Deep Magic (40 page)

The sacred isle of the Druids of Avalon is modern-day Glastonbury, England, believed by many to be the Avalon of legend. Today the Tor of Glastonbury rises above flat, fertile farmland, but in ancient times the sea level was higher, and the area surrounding the distinctive hill was swampland. Remains of ancient Celt settlements have been found nearby. Though no evidence of extensive settlement has been excavated on Avalon itself, I’m hopeful the evidence lies buried below the ruins of an early Christian monastery. The area was definitely a place of power for Celtic peoples. The red-tinted waters of the spring known as the Chalice Well were originally revered by worshipers of the Celtic mother goddess, a devotion that has been renewed in modern times.

A druid learning center much larger than the one I’ve envisioned for Avalon existed on the island of Anglesey (known in ancient times as Mona), off the north coast of Wales. It is true, as Marcus stated, that Celt resistance to Roman occupation, supported by the Celt priests known as druids, resulted in druidry being declared illegal by the Roman authorities around 60 CE. Druid learning centers, most famously the one on Mona, were brutally destroyed by the Roman army. If there had been a similar settlement on Avalon at the time, I’m sure it would have met the same terrible fate.

The Roman city of Isca Silurum, one of the three largest fortress cities in Roman Britain, is now the town of Caerleon, Wales. Extensive remains of the Roman fortress and amphitheater can be seen there. The fortress was the home base of the Second Legion for many years; however, Titus Strabo is my own invention.

Chalybs
is the Latin word for steel, named after an Anatolian tribe famous for its ironwork. Though Roman swords containing some percentages of steel have been discovered, steel was never manufactured on a large scale by the Romans. The high temperatures needed were too difficult to sustain for long periods of time. At least by mundane methods! With magic, of course, anything is possible.

In the first book in the Druids of Avalon series,
The Grail King,
Owein and Clara form an uneasy alliance during the search for a Druid grail bound to dangerous Deep Magic. A “prequel” to the series,
Celtic Fire,
tells Lucius and Rhiannon’s story. Both books are available and can be ordered through your favorite bookstores. The next Druids of Avalon book,
Silver Silence,
belongs to Rhys and Breena. Breena will finally learn the meaning of her terrifying visions and fight to win the man she’s loved all her life.

Check my Web site, www.joynash.com, for updates and special features, such as character interviews and free short stories set in the Druids of Avalon world.

And, as always, thank you for reading!

Joy Nash