Passage to Dawn

Passage to Dawn is the fourth book in the Legacy of the Drow series by R.A. Salvatore. It was later reissued as book ten of the Legend of Drizzt series.

"Six years. Not so long in the lifespan of a drow. And yet—in counting the months, the weeks, the days, the hours—it seemed to me as if I had been away from Mithral Hall a hundred times that number. The place was another lifetime, another way of life, a mere stepping stone to...

To what? To where?

I ride the waves along the Sword Coast now, the wind and spray in my face. My ceiling is the rush of clouds and the canopy of stars; my floor, the creaking boards of a swift, well-weathered ship. Beyond that lies the azure blanket, flat and still, heaving and rolling, hissing in the rain and exploding under the fall of a breaching whale.

Is this, then, my home?"

Summary
In the first part of the book, we learn that Drizzt Do'Urden and Catti-brie have joined the crew of Captain Deudermont on board the Sea Sprite and have been hunting pirates for the six years after the Battle of Mithral Hall. Now a doppelganger takes Deudermont shape and it isn't unmasked before it hints to a mysterious island. Deudermont decides to look for the island to find out who sent the creature. We know that that is the demon Errtu, who needs Drizzt to break his banishment. We also learn that now Mithral Hall is reigned by Gandalug Battlehammer, and that Bruenor Battlehammer, some of his dwarves and the barbarians from Settlestone led by Berkthgar the Bold have moved back in Icewind Dale.

In the second part of the book the Sea Sprite crew goes to Mintarn in search of information about the mysterious Caerwich. They are attacked by pirates, but they manage to escape also because of the magical arrival of Harkle Harpell, who joins the crew. After a long and perilous journey, the Sea Sprite reaches Caerwich. There more dangers await the companions, but they eventually find an old hag who gives a riddle message to Drizzt and Catti-brie. The drow believes that the message implies that his father is alive and held by Lolth. The companions decide to look for more information from a fiend of the Abyss, contacting it through a priest. On the journey back, the Sea Sprite is nearly destroyed by a storm and is saved by Harkle, whose spell magically transports the damaged schooner in Impresk Lake, near the residence of the priest Cadderly Bonaduce.

In the third part of the book Harkle Harpell, through a powerful spell, reveals information about the nature of the foe to Drizzt at the cost of his memories of the present adventure with the companions. With the aid of Cadderly, summoning an imp from the Abyss, the companions have confirmation that their foe is not Lolth but Errtu. Drizzt and Catti-brie have Cadderly to summon the demon to confront it, but it doesn't reveal who its prisoner is and claims to be now free from the banishment. The drow and the girl decide to go to Icewind Dale where Crenshinibon lies, the place where Errtu will more likely show up. In the meantime the crystal shard itself is found and taken by Stumpet Rakingclaw.

In the fourth part of the book Drizzt and Catti-brie return to Icewind Dale and meet their friends Regis and Bruenor. The companions spend some pleasant time there before revealing the reason of their return. In the meantime Berkthgar challenges Revjak and becomes the new leader of the barbarians of Icewind Dale, dangerously turning against Ten-Towns and the dwarves. Drizzt becomes aware of this. Finally Errtu is summoned by a wizard, but he breaks free and flies to Icewind Dale where he takes Crenshinibon from Stumpet, capturing her soul and using her body as a bait to lure Drizzt to him. He raises Cryshal-Tirith and begins to gather creatures. We also learn that the balor has to fight a battle of wills against Crenshinibon to keep control over the artifact.

In the last part of the book, Stumpet's body leads the companions to the Sea of Moving Ice. There they are attacked by Taers sent by Crenshinibon, and they beat the creatures only because of the arrival of Revjak and his warriors. Berkthgar and his men, who were also following the companions, arrive as well and eventually the heroes can make the barbarian realise his mistakes. The companions then proceed to their quest and they eventually reach Cryshal-Tirith, where battle with Errtu's minions ensues. Regis infiltrates the tower and, with cunning and willpower, he manages to lock Crenshinibon in a box from where its power can't escape. In the meantime the others are saved by the arrival of Kierstaad, son of Revjak, wielding Aegis-fang, taken from Bruenor's quarters. Errtu's prisoner, Wulfgar, can break free and joins battle with his warhammer. The companions can eventually defeat Errtu.

The book ends with the companions reunited planning to bring Crenshinibon to Cadderly, looking for a way to destroy the evil artifact.

Main characters

 * Bruenor Battlehammer; (Dwarf Male)
 * Catti-brie; (Human Female)
 * Drizzt Do'Urden; (Drow Male)
 * Regis; (Halfling Thief Male)

Other characters

 * Akar Kessel; (Human Wizard Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Artemis Entreri; (Human Assassin Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Beornegar; (Human Barbarian Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Berg'inyon Baenre; (Drow Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Berkthgar the Bold; (Human Barbarian Male)
 * Bidderdoo Harpell; (Human Wizard Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Bizmatec; (Glabrezu Male)
 * Brer'Cannon; (Human Male)
 * Brother Chaunticleer; (Human Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Buster Bracer; (Dwarf Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Cadderly Bonaduce; (Human Cleric Male)
 * Carrackus; (Scrag Male)
 * Cassius; (Human Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Dagna Waybeard; (Dwarf Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Danica Maupoissant; (Human Monk Female)
 * Dantrag Baenre; (Drow Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Deudermont; (Human Male)
 * Dosemen of Sundabar; (Human Wizard Male)
 * Druzil; (Imp Male)
 * Dunkin Tallmast; (Human Male)
 * Errtu; (Tanar'ri Male)
 * Gandalug Battlehammer; (Dwarf Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Guenhwyvar; (Panther Female)
 * Harkle Harpell; (Human Wizard Male)
 * Heafstaag; (Human Barbarian Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Hephaestus; (Red dragon Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Icingdeath; (White dragon Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Ivan Bouldershoulder; (Dwarf Male)
 * Jarlaxle Baenre; (Drow Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Jensin Brent; (Human Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Jorn the Red; (Human Barbarian Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Kemp; (Human Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Khelben; (Human Wizard Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Kierstaad; (Human Barbarian Male)
 * Maboyo; (Human Male)
 * Malice Do'Urden; (Drow Priestess Female) (Mentioned only)
 * Montolio DeBrouchee; (Human Ranger Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Penpahg D'Ahn; (Monk) (Mentioned only)
 * Percival; (Squirrel Male)
 * Pikel Bouldershoulder; (Dwarf Druid Male)
 * Pinochet; (Human Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Puddlejumper; (Magical crossbreed of horse and frog) (Mentioned only)
 * Reggie; (Seagull)
 * Regweld Harpell; (Human Wizard Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Revjak; (Human Barbarian Male)
 * Robillard; (Human Wizard Male)
 * Scaramundi; (Human Male) (As a corpse)
 * Stumpet Rakingclaw; (Dwarf Priest Female)
 * Tarnheel Embuirhan; (Male) (Mentioned only)
 * Terraducket; (Human Male)
 * Waillan Micanty; (Human Male)
 * Wulfgar; (Human Barbarian Male)
 * Zaknafein Do'Urden; (Drow Male) (As a spirit)

Artifacts

 * Aegis-fang
 * Bankenfuere
 * Bracers of the Blinding Strike
 * Cat's Eye
 * Crenshinibon
 * Drizzt's scimitar
 * Khazid'hea
 * Regis' Gem
 * Taulmaril the Heartseeker
 * Twinkle

Locations

 * Abyss
 * Bruenor's Climb
 * Bryn Shander
 * Caerwich
 * Carradoon
 * Cryshal-Tirith
 * Dock Street
 * Gull Rocks
 * Icewind Dale
 * Ivy Mansion
 * Impresk Lake
 * Kelvin's Cairn
 * Luskan
 * Mermaid's Arms
 * Mintarn
 * Mintarn Harbor
 * Sea of Moving Ice
 * Sea Sprite
 * Spirit Soaring
 * Sundabar
 * Waterdeep