Before the Mask is a novel by Michael Williams and Teri Williams. It is the first book in the Villains series.

The novel follows the early life of Verminaard of Nidus before the events of Dragons of Autumn Twilight.

Blurb

In the bleak Khalkist Mountains on a stormy winter night, a child is born amid hard words, ill will, and the ominous prophecy of a druidess. Young Verminaard grows up unlovely and unloved, trading friends and family for a dark romance with an evil, mysterious Voice and the sinister weapon it comes to inhabit.

Plot summary

The young Verminaard was delivered by the druidess L'Indasha Yman in the Khalkist Mountains, when the Solamnic lord Daeghrefn brought his pregnant wife through the mountains. As his wife died during childbirth, the Solamnic Knight raged and seethed, knowing that the newly-born babe was not his. Seeing a cat walk through the cave with a dead mouse in it's mouth, Daeghrefn named the child 'Verminaard', "for he is vermin, dwelling in darkness and filth, like his damned father".

Verminaard grew up in Nidus, as the unwanted second son of Daeghrefn, brother to Abelaard. The young lad did not resemble his father or brother in any way, but rather he did look like the young mirror image of the neighbouring lord Laca Dragonbane of East Borders. When the boy was twelve, Daeghrefn engineered a gebo-naud, in which he would exchange his "son" Verminaard with Laca's son Aglaca, in exchange for peace and a united front with East Borders against the Nerakan hordes. However the young mage Cerestes announced that the gebo-naud must have an exchange of eldest for eldest, and rather than Verminaard going to East Borders, his brother Abelaard was traded instead.

Over the next few years, Aglaca and Verminaard grew up together, becoming promising young warriors, however whereas Aglaca was pure of heart, Verminaard seemed to bear a darker spirit and certainly darker thoughts. Throughout his young life he heard a Voice, of someone whispering to him of dark things and guiding him along a certain path. He was guided by the Voice into rescuing the druidess Judyth from Neraka, aided by Aglaca. On the return journey, Verminaard left Judyth and Aglaca and found himself wandering into a cave. Within the cave, the young warrior came across the magical mace Nightbringer, and the Voice guided him into taking the weapon, with promises of glory and power. Verminaard claimed the power and embraced the power of Takhisis, proclaiming himself as her willing servant.

On his return to Nidus and wielding Nightbringer, Verminaard killed marauding ogres, saving the soldiers of Castle Nidus, and his father Daeghrefn. Even with these acts, Daeghrefn still could not accept Verminaard, hardening the young man's heart even further. With the aid of the mage Cerestes, Verminaard took control of the garrison at Nidus, and ultimately became the Lord of Nidus, succeeding his father. Aglaca made a desperate attempt to turn Verminaard from the path of darkness, and threatened Cerestes, realising that the mage was actually a Red Dragon and the root of the evil whispers in Verminaard's ear. However when given the choice over who he would aid, Verminaard chose Cerestes, and slew his brother Aglaca.

Cerestes revealed himself as the red dragon Ember, who had been sent from Takhisis to this promising young warrior, to watch over him and guide him towards the dark path. The pair then set off together, blazing fiery death onto East Borders and Nidus, before setting off westwards to find greater glory.

Appearances