In the shadowed days before history was written, the forest now called Pine Fork Hills was a place of strange and wondrous happenings. Beneath its dense canopy, which shielded the forest's secrets from the outside world, creatures of legend roamed, weaving their magic into every corner of the woods until the very air hummed with power.

Through the centuries, an ancient and fearsome presence moved silently among the trees and over the rugged hills—a guardian, neither beast nor man, whose will shaped the forest’s fate. When the first people stepped into its depths, it watched them closely. Those who sought to harm the forest were driven out by its unseen force, while those who respected its ways found themselves protected, as if guided by an unseen hand.

As time passed, adventurers came seeking riches and glory, but the forest had no patience for greed. One by one, they vanished, their tales forgotten. Yet today, a young girl walks the paths of Pine Fork Hills—paths trodden by so many before her. She seeks nothing from the forest. But, in its quiet and timeless way, the forest is watching her.

The world of Pine Fork Hills sprang to life from the vivid imagination of a 10-year-old dreamer. Aislinn first penned her story, The Mean Evergreen, in a small notebook, its pages filled with her own words and hand-drawn illustrations. With excitement, she shared it with her parents, who helped refine her ideas, edit her work, and organize it into the final version that would later be published.

Every paragraph of her story was paired with a carefully chosen image, as Aislinn spent countless hours bringing her vision to life with the help of DALL-E 3. She poured over renderings, ensuring each captured the magic and mystery of her world before settling on the perfect match.

This is The Mysterious Happenings of Pine Fork Hills—a tale born from the limitless creativity of a young mind and shared with the world as a testament to the power of imagination.

What follows is the prologue of The Tome of Knowledge, a perfect explanation of the Ice Age of Theras Series.

In the remote echelons of time, where history blends into myth, there lies the world of Theras, a realm enshrouded in the relentless grip of an eternal winter. It is a land where the sun's weak rays barely pierce the perpetual frost, where the howling winds carry whispers of ancient secrets and forgotten lore. This is the setting of our tale, a story woven from the threads of ambition, magic, and the indomitable will to survive.

In the heart of this frigid expanse, colossal structures known only as Temples rise like monoliths against the bleak, icy skyline. These massive buildings, more akin to self-contained cities, are the bastions of civilization in this harsh world. Each Temple, a labyrinth of stone and ice, buzzes with life, sheltering its inhabitants from the relentless cold that reigns outside. The Temples are not just mere refuges; they are the cradles of power for the ruling religious order, a dictatorial and totalitarian regime that governs with an iron fist and a zealot's fervor. 

The dominant religion of Theras, the Kerk, venerates a pantheon of deities collectively known as the Vol. The Vol, as enigmatic as they are powerful, are worshipped through elaborate rituals and strict doctrines that permeate every facet of life within the Temples. The religion's absolute authority is upheld by the D'Tal Inquisitors, a fearsome and ruthless cadre of enforcers. These inquisitors, cloaked in mystery and feared by all, are the relentless hunters of heresy. Their mere presence evokes a sense of dread, for to be marked by an Inquisitor is to face a fate worse than death. A D'Tal Inquisitor, cloaked in shadows and authority, shall not shy from sullying their hands in the direst of needs. Yet, oft they call upon their Velnias Knights, fearsome and resolute, to wreak havoc upon any perceived threat. These knights, armored in the dread of their reputation, are the instruments of utter destruction, wielded by the Inquisitor's unyielding will.

The ironclad rule of the religious order leaves no room for dissent. To reject the Church is to be cast out into the merciless embrace of the frozen wilderness. Life outside the Temples is a struggle against unfathomable odds, a daily battle against the elements where only the hardiest and most cunning can hope to survive. Yet, in these forsaken expanses, far from the watchful eyes of the Inquisitors, lie the seeds of rebellion and the flickering flames of hope.

Theras, however, was not always a world encased in ice. Ages ago, it was known by another name, Callistad – a name now uttered only in hushed tones, as if speaking it louder might awaken the ghosts of the past. This forgotten era, lost to the annals of time, was a period of prosperity and warmth, a stark contrast to the present. But no records of Callistad remain, its stories and truths buried under layers of snow and silence, its existence almost a myth. 

In this world, where the lines between the natural and the supernatural blur, magic is as real as the cold that bites into flesh. It flows through the very essence of Theras, a tangible force that shapes the land and its people. Magic is wielded by the adept and feared by the ignorant, a tool for both creation and destruction.

The inhabitants of Theras are as diverse as the landscape they inhabit. Elves, with their ageless wisdom and innate connection to the magical energies, tread softly on the snow-laden paths. Dwarves, stout and resilient, carve their homes in the heart of mountains, their forges glowing like beacons in the endless night. Humans, adaptable and tenacious, form the backbone of the Temples' populace, their spirits unbroken by the cold. But it is the Halflings, fierce and undaunted, who are the true survivors of this frigid world. Small in stature but immense in courage, they navigate the perils of Theras with a resilience that belies their size.

Outside the relative safety of the Temples, monsters roam the frozen wastes and the sparse forests that dot the landscape. These creatures, born from the icy womb of Theras, are as varied and dangerous as the land itself. From the colossal frost giants that tower over the tallest trees to the ethereal wraiths that glide silently through the snow, these beings add to the tapestry of peril that envelops the world.

In the shadows of the Temples, amidst the vast frozen wilderness, the story of Theras unfolds. It is a tale of survival and struggle, of magic and mystery, of tyranny and the quest for freedom. In this world of ice and snow, where every breath is a battle against the cold, the indomitable spirit of its people burns bright, a beacon of hope in a sea of white.



This is the Ice Age of Theras.

Taunt the Demons is a near-future world where the lines between the tangible and the mystical blur. Technology and mysticism coexist, creating a backdrop filled with intrigue and shadowy secrets. Amid advanced societies teetering on the edge of progress and chaos, ancient forces and hidden truths resurface, challenging humanity’s understanding of reality. This is a place where the future meets the arcane, and every step forward seems to unlock mysteries long buried in the past.