War of Princes returns this Friday

After a brief intermission, War of Princes is back! This Friday, we return to Moralann with Part Two: The Exile’s Path.

(Warning: Spoilers for Part 1 below)

Need a full refresher? You can read all Part One chapters in sequence, starting here.

Connal is the son of Cregeirran’s king, and has earned a reputation as a great warrior and beastslayer, protecting his father’s islands from the neighboring marauders of Bròn.

Connal returns from a successful raid to find that his father has died fighting in the civil war between the foreign princes Daras and Orthen. The victorious Orthen imposes humiliating peace terms on the people of Cregeirann. An enraged Connal abandons his home, refusing to listen to the cautionary appeals of his mother, sister, or the council of elders who are responsible for electing the next king.

Connal leads a crew of fifty warriors to Orthen’s court and challenges the peace terms through a trial by combat against twelve champions. After defeating only nine of his opponents, Connal’s strength begins to fail, and Orthen unexpectedly calls a halt to the contest, allowing Connal to save face.

In the days that follow, Orthen draws Connal into the web of his holy vision, revealing that, because of the sinful practices of the land, Aonel, the one God, has ceased to communicate with all people. Orthen claims that he alone hears directly from Aonel and that God revealed to him that Connal is destined to aid him in his conquest and purification of all the kingdoms of Moralann. Though he is intrigued, Connal ultimately rejects Orthen’s offer of alliance and sails home, expecting to be elected king.

Meanwhile, Orthen’s brother Daras has not given up his own claim to their father’s throne. He enlists the help of the powerful necromancer, Nivan, who plans to raise a long-dead dragon from the grave, and, if that fails, to unleash an undying horde of shadow-walkers from their subterranean prison.

When we left off, just before Connal begins his voyage home back across the sea, Nivan’s sister, Moreana, arrives at Orthen’s court with a dire warning: Daras and Nivan are preparing to unleash a terror that could consume all of Moralann.

Starting this Friday, new serialized chapters will drop weekly here at The Mead Hall, and come straight to your inbox!