You’ve made a mistake, Traveler. Somewhere along the way was a song you did not listen to, a warning you ignored.
Traveler… you are lost. You’ve ventured a little too far from shore, a little too close to the great deep, and its monsters.
Traveler… you are despised, for even the all-mighty water took no pity on you. Rather than drown you in her embrace, to wither here she sentenced you.
Traveler… you know the name of this place. Baptized by the tides and the storms and everything that crashes and thunders. These are the Drumming Isles, where the sea rages against our cliffs for half the year, while the sun keeps a spiteful eye on us the rest of the time. Like it awaits an apology and hates the elderly.
Traveler… you may not survive this. But now you must try.
What is Levian?
Levian is a new high fantasy audio drama by the creator of Desperado and Hug House Productions. It follows the story of Lord Valentin Tellari, the clever, cunning, and disgraced heir to his family’s fortune. After his sister’s betrayal forced him into exile, he now must face the deadly ocean that rages against the Drumming Isles. But neither storms nor leviathans will smother the vengeful fire that burns within Valentin. He will not know rest until he has reclaimed what is rightfully his.
If you loved Game of Thrones and Pirates of the Caribbean but also thought, “Hey, this could be gayer!”, then Levian should be right up your alley.
Levian will consist of approximately 8 episodes of 35-30 minutes each. It will require a tremendous work of production, acting and sound design, from a cast and crew of roughly 20 people, including actors, producers and editors.
Levians, as perceived by the inhabitants of the Drumming Isles…
… They don’t venture on land often. ‘xcept for one that I know. She likes this place I think. She asks for an ale, sits outside, doesn’t talk much. Paler than you think, especially for a sailor. Hard to tell if she’s pretty. Shark teeths, you know. Shook her hand once and almost wee’d myself. Felt like a storm beneath her skin.
– B. Callahassi, Tavern Owner
…He towered over everyone else, his skin glistening like fish-scales under the chandeliers. And he moved like the tide itself. It was all in the swing of his shoulders. It stirred the sway of his hips, and the torrent of his legs, crashing down with a gentle might at his every step.
– V. Tellari, Sailor
… Of the transformation very little is known. Levians’ seldom talk about their metamorphosis, and never to the good people of the land. They claim it is a gift from the water itself, our All-Mighty Mother.
– R. Cutter, Scholar
We know of three distinct blessings, though the existence of more has been theorized.
Some are blessed by the beasts, the ocean’s teeth, that swims and slithers.
Some, by the reefs, that walls and protects, grows and regrows. And very few, blessed by the tides, that rises and crashes, storms and rages.
Who Is This For?
Levian is a love letter to the sea, to Fantasy as a genre, and to every gay thing under the sun. This is a story that will put queer characters at its center, under the spotlight rather than being relegated to footnotes or ticked boxes. This is an ambitious project that will bring together some of the most talented artist in the indie audio sphere. With the growing movements of hostility against queer people, and notably towards the transgender community, we want to offer as much support and representation to as many queer artists as possible. This is a project that will employ a majority of artists from marginalized communities and it is at the heart of this project to platform and spotlight those from the most under-represented backgrounds.
Timeline
Episode 1 of Levian is already produced, so keep an eye on our socials for an update on when it will be available!
We are working on writing the remaining episodes and expect to have writing complete by the end of January 2024. Recording should be done by mid- to late-March 2024, with episodes beginning to release in April 2024.
The timeline we’ve given ourselves for the making of Levian means that everyone involved will be able to balance their other obligations as well as this project, without risking one or the other.
Credits
Crew
Levian is written and created by Samy Souissi (Desperado) in collaboration with Hug House Productions. For the remainder of the season, it will feature Dialogue Editing by Wil Williams (VALENCE) and Sound Design by Samy Souissi, with Production Management by Anne Baird.
Cast
- Feliks Mathur as Valentin Tellari
- Beth Eyre as Tanathea Tellari
- Chris Magilton as Judge Garson
- Erika Sanderson as Mara Sibi (or rather… Levian Sibi)
- Anna Harris as Meadow (Brothel Owner)
- Jumoké Fashola as Doctor Elaina Vissian
- Giancarlo Herrera as the Merchant Prince
- Will De-Renzy as Anthony
- Samy Souissi as Martin Beau
- Matthew Temporal as the Guard