Realms of Valor

Realms of Valor, edited by James Lowder, was the first anthology of short stories from the Forgotten Realms.

"From the secret annals of Realms history come eleven never-before-published tales of valor, featuring the greatest heroes of that magical world—Drizzt Do'Urden, Arilyn Moonblade, Adon, Elminster of Shadowdale, Jander Sunstar, and many others—told by your favorite authors, including: R. A. Salvatore, Ed Greenwood, Douglas Niles, Troy Denning, Christie Golden, and others."

Contents

 * "The Lord of Lowhill" by Douglas Niles, in which Pawldo and a youngling brave the Palace of Skulls.
 * "Elminster at the Magefair" by Ed Greenwood, in which Elminster and Storm Silverhand visit a magefair.
 * "One Last Drink" by Christie Golden, in which Jander Sunstar escapes the yoke of his vampire lord, Cassiar.
 * "The Bargain" by Elaine Cunningham, in which Arilyn Moonblade and Danilo Thann are hunted by assassins in Tethyr.
 * "Patronage" by David Cook, in which the lama Koja seeks to publish a book on the Tuigan war.
 * "A Virtue by Reflection" by Scott Ciencin, in which Myrmeen Lhal must investigate a murder in her own backyard.
 * "King's Tear" by Mark Anthony, in which Tyveris must recover the Tear of Everard to prove his worth as a loremaster.
 * "The Family Business" by James Lowder, in which Artus Cimber and his father save prince Azoun from Zhentarim assassins.
 * "Grandfather's Toys" by Jean Rabe
 * "The Curse of Tegea" by Troy Denning
 * "Dark Mirror" by R.A. Salvatore
 * Afterword by Jeff Grubb

Grandfather's Toys
By Jean Rabe

Date: 1362 DR

Summary
The druid Galvin is asked to search a magician's tower for a little girl, only to find the task surprisingly grueling - and dangerous.

Notes of interest
Dragon Coast, Sea of Fallen Stars, Sea elf, Druid

Plot (spoiler)
At the request of the illusionist Drollo, Galvin tracks down the old mage's great-granddaughter, Isabelle, whom he finds deep in the Sea of Fallen Stars in a sea elven contraption known as a mechanical water spider.

The Curse of Tegea
By Troy Denning

Date: 1360 DR

Summary
Two clerics of the church of Mystra enter Tegea, in hopes of lifting the curse that affects the village. The clerics need not only to face the source of the evil, but their inner selves too.

Notes of interest
Adon, cleric, Mystra (Midnight), Time of Troubles, Dragonjaw Mountains

Plot (spoiler)
Adon''and Corene, both priests of Mystra, travel to the cursed town of Tegea at the urging of their goddess. Despite discovering that Duke Gorgias had laid a ward upon the town making it difficult for clerics' prayers to reach the divine realms, they manage to defeat him. With the ward mostly broken, Adon opens a temple to Mystra.''

Dark Mirror
By R.A. Salvatore

Summary
Mithral Hall has just been retaken from Shimmergloom and the duergar occupying it. Drizzt Do'Urden has been invited inside Silverymoon and is on his way there when he finds some monster tracks, possibly escorting prisoners. He joins with a band of villagers from a tiny community called Pengallen, led by Rico Pengallen, who pursue the same goal. Together they find the camp but before Drizzt's plan to free the prisoners without a fight can be achieved, the humans are spotted and a fight breaks out. With Drizzt and Guenhwyvar's help, the monsters are defeated, but one of the prisoners, a goblin named Nojheim flees. Rico asks Drizzt to bring Nojheim back to Pengallen and Drizzt agrees, but suspects that something odd is going on.

Drizzt finds and retrieves Nojheim, bringing him back as promised but rather than continue to Silverymoon, Drizzt elects to stay and have a meal. Talking to the locals, Drizzt discovers that Nojheim is Rico's slave. Then he makes a mistake. Hating slavery even more than he hates goblins, he goes back and starts talking to Nojheim. After talking with the obviously abused but highly intelligent and good-hearted goblin he realizes that despite the hopelessly depraved nature of most of his own species even in comparison to goblins, it's his drow-borne mystique and seeming beauty that allowed him a foothold in the world, while that individual goblin, who was of similar principles to his own, clearly stood no such chance. Drizzt learns to feel less prejudice towards goblins and other brutish races.

He decides to try to free the goblin by appealing to Silverymoon. But when Drizzt returns, he finds Nojheim dead, executed by Rico on some pretext after he overheard Drizzt and Nojheim's conversation. Leaving, Drizzt greatly steels his resolve against slavery.

Date: late winter, the Year of the Worm, 1356 DR.

Index

 * Characters
 * Aganis • Drizzt Do'Urden • Guenhwyvar • Jak Timberline • Rico Pengallen • Tharman • Nojheim
 * Alustriel Silverhand • Bruenor Battlehammer • Catti-brie • Shimmergloom • Wulfgar • Zaknafein Do'Urden
 * Alustriel Silverhand • Bruenor Battlehammer • Catti-brie • Shimmergloom • Wulfgar • Zaknafein Do'Urden


 * Creatures
 * drow • human • goblin • orc • ogre
 * bugbear • dragon • duergar • mind flayer • shield dwarf
 * bugbear • dragon • duergar • mind flayer • shield dwarf


 * Locations
 * Buildings & Sites: River Surbrin
 * Settlements: Pengallen • Silverymoon
 * Realms: Silver Marches
 * Astral Plane • Nesme • Menzoberranzan • Mithral Hall • Faerûn • River Rauvin • Spine of the World • Sundabar • Underdark
 * Astral Plane • Nesme • Menzoberranzan • Mithral Hall • Faerûn • River Rauvin • Spine of the World • Sundabar • Underdark


 * Religions
 * Lolth • Ilmater
 * Lolth • Ilmater


 * Organizations
 * Clan Battlehammer


 * Miscellaneous
 * Icingdeath • figurine of wondrous power • infravision • ranger • Taulmaril • Twinkle

Afterword
By Jeff Grubb