Chapter 46 - The Wailing Death
The true adventurer goes forth aimless and uncalculating to meet and greet unknown fate.
- O. Henry.
Frest opened fire with his heavy crossbow, instantly dropping one of the shambling undead with a bolt through its skull. Seraphina could not help but admire his professionalism and uncanny accuracy. It was hardly a knightly weapon, but he wielded it with such near-magical skill that she wondered if it mi...
2025-01-03 09:05:23 +0000 UTC
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Going down with influenza while traveling is the happiest thing in the world! Happy New Year to all of my patreons! It looks like Gilgamesh will be being published later this year by Moonquill after going through a heavy editing process!
2025-01-03 01:03:12 +0000 UTC
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"Prudence is not the path of hesitation nor the refuge of delay. It is not the wavering line of moderation, nor the safety of indecision. True wisdom walks neither in fear nor excess but chooses the way of clarity and resolve."
- The Book of Wise Tellings from the Land of Streams.
A list of demands had been drawn up, and a plan of attack was in place. Yet despite all that, I still had obligations in this city—chief among them the irksome task of locating...
2025-01-03 01:01:28 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 45 - Dungeon Diving
Once all struggles are grasped, miracles are possible.
- Chairman Mao Zedong.
Seraphina gently ran her fingers along the smooth scales of her pet snake, watching as Eloise painstakingly attempted to brew a simple healing potion for the third time that evening. The girl was muttering something about failing to anchor or infuse her Mana to the mixture—some arcane detail Seraphina only pretended to understa...
2024-12-28 13:35:50 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 44 - The Saint of Silver
It is said that Este Rizel, exiled from the Land of Streams, was the first to dance the Water Dance. She performed on the banks of the Aran, giving thanks to the gods who guided her safely to what would become the Kingdom of Aranthia. So moving was her dance that onlookers believed her a messenger of the divine. To this day, young girls approaching their twentieth year dance upon the Aran’s banks in hopes of securing a peaceful yea...
2024-12-28 02:05:36 +0000 UTC
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Hope everyone is having a great holiday season! Updates might be slow for a bit as I am busy with social obligations!
The adventures will continue. I am still currently searching for an editor for my new series! If you haven't yet it is a nice story to check out and is set before the events of the Gilgamesh!
2024-12-25 11:12:13 +0000 UTC
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The Water Crystal Garden of the Rabahalim of Al-Lazar is a profound work of art that beckons the mind toward deeper contemplation. Thirteen Zajasite crystals are arranged so that, from any vantage point, one crystal always remains hidden. This subtle configuration serves as a reminder of our flawed perception and the enduring truth that something vital is always just out of sight.
Of course, all that I saw was a collection of rocks haphazardly arranged on a bed of ra...
2024-12-23 23:29:53 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 43 - The Grace of the King
“Royalty consists not in vain pomp, but in great virtues.”
- Agesilaus II
“The Lady Seraphina de Sariens of the Sariens Duchy!” the King’s steward proclaimed as the doors opened, his voice echoing through. She half-expected a jarring creak to break the hush, but the silence persisted, more unsettling than any ominous groan of hinges could have been.
Her first step into the Royal Cour...
2024-12-21 06:53:20 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 42 - The Royal Court
“In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do.”
- Gianni Versace.
Overall, Seraphina was quite pleased with herself. By working her small, dedicated team to the bone, she had successfully planted the seeds of what promised to be a highly profitable enterprise. The best part—the true key to it all—was that none of the funding came from her own purse. Even her genero...
2024-12-20 02:57:59 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 41 - Yoga Practice
“Yoga takes you into the present moment. The only place where life exists.”
- Unknown.
The morning sun danced through the curtains, casting playful patterns of light across the room as Seraphina’s voice rang out, each word dripping with exasperation. She leveled a fierce glare at Ibn, her young tester, who hunched over a small plate of newly invented confections.
“There are stories of simple b...
2024-12-18 10:07:49 +0000 UTC
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"The superior strategist discerns trouble before it stirs and prepares their remedy."
- The Book of Wise Tellings from the Land of Streams.
The new blade did not rest easily in its sheath. Even here, back in my quarters, I could feel the magical artifact thrumming with energy. Had I been a poetic man, I might have described it as a mournful hum. The blade itself seemed eager to be drawn, and I was just as eager to test it. But not now. I needed ...
2024-12-17 11:10:28 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 40 - The Glitter of Gold
“Coin, it is power and liberty alike, a gentle cushion beneath our weary heads, the silent root of all wickedness, and the bright sum of every earthly benediction.”
- The Human Question, by Gideon de Salavia 378 A.C.
Lehman’s Bank—Rashana’s family’s pride—was the only institution capable of converting coin into Al-Lazarian promissory notes of such staggering sums. Entering its hall...
2024-12-14 10:54:53 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 39 - Gaming
“Gambling is a disease of barbarians superficially civilized.”
- William Inge.
Taking a leisurely bath with Eloise was reasonably pleasant, and the inn more than lived up to its luxurious reputation. The marble bath, reminiscent of a miniature Roman pool, was fed by a network of pipes and warmed by wood fires below. In moments like these, Seraphina appreciated how far local civilization had advanced, especiall...
2024-12-12 10:52:46 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 38 - The Gilded Gryphon
When facing a manticore it is prudent to note that the beast has little to no blind spots. The scaly hide is dense and thick and will repel most non-magical weapons, though across the belly one’s weapon may find purchase.
One must also observe that despite being a beast it has some capability with the arcane, with an ability to cast elemental magics from the fire and ice domains. I would recommend a party of at ...
2024-12-10 10:54:31 +0000 UTC
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A worthy man does not see success as the final rest, nor does he regard failure as a fatal end. Rather, it is the steady cultivation of courage and perseverance that truly shapes a noble character.
- A Quassian Aphorism.
It felt as though I had just been trampled by a stampede of charging beasts. My body screamed, every nerve ablaze, and something warm and sticky leaked from my lips. I tasted it before I smelled it—the sharp, metallic tang of iron. B...
2024-12-10 04:17:57 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 37 - Cornelia
“The man who kills the animals today is the man who kills people who get in his way tomorrow.”
- Dian Fossey
Seraphina continued her journey toward the capital, stopping at each major urban center along the way. News of her progress traveled faster than her entourage, ensuring that welcoming parties were already assembled well in advance of her arrival. In each town, mayors hosted lavish receptions, ...
2024-12-08 04:02:22 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 36 - The Rise of the Songstress
To sing is an expression of your being, a being which is becoming.
- Maria Callas.
“Well, milady, that was certainly one way to deal with that. For a moment there, I thought you’d be ordering ‘off with his head’ or something,” Sergeant Frest commented dryly.
Seraphina glared at him. “I really do not understand how you view me, Sergeant. I am not some sort of tyrant. I was mere...
2024-12-07 04:19:58 +0000 UTC
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Taking inspiration from a super old meme.
2024-12-06 09:47:54 +0000 UTC
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Seraphina slapping a police officer on Earth.
2024-12-06 09:46:32 +0000 UTC
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Chibi version... but not quite what i had in mind.
2024-12-06 09:43:49 +0000 UTC
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Finally, someone who can draw technically correct.
2024-12-06 09:42:30 +0000 UTC
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The search continues
2024-12-06 09:38:10 +0000 UTC
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Getting closer, but still not there in my opinion.
2024-12-06 09:36:03 +0000 UTC
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Getting slightly closer but still not quite there.
2024-12-06 09:34:37 +0000 UTC
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I am trying various styles until I find something that suits my vision. The dress in this version is unfortunately far too modern and short.
2024-12-06 09:33:16 +0000 UTC
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Possible new cover base art.
2024-12-06 09:30:18 +0000 UTC
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Seraphina with knife. Was slightly disappointing
2024-12-06 09:28:31 +0000 UTC
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Seraphina with a cunning smile with a knife at her thigh.
2024-12-06 09:26:33 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 35 - Her Progress
"A person of wisdom does not rely solely on one transaction or one path. Instead, they keep many options in motion, for even the most promising flower can fade before it fully blooms."
- The Path of the Merchant by Gelgor Badawi.
Masculinity and its affectations have, for most of history, been closely tied to war. In modern warfare, which is largely impersonal and random, and where death is dealt from a grea...
2024-12-06 07:19:15 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 34 - The Master Bard
"Music is the profound essence of moral law, a divine principle that imbues the universe with its soul. It grants the mind the wings of elevation, the imagination the freedom to soar, and life itself an ineffable charm, filling existence with grace and joyous vitality."
- Attributed to the playwright Vlan di Panoli.
Seraphina had been informed over the rest of dinner that neither of her parents would accompany h...
2024-12-05 09:44:57 +0000 UTC
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