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Notes from Fugitive's Trust

These are some of the notes I took while working on the trilogy. They're not in any particular order. Sometimes, I'd add it right away and other times it'd be added as I was rereading it and realized I should write it down before I forgot. I hope you enjoy them. Some are ones that were intentionally kept secret in the novel, but they don't spoil anything.

Farnsbeck was originally a spy sent by Lord Riteyai. That lasted about four sentences. Then he became a spy that was on break. Lord Riteyai did send him, but now it was as a favor to Benayle.

Farnsbeck's appearance in the book (he wasn't a planned character) is what led to the whole "avert a war" storyline. Before that, the plot was only Sajani's escape.

It was my original intent to have the story told only from Sajani's point of view. Possibly in first person, although none of it ended up written that way. The scene with Benayle at the farm was a complete surprise and after that the original concept was thrown to the wind.

There was a brief period of time when the pair could be tracked by the locket, but that inhibited the story more than added to it and it was removed.

Along the lines of the previous comment, Benayle is not divorced. He stays true to his wife and she stays true to him, but they are not compatible people. I would love to see an adventure series for one of his three children, but that's not in my plans. Those two actually meeting in future books is also not planned, but possible.

Magenta's real name is Tawney Riggs. Her personality isn't a modus operandi. It's her real personality. Along the same lines, Farnsbeck's real name is: Tolath Carwell Farnsbeck Sr. He's been working for the Ministry of State for so many years his name is long forgotten. He's a 20th level charlatan and Tawney is an 18th level rogue.

While Magenta's cover is as a harlot, she isn't actually a prostitute. With the number of "clients" that arrive at her apartment (all of them agents, half of them male), it's pretty easy to keep the locals convinced.

The masks used are very rare. There are three owned by the Ministry of State: one is cyan, one is magenta, and the third is yellow. The yellow mask is considered cursed. It's been through many operatives with no one's life lasting more than three months after receiving it. The yellow mask is also known as the "coward's costume" and is currently housed in Lord Mishil's office. The masks work a little like a polymorph spell but can only change a vykati into a human. Visa versa doesn't work. The masks are also attuned to specific countries: cyan to Zenache, magenta to Rhidayar, and yellow to Jzianrhun. There is rumor of a fourth mask--a black one attuned to Dargaleck. Dispel magic or a very carefully worded wish will cancel its effect until it's removed and put back on. They're almost as ancient as Benayle's ax. He's the one that rediscovered them.

I realize that some people might want to read racial overtones into the mask colors. The colors are based on the colors used in four color printing. Farnsbeck's mask was originally white. His codename was Cyan with the intent of agents using different colors, with the three primary colors (and black) used to denote a sort of rank. So Orange is a secondary agent (color). When I created Magenta as a character, she was originally not going to have a mask, but like Orange be a native of Rhidayar on Vharkylia's payroll. When the pair got to her apartment, I decided to add the mask to make a short-term romantic interest for Farnsbeck. The idea of different colored masks that matched the codename came shortly after that.

At one point I considered making Magenta a former lover of Farnsbeck's. There's a fifteen-year age difference between the two. She is 35 and he is 50. Converting that to human terms, she is 27 and he is 35. So the age wasn't an issue. I just didn't like the tension it might add, so it never happened.

The story behind Prelude to Alpha: the author of the books, Deam Trafoul, is an old acquaintance of Benayle's. They adventured together for a short time, but separated because Benayle was still, at the time, very much a feral vykati. The author contacted Benayle and asked permission to write the books. As a favor to his old friend, he turned over his old journals and filled in many of the blanks under the condition that the old wolf be allowed to deny everything. So if the "based on a true story" actually has any falsehood to it, it's the "based" part. Change the names and it's a true story.

And yes, Benayle was a feral vykati. It's a fairly common transition among the wolves. He wasn't even born in a village. His family lives in a series of caves in the Vykar Forest. He was considered the runt of his family and while he was treated very well and loved by his parents, there was always the quiet undertone that he would never be a leader among his pack. Though his parents and family were very isolated, they were also very educated for a feral family. They are aware of his rise to power and are proud of him, but they keep to themselves, worried that civilization will intrude on them if their relation to the Alpha becomes known. This relationship is why he's so understanding of Sajani's father. He does send them frequent letters and small gifts (usually things that he finds at the thrift store that he thinks they'll find useful) and visits faithfully every year. There's a subtle hint about his past when he meets Mrs. Ghenis. Tell me in the comments if you caught it.

Blade's character was always on the Ministry of State's payroll. I never imagined him as anything else. He's a 20th level wild magic sorcerer with fire based telestoiciosis (based on the Greek for controlling the elements from a distance.) Built between the sod and ceilings of his houses are a series of copper nets that allow him to listen to different communication spells around Rhidayar. It works a little like early short-wave radio, in that he has very little control over what he can hear. He attunes some of his spells (similar to alarm) to notify him through those nets. I suppose, though it wasn't intended when I first wrote this, that you can say he gets his information from the 'net.

Blade's final words to Sajani and Gregor are not spoken out of spite or anger. He's noticed that Sajani some growing up to do and is worried that the two aren't leaving fast enough. The things he says are for two purposes: to help Sajani recognize that she's relying on her mother's fame instead of trying to make her own and to get the pair to leave in a hurry.

Using the thieves' cant in the book is a little tricky. I have to keep it just vague enough to be believable, but still have it be understandable. For those that might miss it, here's a few translations:

Gray : A leader of Vharkylia, usually Benayle, but it can be any major leader.

Brown : The King of Rhidayar, who intentionally is unnamed in the book.

Plant some roses : kill the person.

Neighbor : enemy.

Interested : usually refers to someone being wanted by the law but can mean someone is pursuing the person in question.

Copper : This is what the thieves' guilds would refer to as a spontaneous cant. A word that's obvious in context but it doesn't have a set definition.

Mining : digging, or shoveling or searching

Canary : prisoner

Sell : turn over to the law

So you can put together some interesting phrases. Brown's neighbor planted his canary some roses, but Brown wasn't interested. The King of Rhidayar's enemy killed a prisoner, but the King isn't going to arrest the person.

Copper and red fur colors are what is referred to in Terah as a type of arcane genetics. Only a parent with that fur color can have children with that fur color and it never appears more than once a generation. Red is exclusively royal. There are three lines with copper fur, the Adida line, the Kalmont line, and the Yestel line. Copper fur is almost ten times more likely to appear on a female than it is on a male.

The Prequel to Alpha books are very popular in Vharkylia and there are translations into the human languages as well. They aren't as popular outside the country as they are inside it, but the books feed into many of the human stereotypes about vykati and that gets some people intrigued. I have no intention of ever writing those books. I'd do the follow up stories for Magenta or the series of adventures for Benayle's children before I did that one. The publisher did put out a call for submission to write it, but no one was hired.

Plushfur is a term of endearment similar to honey. It's also often used in a similar way to how we use "old softy." It's the second meaning that causes Magenta to start using the term on Farnsbeck. (Actually, she starts using it long before she finds out that he turned down all that money, so I guess she just uses it as part of her cover.)

Way back in book one, I made up the phrase, "Wolves don't blush and neither do vykati." The first time it was used, I originally did have Sajani blush, but I quickly realized that wouldn't be visible, so the phrase was invented. That single random event has been the biggest pain in the rear for this book. Sajani blushes all the time, but I can never use that word now.

Magenta starts to explain why the Way of the Rose uses a poison that's made from a plant that only grows in Vharkylia but gets interrupted. They use it because the cure only grows in Vharkylia. Once the poison is in the system, the person is as good as dead. The Way of the Rose does not operate in Vharkylia or the Western Continent, because without illusions, it's impossible for them to blend in.

Vykati women don't curtsey, they bow. Their culture comes from Asian and East Indian roots. The only distinction between males and females bowing, is a lady vykati in a dress won't give a very low bow.

Gregor's original name in my notes was Tenfiss Drtath. I'm glad I didn't look that up when I went to name him because that name is awful.

The prophecy mentioned at the beginning is a dualism. It's about both Benayle (silver) and Sajani (copper). That section was to be read by someone during the story, but I haven't found a place to put it yet. I doubt I needed to interpret that. Silver can form a brown colored rust in some conditions.