Chapter 286 - Influence
Added 2026-02-21 01:19:45 +0000 UTCComments
I don't recall ArchMage Zard being the only one just the only one in Lenore. Then again he isn't mentioned very much in the story so far. He is mentioned to have a set schedule, likes to make things for kids, has pocket candy, could move a mountain in several chunks, and is strong enough to send expeditions from the Architects of Kronos without political support
Mammy'aon Diciple
2026-03-14 02:55:47 +0000 UTCHad a thought going back through the series again, and have a question in regard to background info. Archmage Zard is the only archmage currently alive I remember mentioned, is there any others in Lenore and how many known archmages are alive in the known lands? Figured there would be atleast one for each of the main colleges in Lenore, Silva erde, and oshum. With it mentioned previously that Thaddeus Lacer would probably qualify if politics were thrown out and he filed to be approved, which I suppose probably will happen after his exposition at the school with his planar portal advancement. I gotta figure out how to get logged back on to the community to actually ask on there. Ps. Hope your recovery is going well and that you feel better Miss Azalea.
Jordan Rogers
2026-03-13 16:48:04 +0000 UTCI hope she has a quick recovery!
Tanna
2026-03-08 12:29:36 +0000 UTCUpdate: the surgery went well and Azalea is at home!
Stefanie
2026-03-07 19:41:33 +0000 UTCHope everything went well, and that recovery goes smoothly
Jordan Rogers
2026-03-05 22:22:20 +0000 UTCWishing you a good luck and a swift recovery !
Adspartan
2026-03-05 17:34:22 +0000 UTCUpdate #2: I managed to write ALMOST the entire next chapter's first draft, but I still have a bit left to go before the end, and it needs some significant time doing editing/research to make sure I haven't created plot holes or inconsistencies. Unfortunately, I'm leaving to go to the hospital for surgery in about 15 minutes, so I don't have time to finish it. If I end up feeling better than expected, I'll finish and release it as a surprise. But otherwise, please expect that I'll be gone for the next 2 weeks in recovery.
Azalea Ellis
2026-03-05 16:42:16 +0000 UTCI do wonder whether Oliver actually has the book he thinks he does. The celerium crisis is said to affect Osham and Silva Erde just as much as Lenore. Both undoubtedly have spies in Gilbratha and just as much incentive to get hold of that book, and yet seemingly neither has made any effort to contact the Raven Queen. Is Lord Stag secretly blocking any attempts to meet with Siobhan, or do they know something we don't? Is it possible that perhaps Oliver was given a forgery and the thief took the real book with them when they fled the country?
Raine
2026-02-26 23:24:37 +0000 UTCIn my opinion just wait till after the 5th before starting again focus on your health then after recovery then think about writing. Plus I find putting things aside can let the brain recover and bring about better efforts after doing so
Mammy'aon Diciple
2026-02-26 16:14:22 +0000 UTCUpdate: Well, as I was concerned might happen in my original author note, I can't make this week's (Feb 26) chapter. I seem to be having a bit of a flare-up leading to fatigue and excessive stupidity stemming from my inability to rub two brain cells together. That is my frustration talking. In more charitable terms, the severe brain fog makes it impossible for me to retain and juggle the necessary information to write a coherent chapter that won't be potentially riddled with plot holes. I cannot think. Unfortunately, these are not the kinds of books I can write without deep thought. Every move requires consideration about all of the characters, the world, and current events as well as my plans for the story's future. In the Alcove, Hannah said this: "An alive and healthy author can finish a series. An unhealthy author who works herself into a collapse, or worse, is unlikely to do so. Truly, my wish for you to look after your health is for purely selfish reasons." It made me laugh, so thanks, Hannah. It's also a salient point, as we have many more books to go to complete this story, and for that to happen I've got to manage my health properly. Rather than raging against my state and trying to force my way through, I'll recover faster if I just stop trying and let myself rest. The chapter that results will be better, too. I anticipate I'll be able to write again after a few more days of recovery, so I hope to be back with an awesome chapter next week. Since I have surgery on Thursday, I'll hope to finish the chapter the day before. Thanks for your patience, everyone.
Azalea Ellis
2026-02-26 01:42:53 +0000 UTCI guess I posted in the wrong area... Wow we might finally be getting the reading of "The Book" and the celerium recipe Also is Liza ever coming back? I miss her snarky attitude and interactions with Shioban. Now they can go to the spirit realm and heal Liza's friend
Jim A
2026-02-21 21:54:09 +0000 UTCI have this odd feeling that celerium will be the side effects of a failed experiment or something like it and that back before they used something else, like doped up gems. Diamonds drowned in a special solution for weeks and heated basically. Or maybe carbon which has been doped up and then turned to diamond dust which has been collected and used to create a growing crystal when used in some weird potion solution, which surprisingly will be better that celerium or something weird like that to explain how the book writer could do all the weird magic the rumors suggest. Maybe the whole issue is all about growing your own core crystal which might be really tricky, as a way to use magic without celerium. Like a whole forgotten way to use magic. I sort of think that's what happened here, people were scared to teach it due to the church focus so over a couple of generation the secrets got lost to time.
Jørgen
2026-02-21 20:32:40 +0000 UTCI'm liking Oliver more these days.
Jeremy Effinger
2026-02-21 16:38:33 +0000 UTCFinding out what's in the fifth Journal is so exciting! A foreshadowing of what she can learn once she has the background knowledge to really understand it is great. Finding out whether it really has the secret to turning beast cores into celerium is even better! If it does that could kickoff a whole arc finding out how anyone could have known that. In that eventuality my metaphorical money would be on the red Sage having made a prophecy about it. That would certainly tie in with some plot threads from 'My Enemy's Enemies'. Ditto if we get a recipe that's almost but not quite as advertised. [So, a recipe for celerium that does not involve beast cores probably would be a sign of red Sage involvement. The recipe to turn beast cores into something other than celerium would probably be a sign of red Sage involvement.] If on the other hand, there is no recipe for celerium and that assumption simply came from the mind of a black waste survivor well… Who knows. It would ratchet up the tension and be very exciting but also rather unpredictable from my point of view. Would they eventually figure out a different means of producing celerium? Would they figure out how to organize a society that did not depend on celerium the way many are trying to create a society that doesn't depend on fossil fuels? I don't know.
Russell whisenant
2026-02-21 10:50:40 +0000 UTC
