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A Devil's Tale

A 65-post collection

Challenge #04933-M184: As You Wish

In an alternate timeline, Earl Valiant Whitekeep catches wind that the elder God Wothyn is regaining strength thanks to the return of his son and his rival. With his wife heavily pregnant, he begs the elder God for help averting the curse. As he's made a deal with the hangman god and worded his request foolishly, this can only end well for everyone not named Valiant Whitekeep. -- Deathshead419

Whitekeep owed allegiance to Tyr by long and ancient tradition. The ancient Warlock may have begged a demon for the power to escape; but Tyr was more trustworthy about justice. Specifically the justice required to keep the Olikents off their collective asses. It was a long-standing tradition that left temples to Tyr all over the Earldom, and not a lot of other temples to anyone else.

Therefore Earl Valiant Stormwight Hallowfine Whitekeep, fourth of his name, had to go out of his way to pray to other gods. Being the Earl, he could not travel anywhere outside his castle without a bodyguard, honour guard, secretary, seneschal, three dogsbodies and at least two of the castle dogs who thought they could be useful. They weren't, but that's dogs for you.

At least his seneschal had researched and knew the way to the nearest Temple of All Gods. Valiant needed all of the gods for this. He was truly that desperate.

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Challenge #04926-M177: Damned Foolish Stunt

Tilting at windmills -- Deathshead419

Kosh would have to apologise to Artie for insisting this mobile chair be disposable. Even though the autonomous automaton's face was immobile, it nevertheless managed o convey heatbreak and disappointment when he told it, "The chair won't last long anyway. Just make sure it will last long enough."

He'd have a lot of apologies to make if he survived this.

First and most importantly, to his beloved Cordelia, for making her wait nine months for his return

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Challenge #04925-M176: In Good Company

It's dangerous to go alone -- Spare AMitA Prompt

Pipi raised the sacred weapon and hollered the sacred vow, "I found a stick onna ground, an' now I'm gonna use it! All the power that I found, I don't wanna abuse it!" Their voice echoed in the streets and no other kids called challenge. Nobody else called dibs. The obvious next thing to do was become a Hero.

Which meant that Pipi needed to become a protector and helper to the poor,

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Challenge #04924-M175: Trust to Not Fall

Leap of Faith -- Spare AMitA Prompt

For such a small stone, the Icon of Edass weighed heavily inside a fold of Kosh's gi. As he raced across the rooftops of Arbordeep, he had to wonder how much of the stretched truth he told to Xiolein was something he covertly believed.

It was so easy to believe the artifact was cursed. Those who sought it had killed so many of those who held it. As well as unnumbered innocent bystanders who had

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Challenge #04880-M131: Bad Omens Rise

King Krivcol III had a brush with death at a young age. Now he relies upon astrologers to gauge his future, planning out every detail of his and his family's lives. But his growing paranoia with what's to come may be blinding him to problems around him in the here and now... -- Deathshead419

Many heads of state had advisors. Some had viseers, some had chancellors, come had cabinets of experts. King Krivkol Florentus Montgomerie Oralendo Montecroix, third of his name, had

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Challenge #04864-M115: Always Welcome

Dex was taking a vacation from the palace with his family. Unfortunately, it becomes quite stormy. But, fortunately, his parents' place wasn't far, and it'd been quite a while since they'd visited the farm. -- Anon Guest

They had been on their way to Waelrin's capital and castle when the threatening storm started to beat their carriage around. The good news, for King Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep, tenth of his name (Dex to his friends), was that they were close to Dromlynne.

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Challenge #04858-M109: Hated Unreasonably on Sight

Life's most valuable lessons often come from the strangest places. -- Prompty.

Viscount Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep, ninth of his name (aged seven), had been kept busy learning all the things a young Viscount needed to know. Dressage, Dancing, Diplomacy, Archery, Arts, Economics, it went on and on. He was allowed some hours free to spend in his own pursuits. Which, until he needed to replace some art supplies, Kormwind he had spent in the Dojo's library.

He carried his papers, of

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Challenge #04836-M087: Taking the Time

The king offered a boon, it was, respectfully, turned down. A gift, then, was offered of a new checker board, hir's was getting old and some pieces had gone missing. This was accepted, but only if he'd be willing to sit and play a game or two.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04791-m042-unfamiliar-to-some -- Anon Guest

What fascinated Verin about her request was that the Thrice-Sworn King did not go out and purchase a new board from a shop. He gathered materials

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Challenge #04833-M084: A Lesson to Last

Kormwind, Dex to his friends, is being followed around by two youngsters, a human child and hir hellkin twin. When asked why they follow, the children ask to be taught to cook, taught to make things, taught to grow things, so they won't go hungry again. And the other children in the home won't go hungry anymore, either. -- Anon Guest

[AN: This has to happen while he was off being an Adventurer and not a Prince]

Dex had been viewing his

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Challenge #04829-M080: Work/Play Balance

A youngster sneaks up behind "Dex" and pokes his side and says "tag, you're it!" and runs off giggling. He and his friends were helping a renovation project the children's hospital had badly needed. -- The New Guy

When is a king not a king? When he's not doing the king's job. Dex, like his father before him, had his sleeves rolled up to help out with something that needed to be done. It was better than sitting in his office and

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Challenge #04818-M069: Permission to Ask

During court, king Kormwind, tenth of that name, finds himself having a toddler climbing up in his lap and, sucking their thumb, and full of trust, falling asleep. Where are the parents? Near the kitchens exhaustedly trying to handle six other children, most of whom were at that stage of sleepy where they get wilder and grumpy due to being overtired, and trying to figure out where their toddler went. -- Anon Guest

People often thought that only the Nobles lived in

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Challenge #04798-M049: Using All Avenues

Another died of the 'plague' that leaves the body rake thin. Always recorded as an illness. The red king, the tax-collectors told them, demanded this tribute. She fled to stop the plague, stop the red king, if the lord wouldn't do it, she would.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04754-m005-the-better-decision -- Anon Guest

Famines were generally the product of administrative mismanagement. It was very rare for a famine to be the direct result of consecutive disasters. The lands of the Red King

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Challenge #04791-M042: Unfamiliar to Some

The human was kind to all, no matter who they were, or what they were. It was tradition in their family that went back generations. So when the badly wounded, nearly unconscious, and very skittish, Kormwind IX was found on the ground in the nearby wood, they brought him into their home, bandaged the wounds, treated fever with medicine, and asked for nothing more than the occasional game of chess or checkers in the evenings if he felt up to it. --

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Challenge #04788-M039: Passing Notes

"THERE you are you damn teuf!" The brightly dressed dandy of a young lord stomped over to Kormwind X and his party. Shoving a piece of paper in his hand, the dandy turns to storm off. "Drink with your reprobates later, get those supplies NOW!"

The note read, however, --My father's plotting to kill you, please flee town and stay safe.-- -- Anon Guest

There's fighting words, killing words, and fight-for-your-life words. Of the three 'teuf' is usually a clear signal

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Challenge #04768-M019: Power's Responsibility

The kid asked what it was like to be a king. They were made king for the day. After a few hours the kid said it was absolutely no fun and by the end of the day? The kid was very glad they were not the king! -- Anon Guest

"Scuse me mister, are you th' king?"

Kosh had to lean to see who was speaking. Small for one of the Castle Boys, and very new to the uniform, too. He recognised

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