The Shade of Bones

"The Shade of Bones" is the first episode of the first season of The Stormsong Sequence. It is the first episode of the series overall. It was written by Jake Hopkins and premiered on Wednesday 1st December 2021.

Series Summary
Among the ashes of the fallen city of Ardrole, the survivors realise the scale of destruction. Alone and abandoned they are forced to survive their own way, relying on the flesh of the dead to feed them, and the torrential storms to hydrate them. In order to endure for an impossible period, they must select leaders to guide them. But as always in human nature, power divides men into factions, and factions create war.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Rorphis, the wicked soul behind the Horrors of Ardrole is overseeing the chaos and panic. Ruling with malicious tyranny, he seeks to ensure that not a single man survives Ardrole. But over in the Stormhold lies his nemesis, a man who owns the lands of and surrounding Ardrole. Vengeance is the only thing he can think of.

And approaching them all, even though they do not yet know it, are the Black Fleets, bands of men set upon conquest. They approach the world with steel and flame.

Episode Summary
The ruins of Ardrole wake to a struggle; King Donnis the Black plots against his arch-nemesis; the Black Fleets approach the realm with conquest their main desire.

Introduction
Seven days ago, King Donnis the Black sent dragons and men to Ardrole, and their one instruction was to burn it down. He did this to prove to the realm that he was not afraid of issuing punishment. Due to his high taxes, Ardrole, like many other places, owed him a great debt and his burning (later known as the Horrors of Ardrole) was a warning: pay back the debt, or you will burn too.

The Fallen City of Ardrole
Karstil, a commoner of Ardrole, wakes in the desolation that was once her home. She travels sadly to the town hall, slowly remembering what happened in a series of flashbacks. She arrives there and finds it caved in, but she fights through the dust and finds the town's Mayor Sand dead in a heap of stone. Looking around for inspiration, she sees the crumbled bell tower and starts to search for the bell. When she finds it, the wooden structure and the rope supporting the bell is broken so she is forced to ring the giant chime by climbing inside it and smacking it with bricks. It has no success.

Across the city in the crumbled Keep of Might, is the fallen Prince Ennis whose family all died in the destruction. He fights his way free of a pillar that crushes his leg and he slowly makes his way out of the rubble, trying not to be intoxicated by the clouds of ash and debris and rubble. Finally, Ennis finds his way out of the keep and finds himself perched upon Fort Hill: a mighty mountain before the city with seven keeps on. As he looks over at the rest of Ardrole, he cries at the sight of the ruined city. He was the heir to it all, and now that his father died Ardrole was his. And yet it was worth nothing, now. He suddenly sees smoke rising from the town hall and rushes towards it.

Back inside the town hall we see that Karstil lit a fire in the hope of attracting attention, and soon enough she encounters Prince Ennis. They introduce each other and Karstil is shocked to be in the presence of a prince. She bows and courtesies too much, which he jokingly says she need not do. The pair wonder if there are any other survivors, and Karstil wants to wait in the town hall, hoping others will come, but Prince Ennis says they should go to the keeps and send a signal from there. Feeling obliged due to his high status, Karstil agrees and follows him up the city.

They see the dead in great numbers.

In the books
This episode is adapted from the following chapters of The Shade of Bones (the first book in the Stormsong Sequence):


 * Part One: Ardrole I
 * Prologue: The Horrors
 * Karstil I: Broken Bells
 * Ennis I: Fallen Keeps
 * Karstil II: The King of Dust
 * Ennis II: Fort Hill
 * Karstil III: A Beacon For The Realm
 * Epilogue: Survivor
 * Part Two: Rorphis I
 * Prologue: The Enemy
 * Donnis I: Pay Your Debt
 * Forr I: Gold
 * Donnis II: Malice
 * Forr II: Silver
 * Donnis III: Holding Storms
 * Epilogue: Broken Banks
 * Part Three: Stormhold I
 * Prologue: Broken Bones
 * Tiuran I: Nemesis
 * Lostan I: The Sky Banners
 * Tiuran II: An Old Friend
 * Lostan II: Burn The Keep
 * Tiuran III: A Hostage Serves
 * Epilogue: Take A Castle
 * Part Four: