Maestro

Maestro by R.A. Salvatore is the second book of the Homecoming series. It was released on April 5, 2016.

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Something terrible, unspeakable, immense, has come to Menzoberranzan and is leaving death and destruction in its wake. The primordial of Gauntlgrym stirs, sending Catti-brie and Gromph to Luskan, and the ruins of the only power that can keep the beast in check. The damage of the Darkening, of war, and of a demon-ravaged Underdark has sent cracks out across the North. Some of this damage may never be repaired.

And Drizzt is going home. But not to Mithral Hall. Not to Icewind Dale. He's going to Menzoberranzan. Bruenor is ready to march with him—bringing along an army of dwarves—to end the scourge of Menzoberranzan, but Drizzt needs to see what's happening there. The dwarf army may not be necessary. The City of Spiders might already have fallen to the demons and their wicked prince. But even if that's true, what's to say the demons will stop there?

Maestro picks up where Archmage left off, plunging Drizzt into his most dangerous adventure yet, and with all the action, adventure, beloved characters, dark elves, monsters, and demon princes Drizzt fans adore.

”

— Maestro

Summary[]

Demons abound in the Underdark surrounding Menzoberranzan after Gromph Baenre's accidental summoning of Demogorgon to the drow city. Yvonnel Baenre, meanwhile, has advanced her magic and her body's physical age forward by two decades as she plots to bring more chaos to Menzoberranzan. In Gauntlgrym, Catti-brie discovers that the ancient magic that seals in the primordial is weakening and so the Host Tower of the Arcane must be rebuilt. As she embarks on a task to bring together architects of a restored Host Tower, Jarlaxle requests Drizzt's help in returning to Menzoberranzan with Artemis Entreri to rescue Dahlia, who remains in a perpetually confused state as Matron Mother of House Do'Urden.

Back in Menzoberranzan, High Priestess Kiriy Xorlarrin plots alongside House Hunzrin and House Melarn to serve her own ends: replace House Do'Urden with a restored House Xorlarrin under her rule. As Jarlaxle's party approaches Menzoberranzan, Drizzt is affected by the Faerzress and Yvonnel's magic combined with the mind-powers of K'yorl Odran, leading Drizzt to believe his life since his near-death on Kelvin's Cairn has all been a deception, similar to the way Wulfgar was deceived while in the clutches of the balor Errtu.

On the surface, Catti-brie gathers allies in her quest to rebuild the Host Tower: Archmage Gromph Baenre, wizard Penelope Harpell and her clan, Shadovar Lord Parise Ulfbinder, sorcerer Lady Avelyere, cloud giant Caecilia, copper dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara, and later Kimmuriel Oblodra as ambassador to the illithid hive mind. Catti-brie has a spat with Gromph that ends with her displaying to him her increased magical powers. When the dwarves discover the Host Tower cannot be rebuilt the way they originally intended, Catti-brie consults with the primordial in order to discover a new, more arcane method of construction.

In Menzoberranzan, Jarlaxle and his party arrive at House Do'Urden just as Kiriy enacts her plot and House Do'Urden is overcome by House Hunzrin and House Melarn. However, the trio turns the tide, slaying half a dozen priestesses and sending Matron Mother Zhindia Melarn fleeing. The trio hurry to rescue Dahlia but are captured by Yvonnel, who has a devious task in mind. She keeps Jarlaxle, Entreri, and Dalia imprisoned, promising their freedom if Drizzt is willing to become Menzoberranzan's — and Lolth's — champion against Demogorgon. In a plan as complicated as it is devious, Drizzt serves as the conduit for the combined psionic powers of K'yorl Odran, Yvonnel Baenre, Gromph Baenre, Kimmuriel Oblodra, and the illithid hive mind, ultimately resulting in the defeat of Demogorgon. However, instead of freeing the captives, Yvonnel attempts to make Drizzt choose to sacrifice one of them for the others' freedom. Drizzt refuses and Yvonnel, amused by the action, sets Jarlaxle, Entreri, and Dahlia free. Drizzt is not released until a tenday later after he has refused Yvonnel's offer to make him king of Menzoberranzan. Instead, she sends him back to Catti-brie, whom he believes is a deception, with the expectation that Drizzt will kill her before realizing his error.