At the beginning of the writing of this novel, I created a fictional character whom I named Drostan (with an “a”). He was to be the guardian of his people’s history, culture, and religion. I enjoyed developing his story on the page. Then, in the midst of all of my continued research into all things Picti, I came across an interesting description of a Pictish standing stone that is currently housed at St. Vigeans museum in Scotland. Etched into the outside edge of one side of that stone is something that shocked me—my character’s name! Immediately, I went back into my writing and changed the last vowel in his name to conform with that found inscribed on the stone.

One might start wondering if once there was a warrior, a guardian, a hero of the Picti people. A man named Drosten.

Inscription on the very real Drosten Stone