Pathfinder / Fiction / Tales / Short Fiction

Pathfinder Tales: The Ghosts of Broken Blades ePub

Paizo Inc.

(based on 3 ratings)

Pathfinder Tales: The Ghosts of Broken Blades ePub

Our Price: $0.99

Add to Cart

by Monte Cook

Roubris Chor can talk to swords. Precisely how is something he's never understood or cared to find out—all Roubris knows is that sometimes the spirits of those who've died remain within the swords left behind on battlefields. And some of them know secrets. In exchange for taking the swords to the local temple of Iomedae and putting them to rest, the spirits can usually be convinced to part with those secret treasures and gems of information that they no longer have any use for—and which Roubris can use to turn a tidy profit. It's a good system. Or at least, it was. Now Roubris may have met his match in a sword that seems to know more than it should. And to cash in on its promised treasure, he'll need to head far from the safety of Lastwall, into the shattered wastes of the demon-haunted Worldwound itself.

From popular game designer and author Monte Cook comes a rollicking tale of hard choices and situational ethics, set in the award-winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

This story originally appeared as part of Paizo's free weekly webfiction series, and is available for free at http://paizo.com/pathfinder/tales/serial.

Product Availability

Fulfilled immediately.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

PZOTEB0012E

Average product rating:

(based on 3 ratings)

Intriguing Protagonist, Disappointing Story

Jhaeman — Sep 20, 2017, 12:11 am

NO SPOILERS

Credit has to be given to Monte Cook, writer of The Ghosts of Broken Blades (a four-part series of free web fiction available here), for coming up with an original concept for a protagonist: Roubris Chour wanders old battlefields and talks to spirits (somehow) trapped in the weapons that have killed them, promising to set them free if they reward him with information about where gold or other valuables are hidden. But although the main character has a really interesting schtick, the story as a whole is only average and a few elements don't seem to really fit Golarion.

SPOILERS

Roubris finds a surprisingly self-aware trapped spirit named Serth that promises him great wealth (hidden in an ancient temple near the Worldwound) if Roubris will set him free. Although Roubris suspects a trap, the promise of riches is enough to convince him to check it out, and he travels there with his friend Karatha, a cleric of Iomedae. The temple is devoted to the demon lord Deskari, and there's a weird bit where opening the door to its treasure room also opens a portal to the demonic plane where Serth's body resides--Roubris has to choose between the treasure and stopping Serth from regaining his previous power. It's all a bit contrived and clunky, and didn't work for me. I think a harder, darker ending would have fit the whole concept better. Roubris could be an interesting character (a fundamentally greedy character who helps trapped spirits) but this story didn't make the most of the idea.

Realsyntax — May 30, 2013, 07:33 am

This is an amazing short story and worth the .99 for the epub format. In all honesty I would love to read an expanded novel, staring these protagonists.