Mermaid Pirate Dispatch

Follow the adventures of Thomas the Soothfinder in the medieval kingdom of Riverwood. Here you’ll find all of the stories, including supplemental side stories, listed in order.

1. The Ache of Youth
2. Archibald’s Flight
3. The Missing Shovel
4. Isabel and the Owl
5. A Dead Man’s Runes: Part 1
6. A Dead Man’s Runes: Part 2
7. A Trail of Broken Hearts
8. A Knight in Riverwood
9. The Luparius and the Shears

Come back for more and let me know in the comments what you think so far!

As always, thank you for reading.

A Note on Anachronisms

The 2001 film A Knight’s Tale (one of my favorites) was criticized for using modern music (among a litany of other anachronistic sins). In the opening scenes we see a throng of people crowded in stands around jousting lists pounding on railings and clapping along to “We Will Rock You,” just as you’d see at a modern sporting event. Those filmmakers made the conscious decision to use anachronisms to give the feeling of how life was in the medieval world. If all of the music had been historically accurate, modern audiences would have been bored by their dancing. They wanted to show that medieval people enjoyed their dancing and music just as much as we do.

Believe it or not, I have done a fair amount of research into the historical era I am using as a backdrop for the Soothfinder stories (the early 14th century). However, I am also selectively ignoring that research in order to tell the stories I wish to tell. This is to say that any anachronistic missteps are likely on purpose, though if you are an expert on the time period and you know of a way to accomplish my storytelling objectives without sacrificing historical accuracy, please feel free to weigh in with your thoughts. Thank you!