I is for Ithaka

April 10, 2014 by Roland Clarke

I is for Ithaka: Ithaka: The Tapestry is a game developed by Prinaka, the company behind the ‘Gossamer Steel’ MMORPG that appears in the cyber-mystery ‘Wyrm Bait’.

Ithaca is the home of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, and Ithaka is also a famous poem by the Greek poet C P Cavafy that pays homage to Homer’s Odyssey, one of the greatest epic poems written. After the victory of the Greeks in the Trojan War, Odysseus sets sail for his home on Ithaca. But, as the mastermind behind the Trojan Horse deception, he had incurred the wrath of the God Poseidon, who tries to ensure that he never reaches his wife Penelope and their son Telemachus. On his ten year journey, Odysseus faces cyclops, lotus-eaters, sea monsters, and hostile giants, then finds himself trapped by the beautiful nymph Calypso on an island. When he finally reaches home, Odysseus reclaims control of Ithaca. But if you don’t know the full story read more here.

Cavafy’s poem addresses our personal journey to Ithaka, and pays homage to Homer’s epic poem. For an excellent article on “Ithaka” with a link to a powerful Sean Connery reading, with music by Vangelis, go to: http://ninaalvarez.net/2008/08/09/poem-video-of-the-day-ithaca/

I is also for Inventors and for India, which as Bhārata is central to the world’s survival. In the world of Gossamer Steel an Indian engineer attempts to unlock the secret to teleportation. Without inventors and inventions going back to the wheel and earlier, humanity would not have progressed as far as we have. The inventions have been made by people all over the globe, not just in the West. There have been periods, such as the Industrial Revolution, when enormous strides have been made, although sometimes these periods have been times of war. Not every invention has been beneficial, although are the scientist to blame or the paymasters? Many of the inventions that arise in the world of Gossamer Steelare rooted in our current world, although the apocalypse precipitates their creation.

I is also for the ice-wraiths that terrorise The Country, imps and idad or yew, one of the Ogham trees.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.

My theme is ‘The World of Gossamer Steel, the SF-fantasy setting for a series of short stories and novellas that portray the tales behind the MMORPG that is central to my crime novel ‘Wyrm Bait’.

H is for Herders

April 9, 2014 by Roland Clarke

H is for Herders: In our tour of the world of Gossamer Steel the herders are descended from the nomads of Eurasia and the Sámi, the indigenous people of The Country. They have common roots and to them the land and its spirits are sacred, and they revere the world that has always been called Sapmi.

For centuries herders have practised Nomadic Pastoralism, moving their livestock to fresh pastures on which to graze. The herded livestock include cattle, yaks, sheep, goats, reindeer, horses, donkeys or camels, or a mix of species. Nomadic pastoralism is commonly practised in regions with little arable land, with the herders seeking out the grazing wherever available. Historically this lifestyle has, in some instances, led to warrior-based cultures that have made them fearsome enemies of settled people, notably in the case of the Mongols and Magyars.

Of the estimated 30–40 million nomadic pastoralists worldwide, most are found in central Asia and the Sahel region of West Africa. Other areas include the Arabian Peninsula inhabited by Bedouins, as well as Northeast Africa inhabited by Somalis.

In areas of harsh climate, the nomadic pastoralists have traditional grazing grounds that they move their herds between. These herders, found in Northern Europe and Russia, include the indigenous Sami, Nenets, Tsaatans, and Chukchis. These are the basis for the Herders in Gossamer Steel, with their lifestyles revolving around reindeer herding.

Dhuka herder moving his reindeer ~ Image: Uluc Kecik

H is also for HAV – Hybrid Air Vehicles, which are modified airships designed for freight or surveillance. With the rising cost of fuel, HAV are becoming one way forward in aviation, especially when attempting to access remote areas with heavy loads. In the 21^st century many of the drawbacks with conventional airships are being resolved, and this is a growth area. In a world without oil, this technology will become crucial to a new world.

In our tour of the world of Gossamer Steel, H is also for antagonist Hubert Green, and for the Hearthalls, centre of learning and of pilgrimage in The Country.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda

E is for Energy

April 5, 2014 by Roland Clarke

E is for Energy: After the apocalypse that creates the Gossamer Steel world, the role of oil as an energy source diminishes rapidly as the means to produce and distribute its derivatives are devastated. The surviving enclaves are forced to turn to alternative energy sources, primarily solar, wind and the waves. There is also a powerful atmospheric charge to be tapped from The Storm that continues to divide the world and create Electro-magnetic interference.

All these renewables, except atmospheric charge, are viable today. The uptake on renewable sources depends on many factors, not least the individual country’s government and public opinion. The United Kingdom is the world’s leading generator of offshore wind power, and is currently seeing a healthy growth in onshore wind generation, while in the United States the favoured renewables varies from state to state. According to Wikipedia sources, “In 2010 renewable energy accounted for 17% of total energy consumption. Biomass heat accounted for 11%, and hydropower 3%…” “…In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power, requiring utilities to use more renewable energy (even if this increases the cost), and providing tax incentives to encourage the development and use of such technologies. There is substantial optimism that renewable energy investments will pay off economically in the long term…”

English: Wind turbines in a rapeseed field in Sandesneben, Germany ~ Jürgen at Flickr

English: Wind turbines in a rapeseed field in Sandesneben, Germany by Jürgen at Flickr

Our industrialised society will continue to devour fossil fuels at an enormous rate, despite climate change and high oil prices, but inevitably they will run out. But will the Ravagers of Gossamer Steel destroy the world first? Or will an apocalypse herald a new fossil fuel-free world? A greenpunk future?

United Nations’ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity. Thus, in Gossamer Steel, one of the leading enclaves is India.

“King Of Nagas & Kylin Carving On Teak” by kornnphoto

E in our A to Z tour of the Gossamer Steel world is also for the elves/elfes or Alfar; for the Elementals that are intrinsic to the Blood-marked and possess supernatural powers; and for Etiäinen, spirits summoned by Finnish shaman.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array

B is for the Blood-Marked

C is for Corylus Avellana

D is for Duskweald

My theme is ‘The World of Gossamer Steel’, the SF-fantasy setting for a series of short stories and novellas that portray the tales behind the MMORPG that is central to my crime novel ‘Wyrm Bait’.

C is for Corylus Avellana

April 3, 2014 by Roland Clarke

“Calm After The Storm” by Sarah Arbogast

C is for Corylus Avellana: ‘Coll’ or Hazel is one of the thirteen trees in the Ogham Tree Calendar. Hazel, Corylus avellana, is the Tree of Wisdom and Knowledge, and one of the ‘chieftain’ trees of the Irish Celtic tradition. In my A to Z journey through the World of Gossamer Steel, Coryll and her sister Avellana are key characters in a novella set in the fictional world. As a shaman, Coryll has a deep bond with nature, which through her blood-mark ties her to a reed elemental, Ngetal – the 13^th letter of the alphabet. Much of my initial inspiration for the novella and the world came from Teresa Moorey’s Magic And Mystery Of Trees.

Trees hold a powerful place in folklore in many cultures, as diverse as Native Americans, the Qabalah, Druids, as well as Celtic. Many traditions have trees at their heart, from Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse Myth, to the Christmas tree. Further reading on Spirit, Folklore and Trees here.

Most scholars believe that Ogham primarily “served as an alphabet for one of the ancient Celtic languages. Its origin is uncertain: it may have been adapted from a sign language. Current understanding is that the names of the main twenty letters are also the names of 20 trees sacred to the druids. Some authors have suggested the existence of a 13 month calendar which shared some of these names.”

Two central characters in the novel ‘Wyrm Bait’ choose avatars in the MMORPG of Gossamer Steel with the names Coryll and Avellana.

C is also for other short story protagonists Charles Stern and Chamona, for The Country, as well as for CME or Coronal Mass Ejection.

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The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.

Productivity: A Threefold Secret

April 2, 2014 by Roland Clarke

Snowdon & Portmeirion ~ Juanita Clarke

A month ago, in my First Wednesday of month post in the Insecure Writers Support Group – I worried about existing for Forty days cut off from the outside world. But my gloomy musings were inaccurate… as many of them are.

British Telecom may have failed to get us online but we can log on via a neighbour’s connection. So we are still alive and reasonably sane. I’ve just been online far less than normal, just long enough to get emails.

So has being without internet distractions, like social media and games, mean more writing?

Well no, but blame that on moving house. Once a few crucial writing things were out of boxes – pen and notebooks rather than computers – I began scribbling. Who wouldn’t with a view of Snowdon and Portmeirion. And I sense that there are lot more words as I gaze out the window.

Yet there was a part of me that worried about productivity.

Do you try to write at least so many words a day?

Are you daunted by how many books other authors publish each year?

I was. But I’ve realised that we all have to work at a different pace, and that pace will always depend on other factors like family commitments, job demands, genuine distractions, and in my case health.

When I was an equestrian journalist, I was able to write 12-20 articles a week. Short reports maybe, and I used a template system, but the facts had to be changed, plus the quotes. And there was the initial research which often meant two days at a weekend show. [Friday was my ‘day-off’/chill day.]

Dick Lane and his team of Lipizzaners at Brighton Driving Trials ~ Roland Clarke

However, poor health and retirement have brought a change in lifestyle so the secret of productivity has evolved, although it had probably always been threefold… I just wasn’t aware of it.

PACING: it is easier to tackle a task like a piece of writing if you pace yourself. There’s no point burning up in a frantic attempt to get thousands of words written. Over time I found that there were times when pushing myself too hard led to a day lost through exhaustion; and in my case that was how my MS first manifested. Write at a pace that suits you, rather than at a speed that someone else has set. Unless the deadlines are immovable, as with a newspaper deadline, it’s far better to make one that is realistic.

SELECTION: try to focus on the tasks that are crucial, coupled with those that you are inspired by – not distracted by. There will never be enough time to do everything so be selective. Having no fast internet connection has led to me making hard chances on what I read online every day… and I no longer read every email in detail. Fewer = more.

BALANCE: spending all our time working is never good. As writers our inspiration comes from many sources, so being glued to our writing all day is wasted time. Adding in other pursuits is essential. When I was confined to the house, I escaped into a game world, but from that I found the inspiration for the world of Gossamer Steel – my theme for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. In Wales it will be exploring the great outdoors, although there will still be gaming – my wife and I will always be gamers. Others might mention movies, good food or chocolate. All in moderation and in balance.

I won’t be measuring my new life in Wales in terms of words written or books published, but in terms of the peace of mind that comes from living a richer life. That is inspiration worth sharing in carefully crafted creations from the soul.

What do you feel creates words of worth, productivity or peace of mind?

B is for the Blood-marked

April 2, 2014 by Roland Clarke

“Bloody Hand” by Simon Howden

B is for the Blood-marked: In my A to Z of the World of Gossamer Steel, the superstitious people of The Country believe the Blood-Marked are dangerous nomads that have been possessed by a tormented spectral creature. However, when confronted with one, reluctant groom Bergwe moves beyond his superstitions and learns that the possession has great advantages when confronting evil as they have the power to summon Elementals.

Blood plays a crucial role in many cultural beliefs, from paganism through organised religions to New Age. Blood is central to our body and life, so it is not surprising that sharing our blood holds great significance, whether it is donating life-saving blood willingly or unwillingly. Blood carries DNA and perhaps the spirit. Is that why we are so fascinated by vampires? Is it the blood-sucking or the immortality?

There is also the sharing of blood to denote a bond beyond friendship – blood-sisters. In Gossamer Steel, being Blood-marked is a similar union of souls but more akin to a shaman and her power animal. [More on that perhaps tomorrow – C is for Corylus Avellana…]

B is also for the Blue Maidens servants of forest goddess Mielikki, and for Baba Yaga. And of course the Blood of murder victims in Spiral of Hooves.

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