Join my Reader Club for information on my new books, appearances and book recommendations, PLUS:
A free copy of Dark Construction, the story of Terese’s initial investigation into the massacre before she left Armer. The investigation uncovers more than she expects and reveals a dark entity within Armer Stone Chapterhouse.
A free copy of Dual Heritage. Sergeant Tummil, the only Investigator to have spoken to Terese Saarg, reluctantly picks up the investigation where she left off. What he learns, and what he chooses, could change Polis Armer, forever.
You can get these stories for free, by signing up at my website.
Just visit www.markjohnsonauthor.com
Thanks for reading!
I really need reviews!
Reviews keep my business flowing, and me writing, so please review The Renegade Within at Amazon.
CLICK HERE
Glossary
Artifacts – The rare devices capable of acting according to programmed triggers. Deliver sophisticated weaves beyond the standard produced by most vibration weavers. Their workings and construction are unknown. None have been manufactured since the Founders’ War.
Cadvers – Dead, mobile remains of human beings. Mindless, possibly soul-less beings motivated by search for the chaos energy that permeates their body. Cannot exist in large groups. Cadverism is a disease whose cause remains unknown.
Ceneph, Polis – Fallen and dying Polis, located on the coast of its continent. Was fatally injured by the Darkness in year 4939.
Center – The residence of the Royals, inaccessible to non-royals and tens of miles wide. Located at the geographical center of each Polis.
Cestin Rortiin – A young man from Armer. Member of Brogen Quarter Guard. Escaped from the Immersion Chamber with three others and relocated to Polis Sumad.
Chaos energy – The energy of the Enemy. Found in trace amounts in all human beings. The amount of chaos energy is not indicative of likelihood of cadverism. Used to create dark mechanisms, though method of manufacture of dark mechanisms remains unknown.
Chapterhouse – Seeker central command base, administered and commanded by ‘Holder’ Seekers. Each Polis contains several chapterhouses of varying sizes and population. All chapterhouses have permanent residents living on-site, though the percentage varies across the various Polis.
Currency energy – Used as the primary medium of exchange in all Polis world-wide. Generated and distributed by the Royals. Has a set timespan before it fades away or ‘expires.’
Darkness, the – The unidentified origin of evil on Earth, possibly singular or many. Antagonist of the Founders’ War. Created minions on Earth to do its bidding and worsen the state of humanity and their relations with one another.
Domnic Dantet – A young man from Armer. Member of Brogen Quarter Guard. Escaped from the Immersion Chamber with three others and relocated to Polis Sumad.
Energies – There are five known energies: Chaos, currency, electricity, suppression and vibrations.
Electric energy – Used to power simple devices without complex function, such as wave receivers, fans and cooking hot plates.
Founders’ War – Began on the first day of the present calendar. The Enemy incepted and designed a war on all Polis in the world, crippling them all. There was no clear date of victory over the Enemy in the War. Each Polis individually crushed the Enemy forces. Cadvers are thought to have developed at this time.
Further In – The label applied to any area closer to the Polis’s Center, than where the speaker currently us. As well as being a geographic marker, there is an implied status value also. Generally, the closer an area is to the center, the more prestigious it is considered.
Girdle Ceremony – The Seeker initiation rite, raising an Apprentice Seeker to Assistant Seeker. The Girdle is an artifact that implants the protective Seeker tattoo of a flame in a cage on the Seeker’s back. The tattoo is not merely cosmetic. Its implanting awakens or enhances its wearer’s ability to detect nearby gatherings of chaos energy, known as ‘Seeker Sense’.
Gods – Deities who created the Earth and walked upon it for a time, before returning to the heavens for safety. At the time of a crisis, of which its nature is uncertain, the Gods elected to return to the heavens. At least twenty-four of their number elected to remain on Earth and become Polis, in order to help humankind – Their greatest creation. The number of Gods and their names are unknown.
Golem – Animatronic creatures made and used exclusively by the Royals. They possess the ability to understand commands and carry out orders according to the parameters set for their own judgement.
Growth Hexagons – Polis Sumad’s gift to His children. The growth hexagons are invisible to the naked eye, though have been proven to have a width of approximately two hundred and fifty feet. Crops, plants and trees planted within a growth hexagon grow at up to three times the normal rate, and bloom perpetually, regardless of the season. Given Polis Sumad’s harsh environment, the growth hexagons are treated as farms and used to feed the citizens of the Polis.
Hideaways – Unswallowed remnants of the Founding era, purpose unknown. Found underground, sometimes with tunnels connecting to other hideaways. Thought to have been created by the Royals. Few survive in working order.
HopeWall – Effectively the capital Wall cluster of the Refugee Territories, though it does not claim the title. The vibration weaving training center of the greatest calibre in the Refugee Territories. A cluster encompassing four BarracksWalls for men, HopeWall for women, and the Tower for vibration training. Capable of holding 20,000 people at capacity.
Inspectors – The Polis Armer police force.
Immersion Chamber – An underground chamber found beneath Polis Armer. ‘Scientists’ from Polis Sumad contacted Seekers within Polis Armer with a proposal to isolate and study chaos energy, as extracted from hundreds of living, unconscious human subjects. The study came to an abrupt ending after an inexplicable massacre of hundreds. Shortly after, when Polis Armer became aware of the Immersion Chamber’s existence, He Swallowed it.
Lijjen, Keeper – A meticulously detail-oriented Seeker officer placed in charge of Terese Saarg after her failed taking of the four Armen renegades.
Mechanisms – Simplistic
