Trissiny set her teeth, choosing her words carefully. “Forgiveness is just that. As far as I’m concerned there need be no recrimination between us for anything in the past. However, I would be foolish to simply forget that a person is prone to being needlessly hostile and showing off with a deadly weapon.” It was, altogether, a beautiful day. The brisk wind which was nearly constant at the University’s altitude was mostly cut by its walls, but a pleasantly cool breeze persisted, which nicely offset the unseasonably warm weather. For early fall, it was pleasantly cool; the winters around the Golden Sea were mild at their worst, but if this pattern held it might be a downright warm season. For now, though, it was perfect. Professor Yornhaldt had set out early from his lodgings, planning to take time to walk slowly over the less direct route to work, and had been quite enjoying the walk toward his classroom until someone exploded out of the azaleas immediately in front of him. Set in a familiar high-fantasy universe of wizards, dragons and elves, the action takes place roughly fifteen hundred years after the medieval stasis in which most high fantasy is set, during an era much like Earth’s Industrial Revolution. Mass production of enchanted goods has revolutionized all aspects of life, energy weapons have made blades and armor all but obsolete, and the world is connected and illuminated by magical analogues of trains, telegraphs and electric lights. With progress has come social and political upheaval: the scattered feudal kingdoms of yore have been consolidated into a now-precarious Empire, the clerics of various gods have organized themselves into a mighty Universal Church, and the first stirrings of modern education and an Enlightenment ethos have taken root in a young University. On the other hand, dragons are nearly extinct, elves have been herded onto reservations, and the days when a person could make a living as a wandering adventurer are long since over.

I cannot claim such familiarity, my Lady. Rather… I am curious. While it is true that you have made yourself…slightly worse than a nuisance to me already, what preoccupies my mind is why. Do you do this because you truly believe it to be in the best interests of all? Or is this an exercise in political positioning? In fact, I rather think, the better question is how much of each is true.” Politically Incorrect Villain: Jeremiah "Thumper" Shook and his mentor, Alan Vandro, who take on Villain Protagonist roles for a little while. Aside from their generally criminal activity, they're overwhelmingly sleazy and sexist - Shook actually threatened to rape someone into submission if she didn't behave herself. The Gods Are Bastards is a Web Serial Novel by D. D. Webb, on an indefinite hiatus. It is described as "a High Fantasy Western" by the author, although the High Fantasy tends to come through more consistently than the Western. I’m sure I needn’t explain to you of all individuals, your Grace, the role that the Houses can play in both calming the people’s fears and distributing material aid during such perilous times. The Church has long served to mediate and bring together disparate points of view. I dare to hope that my humble efforts may yield some public benefit today.”Just so we’re absolutely clear,” Melaxyna said by way of greeting, “did you ask Embras bloody Mogul to show up here and wait around for you to return at some unspecified time for a meeting?” Professor Tellwyrn has been known to engage in this, though it's not always clear how much of anything was planned, like the time she left the class of 1182 in Tiraas with instructions to find the test she planned for them and solve it.

Well, that’s a story I’ve no trouble believing,” the sheriff growled. “You got anything to say for yourself, Coulter?” Joe sighed heavily. “Guys. Just be nice to the girl, please? That means no sexual harassment, Billie. And you.” He pointed accusingly at Weaver. “Just don’t talk to her at all.” The Empire: The Tiraan Empire is mild version—an overwhelmingly powerful expansionist monarchy that assimilates new territories by force or the threat thereof... but also a pretty good place to live, and one where the government seems to genuinely care about its citizens. Innocent Fanservice Girl: Of the 'unaware of taboo' variety. Despite being very promiscuous, she has next to no idea of how scandalous it is to directly ask a human for sex, and is blissfully unaware of the rampant homophobia running through the empire. To her, sex is about as boringly enjoyable as eating. The big man gaped at him, remarkably like an unwashed fish with an unflattering mustache. He finally got a semblance of balance, leaning against one of his friends. For just a moment, Joe dared to hope that would be the end of it.

Class of 1182

It was a land of sword and sorcery, knights and castles, adventure and heroics…but that was a thousand years ago. The Gods are Bastards brings high fantasy forward into the Industrial Revolution, to a more complicated and more cynical era. Demonic Possession: Played with. One of the main characters is possessed by a demon, but the demon is just as upset about it as she is and they're good friends by the beginning of the story. Similarly, some demons can interbreed with humans, and the resulting half-demons may look odd, but are no more malevolent than any other social pariah....

What do you mean you passed?” Gabriel exclaimed. “Nobody passes the freshman history exam. That’s the point!” Aye, that’s great,” Billie said. “Speak up, ye haven’t managed t’piss off everyone in the station yet.” Worth talkin’ to the waitress, at least,” Joe murmured. “They know more’n most about the comings and goings of any town.” A memorable one is when she reminds the setting's resident Omnicidal Maniac Evil Goddess and Queen of Demons that the godslaying count is Arachne 1 - Elilial 0. It is as we just discussed, my Lady,” Justinian agreed. “Sometimes an expenditure of resources which may, at first glance, seem frivolous can serve to facilitate a way forward. Particularly when it is only needless personal conflict which obscures the path ahead.”Don’t worry about that,” Joe said with a smile. “I’m sure you can find a use for the extra. My name’s Joe. What’s yours?” Practically as one, they turned, tearing expressions of vicious contempt from Justinian. The assembled aristocracy of three cities pivoted and walked away from him, gliding toward the door with the grace of offended swans. A meeting of so many factions was ordinarily a discreet but ceaseless struggle, but not now. They flowed into formation, passing through the door as smoothly as if choreographed. Person of Mass Destruction: All over the place: archmages, dragons, dryads... The Empire even has an official designation for "person so powerful they should be treated as a walking natural disaster".

Dumbass Has a Point: After offering little but snark and stupidity for months, much of the party is surprised in Sarasio when Gabriel is the one with a workable plan for fixing the town's woes. Mm,” Tellwyrn grunted. “In fiction, retrograde amnesia which deletes personal memories while leaving general knowledge intact is a common enough plot device. In reality, that’s something that technically could happen but pretty much never does, because that is not how brain damage works. Such effects generally only occur as a result of magical manipulation, where someone imposed them deliberately. So even if Vadrieny’s memories are not starting to spontaneously return… This isn’t a good sign.” They were positioned before one of the stained glass windows which predominated six of the octagonal chapel’s walls, the others housing the entrance and dais respectively; Yancey hovered discreetly behind Ravana as always. Aristocrats milled about in various small groups, quietly talking while servants glided between them, all eyes focused on one of the three points of social interest in the chamber: Archpope Justinian standing before the altar where nobles approached him in singles and pairs, Juniper surrounded by an avidly fascinated cluster of mostly men, and Ravana off by herself—or she had been, until Tamarin took the social risk of positioning herself here. It was only natural that Justinian took up the only position of primacy in the symmetrical room, framing himself as the authority to be approached. Glass shattered, again. This time it was Lady Edenna Conover who had dropped her own wineglass. Deliberately, rather than in the throes of poison.I was enjoying our conversation, Lady Tamarin,” Ravana said. “We should continue it soon, if you are amenable. With apologies for the travel involved, it would be my honor to host you at my residence.” Hero with Bad Publicity: Arachne Tellwyrn. Adventurers in general are considered troublemakers with a naive longing for the past. The elven word describing Arachne in particular, is initially translated as "pot-stirrer". Then the speaker points out that the pot in question is a chamber-pot. Those are in the restricted—no, never mind, I’m not getting baited into this. I see I’ll have to have a talk with Weaver about letting you read stuff.” Behind and around the building, everywhere except for the glass-walled (and currently unwalled) south face looking over the lawn, ran an open-sided but roofed walkway, shady and pleasantly cool in the summer weather. It was also relatively private; along the western side, it overlooked a small drop to a decorative pond, beyond which was a sunken garden and then only the exterior wall of the University grounds, separating them from a plunge to the prairie far below. Tellwyrn led the way to the halfway point of this stretch of colonnade, then turned.