Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for The Slave Prince

Coming Of Age

’The time when a person becomes an adult.’ - the general understanding of society.

When do we become an adult?

Do we become an adult on our 21st birthday, or do we become an adult when we feel like one? What encompasses being an adult?

Let’s be honest, nobody knows.

When Thom was a child, he yearned to grow up at the allure of the activities adults could do - combat training with sharpened blades, rowdy new year celebrations that went through the night, reddening cheeks from downing goblets of wine. But when he was finally old enough to do those things, he didn’t feel any less of a child. He still acted like one, and he was still treated like one. Even when he returned to Alpenwhist in his late teens, Thom didn’t feel any more of an adult than before he left. In fact, he felt small, insignificant, powerless - like a child in a room full of adults. So how does one come of age then? Do we actually ever come of age?

For Thom, his coming of age wasn’t part of his mission. He did what he could, and became wiser and braver with every step he took. He matured, not because he knew how to pay his taxes or drive a carriage, but because he learned more about himself and began to accept his identity.

Growing up is discovering who you are, who you want to be, and becoming the best version of yourself. It’s more than a birthday celebration, it’s a lifelong journey. And it’s a journey we’re all in together.

Yes, what a divine coincidence. My favourite indie band, Relent, is releasing their newest album, Coming Of Age, on November 5th, 2016!

When I heard about its concept and its message, Coming Of Age felt so in-lined with The Slave Prince. And to have Relent, willing to share their songs with the readers of The Slave Prince, well... I’m just honoured.

Hence, the emergence of this special giveaway. This giveaway runs from now till November 1st. Yes, it ends when the contest ends. I timed it this way, as I’d like everyone to receive a copy of their single. Did I say everyone? Yes, everyone. This is my Oprah Winfrey moment.

Every person that pre-orders The Slave Prince will receive Relent’s ’Good Vibrations’ single. The single will be emailed to every reader from November 2nd - 4th, 2016.

There will also be 3 readers randomly chosen to receive the full album! The winners will be announced on November 5th, coinciding with the album release.

If you’re on this journey of ’growing up’, The Slave Prince and Coming Of Age will make great companions. I’d suggest you take them along for the ride, because... you know... it can get a little bumpy.

(*There’s a week left to join The Coma Giveaway! If you’ve pre-ordered and would like to win a free horror game, click HERE to officially join the giveaway.)

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Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for Ghosts of War

So...it’s Friday...

and it’s been a good week. I managed to stick to a routine of waking up early and getting writing done before breakfast. I had 2 days off, Saturday (which is always a day off) and Thursday (Playstation VR release day), but I made good progress on the other days.

Chapter 31 is done, and 32 is on it’s way. My goal for this week is to hit that fabled 100,000 word mark.

See you then.

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Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for The Bones of the Past

Good evening everyone!

I have lots of news to share!

The copy editor finished working through my manuscript a week early, so I’m once again in full editing mode looking over proposed fixes and changes... Probably for the next two weeks. This round is looking at smaller stuff, so it’s more about improving word flow and fixing any remaining grammar mistakes, but also includes catching content that’s out of place or inconsistent. I can already say I’m very happy with the editor’s work and the manuscript is steadily improving even further!

In other news... The designer has come back with the final round of covers! We only have two to choose from this time. He’s incorporated the feedback I gave him and I think the end results are even stronger than before.

The first one is very close to the #3 from last round. The only change is that the ’dust’ effect has been cleaned up a little under the ’P’.

The second one is very close to the #6 from last round but uses the typography from #3.

Let me know what you think by replying to this update on Inkshares, via DM, on Twitter @bonesofthepast or by email at thebonesofthepast@gmail.com !

Thank you all yet again for your continued patience and support!

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Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for After Man

So there is some news to share, first on my other books. Rise is going to be an audio-book! The deal is for Rise and a sequel, in this case Fall. I can’t wait to get my hands on this. Definitely will be listening to that on some runs.

In other news, Rise is closing in on 2000 copies sold. And most of that buzz pushing the sales is coming from you. Thank you so much! If you’re reading your copy now, I’d appreciate a "Reading" mark on Goodreads. And a review when you’re finished would be awesome.

In Fall news, I’m editing act 3 before sending it off to my editor. After that, I got back and do a rework based on the edits I already have for acts 1 and 2. If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy, the sooner you do the sooner we can get it into production and in your hands.

As for After Man, I’ve completed the rewrite of Act 1 and boy does it have a slam bang finish. I began work on Act 2, but with the news about Rise, I decided it was time to finish the edit of Fall. I still write at least 100 words a day on After Man. I have no updates on a release because Inkshares right now has a good problem to have: a lot of books in the queue to publish.

Thanks for all your help. You are all awesome!

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Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for The Lore of the Aos Sí

Hail Bards - Announcing the Lore of the Aos Sí Reader Giveaway Details

Please feel free to contact me with questions!

Blessed Be,

Christopher Lee

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Thomas J. Arnold followed Where the Sun Sets

Where the Sun Sets

In his quest for redemption, a heartbroken man embarks on a harrowing journey across a time-stopped world to fulfill his dying wife’s only wish.

Thomas J. Arnold sent an update for Exile, Magus

Frost giant Friday!

The giants in my world are for the most part a reclusive lot with relatively low population numbers. Like dragons, they have an elemental nature which causes them to gravitate towards environments where the elements in their makeup are strongest. For frost giants that means the Frozen North, where elemental air and water are seen in combination making up the cold, snow, and ice that dominates the landscape.

Their elemental nature does not express itself as strongly as that of dragons, but it still plays a role in their ability to survive in their harsh habitat. This elemental nature is strongest in female giants, so that they tend to be taller and stronger and as they near maturity they become able to harness this to perform very primal, elemental magic. This ability grows as they age, but always remains primal like that of dragons and unable to perform feats outside the scope of their elemental nature.

Frost giant society tends to extend of an extended clan of no more than a dozen or so families. Each family lives in large manors carved out of the rock of mountain faces no closer than 1 day and no further than 1 week’s foot travel from the other memebers of the clan. There tends to be a gathering of family heads once every month or two in which they discuss clan matters, though this most often results in little more than arguing and drunken revelry/ritual combat.

As to the origins of the giant races, no one really knows for sure. One of the most dominant theories looks to both the giants’ elemental natures and their remarkable resemblance to humans. This theory states that far back in the days of the Progenitors’ War, the humans weak status - without strong magical abilities or a Progenitor to aid them - had turned to elemental and nature spirits for aid. These theories posit that some of the humans made deals to join with elemental spirits, giving the spirits a chance to finally experience true life and giving the humans in question power they could have never otherwise achieve. There is no evidence to support a theory that gives an origin so far into the past, but there is also nothing to disprove it or even support any other theory.

Frost giants pop up in Part 11 - Ansvari of Exile, Magus, which is much further into the book than the content currently posted stretches. I do hope that we can reach funding so that I can get that into your hands, so be sure to order and recommend to others so I can share the full story with you all.

That’s all I’ve got for today, though once again to any D&D players/DMs there will be a stat block at the bottom, so be sure to check that out if you’re interested. To everyone else, thanks for your time and support. Keep reading and enjoying!

Frost Giant Matriarch

Huge Giant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 16 (patchwork armor)

HP 175 (14d12+84)

Speed 40’

Str 24 (+7), Dex 10, Con 22 (+6), Int 10, Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +4, Cha +4

Skills Athletics +10, Perception +4, Survival +4

Damage Immunity Cold

Senses passive Perception 14

Language Giant

Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Innate Spellcasting (Charimsa based, DC 12, Spell Attack Bonus +4, can cast without need for material components)

At Will - Ray of Frost (2d8), Fog Cloud

3/day each - Gust of Wind, Sleet Storm

1/day each - Cone of Cold, Ice Storm

Actions

Multiattack 2 Greataxe or Unarmed attacks

Greataxe melee weapon attack. 10’ reach. Hit: +10. Damage: 3d12+7 slashing ;.

Rock ranged weapon attack. Range 60’ / 240’. Hit: +10. Damage: 4d10+7 bludgeoning ;.

Unarmed melee weapon attack. Hit: +10. Damage: 3d4+7 ;.

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Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for Tantalus Depths

Good lord...I don’t even have words...

We did it. We finally did it.

After campaigning day and night since March...after losing literally hundreds of orders in the credit abuse scandall....after extending the campaign a whole two extra months...We’ve done it. We’ve reached the full publishing goal of 750 copies.

Tantalus Depths is a book now. It’s an honest to God book with a full publication deal. It’s happening.

It took 461 people and six syndicates to make this happen. Of particular note is the Idosyncraticate Syndicate, which swooped in out of absolutely nowhere and pushed us over the final line. Thank you all, from the depths of my heart. I love you all for this.

I’ll have more words soon, when I can process them. For now, I can only say: thank you.

My life changed forever today. I owe that to you.

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Thomas J. Arnold

A bumbling madman in an unholy relationship with the written language. Author of Exile, Magus; Exi...

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Thomas J. Arnold sent an update for Exile, Magus

Happy Wednesday everybody! I hope it finds you well.

I had originally intended to talk a bit about the Frost Giants of my world today, but over the past week I went on a bit of a map converting spree. As a result I have two maps to share with you all, one today and the other this time next week. My talk on Frost Giants will thus be postponed until Friday. Now to the map!

I know, not a lot of land on this one. Unfortunately the large southwestern peninsula stabbing so far into the ocean forced that to be the case. That peninsula is known as the Blade for what I feel are fairly obvious reasons. The large port town indicated on the tip of the Blade is called Lyceria, and it is where Llargas takes Pentaz and Buscidia to during the Cruise section of the book (read it here for more insight on that), and they travel inland through the jungle from there where they eventually settle in with a tribe of Wilder Elves so that Pentaz can further his magical training along with a small cast of other Magi under the tribe’s shamaness, Laohna (you can read a bit about that in the Academy section of the book which starts here).

The jungle is home to a number of different sylvan races and tribes, no one group holding so much sway as to form a true nation. The centaurs, satyrs, nymphs, dryads, wilder elves, gnomes, and other assorted fey/sylvan peoples prefer it that way, valuing their freedom above all else. The closest thing to a true nation are those human tribes who have formed alliances with one another, most prominent among these being the Taehls.

The Taehls originally formed their alliance in defense against a Zaltruscan invasion over 4 centuries ago. According to the legends, a group of Zaltruscan noblemen had decided to saddle up their dragons and lead their armies to conquer the Blade. The many jungle nations banded together to resist, with the bulk of the fighting occurring in the northern Blade. Ultimately the battle was only won by the inhabitants of the Blade thanks to the awakening of their guardian spirit, the massive and magnificent rainbow winged serpent Quzaeltical.

Normally a non-physical nature spirit, it is said that Quzaeltical takes a physical form once every thousand years in times of great need. In this instance it slew all of the nobles and their dragons, and all but obliterated the Zaltruscan army before withdrawing into a deep and still, undisturbed slumber in order to heal the grievous wounds it had suffered that day. Whether this slumber is in its physical form or a return to its physical form the tribesman will not say.

Some of the tribes left the alliance after the threat was over, but many stayed and the alliance is still the strongest power in the region today. The tribes have a distinct caste system, with everyone being born into their life roles. The ruling caste are the spirit guides, those said to be able to commune with all nature spirits, especially Quzaeltical. Through this bond they have also learned to use magic which enables them to take on the shapes of the various beasts of the jungle, a feat which Quelzhumi Taehls puts to great use during the Graduation section of the book (which you can read starting here).

Quelzhumi is not just a spirit guide, but next in line as chief spirit guide for the most powerful tribe in the alliance, making him for all intents the heir to the throne, albeit a throne with less direct control over the tribal nation than one finds in the kingdoms of the "civilized" world outside the Blade. He has come to the Academy to expand his magical knowledge, hoping that his people can learn more than just their shapeshifting magic and become more able to defend themselves should Zaltruscas ever invade again.

The next notable students are D’naeshira. A human, she was left abandoned in the jungles by her Lycerian parents when she began to manifest as a Wyrdlim. Most humans can learn to use magic, but are not especially talented at it. Occasionally a human will be born with a deeper connection to the world’s energies, such that they can use primal magics in much the same way as dragons and giants can. Unlike giants and dragons, however, the Wyrdlim find it very hard to control these magics, which has led to chaotic (and occasionally catastrophic) outbursts over the ages. For this reason most "civilized" human cultures view Wyrdlim with a great deal of superstition, and tend to punish them even to the point of execution for being born.

The final notable student is Kitden Zutden, a sylvan gnome. His pack(as they like to be called) wander the jungles constantly, being seen only when they want to and never laying their head down in the same spot as any previous night. Unlike their "civilized" cousins, they do not feel the need to endlessly invent new machines. Instead they channel their nervous energy into endless pranks and other shenanigans.

After the events of the Academy and Graduation sections, Pentaz and Buscidia leave the Blade behind traveling east to the region known as the Badlands, going through the outer reaches of the Restless Bog to reach the small walled community known as Last Stop before following the trail to the closest thing the Badlands has to a capital city, Caasan.

This update has gone on a bit longer than I intended, so I’ll leave my discussion of the Badlands for the next week when I post the next map. You can read a bit more about the Badlands(mainly the Restless Bog and Caasan) starting here if you want.

As always, thanks for your time and support! Keep reading and enjoying!

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