Hi, and thanks for reading! This is the thread where I will post random tidbits of information about my world, Eshteka, but more specifically about Thamaltis, one of the many countries within it. Shall we begin?

The Origin of the Auren

In the beginning, when Eshteka was created, the Auren stood on two feet, just as their fellow creatures did. However, when Shatar (that means 'Satan') invaded Eshteka, he seduced the Auren and caused them to work for himself. Ashman, their Creator, was furious, and called all the Auren to Himself.

"What is this thing which you have done?" Ashman exclaimed, "I have created you, and blessed you with the gift of intelligence, and you have turned away from Me so soon! You have proven yourself unworthy of My gift, and unable to govern yourselves. Therefore, from this day forth, you shall walk on four feet, and become as the dumb animals. You shall serve all who would be your masters, and by your strength will you earn your food. You will be beaten for your faults, and coveted for your qualities. You will be bought and sold as an animal, and no one shall know your proud beginning."

"Not so, even in your wrath, we beg of you to deal with us mercifully!" the Auren cried out, in great distress, "We beg of you, do not cause us to lose our sense and become as the beasts of the field. Oh, Ashman, do not reduce us so!"

"Very well." Ashman said, "I shall deal justice mixed with mercy to you. Though you will serve your brother races, and be kept as an animal, you will retain your intelligence and speech. However, none will know of this merciful act, and so they will treat you as animals. Your intelligence will only be made known to your masters according to your discretion, but I warn you that this knowledge will prove a misery to you if you deal it out too rashly."

And so, to this day, the Auren serve their masters, and appear like well-built deer, serving as mounts for the nobility, and draft animals for those who do not know their value. They guard the secret of their speech jealously, in obedience to Ashman's warning, but one day, they believe, they will be restored to their former glory.

Oooh, the title makes it sound mysterious!

I like it. Did the Auren look like normal men before they were deceived?

My only concern is "Justice mixed with Mercy" (I'm assuming this story is allegorical?) I think you should edit the story a bit so that it can be "Justice as Mercy." Justice and Mercy are almost like oil and water. You can't exactly mix them.

No, the Auren did not look like men. They resemble deer, and are the light-footed race in my world.

What do you mean, "justice as mercy"? As far as I know, you can mercifully lighten a severe sentence. Is that not justice mixed with mercy?

As soon as I can figure out how to use attachments, I'll try and post some maps of various countries, and perhaps a drawing of the continents.

Thanks, Lady Eruwaedhiel, I'll try to post some soon. In the meantime, here is something else to read.

Eshteka's Surroundings

Moons

The first moon is nearly as large as our moon, and almost exactly the same density. Its name is Darleson (DAR-lay-sone), which means 'Turmoil' in Amhal, the language of Thamaltis. Darleson has many large craters, which explains its name.

The second moon is extremely tiny, and has a very low density, thus making almost no effect on the tides. Its name is Nigoloth (NEE-go-loth), which when translated means 'Division'. The reason behind the name can be seen in the many deep canyons on the surface of the moon.

The third moon also has a low density, and does not effect the tides, even though it is larger than Nigoloth. Its name is Sarane (sar-AH-nay), which means 'Serenity'. This name was given because of the apparent lack of marks upon the surface of the moon.

Constellations

The most obvious constellation in the northern sky is named Ashmantael. It is in the shape of a man, who carries a shield, and is pointing his sword forward. He faces the west. Ashmantael means 'God-Creator-man', and is their name for Jesus. The constellation is named this because of the story of the 'God-Creator-man' defeating the dragon of death.

The second constellation is Derunthane. This constellation is in the shape of a dragon, and sits in front of Ashmantael, facing east. Derunthane means 'Dragon of Deceit'. Thus, Durunthane represents Ashmantael's opponent.

The third constellation is named Verdos, and is shaped like a fish. No one knows the story behind it, but the name means 'Life'. Verdos leaps out of water, and faces east.

The last northern constellation that I have discovered so far, is named Shatar. Shatar is a snake with its head raised in the air, and the name is literally 'Satan'. No one knows why there are two constellations representing Satan, but it is a fact. This constellation represents Satan in the Garden of Eden.

Questions?

Er, that might not be an accurate answer. They're a little confused right now. My mistake. I'll fix that statement once I decide what the auren were.



Um, I'm assuming you're talking about the auren?

I have Veldskhonians, who are basically dwarfs, and Wood People, who are short, hairy people who live in the forests, as well as their distant relatives the Southerners, who live across the South Sea, to name a few of them.

I really like the first story! I think that was genius!

The constellations are very intriguing (being the scientific space person that I am I always love constellations in books).

Anyways, very well done! I'll be looking forward to more.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll try to get a couple maps up, today or tomorrow, maybe.

Okay, here we go! These are the two maps I have so far. I'll try and get one of the continents soon.

Those are awesome maps, Milly! I really like them!

You can't really see much until you zoom in, but they work for me. I'm no good at drawing on the computer, so I drew them on paper and scanned them.

They look good! I didn't zoom in to see everything, but even zoomed out it looks good.

Those are very good maps.

Why thank you! I'll try and get some more up, eventually.

Okay, here are some maps showing continent shapes and the amount of water in particular regions.

Especially lush
Getting drier
Desert-ish

Shallow water
Deep water

(And of course, white means completely frozen.)

Nice maps, Milly! They show the basic structure of your world wonderfully!

Thank you! It only shows the general coastline, so I still have plenty of room to add things to the coasts.

Okay, I'll try and come up with something new to post in a few days, but right now my brain is kinda blank. Sorry about that! Maybe I'll post a diagram of the city of Gerinogh or something. Stay tuned, something will appear eventually!

Ameantor

Ameantor is a country on the continent of Asroko. It is pretty far north, the only country more northern than Ameantor being Tavanshi. Being situated where it is, it is cooler than Thamaltis, and stonier. Consequently, the gardeners are necessarily talented.

Ameantor is chiefly a country of soldiers and miners, because, though the ground is little good for tilling, it is rich in metals and minerals. Those that do not care for mining mostly enter the Royal Army, and assist in keeping the unruly kingships in order. (Yep, that's right, Ameantor is ruled by a king. )

Gerinogh (a city which I mentioned in my last post) is the capital of Ameantor, and is built around a huge, high hill, encircling the hill completely, and topped with the royal palace. The city is immense, dirty, and grand, as any center of a powerful kingdom ought to be, and houses untold numbers of people, the more so because many of the residents are not easily found, as they live in the secret underground streets.

The underground streets were covered with stone pavement supported by massive pillars, and are lined on both sides by old warehouses converted into filthy hovels, and dark dilapidated houses the most part of which ceased to be inhabited for safety reasons.

There are two levels of underground streets, and the lower level is the incurable den of all the thieves and murderers of Gerinogh, while the upper underground street is inhabited mostly by the horribly poor people who cannot afford to live above ground. There, safe in the secret underground streets, they are safe from rent and taxation, because hardly anyone remembers that the streets exist, and those that actually do remember don't have the courage to venture down.

No comments?

I'm not very good at making comments...

So if they don't have very good ground for crops, do they import them from somewhere else?

The underground streets are very cool.

Thanks! I borrowed that idea from Sir Emeth, because it adds so much more to the city.
Yes, they import crops chiefly from Canatia, which is to their southeast, and from Mainoshet (ma-EEN-oh-shet), which is west of them. The country north of them is called Tavanshi, and is mostly tundra.

Eshteka has five continents, as you may have noted from my maps.

#1. Asroko- this is the continent that most of my books take place in so far.
#2. Mulhaki- this is the continent south of Asroko, where one book (so far) takes place.
#3. Isia- this is the continent east of Asroko, and just northeast of Mulhaki.
#4. Frilan- this is the southernmost continent, and is hardly inhabited at all.
#5. Israli- this is an island-continent, sort of like Australia, and this is where the band of colonists from Earth landed and made their home.

I'd give ya'll a list of the countries on each continent, but it's late. Tell me, if you want me to post them later.

Did you mention the bit about colonists from Earth before? I wouldn't mind hearing a little more about that.

I don't think I did. The colonists from Earth are a band of 200 some people who were basically exiled. You see, it's supposed to be somewhat in the future, when some nasty guy is President of America, and this president feels threatened by certain influential people, so he instructs the head of the Space Research and Travel Institute (SRTI) to get ready a rocket and choose a planet that seemed likely to be colonizable.

The SRTI discovered a planet orbiting around Alpha Centauri that seemed likely to be inhabitable, and then informed the president that they were ready. Then, the president chose a crew made up of the people he most wanted to get rid of, as well as their families, then rounded the number up to 200 or so.

The colony landed and settled on the continent-island Israli, where they built their houses and raised their families. The name Milly Manderly, my pseudonym, belongs to a daughter of the head of SRTI, who was also sent with the colony.

Make sense?

Yup! Thanks for explaining/elaborating.

So, do you think that the Space Research and Travel Institute sounds like a real name?

*nodnod* I could see that being real, yeah.

Good!

Okay, here's some more information about the Auren.

In the beginning, Ashman created the Auren to be a higher race, with generally a longer lifespan and better health than men. They were blessed with a high amount of intelligence, too. When Shatar seduced them, they used their high intelligence for evil purposes, and caused great harm to the men.

The Auren were a tall people, their hair mostly of a chestnut color, and most of them were thin and lithe. (Is that redundant? ) There were exceptions, of course, and it was possible to see an overweight Auris.

However, when they were cursed, they became deer-like in shape, but stronger and taller. They were nearly as tall as a horse, and served in that animal's stead, as there is no such thing as a horse in Eshteka. They do not grow antlers.

Aaagh! I want people to comment! If you can't think of a comment, then pray ask a question. I want input.

I'll make a deal with you; I'll comment and then you can comment on my short story I have posted in the Fireside.


So did the Auren look like humans before they were cursed?

Deal. Just give me the link to your short story.


Yep.

viewtopic.php?f=118&t=2126

At the moment, the most recent version of the story is on the last post. I should probably edit it into the first post, but I wanted to keep the old version in there too.


Do you have any other races other than humans and Auren? *can't remember if that's been said before or not*

Yes, I have other races. There are the Wood People (I haven't given them a better name in their own language yet), the Veldskhonians, the Southerners (who are related to the Wood People), and the Masurhiente, so far. Ask me what they look like and I shall gladly oblige you and describe them.

Heh. What do they look like? And how are they different from humans?

The Wood People are not more than three feet tall at the most. They are for the most part dark and hairy, and are tree-dwellers, as their name implies. Their big toes grow like those of a tree-climbing monkey, and they are experts at climbing even a stone wall, merely by grasping at the tiniest cracks.

The Southerners are also short, and resemble their northern relatives, except that they are much darker in color, and not as hairy. They used to be tree dwellers also, but necessity drove them to become tillers of the land.

The Veldskhonians tend more towards four to five feet in height, and are stoutly built. They often posses large, bulbous noses, and are skilled metalworkers. They also raise herds, and plant crops, and tend to be a bit hot-tempered and warlike. They are my dwarfs.

Yes, I know, mostly my races are humanoid. Here's the exception.

The Masurhiente are extremely small, rarely growing much taller than six inches, with wings growing firmly from their backs. Their appearance caused some folks to lovingly dub them the "Bowlbugs". Why bowlbugs, you say? Simply this: they have the odd capability to morph into, of all things, a golden bowl with three rubies on the front. Don't ask me where that came from. One of the strange concoctions of my mind. I suppose even the Masurhiente are slightly humanoid...

Questions?

Haha...I like the Masurhiente.

Most...okay, make that all of my races are humanoid, I think. Unless you count the dragons, gryphons, and unicorns. So you're really ahead of me on that.

I like them too. They're a well-loved and indispensable part of my world.

I have other creature-races that are sort of intelligent, they just didn't come to mind... Let's see, there are the Rigalas, and the Shelogh... (Ask me if you can't pronounce it .)

Milly, I thought you said the Auren did look like deer before they were cursed? I love the Bowlbugs! Do you have any other non-humanoid races? Reminds me of Narnia - I love out-of-this-world races!

~Aisha

Yeah, I was a little unsure at that point. I was still working out several problems.


Yes, I love them too, but as one of them said, "I am NOT an insect!" They prefer to be called Masurhiente.


Yes, I have several, but they are a little less developed.

The Rigalas are sort of like trolls, and are massive brutes that look like they're all muscle. They speak in a language all their own, and are almost incapable of using any other language because of the formation of their tongues. As a result, they can understand other languages, but they cannot speak them.

The Shelogh are a dwindling race. They inhabit the woods, but as they tend to claim large areas as their territory, and keep others out, there is not much room for them anymore. The younger ones cannot procure a territory anymore without battling one of their elders for it. They are a bit lion-like in that they are furry and have manes, but they go about crouching slightly on their hind legs, and often use the weapons of their victims. They do have claws on their hands and feet, and they have a tail with a tuft on the end. Their forehead has a large flap of extra skin, which hangs down in a wrinkle above their eyes.

Lol, that's great! The more strange creatures, the better! I also really like the underground city idea. One of my story ideas also utilizes the underground theme, but it's an entire populace, not merely a city, and the implications of mine are extremely different.

So, do you have a single book located in this world, or a whole series?

~Aisha

I've planned, let's see...seven books in Eshteka so far, but there will likely be more.

Sorry I've not been posting much, but my school is keeping me busy, and currently we're getting ready for Eli McGowan to visit, as well as preparing for a graduation...

Okay, so I'm considering adding a mer-race to my world, but I wanted some thoughts on how that might work. Suggestions?

Do you want your mer-people to be the half-fish, half-man people usually think of when they talk about mermaids and mermen, or simply a race that lives underwater?

Yeah, pretty much. I had thought they could have gills and lungs, with the gill slits being behind their ears, and their lungs attached to their noses only. Do you think that would work?

Also, what about clothing? What sort of clothing would look okay on a mer-maid or mer-man without being too skimpy?

First of all like this lots! You're so good at giving the races differences, and the world a feeling of depth. (If I ever finish book one , and move to book 2, I may ask your advice on developing my dragons' planet. )
I really like the Masurhiente.
About the mer-people, hmm, a sticky subject . . . . Maybe they could have some sort of clothing out of underwater plant material. . . Or maybe you could change their look altogether so that they aren't so humaniod. . . .Or. . . . This is a bit hard. Will have to ponder this.

*Goes off to ponder, and eat supper*