Stories from The Sovereignty Cycle

Antegesis — The antegesis (pre-story) chronicles the history of the Harcroft family, beginning with the founding of Crofton, continuing through the rise of the Harker clan, the building of the Harcroft Manor, the failing of Old Crofton, and the founding of Harcroft Hollow.

Imegesis — In the imegesis (in-story), young Richard is moved by his parents back home to the family manor in Harcroft Hollow. He reads about a lost, ancient artifact known as the Windstaff. He quickly becomes obsessed, and after weeks of scouring his family manor's library for any information he could glean on the subject, learns that the artifact's final known resting place was in the Skylands of Draconia.

Diegesis — In the diegesis (through-story), while at a bazaar in Eridan, Richard hears a rumor of a ship called the Anarch which is reputed to make regular trips to the floating islands of Draconia, and which is supposedly docked at the town port. Richard sneaks aboard the Anarch as a stowaway, and is discovered by another child named Rowan, who turns out to be the son of the Anarch's captain, Stormy the Red. The Anarch sails to Draconia, where Stormy indulges young Richard's desire to locate the Windstaff.

Exegesis — In the exegesis (out-story),

Antegesis — The antegesis (pre-story) begins quaint, innocent, wholesome, and when the Dryad Serenity meets the Darkelf she becomes enthralled with, it looks to be amping up into some sort of ancient romance novel. This seems to have been a plot device intended to lull the listener into a false sense of security.

Imegesis — In the imegesis (in-story), things take a dark turn as the heroines find themselves in a twisted, nightmarish hellscape; at times, a bloodbath. The imegesis describes the first major part of the journey, in this case the Catabasis or �going down� or descent into the Underworld.

Diegesis — In the diegesis (through-story), the characters continue their quest, out of the Underworld and toward the story�s climax. The diegesis describes the �main� part of the quest; in this case, what the ancients would call the Anabasis or �going up� to acheive the main characters� goal.

Exegesis — In the exegesis (out-story), the completion of the quest; the return home after the climax, and also includes some �after-story�-type sequences which take place long after the events of the previous sections.

Antegesis — The antegesis (pre-story) describes the lineage of the Darkelven princess Lilithena (Lilitanila), her childhood, her rise to power, her consolidation of power within the Unseely Court, and her initial attacks on the members of the Seely Court which had traditionally governed the Fairlands.

Imegesis — The imegesis (in-story) Rowan and his wife, Serenity, who has since changed her name to Larissa Rowanswife, are raising their three daughters, Kyrithigatra, Kara, and Jady, when they are stealthily attacked. Upon awakening, Rowan discovers that Larissa and Kyrithygatra have gone missing. Rowan goes to his friend and neighbor, Aldwin, for help, and confesses the true story surrounding the circumstances of Kyra's birth. The two men decide that the Darkelves must have arranged for Kyra's kidnapping, or perhaps her execution. They leave Kara and Jady with Aldwin's wife and venture off to the Worldmarch.

Diegesis — In the diegesis (through-story),

Exegesis — In the exegesis (out-story),

Antegesis — In the antegesis (pre-story), an accident occurs while Jady and Kara are training to become paladins / warrior-priestesses (Valatanuyaa), causing Jady to run away from home. Kara, in turn, decides against finishing her paladin training and instead decides to undertake the sacred pilgrimmage to Holinesse. Lodin stays behind in Beowynland to complete his training as overseen by his father, Aldwin.

Imegesis — The imegesis (in-story) describes Jady's wanderings through the townships along the coast of Eridan, Kara's pilgrimmage to Holinesse and her time among the nomadic steppe people of Padagna, as well as Lodin's paladin training back home in Beowynland.

Diegesis — In the diegesis (through-story), Kara spends a year in Holinesse learning religious philosophy and how to perform magic. Lodin completes his paladin training and goes on his first quest. Jady quickly rises in social currency among the thieves and outlaws

Exegesis — In the exegesis (out-story),

Antegesis — The antegesis (pre-story) describes how Jady first met Abigail (Akanarala), another daughter of Serenity who had the same biological father as Kyra. Jady introduces Gail to her social group in the Anarchian steppes.

Imegesis — In the imegesis (in-story), Jady and Gail learn about the passing of Richard Harcroft; remembering the stories of treasure-hunting and great riches from her childhood, Jady suggests they burgle the Harcroft Estate. Jady (Zhadila), Gail (Nakala), and company travel to Harcroft Hollow, and begin trying to find the location of Old Croften, the site of the original township where the Harcroft Estate is reputed to lie.

Diegesis — In the diegesis (through-story), the thieves find their way into Old Croften and locate the Harcroft Estate. As they begin to search the various buildings, they encounter ghosts, wraiths, revenants, and all manner of undead abomination.

Exegesis — In the exegesis (out-story), Jady returns to Dunstoke with treasure from the Harcroft Estate, and shares the majority of it with her father, Rowan, who had been close friends with Richard when they were young.

Antegesis — The antegesis (pre-story) is essentially a series of vignettes from the characters� lives which will later turn out to have had a bearing on the events of the story.

Imegesis — In the imegesis (in-story), Lodilu and his fellow Paladins travel to the city of Necropolis. The imegesis describes the first major part of the journey, in this case the Catabasis or �going down� the coast to a dangerous, wild land to the south

Diegesis — In the diegesis (through-story), the characters continue their quest, out of the Necropolis and toward the story�s climax. The diegesis describes the �main� part of the quest; in this case, what the ancients would call the Anabasis or �going up� to the great city.

Exegesis — In the exegesis (out-story), the aftermath of the story.