Difference between revisions of "Shadows of Self"

{{for|/Summary|a chapter-by-chapter summary}}

 

Wax is an inexperienced and naïve bounty hunter determined to make a difference in the [[Roughs]]. He is hunting [[Granite Joe]], with a teenage [[Wayne]] tagging along as his assistant. He runs into a woman named [[Lessie]] who is also trying for Granite Joe, and they agree to team up and split the bounty. They find him in the basement of a saloon, and there is a fight. It looks like Lessie is about to betray him, but she shoots Joe instead. They quickly hit it off and leave together.

 

A year later after the capture and execution of [[Miles Dagouter|Miles Hundredlives]], Wax and Steris plan for their wedding. Wax works as a special constable. Wayne barges in and reports that an infamous thief has been spotted, and they give chase with [[Marasi]], who is also working in the constabulary now as an assistant to Constable-General [[Claude Aradel|Aradel]]. The criminal is known as the [[Marksman]] and has styled himself as a Robin Hood figure. They chase him into the slums, and Wayne uses some clever disguises to hunt him down. He is captured but almost immediately killed by an assassin before they can bring him in.

 

They are called away to investigate another incident, this one the murder of the [[Winsting|brother]] of the [[Replar Innate|governor]] and a whole bunch of criminals and shady nobles in his home. It appears to be the work of a [[Feruchemy|feruchemist]].

 

[[Elendel]] is in a state of unrest. Food prices and unemployment are high, the people are tired of the corruption in the noble-controlled government, and working conditions for those who are employed are poor and unsafe. An assassination attempt is made on the governor. [[Harmony]] talks directly to Wax through his earring and asks for his help in finding [[Paalm]], a [[kandra]] who calls herself Bleeder and is causing havoc in the city.

 

As the evening progresses, more events stoke the unrest, threatening to throw the city into complete chaos. Paalm dresses as a [[Pathism|Pathian]] priest and murders a [[Church of the Survivor|Survivorist]] priest to sow religious discord. She makes an attempt on the governor’s life again, but Wax gives chase, and she escapes. He finds evidence that she’s been in the [[kandra Homeland]], so he goes there and meets [[TenSoon]]. They are both attacked by savage beasts—people transformed into an unknown [[Hemalurgy|hemalurgic]] construct. Wax figures that this was all a distraction and hurries back to try to protect the governor.

 

The governor is preparing to speak to the mob gathered around the mansion, and Wax realizes that the governor is really Bleeder. Wayne had already figured that out and got captured. Bleeder flees the scene and Wax catches up to her on a bridge. She removes her mask and reveals the face of Lessie. Wax shoots her with a special bullet – a bullet forged from his earring – allowing Harmony to gain control over Paalm again. She chooses to die instead, and reveals that she was Lessie all along. She had been sent by Harmony to watch over Wax. Wax is furious at Harmony for making him kill her a second time.

 

Meanwhile, at the mansion, MeLaan’s attempt to impersonate the governor doesn’t go well, but Aradel arrests “him” for corruption, promising to the crowd to arrest more nobles and clean up the corruption. The city is preserved and Aradel becomes interim governor.

 

Wax is in a deep depression. Only Steris can comfort him, offering no words, just a shoulder to cry on.