Fiends of Nightmaria (Malazan – Bauchelain & Korbal Broach)

A new novella from New York Times bestselling author Steven Erikson, set in the world of the Malazan Book of the Fallen
The king is dead, long live King Bauchelain the First, crowned by the newly-cassocked Grand Bishop Korbal Broach. Both are, of course, ably assisted in the running of the Kingdom of Farrog by their slowly unravelling manservant, Emancipor Reese. However, tensions are mounting between Farrog and the neighbouring country of Nightmaria, the mysterious home of the Fiends. Their ambassador, Ophal D Neeth Flatroq, seeks an audience with King Bauchelain, who has thus far rebuffed his overtures. But the evil necromancer has some other things on his plate.

To quell potential rebellion nearly all the artists, poets, and bard wannabes in the city have been put to death. A few survivors languish in the dungeons, bemoaning their fates. Well, just moaning in general really… and maybe plotting escape and revenge. An added complication is that the Indifferent God is loose somewhere in the bowels of the castle.