Bearer of the Shield: The Esfah Sagas, #4

By Christopher Schmitz and A.G. Wedgeworth

Klagend, son of the legendary dwarf and shield champion Irenicus, has no intention of following his father's footsteps. As a general of Gundakhor, Irenicus' ended up gunned down by the lava elves of the Obsidian Grotto. Klagend would not make that same mistake.

 

When he has his father's shield repaired as an heirloom piece to honor the dwarf's memory he discovers it has a new and strong enchantment. Though he has no intention of heroing, he stumbles onto a plot by corrupt dwarves… many vagha have vanished in recent days.

 

When Klagend discovers the true motives of these wicked dwarves, he has no alternative but to foil their plans—inaction might keep him safe… but refusing to take up his father's mantle will doom his friends to die in the secret fighting pits.

This exciting, new 12-story event in the Esfah Sagas begins the Godmaker story arc and is also known as Time of the Champions. Start this epic journey today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Schmitz
• Release date: May 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224335145

Christopher Schmitz

Christopher Schmitz (M.A.), geb. 1988, ist wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Göttinger Institut für Demokratieforschung.

Book preview

Bearer of the Shield

The Godmaker Saga part 1: 4

Christopher D. Schmitz, A.G. Wedgeworth

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TreeShaker Books

Copyright © 2024 by Christopher D. Schmitz

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

Other Esfah Stories

Bearer of the Shield

Appendices

About the authors

The Game

Other Esfah Stories

The Esfah Sagas is a large universe—here are other stories you might enjoy!

(stories with an *asterisk are novellas)

The Relic Quests

Ashes of Ailushurai

Rise of the Champions

Drakuwar

*The Clockwork Castle

The Cyrean Songs

Chill Wind

Eye of the Storm

Secrets of the Shadowlands

*Thunderfist and the Dragon

Tales of the First Age

Rise and Fall of the Obsidian Grotto

Cast of Fate

Army of the Dead

*Tome of the Tarvanehl

*Heart of Stone and Flame

The Godmaker Saga

Time of the Champions

The Magestorm Wars 1: Godmaker (coming soon)

The Magestorm Wars 2: Godbreaker (coming soon)

Special Invitation

Thank you so much for checking out my book! As a special bonus for you, you'll get a high rez edition of the Esfah worldmap plus a free book if you to follow my newsletter:

https://www.subscribepage.com/getfreedragondicenovels

I send about 2 emails per month after a few intro messages, (plus a few holiday/special event messages) and you can unsubscribe anytime—the newsletter and my Legends and Lorecraft group are the best ways to keep in touch, and the L&L group has a social component so can share what you like and chat with others fans about the stories.

The Godmaker Saga: Time of the Champions

Black Dragons and Blue Elves

The Pale Gunner

Strength of the Gwich'in

Bearer of the Shield

The Sword of Aeschere

Calling of the Champions

Slow Burn

Scales of Death

Under Siege

The Burning of Lurneville

Bastard of the Death God

The Pursuit of Madness

Bearer of the Shield

Klagend's abode stood like a fortress, south of Gundakhor and on the outskirts of Hagrond Mount. Towering stacks of books leaned precariously, like ancient monoliths erected by eldarim sages, buttressing the walls. Each precarious column bore the weight of history and myth, and parchment maps lay unfurled across tables like sails.

Another tome for the collection, Klagend murmured, sliding a leather-bound volume into a narrow gap between treatises on alchemy and bestiaries. His fingers brushed over the spines with a curator's care, a soft symphony of whispers accompanying each touch.

Above the hearth, where embers danced their eternal ballet, the mantel stood as an altar to his family's legacy. Centered upon it, an ornamental dagger gleamed beneath the flickering light as it rested next to a half-used black candle and other souvenirs of his father’s past.

He turned his attention to the centerpiece of the wall above the mantel—a hexagonal war shield that hung with stoic dignity amidst the relics of his inheritance. Its surface was a testament to craftsmanship, the wood aged to a deep chestnut hue, polished by the hands of warriors long since passed to legend.

Father's shield... the Tower Shield has finally returned from the artisan and has been reborn as a testament to his life and our family name, Klagend mused, stepping closer to admire the symbols etched deep into the grain. Each line and curve were a language of protection, recounting battles won and sacrifices made—a heritage of valor distilled into carvings that shimmered faintly in the candlelight.

Six sides for six virtues, he recited from memory, tracing a finger along the embossed contours. Strength, courage, wisdom, honor, vigilance, and—above all—loyalty.

The iron rim that framed the shield was unyielding to the touch, a stark reminder of the weight of history that Klagend now shouldered. The sigils upon its face—a constellation of ancestral tales—spoke of the valorous lineage he was bound to uphold.

Your edges are still sharp, Klagend whispered, feeling the echo of clashing steel and the roar of bygone battlefields resonate through his being. May my resolve be just as unwavering.

As his fingers danced across the symbols, each indentation a familiar topography beneath his calloused skin, Klagend's thoughts turned inward. He imagined the echoes of his father's voice, recounting legends of yore, instilling in him the principles that shaped the man he had become.

Through you, their stories live, he affirmed, straightening to his full height. And through me, they shall endure.

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The heavy thud of their boots against the stone path echoed through the crisp air as Gormla and her daughter, Petra, approached the door of Klagend's home. The place itself was a testament to dwarven sturdiness, with arching stone lintels and robust ironwork. Its facade was etched with runes, showing his lineage and lore. Above the door, interlocking patterns of axes and hammers were carved into a thick beam of dark wood.

By Shatterfist’s beard, Gormla muttered under her breath, her gaze tracing the solid