Blade of the Avatar/The Sword of Midras

The Sword of Midras: A Shroud of the Avatar Novel is the first book in the Blade of the Avatar trilogy written by Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott for Shroud of the Avatar. It features illustrations by Denis Loubet, renowned Ultima artist, and a cover illustration by Pierre Droal based on a design by Portalarium artist Stephen Daniele.

Summary

 * The thrilling prequel to Shroud of the Avatar from Portalarium! The world died during the Fall.  Abandoned by the mighty Avatars and their Virtues, the people who remained were left defenseless in an untamed land. That is, until the Obsidians came. Through dark sorcery and overwhelming force the Obsidian Empire brought order to chaos, no matter the cost.  Aren Bennis is a Captain in the Obsidian Army who has seen enough of what a world without Virtue looks like and is willing to do whatever it takes to establish a lasting peace. But after finding a magical sword that only he can wield, a sword his trusted scout, Syenna, claims is a blade once used by the legendary Avatars, Aren is thrown into a far more unfamiliar battle. One fought with whispered words and betrayal instead of swords and arrows.  Running out of allies, Aren's only hope for survival is to discover the true nature of the ancient weapon he wears at his side. In order to do that, Aren will have to turn to the empire's enemies and, in doing so, he will discover what order at the hands of the Obsidians really means.

About the Author

 * TRACY HICKMAN has been publishing game designs, books, and stories for more than thirty-five years. In addition, he is a New York Times bestselling coauthor of many novels, including the original Dragonlance Chronicles. Hickman lives in Utah. RICHARD GARRIOTT DE CAYEUX is a video game designer, collector, and private astronaut. In 2006 Richard was awarded with two industry honors for his work in the games business: selection into The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards.

Contents

 * Prologue: The Destiny Pool
 * Part I - The Obsidians
 * Chapter 1: Midras
 * Chapter 2: Ruin
 * Chapter 3: The Blade
 * Chapter 4: Messages
 * Chapter 5: Dark Horizon
 * Chapter 6: Treacherous Paths
 * Chapter 7: Awry


 * Part II - The Falls
 * Chapter 8: Hilt
 * Chapter 9: Amanda
 * Chapter 10: Councils
 * Chapter 11: The Bearer
 * Chapter 12: The Bay of Storms


 * Part III - The Siege
 * Chapter 13: Opalis
 * Chapter 14: Crossroads
 * Chapter 15: Innocents
 * Chapter 16: Dispossessed
 * Chapter 17: Unwilling Help
 * Chapter 18: The Walls
 * Chapter 19: The Gate
 * Chapter 20: Collateral Damage
 * Chapter 21: Bargains
 * Chapter 22: The Open Door
 * Chapter 23: Epiphany
 * Chapter 24: Thundering Silence

Trivia

 * During, and immediately following, the Kickstarter campaign, the Blade of the Avatar novel was included as an Founder reward at all pledge levels, and available as a digital download or physical version in the Add-On Store. If you purchased a pledge or add-on that included the novel, you will find a download link for the PDF of the novel on your personal account page (log into SotA website and click on “Account” in the top-right corner).  If you are a Kickstarter backer you’ll need to have your Kickstarter account linked to the SotA website (click here for instructions to link your Kickstarter account).
 * NOTE: The Sword of Midras is not the version of the novel included in the SotA pledge rewards. The original Blade of the Avatar novel has already been delivered as an electronic PDF to all pledges prior to May 31, 2015 (when it expired). For those who qualify for this reward, you can find the link to the PDF on your SotA website account page Special Rewards tab for download. The physical and signed version of the novel that was a reward at the Citizen (and above) level up through May 31, 2015 will be a paperback print version of the original Blade of the Avatar novel that has been delivered as an electronic PDF. This physical reward will be delivered to backers at the same time that all physical rewards are delivered, which we currently expect will be toward the end of this year.