DREAMS of a CLOUD
Peruse the many random ramblings of a writer-in-training as I build stories and develop my craft.
5 June 2024
As he turned to leave, though, he noticed the strange halfling pocketing… Was that the head priest’s seal? He caught the priest’s eye, but the priest shook his head. Shaxes sighed. He would let it go, then. Although… Might as well make the man work for it. He strode up to the halfling. “You. Come with me.”
3 June 2024 part 2
“Actually, that was my question for you, Father. I’ve been sent from Trixhaven; have you had any issues? Any concerns with your local congregation?”
The priest mused for a moment or two. “No, not so far as I am aware, at least with our congregation.”
31 May 2024
Sasha stopped, spun around, and studied him for an uncomfortably long time. Finally, she said, “If you’re ever going to come along, you might as well walk next to me, instead.”
27 May 2024
George thought he recognized the melody; it was a beautiful rendition of an old Kadrashan tune. Didn’t quite fit in with a place like this, though, and… Well, it brought up memories George would rather leave buried for the time being.
The rest of the crowd didn’t seem to care much for it, either, based on all the booing Sasha received.
21 May 2024
The tiefling asked, “If I may, why are you asking?”
The commander grimaced. “There’s… been an incident at the Temple of the Rose. We believe it is related to vampires in some way; if we are correct, evidence indicates the mastermind is not local. We figured they may be coming in person to move the work forward or some such, and wanted to prevent the issue from escalating.”
Shaxes raised an eyebrow, but he only said, “I am not aware of any vampires aboard the ship.”
18 May 2024
Straxes the Collector was used to people staring at him. It was rare enough to see tieflings at all this far north, much less as tall as he. Even before the horns, he was nearly seven feet. And the symbol of the Shadowed Princess displayed prominently over his armor certainly didn’t help matters. So he paid little heed at first to the small sailor girl who’d watched him most of the trip from Tangier, even after he’d learned she was angel-blooded in the earlier scuffle.
What he had not expected was for her to approach him shortly before their arrival in Setton. She asked, in her thick Solstranan accent, “Haven’t we met before? You look familiar.”
17 May 2024
For a long moment, Streisa just stared at her. “You need a break, lass. I don’t know what you’re running from, or what you’re planning, but it’s not exactly the sort of thing you can do alone, now, is it?”
13 May 2024
The guests stuff their faces with the bounteous feast presented before them. And what a feast it is! If we only looked at the quantity heaped on the hundred-foot banquet table, it would be fair to guess the family expected to receive royalty at any moment now. But on closer inspection, this is actually a feast most foul; many of the dishes are covered in flies, and appear to have sat on the table for days.
Yet the guests do not care. They will just as gladly stuff their gobs with the maggot-covered pork roast as the chicken and rice casserole the maid–herself in a trance–places fresh out of the oven onto the table.
11 May 2024
A little over three hundred years ago, the region around Kadrashal used to be a verdant jungle, with a number of great cities. Unfortunately, the region is now little more than a great,, sandy desert, with a few scattered oases.
4 May 2024
D&D Lore: Leilari, the Eternal Rose; Velka, the Shadowed Princess; and Ariel and Tesla, the Twins.
25 April 2024
No one is quite certain what spark first lit the blaze. Some claim a madman in A——, Marrue, attacked a young noblewoman and scarred her face. Others say the temple to the Rose in A——, Piege, closed their doors to all but the wealthiest of patrons, cutting the common folk off from their worship.
Whatever the case, the flames of war spread quickly.
22 April 2024
D&D Lore: Karthos, Father Death; Essayna, the Radiant Queen; and Tairen, the Storm King
4 April 2024
Confused, wrung out, Tarynn turned to leave. Then she heard a distinct voice from the back of her mind, “Farewell, little Tarynn.”
Tarynn’s eyes went wide, and she sank to the ground and wept.
6 June 2023
She poked her head out to look around, but at the sight of her lady-in-waiting, Anya, just around the corner, she pulled back into the alcove. She’d tried too hard and come too far to just get dragged back home now. Not for the first time, Tarynn wished her other self were out right now; for all the problems she caused, the other one was a lot more bold, and would never just let herself get carted off. She probably wouldn’t have resorted to hiding in uncomfortable alcoves, either.
17 October 2022
“Welcome,” Mohg declared with a theatrical flair, “to the Moghwyn Dynasty! A land of adventure, intrigue, and glory awaits you!”
Rykard, his younger step-brother, groaned. “Can we just get to the game already?” The bags under his eyes could have explained his irritability, but everyone present knew that was just his natural state.
18 September 2022
This is the creation story for my homebrewed D&D story. Or, well, the first part of it. I may add more later. It’s been ages since I’ve played, but I do enjoy it, and I enjoy the worldbuilding aspect it inspires.
I’m not the first person to think of Life and Death being a couple who gave birth to everything else, but it’s an idea I find fascinating.