Attempts at Heroics - Marco Corbeau

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

Trapped in a hostile foreign hellscape and accosted by corrupt and unsavory lawkeepers, our hero enters dangerous territory in search of heroic adventure!

We find our hero surrounded and fighting for his life!

The vile beasts roar and slaver as they charge down the dark and dank depths of those caverns.

Silver leaps forward, rapier drawn. He parries snout and claw alike, driving a deadly thrust through the very heart of one of the beasts! Reaching for his pistol.... Blast! Those lawkeepers confiscated it at the border!

A lucky claw rakes across his chest as he leaps back, parrying another blow masterfully. Only The Arcane Sciences could save him now! He muttered the practiced incantations and...


They said it was a cave full of those afflicted with lycanthropy. They were definitely pirates, but the sickness had them acting more like wolves.

 I was so scared I thought they were actually werewolves when we first saw them, but I'd probably be committed to an asylum if I ever said that aloud.

The mercenary we had hired from across the border did most of the fighting, I could barely touch them with my rapier, I was never a good fencer. When I did manage to finally get a good thrust in on one of them they clawed me across the chest, and I don't remember much after that.

I woke up to the Mercenary and Monsieur Razgriz finishing off the last of the pirates.

It hurt so bad. The books don't really say how badly it hurts.

 I definitely cried.

 I made sure to lower my hood so Monsieur Razgriz didn't see, I'd have died from embarrassment if I cried in front of a real hero like that. 

Par Ezra, I wish I was like Silver.

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

Trapped in a misty maze, our hero battles his most ferocious foe yet!

The dark horseman gallops down the dark and dank path towards our hero, his sickle glowing with demonic power.

Silver knows he doesn't have a lot of time, think. Think man! THINK!

Aha! The acrobatics taught to him by The Society of Ledgermain, it was perfect!

He crouches low and leaps, bouncing off the low-hanging branches of a tree to gain height, his trusty rapier in hand.

He thrusts for his opponent's head!

The horror! The dark horseman's hood falls away to reveal he possesses no head at all. This was the legendary Headless Horseman himself!

Surely Silver was in for it now...


It couldn't have been real. He laughed, and had no head. HE LAUGHED. The heads that bounced and rolled along the road, they all laughed.

It must have been a nightmare. That's it.

You're just a scaredy cat, that's all. Monsieur Razgriz wasn't there to protect you and the dark and the mist got to you, and you had a bad dream.

It was only a dream.
It was only a dream.
It was only a dream.
it was only a dream.

Please, dear Ezra, let it only have been a dream.

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

A gunshot rings out in Port-a-Lucine! A murderer is afoot!

After cleverly discovering a secret passage to the seedy underbelly of the city, our hero battles back foul creature and criminal alike!

We find our hero hot on the trail of the mysterious gunman.

Swish! Thrust! Ha-ha! The monstrous bug falls beneath the nimble onslaught of the fancy fencer.

Silver creeps along the dark tunnels below the famed City of Lights, his infallible detective skills leading after his quarry.

But as he turns a corner, By Ezra! A foul Necromancer and his fiends! Obviously in league with the mysterious gunman, they fly forward to try and stop Silver from reaching their dastardly ally.

Not to be outmatched by this vile creatures and their morose mischievous master, Silver flies into action!

With a deft dodge and a roll Silver leaps over the Necromancer's shambling servants!

One! Two! Silver gives that skinny sack the ol' razzle dazzle.

"Time to clap you in irons, Criminal. The Gendarmerie Nationale will sort you out, but if it were up to me it would be straight to Madame Guillotine with you!"

The Mysterious Gunman might have escaped this day, but justice was done to a dangerous fiend and The City was a little safer for it.

JOIN US NEXT TIME AS THE CHASE CONTINUES, OUR HERO....


I don't know what I was thinking, I hope Basile isn't mad at me.

I heard the gunshot and saw the open window, and it was the right thing to do.

In all the books and stories, of criminals in the sewers and of heroes like Alanik Ray, they don't...

They never really...

It smells. And its wet. And weirdly warm. There's bugs. If you run it splashes up your back and into your hair.

Par Ezra, I fell over and got some in my mouth. Luckily no one was around to see that. I threw up and cried a little.

The Necromancer we found was using children.

Children.

I'm going to have nightmares for weeks. I think.. I think I might have died if The Madame la Maitresse hadn't been there, that Necromancer's spell just...

There was so much fire. I felt it everywhere and...

They all seemed to know what they were doing. For a moment I thought I was like Silver, but I think I just slowed them down. They were quick, and powerful, and I know I should never talk about what exactly I saw them do down there, but it was AMAZING.

I think I might have found more heroes to look up to.

At least there's that.

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

We interrupt our usual tales of the sly sleuth Silver to give our readers a special look at the equipment used by our Hero.

His trusted rapier is well known to our readers, but did you know that it was a gift from The Lady Governor of Dementlieu herself? Gifted as reward for his heroic acts in defense of The Republique.

His pair of silenced pistols, trophies from his defeat of the cruel and cunning Cade, Scourge of the Seas.

Silver's rings, imbued with the powers of The Arcane Sciences, developed specially at The University of Dementlieu.

His leather armor, a treasure found in ancient ruins, lost to civilized society until our daring adventurer once again discovered them.

His favored amulet, a piece with a sordid history used by....

I was never spoiled as Lambert was.

I didn't confuse my father as my sisters did.

I was not neglected as Basile was.

I know that my father does not love me. He is a pragmatic man, and I am skilled in the industry that may bring further prestige to our family name.

And so I was given exactly what I needed as to not embarrass the family. My suits were never expensive, but were always in fashion. My tutors were adequate, but not exceptional. I was brought on family vacations, not for enjoyment, but to be steeped in culinary arts. Research for the family business.  I was never without solars, but never did I have anything in excess.

I always imagined Silver worked for everything he had. Even those things given to him as gifts were given because he had done something to deserve them.

Monsieur Razgriz knows about Silver, so he gifted me a Silenced Pistol. I don't think I deserved the gift, but was thankful none-the-less.

But now. Now I worked for something as Silver would. I delved into hellish depths, set myself on endless cargo deliveries, sold the things I found, haggled-.. Par Ezra, endless haggling.

A dark metal amulet in the shape of a cloth mask. I worked and bled for it to be mine. I worked and bled as Silver would.

And so this amulet is what Silver will wear. It will become part of him,

because it is something Silver earned.

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

Our hero returns!

After weeks in pursuit of his shadowy nemesis he finds himself in the golden sands of Har'Akir.

He tracks his foes through the rolling dunes that curl like waves upon the sea to a monolithic temple, towering in the withering sunlight.

Delving deep into ancient halls he finds himself caught in a struggle between the tomb's unholy undead guardians and the graverobbing scoundrels set to steal the sacred knowledge of ages.

Surely, Silver thought, these cowardly curs must work for the shadowy criminal mastermind!

But as Silver delves deeper he discovers that his nemesis' goons may not be the real danger in this lost library.....


The restaurant is real. It's in my name. The license is in my name too. We can finally fix the mistakes....

No, I don't want to write about that here. This is for me. 

It was suggested that I become a Private Investigator. I had to laugh it off, but I...

I think I could do really well at it.

I'm getting better at my Ledgermain and my sneaking, both things Silver would be good at.

I'm still working on shooting, I can't do it as fast as Silver could.

It's getting easier to be in public, to talk to people, like Silver would.

I was told that I'm setting unrealistic expectations for what adventuring /is/ through Silver, but if I don't drive myself to be a hero like that, if I don't-...

Even if I can't be as good as Silver, striving to be like him means one day I may be a hero like him.

And that will be good enough I think.

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

Dear readers, today we embark on a new adventure with our brave hero, Silver.

As the trail of the shadowy criminal mastermind runs cold, our hero travels the land for adventure and heroics!

Remember, dear readers, through hard work and knowledge, you can accomplish anything! Just like our beloved hero!


The movers are delayed at least a week, at least that's what Basile said.

Father doesn't seem to care much, as long as we're not bothering him.

Basile, of course, is being left with the issue of figuring out why the delays happened while I got told to "Take a vacation, find a tutor, just be back in time for the grand opening. Do not dissapoint the family."

I told them I was going to study for the Univeristy entrance exams and bring flowers to mother's grave, Ezra knows father won't.

But I did find a tutor...


The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

A trip back in time to the younger years of our hero, Silver!

Today we look at the people who taught the dashing defender his varied skills.

Marcelline Comtois - Mistress of Magic. The debutant of The Society of Ledgermain.

A woman met in his younger years, our hero learned many of his tricks of The Arcane Sciences from the star of the stage herself!

Renee Delven - Renowned pistoleer, unmatched with the flinlock. Able to hit a hawk with one hand!

A chance meeting at a shooting competition brought a mentorship with the famed shooter herself. Silver's skill with his signature dual silenced pistols can most cerntainly be attributed to this trusted tutor.

Our hero met his next tutor in...

The first tutor I really paid attention to as a child was Rolandino Dona, a performer for 'Il Grande Circo' in Borca. My father hired him as part of our deal, for the family.

I learned acrobatics, the beginnings of Ledgermain, and even a little trick shooting to start. He was a boisterous man, always with a story of some accomplishment, many enough to make anyone of proper society blush. He was also very easy on me, kind and understanding. I find myself wondering if that was father's money, or just the man himself.

A tutor in adventuring is nothing like that. There are no anecdotes, or long pauses for water and rest to go over what you have learned.

You do what you were taught or you die, and your tutor dies because you messed up.

Ive been hurt, knocked unconcious, had to flee for my life. My tutor has had to pull me from the brink of death, and I have had to do the same for them.

I could never talk about what it is I do in my spare time at home, but I think-.. The effort is worth it.

 I'm getting better.

It's working. 

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

Deep in the bowels of the shining jewel of Dementlieu, monsters and criminals abound.

We find our hero surrounded.

Skittering in the dark, a twitch of movement, Aha!

Silver jumps back, barely dodging the scything talon of a terrifying abomination.

Barely visible in the gloom, a carapaced creature two men tall emerges!

Dodge! Swipe! Our hero dives into battle with the teeming swarm of these beastial bugs.

With a dodge and a roll, Silver slides between the legs of a beast, pulling a pistol....

There are things I wish I hadn't learned.

I had a conversation recently that reinforced the idea that ignorance can be bliss, but... That's for another day maybe.

There are things below the street of Port-a-Lucine.

Not just criminals, gangs, rats.

I have seen crocodiles, moving piles of sludge that dissolve metal and flesh alike, slugs the size of horses...

The worst so far are the bugs. I remember back in Borca the bugs bothered me more than anything. I would always have Basile deal with the larger ones everytime, but...

I can't really do that now. If I go down there, I can't rely on them.

I am beginning to understand now why civilized society ignores and dismisses much of the core as mere tales or madness.

It's hard to sleep knowing that those bugs are just below our feet.

I've been told there's worse. How can there be worse?

What could be worse than bugs twice the size of a man?

. . . .

Do I really want to know the answer to that? 

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

We find our hero once more back in Dementlieu!

Delving further and further below the city, our hero stumbles into true horror!

Ever-shifting pools of...

Our hero dives into combat against...

He uses the narrow corridors to...

Our hero nimbly dodges back, retreating to fight another day!

Will our hero escape? Will he survive his next encounter? How will he defeat this dreaded foe?

Find out NEXT TIME on...


It's worse.

It's so much worse.

We took a wrong turn and...

How do you match heroics to something like that?

What could even cause people to... live like that? Is it even living?

I thought they were undead, some experiment by a mad necromancer, but they bled..

They bled and died but made no noise. They didn't cry out, they didn't weep, they didn't even look scared.

They just kept swarming, the water and filth pooled and lifted and pulled itself towards us...

I ran. I just... I ran faster that I thought I could.

There was no winning. Even if we prepared...

Even if...

How can we win against something like that, if I can't even imagine Silver winning?

Just when I think I'm getting better. Just when I think I was...

How does a hero continue a fight when the odds are so insurmountable? When the foe so deadly?

[BwpsychoName]

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER.

We find our hero...!

You've followed our hero through countless tales- Silver and The Kartakassan Assassin, Love and Loathing in Lamordia, The Baying Butcher of Barovia, Dungeons and Dementlieu, and many more!

We've seen our hero travel the core, fighting for good and justice and The Dementlieuse way!

We've met the many friends of our scintillating hero, with such characters as - Sir Bear, The Witty Warrior, The Scything Salesperson, The Mustachioed Musketeer, and countless others!

So it is with a deep regret that we must announce a hiatus in The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER as fiction and reality begin to intersect,as the writing of fictional stories to try and understand and rationalize the horrors of the core no longer serves this author. Maybe one day....

....

Some of them call me Silver now. I've asked them to, of course, while we're abroad. It's just safer that way, I've heard the stories of how Barovians and The Hazlani would treat a member of a known noble family. Even if I'm the youngest, they might not understand how insignificant that makes me and will ask for a ransom my father will not pay.

I've been thinking about how to try and keep writing Silver, but The Core is so fantastical in itself. I've been taken places where rocks fall from the sky, to tombs that carry shelves of books larger than the Palais itself. I've met revolutionaries, twists, warriors that would make The Hawks tremble, living shadows that sing dirges to match The Opera.

And then there's me, in the middle of it all.

I try to do what good I can- for me, for my family, for Dementlieu, for grandfather, for Borca. But there's so little... Heroics in it. Even when the foreigners speak of their own grand heroics, they make it sound more like a hunt. There's very little story or panache in it, and I never truly believed what I read in the old books but...

I'm starting to think how I viewed heroes was as fake as the stories I read as a child.

When you pull the mask back off Silver, it's-.. just me. A Dementlieuse noble with a penchant for exploration and collecting, trying my best.

So the question is, when you pull the mask back off the 'heroes' of the Core, what's really there?

[BwpsychoName]

There is a veil over Dementlieu.

It sits like a silken dress, revealing the curve and form of The Republique, but hiding what lies beneath.

I have come to realize that this veil must be protected.

I see the foreigners who I have to remind that talk of fairy tales and their rampant gruesome imagination is not talk for the terraces. I see them roll their eyes, give me a polite smile, try and process how The Dementlieuse couldn't possibly believe in things that exist commonplace in the rest of The Core.

What they don't realize is that we work very hard to keep it so. We hunt, we bury information, we tell little white lies, we maintain this great illusion- Because it allows our people to sleep comfortably at night believing all is safe. We are the shield of The Republique, and this is part of our duty.

Monsters are real. They hold jobs, walk the streets, scuttle beneath the cobbles, lie in wait on the roads at night. But to admit that they exist chips away at our shield. What good would it do to tell people? To try and convince them? What good would it do to convince our people that they should be afraid, that there are reasons to fear, that their home is not safe.

No. I smoke a cigarette, change the wording of a report, soak my bullets in holy water, and all will be well.

After all this time I still want to be a hero, and sometimes The Republique needs Silver.

The Daring Adventures of The Scintillating Hero Himself, SILVER. Continued soon!