The Obsidian Trilogy
The Obsidian Trilogy is a three-novel fantasy series, chronicling the journey of Kellen Tavadon in relation to the third war between the Light and the Endarkened, co-written by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. The series began with The Outstretched Shadow, released in 2002, continued in 2004 with To Light a Candle and reached its conclusion in 2006 with When Darkness Falls.
Characters
Kellen Tavadon
- The protagonist of the trilogy, Kellen is the first living Knight-Mage in a thousand years. Born in the mage-city of Armethalieh, he was raised in the restrictive atmosphere of the Mageborn elite; his father, Lycaelon, (currently the Arch-Mage of the City), felt his son was a disgrace. After discovering his Three Books of Wildmagery, Kellen is Banished from the City of a Thousand Bells -- a veiled death sentence as told by Lycaelon in the seventh chapter. However, he is spirited away by a unicorn, Shalkan. With Shalkans help and his own budding Knight-Mage skills he barely escapes the 'Outlaw Hunt' with his life.
Idalia Tavadon
- Idalia is Kellen's older sister, a Wildmage-Healer, (also Banished from Armethalieh). After Kellen escapes the Outlaw Hunt, he is brought to Idalia's cabin by Shalkan in the Wildwood outside the Bounds of the lands owned by the City. There she heals him of his wounds given him by the Outlaw Hunt and the terrain of the forest. Idalia begins Kellen's training in the Wild Magic.
Jermayan
- An Elven-Knight (chosen to accompany Kellen on his journey to destroy the Black Cairn), and Idalia's lover. Jermayan is the first Elven Mage in thousands of years; this is made possible through his Bond with the dragon, Ancaladar. Thus allowing Jermayan to manipulate the world around him a way that users of the High Magick and Wildmagic cannot.
Cilarnen Volpiril
- Cilarnen is a Mageborn Citizen of the City of a Thousand Bells who is Banished from Armathalieh under the charges of treason. Eventually, he becomes the Allied Army's only High Mage. Normally when one with the ability to use the High Magick is Banished, their Magegift (their ability to use High Magick) is "burned out", however, this is not the case with Cilarnen whose Magegift remains intact so that Anigrel may use him as a weapon to murder Kellen later on. Even though Cilarnen is (unjustly) Banished from the City, Cilarnen always considers Armethalieh his one and only home.
Vestakia
- The daughter of a Wildmage and the Prince of the Endarkened, Vestakia has the appearance of a Demon, but has a kindly human soul thanks to her mothers wildmagic. She is a skilled healer and has the ability to sense the presence of Demons and the Taint. She is also Kellen's love interest.
Shalkan
- A unicorn and Kellen's best friend , he rescued Kellen from the Outlaw Hunt, as long as Kellen agrees to pay the Mageprice of remaining chaste and celibate for a year and a day. He is always nearby to make sure Kellen doesn't get into trouble.
Redhelwar
- The general of the Elven army, Redhelwar regards Kellen's Knight-Mage judgment as highly as any. He places great trust in Kellen.
Queen Savilla
- The leader of the Endarkened Demons and the main antagonist of the trilogy. Her goal is to bring He Who Is (the Demon's Creator) back into the world of light, allowing her to become supreme ruler of the world. Savilla, like all the Endarkened, takes pleasure in torturing mortals and using them as sacrifices in her Dark Magery.
Chired Anigrel
- One of Savilla's agents, Anigrel is a Darkmage concealed at first as Lycaelon's personal secretary and then as a High Mage living in Armethalieh as the Arch-Mage's newly adopted son. He essentially controls the workings of the City, convincing the High Mages that the Wildmages and the "Lesser Races" (unicorns, Elves, centaurs etc.) are the Enemy and responsible for the horror and atrocities committed by the Endarkened.
Other characters
- Andoreniel - King of the Elves, he resides in the city of Sentarshadeen. He is more open to change than other elves are and is a wise leader.
- Lycaelon Tavadon - present head of house Tavadon, and the Arch-Mage of Armethalieh. The Father of Kellen and Idalia, stiff-necked, scheming and manipulative, he values power over everything.
- Prince Zyperis - the Prince of the Endarkened, Savilla's son and lover, and Vestakia's father. He has his own schemes to oust his Queen-mother and gain power for himself.
- Ashaniel - the Queen of the Elves. Sandalon's mother.
- Sandalon - the young Prince of the Elves, Sandalon is very active, playing games with the other Elven children. He has great respect for Kellen.
- Kardus - the only Centaur who is a Wildmage, he cannot do magic but still performs the will of the Wildmagic in other ways, such as being friends with Cilarnen.
- Ancaladar - Jermayan's Bonded dragon, he has remained in hiding for thousands of years to escape the fate of his brethren who Bonded Mages and thus were forced to fight and kill their own kin in the last war between the Endarkened and the Light. He has decided to fight for the Light and give up immortality for the sake of his Bondmate and to save the world from the Demons.
Geography
The Elven Lands
As suggested by the name, this is the land in which Elves reside. The Elven Lands lie to the east of the continent. There are nine major cities in the Elven lands:
- Sentarshadeen
- Deskethomaynel
- Ondoladeshiron
- Realthataladon
- Thultafoniseen
- Valwendigorean
- Ysterialpoerin
- Windalorianan
- Lerkalpoldara
The latter three cities are located to the north of the Mystrals mountain range which separates Ondoladeshiron from Ysterialpoerin, with the rest lying to the south.
Sentarshadeen is the political centre of the Elven lands, housing the King of the Elves. Lerkalpoldara is the northernmost city, surrounded by mountains, and accessible only by a single mountain pass. The Elven lands are home to other locations of interest, including the Fortress of the Crowned Horns of the Moon, a safe-haven for the Elven women and children during wartime, and the Jeweled Caverns of Halacira, an Elven jewel mine-turned-fortress between Sentarshadeen and Ondoladeshiron.
Armethalieh
Armethalieh, also known as The Golden City and City of a Thousand Bells is the home to the High Mages. It lies to the west of the continent, built on the western sea, surrounded by the Delfier Valley. Armethalieh relies on the "Home Farms" in the surrounding valley to feed its people. The ruler of Armethalieh is Arch-Mage Lycaelon Tavadon. A notable difference between the city and other locations in the Obsidian Trilogy world is that it is solely inhabited by humans, and in fact, people of the "Lesser Races" are persecuted and disallowed entry to the city.
The name, City of a Thousand Bells is derived from Armethalieh's extensive magically linked network of bells. At intervals of 15 minutes and 2 hours, the bells chime on different levels to mark what time it is. Additional bells toll to mark dawn - notably rung several hours after the actual rising of the sun - and noontide, and evening. The bells toll together in perfect harmony.
Delfier Valley
The Delfier Valley is the lush forested farmland surrounding the Mage city of Armethalieh. Consisting of many scattered villages, less than a day's ride separated from each other.
Cultures
Armethaliehan
The high mages in Armethalieh are the government and the law. Ambitious mages rise to the top of the social ladder through corruption and treachery, and the government is self-elected, maintaining a dictatorship over both mages and commoners. All goods and culture are censored, with many being rejected from the city as too new or different. The mages are obsessed with maintaining the pretence that all the work they do is "for the good of the city".
The high mages control and maintain the city wards that keep enemies (and any non-humans) from entering the city, in addition to maintaining fine, clear weather. The mages also wipe people's memories and magical abilities at their convenience. This is often done in females, who are Forbidden to practice the high magic.
The mage college in Armethalieh teaches male youths who show any skill in the art magickal. As they continue their studies, based on their performance, the students rise through the ranks of Student, Apprentice, Journeyman, Undermage, Mage, High Mage, and, if they have sufficient skill, Arch-Mage.
Armethalieh is also home to many commoners who do not possess magical ability. Most of the commoners' district is slums; however there are some wealthier areas and a bustling outdoor market.
Their government is that of a utopia based on Plato's utopian theory of rule of the elite.
The Elves
The Elves are the oldest race alive in the Obsidian Trilogy world, predating even the Endarkened. They live very long lives of a thousand years, have very explicit formalities and insist on tea ceremonies at every meeting. Elves tend to be obsessed with crafts and small details and have a very discerning eye; Kellen meets a potter who shows him a room full of pottery that would sell for thousands on the human market...and the master potter describes them as failures. Everything is perfectly suited to its surroundings, and anything inharmonious to the eye must be corrected immediately; making the choice of clothes for the day a very important matter.
It also is considered rude to ask a direct question, no matter how mundane: 'How is the weather?' would be considered somewhat brutish. 'One might wonder when it will rain next' would be used instead in civilized conversation. Allowances are made for times of war when soldiers may ask each other direct questions; this is known as War Manners, and is part of the Elves' Knightly training. It's mentioned in the sequel trilogy, The Enduring Flame Trilogy, that "To ask a direct question is to demand it be answered", explaining why the Elves, who favor ease and calm, would consider direct questions offensive.
Time measurement
In the Obsidian Trilogy world, time is measured in different units to the real world, even though many are units that have been used in the past like sennight.[1] Units differ even further in Armethalieh and may have been based on archaic naval terms.
- A Sennight is equal to one(1) week. The word is a concatenation of seven and nights.
- A Fortnight is equal to two(2) weeks. The word is a concatenation of fourteen and nights.
- A Moonturn is roughly the same as one(1) month. It is equivalent to one cycle of the moon, which is roughly 27 days.
In Armethalieh
Armethaliehan time is the same as the above, but instead of using seconds, minutes and hours, they use a "bell-based" system, attributed to the many bells found in every district of the city.
- A Chime is equal to fifteen minutes.
- A Bell is equal to two hours.