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i_read_whatNormally, I don't do this, but given that we just saw the climactic victory of our heroes, and these chapters are really short, I thought I'd just finish up the story today.
So let's rock and roll!
It's aftermath time. Bruenor is knocking on Drizzt's door. There's no reply, and apparently that's common now, but Bruenor is stubborn and decides to go in. He's is greeted by a melodramatic scene, of course:
Stripped to the waist and running his slender fingers through his thick mane of white hair, Drizzt sat on his bed with his back to Bruenor. Even in the dimness, Bruenor could clearly see the scab line sliced across the drow's back. The dwarf shuddered, never imagining in those wild hours of battle that Drizzt had been so viciously wounded by Artemis Entreri.
Apparently, Drizzt has been moping for five days. Apparently there'd been some concern about one of Drizzt's eyes, but it's opened again now. "Clearly it was healing, but still those marvelous orbs worried Bruenor. They seemed to him to have lost a good bit of their luster."
Hah.
Anyway, Drizzt asks after Catti-brie. She's doing okay. Still in bed, but not terribly happy about it. Apparently, she gets snappy with servants when they fuss over her, which seems kind of bitchy. It's not the servants' fault, Catti-brie.
Wulfgar is doing okay too. He's got wounds wrapped up but is on his feet. And Regis is giving a feast! Drizzt, of course, is uninterested.
Bruenor wonders if Drizzt is actually sneaking out to hunt Entreri, which amuses Drizzt enough that he decides to go to the feast after all. And it appears like quite the shindig. Regis is at the head of the table, with LaValle at his right, and some new faces to his left. These are new lieutenants of his new guild! Go Regis!
Wulfgar and Catti-brie are sitting together, hands clasped, and Drizzt thinks that's as much for mutual support as affection. Everyone is thrilled to see Drizzt. And Drizzt seems to have reached a breakthrough too:
Drizzt slid into the chair beside LaValle, drawing a concerned look from the timid wizard.
The guild's lieutenants, too, shifted uneasily at the thought of dining with a drow elf.
Drizzt smiled away the weight of their discomfort; it was their problem, not his. "I have been busy," he told Regis.
Drizzt and Wulfgar have their own moment:
"You swore to kill me," the drow said calmly to Wulfgar, causing the big man to sag back in his chair.
Wulfgar flushed a deep red and tightened his grip on Catti-brie's hand.
"Only the strength of Wulfgar could have held that gate," Drizzt explained. The edges of his mouth turned up in a wistful smile.
"But, I-" Wulfgar began, but Catti-brie cut him short.
"Enough said about it, then," the young woman insisted, banging her fist into Wulfgar's thigh. "Let us not be talking about troubles we've past. Too much remains before us!"
I'm not sure if I actually recapped the threat. Basically Wulfgar had been very unhappy when Drizzt forced him onward to guard the gate. It's kind of dickish to bring it up now though, since Wulfgar clearly didn't mean it.
Anyway, Bruenor's antsy to go as he doesn't want to miss the war in Mithril Hall. Catti-brie points out that neither she nor Wulfgar are really up for the travel. Regis intends to stay and he offers his friends a place at his side.
They're flattered of course, but Bruenor, Catti-brie and Wulfgar are heading north. Drizzt is an open question though. He thinks that life in Calimport might not be that bad, and he has the skills to do well in shadowy thieves' world stuff. But of course, he decides against it:
"No," he said. He turned at the audible sigh from Catti-brie across the table, and their eyes locked. "I have walked through too many shadows already," he explained. "A noble quest stands before me, and a noble throne awaits its rightful king."
Aw.
Regis expected that, and says that since they're all determined to go back to a war, he's got some aid to offer them. As it turns out, someone important has arrived in Calimport this morning. Regis snaps his fingers and in walks Captain Deudermont!
Hey, it's good to be the guildmaster.
It's trading season in Calimport, but Deudermont is willing to head up now:
"I may not be able to get you all the way to Waterdeep," said Deudermont. "The winds and ice will tell. But you surely will find yourself closer to your goal when you take to land once again." He looked over at Regis, then back to Drizzt. "For my losses in trade, accommodations have been made."
Regis tucked his thumbs into his jeweled belt. "I owed you that, at the least!"
"Bah!" snorted Bruenor, an adventurous gleam in his eye. "Ten times more, Rumblebelly, ten times more!"
I can't imagine why Regis might want to stay behind.
--
Actually, as we learn later, Bruenor's worried about Regis. With Pook gone, it's kind of a free-for-all. There's a lot of wealth to motivate folks. Entreri and the ratmen are still out there. And Bruenor's skeptical that a wizard like LaValle is really caught by the charm.
Drizzt, of course, agrees. But I'm honestly impressed that Salvatore's letting Bruenor have this insight at all.
They decide to pay LaValle a visit and gauge his position. And indeed they do. Bruenor batters on his door first thing in the morning.
LaValle initially tries to play dumb, pretending to be entranced, but he doesn't fool them. And of course, we get some unnecessary Drizzt shilling:
He scratched his chin, looking for somewhere to run. He couldn't fool the drow, he realized.
The dwarf, perhaps, the halfling, certainly, but not this one. Those lavender eyes burned holes right through his facade. "You do not believe that your little friend has cast his enchantment over me," he said.
"Wizards avoid wizards' traps," Drizzt replied.
"Fair enough," said LaValle, slipping into a chair.
Anyway, LaValle explains that he's a practical person. He's served a lot of masters. Pook was the greatest, but he's gone. LaValle isn't interested in leadership: he loves his craft, lives comfortably, and can do as he pleases. He's happy to serve Regis for now, and he'll just as happily serve whoever takes his place.
Fair enough.
--
Finally, it's time for goodbyes. Regis has one final offer. Not for the group or even Drizzt himself. He offers fifty thousand gold pieces for Guenhwyvar. This leads to some entertaining banter:
Catti-brie slapped Regis on the back of the head. "Find yer shame," she scolded. "Ye know the drow better than that!"
Drizzt calmed her with a smile. "A treasure for a treasure?" he said to Regis. "You know I must decline. Guenhwyvar cannot be bought, however good your intentions may be."
"Fifty thousand," Bruenor huffed. "If we wanted it, we'd take it afore we left!"
Regis then realized the absurdity of the offer, and he blushed in embarrassment.
"Are you so certain that we came across the world to your aid?" Wulfgar asked him. Regis looked at the barbarian, confused.
"Perhaps 'twas the cat we came after," Wulfgar continued seriously.
Everyone laughs. Drizzt offers something else, instead, the magic mask. He doesn't need it anymore:
"Should ye keep it until we get to the boat?" Bruenor asked.
Drizzt looked to Catti-brie for an answer, and her smile of approval and admiration cast away any remaining doubts he might have had.
"No," he said. "Let the Calishites judge me for what they will." He swung open the doors, allowing the morning sun to sparkle in his lavender eyes.
"Let the wide world judge me for what it will," he said, his look one of genuine contentment as he dropped his gaze alternately into the eyes of each of his four friends.
"You know who I am."
Okay, cool. But you know, you COULD have given it back to Agatha. You know. The person you STOLE IT FROM!!!
---
So now, the epilogue.
They arrive at Waterdeep. It was a two month voyage, and everyone's had time to heal. Then they head north, finally making it to Longsaddle, where they meet Bruenor's kin, five hundred of Wulfgar's people, and eight thousand dwarves from other settlements to retake the hall.
And soon more allies come: archers from Silverymoon and Nesme! Bruenor wants to turn away the latter, based on how they'd treated Drizzt, but his friends talk him out of it. They'll be neighbors and customers once the mines reopen after all.
And of course, they succeed, gradually clearing it out level by level until the rightful king takes his throne.
Then we rejoin Drizzt as he looks down from the mountain at Silverymoon. He'd been turned away once before, but not this time:
He could walk the land as he chose, now, with his head held high and the cowl of his cloak thrown back. Most of the world did not treat him any differently; few knew the name of Drizzt Do'Urden. But Drizzt knew now that he owed no apologies, or excuses, for his black skin, and to those who placed unfair judgment upon him, he offered none.
The weight of the world's prejudice would still fall upon him heavily, but Drizzt had learned, by the insights of Catti-brie, to stand against it.
He thinks about her, Wulfgar and Bruenor, and it touches Drizzt, "who had never experienced the closeness of family".
(This, as we'll learn in the next Drizzt book, is not entirely true. But it's complicated.)
--
So Mithril Hall recovers. They're crafting and they get trade going again. The barbarians are apparently market bearers now. And they're making a carving for Bruenor in the hall of kings.
And hey, Drizzt has returned! Just in time for an upcoming event: Wulfgar and Catti-brie's wedding. There is some cute banter, and funny implications:
"So ye made it," Catti-brie said absently, feigning disinterest.
"We had not planned for this," added Wulfgar in the same casual tone. "I pray that there may be an extra seat at the table."
Drizzt only smiled and bowed low in apology. He had been absent quite often - for weeks at a time - lately. Personal invitations to visit the Lady of Silverymoon and her enchanted realm were not so easily refused.
Well then.
Anyway, Drizzt isn't planning to stay too long. He's not hunting Entreri though, that's long past. But there's lots to see in the world, and Drizzt has plans. Good for him!
We're told that Wulfgar's people have decided to rebuild the city of Settlestone at the base of the mountains. And Catti-brie and Wulfgar have some traveling in mind as well.
They have another guest too! Regis! He's wearing his ruby and fancy gem-studded jacket. And in fact seems to be carrying a lot of gold and gems. He's in no hurry to leave. The book ends with Drizzt and Bruenor rather ruefully noting that Regis is running from something again.
Oh, that Regis.
Stay tuned for the verdict!
So let's rock and roll!
It's aftermath time. Bruenor is knocking on Drizzt's door. There's no reply, and apparently that's common now, but Bruenor is stubborn and decides to go in. He's is greeted by a melodramatic scene, of course:
Stripped to the waist and running his slender fingers through his thick mane of white hair, Drizzt sat on his bed with his back to Bruenor. Even in the dimness, Bruenor could clearly see the scab line sliced across the drow's back. The dwarf shuddered, never imagining in those wild hours of battle that Drizzt had been so viciously wounded by Artemis Entreri.
Apparently, Drizzt has been moping for five days. Apparently there'd been some concern about one of Drizzt's eyes, but it's opened again now. "Clearly it was healing, but still those marvelous orbs worried Bruenor. They seemed to him to have lost a good bit of their luster."
Hah.
Anyway, Drizzt asks after Catti-brie. She's doing okay. Still in bed, but not terribly happy about it. Apparently, she gets snappy with servants when they fuss over her, which seems kind of bitchy. It's not the servants' fault, Catti-brie.
Wulfgar is doing okay too. He's got wounds wrapped up but is on his feet. And Regis is giving a feast! Drizzt, of course, is uninterested.
Bruenor wonders if Drizzt is actually sneaking out to hunt Entreri, which amuses Drizzt enough that he decides to go to the feast after all. And it appears like quite the shindig. Regis is at the head of the table, with LaValle at his right, and some new faces to his left. These are new lieutenants of his new guild! Go Regis!
Wulfgar and Catti-brie are sitting together, hands clasped, and Drizzt thinks that's as much for mutual support as affection. Everyone is thrilled to see Drizzt. And Drizzt seems to have reached a breakthrough too:
Drizzt slid into the chair beside LaValle, drawing a concerned look from the timid wizard.
The guild's lieutenants, too, shifted uneasily at the thought of dining with a drow elf.
Drizzt smiled away the weight of their discomfort; it was their problem, not his. "I have been busy," he told Regis.
Drizzt and Wulfgar have their own moment:
"You swore to kill me," the drow said calmly to Wulfgar, causing the big man to sag back in his chair.
Wulfgar flushed a deep red and tightened his grip on Catti-brie's hand.
"Only the strength of Wulfgar could have held that gate," Drizzt explained. The edges of his mouth turned up in a wistful smile.
"But, I-" Wulfgar began, but Catti-brie cut him short.
"Enough said about it, then," the young woman insisted, banging her fist into Wulfgar's thigh. "Let us not be talking about troubles we've past. Too much remains before us!"
I'm not sure if I actually recapped the threat. Basically Wulfgar had been very unhappy when Drizzt forced him onward to guard the gate. It's kind of dickish to bring it up now though, since Wulfgar clearly didn't mean it.
Anyway, Bruenor's antsy to go as he doesn't want to miss the war in Mithril Hall. Catti-brie points out that neither she nor Wulfgar are really up for the travel. Regis intends to stay and he offers his friends a place at his side.
They're flattered of course, but Bruenor, Catti-brie and Wulfgar are heading north. Drizzt is an open question though. He thinks that life in Calimport might not be that bad, and he has the skills to do well in shadowy thieves' world stuff. But of course, he decides against it:
"No," he said. He turned at the audible sigh from Catti-brie across the table, and their eyes locked. "I have walked through too many shadows already," he explained. "A noble quest stands before me, and a noble throne awaits its rightful king."
Aw.
Regis expected that, and says that since they're all determined to go back to a war, he's got some aid to offer them. As it turns out, someone important has arrived in Calimport this morning. Regis snaps his fingers and in walks Captain Deudermont!
Hey, it's good to be the guildmaster.
It's trading season in Calimport, but Deudermont is willing to head up now:
"I may not be able to get you all the way to Waterdeep," said Deudermont. "The winds and ice will tell. But you surely will find yourself closer to your goal when you take to land once again." He looked over at Regis, then back to Drizzt. "For my losses in trade, accommodations have been made."
Regis tucked his thumbs into his jeweled belt. "I owed you that, at the least!"
"Bah!" snorted Bruenor, an adventurous gleam in his eye. "Ten times more, Rumblebelly, ten times more!"
I can't imagine why Regis might want to stay behind.
--
Actually, as we learn later, Bruenor's worried about Regis. With Pook gone, it's kind of a free-for-all. There's a lot of wealth to motivate folks. Entreri and the ratmen are still out there. And Bruenor's skeptical that a wizard like LaValle is really caught by the charm.
Drizzt, of course, agrees. But I'm honestly impressed that Salvatore's letting Bruenor have this insight at all.
They decide to pay LaValle a visit and gauge his position. And indeed they do. Bruenor batters on his door first thing in the morning.
LaValle initially tries to play dumb, pretending to be entranced, but he doesn't fool them. And of course, we get some unnecessary Drizzt shilling:
He scratched his chin, looking for somewhere to run. He couldn't fool the drow, he realized.
The dwarf, perhaps, the halfling, certainly, but not this one. Those lavender eyes burned holes right through his facade. "You do not believe that your little friend has cast his enchantment over me," he said.
"Wizards avoid wizards' traps," Drizzt replied.
"Fair enough," said LaValle, slipping into a chair.
Anyway, LaValle explains that he's a practical person. He's served a lot of masters. Pook was the greatest, but he's gone. LaValle isn't interested in leadership: he loves his craft, lives comfortably, and can do as he pleases. He's happy to serve Regis for now, and he'll just as happily serve whoever takes his place.
Fair enough.
--
Finally, it's time for goodbyes. Regis has one final offer. Not for the group or even Drizzt himself. He offers fifty thousand gold pieces for Guenhwyvar. This leads to some entertaining banter:
Catti-brie slapped Regis on the back of the head. "Find yer shame," she scolded. "Ye know the drow better than that!"
Drizzt calmed her with a smile. "A treasure for a treasure?" he said to Regis. "You know I must decline. Guenhwyvar cannot be bought, however good your intentions may be."
"Fifty thousand," Bruenor huffed. "If we wanted it, we'd take it afore we left!"
Regis then realized the absurdity of the offer, and he blushed in embarrassment.
"Are you so certain that we came across the world to your aid?" Wulfgar asked him. Regis looked at the barbarian, confused.
"Perhaps 'twas the cat we came after," Wulfgar continued seriously.
Everyone laughs. Drizzt offers something else, instead, the magic mask. He doesn't need it anymore:
"Should ye keep it until we get to the boat?" Bruenor asked.
Drizzt looked to Catti-brie for an answer, and her smile of approval and admiration cast away any remaining doubts he might have had.
"No," he said. "Let the Calishites judge me for what they will." He swung open the doors, allowing the morning sun to sparkle in his lavender eyes.
"Let the wide world judge me for what it will," he said, his look one of genuine contentment as he dropped his gaze alternately into the eyes of each of his four friends.
"You know who I am."
Okay, cool. But you know, you COULD have given it back to Agatha. You know. The person you STOLE IT FROM!!!
---
So now, the epilogue.
They arrive at Waterdeep. It was a two month voyage, and everyone's had time to heal. Then they head north, finally making it to Longsaddle, where they meet Bruenor's kin, five hundred of Wulfgar's people, and eight thousand dwarves from other settlements to retake the hall.
And soon more allies come: archers from Silverymoon and Nesme! Bruenor wants to turn away the latter, based on how they'd treated Drizzt, but his friends talk him out of it. They'll be neighbors and customers once the mines reopen after all.
And of course, they succeed, gradually clearing it out level by level until the rightful king takes his throne.
Then we rejoin Drizzt as he looks down from the mountain at Silverymoon. He'd been turned away once before, but not this time:
He could walk the land as he chose, now, with his head held high and the cowl of his cloak thrown back. Most of the world did not treat him any differently; few knew the name of Drizzt Do'Urden. But Drizzt knew now that he owed no apologies, or excuses, for his black skin, and to those who placed unfair judgment upon him, he offered none.
The weight of the world's prejudice would still fall upon him heavily, but Drizzt had learned, by the insights of Catti-brie, to stand against it.
He thinks about her, Wulfgar and Bruenor, and it touches Drizzt, "who had never experienced the closeness of family".
(This, as we'll learn in the next Drizzt book, is not entirely true. But it's complicated.)
--
So Mithril Hall recovers. They're crafting and they get trade going again. The barbarians are apparently market bearers now. And they're making a carving for Bruenor in the hall of kings.
And hey, Drizzt has returned! Just in time for an upcoming event: Wulfgar and Catti-brie's wedding. There is some cute banter, and funny implications:
"So ye made it," Catti-brie said absently, feigning disinterest.
"We had not planned for this," added Wulfgar in the same casual tone. "I pray that there may be an extra seat at the table."
Drizzt only smiled and bowed low in apology. He had been absent quite often - for weeks at a time - lately. Personal invitations to visit the Lady of Silverymoon and her enchanted realm were not so easily refused.
Well then.
Anyway, Drizzt isn't planning to stay too long. He's not hunting Entreri though, that's long past. But there's lots to see in the world, and Drizzt has plans. Good for him!
We're told that Wulfgar's people have decided to rebuild the city of Settlestone at the base of the mountains. And Catti-brie and Wulfgar have some traveling in mind as well.
They have another guest too! Regis! He's wearing his ruby and fancy gem-studded jacket. And in fact seems to be carrying a lot of gold and gems. He's in no hurry to leave. The book ends with Drizzt and Bruenor rather ruefully noting that Regis is running from something again.
Oh, that Regis.
Stay tuned for the verdict!