Dark Alliance (2011) (edit title/settings)

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Characters edit see section history

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• Maire Ní Conghal: Maél Muire Ní Conghal Uí Máine was the surviving daughter of Conghal, the chieftain of Beal Atha an Fheada, who was trained by her father’s family, Fergus Mac Aerlon Uí Máine and Sive Uí Fergus Uí Máine, to carry on the ancient religious traditions of the Celtic tribes. She was also trained in the arts of leadership and war by her father.
• Marcus Galerius Primus Helvetticus: General Marcus Galerius Primus Helvetticus is Praetor under Gaius Julius Caesar while campaigning in northern Gaul, Samarobriva in Gallia Lugdunensis to be specific, around 55 BCE. His mission is to support his commanding general's efforts to aid Mandubratius in his bid to reclaim the Chieftainship of the Trinovantes in Briton, in exchange for trading rights for tin and pearls. Marcus is responsible for drawing up the plans for a reconnaissance mission of Briton, and will lead one of the legions in its efforts to meet up with Mandubratius' allies and gain a foothold in southern Briton. However, he could not believe how he would change over the course of the next few weeks, nor how those changes would affect events 600 years later.
• Mandubratius: Mandubratius, whose given name is Awvarwy, is the self-proclaimed Chieftain of the Trinovantes. His uncle had seized the Chieftainship after Mandubratius' father died. In 55 BCE, Mandubratius formed a pact with Gaius Julius Caesar to gain Mandubratius the Chieftainship of the Trinovantes in exchange for aiding Caesar in acquiring tin and other raw materials. Mandubratius sailed with Marcus Galerius Primus Helvetticus in an attempt to join forces with his comrades in western Britain.
• Claudius Metrius Sertorius: Lieutenant under general Marcus Galerius Primus Helvetticus, the Praetor of Gaul, who traveled with Gaius Julius Caesar in his first attempt to conquer Briton in 55 BCE.
• Arwin Mac Alpin: A Scots warrior of the Ekimmu-Cruitne who fought against Romans long before Marcus Galerius Primus Helvetticus was born. Arwin forms somewhat of a friendship with Claudius and Marcus, though none would probably admit that a friendship exists. Arwin is also attended by his servant Edward, who is himself an alchemist. Arwin can never remember Edward's first name, and he doesn't recall that Edward has a surname... the authors don't even know what it is! Yet...
• Tertia Amata Antonia: Third daughter of a wealthy Roman merchant, Amata was forced to choose the life of a prostitute, after her husband died and his family had refused to take her in. Felician sponsored her as a Lamia.
• Téa Uí Cennedi Uí Máine: Téa Uí Cennedi Uí Máine, wife to Cennedi Mac Lubdan Uí Máine, Chieftain of Beal Atha an Fheada, Eire (Ballina, Ireland).
• Patroclus Statilius Messalinus: Sometimes called Legate Patroclus or the Legate, Patroclus served as a legate in the service of Emperor Trajan, when the imperial legions were at their height. Patroclus was sponsored as a Lamia by a general in Trajan's army and rose up the ranks to become one of Mandubratius' most regarded officers.Patroclus serves Mandubratius because both men have a vision for restoring Rome to its former glory; however, Patroclus is more dedicated to Rome than any man or woman, so if the men or women he follows stray from the path towards a Rome reawakened, beware.
• Sáerlaith Ní Adhamdh: One of the leaders of the Deargh Du, Sáerlaith becomes involved in the investigation of the Lamia's encroachment on Eire.
• Ruarí Mac Flan: Ruarí is the Arch Druid of the Deargh Du and has taught Deargh Du and mortal druids alike for many generations. He is the person who called down Morrigan upon Marcus Galerius Primus Helvetticus after the general and his men had massacred the townspeople of Loch Garman, Eire (Wexford, Ireland) and murdered many of Ruarí's students in the grove.
• Caoimhín: Caoimhín is a Deargh Du, and along with Aodh, was ordered by Arch Druid Ruarí to find out what the Lamia had been up to in northwestern Eire near the village of Beal Atha an Fheada.
• Edward: Servant to Arwin Mac Alpin. Edward's family has served Arwin for generations. Edward is also an alchemist, and his creations have been known to be effective, yet unpredictable in sometimes disastrous ways. Armin Mac Alpin never gets Edward's name right, sometimes calling him Edwina or Edna.
• Charlemagne: Also known as Karl der Große, Charles I, Emperor Charles, and Charles the Great (though for simplicity, he is referred to as "Emperor Charles" in most cases in the book series.) It is believed he was born in 742 CE (though the birthday is uncertain and is highly debated amongst scholars) to King Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon. He reigned as the King of the Franks from 768 CE to 800 CE, after succeeding his father. Then on 25 December, 800, Pope Leo III crowned him Imperator Augustus, thus was formed the Holy Roman Empire.

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Aachen: Holy Roman Empire (Aachen or Aix-la-Chapelle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
• Ard Macha: Eire (Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom)
• Auxerre: Holy Roman Empire(Auxerre, Burgundy, France)
• Bath: Kingdom of Mercia (Bath, Somerset, England, United Kingdom)
• Regensburg: Holy Roman Empire (Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany)
• Caer Oder: Kingdom of Wessex (Bristol, England, United Kingdom)
• Chagny: Holy Roman Empire (Chagny, Burgundy, France)
• Divio: Holy Roman Empire (Dijon, Burgundy, France)
• Dubris: <aka Portus Dubris> Kingdom of Kent (Dover, KentEngland, United Kingdom)
• Époisses: Holy Roman Empire (Époisses, Burgundy, France)
• Isle of Testerep: Holy Roman Empire (Oostende, Westende, and Middelkerke, West Flanders, Belgium)
• Kalikata: Pāla Empire (Kolkata <formerly Calcutta>, West Bengal, India)
• London: Kingdom of Essex (London, England, United Kingdom)
• Prüm Abbey: Holy Roman Empire (Prüm/Lorraine, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
• Rome: Papal States (Rome, Rome, Italy)
• Saulieu: Holy Roman Empire (Saulieu, Burgundy, France)
• Searoburh: Kingdom of Wessex (Salisbury <formerly Old Sarum>, England, United Kingdom)
• Verviers: Holy Roman Empire, (Verviers, Liège, Belgium)
• Vézelay: Holy Roman Empire (Vézelay, Burgundy, France)

Organizations edit see section history

• Algul: An Arabic blood-drinker race, created by their God of war, Verethragna. Their known abilities include the power to create visual hallucinations in both mortals and other immortals. However, their vulnerability lies in strong smells. Their numbers are small, due to a genocidal war between themselves and the remnants of the Ekimmu.
• Deargh Du: An ancient line of blood-drinkers from Eire (Ireland) that trace their ancestry to the Goddess, Morrigan. Their true talents lie in their magical skills and their fae-like beauty, known as glamoury. They can fly, create glowing light, heal mortals as well as other immortals, and draw down darkness and shadow. Their major weakness is the metal gold. After the creation of the Ekimmu-Cruitne, the Deargh Du withdrew back to their native land and ceased interacting with other blood-drinking races.
• Ekimmu: A group of blood-drinkers originating in Assyria from Zaltu, their deity of strife. They grew in strength and power, eventually dominating the Middle East. However, other races, such as their enemies the Algul and the Lamia, began to hunt them down, decimating their population.
• Ekimmu-Cruitne: The Ekimmu, fleeing a genocidal war, removed themselves to the northern regions of Alba (Scotland). After meeting some of the Deargh Du, who traveled with the Scoti tribe, an Ekimmu and a Deargh Du conspired to tip the balance by creating a new being. Morrigan, in her rage, sought to confine them to their lands. They are struck by illness whenever they try to cross the ocean. Their greatest talent lies in their olfactory sense, making them excellent trackers. They can also heal others, fly, read minds, and enjoy manipulating games of chance. In addition, they can create the sensations of pleasure and pain in themselves and their victims.
• Lamia: According to legend, Lamia was a Queen of Libya who seduced Zeus. In retribution, Hera killed all of her children. Heartbroken, Lamia began feeding upon the people of Greece, and before long, she had many new immortal children. The Lamia infiltrated Roman society, and soon Rome became their seat of power. The Lamia’s skills lie in mind-bending, or manipulation. They even have an ability to enter dreams and manipulate the dreamer. While they cannot fly, they are fleet of foot and can leap to significant heights.
• Ouphe: An ancient Saxon line of blood-drinkers that moved into Briton during the Saxon conquest. Their strength is in their monstrous lycanthropic nature; many blood-drinking races can die from the wounds given by an Ouphe. Yet, the Ouphe are severely affected by silver. Their origin is a mystery.
• Strigoi: A line of blood-drinkers that began from a cursed Greek beauty named Iris. Aphrodite’s curse did not grant Iris and her victim’s immortality until later. Yet, they only survive fifty years after their transformation. The Strigoi are telepathic and unleash uncontrollable madness upon mortals and immortals alike. Affected mortals tear at their eyes and puncture their eardrums to escape the onslaught of sights and sounds. Despite their talents, Strigoi are physically weak, stunted, and are the ugliest of the blood-drinkers.
• Sugnwr Gwaed: A British group of blood-drinkers created by Cernunnos, the horned God of animals, wilderness, and the wild hunt. Their strengths include enhanced communication with animals and enhanced vocal persuasion; they can convince their victims of almost anything. They also fly, like the other Celtic lines, and have aptitude for healing mortals and immortals alike.

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• The Balance: It is the Celtic belief that existence is balanced on a single fulcrum. Forces are at work to unbalance existence in order to plunge it into the abyss. The Deargh Du strive to counter those forces that seek to topple the Balance. Sometimes wrongs must be righted, but other times wrong things must be done for the right reasons. How people live their lives, the decisions they make, and the actions they take have a direct affect on the Balance within and throughout.
• The Quest: It is a divine mission given to those deemed worthy or those seeking redemption. It is a journey across great distances that transforms ones identity.
• Tolerance and Acceptance: Tolerance of others despite their cultural, political, social, or other differences, and beyond tolerance, the formation of friendships despite pressures to be enemies.
• The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend: When enemies realize whatever disagreements or transgressions that had resulted in their being opposed to one another pale in comparison to a new and unified threat. Is this a lasting friendship, or is it merely a friendship of convenience that will dissolve once the threat is no longer?
• Church vs. State: After crowning Charles I (Karl, as he was known in life, or Charlemagne / Charles the Great as he is known in history) as emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Pope Leo III thought that Emperor Charles would be his puppet and bow to his role as head of the Church of Rome. Charles, however, decided to follow his own direction for leading the empire. In the story, all Pope Leo III needs is some pretense for correcting his mistake, and then a conflict between Church and State would ensue.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Crone of War: Morrigan's Brood Book II.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Christopher Dunbar (Author)
2. Heather Poinsett Dunbar (Author)
3. Sarah E. Aalderink (Editor) - Continuity, tense shift, pacing, tone, voice, and other elements.
4. Khanada Taylor (Artist) - Cover art, website, and interior map.

Other Contributors:

1. Jillian Rosenburg (Technical Editor) - Responsible for proofreading certain elements as part of the copy edit process.
2. Dayna Hartley (Artist) - Logo design.

First Edition edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

The series strives for a level of realism that reflects the periods within which the stories take place. Therefore, the series contains elements that some readers may find objectionable. Some of these elements include war, murder, brutality, cruelty, torture, blood drinking, depictions of non-Christian beliefs and practices, and some eroticism. The content is similar to several television series recently released on premium cable TV stations, namely HBO's True Blood and Rome, Starz' Spartacus, and Showtime's The Tudors. The publisher recommends an 18 and over rating, though we have heard from some open-minded parents who, after reading, allowed their children to read books from the series as well.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Dark
• Books › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Epic
• Books › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Historical
• Books › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Series
• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › Mythology

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Triscelle Publishing Website: Contains descriptions of each of the books in the Morrigan's Brood Series and our other works. Includes publication dates, author bios, fan contributions, reviews, and other content.
• Morrigan's Blog: The blog for the authors of the Morrigan's Brood Series, where we announce book giveaways, book signings, festivals, and other events, as well as provide character interviews and background information about our writing.

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history