73rd Trial, Vhalar, Arc 711
Outer Perimeter, Civilian Housing
2nd break

He took precautions, of course. He always knew that, walking the path he did, someday his work would follow him home. Most likely with friends and deadly intent. So there were bolts on the doors, which was the obvious...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=2&image_id=12022 22nd Trial, Saun, Arc 707
Outer Perimeter
22nd break

They never tell 'em about shitting the bed. Poor dears...

Sally was of little mind to be charitable, though, given it was her hands that had to go sifting through that mess just to take care of...

Kovic was a living creature, and like all breathing organisms, he too fell victim to ennui. Unlike other humanoids, however, the mortalborn was consequential; he existed because they did. By himself, his being was empty. However, when surrounded by some form of intelligence, his shapeless existence...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=143&image_id=5397
Continued from here

30th Trial, Z'da, Arc 716
Civilian Housing, Outer Perimeter, Northeast
17th break

Kasoria made it a point not to be bleeding from several places when he was training. Call him over-cautious.

He read and waited and prepared...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=4&image_id=11544
Keep it Brief
Vhalar 115, arc 717

The Etzos Prime Sanitarium had a bevy of comfortable beds; recipients of multiple praises by those who'd suffered the varieties of injuries and illnesses that one could expect to require the necessity of such...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=2&image_id=10198 So began the interrogation of the mercenary.

It was an ugly, black thing, the Siphon spell. Neronin let it ether drain from his only slightly. Still the black miasma stole the life-force from the mercenary slumped in the corner with the same vigor as if...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=143&image_id=5397
5th Trail, Cylus, Arc 718
Northwestern Civilian Outer Housing
19th break

The reader did not want to waste the light, for he knew candles were at a premium during Cylus. Thirty trials of darkness and no force known to men or gods that could remove...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=143&image_id=13256
30th Trial, Z'da, Arc 716
Civilian Housing, Outer Perimeter, Northeast
10th break

Whadaya think he's up to?

Dunno. Dun' wanna, ee-vuh.

Kasoria didn't smirk as he walked out the store. Not on the outside, anyway. He didn't want to give any...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=143&image_id=5397
26th Trial of Saun, Arc 708
Commercial Circle
9th break

There was right, and there was wrong, and most times Janus knew the difference. No matter how loudly the mob howled, how fiercely the priests or aristocrats railed, if a man knew something was...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=2&image_id=10198 10th of Cylus, 718th Arc
Midnight
Al’Angyryl Cavern

It had been a struggle, coming to terms with the need to return and present himself before Mongrel. The man was not known for his kindness. Even though Neronin was an accomplished mage, Mongrel still...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=352&image_id=13150
18th Cylus

Many tasks had to be done as a mercenary. Beatings, murder, theft. If it was illegal, chances are, someone wanted you to do it - and nine times out of ten Ryder would agree to. But torture had never been one, not organized and intricate....

/gallery/image.php?album_id=352&image_id=13150
3rd Cylus

To Ryder! some of the men shouted, cheers from both A'A members and random mercenaries filling The Broken Blade. They didn't, of course, announce why they were celebrating. Every member of the group new, however, that the celebration was...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=127&image_id=12540
1st Cylus, 718

Ryder sat in the darkness, waiting patiently with the men beside him. It was his first mission with Al'Angryl so far, aside from small doses of training alongside the other mercenaries. But that wasn't what made him nervous. What...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=2&image_id=10198 22nd Trial of Cylus, 718th Arc
Al’Angyryl Cavern, Neronin’s Lab

What would happen if Neronin tried to emulate his magical prowess via his chemistry? Could he craft ways in which to imitate his powers without using ether? The mage sat, staring across...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=2&image_id=10198 16th Trial of Cylus, 718th Arc
Underground, Shadeblade Territory

Neronin longed for more powerful thralls to surround himself with. His power made him seek out the far reaches of the art. His instinct was to go beyond the Gaunts that were his most...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=2&image_id=10198 27th Trial of Cylus, 718th Arc
Woodlands outside Etzos

His hands were a mess. Sometimes, to get what you needed, you needed to get a little messy. Of course this mess was much more manageable than his usual. The darkness of Cylus had settled in...

62nd of Zi’da, 716
22nd Break

It seemed that poor old Blob had finally perished.

As Paplo loomed over his corpse, a noisy finger came forth, poking the male’s backside in hopes of getting any sort of response – which, of course, did not come. What had once been a smiling old man was now...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=161&image_id=4363 45th of Zi'da, 716
12th Break

Tirta stepped out of the portal that one of Vuda's men had created for them to get back to Foster's Landing. She was dressed in her white crop top and parachute pants with her cutlass draped by the bit of rope at her...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=112&image_id=3522

Vhalar 119, 717

It was an unfortunate truth of leadership that there would always be those who fought against whomever was on top of things. It was difficult to tell whether or not it was simply the nature of the mortal races to detest the idea of...

62nd of Zi’da

The teacher had forgotten how difficult is to traverse these woods. It had been far too long since he had entered them, the last time being with Marrow in his quest for revenge. The teacher’s refined manners and graceful motions, as well as the excellent suit he donned, did not...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=127&image_id=12540
65th Zi'da

Sat in the small building under the ground, Ryder let out a small sigh, looking down at a knuckle duster. As focused as he seemed on his weapon, his head was in other places as some of the other Mercenary's laughed and talked, while...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=99&image_id=2604 Zi’da 54 arc 717

Etzos hadn’t changed one bit.

It still held as many stone walls and buildings, as many sour-faced people, as many crooked Black Guard, and very few worshippers of the Immortals. That last bit might just be Etzos’ only merit, though...

717th. Vhalar 71st trial.

It hurt. It wasn’t a first nor would it be a last but the pain never lessened or dulled with repetition. A wound that didn’t scar. Memories that struck like a hammer on an ingot forcing it into shape. He didn’t like thinking about it. It was why he worked so hard if he...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=112&image_id=6239

Zi'da 42, 717

There were a remarkable number of similarities between the differing armies of Idalos, but Noth supposed that it took at least some research to begin to notice them. Each army had suffered defeats, and had conquered enemies, none had...