When Liphrel's family fell too far on their debts, he was sold to the priests of the death god. But his family were followers of the birth goddess, which left him in a difficult position.
Tracing the evolution of fantasy gaming from its origins in tabletop war and collectible card games to contemporary web-based live action and massive multi-player games, this book examines the archetypes and concepts within the fantasy gaming genre alongside the roles and functions of the game players themselves. Other topics include: how The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings helped shape fantasy gaming through Tolkien's obsessive attention to detail and virtual world building; the community-based fellowship embraced by players of both play-by-post and persistent browser-based games, despite the fact that these games are fundamentally solo experiences; the origins of gamebooks and interactive fiction; and the evolution of online gaming in terms of technological capabilities, media richness, narrative structure, coding authority, and participant roles.
Death approaches in the form of Deathmar the Black, Marcus Alios true father. After learning of his sons existence, Deathmar rallies his forces to engage the Silver Guard and take back his son. Follow the mercenary bands youngest members in their continued struggle against the forces of true evil. And of course, the Master of Games himself, Braden Aranor, is guiding the unfolding drama while taking a more active role in certain conflicts.
In the closing installment of the Counselors & Kings trilogy, Matteo and his companions face old enemies in an explosive final showdown Defeat breeds anger. Hatred breeds revenge. Once again, the counselors of Halruaa have beaten back an attack by the wizard Akhlaur. And once more, the kingdom has been saved from its enemies. Their victory comes at a terrible price. The aged king is weakened, his powers diminished. His chief counselor, Matteo, is torn between his duty and his heart. Tzigone, the underdog heroine of the battle of Akhlaur’s Swamp, has been hurled into a dark world from which she may never escape. And at the edge of time, Akhlaur and his ally, Kiva the Magehound, plot their final revenge.
New York Times bestseller The mystery of Lolth remains, leaving the drow to wonder if she has truly turned her back on them forever. In this fourth installment in the War of the Spider Queen series, priestess Quenthel Baenre and her fellow drow adventurers continue their quest for the truth—and this time, the stakes are higher than ever. Now they must travel to a place from which few ever return: the Demonweb Pits of the Abyss. But not all of Quenthel’s companions are confident in their faith. Disheartened by Lolth’s silence, priestess Halisstra Melarn becomes enamored of a different goddess, calling her loyalty to Lolth into question . . .
Discover the thrilling origin stories of the bard Edgin, the barbarian Holga, and their whole adventuring party in this official prequel to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Edgin Darvis’s life is a mess. All that he has left are his lute, his dashing good looks, and his daughter, Kira. After a chance encounter with badass bruiser Holga, Edgin is forced to take a hard look at his bad choices. But the road to redemption is long and paved with unforeseen expenses. Fortunately, the world is full of rich fools begging to be parted from their money. And so Edgin and Holga do what any sensible entrepreneurs would do—they form a crew. Joined by the charming rogue Forge Fitzwilliam and Simon, a sorcerer with an intense inferiority complex, the team sets out to line their pockets with both well-earned and ill-gotten gold. Together, Edgin’s crew battles monsters across the realms: gnoll raiders, fey witches, and more fall beneath their sharp weapons and sharper wit. But when they encounter a new, more sophisticated villain, keen blades and piercing blue eyes may not be enough. Their target? Torlinn Shrake, a wealthy eccentric known for abusing his servants and hosting lavish parties. The plan? Play dress-up, sneak into the Shrake estate, and fill their pockets with as much loot as they can carry. The catch? Shrake is hiding a terrible secret: one that could endanger the lives of everyone Edgin has come to care for—even if the loot is too good to pass up.
Riam, a hunter in his hillman clan, has no idea what is about to happen to him. As he returns from a hunt for food, he encounters trolls, orcs, and a rogue hillman ranger who plots against his people. With the help of the dwarf Toram, whom he saves, Riam avenges his betrayed clan and discovers how the manipulations of clan politics is normal for his people and decides to try a new way. With the help of Toram, he uses the wealth and weapons he acquires along the way to leave the culture of the hillmen and become a dwarf-trained warrior in pursuit of vengeance for his dead father and mother. He joins a quest that seeks to fulfill the ambitions of all the members of an adventuring party, and along with Toram, his dwarven friend, he heads north into perilous danger. Trespassing into the lands of the Witch King and entering into an orcish stronghold to acquire a fabled lost treasure almost costs them their lives. Riam encounters a dragon guarding a treasure, and his method of dealing with it leaves more problems than answers. The group finishes their quest in the north but are left with the problem of returning south. The return trip is as dangerous but just as profitable as they leave the north and return home.
The once-immortal Elminster Aumar faces old age and old enemies in this epic first installment in the Sage of Shadowdale series The great mage Elminster is now an old man, surrounded by enemies and dreaming of the noble adventures of his youth. Once a wizard more powerful than any other—immortal, and beloved of the goddess of magic—Elminster’s world was torn asunder by the murder of Mystra and the mayhem of enchantments her death triggered throughout the realms. Weary, weakened, and with little magical ability, Elminster and his lover, Simbul, are in grave danger: he, from his many enemies and she, from her own insatiable need to consume magical items—or lose lucidity forever. Unfortunately, their ever-growing and increasingly risky collection has the power to lead Elminster’s enemies right to his door.