Drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden, first introduced in The Icewind Dale Trilogy, quickly became one of the fantasy genre’s standout characters. With Homeland, Salvatore pulls back the curtain to reveal the startling tale of how this hero came to be—how this one lone drow walked out of the shadowy depths of the Underdark; how he left behind an evil society and a family that wanted him dead. As the third son of Mother Malice and weaponmaster Zaknafein, Drizzt Do’Urden is meant to be sacrificed to Lolth, the evil Spider Queen, per drow tradition. But with the unexpected death of his older brother, young Drizzt is spared—and, as a result, further ostracized by his family. As Drizzt grows older, developing his swordsmanship skills and studying at the Academy, he begins to realize that his idea of good and evil does not match up with those of his fellow drow. Can Drizzt stay true to himself in a such an unforgiving, unprincipled world?
Ten years have passed since we last saw Drizzt Do’Urden and his magical feline companion, Guenhwyvar—and much has changed. Exiled from Menzoberranzan, the city of his childhood and the hub of drow society, Drizzt now wanders the subterranean maze of the Underdark in search of a new home.
As I became a creature of the empty tunnels, survival became easier and more difficult all at once. I gained in the physical skills and experience necessary to live on. I could defeat almost anything that wandered into my chosen domain. It did not take me long, however, to discover one nemesis that I could neither defeat nor flee. It followed me wherever I went—indeed, the farther I ran, the more it closed in around me. My enemy was solitude, the interminable, incessant silence of hushed corridors.But loneliness is not the only thing that preys on Drizzt: His drow enemies, including his own siblings, would like nothing more than to see him dead. They begin their own search of the Underdark tunnels with murder on their minds, forcing Drizzt to watch his back at every turn.
After years spent in the ruthless confines of the Underdark, Drizzt Do’Urden has emerged from the subterranean society of his youth to start a new life. Accompanied by his loyal panther, Drizzt begins exploring the surface of Faerûn, a world unlike any he has ever known. From skunks to humanoids to shapeshifters, Faerûn is full of unfamiliar races and fresh dangers, which Drizzt must better understand if he is to survive.But while Drizzt acts with the best intentions, many of the surface dwellers regard him with fear and distrust. Can he manage to find faithful allies in this foreign land—or is he doomed to be a lonely outsider, just as he was in the Underdark?
With his days in the Underdark far behind him, drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden sets down roots in the windswept Ten-Towns of Icewind Dale. A cold and unforgiving place, Ten-Towns sits on the brink of a catastrophic war, threatened by the barbarian tribes of the north. It’s in the midst of battle that a young barbarian named Wulfgar is captured and made the ward of Bruenor, a grizzled dwarf leader and a companion to Drizzt. With Drizzt’s help, Wulfgar will grow from a feral child to a man with the heart of a dwarf, the instincts of a savage, and the soul of a hero. But it will take even more than that to defeat the corrupt wizard who wields the demonic power of Crenshininbon—the fabled Crystal Shard.
Drizzt Do'Urden still struggles with his own inner voices, voices that call him back to the pitless depths of the Underdark. But louder still are the voices of his newfound friends Bruenor, Wulfgar, and Regis—and the call of a dream that, at long last, Bruenor has decided to fulfill.Long ago, Bruenor and his people were driven from their home in Mithral Hall by a shadow dragon of the Underdark. Now, Bruenor is determined to reclaim his homeland and his rightful seat as its king. Aided by the combined might of his friends, Bruenor sets out on a treacherous quest for Mithral Hall, finding obstacles at every turn. But despite the terrors of the Trollmoors and the racism aimed at Drizzt, the group continues to fight—together.
Artemis Entreri has taken Regis back to his former master, Pasha Pook—but Drizzt Do’Urden and Wulfgar are fast on the assassin’s heels. Armed with the scimitar Twinkle, Drizzt defeats a banshee and acquires an enchanted artifact that masks its wearer’s true identity. With Drizzt now disguised as a normal elf, the duo continues their journey, traveling from Waterdeep to Baldur’s Gate, and beyond, in search of their friend. Meanwhile, Entreri is always one step ahead, aided by the magical gem Regis once stole from Pasha Pook. Together, Regis’ captors thwart Drizzt and Wulfgar’s mission at every turn, cornering them into battles with pirates, treks through the Calimshan deserts, and encounters with otherwordly monsters. But will it be enough to stop them from rescuing Regis?
Barely a teen and already guarding a secret that could jeopardize his young life, Maimun is marked for death. With the help of a mysterious stranger, the boy escapes his village and flees out to sea, stowing away on the pirate hunting ship, Sea Sprite, where he comes across a most unlikely ally: the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden. With a half-demon determined to destroy him, and a crew of sailors resentful of the trouble he's caused, Maimun must find the courage to prove his worth, both to his friends and to himself.Nearly two decades ago, R.A. Salvatore introduced the world to Drizzt D'Urden in a series that has since become a fantasy classic and a consistent presence on best seller lists. Now, for the first time, Salvatore partners with his son Geno to craft a brand-new story just for young readers, featuring a cameo of the most beloved fantasy character of all time.
Though robbed by a masked spellcaster and left for dead by a demon, twelve-year-old Maimun refuses to give up the magic that rightfully belongs to him. After reuniting with dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden and Captain Deudermont's crew, Maimun sets off on a sea-faring chase that will test both the strength of his spirit and of his friendships. As perilous storms rock Sea Sprite and vicious pirates bombard its decks, a mysterious force gathers in the Moonshaes, determined to bring Deudermont's ship - and Maimun's quest - crashing to an end on its shores.
After dueling with a dragon and a demon, Maimun knows he must destroy the stone that has kept him on the run for most of his life. The question now is how. With Joen by his side, Maimun journeys to the Tower of Twilight to beg famed wizard Malchor Harpell for answers. But Harpell's help comes at a steep price. Friends become enemies. Lost secrets come to light. And deep in the shadows, the sentinels are watching, scheming to save the stone--even if it means someone must die.
High in the Snowflake Mountains sits the Edificant Library, a place of scholarly study for priests, bards, and anyone who seeks knowledge for the sake of the greater good. This mystical place is home to Cadderly, a young cleric who lives a peaceful life of scholarship and invention.When a vicious curse is unleashed on the library, Cadderly must set aside his pursuit of knowledge to lead a motley team of monks, dwarves, and druids—and one alluring young warrior monk named Danica—into the catacombs of the library and a perilous fight against evil. There, the friends must join together as a group of unlikely heroes to save their home from the destruction already pulsing through its walls.
Cadderly the cleric and his fellow inhabitants of the Edificant Library have vanquished the Chaos Curse that was unleashed upon their home. But their celebrations are cut short when a terrible piece of news arrives at their door: The Curse has spread farther than they could have ever imagined, leaving the rag-tag band of heroes with no choice but to resume their battle against its great evil.Now, Cadderly and his friends must journey to the forest of Shilmista—the homeland of the elves—where an evil collective of wizards named Castle Trinity has waged war. While fighting for his life and the home of his new companions, Cadderly also navigates his new status as priest of the Deneiran order and his new feelings of jealousy for the elven prince Elbereth.
Cadderly’s spiritual and moral wrestlings reach a crescendo upon his discovery of the mysterious Tome of Universal Harmony. While he is eager to defeat evil, his battles against the Chaos Curse have taken him far from his scholarly inventor’s life, and the magical book from his priestly order calls to him in ways he cannot fully comprehend.But adventure isn't finished with the young cleric yet. Cadderly and his friends face great danger from a sinister killer and the assassins of the Night Mask, all of whom lurk in the streets of the city of Carradoon. With the dreaded Chaos Curse still at large and new enemies at every turn, can Cadderly find both his faith and his warrior’s courage before it’s too late?
Warrior-priest Cadderly Bonaduce is tired of living in fear of his enemies. Joined by his friends Danica, Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder, Shayleigh the elf, and Vander the firbolg, he takes matters into his own hands to bring the battle to Castle Trinity, the headquarters of a nefarious sect that worships the goddess of disease.Against the wishes of the chief priests, the friends set forth to win fight after fight against foes old and new, drawing on Cadderly’s newfound strength and power. As the most epic battle of all draws near, the motley group of warriors will each need to unleash their powers, especially as the ultimate enemy may be more familiar and more deadly than they anticipate . . .
After many epic battles, Cadderly and his team of heroes are finally ready to return home to the Edificant Library. Cadderly knows to expect a cold reception, given that his powers have grown exponentially since his departure—and have even disrupted the hierarchy of his religious order.However, something far worse awaits the travelers when they reach their destination. In their absence, the Chaos Curse has reared its angry head once more, attacking their beloved library home and turning it into a horrifying battleground teeming with vicious, powerful creatures. Can Cadderly overcome evil on his home turf and find his new place in the Deneiran order—or is his home lost forever?
Having found a measure of peace among the dwarves in Mithral Hall, Drizzt Do’Urden begins to know contentment for the first time in his tumultuous life. Bruenor has reclaimed his throne, Regis has been freed from Artemis Entreri, and Wulfgar is to be wed. But for a dark elf renegade that hails from the Underdark—a city of ruthless drows, all ruled by priestesses of the demon goddess Lolth—no peace can last forever.It is Lolth herself, the dreaded Queen of the Demonweb Pits, who musters her followers to pour up from the black depths of the Underdark to reclaim the one soul that managed to elude her: the soul of Drizzt Do'Urden.
Though Drizzt is still reeling from the death of his barbarian friend, he is allowed little time to grieve. Dark elves are gathering in the caverns deep under Mithral Hall, hell-bent on destruction. To keep his adopted home and family safe, Drizzt must now return to the dreadful drow city of his birth.Nicknamed the City of Spiders, Menzoberranzan is one of the most dangerous places in the already perilous Underdark. For Drizzt, a rogue elf with a price on his head, stepping foot inside the city is no small risk—it’s certain death. But Drizzt Do'Urden and his companions are no strangers to such dire circumstances. Driven by their love and loyalty to the dwarves of Mithral Hall, they will engage the dark elves in combat and willingly lay down their lives . . .
While Mithral Hall teems with whispers of the war to come, chaos erupts both above and below ground. On the surface of Faerûn, the first signs of the Time of Troubles make themselves known, forcing deities to assume their mortal forms. Beneath them in the Underdark, all but one drow house has lost their magical powers, and Lolth has handed the reins of leadership over to the demon Errtu.But even this turmoil cannot keep the drow from rising up from the black depths of the Underdark to battle the dwarves of Mithral Hall. Bruenor Battlehammer, with Drizzt at his side, will not go down without a fight—but they will have to fight without Wulfgar and Catti-brie at their sides.
It has been six years since the fateful Battle of Mithral Hall; six long years during which Drizzt Do’Urden and Catti-brie have been away from the only place they ever truly felt at home. The pain of a lost companion still weighs heavily on their strong shoulders, but chasing pirates aboard Captain Deudermont's Sea Sprite has been enough to draw their attention away from their grief.But when a mysterious castaway on an uncharted island appears bearing a strange message, Drizzt and Catti-brie are sent back to the very source of their pain—and into the clutches of a demon with vengeance on his mind.
Determined to destroy the evil Crystal Shard, Drizzt seeks out the help of a scholar-priest named Cadderly. But instead, his worst fears are realized when the artifact falls into the hands of the dark elf mercenary Jarlaxle and his unlikely ally Artemis Entreri.Drizzt’s friends also experience their own hardships: Wulfgar, now freed from Errtu’s clutches, struggles with anger and bloodlust. Only in the far reaches of Luskan can he find solace from the torments that haunt him. Meanwhile, Regis’ ruby pendant—once the property of his old master, Pasha Pook—seems to be a magnet for all things evil and wicked . . .
Spending just one day in the torture chambers of the Abyss would be enough to break even the heartiest soul. Wulfgar of Icewind Dale was there for six miserable years. Though Wulfgar has since been freed, he is still haunted by the memories of the pain he endured at his captor Errtu's hands. Hoping to distance himself from his past, he flees to the faraway port city of Luskan—but in so doing, isolates himself from his friends and develops an unhealthy penchant for booze.For Wulfgar, things get worse before they get better. Fired from his gig at a tavern, robbed of his warhammer, and accused of murder, he goes on the run with Morik the Rogue—beginning a dangerous, combat-filled journey toward his redemption.
When the mark of Wulfgar’s legendary warhammer is found on the person of pirate Sheila Kree, Drizzt Do’Urden knows his friend is in dire need of his help. Thus, Drizzt, Catti-brie, Regis, and Bruenor spring into action, determined to save Wulfgar and recover Aegis-fang once and for all. But the road to victory is paved with monsters—from goblins and ogres to Wulfgar’s own personal demons. Meanwhile, Wulfgar is also searching for Aegis-fang. Hot on the trail of Sheila Kree and her new follower, Le'lorinel—a moon elf and a lifelong hater of Drizzt—he will soon encounter the Companions of the Hall in a startling reunion. Together, they will fight side by side in the last battle for Wulfgar's heart and soul.
Surrounded by dark elves, Artemis Entreri tightens his grip on the streets of Calimport. While he urges caution, his sponsor grows ever more ambitious. The assassin will soon find himself on a path his most hated enemy has walked before him—a path that leads to a place where someone like Entreri would never be welcome. Drow leader Jarlaxle has ascended from dark Menzoberranzan with only civil intentions. The malevolent Crystal Shard’s influence on him intensifies until even the drow agents he brought with him grow fearful. When his own company begins to turn on him, Jarlaxle will be forced to find a savior in the man he’s come to enslave.
One of the long-lost books of the late Witch-King, Zhengyi, has been found. Its pages promise unimaginable powers—and the threat of death. But even the fact that the book kills anyone foolish enough to crack its cover does not stop people from fight over it . . .Human assassin Artemis Entreri and his dark elf companion Jarlaxle have come to the demon-haunted wastelands of the frozen north at the request of their dragon patron. It doesn’t take long for them to find themselves trapped in the middle of a struggle between powerful forces that would like nothing more than to see them both dead—or worse. But Entreri and Jarlaxle aren’t just any wandering sellswords, and the ancient evils and bitter blood-feuds of the wild Bloodstone Lands may have finally met their match.
Ilnezhara and Tazmikella are ancient dragons of great power, accustomed to easily manipulating the humans around them. But not all humans are so easily led. When they pushed Entreri and Jarlaxle into the heart of the Bloodstone Lands, not even they could have imagined the strength of the human assassin’s resolve, or the limitless expanse of the drow mercenary’s ambition.Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri have begun to make a home for themselves in the rugged Bloodstone Lands, though not everyone is ready to trust a man who's spent his life killing for coin—much less a member of a race of subterranean elves known for their fanatical devotion to a demon goddess. If they want to make it out of the Bloodstone Lands alive, they'll have to learn to trust their enemies, and be suspicious of their friends.
When Obould Many-Arrows and the united orc tribes band together with Gerti Orelsdottr and her frost giants, no one is safe. After a skirmish with the orcs almost ends in tragedy, Drizzt Do’Urden and the Companions join with Dagnabbit and a group of dwarves to warn nearby towns of the impending hordes. But the fight inexorably comes to them at the Battle of Shallows, where humans and dwarves must unite to defend the settlement against the rampaging orcs and their allies. As blades slash and feet trample, even the heroes may not survive a desperate stand.
Drizzt Do’Urden knows what it means to be alone. As a young drow, he was exiled from his home in the Underdark, reviled and feared by his own kind. Only after an arduous journey to Faerûn did he meet the surface dwellers who accepted him, befriended him, and became his steadfast allies. Now, those friends lie dead beneath a fallen tower, leaving Drizzt more alone than he has ever been before.Fueled by his rage and sorrow, Drizzt becomes the Hunter—the ultimate enemy of the orc hordes still ravaging the North under King Obould’s command. Convinced that everything he loves has been destroyed, he vows to do nothing except kill, kill, and kill again until there are no enemies left. But in the midst of Drizzt’s days of endless slaughter, a pair of elves appear with their pegasi, a promise of aid—and a spark of hope.
Dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden would like nothing more than to kill King Obould Many-Arrows, the leader of the slavering orc army that slaughtered his closest friends. Now, it seems even Innovindil, Drizzt’s new moon elf companion, cannot escape the grip of Obould’s murderous scourge. When the orc king steals Innovindil’s beloved pegasus, Drizzt must accompany her on a rescue mission to the northern lands of the frost giants—even if it means suffering the same fate as the Companions.Except the Companions are not dead . . . yet. Unbeknownst to Drizzt, they are sealed inside the walls of Mithral Hall, awaiting a battle that will either make or break them. As Obould's horde prepares for a siege just outside the gates, Bruenor must mastermind a plan that will defeat the orcs and lead his clan to victory.
The end of winter is near, and it seems the uneasy peace between the dwarves of Mithral Hall and the orcs of the newly established Kingdom of Many-Arrows will not last long. The orc tribes united under Obould are splintering, with some seeking to establish an alliance with a clan of half ogres-half orcs. Drizzt, too, feels himself torn apart, unsure which of the Companions needs him most: As Catti-brie recovers from a serious injury, Wulfgar mourns the death of his wife. Together, the broken pair leaves Mithral Hall for Silverymoon, hoping to find a trail that leads to Wulfgar’s lost adopted daughter. Meanwhile, Bruenor begins his own desperate search. Determined to end the war that nearly cost him his life and everything he has built, he will stop at nothing until he finds the ancient dwarven city of Gauntlgrym.But to truly end the war, drastic changes must be made. Powerful individuals on both sides may have to alter the way they see each other—and perhaps even talk to one another—for it will take more than swords and axes to bring a lasting peace to the Spine of the World.
A shadowy organization of mages and pirates known as the Arcane Brotherhood has long held the city of Luskan in their power, but corruption now eats away at their ranks. Seeing this as an opportunity to finally defeat their leader, Arklem Greeth, legendary pirate hunter Captain Deudermont hatches a plot that will free the city of the Brotherhood’s iron grip.Elsewhere, Drizzt and Regis depart for Icewind Dale, where they suspect Wulfgar—having returned his adopted daughter to her biological mother—now lives in isolation. When they cross paths with Captain Deudermont on their journey, the pirate hunter reveals his plans and recruits the duo to fight against the Arcane Brotherhood. But rescuing Luskan from itself proves more difficult—and more violent—than anyone anticipated, leaving all to question if they will destroy the city before they can actually save it.
With the collapse of Mystra’s Weave and the onslaught of the Spellplague, all of Faerûn is thrown into chaos. But as magic turns more dangerous and unreliable, an even greater foe presents itself: the Ghost King, an entity that contains the combined might of a dragon, a mind flayer, and the Crenshinibon—the demonic crystal shard thought to be destroyed years ago. When Jarlaxle, a drowmercenary, is targeted by the Ghost King, he knows his life hinges on finding the Deneir priest named Cadderly Bonaduce. But to find Cadderly, he must travel to the cathedral in Spirit Soaring, the very place from which he is banned. And to enter Spirit Soaring, he must first his recruit his old enemy Drizzt Do’Urden to his cause. When Catti-brie is struck by an errant strand of the Weave, Jarlaxle is able to convince Drizzt and Bruenor that their plights are one and the same. Together, they travel to Spirit Soaring, where the priests and mages of Deneir—led by Cadderly—rush to arm themselves against the Ghost King. But with many losing faith and time quickly running out, the battle ahead looks more than dire than ever.
The peace between the dwarves of Mithral Hall and the orcish Kingdom of Many-Arrows has not come without its costs. But even grief and old age cannot dissuade Bruenor Battlehammer from pursuing his dream of finding the fabled kingdom of Gauntlgrym—ruins said to be rich with ancient treasure and arcane lore. As always, Drizzt Do’Urden is at his side, ready to make the most of his friend’s final years. But Jarlaxle and Athrogate are two steps ahead. In their own search for treasure and magic, Jarlaxle and Athrogate inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to lure even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop it on their own. They’ll need help from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor.
The last of the Companions has fallen. Now Drizzt Do’Urden is alone—and free—for the first time in almost one hundred years. Guilt mingles with relief, leaving Drizzt uniquely vulnerable to the persuasions of Dahlia, a darkly alluring elf and the only other member of their Gauntlgrym search party to survive the cataclysm at Mount Hotenow. But traveling with Dahlia is challenging in more ways than one. As the pair seeks revenge on the sorceress responsible for leveling Neverwinter—and nearly Luskan as well—Drizzt finds his usual moral certainty swept away by her unconventional views. Forced to see the dark deeds to which circumstance may drive a common man, Drizzt begins to find himself on the wrong side of the law in an effort to protect those the law has failed. As old enemies acquire deadly allies, Drizzt and Dahlia quickly find themselves embroiled in battle—a state he's coming to enjoy a little too much.
Drizzt and Dahlia Sin’felle have defeated the sorceress Sylora Salm, but Dahlia’s thirst for revenge is far from slaked. Now, she speaks of nothing but the moment she will face the evil Netherese lord Herzgo Alegni—a moment she has been waiting for since she was just a child. Though Drizzt and Dahlia’s bond is no longer just one of friendship, there is much he does not know about his new lover. What is the driving force behind the darkness he’s seen within her? Can he justify another battle to settle a grudge he does not understand?But Dahlia isn’t the only one seeking vengeance against Alegni. Artemis Entreri, Drizzt’s former enemy, offers to aid Dahlia in her mission, hoping it will win him his freedom. But partnering with Entreri poses new challenges: Charon’s Claw, Algeni’s sentient sword, dominates Entreri’s movements—if not his mind. And then there’s the way Entreri looks at Dahlia, causing Drizzt to wonder if the cunning assassin is still more foe than friend.
Drizzt is tangled up in Dahlia’s dark secrets more than ever. The ties that once held them close now threaten to rip apart as Dahlia’s bonds to Drizzt’s former foe, Artemis Entreri, continue to grow. Determined to stand for what’s right in the Realms once again, Drizzt forges a new road north toward Icewind Dale. Will Dahlia, Entreri, and the rest of his new companions follow? Will he be forced to fight the darkness alone? Either way, he knows now where he’s headed—back to the only place that’s ever felt like home. Meanwhile, in the caverns of Gauntlgrym, the drow Tiago Baenre enlists the help of the Bregan D’aerthe in his quest to destroy his grandfather’s killer: Drizzt Do’Urden. While making promises they may not keep, the agents of the elite drow mercenary group hide plans of their own . . .
Alone and with his fate hanging in the balance, Drizzt Do'Urden reflects on the lives of the trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life—the friends now known as the Companions of the Hall. Unbeknownst to him, the goddess Mielikki has given Bruenor, Catti-brie, Regis, and Wulfgar the chance to return to the world they left behind. Reborn as children but with their memories still intact, the friends must find a way back to one another—and to their lone Companion, Drizzt.Meanwhile, three seemingly unrelated commoners, growing up across the far reaches of the Forgotten Realms, display incredible feats of power. Against all odds, they hold the fate of Drizzt Do'Urden in their hands—a fate that is far from certain. For in the shadows, a cunning cabal of wizards is watching, intent on hunting the "Chosen" mortals who have been blessed by the gods. These wizards know something mere commoners do not: Long-forgotten gods have begun to stir. Long-lost lands have begun to tremble. The world around them is about to change—and these wizards will do whatever it takes to turn the coming chaos to their advantage.
The beloved Companions of the Hall have been restored, thanks to the workings of the goddess Mielikki. With his most faithful friends at his side once more, Drizzt Do'Urden returns to Gauntlgrym to rescue Thibbledorf Pwent, Bruenor’s loyal shield dwarf-turned-vampire. But in order to return Pwent back to his mortal form, Drizzt and the Companions must first undertake a perilous journey through the Underdark—a journey made all the more dangerous by the political turmoil that has erupted among drow society. House Baenre, the most prestigious of the ruling drow houses, wants to increase its power over Menzoberranzan even further. While their leaders race to erect a sister city in Gauntlgrym, a Baenre noble seeks to tear down Drizzt Do'Urden once and for all.
Having escaped Gauntlgrym, the Companions of the Hall are united in body and spirt—but not in ideals. As the Darkening casts its shadows upon the northern cities of the Shining White, portending war, the past rears its angry head. Old debts insist on payment and old wrongs demand to be set right. The bloody dwarf-orc feud reignites with disastrous consequences. When drow Quenthel Baenre urges the orcs into war, a new and bloodthirsty king takes the throne of Many-Arrows. The savage orc hordes gather under his command, bringing an end to the decades of peace in the North. Dwarf steel meets ancient enemies, painting the Spine of the World in red. In the middle of this chaos, the Companions march onwards—to rescue Pwent from his vampiric curse and to reclaim Bruenor’s throne; to combat the treachery of the black-souled drow and to defeat the orcs. As the world repeats a deadly cycle of violence and hate, Drizzt Do’Urden is forced into a fight for his life, his loved ones, and his very soul.
The reunited Companions of the Hall are separated once more—thrown to the far corners of a war that’s bigger than any of them realized. They fight for the safety of Mithral Hall, but it’s their own souls, and the soul of Faerûn itself, that truly hangs in the balance. In the dreaded depths of the Underdark, Regis and Wulfgar seek shelter in the fabled Silverymoon, from which they can launch a series of daring new raids. The rest of the Companions reside at the besieged Mithral Hall, where new friends arrive on a mission of mercy—if such an emotion can rest in the heart of a dragon. Meanwhile, the orc warlord Hartusk turns his savage horde on Everlund, one of the great cities of the Silver Marches. Though it stretches his forces thin, it’s a move that could help him achieve his goal of becoming the master of the North. But Hartusk’s treacherous drow allies have a different goal. They want nothing except the death of Drizzt Do’Urden—even if it comes at the cost of human, dwarf, elf, and orc lives. The world is cloaked in darkness and blood runs in rivers across the North; orc hordes rage on and cities fall under brutal siege; old friendships are tested and new alliances are forged. But in the end, it may come down to a single dark elf choosing life over death, forgiveness over vengeance, law over chaos . . . peace over war.
The pall that had descended over the North is gone, and a new day has dawned on a victorious Mithral Hall. But no matter how bright things seem on the surface, Drizzt and his companions know that what lurks just under their feet remains steeped in evil and charged with unimaginable power. The dark elves of Menzoberranzan, including the powerful Archmage Gromph, aren't done with Drizzt yet. And consumed by their own power struggles, feeling backed into a corner, the drow may just be desperate enough to call on demonic forces from the deepest reaches of the Abyss, and unleash a disaster even the Underdark could never have prepared for.
Drizzt is going home, but not to Mithral Hall or to Icewind Dale. He's going to Menzoberranzan, the very place he left as a young and outcast drow. Something terrible—immense—unspeakable, has come to the City of Spiders, leaving death and destruction in its wake.As the damage of the Darkening, of war, and of a demon-ravaged Underdark sends cracks out across the North, causing irreparable damage, Drizzt and his companions find their lives endangered once more. When the primordial of Gauntlgrym stirs, Catti-brie and Gromph venture to the ruins of the Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan, seeking the only power that can keep the beast in check.Meanwhile, Jarlaxle holds the strings for them all, orchestrating a masterpiece of manipulation that brings old enemies together, and tears old friends apart. But even the wily and resourceful Jarlaxle may not realize just how narrow a path he walks. The City of Spiders might already have fallen to the demons and their wicked prince. What's to say the demons will stop there?
Something akin to "peace" has come to the Underdark. The demon hordes have receded, and now the matron mothers argue over the fate of Drizzt Do'Urden. Even so, it becomes clear to one matriarch after another that while the renegade drow may come and go Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders will crawl forever on.And so Drizzt is free to return to his home on the surface once again. Scores are settled as lives are cut short, yet other lives move on. For the lone drow there is only a single final quest: a search for peace, for family, for home—for the future.
Centuries ago, in the city of Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders, the City of Drow, nestled deep in the unmerciful Underdark of Toril, a young weapon master earned a reputation far above his station or that of his poor house.
The greater nobles watched him, and one matron, in particular, decided to take him as her own. She connived with rival great houses to secure her prize, but that prize was caught for her by another, who came to quite enjoy the weapon master.
This was the beginning of the friendship between Zaknafein and Jarlaxle, and the coupling of Matron Malice and the weapon master who would sire Drizzt Do’Urden.
When the legendary drow warrior Zaknafei finally perished, he was content knowing he left behind a legacy as substantial as his son, Drizzt.
Except . . . someone wasn’t ready for Zaknafein to be dead. Now he’s back, hundreds of years later, in a world he does not recognize. His son’s companions are not the prideful—and bigoted—males the dark elf was accustomed to in his previous life. Drizzt’s friends and companions includes dwarves, elves, and, perhaps worst of all, a human wife.
Struggling to navigate this transformed new world, Zaknafein realizes that some things have not changed: the threat of demons and the machinations of a drow matron no longer content with her family’s position in the ranks of houses.
Though he has been displaced in time, Zaknafein is still a warrior. And no matter what prejudices he must overcome, he knows he will do his duty and fight by Drizzt’s side to stem the tide of darkness that threatens the Realms.
Displaced in time and unexpectedly reunited with his son Drizzt Do’Urden, Zaknafein has overcome the prejudices ingrained in him as a drow warrior to help his son battle the ambitious Spider Queen and stem the tide of darkness that has been unleashed upon the Forgotten Realms. Though Zaknafein has endured the most difficult battles, survival has come at a terrible cost, and the fight is far from over.
Facing demons and driders, Zaknafein carries the entire weight of Menzoberranzan surrounding Gauntlgym on his shoulders once more. But the chances of survival for him and his old friend and mercenary Jarlaxle look bleak. Trapped in a desperate and seemingly hopeless situation, the legendary warriors must reach deep inside themselves to face the impossible.
While the burdens Zaknafein bears are more than enough for one of Menzoberrazan’s greatest warriors, fate holds further challenges. When circumstances take an unexpected turn, Zaknafein discovers he must not only conquer the darkness but learn to accept the uncontrollable: life itself.
After the settling dust of the demon uprising and two years of peace, rumblings from the Menzoberranzan drow have Jarlaxle nervous. Worried his allies may be pulled into a Civil War between the great Houses, he is eager to ensure Zaknafein is armed with weapons befitting his skill, including one in particular: Khazid’hea. A powerful artifact, the sword known as “Cutter” has started wars, corrupted its users, and spilled the blood of many, many people. Nonetheless—or maybe because of that—the rogue Jarlaxle and a small group of friends will go on an expedition looking for the weapon’s last wielder, Doum’wielle, in the freezing north, for she may be the key to unlocking the sword’s potential…and perhaps the key to preventing the bloodshed looming over the Underdark.
And as they explore the top of the world, Drizzt is on a journey of his own—both spiritual and physical. He wants to introduce his daughter Brie to Grandmaster Kane and the practices that have been so central to his beliefs. But, having only recently come back from true transcendence, the drow ranger is no longer sure what his beliefs mean anymore. He is on a path to determining the future, not just for his family, but perhaps the entire northlands of the Realms themselves.
Two different roads. On one, Jarlaxle and Zaknefein are on a quest to find pieces that could offer salvation to Menzoberranzan. On the other, Drizzt seeks answers that could offer salvation to not just his soul, but all souls.
And no matter the outcome of either journey, the Realms will never be the same again.
There’s a lot that Jarlaxle doesn’t know: is he the lone survivor of the raid on the slaad fortress, can he even find a way to get out, and beyond his immediate predicament, could he possibly escape the ice caverns and get help for his friends?
However, what Jarlaxle does know is that if he plans to come back—if Catti-brie, Entreri, and Zaknafein are to have any hope of surviving—he’s going to have to bring back far more firepower. An army of aevendrow seems unlikely, so he must go home and pull together a team with great skill and unimaginable power.
But how will he get home? Will such a collection of warriors and mages come to his aid? And even if he manages all that, will it be enough? For Jarlaxle has seen the slaadi’s power and their god in a most personal and terrifying way.
Trapped in the ice while the world is on fire, Jarlaxle is in a race against time—and burdened with a magical secret—to save a peaceful city and his companions.
And he’s running out of tricks in his bag of holding…
For years, the Legend of Drizzt has included short stories published in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons anthologies and Dragon™ magazine. Collected here for the first time are all the classic stories—and one all new tale—by fantasy legend R.A. Salvatore, including:
• “The First Notch”
• “Dark Mirror”
• “The Third Level”
• “Guenhwyvar”
• “That Curious Sword”
• “Wickless in the Nether”
• “The Dowery”
• “Comrades at Odds”
• “If Ever They Happened Upon My Lair”
• “Bones and Stones”
• “Iruladoon”
• “To Legend He Goes”
From the startling origin of Drizzt’s panther companion, to the tale of Jarlaxle and Entreri’s first encounter with the dragon sisters, the tales in The Collected Stories enrich this epic and beloved series.
Growing up in the chaos of Menzoberranzan, one young drow elf tries to make sense of the conflict between the traditions he must serve and the protestations of his own conscience. To lay bare the injustices he sees and to strengthen his own resolve to follow the ethical call of his heart, Drizzt Do'Urden is both an agent of action and self-reflection.
These, his writings, become critical to his salvation, the way in which he makes sense of a world that to him makes little sense at all. The impact of his words, of his meditation, of his inward determination will carry him forward, forcing upon him decisions that others would consider noble, perhaps, but surely foolhardy…impossible even.
But to Drizzt, the only choice is to do what is true and right.
These journal entries, then, show the struggle between what has always been and what should be, where the courage to transcend the many obstacles of societal expectations and entrenched power—if nowhere else, then in the soul of an idealist. They were written to help Drizzt understand himself. But the universal truths will resonate with readers throughout the Realms.