2025 Z : Zealot #mfrwhooks

     

In the challenge, "Z" is for zealot. For the purposes of the post, the definition of a zealot is a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals.

A zealot has appeared in the fantasy worlds of the Windmaster Novels and of the dragshi. The brethren in Imprisoned in Stone was a fanatical cult determined to rule the world by any means possible. Blood sacrifices, curses and dark magic were their primary tools. Anyone with even a hint of power was forced to submit the Brethren's rule or be killed. In Dylan's case, for healing without payment in disobedience of the brethren's rules, his soul was imprisoned in stone.

The dragshi had their own zealotry to deal with for not everyone appreciated the rule of the dragon lords. Those without a dragon soul twin hated those who did. Not just because the dragshi had power, wealth, and respect, but because they were different. One such group was Groslom and his descendants. The tale of one descendent, Pyrell, is told in the novella "Forever Bound" in First Change. 

In Windmaster, a cult of clerics determined to rid the world of magic were not going to stop with the deaths of anyone who had even a hint of magic. It didn't matter if they were innocent and had no magic themselves, the friends and families of a wizard were also marked for death. The clerics planned to raze any place associated with a mage.

The following excerpt from Windmaster illustrates the depth of their hatred. To set the scene, Ellspeth arrives on horseback at her ship to find her way blocked and  stopped her horse in the shadows of the alley’s entrance. From her height she could see a squad of mercenaries gathered at the water’s edge. Craning her neck, she saw a row of  armed men in the guild colors of the House of Cszabo filling the dock. Several squads of mercenaries stood at ease in the patches of shade around the edges of the square. Nearest to her, a dozen unaffiliated sailors blocked the entrance to the alley. Even worse, a ranking member of her house council stood on the dock. And his companion? A cleric of the Oracle of Givneh.

Captain Ellspeth,” her kinsman dismissed her with a wave of his hand, “by order of the House of Cszabo I am taking command of Sea Falcon.”

“Falcon is my ship. If it goes anywhere, I will be at the helm.”

 “Enough of this.” Another’s imperious voice broke in.

Ellspeth shifted her focus to locate the speaker and settled her gaze on the face beneath the brown cowl.

“That ship needs to be purified. It is tainted by magic.”

“You want to take my ship because I gave passage to a wizard?”

“It is tainted. It will be purified... as will the crew.” Each word spit out, the tone demanded immediate, unconditional obedience.

Without looking Ellspeth could sense her crew preparing for battle behind her. Her own sword’s weight felt comforting across her thighs.

Read Windmaster to see if Sea Falcon sets sail and who would be at her helm. 

I hope you enjoyed the challenge posts. ~till next time, Helen  

To find buy links, click on the covers in the banner or use the pull down menus, or find me on Amazon.

The posts from the Marketing for Romance Writers group are listed below.

If you're following other blogs in the #AtoZchallenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

Hooked on Windmaster, Break #mfrwhooks

 

From the sword and sorcery fantasy, Windmaster, an excerpt using the BookQW word "Break." Following the post RAIN, this excerpt shows the cost of magic.

Excerpt:

Ellspeth felt the sudden departure of Dal’s magic just before he collapsed to the hard wooden planks, his sword thudding alongside of him. Her fingers pressed against his neck in search of a pulse. There was none. Tears burned her eyes. Then she felt a faint beat...and another. An involuntary exclamation of relief escaped her lips, “Dal!”

The moans of wounded men pulled her attention from the wizard. Her crew needed her. “No...no...no,” she whispered. Men held arms broken into unnatural angles. Two sails hung in shreds from the beams. Three safety lines disappeared over the rails, taut with the weight of sailors. Live or dead, she didn’t know. The sight galvanized her into action.

“All hands to damage control. Secure the safety lines. I want those sailors aboard...now! Jon, get Cookie topside to help splint these broken limbs. Take Lord Dal below to his quarters. After Lord Voan and Lady Jesmen have attended him, please ask their help with the Falcon’s wounded.”

After three days, Ellspeth could no longer stay away from the wizard. She descended into the belly of her ship and entered the cabin where he lay. Despite the bright light streaming in through the windows, the room felt dark and cold. Voan and Jesmen were already crowded into the small space. “How is he?” Ellspeth asked.

“Our herb magic has kept him alive, mistress. But we cannot break the spell that controls him. It is too strong.”

~ ~ ~

For the next chapter and to see Dal's fate, find Windmaster at these Book Sellers

And be sure to check out the rest of the Windmaster Novels.

The rest of the hop follows. Hope you'll check them out.

Hooked on Windmaster, Rain #MFRWHooks

In anticipation of the weather coming this week, from the sword and sorcery fantasy, Windmaster, an excerpt using the BookQW word "Rain." Captain Ellspeth learns that one of the wizards on her ship is more than he seems.

Excerpt:

Heavy sheets of rain obscured the horizon. Crashing waves broke on the Falcon’s bow and flowed over the deck. Ellspeth’s summons brought the three passengers to the wheel. “This isn’t normal weather for the Aberden Sea,” Ellspeth shouted. Her voice barely rose above the roaring water. “The wind is chasing around in circles, widdershins. It’s not natural.”

“No, it’s magic,” Dal shouted back. “Voan and Jesmen are healers. Their powers can’t help.”

“Then, m’lord, m’lady, thank you for your attendance. Your quarters will be the safest place for you right now.” Ellspeth’s eyebrow arched in question as Dal made no attempt to leave.

“With your permission, Captain, I’d like to stay. I promise to keep out of the crew’s way. Unlike the others, I’m used to fighting.”

Too focused on saving her ship to wonder at the relief she felt at the wizard’s offer, Ellspeth merely nodded approval. She moved aside to make room for him at the rail, their shoulders almost touching.

A long silence started to grow. Wind-driven rain grabbed at their clothes and plastered wet hair to their heads.

~ ~ ~

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And be sure to check out the rest of the Windmaster Novels .

The rest of the hop follows. Hope you'll check them out.

Meet Relliq #MFRWHooks

Continuing the series of posts introducing some of my favorite people (or people I love to hate) from Windmaster Golem, the sword and sorcery romantic fantasy series, the Windmaster Novels, you are invited to meet the mage, Relliq. A few thoughts on the character. He wants to be archmage and control the world. A thorn in his plans to make Kiansel his obedient mate is the Isle of Mage's weaponsmith, Brodie. The fact that Brodie is a non-tal, someone without powers of his own is to Relliq the ultimate insult, and something to be eliminated.

Physical Description

Relliq has intense brown eyes. His dark curls like to fall over his forehead. He is handsome enough to catch the eye of the opposite sex. 

Background 

As a boy, his parents recognized Relliq's untapped ability. Knowing that without powers of their own, they could not teach him control, they did want the best for their younger son and at the age of 16 sent him to study with the Oracle of Givneh at his temple.  However, knowing he was different set Relliq's attitude. He rejected the discipline of service to others and preferred to use his magic to gain power or whatever else he wanted.

An excerpt of one of Relliq's early experiments with magic. The power came about by accident, but he was not one to waste the opportunity.

Boredom added to Relliq’s dark mood. He blew on knuckles bloodied once again from scraping the edge of the bowl as he ground herbs for poultices. The bag Ysbail had left to be ready for her return was still three-quarters full. “I’m not a healer,” he snarled. “Smashing herbs into small pieces isn’t magic. It’s just woman’s work.”

But Ysbail was not only the healer of Montrat, she was also his teacher. At least for the moment, he thought. Soon the student will surpass the master. Sighing, he dropped another clump of the dried leaves into the bowl and picked up the heavy stone grinder. The cool stone rubbed against skin not yet callused. Only three turns later, sharp pain meant another blister raised and broken.

“Enough is enough,” he hissed. Swift movements dumped the clumps of herbs back into the bag and half-filled a bowl with water. The liquid cooled the sting in his hands. A slight movement of his fingers swirled the drops of blood that oozed from his knuckles into an intricate design. The rune for fog appeared, then the one for entrapment.

Snatching his spellbook from the shelf, he quickly flipped through the pages looking for instructions on how to pair the two runes. “There must be something that will work,” he muttered. “Even if the fog only affects the mind, confuses the will, it will be a useful tool. But how to direct it?” His search of the book revealed no answer, still, the lure of the envisioned magic called him. Careful so as not to disrupt the symbols, he cast the spell and peered deep into the bowl to watch the result.

The image of a rolling surf changed to a narrow, rock-lined path. Recognition dawned. The Isle of Mages? What if the archmage finds out? fear wondered.

It doesn’t matter, Relliq countered. One day, and not too far away, I will be in charge. His plan settled, he threw more magic into the spell. A man appeared. Tall and wide-shouldered, he strode with confidence along at steep trail. Gray ropes snatched at his legs. The air around the figure thickened and within a heartbeat became an impenetrable haze.

Now the liquid in the bowl once again showed its true nature. As he had just moments before, Relliq searched his memory for the means to use and control the spell. A pairing came to mind. “Night be dark, light be gone, mist turn into a living fog,” he hissed

What had been a haze thickened and pulsed in a rhythm that mirrored a heartbeat.

Relliq’s lips parted. He leaned closer to the bowl. The shadowed man fell, rose to his feet, shambled a few paces, fell again, then on hands and feet crawled through the swirling mass. Movement ceased when the figure placed his back against a sheer rock face.

More on the attack can be found in the posts Fog Attack and The Mist Strangles. As to the man? You're invited to meet Brodie, weaponsmith of the Isle of Mages, and friend to Lord Dal and Lady Ellspeth.

More About Him (Secrets or Public)

He doesn't believe in the use of sword or any other traditional weapons. In his mind, the ability to wield magic is the only weapon worth learning. You have to read Windmaster Golem to see whether the archmage or Brodie teach Relliq the truth.

 I hope you enjoyed this introduction to Relliq. Find excerpts for Windmaster Golem by clicking on the cover in the banner. To purchase Windmaster Golem, use the links below. 

Buy Links: One click to ebook sellers
Paperback at Amazon

Meet Brodie #MFRWHooks

Continuing the series of posts introducing some of my favorite people (or people I love to hate.) You've met Kiansel, future leader of the Temple of the Oracle. Now, you are invited to meet Brodie from the sword and sorcery romance fantasy series, the Windmaster Novels.

Physical Description

In Windmaster, Brodie is fifteen. In Windmaster Golem, he is thirty. The slender youth grew taller and broad shouldered with muscles developed from intensive weapons training. One thing that doesn't change is his intense brown eyes. The following excerpt is the first introduction to the young man who would later be an important part of the Isle of Mages.

Dal and Ellspeth’s weapons rose and fell in unison. In the face of their combined attack, one by one the soldiers between Dal and his target fell until only three remained. Ellspeth faced Gille Erim, who screeched at the retreating and wounded men to “stand fast.” Defending Ruaridh stood his last remaining soldier, a sword held in a manner more inexperienced than mercenary.

Dal allowed himself several heartbeats to get his breath. His chest heaved in an effort to refill his lungs. His arms tiring, newly-healed cuts burned from the sweat that now streamed down his back. Yet he stared cold-faced at those before him.

“Ruaridh will not leave the field alive.” Dal closed the distance to Ruaridh’s fragile protection. He lunged forward and knocked the sword from the soldier’s hand. Beneath the askewed helmet, Dal saw frightened eyes within a pale face.

He could not be more than sixteen turns, Dal realized. “Unless you want to join him, I suggest you leave.” The hope that flickered across the youth’s face brought a memory of another boy who stood disarmed before a superior warrior. He heard Telarim the Red’s words again, as if for the first time.

I might as well use Telarim’s technique. “Return to your home,” Dal ordered the youth. “If in two turns you still want to soldier, find Telarim the Red. Tell him Lieutenant Dal sent you. Telarim will teach you well if you’re willing to learn.”

The boy stepped aside, careful to keep his hands away from his sides. His throat convulsed several times before he was able to speak. “My lord, my life is now yours. I have no home to return to. For your mercy, command me and I am yours.”

Dal stared down into brown eyes young with life. “Take that black gelding. Go to Stratven and present yourself to the King’s Guard. The toiseach of the guard will assign you work until I get there.”

Background 

After Ruaridh's troop was defeated, Brodie followed Dal's command and studied for a year with the tioiseach of King Fraunces court. He learned quickly, picking up both strategy and weapons then spent a cold season at the winter camp of the mercenary, Telarim the Red. It was during this time he discovered his talent for weaponsmithing and he learned everything he could from the unit's master.

Brodie honed his skills upon his return to Stratven where he earned commissions making custom weapons for the town elite, including the king. What would set the course for the next phase of Brodie's life came when he received a request from the king to take a message to Dal at the Isle of Mages. Dal and the isle's sergeant-at-arms offered Brodie a position at the School of Mages. Brodie stayed on, making the journeyman daggers for the apprentice mages who did not have one and teaching them weapons and self-defense. 

An excerpt from Brodie's time at the Isle of Mages can be found in the posts Fog Attack and The Mist Strangles.

More About Him (Secrets or Public)

Brodie is friends with the residents of the Isle of Mages,  both those possessing powers and well as not. His friendship with Lord Dal and Lady Ellspeth came with a potential problem. Their teen-age daughters have a crush on him.

Although not a mage, Brodie rides a fàlaire stallion. Wirake is not just a member of the herd of magical equines that live near the Isle of Mages, but the son of the head stallion.

A secret not known by many is that the long sword Brodie wields is named, something only give to special weapons. TânOer was blessed by both Dal and Ellspeth, imbuing it with special powers.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to Brodie.  Find excerpts for Windmaster Golem by clicking on the cover in the banner. To purchase Windmaster Golem, use the links below. 

Buy Links: One click to ebook sellers
Paperback at Amazon

Time and Turns, Seasons and Candlemarks #mfrwhooks

Time waits for no one. The topic began to percolate as a possible post while watching a beautiful June sunset. And thinking that the sun was going down earlier than I remembered as a child. And that outside activities are less and less. Of course, the heat index for most of the day was over 100 degrees, which precluded leaving comfort of air conditioning.

Time passes not only in the real world, but also in the worlds we create. A few examples follow where the word "Time" appears in a tale. First, from Hatchling's Mate, a volume in the Dragshi Chronicles. To set the scene, water is literally lapping at Talann's feet and there is a group of women and children stranded on a rapidly disappearing hillock on the other side of the river.

Talann pulled off his boots and tossed them aside. He let enough air escape to give the order. “Let’s do this.” His teeth chattering from the cold, he waded out into the rough waves and in a lithe move, dove into the dark depths. Currents countered his every stroke. Despite throwing every ounce of his will and muscle into the task he made slow progress. Each time he surfaced for a breath of air, the opposite shore seemed more distant.

Next, a few lines from Windmaster Golem, from the Windmaster Novels, of how time can change people.

Kia felt the strength of the Oracle in her brother’s gaze. Unlike the other times she had seen him in his official role, for the first time she saw him in the full splendor of this position. He seemed a pillar of lambent energy. Before she could react, he was once again the brother of her childhood.

Finally, a scene from yesteryear and today from the short story, The Introduction, which is part of the collection, Hearth and Sand: Stories From The Front Lines and the Homefront.

The flickering streaks of day’s end penetrated the deepening shadows. Barely visible was the shape of a man, a rifle held by his side. A closer view revealed a statue, frozen in time in a uniform of long ago.

 

May you have all the time to do all the things you want.

  ~till next time,  Helen

Be sure to check out the other excerpts by the authors of MFRW.

2021 K : Kia

 

 

 

Introducing Lady Kiansel of the Temple of Givneh. Her family has served the Temple for generations--and they have the ability to wield magic in service of others. Kia's father helped hold the barrier during the countering of Bashim's geas on Dal the archmage.

 

Her brother is the current head of the temple. But he wasn't always. For a time, an imposter, Bashim, used the devotion of the Oracle's followers to boost his magic. He transformed the community of service to a cult whose primary tenet was magic is evil. Except his of course, which was not used to help people but was based on banned black magic. It was during this time Kia received the scar on her forehead that her bangs cover. A scar received from one of the mercenaries who fulfilled Bashim's orders. 

The dichotomy of Kiansel's life is illustrated in the pendant she inherited from her ancestress. Embossed with the symbol of the Oracle as her personal talisman it represents her attachment to the Temple. However, like her mother before her, Kia also feels the pull of magic. But to answer the call means having to turn her back on her family and the temple.

To learn Kia's decision, read Windmaster Golem. One click to estores.

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen

Q is for Queen

Q is for Queen

A scan of the character sheets in the novel notebooks for Imprisoned in Stone and Hearth and Sand yielded nothing to use as a post topic. The series notebooks for the Draghsi Chronicles and the Windmaster Novels provided a single name, Qaralzha. However, that is from the story Fire and Ice in the First Change anthology. Since references to Mirabeesh's tale were already done in this challenge in the posts Diovi and Daxa and Eruichin, I decided to try another approach.

So, I opened the dictionary to the letter "Q." Eyes closed I ran a finger down the pages and where it stopped the nearest word was "Queen." Although an occasional king has appeared in my two series, no story really featured royalty. A review of the various storylines provided a single item tangentially related to queen--Glacier Queen.

Glacier Queen is a lug-sailed ketch that sailed Botunn Loghes. At the time, priests from the Oracle of Givneh were confiscating property and services. As protection, Glacier Queen's captain took unusual precautions. Here is how the vessel appeared at first meeting.

Dal pointed to the derelict at the end of the dock. “You want me to go out on the lake in that?”

Ellspeth tried to see the Glacier Queen through Dal’s eyes. Usually a ship matched its berth. The dock was canted and several of the floorboards did not look able to support the weight of a child. “

Ellspeth and Dal were desperate for transport. Mercenaries working for the Oracle were in close pursuit. But a different obstacle presented itself, the ship's captain.

“I’m Captain Vika of Glacier Queen. Why should I take your fare?”

Ellspeth studied the grizzled beard and Vika’s gold bracelets. “I’m Captain Ellspeth of the Sea Falcon of the House of Cszabo. I’d like transport across the lake for myself, my escort, and our four horses.” She ignored Dal’s startled look at her honest identification. “The wind’s about to change. So that we don’t have to wait another day, I’ll pay twice the normal fare. And, I’d rather not travel with pilgrims.”

“Captain of Cszabo, huh? Got any proof? Those aren’t sailor’s clothes.”

Ellspeth smiled. She unwrapped the small bundle Dal slipped her. Her fingers trembled as they dropped her own mark of rank in Vika’s hand. “Will these do?”

The bracelets glittered in the noonday sun as he tilted them for a closer look. His expression changed when he noted the engraved symbols that identified ship and trading house. “Prove to me they’re yours.”

Ellspeth searched for an answer. She straightened her back and put the full force of authority into her voice. “I am Ellspeth of the Clan Cszabo, daughter of Mirrim, granddaughter of Rima. I captain the Sea Falcon.”

The old man’s laugh took her by surprise. “Yup, you’re related to Rima.”

Windmaster - one click to estores


Tomorrow’s post is the letter "R" and that means it's time for "Redemption." If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

~ till next time, Helen

Bragging #MFRWauthor

We're at week 47 and the official topic is "worth bragging about."

This is another topic which is reminiscent of 2017. There was the topic "Let me Brag For a Minute. The post, Stars and More Stars, which covered reviews of my published works filled that topic. Then there was the 2017 post, My Biggest Accomplishment which could be considered a brag as it talked about marriage and anniversaries achieved.


There is one thing I'd like to brag about. A manuscript I've been working on for longer than I want to admit was finally finished. In my two series, The Windmaster Novels and the Dragshi Chronicles, each storyline included a reference to a legend from their particular world. Windmaster Legend is the tale of the star-crossed lovers, Iol and Pelra.

Since I don't have the cover yet, I'll satisfy the need of a graphic by including the covers from the first two books in the series. Excerpts and buy links can be found at the series page.

 

And the lastest news on Windmaster?  I received a notice that it received a four-star review and a recommendation on BookBub.

There's just a few more posts in the challenge. Hope I make it. ~till next time, Helen