The morning sun cast long shadows through the Theater District’s cobblestone streets as Mira adjusted her leather satchel and glanced at her companions. Jorik, their dwarven cleric, muttered prayers to his deity while checking his warhammer, while Thane, their halfling rogue, seemed unusually nervous about getting his boots wet. “Remind me why we’re taking aContinueContinue reading ““Water Problems””
Author Archives: Melville
“The Sports Murders”
The roar of the crowd at Village Green carried on the evening breeze, but tonight it held an edge that made Captain Vera Blackstone pause at the edge of the district. She’d been summoned by a message that spoke of death among the spectators—three so far, all found collapsed during different sporting events over theContinueContinue reading ““The Sports Murders””
“Bard’s Lament”
The discordant jangle of Clement Fossy’s instruments announced his approach long before his reed-thin frame appeared in the doorway of the Rusty Anchor tavern. Three lutes, two flutes, and a small drum bounced against the bard’s bony frame with each agitated step, creating a percussion that caused the tavern’s patrons to roll their eyes andContinueContinue reading ““Bard’s Lament””
“The Spirit Upstairs”
The scent of cinnamon and mulled wine filled Thane’s nostrils as he pushed through the ornate lobby of Blau’s Theater. Gold statues lined the walls—nude figures of the city’s most notable residents that made him avert his eyes with embarrassment. His companions, the half-elf rogue Sera and the dwarven cleric Magnus, seemed less bothered byContinueContinue reading ““The Spirit Upstairs””
“Laboratory Terror”
The acrid smell of chemicals burned Marcus’s nostrils as consciousness slowly returned. His head throbbed, and when he tried to move, cold metal bars pressed against his arms. Through bleary eyes, he saw Kira and Thane in similar cages beside him, their faces pale in the sickly green light that bathed the laboratory. Tubes snakedContinueContinue reading ““Laboratory Terror””
“Killer and Witness“
The smell of antiseptic and healing herbs couldn’t quite mask the underlying stench of fear that had settled into City Hospital’s stone walls. Dr. Lexand pressed his palm against the cold window of his office, watching the shadows dance in the courtyard below. Three weeks had passed since they brought him the witness—bloodied, broken, butContinueContinue reading ““Killer and Witness“”
“Gangs on the Run”
The dusty floor of the abandoned arena shook with each thunderous cheer as Kael’s opponent hit the spikes below. Blood spattered the wooden barriers of the kill pit, and the Crocmores roared their approval from the ramshackle stands they’d built into the arena’s crumbling stone walls. “Next!” Caesar Croc’s voice boomed from his ridiculous throneContinueContinue reading ““Gangs on the Run””
“To Steal from Death”
The smoke from Scarrow Eck’s cigarette curled upward through the damp air of the sewer tunnels, disappearing into the shadows that clung to the mossy stone walls like old secrets. Kara watched the thief lord’s thin fingers drum against his wooden desk, a nervous rhythm that betrayed the anxiety beneath his easy confidence. “You wantContinueContinue reading ““To Steal from Death””
“The Sickness from Hell”
The smell hit Kara first—a nauseating blend of rotting paper, mothballs, and something else she couldn’t identify. Something wrong. She pulled her cloak tighter as she approached the weathered door of Maud’s Warehouse, its paint peeling like diseased skin. “Are you certain about this?” whispered Thorne, the young cleric beside her. His holy symbol seemedContinueContinue reading ““The Sickness from Hell””
“The Carriage Heist”
The sewers beneath the Slink reeked of desperation and greed. Marcus pressed his palm against the cold stone wall, feeling the dampness seep through his gloves as he listened to Semyon’s pitch. The recruiter’s voice carried across the underground trading floor, but there was something off about his usual confidence. “Armored caravan tomorrow at dawn,”ContinueContinue reading ““The Carriage Heist””
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