by JC Kang
Who’s Who in Dances of Deception
Kaiya’s Retainers:
Chen Xin
Captain of Kaiya’s imperial guard detail
Han Meiling
Kaiya’s handmaiden and decoy
Li Wei
Imperial guard
Ma Jun
Imperial guard
Xu Zhan
Imperial guard
Zhao Yue
Imperial guard
Zheng Jiawei
General of the imperial guard
Black Lotus Moquan
Cheng
Newest member of the Iksuvius cell
Shun
Moquan
Old Tong
Eldest member of the Iksuvius cell
Yan Jie
Kaiya’s half-elf bodyguard
Zheng Tian
Head of the Iksuvius cell
Zu
Moquan
Hua Embassy Staff in Iksuvius
Wu Liming
Ambassador
Zhu
Trade officer
Teleri
Geros Bovyan
First Consul
Marius di Bovyan
General
Thieros Bovyanthas
Ambassador
Feiying
Black Lotus defector, head of the Nightblades
Dignitaries in Iksuvius
Arvydas
King of Lietuvi
Ausra
Queen of Iksuvi
Evydas
King of Iksuvi
Gunvydas
King of Rotuvi
Manuwaya
Ambassador from Kanin
Pyramid Quest
Cyrus Estazadeh
Akolyte from Selastya
Brehane
Aksumi Mystic
Sameer Vikram
Paladin knight
Fleet
madaeri guide
Eldaeri Nations
Aelward Corivar
Prince of Tarkoth
Ciro
Marine
Thielas Starsong
Elf ranger
Alaena Vardamcar
Princess of Serikoth
Keril
Ranger
Markel
Ranger
Rami
Ranger
Maki Tribe
Hati
Chief’s son
Kona
Young warrior
Kosa
Young warrior
Lahi
Village beauty, Yuha’s sister
Lana
Yuha’s sister, shaman
Nadi
Yuha’s daughter
Noki
Refugee
Nuwa
Chief
Yuha
Shaman
Waka
Yuha’s son
Who’s Who in Symphony of Fates
Imperial Family
Wang Kai-Wu, the Tianzi
Wang Kaiya, princess
Wu Yanli, wife of Kai-Wu, from Zhenjing Province
Zhao Xiulan, wife of Kai-Guo, from Ximen Province
Kaiya’s Friends
Ma Jun, Kaiya’s imperial guard
Han Mei-Ling, Kaiya’s handmaiden
Lin Ziqiu, Kaiya’s cousin, from Dongshan Province
Wang Kai-Hua, Kaiya’s cousin, married to the heir of Jiangzhou Province
Yan Jie, Moquan spy, Kaiya’s bodyguard
Kaiya’s Mentors
Lord Xu, Elf Lord of Haikou Island
Doctor Wu, Taoist from Haikou Island
Royalists Lords
Du, Yu-Ming lord
Chen Qing, Yu-Ming heir
Han, Lord of Fenggu Province
Liu Yong, Lord of Jiangzhou Province
Liu Deying, Heir of Jiangzhou Province
Wu, Lord of Zhenjing Province
Zhao, Lord of Ximen Province
Zheng Han, Lord of Dongmen Province
Zheng Ming, Kaiya’s main suitor, Heir to Dongmen
Zheng Lun, Third son of Zheng Han
Zheng Shu, Second son of Zheng Han
Zheng Tian, Fourth son of Zheng Han
Rebel Lords
Jiang, Lord of Yutou Province
Lin, Lord of Dongshan Province
Peng Kai-Long, cousin of the Tianzi, Lord of Nanling Province
Ministers
Fen, Council Minister
Geng, Treasury Minister
Hong Jianbin, Minister of Household Relations
Song Henglin, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tan, Chief Minister
Insurgents
Liang Yu, former Moquan
Song Xingyuan, Liang Yu’s apprentice
Black Lotus Clan
Master Yan, Master of the clan
Huang Zhen, Clan initiate
Feng Mi, Clan initiate
Teleri Empire
Geros Bovyan, Emperor of the Teleri
Altos Di Bovyan, Teleri General
Leina, half-Ayuri from Ankira
Feiying, Master of the Nightblades
Wild Elves
Kiri, half-elf
Kala, half-elf
Nayori, Shaman
Dior, archer
Layani, warrior
Foreigners
Aelward Corivar, Prince of Tarkoth
Brehane, Mystic
Cyrus Estazadeh, Akolyte
Fleet, Madaeri Guide
Sameer Vikram, Paladin apprentice
Thielas Starsong, elf prince
Yuha, Maki Shaman
Legendary Figures
Aralas, elf angel
Avarax, Last Dragon
Celastya, Guardian Dragon of Hua
Yanyan, founder of musical magic
Celestial Bodies
White Moon: Known as Renyue in Cathay, and represents the God of the Seas. Its orbital period is thirty days
.
Iridescent Moon: Known in Cathay as Caiyue, it is the manifestation the God of Magic. It appeared at the end of the war between elves and orcs. It never moves from its spot in the sky. Its orbital period is one day, and can be used to keep time.
Blue Moon: Known in Cathay as Guanyin's Eye, it is the manifestation of the Goddess of Fertility. It sits low on the horizon. Its phases go from wide open to winking.
Tivar's Star: A red star, a manifestation of the God of Conquest. During the Year of the Second Sun, it approached the world, causing the Blue Moon to go dim.
Golden Flock: A constellation which appeared frequently when the Orcs controlled the world. It has only appeared once since the War of Ancient Gods.
Time
As measured by the phases of the iridescent moon:
Full = Midnight
1st Waning Gibbous = 1:00 AM
2nd Waning Gibbous =2:00 AM
Mid-Waning Gibbous = 3:00 AM
4th Waning Gibbous = 4:00 AM
5th Waning Gibbous = 5:00 AM
Waning Half = 6:00 AM
1st Waning Crescent = 7:00 AM
2nd Waning Crescent = 8:00 AM
Mid-Waning Crescent = 9:00 AM
4th Waning Crescent = 10:00 AM
5th Waning Crescent = 11: 00 AM
New = Noon
1st Waxing Crescent = 1:00 PM
2nd Waxing Crescent = 2:00 PM
Mid-Waxing Crescent = 3:00 PM
4th Waxing Crescent = 4:00 PM
5th Waxing Crescent = 5:00 PM
Waxing Half = 6:00 PM
1st Waxing Gibbous = 7:00 PM
2nd Waxing Gibbous =8:00 PM
Mid-Waxing Gibbous = 9:00 PM
4th Waxing Gibbous = 10:00 PM
5th Waxing Gibbous = 11:00 PM
Provinces of Cathay
Province
Ruling
Family
Resources
Dongmen
Zheng
Grain, stone, guns
Fenggu
Han
Timber, rice, grain
Huayuan
Wang
Livestock, rice, wheat, lumber, firepowder, guns
Jiangzhou
Liu
Timber, wheat, silk
Linshan
Lin
Wheat, millet, timber, porcelain
Nanling
Peng
Livestock, steel, stone, gems, crossbows
Ximen
Zhao
Fishing, rice
Yutou
Liang
Fishing, rice, iron, copper, fish paste
Zhenjing
Wu
Ships, rice, fish
Human Ethnicities
Aksumi: Dark-skinned with dark eyes and coarse hair. On Earth, they would be considered North Africans. They can use Sorcery.
Ayuri: Bronze-toned skin with dark hair and eyes. On Earth, they would be considered South Asians. They can use Martial Magic.
Arkothi: Olive-skinned with blond to dark hair and light-colored eyes. On Earth, they would be considered Eastern Mediterraneans. They can use weak Mental Magic.
Bovyan: The descendants of the Sun God's begotten son, they are cursed to be all male and live only to thirty-three years of age. They are much taller and larger than the average human. Their other physical characteristics are determined by their mother's race. They have no magical ability.
Cathayi (Hua): Honey-toned skin with dark hair and eyes. High-set cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes. On Earth, they would be considered East Asians. They can use Artistic Magic.
Eldaeri: Olive-skinned with brown hair. Fine features and small frames, they are shorter in stature than the average human. In a previous age, they fled the orc domination of the continent and mingled with elves. They have no magical ability.
Estomari: Olive-skinned with varying eye and hair color. They are famous for their fine arts. On Earth, they would be considered Western Mediterraneans. They can use Divining Magic.
Kanin: Ruddy-skinned with dark hair. On Earth, they would be considered Native Americans. They can use Shamanic Magic.
Levanthi: Dark-bronze skin and dark hair. On Earth, they would be considered Persians. They can use Divine Magic.
Nothori: Fair-skinned and fair-haired. On Earth, they would be considered Northern Europeans. They can use Empathic Magic.
Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank my wife and family for the patience they have afforded me as I pursued my childhood dream of fiction writing.
A shout-out goes to my old Dungeons and Dragons crew: Jon, Chris, Chris, Paul, Conrad, and Julian, for helping to shape the first iteration of Tivara twenty-five years ago. Huge thanks to Brent, who contributed so much backstory to the new literary version.
A huge thanks to my sister Laura for her spectacular job with the maps and cover treatments
Thanks to the readers and writers on Wattpad for their encouragement and feedback.
Thanks to Anne Loshuk, Hannah West, Jen Strand, Jay Philippi, Tabitha Ormiston-Smith, Krystal Xu, and all the other super fans.
And finally, to writers over at critiquecircle.com who motivated and helped me along the way. Jason, for patiently providing countless ideas. Victoria, for showing me how to layer scenes. Leanne for story development and amazing suggestions. Ernie, for teaching me the fundamentals of fiction writing. Lindy and Kathryn for your sharp eyes. Rick and Traci for the numerous suggestions, and all the others who critiqued.