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Jade’s eyes gleamed as she regarded Elodie, now by her side. “You know,” she said in a low voice, “I think I’ve been waiting to meet you all my life.” Elodie frowned. “What do you mean?” Jade blinked, then shrugged as she turned to open the door to the inner decks of the Albatross. “We must’ve been born around the same time I reckon, when’s your birthday?” “Late autumn, only about a week from the day for the Lady of Desolation.” Jade grinned as she swung open the door. “Aye, mine’s about three days from the Lady’s day. I figured as much, knowing how Mother escaped the fate of the rest of the Bonny Calico.” The Bonny Calico—her father’s own ship. As she followed Jade down the steps and let the door close behind them, she realized what else had been said. “What do you mean, ‘how she escaped their fate?’” “Well, surely your own mother told you?” Jade to her credit, was not irritated at the question. Merely amused in the way that she smirked over her shoulder at Elodie. “They would’ve hanged the both of them, women or no, if it hadn’t been for us.”
If you like women with swords, pirates, high fantasy worlds that are not inspired by medieval Europe, and intergenerational sapphic pining, then you'll enjoy To Sail on Seas of Sky!
Chapter 7. High Seas, Low Skies, gives us more of an introduction to Jade, the daughter of Captain Jennings, who shares a special connection with Elodie.
The Sea of Gales: Seafaring Empires, Ahoy!
Today I thought I might briefly recount some of the various islands and nations within the Sea of Gales, the high fantasy world in which my web novel, To Sail on Seas of Sky, takes place!
Most of the islands and nations take inspiration from the Caribbean and Americas in the early 18th century, with a few outliers that are based on other seafaring empires throughout history.
Please keep in mind, however, that just because these nations or empires are inspired by real-world places and cultures does not mean that they are meant to be representative of or be those cultures or places. This is just meant to be a fun take on a world that is made mainly of sky-bound and ocean-bound islands.
Empire of Albion: One of the two major seafaring empires at this time in the story, the Empire of Albion originates from one of the larger islands on the Sea of Gales, closer to the northern end of the world. It rains often, and the Empire has recently seen over-crowding--hence the desire to reach out and colonize the rest of the Sea of Gales. The Empire of Albion is also home to an Enlightenment movement that has vastly developed the biological sciences, politics, and philosophy. The Empire of Albion is based on the British Empire.
Cartagena: Sometimes referred to as the Empire of Cartagena, this island is the second-largest in this world and has been an active power for centuries. Known for bold inventions and ground-breaking art, Cartagena has an infamous armada and rules their islands with an iron fist. However, their day in the sun will be soon fading, as they lose more and more territory to Albion. . . Cartagena is inspired by Spain.
Leonida: First claimed by Cartagena, Leonida was thought to harbor a Fountain of Youth and is home to the major trade port of Port Augustine. Recently, Leonida has fallen under Albionese control. The main character, Elodie, is from here. This location is inspired by Fort Augustine in Florida and Charleston, South Carolina (which according to legend is where Anne Bonny retired)
Libertalia: Not so much an island as a sandbar, Libertalia is mostly man-made, and its construction was engineered by Elodie's father, Captain Felix Vance. It was meant to be a pirate democracy, and has managed to keep its sovereignty despite the attacks of the Empire of Albion and Cartagena. Its democracy has been cemented by the man that was elected king, Captain Marius Hawkins of the Black-Sail Fleet. Libertalia is named after the mythical pirate utopia off the coast of Madagascar, but also takes cues from Nassau, Tortuga, and Port Royal.
Aurora Isles / Thule: The nation of Thule is composed of what the Albionese call the Aurora Isles, named such for how these northernmost islands are the only known location where you can see the Aurora Borealis. The Thulians previously were a predominant seafaring empire, terrorizing the Emerald Isle and Albion before the tides of revolution came in. Thule is based off of the Vikings, specifically Iceland.
Aubrais: A power north of Cartagena that is a traditional ally to Albion. They are known for establishing the fashions and trends of the time, but have recently fallen into money problems. There are rumors that Cartagena might soon absorb them in their time of weakness. Aubrais is also home to the greatest population of magi. Aubrais is based off of France.
New Aubrais: An island that was first discovered by Aubrais, then claimed by Cartagena, and has recently been taken by Albion. Known for frequent flooding and a large party district. New Aubrais is quite obviously based on New Orleans.
The Windward Islands: The islands to the farthest-known point int the west, with people who follow the volcanoes and claim the new islands being born. They are voyagers and navigators, but have recently fell under the thrall of the Empire of Albion, but are fighting for their independence. The Windward Islands takes its historical inspirations from the Hawaiian islands and Polynesia.
Oyeshima: A seafaring empire to the far east of the Sea of Gales, with a long history and an iron grip on the eastern archipelagos of the Sea of Gales. Neither Cartagena, nor Thule have ever tried to compete for their territory. Albion, however, is interested in trying to take over. Oyeshima is based on Japan.
Manoa: An ancient empire that once ruled from an island in the sky that was said to have plummeted into the sea. They developed the magical crystal technology that enables flight, among many other types of magic. . . Manoa is based on the traditional Atlantis story and takes its cues from the Greco-Italian Mediterranean, but also from the Aztec Empire, with its name coming from one of the real cities thought to be the origin of the El Dorado myth.
The Emerald Isle is a northbound island known for a lack of snakes and its gorgeous green scenery. Unfortunately, the Emerald Isle has been victim to the conquest of first Thule and now Albion. Some fight for independence, while others like Brendan Fleetwood, Elodie's father, have tried to ingratiate themselves to their Albionese overlords and join the gentry class. The Emerald Isle is very obviously inspired by Ireland.
This is a brief overview of the main islands, locations, and empires at play within the Sea of Gales. I hope you enjoyed this little peak into the historical inspirations and some of the future locations that Elodie and friends will be visiting aboard the Albatross.
Chapter 11. The Informant is live now!
In which we learn more about Captain Felix Vance, Elodie's father--and his treasure that the world's turned upside down looking for.