The DemonWars Saga
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A literary creation of R.A. Salvatore, The DemonWars Saga is a series of seven novels set in the world of Corona, principally in the kingdoms of Honce-the-Bear and Behren, and amongst the nomadic To-gai-ru. The Saga is separated into two trilogies bridged by a single book, Mortalis. The saga has an accompanying roleplaying game, entitled Demon Wars.
Contents |
[edit] The First Trilogy
[edit] The Demon Awakens
The first book in the trilogy introduces the reader to Elbryan Wyndon and Jilseponie Ault, two young friends whose lives are irrevocably changed by the destruction of their village of Dundalis, and Avelyn Desbris, a pious young man who enters the monastery of St.-Mere-Abelle in order to study and to serve God. Divided by the catastrophe, Elbryan and Pony (Jilseponie's nickname) struggle to sort out their lives. Elbryan is taken in by the Touel'alfar, the winged elves of Corona. Jilseponie makes her way to the city of Palmaris where she is raised by the Chilichunks, a husband and wife who own a tavern in the city. Meanwhile, Avelyn comes to terms with the all-too-human brothers of the Abellican Church and the myriad injustices he witnesses them cause.
Years will pass before the trio will meet. During their time apart Elbryan will be trained by the Touel'alfar as a ranger and takes on the name Nightbird. Meanwhile, Pony will become a barmaid at the Chilichunk's tavern, Fellowship Way and eventually enters into the military after marrying the nobleman Conner Bildeborough and then rejecting him on their wedding night; the marriage is immediately annulled. Avelyn, a promising young monk at St. Mere-Abelle begins learning the use of the powerful gemstone magic, but eventually leaves the Church after finding it to not be the holy place he had hoped for and after receiving a vision of the awakened demon dactyl. It will be up to these three, along with a group of friends and allies, to save the world from the Demon Dactyl, Bestesbulzibar, and his dark force of goblins, powries and Fomorian giants.
In order to accomplish this feat Elbryan and his friends take the people of the Timberlands, whose homes have been destroyed by the demon's army, and forge them into a guerrilla fighting force. With them, Elbryan Wyndon and his friends strike quickly at the edges of the enemy, doing all in their power to weaken them. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the only way to truly stop the encroaching darkness is to defeat the dactyl itself. Intent on this quest, the three friends, accompanied by the elves Belli'mar Juraviel and Tuntun and others, journey to the Barbican and Mount Aida to face their enemy. In the end the demon is defeated by Avelyn Desbris and his amethyst gemstone. Though they are victorious, victory comes at a high price. The monk Avelyn gives his life to end the demon dactyl's influence.
[edit] The Demon Spirit
Even with the destruction of the dactyl, all is not well in the Kingdom of Honce-the-Bear. The servants of Bestesbulzibar still roam the land, creating havoc. Elbryan and Pony, along with the small group of fighters they've formed, commence to mopping up the demon's army as best they can. Soon, though, they discover that their friend Bradwarden, who they thought was dead, is still alive and in the clutches of the Church. Furthermore the Chilichunks, Pony's adopted family, have also been captured as a means to lure Pony out so that Markwart can take back the Ring Stones stolen by Avelyn.
It is up to Elbryan and Pony, with help from their friends such as the new character Roger Lockless, to attempt a rescue while fighting the enemy. During this time Elbryan teaches Pony Bi'nelle dasada, the forbidden sword-dance of the Touel'alfar, the short winged elves of Corona. Meanwhile, Father Abbot Markwart schemes to get back the stolen gemstones from Jilseponie. One of his servants, Marcalo De'Unnero, uses his exceptional training in the martial arts to create two new Brothers Justice to find the woman and the gemstones and deal with them both. While this is going on, another of Markwart's servants, an ambitious monk named Brother Francis, comes to the forefront of the story. With his closeness to the Father Abbot, Francis becomes a powerful force in the monastery and eventually leads his own party in search of the gemstones, at the Father Abbot's command.
The Church no longer has a solid foundation, however. Master Jojonah is a high-ranking member of the Church and a former teacher of Avelyn Desbris. He, along with others, begins to see the rot in their beloved institution and work quietly to bring about the truth of Avelyn. This work eventually leads to the death of the master as Elbryan and his companions free Bradwarden.
[edit] The Demon Apostle
The final novel in the first trilogy begins with the mopping up of Bestesbulzibar's army and the battle against the demon's spirit, which has possessed the highest levels of power within the Abellican Church. Again, it is up to Elbryan and Pony, along with their friends, to combat the corruption and attempt to end its terrible hold forever. It is a battle of more than swords and magic they fight. It is a battle of the spirit, of reason and of conscience. The protagonists' courage is tested as they work to heal their home; their wits are challenged constantly as they strive to defeat the enemy; and their convictions regarding right and wrong battle against what might be necessary to end the evil.
Elbryan Wyndon, the Nightbird, travels north to take back the Timberlands while Pony moves south to the city of Palmaris. In their journeys they learn of dire news and find unexpected allies. On the one hand a civil war in Honce-the-Bear seems imminent. On the other, the intrigues of the Abellican Church, and her Father Abbot's desire to take back the magic gemstones -- a desire manipulated and enhanced by the spirit of the demon dactyl -- dog the steps of our heroes, especially those of Jilseponie, who has recently learned of her pregnancy.
Elbryan, Pony and their companions fight their way through numerous battles and intrigues before finally confronting Father Abbot Markwart, his lackey Marcalo De'Unnero and the spirit of Bestesbulzibar. In the end De'Unnero is defeated and Markwart is slain. The demon dactyl's spirit flees again, bringing victory for the forces of good. However, the victory comes with a heavy price as Elbryan Wyndon, the Nightbird, dies of wounds inflicted in his battle with Marcalo De'Unnero.
[edit] Mortalis
The novel which bridges the two trilogies of the Saga tells of Pony's life after the war: her fight against the crushing grief of her husband Elbryan's death and her fight to stop a plague infecting the people of the kingdom. At this time, the characters of Aydrian Wyndon, Elbryan's and Pony's child, and Brynn Dharielle, a To-Gai girl turned ranger, are introduced to the story.
[edit] The Second Trilogy
[edit] Ascendance
The novel Ascendance begins the tale of Aydrian Wyndon, a tortured and lonely young man raised by the Touel'alfar to be a ranger even greater than his father and to, hopefully, be the salvation of the elves. The plans of the Touel'alfar go awry due to Aydrian's own arrogance, cultivated by a dark force. When he leaves the home of the elves, events occur which bring about great sorrow for himself, his mother and the kingdom.
[edit] Transcendence
Transcendence is the story of Brynn Dharielle and her quest to free her people from the tyranny of the Behrenese kingdom. With the help of Belli'mar Juraviel, elven trainer of the rangers Elbryan and Brynn (among many others), a dragon named Agradeleas, and others, Brynn works hard throughout the story to see her dream of freedom come true.
[edit] Immortalis
The final novel of The DemonWars Saga brings all of the main players from the previous two books together to combat the evil still residing in the land. With the end of this novel, and the final destruction of the evil presence, the Saga concludes.
[edit] References
- Salvatore, R.A. (1997). The Demon Awakens: The DemonWars Saga vol. I. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-39149-7.
- Salvatore, R.A. (1998). The Demon Spirit: The DemonWars Saga vol. II. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-39152-7.
- Salvatore, R.A. (1999). The Demon Apostle: The DemonWars Saga vol. III. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-39153-5.
- Salvatore, R.A. (2000). Mortalis. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-43039-5.
- Salvatore, R.A. (2001). Ascendance: The Second DemonWars Saga vol. I. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-43040-9.
- Salvatore, R.A. (2002). Transcendence: The Second DemonWars Saga vol. II. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-43041-7.
- Salvatore, R.A. (2003). Immortalis: The Second DemonWars Saga vol. III. Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-44122-2.
