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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 30m

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 11 Kai’s would say: “Devoted husband, father, and healer” The funniest would be Gino’s: “Rose from rags to riches. Made sh*t work & still doesn’t know how he did it!”

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 11: What would your MC’s tombstone say?

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 15h

#LitHodgepodge 10 I’m curious what y’all are going to try to use to lure Kai in… If you were laying a trap for me, what 1-3 things would you set out as bait?

Character reference sheet for Kai Travaldi, MC of The Faumen War Chronicles

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 17h

#AwesomeCharacters This one depends on the MC. Most wouldn't dream of breaking their honor or oaths to accomplish a goal. Toma in particular would rather commit ritual suicide. Gino, Cacovis, Cecilia, & Vildrik, though, wouldn't have a problem at all with it if it meant getting things done.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 17h

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 10 Today's snippet is also from Darkness Beyond the Wall (tentative title), my prequel novella to The Brumewalker Archives. MC Lysander and some of his comrades find themselves chased up a tree by Dusklings after falling into an ambush.

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 10: Saturday Snippet

Snippet of text from the end of Chapter 5 in Darkness Beyond the Wall, the prequel novella to The Brumewalker Archives.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 9 Nixtral-based QOTD: Based on the 6 elements of Origin, which type of Conjurer would you most like to be? I, myself, would be a Marshwinder like Tyrhelm. Mixing plant & water magic would be pretty amazing and is one of the more versatile combos.

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 9: Free Friday or books you hope to read before the end of the year.

Spreadsheet showing the different elemental combinations of Conjurers, including the specific name given to Conjurers of each combo.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

#AwesomeCharacters Veldandi wears a small spherical earring made of citrine on her left ear. It was a present for her 17th birthday from her Auntie Orelia & remains one of the few pieces of jewelry she owns.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 8 It’s a bit of an odd phobia, but Veldandi is actually terrified of thunder. While this makes it difficult for her to deal with Blitzers at times, it stems from an incident in her childhood where thunder from a nearby lightning strike damaged her ears.

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 8: MC phobias

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 8 In Fateweaver, MC Zelora actually played varsity paddlepod at the University of Pittshelm. She was a top-tier midfielder & could have gone professional had she not suffered an injury due to a dirty play in the championship match her final year.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

You're invited to the Bluesky Halloween party. Show off your costume.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Finally got a free chance to share this. A new review for my debut novel, Oaths of Life and Death! Thank you for the lovely review, Mark! Glad to hear you enjoyed the book and I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series to see those loose ends wrapped up with a bow 🎀

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Reposted by L. Cyrus Whelchel

L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Got a question for everyone: Below are refs of most of the faumen tribes. The only 2 not shown yet are the Hyuljan & Maemuka. Which pair do you think would produce the most interesting children? I’ll even let you know if I currently have a named OC for that combo! #QOTD #writesky

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 7 There’s a few ancient ruins scattered across the Barrens, mostly of long-gone civilizations predating Vekzis & Isendia, Ruquall’s longest-lasting realms. Some of these ruins are suspected to hold jewels, precious metals, & artifacts sacred to Orichalcum.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 7 Most of my work tends to be MC POV-centric and 3rd person tense. The Faumen War Chronicles is a rare exception in that it use multiple POVs from both the protagonist & antagonist side.

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 7: POV and tense preferences

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 6 In BWA, the villains are a trio known as the Dumeln Triumvirate: - Malchior, former military advisor to the Archduke of Lotono & creator of the Brume. - Olthazar, Lotono’s former Court Scientist. - Kassius, Lotono’s former Secretary of Justice.

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 6: WIP Villain(s)

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#LitHodgepodge 6 Gino, the cynical MC of The Lowborn King, in many ways a mix of the Robin Hood & Professional Rogue archetypes of a thief. He tends to be a lone wolf who targets who he sees as the corrupt wealthy to support the poor in the Mudfalls slum district where he was raised.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#AwesomeCharacters In Brumewalker Archives, I suspect readers might sympathize with Malchior a little once his backstory is revealed. Even if he’s a horrible, vicious despot, Malchior *does* have reasons for why he created the Brume. He just didn’t account for his creation’s *other* properties…

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#WritingPrompt Kai is absolutely never beating the badass househusband allegations after FWC…because that’s exactly what he is!

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Gokushufudou: Tatsu in Apron

Alt: Gokushufudou: Tatsu in Apron

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 5 The Vekzis Empire's primary religion revolves around their interpretation of the primordial deity Orichalcum: the sun god, Orlandus. According to their legends, the Tizrou was created when Orlandus scorched the land to punish an ancient civilization.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 5 Veldi would probably do something cliche like a witch. Only she’d take advantage and actually use her plant and wind magic to put on a show for any kids that happen to pop by her place for trick-or-treating!

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 5: What would your MC wear to a Halloween party?

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#AwesomeCharacters At the start of TWT, Veldi & Osvald live primarily at the Dusty Apple, the largest inn & meadhouse in Mosswell. In Book 5, however, they discover an abandoned building at the edge of the Marpoint district & decide to convert it into their new home to celebrate their engagement!

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 4 The Tizrou Desert is home to many life forms. The most famous is the dugo, large sand seals that use spiny protrusions on their sides to push through the soft sand. The desert is also home to many plants like the scarlet olive & sun pear cactus.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 4 Veldi would define bravery the same way her father taught her and her siblings: “Bravery isn’t the complete lack of fear. It’s being so afraid you want to run but still having the strength of will to continue forward, even knowing what may happen.”

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 4: How would your MC define bravery?

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 3 Most buildings in Isendia are crafted from stone. In its early days, straw & fur were used as insulation. Once Origin magic became more prevalent again, machines are developed able to use Breeze to generate cool air, a magi-tech equivalent to modern A/C.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 3 This month, I'll be sharing snippets from my prequel novella to The Brumewalker Archives, a grimdark fantasy heavily inspired by the RPG Legend of Legaia. Today's looks at the purpose of the mavericks, adventurers who brave the Brume to find supplies.

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 3: Saturday Snippet

Snippet of text from my prequel novella to BWA, explaining the purpose behind the mavericks, groups of adventurers within each town who brave the dangers of the Brume in order to acquire additional food and supplies.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#LitHodgePodge 3 Meet Veldandi, the spunky heroine of my cozy mystery series, Tail-Wing Trackers. What do y’all think this sassy young lady would learn as a hobby? Also: Bonus chibi art!

A character reference sheet of Veldandi Travaldi, the Norzen/Aerivolk MC of Tail-Wing Trackers. Art by House of Imagi Studio.

Chibi art piece of Veldandi blowing a kiss to the audience. Art by Paws and Claws.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#AwesomeCharacters I think this one goes to Doppel, an elderly warrior from BWA the party meets on their quest. He obviously hates the Brume, as evidenced by his eagerness to slaughter Dusklings. Still, the party knows little of his true motives, or why he gets upset when the Brume is driven off.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#LitHodgepodge 2 Speaking of the hero quartet from my upcoming trilogy The Brumewalker Archives, I think they’d mesh well with the YYH universe. Lysander, Agnes, Sebal, and Yalva would actually make a solid Spirit Detective team, even if a tad chaotic!

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Yu Yu Hakusho Opening 2 ft. Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama

Alt: Yu Yu Hakusho Opening 2 ft. Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#LitHodgepodge 1 Guess I better catch up with this fun little prompt game! My name is Cyrus, and I write a bunch of high fantasy in a variety of sub-genres ranging from cozy mystery to epic grimdark! Also, as a librarian by trade, if anyone choose a dog-ear on this form, I will silently judge you!

Altered form showing my picks for this Literary This or That.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 2 The Isendia Confederation takes up a large portion of the Tizrou. This realm arose from nomadic hunter-gatherers who banded together to survive the harsh desert. It’s now among the largest, most respected, & economically prosperous realms in Nixtral.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 2 Today's Free Friday is geared to include my gamer writing friends as well! What 3 IPs (video game, book, etc.) are you most interested in seeing a remaster/reimagining of? Here's my list: - Legend of Legaia - Treasure Island - Mega Man Legends

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 2: Free Friday or spooky book/movie/tv show recs.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 1 The Tizrou Desert, often called The Barrens, is the largest hot desert in Nixtral. It takes up a large chunk of the top 1/3 of Ruquall, the western continent. Similar to our Sahara, the Tizrou is marked by sand dunes & high temps, but w/ frequent oases.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#FantasyIndiesSpooktober 1 Hello! I’m Cyrus, creator of the fantasy world Nixtral! This month I’ll be continuing drafting the 2nd book of my cozy series, Tail-Wing Trackers. In honor of spooky month, I’ll also be working on a prequel novella to my Brumewalker Archives trilogy!

Fantasy Indies Spooktober Day 1: Introduce yourself and WIP

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#AwesomeCharacters Veldi would definitely take advantage of this to create a scene where she gets to spend some quality time with Osvald. The best part? She’d make sure they aren’t interrupted for once so she can smooch that man all she wants! 🫣

A character reference sheet for Veldandi Travaldi, the heroine of my cozy mystery series Tail-Wing Trackers.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 30 I definitely like seeing characters in non-traditional occupations step into the role of hero/MC. It’s part of the reason FWC revolves around Kai, a healer. Give me more of that! We need folks from non-heroic roles stepping up to save the day!

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#FantasyIndiesSeptember 30 It was a fun month! I turned Level 39, got to play some interesting prompt games, and got a bit of work done on TWT 2. Probably gonna be doing more of the same for Spooktober!

Fantasy Indies September prompt listing. Day 30: Monthly Wrap-Up

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#SongsOfSeptember 30 Thanks for the fun prompt game, Niki! I definitely enjoyed it and would love to see more like this in the future. Anyway, for those of you interested in stories with heavy storytelling vibes from anime & JRPGs, feel free to check out my work!

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 29 This might seem like an odd hyper fixation, but lately I’ve been getting into Umamusume: Pretty Derby. It’s actually kinda cute!

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Umamusume Agnes Tachyon

Alt: Umamusume Agnes Tachyon

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#FantasyIndiesSeptember 29 I'm a bit of an ambivert that leans introverted. I tend to be more withdrawn, especially around people I don't know. However, once I get to know folks or get drawn into a convo on something I like...boy, can I *YAP*! 🤣

Fantasy Indies September prompt listing. Day 29: Are you/MC an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 28 The closest Nixtral has to light or dark magic is Spark, the lightning element. Conjurers able to wield this magic can create brief bursts of light using electrical pulses. Exceptionally powerful ones can produce enough light to imitate a small sun!

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Kai is the closest of my named OCs to being a traumamuffin. The man was orphaned, ostracized, & even discriminated against as an adult. But…the MC of my Treasure Island retelling definitely fits the mold. He’s a bundle of warm fuzzies who grew up living a pirate’s life & just *deals* with it.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#FantasyIndiesSeptember 28 Admittedly, it takes a lot for me to DNF a book. It has to be *really* badly written with lots of typos & grammar errors, or it has to dive into topics that grind my gears significantly!

Fantasy Indies September prompt listing. Day 28: Your thoughts on DNFing books.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#SongsOfSeptember 27 The Village Festival theme from Dark Cloud is a pretty good fit for the celebratory vibe of FWC’s end. Once the final battle is over, there’s definitely a cheerful, energetic ambiance in the air. youtu.be/UaieLtMddCo?...

youtu.be

Dark Cloud The Village Festival (Extended)

YouTube video by wickedslicks1003

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#FantasyIndiesSeptember 27 Lately most of my research has been into names to try and build the cast for SCC while I’m working on the 2nd half of Bards and Brooches.

Fantasy Indies September prompt listing. Day 27: What research do you do for your writing?

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#AwesomeCharacters Kai’s hobby is painting, which he teaches to an orphan girl. Veldi prefers playing her malaiku. Lysander likes to sketch landscapes. Gino & Cacovis both prefer whittling wood. Cecilia likes to dance, while Vildrik prefers to tinker with machines. They all have their own styles!

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#SongsOfSeptember 26 Not gonna lie, ‘Those Who Govern Reason’ is *the* definitive boss theme I think of when reading the final clash of FWC with Kai, Maple, & Orelia vs. the Big Bad & Grimghast! youtu.be/Vgvdz8_H4lk?...

youtu.be

They Who Govern Reason (OCTOPATH TRAVELER Original Soundtrack) 【Audio】

YouTube video by SQUARE ENIX MUSIC Channel

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 26 After the Enshrouding, the entire realm of Hizril becomes a dark, dreary place covered in the pervasive Brume. Even during sunny days, the Brume hangs in the air like a thin veil and gives the land a mysterious vibe.

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#AwesomeCharacters There's quite a few durable OCs in my lexicon: Kai & Morgan of FWC or Caston of GoL. The most durable of them all is probably Auren of SCC. Despite being a merchant now, he's solidly built & his past forged him into a formidable warrior able to tank a building dropping on him!

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L. Cyrus Whelchel @lcyruswhelchel.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

#FantasyIndiesSeptember 25 I'm inspired by music almost every day. Recently, I've been hit by the inspiration bug listening to Village in the Ravine from the Octopath Traveler II soundtrack. It's definitely one of my favorite tracks from that game!

Fantasy Indies September prompt listing. Day 25: Free Friday or music you've been inspired by recently.

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