The World Of Hambrig
The year is 1263, and Lord Rory is in charge of a castle on a hill and a sizeable estate in the country of Mallrovia, to the east of England. The estate, Hambrig, is constantly being menaced by the Swamp-People, a tribe of Celts who live on the other side of the River Hurogol. Nonetheless, life for the Lord of Hambrig is fairly easy – until the Box of Death arrives in the castle…
It’s at this point that Lord Rory begins writing his journals, journals which will chronicle his life from now on, beginning with that pivotal moment in May, AD 1263.
The Lord of Hambrig will never be free of the consequences of this event, and his gradual realisation of this fact forms the continuing narrative of his journals. Frequently visited by his father’s ghost, haunted by the loss of the woman he loved, Rory tries to maintain his position as tenant-in-chief to the fickle King of Mallrovia. Each new year brings a new challenge and a new adventure, and Rory faithfully writes down his every thought and action, heroically doing his duty as he sees it.
Rory is a man of principle, but also a man of action. He believes himself surrounded by friends, but, as time goes on, and as his diaries relentlessly record the challenges of a flawed medieval lordship, he becomes less and less sure who is on his side.
The world of Hambrig is constantly changing. Each of the Tales of Castle Rory relates a new year, a new adventure, and a multitude of both hazards and opportunities. Can Rory overcome adversity every time? Will his household remain loyal? What will his father’s ghost think of him now?
Ready to dive into the World of Hambrig?
The Box of Death
It’s 1263, and Lord Rory of Hambrig presides over a
castle that towers above the treacherous River Hurogol. Beyond the fast-flowing waters live a Celtic tribe, who claim the right to live in Hambrig. The
ancient treaty has vanished, and tensions simmer as the tribe yearns to reclaim their ancestral lands.
As ancient grudges and deadly secrets close in around him, Rory realises that some doors, once opened, can never be closed…
The Soldier of Fortune
It’s 1264, and framed for the murder of a girl within his own walls, Lord Rory of Hambrig has no choice but to flee. On the run from those who once swore fealty to him, Rory must navigate the fractured kingdom of England, where the Second Barons’ War pits brother against brother.
With each step the weight of betrayal grows heavier, drawing him toward a fate darker than he ever imagined…
The Man In The Moon
It’s 1265, and in the bitterest of winters Castle Rory teeters on the edge of disaster. Snow covers the land, supplies are dwindling, and the River Hurogol threatens to flood when the thaw arrives. But the situation grows even darker when three of Lord Rory’s soldiers vanish, leaving no trace but whispers of a glowing figure wandering the snow-laden nights.
The Man In The Moon is coming, and with him, something far worse than winter…
The King’s Ransom
It’s 1265, and Lord Rory of Hambrig never expected his life to be upended by a royal betrothal. But when the King of Smander and his daughter are kidnapped, Rory is thrust into a perilous mission where the ransom demanded for their release shifts unpredictably, and sinister whispers point to a rebellious faction in the neighbouring principality of Westador.
The fate of kingdoms hangs in the balance, and time is running out…
The Paradise garden
It’s 1267, and having paid homage at the shrine of Saint James the Apostle, Rory is eager to return home. But as he journeys through the sunlit
landscapes of Spain, France, and England, he finds himself burdened with more than just the weight of his faith – he must protect a motley band of fellow travellers who harbour secrets darker than the shadow of death, while a ruthless assassin stalks them through Europe.
The assassin’s threats haunt Rory’s every step, relentlessly exposing the dark truth of his pilgrimage…