The Writers

The Alternaties Corporation was originally a tourist organisation, featured in a number of stories in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, that offered tours of alternative realities. Since this blog offers alternative futures, alternative presents and indeed alternative pasts, it seemed an appropriate name.

Zadok of Pavis was the son of Fleet Anem and Brooster, both Daughters of Pavis. As a teenager, he took part in the defence of New Pavis in its short and futile restance to the invading Lunar Army. He was initially loudly opposed to the Lunar Occupation but his parents’ influence (the Lunars wishing to incorporate Pavis into their own pantheon) doubtless protected him.

This period of his life brought him into contact with other opponants of the new regime and he took part in many expeditions into the Big Rubble and (unusually for a member of the Cult of Pavis) beyond the City’s territory.

He developed the ambition to become Champion of Pavis. To that end he. like many other adventurers, sought the Axe of Balistor (the last Champion, slain by trolls). He and a group of friends eventually tracked it down to a Dream Dragon’s hoard and undertook a number of tasks in exchange for the axe.

He was rewarded by the Cult with elevation to the priesthood. Since the Temple in New Pavis already had its full complement of one Son and five Daughters, he became Daughter at the Old Temple in Real City in the Big Rubble.

During one expedition he and his friends were assisted by a strange sentient felinoid, who was from Valend’s Glacier,  beyond the Lunar Empire’s northern frontier. The cat was later killed in a skirmish but Zadok and his human companions swore to take word of her fate back to her people.

To that end they set off on the three thousand mile journey to the Glacier and passed into legend.