Tales of Euphoria, more commonly abbreviated to ’ToE’, is a high fantasy concept I have been working for a few years now. A fantasy saga I wishto display in a multitude of medias such as books, games, graphic novels and art exhibitions.
Taking place in the Aetherial Realm of Aphrodisia, five greater spirits known as The Five Creators (Mother Euphoria, Father Tyme, Life, Death and Placebo) conceived the planet of Euphoria. Thus creating mortals to walk Euphoria’s surface, The creators were able to spread their influence to the lands below. Influence being the type of energy greater spirits draw their power from.
Lots of inspiration have been taking from personal life influences and incidents, there is much connotation to drug use for example; Mother Euphoria birthed two daughters to maintain the natural balance of Flora and Fauna on the planet. Mary Jane representing Natural Highs, Psychedelics and the birth of new life. And Mary Joy who represents Synthetics, Chemical Highs and the destruction and corruption of life.
The book series I am writing follows the story of two Orphans who have grown up as brothers since a young age. Mathias and Athanas. Along with Athanas’ real sister Athania. Their story starts when the neighbouring Ramastan Empire (Known as Sanctus Imperius Ramastas) invades their homeland of Western Ilorali.
(Full maps have been drawn out of the complete Western Hemisphere of Euphoria where the book series takes place and the Eastern Hemisphere is currently in Development.)
It all starts when the Ramastan Occupation invades the lower western wilds of the County of Barberia and sack the small quintessential town of Terralynne. The hometown of Math and Ath the two brothers. It is during this attack we get to see what the boys are capable of in battle first hand. Mathias (19) having been trained as a battle healer from a young age and Athanas (19) a warrior with an interest for occult and forbidden arcane arts. Though they are no match for the sheer force of the Occupation (A Ramastan Imperial force that specializes in seizing and occupying enemy cities and fortresses).
The three Orphans witness the death of their foster farther Vinar, and try to retreat the townsfolk and themselves into The Lillium (The towns educational facility protected by a magical barrier). However an old hobo looking geezer called Ole’Jim, with a broken guitar and torn ’Christmas’ hat, teleports himself inside the academy grabbing the three orphans and teleporting them away from the Town.
Ole’ Jim was the the towns eccentric, he would busk with broken strings on his guitar, pretend to sing and yet mumble. However as the Orphans grew up they came to know Jim as a bit of a wheeler dealer, and was shown Terralynne’s underground black market thanks to him. Though they had never thought of Jim as someone to practice magical arts.
The only words he said at the moment was sorry, as he teleported away again leaving the the Orphans to watch the Occupation burn The Lillium down from afar, hearing the screams of agonising terror as their lives crumbled to dust.
Now there is A LOT of lore to the world Euphoria I have designed and written. And while I have a small team willing to help me create this world into a more visual and playable media, the books are personal to me as an artist. I have decided to start the story at the end and traverse back to the beginning in the first chapter and/or prologue.
I am desperately trying to avoid having a main character although that slot has seem to of been taking by Mathias. A boy who learned to love the world so much he was willing to spend and sacrifice his life force and life expectancy to learn to ancient arts of the Samsarans, in hopes prolonging the life of his planetary home and the different variations of human races.
With Mathias’ help I am hoping to highlight the different cycles of life and to display human nature as many ways possible. After all we’re all different and what you may consider normal could be an entirely abstract concept to what I myself would see as ’Normal’. I want to show the strings of life and how we are all connected somehow and peel away the skin of society in this epic fantasy saga to show the really nitty gritty things we humans do and have done not only to survive to but to enjoy life.