"Where the False Faces Are" by Oleg Yakovlev and Vladimir Torin, summary Automatic translate

This dark fantasy tells the story of the intricate destinies of dwarves, humans, elves, and mages on the brink of a brutal war. Published in 2011, the novel weaves together several independent plot lines that converge in massive battles and cunning intrigues. It is considered the third installment in the "Chronicles of the Broken Mirror" series. This cycle also includes "Time of Troubles," "Raven’s Heart," "Masks of the Black Harlequin," and "Martlet and the Serpent."

Prologue

A gray-haired old man in a fox-fur cloak and a mage sit in a high tower. The mage’s apprentice, Arit, diligently records their conversation. The guests discuss spies and traitors who hide behind disguises in troubled times. These people plot intrigues in the north and in the capital. The mage continues dictating the story, and the quill moves across the parchment.

Treasure Hunters

The dwarf Dori, nicknamed Rubin, lives peacefully in the capital of Gorten. Late one evening, his old friend Angar Dortan, known as the Wayward, comes to visit him. Angar shows him a blank parchment and utters secret words. A treasure map appears, leading to the mountains of Therion. The dwarves go to bed, but in the morning they discover the parchment is missing. Dori explores the room and finds dust under the bed. He deduces that the map was stolen by a thief who drank an invisibility potion. This is the work of the alchemists of Tobius Riley’s guild.

Angar goes to a competitor’s tavern. Using a magic needle, he tracks down the invisible thief Thomas Keren. The dwarf traps his adversary in the wine cellar, kills him with a well-aimed crossbow shot outside, and returns the map.

Meanwhile, Dori ventures into the grimy outskirts of Gorten. There, he finds his old friend, Lori Darveig. Lori is haunted by an invisible spirit curse and is reduced to poverty. Dori catches his friend trying to sell the golden family key to a greedy gypsy. The gypsy also takes Lori’s unique crossbow. Dori mercilessly deals with the swindler. The three dwarves are reunited and begin preparing for a long journey north.

The Mystery of the Dead City

Captain Gerald Reef’s pirate ship arrives at the uncharted western shores. Former captain Lognir Arvest is searching for ancient statues of the forgotten gods Tyene and Drikkh. He hopes to find the artifacts to gain the elven ruler’s blessing for his daughter’s marriage. In the morning, the crew disembarks. Lognir and the orc Gshurg set out for the ruins of Tyriahad. This dead city bears the marks of ancient magical destruction.

The statue of the dwarven god Drikh is destroyed, and an unknown artifact is stolen. The heroes infiltrate the Senate building. Orcs are greedily collecting gold from a hidden treasury. Lognir finds the diary of an old proconsul. The entries tell of a Dark Emperor. The ruler erected a black obelisk in the center of the city, which absorbed the light and lives of the townspeople. The inhabitants were forcibly created into a legion of the undead. Orcs and humans hastily abandon the ruins, fleeing the invisible presence of demonic forces.

Guests from the Thorn Hills

The dwarves Dori, Angar, and Lori join forces with the blacksmith brothers Doldur and Honir, as well as the circus throwers Golari and Konari. The hot-tempered exile Kili joins the party. The travelers travel north along a forest path. Lori goes on reconnaissance and is wounded by a poisoned arrow. He is attacked by forest bandits. The dwarf shoots the bandits with a crossbow, and his comrades arrive and finish off the survivors. Lori loses consciousness from the poison.

The dwarves stop a passing traveling wagon. The potion merchant Marvit Kreppin and his wife, Mother Lin, agree to help. Inside the wagon, Angar eats a enchanted elder leaf. The plant grants him true sight. The hosts turn out to be terrifying fomorians — monsters from the Thorn Hills. They feed their guests the flesh of slain travelers. Angar throws rowan sawdust into the fireplace, paralyzing the creatures. The dwarf cuts off Mother Lin’s head. Lori, who has regained consciousness, shoots the alchemist with a crossbow.

Conspiracy in the capital

In Gorten, the Grand Master of the Order of the Sacred Flame, Count Ildiar de Not, falls victim to a conspiracy. Lord Tancred Bremer, nicknamed the Fire Serpent, lures Ildiar to an old estate. Tancred’s brothers are there. They show Ildiar a handkerchief belonging to his beloved Isabella de Vancourt. Tancred claims the Countess has been kidnapped. He sets a strict condition: Ildiar must lose to Jon in the upcoming tournament. Otherwise, Isabella will die.

Ildiar agrees. Tancred is triumphant. He secretly works for the hierophants, planning to undermine the king’s authority. Ildiar leaves, and the Bremer mercenaries slaughter the old minister’s family. They leave Ildiar’s dagger at the scene of the crime. In the morning, Gorten is abuzz with rumors. The people consider Count de Not a bloody murderer. The elven lord Mertinger discovers the hideout of Tancred’s mercenaries. The ancient elf slaughters the criminals with his black sword and rescues Isabella from captivity.

Dreams and nightmares

The dwarves take shelter from the snowstorm in the ruins of Trevegar Castle. Laurie falls asleep and experiences a vivid nightmare. He watches the ghost of a hunchbacked blacksmith forging a magical key. The key opens an archway leading to the Thorn Hills. From there emerge evil goblins. They chain the dwarves and take them to their dungeons. Laurie wakes up and finds his friends gone. He goes into the forest to the dwelling of the necromancer Nevermore.

The old man agrees to help, but demands payment. The necromancer takes Laurie’s shadow. In exchange, he gives the dwarf birds — enchanted spriggan princes. Laurie returns to the castle and releases the birds. Falling asleep, he finds himself in a nightmare again. Goblins bring the captive dwarves to execution. The birds transform into tall, pale spriggans. They brutally deal with the dwarves. The magic collapses. The dwarves come to their senses in Trevegar.

The travelers reach the mountains of Therion. In the Gorge of the Strange Rune, they search for gold. The earth trembles. The ancient ice dragon Lagraon awakens. The enormous monster casts off its stone shackles. In the chaos, Honir perishes. The brother of the slain Doldur falls into a stupor. The dwarves flee across a frozen lake. They are pursued by a horde of Garuch goblins led by Dorz Crookedtooth. The party miraculously reaches the walls of northern Istar.

Mutiny on the ship

A mutiny breaks out on a pirate ship. Ronald Verlaine seizes power. He forces Captain Reef to lead the crew to an abandoned fort in the Bellegard swamps. The pirates hope to find treasure. The fort turns out to be an ancient prison. Inside is an altar with a black urn and statues of wolves and snakemen. Reef hears the voices of the ancient prisoners. They promise power in exchange for freedom.

The captain smashes the urn. The magical ash brings the stone warriors to life. A battle ensues between the wolf and snake statues. The pirates are trapped. Ronald is stabbed to death by his own assistant, Bernard More. The animated wolf statue kills Bernard. Rif escapes into the courtyard. There, a gigantic monster, Iyervod, with snake-like arms, breaks free. The monster devours the pirates and orcs. Rif casts a spell and awakens a colossal wolf-man. The wolf dies in the battle, but his flesh transforms into a pack of demonic beasts. They tear Iyervod apart. Rif regains control of the surviving sailors. The ship sails out into the open ocean.

Two armies

In the Blood Marshes, the legions of the Dark Empire advance on the undead. The Carch Raven observes the troop movements. The Black Lord Dekker Gordem rouses the undead to battle. The spy Magnus Greyeyes loses control of the legionnaires. Dekker reveals the traitor. He forces Magnus to swear to kill the Black Patriarch. In exchange, Dekker promises to spare the spy’s beloved. Magnus agrees and leaps through the portal.

Imperial Inquisitor Clement of Cologne wounds the giant bat, Cryo, on which Dekker is flying. The necromancer lands in the center of the enemy camp. The Inquisitor shows Dekker the captured dark mages. The prisoners are mutilated by torture. Former paladin Dorian Twilight begs Dekker to abandon his vengeance. Dorian dies. The Dark Lord is enraged. He unleashes dark magic. The legionnaires go mad and begin killing each other. Inquisitor Clement dies in the confusion. Dekker flies away on his healed bat. Magnus uses the magical time clock in the battle, is wounded, and escapes through a portal. The Imperial forces are completely destroyed.

Tournament Day

The tournament begins in Gorten. Ildiar de Nott faces John Bremer. In the pouring rain, the knights break lances. Then the combat on foot begins. Ildiar deliberately misses blows, rescuing the kidnapped Isabella. Baron Bremer knocks the Count into the mud. Suddenly, the elf Mertinger emerges from the crowd. He hands Ildiar the Countess’s handkerchief. The elf whispers, "She is safe." Renewed hope, Ildiar rises. He pierces John Bremer’s armor and kills him.

The Count returns to the tent. Isabella attempts suicide after reading his farewell letter. Ildiar stops her. Mertinger enters the tent. He asks the Count to find the papers of Captain Longnir Arvest. Having learned the captain’s route, the elf leaves. The Secret Guard bursts into the tent. Marquis Harten de Plymbery arrests Ildiar on orders from the High Order Tribunal. The Count orders his vassal, James Dawson, to take Isabella away from Gorten.

The Fall of the City

Sir James is driving Isabella in a carriage. The coachman, Jeremy, tells terrifying tales of an ogre. That night, the knight falls asleep. When he awakens, he discovers the Countess has disappeared. The Paladin finds the one-armed ogre’s hut. The monster is about to boil Isabella in a cauldron. James ignites his armor with sacred fire. The ogre escapes. The coachman, Jeremy, transforms into a giant rat and attacks James. The Paladin kills the werewolf but faints from his wounds.

In Istar, the battle reaches its climax. Goblins destroy the statue of the goddess Aligenta. The vampire Ileas D’Antreva and his companion ask Duke Tenor for permission to assume their true forms. Granted, the vampires transform into gigantic winged monsters and destroy hundreds of goblins. Duke Tenor dispatches the goblin Kamu-Kin.

The ice dragon Lagraon descends from the sky. The enormous lizard crushes wooden houses and scorches the defenders with icy flames. The werewolf John Rrier transforms into a black wolf. He is aided by the pack of the three-legged alpha, Gerrdor. The wolves hold off the troll and battle the goblins.

Corrin White Death uses the forbidden Book of Cain’s Memory. The former necromancer sacrifices himself. A giant spider emerges from his torn chest. The spider shoots a magical web. The dragon Lagraon becomes entangled in the sticky threads and falls into the ruins of the city. The dwarf Doldur approaches the paralyzed lizard. He raises his axe and cleaves off the beast’s head. Vengeance for his brother is complete. The goblins retreat in panic.

The wounded Corrin is found by John Rryer. The werewolf remembers the old tortures in the necromancers’ dungeons. He shows no mercy to the enemy. Rryer strangles Corrin. The battle for Istar ends.