From the burnt-out remains of a place she once called home, Amara—the last of her kind—suspects that the bloodthirsty enemies who decimated her people hundreds of years ago are back and hunting her once more. The urge to run is strong, but Amara has finally found a place where she feels at peace. Does she dare stay, potentially risking the lives of those she’s grown to love, or does she flee as she’s done before to lose herself within the shadows of human civilization?
Wolverine returns to Japan only to get caught in the middle of an ancient war between gods and demons! Can Logan tip the balance for good and save his soul, Japan and the world? And what does the mysterious Mark of Mana have to do with it?
She doesn't see dead people, but… She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…
Our sorry hero, his reformed girlfriend, and the amnesiac class president have all graduated from their high school out in the boondocks, and self-described Sapphist and ex-basketball ace Kanbaru, retired by reason of an “injury,” is starting her senior year and the narrator of this volume—her voice far more introspectivethan the smutty jock’s we thought we knew. Bereft of the company of her beloved mentors, the only other person around her with any working knowledge of aberrations the junior Ogi Oshino, apparently a relative of the Hawaiian-shirted folklorist, she feels a bit alone and blue, and sick with dread that the devil residing in her left arm courtesy of the Monkey’s Paw might act up again while she sleeps. Investigating a rumor that she fears might lead back to her, the former star ends up peering into an abyss of negativity called Roka—a “wax flower” to take the characters’ meaning. Trapped in a pit the like of which could only be escaped by the one girl who was able to pull off slam-dunks in her basketball nationals, can the penitent Kanbaru, however, still be aggressive?
From the author of The Hunger—hailed by Stephen King as “deeply, deeply disturbing, hard to put down”—comes a hauntingly atmospheric tale filled with alchemy, lust, and betrayal. True love can last an eternity…but immortality comes at a price. On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—enters his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her…despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. As she begins to tell her story, Luke finds himself utterly captivated. Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the 19th century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the founder’s son, Jonathan, Lanny will do anything to be with him. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley. Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is a “mesmerizing” (Booklist, starred review) story about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy.
Beautiful. Sexy. Inhuman. Jake McAllister knows that his brother Trey's new girlfriend is a bad influence, but he doesn't know what Myra's really after--Trey's soul. Trey is just one of her new playthings, a pawn in her centuries-long game. One by one, Myra has seduced and enslaved the young men of the town. The women have joined her cult as eager priestesses, lured by promises of sex and power. But Myra's unholy plan is almost complete. Can one man hope to battle such seductive evil? Will he be able to resist the ...
For those not familiar with the Quintessential books, this one kicks off with the Character Concepts chapter, a range of simple templates designed to be applied to beginning characters to subtly alter the core class. By taking a Character Concept, a Bard will suffer a penalty in one area but gain a benefit in another - this is primarily a roleplaying tool for players looking for a character who is a bit different from the normal run of the mill. For example, as a Bard you can now start as a Alderman, Ambassador, Artist, Aspirant, Cantor, Explorer, Law Keeper, Lore Master, Minstrel, Naturalist, (not Naturist. . .), Skald, Stormcrow, Talespinner, Trickster or Vagabond. The Prestige Bard covers avenues players may wish to explore when they come to specialise their Bard in one or more areas. As a Bard increases in level, he can choose to adopt the role of Dream Dancer, Elder, Grandmaster, Jester, Seneschal, Singer of the Dawn, Soul Taker, World Singer - or a combination of several. The Tricks of the Trade chapter gives Bards 'cool things to do', as I always describe it to our writers. It kicks off with many new uses for skills, such as using Gather Information to support Bardic Knowledge or Intimidate to bully. Assisting Actions allows a Bard to use his music in a non-magical manner to help others achieve their goals through Battle Hymns, Chamber Music, Folk Dance, Harvest Songs, Lullabies and Marching Songs, all of which also permit a Bard to specialise in the kind of music he performs. Finally, Professions allows a Bard to ally his musical talent with public performances, allowing him to adopt the roles of such things as Street Magicians, Town Criers and Animal Charmers - even if a player is not interested in pursuing such things (and who doesn't want a few extra gold on the side), then there is plenty of meat here for Games Masters to set urban scenes in their scenarios. This is followed by Bardic Feats, which allow a Bard to specialise in certain areas, taking advantage of his innate talents. He can choose to gain feats that allow him to Gossip, learn Elven Dreamweaving, become a Geographer or any one of 22 other feats. Tools of the Trade begins by looking at the qualities of Masterwork Instruments, leading into Invested Instruments - the development of seemingly magical powers as a Bard forms a close bond with his instrument over time. Magical Instruments are covered in depth with such items as the Chorus Harp and Rain Staff available, while Exotic Items covers more mundane objects such as a Metronome and Magician's Chest. Rules are also presented for Magical Crafts, for those Bards looking to produce art more permanent than tale or song. At the cost of a feat, a Bard may create sanctified architecture, magical candles, enduring embroidery, engravings of no little power, glassblowings that can capture flame, paintings that change appearance with the things they represent, pottery that will never permit food to rot, sculptures that can manifest voices and weavings that can make the lowest peasant seem noble. Finally, Magical Compositions represent lost items of Bardic lore that can be used by several performers to create castings that dwarf the abilities of a single Bard. Of all the Tricks of the Trade chapters we have done in the past, this is probably the greatest in scope! The Power of Lore concentrates on the Bard's knowledge capabilities and gives extra guidelines in its use, plus a few tips on circumstances in which its use may not always be obvious. Using this chapter, Bards can now find themselves far more intuitive, able to predict the actions of enemies or even memorise far for information than most people will ever know. The Mysteries of Music allow Bards to study their arts to far greater depth than has ever been possible before, unlocking the great secrets of legends who have come before them. There are 18 Mysteries detailed, all relating to a certain type of performance - the Great Harp, for example, or the Court Dance. Once a Bard begins studying a mystery, he gains the use new abilities that can be utilised through his music. By learning the mystery of Epic Chants, for example, he may start by accomplishing the Strength of Ancestors, which will boost the fortitude of those nearby. As he grows in understanding and power, he can turn this into Walking the Path of Legends, unlocking the hero in a comrade in a fight against evil. Sixteen new castings are presented in Bard Spells, of varying level. These include the Eye of the Heart, which permits him to automatically sense the location of hidden enemies and the Silver Voice, which makes a Bard very persuasive to those he speaks to. Once they have mastered the art of performing, Bards can become very confident, and when two meet, each may be eager to prove their skill. Bardic Duels allows them to decide who is the greatest and most skilled without resorting to violence or death. Such duels as Magic, Performance, Riddles, Rites and Steel are covered, though the Bard had better be sure of his abilities, as losing a duel can seriously hurt the purse! Finally, the Quintessential Bard wraps up with Venues, allowing a high level Bard to create a centre for art and inspiration - a theatre is one possibility, though some travelling Bards make do with a street corner to practice their skills. Full rules are given to develop a venue, including its acoustics, attributes, location and resources, with plenty of examples to guide a Bard to legendary renown. This is all capped by an Index, Rules Summary and a new Bardic character sheet.
'Patricia Briggs never fails to deliver an exciting, magic and fable-filled suspense story' Erin Watt, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the Royals series. Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the No. 1 New York Times bestselling series. The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he's deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of 'fun' is stalking Mercy, some may see it as no great loss. But when he disappears, the Tri-Cities pack is blamed. The mistress of the vampire seethe informs Mercy that the pack must produce Wulfe to prove their innocence, or the loose alliance between the local vampires and werewolves is over. So Mercy goes out to find her stalker - and discovers more than just Wulfe have disappeared. Someone is taking people from locked rooms, from the aisles of stores and even from crowded parties. And these are not just ordinary people but supernatural beings. Until Wulfe vanished, all of them were powerless loners, many of whom quietly moved to the Tri-Cities in the hope that the safety promised by Mercy and Adam's pack would extend to them as well. Who is taking them? As Mercy investigates, she learns of the legend of the Harvester, who travels by less-trodden paths and reaps the souls that are ripe with a great black scythe . . .
From the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA and BIRDS OF PREY, Katana stars in her very own series! The former assassin and new Justice Leaguer embarks on a noble quest to restore the Outsiders to their former glory! Will she succeed, or will she be overcome by the power of her sword, the Soul Taker? Written by Ann Nocenti (CATWOMAN, GREEN ARROW) with art by Alex Sanchez (STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC), this stirring new graphic novel collects KATANA #1-10 and JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK 23.1 THE CREEPER.
