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FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED IN GARDENS OF THE MOON BOOK ONE (CHAPTERS 1 TO 4) HERE.

WHAT HAPPENED IN GARDENS OF THE MOON, BOOK TWO?

BOOK TWO | DARUJHISTAN

Chapters 5 to 7.

Book Two opens in a new location with new timeframes, so, nope. I’m not going to try explain that…

907th Year in the Third Millennium
The Season of Fanderay in the year of the Five Tusks
Two thousand years since the birth of Darujhistan, the city

Now in Darujhistan, we have a new set of characters to journey with, and I’m not going to lie. I kinda like Kruppe. I nearly read this because I thought listening would be odd but it worked in my favour because the narration of Kruppe it brilliant.

So, first off we meet Kruppe, he is a bit of a kooky one and refers to himself in third person. Kruppe is walking in his dreamworld to an Inn. Inside the Inn are several scraggly looking folk of which he ends up chatting with. They mention the spinning coin, and the it will soon fall at the feet of a youth. Kruppe takes notes of this as he know the coin spins.

We then meet Crokus, he is mid-theft and goes on to steal a young ladies belongings.

Meanwhile on the roofs Talo, an assassin of the Assassin’s Guild, is patrolling. He is attacked and injured, hoping to turn things in his favour he sets up an ambush.

Crokus after pillaging the young ladies belongings flees over the rooftops too causing Talo to mistaken him for his attacker and fire a crossbow bolt at him. It misses, as at that moment a coin drops and Crokus bends to pick it up and then flees using the thief lines. Though he is now being pursed by the actual assassins who killed Talo. He takes cover in the Phoenix Inn. The assassins watch the Inn, meaning to kill him when he leaves, but then decide that some rumours may help in their plan and hen leave.

Circle Breaker, a spy for The Eel in Darujhistan, spies on a secretive meeting between two councilmen, Turban Orr and Feder. He then sends a missive to Baruk about said meeting. After reading the Old Crone, a Great Raven from Moon’s Spawn, arrives to give Baruk a message from Anomander Rake wanting a meeting. He agrees just as Turban Orr arrives.

Turban Orr tries to convince Baruk to remain neutral in the war with the Empire, stating all of Pale’s mages were killed. Baruk disputes this and refuses to take a stance of neutrality with Turban Orr. While the Old Crone hears the spinning coin.

An assassin named Rallick Nom spies on Lady Simtal and Councillman Lim. Rallick has every intention of killing Simtal. Though Rallick overhears Lim telling Simtal of Baruk and his powerful cabal and then hears a spinning coin. He decides to kill Lim instead. He escapes only to be told by Clan Leader Ocelot of an assassin’s war. They suspect the Claws.

Having listened to Turban Orr and Baruk’s conversation the Old Crone departs, only for Anomander Rake to arrive moments after.

Anomander Rake wants an alliance with the real rulers of Darujhistan, not the bickering councilmen but the mages. Baruk explains that he would have to discuss this with his fellow mages.

Anomander is angry at the Pale mages, as they went to ground as soon as they heard new of the arrival of the Claw. During the Siege of Pale, Anomander took heavy losses and does not appreciate the lack of help from the Pale mages. He tells Baruk he demands their heads or else he will kill them himself. Looking at Dragnipur (Rake’s sword) Baruk tells him that he will send him their heads, a mercy to them.

Inside of the Phoenix Inn, Crokus is playing cards with Murillio and Kruppe. Whilst Coll is passed out drunk. Crokus explains to the others his encounter with the assassins. Crokus has been with these guys for a time and is a bit miffed that Rallick and Murillio are up to something and he isn’t a party to it.

Kruppe ventures to his dreamworld again and ends up speaking to the Elder God, K’rul. K’rul believes his is going to lose to a battle quite soon but he will not die. He also tells Kruppe to seek out Adjunct Lorn.

Circle Breaker relived of his vigil, he is worried as he has set himself agains a man such a Turban Orr and plans to seek help. He decides against this and tears up his request for help.

Lady Simtal accuses Turban Orr of appeasing the Empire by taking the stance of neutrality, she believe he does this to gain title of High Fist. She asks Turban Orr set up the murder her ex-husband, Coll.

Murillio, needing entry fr Rallick’s plan, manipulates two invitations from Lady Orr to Lady Simtal’s party on Gedderone’s Eve.

Waiting outside the Orr estate Rallick tells Crokus not to rob the Orr estate. He doesn’t and leaves, while continuing to examine the coin that saved his life. He asks Kruppe about his previous loot, and wonders if he could have it back. Kruppe examines the coin.

Rallick and Murillio conclude that Crokus wanted his previous loot returned because he is smitten with his last mark, Chalice D’Arle. The two decade to decide on turning Crokus honest.

Outside of Baruk’s estate he is being bothered by the noise from road works, making him jump he spills ink over a map. The ink spreads all the way to Catlin, and Baruk feels it is some premonition of what is to come. Meeting with one of his informers, Baruk chats with Kruppe. Kruppe shows Baruk a wax replica of Crokus‘ coin.

Kruppe informs Baruk that the coin from Oponn. Baruk instructs Kruppe and his agents that they are to protect the Coinbearer, Crokus.

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There we have it, a recap of what happened in book two of Gardens of the Moon. Now I have written this up and gone over book two myself I feel ready to move on to book three! I really wanted to finish this before I went back to reading it, so come tomorrow I can comfortable fall back into this book.

Thanks for reading and I hope this is somewhat helpful to a few of you!

Thanks,

Sam