Morevi

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Cover of the print edition.

Tee Morris and Lisa Lee's novel Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe and Askana was published in print by Dragon Moon Press in 2002. The book started out as a chance role-playing session between the two authors, spawning an intense, extensive exchange of material, and they eventually decided to turn it into a book. In 2005, Morris released an abridged version via Podcast, with narration and character voices performed solely by him; Morevi is widely regarded as the first Podiobook. In 2008, he returned to Morevi to podcast the complete novel, with the addition of guest voices and new music and sound effects, available here.

Morevi, a landlocked kingdom shrouded by jungles and mystery, falls under the rule of Askana Moldarin, known in her realm as ?The Black Widow? following her swift and bloody ascent to the throne. In the dawn of this New Age, hidden traitors in her own regime threaten to destroy everything. Askana, independent of council, seeks help to reveal the conspiracy against her. Enter Rafe Rafton, captain of the Defiant, an English privateer during the reign of King Henry VIII. In an unlikely partnership, the two attempt to further their own ends as far as the other will let them, and blow some things up in the process.

The sequel is Legacy of Morevi, with Tee Morris as sole author.

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Tropes Include:

• Action Girl: loads of 'em. The Royal Guard, the Temple Maidens, Askana's handmaidens, and Askana herself are all deadly women with various weapons.
• Arranged Marriage: Askana and Lord Norisht.
• Black Magic: especially Coumiran's attempt to raise Maeve from the dead. Since use of magic is strictly controlled by the Fellowship of the Jewels, any use of magic is seen by some as this.
• Blade On a Stick: the shirai is the Weapon of Choice for any maiden of Nadinath, although they are also skilled with the bow and the ruiyilei.
• Chess Motifs: the Morevian game of par-stern is both actually played and used as a metaphor for elaborate court intrigue. It is never described in detail but seems to be something like chess, Risk, and Go all rolled into one.
• Deadly Decadent Court: the Council of a Hundred Turi enthusiastically plays the Great Game, essentially a national Batman Gambit with each player trying to set themselves up for the best.
• Defrosting Ice Queen: it's "the chronicles of Rafe and Askana." They start out pretty much hating everything the other stands for, but circumstances force them to make an alliance that gradually brings them together.
• Evil Sorcerer: Coumiran.
• Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Morevi has a strong Far East flavor.
• Her Heart Will Go On: Askana loses her lover Telmrant tragically.
• Hey, It's That Voice!: most of the voice actors in the Podcast are well known from other Podiobooks and/or their own projects.
• Historical Domain Character: Henry VIII, several of his queens and notable court figures.
• Historical Fantasy: the part that overlaps with the reader's universe is Tudor England, with comparable levels of technology in Naruihm although guns and cannons are fascinating and new.
• Inn Between the Worlds: the Barrier Reef tavern is somewhere within the Rift, between Naruihm and Rafe's world.
• Lady Land: after the War of the Fan and Slipper that placed Askana on the throne, Morevi is adjusting to being a woman-led nation.
• Lady of War: Askana is the best example.
• The Lost Woods: the Tangled Southern Wood.
• Magical Land: the realm of Naruihm, which includes the countries of Morevi, Eyrie, Lydonesse, and Arathelle.
• Non-Human Sidekick: Lubria, for Askana.
• Our Elves Are Better: the denizens of Arathelle.
• Our Fairies Are Different: Lubria, often described as "the Fae woman" or similar, is somewhere between Catgirl and Petting Zoo People with a tiger motif. She's the only one of her kind we meet, and is supposed to have come from "between the mists."
• Pirates: Rafe Rafton and his crew are privateers for Tudor England.
• Rape As Backstory: Strongly implied to have contributed to Askana's desire for and implementation of her hostile takeover.
• Replacement Sibling: Inverted in that the dead sibling (Maeve) plans to replace the live one (Askana).
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Askana didn't get to be First Queen of Morevi by sitting around, and the entire book involves her actually doing something to keep her throne.
• Warp Whistle: Askana has an amulet that allows her to travel to the Barrier Reef tavern and the Tangled Southern Wood.
• The Woman Wearing the Queenly Mask: Askana.
• You All Meet in An Inn: Askana and Rafe meet for the first time in the Barrier Reef tavern.