News

Everyone knows the scene, there is a run on the bank, and George Bailey has only a handful of cash standing between him and the demise of the old building and loan. “Now tell me, how much do you need to tide you over until the bank reopens?”

It is only Christmas Eve but the holiday season has already been very good to me. Sales of The Crown Conspiracy, Avempartha, and Nyphron Rising have been phenomenal.

“This is a very interesting situation!”

While I have no means of determining how many copies of The Crown Conspiracy have sold, I’ve noticed that the Amazon rank for the book has been doing amazing things. This could be due to holiday shopping, or people waiting until book three came out to start the series, or word-of-mouth hitting a certain critical mass, but whatever it is, the books have been flying out of the warehouse in unprecedented numbers. Then this morning it suddenly stopped.

“I’ve never seen one, but that has all the looks of being a run on the bank.”

Amazon is out of stock. Book Depository is out of stock. Powell’s is out of stock. Barnes & Nobles is out of stock. Abe’s Books is out of stock. Everyone except rare booksellers—who are offering the book at outrageous prices—are all out of stock.

“Can’t you understand what’s happening here? Don’t you see what’s happening? Potter isn’t selling. Potter’s buying! And why? Because we’re panicking and he’s not. That’s why. He’s picking up some bargains.”

I’ve seen this happen before due to distribution glitches, so I contacted Crown’s publisher and learned that the warehouse was empty. The first printing of Crown Conspiracy has sold out. While this is great news—few books sell out their first printing, and even fewer independents, but it poses a problem—no one can buy the book at a time when everyone appears to want it and it will take months to reprint.

“I feel like a bootlegger’s wife.”

After the last distribution hiccup, Robin and I bought three hundred copies that I keep in cardboard cases in my bedroom closet—ten heavy boxes that make getting to my slippers and clothes a bit of a problem, but are there in case…well, in case something like this happened.

“That’s your own money, George.”

As a result, we have a small supply that we hope will last until the book can be reprinted, but we have no idea how long this little supply will last.

“A toast! A toast! A toast to Mama Dollar and to Papa Dollar, and if you want to keep this old Building and Loan in business, you better have a family real quick.”

It is a problem, but it is the kind of problem writers dream of, and it could not have happened without all of you. Every day I hear of people referring the books to friends. They loan them to parents, or buy them as presents to nieces and nephews. Recently one person ordered eight full sets—twenty-four books to give away as Christmas gifts! You can’t buy that kind of support. In addition, reviewers such as Fantasy Book Critic, Dark Wolf, David Brendon, King of the Nerds, and Speculative Fiction have been doing a wonderful job of keeping the books in the minds of the internet community. People have been discussing it on random forums and on their own small blogs, and each time I see readers commenting how the review has convinced them to try the series. The Riyria Revelations is only halfway out, but already I feel I have made scores of friends—friends I’ve never met.

“Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends.”

So if you, or your mother, father, brother, sister, neighbor, would like to get a copy and start the Riyria Revelations series without waiting for the second printing in March you can order from this link. I can’t offer the whopping 28% discount that Amazon gives, but I will give you 15% off and throw in a signature and dedication to boot. You have made it a very merry holiday season for us, and I wanted you all to know how much my wife and I appreciate it.

So from Robin and I…Happy Holidays, and thank you.

I think I mentioned previously that I am involved with a number of writer’s groups populated by aspiring novelists, that I recently attended a college workshop on creative writing, and work with several novice authors mentoring them on their books and short stories. In these groups, I read submissions on a range of topics and styles and for some time I’ve noticed a trend. A large number of aspiring writers have a fascination with plotless stories. It might not be a trend exactly, but it is new to me. This usually manifests itself in the short story form rather than the novel, yet I’ve known a few.

What I mean by plotless is that the story begins at a random point and ends at a random point without any noticeable conclusion or reason for the tale. An extremely condensed example might be: “I went to the grocery store on a Monday. I picked up a gallon of milk and mused on how it came from cows. I bought the milk, put it in a plastic bag, and left the store.” The story would be several thousand words long and filled with beautiful, poetic phrases, but the plot remains anemic.

Reasons for this phenomenon are legion. Here are only a few:

1. I don’t want to write a predictable story.

2. It’s about the writing not the story.

3. It’s true.

4. It has a plot! The character goes to the store and buys a gallon of milk. That’s the plot.

5. I want the reader to decide for themselves what it’s about.

6. Real life does not tie up neatly, so why should stories?

7. The plot is just subtle. The milk represents “enlightenment,” the plastic bag is “society” and the store is the “world.” You just don’t “get” it.

It might just be my sick and twisted bias here, but I am partial to stories with plots. And while I don’t mind stories that leave some aspects open to interpretation, I feel that it’s the writer’s job to do the work and not leave the reader to fill in the blanks. In most other industries, such an attitude might be considered lazy, if not negligent.

What I am most struck by is that authors of such stories would never interrupt a dinner conversation to tell this kind of tale. When people talk, when they relate something that happened, or something they heard about, it invariably has a point. No one is likely to present an ambiguous account and leave their audience to decide what it means as the result would be an immediate and awkward silence—and perhaps a reduction in dinner invitations.

Stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Good stories use what is presented in the beginning to add meaning, justification, or emotion to the end creating a greater sum than the parts and providing a form of circle tying up the whole. They can be surprising, ironic, touching, sappy, frightening, thought provoking, even totally expected and horribly clichéd, but at least they are stories and not mere writing. My thought is that if you can’t imagine telling the story (not reading it) to a group of friends (not writers,) with the expectation of interest, laughter, shock or knowing smiles, then you don’t have a plot. And writing without a plot is like a car without wheels…it doesn’t go anywhere so what’s the point?

Sales of Crown, Avempartha, and Nyphron have been impressively brisk as of late. Crown sales reached an all time high this weekend. I’d like to think it is because the books are finally reaching critical mass through word-of-mouth, but this was also the weekend of Black Friday, the day retail stores enter black numbers on their ledgers. So maybe the sales are just the result of holiday shoppers, but even so, compared to last year, Crown is rocking.

The arcane enigma that is the Amazon sale rank—the subject of great study and dubious speculation—is far from an accurate reflection of number-of-units-sold, but the contrast at least is striking. The lower the number the better and last year about this time I was excited if my sales rank was below 500,000. I reasoned that since ranks run into the millions, this was respectable. After all, at that time I was an unknown author with one book.

Now I am an unknown author with three books so being under say, 200,000 would be great. Only I’m not under two hundred thousand. The sales rank of Crown has been fairly consistent hovering around the 20,000 mark with an all time low of 14,000. That might mean I am only selling 50 books a week, (that seems like a lot—but it really isn’t. Bestsellers move between 1000 and 10,000 a day.) When you factor in that, I make a buck or two a book that means I make a gross profit of only a couple thousand a year from which I subtract promotion costs for bookmarks, posters, etc. This leaves me in the hole overall, but I’m not complaining because the contrast between last year and this, is impressive. Regardless of how many actual books sell (a number I can never obtain but can only guess at,) it is clear that the situation has improved dramatically. People are buying the books in record numbers.

As I said however, this might all be a month-long blip due to holiday shoppers, but last year’s shoppers were not nearly so merry about the little gold book named The Crown Conspiracy. It is possible that hordes of impatient people were waiting for three books to hit the shelves before starting the series. If I remember correctly, I started reading Harry Potter the year the third book was released, but that was only coincidence. It is also possible that people are spreading the word, and sharing the books—virally infecting the reading public with news about Riyria.

Whatever it is, tis the season to be jolly.

Releasing a book isn’t like the release of a movie. There’s no early showings, no glitzy debut or parties to attend. More importantly, you can’t sit in the dark and listen to people murmur, laugh or cry. You can’t watch them walk out disgusted halfway through, or applaud at the end. You can’t get up the next day and read in the paper how critics are appalled at your lack of creativity, or how they are putting your name in for awards.

Releasing a book is…different.

You finish it, package it up, and mail it into a netherworld where it disappears without a sound. It is like throwing a stone in a canyon waiting for the echo.

SF Site is a webzine established in 1996, and based in Canada. It publishes reviews of science fiction and fantasy books, films, and television. In 2002, it won the Locus Award for best science fiction webzine. And…

This month it reviewed The Crown Conspiracy.

Review

Okay, let me say right here, I love Princess Bride. This made it all the more surprising when yesterday the ranking on Amazon for the Kindle version of Nyphron Rising in the category of fantasy (historical) hit number 6 beating out the classic Princess Bride!(Not to mention a host of others.) And Crown came in at 15 and Avempartha at 22–all in the top 25.

So alright, it’s not all that remarkable. It’s not like Nyphron hit number six on Amazon overall, or beat out a heavy weight in its prime, but it is something, and it is the little victories that keep us going.

Fantasy Book Critic is holding a contest to give away two full (so far) sets of the three: The Crown Conspiracy, Avempartha and Nyphron Rising. Go to the link below for more details and to enter.

Fantasy Book Critic

When I was young, I used to watch Saturday morning cartoons. This was back when cartoons were only shown on television on Saturday morning and there were only three stations. Once a week, kids got to rule the set. They started at seven am, and I would be up with my pillow and blanket that I dragged very quietly into the living room—this was when families only had one television. If you got up real early, you could see Felix the Cat reruns, but he was never that big a draw for me. I was a Bugs Bunny fan. Back then, they were good because it was before the censors cut out all the good parts they thought were too violent for kids. TopCat, Johnny Quest, Underdog, Mighty Mouse, Space Ghost, Secret Squirrel, Mightor and Aquaman, all the classics. And just like adult television there were new seasons and previews for it. It happened on the Friday night before the launch of the new season of Saturday morning cartoons. They ran a half-hour show on all the new Fall cartoon offerings. A lot of them looked like crap. I couldn’t believe it when they debuted H.R. Pufnstuf, I mean com’on that wasn’t even a cartoon! But I also remember this new cartoon that looked very interesting, spooky, mysterious and fun. It was called—of all things—Scooby Doo, Where Are You? And I would have nearly as much trouble going to sleep on that autumn night as I did on Christmas Eve. I loved that Fall Preview special. I loved seeing all the great things headed my way.

So for those of you who ordered the book and are waiting on the delivery, here is a little Fall preview for you that will hopefully keep you up and eagerly waiting.

When last we left off…Royce and Hadrian were riding home, back to Medford after leaving Avempartha and there was that annoying little question that literally dangled there. And then of course there was Thrace—lots of questions with that little situation. But where is the story going? What can you expect?

Well, the book is green. That might seem trivial, but it is a hint. Crown was gold and was set in autumn, Avempartha took place in Spring and was a blue green. Nyphron Rising is deep green so…

You can be assured that Royce and Hadrian will be back and a few other familiar faces will at least put in cameos. Primarily however, this book is about Royce, Hadrian and Arista. You’ll learn a whole lot more about each as the three struggle to save Melengar from invasion. But don’t worry you’ll find out what happened to poor Thrace as well.

The Green book, more than anything, is the background episode. A number of you have been wondering about the histories of our intrepid heroes and you will learn a lot of it in this book. You won’t get all of it, key aspects to the two’s past I am still keeping hidden, like how they became Riyria (you’ll get hints but the full story is being held in reserve for another time.)

And where are we going? By now patterns should start to form. You couldn’t expect to draw much of a picture of the future using just the first book. After Avempartha a lot of questions were answered, like how will the separate episodes work? But still two does not a pattern make. With three books you should begin to see a trend. So what kind of trend can you expect?

The Crown Conspiracy was really the appetizer, the introduction to the story. Fast paced and light it was intended to sweep readers along with the plot and not get bogged down with world-building or heavy characterization. In much the same way that the first chapter of Crown was the throw-you-into-the-action start of the story—that flashy bit of intro that you see before the credits of a movie or television show—so too Crown as a whole was the quick intro to the series—the pilot. And despite its simplicity you nevertheless came away knowing a lot about the world and its inhabitants. It was meant to get your attention, intended to interest you enough that you would be willing to slog through a little bit more depth without complaint.

Then came Avempartha. Deeper, slower, a little darker. Yet in many ways, it was filler. You know what I mean, the off-mainline-plot episodes of a television series. The characters get fleshed out more, but the focus is off the beaten trail. In this case, it was off in the wilderness in an isolated village. Not knowing where the plot is headed, it might not seem like filler (and in truth it is not) but it was distinctly different from the first novel in tone and location, sort of an eddy off to the side of civilization.

Now comes Nyphron Rising—the green book. With it, the series will reach the midpoint. By the end, you will have an understanding of patterns, a good solid grasp of how the story is being built (or at least you may think you do) and who the major players are and what roles they will inhabit. I warn you not to get too comfortable with any theories just yet as a lot of twists are still on their way.

Nyphron is also a bit different from the first two books in the structure of the plot. Reviews have had an easy time pidgeon-holeing the first two books in terms of traditional plots, with the first being a “save the kingdom and coming of age”, and the second being a “save the village” sort of scenario, but book three, four, and five will be a great deal harder as they don’t fit in any standard category. As for the sixth book…well we won’t talk about the sixth book.

In Nyphron you will meet old friends and enemies and some new faces as well. After this, being halfway, there won’t be as many new central characters introduced. The cast will be mostly set and the story arc will now begin to pick up speed. For those of you who hate waiting between books, I am afraid that feeling will only intensify from now on and should get worse with each book. There is only so much I can do to create a completely satisfying novel as the story arc excitement ramps up. The story is still a complete one with a beginning, middle, climax and resolution, but like a rocket picking up speed the fuselage will begin to shake a bit under the strain.

I truly hope you enjoy this new episode. I hope it surprises you while at the same time confirming your suspicions. I hope you read it and smile the way you do when you meet old friends you love. I hope it keeps you up at night reading when you know you should be sleeping, scolding yourself even as you promise—“just one more chapter…it’s a short one after all.” And I will admit to a sadistic streak when I say I hope when you finish it, you will curse me a little bit for not having the next one ready. I hope it prompts you to share the book with friends and family until your copy is hardly recognizable as a book. And I hope you’ll find each book in the series better than the one that came before.

A special thanks to Heather and Jim for their selfless assistance in editing and reviewing the ARC’s, and to all of you for your continued support and efforts to spread the word.

You have all waited so patiently, you should be rewarded.

Nyphron Rising underwent a last minute update (just minor typo corrections) but it is now officially out and available. However, for you fans who visit me here, use this link:

http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com//special_offer_savefifteen.htm

to order your book for a 15% savings on any of my books including Nyphron Rising. These books come directly from me and I will dedicate and sign them at your request.

I hope you enjoy Nyphron Rising. It went through a number of changes over the last sixth months expanding and condensing like a frog. It began with one cover then took on another. Some characters found increased roles and two others, who died in the first draft, were saved by my wife in the final as she argued a very good case for sparing them.

This can be seen as the “information” episode, and you will learn a great deal more about Royce and Hadrian’s background. What were mere names, echoed through the mists of the first two books will take form. You will also get to know Arista a good deal better as well as meeting a few new friends…and enemies.

With this release we are now halfway through the series. The characters are in position, and as a reader you should have a good understanding of them and of the world. Now the plot can really thicken, so hang on to your seats, things are about to get…interesting.

You might have noticed that the official release date for Nyphron Rising was pushed back to November 1, but for those of you who have been so patiently waiting, and those who regularly watch this blog—the Green Book is out.

We haven’t officially announced it because we are waiting for our shipment to arrive so we can fill orders, but Nyphron Rising is available. You can buy it through Amazon, Kindle, Ebook and just as soon as the shipment arrives, (any day now,) through either my website or the Ridan website, (for personalized autographed copies.) You will also be able to buy the book from your local bookstore in about a week.

Given that it will be another week before bookstores will be able to order the book, and then another two to three weeks before they will receive their shipments, the official launch of the book can’t take place until at least November 1st—hence the new launch date. If you’re not planning to attend the launch party here in Arlington, VA, then there’s no reason to wait that long. If you want to get a signed copy (as if you were at the launch) you can order it through my site michaelsullivan-author.com just as soon as the order form is posted which, as I mentioned, should be any day now, and I will let you know here when it is up and ready for orders.

So far a handful of determined folks have already found the book available and purchased it and should likely be receiving their copies this week sometime. Then there are those who downloaded the Kindle and already started reading. All of which brings me to the nail-biting-time, when I must sit and wait for the response.

I hope you all enjoy it.

While I don’t feel the books actually need one, as pertinent information is either explained or refreshed, I have complied here a list of terms and names for those of you waiting for Nyphron Rising who might like a refresher on who’s who and what’s what. (I have eliminated all entries that could reveal secrets to book 3-6. If you haven’t read 1-2 there are some minor spoilers.) Some entries (such as those on the Glenmorgan Dynasty) are never fully explained in the books so there is a dash of new information that will not appear anywhere in the series.

Glossary of Terms and Names

Addie Wood: Mother of Thrace
Alburn: Kingdom of Avryn Ruled by King Armand and Queen Adeline
Alenda Lanaklin: Daughter of the Marquis Victor Lanaklin and sister of Myron the monk
Alric Brendon Essendon: King of Melengar brother to Arista.
Alverstone: al-ver-stoneRoyce’s dagger
Amrath Essendon: am-wrath Father of Alric and Arista
Amril: am-rill The countess that Arista cursed with boils.
Ambrous Moor: Sold Allie to Wyatt
Antun Bulard: Historian and author of The History of Apeladorn
Apeladorn: ah-pell-ah-dorn The four nations of Man, consisting of Trent, Avryn, Delgos and Calis.
Aquesta: ah-quest-ah Capital city of the kingdom of Warric
Arcadius Vintarus Latimer: Professor of Lore at the University of Sheridan
Arista Essendon: Princess of Melengar and sister to King Alric
Arvid McDern: Son of Dillon McDern of Dahlgren.
Avempartha: Ancient elven tower located near Dahlgren
Avryn: ave-rin The central and most powerful of the four nations of Apeladorn located between Trent and Delgos.
Ballentyne: bal-in-tine The ruling family of the earldom of Chadwick
Belstrads: bell-straad Family of knights from Chadwick including Sir Breckton and Wesley.
Bendlton: Monk of Maribor
Bernum River: Waterway that bisects the city of Colnora
Bethamy: King reputed to have had his horse buried with him
Blackwater: Last name of Hadrian and his father Danbury
Black Diamond: Thieves Guild centered in Colnora
Bocant: Family who built a lucrative industry from pork. The second most wealthy merchants in Colnora after the DeLurs.
Bothwicks: Family of peasant farmers of Dahlgren
Braga: Archduke Percy Braga, Lord Chancellor of Melengar, winner of the title of Grand Circuit Tournament Swords, the Silver Shield & Golden Laurel and Uncle-in-law to Alric and Arista having married Amrath’s sister
Breckton: Sir Breckton Belstrad, son of Lord Belstrad, knight of Chadwick. Considered by many to be the best knight of Avryn.
Brodric Essendon: Founder of the Essendon dynasty
Bucketmen: Term for Assassin in the Black Diamond thieves guild
Bulard: (See Antun)
Burandu: Bur-and-dew Lord of the Tenkin village of Oudorro
Basilard: Two edged dagger with a long blade.
Byrnie: A long (usually sleeveless) tunic of chain mail formerly worn as defensive armor
Calian: cal-lay-in Pertaining to the Nation of Calis
Calians: Residents of the Nation of Calis. Darker in skin tone with almond shaped eyes.
Calis: cal-lay Southern and eastern most of the four nations of Apeladorn, considered exotic. In constant conflict with the Ba-Ran-Ghazel.
Caswell: Family of peasant farmers from Dahlgren
Cenzar: sen-zhar The wizards of the ancient Novronian Empire
Colnora: call-nor-ah Largest, most wealthy city of Avryn. Merchant-based city, which grew from a rest stop at a central crossroads from various major trade routes.
Coswell Street: Food district in the city of Aquesta
Carrel: Small individual study area in a library
Cruck: a cruck is a curved timber, one of a pair, which supports the roof of a building
Dagastan: Major and eastern most trade port of Calis
Dalia River: Flows by Mandalin to Dagastan in eastern Calis
Danthen: Woodsman
Daref: Lord Daref, Noble of Warric, associate of Albert Winslow
Davens: Squire who Arista had a youthful crush on.
Degan: Degan Gaunt, leader of the Nationalists.
DeLancy: Gwen DeLancy, Calian prostitute and proprietor of The House and The Rose & Thorn Tavern in Medford
DeLorkan: Duke DeLorkan, a Calian noble
DeLur: Family of wealthy merchants.
Delgos: One of the four nations of Apeladorn. The only republic in a world of monarchies, Delgos revolted against the Steward’s Empire after Glenmorgan III was murdered and after surviving an attack by the Ba-Ran-Ghazel with no aid from the empire.
Dellano: Dellano DeWitt name given by man who hired Hadrian to steal Count Pickering’s sword.
Deminthal: Wyatt Deminthal, one time ship captain, adopted father of Allie.
Denek Pickering: Youngest son of Count Pickering
Dahlgren: Dall-grin Remote village on the bank of the Nidwalden River
Dioylion: die-e-leon The Accumulated Letters of Dioylion A very rare scroll
Drome: God of the Dwarves
Drondil Fields: Count Pickering’s castle, once the fortress of Brodric Essendon. Site of the creation of Melengar and the charter.
Drumindor: Dwarven built fortress located at the entrance to Terlando Bay in Tur Del Fur.
Drundel: Peasant family from Dahlgren consisting of, Mae, Went, Davie and Firth.
Ecton: Sir Ecton, chief knight of Count Pickering and military general of Melengar
Elan: The world
Elden: Large man, friend of Wyatt Deminthal
Elgar: Sir Elgar, Knight of Galeannon
Enden: Sir Enden, knight of Chadwick. Considered the second best to Breckton
Enild: in-illed Baron Enild, Baron of Galien of Melengar
Erivan: ear-ah-van Elven empire
Erlic: Sir Erlic, a knight
Ervanon: err-vah-non City in northern Ghent. Seat of the Nyphron Church. Once the capital of the Steward’s Empire as established by Glenmorgan I.
Esrahaddon: ez-rah-hod-in Wizard. One time member of the ancient order of the Cenzar. Convicted of destroying the Novronian Empire and sentenced to imprisonment.
Essendon: ez-in-don Royal family of Melengar
Estramnadon: es-tram-nah-don Believed to be the capital or at least a very sacred place in the Erivan Empire.
Estrendor: es-tren-door The northern wastes
Ethelred: eth-el-red King of Warric, Imperialist
Elven: Pertaining to elves
Falina Brockton: the real name of Emerald the waitress at the Rose & Thorn
Fanen Pickering: fan-inMiddle son of Count Pickering
Fauld, the Order of: fall-edA post-imperial order of knights dedicated to preserving the skill and discipline of the Teshlor knights
Fenitilian: Monk of Maribor, made warm shoes
Ferrol: God of the elves
Finiless: Author who wrote: wrote, ‘More could not be gotten though the world be emptied to the breath of time’
Fletcher: the maker of arrows
Galeannon: gale-e-an-on Kingdom of Avryn, ruled by Fredrick and Josephine
Galenti: ga-lehn’-tayA Calian term
Galewyr River: gale-waharmarks the southern border of Melengar and the northern border of Warric and reaches the sea near the fishing village or Roe.
Galien: gal-e-inArchbishop of the Nyphron Church
Galilin: gal-ah-linProvince of Melengar ruled by Count Pickering
Gath: (See Demron)
Gaunt: (See Degan)
Ghazel: Gehz-ellBa-Ran-Ghazel, the dwarven name for Sea Goblins
Gilarabrywn: Gill-lar-ah-bren, elven beast of war
Ginlin: Gin-linMonk of Maribor, winemaker. Refused to touch a knife.
Glamrendor: Glam-ren-doorCapital of Dunmore
Glenmorgan: Native of Ghent who reunited the four nations of Apeladorn together for the first time since the fall of the Novronian Empire. Founder of Sheridan university. Creator of the great north south road. Builder of the Ervanon palace (of which only the Crown Tower remains.)
Glenmorgan II: Son of Glenmorgan. When his father died young, the new and inexperienced emperor relied on church officials to assist him in managing his empire. They in turn took the opportunity to manipulate the emperor into granting sweeping powers to the church and certain nobles loyal to the church. Nobles and the church who opposed action against the invading Ba Ran Ghazel in Calis and the Dacca in Delgos arguing that the invasion would help increase their dependency on the empire. As the death toll and atrocities by the Ghazel rose, they delivered false reports to the emperor.
Glenmorgan III: Grandson of Glenmorgan. Shortly after being crowned the new emperor attempted to reassert control over the realm his grandfather had created by leading an army against the invading Ghazel that had finally reached southeastern Avryn. He raised and led an army that succeeded in defeating the Ghazel at the First Battle of Vilan Hills. He announced plans to ride to the aid of the besieged Delgos city of Tur Del Fur, after which he would “clean up” the imperial administration. Only he never made it to Delgos. In the sixth year of his reign, his nobles betrayed and imprisoned him in Bythin Castle. Jealous of his popularity and growing strength, and resentful of his policy of striping the nobles of their power in favor of a stronger empire, he was charged with heresy and executed. This began the rapid collapse of what many called the Steward’s Empire. The church later claimed the nobles tricked them and condemned many, most of whom reputedly ended their lives badly.
Glouston: Province of northern Warric bordering on the Galewyr River Rulled by the Marquis Lanaklin.
Grelad: Jerish Grelad, Teshlor Knight and first Guardian of the Heir
Gribbon: The flag of Mandalin Calis
Grigoles: gry-holesauthor of Grigoles Treatise on Imperial Common Law
Grumon: grum-onMason Grumon, blacksmith in Medford.
Gusak: Tenkin, in the Ghazel language
Gutaria: goo-tar-ahThe secret Nyphron prison designed to hold one prisoner
Gemkey: A jem that opens a gemlock
Gemlock: A dwarven invention that seals a container and can only be opened with a precious gem of the right type and cut.
Greatsword: a long sword designed to be held with both hands
Harkon: Harkon Blue, the name of a ship that wrecked off the coast of Galeannon.
Heslon: Monk of Maribor, great cook
Highcourt: Highcourt Fields. Once the site of the supreme noble judicial court of law in Avryn. Held bi-yearly at Wintertide and Summersrule, the procedures frequently defaulted to trial by combat. The court drew spectators and evolved into the most prestigious world tournament event.
Hilfred: Bodyguard of the Princess Arista
Himbolt: Baron of Melengar
Hintindar: Small manorial village in Rhenydd
Hoyte: One time First Officer of the Black Diamond.
Heldaberry: Wild growing fruit often used to make wine
Indicolite: a gemstone; a rare, deep blue variety of Elbaite which is itself one of the Tourmaline family.
Jerish: (See Grelad)
Jerl: Lord Jerl, neighbor of the Pickerings known for his prize winning hunting dogs
Kharoll: Long dagger
Kilnar: City in the south of Rhenydd
Krindel: Prelate of the Nyphron church and historian
Lanaklin: Ruling family of Glouston.
Lanksteer: Capital city of the Lordium Kingdom of Trent
Lankster: Forest in Melengar
Lasinda: Queen Enjuare DeLorken, ruler of Calis
Lenare: Lady Lenare Pickering, daughter of Count Pickering
Lingard: Capital city of Relison, kingdom of Trent
Lothomad: Lothomad the Bald, King of Lordium, Trent. Lordium expanded its kingdom’s territory dramatically following the collapse of the Steward’s Reign, pushing south through Ghent into Melengar where Brodric Essendon defeated Lothomad the Bald in the battle of Drondil Fields in 2545.
Lugger: Small fishing boat rigged with one or more lugsails
Mandalin: man-dah-lynnCapital of Calis
Manzant: man-zahntInfamous prison and salt mine located Manzar, Maranon.
Maranon: mar-ah-nonKingdom in Avryn Ruled by Vincent and Regina
Maribor: mar-eh-boreGod of Men
Mauvin: maw-vinEldest of Count Pickering’s sons
McDern: Family in Dahlgren, Dillon McDern is the town’s blacksmith
Melengar: mel-in-garKingdom in Avryn, ruled by Alric
Melengarians: residents of Melengar
Mercs: Mercenaries
Montemorcey: mont-eh-more-ah-seaExcellent wine imported through the Vandom Spice Company
Murthas: mirth-usSir Murthas knight of Alburn
Merlons: A solid section between two crenels in a crenellated battlement
Motte: a manmade hill
Nareion: nare-e-onLast Emperor of the Novronian empire
Nevrik: nehv-rickSon of Nareion, the heir who went into hiding
Nidwalden River: Marks the eastern border of Avryn and the start of the Erivan realm
Novron: Savior of Mankind. Son of the God Maribor. The demi-god who defeated the elven army in The Great Elven Wars. Founder of the Novronian Empire. Builder of Percepliquis. The first Emperor of the Novronian Empire.
Novronian: nov-ron-e-onPertaining to Novron
Nyphron Church: the worshipers of Novron and Maribor his father.
Nyphrons: nef-ronDevote members of the church
Oberdaza: oh-ber-daz-ahTenkin witchdoctor
Parthaloren Falls: path-ah-lore-e-onThe great cataracts on the Nidwalden near Avempartha
Percepliquis: per-sep-lah-kwissThe ancient city and capital of the Novronian Empire named for the wife of Novron who refused to leave her home village causing Novron to build the capital around it.
Pickering: Noble family of Melengar and rulers of Galilin. Count Pickering is known to be the best swordsman in Avryn and believed to use a magic sword.
Pickilerinon: Seadric, who shortened the family name to Pickering
Plesieantic Incantation: plass-e-an-ticA tool used in the Art to draw power from nature
Praleon guard: pray-lee-onBodyguards to the King in Ratibor
Pauldron: A piece of armor covering the shoulder at the junction of the body piece and the arm piece
Planchette: Footrest for a woman’s sidesaddle
Quintain: Training for the joust where the rider can be knocked out of his saddle if he misses
Ratibor: Capital of the kingdom of Rhenydd
Rendon: Baron of Melengar
Renian: rhen-e-ahnChildhood friend of Myron
Rentinual: Tobis Rentinual, history professor at Sheridan university
Rhelacan: rell-ah-khanThe great sword that Maribor tricked Drome into forging and Ferrol into enchanting and gave the weapon to Novron to defeat and subdue the elves with it.
Rhenydd: ren-yehnidKingdom of Avryn, ruled by King Urith
Rilan Valley: Fertile land that separates Glouston and Chadwick
Rionillion: The name of the city that first stood on the site of Aquesta but was destroyed during the civil wars that occurred after the fall of the Novronian Empire
Riyria: rye-ear-ahElvish for two, a team or a bond
Rolandue: roll-on-dueCity in Calis
Roswort: King of Dunmore
Russel Bothwick: Farmer in Dahlgren
Rondel: a common type of stiff-bladed dagger with a round handgrip
Saldur: Bishop of Medford
Salifan: A fragrant wild plant used in incense
Sarap: Meeting place or Talking place in the Tenkin language
Senon Upland: A highland plateau overlooking Chadwick
Seret: sir-ettThe knights of Nyphron. The military arm of the church first formed by Lord Darius Seret, who was charged with finding the Heir of Novron by the Patriarch Venlin
Skillygalee: Skil`li-ga-lee n. A kind of thin, weak broth or oatmeal porridge
Summersrule: Popular mid-summer holiday celebrated with picnics, dances, feasts and jousting tournaments.
Spadone: A long two-handed sword with a tapering blade and an extended flange ahead of the hilt allowing for an extended variety of fighting maneuvers. Due to the length of the handgrip and the flange that provides its own barbed hilt, the sword provides a number of additional hand placements permitting the sword to be used similarly to a quarterstaff as well as a powerful cleaving weapon. The spadone is the traditional weapon of a skilled knight.
Surcoats: A tunic worn over a knight’s armor
Tarenth: Bishop of Alburn
Tarin Vale: a small town near Aquesta, in the kingdom of Warric
Tek’chin: the single fighting discipline of the Teshlor Knights that was preserved by the Knights of the Fauld and handed down to the Pickerings at the death of the last Knight of the Fauld.
Tenkin: The community of humans living in the manner of Ghazel and suspected of having Ghazel blood
Terlando Bay: the harbor of Tur Del Fur
Teshlor: The legendary knights of the Novronian Empire. The greatest warriors to have ever lived.
Theron Wood: Father of Thrace Wood, Farmer of Dahlgren.
Tiliner: A superior side-sword used frequently by mercenaries in Avryn
Tolin Essendon: Son of Brodric, who moved the capital to Medford and built Essendon castle.
Torsonic: Torque producing, as in the cable used in crossbows
Trumbul: Baron Trumbul, mercenary
Tur: Small legendary village believed to have once been in Delgos and the site of the first recorded visit of Kile. The mythic source of great weapons.
Tartane: a small ship used both as a fishing ship and for coastal trading. A tartane has a single mast on which is rigged a large lateen sail, and with a bowsprit and fore-sail. When the wind is aft a square sail is was generally hoisted like a cross jack.
Tenent: The most common form of semi-standard international currency. Coins of gold, silver and copper stamped with the likeness of the King of the realm where it was minted.
Tulan: a tropical plant found in south eastern Calis. Used in religious ceremonies, the leaves are dried and burned as offerings to the god Uberlin. The smoke of the leaves can also be inhaled to induce visions.
Uberlin: The god of Dacca, the Ghazel and the other creatures of darkness
Urith: King of Ratibor
Urlineus: The last of the Novronian Empire cities to fall. Located in eastern Calis it fell to the constant attacks of the Ghazel. With its collapse it became the gateway for the Ghazel into Calis.
Ulurium Fountain: Great sculptured fountain at the end of the Grand Mar, before the palace in Percepliquis
Valin: Lord Valin an elderly knight of Melengar known for his valor and courage, but never for his strategic skills.
Vandon: Port city of Delgos, home to the Vandom Spice Company, which began as a pirate haven until Delgos became a Republic, when it became a legitimate business.
Venlin: Patriarch of the Nyphron Church during the fall of the Novronian Empire
Vernes: Port city at the mouth of the Bernum River
Vintu: Natives tribe of Calis
Villein: a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord
Warric: Kingdom of Avryn ruled by Ethelred
Wesbaden: Major trade port city of Calis
Westbank: Newly formed province of Dunmore
Westerlands: The unknown frontier to the west.
Wicend: why-send The farmer in Melengar who lends his name to the ford that crosses the Galewyr into Glouston.
Wintertide: The chief holiday, held in mid winter, celebrated by feasts and jousts.
Wylin: why-lynnMaster-at-arms at Essendon castle
Wherry: Light rowboat for use in racing or for transporting goods and passengers in inland waters and harbors

Yes I know it is October 1st–Launch Day for Nyphron Rising, but oddly enough the countdown timer still says one more day to go…does it know something we don’t?

The printer’s proof just arrived minutes ago, so stay tuned.