Stan Nicholls

The story follows the adventures of a warband of orc soldiers, the Wolverines, led by Stryke, a Captain in the Orcish Horde. His lieutenants are Haskeer, a foul tempered orc, Coilla, a clever female orc, who is also the warband's newest recruit and Jup, a Dwarf mercenary, who is disliked by Haskeer due to his race (and the fact that Dwarfs fight for both sides), and Alfray, an old and wise orc who also acts as the warband's standard bearer and medic. The setting of the story is the mythical world of Maras Dantia, which is populated by Humans, Orcs, Elves, Dwarfs, Trolls, Dragons and many other staple creatures of the Fantasy genre. There is a war raging between the polytheistic Manis (who worship "many" gods) and the monotheistic Unis (who follow a religion analogous to Puritan Christianity). The orcs dislike humans, who have brought farming and industry to Maras Dantia, as well as the Uni religion. The presence of humans in Maras Dantia is also killing the land, every year the glaciers advance further from the north, and the magic is literally draining out of the ground itself.

Cursed with immortality and fits of blind, deadly rage, swordsman Reeth Caldason has wandered the world seeking both revenge for his slain tribe and a cure for his affliction. His travels have brought him to Bhealfa, where the authorities use magic and brute force to control the entire population.The paladin clans, an order of mercenary knights, are determined to crush the growing revolution, and Devlor Bastorran, the wildly cruel heir apparent to the clan leadership, plots a gruesome revenge against Reeth.But Reeth has larger problems to contend with. The rebels have decided on the location of their new state -- a remote island -- and he has been given the dangerous task of delivering payment in gold. Soon Reeth discovers that a powerful new enemy threatens to destroy not only the Covenant, but also his chance for redemption.

The story follows the adventures of a warband of orc soldiers, the Wolverines, led by Stryke, a Captain in the Orcish Horde. His lieutenants are Haskeer, a foul tempered orc, Coilla, a clever female orc, who is also the warband's newest recruit and Jup, a Dwarf mercenary, who is disliked by Haskeer due to his race (and the fact that Dwarfs fight for both sides), and Alfray, an old and wise orc who also acts as the warband's standard bearer and medic. The setting of the story is the mythical world of Maras Dantia, which is populated by Humans, Orcs, Elves, Dwarfs, Trolls, Dragons and many other staple creatures of the Fantasy genre. There is a war raging between the polytheistic Manis (who worship "many" gods) and the monotheistic Unis (who follow a religion analogous to Puritan Christianity). The orcs dislike humans, who have brought farming and industry to Maras Dantia, as well as the Uni religion. The presence of humans in Maras Dantia is also killing the land, every year the glaciers advance further from the north, and the magic is literally draining out of the ground itself.

Desperate to find a cure for the curse of immortality and the episodes of berserk fury and debilitating visions that torment him, Reeth Caldason has traded his fighting skills for the promise of access to powerful ancient magic. But the Resistance group he reluctantly joined as part of the bargain is in disarray since their plans to found an island Utopia free from tyranny were betrayed by one of their own. Now, Reeth is trapped on the Diamond Isle, fending off the pirates that plague the surrounding waters. Despite his romantic entanglement with one of the freedom fighters, Serrah, and the responsibility he feels towards Kutch, a young magician's apprentice, he is determined to set off on the search for his cure. But as his visions grow stranger, Serrah and Kutch begin to understand his true nature and the great power it represents. Back on the mainland, Reeth's arch-enemy, Devlor Bastorran, remains intent on destroying him. Overshadowing everything is the threat of Zerreiss, the conquering barbarian warlord who uses an enigmatic ability to sweep all before him. The spectre of war looms.