tales of the sinful stars

8/13/2019 Tales of the Sinful Stars

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It is the dawn of the sixth millenium and the stars are seen to fade

Humans reached the stars long ago, building a Republic of high technol-

ogy and universal emancipation and then squandered it, fought over

it, and finally lost it. A New Dark Age has descended on humanity, for

the greatest of civilizations has fallen and even the stars die. Now, feudal

lords rules the Known Worlds, vying for power with fantatic priests and

scheming guilds.

The FADING SUNS universe is revealed in the tales of its people:

nobles, priests, guildsmembers, aliens and peasants. Among the 18

stories collected here:

espionage entangles a poet who must shatter a noble alliance

with a dark entity

a priest seeks absolution from his tortured sins in the storms

of Pentateuch, the Planet of Mysteries

a scientist studying nanotech ressurects an evil from the time

of the Second Republic

a Brother Battle monk dares to trespass on Vau lands to reclaim

a holy relic

t he mythic past haunts an Ukar searching for an ancient crown

that warps time

a morality play reveals how demons tempt mortal souls with thelure of high-technology and riches from the stars

Tales of the Fading SunsEdited by Bill BridgesTales of the Fading SunsEdited by Bill Bridges

Tales of the Fading Suns

TH

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SIN

FU

LST

AR

STalesoftheFadingSuns

Editedby

BillBridges

FS #234 $15.95ISBN: 1-888906-14-6


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Tales of the Fading Suns


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303302 THESINFULSTARS

cowl was my own face.

My foolish pride has unleashed a thing that should not be. He is

my reflection, one that will kill and kill again, for I have created a

monster in my own image a creature less human than human.

Steal Your Face

Steal Your FaceChris Wiese

Missive to Bishop Villaro Cortiz:The following is a complete copy of a scroll brought to my atten-

tion by one of the acolytes here at the monastery. According to her

report, she found it while cataloging the items of one of our recently

deceased brethren. I leave it to you to evaluate its validity and determine

any further course of action related to the matter. As for my part, my

only comment of relevance is a quote made long ago by one far wiser

than myself:


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than myself:It seems that disaster arrives, much like success, when preparedness and opportunity meet.

The Forgotten MinstrelYours,

Deacon Thara Oolahet

I did not know Sidney Feldspreet very well when this whole affair

began. I occasionally went over to the ramshackle tenement he called

home, but admittedly, only when necessary. I feel, however, that I came

to know him over the past year, and I must say that with his passing, I

feel a certain sense of loss.Although the opportunity never arose for me to ask him if he

wished for me to commit his story to paper, I can only hope that he

would look kindly upon me for doing so. As for why I have chosen to

record for posterity such a strange and sad affair, I shall not deny that,

at least in part, I do so to help me sort out a situation that is more than

a little disconcerting. Furthermore, whether due to malady or age, it

seems that the longer I tarry at the task, the less clearly I remember the

details. Perhaps, if I place pen to paper, I can clarify the vague, trou-

bling images that come to me now. Perhaps, once clear, they will tor-ment my sleep no longer.

As I begin, I must say that much of Sids story cannot be corrobo-

rated, for reasons that will soon become apparent. In any case, I have no

intentions of releasing this document until after I have gone to the

bosom of the Pancreator. Neither Sids memory, nor my life, deserve

the inquisitorial investigation such foolishness would bring.


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waves he saw a glittering star, the future, lighting the east in rich hues.

Glam smiled, realizing his terrible and important truth.

He wanted to shout his secret: We are all murderers and saints, but

the wind rattled, bringing only soft rain and the scent of honeysuckle.

Alyward Allmen: A Morality Play

Alyward Allmen:A Morality Play

Father A, or Mssrs. Quaide & Inabinet (attributed)

Alyward Allmenhas long been one of the most popular of the Re-

gency Period (4550 - 4995) morality plays. Originating on the Hawkwood

worlds, where it is referred to in various noble, Church and town records,

around 4570, its popularity swiftly spread to other worlds. Sir Florvius

Torenson, an expert in the study of Church Theater, states that by

Alexiuss reign at least 23 different versions of the play were in exist-

ence. Of these, the best known one, presented here, is arguably the

fourth version, believed to be from Cymru, a farming town on Ravenna,and the oldest extant version during the Emperor Wars. The Church


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g p

historian Suzuki Hahn Li Halan believes that the play had two authors,

noting a shift in styles when the demons enter in force, while Torenson

believes it is the work of a single priest, whom he identified as Father A.

Religious Drama, under the Universal Church of the Celestial Sun,

had its origins in the early Church, and by the Second Republic had

become a very sophisticated entertainment involving interactive holo-

grams. After the collapse of the Second Republic, the old technologybecame rarer, and the new Church dramas grew out of Church liturgies

of the 42nd and 43rd centuries. While many forms of theater were

suppressed, the Church allowed plays dealing with religious themes and

morality to continue.

The Passion Plays, Mystery Cycles and Morality Plays really began

in their present form during the New Dark Ages, when the Church

presented them to an illiterate peasantry during religious festivals. The

Passion Plays often dealt with the theme of Zebulon the Prophets en-

counter with the Holy Flame, or other details of the Prophets life (thehealing of Zebulon and casting out of the demons by St. Amalthea

being a favorite theme). Other Passion Plays take on other, less elabo-

rated themes from the Omega Gospels, often the lives of the Saints and

immediate followers of the Prophet.

The Mystery Cycles came next, and were often a complex series of

plays dealing with salvation and the order and nature of the Ref lective


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CONSTULTIUS:

We were set upon by fiends! I fought and fought as hard as I could,

but they were too much, even for me! Alas, our companions are lost!

FATHER CHURCH:

O woe, that such a good soul should fall to such an evil end! But he

fell in valiant service to the Pancreator. I pray only that he had time

to repent of his sins before he died.

Allmen, now wearing a white robe, is lowered on lumnex wire.

ALLMEN:

Fret not, good Father Church, for I managed to affirm my faith in

goodly time, and was snatched from the jaws of damnation by the

intercession of blessed Saint Maya may her name be praised! I

regret only that I was unable to fetch the relics of Saint Inigo back to

you.FATHER CHURCH:

Trouble thyself not one wit more, Alyward Allmen, for such earthly

Polish now your souls, and of sin have great lack,

The Celestial Suns light thereby to send back;

Let your actions be an example to all of your race

And rejoice on the sharing of the Luminous Grace!

SAINTS:

Ipse caelum fecit et maria;

Mors ad eius tremit imperia;Regni tui non erit terminus!

Vivat Zebulon in aeternum!

FATHER CHURCH:

Praise be to the Celestial Sun!

EVERYONE:

Praise be!

The cast bows to the audience, and a hymn is sung as the audience

disperses.

The End

Alyward Allmen: A Morality Play


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matters are no longer thy concern. (He turns to audience.) And let it

so be for all faithful folk, that they honor the Pancreator, learn the

words of the Prophet and heed the teachings of the Universal Church

of the Celestial Sun, so as to be taken up at the end of their lives and

dwell eternally in the Empyrean heavens!

As Father Church speaks, all the Empyrean Angels and Saints file onto

stage.

ANGELS:

Ever and always is it thus:

The souls of the faithful return unto us.

For the Pancreator moves not by wanton whim

But desires that His children shall come back to him.

So heed, one and all, this simple playAnd hold steadfast to the one true way

Of devotion, goodwill and earnest piety,

So to gain the shining grace of the deity.

Shun evil ways, give no ear to false words

And your hearts shall take flight like beautiful birds.


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394 THESINFULSTARS

their homes and myths for clues to the riddles of the ancients. But some wonder: How

long will the gods permit such transgressions against their children? This book details

the histories, cultures and unique powers (theurgic and psychic) of these two races.

Stock #: 232, ISBN: 1-888906-10-3, $12.95

SINNERS& SAINTSHere is a rogues gallery of people and creatures from the Known Worlds and

beyond: noble rivals, well-meaning (and not so well-meaning) priests, space pirates,

deadly mercenaries, assassins, alien animals (pets and predators), bizarre creatures and

more. Each has a story to tell and will lead player characters into intrigue and adven-

ture. Each comes on its own sheet for ease of use by both players and gamemasters.

Stock #: 233, ISBN: 1-888906-11-1, $16.95

GAMEMASTERSSCREENA sturdy screen with charts and tables to help the Fading Sunsgamemaster run

his stories, with weapons and armor charts, skill lists and more. Includes a fully illus-

trated Weapons Compendium detailing the wide variety of Known Worlds weaponry,

from swords to slug guns to more exotic weapons, such as the Symbiot Element Gun.

An additional bonus is a full-color map of the Known Worlds! Stock #: 201, ISBN: 1-888906-01-4, $12.00

NOBLEARMADASTARSHIPMINIATURESGAME


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A starship miniatures game of broadsides and boarding actions in the Fading

Sunsuniverse. Royal houses vie against rival fleets and pirates for supremacy of the

Known Worlds. Command frigates, destroyers or dreadnoughts to carve a fiefdom from

the stars! Let loose all guns against your enemies and loot their crippled ships! Includes

32 plastic starship miniatures. Stock #: 500, ISBN: 1-888906-50-2, $55.00

Order from our website (http://www.holistic-design.com) or send check or moneyorder payable to Holistic Design with a list of requested items and costs. Postage fee is

$4.00 per order for orders under $50.00. Expect 2-3 weeks shipping time. (International

orders: Postage fee is equal to 25% of total purchase price or $10.00, whichever is

greater. Expect 4-8 weeks shipping time.)

Product Orders

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Stone Mountain, GA 30087

Visit our website at: http://www.holistic-design.com

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