#ketal

WIP Intro | Rising Queens

Genre: High Fantasy

Status: 2nd Draft

Notes: The Tales of Rheio are an ensemble of novel-length stories, all set in the same universe, but in different places and times. Rising Queens is the first book of a two part story.

Setting: the action takes place mostly in three cities: Aqualyre, capital of Aqualos, the city is stuck between a chain of mountains and a lake ; Alhamra, capital of Niensheria, situated in the middle of desert and currently under siege ; Le Val, an aqualian city, situated on the defensive Wall and housing one of the many citadels of the country.

THE STORY

The third war between Aqualos and Niensheria is touching to an end. For the very first time in history, the aqualian army has set siege to the capital of Niensheria, Alhamra. Trélyse, queen of Aqualos, expect a swift reddition, but, on the northern frontier of Aqualos, alarm fires lit up. Suddenly Trélyse is stuck in a foreign country, cut from her own. The choice is simple: she can stay and win the war against Niensheria at the risk of losing her own country, or she can leave, try to save it and lose her only chance at settling the peace with Aqualos’s best enemy. Little does she knows, the attack against Aqualos was just a diversion. While Morgon was attacked, the Memory Tower, library of sorcerers’ knowledge from the past millennium has been burned to the ground. Among its shelves, one book held a precious secret. With it, Ketal could rise again and rebuild his empire of terror.

THE CHARACTERS

Trélyse | 29 | Queen of Aqualos | able to feel magic but not use it

Trélyse has known her whole life she would someday inherit the crown. She just didn’t expect it so soon, and definitely not in the middle of a war. Though politics is not new to her, she feels the pressure of having so many people look up to her. She is no longer the princess who tried to temper the push from the absolutists, and associated herself with moderates and the bourgeoisie. She has become the queen, commander of her armies, and set siege in front of Alhamra. She has all the advantages for a swift victory: a powerful army, a secure line of supplies and communication, niensherian prisoners to exchange, including maybe a prince… Until the alarm fires are lit up. Trélyse is able, to some extent, to feel magic around her, but she cannot use it at all.

Feid Familier | 93 (33) | The Black Sorcerer | Traveler

Feid was born Crowned Princess of Aqualos, but she chose a different path. One which, through abdication, led her to serve the gods. Going around the world she accomplished a lot, some known to all, some known to none. When the last war started between Aqualos and Niensheria, she left Alhamra and her apprentice, Harsha, behind. She could not risk to betray her country, so she retired from the world. Until, last night, when Llanya, the goddess, woke her up and sent her to help the soldiers who man Morgon. Feid has the ability to travel through space and time. Also, because she put herself in the service of the gods, they granted her the gift of eternal youth. Though she is not immortal, she has kept the appearance of her early thirties.

Lenandel Familier | 23 | Cousin to the queen | Luminempath

Lenandel came to live at Court when he was fifteen. Before that he was raised with his twin brother, Ezarel, in the countryside. Lenandel remembers those years fondly. Then was when he was innocent, happy, and told his brother everything. The Court has distanced them, but Lenandel found new friends, such as Trélyse, then a princess, now the queen. When the war started, he swore to her a magical oath of loyalty and became her spokesman, becoming so involved in the politics that, since the death of the late king, he is the de facto regent. This position didn’t get him many friends, and the growing clash between absolutists, populists, democrats and sorcerers only weaken him. Lenandel is a Luminempath, a rare breed of sorcerer, able to create pure light and read emotions and thoughts. Because of his powers and the stress of his position he suffers of chronic headaches.

Harsha Alfanak | 15 | Prince of Niensheria | Healer

During all his childhood, Harsha had to deal with the constant harassment of his eldest brothers, which culminated when they chose to throw their hounds upon him. Harsha should have died or, at the very least, be severely injured, but the incident revealed his magical powers. Suddenly, his brothers lost interest in him, as the law is clear: no sorcerer can pretend to the throne. Upon his fifteen birthday, Harsha left Alhamra. He spent the past eight months in Acmida, where he ended up stuck when the aqualian army conquered the city. But when the alarm fires lit up, his choice is made. It’s time to leave, to have his own life. Whatever that means… because, truth be told he has no idea what he should do, maybe Feid can help him… or maybe it’s time he figures it out for himself. Harsha has the ability to heal people and himself through touch. He can also kill, though he tend to avoid that side of his magic, as the memory of being covered in the blood of his brothers’ hounds still haunts him.

Ketal | | The Great Sorcerer | Psychic During nearly a century,

Ketal reigned on the world. Though peace reigned, the sorcerers were hunted, as Ketal was unable to trust them. Most of the sorcerers caught ended up dead, but some were sent back to Ketal. The Great Sorcerer vampirised them, absorbing their magic to feed his own and keep a youthful appearance. Finally, unable to stand the destruction of their communities, sorcerers rallied, and with the support of Niensheria, they fought Ketal and his armies and put him to sleep behind thirteen barriers of magic, hoping, some day, some powerful sorcerers would come back to finish their work and put an end to Ketal’s life. But their hopes went to waste. A thousand years later, sorcerers are trying to wake up Ketal, but not to kill him. They want to free him. Ketal has the ability to heal himself by absorbing other sorcerer’s magic. He is also able to read thoughts and communicate telepathically.

LINKS

Moodboards | The Map | The Familier Family | The Temple of Marka | Lenandel’s Excerpt | Autumn festival in Aqualos | Trélyse’s Excerpt | Main Characters Moodboards | Secondary Characters Moddboards 1 2 3 | Prep Tag Game | Religions Maps | Excerpt of a Map | Character building: Lenandel | Teaching Magic | Girls Girsl Girls Tag: Feid, Trélyse | Trélyse and marriage | Feid and the gods | The Last War chronology | Niensheria’s Government | the Siege of Alhamra | The desert of Niensheria | Astralone, the land of sorcerers |

20 facts about:

Trélyse | Aqualos | Niensheria | Magic |

Most frequent tags:

Series/Book: Tales of Rheio, Rising Queens

Characters: Trélyse, Feid Familier, Harsha Alfanak, Lenandel Familier, Philès Alfanak, Joy Familier,

Location: Aqualos (Aqualyre, Le Val, ), Niensheria (Alhamra, Acmida)

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