Älthrenalor: The History of Älthren
The epic longue durée of mythology and legendary history that shapes the lands of Älthren
“Long before life began to grow, there was a vast void of ethýr. Even now that substance remains the Fabric of the Universe; but in those days it was a cold, motionless sea of dense fog. For time uncounted that sea remained unstirred; and yet, though few can fathom why, it began to move. Thus the first act of mithraunfolded, forming a dormant seed of fog shaped from the ethýr.”
— Älthrenalor, Book I: The Age of Blooming Starlight
Myth. Legends. History.
Älthrenalor presents the epic longue durée of mythology and legendary history that shapes the lands of Älthren in A Dawn from the West (and beyond). It’s the foundational, ever-evolving work underpinning everything I write. Unlike my fantasy stories, however, this work takes a more poetic tone—similar to Old Norse works like The Prose Edda and parts of Heimskringla. (Or, to use a more modern literary example, Tolkien’s Silmarillion.)
Its primary concern lies not in telling a traditional story, but rather in establishing the overarching worldview, philosophy, and conflict permeating Älthren. Reading this work therefore enables the reader of stories like A Dawn from the West to understand the nuances underpinning events and sense the true depth and worldly weight behind seemingly small circumstances. It can, however, also stand alone as an alternative way of understanding the natural world all around us—even those who aren’t familiar with the fantastical realm of Älthren.
Readers should be aware, however, that this text has not been written like a conventional fantasy novel. While full of drama, magic, and warring deities, it nevertheless reads more like a translated medieval text with footnotes to help explain concepts and acknowledge inconsistencies or variations in the lore. It’s a more difficult read, often with archaic and awkward phrasing. Yet, even so, if prepared for that, it proves to be deeply poetic and rewarding for readers of Älthren’s other, more literary stories.
This web novel, however, is for paid subscribers.
If you’re new to my work, I highly recommend starting with A Dawn from the West first to get a feel for the world and see if you like it enough to delve into the more academic, philosophical, and mythological side told here.
Table of Contents:
Book I: The Age of Blooming Starlight
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Book II: The Age of Waking Twilight
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
Book III: The Age of Radiant Dawn
Part 1 | Part 2 | etc., etc., – WIP
