Secrets of the Revolution

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

With the conclusion of Amber Scott's low-down, dirty story of life in the swamps of Nirmathas, it's time for the free Wednesday web fiction to head across Lake Encarthan to the little town of Dabril in Galt, best known for its fine perfumes and gloves, as well as a tendency to send folks to the guillotine at the slightest provocation. (But then, what town in Galt doesn't?) It's to this less-than-welcoming setting that a young alchemist returns home after years with the militia, body broken by the ravages of war and in search of any thread of familiarity that might help him start a new life. Yet here he finds more than he bargained for, for in the ruins of Dabril's noble manor house lie alchemical secrets beyond anything a simple grenadier can imagine...

The author of this month's story, Kevin Andrew Murphy, is no stranger to Pathfinder, having already written a chapter in the Prodigal Sons Pathfinder's Journal in the Kingmaker Adventure Path (in the process introducing the bizarre and fabulous Clever Nella puppet show, plus a new way to play with a Harrow deck). In addition, he's written fiction for everyone from George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards series to White Wolf's World of Darkness (from whence his character Penny Dreadful hails), as well as several standalone novels, RPG adventures, poems, and more.

Most pertinent to this story, however, is Kevin's encyclopedic knowledge of alchemy. A professional consultant on the subject for both television and the gaming industry, Kevin understands as well as (or better than) anyone here in the editorial pit exactly how the real-world science of alchemy evolved, and uses that knowledge to great effect in taking us inside the brain of one of Golarion's alchemists, showing off that same esoteric passion and the unique worldview it inspires. While alchemy in the Pathfinder RPG doesn't track precisely to real-world historical practices, and individual alchemists are likely as different in their approaches as any wizards or rogues, I hope you'll agree that Kevin's character of Norret Gantier is a fascinating specimen, and that his story is as educational as it is exciting!

James Sutter
Fiction Editor