Lucardia’s greatest dad?

Of course, yesterday got me thinking about fathers (I hope you had a fantastic day for all the dads out there!). The father figure plays a vital role in all my books. In fact, after reading the Absolution of the Morning Star series, you may think I’m trying to work through some daddy issues, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I couldn’t ask for a better father. Growing up, he was the envy of my friends, some of which had some pretty rough role models. My father taught me to be compassionate, resourceful, and hard-working and is largely responsible for the man I became (at least, I think I turned out ok). He instilled passions for nature and building things with my hands and has always supported my endeavors. As I am sure he is reading this blog, I love you, pops!

So why do the fathers in my stories tend to drift towards being despicable human beings that torture their sons? Well, it’s simple. I write dark fantasies; to me, what could be more terrifying than a father who breaks that sacred trust and bond? Simple. Nothing.

The primary religion of Lucardia, the Caspian Faith, is mainly based on early Cannanite Judaism, which is on the cusp of forming a single all-powerful God. Yahweh, a smiteful and vengeful celestial being, has rebelled against his father, El, and imprisoned his mother, Asherah, within the earth. Yahweh’s siblings are hiding, and his Seraphim soldiers, along with their own sons, the Nephilim, terrorize the universe. Heaven’s strife is mirrored in the realm of Lucardia.

When Emperor Vesper united the realm under a single crown, he sent his sons to the four corners of the empire to rule in his name. All four were young, inexperienced, and thrust into hostile lands full of temptations, whispers, and knives in the dark. Vesper had his reasons. Lucardia is large and culturally diverse, and the emperor united this realm primarily through war. Governance by a single man would be impossible, and his sons were the only ones he could trust. There were other motivators, but I don’t want to spoil too much for the uninitiated. As a prideful and ambitious man, Emperor Vesper is selfish (as most emperors and kings are), and this is not a word that corresponds with being a good father. On the surface, it may seem that sharing power is selfless, but the princes are all tools the emperor grinds down to ugly and deformed nubs.

Ultimately, Vesper’s plan to share the realm’s governance with his sons doesn’t end well (if you haven’t had a chance to read the preview of Dawn of the Lightbearer, spoiler alert!). Prince Koen the Gray, my main character’s father, is executed by his father in the very first chapter due to a failed rebellion. Vesper also imprisons Prince Sylvanus, my main character’s uncle, for life as a result of the conspiracy. Relations with the emperor and his other two sons are strained to say the least. For Prince Ivar, the eldest and heir, this tension becomes apparent in The Mourning Son (book 2), and in Noonday in the North (book 3), Eadred, the youngest, joins his brother in venting his resentment. Future installments will examine the relations between these princes and their own children, which, as you can imagine, are probably not great considering their role model. My current work in progress, Koen, specifically hones in on how the Emperor failed in his favorite son and illuminates how bad a dad can really be.

This is the world of Erikson Gray, my main character. He never knows his birth father, having been orphaned at the age of three, and when he discovers his father’s identity, it is man tarnished by the emperor’s propaganda and a source of shame. It is a hellish position to start in, but Erik’s slow discovery of who his father really was, good or bad, drives the series’ story. The unknown is terrifying, the known is frightening, and the lived a horror, but can a boy growing up in this world rise above and become great? That is a question worth exploring. All I can say at this point is we shall see. Happy Father’s Day!

Cheers!