Talikae – The Breath upon the Blade
In the previous article, we looked at how Talikae, though she began as a fleeting character upon the page, rose to play a significant part in the arcs of the…
The Unexpected Talikae
I’ve heard about TV shows hiring an actor for a two-bit role that becomes more. Perhaps it is just a line at first, maybe two, but in their brief moment…
He Who Knows No Fear
After spending the past couple months delving into fantasy races, monsters, and the nature of villains, I thought it was time to change things up a bit. Let’s return to…
Quotes: The Birth of Empire
This is my third article on the quotes that begin each chapter of “Tears from Iron.” You can find the other two articles here: Concerning Chapter Quotes Quotes: Memories of…
Cities of the Kayrstaran Empire
Having spent the past couple articles talking about general writing themes, I thought it might be time to return again to the world of “Tears from Iron” and the empire…
Reigliff, Isi, and Independence
On this, the eve of our own country’s day of independence, it seemed appropriate for me to discuss freedom in “Tears from Iron” as well. But I’m going to take…
Divisions of the Aestari
Alone among the races, the children of blessed Ainii avoided the curse of aging death. In the dawn of the world before time began, she shaped the Aestari as a…
The Pilgrimage to the Boards
One of the great joys in writing is when the story surprises you. Usually, this epiphany happens in the moment of writing, but sometimes it is only a thing you…
Behind the Characters: Hirnid
When creating a story, one of the challenges is to portray how large and how small a world is. Think back on your past week and ask yourself how many…
Mapping the World Part II: Redrawing Isfalinis
With this article, we come to the end of my eight-part series on how the world of Isfalinis, home to “Tears from Iron” came to be. We began by looking…