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54. [Red Tide] Solstice, Part Two

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef

Those she has met so far…

…and those she will meet soon

***

 

30 Frett, 61 AW

The northern edge of Besaden, North Continent

150 days until the next Granting

 

Throne Gazer stared into the empty black eyes of some stuffed beast. He did not know the name of the creature or even if it still exist...

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53. [Red Tide] Solstice, Part One

The year turned.

 Soon, the calendar would be reordered around the Granting, but not yet. At the closing of the First Age, the year still ended on the last day of Frett, the darkest day of the cycle for the northern continent and the brightest for the southern.

Freed from the siege, King Hectore’s pyramidal city felt eerily silent. There had been no solstice celebrations for Infinzel in a decade and they were slow to resume now. The people still tiptoe...

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52. [Carina] Clever Friends

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, her feet in two worlds

Samus Bind, Inquisitor of the 9th Renown, Candlefast, on the case

***

 

7 Frett, 61 AW

The pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent

173 days until the next Granting

 

If the cold air didn’t sober up Carina, then the company quickly did.

Samus Bind shuffled a few feet ah...

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51. [Carina] Princess of the Pyramid

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in for a night of propositions

Vitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, discovering physical chemistry

Watts Stonework, a bouncer of no renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, just the messenger

Samus Bind, Inquisitor of the 9th Renown, Candlefast, a curious man

***

 

7 Frett, 61 AW View Post

50. [Cortland] Party Crashers

Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, an unskilled diplomat

Sara Free, Paladin of the 10th Renown, The Ministry of Sulk, all about accountability

King Cizco Salvado, Quill of Infinzel, Kingdom of Infinzel, possessed of a long memory

Sevda Tau, Archmage of the 13th Renown, the Magelab, a mage of wind and feeling

Vitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown,...

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49. [Cortland] The Open Gate

King Mudt returned north buoyed by his successes in Ruchet. He had anointed his chosen champions and vanquished the pretender Kayenna Vezz. The gods had chosen that vile mage on his behalf and even granted her renown that matched his own. And yet, he had dispatched her with little difficulty. Thus, King Mudt determined that the gods were fallible. They had much power, but lacked the wisdom of his sword.

Perhaps it was this good humor that stayed King Mudt’s hand when he f...

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48. [Uicha] Reflections

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Uicha de Orak, Wildcard representing The Forgotten One, on the run again

Kayenna Vezz, sorcerer of the old Kingdom of Orvesis, a constant companion

 

***

 

2 Frett, 61 AW

A secluded boat, docked in Noyega, North Continent

178 days until the next Granting

 

The archmage's head didn't come off clean. Uicha had hacked into...

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47. [Uicha] The Wildcard

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Uicha de Orak, a young man of no renown or loyalty, but only for now

Ahmed Roh, Archmage of the 15th Renown, the Magelab, once a mark always a mark

Kayenna Vezz, sorcerer of the old Kingdom of Orvesis, making a mess

 

***

 

Now and then

Here or there

858,197 memories until brain death

 

The archma...

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46. [Uicha] Memory Shuffle

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Uicha de Orak, a young man of no renown or loyalty, a master of his memories

Ahmed Roh, Archmage of the 15th Renown, the Magelab, a master of magic

Kayenna Vezz, sorcerer of the old Kingdom of Orvesis, a master of the old ways

 

***

 

Now and then

Here or there

858,197 memories until brain death

 

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45. [Uicha] Doomed To Repeat It

No warning would turn back King Mudt.

He entered Kayenna Vezz’s villa alone, insistent that he face the sorcerer in a proper duel. His three lieutenants—Bello, Carver, and Grime—did not protest. To question King Mudt’s valor was to invite his wrath. And perhaps, even though they had taken the mark of his champions, these men were ambivalent about the result.

King Mudt was unmatched with a blade, and the gods had further bolstered his skill with their ...

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44. [Red Tide] Gucco the Hunter

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, about to come face-to-face with the enemy

Cuda Bite, Throne Gazer, Salt Walt, the champions of the Reef, and Turtle Jaw, their Quill

Vikael Rambrother, Meera Rootgarde, Yodor Dominik, Onianatan, champions of Besaden, and Zayda Everbloom, their Quill

Gucco Arovi, Hunter of the 13th Renown, Merchant’s Bay, the enemy View Post

43. [Red Tide] Begging For Scraps

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, growing restless

Yodor Dominik, Beastlord of the 14th Renown, Besaden, a man of particular tastes

Turtle Jaw, Quill of the Reef, counting the votes

Vikael Rambrother, Shifter of the 11th Renown, Besaden, one of those do-gooder types

Throne Gazer, Trident Master of the 4th Renown, The Reef, animal lo...

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42. [Red Tide] Heartwood

King Mudt marched his army into Ruchet, where Kayenna Vezz had taken up residence. The sorceress had amassed a small force of her own, but they were badly outnumbered and under orders not to impede the king. The sight of his people in Ruchet pleased King Mudt. All bore the blackbird of Orvesis, which meant all could be killed if they disobeyed.

Vezz occupied a villa that overlooked the glittering ocean. Indeed, the waters of Ruchet did shine in those days, before the Annihi...

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41. [Cortland] The Fire Consumes

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE— 

Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, hot-tempered

Arris Stonetender, a fire elementalist of no renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, exploding

Carina Goldstone, Henry Blacksalve, and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, champions of Infinzel, cooked to various degrees

Issa Firstdot-Tuarez and Walton Tendersword, well done

 

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40. [Carina] First Contact

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, finally getting what she wanted

Cortland Finiron, Henry Blacksalve, and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, champions of Infinzel, want to bring back a souvenir

Issa Firstdot-Tuarez and Walton Tendersword, were warned this would be dangerous

 

23 Harvesend, 61 AW

The Underneath

<...

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39. [Cortland] Lost Art

Note: I screwed up some details in Chapter 38, so that's been lightly edited. (Carina has [Alert], not Cortland.)

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, needs a course in leadership

Carina Goldstone, Henry Blacksalve, and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, champions of Infinzel, struggling to work together

Issa Firstdot-Tuarez and Walto...

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38. [Cortland] The Underneath

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, paying attention to troubling signs

Carina Goldstone, Henry Blacksalve, and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, champions of Infinzel, working together for the first time

Issa Firstdot-Tuarez and Walton Tendersword, accompanying the champions down

Arris Stonetender a half dozen other Garrison soldiers, holding t...

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37. [Cortland] We All Go Down Together

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, prepared for the Underneath

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, has been working toward this day

Henry Blacksalve and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, champions of Infinzel, ready to lend their support

King Cizco Salvado, Quill of Infinzel, Kingdom of Infinzel, the maker of maps...

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36. [Red Tide] Unsettling Debts

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, has earned some favors

Salt Wall and Turtle Jaw, Berserker of the 2nd Renown and Quill of The Reef, strong and steady

Cuda Bite and Throne Gazer, Skulker of the 3rd Renown and Trident Master of the 4th Renown, The Reef, have earned some Ink

Theo Adamantios, Axe Master of the 6th Renown, and Sylvie Aracia, his sponsor, Pen...

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35. [Carina] Insidious Thought

Note: I'm uploading images for the tables included in this chapter. Not sure if this is ideal or not. Patreon's options leave a lot to be desired!

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, making new friends

Issa Firstdot-Tuarez, a young woman of no renown but good birth, Kingdom of Infinzel, daughter of a dead man

Arris Stonetender, a fire elementalist of ...

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34. [Carina] Hurt Feelings

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, could maybe try apologizing

Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, needs to get over it

Henry Blacksalve, Healer of the 8th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, a man of bad habits

 

 

14 Harvesend, 61 AW

The pyramidal city of Infi...

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33. [Red Tide] An Invasive Species

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Cuda Bite and Throne Gazer, 2nd Renown Skulker and 3rd Renown Trident Master of the Reef, eyes on the prize

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, wheeling and dealing

Salt Wall, Berserker of the 2nd Renown, and Turtle Jaw, Quill of the Reef, worried about the horns

 Theo Adamantios, Axe Master of the 6th Renown, and Sylvie Aracia, Penchenne, find themsel...

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32. [Red Tide] Rammed

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, learning the limits of a pretty song

Throne Gazer, Salt Wall, and Cuda Bite, the champions of the Reef, and Turtle Jaw, their Quill

 Theo Adamantios, Axe Master of the 6th Renown, and Sylvie Aracia, Penchenne, a complicated working relationship

 

***

 

9 Harvesend, 61 AW<...

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31. [Red Tide] Unfriendly Competition

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, joining the hunt

Throne Gazer, Salt Wall, and Cuda Bite, the champions of the Reef, and Turtle Jaw, their Quill

 Theo Adamantios, Axe Master of the 6th Renown, Penchenne, under the guidance of his sponsor

Sylvie Aracia, a young woman of no renown but considerable connections, Penchenne

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30. [Red Tide] Trees and Treaties

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, never far from her harp

Throne Gazer, Trident Master of the 3rd Renown, The Reef, a secret conservationist

Salt Wall, Berserker of the 2nd Renown, The Reef, the butcher

Cuda Bite, Skulker of the 2nd Renown, The Reef, an enemy to all trees

 Turtle Jaw, Quill of The Reef, kinda likes it out here<...

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29. [Cortland] Dead By Dawn

King Mudt and his entourage traveled south to confront Kayenna Vezz, who had been chosen by the gods to stand for Orvesis as a champion. Vezz was a master sorceress, a manipulator of ice who had come of age in the cold eastern colonies, and a summoner of talent unmatched outside Besaden. She had unleashed untold horrors upon Infinzel—creatures that still crawl beneath the walls of the pyramidal city to this day. Mudt had always been distrustful of sorcery and so, when some of Vezz’s c...

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28. [Uicha] Gargoyles

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Uicha de Orak, a young man of no renown or loyalty, an expert on gargoyles apparently

Sara Free, Paladin of the 10th Renown, The Ministry of Sulk, sobering up in a hurry

Trick Longblossom, a man of no renown, village of Ambergran, a man with surgical aim

Erhan Teta, a man of no renown, and his two candles, all of the Magelab, worried about their horses

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27. [Uicha] Trickshot

--DRAMATIS PERSONAE—

Uicha de Orak, a young man of no renown or loyalty, a sight for sore eyes

Trick Longblossom, a man of no renown, village of Ambergran, heading in the opposite direction

Sara Free, Paladin of the 10th Renown, The Ministry of Sulk, doesn’t mind buying a few drinks

 

30 Hazean, 61 AW

The Briarbridge Tavern, in the grasslands outside Cruxton

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26. [Uicha] The Grasslands

King Mudt had chosen his champions. The coward Sulk might have deserted him, but there were other formidable warriors in his army. He first marked the fleet-footed assassin Bello who had singlehandedly reduced the great merchant families from fourteen to thirteen and thus squashed any thoughts of resistance from the bay. Next, Mudt marked the swordsman Carver, renowned for his brutality across the sprawling plains that once belonged to Infinzel. And finally, Mudt chose the man-mountain Gr...

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25. [Carina] No Honest Answers

-DRAMATIS PERSONAE-

Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, a reluctant hostess

King Cizco Salvado, Quill of Infinzel, Kingdom of Infinzel, her guest

 

 

26 Hazean, 61 AW

The pyramidal city of Infinzel

244 days until the next Granting

 

Only when the attendant arrived at her door with a salad of goat chee...

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