This is a side project branching to my already existing project called The rat king's wife, an adventure that takes place in the northern parts of Scotland, in a medieval time. It covers the history of a prophet, healer, and queen of a rat kingdom called Rokfel, a mouse named Ruuna the Golden Heart. My aim with the project is to make an audio play, similar to the unabridged recordings of Brian Jacques' Redwall, one of my biggest influences for this book. I hope you'll join me on this project as I continue to work on the main movie.
Good day everyone! I am happy to announce the Fallen Peak website, and the first part of the Bell Ringer Audiobook! Thanks to all of you who supported the project thus far, you've helped to make this a really fun project. I hope you'll continue to stick with me as I aim to release new chapters every month!
https://fallenpeak.com
Hello Everyone! I'm very excited to announce the second round of casting for the Golden Heart Audiobook! I encourage all who would like to have another chance to fill a role for the book to audition here: https://cstng.cc/projects/golden-heart-audio-book-part-2
Thanks to you all for sticking with me throughout the project and I hope to see you out there!
Brian is the father of Ruuna, a sailor turned farmer after he married his wife Lilac. He is a quiet yet cunning mouse who can be a little neglectful, though most times he doesn't mean it. There are two things he loves most in the world, sailing, and his family. He has a drier voice that is clean since he has never smoked a day in his life. (The voice I imagine he has is that of Martin the Warrior or Gonf the mouse theif, from the unabridged recordings of the redwall books, voiced by Marc Jacques.)
“I heard that you fought that evil beast quite well. But you are still quite young and inexperienced despite your fighting spirit! Here, have this scone.”
“Right, I’ve almost searched everything!” Brian is pulled out of the cabin by force. “Why’d you go and do that for?! I told you; I was almost done!”
“What are yah goin’ off about mate? See, I needed a wash break, besides I don’t have anything to give yah!”
I am looking for an illustrator to do the cover art for my book in a traditional pencil style linework with color, as well as illustrations within the book itself. In regards to payments, I expect to pay $200 USD for the cover art, but this is something that is negotiable. The style I'm looking for is similar to this artist's style: https://www.deviantart.com/dekabristmouse
*Say something you think would fit*
Rope-burn is a well practiced sailor with many years of ship faring experience over the open seas. He's not much of a fighter, but he knows no fear. Not much surprises him, but he still has a heart of right, or maybe it's a hatred for pirates' that motivates him, no-one knows. He has a fairly coarse voice from yelling over the loudness of the seas.
“Flyin’ squirrels, I’d hate to be one of ‘em rats! Hehe, I’d be havin’ him walk the plank if ever I got the chance!”
“Whatever you are doin’ in there, I want in. I don’t care if it’s food, or whatever it is you’re after, count me as your ship mate. I feel like causing some strife for that cruel beast after what he’s done!”
“Best be Careful with that stab, mouse! Lest you want a bigger one in yer back! Look!”
Rootbag (called that by Skoglar and his crew) is a rat who had fallen in love with the wrong person and was led astray, thinking that she could spoil in his treasure with him and live a happy life. It did not last and she was thrown into a cage on the ship below deck to rot. She has a yearning for revenge against Skoglar, for neglecting her, and leaving her to die. She aims to get to him through Finlay, who gives his undeserved kindness to try and help her, feeling pity for her state. She has a fairly horse and weak voice, being abandoned for so long.
“He’s got us locked in here till we get to sea, and I, even longer than that...” The voice said tiredly. “Sorry, forgot me manners. I’m called Rootbag .”
“With the racket you made, I’d be surprised if the whole ship isn’t awake by now!”
“Hold on now sweety, I didn’t say that I couldn’t help some . No need to get your ears in a knot. Right, now listen carefully…”
Skoglar is the Viking marmot captain of the ship called “Luach fola”, a ship stolen and repurposed as a treasure seeking pirate's ship. All that is on his mind is finding the secret treasure of the Burnham family, a treasure long forgotten on the northern islands of Fallen-Peak. He is cunning, yet he revels in the joy of pirating, and sailing. His self-righteous view of himself tends to get the better of him.
“So, ye be the scallywag who dared t’battle a Viking near twice yer bulk! Ho-Ho-Ho! Ye be a brave soul, ain’t ye...”
“Oi, hoist that sail and set it westward! Haul up the anchor and secure it in its rightful hold! Ye there! Gather all them slaves, every last scurvy one, and set ‘em to rowin’! We be needin’ all the might we can muster to steer clear of the sandbars and cliffs! Ar har-har-har-har-har! The seas will be me dancin’ partner yet!”
“Some scurvy mate stole me precious elderberry wine! When I discover the scoundrel, I’ll send ‘em down to the depths of the seas and back! And as for that scallywag’s carcass, it’ll make fine fish bait, mark me words!”
Ana is a soft voiced mouse maiden who is to be wed to the king rat of Rokfel, Meier. She has an air of innocence like a child that sometimes gets herself into trouble, but she is also calm and sensitive, always wanting to listen to her friends. She enjoys singing, as it helps to calm her own spirit, as well as others who listen to her voice.
(Ana bumps into her friend by accident) “Forgive me, kind soul, I didn’t mean to bump into you like that… (gasp!) Dotty, are you alright? Oh… I’ve gone and hastened myself into trouble again, haven’t I?”
“That carol that I was singing is a very special song, it holds in its lyric’s, sayings of this beautiful land we all live in! It was passed down to me through my mother, as an heirloom from my great grandmother. But it is also a sad one for me to sing, because it is the only memory I have left of my younger years.”
(This is a place where you can provide a singing sample, Sing whatever you please. The style of singing I am searching for sounds like the singing in this video. https://youtu.be/RWCFtWks32o)
This is the main role of the book, the narration. It's actually more than that, as the narrator is actually also a character within the book named Sir Harry Feather-claw, the head scholar of an ancient rat kingdom. What I'm looking for is someone who knows how to tell a story, someone who knows how to set a mood, and knows how to set pacing. For reference, the voice I have in my head would be the author and narrator of the redwall books: Brian jacques.
At the epicentre of this culinary marvel resided a large wooden bowl brimming with a delicious spring salad. Within its verdant depths, a medley of vibrant radishes, purple and golden carrots, luscious early lettuce, and hearty chestnuts intertwined, creating a tapestry of flavours. Seasoned artfully with an assortment of herbs and an array of other nuts, it promised a delightful symphony of textures, the crunchiness of the early root-vegetables marrying harmoniously with the nutty undertones.
“Thank thee, my Liege. This legend is not as well-known as the others here in this kingdom, for it lasted not but five seasons. However, the tale extends much further back than that. Thanks to the efforts of our king, and to old Mother Bell of Heartwood Abbey, we now have a much fuller depiction of this mouse called Golden Heart, and her lore to follow.”
The wind was strong, impeding not only his vision but also his ability to soar unhindered. In an abrupt moment of sheer terror, a resounding -CRACK! – reverberated through the stormy expanse, lightning striking with merciless precision just ahead of Finlay’s beleaguered form! Caught unawares, he instinctively flapped his wings in a fervent attempt to evade the scorching blaze of the bolt or manoeuvre around it, yet the relentless gusts had depleted his remaining strength, rendering his efforts futile. Helplessly, he plummeted from the heavens, gathering velocity with each passing moment, his gaze fixated on the swiftly approaching ground! Panic consumed him as he frantically unfurled his wings, hoping to decelerate his descent. Instead, it sent him into a spiral as he realized that his right wing had become damaged and filled with holes. Unable to slow his fall, he covered his vulnerable head in a last-ditch effort to shield himself.
Bell is a young badger maiden that portrays herself as strong and tough outwardly, while having a timid and soft heart. She tries to be the mother she never had, giving creatures someone to lean on, yet battling her own fears and trials.
“Now look what you’ve gone and done, you hard-headed nut! You’ve gone and made her cry!”
“You don’t have to be afraid of us. We won’t eat you. Here, I know it’s not much, but I have a small scrap you can eat...”
“Oh, quiet you! She did nothing wrong, we are free creatures, and we have families to go back to! What she did was brave and true! We shouldn’t let the fear of them control us!”
Slagg is a gopher and first mate to the Viking captain Skoglar, a treasure seeking villain of the Fallen-peak highlands. His goal is to round up slaves, and find someone who can decipher the map that leads to the treasure they want to find. He is greedy, yet somewhat charismatic, but with a hot temper about him, he has an air that tends to put fear into other creatures, as they think he might snap and kill someone.
"Oi! This be a good lil catch, Ain’t it? Hah! I’m bettin’ no beast be stoppin’ us!"
“Hahahaha, be that the case, ye wee rascal? Oi! Scratch-nose, Red-claw, Stubb! Let's teach 'em a lesson in how to behave under the new captain!”
“Nay, 'cause no beast be tellin'! Ain't that right, mates?!”
Finlay is an energetic, free spirited cave-bat who was board learning about ancient artifacts, and wanted to spread his wings. He had found himself captured on the ship of Skoglar, a viking captain that Finlay had sworn to defeat one day. Finlay is young yet very stubborn, with a sense of right, to free the good creatures that Skoglar had captured as slaves on the ship.
“Ow! Why you! I’ll get out of here one day! Mark my words, me, and anyone you have captive here!”
“(Sigh) Fantastic, I’m as talented as a flightless duck!”
“You told me that you were starved. By the looks of it, you’re not lying.” Finlay said plainly. “Like Brian said, if we good creatures stick together and bide our time, we can escape this floating prison! I just know we can.” Finlay’s voice was strong with resolve.
Ruuna is a little girl in the first have of the book, being slightly childish and imaginative. she has a love for playing with her sister and best friend Dilly, her neighbor from the next town over.
Later in the book, she grows a little to be a more spirited yet good loving creature, wanting to fight for her friends, and not caring too much about girly things.
“Oi! I’ll be down in an instant!” Young Ruuna’s childish voice replied playfully. “Right. Mr. Butterfly, I’m going to go home now and munch! I’ll be back after, I promise!” Ruuna told her little fluttery friend before running back toward her home.
"Let go of me! I don't wanna do the dishes! I wanna go home, and see Dilly, my mum and Dada again! Let go!"
“Bell told me that you found the wine for me last night.” She said as she got up and approached Quint. “And for that, I should thank you. Here. Take one of my blankets. It will help warm you up.”
Quint is a young, orphaned rat who lives with the stigma of being a rat. He thinks that mice are goody two shoes, and don't get the same outlook as rats do, seeing how they are more trusted than rats. Quint is very quick to retaliate or snap back with sarcasm when provoked. He's not used to being treated with kindness, so it catches him off guard.
“If you don’t wanna end like her, then make sure you don’t make ‘em mad.”
“Why help her? She did nothing for us.”
“What’s it matter to you?! You wouldn’t care if I was a sea rat or not! I’m just a rat, and that’s enough for everyone else to hate me…”
Lilac is a wheat farmer and the mouse wife of Brian, who lived at their farm house near Burrowside fields, the plains of Fallen-Peak highlands. She wants to keep her family trade of farming alive, as well as keep her family safe. She is soft and kind, yet can be worked up by the smallest thing sometimes. She gets easily depressed when she isn't able to accomplish something, and gets easily frustrated when she can't control something. She is usually very warm and inviting.
“Mr. butterfly? Is this a new friend you’ve made?” Ruuna nodded eagerly, excited to share about, her adventures with the mysterious fluttering friend. “Where is he now? Is he out in the fields helping to till?” Lilac asked playfully to her daughter.
“Four days?! Oh, Brian and Ruuna will be as good as dead without someone to look after them!”
“I’m just worried, Harriet. I’m worried to the end of my whiskers about them. They are the only family I have, and I’m troubled that I won’t see them again… I hope they are both alright.”
