Sundering the Gods - User contributions [en]

EoS Epilogue

2025-04-13T01:00:40Z

104.28.103.128: /* Epilogue: A Helping Hand */

= Epilogue: A Helping Hand =

Meliu awakens on the Fair Wind after Sedut drugs her with Terem fumes, learning Deelee sails safely with Temeru while probing Tomarok’s mystery—revealed by Sedut as a lost site from Ulrikt’s musings, possibly in the Fifth Treatise. Sailing the Parapet Straits, Sedut’s fleet faces Tek Thon warships, and she forces Meliu onto the Black Owl, which wrecks on a reef amid a storm and flaming arrows. Stranded, Meliu leaps to a rock and crawls ashore, rescued by Ulrikt’s spectral form—first as a boy she saved, then himself—hinting at deeper ties to Tomarok and her fate, leaving her exhausted but alive as he bids her sleep, her quest unresolved amidst new dangers and ancient secrets.

* [[Chapter 54]] — Tower in a Tower
* [[Trail of Pyres]]

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 54

2025-04-13T00:59:52Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifty-Four: Tower in a Tower */

= Chapter Fifty-Four: Tower in a Tower =

Solineus arrives at Herald’s Watch with Kinesee and Alu, reuniting with Ivin amidst news of Tokodin’s poisoning of Kotin, as the island’s food stores dwindle and the Fost falls to Shadows. Eredin returns on the Entiyu Emoño with Lelishen, reporting an advancing ice bridge, prompting Roplin’s evacuation order, though Eliles stays, using the Sliver of Star to summon eternal fire around the Watch, trapping Shadows and Taken with Artus, Jinbin, and others. Ivin, torn by love and duty, sails east with Solineus and Lelishen, watching Eliles’ fiery tower rise, a bittersweet hope as he vows to return, while her sacrifice seals Kaludor’s fate, leaving the Entiyu Emoño as the last ship fleeing a transformed island refuge.

* [[Chapter 53]] — Person, Place, or Thing?
* [[Epilogue]] — A Helping Hand

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 53

2025-04-13T00:59:13Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifty-Three: Person, Place, or Thing? */

= Chapter Fifty-Three: Person, Place, or Thing? =

Meliu searches Skywatch’s library for Tomarok without success, learning of Eredin’s arrival and the failed efforts against the Shadows’ ice bridge, prompting a Choerkin-ordered evacuation. With Deelee settled as “Urchin the Pious,” Meliu secures passage on the Entiyu Emoño with Intœño, who knows only of Tomlok, but is ambushed by Fedal, wielding Ulrikt’s seal, and coerced onto the Fair Wind. There, High Priestess Sedut—posing as Shae Turvil—reveals Adelin’s death and drugs Meliu after a tense exchange, trapping her as the ship prepares to sail, leaving Meliu’s quest for Tomarok and her fate in Sedut’s hands amidst Herald’s Watch’s orderly retreat from the encroaching Shadows.

* [[Chapter 52]] — Promises
* [[Chapter 54]] — Tower in a Tower

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 54

2025-04-13T00:58:46Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifty-Four: */

= Chapter Fifty-Four: Tower in a Tower =

Meliu searches Skywatch’s library for Tomarok without success, learning of Eredin’s arrival and the failed efforts against the Shadows’ ice bridge, prompting a Choerkin-ordered evacuation. With Deelee settled as “Urchin the Pious,” Meliu secures passage on the Entiyu Emoño with Intœño, who knows only of Tomlok, but is ambushed by Fedal, wielding Ulrikt’s seal, and coerced onto the Fair Wind. There, High Priestess Sedut—posing as Shae Turvil—reveals Adelin’s death and drugs Meliu after a tense exchange, trapping her as the ship prepares to sail, leaving Meliu’s quest for Tomarok and her fate in Sedut’s hands amidst Herald’s Watch’s orderly retreat from the encroaching Shadows.

* [[Chapter 53]] — Person, Place, or Thing?
* [[Epilogue]] — A Helping Hand

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 53

2025-04-13T00:57:18Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifty-Three: */

= Chapter Fifty-Three: Person, Place, or Thing? =

Kinesee and Alu hide in a chicken coop from Taken kin—Papa (Iku), Oleu, Dom, Medlin, and Ito—eating scavenged food as their settlement lies in ruins. Alu kills Dom with a spear when he finds them, sparking a desperate run to a dory, where Medlin and Ito drag it back until Solineus arrives, beheading Ito and freeing the boat. Using the Twins, he slays Oleu and Iku in their burning home, dispersing their Shadows with steel and fire, then rows the girls to safety, joined by Tengkur. After burning the Taken, he shares tales of the Steaming Lakes to ease their grief, linking up with a fishing boat bound for Herald’s Watch, fulfilling his promise to Iku to save his daughters and free his soul, though guilt lingers for those he couldn’t save.

* [[Chapter 52]] — Promises
* [[Chapter 54]] — Tower in a Tower

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 51

2025-04-13T00:56:08Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifty-One: Ugly Bird's Tears */

= Chapter Fifty-One: Ugly Bird's Tears =

Meliu and Deelee disembark the Januel’s Grace at Herald’s Watch after a grueling voyage, navigating crowded docks to seek refuge at Skywatch. Learning of Kotin Choerkin’s poisoning by Tokodin—whose head she finds impaled—Meliu bluffs past guards with Ulrikt’s scroll, claiming ties to Ivin and Eredin. At Skywatch, she reunites with Temeru, who reveals Meris’ death and the scroll’s magical shift from “Flee Kaludor” to “Sail to Tomarok,” stunning Meliu with its implications. Amid rising anti-holy sentiment and fears of Shadows’ ice reaching the Watch, Meliu grapples with Tokodin’s betrayal and her next move, her resolve hardening as she questions Ulrikt’s intent and her place in the unfolding chaos.

* [[Chapter 50]] — Safety of Barren Rock
* [[Chapter 52]] — Promises

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 52

2025-04-13T00:55:34Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Fifty-Two: Promises =

Kinesee and Alu hide in a chicken coop from Taken kin—Papa (Iku), Oleu, Dom, Medlin, and Ito—eating scavenged food as their settlement lies in ruins. Alu kills Dom with a spear when he finds them, sparking a desperate run to a dory, where Medlin and Ito drag it back until Solineus arrives, beheading Ito and freeing the boat. Using the Twins, he slays Oleu and Iku in their burning home, dispersing their Shadows with steel and fire, then rows the girls to safety, joined by Tengkur. After burning the Taken, he shares tales of the Steaming Lakes to ease their grief, linking up with a fishing boat bound for Herald’s Watch, fulfilling his promise to Iku to save his daughters and free his soul, though guilt lingers for those he couldn’t save.

* [[Chapter 51]] — Ugly Bird's Tears
* [[Chapter 53]] — Person, Place, or Thing?

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 51

2025-04-13T00:54:02Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifty-One: */

= Chapter Fifty-One: Ugly Bird's Tears =

Kinesee and Alu hide in a chicken coop from Taken kin—Papa (Iku), Oleu, Dom, Medlin, and Ito—eating scavenged food as their settlement lies in ruins. Alu kills Dom with a spear when he finds them, sparking a desperate run to a dory, where Medlin and Ito drag it back until Solineus arrives, beheading Ito and freeing the boat. Using the Twins, he slays Oleu and Iku in their burning home, dispersing their Shadows with steel and fire, then rows the girls to safety, joined by Tengkur. After burning the Taken, he shares tales of the Steaming Lakes to ease their grief, linking up with a fishing boat bound for Herald’s Watch, fulfilling his promise to Iku to save his daughters and free his soul, though guilt lingers for those he couldn’t save.

* [[Chapter 50]] — Safety of Barren Rock
* [[Chapter 52]] — Promises

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 50

2025-04-13T00:50:37Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Thirty: */

= Chapter Thirty: Safety of Barren Rock =

Ivin and Eliles arrive at Herald’s Watch on the Entiyu Emoño, greeted by Roplin, only to face tragedy as Tokodin poisons Kotin and Rikis with ale, then kills himself, leaving a die as a cryptic marker. Kotin dies despite Eliles’ efforts, and Izilfer saves Rikis, who lashes out in poisoned rage, as the family mourns at the Smoking Rock pyre. Meanwhile, Meris, healed by Ulrikt, jumps or is pushed from the Watch Tower after misreading a prophecy that killed Peneluple, guided by a boy (the Face), her death sparking Ivin’s suspicion and Eliles’ recall of the Touched’s tower prophecy amid monkshood blooms. The Watch teems with refugees, its leaders grappling with Shadows, Taken, and dwindling hope, as Ivin and Eliles seek answers in a world unraveling around them.

* [[Chapter 49]] — Swarming Maggots
* [[Chapter 51]] — Ugly Bird's Tears

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 49

2025-04-13T00:48:46Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Nine: */

= Chapter Forty-Nine: Swarming Maggots =

Meliu and Deelee equip themselves with sealskin boots and dresses in the Fost, witnessing a surreal standoff where Taken meditate under a great Shadow’s ice-making trance, fought by Eredin with the Crystal Sword and Sedut’s energy. After Eredin saves Meliu from pursuing Shadows, they secure passage on the Januel’s Grace when Captain Lodol kills Simund to fit them aboard, his cold logic clashing with her fury as they sail from the besieged docks. Struggling with seasickness, eased by Storm Tea, Meliu reaches Herald’s Watch after days at sea, her relief tempered by the overcrowded harbor and lingering distrust of Lodol, as Deelee’s joy contrasts with her grim outlook on their new haven.

* [[Chapter 48]] — Castles and Pearls
* [[Chapter 50]] — Safety of Barren Rock

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 48

2025-04-13T00:46:47Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Eight: */

= Chapter Forty-Eight: Castles and Pearls =

Kinesee and Alu defend her sand palace from the Migu Tortoise Fank on their coastal settlement’s beach, only for Shadows and Taken to attack, killing Odet and turning Uncle Dom and Papa into monsters. The sisters hide behind Fank, then flee to a cave beneath an oak, using Kinesee’s glowing pearl to summon Solineus, who promises to come as a Shadow probes their refuge but retreats from the light and Tengkur the goat. After a sleepless night, they return home at dawn, finding corpses and gathering supplies, but Papa’s appearance as a Taken outside their coop forces them to huddle in fear, clinging to Solineus’ distant voice for hope as their world collapses around them.

* [[Chapter 47]] — Sisterly Love
* [[Chapter 49]] — Swarming Maggots

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 47

2025-04-13T00:45:21Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Forty-Seven: Sisterly Love =

Meliu reacts to a Shadow’s scream in the Fost by sending Jinbin with ale to the Luxun ship while she races to warn High Priestess Adelin in the temple, finding her and Sedut resolved to fight rather than flee. Doubting Ulrikt’s motives, Meliu flees as Shadows and Taken overrun the city, missing the departing Entiyu Emoño—carrying Ivin, Eliles, and Jinbin—after using Light to escape a mob and diving into icy waters with Heat prayer to survive. She rescues a boy and Deelee, discovering water’s power to destroy Shadows, and adopts Deelee as a sister to strategize their escape, witnessing the Fost’s desperate battle from the docks as priests and Choerkin resist a giant Shadow’s onslaught, leaving her stranded but determined amidst chaos.

* [[Chapter 46]] — Reunions and Departures
* [[Chapter 48]] — Castles and Pearrls

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 46

2025-04-13T00:43:42Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Six: */

= Chapter Forty-Six: Reunions and Departures =

Ivin leads Eliles, Solineus, Lelishen, Tokodin, and Rinold south from Istinjoln, finding Ervinhin abandoned and Merutven burning as Shadows close in, pushing them to reach the Fost by morning. Arriving exhausted, they learn Lord Lovar was murdered on the Eve of Snows, leaving Eredin as clan head, who opts to stay and fight with volunteers, accepting Ivin’s Crystal Sword to kill Shadows. Solineus departs to save a fisher family from Taken, while the others board the overcrowded Luxun ship Entiyu Emoño, secured by Lelishen’s favor with Captain Intœño, as Shadows and Taken overrun the docks, freezing the bay. Eliles’ flames falter against a giant Shadow—Ulrikt’s voice taunting—forcing a desperate leap to the ship, where she reunites with Jinbin, and Ivin briefs Intœño on their foe, their escape to Herald’s Watch marred by loss and lingering threats.

* [[Chapter 45]] — Crown and Moons
* [[Chapter 47]] — Sisterly Love

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 45

2025-04-13T00:41:47Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Five: */

= Chapter Forty-Five: Crown and Moons =

Meliu races to fulfill Ulrikt’s order to meet High Priestess Adelin at the Burning Rock near the Fost, using her Light prayer to calm refugees fleeing Istinjoln’s fall and join their trek. When Adelin fails to appear, Meliu opens Ulrikt’s scroll, revealing the command “Flee Kaludor,” prompting her to secure passage on the Luxun ship Entiyu Emoño with Captain Intœño, bartering ale from Jinbin’s stash despite its delay for a mysterious lady. As she navigates the Fost’s wary guards and hostile crowds, Meliu spots Ivin, Eliles, Tokodin, and others arriving bloodied from Istinjoln, confirming the Shadows’ threat and spurring her to hasten her escape. Torn between reunion and survival, she opts for the latter, rallying Jinbin for a swift departure as the city braces for an encroaching evil she knows too well.

* [[Chapter 44]] — Shadows in Istinjoln
* [[Chapter 46]] — Reunions and Departures

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 44

2025-04-13T00:40:21Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Four: Shadows in Istinjoln */

= Chapter Forty-Four: Shadows in Istinjoln =

The Touched’s final gift of reversed time allows Eliles, Ivin, and their companions to escape the Steaming Lakes ahead of their enemies, witnessing their past selves enter the fog as they climb out with Colok aid. Returning to Istinjoln, they find it eerily quiet, the Celestial Gate still active, and launch an assault to destroy it, with Eliles wielding the Sliver of Star’s fiery power against Taken and Shadows. Solineus kills the Broldun lord priest with the Twins, but Ulrikt’s voice tempts Eliles to surrender, countered by Dareun’s ghostly warning, leading her to unleash controlled flames for escape rather than total destruction. The group retreats, bloodied but alive, losing three Colok, and rides for Ervinhin with Tokodin, drunken and resentful, trailing behind, as Istinjoln burns but the Gate endures, leaving their mission unresolved and Ulrikt unchallenged.

* [[Chapter 43]] — Freed from Darkness
* [[Chapter 45]] — Crown and Moons

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 44

2025-04-13T00:40:00Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Four: */

= Chapter Forty-Four: Shadows in Istinjoln =

The Touched’s final gift of reversed time allows Eliles, Ivin, and their companions to escape the Steaming Lakes ahead of their enemies, witnessing their past selves enter the fog as they climb out with Colok aid. Returning to Istinjoln, they find it eerily quiet, the Celestial Gate still active, and launch an assault to destroy it, with Eliles wielding the Sliver of Star’s fiery power against Taken and Shadows. Solineus kills the Broldun lord priest with the Twins, but Ulrikt’s voice tempts Eliles to surrender, countered by Dareun’s ghostly warning, leading her to unleash controlled flames for escape rather than total destruction. The group retreats, bloodied but alive, losing three Colok, and rides for Ervinhin with Tokodin, drunken and resentful, trailing behind, as Istinjoln burns but the Gate endures, leaving their mission unresolved and Ulrikt unchallenged.

* [[Chapter 43]] — Freed from Darkness
* [[Chapter 45]] — Crowns and Moons

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 43

2025-04-13T00:38:28Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Three: */

= Chapter Forty-Three: Freed from Darkness =

Meris awakens injured in darkness, soon facing a resurrected Lord Priest Ulrikt, who claims Sol returned him from the Road of Living Stars—without the Sliver of Star—to lead the Silone into a new Panthenate era under the Prophecy of the Twelfth Star, tied to the Eye of the Fire Lion. Ulrikt heals Meris and offers her a choice between death or continued service, assigning her a final duty involving murder, which she accepts before departing Istinjoln in a wagon, wary of its troubles. Meanwhile, Dareun’s spirit, haunted by his torture and death, searches Istinjoln’s depths, discovering his and Ulrikt’s bodies in the oubliette, a pit for feral children, prompting him to question the Church’s treatment of such magic and Ulrikt’s true identity. The chapter intertwines Meris’ renewed purpose and Dareun’s revelations, exposing layers of deception and divine intrigue within Istinjoln’s decaying walls.

* [[Chapter 42]] — Tomb of the Touched
* [[Chapter 44]] — Shadows in Istinjoln

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 42

2025-04-13T00:36:16Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-Two: */

= Chapter Forty-Two: Tomb of the Touched =

Eliles, Ivin, Solineus, Lelishen, Rinold, and Tokodin arrive at the Steaming Lakes via Zjin’s wolf sleds on the 25th of Yistole, five days post-Eve, facing icy winds and a steam-filled basin. Eliles, warmed by Ivin’s shy embrace, slides down an icy slope into the marsh, leading the group to an unnamed crypt guarded by Wakened Dead. Her feral flames light their path through a pristine marble tomb, revealing passive skeletons and a speaking, armed Wakened giant who invites dialogue after Eliles navigates the horde. Lelishen translates an earlier crypt as Old Hostorun, while Shadows and Taken approach, avoided via water. The group, wary of the Wakened and pursued by demons, follows the giant deeper, balancing hope for the Sliver of Star against the crypt’s eerie wonders and lurking threats.

* [[Chapter 41]] — Ageless Catacomb of a Past Age
* [[Chapter 43]] — Freed from Darkness

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 41

2025-04-13T00:35:01Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty-One: */

= Chapter Forty-One: Ageless Catacombs of a Past Age =

Eliles, Ivin, Solineus, Lelishen, Rinold, and Tokodin arrive at the Steaming Lakes via Zjin’s wolf sleds on the 25th of Yistole, five days post-Eve, facing icy winds and a steam-filled basin. Eliles, warmed by Ivin’s shy embrace, slides down an icy slope into the marsh, leading the group to an unnamed crypt guarded by Wakened Dead. Her feral flames light their path through a pristine marble tomb, revealing passive skeletons and a speaking, armed Wakened giant who invites dialogue after Eliles navigates the horde. Lelishen translates an earlier crypt as Old Hostorun, while Shadows and Taken approach, avoided via water. The group, wary of the Wakened and pursued by demons, follows the giant deeper, balancing hope for the Sliver of Star against the crypt’s eerie wonders and lurking threats.

* [[Chapter 40]] — Pretty Burd Flying
* [[Chapter 42]] — Tomb of the Touched

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 40

2025-04-13T00:33:37Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty: Pretty Bird Flying */

= Chapter Forty: Pretty Bird Flying =

Three days after the Eve of Snows, Meliu rides south with Jinbin, delivering Ulrikt’s sealed scroll to Choerkin Fost, savoring the freedom of the open road after years in Istinjoln’s tunnels. A warden warns of Shadows swarming Istinjoln, spurring their pace, but Meliu delays pushing the ponies, cherishing tranquility amid autumnal beauty. In Amdan, they swap mounts, and Jinbin presses her about Istinjoln’s “demons,” linking them to her Crack of Burdenis scars. Meliu admits the Codex of Sol’s reality but denies deeper knowledge, silencing him as suspicion grows about Ulrikt’s trust in her and Jinbin’s role. Warning the stablehand of northern peril, they ride on, Meliu grappling with Ulrikt’s foresight and her mission’s stakes, urging speed over ale to reach the Fost.

* [[Chapter 39]] — Running Wolves
* [[Chapter 41]] — Ageless Catacombs of a Past Age

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 40

2025-04-13T00:32:42Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Forty: */

= Chapter Forty: Pretty Bird Flying =

Three days after the Eve of Snows, Meliu rides south with Jinbin, delivering Ulrikt’s sealed scroll to Choerkin Fost, savoring the freedom of the open road after years in Istinjoln’s tunnels. A warden warns of Shadows swarming Istinjoln, spurring their pace, but Meliu delays pushing the ponies, cherishing tranquility amid autumnal beauty. In Amdan, they swap mounts, and Jinbin presses her about Istinjoln’s “demons,” linking them to her Crack of Burdenis scars. Meliu admits the Codex of Sol’s reality but denies deeper knowledge, silencing him as suspicion grows about Ulrikt’s trust in her and Jinbin’s role. Warning the stablehand of northern peril, they ride on, Meliu grappling with Ulrikt’s foresight and her mission’s stakes, urging speed over ale to reach the Fost.

* [[Chapter 39]] — Running Wolves
* [[Chapter 41]] — Ageless Catacombs of Ages Past

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 39

2025-04-13T00:31:17Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-Nine: Running Wolves =

Ivin leads the wardens, Solineus, Eliles, Lelishen, and Ilpen from Istinjoln’s Shadow outbreak to a camp where Tokodin waits, shaken but alive. Amid thunder from the monastery, Ivin lights a lantern to signal Zjin’s Colok, learning from Lelishen that Ulrikt’s false Sliver failed to summon Sol, instead unleashing Shadows and a green-eyed lord needing the true Sliver. Eliles confirms Dareun’s ghostly warning, sparking tension with Pikarn, whom Solineus challenges. Ivin assigns Pikarn, Puxele, and most wardens to warn Choerkin Fost, while he, Eliles, Solineus, Lelishen, Tokodin, and Rinold head to the Steaming Lakes to secure the true Sliver from crypts guarded by Wakened Dead. Zjin arrives with wolf sleds, and despite initial reluctance, agrees to transport them north. At a snow-buried outpost, they rest briefly before dawn, boarding sleds—Ivin with Eliles, Solineus with Lelishen, Tokodin with Rinold and ale—embarking on a tense, wind-whipped journey to thwart the Shadows’ lord.

* [[Chapter 38]] — Eve of Snows
* [[Chapter 40]] — Pretty Bird Flying
|
* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 39

2025-04-13T00:30:56Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Thirty-Nine: */

EoS Chapter 38

2025-04-13T00:29:33Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-Eight: Eve of Snows =

Dareun, a sundered ghost, watches Ulrikt plan a ritual with Sedut and Dunkol, revealing a false Sliver of Star meant to summon Sol’s hand. When Ulrikt possesses Dunkol with a Shadow, Dareun flees to awaken Solineus, guiding him to Eliles’ cell. Solineus, roused by Dareun, urges Eliles to escape as Ulrikt’s ritual begins, donning priest robes to raise the portcullis amid a reality-warping beam. Ivin and the wardens charge Istinjoln as the gates open, finding Shadows erupting from Ulrikt’s failed ritual, with Dunkol possessed and Ulrikt floating. Puxele’s arrows fail, and a massive Shadow entity breaches the sky, forcing a retreat. Solineus, Lelishen, and Ilpen join Ivin’s group, fleeing with Eliles as Shadows overrun Istinjoln, allying as Solineus (Emudar) and Ivin (Choerkin) vow to fight back with Colok aid.

* [[Chapter 37]] — The Risen Lord
* [[Chapter 39]] — Running Wolves

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 37

2025-04-13T00:28:14Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Risen Lord =

Meliu, numbed by Dareun’s Sundering and Ulrikt’s resurrection, dozes in her Istinjoln cell, reliving the day in dreams where a serpent and raven prophecy a New Age via the Codex of Sol, linking Shadows to the Fire Lion’s burning eye. Ulrikt awakens her, entrusting a sealed scroll for High Priestess Adelin at Choerkin Fost’s Burning Rock in five days, urging speed and secrecy. Joined by Jinbin, a jovial monk with ale-laden ponies, Meliu rides south under moonlight, distracted by his brewing tales. A chilling pulse and celestial beam from Istinjoln interrupt their journey, echoing her Shrine of Burdenis trauma, spurring their ponies into a frantic trot as she recalls the serpent’s words, laughing despite the ominous portent.

* [[Chapter 36]] — Barred from the Stars
* [[Chapter 38]] — Eve of Snows

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 36

2025-04-13T00:26:53Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Thirty-Six: */

= Chapter Thirty-Six: Barred from the Stars =

Eliles joins Istinjoln’s priests at Ulrikt’s funeral, mourning Dareun amid a bleak Eve’s eve, noting all seven lord priests present, including Broldun’s, suggesting a pre-planned gathering. Sedut arrives, delivering the Sliver of Star, reviving Ulrikt from his sarcophagus. Ulrikt declares Dareun’s confession—blaming Choerkin—false, sundering him with the Sliver’s winds, proclaiming Holy War to summon the Sword of Sol against Choerkin. Eliles, enraged, summons feral flames, restrained by Dareun’s ghost calming her. As a sundered spirit, Dareun witnesses his execution, relieved Eliles relents, then meets Solineus and Lelishen. Solineus, seeing him, seeks aid to kill Ulrikt, and Dareun, bitter from betrayal, agrees to help protect Eliles, navigating his ghostly state amid Ulrikt’s war chant.

* [[Chapter 35]] — Beaten to the Kill
* [[Chapter 37]] — The Risen Lord

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 35

2025-04-13T00:25:27Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Thirty-Five: */

= Chapter Thirty-Five: Beaten to the Kill =

Solineus navigates Istinjoln’s tense silence on the twentieth of Yistole, noting doubled guards and sealed exits post-Ulrikt’s reported death, thwarting his assassination plan. Seeking answers, he finds Lelishen’s pilgrim ruse failing with priests, when Eliles, Ilpen’s distressed friend, collides with him, revealing Ulrikt’s explosive death and Dareun’s confession. Stunned his target is “dead,” Solineus comforts her, summoning Ilpen, then retreats to the storehouses. There, he interrupts Lelishen’s plea to a monk, disclosing Ulrikt’s fate, prompting her to drop her facade. Admitting she’s a Trelelunin sent by the Edan to observe the Eve, Lelishen’s shock at Solineus’ eler imosta greeting—“Uvolum, lorebol kellis”—reveals his deeper roots. He confesses his mission from a dream woman, confirmed by a sailor, but Lelishen can’t aid a “dead” man’s killer, leaving Solineus reeling with fragmented identity and purpose as priests approach.

* [[Chapter 34]] — Ambush Choke
* [[Chapter 36]] — Barred from the Stars

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 34

2025-04-13T00:23:20Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-Four: Ambush Choke =

Ivin, Pikarn, and Tokodin lead wardens and Colok in the Ambush Chokes, targeting priests carrying the Sliver of Star. Puxele signals the attack, and arrows, stones, and Colok spears slaughter most of the fifty-six holies, but High Priestess Sedut unleashes a deadly aura with the artifact, shredding attackers before vanishing, fleeing south on horseback. Ivin’s group pursues, joined by Zjin, but loses her trail in the foothills, rallying fresh horses at Ervinhin. Wardens there report no sighting, and Ivin sends Zjin east while planning to warn Choerkin Fost via riders, doubting their odds against Sedut’s power. Frigid winds force shelter in a cave, where Tokodin, rolling dice and clutching poison, doubts Sedut’s capture, lamenting war’s toll as Ivin concedes their chance may be lost, haunted by the massacre’s moral cost.

* [[Chapter 33]] — Snow's Eye
* [[Chapter 35]] — Beaten to the Kill

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 33

2025-04-13T00:22:04Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-Three: Snow's Eye =

Ivin and Pikarn’s wardens trek through snowy Estertok Mountains to Snow’s Eye, battling icy winds and drifts. At the tower, Zjin’s Colok escort them past Shadows to face Taken, including Suvarn, in a brutal pass skirmish. Colok strength and warden blades prevail, but Modan is gravely injured by a Shadow, saved by Zjin. At Snow’s Eye, Tokodin reveals Istinjoln’s Steaming Lakes camp and the Sliver of Star, tying Shadows to Ulrikt’s plot via the Codex of Sol and Ailing Stars Prophecy. Zjin demands an Omindi ambush to stop the priests, believing they summon a Shadow king, “Zwinfolkum.” Ivin, pressured by clan blood, chooses war despite innocent deaths, sending Puxele to rally Ervinhin. Tokodin, conflicted, eases Modan’s pain with prayers, clutching poison, torn between Istinjoln’s betrayal and war’s cost, envying yet pitying Ivin’s doomed nobility.

* [[Chapter 32]] — Scat and Blood
* [[Chapter 34]] — Ambush Choke

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 32

2025-04-13T00:20:30Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-Two: Scat and Blood =

Dareun awakens in a cell, beaten and dosed with Cloud Water, interrogated by Woxlin, who accuses him of Ulrikt’s murder. Denying it, Dareun deflects to Meris, but Woxlin returns as Ulrikt, revealing his survival and staging his death to flush out the real assassin, forcing Dareun to confess with Eliles’ safety threatened. Ulrikt, shape-shifting, heals Dareun’s face briefly, offering execution or torture with Sundering, leaving him to choose. Meanwhile, Eliles prays at Etinbin’s shrine, learning from Woxlin of Dareun’s confession, devastated yet vowing revenge. Sandele guides her to Dareun’s cell, where he, battered, begs her not to save him, warning against Choerkin trust. Eliles swears by Januel to honor his wish, planning to seek Ilpen for gossip, but guards block Upper Istinjoln. Back in his cell, Dareun confesses to Woxlin, signing a scroll, only for a Broldun inquisitor to take over, torturing him brutally despite his compliance, breaking his face and thumb as Woxlin abandons him.

* [[Chapter 31]] — Written in Glory
* [[Chapter 33]] — Snow's Eye

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 31

2025-04-13T00:19:17Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty-one: Written in Glory =

Meris, High Oracle of Skywatch, feels stifled in the cramped Hall of Bontore during the Night of Bones, missing Skywatch’s starry solitude. Tasked with divining fates, she reads smoothed bones with precision, detached until Eliles’ turn. Noting the girl’s doubly smoothed bone, Meris names her “Priestess of Sol’s Fire” of Istinjoln, tying her to Ulrikt with unusually strong cracks, suspecting his intent to control her. High priests’ honest bones follow, rekindling Meris’ passion, until Ulrikt’s turn. Recognizing a smoothed, enchanted clavicle—impossible under its deadly wards—Meris realizes her summons by the Lord’s Face was to kill Ulrikt, confirmed by his knowing whisper. Striking the bone, an explosion blinds and wounds her, killing Ulrikt instantly. As consciousness fades, Meris grasps her role in his doom, hoping to survive and understand why.

* [[Chapter 30]] — Breaking Bones
* [[Chapter 32]] — Scat and Blood

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 30

2025-04-13T00:10:41Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Thirty: Breaking Bones =

Eliles skips Night of Bones preparations to spy on Ivin from Istinjoln’s northern wall, watching him whittle until Modan’s wardens arrive, departing with Pikarn. Ilpen enters with Solineus and Lelishen, startling Eliles, who senses Lelishen’s Trelelunin nature with feral magic, panicking and fleeing to the tunnels. At the Hall of Bontore, Meris names Eliles “Priestess of Sol’s Fire” of Istinjoln, tying her to Ulrikt’s service, crushing her escape hopes. During Ulrikt’s divination, an exploding bone kills him and injures Meris, sparking chaos. Dareun urges Eliles to hide, suspecting her, and she seeks safety in Etinbin’s shrine amid panic. Dareun aids Meris, pondering the assassination’s precision, when priests attack him, suspecting his role, leaving him bound and struck unconscious as the hall empties.

* [[Chapter 29]] — Fortress Over Maze
* [[Chapter 31]] — Written in Glory

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 29

2025-04-13T00:06:42Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Twenty-Nine: Fortress Over Maze =

Solineus rides Ilpen’s wagon into Istinjoln, enduring Lelishen’s chatter—quiet until sparked—while nursing journey-induced aches. Lelishen shares family tales and Istinjoln’s tunnel maze, hinting at shrines as Solineus probes for Eve of Snows details, learning Ulrikt rarely appears publicly, dimming his assassination hopes. Ilpen confirms the festival’s food and booze, noting Pikarn’s wardens departing as they arrive, suggesting trouble. At Istinjoln’s gates, Solineus marvels at its defenses, contrasting it with Choerkin Fost. Lelishen’s stare at Eliles, followed by a flimsy lie, piques his suspicion of her pilgrim facade. Stretching sore limbs in the bailey, Solineus eyes the fortress’ trap-like design, plotting a lone strike on Ulrikt, joining Ilpen and Lelishen for a meal while keeping a wary eye on her hidden depths.

* [[Chapter 28]] — Rider's Return
* [[Chapter 30]] — Breaking Bones

EoS Chapter 28

2025-04-13T00:05:16Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Twenty-Eight: Rider's Return =

vin awakens in Istinjoln, interrupted from dreams of Eliles by Fronk, sharing her intel—minus the fire sprite—with Pikarn over breakfast. Pikarn tests Woxlin with Broldun rumors, confirming Dunkol’s presence despite denials, opting to stay another day. Ivin whittles aimlessly until Modan returns with Puxele, recounting a Shadow chase and Colok rescue in the Omindi, revealing Tokodin and Zjin’s request for Choerkin talks at Snow’s Eye about a shared Shadow foe—possibly Istinjoln. Pikarn, wary of monastery ears, orders a swift ride to meet the Colok, silencing Ivin’s Istinjoln rebellion theory. As they depart, Ivin spots Ilpen’s wagon with Solineus and Lelishen entering Istinjoln, musing on his name’s mixed blessings and Eliles’ absence, relieved to escape the fortress’ potential trap.

* [[Chapter 27]] — Nearing the Son
* [[Chapter 29]] — Fortress Over Maze

EoS Chapter 27

2025-04-13T00:03:15Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twnety-Seven: */

= Chapter Twnety-Seven: Nearing the Son =

Eliles awakens in Istinjoln’s stable loft, itchy from hay after meeting Ivin, plotting escape post-Night of Bones to avoid Ulrikt’s threats. She sneaks past Feres, brushing hay from her robes, and joins morning prayers in the First Hall, masking her absence with a guard’s excuse. Reflecting on Ivin—his blond rarity and kindness—she dismisses romantic thoughts as feral magic’s illusion, focusing on Shadows and Celestial Gates she lacks knowledge to unravel. Woxlin’s sudden praise and hand kiss unnerve her, hinting at suspicion, while Dareun’s comforting lie about her troubles deepens her guilt. Planning to flee during the Eve of Snows’ drunken chaos, Eliles clings to survival, torn between Dareun’s pride in her priesthood and her need to escape Istinjoln’s dangers.

* [[Chapter 26]] — A Scar Lost
* [[Chapter 28]] — Rider's Return

EoS Chapter 26

2025-04-12T23:59:59Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twenty-Six: */

= Chapter Twenty-Six: A Scar Lost =

Meliu delivers the locked Codex of Sol to Woxlin at Istinjoln with pride and regret, unable to peek inside despite her lock-picking skills from childhood. Woxlin hands it to a priestess for Ulrikt and sends Meliu to healers, but she follows the Codex’s path through a trapdoor, seeking the Hall of Erginle. Alone, she reflects on her father Trime’s disdain for pity, dreading it over her scalp scar. Ulrikt finds her, healing her wounds with Erginle’s prayer, erasing scars and infection with a flirtatious charm, vowing to contain the Shadows from the Crack using the Codex. Grateful, Meliu prays to Erginle and Tulule as Ulrikt promises future talks, but days later, he dies unexpectedly. She prays again, thanking his soul for her restoration, left with unanswered questions about the Shadows and Codex.

* [[Chapter 25]] — Holy Mole
* [[Chapter 27]] — Nearing the Son

EoS Chapter 25

2025-04-12T23:54:20Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter 25: Failing Visions =

Ivin awakens sore in Ervinhin, joining Pikarn, Meliu, and Puxele in a tense debate over Modan’s fate. Puxele demands a search, Meliu insists on Istinjoln despite infection, but Pikarn delays both, awaiting Modan and better weather. By dawn, Puxele leads a party to the Omindi, leaving Pikarn, Ivin, and others to escort Meliu to Istinjoln as her wounds heal. Arriving at the majestic yet foreboding monastery, Ivin admires its grandeur while wary of its secrets. Woxlin greets them, taking Meliu’s book and spinning half-truths about Shadows emerging a year ago, claiming containment efforts failed despite the book’s guidance. Pikarn calls out the lies, planning to monitor the Eve externally. That night, a fire sprite lures Ivin to Eliles, a postulant revealing Guntar’s scroll: Istinjoln’s ritual to speak with Sol unleashed Shadows, not Colok, as Woxlin claimed. She hints at Fermiden’s lord priest and a power grab, urging secrecy. Captivated by her, Ivin agrees to keep watch, dreaming of her as a bride amid fitful sleep.

* [[Chapter 24]] — Holy Mole
* [[Chapter 26]] — A Scar Lost

EoS Chapter 24

2025-04-12T23:52:19Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twenty-Four: */

= Chapter Twenty-Four: Failing Visions =

Meris, High Oracle of Skywatch, arrives at Istinjoln after a grueling wagon journey, summoned by the Lord’s Face for the Eve of Snows. Aching and sleepless in the monastery’s dark chambers, she longs for Skywatch’s starry refuge. Ulrikt greets her warmly in his lavish chambers, showcasing ancient artifacts of unknown origin, revealing their shared history—her prophecy at his ascension forty years prior: “You will get to know she who writes your destiny.” He insists she’s that oracle, seeking to know her personally before she breaks bones for the grand Eve, aligned with the Road of Living Stars. Meris, wary from the Lord’s Face’s threats, probes his intent, admitting her identity as Skywatch itself, while her guilt over murdering Peneluple Choerkin slips out. Ulrikt listens intently to her mundane past, offering no clear purpose beyond prophecy, leaving her puzzled by his interest as wine loosens her tongue.

* [[Chapter 23]] — Digging Deeper
* [[Chapter 25]] — Holy Mole

EoS Chapter 23

2025-04-12T23:50:27Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twenty-Three: */

= Chapter Twenty-Three: Digging Deeper =

Eliles, sleepless from Rovol’s death, attends prayers in the First Hall, where Woxlin declares Rovol’s execution by Thrown to the Thorns a sanctioned act for falsifying a scroll, branding him forgotten. At the Alcove of Sol, Ulrikt paralyzes her with prayer, revealing he knows of her library visit, sparing her for curiosity but threatening death if she speaks of the scroll, hinting at her potential to succeed him. Shaken, Eliles resolves to flee Istinjoln despite Dareun, bolstered by Ivin Choerkin and Pikarn’s arrival with Meliu and wardens. Recognizing Ivin as Kotin’s son and Pikarn as a priest-hating ally from her past, she hides in the stable loft, planning to use feral magic to meet Ivin at night, seeking alliance against Ulrikt’s grip as the Eve of Snows nears.

* [[Chapter 22]] — Gift of Words
* [[Chapter 24]] — Failing Visions

EoS Chapter 22

2025-04-12T23:48:02Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twenty-Two: */

= Chapter Twenty-Two: Gift of Words =

Solineus and Ilpen depart Bloody Pebble after breakfast, passing the hanged slinger—Solineus’ prior victim—prompting Ilpen to share a tale of lynching a thief, which Solineus accepts without guilt. They reach Choerkin Fost by midday, its fortified docks bustling with trade, including Luxun ships sparking Solineus’ fragmented memory. A woman’s voice, eerily like the lady from his dreams, seeks passage to Istinjoln; Solineus intervenes, meeting Lelishen, a talkative pilgrim who pays Ilpen gold for a swift trip, relegating Solineus to the wagon’s back. Hadin Elost, a Resten survivor, recognizes Solineus as Adinvan’s son and Emudar clan-blood, offering passage home, but Solineus declines, bound for Istinjoln. Accepting his identity despite unease, he boards the cramped wagon with Lelishen, pondering his dangerous past as they depart.

* [[Chapter 21]] — Chasing Choerkin
* [[Chapter 23]] — Digging Deeper

EoS Chapter 21

2025-04-12T23:41:35Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twenty-One: */

= Chapter Twenty-One: Chasing Choerkin =

Tokodin tends to Mecum, dying in an Estertok cave, tormented by Shadow nightmares, as Zjin prepares him to warn Choerkin. Dressed in stolen priest robes, Tokodin rides a Tundra Wolf sled with Zjin, marveling at the Colok’s speed and wolf teams despite a painful tumble. They reach Omindi Pass cliffs overlooking the Crack of Burdenis, feeling a shrine pulse as Shadows emerge. Zjin carries Tokodin to intercept Modan’s fleeing warden patrol, pursued by silent Shadows. The Colok shield the wardens, and Tokodin, mistaken for a priest, pleads to speak to a Choerkin, learning Ivin and Pikarn are trapped in the Crack. Shadows surround them, ignoring Tokodin and Colok, as he clings to Modan’s horse, resigned to warn or die amid escalating chaos.

* [[Chapter 20]] — Blood in the Briar
* [[Chapter 22]] — Gift of Words

EoS Chapter 20

2025-04-12T23:40:22Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twnety: Blood in the Briar */

= Chapter Twenty: Blood in the Briar =

Eliles awakens with a scroll sewn into her robes, attending prayers before burning it in the kitchen hearth, shaken by Istinjoln’s silence on the Crack of Burdenis crisis. A maid announces a priest thrown to the thorns, and Eliles, suspecting Rovol’s fate for copying the scroll, joins Sandele and others on the wall. The bloody, tongue-less body in the vines confirms her fears, and guilt battles her resolve to feign innocence. Jumel speculates callously on Rovol’s crimes, while Eliles masks her emotions, fleeing to Dareun’s chambers. There, Woxlin reacts to the news, leaving to investigate, and Dareun comforts Eliles, linking her tears to a childhood memory of a similar punishment. She hides her role in Rovol’s death, clinging to survival as she nears her escape, haunted by the lesson of his demise.

* [[Chapter 19]] — Diamond and Shadow
* [[Chapter 21]] — Chasing Choerkin

EoS Chapter 20

2025-04-12T23:40:08Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Twnety: */

= Chapter Twnety: Blood in the Briar =

Eliles awakens with a scroll sewn into her robes, attending prayers before burning it in the kitchen hearth, shaken by Istinjoln’s silence on the Crack of Burdenis crisis. A maid announces a priest thrown to the thorns, and Eliles, suspecting Rovol’s fate for copying the scroll, joins Sandele and others on the wall. The bloody, tongue-less body in the vines confirms her fears, and guilt battles her resolve to feign innocence. Jumel speculates callously on Rovol’s crimes, while Eliles masks her emotions, fleeing to Dareun’s chambers. There, Woxlin reacts to the news, leaving to investigate, and Dareun comforts Eliles, linking her tears to a childhood memory of a similar punishment. She hides her role in Rovol’s death, clinging to survival as she nears her escape, haunted by the lesson of his demise.

* [[Chapter 19]] — Diamond and Shadow
* [[Chapter 21]] — Chasing Choerkin

EoS Chapter 19

2025-04-12T23:39:07Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Nineteen: */

= Chapter Nineteen: Diamond and Shdow =

Ivin and the wardens enter the Hall of Burdenis in the Crack of Burdenis, finding a sunlit shrine and a massacre of eyeless, marrow-sucked corpses. Diamond-dust wards litter the floor, and Ivin’s discovery of a locked book triggers a Shadow’s birth from the shrine, prompting a panicked retreat. Meliu claims the book, refusing to identify it, as Taken priests attack, killing Suvarn, who rises possessed. The group flees through tight tunnels and treacherous stairs, losing another to a Shadow’s wall ambush. Exhausted, they reach Ervinhin, finding Modan’s camp abandoned, with Colok tracks suggesting pursuit. In the house of the dead, Meliu identifies Loepus but notes Tokodin’s absence, hinting at Colok capture. Pikarn suspects a brewing conflict, and Ivin, drained, collapses into bed, pondering the Shadows’ year-long presence and Istinjoln’s failures.

* [[Chapter 18]] — Smoke and Honey
* [[Chapter 20]] — Blood in the Briar

EoS Chapter 18

2025-04-12T23:37:41Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Eighteen: */

= Chapter Eighteen: Smoke and Honey =

Ivin and the Estertok Wardens, led by Pikarn, ride from Omindi Pass into the Crack of Burdenis caves, guided by Meliu, who grins eerily at Ivin. Leaving Modan to guard camp, they enter a whale-oil-blackened cave, suspecting Istinjoln collapsed Ihomjo mines to seal it. Meliu warns Shadows are drawn to prayers, recounting her escape via the glowing Tears of the Gods. Torches reveal a honey-scented, rat-infested descent past eerie Vanquished God carvings in the Hall of Faces. Tight passages and a steep climb challenge the group, leading to the brilliantly lit Fool’s Haul ceiling above the Crack’s chasm. A splintered message post marks the shrine’s edge, and a harrowing stair descent ends in a gore-strewn guardroom. Meliu seeks the Chamber of the Lost, finding it empty of books like the Codex of Sol. Despite the loss, she leads them toward the shrine, Rinold confirming their eerie arrival as Ivin notes familiar wall pocks, wary of lurking Shadows.

* [[Chapter 17]] — Sling Swing Wasting Whiskey
* [[Chapter 19]] — Diamond and Shadow

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Main Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 17

2025-04-12T23:36:00Z

104.28.103.128:

= Chapter Seventeen: Sling Swing Wasting Whiskey =

Solineus awakens in a blue dream realm, where the mysterious lady credits his rescue of Kinesee for the Koest family’s trust, urging him to kill Lord Priest Ulrikt at Istinjoln before the Eve of Snows to save the girls, refusing to reveal her name. Iku, also dream-visited, gifts Solineus a Choerkin longsword and supplies, bidding him leave without farewells to spare Kinesee’s tears. Solineus departs Purdonis Bay, meeting Ilpen Gurer and his donkey Ears the Elder on a northern road, securing a ride to Istinjoln via Choerkin Fost. In Bloody Pebble, Solineus spots the slinger from Kinesee’s attack, convinces Ilpen to stay, and lures the bandit to a tavern room, knocking him out with a bottle. He binds and hangs the man from a tree, ensuring his death while leaving coins for burial, steeling himself for Ulrikt’s assassination with newfound resolve.

* [[Chapter 16]] — Lesser Theologians
* [[Chapter 18]] — Smoke and Honey

*[[Eve of Snows]] — Main Chapter Listing

Chapter Trivia: Has been cited as the author's favorite chapter title in Eve of Snows.

EoS Chapter 17

2025-04-12T23:35:52Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Seventeen: Sling Swing Wasting Whiskey */

EoS Chapter 17

2025-04-12T23:35:09Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Seventeen: */

= Chapter Seventeen: Sling Swing Wasting Whiskey =

PLACEHOLDER TEXT

* [[Chapter 16]] — Lesser Theologians
* [[Chapter 18]] — Smoke and Honey

*[[Eve of Snows]] — Main Chapter Listing

Chapter Trivia: Has been cited as the author's favorite chapter title in Eve of Snows.

EoS Chapter 16

2025-04-12T23:33:16Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Sixteen: */

= Chapter Sixteen: Lesser Theologians =

Tokodin, captive in an Estertok Range cave, oscillates between death and aiding the Colok over three days. Initially favoring death due to shoulder pain, he overdoses on Pimun Bark, hallucinating flight before vomiting, guided by Mecum’s warnings. On the third day, hungover and desperate, he demands answers, tossing dice futilely for guidance. Mecum debates Tokodin’s fate—suggesting the Coward’s Hell—revealing a scroll to Ulrikt about crypt excavations in the Treaty Lands for the Sliver of Star, tied to the Codex and Ailing Stars Prophecy. Shadows possess bodies, not Wakened Dead, feeding on flesh, and Colok fear Ulrikt summoning Zwimfokum. Zjin announces the Steaming Lakes camp’s movement, implying the Sliver’s find, urging Tokodin to warn the Choerkin. Mecum offers poison to avoid betraying the gods, leaving Tokodin torn between dying to preserve faith or living to stop Ulrikt’s potential heresy, dice and flask in hand.

* [[Chapter 15]] — The Archival Con
* [[Chapter 17]] — Swing Sling Wasting Whiskey

* [[Eve of Snows]] — Full Chapter Listing

EoS Chapter 15

2025-04-12T23:30:49Z

104.28.103.128: /* Chapter Fifteen: */

= Chapter Fifteen: The Archival Con =

Eliles, nine days before the Eve of Snows, shifts her focus from feral children’s screams to Guntar’s death, seeking answers in Istinjoln’s kitchens. Amid rumors of Colok wars, lavish Eve preparations, and Lord Priest Dunkol’s debauchery, she gleans no clear link to Guntar’s scroll. Ignoring Dareun’s warnings, she targets the library, using feral magic to seduce Rovol into copying Guntar’s message to Ulrikt. The scroll reveals a failed ritual at the Crack of Burdenis’ Fire-Lion Gate, where Shadows and Taken overwhelmed priests, breaching a celestial gate despite Codex-guided efforts and artifacts from catacombs, with Wakened Dead blocking further aid. Eliles, puzzled by the gate and Shadows, debates showing Dareun but opts to hide the scroll, wary of its dangers as she nears her escape, finding petty joy in Rovol’s memory wipe.

* [[Chapter 14]] — The Baroque Pearl
* [[Chapter 16]] — Lesser Theologians