So...it turns out that time is not unlimited. I know, the revelation of the year.

But it's true. This week was another short week at my daughters' school. And I think after the first week, I really thought this would be a lot easier than it is.

More fool was I.

Needless to say, I've become very familiar with the route to and from the school, and just when we need to leave. And I'm also having to relearn that I have ADHD. After the first week of building the business, I can already feel myself slipping back into habits of distraction and "oh, look! Let's research a book I'm not going to write in the next ten years instead of write an email!"

I have managed to write most days this week, and have for the most part been pleased with the success we are starting to build. But I know that the work has to continue if I want Arcane Inkdustries to be what I want it to be. A place where epic fantasy novels and comics reach greater heights for reader and writer alike.

State of the Inkdustries

Legends of the Realm - Soon we're going to be showing some of these inks from Shania and Sanctaidd! I managed to get some work done this week on the script for Volume 2 of Legends of the Realm, and Volume 1 is being shipped from our printer now!

The Innkeeper's Dirge - Oh, this one is nice and complicated. We're up to 30,000 words in Book 3, I printed out Book 2 so I can review it with a nice big red pen, and Book 1 is off to the proofreader!

The Lore Corner

The Tragedy of Tourmaril and Helena

In Tir Aileni, the most consequential event over the last fifteen centuries has been the War of Unanswered Prayers. Fought between the Gallantine Empire to the north, and the Silvastorn Confederacy to the southeast. Two theocracies, both following the same goddess, the one-winged angel of light Gallantil.

But how do two branches of the same religion start a war that has lasted for over fifteen hundred years? Unfortunately, that tragedy is known all too well.

When the goddess Gallantil departed the world after her battle with the dark dragon Phaedron, her worshipers were left with a burning question. What do we do?

Seven centuries of relative peace followed the war between Gallantil and Phaedron. But still, a dark wood was settled on the continent. The Maelswood, from which demons still rose and wreaked havoc across the world. And the followers of the goddess wonder what their true course is to be.

Is it to be an eternal guardian against the Maelswood? To inspire the rest of the continent to rise up and contain this threat? Or to live good and just lives, regardless?

To answer this question, a great elven prophet called for a great council at Gallantil’s capital city Naubleroth. Tourmaril, the poet prophet of his age. He entreated the human warrior sage, Helena, to bring all of Gallantil’s followers together for a true consensus.

The two fell in love, even as they argued. And the great minds of the kingdom debated in earnest for months. Hoping to find true grace under the guiding wing of Gallantil.

But it was all for naught. For one last morning, Tourmaril and Helena did not appear at the council. Their bodies were found in Tourmaril’s room, locked in a loving embrace. Both stabbed to death.

Both humans and elves decried the attack, and withdrew from the council. The elves fled to the south, establishing new fortresses, moving ever southwards until they established the Starlit Wood in Silvastorn. The humans turned the efforts of Gallantil into a militaristic theocratic empire. Naubleroth was fortified, and the dream of Tourmaril and Helena was shattered, seemingly forever.

If you want to read the full four-poem tragedy I wrote early this year, you can read it for free on our Patreon right now!

If you haven't followed The Shattered Wing on Kickstarter yet, you can follow the campaign here. You'll get notified the moment we go live in January!

Where to Find Us Next

Hey! We've got our next convention coming up in just 5 days! If you're around the New Hampshire area, we hope to see you there!

Thank you for reading. I hope that this sparked a piece of magic for you this week.

Until next time.

Blessings,

Jack Holder

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