Strange lands, stranger people Summary

## Editor's Note

The original series that involves Jackal, the blood mage, and the smuggled mage student from the Empire has the official title "Strange Lands, Stranger People" but this article is using the unofficial sub-heading of "The Enticing Mercenary" to establish it as a completed arc.

In November 2020 Hollow released "Trading With Himbo Cat and Grumpy Bunny", setting up an unnamed spinoff series (as far as this editor can tell) with a new Listener character. It will be separated under its own heading until further notice.

In January 2021 Hollow released "Falling sleep With an Enticing Mercenary" as the beginning of Jackal's second series officially titled "New Lands, Old Faces" with parallel arcs that also introduces a third Listener character. (As of "Enticing Mercenary Gets Jealous", we guess that the listener is still the *Greenlander Mage)*

**The Listener titles and descriptions here are only to distinguish Listener characters from each other in the wiki and are not official titles or descriptions in any video descriptions or the Discord server. They're effectively headcanon titles and will be changed should Hollow give them an official description.**
## **Strange Lands, Stranger People**

The *Greenlander Mage* meets with their mentor, the court mage, in secret before the Empire's arcane purge begins. He warns them that he will be staying behind to help the other mages in the city but they are to take some of his most valuable arcane tomes and escape to the Crimson Sands. He gives instructions for them to find a new mentor in Azure Port and wishes them well.

The *Greenlander Mage* arrives in the Crimson Sands days later and meets Jackal, a friendly mercenary who offers to guide them through the desert for a price. He knows they are a mage with a bounty on their head and knowledge is valuable. He will bring them across the desert to Azure Port if they will give him two of their arcane tomes and the *Greenlander Mage* gives in, knowing they have no choice. While in the desert they get to know each other a little better and Jackal chooses the first book for his payment, even asks the *Greenlander Mage* to teach him magic. By the time they reach Azure Port the mercenary has grown attached to them but leaves them alone to continue their search with one important piece of advice: "Try not to die."

The *Greenlander Mage* reaches The Sanctuary and meets the owner, Thalvich. At first he's very polite and apologetic but the tables quickly turn and they are bound to him, a blood mage. He claims that they are a pair of souls bound together from a previous life and imprisons them in his cellar so he can reshape them into the person he believes they are. They cannot escape, but on the day when the ritual of the  Necromancer King will be completed Jackal steals into the shop and frees the *Greenlander Mage*. They don't escape easily though. Thalvich catches them and fights with Jackal until he's knocked out.

Jackal and the *Greenlander Mage* run through the market until they lose the enraged blood mage and hide somewhere. The mercenary tenderly takes care of their wounds and bids them to sleep, saying that he has friends in the Topaz Market who can help them after they rest a little. The *Greenlander Mage* does so but Jackal leaves before they wake to lure the blood mage away from them and promises he will find them once it's safe.

The *Greenlander Mage* arrives at Vione and Lozo's tent. Though the cat and bunny are initially suspicious of a greenlander stranger they welcome the mage once they know they are Jackal's friend. Vione is ecstatic to add a new member to the family while Lozo is reserved but they come to care for the *Greenlander Mage* in their own ways. In the meantime, they help out with the business through physical labor and have found a place to rest while they decide what to do next.

Jackal returns after an unknown amount of time, shocking everyone. Lozo is incensed on the *Greenlander Mage'*s behalf while Vione's warmth and good nature allows him to welcome the mercenary back into the fold, only growing concerned when he sees how injured Jackal is. At this point, Lozo has grown very protective of the *Greenlander Mage* and refuses to leave them alone with Jackal, but Vione manages to get him to step away for a cup of tea to calm down. Finally alone, the *Greenlander Mage* hugs Jackal and demands to know exactly what happened. Jackal, charming as ever, explains that he ran into the Crimson Sands knowing that the blood mage would follow him. He used the magic he learned from them to protect himself from a deadly dust storm, which explains his bandaged arms. Luckily he survived, but when he checked to see if Thalvich was really gone he discovered the blood mage's body slowly putting itself back together. He returned to Azure Port half-dead but with a plan to run away with the *Greenlander Mage* as far as they can. There is a boat they have to catch, today, and they must leave immediately. They ask if he'll be going with them and this pushes him to reveal his true feelings about them with a kiss and a quiet, heartfelt confession. The *Greenlander Mage* reciprocates his feelings to Jackal's joy.

He calls Lozo and Vione out from their hiding spot, where they've been eavesdropping the whole time, and they argue over his plan to sail north, a mythical, uncharted territory according to the grumpy bunny. Vione is also reluctant but the *Greenlander Mage* speaks up, agreeing with Jackal that it's the best plan. Lozo isn't happy to let them go when he's spent their time together patching them up after their clumsy mishaps but Vione acts as the voice of reason and reminds him that they are putting themselves in danger the longer they stay. The larger cat reassures the *Greenlander Mage* they will always have a home with them if they need it and Lozo continues to fuss, telling them to take care of themselves and threatening Jackal with his crossbow if he let's anything happen to them. The mercenary smugly states that he will take the best care of them and thanks his friends for taking care of the greenlander while he was away. The traders say, "You're welcome," and Jackal and the *Greenlander Mage* leave to embark on another adventure together, as it should be.

## **New Lands, Old Faces**

More than a month later Jackal and the *Greenlander Mage* are traveling on an unnamed ship to their new destination.The mercenary has long since grown bored with the unexpected length of the trip and lack of trouble to get into, though he makes it clear that its worth it for the company he keeps. To keep himself from climbing the walls he and the *Greenlander Mage* engage in small talk, discussing his checkered history, the greenlander's lack of arcane training, and speculate about Domeras, their destination, among other things. Though Jackal's arms still need to be cleaned and dressed even after all this time, he shamelessly admits that he's looking forward to working as a mercenary again for the coin it brings and the mischief he can get up to. This relaxes Jackal enough that they finally get some rest as ship sails onward.

Back in the Crimson Sands, Thalvich is whole once more and back to running his shop in Azure Port. He welcomes a new Listener in with his usual offering of herbs, potions, and harmless charms but soon realizes they know exactly what he is. Once again, he resonates with the Listener on an imperceptible level and calls them out as another blood mage. The Listener explains that they sought him out as a teacher in blood magic but not how they discovered him. He tests the would-be *Apprentice* with a series of questions and is satisfied with their answers, though it is clear that they are still untrained in the art of the vitae. Thalvich tests their blood and finds, to his delight, that they are a haemopyromancer - their blood is a physical manifestation of a pyromancy flame. Still, he questions whether they are prepared to learn from a monster such as himself, but the *Apprentice* passes his final test. The shop remains closed and the *Apprentice'*s training begins.

Meanwhile, in the distant continent of Domeras, the *Greenlander Mage* and Jackal survey their new surroundings with excitement though they are unsure what to do next. The desert mercenary reveals that he has a contact here, an old partner of his that they should be wary of; he is the reason Jackal worked without a partner for so long. Said partner emerges from the crowd and introduces himself as Ce'cell and it becomes that he and Jackal knew each other rather well before going their separate ways. He gravitates towards the *Greenlander Mage*, practically dismissing his former partner despite Jackal's growing irritation with his shameless flirting. Ce'cell explains that he is a tiefling, a humanoid being from an infernal bloodline, and native to Domeras. He works as a *Tel'on*, a niche role that entails introducing his clients to people who can supply their various needs for a finder's fee. Jackal pulls the greenlander aside for a private discussion, insisting that he's not jealous but that Ce'cell is not to be trusted. Nevertheless, the *Greenlander Mage* thinks it's safe to work with him and the mercenary agrees to play nice. The *Tel'on* explains that he has a contact, a spiderkin fortune-teller, who can help the two of them hide. If they don't like this solution, he'll owe Jackal a favor though he lays the final decision at the Greenlander Mage's feet.

The *Greenlander Mage* seems to agree to go, by the next installment, they're in the tent of Nioh, who tells them that something is coming for them and somewhere lost has the answers. They tell this to the tiefling and demi-human waiting outside. Ce'cell explains that they need to travel to a ruin to find their answers, asking for payment and taunting both Jackal and the *Greenlander Mage* before leaving them to rest for the day. One night a few days after starting their travels, Ce'cell goes out to scout the road ahead, leaving Jackal and the *Greenlander Mage* alone. They learn Jackal's native tongue and also more about his past as an orphan in the sands.

Back in the sands, Thalvich encouraging his *Apprentice* to tap into their true potential, telling them about his past and what he's planning to do next to find his lover. He shows the *Apprentice* a vial of his lover’s blood, enough for them to track his lover down with it, promising to give them anything they wished for so long as they helped him fulfill his wishes.

### Listener Characters

#### *The Greenlander Mage*

* Has been training with the court mage for a long time. They have great magical potential but still have a long way to go before they can call themselves a mage. They are very curious and asks a lot of questions out of habit and training.
	+ Greatly values the magical tomes they carry and only parts with them as a last resort. It's possible they consider the books more valuable than their own life.
	+ Is strong enough to fight and resist blood magic controlling them but not enough to break it.

* The *Greenlander Mage* is often described as soft, pure, and innocent by other characters.
	+ Jackal calls them "Sweet Mage" and Ce'cell calls them "Little Mage"
	+ They have trouble with alcohol and Ce'cell calls them "pure" after reading them.
	+ Gets flustered when Jackal flirts with them and embarrassed when asked if they're one of Jackal's lovers.
	+ When they start working with Vione and Lozo they are not yet used to the climate of the desert and suffer from the intense heat. However they do have a working pair of arms and are noticeably stronger when Jackal returns to them.
	+ They reveal themselves to be clumsy in the time they spend recovering with Lozo and Vione, somehow falling off of Vione's back when they agree to a piggyback ride.

* Never revealed their mage identity to Lozo and Vione.

#### *The Apprentice*

* A barely-trained blood mage of unknown origins, Thalvich recognizes them from their distinctive eyes.
* Their blood sings a familiar tune, one Thalvich is enthralled by but not to the point of obsession as with the *Greenlander Mage*.
* They seem to have some training in the arcane arts but almost none in blood magic as they can't explain their blood potency when questioned.
* Thalvich describes them as "blood of [his] blood, flesh of [his]flesh" though their connection, if real, appears to be spiritual/magical rather than physical. Maybe.
* They are able to endure Thalvich's true form, though it's unknown if this is inherent to their blood magic or if they're just that brave.

### Fan Theories

* The person that saved Jackal from dying of blood lost may have been Ce'cell since it wouldn't be possible to claim it as "coincidence" for him to meet up with the travellers in Domeras.

## ***The Cat and Bunny Trading Company*** (Spinoff)

Lozo welcomes the Listener to the tent and recognizes them as a regular, not a customer but a trader they buy goods from. Though their last shipment of medicinal coriander didn't meet his standards the bunny begins the business of buying. Vione joins in, calling the *Trader* a friend, and interrupts his business partner's negotiation with an offering of lavender tea and similar overtures to discuss topics not necessarily relevant to the business at hand. They work together to ask about the *Trader's* current inventory, though the discussion is derailed by Vione mentioning Lozo's old feelings for him. The merchants agree to buy the *Trader's* stock at their original price in exchange for a favor. The bunny asks the *Trader* to speak to a dragonkin chief in the market named Kyritt on his behalf. The big cat gleefully shares that Kyritt very much fancied his partner but ever since Lozo rejected his offer of "a meeting" he's been too embarrassed to buy from them, a pitiable loss of profit froms one of their oldest customers. Vione calls his grumpy bunny out as being too awkward to talk him, hence the favor, and Lozo splutters that he likes Kyritt "a lot". The *Trader* appears to agree, or at least isn't given a choice to refuse, as Vione finalizes the deal with a hug and pleasant farewell.

The *Trader* approaches Kyritt's kiosk in the market some time later, a food stall bustling with customers. When the dragonkin finally notices them, he asks what their business they have with him and becomes flustered when they explain they have a message from Lozo. Though the dragon tries to deny that he knows anyone by that name who would want to speak with a dragonkin (that is not him) he soon admits he's a terrible liar. He's not yet ready to hear from the bunny yet so he offers the menu to the *Trader* instead since they have never eaten at his kiosk before. They remark that he's passionate about food and Kyritt doesn't disagree. While he prepares their order, he tells them the story of how Lozo and Vione started their business, revealing some of their background. Once the order is done he is ready to hear message the *Trader* was supposed to deliver and is, at first, too nervous to consider visiting the Cat and Bunny Trading Company again. He tries to deny that it's because of any lingering feelings for one half of the company but it doesn't take long for him to give up and describe just what happened between him and Lozo. It was so awkward that he was never able to confess his feelings and has bottled up his feelings since them. He starts to make excuses for why he can't fulfill their request but the *Trader* interjects, saying that Lozo likes Kyritt back. The dragon doesn't believe him at first but the *Trader* insists it's true. Kyritt asks them to tell Lozo and Vione that he will stop by and thanks them for their help when they agree.

### Listener Character: *The Spice Trader*

* Vione calls them his "animal friend" but Kyritt calls them a human
* They specialize in selling spices and other goods of that nature but they also trade with alchemists.

### Fan Theories

* The Spice Trader might be a demi-human with animal characteristics, hence why Vione calls them his animal friend and Kyritt identifies them as human i.e. more human than himself.
* Add your theories about the story or listener characters here!

## Trivia

### Story

* It took nearly a year to complete the first series, with the first audio posted on September 18, 2019 and the last audio of posted on August 01, 2020. There are 11 audios with a total runtime of 2.27 hours.

## Audio References

See the **Strange Lands, Stranger People** playlist here.

See the ***New Lands, Old Faces*** playlist here.

1. ↑ A Secretive Meeting with A Mage
2. ↑ Making a Deal with an Enticing Mercenary
3. ↑ Enticing Mercenary Protects You
4. ↑ Enticing Mercenary Says Goodbye
5. ↑ Captured By a Yandere Blood Mage
6. ↑ Yandere Blood Mage Keeps You
7. ↑ Rescued From A Yandere Blood Mage
8. ↑ Enticing Mercenary Takes Care Of You
9. ↑ Affectionate Cat And Grumpy Bunny Welcome You To The Black Market
10. ↑ Affectionate Cat And Grumpy Bunny Pamper And Relax You!
11. ↑ Enticing Mercenary Asks To Run Away With You
12. ↑ Falling Asleep With an Enticing Mercenary
13. ↑ Yandere Blood Mage Tests You
14. ↑ Enticing Mercenary Gets Jealous
15. ↑ Charming Spiderkin Reads Your Future ✨
16. ↑ Enticing Mercenary Defends You
17. ↑ A Night With an Enticing Mercenary
18. ↑ Yandere Blood Mage: The Things We Do For Love
19. ↑ Trading With Himbo Cat and Grumpy Bunny
20. ↑ Setting Up a Shy Dragon