The Great Leveler

Book

Before They Are Hanged

POV

Location

Chronology
Preceded by	Followed by
The Tools we Have	Best Laid Plans

“	Death that is. He levels all differences. Named Men and nobodies, south or north. He catches everyone in the end, and treats each man the same.¹	”
	— The Dogman

The Great Leveler is the first chapter in Before They Are Hanged.

Chapter Summary[]

Dogman and his companions traverse through the mist-covered lands of Angland, amidst a war that isn't theirs to fight. The mist obscures their vision and amplifies their fears. They are in a hostile territory, where being caught by either Bethod's forces or the Union could mean a gruesome death.

Dogman's anxiety is further heightened when he stumbles upon a corpse by the river, a victim of the ongoing war, with a broken spear lodged in its back. The sight of death, referred to as the "Great Leveller" by Dogman, is a grim reminder of the indiscriminate nature of war, where death spares no one, be it a Named Man or a nobody.

As Dogman ventures further, he discovers more bodies, each in a grotesque state, showcasing the brutal reality of war. His fear propels him to rush back to his companions, abandoning the cautious approach a scout should maintain. His haste proves nearly fatal when he is attacked and almost strangled by one of his own, Black Dow, who mistakes him for an enemy scout due to the mist and the tense circumstances. He mocks him as he pulls him to his feet. It isn’t just a few bodies, but an entire battlefield spread throughout the valley of Black Well. Although some of the bodies are Northmen, the vast majority are Union corpses.

Dogman and his companions witness the aftermath of a brutal battle between the Union and Bethod's forces. The sight of the dead scattered across the valley brings back haunting memories for Dogman. Threetrees, the group's leader, deduces the tactical missteps of the Union and praises Bethod's strategic prowess, albeit with disdain. Despite the grim scene, Threetrees believes this is just the beginning of a larger conflict, as the Union has vast resources and will likely send more troops.

The group reaches a crowded gate outside the city of Ostenhorm, the capital of Angland, where desperate refugees are being denied entry by the Union soldiers. Among the crowd, Dogman and Threetrees attempt to offer their services to the Union's King, hoping to find a place amidst the ongoing war. They are met with mockery and disdain by a young Union officer who dismisses their offer and insults them. Threetrees, known for his patience, holds back his anger but makes a veiled threat before they retreat from the gate.

Characters[]

Introduced	Appeared	Mentioned
	The Dogman	Bethod
	Black Dow
	Rudd Threetrees
	Tul Duru Thunderhead
	Harding Grim

Locations and Terms[]

References[]

For good men or evil men, no matter the noble deeds you've done in life, they don't matter, after death there’s nothing on the other side anyway. It's a bit of a depressing place really.

Chapters in The First Law
The Blade Itself Part 1	▪ Prologue: The End ▪ 1. The Survivors ▪ 2. Questions ▪ 3. No Choice at All ▪ 4. Playing With Knives ▪ 5. Teeth and Fingers ▪ 6. The Wide and Barren North ▪ 7. Fencing Practice ▪ 8. The Morning Ritual ▪ 9. First of the Magi ▪ 10. The Good Man ▪ 11. On the List ▪ 12. An Offer and a Gift ▪ 13. The King of the Northmen ▪ 14. A Road Between Two Dentists ▪ 15. Flatheads ▪ 16. The Course of True Love ▪ 15. How Dogs are Trained ▪ 16. Tea and Vengeance
The Blade Itself Part 2	▪ 17. What Freedom Looks Like ▪ 18. The King’s Justice ▪ 19. Means of Escape ▪ 20. Three Signs ▪ 21. The Theatrical Outfitter’s ▪ 22. Barbarians at the Gate ▪ 23. Next ▪ 24. Better than Death ▪ 25. Sore Thumb ▪ 26. Questions ▪ 27. Nobility ▪ 28. Dark Work ▪ 29. Words and Dust ▪ 30. The Remarkable Talents of Brother Longfoot ▪ 31. Her Kind Fight Everything ▪ 32. She Loves Me ... Not ▪ 33. The Seed ▪ 34. Never Bet Against a Magus ▪ 35. The Ideal Audience ▪ 36. The House of the Maker ▪ 37. Nobody’s Dog ▪ 38. Each Man Worships Himself ▪ 39. Old Friends ▪ 40. Back to the Mud ▪ 41. Misery ▪ 42. The Bloody-Nine ▪ 43. The Tools we Have
Before They Are Hanged Part 1	▪ 1. The Great Leveler ▪ 2. Best Laid Plans ▪ 3. Questions ▪ 4. The Wounds of the Past ▪ 5. The Condition of the Defences ▪ 6. The Thing About Trust ▪ 7. Allies ▪ 8. Campfire Politics ▪ 9. Small Crimes ▪ 10. Rain ▪ 11. Bloody Company ▪ 12. Long Shadows ▪ 13. And next… My Gold ▪ 14. Fear ▪ 15. One Hundred Words ▪ 16. The Blind Lead the Blind ▪ 17. Prince Ladisla’s Stratagem ▪ 18. Until Sunset ▪ 19. Long Odds ▪ 20. The Road to Victory ▪ 21. Necessary Evils ▪ 22. Among the Stones ▪ 23. The Fruits of Boldness ▪ 24. One for Dinner ▪ 25. One of Them
Before They Are Hanged Part 2	▪ 26. Heading North ▪ 27. Scant Mercy ▪ 28. So This is Pain ▪ 29. One Step at a Time ▪ 30. The Rest is Wasted Breath ▪ 31. A Matter of Time ▪ 32. Scars ▪ 33. Furious ▪ 34. To the Last Man ▪ 35. Jewel of Cities ▪ 36. Luck ▪ 37. Beneath the Ruins ▪ 38. No Good for Each Other ▪ 39. The Hero’s Welcome ▪ 40. Cold Comfort ▪ 41. The High Places ▪ 42. Coming Over ▪ 43. Cheap at the Price ▪ 44. To the Edge of the World ▪ 45. Before the Storm ▪ 46. Questions ▪ 47. Holding the Line ▪ 48. A Fitting Punishment ▪ 49. The Abode of Stones ▪ 50. Back to the Mud
Last Argument of Kings Part 1	▪ 1. The Poison Trade ▪ 2. Being Chief ▪ 3. This Noble Business ▪ 4. The New Man ▪ 5. Feeding Time ▪ 6. So Much In Common ▪ 7. Honesty ▪ 8. Ghosts ▪ 9. Bad Debts ▪ 10. A Ragged Multitude ▪ 11. Beloved Of The Moon ▪ 12. Flowers And Plaudits ▪ 13. Too Many Knives ▪ 14. Best Of Enemies ▪ 15. Fortunes Of War ▪ 16. The Kingmaker ▪ 17. The Trap ▪ 18. Horrible Old Men ▪ 19. Prepared For The Worst ▪ 20. The Habit Of Command ▪ 21. The First Day ▪ 22. Such Sweet Sorrow ▪ 23. Picked Up A Shadow ▪ 24. Questions ▪ 25. The Fourth Day ▪ 26. The Perfect Couple ▪ 27. The Seventh Day ▪ 28. Too Many Masters ▪ 29. Sweet Victory ▪ 30. Rude Awakenings
Last Argument of Kings Part 2	▪ 31. The Number Of The Dead ▪ 32. Leaves On The Water ▪ 33. Authority ▪ 34. The Circle ▪ 35. Greater Good ▪ 36. Skarling’s Chair ▪ 37. Leadership ▪ 38. A Rock And A Hard Place ▪ 39. Charity ▪ 40. Better Left Buried ▪ 41. Tomorrow’s Hero ▪ 42. Nightfall ▪ 43. Questions ▪ 44. The Day Of Judgement ▪ 45. Sacrifices ▪ 46. Open The Box ▪ 47. Dark Paths ▪ 48. Reckoning ▪ 49. After The Rains ▪ 50. Answers ▪ 51. The Wounded ▪ 52. Patriotic Duties ▪ 53. The First Law ▪ 54. Tea And Threats ▪ 55. Behind The Throne ▪ 56. Good Men, Evil Men ▪ 57. Not What You Wanted ▪ 58. Loose Ends ▪ 59. The Beginning
Best Served Cold	▪ 1. Benna Murcatto Saves a Life ▪ 2. PART I: TALINS ▪ 3. Land of Opportunity ▪ 4. The Bone-Thief ▪ 5. Fish out of Water ▪ 6. Six and One ▪ 7. Bloody Instruction ▪ 8. PART II: WESTPORT ▪ 9. Poison ▪ 10. Science and Magic ▪ 11. The Safest Place in the World ▪ 12. Evil Friends ▪ 13. Two Twos ▪ 14. Plans and Accidents▪ 15. Repaid in Full ▪ 16. PART III: SIPANI ▪ 17. Fogs and Whispers ▪ 18. The Arts of Persuasion ▪ 19. The Life of the Drinker ▪ 20. Left Out ▪ 21. A Few Bad Men ▪ 22. The Peacemakers ▪ 23. Cooking up Trouble ▪ 24. Sex and Death ▪ 25. That’s Entertainment ▪ 26. What Happened ▪ 27. PART IV: VISSERINE ▪ 28. Vengeance, Then ▪ 29. Downwards ▪ 30. Rats in a Sack ▪ 31. The Forlorn Hope ▪ 32. Mercy and Cowardice ▪ 33. The Odd Couple ▪ 34. Darkness ▪ 35. The Connoisseur ▪ 36. Vile Jelly ▪ 37. Other People’s Scores ▪ 38. The Fencing Master ▪ 39. PART V: PURANTI ▪ 40. Sixes ▪ 41. The Eye-Maker ▪ 42. Prince of Prudence ▪ 43. Neither Rich nor Poor ▪ 44. Heroic Efforts, New Beginnings ▪ 45. The Traitor ▪ 46. King of Poisons ▪ 47. No Worse ▪ 48. Harvest Time ▪ 49. The Old New Captain General ▪ 50. PART VI: OSPRIA ▪ 51. His Plan of Attack ▪ 52. Politics ▪ 53. No More Delays ▪ 54. All Business ▪ 55. The Fate of Styria ▪ 56. To the Victors … ▪ 57. So Much for Nothing ▪ 58. Shifting Sands ▪ 59. PART VII: TALINS ▪ 60. Return of the Native ▪ 61. The Lion’s Skin ▪ 62. Preparation ▪ 63. Rules of War ▪ 64. One Nation ▪ 65. All Dust ▪ 66. The Inevitable ▪ 67. Thus the Whirligig … ▪ 68. Seeds ▪ 69. All Change ▪ 70. Happy Endings
The Heroes	BEFORE THE BATTLE ▪ 1. The Times ▪ 2. The Peacemaker ▪ 3. The Best of Us ▪ 4. Black Dow ▪ 5. What War? ▪ 6. Old Hands ▪ 7. New Hands ▪ 8. Reachey ▪ 9. The Right Thing DAY ONE ▪ 10. Silence ▪ 11. Ambition ▪ 12. Give and Take ▪ 13. The Very Model ▪ 14. Scale ▪ 15. Ours Not to Reason Why ▪ 16. Cry Havoc and … ▪ 17. Devoutly to be Wished ▪ 18. Casualties ▪ 19. The Better Part of Valour ▪ 20. Paths of Glory ▪ 21. The Day’s Work ▪ 22. The Defeated ▪ 23. Fair Treatment ▪ 24. Tactics ▪ 25. Rest and Recreation DAY TWO ▪ 26. Dawn ▪ 27. Opening Remarks ▪ 28. The Infernal Contraptions ▪ 29. Reasoned Debate ▪ 30. Chains of Command ▪ 31. Closing Arguments ▪ 32. Straight Edge ▪ 33. Escape ▪ 34. The Bridge ▪ 35. Strange Bedfellows ▪ 36. Hearts and Minds ▪ 37. Good Deeds ▪ 38. One Day More ▪ 39. Bones ▪ 40. The King's Last Hero ▪ 41. My Land DAY THREE ▪ 42. The Standard Issue ▪ 43. Shadows ▪ 44. Under the Wing ▪ 45. Names ▪ 46. Still Yesterday ▪ 47. For What We Are About to Receive … ▪ 48. The Riddle of the Ground ▪ 49. Onwards and Upwards ▪ 50. More Tricks ▪ 51. The Tyranny of Distance ▪ 52. Blood ▪ 53. Pointed Metal ▪ 54. Peace in Our Time ▪ 55. The Moment of Truth ▪ 56. Spoils ▪ 57. Desperate Measures ▪ 58. Stuff Happens AFTER THE BATTLE ▪ 59. End of the Road ▪ 60. By the Sword ▪ 61. The Currents of History ▪ 62. Terms ▪ 63. Family ▪ 64. New Hands ▪ 65. Old Hands ▪ 66. Everyone Serves ▪ 67. Just Deserts ▪ 68. Black Calder ▪ 69. Retired
Red Country	PART I: TROUBLE ▪ 1. Some Kind of Coward ▪ 2. The Easy Way ▪ 3. Just Men ▪ 4. The Best Man ▪ 5. All Got a Past ▪ 6. The Stolen PART II: FELLOWSHIP ▪ 7. Conscience and the Cock-Rot ▪ 8. New Lives ▪ 9. The Rugged Outdoorsman ▪ 10. Driftwood ▪ 11. Reasons ▪ 12. Oh God, the Dust ▪ 13. Sweet’s Crossing ▪ 14. Dreams ▪ 15. The Wrath of God ▪ 16. The Practical Thinkers ▪ 17. The Fair Price PART III: CREASE ▪ 18. Hell on the Cheap ▪ 19. Plots ▪ 20. Words and Graces ▪ 21. That Simple ▪ 22. Yesterday’s News ▪ 23. Blood Coming ▪ 24. The Sleeping Partner ▪ 25. Fun ▪ 26. High Stakes ▪ 27. Old Friends ▪ 28. Nowhere to Go PART IV: DRAGONS ▪ 29. In Threes ▪ 30. Among the Barbarians ▪ 31. Bait ▪ 32. Savages ▪ 33. The Dragon’s Den ▪ 34. Greed PART V: TROUBLE ▪ 35. The Tally ▪ 36. Going Back ▪ 37. Answered Prayers ▪ 38. Sharp Ends ▪ 39. Nowhere Fast ▪ 40. Times Change ▪ 41. The Cost ▪ 42. Last Words ▪ 43. Some Kind of Coward
A Little Hatred Part 1	▪ 1. Blessings and Curses ▪ 2. Where the Fight's Hottest ▪ 3. Guilt Is a Luxury ▪ 4. Keeping Score ▪ 5. A Little Public Hanging ▪ 6. The Breakers ▪ 7. The Answer to Your Tears ▪ 8. Young Heroes ▪ 9. The Moment ▪ 10. Break What They Love ▪ 11. It Was Bad ▪ 12. A Sea of Business ▪ 13. Fencing with Father ▪ 14. Fencing with Father II ▪ 15. Promises ▪ 16. A Blow for the Common Man ▪ 17. Knowing the Arrow ▪ 18. Biding Time, Wasting Time ▪ 19. The Bigger They Are ▪ 20. Questions ALH ▪ 21. The Machinery of State ▪ 22. Sore Spots
A Little Hatred Part 2	▪ 23. Full of Sad Stories ▪ 24. Surprises ▪ 25. The Lion and the Wolf ▪ 26. No Unnecessary Sentiment ▪ 27. Friends Like These ▪ 28. Sinking Ships ▪ 29. Welcome to the Future ▪ 30. The Little People ▪ 31. Something of Ours ▪ 32. The Man of Action ▪ 33. Ugly Business ▪ 34. In the Mirror ▪ 35. A Deal ▪ 36. The New Monument ▪ 37. All Equal ▪ 38. Young Men's Folly ▪ 39. The Party's Over ▪ 40. Eating Peas with a Sword ▪ 41. The Battle of Red Hill ▪ 42. Settle This Like Men
A Little Hatred Part 3	▪ 43. Demands ▪ 44. Taking the Reins ▪ 45. A Fool's Weapon ▪ 46. Hopes and Hatreds ▪ 47. Where Names Are Made ▪ 48. The Poor Pay the Price ▪ 49. The New Woman ▪ 50. Lost Causes ▪ 51. The New Man ALH ▪ 52. Two of a Kind ▪ 53. Empty Chests ▪ 54. Like Rain ▪ 55. Drinks with Mother ▪ 56. Drinks with Mother II ▪ 57. Questions ALH2 ▪ 58. Civilisation ▪ 59. A Natural ▪ 60. Good Times ▪ 61. A Bit About Courage ▪ 62. Substitutes ▪ 63. No Expense Spared ▪ 64. My Kind of Bastard ▪ 65. Long Live the King
The Trouble With Peace Part 4	▪ 1. The World’s Wrongs ▪ 2. A Long Way from Adua ▪ 3. A Sea of Trouble ▪ 4. A Routine ▪ 5. The Art of Compromise ▪ 6. Some Things Never Heal ▪ 7. With the Wind ▪ 8. Visions ▪ 9. Man of the People ▪ 10. Safe Hands ▪ 11. An Ambush ▪ 12. Gentle Temperaments ▪ 13. Minister of Whispers ▪ 14. Late ▪ 15. An Infinite Supply ▪ 16. The Demon That Breaks All Chains ▪ 17. The King’s Justice ▪ 18. The Choice ▪ 19. Let Ring the Bells ▪ 20. Future Treasons, Past Affairs ▪ 21. The King’s Pimp ▪ 22. The Darling of the Slums ▪ 23. Dead Wood, New Shoots
The Trouble With Peace Part 5	▪ 24. The Favourite Son ▪ 25. Patriotic Contributions ▪ 26. A Little Public Hanging ▪ 27. Old Ways, Proper Ways ▪ 28. Fire with Fire ▪ 29. Half-Treason ▪ 30. A Private Language ▪ 31. Old Friends ▪ 32. New Friends ▪ 33. The Little People ▪ 34. A Fitting Welcome ▪ 35. Diplomacy ▪ 36. The Wolf’s Jaws ▪ 37. Questions ▪ 38. Tomorrow Came ▪ 39. Grown Up ▪ 40. Grown Up ▪ 41. All Tastes, No Judgements ▪ 42. No Philosopher ▪ 43. Changes at the Top ▪ 44. Into the Light ▪ 45. Some Men Can’t Help Themselves ▪ 46. A Meeting with Destiny
The Trouble With Peace Part 6	▪ 47. Storms ▪ 48. Liar, Liar ▪ 49. You Asked for Killers ▪ 50. Good Ground ▪ 51. Bad Ground ▪ 52. High Ground ▪ 53. Common Ground ▪ 54. Doubts and Desires ▪ 55. Fools’ Errands ▪ 56. The Little People ▪ 57. Cold Blood ▪ 58. Heroics ▪ 59. Just Talk ▪ 60. The New Harvest ▪ 61. The Truth ▪ 62. Those Names ▪ 63. A Footnote to History ▪ 64. Loyalties and Sympathies
The Wisdom Of Crowds Part 7	▪ 1. Like a King ▪ 2. Change ▪ 3. The Little People ▪ 4. No More Trouble ▪ 5. Bring Out the King ▪ 6. All the Cards ▪ 7. Questions ▪ 8. Citizens ▪ 9. Miracles ▪ 10. A Little Public Hanging ▪ 11. Nest of Vipers ▪ 12. Lines of Communication ▪ 13. The Politician ▪ 14. Anger ▪ 15. Opportunities ▪ 16. An Exhibit ▪ 17. Different This Time ▪ 18. Quarrels ▪ 19. Too Many Principles
The Wisdom Of Crowds Part 8	▪ 20. A Sea of Terror ▪ 21. Conspiracies ▪ 22. Worse Than Murder ▪ 23. Lessons ▪ 24. Far from Finished ▪ 25. The Only Explanation ▪ 26. Charity ▪ 27. The Good Work ▪ 28. The World a Camp ▪ 29. Better Than Carnage ▪ 30. A Matter of Time ▪ 31. Taking and Keeping ▪ 32. Thaw ▪ 33. Love, Hate, Fear ▪ 34. This Half-Arsed Conspiracy ▪ 35. A Spicy Denunciation ▪ 36. Purity ▪ 37. None of the Cards ▪ 38. Horror on Horror ▪ 39. The Dragon’s Hoard ▪ 40. None Saved ▪ 41. The Same Side ▪ 42. Break What They Love ▪ 43. The Little People ▪ 44. Satisfaction and Regret
The Wisdom Of Crowds Part 9	▪ 45. Ready for a Fight ▪ 46. We Know Who You Are ▪ 47. The Side of the Saints ▪ 48. The Sentence ▪ 49. Forging the Future ▪ 50. A Half-Baked Loaf ▪ 51. Sunrise ▪ 52. We Must Have Enemies ▪ 53. A Sea of Power ▪ 54. Not for the Prizes ▪ 55. Redemption ▪ 56. It Was Bad ▪ 57. So Many Changes ▪ 58. Good Times ▪ 59. Of Your Heart a Stone ▪ 60. Answers ▪ 61. The Only Crime ▪ 62. Great Men’s Footsteps ▪ 63. The Moment ▪ 64. A Little Private Hanging ▪ 65. The Villain ▪ 66. Curses and Blessings