A Tale of Fire and Stars is an epic high fantasy novel, published in 2722, by the Cambrian author and scholar Arthyen Rewan Sothmas Tolcarn and a subsequent media franchise created by Elios Tolcarn, the grandson of A.R. Tolcarn, which began with the eponymous 2750 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. Set in Midwear, A Tale of Fire and Stars is one of the best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.
The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe. The franchise holds a World Record title for the "Most successful film merchandising franchise." In 2773, the franchise's total value was estimated at $70 billion, and it is currently the fifth-highest-grossing media franchise of all time. The film launched the career of a number of well known actors, such as Arald Rhyd.
Setting and Synopsis[]
The Tale of Fire and Stars franchise depicts the adventures of characters in the Kingdom of Midwear and on the continent so named, in which humans and other species exist.
Arno, the primary hero
A mystical power known as the Force of Other, described in the original film as "an energy field created by all living things". King Kayos utters the blessing "May the Force of Others be with you all", and he later says "I feel the Force also". The power of the Force of Others is kept secret by the Bendu of the Ashla, an aristocratic cult loyal to the Kingdom of Midwear. The Force of Others is made up of Ashla, the light side, and Bogan, the dark side. The First book, and film, involve, Arno Starfell's mission to retrieve the Kiver Crystal, which can intensify either the Ashla or Bogan powers.
The beginning of the film, as the book, explains the setting during its famous opening scroll:
"Until the recent Great Rebellion, the Dai Nogas were the most feared warriors of Midwear and protected the Kingdom. For one hundred thousand years, generations of Dai perfected their art as the personal bodyguards of the King. They were the chief architects of the invincible which expanded the King's power across Midwear, from the celestial equator to the farthest reaches. Now these legendary warriors are all but extinct. One by one, they have been hunted down and destroyed as enemies of the resurgent Kreia Empire by a ferocious and sinister rival warrior sect, the Legions of Lettow."
The handmaidens, Jobala and Minda, of Queen Brehao of Aquilae are sent to find Arno Starfell of the Chatos Academy to help stem the tide of the Kreia Empire, and save Aquilae and the dwindling Kingdom of Midwear from the growing threat of the east, the Kreia Empire.
Ruthless trader barons, driven by greed and the lust for power, replaced the enlightenment that the former Kingdom of Midwear brought, introducing lawless oppression in the middle-lands between the shrunken Kingdom of Midwear and the growing terror of Kreia. The small-realms, such as Aquilae, are caught in the middle.
Until the tragic Holy Rebellion, the respected Bendu of Ashla were the most powerful warriors in the land, owing no loyalty to any realm but rather keepers of the peace and spirit of the Others - the celestial and unknowable gods. For a hundred thousand years, generations of Bendu Knights learned the Ashla, the Good Force of the Others and acted as guardians of peace and justice. Now the legendary warriors are all but extinct, one by one hunted down by the terrible Black Knights of Korrivath, a dark cult that serve nothing but Bogan, the Dark Force of the Others - demon worshipers. Brehao intends to unravel the deception that the Kreia Empire is not in fact in alliance with the Darkness and Korrivath and she intends to enlist Arno, seemingly the last Bendu Knight, to aid her.
It is a period of civil wars, the Kreia Empire is crumbling into lawless barbarism and the defeated realms seek an opening to break free. War is building at control of the Outlands is at stake.
In the Republic of Utapau, a rebel convoy is attacked and pursued by Deak, Captain of the Kreia Empire. The convoy is led by the Ranger Artwo of Aquilae and Tantive, an envoy from the Lupreci, a race of humanoids considered scholarly.
Artwo sends Jobala, Minda, and Tantive ahead to seek Arno while he delays Deak. As the group flee the carriages and convoy are swarmed by Kreian soldiers who start attacking in a frenzy. After a fight Deak shows up and is challenges by Artwo. He flings objects and fragments of the wrecked convoy at Artwo using the Dark Force, battering the young Ranger. Finally, Deak drains Artwo of his Life Force, and the Rebel passes into unconsciousness. Deak believes he had captured the Son of the Suns and had averted defeat for Kreia. Meanwhile, fleeing into Utapau, Jobala, Minda, and Tantive are captured by Yavaka, a gremlin-like sentient creature of the desert. After a prison break, the trio escape, and get directions from a local. The same local, however, reports the trio to an Imperial spy, called a Gray Tusken.
Eastern Talam was the primary filming location for the first part of the film
At a local and disreputable pub, the trio encounter Ureallian, Sovach, and Windy. This new group are outlaws and smugglers and agree to transport Jobala, Minda, and Tantive for a fee while Jobala rebuffs the advances of Ureallian the Rogue.
Windy finds the Kiver Crystal which he lifts from Minda with deft hands, leading to a tense stand off where Minda nearly loses her mind to get the Crystal back. After explaining the situation and enduring racist verbal mockery, Tantive explains the need of the Kiver and the pursuit by Deak. The outlaws relent and hold onto the crystal as a 'safeguard', then move out with the trio.
With the Crystal, the group trek north from the deserts towards the forests, keeping a low profile in the no-mans-lands. As they make their way there, Ureallian spies out a pursuer, The Tusken. At this point the outlaws reveal that they are deeply in debt to Oxus, a Criminal King, and likely to be followed by his people as well.
The party sets out, but their destination is no more: Ogajor, the chief city of Utapau, has been destroyed by the Empire and only smoking ruins and mutilated bodies are found. In the midst of the ruins they are attacked by Deak and the Imperial forces. Windy is killed by Minda for the crystal and she manages to get it back before she is herself killed by Deak. The fortuitous arrival of Arno saves the group from certain death and they manage to escape. Arno reveals that he has the location of Artwo - the prison city Alveran to which the group go. The group discuss the madness of Minda and Arno entertains the idea that the Crystal holds the corruption of Bogan within it and is liable to decay the mind - with some more susceptible but all able to fall to it if the Crystal is in their presence for long enough.
Sneaking in, they find Artwo, now dying from his torture, and carry him off, escaping both the garrison and strange Dai Noga creatures - ghoulish humanoids whih nearly kill the group. Arno used the Crystal to keep Artwo alive. As they arrived at their destination, Nivay, site of the secret rebel base, they find that an immense army had tracked and followed them under Deak. Meeting with General Dodana the group get ready for the coming battle. The epic showdown is a close engagement involving endless bloodshed, but the rebels end in victory and Deak is stabbed to death by Jobala who snuck onto the battlefield despite the women being asked to flee.
The group regather and determine what next to do...
Subsequent Films[]
The first film found enormous success and was followed by two more, one in 2752 and one in 2754, each based on the three books of the Tale of Fire and Stars Saga. A thirteen year hiatus followed before the release of three more, based on A.R. Tolcarn's second Saga set of three, being released in 2767, 2769, 2771.
Characters[]
The characters of the films became highly popular, with now household names such as Deak and Artwo
Film Development and Creation[]
Elios Tolcarn, the grandson of A.R. Tolcarn, arguably helped bring the world of TOFS to a broader audience. While the novels had always been incredibly popular the advent of the high quality films unleashed what would become the pop-culture phenom that it is today.
Southern Talam was a principal filming location
Elios grew up in Talam and spent his time between his home country and that of his father and mother - Cambria. Filming was done by and large in Talam, as well as Penutia, Gosute, Yuta, and Numia in Hesperia and in Hibernia, Cambria (especially the north), and the island of Iceland in Scandia. The filming in Hesperia was a great boon to the countires so filmed in, especially Talam and Penutia, with eco-travel to these areas increasing a great deal as a result.
The films are recognized for their mix of High Fantasy and Low Fantasy, wherein magic is present but minimal to a degree that most people do not believe in it. Likewise an array of creatures and races exist but only humans and lupreci are broadly represented or have any numbers while many creatures are believed to simply be myths. The films were praised for their detail, acting, and portrayal of epic battles while being critiqued in some circles for being too violent, especially as the films are popular among children.