PALATINATE OMEGAVERSE FAQ - A 2024 Update & New Map

[After I updated the Palatinate's map, I wrote this post a few months back for my Patreon subscribers and shared both with them.]

From Patreon (April 2024):

I'll soon begin work on the Omega Quadrant book 3, as well as 3.5—so I've updated the Palatinate map in preparation. [Both are nearly finished as of posting this in late July! Check out the updated Omega Quadrant page for more details!]

Old Map from 2019

I made the old map more for myself than anything—so I could remember where everything was and not contradict myself. I went ahead and added it to the later books so you guys could see, too. But it was really sad and basic, so I've given it a new upgrade—and added a new province! You're seeing it here FIRST... and it will appear inside the next omegaverse book that comes.
Here's a little additional info:


The Omega Quadrant occurs in the province of Alexandria (and we will soon see a bit of Blacksburg, too, in book 3.)

The Western Province series occurs mainly in Fort Seattle but has mentioned Port Sacramenti often, and will potentially go there again.

Some of you eagle eyed folks might have already noticed the new province marked on this map — Omegawood.

I made the choice to leave the Valleywood series because I wanted to rebrand and make these books a series all their own. The creators of Valleywood requested I move this series into one of my existing omegaverse series to protect their creation and the authors still there -- which is totally understandable.

So, the Valleywood books have been rebranded into a new Palatinate spin-off, becoming Omegawood.

I had to make A LOT of changes to the first two Valleywood books (and there will be a third!) to fit them into a new universe. While doing so, I realized there were some other questions about the Palatinate that might come up that I'd never answered previously.

The provinces shown on the map are not the only provinces. They are the largest and make up much of the population of the continent. Each of these are super-provinces with populations ranging from 500,000 to over a million residents. There are many smaller provinces dotting the landscape. "Rural" provinces is what they're often referred to. Many of these are devoted to trades, farming, and raising livestock —selling/trading to the surrounding larger provinces.

No Man's Land isn't devoid of life. 

Those inside the walls live in fear of the "Wildings" but most of the stories they've been told are from a bygone era where No Man's Land was a wild, wooly place. Not that it's exactly tame either, though.

There are alpha warlords/chieftains who rule over feudal districts in No Man's Land. Many have smaller, walled fort cities filled with dozens to thousands of residents. Each district is its own independent city-state. Neighbors fight over borders and wars amongst chieftains can happen. Some of these warlords run their cities/districts much like the provinces, and as such they can be progressive/democratic ranging toward autocracy with chieftains acting as tyrannical dictators (more often than not, they're the latter in NML) Omegas have fewer rights in NML and quite a few end up in a warlord's harem. If you thought the Omega Quadrant was bad, NML can be worse. In most of these districts, alphas are more alpha-y, and omegas are breeding chattel and expected to be subservient.

Just outside many of the provinces, there are miles of province-controlled farmland. They have a lot of mouths to feed inside the walls and it can't all come from the smaller provinces nearby. Small villages exist just outside the walls, filled with the farmers/farm hands who tend the land, and their families. Some exiles end up remaining in these villages or move deeper into NML.

"Safe zones" also exist outside many of the larger provinces, sometimes extending past any farmland, if there is any. This is considered "neutral territory". Many provincial governments made treaties with local chieftains to stay out of the safe zone, with the promise the provincial governments would, as well. There are some villages and towns that have sprung up in these supposed "safe zones" -- but don't let the name fool you. These places are not very safe. Think the Wild West.

Omegaverse Update

Just what are my plans for the Omega Quarter and Alphas of the Western Provinces series?

Plans often evolve and change, so this ISN'T written in stone, but here is what I have in mind for both series 

Omega Quarter

Vaughn's Story

Wynter's Story (may be included in Vaughn's story)

Tulla's Story

Brett's Story

Maybe more...

Alphas of the Western Provinces

Emerson's Story

Beau's Story

Luke's Story

Maybe more...

Omegaverse FAQ -- When/Where do these stories take place?

*Omega Rights? Does One Wild Heat happen later than His Surrogate Omega?

*This seems a lot like our world today. Is it?

*McCreary? Motherf*cking McCreary??? What is a McCreary doing there? Is this a mistake? Are you messing with us? You said this is a non-shifter omegaverse? WHERE ARE MY BEARS?

***************************

Okay, I get it. You have questions. I will answer as many of them as possible without giving away spoilers for future books as possible.

Let's start with that first question...

My Omegaverse is a really big place. Basically, there are large provinces which are walled off. Inside these provinces, you might have a city, some suburban sprawl, and possibly some areas that are a bit less urban. Outside the province is a thick, heavy wall, manned by betas to keep the residents of NO MAN'S LAND out.

Each province has their own provincial government that sets the rules of law. Each has an alpha council and judiciary system.

Some provinces are conservative and give omegas few rights. Others are more progressive and offer omegas varying levels of freedoms.

So, long story short—One Wild Heat and His Surrogate Omega take place in the same time period. They simply take place in different provinces with different laws governing reproductive rights and omegas.


Okay, wait a minute... what the hell is NO MAN'S LAND?

No Man Land is the generic term for the areas outside the walls. These places are where the wild things live... those unwilling to be good alphas/betas/omegas and live under the same rules of society.  They tend to be a little wild, live under their own moral code (or lack thereof) and have been known to scale walls to steal omegas in the past. This happens less often in the current period, but occurred a lot back in the days of harems and warlords, in the eras following the Great Catastrophe.


What is the GREAT CATASTROPHE?

I'm afraid I can't fully answer that yet.

Series wise, it's been eons since it occurred—long enough that the verbal histories that came after blur the line between reality and myth. They all know something terrible happened to their world, but they're not sure exactly what.

But as their world grows more progressive, the search for answers grows more intriguing.


Which leads back to the second question at the top.

No, this is not our world. It's very much like our world.


Finally, the last question... Quinn McCreary and family... is there a connection to my Bear Mountain series.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

All I can say is this... my two series are NON-SHIFTER OMEGAVERSE.

I guess you'll have to keep reading if you want the full answer...

Omegaverse FAQ -- What are these heat drugs the omegas take?

I know you have questions about Heat Repress and what it does exactly.

Or the drugs Avery is taking to let him pass as a beta... I mean, what the hell are they and where the hell did he find them?

So, here's all you need to know about the heat drugs our omegas might or might not be on in my Omegaverse books.

**Note -- if you're interested in reading more about heats in my Omegaverse, check out THIS post.


1. Heat Repress  

This is the one most of you are familiar with from His Surrogate Omega. It's the drug that's threatening to stop working for Gray and the reason he feels he has no choice but to become a surrogate -- to give his body a break.

Heat Repress doesn't completely curb an omega's heat. On it, they are still riddled with lust and the desire to be mated, but the urge is contained and prevents an unmated omega from going over the edge, climbing the city walls, and begging ANY alpha to breed him.

Alphas in an omega-in-heat's presence will go into partial rut.

It must be taken twice daily -- morning and evening -- starting on the day before a heat begins (linked to the lunar cycle) through to the end of the heat -- a total of four days.

It does NOT prevent pregnancy.

It does nothing to hide an omega's scent from alphas.

For mated couples, it allows clarity of mind. So things like condoms don't get forgotten in the heat of the moment.

Truly meant to help younger, unmated omegas until they find their mates—as well as mated ones between pregnancies—it isn't made to be on long-term. Hence Gray's issue with it beginning to fail him.


2. Heatex

Illegal in the Eastern Provinces (where His Surrogate Omega takes place) this is basically a much, much stronger version of Heat Repress. Omegas in the Western Provinces have already battled for their rights and use Heatex and Scentex to control their own reproductive rights.

Heatex curbs 80-90% of an omega's heat. There's still a bit of lust, but it can be easily contained and does not bring their world to a complete halt.

Alphas in the presence of an omega on Heatex do not go into rut (unless it's beginning to fail -- then they'll go into varying stages of rut depending on how bad the failure is...)

The pills must be taken twice daily -- morning and evening -- starting on the day before a heat begins (linked to the lunar cycle) through to the end of the heat -- a total of four days -- just like Heat Repress.

It does NOT prevent pregnancy.

It does nothing to hide an omega's scent from alphas.

One con to Heatex, like Heat Repress, it can fail if an omega uses it non-stop without an occasional break. Once every year or two, an omega needs to cycle off. Because it's stronger than Heat Repress, that failure happens faster. If an omega continuously takes Heatex non-stop, it will fail them in 3-5 years.

Sometimes it's difficult for an unmated omega to cycle off. They must be in a safe place, protected, to ensure they can cycle off without the chances of being bred. This sometimes leads some omegas to overuse and less cycling off -- especially those with less financial means.


3. Scentex

Also illegal in the Eastern Provinces, the omegas of the Western Provinces use this drug to mask their scent. It allows them the freedom to move amongst alphas without worrying their alpha could find them and publicly claim them. On Scentex, their alpha could pass by them without an idea their omega was within arm's reach.

It also helps curb their desire for their alpha, as it impacts their own scent glands, too. In other words, an omega knows their alpha at first scent -- but they can control their reaction better thanks to the Scentex.

Scentex is a liquid/injectable. It must be administered once every three months via syringe into a fatty part of the body. Once a dosage is missed, it can take up to three weeks before an omega's scent becomes detectable again.

It does NOT prevent pregnancy.

It does nothing to alter an omega's heat.

****UPDATE TO ADD - Scentex is made to be used in conjunction with Heatex. If an omega is in heat, Scentex might not be strong enough to fully cover the scent of an omega's slick. An alpha nearby could potentially scent him, particularly in close quarters in an enclosed space. ****


4. Birth Control 

There are birth control pills in this world, but they're illegal in many provinces. There's also side effects that can cause an omega to become infertile, which has helped cause a bit of a stigma surrounding any omega or couple who uses them in the provinces that do allow them.

Condoms are the prophylactic of choice in most provinces and are very effective if used properly.

A device similar to a diaphragm is also used in some cases, particularly nursing omegas unable to return to their heat blocking drugs. While nursing, most omegas' heats are naturally milder anyway thanks to the higher levels of pregnancy hormones still in their blood, so they tend not to suffer as much on their own.

**Note -- if you're interested in reading more about heats in my Omegaverse, check out THIS post.