Fennorin's Few: Art of Recollection

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

"Can you really destroy a history without also destroying its people?"

The elven nation of Etnfrandia has been lying to its people. For generations, the House of Tradition has suppressed the truths, the gods, and the magic that once defined them; and Fennorin's father is responsible for it all.

Fenn has known from boyhood that he is useless. Awkward and prone to ramble, he is an elf of few friends. The only thing Fenn insists on is finding the truth within legends. Equipped with a century of outside scholarship, Fenn discovered a Door between realms. With three friends and a thief, he must journey through the wild realm of the Fae in search of a long forgotten past. But before the eclectic group can recover the mysteries of the elves, they must first overcome the differences between themselves.

[2025 Royal Road Writathon Participant]

This story is cross-posted between Tapas, Wattpad, Royal Road, and Neovel, but is most up to date here on RR.

It contains LGBTQIA+ characters in a world that does not share modern (Western) concepts of sexual identity, and these aspects of the respective characters are not a major theme.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2024
Author: LGSlew

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 11
Views: 10,203

Chapters(64 total)

Reviews

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Community Reviews(1)

GriefAndSteelRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Overview
Fennorin's Few is a character-driven portal fantasy that follows a group of unlikely companions fleeing a repressive elven society into the Fae realm (Wildlands) in search of lost history, gods, and magic. The story balances worldbuilding, interpersonal dynamics, and slow-burn revelations about its characters and the world they inhabit.
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What Works Well
Character Work is the Strongest Asset
Each character has a distinct voice, motivation, and internal conflict:
· Fennorin: The anxious, stuttering scholar who's been told he's useless his whole life. His arc is subtle but effective—he's slowly stepping into leadership despite himself. His enthusiasm for knowledge ("upended my working theory!" when Gale reveals her magic) is genuinely endearing.
· Galendria: The biggest surprise. She starts as "the betrothed who followed against orders" but quickly reveals layers: secret magic practice, childhood history with Fenn, genuine courage, and cultural blind spots that feel realistic rather than malicious. Her ignorance about Syrdin in Chapter 12 is uncomfortable because it's believable—she's lived her whole life in a bubble.
· Syrdin: The emotional core wearing armor. Zheir arc unfolds through small moments: the barrier scene ("This one is mine"), the "I am nothing" outburst, and the quiet reveal that zhe carries the trauma of an entire people. Zheir dynamic with Krid (the "gut-spiller" banter) provides rare warmth. The mystery of zheir true mission (freeing Night Elves?) is well-paced.
· Kridarnn: The straightforward warrior with unexpected emotional intelligence. His defense of Fenn to Syrdin ("He sees, and he cares well") and his explanation of Syrdin's trauma to Gale show he's more than muscle. The Brikhvarnni cultural details (dueling for honor, respect for skill) make him feel grounded.
· Mellark: The practical anchor. She's the group's competent adult, frustrated by Fenn's lack of planning but committed. Her dynamic with Syrdin (having traveled together for