416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qY6Gf5rmB
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0FbhD5oUS
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg99FxBqBS4
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vJIcXsf9w
But there was something else.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNSH85sjTO
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVndAnyTJTz
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIWQuJSAMp
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuwbVdV59q
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7SGrt14ll
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjQgXnD50M
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgQGf5F6Mu
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gSIcGzWxC
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZplZ8zOKaT
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGCqV0g7sg
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrhz3NHgsv
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.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzY89jUFit3
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bXpbp9onH
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kS94Tpi13
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDpEYuKlPS
“And what would be your business here?”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQyR0eWmsG
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.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYysqJT035W
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBlx53jLvw
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3sfk5Yn86
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vSJaskBDk
“Tell me,” uttered the aging man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKHbU6Mu7Y
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1tPrPABac
“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?”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1p3VTH2aF
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?”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxqxLdleDV
“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?”.
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdBSYwxXmC
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddqmq3CJvw
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWRGUCRvIK
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?”
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySF2XG0TU6
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKhtu2Skpl
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9egLG1DqXP
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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEouPAEZTy4
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkw6CxJ7yUE
But there was something else. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4NYgoRI9s
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAcxz4ALzh
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyylXtanI1a
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnU0n2oFIS
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeffG82RTJ
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.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvVs4AT1fC
"I'd lose the hood, lest you wish to go unsuffered." He uttered, with a grimace.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvV8iEqOa2o
Reluctantly, Letifer removed his hood, causing the two shieldsmen to don a face of terror.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9NNGibFzU
"Be at ease. I am no manner of reaper, gheist, or ill omen." He uttered from his cracked lips, “I beseech someone. A prisoner.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ek2k5bPxC
One of the shieldsmen nudged the other, whispering, “He’s of the Fell Kin, we best not wrong him.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSlfkxj3sv
“Wise of you.” Letifer responded, pulling his hood back over his head.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAp4arOZqD
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.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYqGxtaRoX
“Of course.” Letifer replied, in his usual soft tone. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlrr1Iogmp
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28e9IDbZHx
Searching through them, he found only drunkards and madmen. Not a child to be seen.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56zMIg3vK6
“And what would be your business here?”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr72TAUUVDW
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. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLPu3crTBi
“I beseech a child. I have reason to believe he may have been taken here.” Letifer replied.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeiLLRmioG
The elder was silent for a moment. “My eyes are not what they once were. Come close, let me see your face.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4paBCobJUi
Reluctantly, Letifer strode towards the man, prepared to face a terrified recoil upon his proximity. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3o9RXfGVm
“Tell me,” uttered the ageing man, “What dealings would Fell Kin have with children? Don’t tell me it was he who slew you.”416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikNBOWs6VG
“He is my son, or so I believe.” Letifer responded, setting his eyes to the floor, for but a moment. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwMV2ezT2u
“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?” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3RywVW9LN
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?” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLVUoarnH0
“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?”. 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YveKCCzgw
Letifer took his hand, answering his question, “Sir Letifer Mourse, my lord, if my deductions are correct.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlKegSrINU
“A fell knight?” asked the Earl, “Well, I suppose I should be without surprise.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDl4LrCjUV8
A voice called from the wine cellar, “Phantom?” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNopUJH5FvY
“Perhaps not a monster. Perhaps a man.” The Earl called back to his shieldsman, “Leave us.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlGWxk2E50
Entering the archway, the soldier took a quick bow, “Apologies, my lord.”, before quickly taking his leave.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC6B0bFxiZ
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.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrYFMLKVaP
“My thanks to you, my lord. You are a generous man.” Letifer replied, as he began to take his leave.416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16SVKDknBD
“So I suppose you’re not to stay for supper?” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUO7nfPoTs
Letifer turned for a moment, “No, I suppose not.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwpp7JRsdT
“Do be careful in your search.” The Earl called to him, “There are many who see less than I.” 416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5I0WBofivf
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dUVodJtqz
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHlLaEsG1I
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxm4qwn2Gb
416Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT96Oy6lkQ
