Sunday, October 31, 2021

WIP Aesthetics Part Three

 

(Images via Pinterest)

Today's post is about my upcoming standalone release A Tale of Gods and Glory. I'm writing this post about a month in advance and really hoping that by the time it publishes I'll be done writing AToGaG (popping in to say that yessss I did indeed finish AToGaG, it took me writing more than 80,000 words in less than 20 days but I finished the first draft on Saturday!). I've not really talked about this story much beyond the occasional mention so here's a bit more of what it's about.

Genre: High Fantasy

Set in the same world as RLtG, AToGaG focuses on a much smaller view of the vast country. Whereas RLtG has many characters, from many backgrounds, all scattered across Ruskhazar; AToGaG is about one man, a foreigner learning about life in this mountainous peninsula for the first time, and it mostly takes place in one remote village.

It's shows how stories are not always what they first appear to be. It's a truly chaotic tale, spanning across three years of time, with three separate plots that somehow intertwine. It's a story of love and loss, new starts and death, and of having to make difficult choices. It tells of how legends are made... the hard way.

Elevator Pitch: Everyone knows the tale of Lord Taliz, the champion of Coldhaven, but no one knows the real story of how a foreigner came to be revered as the savior of the very city he burned to the ground.

Characters:

(character art by Paige Coffer)

Lord Taliz of Coldhaven

Exile, Werewolf, Champion

He's considered the hero of the very city he burned to the ground

A chaotic soul known for always making the wrong choices

Still, he has a way with people and a charm that helps get him through all the troubles of life

He gets betrayed almost as easily as he makes friends

No matter what he is faced with, Taliz never loses his zeal for life

He enjoys using stories to make himself seem more glamorous

Ylfa

Werewolf, Warrior, Unmentioned

The woman the tales forgot...

She and her feelings are not on speaking terms

Has a problem with commitment as well

The only thing she cares about is her pack

She could flirt with you more if she liked you less

She prefers to be no-nonsense because when nonsense gets involved she gets grumpy

Known for making snap judgements she regrets later

Lady Sofarynn of Coldhaven

Sister, Student, Cursed

They say she's the villain of her brother's story...

Taliz may be her only living relation, but that doesn't mean that she approves of what he does. In fact, she quite certainly disapproves 

An inquisitive mind, she will never stop trying to unlock the secrets of magic or learn why those not born of Ruskhazar cannot wield it

She is just looking for someone who will love her, take care of her, and give her a place in this world

Almost as accident prone as her brother although she likes to pretend otherwise


Other notable members of the cast include... a pair of ruthless bounty hunters who know little about Ruskhazar or failure, but have to learn both quickly in order to survive. A kindly blacksmith with a large heart and a love for strays, as well as his adopted son and apprentice. A hardened warrior who doesn't know how to take rejection well. And Taliz's pack which consists of the gruff leader, a drunk, a sweet but impetuous flirt, and a warrior only in it for the violence.

Then for villains there are the bitter werewolf hunters and the crafty, conniving shapeshifter that eats werewolves and always keeps its word.

Setting:

(Images via Pinterest, I take no credit for them)

As I mentioned before, this is the same world that RLtG is set in. And so everything said of Ruskhazar in WIP Aesthetics Part One can be said for this one; however as I also commented, AToGaG offers a far more narrow experience of Ruskhazar.

The majority of this book is set in the village of Coldhaven and the land immediately surrounding it. Coldhaven is a small town, later made infamous for the way it was destroyed, but before that there was nothing about it that made it stand out. Nestled in forested foothills, Coldhaven is built atop an ancient burial ground, and said to have been founded by the great warrior that defeated the very creature buried under its streets. That's of course considered a myth in these modern times, anyone who sees Coldhaven with its muddy streets and derelict buildings can be quite certain that this town isn't special at all.

Although Coldhaven itself doesn't offer much, the surrounding woodland do have an abundance in ways of hunting, fishing, and wood craftmanship; however, it does not get very much trade. There are traveling merchants who go from village to village, offering supplies to those living in the most remote corners of Ruskhazar, however they do not come often, and especially not in the winter. Bandits keep the roads dangerous and inhabitable.

Coldhaven is a primarily Highlander settlement, ruled by a chief elected by the people rather than some wealthy lord. The tavern is by far the most interesting part of the town and draws in many a patron.

The village also houses a small pack of werewolves, some of the only werewolves to actually live within a town with regular humans rather than sequestered off by themselves. This pack tends to balk against the traditional values held by many werewolves, they do not want to live apart from the world safe from discovery of their lycanthropic gift, but instead wish to use the blessings of the wolf to rise in the ranks of life and become legends.


For more aesthetics check out my Pinterest Board and Spotify Playlist for this book.

Think this story sounds pretty swell and exactly like something you would like to read? You can add it to your Goodreads shelves.


Next week we are going back to Amar for the final part of our WIP Aesthetics series. Then Hopefully after that I will have some important announcements as well as NaNo updates to do. Comment Below what you think of Taliz and his story!

No comments:

Post a Comment