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: Kendra
E. Ardnek
Title of book and/or
series: The Rizkaland Legends – in particular, the second book of the series, Lady Dragon, Tela Du
Brief summary of the
story:
A thousand years have passed since Amber’s most recent
imprisonment on the Isle of Banishment, and it’s time for her to claim her
promised fifty years ruling Rizkaland. Only one person stands in the way of her
making the rule permanent – the Tela Du, a girl prophesied to share her face
and to be the only one capable of ending Amber’s life.
Brief description of
the world or location you created for this story:
Rizkaland is a cylindrical world divided into a mainland and
six islands, with thick bodies of water known as Rivs flowing between them.
Water flows in every color of the rainbow, each color with its own distinct
flavor and use. Also, they have something against the letter c for some reason.
If we were to visit Rizkaland
as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
I’d recommend that you start your tour in Loray, the castle at
the heart of the mainland, where you’ll find not only the Bookholder’s library
containing the complete history of the world, but also Alphego’s Hill, where
Alphego stood to create the world. You can use the Hill to travel to the
replicas built on the islands and do more exploring.
What dangers should
we avoid in Rizkaland?
It is generally considered a Bad Idea to be caught by Amber
– for not only can she turn people to ice, but she can turn herself into a
dragon. She’s only a problem when she’d not on the Isle of Banishment, though.
There are also a number of vicious animals, such as kirats – a large, bear-like
creature you don’t want to tangle with – in Rizkaland’s forests.
Is there a distinct
or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Rizkaland?
Mistletoe muffins!
And Spiced Pomella Cider is a general favorite among
visitors to the world.
What types of
weaponry or fighting styles are common in Rizkaland?
Predominately swords, bows, and a form of martial arts.
What types of
vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Rizkaland?
Predominately the horse, but on the mainland they have Haric
Doors that are doormats that you can use to travel quickly to Loray and back.
And Alphego’s Hill and its replicas on the islands can be used for travel.
What types of plants,
animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Rizkaland that we don’t see on
Earth?
Plantlife in Rizkaland is every color but green (except in
autumn, when it ALL turns green).
Animals? Well, as well as kirats, there are shwazles, a
reptilian beast that has a head resembling that of a camel; etrinas, a catlike
creature the size of a bobcat; kloradies, a yellow bird that resembles a
canary, but with a longer beak; korrens, a yak-like beast of burden; and
quaggleshumps, which are birds that resemble pelicans, but are much larger,
with purple feathers and donkey-like ears.
The predominate sentient race – or Eliue in the Rizkan language – apart from the humans are the elves.
And on the Isle of Talking Beasts you’ll find four races of horse-like
creatures called the harandas, the hinequas, the rowandas, and the kiandas.
What role, if any,
does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Rizkaland? If there is magic, please give some examples
of what it involves or how it’s used.
Each elf has a semi-unique gift such as invisibility,
flight, healing, a heightened sense, or some other such. The kings and queens
on the mainland are given similar gifts.
The hinequas have the ability to lessen the effects of
gravity, which they use for flight. Kiandas can turn themselves invisible. It
is suspected that Rowandas have the ability to slow time – in any rate, they
move so fast, it’s hard to tell. Harandas have the power of telepathy and
teleportation, and it is with hairs from their tales that the Haric Doors are
made.
The Hills function on a supernatural level.
During Tying Ceremonies, a magical cord is used to bind the
couple together.
The Bookholder – the highest rank a elf can hold – owns a
special Book that contains prophecies and orders from Alphego, the words of
which will change depending on the need. Daughters of the Bookholder, known as
Bookdaughters, have the ability to Speak prophecies.
Alphego will occasionally gift certain people with gifts
beyond that to perform certain tasks.
Is there any advanced
or unusual technology in Rizkaland? If
you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Nothing unusual compared to our world, but there is
electricity in Loray and the five castles on the Isle of Klarand.
Tell us about any
sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Rizkaland.
Variations of the medieval tournaments are popular, and they
do have a few ball sports, though nothing organized on the level that earth
sports are these days. Royalty enjoys balls, while barn dances, of a sort, are
frequent among the common people. There is a nightly recitation of the Legends
– what histories are called in Rizkaland – at Loray and the Kastle by the
Bookholder or a Bookdaughter, and there are a few acting companies that travel
through Rizkaland and Klarand presenting plays of their own invention and ones
based on the Legends.
Are the days of the
week and months of the year the same in Rizkaland as on Earth? What holidays or
special events are celebrated regularly there?
Rizkaland has a day and year equal to ours, but their year
is divided into ten months named for the original rulers of the island of
Klarand, and the weeks are eight days named for the original rulers of the
mainland.
The New Year is celebrated much like we celebrate Christmas,
and there are a few other special days, mostly commemorating past defeats of
Amber.
Is there a particular
religion practiced in Rizkaland? Please
describe what it involves.
Almost everyone acknowledges the existence of Alphego, even
if they don’t personally believe in him. The Hill and its replicas are regarded
as places of worship, and most people will at least try to seek the advice of
the Bookholder or a Bookdaughter before making major decisions. Tying
Ceremonies – which are technically engagement ceremonies, but with wedding vows
– are held on the Hill or one of its replicas, and are officiated by the
Bookholder or a Bookdaughter if at all possible.
What is the political
or government structure in Rizkaland?
Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Rizkaland has a monarchy, with four kings and four queens,
as it is believed that it isn’t good for any one person to have absolute power.
Their chief advisor is the Bookholder, and they have a number of officials and
such below them to help carry out laws.
The island of Klarand and the Isle of Talking Beasts are
both subject to the Rizkan monarchy, though they are recognized as separate
governments. Klarand has a monarchy with only one king and queen, but the
island is divided into four quarters and their power is diffused through the
Lord and Lady reigning over each section.
The Isle of Talking Beasts is ruled by the Sentaur who as
his name suggests, is half-human and half-horse, and is immortal as far as
anyone can tell. He rules with the help of a council of seven elected from
among his people.
Are there any other
unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Rizkaland?
Rizkans don’t shake hands. They press a fist to their heart
and, depending on their rank, will hold eye contact, bow, or glance towards
Alphego’s country or the nearest Hill.
They refer to north, south, east, and west as up, down, ea,
and wea.
As mentioned earlier, they don’t like the letter “c” and
will only use it to make the “ch” sound, in which case, it is used alone. In
every other situation, it is replaced with “k” or “s” as applicable.
Has anything in your actual
life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Probably, but I’m having trouble remembering anything off
the top of my head. There are the boxes that the elves possess, inspired by a
typo by a friend of mine, though. And the Rowandas and Hinequas come from a
story game my sister and I did in the backyard once.
What, if any, “hot-button”
or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
I never outright address the issue, but I do deal with
gender norms and women in power a lot in my writing. Also predestination vrs.
free will came up in LDTD, which can be a pretty controversial subject. And
there was a moment when old earth vrs. new earth was mentioned.
Author Autobiography:
Kendra E. Ardnek is a homeschool graduate who
picked up a pen at an early age and never put it down. The eldest of four, she
makes her home in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her parents, younger
siblings, giant herd of giraffes, and honor guard of
nutcrackers.
Where, and in what
formats, can we purchase your book(s)?
Lady Dragon, Tela Du
is currently available for preorder on kindle.
Where can readers
connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Rizkaland. 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 CXIII!
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 CXIII!
-Annie Douglass Lima
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