A "While the Gods Slumber" Chronology

I try to be kind to readers.

Unfortunately, in retrospect I realize the connections and chronological order of the stories of the While the Gods Slumber series is not entirely logical or clear. The purpose of this short essay is to give an overview of the order and timing of the events of the series.

While the Gods Slumber is the name of the first book (published in seven parts on Literotica)and the name of a series of eight stories, of which seven have so far been published on Literotica. In general, readers can discern the order of the stories by their publication dates. However, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule.

The series stories are, in the chronological order in which they take place:

While the Gods Slumber (Zhura 1)

Blossom (Keya 1)

Tales of Fabulous Namu (Zhura 2)

Sisterhood of the Brass Mask (Suwarya)

Descent (Keya 2)

Night of the Forgotten (Zhura/Keya)

The Bitter Fruit of Home (Zhura/Keya)

Untitled finale (Zhura/Keya/Whisper)

Legacy is a companion prequel to the series, taking place some fifty years before the series starts and telling the story of Zhura's grandmother, Nandi. Legacy, While the Gods Slumber, and Blossom are all potential entry points to the series. Any of them should be understandable without one's having read other stories.

War Dance, takes place in the same world as While the Gods Slumber, but is ultimately intended to be romance adventure for a more mainstream audience. Though its general history will be the same, micro events in the War Dance world will not overlap with the erotica stories.

Finally, a few words on the Ummran calendar and months of the year. The calendar is an artifact of the ancient Ummran civilization, which is the origin of some of the mythology and iconography of the lands of While the Gods Slumber. Though Ummra is located on the same continent (Jarra), it is found on a desert river delta. The names of the months originate in that climate, and do not necessarily describe weather patterns in the lands of the stories. In parentheses in the list below, I note some common weather trends in the lands described in these stories (Ikanje State, the Nubic (Hill) Kingdoms, Sung Valley and Lake Kongo).

There are twelve months of the calendar year:

Small Harvest

Forebears

Red Dust

Praise (some rains)

Abundance (rains)

Black Soil (rains)

Sowing (cool)

Rebirth

Great Harvest

Burning

Storms (rains)

Hot Wind (hot)

In most of the places visited in stories thus far, there are two rainy seasons (one greater, one lesser) and at least two harvest seasons (one greater, one lesser). Each month lasts thirty days. Weeks are seven days. The days of the week are named, although the names vary from state to state. (Weekday names come up only in Fabulous Namu so far - the days in Ikanje State match the RL Swahili days of the week.) Holidays vary from state to state.

While the Gods Slumber begins in Praise, 3024. (Although this year may sound futuristic, consider that recorded history in our world is at least 5000 years old, only bifurcated in our calendar by the RL Julian and Gregorian calendars' use of B.C and A.D.) The Ummran calendar begins with about 1300 years of that civilization, followed by Ummra's collapse and a 'dark' age, after which other continental civilizations began to expand. In the contemporary era, Ummra is largely ruined and the remnants of its cities dominated by neighboring realms.

Writing is rare on the continent of Jarra, and few people know or use the Ummran script. The scholars of Namu translate Ummran writing into their own script. There are a few other pockets of literacy on Jarra. However, oral history is quite common, and some traditions of oral history around the continent are extremely well-developed, such as that of the budye (griots) employed by Queen Catamori of the Kwi-Kong.

The stories that follow Zhura's first story all take place nearly a year afterward, starting early in 3025. The six stories from Blossom to Bitter Fruit fit into an approximate three-month time span.

Following the While the Gods Slumber series, my plan is to start another series following the adventures of a new character, Whisper, who will be introduced in the series finale. Whisper's exploits will begin in the Nubic Kingdoms, and then hopefully explore territory not yet seen in the stories.

Thanks to those who have read my stories. I hope you enjoy and continue to enjoy them. Feedback from readers and other authors has made me a better writer, so I always welcome comments and thoughts. I hope that these explanations make the "whys" and "whens" a bit clearer!

May the Ancestors bless,

Yib