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''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'', published in 2015, is a novella by American author Creator/KaiAshanteWilson. It is set in a fantasy equivalent of AncientAfrica, with a smattering of ScienceFantasy.
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''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'', published in 2015, is a novella by American author Creator/KaiAshanteWilson. It is set in a fantasy equivalent of AncientAfrica, ancient Africa, with a smattering of ScienceFantasy.
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* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the [[AncientRome Roman Era]] and the action itself happens in a fantasy equivalent of the [[AncientAfrica African continent]], where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case -- and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
* AncientAfrica: The kingdom of Olorum, which lies to the south of a great desert and across the mysterious Wildeeps jungle, sounds like a mix of various ancient African empire like the kingdoms of Kush and Axum.
* AncientAfrica: The kingdom of Olorum, which lies to the south of a great desert and across the mysterious Wildeeps jungle, sounds like a mix of various ancient African empire like the kingdoms of Kush and Axum.
to:
* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the [[AncientRome Roman Era]] and the action itself happens in a fantasy equivalent of the [[AncientAfrica African continent]], continent, where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case -- and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
* AncientAfrica: The kingdom of Olorum, which lies to the south of a great desert and across the mysterious Wildeeps jungle, sounds like a mix of various ancient African empire like the kingdoms of Kush and Axum.travel.
* AncientAfrica: The kingdom of Olorum, which lies to the south of a great desert and across the mysterious Wildeeps jungle, sounds like a mix of various ancient African empire like the kingdoms of Kush and Axum.
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TRS wick clean-up
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* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: In one of the worlds Demane and Isa cross [[spoiler:during their hunt for the jukiere]], they get to watch a [[StockDinosaurs Brontosaurus]] being attacked and eaten by a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'', who is later joined by various flying reptiles. It's such a fascinating, although brutal, sight that despite being pressed for time neither can tear his gaze away from it.
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Disambiguating; deleting and renaming wicks as appropriate
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* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: In one of the worlds Demane and Isa cross [[spoiler:during their hunt for the jukiere]], they get to watch a [[StockDinosaurs Brontosaurus]] being attacked and eaten by a TyrannosaurusRex, who is later joined by various flying reptiles. It's such a fascinating, although brutal, sight that despite being pressed for time neither can tear his gaze away from it.
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* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: In one of the worlds Demane and Isa cross [[spoiler:during their hunt for the jukiere]], they get to watch a [[StockDinosaurs Brontosaurus]] being attacked and eaten by a TyrannosaurusRex, ''Tyrannosaurus rex'', who is later joined by various flying reptiles. It's such a fascinating, although brutal, sight that despite being pressed for time neither can tear his gaze away from it.
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* RageBreakingPoint: Demane is not a fan of being called 'my nigga', as he points out on several occasions. The brothers persist in doing so anyway, until Barkeem does it while Demane already is [[SuppressedRage visibly in a bad mood]] and gets a jug of wine not just kicked, but ''[[SuperStrength exploded]]'', right out of his hands for it.
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* RageBreakingPoint: Demane is not a fan of being called 'my nigga', as he points out on several occasions. The But the brothers persist in doing so anyway, until Barkeem does it while Demane already is [[SuppressedRage visibly in a bad mood]] and gets a jug of wine not just kicked, but ''[[SuperStrength exploded]]'', right out of his hands for it.
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''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'', published in 2015, is a novella by American author Kai Ashante Wilson. It is set in a fantasy equivalent of AncientAfrica, with a smattering of ScienceFantasy.
to:
''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'', published in 2015, is a novella by American author Kai Ashante Wilson.Creator/KaiAshanteWilson. It is set in a fantasy equivalent of AncientAfrica, with a smattering of ScienceFantasy.
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* MagicFromTechnology: The gods who were Sorcerer's and Captain's ancestors are implied to have been visiting aliens whose magic was advanced technology; a lot of the words Sorcerer struggles to translate when he's trying to explain things are technological ones, touching on medicine, genetic engineering, faster-than-light travel, and the like.
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* MagicFromTechnology: The gods who were Sorcerer's Demane's and Captain's ancestors are implied to have been visiting aliens whose magic was advanced technology; a lot of the words Sorcerer Demane struggles to translate when he's trying to explain things are technological ones, touching on medicine, genetic engineering, faster-than-light travel, and the like.
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* DeathSeeker: Captain, haunted by his DarkAndTroubledPast, is implied to be one. During a training exercise with Sorcerer, he deliberately fails to dodge a spear strike that would have been lethal if Sorcerer's reflexes hadn't been good enough to miss at the last moment. [[spoiler:During the fight with the second jukiere, he deliberately stops fighting and allows his own death to be the distraction that gives Sorcerer an opening to attack it]].
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* DeathSeeker: Captain, haunted by his DarkAndTroubledPast, is implied to be one. During a training exercise with Sorcerer, Demane, he deliberately fails to dodge a spear strike that would have been lethal if Sorcerer's Demane's reflexes hadn't been good enough to miss at the last moment. [[spoiler:During the fight with the second jukiere, he deliberately stops fighting and allows his own death to be the distraction that gives Sorcerer Demane an opening to attack it]].
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* DeathSeeker: Captain, haunted by his DarkAndTroubledPast, is implied to be one. During a training exercise with Sorcerer, he deliberately fails to dodge a spear strike that would have been lethal if Sorcerer's reflexes hadn't been good enough to miss at the last moment. [[spoiler:During the fight with the second jukiere, he deliberately stops fighting and allows his own death to be the distraction that gives Sorcerer an opening to attack it]].
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* MagicFromTechnology: The gods who were Sorcerer's and Captain's ancestors are implied to have been visiting aliens whose magic was advanced technology; a lot of the words Sorcerer struggles to translate when he's trying to explain things are technological ones, touching on medicine, genetic engineering, faster-than-light travel, and the like.
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The story is told from the point of view of demigod Demane -- known as Sorcerer --, who in his effort to blend in among humans is second-in-command of a mercenary band employed by a merchant named Suresh l'Merqerim. Suresh wants them to accompany him as far south as the famed city of Olorum and promises them a hefty pay upon arrival at its gates. However, to reach Olorum they would have to cross a jungle known as the Wildeeps, through which only one safe road exists and to leave that road means certain death. Worse, Demane suspects that a terrible beast from his homeland, the jook-toother tiger, has made itself at home in the Wildeeps and it has no obligation to respect the road's boundaries.
to:
The story is told from the point of view of demigod Demane -- known as Sorcerer --, -- who in his effort to blend in among humans is second-in-command of a mercenary band employed by a merchant named Suresh l'Merqerim. Suresh wants them to accompany him as far south as the famed city of Olorum and promises them a hefty pay upon arrival at its gates. However, to reach Olorum they would have to cross a jungle known as the Wildeeps, through which only one safe road exists and to leave that road means certain death. Worse, Demane suspects that a terrible beast from his homeland, the jook-toother jook-toothed tiger, has made itself at home in the Wildeeps and it has no obligation to respect the road's boundaries.
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* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the [[AncientRome Roman Era]] and the action itself happens in a fantasy equivalent of the [[AncientAfrica African continent]], where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case --, and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
to:
* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the [[AncientRome Roman Era]] and the action itself happens in a fantasy equivalent of the [[AncientAfrica African continent]], where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case --, -- and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
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* AnimalisticAbomination: The jukiere, or jook-toother tiger, from Demane's homeland is some kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a green-furred tiger, with SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor thrown in. It eats only pigs or people, but only when they're particularly fresh and likes its hide-out to stink to high heavens of death and decay.
to:
* AnimalisticAbomination: The jukiere, or jook-toother jook-toothed tiger, from Demane's homeland is some kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a green-furred tiger, with SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor thrown in. It eats only pigs or people, but only when they're particularly fresh and likes its hide-out to stink to high heavens of death and decay.
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** When he is running down south to scout the road through the Wildeeps, the monotone act of running makes him reminisce about his divine heritage and how he can never truly to use it to its full potential. He slips into a dream sequence in which he flies as a stormbird would, only snapping out of it when he reaches the Crossings river.
to:
** When he is running down south to scout the road through the Wildeeps, the monotone monotonous act of running makes him reminisce about his divine heritage and how he can never truly to use it to its full potential. He slips into a dream sequence in which he flies as a stormbird would, only snapping out of it when he reaches the Crossings river.
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** Cumalo does not even blink when Demane asks him to guard his pack while he's off training. Everyone else in the band is scared of Demane's witchered equipment, but Cumalo's laissez-faire attitude is beyong that.
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** Cumalo does not even blink when Demane asks him to guard his pack while he's off training. Everyone else in the band is scared of Demane's witchered equipment, but Cumalo's laissez-faire attitude is beyong beyond that.
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* RageBreakingPoint: Demane is not a fan of being called 'Sorcerer', as he points out on several occasions. The brothers persist in doing so anyway, until Barkeem does it while Demane already is [[SuppressedRage visibly in a bad mood]] and gets a jug of wine not just kicked, but ''[[SuperStrength exploded]]'', right out of his hands for it.
to:
* RageBreakingPoint: Demane is not a fan of being called 'Sorcerer', 'my nigga', as he points out on several occasions. The brothers persist in doing so anyway, until Barkeem does it while Demane already is [[SuppressedRage visibly in a bad mood]] and gets a jug of wine not just kicked, but ''[[SuperStrength exploded]]'', right out of his hands for it.
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* LivingLieDetector: Demane can tell whenever someone is lying thanks to clues he takes in [[TheNoseKnows through his superiour sense of smell]].
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* LivingLieDetector: Demane can tell whenever someone is lying thanks to clues he takes in [[TheNoseKnows through his superiour superior sense of smell]].
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* TheNoseKnows: Due to being SemiDivine, Demane has a superiour sense of smell, making him a LivingLieDetector and a ScarilyCompetentTracker. He can also smell whenever someone's sick, which is handy as he's acting as the band's [[TheMedic medic]].
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* TheNoseKnows: Due to being SemiDivine, Demane has a superiour superior sense of smell, making him a LivingLieDetector and a ScarilyCompetentTracker. He can also smell whenever someone's sick, which is handy as he's acting as the band's [[TheMedic medic]].
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* ScarilyCompetentTracker: Demane is known as the best tracker in the band. Unbeknownst to everyone else, that's because he can use his [[TheNoseKnows superiour sense of smell]] and HyperAwareness instead of just poking around in the dirt.
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* ScarilyCompetentTracker: Demane is known as the best tracker in the band. Unbeknownst to everyone else, that's because he can use his [[TheNoseKnows superiour superior sense of smell]] and HyperAwareness instead of just poking around in the dirt.
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** Demane is a demigod, though that's a tenuous descriptor as he admits himself, considering he is seven and five generations removed from his truly divine aunt on his mother's and father's sides, respectively. Aunty claims he's nontheless stronger than anyone she's seen in a couple generations, and his divine heritage allows him to work minor miracles. He also has SuperStrength, a [[TheNoseKnows superiour sense of smell]], can see in the dark and can control his metabolism to an extent. All of this has earned him the moniker 'Sorcerer'.
** Captain is, according to Demane, way closer to the divine than Demane himself. His SuperStrength is superiour to Demane's, as is his HealingFactor. He has HyperAwareness as well, his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings and his hair can drink sunlight, which is why he keeps it hidden.
** Captain is, according to Demane, way closer to the divine than Demane himself. His SuperStrength is superiour to Demane's, as is his HealingFactor. He has HyperAwareness as well, his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings and his hair can drink sunlight, which is why he keeps it hidden.
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** Demane is a demigod, though that's a tenuous descriptor as he admits himself, considering he is seven and five generations removed from his truly divine aunt on his mother's and father's sides, respectively. Aunty claims he's nontheless nonetheless stronger than anyone she's seen in a couple generations, and his divine heritage allows him to work minor miracles. He also has SuperStrength, a [[TheNoseKnows superiour superior sense of smell]], can see in the dark and can control his metabolism to an extent. All of this has earned him the moniker 'Sorcerer'.
** Captain is, according to Demane, way closer to the divine than Demane himself. His SuperStrength issuperiour superior to Demane's, as is his HealingFactor. He has HyperAwareness as well, his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings and his hair can drink sunlight, which is why he keeps it hidden.
** Captain is, according to Demane, way closer to the divine than Demane himself. His SuperStrength is
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** Captain's introduction to the story consists of him conducting a training session for the entire band of brothers despite the sweltering heat and in sight of an oasis. Demane's muses on how Captain is perpetually tireless, always ready to reward seeming lazyness with training, but also how he actually does this to the brothers to enable them to better protect themselves in case of an attack.
to:
** Captain's introduction to the story consists of him conducting a training session for the entire band of brothers despite the sweltering heat and in sight of an oasis. Demane's Demane muses on how Captain is perpetually tireless, always ready to reward seeming lazyness laziness with training, but also how he actually does this to the brothers to enable them to better protect themselves in case of an attack.
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* AnimalisticAbomination: The jukiere, or jook-toother tiger, from the Demane's homeland is some kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a green-furred tiger, with SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor thrown in. It eats only pigs or people, but only when they're particularly fresh and likes its hide-out to stink to high heavens of death and decay.
to:
* AnimalisticAbomination: The jukiere, or jook-toother tiger, from the Demane's homeland is some kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a green-furred tiger, with SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor thrown in. It eats only pigs or people, but only when they're particularly fresh and likes its hide-out to stink to high heavens of death and decay.
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* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the Roman Era and the action itself happenes on an fantasy equivalent of the African continent, where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case --, and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
to:
* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the [[AncientRome Roman Era Era]] and the action itself happenes on an happens in a fantasy equivalent of the [[AncientAfrica African continent, continent]], where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case --, and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
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* CharacterTic: Captain has a tic where he constantly, whenever he thinks that nobody's watching, checks if his head scarf is still in place and as tight fitting as always, showing not one strand of hair. It drives Demane mad, who thinks the scarf sits tighter than a virgin's drawers and besides, the reperition is likely to draw more attention to the gesture than Captain would ever want.
to:
* CharacterTic: Captain has a tic where he constantly, whenever he thinks that nobody's watching, checks if his head scarf is still in place and as tight fitting as always, showing not one strand of hair. It drives Demane mad, who thinks the scarf sits tighter than a virgin's drawers and besides, the reperition repetition is likely to draw more attention to the gesture than Captain would ever want.
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[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9780765385246_3_2.jpg]]
-> ''Ashé's children wish us well,\\
but never trust them, born of Hell.\\
[=TsimTsoa=]'s by far the best,\\
for weal and woe, than all the rest!''
-->-- [[AC:from "Tower Song," chanted for skip-stone games in Great Olorum]]
''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'', published in 2015, is a novella by American author Kai Ashante Wilson. It is set in a fantasy equivalent of AncientAfrica, with a smattering of ScienceFantasy.
The story is told from the point of view of demigod Demane -- known as Sorcerer --, who in his effort to blend in among humans is second-in-command of a mercenary band employed by a merchant named Suresh l'Merqerim. Suresh wants them to accompany him as far south as the famed city of Olorum and promises them a hefty pay upon arrival at its gates. However, to reach Olorum they would have to cross a jungle known as the Wildeeps, through which only one safe road exists and to leave that road means certain death. Worse, Demane suspects that a terrible beast from his homeland, the jook-toother tiger, has made itself at home in the Wildeeps and it has no obligation to respect the road's boundaries.
Of an even bigger concern to Demane, however, is the band's enigmatic Captain Isa -- and Demane's secret lover. In a company of mercenaries such as theirs is one, being found out would not go over well, especially since Isa -- generally known as just Captain -- also has to hide his own heavenly descent; and he has a far more difficult time doing so, for his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings, and his hair takes nourishment from sunlight.
Demane has to navigate his frustration with being unable to acknowledge his relationship with Captain, keeping the brothers in check and striking a balance between his human and divine heritage.
The novella ''Literature/ATasteOfHoney'' by the same author is set in the same world as ''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps''.
----
!!''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'' provides examples of the following tropes:
* AmbiguouslyBi: Two of the relationships Demane has been involved in so far have been with men, including his first love, but he also mentions almost marrying a woman at some point, and expresses some regret about not having done so. Though it's not entirely clear whether he loved her or it was just a 'she's been courting me for a year, that's got to mean something'-thing.
* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the Roman Era and the action itself happenes on an fantasy equivalent of the African continent, where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case --, and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
* AncientAfrica: The kingdom of Olorum, which lies to the south of a great desert and across the mysterious Wildeeps jungle, sounds like a mix of various ancient African empire like the kingdoms of Kush and Axum.
* AnimalisticAbomination: The jukiere, or jook-toother tiger, from the Demane's homeland is some kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a green-furred tiger, with SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor thrown in. It eats only pigs or people, but only when they're particularly fresh and likes its hide-out to stink to high heavens of death and decay.
* BagOfHolding: One of the artifacts Demane inherited from his Aunty is a small belt pouch that is much, much bigger on the inside. When he leaves the amir's service unannounced, he takes everything that's not nailed down at his quarters with him, but the guards later swear he left the palace with only a pouch at his belt.
* CharacterTic: Captain has a tic where he constantly, whenever he thinks that nobody's watching, checks if his head scarf is still in place and as tight fitting as always, showing not one strand of hair. It drives Demane mad, who thinks the scarf sits tighter than a virgin's drawers and besides, the reperition is likely to draw more attention to the gesture than Captain would ever want.
* DeathWorld: The first world Demane and Isa end up in [[spoiler:upon leaving the road through the Wildeeps in pursuit of the jukiere]], or at least what they see of it, is a vulcano about to erupt. They quickly hightail it out of there.
* DesertBandits: On their way to Mother of Waters, the brothers are ambushed by the Desperados, a gang of desert bandits who prey on merchant caravans and evidently thought that twenty-five mercenaries could be quickly dealt with.
* DoubleMeaningTitle: 'Sorcerer' is not just Demane's nickname among the brothers, the jukiere haunting the Wildeeps is also a kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a tiger. Additionally, in the end of the book [[spoiler:Demane has to remain in the Wildeeps until he manages to kill the ''other'' jukiere within the jungle as well, effectively making him the Sorcerer of the Wildeeps]].
* DownerEnding: The book ends with what looks like an AmbiguousEnding, but upon closer inspection it's heavily implied that [[spoiler:Isa dies at the hands of the second jukiere because he is, for a split second, distracted by Demane arriving at the scene, and Demane is unable to heal him. So Demane has to stay back at the Wildeeps until he has tracked down and killed the remaining jukiere, possibly also dying himself in the process, as the first, older jukiere already took almost all he had to kill. And he has to deal with feeling responsible for his lover's death.]]
* DreamSequence: Demane has several, most likely due to his divine ancestry.
** When he is running down south to scout the road through the Wildeeps, the monotone act of running makes him reminisce about his divine heritage and how he can never truly to use it to its full potential. He slips into a dream sequence in which he flies as a stormbird would, only snapping out of it when he reaches the Crossings river.
** While trying to stop Captain from beating some unruly brothers as punishment for misdemeanor, Demane briefly touches Captain and is promptly snagged into a vision of corpses rotting by the sea, the smell of which indicates Captain is among them. Before he can think more about it Demane snaps out of it, however.
* EldritchLocation: The Wildeeps, [[spoiler:which is short for Wild Deeps, as it turns out,]] is a largely impassable jungle through which only one safe road exists. Said road changes locations almost by the hour and to step off it means certain death, reputedly by the hands of monsters that live in the Wildeeps, [[spoiler:but actually by getting lost between worlds, as the Wild Deeps are a place where unnumbered universes and times intertwine]].
* EstablishingCharacterMoment:
** Captain's introduction to the story consists of him conducting a training session for the entire band of brothers despite the sweltering heat and in sight of an oasis. Demane's muses on how Captain is perpetually tireless, always ready to reward seeming lazyness with training, but also how he actually does this to the brothers to enable them to better protect themselves in case of an attack.
** Faedou is introduced as being unable to take part in the training because he refuses to let Demane treat his injured, already infected leg. He trusts in God to save his life and calls Demane's skills witchcraft, establishing him as the old superstitious gossip slinger of the band.
** Cumalo does not even blink when Demane asks him to guard his pack while he's off training. Everyone else in the band is scared of Demane's witchered equipment, but Cumalo's laissez-faire attitude is beyong that.
* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: In one of the worlds Demane and Isa cross [[spoiler:during their hunt for the jukiere]], they get to watch a [[StockDinosaurs Brontosaurus]] being attacked and eaten by a TyrannosaurusRex, who is later joined by various flying reptiles. It's such a fascinating, although brutal, sight that despite being pressed for time neither can tear his gaze away from it.
* GrassIsGreener: Demane has found he's not a particular fan of war and violence, so he often thinks about the peaceful place he came from. He even calls the place nothing other than 'the green hills'.
* HairTriggerTemper: Captain likes to affect to have one. When Serush dares to protest his taking a break from unloading wares, Isa whips around and flings a barrel in his general direction -- [[SuperStrength upwards, towards a balcony]].
* HealingFactor:
** Captain heals injuries others would suffer from for weeks within days or even hours, and they don't leave scars behind at all. During their stay at Mother of Waters, he comes out of the Fighthouse victorious, but also limping, bloody to the bone in places and with one eye swollen shut. By evening of the next day, only some scabs are left over from that.
** Demane also heals faster from injuries than normal people, although he remarks how his HealingFactor is nowhere near as good as Captain's.
* LivingLieDetector: Demane can tell whenever someone is lying thanks to clues he takes in [[TheNoseKnows through his superiour sense of smell]].
* LoveAtFirstSight: Demane remembers meeting Isa in a market square in Philipiya and immediately offering him to come sleep at his place in the amir's palace instead of the travelers' barracks. When Isa just as immediately tells him his full name and takes his hand, they both know it's true love, and Demane gives up his post at the amir's court to become a mercenary at Isa's side.
* TheMedic: Demane says he's always had an inclination towards medicine. He acts as the band's medic, anyway, and has -- thanks to his SemiDivine heritage and [[TheNoseKnows superior sense of smell]] -- [[AnachronismStew modern levels of medical knowledge]]. Additionally, thanks to the aformentioned heritage, he is able to secrete a poison that in small amounts can act as an anaesthetic.
* MenDontCry: The cultural norm in the northern lands, where the story takes place, is that men don't show emotions, never mind crying. Demane is appalled at such ignorance, as where he's from everyone is allowed to cry. When [[spoiler:Cumalo, one of his friends in the band, dies]], Demane has to stow away his grief entirely or be looked down upon.
* TheNoseKnows: Due to being SemiDivine, Demane has a superiour sense of smell, making him a LivingLieDetector and a ScarilyCompetentTracker. He can also smell whenever someone's sick, which is handy as he's acting as the band's [[TheMedic medic]].
* PhysicalGod: The Ashëans are said to have been {{Physical God}}s who'd live in enclaves and were often associated with certain nations and/or people. Demane claims they've since abandoned their towers and become light, leaving their SemiDivine offspring behind.
* RageBreakingPoint: Demane is not a fan of being called 'Sorcerer', as he points out on several occasions. The brothers persist in doing so anyway, until Barkeem does it while Demane already is [[SuppressedRage visibly in a bad mood]] and gets a jug of wine not just kicked, but ''[[SuperStrength exploded]]'', right out of his hands for it.
* RunningGag: The lack of appropriate words -- to his knowledge, anyway -- to translate complex medical concepts from Demane's mother tongue into that of the northern lands is remarked upon a couple of times, with escalating proportions. It begins with him admitting that "good juju" is not a good way to express "panaceaic endosymbionts" and ends with Demane muttering entire sentences in his mother tongue when trying to make others understand the downsides of smoking random shit.
--> '''Demane:''' "Qaïf ''poison'', very dangerous. It's [an insult to the homeostasis of body and mind]. You understand me?" ''Well, how can they, fool? You're speaking half in your own language!''
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: Demane is known as the best tracker in the band. Unbeknownst to everyone else, that's because he can use his [[TheNoseKnows superiour sense of smell]] and HyperAwareness instead of just poking around in the dirt.
* SecretRelationship: Demane and Isa have to keep their relationship secret as homosexual relationships are a no-no in the northern lands (and much of the rest of the world). Demane is eternally frustrated about the lack of quality time they manage to steal away for. Eventually, while on the road through the Wildeeps and [[spoiler:in the middle of a jukiere-conjured winter]], Isa snuggles up to Demane for warmth in the dark and Demane realises that [[spoiler:Cumalo]] either knew of their relationship or has just put the puzzle together, for he makes a pointed 'victory'-gesture towards them.
* SemiDivine:
** Demane is a demigod, though that's a tenuous descriptor as he admits himself, considering he is seven and five generations removed from his truly divine aunt on his mother's and father's sides, respectively. Aunty claims he's nontheless stronger than anyone she's seen in a couple generations, and his divine heritage allows him to work minor miracles. He also has SuperStrength, a [[TheNoseKnows superiour sense of smell]], can see in the dark and can control his metabolism to an extent. All of this has earned him the moniker 'Sorcerer'.
** Captain is, according to Demane, way closer to the divine than Demane himself. His SuperStrength is superiour to Demane's, as is his HealingFactor. He has HyperAwareness as well, his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings and his hair can drink sunlight, which is why he keeps it hidden.
* SuperStrength:
** Captain, despite looking rather unimpressive, is the strongest man in the band. At one point he takes up a half-full barrel and hurls it upwards to a balcony just to show Suresh his displeasure.
** Demane, though not as strong as Captain, is still a demigod. When he means to kick a jug of alcohol from Barkeem's hands in anger, he makes it explode instead.
* SuppressedRage: Demane collects quite a bit of suppressed rage because he doesn't get the desired quality time with Isa at Mother of Waters, and also because he feels that Isa is keeping secrets from him. It gets to the point where he snipes at the other band members for no good reason and even becomes violent.
* TryingNotToCry: Upon [[spoiler:Cumalo's death]], Demane desperately wants to mourn, but since MenDontCry in the northern lands, he avoids that by stowing his grief away entirely.
* VagueAge: Captain's age is never specified and he gives off conflicting cues depending on the audience. It is unlikely that he's ReallySevenHundredYearsOld, but Demane mentions that Captain's been in the mercenary business for a couple decades already. His looks are very vague, age-wise, and his behaviour is that of a hardened veteran towards the band and that of an occasionally insecure 20-something when alone with Demane.
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-> ''Ashé's children wish us well,\\
but never trust them, born of Hell.\\
[=TsimTsoa=]'s by far the best,\\
for weal and woe, than all the rest!''
-->-- [[AC:from "Tower Song," chanted for skip-stone games in Great Olorum]]
''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'', published in 2015, is a novella by American author Kai Ashante Wilson. It is set in a fantasy equivalent of AncientAfrica, with a smattering of ScienceFantasy.
The story is told from the point of view of demigod Demane -- known as Sorcerer --, who in his effort to blend in among humans is second-in-command of a mercenary band employed by a merchant named Suresh l'Merqerim. Suresh wants them to accompany him as far south as the famed city of Olorum and promises them a hefty pay upon arrival at its gates. However, to reach Olorum they would have to cross a jungle known as the Wildeeps, through which only one safe road exists and to leave that road means certain death. Worse, Demane suspects that a terrible beast from his homeland, the jook-toother tiger, has made itself at home in the Wildeeps and it has no obligation to respect the road's boundaries.
Of an even bigger concern to Demane, however, is the band's enigmatic Captain Isa -- and Demane's secret lover. In a company of mercenaries such as theirs is one, being found out would not go over well, especially since Isa -- generally known as just Captain -- also has to hide his own heavenly descent; and he has a far more difficult time doing so, for his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings, and his hair takes nourishment from sunlight.
Demane has to navigate his frustration with being unable to acknowledge his relationship with Captain, keeping the brothers in check and striking a balance between his human and divine heritage.
The novella ''Literature/ATasteOfHoney'' by the same author is set in the same world as ''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps''.
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!!''The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps'' provides examples of the following tropes:
* AmbiguouslyBi: Two of the relationships Demane has been involved in so far have been with men, including his first love, but he also mentions almost marrying a woman at some point, and expresses some regret about not having done so. Though it's not entirely clear whether he loved her or it was just a 'she's been courting me for a year, that's got to mean something'-thing.
* AnachronismStew: The story itself is set in a time reminiscent of the Roman Era and the action itself happenes on an fantasy equivalent of the African continent, where warriors use spears and swords are an exotic thing. However, the language the brothers use among themselves is flat-out modern hip-hop slang -- or modern French, in T-Jawn's case --, and not only is Demane knowledgeable in modern genetics and medicine, there's mention of existing, practical [[FasterThanLightTravel faster-than-light]] and interplanetary travel.
* AncientAfrica: The kingdom of Olorum, which lies to the south of a great desert and across the mysterious Wildeeps jungle, sounds like a mix of various ancient African empire like the kingdoms of Kush and Axum.
* AnimalisticAbomination: The jukiere, or jook-toother tiger, from the Demane's homeland is some kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a green-furred tiger, with SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor thrown in. It eats only pigs or people, but only when they're particularly fresh and likes its hide-out to stink to high heavens of death and decay.
* BagOfHolding: One of the artifacts Demane inherited from his Aunty is a small belt pouch that is much, much bigger on the inside. When he leaves the amir's service unannounced, he takes everything that's not nailed down at his quarters with him, but the guards later swear he left the palace with only a pouch at his belt.
* CharacterTic: Captain has a tic where he constantly, whenever he thinks that nobody's watching, checks if his head scarf is still in place and as tight fitting as always, showing not one strand of hair. It drives Demane mad, who thinks the scarf sits tighter than a virgin's drawers and besides, the reperition is likely to draw more attention to the gesture than Captain would ever want.
* DeathWorld: The first world Demane and Isa end up in [[spoiler:upon leaving the road through the Wildeeps in pursuit of the jukiere]], or at least what they see of it, is a vulcano about to erupt. They quickly hightail it out of there.
* DesertBandits: On their way to Mother of Waters, the brothers are ambushed by the Desperados, a gang of desert bandits who prey on merchant caravans and evidently thought that twenty-five mercenaries could be quickly dealt with.
* DoubleMeaningTitle: 'Sorcerer' is not just Demane's nickname among the brothers, the jukiere haunting the Wildeeps is also a kind of animalistic, necromantic sorcerer in the form of a tiger. Additionally, in the end of the book [[spoiler:Demane has to remain in the Wildeeps until he manages to kill the ''other'' jukiere within the jungle as well, effectively making him the Sorcerer of the Wildeeps]].
* DownerEnding: The book ends with what looks like an AmbiguousEnding, but upon closer inspection it's heavily implied that [[spoiler:Isa dies at the hands of the second jukiere because he is, for a split second, distracted by Demane arriving at the scene, and Demane is unable to heal him. So Demane has to stay back at the Wildeeps until he has tracked down and killed the remaining jukiere, possibly also dying himself in the process, as the first, older jukiere already took almost all he had to kill. And he has to deal with feeling responsible for his lover's death.]]
* DreamSequence: Demane has several, most likely due to his divine ancestry.
** When he is running down south to scout the road through the Wildeeps, the monotone act of running makes him reminisce about his divine heritage and how he can never truly to use it to its full potential. He slips into a dream sequence in which he flies as a stormbird would, only snapping out of it when he reaches the Crossings river.
** While trying to stop Captain from beating some unruly brothers as punishment for misdemeanor, Demane briefly touches Captain and is promptly snagged into a vision of corpses rotting by the sea, the smell of which indicates Captain is among them. Before he can think more about it Demane snaps out of it, however.
* EldritchLocation: The Wildeeps, [[spoiler:which is short for Wild Deeps, as it turns out,]] is a largely impassable jungle through which only one safe road exists. Said road changes locations almost by the hour and to step off it means certain death, reputedly by the hands of monsters that live in the Wildeeps, [[spoiler:but actually by getting lost between worlds, as the Wild Deeps are a place where unnumbered universes and times intertwine]].
* EstablishingCharacterMoment:
** Captain's introduction to the story consists of him conducting a training session for the entire band of brothers despite the sweltering heat and in sight of an oasis. Demane's muses on how Captain is perpetually tireless, always ready to reward seeming lazyness with training, but also how he actually does this to the brothers to enable them to better protect themselves in case of an attack.
** Faedou is introduced as being unable to take part in the training because he refuses to let Demane treat his injured, already infected leg. He trusts in God to save his life and calls Demane's skills witchcraft, establishing him as the old superstitious gossip slinger of the band.
** Cumalo does not even blink when Demane asks him to guard his pack while he's off training. Everyone else in the band is scared of Demane's witchered equipment, but Cumalo's laissez-faire attitude is beyong that.
* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: In one of the worlds Demane and Isa cross [[spoiler:during their hunt for the jukiere]], they get to watch a [[StockDinosaurs Brontosaurus]] being attacked and eaten by a TyrannosaurusRex, who is later joined by various flying reptiles. It's such a fascinating, although brutal, sight that despite being pressed for time neither can tear his gaze away from it.
* GrassIsGreener: Demane has found he's not a particular fan of war and violence, so he often thinks about the peaceful place he came from. He even calls the place nothing other than 'the green hills'.
* HairTriggerTemper: Captain likes to affect to have one. When Serush dares to protest his taking a break from unloading wares, Isa whips around and flings a barrel in his general direction -- [[SuperStrength upwards, towards a balcony]].
* HealingFactor:
** Captain heals injuries others would suffer from for weeks within days or even hours, and they don't leave scars behind at all. During their stay at Mother of Waters, he comes out of the Fighthouse victorious, but also limping, bloody to the bone in places and with one eye swollen shut. By evening of the next day, only some scabs are left over from that.
** Demane also heals faster from injuries than normal people, although he remarks how his HealingFactor is nowhere near as good as Captain's.
* LivingLieDetector: Demane can tell whenever someone is lying thanks to clues he takes in [[TheNoseKnows through his superiour sense of smell]].
* LoveAtFirstSight: Demane remembers meeting Isa in a market square in Philipiya and immediately offering him to come sleep at his place in the amir's palace instead of the travelers' barracks. When Isa just as immediately tells him his full name and takes his hand, they both know it's true love, and Demane gives up his post at the amir's court to become a mercenary at Isa's side.
* TheMedic: Demane says he's always had an inclination towards medicine. He acts as the band's medic, anyway, and has -- thanks to his SemiDivine heritage and [[TheNoseKnows superior sense of smell]] -- [[AnachronismStew modern levels of medical knowledge]]. Additionally, thanks to the aformentioned heritage, he is able to secrete a poison that in small amounts can act as an anaesthetic.
* MenDontCry: The cultural norm in the northern lands, where the story takes place, is that men don't show emotions, never mind crying. Demane is appalled at such ignorance, as where he's from everyone is allowed to cry. When [[spoiler:Cumalo, one of his friends in the band, dies]], Demane has to stow away his grief entirely or be looked down upon.
* TheNoseKnows: Due to being SemiDivine, Demane has a superiour sense of smell, making him a LivingLieDetector and a ScarilyCompetentTracker. He can also smell whenever someone's sick, which is handy as he's acting as the band's [[TheMedic medic]].
* PhysicalGod: The Ashëans are said to have been {{Physical God}}s who'd live in enclaves and were often associated with certain nations and/or people. Demane claims they've since abandoned their towers and become light, leaving their SemiDivine offspring behind.
* RageBreakingPoint: Demane is not a fan of being called 'Sorcerer', as he points out on several occasions. The brothers persist in doing so anyway, until Barkeem does it while Demane already is [[SuppressedRage visibly in a bad mood]] and gets a jug of wine not just kicked, but ''[[SuperStrength exploded]]'', right out of his hands for it.
* RunningGag: The lack of appropriate words -- to his knowledge, anyway -- to translate complex medical concepts from Demane's mother tongue into that of the northern lands is remarked upon a couple of times, with escalating proportions. It begins with him admitting that "good juju" is not a good way to express "panaceaic endosymbionts" and ends with Demane muttering entire sentences in his mother tongue when trying to make others understand the downsides of smoking random shit.
--> '''Demane:''' "Qaïf ''poison'', very dangerous. It's [an insult to the homeostasis of body and mind]. You understand me?" ''Well, how can they, fool? You're speaking half in your own language!''
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: Demane is known as the best tracker in the band. Unbeknownst to everyone else, that's because he can use his [[TheNoseKnows superiour sense of smell]] and HyperAwareness instead of just poking around in the dirt.
* SecretRelationship: Demane and Isa have to keep their relationship secret as homosexual relationships are a no-no in the northern lands (and much of the rest of the world). Demane is eternally frustrated about the lack of quality time they manage to steal away for. Eventually, while on the road through the Wildeeps and [[spoiler:in the middle of a jukiere-conjured winter]], Isa snuggles up to Demane for warmth in the dark and Demane realises that [[spoiler:Cumalo]] either knew of their relationship or has just put the puzzle together, for he makes a pointed 'victory'-gesture towards them.
* SemiDivine:
** Demane is a demigod, though that's a tenuous descriptor as he admits himself, considering he is seven and five generations removed from his truly divine aunt on his mother's and father's sides, respectively. Aunty claims he's nontheless stronger than anyone she's seen in a couple generations, and his divine heritage allows him to work minor miracles. He also has SuperStrength, a [[TheNoseKnows superiour sense of smell]], can see in the dark and can control his metabolism to an extent. All of this has earned him the moniker 'Sorcerer'.
** Captain is, according to Demane, way closer to the divine than Demane himself. His SuperStrength is superiour to Demane's, as is his HealingFactor. He has HyperAwareness as well, his voice is so beautiful he cannot speak but sings and his hair can drink sunlight, which is why he keeps it hidden.
* SuperStrength:
** Captain, despite looking rather unimpressive, is the strongest man in the band. At one point he takes up a half-full barrel and hurls it upwards to a balcony just to show Suresh his displeasure.
** Demane, though not as strong as Captain, is still a demigod. When he means to kick a jug of alcohol from Barkeem's hands in anger, he makes it explode instead.
* SuppressedRage: Demane collects quite a bit of suppressed rage because he doesn't get the desired quality time with Isa at Mother of Waters, and also because he feels that Isa is keeping secrets from him. It gets to the point where he snipes at the other band members for no good reason and even becomes violent.
* TryingNotToCry: Upon [[spoiler:Cumalo's death]], Demane desperately wants to mourn, but since MenDontCry in the northern lands, he avoids that by stowing his grief away entirely.
* VagueAge: Captain's age is never specified and he gives off conflicting cues depending on the audience. It is unlikely that he's ReallySevenHundredYearsOld, but Demane mentions that Captain's been in the mercenary business for a couple decades already. His looks are very vague, age-wise, and his behaviour is that of a hardened veteran towards the band and that of an occasionally insecure 20-something when alone with Demane.
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