The Origin of the Tale

The inspiration for this story took root as April 1st approached. While discussing the Swedish tradition of April Fool’s pranks and its global counterparts at the office, a question arose: ”Is this day celebrated in the world of Naissus as well?” That single spark of curiosity became the seed for this tale… a story about the power of conviction and the weight of a sacred relic.

About the Story: The Relic of Saint Jacob of Lublin

In the quiet, stone-walled halls of the Western Scriptorium, Brother Mateusz has spent his youth copying the words of greater men, his fingers stained with ink and his heart hungry for a purpose that truly matters.

His prayers are answered when he is unexpectedly entrusted with a task of immense gravity: guarding a holy relic… the finger bone of Saint Jacob of Lublin.

As whispers of the relic’s presence spread through the city of Bishop’s Rest, a simple test of discipline transforms into something far more powerful. Mateusz finds himself leading a new brotherhood, the Custodes Reliquiae, bound by a solemn oath to protect the sacred at any cost.

Inlägget Happy Easter, everyone! dök först upp på Naissusbooks.

Hello again!

It’s been a little while since we last spoke. March has been an incredibly intense month with many projects in motion, but the lion’s share of my time has been dedicated to one thing: finalizing the sixth installment of the A Naissus Legend series, A Vow in Smoke.

I am working closely with my editor, Morgan Wyn-Jones, and we are making great strides. The manuscript is now very close to being finished, and seeing it all come together is an incredible feeling.

A 15-Year Journey

Writing Pawel’s story has been a deeply rewarding experience. Over the course of 15 years (in the story’s timeline), I’ve watched him grow, face impossible challenges, and ultimately find himself. Now that I’m nearing the end of this particular road, I’ve finally had the space to look back on the process as a whole.

As I’ve mentioned before, I consider myself a ”Gardener” when it comes to writing. Throughout the creation of these books, the world has grown organically; I’ve learned more about the characters with every chapter, and it’s been amazing to see exactly where this journey has taken them.

To My Readers

I also want to take a moment to thank you. Seeing the response from all of you… on Amazon, Goodreads, through emails, and beyond… truly warms my heart. Knowing that these stories have touched you means the world to me, and I am incredibly grateful for your support.

When you’re deep in the ”writing zone,” it’s easy to lose perspective (or get ”speed-blind,” as we say in Sweden). Taking a moment to stop and look at how the world of Naissus has expanded is a powerful experience. It’s been equally fulfilling to keep populating this website with more and more Lore for you to explore.

My First Full-Length Novel

I am so excited to hear what you think of this final chapter in Pawel’s journey. This has been the most challenging book for me to write, but also the most rewarding. It also marks a new milestone for me: A Vow in Smoke is my first full-length novel, following the previous installments which were novellas.

Thank you for your interest and for making this project possible.

May Orion’s light forever guide you through the darkness.

Best regards,

Markus Vasily Vikander

Inlägget The End of an Era: Reflections on Pawel’s Journey and ”A Vow in Smoke” dök först upp på Naissusbooks.

The final installment in A Naissus Legend is almost here.

A Vow in Smoke is now available for preorder on Amazon ahead of its official release on April 25, 2026.

As Pawel rides back into Eastgate alongside the mysterious Julie, old oaths, buried wounds, and the weight of everything he has survived begin to close in around him. What awaits is not only a new road, but the reckoning of a life shaped by duty, pain, and the choices that can never be undone.

This is the concluding chapter of A Naissus Legend — the final step in Pawel’s journey before the larger saga of Naissus continues.

Preorder your copy now on Amazon and be ready when A Vow in Smoke releases on April 25, 2026.

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A new lore update is now live on the website, shining a colder, sharper light on one of Naissus’s most feared and misunderstood bloodlines: House Volkov, rulers of Volchy Gorod and the frost-bound valley that refuses to thaw.

In this update, you’ll learn why Volchy was never truly “tamed” like the other duchies… and why the Volkovs have always stood apart—half ally, half omen—since the earliest days of Orion’s rebellion.

Inside the new entry, you’ll discover:

• The Last Frost Tsar, Vsevolod Sviatoslavich Volkov (Born 44 BR – Died 34 AR) — the founder who fought beside Orion while refusing to kneel to any foreign authority.
• The legend of the Twin Blades of Moroznyi Volk, the icy sabres said to be harder than steel, and the ancient symbol of Volchy sovereignty.
• The Dance of Wolves, Volchy’s brutal civil war, and the Volkovs who reshaped the valley through blood and fear.
• The political turning point that forced Volchy into a rare compromise with the Church—creating the only duchy where two faiths endure side by side: Orion’s worship and Volchy’s ancient devotion to the Frost Wolf, the Storm Bear, and the Spring Stag.
• The era of “the Open Wolf,” when Volchy came closer to acceptance than it ever has before… and why history still refused to forgive old prejudice.
• And finally, the current ruler: Duke Dimitrij Volkov ”the Impaler” whose border war with Eastgate has left the realm watching the mountains with held breath, waiting for the moment war finally breaks.

If you’ve ever wondered what Volchy truly is… beyond the Naissus myths of “barbarians in fur”… this update is for you. House Volkov is not just a noble line. It is a warning written into the snow.

The lore entry is now available on the website.

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It’s time.

Tomorrow you can download and read the first three chapters of: A Vow in Smoke – A Naissus Legend 6… the final chapter in Pawel’s legend.

This is where everything tightens. Oaths, consequences, and the kind of smoke that doesn’t fade.

📥 Download link/file: 

And if you read it… tell me: what hit hardest? what are you worried is coming? I’d love to hear your theories.

Thank you for making this series possible.

Best regards: Markus Vasily Vikander

Inlägget Early access: The first 3 chapters of A Vow in Smoke are here dök först upp på Naissusbooks.

Hello again!

A lot has happened since the release of Threads in the Twilight, A Naissus Legend 5.

Now the sixth and final part of A Naissus Legend awaits.

The plan was always to release one installment per month starting in September 2025, with the final part arriving on February 25, 2026. An ambitious plan… and I’ve received many emails and messages from readers wondering how I’ve been able to release at that pace…
Did I use AI? Was everything already written?

The answer: Most of it was already written. When Cursed Child was released, the full manuscripts for parts 1–4 were already finished, and I was well underway with part 5.

After part two was released, I got in touch with Morgan Wyn-Jones, who offered to step in as Editor. In parallel with finishing part 5, we worked through the earlier manuscripts to improve grammar, remove careless mistakes, and strengthen the flow of the sentences (yes, simply the kind of work an editor helps an author with).

Which brings us to part 6.

What was originally meant to be a novella like the previous installments grew over time. I realized I couldn’t give Pawel’s journey the ending it deserved in just 30–40k words. I’m now sitting on a manuscript of roughly 87k words… meaning it’s a full-length novel.

Morgan and I have concluded that a thorough editorial process simply cannot be completed with February as the deadline. And since we want to deliver the highest quality experience possible for you, our readers, we have no choice but to move the release date to April 30, 2026.

That’s a deadline we feel confident we can meet, while delivering a worthy ending to this series.

All of us working with Naissus books (a team that, to my great joy, has grown to three people, entirely thanks to your support) want to give something back and make sure you don’t feel empty-handed this month. That’s why, at the end of February, we’ll be releasing the first three chapters of part 6 on our Patreon for FREE.

More updates will follow, and we have several exciting things planned for you.

From all of us, I want to say: THANK YOU. Thank you for reading, thank you for being part of this journey… and above all, thank you for making this possible.

Sincerely,
Markus Vasily Vikander
and the Naissus Team

Inlägget Part 6 Is Bigger Than Planned (Here’s Why) dök först upp på Naissusbooks.

We’ve updated the page to give you a deeper look into the Hussar Order and the Church of Orion. Fans who have followed Pawel’s journey already know he is a brother-knight of the order—but what oath did he swear? How does one become a Hussar? And what exactly is the church he has vowed to protect? Discover the answers and uncover the mysteries behind his sacred path.

New sections have been added to the website detailing the Church of Orion and the Hussar Order of Orion and the River—their origins, doctrine, hierarchy, and sacred duties within the Holy Northern Duchies.

Readers can now explore the full structure of the Church: its sacraments, commandments, priesthood, and authority, as well as the role it plays as both spiritual spine and governing force of the realm. The newly published texts also illuminate the Hussars—those sworn riders who serve as the Church’s shield and sword—covering their founding, patronage, vows, and the solemn path by which a man is unmade and reforged into a Brother of the Star.

These additions deepen the understanding of faith, power, and obligation in the setting, and provide essential context for the Covenant, the Twelve Tribes, and the forces that defend them against heresy, disorder, and the creeping dark.

Further texts and expansions will follow in time.
For now, let Orions light shine upon you all, and illuminate the dark.

Inlägget New Lore Added: The Church of Orion and the Hussar Order dök först upp på Naissusbooks.

You can now read new lore on the website covering the Church of Orion… its beliefs, sacraments, hierarchy, and the vows of the Hussar Order… alongside expanded pages for the Holy Northern Duchies, including their politics, culture, and the rival houses that keep them sharp.

If you want a clearer picture of what Naissus is (and what it fears), this is the best place to start.

Go explore the new sections now… and keep your eye on the road. The Light is never free.

It’s been deeply rewarding for me as a writer to flesh out the duchies… and the Church, which is so central to the stories. Exploring this world in greater depth has given me a surge of inspiration and a whole slate of new ideas for future books.

But don’t worry: my full focus remains on finishing the sixth and final installment of Pawel’s legend.

Until next time / Markus Vasily Vikander

Inlägget New Lore Drop: The Church of Orion & the Holy Northern Duchies dök först upp på Naissusbooks.

The Duchy of Eastgate now has its own lore page—ready to explore.

Eastgate is Naissus’ hard eastern coast: a land of relentless winds, fertile fields, and harbors that never truly sleep. It is also one of the most religiously shaped regions in the realm—where the Church’s influence is woven into everyday life, where cathedrals and abbeys rise like landmarks of power, and where old fears still cast long shadows.

On the page you’ll find:

• A rich overview of Eastgate’s origin and identity
• The capital Jarosgrad and its place as both port-city and holy seat
• The duchy’s three regions: Wind Hills, Hinterlands, and Southlands
• Key cities and the baronial houses that rule them—each with their own history, duties, and reputation

If you’re following the Naissus saga, this is one of the most important pieces of the map to know—because Eastgate is more than a borderland.

It’s a gate.

And gates are never neutral.

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It’s official — we’re starting a fantasy podcast!

Welcome to The Naissus Podcast, where we react, discuss, and geek out over fantasy worlds, characters, and stories — from new episodes to big theories and everything in between.

Episode 1 is live now, and we’re kicking things off with our thoughts on HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Episode 1).

Hosted by Markus Vasily Vikander & Emanuel Turesson
Produced and edited by Hagge Haglund

Drop in and tell us what you think: 

Inlägget We now have a Podcast! dök först upp på Naissusbooks.