The World of Tybraes

Hello!  

A foeresh Hallen! (The Erahs formal greeting to those who are not Erahs.)

When I created Tybraes, I knew it was going to be a task. Fantasy novelists for centuries had been creating worlds that are magnificent. Some so solidly endeared to us that they have become as real to us as any shore we might visit in our own world.  Some so bizarre, so unique, no one would dare try to mimic or emulate them in their own work.  So... how do I try to stand apart from all that?

Well, first, I certainly did not want my world to just be another Earth-twin, Tolkien derivative.  My world is not Elves, dwarves, trolls and faeries. Nor is it vampires and werewolves.  My creatures are of their own species (in spite of my earliest sketchings in the print gallery.)  I use a lot of descriptions that root their appearance in things that help to form a common visual... elvin or fey in nature and appearance (but they're not elves,) leporine (rabbit-like,) "Vulpins" (but they're not foxes,) etcetera. The adjectives simply help to convey  certain characteristics that we all already understand.  But this is something that, through the comments you are free to point out and tell me other ways to express to help me set them apart if the impression is still too strongly rooted in our world.

Here is an excerpt from the introduction of two "Erahs."  The Erahs are what one might call the "elf-like" race.  There are many different cultural groups, not all live in the forests in a tribal manner like Khes, Nelah and Sahaan. In fact. Khes' clan and the tribe of Nelah and Sahaan are very different from one another. Culturally, as different as an ancient Druidic clan and a South American jungle tribe. Physically, they are different as well, but more like the differences between human and elf, less dramatic, but still noticable.

Nights in the dale were cool.  Mists lifted off the waters, kissed the skin.  Although a thin fog wove between the trees, the stars and fireflies were still bright.  The dew on each blade of grass dampened her feet.  Each of her four toes spread wide upon the mossy ground with every step.  The shimmer of gold on her brown limbs lent to a camouflage, like faerie dusted saplings sprouting from the mossy knoll.  Her long, lithe body wore the traditional markings of her tribe, tattoos inked into her skin with the blood of ancestors and the colorful nectar of the forest flowers.  An ornate symbolic history of her family's lineage was etched onto her face in earthy blue.  Two eyes the size of avocado nuts rest upon her pronounced cheekbones, each seeming back lit.  The whole of those orbs was like a tiger's eye, gold and amber sparks contained behind glass and as vivid as fire.

The snap of a stick turned her head with a sharp whip.  A few hair-like gold tendrils slipped from between the platelets of her skull.  Each platelet stood tall and folded back looking like broken scales of a reptile, or rough chips of bark, jagged and uneven.  All were the same tone as her skin and grew back from her scalp as if to form a crown.  Amongst the platelets grew slender tentacles, like the tails of a few dozen yellow and sage colored snakes.  The few that had tumbled loose coiled and slithered back to intermingle with her ridged scales.

One hand lowered to the bone knife tied to her thigh.  Ever so careful not to make a sound, the woman lowered into a crouch.  A beaded belt held a rabbit skin to her breasts, the fur feathered around the confining strap.  Below, slung loose about her hips, was a chew-softened leaf of the giant Alocasia tree.  The leaf was tough like hardened rubber when first harvested, but the people of her tribe would give them to their livestock to be chewed.  The okapi, their teeth tough like rock, would gnaw until all the juices were leeched and their saliva softened the material, preserved it so it would not rot.  The leaves were large enough to clothe two Erahs easily.  She only wore one strip of the leaf, a green and white sash taut across her muscular hips and buttocks that only just hid her sex.  It did nothing to hide her gender, however, as her mostly exposed body was identifiably female.

When she heard another crack, the woman turned toward the sound and bared her teeth, sharp like a wolf's.  A distrustful fire flared in her eyes and her berry stained lips peeled back as she uttered a low, warning growl.  She heard the heavy thud of a foot too late before her body was tackled to the side.  The attacking force rolled with her until coming to rest atop her. The attacker's hands planted beside her head on either side.  Comfortably settled on her hips, he smiled at her proud and possessive.With an aggressive pound on his bare shoulder, she growled, "Sahaan, you ass!"

To a Ganroth, Sahaan's laugh might sound like the clicking and chittering of squirrels. The man beamed a vibrant smile and purred, "admit, you missed me." Sahaan's coloring was much like hers, although his eyes were an olive green and his tattoos the traditional burgundy.  As a male, he had no tentacles, no more than small fleshy spines. Sahaan's were dark brown, almost black, giving him the look of a burned tree.  Like many male Calhalla, he wore only a fur over his genitals bound up by woven rope. He also wore a beaded arm band that acknowledged his rank among the Calhalla tribesmen.

The actual geography was another thing that I tried to create some unique characteristics to set this world apart. I envisioned it as something more treacherous and fantastical than our world.  Here is an excerpt from a section when the characters encounter the Northern mountains (seen in the header, actually) known as "The Shards."

The remains of Iaegonaul stood like the sun-bleached bones of a long dead beast that surely in life was majestic. The lowest lying foothills that spread up and out from its epicenter had become a speckled coat of colored tents. Spires of a tower rose out of the mountain's edge, a sharp bone fang amidst the crystalline peaks known as The Shards. The mountain range looked impossible to scale or traverse, sharp, jagged structures made of quartz and bismuth. The nearly sheer cliff-faces may as well have been frosted and colored glass capped in ice and snow. The natural crystal mountains reflected and refracted the light, so much so, that sunrise and sunset in and around The Shards had come to be known as “The Glaring.” Prisms sent rainbows dancing about the foothills, but also struck out with beams of blinding light. Until the fiery orb of the sun was completely beneath the horizon, the Shae army and its few Erahs companions were forced to wear dark veils to shield their eyes. 

Though Enoa Vale was a city, and considered rather affluent, Khes's wonder at the manors of Enoa seemed childish and naïve in the shadow of these monstrous mountains. How ridiculous Damin Eleyor must have thought her, so wide-eyed at a city that seemed so puny to her now.

The creatures in the world of Tybraes are a combination of fantasy invention and historical inspiration.  From the insect-eyed, equine "V'nesh" to the present day romantic Okapi, to the prehistoric Epicyon and Teratorn, I infused Tybraes's landscape with beasts that are both exotic and monstrous, but purposeful and logical to the functioning of a world.  I don't intend to add any flying cows or wingless sky-serpents just because I think they look really cool in paintings... because they do, but... it isn't logical, and wouldn't fit the landscape. Weeelll... the Asian wingless flying serpents thing I might have to fight to resist.  Here's a snippet of some of the creatures that Khes and Zakeriel encounter early on in the story:

Khes bent down from her v'nesh to whisper at him, “they were scared, Captain. Few of our kind have ever seen a Tōk, so it is logical to assume few of them have seen us. They look strange to us, imagine how we look to them! No tails...weird things sticking off our faces and heads...and they likely have only seen fur on animals, likely NEVER saw hair. You two grabbing at your swords right away must have terrified them. At least Paoel has the spine of a leader.”

“Hey...” Zakeriel moaned with a pout. “That's a low blow.”

“Then saddle up and act like a leader.” The Erahs pursed her lips and sat up straight, lifting her chin with dignity. Her eyes glanced over at Obret who was gaping in the direction that Paoel had gone. His eyes only got wider as the Tōk prince returned riding atop a thickly furred epicyon.

A broad smile brightened Khes' face as she watched the proud Lalsamraat saunter forward on his mount. The creature was enormous, even by epicyon standards. Though it was a canine animal, its tail swept behind it like a cat. Plush fur covered its body and its face, and while dog-like, it reminded Khes of a bear. Its sandy gold coat was singed with black, making it appear dirty but also emphasizing every ripple of its bone-crushing muscle. 

Paoel sat on its back with one leg folded up and the other draped over its flank. His tail was lifted and curled up behind him in an elegant spiral. He looked very regal. Stopping the epicyon at Khes's side, the Tōk lifted one eye toward her. “We go now.”

“Absolutely, your grace.” 

Uttering a cough-like sound, Paoel shook his head. “Only Paoel now. Taoel will have new Lalsamraat.” 

Although this notion troubled Khes, she nodded and gestured to Zakeriel. “Captain Téos will deliver us to the Teigne, then.” “Good. Yes. This good.” Paoel did not wait, uttering a dook which prompted the epicyon mount onward.

The presence of the Tōk and the wild dog brought some hope that the quickly darkening skyline would not bring the deadly packs down upon them. Strangely, Paoel's confidence felt less like boasting and put Khes at ease. The others had far less faith, which was likely the reason that Paoel stayed at her side as they returned to camp.

Upon passing near the corpse of the Ganroth that attacked Khes, they encountered the Teratorn. Wings spanned as wide as three v'nesh stood nose to tail, and even with it's head ducked protectively over its carrion, the bird was at least as tall as Goron. The dirty grey-brown feathers seemed closer to black in the fading light, and its eyes gleamed yellow as it threatened them off with loud, possessive screams. All were happy to hurry on past. Although Teratorn were not quick to kill, finding scavenging far easier, it was not unheard of.

I hope this brief introduction to the world of Tybraes and insight into my notes and story has sparked your interest for it and not turned you away!  The First Chapter is coming soon for everyone to read, so please come back and give that a try.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the snippets you've read here and definitely on the first chapter when you come back!

Thanks for visiting!

A foeratha hallen! (The Erahs formal farewell to those who are not Erahs.)