The Tale of the Explodable Prison
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I’ve been thinking for awhile about writing little short fiction pieces here and there in my newsletter, and this week I’ve got the perfect excuse to do it. Starting this Sunday, we’re going to be running a six-episode Pathfinder game (think D&D but different—and I think better) on Cool Zone Media Book Club. It’s me and Hazel (who helps with the show and is too wise to have an internet presence) and Io (Instagram and Bluesky) and Robert (from Behind the Bastards, on Bluesky). Jason Bulmahn (creator of Pathfinder, on Instagram and Bluesky) is our game master.
We’ve decided to introduce our band of miscreant heroes to you ahead of time, complete with artwork and backstory. The artwork is by Jonas Goonface (SFW instagram and NSFW bluesky).
So without further ado…
The Tale of the Explodable Prison
This story I’m going to tell you, like every story I care about, takes place in the Aspodell Mountains, where the border between Cheliax and Andoran is not so rigid as you might suppose. This story I am going to tell you, like every story I care about, is about a place where people try their best to forget that there’s a border at all and to forget the war that is brewing or the wars long steeped.
This story I am going to tell you isn’t set in the foothills down by Piren’s Bluff, nor in Haugin’s Ear along the winding Keld. It’s not set in any place you’ve heard of, I promise you that, and it’s set in a place you’ll continue to not hear of, at least not by name, at least not by me, because who am I to write this town that seeks no notoriety or fame onto the great map of Golarion?
Our tale is the tale of four people who found themselves running from the arrows and stones of the regional militia. Our tale is the tale of the explodable prison.
“If a village wants to be left alone they simply shouldn’t have agreed to let anyone build a prison there,” Spite said. She had been given her beautiful name because creche attendants name their charges after the various virtues. “I won’t stand for it. Milani, everblooming, will not stand for it.” She raised her morningstar to the sky for emphasis, though when she realized no one was actually
...This excerpt is provided for preview purposes. Full article content is available on the original publication.