Prologue

	Imagine a world that looked just like Earth in reference to continents, oceans, and other geographic 

landmarks, so alike in fact, the planet is also named Earth.  Got it?  Good, cause that is where the similarities end 

my friend.  Most his world is either wilderness or blasted wasteland, the product of hundreds of battles between 

the dragons and the giants.  

The dragons and giants have fought for as long as there has been a written history, perhaps even longer.  

Both sides are equally strong in might, so both sides seek a weapon that will tip the balance of the war in their 

favor.  The only thing these two superpowers have ever agreed on is that the other races on the planet are to be 

kept in the seven cities located around the globe.  They accomplish this by attacking any permanent settlement 

outside the cities, except the structures that benefit them.  The city’s role on the planet might not seem like much 

in the big picture, but remember, of the three powers on the planet, the cities are just the observers and pawns 

for the two bigger powers.

There are many races on Earth you must know about, as well as their role in the cities.

Humans are NOT necessarily the master race in the cities.  In fact, they are pretty much the lowest of the low.  

The human sector is a dump, the poorest section of the city.  Most humans do work no other race will do or get 

trained in servitude to richer people.

 At the richer sectors of the city are the regal elves, who despite the fact that they stand only 4 to 5 feet tall, 

wield a great amount of political and magical power.  They are the closest things this planet has to royalty.

	The dour dwarves, who stand 3 to 4 feet with long beards and favor working in factories with their 

four passions: metals, stone, alcohol, and gems.  Their sector is the most industrial-looking of them all.

	The halflings, known to be both skilled thieves and excellent cooks, stand about 3 feet tall.  With their 

bare feet that are tough as leather, they can escape silently with your wallet before you are aware they were ever 

there.

	Gnomes are a race that stands equal to dwarves in height, but their passion is not gems and riches.  

Their love is machines and alchemy, or the study of chemicals and magic potions.  They do not have beards, 

but instead grow long moustaches.

	Brownies are a race that looks completely human, besides there 6 inch height.  They prefer either 

jumpsuits or human-looking clothes.  They have an interesting sense of humor, taking joy in others grumbling.  

They are also a technical race; many brownies become engineers or computer experts, making their mischievous

nature legendary.  

               The ogres, 8 to 9 foot monsters that have taken to being the main body of the police force in the cities 

of Earth.  Half are full of noble justice, the other, savage cruelty.

               The trolls stand 6 to 7 feet, not including the horns on top of their heads.  Their skin is green, the color 

of greed, and for a very good reason.  They are businessmen and politicians.  They control the government right 

now, and in the unseen background are shady deals and a deadly game where those of their species with more 

guile gain better standing the their fellow’s eyes and the losers forfeit both their standing in business or politics, 

and their lives.  

               The dark elves look just like the other type of elves.  In public, they are just like all other elves, but in 

private, their true nature comes out.  They are really participants in crime syndicates.  They war on the streets, 

doing mob-like hits, and use high standing people of other races like pawns and puppets.  

               There are only seven cities, one each continent, the smallest city is about three times the size of Los 

Angeles.  The president lives in the city in Europe.  Most of these cities are huge, dark mountains of skyscrapers 

and apartment buildings that can hold up to 700 rooms.  In the cities, the area is divided into sectors, one for 

each race.  Most can freely walk anywhere in daylight on their own accord.  But at night, if you are a dwarf in the

human sector, you have better be armed and armored, or all that people may hear about you the next day is a 

eulogy that starts, “He was a good man, but a very stupid one.”

               This story takes place in the city of Arcanium, which is situated in the center of North America.  Like I 

said before, the president of Earth is a troll.  Some suspect the large campaign contributions he received came 

illegally from the dragons for a favor or the like.  

               Political power is not the only power on this planet.  What are dragons, elves, dwarves and other races

like them without magic?  On Earth, magic is a powerful influence.  Magic is in everything, and in turn, the cities 

of Earth use magic in their lives.  There are those that work all their lives to control a small part of it.  These 

people are called mages.  The odds of a person having the right DNA to understand magic in a way that allows 

them to control it are one in one-hundred thousand.  Magic is misunderstood and feared by the public.  The 

magic that influences the energies of life and death, known as necromancy has been banned from use because of 

this fear.  Anyone caught using necromancy is killed on site.  

               Machines are present, but less so than magic.  It is rare to see a private citizen to own a car.  To own a

gun means you are either a very important person who bribed their way to the licensing board or a very stupid 

person who ignored the death-on-site punishment for unlicensed people.  Computers are reserved for the 

government and businesses with a lot of money on their hands.

               The story you are about to read is about a team of investigators who must discover the hand behind a 

series of killings.  What they find is a plot that involves people in very high places, and a horrible secret that 

threatens to shift the balance of power on Earth.  The members of the team are Dergo, Abi Dewinters, Marushi 

Kaitsurin, Tok, and Juku.

               Dergo is a halfling and was raised a thief.  Taken in by the owner of the Criminal Investigation 

Corporation, a half dwarf named Cog, Dergo was trained how to be an agent for the company, and how to take 

responsibility and command a team.  He does the best he can, and tends to grumble.

               Abi Dewinters is a human warrior known as a blademaster.  She was recruited in the company after 

someone saw her fight off a gang of ogres with nothing more than a dull machete.  She has a feral nature.  She 

looks to violence as the solution and tends to enjoy.  

               Marushi Kaitsurin comes from the city in Asia.  She is known as a street samurai, a warrior who is a 

master of urban combat.  She is the more calm and collected member of the group.

               Tok is a gnome street alchemist.  We would know him as a sort of a demolitions and magic potion 

expert.  He uses his knowledge of chemicals, minerals, and magic to make various mixtures.

               Finally, there is Juku.  She is a brownie engineer.  She has a great knowledge of computers and 

machines.  She enjoys playing pranks but hacking computer systems and finds it amusing when her larger team 

members have to perform drudging tasks.