Rise of the King

Rise of the King is the second book of the Companions Codex series written by R.A. Salvatore.

Summary
In the second book of the Companions Codex, the latest series in the New York Times best-selling saga of dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, R.A. Salvatore picks up with the fan-favorite storyline of dwarf king Bruenor Battlehammer and his bloody feud with the orc kingdom of Many Arrows.

Plot
As the Darkening settles across the land, the drow minions of Quenthel Baenre incite the frost giants of the Shining White and two white dragons, Arauthator and Aurbangras, to go to war against the Silver Marches alongside the orcs of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. This is all done, unbeknownst to any but the drow, for the glory of the Spider Queen in her quest to gain the domain of Mystra and get revenge against the renegade Drizzt Do'Urden.

Meanwhile, Drizzt and the other Companions of the Hall—Catti-brie, Bruenor Battlehammer, Regis, and Wulfgar—are resting in Port Llast after their escape from Gauntlgrym/Q'Xorlarrin. They run into Effron and reveal to him the apparent demise of his mother, Dahlia Sin'felle, as they leave town for Longsaddle in order to redeem their friend Thibbledorf Pwent from his vampiric curse.

However, it is revealed that Dahlia is not in fact dead, but has been restored to life as the insane darthiir (non-drow) matron mother of House Do'Urden, which has been reformed by Quenthel at Lolth's bidding. The nobles of the house were taken from House Baenre and House Xorlarrin, with many of the foot soldiers requisitioned from Bregan D'aerthe. The new House Do'Urden is the face of the drow on the surface as they secretly incite the war against the Silver Marches.

The twin kings of Citadel Adbar, Bromm and Harnoth, when faced with orc forces at the door of Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall, sally forth to bring aid to their fellow dwarves, but while traveling, Bromm is killed by Tiago Baenre riding a white dragon. The three remaining kings of the dwarven kingdoms meet and agree to band together, forsaking the Confederation of the Silver Marches and leaving the human and elven nations to their fates.

The Companions of the Hall arrive in Longsaddle and find that a fighting image of Pwent lingers on in the horn of summoning once carried by Wulfgar. The Companions continue on and learn of the Darkening and the return of House Do'Urden from the Uthgardt Tribe of the Griffon. They travel through the Evermoors, being joined by Athrogate and rescuing a wayward Rider of Nesmé, Giselle Malcomb, and escort her to Nesmé, which has been under assault by orcs and goblins. Regis, disguised as a goblin shaman, manages to help weaken the orc army but, while doing so, discovers that the scale of the attack is much larger than he and his friends had previously understood. Now Nesmé, Sundabar, Silverymoon, and all three dwarven kingdoms are beset with orc armies. The Companions remain in Nesmé to defend the town, delaying their return to Mithral Hall.

Meanwhile, Jarlaxle learns of the return of the Companions of the Hall and sets out to involve himself in their affairs. He travels to Helgabal and provokes the copper dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara into returning with him to the Silver Marches. He also recruits Ambergris and Afafrenfere, who is given the blessing of Grandmaster Kane himself from the Monastery of the Yellow Rose.

As Sundabar falls to the orcs and drow, the Companions (and Athrogate) leave Nesmé for the Underdark, seeking an underground road to Mithral Hall. Near to their destination, however, the party is split, with Regis and Wulfgar falling into a torture chamber run by an ogrillon, and with the others managing to break through the Mithral Hall and convince the king, Connerad Brawnanvil, of their true identities.

Main characters

 * Drizzt Do'Urden
 * Catti-brie
 * Bruenor Battlehammer
 * Regis
 * Wulfgar

Supporting characters

 * Afafrenfere, human monk
 * Ambergris, dwarf cleric
 * Andahar, summoned unicorn
 * Athrogate, dwarf
 * Arauthator, white dragon
 * Aurbangras, white dragon
 * Beniago Kurth, drow disguised as human High Captain of Luskan
 * Connerad Brawnanvil, king of Mithral Hall
 * Doum'wielle Armgo, half-drow
 * Gromph Baenre, drow Archmage
 * Hartusk, orc warlor
 * Ilnezhara/Lady Zee, copper ragon
 * Jarlaxle, drow
 * Jolen Firth, leader of Nesmé
 * Kimmuriel Oblodra, drow psionicist
 * Snort, hell boar
 * Tazmikella/Mickey, copper dragon
 * Tiago Baenre, drow
 * Tos'un Armgo, drow

Minor characters

 * Aleina Brightlance, human Knight-in-Silver
 * Beorjan, frost giant brother of Thrym
 * Bungalow Thump, dwarf advisor in Mithral Hall
 * Braelin Janquay, Bregan D'aerthe scout
 * Brewer, human
 * Bromm, one of the twin kings of Citadel Adbar
 * Byrtyn Fey, drow matron
 * Chayne Mulish, dwarf of Citadel Adbar
 * Concettina, queen of Bloodstone Lands
 * Crunch, dwarf of Citadel Adbar
 * Dagnabbet, general of Mithral Hall
 * Dahlia Sin'felle/Darthiir Do'Urden
 * Doughty, human Knight-in-Silver
 * Dreylil Andrus, Captain of the Court Guard in Helgabal
 * Effron, tiefling/half-elf warlock
 * Emerus Warcrown, king of Citadel Felbarr
 * Firehelm, king of Sundabar
 * Giles Wormack, human boy of Sundabar
 * Giselle Malcomb, Rider of Nesmé
 * Gromph Baenre, drow wizard
 * Guenhwyvar, magical panther
 * Harnoth, one of the twin kings of Citadel Adbar
 * Innanig, orc shaman
 * Ivan Bouldershoulder, dwarf
 * Kane, human monk
 * Karolina Wormack, human girl of Sundabar
 * Keyl, son of chieftain of the Tribe of the Griffon
 * Kipper Harpell, human wizard
 * Kllug, goblin shaman
 * Korock, orc leader
 * Lorgru, orc leader
 * Mez'Barris Armgo, drow matron
 * Methil El-Viddenvelp, illithid
 * Myriel, elf scout of the Moonwood
 * Obould, king of Many-Arrows
 * Oretheo Spikes, dwarf of Citadel Adbar
 * Penelope Harpell, human wizard
 * Perrywinkle Shin, Master of Summer at the Monastery of the Yellow Rose
 * Plenerond Silverbell, elf Knight-in-Silver
 * Quenthel Baenre, drow ruler of Menzoberranzan
 * Ragged Dain, dwarf of Citadel Felbarr
 * Ravel Xorlarrin, drow wizard
 * Red Mazzie, wizard of Helgabal
 * Rolloki, frost giant brother of Thrym
 * Rugmark, frost giant brother of Thrym
 * Rumblebelly, Regis's pony
 * Saribel Xorlarrin, drow priestess
 * Savahn, Mistress of the East Wind at the Monastery of the Yellow Rose
 * Sinnafein, leader of the Moonwood
 * Sos'Umptu Baenre, drow matron
 * Tadpole, monk of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose
 * Targ Keifer, chieftain of the Tribe of the Griffon
 * Thibbledorf Pwent, dwarf vampire
 * Thorush, frost giant
 * Uryuga, orc shaman
 * Vadalma Tlabbar, drow matron
 * Yarin Frostmantle, king of Bloodstone Lands
 * Zhindia Melarn, drow matron

Mentioned characters

 * Artemis Entreri
 * Arveiaturace
 * Avelyere
 * Banak Brawnanvil
 * Belween
 * Berellip Xorlarrin
 * Bregnan Prus
 * Dagna Waybeard
 * Dagnabbit
 * Degar Mindero
 * Delcasio
 * Doregardo
 * Donnola Pericolo
 * Dowell Harpell
 * Draygo Quick
 * Emelyn
 * Errtu
 * Fimmel Orelson
 * Galen Firth
 * Gandalug Battlehammer
 * Gruumsh
 * Harbromm
 * Kabbledar
 * Lolth
 * Mielikki
 * Murtil Dragonsbane
 * Nojheim
 * Parbid
 * Shimmergloom
 * Teirflin Armgo
 * Thrym
 * Tiamat
 * Triel Baenre
 * Tsabrak Xorlarrin
 * Yvonnel Baenre
 * Zeerith Q'Xorlarrin

Locations

 * Citadel Felbarr
 * Cold Vale
 * Crags
 * Dark Arrow Keep
 * Evermoors
 * Griffon's Nest
 * Helgabal
 * Keeper's Dale
 * Longsaddle
 * Luskan
 * Menzoberranzan
 * Mithral Hall
 * Monastery of the Yellow Rose
 * Moonwood
 * Nesmé
 * Port Llast
 * Sea of Fallen Stars
 * Shining White
 * Spine of the World
 * Sundabar
 * Upper Surbrin Vale
 * Underdark (Northdark)

Creatures

 * bog blokes
 * copper dragons
 * drow
 * dwarves
 * elves
 * fire elemental
 * frost giants
 * goblins
 * hell boar
 * illithid
 * ogres
 * ogrillons
 * orcs
 * trolls
 * umber hulks
 * vampire
 * white dragons
 * wolves
 * worgs

Artifacts

 * Aegis-fang
 * Cracker and Whacker
 * Khazid'hea
 * Lullaby
 * Spiderweb
 * Taulmaril
 * Twinkle