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
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Blade of Phoee (Updated 12/08/08)
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="Funeris" data-source="post: 2813955" data-attributes="member: 22792"><p><strong>Chapter 6: Fata Viam Invenient (Concluded)</strong></p><p></p><p>Anastrianna held her palm against her head.</p><p></p><p><em>Nope, no fever,</em> she thought.</p><p></p><p>She had to be ill or dreaming. Whatever the case, she knew what she was seeing could not be real. Moments before—before what? Darkness? Absolute confusion and a bout of vertigo?—she had been sitting in the grand dining hall of the Ladies Llewyllyn, feasting on a delicious breakfast and making small talk with Zayda. Of course, that elf was as racist and closed off as they came, so, Anastrianna had done most of the talking. The elf had only grunted in reply; even that response was scarce.</p><p></p><p>Now, the young rogue was staring at the butchered body of her father. The grotesque scene contrasted sharply against the fresh new walls and floors of the keep in her hometown.</p><p></p><p>Gabe’s chest rose with a wheezing breath, shuddering violently. It had to be an illusion or a trick of some kind. No man, young or old, healthy or feeble, could have survived the abuse that had been heaped upon that fragile shell of flesh. His skull peeked through flayed layers of flesh. Blood was dried across his body, edging slowly toward rents and fissures in his flesh. Whip markings and knife wounds, Ana realized.</p><p></p><p>She choked down a surge of bile.</p><p></p><p>Gabrielle Rowen, her father, breathed again.</p><p></p><p>A shadow moved into her periphery vision. The form was man-sized and moving with an odd gait. The shadow clung to its edges, blurring the details of its form. Ana still recognized it as both familiar and unnatural.</p><p></p><p>She stalked away from her father’s body; she was not sure if this was real but if it was, she had no desire to be seen.</p><p></p><p><em>You should have listened to my advice, old man,</em> the thing hissed. Ana recognized the voice just as it moved into the light: Leiban Malabrandt.</p><p></p><p>The Captain of the Guard had changed since last Ana had seen him. He had been dead. Now, he definitely was not dead but neither was his body full of life. He was something else entirely. The wounds he had sustained still showed clear upon his body. The many red, jagged lines where Cassock had painstakingly severed appendages were marred even further by thick black cord. Puss filled one of his eye sockets; the orb in the other remained but was yellow and dull.</p><p></p><p>A ragged scowl showed the few teeth the Priest of Cael had left intact; many of those few were splintered. His face was tortured—although with what, anger or pain, Ana was not sure.</p><p></p><p>“Traitor,” Gabe spit. A bubble of blood burst at the edge of his nose, coating his face with a new layer of drying film.</p><p></p><p><em>Traitor! <strong>YOU</strong> were the traitor! You and your whore of a daughter!</em> Leiban leaned down and stuck his meaty fingers into one of Gabe’s festering wounds. Maggots squirmed out of his stitched flesh, wiggling merrily into the crevasse to feast. Ex-Mayor Rowen squirmed but would not scream. <em>I loved her and she betrayed me. You, even you I loved as a father.</em></p><p></p><p>“Does that mean you would have poisoned me as well, Leiban? You’re a disgrace!”</p><p></p><p>The undead stood. He lifted his foot and placed it against Gabe’s throat. <em>You tempt my patience</em>.</p><p></p><p>“Do it,” Gabe spit. “Do it! I would see that…thing finish what Cassock began. You are a coward and a bully, Leiban. You don’t have the…”</p><p></p><p><strong>[hq]What do you think you are doing?[/hq]</strong> Leiban spun as a shadowy arm lifted upward. Without touching the undead, End-bringer forced him backward roughly. Leiban slammed into the wall and collapsed onto the floor. <strong>[hq]You do not touch my prisoner. You have already proven your incompetence.[/hq]</strong> The beast lowered its arm and turned its mocking visage toward the prisoner.</p><p></p><p><em>If I am such a failure, then why was I brought back</em>, Malabrandt questioned. He knew his mistake as a razor sharp chain shot from End-bringer’s shadowy form, wrapping its serrated edges around his neck and chewing through flesh. Leiban was jerked toward the Inquisitor, his form lifted easily, effortlessly into the air. </p><p></p><p> [hq]<strong>The Lord Ara’kull believes in second chances for some of his loyal followers—loyal in act if not will. Yours is a second chance, nothing more. Do not fail.</strong>[/hq] The chain snapped, unraveling and pulling taught before withdrawing into the shadowy folds. Leiban crashed into the door, which opened to allow his exit. As he hit the floor in the hallway, the door simultaneously shut, its bolt snapping into place. [hq]<strong>It is good to see you awake again, Gabriel. We can begin your reeducation now.</strong>[/hq]</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know where my daughter is,” Gabe pleaded.</p><p></p><p><strong>[hq]I do not do this for information, Gabe. I do this because I enjoy it.[/hq]</strong>[hq][/hq] Two chains lurched out of the shadows…</p><p></p><p>As the chains pounced, Ana screamed. The scream brought the nasty barbs up short. The thing—whatever it was—turned its mask side to side, looking for the source of the disturbance.</p><p></p><p>Ana felt the world grow black.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"> * * * </p><p></p><p>And suddenly the world became all light and pain, a sharp pain in her arm. Ana lifted her head from the dining table. Lady Llewyllyn scowled at her, the beautiful golden tresses of her hair created a strange concoction of beauty and anger. The Lady’s fingers were clamped tightly around her elbow, pinching the very life from her veins.</p><p></p><p>Zayda, Ana noticed, was in the same predicament.</p><p></p><p>“<strong>Come with me,</strong>” the Lady demanded. Not waiting for a response, she hefted the two women out of their chairs and pulled them toward the staircase.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"> * * * </p><p></p><p>Cassock shook his head slightly as he stood. He was still a bit woozy from the fall, or from the vision. Despite his lightheadedness, he immediately recognized a new power resonating through his veins.</p><p></p><p>The cleric ducked as the door to the library was nearly torn from its hinges. Lady Llewyllyn stormed in, dragging Zayda and Ana behind her. She forcefully shoved them into chairs and whirled on Cassock, Spinum, and Aramil. Her eyes narrowed, her face flushed.</p><p></p><p>She lifted a hand toward Aramil, who stood in the entrance to one of the secret compartments. He was flung like a rag doll away from the enclosure. The doors hissed as they closed upon the compartments. A thick thud marked the setting of a lock-bar on the inside; a lighter thud noted Aramil’s fall which he easily shifted into a roll. The rogue popped up onto his feet; he swung his new sword around to a defensive stance.</p><p></p><p>Cassock and Spinum stood dumbfounded.</p><p></p><p>Llewyllyn snarled and pointed one hand at the rogue. His body stiffened, the sword fell impotent to the floor.</p><p></p><p>“<strong>NOW,</strong>” she bellowed, “<strong>You have proven exactly how unworthy of trust your respective races are.</strong>” They all eyed her wearily except Aramil, whose face was frozen in shock. “<strong>I welcome you into my home. I give you shelter. I feed you. I offer to pay for the gear you have dragged tirelessly behind you for nearly a month. Gear, that I might add, came from murder</strong>,” Cassock opened his mouth to speak but she prevented his words by raising her voice even louder. “<strong>DEATH DEALT IN DEFENSE, NO DOUBT. BUT MURDER IN THE EYES OF THE KING, IN THE EYES OF HIS GOD, AND IN THE EYES OF THE EMPIRE. HAVE I NOT RISKED ENOUGH FOR YOU?</strong></p><p></p><p>“<strong>No, of course not. You thank me by rooting through my personal possessions like common thieves. If it is thieves you act like, it is thieves you will be. You are all imprisoned within this room for the next twenty-four hours until I decide how to deal with you.</strong></p><p></p><p>“<strong>Pray I am lenient. Pray I find some course other than giving you freely to the Inquisitors.</strong>” She turned, as if to go, before she looked back at Spinum. Her snarl deepened.</p><p></p><p>The mage paced toward her, his hand slipping into his pocket. He pulled out the deck and extended his hand, giving her the deck freely. “I did not use it,” he murmured.</p><p></p><p>Lady Llewyllyn turned without another word and stepped out of the library. The door shut and locked, trapping the companions in the room. The Lady said a quick cantrip, sealing the exit. With a smile, she walked slowly down the hall to her room, the deck firmly in her hand.</p><p></p><p>[END CHAPTER]</p><p>--------------------------------------------------</p><p></p><p>I've gone ahead and posted this update a little early. But make no mistake, this is Wednesday's update and you will receive no other on May 10th. </p><p></p><p>This also brings a conclusion to Chapter 6 (long overdue, I might say). I'm not done updating this SH yet, though. I'm going to go ahead and write up a (brief) chapter of Interludes. Then, I'll hop back to updating my other SH and leave this one hanging for a bit.</p><p></p><p>Thanks for reading, and welcome back post-crash. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>~Fune</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Funeris, post: 2813955, member: 22792"] [b]Chapter 6: Fata Viam Invenient (Concluded)[/b] Anastrianna held her palm against her head. [i]Nope, no fever,[/i] she thought. She had to be ill or dreaming. Whatever the case, she knew what she was seeing could not be real. Moments before—before what? Darkness? Absolute confusion and a bout of vertigo?—she had been sitting in the grand dining hall of the Ladies Llewyllyn, feasting on a delicious breakfast and making small talk with Zayda. Of course, that elf was as racist and closed off as they came, so, Anastrianna had done most of the talking. The elf had only grunted in reply; even that response was scarce. Now, the young rogue was staring at the butchered body of her father. The grotesque scene contrasted sharply against the fresh new walls and floors of the keep in her hometown. Gabe’s chest rose with a wheezing breath, shuddering violently. It had to be an illusion or a trick of some kind. No man, young or old, healthy or feeble, could have survived the abuse that had been heaped upon that fragile shell of flesh. His skull peeked through flayed layers of flesh. Blood was dried across his body, edging slowly toward rents and fissures in his flesh. Whip markings and knife wounds, Ana realized. She choked down a surge of bile. Gabrielle Rowen, her father, breathed again. A shadow moved into her periphery vision. The form was man-sized and moving with an odd gait. The shadow clung to its edges, blurring the details of its form. Ana still recognized it as both familiar and unnatural. She stalked away from her father’s body; she was not sure if this was real but if it was, she had no desire to be seen. [i]You should have listened to my advice, old man,[/i] the thing hissed. Ana recognized the voice just as it moved into the light: Leiban Malabrandt. The Captain of the Guard had changed since last Ana had seen him. He had been dead. Now, he definitely was not dead but neither was his body full of life. He was something else entirely. The wounds he had sustained still showed clear upon his body. The many red, jagged lines where Cassock had painstakingly severed appendages were marred even further by thick black cord. Puss filled one of his eye sockets; the orb in the other remained but was yellow and dull. A ragged scowl showed the few teeth the Priest of Cael had left intact; many of those few were splintered. His face was tortured—although with what, anger or pain, Ana was not sure. “Traitor,” Gabe spit. A bubble of blood burst at the edge of his nose, coating his face with a new layer of drying film. [i]Traitor! [b]YOU[/b] were the traitor! You and your whore of a daughter![/i] Leiban leaned down and stuck his meaty fingers into one of Gabe’s festering wounds. Maggots squirmed out of his stitched flesh, wiggling merrily into the crevasse to feast. Ex-Mayor Rowen squirmed but would not scream. [i]I loved her and she betrayed me. You, even you I loved as a father.[/i] “Does that mean you would have poisoned me as well, Leiban? You’re a disgrace!” The undead stood. He lifted his foot and placed it against Gabe’s throat. [i]You tempt my patience[/i]. “Do it,” Gabe spit. “Do it! I would see that…thing finish what Cassock began. You are a coward and a bully, Leiban. You don’t have the…” [b][hq]What do you think you are doing?[/hq][/b] Leiban spun as a shadowy arm lifted upward. Without touching the undead, End-bringer forced him backward roughly. Leiban slammed into the wall and collapsed onto the floor. [b][hq]You do not touch my prisoner. You have already proven your incompetence.[/hq][/b] The beast lowered its arm and turned its mocking visage toward the prisoner. [i]If I am such a failure, then why was I brought back[/i], Malabrandt questioned. He knew his mistake as a razor sharp chain shot from End-bringer’s shadowy form, wrapping its serrated edges around his neck and chewing through flesh. Leiban was jerked toward the Inquisitor, his form lifted easily, effortlessly into the air. [hq][b]The Lord Ara’kull believes in second chances for some of his loyal followers—loyal in act if not will. Yours is a second chance, nothing more. Do not fail.[/b][/hq][b][/b] The chain snapped, unraveling and pulling taught before withdrawing into the shadowy folds. Leiban crashed into the door, which opened to allow his exit. As he hit the floor in the hallway, the door simultaneously shut, its bolt snapping into place. [hq][b]It is good to see you awake again, Gabriel. We can begin your reeducation now.[/b][/hq] “I don’t know where my daughter is,” Gabe pleaded. [b][hq]I do not do this for information, Gabe. I do this because I enjoy it.[/hq][/b][hq][/hq] Two chains lurched out of the shadows… As the chains pounced, Ana screamed. The scream brought the nasty barbs up short. The thing—whatever it was—turned its mask side to side, looking for the source of the disturbance. Ana felt the world grow black. [center] * * * [/center] And suddenly the world became all light and pain, a sharp pain in her arm. Ana lifted her head from the dining table. Lady Llewyllyn scowled at her, the beautiful golden tresses of her hair created a strange concoction of beauty and anger. The Lady’s fingers were clamped tightly around her elbow, pinching the very life from her veins. Zayda, Ana noticed, was in the same predicament. “[b]Come with me,[/b]” the Lady demanded. Not waiting for a response, she hefted the two women out of their chairs and pulled them toward the staircase. [center] * * * [/center] Cassock shook his head slightly as he stood. He was still a bit woozy from the fall, or from the vision. Despite his lightheadedness, he immediately recognized a new power resonating through his veins. The cleric ducked as the door to the library was nearly torn from its hinges. Lady Llewyllyn stormed in, dragging Zayda and Ana behind her. She forcefully shoved them into chairs and whirled on Cassock, Spinum, and Aramil. Her eyes narrowed, her face flushed. She lifted a hand toward Aramil, who stood in the entrance to one of the secret compartments. He was flung like a rag doll away from the enclosure. The doors hissed as they closed upon the compartments. A thick thud marked the setting of a lock-bar on the inside; a lighter thud noted Aramil’s fall which he easily shifted into a roll. The rogue popped up onto his feet; he swung his new sword around to a defensive stance. Cassock and Spinum stood dumbfounded. Llewyllyn snarled and pointed one hand at the rogue. His body stiffened, the sword fell impotent to the floor. “[b]NOW,[/b]” she bellowed, “[b]You have proven exactly how unworthy of trust your respective races are.[/b]” They all eyed her wearily except Aramil, whose face was frozen in shock. “[b]I welcome you into my home. I give you shelter. I feed you. I offer to pay for the gear you have dragged tirelessly behind you for nearly a month. Gear, that I might add, came from murder[/b],” Cassock opened his mouth to speak but she prevented his words by raising her voice even louder. “[b]DEATH DEALT IN DEFENSE, NO DOUBT. BUT MURDER IN THE EYES OF THE KING, IN THE EYES OF HIS GOD, AND IN THE EYES OF THE EMPIRE. HAVE I NOT RISKED ENOUGH FOR YOU?[/B] “[B]No, of course not. You thank me by rooting through my personal possessions like common thieves. If it is thieves you act like, it is thieves you will be. You are all imprisoned within this room for the next twenty-four hours until I decide how to deal with you.[/b] “[b]Pray I am lenient. Pray I find some course other than giving you freely to the Inquisitors.[/b]” She turned, as if to go, before she looked back at Spinum. Her snarl deepened. The mage paced toward her, his hand slipping into his pocket. He pulled out the deck and extended his hand, giving her the deck freely. “I did not use it,” he murmured. Lady Llewyllyn turned without another word and stepped out of the library. The door shut and locked, trapping the companions in the room. The Lady said a quick cantrip, sealing the exit. With a smile, she walked slowly down the hall to her room, the deck firmly in her hand. [END CHAPTER] -------------------------------------------------- I've gone ahead and posted this update a little early. But make no mistake, this is Wednesday's update and you will receive no other on May 10th. This also brings a conclusion to Chapter 6 (long overdue, I might say). I'm not done updating this SH yet, though. I'm going to go ahead and write up a (brief) chapter of Interludes. Then, I'll hop back to updating my other SH and leave this one hanging for a bit. Thanks for reading, and welcome back post-crash. ;) ~Fune [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Blade of Phoee (Updated 12/08/08)
Top