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masterghandalfThis is a repost from Das_sporking2. Previous installments of this sporking may be found here.
Warning: This chapter contains another major battle scene.
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Ed Greenwood’s All Shadows Fled! Last time, we finally had our big battle in Mistledale, the god Tempus made an unexplained and inexplicable appearance, Sylune sacrificed herself (but not really) to blow up the Zhent army and save the day, some random Malaugrym schemed, and a character we barely know and don’t really care about died and came back to life or something. Yay. Today, we have a bit more battling yet to do, against the same enemy but in a different location, as our heroes return to Shadowdale to fight yet more Zhents and find themselves clumsily crossing over once again with the actual Time of Troubles storyline. Joining us once again will be Errezha and Calassara!
Chapter Nine: Even Wizards Must Die
Errezha: Unless the wizard in question is Elminster, I’m not interested. We open at The Castle of Shadows, Shadowhome, Flamerule 18…
MG: Actually, in point of fact, we don’t do that. None of this chapter takes place in the Castle of Shadows, but most of it does instead take place in Shadowdale. I can only assume either Greenwood or his editor (assuming he had one, a big if…) got their wires crossed (especially as the next chapter after this does return us to the Plane of Shadows).
Errezha: *sighs deeply. Facepalms* Well, then. That is a poor omen for this chapter to begin on, isn’t it? In point of fact, we open in neither Shadowhome nor Shadowdale, but instead on the battlefield in Mistledale as the Knights of Myth Drannor and Riders of Mistledale ride across it, looking around themselves in wonder at actually being alive today. One of them mutters about their victory, and how thousands died and more of them might have if they hadn’t won the day (I think Sylune might have saved some who did die, had she pulled her little stunt and stopped the Zhents earlier…). But one of the others points to the north, noting that they’re riding towards another battle. Shadowdale was burning. *rolls her eyes* Oh no, and I cared so much about it, whatever shall I do?
Torm waved a hand at the smoke and said loudly and bitterly, “Look! We’ll get there in time to join the Zhents at their fires, with the dale pillaged and burned and not a man or maid left to fight for!”
Errezha: Well, if any of these people would fit right in with the Zhents, I would assume Torm would be high on the list… though some of the Zhents are actually more sympathetic than he is. Merith, in any case, tells him not to talk that way, but Nelyssa agrees that they’re still more than a day from Shadowdale even under the best of circumstances, which this isn’t. Belkram suddenly says he knows a way to get them there instantly (*sigh* of course he does); Florin asks if he means by sorcery, reminding him of the wild magic currently running wild (oh, please, that only affects the villains – we saw that last time!). Belkram says Sylune told him that teleportation isn’t being affected that way (my, my, that’s certainly convenient…) and she used it just fine on the battlefield yesterday. Kuthe points out, rightly, that in her current state Sylune can’t actually cast spells and doesn’t think it will be any use to just have Jhessail try to send them one at a time. But Belkram says there is a way to take everyone, something Elminster taught Sylune. And, of course, it comes back to Elminster. Always.
Calassara: Under Greenwood’s pen, indeed it does! Florin wants to know if Belkram is willing to take the risk; Belkram asks if he is, Torm and Rathan note that he’s a Knight of Myth Drannor, which means that he’s a reckless idiot. *purses her lips thoughtfully* Well, they’re not wrong… and they would know… But Nelyssa says she’ll do it, whatever it entails, and so everyone who is willing (and Nelyssa, to her credit, promises to only take those who are willing to risk the spell) heads over to a nearby glade, while Belkram warns Jhessail she’ll have to handle the actual spellcasting (which she’d already guessed).
No one stayed on the road. When everyone was arrayed around Belkram, he took off the chain and gave it to Jhessail. She held up the stone, and grew still for a moment as she listened. Merith, who’d been in such castings before, slid deftly from his saddle and lay on the ground, taking hold of one hoof of his horse and one of his lady’s ankles. Florin edged his mount over to take a firm hold on Merith’s horse, and Sharantyr, Itharr, Belkram, Captain Nelyssa, and Kuthe followed, creating a human chain.
Calassara: Jhessail makes sure everyone is touching at least one other person or horse, then draws on Sylune’s presence in the stone… somehow, I’m really not sure how this works? I’ve never cast magic with a ghost’s help before, myself… and begins the incantation. Everyone is engulfed in blue mists and flashes of light – and when it clears, they find themselves in a different clearing, one right on the border of Shadowdale. Well, after all the buildup, that was certainly easy! Their appearance startles a group of nearby guards, but everyone is more concerned by Jhessail as she faints. Her husband Merith catches her body, confirming she’s not dead, just exhausted from casting a spell so far beyond her usual strength. Nelyssa says they need to get moving, but Illistyl wants to cast a spell for Florin first; she touches the nose of his horse and asks if how would you like to fly? *confused* Is Illistyl going to transform Florin’s horse into a winged horse? Because that seems… rather beyond what I’d assumed she was capable of! Though it’s possible she means something more metaphorical, considering he next line.
“Fly ahead,” Illistyl said, looking up at Florin, “and see where we’re needed. Rally folk, and return if you need us anywhere in particular—otherwise, we’ll just charge on up the road and kill Zhents!”
“A shrewd grasp of tactics,” Captain Nelyssa said dryly.
Errezha: Ah, yes, charging straight into the mass of the enemy troops (and Bane himself is out there, I believe!) and hoping for the best; truly a tactical master for the ages. I find myself agreeing with Nelyssa’s sarcasm. But Flrorin picks up Jhessail… and then indeed his horse goes galloping across the sky. *facepalms* Really, now. The Knights ride on – on the ground, thankfully – and pass an old farmer who they ask about the battle. His only news is too many Zhents, what a shock. From the direction of the smoke, they gather that the Zhents are attacking the temple of Lathander and charge off in that general direction, plunging into Shadowdale proper passing through the smoke of burning fields and the general noise of battle.
The crossroads in front of the Old Skull Inn was heaped with dead. The twisted mounds were so high the Zhentilar, advancing in a great horde from the east, had to scramble and climb. The grisly, slippery wall was being held against them by desperate dalesmen wielding axes and blades.
Errezha: Greenwood does have a knack for the most revolting images, doesn’t he? Among the defenders, they spot both Storm and her sister Dove, who are bareheaded and letting their silver hair swirl free as they fight – really, now, I may have been a rather hopeless student when it came to physical combat, but I distinctly remember my mother’s master-at-arms making absolutely sure I understood that your head is the first thing you armor, idiots! We have some overlong and over-detailed description of the sisters messily dispatching some Zhents, while Rathan loudly complains that that’s the problem with Zhents …there’re always too many of them.
MG: And I don’t know why that is, frankly. Zhentil Keep is a good-sized city, but it’s not huge. And though it controls a fair bit of outlying territory (including at least two other decent-sized settlements, the Citadel of the Raven and Darkhold), it’s still a city-state, not a full-sized nation or empire (and I mean, the Zhents certainly dream of empire, but they’re not there yet – even on the Moonsea they’re only one of several powerful cities, albeit probably the strongest of those; in the grand scheme of Faerun, Zhentil Keep is a regional power at best). And yet they never seem to run out of these massive hordes of mooks who exist solely to be slaughtered by our heroes without seeming to make a dent in the Keep’s overall strength. And sure, the Zhentarim operate across Faerun and have access to the resources of many countries, and they can always hire mercenaries, but even so, it usually seems like most of the people our protagonists end up fighting are bona fide Zhentilar, ie, soldiers of the Keep itself! It’d make more sense if we were talking about Thay, which is a very large country geographically, has a very high population density even for its size, has a heavily militarized culture and regularly makes use of zombified dead and summoned demons to further strengthen its armies… but we’re not. I genuinely don’t get the logistics of this, unless Bane just keeps resurrecting every Zhent who dies and sending them right back into the fray (which would be an interesting and kind of horrifying concept, honestly, but of course it’s not what Greenwood is doing).
Calassara: *sigh* Of course not. And so Nelyssa gives the order and the Riders charge, crying out the name of Mistledale (and Torm cries out his own name as his battle-cry, because of course he does). We have some more fighting as the Riders plow through the Zhents, with even Torm getting in some kills. Storm thanks him, and he bows in gratitude, then slips in the blood as he does and falls… which saves him from being decapitated by an axe blow. *hesitantly* Ha, ha? Storm helps him up and they head off to help Sharantyr, Belkram and Itharr (no word on whoever swung that axe at Torm…); who are fighting together so skillfully that Storm stops to name them the Rangers Three. Really, now. Isn’t that title sort of… obvious? Could I not call myself the Lone Elf just as readily, then? But of course, we have to take time to praise Greenwood’s favorites:
The hesitant gangliness she’d seen all too often the day she’d fought Belkram and Itharr at the farmhouse was gone. Now they moved like dancers, deft and quick. Sharantyr was the key. Her smooth style had drawn the two Harpers into a team. Storm began to believe their survival in the castle of the Malaugrym was more than good fortune bolstered by the aid of Mystra and Elminster. She shook her head in pleased admiration and threw herself into the battle once more, coming up alongside the Rangers Three in their bloody foray into the Zhent ranks.
Calassara: We then get a brief update on the state of the battle, and how the Zhents had nearly won the day after a mysterious explosion near the Twisted Tower, but the reinforcements from Mistledale might yet turn the tide. Storm prays to Azuth, since Mystra is in no position to answer prayers…
MG: And yes, Mystra I is dead now. She died for good partway through the first Avatar Trilogy book, Shadowdale, so… during the timeskip between Cloak and this book. And of course we didn’t see anyone reacting to it in real time, even though most of our POV characters have some close connection to her.
Calassara: Greenwood. Why are you like this? We get some more fighting, more Zhents are killed, and then the barrier bursts open and at first Storm is dismayed until she sees Mourngrym, Shaerl, and Florin come charging through at the head of a band of fresh warriors. Dove literally somersaults back to her sister’s side (time and place, woman!) and then they all charge the Zhents together, tearing into them and forcing them all back. Dove wants some arrows, but Storm is all out; staring out at the enemy, they’re left wondering if they can hold out for the rest of the day. Now, now, I’m sure Greenwood will get you out of this, even if you or another of your sisters has to explode to do it!
Errezha: Storm can do it. She’s closest to Elminster out of all of them, which is close enough for me. Mourngrym promises they will hold; Storm takes a moment to compliment the “Rangers Three” for their fighting skill, which they of course attribute to her teachings, and by the Prince, enough with buttering one another’s egos! Oh, and the “Rangers Three” are currently taking a rest by sitting on the bodies of some dead Zhentilar, which seems notable. Dove suddenly announces that the Zhents are coming again, more cautiously this time; Belkram says it’s going to be bad, and Sharantyr tells him to stay alive, saying she needs both him and Itharr (I suppose someone must…). We’ve got those Malaugrym to catch, remember? Belkram complains that Elminster’s tasks never end (nor does Elminster himself, sadly…) while Itharr wonders where Elminster is. Belkram guesses he’s off saving some other corner of the Realms, while Torm admits he only cares about whatever corner of the Realms he’s in. *raises an eyebrow* Refreshingly honest, at least? After Dove chides him for it they start fighting some more, killing more Zhents, Eventually, Nelyssa’s horse goes down with three swords in it – poor beast – and Nelyssa herself is thrown, though Dove and Storm keep the Zhents off her back until she’s back on her feet. Merith and Illistyl say there are too many of the enemy to hold; Mourngrym says they have to hold anyway, and Storm wonders where in the name of the Seven Dancing Gods is Elminster.
MG: No, I have no idea what that reference means. Eilistraee is the Lady of the Dance, but… there’s only one of her, not seven. *shrugs* Maybe Storm is to the point where she’s making up new deities to curse by?
Errezha: Reading these books, I understand the impulse completely.
Calassara: Well, a priest of Lathander answers the question, saying he saw Elminster, either alone or with a woman at his side, defying Bane himself…
MG: The woman in question being Midnight; yes, this is a reference to the climax of Shadowdale, but we’ll discuss that in more detail in a minute.
Calassara: But the priest doesn’t know what happened after that. Storm is suddenly visibly shaken and turns to race towards the temple, grabbing a warhorse and hopping on as she goes (and abandoning her comrades in the middle of battle – what a hero!). But though Sharantyr is immediately distracted by another fight, she remembers Storm’s expression. No one should look like that. Nothing should ever happen in Faerûn to make the Bard of Shadowdale look like that. And indeed, once her enemy is dead she turns to race after Storm herself. Excuse me, but has none of you people heard of discipline in the face of the enemy? Do I have to start quoting old Taldan military treatises at you? I can do it, I warn you! And then Belkram and Itharr turn to follow her *facepalms*. If the Zhents break through your lines, I’m blaming you. Suddenly rising smoke indicates that the Zhents have set fire to the woods, and so Dove decides it’s time.
She held up the blade she bore and called, “Eanamorrath!” Lighting leapt from its suddenly blazing length, crackling along the line of blackhelms to strike the blade Lord Florin wielded. His sword flashed. Florin hissed at the shock of the bolt surging through the weapon, and then the lightning leapt back, sinking back into Dove’s blade as if it were an errant phantom returning home. In its wake lay a blackened path of dead Zhentilar, sprawled wherever the bolt had danced, and the air was sharp with the smell of the strike that had felled them. The surviving Zhent warriors drew back in disarray, leaving the defenders alone with the dead.
Calassara: I swear to Calistria, if this ends with another of the Seven Sisters swooping in to save the day, again… Well, Itharr says they need to pray to Mielikki for a downpour, but one of the Riders reminds him that the gods are cast down to the mortal plane and powerless (that didn’t seem to stop Tempus last time…). Illistyl says that Mielikki and Eldath’s power is rooted in Toril itself and so it should work (I… don’t think that’s how it works, actually?), and apparently one of Shaerl’s maids is a cleric of Eldath, so they need to go and get her. Illistyl advises everyone to fall back and have Florin and the Rangers Three *sigh* join the maid Jenna in prayer to Eldath and Mielikki, since if nothing happens to put out the forest fires, they’re all going to burn. Everyone scrambles to take up positions, with Belkram complaining that he’d rather be a temple guard than a hero, to Rathan’s irritation. They want to know what Jenna looks like… and then this happens:
The ground heaved. A deafening howl of rage and grief smashed into the ears of everyone in Shadowdale. Thrown to their knees, the three rangers looked back east, from whence the sound had come. A sphere of raging flames hung high in the air over the burning trees, spinning. The flames from the woods below were being drawn up into it. It pulsed, becoming almost blinding in its fury—but against the bright whirling flames a figure could be seen standing in its fiery heart; a wildly leaping figure clad in the black tatters of a gown.
Calassara: Why, I do believe it’s Her Majesty, the Queen of Aglarond, come to save her boyfriend’s minions from their grim fate! *she sighs* I hate being right sometimes. Not often, mind, but sometimes. The Simbul then drops the fireball into the middle of the Zhent host, burning them all to ashes, and I just. Don’t. Care anymore. The Central Blade of Bane’s Black Gauntlet was no more. *flatly* And there was much rejoicing. One of the Riders wonders who the newcomer is, and Shaerl confirms it’s the Simbul. “The Witch-Queen?” the man gasped. “The Shield Against Thay?” Indeed, which makes one wonder why she’s here, since she’s not “The Shield Against Zhentil Keep,” is she? However, Shaerl collapses weeping into her husband’s arms, since she thinks there can be only one reason for the Simbul to be here. Elminster is dead. I… don’t think that logic follows, but in any case, on that note, the chapter comes to an end.
MG: So… let me explain a bit about what happens here. At the climax of Shadowdale, Elminster pulls a “you shall not pass!” moment against Bane that apparently kills both of them. They both get better; Myrkul retains enough power to retrieve Bane’s soul before it passes on and it possesses Fzoul’s body for a while in the next book before upgrading to a giant stone idol of Bane himself, in which form Bane does battle with the Avatar of Torm (the god, not the thief) and is finished for good (well, for a while, at least; both Bane and Torm got better in later events) leaving Myrkul to serve as the trilogy’s actual end boss. Elminster actually survived but was flung into the Lower Planes and didn’t manage to escape and reveal that he was alive until the events of Waterdeep, the third and final Avatar book. And yes, this is completely separate from the time when he got banished to the Lower Planes during the later Return of the Archwizards storyline; though it does amuse me that on at least two separate occasions, the apparent solution to how to write Elminster out of the big event storylines so he doesn’t take them over was “send him to Hell for a while.” Something tells me this may reflect what members of the writing team other than Greenwood really thought of the character (possibly one member of the writing team in particular; Troy Denning wrote both Waterdeep and the Return of the Archwizards trilogy. Maybe that’s just a coincidence – or maybe not!). In any case, Midnight and her friend Adon, a cleric of the love goddess Sune, due to being closest to the scene of Elminster’s apparent death were accused of his murder and got put through a kangaroo court and nearly got lynched by the good townsfolk of Shadowdale (have I mentioned that some of Greenwood’s pet characters don’t come off very well in the Avatar Trilogy? Mystra I didn’t, and neither, IIRC, did Storm, who was one of the chief voices baying for their blood, while Sharantyr was the one who actually arrested them, though her appearance in that trilogy is very brief; and no, we don’t see said arrest from Sharantyr’s POV in this trilogy, despite her being arguably the main character with Elminster out of the picture for a while). This book… is largely going to skim over all of it, possibly so Greenwood doesn’t have to portray any of his pets as being in the wrong. Also, in the Avatar Trilogy the Simbul IIRC only gets one brief mention in all three books, which explicitly establishes she won’t be able to come help at the battle. Which, of course, is why Greenwood has her shown up and kill all the Zhents singlehandedly. *headdesk*
Anyway, this chapter honestly mostly feels like a retread of the last one, with another battle against a different Zhent army in a different dale (except even more tedious, because this time we don’t even have the courtesy of any named enemies on the Zhent side, just lots of disposable cannon fodder). Yawn. Next time, we catch back up with the Malaugrym, and various characters react to the events of the battle and Elminster’s “death.” We’ll see you then! The good news is, we’re almost halfway through! We can do it, and then we can put this book, this trilogy, and (for a while at least) Greenwood himself behind us! Ten chapters to go…
MG’s Note: I’ve posted a question regarding a potential future review project over on my journal; feel free to check it out and do let me know if it’s something you’d be interested in me doing at some point in the future!
Warning: This chapter contains another major battle scene.
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Ed Greenwood’s All Shadows Fled! Last time, we finally had our big battle in Mistledale, the god Tempus made an unexplained and inexplicable appearance, Sylune sacrificed herself (but not really) to blow up the Zhent army and save the day, some random Malaugrym schemed, and a character we barely know and don’t really care about died and came back to life or something. Yay. Today, we have a bit more battling yet to do, against the same enemy but in a different location, as our heroes return to Shadowdale to fight yet more Zhents and find themselves clumsily crossing over once again with the actual Time of Troubles storyline. Joining us once again will be Errezha and Calassara!
Chapter Nine: Even Wizards Must Die
Errezha: Unless the wizard in question is Elminster, I’m not interested. We open at The Castle of Shadows, Shadowhome, Flamerule 18…
MG: Actually, in point of fact, we don’t do that. None of this chapter takes place in the Castle of Shadows, but most of it does instead take place in Shadowdale. I can only assume either Greenwood or his editor (assuming he had one, a big if…) got their wires crossed (especially as the next chapter after this does return us to the Plane of Shadows).
Errezha: *sighs deeply. Facepalms* Well, then. That is a poor omen for this chapter to begin on, isn’t it? In point of fact, we open in neither Shadowhome nor Shadowdale, but instead on the battlefield in Mistledale as the Knights of Myth Drannor and Riders of Mistledale ride across it, looking around themselves in wonder at actually being alive today. One of them mutters about their victory, and how thousands died and more of them might have if they hadn’t won the day (I think Sylune might have saved some who did die, had she pulled her little stunt and stopped the Zhents earlier…). But one of the others points to the north, noting that they’re riding towards another battle. Shadowdale was burning. *rolls her eyes* Oh no, and I cared so much about it, whatever shall I do?
Torm waved a hand at the smoke and said loudly and bitterly, “Look! We’ll get there in time to join the Zhents at their fires, with the dale pillaged and burned and not a man or maid left to fight for!”
Errezha: Well, if any of these people would fit right in with the Zhents, I would assume Torm would be high on the list… though some of the Zhents are actually more sympathetic than he is. Merith, in any case, tells him not to talk that way, but Nelyssa agrees that they’re still more than a day from Shadowdale even under the best of circumstances, which this isn’t. Belkram suddenly says he knows a way to get them there instantly (*sigh* of course he does); Florin asks if he means by sorcery, reminding him of the wild magic currently running wild (oh, please, that only affects the villains – we saw that last time!). Belkram says Sylune told him that teleportation isn’t being affected that way (my, my, that’s certainly convenient…) and she used it just fine on the battlefield yesterday. Kuthe points out, rightly, that in her current state Sylune can’t actually cast spells and doesn’t think it will be any use to just have Jhessail try to send them one at a time. But Belkram says there is a way to take everyone, something Elminster taught Sylune. And, of course, it comes back to Elminster. Always.
Calassara: Under Greenwood’s pen, indeed it does! Florin wants to know if Belkram is willing to take the risk; Belkram asks if he is, Torm and Rathan note that he’s a Knight of Myth Drannor, which means that he’s a reckless idiot. *purses her lips thoughtfully* Well, they’re not wrong… and they would know… But Nelyssa says she’ll do it, whatever it entails, and so everyone who is willing (and Nelyssa, to her credit, promises to only take those who are willing to risk the spell) heads over to a nearby glade, while Belkram warns Jhessail she’ll have to handle the actual spellcasting (which she’d already guessed).
No one stayed on the road. When everyone was arrayed around Belkram, he took off the chain and gave it to Jhessail. She held up the stone, and grew still for a moment as she listened. Merith, who’d been in such castings before, slid deftly from his saddle and lay on the ground, taking hold of one hoof of his horse and one of his lady’s ankles. Florin edged his mount over to take a firm hold on Merith’s horse, and Sharantyr, Itharr, Belkram, Captain Nelyssa, and Kuthe followed, creating a human chain.
Calassara: Jhessail makes sure everyone is touching at least one other person or horse, then draws on Sylune’s presence in the stone… somehow, I’m really not sure how this works? I’ve never cast magic with a ghost’s help before, myself… and begins the incantation. Everyone is engulfed in blue mists and flashes of light – and when it clears, they find themselves in a different clearing, one right on the border of Shadowdale. Well, after all the buildup, that was certainly easy! Their appearance startles a group of nearby guards, but everyone is more concerned by Jhessail as she faints. Her husband Merith catches her body, confirming she’s not dead, just exhausted from casting a spell so far beyond her usual strength. Nelyssa says they need to get moving, but Illistyl wants to cast a spell for Florin first; she touches the nose of his horse and asks if how would you like to fly? *confused* Is Illistyl going to transform Florin’s horse into a winged horse? Because that seems… rather beyond what I’d assumed she was capable of! Though it’s possible she means something more metaphorical, considering he next line.
“Fly ahead,” Illistyl said, looking up at Florin, “and see where we’re needed. Rally folk, and return if you need us anywhere in particular—otherwise, we’ll just charge on up the road and kill Zhents!”
“A shrewd grasp of tactics,” Captain Nelyssa said dryly.
Errezha: Ah, yes, charging straight into the mass of the enemy troops (and Bane himself is out there, I believe!) and hoping for the best; truly a tactical master for the ages. I find myself agreeing with Nelyssa’s sarcasm. But Flrorin picks up Jhessail… and then indeed his horse goes galloping across the sky. *facepalms* Really, now. The Knights ride on – on the ground, thankfully – and pass an old farmer who they ask about the battle. His only news is too many Zhents, what a shock. From the direction of the smoke, they gather that the Zhents are attacking the temple of Lathander and charge off in that general direction, plunging into Shadowdale proper passing through the smoke of burning fields and the general noise of battle.
The crossroads in front of the Old Skull Inn was heaped with dead. The twisted mounds were so high the Zhentilar, advancing in a great horde from the east, had to scramble and climb. The grisly, slippery wall was being held against them by desperate dalesmen wielding axes and blades.
Errezha: Greenwood does have a knack for the most revolting images, doesn’t he? Among the defenders, they spot both Storm and her sister Dove, who are bareheaded and letting their silver hair swirl free as they fight – really, now, I may have been a rather hopeless student when it came to physical combat, but I distinctly remember my mother’s master-at-arms making absolutely sure I understood that your head is the first thing you armor, idiots! We have some overlong and over-detailed description of the sisters messily dispatching some Zhents, while Rathan loudly complains that that’s the problem with Zhents …there’re always too many of them.
MG: And I don’t know why that is, frankly. Zhentil Keep is a good-sized city, but it’s not huge. And though it controls a fair bit of outlying territory (including at least two other decent-sized settlements, the Citadel of the Raven and Darkhold), it’s still a city-state, not a full-sized nation or empire (and I mean, the Zhents certainly dream of empire, but they’re not there yet – even on the Moonsea they’re only one of several powerful cities, albeit probably the strongest of those; in the grand scheme of Faerun, Zhentil Keep is a regional power at best). And yet they never seem to run out of these massive hordes of mooks who exist solely to be slaughtered by our heroes without seeming to make a dent in the Keep’s overall strength. And sure, the Zhentarim operate across Faerun and have access to the resources of many countries, and they can always hire mercenaries, but even so, it usually seems like most of the people our protagonists end up fighting are bona fide Zhentilar, ie, soldiers of the Keep itself! It’d make more sense if we were talking about Thay, which is a very large country geographically, has a very high population density even for its size, has a heavily militarized culture and regularly makes use of zombified dead and summoned demons to further strengthen its armies… but we’re not. I genuinely don’t get the logistics of this, unless Bane just keeps resurrecting every Zhent who dies and sending them right back into the fray (which would be an interesting and kind of horrifying concept, honestly, but of course it’s not what Greenwood is doing).
Calassara: *sigh* Of course not. And so Nelyssa gives the order and the Riders charge, crying out the name of Mistledale (and Torm cries out his own name as his battle-cry, because of course he does). We have some more fighting as the Riders plow through the Zhents, with even Torm getting in some kills. Storm thanks him, and he bows in gratitude, then slips in the blood as he does and falls… which saves him from being decapitated by an axe blow. *hesitantly* Ha, ha? Storm helps him up and they head off to help Sharantyr, Belkram and Itharr (no word on whoever swung that axe at Torm…); who are fighting together so skillfully that Storm stops to name them the Rangers Three. Really, now. Isn’t that title sort of… obvious? Could I not call myself the Lone Elf just as readily, then? But of course, we have to take time to praise Greenwood’s favorites:
The hesitant gangliness she’d seen all too often the day she’d fought Belkram and Itharr at the farmhouse was gone. Now they moved like dancers, deft and quick. Sharantyr was the key. Her smooth style had drawn the two Harpers into a team. Storm began to believe their survival in the castle of the Malaugrym was more than good fortune bolstered by the aid of Mystra and Elminster. She shook her head in pleased admiration and threw herself into the battle once more, coming up alongside the Rangers Three in their bloody foray into the Zhent ranks.
Calassara: We then get a brief update on the state of the battle, and how the Zhents had nearly won the day after a mysterious explosion near the Twisted Tower, but the reinforcements from Mistledale might yet turn the tide. Storm prays to Azuth, since Mystra is in no position to answer prayers…
MG: And yes, Mystra I is dead now. She died for good partway through the first Avatar Trilogy book, Shadowdale, so… during the timeskip between Cloak and this book. And of course we didn’t see anyone reacting to it in real time, even though most of our POV characters have some close connection to her.
Calassara: Greenwood. Why are you like this? We get some more fighting, more Zhents are killed, and then the barrier bursts open and at first Storm is dismayed until she sees Mourngrym, Shaerl, and Florin come charging through at the head of a band of fresh warriors. Dove literally somersaults back to her sister’s side (time and place, woman!) and then they all charge the Zhents together, tearing into them and forcing them all back. Dove wants some arrows, but Storm is all out; staring out at the enemy, they’re left wondering if they can hold out for the rest of the day. Now, now, I’m sure Greenwood will get you out of this, even if you or another of your sisters has to explode to do it!
Errezha: Storm can do it. She’s closest to Elminster out of all of them, which is close enough for me. Mourngrym promises they will hold; Storm takes a moment to compliment the “Rangers Three” for their fighting skill, which they of course attribute to her teachings, and by the Prince, enough with buttering one another’s egos! Oh, and the “Rangers Three” are currently taking a rest by sitting on the bodies of some dead Zhentilar, which seems notable. Dove suddenly announces that the Zhents are coming again, more cautiously this time; Belkram says it’s going to be bad, and Sharantyr tells him to stay alive, saying she needs both him and Itharr (I suppose someone must…). We’ve got those Malaugrym to catch, remember? Belkram complains that Elminster’s tasks never end (nor does Elminster himself, sadly…) while Itharr wonders where Elminster is. Belkram guesses he’s off saving some other corner of the Realms, while Torm admits he only cares about whatever corner of the Realms he’s in. *raises an eyebrow* Refreshingly honest, at least? After Dove chides him for it they start fighting some more, killing more Zhents, Eventually, Nelyssa’s horse goes down with three swords in it – poor beast – and Nelyssa herself is thrown, though Dove and Storm keep the Zhents off her back until she’s back on her feet. Merith and Illistyl say there are too many of the enemy to hold; Mourngrym says they have to hold anyway, and Storm wonders where in the name of the Seven Dancing Gods is Elminster.
MG: No, I have no idea what that reference means. Eilistraee is the Lady of the Dance, but… there’s only one of her, not seven. *shrugs* Maybe Storm is to the point where she’s making up new deities to curse by?
Errezha: Reading these books, I understand the impulse completely.
Calassara: Well, a priest of Lathander answers the question, saying he saw Elminster, either alone or with a woman at his side, defying Bane himself…
MG: The woman in question being Midnight; yes, this is a reference to the climax of Shadowdale, but we’ll discuss that in more detail in a minute.
Calassara: But the priest doesn’t know what happened after that. Storm is suddenly visibly shaken and turns to race towards the temple, grabbing a warhorse and hopping on as she goes (and abandoning her comrades in the middle of battle – what a hero!). But though Sharantyr is immediately distracted by another fight, she remembers Storm’s expression. No one should look like that. Nothing should ever happen in Faerûn to make the Bard of Shadowdale look like that. And indeed, once her enemy is dead she turns to race after Storm herself. Excuse me, but has none of you people heard of discipline in the face of the enemy? Do I have to start quoting old Taldan military treatises at you? I can do it, I warn you! And then Belkram and Itharr turn to follow her *facepalms*. If the Zhents break through your lines, I’m blaming you. Suddenly rising smoke indicates that the Zhents have set fire to the woods, and so Dove decides it’s time.
She held up the blade she bore and called, “Eanamorrath!” Lighting leapt from its suddenly blazing length, crackling along the line of blackhelms to strike the blade Lord Florin wielded. His sword flashed. Florin hissed at the shock of the bolt surging through the weapon, and then the lightning leapt back, sinking back into Dove’s blade as if it were an errant phantom returning home. In its wake lay a blackened path of dead Zhentilar, sprawled wherever the bolt had danced, and the air was sharp with the smell of the strike that had felled them. The surviving Zhent warriors drew back in disarray, leaving the defenders alone with the dead.
Calassara: I swear to Calistria, if this ends with another of the Seven Sisters swooping in to save the day, again… Well, Itharr says they need to pray to Mielikki for a downpour, but one of the Riders reminds him that the gods are cast down to the mortal plane and powerless (that didn’t seem to stop Tempus last time…). Illistyl says that Mielikki and Eldath’s power is rooted in Toril itself and so it should work (I… don’t think that’s how it works, actually?), and apparently one of Shaerl’s maids is a cleric of Eldath, so they need to go and get her. Illistyl advises everyone to fall back and have Florin and the Rangers Three *sigh* join the maid Jenna in prayer to Eldath and Mielikki, since if nothing happens to put out the forest fires, they’re all going to burn. Everyone scrambles to take up positions, with Belkram complaining that he’d rather be a temple guard than a hero, to Rathan’s irritation. They want to know what Jenna looks like… and then this happens:
The ground heaved. A deafening howl of rage and grief smashed into the ears of everyone in Shadowdale. Thrown to their knees, the three rangers looked back east, from whence the sound had come. A sphere of raging flames hung high in the air over the burning trees, spinning. The flames from the woods below were being drawn up into it. It pulsed, becoming almost blinding in its fury—but against the bright whirling flames a figure could be seen standing in its fiery heart; a wildly leaping figure clad in the black tatters of a gown.
Calassara: Why, I do believe it’s Her Majesty, the Queen of Aglarond, come to save her boyfriend’s minions from their grim fate! *she sighs* I hate being right sometimes. Not often, mind, but sometimes. The Simbul then drops the fireball into the middle of the Zhent host, burning them all to ashes, and I just. Don’t. Care anymore. The Central Blade of Bane’s Black Gauntlet was no more. *flatly* And there was much rejoicing. One of the Riders wonders who the newcomer is, and Shaerl confirms it’s the Simbul. “The Witch-Queen?” the man gasped. “The Shield Against Thay?” Indeed, which makes one wonder why she’s here, since she’s not “The Shield Against Zhentil Keep,” is she? However, Shaerl collapses weeping into her husband’s arms, since she thinks there can be only one reason for the Simbul to be here. Elminster is dead. I… don’t think that logic follows, but in any case, on that note, the chapter comes to an end.
MG: So… let me explain a bit about what happens here. At the climax of Shadowdale, Elminster pulls a “you shall not pass!” moment against Bane that apparently kills both of them. They both get better; Myrkul retains enough power to retrieve Bane’s soul before it passes on and it possesses Fzoul’s body for a while in the next book before upgrading to a giant stone idol of Bane himself, in which form Bane does battle with the Avatar of Torm (the god, not the thief) and is finished for good (well, for a while, at least; both Bane and Torm got better in later events) leaving Myrkul to serve as the trilogy’s actual end boss. Elminster actually survived but was flung into the Lower Planes and didn’t manage to escape and reveal that he was alive until the events of Waterdeep, the third and final Avatar book. And yes, this is completely separate from the time when he got banished to the Lower Planes during the later Return of the Archwizards storyline; though it does amuse me that on at least two separate occasions, the apparent solution to how to write Elminster out of the big event storylines so he doesn’t take them over was “send him to Hell for a while.” Something tells me this may reflect what members of the writing team other than Greenwood really thought of the character (possibly one member of the writing team in particular; Troy Denning wrote both Waterdeep and the Return of the Archwizards trilogy. Maybe that’s just a coincidence – or maybe not!). In any case, Midnight and her friend Adon, a cleric of the love goddess Sune, due to being closest to the scene of Elminster’s apparent death were accused of his murder and got put through a kangaroo court and nearly got lynched by the good townsfolk of Shadowdale (have I mentioned that some of Greenwood’s pet characters don’t come off very well in the Avatar Trilogy? Mystra I didn’t, and neither, IIRC, did Storm, who was one of the chief voices baying for their blood, while Sharantyr was the one who actually arrested them, though her appearance in that trilogy is very brief; and no, we don’t see said arrest from Sharantyr’s POV in this trilogy, despite her being arguably the main character with Elminster out of the picture for a while). This book… is largely going to skim over all of it, possibly so Greenwood doesn’t have to portray any of his pets as being in the wrong. Also, in the Avatar Trilogy the Simbul IIRC only gets one brief mention in all three books, which explicitly establishes she won’t be able to come help at the battle. Which, of course, is why Greenwood has her shown up and kill all the Zhents singlehandedly. *headdesk*
Anyway, this chapter honestly mostly feels like a retread of the last one, with another battle against a different Zhent army in a different dale (except even more tedious, because this time we don’t even have the courtesy of any named enemies on the Zhent side, just lots of disposable cannon fodder). Yawn. Next time, we catch back up with the Malaugrym, and various characters react to the events of the battle and Elminster’s “death.” We’ll see you then! The good news is, we’re almost halfway through! We can do it, and then we can put this book, this trilogy, and (for a while at least) Greenwood himself behind us! Ten chapters to go…
MG’s Note: I’ve posted a question regarding a potential future review project over on my journal; feel free to check it out and do let me know if it’s something you’d be interested in me doing at some point in the future!
