ToF8-1a: The Gathering (Part 1) by zaqxsw

Poser • Fantasy • posted on Apr 28, 2020

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Description

“You… hold there!” The command brought Aeron to a stop in near mid-stride. Turning to the source, he scowled at the Quaervarr militia man manning the town gate, someone he knew and who knew him on sight. “Your name and business?” he demanded, flaunting his little authority like the impotent tyrant he was. “You know who I am… and my business is none of yours,” the young ranger growled. He wasn’t in the mood to tolerate a fool intent on nothing but harassing him because he thought he could. “Its my business to know everyone’s who wants to enter this town,” the man snapped, stepping forward as if it would somehow intimidate someone who faced truly lethal threats on a nearly daily basis. “My business,” Aeron exploded, seizing the front of the man’s tunic, driving him back into gate post, “is to report my family’s death to your sergeant and speaker. They were butchered by orcs while you fools preen and parade… and harass innocent locals.” Then turning to another of the militia men stationed there, he commanded; “Go get Unddreth and Geth.” Bolting off, likely faster than he had ever moved before in his life, the man returned minutes latter to end the silent standoff that had developed since Aeron released the militia man and regained his composure. “You’re sure it was orcs?” the earth genasi sergeant of the militia questioned gruffly as he and the town speaker approached. They had both known the young woodsman’s family, as had nearly everyone in town, and as disturbing the news of their deaths was, the most recent attacks around the town were the work of the People of the Black Blood, Malar worshiping lycanthropes. “It was orcs,” Aeron replied definitively. “Nine of them… and a dire boar. I tracked their bloody trail and ended their worthless lives.” “What of your family?” speaker Geth inquired respectfully. “I turned our cabin into their funeral pyre,” Aeron responded solemnly. But then drew the longsword sheathed at his waist and displayed it before them. It was exquisitely crafted in the ancient elven style, it’s silvery blade inscribed with runes that appeared related to Espruar, the elven alphabet. “When I found the orcs they’d captured a woman. I was too late to save her, but they were quarreling over this sword. She didn’t look like she belong in the forest… more like some city-dwelling priestess. But if she served the gods it wasn’t one I recognize… and it didn’t do her any good. The orcs still savaged her.” “What will you do now lad?” Unddreth asked, he knew Aeron was skilled hunter and warrior, just the type to help track down the lycanthropes who were plaguing the area. Turning to face south, back out the town gate, Aeron considered thoughtfully; “Silverymoon… I’ll go to Silverymoon. I can’t stay in the Moonwood… I belong here anymore.”

Comments (13)

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zaqxsw

1:34AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Yes... I'm still alive. I apologize for leaving you hanging with my last series... what can I say, I have the attention span of a gnat!

I got inspired while watching the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies to revisit the very first series I posted... the eighth incarnation... because it's the most classic fantasy group I've ever done, including elven archer, a dwarven warrior, a wizard and a stoic ranger, but with a drow priestess thrown in for good measure.

I tried to explain most of the Forgotten Realms specific terms within the text, but for those unfamiliar with the setting here's a little primer for the remaining few:

Earth Genasi - one type of partial elemental beings typically called "planetouched"... there are air, fire and water genasi as well.
Malar - an evil, beastly deity worshiped mostly by non-humans and lycanthropes.
Moonwood - a forest about a day's walk north of Silverymoon (see hereafter).
Silverymoon - a large city, often called the Gem of the North. A center of learning and culture.

I hope you enjoy... elven more installment will follow in "book one".

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mtdana

1:36AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Very intriguing story and very good cover art!!!

zaqxsw

1:56AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thank you for your kind comment... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well.

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Palaemon

3:01AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Sorry, but I cannot read so long a text in English. But your image is beautiful and well done.

zaqxsw

6:01AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thank you for your kind comment... I wish I was capable of translating the text, but, as its probable quite evident, I'm barely fluent in my native English. I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well.

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Kordouane

7:15AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Very good job

Take care of yourself, health is our greatest asset, friendly Kordouane.

zaqxsw

8:53AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thanks for your kind concern... good advise for all of us! I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

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eekdog

11:47AM | Tue, 28 April 2020

easily readable on my end. super cover art and story.

zaqxsw

12:02PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thanks for your kind comment and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well! I hope the rest of the series doesn't disappoint... My previous version of this series was ten images long... I added this one and the final one.

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hashdoc

1:21PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

great cover art!

zaqxsw

2:04PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thank you for your kind comment and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

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RedPhantom

5:31PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Glad to hear you are still well. Happy to see your writing again. Curious where you will take us this time.

zaqxsw

6:00PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thanks for your kind comment and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

This is probably the most classic fantasy story I've done... with just a few little twists.

PhthaloBlue

6:03PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Good to see you back - superb work on this story! Stay safe!

zaqxsw

6:24PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thanks for your kind comments and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

I hope the rest of the series doesn't disappoint.

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RodS

9:14PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

A great introduction to the next story, good sir!

Right now, I'm in the middle of the Star Wars animated "Clone Wars" series, but yeah... The Hobbit and LOTR will get yet another watching soon, methinks... Classics never get old...

zaqxsw

10:25PM | Tue, 28 April 2020

Thanks for your kind comments and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

Yeah... I got inspired... which isn't always a good thing for me, especially when I'm trying to hold to a particular story. The good news is, since this is the eighth rendition of this series, I have a lot of old material to reference... so I've got all of "book one" and a good piece of "book two" already done.

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crender

12:11AM | Wed, 29 April 2020

Outstanding !

zaqxsw

7:59AM | Wed, 29 April 2020

Thanks for your kind comment and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

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misumu

12:35AM | Wed, 29 April 2020

Looking forward to the new story. I hope I can keep pace, I am a slow reader. poster and overwhelmed at work, but I enjoy your stories and are. Glad you are well. Oh I have a gnat's attention too, that doesn't help.

zaqxsw

8:03AM | Wed, 29 April 2020

Thank again for your very kind comment and interest... I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well!

I hope I don't disappoint... as you can see from the extended period between me posting different series, I don't work very quickly... that's way I wait to have a whole "book" done before I start posting.

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