Travels and Tales: Difference between revisions

== Journals ==

 

'''''The Best is Yet to Come''''' is the first journal in the ''Travels and Tales'' series. It begins with Rivers, then still a member of the lower council of Ceyreto, complaining about the lack of events in her life prior to the events of the journal. This is followed by a documentation of her ascendance to Foreign Minister at the behest of Lord Gem Valtara (referred to throughout the series as simply "Lord Valtara"). The rest of the book mostly follows Rivers' regular visits to Cielo, the capital city of the Empire of Aether and budding friendship with the Emperor, Acero Noxaros (referred to as "Lord Noxaros"), and ends with the build-up towards and declaration of the Ceyreto-Zydel war. The book lacked a subtitle upon release, but was given a subtitle after the release of the second volume. The subtitle is taken directly from the motto of the city of Blackthorn.

 

 

[[File:Kutha-yreto.png|thumb|289x289px|A drawn map of the continent of Ceyreto/Kuthara, made alongside ''Year of the Rat''.]]

'''''Year of the Rat''''' is the third journal in the ''Travels and Tales'' series. The journal is centred around Rivers' sudden transformation into a Rat fae at the hands of a mysterious magical rat living in the Cielo sewer after an attempted manhunt by the Tyrant King and Veric of Uradon (referred to as "the Lord of Uradon, curse his wretched soul"). The book later documents her return to Blackthorn after her self-imposed exile to Cielo, her relationship with the ruling Valtara dynasty, and her sudden ascendance to the title of Mayor of Blackthorn after Lord Valtara's disappearance. ''Year of the Rat'' was originally written with the intention of being the closing act of ''The Tyrant King'', with the novel starting with Rivers being beaten and left for dead, to her turning around and becoming mayor of the city, though due to the eventual length of ''The Tyrant King'', the two were split into two entries.

 

'''''With Any Luck''''' is the fourth journal in the ''Travels and Tales'' series. While the first three entries are all very outgoing and are focused on Rivers' surroundings, ''With Any Luck'' is a lot more introspective and melancholic. The journal is heavily centred around Rivers' relationship with the village of the Faewood, the Faefolk and her newfound relation to them as a reluctant now-Fae creature. It also follows the newly formed Blackthorn Intrim Council and their plans to completely defend the town from a rumoured siege by the Tyrant King, as well as the slow but sure decline of the Triumvirate of Ceyreto. The subtitle ''"With Any Luck"'' is a phrase that is used throughout the series, commonly used by Rivers as another way of saying "I hope", and was chosen to reflect the journal's more melancholic nature.

 

'''''Ghosts''''' is the fifth journal in the ''Travels and Tales'' series. The journal continues on with the more sombre tone that began in ''With Any Luck'', and heavily focuses on Rivers' relationship with the world around her and its finality. The journal opens with Rivers receiving an invitation from Triumvir Lord Ehlsonn to help him dismantle and salvage whatever possible from the now ruined city of Cassiopeia. This is followed by a similar expedition to the city of Aarndam, a former Triumvirate city that has since fallen to ruin after the independence of the city of Khalikhan. The rest of the journal follows Rivers walking through the Faewood at night as she encounters an apparition of her exiled superior, Lord Valtara. ''Ghosts'' holds the record of taking place across the smallest span of time, taking place over the course of just five days.

 

[[Category:Books]]