Hero

Hero by R.A. Salvatore is the third and final book of the Homecoming trilogy. It was released on October 25, 2016.

"The saga of dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden has become a fixture in the fantasy genre, with a string of New York Times best-selling novels going back to 1988. Hero is the follow-up to Maestro and Archmage, and final book in the Homecoming trilogy.

Something akin to "peace" has come to the Underdark. The demon hordes have receded, and now the matron mothers argue over the fate of Drizzt Do'Urden. Even so, it becomes clear to one matriarch after another that while the renegade drow may come and go, Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders will crawl forever on.

And so Drizzt is free to return to his home on the surface once again. Scores are settled as lives are cut short, yet other lives move on. For the lone drow there is only a single final quest: a search for peace, for family, for home — for the future.

Hero picks up where Maestro left off, in a sweeping climax to an epic tale.''"

- Hero

Summary
The story begins by reviewing what Regis and Wulfgar have been up to while the other Companions of the Hall have been securing Gauntlgrym and witnessing the chaos caused by the Rage of Demons and Demogorgon's summoning to the Underdark. Regis and Wulfgar joined the Grinning Ponies on their way to Suzail, where they boarded Puddy's Skipper bound for Delthuntle, where Regis's love Donnola Topolino awaits them.

Meanwhile, in Helgabal Ivan Bouldershoulder witnesses the coming of Toofless Tonguelasher and Clan Bigger to King Yarin Frostmantle's court. The clan appeals to the king by offering jewelry for him and his queen, Concettina. It turns out that Clan Bigger are secretly disguised spriggans in league with the drow House Hunzrin to bring chaos and entertainment to their surroundings.

Back in Gauntlgrym, Catti-brie has assembled a team of craftsmen and spellcasters to help rebuild the Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan and strengthen Gauntlgrym and the seals on the fire primordial. Jarlaxle and Drizzt Do'Urden return from their trip to Menzoberranzan, the latter quite changed. Drizzt has fallen under the Abyssal Plague and a curse that makes him believe he is living a hallucination. Meanwhile, Kimmuriel Oblodra works with Dahlia Sin'felle to remove her from the insanity created in her mind by the illithid Methil El-Viddenvelp. Once restored, Dahlia and Artemis Entreri proclaim their love for each other.

Regis and Wulfgar reach Morada Topolino in Delthuntle. Reunited, Regis and Donnola promise to stay together forever. In Menzoberrazan, the young Yvonnel Baenre II dictates that the city should allow the now-homeless House Xorlarrin to reform House Do'Urden and once again be part of the Ruling Council. Alone, she uses her scrying to observe Drizzt Do'Urden as he angrily attacks on his wife, Catti-brie, believing her to be a demon. Despite his beliefs, he is unable to kill her because she wears the face of his wife. Yvonnel is perplexed and fascinated by his actions.

By the request of Jarlaxle and King Bruenor Battlehammer, Kimmuriel and archmage Gromph Baenre attempt to cure Drizzt of his mental malady. They fail to do so, so Jarlaxle hatches a plan with copper dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara to bring Drizzt to the Monastery of the Yellow Rose for help.

In Delthuntle, Lord Corrado Delcasio receives a letter from his daughter, Queen Concettina, who believes she is soon to be executed because she cannot conceive an heir for the impotent king. Delcasio approaches Donnola for help. She, Regis, and Wulfgar devise a plan to save Concettina.

Back in Helgabal, Clan Bigger returns to court with a necklace (provided by Charri Hunzrin, which the king unknowingly gives to his queen. The necklace is actually the phylactery of the succubus Malcanthet, who possesses Concettina. Meanwhile, Regis and Wulfgar arrive in Helgabal with the help of Tecumseh Bracegirdle of the Kneebreakers, who are allied with Morada Topolino.

In Gauntlgrym, Catti-brie and Gromph make a controlled release of the water elementals as they take the next step in "regrowing" the Host Tower. Yvonnel watches from her scrying bowl and is even more intrigued. She decides she does not want to become matron mother of House Baenre (and all of Menzoberranzan) at this time and heads to the Surface.

In Damara, leaders of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose, including Afafrenfere, Savahn, Perrywinkle Shin, and the exalted Kane, attempt to help Drizzt reach inner peace and control. Despite his physical control, his lack of mental control forces him to fail every test, including one-on-one combat with the unarmed Kane. In nearby Helgabal, Regis and Wulfgar arrive at King Yarin's court in the guise of an emissary from Icewind Dale seeking new trade contacts. In reality, they devise with Ivan and Pikel Bouldershoulder for Wulfgar to sleep with Concettina so that she will get pregnant.

Yvonnel shows up at Gauntlgrym and asks about Drizzt, revealing that she had placed a curse on him the last time she had seen him. She convinces Jarlaxle that she wants to help Drizzt and begins to devise a plan. She and Entreri journey together to Damara. Meanwhile, in King Yarin's court, Malcanthet reveals herself and Wulfgar is sucked into her Mirror of Life Trapping. She escapes into the night but Wulfgar is missing.

Yvonnel and Enteri arrive at the Monastery of the Yellow Rose. Entreri confronts Drizzt as Yvonnel calls upon Kimmuriel and Lolth's servant Yiccardaria to convey a message into Drizzt's mind that this reality was in fact true. They succeed, but Yvonnel and Kane turn on Yiccardaria, making Yvonnel into a heretic.

At the same time in Helgabal, the army rallies to find Malcanthet, who has fled to Smeltergard, the home of the spriggans. Pikel uses his druidic magic to track her alongside Regis. They find Malcanthet, who overpowers them. Pikel escapes but is badly injured. He is rescued by halflings, whom he convinces to go find Drizzt at the nearby monastery. Drizzt, Entreri, Kane, and Yvonnel set out to find Pikel, who reveals that Wulfgar is missing by the hands of Malcanthet. The four set out for Smeltergard. A long and complicated battle ensues. Drizzt and Guenhwyvar are paralyzed by Malcanthet's whip, Regis reappears from where he was hiding, and Yvonnel disguises a spriggan as Graz'zt to scare Malcanthet away. Entreri uses goblins to flush out creatures from the Mirror of Life Trapping until Wulfgar reappears. Lolth herself arrives to Yvonnel's call, healing Drizzt and ordering him to worship her, promising to return his father Zaknafein Do'Urden. He refuses. Lolth is amused enough by his answer to leave him be.

The last loose ends are tied up. Entreri assassinates King Yarin and Concettina becomes the sole ruler of Damara. Everyone else returns to Luskan to be reunited with Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Dahlia (in the case of Drizzt, Yvonnel, Entreri; later Regis, Wulfgar, Ivan, and Pikel) or to meet them for the first time (Donnola, Kane). The Host Tower has progressed while they were away; instantaneous transportation is now possible between Luskan and Gauntlgrym through the Host Tower, and the Harpells have created a magical "upside-down" tunnel with track that runs downhill in both directions between Gauntlgrym and the surface. Morada Topolino and the Bouldershoulder brothers relocate to the Crags to create a new settlement and vineyard called Bleeding Vines. The Kneebreakers also relocate to the Sword Coast to join the Grinning Ponies. The ghost of Thibbledorf Pwent reappears and is accepted by the Throne of the Dwarven Gods. Catti-brie becomes pregnant with Drizzt's child. All is well in the world.

In the last scene, a discussion between Jarlaxle and Yvonnel is interrupted when another drow—the resurrected Zaknafein Do'Urden—walks into the room.

Main characters
Drizzt Do'Urden • Ivan Bouldershoulder • Regis • Wulfgar • Yvonnel Baenre II

Supporting characters
Afafrenfere • Artemis Entreri • Bruenor Battlehammer • Catti-brie • Charri Hunzrin • Concettina Delcasio • Dahlia Sin'felle • Donnola Topolino • Dreylil Andrus • Gromph Baenre • Ilnezhara • Jarlaxle • Kane • Kimmuriel Oblodra • Komtoddy • Lolth • Maegera (unnamed) • Malcanthet • Pikel Bouldershoulder • Quenthel Baenre • Savahn • Sos'Umptu Baenre • Tazmikella • Toofless Tonguelasher • Wigglefingers • Yiccardaria • Yarin Frostmantle

Minor characters
Acelya Frostmantle • Adelard Arras • Aksel • Amiasunta • Anamarin • Andahar (unnamed) • Ambergris • Athrogate • Balleyho • Brekerbak • Bricker • Brister-Biggus • Brouha • Caliera Andrus • Chalmer • Corrado Delcasio • Denderida • Donfellow • Doregardo • Guenhwyvar • Inchedeeko • Kennedy Harpell • Junquis Dularemay • Kipper Harpell • Mallabritches Fellhammer (unnamed) • Mallabie Pudwinker • Minolin Fey • Penelope Harpell • Periwinkle Shin • Pretty Feet • Rafer Ingot • Ragged Dain • Red Mazzie • Shak'kral Hunzrin • Showithal Terdidy • Tannabritches Fellhammer (unnamed) • Tecumseh Bracegirdle • Lord Toulouse • Zaknafein Do'Urden • Zhindia Melarn

Mentioned characters
Acererak • Calihye • Arauthator • Aurbangras • Avelyere • Bahamut • Beniago • Beornegar • Calumny Trailwalker • Christine Dragonsbane • Clangeddin • Colson • Demogorgon • Deudermont • Doum'wielle Armgo • Dumathoin • Ebonsoul • Effron • Emelyn the Gray • Emerus Warcrown • Errtu • Gareth Dragonsbane • Gol'fanin • Graz'zt • Harnoth • Herzgo Alegni • Hobart Bracegirdle • Icingdeath • Jack the Gnome • K'yorl Odran • Marilith • Meralda Ganderlay • Mielikki • Montolio • Moradin • Murtil Dragonsbane • Obould • Parbid • Parvaneh • Pericolo Topolino • Ravel Xorlarrin • Saribel Xorlarrin • Shakti Hunzrin • Tempus • Thibbledorf Pwent • Tiago Baenre • Tsabrak Xorlarrin • Yvonnel Baenre • Zeerith Q'Xorlarrin • Zhengyi

Locations
Prime Material Plane Aglarond • Damara • Impiltur • Silver Marches • Sword Coast North • Vaasa Delthuntle • Gauntlgrym • Helgabal • Illusk • Longsaddle • Luskan • Menzoberranzan • New Sarshel • Palaggar • Smeltergard Host Tower of the Arcane • Ivy Mansion • Monastery of the Yellow Rose • Rolling Pig • Tower of Stars Crags • Bloodstone Lands • Galena Mountains • Prespur • Sea of Fallen Stars • Underdark Causeway • Trade Way
 * Planes of existence:
 * Realms:
 * Settlements:
 * Buildings and landmarks:
 * Geography:
 * Roads:


 * Mentioned locations:
 * Planes of existence:
 * Abyss • Astral Sea • Elysium • Iruladoon • Nine Hells
 * Realms:
 * Calimshan • Chult • Cormyr (unnamed) • Dragon Coast • Icewind Dale • Moonsea • Pirate Isles • Sembia
 * Settlements:
 * Auckney • Bleeding Vines • Boareskyr Bridge • Citadel Felbarr • Dark Arrow Keep • Darmshall • Gulthander • Helmsdale • Memnon • Mirabar • Mithral Hall • Mulmaster • Neverwinter • Port Llast • Q'Xorlarrin • Saerloon • Selgaunt • Shade • Suzail • Waterdeep
 * Buildings and landmarks:
 * Arach-Tinilith
 * Geography:
 * Clawrift • Fourthpeak • Lac Dinneshere • Maer Dualdon • Mooshie's Grove • Redwaters • Sea of Moving Ice • Spine of the World

Creatures
behir (unnamed) • beholder (unnamed) • bullfrog • chasme • copper dragon • demon • dog • drow • dwarf • giant • goblin • halfling • human • hummingbird • nightmare • oyster • primordial • pyrohydra • quasit • riding lizard • snake • spider • spriggan • succubus • unicorn • vampire • vrock • water elemental • yochlol


 * Mentioned:
 * archlich • cow • derro • drider • duergar • half-orc • illithid • knucklehead trout • lich • marilith • orc • rothe • sea evil • sheep • werewolf (Bidderdoos) • wolf • white dragon • yeti

Groups
Bregan D'aerthe • Clan Battlehammer • Clan Bigger • Companions of the Hall • Grinning Ponies • Gutbuster Brigade • Harpell family • House Baenre • House Do'Urden • House Faen Tlabbar • House Hunzrin • House Melarn • Kneebreakers • Monastery of the Yellow Rose • Morada Topolino


 * Mentioned:
 * House Barrison Del'Armgo • House Duskryn • House Fey-Branche • House Oblodra • House Xorlarrin • Lords of Waterdeep • Order of the Golden Cup • Shadovar

Artifacts
Aardvark • Aegis-fang • Charon's Claw • Horn of Valhalla (unnamed) • Icingdeath • Mirror of Life Trapping • Orbbcress • phylactery • Puddy's Skipper • Taulmaril • Throne of the Dwarf Gods • Vidrinath


 * Mentioned:
 * Faerzress • Khazid'hea • Twinkle • Sea Sprite

Events
Abyssal Plague


 * Mentioned:
 * Darkening • Spellplague • Second Sundering • Festival of the Founding • Treaty of Garumn's Gorge • War of the Silver Marches