Look! Was not that a fairy, on wings dancing, light and bare?
Fair they are, but fell
For to my cost I know full well
They can cage the living in many a moonlight snare

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 4, 2018

In back rooms across this city, priests of many forgotten gods
Worship in secret, hidden robes briefly out and on their backs
Their fervent prayers oft with each other at odds
As ever flame and gutter their candles of strange beast-wax

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 5, 2018

When night’s quiet sky is silently riven, overhead
And you see old and strange stars dimly burn
Certain graves will gape, as a few long, long dead
Rise, to watch for THEIR return

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 7, 2018

1)
“Wyrmhaven, they call it. A old-bones-hearth-home for dragons. They say it’s FULL of treasure.”
“Umm. Just how feeble are these old-bones dragons?”
“Well, lad, there’s one way to find out. You go in and tell them you’re the…#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 26, 2018

3)
“Asset redeployment?”
…local treasure inspector, and need to take a look.”
“For tax purposes, you mean?”
“SHHHH! Mention the word ‘tax’ and they’ll crisp you onthe spot! Nay, they’re calling it ‘asset redeployment’ these days, so mind you do, too.”#epic fantasy “Yes. As in, what they’ll do to your ass if you make a single slip. I’ll wait here, to guard our rear.”
“Arrears?”
“Ah, you’re getting good at this! Carry on!”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 26, 2018

So many murders, drenched in wine
Followed by so many penitent absolutions divine
Rage doth grip this heart of mine
Until I care not whether
I in anyone’s regard still shine
If I can fall fighting,
with my sword-companions,
all of us together

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 2, 2018

When adventurer and monster meet
In dungeon dark or ruin forlorn
One will know death, the other victory sweet
Even if it be but living to see the next morn

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 3, 2018

From the armies of goblins, grant us haven
For our swordarms are wear, bloody, and numb
They harry us like the tireless, mocking raven
And I’d prefer not to be slain by little brutes so dumb

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 3, 2018

1)
“You may see a door,” snapped the thief, “but I see a trap. I’m not going anywhere near it.”
“But—but we’ve come so far, fought the minotaurs and the trolls and the stonefists, and there’s no other way on.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 3, 2018

3)
“Sounds like drudge-work,” the younger fighter snarled, “not adventuring. Race about the world and kill things, they said! Hoot and holler and drink and get RICH, they said! Rorth, does it sound like adventuring to you?”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 3, 2018

4)
Old Rorth gave the young fighter a level look. “Sounds like staying alive to me. I’ll fetch the manure. Charge the door on your own if you want adventure so hot; I’ll fetch a bones-bag for you. Any tombstone preferences?”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 3, 2018

1)
“Prithee unfold thy reason for approaching this thrice-guarded door, sir,” said the guard formally, advancing with sword drawn.
“I’m looking for the jakes,” rumbled the barbarian.
The guard tried to stare into the wild…#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

3)
…didn’t you?”
outlander’s eyes, but he was staring past the guard, silently mouthing that same sentence over and over.
The guard transferred his gaze to the short, homely dwarf standing beside the barbarian.
“You told him to say that, She smiled. “Of course.”
“Why? It’s hardly likely we’d mount three successive guardposts in front of a door to any jakes.”
“Yes, but HE doesn’t know that. Barbarian, remember?”
The guard sighed. There were days…#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

5)
“However, you DO know that.”
“Of course.”
“So you’re either a bored mischief-maker, or this was some sort of ruse to get you this far.”
“There are other possibilities.”
Definitely one of those days“Care to share them with us?”
“I could be an inspector of royal treasure vaults. Or a repossessor of stolen goods, working for a truly ancient dragon whose hoard was ravaged years ago.”
“Well, are you?”
“No. NOW, Urthras!”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

7)
The barbarian charged forward, batting the guard aside as if he was a rag scarecrow, and slammed himself against the door.
Guards fled sideways, with alacrity.
A moment later, the wild outlander’s body was torn asunder by a titanic blast.#epic fantasy The doors of the royal treasury vault, however, held.
The foremost guard had rolled when the barbarian had dashed him aside, and come up running. In time to tackle the dwarf.
“Magic doors,” he explained calmly.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

8)
The doors of the royal treasury vault, however, held.
The foremost guard had rolled when the barbarian had dashed him aside, and come up running. In time to tackle the dwarf.
“Magic doors,” he explained calmly “I’d say you need a new barbarian.”
The dwarf shrugged. “There’s a tribe of them.”
The guard sighed. “So much for resource management.” He turned his head and called, “Open the door!”
The dwarf gaped. “You’re letting me in?”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

10)
“Of course. This vault is the royal menagerie. Barbarians we have, but the King has wanted a dwarf for YEARS. March!”
“Is there food in there?”
“No. Exhibits don’t have to be alive. However, we do have a court necromancer.”#epic fantasy “So I can choose undeath?”
“Of course. The King is most generous. That’s why he provides three sets of guards.”
The guard then dropped sword to whip out quill and parchment. He’d not heard HALF of those dwarven curses before.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

1)
“Seriously? You’re going out there alone? Against TEN of them?”
The fighter smiled a superior smile, and hefted his blade. “MAGIC sword,” he reminded the party smugly—and charged outside with a bold battle cry.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 1, 2018

3)
The clangs, shrieks, oaths, and grunts were deafening, but lasted mere moments ere the fighter staggered bloodily back into the room, dying on his feet.
“Magic…foes…” he managed to gasp, ere he crashed onto his face“Magic foes? They’re just brigands,” said the cleric, peering.
“Uh,” said the thief, “I may or may not have obtained a lookalike sword in that last town, and, ah, traded the magic one away…”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 1, 2018

4)
“For WHAT?” the wizard snarled.
“Uh…beans.”
The bard backed away. “No. Oh, no. I KNOW how this tale goes.”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 1, 2018

1)
The cleric looked at the sign above the bubbling cauldron, noting the high price. Then he peered into the cauldron. And gave the unfamiliar bard behind the half-full pot a hard stare. “Smells like stewed boar. Or human.”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

3)
The bard nodded affably. “No complaints so far; this cauldron was full this morning. Delicious, most have deemed it. Well worth the price.”
“Aye, but what’s so special and legendary about it?”
“Surely you, a holy man, know…#epic fantasy …the power of magic reversed. Circling widdershins, and all that.”
“I do. It’s real.”
“And of mighty magical rods that must be assembled, their powers multiplying with each piece joined together?”
“Oh, yes!”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

4)
“Well, this is the reverse: a stew of the parts of seven Rods! Rod Dunshield, Rod Tulknight, Rod…”
The cleric lurched back, retching.
The thief peered in. “That explains the floating eyes. Hope you gave it enough salt.”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 30, 2018

1)
“Um,” the fighter muttered to the princess, “I believe this is the part where we’re supposed to kiss. Rings exchanged, everyone watching, moment for a big cheer, and all…”
“I’m aware of the custom,” his new bride said coldly.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018

3)
2)
“But as royalty, I reserve the right to make changes to what is customary, and accepted, and what you’ll dare do if you want to retain your manhood any longer. See this tiny sharp blade? I have over forty of them…#epic fantasy…hidden on my person; you’ll never find them all.”
The fighter peered. “Good steel. They all like that?”
“Why, yes.”
He smiled.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018

5)
And flipped open the heavy round shield of his belt buckle. “Magnet.”
There followed a swift flurry of clangings as forty-nine tiny blades raced to his magnetized metal codpiece and struck, point first.#epic fantasy His kiss was passionate, and insistent, and his breath wasn’t nearly as bad as the princess had expected. Yet she was more furious than aroused when he broke off for air.
“You TRICKED me,” she hissed, amid the loud cheering.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018

7)
“For the first and LAST time.”
“Understood,” the fighter replied. “Magnets can only do so much. So, no kissing? Or other intimacy?”
“Oh, I didn’t say that. But I shall choose the time and place. And how much intimacy.”#epic fantasy The fighter nodded.
The princess was astonished. “You…accept?”
Her new husband nodded. “Your father warned me. Of your mother’s decrees to him.”
“Yet he defied her—and they had me. I’ll brook no such defiance.”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018

9)
“Well, that’s progress. I’ll defy only when you make a fool’s choice that the real world will shatter. Otherwise, you decree and I’ll obey and follow. Easier for us both.”
The princess blinked. “No manly raging? No storming away?”
“No. See? Easier.”
“I…I can’t believe it.”
“And THAT’S going to be the recurring problem between us. Now, want your knives back? Or would resheathing them be a trifle embarrassing in front of everyone?”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018

11)
“Keep them for now. I…I believe I chose well, after all.”
“If you can say that forty years from now, we’ll have won a victory together.” The fighter put his arm around her. “Just now, let’s please your parents and the wedding guests and follow tradition for a bit, hey? They already all KNOW you’re in charge.”#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018

12)
The princess sighed, and dared to relax. After plucking one of her knives into her hand.#epic fantasy

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 27, 2018