The Viscount of Adrilankha is a fantasy novel by American writer Steven Brust, published in three volumes. Collectively, the three books form the third novel in the Khaavren Romances series. It is set in the fantasy world of Dragaera. Like the other books in the series, the novel is heavily influenced by and homages the d'Artagnan Romances written by Alexandre Dumas,Books by Steven Brust - The Dream Cafe and is written by Brust in the voice and persona of a Dragaeran novelist, Paarfi of Roundwood, whose style is a tongue-in-cheek parody of Dumas, matching both his swashbuckling sense of adventure and his penchant for tangents and longwindedness. The book's format and title correspond with The Vicomte de Bragelonne, the multi-volume third book of the d'Artagnan Romances. The Khaavren Romances books have all used Dumas novels as their chief inspiration, recasting the plots of those novels to fit within Brust's established world of Dragaera. The first five books in the cycle are inspired by the Musketeers books, while 2020's The Baron of Magister Valley uses The Count of Monte Cristo as a starting point.
The three volumes of The Viscount of Adrilankha are: The Paths of the Dead (2002) The Lord of Castle Black (2003) Sethra Lavode (2004)
The Paths of the Dead
The Paths of the Dead is the first volume of The Viscount of Adrilankha, a three-volume novel by Steven Brust that collectively serves as the third novel in his Khaavren Romances. It was published in 2002 by Tor Books. It is named after the Paths of the Dead in Brust's fantasy world of Dragaera.
Plot introduction Three hundred years after the events of Five Hundred Years After, Khaavren, his old friends, and his son help the new Empress on her quest to restore the Empire.
Plot summary A young witch enters the Eastern town of Blackchapel on a quest to find his name. After a conversation with Miska, a strange coachman, the witch receives the name Morrolan, meaning "Dark Star". He meets a fellow witch named Arra, who counsels him to pledge his soul to Verra, the Demon Goddess. He does so, and together they summon other witches to the town and build a temple. While Morrolan is in a trance, some bandits from a neighboring village sack Blackchapel. Morrolan is consumed with the desire for revenge, but he is interrupted when Miska brings Lady Teldra, an Issola, who informs Morrolan that he is both a Dragaeran and a Count of House Dragon. Morrolan vows to journey to Dragaera, receive his birthright, and then return to take vengeance.
Meanwhile, in Dragaera, three hundred years without sorcery or the authority of the Empire has ruined the land. Banditry, plague, and petty warlords reign. One warlord, Kâna, has conquered roughly a quarter of the old Empire's territory, and holds influence over another quarter. His loyal cousin and strategist Habil advises him to start a new Empire with himself as Emperor, and he summons the Princes of the sixteen noble Houses to make the proposal. The reception is generally dubious. Pel, who has become Kâna's agent, goes to speak with Sethra Lavode, and she expresses her total opposition to the plan.
In the County of Whitecrest, which has been largely untouched by the ravages of the Interregnum, Khaavren has become a broken man, weighed down by guilt over his failure to protect the Emperor and prevent Adron's Disaster. His son Piro, the Viscount of Adrilankha, has matured into a bright, bold young man. One of Piro's friends, Zivra, is summoned away on a mysterious task. Shortly thereafter, Piro himself is summoned to Dzur Mountain, the home of Sethra Lavode, on a quest. He and his companions have uneventful encounters with a bandit company and a mysterious sorceress named Orlaan. At Dzur Mountain, he learns that Zivra is really Zerika, the last Phoenix and the true Empress. He must accompany her to the Paths of the Dead to recover the Imperial Orb and restore the Empire. Their party will also include Tazendra, who has been studying under Sethra.
Pel meets with Khaavren and discovers his sorry state. Pel later contacts Aerich and together they scheme to snap their friend from his funk. They send a certain pyrologist to Adrilankha to inspect the city for signs of plague. During dinner with Khaavren and his wife, the pyrologist relates how a past failure drives him to achieve his fullest potential. Khaavren decides that he must get back into shape and help his son. He sets out with two young female houseguests, Ibronka and Röaana.
The Lords of Judgment, chief among the gods, convene and decide what to do. They note that the Empire's chief function is to help keep the Jenoine from returning. It must be restored for the good of the world. While the Orb is in their possession, they modify and improve it, and Verra decides to send a demon under her sway to help Sethra Lavode.
Zerika's band sets out and reaches the cliffs that border the Paths of the Dead. Orlaan arrives with the bandit band she commands, determined to stop them. Tazendra recognizes Orlaan as Grita, the daughter of Greycat, who was killed by Khaavren's company during the events of Five Hundred Years After. As the bandits attack, Zerika throws herself from the cliffs. Believing Zerika dead, Piro and company bitterly fight off the bandits while Tazendra drives away Grita with her superior Elder Sorcery. Zerika lands safely in the Paths and navigates her way to the Lords of Judgment. After a hard-fought debate, she convinces the gods to give her the Orb. She emerges from the Paths as Zerika the Fourth, Empress of the restored Empire.
Major themes In the novel, the theme of a discriminating social order is prominent, and critic Stefan Ekman addresses how that theme comes out in the portrayal of the Paths of the Dead.Ekman, Stefan. (2013) Here Be Dragons: Exploring Fantasy Maps and Settings. Wesleyan University Press, p. 82.
The Lord of Castle Black
The Lord of Castle Black is the second volume of The Viscount of Adrilankha, a three-volume novel by Steven Brust that collectively serves as the third novel in his Khaavren Romances. The novel is named after Morrolan e'Drien, a character originally introduced in the Vlad Taltos novels, which are also set in Brust's fictional world of Dragaera. It contains the backstory of Morrolan.
Plot introduction Khaavren, Piro, and their respective friends embroil themselves in the conflicts between the newly restored Empire and the forces of the Pretender, Kâna.
Plot summary Morrolan reaches his birthright, the County of Southmoor, which is in ruins. He enlists a number of Vallista architects and Teckla laborers to restore his family's castle into a temple.
Meanwhile, Piro, Tazendra, and their company pursue Grita, believing that she has caused the death of Zerika. Grita gathers up the bandits that previously fled her service and attacks again. Again the heroes quickly outfight the bandits and force their surrender, while Grita again flees. After the fighting, Khaavren, Aerich, and their companions happen upon the scene by chance and join with their friends. Pel, who is scouting ahead for a group of Kâna's troops, sees his friends and realizes that his service to Kâna puts him in opposition to them. He reveals himself and renounces his service, joining his friends once again. Kâna's troops attack. The bandits join with Khaavren, Piro, and the rest out of necessity and manage to outfight the troops. Realizing that they are surrounded by enemies, the group sets out for Dzur Mountain.
Morrolan's construction is progressing so well that he decides to build a castle instead of a temple. His retainers discover that the Orb has returned. Morrolan learns of the existence of sorcery and throws himself into its research while his construction continues. He decides to call his new home Castle Black, after the color symbolizing sorcery. During his study, he learns of Kâna's forces bearing down on his county and receives an Imperial order from Zerika to hold them off. Though he is not sure if he holds any loyalty to this new Empire, Morrolan needs no order to defend his land. He enlists the help of his most experienced Dragonlord retainer, Fentor, to see to the county's defences.
While preparing for battle, Morrolan learns of the existence of Sethra Lavode, who is technically his vassal due to her home, Dzur Mountain, residing within Southmoor county. Insulted that she has never sent him a tribute, he rides to Dzur Mountain and demands his due at swordpoint. Sethra quickly realizes that Morrolan does not comprehend the scope of her power, and refrains from killing him. After her servant calls her attention to a certain prophecy, she gives Morrolan a Great Weapon called Blackwand to stand for her tribute. She also lends him the services of the Necromancer, a demon sent by the gods to help Zerika's cause, to assist in the defence of Southmoor.
Khaavren and Piro's company ride in and are admitted into Castle Black, but they can provide little help. Kâna's troops close in and the battle begins. Fentor's hastily assembled defences and small conscripted army are no match for their opposition. Morrolan's various magical allies, including the Necromancer, the Warlock, and his circle of witches all lend their aide to the struggle, but it is still not enough. After consultation with his guests and various retainers, Morrolan decides to have his circle of witches levitate the Castle and his troops up to safety. He then has most of his army, which becomes the new Imperial Army, teleported to Dzur Mountain.
Grita joins with Kâna's forces and gives him information about Khaavren's companions as well as the soul that she has trapped within a staff. With these tools, Kâna and his cousin Habil begin plotting their alternate plans to seize the Empire. Habil gives Grita's staff to an Athyra necromancer and guides Kâna in the rituals of contacting the god Tri'nagore.
After a stay in Dzur Mountain, Khaavren, Piro, and company return to Whitecrest. Piro tells his father that he has fallen in love and wants to marry Ibronka, who is a Dzur. Having lived his life during the Interregnum, Piro does not appreciate the serious taboo of marrying outside of one's House in the Empire. Khaavren is mortified, and categorically refuses to consider such a breach of protocol. Piro leaves home with Ibronka and his friends and together they take up banditry.
Series continuity Grita's staff contains the soul of Aliera, which became lost at the end of Five Hundred Years After. The necromancer who receives her soul is Loraan, who serves as an antagonist in Athyra and Taltos of the Vlad Taltos series.
Sethra Lavode
Sethra Lavode is the third volume of The Viscount of Adrilankha, a three-volume novel by Steven Brust that collectively serves as the third novel in his Khaavren Romances. It is named after a character originally introduced in the Vlad Taltos novels, which are also set in Brust's fictional world of Dragaera.
Plot introduction The various heroes of the series come together once again as Kâna initiates his final gambit to seize control of the fledgling Empire.
Plot summary Zerika, the new Empress of the newly restored Dragaeran Empire, struggles to win the support of the remaining sixteen noble houses. Meanwhile, Kâna enlists the services of Illista, the second-to-last Phoenix, who was exiled in the events of The Phoenix Guards. Together with Grita and Kâna's cousin Habil, the three set in motion a grand scheme to seize the Empire. As a first step, Grita spreads her knowledge that Zerika keeps the Warlock, an Easterner, as a secret, taboo lover. Because Zerika has only knowingly shared this secret with Pel, her royal confidant, Grita hopes this will discredit the crafty Yendi. Khaavren speaks on Pel's behalf, however, and Zerika pardons him.