#Yopál

[nih-piutyilo-quniez]

About the Author

Ciarán Eldritch is a disabled, bisexual, genderfluid Latino Muslim. He grew up surrounded by most books, especially fantasy books, being centered around white straight able-bodied characters. Having no characters to relate to, he decided he would have to write his own stories to get the representation he wanted. He started writing Nih Piutyilɵ Quñiez to go against the ableism and racism typically seen in the fantasy genre, and because of his love for worldbuilding.

The novel centers around disabled, magic, queer characters of color with PTSD, and follows their struggles with society, religion, cultural identity, and mental health following trauma and war. Many of these struggles were personal to Ciarán, and a way to share his own experiences and struggles.

About the Novel

In Asucatan, capital of Esjara controlled Yopál, there are many strange rules. Things that came about shortly after they settled there and started to adapt to the harsh environment. First, never go outside during the day. Second, never use arcane magic. Third, do not interact with los licantropos del sol. And fourth, under absolutely no circumstances, go outside on La Noche de Lechuza.

For Ciríaco, one of los licantropos, he could never follow any of those rules. Though he wished he could. Orphaned, poor, and left taking care of his 4 young siblings, Ciríaco just wants to be able to get by. He knows nothing of the condition he's afflicted with, nothing about his family or who he is. Struggling to provide for his family and manage his own physical and mental health, he becomes desperate for answers. With no one willing to give him any information, he decides to break the one rule he hadn't broken yet: going outside during La Noche de Lechuza.

On the opposite side of the island, Lâii lives in isolation in the ruins of the monastery she once called home. Her tribe, the Ixaili, have existed on Ngiachpaun before any recorded history. Their entire existence, they've been pacifistic protectors of nature and holders of the knowledge of the Old Gods, completely isolated from mortals. But the mortals found them, and the bloodshed that ensued left Lâii the only monk of her tribe's religion left. Lâii, though, doesn't want to be part of her tribe or a monk. Struggling to manage her trauma, she wants to be alone and try to find an answer to why her god would abandon her like this.

Zchá, like Lâii, is from the Ixaili Tribe, though a different group. She grew up on the western, largely Muslim side of Xáou lɤá, among the Ja'qín. Now though, she lives with the remainder of her tribe in Southern Ngechyoh. Forced into semi-exile for actions she made when she was younger, she serves as Lâii's only connection to the tribe and the rest of the world. Both she and Lâii are fast approaching a trial that will decide their future- their life or death. Terrified neither of them will pass, she does her best to please the tribe's elders as well as keep Lâii on the right path.

One of their only hopes is finding a legendary figure- The late leader of the Ixaili's son. Quñaii, the lost healer. Not only was he blessed by their god and said to hold immense powers, he would be the next in line for leadership, but no one knows where he is after the attack to the Northern Temple. Desperate and impulsive, Lâii ventures off in search of Quñaii, but when she finds him, he's far from what she expected.

In a story of high-fantasy and magic, three young disabled queer warlocks must work together while they struggle with identity, faith, and culture following tragedy and war. Nih Piutyilɵ Quñiez is a high fantasy novel centering around three characters of color struggling with their own identities, culture, and religion- all while under the threat of war, violence, and prejudice that surrounds them.

Read on Wattpad