Azieran: Against the Drimlith

by Christopher Heath, V. Shane

Sir Vaiden Erro is a knight of the Malkan Order, sorcerers sworn to uphold the ever-expanding mandates of the Calantian bureaucracy. Originally assigned to guard an ambassador in a foreign land, it is through a twist of fate that Vaiden finds himself charged to help a colleague, Alix, track down and destroy the headquarters of the Drimlith Cabal-those responsible for the recent assassination of a prominent politician. Their course leads them through the borderlands of civility into Bludland, a country where both the customs and the people are wrought of extreme cruelty.Indeed, as much can be expected by a nation which reveres Bakkal, God of the Undead, above all others. Against this backdrop the two knights (escorted by a small troop of Bludland soldiers) travel across the land, through strange cities and even stranger circumstances. Vaiden is haunted by word that one of his own, a defected Malkan Knight and old acquaintance, has taken up the Drimlith's cause. To further agitate matters, rumors spread that Bakkal has been slain, provoking social and religious unrest. Meanwhile the Drimlith discover they are being sought and retaliate with their own ruthless countermeasures. The journey culminates in an all-out bloodbath, where not only do Vaiden and Alix stab into the heart of the cabal, but they discover a guarded secret tied to Azieran's mysterious past.Against the Drimlith is the first novel set in the richly detailed Azieran fantasy world, filled with innumerable dangers, political consequences, and magical intrigue. It is a grim world where civilization is on the wane, savage wastelands meet crumbling keeps, and men of virtue are a rarity. Within this context, dark fantasy takes on new meaning, epic in scope and elegant in design.

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2004

About the author

Christopher Heath lives in Indiana and has been writing fantasy for over a decade, either as a role-playing game designer under the official Dungeons and Dragons logo or producing short stories and novels for his Azieran fantasy world--these works have seen publication in over fifty venues.