Facets of the Nether
Page 37
Festuour
Festuour can be hard to pin down to a stereotype. They thrive in the variability of professions and are well known for their philosophers, gourmands, mechanics, scholars, tailors, and explorers. On their homeworld of Festuour, once a member of the species finally discovers their chosen path in life, it is appended to their name permanently. Their inclusive friend-based society encourages members to do anything they set their minds to, with cheery acceptance. Children are reared communally to give the best options for advancement of themselves and society. Physically, Festuour are stout, covered in coarse greenish-brown hair. Their faces have long snouts with large noses, and nearly all members of the species possess piercing blue eyes, though a common failing is nearsightedness. The hairy Festuour do not often wear clothes, instead preferring accessories such hats, glasses, gloves, belts, and bandoliers with many pouches. They were the last of the founding members to convene the Great Assembly, though they have the distinction to be one of two species to share a galaxy, the other being the Methiemum. The two are often staunch allies politically and many of the Methiemum’s customs and idioms have bled over to Festuour culture. Common Pronouns: he/him, she/her, they/them, zie/hir.
Benish
Even longer-lived than the Etanela, the Benish were the first newcomers welcomed by the newly created Assembly of Species. Most still live on their homeworld of Aben, and they are the least populous members both in the Nether and in the Assembly of Species. Cautious by nature, Benish are studious to a fault, often observing a situation from all sides before making even a preliminary decision. Little is known about their home cultures, save that the species is genderless, and propagates by a form of budding, where the parents, however many, share and mix memories, arranging parts of their history before dying to produce a new child or children, who inherit the progenitor’s memories. Physically, the Benish are one of the most different species, with flesh made of a substance closer to plant than animal. They have no well-defined bone structure, and each member is varied in coloring, skin tone and roughness, and placement of internal organs. Common Pronouns: they/them.
Sureriaj
The Sureriaj are the most xenophobic of the ten species, surpassing even the antisocial tendencies of the Sathssn. Their culture is entirely founded on the concept of family, going so far as to have, instead of independent nations, major family lines that matriarchally govern their homeworld of Sureri. There is also a large group consisting of the disgraced—those who have lost their right to their family name—known as the Naiyul. Names are very important to the Sureriaj, and each individual has a hierarchy of names, the most secret known to progressively closer family members. Physically, the Sureriaj are tall and gaunt, with proportionally long legs. They have fine hair covering the entirety of their body, through which the skin can be seen. Their faces are not always appealing to other species, and that, with their aloofness, is the basis of the species slur “gargoyle.” Their society is two thirds male, and two males and one female are required to create a viable offspring. The Sureriaj have the second lowest birth rate of the ten species, just higher than the Benish. Common Pronouns: he/him, she/her.
Pixie
This warlike and competitive species was the second to last to join the Assembly. To others, some of their members seem less intelligent to the point of an animal intellect, though this may be explained by their descent from a hive mentality, as well as their careful breeding of a fierce warrior caste, at the expense of progression in other areas. For each sufficiently courageous deed a pixie completes, a letter or syllable is added to her name, and many go by shortened nicknames. Pixies are short, blue to gray in coloring, with black compound eyes. They are capable of short flights with their gossamer wings, though often they will lift from the ground when speaking to another species, as if in recompense for being the shortest of the species. There are reports of members of another gender, hidden deep in their enormous city-hives, but all individuals who interface with other species are identified as female. Common Pronouns: she/her.
Lobhl
There is no proper spoken name for the Lobhl homeworld, so it is titled as the members name their species. The Lobhl have been members of the Great Assembly for only fifty cycles, and caused controversy when they joined for the amount of money spent on social restructuring, especially in the rotunda of the Assembly. Because the Lobhl have no vocal chords, they communicate entirely with complex hand gestures, and expensive visual displays were added in many areas to cater to them. Lobhl faces and heads are nearly featureless, leading to small problems in communication, even in the Nether. Lobhl hands are the points of reference for the species, widely different between individuals, and often tattooed. Each hand has seven digits, two of which are thumbs on opposing sides of the hand. Generally the Lobhl species is talented visually and mathematically. They also have a great love of what they define as music, though most is visually experienced. Their names are translations of actions they routinely perform, and their gender roles vary with the individual and the social situation. Their young are raised communally, and are neither carried in the body, nor in eggs. Many Lobhl worship the god of music, an incorporeal concept of light, like a personification of the Symphony, and most of their other religions focus on vision over sound or language. Common Pronouns: he/him, she/her, they/them, zie/hir, it/its.
Aridori
Little is known about this species. They were rumored to be one of the founding members of the Great Assembly. However, many records were lost in the Great Aridori War, when the entire species suddenly turned on the others, often taking the forms of old friends, or even close family members. They were eventually eradicated, with many renegades hunted by teams of trained Sathssn commandos, but legends of their shapeshifting prowess and patient, long-term deception have provided generations of nighttime stories to scare children. Only recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in this species, as the Sathssn have revealed there are a few specimens left in captivity, undergoing unknown training and restrictions. Common Pronouns: he/him, she/her, they/them.
APPENDIX III
Appendix: Timeline of Major Events
A.A.W = After Aridori War
0 A.A.W. – End of Aridori War
686 A.A.W. – Moortlin Leads The Society of Two Houses
726 A.A.W. – Pixies Species Enters Great Assembly
919 A.A.W. – Formation of the Life Coalition
927 A.A.W. – Mandamon Feldo Born
939 A.A.W. – Origon Cyrysi Born
952 A.A.W. – Lobhl Species Enters Great Assembly
953 A.A.W. – The Society of Two Houses Falls
962 A.A.W. – Rilan Ayama Born
964 A.A.W. – Methiemum-Sathssn War of Trading Rights
972 A.A.W. – The Five Hive Plateau Insurrection
984 A.A.W. – Origon Cyrysi’s Brother Murdered
985 A.A.W. – Sam van Oen Born
999 A.A.W. – Sureriaj Baldek Plot to Sterilize Methiemum
1003 A.A.W. – Origon Cyrysi Pilots the First Space Shuttle
1003 A.A.W. – Sam Arrives in the Nether
1003 A.A.W. – Life Coalition Attacks the Dome of the Assembly
1003 A.A.W. – Journey to the Top of the Nether
1004 A.A.W. – The Chimes Begin in the Nether
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Well, this is the Second Book. I’ve written, and published, a lot more than two books, but this is significant as a milestone for me because it is the first time I’ve written the second (and also third) part of a single story. If you read the dedication (you didn’t, did you?), you’ll see I’ve recognized Writing Excuses, an award-winning podcast run primarily by Mary Robinette Kowal, Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. The first episode I ever listened to from them was about writing the Second Book, and it was basically a list of everything I’d done wrong at the end of my then first book, The Seeds of Dissolution, and what I needed to put into this one. That was seven or eight years ago, but
I haven’t forgotten that advice, and I hope I’ve used their advice well.
This is my third time using Kickstarter, though it was a weird one, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, I am once again blown away by the friends, family, and strangers who were willing to help me fund this project. The Kickstarter helped pay for not only a new cover for The Seeds of Dissolution, but also covers for this book and the next, as well as six amazing illustrations by Cory Godbey, between this book and the next. You can find his other work at corygodbey.com. I’ve once again used the awesome map by Damijan in the front. Lastly, thanks to my excellent copy editor (and wife), Heather Tracy, who has helped in so many ways it’s impossible to count, including just putting up with me.
Many others have made this book a reality, and a big thank you goes to my alpha and beta readers: Reese Hogan, J.S. Fields, Robin Duncan, Sara Cordair, Katie Cordy, Natalie Ingram, and all the folks at Reading Excuses for critiquing my submissions.
Of course, much of this wouldn’t have been possible without my backers on Kickstarter. In no particular order, they are:
Dorian Graves, Hannah, Mike A. Weber, Brett M Guth, Ashley Capes, Jeff Lewis, Reese Hogan, Leon Fairley, Alex Claman, Maxime van den Berg, Tami Veldura, Lucas Cooperberg, Mitchell S., Ryan.e, Robert Claney, Robert Tienken, Tyler Bletsch, Bunny & Timmy, Stephen Ballentine, Cristov Russell, Anaxphone, Robin Hill, Nathan V., PJ Kimbell, Russell Ventimeglia, Skywings14, Dave Kochbeck, Jay Quietnight, Allen Gibson, John Mierau, Daniel Lin, Dean Heller, Cen, Jesse & Michela Brown, Jennifer Tifft, Margaret Lamb, Mike Goffin, J.S. Fields, Christy Shorey, Scarlett Letter, MS Manning, Ian Fincham, Becky Barnes, Robin Duncan, Natalie Ingram, Adam Nemo, Sara Codair, Ross Newberry, Courtney, Josiah, Ezra, and Elias Brooks, Dyrk Ashton, Steve C. Boykin, Fernando Enrique, Arioch Morningstar, Connor Cassie Thomasson, Katie Cordy, Matt Cote, Wayne Mathers, Ashley, Tim Mushel, Kerry aka Trouble, Ian Chung, Andromeda Taylor-Wallace, Alex Kuhlman, Stuart Turnbull, Matt Burris, Daniel Eavenson, Chris Nash, Zak, Cass, and Emma McClellan, eSpec Books, Crys Cain, Melissa Sweeny, and the Doubleclicks.
Thanks to all of you, and I hope you enjoy reading!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William C. Tracy is a North Carolina native and a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy. He self-published his Dissolutionverse space opera books and has one epic fantasy published with a small press.
He also has a master’s in mechanical engineering, and has designed and operated heavy construction machinery. He’s trained in Wado-Ryu karate since 2003, and runs his own dojo in Raleigh. He is an avid video and board gamer, a reader, and a writer.
In his spare time, he cosplays with his wife such combinations as Steampunk Agent Carter and Jarvis, Jafar and Maleficent, and Doctor Strange and the Ancient One. They also enjoy putting their pets in handmade costumes and making them cosplay for the annual Christmas card.
Get a novelette by signing up for William’s mailing list, or follow him on Twitter for writing updates, cat pictures, and martial arts.
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