Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
A Lonely Path: a Shackled City Story Hour (the old version, see last post)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="hbarsquared" data-source="post: 2095094" data-attributes="member: 4550"><p><span style="color: deepskyblue"><strong>Prologue, Part One</strong></span></p><p></p><p></p><p>Abrina rehearsed her morning routine with practiced steps and whispered counts in the dusty courtyard as the dawning sun rose above the temples wall behind her. She cast a long shadow, the outline of her figure a blur. Her mind fully concentrated on the movements of her legs, her hands, her spear, she destroyed foe after imaginary foe.</p><p></p><p>In mid-attack, Abrina froze. Wisps of her hair fell over her eyes, beading sweat just beginning to roll down her temples. Her muscles bulged, her hands tightened around the shaft of her weapon, and her chest expanded with deep, though controlled, breaths. Another shadow strode across the courtyard.</p><p></p><p>Relaxing her stance, Abrina lowered her spear, point directed to the ground, and turned to face her elder.</p><p></p><p>His hair was gray, his weathered face etched with wrinkles, but his intense emerald eyes were sharp, his back straight. He wore the clerical vestments of their order, the leather armor beneath his cloak dyed several shades darker than his eyes. She reached out to him, and he took her hand, enveloping her in a tight hug of greeting. They pulled back and she smiled.</p><p></p><p>“Why, good morning, Elder Kevur,” she said, wiping her brow with the back of a dusty arm. “What brings you to the training grounds?”</p><p></p><p>Kevur smiled in return and motioned her to follow him. “I came to see you. Let’s go inside and talk. I imagine you could use a glass of water?” He walked to the edge of the courtyard, into the shade, and held the door open for her.</p><p></p><p>She followed, puzzled.</p><p></p><p>Abrina drained the glass and set it carefully back on the table. Elder Kevur had invited her into his office, one of the rooms in their temple that she had not visited in years. The last time she had sat in this chair was when she had tripped that boy in practice. She had been older than he, but he had the gall to insult her style in the middle of the lesson. He deserved it, but she wasn’t sure it had been worth the disappointment of Elder Kevur. She fidgeted in the chair as Kevur set a scroll case on his desk and began to unstopper it.</p><p></p><p>“This,” he said, pulling the parchment from the case, “is a missive from the Master Crafter.”</p><p></p><p>Abrina’s eyes widened. “From Ea Himself?”</p><p></p><p>Kevur paused and his eyebrow raised. There was a smile behind the crinkling of his eyes. She sunk back into the chair, her face flushed with embarrassment. Abrina wondered if he remembered the last time she had been in this spot. She figured her did; those eyes saw into her soul.</p><p></p><p>“No,” he said, “From the temple. From Helena, their head cleric, actually.” He unfurled the scroll and flattened it with his aged hand. “We are to deliver a message. Immediately.”</p><p></p><p>Kevur scanned the contents once more and sighed. He turned the parchment around for Abrina to see. She leaned forward and began to read.</p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Esteemed Elder Kevur, head cleric of Ninurta in our city of Haven,</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>A matter of grave importance is upon us, and the following information must fly with the grace of your patron. . . .</em></p><p><em></em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hbarsquared, post: 2095094, member: 4550"] [color=deepskyblue][b]Prologue, Part One[/b][/color] Abrina rehearsed her morning routine with practiced steps and whispered counts in the dusty courtyard as the dawning sun rose above the temples wall behind her. She cast a long shadow, the outline of her figure a blur. Her mind fully concentrated on the movements of her legs, her hands, her spear, she destroyed foe after imaginary foe. In mid-attack, Abrina froze. Wisps of her hair fell over her eyes, beading sweat just beginning to roll down her temples. Her muscles bulged, her hands tightened around the shaft of her weapon, and her chest expanded with deep, though controlled, breaths. Another shadow strode across the courtyard. Relaxing her stance, Abrina lowered her spear, point directed to the ground, and turned to face her elder. His hair was gray, his weathered face etched with wrinkles, but his intense emerald eyes were sharp, his back straight. He wore the clerical vestments of their order, the leather armor beneath his cloak dyed several shades darker than his eyes. She reached out to him, and he took her hand, enveloping her in a tight hug of greeting. They pulled back and she smiled. “Why, good morning, Elder Kevur,” she said, wiping her brow with the back of a dusty arm. “What brings you to the training grounds?” Kevur smiled in return and motioned her to follow him. “I came to see you. Let’s go inside and talk. I imagine you could use a glass of water?” He walked to the edge of the courtyard, into the shade, and held the door open for her. She followed, puzzled. Abrina drained the glass and set it carefully back on the table. Elder Kevur had invited her into his office, one of the rooms in their temple that she had not visited in years. The last time she had sat in this chair was when she had tripped that boy in practice. She had been older than he, but he had the gall to insult her style in the middle of the lesson. He deserved it, but she wasn’t sure it had been worth the disappointment of Elder Kevur. She fidgeted in the chair as Kevur set a scroll case on his desk and began to unstopper it. “This,” he said, pulling the parchment from the case, “is a missive from the Master Crafter.” Abrina’s eyes widened. “From Ea Himself?” Kevur paused and his eyebrow raised. There was a smile behind the crinkling of his eyes. She sunk back into the chair, her face flushed with embarrassment. Abrina wondered if he remembered the last time she had been in this spot. She figured her did; those eyes saw into her soul. “No,” he said, “From the temple. From Helena, their head cleric, actually.” He unfurled the scroll and flattened it with his aged hand. “We are to deliver a message. Immediately.” Kevur scanned the contents once more and sighed. He turned the parchment around for Abrina to see. She leaned forward and began to read. [i] Esteemed Elder Kevur, head cleric of Ninurta in our city of Haven, A matter of grave importance is upon us, and the following information must fly with the grace of your patron. . . . [/i] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
A Lonely Path: a Shackled City Story Hour (the old version, see last post)
Top