Hart posts
Posts: 100
Files: 2
84. [Red Tide] Killing Feather
Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, not such a bad hangoverCuda Bite, Throne Gazer, Salt Wall, the champions of the Reef, and Turtle Jaw, their Quill, preparing for a fightGauntlet, Healer of the 3rd Renown, the Trolkin, once believed in bountiful harvestsMockery, Knife Master of the 8th Renown and Quill of the Trolkin, once believed in meritocracy***26 Meltzend, 61 AWThe Crown, North Continent94 days until the next GrantingRed Tid...
83. [Red Tide] The Lurker in the Smoke
Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, highEsoteric, the trolkin mage, a tour guideMockery, Knife Master of the 8th Renown and Quill of the Trolkin, it was all her idea***25 Meltzend, 61 AWThe Crown, North Continent95 days until the next GrantingWarm water reached up to Red Tide’s waist. A small gasp escaped her lips—not a sound she’d normally allow herself to make, but she was alone. The tension in her muscles, the brittle chil...
82. [Red Tide] Circular Thinking
***Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, sleepless in the house of giantsThrone Gazer, Trident Master of the 4th Renown, The Reef, in consideration of his own hostility***25 Meltzend, 61 AWThe Crown, North Continent95 days until the next GrantingThe sun hadn't yet inched back over the horizon and probably wouldn't for hours, but something in Red Tide's body told her that it was morning. Or, at least, something within her ...
81. [Red Tide] The Crown of the World
NB: I noticed in doing my Royal Road posting that I left the First Granting tease off the start of the Nortmost sequence. I'm including that here. (It's meant to lead into Nortmost, but I think it works as a chaser, too!) Then, the latest First Granting bit follows. The foremost stratagem of King Mudt were displays of strength. These had rarely failed him on the traditional battlefield. And so, when the gods asked him to choose a place on...
80. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Conclusion
Traveon Twiceblack, Skulker of the 2nd Renown, Soldier’s Rest, master of dumb luckCortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, will have his answersCarina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, almost made it***19 Meltzend, 61 AWAscending the Nortmost MountainDay Twenty of the TrialTraveon perched on his tiptoes and slammed the pommel of his knife against the sheet of ice that covered the cavern&...
79. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Part Six
Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Vitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown, and Orryn es-Salvado, Beast Master of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, on the precipiceCortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, getting what he asked for***19 Meltzend, 61 AWAscending the Nortmost MountainDay Twenty of the TrialAnd she fell again. Her body plummeted down through the clouds and snow, helpless and flai...
78. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Part Five
Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, sinkingCarina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in the embrace of allies***14 Meltzend, 61 AWAscending the Nortmost MountainDay Fifteen of the TrialCortland was surprised by how little it hurt to be dragged into the mountain. The opposite, really. The aches and pains of these last few weeks, the ...
77. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Part Four
Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in the company of the champions of Fornon, always on their best behaviorCortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, and Traveon Twiceblack, Skulker of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel and Soldier’s Rest, on the wrong side of the mountain***13 Meltzend, 61 AWAscending the Nortmost MountainDay Fourteen of the TrialCa...
76. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Part Three
Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, and Traveon Twiceblack, Skulker of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel and Soldier’s Rest, taking chancesYasmin Hel, Archmage of the 5th Renown, and her two candle champions, Magelab, taking donationsHenry Blacksalve, Healer of the 8th Renown, and Rivian Stonespirit, Sword Master of the 4th Renown, Soldier’s Rest, early risersCarina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, and Vitt Secondson-S...
75. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Part Two
Laughing Monkey and Wrathful Elephant, Assassins of the 11th and 3rd Renown, Brokerage of Blades, causing troubleCarina Goldstone and Vitt Secondson-Salvado, Logician of the 3rd Renown and Hunter of the 9th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in good handsCortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, and Traveon Twiceblack, Skulker of the 2nd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel and Soldier’s Rest, debating sonnets***1 Meltzend, 61 AWAscending the Nortmo...
74. [Nortmost] Twenty Days Up, Part One
Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in need of a rideVitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in need of a few more hours of sleepEmmad Beet and Yasmin Hel, Archmages of the 16th and 5th Renown, Magelab, accompanied by two candle championsCortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in a foul moodTraveon Twiceblack, Skulker of the 2nd Renown, Soldier’s Rest...
73. [Red Tide] A Whirlpool on Land
Red Tide, Enchantress of the 4th Renown, The Reef, the guest of honorCuda Bite, Throne Gazer, Salt Wall, the champions of the Reef, and Turtle Jaw, their Quill, fish out of waterMockery, Knife Master of the 8th Renown and Quill of the Trolkin, tour guide through the madness***9 Meltzend, 61 AWTrolkin territory, North Continent111 days until the next GrantingThey could see the fires and smell the smoke from the trolkin camp from more than a mile o...
72. [Red Tide] Lady Mockery
In the furthest east, on the frozen coast of the north, at the edge of the oca’em’s sprawling Reef, in the smoke-shrouded city of Endpass, champions and their Quills watched the first sliver of sun break the horizon.And, in the blinking of an eye, the gods plucked them up and dropped them elsewhere. The first arriving Quills and their champions found themselves in a vast courtyard of stone, a castle with walls as high as the sky rising around...
71. [Cortland] The Confession
Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, trudging toward understandingOrryn es-Salvado, Beastlord of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, a followerHenry Blacksalve, Traveon Twiceblack, Watts Stonework, and Rivian Stonespirit, the champions of Soldier’s RestTheo Adamantios, Axe Master of the 6th Renown, and Sylvie Aracia, his sponsor, Penchenne, who have a burden to share with the hammer master***1 Meltzend, 61 A...
70. [Carina] Debt Collectors
Author's Note:I've been playing around with how some of these scenes go. Chronologically, this chapter comes before the previous Cortland chapter. When it goes to Royal Road, those two chapters will be reversed. (I don't think it really matters for the reading experience.) Anyway!Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, encountering ghostsTheo Adamantios, Axe Master of the 6th Renown, and Sylvie Aracia, his s...
69. [Cortland] The Cracks
Cortland Finiron, Hammer Master of the 12th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, bringing his newest champion northKing Cizco Salvado, Quill of Infinzel, Kingdom of Infinzel, in the pastHenry Blacksalve, Healer of the 8th Renown, Soldier’s Rest, and the three other champions of the broken wall***1 Trollove, 61 AWThe pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent149 days until the next Granting“Mark my words, hammer master, we can use this to our advanta...
68. [Carina] Old Angles
Carina Goldstone, Logician of the 3rd Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, in a crowd she can’t controlVitt Secondson-Salvado, Hunter of the 9th Renown, Kingdom of Infinzel, back to his old self***28 Trollove, 61 AWThe village of Tiptop, North Continent122 days until the next GrantingFor a factionless village at the top of the world, Tiptop felt crowded. At the docks, wedged into berths chiseled out from ice, fishing boats scraped sides with barges fro...
67. [Carina] Cold Future
The days passed. The year slipped away.King Mudt and his champions rode the land in pursuit of Ink left for them by the gods, yet found their progress ever impeded by the banishments enacted across the north. Thus, the last Orvesian King spent his days chasing power and his nights screaming at invisible walls, promising those who would shield their lands from him that they would all be put to the sword upon the island. But the world was large, an...
66. [Uicha] Grasping Hands
Uicha de Orak, Wildcard of the 5th Renown, representing The Forgotten One, for whom life is a trialMilena Russi, Duelist of the 11th Renown, Merchant’s Bay, knows a treasure when she sees oneCurse de Mou, Ocean Master of the 9th Renown, the Flamingo Islands, waiting on that harpoonAkoni de Emasyn, Captain of the Dartmyth, and his crew, keeping to a safe distanceThe merchant gellezza Mastermindand an unnamed vessel carrying the Gen’bi***10 Tro...
65. [Uicha] From Below
Uicha de Orak, Wildcard of the 5th Renown, representing The Forgotten One, surveying the competitionAkoni de Emasyn, Captain of the Dartmyth, and his crew, keeping to a safe distanceCurse de Mou, Ocean Master of the 9th Renown, the Flamingo Islands, know what’s down thereThe merchant gellezza Mastermindand an unnamed vessel carrying the Gen’bi***10 Trollove, 61 AWAboard the Dartmyth, Central Sea140 days until the next Granting“Marvelous, is...
64. [Uicha] Hero's Journey
Uicha de Orak, Wildcard of the 5th Renown, representing The Forgotten One, possessed of a heartbreaking storyAkoni de Emasyn, Captain of the Dartmyth, and his crew, great believers in an underdogCurse de Mou, Ocean Master of the 9th Renown, the Flamingo Islands, reads in languages others can’tThe Bloodless Executive, Quill of Merchant’s Bay, and their champion Milena Russi, Duelist of the 11th Renown, who find themselves atop some Ink***8 Tro...
63. [Uicha] Little Brother
Uicha de Orak, Wildcard of the 5th Renown, representing The Forgotten One, has everyone’s attentionAkoni de Emasyn, Captain of the Dartmyth, and his crew, commandeered by championsCurse de Mou, Ocean Master of the 9th Renown, the Flamingo Islands, knows a score when he sees it***8 Trollove, 61 AWAboard the Dartmyth, Central Sea142 days until the next GrantingSlowly, Akoni turned to look at Uicha, who tried his best to maintain steady eye contac...
62. [Uicha] Cursed
As the days ticked down to the First Granting, not all on Emza had yet accepted the new order of things. There were some who were not ready to exit the First Age, or to lay down their arms from the Final War.In the woodlands to the southeast of Infinzel, a great host of Orvesians gathered. They had been banished from the walls of the pyramidal city, and from conquered cities like Noyega and Cruxton. They trudged toward Penchenne in the hope that ...
61. [Infinzel] Solstice, Conclusion
Carina Goldstone and Cortland Finiron, Champions of InfinzelThose they have met so far……and those they will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWThe pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent150 days until the next GrantingVitt Secondson-Salvado expected treason. Or, if that was too much to ask, to catch Carina and the cocky little bartender in some illicit tryst. He wanted an undeniable, present day link between the logician and the troublemakers in ...
60. [Infinzel] Solstice, Part Eight
Carina Goldstone and Cortland Finiron, Champions of InfinzelThose they have met so far……and those they will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWThe pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent150 days until the next GrantingThe gods watched Infinzel. And they waited for their moment.***The spy felt the wind shift northward, which turned the fires in the opposite direction. She stood in front of the wagon-sized double doors that fed into the warehouse s...
59. [Infinzel] Solstice, Part 7
Carina Goldstone and Cortland Finiron, Champions of InfinzelThose they have met so far……and those they will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWThe pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent150 days until the next GrantingCortland waited by the Garrison entrance off the Underbridge. He had a feeling they would come in that way—Orryn es-Salvado usually did his guard shifts there. The cadet on duty when Cortland arrived raised his eyebrows at the sig...
58. [Infinzel] Solstice, Part Six
Carina Goldstone and Cortland Finiron, Champions of InfinzelThose they have met so far……and those they will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWThe pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent150 days until the next GrantingBlack smoke billowed up from the outer districts. A new fire. This one wasn't in Soldier's Rest but in a neighboring district wedged between the Troldep and the Continental Highway, an area mostly used for warehouses and che...
57. [Infinzel] Solstice, Part Five
Carina Goldstone and Cortland Finiron, Champions of InfinzelThose they have met so far……and those they will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWThe pyramidal city of Infinzel, North Continent150 days until the next Granting“I should be going with you,” Carina Goldstone said.“Should you?” King Cizco did not look back at her. The leader of Infinzel was crouched on his hands and knees, sleeves rolled up and hair tied back, making subtle alteratio...
56. [Uicha] Solstice, Part Four
***Uicha de Orak, Wildcard, representing The Forgotten OneThose he has met so far……and those he will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWThe Gen’bi Desert, South Continent150 days until the next Granting“....let those unwelcome travel upon it.”Sosupacia finished the incantation. Despite the sharp winds, the gods ensured his Ink kept its shape. He looked up from the symbol of an overflowing coffer he had dribbled onto the clay-colored sand. From ...
55. [Uicha] Solstice, Part Three
Uicha de Orak, Wildcard, representing The Forgotten OneThose he has met so far……and those he will meet soon***30 Frett, 61 AWAboard the Dartmyth, Central Sea150 days until the next GrantingUicha stood at the front of the boat with his elbows braced against the wooden rail, letting the salt wind whip across his face. It stung, but in a good way. Nothing but open sea in front of him, the ship slashing through peaceful waters, panels of sunlight...
