Even though Emperor Ji Meng and his honor guard were beaten, a task of similar difficulty awaited in the next step. Though the head had been cut, the great beast that was the Imperial Navy still writhed in force. Argrave would need to ensure their surrender—or more likely, a simple truce. But Argrave had two things in his possession. One was a door and the other a key, metaphorically speaking.
As Argrave’s Veidimen honor guard secured these newly-acquired prisoners, Argrave walked t...
2023-11-17 06:57:24 +0000 UTC
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The front deck of the Sea Dragon was shrouded in fog, and as Argrave walked at the head of his people, he reviewed this battleground he’d long ago surveyed. The front deck, unlike the back, was triangular. The emperor and his guards stood in the center of this triangle, and their formation was simple. The vanguard held pavises firm against the ground, the crescent moon of the Great Chu emblazoned proudly in white on their black surface. Just behind, expert archers prepared to fire arrows of...
2023-11-16 06:56:26 +0000 UTC
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Though Galamon was acutely aware of the massive storm brewing far behind the battlefield, his years of experience in command made him keep focused on the task that had been assigned to him—total subjugation of the invading force. To that end, he enacted an efficient tactic to subdue these turtle ships brought from the north by the Great Chu. This tactic, with Rowe and his dragon hassling their rear, was like the quicksand of the Burnt Desert—the fiercer they thrashed, the more their life ...
2023-11-15 06:57:59 +0000 UTC
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Emperor Ji Meng waved away the servant that was attempting to help him with his armor, and pulled the strap tight on his own. He walked to the decadent mannequin holding up his armor and pulled the last piece of equipment free—the helmet with its great crescent moon perched atop and his demon-like mask. He fitted the helm over his head, while the mask hung loosely from his left hand. His armor had grown somewhat loose over these years where nothing stimulated his appetite, so he tightened i...
2023-11-14 06:55:22 +0000 UTC
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Shortly before the battle between the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu and Argrave’s own forces began, Argrave had word sent off to the delegates of the Blackgard Union—more specifically, to the newly established Merovin. Once word reached the deities, they would be heading to this location. Argrave wanted to deal with the first wave of mortal participants long before they could ever arrive, if only so he could potentially curb the damage the gods might inflict on both sides of the conflict...
2023-11-13 06:57:22 +0000 UTC
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Argrave, Anneliese, and Elenore sat in a private room within Blackgard. On his way in, Argrave had seen the first arrival of dwarven craftsmen. As Elenore said, they seemed to be taking stock of everything around them. Mostly they were surprised by the sheer space of everything—they stared into the distance as though it wasn’t real, and looked out across the ocean of Blackgard as trading vessels came and went with childlike wonder.
But Argrave was undergoing just as shocking a shift...
2023-11-10 06:53:17 +0000 UTC
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After cementing some details with Sataistador, Argrave walked away from the conversation with the feeling of a pyrrhic victory. The brighter side of things was that Sataistador was not intending to rampage wantonly to distract and attrit the armies of the Great Chu. That would limit the damage done to their populace. The pyrrhic part of the victory was that Argrave saw that he did need to play into Sataistador’s plans, even if only somewhat, if he wished to dislodge the Qircassian Coalition...
2023-11-09 06:50:30 +0000 UTC
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Anneliese sat in Rowe the Righteous’ tent. In classical Veidimen style, they were surrounded by woolen walls, and a small fire burned in the center that piped through the small hole in the top that functioned as a chimney. A kettle boiled slowly atop this flame. Indeed—this mighty man was brewing her tea. She herself could scarcely believe it. His whole behavior had been rather unlike his gruff and cynical persona.
The S-rank spellcaster had been asking her many questions b...
2023-11-08 06:41:03 +0000 UTC
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Argrave had prepared many contingencies for engaging with the tribes of Vysenn. He’d been spending time in the dwarven nation, where the threat of force was about as substantial as cotton candy. But he seemed to have forgotten the fact that on the surface in Berendar, he held many big sticks, and with a few artful applications of soft words to the people that Georgina and Snowrock introduced him to, the tribes ‘agreed’ to leave. The alternative, in their mind, was a very brutal invasion...
2023-11-07 06:56:25 +0000 UTC
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Argrave looked out across the verdant hills just beyond the hills of the Vysenn. It had been some time since he’d seen this place. He had passed through this area after returning from his ‘diplomatic mission’ to the northern part of Vasquer. Back then, he’d been forced to do battle with the people taking residence there because one of their many tribes had invaded at the behest of Georgina.
Now, Argrave looked down at the brunette woman who’d caused all of that trouble. She wa...
2023-11-06 06:53:35 +0000 UTC
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When Dario dreamed, he could see anything that had come to pass.
Dreams were fleeting things, but many months ago, his gained true meaning. He had a dream of shifting rock and collapsing supports when he still lived in the commune, and when he brought a crew to inspect the area, all that he saw in that dream was true. Poor fortune caused it to collapse, and from that day on Dario suspected that something about him had changed. He was proven right, as whatever bestowed these dreams upon ...
2023-11-03 06:50:16 +0000 UTC
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“To begin, we would obviously make whatever concessions necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of your artificers,” Argrave assured Therapont. “If they want no one on the site, they’ll get no one on the site. If they want to keep the land after the pump station is built, they can keep it.”
Therapont crossed his arms. “My opposition thus far was predicated on the idea that you already would institute these things.”
Argrave swallowed and smiled. “Then...
2023-11-02 06:50:53 +0000 UTC
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Title says all. I'm taking a break just when the first eBook launches-- you can preorder it here. Will post a chapter on 22nd, then the next chapter will be posted on the 30th. I realize only now I notified Royal Road of this fact, but neglected to announce here. Very sorry about that.
Message me on Patreon for a refund by the 10th if your membership falls into that period and you find this break unte...
2023-11-02 02:53:41 +0000 UTC
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When Durran returned on wyvernback, bearing seven papers that he gave to Elenore with a casual gesture, she was beset by so many emotions they were uncountable. She wanted to hit something very hard, preferably Dario, and perhaps cry a little while doing so. She didn't do that, but it took so much effort to restrain that instinct all she could do was stand in shocked silence while Durran sat on a chair in her office.
"Really don't know what it is with that guy. He'd rather bleed from hi...
2023-11-01 06:52:19 +0000 UTC
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Argrave, Anneliese, and Melanie spent some time lingering exactly near where Therapont had suggested they avoid. The place was as the senator had described—namely, an abandoned construction site. It was something of the darker side of this society that seemed so idyllic. Where once before their society had seemed nearly without flaw, they saw something abandoned, falling apart, and sectioned off. And rather than merely neglected, it was completely abandoned. That illustrated the dwarven ten...
2023-10-31 06:57:03 +0000 UTC
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“More fool me…” muttered Durran as he followed in pursuit of a pale-skinned man in a spacious cavern.
“Did you say something?” asked his escort, looking back curiously. He had red eyes and dark hair, marking him as one of the humans in the caverns below the mountains between the Burnt Desert and Vasquer.
Argrave and Durran had both shared similar thoughts about this man, Dario. They’d been under the impression that checking out the subterranean mountain people to look ...
2023-10-30 06:55:35 +0000 UTC
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“Here’s my plan, Anneliese.” He sat on their bed, while she laid down with her head atop his legs, watching the ceiling. They were growing numb, but the moment was too serene for him to mind. “I think the youth are the future.”
“That tends to be the way of things,” she answered back tiredly.
“I’m serious. The youth of Mundi going to be the key that we need to convince the senators to lend us aid in extracting the magma from Vysenn.”
Anneliese looked intri...
2023-10-27 06:57:06 +0000 UTC
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First audiobook is out! Link below to buy it from their site. Half off as direct sale, 15% more with code 15%offJackal at checkout.
https://www.mountaindalepress.store/products/jackal-among-snakes-1-audio
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At the senate meeting, Dario had unilaterally surrendered all knowledge of Dwarven metalworking to the senate. Afterward, he faded into the background. If he was as...
2023-10-26 06:58:03 +0000 UTC
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After Dario seemed to vanish, Argrave looked to the Alchemist, hoping the man might have some insight on what had just happened. It seemed that Dario had overpowered the terrifying being, but Argrave needed explanation.
“He used something warped to disrupt my magic. Not just my magic—the ability that Hause bestowed upon me, all those years ago.” The Alchemist held his hand up and clenched it. “I observed him with [Minor Truesight]. The power within him is beyond its sco...
2023-10-25 06:55:48 +0000 UTC
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Though Argrave had worked out a relatively solid course of action with the aid of Therapont, much of that was tossed to the wind the moment that they arrived to the senate hall about an hour early. The reason? A dwarven messenger, sent to speak to Argrave.
The message was exceedingly simple. “Before the senate meeting, Dario would like to speak to you at the public square before the statue of Alexander.”
Though Argrave was perplexed that Dario had the influence to send messeng...
2023-10-24 06:55:13 +0000 UTC
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“What does it actually mean, for Sandelabara—or whatever the hell this energy is—to be below Vysenn?” Argrave asked the Alchemist. They had once again returned to Therapont’s residence, but rather than remain within the cramped room that they had slept, they instead occupied one of the open mushroom gardens in the estate. No sound escaped the ward surrounding them.
The Alchemist gazed out across organized plots of luminous shrooms as a mouth on the back of his head explained, ...
2023-10-23 06:54:22 +0000 UTC
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“If the guy who helped us with the Iron Giants and Dario are one in the same… well, I don’t feel as embarrassed as I was for looking for traps in the senate.” Melanie shook her head. “He was a master trapper.”
“That embarrassed you? I thought it was admirable. Sorry if I suggested otherwise.” Argrave shrugged.
Melanie looked back at him, hardly acknowledging his words as she continued. “Ogres occupied the place. These weren’t ordinary ogres, either—they’d b...
2023-10-20 06:55:03 +0000 UTC
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“The final tally for the votes is eight thousand seventy-four in favor of the proposal, and five thousand and twenty-three against the proposal.” Alexius set down a piece of thick paper that did not look to be made of any plant he’d ever seen. Argrave was confused by the huge tally before he recalled that senators of greater authority also had more votes.
After Therapont had recused himself from the debate, their replacement was not half so raring to go as Argrave’s former oppon...
2023-10-19 06:48:50 +0000 UTC
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If Argrave were to return Therapont’s slander with insults of his own, he expected a singular outcome. The dwarves present would view his words not just as an attack against his opponent, but all dwarves. Even if their offense was subconscious rather than conscious, that route was doomed from the beginning, and he would be seen as the malignant attacker that Therapont painted him as.
This was the senator’s trap, and Melanie’s spying had confirmed that. Therapont desperately hoped ...
2023-10-18 06:54:27 +0000 UTC
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When Argrave touched the Ravenstone where the Alchemist was held, he received no response. That was even more terrifying than barbed words of hatred, and he vaguely feared the next time he would let the raven out of the stone, so to speak. He felt there might be a reckoning in store for using him as a verbal punching bag before thousands.
Therapont, though he had poised himself in opposition to Argrave’s proposal, proved a very hospitable host. Perhaps that was the true reas...
2023-10-17 06:59:35 +0000 UTC
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I’m extremely excited to announce that Jackal Among Snakes audiobooks are finally here. The first trilogy is for sale at an extremely heavy discount on Mountaindale Press as a preorder! The narrator for the whole series will be Luke Daniels, and on October 25, the first of the revised books will release!
Check out individual titles here, with their beautiful art:
https://www.m...
2023-10-17 06:59:27 +0000 UTC
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Upon the reveal of the dreadful Alchemist, Alexius, the Head of Senate, leaned in and placed his hands on his knees. “Argrave. Were my envoys unclear that only two people would be allowed into our nation? By bringing another, you’ve demonstrated that you’ve acted in bad faith from the beginning.”
Even as the others panicked and made for exits, that Alexius could remain so ridiculously calm amidst it all was enough to impress Argrave a great deal. He had known this man was made o...
2023-10-16 06:56:53 +0000 UTC
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“This is His Majesty Argrave.” The dwarf Trifon bowed toward him while introducing him. The dwarf at the head of the crowd wore a gold wreath just the same as Trifon did. Trifon and Kostis were envoys, diplomats of the senate. The man that they introduced him to was not—he was a senator by the name of Karolos.
“Is this another joke of yours, Trifon?” Karolos’s voice was tight and proud-sounding, and he spoke briskly. Though elderly, he maintained the uniformity of dwarven ap...
2023-10-13 06:56:12 +0000 UTC
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Argrave stared at two gargantuan metal slabs, craning his neck to see the totality of them. Something that was made to contain magma certainly couldn’t be humble. Cold air emanated from the two of them, and despite the general heat of their surroundings, these metal parts created a neat atmosphere in their vicinity.
To his left, there was Melanie. She looked quite apprehensive about being here, and she toyed with the pommel of her divine weapon—a black, two-handed blade of chitin th...
2023-10-12 06:53:30 +0000 UTC
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Argrave departed from Veiden, leaving Galamon behind to serve as intermediary when Dras and his council came to a decision about their request for naval support. Anneliese was still uneased, convinced she'd missed something about the scenario. Argrave didn't doubt her, but he also felt that the Veidimen were staunch allies that would not do their nation any harm. Veid herself was part of the Blackgard Union.
And on the matter of that union, they once again put together a collection of e...
2023-10-11 06:55:01 +0000 UTC
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