Ghosts, Gods, and Sea Monsters
Saga of the Outer Islands
Book One: Ghosts of the Sea Moon
Book Two: Souls of the Dark Sea
Book Three: Renegades of the Lost Sea
Free companion prequel story:
Come join Rafe Morrow on his first adventure as captain of the Celestial Jewel. Sail with him and his mysterious passenger on a journey to the Stone Fire Islands.
A Saga of the Outer Islands companion short story.
Download for free
Map of the Outer Islands
(not to scale)
Map of the Realms of the Gods
(not to scale)
Book One: Ghosts of the Sea Moon
In the Outer Islands, gods and magic rule the ocean.
Under the command of Captain Rafe Morrow, the crew of the Celestial Jewel ferry souls to the After World and defend the seas. Rafe has dedicated his life to protecting the lost, but the tides have shifted and times have changed.
His sister, the Goddess of the Moon, is on a rampage and her monsters are terrorizing the islands. The survival of the living and dead hinge on the courage and cunning of a beleaguered captain and his motley crew of men and ghosts.
What he doesn’t know is that her threat is part of a larger game. That an ancient, black-winged malevolence is using them all as pawns…
Come set sail with ghosts, gods and sea monsters.
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Excerpt from Ghosts of the Sea Moon
Chapter One
The Captain
Captain Rafe Morrow paced the quarterdeck of his ship, Celestial Jewel, the signs of an oncoming squall setting him on edge. Blustering wind rattled the sails and the crew’s nerves, their usual jaunty hubbub reduced to grumbling and snipes. Trouble travelled on that wind. Rafe could smell it woven in the air, and his blood prickled with a sense of worry. The ship trembled as if with warning. He glared at the sky and its darkening clouds painted amber and crimson from the setting sun. A storm sky coming ahead of a full moon meant dark magic and sea monsters would prowl the waves this night.
The Moon Goddess will hold sway tonight.
A trickle of blue energy raced across the back of his hand at the thought.
Damn her…and her beasts.
On the breath of a sigh, he whirled to face his crew. “Storm’s coming, boys. Doesn’t bode well, not with the moonrise tonight.”
“How long, Captain? Will we be in the thick of the weather or just what comes after?” A rough-edged sailor, Pinky Jasper, spoke up, but all ears of the deck crew listened for an answer.
“It’s coming within an hour or two, out from Raven Rock, by my reckoning. After nightfall by certain. We’re heading in, boys, but we’ll likely hit the edge of it.” He heaved a breath, exhaling. “It’ll be a bad one even for this crew so expect trouble.”
A shiver of tension settled over the deck. Some of the crew cast worried glances at the sea and each other. Others shivered, and a few more whispered prayers. Storms brought bad memories and nervous anticipation to the sailors of this ship.
“Which port then, Captain?” The mariner at the ship’s wheel chimed in. “Might make Abersythe if we head north.”
“We might, Anders. But we head east. We’ll race the edge of the tempest, but it’s closer and the ship will find better shelter anchored at Crickwell Island.”
“Aye, sir. Laying in course to Crickwell Island.” One-Eyed Anders turned the wheel and the ship’s bones groaned. Others of the crew adjusted the sails, and the Celestial Jewel leaned into her new bearing headed east.
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Characters in Ghosts of the Sea Moon
The Crew of the Celestial Jewel
Captain Rafe Morrow
First Mate Elliot Blackthorne
Hugh Corwin
One-Eyed Anders
Short Davy
Quiet Peter
Pinky Jasper
Mouse
Striker Angus
The Gods
Goddess of the Moon
Cylla, Keeper of the Gate in the Isle of Shadows
Lynna, Goddess of the Sea
Aryna, Goddess of the Wind
Reis, Sovereign of the Gods
Bevire, Goddess of Shadows and Night
Partial List of Sea Monsters
Kraken
Blood Fin Titan
Scuttle Squids
Black Sea Wyrms
Wolf Eels
Deep Water Basilisk
Book Two: Souls of the Dark Sea
From the depths, darkness is rising…
Something ancient and powerful stirs beneath the sea of the Outer Islands. A creature strong enough to challenge Captain Rafe Morrow, God of Souls, for control of the dead and the survival of the living.
Still reeling from the aftermath of his battle with the Goddess of the Moon, Rafe and the crew of the Celestial Jewel find a mysterious shipwreck and strange tales of bones. Tasked by a new ally to find answers, Rafe stumbles on long-buried secrets shrouded in the shadows of the Nightmare Crow.
Now armies of the dead ascend from the ocean. And their master is not far behind.
Set sail on a new adventure with ghosts, gods and sea monsters!
Teaser Trailer
Raven Rock and the Pirate Keys (not to scale)
Characters in Souls of the Dark Sea
The Crew of the Celestial Jewel
Captain Rafe Morrow
First Mate Elliot Blackthorne
One-Eyed Anders
Striker Angus
Short Davy
Pinky Jasper
Quiet Peter
Mouse
Red Wilson
Josiah Collins
The Gods
Goddess of the Moon
Lynna, Goddess of the Sea
Bevire, Goddess of Shadows and Night
Ulerne the Hunter
Goddess of Death
Other Characters
Hugh Corwin
The Grey Sisters
Old Mother Abel
Jainna, the Oracle
Rayla, High Priestess
Captain Eva Erikson
The Royal Navy and the Seven Kingdoms
Commander Augustus Quartermain Pelham
Lieutenant Commander Francis Montague
Lieutenant Vaughan
Lord Merrill
Book Three: Renegades of the Lost Sea
A god, his mother, and a Nightmare Crow.
Old enemies surface once again and undead pirates roam the seas. The man he killed, Black Axe Morgan, has returned for revenge on Captain Rafe Morrow, while from the shadows the Nightmare Crow reveals his true self. The two form an alliance and bring mayhem to the seas, all to draw out Captain Morrow and his crew.
Yet, this time, Rafe doesn’t face his enemies alone. Death walks the Outer Islands to save her son and the Sovereign of the Gods leads Captain Morrow past all the lies to the truth. The fate of Chaos and Harmony itself hangs in the balance of this fight.
Will centuries of schemes and plans reforge the bond of the realms, or will the Seven Kingdoms and the Outer Islands fall?
Can the God of Souls find his destiny before it is too late?
The endgame of gods begins…
Map of the Wakeford Islands and the Outlaw Keys (not to scale)
© All Rights Reserved A. F. Stewart
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For a bit of ambient atmosphere check out this mix of a sailing ship.
https://ship.ambient-mixer.com/sailing-ship-at-sea
