Meresthian

From a vantage point in the cosmos, the world – Meresthian – was a swirling ball of ice and brilliant blue oceans, storm clouds obscuring the orb in what looked like a gentle blanket, from this distance. Only a few spots of color marked the otherwise blue surface. One was a large streak of land, the others were dustings of islands, each besieged by the very water that had made life possible.

It was a difficult place to live.

In fact, if you asked anyone who lived there, the world was ending.

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Main Characters

Ty

With deep tan skin, dark brown eyes, and dark, curly hair to his shoulders, Ty is the protagonist of Book 1. Ty is a wiry, rugged young man who has worked as a fisherman since the age of ten. He is cynical, wary, and prioritizes taking care of his sister, Sev, above everything else. He knows he has magic, but can't afford to show it, lest he be recruited to the Ringed Circle and sent abroad to serve them.

Sev

With pale tan skin, blonde hair, and green-grey eyes, Sev looks almost nothing like her brother, Ty, but instead strongly resembles their mother. She is cheerful, confident, and eager to learn. At ten years old, Sev is beginning to understand her brother - and the challenges he is facing - in new ways.

Duana

With deep black skin, dark brown eyes, and a variety of natural hairstyles including box-braids, twists, and bantu knots, Duana has been Ty's best friend since they were children. Ambitious, intelligent, and at the top of her class in her scholarly studies, she has her eyes set on future governance. Her family's affluent, oligarchical background might make it seem as though her success is assured, but Duana knows her path won't be as everyone else thinks.

Essex

With a greenish Okran (half-Okapi) complexion, a shaved head, and hazel eyes, Essex Pellan is a rising star amongst Sudrain's Beast Hunters, where he is following in the steps of his father. He is a calm, even-keeled, and resilient individual. Years ago, he'd fallen out of touch with Ty when he began traveling abroad, but they're about to be reconnected - and Essex might see something in Ty that Ty doesn't see in himself.

Gia

Gia Nazarenko is the mysterious old "Witch" of Sudrain, and lives far outside the city in a magical, moving house. No one knows why she, of all people, is allowed to stay in the vicinity of Sudrain when all other known users of magic have been recruited or drafted into service with the Ringed Circle.

Tinker, Tailor, Wardkeep, Wench: No one know what she'll do next.

Yara

A Corneiish woman with a light pink complexion, white-blonde hair, blue eyes and white-gold horns, Yara is a young healer in Sudrain's Medical Ward: The Medica. A former classmate of Ty's, Yara worked at the market docks for years before joining the Medica, so she and Ty have always been friendly. Her brother, Makel, is the most popular bard in town, and together, they've changed their family's circumstances. However, beyond her kind and helpful exterior, there's always been more to Yara (and her family) than Ty knows.

Esba

With olive skin, jet-black hair, and golden eyes that shed light on her part-human, part Panthemin (or Parthan) background, Esba Carin is a force to be reckoned with. She is the calculating leader of the Tide Riders, the youth fishing league within Sudrain's Fisherfolk guild. Having worked alongside Ty for several years, she sees him as a powerful ally, but they don't always see eye to eye. Ultimately, her discerning and cynical nature lead her to be wary of Ty.

Jёoff

With white skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes, Jёoff Aylors is classically handsome in a tooth-ache inducing kind of way. He's popular, charming, and optimistic - but occasionally takes his teasing too far. As Esba's best friend and a fellow member of the Tide Riders, Jёoff is sure he knows exactly who Ty is - and only wants the best for him. He wants nothing more than to become a leader, and help everyone to realize things aren't as bad as everyone seems to believe.

Fantasy Races in Meresthian

Humans

Humans within Meresthian are a land-based race known for their ingenuity and adaptability within Meresthian, as well as their willingness to try just about anything. With the threat of rising waters reducing the available land for civilization, humans have taken to the high seas in droves, learning from their Corneiish brethren. Humans are considered a 'jack of all trades' race, but rarely the masters of any particular skills. They learned magic from the other races of the world, and are generally the race to blame for inventing things like government and the divine right of Kings/Queens. Humans are generally tenacious; they never give up.

Setting:

WORLD: MERESTHIAN

The world of Meresthian is a water-world, which means that the majority of the world is ocean. Additionally, water levels have been rising at a soft-apocalyptic rate for the past 400 years - since the 'Great Drowning,' a tumultuous period of rapid flooding. Many peoples and cultures have divided beliefs over what should be done to solve the crisis - if the crisis can be solved at all.

BOOK 1: SUDRAIN

Book 1 is set in Sudrain, a sinking city on the southern tip of the island Kingdom of Aresh. Sudrain is bult on top of what was once the capital of an ancient kingdom that sank in the Great Drowning. Modern Sudrain is a swampy, sinking, gritty old bayou; It is haunted and beast-plagued and no one in their right mind should live there. Despite this, its people are hardy, world-weary survivors, proud of their storied history, booming industries, and their own stubborn refusal to give in.