The Gossamer Plain

The Gossamer Plain is the first novel of The Empyrean Odyssey trilogy by Thomas M. Reid. "Kaanyr Vhok's ears popped again, and the whole universe turned upside down.

The half-demon master of the Scoured Legion still stings from his defeat in Menzoberranzan, and he's turned that anger on the human city of Sundabar, and onward into the Plane of Fire.

Aliisza's head swam. She could remain alive, so long as she was a good girl. But it seemed too easy, too simple. The alu-fiend knew there was a catch.

She's been consort, spy, and soldier, all in support of Kaanyr Vhok, but when he sends her on a mission she only thinks she understands, she finds a secret inside herself, and the unlikeliest allies a demon could possibly imagine.

Delve into the endless expanse of the Forgotten Realms multiverse in an epic adventure across the planes of existence!"

Summary
Stinging from his defeat at the Siege of Menzoberranzan, cambion lord Kaanyr Vhok sets his eyes on a new target: Sundabar, the city of his foe Helm Dwarf-friend. Vhok's consort, Aliisza, infiltrates Dwarf-friend's staff, disguised as the pretty maiden Ansa. She works to slowly sabotage his papers and make him appear as an old, incompetent ruler.

Meanwhile, Vhok allies with Banite priests in Sundabar and makes an agreement with the Blood of Morueme in the Nether Mountains. He learns that Aliisza is pregnant (which she does not know herself) and plots to use this to his advantage. With the help of the priest Zasian Menz, he designs a plan that will allow him to use Aliisza and the unborn child to access the Lifespring, a magical pool that would give him great power and charisma.

As Vhok's plan is enacted, he orders the Scoured Legion to attack the underground levels of Sundabar, giving him and Zasian access to a portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire. The draconic hobgoblin Myshik Morueme, sent by his uncle and father, joins them, claiming a display of good faith. Meanwhile, Banites abduct Aliisza and she ends up in the heavenly House of the Triad, her unborn son having cried out to the gods for justice. She is judged by the Court of Temperance for her crimes and ordered to remain in a state of consciousness separate from her body, living out her crimes over and over while her body nourishes her child before his birth.

In the Plane of Fire, Vhok, Zasian, and Myshik are guided to the City of Brass by Kurkle, a hell hound that can take humanoid form. While taking refuge in a extradimensional mansion, Myshik betrays the others, killing Kurkle and locking Vhok and Zasian inside. The two manage to escape but are captured by an azer clan, which sends them to mines run by the efreet. They kill the efreeti leader, Hafiz al-Milhab, and secure passage to the City of Brass on a flying carpet.

Imprisoned in the House of the Triad and subjected to memories of her past crimes, Aliisza, with the help of the astral deva Tauran, slowly begins to see the error of her ways. Tauran reveals that her son has been born. Her desire to see him aids her in atoning for her sins through her memories. Tauran allows her to see her son, Kael, who she is surprised to see is not Vhok's progeny, but rather the child of Pharaun Mizzrym, her brief drow lover.

When Aliisza sees Kael, a dormant spell cast by Zasian awakens and Aliisza switches bodies with her son. She remembers that Zasian had used magic on her that would enable her to open a portal to the House of the Triad to the Plane of Fire. No longer feeling so righteous, Aliisza takes off and finds herself in the maw of a storm dragon; the portal is in the creature's belly. She opens the portal just in time for Vhok and Zasian, who had been attacked in the City of Brass by Myshik, to come tumbling through.

Aliisza awakens from unconsciousness to find Tauran begging for her and Vhok's aid. It turns out that Zasian is not a priest of Bane, but a priest of Cyric, and he has now been unleashed on the House of the Triad in the form of a storm dragon.

Main characters

 * Aliisza, alu-fiend
 * Kaanyr Vhok, cambion leader of the Scoured Legion

Supporting characters

 * Kael, Aliisza's son
 * Kurkle, hell hound guide
 * Myshik Morueme, half-blue dragon/half-hobgoblin of Clan Morueme
 * Tauran, astral deva
 * Zasian Menz, supposed priest of Bane

Minor characters

 * Amak, efreeti
 * Cripakolus, azer clan chief
 * Ginella, Helm Dwarf-Friend's staff
 * Holt Burukhan, Dreadlord of Bane
 * Hafiz al-Milhab, efreeti overseer
 * Kaiga, Lizel's sibling
 * Keenan, solar
 * Lakataki, azer seneschel
 * Lizel, young woman in Sundabar
 * Lysalis, fey'ri sorceress of the Scoured Legion
 * Micus, Tauran's friend
 * Nahaunglaroth, blue dragon of Clan Morueme
 * Roraurim, brother of Nahaunglaroth
 * Rorgak, lieutenant in the Scoured Legion
 * Sadil, Lizel's sibling
 * Velsin, clothier in Sundabar
 * Yrudis Gregan, citizen of Sundabar

Mentioned characters

 * Helm Dwarf-Friend, leader of Sundabar
 * Mulvassyss, Vhok's mother
 * Pharaun Mizzrym, Aliisza's drow lover

Creatures
Alu-fiend • Astral deva • Azer • Blue dragon • Cambion • Fire centaur • Demon • Draconic hobgoblin (Half-blue dragon, half-hobgoblin) • Efreeti • Fey'ri • Fire giant • Fire rothé • Formian • Giant fly • Giant snake • Gulguthydra • Hell hound • Hippogriff • Hobgoblin • Leonal • Planetar • Salamander • Solar • Storm dragon • Tanarukk

Locations

 * Buildings: Charcoal Palace • Doomspire • Everwatch
 * Mountains: Dragondoom • Nether Mountains
 * Planes: Elemental Plane of Fire • House of the Triad • Prime Material Plane
 * Regions: Northdark • Silver Marches
 * Settlements: City of Brass • Doomspire • Sundabar
 * Valleys: Rauvin Vale

Magic
Burnblood • Flying carpet
 * Lifespring
 * Lifespring

Miscellaneous

 * Armor & Clothing: breeches • tunic
 * Food & Drinks: ale • apple • bread • mustard • wine
 * Items: bell • chime • mug
 * Plants: felsul
 * Substances: rose oil
 * Weapons: dagger