As outside, all was still within, except for the gentle movement of drapes at the open window, through which came a wisp of a breeze. A huge four-poster bed, curtains of green and gold tied at each post, dominated the room. The shadow ignored the bed and its occupants, who lay across the linen sheets, barely covered. It ignored the ornate basket-hilt rapier hanging on a chair-back beside an axe, the blade of which was perforated by glowing red-edged runes, and moved to the far corner of the room, where a small spiral staircase took it up to a circular mezzanine no more than four yards across. A small, elegant desk stood at the centre. Eight thin apertures cut into the stone gave a view of the room below. Hanging from the wall were a number of two-foot-high purple slate tablets. There were eleven in total, each covered by a green velvet cloth embroidered with a bee with wings spread and the name of a city. The shadow ignored the nearest and glided around the desk to reach the cloth that bore the word ‘Scree’. It raised a long finger that tapered into a cruel claw and began to trace through the air in front of the covered tablet. A faint scraping broke the quiet.
The shadow finished its writing and looked through a stone slit at the couple slumbering on the enormous bed.
‘Come and join the performance, my friend,’
it murmured as it twitched the cloth slightly askew.
‘Yours is a starring role.’
Then the shadow spread its unsubstantial fingers and gave a sharp twist through the air. A muted crack echoed around the room. The deed done, the shadow retraced its movements, pausing momentarily at the bed where the two figures still slept, legs entangled despite the heat. One ethereal finger caressed the man’s cheek before pausing over an eyelid that gave a tiny twitch.
The heavy summer silence returned to the room as the shadow slipped towards the door and out into the twilight of the corridor, then faded into nothing.
King Emin scowled at the tablet, pulling his shirt to order and tucking it in to his breeches as he did so.
‘Come back to bed,’ purred Queen Oterness from the bed, stroking the slight bump of her belly. One sharp-eyed old countess had noticed it already and there had been a sudden surge of speculation at court that an heir to the throne might at last be on the way. The royal couple were keeping quiet for now - the pregnancy was in its early stages and the queen feared her age might cause difficulties - but in the meantime that small swelling had restored her husband’s precarious affection.
‘Unfortunately, I cannot,’ Emin muttered in reply. He didn’t take his eyes off the tablet as he reached out a hand and tugged the bell-pull that hung above the desk.
‘Oh, charming,’ muttered his queen. ‘My husband is too busy to entertain his wife, so he sends for his bodyguard to finish the job.’
Emin’s glare stopped the queen short and she pulled the sheets to cover her naked body. It was too hot for a shift, even if Coran was joining them, and she was too comfortable to leave the indentation she had shared with Emin but a minute before.
‘I’m sorry, Emin, you know I didn’t mean that in spite - but whatever is wrong? I’ve not seen you so angry in years - what’s the news?’
Coran jerked open the door and hurried in before the king had time to answer his wife. The white-eye glanced at the bed and bowed his head even as his eyes followed the linen-covered curves of the queen’s body. The white-eye was barely dressed himself, wearing only a long shirt tied at the waist by the sword-belt he was still in the process of buckling.
Oterness looked at the livid scars on Coran’s knee; he glowered at her and hurried up the spiral stair. He had barely reached the top stair when Emin reached out a finger and pointed to the uncovered tablet.
‘Summon the Brotherhood. We ride for Scree.’
Coran stared at the slate board, unspeaking, until Emin indicated they should go back downstairs. The white-eye touched his knee, running a finger over the ugly scarring there. His face darkening with fury, he followed his king.
Queen Oterness watched the two men, a shiver running down her spine as she wondered what was affecting them so.
Then Coren spoke, his voice trembling with hatred. ‘Ilumene,’ he said.
The blood drained from her face. All was explained in that one word. Before King Emin reached for his clothes he took his queen’s hand and squeezed her fingers. Her other hand fell protectively to her belly, trembling. When she touched the skin below her navel she could feel rough scars, and she could still trace a name with her fingers. The tattoo she’d put there only hid the name from sight; the scar remained.
‘And where we find Ilumene, Rojak will be close at hand,’ Emin told her. ‘And they will both pay.’
• Afasin White-eye general of the Knights of the Temples
•
Alterr
Goddess of the Night Sky and Greater Moon and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Amanas, Quitin
Keymaster of the Heraldic Library of Tirah
•
Amavoq
Goddess of the Forest, patron of the Yeetatchen tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Antern, Count
Advisor to King Emin
•
Anviss
God of Woods, also known as the God of Lonely Places
•
Aracnan
An immortal of unknown origin
•
Aryn Bwr
Battle-name of the last king of the elves who led their rebellion against the Gods, his true name having been excised from history
•
Asenn
Goddess of Rain and Snow, daughter of Lliot
• Atro White-eye Lord or the Farlan before Lord Bahl
•
Azaer
A shadow
•
Bahl
White-eye Lord of the Farlan
•
Belarannar
Goddess of the Earth and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Berard, Captain
Commander of the garrison of Ghorent
•
Brandt, Commander
Commander of the Narkang City Watch, younger brother of Suzerain Toquin
•
Carel (Carelfolden), Betyn
A former Farlan Palace Guard sergeant, now mercenary
•
Cerrat
A novice chaplain in the cult of Nartis
•
Cerse, Sir
Colonel of the Tirah Palace Guard legion
•
Certinse, Knight-Cardinal
Commander of the Knights of the Temples, younger brother of Suzerain Tildek and Farlan by birth
•
Certinse, Sir Dirass
Knight of the Palace Guard. Third son of Suzerain Tildek
•
Certinse, Cardinal
Younger brother of Suzerain Tildek, Duchess Lomin and Knight-Cardinal Certinse
•
Chalat
White-eye Lord of the Chetse tribe
•
Charr
White-eye Krann to Lord Chalat
•
Chirialt, Dermeness
Farlan mage
•
Chotech, General
Member of the Knights of the Temples
•
Coadech, Suzerain
Lord of Narkang’s most easterly suzerainty
•
Coran
White-eye bodyguard of King Emin
•
Cosep,
A Farlan Swordmaster
•
Creyl, Sir
Advisor to King Emin
•
Daran, Mistress
Chaperone for Tila Introl
• Death Chief of the Gods and head of the Upper Cirle of the pantheon
•
Dedev, Borl
Farlan ranger
•
Destech
Lieutenant of the mercenary Tochet
•
Dev, General
Chate Highest ranked of Chetse generals and Commander of the Ten Thousand
•
Deyl,Morten
Chief Councillor of the Public Assembly of Narkang
• Diolis,
General
Member of the Knights of the Temples
•
Disten, Cardinal
Famous member of the cardinal branch of the Farlan Cult of Nartis
•
Dle, Norimin
Chief Librarian of the College of Magic of Narkang
•
Doranei
Member of the Brotherhood, King Emin’s personal agents
•
Elierl, General Brinn
Farlan general posted to Lomin
•
Eraliave
Elven general who predated the Wars of the Houses
•
Farlan,
Deliss Famous Farlan king and father of Kasi Farlan
•
Farlan, Kasi
Legendary prince of the Farlan in whose image white-eyes were created and after whom the lesser moon was named
•
Fedei, Wisten
The Seer of Ghorent
•
Fordan, Leren
Suzerain of the Fordan shire of the Farlan
•
Fordell, Invriss
A mage from Lomin
•
Forell, Duchess
A high ranking member of the White Circle
•
Genedel
A dragon
•
Gerrint
Chetse soldier of the Lion Legion - adjutant to General Dev
•
Gort, Jebehl
General of the Knights of the Temples and member of its ruling council
•
Grast, Deverk
Former Lord of the Menin who instigated the Long March to their current home and tried to wipe out the Litse tribe
•
Horen, Councillor
Head of the town council of Ghorent
•
Ilit
God of the Wind, Patron of the Litse tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Ineh
Deceased white-eye lover of Lord Bahl
•
Inoth
Goddess of the Western Seas, as eldest child of Lliot she replaced him in the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Introl, Anad
Gatekeeper of the Tirah, member of the city council and father of Tila Introl
• Introl, Tila personal maid to the Krann Isak
•
Isak
White-eye chosen to be Krann to Lord Bahl
•
Jeil
Farlan ranger
•
Karkarn
God of War and Destruction, patron of the Menin tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Kerin
Commander of the Swordmasters and Knight-Defender of Tirah
•
Kinbe, Count
Farlan nobleman from Lomin
•
Kulet
Former white-eye sergeant in the Palace Guard
•
Lady, The
Common name of Fate, Goddess of Luck
•
Lahk, General
White-eye general commanding the forces around Tirah
•
Larat
God of Magic and Manipulation and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Larim
White-eye Chosen of Larat and Krann to Lord Salen
•
Leferna, Priata
The commander of White Circle forces in Tor Milist
•
Legana
A devotee of the Lady and Farlan agent
•
Leitah
Goddess of Wisdom and Learning, sister to Larat, who died in the Great War
•
Lesarl, Chief Steward
Principal advisor to the Lord of the Farlan
•
Lliot
God of Water who died during the Age of Myths. His domain was divided up among his five children: Inoth, Turist, Shoso, Vasle and Asenn
•
Lomin, Duchess
Wife of Duke Lomin, mother to Scion Lomin, sister to Cardinal Certinse, Knight-Cardinal Certinse
•
Lomin, Duke
Respected but aging ruler of the Farlan city of Lomin
•
Lomin, Scion Karlat
Son of Duke Lomin and grandson of Suzerain Certinse
•
Malich, Cordein
A necromancer from Embere
•
Mihn ab Netren ab Felith -
wanderer from the coast north of the Great Forest
•
Morghien
Drifter of Embere descent, known as the man of many spirits
•
Nartis
God of the Night, Storms and Hunters, patron of the Farlan tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Nemarse, Duke
Duke of Raland
•
Nerlos, Marshal
Farlan noble whose castle defends the southern route to Tirah
•
Nostil, Velere
Eldest son of the last elven king, Aryn Bwr
•
Ortof-Greyl, Major
Member of the Knights of the Temples
•
Salen
Menin White-eye, Chosen of the God Larat
•
Seliasei
Aspect of Vasle that now possesses Morghien
•
Semar
Past Lord of the Farlan who designed and built the Tower of Semar
•
Sempes, Duke
Ruler of the Farlan city of Perlir
•
Shalstik
Elven prophet who spoke of Aryn Bwr’s return
•
Sheredal
Spreader of the Frost, an Aspect of the Goddess Asenn
•
Shoso
God of Northern Seas, son of Lliot
•
Shotir
God of Healing and Forgiveness
•
Solsis, Count
Farlan nobleman from Lomin
•
Sorodoch
Chetse mage-smith
•
Styrax, Kohrad
White-eye son of Lord Styrax
•
Styrax, Lord Kastan
White-eye Lord of the Menin
•
Tebran, Suzerain Kehed
Farlan nobleman
•
Tildek, Suzerain
Esh Farlan nobleman, father of Sir Dirass Certinse, elder brother of Knight-Cardinal Certinse, Cardinal Certinse and the Duchess of Lomin
•
Thonal, King Emin
King of Narkang and the Three Cities
•
Thonal, Queen Oterness
Queen of Narkang
•
Tohl, Marshal Dorik
Member of the original Brotherhood criminal gang
•
Torl, Suzerain
Farlan nobleman
•
Tochet
Chetse mercenary, former General of the Eastern Tunnels
•
Triena
Goddess of Romantic Love and Fidelity, part of the linked Goddesses who together cover all the aspects of love
•
Tsatach
God of Fire and the Sun, patron of the Chetse tribe and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon
•
Turist
God of the Southern Seas until he was killed during the Great War
•
Vasle
God of Rivers and Inland Seas
•
Veil
Member of the Brotherhood, King Emin’s personal agents
•
Vener, Telith
General of the Knights of the Temples
• Veren First God of the Beasts, killed during the Great War
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Verliq
Mage and academic who founded a small nation in the east before Lord Styrax conquered it
•
Versijt, Lord Aliax
Famous Yeetatchen ruler who almost conquered the Farlan
•
Vesna, Count Evanelial
Famous Farlan soldier from Anvee
•
Vilan, Count
Farlan nobleman from Tori
•
Volah, Suzerain Abse
Farlan nobleman
•
Volah, Scion Sohn
Farlan nobleman
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Vrerr, Duke
Ruler of Tor Milist
•
Vrest
God of the Beasts and member of the Upper Circle of the pantheon, formerly an Aspect of Veren before Veren’s death
•
Vrill, Duke Anote
Menin white-eye general
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Vukotic, Prince Koezh
Ruler of the Vukotic tribe, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle
•
Vukotic, Prince Vorizh
Younger brother of Koezh, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle and subsequently driven insane
•
Vukotic, Princess Zhia
Youngest of the Vukotic family, cursed with vampirism after the Last Battle