Dear reader,
I shall introduce myself as though I were your friend, though I may not be. To you, I am a writer behind a screen. I compete for your short-lived attention as do all corporations and social medias. So why have you come here?
Your life is likely rather drab. But there is something about life that invokes terror and awe. While fantasy is an escape from life into the realm of mischevous creativities where the sword and pen hold dominion, my fantasy is different. Should you venture deeper into this site, you shall find a fantasy balanced upon a knife’s edge where on one side sits the magic of mythos and on the other the pillars of salt upon which stand the kings of Europe wrestling for power like water in a desert. Orilon is a setting where medieval history meets the magic and monsters once thought to roam freely.
Hector Valerious is the story of an eccentric sorcerer’s fear of death, a lady’s escape from an unwilling betrothal, and the mystery of how a civil war, magical catastrophy, foreign emperor, ancient dragon, rebellious prince, and burned library form a web of lies that hide the secret behind immortality. This is a novel that I have been perfecting for years. Seemingly separate subplots of romance, politics, history, and humour form a web of subtle connections where every single detail comes together to ensure that Hector Valerious can never escape death.
You can be notified when my novel is published by joining my Discord server. There you can recieve regular updates and early access. Also check out Lords of the Rings, a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game set in the world of Orilon where Hector Valerious takes place. Until then, I bid you farewell, and if you ever look to me, you shall find me following the compass rose.
Sincerely,
Bane Janzen
Some More About Me
My favorite books: Some of my favorite books are Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, Time of the Twins by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, and The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.
My hobbies: I regularly play TTRPGs including Dungeons & Dragons and Triangle Agency. I also practice swordfighting with rapiers, sideswords, longswords, and messers.
Favorite video games: I like games that dunk you into a unique world wherein you must unravel a mystery. My favorites include Outer Wilds, Inscryption, OneShot, Infra, and Baldur’s Gate. I am also somehow obsessed with Cities: Skylines.
My studies. I have a bachelor’s degree in history (honours) from the University of British Columbia. My honours thesis was “The Bay Fleet Capture: An Act of Corruption and Piracy Between England and the Hanseatic League, 1449.”
Join the Orilon Discord Server
Join my personal server to get frequent updates about my writing, early access to Hector Valerious, and join the conversation around Lords of the Backstairs.