The Gift of the Golden Blade

The Chentish people live a hard, bitter life; Chental is a barren rock in the middle of the Qorlean Sea, and its people have struggled to find their path in this modern world of qaa-powered streetlamps and steam-driven turbines. Once a band of proud conquerors, sending out regular raids against the Shorefolk, the Chent have in recent years turned to mercenarism. Their skills as sell-swords are highly prized, and their courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds can be best summarized in one of their beloved folks songs, "Bid Me Not." Sung as a call/response between the Chentish men and women, this song is traditionally performed before any warband leaves the isle; it speaks of their belief in an afterlife, and demonstrates how death in valorous battle is the highest possible virture for a Chentish man-at-arms. Continue reading "Chapter 1 (Part 1)"

Patience

The glowing form sat in the Void, focused on keeping itself imperforate. Would its time ever come?

It will come – wait for it

It had been so long. The form couldn’t remember where it had come from before, or what it was waiting for. It knew, vaguely, that there was a concept called “time” - there had been a before, and there would eventually be an after - but here in the Void, the interminable now stretched out in front of it.

You’ll know it when it comes Continue reading "Prologue: The Form and The Void"