He could not speak any longer as the chill touch of the curse entered his mind, questing through the brutalised corners of his head for a name and ripping it away forever. Isak felt the words fade like a whisper on the wind, a curl of smoke whose shape hung on the breeze and was then gone — vanished.
The man on the platform screamed, his hands clasped to his head, his fingers digging so deeply in that blood welled up. Skull and sword discarded, he fell to his knees as the claws tore into his brain. The Skulls fused to his cuirass dropped from the armour, then the first of the black whorled plates slipped off his body and clattered to the ground. The man was oblivious; convulsing, he collapsed to the floor.
Isak heard shouts from all around as the curse spread, reaching out through friend and enemy alike to steal a name from all of them before rippling further out and across the Land. He felt the power of the Gods, fed by the Skulls in their midst, waxing strong, even as the effort drained them.
The man on the platform writhed and shrieked as the claws reached the last recesses of his soul, shredding memories and excising even the smallest remnants of the man he had once been. He tried to fight, beating at his head and ripping his clothes, but to no avail. The curse bit deep, as he scratched bloody shreds of cloth from his body. Somehow he fought his way upright, muscles straining against the weight of the Land, but all the while he was howling at what was being taken from him.
And then it was over. The gale subsided, the magic of the Gods dissipated, and the man fell, exhausted, mewling, to his knees. Isak took a hesitant step forward, barely able to stay upright himself.
‘And I dub you the Ragged Man,’ he whispered, blood trickling from his nose and mouth as he spoke.
He reached Death and the cowled figure turned to face him. The air smelled of age and fatigue, of a temple drained of its majesty and power.
‘It is done,’ Death intoned. He made a dismissive gesture at the Ragged Man, and a pair of Ralebrat grasped the whimpering figure by each arm and dragged him into the ground, moving through the earth as easily as a bird ducking below the surface of a lake.
‘They will take him far from here.’
‘There is a cottage by a lake,’ Isak said hoarsely. ‘There is a place for him there.’
Death inclined His head. The God’s presence was less awe-inspiring now - the curse had required so much power that the Upper Circle were winking out of existence, back to their distant palace. Only Karkarn, Nartis and Death remained.
‘You know what you have done,’ Nartis called.
Isak felt a great tremor of pain run through his body as he nodded, and in the next moment Mihn was there, slipping underneath him and taking some of Isak’s great weight on his shoulders.
‘We have weakened you,’ the witch of Llehden stated, advancing just past Isak as he wilted under the strain.
‘We have made a choice,’ Legana added, resting heavily on her staff. The Gods-touched woman faced Death without flinching, her emerald eyes shining through the unnatural gloom. ‘A choice that was ours to make.’
‘You have weakened us,’ Death said slowly, looking from one to the other. ‘For what is to come, the Gods will not be able to intervene.’
‘Good,’ said Legana firmly. ‘It is our fate as much as yours. The choice should be ours this time.’
‘It is our time,’ Isak agreed wearily. ‘This was the only way, and now — Now the Land will be remade.’
‘By whom?’
The scarred white-eye tried to smile, but it hurt too much. He started to turn away, but caught sight of one half of Cetarn’s charred corpse, and his gaze lingered there.
It was the witch who answered, speaking for them all. ‘By those of us willing to sacrifice everything.’
The story is concluded in
THE DUSK WATCHMAN
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Akass, Lord Paden
- Deceased Lord of the Menin and Chosen of Karkarn, predecessor of Kastan Styrax
Aladorn, General Dall —
Retired soldier from Narkang who helped mastermind King Emin’s conquest of the Three Cities
Alterr
- Goddess of the Night Sky and Greater Moon, a 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; a member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon
Amber
- A Menin major in the Cheme Third Legion
Antern, Count Opess
- Narkang nobleman and advisor to King Emin
Anviss
- God of Woods, consort and Aspect of Amavoq, Goddess of the Forest
Aracnan
- Immortal mercenary of unknown origin
Ardela
- Farlan devotee of the Lady, Legana’s companion
Aryn Bwr
- Battle name of the last Elven king, who led their rebellion against the Gods. His true name has been excised from history
Asenn
- Goddess of Rain and Snow, daughter of Lliot, deceased God of All Waters
Ashar (The Lady of Hidden Paths) —
Aspect of Anviss, God of Woods, local to Llehden
Azaer
- A shadow
Bahl
- Deceased Lord of the Farlan and Chosen of Nartis before Lord Isak
Belarannar
- Goddess of the Earth, a member of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon, once patron of the Vukotic tribe
Beyn, Ignas
- Member of the Brotherhood
Bolla
- Mercenary-turned-penitent of Ushull in the Circle City
Brandt, Commander (Brandt Toquin)
- Commander of the Narkang City Watch who died in the defence of the White Palace, younger brother of Suzerain Toquin
Burning Man, the
- One of the five Aspects of Death known as the Reapers
Capan (ab Kert ab Coas)
— A Harlequin
Carasay, Sir Cerse
- Colonel of the Tirah Palace Guard Legions
Carel (Carelfolden), Marshal Betyn
- Farlan nobleman, mentor, friend and former commander of Lord Isak’s Personal Guard
Cedei, Herred
- Member of the Brotherhood
Celao, Lord
- Litse white-eye, Chosen of Ilit and ruler of the Ismess quarter of the Circle City
Cerdin
- God of Thieves
Cerrat, Jeco
- Farlan cleric and Legion Chaplain of the Tirah Palace Guard
Cerrun
- God of Gamblers
Certinse, Sir Dirass
- Deceased knight and captain in the Palace Guard, third son of Suzerain Tildek
Certinse, Knight-Cardinal Horel
- Commander of the Knights of the Temples, younger brother of Suzerain Tildek, Farlan by birth
Certinse, High Cardinal Varn
- Farlan cleric. Third son of the Tildek Suzerainty, younger brother of Suzerain Tildek, Knight-Cardinal Certinse and Duchess Lomin
Certinse, Duke Karlat
- Deceased Farlan nobleman, ruler of Lomin, nephew of Suzerain Tildek
Cetarn, Shile
- A mage in the employ of King Emin
Chade
- A Menin huntsman in the service of General Gaur
Chaist, Duke
- Ruler of Embere, Member of the Knights of the Temples
Chalat
- Deceased former Lord of the Chetse
Charr
- Chosen of Tsatach, Krann to Lord Chalat, Lord of the Chetse, who died in the Menin invasion
Chera
- A young girl from Llehden
Chirialt, Dermeness
- A Farlan mage
Cober
- White-eye from Aroth, bodyguard to Count Pellisorn
Coran
- White-eye bodyguard of King Emin Thonal of Narkang
Corl
- Farlan assassin, a devotee of Kassalain
Corlyn
- The traditional name adopted by the head of the Farlan’s priest branch of the Cult of Nartis, God of Storms
Cosep, Swordmaster Harle
- Farlan soldier
Cuder, Sir Creyl
- Knight of Narkang, founding member and Commander of the Brotherhood
Dace (Sir Dace Yoren)
- Farlan nobleman, and Count Vesna’s best friend; former member of the Palace Guard
Daima —
A witch of Llehden
Dainiss
- Devotee of the Lady from Canar Fell
Daken (The Mad Axe)
- White-eye mercenary from Canar Fell, aligned to Litania the Trickster, an Aspect of Larat, God of Magic
Dapplin, Captain Sontoran
- Arothan soldier
Daratin, Kap —
Recent recruit to the Brotherhood
Darn, Major Ferek
- Menin major in the Cheme Third Legion
Dashain —
Second-in-command of the Brotherhood
Dassai, Marshal Canerin
- Narkang nobleman
Death
- Chief of the Gods and head of the Upper Circle of the Pantheon
Deebek, Sergeant
- Menin soldier in the Cheme Third Legion
Derager, Gavai
- Wife of a Byoran wine merchant, a Farlan agent
Derager, Lell
- Wine merchant from Byora and Farlan agent
Derenin, Suzerain
- Narkang nobleman, lord of Moorview Castle
Dirr
- Mercenary and thief from Tio He
Disten, Cardinal Fesin
- Farlan cleric, once a Legion Chaplain
Doranei, Ashin
- A member of the Brotherhood
Doren, Abbot
- Deceased abbot of an island monastery and High Priest of Vellern, God of Birds
Dors, Unmen Echail
- Farlan priest of Nartis, God of Storms
Ebarn, Fei
- Battle-mage from Narkang
Ehla
- The name Lord Isak is permitted to use for the witch of Llehden
Eleil, Cardinal Luth
- Priest of Ilit, God of the Wind, from Ismess, member of the Knights of the Temples, former head of the Serian in the Circle City, now deputy of the Devout Congress
Eliane
- Ruhen’s true mother, originally named Haipar, until she lost her memory in Scree
Elshaim
- Necromancer from Verech who became a prophet, noted for painting a series of images charting his impending descent into Ghenna
Endine, Tomal
- Narkang mage in the employ of King Emin
Enkin (The Hounds of Jaishen)
- Daemons that roam the Land hunting Aryn Bwr’s soul
Eraliave, General
- Elven general who predated the Wars of the Houses and wrote the treatise
Principles of Warfare
Escral, Duchess Natai
- Ruler of Byora, a quarter of the Circle City
Escral, Duke Ganas
- Deceased husband of Natai Escral
Esetar, Lakal
- Menin mage, Adept of Larat, God of Magic, and part of Larim’s coterie
Etesia
- Goddess of Lust, one of the three linked Goddesses - with Triena, Goddess of Romantic Love, and Kantay, Goddess of Longing - who together cover love in all its aspects
Etharain, Suzerain Hape
- Nobleman from Aroth
Evaole (the Water Bearer) —
Aspect of Vasle, God of Rivers
Farlan, Prince Kasi
- Farlan prince during the Great War, in whose image white-eyes were created and after whom the lesser moon was named
Fate
- Deceased Goddess of Luck, also known as the Lady, killed by Aracnan
Feers, Count Lerail
- Farlan nobleman from Tirah
Fernal —
Demi-God from Llehden, son of Nartis, the Storm God, and nominated by Isak to be his successor as Lord of the Farlan
Firnin, Camba
- Specialist mage from Narkang
Fynner, Chaplain —
Priest of Nartis from Lomin and chaplain of the Knights of the Temples
Garash, High Priest Kel
- Priest of Belarannar, Goddess of the Earth, from Narkang, member of the Knights of the Temples and head of the Devout Congress
Gaur, General
- Beastman warrior from the Waste, Lord Styrax’s most trusted general
Genedel
- A dragon