Publisher's Synopsis
The seeds have been planted from centuries of fighting. The world of Elester is on the brink of a new age. With few knowing of the coming events, will the plans of a renegade god of old come to fruition?
The Island continent of Forterre has been torn apart by a century long war instigated by outside forces. Oueterre, the continent's primary faction has come out victorious after the kingdom of Essudere capitulated eight years ago. Oueterrians, not fond of magic of any kind, have outlawed it and done everything in their power eradicate the arcane arts from their borders. Follow breathtakingly human characters through this world as they navigate the tension of a country on the brink of calamity. Leonard, a magical healer, travels the land on behalf of a blossoming rebellion - healing people and recruiting them into their ranks. After the death of his lover Henrietta, he has found himself at a loss of motivation, and sees little purpose in this life he's found for himself. That is until he stumbles across a duchess who hitches a ride with him after her father's caravan was attacked on the way to the first gambit of Orlens. Shiqe, a gambit fighter captured during the great war fights and kills every day of his life to entertain the masses. After a powerful bout in the gambit he is greeted by an unexpected visitor: a translucent man appearing to him through magical means informs him to beware the gambit in Orlens. Despite there being a calamity on the horizon, if Shiqe were to play his cards right he may be able to find his freedom in the chaos. Roland, a seventeen year old teenager hell bent on joining the anti-arcanists to avenge his brother's death at the hand of an uprising only a few years ago. He sees the anti-arcanists as heroes, men and women putting their lives on the line to keep the country safe. As he traverses the world of the anti-arcanists, however, he slowly discovers the organization is not as heroic as he once thought. Arsene, a gambit fighter captured during the great war has only one goal: leave the gambit and reunite with his family. After eight long years of captivity, the opportunity presents itself and he takes it in stride. What lies ahead for the fighter is uncertain, but his chances seem better on the run than they were in the gambit. WIll he find his wife and son? If he does, have they moved on? Does his son even remember him? Annabelle, a duchess whose father played an instrumental role in building the gambit hall and arena in Orlens is on her way to the very city when her caravan is attacked and her father killed. Now wandering through the forest, she hitches a ride with Leonard. Growing up a noblewoman in Oueterre, she has a deep seeded hatred for the Essudari people, and mages. Both of which Leonard is. While he does his best to keep his magic secret from her, anti-arcanists are actively in pursuit of Leonard making it much harder to conceal the truth. Will she find out his secret? Will she turn him into the authorities or see the plight in which he faces? There are many questions in need of answers, and there's only one way to find out. Pick up a copy of The First Gambit!
