The Tainted Axe (short story)
Author(s) | Josh Reynolds |
Cover Artist | Filipe Pagliuso and Kevin Chin |
Released | 2017 |
ISBN | 978-1-78572-860-0 |
Preceded by | The Spear of Shadows |
The Tainted Axe (short story) is a short story by Josh Reynolds which describes the quest to retrieve an Axe that that is tainting the Writhing Weald undertaken by Sir Roggen, a Knight of the Order of the Furrow [1]
Description[2]
Sir Roggen of the Order of the Furrow, a knight dedicated to Alarielle herself, returns to the Realm of Life after a mission for the smith god Grungni that has left him physically and mentally scarred. Tasked with a new mission by a capricious Branchwych, he travels to the heart of the Writhing Weald, a twisted and dangerous place haunted by malign spirits, to retrieve a weapon of Chaos, wielded by a servant of the Plague God and capable of spreading corruption even abandoned and alone. And there he will face a great darkness...
Synopsis
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This page contains spoilers for: | The Tainted Axe (short story) |
Following his adventures on behalf of the Duardin god Grungni, Sir Roggen returns to his order in the hope they can heal his missing hand, but finds it beyond them. However he is called to an Ironwood grove by the branchwraith Bramble-Maiden, sister to the Lady of Vines and daughter of the Everqueen who offers to heal his hand if he will retrieve the axe that is tainting the Writhing Weald.[1].
He agrees and she grants him a disagreeable spirit to guide him and show that he has safe passage from the other Sylvaneth, he enters the forest and is there confronted by Feculus, of the Duchy of Bitterbile, a Knight of the Order of the Fly. [1]
Feculus challenges him to a duel to decide the fate of the axe.[1]
Quotes
There was never a question. I made an oath. An axe for a hand, as I swore in the ironwood grove.
~Sir Roggen to the spirit once known as Kryael, Knight of Evensong.[1] |
Sources
- 1: The Tainted Axe (short story) by Josh Reynolds
- 2: Black Library - Eight Lamentations: The Tainted Axe (last accessed 11 December 2023)