WoG Chapter 03

Chapter Three: Western Reach

In Mulshahar, Solineus Mikjehemlut reunites with his son, Lord Adinvan Mikjehemlut, and clansman Hadin Elost, learning of the Emudar clan’s exodus from Kaludor after the assassination of Lord Lidin Emudar and attacks by Shadows of Man and Taken. Adinvan recounts their perilous journey south, evading Tek Brotna and Thon ships, with some sixty thousand Emudar scattering across Mulshahar’s peninsula and nearby islands, establishing new settlements. Solineus reveals his immense wealth—250,000 smedên, equivalent to over five million sâguts—earned from King Sînhôlar the Ironwing, drawing unwanted attention in the tavern. Noticing watchful eyes, including a mysterious Vikarê (a cloaked, armadillo-like ruler of Mulshahar), the trio is ambushed by a silk-clad man demanding they enter a building, hinting at crossbow threats. Solineus, wielding his Singing Shield and spirit-blade Twins, swiftly incapacitates the man and storms the warehouse, where they face nine brigands. The fight is brutal but quick, with Solineus’s blades and shield proving lethal, though one brigand kills himself with the Sister, unnerved by its power. City guards arrive, ostensibly to “rescue” them, but Adinvan suspects a staged attack to extort protection money from a wealthy foreigner. Solineus pays the guards off, learning that his wealth necessitates further bribes to city officials to ensure safety. As they navigate Mulshahar’s complex social and political landscape, Solineus grapples with his role as a rich outsider and the weight of his clan’s diaspora, while Adinvan guides him toward securing their future in this vibrant, treacherous city.

• WoG Chapter 02 — Born of Stone
• WoG Chapter 04 — North South North
• Whispers of Ghosts — Main Chapter Listing