Darkwalker on Moonshae

by Douglas Niles
First Pubished in May 1987
Part of the Moonshae Trilogy
Takes place in 1345 DR

Enter the land of Forgotten Realms and visit the kingdom of Moonshae, where a bitter struggle is about to ensue. A deep, dark hole is eating away at the spring sunlight, sapping its strength. The portents are not good.

The evil beast is growing stronger by the day, and its followers, the Firbolg, are craving the sight of blood.

To halt the spread of darkness, Prince Tristan must rally the citizens of Moonshae: the Goddess must send her most powerful children - and even then she may not be able to restore peace to the folk of Moonshae...

Review

While not particularly original, DWOM is well written and entertaining. The Moonshae Islands are obviously set to be similar to dark age Britain which happens to be my favorite period in history, so I may have like the novel more than others would. Also, if you were to remove the Forgotten Realms label, this would pass as an independent fantasy novel. The reader does not need to be familiar with D&D to follow this novel nor does the novel read like some roll playing session converted into prose.

Darkwalker definitely has that 80's family adventure movie feel to it. The heroes are all good natured and lovable and represent diverse ethnicities (fantasy ethnicities mind you). There's even a comic relief character in the form of a cute fairy dragon. The villains are all vile and despicable (though a bit wooden). There's a bit of violence, but no sex (though there is a rape-like encounter near the end).

It's not a deep read, but it is an entertaining one.

Effects on Toril

Thelgaar Ironhand, King of the Moonshae Isle of Oman's Isle dies.

Characters

Major

Arlen - Captain of the guard of Gwynneth. Teacher of prince Tristan Kendrick.
Brigit - A elf of Myloch Vale and Captain of The Sisters of Synnoria
Byron Kendrick - King of the Moonshae Island of Gwynneth. Father of Tristan Kendrick.
Canthus - A large Moorhound bought by Tristan Kendrick from Pawldo.
Daryth - A Calishite thief and dog handler for Tristan Kendrick.
Finellen - A dwarf
Friar Nolan - A cleric representing unnamed "New" gods in the town of Corwell.
Kamerynn the Unicorn - A large unicorn. One of the three children of the Goddess.
Kazgoroth, The Beast - An evil demigod that plagues the Moonshae Islands from time to time. He has the ability to change shapes at will.
Keren Donnell - Bard of the Harp. The Greatest bard of the Moonshae Isles, and an agent of the high king of the Moonshae Isles.
Laric - Captain of the Bloodriders, the cavalry of Gunnarch The Red. Not partiularly loyal to his king.
Newt the Faerie Dragon - A Faerie Dragon with great powers of illusion and an even greater appetite.
Pawldo of Lowhill - A halfling merchant who lives in Lowhill, a halfling community a mile from Corwell. He trades in hounds.
Robyn Moonsinger - Ward of King Byron Kendrick.
Tristan Kendrick - The primary protagonist. Son and heir of King Byron Kendrick. The prince is generally considered to be somewhat of a wastrel.

Minor

Allian - A halfling maiden of Lowhill. Often seen with Pawldo at social events.
Angus - An old Moorhound of the Kendrick family
Chauntea - Just called the Goddess in the novel. The goddess of life and agriculture.
Colleen - A elf of Myloch Vale.One of The Sisters of Synnoria
Erian - One of Caer Corwell's veteran men-at-arms.
Gavin - Blacksmith of Cantrev Myrrdale
Genna Moonsinger - High Druid of Gwynneth
Gretta - A servent in Caer Corwell on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth. Possibly was Tristan Kendricks nanny.
Groth - A firbolg chief
Gunnarch The Red - King of the Moonshae Island of Norland.
Gwendolynn - Druid of Dynloch Pass
Isolde of Winterglen - Druid of the woodlands of northern Gwynneth.
Keegean of Dynnwall - A woodsman in the Llyrath Forest on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth. His wife is named Enid and his son Evan.
Lord Dynnatt - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Lord Koart - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Lord Nowll - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Maura - A elf of Myloch Vale. One of The Sisters of Synnoria
Quinn Moonwane - Druid of the Llyrath Forest
Raag Hammerstaad - A Northman king in the Moonshae Isles.
Sable - A falcon belonging to Keren Donnell
Thelgaar Ironhand - King of the Moonshae Island of Oman's Isle. The most powerful king among the Northmen.
Trahern of Oakvale - Druid of the forests around Myrloch vale.

Only Mentioned

Cymrych Hugh - Ancient High King of the Moonshae Isles.
Geoffrey the aleman - An innkeeper in Corwell.

Monsters

Firbolg - Firbolgs are giants in the service of Kazgoroth that live in Mylock Vale.
Leviathan - Among the Children of The Goddess is the one known as the Leviathan, a giant sea creature. The species is never explicitly stated.
Death Knight - Kazgoroth transforms the Bloodriders, a cavalry unit of Northmen, into creatures that are possibly Death Knights, though what they are is never explicitly stated.
Werewolf - Kazgoroth turns one of men of Corwell into a werewolf in his service.
Unicorn - One of the Children of the Goddess is the Unicorn Kamerynn.
Faerie Dragon - Newt, the Faerie Dragon is one of the protagonists.
Giant Eel - The protagonists encounter a monster in the caverns beneath the firbolg fortress that appears to be some sort of giant eel.

Fan art by Daniel

The Darkpool

Corwell

Firbolg Attack

The Druid