Outtake from Blade of Empire
Jan. 17th, 2017 06:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
merlinscribeI'm in the middle of the editorial revisions on BLADE OF EMPIRE, and as always, there are bits and pieces that end up on the cutting room floor, as it were. I thought you might enjoy seeing this one, since it doesn't involve spoilers.
The destruction of Farcarinon, and Prince Serenthon Farcarinon’s bid for the High Kingship, had been the greatest campaign young Prince Runacarendalur of Caerthalien had as yet been a part of, though he was a blooded knight with command of his own meisne. The Long Peace that followed the glories of that last wild campaign and its magnificent conclusion had grated on his nerves, and he’d sought diversion anywhere he could find it. He’d been hunting in Rimroheth Flower Forest—its trees were sacrosanct, not the animals who lived there—when he’d discovered one of his father’s secrets: Gunedwaen Swordmaster, Gunedwaen of Farcarinon, was alive.
Oh, he was bent and broken and maimed, but he lived. Runacar had thought himself very clever to return to Caerthalien Great Keep, dress himself in forester’s garb, and return to Rimroheth, presenting himself to Gunedwaen as Caren, a forester of Caerthalien. He’d been delighted when the old man fell for the deception—though as Runacar discovered later, Gunedwaen hadn’t been deceived for a moment—and returned to visit several times, always on the pretext of “seeking out good hunting for my lord of Caerthalien”. Farcarinon’s Swordmaster had been bitter and grieving, and hardly good company, though it had given Runacar an illicit thrill to meddle in one of his father’s secrets.
Until the day he had ridden into the clearing, and Gunedwaen had spoken before he even had a chance to dismount.
“Heir-Prince Runacarendalur of Caerthalien, do you truly believe Bolecthindial to be this much of a fool? He could not have brought Lord Serenthon down to death were that so.”
Runacar had frozen in place, unable to think of a word to say.
Gunedwaen had smiled in a way that had chilled Runacar’s hot blood. “Perhaps you can evade your father’s men if you leave now. Run, little rabbit. Run.”
Runacar had touched spurs to his palfrey’s flanks, and she had sprung into flight. He evaded the men his father had sent after him, but he did not evade his father’s punishment thereafter.
#
He never saw Gunedwaen again, not even when Caerthalien went to war against Vieliessar Farcarinon, and did not know now whether the aged Swordmaster had lived or died.
###
The destruction of Farcarinon, and Prince Serenthon Farcarinon’s bid for the High Kingship, had been the greatest campaign young Prince Runacarendalur of Caerthalien had as yet been a part of, though he was a blooded knight with command of his own meisne. The Long Peace that followed the glories of that last wild campaign and its magnificent conclusion had grated on his nerves, and he’d sought diversion anywhere he could find it. He’d been hunting in Rimroheth Flower Forest—its trees were sacrosanct, not the animals who lived there—when he’d discovered one of his father’s secrets: Gunedwaen Swordmaster, Gunedwaen of Farcarinon, was alive.
Oh, he was bent and broken and maimed, but he lived. Runacar had thought himself very clever to return to Caerthalien Great Keep, dress himself in forester’s garb, and return to Rimroheth, presenting himself to Gunedwaen as Caren, a forester of Caerthalien. He’d been delighted when the old man fell for the deception—though as Runacar discovered later, Gunedwaen hadn’t been deceived for a moment—and returned to visit several times, always on the pretext of “seeking out good hunting for my lord of Caerthalien”. Farcarinon’s Swordmaster had been bitter and grieving, and hardly good company, though it had given Runacar an illicit thrill to meddle in one of his father’s secrets.
Until the day he had ridden into the clearing, and Gunedwaen had spoken before he even had a chance to dismount.
“Heir-Prince Runacarendalur of Caerthalien, do you truly believe Bolecthindial to be this much of a fool? He could not have brought Lord Serenthon down to death were that so.”
Runacar had frozen in place, unable to think of a word to say.
Gunedwaen had smiled in a way that had chilled Runacar’s hot blood. “Perhaps you can evade your father’s men if you leave now. Run, little rabbit. Run.”
Runacar had touched spurs to his palfrey’s flanks, and she had sprung into flight. He evaded the men his father had sent after him, but he did not evade his father’s punishment thereafter.
He never saw Gunedwaen again, not even when Caerthalien went to war against Vieliessar Farcarinon, and did not know now whether the aged Swordmaster had lived or died.
ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-01-22 09:15 am (UTC)Also, how long did the long peace last and how long did Viel stay in the Sanctuary before coming to Gunedwaen?
And if Rune was discovered by Bolecthindial when he went to visit Gunedwaen, how did Viel manage to evade detection?
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-01-22 05:48 pm (UTC)A more complete map of the world would also be nice, especially since I don't quite have a reference for many of the locations. Where exactly is Pelashia's Veil? Furthermore, where were the Castles in the Teeth of the Moon that the Elves abandoned, the Goldengrass where they chased Aradhwain the Mare? What lies beyond Greythunder Garyill up to the furthest ocean that we never saw in the map? The Endarkened obviously refer to locations that were never explored and that the Elves perhaps abandoned, and some context for these locations would indeed be nice.
Sorry if I sound most demanding haha, but I really would like to know all the geography and context of these locations.
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-03-16 06:49 pm (UTC)The Goldengrass is the older name for what is known in Vieliessar's time as the Grand Windsward.
I agree that a larger and more detailed map would be nice, but I doubt Tor has any interest in producing one. As for what is east of Graythunder Glairyrill, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a book or two to find out, though there *is* some discussion of it in SCOURGE.
If you're referring to Pelashia's Veil from Tiercel and Harrier's time, I would have to go back and check, but it seems to be somewhere east of the Bazhrahil Range.
The Teeth of the Moon is the ancient name for the mountains which surround the Vale of Celenthodiel, so they would be south of the Uradabhur valley.
Hope some of this helps!
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-03-21 03:40 pm (UTC)So from what I've gathered from all the books so far, the Elves first appeared in the Grand Windsward at the time where they called out to Aradhwain the Mare. And then they moved south and west into the Vale of Celenthodiel and established Celephrandulias-Tildorangelor. And then after its fall they moved north and west into the Uradahbur and the Western lands, eventually spreading out into the Arzhana and the Grand Windsward once again once the Uradabur and the Western Lands had no space left.
However, there is no mention of them fighting the Beastlings when they roamed the plains of the Grand Windsward. Was there some form of conflict between the two parties that led to this state of permanent warfare during Vieliessar's time? Or were the Elves first to claim that land, and then it was later settled by the beastlings when the Elves moved southwards into the Teeth of the Moon.
Also, why is there nothing east of the Graythunder Glairyrill? This is taken from Uralesse's attempt to find the source of Elven magic, where he "first (Uralesse) scoured the Goldengrass, and found it empty from the Winnowing Sea in the east to the shores of Graythunder Glairyrill".
During Harrier and Tiercel's time, i take it that the Elves have once again claimed the Grand Windsward? Have they also reclaimed Celephranduilias-Tildorangelor? Or was that completely destroyed eventually?
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-10-08 09:38 pm (UTC)As for Celephrandulias-Tildorangelor, you should get a good idea in Scourge of why it has never been recolonized...
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-03-16 06:29 pm (UTC)The Long Peace that followed the destruction of Farcarinon lasted approximately ten years.
Since Vieliessar was born in the reign of Celelioniel Astromancer, and returned to the Sanctuary in the reign of Hamphuliadiel Astromancer, she must have done so very early in his reign. We know that the Astromancer's reign is approximately a century, and see that his term is supposed to end a short time after her departure from the Sanctuary, so we can assume she spent most of a century there. Elves live a very long time.
As for why she managed to evade detection where Rune did not...well...*magic*. Remember, she was wearing a Tarnkappa when she arrived at Gunedwaen's hut.
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-03-22 03:56 pm (UTC)Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-10-08 09:28 pm (UTC)At least...it used to.
Re: ooooh!!!!
Date: 2017-10-08 08:48 pm (UTC)Runacar's visits to Gunedwaen were detected because he made several of them, and the ostlers in the stables gossiped about him dressing as a forester. (And despite his attempts at disguise, Runacar rode his own horses, which really didn't help him conceal anything.) In Vielle's case, she made one visit to Gunedwaen, concealing her presence with Magery and taking him away with her immediately.
no subject
Date: 2017-02-01 11:50 pm (UTC)While I understand why it might be cut, it's still a fun little tidbit.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-16 06:29 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2017-02-25 11:48 pm (UTC)Re: Thank you!
Date: 2017-03-16 06:30 pm (UTC)Question
Date: 2017-03-16 05:41 pm (UTC)Re: Question
Date: 2017-03-16 06:13 pm (UTC)Tiliparanwira is called "The Lost" because of its location in the Vale of Celenthodiel, a place the Elves thought to be mythical until Vieliessar rediscovered Amrethion's Crown City during the time of the Winter War. City, Flower Forest/s, and Shrine were all lost during the Fall of Celephriandullias (about which there will be more detail in SCOURGE OF FATE).
Since Tiliparanwira was rediscovered by Vieliessar, it is reasonable for it to be known in Kellen's time. Certainly the Shrine itself still exists in Kellen's time, since the Nine Shrines (or Land Shrines) cannot be destroyed. Whether it is still accessible, however, is another question. I suspect from its location that it is not, at least until the end of the Flower War.
(We really need a Wiki...)
Re: Question
Date: 2017-03-21 03:45 pm (UTC)Re: Question
Date: 2017-10-08 08:49 pm (UTC)Re: Question
Date: 2017-03-22 03:01 am (UTC)So apparently the shrines CAN be destroyed?
Furthermore, there must be more than nine shrines throughout the world? Because there are nine for each of the races of the world.
Re: Question
Date: 2017-10-08 09:08 pm (UTC)While the Shrines are nonce-named "Nine Shrines", the "Nine Races" are actually composed of more than nine sentient species, and this taxonomy excludes the Brightfolk. (Runacar finds this especially annoying.)
So when Idalia says "Most [of the Nine Shrines] had been erased in the aftermath of the Great War", it must be noted that the Shrines originally stretched from Great Sea Ocean to the Cold Sea, and a great deal of that landscape was turned to dust in the Second Endarkened War, so presumably those Shrines in the wasteland areas were either Tainted or drained of power.
Of course after the Great Flowering of Kellen's time, all of those Shrines were both cleansed and restored, so as the population of Jer-a-kaliel expands eastward, many of them are likely to be rediscovered by those races they originally belonged to.
I hope this helps answer your questions.
Wiki
Date: 2017-03-23 04:16 pm (UTC)obsidian-mountain.wikia.com
Any and all help is much appreciated.
Re: Wiki
Date: 2017-03-23 04:20 pm (UTC)I will dig out my style sheets for the first two trilogies, which have comprehensive lists of character names and a bit of information on them. Email me at merlinscribe-at-gmail-dot-com, please.
Is this a wiki that anyone can edit? I can let Tor know if so.
Re: Wiki
Date: 2017-03-23 05:10 pm (UTC)Re: Wiki
Date: 2017-03-23 06:22 pm (UTC)Re: Wiki
Date: 2017-10-08 09:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-10 06:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-10-10 07:00 pm (UTC)Celephrandulias-Tildorangelor is far to the east of the desert fortress. In fact, it is Vieliessar who builds the city Harrier later discovers...
no subject
Date: 2018-01-12 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-29 09:31 pm (UTC)