Lace Masque

Masque: noun- a covering for all or part of the face, worn as
a disguise, or to amuse or frighten others.
Synonyms: veil; disguise; false face; masquerade

5yr old Markeesa is masked as were all the Crown Princesses before her. She loathes the masque that seemed to make her invisible, a hated non-person. No one had seen her face, not even the Hands that waited on her. At 18 she was to marry a man she had never seen, a Crown Prince from the fabled floating island of Shaft. She wondered if he would think she was pretty. Would he like her face? Would he even like her?

Turn is a land of Dragonkin, Bioids that were part mech, part human. Rope Folk hang from dizzying heights by their talons. The Feyreh, the Dark Souls and the Red Legion, with the strange imago are all pulled into a war that would cost more lives than anyone had ever dreamed. Two women, unearthly in their beauty, and an imago who is more powerful than any magic user before them, are at the center of the intrigue. With all Turn heading toward Gear City, will the mad King and his Changeling sons and his pet imago Randis succeed in making Turn their own? They have a secret weapon, an army of monstrous Darklings hidden beneath the very noses of their allies. With advanced mechtech that will destroy cities and people within moments, how can our allies hope to win? Throughout this deadly path to war, a giant black Raven sees everything. Sent by the Maker to ensure that everyone is where they should be for the final confrontation. All Turn is in an upheaval, moving toward Gear City, the largest and most heavily populated Capital City on Turn. With a population of 3 million lives, Gear City is one of the major hubs of steamtech society. Built upon three gigantic turning gears that turn so slowly it is barely noticed. Each gear has three different branches of society, from the civic centers and the palace on gear 1 to the living areas in the fountain district on gear 2, and the famous open markets on gear 3. Twice a cycle, Nomads from all over the Flatlands bring their wares to the third gear. It is a time a great festivities and major spending. All Turn looks forward to these festival occasions. With all Gear City represents to all the inhabitants of Turn, to have it wiped out in moments was inconceivable. Unexpected allies are found in the strangest of places and monsters are not what they seem. Who can they trust when they have been betrayed over and over again? But with the allies all coming together at the last, will they be enough, and will they be in time to save the millions being set up to die in Gear City?