The Story Aerie

Author: Jess Mahler

  • Planting Life in a Dying City (S4: Kyawtchais, Season Finale)

    …when ey reached the gate, Kolchais and Lefeng were waiting for em. Kolchais held a skein of yarn. It was nearly impossible…

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  • The Great Goddess in cat-form, a fantasy verion of a sabertoothed cat, dark grey with black markings, tufted ears and tail. Quote text reads: "This too is prey. Knowledge, answers, understanding. Hunt these as fully as you hunt me, my Called."

    A Smear of Blood (S1, E3)

    For three months, the Great Goddess trained Iberto. Not just hunt training, but also what it meant to be called…

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  • The Bargain (S4, E6)

    Season notes: traumatized people people triggering each other, abuse, torture, fictional slavery, con noncon*, (attempted) blackmail Attendance at court came with certain social obligations. Most were tedious, some annoying. And a few were worse. Luohei were artists of glamourhai. The best of them could create a banquet to tantalize the senses, using their knowledge of…

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  • First Came Trust audio version (Part 3)

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  • Ivy growing across a brick wall. Text: there was something there. Kyawtchais could feel it, like a string coming together in eir fingers.

    Planting Life in a Dying City (S4: Kyawtchais, E9)

    Season Content Notes: (internalized) ableism Dinner was a pleasant memory and Kyawtchais had used up all eir fiber. Ey was debating whether to return to the SilentSpinner compound or stay there for the night. Kolchais had made it clear several weeks ago that ey was welcome, but Kyawtchais was still feeling eir way. Especially with…

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  • Sketch of Iberto from A Smear of Blood: a scruffy man dressed like a D&D ranger/rogue. Text: There are not enough priests.

    A Smear of Blood (S1, E2)

    content notes: violence The surprising thing was that everything ached. Iberto had expected death to be stillness. But every muscle in his body cried its mistreatment, his hands and feet worst of all. At first, he could see nothing, but then a pair of eyes gleamed at him and he remembered. “Goddess.” Almost he slid…

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  • The Bargain (S4, E5)

    Season notes: traumatized people people triggering each other, abuse, torture, fictional slavery, con noncon*, (attempted) blackmail Parlen found Mattin laying out Jahlene’s clothing for the day. “Your sister is awake. She’d like to see you.” Mattin dropped the elaborate overdress and started for the door before Parlen finished speaking. He froze, cursed, and turned back…

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  • First Came Trust audio version (Part 2)

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  • Planting Life in a Dying City (S4: Kyawtchais, Interlude: Lefeng)

    Season content notes: (internalized) ableism The next day, Lefeng and the Spinner near-adult head out on the trail. Lefeng was surprised to find that ey had almost no knowledge of plant life. Ey was also completely uninterested in plant life until Lefeng connected it to animals — what different animals eat, use to make nests,…

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  • A Smear of Blood (S1, E1)

    Content Notes: violence His feet and hands were shredded, but he barely noticed as he slammed into the altar. Unthinkingly, reflexively, he muttered a half-forgotten childhood prayer under his breath as he levered himself up. Angry muttering had him looking around in fear. He’d thought– hoped– the temple would help him. Protect him. He’d miscalculated.…

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