THE ASSASSIN'S BLADE
Book One of the Assassin Without a Name Series
About the Book
I had a name once, same as everyone else, but after one glorious night of murder it was no longer safe to use. Small sacrifice for ensuring my sister's safety, I figured. So now I don't use one. In my line of work, it's not necessary anyway. What is my line of work? Murder, of course, though I fancy myself more than just an assassin. Gentleman, thief, wine connoisseur, adventurer, a man of a thousand names and none. I'm all of those things and more.
My life was about as normal as one could hope until one particular job came along. Kill the artificer, steal the plans, make an exchange. Simple enough, until a band of fanatical priests ambushed and tried to kill me. Turns out the plans have something to do with a source of dark energy. The priests aren't the only ones interested in it, either. I've no interest in being a hero, but I'll do whatever I have to do to keep my city—and my sister—safe.
There's already blood on my hands. What's a little more?
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Wine List
Most wines in the Assassin Without a Name series are fictitious, though many are based on characteristics found in the many wines of our world.
Barmeda sherry
A dry, light, and smooth sherry with a slightly salty tang.
Crusus Sabeler
A sweet white with a fine bouquet and nutty flavor. A member of the shiraz family of wines. The best shiraz wines come from grapes grown in terraced vineyards.
Mullender
A dry red.
Characters
Abelard Whitfield
Trader, vintner.
Ao-utet
Jakaree priest. Second to Onius.
Aravar Tillwood
An artificer.
Ashunde Roe
Bishop, necromancer.
Assassin Without a Name
Witty assassin with a penchant for murder and fine wine. True identity unknown.
Atticus Drake
A founding member of the Progressive Society.
Brady Marsh
A thief.
Braeden
Thief's apprentice. Member of Alchester's thieves' guild.
Darius Vilhelm
A noted businessman known for his negotiating skills.
Elizabeth West
A thief. Former love interest of the Assassin Without a Name.
Evelyn
Owner of Mullin's Pawn Shop.
Father Kem
A priest who believes that even the truly lost can be saved.
Falofogus
Warder imperator.
Geoffrey Belford
Captain of the Black Guard.
Gwendolyn Morgan (Goddard)
A member of the Progressive Society. Wife of Reynold Morgan.
Kaileesh
A sly Southlander.
Malakai
All around scallawag. Informer.
Mason Gould
The Assassin Without a Name's brother-in-law.
Mathilda
A witch. Her familiar is a raven named You.
Nathaniel Manes
Warder compulsor.
Olivia Gould
The Assassin Without a Name's sister.
Onius
Leader of the Jakaree.
Ophelia
Proprietor of The Lazy Minstrel.
Qess Lendin
Combat engineer working for the Progressive Society.
Raed Lendin
Combat engineer working for the Progressive Society.
Reubin Kariaktos
Mentor and teacher to the Assassin Without a Name.
Reynold Morgan
Gentleman founder of the Progressive Society. Brother of Gwendolyn Morgan (Goddard).
Ridlin
Owner of Ridlin's Den.
Saminid
The Keeper. Collector of rare tomes and documents.
Samuel
Atticus Drake's driver.
Tate
Professor working on projects for the Progressive Society.
Thjorn "Heavyhammer" Targalas
Leader of Alchester's Thieves' Guild.
Thomas Thornton
A trader, gentleman adventurer, and one-time alias used by the Assassin Without a Name.
Walter Goddard
Gentleman, founding member of the Progressive Society.
William Wright
Inspector of the King's Magistrates.
You
A crow who isn't particularly fond of the Assassin Without a Name. Mathilda's familiar.
Places
Alchester
The capital city of Kallendor. At the direction of King Classus, Alchester has become the hub for Kallendor's airship adoption, including development and research as well as an evergrowing infrastructure for commerce by air.
Barmeda
A small Seacean vineyard located close to the western outlet of the Bay of Lochwell. Known for their exquisite sherry.
The Groggery
A hole-in-the-wall grogshop buried beneath a dilapidated tenement.
Kallendor
The Land of the Horse Lords is a place of grassy plains, wooded glens, and meadows. Kallendorans are a proud people: strong, noble, and dignified. Though many make their way in life as farmers, merchants, shepherds, and cavalry soldiers, as a people they have cultivated superior skills and experience as horse breeders. The horse is central to their lives; more than a few profess to have learned to ride before learning to walk. Many see the advance of technology as a threat to their traditional way of life, though its adoption seems inevitable given their king's support for it. Kallendor is one of the four fiefdoms created after the fall of the high king five hundred years ago.
Lady Bellum's
Tavern with a pleasant atmosphere.
Lady Smither’s Bathhouse
A bathhouse.
The Lazy Minstrel
A shat hole-in-the-wall tavern run by a woman named Ophelia.
Lockley’s Depository
A bank.
The Mulling Mule
A wineshop of dubious quality.
Mullin’s Pawn Shop
A pawn shop whose owner, Evelyn, isn't above delving into the black market when there's money to be made.
Pannernine’s
A wineshop.
Ridlin’s Den
Part gaming hall, part grogshop, all cesspit. Owned by Ridlin.
The Shambles
The seediest of boroughs in Alchester. Not a place for decent people or even indecent ones.
Sample Chapters
The Series