Realm Explorers Part CXXIV: Visit Pipto with Larry Paris

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:

Larry Paris

Title of book and/or series:

The Darkened Land ,Book One of the Seven Towers Series

Brief summary of the story:

Separated from the world of darkness by a bottomless chasm lie the stones of light. The King has built a bridge from that world to His kingdom across the chasm to give people access once again to the stones. He has established seven cities of light and seven towers as beacons to The Darkened Land.

Lachlaniel’s world is a world of complete darkness, but across the Godwin River there are stones of light. When he sees the light for the first time and beholds the wonder of the stones, Lachlaniel sets out for the Godwin accompanied by Ewald, the woodsman. But creatures of darkness, who hate the light and the stones, pursue them. Guided by Kesniel and protected by Velius they reach the Great City Agapay and the Bridge. The stones lie just beyond, but the quest has aroused The Great Evil.  Nameless and powerful he bends his might to crush the city and put an end to the light in his dominion. The city is now in peril.

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

A world of complete darkness except for the light from the King’s stones. The great cities form a ring in the north and are approximately 1500 miles apart. There are no ice caps so one can conceivably cross the north pole to cities on the other side of the world.

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

Visit the Bridge and one of the Great Cities especially one with a Great Stone in the tower’s turret.

Also check out the one of the Kin’s orchards (the fruits are indescribable).

What dangers should we avoid in Pipto?

Wolves, Hashimorts, Solveig, Aiden (dragons Aidan - singular) And don’t go in the Black Tower

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

Sword and shield, ax, arrows – typical medieval weapons

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

Horses, carts, and walking.

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

Giant snakes (over 300 feet long as adults); Solveig – bat-like creatures with poisonous fangs whose bites cause blindness and death; Hashimorts – A giant flying scorpion of sorts; Aiden – speaking, flying, fire-breathing dragons whose armor as adults is quite impenetrable,  except for the belly where it is weaker, but a normal man could not penetrate it in his own strength even there; the great evils who can take any form and are huge; the Chuchoteur – thought whisperers; and lesser evils posing as men.

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

The supernatural is generally associated with the King; however, the evils also have abilities that humans don’t possess.

The stones of the King give light and reveal light as in the light of a fire. They stay with an owner (although the term ‘owner’ isn’t quite correct) and when removed from his presence will disappear and reappear beside the ‘owner’. Once you’ve crossed the Bridge and obtained a stone you are given the King’s armor which is tailor made for only you. You also gain access to your closet which is always near at hand though not visible. People without stones can see the light from them but most prefer the darkness and many are aggressive to those that have the stones or are seeking them. Many others have never seen the light and know nothing of the stones (as in the case of Lachlaniel, the first character you meet).

The evils generally inhabit animals and on rare occasion people. They are visible as a black mist that rises from the corpse once the animal is dead. They can also assume other forms including human.

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

Not technology to our way of thinking, but the stones and the swords of the King can bring understanding of things past, present, and future. The stones also serve as a food source and give water. Both are very restorative and life-giving. They also give oil that heals. The Great Stones, of which there are seven corresponding to the Seven Towers and Seven Great Cities, have other properties which will not be described here. The closets have already been mentioned and bring direct access to the King.

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

They are the same. There is Passage Day, which is the day that the Bridge was completed.

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

Government other than the Great Cities is not mentioned. The Great Cities are governed by a King-Steward and have a council that rules in the absence of the King-Steward.

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

Most of the People places and things are allegorical to things in the Bible. There is a glossary at the back that gives the meanings of the names and their pronunciation.

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

The means of Salvation, which is a hot button for many.

Author Autobiography:

 

I was born in Dallas Texas and raised in a small town near there. I attended Dallas Baptist University starting in 1975 and graduated in 2010 (yes it took me that long to get through). My degree is in Christian Ministries. I was on the Dean’s List and was Greek Honor Student (sorry I don’t remember what year). I started writing at the end of High School. I began the Darkened Land in the mid 90’s though 2/3 of it was written in six weeks in 2017 (God is good. He helped a lot.) Presently I am writing the second in the series titled The Basaners along with a series of short stories entitled The Physician and an end times novel (first of a series) with the working title Jack Russell and the Repository.

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

You can find both print and Kindle versions by clicking here.

ebook copies are available through Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and others by clicking the Books2Read link here.

Where can readers connect with you online? 

Presently I am on Facebook and I have just joined MeWe. Visit my webpage at larryparisbooks.com or email me at mailto:larryparisbooks@gmail.com.

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

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Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world in next week's edition of Realm Explorers!
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-Annie Douglass Lima