Tales Out of Tallis
is a series set in the world of Tallis. It's fairly low fantasy, with a well-developed world and characters. It's an ongoing tale that seems to have been kicked off by a prophecy.
In Dragonlord, Marinus Draak aka Rien aka The River Dragon takes Sir Bastien Kohler prisoner after raiding a castle. Bastien spends the next few chapters proving his own Heroic Resolve before the situation changes and he agrees to swear fealty to Rien in exchange for Rien letting him save his people from an army of trolls.
The main question of the story seems to be will Rien and Bastien manage to save the world before they kill each other.
Stone and Fire is the second in the series, but is actually a prequel detailing the adventures of Rien's elder brothers.
Provides Examples Of:
- Action Girl: Though most of the action is done by the male main characters, there are quite a few women in the story that are handy on the battlefield. The Unitafels that try to attack the children of Thirza and Diantha learn the hard way why you shouldn't provoke Mama Bear.
- Arc Words: Liam's visions cause there to be a few. Pauwel is 'a river an army cannot cross'.
- Badass Family: The Dragon Queen was a badass in her own right, and choose her husbands to be badasses as well. All of her sons are extremely formidable, though some in unexpected ways.
- Batman Gambit: Lammert is very good at ensuring things go according to his plan
- Big Brother Mentor: Rien notes that Jurgen was his father figure, and clearly holds the man in high regard. Jurgen is also the one who taught Lammert to fight. It's also clear Lammert was one to Rien as well, though more of a Trickster Mentor as Rien doesn't seem to realize just how much Lammert influenced him.
- Beware the Silly Ones: Rien is a fairly jovial individual. He's also a One-Man Army. He gets it from his father and older brother.
- The Big Guy: All of the Draaks, including Thirza, stand over six feet in height.
- Born Under the Sail: The Ilael are a seagoing culture, sometimes even raising their children on the ships. They also serve as a Proud Merchant Race.
- Chekhov's Gun: Due to Liam's power, there are a lot of these. A couple are inadvertent. Liam plays a prank on Jurgen, using his power to make Jurgen believe Liam can fight while blind. Jurgen then spends the next twenty years developing a technique for blindfighting, since he now believes it possible. He teaches it to Rien, who uses it to fight trolls when recovering the dragon sword.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: There is a lot of cultural gulfs between the Wilders and the people of Solsthriem. Rien doesn't feel he was wrong to take Bastien as a slave. Bastien disagrees. Wilders are considered adults at a mere 12, and have a much more egalitarian view of women and laid back attitude toward sex.
- Deus ex Machina: Some of the events in the story appear to come out of nowhere, ensuring the characters have exactly what they need to escape a hopeless situation. Since Lammert can see the future, he simply set things up ahead of time and waited
- Dumb Blonde: Averted. Both of the twins are intelligent and well-educated
- Easily Forgiven: The other characters are pragmatic enough to work with Rien, though there are still definitely some grudges over his past behavior.
- Everyone Is Bi: At least in the Wildlands. The Wilders apparently have no stigma toward bisexuality or extramarital relations, and their culture doesn't seem to include the concept of bastard children.
- The Evil Prince: Rutger and Phillip
- Family Man: The male main characters of Stone and Fire are all loving and dedicated fathers
- Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Played straight with the four main characters of Dragonlord. Maela can use a sword for dueling purposes, but neither she or Rachel are combat trained while both the male characters have trained for battle their entire lives. Several other female characters avert this, such as Diantha.
- Go-Go Enslavement: Rien has Maela dress Bastien so Rien can better ogle him.
- Happiness in Slavery: Maela and Rachel are thrilled at finding themselves with Master Rien. Bastien not so much.
- Happily Adopted: Liam is far happier with his adopted family than he ever was with his birth family
- Honor Before Reason: Bastien's life would be a lot easier if he had just slit Rien's throat the first time he had the opportunity, but he keeps his oath of fealty anyway.
- Idiot Ball: Most of Rien's character development comes from realizing he spent entirely too long being completely oblivious to what was going on around him. In his defense, it later becomes clear that Liam actively took steps to keep Rien from realizing part of what was going on in an effort to protect his youngest brother.
- I Gave My Word: If Bastien gives his word, he will keep it. Interestingly enough, Rien seems to share this trait, and Bastien notes that the fact Rien does trust him is a good indication that Rien himself can be trusted.
- Kingmaker Scenario: Bastien killing the dragon instead of Rien means that whoever "wields" him is the ruler of the Wildlands.
- The Lancer: Bastien serves as the second and foil to Rien, and its hinted Lammert used to be the same for Jurgen.
- Lovable Sex Maniac: Both played straight and averted with Rien. He's very focused on his physical pleasure and does make sure his partner gets off as well, but Bastien calls him on the fact that Rien is technically raping him
- Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: The mistreatment results from a misunderstanding, but in Stone and Fire you can almost pinpoint the exact second Rutger became willing to kill his older brothers. Liam promised he'd never share Rutger's secret, but unfortunately, Jurgen figured out part of it on his own due to knowing of Liam's ability, and unknowingly let that slip during a conversation.
- My Master, Right or Wrong: Despite being clearly unhappy with the situation and arguing with Rien often, if Rien gives Bastien an order, Bastien will follow it.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: It's hard to tell when Rien is indulging in this and when he really is that stupid.
- Old Friend: Everyone is concerned about what will happen when Rien meets the king of Solsthriem. Turns out Wendel and Liam have apparently been friends for years and adventured together.
- Old-School Chivalry: Bastien and Aurel are strong believers in the code of knighthood, though Rien's behavior tends to cause Bastien to have to set it aside.
- Omniscient Hero: Rien is starting to wonder if Lammert knows everything. Lammert maintains that he is Not So Omniscient After All
- Parental Favoritism: Thirza definitely plays favorites. Jurgen is her firstborn and gets some privilege from that, but it's clear Rutger is Momma's Boy. That may have been why Jurgen raised Rien
- Polyamory: Open relationships seem to be normal in the Wildlands, with bed slaves being common. One of the things that proves Liam is culturally Ilael rather than Wilder is that he is strictly monogamous.
- Princeling Rivalry: A major factor in both stories.
- Prophetic Names: Though Rien wasn't 'the River Dragon', he was 'the River's Dragon', with 'the River' being a reference to Pauwel.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Played with. The Wilders have Blood Knight tendencies, but they aren't disciplined or cooperative enough to actually pose much of a threat. The one time they were, they took over the world.
- Red Baron: The Stone and River Dragons, as well as the Phoenix, are known only by their nicknames in various places.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Jurgen and Rien are both princes, as technically is Lammert. Wendel also grabs a sword when needed. And the reason Liam doesn't mind being stripped of all his Wildlands titles and lands? He's the king of the Ilael.
- Sixth Ranger: Lammert organizes the escape from Darodelf
- Sir Swearsalot: Rien really brings this trait out in Bastien
- Underestimating Badassery : Rutger made a serious mistake when he decided he was going to take Lammert on.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Rien and Bastien start as enemies, have some Rivals Team Up moments, move through Fire-Forged Friends, and seem to have settled on this. Bastien and Maela also engage in the occasional insult slinging contest, though this appears to be more affectionate than vitriolic.
- Would Not Shoot a Civilian: For all their Blood Knight tendencies, the Wilders are openly appalled by the fact that the Unitafels Would Hurt a Child and attack those that have not taken up arms.
- Zero-Approval Gambit: Liam deliberately distances himself from Rien, causing Rien to end up actively disliking him for most of Dragonlord. This was to avoid giving Rutger any sort of reason to deliberately target Rien when Rutger started moving against his elder brothers.
