The following is a summary of the Dorian Hawkmoon Saga as provided in Mongoose Publishing’s Hawkmoon roleplaying game. Rather than rewriting Gareth Hanrahan excellent overview it is presented here with only minor changes.

An Overview

For a fuller accounting of these deeds, the reader should consult the four books collectively known as The History of the Runestaff: The Jewel in the Skull, The Mad God’s Amulet, The Sword of the Dawn and The Runestaff, as well as the Chronicles of Castle Brass: Count Brass, The Champion of Garathorm and The Quest for Tanalorn. Optionally, the tale of The White Wolf ’s Son is partially set in an alternate version of Hawkmoon’s world, although much of that tale is taken up with the deeds of Elric of Melnibone during his thousand-year dream. It is also illuminating and entertaining – though by no means necessary – to read all the books making up the Eternal Champion Cycle. For most adventures in Hawkmoon’s world, only the History of the Runestaff is relevant, as the later books concern events cosmic and otherworldly.

History of the RuneStaff

This tetralogy focuses on the fate of Dorian Hawkmoon, his forced betrayal of Count Brass, and subsequent travels across Tragic Europe to save Kamarg and all he loves.

The Jewel in the Skull

The Dark Empire of Granbretan is engaged in the conquest of Europe. Half the continent is under their rule, and they are already planning the conquest of Arabia and beyond. To smooth their path to victory, Baron Meliadus of Kroiden visits Count Brass of the Kamarg, offering an alliance. If the Count will supply information on the politics and defences of all the unconquered courts of Europe, then the Dark Empire will look kindly on him. Count Brass rejects this offer, preferring to stay neutral and trust to the safety of his heavily armed watchtowers instead of allying with the Dark Empire or their enemies. The Baron remains in Castle Brass for a few days, trying to convince the count, and there he conceives of a passion for the Count’s beautiful daughter, Yisselda. tries to abduct Yisselda, but is stopped by the Count’s old friend and counsellor, the philosopher-poet Bowgentle. Meliadus easily defeats Bowgentle, but the noise of their struggle rouses Count Brass, who banishes Baron Meliadus. Furious, the departing Baron swears that he will have his revenge and that he will possess Yisselda. He swears this by the Runestaff, and so puts all following
events in motion.

Back in Granbretan, Meliadus chooses another way to conquer the Kamarg for his master, King-Emperor Huon. His tool will be the recently captured Duke of Koln, Dorian Hawkmoon. The young noble is tortured until he agrees to go to Castle Brass and kidnap Yisselda, thus bringing Count Brass to heel. To ensure Hawkmoon’s loyalty, the chief sorcerer of Granbretan, Baron Kalan, implants the terrible Black Jewel in Hawkmoon’s skull. This living jewel allows the lords of Granbretan to see whatever Hawkmoon sees, and will also eat his brain if they activate it fully.

Hawkmoon travels to the Kamarg and is welcomed as a guest, but a suspicious Count Brass realises that Hawkmoon is not in control of his actions. Bowgentle and Count Brass manage to block the connection between the Black Jewel and Granbretan, thus freeing the young Duke of Koln. Unfortunately, this is only a temporary measure, for in a few months, the Black Jewel will break through their dampening effects and consume Hawkmoon’s mind. Brass suggests that Hawkmoon seek out the sorcerer Malagigi in Persia, the only man who could remove the gem. Hawkmoon prefers to spend his remaining months fi ghting the Dark Empire, though, and leads the forces of the Kamarg in a defensive war against the approaching legions of Granbretan. The combination of Hawkmoon’s wild heroism and the incredible weapons of Brass’ watchtowers gives the Kamarg an unlikely victory.

Meanwhile, Brass’ daughter Yisselda has fallen in love with Hawkmoon, and convinces him to seek out Malagigi. Confident that the Kamarg can hold out for a few months, Hawkmoon flies to the east on a flamingo. His journey is interrupted when his steed is shot down in the Bulgar Mountains by a hunter named Oladahn. This strange fellow is a beast-man, the son of a sorcerer and a giantess. To make amends for delaying Hawkmoon on his journey, Oladahn elects to accompany him. The pair happen across the wandering caravan of the bizarre ruled by the sorcerer Agonosvos, and Oladahn saves Hawkmoon when the sorcerer tries to turn the Duke over to the Dark Empire. They steal Agonosvos’ magically augmented horses and make for Persia.

In Persia, they meet an armoured figure called the Warrior in Jet and Gold. Hawkmoon realises he saw the warrior several times as he travelled to Castle Brass, and the Warrior has in fact been following him. They are attacked by Dark Empire troops, and the Warrior in Jet and Gold proves to be a powerful fighter, saving them in the battle. The cryptic warrior admits that he saved Hawkmoon’s life for a purpose, but will not say what it is. They travel on to the city of Hamadan, where the sorcerer Malagigi dwells, but find it under attack by Dark Empire forces under the command of Baron Meliadus, allied with traitors within the city. Hawkmoon and Oladahn join forces with the rightful queen of Hamada, Frawbra, and manage to drive off the Granbretanians and mortally wound Meliadus.

Despite this victory, Malagigi refuses to aid Hawkmoon. The Warrior in Jet and Gold returns and intercedes on Hawkmoon’s behalf, telling the sorcerer that both Hawkmoon and the Warrior serve the same power. Hawkmoon has no idea what power the Warrior refers to, but gratefully accepts his help. Malagigi disables the Black Jewel, removing the doom set on Hawkmoon all those months ago.

The Mad God’s Amulet

While travelling through the deserts of Syria, Hawkmoon and Oladahn are waylaid by Dark Empire forces under the command of the renegade Frenchman, Huillam D’Averc. He is famed for his hypochondria, his wit and his skills as a swordsman, painter and architect. It is his last talent that brings him to the deserts of Syria – his mission here is to construct an ornithopter nest from the ruins of the abandoned city of Soryandum.

While captive, Hawkmoon and Oladahn discover that Soryandum is not actually abandoned; long ago, the folk of Soryandum used advanced science to transform themselves into spirits. They are immortal and powerful, but only within the boundaries of the city. They free Hawkmoon and Oladahn on condition that the two retrieve a particular artefact from a secret vault outside the city. The pair uncover the vault and get two identical devices, but unfortunately they rouse the guardian of the vault, who pursues them. The guardian runs into the Granbretanian forces, and Hawkmoon and Oladahn use the confusion to slip into the city and give the artefact to the spirits. The spirits use the crystal artefact to transfer their city into another dimension where they will be safe from the Dark Empire. As Soryandum vanishes, the spirits tell Hawkmoon to take the remaining crystal device and bring it to his home, so he too can escape to another dimension.

With the salvation of the Kamarg in hand, Hawkmoon and Oladahn reach the coast and take ship back to Europe. En route, they rescue Huillam D’Averc, who they find drifting on a raft. He escaped from the marauding guardian of the vault, and claims that the Dark Empire would never forgive his failure at Soryandum. Initially, Hawkmoon considers the Frenchman his prisoner, but the two soon become friends. Then, their ship is attacked by pirates serving the Cult of the Mad God. These pirates fight like madmen, but Hawkmoon manages to defeat them by a clever stratagem. On the pirate ship, he finds a golden ring that he recognises – it is a ring belonging to Yisselda! He questions the surviving pirate, and discovers that their foes were innocent merchant sailors, driven mad by a drug given to them by their captain.

The trio sail north, and track down this captain, who admits to being in the service of the Mad God. He claims that he sent a beautiful girl from the Kamarg north to the Mad God’s castle in the heart of Ukrania, for the God delights in pretty playthings. Hawkmoon, Oladahn and D’Averc resolve to rescue Yisselda, and ride north. En route, they again encounter the mysterious Warrior in
Jet and Gold, who insists that Hawkmoon must retrieve an item called the Red Amulet from the Mad God. Hawkmoon replies that his only interest is Yisselda, not the Amulet, but the Warrior insists that Yisselda’s fate is bound to the amulet, and that her capture and the incredible coincidence of Hawkmoon finding her ring on a dead pirate’s hand were both orchestrated by the fate bound in the Runestaff. The Duke of Köln dismisses this as mystic nonsense, but accepts the Warrior’s aid in saving Yisselda.

The Castle of the Mad God is defended by a horde of beautiful women, all crazed with a bloodthirst evoked by magic. Hawkmoon and his companions manage to trap the women in nets, and enter the castle, just ahead of a Dark Empire army. In the throne room of the castle, Hawkmoon meets a madman, who claims to be a prisoner of the Mad God, but is discovered to be the God himself, driven insane by the power of the Red Amulet. The madman calls forth Yisselda, who is under the amulet’s power. She attacks Hawkmoon, and nearly slays him before the Warrior in Jet and Gold tells Hawkmoon to claim the power of the amulet for himself. The Red Amulet obeys Hawkmoon, freeing Yisselda from the spell. The castle doors are breached by the Dark Empire, but the Red Amulet augments Hawkmoon’s strength a hundred-fold, and he and his companions slay many Granbretanians. Still, there are too many to fight, so the group flees through the dungeons of the castle.Hawkmoon remembers that he left his horse outside, and  in the horse’s saddlebags is the crystal artefact he was given by the Wraith-Folk of Soryandum, the salvation of the Kamarg. The Warrior in Jet and Gold promises to bring Hawkmoon the bag, but never returns. The companions are forced to leave, with Hawkmoon cursing the Warrior’s treachery as he runs.

En route to Castle Brass, they learn that the Kamarg has not yet fallen, but that Count Brass has succumbed to despair.Hastening, they risk crossing through a Dark Empire camp, where they are again betrayed, this time by Huillam D’Averc, who hands Hawkmoon, Oladahn and Yisselda over to the Dark Empire commander – Meliadus. The Wolf lord survived the battle at Hamadan, and is now returning to Europe to destroy the last outpost of resistance – the Kamarg. Hawkmoon and his companions are put in chains so they may witness this last triumph of Meliadus’war in Europe.

At the borders of the Kamarg, D’Averc drugs the guards and frees Hawkmoon and the others. The mercurial Frenchman explains that the Dark Empire had already discovered their presence in that camp, and that only by betraying them then could he free them now. Putting deed to the word, he melts their chains with a flame-lance, and the four cross into the Kamarg on the eve of the last battle. Count Brass is revived by the return of his daughter and young protégé, and resolves to fight one last glorious battle against the Dark Empire. With the count’s strategic genius and the power of the Red Amulet running through Hawkmoon’s body, they inflict considerable damage on the enemy, but the whole might of the Dark Empire is now bent upon Castle Brass. Their victory has won them but a single night of life, which Hawkmoon uses to marry Yisselda. They cannot hope to survive – then the Warrior  in Jet and Gold arrives, bearing the saddlebags containing the crystal engine from Soryandum. He took it to keep it safe, and now returns it as promised.

All the surviving folk of the Kamarg are now crowded inside Castle Brass and the town of Aigues-Mortes. The  device is activated; the castle, the town, and the hill they stand on vanish in a haze of blue fire. The companions of Castle Brass find themselves in an alternate Kamarg, in a world where Humanity never evolved and all the world is wilderness. Back in their original world, a furious Meliadus swears that he will one day find a way to exact revenge on Hawkmoon and all the rest in Castle Brass…

The Sword of the Dawn

Time passes on both sides of the dimensional divide. While Hawkmoon and his companions explore their new home, the Dark Empire continues its conquests. All of Europe has fallen; most of Arabia, too, is theirs. They now set their avaricious eyes on unknown Asiacommunista, but also on far Amarekh. Baron Kalan, the genius scientistsorcerer, has developed a new engine that can propel ships at great speeds, even across the wide Western Ocean. The prestigious mission of scouting Amarekh, though, goes to the eccentric Count of Sussex, Shenagar Trott.

In the alternate Kamarg, Hawkmoon encounters a stranger, who introduces himself as the famed playwright, Elvereza Tozer, the most talented dramatist of the Dark Empire. Tozer claims to have travelled to this other dimension by the power of his mind, in order to escape persecution at court. The Warrior in Jet and Gold arrives unexpectedly at this juncture, and corrects Tozer’s story. The playwright actually escaped to Yel, the western part of Granbretan, where he obtained a crystal ring off a sorcerer there. This sorcerer, Mygan of Yel, knows the secret of dimensional travel.  awkmoon realises that if the Empire fi nd this sorcerer, they could follow Tozer into the Kamarg’s refuge. They have two rings – one from Tozer, and one from the Warrior. Therefore, Hawkmoon and D’Averc resolve to return to their original world, travel to Yel, and ensure Mygan does not help the Empire.

Baron Meliadus’ standing at court has fallen, because of his obsession with fi nding Hawkmoon and Castle Brass. He has even enlisted the aid of his hated brother-in-law, Taragorm of the Palace of Time. Taragorm is second only to Baron Kalan in his knowledge of science. Meliadus also plots to go to Yel, to investigate the bizarre claims of the vanished Elvereza Tozer about sorcery and dimensional travel. The baron’s plots for revenge are interrupted by a new mission, given to him by the King-Emperor; he is to entertain and interrogate two strange visitors to court. Two emissaries from Asiacommunista have arrived at Londra, and King Huon desires to know all their secrets.

The masked and armoured emissaries prove to be frustratingly laconic and dull, but they do attract the interest of one of the nobles of Granbretan – Countess Flana of Kanbery, the only living heir of King Huon. Flana is more jaded than any of the other noblewomen, and seeks only new and exotic amusements – like seducing one of the possible inhuman emissaries from Asiacommunista. She creeps into their quarters by night and discovers them to be, in fact, wholly human. The emissaries are actually Hawkmoon and D’Averc. Hawkmoon is adverse to being seduced, on the grounds that he is a married man; D’Averc, on the other hand, responds enthusiastically to the suggestion. Impressed by many things – their heroism, their defiance of the Dark Empire, Huillam’s skills as a lover and their innate humanity, so unlike the bestial madness of the Granbretanians she has known all her life – Flana agrees to help them. She  poisons their guards and gives them an ornithopter, which they use to fly to Yel.

King Huon believes that the emissaries have fled back to Asiacommunista, and orders Meliadus to find out how they escaped. The baron instead pursues his vendetta against Hawkmoon, and rides for Yel, not knowing that he is actually hot on Hawkmoon’s trail. In Yel, Hawkmoon and D’Averc find Mygan, but soon they are trapped in a cave by Meliadus’ men. Mygan explains that he is a servant of the Runestaff, and that the only way to escape is by activating the rings in a particular way. Hawkmoon and D’Averc comply, and find themselves teleported to Amarekh. A moment later, a mortally wounded Mygan joins them, and says they must seek the Sword of the Dawn in the city of Nawleen, then go north to Dnark, where the Runestaff awaits them.

After a series of bizarre adventures, including one where they are briefl y enslaved by a pirate called Valjon, Hawkmoon and D’Averc are brought to Nawleen on board a boat that sails along the great river. They befriend a man called Bewchard, who tells them that Nawleen is mostly under the control of the pirates, led by Captain Valjon. The pirates conquered the city with the aid of a magical artefact, which they now worship – the Sword of the Dawn. Tired of being manipulated by the Runestaff’s agents into seeking out ancient relics, Hawkmoon considers sailing back to Europe, but then their friend Bewchard is captured by the pirates. He is to be sacrificed to the Sword, so Hawkmoon has no choice but to break into the pirate temple and take the Sword. The magical blade proves to be a powerful weapon – not only it is a keen weapon in its own right, it can summon a vast army of barbaric warriors from thin air, and when one warrior dies, another takes his place. With the Army of the Dawn, Hawkmoon overthrows the pirates and frees Nawleen.

The Warrior in Jet and Gold appears, and orders Hawkmoon to go north to Dnark, where the Sword is needed. Hawkmoon defi es the Warrior, and instead sets sail for Europe…

The Runestaff

Back in Granbretan, King-Emperor Huon grows increasingly displeased by Baron Meliadus for pursuing Hawkmoon instead of focussing on the impending war with Asiacommunista. The King’s scorn rankles with the baron, and he begins to contemplate the previously unthinkable – revolt. If Meliadus put Countess Flana on the throne, then married her, the whole Empire would be his. He begins to assemble allies, including both Baran Kalan and Taragorm of the Palace of Time. Secretly, Flana agrees to the plan only because she will be able to pardon and marry Huillam D’Averc when she is queen.

Hawkmoon’s voyage to Europe is cut short when the ship is attacked by monstrous flying reptiles, who drag it back towards Amarekh. On the coast, they are greeted by a strange man, who introduces himself as Orland Fank of Orkney, the ‘brother’ (in some sense) of the Warrior in Jet and Gold, and another servant of the Runestaff. He gives them a little boat, which takes them to the beautiful, dreamlike city of Dnark, inhabited by the Great Good Ones.

In Dnark, they meet an apparently omniscient child, Jehamia Cohnahlias, who welcomes them as guests. He has another guest, too – Shenegar Trott, the Count of Sussex. On neutral ground, they debate the morals of the Dark Empire. Trott claims that Granbretan has brought peace and order to Europe, and that they will reclaim the lost knowledge of previous ages. Hawkmoon argues that they bring death and suffering, and that they are a cancer that must be destroyed. That night, Trott returns to his ship and gathers his men, who storm Dnark and capture the child, Jehamia  Cohnahlias. Trott demands that Jehamia tell him where the Runestaff is, and the child obeys, pointing to the tallest tower. Trott and his two thousand troops take their stairs; Hawkmoon and D’Averc are carried up the tower by the Great Good Ones, who are akin to the wraiths of Soryandum.

Atop the tower is the Hall of the Runestaff. Trott’s men pour in, to fi nd their path blocked by Hawkmoon, D’Averc – and the Warrior in Jet and Gold and his brother, Orland Fank, who suddenly appear to defend the Runestaff. Trott threatens to kill Jehamia Cohnahlias, but the boy dematerialises and merges with the Runestaff – he is the staff, or an avatar of it. Furious, Trott orders his men to attack. Hawkmoon evens the odds by summoning the Legion of the Dawn, and the Dark Empire troops are defeated. The Warrior in Jet and Gold is slain during the battle, but Orland Fank also mourns the loss of his son – apparently, Jehamia is Fank’s child in some form, and manifests only rarely. Weeping, Fank explains that all is now set for a confrontation between the Dark Empire and the forces of the Runestaff. Granbretan’s ambitions threaten the balance of the world, so the Runestaff is acting to bring things back into equilibrium.

When Count Trott’s expedition fails to return, King Huon decides to send a second mission to Amarekh. He chooses Baron Meliadus to lead it, and gives the baron free reign in selecting his troops and weapons. Meliadus equips the greatest warships of Granbretan, the Aral Wilsn, the Blansacredid and the Skvese with Baron Kalan’s new engines, and fills them with men from Beast Orders loyal to him. The second Amarekh Expedition launches from Londra, then turns right around and attacks the city. The revolt has begun.

Aided by the Great Good Ones, Hawkmoon and D’Averc are returned to the parallel Kamarg. There, they plan a guerrilla campaign against the Empire – they will cross over with the rings of Mygan, attack with the Legion of the Dawn, then vanish back to the Kamarg once more, slowly bleeding the Dark Empire until all Europe rises up in revolt. Before they can put this plan into action, they
are attacked – Taragorm of the Palace of Time managed to recapture Tozer, and used his knowledge to locate the dimension where the Kamarg was hidden. Now, he has built a machine that disrupts the crystal devices – it shatters fi rst the rings, then the engine from Soryandum. Castle Brass and Aigues-Mortes return to their original location, materialising in a ruined and blasted Kamarg. In Londra, the war continues. More than half the city has been taken by Meliadus, and the troops returning from the continent now waver in their loyalty to the King-Emperor. Kalan’s new siege weapons prove effective, if unpredictable – the explosion of an acid cannon kills Taragorm. Still, victory is within Meliadus’ grasp, and he leads the assault on the throne room himself. He destroys the throneglobeand slays King-Emperor Huon, although he is temporarily blinded in the attack. Flana is crowned Queen-Empress of Granbretan, and the civil war ends, although some rebels continue to fight the new regime. The battles were absolutely disastrous for Granbretan – much of Londra is now rubble, and half the fi ghting men are wounded or dead. Still, Meliadus is now effectively the ruler of all of Europe. Hearing of the return of Castle Brass, Kalan also reactivates an old weapon – the machine of the Black Jewel, which is still embedded in Hawkmoon’s skull.

The Orkneyman arrives at Castle Brass, bearing six gifts – mirrored helms, the Runestaff’s answer to the bestial helms of the Dark Empire. Wearing the helms, Hawkmoon, Oladahn, D’Averc, Count Brass, Bowgentle and Yisselda ride out to war, at the head of the tiny army of the Kamarg. They find a Europe largely abandoned by the Empire’s forces, as all the warriors were called to the civil war in Londra. They encounter little resistance until they reach the Silver Bridge.

The last battle takes place on the outskirts of Londra. Thousands are slain. Oladahn is killed by axe men. Bowgentle is brought down by a horde of pikemen. Count Brass kills three Grand Constables of the Beast Orders in a single combat, but is killed by a spearman who strikes him from behind. D’Averc breaks through the lines and reaches the throne room of Queen Flana – but he is killed by a flame-lancer before he can embrace her. Hawkmoon and Meliadus meet in single combat. The Black Jewel nearly consumes Hawkmoon’s mind, but the Runestaff protects him. With the last of his strength, Hawkmoon kills Meliadus, then collapses as Dark Empire forces swarm over the army of the Kamarg…

…but he awakens to find himself in Kalan’s laboratory. The sorcerer restores Hawkmoon’s health and sanity, then departs to kill himself. With Meliadus’ death, Queen-Emperor Flana took command of the Dark Empire army and ordered them to lay down their arms. She resolves to reform Granbretan, to dissolve the Beast Orders and to build a new and better world. Londra will be abandoned; the madness is over. Its work done, Orland Fank takes the Runestaff and the other relics back into his custody. The balance is restored.

The two survivors, Hawkmoon and Yisselda, return to the Kamarg to rebuild their home and raise their children.

Here ends the History of the Runestaff series.