I Read What?!

So last time on the Halfling's Gem, someone returned! And I'm pretty happy about this! Hey, I'm pretty easy when it comes to this sort of thing. Imagine how happy everyone will be when they find out!

But before we can get to any heartwarming reunions, we're off to see what Entreri and Regis are up to.

( Monologuing, I hope )

So last time, our "heroes" basically just up and robbed someone who'd done nothing to them, because she happened to own a magic trinket that they wanted. And despite the fact that our hero is a good drow elf, we're not supposed to consider the possibility of other non-evil monster types.

For reasons.

( But if our alignment sheet says 'good' then it doesn't matter if we loot and kill, right? )

So last time, we caught up with Drizzt and Wulfgar, and Wulfgar kind of/sort of learned a lesson that he'd already learned before, that didn't completely make sense to begin with.

That's a Harpell for you, I suppose.

( No Harpells in this chapter, yay! )

It's been a while since I bitched about everyone's "favorite" dark elf, Drizzt Do'Urden, and I was almost starting to miss him. Besides, there's no point in reviewing the first two books in a trilogy if you're not going to finish it up, right?

If you recall, Streams of Silver left us in a very tricky cliffhanger situation! Bruenor is (apparently) dead! Artemis Entreri has Regis and Guenhwyvar! What are our heroes to do?

Well, if you're Catti-brie, you're going to conveniently not be involved in the main plot at all! Though Streams of Silver gives me some hope that Salvatore will find a way to rope her in later, just so we get a goddamn woman in this sausage-fest.

Truth be told, I have almost no recollection of this book. I remember some scenes with Drizzt using a magic mask, that I feel like were supposed to maybe have something interesting to say about racism and not hiding oneself, but I've gone into my issues with using Drizzt and the drow as examples of in universe racism.

Now if we want to examine, in a meta sense, why the token evil elf race has black skin and is ruled by sexy dominatrixes, that's an analysis of at least subconscious racism that's worth pursuing. (They live underground! If they live underground, they should be paler not darker!) But you're never going to convince me that "Oh god, this subrace of elves that attempt genocide on every surface dwelling settlement they encounter is scary!" is a response built of irrational hatred. Sorry! It sucks for Drizzt, but it's not comparable to real world racism!

So, anyway, enough babbling. Let's start the prelude.

( God willing, there won't be a Harpell )