You may recognise this page. We used it for the cover to kick-off Volume 2.

The text on this page was originally longer. (Yes, even longer than it is now!) However, unlike the opening page of Chapter 6 (where I managed to cut the text down to less than twenty words!), this one just refused to be cut. Every line seemed to be there for a reason and, once I'd cut it this much, all my efforts to shorten it further just seemed to make it longer again. (Don't ask me how that works!) Eventually Harsho persuaded me to leave it as it is. Seems he likes the wordy bits!

And, speaking of Harsho - isn't the art on this page just stunning? The walls, the cobbled streets, the chimneys, the towering figure of the Shaman in the foreground, the huddle of characters below and even the ornamental gargoyle's head above the window down on the left ... it all screams pure class. And, just as importantly, it sets the tone perfectly for what's about to unfold. I don't know about you but that's my idea of a perfect beginning!