KronugiN

INSOMNIA

GRAPHOMANIA

If you, whether willingly or not, will deny invitations to the world of nightmares - its denizens will eventually invade into yours.

A professional work is deliberate, it is meticulously planned and written by its author. This one, however, writes itself.

DUBIOUS HAIRWORK

One may anticipate many things to happen upon returning to a place of their youth. Being scolded by a stranger for having dirty hair is not on the list. Well, at least there were no fountains involved.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : DELE SEREGON

The first impression may not always be right. This one was, however. Stern but well-wishing, she does not exactly demand respect, no. It’s rather that she strongly implies that you should, probably, show her some out of your own volition.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : AESTENIA AEVARIS

It is a welcome rarity to see children around. She has been bestowed two of those. A stranger with a handful of chores and a headful of troubles, finding time to help out another stranger with theirs. That is, at the very least, admirable.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : LEI

No origin, no surname, no hesitations. Her eagerness to produce questions is rivaled only by the naivety of hew world views. It would be a miracle if she could carry those into adulthood. Sadly, the odds are against that. 

UNDERGROUND LODGINGS

The twisting maze of corridors. The moldy air, trapped inside. The torches lining up the walls. It all comes back, gnawing, scratching at the back of the mind. The Library must have some person-long benches. Hopefully, they have padding.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : MAENOR AILDHUIN

One may be forgiven for not expecting such a grim sense of humor from a servant of the book. Then again, saturated aromas of archaic manuscripts do tend to take their toll. They also make you very efficient at correcting people, apparently.

THE POSSE

A band of strangers, meeting together and crowding a single table at the tavern. Some stories may have been passed, some names may have been spoken. All in all, there is no harm and, maybe, just maybe – some joy.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : TARATHIEL MIRAVARIS

Ability to consistently find trouble is quite an unwelcome detriment. The ability to make some on your own, however, is a rare skill. What do you call a person proficient at both? The untamed tongue must come as a bonus to that.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : VALORIN CELIA’THILLN

It’s as if an image from a romantic novel came to life. A confident gaze, a perfect posture, and a neverending stream of intricate pleasantries. The rate at which this one adopts responsibilities will surely make him reach heights. And fast.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : NESSAROSE TELPERION

She is rarely seen outside the tavern, a delicate flower that she is. There’s nothing particularly wrong with experiencing life at a milder, slower pace, but... There must be a story behind this doleful gaze. It might even be a good one.

OUTDATED NOTICE BOARD

They had one job! Well... To be fair, they had several. Too many, if we’re being completely honest. Either way, among other, numerous jobs, they had this particular one. And they blew it! Everything is wrong! Some of it is, at least…

AN ACQUAINTANCE : AIERA SULLAS

A keen eye, hiding behind glasses. An inquisitive mind, hiding behind words. Weighted down by her experiences, she wasn’t overly reluctant to share a few of them. Maybe, if convinced, she’d be willing to share a few more. 

LAWS AND POLITICS : MINOR AMMENDMENTS

How rare it is to see the whole council in one place, actually doing their job. Aside from an exchange of a few low-brow comments, the event was quite civil and, to some surprise, even constructive. Huh. 

FESTIVITIES : SOHAER’S SOIREE

Near-death experience involving grapes, an unexpected family reunion and a visual demonstration of a clockwork prosthesis. Not exactly the conventional set for an informal get-together of this caliber. Oh, and the wine!

AN ACQUAINTANCE : NELGAUTH MAEHR’TEHRAL

Those who dabble in politics tend to rapidly develop a bloated ego. What a welcome surprise to meet an exception to that rule. It’s better to be loved than feared if you cannot be both. Or was it the other way around?

AN ACQUAINTANCE : ARETHIL SULLAS

The firstborn, apparently a little bit too adventurous for his mother’s liking. Not that bravery should be considered a detriment, not at all. A man of his standing is bound to live on a grand scale. And to be fond of horses.

POTS AND PANDITS

They came looking for kitchen utensils. They found death instead. The pain-induced tears, the fading smile, the tremble in his voice as he said “It’s not your fault”. Oh, but it is… It is… May he forgive me, for I sure as hell won’t.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : SETH CALITH

A person’s beliefs are forged by fate and struggle. This one seems like he’s been put to quite a hard anvil. Carrying the weight of many years and even more experiences, he is quite a tight bundle of stories to hear and secrets to unearth.

LAWS AND POLITICS : OKARIR’NOR ELECTION

Political debates tend to turn into a complete mess. Quite expectantly, this was no exception. Who even are these people? Still, the organizers should at least be commended for keeping the meeting free of dismembered limbs and whatnot.

FESTIVITIES : NEW ELVES FEAST

If anyone could have had any doubts about the obnoxity of humankind – they were dispelled by a single vocal representative of the race. The way he drew glares to himself was quite a spectacle to behold, truly.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : ULFGRIM

Possessing all the subtlety and grace of a barrel rolling downhill, he seems to be, at the very least, an honest one. Still, truthfulness and good manners don't have to be mutually exclusive. Does he make a habit out of mispronouncing names?

A SCANDALOUS RUMOR : SILVYR URADIR

He did what? And he got away with it? One may only muse at how much can be lost to time and ignorance. The suspicions were right, all this time. Something must be done about it! But what? And who’s to do it?

AN ACQUAINTANCE : GRETA GOODBARREL

A wayward daughter, far away from family home, seeking adventure and fulfillment in the land of strangers. Will she find any? Who knows? There’s no harm in exchanging rumors with this one, so it should be safe. Right?

A CLUE : ILLUMIRAN

What’s this? A magic-focused group with an obscured agenda? Why did it exist? How did it die? Why did HE, of all people, ask about it? It wouldn’t hurt to look out for the mention of this name. Actually, it would be wise to.

ADVANCEMENT : ETERNAL LIBRARY TRAINEE

There aren’t many who would find this kind of thing engaging. Too bad for them. The rustling of paper, the gloss of ink, the long-lasting solitude. This would be a perfect place to grow fond of. If only most of it wasn’t underground…

RESETTLEMENT : LAREH’THILLN APARTMENTS

A note, mentioning an apartment… Could it be? A small key is wrapped in it. It goes to a cozy little thing, and on the top floor as well! It comes with all of the previous owner’s possessions, for some reason, and… a fox?

A SUSPICION : THAUMATURGY WING

Work is postponed, tasks are delayed and time is lost. And all because… What, exactly? Some rumors of rats have been passed in jest. Then there was another thing… a disturbing one. Could it be true? Could it be the reason?

A SUSPICION : POTENTIAL CONSPIRACIES

The whole thing is ludicrous, there’s hardly any basis for it. Then again, some bizarre behaviors did take place. Could it be that there are powerful minds behind it? It’s all too vague to be sure, but… It’s enough to be wary.

A CLUE : THE SILVER NECKBITER

It’s said to look like a man clad in silvery-like armor. It’s said to prefer biting to other means of inflicting injuries. It’s said to be able to… float? Quite an outlandish array of descriptions. What thing could ever fit them all at once?

RECURRING NIGHTMARE : THE MASKED MEN

Those antlers, those furs, those eyes. They all look so life-like. Are these even masks? They stand in a circle, not chanting, not moving, just… waiting. What are they waiting for?  Who are they waiting for? Should I wait too?

CEREMONIES : GOLDEN OWLS WEDDING

If there would ever be a painting capturing the event – it will contain two ladies wrestling for a sword in the background. An outlandish addition to the ceremony, to say the least. Who even brings an arsenal to the wedding?

NEW EVIDENCE : THE SILVER NECKBITER

Occasional troubling mentions and warnings escalated into an utter disaster. There are many of them, they hold power, they drink blood of their victims and use the remaining organs for some unholy rituals. Charming.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : EREDAEL RHENAER

Chiseled manners and a silver tongue are a common prerequisite for a beast hiding behind them… but not this time, no. He seems to put no effort into appearing older and more experienced than he actually is. Is it a put-on?

THE HUNT : TARATHIEL’S ESCAPE

Youthful naivety and misplaced determination produce quite a volatile concoction. The damages it does, however, are left for everyone else to take care of. Still, falling from a tree is quite a lucrative outcome, considering the options.

A CLUE : CURANTES GUILD

A brief mention in casual conversation can sometimes change the course of history. Other times it’s merely an irrelevant noise. Time would only tell those two apart, but, for now, Curantes Guild is another thing to watch out for.

NEW EVIDENCE : CURANTES GUILD

While operating all across the continent they have a residence in Oren. The place is out of reach for now, but there is a link, several of them, even. They can be used, if a need arises. All the roads lead to the accursed city. To Helena.

LAWS AND POLITICS : SOHAER ELECTIONS

An interweaving of words, a battle of wits, a juxtaposition of ideas. Yes, this is what an event should have been. A pity the whole thing was pretty much one-sided. A pity it devolved into an exchange of high-brow insults at the end.

A SUSPICION : POTENTIAL CONSPIRACIES

Rumors and whispers, caught by a trained ear, are passed along as they perpetually grow more outlandish. Something stirs beneath the thin layer of smiles and courtesies. One family against another, one person against a dynasty.

BURNING OF THE THREE

And so it was. Three presences, three burdens, three burnings. The first set ablaze his nightmares. The second threw into fire her distress. The third incinerated his spite. Truly, some things may only be cleansed by flame.

CEREMONIES : SEREGON AND ELIBAR’ACAL WEDDING

Such a joyous occasion this would be if only any of these people were familiar. Inspiring words were spoken, inappropriate comments were passed, no weapons were brought. How can one complain about witnessing such a lovely snippet of peace?

THE HUNT : GOODBARREL IS MISSING

It shouldn’t really classify as a disappearance when there’s a letter left and an address mentioned. To think that she would leave the residence unlocked for anyone to plunder! It's a miracle nobody unwanted came first to the place.

THE VULPINE TROUBLE

Furniture is ruined with claw marks, carpets acquired an orange tint, and the closet… Oh… The closet… An extra pair of small nifty hands might’ve prevented a disaster. Both freeloaders were expelled, thankfully. Both? Weren’t there three?

LOCATIONS : BRANDYBROOK

A sky, unframed by sophisticated rooftops. The air, filled with muddy countryside aromas. The uncomplicated tranquil atmosphere. And the short folk. Very short folk. Despite being a topographical mess, the place is soothing to mind and soul.

CONCLUSIONS : GOODBARREL IS MISSING

A sore heart has been an incentive for many a disaster across all times. There’s nothing a discreet and timely intervention can’t solve, thankfully. This time a stern lecture was sufficient enough. Here’s hoping she won’t become a loose end.

NIGHTMARE

AN ACQUAINTANCE : ELLISAR AEVARIS

A name that is mentioned only in good light, albeit not too often. He is eager to help out, provided he has time, and is not a stranger to a polite small-talk exchange. Not wearing strong opinions on your sleeve is surely a wise approach.

LAWS AND POLITICS : SOHAER OATHING

Apparently it’s too much to ask to attend a public event in the Silver State without any hitches. A visage of the crossbowman taking his aim from atop the balcony, the busy clatter of Sillumir armor, all because of what, exactly? A prank? 

THE HUNT : BOOK'N'COAL THIEF

The door was left intact, all of the locks are untouched as well, leaving only a few manuscripts amiss. Some coal, too? Nothing was lost irreversibly, but… the incident itself is odd and distressing enough. Is there more to it?

THE HUNT : WARDEN

It takes one impostor to recognize another, and the lad sure as hell sounds sketchy. There’re reasons aplenty to keep your name unknown, none of them are particularly noble. ‘Married to the entire village’ he is, eh?

AN ACQUAINTANCE : YAZMINE ALCAIDE

An exotic little thing that, despite her youthfulness, is already making waves in research fields. Critters and beasts seem to be at the very top of the list of her interests. Not an outlandish feat, some would say, but... bears? Really?

CEREMONIES : ILLEGITIMATE WEDDING

An impure and an outsider walk into Haelun’or to have a wedding. The joke wasn’t supposed to have any continuation as it’s a punchline in of itself. Unfortunately, it does. Questions had to be asked, testimonies were recorded. What a mess...

NEW EVIDENCE : THE SILVER NECKBITER

There’s only so much one could do besides listen, sometimes. Quite often, it is enough to get a new lead to follow. A youthful researcher is delving into dark waters once again, searching for a particular fur-covered individual. Intriguing.

RECURRING NIGHTMARE : THE UNDERNEATH

Layered shadows close in as the feeble candlelight gradually gives up on its life. The twisted entanglement of nonsensical corridors loops in on itself in an impossible knot. Am I to wander through these halls forever? Am I to find an exit?

THE HUNT : DWARVEN ESSAYIST

A peculiar and as of yet unseen species counting only three members and they’ve already been wronged, and by whom? A dwarf! If there ever was any doubt about the underlying rapacious nature of these undersized bastards. It’ll be a pleasure.

CEREMONIES : APPLEFOOT WEDDING

What could possibly tarnish a cheerful and bustling Brandybrook wedding? A terribly mistimed political sermon, for example. Such an adorably dangerous sight it was – a runty crowd, foaming with insults and bristling with sharpened knives.

NEW EVIDENCE : WARDEN

The abundant list of his admirers dwindles, while the number of those striving to uncover his lies increases. What will he do when confronted? How will he respond when his mask shatters? It’d be best to stay away if and when that happens.

CEREMONIES : THE HAELUN’OR PROPHECY

A phony bravado of an eccentric performance can only get you so far. Rhymes, on the other hand, have a knack for penetrating unguarded hearts. It must've been composed beforehand, but that does not exactly signify its falsity.

A SCANDALOUS RUMOR : THE CONVERTED

How easy must it be to abandon vows, how little do laws and creeds mean when they contravene one's lust for power. Provided hearsay becomes true and known to the public, an outrage is inevitable. There's not a chance it will end well.

LAWS AND POLITICS : DEBATES

Since when are children allowed to host political discourses? Aside from providing an opportunity for already established parties to convey their biased viewpoints, the event was as fruitless as an appletree in the winter, and... dull.

A SUSPICION : SHROUDED IN CRIME

Reinforced doors and barred windows cost quite a sum to install, more so if the locksmith is any good. No modest person would consider such an investment. No saint would either. Be it riches or secrets - the prize is always worth the risk.

SIGHTSEEING : ARCAS

A long trek across the landscape of a dying world. Barren roads wove around capitals and obscure hamlets alike, both rich and poor in their merchandise. All in all, Haense takes the main prize for the variety in liquors and a hearty welcome.

FESTIVITIES : COMING OF AGE

Alcohols were hauled from all around the continent to accommodate any taste. Naturally, the drinking game had to involve the foulest one. The bitterness of Carrion Black was fully negated by the sweetness of attendees. And by presents!

AN ACQUAINTANCE : EARNEST

A fitting name for someone as straightforward and amicable as this one. A go-to person for a casual chit-chat, a drinking competition, or some peculiar pastry. It’d be insane to suspect him in plotting, but... maybe, that is the point?

BLOODSHED : FROST WITCH IN TOWN!

It will take time to forget the screams of children. It will take a few bottles to forget the sight of spilled blood. What will it take to disremember the severed head? The amount of frostbites doctors will have to mend is... astonishing.

THE COUNCIL UNDERNEATH

Somewhere inside the city limits a fresh band of accomplices flocks to a singular purpose. The most important words are not passed in a chit chat, neither are they reiterated in the court. They are whispered behind closed doors. 

THE HUNT : IREHEARTS

Products of the outside world mirror and venerate its implicit barbarism. When one collects morbid trophies from people – they are considered a psychopath. When one does so within a tradition – they are only accused of exotic upbringing.

A SUSPICION : FORKED TONGUES

When conflicting testimonies collide, opinions are bound to diverge and ambiguity is expected to arise. Healthy skepticism may be forgiven, but an outright denial of discretion? What trust can those who refuse to keep quiet possibly expect?

IDENTITY CRISIS

How does one define the line between friend and foe, between law and virtue, between lies and truths? All things said and done are nothing more than a means to an end, a crude and sorry act played by all. Oh, but sure, I too can play along.

OMENS AND PREMONITIONS : THE BLACK BOOK

What separates a skeptic from a believer? Proof? Faith? Perhaps, only the passage of time, or ample desire, but… who in their right mind would desire this? The nightmare began a long time ago. Now… Now it only overgrows with details.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : FLORENCE

An occasional walk onto unwelcoming outside does wonders for one’s head. Prolong your journey, and you face the risk of growing perilously detached. And charmingly bizarre! Those unordinary colloquialisms of her are so amusing.

RECURRING NIGHTMARE : THE MASKED MEN

The eerie circle shifts, its members change places and fall back in line before an opening presents itself. There is no escape, but I don’t mind. I feel an obscured pair of eyes drilling for my soul. Beneath them, there’s a smile.

SIGHTSEEING : CATTLERIDGE LAKE

A charming little spot, devoid of unwanted presences or watchful eyes. Or guards. Clear waters aren’t deep enough to host any dangerous species, making this a site perfect for fishing, resting, and… other things.

FESTIVITIES : MIRAVARIS’S PARTY

A bustling crowd of pleasant acquaintances is always so unbearably alluring, how could one possibly refuse the invitation? Where better to dissolve griefs and abandon worries than in a company of sweet and fabricated smiles?

LAWS AND POLITICS : DISAMBIGUATION OF PURITY

He who simply is reflects the public opinion on matters of tradition and orders of conduct. Public opinion, in turn, is shaped and bound by him who simply is. My-my, what a quaintly recursive little notion. Let’s see how far it will take us.

A SUSPICION : ERRONEOUS SMILE

Oft are the virtues and necessities of proper upbringing are looked over, neglected, even. Well, now there’s a living, insipid testament to that notion. A ghastly precedent is enough of an incentive to keep an eye out. Or two!

ENCOUNTERS : NIGHTMAREBOUND

When eyelids close shut, when darkness engulfs the mind, when reality fades away – the nightmare begins. A pair of damaged minds combined can, at the very least, work to mend each other, provided the incapacity to do so on their own.

ENCOUNTERS : VOIDWALKER

There he stood, brandishing an impossible blade, sloshing in a violet aura, and resonating words of truth, of progress, of legacy. Does it actually matter whether he was real or not? The message stands firm either way. It is time.

FISHING SQUAD

One would think a small, cheery crowd would be enough to negate the healing effect of solitary recreation. Apparently, it wouldn’t. A weighty mask can be lowered even in a circle of bystanders, it seems. More so if that circle is inattentive.

ENCOUNTERS: KNOWLEDGE-WEARIED WRETCH

There are few things as good as a paid-off suspicion. There he stood - a delicate, withered flower, ready to be swept away by the faintest gust of wind. An exchange of secrets can cement friendships. Now, there’s something to bargain with.

THE DARKROOM

What rhymes with nothing more than an unsettling concoction of darkness and silence? The deficiency of light, the lack of sound, the absence of thought. What could possibly be born amongst those things? Maybe not born… maybe only… discovered.

BUSY DAY AT THE LIBRARY

Halls of knowledge stand dormant all-year-round, but not today. On any other occasion, this pleasant, bustling crowd of lovely visitors would’ve been a long welcomed surprise. This time, however, they merely contribute to the headache.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : PLUTO

As if the town had room for another misaligned, ill-accommodated wretch. Those smiles are enough to make paint peel off. Her attempts at comedy are even more devastating. Ah well… the poor thing can be commended for her efforts, at least.

REVEAL OF CARDS

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and horribly. A long-anticipated development, really, yet quite a pity nonetheless. All the rumors that’ll spawn, the gossip, the finger-pointing. What a complete and utter disaster!.

SIGHTSEEING : CATTLERIDGE LAKE

Lacking the expectedly decrepit façade this haunted household radiates a jarringly unsettling ambiance as a maroon trail stains both ground and floor. The place speaks volumes, but specifics of the story it’s telling elude me. What happened?

SIGHTSEEING : BRANDYBROOK RUINS

A little town, desecrated, devoured by some unimaginable calamity, turned to dust and rubble and ash now. The heartbreaking sight, the horrid smell of sulfur in the air – these are enough to leave a somber imprint in one’s mind.

OMENS AND PREMONITIONS : NOTICE BOARD MISSIVE

A particular missive found its way into the usually trite array of memos. To peek beyond the horizon of present, to glimpse into uncertain future, to encapture the fate itself. A preposterous notion, yet such an enthralling one, too.

ENCOUNTERS: BACK FROM THE DITCH

A walking, living, breathing testament to the friendship of old, to the broken bond, to the unfulfilled ambition. Like a ghastly apparition he reinserted himself into our existence as if nothing had changed, but, in fact, everything did.

A SUSPICION : MARKED FOR DEATH

Making waves in the world is tantamount to making enemies, a certain percentage of those are bound to eventually bare their teeth. To discern whether a threat is hollow or not takes some guts. The risk, however, is never worth the payoff.

CALAMITIES : THE OTHERWORDLY STORM

Marble walls strained under the weight of otherworldly downpour, brickwork melted from the heatwave, malicious voices echoed all around. The State is breached by an unfathomable foe. It is no longer safe. It never will be. It never was.

A CLUE : WIIVAI

The voice rumbled thunderously above the silver peaks. “I am the storm that is approaching!” it said. “I am reclaimer of our name! Born in the flames, dragonking had been cursed! Our biding crest is a daemon of death!” What does it mean?

ENCOUNTERS : LIQUOR-ADDLED LIBRARIAN

What does it take to break a man, to drive him down a self-harming spiral of misery and woe? Perhaps, a sight of a friend turning to ash in an instant. How much does it take to cure the poor soul? More than a cold shower – that’s for sure. 

RECURRING NIGHTMARE : THE UNDERNEATH

A twisting memory of fractured key rests in my palm, all that’s left of it is a bow, a collar and half of the stem. I took it. I gave it away. I threw it to the ground. Which of the three did I do? Why would I recall this? Why now?

A CLUE : BOOK PLAGUE

A supernatural affliction brought by the not any less supernatural disaster. The books are safe, for now, as its aim was off a little. To much dismay – there are still casualties, a pair of injured minds. Where will this go from now?

SIGHTSEEING : EMPYREAN ENCLAVE

What is the reason for this uncanny allure which places of utter decay radiate? Oh, but this ruin is different. Through cracks and breaches seeps a ghastly odor of untimely, concentrated death and mud, intermixed with dried blood.

NEW EVIDENCE : BOOK PLAGUE

This is what all-round neglect of arcane gets you – a dire, desperate and exclusive option of burying a magic-imbued shank inside patients, hoping the act will somehow lift the curse. The list of victims will dwindle, one way… or the other.

LAWS AND POLITICS : ALL HAIL THE NEW ‘MAEHR

A modest gathering with the sole purpose of giving the voice to she who deserves it the most. The politely upbeat and rapidly dissipating crowd was more than the library suffered for quite a while. Here’s hoping this will change soon.

AN ACQUAINTANCE : ANYA ALFAKYN

To get a new start, to be bestowed a blank slate, to escape the ambiguous past: a noble array of things to pursue, but a hard one to get. She knows it firsthand, this faintly somber soul. A mountain of ancient books is as good a hideout as any.

BLOODSHED : THE CHECKER-FIELD

The stress, the pressure, the overwhelming thrill of battle. Steeds were mangled on the frontline, mighty towers crumbled and many footmen laid their heads for royalty. A good fight it was, superior to its real counterpart in all regards.

ENCOUNTERS : A FATEFUL MESSENGER

A plate-clad equestrian, though lacking a horse, trotted up and proclaimed a name he should not have known. A trinket glimmered in his hand, an invitation from nowhere. It would’ve been ludicrous to accept... but... foolish to refuse, too.

VENTURES : THE SEALED MAN

Ushered by frigid drafts, he shepherded us beyond the realms of men, towards forbidden truths. Guarded by beatific constructs were the decrepit yet awe-drawing halls immemorial and, beyond even them, there was… something… unfathomable.

DESTINY-BOUND SQUADRON

The most diverse of bands, containing but not limited to skilled arcanists, noble chevaliers, rebellious naturalists, exactly one blind lady and… a librarian. Haphazardly gathered and just as suddenly separated, they await the next turn.

A CLUE : THE SEALED MAN

Quite a troublesome task it is to go fishing for facts in the seething ocean of otherworldly exposition. Wretched insights overlap one another, cluttering the mind, but there is something to pluck. A few names, Setherion, Xandraza, and…

BURGUNDY TABLE

Many invaluable insights were passed over that night. A quick deal it is to reveal a secret. To recover it, however, is impossible. The one culpable for arranging such a get-together must surely possess ulterior motives… or insufficient wit.