Callahan Fallen

"Cal," Odessa warned, but Callahan was already tucking his rapier underneath his arm, hilt forward, and setting the pitched toe of his shoe against the inner edge of the ship.

"Yes, darling?" He grasped the rail with both hands, pulling himself up to rest one knee on the top edge. Paused to watch the monster's large pupils darting around in enervation; for a brief, disjointed moment another much smaller and more humanoid shape near on the creature's unfurling limbs caught his attention. He squinted and blinked, uncertain of whether he was distinguishing meaning out of irrelevant shapes. It did look incredibly human but it was likely just another fish whose form was marred through the rippled water.

"Careful, alright?" Her words, stern as they were, drew a flashing grin from Callahan.

"Of course." He steeled himself for the dive. "Always am, aren't I?"

C
allahan Fallen is a cravvik pulp series written by Sven Claughden and published serially by The Reserves from 1322-1329. It was one of the most widely bought and read series in Beourjen until it was banned in 1329, however it is still sold in Armistace and Avar and remains a popular text among many circles.

The story begins with Callahan and his crew returning to Port Jzakaar for a holiday after eight months of treasure hunting around the Cravvik Isles Isles. Several days before they are due to port, they encounter a huge sea monster (a kraken) and while fighting it, Callahan rescues a strange, half-dead fishman.

The Author

Sven Claughden escaped the city of Cravv with his mentor during its desecration only for them to be kidnapped by pirates. His mentor was killed outright, while Sven was enslaved aboard the ship for almost a decade and began writing Callahan Fallen. He was later rescued by a beourjen naval merchant and found a prosperous but short-lived career as a writer living somewhere in southern Beourjen.

From here the story splits into its two narratives—Callahan returns to his lavish country estate with the fishman and several members of his crew, and his boatswain Odessa returns to her childhood home with the intention of visiting Aveaas on her father's merchant caravan. Callahan, whilst at his estate, attempts to figure out where the fishman came from with the help of his shipmate, the wizened god Berez, as well as contends with the spirits haunting his estate and a series of passionate liaisons.

Odessa, meanwhile, returns to find her family home ransacked and her family gone—implicatively murdered, and so begins a journey across the cravvik coast to find out what happened. Through this she uncovers the selkie underground that is planning a coup on the Imperium and inevitably finds herself tangled in a much bigger plot.

Characters

Callahan

The eponymous hero, a 'privateer' and philanderer with, well, a spirit problem and a spirit problem.

Odessa

Callahan's boatswain, who comes from cravvik gentry but gave it up for ~the seas and adventure~.

Berez

Callahan's first mate, who is also secretly a god and who Callahan is tethered to.

The Fishman

A 'fishman' who is quickly realized to be a hollowed arcanist possibly from the Imperium.

Read the Document

Callahan Fallen

Chapter One

Most of the time, Callahan was invigorated by the prospect of danger. He enjoyed the sight of blood spilled by his hands as much as the next man, and he enjoyed the air of heroism that victory often promised as well. He enjoyed the camaraderie a strenuous fight often evoked between him and his crew, and the adrenaline sing of his limbs as all his training and skills were exacerbated into a few scant minutes of swordplay or maneuvering. Really, he enjoyed it all.

What he did not enjoy was the enormity of that vile creature, and the speed with which it flicked its tail and tongue and crept closer to their boat while Callahan found himself stuck in place in a mixture of trepidation and lingering inebriation. They had done their fighting, their danger, had drank in remembrance of its heady victory just last night. Now they were sailing toward Port Jzakaar with jewels lining their pockets and languorous, cravven whores on their minds. Today was to be a day for basking in the glory of their success and tending to more menial duties aboard the ship.

It was not a day to be opened up under the terror of this thing.

Close

by mirescosmo

Reviews

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A remarkably compelling and insightful look into the late Imperium, as well as just a damn enjoyable adventure.

—Evander Balassar

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Wonderful. The eroticism gets me off quick, and then the actual narrative gets me right to sleep afterward.

—Inigo Alaniss

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I mean, I've only read half of it—Odessa's half. Callahan's chapters are too. . . gratuitous for my tastes.

—Vallen Raughdon

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It's a classic cravvik pulp, adventures, pirates, selkies, that whole charcuterie. Quite a fun read.

—Leike Corver

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My general predisposition is that if both my sister and Lord Balassar enjoy a piece of literature, I. . . likely will not.

—Julen Alaniss

by mirescosmo