History Literature / WrongTimeForDragons

** A first-rank Air mage is named Boletus Edulis, and Ritor wonders about the origins of the strange name. It's actually the Latin name for a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boletus_edulis common edible mushroom]].

* TheExile: All humans in the Middle World. The non-magical ones come from the Underside (our world). The magical ones have originally come in a massive exodus from the world of the Natural Born. According to many characters, every once in a while, people are born in both of these worlds that don't belong. Eventually, they are compelled to find the Trails that lead from their world to the Middle World. It's usually a one-way trip, although most exiles find their place in this world. It's a little different with the Natural Born, who don't come one at a time but all at once when a critical mass of sorts is reached.

* EloquentInMyNativeTongue: A variation. Sandra speaks the local language very well, having lived in the Middle World for many decades (if not centuries). However, when seriously wounded, she shock causes her to temporarily switch back to her native Spanish. This is also when she reveals that she is from [[[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Finisterre Cabo Fisterra]].

* EloquentInMyNativeTongue: A variation. Sandra speaks the local language very well, having lived in the Middle World for many decades (if not centuries). However, when seriously wounded, she shock causes her to temporarily switch back to her native Spanish.

** The Fire Clan's capital is the castle of Oros. It's actually located underground. Fittingly, the area used to be the capital of the dragons during their rule.

** The Air Clan rules from a mountain peak called the Fang, where the nonstop winds deliver news from all over the world. A small town is located under the mountain. Nearby is the major city of Horsk.
** While most Totem clans are not centralized enough to have a capital, the Cat Clan is ruled from a wooded castle located between the borders of the Air, Water, and Earth clans.

** A good number of people with "normal" names are arrivals from our world, such as Sandra, a first-rank Air mage.

* CatFight: The first meeting between Loy Iver and Telle degrades into this, after their initial deadly magical attacks against one another result in {{No Sell}}s (presumably, Victor intervenes). Telle is a teenager but is able to hold her own, especially since Loy's hair is longer (i.e. easily pullable). It's fitting given that Loy Iver is of the Cat Clan. Eventually, Victor stops the fight the same way a person might stop two actual cats fighting - by splashing water on the girls.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Members of some Totem clans are capable of turning into their Totem animal. The animal in question must be similar in size and mass, presumably averting ShapeshifterBaggage. For this reason, members of the Cat Clan cannot shapeshift (their Totem animal is a regular house cat, not any of the big cats.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Members of some Totem clans are capable of turning into their Totem animal. The animal in question must be similar in size and mass, presumably averting ShapeshifterBaggage.

* TheAtoner: Ritor feels that he has made a terrible mistake all those years ago when he slew the last dragon and ended the Winged Masters' brutal rule over the Middle World. Now he believes that a dragon is the only thing that can stop the Natural Born from invading the Middle World and is determined to stop the new Dragonslayer. Many others disagree and think that bringing the dragons back is a ''terrible'' mistake.

** Neutrality also applies aboard dwarven/gnomish trains, as the infrastructure provided by the trains is to important for any clan to risk damaging. As such, anyone who purchases a train ticket is automatically afforded protection for the duration of the trip, although the dwarves/gnomes frown upon people specifically buying tickets in order to get their protection, as this threatens their neutrality.

* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: The dwarves/gnomes (they're called "gnomes" in Russian, since that's the name given to Tolkien's dwarves and the two are generally seen as one in Russian fantasy) are {{Technical Pacifist}}s who excel at industry and science. They strive to remain neutral in any conflict. One of their greatest achievements is the Way, a railway network stretching through most of the civilized Middle World. Not even the mages of the Elemental clans dare to violate the sovereignty of the Way or attack its passengers. Being unwilling to fight doesn't mean they can't. Dwarven guards are frequently seen protecting key locations of the Way, such as bridges and train stations. Typically clad in heavy armor, they may be armed with hammers, axes, crossbows, or, most recently, arquebuses. Dwarves are natural mechanics and have an innate understanding of how devices work. Typical of the setting, they possess a measure of magical resistance and don't much like elves and their alchemy. Instead of elven potions, they stick with medicine manufactured in their factories under strict quality control. Besides the Way, the dwarves also deal with other clans by supplying weapons to human armies and training troops. Very rarely, they may even lead human troops into battle.