World Building Notes for Chapter 2 of my Upcoming Fantasy Novel
Character Summaries, Histories, and Objects of Power
Hello Tolkien Poppers!
Today, I am providing paid Tolkien Pop! members with some world building notes pertaining to Chapter 2 of my upcoming fantasy novel with the working title The Broken Crescent.
This will be a preview post to give you taste of what members and potential members are helping me cook up!
If this is your first time reading about my upcoming novel, I will be posting written chapters biweekly until its publication. The chapters will always be free, but paid subscribers will not only be able to comment and make suggestions for the book, but will also receive: their names added to the book’s acknowledgments when published, a signed copy of the book when it’s published, access to worldbuilding documents and notes on characters, and free Tolkien Pop! swag. At only $5 a month, please consider a paid subscription and join me on this journey!
Character Summaries:
Bethen - Head of the Church of the Empire, the Index of the Hand, closest to Japheth’s age (around 20) and they are each other’s closest friend
Comes from the imperial school of Canonists. She specializes in Canon, i.e., religious Law, which covers societal as well as religious governmental laws, policies, and procedures. This is because the imperial religious sect is not separated from government as in many modern forms of government. Many religious members pursue Canon Law to be primed for positions of governance. Canonists often are favored in The Hand’s appointments for Index. She came from a family with multiple matriarchs who served the One in a professional ministerial position. Her father was a very successful merchant with dealings in various goods.
Bethen was appointed Index because of her intellectual superiority, zealous commitment to the One and his Hand, political tact, and charismatic personality that attracted and mobilized many citizens and parishioners on behalf of imperial dogma and endeavors. She did not see this as a tool of propaganda but genuinely believed in the One and the Hand’s ways. Her intellectual prowess and status gained her access to many texts that were few and limited in reproduction and circulation.
