Hiya! Welcome to another “Traveller’s Guide”!

“A Traveller’s Guide…” is a fun little project where authors introduce us to their realms, worlds, and hidden places. There will be times where I (or a certain goblin) will guide you around parts of Venari, but there will also be times (like today!) when another author will pop in and take us on a little adventure.

In this edition, author Rachee Lumayno will be introducing us to Adalynn Tathen and the kingdom of Rothschan as part of the Escapist Book Co’s tour for “Heir of Magic and Mischance”.

“Heir of Magic and Mischance” is the third book in Lumayno’s YA Fantasy series “Kingdom Legacy”, and continues the story begun in “Heir of Amber and Fire” (Book 1) and “Heir of Memory and Shadow” (Book 2).

About “Heir of Magic and Mischance”:

Adalynn Taethen wants nothing more than to serve her beloved home, the kingdom of Rothschan, in their famed military. But when a disastrous meeting destroys her dream, it also uncovers long-dormant family secrets and newfound magical powers for Adalynn.
With Enlar, a fellow fledgling magician, she decides to travel to Calia, to learn more about her magic. And maybe, even, her family.
But Calia is Rothschan’s sworn enemy, and those who use magic are even more hated and feared by Adalynn’s people.
Now she must master her magic before it destroys her — and before an insane official, bent on revenge, destroys all Adalynn holds dear.
Heir of Magic and Mischance is the third book in the Kingdom Legacy series.

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Got all that? Now, it’s time to take you to Rothschan…

Rothschan

Hello!

My name is Adalynn Taethen, from the kingdom of Rothschan. We’re probably one of the larger kingdoms in the Gifted Lands, located in the middle part of the continent. We’re hemmed in by a forest on our western border (it’s said to be haunted, but if you’re brave enough to cross it, you’ll reach Bomora), wild country to our south, and the safer-to-travel areas that lead to the countries of Orchwell and Calia. But you probably wouldn’t want to travel there. Both of those kingdoms are prone to superstition—Calia with their magic, and Orchwell with this weird, supposedly innate ability called Seeking.

What is Rothschan like, then?

My home country is more a land of facts and science. Everyone here knows their place in society, and I think it’s much easier to live that way than to constantly question who or what you’re meant to become. There’s no need to “go find yourself” in Rothschan, because there’s no reason you should feel lost in the first place.

One important thing to note about Rothschan is, we are famed for having the most fearsome military in all the Gifted Lands. No one would dare instigate a fight with us, not unless they want their country to fall under our might. (There’s a rumor that some kingdoms in the Gifted Lands don’t even keep a standing army! Can you imagine?)

What can visitors expect?

Well, if I’m being completely honest … Rothschan doesn’t exactly have a thriving tourism industry. Travelers don’t need to come through our kingdom to reach other parts of the Gifted Lands, not really. Anyone going from the furthest northern point (the kingdom of Calia) to the furthest southern point (the kingdom of Annlyn) can just take the main road, which skirts Rothschan but doesn’t necessarily pass through it. If you’re traveling to Bomora, which is on the western border of the Gifted Lands, you could pass through Rothschan, but you’d have to also go through a haunted forest to get there. Most would rather take their chances on the northern route, where wild animals roam, but at least no ghosts do (if you believe in that sort of thing). Then again, I can’t think of many reasons why people would want to go to Bomora.

Besides the fact that we’re not really a main thoroughfare or stopping point for north/south travelers, we just aren’t really a tourist destination. We don’t have many places that are of interest to outsiders, nor do we hold a lot of festivals or even celebrate a lot of holidays. I’m not saying we don’t take rest days or have any holidays. But celebrations of any sort are usually considered private affairs; culturally, it’s generally frowned upon to be showy or wasteful. A huge festival would definitely be both. The only exception to this is our queen; she used to throw lavish parties, but even those have dwindled as of late.

I realize that most people reading this might think Rothschan is a “lesser” kingdom compared to the more exotic and esoteric kingdoms in the Gifted Lands. After all, who wants to live in pragmatic Rothschan when they could live in the other, magic-drenched countries? But I’ll tell you—logic and reality can have a magic of their own. There’s a certain peace that comes with knowing your place in the world, and not deviating from it. Magic is uncertain, and I don’t like uncertainty. For that alone, I will happily wear the red-and-gray (the colors of Rothschan) any day.

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