The World of the Dream Stewards: Creature Feature #1- The Demon Mount

Tags

200 Kindle Book Bargains, 47North, Bully Whippet syndrome, Celtic mythology, Fantasy Series, Hywel Dda, magical creatures, Roberta Trahan, The Dream Stewards, The Hellion Horde, The Keys to the Realms, The Well of Tears, Welsh Folklore, Welsh History, Welsh Lore, Wendy the Bully Whippet

Great news just in time for the holidays – as part of the Amazon 200 Kindle Book Bargains promotion, both Dream Stewards books are on sale for $1.99 through December 14, 2014. Click here to get yours:

The Well of Tears (The Dream Stewards Book 1)

The Keys to the Realms (The Dream Stewards)

So, let’s have some fun! I’m resurrecting the weekly Creature Feature Trivia Challenge, in celebration of the season. Read the article below, answer the trivia question correctly (answers can be found somewhere in the blog archives), tell your friends about it, and you could win a $10 Amazon gift card!

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A single monstrous barrel-chested creature with a bulbous head burst through the trees, gnashing a grotesquely protruding jaw of jagged teeth the length of Hywel’s forearm. The creature had staggering height and breadth – at least three times the size of his horse – taller and broader and hairier – and oddly boar-like with its hulking shoulders and thick neck. Its roar rattled his bones.

In the mystical White Woods that surround the ancient home of the Stewards, all manner of magical creatures exist – some more demonic than others. In THE KEYS TO THE REALMS, Hywel encounters the Hellion Horde and the horrific beasts they ride. These beasts have no known name, but they are as fearsome and deadly as the Hellion warriors themselves.

These frightening creatures first appear in THE WELL OF TEARS, and are inspired at least in appearance by a real animal. This animal, however, has an entirely different nature and is actually quite remarkable.

Meet Wendy, the Bully Whippet – a much-loved pet who suffers from a genetic disorder manifested by a mutation which causes double-muscling. Her general health is not affected by this anomaly, only her physique. Although her extraordinary looks invoked the image of a monster in my mind, her real-life story warms my heart. Who wouldn’t want this lovely girl as their canine companion?

TRIVIA CHALLENGE: 

The Dream Stewards series centers on a prophecy that foretells the rise to power of a legendary leader, who was also an actual 10th century ruler. What is the FULL name of the king of the prophecy?

(hint: if you haven’t read the books, the answer can be found in the blog archives, by using the search box at the top of this page. Just type in “Hywel” and browse the articles)

Post your answer in the comments section below to enter. If you also like and/or share this post and mention where in your comment, you’ll get an extra entry. One lucky winner will be chosen at random from all the correct entries received by midnight on Friday, December 5th, 2014. The prize is a $10 Amazon gift card!!

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The World of the Dream Stewards: Creature Feature #3 – The Faerie Folk

Tags

47North, Brownies, Celtic mythology, Cornwall, Cymru, epic fantasy, Faerie Folk, historical fiction, Hywel Dda, Knockers, Piskies, Roberta Trahan, Spriggans, The Dream Stewards, The Keys to the Realms, The Well of Tears, Wales

“They all had names, or so she expected, though she hadn’t asked. She thought becoming too friendly might make them more difficult to resist. Not that the faerie folk were baddies, really, but they could be troublesome. No matter what task Eirlys had set for herself, they did their best to keep her from it. It was sure and certain, though, that wherever she went, she never went alone. In the Frisian isles where she was born, the gnomes had been her childhood companions. Here, in her mother’s homeland, she had encountered several new faerie tribes. The pixies, who were mischievous and fun-loving, were her favorites.”

In THE WELL OF TEARS, the whimsical young daughter of the heroine does not inherit her mother’s magical heritage – instead, she shares her father’s affinity to the fey. Eirlys has blood ties to the faerie folk, a gift from her grandmother who was a tangie (a water sprite). As a result, Eirlys can see and hear things that others cannot. Celtic mythology is rife with faerie folklore. The article below is a reblog of a piece I wrote for Fairyroom.com last year. Be sure to read (or scroll) all the way to the end for this week’s trivia challenge!

THE FAERIE FOLK OF CORNWALL

By Roberta Trahan

Perhaps one of the most romanticized of all the Celtic homelands is Cornwall – birthplace of such legends as Arthur, Tristan & Isolde, and Jack the Giant Killer. A natural peninsula located at the southwestern tip of the United Kingdom, Cornwall is an ancient region that predates the Neolithic era. A distinct Celtic nation with its own language and unique history, the proud people of Cornwall still work to maintain their separate identity and culture, while acknowledging their sisterhood with Great Britain.

Cornwall also has a mythology that is all its own. Cornish folklore centers largely on giants and little people, which historians have theorized may have originated as a folk-memory of an ancient Bronze Age race that was conquered by the larger, taller Celts (who might well have been perceived and demonized as giants). But by far the most whimsical characters to evolve throughout the centuries are the small folk (known collectively in Cornwall as faeries):

The Piskies – Often known in Germanic cultures as ‘pixies’, these small sprites lived in secret, isolated places and were considered by and large to be benevolent spirits. Largely thought of as good natured and fun-loving, they were also reputed to have a mischievous side. Though especially kind to the old or infirm, piskies were known to lead able-bodies travelers astray (known as being “piskie led”) for sport. They are described in folklore and old literature as having the appearance of old men, being very small statured (a few inches tall) and dressed in clothes made of the fabrics of the earth such as moss, grasses, and lichen.

The Browneys – Similar to piskies, Browneys were household sprites living closely alongside mortals but rarely seen or heard. They were known to be kindly and helpful, taking every opportunity to benefit their adopted family. Perhaps the closest thing to what is more widely thought of as a traditional fairy, Browneys are often described as gentle, harmless, and always beautiful. They would visit the homes of the poor or sick, tending their gardens or leaving wild flowers.

The Spriggans – The more ill-tempered cousin of the piskie or browney, Spriggans were especially spiteful to those who offended them. Reputed to be the security force of the faerie society, they stood ready to measure out justice to those who would harm their otherworldly brethren. Some of the punishments believed to have been doled out by the Spriggans were storms sent to blight crops, and the leaving of changelings in place of stolen mortal children. They were most often found in old castle ruins and barrows, guarding buried treasure. Spriggans are described in literature as grotesque, with wizened features and crooked skinny bodies. Though small, they were purported to have the defensive ability to expand themselves to gigantic proportions.

The Knockers – These little folk were the unseen underground inhabitants of the tin mines. Many were reputed to have been discovered by miners who heard their singing and the knocking of their magical pickaxes. Usually Knockers were considered helpful, working ahead of the miners and leading them to rich ore veins. But they could be mean when disrespected or treated unfairly. The wise miner would leave a share of his daily meal (usually a piece of his pasty), or else suffer a string of inexplicable misfortunes.

Knockers are described as dwarf-like, with large heads and the faces of old men. Their name comes from the knocking sound on mine walls that occurs just before a cave-in, believed to be a benevolent warning from the fey.

As is true of most Celtic cultures, history and legend were largely passed on through the bardic oral tradition. The earliest and most well-known written documentation of Cornish mythology can be found in several mid to late 19^th century folklore compilations that can still found in print today. The following were resources for this article: Popular Romances of the West of England (1865) by the renowned scientist and folklorist Robert Hunt, Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall (3 vols. 1870, 1873, 1880) by William Bottrell, and Folklore and Legends of Cornwall by Margaret Anne Courtney.

In addition to its mystic places and magical history, Cornwall is a popular travel destination and home to such modern day attractions as the Eden Project (a global conservation and educational effort) and the Daphne Du Maurier arts festival. To learn more about Cornwall, go to http://www.visitcornwall.com/

Dream Stewards Trivia Challenge:  The Dream Stewards saga is set in the mystical land of Cymru – which is a Welsh word meaning — ?.

(Hint: You can Google this one. There are 2 correct answers.)

Post your answer in the comments section below to enter. If you also like and/or share this post and mention where in your comment, you’ll get an extra entry – but the extra entry only counts if you also answer the question correctly :). One lucky winner will be chosen at random from all the correct entries received by midnight on Monday, May 26th. The prize is a $10 Amazon gift card!!

The World of the Dream Stewards: Creature Feature #2 – The Devilkin

Tags

47North, Amazon Publishing, Celtic mythology, Devilkin, epic fantasy, Fantasy, Hywel Dda, magical creatures, Medieval Fantasy, Roberta Trahan, The Dream Stewards, The Well of Tears, Trivia Challenge

On the edge of the veil between mortal ways and magic, evil was hard at work.  Dark, twisted goblin creatures called the devilkin were weaving a spell—a thicket of thistle as tall as a house and so thick she couldn’t see light through it.

In the first book of the series, THE WELL OF TEARS, the high sorceress Alwen confronts and ultimately defeats a cursed wall of thorns spun by a dangerous being known as the devilkin. In the world of the Dream Stewards, the devilkin are the hands and eyes of evil magic – spawned by the incantation of a dark mage to do his or her bidding.

In folklore, the devilkin is a small, lesser demon commonly referred to as the imp and often considered a familiar of witches and wizards. I first came upon the word in Brewer’s Phrase & Fable, but references to “devilkin” also appear in Celtic and Germanic literature as early as the 17th century.

The devilkin in THE WELL OF TEARS are small, gnarled beasties with long tiny claw-like hands and glowing red eyes. They are summoned in the name of black magic to weave a thorny hedge surrounding the sanctuary known as Fane Gramarye. The hedge itself is a living thing with vines that ensnare anyone who ventures too close. The thorns are cursed with a poison venom that causes a sickness with no known cure.

This particular creature was inspired by a childhood fear of mine – the monsters living under my bed and in my closet. In my imagination, the monsters were tiny goblins just waiting to snatch hold of my toes! They don’t make an appearance in the sequel, THE KEYS TO THE REALMS, but they are sure to return to wreak havoc in a future novel.

And now for this week’s Trivia Challenge: In the world of the Dream Stewards, the mystical temple known as Fane Gramarye is protected by an enchanted forest. What is the name of this fictional forest?

(Hint: if you haven’t read the books yet, the answer can easily be found by clicking through to the blog archives and scrolling through The Dream Stewards category)

Post your answer in the comments section below to enter. If you also like and/or share this post and mention where in your comment, you’ll get an extra entry – but the extra entry only counts if you also answer the question correctly :). One lucky winner will be chosen at random from all the correct entries received by midnight on Sunday, May 11th. The prize is a $10 Amazon gift card!!

The World of the Dream Stewards: Creature Feature #1- The Demon Mount

Tags

Bully Whippet syndrome, Celtic mythology, Fantasy Series, Hywel Dda, magical creatures, Roberta Trahan, The Dream Stewards, The Hellion Horde, The Keys to the Realms, The Well of Tears, Welsh Lore, Wendy the Bully Whippet

A single monstrous barrel-chested creature with a bulbous head burst through the trees, gnashing a grotesquely protruding jaw of jagged teeth the length of Hywel’s forearm. The creature had staggering height and breadth – at least three times the size of his horse – taller and broader and hairier – and oddly boar-like with its hulking shoulders and thick neck. Its roar rattled his bones.

In the mystical White Woods that surround the ancient home of the Stewards, all manner of magical creatures exist – some more demonic than others. In THE KEYS TO THE REALMS, Hywel encounters the Hellion Horde and the horrific beasts they ride. These beasts have no known name, but they are as fearsome and deadly as the Hellion warriors themselves.

These frightening creatures first appear in THE WELL OF TEARS, and are inspired at least in appearance by a real animal. This animal, however, has an entirely different nature and is actually quite remarkable.

Meet Wendy, the Bully Whippet – a much-loved pet who suffers from a genetic disorder manifested by a mutation which causes double-muscling. Her general health is not affected by this anomaly, only her physique. Although her extraordinary looks invoked the image of a monster in my mind, her real-life story warms my heart. Who wouldn’t want this lovely girl as their canine companion?

This is the first in a series of trivia articles based on my Dream Stewards series. Check back next week for Creature Feature #2, and a new trivia contest!

Have you answered this week’s question yet? Click here to take the challenge. You could win an Amazon gift card!