Tag Archives: Trekelny

Three Minutes to Midnight FREE on Amazon!

TMM-croppedNo fuss, and no lie. From July 1st to the 5th my sword and sorcery novelette introducing the Lands of Hope is available free on Amazon. I’m hoping everyone will go and download a copy, because it boosts visibility for my other tales, and because it’s a super-quick shot of Hope flavored with suspense and dark romance. Try it!

Never call Trekelny a thief, he’s the greatest stealthic since Astor himself. It’s true, just ask him. He won’t end the night a coin richer, instead exchanging mortal risk for a hero’s reputation. But on this night, he won’t succeed to live in song, or even survive, without the help of a woman who hates him above all others. If he is to despoil her temple, he must also take her love with him.

Think you already have a copy? Download it again, no one minds! And if you read the tale and liked it, by all means please leave a review, that’s another part of my dastardly scheme. Stay tuned for the day this sale ends, I’ll unveil my master plot to spread Hope around the Alleged Real World, with your help!

Three Minutes to Midnight free until July 5th!

 

It Figures: The Stealthic

Because in the end you have to show, not tell.

We return to the series where I can literally paint you a picture of what I’m talking about, for a quick look at one of the most unique characters in the Lands of Hope.

WHO:

Created with Nokia RefocusThe Stealthic is a dedicated follower of the hero Astor, vassal of Conar in the earliest days of Hope’s invasion. Whenever the job was dangerous, difficult or required secrecy– wait, let me rephrase. Whenever the record of history revealed that something impossible had suddenly been done, it was more likely than not that Astor was responsible. Down to the present day there has been a need for trained professionals who can scout out hostile positions, explore in risky environments, and “right wrongs without clues”. Astor was nicknamed Perilsgroom, and Stealthics today are not insulted by the epithet “danger-drunk”. But they WILL take umbrage at any comparison to a thief, of which the Lands of Hope boasts very few. The Stealthic lives by two credos, “Risk in the service of Hope” and “fighting is failure”. Stealthics always seek to accomplish the mission without resort to combat, and tend to judge the worth of a course of action by how much risk is shifted to them personally and away from others. The only theft they approve of is glory.

Probably the most famous Stealthic in living memory is Feldspar_mkTrekelny, a whip-thin Man who is rumored to have come from the fabled City of the Heroes bearing powerful artefacts that assist him in his jobs. Morinack, the quiet subtle Halfling who advises the usurper Yula was known to be a follower of Astor. Others like Bildon and Meandar figure in the tales but are no longer seen in the Lands. Folks in Cryssigens swear by (and sometimes at) a young and very wealthy Elven Stealthic named Feldspar, whom no one has ever seen except for his small army of trusted agents.

 WHY:

Meandar, scouting in Despairing Jengesalamur

The Lands of Hope have been ruled by its Children for two thousand years of peace and stability. Crime is nearly non-existent, as most of its normal causes (such as poverty) have been removed. Stealthics can occasionally be found standing quietly in a far corner behind a ruler’s throne at court, waiting for a mission of delicate espionage. Others most likely have never been revealed by the record of history. But several Stealthics these days are to be found among the bands of despised adventurers, helping them get into (and sometimes even out of) perilous corners of the world where remnants of Despair still lurk. Army captains, court officers, rival merchants and adventuring bands all have need of specialists in accomplishing the difficult, or even impossible. Stealthics train for such jobs and display an often unhealthy love of the risk, to which some seem addicted.

HOW:

I may have felt a subtle tug telling me that, for these denizens of daring, the close-up ability of my smartphone’s Lumia Refocus lens was a must. Or, maybe my tablet wasn’t charged up yet. But I wanted to add that social dimension so I used buildings for the backdrop. I got very satisfactory range to target and think some of the angles and shadow came out quite well. Night-scenes were imitated using the Color-Pop facility or the Color menu in the MS Picture Manager. Nothing but nothing improves the focus once you’ve saved the shot in-camera, though, and I’m still looking for perfection on that. With these

Stealthics convention? I've never SEEN one...
Stealthics convention? I’ve never SEEN one…

guys it’s alright because you’re not supposed to spot them anyway. I also went for some more vertical angles, to suggest the Stealthic’s perspective (perhaps when watching a fellow member of the cult, to pick up some tips). The entire question of Stealthic training is one of the great unknowns of the Lands to date. I’ve seen a few clues… maybe some day I’ll look deeper into it. But for now, I think I enjoy the mystery and I hope you do too!

Any advice? What can I do without spending a lot to improve the quality of the pictures? Do you want to hear more about the Stealthic? Check out Fencing Reputation and the exploits of the wonder of Cryssigens, Feldspar as he gets caught up in a conspiracy that could plunge the kingdom into civil war. I hope to have this title out in paper soon!