Good morning, everyone
I have some important announcements regarding scheduling, upcoming post volume break, plans, and other things. And as usual, click the links https://linktr.ee/rangerfrank, join the Discord to stay up to date with everything story-related. Get your questions answered by another reader, or by me. Or just have a conversation with each other.
So first of all, a possible schedule change may be coming. It's tentative, entirely depending on whether I get a job or not, and since I don't know yet, I can't give a date/time/anything, but all it would mean is a switch to weekend posts instead of Monday, most likely, so not much of a change.
Secondly, the post volume break is here. I didn't have many side stories this time around. As usual, my in-world time scale versus volume length was wrong, as it often is, so many of the side stories I planned for 8 will be in 9 instead. Anyway, I'll be taking a break from official posting til December 1st. This will basically act as my New Year's/Christmas break instead of just taking another week or more off there, and encompasses Thanksgiving as well. May have a small vacation in December, but it would only push a post date back rather than skip it.
Outside of that, I am behind on Ko-Fi chapters. As of today, I'll be behind by 3 for GM and others. Some by forgetfulness, others by sheer laziness, as I have no choice but to admit I've become addicted to BF6 (may all of you playing pray you are not against me in my lobbies, as I'm sure I will leave you angry :p ). Either way, during my break, I'll not only be catching up on all three of those but also coming back with interest. Intermediate and Expert will see a +1 chapter increase, respectively.
Also, I'll be getting some artwork done. One will be for Kaladin guaranteed. If my artist is available, I'll be commissioning her for the Vol.9 cover; if not, that may have to wait. And soonish, I'll open a public poll for another commission for one character who has not received any official artwork.
I'll be keeping in touch. Enjoy the unorthodox chapter.
---
17th Month.
Landfall made. The hunt starts.
I'm sorry, Son.
18th Month.
[Crossed out names, places, crudely drawn maps.]
Local gangs proved useless—nothing but baseless rumors and unsubstantiated claims. No sign of your description. Moving east to another port.
22nd Month.
[Countless crossed-out names, scribbled maps, torn papers in between.]
The eastern port in Featherfall was a dead end. But rumors of a smuggler's port were found.
17th Month.
Port infiltrated, and gangs and criminals are abundant. The local garrison of the nearby town seems to be getting paid off—an open secret type of deal. Can't progress the same way as before, too many eyes.
[Crossed-out names and a very detailed map of a compound. Guard numbers, posts, and rotations.]
Likely a slavery operation. The group is well armed and equipped, very unlike the others. Their "captain," Firespitz, has multiple ships under his command. Rumors of connections to high society are abundant. I'll be raiding it tonight.
—
The operation was a failure; you weren't found. But I finally received some evidence. Firespitz wasn't willing to talk and took his own life, but his ledgers were well-maintained, primarily used for blackmail. Outside of the usual shipments and purchases, a single, non-affiliated name kept appearing.
Alnwar.
25th Month.
Finding this Alnwar has proved difficult. He is not a regular criminal, and I've realised I've been looking in the wrong places. The slavers that attacked Owlkirk were not simple; they had training. Most people we caught were hired hands, clearly not affiliated with the group. Questioning them was a waste at the time, as the key members committed suicide or fought til their last breaths.
I found rumors of a dirty priest who accepts bribes in a nearby town. I'll be paying him a visit.
26th Month.
The priest's business was all local, and he had never heard of a man by Alnwar. But it was not all futile; an old "rogue" chapter of knights has been lurking about in the underbelly of Arotal for years. Goes by the name the Chapter of Despair. They are either the exact group that targeted Owlkirk or another similar organization. I've sent word back home.
I'm sorry, Son.
29th Month.
Something is off about this. For a rogue order of knights, Arotal seems unwilling to acknowledge their existence. No bounties, no warnings, even the local adventurers are unconvinced that they are a real group.
But the Firespitz ledger mentioned a deal was cut in this region, slaves might be "banned" in Arotal, but that is only in name. Debt workers are ordinary, and their origins are easy to manipulate. The local Barron may be able to point me in the right direction.
30th Month.
Killing the guards of a city is different from killing criminals and bandits. If too many go missing, people will ask questions.
31st Month.
It took some time; the Barron was a cautious man. Even though I couldn't kill the Barron, he was more than willing to talk after his guard captain "disappeared" through unknown means. His habits were easy to exploit.
He was aware of Alnwar and had bought slaves from him before, but had never met the man in person. He was unable to confirm his connection to this rogue chapter, but knowing Alnwar is an unaffiliated slaver is good enough. And only a noble of moderate standing would be able to afford an Elf slave. I was given some names. I'll be heading north.
32nd Month.
I've arrived at the northern bastion of Korvin, the second largest city in Arotal. The trail has gone cold, but the Marquis family here has been in power for centuries. I'll have to take a different approach.
33st Month.
Local adventurers here are far more connected and, with enough coin, are more than happy to talk rumors after a few drinks. The current Marquis is part of the Kingdom faction and is well respected, pays well to handle beasts and monsters that flood out from the Magic Forest.
His knight order is well organized, trained, equipped, and far larger than most towns or cities. Enough to make up a third of Arotal's fighting force, and they keep a firm grip on local order. They patrol the northern border that touches Elshara and even assist Skaoi to the only entrance to Khiz in the west.
An Exarch is located here; the shield one. I won't be able to cause any problems. Can't afford to have a run-in with him. So if I can't hit the Marquis and his faction, the opposing Papal faction will have to do. Some of their names are on the Barron's list. A local lord who controls a dungeon outside of Korvin for resources will be the first.
34thMonth.
The local lord is dirty, the dungeon is dangerous and has a large monster population that refuses to be put down, and he doesn't have enough local manpower to mine the gems being created. "Debt workers" are being used in large quantities, but nearly all of them are Beastmen.
I managed to infiltrate and ask questions; most of the ones that were willing to talk still are slaves from Khiz and haven't seen anyone of your description, and it seems the Marquis and the Papal faction are more than happy not to dig too deep into affairs as long as the quota for gems is met. Adventurers are banned from going into the dungeon; only the lord's men fight.
I'm not looking for labor slaves, not yet, at least. I'm heading further west, to a town on the river that bleeds into the ocean from Elshara. It may be well guarded at the channels, but it's clear that with enough sway or coin, things that shouldn't happen can happen. I've sent word back home.
I'm sorry, Son.
37th Month.
I happened to overhear a disgruntled group of adventurers talking about how a local garrison captain shorted them after killing some river monsters. There may be a pattern, but I won't take the time to figure it out. I'll strike before word can spread further.
—
The garrison captain was dirty, but not on a grand scale—just a small-time bribe taker. He still squealed, took plenty of bribes to allow contraband up and down the river. But what was more important was the Elf slaves headed into the Republic.
38th Month.
Alwar and his band don't just operate out of Arotal but even in the Republic. And unlike Arotal, the Republic's guards are more than happy to talk about the Chapter of Despair and their activities. It seems that despite slaves being in the Republic, they are not keen on a rogue group from the Holy Kingdom working within their borders.
44th Month.
The Republic was a trap. I've been on the run for weeks. It seems my actions in Arotal did not go entirely unnoticed. Someone isn't appreciating my digging, and the Republic is not entirely as it seems.
I'm sorry, Son.
49th Month.
I've fled east to The Mists. Arotal's reach isn't as strong here. I can loop around and take a ship back to the Holy Kingdom and hit Grestin, the holy capital.
52nd Month.
I'm not openly wanted, but it's clear I have some type of bounty in Arotal. My movements have been greatly reduced, and Grestin is a fortress. Even without the sword Exarch, the spear Exarch, and others, they still frequent Grestin. I have to be careful.
53rd Month.
There's a small tribe of Dark Elves moving around Grestin. They are similar to my family, acting as a private mercenary group. I've applied to join them. I'll use them as cover for now. It'll be easier to hide amongst my own kind and root out information.
55th Month.
Even the Dark Elves were on Arotal's payroll. I vastly underestimated the Holy Kingdom. They are far more connected and interwined than I ever imagined. Their infighting, schemes, and dirty work are all a facade. The upper echelons are more united than ever. Something is happening in Arotal, I just don't know what, and despite not being any closer to finding you, I've stumbled into something far greater. But I'm not here for that.
An Exarch has been deployed to find me. I have no choice but to flee. Perhaps you were never on this continent in the first place. Alnwar hasn't made moves in years.
78th Month.
I've received your message, although it was not easy.
I'm coming, Son.
—
[The final pages of the book.]
What a mess, huh? I couldn't help but read through it, but I suppose your father understood that I would. I still don't understand why the man asked me to write here or what you even want to hear from me, but I'll just tell you what you need to know. After all, my time in this world is coming to an end, the growth inside me isn't slowing but only getting larger, and it can't be set back anymore. I'm sure I'll be dead by the end of the year, one way or another.
My warning to you was true, as your father found out the Exarchs are not to be trifled with. I've seen this King Maxwell and his War Gods, and although they are strong, they are not comparable to the Exarch. Even some of the High Paladins can rival their strength, and Arotal has no shortage of them.
I'll tell you what I know.
I mentioned that the other Exarchs' powers are kept secret from one another. And that is true. We are above nearly everyone in the kingdom, and we only answer to the High Exarch. And we can only be suppressed by one another. The two factions are nothing more than a falsehood, a way to spark competition and keep the masses deluded into the idea that they can rise further in their dreadfully short lives. The cost of life is cheap, and power and compliance are the only currency that matters. The High Exarch controls everything.
The Exarchs were traditionally divided among the three major cities and the papacy: Grestin, the capital; Skaoi, the western fortress; and Korvin, the gate to the north, with the sword, bow, and shield set there, respectively. In contrast, the spear sat with the pope. The fourth Exarch, the one I know as the Shadow Exarch, has no base, and although their existence was never confirmed amongst us, we were sure of it despite the lack of proof. The Shadow Exarch's weapon is unknown, but I have reason to believe it is a sword or dagger of some type. As for the sixth, it either never existed or was lost long before I was born.
A long time ago, a village reported an incursion of Vampires. A group of inquisitors arrived, unannounced, and suddenly disappeared just as quickly as they came—a common occurrence. But in my rash youth, I investigated further and could not find which chapter or group did the work. And right after questioning the surviving villagers, one old smith told me of a man wielding unimaginable power through a bladed weapon.
Before I could return to question more, the village suddenly disappeared under a monster outbreak. A warning from the top came down, and I was told to leave the issue as is.
Either way, I can't tell you what I don't know. So I'll start with what I do. All the artifacts have unique traits that boost our holy power and bodies to an inhuman degree, granting us powers and abilities, but at a cost. They are not simple weapons, but rather extensions of a greater power. And although I was never privy to it, it has long been implied to be connected to Amon-Ra internally, not just The Six who originally wielded the weapons.
Hurbis, the sword is far from normal, as you have guessed. Despite it not making sense, the sword has an innate ability to influence the wielder's mind, amongst others. On the one hand, it sharpens it. Focuses the mind and thoughts into perfection to achieve the task at hand. The wielder is more confident, able to discern truth from even the deepest of lies, see through the deception of man and monster. Ignore all trivial thoughts and hone in on what matters most, even in the more dire of battles.
But that focus also naturally leads to its namesake, Hubris. If not adequately controlled, arrogance can easily lead to the user's downfall. In the end, we are all still mortals. And we can die just as easily as we breathe. Many of my predecessors bit off more than they could chew, which is why we were often sent north to the Republic and the Vampire Lands to wreak havoc before the sword consumed us.
It is also why I reckoned I was given the sword instead of the bow, which was also available at the time. I was uncontrollable, but I had the talent. My nature would have seen me dead somewhere north a long time ago, but I was too valuable, too compatible. Instead of being sent to die meaninglessly, I was groomed to take the sword long before I knew it. I'm sure many believed I would have been a good pawn as I was the strongest Exarch in centuries and achieved much, but none imagined I would have lived for as long as I did.
But you have nothing to fear, I've already discovered the sword is inert now. Whatever Cerila did to it changed it—and guessing how is useless.
The spear is the second artifact I am most familiar with. I often sparred with the user. She was an ancient High Elf; even before I was betrayed, she was almost four centuries old. Her name was Vaylynn. I'm sure she is long dead, and I'm even more sure she was rooted out from the inside.
Rumor had it she left the Papacy and joined a fringe religious group. That should have been her final act.
The spear was known as Veil Piercer. The original owner from The Six is highly debated, much like the others, but what I do know is that Spear is immensely powerful and also the most crippling of all the artifacts. It takes the user's sight after a few years, blinding them. But what it gives in turn is something far more.
Despite Vaylynn having no vision, she was always aware of her surroundings. She never stumbled or wandered. Did not need assistance to move about, let alone fight. Through our sparring, I was able to figure out that she has a range around her that is entirely within her control. She can immediately sense you and strike out with speeds that are barely perceivable.
The spear can cut through almost anything, magic included. Even my most potent spells were useless against her. One would believe keeping her at range is ideal, but that would be false. Her defenses are impenetrable, and no amount of ranged attacks could reach her. It was only when I got into range and overwhelmed her with sheer might and matched her speed that I was able to beat her.
Anyone weaker than her would fail helplessly.
The shield is known as Oath Keeper and, the bow is Star Seeker. I know very little about them. I can only tell you the roles they would have played in a battle. Star Seeker was to stay at range, and from what I was told, they would act as a backline mage capable of destroying armies, while Oath Keeper would act as a defensive bastion. Their downsides were also kept as a mystery, and I never investigated them.
However, it was Star Seeker that nearly killed me that day. All I can say is I barely had time to react to the arrow, and it was magical in nature. The shield simply defended him, and I was too injured to achieve much. The shield Exarch at the time was a woman named Angelica Foster, and I'm sure either one of her sons would eventually take up the artifact upon her death or retirement, as was tradition for that family. I never liked any of them, so I didn't bother to look into it. The bow Exarch was a young man, the newest of the Exarchs at the time. He said his name was Vadi. And that is all I knew of him before he tried to kill me.
I'd warn you about those Vampires as well, but…perhaps things will be different. Maybe you can find peace where I only saw chaos. And I hope you find it in all this mess, Kaladin. And even though I am undeserving of everything you have given me…
Thank you. And if there is a place beyond the end, I'm sure I'll see you again.