The Shadow Stone

The Shadow Stone is a stand-alone novel by Richard Baker.
==Summary==
Aeron Morieth, an orphan living in the Chessentan town of Maerchlin, is attacked by young nobles, including Phoros Raedal, son of the local lord, and wounds one in self-defense. He flees with the help of Eriale, his adopted sister, and they meet Fineghal Caillen, who identifies himself as the Storm Walker, and his dog Baillegh. Fineghal begins teaching Aeron magic. 
Aeron returns to find Eriale staying with Sheila, a neighbor, and his adopted father, Kestrel, jailed, since Phoros has taken up command after his father fell ill. Guards surround Sheila’s cabin, having used Eriale to lure out Aeron, but he avoids them with an invisibility spell, so they burn the cabin. When the guards strip Eriale, however, Aeron uses Fire Hand, a spell he secretly learned against Fineghal’s wishes, to prevent them from assaulting her. He returns to save Kestrel and Eriale from the dungeon. He succeeds, but Fineghal bids him farewell because of it, giving him coin to resettle Eriale and Kestrel in Saden and a letter of recommendation for the mage Telamchon, High Master of Divination in Cimbar. 
Aeron travels to Cimbar and begins studying magic, meeting fellow novices Melisanda, Baldon, and Eldran, and makes enemies with Dalrioc Corynian, a student from Soorenar. When retrieving a stone from the Broken Pyramid for Dalrioc, Aeron and Melisanda witness Raemon, High Master of Abjuration, killed by a yugoloth. Despite this, studies continue, and Aeron and Melisanda pass the exams to advance from novices to students. Aeron attempts to profess his love for Melisanda, but she asks that they stay friends. 
While studying in the library, Aeron finds a scroll with symbols similar to those he saw on a cuff worn by the yugoloth. Before he can learn more, Baldon and Eldran accidentally scorch Dalrioc with a miscast spell, and Dalrioc attempts to kill them both. Aeron defends them until they are found by Oriseus, Master of Conjuration. Aeron is nearly expelled, but saved by Oriseus’s vote. Oriseus begins teaching Aeron Imaskari shadow magic, how to use magic without drawing on the Weave. Melisanda leaves to go home to Arrabar. 
Telamchon accuses Oriseus of murdering Raemon and challenges him to a Master’s Duel, where Oriseus uses shadow magic to kill Telamchon. Aeron and Sarim, Master of Invocation, suspect Oriseus is planning to fill the Ruler’s council with his supporters and overthrow the Sceptanar. Aeron is invited to a nighttime lesson at the Broken Pyramid with Oriseus, and Sarim comes too. Aeron translates the old scroll he found earlier and realizes that shadow magic draws on the chaos, evil, and corruption of the Lower Planes. Oriseus leads the others into the Shadowfell to the Shadow Stone, an artifact used by the Imaskari to battle gods. All the other students, including Dalrioc, and Sarim are drawn in by the stone and become corrupted by it, but Aeron uses the power of the stone to teleport away. 
Aerion finds himself in Turmish, affected by the Shadow Stone and shifting to an incorporeal form at night. While traveling back to Chessenta, he realizes that his magic is tied to the shadow stone, and casts all his spells, convinced he can no longer use magic without being corrupted. He is then found by the men of Phoros Raedal. He convinces Raedal to pardon Kestrel and Eriale, but Raedal sentences him to death. Fineghal uses a feign death spell to save Aeron and teaches him to find a balance between the Weave and shadow magic. 
Eventually, Fineghal leaves and passes the mantle of Storm Walker to Aeron. Aeron find Phoros Raedal overhunting, and warns him away, so Phoros hires the wizard Edias Crow, who is revealed to be Salim corrupted by the Shadow Stone. Salim reveals that Oriseus is the Sceptanar and asks Aeron to join them, but Aeron refuses. 
Over time, the land begins to sicken as crops wither and plagues spread. Phoros comes to Aeron with Kestrel and Eriale and asks him to help defeat Crow/Salim. Together, the four kill him, but Kestrel dies in the battle. Realizing that the Shadow Stone is causing the decay, Aeron and Eriale travel to Cimbar along with Fineghal. However, the elf is killed in a tavern battle. 
Aeron and Eriale arrive in Cimbar and speak with an illusion of Telamchon, who reveals that he foresaw Oriseus’s plan and acted so that Aeron would learn just enough from Oriseus to destroy the Shadow Stone without being consumed by it. After they enter the Shadowfell, Dalrioc leads Aeron and Eriale through the Shadowfell to Oriseus, who reveals himself to be Madryoch the Ebon Flame, a four thousand year old sorcerer from Imaskar. They are captured and Aeron is imprisoned alongside Melisanda, used to fuel Madryoch’s spell, but Baillegh frees them. They kill Dalrioc and destroy the Shadow Stone along with Eriale. Melisanda and Aeron take turns as Sceptanar to restore order.
==References==
Category:Novels
Category:Books
Category:Works by Richard Baker
Category:Published in 1998