Welcome to the thirteenth stop in the #exploreleira blog tour where we’re celebrating the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
If this is your first encounter with the blog tour, we are continuing a series of alphabet posts looking at the world and characters and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles.
M is for Migdon
When I started writing Songkeeper, Migdon was one of those surprise characters who came out of nowhere and stole the show. Originally, he was only supposed to be in one or two short scenes. But once he started talking, I knew he had to stay.
Migdon is a dwarf from the Whyndburg Mountains. (Read more about the dwarves and their fascinating culture here.) His full name is Migdon Hipicarious Listarchus Noonan. Like most dwarves, he holds to strict rules when it comes to introductions and things of that nature.
“Hold on there,” the dwarf growled and shoved a finger in Ky’s chest with such force that he nearly stumbled backward. “Manners, bucko. Names first. Information later. Maybe. If I like you.” He thumped a brawny fist against his forehead. “I am Migdon Hipicarious Listarchus Noonan, advance scout of the Third Cohort of the Adulnae. Among other things.”
In all other matters, Migdon is a rebel. In the mountains, warriors and scholars are the most renowned and held in the highest honor. While Migdon is both, he has never been interested in what others think. As a warrior, he is too much of an individualist to march to the same beat as everyone else, so he does not truly fit among the Adulnae. And although he is well-read and prone to sprinkling his speech with paraphrased quotations, Migdon could never survive the stuffiness of accepted thought that governs most Xanthen scholars.
In his own words,
“Don’t like to beat around the bush, do you bucko? Me neither. It’s what sets us men of action apart from the thinkers and plotters with their sweet talking ways and forked-tongues. But you know what they say, ‘Honeyed words ease the tang of bitter news.’ Or something to that effect.”
Migdon can be a mite touchy. Prone to be sharp tempered, gruff in his speech, and proficient in the language of sarcasm. Not the sort that you bandy words with casually, because he is sure to unleash a retort that will leave you scrambling to gather your wits.
“Don’t look so stiff and concerned, bucko. Word from the wise, sometimes there’s no better place to hide than in the open, and no better way to disappear than to stand out.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Sure it does. Hogan wrote it years and years ago—you do know who Hogan is right? Hogan Micthineous Cadronitus Roardin? No? Oh well, don’t worry about it.” Molasses dripped no smoother than the sarcasm rolling off the dwarf’s tongue. “He’s only the finest philosopher, teacher, and strategist we of the Whyndburg Mountains have ever had.”
(I just love this guy! Only, he would probably drive me crazy in real life …)
And yet, for all the acidity that frequently flows from his tongue, Migdon can be surprisingly persuasive, when he chooses to be.
Migdon snorted. “Give me six hours, bucko, and I could convince any man of anything. Silvertongue, that’s what they call me. Has just the right sort of ring to it too, if you ask me.”
I know I’ve said it before but pairing unlikely characters and throwing them into challenging situations is one of my favorite things to do as an author. It is just far too much fun! Migdon is such a loose cannon—unpredictable, brazen, and totally determined to do it his way. Ky, on the other hand, has learned the art of invisibility on the streets. Sure, he can be reckless on occasion—generally when he’s trying to save someone—but he prefers caution and forethought to impetuous action. And when he is convinced that he is in the right, he’s going to dig his heels in and fight.
So of course, matching Migdon and Ky as traveling companions was the obvious choice.*rubs palms together* And yes, if you haven’t read Songkeeper yet, well, personally I think it’s worth picking up just to watch the sparks fly between those two!
Want to find out more about Migdon? Check out the links below to purchase the books:
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, Song of Leira
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, Song of Leira
J is for Jirkar
In the mountains, scholars and warriors are held in the highest regard. The Xanthen form the high council of the Caran and serve as his (or her) advisors. They are the philosophers, scientists, strategists, deep thinkers, inventors, and scholars of the Whyndburg Mountains. Among them are also many versed in the knowledge of herbs and healing arts, a fact that Ky Huntry of Kerby learned from the dwarf Migdon, which is why he was determined to enlist their aid when the white fever struck the Underground. The Xanthen typically go about clad in light colored, loose fitting robes, belted about the waist, and those of high position wear bronze torcs about their necks.
