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A
while back I had the honors to talk about my work with a Finnish
fantasy author Katri Alatalo, who worked as my mentor during a writing
class in Uni. With her questions, I offer you a small insight to my
writing process; what happened ‘behind the scenes’ and what are my
thoughts and goals on the Ter Dregos series. Here's a quick translation:
Q: What books and authors have influenced your work?
A:
The authors that influenced me the most are without a doubt Robin Hobb
(Assassin’s Apprentice trilogy) Katherine Kerr (Deverry Cycle), George
R.R. Martin(ASOIAF), Stephen King, Wilbur Smith, Merja Jalo and J.R.R.
Tolkien.
I started writing the
Ter Dregos series soon after I had put down the Hobbit and started
Reading Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. Something in the
language and the way he expressed things appealed to me and made me
start writing as well. I sort of found my own voice through these books.
(All those mentioned above.) I had seen the happenings of Ter Dregos in
my mind, but I didn’t have the means or skill to tell about them before
I found these books and authors. Through ASOIAF I got familiar with the
multi POV style, which was a great way to show things in my novel. The
multi POV style made it possible for me to write the book structurally
and chronologically as I had always dreamed about, but before
familiarizing myself with Mr. Martin’s work I didn’t know how to
execute. This must be yet another proof, that writers should read a lot.
It’s very educational.
Besides
books, I have always been influenced and inspired by movies and video
games. One of my all time favorites is Dragon Age fantasy game series,
which worked as a huge source of inspiration for my series, along with
Finnish folklore and medieval tales.
Q: What made you pick the sub-genres, dark fantasy and adventurous coming-of-age story?
A:
Coming-of-age sub-genre fits pretty much in every book, since people,
or in this case characters, are shaping and molding constantly
throughout the happenings of the book (life) and the choices they make.
Because characters, much as real life humans, have their own
personalities, they react differently to different situations. This
brings more drama and dimensions to the plot and gives the reader a
chance to speculate the upcoming events.
Dark
fantasy, in my opinion, fits together very well with the main genre,
Swords and Sorcery. If the story is a bit on the dark side, I think it
is okay to include a little racier humor, sex and violence. I like to
write about things that amuse me. Writing is hard and time consuming
work, so it has to be fun.
Q: How is the world in your novel? How did you create it?
A:
The world in my series is a very traditional fantasy world, that is
located at the continent of Ter Dregos. Terrain of Dragons, translated
from its elvish name. The continent has split into four areas as result
of wars: Morgonia, Drakonia (which includes the autonomic merchant state
Lyr) and the Empire of the High Elves called Vylein. Each state has its
own culture and religion.
Morgonia
is an oligarchy, which practices nature religions and worshiping of the
ancestors and animals gods like Grizylak (bear god) and Nytheran (a
gender chancing deer god.) Of course in fits a mischievous fox god
Nu’gual, who likes to arrange all sorts of trouble to the good unknowing
inhabitants of Morgonia.
Morgonia’s
most important export products are gems and farm products, along with
different kinds of wooden decoration items and furniture. As an
environment Morgonia is mostly woodland with hills and numerous small
rivers, lakes and ponds. Winters are cold and snowy, summers are hot and
short. Mogonia’s western parts are tundra.
Culturally,
Morgonia is the most liberal of four states. Women dress often in men’s
clothes while going riding and the hem of their skirt of allowed to be
as short as to reveal half of their calves. Showing one’s shoulders is
considered very daring, however. Unlike in other states of Ter Dregos
that are ruled by humans, divorce is acceptable and common in Morgonia.
It’s not done without a little bit of shame, though.
Morgonia is famous for its sauna culture, and nudity is not frowned upon, unlike in Lyr, for example.
Morgonian
food culture consist mostly from meat and vegetables. Most commonly
served meats are elk, sheep and big, but during parties bear meat is
often desired and available. Different creamy and greasy soups are
popular, especially during winters and are often served with dried
mushrooms, nuts, acorns and different kinds of cheeses.
Morgonians drink mostly wines and ales, but they also have stronger alcohols like berry liquors and infamous ’reindeer piss’ —suspiciously
strong clear alcohol made by the nomad dwarves. The dwarves who live
underground have also become famous for their strong dark ale, which
after a couple of pints, is known to knock out even the most experienced
drinkers.
--
Drakonia
is a kingdom, but because of an ancient curse, the ruler has obtained
and used the title ’Lord’ for hundreds of years. At the central role of
Drakonian religion are the elemental gods and goddesses, who all have
their own temples. Mages are shaping the elements the gods and goddesses
represent: fire, water, earth, air and metal. The exception to
Drakonian main religion comes from the common elves, who practice their
own religion, worshipping the Creator. They also have their own views
about the afterlife.
Silver and copper are the most common Drakonian export products.
As an environment Drakonia is much like Morgonia. At southern parts of Drakonia, there are large areas of grass land.
Culturally
Drakonia is very conservative, considering both, dress code and
politics. Women dress in long, rather covering gowns and they are
expected to have long hair. Unlike in Morgonia, a short haired woman is
considered to have an ill reputation.
Drakonian
food culture has gotten influenced by Morgonian and Lyrish food
cultures. In Drakonia they also eat lots of different kind of birds and
white and dark bread. Most of the wines are either Lyrish or Vyleinian.
In bakings the most used ingredient is often honey.
Lyr
does have the same elemental religion as Drakonia. They have other
religions as well, since as an autonomic state Lys is the open crossing
point of all cultures.
Environmentally
Lyr reflects the remains of an old elven culture, which can be seen
especially in the architectural details, like golden and silver statues,
decorative pillars and in use of light colors.
From
all states of Ter Dregos, Lyr is the most conservative one and does not
recognize the concept of divorce. Even though showing one’s shoulders
in the Lyrish culture is normal for women, the hem of their dress must
reach at least to their ankles. Even though Lyr is still influenced by
the remains of the old elven culture, it would be unheard of for adults
to swim naked in the pools of their gardens, or appear with minimal
clothing before anyone, but their spouses.
Seafood
and fresh vegetables are the main points of Lyrish food culture, along
with local wines, well known for the sweetness. Clams, crabs and fish
are every day food, whilst it has been common to serve roasted piglet at
the parties.
--
Vyleinian
Empire is dominated by the religion of the High Elves, which is almost
the same as the religion of the common elves. In Vylein, however, they
have large temples and gardens, where religion is strongly present. The
places of sorrow (gardens for example) have been made especially
beautiful, so that the spirits of the passed would have a pleasant
environment to continue their ethereal dwelling.
By
culture, Vylein is highly hierarchic, which shows from the structure of
their new capital Dun Atmar. The city has been built of circles: In the
smallest circle is the Palace, next comes the closest friends and
family of the Imperial family, army, merchants and crafter and at the
outer circle is meant for the common folk.
Vylein
is famous for its sexual tolerance and openness, along with its spa
culture. All elves are permitted to get involved with each other
regardless of gender, and not even polyamorous relationships are frowned
upon. Because of the spa culture, Vyleinians aren’t shy about their
nudity. Bathhouses are viewed as luxurious and social environments,
where people may gather to relax or talk about business.
Because
of warm climate Vyleinians dress often in light and airy fabrics and
are allowed to show plenty of skin. It is also customary to wear plenty
of jewelry and fancy embroidery is seen in most of their clothing along
with other extravagant details. The esthetic rule of three is strongly
present in the everyday life of the High Elves: Architectural details
are usually presented in groups of threes. It is also very common that
rich families posses a number of slaves that can be divided by three.
Vylein
is the only state of Ter Dregos where slavery is legal. The slaves
blend in well with the rest of the society, however, and they are not to
be treated violently or disrespectfully. If a slave looks too tired or
to be in otherwise poor shape, the reputation of the owning family is
easily brought into question. A Vyleinian slave is easy to recognize by
the amount of jewelry he or she carries, they all being chains. Because
of the long lifespan of the High Elves, a slave can commonly buy oneself
free by using the golden chains one has earned.
Wine
flows generously all around Vylein, but High Elves do not eat meat at
all. They nourish themselves with vegetables instead, along with grain
and fish. In the palace the Imperial family may occasionally serve
roasted peacock or swan if they’re throwing a larger party. Vylein’s
most important export products are gold, wine, fabrics and fruits.
I
started to create the fantasy world of Ter Dregos during high school,
when during an English class I had to study different political ruling
systems. My fantasy universe filled up slowly from there with
geographical and cultural details. For the creation process I simply
used the power of my imaginations along with plenty of background study
on varying subjects.
Q: What are your thoughts on respecting traditions of the fantasy genre and do you seek to renew it?
A:
Because people have expectations about the genre, I wish to answer to
those expectations by keeping most of the element as traditional as
possible. The setting of the series is medieval, but Vyleinian spa
culture has been inspired by ancient Rome and Greece.
Races
like elves, dwarves, werewolves etc. are also very traditional in the
world of Ter Dregos. I have brought in new elements with religions and
cultures: For example my dwarves and elves have split into sub-races;
elves into High Elves, common elves and ancient elves. Dwarves into
traditional underground dwarves that live in their tunnels under the
mountains, and to the small group that lives on the surface as reindeer
herding nomads.
I have no special
intentions to start renewing the fantasy genre; I just wish to bring in
a little extra that challenges the traditions of basic fantasy.
Q: Where would you place your novel in the world of fantasy?
A:
That’s a really interesting question. I haven’t thought about it much,
but I must say I have perhaps managed to create some sort of mixed/side
genre, which I call as folkfantasy. The term comes from the fact that I
have been influenced greatly by Finnish folk lore and mythology. And I
may have picked things from Samic culture as well as Native American
culture on the way, along with European mythology.
Perhaps
my series settles into a breaking point of fantasy. The genre has been
renewing a lot during past few years, in form on urban fantasy and
tradition breaking fantasy, which I think Patrick Rothfuss’ King Killer
chronicles represent.
Q: What are your goals for the Ter Dregos series?
A:
My main goal is to write the series in a way that each book is better
than the last one. I don’t want the story to lose its focus or interest
at any point, like many series have. I also wish to entertain the
readers by giving them the chance to speculate the plot and characters. I
sort of think the series as a large puzzle game, in which the reader
can conduct and connect things, in order to find clues about upcoming
happenings and true agendas of the characters. The puzzle game model
also allows the books to be more than just one time reads, since with
each read though, the reader eventually finds more clues.
Of
course I also dream that one day the series would be available in
multiple languages. Perhaps even as Skyrim-like video game, since I
think there are lots of interesting elements, strange creatures and
secrets in the world of Ter Dregos the gamers might enjoy exploring.
