Dave-Brendon’s Comments (group member since Nov 12, 2014)

Dave-Brendon’s comments from the The Mahaelian Chronicle group.

1) The Elvayn live longer than humans, yes, and Cobinian is a special case, too - explained further in books 2 and 3. :-)

2) Reasons for the war will be revealed in book 2 - it's not what you expect. ;-) People only know that the Elvayn tried to conquer humanity - it's what they were told and led to believe. :-)

3) Only Jarlath knows the true reason for the Project - which he revealed at the docks, so there are people who believe him (and are angry with him) and people who believe Seiria's understanding of it. There are repercussions in books 2 and 3 from Jarlath's lying about the real reason. :-)

1) The Silencers have the task of feeding the Elvayn and Muting the newborns - some of them suspect that Jarlath does something strange with them, and that he's directly involved with the Elvayn that disappear, but they don't know the details / specifics. Explained a bit more in Book 2. :-)

2) The people who now live on Avidar originally came from Ramalka, and when they left the Turo didn't 'exist' as they do now - so they still have no idea where the Turo came from (or the humans with them). :-) They are at war, but because they don't have any real information that they can act on, and with Jarlath dead, they're not sure what to do or even who they're fighting. Remember, as far as they're concerned, Jarlath's violent destruction of the force that attacked Shorwin's Hold put paid to any further conflict... :-)

I really dig your questions! :-)

3) Cobinian had a very specific plan in mind with Khyber - not to kill Jarlath, though. ;-)

Awesome questions! :-)

1) Sometimes the richer citizens (usually merchants) are allowed Elvayn slaves - I'll explore this more, how it happens and why, etc. in the next two novels. :-)

2) Absolutely nothing - because of something that happened in the past (after the war and before the Elvayn enslavement) Jarlath just uses them. Sometimes some of them are released (the unfortunate Elvayn girl) but they just exist in the slave holds.

3) He didn't know about the tribe - they're distantly linked to the Sagrassians and the Aokoi, but as far as he was concerned all the tribes were under control. The tribe is explored further in books 2 and 3. :-)

4) It isn't enforced at all - it's taken as common knowledge that weapons aren't allowed, since the king is in residence and he's so powerful no-one would think of breaking or flouting the law. Not trained, obedient soldiers, at least. :-)

I do have a full plan for Seiria, and while I was very tempted to have her 'up her game' I realized that there is always a stretch of time in which people really struggle to deal with their fears, thoughts, realizations - it felt to me as if I needed to explore that, especially her being torn in two by her feelings for Jarlath. I hope that readers will see her as one of the most surprising characters in the trilogy, once it's all done. :-)

As to Del'Ahrid... Plenty more that he needs to do. ;-)

The full answers will be fully revealed and explained in the next two books (as we explore the Elvayn more deeply), but here are some answers:

1) Cobinian knew that *someone* would eventually use the knife against Jarlath - either Seria or Del'Ahrid. And it was better to have Seiria take possession of it first because of her emotional connection to Jarlath and how she would struggle to come to a decision - Del'Ahrid needed to be played with a bit. Hope that explains it all better. :-)

2) The reason for their choice of Jarlath will be explained fully in the next two books, but suffice it to say that Jarlath wasn't anything special. :-)

3) Explored in the next two books, but he doesn't, and he actually didn't - he's just been the only person in more than 500 years who has used magic, and so he allowed people to think that he had made 'other' magic illegal. As to the average citizens being able to use magic and the islander's magic, answers are coming in the next two books. :-)

Hehehe you might laugh at this (or toss another swear my way) but as soon as I realized that Jarlath might go through the whole series I decided he had to die. :-)

Of course, go ahead. :-)

I'm not going to say 'thank you', but I will say that your outrage is exactly what I was hoping for. It was damned difficult to write, and I'm looking forward to your opinion on the rest of Seiria's journey. :-)

A couple of people have sworn at me because of some of things that happen in the novel - what shocked you, or surprised you?

No spoilers here, please. :-)

No spoilers in this thread, please - quite a few people haven't yet read this prequel. :-)

Feel free to discuss the novel here. :-)

This prequel is set thousands of years before the events of "Betrayal's Shadow, and doesn't have to be read before the novel. Here you can discuss the story. :-)