428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZAJffcEaf
He’d not eaten, he’d not slept, nor had he dressed the innumerable wounds that plagued him. Yet, still he trudged forth, through the muck and rain, for he felt no hunger, no tire, nor even pain. A day and a half down the mountainside, and another through the greying woods and meadows, before finally arriving, in this forsaken place. With grey skies and greyer yet faces all around, it was nearly as dead as himself.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFilBBr40O
Despite his best efforts to hide his face, there were still those who turned to whisper to one another as he passed. As if the broken blade in his belt, and rent armour that hung from his chest were not to sufficient, he had only imagined the horrific wounds on his face, wretched slices and gouges, the flesh torn apart. Or at least, that is what he had seen upon his comrades, only to assume he bore the same. He hadn’t yet dared to look in the mirror, for fear of what horror may stare back at him. Thus, he wrapped himself in his tattered cloak as best he could, and trudged on through the mud ridden streets.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MoSWULSqd
Letifer Mourse, that was his name once. Or at least, he’d deduced so. After days (or he hoped only days) of pouring through the quartermasters records, digging up corpses, and sketching faces, he’d come to the conclusion that he was indeed Letifer Mourse, a Knight of the keep of Haltoth.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7g7dqiryoW
But there was something else.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJTGDl4U4g
The quartermaster’s logs had shown that there was a child, who shared his rations and quarter. A boy. He could only assume, only hope, that this was his son.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6Ma81jPYw
And thus was the reason for his arrival here. He’d found no children’s corpses in the mass grave, thus, it was clear that the child did not fall in the raid. He could only hope that he escaped the carnage, and by logic, this would have been his first destination.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd4yBWrMCI
Letifer could not deny that this was likely his homeland. Holtarthen, a burgeoning township, not far from the foot of the mountains. A likely origin for a knight of the keep, not too far into the range.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLahcAqFZlJ
The question being, what action would a child take in a situation such as this? By logic, Letifer assumed from the boy’s description that he was somewhere between ten and thirteen years of age. This would make him small, seemingly innocent, and desperate. Thus, Letifer assumed that he would have stolen to survive. And as such, he made his way to the lord’s manor.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5PjNdK1nU
The two shieldsmen at the door were the first to hinder him. The man on the left grabbed him by the shoulder, and shoved him back. He showed a brief moment, not but a second, of confusion, feeling no warmth from the contact, but quickly regained composure.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmFsAkKQM2
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfcVmVM7Kb
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATBLm3SW4I
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkVwmXojic
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSu2rfxMNe6
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGJ4TiCzN8
One of the shieldsmen sighed, turning to his comrade, and quietly muttering, “Fetch the keys.” He sighed again, “Go take a gander at the underhalls. But you’d best make it quick. And uh, you would be a kind… fellow, not to go yackin about in regards to this little favour.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwAoaXdHSY
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJnJRQBYr1
Quietly making his way through the doors, he was met with a room illuminated by the warm light of an ornate fireplace on the far side. A staircase enveloped in a faded purple carpet fringed with gold, curled along the left corner, leading to the higher floor. But that was not Letifer’s destination. No. He quietly found his way down the deep places of the manor, where the sun did not penetrate the walls. This is where he passed the wine cellar, and came upon the cells.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExFTwGyTDI
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VC3bd6yfO
“And what would be your business here?”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljugqtL3ir
Letifer turned to face an ageing man leaned against the archway leading to the cells. Clad in a dark red tunic and trousers, he bore silver hair that found its way down just past his shoulders, and a face veiled in the scars of battle and the ravages of age alike. Surprisingly enough, the elder was not taken aback by the sight of his face.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNuADOwoiS
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbGKos32Av
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBm7ukuzKIZ
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lmsCJ0iCX
“Tell me,” uttered the aging man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhDg8yTPZP
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD83OgPfSjD
“I have dealt with your kind before, phantom. Left unburied, desecrated, doomed to a living death, until vengeance is wrought. And it is to my knowledge that, assuming you fell with the mountain keep, your memories have rotten with your corpse.” The man explained, “Tell me, what would you know of your former offspring?”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1W46wiHj7v
Letifer sighed, “Forgive me, but that business is mine alone.” he stated, not wanting to recount his ordeal, “And what business would you have in such a foul place as this?”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUHU6gG2zg
“This foul place is my own,” the old man explained, as he stood from his leaning position, “It is a rather undesirable inclusion to my manor.” He proceeded to introduce himself, holding out his hand to shake, “I am the Earl Dascule, and you are?”.
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5vk3RsO1S
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBnTx4volv
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedpY98wGmK
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?”
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oPswPqEWo
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON7MCF4gxi
He’d not eaten, he’d not slept, nor had he dressed the innumerable wounds that plagued him. Yet, still he trudged forth, through the muck and rain, for he felt no hunger, no tire, nor even pain. A day and a half down the mountainside, and another through the
greying woods and meadows, before finally arriving, in this forsaken place. With grey skies and greyer yet faces all around, it was nearly as dead as himself. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yH2lpzscZ
Despite his best efforts to hide his face, there were still those who turned to whisper to one another as he passed. As if the broken blade in his belt, and rent armour that hung from his chest were not to sufficient, he had only imagined the horrific wounds on his face, wretched slices and gouges, the flesh torn apart. Or at least, that is what he had seen upon his comrades, only to assume he bore the same. He hadn’t yet dared to look in the mirror, for fear of what horror may stare back at him. Thus, he wrapped himself in his tattered cloak as best he could, and trudged on through the mud ridden streets.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwugqCec07
Letifer Mourse, that was his name once. Or at least, he’d deduced so. After days (or he hoped only days) of pouring through the quartermasters records, digging up corpses, and sketching faces, he’d come to the conclusion that he was indeed Letifer Mourse, a Knight of the keep of Haltoth. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMR1bmrrhC
But there was something else. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf62UFfJ4X4
The quartermaster’s logs had shown that there was a child, who shared his rations and quarter. A boy. He could only assume, only hope, that this was his son. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTFAUK2zkp
And thus was the reason for his arrival here. He’d found no children’s corpses in the mass grave, thus, it was clear that the child did not fall in the raid. He could only hope that he escaped the carnage, and by logic, this would have been his first destination. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC4aNJh4bk
Letifer could not deny that this was likely his homeland. Holtarthen, a burgeoning township, not far from the foot of the mountains. A likely origin for a knight of the keep, not too far into the range. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OERUQkmiQ
The question being, what action would a child take in a situation such as this? By logic, Letifer assumed from the boy’s description that he was somewhere between ten and thirteen years of age. This would make him small, seemingly innocent, and desperate. Thus, Letifer assumed that he would have stolen to survive. And as such, he made his way to the lord’s manor. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWJysrGV7F
The two shieldsmen at the door were the first to hinder him. The man on the left grabbed him by the shoulder, and shoved him back. He showed a brief moment, not but a second, of confusion, feeling no warmth from the contact, but quickly regained composure.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIY5TTPgEI
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3uLG2xGp2
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOphj4dzSE
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAv4dUx0Cu
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzK9U9HpAg
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99ZX9QqKz9
One of the shieldsmen sighed, turning to his comrade, and quietly muttering, “Fetch the keys.” He sighed again, “Go take a gander at the underhalls. But you’d best make it quick. And uh, you would be a kind… fellow, not to go yackin about in regards to this little favour.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA4hTBSkdY
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHcRBuWCAi
Quietly making his way through the doors, he was met with a room illuminated by the warm light of an ornate fireplace on the far side. A staircase enveloped in a faded purple carpet fringed with gold, curled along the left corner, leading to the higher floor. But that was not Letifer’s destination. No. He quietly found his way down the deep places of the manor, where the sun did not penetrate the walls. This is where he passed the wine cellar, and came upon the cells. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdRWtqx0W5
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFfXmMO8kz
“And what would be your business here?”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWRzHRXbUY
Letifer turned to face an ageing man leaned against the archway leading to the cells. Clad in a dark red tunic and trousers, he bore silver hair that found its way down just past his shoulders, and a face veiled in the scars of battle and the ravages of age alike. Surprisingly enough, the elder was not taken aback by the sight of his face. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1u8wsnmnV
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuD2f82D7p
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFOskMnx1i
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtM47KNMfz
“Tell me,” uttered the ageing man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zhcg3EgXk
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN6HbnaTbf
“I have dealt with your kind before, phantom. Left unburied, desecrated, doomed to a living death, until vengeance is wrought. And it is to my knowledge that, assuming you fell with the mountain keep, your memories have rotten with your corpse.” The man explained, “Tell me, what would you know of your former offspring?” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56w1y5E3oq
Letifer sighed, “Forgive me, but that business is mine alone.” he stated, not wanting to recount his ordeal, “And what business would you have in such a foul place as this?” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtwP6HZYax
“This foul place is my own,” the old man explained, as he stood from his leaning position, “It is a rather undesirable inclusion to my manor.” He proceeded to introduce himself, holding out his hand to shake, “I am the Earl Dascule, and you are?”. 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGOY4eGpSK
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNS8SPTIgLQ
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDlrXoLRYL
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSeFoj6k56
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The Earl called back to his shieldsman, “Leave us.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGulmuzTRy
Entering the archway, the soldier took a quick bow, “Apologies, my lord.”, before quickly taking his leave.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvQmqM4EKQ
The Earl sighed, “My roundsmen brought a child but a fortnight ago, saying he stole a loaf of bread. I fed him, shoed him, and sent him on his way. Last I saw, he was heading west.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RD0KyQBQM
“My thanks to you, my lord. You are a generous man.” Letifer replied, as he began to take his leave.428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw3Vx2gHXX
“So I suppose you’re not to stay for supper?” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJefonZRbRp
Letifer turned for a moment, “No, I suppose not.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwu3GQtVfvU
“Do be careful in your search.” The Earl called to him, “There are many who see less than I.” 428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7QDwhrDsy
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3SHASsGPi
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv973hF1fBb
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwQ8fuFqrj
428Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJsKfsSjmK
