Issue Summaries

The Rift-Child Cycle

Issue 1: The Jewel City (Nov. 1997)

Aertimisan and Blackfell enter the Jewel City of Kymer in search of Ignatz Sieff, the dark thaumaturge who took Aertimisan's sight years earlier. Aertimisan tracks Sieff for vengeance, while the mysterious Blackfell pursues him for as yet undisclosed reasons. Sieff narrowly eludes the two, then has a local fence, Salias Stone, set an ambush for them the following evening. While Aertimisan fends off the assailants, Blackfell corners Stone and extracts information on Sieff's whereabouts. When it is revealed that the thaumaturge has left the city, Aertimisan and Blackfell, with the assistance of a sellsword named Ilora and a thief named Dorin, both of whom Blackfell liberated from the city pens, head into the wild, in search of Sieff. A tremor sends a rockslide crashing down on the party. Having narrowly escaped this mishap the group (save for Blackfell, who vanished unexpectedly during the avalanche) is summarily captured by Morden Xan, chief henchman of the most powerful bandit lord in the area, Rogard Buloch, who is none too pleased about having had two of his captives escape.

Issue 2: Bleeding Karidoon (Jan. 1998)

Ignatz Sieff visits the imprisoned seeress of Ashellay Bog, Vel-Sakai, seeking the location of Davin's Cross. Rand Argall frees Aertimisan, Ilora, Dorin and Salias Stone from Morden Xan's encampment. The group flees into a raging storm, eventually taking refuge in a cave Rand secured earlier. While trying to leave the party in the middle of the night, Stone encounters Blackfell, who inexplicably reappears before him. Stone accompanies Blackfell back to the cave and the party is reunited. While Morden Xan makes plans to pursue the escaped prisoners, Rand leads the group into the murky unknown that is Ashellay Bog. After a horrific creature lurking beneath the bridge leading to Vel-Sakai's home devours Dorin, the group encounters the ancient seeress and learns of Sieff's immediate and ultimate destinations. Blackfell betrays Stone, turning him over to Vel-Sakai in payment for the knowledge gleaned about Sieff and the group makes their way to the river Karidoon. Morden Xan and his cadre of followers ambush the party while they are attempting to cross the river. Aertimisan blinds Xan in one eye during a duel and then flees downriver on a raft with Ilora, while Blackfell and Rand--stranded on the far side--are forced to make their way overland.

Issue 3: The Acolyte (Mar. 1998)

Two children from the village of Adena, Tayla and Dierdan, head off in the middle of the night to meet a mysterious storyteller they have come to refer to as the Gringol God, so named for the green robes and gold mask the enigmatic individual wears. The Gringol God knocks Dierdan unconscious and then inadvertently exposes his true identity to Tayla. The next morning a young acolyte named Cayle discovers that a sacred religious artifact—The Kathuun—is missing. Alarmed, he informs the temple Hierophar, Baelmon, of the theft. Later that morning, Aertimisan and Ilora enter the village and are reunited with Blackfell and Rand, who have rescued Dierdan from a motley band of Soul Traders. The Hierophar and Blackfell discuss the banished gods, as well as the mystery surrounding the stolen relic. Ilora discovers the underground tomb of the Gringol God's father, is promptly knocked unconscious, and tied up beside the young girl, Tayla. The following morning, while Aertimisan and Rand are freeing Ilora and Tayla from the dark crypt, the acolyte Cayle reveals what he knows of the Kathuun's disappearance to Blackfell. He recalls how he saw his fellow acolyte, Lynan, speaking with a figure in the middle of night. That individual turns out to be Ignatz Sieff. At the morning sermon Lynan is exposed as the Gringol God and is summarily slain by the father of the young boy he had kidnapped.

Issue 4: The Road To Parador (June 1998)

While accompanying a caravan traveling through the foothills outlying the mountain range known as the Chain of Fire the party is attacked by a band of Hill-riders. Later, a father's zeal to sacrifice his only daughter to the creature dwelling within the great rift shocks Ilora and forces Aertimisan to question his own vengeful motivations. Rand's connection to Sardion is revealed, as is Sardion's desire to see that the tracker ensures Ignatz Sieff completes the job he was paid to do. Sieff's background is rounded out and the party encounters Xan and his mercenaries while following the thaumaturge's path through the ancient, long abandoned city of Parador. An arrow fells Ilora's beast and she is left behind as the rest of the party flees into the forbidding wilds of the Terleth Forest. Aertimisan's desire to return for Ilora is rebuked by the rest of the group. Rand expounds on the history of the dark woods, hinting at deeper mysteries affecting the dying world. Shortly, the party is attacked by a pack of wild creatures. In the fierce battle that follows, Blackfell phases out, vanishing yet again, Rand is knocked unconscious and Aertimisan is the last one standing... until animated vines ensnare him, that is, rendering him powerless, threatening to tear him limb from limb!