The Wrethfetin’s Blood
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This section contains Homebrew non-canon info, created by fans |
"The Wrethfetin's Blood" is a story appearing in The Casebook of Alanik Ray that recounts the liberation from thralldom of the halflings of a small village in western Darkon. The enslavement of the village by a wrethfetin was guessed by Alanik Ray when he noticed a pair of oddities as he and Dr. Arthur Sedgewick dined at the local tavern: there was not a single halfling smoking; and all the halflings looked far younger than nature should allow. Ray and Sedgewick were able to corner and destroy the responsible party, a Dr. Stubbins, learning from him of the female who was his maker, mentor, and master. She, however, eluded the detective and presumably survives to this day.
Extract
Ray whispered through unmoving lips: “We are surrounded by a dozen halflings who do not smoke. Do you realise how unlikely that is? Ask for some tobacco when the serving wench returns.” This I did and was told that smoking was unhealthy and thus was forbidden on the premises. Ray smiled and said to the young halfling: “Sadly, my friend here is incorrigible, it would be good if whoever has talked sense into your heads might have a word with him too.” She offered enthusiastically, “That would be Dr. Stubbins.” Ray inquired: “A no nonsense military man who cut his teeth tending to the victims of Drakov’s two, or was it three, invasions? Perhaps you are better at history than I am.” She replied: “No, a young halfling from out east. Comes in most evenings, though probably not tonight unless the weather clears. And it was four invasions, I witnessed each of the horrors with my very eyes.” After she left us Ray breathed just above the threshold of my hearing: “She is not the only person who looks two decades younger than nature should allow. The same is true of the scarred veterans. The same is true, I would venture, of every halfling in the place.”
Authorship
"The Wrethfetin's Blood" was created by cure as part of a contribution to John W. Mangrum's Teeny Tiny Tales of Terror project (posted on the Fraternity of Shadows message board).
