Charon's Claw (novel)

Charon's Claw is an R.A. Salvatore novel that concludes The Neverwinter Saga books that began with Gauntlgrym. It focuses on how Drizzt Do'Urden and Dahlia Sin'felle face Herzgo Alegni and preludes the arrival of Dagult Neverember in Neverwinter.

"In the conclusion to the #4 New York Times best-selling Neverwinter Saga, Drizzt draws his swords once more to herald a final battle for freedom. Returning to Neverwinter alongside the beautiful elf Dahlia, he plots revenge against the dictatorial Netherese lord Herzgo Alegni, then joins old foe Artemis Entreri as he seeks to destroy the magical weapon that holds him hostage — even if destroying the weapon means his own destruction as well."

Plot
The story begins with a meeting between Ravel and the rest of his House, including Matron Mother Zeerith, his brother and sire Brack'thal, and his sisters, Berellip and Saribel. Through spying into Gromph Baenre's skull gem, he has ascertained that the devastation of Neverwinter was caused by a primordial under the Delzoun land of Gauntlgrym. Zeerith gives him orders to take an expeditionary force to Gauntlgrym and attempt to establish a trading city there for House Xorlarrin. The assistant weapon's master of House Xorlarrin, Jearth Baenre, introduces Ravel's group to Tiago Baenre, and the two forces unite. Meanwhile, Andzrel Baenre informs Gromph of the departure of Tiago and Ravel.

Drizzt Do'Urden and Dahlia Sin'felle wake up after an argument whether to destroy Claw, the Netherese sword, or kill Herzgo Alegni first. Meanwhile, Effron the Twisted watches with the Bounty Hirelings of Cavus Dun, a group consisting of two humans: Ratsis, Afafrenfere, and Horrible; three tieflings: Jermander, Parbid, and Bol; a dwarf: Ambergris; and Shifter. As Drizzt's group are walking, they are beset by the bounty hunters. Bol, Parbid, Horrible, and Jermander are killed, and the survivors are forced to make a hasty retreat. At the end of the battle, Artemis Entreri realizes the intrusions of Claw, and Dahlia gives him her bo staff so that they may recognize when it attempts to infiltrate his thoughts.

In Neverwinter, Herzgo Alegni declares Jelvus Grinch as Captain of the White Guard. With Alegni's lieutenants running the Shadow Guard and Grinch running the White, Alegni declares that he is now available to claim the Lordship of Neverwinter, and he does so. Arunika departs in a hurry and meets her imp, who reveals that Sylora Salm is dead and is zombified. Arunika finishes her off and tells the imp that he is relieved when he can find another who has had experience with Drizzt.

As the House Xorlarrin army ventures, they terrorize a bugbear kingdom, in which a drider, Yerrininae, discovers the path through an ambush by the spirits of the dwarfs who had died in Gauntlgrym. They break through and inhabit the dwarven land.

Drizzt, Dahlia, and Entreri elect to enter Neverwinter through the sewers. As the encounter a bed of snakes, Drizzt's ranger knowledge leads him to the thought that something is wrong with the high number of snakes, before reaching the conclusion that they are babies. They follow them to their "mother," which is really an Aboleth. Dahlia and Entreri fall victim to its telepathic seduction, but Drizzt's harrowing encounter with the illithid hide in his journey to the surface gives him the power to resist. As he finally succumbs, Guenhwyvar attacks and breaks the control over the three, allowing them time to attack.

Meanwhile, Brack'thal, Tiago, Saribel, and the smith Gol'fanin find that the primordial is trapped, a power the smith wants to exploit to repower the dwarven forges to finish his masterpiece.

Drizzt and his companions emerge from the sewers just before dawn. Drizzt calls Guen, and they charge Lord Alegni, who has been expecting them. He defeats Dahlia handily, but Entreri puts up resistance. The tiefling uses the sword against the assassin, but it fails, as Artemis uses a four word mantra as his mental armor: "The Walk of Barrabus," the name of Entreri before Drizzt meets him. The three finally defeat him and his son Effron and take Claw, but Effron manages to take Guenhwyvar with him, separating the panther from the onyx statuette. Arunika gives advice on destroying Claw, but Drizzt is only interested in recovering the panther. On their venture to Gauntlgrym, the Shifter offers the panther for the sword, but Drizzt refuses, something that surprises even him and earns the assassin's trust.

The three groups, Drizzt, House Xorlarrin, and Cavus Dun converge as Drizzt approaches Gauntlgrym. The drow shoot Drizzt, Artemis and Dahlia with the poisoned crossbow bolts. They wake up and identify themselves as members of Bregan D'aerthe, something Berellip confirms as she confesses seeing him with Jarlaxle and making love with him above the Clawrift. As Brack'thal unleashes the primordial, the groups are separated. Drizzt encounters Ambergris and Afafrenfere, and they drop Claw before they escape.

As Claw drops to the primordial, a dwarf wakes up. He trips over a grave and apologizes, before seeing a familiar one-horned helm and a familiar body interred within. As he sobs before the body of Bruenor Battlehammer, Thibbledorf Pwent realizes that he is no longer living, and has reanimated as a vampire.

Deep in the forges of Gauntlgrym, Gol'fanin talks to Tiago. Tiago tells the smith that the drow had identified himself as Masoj Oblodra. Gol'fanin recalls another Masoj, and asks the younger drow if they still teach history. As Tiago describes the drow, with the scimitars and the broadsword, the smith asks what his eye color was. Tiago then realizes that he had let the great rogue drow, Drizzt Do'Urden, slip through his fingers. Gol'fanin finishes his masterpiece telling the assistant weapons master, "These weapons will make you a weapon master. But the head of Drizzt Do'Urden? That will make you a legend!"

Main Characters

 * Drizzt Do'Urden
 * Dahlia Sin'felle

Supporting Characters

 * Artemis Entreri
 * Berellip Xorlarrin
 * Brack'thal Xorlarrin
 * Herzgo Alegni
 * Jearth Xorlarrin
 * Ravel Xorlarrin
 * Tiago Baenre
 * Saribel Xorlarrin
 * Sylora Salm
 * Valindra Shadowmantle

Minor Characters

 * Brother Afafrenfere
 * Akar Kessell (mentioned)
 * Ambergris
 * Andzrel Baenre
 * Brother Anthus
 * Arunika (succubus)
 * Athrogate (mentioned)
 * Bol
 * Bruenor Battlehammer (mentioned)
 * Catti-brie (mentioned)
 * Dantrag Baenre (mentioned)
 * Draygo Quick
 * Effron the Twisted (tiefling warlock)
 * Errtu
 * Glorfathel
 * Gol'fanin
 * Gromph Baenre
 * Horrible
 * Jarlaxle Baenre (mentioned)
 * Captain Jelvus Grinch
 * Jermander
 * Horoodissomoth Xorlarrin (mentioned)
 * Brother Parbid
 * Quenthel Baenre (mentioned)
 * Ratsis
 * Regis (mentioned)
 * Shifter
 * Sovereignty Ambassador, an aboleth
 * Szass Tam (mentioned)
 * Thibbledorf Pwent
 * Wulfgar (mentioned)
 * Drider Yerrininae