Feeling--rushed
Reading-- Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Listening to-- nothing

Aaalll rrriiigghhtttyyy then... I've been making slow progress, but I have been working on my notes for A Unicorn's Love. I've changed a few things, like the province of Drakmond's flag:

...And the lead characters' names a bit. They were Purity Rose Lockeheart and Lord Justinian Cornelius. As has been par-for-the-course with the heroine's name, I changed it yet again to True Aevara Lockeheart; I'm hoping this will be the last time it'll change. As for Justinian, he is now Lord Justinian Silvermane. I also changed my mind about the sorceress whom Kyaa, True's cousin, thinks she's the reincarnation of. Lady Delphine of Rirestone was not evil, in fact, she was quite good. She fought against the Dark Arts for 65 years. A brief background on her is one new thing I've added with a modicum of success. (By that I mean with minimal changes as I've gone along each day I've worked on my notes.)

In fact, I've decided she'll (the sorceress) be a minor character instead of being mentioned here and there. I've also figured out why and how Kyaa Mackelby thinks she is the reincarnation of Lady Delphine. A magic stone from the Alastrine lands. A devious, puckish Alastrine (faerie) man brings it into the mortal world to see what havoc he can wreak with it. He poses as a traveling salesman or merchant and sells it to unsuspecting Kyaa. The stone makes itself irresistible to its keeper and distorts her/his thoughts and perceptions of reality. When I get more character background on both women I'll share their backgrounds then.

Another thing I've done is make the country's coat-of-arms. I noticed on Wikipedia that some countries have flags and a coat-of-arms, in addition to mottos and/or anthems. (I have no clue on the anthem yet for Mythaia.) I thought it would be in keeping with the...culture?...of the nation if there was a coat-of-arms to go with the flag. So...here it is:

I also started on the history of Mythaia--at least what it was like before it became a federated country. And the climate and geography...those are ready to share.

Climate and Geography

• Mythaia's climate and geography are similar to that of Germany's. The climate is temperate or oceanic, as Mythaia is a coastal country. Much of the nation lies in the cool/temperate climatic zone in which humid westerly winds predominate. Along the coast (eastern Mythaia) and in parts of the north and south, the climate is extremely oceanic and rain falls year-round. Winters are relatively mild and the summers are comparatively cool. For western Mythaia, the climate is more continental; winters tend to be very cold for long periods, and summers can become very warm. Long dry periods also occur. In the center, there is a transitional climate, which may be predominantly oceanic or continental, according to the general weather situation. Winters are mild and summers tend to be cool, although maximum temperatures can exceed 86° F for several days in a row during heat waves. The warmest region of Mythaia is found in the west.

• Lying mostly on the Mythaian Plain, much of Mythaia is flat, although it does have rough and somewhat patternless hilly countryside towards its center and in the south and west. Wetlands and marshy conditions are found in the north, in the east, and around Nixie Lake.

Culture and History

• Before it was a country, Mythaia was known as the Eastern Wilderness. Only the "wild or savage" peoples lived there, and outcasts. The oldest indigenous peoples of Mythaia were the Centaurs, Pixies, Nixies and Cave Dwarves. No one really knows exactly when they first arrived, or who came first. All that is known about them is they’ve been there since long before written records were kept. Compared to them, the Red (or Plains) Dragons, Gnomes, Humans and Unicorns are newcomers. The Red (or Plains) Dragons arrived in 939 B.W. when they were driven out of Pyrrenorr by invading human conquerors. They liked the landscape and climate, and the fact they were left in peace by the others sharing the wilderness so much that when the Pyrrenorrs extended an invitation to return to their native land in 889 B.W., the Red Dragons refused; they were happy in their adopted land. The Gnomes came next. Some were gypsy-like nomads who were looking for their next campsite; others had been driven back or out of their original forest homes as the more advanced races cleared or thinned them for land and other uses in the name of progress--the Technological Times. The Humans were the last to arrive in the Eastern Wilderness. Some were looking for a place away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Others, as stated above, were outcasts, or "troublemakers," or outlaws. Unicorns, of course, came after the Great War, as they didn’t exist until close to the end of the war. (They were created by the Alastrine or faeries--my version of the Fey people.)

• Mythaia was first recognized as an organized country 449 years before the Great War began (449 B.W.). Its citizens chose the name Mythaia and the motto "The Impossible is Possible!" in recognition of their chosen National Bird: the Roc. At the time of the founding of the nation, the Roc was considered an almost mythological bird, or a cryptoid creature--like the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot. Their motto is also a nod to the fact so many diverse races came together to form a strong nation and have been able to coexist more or less peaceably.

When I have more, I'll share it.

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Yesterday
02-09-2012 Thursday 13: Netflix
02-10-2012 Rainbow Crow
02-11-2012 My Crow Project
02-12-2012 Crow: Keeper of All Sacred Law
02-21-2012 My Book List for 2012

moon phase