really captivating story I like the character development, Ensa is very interesting, actually they are all really interesting, you have quite a talent!

AT LAST! WO HO!! MORE SPECKS! MORE DUST! MORE "OF"!

Well, you know what I mean. This has been too long coming, but well worth the wait. You pick up the action seamlessly, and give us your crisp eye for detail. This isn't just a generic "trap destination," it's an actual room with an actual purpose. It's the little things like that, which are everpresent in all your chapters, that make this tale stand out.

The characters are all on target as well. Emlyn's nervousness, Ali's blase attitude (plus she gets a chance to shine here!) and Shadow's "off doing something mysterious in the corner." Ensa and Star are a joy to watch as well.

I also like the way that Ensa explains the magic symbols to Emlyn- in layman's terms, not strictly game ones.

Big thumbs up. Where's the next one? 8-0

And...
Is this story going to be completed? I keep checking back, but no more has been posted.
And is this story going anywhere? There does not seem to be any plot development happening, just a bunch of misfits travelling together, to no purpose, just wandering aimlessly about. Would like to be proven wrong, as the writing itself is good. As for the previous chapter, it's inclusion is still incomprehensible, as it added nothing, clarified nothing, had no attachment points whatsoever. Skip any more of those.

Spectacular!

Your skill in characterization and in descriptive details remains masterful.

* Ali had been right; the tower was ruined. Emlyn stood with Ensa on the road and craned his neck backwards to look up at it. The round stone tower was bulging at the base, and he could pick the larger stones surrounding the small arched windows. The bottom storey was in relatively good repair, only missing a few stones and bits of mortar, but the second storey had a gaping hole through the side closest to the road, and only traces of the wall footings showed that there must have once been a third above that. The trees and undergrowth pushed up close against the tower, cradling its sandy coloured stones in a blanket of greenery, and they could both hear the rustling and snapping as Ali pushed her way through the tangle somewhere out of sight.*

You have this way of making the world around Emlyn and friends come alive. Just in a simple little passage like this. It makes it easy for our mind's eye to visualize.

Of course, all the characters behave true to form here.

One thing. The last sentance...

*They never heard what she would have said, because with a crash that made Emlyn jump clean off the ground the door slammed shut and they were thrown into midnight blackness.* Not all of them. You yourself remind us in this chapter that Ensa has darkvision.

Waiting for more- and there WILL be more, right? :)

Fantastic chapter (as always!), but somehow I missed the tie-in...

Please do continue with _Specks of Dust_; don't let it die!

Very good chapter. I was surprised (pleasantly) when you shifted back to The Orc & Rose. I didn't think we'd see any more of that, but we have, and (best of all) I suspect it was for a reason. A hidden hint dropped here and there...

Winter In The Wolf Country, though? Is that an outside reference to something?

Wonderful chapter (as if there was a doubt). You are the master (mistress?) of character development!

I will say that all of Ensa's comments to Star about her companions smacks a bit of exposition- ie, Star is just there in tis scene so Ensa can muse out loud without sounding like a crazy person. Why not simply let us hear Ensa's thoughts?

On the other hand, I do like how you handle Star. The rat is a familiar, not a person- a point many other D&D stories (and campaigns too, for that matter) fail to realize. It's a different mindset.

Waiting for more!

Oh, I like the way this is developing, the way you are developing the characters. Great work.

Wow. She actually tripped up Shadow and got something out of him in only a minute or so of dialogue. Emyln's past prodding failed miserably, yet here Ensa is able to get him to spill something about his past with only a few choice questions. Guess that's why she's the wizard and he's the meat shield.

And I absolutely adore the interaction between her and Star, those two are great!

Write faster dammit! This is good but way too long between posts.

Aw, that's sweet. Quite a mixed company that is coming together. Where will they go to next?

All the goodness we have come to expect from truegold-dragonstar is here in spades in her latest chapter.

Interesting characterizations, detailed descriptions of people and places; you name it, it's here.

I'll admit to being a little leary about the fleet puppy. I'm naturally wary about "Aw" moments like this in stories (they're usually blatently manipulative), but I'll wait and see. You've never disappointed yet...

Kar

The new intro is definitely better, even though it says all the same stuff.

Emlyn really needs to stumble into a copy of Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords. Especially since half your current class level is added to your initiator level for learning maneuvers, so he could come out of the gate swinging mountain hammers and rabid wolf strikes. >_>

The encounter was pretty good. Though I as a player subscribe to the school of "hit everything with excessive force until it dies" I can see why that would not work in this instance and for these people. It was a pretty intricate set up, kind of a "puzzle" battle if you will. But it seemed a little too easy for Shadow though. Makes me wonder if maybe he's beyond the rest of the group's ability by any significant margin.

I don't comment very regularly on stories, but I thought this was significant. Also, if it flatters you more than it insults you, I have been reading this story when I'm running dry on writing AFD (one of the few I use for this purpose) and it's actually worked once or twice. Much like looking at campaign logs from other people, (and from my own logs) seeing this story in D&D terms (even if it's not intended that way, I would guess) has helped spark a few ideas (and made it rather entertaining).

The last part with Shadow and Tynan talking was a little awkward, I don't know. Felt a little too "bros talking among bros" for me. Can't really explain it very well, but it just did.

Anyway, keep up the good work.

just to let you know, i don't think that you're missing a break. the one and only place that it might change is just after the battle ended and emlyn asked his cousing to help teach him how to fight. after that it seems as if emlyn is observing tynan going to the others, not a switch in pov.