Bruce "Voyage of the Princess Ark" Heard has sent along a short preview of the Calidar’s Kickstarter campaign for Beyond the Skies. Second in the Calidar series, this 220+ pg compendium tells all about gods, their spirit servants, and divine powers they grant the faithful. If this were all, this project would be merely walking an oft-beaten path. Aside from its basic aims, Beyond the Skies brings to life internal rivalries among pantheons and divine politics between them. A monstrous peril that threatens to destroy them and their mortal followers' universe thus begs the question: "Will they work together and ultimately survive?" Until the book comes out, here’s a snippet of a story involving gods—a proof that despite its impending doom, not all is dark and foreboding in the World of Calidar.
The Kickstarter is live now. For $25 you get the PDF, for $38 you get the softcover, and for $60 you can grab the hardcover. It's a system-neutral book, but it's recommended that you have the first book, In Stranger Skies. If you don't have that, you can add it to your pledge for just $6. If you're a fan of Bruce's Voyage of the Princess Ark for Dragon Magazine from 1990-1992, this is a must-have.
The mood was festive at Neshnee-of-the-Red-Gate, for it was the anniversary of Dagleeth’s divine ascension to Sadarya. The Grey Flame, the Prince of Wands, the Scrollmaker, and the Unquenched sat at his sides, partaking of an elixir he’d discovered in his many journeys in search of ancient lore. From her looks, Urthaala seemed to have had a little too much already. While throngs of spirit servants tended to the needs of their divine hosts, a score more entered, carrying an artfully prepared efreet soufflé above which fire imps merrily flew around, two for every century. “Thank you, thank you dear friends,” declared the Librarian god. “You shouldn’t have. Space for the imps is becoming scarcer every time.”
Naghilas laughed. “Growing self-conscious are we? Come now, there’s plenty more space for them. Trust me.” Barthazu stood and raised his chalice. “Hear, hear! Please, don’t be shy. The soufflé is getting cold and the imps are melting.” The guests chuckled and awaited until Dagleeth blew his fire imps and made a mental wish. As the spirit servants served godly apportioned slices, Dagleeth’s third eye opened wide. “I do beg your forgiveness, my friends,” he said suddenly. “Urgent business I’m afraid. Back in a moment.”
Vanishing from the Hall of Ceremonies, the Librarian reappeared in a remote corner of his immense library where someone awaited. “Eilonna?” The visitor turned and pulled down her hood, revealing her smile and a lacquered box under her arm. “You shouldn’t have, sweet lady,” said Dagleeth, his third eye rolling with embarrassment.
“I wasn’t about to forget your celebration. I hope you don’t mind my intrusion,” she said. The Librarian hugged the goddess. “Of course not, dearest friend. Will you join my guests?”
Eilonna placed her gift on a nearby table. “No, thank you. You know I’m uncomfortable with gatherings.” Dagleeth waved in a fatalistic manner. “What was I thinking? You, sweet Eilonna, will always be welcome at Neshnee, whether you enter through its Red Gate or its backdoor.” After a pause, he added, “I missed you.” The elven goddess gazed at him in a slightly gauche manner.
Dagleeth hesitated when silence prevailed, until a confused imp came flying by. “Shoo! Shoo, I say. Silly thing. My apology,” said the Librarian with a mix of regret and relief. “What news of the Briarwoods?” he asked.
Eilonna sighed softly. “Oh, nothing really. You know me, divine bumps and bruises to mend. Gods will be gods.” Dagleeth smiled as the two sat. “Is your patient getting better, the one with the darkness within?”
The goddess of healers looked in the distance, pensive. “He worries. Something wicked in the sea troubles him greatly. I slowed his ailment, but I fear healing it will require more than I can...”
Dagleeth’s third eye rolled wildly and gazed through bookshelves and walls. “Quiet, my sweet. I’ll be right back.”
The Librarian vanished to a nearby aisle. “Can I help you?” he enquired. Urthaala-the-Unquenched lifted her gaze from an ancient tome she held open before her. “Truly fascinating, what you keep here. I’m afraid I’ve allowed myself to wander about in your absence. Your guests are waiting.”
Annoyed, Dagleeth took the book from the goddess’s hands. “You are welcome at Neshnee, Fiery One, but please ask before perusing my library. I shall be back momentarily.” Slightly miffed, Urthaala wrinkled her nose at the Librarian and faded away.
Around the corner came Eilonna, worried. “Do you think she heard us?” Dagleeth frowned as he returned the book to its rightful place on the shelf. “Perhaps. I do wonder what she came looking for down here. I’ll be watching that one,” he added. Eilonna gazed at his third eye glaring in the Hall of Ceremonies’ direction. “Good idea.”
The Kickstarter is live now. For $25 you get the PDF, for $38 you get the softcover, and for $60 you can grab the hardcover. It's a system-neutral book, but it's recommended that you have the first book, In Stranger Skies. If you don't have that, you can add it to your pledge for just $6. If you're a fan of Bruce's Voyage of the Princess Ark for Dragon Magazine from 1990-1992, this is a must-have.
The mood was festive at Neshnee-of-the-Red-Gate, for it was the anniversary of Dagleeth’s divine ascension to Sadarya. The Grey Flame, the Prince of Wands, the Scrollmaker, and the Unquenched sat at his sides, partaking of an elixir he’d discovered in his many journeys in search of ancient lore. From her looks, Urthaala seemed to have had a little too much already. While throngs of spirit servants tended to the needs of their divine hosts, a score more entered, carrying an artfully prepared efreet soufflé above which fire imps merrily flew around, two for every century. “Thank you, thank you dear friends,” declared the Librarian god. “You shouldn’t have. Space for the imps is becoming scarcer every time.”
Naghilas laughed. “Growing self-conscious are we? Come now, there’s plenty more space for them. Trust me.” Barthazu stood and raised his chalice. “Hear, hear! Please, don’t be shy. The soufflé is getting cold and the imps are melting.” The guests chuckled and awaited until Dagleeth blew his fire imps and made a mental wish. As the spirit servants served godly apportioned slices, Dagleeth’s third eye opened wide. “I do beg your forgiveness, my friends,” he said suddenly. “Urgent business I’m afraid. Back in a moment.”
Vanishing from the Hall of Ceremonies, the Librarian reappeared in a remote corner of his immense library where someone awaited. “Eilonna?” The visitor turned and pulled down her hood, revealing her smile and a lacquered box under her arm. “You shouldn’t have, sweet lady,” said Dagleeth, his third eye rolling with embarrassment.
“I wasn’t about to forget your celebration. I hope you don’t mind my intrusion,” she said. The Librarian hugged the goddess. “Of course not, dearest friend. Will you join my guests?”
Eilonna placed her gift on a nearby table. “No, thank you. You know I’m uncomfortable with gatherings.” Dagleeth waved in a fatalistic manner. “What was I thinking? You, sweet Eilonna, will always be welcome at Neshnee, whether you enter through its Red Gate or its backdoor.” After a pause, he added, “I missed you.” The elven goddess gazed at him in a slightly gauche manner.
Dagleeth hesitated when silence prevailed, until a confused imp came flying by. “Shoo! Shoo, I say. Silly thing. My apology,” said the Librarian with a mix of regret and relief. “What news of the Briarwoods?” he asked.
Eilonna sighed softly. “Oh, nothing really. You know me, divine bumps and bruises to mend. Gods will be gods.” Dagleeth smiled as the two sat. “Is your patient getting better, the one with the darkness within?”
The goddess of healers looked in the distance, pensive. “He worries. Something wicked in the sea troubles him greatly. I slowed his ailment, but I fear healing it will require more than I can...”
Dagleeth’s third eye rolled wildly and gazed through bookshelves and walls. “Quiet, my sweet. I’ll be right back.”
The Librarian vanished to a nearby aisle. “Can I help you?” he enquired. Urthaala-the-Unquenched lifted her gaze from an ancient tome she held open before her. “Truly fascinating, what you keep here. I’m afraid I’ve allowed myself to wander about in your absence. Your guests are waiting.”
Annoyed, Dagleeth took the book from the goddess’s hands. “You are welcome at Neshnee, Fiery One, but please ask before perusing my library. I shall be back momentarily.” Slightly miffed, Urthaala wrinkled her nose at the Librarian and faded away.
Around the corner came Eilonna, worried. “Do you think she heard us?” Dagleeth frowned as he returned the book to its rightful place on the shelf. “Perhaps. I do wonder what she came looking for down here. I’ll be watching that one,” he added. Eilonna gazed at his third eye glaring in the Hall of Ceremonies’ direction. “Good idea.”
