Lorth of Ostarin

Lorth of Ostarin

“Lorth of Ostarin serves himself first, the Otherworld second, and the rest of us last.” – From The Riven God

A driving force throughout the Chronicles of Ealiron, Lorth of Ostarin is a complex character with a bent towards bringing things to their darkest ends. Lorth was born to a mysterious warrior he never knew and a peasant woman who died when Lorth was a small boy. He is raised by a wizard who trains him in the arts of magic, against the tenets of his order. When he reaches manhood, Lorth leaves his mentor and seeks his fortune as an assassin, a trade to which he is well suited and well paid, as he uses his arcane skills to hunt. Tall and lean with the pale skin of a Northman, Lorth’s most distinguishing characteristics are his eyes, which are green-gold and penetrating, like those of a wolf; and a five-rayed scar on his neck left by a near-fatal spider bite.

While ambivalent in his loyalties to humans, Lorth likes animals, finding them to be true guides and companions in the wilds of his dark business. It is not unusual to find Lorth in the company of ravens, clever, opportunistic creatures that form bonds with predators. Like a wolf, Lorth tends to leave death in his wake. And the spider, after nearly killing him, gifted him with a deep-rooted sensitivity to trouble.

Lawless and disinclined to abide rules or protocols, Lorth serves only the laws of nature and the Old One, a goddess of life, death, and transformation. By that, he loves his homeland, respects women and has an intuitive connection to the balance in all things, a skill to which wizards refer as a “web,” a rare ability to see the Old One’s hand in mortal affairs. This seeming paradox between the ordered light of a mage and the primeval darkness of a hunter drives Lorth to extraordinary—albeit dreadful—acts of violence, power and beauty.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

The Hunter's Rede CoverLorth’s adventures begin in The Hunter’s Rede, Book One in the Chronicles of Ealiron, a swords-and-sorcery tale of transformation by the forces of war, betrayal, wizardry and love.

Lorth of Ostarin is an assassin trained by a wizard unknown to his kind. He is paid very well to employ both the primeval darkness of a hunter and the ordered light of a mage, an uneasy combination he does not question until he returns home after a long assignment and trips into a turbid river of war, politics and the violation of all he holds dear. Lawless and adept, he picks no sides and takes no prisoners. When his wolfish ways get him imprisoned for crimes he did not commit, he discovers the deeper source of his ability and falls in love with a priestess who frees him to his fate. But the rift in his heart widens under the forces of love, loyalty and the occupation of his realm by a warlord who honors neither hunters nor wizards. To reclaim his homeland, Lorth must bow his head to death itself, a sacrifice that will transform him into the most powerful hunter the land has ever known.

© F.T. McKinstry 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Outpost: Terms and Places

outpost glossary

Welcome to the Glossary for Outpost, Book One in The Fylking. Here you’ll find names, places, creatures and terms, including illustrations and references to relevant entries and posts.

Place names can be found on the following map. Click to zoom.

Realm of Dyrregin

Realm of Dyrregin (click to zoom)

The glossary (text only) and map are also included in the book.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

Aegir Sea: A large sea south of the Njorth Sea beyond the borders of Skolvarin and Fjorgin.

Ageton: A captain in the King’s Rangers. Commands the North Branch.

Angvald: King of Dyrregin, House of Merhafr.

Annalis: A Warden of Dyrregin from Olsc Amathin. See also Wardens’ Order.

Anselm: Eldest son of Damjan, the Master of House Jarnstrom. See also Jarnstrom Forge.

Aoneg (ah NEG): A vast, forested realm five hundred leagues west of Skolvarin over the Aegir Sea.

Apex: A term used by the Fylking for Tower Sif, which stands on the northernmost point of the Gate in the Vale of Ason Tae. Here the world of Math merges with an array of other worlds on which the Fylking conduct their business. The first line of defense again their enemies, it is guarded accordingly. See also Ason Tae, Fylking, Gate, Sif.

Arcmael

Arcmael

Arcmael: A Warden of Dyrregin. Son and heir of Lord Detlef Halstaeg. See also Detlef Halstaeg, Wardens’ Order. See post The Wardens’ Order.

Arrival of the Fylking: A historical account, often told as a myth, of the arrival of the Fylking to the world of Math roughly nine thousand years ago. The term is also used to indicate a reference date. See also Fylking, Return of the Fylking. See post The Wardens’ Order.

Arvakr: A horse belonging to Captain Ageton of the North Branch of the King’s Rangers.

Ason Tae: A vale located on the northern border of Dyrregin, cradled by mountain ranges and forests. Being far north, somewhat isolated and home to Tower Sif, the Apex of the Gate, Ason Tae is thought by outlanders to be wild, uncanny and dangerous. See also Apex, Gate, Sif. See Map of Dyrregin.

The Vale of Ason Tae

The Vale of Ason Tae

Banishing Sigil: A spell used by wardens to banish the Fylking. Involves moving the hand in a specific pattern. Created by the Fylking and taught to wardens to honor and acknowledge their free will, the sigil prompts the Fylking to leave a warden’s presence until he or she decides otherwise. Upon the foundation of the Wardens’ Order, the Fylking vowed never to violate this agreement. See also Exile Sigil, Fylking, Wardens’ Order.

Bear’s End: A large, rambling inn on the North Mountain Road, in Wyrvith Forest, surrounded by mossy, overgrown ruins, crumbling walls and dangerous underground passages. Originally built as a keep by a Catskoll warlord called the Bear, it was never finished, and the destruction of the Catskoll army is shrouded in mystery. See also Catskoll, North Mountain Road, Wyrvith Forest.

BlackthornBlackthorn Guild: An order of witches and warlocks created by King Magnfred, the first ruler to claim Dyrregin’s throne after the Gate War. Traditional dress is shades of brown and green stitched with branches. See also Gate War.

Blanch River: A river in Austr just south of the Ogjan Mountains.

Bren: A King’s Ranger of the North Branch. Sensitive to the Otherworld. Best friend of Othin of Cae Forres.

Bythe: A goatherd who lives outside of Odr, in sight of Tower Sif in the Vale of Ason Tae. See also Ason Tae, Odr, Sif.

Cathouse: A brothel. In Dyrregin, it’s traditional for cathouses to keep actual cats as pets. See also Night Guild.

Catskoll: A realm south of Skolvarin over the Aegir Sea.

Ceirn River: A river flowing from Lake Ceirn into the Njorth Sea, south of Grayfen.

Coldevin: Lord and Master of Arms for the Dyrregin Guard. Reports to King Angvald. See also Dyrregin Guard.

Hooded Crow

Hooded Crow

Crow Warrior: A mysterious Otherworld being that appears as a warrior riding a gray horse, dressed in gray and black and wearing the face of a bird with a long, black beak. Often shapeshifts into a hooded crow. See post The Trickster.

Damjan: An acclaimed swordsmith and the Master of Jarnstrom, a famous smithy in Odr. See also Jarnstrom Forge, Odr.

Detlef Halstaeg: Lord and High Constable of the King’s Rangers. Cousin of the late King Farcas. Reports to Lord Coldevin. Father of Arcmael, a Warden of Dyrregin. See also King’s Rangers.

Diderik: a captain in the Dyrregin Guard.

Dog: A mutt rescued from a cruel owner by Arcmael, a Warden of Dyrregin.

Dragon Warrior: An Otherworld rider clad in shining black scaled armor and a helmet shaped like a dragon’s head. Able to summon wind and storms.

Draugr

Draugr

Draugr (DROG err): A malevolent being created by Fylking sorcery for the purpose of striking anguish and terror into one’s foes. The spirit of a mortally wounded warrior is trapped between the worlds in order to control it. Partly in the mortal dimension and partly beyond, the draugr are unnaturally strong, able to shapeshift into mist or fog, and cannot be killed. This magic is forbidden, a violation of Elivag. Colloquially referred to as “ghouls.” See also Elivag, Fylking. See post A Zombie by Any Other Name.

Dyrregin (deer EGG in): In Fylking, “gateway of the gods.” A war-torn realm on the world of Math that contains and is defined by the Gate, an interdimensional portal built nine thousand years ago by the Fylking. Bordered to the west by the Njorth Sea; to the north by Isil; to the east by Maan Ket; and to the south by Skolvarin. See also Fylking, Gate. See posts The Fylking and The Realm of Dyrregin. See Map of Dyrregin.

Dyrregin Guard: The army that defends the realm of Dyrregin. Commanded by Lord Coldevin.

Earticael: A royal house and the ruling seat of the realm of Fjorgin. Located roughly fifty leagues west of Tower Sie. See also Sie War.

Edon: A captain in the Dyrregin Guard. Commands the North Companies. See also North Companies.

Edros: A Warden of Dyrregin. Mysteriously vanishes near Tower Sor and is never found. See also Gatetower, Sor.

Elivag (ELL if aug): The eternal rhythm of the universe, the ebb and flow of life force in all things.

Elivag

Exile Sigil: An invocation that breaks the cords between a warden and the Fylking, rendering the warden invisible to them. Ruled by Elivag, it cannot be broken or undone. Rarely used and never to be considered except in dire circumstances. See also Banishing Sigil, Wardens’ Order.

Faersc Conservatory: A great hall nestled high in the Thorgrim Mountains, where wardens are trained and initiated into the Fylkings’ service. Run by Skadi, the Mistress of Faersc, and protected by the Fylking. See also Fylking, Wardens’ Order.

Fagel: The constable of Odr. See also Odr.

Farcas: A King of Dyrregin who preceded King Angvald. Cousin of Lord Detlef Halstaeg. Died by choking on the bones of a game bird. See also Detlef Halstaeg.

Fell: A town located on the west coast of Dyrregin, in southern Austr. Steep, built on cliffs and easily defended from invasion. Once owned by shipwrights.

Fenrir Brotherhood: An ancient order of sorcerers who serve Loki, one of the Old Gods. Founded in Fjorgin. Symbol is a black wolf surrounded by leaves, moons and thorns. See also Fjorgin, Leofwine, Old Gods.

Fjorgin: A realm west of Dyrregin, separated by the Njorth Sea. Ruling seat is Earticael. See also Sie War.

Fomor Mountains: A mountain range that borders Isil in the far north and overlooks the Wythe Strait.

Fylking (FELL king): A race of immortal warriors that came to the world of Math through a rare alignment and built a portal called the Gate in order to pass between dimensions at will. The Fylking are invisible to mortals except those who possess second sight, but can contact humans in visions, dreams or a sense of unreality. Fickle, powerful, adept shapeshifters, they are often feared and misunderstood by both humans and beings of the Otherworld, who revere them as gods. The Fylking fall into two orders: the High Fylking, warlords who occupy and protect the Gatetowers; and the Guardian Fylking, hired blades that protect wardens, the mortal seers who serve them. See also Gate, Gatetower, Guardian Fylking, High Fylking, Wardens’ Order. See post The Fylking.

The Fylking

Garmr: A Dyrregin Guard outpost in the Ogjan Mountains.

Gate: An interdimensional portal used by the Fylking to travel between the world of Math and other star systems. Pentagrammatic. Maintained by the Wardens’ Order and protected by the Fylking. See also Apex, Fylking, Gatetower, Wardens’ Order. See posts The Realm of Dyrregin, The Wardens’ Order.

Gate War: A war that occurred roughly twenty-five centuries ago when the Fylking’s enemy, the Niflsekt, came through the Gate. They trapped and killed the Fylking and instructed mortals to destroy the towers after the Niflsekt used them to leave. The war left Dyrregin in ruins for a thousand years, accursed, until the wardens’ descendants rebuilt the Gate. See also Gate, Niflsekt, Return of the Fylking, Wardens’ Order.

Gatekeepers: A term used by the Wardens of Dyrregin to refer to the High Fylking of Tower Sif, the grim, volatile Fylking warriors who initiate wardens into the order. See also High Fylking, Sif, Wardens’ Order.

Gatetower: One of ten stone towers that comprise the Gate. Each tower gathers light from the sun, moon and stars and focuses it into a complex crystal array, providing an energy source. Each tower stands on a point or intersection of the Gate pentacle. The outer towers (points) include Sif, Sin, Sae, Sef and Sie; and the inner towers (intersections) include Sor, Sol, Soc, Som and Sos. The gatetowers are manned by the High Fylking. See also Gate, High Fylking, Sie War, Wardens’ Order. See post The Wardens’ Order.

The Gate

The Gate

Genfawr: A captain in the King’s Rangers. Commands the West Branch.

Gottfrid: A male prostitute at the Pink Rose cathouse. Good with a sword.

Graebrok Forest: A large forest on the northern border of the Vale of Ason Tae. Surrounded by myths and dark tales. See also Ason Tae.

ravensGrayfen Aviary: One of many aviaries where the ravens that serve as messengers to the King’s Rangers are raised and trained. See also King’s Rangers.

Grayfen: A town located on the west coast of Dyrregin, in southern Austr. South of Fell and west of Lake Ceirn.

Guardian Fylking: Warriors who protect the Wardens of Dyrregin. In Fylking hierarchy, the Guardians are mercenaries. Each warden is accompanied by a small company of Guardians who choose him or her upon initiation, and appear in certain forms such as animals or elements so the warden will know them. Rarely, they appear in their natural forms as warriors. See also Fylking, High Fylking, Wardens’ Order.

Gunda: A spiteful, gossipy villager from Odr. See also Odr.

Haldor: A lieutenant in the Dyrregin Guard. Commands the North Companies stationed in Ason Tae. See also North Companies.

Halstaeg: A royal house in Merhafr. See also Arcmael, Detlef Halstaeg, Merhafr.

Heige: A King’s Ranger and friend of Othin of Cae Forres. An adept archer.

Hel: A goddess in the Fylking pantheon who rules the realms of the dead. Term is also used to refer to the underworld domain itself. See also Old Gods.

High Fylking: Elite warlords deployed to the gatetowers to protect the Gate from both human and nonhuman intervention. Always appear as fully armed warriors. Grim and generally intolerant of mortal concerns. See also Fylking, Gate, Guardian Fylking.

Ingvar: A captain in the Dyrregin Guard. Good at hand-to-hand combat.

Jarnstrom Forge: An old and renowned smithy on the North River in Odr. Known for swords and weaponry. Run by Master Damjan. See also Odr.

Kidge: The mistress of the Pink Rose cathouse. See also Pink Rose.

King’s Citadel: A large citadel in the center of Merhafr, the ruling seat of Dyrregin. Houses the king and royals of the realm.

King’s Rangers: An elite brotherhood of warriors who keep order in the wilds of Dyrregin. Employ a complex system of messaging through riders and ravens trained to scout patrol routes and recognize their rangers’ appearance. The rangers report directly to the king through five captains who command the areas within the arms of the Gate pentacle: North Branch, East Branch, Southeast Branch, Southwest Branch, and West Branch. Coat of arms is a sword and arrow crossed over a pale moon with an embossed interlocking pentacle spanning the diameter. Motto: “We keep the balance when the gods turn away.” See also Gate. See post Wildcards.

King's Rangers Coat of Arms

King’s Rangers Coat of Arms

Lake Ceirn: A large lake in southern Austr.

Larfen: a township south of Tower Sol, east of the Fasos Hills.

Leofwine: Seneschal of Lord Detlef Halstaeg. Fjorginan, House Earticael. Member of the Fenrir Brotherhood. See also Detlef Halstaeg, Fenrir Brotherhood.

Wolf WildcardLone Wolf: An inn located northeast of Vota near the border of Wyrvith Forest. See also Wyrvith Forest.

Lysalfheim Hall: A meeting hall in the King’s Citadel in Merhafr. Part of the Rangers’ Square used for meals, companionship, gatherings and official meetings. Named after a midwinter constellation which aligns with the upper three points of the Gate pentacle. See also King’s Citadel, King’s Rangers, Rangers’ Square.

Maan Ket: The realm bordering Dyrregin east of the Cyrilian Mountains. See Map of Dyrregin.

Magnfred: First King of Dyrregin to claim the throne after the Gate War. Started the Blackthorn Guild. See also Blackthorn Guild, Gate War.

Magreda: A prostitute at the Pink Rose cathouse. A friend of Othin of Cae Forres.

Melisande: A woman of Odr in the Vale of Ason Tae. Lives in Graebrok Forest near Tower Sif. Nicknamed Millie. A renowned knitter and lover of Othin of Cae Forres. Considered fey, touched by the gods. See also Ason Tae, Sif.

Merhafr: (mer HAHF er): Ruling seat of Dyrregin. A large port clustered around the King’s Citadel on the western coast of the realm, near Tower Sor. Includes an inner ring of walls and a second ring that forms a semicircle from the northern side of the harbor to the Taeson River that bounds the city to the south. See also Dyrregin, Sor.

Mermaid: A cathouse in Grayfen.

Mimir: A large, wooded swamp east of the Rue Hills, in Patanin. Treacherous and difficult to navigate.

Minos: A royal house in Earticael, the ruling seat of Fjorgin.

Moor’s Edge: An inn located in the wilds of Ylgr near the northwestern coast of Dyrregin on the Wythe Strait.

Nestor: A King’s Ranger deployed to the North Branch. Took over the Ason Tae patrol from Othin of Cae Forres.

Niflsekt: The ancient enemy of the Fylking. A race much like the Fylking, immortal and unseen, yet serving the dark side of balance. Responsible for the Gate War in which Dyrregin was annihilated and left in ruins. See also Fylking, Gate War.

Niflsekt

Niflsekt

Night Guild: Hired blades who protect the prostitutes in Dyrregin’s cathouses. The Guild was originally established by the kings of Dyrregin to honor what had become a venerable occupation in a realm that had known centuries of war. Guardsmen mark themselves by wearing a black band from shoulder to waist. Colloquially referred to by rangers and guardsmen as “bats.”

Norn: A being in the Fylking pantheon. The Norns rule fate and destiny; spinners, weavers, workers of magic. The term is used by the Fylking to refer to Melisande. See also Fylking, Melisande.

North Companies: A large force of Dyrregin Guard stationed in the Thorgrim Mountains and the Vale of Ason Tae, to protect the realm from invasion from the south and west. Commanded by Captain Edon.

North Mountain Road: The main thoroughfare from Vota to the Vale of Ason Tae. Passes through Wyrvith Forest, the Thorgrim Mountains and the Wolftooth Pass.

Odr: A village on the North River in the Vale of Ason Tae. Close to Tower Sif, the Apex of the Gate and its most perilous location. Having settled centuries ago so near the Fylking’s domain, Odrians are reputed to be reckless and fey. See also Apex, Ason Tae, Sif.

Ogjan Mountains: A mountain range in northern Austr, east of the Thorgrim Mountains bordering the Vale of Ason Tae.

Old Gods: The pantheon originally introduced to Math by the Fylking. Includes, among others: Balder, a sun god; Freya, a goddess of fertility; Hel, keeper of the realms of the dead; Loki, a mischievous trickster; Thor, a god of war and thunder; and Othin, the Allfather. See also Fylking, Othin.

Olja: Wife of Damjan, the Master of House Jarnstrom. See also Jarnstrom Forge.

Olsc Amathin: A realm in southern Maan Ket bordering Dyrregin.

Others: Beings who inhabit the Otherworld. See next.

Otherworld: The vast realm of the unseen existing beyond time and space; the source and reflection of physical events. Inhabited by an infinite variety of beings referred to as Others, including nature spirits, elves, goblins, phooka, planetary entities and other natural forces. This includes the Fylking, who occupy the unseen dimensions and are often, though not always, respected as gods. The Otherworld can be perceived by mortals with second sight, though interaction can be dangerous and is ill advised without training and protection. See also Fylking. See posts The Phooka, Goblins and Creepy Horses.

Others

Othin of Cae Forres

Othin of Cae Forres

Othin of Cae Forres: A King’s Ranger of the North Branch. Melisande’s lover. Named after Othin, the Allfather. See also Othin (next). See post Ranger of the North Branch.

Othin: One of the Old Gods; also called Allfather, Magician, Wanderer, Trickster and Raven God. Accompanied by ravens and wolves, he often appears as a mysterious blue-cloaked figure. A notorious shapeshifter, he is considered tricky, unreliable, yet wise. See also Old Gods. See posts The Raven God and Norse Mythology and the Voices in My Head.

Otter River Valley: A valley in the southern foothills of the Vale of Ason Tae. A day’s journey from Odr.

Ottersun: A far northern village beneath the Fomor Mountains overlooking the Wythe Strait.

Patanin: A realm between the Thorgrim Mountains and the Taeson River.

Phooka

The Phooka

Phooka: A creature of the Otherworld. A shape changer, part human at times, or part or all animal such as a goat or a horse, always with dark fur. Bleak, uncanny and generally wicked, yet can also be beneficial depending on mood or circumstance. Considered a prince in the between realms. See also Otherworld. See post The Phooka.

Pink Rose: A renowned cathouse in the coastal city of Fell. Managed by Mistress Kidge.

Pisskin: Melisande’s cat.

Prederi: A King’s Ranger and a friend of Othin of Cae Forres. See also King’s Rangers.

Rangers’ Square: A garrison in the King’s Citadel in Merhafr, containing rooms, baths, kitchens and training yards in which rangers live between patrols. Strategically positioned on the eastern side of the citadel closest to the gates. See also King’s Rangers.

Rangers: See King’s Rangers.

Return of the Fylking: A date in Dyrregin history used to indicate a number of years after the Fylking returned following the Gate War. The Fylking arrived in Dyrregin roughly 9000 years ago, and reigned for 6500 years until the Niflsekt destroyed the Gate. The realm lay accursed for 1000 years until the wardens returned and rebuilt the towers. After 300 years, the Fylking returned through the Gate, and the Dyrregin calendar marked a new age at that time. The present time in which Outpost takes place is Return of the Fylking, 1245. See also Arrival of the Fylking, Fylking, Gate War, Niflsekt.

The Ages of Dyrregin

The Ages of Dyrregin

Rosalie: The daughter of Lord Detlef Halstaeg and younger sister to Arcmael.

Sae: An outer gatetower located in southern Dyrregin roughly twenty-five leagues from the Skolvarin border. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Tower Sef

Tower Sef

Sef: An outer gatetower located in the Njorth Sea off Dyrregin’s southwestern coast. Over millennia, the sea engulfed the granite shoals around this tower, isolating it from land. The wardens now tend it by sea using boats. Sailors avoid it for fear of the Fylking. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Sie War: A war two hundred years ago between Dyrregin and Fjorgin. Since the establishment of the Gate by the Fylking, Dyrregin held the coastal lands in eastern Fjorgin, including Tower Sie. Fjorgin claimed and won all the lands west of the Njorth Sea. Afterwards, the two realms drew up the Njorth Treaty. See also Sie.

Sie: An outer gatetower located in the realm of Fjorgin across the Njorth Sea. Once part of Dyrregin, Tower Sie was lost in the Sie War, but is still tended by the Wardens’ Order under the protection of the Fylking. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking, Sie War.

Tower Sif

Tower Sif

Sif: An outer gatetower located on the northernmost point of the Gate in the Vale of Ason Tae. Called the Apex, Tower Sif merges with other worlds and is the first line of defense from attack by the Fylking’s enemies. Guarded accordingly by grim Fylking warlords, Sif is enshrouded by dark tales. See also Apex, Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking, Niflsekt. See post The Wardens’ Order.

Sin: An outer gatetower located between the realm of Patanin and the Cyrilian Mountains bordering eastern Dyrregin. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Skadi: Mistress of the Faersc Conservatory. A seer who serves the Fylking and trains the Wardens of Dyrregin. See also Faersc Conservatory, Fylking, Wardens’ Order.

Skaut: A rangers’ station located in the southern foothills of the Vale of Ason Tae. See also King’s Rangers.

Skolvarin: The realm bordering Dyrregin to the south. Separated by the Great River. The army that defends the realm is called the Skolvarin Guard. See Map of Dyrregin.

Soc: An inner gatetower located in Vinland. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Sol: An inner gatetower located south of the Taeson River, fifty leagues due east of Tower Sor. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Som: An inner gatetower located in southern Dyrregin fifty leagues southwest of Vinland. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Sor: An inner gatetower located on the western coast of Dyrregin near the port city of Merhafr. Rumored to be inhabited by sullen Fylking warlords with a proclivity for harming mortals. Site of the mysterious disappearance of a warden named Edros. See also Edros, Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking, Merhafr.

Sos: An inner gatetower located twenty-five leagues due east of Vinland on a peninsula on the western coast of Dyrregin. See also Gate, Gatetower, High Fylking.

Spruce Road: A road that picks up near the northern fork of the Blanch River in Austr and passes through the valley on the western flank of the Thorgrim Mountains. Often used as an alternate route into the Vale of Ason Tae in the winter, when the Wolftooth Pass is snowed in. See also North Mountain Road.

Roads and Rivers

Stone River: A township in the Ogjan Mountains on the road between Dyrregin’s western coast and the Vale of Ason Tae.

Stony: A long-standing member of the Night Guild who watches over the Pink Rose cathouse. See also Night Guild.

Straelos: Son of Lord Detlef Halstaeg and younger brother to Arcmael.

Taeson River: A large river south of the Fasos Hills that passes through Merhafr and into the Njorth Sea.

Tahslen: A port city in southern Dyrregin, due east of Tower Sef in the Njorth Sea.

Tasn: A King’s Ranger and friend of Othin of Cae Forres.

Thorgrim Mountains: The great mountain range in Northern Dyrregin that borders the Vale of Ason Tae. Home of the Faersc Conservatory. The Wolftooth Pass provides the most direct route over the mountains to the north. See also Faersc Conservatory.

Tower View: A tavern in the lower city of Merhafr that stands on the Taeson River in view of Tower Sor. Colloquially nicknamed the “Sour View” in reference to the grisly and mysterious tales that surround the gatetower. See also Sor.

Ulfhidin: A King’s Ranger deployed to the North Branch by Lord Detlef Halstaeg under shady circumstances.

Valdros: A township and ruling seat of the northern interior realms of Fjorgin. Standard is a hawk in flight on an evergreen background, and warriors of the realm are marked by a tattoo showing the phase of the moon when they were born.

Vargn: A Fjorginan warlock of the Blackthorn Guild. Once apprenticed to the Faersc Conservatory to be trained as a warden, he was refused by the High Fylking of Tower Sif. See also Blackthorn Guild, Gatekeepers, High Fylking.

Veil: The invisible boundary between the mortal dimension and the Otherworld. Known to be more easily crossed in certain locations, or during certain seasonal or celestial events. Can be opened or closed by the Fylking or by mortals trained in the magical arts. See also Otherworld, Wyrvith Forest.

Vinso: Son of Damjan, the Master of House Jarnstrom. See also Jarnstrom Forge.

Vota: A city on the outskirts of Wyrvith Forest.

Warden: See Wardens’ Order.

Wardens’ Order: An order of seers established nine thousand years ago with the arrival of the Fylking, who taught humans the arts of interdimensional perception and the properties of light, energy, crystals and architecture. The wardens built the towers, watched over them with human eyes and maintained them over millennia, gathering the energies of celestial bodies to provide a bridge for their immortal warlords. In return the Fylking protected them, and gave them the honor of representing them to humankind. See also Fylking, Gate. See post The Wardens’ Order.

Weaver: A term used by beings in the Otherworld to refer to Melisande. See also Melisande, Otherworld.

Whisper: A raven handler at the Grayfen Aviary, so nicknamed because she speaks to the birds in very soft tones. See also Grayfen Aviary.

Wildcards: A set of game cards showing wild animals painted in their natural habitats and representing their abilities and place in the order of things. A favorite game played by rangers. See also King’s Rangers. See post Wildcards.

Wildcards

Wildcards

Wyrvith Forest: A vast, ancient forest in the foothills of the Thorgrim Mountains south of the Wolftooth Pass. Reputed to be a dense haunt of Others, the forest is marked by a thousands-year-old entrance, tall and covered in carvings of the Old Gods. A raven, a messenger of the Otherworld, is perched on top, its half-lifted wings representing the creature’s presence on both sides of the Veil. See also Old Gods, Otherworld, Veil.

Yarrow: A hedge witch of the Blackthorn Guild. Lives in the Otter River Valley in the Vale of Ason Tae.

Ylgr: A desolate realm of marshes, brush, bogs and dark woodlands, located in northern Dyrregin between the Fomor and Ogjan Mountains on the Wythe Strait. Not patrolled by the rangers. See also King’s Rangers.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

Outpost Cover ArtOutpost, Book One in The Fylking.

A race of immortal warriors who live by the sword.
A gate between the worlds.
Warriors, royals, seers and warlocks living in uneasy peace on one side of the Veil.
Until now.

© F.T. McKinstry 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Wildcards

Wildcards

An elite company of rangers defends the wilds of Dyrregin, the central realm in Outpost, Book One in The Fylking. Seasoned, skilled in fighting, traversing and surviving in rough terrain and dangerous circumstances, these warriors serve both the King and the Old Gods. Their motto is, “We keep the balance when the gods turn away.” As they do, often enough.

Wilds

Rangers have an appreciation for beasts and wild creatures, as they often share spaces with and gain wisdom from them. They also appreciate their leave time, and while you can probably guess the sorts of things they do with that, I’ll spare you those details and tell you about a game called “wildcards,” a rangers’ favorite.

Most taverns in Dyrregin keep decks of wildcards for their patrons. Any barkeep worth his or her salt will hand a deck to rangers when they arrive. Each card in the deck shows a wild creature in its natural habitat, and represents its abilities and place in the order of things.

Mouse WildcardThere are many games that can be played, but in the most basic, each player gets one card, and the dealer picks a landscape. The idea is to employ an animal’s powers to outsmart or destroy your opponents. Some creatures are more suited to certain places than others, and knowledge of animals’ strengths and weaknesses is a plus. So while drawing a predator is desirable, it isn’t a guaranteed win. With some imagination and the right landscape, a humbler creature could take the game.

For example, drawing a frog could put you in the sights of a raptor or a fox; but if you contrived to be plucked up by a Blackthorn witch and put into a potion, your death could take out something else too. A mouse, which knows the safe places in the world, might be at a disadvantage in the wilds, but could rule in a city. And so on.

Crow WildcardCrow is a trickster, like the joker in traditional cards. Here, anything can happen, the more unexpected the better. Draw the crow and piss off your buddies. You win.

Players who do well at wildcards tend to be as resourceful and clever as the natural world itself.

Of course, most rangers will tell you the game is best played after a few too many drinks.

 
Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

If you like the animal paintings, you can see more on Fine Art America in Wild Things.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

Outpost Cover ArtOutpost, Book One in The Fylking.

A race of immortal warriors who live by the sword.
A gate between the worlds.
Warriors, royals, seers and warlocks living in uneasy peace on one side of the Veil.
Until now.

© F.T. McKinstry 2015. All Rights Reserved.

One Foot in The Otherworld

a day in my life

Writers spend a lot of time avoiding writing. I was doing that today, tinkering around on the internet (don’t get me started), tending to all these things I told myself were so important but were not important at all, no, just mindless distractions draped in gold, sugar and obduracy. And then I came across this brilliant little GIF.

I stared at it for a while, my mind blank as I tried to put it together. What’s happening here? I asked myself. Then I burst into laughter. What an utterly accurate depiction of my life! Sitting up here in the snowy woods — eight months of the year, that — doing yoga or whatever deep, damned thing I need to do, and all the wild, unseen beasties are there, going about their business with nary a lifted brow.

Let’s hear it for the internet. (And the crowd roars.)

© F.T. McKinstry 2015. All Rights Reserved.

The Venerable Printed Book

Old Book Smell

Radagast

Radagast the Brown

My hair is mostly white. It’s long and unruly, and I don’t do much with it. In high humidity, things get really interesting. I could provide homes for small wildlife. There are ways around all this, of course, but who has time for that nonsense?

Yes, this dates me a bit. Whatever. But my reverence for printed books is more telling.

I do love my e-reader. One cool invention, ebooks — the operative term here being invention, because I remember when that happened, and it doesn’t seem that long ago. Before that, I thrived amid an ever-growing library of printed books. That hasn’t changed.

Given this, releasing one of my novels into print isn’t just something I do for marketing appeal or giveaways. It’s a sacred thing. My newest offering is Outpost, Book One in The Fylking, and you can get a copy on Amazon.

Outpost Print Cover

The ebook is available here.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

Banner crow live

© F.T. McKinstry 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Story Illustrations: Wizards, Woods and Gods

Wizards, Woods and Gods is a collection of twelve dark fantasy tales exploring the mysteries of the Otherworld through tree and animal lore, magic, cosmos, love, war and mysticism.

I did a series of pen and ink illustrations inspired by some of these stories. Click on the images to zoom and get information about each story.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

© F.T. McKinstry 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Fish Kingdom

Fish Kingdom

I am very fond of my aquarium. It’s not that large, but exists as its own little universe, green, fluid and tranquil. I keep freshwater fish and live plants. At one with the water, fishes fascinate me in a primordial, archetypal way. Each kind has its own personality; some are laid back, some are skittish and shy, and others are belligerent. They coexist peacefully, though now and then someone will feel the need to act rude.

Shy Little Fish, by F.T. McKinstry

I love to grow things in the earth world, so naturally I wanted to try my hand at water. In this realm there is a delicate balance between plant, water and fish that’s more obvious than that of the earth because it goes awry easily and when it does, things get bad in a hurry. It took me a while to get the balance right and now I’m vigilant about keeping it. This has given me a renewed respect for nature, which does this seemingly without effort.

Danios, by F.T. McKinstry

The watery realms provide an interesting metaphor for painting, as the creative process when I’m moving oil paint on a canvas is watery in sensation and feeling.

My fishes would approve.

© F.T. McKinstry 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Kali the Ribbon Snake

I once kept a ribbon snake named Kali. She ate live goldfish. She would hover over the water bowl for some time as the fish swam around in there and then she would dive in a flurry of writhing, splashing and mayhem. And that would be the end of that.

Baby SnakeI didn’t know Kali was female when I got her. The name just fit. But now I can confidently refer to her as “she” and not fall back on having named her after a romantic assumption. One morning, I came out to say hello and noticed a little head peeking out of the shadows of the greenery. Kali had given birth to seven babies. Once this might have been considered an auspicious omen. In any case, I was impressed.

Snakes are beautiful and fascinating. In traditional animal lore, the snake is a symbol of transformation and rebirth. They live underground, in dark places, and as they grow they shed their skins and are renewed. It’s like an initiation rite. During this time their eyes cloud over and they get aggressive, as they feel vulnerable in the in-between state. Now and then I’ll find a snakeskin in a woodpile or a stone wall. I like to keep them as a reminder that dark or restricting times herald the forces of change and that the sun is still shining up there somewhere.

Photography Prints

© F.T. McKinstry 2014. All Rights Reserved.

The Ubiquitous Corvid

Nightshade in Flight

A raven landed on the rock, released a deep-throated cry then rose into the air and wheeled away, blending with the night. The priestess watched his form against the stars until she could not see him anymore. Then she picked up the knife. ~ From The Riven God

I live in the woods, and my vegetable garden is fenced in to keep the wildlife from eating it. For two years now, some creature has maintained a tunnel to my well-stocked compost pile despite my best efforts to thwart it. I’ve never seen this mysterious sapper; it comes in the night. Amazingly, it doesn’t bother anything in the garden, so I concluded the compost is a good first line of defense. The beastie doesn’t bother to venture beyond it.

Edgar Watching over my garden with the patience of a plastic thing is a big black corvid. A puzzling ornament, he is big enough to be a raven but has the beak of a crow. He stands in a stately pose. I dubbed him Edgar. He doesn’t deter night raiders, blue jays, cabbage moths or mice. But he is good company.

In traditional animal lore, crows and ravens were given the honor of belonging to both the seen and the unseen realms. They are creatures of the hinterlands, mysterious, powerful and devious. This is a natural association given their intelligence, which is formidable. That these birds tend to accompany death also makes them ominous, both feared and revered by their ubiquitous presence on the carcasses of animals, the condemned, or fallen warriors. They are omens, heralds of death and bringers of information from the other side.

Winter Moon Raven, by F.T. McKinstryThe Vikings had great respect for ravens, and a symbiotic relationship with them similar to that of wolves, as the birds led them to prey and shared in the spoils. The Norse god Odin, the one-eyed, all-seeing god of war, magic and wisdom, keeps two ravens named Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) which fly over the land and whisper to him of all they see and hear.

These birds fascinate me to no end and they have found a special place in my work, both visual and literary. I have dedicated an art gallery to them, given their names to high-ranking wizards’ orders and made characters of them in their own right. One such character is a raven called Nightshade, who plays a major role in The Riven God, Book Four in the Chronicles of Ealiron.

Nightshade, by F.T. McKinstryNightshade is no ordinary raven, if any raven can be called that. Marked by a single white feather in her tail, she is a messenger kept by wizards for times when their powers of otherworldly communication do not serve. She does this on her own terms, however. Nightshade finds someone lost at sea without the help or instruction of her keepers; she disappears for days at a time on mysterious errands; has been known to hang about with war gods telling them who knows what; and even appears to one startled wizard as a warrior lost to memory.

In the following excerpt, an exiled princess lost at sea meets Nightshade for the first time.

She jumped as the squawking repeated outside. Gasping with pain, she pushed herself up and crept to the gaping crack between the hull and what used to be the cabin hatch. Clouds drifted across a hazy sky. The diluted orb of the sun shone like an eye shrouded by age.

A raven fluttered into view and alit on the broken mast.

“You,” Rhinne rasped. Something like this had awaked her earlier. The bird preened its glossy black feathers. It had one white feather in its tail. What was it doing out here? Rhinne pushed herself through the crack like a timid cat and scanned the horizon in every direction.

No land. Nothing.

The bird took off and flew out of sight. Rhinne had no clear references by which to mark the direction of its flight.

She lowered herself back into the cabin. Trust the water. She abruptly broke into laughter. She slammed her fists down and then shoved her face in her hands, laughing like a wild thing, tugging at her hair and rocking forward, clutching at her salt encrusted clothes. This was absurd. She had just died following the advice of a delusion and now a raven was harassing her. She was nothing but a weak, stupid creature that had been crushed by a bigger, stronger, smarter creature. So it was.

Three days passed.

In the clutches of hunger and thirst, rocking in the cycles of day and night and the swells and movements of the sea, Rhinne decided she was not dead, but living and stranded somewhere in the Sea of Derinth. At night, the gibbous moon told her that over a week had passed since her departure from Tromb. It rained once, giving her a brief respite from thirst. But her throat ached and every part of her body wept with too much noise.

She had seen the raven twice more; once at sunset the first day and again the day after, in the evening. She had not seen it since. Wherever it had come from, it undoubtedly knew she would die and planned to feast on her remains. She thought long and hard on how she might turn the tables, capture and eat it herself.

It had also occurred to her that the bleak creature served Ragnvald or Dore, and was giving them reports as to her whereabouts. Unfortunately, she had no bow or arrows, not even a knife. And a raven would not be easily ensnared.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

Hooded crows also play a part in The Riven God. No one sees them coming, not even the one who summons them. But that’s another tale.

© F.T. McKinstry 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Puss in Books

Puss in Boots

Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots) ~ Gustave Doré

“When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction.’ ~ Mark Twain

Hello, my name is Faith and I’m one dead mouse away from being a crazy cat lady.

It’s been said that cats lend themselves particularly well to writers. There’s something comforting about the presence of a cat, a divine connoisseur of languor and solitude. Cats are a soft touch in the void.

And writers of fantasy? Now we’re talking Muse. Cats are mysterious and reputed to prowl the boundaries of the Otherworld. Here cats can talk, do magical things or act as gods. They serve witches, wizards, even warriors. They provide beautiful metaphors for grace and implacability—just watch a cat stalk and kill some hapless creature. Exemplary.

Stalking Hemlock

Hemlock

As I can no more pass up this tempting morsel than a cat could ignore a little bird hopping on the windowsill, following are some cats that appear in my books and stories….

Sele is kept by the sailors of a merchant vessel called The Slippery Elm. They consider her good luck at sea. When a brooding assassin named Lorth secures passage, the sailors are counting on Sele to protect them. But cats have their own agendas. She forms a bond with Lorth, who likes animals, and keeps him company over his journey.

Radu

Radu

Scrat is inspired by a cat I once had named Radu. In classic style, Scrat belongs to a wizard. He does not employ her as a familiar or an Otherworld guide, but as a mouser and a friend. Scrat is later adopted by Lorth and comforts the assassin as no human can.

Mushroom rules the garden of a young woman named Tansel, who lives alone in the mountain forest of Loralin. When she and the cat are taken in by a powerful old wizard with some dark secrets, Mushroom has his work cut out for him. While prowling after a female in heat, Mushroom attracts the attention of a winged immortal predator set on Tansel’s heart. The cat flees like a ghost when things get ugly, of course.

Oona

Oona

Rosemary does more than catch mice, cause trouble or warm a wizard’s lap. She can sing to the stars, draw down the light and heal things. She can make caterpillars drop from a plant, knit the leg of a lame horse or bring a warrior from the brink of death. In one story, she helps a witch reclaim her humanity.

Little Tree, by F.T. McKinstry

Sele and Scrat appear in The Hunter’s Rede, a story of one warrior’s transformation by the forces of war, betrayal, wizardry and love.

Mushroom appears in The Winged Hunter, a story of the perils of innocence, an immortal hunter’s curse and the long shadows of powerful wizards.

Rosemary appears in “Eating Crow,” a short story in the collection Wizard, Woods and Gods.

© F.T. McKinstry 2013. All Rights Reserved.