Skins:

Skins takes place in a fantasy world known as Wratheren. It is a story of long dead magical traditions, the moving of reality to myth, and back again. Skins is a Series project that may involve up to 8 books or more in total.

World Summary
Wratheren is a single continent ruled by three kingdoms, the High, Middle, and Low kingdoms. Humans are the only inhabitants, but myth and legend saturate the world with stories of the elves, fae, and witches of the past. While many still believe the old tales, many still are beginning to think that myth and legend is all they ever were - and now they are used as a means to power. Indeed, the rulers and prominent families of Wratheren all claim to have ancient ancestry, and that the blood (while diluted) of elves and fae run through their veins.

The claim of Ancient Ancestry is not one taken lightly, and proof must be submitted to a council of the three kingdoms for approval: The High Kingdom, ruled by Elfin ancestor, the Middle Kingdom, ruled by Witch ancestry, and the Low Kingdom, ruled by Fae ancestry.

A new family emerged near the turn of the century, claiming to have the sought after legitimacy provided by ancient blood. After being approved by the council, for 80 years clan Greymire has been sweeping through the continent and influencing prominent families and kings. Problem is, no one knows exactly who they are claiming ancestry to. Suspicions rise as one by one the kingdoms approve a reformation movement proposed and overseen by clan Greymire.

It seems the only Kingdom remaining uninfluenced is the Low Kingdom, refusing to allow Greymire influence across their borders, and denying their claim to Ancient Ancestry. The Low Kingdom seems to be a haven for anyone seeking refuge from the new reform, which segregates people considered unworthy into a working class - which are essentially a slavery driven workforce.

However the Low Kingdom may not be everything it seems, and as it declares war on the Middle Kingdom the world skyrockets into a state of distress, oppression, and anarchy.

Plot Summary

Ariana is the only child of King Thurred and Queen Astera of the High Kingdom. Claiming the closest relation to Ancient Ancestry of all the families in Wratheren, The Hielfe Clan takes its name from "high elf" - the ancestry to which they claim relation. A complete linage is kept on record, dating back to the last full blood elvin king, King, Lieth. Even now the current descendants of the Hielfe clan retain a slight point in their ears, the only physical trait boasted by any family to signify Ancient Ancestry. A child when clan Greymire makes the scene, she is faced with decisions that will unknowingly change the world.

Illia is a girl living in a rural town near the base of the High Kingdom. Her community stems from the most prominent wood elf colony ever established, near a forest known as the Living Wood. While it is believed that the entire community is related to the wood elves, there is no recorded history of linage, so no one has been able to make a successful claim to wood elf ancestry in her area. The forest they say, used to be migratory, and the wood elves knew the language of the trees. A quiet girl, Illia spends most of her time listening, be it to the wind, or to the strange lessons that she and her friends are subject to during the Greymire reform. When a child turns 17, they are either indoctrinated into society or deemed unworthy, and forced into the working class. When Illia discovers what really goes on during the coming of age ceremony, she is forced to run, and the Greymire will stop at nothing to prevent her from revealing what she knows.

These and other characters meet as the struggle to escape clan Greymire becomes a fight to stop them- Illia must journey across Wratheren to escape the Greymire, and in the process she discovers that there is more magic left in the world that what people believe.

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All concepts, artwork, and ideas expressed on this site are the intellectual property of Erin Ewer and protected under copyright law. © 2008