From within his command tent, Corco watched the so-called ‘league’ of lords slowly trudge across the horizon. In loose groups, the warriors of the league advanced like tired schoolchildren at the end of a field trip. Either out of a lack of motivation, or out of exhaustion, they didn’t seem...
2022-10-12 20:09:00 +0000 UTC View PostOn the plains east of Puscanacra - the seat of Governor Mayu Saqartu - the army of the league of lords had constructed a large camp, ready and waiting to receive their orders. Warriors numbering in the tens of thousands were camping in the shadows of the city’s wooden walls.
As the strong...
2022-10-11 20:41:33 +0000 UTC View PostHi. Yes, I'm back.
This isn't something that I was expecting to do, considering all the stuff that happened on my end, but I saw the preview to a patron's message a few days ago, and the timing happened to be right, or wrong, really.
So yeah, I'm here again, and really, deeply sorry f...
2022-10-11 20:04:08 +0000 UTC View PostAfter Corco had spent a while in contemplation, Fadelio came back from distributing his orders. Both returned to their seats, and continued their work in silence. Now that they had finished cleaning up the mess from the previous night, it was time to prepare for war. Although the troops were alre...
2021-01-31 13:58:03 +0000 UTC View PostThe next morning, the world had changed. Though if one were to look at the empty streets of Saniya, no one would think so.
After a night of chaos, the city had finally calmed down again. After all, its people had just spent several days eating and drinking themselves stupid. And after that,...
2021-01-31 13:57:04 +0000 UTC View PostAt the height of Saniya’s winter solstice festival, a bomb exploded and burst apart the ancient shackles which had bound the Yaku people for generations. The two lightning strikes, combined with the two speeches afterwards, had changed life in the city forever. After months of depression and ce...
2021-01-31 13:55:36 +0000 UTC View PostAfter Corco’s order had sounded out, lightning bloomed right before his eyes. Back and forth, the light-blue streaks crisscrossed inside the cage in front of Rapra Castle’s entrance. Together, they formed a net that obscured the shocked faces of the crowd beyond it.
Even thought Corco k...
2021-01-31 13:54:32 +0000 UTC View PostSeveral minutes before the two great lightning strikes shocked all of Rapra square, the recently reclusive King Corco was standing inside his castle’s entrance, hidden by shadows, and observed the crowd. Front and center, right in front of the entrance, sat the arrogant new masters of the city....
2021-01-31 13:52:03 +0000 UTC View Post“More wine?” Before Lord Rafun could reply, Priest Watayi leaned over from his upholstered lounge chair and filled the lord’s half-empty wine cup again.
“There can never be too much wine,” Rafun said, a shallow smile on his face. This was the life he had imagined as a young man, w...
2021-01-31 13:50:37 +0000 UTC View PostThat was too close.
Shivering from fear more than he did from the icy rain, Sami looked back at the soldier and policeman he had stumbled into by accident. When he saw that the two made no attempt to catch up with him, he felt his heart start beating again. Soon, they disappeared i...
2021-01-31 13:49:39 +0000 UTC View PostAs evening turned to night, the rainfall worsened, from a drizzle to a steady downpour. Even the water-hardy Saniya people wouldn’t feel like strolling in such a nasty weather. However, they didn’t have to, and neither did the softer visitors. Kind souls were guiding them towards the light. O...
2021-01-31 13:48:07 +0000 UTC View PostHello everyone.
Writing is hard. These days, I've tried to write an important chapter for the novel... and it sorta got more and more important as I wrote it... Or rather, it's probably the most important chapter in the novel? It'll certainly dictate the novel's direction for a long time. 2021-01-31 13:42:20 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey everyone. I hope you had happy holidays!
Sorry for the delays over the past few days. My PC went down over the holidays, and I only got the parts to puzzle it back together today. So I couldn't do any work at all over the past few days, and couldn't unlock the chapters for last we...
2020-12-30 16:17:28 +0000 UTC View Post“Bring me your best wine, boy!” Lord Rafun shouted at the commoner who sat behind the stall, before he turned to his host. “Priest Watayi, this lord is excited to see if the drinks from this tavern are as extraordinary as they are made out to be.”
“Not to worry, Lord Rafun. This A...
2020-12-30 16:15:10 +0000 UTC View PostA warm breeze from the Verduic Sea entered through the harbor and heated up the streets of Saniya. Up above, the gray sky released a drizzle of rain. Each fallen drop melted away another little patch of the snow that had been collected in the city since the start of winter.
Shielded from th...
2020-12-30 16:14:23 +0000 UTC View PostSince Chanca’s vague request sounded urgent, Sami followed his host through the crowd, towards the back of the room. However, halfway to wherever they were going, the host stopped for a second, changed directions and walked up to a table with an expensive porcelain bowl on top.
“Hey, yo...
2020-12-23 19:00:15 +0000 UTC View PostExhausted from another long day of labor, Sami left the Tasa manufactory around dusk. When he had taken the job, he had never thought that his work would be so physically draining. Of course, even after all these days, the manufactory still wasn’t operating the way it was supposed to, despite t...
2020-12-22 04:28:08 +0000 UTC View PostCompared to the loneliness of several days ago, now Corco’s little retreat within Rapra Castle was much more lively. Now, people from all walks of life had come together in this place. They sat, ate, and drank, as they discussed their various views on life and humanity, as well as the future of...
2020-12-22 04:24:31 +0000 UTC View PostFor the first time in years, advisor Iyo saw hope. As he descended the stairs towards the archives of Rapra Castle, he gathered the courage for the big decision he was about to make. When he saw that only one unarmed official was keeping watch outside the archives, he let out a sigh of relief. As...
2020-12-18 16:33:20 +0000 UTC View PostA bit worried, Drachimine looked over to the alchemists again, but they were busy with work, seemingly lost in their own world. Like so many of these wise men, they seemed utterly disinterested in any real-life issues. Maybe they weren’t even aware that the balance of power had changed in the c...
2020-12-18 16:30:33 +0000 UTC View PostThe heavy knocks on the door of Saniya’s royal chemistry lab made Drachimine’s knuckles hurt in the cold, but he didn’t care. This was a famous place, even in this city full of famous places. Here, the rumors said, was where Saniya’s greatest alchemists produced the city’s purple dye, a...
2020-12-18 16:27:45 +0000 UTC View PostInside Rapra Castle, the King’s study was left abandoned for the first time in years. After Corco’s meeting with Priest Watayi, he had left his usual office and never returned.
Instead, the king had retreated deeper into the castle’s halls, to a courtyard far removed from the usual bu...
2020-12-18 16:26:29 +0000 UTC View PostThe breathy bass of a large bamboo flute rang throughout the room. Then, above it danced the light sound of a violin. Life and melody entered the musical piece. Thus, the beautiful, simple music turned, anchored by the firm sound of the bass.
After several minutes of enjoyment, the piece en...
2020-12-14 02:43:01 +0000 UTC View PostAfter another long day of cultivation, Thurain left his shed and stretched his waist in the light of the local street lamps.
“You’re still working, young man? What are you doing, wasting your youth in there? Come with me, let’s have some fun.”
A sudden voice surprised the youn...
2020-12-12 03:07:05 +0000 UTC View PostA deep sigh escaped Corco as he watched Watayi lose his mind. Spittle flew from his mouth and the fire of madness burned in his eyes. This was a bit over the top, wasn’t it?
Had this guy actually suffered this much when he had been Corco’s subordinate? And if he was this obvious now, ho...
2020-12-12 03:05:24 +0000 UTC View PostAnother cloudy morning promised another dire day for Saniya. Before the sun had even come up, an army of messengers had already left the city walls and spread out on the highways all throughout the southern kingdom. Within two days, they would reach all estate capitals in the kingdom, and send Co...
2020-12-11 02:52:52 +0000 UTC View PostAlthough they had only addressed one of their two major problems so far, morale in the briefing was already low. While they contemplated their difficult position, everyone sat in thought. In the silence, Sumaci stood up and walked towards the bar in the corner of the room.
With everyone els...
2020-12-09 21:54:11 +0000 UTC View PostRight. So... about two years ago, when I started this patreon account, I set a goal that I'd guarantee three chapters a week should the total monthly pledges exceed $250.
Honestly, I didn't think that would happen, ever. Even less after I just kept disappearing over the course of this year....
2020-12-08 13:06:53 +0000 UTC View PostDespite Mayu’s warning, Corco didn’t feel the need to lift his siege on Kapra. He wasn’t intimidated by empty, vague threats, and wouldn’t do anything without some more intelligence.
Said intelligence arrived a day later, together with a reason to retreat. One of Corco’s runners r...
2020-12-08 12:57:49 +0000 UTC View Post“The end times are here! Listen well, citizens of the accursed city, steeped in sin! Hear the words of the Divines, about the foolishness of those that guide you! Listen well, about the wrath of the heavens that will strike all who do not repent! About the evils that befall those who commit evi...
2020-12-08 12:56:47 +0000 UTC View Post