In order to be more consistent and offer my readers a reason to come back every week, I’m launching a new, serialized piece of fiction called Evermist today. New chapters will come every Friday (for now).

Now, Evermist is not new. It’s not old, either. It’s something that I worked on a while ago and I’ve decided that it lends itself well to the serial format, so I’ve spent the last couple of weeks sprucing it up and getting it ready for prime time.

To whet your appetite, today’s post is all about Evermist.  First up, a map of the world.

Evermist - click the image to see it larger

Paerleon

Paerleon is the largest of the island nations and the only one ruled as a democracy, of sorts. Although there is a clear leader in the Magister, he or she has an advisory council consisting of a Merchant and a Land Owner – each elected from their respective guilds. When together, they are called The Triad.

The Triad makes laws, oversees the day to day running of the government, seeks treaties and negotiates tariffs with other lands and, of course, sets taxes.

The Magister is tied to the land, seeks and appoints their own successor and can live much longer than the normal human due to the power they wield. The Magister’s duty is to keep Paerleon on the right path through the centuries, be the moral center and compass of the nation and protect everyone from the dangers both within and without – including the island of Evermist itself.

The Magister lives in the Tower of Valles. Because of their presence, technology that does not function in other parts of the world do function in Valles. No one, except the Magister or perhaps the Engineers, know why this is.

Laws passed by the Triad are enforced by the local Sheriffs, who are under the direct command of the Regional Marshalls who are appointed by the Triad. Marshalls hear local cases brought to trial and oversee the day to day running of the city-states.

Paerleon has no standing army, but rather, a Militia whose primary role is to maintain a presence on the island of Evermist and also serve as guards and enforcers in ports and cities throughout Paerleon.

The Engineers oversee and maintain the walls of Evermist. They are extremely secretive and their recruiting techniques are highly effective and unknown to outsiders.

The capital city, called Paerl, disappeared in a bright flash of light three hundred years ago. In the aftermath of this mystery, the capital was moved to the port city of Valles. The land where Pearl once stood is considered to be cursed. Anyone spending time there eventually becomes ill and dies.

Brise

Brise is home to pirates and cutthroats.  Little is known about these people except for their ruthlessness.  They are quick to attack any ship straying into their waters and are not opposed to raiding neighboring islands.

Ilea

The Ilea islands are heavily forested with small populations of tight knit villages.  The people live simple lives.  Fishing is the main source of food for the villagers, who are xenophobic by nature and do not trade with others often.  They are smaller than the people of Paerleon or Brise, growing no taller than four feet at the most.

Mycea

Home to the Imperium.  Julian is the current Emperor of the land, having raised an army as a young man and, over the course of ten, bloody years, brought the Isle of Mycea to heel under his rule alone.  His brothers were killed in the war, as were his parents.

He built a castle in the port city of Wesea and renamed it, and the island itself ‘Mycea’, in memory of his mother.  Little is known of Mycea after Julian came to power.  Early in his second year as Emperor, he closed all port cities to trade and recalled his ambassadors.

Vyuk

Vyuk is the most underdeveloped of the island nations, its King and populace preferring to cling to the old ways, worshipping the Elt, oldest of races.  The men and women are considered to be among the fiercest of warriors and a small percentage of the population is almost always off somewhere fighting wars for other kings.  They are passionately devoted to the old gods and await their return to cleanse the land one day.

Evermist

Evermist is the northern most island, beyond Corracamor. The Paerleon Militia stands watch over the island.  A great wall shields the islands inner secrets from all, and a perpetual fog inside keeps those who guard it from seeing much either.  The island is dark and cold and covered in snow and ice, except for the interior that seems to radiate an unnatural heat.

Legends say that Evermist must be contained if the world it to survive…

Evermist begins today at 12:30 pm mst.

~P