Darkwell

by Douglas Niles
First Pubished in February 1989
Part of the Moonshae Trilogy
Takes place in 1346 DR

The ultimate struggle of good and evil... At stake, the survival of the Moonshae Isles.

Tristan Kendrick, newly crowned High King of the Ffolk, must forge a lasting alliance between the divergent peoples of the Isles. The druid Robyn must confront an evil that has infested the land itself. And together they must decide if they will face the future as king and queen - or as enemies, forever separated by failure and mistrust.

Review

Considerably darker than the preceding two novels of the trilogy, this is still a well written conclusion to the Moonshae trilogy.

Effects on Toril

The central part of the Isle of Gwynneth is devastated by Bhaal.

Bhaal's power is greatly diminished when his form on the Prime Material Plane is destroyed.

Characters

Major

Bhaal - Murderous god of Death.
Daryth - A Calishite thief and dog handler for Tristan Kendrick.
Finellen - A dwarf of the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth
Genna Moonsinger - High Druid of Gwynneth.
Gunnarch The Red - Barbarian King of the Moonshae Island of Norland.
Hobarth - The cleric of Bhaal who led an army of the undead to defeat the druids of Gwynneth.
Newt the Faerie Dragon - A playful Fairie Dragon
Pawldo of Lowhill - A halfling merchant/adventurer and close friend of Tristan Kendrick.
Robyn Moonsinger - The last druid of the Moonshae Isles and lover of Tristan Kendrick.
Shantu the Displacer Beast - The chief among the Children of Bhaal.
Tavish of Llewellyn - A bard who sails the seas around the Moonshae Isles.
Tristan Kendrick - High King of the Moonshae Islands.
Yak - A firbolg
Yazilliclick - A wood sprite

Minor

Baerth - A elf of Myloch Vale. A elf of Myloch Vale
Brigit - A elf of Myloch Vale. Captain of The Sisters of Synnoria
Captain Danforth - Captain of the Defiant
Chauntea - The goddess of life and agriculture.
Colleen - A elf of Myloch Vale. One of The Sisters of Synnoria
Eric Graybeard - A lieutenant of Grunnarch the Red
Friar Nolan - A cleric representing unnamed "New" gods in the town of Corwell.
Gavin - A dead hero of the Darkwalker war.
Gretta - A servent in Caer Corwell.
Grunt - A bear in that lives in the Grove of the Druid Genna Moonsinger.
Gwen - A Ffolk resident of Codsbay
Honkah-Fah-Snooei - Guardian Troll to the gates of Faerie
Ingra - Wife of Gunnarch The Red.
Kazgoroth, The Beast - An evil demigod that plagues the Moonshae Islands from time to time.
Koll - A Northman resident of Codsbay
Lord Pontswain - A lord of a cantrev on the Moonshae Isle of Gwynneth.
Maura - A elf of Myloch Vale, One of The Sisters of Synnoria
Randolph - Captain of the Castle Guard at Caer Corwell
Sythissall - The sahuagin king of the undersea city of Kressilacc.
Taggar - Shaman of Norland and cleric of Tempus
Thorax The Owlbear - One of the Children of Bhaal
Url Bearstooth - A lieutenant of Grunnarch the Red
Ysalla - The sahuagin High Priestess of the undersea city of Kressilacc.

Only Mentioned

Arlen - Deceased captain of the guard of Gwynneth.
Hugh O'Roarke - A Robin Hood like figure that died on the Isle of Alaron
Keren Donnell - The Greatest bard of the Moonshae Isles. Died while fighting the beast Kazgoroth at the Darkwell.
Thelgaar Ironhand - Former King of Oman. Now Dead.

Monsters

Sahuagin - A nation of Sahuagin lives beneath the seas around the Moonshae Isles. It serves the god Bhaal.
Faerie Dragon - New the Faerie Dragon is a friend of Tristan Kendrick and Robyn Moonsinger
Wood Sprite - Yazilliclick is a friend of Tristan Kendrick and Robyn Moonsinger
Owlbear - Thorax, one of the Children of Bhaal is an owlbear
Peryton - Among the Children of Bhaal are perytons
Displacer beast - Shantu, the Displacer beast is chief among the Children of Bhaal
Zombie - The Sahuagin command an army of zombies from the seas dead.
Firbolg - Yak, a firbolg helps the heroes
Troll - A troll guards the Gate to the land of Faerie
Satyr - Seen in the land of faerie
Balor - Seen in the land of Faerie
Pixie - Seen in the land of Faerie
Dryad - Seen in the land of Faerie
Leprechaun - Seen in the land of Faerie
Blink Dog - Seen in the land of Faerie.
Death Knight - Bhaal reanimates dead elves into Death Knights