The Journey so Far...
We haven't had a new map for some time! Here's the Re-Estize map we'll be using for the next little while, updated to Liam's current location.
2024-07-01 09:54:58 +0000 UTC View Post
aeridinae activity
Before the Storm: Act 07, Chapter 05
“Hey Liam, you said that thing was a…a Shadow Demon?”
“That’s right,” Liam said. “A Shadow Demon.”
“I-If I may ask,” Olin anxiously licked his lips, “what was it doing inside of me?”
“What else would it be doing there?” The youth looked up...
2024-06-29 07:01:25 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 07, Chapter 04
“You sure that’s him?”
“I don’t know. The description they gave us is worth jack shit!”
A blonde-haired youth who would already be considered an adult in Re-Estize.
That was pretty much one in ten people. Maybe a bit less since a bunch of t...
2024-06-24 00:43:11 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 07, Chapter 03
“Mister, how much to get across?”
“Two coppers.”
Liam rolled his eyes and handed the ferryman a cut copper piece.
“I’m not a wagon,” he said.
The ferryman snorted in response, pocketing Liam’s money and waving him under the thick rope blocki...
2024-06-17 12:26:29 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 07, Chapter 2
“Elias, it’s time.”
At the sound of his wife’s voice, Elias glanced at the timepiece on the desk of his private study before rubbing his tired eyes. He shouldn’t have spent the night awake, but the thought of the coming meeting left him sleepless and paranoid. Everything had t...
2024-06-12 12:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 07, Chapter 01
13th Day, Middle Earth Month, 1 CE
Two Soul Eaters are in two different cities on the same route. The first Soul Eater departs at seven in the morning, travelling at thirty kilometres an hour on average. The second Soul Eater is on its return trip. It departs at eig...
2024-06-08 05:53:58 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 14
19th Day, Middle Wind Month, 345 HIC
Hey, Elena again. Another quiet day at the Imperial Archive. I guess endlessly transcribing records to the new format just sucks the energy out of everyone. How many generations will it be until we catch up? With everythin...
2024-05-31 03:35:04 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 13
High above the bald peak around which Warlord Khrol’s contingent was encamped, Ilyshn’ish watched as the Stormcasters directed a dozen assistants to sweep the stone clear of snow and move supplies around their ritual site. Nearby, hunters from the Yeti army kept a watchful eye on the proceedi...
2024-05-25 00:03:08 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 12
“Ngalngaw.”
“Ngalngaw.”
“Tsinau.”
“Tsinau.”
“Dhol.”
“Dhol.”
“Ngalngaw. Tsinau. Dhol. Who strongest?”
Brother Jhola chuckled gently, gesturing to the three main pillars of the temple. Each represen...
2024-05-19 12:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 11
“So,” Ilyshn’ish said, “how are we ‘addressing the issue’, precisely?”
“We will speak to those responsible,” Vltava replied.
Ilyshn’ish recalled the vast civilisation hidden in the deepest valleys of the Worldspine. Where would ‘those responsible’ be in...
2024-05-14 12:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 10
The blizzard was still howling away when Ilyshn’ish returned to the village. With the massive flock of Skrili long gone, Ghroklor’s warriors had mustered up enough courage to investigate the surface and she found several of them loitering at the entrance of her tunnel.
“Good...
2024-05-06 03:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 09
Ghroklor’s reaction to the brutal sight was immediate.
“Skrili!” He roared, “Take cover!”
More shards of ice sailed in on the winds of the mountain storm, forming a razor gale that scythed down Beastman and Haugrarl alike with every howling gust. Within seconds, the ...
2024-04-29 14:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 08
The first thing that Ghroklor did after his meeting with the town leadership was send runners to call for reinforcements from the previous town. Next, he sent another set of runners to confirm the status of the adjacent territories on the frontier. After that, he busied himself organising the tow...
2024-04-25 19:31:57 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 07
“I think we lost him again.”
“Probably.”
Stopping to stand between the roots of a Kapok tree, Ilyshn’ish peered down the mountain trail.
“Someone should carry him,” Ilyshn’ish said. “It will take us a week to get to the Worldspine at this r...
2024-04-22 23:56:44 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 06
While a bit scrawny, the nine-metre-long Juvenile Green proved far too much for Pinecone and Pebble to eat in one sitting. They elected to share most of its meat with their host, but it wasn’t nearly enough to feed all of the feast’s attendees. As a result, the carcass was divided between sev...
2024-04-19 12:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 05
“That’s a joke, right?” Chimali said, “Tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m joking,” Ilyshn’ish replied.
Chimali glanced at Pebble and Pinecone, who were each loading a bullet into their slings.
“Then why does it look like they’re preparing f...
2024-04-16 12:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 04
“Me?”
“Pleeeeease?”
Extending words to stress one’s desires seemed to be a common behaviour amongst mortals. Ilyshn’ish didn’t know how it worked, but she had seen some success in imitating it. It didn’t work on her, though.
“You’re trave...
2024-04-13 12:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 03
“Your retainer, Chimali – he’s quite an exceptional fellow.”
“He takes some getting used to,” Xoc replied, “but I think so too. Chimali’s worked hard to be who he is today.”
She wouldn’t have thought of it that way when they were younger. Back then, e...
2024-04-09 12:08:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 6, Chapter 02
“You grew feathers.”
“I didn’t grow them.”
Xoc flicked her ear in annoyance as she came out of her home and into the morning light. Several days had passed since she had sent invitations to the lords of the nearby cities through Merchants plying Ocelo Pa...
2024-04-03 13:13:07 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 06, Chapter 01
“Il-Enxoc.”
“Il-Enxoc.”
A claw poked Xoc in the ribs.
“Gyah!” She started, “Wh-What is it?”
“They’re calling for you, il-Enxoc,” her father said.
They’re always doing that.
...
2024-03-29 12:08:00 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Halftime Notes
Halfway. Yay. You’re still around? Inserts Chacmool comment.
Scheduling Disruptions
Back in December, I figured I’d be too busy with stuff over Christmas to keep up with posting. So I paused the schedule for a week. For some reason, ...
2024-03-24 13:24:12 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 22
The sunlit grotto stood in stark contrast to the sombre scene of Princess Ramani weeping over Pravin’s headless corpse. Her brother, Prince Bajirao, showed no visible remorse for the death of their former retainer. His words, however, had a visible effect on his sister.
“So l...
2024-03-21 12:32:01 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 21
“What does that one say?”
“Super Addictive Beef Fried Soba.”
“Does that mean it contains poison, my lady?”
Lady Aura gave her a funny look.
“Why would they poison the food?” She asked.
“Some people willingly consume poison,” Ludmila answered. “A...
2024-03-19 03:31:12 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 20
“It’s time to settle the score, once and for all!”
“Mm.”
What score?
From her seat beside Lady Shalltear in the arena’s VIP seating, Ludmila watched as Miss Delta and Miss Zeta squared off for the day’s afternoon match. Much like the Grand Arena in Arwinta...
2024-03-16 03:19:31 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 19
“I wonder if there’s an alternative account of these events,” Ludmila said. “The author of this book clearly has something against these people.”
“I know, right?” Lady Aura frowned, “Why do the villains keep losing? This isn’t realistic!”
I suppose this just me...
2024-03-10 05:33:36 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 18
What should I do now…?
Ludmila had no desire to chase after Fluder Paradyne, but she also had no idea what to do with the pile of books he had picked out for her. After flipping through each of them, it became abundantly clear that she had no hope of translating them on her own. ...
2024-03-07 22:01:32 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 17
I hope the recruits are cleaning themselves up after training.
The thought dominated her mind as she struggled to keep a straight face in front of the malodorous madman. Was he one of the librarians that the Sorcerer King had mentioned? Why did His Majesty disappear? At least he ha...
2024-03-05 13:42:17 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 16
“The casino…? Or maybe the spa? No, hmm…”
Ludmila glanced at her surroundings as the Sorcerer King considered the next destination of their tour. Her mouth opened and closed several times to ask about some of the locations, but it was probably a bad idea in their present company. 2024-03-03 09:52:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Before the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 15
When Ludmila stepped out of the teleportation gate, she found herself in a brightly-lit foyer. Muted grey stone formed the floors and the walls followed a pastel scheme emphasising cream, lavender, and pink. Crystal chandeliers of incalculable worth illuminated the corridors leading out from the ...
2024-03-01 07:47:05 +0000 UTC View PostBefore the Storm: Act 05, Chapter 14
Ah, hmm…what would be the appropriate thing to say in this situation?
“Umu,” Ainz Ooal Gown said with the most regal bearing he could muster.
After the NPCs finally returned to their respective tasks after the tournament matches, Ainz found himself with little to do. Su...
2024-02-28 06:39:34 +0000 UTC View Post