This is a quick place to pick up some information about the world of Hytrae and the series in general. First I will note that this is a Fantasy Fiction series.
Synopsis of book 1 (The Crystal Seal):
Cyan just turned 14. This is the beginning of manhood, for a Huma in the world of Hytrae. He has always wanted to become a mage, but magic was all but forbidden in his town of Coppervain. The town was destroying the last magic instruction tomes from the cathedral. Cyan and his friend, Lucy, manage to steal one of the books. They were caught by the town leader (who also happens to be Lucy’s father), Cyan was ran out of town for his devotion to magic. Alone and looking for a teacher, Cyan sets out on his first adventure as a man. Knowledge, love, power, and sorrow await him as he learns what it takes to become a mage…
Synopsis of book 2 (The Candescent Vessel):
A cry wakes Lucy on the day after her coming of age ceremony. Cyan, a childhood friend, is in trouble. He is planning on becoming a mage and the whole town now knows it. Mages are not popular in the little town of Coppervain. She helps him get part of the last magic tome, then Cyan flees town. Before Lucy can even find out where he is going, fate strikes a second time. Light magic awakens within her, and she is sent off to the eastern monastery to discover her own destiny…
The world of Hytrae:
The following is additional information about the would in which The Sage of Hytrae series takes place. More information will be added over time.
First we should define Hytrae.
Hytrae is the collective planet that we find ourselves exploring with our friends the Huma (more on them below). The continent that we stay on in this series is also sometimes called Hytrae, but its proper name is Hytragin. You will find that names have true meaning in this world, and as you read the books you might be able to piece some of these meanings together. Like earth you will find rivers, forests, cities, and people (a collective term for the Huma). There are some unique animals and plants on Hytrae, and some are highlighted below. You might notice that technology is not overly advanced on Hytrae, with the presence of magic there is little need to advance it. This is why you might notice that The Sage of Hytrae series feels more like a medieval time period.
This world is vast, and I had to consult several historians to get all this information in one place. It will continue to grow as time passes, and I hope you will have a chance to check in on our progress.
Calendar in Hytrae:
There are 470 days in a year in hytrae.
Four seasons, spring, summer, fall, and winter.
12 months, Trae, Secken, Zeho, Raen, Flocan, Firean, Searen, Augan, Seth, Daen, Xain, Ginhay.
Spring starts on the 19th of Zeho, summer on the 40th of Firean, fall on the 20th of Seth, and winter on the 40th of Ginhay.
All months have 39 days except Fireman, and Ginhay, they both have 40.
A week is 7 days, and there is not an even number of weeks in a year.
Money system:
There are three coins that make up the money system in Hytrae.
Penents – Copper coins, not very valuable, it takes 100 of them to form one Ceret.
Cerets – Silver coins, the main currency for most transactions, it takes 100 to make one Alutan.
Alutans – Gold coins, these are the currency of the wealthy, 100 of them could buy you a house.
Measurement System:
A foot, it consists of ten inches which are about the same size of earth inches.
A yard is three feet.
One day on horse back is about the same as three days on foot, and a day and a half with a horse and cart.
A day is twenty four hours.
An hour is equivalent to an earth hour.
The three magic disciplines:
Rune magic – The magic of Mages. This magic commands the elements, and is recognized for their use of drawn runes in addition to muttered incantations. They are governed by The Runic Order, which is the organization that all mages belong to once they are recognized as a fully trained mage. Past actions in wars, has caused the common people in Cain not to trust mages.
Light magic – This is the magic of Priests and Priestesses. This magic both guides and protects. Famous for their healing magic, Priests and Priestesses are trained primarily in one of the three monasteries. These monasteries both teach and orginze the common collective of light magic users known also as the Clergy.
Dark magic – This is the magic of Sorcerers and Sorceresses. This magic governs the mind. With Dark magic it is possible to tame wild animals, and calm angry mobs. It is generally looked at by the majority of the populace as an evil magic. This opinion is not helped by the name of its governing organization called The Order of Shadow.
Creatures of Hytrae:
There are lots of similar creatures in Hytrae to those found on earth. Here I will highlight some of the more unique inhabitants.
Huma – The dominant species of the planet. They were blessed by God with the ability to control magic. The Tragin were sent to teach the Huma magic when they were ready for it in the distant past. Huma are smaller than Humans of earth, and tend to have very mischievous childhoods.
Tragin – A species not native to Hytrae. How they came to Hytrae is shrouded in mystery, but most believe they came through a large portal. They taught the Huma how to wield the three disaplines of magic, and built the floating cities, which became the floating ruins of modern times.
Buffalo Pig – As their name implies, this is a pig who is about the size of a North American Buffalo. This large creature features both horns and tusks. They are a mountain of mussel, and can topple buildings when threatened. They tend to be peaceful creatures, but you don’t want to be near one when they are angry or frightened.
Other Misc. Information:
There are five countries on our continent in Hytrae, below are some highlights for each of them.
The Kingdom of Cain– The northeastern most country in Hytrae. Past wars have left the country with a small but veteran military. It’s capital is a city called Dungan. Dungan got its name from the floating ruins above it. According to legend the ruins were an ancient district called Dungan Gardens in a much older and larger city than any current settlement.
The District of Able – Ravaged by a war decades ago, this country has no capital or central government. Mostly occupied by farmers, there are only two cities in this small country. It is located just south of Cain.
The Kingdom of Acosta – This region in the North West is dominated by mountainous terrain. The youngest of the five nations, currently their only ally in the war with Nazrill is Cain. They are famous for being the home of the Northern Monastery of Light and the combative monks who study there.
The Kingdom of Nazrill – This country is located in the south western corner of Hytrae. They are home to swamps, dense forests, and some of the oldest ruins not floating in the sky. They are currently at war with Acosta. They are also home of The Order of Shadow.
The Belin Empire – The oldest of the five nations. They reside in the south eastern corner of Hytrae. Their borders are the tightest of the nations, and have little interest in the affairs of the other nations. In times past they have fought wars against Cain.
More info to come!
Christopher J Hillger 