THE DREAMWOOD WAR
Volume Two of the Pelarian Multiverse Chronicles

Set in the multiverse, which was introduced in Situation Vacant. It is nearly twelve Lantiran months since Ruth Watson found herself Mage Prime of the multiverse. Comfortable now in her powers she focuses on the search for a cure for her son, emotionally damaged in the final conflict between the Guardians and the Selador Sorceresses at Zantas. With the threat of Sorceresses forever removed, the Security Council and the Guardians can begin to re-establish their role in maintaining the equilibrium between good and evil in the myriad worlds of the six parallel universes that make up the multiverse. Alongside this businesslike activity, Ruth and Richard, the Duke of Bardshelm circle around each other seeking an opportunity to rekindle their damaged relationship. In the College of Wizards, the head of the College, Orselon, and his colleague Tragentius continue to research the power of Ruth’s locus crystal.

But there are some in the multiverse who are not happy about the rising influence of the Guardians and in particular those Guardians who are talented. In fact there are people whose fear and suspicion of those with magical talents becomes an obsession – madness even. One such is Ruge; a brilliant engineer who feels his life has been ruined by a Talent. His hatred and jealousy drive him to found the Purity Movement, an extreme group dedicated to undermining the Guardians, preventing inter racial marriage, and ultimately destroying the talented. The Movement has infiltrated most of the known worlds and Ruge is preparing to publicly announce his ‘mission’. But because technology doesn’t work in magical parallels, he can only succeed if he has access to some magical abilities. Traitorous Talents are drawn to his cause but ultimately it is the magical Dreamwood from Lantira that will give him and his followers the power they seek.

The newly established trade in Dreamwood is bringing prosperity back to the people of Roth, and its Earl, Gramas is determined that the rare wood will go where it is most needed by the Guardians. The Security Council monitor all exports and when shipments of the wood start to go missing, Gillano, Ruth and Orselon along with the rest of the Security Council face a difficult task in finding the thieves. What they uncover is only the tip of the iceberg. The extent of racial hatred on the physical worlds is spiralling out of control and the Security Council and the Guardians face conflict on all fronts if they cannot turn the tide. In the midst of this all Ruth still searches for the cure for her son Will. She also deepens her understanding of her own powers and their limits. These are tested in the extreme when those close to her, Amariel of the faerie and her human fiancé Makro are stranded on a physical world at the mercy of the Purity Movement’s leaders.

Among the talented Guardians there are those who would use their talents to subdue the physical worlds and maintain the myth and secrecy of their existence. Strife breaks out in the College and sides are taken. Even the magical worlds begin to be affected by the Purity Movement and, once again the Balance tips dangerously close to disaster. Tapping the power of the long lost Pelarians; Ruth pushes her talent to even greater levels. In doing so she creates a wider understanding and acceptance of magic throughout the multiverse and takes the Guardians to the next stage in their evolution. Another step in the great plan laid down by the Pelarians eons before.