Afterword - Book 5 - Chapter 6 (Patreon)

Chapter 6: Ar-Suelle, The City of Arts

I'll lead this one off by sharing an insider secret: when I know I'll be introducing a new place or culture sometime soon, in the days/weeks leading up to actually writing it, I create a list of sights and events I want to show. This is the foundation for how I handle worldbuilding, because I want every last culture my writings explore to feel both suitably unique and real.

The City of Arts had roughly a year of lead time, which meant I had a lot of ideas ready. Not all of them are present here, of course. Some ideas I still haven't even used to this day! But my goal with elven society was to make it feel magical, even by Pallosian standards.

I'd like to think I succeeded.

Writing in Remus (or the warzone) had always, in a lot of ways, limited me. There was only so much I could show of the splendor of Pallos. Not only are there wonderful things that Selkie established in books 8 through 16, but I have my own wellspring of ideas I want to explore as well! And now, at long last, Ranthia is no longer confined to Remus and its (comparatively) simplistic world. And yes, the Tympestshard Council's territory is fully intended to contrast sharply with the world that Ranthia knew.

And at least for the moment, everything is rosy.

Ranthia even finds her peace with the Maestro (I swear the woman's actual name will come up). But Skills being used everywhere? Actual real living elementals? Free necessities, free food, and free housing? What is this nonsense?!

It's a lot to adapt to and it's enough to constantly wrench Ranthia's thoughts from her concerns about her new Bond.