And a special Event Tag for oc-tober: @oc-growth-and-development
For this one I’m doing two things! First, I finished the maps of the rest of Azeria and I’m too proud of them to wait to share haha. The heroes journey across a significant amount of this map throughout the story.
I’ve also included some snippets of each character leaving home for the first time, as it’s the beginnings of their journeys here.
Maps up first!! Behold, the full continent in all its massive size and glory. Super proud of all of this, I think it looks awesome. Also please excuse the repetition of the name labels and compasses and that stuff, I have the maps all on separate pages and wanted to make sure they can stand alone as well.
[Image Description: Six hand drawn maps, each showing a portion of a continent. Besides the northwest corner and a small exclave on the west coast, most of the land is of the country Azeria. The other parts are part of Leinos. The continent is covered in deserts, plains, hills, and rainforest/jungle. Off the western coast is the fog-shrouded sea of dragons, and off the eastern side is the vast ocean of Aksir-Atan. To the north is the Ikarron ocean./end ID]
Now for the snippets!
Gonna put them below a cut so this doesn’t get too long.
“Yep. I’m tired, Ardos,” Faulkron said, moving to push past.
“Of what, son?”
“Well first of all, that! Stop saying that, you know I’m not your son,” Faulkron said with a growl.
“Well first of all, that! Stop saying that, you know I’m not your son,” Faulkron said with a growl.
“Maybe, but I raised you, didn’t I?”
“I don’t care! I’m sick of all this! I’m tired of being here, with you!” Faulkron snapped.
Ardos’ face fell further, and his shoulders sloped. “You don’t mean that, do ya?”
Faulkron groaned and leaned against the wall, throwing his free hand into the air. “Maybe I do! I don’t know! I don’t even know who I am, Ardos! This town is all I know, but it isn’t me! How am I supposed to live like this any more?”
“Oh, a simple life ain’t so bad-“
“Yes it is, da— Ardos,” Faulkron quickly corrected, turning away.
“You almost called me dad,” Ardos said, a tiny kindling of hope in his voice.
“We all slip up,” Faulkron said, the coldness of the words making him almost regret saying them. Almost.
“You’re sure you wanna leave?” asked Ardos, voice much softer than it had been before, and laced with pain.
“Yes.”
“You even know where you’re goin’?”
“No. That’s the point. I’m tired of the things I know, I want something new.”
“I won’t stop ya, son.”
“I know,” Faulkron said as he turned back to face the door again.
“Come back and visit?”
“Ha. We’ll see,” Faulkron muttered, pushing past Ardos and out the door.
“Be careful!” Ardos called after him.
“Hmph.”
“I love ya, son.”
Faulkron didn’t respond.
•••
Fuego
•••
The fog lay, as it always had, like a heavy blanket over the island.
Fuego lit the lamp at the front of his boat with his fire, coaxing it to life and sending the fog hissing back, the slender ship’s front pointed out to sea.
He turned back to shore. His family, friends, the King even, were all gathered on the beach, similar lanterns in hand. The whole island had gathered to see him off as he sailed into what could prove to be a fatal journey.
Fuego took a deep breath, then spoke.
“People of Zul’Zagan! I promise you all, this great journey I’m taking now? It will be nothing compared go the glory of my return! I swear by my life I will sail the sea and find the fire to burn away the Shroud, the gods have decreed it and so that is what I go to do. I will keep you all in my mind, my heart, and my soul. I know these gifts are a thanks for what I’ve done, but it feels wrong not to thank you all as well. This is and always will be my home, and you are my people. I carry you with me anywhere I may sail.”
The king stepped forward, voice regal and booming. “And I pray for smooth seas and a forgiving sky on your quest, Fuego. We will not forget you either, lightbringer.”
The king bowed his head in salute, and Fuego returned the gesture. Waving goodbye to his family, he whooped as he unfurled his sail and his ship leaped forward into the unknown.
•••
Shakari
•••
“Shakari A’Tusaara. You have violated the laws of the Duulza, your people. You have stolen from the Vhamani, those who are your elders and who wield magic you are not yet strong enough to control. You show yourself to have dangerous hubris. Your ambition could be the downfall of all of us, you know this.”
Shakari hung her head. She couldn’t bear to look at her family, watching from the crowd.
“I am aware.”
“So then you know why we must exile you.”
“I do,” they responded, fury and pain boiling inside their chest.
“Very well. Shakari, you hereby lose your place among the Duulza. You are no longer your mother’s child, and have no home in Duulza lands. You will be sent into the desert alone. If you should return and you have not been humbled, you will be met only with blades. If you should return and have made right your crimes, then you will be welcome once more.”
The elder, a rugged-looking dragonborn with sandblown blue scales, stepped forward, magic swirling around their claws.
“I place this Mark on you now. When it has gone, return to us. Remember, you are not above the world, but part of it. A dragon’s ferocity is wasted on destruction.”
A searing heat pressed into their chest, a white-hot symbol appearing on their scales as the elder placed their palm over Shakari’s chest.
“It is done.”
Still wincing from the brand, Shakari turned her back on her tribe for the last time, and walked into the desert.
•••
Jetra
•••
Jetra scowled at the man on the street corner.
“Marakos, the Hero! He died for you, all of you! He fought off a bandit scourge, and sacrificed his life! Honor his sacrifice. Be a hero! Join the army of Leinos! Remember him, and fight!”
She was sick of hearing the army talk about her father like this.
Setting her jaw, she slunk through the crowded streets toward the recruiter.
She snuck up behind him where he was standing on some crates, and before he could spew another lie she kicked the crates out from beneath him.
He crashed to the ground, sputtering, and Jetra took off back into the crowd.
When she was sure she wasn’t being followed, she made her way back to their house.
Her mom wasn’t home yet, so she let herself in. She packed her stuff quickly, and when she’d finished, she waited.
When her mom finally opened the door, Jetra had already made a meal.
They ate it in silence for the most part. They were both tired, and their minds were making all the necessary noise.
When the food was gone, Jetra finally spoke.
“I’m leaving tonight, mom.”
“I suspected,” her mother sighed.
“I can’t take this anymore, and-“ Jetra started.
“Hush, love. The less I know, the better, remember?”
Jetra sighed. “I know.”
“You’ve got everything?”
“Yes.”
“Come here,” she said, opening her arms and standing.
Jetra walked over and sank into her arms.
“I love you, daughter. Please, be careful.”
“I will, mom.”
With that, she stepped out into the nighttime streets of Anikora.
As she walked through the shadowy streets, she saw a small glowing bird appear on a nearby rooftop. It flapped its wings once, then took off. She smiled, and followed it out of the city.
•••
Alejandro
•••
His parents didn’t say why they were leaving, just that it was today. Alejandro wasn’t sure how to feel. He would miss the village a lot. He waved goodbye to all his friends, his old house, the beach, and the rest of the village, as his dad held him on the horse they were riding. His mother was on another horse next to them, with all the stuff they’d taken with them. It wasn’t a lot, because they couldn’t afford that much more space.
When they’d reached the big city, they stayed for a while, before getting on a boat that took them across a lot of water and to another city. Then they were walking again, and they walked with some other people too, people Alejandro didn’t know. There was another kid too, and they played sometimes, but it was mostly boring. They all traveled for a really long time, and Alejandro quickly forgot which way it was to home.
Inspired by @talesfromaurea’s post about the same thing! It was cool so I’m doing it too.
Faulkron: Esseta Village, Unterras Plains
Esseta is located in the dry plains of the Unterras, a massive basin area surrounded by mountains. North of Alandar, west of the shelf, and east of the Sayensa Coast, it’s smack dab in the middle of the farthest away from Azeria you could get. Esseta is tiny, made up of small homes & farms built into the hillsides, and hugging the banks of one of the rivers that border the southern part of the Unterras. To get to Azeria, Faulkron had to wander a very meandering and roundabout journey that lasted many months, before finally reaching a port where he found the chance to head south.
Alejandro: Hamos Village, Barreca Isle, Leinos
Located on the island of Barreca, just off the coast of Leinos, along the pristine beaches, is a small village called Hamos. Alejandro spent most of his young years here, in this tiny fishing town with its humble yet colorful houses and forested hills. Hamos isn’t too far from bigger cities (like the one represented by the picture above), so residents often venture there to sell things and pick up supplies.
(Alejandro, of course, was taken by his parents to a very similar coastal village, on the Western coast, leaving Hamos behind at about 8 or 9. And there’s not much left of the second village.)
Jetra: Anikora, Arkosa’s Shield, Leinos
Anikora is the capitol of Leinos. It is built on the coast where the original ships of the Wandering Kings made landfall after their voyage to bring their people across the sea. The city is one of many on the peninsula named Arkosa’s Shield, after the Leinai goddess of sanctuary and travel. Since then, Anikora has grown to massive size and become not only the capitol of the country, but a center for Leinai culture and a trading hub. The most prominent thing about Anikora is Sanctuary’s Keep, the castle of the king himself, where almost all governmental decisions are made.
Fuego: Zul’Zagan, Sea of Dragons
Zul’Zagan is a small but vibrant jungle isle somewhere in the Sea of Dragons. The city of Zul’Zagan itself is bustling, and the Halflings who live there manage to balance jungle life and city life well. They have learned of multiple ways to navigate what they call the Great Shroud, the blanket of fog over the entire Sea of Dragons. In this way, they can trade with nearby peoples. Since the nature of the mists makes even their methods very unreliable, though, they often stick to providing for themselves. Fuego is one of the first Zul’Zagani to journey to the mainland in 1000 years.
Shakari: Duulza nomads, Suraan Desert, Azeria
Located in central Azeria, the Suraan is a vast desert full of ancient Azerian ruins, monuments, temples, and tombs from days long past. It’s hot, rocky, and dry as it gets. In the center of the desert, around an oasis, lies a great city where all the tribes who live in the region meet for discussions of importance and to do trade. Many Azerians of the Suraan make their home there, but like all Azerian tribes, there are groups that keep to the nomadic ways. The Duulza are a tribe of blue dragonborn, and while many live in the city, Shakari was raised among a group who followed the nomadic lifestyle.
Taglist (just ask to be added/removed!): @talesfromaurea @hellishhin @thelaughingstag
