#thornfell

[secretnighthideout]

Odea Thornfel, the Queen of the Mantis clan

[dontcrywrite]

WIP (RE)INTRO | A KINGDOM BETRAYED

genre | young adult, high fantasy, adventure, lgbtq+

pov | third, limited

status | storyboarding/outlining draft four

synopsis |

Tensions in the kingdom of Arla have never been higher. Their diplomatic relations with other countries across the Lucent Sea are strained. Old magic that hasn't been seen in at least fifty years is bleeding back into the kingdom, causing sickness and fear wherever it goes. Something is deeply wrong. It all comes to a head when the prince returns from a hunting trip half dead, and his entire personal guard killed. Helen Mast is determined to prove herself. A squire in the king's army, all Helen wants is to be granted the rank of knight and protect the kingdom she loves. A chance encounter with Muriel, head of the king's personal guard, leads to Helen being chosen to undertake a quest to retrieve a long lost magical artifact that grants unspeakable power to the worthy few able to wield it. It's the only thing, the king believes, that can give the kingdom enough power to save itself. She's joined by Cordelia Langston, eldest daughter of one of the oldest noble families in Arla. Cory has her own reasons for wanting to join the quest, reasons she's unwilling to share. As the two journey deep into the heart of Arla, they discover secrets more deadly than the last — and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy the kingdom as they know it.

I'm starting a new tag list for this wip, so please let me know if you want to be added!

Character info below the cut!

STARRING

Helen Mast [she/her]: became a squire when she was very young, is desperate to get approval from Muriel (and any other authority figure), has learned a few trivial magic spells but isn't very good at them, has a horse named Whiskey who is her best friend

Cordelia "Cory" Langston [she/her]: eldest daughter of Lord Langston, lives in the palace six months out the year, would rather be out in the woods than stuck negotiating trade deals, loves her friends and family so so much

Moss Pennbrook [he/they]: bard who invites himself onto Helen's quest, a few years younger than Helen and Cory, born with the ability to wield magic (first in their family to do so), has never been serious once in their life

Levi Sherridan [he/him]: only son of King Sherridan and heir to the throne, was officially declared crown prince on his 18th birthday (which took place a few months before the events of the plot), frequently travels across Arla to connect with the people he's supposed to be ruling

Emory Thornfell [they/them]: a squire in Helen's squad, chaotic ball of energy who should really not be given sharp objects, befriends the prince, keeps Helen updated on palace ongoings while Helen is on her quest

[mysticstarlightduck]

Cottonwood, please!

Thank you so much for the Ask, @thetruearchmagos! I'll answer this one for Enchanted Illusions!

(The Tag Game)

Cottonwood: What event has the most impact throughout the story, and leaves its trace in many scenes?

I've mentioned this a few times in some prior posts, but the main event that quite literally shaped Ansburke was the centuries-long war between humans and Myths, which came to a truce/peace treaty around 100 years before the events of the book. It shaped Ansburke, their country's capital city, as humans and mythical beings looked for ways to coexist somewhat peacefully after centuries of warfare. The city became a melting pot where humans and all enchanted species could exist together in peace, a symbol of progress - however, Ansburke has a darker side as well, since the resentment and prejudice from those bygone days of war still hold sway over some of the population, and the growing tensions between both sides of their society led to the events that happened immediately before, during and after the first main novel's story.

Some other events hold a lot of impact in the events of Enchanted Illusions, but they happen during the actual story, so I'm putting a summarized version of those (only some of them, not the major plot twists) under the cut here (:

Vincent Sharppe's failed assassination attempt. (In summary, he was caught in an explosion in the Thornfell Lords' Chamber - a place which was a symbol of the union between humans and Myths. The explosion was the horrid first open action of the crooked Hemlock Society, and their debut as the mysterious villainous cult/organization that brutally haunts the city throughout the book. Harriet Sharppe discovers it was not a coincidence - because her cousin's injury wasn't from the explosion itself, he was shot - and that the explosion was also a way for the Hemlock Society to get cover the attempted murder of her cousin while also inciting civil unrest). The Hemlock Society wanted to cause more division in the already strained city and prey on the prejudices some humans and Myths still held for each other - so this explosion, referred to throughout the book as the "Thornfell Incident", not only sets Harriet's arc in motion - as, even though Vincent survives, she wants to find out who is responsible for this - but is the beginning of what could turn into a civil war in Ansburke and the rest of the country. It definitely leaves traces in lots of scenes and plot points throughout the novel.

"Thaddeus' Revolution" (the rebellion is not his, but he's one of their main leaders and I haven't named it yet so, lmao) - Thaddeus is part of a secret rebellion that actively undermines the crooked workings of the villains (the villains being the members of the Hemlock Society) from behind the scenes. They have a network of agents throughout the city of Ansburke and even other cities, which have magical means of keeping each other updated without calling attention to themselves - though their founder's face has never been seen by any of them, and is one of the main plot twists of the story. Thaddeus is a good friend of some of the protagonists, and his revolution gives the main characters support in their mission to stop the Hemlock's plan, giving them a better chance at succeeding against the villains, so I'd say it is a very important plot point and many scenes have some connection to it.

The Daemitya Scandal - While not as jarring and world-changing as the other moments mentioned above, the "Daemitya Scandal" is vastly important for the story of Evangeline (one of the main POV characters) as she is one of House Daemitya's most promising heirs. The "scandal" consists of the circumstances surrounding the chaotic divorce of Damien Daemitya (Evangeline's father) and Ophelia Tallonai (her stepmother and an antagonist in the series) and due to exposed secrets and the lies spun by Ophelia, the reputation of House Daemitya (which happens to be one of the most ancient and powerful noble Houses of Ansburke) was compromised, but not destroyed - as in, no one really knows other than a select few know the real truth behind what happened, but Ophelia's lies and the newspaper's attention seeking headlines sure did some damage, but the House's reputation and power still remained politically unshaken. Many people talk about the "Daemitya Scandal" in the story, in varying degrees of truth, but it's mostly important because: 1. It's something that haunts Evangeline's current life and has deep connections to her childhood trauma regarding her abusive stepmother, 2. Explains why Damien is so desperate to have a good image so that he's not kicked out of the High Council due to his influential ex's lies, 3. sets up the stage for Ophelia's scheme later on in the story too.

[poitox]

New murder man :o)

[joulethieves]

time is truly a flat circle because its the first week of january and i am, once again, like last january, buying Cozy Thot clothes on missguided and redownloading final fantasy fo*rteen

[mother-plaguebringer]

Hmm, I got the new Thornfell Mantel from Joxar but I can't decide if I like it better than my Bramble Mantel...

[midoridragonuus]

while i really love the arcane apparel this year

the thornfell mantle was made for me

here we go

[pumpkin-bread]

I’m gonna need so many thornfell mantles... gdi

[tsanasreads]

Moontangled by Stephanie Burgis

Moontangled by Stephanie Burgis is the latest instalment in the Harwood Spellbook series of novellas. I have previously read and reviewed Snowspelled, Thornbound, and Spellswept (in the Underwater Ballroom Society anthology). Aside from some references to earlier events and maybe a bit of world building, Moontangled can be enjoyed without having read the previous novellas. However, I recommend reading at least Thornbound first for a bit of context and to avoid being spoiled for that story if you come to read it later.

For just one moonlit, memorable night, Thornfell College of Magic has flung open its doors, inviting guests from around the nation to an outdoor ball intended to introduce the first-ever class of women magicians to society...but one magician and one invited guest have far more pressing goals of their own for the night. Quietly brilliant Juliana Banks is determined to win back the affections of her secret fiancée, rising politician Caroline Fennell, who has become inexplicably distant. If Juliana needs to use magic to get her stubborn fiancée to pay her attention...well, then, as the top student in her class, she is more than ready to take on that challenge! Unbeknownst to Juliana, though, Caroline plans to nobly sacrifice their betrothal for Juliana's own sake - and no one has ever accused iron-willed Caroline Fennell of being easy to deter from any goal. Their path to mutual happiness may seem tangled beyond repair...but when they enter the fey-ruled woods that border Thornfell College, these two determined women will find all of their plans upended in a night of unexpected and magical possibilities.

Moontangled is a short novella and an enjoyable one. It’s about Caroline and Juliana, who were side characters in some of the earlier stories. Given their own story at last, we get a more detailed look at their relationship. There are some ramifications of the events in Thornbound, magic, and a satisfying resolution. My only criticism is that I finished it quickly and couldn’t spend longer enjoying it. I recommend Moontangled if you’ve enjoyed any of the earlier Harwood Spellbook novellas and especially if you thought more attention should be paid to the recurring f/f couple. I look forward to Burgis’s next instalment. 4.5 / 5 stars First published: February 2020, self-published Series: The Harwood Spellbook, book 2.5 out of 4 (of which only two have integer numbers) Format read: ePub Source: Review copy from author Content imported from Blogger https://ift.tt/2uVdXZg. If you would like to leave a comment, please do so at the aforementioned link.

[pagansquare]

Book Review: Thornbound

Title: Thornbound (The Harwood Spellbook Volume II) Publisher: Five Fathoms Press Author: Stephanie Burgis Pages: 186pp Price: $2.99 (ebook) Release Date: 25 February 2019

Cassandra Harwood -- once Angland's only recognized woman magician -- has lost her magic. Finally married to her long-time love, Rajaram Wrexham, she is determined to do something for all of the women out there who possess magical abilities, but lack proper training. And so she creates the Thornfell College of Magic, the first of its kind in Angland. Unfortunately, the inspectors sent by the Boudiccate are determined to shut down the school and the only weather wizard whom Cassandra could find to teach at Thornfell is an obnoxious egomaniac. And then she finds the altar in the library, splattered with blood. And then Wrexham goes missing. And then there are the vines, great thorny vines creeping out of the woods and making their way ever closer to the school ....

Read more...

[dontcrywrite]

WIP INTRO | A KINGDOM BETRAYED

genre | new adult, fantasy, adventure, lgbtq+

pov | third, limited

status | writing second draft

synopsis

The kingdom of Arla is under attack. Every day, more towns fall victim to curses, and are raided by monsters and marauders alike. These attacks seem to be orchestrated by someone who has an intimate knowledge of the kingdom’s inner workings. It all comes to a head when the prince returns from a hunting trip badly injured, and his entire personal guard killed.

The newest knight in the palace guard, Sir Helen Mast, is sent off on a quest to uncover a magical artifact that is rumored to gift the one who wields it with the power of the goddesses. It's the only thing that can save Arla from destruction. Armed with information gathered by the king’s personal guard and her best friend by her side, Helen is sure there’s nothing she can’t handle. The fate of the kingdom rests on her shoulders, and she’s determined to save the world she loves.

But as she travels farther away from the capital city, Helen begins to realize that the information she’d been given is wrong; it’s all dead ends and red herrings. The reality of what’s happening in the towns scattered across the countryside is far worse than what Helen and the rest of the kingdom have been told. Then she stumbles across some information that leads her to the real culprit -- and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy the kingdom as she knows it.

main characters

Sir Helen Mast: [she/her] narrator, knight who is just trying to do what she thinks is right

Cordelia “Cory” Langston: [she/her] gardener at the palace and helen’s best friend

Moss Pennbrook: [they/them] chaotic bard who is excited to be here

Tabitha “Tabby” Fairburn: [she/her] witch who holds all the brain cells on the team

side characters

Prince Levi Sherridan: [he/him] prince who deserves the world

Emory Thornfell: [they/them] knight who is here for a good time, not a long time

themes/tropes | found family, loyalty vs betrayal, corrupt governments, magic, friendship, character driven story, queer cast of characters

let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!!!

[image id: a painting of subterranean ruins covered in moss, with a waterfall spilling over the sides of a cave and a lake surrounding the land]

[dontcrywrite]

CHARACTER INTRO - EMORY THORNFELL

basic info | 22 years old, nonbinary asexual, she/they

strengths | loyal, energetic, athletic, cheerful,

weaknesses | easily distracted, dramatic, stubborn

background | Emory has only been a knight at the palace for two years, joining up when she was 20. Before then, they lived in the capital city, Kenton, with their mother who worked in the city's central infirmary. Before becoming a knight, Emory split her time between helping her mother and sneaking off to the docks to watch the ships coming and going. Emory became a knight because they hoped it would allow them to see more of the world and offer more opportunities for adventure.

aesthetics | the smell of freshly picked herbs, the rush of adrenaline before a fight, the sun peeking out from behind the clouds, bright clothes paired with heart shaped sunglasses, freshly polished silver, soft blankets, gentle hands

fun facts | Emory has magic! Her mother was a powerful mage, but Emory never really got the hang of using magic. They mostly use their magic to heal. Healing is their specialty! She'll hang around the palace infirmary and help out when not on duty. She also dyes her hair with her magic.

taglist (let me know if you want to be added/taken off): @bronwennjames @twentythreecrows @writeblrfantasy @chishiio @nikkywrites @drippingmoon @forthesanityofsome @amberskywrites @ashen-crest @47crayons @notwritinganyflufftoday @hellishhin @oh-no-another-idea @charlesjosephwrites @thelaughingstag @apocalypsewriters @writing-is-a-martial-art @sagasofazeria

[image id: three images across the top of the post. the first one shows several herbs, a bowl and some spoons laid out across a table. the middle is a picrew icon by @kmerolzzzz on instagram. it shows a light skinned woman with shoulder length blue hair and a bandaid on her cheek smiling at the camera. the words on the image read 'um...so... :)'. the third image is of a knight pulling a sword out of their scabbard. we can only see their armoured chest. end id]

[joulethieves]

Rannoch Thornfell, my White Mage Au’Ra runt ❤️