RUEIN: Fires of Haraden G.O. Turner Edited by Danita Mayer Illustrated by Tom Jilesen Also by G.O. Turner Published by A Little Vast Studios Prequel Novelette: Rue’s Requiem Available as a free eBook on GOTurnerWrites.com Book One: The Book of Ruein HARADEN TRILOGY Book Two: Fires of Haraden Book Three: Nazier’s Visage (Fall 2021) Book Four: Gilded Lands & Cages (Spring 2022) Copyright © 2021, A Little Vast Studios LLC. All rights reserved. Published by A Little Vast Studios LLC. This novel is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and incidents described in this publication are used fictitiously or are entirely fictional. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, except by an authorized retailer, or with written permission of the publisher. Inquiries may be addressed via email to First Edition: April 2021 Hey, not to be pitchy or anything, but if you found this series to be a dice bag o’thrills, then I invite ya to sign on to my mailing list. That way you’ll get the occasional notice when future novels are released, as well as access to exclusive contests, giveaways, and freebies. Your email will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time. Newsletter Bonus Subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll not only be kept in the loop for upcoming releases, but notifications on giveaways, events, and best of all… You’ll unlock Bonus Tales & Sheets! You needn’t be worried of multiple subscriptions if you’ve already signed up. My newsletter merges matching addresses. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time. Plus, you’ve my promise to never share your contact info with third party outlets. Nobody likes spam! Contents Acknowledgments Map Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Next in the Series Glossary About the Author with Gratitude Danita Mayer - Editor Tom Jilesen - Cover artist Tukang Desain - Masthead Icons G.O.Turner - Cover design Beta Crew: Miss Francis, Amanda Nicoler, Conny Jolitz, Lily Zayas, Deborah Dalton, & Jules! d20 Isle Crew: Matt, Dana, Denis, Liz, Keith, Chris, Russ, Stefan, Raff, Mo, Tony, Jason, Rebecka RPG creators of the world Our kids, and of course the most supportive of all, my wife “I am not a slow writer, I am not a fast writer… I am a half-fast writer.” ― Robert Asprin Prologue “If a flower will not bloom, then wither the stem for such is fruitless. Root the giving loam to know which has no way forward. Then watch as we leave the complacent to starve upon the lifeless clay. Thus we grow over, stretching out into forms and colors of our choosing. Yes. We few can be as them. Yet, is it not far better to be as we? Soon, the clay will not stifle, for mastery is nigh. Our worthy will mold beyond such rare seed, as we embrace one another…and our numbers swell.” – High Nazier Proving himself should’ve thrilled the newly tendered Peridoc. But this? This was a mistake. The novice healer would give back to the Haraden Realm. He’d show them. Humans could stomach just as much as their underdark brethren. Healing was hardly ever simple, and most duties sure as hells weren’t pleasant ones. This was messy work. He was ready to get bloodied. Of course, that should be while healing someone. Probably should’ve let his superior, Tender Gune, win at cards, if he didn’t want such a grave shift. Night at the citadel was calm, without the usual blustery conditions. Warm gusts still occasionally blew through the halls and into the healery. Tapestries of noble pursuits fluttered behind tables of alchemical vessels and instruments. No doubt, Gune was off to better things. Like sleep. If Tender Peridoc wasn’t going to spend this time healing, then he’d prefer a quiet nap of his own. Better to help yourself if no one else. There was no helping the body the guards carted in. Shit. This brought Peridoc an unexpected duty. Nerves crept up on him. He had no reasons for fear. The healery was within the citadel, high above it all. Yet, he stood there. It had been a span since the guards left. Peridoc hadn’t wanted to burden them further or get in their way. Best he should convey a solemn air, a seriousness to match this task. At least, that’s what he told himself. The council ordered a hush over this, like the others. Haraden citizens were not to be vexed with the news of what had occurred. It’d been many weeks since the outsiders’ attempt. This mess had all started with them. But, whatever the connection, it eluded Peridoc. The council’s lords were not the most open of people. So, how was he to make sense of senseless deaths? Think it through. Common thugs took control of their supply caravan. The bandits were seized within a league of entering the realm. All captured, save for one stray—some errant goblin. He’d slipped away while the rest ended up in shackles. The thugs’ fates had already been resolved, so it couldn’t be them. Yet that goblin thorn persisted in Haraden’s side. The guards had implied that this body was somehow related to the stray goblin. Tender Peridoc’s duty: simply confirm. The tender knotted back his blond hair and fixed his eyes on the slab’s blood-soaked blanket. All he had to do was roll up his sleeves and get to it. He’d seen burns, broken legs, gangrenous infections, but this was going to be his first dead. Nowhere near his plan for the evening. Vith it, he cursed. Forcing down the lump in his throat, Peridoc set his shoulders and crossed the marble floor. A gust wafted, swirling the sulfurous outer air against the decay and into his nostrils. He hesitated mid-reach. It likely took a day for them to transport. The pungence, reminiscent of rotten cabbage, mixed with the musty tinge of moldering. Ugh. How long had it lain undiscovered? He turned to reposition several of the everburning lanterns. Closer to the slab,
