Atheneum Adventures

Quickie Character Sketches

2010-12-23T10:51:00.000-06:00

A quickie portrait of some of the primary characters... not more than a doodle really.

Marne's on the pony, Teine is standing in the middle, Stinky is the big dog, Willis is the holidocrith, and Leis is the girl with the picnic basket.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "What's a Half-Breed?"

2010-12-04T12:07:00.000-06:00

Q: What's a Half-Breed?

A: A Half-Breed is a half-Human, half-Aoife. They tend to resemble whichever race their female parent was, more.

The Solmurrian Brothers at the Harpsichord

2010-11-30T16:59:00.001-06:00

The Solmurrian brothers turn from the harpsichord to see Teine enter the room.

"Phoebe Cleaning Up Teine"

2010-11-30T16:46:00.002-06:00

Phoebe cleans up Teine before presenting him to Master Solmurrian.

"Solmurry Heraldry"

2010-11-27T00:35:00.000-06:00

Solmurry Heraldry, black and white version.

"A Krunal Miner"

2010-11-27T00:30:00.000-06:00

"Willis Drinking Brandy"

2010-11-27T00:25:00.000-06:00

"Resting Cattle"

2010-11-27T00:06:00.000-06:00

"Frightened Deer"

2010-11-26T23:53:00.000-06:00

"The Carriage Ride"

2010-11-26T23:46:00.000-06:00

A fast carriage ride on a wild night!

"Madric's Hat and Staff"

2010-11-26T23:35:00.001-06:00

Madric's battered bowler hat and his magical staff.

"Suit of Armor Giving Chase"

2010-11-26T23:27:00.000-06:00

A suit of armor came alive during one of the storms, and chased the serving staff around the dining room, until they trapped it in the pantry.

"Teine's Trunk"

2010-11-26T21:15:00.000-06:00

Teine's new trunk was a gift from his new Master.

"Marne in hiding"

2010-11-26T21:07:00.000-06:00

Marne hides behind the ottoman, wearing a colander on his head and watching the TV.

"A Light Snack"- a still life

2010-11-26T20:59:00.000-06:00

A cup of cocoa, a fancy sandwich, and some crisps.

"The Picture Box"

2010-11-26T20:52:00.000-06:00

The Empyrean has television, but only for the Aoife. Humans just get the radio.

"Stinky Wolfhound"

2010-11-26T20:43:00.001-06:00

Marne's pet "Stinky" is a nice wolfhound, but he sure has "death breath!"

"Bobtail Greys"

2010-11-26T20:36:00.000-06:00

Madric's pair of bobtail grey carriage horses.

"Running to the Demesne"

2010-11-26T20:25:00.000-06:00

Teine carries his satchel and runs to the Demesne.

"Mastiff Cohort"

2010-11-26T20:16:00.000-06:00

The door to Mastiff Cohort.

"Around the Radio"

2010-11-24T14:04:00.001-06:00

Some of the boys in the infirmary, listening to the Fabal game. Friday, April 9th, 3131. Eaoster Day/Equinox.

"Phoebe Grins"

2010-07-03T15:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you can just get off on the wrong foot with someone, as Teine finds out. Turns out Phoebe isn't such a bad person after all...

"Peacock"

2010-07-03T01:54:00.001-05:00

The Solmurry Demesne has a whole bunch of these little guys strutting around. The mature males can have tails up to 6 feet long!

"Ship in a Bottle"

2010-07-03T01:46:00.001-05:00

Abel of Bartheim built a ship in a bottle... now he can build them for real at the Solmurry shipyards!

"Barley Lollipops"

2010-07-03T01:36:00.001-05:00

Clinician Nocdoramus breaks out the candy.

You know you can actually get these... there are lots of companies that make old fashioned candy!

"Carousel Horse"

2010-07-03T01:29:00.001-05:00

Teine had never drawn anything in his life, when the carousel horses on a ride caught his eye...

Teine's Figure Drawing Class

2010-07-03T01:25:00.003-05:00

Teine had taken his first figure drawing class, hoping to spend a lot of time drawing lots of gorgeous naked women... boy was HE in for a surprise!

"Leis and Teine's Story Journal"

2010-07-03T01:21:00.001-05:00

Leis and Teine pass a journal back and forth, working together to tell whatever story they feel like at the time...

Q&A from The Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Arse?"

2010-07-02T00:06:00.000-05:00

Q: "I noticed Teine said 'arse' and could possibly have said 'ass' instead. Is there a reason why he used that particular term?"

A: Ah, yep! Cuss words are always interesting! "Arse" means the rear end. Tush. Heiney. Butt. You get the picture. Here in the U.S. right now, we're more used to hearing people say "ass"- but there's a reason the two words aren't interchangeable in this story.

In the Empyrean, these people actually think very highly of their donkeys! The Empyrean domesticated asses, (which are also referred to as "Jackstock") come in three distinct sizes, shapes and functions. They're considered indispensable to any agricultural facility, and many also serve as pack animals, cart-pullers or pets in the city.

Sure, "jackass" still is a bit of an insult, but it only means "you're loud and opinionated"- just like a male donkey!

There will most likely be a feature in the "Monthly Monster" on some of the equine livestock available in the world of The Gilded Shackle at some point in the future.

Q&A from The Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Paxnem / Capitol City?"

2010-07-01T23:41:00.000-05:00

Q: "Are Paxnem, and Capitol City the same place? They seem to be used interchangeably."

A: Yep, they sure are. Paxnem, literally, "the city of peace" is the capitol of The Empyrean, like Washington DC is to the United States. Paxnem also goes by Capitol City... kind of like how New York is "The Big Apple."

Q&A from The Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Doyan Prince?"

2010-07-01T22:57:00.003-05:00

Q: What's the difference between a regular prince and the "Doyan" Prince?

A: In the Empyrean, every acknowledged child of the reigning Emperor is a Prince or Princess, regardless of who their mother was, or in what order they were born. The "Doyan" is the one acknowledged heir. Usually an Emperor won't name a Doyan until he's ready to start training them as his replacement. This prevents jealousy among siblings, and protects the intended heir from potential fratricide.

Q&A from The Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Brown Dragons?"

2010-07-01T22:20:00.001-05:00

Q: "What's the difference between a brown dragon and other kinds of dragons?"

A: Browns are fierce, dangerous predators that will eat just about anything they can get their jaws around. Thankfully, they're only of animal intelligence- about on par with an average, non-awakened dog- and aren't much bigger than an average horse.

Eventually, a complete write up on brown dragons will be featured in the "Monthly Monster"- a catalog of critters, flora and fauna that are native to the world of The Gilded Shackle!

Greeting Card from Leis- "Snip, Snip... Your Infirmary Trip!"

2010-06-30T17:31:00.001-05:00

Leis loves her brother Teine very much, and sends him a special card on his "big day!"

Q&A from The Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Who was Marcus's Girlfriend?"

2010-06-30T17:22:00.002-05:00

Q: "In part b of Chapter 1: "Making the Cut," Marcus was upset because his girlfriend got sold. Who was she? Was she mentioned anywhere?"

A: Cynthia of Dinsdale was the girl that Marcus had been sweet on. She was mentioned in passing, in the bonus story "Eaoster Day."

"Seymour the Gargoyle"

2010-06-30T17:00:00.003-05:00

Chapter 1, "Making the Cut" (part b): Teine draws a funny sketch of his friend Seymour, as a gargoyle.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Commons?"

2010-06-13T21:58:00.000-05:00

Q: "The cafeteria and other services are available to the Humans at "the Commons." Is that kind of like a college campus? You also mentioned barracks. Would that be kind of like dorms?"

A: Yep. It's almost exactly like a college campus in that respect! Actually, it's lot like a college campus in a lot of ways. The Commons is a large, public building that contains the cafeteria, postage services, and a few shops that carry basic necessities that people would want without having to make a special trip into the next town. It's open to adult Humans and all the children that are out of the nursery building. Sometimes travelers- Aoife and Human alike- will stop and take a meal there or make a purchase if they are passing through.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Display?"

2010-06-11T00:27:00.002-05:00

Q: "What does Display entail?"

A:It's kind of like being a show dog, or a livestock exhibit in 4H... except you're a Human. All the big Demesne's that raise Human stock like to show off the quality of their breeding programs. Only the most handsome, physically fit and talented Humans are chosen to represent their homes. This is a big business, and a lot of money changes hands as a result of these shows. The Display contests themselves are very carefully governed, with a very specific set of rules to ensure the fairness of the contests and the safety of the Humans being exhibited.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Centennial Birthday?"

2010-06-11T00:19:00.002-05:00

Q: "What's the significance of a Centennial birthday to an Aoife child?"

A: It's a big deal- sort of like the first passage into adulthood. In some ways it's rather like a Bar Mitzva.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Madric- the heir to Solmurry?"

2010-06-11T00:15:00.002-05:00

Q: In Chapter 2, Teine thinks of Madric as the "rightful heir" of Solmurry. How come?

A: Because he is. Madric is the eldest of the two Solmurry sons, and would have inherited the entire Solmurry holdings had his younger brother NOT turned him in to the Inquisitors for practicing magic.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Sea Dragon Larvae?"

2010-06-11T00:08:00.002-05:00

Q: Do people actually eat dragons in this world, not the other way around? What's the deal with these sea dragon larvae being served up as an appetizer?

A: While adult sea dragons plague the oceans of this world, disrupting trade and causing untold loss of life and property, they begin their life cycle as small, minnow-sized larvae. These wriggling, immature spawn are hatched in the seas, then swim their way upstream into freshwater rivers and tributaries to eat rotting vegetable matter and their favorite- wood! The hatchlings remain in freshwater for one year, until they grow and shed their first carapace. During that time they are very vulnerable to predators of all kinds- including hungry party guests!

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Besom?"

2010-06-10T22:19:00.004-05:00

Q: "What's a besom?"

A: Shh! Don't say that too loud! It's a bad word for a low class woman- kind of like "wench" and "hag" but meaner. Sometimes it's shortened to "Bess," which is a much kinder version and has a meaning more like a hard working woman. Calling a Human woman a besom to her face would always be viewed as an dire insult, but calling her a Bess (depending on the context) most likely wouldn't.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Disciplinary?"

2010-06-10T21:56:00.000-05:00

Q: "What's a Disciplinary, and why's it such a big deal?"

A: When you're a Human in the Empyrean, a Disciplinary is a VERY big deal. It's a permanent mark on your records and even goes on your Sigil. Once a Human has a Disciplinary on their record, they're passed over for choice assignments and duties. Sometimes the Intact ones are even removed from the breeding programs by being Cut and by the neutering of their offspring! The higher the social status the Human enjoyed before their transgression, the more painful the fall, as their fellow Humans lose respect for them and may even torment or shun them.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Sigils?"

2010-06-10T21:45:00.001-05:00

Q: "What's a sigil, and how do you pronounce it?"

A: A sigil is a magical tattoo that goes on a person's skin and is designed to either hold information, or serve as a basis for an enchantment. It's pronounced either "SIG-ull" or "SIDJ-ull."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Sigolier?"

2010-06-10T21:11:00.003-05:00

Q: "What's a Sigolier, and how do you pronounce it?"

A: A Sigolier is a person who creates magical, permanent tattoos for either identification purposes or as an anchor to another permanent enchantment. It's pronounced "SIG-oh-leer."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Leis?"

2010-06-06T23:28:00.002-05:00

Q: "How do you pronounce the name of Leis, Teine's sister?"

A: "Leis" is pronounced like "lease". It rhymes with "fleece."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Clinician Nocdoramus?"

2010-06-06T23:22:00.003-05:00

Q: "Tell me more about this Clinician Nocdoramus person... how do you say her name, and a Clinician is just a fancy Empyrean word for Doctor, right?"

A: Nocdoramus is pronounced like "KNOCK-door-am-us." Clinician is the step below a full-fledged Doctor, but most of the people practicing medicine in the Empyrean are Clinicians. The title "Doctor" is reserved for the best of the best. Only about five out of a hundred Clinicians end up getting nominated to continue their education to become Doctors. All of the people TEACHING medicine in the Empyrean are actual Doctors, though.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Eaoster Day?"

2010-06-06T23:14:00.002-05:00

Q: What is "Eaoster Day" and how do you pronounce "Eaoster?"

A: "Eaoster Day" pronounced just like "Easter" and is the celebration of their Spring Equinox holiday.

If you'd like to find out more about how Eaoster Day is celebrated in the Empyrean, you can read about it in the prequel to "The Gilded Shackle"- a short story called "Eaoster Day."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Demesne?"

2010-06-06T23:09:00.003-05:00

Q: "What is a Demesne and how do you pronounce it?"

A: "Demesne" is pronounced "Duh-MAYNE" and means "Land belonging to and adjoining a manor hourse or estate."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Solmurry?"

2010-06-06T23:04:00.001-05:00

Q: "How do you pronounce 'Solmurry'?"

A: Solmurry is pronounced "SOLE-mew-ree."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Teine?"

2010-06-06T22:59:00.001-05:00

Q: "How do you pronounce Teine, (the main character's) name?"

A: "Teine" is pronounced like "time", but with an "n" instead of an "m."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Amagi and Amagorra"

2010-06-06T22:47:00.001-05:00

Q: How do you pronounce "Amagi" and "Amagorra" and what do they mean?

A: "Amagi" is pronounced "AH-mod-gee" and is the Aoife word for "Mother." Amagorra is pronounced "AH-ma-gore-ah" and is the Aoife word for "Grandmother."

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Ponars?"

2010-06-06T22:29:00.002-05:00

Q: What exactly is a "ponar" and how do they compare to other horses?

A: A ponar (pronounced "POE-nar")is a light boned, hot blooded horse used within the Empyrean for racing, jumping, and other equestrian sports. The closest examples we have here are Thoroughbreds, and Warmbloods. Ponars usually have the size of the warmbloods, but don't quite have the bone density, resembling the Thoroughbred in overall structure.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Aoife?"

2010-06-06T12:16:00.001-05:00

Q: "What's an Aoife? What do they look like and how do you pronounce it?"

A: Aoife is pronounced "EEE-fuh" and they are an elf-like race of Humanoids that live in a walled Empire called "The Empyrean." They have almond-shaped eyes that are larger in proportion to their faces than a Human's, delicately pointed ear tips, and are generally lighter-boned, shorter, and more wiry or willowy than the Humans they share their country with. They are a long-lived race with an average live span of about 700 years or so. Most have fair complexions and hair in the golden, blonde, or silver family, but as a rule they can have any combination of hair color or complexion that a human might have.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "Green Diamond hand tattoos?"

2010-06-06T12:04:00.002-05:00

Q: "What's the deal with those green diamond tattoos on the back of some of the Human's hands? What does that mean?"

A: The green diamonds signify that the Human in question is "altered" and has been medically sterilized. The males are called "AM's" for "Altered Male" and the females are called "AF's" for "Altered Female."

Medical sterilization is performed on Humans within the Empyrean that aren't considered to be "breeding quality." The Aoife maintain that sterilization is a sensible way to allow the Humans that aren't deemed to be reproductively fit to have a normal and satisfying romantic life without fear of creating sub-standard offspring. The Intact Humans have to limit their relations to Altered Humans unless given specific permission to couple with another Intact Human who has been selected for them for the purpose of conceiving an infant.

Q&A from the Gilded Shackle mailbox: "What's Fabal?"

2010-06-06T11:35:00.003-05:00

Q: What's Fabal? Those boys sure seem addicted to it!

A: Fabal is a vicious, fast-paced game resembling a cross between medieval combat and American football. You can see something similar in the old movie "Blood of Heroes" starring Rutger Hauer. The Amtgard LARP group has a similar game played with padded weapons, called "jugging."

Fabal has 12 people to a team, and uses magical weapons that simulate real injuries. Fabal players need strength, speed, agility and a huge tolerance for pain. Fabal was created as a way for the citizens of the Emyprean to have an outlet for their frustrations, and a market for the Humans that are too aggressive for other jobs.