MEET THE CHARACTERS, NO.4
The Outsiders
Welcome to another introduction to the characters of the upcoming serialised fiction, The Map Maker. I couldn’t stand posting about another demigod duo. However, now that we’re here, I must admit that I’m not as excited as usual. Why? Well, I secretly don’t like the Ingredient-Borns.
I must have been around six when I first started making Fistbump the Sky. I wanted a place to explore whenever I was hyperactive. A place that wasn’t some auntie’s house or a farm outside of town. It didn’t have a name then, nor a frog god, but I knew every mountain and every stream. It was a world without creatures or lore, and I loved it.
As I developed, the demigods were created, and as the story developed, so were the creatures. They were needed, not wanted, and I simply don’t care for them.
I suppose some psychologist would read this one day and say, “Aha! That’s why there’s a disconnect between the gods and their creations!” Perhaps, but I’ve never seen gods or the Creator(s) as one who cares about us. It doesn’t make sense how a force powerful enough to create galaxies has the time or care for a single human. Even if you did reach out to them through prayer or meditation, would they be able to hear you over all the other prayers and thoughts? We could debate this for years, but I believe a disconnect between the Great Frog and the Ingredient-Born creatures was needed not only as a narrative plot twist but as an element of logic.
Nevertheless, the Ingredient-Born characters are part of The Map Maker and deserve an introduction, even if I consider them unnecessary.
TERMS
GODS:
Creatures powerful enough to create planets. These are beings such as the Great Frog, who made Fistbump the Sky, and his enemy, the evil fox.
DEMIGODS:
The Great Frog accidentally created these creatures from the seeds embedded in the cake, Fistbump the Sky.
The inhabitants sometimes call them the “Seed-Borns” and “gods” as they were made by the demigods. But, make no mistake, compared to the Great Frog, they are very much demigods.
CREATURES:
Sometimes referred to as “Ingredient-Born,” they were made by the demigods when they combined parts of themselves with the baking ingredients that made the cake known as Fistbump the Sky.
Meet JENG,
The founder of Jengu
Jeng is one of the youngest creatures and the epitome of annoying talent. Jeng's profound laziness led him to invent machines to make their lives more comfortable, especially after the start of the Great Migration. When he got bored of his inventions, he would often cause trouble with Chock Block. Sadly, he only saw Chock Block as a fun way to release his frustration. The only creature he loved was Abama, whom he considered his sister, despite such words not existing in their world. Abama and Jeng created the first form of trans-territory communication when they realised they would end up in different territories. Jeng also helped invent the first flying house, all to stay close to Abama even though territories separated them.
Fun Fact: His outfit is a grocery bag. Efficient, right?
Meet Grun,
The co-founder of Kaff-Lirla
A firm believer in giving to receive, she dislikes the other creatures, believing them to be wasteful. Aside from Hush, she prefers the company of plants. With the ability to communicate with plants and seeds embedded in her body, it’s no surprise that she became one of the founders of Kaff-Lirla, the territory of farmers and healers.
Fun Fact: Grun was originally going to be the god of growth. There was originally going to be one god for every territory, but I thought that would be redundant. So, because Grun's appearance was too obviously orientated towards plant growth, I made her a gardener instead of a god.
That brings this week’s introductions to an end. Thank you for reading this letter and, hopefully, signing up to read The Map Maker. If you’re interested in reading more about the fantasy world of Fistbump the Sky, then you’d be happy to know that there are monthly encyclopedia chapters that will be available on the official store this year. Until then, you can read Chapter One’s ebook on Amazon.
Until next time,
Lu
