Recent content by Shrike

The sea spray stung Tydeus’ face. This time of year the ocean seemed a frigid thing, a denizen of lurking demons and sudden storms. He waited on a remote dock in Alliria’s great harbor, the sole figure there this time of the morning. But not for long. A new ship came in, with a hull blacker...

A figure in plate armor - foolish on an airship - rushed for the prow. Features hidden behind a winged helm, he barreled into a demon, shouldering through slashing claws that squealed against enchanted steel as he vaulted toward the tip of the ship. He had kept quiet nearly the whole ride...

A snort at her contemptuous stare and the jut of her bared throat, tendons taught and stark, pleading to be cut. It reminded him of that ranger, years ago. Such defiance, just to end up a flayed corpse on a rope. Better than most, the bleating sheep of the rest. A wolf could respect a wolf...

So powerful the stranger’s blow with his black blade that the very tree itself did shudder and boughs shook loose, crashing all around them, some even splashing into the pond itself. What horrific strength before the eyes of the Dark. What hideous might on display. A raw and terrible smile...

Yes

Alone in the pool, his blood pouring from every rip he opened in his own skin, Tydeus moaned in pain. Shivering in the sudden coldness of the pool, what had once been the chill of summer now a midwinter numb. “I call upon thee,” he hissed, “The Darkness Between the Stars.” His blood slicking...

A dark light animated his eyes at her words, the first sign of true curiosity or interest, or indeed anything resembling real human emotion. “Tell me, “ he commanded, the same hoarse voice that had commanded the burning of villages, the hanging of dozens and the slaughter of hundreds more. Men...

“Maybe not,“ he put the needle point in the hollow of her throat, resting it there so that it rose and fell with her breaths. “But what kind of priestess refuses to make a sacrifice to her God?“ The Butcher looked into her eyes, searching for something. At last, he lifted the dagger and brushed...

The woman stood to go in a rustle of those red robes. A whisper of leather and the dagger appeared back in Tydeus’ hand. He held the tip of the blade at the woman’s throat, cold steel pressed against pale flesh. “I didn’t say you could leave, priestess.”

The canines. The look of lust. The talk of sacrifice. He thought he understood now. The eye marred by toxins stared at her, too knowing, seeing more than these petty dimensional walls. “No,” he rasped in agreement. “I’m tainted meat.” Tydeus stood far too close to her. He raised a hand...

“What, priestess?” He cocked his head, “Go on then.” Tydeus gestured at the corpse, “Bless it.” He moved slowly toward her until his blood-spattered form cast a shadow across her. Until she could smell the coppery tang of the scarlet ichor from soaked sleeves. And the scent of something else...

Tydeus only smiled without humor, a sickly lopsided thing, then submerged himself to the waist in the pool. The cool waters brought a sense of bliss over him. And for a moment, he almost stopped. For a moment, he wondered if he was wrong. You could be free of your pain, the waters seemed to...

The half-elf paused, staring at Afanas for a moment, then shook his head. “You are not him. I don’t know you,” replied Tydeus, finishing a last smear of resin across his face. “And I don’t know your blade.” The butcher of the Reach wondered if he was speaking to hallucinations. Possible. His...

“Would they?” Tydeus let out a low chuckle, more akin to a bark. “Woe to the vanquished.” He sat down in the muck and continued smearing it across himself. Bereft of shirt, the ruins of his body were exposed to the air. Horrific scars webbed across his body. Some natural, others clearly the...

The hatchet paused mid-swing. Tydeus slowly turned his neck to look over one shoulder at the figure looming by the bodies. He looked up at the skeleton, then down to the exceedingly tall stranger. “Not him,” he rasped quietly, “Just me and mine.” Tydeus inspected the wound in the tree. Dipped...