Temple Hill (novel)

Temple Hill by Drew Karpyshyn is the second novel in The Cities series.
==Summary==
Corin is a member of the White Shields, a mercenary company that escorts caravans from Elversult to Iriaebor. In 1370 DR, the Shields have been contracted by Fhazail, a steward, to protect the son of a noble named Lord Halaran. They are ambushed by bandits, and many of their members are slain. An orog named Graal kills Igland, captain of the White Shields, and cuts off Corin’s right hand, capturing the noble for ransom.
Two years later, Corin is drunk and disgraced. A thief named Lhasha, trying to operate in Eversult independently despite threats from the Purple Masks Guild, bumps into him, instinctively pickpocketing him but feeling remorse when she finds only three copper pieces. She tries to return his coin but gets noticed by the Maces of Elversult, who try to arrest her. Corin intervenes, causing chaos, and the two slip away. Lhasha leads Corin to her friend, Fendel Burrohill, a cleric of Gond at the House of Hands. Corin is skeptical of clerics ever since the clerics of Lathander at the Tower of the Morn failed to heal his hand, even after he gave them much gold and years of service, but he goes along with her regardless. 
Fendel says he cannot heal Corin’s hand, but might be able to give him a prosthetic, although materials would be expensive. Lhasha comes up with an arrangement: she will hire Corin as a bodyguard against the Purple Masks and Corin will use her payment to afford the prosthetic. Corin accepts the job.
A Harper informs Vaerana Hawklyn about a mage named Azlar, a rising star in the Cult of the Dragon who has come to Eversult. Corin tells Lhasha of his past and how the White Shields were disgraced after the noble’s son they were hired to protect was ransomed, and explains that Fhazail was responsible for arranging the ambush. He leaves out a key detail: the reason he knew Fhazail was responsible was that the bandits took him away along with the noble, and yet after the ransom, Fhazail was still wearing his expensive rings.
Fhazail meets with Graal, both working for a figure called Xiliath. Fhazail is undercover with the Cult of the Dragon, and tells Graal about a “package” the Cult has smuggled into the city. The package is too well guarded to steal, so Fhazail hires Lhasha to steal it. He does not think she will succeed, but hopes that after the theft, the Cult will move the package, and Xiliath will be able to swoop in and take it.
Three Purple Mask assassins enter Lhasha’s room searching for her. She is out meeting with Fhazail, but Corin battles the assassins, slaying all three but being wounded with a poisoned blade. Lhasha returns and manages to bring Corin to Fendel, who neutralizes the poison. They decide to flee the city, but Lhasha insists on completing Fhazail’s job. They encounter a naga, which Corin kills, but it manages to poison Lhasha. He carries her away, but the poison only caused temporary paralysis and soon wears off. Corin recognizes Lhasha’s description of her contact as Fhazail. He tries to drive her away by speaking to her harshly, then goes after Fhazail.
Fhazail reports to Graal, who tells him to lead the Cult members escorting the package into an ambush. Corin returns to the warehouse followed by Lhasha, who saw through his reasons for speaking to her harshly. Azlar arrives with a Cult escort, but Fhazail leads them into a trap, and they are ambushed by Graal’s forces. Corin tries to attack Fhazail, but he is defended by Graal. Azlar unleashes his “package,” a medusa he controls with a magic ring. Graal severs Azlar’s hand and takes the ring, controlling the medusa to turn the tide. In the aftermath, Azlar and Corin escape and Fhazail and Lhasha are both petrified. Graal collects all the petrified forms and leaves with the medusa. 
Azlar, having reattached his hand with magic, meets with Corin and tells him Lhasha has been petrified and taken to Xiliath’s lair. Azlar gives him a false map of the smuggler tunnels below the city, intending to use him as a distraction. Corin goes to Fendel and explains what happened. Fendel gives a more accurate map and insists on helping save Lhasha. They realize that the medusa is likely meant to be used to assassinate Yanseldara and Vaerana. Fendel gives Corin a prosthetic arm, and they set out to rescue Lhasha.
The two sneak through the tunnels and arrive in Xiliath’s hideout just before Azlar and the Cult attack. Graal leads Xiliath's forces to defend. During the battle, Corin is able to undo Lhasha’s petrification, but Xiliath arrives, revealing itself to be a beholder. Xiliath attacks indiscriminately, killing the mudusa and Azlar, while the others scatter and escape.
Lhasha, Fendel, and Corin flee through the tunnels, but Corin is separated from the others by a trap. He encounters Graal, and is nearly slain when Graal’s enchanted sword shatters against his prosthetic. The ceiling caves in and crushes Graal, but Corin is poisoned by the evil essence of the blade. Fendel, a former Harper, is able to meet with Varaena Hawklyn. He tells her what has happened and convinces her to send patrols after Xiliath, send healers for Corin, and use Harper agents in the Purple Masks to rescind the assassination order on Lhasha. Together, Corin and Lhasha refound the White Shields.
===Gallery===
Temple hill Elversult.png|The map of Elversult featured in the novel.
==References==
Category:Novels
Category:Books
Category:Works by Drew Karpyshyn
Category:Published in 2001