A Bard in the Hand — Michael A. Ventrella

Welcome to Fortannis-a place where adventure waits to waylay you around every corner. It's a land where humans mingle with stubborn dwarves, mysterious elves, and feathered biata against shape-shifting gryphons, necromantic zombies, and silly goblins. It's a land where things are never as they seem; where good and evil are not always clear-cut, and where the strong do not always prevail. In Fortannis, one can learn magic by summoning the power of the flow of order in the world, to tie yourself to the living cycle of all around you. Or, if your inclinations are darker, you can be tempted by the flow of chaos and entropy, which allows you to create undead abominations and cast substantially more powerful spells (in exchange for the corruption of your soul). Hey, the choice is yours. This is the second collection of stories which take place in the world of Fortannis (which also happens to be the world in which my two novels take place-what a coincidence!). I am very proud of the stories collected here. There are grand adventures, humorous contrivances, and strong morality tales. You'll meet clever con artists, suspicious spies, and pompous nobles. There are unexpected twists and turns and danger lurking on every page. Happy reading!