Lyssia - the masked Drottine of Ilvana - has to discover the strength of her own voice and uncover the dark secrets that threaten to undermine the safety of her people while maintaining her own secret, a struggle that may force her to choose between her kingdom and her life.

* * * * * * * * * * Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge! * * * * * * * * * * Armed with an uncontrollable talent for premonition and a dangerous secret that could cost her her life, Lyssia - the masked Drottine of Ilvana - has to learn to survive in a land designed to weed out the weak. Lyssia always thought her survival at court depended upon her identity as the greatest pretender of all. But when Magnor - the newly crowned King of Dunival - arrives unannounced and threatens the tenuous peace between their two kingdoms, Lyssia soon realizes that he carries secrets even more dangerous than her own. As Lyssia struggles to discover the true intentions behind Magnor's visit, she is faced with an impossible choice: Sacrifice her secret - her freedom - her life to save a dying land... or allow Ilvana to be overcome by what lies hidden in the shadows. Can Lyssia find the strength to stand and fight for her people, or will the lies she has hidden behind her entire life prove too strong to be overcome?

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A kongdomr of warriors, though rusted their swords

A kongdomr of voices, raised in hopeful song

A kongdomr of drakuns, forsaken, forgotten

A kongdomr of masks, neither young nor old

A kongdomr of faces, expectantly raised

To this new chance, a new age

A new Drottingr

Ilvana of legend

Rise, Warriors, Rise

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CAST, DEFENITIONS, PLAYLIST

CAST

Ilvanian (the three-pointed mountain)

Lyssia (Lys) - Drottine of Ilvana, heir, present day 22YO

Dizean - Kongr of Ilvana, Lyssia's father

Azerian (Az) - Lyssia's maternal cousin, present day 22YO

Carryn - Lyssia maternal aunt, Azerian's mother

Roakev (Ro) - Lyssia's paternal cousin, present day 24YO

Eindre - Lyssia's paternal uncle, Roakev's father and Drengr

Nimeah - Eindre's wife, Roakev's mother

Seaka - old Lach and Lyssia's former caretaker

Bjarke - Master Skald, employed the Kongr of Ilvana

Aturnel (the guardian) - highest mountain point on Ilvania-Listoria border

Thivness (the wildness) – dangerous, impassable cliff between eastern forest and sea

Vatn – Lesser mountain named after the lake found at its feet

Arvid – Lyssia's Dubkir horse, named after her great grandfather

Sikurd – Roakev's Dubkir horse, named after an old hero from a Lay

Isi - girl Lyssia meets on road to Steiner Mart Diyana - Lyssia's songbird, also Rilken's wife

Ofrid - Lyssia's maternal cousin, close to Roakev's age

Reeza - Lyssia's older maternal cousin, has a oat named OdilHoney - good natured mare rode by Lyssia

Hanne – village representative's niece celebrating her wedding

Ardbon - Karl involved in Steiner Mart fight

Liefer - Karl involved in Steiner Mart fight, his son's name is Nurik

Rilken - the last Drakun Kongr of Ilvana

Steiner Mart - Eda-Yute Mart held every year in Steiner Field, also called the crossroads

Gavin Brinson – young western Jarl, not allied with Halvor, his family crest is a raven

Sidne – Gavin's wife, very pregnant and very helpful

Halvor - outspoken jarl from western stead

Sorev – Halvor's son, family crest is a bear in mid-maul, one of eight Jarlsons present, but the only one hailing from the west

Fulrik – sonless western Jarl allied with Halvor

Calvin – one of the Jarlsons atttending the peacemeet, the oldest and tallest of the lot

Angar – eastern Jarl in possession of the Dubkir herd, family crest is a shield painted with bright green and yellow stripes

Dubkir heir – Angar's son…when will Lyssia learn his name?

Ingar – former Kongr of Ilvana and Lyssia's grandfather

Scyftan River – the unofficial divide between eastern and western Ilvana

Listorian (the five-pointed flower)

Andev - Kongr of Listoria

Igone (of the green thumb) - Andev's wife, Drottingr of Listoria

Thisska - Listorian Drakun, bonded to Igone

Linea - Drottine of Listoria, Murel's twin, heir, present day 20YO

Murel - Drottine of Listoria, Linea's twin, heir, present day 20YO

Ansev - Kongre of Listoria, twin's younger brother

Sundric - Kongre of Listoria, twin's younger brother

Giall - Jarl that travels to Ilvana with royal party

Dunival (the spinning dustdevil)

Magnor - recently crowned Kongr of Dunival, present day 25YO

Tirne - Kongre-Slad of Dunival, younger son of Rijek, present day 22YO

V???? - Magnor's self-proclaimed "second"…another name Lyssia can't seem to learn!

Deceased

Erina - Lyssia's mother, deceased

Rijek – former Kongr of Dunival, deceased

Anitra – former Drottingr of Dunival, Magnor and Tirne's mother, deceased

The Five Kongdomren - Ilvana, Dunival, Listoria, Sinnet, Nukrevn

Aonta...Definition and Cast to be discovered

DEFINITIONS

Kongr/Kongre - King/Prince

Drottingr/Drottine - Queen/Princess

Kongdomr (Kongdomren) - Kingdom (Kingdoms)

Jarl/Karl - landowner/non-landowner, may be beholden one particular Jarl

Lach – healer

Fyr/Slad - heir/none

Middig/Dreg - master/apprentice

Skald - historian and musician

Drengr – champion

Drakuns - Dragons, the Ancient Ones

Bjurn – bear

Elke(Elken) – gigantic, majestic elk, native to Ilvana

Ban-maudr – "executioner thorns", found in the eastern forest, very painful and hard to remove

Yute - Thanks yearly celebration between cold and growing seasons

Urd/Eda/Aon(-Yute) - past/present/future, two weeks each

Lay - Ilvanian historical songs

Laikari - Listorian historical plays

Ridineig - fast-paced dancing tune

Drigneig – type of song, a dirge, "opposite" of ridineig

Lur - long trumpet like instrument

Bowed lyra – larger version of hand lyra, played with a bowed stick

Jorki – similar to a pan flute, jokingly called "child's flute"

Drakuns - Dragons, the Ancient Ones

Diyana - songbird

Wulv – wolf, native to Dunival

Wulvken – umm…we're still not sure

Volvstot/wulvstot – "witchbrew/wolfbrew", dark beer that Magnor brings from Dunival

Fovk - fox

Vas Morginnen - Good Morning

Vas Heill - Good Health

Vas Daginnen – Good Day

Adhuil - prosperous, prosperity

Ami - genderless term of endearment

Dunga - insulting way of saying someone is stupid

Saedas - sweetness, another way of saying happinessSaedhirte- sweetheart Hviss - an (improper) oath

Slegrl – sly

Standa – stop

An-rivic – be still!

Brudpar – "bridal pair", bride and groom

Dubkir – famous Ilvanian horses, half-wild and bred for the hunt

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Playlists:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcaiTcdQkK6nXrjYq29srJ7GMsebdd-Sp

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcaiTcdQkK6msFQiYhbaYhZ0VqFJ0mROi

Lyssia character portrait by @soretoothproductions!