Tales of Moriana #1 - Outland Shadows

By Tony Gao, Brent Peckham and Paul Canavan

A subversive political pamphlet surfaces in the Coranthian Outlands as the northern frontier is ravaged by famine and violent disorder. When the inflammatory leaflet falls into the hands of magisterial secretary Asuna Lierra, she becomes concerned with the threat it poses to the kingdom and decides to investigate its origins. As she traces the p

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fifth Exile
• Release date: Jul 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9780986255571

Book preview

Tales of Moriana

Outland Shadows

BRENT PECKHAM and TONY GAO

FIFTH EXILE / CAMBRIDGE, MA

TALES OF MORIANA

OUTLAND SHADOWS

Copyright © 2016 Fifth Exile LLC

Fifth Exile™ is a trademark registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. entirely coincidental.

E-ISBN 978-0-9862555-7-1

First Edition

Fifth Exile LLC / Cambridge, MA

1

Your Majesty, I beg you, Asuna Lierra said, offering a steep bow. Please reconsider. The bandit activity in the Outlands escalates by the day. If the people cannot defend their livelihood, how do you intend to supply our troops at the front? If I could—

A Royal Guard had appeared atop the two-tiered dais in the throne room and was currently whispering into the ear of King Samsen Coranthis. The king considered the man’s words, then waved the messenger off before returning his attention to Lierra, who cut herself off and waited patiently.

My apologies, Miss Lierra, the king said. This topic certainly warrants some additional discussion before you return to Calena, but I ask that you might return another day. An important matter has arisen that I must see to immediately, and this conversation has already extended well past our originally scheduled time.

Of course, Your Majesty, she said, adjusting her silver-rimmed glasses before glancing down at her open notebook. I shall take it upon myself to schedule another meeting with yourself and the Cabinet. Your gracious attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

The king of Coranthia nodded.

I would not have you nor the magistrate think me indifferent to your concerns; we shall continue this at a later time. You may leave now.

As she offered a final bow, Lierra briefly exchanged a glance with the Minister of the Interior, who gave her a slight nod from his seat on the lower tier of the dais. She took her leave through the large double doors at the far end of the audience chamber.

Outside the chamber she surveyed the long line of citizens waiting to be heard and wondered how many would leave without being granted their scheduled audience with the king. Meanwhile, Lierra was secretary to the magistrate of Calena, and Samsen knew her from her tenure with the Interior ministry. Although she was disheartened that her own meeting had been cut short, she took solace in the fact that, with her status, she would have little trouble