Stunted Growth

Vines crawling up the wall

Hey! How’s the harvest and the colder weather?

The air is welcoming in a new season, against all odds and the tilt of the Earth. As the leaves turn orange and yellow, a sunset is cast in long shadows onto a new dawn.

The dark and the cold being a primal reminder of the struggles once triggered by the shifting seasons.

In our modern era, once the overly commercialized commodification of our nature is boldly glazed over, we continue that tradition in harvest festivals and winter celebrations.

There’s an ancestral nostalgia to the silence of snow. Memories preserved as reflections in those crystals falling from the sky.

These thoughts and feelings were the key components to everything behind Besnowed and Significatorius.

❄️ Besnowed

🧣 Significatorius

Of course, with an added twist of hemispherical rotation. A subtle nod to the arbitrary balance of any conventional calculation of time.

Dorus

And as the calendar marks a few more days off the present and lists them in the past, I find myself wondering about what waits in between. Perhaps a part of those questions I ask myself led to a renewed desire to explore an old world.

To be clear, I mean to say I plan to step back onto the continent where we reforged Nox Aeterna and spent countless nights with Maneus at his dirty corner store.

As the title to this section suggests, Rhean’s companion is getting his own story.

Dorus and his mysterious past are only just barely hinted at throughout the events of Rhean. A muse began whispering words and I found myself exploring his history and motivations in what will undoubtedly be a tragedy.

The adventure and folly that shadows the future Ascendant and his politicking manipulations.

“That thou herdest is fairye”
—Romance of Kyng Alisaundre, (1438)

The new narrative will begin in the river town of Hrimpantith about 500 years before the “modern era.”

Fitting everything into an existing world is an interesting puzzle to work through, but I believe I have something that will be entertaining and satisfying.

I won’t go into too many details just yet, but I will say it explores stunted growth and corrupted love.

Perhaps most interesting of all, I can share a draft of the cover my little sister created:

Now what could it all mean?

That is a question I’ll leave you, dear readers, to ponder as I work on the text.

Although, I would add that for those who want to jump into the world of this new story, it wouldn’t hurt to read Rhean and Maneus.

🗡️ Rhean

☕ Maneus

Windy Weather

And in a few concluding thoughts, it’s certainly easier to fly when your wings can catch the breeze. After all, there’s more to a man than what makes him fall.

But enough about birds or any connected threads — no matter the color.

Instead, I’d like to take a sharp turn and quickly mention StampFans once again.

The first edition was successfully sent out and people received their copies of my handwritten letter!

It’s a little sloppy, but I rather enjoyed the process of putting in the effort to express my thoughts in real ink on actual paper. I’m sure it will only get better from here as well.

And I’m likely to share more coherent news about that Nightly Noise Vol. I collection I hinted at in the coming weeks!

Until next time,

—JMB