Things are not going great for Gerome the Gnome (yes, he’s heard the jokes, okay). A former arcane lecturer, his attempts to enlarge certain features ended up opening a portal to the Shade Planes and saddling him with an all-powerful demon named Al just hanging out in his soul, longing for freedom. Keeping Al at bay with various potions and drugs has done absolutely nothing for Gerome’s social standing or coin purse, and now he’s embroiled in the shady quest of a Nobleman that seems pretty hell-bent on ridding family land of a pesky curse. For adventure, and a little profit, Gerome has been tasked with joining a crew to free the nobleman’s ancestral land of Elderstay. The crew isn’t looking like a sure thing either. There are two heroic siblings that only appear to care for honor and keeping one sheathed in armor at all times, Bijan and Najib. Polly is in a perpetually bad mood for all but her mushrooms. Sha-Sha is a green-skinned woman who is definitely not a creature in disguise (wink). And as long as they stay upright, there’s also a crew of the elderly, the bad-tempered, and the expendable along for the ride. Blood rituals, corpses wandering in the darkness, and a demon desperate to break free all pale in comparison to the horrors and history of Elderstay. Can Gerome keep himself, and maybe a handful of the others, alive?
Author I. Ribbon is definitely a Dungeon Master. This is the highest compliment I can provide in the world of fantasy writing. Their quips are witty, their characters fascinating, and the adventures formidable. Reading The Demon of Elderstay is a bit like diving into the most delicious campaign, but there are no scheduling conflicts, and no dice-rolling needed. This book was a delight that I found myself unable to put down. Gerome is snarky, and definitely queer. I. Ribbon does what the true greats do: keeps you laughing until you’ve suddenly realized that you would protect some of these characters with your life.
For fans of Dungeons and Dragons, Critical Role and Baldur’s Gate 3, The Demon of Elderstay is a fabulous way to break up your gaming and streaming with a delightful book to keep you warm in the upcoming colder nights.
The Demon of Elderstay: The New Dark Saga is now available for pre-order, with release on October 17, 2024.
