Blog Entry #5

The village of Fortana is part of a much bigger world…a world of magic and adventure, of mythical creatures and ancient races that have lived both in harmony and war for centuries. In The Starlight Crystal, I made the decision to begin each chapter with an excerpt from the fictional Antiquities of Fortana in order to create a world that feels established and lived in. These excerpts from a much larger collection of history serve to provide some details about the creatures who inhabit the world and the structures that its societies are built on.

There are four main sentient races of humanoid beings that populate the world where these stories are based: humans, goblins, gnomes and elves. Book 1 takes place entirely within human lands, and most of the action is centered around them. A small group of goblins is introduced on the quest for the Starlight Crystal, and their brief encounter with Amelia and Gabriel reveals them to be a people with great enmity toward humans. This is expanded upon in Book 2, where they are shown to be sworn enemies of the gnomes as well.

The gnomes take a central role in the events of Book 2, as a number of new characters are introduced and a good deal of the action happens within their borders. An industrious people, they are known to work hard and are capable of celebrating just as hard when the circumstances call for it. The mysterious elves are mentioned as longtime allies of the gnomes, and more information about them will come to light as the series progresses. A complicated relationship exists between all four races, which shapes both their motivations and interactions with each other.

Magical creatures abound in this world, and Amelia and Gabriel encounter several of them on their first heroic journey through the Enchanted Forest. Flighty fairies and a sneaky imp are but a few of the obstacles that stand in their way. Other denizens of the Forest include a great wolf that protects the Whispering Willow, a wise old owl who guides them and even a nasty siren who attempts to lure Gabriel away. And that doesn’t even include the mighty Wyrm, an evil entity that played a huge role in the creation of the world and now seeks to destroy humanity entirely!

Thanks for reading a little more about the fantastic world of the Fortana Chronicles and just a few of the magical beings that call it home! I’ll be back next time with even more content!

Dave