“What is the meaning of this, Kassan?!”
A malicious smile crept across Zareth's face at the sound of Matriarch Sylthana’s shocked outburst. This development was clearly outside of her expectations, and he could practically see her desperate need to figure out why one of her closest confidants had suddenly flipped sides. Kassan, on the other hand, seemed to be completely at ease with his betrayal—without the slightest twinge of guilt in his expression.
Murmurs and whispers ...
2024-11-21 03:24:03 +0000 UTC
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While the most talented prospective disciples were usually claimed by one of the sect’s Elders, the rest were simply assigned to a valley based on where they could be most useful.
According to Mo Duan’s memories, cultivation sects typically had many laborers who were barely disciples at all and instead served various roles in maintaining the sect’s daily operations. Mortal workers were often employed as well, but there were simply too many scenarios that required ‘disciple...
2024-10-03 01:55:37 +0000 UTC
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After successfully blackmailing Kassan, Zareth realized that he had a rare few days ahead where his schedule wasn’t completely packed.
His initial plan had been to spend the time studying the Tome of Meldorath, but a few tantalizing references to unique fleshcrafting techniques had quickly diverted his attention, drawing him into his laboratory instead. But then he had remembered that he still had a Skill Point to spend and a new Skill Evolution to test out, which seemed to take prece...
2024-10-03 01:44:32 +0000 UTC
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There were times that Kassan genuinely despised the short-sighted fools he was forced to work for.
While few in number, the Circle of Ghisara was very well connected and had a long history of collaboration with the Great Houses. Few still remembered, but there had even once been a time when the Goddess of Oracles and Mysteries held unparalleled influence among the naga.
Unfortunately, the Circle of Ghisara hadn’t held such power since the days when Kassan’s people still li...
2024-08-26 01:13:08 +0000 UTC
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[Manipulate Ether] - Grants the user the ability to more finely control and shape Ether. +3 Control.
[Ether Resistance] - Increases the user’s ability to withstand the effects of channeling Ether without suffering negative effects. +2 Vitality. +1 Spirit.
[Echoes of the Etherveil] - Allows users to vaguely sense past imprints on the Etherveil.
Zareth took a harder bite than necessary out of Gurza's latest creation, ...
2024-08-05 03:40:18 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: The first pov of this chapter might seem a bit sudden since I didn’t sufficiently foreshadow that Zareth had been planning something like this in previous chapters. The only real foreshadowing I did is at the end of the Cerebon worldbuilding chapter where he says that they’re gonna do something about Kassan. Gonna go back and make some edits to fix that later.
===============
Rizok leaned back against the alleyway sandstone walls and took...
2024-07-15 02:36:48 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: Sorry that this took so long to get out. Actually been more than a month since I posted anything. I'd sorta underestimated just how severe the writers block would be from trying to write an epilogue to a story that I haven't thought about in so many months.
But now that this is done, I intend to focus a bit more on Cultist to make up for things. Goal is to have the next chapter of Cultist out on 7/3 or 7/4, then get into a habit of at least 1 chapter a week going forward...
2024-07-01 03:48:11 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: Sorry this took a while. Intend to have the epilogue for Nerubian's done in a few days.
=================
“How troublesome,” Zareth muttered to himself as he meticulously studied his surroundings.
It’d been a while since he had conducted his most recent ritual, and he’d almost forgotten just how tedious it was to set up the necessary components. That was even more the case with a ritual as ludicrously complex as the one that Cerebon had stuffed into ...
2024-05-30 17:00:17 +0000 UTC
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As he sat in a meditative pose and began circulating his Qi through his body in preparation for the trials ahead, Ling Jun did his best to project a mature demeanor for the many powerful cultivators he knew were watching. With the knowledge that this would be the most closely monitored portion of the Disciple Selection Ceremony, he could do nothing else.
Ling Jun was not alone, as all of the other candidates who’d been raised in notable families were doing the same.
However, he ...
2024-05-09 03:57:02 +0000 UTC
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Nasrith watched calmly as more than a dozen heavy boulders were launched through the air toward Fal’Ashar, courtesy of Tal’Qamar's trebuchets.
Each of them weighed at least 500 pounds, and the force that they would strike with would be equivalent to 3 times that due to their enchantments. Additionally, a Skill from the [Siege Officer] allowed the trebuchets to launch them with pinpoint accuracy, allowing the Second Army to focus its attacks.
Nasrith could see several mages on ...
2024-05-09 03:56:48 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: Made a change to chapter 31 in which I edited the mention of the ‘Baleful Five’ from implying that they had divine influence on all continents to only explicitly confirming their influence on Zumair.
Sorry this took a while, and that there's not a Sect's Elder post with it. Had a bit of writers blocks, and this chapter really kicked my ass to get done since it involves tying up a lot of loose narrative threads. Hope you enjoy.
=========================&nbs...
2024-04-18 03:32:09 +0000 UTC
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Zareth had been beyond relieved when the reinforcements from Tal’Qamar had finally arrived, along with a capable [Military Administrator] ready to help him bring the settlement under order.
He had been even more relieved once matters had been settled enough that he could finally set out on his journey back to more civilized lands, where pale-skinned ogres weren’t eager to see him dead.
It was then that General Nasrith’s aptitude as a leader demonstrated its...
2024-04-03 22:21:26 +0000 UTC
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The Verdant Valleys Sect’s annual Disciple Selection Ceremony was one of the most anticipated and prominent affairs throughout the Dawnlight Jade Province.
As the strongest sect in the eastern region of the empire, the induction ceremony always attracted eager participants from all walks of life. Every clan pursuing a brighter future for their progeny, every merchant seeking to sell their goods to wealthy visitors, and every child who had passed the preliminary tests with dreams of wa...
2024-04-03 22:21:20 +0000 UTC
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It had taken a bit longer than Zareth had expected to finish dealing with the fallout from fully occupying Jabal-Alma and clearing out their previous leadership.
Not only did they need to figure out how to handle a relatively hostile population and establish some manner of administrative structure, but they also needed to thoroughly investigate the Cult of the Unfettered One’s activities.
The first two tasks had been almost exclusively left to Zareth for to reckon with since Gen...
2024-03-21 03:04:13 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: This has been my longest gap in posting a chapter since I started writing a couple years ago. Posted the first draft of my rewrite for Sect's Elder as reparations. Hope you enjoy it and the cultist chapter.
Only one of my beta-readers had time to edit, so maybe more typos that usual.
=========
Zareth let out a small huff of frustration as he looked over the makeshift biological weapons that he was attempting to create
It looked quite similar to the...
2024-03-09 04:51:34 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: I've made a few changes to the plot from the original. I'll explain my reasoning at the end in an author's note. So lemme know what you think.
Also, I'm taking suggestions for a new title since I'd rather the story not have the same name.
===============
Mo Duan hummed contentedly, savoring the calming aroma of his Sagebrush Tea while enjoying the view of Verdant Gate City from a pavilion reserved at his favorite teahouse.
As a city built on the d...
2024-03-09 04:51:26 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: Sorry that the promised faster releases haven't materialized yet. A combination of a fever leaving me sweaty in bed and messing with my sleep schedule along with getting distracted with a few other things sorta got me behind.
Chapter's here though, so I hope you like it.
==========
Zareth couldn’t stop himself from pacing back and forth as he thought over the implications of what Vidhatri had found.
This situation was much bigger and muc...
2024-02-23 06:00:55 +0000 UTC
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Vidhatri very much disliked Jamal-Alma and could not wait until they could leave this loathsome hole in the ground.
She’d already been here for several days, which was far too long for her tastes.
Not because its residents seemed duplicitous and vaguely murderous, though that didn’t help, but because these insane ogres decided to build their settlement underground! Vidhatri hadn’t been making an idle comment when she had said that the only people who lived beneath the earth ...
2024-02-11 03:07:12 +0000 UTC
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Zareth anxiously paced back and forth as he waited for the residents of Jamal-Alma to return with a [Healer] for Skaara.
Or rather, it was more accurate to say that he was waiting for them to bring their so-called [Crystal Speaker]. It wasn’t a Class that Zareth had ever heard of before, nor could he guess its capabilities from just a name like that. Instead, Zareth was stuck anxiously hoping that these strange and isolated ogres were capable of healing the only person who could preve...
2024-01-30 05:47:53 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: My usual beta-readers are busy, so this chapter hasn't been edited yet and almost certainly contains a large number of typos. Not only that, but there may be a few moments that are changed entirely if my beta-readers convince me of it. If that bothers you, check back in after I've edited the chapter to its final version and changes the tag.
I would have waited, but its been a while since last Cultist update came out and wanted to get this out. Chapters should come more f...
2024-01-22 05:18:47 +0000 UTC
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In the original timeline, the prideful vrykul had submitted themselves to the Lich King when they saw his overwhelming might and had decided that he could only have been a god of death.
Krivax could now understand why they had been so awed.
He had never allowed himself to underestimate the Lich King during his planning, assuming that he would be at least as powerful as the Aspects. But now that Krivax had finally had the opportunity to directly sense the Lich King’s power, he es...
2024-01-16 03:30:07 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: Sorry for those who expected another chapter of nerubian. Ended up finishing this one first as I needed a few more days to think over nerubian stuff. Should be out in a couple days.
Thought it would be weird to have Zareth leave Tal'Hadin the very next chapter after he arrived, so decided to allow him a day of fun. Hope you enjoy.
Only had one beta-reader look over this chapter, sorry if there are a few more typos than normal.
==================
...
2024-01-08 03:54:00 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: Time for Zareth to visit his first city aside from Tal'Qamar. Let me know what you think.
=========
“I really don’t see why High Command couldn’t give us a few horses,” Zareth grumbled as he glared at the hateful creature pulling their caravan’s supply wagon through the desert sands. “I understand that they’re not native and are bred purely for the cavalry divisions, but surely they could have spared us one or two!”
The hateful creature in qu...
2024-01-01 04:12:51 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: Hope you all had a merry x-mas. Wanted to get this out a little earlier, but the holidays kept me busy.
Next of Cultist chapter should be out in a few days.
===================
It was common wisdom that creatures were most dangerous when they were desperate or cornered.
That wisdom was proving itself to be very accurate as the Alliance drew ever closer to the Lich King’s fortress.
“Incoming! Mages, raise arcane barriers!”
Kri...
2023-12-27 03:19:11 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: A large portion of the first part of this chapter is dedicated detailing some of the Etherveil’s mechanics. I felt like it was necessary to explain some of the power system so that readers have a better understanding of what limitations/advantages Zareth has.
I also wanted to show a bit that I’m attempting to avoid having Zareth losing some of his flavor and turning into a generic mage. I hope I did a decent job with that and that everything makes sense, but I’m...
2023-12-20 03:35:02 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: We're very close to the end now, so I likely won't post Cultist twice in a row again so that I can get Nerubian finished and give you guys some closure. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Next chapter of cultist should be out in a few days.
=========
Krivax and the rest of his group faced fewer and fewer undead the closer they approached the Temple of Five Dawns.
He could see that the Alliance had successfully secured the structure, though the Scourge continue...
2023-12-15 05:03:12 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: Want to inform you guys that I intend to make a few edits to the chapter where Rizok reveals the Tessik to make it more clear that the Lizardkin at large are fairly well integrated and not poorly treated. The Tessik are meant to be a small minority group dedicated to preserving lizardkin culture, not a secret rebellion.
Nerubians should be out in a few days, then another chapter of Cultist.
=======
All four of Vidhatri’s eyes snapped open the moment she a...
2023-12-09 03:50:29 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note: Next chapter should come out relatively in a few days, as I'll be writing for Cultist instead of Nerubians next.
This chapter is a bit less action packed than last one, but reveals some information and sets a few things up for the future. Hope you enjoy it.
====================
“This feels strange to me. Am I paranoid, Rizok?” Zareth asked as he fidgeted in his seat.
“Yes. You generally are,” Rizok immediately responded from behind him, smirki...
2023-12-01 03:40:38 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: Cultist chapter should be posted in the next few days.
==========================
If not for his magically enhanced constitution, Krivax was certain that he would have collapsed in relief the moment Project Sanctum appeared above Lordamere Lake.
He had almost wished that he’d been given the luxury of falling unconscious for a few hours after Tichondrius disappeared, but the battle was still far from over.
“Krivax!”
Krivax was pulled from hi...
2023-11-27 01:35:51 +0000 UTC
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Author’s Note: First chapter of this story entirely in another pov. Decided that General Nasrith’s perspective would be the best way to show this battle. Hope you enjoy it. For those of you who are unaware, I also commissioned a map.
Edit: Was told imgur link was bad so replaced with this. https://ibb.co/N2R9LPq
I finished sorting out the 2023-11-20 05:51:27 +0000 UTC
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