Most of us insisted we were Team Facts are King when we took the BDH Quiz. Yet here we are, a handful of The Inheritance chapters later, running out of red thread in our glitter-covered conspiracy bunker.
Turns out some of us are deep-cover Team Facts be Damned operatives. Honestly? Respect. Solidarity. Let’s never change. Here are a few of the fabulously funny and creative things we’ve come up with.
Disclaimer: As with Parts 1 and 2, this post is served with love, a celebration of our comment-section parties. I’ve joined in most of these, and started a few koo-ko bananapants conspiracies myself. No shade intended!
The Irish Coffee Vulnerability
Helen, Maud’s daughter from the Innkeeper series, will get drunk on both coffee and alcohol, and it’s going to be a problem.
She’s a vampire-human hybrid. The metabolism has got to be weird. The alcohol hits hard. The mocha hits harder. By the time she’s of age to take the reins of House Krahr, the Holy Anocracy is going to figure out the massive vulnerability and the enemies will manipulate her into traps. Irish coffee sort of traps.
Imagine the political fallout. The ripper cushions. The naked diplomatic drama.
I don’t think this will work. Because she’s Helen and she’s slightly terrifying, even when tipsy. Maybe especially when tipsy. And when all else fails, she has bacon.
Elara’s Identity
Much digital ink has been spilled trying to uncover Elara Harper’s true identity.
Don’t look for my theories about how she’s Melinoë, daughter of Persephone. Yes, there’s the white hair, the shadowy powers, the link to Hekate and that whole “appears in weird shapes and strange forms” thing. I was so confident! Also very incorrect.
There was also a strong Marzanna wave of support: death, frost, witchcraft, cows… it all fit! Until Morena/Marzanna waltzed into Sanctuary and got cozy with her hunnybun, proving there is already a Slavic goddess of death and winter accounted for. I love the Preceptor as much as the next Horder, but let’s face it, he’s no match for Cherny’s Nav game. Sorry, Hugh. You don’t got the volhvs for this.
So who is Elara? Tiamat, the primordial chaos? A shapeshifting, cosmic frost leviathan? The eldritch answer to Old MacDonald, with the chicken and the cows and the herb farm? We will find out in Iron Magic 2, which is a contender for the self-published release after work on Maggie 2 is done according to last Wednesday’s post.
The ILONAVERSE
There’s a character crossover between The Edge series and The Innkeeper Chronicles, but the two don’t take place in the same corner of the universe. They exist on parallel Earths.
I can tell you that I know every world this inn has reached so far, and your coordinates are not among them. Furthermore, you are asking for a portal to a world that is very similar to ours. That world is another Earth that exists in its own tiny reality, splintered from the majority of the cosmos. It’s like reaching into a pocket on the universe’s coat. I don’t know the capabilities of every inn on Earth, but I can tell you that my father always told me that creating a door to an alternative dimension like that could not be done. It would collapse the inn.”
Andrews, Ilona. Sweep In Peace, The Innkeeper Chronicles 2. NYLA Publishing, 2015. Kindle edition, page 130
The lees have now made an appearance in The Inheritance breaches. What does this mean?
Are the breaches showing up in the Broken on Edge Earth? But how would their magic survive? Are they in the Innkeeper world? But that’s breaking the cosmic Treaty, and the innkeepers and Ad-hals would have seen to them by now. Is it a third world, another of the splinter Earths of the multiverse?
Are the gress devourer shrouds the same as the robes of the corrupted Ad-hals? The Breaches could be the Mukama exit routes from Innkeeper universe! Bear’s Breach Chow diet might be how you turn a regular Shih Tzu into a Shih Tzu-Chi like Dina’s Beast! Are the gress skezhar the same as Cornelius’ Zeus arcane kitty? What if this means the Ilonaverse has 12 Earths, and it’s an indication of how many more series are to come?!
I don’t know which one is true…but it’s sure exciting to be a part of the Horde journey to get there.
First?
Certified 🙂
Yeah! Chocolate is a source of caffeine. Does that also cause problems for vampires? Just wondering.
Anyone else want to see Arland down a can of Red Bull? 😛
Only if he’s with Maud down a very dark corridor.
Otherwise, nope, nope, nope. Did that at the Inn. Don’t want the naked Arland t-shirt. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I want the naked Arland t-shirt. Tastefully done, of course. Something I can wear in public.
Then again, Naked Arland being chased by Sean through the apple trees is the screenshot (from the webnovel) that is my phone’s wallpaper, so I’m not exactly unbiased.
Helen could also have the inherited enzyme systems to metabolize Both Caffeine and Alcohol, and in fact, be able to drink Irish Coffee with impunity. Genetics is a wonderful crap shoot.
^^
THIS! I vote Helen will will be immune to both effects…. The bacon tho’ that’s a whole nother story! 😂
I want that, and I want her (when she’s older) to make a game of trying to find something that *does* make her drunk. Wherever she travels, her last night she always visits a bar somewhere so she can try to get drunk. Shenanigans ensue.
I want to see her challenge some big vampires to a coffee-drinking contest. Like the Marion in the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Although I think she really was drunk; she just lasted longer than her opponent.
Like the vampires did with Maud? The ones who challenged her were drunk, and Maud had to find the nearest bathroom. 🤣🤣🤣
I want to see Arland and Sean (and Hugh, because now we’re in the Ilonaverse) hunt down the perfectly nice young man who gives Helen a Red Bull in about twenty years and has no idea what’s going on.
Chocolate has a little bit of caffeine, but the main stimulant is thobromine which works similarly but more gently. Chocolate might be a military stimulant for the vampires.
Every Ionaverse has magic I always enjoy discovering. That’s what makes them my favorite!
First?
What? No (wild) speculation about Sebastian North?
Alter Ego of a young Father Christmas (North, hint hint). Absolutely picked out of a hat that idea. OTH he might also be hum, a magician of some note…Dr. Strange of a sort, or maybe even a semi demi god stuck on earth who has a pet cat, or has been transmogrified into a cat? 🙂
You’re killing me with the Sebastian/Dr. Strange theory. 😆😆😆
I guess it could be a person, but I really thought Sebastian North was the name of an Inn that was not around anymore (where the rescued cat that Helen named Olasard had once lived). It sounded similar to names of other Inns like Gertrude Hunt, Casa Feliz, or Magnolia Green. I know it was mentioned at the end of Sweep of the Heart, but maybe I misunderstood.
IIRC, Sebastian North is the original name of the cat now known as Olasard.
That’s what I thought but after re-reading the end of Sweep of the Heart I realized when Dina asks, did you have a cat? and the corrupted Innkeeper replies, Belaud? He yet lives? that Olasard’s name is Belaud. The SN on the collar is the Inn or its owner.
He tells Dina to ask the other Innkeepers about what they did to Sebastian North.
Yeah, isn’t he the innkeeper corrupting inns and adhals? I was sure he was Sebastian. I just wanted to know why. Also the others denied knowing about him.
Never mind Sebastien North. The father is known by ancient people as The Wanderer. And while he does seem to have two eyes and somewhat less than god powers, it does make you wonder.
I wonder whether he is the mastermind of his plotting or just a tool of someone much worse who only thinks he is THE super villian.
First?
All possible
Woohoo! More stories, more conspiracies. I bow to you, team Facts-Be-Damned! This is such a great place to geek out with friends and celebrate the fiction that keeps us all going.
+1
Yeah, once the lees showed up, House Andrews had to know we’d invoke ALLLLL the crazy theories. We will make the Andrewsverse happen! (Unlike fetch and in spite of what the authors themselves say.)
They’re always such sneaky hobbitses about the Easter Eggs! What’s a poor Horde to do?!
I just really love conversations like this. Nearly all of my friends are readers and many of them read fantasy. we have had in depth conversations on the evolution of Martians, elves and Hobbits.
Love this stuff.
And the lees are legit eggs! It’s not the Horde trying to make an Easter egg out of what is clearly a rock. It just begs for us to abandon our chalant ways.
I feel like I missed Parts 1 and 2.
I understand Maggie 2 comes first but I was secretly hoping for an Inheritance zoom party to answer some of these questions.
Parts 1 and 2 were yeaaars ago, they’re now archived 🙂
How about Hugh sequel! Our authorlords are so awesome and prolific that we could fill an imaginary bookshelf with upcoming adventures that exist at least in potential. Lets see…
The next Wilmington
Hugh and Elara sequel, with children
Derek’s missing years.
The next Blood Heir
Maggie 1 and 2
A trilogy for our favorite monster girl to find love and corporate dominance.
The Ada book and inevitable sequal.
That is at least 7 anticipations for the book devouring horde, minimal fantasizing required. So let’s start with the fantasizing…
Barabus and Christopher get married, and then decide to use forbidden magic to make a clone child of Barabus.
Yu Fong- He has a brother that is an enemy and there is a great dstory there. I recall the authorlords mentioning an edited scene with fighting his brother.
Dali and Jim- The surgery, the children
Thomas and Robert and their offspring
I know! Clearly we need a book of short stories delineating where the assorted next generation children come from. When the Pack gets in a family way.
there will definitely not be a Derek’s missing years book, that much was confirmed by House Andrews 🙂. We can always dream!
Thank you, Mod R, for carefully not popping all of the hope bubbles at once.
“Barabus and Christopher get married, and then decide to use forbidden magic to make a clone child of Barabus.”
Not a clone. Barabus infected Sophia with LycV. With her being a minor is why Julie called it illegal.
Sophia is an albino. Shifters are never naturally albino. I am pretty sure that they cooked her up from scratch with Barabas’ DNA and used a jackal host mother.
Manipulating human DNA with magic is probably extremely illegal, but also so difficult that you need a Christopher or a Roland to make it work. Roland did all sorts of stuff to Kate in the womb, and he probably meddled with the conception, because that’s what he does.
It was confirmed several times by House Andrews that Sophia was adopted by Christopher and Barabas 🙂
I love all the theories and your succinct and hilarious summary of them!
Thanks for the mid-week laughs Mod R!
🧐
I admit to being curious if the gress devourer shrouds are the same as the robes of the corrupted Ad-hals
‘Ilonaverse has 12 Earths‘
The heavens help us. Me and mine are just trying to survive the one we’re on.😂🤣😂🤣
Well, in the Innkeeper series Dina mentions that Earth is a 12-point wormhole (I believe she described us as the Atlanta airport of the universe), which is why all the aliens love us. I assumed she meant 12 points in our dimension, but now that I think on it, the statement was a tad bit vague. Plenty of room for the BDH to drive a conspiracy-ridden semi through!
I LOVE LOVE THIS! All the crazy/creative theories, twists, crossover glory! And I gotta confess— in my heart I’m really Team Facts Be Damned! 💜😂💜🤣💜
Love this! 😂
I always thought the Inheritance Earth was a parallel universe to the Innkeeper Earth universe, and the Breach is basically a bridge of sorts between the two universes. Potentially far more than two parallel universes, actually.
As a card carrying member of Teams Fact, let’s talk about string theories, wormholes and space time folding. There are lots of ways to meld up a couple of universes and that doesn’t include the fun you can have with time.
I work with facts at my job all day long. I am an accountant. My reading preferences are totally opposite to balance things out. The more fantastic the better. Facts be damned.
💯
Retired I/T project manager and kindred spirit!
I’m really like this 12 earths theory if it means more stories 😂 that one I insist must be true!
Fun! Thanks for a cute post! Breaks up the week nicely.
Now I’m sitting here trying to figure out if any of the theories at the end of the post are supposed to be true?🧐
I respect that people are smart enough to come up with theories. I don’t see why these are conspiracies though. Many seem very plausible to me.
(Gaston voice) They are not really conspiracies, more like wild speculations, no?
Since you just mentioned Innkeeper, I realized that by saving a form of Magnolia Green Dina likely saves her parents too since an Innkeeper rarely (just Sebastian and Dina) survives the death of their inn. I hope Arland likes his in-laws! Where are Dina’s parents if they aren’t with their inn? How does Dina’s dad Gerard survive his age without inn magic to sustain him?
Of all the novellas to write, I would snatch up Gerard’s backstory and his and Helen (the mom’s) love story.
Me too, was happy to know part of the inn was saved. Alas it’s not a baby inn or could it become that in the Arlands planet? (Geez this might mean mean I’m in team Facts be Damned)
Parents – perhaps in stasis and maybe hidden by Sebastian North? 🥸
the dimension he escapes to has blood red trees. . . so does the Vala tree on every vampire planet. 🤔
Team Facts is sober, responsible, does the dishes, gets the kids off to school and makes sure all bills are paid on time.
Team Facts be Damned is quirky, serves left over birthday cake for breakfast on the weekend, has a bubble wand, buys fireworks and drinks far to much coffee. (Java, Java, JAVA!)
They are both needed.
And my needle tends to swing from one to the other with little warning.
GO LYNN!!!!!!
I somehow missed the discussion of Helen’s Achilles heel in the form of Irish coffee. Does that mean she can’t have coffee ice cream? (Never been a fan myself, but people do like it.) Or vanilla ice cream with coffee liqueur (once she’s old enough of course)?
It would be awesome if Helen was immune to both caffeine and alcohol. The mischief an adventurous young leader could get into -or out of – by playing inebriated is limitless.
This! With everyone expecting her to have issues with both!
I don’t know what team I’m on. But if we are adding theories to this thread, I think Derek is some incarnation of, or priest of Veles.
Team All The Innkeeper here.
The Helen issue sounds really interesting! Of course, we won’t know until she’d older and if HA writes about it. She could get lucky and benefit from both parents and be immune to both caffeine and alcohol. I suspect she may have minor issues with both, but not as much as a full human or full vampire.
This would be my guess too!
Thanks, Mod R for the conspiracy laughs. I needed this after a morning full of stuff to do for work.
While Team Facts and Team Facts be Damned are hashing the conspiracies out, Team Fluffy watches on the sidelines egging both teams on. 😉😁😂😂😂
Ah yes. Team Fluffy THE INSTAGATORZ! I’m so in!
Hail Team Fluffy.
George and Jack are investigating, and George sends Jack because Childcare. Jack is also caught in the breach, but due to his extreme nonchalance he is unwilling to ask for help. So he stalks after Ada and Bear because they clearly know what they are doing.
That and he can eat their leftovers and all the monsters are dead behind them.
Jack’s plan is just to stroll out casually after the rescue team, then use his Arbitrator tech to get a ride back home.
I like it. We do have a mysterious person that has something Ada needs.
Although, maybe that something is the lees’s backpack.🤔
Mod R sez “I’ve joined in most of these, and started a few koo-ko bananapants conspiracies myself. No shade intended!”
I’ve been giggling over ‘koo-ko banana pants conspiracies’ under my breath all day now. Thank you!
Hi Mod R, I had a question from last Wednesday’s blog. Ilona stated that they had a large portion of Hugh 2 completed. Did they write that before/during Covid before they put it on pause or have they been working on a section here and there over the past 4 years?
Thank you!
This has been answered a few hundred times 🙂 : no. The chunk of Hugh was written earlier this year, there is no mystery manuscript they withheld from us on purpose for years.
Thank you. I did not think there was a secret manuscript, but I remember they had started writing it until everyone was too depressed from Covid. I enjoy hearing about their writing process and had wondered if they would work on a chapter or scene as they had “free time” 🤣🥰. Have a good rest of your week!
Hugh was not started during Covid 🙂. They had a good idea where the story was going and didn’t want to write and release it in the times of darkness. The writing on Hugh was done this year.
The breaches are happening where an inn has collapsed, of course. Something has gone wrong with the inns in this little corner of pocket universe and they’re all dying catastrophically, leaving open holes to a chaotic world…
(I’m team Facts Are King but sometimes it’s fun to feed the Facts Be Damned monster)
Careful feeding us! We’re like gremlins. 😄
Or tribbles
reaction 1: brilliant! love this idea
. . .
reaction 2: but Ada describes the cluster gates that broke her anxiety switch and 4 Inns couldn’t be in that close proximity with each other because of rooting problems (disappointed)
. . .
reaction 3: (triumphant) but maybe the cluster breach was because it’s one inn with doors to 4 different worlds!
thanks for the imagination fodder to pass the time. Is it Friday yet?
If we get a vote, I’m not sure what mine would be for the self published release after Maggie 2. I eagerly await another Hugh, but the Wilmington series gets over more right? More Kate and Curran or Hugh???
I’m for whatever gets us back to Blood Heir and Derek and Julie. I think it needs more Kate in Wilmington AND Hugh, which probably means no time soon, but I will keep hoping.
What Melissa said. I can wait, though. Because what’s the alternative?
+1
These Kinds of conspiracy theories are the best – I really appreciate you sharing them.
facts be damned, long live the fun 😄
Re: Helen’s possible vulnerability to both coffee and alcohol – bacon seems like a good antidote to both of those intoxicants!
As to the rest of the chaos, I’ve got a comfy chair and snacks to watch the proceedings!!
Thanks Mod R for a fun post!! 📚
Bacon does make everything better. Like dragons. (Team Puffles!) What’s better than watching the all-dragon acrobatics team practice? Eating a bacon sandwich while watching! Possibly followed by the ice cream of your choice…
Sounds like Team Facts Be Damned would have the best parties! Thanks so much for pulling this together. I needed the giggle.
At 30 years old, I’m very much late to the Ilona Andrews party this year. I started with Clean Sweep (Absolutely loved it), just finished Burn For Me, and am currently working my way through On The Edge.
I’ve yet to face a single disappointment.
And, as usual, CHAOS REIGNS!!
Oh, to read them all again, for the first time! The BDH welcomes you. Rejoice, the Horde increases!
Welcome aboard Rachel. Here’s your life jacket and flare gun, just in case! Remember to delve into the assorted free fiction bits here on the website.
I love how you used the title “Ilonaverse” – I was just reading the latest Jayne Ann Krentz, and she has her JayneVerse. At that time, I was wondering what the BDH would call the various worlds. Would it be a numerical universe, like the MCU? Will we always call the worlds by their main characters or titles? There needs to be terminology!
Proud member of Team Facts Be Damned here!
Also, incredibly proud that I maintained my stance that this was part of the Ilonaverse, even though the sneaky Ilona kept saying no. I’m normally wrong with my guesses here, so I’m going to treasure being right, just this once. It’ll have to hold me over for the rest of time probably. IA really keep us guessing! Love it all! 🥰
Thanks for the fun post Mod R! 🤗
Thanks Mod R for the succinct roll-up of the latest speculation, so fun
ModR you are definitely a sh** starter with that last couple of paragraphs!!! (Said with lots of love and admiration)
Now we’re all going to be counting down the series and demanding (chalantly) the rest!🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well obviously once Ada gets out of the breach she’s going to go home, hug her kids, take a shower, curl up with a good book and wake up in the Maggieverse!
Thank you ModR for sharing your gift with us today!
Sending peace, health and safety to all!
HURRAY!! IRON & MAGIC #2 is next!! My faith in House Andrews has been restored
Please Rush the paperback books!!
No, Inheritance is next, then work on Maggie 2, Maggie 1 release, then a self-published work. Hugh 2 being a strong contender 🙂
The Horde chants: “Hugh 2, Hugh 2, Hugh 2.” Of course, that’s after everything else is done. 😜
It’s like being at a buffet of the best versions of only your favorite foods. Every and any choice is a good choice. Whatever HA serves us will b happily devoured by the Horde!
Thanks HA, we all need something good to look forward to.
OMG, just got my breath back! That was so funny! Hey #TFBD, I was always wired this way, sorry, not sorry. Love gross speculation and trying to out Elara! I know you love the nechist loving Santa denier, but I still think Hugh has bigger volhvs to fry!
And as for the 12 different Ilonaverse Earths! Ya whooey, more Kate! You said it first ModR, now we shall, chalantly, w*it and see!
I think like all kids they are subjected to caffeine all the time so Helen will have had that theory tested! Didn’t she eat a cookie? This calls for a reread to see if it was a chocolate chip cookie offered and how about that cake?!
I’ve said this many many times, I love
being a barsa, barsa, barsa, BDH member 🥰
Hahaha long live the Horde’s conspiracy theories! Team Facts Be Damned forever!!
Ohhhh that was absolute magic and I needed that laugh. Thank you for sharing!!
I thought I was Multiversed out, but I am here for a House Andrews Multiverse. Even without direct crossovers you could get some really interesting perspectives from each world as they face aspects of a same interdimensional threat in their own ways with possibly only the slightest awareness that there are others out there doing the same…
My hill is that the Inheritance is “That world is another Earth that exists in its own tiny reality, splintered from the majority of the cosmos.”
They are talking about Edge Earth 🙂 It’s the scene where Dina explains to George how difficult it will be for him to travel there to get Lark.
As we are shouting out theories to the void, I listened to small magics recently and realised that adam- saimans cousin must be together with Elaras aunt? Caus there can’t be that many cults that sacrifice young girls to primordial evil gods/powers right? Can there?😕
Why isn’t there a link to parts 1&2? I searched and all… Ummm… Big pouts.
Those posts were archived 🙂
lol Zeus… I was one of those.
#factsbedamned
+1
most certainly a great adventure!
Whatever happens, I’m here for it.
Every time.
All hail House Andrews.
This Blog has always been my most favorite thing to read. I not only love the blog itself, but all of us BDH and the awesome, thoughtful, off the wall comments. So entertaining. Thanks everyone!
So I couldn’t sleep the other night and my brain was just wondering from one thought to another and it came to how the lees came to be in The Inheritance series. I think it makes perfect sense in the Ilonavers. (That night, I didn’t know what to call it). The Ilonavers is not the same as the multiverse, where it’s the same people in the different universe with different circumstances. In the Ilonavers there is an Earth with a multitude of other planets right? So why couldn’t their be the Lees planet, and the Hope-Crusher Planet or/and Vampire planet in the same universe as Ada’s Earth? Who knows, maybe in Ada’s universe Sean’s planet is whole and safe.
Along with the different planets, I was wondering if bicycles work in Kate Daniel world? I mean they are not an engine and could possibly be built by hand, right? They would could work anytime and be faster than walking. So, how come there aren’t many bikes mentioned in that universe?
Excellent question, Sunshine. Horses and donkeys or mules can get over obstacles better than bicycles, but, still …
Road bikes need relatively flat and smooth roads, even more than vehicles, because uneven ground can pitch the rider. Which would suggest that only mountain bikes would be practical. You can add panniers (bike equivalent to saddlebags) and sometimes front and back racks.
But bikes can be stolen, tires cut or removed. Bike bags are lower than saddle bags, easier to filth.
I guess I figured that some bikes were around but that they were too easy to steal (load up a cart!) and that was why most people didn’t bother. You’d have to ward your bike, right? So maybe Luther or some others might be capable of protecting the bike and bags.
My conspiracy theories: the breaches to Earth in The Inheritance were all Tuhl construction. When the Demilles are finally freed they will use their Innkeeper magic to make treehouse rooms out of the magnolia for their grandkids on Daesyn. The Mukama have been hiding in the breaches and will storm out during Mayd and Arland’s wedding. To no one’s dismay, they trample her former unworthy in-laws.
Actually, I would like to see House Ervan have an aneurysm over Maud’s wedding announcement to Arland. Then they can get trampled on by the Mukama. 😀
They do need to be thoroughly demoralized first, to the extent that anyone with no morals in the first place can be demoralized.
They did say they were going to invite everyone. Ervan can be given a seat between the Tachi and the Lees in inappropriate chairs.
Here’s hoping they hold the wedding at Gertrude Hunt!
The Irish Coffee Vulnerability – Now I know I’ve been reading too much manhwa when I thought someone’s going to try this trap and totally fall for Helen because her being even more terrifying is their jam.
Ilonaverse for the win. I would love to see Kate and family visit the Inn. Imagine the kids playing, Curran enjoying Orro’s excellent food, Maud and Kate talking shop on swords and blood vs syn armor.But mostly I want a chance for Caldenia and Roland to talk.
Love TFD, the comments have kept me laughing 😆.
I think Caldenia would dislike Roland. Caldenia sacrificed everything for her family. Roland sacrificed family for everything. She would probably tweak his bears in the most polite way so he couldn’t retaliate lol
I think Caldenia and Roland would be rivals. I also think Caldenia doesn’t care what anyone but a handful of people thinks of her, while Roland cares far more what people think of him.
At the respective heights of their powers, I think Caldenia would slaughter Roland and serve him for dinner.
see I’m rama facts mostly because I don’t have the imagination/ creativity/ reading between the lines comprehension that it takes to even begin to come up with these theories. I’m one of the BDH that misses all the clues about all the things even in my 3 read. Then I’m SHOCKED when HA says guys we told in so many ways in the books how did you miss the elephant sized hints!!!
The BDH conspiracy theories are the only ones I want to get on board with, love all of these hehehe. Keep them coming my friends!
oh boy, love that last one, “it’s all connected” :D. But honestly, doesn’t matter to me, I just love every book and every chapter, connected or not.
And I just finished re-reading Sweep in Peace yesterday, so it’s all top of mind. Thanks for the chuckles!
My favorite part of the week is the new serial/ book posts but running in neck to neck is a post where the backstory and history/identity of the characters ( according to the BDH) is shared
All hail the “Ilonaverse”, long may their banners wave. I need more presale links; to Innkeeper, Iron Magic and more, more more please ;)! Helen needs a baby brother for her Marshall and Huge needs a little girl to call his own.
Oh. My. Gosh. Hugh having a little girl?! She would have him wrapped around her little finger and want to be like her daddy when she grows up. The Iron Dogs, who are with Hugh, would egg her on and give her pointers.
She would drive him crazy to the point Hugh would have her go to her Aunt Kate, Uncle Curran, and cousin Conlan in South Carolina. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Doesn’t Hugh have at least a son in Blood Heir? He yells at him to put down the cow while on the phone with Julie.
If I recall correctly, it was unclear exactly who Hugh was telling to put the cow down.
Doing a reread of Magic Tides and Chapter 5 Kate on phone with Hugh refers to “your wife baking delicious desserts for you and your gang of children.”
It’s been like ten years since Magic Triumphs when Magic Tides happens, so he and Elara could have several kids biologically… kinda love the idea of Hugh and Elara adopting a passel of kids, though.
Also from Magic Claims – Kate talking to Curran about people de doesn’t like-Hugh -“My cousin.” “I dislike him less now that he’s several states away and safely domesticated by his wife and kids.”
The kids plural for Hugh does make me wonder. Either Elara is doing the fertility goddess thing and churning out multiple births…. That doesn’t quite work at this time, because of the mysterious blight on their herbs. She can’t do land queen superfecundity when there is a blight on the land.
I am leaning towards they end up adopting a swarm of orphaned children.
However, while the speculation mill is churning, we have to consider the mysterious tunnels under the castle that were already there. I’m going to resist the urge to stick a breach link in there, but extradimensional passageways, a la the classic Jirel of Joiry.
My best guess on plant plague is something from the down below.
I love reading these theories. I am not creative enough to come up with any on my own, but these really make me think (and laugh out loud). Thank you for sharing them
I do love the Horde. Creative people, all!
I haven’t been commenting on the Inheritance because I decided to wait until the whole thing was out. But I can’t wait!
Sob, sob, whinge … reading these I realize that my poor memory is not nearly capable of dredging up a sufficient quantity of facts and factoids of the stories to create a bizarrity of my own.
I’ll have to just love the ones that do get presented to us; thank you for these.
Thoughts… while in the inn did Helen have any sweet tea or some of Caldenia’s Mello Yellow? There is also caffeine in chocolate.
Proposition- Helen is Helen neither caffeine nor alcohol will be an issue for her.
Proud member of Facts be Damned!
I really like the Ilonaverse idea and the thought that the Inheritance breaches are the result of the Inns being murdered. Can’t wait for any new book, but I do really want to know what happened to Derek.
That would be the most wicked crossover in the history of fiction!
I think I was Team Chalant.
I was going to post yesterday and try out TFBD, and then went “meh” and had dinner, so it checks!
I love the Helen thing, except I think she’d drink both under the floor because it’s all relative. I also think she wouldn’t bother. 😀
Hi Mod R, I just wanted to let you know the story of Puff the dragon other wise known as “the man on the road” is missing from the free fiction sections. I really like it and reread it occasionally.
Thanks for your help….
Ilona has archived the Puffles piece and it is no longer available 🙂
I thought they signed a contract with Tor for 3 books?
If Maggie ends up only being 2 books ,I’ve been hoping Puffles would be the third book.
I don’t know about any of the above but it’s fun to speculate. What I do know is I can’t wait for the next Inn Keeper book! 🙂 Jump clap, Jump clap, Jump clap!!!
The Irish Coffee Superpower: Helen doesn’t pick up vulnerability to both coffee and alcohol, but resistance to each. Add in her exposure to lees, inns, etc., and she’s set to conduct a number of high level negotiations over drinks, confident that she can drink any species under the table while keeping a clear head. She goes on to rule a vast empire – business or traditional – due to this advantage.
I maintain she’s going to be the Anocracy’s Warlord one day.
Lol! That was fun. We are a group of folks with vivid imaginations and I am 100% here for that 😆
Elara will be the name of my unborn child that I will send to hunt you if it is born before I get some Iron Magic 2 reading done. (7 February give or take)BTW
Actually it’s not an ugly name. I am including it in the list on my pregnancy diary. I am all for scaring the book into existence.
📢 The chance of the BDH Baby Division hunting you is low.
But it’s never 0. Stay vigilant.
Hope both you and Baby Possibly Elara the Hunter are happy and healthy for many years of reading together 😘
Elara is a lovely name
😂 There are really fun speculations out there. I can’t fathom the minds of HA. I just try to experience it and get excited when I read and it’s all revealed…well as much as they can without the mystery of it all.
Mod R you are the best!
What delightful reading that was! It’s hard to remain challant among all the questions.
I will abide.
Um, I am in the corner over here pouting. No account of what Derek has been doing???? You provided him with henchmen and lots of politics and possibly stalking Julie until Erra sent her off to finishing school, and won’t tell us about it??? I am Team Metal Rose forever.
The only thought that comforts my weeping heart is you saying things about certain books just being a random short story and turning into a full blown novella. If you say you’re not doing a Derek book, rebound authorship requires you to provide three volumes with footnotes.
well, maybe i’m not really this crazy, but I really really would like to hear about how Jim and Dali got to retire and have their own clowder of kittens, and how George’s boyfriend takes over the pack and starts a new age of tranquility and honey cakes.
Derek’s story will be part of the Blood Heir sequel 🙂
That was my thought, because, you know, unrequited love.
“Slightly” terrifying? Helen is only “slightly” terrifying? 😂😂😂😂😂😂.
Who else wants a series of short stories/slices of life about Helen- who’s DEFINITELY a daddy’s girl- and Arland- who’s DEFINITELY a girl dad?
In other news, I got the GA for Magic Bleeds from my library 16 weeks early because the “libary acquired 98 more copies”. That made me happy.
Helen has a multiple kill count at the age of five. She can already subvert security protocols. She’s going into early leadership training. And she has innkeeper powers, I am sure.
But we can also envision something else for Helen. Her role as big sister, because you know Maude and Arland are required to produce grandchildren.
Helen as role model for a little mini-Arland.
I just wanna know when Mrs. Officer Marais will make her entrance, wielding the mighty cans of fruit and veggies against the Gress.
(And Facts-Be-Damned strikes again!)
You’re killing me smalls.
LOL
I’m voting for a special Tuhl portal between whatever world is spawning the breaches and the Innkeeper world. We already know they play fast and loose with the laws of physics after all.
Im not fully on team facts be dambed, but how do you know there are not ghosts? There could be a serial killer neighbor who breaks in and conducts sacrificial killings in the houses basement without telling the owners. Place would be super hunted then.
omg, most of these theories have crossed my mind XD
cheers to 12 eaths and as many series!
Yes thats like Kate verse hidden legacy verse edge verse kinsman verse magie verse and The Inheritance varse are like each one of the pocket worlds or in the case od the egde maybe 2 pocket worlds touching each other of the 12 possible pocket alternante realities that are the reason innkeeper verse has 12 point wormhole thingy making the innkeper the original Earth and all others paralel earths what if the bad guys from Inheritance verse is another verse invading… or worse from inkeeper Earth the prime Earth.
Irish Coffee! I love it. Glad I got my actual Ripper Cushion before the Online Store Debacle that irritated Ilona. It’s a little cruel of Mod R to tantalize me with talk of my favorite stories: the Maud universe, Hugh and Elara’s story that I’ve been waiting YEARS for and The Edge. I’ve read Sweep of the Blade SO MANY TIMES. What did Klaus say? HE WAS RIGHT THERE. I can’t read Iron Covenant any more times because I’ve given up hope for a sequel. It’s not like this world is getting any brighter. I wish I had some candy from Nuan Cee but the cost would probably be too high.
We are going to get Hugh 2. HA has never put the kibosh on it and have referred to it as a future project in the past. If memory serves,we would’ve already had it except Russia invaded Ukraine, and it put Ilona in a dark headspace because of her family connections in the area, and since Hugh 2 was already going to be a darker book than Hugh 1, they took a step back from it for a while. But they’ve never cancelled it.
I would love to see what would happen if Asil (Patricia Briggs) met up with Hugh.
oooohhhhh – now I want
+1
Google AI belongs to Team Facts-be-damned. I asked Google a question about a HA publication and got an answer straight out of BDH speculation. Go, Team?
I’m not a theorist of any stripe, much less conspiracy theorist, but this list is quite a hilarious ride! Thanks Mod R! Also thanks to HA for creating such wonderful worlds and enduring the craziness of the BDH.
Can not express how much I enjoyed this post!
Random thought on how well the author lords integrate concepts- just reread Magic Claims and the gift short Purpose and was thinking about the fae Pale Queen and that she was a precursor in the claiming of the land – the Shar – and wow she also built a lot of towers….
Where can I find parts one and two?
Those posts are archived now, they were written years ago 🙂
I am strangely not a wild speculator, but this post full of ideas I would never come up with was so much fun to read. Thanks, Mod R!
oh my goodness,just listening to RETRIBUTION CLAUSE in the small magics graphic audio (it’s so good), but the story about a little girl being used to hold a old god, but the little girl was more powerful than they thought… is that Elara!!!!!
No, it’s not Elara 🙂
ah drat 🤣 facts be damned.
Dang, I want more Hugh and Elara. I want more back story on her, and more tales of Hugh becoming a country gentleman and her partner.
I want to find out what happens with Aurelia and Derek. Can she find love without him? Did he love her all along and feel abandoned when she left Atlanta? Will they find love with each other or will they find other partners? Derek seemed mighty angry and Julie seemed very hurt. Will she reunite with Kate and Curran?
And yes more of the boys from the Edge. How are they navigating their almost royal but not quite status. Which other series do they appear in and what book? Is Sophie in love with one of them? And I have a soft spot for Richard and Kaldar Mar, and the Mar family in general.