Lea Knight

Banestones is my current brainchild. The idea for Banestones was born from a simple character introduction for a game (Legend of the Green Dragon). As I completed my character introduction for Pernara, I longed to tell her past. But what did she do? Where did she travel? On what epic adventures did she partake? So I started to think. Suddenly, it began to pour into my mind. She would find a young girl with unharnessed magical power, a former prostitute that had repented to the gods, and a Knight of her father's Order to travel with her. They would look for five large chunks of crystal, called the Banestones. They would battle a great enemy who commanded a great amount of magical power, who was also a shapeshifter. Thus, Banestones was born. I've had a lot of fun writing Banestones, though I've hardly embarked upon it at all.

 Years ago, all of the races lived and thrived off of magic. Over time, all but a few humans lost the gift for magic. The dwarves rejected it altogether, thus causing all traces of magic to disappear. The gnomes resorted to creating mechanical magic – that is, clockwork infused with magic.

On the other hand, the elves kept all ties with their magic. They rarely use weapons, for they are practically unreachable by the other races and their physical attacks. Not only have they retreated to the other side of the continent, cut off by mountains and swamps, but they have also erected powerful magical barriers. They live in 'Siddims'. Each Siddim is a separate community akin to a large village. Though the Siddims are largely independent from one another, they all answer to the ruler of the Galier Siddim.

 First and foremost, the Velers are caretakers of their horses. Theirs are the fastest, most powerful, and byfar most loyal horses in the known world. It is rumored that the Velers are so adept at working with horses that even unicorns will work with them.

Second most important in the Velers' livelihood is that they are merchants. Though they have no true sense of property among their families, they are very good at bartering with outsiders.

Many see the Velers as disreputable, but they are an honest people. Perhaps their negative reputation has its roots in that they do not easily accept outsiders into their lives, except as traders.

 The wagon rolled into what seemed to be a ghost town. Though the bright sunlight had been visible even through the thick forest trees, a dark gloom blanketed the travelers. Hanxa looked to Reira curiously as she cooed the horses into a slower trot. Before she could ask anything, though, the slight woman was already explaining.

“Vampires. They sleep underground during the day. Years ago, they struck up an alliance with the Velers. So long as we avoid their towns at night and don't wake them in the day, they content themselves with animals for nourishment. On the other hand, if we disturb them....” Reira shuddered and shook her head. “Well, it's not good for us.”