Condemnation (novel)
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| First edition cover art by "Brom" | |
| Author | Richard Baker |
|---|---|
| Cover Artist | Brom |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | War of the Spider Queen |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast |
| Released | May 1, 2003 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
| Pages | 352 pp (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-7869-2824-7 (hardcover edition) |
| Preceded by | Insurrection |
| Followed by | Extinction |
Condemnation is a fantasy novel by Richard Baker. It is the third book of the War of the Spider Queen hexology.
[edit] Plot summary
This is the third book in the war of the spider queen series. After emerging from the portal that they used to escape Ched-Nasaad, the drow party plans it's next phase of the mission. They decide (after some bickering of course) to consult a priest of Vhaerun to see if any of the other dietys know what has become of Lloth. Luckily Valas knows where such a priest can be found and believes that this priest may help them in their quest.
Valas's friend is far away however, and they last thing that the party wants is to travel a huge distance to get to them so on Phaerun's advice they decide to shadow walk to get there. The journey has some minor battles but nothing this group can't handle. The end up back in the Underdark after their journey and in the Domain of the Duergar. It becomes evident that to get where they are going they must travel thru the home city of the Duergar..(they will need passports to get thru unharmed). The group rests for days in the city while they search for means to obtain these documents.
Meanwhile in Mezzroberanzan Gromph learns of an impending Duergar invasion, and rushes to alert the ruling council until the lichdrow Dyrr stops him. A duel is fought in Gromph's own sanctuary, but the lich prevails and imprisons Gromph in a glass sphere.
Eventually Matron Triel does learn of the impending duergar attack (Nimor posing as a drow commonader from house Agrach Dyr informs them), and the decision is made to send Mezzroberanzan's army to the Pillars of Woe to destroy the Duergar. (nimor's trap is set)
The Army of the Black Spider is almost utterly destroyed in the ensuing encounter .. (and would have been if it were not for the ferocity of House Baenre troops. The army limps back to Mezzroberanzan leaving a token force behind to slow the Duergar.
Quenthal's drow party eventually escapes the duegar city and makes it to Valas's contact(Hallistra is captured by surface elves during this journey). They are told by Valas's priest friend to journey to Myth Drannor and require a magical item. After an intense battle with devils and a beholder, the group finally returns.
The last part of the book entails the party's journey to the Abyss (in astral form not physical) to inspect for themselves what has happened to Lloth. They come to a great barrier to Lloth's domain in the shape of a huge visage of a female face. They are powerless to get thru the barrior and are about to give up when the god Vhaerun materilizes and strikes the visage with his godly power. He is about to break through when the god Salvatarn (Lloth's guardian) materializes and fights Vhaerun. The drow party realizes that the power of the gods is too much for them and must kill the priest of Vhaerun to escape the Abyss. They flee the stronghold of the priest stunned and shaken.
The longest book of the series by far, Condemnation does not dissapoint as it is full of action and suspense. Also this book is the first time Quenthal is seduced by Danifae... an event that has long lasting reprocussions thru the series.
