Realm Explorers Part XCXI: Visit Bryn and Gorlassar with Lisa Rector

Welcome to Realm Explorers!  In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors.  Enjoy your travels!  And don't forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book. 

Author’s name:

Lisa Rector

Title of book and/or series:

Chronicles of the Half-Emrys series. Master of Lies, The Two Masters, and Master of Time.

Brief summary of the story:

Each novel in this series tells the story of a different half-emrys. The immortal emrys live in the realm Gorlassar, apart from the humans, who they believe are corrupted. As the novels unfold, we learn that two emrys have ventured into the mortal world. Their children are the half-emrys—part human and part immortal—and from their mixed heritage, they have the ability to wield the powers of light and darkness.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

My world involves several realms or planets. The immortals live on Gorlassar, an entirely separate planet from Bryn, where the mortals dwell. Gorlassar and Bryn are connected by a portal. The majority of my stories take place on Bryn. The three realms in the west are separated by a barren expanse from the sprawling realm Morvith in the east. Morvith is home to the Dark Dragon riders, and within its borders is the eternal prison of an evil god.

If we were to visit Bryn as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there? 

Between the three realms is the Great Forest. It’s called great because the trees are roughly forty feet in diameter and mass together, sometimes creating an impassable barrier. Many of the adventures take place within the forest because of its extensive history. The forest didn’t always have gargantuan trees. Even if you found your way into the depths of the Great Forest without being hopelessly lost, you might not want to ride the rickety lifts into the canopy hundreds of feet in the air, where a civilization of little people—the Eilian—dwell. These clever folk adapted to living in the treetops, but watch out, they’ll talk your ear off. If you are lost and lucky enough, the tegyd—the deer-people—will find you and take you to their underground realm of glowing cave crystals and soaring cavernous halls.

What dangers should we avoid in Bryn?

It shouldn’t be a problem to avoid Nudd, the stagnant swamp in the north, where the flower fey—the Gwri—live. But sadly, not all my characters have done so. Whether on a mission for the Dark Master or a group of daring explorers, nothing can thwart Gwri magic. When blessed by the Gwri, you will be altered forever. These mysterious flower fey have been known to cross portals into other worlds as well. If you feel the pull of compelling magic and hear nearly imperceptible giggles that you swore weren’t real, you’re in big trouble.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Gorlassar?

In the immortal realm, my emrys rarely use man-made weapons. The emrys are imbued with light from the Creator, and they harness the light and project it from their bodies in a myriad of ways. They can shield, blast, immobilize. The light quickens their physical frame so they are stronger, faster, more perceptive then mortals. Their greatest asset is their ability to discern the light in others and sense emotion on a soul-reaching level.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Gorlassar and Bryn? 

Ah, the mortals are so fortunate. Once the emrys decided the mortal world was safe, they brought their dragons into Bryn. What once took a month to travel takes a day. Dragons are fabulous messengers, and with the riders’ dragon stones, messages can even be passed mentally over vast distances, even across the portals between worlds.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Bryn that we don’t see on Earth?

Bryn has all types of beings made by the Creator—the Master of Light. Humans, deer-people, flower fey, little people, and immortals. Bryn is also home to malformed creatures that the Creator’s brother—the Dark Master—made. These beings are creatures formed by the darkness. One such monstrosity is a Shadow Soul, a parasite that corrupts and even maddens creatures of light.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Bryn? If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.

My worlds are governed by the powers of light and darkness. Both are real tangible energies that dwell within the heart-centers—the spiritual centers—of every creature. The light heals and gives my emrys their immortality, and through the dragon stones that many of my emrys wear, the dragons have that same immortal life. The power of darkness sounds evil, and truly, its might seems to grow from vile deeds (it even mutates organic life) but many of the half-emrys prefer its grounding capabilities. Both powers are harnessed as weapons. Both have abilities that emerge over time.

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Bryn? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.

My Eilian are an inventive, ancient race. They were clever enough to invent the pulley and many other advances. One Eilian even admits to his ancestor being blown up when he “founded the oven.” But that remains to say, their race was secluded for a while, and technological advances were occurring in other realms and on other planets at the same time.

The emrys have been able to get away with fewer advances in Gorlassar than we have on earth because they harnessed their light to do simple things, like heating water, eliminating the need for a water heater. Electricity has been unnecessary because emrys cast orbs of light into the air and even make rocks glow to light up a palace floor. Still, my stories are, what you might say, medieval, with horses and dragons as the mode of travel and knights fighting with swords on Bryn.

Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Gorlassar. 

Because Gorlassar is a protected realm and the emrys are charged with protecting the dragons, the emrys are trained in combat. Many mock tournaments are held to hone their skills in the event that evil might breech the protective barrier between worlds. On Bryn, mortals enjoy a good jousting tournament or sword fight. A yearly fall festival is held in the capitol of Talfryn, which draws subjects from across the three mortals realms for a week of satiating fun.

Are the days of the week and months of the year the same on Bryn and Gorlassar as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?

Time moves the same on Bryn as Earth. Bryn celebrates the cycles of their moon. It must be noted that Bryn has its own separate solar system, as does Gorlassar. It must purely be coincidence that time moves the same on these three spheres.

Is there a particular religion practiced on Bryn and Gorlassar? Please describe what it involves.

Because these two worlds are connected, they honor the same Creator. Deian is like our world’s God, and so he has an evil counterpart, Cysgod. Without getting into the nature of Christian religion, I am just going to say, that every world in my novels has a god, and it is not the same as ours. Other worlds might have other Creators, and those might emerge as other stories are written.

Eternal laws govern the people of Bryn and Gorlassar, such as the law of forgiveness or the law of sacrifice. When these laws are enacted, powers move into play and have been known to benefit the enactors. The immortals and mortals can choose which Creator to honor. Both Creators have rivaling mights, and they bestow their powers on to those who follow them.

What is the political or government structure on Bryn? Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?

The immediate world that you are introduced on to Bryn is the three realms. At one point, all three were ruled by kings, but as time progressed, lords have taken over rule. Lord Brenin is our noble, young ruler of Terrin, the western realm near the sea. His father died when he was an infant. Brenin’s uncle rules the neighboring realm in the southeast. In the northeast, a mad tyrant, Lord Caedryn, rules. Lord Caedryn came from Morvith after being exiled.

Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Gorlassar? 

Because of the light the emrys carry, they are held to higher laws governed by the light. Emrys discern the emotion of those around them, and because of this acute ability, their touch is limited and very intimate. Emrys are able to bind themselves to others in several ways. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. The spiritual bond is akin to a mortals’ marriage. It involves the exchange of light between two individuals and is an eternal commitment. Mental and emotional bonds may be done among friends. They may be undone. A physical bond is the consummating after marriage. This is obviously done in conjunction with the spiritual bond. If an emrys of pure light bonds physically without the spiritual bond, they will fall—transition to a Dark Emrys. A half-emrys, who already possesses both darkness and light, has a bit wiggle room. They can transition to a Dark Emrys by other vile deeds. What matters are the intents of the half-emrys and the purity of those intentions.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

Sure has. All the beliefs are taken from my faith. The Creators. The laws. The light that is in all my beings is the same as the Light of Christ that is in us, with the exception of my characters’ light being from a different god.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

Morality. But it is woven in to how my emrys deal with their purity and innocence. Off-page intimacy does happen between non-wedded characters, but it is not always in their control. It’s mainly to create new consequences.

Author Autobiography:

Lisa Rector is a Maryland native and can’t imagine living anywhere else. She married her high school sweetheart for time and all eternity in the Washington D.C. Temple after she fell in love with his endless sense of humor. Lisa enjoyed a short stint as a labor and delivery nurse before becoming a stay-at-home mom for her two beautiful daughters. In addition to her newfound love of writing, her passions are gardening, yoga, and her faith in Jesus Christ. Her favorite delights are decadent homemade cakes, cookies, or brownies—never store-bought.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book(s)?

My novels can be purchased on Amazon in paperback and eBook. Check out my author page to see everything in one glance.

Where can readers connect with you online? 

Check out Perpetual Gardener, Writer, and Mormon or Author Lisa Rector on Facebook.

I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Bryn and Gorlassar.  Questions about the world or the book?  Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!  

Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.

Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world, in Realm Explorers Part XCXII!

-Annie Douglass Lima