This Year’s Posting In Pictures (2022)

Dark Cloak (Chapter II) Night One

Dark Cloak

by DarkJade

Chapter 1

Chapter II – Night One

Ten hours later, the Mage Ethan Corlioso awakens, his black, silver edged bangs falling over his eyes

He winces in pain, then lifts the blanket revealing his bandaged torso

He stands raising his hand and his cloak and staff fly to him

He walks slowly, and with a bit of a body limp, but makes his way to the door which opens for him

Down the hallway, then down the stairs several floors he makes his way below the land line of his tower…

…down, down down until he reaches a door with a gargoyle handle which he grabs and it flares purple and blue magic

He speaks some barely audible arcana words and it opens

He makes his way passed many empty cells, until he comes across a figure sitting in the the dark with red glowing eyes

‘Long time…’ speaks the harrowing, yet somehow alluring voice

Ethan summons a stool from across the way, and sits on it some three feet from the cell

‘Not so long,’ he replies

A striking face, with shoulder length white hair, leans into the dim torch light as the figure’s red eyes go to black, ‘You must be desperate.’

Ethan smiles, ‘How are you Agmythos, my old friend.’

Agmythos smiles a bit,’I’ve been better…’

Ethan winces once more and grabs at his side.

Agmythos looks to Ethan’s side, then into his eyes, ‘That old dragon getcha…’

Ethan grimaces and nods, ‘It will heal soon enough.’

‘But there’s something more,’ speaks Agmythos

‘Yes… Well… Lets just say he wasn’t himself…,’ replies Ethan

‘In fact, he wasn’t a ‘he’ at all,’ he finishes

‘His apprentice has seized the Dragon’s body, eh,’ speaks Agmythos

DONG DONG DONG, suddenly the tower entry bells ring, indicating someone is at its’ door

‘Blast,’ speaks Ethan as he leans up against his staff, ‘Another time,’ and makes his way out of the cell room

Art Vampire

Dark Cloak

Dark Cloak

by DarkJade

Chapter One – The Magic

That Night

Sputtering blood, the middle aged man enters the dark chamber with flashes of blue and purple magic behind him…

…the door closes as he falls over his desk and passes out

**************

The next morning the sun blares through the tower window filling the mage’s chamber with light…

…still on the floor is the Dark Cloaked figure

Suddenly a young man opens the chamber doors with a thick metal key, and is bewildered by what he comes upon

‘Master, are you alright…’ he helps his Master to his feet, removing the dark cloak from him, and laying him on the bed

A young girl then enters with a small pitcher of water, ‘Is he alright?’

‘Just give me the water and go!’ the boy spats at her, as she turns and rushes out of the room closing the door behind her

‘You shouldn’t talk to her that way,’ a gravely voice comes from the bed as the man’s eyes slowly open, revealing two dark blue pearly eyes

‘Master, thank the gods you’re ok,’ the boy exclaims as he hugs him.

‘Careful now boy, I’m not that alright,’ they both laugh.

‘Now go apologize to Percell,’ the man insists, and the boy quickly leaves the room.

The man then gazes out the bright window as his eyes glow white he sees into another land…

…a snow filled land where a great white dragon sits upon a rocky mountain growling and shooting its’ icy breath into the air above it.

ART – Dark Cloak

Emory, A Warlock Born (Part V) Into The Lashing Wild

Emory, A Warlock Born

by Doragon (Darkjade)

Part 1

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V – Into The Lashing Wild

For the next ten to 15 minutes I felt nothing but the lashing cold and branches of the surrounding mountain forests…

…with an occasional drop which my pilfered guard’s horse seem to cope with just fine

I could hear nothing but the sharp winds and crunching snow beneath my horse’s hooves, and the sheer silence that still seemed to creep its’ way in between the resounding winter storm

Then we slid down the side of part of the mountain, some four of five hundred feet…

…I was thrown from the horse, which ran off

Can’t say I blame him

I’m left the blasting storm, and the silence that perhaps only I can hear

‘WHERE TO NOW BOY…’ the voice mocking me once more, I ignored it

If if didn’t know, how was I to know

Suddenly someone grabbed my arm and dragged into a small nearby cave…

…before I knew it I had a bow aimed at me from a well wrapped traveler, perhaps a Ranger

‘What are you doing out here in this? the female’s voice spoke directly, almost demandingly

‘I… I needed to get out of town.’

‘What… Now,’ with this she lowered her bow, and the maroon scarf from around her face

Her eyes were dark green, but she had dark hair from what I could see

Human

‘It wasn’t exactly my idea,’ I replied

She just stared at me, than moved back behind the small fire she furnished

Over the flame were I think two squirrels cooking on skewers, ‘Take one.’

And so I did… It was tough, but lightly seasoned, better than nothing I suppose… Obviously I’m used to much more

‘Are you armed…’ she spoke more than asked

I wasn’t sure how to answer

‘I have my ways… But no actual weapon,’ I replied

I seemed a bit to honest for my own comfort…

…but so far it hasn’t killed me

‘Your own ways, eh…’

Suddenly she started to get a better look at me beyond the high collar, ‘What kind of creature are you?’

‘A half fiend,’ might as well keep the honesty coming

‘You got a name?’ she asked

‘Emory… yours?’

‘Ash’ta,’

PICTURE

Emory, A Warlock Born (Part IV) Ice Town

Emory, A Warlock Born

by Doragon

Part 1

Part II

Part III

Part IV – Ice Town

When I walked in, the place was a rumble of drunken chatter, clattering plates & Bard music…

Still, a couple keen eyes definitely noted my black skin, small horned head and slightly glowing violet eyes

I sat

‘What have yah?’ spoke a dark haired barmaid before i’d hardly landed on my chair

‘Uh…’ just as I realized I had no coin, for I never left my father’s home in Nessus, I suddenly felt the weight of a black velvet purse upon my belt

I reached down and felt many a coin within

‘Wine… And… Stew’ I spoke, and she was off

Feeling hyper vulnerable to criticism due to my breed of creature, I was reluctant to bring down my high collar

‘What are yah then?’ suddenly spoke a deep, rounded voice

I looked to my right, it was a dark brown bearded dwarf, sitting with three other very intoxicated Dwarven companions, one passed out on the table

‘I’m a half breed fiend…’ I spoke

He just sat there staring at me, one hand on the axe at his side, his eyes a greyish black and very clear

He let go of his axe, ‘Hmm…’ he replied, then changed his focus back to his drink

‘YOU NEEDENT ASNSWER TO ANY OF THESE CRETINS’ spoke the voice in my head

I ignored it

‘Here you are love,’ spoke the barmaid as she placed the wine and stew upon the table, winked, and walked away

Had they seen my kind before?

Did Devils and their half breeds walk the material plane?

‘Aye you,’ suddenly a voice came from behind me

I turned to face who looked to be two town guards

‘Up… Out… We don’t allow your type in our town,’ he continued

‘DO NOT RISE’ spoke the voice…

…but I did, ‘Yes, I’ll see my way out,’…

…but that wasn’t good enough for them, they were quick to grab me and hurl me into the icy streets of this icy town

As I lay there for what felt like minutes, but was only seconds, my eyes glowed the deep purple fire once more and I levitated and spun towards them…

…I felt no control of what happened next

‘Well, looky here, we got a magician,’ with this they both drew their swords…

…but it was too late… all… too late

Suddenly great black tendrils lit by the same dark purple flame came from inside me, wrapping around the two guards bodies, they dropped their blades to the ground, gave out screams of terror, and their bodies melted down upon the icy ground below them

‘RUN!’ the voice rang in my head

Regaining control of my body, I ran to the nearest horse, a guard’s horse black in color, and sprinted out of town, leaving behind two, maybe three townsfolks who’d seen the deed…

…I whipped into the blinding ice and snow beyond the town, into the mountains and trees beyond

Art https://www.tribality.com/2019/04/09/3-minigames-to-add-to-your-tavern/

Emory, A Warlock Born (Part III) From Hell To Hell

Emory, A Warlock Born

by Doragon

Part I

Part II – Nothing’d Be The Same

Nightmares filled my mind…

The voice all around me

Dark purple, treacherous skies…

I awoke standing in my father’s library once more

My body paralyzed, purple fire filling my eyes, and the black book I’d touched the night before floating before me

‘I AM NOT SO EASILY FORGOTTEN..‘ the voice spoke

‘I have not forgotten you… My father has forbade me–‘ but the voice cut me off

‘I AM YOUR FATHER NOW… YOU WILL DO MY BIDDING, AS IN THE CONTRACT’

Perplexed, I respond, ‘I have signed no contract…’

‘HA HA HA HA HAAAA… WHEN YOU TOUCHED MY BOOK, YOU BOUND YOURSELF TO ME… SURELY YOUR FATHER TOLD YOU…’

But my father had not…

CRACK!! suddenly there was a crack of thunder and a purple flash, and I appeared before a tavern in a frozen mountain town

Patrons passed too and fro, and I immediately felt uneasy about my looks

I doubt half devils spend much time in the material plane… Assuming that’s where I was

I felt a warmth in my pocket, reached in, and found my runes… a sense of comfort passed over me

‘ENTER EMORY… YOUR FUTURE AWAITS’ the voice spoke to me in my head

I pulled the high black collar up, hoping to guise myself a bit, and entered

Emory – A Warlock Born

A New Tale

Doragon Kishu (Dragon Rider & Paladin)

Emory – A Warlock Born

Art by Katmedic

Emory – A Warlock Born

by Doragon

Part 1

Emory was a small child, in a dangerous place…

A half Demon, pitch black of skin, eyes of glowing blue, he’d sit cross legged on the floor of his father’s library, studying his Runes

His father never really spoke to Emory, they’d sit across from one another at dinner…

…his Father all the way at the end of a long, fancy table…

…whilst Emory sat at the opposite, always with his Runes, with an occasional glance at his Father’s end of the table

But they never met eyes

Emory never met his mother…

…truth be known, he’s not even sure what Race she was… Human… Elf… He couldn’t be sure, and his Father surely never spoke of her

It was a Demon life… in a Demon place… his home was almost the size…

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Chapter XVIII: Changing

Chapter XVIII Of Kait’s Retelling or our 3+ Year Dungeons & Dragons Campaign, ‘Adventures of Vilven Ledsong’

Adventures of Vilven Ledsong

His serene yet wild face appeared nearly frozen despite the strong wind dancing into him.

She felt cautious of his presence. Why was he here? Though she had lived most of her life in solitude, she learned to rely on her instincts and insight. She had been gifted with perceptiveness, something she had always been grateful for.

The talking from the other passengers became a distant hum behind her, darkness surrounded them as if they were the only two on the boat.

“Hello, Vilven” He said with some humor, a slight smile coming to his darkly striking face. That smile she had seen a few times in his bookstore that always seemed unexpected.

There was something else, Vilven could tell beneath his disarming introduction. For the first time, she was coming into an awareness she must be more careful. She loved bringing new comrades with her, even with the limited…

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In Walked 6 – Oz Ryder

Chapter One Of ‘In Walked 6’, My New Dungeons & Dragons Blog Story!

Doragon Kishu (Dragon Rider & Paladin)

Artist Unknown

In Walked 6

by Doragon (aka James Mahoney)

CHAPER I – Oz Ryder

In the ‘Kandria Woods’, south of the ‘Two Cities’, there lay a Rabbitfolk in the middle of a sun shiney field…

His arms behind his head, he gazes at the sun in the sky above…

…blue skies, and billowy clouds

‘What a perfect day,’ he spoke in a knightly manner, his soft yellow eyes filled with the wonders of nature… including a coolish warmish breeze that made its’ way through his light grey and white fur

‘Oh Ander, must you leave?’ came a voice from a nearby cluster of yellow and purple flowers where a brownish furred Rabbitfolk girl by the name of ROSAIA picks a grouping of flowers, and makes her way back to her male companion

‘Oz Ryder, Rosaia… I told you, I’m not taking my father’s name into my new profession… My…

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Nightingale – Chapter II (Road To Gloomwrought)

Chapter II

Doragon Kishu (Dragon Rider & Paladin)

‘Nightingale’

by DORAGON

Chapter One

Chapter Two– The Road to Gloomwrought

THE PLANES EAST OF ELDWYLL FOREST

‘Something Flipped A Switch In My Head When I Saw That Mother And Daughter Fey… I Just… Couldn’t… Do It

But That Shadar Kai Soldier Payed Me For The Task, Which Means I’m A Fugitive…

My Time In The Dark Enchanted Forest Of Eldwyll Is Over…

I Decided To Head East To Gloomwrought.

From There I’d Need To Figure Out A Plan… A Plan To Leave The Shadowfell… But To Where

The Path From Eldwyll To Gloomwrought Would Be A Two Day Journey…

And Though The Planes Of Shadowfell Our Covered With The Undead, My Abilities Of Remaining Mainly Hidden, Should Protect Me

PICTURE CREDIT – Shadowfell

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