Duchy Unleashed

by Zack Finley

  Luzo, mundane recruit for Toffad's Keep.

  Malek, mage ship owner-captain of Malan, hired in Augun.

  Marfo, Cleon's sister, daughter of Tobron and Inoa.

  Marko, grandson and now heir of King Rufix of Augun.

  Maude, sister to Inoa, considered eccentric or crazy

  Nimba, farmer; Perga’s lieutenant.

  Olive, surviving Augun King's Man mage guarding Marko.

  Orik, Losan master armorer, supplies shop at Losan Mage Guild.

  Perga, leader of farmers at Keep.

  Pernet, Klee banker.

  Ramda, the Klee mage hired by Klee Queen Mother Jenia to help King Rufix.

  Reeter, dock broker at Losan

  Rofcher, raider leader outside Flom.

  Ronar, patriarch of glappner extermination company.

  Rubit, Losan mage guild contact.

  Rufix, Augun king.

  Ruton, Klee king.

  Shala, goddess.

  Sloms, Losan faction involving food exports.

  Steve Finley, protagonist. Ex-Navy Seal.

  Tobron, librarian at Klee Mage Guild, mate of Inoa, duchy chamberlain.

  Valso, lieutenant, new commander of Augun's Kings Guard.

  Virn, tavern keeper.

  Xerib, Augun mage commander.

  Yarl, farmer; Perga’s lieutenant, female.

  Zaron, one of Shala’s senior acolytes. Argon’s mentor.

  Locations

  Asme, cloth manufacturing center in kingdom of Augun, located in the south.

  Augun Mage Guild, confederation of mages located in Augun.

  Augun, west coast kingdom, city and river. Known for its leather and cloth. Located north of Klee.

  Bara, east coast kingdom, city and river, north of Zoas.

  Bounding Basas; tavern in harbor in Augun.

  Calibran, Captain Blent’s ship.

  Flom, tanning and leather center in kingdom of Augun, located in the north.

  Jaloa, continent surrounded by ocean where this all takes place.

  Kavil, west coast kingdom, city and river. North of Augun. Exports fruit, herbs, vegetables and nuts.

  Klee Mage Guild, confederation of mages located in Klee.

  Klee, west coast kingdom, city and river.

  Kleva, village on Klee River tributary to the south edge near the border with Losan.

  Losan Mage Guild, confederation of mages located in Losan.

  Losan, west coast kingdom, city and river; known for its metals; armor and weapons--especially swords. Located south of Klee.

  Mad Toffad's Keep, location in kingdom of Klee, identified for new keep.

  Malan, Captain Malek's ship, hired in Augun.

  Omba, village on Augun River, suspected of collaborating with pirates.

  Rithra, east coast kingdom, city and river, north of Bara.

  Surn, east coast kingdom, city and river, south of Xter.

  Xter, east coast kingdom, city and river, south of Zoas

  Ylee, west coast kingdom, city and river, north of Kavil. Known for exports of grain and wood.

  Zoas, east coast kingdom, city and river; mirror city/country of Augun.

  Other

  banders, a fierce critter that infests fields but can attack and overwhelm humans.

  barnta, huge long haul version of the basas.

  basas, horse-like creature; can be ridden or can pull carriages.

  Brama, title presented to Steve by King of Klee, translated as duke.

  brunfers, small critter, plenty of teeth, resemble large mere cats, with spears and rocks.

  cala, a pink grape-like fruit, tastes like Brussels sprouts.

  calibran, large bright blue fish with very large teeth.

  chee, coffee-like substance.

  chrrts, an odd looking two footed animal resembling an ostrich which pulls carts.

  faral, manly drink made from the male qiche fruit.

  fla, cat-like creature, pet.

  Fracks, fierce stinging insects. A swarm could kill a man or even a basas.

  glappner, spider like creature encountered in warehouse at keep.

  graal, a wine from northern Klee.

  jarma, an animal grown for its fine leather and tasty cutlets.

  jervins, roach like stinging insects. Swarm in millions.

  jimi, type of stone very acidic.

  nachea, womanly drink from the female qiche fruit.

  oso, fierce animal, leather suitable to make armor with a high magical carrying capacity.

  paskar, liqueur from Klee that enhances the sexual experience.

  polet, a red fruit with thick peel, tastes like chocolate.

  pracch, an adjustable food condiment anti-spice.

  qiche, fruit used to make fermented beverages.

  ronta, purple bumpy fruit, tastes like cinnamon.

  ◆◆◆

  About the Author

  Zack Finley is my pen name. My spouse and I live on about 100 acres in rural Mendocino County, California. When I say rural, it means we depend on satellites for internet and television. Only one cell phone company works at our place, and that carrier gets less than one bar if you stand at the far corner of our deck. Sometimes texts work, sometimes not. We depend on a landline that is frequently out of service several times a year.

  Our main news feed is monitoring the county emergency services scanner. This was a lifesaver for many during last year’s deadly firestorm.

  I have a degree in Chemical Engineering and worked 25 years for a large oil company in refineries and chemical plants across the country. I started at a refinery in the San Francisco area. While I moved too many times in between, I was working there again when I retired. During my tenure, I had more than 15 different assignments and spent a whole lot of company money. I enjoy building stuff, and I had my hand in a lot of construction. I retired when I could.

  We’ve lived in Mendocino County for about 20 years and share the land with bears, mountain lions, bobcats, deer, and many smaller critters. Our pond has water in it year ‘round and is full of mosquito fish, turtles, and the occasional newt. We get nearly five feet of rain each winter but none in the summer months. Some winter and early spring snows but it usually melts away within a few days.

  We escaped the rat race of the city and fully embraced a rural lifestyle. On a new homestead, there was lots of hard physical work to do. Over nearly a decade I built a large workshop, upgraded our road, planted a huge garden, planted trees, cut down dead trees, cut and split firewood. I trained our deer to eat deer resistant plants and our bears to tear through fences and snap trees to get to the ripe fruit. I taught bears and raccoons to raid our compost pile, even when protected by a cage.

  Mostly we live in peace with our critter friends, with rattlesnakes being the main exception. When rattlers come on my deck and around the outside of the house, they die. I have no interest in risking a rattlesnake bite for myself, my spouse, nor my pets. During rattlesnake season, we watch where we step. They are territorial, and I am territorial. They can live in peace on the other 99 acres, they just are not welcome around my house.

  My spouse worked part-time off and on, but I was satisfied with life on our homestead.

  And then, one day that was not enough. I left retirement and became a reporter for our small-town newspaper. Years passed, my editor retired, and I moved up into the hot seat. Years later, the corporate ax fell. My newspaper was cut to one reporter and one front office staffer. When told the cuts were not negotiable, I quit.

  I’m now in my second retirement and writing novels.

  ◆◆◆

 

 

 
filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share