The Huntresses' Game

by Joe Jackson

  My highest thanks still go to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has given me the time, the talent, and the wherewithal to continue this series. All the glory belongs to Him.

  Editing thanks go to my wife Crystal, and to Erin Groppe. Thanks to Katie Merrick, who gives me feedback on the first drafts. Thanks to Cori Dyson, David Christopher, and Alexandra Engellmann for beta reading and making suggestions that helped make this a stronger work.

  Thanks again to Richard Samanic, who introduced my friends and I to the world of AD&D, wherein the majority of this series’ world-building was accomplished. And thanks must be given once again to the players who helped me build the world up through Richard’s and my own campaigns: Robert Rothman, Pascal, Lenny, Dave, Mike Orlandi, Dave Christopher, Vincent DeBoer, Thanas Tsioplakis, Louis DeBoer, Erin Groppe, and Rachel DeBoer.

  Thank you to Andreas Zafeiratos for the spectacular cover image. Andreas’ cover art has been phenomenal, and such a blessing to show the readers just what Kari looks like. Thanks also to Bryce O’Connor, whose help has been instrumental in improving and marketing the series.

  And, of course, thank you, my readers, for continuing to join me on these adventures. If you enjoyed this work, please consider leaving a few words (not a term paper, unless you like) in review on Amazon – every review helps!

  Appendix A: The Many Unique Races of Citaria

  Terra-rir (TEH-ra reer): the first of the rir, black-skinned, silver-blooded, mammalian draconic species created by Gori Sensullu. Very similar to humans in anatomy with the exception of more draconic heads, tails, and small claws on their hands and feet. They are born of a magical process which involves a pregnancy, but they have no navels.

  Terra-dracon (TEH-ra drah-CONE): a mutation of terra-rir that possess leathery dragon-like wings; highly susceptible to a genetic defect called Dracon’s Bane that slowly kills them.

  Terra-bengal (TEH-ra BENG-ul): subspecies of rir that possesses white tiger-like stripes, and soft pads on their feet; much more lithe and graceful than a typical terra-rir.

  Shakna-rir (SHOCK-nuh reer): green-skinned, desert-dwelling variants of rir; matriarchal, highly populous, and very militant; resistant to heat and flame.

  Fures-rir (FYOR-iss reer): matriarchal, cold-dwelling variants of rir; all possess hair and eyes in shades of blue and are virtually immune to their cold climate.

  Kirelas-rir (kur-ELL-ahs reer): mystical variant of rir differentiated by stripes on the sides of their snouts and mental powers; reclusive and few in numbers.

  Seterra-rir (seh-TEH-ra reer): red-blooded variant created to be more human-like; their pregnancy is like that of humans, and accordingly, they possess navels.

  Serilis-rir (SEH-rill-iss reer): also known as serilian demons; red-skinned, vicious creatures that come in six varieties, each with their own characteristics, personalities, strengths and weaknesses. The types are called solas, kryon, corlyps, brys, elite, and guardian. All serilis-rir are male except for the solas, who are genderless.

  Serilian-rir (sur-RILL-ian reer): the result of a serilis-rir crossbreeding with any other type of rir. Also commonly called half-demons, they are as varied as their fathers’ types, and are accordingly named (half-kryon, half-corlyps, half-brys, half-elite, and half-guardian). Persecuted and despised by most people throughout history.

  Bah’Qitur (BAH kih-TOOR): commonly miscalled bakatur; the bah’qitur is a very large, human-like race that has some reptilian features. They are very aggressive but are also a highly devout people. Virtually exclusive to the continent of Dannumore.

  Czarikk (sah-REEK): the lizardmen of Citaria come in two varieties: the more humanoid mulrassa, and the more reptilian sulrassa. Very reclusive people.

  Luranar (LOO-ruh-nar): bipedal wolfmen common to the southeast of the continent of Terrassia; considered savage and uncivilized by outsiders, though those who travel through civilized lands are typically well-behaved and therefore accepted.

  Kwarrasti (kwah-RAHS-tee): bipedal catfolk common to the southeast of Terrassia; nomadic and aloof, they are somewhat reclusive and rarely travel into more ‘civilized’ lands.

  Appendix B: The Merged Citarian-Koryonite Pantheons

  The Citarians: These are the principal deities exalted by Gori Sensullu to keep watch over Citaria.

  Gori Sensullu, “The Creator”: more common name for Arakiel, the creator of Citaria and its indigenous peoples; killed at the end of the Apocalypse.

  Kaelariel Arakiel Jir’tana, “The Ascending Dawn”: son of Gori Sensullu who appears to be a guardian demon; god of freedom and death, lord of serilis-rir, and leader of the pantheon after the Apocalypse.

  Sechre Tori, “First in Battle”: terra-rir god of righteous battle and patron of the military; the oldest Citarian deity exalted by Gori Sensullu.

  Kris Fletcher, “The Ghost”: a human also called The Armored Shepherd; he is the god of honor and loyalty, and the patron of paladins.

  Kerry Kijana, “Garra Ktarra”: terra-rir deity of the night, explorers, and skill; considered the greatest fighter among the pantheon; patriarch of the bloodline that bore Kaelariel.

  Zalkar the Unyielding, “Avatar of Vengeance”: human god of law and the patron deity of demonhunters; called primarily “the Unyielding” by his followers.

  Tisa Ch’Brakkh, “The Dawn of Hope”: terra-bengal descendant of Garra Ktarra and mother of Kaelariel; goddess of beauty; ascended directly to deity status.

  Karmi G’Dorrinn, “The Lady of the Depths”: human goddess created by Gori Sensullu to be caretaker of the oceans and those who travel upon them.

  Mitreus & Zitenius Satachi, “The Sandur Striders”: twin human rangers who were appointed as caretakers of nature and its defenders.

  Carlos Bouron, “The Beast”: human ranger reincarnated as a sylvan beast; deity of shape-shifters, lycanthropes, and the more savage humanoid species.

  Seril, “The Devil Queen”: terra-bengal goddess and mate to Gori Sensullu who turned on him; creator of the serilis-rir and enemy of the Light forces in the Apocalypse; killed at the end of the Apocalypse.

  The Koryonites: These are the principal deities of the Koryon pantheon who agreed to merge with those of Citaria to aid in the Apocalypse.

  Ambergaust Coramin, “The Wellspring”: kwarrasti leader of the Koryon pantheon who agreed to merge his own pantheon with that of Citaria; god of life and marriage.

  Carsius Coramin, “The Mother of Truth”: Ambergaust’s kwarrasti wife and goddess of birth and motherhood; matron to female paladins.

  Bek Coramin, “The Resultant Truth”: daughter of Ambergaust and Carsius; kwarrasti goddess of wisdom and piety; nearly a paladin in her own right.

  Cabal Coramin, “The Iron Fist of Heaven”: son of Ambergaust and Carsius; kwarrasti god of courage and battle.

  Tigron Coramin, “The Celestial Mender”: younger brother of Ambergaust; kwarrasti god of healing and life.

  The Outsiders: These are Koryonite deities who merged with the Citarian pantheon but have limited influence or even contact with the people of Citaria.

  Krollmar Stonetender, “The Celestial Smith”: dwarven god of craftsmen who merged with the Koryon pantheon and subsequently the Citarian pantheon; impromptu god to all of the “little peoples.”

  Belgrin the Wanderer, “Tender of the Roots”: half-elven god of nature, the arts, and peace who joined the Koryon pantheon at Tigron’s insistence, and subsequently also joined the Citarian pantheon.

  Korbaz the Constant, “Lord of the Second Law”: kwarrasti god of decay; has limited influence over the Koryon pantheon, and less over the Citarian pantheon.

  Braum the Clairvoyant, “The Magnificent Intellect”: kwarrasti god of knowledge; eons-old friend of Ambergaust who serves as advisor to the head of the pantheon.

  Ellen Dragonborn, “Fruit of the Great Tree”: kwarrasti deity of love; mistrusted by many of her fellow deities.

  Appendix C: Geography and History

  The Continents: The five major continent
s and their associated islands.

  Askies, The Motherland: this island, located on the western and southern hemispheres, respectively, was the birthplace of the rir people and their civilization. Control of Askies was the main focus of the Apocalypse.

  The Isle of Morikk: this small island runs parallel to Askies’ west coast; it was the birthplace of the seterra-rir and is where the Temple of Archons is located. Since the war that nearly wiped out the seterra-rir, the island has been deserted.

  The Crystal Isles: these small, uninhabited rocky islands off the southeast of Askies were so named due to their polished, reflective surfaces.

  Terrassia: located on the northern and western hemispheres, Terrassia is the birthplace of numerous races: the fures-rir, the shakna-rir, the luranar, the kawarrasti, and the elves. It was the site of the third demon war, and saw a fair amount of fighting during the Apocalypse.

  Senkiro’s Solace: also called Druidia, this tiny island off of Terrassia’s southern coast was home to a secret priesthood for hundreds of years. The island is now considered haunted and is avoided by even the staunchest adventurers.

  Isle of the Maelstrom: this tiny island located north of Terrassia is sealed off by a magical vortex and is home to the High Council of Wizardry; so named because of the Council’s founder.

  Masceria: made up of many large islands, this continent lies north of Askies. Its inhabitants – mostly terra-rir and humans – prefer to remain isolated from the rest of the world, and are rumored to be far more technologically advanced than the rest of Citaria.

  Dannumore: this massive continent spans most of the eastern hemisphere. Populated primarily by the bah’qitur, much of it remains unknown and uncharted to non-bah’qitur society. It is rumored to have a population greater than the rest of the world combined.

  Tsalbrin: this semi-tropical island sits in a sea that juts into the east side of Dannumore’s northern half. It is home to humans and several species of rir, some of whom have also spread onto the coasts of Dannumore. Tsalbrin is also home to several tribes of czarikk, a few of the more savage humanoid species, and also several dragons.

  Arkalman: sparsely populated, smaller continent located south of Dannumore. It has a mixture of races, but tensions between them keep any from claiming dominance over the island.

  The Wars: These are the major wars recorded throughout the history of Citaria; ME denotes “Modern Era.”

  The First Demon War (ME 92): The first major clash between Seril’s serilis-rir and Gori Sensullu’s terra-rir; involved a nine-month siege of the holy city of Sarchelete. The war was ultimately won by the terra-rir thanks to the help of the recently-arrived humans and their adaptability; the serilis-rir were unable to tolerate the cold winter and those that could not flee north were slaughtered.

  The Second Demon War (ME 822-824): Seril’s second attempt at eradicating the terra-rir came shortly after the founding of the city of Gnarr. The war was fought primarily in the heartlands between Barcon and Gnarr, and was mainly an attrition-based war that left the rir and human populations of the heartlands badly decimated. Victory came after a being, rumored to have been an archangel, engaged Seril and forced her to retreat from Citaria.

  The Succession Wars (ME 1422-1484): As the rir and human populations continued to thrive and expand to the four corners of Askies, several wars broke out between the dominant cities of each province as they sought to crown a king. As the elders of the noble families of Barcon, Gnarr, Oge, DarkWind, Latalex, and Ceritan lost power or died off, the wars came to an end as the younger nobles agreed to form ducal councils. Askies was divided into counties and duchies, and while a king eventually came to power in the Strekan Province, his authority was limited to keeping the peace between the various duchies.

  The Third Demon War (ME 1484-1487): While the Succession Wars were coming to a close, Seril attempted to capture the continent of Terrassia. During the initial years of the conflict, two new species of rir surfaced: the shakna-rir and the fures-rir. With the shakna-rir attacking from the balmy south and the fures-rir attacking from the frozen north, the armies of the serilis-rir were flanked and crushed. It was during the Third Demon War that the first recorded underworld invasion took place as well: a race of serpent people led by a sorcerer simply called Tempis’ra (his title, not his name) tried to establish a foothold in the southern jungles of Terrassia. In the ensuing clash between Tempis’ra and the arcanists of the rir armies, the southern jungles were completely destroyed, leaving a desert in their place, but the serpent people were exterminated.

  The Fourth Demon War (ME 1832-1835): With her armies replenished, Seril once again attempted to conquer Askies. In a move reminiscent of the First Demon War, the devil queen attempted to capture the holy city of Sarchelete and destroy the grand temples of her enemies. Better prepared to deal with the harsh winters of the south, the serilis-rir army laid siege to the city for well over a year, but was unable to break the city’s defenses. As mortal reinforcements arrived from the east, Seril was forced north to avoid being flanked, as she was during the Third Demon War. Her army was able to hold its own and inflict devastating casualties on their enemies, but the Devil Queen accepted a stalemate and retreated to the underworld by all reports.

  The False Apocalypse (ME 2452-2453): When the guardian demon called Erijinkor turned on his creator, many of the various priesthoods of the rir believed it marked the beginning of the Apocalypse. Soldiers from every major city were sent to Sarchelete to protect it from possible attack, but the attack never came. With the major cities and their leaders distracted, Seril launched one simple, brutal assault and captured the city of Oge. She made the city her base of operations, and rebuffed several attempts by the mortals to recapture it. To the surprise of many, the residents of Oge largely supported the devil queen once she took power. It was during this time that the major assassin guilds in Oge were merged into one guild called the Five Clans. The Five Clans was run by the brys known as Olgaryn, and under his leadership they answered to the devil queen herself.

  The War of Purity (ME 2878): With the appearance of the seterra-rir, the collective rir species of Askies launched an invasion of Morikk, seeking to wipe out what they believed was an attempt by Seril to infiltrate their very bloodlines. Curiously, the humans did not take part in this war. The seterra-rir population is believed to have been annihilated in this six-month conflict.

  The Bah’Qitur Invasion (ME 2879-2880): No one is quite sure what prompted the bah’qitur to invade Askies, but they sent a fleet to Askies’ northeast coast, near the city of Ceritopolonis. They captured the city and its surrounding territory easily, granting their army a port into which to bring reinforcements. Unfortunately for the bah’qitur, their plans to conquer Askies angered Seril, and she sent her serilis-rir army to bolster the mortal forces and drive the bah’qitur from “her” island. Few of the invaders returned home.

  The Fifth Demon War (ME 2880-2882): Once the bah’qitur were dealt with, Seril turned on the mortals once again. This time, however, a massive portion of her army turned on her, swearing fealty to the new lord of the serilis-rir, none other than Kaelariel. The guardian demon Serenjols delivered the most significant victory of the War when he killed Seril’s firstborn son, Urukh. Seril’s forces were decisively defeated in a massive battle at DarkWind, and the combined army of mortals and those serilis-rir loyal to Kaelariel drove the devil queen back to Oge. Kaelariel decided against a lengthy siege of Oge, as he believed the cost of life would be far too great with the devil queen herself living in the city. Satisfied that she was beaten, the newly sanctified god of freedom and death instead began working on relations between the mortals and his people.

  The Fall of Terrassia (ME 2880-2884): Aided by an unknown source, the demon king Celigus Chinchala invaded the continent of Terrassia in the year ME 2880. With Kaelariel and the mortal forces largely focused on defeating Seril in the Fifth Demon War, Chinchala was opposed only by the residents of Terrassia itself. Chinchala formed a foothold
in the northeast of the badlands, and launched his first invasion directly into the shakna-rir empire. Despite numerous attempts by the northern cities to draw him off from his attack on Aurun Ch’Gurra, Chinchala’s tactical brilliance left his enemies completely dumbfounded. Chinchala captured the shakna-rir capital of Aurun Ch’Gurra with little trouble, and invaded the palace himself to force the queen, Gwendolyn Tumureldi, to surrender. Curiously, he allowed the queen to continue ruling her empire so long as she ultimately answered to him. Chinchala then moved on to capture Solaris, Dira Ch’Tori, and even the frozen capital of the fures-rir kingdom, Castle Tenari. Chinchala never bothered with the elves of Laeranore, and relinquished his command of the major kingdoms after a short – and prosperous – five years, saying only that a time would come when he would reclaim the thrones he was vacating. To date, no one is quite sure why Chinchala conquered the island in the first place or why he promised to retake it in the future.

  The Culling (ME 2880-Present): After the defeat of their imperial army on Askies, war broke out on Dannumore between those bah’qitur loyal to the church and those loyal to the imperial line. Little is known of the reasoning behind this war, or its results, but by all accounts it rages even still.