Story Overview
Setting:
The story takes place on the fictitious island nation of Consearia in the winter of the mid-1300's. The majority takes place in the northern regions of the island which are characterized by extreme cold and wind and hills.
Key Places:
- Northern Docks: A port city full of various races of merchants, sailors, and drunks. It is the northernmost city in Consearia and the port in which Josephina arrives to Consearia in this story.
- Ellot: A center for education, politics, religion and trading. This city serves as a meeting place for many races and remains mostly civil. It lies south of Northern Docks and is separated by farmland.
- South Towne: This district is technically part of Ellot and lies on the southern border of the city. It is an area known for poverty and crime. Only the brave would travel the streets of South Towne.
- New Destiny: A city populated by humans with a high Catholic influence. It lies on the east coast of Consearia and is the birth place for Josephina.
- Northern Hills: This region lies to the northwest of Northern Docks and is home to the werewolves of Consearia. It is a dangerous place to travel. These hills are covered with snow this time of year.
- Mount Keon: This is the highest point on Consearia. It remains covered with snow throughout the year. It is the rumored site of an ancient Ravensphere fortress known as Shannando.
- Shannando: A fortress whose story has been passed down from generation to generation. Few believe of it's actual existence, but the story reveals that it is a real place. It is known to be a place of torture and death.
- Forgotten Tundra: This region had almost become a settlement when a rare and valuable resource was found in mines near Mount Keon. An attack on the village left it abandoned, however. Josephina's mother died in this attack.
Key Characters
- Josephina Flynn: This is obviously the main character of the story. She is an assassin and thief. This is a story of self-discovery for her as she battles against the legend of who she is and search for her true identity. She has been hired by Philip Angerstone to kill Jerron, but finds herself at a pivotal moment in Consearian history.
- Jerron: The leader of the Ravensphere. He is a powerful wizard and seeks to bring about the Great Resurrection of his people.
- Ravensphere: A dark elf order comprised of Consearian natives founded centuries ago when the newcomers invaded the land of Consearia. Through necromancy and dark magic, they seek to take back the land that once belong to their ancestors.
- Bella: Josephina's adopted sister. She is a short, round, and flirtatious barkeep at Shadowdragon Inn. She is also a clairvoyant whose visions come to her in symbolic images.
- Aaron: A colleague of Josephina and former captain of the Silverblade. His rugged good looks and charm make him a pleasure to be around.
- Bartimus: The new captain of the Silverblade who discovers that he may not be as prepared for the position as he once thought.
- Silverblade: The guardians of Northern Consearia. They are easily identified by their silver and blue armor/uniforms
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- Alpha: The title given to the leader of the werewolves. He finds rebellion within his ranks and a common enemy with the humans in the Ravensphere. An unlikely alliance is formed between his soldiers and the Silverblade.
- The Rebellion: The term given to the werewolves who revolted against Alpha's leadership.
- Midnight: A were-panther and apothecary. He is the "voice" of the story and admires Josephina, thus becoming somewhat of a bard. He joins with the Silverblade in their fight against the Ravensphere.
The Story (Contain Spoilers)
Jerron, leader of the Ravensphere wanted to be the one to bring the order into a new era beginning with the Great Resurrection. During this ritual, the dead Ravensphere would rise again and form an unstoppable army of undead. For the ritual, however, Jerron needed a few items. Among them were the Amulet of Quintessence and the Book of Resurrection. He found the location of the ancient book to be in the hands Isabelle, a human in a distant land. His only link to her was a traveling merchant named Philip Angerstone, who happened to be her husband.
The Ravensphere pressured Philip into bringing the Book of Resurrection to them and offered a mine of green amathyl, a rare and valuable gem. Philip thought the offer was great in return for a book, but also feared the Ravensphere. He saw no choice but to accept the offer in fear of his life. To protect himself and claim the mines, he hired Josephina Flynn to assassinate Jerron.
(This is where our story begins.)
As the ship docks on Consearia, the ship is quickly attacked by werewolves. During the attack, Isabelle is killed by a Ravensphere spear and the Book of Resurrection is taken. Philip was also injured in the attack.
Josephina has reason to suspect that Philip killed his own wife, but has no proof. She also suspects that the Ravensphere are somehow involved in a much larger plot. She tracks one Ravensphere wizard to a shop in Northern Docks. She kills the wizard and discovers that the Ravensphere are collecting items for the Great Resurrection.
She also discovers that the Amulet of Quintessence has long ago been divided into four elements as it was seen that the Amulet itself was too powerful. Each of the elements are guarded by a dragon and the dragon's keeper. She discerns that the first element is located in the Northern Hills. She seeks to obtain it before the Ravensphere.
During her journey through the Northern Hills, she is cornered by Alpha and some of his soldiers. Alpha expresses his concern for the effect that the Ravensphere has on his soldiers and offers to assist Josephina despite their lifelong vendetta. He has his soldiers lead Josephina to the ice cave where the dragon lives.
She is too late. The Ravensphere have already come and killed the dragon. They took the elemental stone of wind. The dragon's keeper survived, however, and gave Josephina a ring that could control the wind.
Josephina continues to stop the Ravensphere by searching for a second elemental stone in the isolated city of Cantu. She meets with the dragon there and is put to a challenge. Unknowingly, she selects the wrong stone.
Meanwhile, Ellot and South Towne are attacked by the Ravensphere. They destroy everything in their path including Shadowdragon Inn, the tavern in which Bella, Josephina's adopted sister, works. It does not appear that Bella lives through the attack. Many people in Ellot are killed during the attack, and the Ravensphere take over an ancient tower in the city.
Convinced that she has the Stone of Water, she approaches the Ravensphere boldly. Her true motivation is revealed when she offers the Stone of Water for Jerron. She cares little about stopping the ritual, but uses the powerful stone as a bargaining chip to achieve her mission of assassinating their leader.
Having since obtained the true Stone of Water, the Ravensphere are not convinced. They start to attack Josephina, but with her newly obtained power of the wind, they are little challenge to her.
The Ravensphere attack on Ellot turns out to be a diversionary attack as the real ritual takes place elsewhere. The Silverblade gain information that the ritual is taking place in Shannando. They quickly organize their troops with the addition of able bodied men of Ellot and soldiers under the direction of Alpha and prepare for an attack on the ancient fortress.
During the journey to Shannando, Josephina undergoes a change in character. (This change has been building throughout the story.) She realizes that her calling is more than assassinating Jerron, but to stop the Great Resurrection. She now seeks to steal an orb that the Ravensphere keep in their possession which she believes is necessary for the ritual.
The journey to Shannando and the battle there claims many lives. The Silverblade have to accept defeat and retreat with the few numbers they have left.
Josephina finds herself in the tower where the ritual is taking place. She is captured and beat. It is Jerron who strikes her with a fatal blow, driving a spear through her heart. Moments prior to her death, Josephina poisoned Jerron, however, which left him paralyzed soon after he killed her.
Midnight rushes into the tower to rescue Josephina to find that he is too late. He discovers what Josephina did to Jerron, and gathers Josephina's body and her belongings.
A funeral is held for Josephina in New Destiny, her birthplace.
Stumble!