5 Things Readers Miss in The Scholars of Elandria Series
From tiny Easter eggs to subtle character traits, I cram a lot of details into each of my books. And it’s easy to miss some of them, but I think they’re lots of fun! Here are some things that readers miss when they read The Scholars of Elandria series.
The Name Deyoni
In my books, the Deyoni are a nomadic people who are not accepted as members of Elandrian society. The treatment of the Deyoni is one of the major plot points throughout the series. But most readers don’t know the actual meaning of the name Deyoni.
Deyoni comes from the Navajo words for “outsider, foreigner, stranger” and “someone excluded.” The first word is “'éyónį́” and the second is “déʼéyóní.” The idea came from my husband when I was trying to name this culture. He suggested I use a Native American word for outsider. I looked at several languages, but the Navajo was the easiest to meld into my purposes.
Which leads me to the next point…
Cultural Fusion
I’ve had readers tell me that the Deyoni remind them of the Romani/Roma people (we don’t use the gy**y in this house because it’s a slur). I’ve had readers tell me the Deyoni make them think of various Native American tribes and the Mongols. Which one is correct?
The answer is yes. Aspects of their culture are influenced by all of these. The Romani and Plains Indian (such as Cherokee) are the biggest influences. The Deyoni language features bastardized words from Romani, Cherokee, and Navajo. For example, the Forest of Seluya, which is burned in The Sage’s Consort, comes from the Cherokee word for forest: “tsaluyi.”
Amarice’s horse, Atsila, is named for the Cherokee word for “fire.” Quinn’s horse, “Nivasi,” is named from a water spirit in…some culture. I can’t find it in my notes. Many of the place names throughout Elandria are “Deyoni” words that are derived from real languages.
The Messenger System
In Elandria, there is a Messenger system. Messengers have fast horses that they ride from outpost to outpost to pass it on to another Messenger and horse. It’s pretty damn fast for a culture that doesn’t even have trains yet.
The Messenger system is based on the Pony Express. It was a mail system relay in the US that extended from Missouri to California in the mid 1800s. It didn’t last very long as the transcontinental railroads began expanding, but it was very effective. In Elandria, it’s better organized with more routes and more Messengers.
Amarice and Raymond are Queer
I don’t explicitly state this fact until The Sage’s War. And, well, it’s still pretty subtle for Raymond. Raymond is bisexual but heteroromantic. Amarice is bisexual but on the aromantic spectrum (specifically grey-romantic.)
Everyone knows Jack swings every which way. He’s definitely pansexual. Honestly, most of Elandria falls somewhere under the queer umbrella. It’s mostly just in small, conservative villages like Corthy that it’s not accepted.
Also, in most of Elandria, polyamory, or at least ethical nonmonogamy, is the norm.
Deyoni Dance is American Tribal Style Belly Dance
Quinn notices that all the women who dance seem to have an infinite number of choreographed dances memorized. But it’s actually improvisational—there are specific movements that Deyoni females learn from a young age, and those are combined in random patterns. Leaders decide the movements and they rotate through with a visual cue when they’re ready for someone else to take the lead. Together it looks choreographed.
This is how American Tribal Style belly dance works. This improvisational dance was created by Fat Chance Belly Dance. It’s also the style of dance that I learned (I never got past level 1). Even though it’s modern, it pulls from belly dance styles across the world to create something that feels magically ancient.
Here’s a video to watch an example. Remember, none of this is choreographed.
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