by D. P. Prior
NEW JERUSALEM
Vast city; the capital of Malkuth on Aethir and once considered the last bastion of the free against the rule of Sektis Gandaw.
The city’s impenetrable Cyclopean Walls were a penance and parting gift of the dwarves following their betrayal of Eingana and the whole of creation.
New Jerusalem is presided over by an elected Senate and fashions itself to a great extent on the mythical past of Aeterna on Earth.
NIGHT HAWKS, the
Guild of rogues in New Jerusalem. Formerly headed by Shadrak the Unseen, but now under the leadership of Buck Fargin.
NOUS
First male Aeon. Logos, reason, clear thinking, truth. Deity from beyond the Void. Distantly remembered by humans and still worshipped by the Templum under the Patriarchate of the Ipsissimus. Individual worshippers are known as Nousians. Served by the Archon. Symbolised by an Endless Knot, said to contain all the mysteries of Creation—all eminently reasonable, but beyond human ability to unravel in their entirety. Wisdom only comes through the Sword of Faith, which cuts the infinite knot.
OTTO BLIGHTEY
Also known as The Liche Lord of Verusia. First of the Nousians. Once a contemplative in the Old Religion at the time of the Ancients, roughly equating to our middle ages, Blightey had a succession of dark visions (having penetrated the veil between Earth and Aethir through the austerity of his devotion and contemplation). The dreams showed him ways to draw upon the magic that spilled forth from Aethir’s dark side, and whispering voices promised him great power and eternal life. He had heard the voice of the Dweller, the first begotten of the Demiurgos.
Blightey prolonged his life at the expense of others—initially tentatively, leaching on their psychic energies, but finding his needs ever greater until he needed their deaths. He left the Old Religion to pursue his hunger—both for lives and for wisdom. He discovered much of the nature of things through alchemy and later science. He also discovered something of the ontological secrets of the cosmos and became aware of the truth of Nous. His shame at what he had become, however, caused him to retreat from Nous.
Due to his wisdom, he became the most respected thinker in the Templum that emerged from the ashes of the Old Religion in the aftermath of the Reckoning. He brought in elements from other religions and esoteric traditions, claiming the Old Religion had perished because it was false.
Although the Templum still sought the truth of Nous, Blightey’s amendments obscured the perennial wisdom beneath layers of obfuscation. The Templum, under the guidance of the Archon, stuck with Blightey’s reforms as they were seen as a strengthening of a once weak religion, with elements of popular appeal and a ladder of grades for the more ambitious. The Archon felt this would lead more people to Nous and strengthen his base in the worlds.
Betraying the trust the Templum held in him, Blightey murdered the Ipsissimus and the Champion of the Sword of the Archon. Taking the Ipsissimal Monas and the Sword, he used their combined power to render his skull impervious to attack, but before he could do the same for his body, he was captured and burned at the stake. The skull had learnt to suck the souls from the living, and so it was locked in a casket made from Scarolite that the Archon brought from Aethir. The casket was taken to Aethir and cast into Gehenna, falling into the Abyss.
Blightey escaped from the casket and searched out the Cynocephalus. Threatening to drink the Cynocephalus’s soul, Blightey forced him to find a body for his skull from the dead of the Abyss. He then stole the Cynocephalus’s armour and waded through the Black River to the heart of the Abyss.
Hundreds of years passed, during which Blightey whispered dark secrets from the Abyss to an Old World scientist called Sektis Gandaw. Gandaw, with the help of homunculi from Aethir, constructed the Gate of Worlds in Earth’s Great West and used it to bring Blightey through. Gandaw, however, did not remain subservient, having grown beyond superstition and magic. He rebelled against Blightey and used technology to drive him into the forests of Verusia.
Blightey built a community based on Collectivism and styled himself First among Equals, the Prior of Wolfmalen. He maintained his docile community by occasionally culling the more free-thinking with unimaginable torture and impaling. He had no ambition beyond perdurance—it is no longer his time. To this end, he kept a collection of headless bodies to which the skull could attach itself. He used disguises to weed out enemies and to ensnare new victims.
The Nameless Dwarf fought against Otto Blightey, alongside the knight, Deacon Shader and their companions in The Archon’s Assassin (Book 4 of the SHADER series).
PAX NANORUM
‘Peace of the dwarves.’ A black battle axe etched with sigils, formed from the essence of the Demiurgos by the homunculi. It was retrieved from Gehenna, beneath the deepest gorges of Aethir, by the Nameless Dwarf—before he lost his name— who then assumed control of the ravine city of Arx Gravis and forced the dwarves into a war against New Jerusalem.
PERFECT PEAK, the
The mountain of Scarolite designed by Sektis Gandaw and built by the dwarves and the homunculi.
QUINTUS QUINCY
Foppish poet from New Jerusalem. An utter failure who spends his days drinking.
RECKONING, the
The cataclysm that destroyed the world of the Ancients on Earth nine-hundred years ago (2,256 AD). Faced with the destruction of his people, the Dreamers—the last humans not to succumb to the technological despotism of Sektis Gandaw—Huntsman used the power of the Statue of Eingana (entrusted to him by the gods of his people, the Hybrids) to tear the veil between Earth and the Dark Side of Aethir. The creatures of the Cynocephalus’s nightmares poured through and destroyed the known world. Sektis Gandaw escaped to Malkuth, on Aethir, in a plane ship.
The dark magic of Aethir gradually withdrew like the tide going out, but not until the technological achievements of the Ancients lay in ruins, their secrets consigned to the archives of the emerging Templum.
SEKTIS GANDAW
Born in the Old World of the Ancients in England in AD 1568, he was a student of Dr Dee and studied alchemy and occult science. With Blightey’s help, who spoke to him in dreams from the Abyss—which lies outside of time—he developed technology to prolong his life: technology which he guarded jealously.
He became Professor of Science at a leading university and selectively released his technological secrets to build a business empire, forcing his rivals out of business and monopolising all areas of the technology industry. He expanded his empire until his Global Tech corporation threatened to dominate the whole world and only the Dreamers held out against him.
Blightey remained his shadowy advisor until Gandaw succeeded in bringing him back from the Abyss. Gandaw, and the world, had moved on, however, and Blightey proved something of a disappointment. Their ideas conflicted and a power struggle ensued. Gandaw had been preparing for such an event and had the technology to force Blightey into the forests of Verusia.
At the time of the Reckoning, Gandaw fled to Aethir in a revolutionary Plane Ship. After the Reckoning, when Otto rose to a position of great influence in the new Nousian religion of the Templum, Gandaw started to rebuild his power on Aethir. Using Plane Ships, he kidnapped humans from Earth and experimented on them, forcing evolution into each and every direction in an attempt to gain control over the building blocks of life. Technology alone had failed: this time he would learn to unweave Creation and rebuild it—better than before—in his own image.
He spent the next centuries improving his technology, creating new variants of human DNA, and seeking the power to un-create—power he had learnt was to be found in the grandmother of all life on Aethir: Eingana.
Devising machines to draw the essence of Eingana from the world, Gandaw pursued her until she fled in the form of a snake.
He created a new race from the genes of humans and homunculi—evolving them into the dwarves, hardy, devoted creatures who were nevertheless infused with the homunculi’s nature of betrayal and deception. Th
e dwarves were designed primarily to mine the Scarolite the homunculi had revealed to Gandaw. With the patience of the immortal, he sent them out into Aethir to build their own civilisation and left them clues as to the ‘real’ source of their life—the Serpent Goddess, Eingana.
Eventually the dwarves found the Hybrids who were sheltering Eingana. Gandaw attacked, but some of the dwarves betrayed him and joined the other side. The Serpent evaded him until he fooled the leader of the dwarf Guardians of Eingana, Maldark, who delivered her to him.
Gandaw petrified the snake with his machines (literally turning her to amber) and immediately set about harnessing her power in order to begin the Great Work of Unweaving.
Maldark and his Guardians realised their mistake and tried to set things right. They stormed Gandaw’s mountain with the Hybrids and stole back Eingana’s statue. Maldark was the only Guardian to survive, along with four out of hundreds of Hybrids.
SHADRAK THE UNSEEN
Diminutive albino assassin who became a firm friend and ally of the Nameless Dwarf.
Once a member of the notorious Sicarii, a guild of assassins in Sahul on Earth, Shadrak made a new life for himself on Aethir in New Jerusalem.
Shadrak played a significant part in the Statue of Eingana affair and also accompanied Nameless on the three quests set by Aristodeus that were designed to free the dwarf from the influence of the Pax Nanorum.
SHIELD OF WARDING, the
Made by the Cynocephalus to ward off all magic and missiles, but remains vulnerable to melee attacks.
SKEYR MAGNUS
Part human, part reptile. Magnus was altered by Sektis Gandaw, but then escaped the Perfect Peak, taking a limited knowledge of technology with him. Killed by his own machines during a confrontation with the Senate of New Jerusalem.
TEMPLUM, the
The People of Nous on Earth, presided over by the Ipsissimus. Servants, of Truth and Love. Bound by the Virtues and guided by scriptures from before the time of the Ancients collected in the Libram.
VENN THE RIPPER
Henchman of Shent.
VERUSIA
Country on Earth, independent of Nousia. Barbaric except for the region controlled by Otto Blightey.
VOID, the
The empty place. The eternal dark that divides the world of Creation from the Supernal Realm. Inhabited by Lacunae and the shades of those either not taken by the Abyss or not worthy of Araboth. The Archon, Eingana and the Demiurgos fell through the Void almost five thousand years ago.
The Nameless Dwarf Omnibus has been published independently as part of a serialisation. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more, please look out for future releases from D.P. Prior.
Nameless news and updates
www.namelessdwarf.blogspot.com
It is always helpful to independent writers if you take the time to leave a short review on Amazon or other sites like Barnes & Noble or Smashwords.
PRAISE FOR THE SHADER SERIES
“Rich and varied, touching, maddening, and addicting. Elegant, polished, and believable characters in an amazing world.”
--Archelle Baker, eBook Alchemy
“Ever-widening in its scope - fearless in its telling. I cannot help but be reminded of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, not just in the interweaving of time epochs and worlds but also in the author's sheer fearlessness. From earth to heaven to alternate worlds, the story is unrelenting in its incredible vision.”
--David Dalglish, best-selling author of The Half-Orcs series
“Complex and intriguing; intelligent and engaging; descriptive enough to invoke all senses. The style is a nice mix—fast-paced and contemporary, yet with classical prose and imagery to satisfy those of us who love the old masters.”
--C.S. Marks, best-selling author of Elfhunter
Cadman’s Gambit
“…the most perfect introductory novel to a series I've ever read… Cadman's Gambit is a work of pure intellect, taking the best facets of fantasy, science fiction, and philosophy, and mixing it all together into a genus all its own...I couldn't put it down, though I took my time with it, wanting to bathe myself in every word, every turn of a phrase... My Year's Best list just had a new book jump to the top. D.P. Prior's book is that good. He has a lot to say, and one hell of a story to tell. In my opinion, you should take him up on that journey. Now.”
Five Stars
--Robert J. Duperre, Journal of Always
“This is a well written tale with an intriguing plot that prevails through to the very end…has a nice sense of pace and timing. There is an intriguing mix of horror, fantasy and Sci-Fi space adventure…If you liked Abercrombie's trilogy I think you'll like this.”
Five Stars
--Ray Nicholson, Top 1000 Reviewer Amazon.com
“This book is highly recommended for people who enjoy complete characters, complex worlds, and intriguing plot lines. In other words, if you like fantasy give the book a shot”
Four Stars
--Indie Book Blog
Best Laid Plans
“Prior is a talented writer and great story teller...he has the skill to both describe the surroundings and details of this interesting world and at the same time develop several intriguing characters that have real depth.”
Four and a Half Stars
--Ray Nicholson, Top 1000 Reviewer Amazon.com
“…I can say that Best Laid Plans not only matches Cadman's Gambit, the first book in the series, but enhances it...by the time I reached the cliffhanger ending, I wished more than anything that I had the third book on hand so I could get right to it…This is a series that should be savored like a fine scotch, one whose sweetness lingers in your mouth long after you've swallowed.”
Five Stars
--Robert J. Duperre, Journal of Always
CADMAN'S GAMBIT
Dr Ernst Cadman has led a quiet life, but that’s how he’s wanted it all these hundreds of years. With a secret like his, anonymity and caution are the best friends a man can have. Nothing could tempt him from the safety of his parasitic existence at the heart of the city of Sarum—at least nothing this side of the Abyss.
Cadman stakes everything on obtaining the artefact that once destroyed an entire civilization, but in so doing he draws the gaze of a sinister presence from beyond the stars.
Meanwhile, Deacon Shader, veteran of the war against the undead armies of the Liche Lord, has one last fight in him. This time it’s just a tournament, with the prize a sword steeped in myth. Win or lose, Shader intends to defy his Templum master and retire to the Abbey of Pardes.
When a horror from the past wrecks Shader’s monastic dream and leads him to plague torn Sarum, he finds an ancient power unleashed that imperils more than he could possibly imagine—a power now in the hands of Dr Cadman.
Buy it now!
BEST LAID PLANS
The reavers are swarming and this time their prey is the supreme ruler of the Templum, the Ipsissimus himself.
With Shader dead and his piece of the Statue of Eingana in the hands of Shadrak the Unseen, the threat of the Unweaving of all Creation is one step nearer.
Dr Cadman realizes he’s in too deep and there’s nothing for it but to go on the offensive. If he’s to survive the coming war for the statue, what better allies could he have than an army of the living dead?
As Sektis Gandaw closes in and a clash of cultures threatens the land of Sahul, the philosopher Aristodeus still has ideas of his own that could decide the fate of all existence.
But with the passage to the heavenly realm of Araboth covered by the Abyss, nothing is as it should be. Aristodeus knows that even Shader’s death can be turned to his advantage; after all, it’s a long game, and he holds all the cards.
But even the best laid plans …
Buy it now!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photograph by Theo Prior
D.P. Prior read Drama, Classics and History at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. He studied Mental He
alth Nursing at the University of Sussex and read Theological Studies at the University of Notre Dame, Western Australia. He is the founder of the online discussion community Mysticism Unbound. He works as a freelance editor and author.
You are welcome to contact the author with any comments/feedback at: [email protected]
THE FANTASY WORKS OF D. P. PRIOR
Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf
The Ant-man of Malfen
The Axe of the Dwarf Lords
The Scout and the Serpent
The Shader Series
Cadman’s Gambit
Best Laid Plans
The Unweaving (coming summer 2012)
The Archon’s Assassin (coming winter 2012)
Rise of the Nameless Dwarf (coming summer 2013)