- The Murder at Dilven Manor - Book One of Alyxa's Private Investigator
tags:
- "#Fiction"
created: 2026-04-29
description: The first book in the API series,
---
## Chapter One
*"The Dilven Murder was the Beginning of the End for Upper Terria's Golden Age" - Iggram's Chronicles of Crime*
The smell of spiced ryemain tingling my nose as I push through the patrons of the alleyway streetmart. It smelled good, but the images in my head were twisting my stomach.
The Gershum temple's courtyard had been silent moments before; a groundsman named Hoffle had been tending the temple's chestilwood plants in the courtyard's garden, peeling back bark with a simple silver-cast blade. Zashrya, Hoffle's apprentice, was carrying dried bark into the temple's main hall to be crushed for new potions. The Gershum Order prided itself on simple living and neutrality. A refuge for those looking for healing and peace, even in the bowels of the undercity. Such was their devotion that even the hardest criminals didn't mess with this sacred space.
The blast was swift, cutting the peaceful air in jagged, fiery lines, as the thermobaric device consumed all in its brief, violent anger. A pit of scorched ground lies where once the peace and healing sang, hollow now in its tune. Hoffle and Zashrya were all but ash, as the temple of healing became a tomb.
As I climbed the stairs to my office, a case file in hand, the temple bombing in Cara made a little sense now as it did then. But that is why someone hired me. The Church wanted answers, and police investigations had stalled. It was now my job to learn why someone violated the sacred home of the injured and weak. People hired me when they needed answers, when all other avenues for justice had run dry, something that, unfortunately, is becoming more and more common.
- Page 17: "For he who loved himself became great in himself, and he who loved others became great through his devotion, but he who loved God became greater than all."
### Overview of Thoughts
Repetition is frequent, giving the piece a poetic feel.
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Allegiance: United Kingdom of Courtvina, Her Majesty's Royal Colonial Force,
Assignment: Harppoint Colonial Station, Far Reaches, 33rd Patrol Squadron,
Commander: Master Commander Lewis Partil
Commissioned: 348th Year of the Kingdom
Class: Dawnspring Flight IV
Manufacturer: Xos-Felix Colonial Shipyard of the Tannhauser Fleet Corporation.
Type: Fast Sloop
Rigging: Ship Rigged
Role: Fleet Escort, Fast Scouting, Electronic Warfare, Colonial Patrol, Commerce Raiding, Force Projection, Communication Craft, VIP Transport, and Liaison Craft.
Length: 168 meters
Cargo: Up to 1 year of provisions
Max Acceleration: 56G at Wide Open
Payload: 24 Mark 47 Advanced Anti-Ship Torpedoes in leading magazine, 28 VS8 Light Interceptors in twin broadside launchers,
Armament: 2 Bow-mounted 37cm Asp Pattern Heavy Coilguns, 2 Triple Mounted RapidFire 25cm Archer Pattern Medium Coilgun turrets, 3 HTL4 Dual-purpose pulse laser batteries, and 1 LTS90 Offense Electronic Warfare Suite.
Defense Grid: 2 KV42 twin-mounted 10.2cm PDC turrets, 6 Unitary APS Arrays. 2 Hadley 43 Data Scramblers, 1 LTS42/90 ECM/ESM Suite, 4 Ampere Mod 56 ECM Pods, and 86 Chaff and Flare Batteries.
Shield System: Mark 14 Medium Deflector Plating and Chi2 Particle Lattice linked to 32 Grade XI HiCap Low Refresh Capacitors
Armor: Mark 44 Multilayer Ablative Armor System, Spaced Armored Panels, Electromagnetic Polarization, and J-Series Stealth Plating
Engines: 1 Nitetron V42 Magnetically Accelerated Ionized Fusion Thrust Tunnel, 4 JX54 Ion Pulse Drives, 6 Verametic Current Control Plates. Maneuvering RCS Thrusters and Magnetic Atmospheric Hover Plating.
Power Plant: 1 FD67 Tokamak Lithium Hydride Fusion Core, 2 FD22 Micro-Fusion Backup Power Cells, 40 ion batteries, 24 deployable solar panels,
FTL Array: Matthew-Dia Hk-59 Slippoint Engine and Chi-423 Self-Torsion Drive
Sensor Array: 1 KCM “Helios” Advanced Interstellar Target Tracking Search Radar, 8 CM D45M5 Pulsed Phased General Search Radars, 1 Mk VII Long Range Low power Forward Navigation Radar, 1 PX1 Rift Spectralgraphic Stalk, 5 CM HQ42 Directed Narrow Beam Targeting Radars, 4 HIL53 General Lidar Arrays, 14 MB42 Fire-Control Radar/Lidar Arrays, two radio Telescopes, 1 Visual Telescope, 24 low-light cameras, 1 Light-Mass Counter, 2 Forward Mass Detectors, 1 HyperState Resonates Echo Search Array, and 20 passive thermal sensors.
Communication System: 1 Advanced StatCOM Hyperwave Unit linked to the Royal Interstellar Network, two tandem Laser Communication Arrays, 1 Interfleet Radio System, 1 Inner Ship ComnNet, 1 Shielded Ship Ethernet.
Computer Core: 2 tandem 512 Terabyte 256 Core Q36 Logic Drivers and 3 24DeckerU Decentralized Data Analysis Grids Synced into a unified AI Data Cluster
AI Mainframe: 1 “Galactica” Smart AI Release 22.4.5 Patch 4.5.3, 8 Squ-0 “RedBox” AI Analysis Program Release 21.4-032 Version 16
Navigation System: CairoValcan ECX892 Standard Navigation Suite loaded with Type 296 Release Star Maps supported by 16 star trackers, six gyroscopes, eight accelerometers, and full pulsar triangularization.
Hyper Navigation Package: 1 SantraVelto Slippoint Mapping Array, 1 Ganar 16 Rift Topography Mapping Server, up to 8 pre-programmed courier or buoy provided Hyperwave Slippoints are stored on an Auxiliary Computer Core
Defense Grid: 4 quad-mounted and 8 twin-mounted KV42 10.2cm PDC turrets, 12 RFI-86 12 Cell Rolling Frame Interceptor Launch Turrets, 16 PDHL13x point defense laser batteries, 24 37mm NBS-90 CIWS Gatling turrets, 48 Unitary APS Arrays, 12 Hadley 43 Data Scramblers, 1 LTS42/90 ECM/ESM Suite, 1 LTS64 ESM Suite, 6 Ampere Mod 56 ECM Pods, and 142 Chaff and Flare Batteries.
Shield System: 3 Type 7 Shield Projection Arrays, 3 R1V Plasmatic Barrier Projectors, Mark 19 High Deflector Plating, and Chi14 Particle Lattice, all linked to 144 tandem Grade XIV HiCap High Refresh Capacitors
Armor: KN330 Heavy Multilayer Ablative Armor System, Heavy Boron Carbide Side Plating, Spaced Armored Panels, Electromagnetic Polarization, and HJ-Stealth Coating,
Engines: 1 Nitetron VR55 High Flow Heavy Magnetically Accelerated Ionized Fusion Motor, 4 Nitetron V42 Magnetically Accelerated Ionized Fusion Thrust Tunnels, 10 JX54 Ion Pulse Drives, 18 Verametic Current Control Plates. Maneuvering RCS Thrusters and Magnetic Atmospheric Hover Plating.
Power Plant: 1 FD88 Tokamak Lithium Hydride Fusion Core, 3 FD67 Tokamak Lithium Hydride Fusion Cores, 12 FD22 Micro-Fusion Backup Power Cells, 84 ion batteries, and 52 deployable solar panels,
Sensor Array: 1 KCM “Opal-Kia” Long Range Interstellar Particle Search, Scan, and Track Array, 1 KCM “Helios” Advanced Interstellar Target Tracking Search Radar, 12 CM D45M5 Pulsed Phased General Search Radars, 1 Mk VII Long Range Low power Forward Navigation Radar, 1 PX1 Rift Spectralgraphic Stalk, 32 CM HQ42 Directed Narrow Beam Targeting Radars, 6 HIL53 General Lidar Arrays, 32 MB42 Fire-Control Radar/Lidar Arrays, 8 radio Telescopes, 1 Radiospectroptical Telescope Array, 52 low-light cameras, 1 Light-Mass Counter, 6 Forward Mass Detectors, 1 HyperState Resonates Echo Search Array, and 80 passive thermal sensors.
Communication System: 2 PulseLink Quantum Burst Units, 1 Advanced StatCOM Hyperwave Unit linked to the Royal Interstellar Network, two tandem Laser Communication Arrays, 1 Interfleet Radio System, 1 Inner Ship ComnNet, 1 Shielded Ship Ethernet.
Computer Core: 1 2048 Terabyte 1024 Core Q72 Logic Driver, 4 tandem 512 Terabyte 256 Core Q36 Logic Drivers, and 16 24DeckerU Decentralized Data Analysis Grids Synced into a unified AI Data Cluster
AI Mainframe: 1 “Galactica” Smart AI Release 22.4.5 Patch 4.5.3, 12 Squ-0 “RedBox” AI Analysis Program Release 21.4-032 Version 16, and 6 ESHyx-6 “BlackBox” AI Strategic Drone Control Controller Release 23.5.4 Patch 13.4.1
Navigation System: CairoValcan ECX892 Standard Navigation Suite loaded with Type 296 Release Star Maps supported by 42 star trackers, 12 gyroscopes, eight accelerometers, and full pulsar triangularization.
Hyper Navigation Package: 1 SantraVelto Slippoint Mapping Array, 1 Ganar 16 Rift Topography Mapping Server, 1 HTP547 Hyperspectral Data Plot Calculator held on a 56 Terabyte 128 Core Q18 Logic Driver
Defense Grid: 9 concealed Unitary APS Arrays,4 concealed HYT-97 advanced countermeasures deployment ports loaded with advanced chaff, flares, and stellar smoke pods, 18 full array chaff and flare batteries, and 1 Ampere Mod 56 ECM Pod.
Armor: Mark 44 Multilayer Ablative Armor System with Electromagnetic Polarization and integrated particle lattice.
Shield System: 2 Type 7 Shield Projection Arrays, 1 R1V Plasmatic Barrier Projector, Mark 19 High Deflector Plating, and Chi14 Particle Lattice, all linked to 96 tandem Grade XIV HiCap High Refresh Capacitors
Engines: 1 Huntsville GTK340 Current Augmented Ionized Fusion Rocket Motor, 2 Iron Glove Mk5 Aerospike Drives, 1 Breaker Horizon G7 Subluminal Gravitic WaveDrive, and 12 Verametic Current Control Plates. Maneuvering RCS Thrusters and Magnetic Atmospheric Hover Plating
Power Plant: 1 FD22 Micro-Fusion Power Cell, 40 Ion Power Cells, 4 retractable Tetarch class Vermetic Current Sails, 2 QAC9 Vermetic Chain Drives.
FTL Array: Matthew-Dia Hk-59 Slippoint Engine and Chi-423 Self-Torsion Drive
Sensor Array: 4 CM DMT35 Pulsed Phased General Search Radars, 1 Mk II Long Range Forward Navigation Radar, 1 PX1 Rift Spectralgraphic Stalk, 1 CM HQ42 Directed Narrow Beam Targeting Radar, 4 HIL53 General Lidar Arrays, 2 MB42 Fire-Control Radar/Lidar Arrays, two radio Telescopes, 1 Visual Telescope, 24 low-light cameras, 1 Light-Mass Counter, 2 Forward Mass Detectors,
Communication System: 1 PulseLink Quantum Burst Unit, 1 StatCOM Hyperwave Unit linked to the Royal Interstellar Network, 1 long-range laser communication array, 1 Interfleet Radio System, and 1 Shielded Ship Ethernet.
Computer Core: 1 512 Terabyte 256 Core Q36 Logic Driver, 2 256 Terabyte 128 Core Q18 Logic Drivers, and 1 24DeckerU Decentralized Data Analysis Grid Synced into a unified AI Data Cluster
AI Mainframe: 1 “Blairon” Smart AI Mark III Release 22.8.1, 1 “Vermerk” Defense Security AI Program Release 66.54.1.
Navigation System: CairoValcan ECX892 Standard Navigation Suite loaded with Type 296 Release Star Maps supported by 22 star trackers, six gyroscopes, eight accelerometers, and full pulsar triangularization. 1 Vermetic Dyadic Compass
Hyper Navigation Package: 1 SantraVelto Slippoint Mapping Array, 1 Ganar 10 Rift Topography Mapping Server, up to 18 preprogrammed courier or buoy provided by Hyperwave Slippoints are stored on an Auxiliary Computer Core
Complement: 1 Gateway Class Luxury Solar-Longship, 1 RollScape Class Luxury Shuttle, 2 Andarde Pattern Flyers, 4 CVA-8 Type Fleet Defense Drones, 1 D-22 Havoc Multipurpose Drone Scout.
### HMS Sentinel's Blade
ID: M5324592/WX
Allegiance:United Kingdom of Courtvina, Her Majesty's Royal Navy
Assignment:Dragon Armada, The Veil, 1st Battle Line, Flag Squadron (Flagship)
Commander:The Dragon Prince (Prince Kaizulirasho) and Admiral Bato Haozing, Flag Captain Ann Flemming.
Commissioned: 330th Year of the Kingdom
Class:Crown Royal Class
Manufacturer:Tannhauser Central Fleetyard of the Tannhauser Fleet Corporation
Type:Heavy Battlecruiser
Rigging:Ship Rigging
Role:Flagship, Solo Operations, Force Projection, Ship of the Line, Commence Raiding,
Length:1,043 meters
Cargo:Upto 2 years of provisions,
Max Acceleration:21G
Payload: 48 Hammerstrike Type Variable Yield Heavy Missiles in 12 broadside quad missile pods, 96 Broadsword Type Variable Yield Medium Missiles in 24 broadside quad missile pods, 48 single-mounted AT-86 “Long Lance” Anti-Ship Heavy Torpedoes, 144 Mark 47 Advanced Anti-Ship Torpedoes, 192 KVM42 Heavy Missiles in 24 octuple RLS cells, and 288 VS8 Light Interceptors.
Defense Grid:: 8 octuple-mounted, 12 quad-mounted, and 24 twin-mounted KV42 10.2cm PDC turrets, 24 RFI-86 12 Cell Rolling Frame Interceptor Launch Turrets, 48 PDHL13x point defense laser batteries, 96 37mm NBS-90 CIWS Gatling turrets, 144 Unitary APS Arrays, 36 Hadley 43 Data Scramblers, 3 LTS42/90 ECM/ESM Suites, 3 LTS64 ESM Suites, 18 Ampere Mod 56 ECM Pods, and 426 Chaff and Flare Batteries.
Shield System: 6 Type 7 Shield Projection Arrays, 2 R1V Plasmatic Barrier Projectors, Mark 19 High Deflector Plating, and Chi14 Particle Lattice, all linked to 288 tandem Grade XIV HiCap High Refresh Capacitors
- His or Her Majesty, Protector(s) of The Faith, Sovereign(s) of the Realm, In Their Eminence (King and Queen)
- The Crown Prince/Princess, Elected to Ascend to Eminence, Inheritor of the Realm, The Rising Eminence,
- The Royal Prince/Princess of Their Eminence (Princes and Princesses)
- The Grand Duke/Grand Duchess from His Eminence (Grand Dukes and Duchesses)
- Viscount/Viscountess from Her Eminence (Viscounts and Viscountesses)
- The Eminent Crown & The Throne of the Realm (General Titles)
### The Throne’s Voice
#### Membership
- Hand of the Realm
- Arbiter of The Eminent Crown
- The Rising Oracle of Courtvina
- Chief Attender
- Master of Knowledge
- Housemaster of the Imperial Estate
- Rallymaster of the Royal Palace Guard
- Lord Admiral of the Fleet
- High Praetor of the Army
- High Mage of the Realm
- Viscardinal of the Unified Church-Imperium
- Lord Minister of the Realm’s Vault
- The Guildmaster of the Bloodshapers
#### Titles
- Hand of Crown and Realm for Their Eminence (Hand of the Realm)
- Arbiter of The Eminent Crown, Bearer of The Royal Sword, 1st Knight of the Royal Imperial House, Royal Champion. (Arbiter)
- One of First Sight, Rising to the Highest, Mandated Oracle of Courtvina, Bringer of First Knowledge to The Eminent Crown. (The Rising Oracle of Courtvina)
- Messenger of The Eminent Crown & Throne of the Realm, The High Chief Attender, Allbringer of Royal Palace. (Chief Attender)
- The Namingless One, Formless, Ruler of Wraiths and Shadows, Knower of All. (Master of Knowledge)
-Housemaster, High Magistrate of Imperial Palace and Grounds, Overseer of the Throneroom, Bearer of the Eminence Schedule, Steward of the Manor (Housemaster of the Imperial Estate)
- Rallymaster, Commander of the Royal Swords to The Eminent Crown, Captain of the Royal Palace Guard, Chief Marshal for Training, 2nd to The Praetor. (Rallymaster of the Royal Palace Guard).
- Lord Admiral, Master of the Royal Fleet, 1st Sailor of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy, Master under The Eminent Crown of HMS Sovereignity. (Lord Admiral of the Fleet)
- High Praetor, Master of the Royal Foot, 1st Soldier of Her Majesty’s Royal Army, Commandant of Praetorian Guard. (High Praetor of the Army)
- Lord Conjurer, Magical Consul to The Eminent Crown, Server of Reva, Highest Mage in the Realm, Bringer of Magic to The Eminent Crown (High Mage of the Realm)
- The Grand Viscardinal, Holy Priest of Unified Church-Imperium, Servant of Ka’Reva, Bringer of Unified Message to The Eminent Crown. (Viscardinal of the Unified Church-Imperium)
- Lord of the Vaults of the Realm’s Throne, Master of Credit, Minister of Trade, Keeper of Royal Ledgers (Lord Minister of the Realm’s Vault)
- Elected Guildmaster for the Bloodshapers, Crafter of Life, High Doctor to The Eminent Crown. (The Guildmaster of the Bloodshapers)
- Voice(s) to The Throne of the Realm & The Eminent Crown (General Title)
#### Organization
- High Council:
- Hand of the Realm
- Lord Minister of the Realm’s Vault
- The Rising Oracle of Courtvina
- Arbiter of The Eminent Crown
- Military Council:
- Arbiter of The Eminent Crown
- Rallymaster of the Royal Palace Guard
- Lord Admiral of the Fleet
- High Praetor of the Army
- Master of Knowledge
- Commerce Council:
- Lord Minister of the Realm’s Vault
- The Guildmaster of the Bloodshapers
- Chief Attender
- Housemaster of the Imperial Estate
- Social Council:
- The Rising Oracle of Courtvina
- High Mage of the Realm
- Viscardinal of the Unified Church-Imperium
- Master of Knowledge
### The Grand Court
#### Memberships
- 3 Triarch Houses
- 18 Upper Houses
- 33 Lesser Houses
- 99 Granted Houses
#### Titles
- High Triarch (Head of a Triarch House)
- Duke/Duchess (Head of an Upper House/Lesser House {Sometimes})
- Baron/Baroness (Head of a Lesser House/Granted House)
The Natural World lacks true meaning. It gives no directions or preferences. It cares little about want lives among-st its bounds. It is a cold, uncaring space where meaning is not given. Good is not rewarded. history is not remembered. This universe will keep on ticking, whether we are living here or not. It is broken place, devoid good and separate from live. Nothing here matters, meaning is not a given.
#### An Ode to Nihilism
#### The Ineffable Force: The Unknown Calling
There exists a force beyond the observable world. It binds each human to the same strange calling. Pushing for something more in our lives.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
"Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation."
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