Hello, it’s me again, Robin. I hope the format I used on the previous recaps worked well for people because I’m going to be using it once more!
RACES
As most probably know, this series is set in the world of Elan (the same setting for the Riyria books), but it takes place three thousand years in the past. At the start of the series, humans (Rhunes) are primitive people living in thatch-roofed huts and wielding stone-tipped spears. They are highly superstitious, polytheistic, and forbidden by the Fhrey (elves) to cross the rivers on the western edge of their borders. The Rhunes are divided into ten factions (seven Rhulyn clans in the south and three Gula clans in the north). Historically, these two groups have continually warred (a conflict spurred by the Fhrey). But by the end of Age of War, they have joined forces under a single leader (Keenig Persephone) and fought the first battle in a war with the Fhrey.
The Fhrey, on the other hand, are technologically advanced, long-lived, and some (the Miralyith) are able to call on the forces of nature to wield magic (what they refer to as the Art). They are governed by Ferrol’s Law, which prohibits Fhrey-on-Fhrey killing except when sanctioned by their leader (the fane) or upon a fane’s death, when it can be used in a one-on-one challenge to select a new leader. At the time of the books, there is disharmony in the Fhrey civilization because the Miralyith have taken power, and they are beginning to consider other Fhrey as inferior. In Age of Swords, there is an uprising by the Gray Cloaks (a group of Miralyith), who want to establish the dominance of their tribe. The rebellion is squelched, but the group’s formation only serves to deepen the resentment between the Miralyith and all other Fhrey tribes. In Age of War, the Fhrey set out to destroy the Rhunes and the Galantians (Fhrey warriors) who are helping the humans oppose the rule of the Fhrey.
The Dherg (also known as Belgriclungreians), are dwarfs who lost the last great war with the Fhrey. Now they live in exile, as the Fhrey try to keep them from becoming a threat once more. They are excellent craftsmen but suspicious of outsiders, and they lead a solitary existence. The Dherg society is explored in depth in Age of Swords, while in Age of Legend, the only Dherg you see to any extent is a digger named Rain.
It should be noted that there are other races in Elan such as Grenmorians (giants), ghazel (goblins), as well as creatures (crimbals, raow, and such). But they are not a significant focus of the previous books (except the raow, who do show up in Age of Swords).
CHARACTERS
Since Michael writes character-driven stories, I thought a re-introduction of the various players (and how they fit into the overall plot), would be helpful. Through these descriptions, you should be well-prepared for Age of Death. In case that’s not enough, I’ve also provided a condensed plot outline after this section.
Please note, I won’t be discussing all the characters encountered in Age of Legend, just the most important ones.
Persephone (Rhune): The widowed wife of the Rhulyn-Rhune chieftain of Dahl Rhen, who becomes the keenig (ruler of all ten clans) at the end of Age of Swords. By the end of Age of War, she has taken control of the Fhrey outpost of Alon Rhist, and during the Fhrey’s siege of the fortress she is critically wounded. Through most of Age of War she rules over Alon Rhist and sets in motion preparations for the war. Realizing that she needs the military prowess of Nyphron, the leader of the Galantians (an elite Fhrey band of warriors), she avoids Raithe, a young Rhune man who is in love with her, and instead explores the possibility of the more strategic Fhrey partnership. During Age of Legend, Persephone marries Nyphron, gives birth to a son (Nolyn), and makes a difficult decision to try to end the war by sending Suri the mystic to negotiate a peace.
Suri (Rhune): A young mystic (a person who communes with nature spirits and animals); the only Rhune Artist (magic user). Under the tutelage of Arion (a Miralyith who is introduced in Age of Myth and dies in Age of War), Suri’s powers grow dramatically. She begins Age of Legend, despondent and wanting to return to her homeland, but Malcolm points out that her work is not yet done. When Suri sets out to negotiate a peace treaty, the Fhrey imprison her. Their plan is to extract the secret of making dragons, giving them the upper hand in the stalemate that has lasted for six years.
Tesh (Rhune): A young warrior; sweetheart of Brin. After years of study, he’s been tested in several battles with the Fhrey and become the best warrior in the western army. He’s been promoted to leadership and is training his men in the various Galantians fighting techniques he has perfected. Unbeknown to others, he’s been killing Nyphron’s original men one after another, taking revenge for his family’s deaths. When Tekchin, one of the guilty Fhrey, joins Tressa’s party to search for the Tetlin Witch, Tesh comes with them, hoping for an opportunity to add Tekchin to his list of victims. At the end of Age of Legend, he confesses what he’s been doing to Brin, who has chosen to go to Phyre. To her dismay, Tesh does not come with her.
Nyphron (Fhrey): The commander of a small but skilled contingent of fighters, known as Galantians. He has joined with the Rhunes so he can wage war against his own people (Fhrey can’t kill Fhrey, but they can enlist Rhunes to do so.). During the course of Age of War, he courts Persephone, and the two are married in Age of Legend. For most of the fourth book, Nyphron struggles to find a way to cross the Nidwalden River, but that proves to be impossible. He’s further frustrated because Suri refuses to create any more dragons, which could end the war. When he finds out that Suri has been captured, he concludes that it’s only a matter of time before the Fhrey learn the secret from her, and they will snuff out his Rhune army.
Malcolm (presumed Rhune): The ex-slave of Nyphron’s father, who gains his freedom when Raithe kills the first Fhrey. Through most of the first two books he is the unassuming sidekick to Raithe. In Age of War it’s apparent that he is much more, although exactly who or what he is hasn’t yet been determined. In Age of Legend, he is revealed as a god. When he discovers that a powerful being once locked in the Agave (a prison deep underground) has escaped, he leaves the Rhune encampment. But before he departs, he trusts a key to the afterlife to Tressa, the most unlikely of people. He tells her that when the time is right, she must gather a party to travel with her through Phyre.
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Tressa (Rhune): The widow of a treacherous man who conspired to kill Persephone in order to become the chieftain of Clan Rhen. Widely hated, Tressa lives on the margins, taking care of Gelston, a near-invalid due to a long-ago lightning strike. With encouragement from Malcolm, Brin teaches Tressa to read. When Tressa hears of Suri’s capture, she knows it’s the time that Malcolm had enlisted her for. She convinces Moya, Tekchin, Brin, Tesh, Rain, Roan, and Gifford to escort her to the Swamp of Ith.
Tetlin Witch (Unknown): Also known as Muriel. Throughout eternity, she has been one of the most reviled beings in all of Elan. Folklore has accused her of being the source of all evil in the world. When Tressa and her party arrive at the witch’s hut, they discover a quiet, solitary woman who spends her time trying to aid wayward souls to reach Phyre. During a night of conversation, the party learns that Muriel is immortal and also the daughter of Malcolm. She confirms that her father is indeed a god, and he possesses the famed key of Eton, which will unlock all doors of the afterlife. At the end of Age of Legend, she shows Tressa’s party to a pool that will lead them to Phyre. In order to save Suri, most of the party kills themselves by sinking into the pool, which will allow them passage through the afterlife and emerge in the Fhrey capital where Suri is being held prisioner.
Lothian (Fhrey, Miralyith): Ruler (fane) of the Fhrey people and a Miralyith (practitioner of the Art –a magic user). In Age of War he spearheads the attack on Alon Rhist. While he almost wins, the combination of thousands of Gula, and the appearance of a dragon turn the tide, and he leaves the field of battle, running for his life. In Age of Legend, he initially returns despondent, feeling that his people have no chance against the Rhunes, who can create dragons. While his troops have some limited success during the second real battle of the war, they must ultimately retreat. The tides of war turn in Lothian’s favor when he discovers that the Rhunes’ dragon can only travel a limited distance. This, added to successes when the fighting moves off the plains and into the dense forests, makes Lothian believe that he won’t have to negotiate peace with the Rhunes. Instead, he hatches and executes a plan to kidnap Suri the mystic, the only Rhune who knows how to create dragons, and extract that information from her.
Mawyndulë (Fhrey, Miralyith): Son of Lothian and next in line to rule. Young, naïve, and easily manipulated, he learns how to create a link to Jerydd (the kel of Avempartha), allowing the kel to see and hear what Mawyndulë does. Their combined efforts are a great asset, and they are able to kill Arion in Age of War. During Age of Legend, he is trusted by his father to retrieve Suri, accompanied by his servant Treya. Mawyndulë is disgusted by the mystic, who he views as a “filthy primitive,” and he begins to doubt that Suri really is capable of magic, let alone creating a dragon, since this is something not even he can do.
Makareta (Fhrey, Miralyith): One of the organizers of the Grey Cloak Rebellion, who is now an outcast; a romantic crush of Mawyndulë. After violating Ferrol’s Law by killing several Fhrey, she has lost her soul and is now barred from the afterlife. Desperate, she turns for help to Imaly, who provides her food and shelter.
Imaly (Fhrey, Nilyndd): As curator of the Aquila, she plays a key role in the transition of power upon the death of a fane (ruler of the Fhrey). She has long thought that the Miralyith tribe holds too much power and threatens Fhrey society as a whole. When the Rhunes ask for peace, she is optimistic, but those hopes are dashed when Lothian puts into play his plans to use Suri to get dragons for himself. With the help of Makareta, she’s trying to find a means to remove Lothian as the leader of the Fhrey.
PLOT OVERVIEW
If you’ve read the character descriptions above, you pretty much know all the relevant details relating to the plot of Age of Legend. But this is a recap, after all, so a quick summary is appropriate.
After the successful Battle of Grandford, Nyphron convinces Persephone that they must press their advantage and move on the offensive against Lothian. While the Rhune troops move toward the Fhrey homeland, Nyphron discovers that the dragon (which was made by Suri) can only travel a limited distance. Furthermore, the mystic refuses to make any additional dragons. With the dragon option unavailable, Nyphron tries to build a bridge across the Nidwalden River, but it is destroyed by the Fhrey Miralyith. The Fhrey and Rhunes enter a multi-year stalemate: Nyphron can’t cross the Nidwalden, and the Rhunes are protected by their dragon
Persephone, who has always sought compromise over conquest, sees an opportunity in Fane Lothian’s proposal for peace. Persephone sends Suri as an emissary to Avempartha, but Lothian’s invitation is a trap. Tesh, who was stationed on the river’s edge, reports the mystic’s capture. Before leaving to search for the being that escaped the Agave, Malcolm has told Tressa that when the day comes that Suri is captured, Tressa will need to gather seven others and travel to the Swamp of Ith.
Tressa convinces Roan, Gifford, Brin, and Rain to accompany her. Fearing for their safety, Persephone sends Moya and Tekchin to provide protection. Upon hearing that Tekchin is going, Tesh decides to join the party as well, thinking he might have a chance to kill Tekchin.
During their trip to the swamp (led by Moya), they encounter many challenges, not the least of which is a number of significant facts that Tressa keeps withholding from everyone. It’s their impression that they are just going to see if there is a passage to the Fhrey homeland, but as more details arise, they discover that they are actually off to visit the Tetlin Witch and that ultimately their journey will require their deaths, since they must travel through the lands of the afterlife.
When the party becomes lost, Gifford uses his ability with the Art to get directions from the trees, and with some smart thinking on the part of Roan, they find the witch’s island. Upon arriving at her hut, the party learns more about Malcolm’s true identity, and they are shocked to find out that (a) Muriel is immortal, (b) she is Malcolm’s daughter, and (c) she hates her father for granting her immortality.
Muriel leads the group to a pool and gives them two items: a stone to help them sink into Rel and a feather that may help them rise again if they are able to return before their bodies decay. Tressa is the first to take the plunge, followed by Roan, Gifford, Rain, Moya, and Tekchin. Brin is the last to enter and does so only after realizing that Muriel is mentioned on the Agave tablets, which makes her start to believe that Malcolm really is a god. Despite Brin’s attempts to get Tesh to come with her, his need for revenge is more powerful than his love for her, and he stays behind.
Meanwhile, back in Estramnadon, Fane Lothian demands that Suri gives him the secret to dragons. Realizing that after she does, he’ll kill her and destroy all the ones she loves, she not-so-politely declines. The fane orders her “buried.”
We’ll have to wait until the next book to see what her fate will be, and whether the ones who entered the pool are dead forever, or still have a part to play.
If it sounds like Age of Legend ends in an odd place, well it does, kinda. The last three books are one large story that was too big to be published as a single volume, so like The Lord of the Rings, it has been broken down into three books. The full story will be revealed through Age of Legend, Age of Death, and Age of Empyre.