Welcome to Alternate Earth Layer:

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"There are many universes, many Earths, many timelines—each overlapping. We call them Layers..."
-Einar 'Klix' Krahesohn

The Oceans series is set predominantly in an alternate earth layer that is very different from the normal earthen realities—it missed key timeline events that set it apart from the norm.

In Layer 2346123-0914-8203948-034802934809.C several ancient empires never fall, instead evolving into modern day superpowers, each of them in a cold war with various other world superpowers. Most notable however, is that Britain never rises as an empire—England (as well as most other white European nations) remaining a territory of the Romans. As a result, the world never experiences White colonialism.

If you’re wondering how much of a difference not having a Britain in your timeline makes, this is a map of real planet earth—in white are the areas Britain has not had some form of conflict with…

In the Oceans predominant Layer, The United States, Australia and New Zealand still rise to become recognised nations, but are instead controlled and governed by their native populations and while Whites exist in these nations, predominantly they are the descendants of political refugees escaping homes controlled by their invaders or rebel groups that created new homes in these other lands. They are however, largely a minority in these other lands and subject to the issues that occurs with being a minority in any land.

These nations—The States, Australia, New Zealand—along with England, Ireland, Wales and eventually Japan, join forces to form a union known as The Independence Alliance, a co-operative built to withstand the might of the other aggressive superpowers and in their case, predominantly the might of central Europe via The Holy Roman Empire—and east Asia—via The Golden Accord.

Tribal Territorial Map of Alternate Australia

In this Layer of Earth, Australia has no states and is instead broken down into the traditional tribal (mob) territories. While there are ‘English’ sounding names on the map, these indicate a white/immigrant presence in these towns that is so strong that Whites have effectively culturally segregated themselves—much like inhabitants of a ‘china town’ might—even though they are still on traditional lands.

On this map for now we are only including Redshores in Central Australia and Brisbane on the east coast as known ‘White’ cities/towns.


Abi Dreaming

Opinionated, sure of herself, but easily charmed, Abi is a Pilot for Seven News Tonight in book one of the Ocean Series. Her name was pulled out of a website list of suggested Aboriginal and traditional Australian names and means “goddess”.

“This is Abi and Ben. We’re gonna save the girl—tell that toupee-wearing-idiot to pull it together.”
—Abi Dreaming, Seven News Tonight


Ai aka Li Ai Ming

A self-proclaimed “bull-dyke dom”, Ai is sarcastic, temperamental, does not suffer fools and indifferent to the opinion of others. Her family were political refugees from The Golden Accord and her family’s suffering left her with a commitment to the truth, irrespective of the consequences of said truth. She is best friends with her Studio Manager, Gerome—though she’d never admit that to him. Her journalist style is largely inspired by (all hail Aaron) Aaron Sorkin’s work on the character Will McAvoy in the series Newsroom and her look is inspired by Japanese Sumo Wrestler, Rie Tsuihiji. The name Ai is Japanese for love or affection.

“And she’s doing what? Spoon feeding the public their weekly emotional fibre supplement, so we can all go on giving a shit about—who the fuck knows what—this week…”
—Ai, Li Ai Ming, Channel Seven Broadcasting


Ben Tagai

Ben is a long times news reporter and previous overseas correspondence reporter for Seven News hailing from the Torres Strait Islands. He got into the news game to satisfy adrenaline junkie urges, however, after having seen the reality of war and the suffering of those who are affected by it, comes to Australia with a much more level headed attitude towards the realities underpinning news casting.

“Abi,” cut in Ben excitedly again. “Do you want to report this story… or do you want to BE the story?”
—Ben Tagai, Seven News Tonight


Captain Alinta Jedda (Trampy)

Alinta is stonyhearted, proud, racist, tough as leather, and twice as stubborn. She is a gender and race flip on the standard white superior officer seen in just about every Vietnam war piece, with a little depth to give her character motivation for how she got there. Alinta means “fire” and Jedda means “wren” in one of Australia’s traditional languages, which could essentially be framed as her name means “tiny firebird” or “tiny phoenix,” and is part of the inspiration behind her never-say-die attitude.

“Listen you entitled White cunt. You clearly don’t fully grasp the situation so how about we make this clear.”
—Captain Alinta Jedda (Trampy), Australian Defence Force


Corporal Omeo “Junior” Station

Seven foot tall and half as much in the shoulders, Omeo is the nephew of “The Train” Station, though born to the son of the illegitimate child of Station’s father. Whereas Station grew up loved and the pride of his father, Omeo’s father was an embarrassment to the Station family and largely kept secret. Loyalty to his father led Omeo to a deep loathing for all things related to the legitimate side of the family. Easy going and cheeky, he has a tendency of acting first and thinking later, but is also easily repentant when he understands this is the cause of errors on his part. When Jedda finds out about Omeo’s link to the her long lost friend Station, she picks him to be a member of her personal guard, though never reveals or explains her link to his Uncle. Omeo is a traditional native Australian name meaning mountains or hills, indicative of his size.

“I know this may taste like a cock-flavoured lollipop right now, but she’s a good friend to have. Besides, it hurts less if you work with her, mate, rather than have her go in without the lube.”
—Corporal Omeo “Junior” Station, Australian Defence Force


Doctor Debra “Debs” Cunningham

Detail orientated, emotionally aware, fiercely loyal, sexually uninhibited—Debs’ main character style and appearance is an ode to the work of actress Jennifer Carpenter in her portrayal of Debra Morgan in the series Dexter, and Angela Vidal, in the Hollywood remake of the movie Rec under the name, Quarantine (with a tiny dash of Einad Sinclair from Wednesday for ‘bestie’ flavour). Unable to help her best friend Mary in book one of the Oceans series, Debs transforms her feelings of loyalty for Mary into a desire to protect Mary’s brother Eric and unintentionally forms a friendship with Michelle Hunt as part of her desire to keep everyone safe.

She looked at her hopefully and repeated it questioningly, going to great lengths to lean in and comically bat her eyelashes. “Michelle, will you be my person?”
—Doctor Debra “Debs” Cunningham, Temporary Dean of Medicine, Redshores Teaching Hospital


Eaglefeather “E.F.”

A huge, easy going, native American—Eaglefeather—is an expert in jujitsu and field weapons. He works as a private contractor to the Tworivers family. His character appearance is inspired by Billy Sole from the movie Predator.

“Sit-rep? Well. There is one… male? Mid-forties in the street... probably a vagrant based on his appearance. At a guess he’s pretty—” he made that word sound long in his mouth—“high.”
—Eaglefeather “E.F.”


Einar “Klix” Krahesohn

Klix is a test pilot from an alternative timeline and universe roughly 500 years ahead of the events in book one of the Oceans novels, who during a test pilot of an experimental, combination event horizon and teleporter drive, finds his essence swept into The Ocean of Mouths and at the same moment, into Eris’ spiritual wake as she directs a portion of her Will into the body of a dying Norseman—Einar Krahesohn. Klix suddenly finds himself trapped in a body of a stranger with a host of other spiritual intelligences, hundreds of years in the past, held captive to the whims of a supernatural entity that is completely indifferent to his situation. In book one of the Ocean’s timeline, he defines himself as Eric Krahesohn’s stepfather, though spends over a decade absent from the role due to the machinations of Sage Shepard to have him institutionalised as a danger to himself and others.

“It’s me, little mate! Einar! It’s dad!” He held out his hand again, his smile wide. “We’ve come to save you!”
—Einar “Klix” Krahesohn


Eric Krahesohn

Rude, suspicious, damaged, smart. Eric is a redheaded teen loner who has been raised to believe his weak frame and disinterest in being a protector or provider figure makes him a gender failure in the eyes of the world and more importantly, his mother, Sage Sheperd. He is largely inspired by the depictions of Greggory House by actor Hugh Laurie in the series House M.D. and the character Raistlin Majere in the Dragonlance novels by Margaret Weis and Tracey Hickman, though as he’s young, he’s a softened ode to those characters. The name Eric was chosen as a nod to one of my favourite Raymonde E. Feist characters, Erik von Darkmoor.

“You look like—Danny DeVito’s mother’s vagina—threw up. That’s,” Eric breathed in deeply of his oxygen mask before taking it off again—“that’s what you look like.”
—Eric Krahesohn


Eris Krahesohn

Eris is a supernatural possessing entity who during her first incarnation across multiple layers originally presented as a witch (a guise she often used during the early ages) rising to prominence during the Etruscan era to be known as the goddess of chaos and strife. In the Ocean series she is historically known as one of the founding members of a Native American blended bloodline, The Krahesohns (The Crow’s Sons). The bloodline is an Eris experiment in making more accessible vessels across all layers to house her Will. She is a playful spirit that views all experience via flesh as interesting; she does nothing from a place of malice, purely interested in outcomes without any attached moralistic intent.

The trapdoor voice continued, “I can—” her voice changed to the whisper between teeth, the spiders in his ears once more, “…show… you…”
—Eris Krahesohn


Flint "Titch" Station

Secretive, committed to the greater good, grieving—Titch is a man who has spent a life struggling with acceptance by others and of his personal demons. Born of English and native Australia heritage, he is an outsider to both racial groups. His height, placing him just beyond the label of dwarfism, also kept him on the outer sphere of most groups that he grew up in. It isn’t until making friends with a giant of a youth named Station that his life turns around, the two joining the ADF and SAS together until tragic circumstances and betrayal leads to Titch’s dishonourable discharge and Station’s death. Dark years follow as a private contractor for the Tworivers family, years which drain Flint of most of his remaining humanity, until the fallout of the accidental murder of one of his long-time friends causes him to fake his death and drop off the radar, retiring to a quiet life under an assumed identity, playing the role of hospital orderly.

“These aren’t just veterans, or soldiers, they’re not just a symbol of hope and protection. Under every one of those sixty thousand boulders is someone’s mate, someone’s, Station. Someone’s story of a dad, of a brother, an uncle—”
—Flint "Titch" Station


Gerome (Studio Manager)

Gluttonous, honest, zero-fucks-given—Gerome is the Studio Manager for Seven News and best friends with Ai. His appearance is in equal parts inspired by actor Dean Norris with the fashion styling—and teeth—of Austin Powers.

He chuckled darkly. “I’m here to film the world burning, baby…”
—Gerome, Channel Seven Broadcasting


Grace Tworivers

One of the American Mohican children of Meeko Tworivers, Grace is attempting to re-establish the standing and legacy created by her father for her particular branch of the Tworivers family, but with only moderate success. Although capable of handling herself, she prefers to operate through subterfuge and manipulation; all driven from a keen sense of what is most important to her people, above and beyond the need to be concerned with what is right.

“You think people want truth? People want narrative—a story that supports their confirmation bias. Anything else might force them to actually think, and then even worse, act…”
—Grace Tworivers


Henry “Hairpiece” Evans

Narcissistic, simple, handsome—Henry is a native Australian news anchor for Seven News and inspired largely by Will Ferrell’s work as Ron Burgundy on the movie Anchorman.

“Ai, have you seen our ratings?”
—Henry “Hairpiece” Evans


Hien

Cold, intelligent, cautious—Hien is a survivor of a small border skirmish with slavers from the The Golden Accord raiding into Vietnam, an altercation leading to the murder of all but himself, an aunt and a cousin. The fallout led to his joining the Vietnamese resistance against Accord forces and sees him thrust into the role of trying to find a way to draw allies into the conflict. Hien’s name means ‘gentle man’ or delicate, decent, calm.

“I told him he would end up in a hospital today,” his smile broadened ever so slightly, “the morgue is in the hospital isn’t it?”
—Hien


Kimiko “Kimmy”

A first generation Australian and the only teen daughter of divorced traditional Japanese parents, Kimmy longs to rebel against her Japanese upbringing and be a stand-up comedian that tells off colour humour and to meet her life-long-idol, Sigourney Weaver, star of her all-time favourite movie—Aliens. The blast created by the ‘girl in the sky’ incident of book one in the Oceans novels sees her covered in wounds and potentially facing blindness, waiting in a hospital bed to see if she will recover, when she befriends Eric Krahesohn through the intervening machinations of Flint Station.
Kimiko comes from the name Kimi, it can translate to “valuable,” “beautiful,” or “noble”and the word “ko” translates to “child.”

Vagina’s are terrifying. Have you seen those facehuggers in the movie, Alien? I always thought they look a bit like that…”
—Kimiko “Kimmy”


Lieutenant Ces Karro

At face value Ces is an easy going, emotionally controlled, military lifer. Beneath the surface, he is a man who struggles with feelings of guilt, anger and remorse attached to his mother’s death, for which he blames himself. Raised largely by his aunt, Jedda, he joins the ADF as soon as possible in a bid to earn her acceptance and make her proud. Despite repeated advancement and commendations at an early age, it is a goal he never quite achieves.
Ces’ character appearance is based on native Australian male model, Casey Conway. The name Ces means “born leader” and Karro means “blood”.

“Not because you’re a woman, Debs—but out of loyalty... I’d do the same for any of my boys…”
—Lieutenant Ces Karro, Australian Defence Force


Nurse Ram Acharya

Diligent, intelligent, carefully neutral—Ram is an Indian nursing exchange student from Mumbai. Raised by devoutly traditional Hindu parents, Ram finds escape from his parents in Australia, though he struggles with the cultural norms in the country. In book one of the Oceans series, he finds that friendship with Debra Cunningham and has a burgeoning crush on Michelle Hunt propel him into becoming an unwitting accomplice in a mission to help them both protect Eric Krahesohn. He is however careful not to step so far over the line, that his own wellbeing and career potential, is mitigated by the process.
Ram is a small nod to the character Prabhu from the novel Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. The name Ram means pleasing or supreme, Acharya means teacher.

“Goose? What is goose? I am, Ram. Why are you calling me—?”
—Nurse Ram Acharya, Redshores Teaching Hospital


Mary Moradian

Mary is the daughter of Sage Shepard and though a sister to Eric Krahesohn, acts as pseudo mother figure to him due to their mother’s constant absences. In book one she finds herself the target of a supernatural event which forever changes the political dynamics of the Oceans world.
Mary’s appearance is based on actress Morena Baccarin.

Mary made a noise in her throat that spoke volumes, “Her focus is tearing people down—not lifting anyone up. You can do one without the other.”
—Mary Moradian, Student Counsellor, Redshores Teaching Hospital


Mayor Seth Waynewright

The brother of Alinta Jedda and Uncle to Ces Karro, Seth is a decent man bent by political ambitions. Always willing to put his best foot forward, until polls tell him otherwise, Seth’s loyalty is to the game of politics first and everything else second.

“People are scared and scared people do dumb things and those dumb things either get them sent to jail or worse, scare voters into thinking I can’t do my job…”
—Mayor Seth Waynewright, Redshores District


Meeko Tworivers

A shadowy native American of the Mohican people, Meeko rose to prominence in the Tworivers family and during the 70s/80s held substantial sway within the family that is rumoured to run the world.
Meeko is a nod to the work of Chris Carter, specifically the Cancer Man character in The X-files.

As the flap closed completely, there was no sign of the Red man, or that he’d ever been there. He was simply gone, nothing left to mark his passage except the puff of tobacco spice, and grey smoke.
—Meeko Tworivers


Michelle Hunt

Born to a Boston Irish father and an African refugee from Carthage, Michelle Hunt is a morally driven character of catholic faith that has fallen on challenging times as a result of political machinations from an American senator. With her marriage on the rocks, unable to find work in Australia despite her attempts at finding a fresh start, Michelle falls into Debra Cunningham’s orbit and unwittingly finds herself driven into the role of best friend, confidant and roommate to Debra.

Michelle repeated herself, her tone earnest. “Ok, Debs. From here on, I’m your person.”
—Michelle Hunt, former Boston Police Department


Penny Macleod

Formerly a member of the Scottish Defence Force, Penny emigrated to Australia after each her brothers died—one by one—in unofficial Roman border skirmishes between the Scott’s and Romans. A devout Christian, Penny is committed to spreading the word of God, free from the tarnishing actions of the Catholic Church when she happens upon Sage Shepard in an internment camp. The two become unlikely partners in a message of female empowerment, a return to traditional male obligations and spirituality.
Penny’s character appearance is in part a nod to Melissa McBride in her portrayal of Carol in The Walking Dead TV series. Her surname is a nod to my favourite Scottish character of all time, Connor Macleod of the Highlander franchise.

“Aye, the Lord gave me a way with words and sometimes people.”
—Penny Macleod, former Scottish Defence Force


Private Kaiya

Private Kaiya is a no-nonsense, duty first, soldier in the ADF. She quickly came to Captain Jedda’s attention during Kaiya’s first posting to the Redshores Barracks, and was personally selected by Jedda to be her body person.
Kaiya’s name means “spear” and her appearance is based on native Australian model, Ellen Champion.

“Ces, man. Please. Don’t make me do this, okay? Lower your weapon…”
—Private Kaiya, Australian Defence force


Sage (Skjaldmær) Shepard

Fierce, misandrist, unyielding—Sage is from the south of the United States, leader of the Mothers’ Mary Movement and the mother to Eric Krahesohn and Mary Moradian. She believes that humanity must return to its roots of adhering to traditional gender role, but that the meaning of the traditional role of women has been misconstrued over time through generations of patriarchal rule. A co-incidental meeting with a faith based Christian preacher by the name of Penny Macleod sees them joining faith to the ideas of gender role, a move which pushes her agenda into overdrive.
Sage’s original surname of Skjaldmær is the name for Norse shield-maidens.

“If Sage Shepard needs you to make her a dollar, kill something or die for her—she will give you a call. Until then—sir… Get. Sage Shepard. A woman. Doctor.”
—Sage Shepard, The Holy Mother


Simmons

A Dallas born native to the United States, Simmons is a gun for hire and outsourced to Grace Tworivers as an asset for her work in Redshores Australia.

“He’s wearing what?” asked Simmons.
—Simmons


Stacy Grimshaw (News Reporter)

Stacy is perky, fun and likeable—unless you dislike perky fun people. A representation hire in Redshores Australia for puff pieces, Stacy makes her way up the ladder at Channel Seven until she is able to launch her particular flair for feel good news stories into a talk show: Getting’ Raw With Grimshaw. Stacy’s character is a parody piece for today’s journalistic norm of ‘clicks over substantive news’.
Her surname is a nod to the amazing amount of time real-life Australian journalist Tracy Grimshaw put into the career of journalism, but the two are nothing alike beyond that—I just happen to love Tracy’s surname—it’s so at odds with the representation of Stacy.

In the stages centre, bobbed the enthusiastic face of Stacey Grimshaw—a news bobble-head-figurine, come to life.
—Stacy Grimshaw, Talkshow Host: “Gettin’ Raw With Grimshaw”


Talia (Political Advisor to Mayor)

Talia is the political advisor first to Mayor Seth Waynewright and later takes on PR on behalf of the Mothers’ Mary Movement. A native Israelite, she moved to Australia at a young age with her family and grew up in Redshores.
Her look is a nod to actress Meredith Eaton.

“How do you want to play this Seth? Keep backing your sister—or switch sides to ‘team women’, to god’s ‘chosen ones’?”
—Talia, Political Advisor to Mayor Seth Waynewright


“The Train” Station

Huge, loyal, morally centred. As a native Australian who passed from this life into the next, The Train’s first name is not said anymore, so as to leave his spirit to rest. Becoming fast friends with the much smaller Titch, The Train earned his nickname from early career as a front row forward for the Brisbane Bronco’s. After Jedda and Titch joined the ADF together, The Train abandoned his career in favour of ensuring the safety of his friend Titch, becoming his spotter as part of a sniper duo.
The Train’s appearance is a nod to Australian Rugby great, Mal Meninga.

“This isn’t just a fucking game of rugby with the boys, Alinta—”
—Station, Australian Defence Force