Gauntlgrym (novel)

Gauntlgrym is a book in the Legend of Drizzt saga by R.A. Salvatore and the first book in the Neverwinter series.

It will bring together two popular Forgotten Realms franchises: Drizzt Do'Urden and the Neverwinter Nights games.

It was released on October 5, 2010.

"When one of his oldest friends, Bruenor Battlehammer, chooses to spend his final days searching for the fabled dwarf kingdom of Gauntlgrym, Drizzt readily agrees. But before Drizzt and Bruenor even get close to finding the lost city, the dwarf assassin Athrogate, black-widow elf Dahlia, and Drizzt’s old nemesis Jarlaxle stumble upon it first. In their search for riches and magic, the three treasure hunters inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to even send the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop the impending disaster on their own. They’ll need help, and from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor.

Drizzt joins these new companions with a conflicted heart. The promise of adventure appeals to a primal part of him. But his lust for battle is growing stronger. Is he really no different from any other dark elf? If he loses the last of his trusted companions, will his drow nature claim him at last? Will his new companions lead him into temptation or deliver him from his darkest desires?"

Plot summary
In 1409 DR, Bruenor Battlehammer fakes his death and his cousin takes over as the king of Mithral Hall. Bruenor decides to return to a life of adventure to rid his many woes including the deaths of Regis, Catti-brie and the departure of the aging Wulfgar.

42 years later, 1451 DR, the elf warrior of Thay Dahlia Sin'felle is commissioned by Szass Tam to go to the crumbled post-Spellplague Neverwinter and create a Dread Ring. She leaves with her vampiric lover, Korvin Dor'crae. Whilst at Neverwinter, the tiefling Herzgo Alegni is working to submit Neverwinter to the Shadovar all for the purpose of bringing back the First Enclave, Xinlenal. With him is his assassin slave, Artemis Entreri, whom he managed to subdue by linking Artemis' life with that of Charon's claw, making it impossible for him to die until he is freed from the blade's service by Alegni or when the sword is destroyed. To put a claim on Neverwinter for the Netherese, Entreri goes out to have the Lord of Neverwinter rename Neverwinter Bridge the Herzgo Alegni Bridge.

Dahlia recruits the mad lich Valindra Shadowmantle to her cause and is soon after joined by Jarlaxle and Athrogate and the two head to Gauntlgrym. At Gauntlgrym, Athrogate accidentally awakens a primordial which destroys Neverwinter, causing the Herzgo Alegni Bridge name to be forever forgotten. Sylora then makes Dahlia her own personal slave following the explosion.

Eleven years later in 1462 DR the Dread Ring has been completed and the Shadovar go to war with Thay. This results in Entreri attacking Dahlia for the first time, she betters him though in skill, however, his ability to use the environs causes him to "win" the fight. The ghosts of Gauntlgrym go out seeking help to all Delzoun Dwarves, though most go looking for the dwarf forge in the Crags.

Jarlaxle and Athrogate take Drizzt and Bruenor with them to Gauntlgrym to prevent Sylora Salm from activating the primordial to destroy Luskan. Valindra takes the Ashmadai soldiers with her to Gauntlgrym and they activate the pit fiend, Beealtimatuche. Bruenor fights and kills the devil, however, the devil does the same before being thrown into the forge of Gauntlgrym.

Drizzt then goes off to slay Sylora Salm while Bruenor ends up in the forest of Mielikki. In the forest he is met by Regis, a sort of clerk to the forest, Wulfgar, a visitor to the forest and his daughter Catti-Brie, the only true resident of the forest.