Vault of Deeds

A novella.

The status quo is being upset so much it feels distinctly queasy. You see, in the land of Goedterre, good always triumphs over evil. Or that's how it should be. But something is wrong.

Across the land, invincible heroes are meeting their dooms at the hands of opponents who have clearly practiced beforehand. It simply will not do. Too many books are closing for good in the Vault of Deeds. Too many scribes are looking for new heroes. The spectre of invasion raises an ugly head on which altogether too much expectancy is plastered.

Naturally, people want to know what's going on and eyes inevitably turn to the school that produces Goedterre's heroes. After all, without heroes, how on earth can you possibly defeat the forces of evil?

Curiously, Principal Kettifer seems delighted with how his academy is running but Grincheux the Scribe is not. Something smells bad. Really bad. Worse than the latest hero eau de toilette, that's how bad. Student heroes are nervous and their scribes are watching the lifeblood flow from their once very lucrative careers. Literally.

Grincheux, with his gangly student hero in tow, decides to investigate and in a way, he is right and courageous to take that decision. In every other way, but principally the ones involving mortal danger and loss of bowel control, it is a very stupid decision indeed.