Under the Witches' Moon: A Romantic Tale of Mediaeval Rome

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

44827

Title

Under the Witches' Moon: A Romantic Tale of Mediaeval Rome

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in 1335 Rome, this romantic tale follows Tristan of Avalon, a weary pilgrim drawn into a web of sorcery and political intrigue. Amidst the Feast of St. John, he encounters the sinister Grand Chamberlain Basil and the enigmatic Theodora. Blending medieval mysticism with gothic romance, the story explores themes of love, magic, and the impending apocalypse as dark forces threaten the Eternal City.

Summary up to 500 words

Set against the backdrop of Rome in 1335, on the eve of St. John's Feast, *Under the Witches' Moon* by Nathan Gallizier weaves a tale of supernatural conspiracy and romantic peril. The story follows Tristan of Avalon, a dreamer from the distant land of Avalon, who arrives in the Eternal City as a solitary pilgrim amidst a motley crowd celebrating the festival. While the Piazza Navona buzzes with the sounds of music, incense, and revelry, Tristan feels isolated by the frivolity of the season. His solitude is shattered by the arrival of Basil, the Grand Chamberlain, a nobleman of dark elegance, and his hunchbacked companion, Il Gobbo. They speak ominously of a new master for Rome and the sorceress Theodora, hinting at a sinister plot involving the Emperor's Tomb and the powers of darkness. Tristan is soon captured and imprisoned within the Emperor's Tomb, a place of living death where he fears for the safety of his beloved, Hellayne, who is held in a convent. In his cell, he overhears Basil and his Persian companion, Hormazd, plotting to summon a 'Nameless Presence' and discussing the death of Alberic. Tristan realizes he is merely a pawn in a cosmic struggle between Light and Darkness. Haunted by thoughts of Hellayne and suspicious of a trap set by the monk Odo of Cluny, he endures torture and silence while the tension escalates. The conspiracy deepens when Hormazd is smuggled into the tomb's crypts only to be trapped when the door is shut, causing the prisoners to scream in madness. Maraglia, the Castellan, exhibits signs of demonic possession, transforming into a bat, confirming Tristan's fears of Satan's influence. The narrative expands through chapters filled with magical spells, dream visions of the Lady of Avalon, and the dangerous game of love orchestrated by Theodora. As the story progresses, the machinations of devil worship, broken spells, and a black mass threaten to consume the city. Tristan must navigate these supernatural threats, sharpened by his predicament, to save Hellayne and expose the evil designs of Basil and his allies before the end of time arrives. The novel blends historical atmosphere with gothic romance, exploring themes of faith, destiny, and the eternal battle between good and evil in a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural are dangerously blurred.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Romance
• History
• Fiction