Eloria, which I call el-OR-ee-ah, is a world of shapeshifters, or those who were once shapeshifters. A cosmic accident split the shapeshifting races into humans and animals. Most of the other "physical" magic of the world, such as the ability to create fire and lightning, vanished at the same time. Humans since then have spent most of their time in magical research, hoping to recapture both kinds of magic, though their research into ways to shapechange is more fervent. The populations descended from the animal people tend to have minor physical features that differentiate them from true humans, and in some cases insular societies to try and insure that their blood does not mingle with "mundane" blood.
In fact, the Elorians are looking in the entirely wrong direction. Magic has evolved from magic of the body into magic of the mind- the manipulation not of objective reality such as air, rocks, and trees, but of consensus reality, including language, and personal reality, including personality traits and identity. Some people are beginning to discover this magic, but most other Elorians continue furiously looking for a power that will never return to them.
It's going to be an interesting world to write about.
MATERIAL ON ELORIA
Poems
The Ballad of the Burning Leopard- Telling the origin of the Leopardtrees family, in a time when the blood-bond between humans and leopards was still very strong.
Harp of the Morning- Various transformed shapeshifters have various ideas about what happened when they lost their physical magic. This is the bluebirds' idea of what happened.
Short Stories
Betwixt and Between- A child of the Leopardtrees family has been born malformed. The Leopardtrees Lord, with the help of his friend (the narrator) is trying to decide what to do about it.
Novels
Not currently online, I have almost decided to continue the story of Kyshar, the character introduced in "Betwixt and Between." The novel will probably be called Blood Horses. I will post the first chapter when I have it done.
