Argrave stepped through a pool of dark red water, the sound of the sloshing echoing out across the lower levels. The sentinels were near, but they gave the three of them a cautious distance. The disgusting wetness at Argrave’s feet made his skin crawl, but he had to bear with it. There was a se...
2022-04-17 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave stared out, once again, into Nodremaid. The bleak and inconstant red light coming from the ceiling seemed a salve for the constant darkness they had been subject to inside the Menagerie. Argrave’s party had come here only after Galamon had done significant scouting. Ossian had returned ...
2022-04-16 07:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave grabbed Anneliese’s wrist weakly. “When I die…you go see Orion. You’ll need his help for the jester,” he mumbled. “After, you should deal… with the war. I think. If you like Orion, help him. If you don’t, help the rebels. You’re a smart… cookie. You’ll do it fine.”...
2022-04-14 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostGalamon set Argrave up against the wall, while the Sentinels behind them lowered the iron gate to the Menagerie. It collapsed against the stone, letting out a puff of dust that expanded out across the empty space. Everyone breathed heavily, catching their breath, yet above it all was a short, sha...
2022-04-12 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostOssian and Argrave did not enter the headquarters of the Order of the Rose without proper planning. What they intended to do was already established long beforehand, both offering some contributions based on experience.
For Ossian’s part, he knew how the Guardians would attack. They had a...
2022-04-10 07:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostThe first day of cohabitation with the Stonepetal Sentinels proved to be tense.
The horde of Guardians of the Low Way reached the great iron door, eventually—the sounds of their bodies and metal weapons bumping up against the gate and testing it echoed throughout the Menagerie, adding to ...
2022-04-09 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostOssian stood at the doorway of the headquarters of the Order of the Rose, siphoning the last few members of his bands inside the cold stone halls. He did not feel at ease being here, but the sight of the Guardians of the Low Way moving through the ruined city of Nodremaid with purpose made what l...
2022-04-07 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostThe severed head stared at them warily from its position atop a stake. Despite the utterly destroyed room around it, where every wall had been scorched black from fire and other spells, both the stake and the head were unblemished. They were shielded by a sheening gold ward that seemed rather sim...
2022-04-05 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostGalamon had his hands on the handles of a turn wheel. As he turned it, a heavy iron gate rose upwards, the sound of chains echoing out into the spacious central lobby. Argrave kneeled low, trying to peer beyond the opening that appeared to little effect—the place beyond was dark. Argrave gave u...
2022-04-03 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave awoke feeling refreshed. Sleep had come easier than he expected it to. At the very least, his body could sleep when he needed to.
All of that changed when he tried to move.
At once, his legs and back groaned, sore and achy from the intense yesterday. His shoulders felt bruised...
2022-04-02 07:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post“They were more experienced with this life than I am,” Galamon stated, before pushing up a shelf loaded with rocks in front of an iron door. The thing could not have been light, but he pushed it very casually. With both the enchanted crown from the elven tomb and his vampirism, his raw streng...
2022-03-31 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostDarkness loomed ahead, starkly contrasting with the red lights shining behind. Argrave tried to peer beyond to little effect.
“I don’t sense anything ahead,” said Galamon. “Only… debased viscera,” he contributed after pausing a moment to find the word. “The vampires may be usi...
2022-03-29 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostIf there was one thing that Argrave hated above all, it would be ignorance. More specifically, his own.
Seeing something he had no clue about made him squirm. When he encountered such a scenario, Argrave took two routes: ignore the thing in question entirely or learn it completely. Perhaps ...
2022-03-27 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostThe point of Nodremaid closest to the tunnel entrance from which Argrave and his companions had entered was the most thoroughly ‘cleaned.’ It was largely devoid of danger or foliage, and the city retained some of the order it attempted to create in the distant past.
These facts made it ...
2022-03-26 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave looked back, seeing none of the moonlit night beyond. The Stonepetal Sentinel’s encampments was far beyond them. “Galamon… anyone behind us?” he asked uneasily.
“No,” the elven vampire answered after a moment’s pause.
Argrave breathed a sigh of relief, and then c...
2022-03-24 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostAlasdair leaned on a table with his arms crossed, standing just over a woman who examined a long piece of parchment with spell light. The woman was old, with wrinkled skin and thinning gray hair, all concealed by robes bearing a rose on the shoulder. They were in a tent and had been enveloped by ...
2022-03-22 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostA vast mountain towered overhead, like a sheer wall of gray stone warding off all who would dare approach. At its base, a great opening gave way into sheer darkness. The hole was so large that it could be seen far in the distance—indeed, if one could see the mountain, one could likely see the g...
2022-03-20 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostNote: changed ' Rosestone Sentinels' to 'Stonepetal Sentinels.'
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Galamon hefted a giant pack over his shoulder. With both his armor and the pack, he could not weigh less than five hundred pounds presently. The well-built snow elf rolled his shoulders, testing the weight. Argrave ...
2022-03-19 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post“She is too old,” Helmuth said, sitting just beside Elias.
“You’ve said this,” replied Elias, cradling his head with one hand. “You’ve said this many, many times. My father married late. This is no different. Stop talking about it.”
Elias, Baron Abraham, Stain, and Hel...
2022-03-17 06:57:26 +0000 UTC View Post“What do you mean, ‘the Duchess won’t be coming?’” Induen pronounced each word very deliberately, teeth clenched tight in anger. The prince was in a small room, shabby room that seemed to be abandoned. It was poorly lit by moonlight through covered windows. Just behind him, his escort o...
2022-03-15 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostThe worst part about Elias being correct had to be the fact that he wasn’t smug about it, Argrave had come to realize. Were it anyone less decent, Argrave was sure they’d be rubbing his error in judgement in his face, and he’d be able to confront it squarely. A week had passed, and...
2022-03-13 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post“I see no reason to think that Delbraun would cheat us on this matter,” Elias said with a determined stare at Argrave. “He will give us his answer at the end of the banquet, just as he said.” He still sat in the stone chair beside the table they’d spoken to Delbraun at. Argrave leaned u...
2022-03-12 07:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave stared out beyond the hedge maze, just tall enough to see over the well-trimmed bushes. Night had fallen, bathing Count Delbraun’s estate in pearly moonlight. The wind had grown colder yet, and Argrave was glad of the golden fur lining his lapel and collar. He pulled his gloves a bit ti...
2022-03-10 07:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave and his entourage of well-dressed companions stepped past the open set of gargantuan carved marble doors, entering into the banquet hall just behind their footman. Two sets of stairs branched to either side, leading down below into a veritably sparkling room.
Their escort stepped to...
2022-03-08 07:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostDusk light washed over the city of Jast, the orange giving the somber city an amber hue on its black stones. The towers seemed less dark and foreboding as high as Argrave was, though he was not fond of the stronger winds here.
“I’m done,” Anneliese’s voice broke his thoughts.
...
2022-03-06 07:01:09 +0000 UTC View Post“Now that is done,” Rowe said, stepping in front of Argrave and his party. “I won’t be denied my answer any longer, Galamon. Do you intend to break your word? Has your time in this place of twisted morals sullied the honor I know you once had?”
“I’ll answer,” Galamon refuted...
2022-03-05 07:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post“What are we doing here?” asked Galamon, looking around at outfits hung on simple carved mannequins. The majority of them were quite grandiose, studded with jewels of all denominations and made of the finest silk.
“Why does one generally go to a shop?” answered Argrave absently, sta...
2022-03-03 07:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostArgrave’s eyes lingered on the man wearing reddish-brown robes slight beside and behind Elias: Helmuth. Black hair, a widow’s peak, a dour face, and a beard trimmed to a point all lent the spellcaster an appearance of harsh sternness. His eyes were constantly in motion, twisting and beckoning...
2022-03-01 07:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post“What is this? I’m on human soil not a day and already I have you groveling at my feet?” Rowe asked mockingly. All of Argrave’s party was crowded into his room, and the aged elf himself still sat at his bed, walking stick leaned up against his shoulder.
“I think its warranted. All...
2022-02-28 06:53:07 +0000 UTC View PostI might make this chapter appear earlier to break up some monotony of the relatively tame Jast sections. If you're reading this in the distant future and you recognize it, feel free to ignore.
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At the top of a ridge, five horsemen stared out across the moonlit grassy fields. Thei...
2022-02-27 08:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post