ACT 1: THE CULLING OF CLARANEL CAVES
Chapter 1: Interruptions
“Lost.”
Caliz tore his eyes from the scenery to glare at his companion. He hadn’t been in Vol’Tyr since he was a child and never this far south. The trees and greenery were more than enough to keep his attention until she distracted him.
“We’re not lost. We’re on a bleeding path.”
“No. Lost.”
“Osa, there’s not that many wrong turns we could have taken yet.”
He was no stranger to the winding road of a mountain pass. This excursion had taken him from his longest home high atop a mountain pass, after all. His companion, meanwhile, had little experience with the switchbacks and shifting.
Chapter 2: Introductions
The carriage rumbled down the path past the party of three, the driver off to drop their belongings at a tavern GGA members knew and frequented, and to ask for backup, while the rest walked to Akala’s camp. It was small, a collection of tents with a fire in the trees, and a Nojern woman stood to watch them approach.
Chapter 3: Correspondence
Caliz sat on the log beside the fire while one of the Nojern he’d forgotten the name of wound bandages around his shoulder. His armor and shirt were cast aside, leaving him in nothing but the tightly-wound cloth around his chest. Everyone at the camp was polite enough to not ask about it.
Chapter 4: Breaking & Entering
The party sidled carefully against the rock, Osa doing her damndest despite her long, snaky form not allowing for much in the way of sidling. Caliz motioned for them to hold off, snuck ahead, cracked the smaller double-doors, and peered inside.
Chapter 5: The Culture
Iron hung in the air like fog, clouding their vision, lungs, and hearts. Caliz was slumped against a wall, bleeding from his ribs and arm, his hand twitching in pain. He winced, grabbing at a bundle of herbs from a pouch in his pack, trying to remember the words of Itzel.
Chapter 6: Bonus
Caliz woke to a foot nudging him. He stared up at a woman decked out in studded black leather, intricately crafted to hug her every curve. Two hatchets hung at her hips, with knives in her belted boots. The only skin he could see was her face, her hood hanging back. She was a Nojern woman with what looked to be a ponytail, completely undyed and without makeup. She was a shadow in black armor.
“You the newbie?”
Chapter 7: The Lower Levels
Caliz breathed deeply and quietly as they descended the ladder. It was a long way down, and he was feeling the strain on his arms. I’m in no shape to fight, let alone venture down into these fucking lizard’s native place. Shit. What if they are Vok Archons. No. Angels can’t be that easy to kill, or we’d do it all the time.
He felt the heat of the lantern bounce against his thigh as he climbed down, lighting up the thin tunnel up. The warmth gently radiated across his leg with every bounce. Light of Aatua, what have I gotten myself into?
Chapter 8: Diplomacy
The lizardfolk shouted in that same language Caliz couldn’t parse, but as he did, he noticed Faelana perk up. She turned to him and signed, "That’s Old Kilio."
"Yeah. Alara couldn’t quite understand it."
"I can."
She hopped down and opened her arms, speaking in something similar to their language. They responded, and she motioned to Caliz and Osa. Figuring the jig was up, they dropped out of the trees. The lizard shouted again, and Faelana responded quietly, and was met with the flat of the enormous bronze sword to the chest, sending her careening into a nearby tree.
Chapter 9: Victory
Caliz breathed deeply and quietly as they descended the ladder. It was a long way down, and he was feeling the strain on his arms. The lizardfolk shouted in that same language Caliz couldn’t parse, but as he did, he noticed Faelana perk up. She turned to him.The three walked into camp, and each in turn dropped their loot. Faelana laid the bottle on a stump, Osa carefully drew the axe, and dropped it into the dirt before coiling up, and Caliz hauled the tower shield off his back and dropped it beside the axe.
“My gods,” Akala stared at them.
ACT 2: To Prove Your Worth
Chapter 1: The Flaming Arrow
Coming January 2027...
"The Mead Wars" is an on-going serialized fantasy set in the "Boundless Splendor" setting, where the Tragedy of Liana Incubore is set. It tells the story
of Mok Caliz Hats'ik and Osadoguhn Viaxy, two characters from said tragedy,
when they first met, and the story of their first guild together.
It's a fantasy tale built on action, adventure, & pulpy character-driven goodness. If you like rogues, dive with me into Unalon, a town in southern Vol'Tyr where mead flows like water, a burgeoning mercenary guild tries to prove itself to the locals, and strange threats bubble just behind what the average person sees.
The Mead Wars is a multi-part story, where each act is fairly self-contained.
New chapters of Act 2 begin in January of 2027.