Grief-stricken over the mysterious death of his beloved wife, the vampire known as Elliott Sinclair is sinking into lethargy and despair. When a mysterious enemy assails his people, he rouses himself to command the defence, only to discover that he and his clan are merely pawns in a deadly game between two ancient undead. It is a duel that has raged since the dawn of civilization. And the unseen puppet master who has secretly guided the destiny of Elliott and his friends is willing to sacrifice every piece on the chessboard in order to checkmate her opponent. On A Darkling Plain is a paperback World of Darkness novel and a tale of the Jyhad, the age-old clandestine war among vampires that has shaped the course of human and vampire history. Richard Lee Byers is the author of numerous short stories and ten previously published novels, and has contributed to several White Wolf Publishing anthologies as well as writing the recent World of Darkness novel Caravan of Shadows.