Black Wizards

by Douglas Niles
First Pubished in April 1988
Part of the Moonshae Trilogy
Takes place in 1346 DR

Yet again the Moonshae Isles come under the threat of sinister and supernatural forces.

A council of dark sorcerers has usurped the will of the High King. An army of ogres and zombies guided by Bhaal, the super-deity of death and destruction, threatens the gentle Ffolk while the puppet king acquiesces.

Meanwhile the young druid Robyn grapples with her new powers, and Prince Tristan Kendrick struggles to earn his birthright. They must join forces with the children of the Goddess for a showdown with the dreaded Black Wizards that will seal the fate of the Moonshae Isles.

Review

Black Wizards is the sequel to Darkwalker on Moonshae and the middle book of the Moonshae trilogy. The story in Black Wizards is good though not as well refined as that of it predecessor, and the plot tends to meander a bit. This tends to be typical of middle novels though, so it’s an understandable issue.

Most of the major characters from Darkwalker return in this installment. Quite a few more are introduced as well. A couple of particularly interesting ones are a half-orc assassin and a Robin Hood-like figure. All in all, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, but each of the important ones is unique enough to not get them mixed up.

There’s plenty of action, including a couple of battles. Whilst Niles is no Bernard Cornwell, he does a pretty good job as describing battle scenes. Had he not had to rely on deus ex machina to resolve one of the battles though, I’d have given Black Wizards higher marks.

Effects on Toril

King Byron Kendrick of Gwynneth Dies.

Reginald Carrathal, high king of the Ffolk dies.

Tristan Kendrick becomes high king of the Ffolk.

Characters

Major

Bhaal - Murderous god of Death.
Canthus - A large Moorhound belonging to Tristan Kendrick
Cyndre - Master of Wizards at Caer Callidyrr.
Daryth - Friend of and dog handler for Tristan Kendrick.
Finellen - A dwarf of the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth and ally of Tristan Kendrick.
Genna Moonsinger - High Druid of Gwynneth. Aunt of Robyn Moonsinger.
Hobarth - A cleric of Bhaal in the city of Callidyrr.
Newt the Faerie Dragon - A companion of Robyn Moonsinger.
Pawldo of Lowhill - A halfling merchant and friend of Tristan Kendrick.
Razfallow - A half-orc assassin from Calimshan.
Robyn Moonsinger - Primary protagonist. Ward of King Byron Kendrick. A powerful druidess and lover of Prince Tristan Kendrick.
Tavish of Llewellyn - A bard who sails the seas around the Moonshae Isles.
Tristan Kendrick - Primary protagonist. Crown Prince of the Moonshae Island of Gwynneth
Yazilliclick - A wood sprite

Minor

Alexei - A wizard at Caer Callidyrr
Allisynn Hugh - Wife of Cymrych Hugh. Ancient High Queen of the Moonshae Isles.
Annuwyn - A wizard in the service of Hugh O'Rourke
Byron Kendrick - King of the Moonshae Island of Gwynneth. Father of Tristan Kendrick.
Captain Cassidy - One of Hugh O'Roarke's men
Cowan - An assistant to Patriarch Trevor.
Dai-Dak - A Duergar king.
Devin - An agent of Hugh O'Roarke in the town of Callidyrr.
Doric - A sorceress at Caer Callidyrr
Eileen of Aspenheight - A Druid on the Isle of Gwynneth
Evan - One of Hugh O'Roarke's men.
Fiona - An agent of Hugh O'Roarke in the town of Callidyrr.
Friar Nolan - A cleric representing unnamed "New" gods in the town of Corwell.
Gadrric Deepglen - A Druid on the Isle of Gwynneth
Glynnis - Maid of Annuwynn.
Grunt - A bear in that lives in the Grove of the Druid Genna Moonsinger.
Hugh O'Roarke - A Robin Hood like figure that lives in the Dernall Forest of the Moonshae Isle of Alaron.
Isolde of Winterglen - Druid of the woodlands of northern Gwynneth, a Moonshae Isle.
Kamerynn the Unicorn - A large unicorn. One of the three children of the Goddess.
Karianow - A lesser wizard at Caer Callidyrr
Kryphon - A wizard at Caer Callidyrr.
Larrell - An assassin employed by Razfallow
Lord Dynnatt - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Lord Fergus of Kingsbay - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Lord Galric - 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 Macshea of Cantrev Macsheehan - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Lord Pontswain - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Patriarch Trevor - A cleric of Chauntea.
Randolph - Captain of the Castle Guard at Caer Corwell
Rasper - An assassin employed by Razfallow
Reginald Carrathal - King of Callidyrr and High King of the Ffolk.
Rodger - A fisherman of Kingsbay.
Ryder Greenleaf - A Druid on the Isle of Gwynneth
Sean of Kingsbay - Son of Lord Fergus.
Sheila - A kitchen lass in Caer Callidyrr
Sythissall - The sahuagin king of the undersea city of Kressilacc.
Talraw - A lesser wizard at Caer Callidyrr
Trahern of Oakvale - Former Druid of the forests around Myrloch vale on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth. Now a mindless servant of Bhaal.
Vaughn Burne - A cleric of Chauntea in the service of Hugh O'Rourke
Waine - A Druid on the Isle of Gwynneth
Wertam - A lesser wizard at Caer Callidyrr
Ysalla - The sahuagin High Priestess of the undersea city of Kressilacc.

Only Mentioned

Cymrych Hugh - Ancient High King of the Moonshae Isles.
Darcy O'Roarke - Sister of Hugh O'Rourke.
Dynnegall - King of Moray.

Monsters

Faerie Dragon - Newt the Faerie dragon is one of the primary protagonists.
Duergar - Cyndre uses duergar allies to bolster his forces.
Svirfneblin - In order to gain duergar as allies, Cyndre helps them to destroy a community of Svirfneblin.
Sahuagin - Inhabit the sunken castle of Caer Allisynn
Ogre - One of the units of the Scarlet Guard is comprised of ogres
Zombie - Hobarth reanimates a corpses to do his bidding.
Skeleton - Hobarth reanimates a corpses to do his bidding.
Wood Sprite - A forest fairy

Fan art by Daniel

Defense of the Moonpool