What started out as a contribution to a friend's book project has since expanded into its own spinoff project under the temporary codename "Space Baroque".
In an alternate universe, after centuries of war, 5 planetary kingdoms reach a stalemate and agree to form a new combined empire, whose emperor is chosen by hand to hand combat among champions from each planetary system. But the agreed upon peace is only skin deep, with each kingdom looking for a way to gain political or technological advantage over the other. Expect political intrigue, galactic wars, strange alien races, and all the things you'd expect from a top notch space opera. For Fans Of: Space Operas, Dune, Metabarons
A Venrusi pilgrim visits the crystal caves of the Zylolyz homeworld. The atmosphere of the planet is poisonous to the Venrusi, so such a pilgrimage is a last act taken by those seeking religious enlightenment when death from old age is already near.