Year end Letter 2015

So, 2015 started out with bags of promise and hope and ended less than spectacularly. The reality is, the goals and ambitions I had for myself didn't come to fruition. I didn't get my book published, my grandmother died in March, another family friend died in October, I had about six job rejections and my current job is still stressful, I had lots of tonsillitis, I got stuck in an elevator on my birthday then John and I broke up the following week. Then the last four months of the year were exhausting after the break up, having to move and find a new flat mate, two more bouts of tonsillitis and then recovering from the subsequent tonsillectomy and post operative infection.

Thankfully a friend reminded me that achievements aren't the only good thing in my life (and the pay off sometimes takes ages). And, while I didn't get the things I wanted I still did lots of incredible fun things that I'm quite proud of. So, now that I've got the bad things out of the way, here is my quick and dirty end of year recap of what was good.

Things I did this year:

1. I did an awesome job in January looking after John when he hurt his back even though I was terrified.
2. I delivered lectures at Napier University.
3. Finally finished my website harrydozier.com 
4. I went to my first ComicCon in Newcastle with my mate Steve. It was epic!
5. I successfully threw TWO back-to-back surprise parties for a friend.
6. I went to my first silent disco and had an epic 'club kid' costume
7. I sang in the 25th Anniversary concert of Showcase on stage at King's Theatre for the first time (even though I had tonsillitis. BOOM!)
8. I got TWO solos in the Showcase fall concert and survived my worst nightmare of singing in front of the curtain with no back up!
9. I moved into a bigger flat.
10. I got taken to Harry Potter Studios in London for my birthday.
11. I rode lots of rollercoasters at Drayton Manor. 
12. I went to Birmingham for the first time.
13. I was elected to be on the board of the charity, Equality Network.
14. I presented an award at Scotland's first LGBTI Awards and gave Karen Dunbar an inhaler.
15. I met Lorraine Kelly and Nicola Sturgeon!
16. I started an LGBT Network at work and helped start the disability network.
17. I wrote TWO novels this year.
18. I fully illustrated one of those novels.
19. One of the novels was written in under 30 days for write a novel month. And it's quite possibly my new favourite.
20. I started learning German.
21. I got to attend my mate Lindsay's wedding.
22. I bound some books.
23. I discovered that the highland coo is my spirit animal.
24. I started working part-time at Barony Bar and I love it.
25. I'm tutoring part-time and my student is really talented and it's super rewarding.
26. I had the sweetest Halloween costume when I dressed up as Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy.
27. My favourite comic book character, Iceman, came out (I made that happen with my mind)
28. I got my tonsils out and recovered from it like a BOSS!
29. I learned to make lots of things with eggs and cooked lots of amazing food.
30. I learned to make eggnog and made it at least three times over the holidays.
31. I have lots of amazing loving friends who looked out for me when I was really down.
32. I had a really great Christmas.
33. I drunkenly bought a waffle maker.

So, 2015 wasn't everything I expected or wanted. But, it many ways it was better than I could have hoped for.

What do I want for 2016? I guess more of the same. Here's to an equally amazing 2016.

Harry


Hope you enjoy!
‽




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Write a Novel in a Month

Cover by David Dalzell

I'd heard of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) years and years ago and always thought it sounded like a fun and challenging thing to do. But, I never thought I had the stones to do it. Now, with my second novel under my belt, I thought it was high time to give it a bash.

From writing two novels before I'd learned a lot about my own process and pitfalls. I'm very much a visual as well as textual person. Writing and drawing go hand in hand. However, the worst thing for me is editing and self-doubt. I write a chapter. I reread it, go back, read what I've written before, try to make sure the continuity all matches up, then go forward. This can take months and months of to-ing and fro-ing.

Nanowrimo was a chance to see if I could circumvent some of the fear and just get words and story on a page. Well, I'm pleased to say I did it! And with time to spare! The goal was to write at least 50,000 words in 30 days. I smashed the target by getting my 50k on day 23. And now, on day 30, the story is complete with 58,799!

lots of notes

The process was fun. I did a lot of plotting and reading and got to delve into one of my favourite subjects: mythology. But this time I was exploring Celtic and Brittonic mythology, something I didn't know much about.

I started out reading Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Brittaniae, one of the first compilations of the legendary history of King Arthur and his conquests. One of the most interesting things I found was that it was not nearly as grandiose as I'd expected. It was all set out like a sober documentation of history and kings begatting so-and-so and so-and-so assassinating the other one. Even magic is imply described as the 'mechanics' of Merlin.

The more fantastical works come in the Vita Merlini where we get more of Merlin's history post Arthur. (Did you know? Merlin was believed to have lived in Scotland in the original Welsh legends).  But still, it was mostly history. So, to really get my bearings in the wider world of myths I began reading more Celtic myths from across the UK. There are a wealth of Celtic myths and tales to draw from and the first Age of Albion book wouldn't be enough to fit in all of them. But, it provided me with a fun cast of creatures to run in and out of the main characters' (Ana and Ash's) world as they go on their journey.

Anyway, the process of writing has been great. And today being the last day I really only had two words to add to the story to make it complete: The End. It was a strange feeling. After starting out with just a blank page and a handful of notes I'd spent so much time concentrating on getting to the finish line that as it approached I began to slow down.

The main characters - Ash and Ana

A hairy trow

A hairy trow

Having something to focus on so intently for so long I knew that when it was done it was going to leave a hole. Yes, I have stuff to prepare for Christmas and even today I'm writing this blog post to get my fix (I wonder how many words this is). But, I'm still a bit sad to say goodbye to the rigour of writing a novel in a month. I was surprised how balanced and conscious it made me of the rest of the life. In order to not get discouraged or become a shut-in I had to schedule dinner with friends, times to go to the cinema and gym and see people. I had to become as disciplined with my social life so that I could in fact still have a life.

However, now I have the other half of my writing process to do: the drawing! I've been sketching and doodling all along the way but haven't spent nearly as much time as I normally would with pencil and paper. So now all of the people I've brought to life in words I can now have a play with visually which I'm really excited about.

The Lady of the Loch

A Scottish fairy or sìdh

It was so much fun exploring the Celtic and Brittonic myths and mixing them in a new way. My favourite part has been setting the story in Scotland. The country is rich with mythology and folklore so it only made sense that a new King Arthur story for the modern day would take place in a new land. It meant that I could make the characters in this King Arthur's tale my own. And, as I said above, Scotland was fabled to be Merlin's stomping ground anyway, so it's not too far a stretch.

I've learned a lot about my process and, more importantly, what I'm capable of when I put my mind to it. It also gives me no excuse for not having finished editing book two of the Emersus Project :-/. But, I also had a great experience collaborating with a friend who designed the cover for me. It was scary to see what he'd come up with. Taking my baby and handing it over to someone else to see what they make of it was terrifying. But, it worked out better than I expected. In fact it was what was in my head but I never would have been able to execute it as well because I was too close to the project. It gives me hope for eventually putting my work out there for my eventual publisher that they will help take it to another unexpectedly better level.

I've enjoyed my National Write a Novel Month. I'll definitely do it again. And, I think this is just the beginning of another story for me.

Hope you enjoy!
‽


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What a difference a smile makes

A long overdue blog posting.

I've been working non-stop on finishing the edits for Emersus Project Book 2 and this month I've been participating in National Write a Novel Month. As I've only got 3500 words left and 8 days to do it in some space in my brain pan has opened. So I started work on my 2015 Holiday Card.

This year I wanted to go for something serene and simple. I realised that since 2007 The Mighty Orange Peel (Gemmy) hasn't had a card all his own. And, there's something nice about that. Every year I think about what I want most for my holiday and to know that having friends and loved ones around me has been part of that wish is pretty awesome. No man is an island.

However, this year, there's something encouraging for me to think I can do this on my own. Friends and loved ones are all still there. But, I'm focussing on me. Also, the other thing I want this year for Christmas is a nice pair of warm socks. So, you get TMOP in a giant sock.

So, as always I do different versions of the drawing for the card just to test out how it feels. I wanted to portray that happy serenity through TMOP's expression. So I produced two versions. One with a big open grin and then an alternate version with a sly peaceful grin.

Well, what looked like a sly grin in sketches in the final wash looked more like an indifferent smirk. I have to say, when I did the final editing in photoshop I couldn't stop laughing at how cynical it looked. So, I produced my alternative holiday card for 2015.

Ugh... why bother?

Ah, it still cracks me up looking at it.

Well, rest assured that this is not the final product. There will be appropriate levels of holiday cheer and merriment applied to the final product. But for all of you bah-humbugs out there I hope this will suffice.

On a separate note, the difficulty with writing a novel at the same time is the characters from that series were trying to creep in. I genuinely considered having them share the spotlight with TMOP this year. Maybe next year Ash and Ana.

Hope you enjoy!
‽



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The lizard people

Gechans, the lizard people of Arbea, get more of a showing in book two along with the Rhe'zans. So, I've had to spend a bit more time with them in my head and in my sketch pad. In early drawings of Gechans they look a bit froggy. But, I've gone for a more distinctly salamander-like sleekness (even though they're physically more reptilian). I've also tried to make them less anthropomorphic (wiry arms, longer tail, no opposable thumbs) to really drive home their reptilian nature.

Where do you stay?
Gechans are most similar to reptiles (In Arbea their species type is known as arquatic). They live in swampy, humid areas. They breath air but live in water as it helps them regulate their body temperature. So, when they are on land for extended trips, they wear water 'collars' to help keep them cool.

They are very communal and live in large broods of up to 30 Gechans in a single nest. Each nest is a large dome-like structure under water that is accessed via a water pool at its centre. Reproductive females live in groups of five or six with their children. Their young (or tadpoles) spend the first 10 years of life never leaving the nest and the first 30 years with their brood. Adult males and post-reproductive females live separately in their own groups usually as collectives for their chosen profession. Gechans have a longer life span than humans, the oldest recorded Gechan being 223 years.

Male vs Female
Males have a cranial plate which covers an air sack that they can inflate during courtship displays.
Females have blunter snouts and a segmented lower jaw.

Beauty is skin deep
Gechans' skin colour comes in varying shades of blues and greens with lighter coloured stripes or spots. Their colour largely depends on the environment they hail from. However, all Gechans have the ability to camouflage with their environment.

Their hands and feet are zygodactyly like chameleons (two toes facing forward and two facing back) which make them expert climbers even though they live in water. This evolutionary trait, along with their camouflage are their main natural defence.

Getting busy
Gechans reproduce sexually. Females lay their soft-shelled eggs in water hatcheries in their nests. In the event of threat or no suitable hatchery females can hold the eggs in her throat sack to keep them warm and moist. The female's lower jaw can separate and split apart allowing them to scoop up the eggs without damaging them. A female can only reproduce (at most) twice in her lifetime and lays two to three eggs each time. As females are more common than males, a male can have multiple broods and helps maintain each nest.

Hope you enjoy!
‽




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The eye of the tiger

Ladies, try not to faint. Here comes Daryn in full-colour:

This hunky sea-side lothario swims into Sem and Gemmy's life in book two, Spirit Shear, and causes all kinds of commotion. Mostly, he divides Gemmy and Sem on whether or not he can be trusted.

I think even Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston would agree this guy's sun-bleached locks and golden eyes would give even Brad Pitt and Edward Cullen a run for their money. He's what you'd get if Josh Holloway, Chris Hemsworth and Gabriel Aubrey had a baby with a sabertooth-tiger. Fact!

Is he good our bad? I don't know. But, I think if you look into his eyes you'll be able to decide for yourself.

Hope you enjoy!
‽




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Dino might

So, how does one get around on the island of Rheza? Well, get yourself one of these:

Maza - the dinosaur bird

Better than a Ford raptor, the mazatotl (or maza for short) are the transport of choice for the Rhe'zans.

The word mazatotl literally means 'stag bird', but the maza are more like a utahraptor vs an emu vs a bald eagle than an actual stag. They're very aggressive birds and are hard to tame. The Rhe'zans believe that it's only through mutual respect that one is allowed to ride a maza. As all birds of prey are regarded highly in Rhe'zan society so the maza is the pinnacle of that respect. It's a fierce hunter, a fast and true steed and pretty deadly.

The resemblance is uncanny

Maza mowhawk

I've been sketching the maza a lot. I wanted it to look fierce but also plausible. I went through phases where it looked a bit like a peacock and a griffin Some of my initial drawings were a bit too fluffy with downy tail feathers and 70s Storm from Xmen mowhawks.

Ultimately what helped settle it was the description in the book that says the maza looks just as much lizard as it does bird. So, I stopped looking at pictures of eagles and buzzards and started looking at my favourite creatures: DINOSAURS.

some early sketches

Despite what Jurassic Park tells you, the velociraptor was actually a puny little pack-hunting punk that was indeed vicious but nowhere near as big as what you see on the screen. The steed-sized bipedal dinosaur that actually did exist was the Utahraptor. I drew (hehe get it) a lot of inspiration from this feathered predator but kept the facial features of a more modern bird of prey. I also kept the equally deadly emu feet. I thought about using ostrich feet but they are too gross. Seriously, they look like when pigeons get those clubbed feet from stepping in tangled thread or gum.

So, after ditching the peacock like feathers and head and tail plumes the maza came together as a pretty deadly and kick-ass addition the world of Arbea. Next animal to come out of my creature shop will be the gorek which also appears when Gemmy and Sem arrive on Rheza.


Hope you enjoy!
‽



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Final drawings

Well folks, here it is: The first completed drawing for Spirit Shear

The guys away on summer holiday

Come explore Garz Isle

Sem gets a makeover

It's not just the first drawing I've completed but the first illustration in the book! This time Gemmy and Sem are on adventure away from home. To get there they'll have to travel the length of the country. And, while Gemmy practices using his powers electromagnetically levitating a penny Sem sleeps with her face pressed against the window.

The other two are scenes from the book. They're all in varying states of completion. But, much like the writing, I'm drafting them and getting them to a fit state then moving on to the next. I'll then go back and edit and improve to bring them more to life if I can.

It's going to be a long trip and an even longer summer for me doing drawings and editing the book. Let's hope I don't look as exhausted as Sem by the end of it!

Hope you enjoy!
‽



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Outlined in ink

Being a comic book kid I love the look of a nice crisp pen ink drawing and I've finally found the drawing pen for me!

Every artist has a favourite brand of pen/pencil that just 'gets them'.

I'm a Staedtler HB pencil man. Always have been. Always will be. But recently, as I've been doing more refined ink drawings with the light box, I've not quite found drawing ink pen or marker that has the kind of control and creates the type of line I like.

Enter the Mitusbishi Pencil Co Uni pin marker.

Sem ready for a fight

Sem's hair a tangle
of tresses!

It comes in 0.05mm, 0.1mm, 0.2mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm and 0.8mm and draws like heaven. It goes on smoothly but has grip (unlike a regular marker). It dries quickly and crisply and you can even erase pencil under it without incurring the wrathful smudging! According to the site it's water and fade proof but I have yet to test the validity of that.

As far as I'm concerned these are the pens for me and I've already gone ahead and bought a stock of them! After some experimenting I've found .2mm works well for drawing and using .05 and .1 for detail. The .05 has been particularly handy when drawing the details and fine lines in hair to really give it the depth and body I want. But, I love all the widths. 

Mercy and Gemmy saying "see ya' later"

I've begun using it to do figure studies for the final illustrations. I can't wait to break out the light box and really get stuck in to making some of the final illustrations. For this book I've planned 12 and, unlike Book 1, they'll be action shots of the characters in scenes from the book, not just portraits. 



Enjoy!
‽



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Don't be hard. Be Izi

One of the fun parts of writing is creating characters that draw a strong parallel to the real world.

I wrote a character, Jenni, into the story ages ago and it wasn't until the edit that I realised I'd practically described my mate Katie. The spooky part is I only met Katie after I'd drafted the chapters! Maybe I'm psychic. Or maybe I was just in need of a crazy cool chica in my life. No one will ever know.

Either way, as I was redrafting I realised the name 'Jenni' didn't fit. She needed an equally cool name to match her personality. I also think that if the character had been named something like Jenni she would have changed it. So, I asked Katie, as Izi's proxy in the real world, to give her a new name and the name Izi was born. :)

  

In the book Izi is described as:
"The only one who Gemmy found at all interesting was Izi, a girl from Arbon. She had streaks of purple through her jet black hair which she also wore in a ponytail. But hers was slicked back (instead of frizzy) with just a curl at the end. It all accentuated her spiky purple glasses that matched her hair perfectly.

But what really caught Gemmy’s attention was the large floral faeli tattoo she had on her left shoulder. She was the only teenager he’d ever met with one. The other girls already followed Izi's lead and even Sem seemed in awe of her. Gemmy didn’t quite understand why but he felt drawn to her as well." 

I love creating new tattoo designs and I previously posted about Izi when I was drawing the details of her faeli tattoo. Characters like Izi are so much fun to work with because they help add colour and depth to the world you're creating, kind of like Katie.

Hope you enjoyed your first look at Izi.

Enjoy!
‽


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Death bird

The first round of edits on Draft 1 are done... and so begins the drawing storm.

Round 1: Mhetli

Sem and Gemmy got their Rhe'zan cloaks and now it's Mhetli's turn.

I wanted Mhetli to look like a giant bird of prey. On Rheza birds are revered as hunters and the island even boasts several species of carnivorous raptors. So, it seemed fitting that our verdant vindicator would be decked out bird style.

In the book his cloak is described as: "dark green and had maza feathers on the shoulders and bottom for ‘swift and silent travel’. It made him look like a very deadly bird, Gemmy thought."

Deadly indeed with his two large Rhe'zan swords.

A colleague asked how I come up with the designs for costumes. Well, there's lots and lots of sketching. I mostly doodle on scrap paper when an idea comes to me. For things like this I like the details to be meaningful so spend a lot of time 'inside' a drawing before properly drawing it out.

Thought process:
With the cloak I knew that I wanted it to be split at the back so it could look like wings. Functionally, since it's a warriors cloak, it also couldn't be too long in the front so that helped dictate the shape.

Next, I wanted to get the back right. Similar to Sem's cloak I wanted it to be representative of an animal and have a face. When sketching it though it looked a bit too much like a bug so I need to add some elements to the tails to make it look more like wings. I tried stripes which worked best, however, I went with the zig-zags to represent feathers as it was more in keeping with the Aztec motifs of the others' cloaks.

Finally, it looked a bit bare on the back so I added the triangular symbol which is actually a Rhe'zan glyph for strength and unity. It is the symbol of one of the Rhe'zan gods Ce’ahuli. It is given to all guards, warriors, and protectors on Rheza. Incidentally, it is related to the glyph of the Emersus Project. 

So, that's how Mhetli got his Book 2 gear.

What do you think?

Enjoy!
‽

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Spirit Shear coming soon

The blog title says it all.

Sketch of the cover

Edits on the book are coming along nicely but I definitely need to step up my game with the illustrations! As in, none of them are done yet! And I still haven't plotted out what they'll be! With 30 chapters so far I think I'll need at least 15 plates PLUS a new map! And these illustrations are going to be more scenic than the last time so I've got my work cut out for me.

I love the draft of the cover though. It's got me buzzing. It's very James Bond-y. It started out just as a sketch on the side of my draft copy. It gives a nod to the cloak that Gemmy gets when he's on Rheza. The knockout figure is the rune for mysticism (which literally translates to Spirit Shear... hence the title of the book).

Cover Book 1

I think the figure matches well with the cover from the first book. It shows a kind of evolution of Gemmy. The figure on the cover of Book 1 (right)  is very uncertain and is caught off guard by the lighting strike over head. He's off to the side, the lighting bolt literally chasing him away from centre stage. However, Book 2's figure is centred, poised, powerful and ready for battle. He literally has the power of electricity in his hands. He's still holding back, waiting on the defensive instead of striking out. Not totally a man of action yet, he's slowly coming into his own as a warrior?

Having a visual for the cover has given me a boost and I've had some great feedback about the first book that's really ignited my imagination again. I'm hoping to take some of that and put it into the second book (and then... a second edition Black Star with a whole new cover?).

My next post will likely becoming from my new workshop! Moving house and there will be an office/workspace where I can create. Whoop whoop!

Enjoy!
‽


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Flower power

One of my favourite parts of re-drafting is the chance to explore/expand sections of the book, its characters and scenery more fully. One such place was the development of one minor characters to make a particular section more believable and engaging. Enter Izi!

She has a small role to play but one of her most striking features (besides the purple hair) is her faeli tattoo. It is a faeli floral design. The flower pattern is a common motif in faeli art because it is believed that the faeli are spirits of nature and the particular design (below) is representative of the core of their beliefs.

The flower combines elements of the faeli age of mythology and iconography. The seven large orbs represent the seven chief elements. The flower itself is an amalgamation of the seven elements' symbols.

7 Elements of Arbean mythology

Which symbols stand for which element? I haven't thought that far ahead yet!!

The actual flower then pays homage to the individual elements by highlighting 7 larger orbs within the pattern (left).

The imagery of the faeli art is inspired by both Pictish (Scotland) and Mehndi (Indian henna) art. I find the detailed simplicity of both art styles to be enchanting (the Pictish stones in Scotland are some of my favourite ancient artefacts). I like the glyphic style which I've adopted for many of my own tattoos anyway. And the world of Arbea is already rich with ancient hieroglyphics? (See more about Arbean glyphs)

I can't wait to spend more time with faeli art as it will be an integral part of the series to come. Already it's been fun crafting this one image and discovering its possibilities. I think the plain outline version of the flower would make a great floral wallpaper. Or maybe a new tattoo for myself!

So, look out for Izi in book two. There will be some character designs for her coming through soon. And thanks Katie Chalmers for the great name idea! I hope you like her.

Enjoy!
‽

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Cloak and dagger

In Book 2, Spirit Shear, Gemmy and Sem are taken away to Rheza. While there they are given a few native artefacts including authentic Rhe'zan mystic cloaks. 

Gemmy is given an alchemist's cloak. It's green to represent nature with white drop-like motif representing the leaves of alms trees and life. The leaves of the alms trees never shed. They grow down like willow leaves and only die when they touch the ground. Legend has it that there is a single alms leaf for every Rhe'zan.

He is given a protector's spear. It is used in medicinal practices. But, even as a protector and a healer the staff is topped with a spear because sometimes protection requires offensive action.

Sem's cloak has a warrior's motif. It is has the face of a gorek on it. A gorek is a large six-armed gorilla type beast. It stands about three metres tall on it's hind legs. It is considered the 'king of the jungle' on Rheza and lives primarily on the mountain slopes of the demon's spine mountain range. Sem's spear is a warrior's spear. It is topped with a strong three point spear and there is a spiked mace on the bottom as well.

The style of the Rhe'zan cloaks are based on Aztec patterns and art. I think it's a great style to give to the Rhe'zan culture. It feels old and tribal but still vibrant and colourful. Here are some images that I drew inspiration from.

 

Enjoy!
‽




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Sem's feelings

I've been busy writing away and am powering through the first draft. The actions really heated up in book two so I've not been drawing as much. But, as a treat, here's a very very short excerpt from Chapter 22 - Rupture:

--

Sem walked over to Gemmy and sat down beside him. He put his arm around her. He knew she would never cry, not in front of anyone else. Her stony face was there to hold her emotions in. Sadly, though, he could feel the electrical impulses of her mind and the energy of her heart racing and breaking.

--

Don't worry - our girl gets her own in the end. Here's a picture of her looking happier

Enjoy!
‽




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Write a novel month- Anasia

In November I'm planning on participating in National Write a Novel Month (I can't grow a moustache. Sorry Movember).

I'm going to start a new series that's been rattling around in my brain ever since my mate Mark Gray gave me the idea. I won't give too much away but the story will centre around Anasia (or Ana for short):

I wanted to create a heroine who my nieces could be for Halloween without having to be the 'black version' of a character. Ana is a smart, determined, beautiful girl. She was named Anansia for the eight-pronged star birthmark on her face that looks like the symbol of Anasi. She was born outside the town of Sindou in Burkina Faso.

There's loads more to learn about Anasia and her adventures. Watch this space.

Enjoy!
‽


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The emancipation of Rheza

Female slave and Rhezan mange

In Book 2, Spirit Shear, we learn a lot more about Rhe'zan society. It's very different to humanek society.

On Rheza a family of Rhe'zans are called a 'cult'. This is because they may not all be related, but they live and work together as one. For example, if a family has too many children they sell one of them to another family and the child becomes part of that 'cult'.

A cult is headed by a dominant male or fader. He usually has one wife, his ce (pronounce che), but can have multiple females who serve different functions in the family. The ce produces heirs for the dominant male and other females are allowed to produce one or two children or kits. The only other males allowed in a cult are sons of the ce. Other males may be sold off or traded between cults for labour or sold to the state for military purposes. This is considered an honour to produce men for fighting. If a cult has too many females some are sterilised and look after the kits or work. They are called the mange of the cult and are essentially the cult's property. Their tails are bobbed to show their status. If a dominant male is convicted of a crime he and his sons are killed and all of his females have one ear and all of their tails cut off and are sold as slaves. These slaves have no name and are referred to as mek.

Slavery on Rhe'za
On Rheza slavery and the trading of people  is legal. They can trade both Rhe'zans and humaneks as slaves however the majority of slaves on Rheza are humanek. Humaneks are considered 'beasts of the earth' meant to toil and Rhe'zans are considered 'people of the sun' - the sun being their principle deity.

There are only two names for humanek female slaves or ome (pronounced Oh-may): Vesh and Brook.
A Brook is the most valuable slave because they are allowed to breed. If a Vesh gets pregnant, the father is killed and once the baby is born Vesh is killed as well. Before female slaves come of age they do not have names. Also, not all Rhe'zans are allowed to own a Brook. Only once they apply to have two females can one then become Brook. Female slaves often live in the house away from the men and have house duties like assisting the lady of the house.

A cult can own up to 10 males or mahtlac. Their names can be: Sheck, Bell, Mahn, Coz and Dar. Each Male is allowed a companion/apprentice male to teach his specific craft. These companions have the suffix 'ra' after their name. Any punishment they incur is dealt to their better.

All males work in whatever labours their owners deem fit. Their specific crafts beside that are:
Sheck - studs and the only ones allowed to mate with a Brook.
Bell and Mahn - tool handlers and craftsman
Ryn - cook, medic and general domestic
Dar - usually a prepubescent male, the only humanek male allowed inside a Rhe'zan home.

Males can be 'renamed' depending on the structure of the family they serve and can also have two roles. You can have a Sheck-bell or a Dar-ryn. Though typically Ryn and Dar tend to be among the less stocky sort so tend not to be Sheck as well. If there is no Brook there is no Sheck. If there are not enough men for there to be a Ryn or Dar, the humanek women take on those roles in addition to their house duties.

So, now we know a little bit about Rhe'zan society. I don't know about you, but I'm in no rush to visit!

Enjoy!
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A growing world

The physical world of Arbea is growing as Gemmy and co. continue to careen through new and more dangerous places.

I had a fiddle at adding on a topographic map of Rheza and the disputed territories. The professional bit of the map (Arbea Major) was done by my amazing cartographer mate from Stirling Surveys. Hopefully he won't mind my amateur attempts at cartography sitting alongside his. He'll have his work cut out for him adding in the bodies of water and other mountainous features from Book 2!! Can't wait to see what he'll do with it once he gets his hands on it!

Check out more on the Maps of Arbea!

Rheza and Arbea Major

Enjoy!
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Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook