Book Update – 24/04/2019

Greetings everyone! I hope you’ve been doing well and, for those lucky enough, enjoyed the long weekend.

It’s been over a month since my last update so I’m going to make this a bit of a big one! What’s been happening since last time? Quite a lot actually!

New Zealand – Australia’s Canada!

I recently returned from an epic trip to New Zealand. I’ve never been before which is really slack on my part considering I live in Australia. I guess with New Zealand being so close to home I took it for granted.

I loved New Zealand! The country was beautiful. The people were extremely friendly. And, most importantly, the food was great!

My American mates flew all the way from New York City and joined me in Middle-Earth. Come on, you had to expect there to be at least ONE Lord of the Rings reference! Trust me when I say there were plenty of them on the trip…

We spent most of our time hiking around the national parks of the South Island which included Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, Mt Aspiring National Park, and Fiordland National Park. Unfortunately, some of the trails we wanted to do were closed off due to some recent storm damage. Regardless we still got to see some amazing scenery including this shot from Gertrude’s Saddle:

Despite being in New Zealand for a few weeks I felt like I was there for a few months. The fresh air and stunning natural landscapes put my brain into a creative overdrive. Though it was sad to leave New Zealand and bid farewell to my mates, I looked forward to coming back home so I could get back into writing.

Zoya – My Feline Distraction

As you might recall, I’m now the proud father (?) of a Russian Blue kitten called Zoya. She continues to follow me around everywhere and is constantly preventing me from progressing further with my writing! I mean, look at this photo for example:

You might be asking yourself, “Shouldn’t he be writing, and not playing Sekiro?” Yes, I probably should be writing but if she’s not sitting on my keyboard or walking over my keyboard… or sleeping on my keyboard… she’s standing in front of my screen and attacking the mouse cursor.

Now I think about it, I should’ve posted a photo of that instead…

In any case! She’s a little furball of fun and recently has grown bored with my desk.

Encyclopedia Sarcadia – Vampire Section Complete!

Since returning from my trip I’ve put in a LOT of work into the Cardinal’s Encyclopedia Sarcadia. I’m happy to announce I’ve completed the vampire section of the Encyclopedia Sarcadia!

In the last update I mentioned I finished working on the backstory for Octavian, the First Vampire, and Darius Aventis, the first human turned by Octavian. Since then I’ve completed backstories on multiple key vampire characters as well as various vampire clans in Sarcadia.

Here’s just a quick sample of some of the major vampire clans and who their leaders are.

The Cardinal are the most dominant vampiric force in Sarcadia. It’s their belief humans should be under the rule of vampires, specifically the Cardinal, in order to ensure humanity’s survival from supernatural threats and to save them (humans) from themselves.

The six founding members of the Cardinal were responsible for Octavian’s death. The factions & leaders within the Cardinal are as follows:

• House Aventis led by Darius Aventis (click here to see a brief rundown on him).
• Clan Magnar led by Magnar Blutfest, a feared barbaric warrior with a violent, short temper.
• The Duchy of Stagnum led by Beatrice Ellsworth, a Duchess from Hartland infamous for her cruel regime and ravenous appetite.
• The Torino Dynasty led by Thomas and Tabitha Torino, a pair of twins who pride themselves on their appearance.
• The Lyceum of Shadows led by Leverett Augustine, spiteful boy who loathes being trapped in the body of a child for an eternity.

The Menagerie are an aggressive vampire clan spread throughout Sarcadia. Initially the group was comprised of Octavian’s three hundred neophytes and their fledglings. The numbers suffered greatly due to the vampiric civil war known as the “War of the Blood Moon”.

Those still loyal to Octavian continue to fight in his name to this day. They’re bitter rivals of the Cardinal and are feared throughout Sarcadia for their ruthlessness. The Menagerie believe Octavian will rise again and will shroud Sarcadia in permanent darkness.

What’s next?

The next, and final, major section of Encyclopedia Sarcadia will focus on the countries which exist in my world. There’s a decent amount of work to do as each country has its own history, religious beliefs etc. that need to be fine-tuned.

Despite there being a lot of work ahead of me, I’m confident I’ll have this section completed by the end of May. I’ll be keeping you updated at least once a week with how things are progressing. That way, it should motivate me to write at a quicker pace!

That’s all for now! Thank you for reading and thank you for your continued support. Once I’ve completed the first draft of this encyclopedia, the real fun will soon begin!

Until next time, be safe and take care!

W.F. Thorne

Book Update – 19/03/2019

Hello everyone! It’s time for another update on how the editing for Encyclopedia Sarcadia is coming along.

Progression has slowed down a bit more than what I had anticipated but for a good reason! In my previous update I mentioned I was going to be getting a cat. Allow me to introduce to you my Russian Blue kitten, Zoya (the Destroyer)!

She’s been doing great and has settled in very well. She’s very playful, friendly, and purrs her head off constantly. She’s taken up most of my time (seriously, it’s like raising a child) but now she’s comfortable in her new home I should be able to start writing and editing again.

Fortunately, I do have a quick update this week! I’ve started to edit the vampire section with the aim of completing this by the end of the month. Here’s a quick summary of two important vampires in Sarcadia:

Octavian – The Fallen Son

Octavian was once the favourite son of Sarcadia’s deity, Atriarch. He was unique among his brothers as he took an interest in defending the innocent Sarcadians from Tenebris’ demons. Atriarch granted Octavian permission to assist Sarcadia, a decision he would ultimately regret making.

Octavian would be killed by an avatar of Elysia, the ruler of Tenebris, then resurrected as the first vampire. Atriarch was angered by Octavian’s transformation as he believed his son shouldn’t have allowed himself to be deceived so easily. Not only did Atriarch turn his back on his once favourite son, but he ordered the execution of all his sons, judging them to be weak and just as corruptible as Octavian.

Initially the Fallen Son tried to resume his normal life but Sarcadians throughout the realm violently drove him away. Octavian bared witness to his sisters slaughtering his brothers and it was then that he finally succumbed to his supressed rage and anger.

For over 300 years Octavian unleashed his “Menagerie” of vampires on Sarcadia and they spread his terror. Octavian’s demise would come at the hands of his own vampires who disagreed with his plans to eradicate humanity from Sarcadia. His death was orchestrated by the first vampire he created, Darius Aventis.

Darius Aventis

Darius Aventis is the first human turned into a vampire by Octavian. He originally served as a Senator in Alibrium and was highly revered for his progressive views and selflessness. Darius, like most of his Senators and the general population of the country, despised their ruler – Imperatur Mavos IV.

Darius was in talks with the major houses of Alibrium to install him as Alibrium’s new ruler, but this would never come to fruition. Octavian not only turned the Senator into a vampire, but also slaughtered Darius’ entire family. Darius stayed by Octavian’s side for over 300 years, slowly plotting and scheming his master’s downfall which would occur at the end of the vampire civil war.

Darius was too familiar with the dangerous threat of vampires and the supernatural. He also knew how cruel and heartless humans could also be to themselves. Along with the other vampires who helped him kill Octavian, Darius founded “the Cardinal” with the intention of protecting humans by ruling them.

Darius is regarded as the most powerful vampire in existence today and his faction, House Aventis, controls more than half of the continent of Alibrium. In doing so, Darius has established a haven for both humans and vampires.

That’s all for now! I’m hoping to have at least one big update before I leave for my trip next week. If not, I promise to post more photos of Zoya!

Until next time, be safe and take care!

W.F. Thorne

Book Update – 04/03/2019

Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend or are still enjoying the weekend depending on where in the world you’re reading this from.

It’s time for another update on how the editing for Encyclopedia Sarcadia is coming along. I’m very happy to announce I’m way ahead of schedule! I gave myself the aim to have the section on Tenebris edited by the end of the week. I surprised myself by achieving my goal on last Thursday, which means I’ve started editing the section on Vampires earlier than what I anticipated!

“So, what’s a Tenebris?” I hear you ask? Allow me to give you all very quick rundown.

Tenebris – The Realm of Darkness

Tenebris is my universe’s version of Hell. It’s a vast, endless battlefield shrouded in shadows. Tenebris is inhabited by multiple races of evil, vile beings and creatures collectively known as “Tenebites”. They constantly fight and murder one another unless they’re battling the armies of Caelum, (my universe’s version of Heaven).

Some of these Tenebite races include:

• Daemons
• Orcs
• Lycans
• Succubi
• Ogres

Elysia – The Dark Mother

Tenebris is currently ruled by Elysia who was originally from Sarcadia. She used to be a devoted servant of Sarcadia’s deity, Atriarch. The two copulated and, unbeknown to Atriarch, Elysia fell pregnant with his child. Her claims she bore their God’s child angered her church. Her blasphemous statement resulted in her being severely tortured and left for dead in a forest.

Elysia and her unborn child survived her punishment and she would go on to give birth to a healthy baby boy. However, Elysia immediately committed infanticide in front of Atriarch as revenge for not coming to her defence. Atriarch killed Elysia and damned her to an eternity in Tenebris.

Elysia would become corrupted by the realm’s power and she would eventually be transformed into the demonic entity she is today. She would dominant all Tenebite races and wage a bloody war on Sarcadia. Elysia extract further revenge on Atriarch by turning his favourite son, Octavian, into the first vampire.

Werewolves

Werewolves exist in Sarcadia and derive from the ancient Lycan Tenebite, Xensaroch. Werewolves in Sarcadia aren’t humans who can transform into beasts. In this universe, werewolves originally were wolves who were turned into humans by Xensaroch. Most of the werewolves in Sarcadia maintain their human form and only morph into their Lycan-like bodies when necessary.

The strength, agility, and look of a werewolf is dependent on where in Sarcadia they originate from. For example, werewolves from Rykhart are the tallest and strongest, while werewolves from Un’Kabaal are slimmer but are the most agile.

Witches

Witches also exist in this universe – further contributing to the chaos caused by Vampires, Werewolves, and other sinister supernatural beings. Not only do they worship Elysia but they also worship the ancient Tenebite, Belzabardos. It’s through the “Chatterer of Secrets” that one gains unlimited knowledge of the dark schools of magic.

There are different types of witchcraft one could study. You could spend your life learning how to raise the dead as a necromancer or, you could learn how to summon a Tenebite to do your bidding.

I could go on, but I only wanted to provide you all with a bit of a teaser! I promise you there’ll be a lot more information on the subjects I’ve mentioned and much, much more once the encyclopedia has been edited.

At the pace I’m going the final product shouldn’t be too far away if I don’t get distracted… which might happen a bit more as a kitten will be joining my home soon! I can totally see this website being transformed into a shrine dedicated to my cat!

That’s all for now! If all goes well by this time next week, I should have another big update for you.

Until next time, be safe and take care!

W.F. Thorne

A Quick Update – 25/02/2019

Hi everyone! I hope the “Year of the Vampire” has been treating you very well. It’s crazy to think we’re already approaching the end of February. 2019 is flying by and will be over before we know it, so I think now’s a good time for a long over-due update.

Encyclopedia Sarcadia

The editing of Encyclopedia Sarcadia has been slower than what I had anticipated. I was aiming to have everything completed by the end of February but due to a few circumstances out of my control (and a few minor distractions) it looks like I’ll have the first edit completed by the end of March.

Despite the slowness of the editing I’m quite pleased with the quality of the encyclopedia. In fact, it has made me rethink how I’m going to release this once it has been finalised. I’ve decided to publish small sections encyclopedia in weekly posts. The aim will be to release information once or twice a week though I’m mindful about other content I’ll be posting.

In terms of how far I’ve progressed with the editing, I’ve completed one and a half of the major timelines of Sarcadia as well as the major section about Caelum – the Realm of Light. Again, I’m pleased with how things are coming along and I’m looking to have most of the encyclopedia completed towards the end of March.

Behind the Pixels

Admittedly, I’ve fallen a little bit behind with the “Behind the Pixels” series but I’m going to put time aside to have the remainder of the Mega Man series completed. I’ve got an idea on what video game series I’ll be focusing on next which will be fitting for this website. I’m going to look at adjusting my style of how I write the series as I’m not satisfied with what I’m currently doing. I guess that’s just part of growing and developing as a writer!

Minor updates to the website

I’ll be looking to make some minor updates to this website over the upcoming months. This will mainly have to do with navigation, especially now that I’ll be posting Encyclopedia Sarcadia on a regular basis.

That’s about all from me for now. I’ll be heading to overseas at the end of March, so I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. Hopefully I’ll get in a few updates or so before I leave for what is going to be an amazing trip. I might even post a few photos as well!

Until next time, be safe and take care!

W.F. Thorne

Behind The Pixels – Mega Man 6

Welcome to another edition of Behind the Pixels. Our journey continues with the final NES version of the Mega Man series: Mega Man 6, or “Rockman 6: The Greatest Battle of All Time!!”.

That sounds bad ass. Why is this the greatest battle of all time?

The story behind this game focuses on a big tournament hosted by a mysterious billionaire called “Mr X”.

Bruce Wayne.

Huh?

It’s Bruce Wayne. The billionaire, right?

Bruce Wayne doesn’t exist in the Mega Man universe.

Do you think there’s a “Bat Man” in the Mega Man universe? Get it? Bat Man?

Yeah… I see what you did there… Anyway, Mr X encourages the world’s most talented robot designers to build the most powerful robots for the tournament. In the final event, Mr X informs everyone the robots are going to assist him in conquering the world.

That’s a hell of a final round.

Also, Mr X decides to randomly tell everyone it was he who Dr Wily was reporting to throughout the series.

That’s a random thing to tell everyone. It’s like this mysterious Mr X is trying to make people think he isn’t Dr Wily for some reason…

I know, right? It’s up to Mega Man to save the day again… For the sixth time. He defeats the eight robot masters and…

Wins the tournament.

Wins the tournament?

If he just defeated eight of the world’s best robots who were fighting for the title of the world’s most powerful robot, wouldn’t that make Mega Man the world’s most powerful robot.

Technically… Yes. I guess that means Mega Man would officially be recognised as the world’s most powerful robot.

So Mega Man wins the tournament, wins a billion dollars, and lives out the rest of his cyber life in a villa in Tuscany.

No. He can do that after Mega Man 11. Until then, Mega Man needs to go deal with Mr X and – surprise, surprise – Mr X turns out to be none other than…

Bruce Wayne?

Dr Wily.

Of course, Dr Wily! Why wouldn’t it be him?! Mr X even looks like him!

And, for the sixth time in a row, Mega Man defeats the evil scientist. This time, Wily is captured and it sent straight to prison!

Seriously, why hasn’t Mega Man put a bullet, or glowing pea, through Wily’s head?

I think if Mega Man did defeat Wily, Mega Man wouldn’t have a purpose to exist anymore. Think about it, Mega Man’s purpose is to defend the world. If Wily isn’t around to threaten world peace, Mega Man would have no reason to keep functioning. He’d deactivate himself and just rust away as everyone else continues with their lives.

That answer was a lot more depressing than I thought it would be.

Fine. Mega Man doesn’t kill Wily because Light programmed him not to harm humans. Happy now?

Very happy. Ok. We’re certain these robots weren’t designed by Wily, yes?

Yes. As I mentioned, all the robots were built by the best inventors from around the world. Who do you have an issue with this week?

Before I reveal who, I just want to clarify this tournament was to determine who could build the most powerful robot, right?

That’s correct.

Most of them look tough. Centaur Man. Knight Man. Hell, Plant Man looks like he could hold his own. But in a fighting tournament, why would you design a robot who is basically a skiing snowball?

You’re referring to Blizzard Man.

Correct! Blizzard Man shouldn’t look like something a bunch of children built in their front yard!

You do have a point. I always thought Blizzard Man looked a bit odd. The name doesn’t suit the look. Maybe if he was called Snow Man, I’d be ok with it. But when you think of blizzard, you think of something terrifying.

Diablo: Immortal?

An actual blizzard, not Blizzard. Let me ask you a question. If you were designing Blizzard Man, what look would you give him?

I’d make him look like a yeti.

That’s actually a good design. I couldn’t think of anything else.

Or I’d make Blizzard Man look like an ice-cube dispenser. That way, you can reprogram him after the tournament to serve another purpose. I’d feel guilty after Blizzard Man deactivates himself after winning the tournament he was designed to win.

How sincere of you. On that note, that brings Mega Man 6 to an end. Next week we move on to the Super Nintendo’s Mega Man 7. See you then!

Behind The Pixels – Mega Man 5

Welcome to another edition of Behind the Pixels. The Mega Man series continues with the fifth installment of the game: Mega Man 5 aka Rockman 5: Blues’ Trap!?

Who’s Blues?

Blues is Proto Man’s name in the Japanese version.

Oh yeah, you briefly mentioned that in Mega Man 1. Why did Dr Light call him Blues?

I guess he was sticking to the Rock and Roll theme? Mega Man is Rock, his sister his Roll, and Proto Man is Blues.

Blues seems out of place… He should’ve called him Sex and/or Drugs. That goes better with Rock and Roll.

No. You can’t have Sex Man or Drugs Man in a game marketed for children.

Slap an MA15+ rating on it.

Anyway, back to the game. Mega Man 5 takes place a few months after Mega Man 4. This time, our old friend Proto Man is the main antagonist. He’s assumed control of a robot army and has launched an attack on the city. In the game’s manual, the spaceport and City Hall have been “totally destroyed”!

Oh no, not City Hall! Whatever will be do?!

Light’s laboratory is also attacked, and Proto Man kidnaps the world’s greatest scientist in the process.

Oh no, not Dr Light?! Whatever will we do?!

Why are you being such a jerk today?

Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that very question?

I just did?

…Shall we move on?

Please. Mega Man gets assistance from Dr Cossack and goes after his former ally. Mega Man, for the fifth time in a row, defeats the new eight robot masters and confronts Proto Man. It turns out, it wasn’t Proto Man who was behind the chaos because the REAL Proto Man appears.

An imposter?! Who dares attempt to besmirch the name of Proto Man? Who would be so evil, so bitter, so scientifically capable of…

Dr Wily.

Of course! Dr Wily… Again! Five times in a row!

Wily builds a new robot called Dark Man to frame Proto Man. Wily’s mad Proto Man betrayed him in Mega Man 4.

So let me get this straight, Wily didn’t kidnap Light for revenge, Wily kidnapped Light to make Proto Man look bad?

Pretty much.

…I’m starting to think Wily ain’t as smart as he thinks he is.

Mega Man heads off to Wily’s castle, battles the evil scientist and saves Dr Light. As per usual, the castle collapses and Wily escapes to fight another day.

Serious question now…

Yes, Wily designed all the robots in this game.

Oh, I wasn’t going to ask if Wily designed the bots. What I want to ask is, how the hell does Wily keep funding his evil ambitions?

Assuming everything in the Nintendo world is connected, Wily could be building robots and weapons for other video game villains. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a firm grip on the black market.

That’s an interesting theory. Now, since you mentioned it, these robots…

Charge Man? Is that who you have the issue with?

Hell no! Why would I have an issue with Thomas the Tank Engine on roids?

Oh. Well, who do you have the issue with?

Gyro Man.

Why do you dislike Gyro Man?

Why would you design a robot around meat?

What?

You know, gyros. The meat used in souvlakis. Tender lamb or chicken coated in a delicious marinade that’s been slowly cooking for hours.

Wait, you actually thought Gyro Man was Souvlaki Man? That’s not what Gyro Man is based off! Have you even seen what he looks like?

I have, hence why I’m so confused about why he looks like a helicopter.

Gyro is short for gyrocopter, a small helicopter-like aircraft which generally has a big propeller. He’s the wind robot boss of the game. Was that not obvious to you?

It is now. Thanks for the clarification.

Anytime. That’s a wrap of Mega Man 5. See you next week for Mega Man 6!

You know, I could really go for a souvlaki…

Now that you mention it, I really want one too.

Behind The Pixels – Mega Man 4

Behind the Pixels returns and what better way to get back into this series by kicking off from where we left off. If you haven’t read up on the previous installments, feel to click here for Mega Man 1, here for Mega Man 2, and here for Mega Man 3!

All caught up? Excellent! Let’s begin (again)!

It looked like everyone’s favourite 8-bit blue bomber was in for some serious vacation time with the death of Dr Wily, but Mega Man is back. Mega Man 4, or “Rockman 4: A New Evil Ambition!!” as it’s known in Japan, introduces us to a new, evil scientist.

Same old story, different evil scientist?

Somewhat. Mega Man 4 introduces us to Dr Cossack, a man who claims to be the greatest inventor in the world but is constantly being overlooked.

Dr Cossack? I take it he’s Russian?

I’m going to assume, yes. I say this because in the game manual mentions Cossack’s “Siberian citadel”. So yes, we have a Russian scientist called Dr Cossack. Very original name, right? It’s like naming an evil Japanese scientist Dr Shogun, or naming an evil Italian scientist Dr Roman.

Capcom if you’re reading this, let Dr Shogun and/or Dr Roman be the main antagonist/s for Mega Man 12! We know you’re going to make one eventually…

Until we get a Mega Man 12, let’s go back to Mega Man 4. Cossack sends his eight best robots to murder Mega Man to prove he’s better than Dr Light. Once he has killed Mega Man, Cossack intends on parading his robotic corpse around as proof he is the greatest of all time.

Holy sh*t! You’re making this up, right?

This can be found in the game manual. Imagine reading that as a kid. Cossack is going to put Mega Man’s body on display after his robots kill him. Don’t worry, Mega Man defeats the eight robots and battles the evil Cossack. That is, until Proto Man shows up with Cossack’s daughter, Kalinka.

Really? Kalinka? That’s like naming Dr Shogun’s daughter, Katana. Or naming Dr Roman’s daughter…

Mona Lisa?

I was gonna go with Arancini, but I guess Mona Lisa works too.

Cossack reveals he isn’t evil. Kalinka was kidnapped by the game’s real antagonist. He was being manipulated this whole time. The true mastermind behind the chaos was…

Let me guess, Dr Wily?

Correct. It was Dr Wily all along!

Why doesn’t that surprise me?

History repeats itself again as Mega Man defeats Wily, who escapes to fight another day.

For another seven games at the very least. Ok, so Wily’s back. The real question is, who designed the robots?

Cossack build them all.

Did Wily approve them all?

One would assume so. Why do I have a feeling you’re going to single out a specific robot and say Wily’s a dumb scientist?

It’s like you know me too well.

Let me guess, Skull Man?

Why would I not like Skull Man? He’s basically a death robot! My issue is with Bright Man.

What’s wrong with Bright Man?

He’s just a light bulb. I mean, there are a few other dumb ones in the mix in this game, but what’s the point of building a robot whose purpose is to light up a room?

To light up a room? You just answered your own question. When you think about it, if the very vulnerable light bulb on Bright Man’s head was to be destroyed, he’d be screwed. Your argument should’ve based on this huge design flaw.

Yeah… Well.. Your face is a huge design flaw.

Now who’s the one being unoriginal?

…Well that’s wrap for Mega Man 4. See you all next week for Mega Man 5!

I get to say that, not you!

2019 – Year of the Vampire

Hello everyone and a very happy New Year to you all! I hope you all had a safe and fun end to 2018 and I hope 2019 is going to be great year for you! As we’re all arousing and recovering from our food-and-drink induced comas no doubt some of us are already setting out to kick off our New Year’s resolutions.

For me, I’m looking to make 2019 the most creative and productive year of my life. I’ll be referring to this year as the “Year of the Vampire”. It’s been a VERY long time since I’ve posted anything on this website (30 April 2018 to be exact) so it’s time for an overdue update!

Encyclopedia Sarcadia

I’m happy to finally announce that the first draft of Encyclopedia Sarcadia has been completed! For those needing a quick recap, Encyclopedia Sarcadia will serve as the backstory to “the Cardinal” – my dark-fantasy series set in a world full of vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures.

It’s been a very long time coming and I do apologise for the lack of updates on its progression up until this point. I felt like I was just repeating myself every week or so by saying “I’m almost done”. The lack of updates was a result of a lack of creativity and book-writing.

At the start of May 2018, I went to Canada for a friend’s wedding. When I returned home my work went through a very busy, transition period which went on for several months. Though I really wanted to write I was struggling to get back in front of a computer after coming home from my job. This needed to change so started to write at least an hour before going to work. This new method was successful and slowly I chipped away at the encyclopedia until it was complete!

With the first draft of Encyclopedia Sarcadia done, it’s now time for the “fun”, repetitive process of editing. I’m very optimistic to have the first draft completed by the end of February, perhaps earlier if I really push myself. After the first edit I’ll be handing it over to some associates for some their input and feedback.

Short stories coming soon!

In-between the encyclopedia editing and writing the first book of the Cardinal, I’ve decided I’ll be publishing short stories and information relating to the world of Sarcadia. Here’s what you can look forward to in the upcoming year:

• The Menagerie Origins – The first vampire Octavian was said to have turned up to three hundred humans to be part of his “Menagerie”. The Menagerie Origins will narrate the night these individuals were turned by the Fallen Son.
• The Eternal Monologues – A collection of shorts written by Bruce Boward, a famous Sarcadian bard, which focuses on seven key moments for each of the “Eternal Trinity”: Atriarch the All-Father, Elysia the Dark Mother, and Octavian the Fallen Son.
• Sarcadia 101 – “Education reading” for those curious to know more about the world. Lessons will be provided to curious students who would like to learn about Sarcadia’s history, geology, religion and more!

Behind the Pixels

I’ll be looking to continue the “Behind the Pixels” series next week by resuming my breakdown of Mega Man. I’m open to any suggestions of any storylines of video games you’d like for me to breakdown, so if you have any ideas please let me know in the comments!

That’s about all from me for now. It’s going to be a very busy yet productive and creative year ahead of me but I’m looking forward to every single day of it!

Unless you get distracted with your video games & TV binging. You seem to have omitted that part.

Oh great, you again.

Yeah, me again! You didn’t think I’d just let you go at 2019 alone, did ya?

No. I should’ve expected you’d pop up sooner or later.

You can’t get rid of me that easily! It’s going to be a hell of a year for the both of us!

For us, and hopefully for everyone else too! On that note it’s time to begin that long editing process. Happy New Year to you all!

Whatcha Writing There, Thorne? (30 Apr Book Update)

Howdy Thorne! Been doing much writing lately?

I have, and the past few weeks have been busy. The final stretch of Encyclopaedia Sarcadia has been going steady. I’d say I’m around 93% completion though things have been slowly down a little.

How come?

I’ve been busy with a few non-book related things so finding the time to write has been a bit tough. I also have a trip to Canada coming up soon so I’ve been slowly preparing for it. When I do get time to write I’ve managed to complete more than what I thought I could, so it isn’t entirely negative.

That’s good to hear. A trip will help recharge the batteries.

I’ve found my previous overseas trips to be good motivation for writing as well. My brain finds itself going into a creative overdrive, especially when I go some epic hikes. Though I’ll be going to Canada for a wedding, there’ll be some time to go exploring and to get some more cool ideas brewing.

I like the sound of that! What have you been focusing on in Encyclopaedia Sarcadia over the past few weeks?

I’m at the point where I’m going through the timeline. When I first planned most of the important events Sarcadia experiences, I added chunks of paragraphs to what should be a brief overview of the world’s history. This isn’t a bad thing though as at the time it was more “note taking” than a summary.

As I’m tightening the timeline it’s allowing me to create new entries in the encyclopaedia. This process is helping me out a lot. Before I was hopping around all over the place without a real plan of attack, but now I’m more focused and my productivity has increased.

The focus is currently on the first of Sarcadia’s three main time periods known as the Time Beyond, or TB for short. I’m at the point of where Sarcadia’s deity, Atriarch, has gained control of his country, Un’Kabaal.

Praise be to the All-Father! Are you going to tell us about how awesome Atriarch is?

What do you think?

I think you’re going to be saving that for another day.

Right as always. There’s way too much to talk about Atriarch.

How about you tell us about Atriarch in 50 words or less?

Atriarch was the great ruler of Un’Kabaal who conquered Sarcadia. The benevolent ruler was named “Supreme Lord” by the people, which angered the world’s previous deity, Vratralarion. Vratralarion challenged and was killed by Atriarch, who ascended as the new deity of Sarcadia.

Summarised in forty-two words. You still have eight words to go.

And they lived happily ever after. The end?

And they lived happily ever after because…

I’m not falling for your tricks, but that’s Atriarch in a very, basic nutshell. As I said, more information about him will be revealed once the first draft of Encyclopaedia Sarcadia has been completed.

And edited… Then edited again… And again…

Until the end of time. Well, maybe not that long.

Let’s hope not! Is there anything else you want to tell us before we leave you to your writing?

Yes. I’ve decided to stop doing my Weekly Rasslin Rundowns for now. I’d like to focus on completing as much of Encyclopaedia Sarcadia as I can before I leave for Canada. I’ll continue to do my reviews on the important WWE pay-per-view events. I’ll also be posting up more Behind The Pixels reviews when I return from Canada as well as giving this website an updated look. I think it might be time for one even though it’s still relatively new.

Nothing wrong with a bit of change every now and then. Well, if that’s all, we’ll leave you to it. Write again and please, don’t get too distracted.

I can’t promise that, especially with Westworld season 2 now out.

That’s the one and only exception I’ll allow!

Whatcha Writing There, Thorne? (16 Apr Book Update)

Howdy Thorne! Been doing much writing lately?

Indeed I have, good sir, and it’s been a productive week. The end is in sight as I push into the final stretch of Encyclopaedia Sarcadia.

The final stretch, ey? Can you finally see the light at the end of the tunnel?

I can see the light and it’s getting brighter as I push beyond 90% completion of the first draft. As I mentioned previously, I need to touch up on Sarcadia’s timeline as well as write up minor entries of the encyclopaedia which focuses on important figures and events throughout the planet’s history.

We’re almost there! How exciting! What new entries have gone into the encyclopaedia lately?

The final sections relating to Tenebris has been completed. I’ve added information regarding some of its notable residents, such as Gollentore, Xensaroch, and Nekvourntis. On the surface of Sarcadia I’ve added in some important werewolf figures such as Grigori Whiteclaw and Theron Bendoro, as well as included information on drugs and diseases one might encounter.

That seems like a lot of work. Tell us more about these Tenebites and werewolves.

I would but I think each might need their own post. There’s a bit of information to take in on each person, so a quick summary of all five might wouldn’t be ideal…

Why do I feel like you’re about to give us a teaser?

You know me too well! We’ll keep this short and sweet, so which two would you like me to quickly talk about?

Damn you! Well, how about we talk about Xensaroch and Nekvourntis?

Xensaroch was an ancient Lycan who’s responsible for the creation of Sarcadia’s werewolves. Like all Lycans, Xensaroch is a large, anthropomorphic wolf who was tasked by Elysia, the Master of Tenebris, to turn Sarcadians into Lycans. Instead, Xensaroch scouted for the world’s best wolf packs, transformed them into humans then granted them the gift to shift into an anthropomorphic wolf form similar to that of a Lycan. Though she was impressed with the result, Elysia saw Xensaroch’s act not to transform humans into Lycans as a sign of disobedience.

What’d she do to him?

She had him tortured and executed.

Damn. Elysia’s hard to please. What about this Nekvourntis chap?

Nekvourntis was another ancient Tenebite who rightfully earned the nickname “the Blood Tyrant”. He was infamous for his indiscriminate butchery and insatiable thirst for blood. The Dark Realm’s most powerful beings would temporarily put aside their differences to imprison Nekvourntis and starve him into a comatose state. The Blood Tyrant would be revived many centuries later by Elysia, who used him and his blood to develop a curse which would see the creation of the vampires.

And once Elysia got what she needed, she killed him?

No. Someone else did. But I’ll save that for another day.

Curse you and your teasing! Shall we talk about drugs?

I’m not sure this is the right forum for this discussion…

I mean the ones in Sarcadia, not the real-life ones. You mentioned you wrote about drugs and diseases.

Oh yeah! Sorry, my brain’s been in overdrive. I could briefly talk about some drugs and diseases. The most common drug in Sarcadia is known as “latisium”. It derives from a purple flower and can be smoked or baked into food, such as cakes and desserts. Users experience a euphoric relaxation accompanied by an increased appetite, enhancement of taste buds and hearing, and sometimes fits of laughter. In a nutshell latisium is world’s version of marijuana, only it’s legal everywhere.

I’m pretty sure some readers like the sound of that! How about diseases? What disgusting, gruesome things do people suffer from in Sarcadia?

I’m a little disturbed b your enthusiasm but I can confirm one nasty, common disease infecting people does by the name of “the Rot”. It starts off with one’s fingers, toes, or nose becoming numb and over time, blood stop flowing to these parts. They turn black, rot away and eventually fall off. In many cases hands, feet, and facial features decompose and must be removed. Those suffering from the Rot eventually die when their kidneys, liver, brains and other organs begin to decay away as well.

Ok, you can stop now. I’m officially done being excited.

Serves you right for being that excited to begin with. In any case, I’m happy with how things are traveling. I’m going to focus as much as I can on writing this weekend. If all goes well and I don’t get too distracted, I should soon reach close to the end of the first draft of Encyclopaedia Sarcadia.

Sounds like a plan! I’ll let you continue with your writing journey. Have fun!

I shall!