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tamarasharker.com
Day 21 of #decemberworldbuilders! Great question!

I introduced y'all to the kōza in my #icalaranfieldguide last month, so the first chore that popped into my mind for this question was to do with their care!

Kōza are, in essence, winged draconic felines. They exist in the wild but...

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kiraofthewind.com Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · Dec 21
#DecemberWorldbuilders, one of the great things about writing SFF is making a world *different* from our own. Have these differences led to a task that only *your* characters have to deal with? Any magic or monster-related chores? Anything related to world-specific festivals or seasonal changes?
MonthlyWorldbuilders prompts daily feed card #DecemberWorldbuilders Hosted by Kira of the Wind Week 3: Chores 21: What is a task specific to your setting? The image shows a cozy town during winter with warm lights. Large mountains are in the background. It is blurred. Snowflakes are around the top words
December 21, 2025 at 5:45 PM
tamarasharker.com
To conclude our Fieldguide, I couldn’t resist ending on the most muscular bundle of sunshine you’ll ever meet.

Thanks for reading! If you want to look back, I've archived the set on Pinterest!

www.pinterest.com/tamarasharker/

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Phidene Eburos". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "An accomplished and well-loved Éba of the Qalîr division of the Itoqîr, and one of the youngest veterans of the Golden Itoqîr. She is Fîeron’s older sister and the only daughter of the Physiçias Eburos. Her valsar is Stormbane, and she wields a glaive. Human."
November 30, 2025 at 8:17 PM
tamarasharker.com
Who doesn’t love a massive warbear?

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "valsar". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "An extremely large and hardy bear subspecies, often tamed for use in war. The Itoqîr of Üstraria employ them in the Qalîr Division as shock and anti-siege troops."
November 29, 2025 at 6:12 PM
tamarasharker.com
In honor of that cornucopia of capitalism, Black Friday, let’s look at Ícalaran currencies!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "currencies". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "There are several currencies used throughout Ícalar, ranging from coins of precious metals and semiprecious stones, to animal teeth; most valuable of them all in this sea-less place is sal, or salt, against which all other currencies are weighed."
November 28, 2025 at 7:33 PM
tamarasharker.com
Day 27 of the Fieldguide and at last, our villain! He's been a blast to write, and as an alpha-predator I figured what better day to talk about him than a day of feasting. 😬

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Xa'aroch". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "One of the few Azgorach to have escaped the Banishing following the end of the War of the Six, he was the first of his kind to have been successfully summoned by warlocks from the otherworld. His indenturement caused him to convince others of his kind to cross over, creating the Azgorach Horde and earning him the title ‘the Door-Opener’. Ba’athorog."
November 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
tamarasharker.com
As many of us prepare our bodies for everything we’re going to stuff ourselves with tomorrow, let’s look at an equally-tasty Ícalaran carb!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "ches / breadbark". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "Deciduous trees that grow to an average of twenty-five feet tall, with thick six-foot trunks on average. They are common and widespread throughout Ícalar, and are highly-valued as a crop owing to their thick, spongy bark that is edible and treated as a near-replacement for bread products, giving rise to its common name of 'breadbark'."
November 26, 2025 at 8:10 PM
tamarasharker.com
While I love magic as much as the next fantasy-enjoyer, I am at heart a practical person. Pair these with my appreciation for fashion, and it was inevitable that I look out for my channelers.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "bloodsilk". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "An in-world variant of silk alongside cloudweave, with the added benefit of being Éga-resistant and thus commonly worn by channelers. The fibers have the unique ability to become imprinted by patterns of Éga use. Pure bloodsilk is rare and expensive; it is often blended with other fabrics."
November 25, 2025 at 10:12 PM
tamarasharker.com
If you’ve been looking for a bitter, sassy, naga-like roommate who appears and disappears via fire magic at inconvenient moments, look no further!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Brethoche". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A mysterious, clandestine companion of Isaia at the Temple at Willowbreak Field. Eisorcei."
November 24, 2025 at 7:51 PM
tamarasharker.com
A fieldguide to Ícalar wouldn’t be complete without talking about Ícalar itself!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #sff #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Icalar and the Precipice". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "The setting continent, also called ‘the tuya’ for its geological shape. It consists of six occupied kingdoms – Balaqalneyis, Kiva, Íyr, Ünenshuut, Seyis-Gol, Ünenshuut, and Üstraria – and the Creqira, unoccupied and considered holy, as the source of all fresh water. The very edge of the tuya is known as the Precipice."
November 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
tamarasharker.com
Fieldguide Day 22!

My Clerics are a shameless hat-tip to all the healers who have looked after us in our various games.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Clerics". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "The channeler counterpart to Physiçias, specializing in use of Aré for healing. They are currently more common than Physiçias due to technological limitations."
November 22, 2025 at 6:34 PM
tamarasharker.com
Isaia has been my biggest challenge to write for a number of reasons, and I like to think that reflects their…inner challenges, shall we say.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Isaia Nenngeleich". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A Servant-ranked priest of the Order of the Burning Crown at the Temple at Willowbreak Field, and a mildly-skilled Cleric. They are the childhood friend of Fîeron, and hide the strange company of Brethoche. Human."
November 21, 2025 at 9:41 PM
tamarasharker.com
Oh go on, you can have another creature Fieldguide entry, as a treat.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "loïka". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "Small, flightless, griffin-like mammals of moderate intelligence roughly half the size of an average housecat, largely domesticated as pets."
November 20, 2025 at 6:04 PM
tamarasharker.com
Time for another creature for our Fieldguide! Owls are one of my favorite animals so of course one of my characters – Unliore – had to keep one as a pet.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "mistowls". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A diurnal, omnivorous, owl-like bird of moderate intelligence, named for their iridescent gray coloring. Occasionally domesticated."
November 19, 2025 at 6:09 PM
tamarasharker.com
How about a treat to start your Monday?

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "hejulal mikahb". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "Hejulal mikahb – "goddess' supper" – are a type of expensive truffle made in Kiva and a popular delicacy elsewhere. Their expense comes as much from the ingredients and process as from the expense to export them even a town away. They are usually brown and dusted with further dried and finely-grated spritepearl, and consist of a creamy outer shell and a soft, crumbly center that melts on the tongue. Common recipes lean into the sweet, earthy, and somewhat spicy tastes of chocolate, spice, berry, and mushroom."
November 17, 2025 at 7:15 PM
tamarasharker.com
Ícalar is home to several faiths, and this Fieldguide entry focuses on one of the youngest!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Order of the Burning Crown". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A relatively young polytheistic religion dominant in Üstraria and Íyr. It reveres the Great Ones, which are the subject of its central creation myth, “The Placing of the Crown”. The broadly-accepted chronological terms ‘abovecloud’ and ‘belowcloud’ originate in this myth, with belowcloud referring to the time before the chosen’s ascension to Ícalar and abovecloud referring to the time thereafter. Its symbol is a burning crown stylized as an unbroken central ring with nine openwork flames on its outer edge."
November 16, 2025 at 8:16 PM
tamarasharker.com
Icalaran Fieldguide Day 15! I love writing Kaavius because I can explore one of my favorite character types – those who strive to subvert others’ expectations – and the questions over one’s identity that can naturally follow.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Kaavius Springfist". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A former member of Gild Whitewell, a Master Provisioner in the Itoqîr, and a veteran of the Golden Itoqîr. A close friend of Unliore and an acquaintance of Devatska. He is a devout Crownist and a mildly-skilled Cleric. Ẽova."
November 15, 2025 at 4:38 PM
tamarasharker.com
As we nestle ourselves in autumn and look toward winter, a memory of spring: one of my favorite smells is honeysuckle, so I simply *had* to incarnate it in Stone and Flesh!

(Can you tell I was raised in a gardening household?)

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "kyrti". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A deciduous perennial vine that can climb to tens of feet. Mature specimens can have a base trunk of 4”-5” on average, but especially old specimens have been noted to have 7”-9” trunks. They have pale orange flowers that exude a powerful, sweet scent. Their leaves are between 1” and 3” long, have an attractive narrow shape with three points toward its tip, and are gold-green that deepen to bronze. A notable old specimen resides outside The Blushing Lioness in Korzhûn, but they are a resilient species, able to grow in extremely inhospitable environments."
November 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
tamarasharker.com
It’s time for a more ominous entry in our Fieldguide! I must confess to having always been a little enamored with stories of dark magic.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "warlocks". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "Magical practitioners who – to one degree of deliberateness or another – disobey widespread laws against training or using their abilities in a harmful fashion. They refer to themselves as shadow-workers and to their practice as shadow-work; it often involves life-stealing or harmful Éga manipulation in the body, curses, indenturing other living beings, physical or psychological/emotional manipulation, necromancy, cruel experimentation, and contact with otherworldly forces."
November 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
tamarasharker.com
If Aramastus were a DnD/WoW class, he’d be a paladin – except this paladin clings to the shreds of his former cause, adrift in fresh grief but no less ardent.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Aramastus Danig". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A wingsmith and veteran of the Golden Itoqîr and Kivan Valnoc, currently a Warden at the Üstrarian Shogu Holding. He is a close family friend of Devatska and Eraleon and their sons, particularly Nelos; he has recently lost his wife Joqo and his daughter Jixcebi to the Bitter Hand. He wields a warhammer. Faun."
November 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
tamarasharker.com
Happy Veterans Day! Today’s Fieldguide entry looks at a pivotal conflict in my novel’s prehistory, of which a large portion of my cast are veterans.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "The War of the Six". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A large-scale conflict that took place twelve years prior to current events. It followed the discovery of ìkam: the Pact of the Blessèd wished to use the fruit to strengthen their channelers and awaken more for military purposes, while the Violet Accord – initially – wished to conduct further research into the fruit and reserve it for pacifist purposes. It was ended by the release of the Plague of the Bitter Hand at the height of the Widow’s Siege, and the period of significant loss and economic struggle (known as the Long Wake) has been felt even by countries not involved in the conflict itself. The ‘Six’ refers to the six generals involved in the conflict."
November 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM
tamarasharker.com
A big part of what I wanted with Stone and Flesh was to write a story set after the “happily-ever-after” (even if it wasn’t so happy), where there are no longer any heroes to help. The Hidden Company haunt my narrative.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "The Hidden". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "An important mercenary group that took part in the War of the Six, eventually siding with the Golden Itoqîr of the Pact of the Blessèd. Its de facto leader was Iknaïs; its other members were Andras and Amathara Acosaphaura, Talo’eran Elbusgar, Xo Ragehand, Obékona Fýdi, and the Vil’rabenen sisters (Joibri, Saraphne, and Nerise)."
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
tamarasharker.com
Kōtia is what happens when you take what could have been your typical teenage protagonist and drop them into a more…well, aged story – she has as much to unlearn as she has to learn.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Kotia Acosaphaura". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "A recent top graduate of the Korzhûn Shogu Holding into the Razakîr. Her parents are Andras and Amathara, and her grandparents are Devatska and Eraleon; her best friend is Fhalz. Her assigned kōza is Aensati, but her kōza at home is Saraphne. She wields a glaive. Human."
November 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
tamarasharker.com
“Remember, remember, the 5th of November…” Today we’re looking at something illegal in Ícalar, which nonetheless weighs heavily on the mind of two of our characters.

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "enstreng and firearms". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "The in-world equivalent of gunpowder, created via experiments conducted by Devatska Acosaphaura. Currently outlawed along with the first firearms by what is known as the Quelldraw Act."
November 5, 2025 at 5:25 PM
tamarasharker.com
Ubiquitous throughout nearly the entirety of Ícalar are what are known as Shepherds of Leaving, an ancient caste composed of one of my favorite mythical entities – psychopomps!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Shepherds of Leaving". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "Shepherds are a type of Aré (magic) practitioner under a House of Leavings, specializing in services to the deceased and their loved ones using empathic abilities; it is a highly-respected, widespread, secular profession. Shepherds act as coroners, funeral directors, spirit guides, grief counselors, and other roles associated with laying the deceased to rest. They are overseen by the Eyes, and also known as leaveguides or Honored Guests."
November 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
tamarasharker.com
It’s time to meet our main protagonist, Fîeron, a.k.a. the weariest undertaker-empath in all the land who’s about to become that much wearier – but this time with friends!

#epicfantasy #fruitofwar #indiebooks #writesky #icalaranfieldguide
Dark text and a flowery border on an ivory background. The text reads "Fieron Eburos". In the background, slightly transparent, is an illustration of a fictional, purple-red, heart-shaped fruit. Dark text and flowery border on an ivory background; the text reads: "It’s time to meet our main protagonist, Fîeron, a.k.a. the weariest undertaker-empath in all the land who’s about to become that much wearier – but this time with friends!"
November 3, 2025 at 6:21 PM