"Cook, Glen - The Tower of Fear" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cook Glen)

Colonel Bruda-Herodian intelligence chief in Qushmarrah

Marteo Sullo-civil governor of Qushmarrah

Annalaya-a witch brought to Qushmarrah by Sullo

Cullo-Aaron Habid's supervisor at work

Ala-eh-din Beyh-a wizard, antecedents unknown, whose successful attack upon Nakar the Abomination made possible the Herodian conquest of Qushmarrah



OTHERS

Chorhkni, Suldan of Aquira-permanent threat on the eastern boundary of the Herodian empire



THE GODS

Gorloch-an ancient, ferocious deity long abandoned by most

Qushmarrahans Nakar-an angel in Gorloch s pantheon, associated with death,

from whom the sorcerer Nakar adopted his name Azel-a messenger demon associated with the angel Nakar

Aram the Flame-a gentle, compassionate deity whose cult supplanted that of Gorloch

God-the Herodian deity, ferocious, jealous, contradictory. Extension of his cult is the excuse for Herodian conquests



Prolog



The smoke was oppressive. It crept south into the Shu from the Shen, where sorcery had birthed fires when the invaders breached the Gate of Winter. It brought chaos. Within it combatants recognized neither friend, foe, nor fleeing civilian. Men struck now and wept later. Animals careened around in panic. The heavy overcast turned back the light of day and worsened seeing.

Qushmarrahan, Dartar, and Herodian alike prayed for rain. Rain might quench the fires and cool the killing insanity.

Qushmarrah was lost but its men fought on. While Nakar lived they dared not surrender.

The surrounding horizons were clear. It seemed the city was circumvallated by walls of light. The clouds grew rapidly darker nearer the heart of the city. Above the acropolis, over the citadel of Nakar the Abomination, those were black as the breath of Hell. The citadel's tower pierced their low bellies.

Lightning shattered darkness. Thunder crushed the uproar in the streets. A hundred thousand smoke-teared eyes looked toward the sorcerer's stronghold. Clouds above began to swirl, to stream inward, forming a whirlpool in the sky, a celestial maelstrom.

An end-of-the-world flash and crash rattled the city to its foundations.

The rains came. They fell in torrents like none before witnessed by man.