Dreams of Ýdalir - The Illustrated Novel

Where Norse Mythology and The Ballad of Tam Lin meet, this tale, set in the lowlands of Scotland and the Otherworld brings untold legends to life.

Dreams of Ýdalir is an illustrated novel (work in progress) that includes new myths about the Gods of Old Europe. It is heavily based on European mythology and with a deep respect for the classic lore it reveals the legends of lesser known Gods, like Wuldor/Ullr, Sif and Elen of the Ways, and new or as we like to say “forgotten” tales and origin stories of some more well known mythological characters, like Thor and Odin.

The Story

The tale centers around the Gods Wuldor, also known as Ullr, and Elen of the Ways and aims to tell their untold myths. Very little is known about either of these enigmatic figures, but through over a decade of personal research we patch together what is known about them in classic lore and what we have learned from other sources, to create a rich tapestry, including fundamental truths spoken by the Gods themselves to help us humans understand our own place in the cosmos.

We make the stories more relatable by rooting them in the experiences of our human heroines, 18th century Fawn, and 1990s Juniper who discover their legacy is mixed up in myth and magic. Other parts of the tale are from the perspective of the Gods themselves, which allows the reader to see inside their hearts and minds. Then we package it all in a beautiful format with amazing sketches and illustrations to bring the words to life.

Synopsis

Our story is based in a rich world where mythology and fantasy meet. It takes place in two timelines, 18^thcentury Scotland and the 1990s but through those shared timelines, we explore the origin stories of some of the Gods never told before.

The year is 1794, Fawn is a seventeen-year-old orphaned girl, living in the Scottish lowlands. When she begins having strange dreams of a flame-haired woman named Elen who appears to be part human, part deer and Wuldor, a mysterious dark-haired woodsman who gifts her with a magical deer mask that allows her to travel to other worlds, she believes she has the resources to finally find her own fey-touched mother. As her relationship with these mythical beings deepens, she writes it all down in her journal and sketches some of the pivotal moments in her life and of the story as it unfolds.

In 1997, Juniper is plagued by strange dreams in far away lands. Growing up with her grandparents at the edge of a Vermont forest, her life changes when she sets off on an adventure to learn more about her past and her grandmother’s family secrets.

Through this coming of age tale, our heroines are gifted with the divine stories of the Gods, and learn their true origins. Dreams of Ýdalir tells about a world that exists beneath the veil of our own familiar world. It is a world you will love getting lost in.

Watch Our Trailer

Access the Story as it Unfolds

For a time, the story was released in episodes. Harkening back to the days of yore when serial fictions were all the rage. It is how Charles Dickens and many other classic writers got their start. Many of the long novels of the past that we think of as a singular works were originally published in serial format. Back then it was because consumers often could not afford an entire book, but could pay smaller amounts over time. These days people don’t have a lot of time, a serial allows you to fit reading into your life because you can read each installment in one sitting. It also means we have to tell a riveting story, and produce amazing artwork that creates anticipation for the next one, every time.

Although we aren’t doing this now, you can still read some earlier excerpts in the blog section of this website.