The Shattered Mask

The Shattered Mask by Richard Lee Byers is the third book of the Sembia: Gateway to the Realms series.
==Summary==
Shamur Uskevren lures her husband Thamalon out of the city, forgoing an escort despite the objections of Erevis Cale and the new house mage Brom Selwick, then attacks him.
A tenday earlier, Marance Talendar, an undead wizard once killed by Thamalon, breaks into Argent Hall, seat of the Karn family, and kills Lindrian Karn, then has his familiar Bileworm possess the body. Bileworm feigns illness to lure in Shamur and tells her Thamalon murdered his daughter, the original Shamur Karn. The current Shamur is actually Lindrian’s aunt, a former thief who was trapped in suspended animation for many years and took the younger Shamur’s place after she was murdered. Bileworm says that Thamalon engineered the fall of the Karns so that they would have to accept his marriage proposal, then murdered the original Shamur when he wanted a different match.
Bileworm claims a man named Clovis told him that the source of the poison was Audra Sweetdreams, an apothecary. Shortly afterwards, he leaves the body of Lindrian. Shamur interrogates Audra, who confirms the story. Marence, who paid Audra to say this, kills her shortly afterwards. Shamur then discovers one of Audra’s bottles planted in Thamalon's chambers. Nuldrevyn, Marence’s brother and head of House Talendar, and his son Ossian meet with Marence, who explains the plan and reveals that he killed the original Shamur.
Returning to the moment of the fight, Thamalon plants enough doubt in Shamur's mind that when she gets a killing blow, she doesn't take it. Marence then arrives with a group of mercenaries and chase the two into a ruined fortress, which he destroys with a conjured earth elemental.
Believing the two to be dead, the Talendars move on the Uskevren children. Tamlin is ambushed, but escapes with help from Brom, his friend Escevar, and his bodyguard Vox. The children meet with Erevis and Jandar Orvist, head of the family guard, and decide to go about business as usual to project strength, while preparing an ambush should another assassination attempt occur. Thazienne, still recovering from a ghoul attack, is told to remain in Stormweather Towers, while Tamlin attends to negotiations and Talbot goes to perform in the theater.
Earlier, Thamalon and Shamur managed to escape the destroyed castle through an underground passage. They plan to find the identity of their attacker, as Marence was masked when he attacked them, trusting the guards to keep the children safe and using the fact that their enemies think them dead to their advantage. They track down one of the mercenaries from the attack, learning he belonged to a group called the Quippers.
Marence attacks Talbot at the playhouse, killing Jandar and Brom, but Talbot escapes with help from Thazienne, who snuck out to assist. Shamur and Thamalon are captured by the Quippers during their search, but Shamur is able to convince the leader of the group, Avos, to duel her. When she wins, she is able to coerce him into freeing them. He names Ossian Talendar as his client.
Bileworm possesses Wyla, a trusted Uskevren retainer, and tells the Uskevren children that their parents are alive and want to speak to them, giving them a broach taken from Shamur during the battle as proof. Marence tells Ossian and Nuldrevyn about his plan to trap the Uskevren children on the High Bridge. Nuldrevyn balks at the idea of using Talendar mages and footmen for the attack, so Marence kills Ossian, traps Nuldrevyn, and has Bileworm posses Ossian.
Thamalon and Shamur break into the Old High Hall, the seat of the Talendars, and find Nuldrevyn, learning of the planned attack. They ride for the bridge, reuniting with their children and warning them just as the attack begins. When Marence's magic threatens to destroy the High Bridge, the Uskevrens decide to fight him there. Thamalon kills Bileworm and Shamur kills Marence. Afterwards, Thamalon and Shamur reconcile their differences and agree to live together.
==Index==
===Characters===
Avos • Bileworm • Brilla • Erevis Cale • Cletus • Clovis • Dolly • Escevar • Fendolac • Glynnis • Harric • Honeylass • Lindrian Karn • Larajin • Lommy • Nenda • Jander Orvist • Otter • Pedvel • Garris Quinn • Sawys • Brom Selwick • Audra Sweetdreams • Marance Talendar • Nuldrevyn Talendar • Ossian Talendar • Shamur Uskevren • Talbot Uskevren • Thamalon Uskevren • Thamalon Uskevren II • Thazienne Uskevren • Vinda • Vox
:;
::Lord Baerent • Guerren Bloodquill • Rosenna Foxmantle • Gundar • Cordrivval Imleth • Shamur Karn • Gellie Malveen • Parex the Mad • Mistress Quickly • Rutilinus • Errendar Spillwine • Hobart Talendar
===Creatures===
basilisk • canary • earth elemental • ettercap • giant spider • goldfinch • greyhound • gyrfalcon • horse • lizardfolk • mastiff • osquip • tlincalli • troll • vireo • warbler
:;
::abishai
===Events===
:;
::Greengrass • Feast of the Moon
===Items===
Usk's Fine Old
:;
::potion of longevity • The Speculum of Selûne • The Visage of the Beast
===Locations===
Selgaunt • Sembia
Sembia
Argent Hall • High Bridge • the Kit • Klaroun Gate • Lampblack Alley • Laughing Gamecock • Old High Hall • Overwater • Rauncel's Ride • River Elzimmer • the Scab • Stormweather Towers • Temple of Joy • Wide Realms
:;
::Cormyr • Dis • Evermeet • Great Glacier • Pirate Isles • Ravens Bluff • Sea of Fallen Stars • Selgaunt Bay • Storl Oak • Tantras
===Organizations===
Quippers • Talendar • Uskevren
:;
::Baerodreemer • Foxmantle • Ithivisk • Karn • Malveen • Scepters • Soargyl
===Spells===
fireball • levitate 
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
Shattered Mask sketch.jpg|A sketch of the Shattered Mask featuring Shamur Uskevren.
===Further Reading===
*
===External links===
* Sample chapter (.zip file)
===References===
Category:Novels
Category:Works by Richard Lee Byers
Category:Published in 2001
Category:Published in 2007
Category:Published in 2010