Prolouge

Welcome to the land of Euleria, Rii-Anto Lewells home and the breaking of Linliath.

Prologue

 

 

The land of Euleria is vast as it is strange. Rolling plains give way to snowy peaks before tumbling to the grey ocean. This is the land which many peoples call home. Kyll Dara The lands of Men lie to the south, near the Lost Ocean, bordered to the north by the Jynto Ridhe, a ridge separating the north and the south of Euleria. Commanding a large part of the southern shore line which are held fastidiously along with the Watch Towers on the Ark Mountains the free men of Kyll Dara live in relatave peace for apart from these claimed lands, the remaining peoples of Euleria are in strife over provinces and land. The only reason for Kyll Dara to remain unspoiled from these wars is but a shadow on the edge of recollection for the remaining peoples. There is a something known to all and to none, which keeps most out of Kyll Dara. Many think it was a fantastic final victory in battle by the Armies of Men in the past which protects their lands. But whether the victory was against the remaining peoples of Kyll Dara or whether it was against some ancient threat to Euleria is something which, if true, is lost to the world with only the sea and the mountains remembering. Others think it is because of a weapon the Overseer is protecting deep in the Midday Valley in Linliath. Whatever the reason is, the free peoples of the world will have no dealings with Kyll Dara, whether in secret or otherwise. It is in The Midday Valley, in the capitol city of Kyll Dara: Linliath, where this tale which would later be known as the Founding of the Republic of Euleria begins. .
 

 

 

The Valley lay dark and silent in anticipation for the slow dawn. Sheltered between the last two sentinels of the Ark Mountains, Benallem and Ben'amm, the Midday Valley is home to the city of Linliath. Sprawling upward on the gentle valley slopes to the plateaus of the Brother Mountains, Linliath lays. A mighty bridge, as if made by the gods links the Brothers. Godlike for no man could explain how it stood with no support and yet could hold the weight of the Royal Avenue. Nearly ten hundred feet from plateau to plateau. Almost three hundred wide. This bridge suspends the houses of the rich, the powerful and the untrustworthy, not forgetting the Palace of the Overseer, almost a full hundred fathoms above the Midday Valley. Directly below the bridge stood the Gates of the City. A ceremonial guard stood there, always vigilant, always silent, always.

 

 

 

 

 

Rii-Anto Lewall was one of these guards. As he stifled a yawn, his eye strayed from the Rannoch plains up to his spear. The polished tip catches an early ray from the pale sun. Something Rii-Anto has seen every morning on his watch. Shielding his eyes from the now rising sun, Rii-Anto looked up to the bridge. Stark against the cobalt blue sky, a movement from the bridge side caught Rii-Anto's eye,. Like a great black eagle, a shape seems to leap from the bridge battlement, cloak billowing behind it. The black shape grew until it was distinguishable as a man. It grew until Rii-Anto could see the look in the man's eyes. Could see it, but not understand it. The man fell from above silently, no sound other than the rustling of his cloak. Before Rii-Anto could make a sound the man hit the ground, the sound of his body breaking echoing back up the valley to the Arks. His cloak, mercifully covering his broken body. The banner of the Overseer fluttered down from the bridge above and lay next to the body.

 

 

 

 

 

        The dawn fully broke over Linliath, red and terrible. A subdued silence was over the Midday Valley that morning. A silence which would erupt into fear and anger when the residents awoke. Ere the setting of the sun a few shall rise to power, one shall stand tall and yet many will die. As the sunset that night, many will remember looking out over the Rannoch plains to the small pile of bodies that lay there. Ere the setting of that days sun, Linliath will be broken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

Hope you like the image as well as the text. Just a quick 5 minute shop job.

Reviews

[Gillzy]

Very Tolkien. I love the way that "Kyll Dara" runs off the tongue (in my mind)... Sounding almost irish, yet not of this world. At first when reading, I thought the use of "peoples" was a misspelling, but then realised that that is just what this country call it's people. It's a subtle but to me a good defining point that says they are like us, but not us.

You set the scene wonderfully, the images are truly outstanding. I'm impressed with this piece and I can't wait to see what becomes of Rii-Anto and Linliath.

I trust that once you've finished this book, there will be a glossary of how to pronounce words? And of course, there shall be a map? :)

I love it, and can't wait to read more. I might wait until it's fully done, and print it off as a bed time story. :) xxxx

[Fabian G. Franklin]

You have the excellent beginnings of a great fantasy novel here. One small point, ("ten hundred"?) that would be a thousand right? lol I haven't read any good fantasy in awhile but I just began the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (the entirety in trade novel form) and I'm loving it. J.R.R. and C.S. were the best of friends and their masterful works will be here a long, long time. Yours may be the next claim to immortality, just keep writing until you finish the entire novel and then edit, proofread, edit some more, proofread some more...you will get there. A masterpiece takes time, like a pot roast in a slow cooker, only offer a little taste to whet the apetite until the words are tender and delicious. Thanks to Gillian for sending me by. Blessings on your fine beginnings here.

[Gary H]

This is interesting. I'm sure you have placed this as a first draft on here to get some kind of constructive feedback - bear in mind that Gillian has asked me to read and she knows what I'm like!

You probably have four pages of writing here in each expanded paragraph, especially so if you are working on a fantasy Tolkien type world. This is definately worth doing to draw pictures in the readers mind - maybe even the map that Gillian asks for.

One thing I did notice that might help is that the first line doesn't stand out much. This is the clincher to getting a reader into a piece of work whether on WC, a library or a bookstore - it's like a first impression and counts heavily in getting someone to read more.

Here's one that I would probably use which immediately opens the mind of the reader up wanting to find out what this is all about -

'Rolling plains give way to snowy peaks before tumbling to the grey ocean. This land of Euleria is vast as it is strange and is the land which many peoples call home.'

I'm just suggesting a way of pulling readers in, you may see a better option. The prologue is definately a good proposition for more to come.

Nicely done.

[Kate]

Brilliant. The details and imagery were breathtaking and eloquent. Well structured. Overall it was exquisite genius. Bravo.

The image is amazing as well.