west of the Trenal Continent.

The primary reason for this swift military victory were the legions of Tordal. Tordal are a large bipedal canine race, with jet black pelts and heads similar to a doberman pincher. They are fanatically loyal to the Empress, and are known to make pacts with fiends in order to more ruthlessly combat their opponents. The peaceful Valok fell to the legions of Tordal quickly, with most of their race fleeing from their island homes and sailing the seas in their fleet.

Noricum, westernmost nation of the Trenal continent was more difficult to conquer, and the invasion would never have been successful except for the betrayal of the Shilear clan. They allowed the Tordal access to the port city of Queld, and from there assisted in targeted assassination of all other leaders of Noricum. Tales of Noricum resistance to Axius still travel the empire, rumor holding that they retreated into ancient fortresses in the mountains that Axius has never been able to infiltrate.

Axius' expansion has slowed now that they have reached the border of Tillia and the Drandal armies of Khilon. The shipbuilding facilities of the southern port cities of old Noricum have been building a fleet for years, and the navy of Axius is now pushing to dominate the sea of Carkoon and Kirak Sea of Tillia, and only the Admirals of Sarlion have prevented this from happening.

Tzarana Rai has ruled Axius for 50 years now, and rumors of her agelessness have began to circulate speculation that she has ties to the lower planar creatures who caused the breaking. anyone in the Empire caught speaking of this have gone missing, and rumors of dungeons deep under the black city of Axius have spread throughout the world.

The Tillian Confederacy

2009-10-24T13:16:00.004-05:00

This post outlines the basic geography and political structuring of Tillia. eventually, i'll get around to writing more in depth reviews of each state, but this is enough to get anyone reading my work familiar with the general region. The map i've posted is also unfinished, as the original color pencil drawings that i made have been lost for many years, and the digital file that i've worked on is not complete. i've got the base geography colored back in, but have not taken the time to redo the political map markings or label geographic features. eventually, i'll have the entire world map set up interactively, but that won't be a priority for many years at this point.

Geography – The Kirak Sea is the largest geographical feature of the region, and its attachment to the Sea of Carkoon helps to keep the majority of the states in the confederacy very temperate, the sole exception entirely being Tolzar, which borders the great northern ocean. The Badlands of Khilon is the next largest feature of the area, cliffs, canyons, and near desert badlands that have rich mines, providing the wealth this state uses to keep all other states in the confederacy subservient to their desires. Their border with the expanding nation of Axius necessitates the Drandal who live here to be in a constant state of war preparations, and their defenses throughout the region have prevented an invader from laying siege to the capital, Dranzeem. The Dreznoz mountains run down the center of the western peninsula, sweeping west at the north and southern ends of the range. These mountains feed the many rivers that cut across Tillia, but the natives have never progressed beyond the ability to steer barges and skiffs along the waterways. Sarlion and Zeldun have rolling hills that provide ample farmland for the nation as a whole. The northern and eastern coast of Tolzar is tundra, and is cold year round.

Politics – Tillia is a Confederacy, with each of the 7 states being ruled by the wealthiest and most powerful noble family. Nobility in Tillia is solely based upon wealth, but the established families are quick to eliminate any weak rivals, and breaking into the uppermost circles is next to impossible for the newly rich. Khilon is the most powerful state, where the Zultan is high priest of Zaebonz, patron diety of the Drandal. Although wealthy, it is the armies of Khilon that ensure their dominance of the nation, as the Drandal are fearsome opponents who terrify all but the most battle hardened soldier.

Sarlion is the next major state, who boasts the largest port in the world, as well as the most populous city, Karat-Sizan. The ruling family has been a constant for as long as anyone can remember, and their expansion of the Sarlion Navy has done much to protect the Confederacy as a whole since the fall of Valok to Axius.

Tolzar is a state of mostly Noric humans, although some tribes of Feznar are known to populate the mountains there. Few other Tilians have migrated to this cold state, preferring the warmth of the more southern states, and allowing the Noric people to thrive in relative peace. This state maintains its status through its disciplined military, as its economic status lacks the opportunities that other states in the confederacy enjoy. Forestry and fishing provide for most of the state’s needs, while a few mines in the mountains are now popping up in order to better equip their armies without depleting their coffers.

Zeldun is a state that recent mining sources have greatly increased its standing in the confederacy, and their military and naval strength are the primary reason for this. Mercenary bands are often looked for here, as swordarms and adventurers are common in this wild, relatively untamed land. The Zarachtil Tzolanzin are the largest mercenary force in the state, and has been directly hired by the ruler to be the standing army of Zeldun. Kriefels, the capital city has grown significantly over the past few years, expanding on both sides of the Kzargalni river. Rumor has it that the state has recruited a Del-Triel engineering team to construct bridges and tunnels through the mountains in order to make transportation throughout the state easier, but this has never been proven.

Jalared and Falzar are both states that depend on trade with other states for their needs, as their own natural resources do not cover the needs for cities very well. Falzar’s small fishing fleet helps to provide for the coastal towns, and sheltered from the north winds by the Dreznoz Mountains, it has much better farmland than Jalared, whose winters can be brutal and long. The two rulers of these states have allied themselves together, and are currently in the high priest’s pocket.

Kortan is ruled by another puppet of Dranzeem, and everything that is produced in this state goes to Dranzeem to fund and assist their war effort. Many mines can be found near the border to Khilon, and the river basin provides enough farmland to cover the needs of both states. The Khan of Kortan has formed the large Dernak population to be impressive guerilla fighters, and regiments from this state rotate along with the guards of Dranzeem to patrol and defend the border with Axius.

The Del and their descendants

2009-10-24T13:06:00.003-05:00

The Del were an ancient race of miners, stonemasons, smiths, and jewelers who created large underground complexes in the mountain ranges of the old world. History says that the Del began to have a split in the large common house, their main governmental body. This split is believed to be about the supernatural patrons that many of the Del had summoned to the plane. There became two distinct philosophies among the Del, one that felt it was their destiny to conquer the subterranean world and move on to the surface world, and another advocating using supernatural powers only to protect and advance their race. The priests and solitary groups of these warlocks who had devoted themselves to protecting the world from evil gathered those Del who were against the militant, expansionist ideal that was taking hold of the populace, and they left the Zwerghaus mountains, searching for new areas to call home. These wanderers became the Del-Triel, or the Sky People.

The Del that remained worked at many great tasks, and the most impressive of their works are looked upon now with awe, but the evil that began to fester eventually rankled many of the older Del, who remembered the working of stone with their hands, and the old song they heard from the stones before the coming of warlocks. The groups quickly went to war, with foul demons streaming into the homes of those who opposed their masters. In a final act of desperation, the depleted forces opposing the demons struck back, sending these fiends back to their home planes. This is the cause of what is now known as the Breaking, and the Del-Zuran are the remnant of these who have survived amongst the foul creatures who have returned, and now inhabit their ancient empire under the Zwerghaus.

Del-Zuran– This race rarely reaches 4’ tall, but they are broad shouldered and extremely stout. They all seem to have jet black hair, with long full beards. Longbeards lead their communities, and the length and thickness of the beard somehow plays into this. Del-Zuran have a slight red tinge to their skin, something like a sunburn that was healthy. The Del-Zuran are a decimated people, just trying to survive in an area that is uninhabitable to most other races. There are fiends of immense power who have freed themselves from their prisons, and are making war upon each other. These supernatural beings have taken over ancient Del cities from which to strike out at their enemies. Large tribes of Dal Molan have also taken over ruins in the Zwerghaus, as of yet their aims and leaders are unknown, but the Del-Zuran of Glitterdelve have fought off many raiding parties of these large humanoids.

The Del-Zuran are by necessity warriors, and legends have been made of their heroes that border on the divine. The priesthood of Karzuldorn has returned to the Del-Zuran, giving the Del-Zuran a new purpose, to unite themselves and return to the ancient Del capital. There are also rumors of a group called the Zaranzim, who are known to take on patrons in order to defend their race from the supernatural forces aligned against them. These noble warlocks are often doomed to a tragic fate, as the power they align with eventually devours them.

Del-Triel– These distant cousins of the Del-Zuran are found in much greater numbers. They stand 5’6” tall at most, and are thick, but not massive like their cousins. The Del-Triel have been living in communities that they founded around the time of the breaking, and have turned away from the evil that so haunt their cousins. The Del-Triel have turned away from the subterranean realm, and remained on the surface, using underground places only as fortresses in times of emergency. They have fallen in love with soil, farming, forestry, and the pursuit of knowledge. Del-Triel cities are wonders of engineering, and often incorporate the base of a mountain for defensive purposes. They typically have a tan complexion, with light brown or red hair. Most Del-Triel wear beards, although some are known to shave.

The Del-Triel are great warriors, but the rangers of this race are the real surprise. They seem to vanish into the wilderness as if the land itself swallows them, and they follow a trail as if the earth tells them what transpired. They are surprisingly agile as a race, and there are some able rogues among them. There are druids who tend to groves, and many priests of Karzurina, the Earth Father. The Del-Triel are said to have many great minstrels who travel the lands, helping to spread happiness to those who are downtrodden.

The Humans

2009-10-24T12:53:00.002-05:00

There are three root human societies that are known in Tillia. only the Noric have a state in the Confederacy, Tolzar in the north.

Noric- These tall,(6’-6’6”) pale skinned people have populated the Trenal continent. Their hair ranges from black to light brown, with some from Tolzar in Tillia having blonde and red. Their eyes range from brown to hazel, blue to green. They are generally muscular, but there are exceptions to every rule. The majority of the Noric homeland has been conquered by Axius over the past half century, and the citizens of the Empire are now predominantly Noric.

The people of this race can be found in any and all professions. In areas that they populate alone they occupy all necessary jobs, and have taken to the merchant role very well in Tillia. They can be found as soldiers, gladiators, thieves, bounty hunters, but rare is the tale of a Noric warlock told, as they have a healthy distrust of anything magical. Priests are uncommon, but the priesthood of Kchalu has spread throughout the Empire, and a few of Kchalu’s prophets have ventured from the Empire’s borders.

Valok- Sailors and merchants, these dark skinned humans are rarely found far from the sea. Legends exist of the old Valok homeland, a place of peace and beauty, but it was savagely destroyed by the armies of Axius. They have spread to wherever the oceans could take them, settling many port cities and resettling some ancient ruins of cities that they came across. The Valok people are usually slightly over six feet in height, with muscular if not hulking frames. The women of the Valok are just as tall, and seem to be accorded all the rights of the men. Many Valok captains are women, especially of the huge trading ships that ferry goods of the Jyn-Lao all across the world. Valok people are known for a fondness of jewelry, especially in odd spots on their bodies. Their skin ranges from a chocolate brown to ebony, and they tend to wear loose breeches and little else.

Most Valok men are warriors, but others have thieving abilities. There is a strange hierarchy between the sexes of this race, with the captains of the floating cities of the Valok are females, and they have an entorague of female advisors. Men are captains of the military vessels that are always found patrolling around these sea cities, and seem to decide the route, but there is always a female advisor who ranks somewhere above first mate who seems to act as an advisor.

Jyn-Lao– This human race has the oldest recorded empire in the world since the Del’s fall. They control the entire southeast peninsula, from the south of the Zwerghaus mountains to the Anital jungle. They have a large military force on the northeast border of their empire facing the Zarzanna wasteland, although most legends of the ancient evil deep in the wasteland are not totally believed in anymore, the monks of Baphonai still keep the citizens in an alert state. The emperor of this nation rules from a hidden city, with his samurai minions delivering Imperial decrees to the nobility, who rule in his name. There have been many assassination attempts on the Imperial family over the past twenty years, with a few being successful over the past ten years. The current Emperor, a boy of thirteen, has taken himself into hiding to better protect the Imperial line. Noble families are clawing and scratching at each other in order to gain higher standing in case of another strike on the Imperial family now that they feel safe from his gaze.

Jyn-Lao can choose any adventuring profession, but few follow the warrior path like other races. Most of the defenders of the Jyn-Lao borders are from the monastic orders. They have some truly militant orders, but for the most part self-awareness takes precedence to combat ability. There are clerical orders that oversee much of the populace, running schools, hospitals, and other services for the populace. Thievery is frowned upon, and unsuccessful thieves tend to have short careers as the penalties are severe. Magic is something that the common man doesn’t see often, but there are alchemists and hedge wizards, and there are rumors of nobles who have made pacts with supernatural beings of evil nature, if these rumors are true, no one has ever returned to tell for certain.

The Tillian Races

2009-10-24T12:38:00.003-05:00

Tillia is a confederation of states ruled by a council of the members. The six humanoid races that form the bulk of the nation are an unlikely group of races to exist in a successful society. The larger of these races are content to use physical domination to get what they want, and it seems that they might have been bred to do just that. Each fills a rather specialized role, but none are true inventors. They would never be at they cultural level that they have attained if the Del had not left a huge void to fill. With the wonders of that ancient race to use as a model, these humanoids have created a thriving civilization that is becoming threatened by the Empire of Axius to the west.

Moglith –This large, brutish race dominates most of civilized Tillia, and is also the greatest in numbers. They stand six feet in height, but if they were to straighten up their hunched over back, they would stand much taller. They are broad shouldered, with masses of muscles covering the majority of their frame. Moglith faces are bestial, with tusks pointing out of their mouth, smashed in snouts, and yellow to red eyes. Coarse hair covers some of this race, generally those that come from the more mountainous areas. They are known in Tillia for their aggressive attitude and violent temper.

Might at arms is all that matter to this race. There are few who choose to do anything other than follow the soldier's path. Many of the wealthier mogliths turn into gladiators, partly because most don’t have the intelligence to lead armies. There are a few who turn to thievery, and there have been an increasing number of holy men sprouting amongst the more educated of this race.

Dal-Shiz –Tall, muscular, scaly skinned humanoids who have warfare pumping through their veins. A Dal-Shiz’s scales range from yellow to red, with orange or red eyes. In general, their face is elongated, with prominent cheekbones, and severely pointed ears. Black hair grows on their heads, and in some places a hairstyle represents social class. Dal-Shiz have sharp teeth, which is necessary to their carnivorous diet, and their fingernails are like bone spikes. They have a generally frightening appearance, similar to a devil from some child’s nightmare.

One trait dominates this race, military order. Aggressive, strong, arrogant, and cunning, most Dal-Shiz strive to prove their dominance over the other races of Tillia. Many are found working in mercenary bands, as mariners, or for whatever charismatic leader is in the area at the time. Dal-Shiz are found in many different professions, but most are some sort of multi-classed warrior or a bounty hunter. Thieves are the most common mix, but there are rumors of those who make unholy pacts with lower planar creatures, combining fighting ability with supernatural power, but most Dal-Shiz prefer fighting to any other way of resolving disputes.

Feznar –Standing erect at near seven feet in height, these bestial humanoids have powerful frames that belie their agility. Most Feznar have dark yellow to light brown fur, although some have been seen with a darker hide coloration. A thick pelt covers most of a Feznar’s body, leaving only patches bare around flattened snout, fang filled mouth, and eye sockets. Their ears are overly large, and sweep out to exaggerated points. A Feznar’s eyes carry a bloodthirsty glint, and most seem to be constantly hungry.

The stealth of this race combined with their powerful physical nature makes many Feznar turn to the bounty hunting profession. Any warrior class fits this powerful race, yet they also have natural thieving ability, and can freely combine the two. Some from the untamed mountains are spiritual leaders, and seem to advise the chieftain’s of these clans. Most Feznar who are in civilized lands are involved in mercenary bands, and groups of Feznar raiders and dungeon crawlers are not unknown.

Dernak –The smallest of the Tillian races, these lizard-like creatures have long snouts filled with short, pointy teeth. Most have black scales, but a few other colorations have been seen. Most have small red eyes that seem to glow in torchlight, and there is a spine of small bone protrusions on the backs of the males. The only reason these creatures have survived is because they fill an important role, they are the merchants, shopkeepers, and craftsmen of all sorts. Without this race the much of the area’s economy would collapse, leading to anarchy, and an easy victim for Axius.

The Dernak have a well earned reputation for being swindlers, and an even more deserving reputation for cowardice. Most adventuring Dernak take a profession as thieves, which they can excel at. Others have been known to become warriors, and others combine stealth with combat ability. With this crafty race, almost anything is possible.

Shnize –These short, scrawny, filthy humanoids are the bottom of Tillian society. They have a variety of nauseating colors that may cover their rubbery looking hide, and generally have large pointed ears, with long thin noses protruding above an oversized mouth filled with short, sharp teeth. Slaves and laborers, no other race in Tillia would allow them to lace up their boots without supervision. They have the most racial variation out of the Tillian races, probably because there are many different people who have become wealthy through the sale of Shnize slaves.

Most Shnize adventurers are thieves, stealing their way on the underbelly of society, while others have shown a little ability as warriors, especially with someone they fear driving them into battle.

Drandal –No race of Tillia puts fear in their opponents more than an enraged Drandal. Standing well over six and a half feet in height, these canine humanoids look like red pelted pit bulls. Extremely muscled, they are unnaturally quick for their massive size. They walk with an air of superiority, and are condescending to all other inhabitants of Tillia, generally looking for a reason to prove the reason for their opinion. They are only found in numbers in the city of Dranzeem, capital of Kholtar. This is probably a good thing for the entire area.

Thievery is unknown to the Drandal, but taking whatever they want from those unable to stop them is completely acceptable. They are aggressive, brutal melee fighters, and some are known to be extremely proficient hunters. They are ruled by the High Priest of Zaebonz, who is openly known to have many magical powers bestowed to him by his deity. There are also a few who are said to have connections to powerful supernatural beings, and wield fell magic upon their enemies. Most Drandal swear an oath of fealty to Zaebonz through his high priest, but rumors of rogue Drandal on the run from Dranzeem are known. No Drandal has ever been seen fighting with another Drandal however.

Well, at least i still don't have myspace or facebook (yet)...

2009-10-24T11:52:00.004-05:00

Apparently i've decided that i need one more thing to post on every day, so i've started this blog. Actually, i wanted to start looking at other ways of delivering background information on the setting of the novel i'm working on, and thought that this platform might work well for that. I'll still avoid Facebook and MySpace like the plague, as i've never been a social creature and i prefer my limited anonymity. If the day comes where all of the sudden i'm found on facebook, trust me that there will be multiple shots of zarzn* accompanying my wife's pointing and cackling.

There are also a few short stories with this character that i'm brainstorming and outlining now that i will post here once complete. These short stories will eventually be used for a few 3d animated shorts that i will make, but that will probably have to wait until my boys are out of their house. Don't have enough time to write, keep up with their needs, and study 3d (i'm a slow learner when it comes to art, and the cubs tend to take up alot of time. they are fairly helpful about being quiet when i'm trying to write though. :) ).

There is another blog that i use as a writing diary, i've put a link in the sidebar, and i'll probably update that daily to keep track of my progress as i've found that keeping an online diary of my writing helps to keep me moving forward on this project. that blog has never gotten many views, so i like the idea of keeping it as my writing diary, and i might eventually become savvy enough to link it to here (pfft. we'll see on that one).

So, welcome to my corner of the internet.

*zarzn - a Tillian liquor preferred by Tzalaran, that tastes an awful lot like spiced rum...