Wulfrick: Part 1

By Cody Tiffen

Wulfrick comes to the Knights of the Order to follow in his father's footsteps and become a hero of the people, does he have what it takes?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cody Tiffen
• Release date: May 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463989937

Book preview

Chapter 1: Gryphon’s Rise

March 25th, Autumn, in the year 2935 of the Markayan Calendar...

The Great Hall of Castle Ardent was ablaze with light and colour as its occupants revelled and feasted in preparation for the newest group of Pages to arrive. This was the fortress and home of the Order of the Knights Ardent, where they trained the next generation of Knights who would defend the weak and the Holy Places of the Earth Goddess, Plangea.

The Hall was filled with great long tables that stretched the length of the Hall, at the end farthest from the door was a raised dais with a high table that seated nine. All but one of these seats were filled, each with a heroic figure seated. The most central seat was occupied by the Grandmaster of the Order, a huge, broad chested man with flowing blonde hair and piercing green eyes, he was Lord Derron Forrgrim. To Derron's right was the second in command of the Order, Order-Marshal William Spanian, a stocky man with dark hair and a quick smile, the two talked and joked endlessly with one another. The chair to Derron's left was the un-occupied seat. The other seats were filled with the other Marshals of the Order, each commanded a Company of one hundred Knights, known as a Brotherhood, in addition to the Squires and support units a Knight required.

The Hall glowed from the light of the massive hearth fires that lined the centre, the warm light giving a feeling of contentment to the occupants as they laughed and boasted amongst themselves, grateful to see their brothers and sisters after a long campaigning season, drinking toasts to fallen comrades. The heat was almost uncomfortably heavy, as the roaring flames caused rivulets of sweat to run down the backs of Knight's necks and arms, this discomfort was of course ignored in favour of the food, which filled the Hall with the smells of roasted meat and dried herbs, along with the bunches of dried flowers hanging from the roof to cover up the scent of sweat stained leather and linen.

A hush fell over the crowd as the great oaken doors of the Hall swung inward, admitting the tall, ragged figure of Battlemaster Harken Dark-Anvil, he had the look of a barbarian, cloaked as he was in wolf fur, over hunting leathers and a broad-bladed slashing sword at his hip, the only mark of his nobility and knighthood was a pristine white belt that all Knights wore, standing in stark contrast to the rest of his garb. His face was lined and leathery, bringing to mind a sheer granite cliff face. One of his eyes was missing and covered by a studded leather eye-patch. This was the man who led in a group of eager and nervous Pages, all young boys of around seven years of age, ready to face another seven years of training to become Squires and eventually Knights of the Order. He led them towards the raised dais for the ceremonial introductions they would give, introducing themselves and stating their worth to the