(Closed To Catch Up) Interviews With Undiscovered Authors

5. The White Capes

Blurb:

Vincent was a traveler. He had visited most of the important cities and towns in the entire Empire. He had encountered men of greatness, men of cowardice and experience had taught him well how to differentiate among them, for the latter usually chose to wear the mask of the former. He had witnessed the alchemists, the mages, the dark magicians, the masters, the mind readers, the knights. He had been fortunate enough to appreciate the play of the gladiators from the pits and the lances in tourneys. Vincent had watched men fly, tame wildest creatures, walk on water. In fact, he was of the opinion, which most would agree was well founded, that he had seen enough for a single lifetime. But what Vincent the blacksmith saw next, created a memory so deep, that others seemed to fade.

An unbelievable incident occurred in the little town of Andlenore. But the consequences of that incident, were not limited to the town. The ripples spread like wildfire.

My Impression: I defy anyone to hate this book!

Interview:

Q. I'll ask you a direct question. Did game of thrones inspire you in any way? If not what's your inspiration to write the story based on medieval times?

A. The inspiration of writing The White Capes did not come from Game of Thrones. I can trace its inception, as far as I remember, to a single character, Edwin. I had an idea of what his personality would be like and so forth. Although the world does not revolve around him, I started making the TWC Universe after I had an idea of his character. But yes, Game of Thrones has taught me a lot, in terms of writing, character development and such. It remains an influence, with its rich world and realistic characters.

Q. Which part of the world/century do you imagine Andlenore to exist in?

A. I would say that would vaguely be the European, end of 'Late Middle Ages' just before Renaissance, in our world. Of course many differences remain for the TWC universe is different for instance medicine is a tad bit more developed than it was then. The major comparison that can be made is this, at that point of time, the Western community was almost at a standstill, and barely any new innovations were made, while the East (medieval India) flourished with scientific, artistic, philosophical and technological advancement. So in a way, the new Dawn (The appearance of the White God) is the trigger in TWC universe, it's their rebirth; it's their Renaissance. Many instances of this can be found throughout, from Andlenore, Artinopolis to Trinopolis, and the incident of alchemy.

Q. What do you mean by The White Capes? What does the name refer to?

A. The White Capes is an Order formed in honour of the White God by Wilbur Glidron. It is military in nature and function and its purpose varies from that of the Priests of the White God. While the Priests are entitled to the responsibility of guiding the masses towards the path of the White God, The White Capes share the responsibility of protecting all the followers of the faith. These guidelines were set by the Priest Bill of Andlenore taking appropriate advice from Wilbur who stands as the founder of the Order.

Q. What is the exact role of alchemy in the world of the white capes? Is it worth practicing?

A. Alchemy is a part of world physics in the universe. It is an ability which all humans posses to manipulate elements to a certain extent. In our world, alchemy is the precursor of Chemistry, a pseudoscience. As alchemy emerged in TWC universe, a lot of research was done on elements and compounds thus the name.

It is an ability like any other. It has various application as one might expect. It can be used in day to day life, and one can train oneself to use it for a specialized purpose. For instance, it can be used by artisans, by warriors in battle and by artists, to express themselves.