Marcus Constantinides in Albion Sub Terra
Marcus and Dmitri are men of the Ares Mons who came with Philippa Agrippa to Vindavia Nova. The Army has withdrawn, and they have taken up shepherding. Marcus has a special new sheepdog, Rosa, a rare and valuable Agassian hound. It's time to move the flocks to the summer meadow. On the way back, there's a thick fog. Rosa suddenly disappears. The men both run after her. They are swallowed by a sea of pebbles, and end up in an underground world. It is the mysterious realm of the Two Kingdoms of Caer Hudol and Karrek Du, and the original inhabitants of the region, the Ek. The search for Rosa leads to new friends from both Kingdoms, including members of the royal families, as well as Pompi the parrot, and Fishy the lagaloor. The men also befriend the An Dhew, a gender non-binary service collective, whose motto is, 'We are An Dhew. We are both. We are not one. Nor are we none. We are An Dhew.' When Marcus and Dmitri return to the surface, they discover that an old comrade is waiting to see them, and that more adventures are on the horizon. These books are inspired by the old tales. They are really one story, told across the three volumes, each with a different person's point of view. The stories present the archetypal hero's quest, which involves overcoming obstacles, finding one's place in the world, and connecting with others. These tales are about duty, tolerance, inclusion, kindness, redemption, restoration, accountability, bravery, and self-awareness. We begin on the ground in book one. In book two we go deep down to get to the bottom of things. We transcend in book three, up into the atmosphere. The Mighty Land features weaponry, clothing, footwear, jewelry, gemstones, ships, boats, rafts, maps, rivers, seas, hot tubs, cold pools, gardens, orchards, forests, fortresses, farms, castles, libraries, ice caves, crystal caverns, glowing rocks, an impossibly high tower, and a great deal of food. Also, there are animals, festivals, betrothals, weddings, babies, fashion shows, good songs, bad jokes, spectral resonance, music, augery, and geomancy.