Ethria 3: The Liberator, An Epic LitRPG Adventure!
By A. R. Holloway
Copyright © 2021, by Aaron Holloway.
All rights reserved. No part of this production may be copied, reproduced, or recreated in any fashion without the explicit written permission from the copyright owner. Except where is permitted for educational, satirical, and commentary purposes under fair-use or other applicable local/regional rules and laws.
Contents
Copyright © 2021, by Aaron Holloway.
Contents
Dedication and The Future
Summary of Events
Prologue 1: The Growing Threat
Prologue 2: Until The Last Leaf Falls
Prologue 3: The Prospect of Freedom
Chapter 1: The Fury of the Pyromancer
Chapter 2: Melted Stones and Sorcerer’s Disdain
Chapter 3: Planning Meeting
Chapter 4: A Legal War
Chapter 5: Taking Stock
Chapter 6: Growth
Chapter 7: Construction Projects
Chapter 8: Dance Party
Chapter 9: Signal Fires In The Dark
Chapter 10: River Pirates
Chapter 11: Recognition
Chapter 12: Confession
Chapter 13: The United Orders
Chapter 14: Bandits and Darklings
Chapter 15: Deep Snow and Deeper Trouble
Chapter 16: Shopping At Our Level
Chapter 17: Getting Dressed For A Night on the Town
Chapter 18: The Ball and the Bards
Chapter 19: A Foreign Performance
Interlude 1: The Knightly Orders
Interlude 2: The Pain of Honor
Interlude 3: The Battle for Gulhaven
Interlude 4: The Assassin’s Blade
Chapter 20: Forsaking
Chapter 21: The Revenge of the Bards
Chapter 22: The Beginning of Restitution
Chapter 23: Storming the Tower
Chapter 24: The Druid Awakens
Chapter 25: A Dangerous Reunion
Chapter 26: Retaliation
Chapter 27: The Dark Lords
Chapter 28: The Sorcerers Servants
Chapter 29: The Great Retreat
Chapter 30: Reinforcements
Chapter 31: Stone Bridge and Old Hearth
Chapter 32: One Last Desperate Fight
Chapter 33: The Jinn
Chapter 34: The Summoning
Chapter 35: Kindler
Chapter 36: The Bacon King!
Chapter 37: Systemic Solutions
Chapter 38: Setting Things To Right
Epilogue 1: Gathering the Clans
Epilogue 2: Cult of Death
Epilogue 3: The Honor of Pain
Thank You For Reading
Reader Resources
Author Resources
Dedication and The Future
This book is dedicated to my amazing fans, readers, and supporters (that means you, the one reading this). Thank you for reading and helping me continue to pursue the amazing stories on Ethria. Without your support I would never have been able to continue writing such in depth lore rich books. Three 130,000+ word books in under two years is not bad by any measure, especially when dealing with COVID and how it brought me to the brink of homelessness. I hope you will continue to read, and enjoy my stories, and the stories of other indie authors and publishers in the genre.
On the topic of publishing, I have a lot of exciting things coming down the pipeline that tie into Ethria. Including the possibility of an art book by my artist Ming-luke, a companion series following some of the younger heroes we have encountered so far in the story, and some additional shorts that explore the interesting world of Ethria. Additionally, I have some non-Ethria related projects including some that have been announced through a small press publisher. You’ll hear more about those as work on them begins. Some of them are in the LitRPG/Gamelit genre, some of them are not. But have no fear, Ethria is, and will remain, my flagship series.
The short stories can be found over on my Patreon as they get published along with a few other goodies (all accessible for between 1-5/ a month). For news and updates on new projects feel free to join my monthly newsletter (I don’t spam, I promise). For the occasional live writing or editing session join my Facebook Readers Group. And if you’re only interested in seeing the occasional cool thing, funny meme, or hearing updates feel free to follow my Facebook Page.
Some of you might have noticed I have started a small YouTube channel dedicated to highlighting other amazing, lesser known LitRPG and Gamelit stories. Feel free to check that out when you have some time or need a recommendation for a good read that are spoilers free.
Long story short, thank you. For everything.
I hope you enjoy reading Ethria 3 as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Summary of Events
I am a reader too, so I know what it's like to have even a short hiatus between books in a series that you love. I also know how useful a short summary of what took place previously can be. So, here you go. This summary is meant to include only the main events surrounding books 1 and 2, and don’t include every detail.
Book 1 “The Pioneer”
The gods of the Pervolin pantheon, desperate to save their people from persecution reached out into the cosmos and summoned a hero from beyond their world of Ethria. Daniel Tear, an avid gamer and recent college graduate was playing the MMORPG Kingdoms of Ashe with his brother when he was summoned to Ethria. Daniel was tasked by the Pervolin pantheon with finding a permanent and safe place for their people to live. He was trained by his fairy guide Ailsa on how to access his character sheet and what true names were, selecting the name “Rayid”. Eventually he learned the basics of magic.
Along the way he met an old man named Riggal who gave him a ride. While on the road to the nearest human town he was attacked by two young elves causing mischief in the deep forest. While subduing the elves he meet Tol’geth the Viridian, a high level barbarian warrior. The two become swift friends and worked together to bring the elf children back to their home on the other side of the river.
After briefly visiting the human settlement of Cutters Hollow and finding a third elf child, “Rayid” and his friends crossed the river into the elven kingdom of Lo’sar. Rayid was then escorted to their capital under two massive Home trees. He learned of the elven kingdom, their history, and met many of their people. After a festival where he impressed the elves with his musical knowledge Rayid eventually earned their trust. Delivering a message from Cutters Hollow’s leadership in the process.
Rayid was granted several gifts by the elves, mainly of extra or cast off books on what the elves considered to be fundamental magical theory. After using the first book from his gift he experienced much of the life of the pyromancer [INSERT NAME] becoming a master of fire magic himself. It was during this time that Rayid came up with a plan to house the many refugees heading north out of the Kingdom of Tor. With winter fast approaching he needed the help of his newly minted elven allies to begin executing his vision. He also learned that his friend Tol’geth had someone dear to him who was imprisoned in the south by an evil sorcerer. Rayid promised his friend he would do everything he could to help rescue Pina once their work in the north was completed.
After several encounters in the elven forest of Lo’sar, including meeting the powerful High Elf Ambassador Salina and upgrading some of his equipment Rayid was able to lay out his plan for a temporary settlement. The settlement eventually became known as Winter's Rest. While some among the elven leadership were skeptical about having so many humans on their doorstep, most were supportive of the effort. Rayid also began laying plans for a
mass exodus of the Pervolin refugees into the far north to a group of mountains known as the Kragg.
While the first buildings were rising from the quickly freezing soil, the unknown threat of the Necromancer of the Dow’del ruins was revealed. Goblins and undead attacked all of the major settlements in the Borderlands region, Lo’sar, Winters Rest, Cutters Hollow, The Twins, and even Laketown came under major assault.
Again with the help of the elves Rayid and his friends were able to successfully repel the attack at the new settlement. Afterwards they were teleported to a wagon train of refugees under attack by goblins riding powerful Wargs where they defended the refugees. And then again to the city of Laketown where they aided the city's defenders against a goblin incursion.
During the fight at Laketown Rayid met Dazin the captain of the city watch, and helped to repel the attack at the docks allowing people from the city to flee across the river. Rayid and his friends rescued a Warp Warg puppy, before then continuing on to the city lords manor. There Rayid and his friends fought multiple goblin shamans, warg riders, and companies of goblin warriors. They eventually fought their way into the manor and up to the second floor where they found the head goblin shaman and defeated him.
In that meat storage room above the manor kitchens Rayid rescued several captives, and found half a dozen corpses strung up on the wall in various stages of preparation to become powerful undead. It was there that our allies learned of the Necromancer and met the brave knight Tegan Traser who would join them in their fight.
After rescuing Laketown, and meeting with the leadership of the human-elvan alliance, a force of human warriors and elvan rangers left through portals summoned by a wounded yet recovering Salina to the area just outside the Dow’del forest. After encountering an army of undead and burning nearly half the Dow’del forest down, the warriors of Laketown and rangers of Lo’sar made their way to the lair of the necromancer.
While the army was left above ground to hold the ruins, our heroes along with several powerful knights fought their way through the horrors and traps of the necromancers' home and finally confronted her. After a terrible battle our intrepid heroes defeated the new head goblin shaman, Dazin the half-undead abomination and traitor to Laketown, and the necromancer herself.
As the army and our heroes looted the place, tended to the wounded, and mopped up any resistance, Rayid discovered that the dark altar the necromancer was using was not her creation. The ancient wood dwarves who had carved the ruin she had corrupted had built it to their gods of the forest. Rayid attempted to purge the corruption from the altar, but the dwarven pantheon was no longer available to accept their old altar. As the stone crumbled away Rayid discovered the altar had at its heart a Mana Core. A powerful artifact that Ailsa told him to keep secret for fear of causing a world war and attracting enemies far beyond his ability to deal with.
Once the work of looting the ruin and healing the wounded was completed the army and our heroes returned to Laketown where the residents held a grand festival. However, Rayid, Tol’geth, and Ailsa knew that Tol’geth’s friend Pina was still being held captive. In addition there was much work for them to do in the south to help ease the passing of the refugees through Tor. As they were preparing to leave amid the festivities, Tegin Traser asked if he could join them. After accepting the knight into the party, the heroes began their journey south.
Book 2 “The Golem Crafter”
After leaving the warp warg puppy with the Lisander and the elves, our heroes were teleported outside the Twins. The twin cities gates were closed and refused to allow them passage as the city had just broken a siege by goblins. Our heroes tried a second route, over the mountains.
Halfway up the mountain pass our heroes encountered strange ice elementals that barred their way. Tol’geth engaged in an honor duel with their leader, ripping his arm off and knocking him out. Upon his victory he realized the duel was a misunderstanding, and that he needed to enter the belly of the mountain and speak with someone called the Crystal Matriarch so the guardian he just defeated could be restored.
After meeting with the Matriarch, and being given an important quest to plant a seed of her peoples future somewhere safe, Rayid and company leave the heart of the mountain. As they do, Deep Dwarves and the powerful Drouger they worship as Gods begin a battle against the Matriarch for dominance over the entrance into a mysterious place known as the Under Dark. Feeling the titanic battle they emerge onto the surface.
After several escapades in the hinterlands of northern Tor, the team is able to successfully take a barge to the city of Sowers Vale, sometimes known to the upper echelons of Torish society as Harvesters Vale. Along the way Rayid learns how to create Golems.
Upon arriving at Sowers Vale our heroes discovered that the Torish have put in place bans on non-humans in the city unless they are under the direct care of nobility. Ailsa agrees to wear a tracking collar, and the team enter the city eager to begin their search for Pina. Not far into the city gates and a friend from Trasers past greets them, and offers to give the team a tour of the city.
A young squire from the order of the bleeding heart named Alderon is tasked with the duty, and our heroes begin their tour. When they arrive at the City Magi’s tower and the magical market, they are greeted by two powerful magi who explain the rules and regulations surrounding magic use in the city.
After some additional sightseeing, the team ends up at the Traser Estate, the home of the Traser family whenever they are in Sowers Vale. They are then invited to the Court the next day, where the religious leadership in the city and county, Cardinal Telik will be presiding. They arrive and discover that Traser and his friends have been able to convince the Count to take control of the Court as is his right as Count.
The team then proceeds to explain their grievances, that they are in Sowers Vale to rescue Pina from the clutches of an evil sorcerer. The Count recognizes the description of the sorcerer as one of Teliks servants. The Sorcerer Jekkel then enters the court invited by Telik to defend himself. After a brief scuffle between Tol’geth and a powerful stone golem brought by Jekkel, Tol’geth proclaims his divine right to destroy the sorcerer. As various pantheons were at play in the situation Ethria itself intervened and proclaimed that the Count could decide how the contest should be handled. The Count orders that the rules of the Dead God of the Torish Pantheon should take precedence, as Honor Duals were common when the Dead God was alive.
The Priesthood of the Dead God were consulted, and the dual is organized as an opening entertainment to the New Years Festival. Jekkel determined his weapon of choice would be GOlems, and so Tol’geth needed to choose a champion. The enraged Tol’geth selected his friend Rayid to duel the man, and the date was set.
After several days of shopping, building, and constructing the most powerful golem he could create, Rayid dueled and defeated the evil sorcerer Jekkel. The Count ordered Jekkel to give up his prisoner, and he publicly agreed. Only to then return to his tower, and murder both Telik, and the City Magi who came to retrieve Pina into his custody.
Prologue 1: The Growing Threat
“When nothing around you makes sense, everything is equally threatening.”― Mandy Ashcraft, Small Orange Fruit
City of Gulhaven, Noon Western Time, Fregga 60th, 2988 AOR New Years Eve
Commander Tulk of the Gul-Haven City Guard watched the funeral procession pass by under where he stood on the fourth story balcony of the keep. It was the best vantage point to look out over the entire city. The unfortunate noble was the son of the Duke. One of the most powerful men in the entire world, and yet even this child of power died from nothing more than a horse riding accident. Tulk and several knights of different investigative orders had looked into the matter, and there wasn’t a trace of anything more than bad luck at play.
“Proves that levels and lineage can’t protect you from a broken neck…” he whispered to himself. Tulk watched as priests of the dead god lead the funeral procession down the cobblestone street
s. The three black-robed priests were flanked by their Dreadguards. Some called them Deathknights. Both suited them just fine if anyone had asked Tulk. Behind them in the line were dozens of priests of Dominus, God of Life, Light, and Law in Tor. They encircled the family’s retinue, which comprised the Duke, his wife, their two remaining younger sons and daughter, and a cadre of House Knights in ceremonial yet still functional armor.
Tulk spoke into his speaking stone, the small magical device that allowed him to communicate with his lieutenants on the ground. “Sin’gin, move your squad south along the procession. It looks like there is a small crowd of peasant mourners wanting to join the tail end of the funeral, but they’re too far forward. Intercept them, and have them wait until the Duke’s family passes.” Sin’gin responded in the affirmative, and Tulk went back to surveying the streets. His and the City Guard’s job was crowd control. They steered traffic around the funeral procession and scanned the crowd for any thieves or miscreants that might try to ruin the somber day of grieving.
Most of the people of the city had liked Baldrin. He had been city lord, and learned the art of leadership from his father since he was a child. The man hadn’t been a particularly kind boss to Tulk, but he had been efficient. Reducing crime in the northern duchy’s capital by nearly a third in the three years he ruled it. This allowed his father to focus more on the broader duchy. As a lord Baldrin had been fair, if not kind, and the people had loved him for it.
The funeral procession arrived at the center of the city a few moments later, and the casket lay in repose in the central circle. The three temples, Dominus, The Dead God, and the one of the local sea god Tempest rimmed the square. Smaller chapels to technically heretical yet tolerated sects, or local divinities from other areas of the duchy dotted the spaces between the temples. The dead god’s temple doors were open, Dominus were shut tight in the ceremonial reversal of their traditional modes for a state funeral.
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