Death of the Dragon

Death of the Dragon by Ed Greenwood and Troy Denning is the third and final novel of The Cormyr Saga, which chronicles the end of King Azoun IV's rule of Cormyr.
==Summary==
Alusair Obarskyr battles orcs, having sent Tanalasta Obarskyr, along with High Harvestmaster Owden and Alaphondar, the Sage Most Magnificent, to be teleported to Arabel. During the process, they are attacked by Xanthon Cormaeril, who is seemingly weakened when he learns that Tanalasta is pregnant with a Cormaeril who will inherit the throne. Azoun Obarskyr IV continues searching the Stonelands, finding Alusair. Vangerdahast discovers he is imprisoned in a goblin city that seems to be impossible to leave, even by teleportation and planar travel. He encounters Nalavarauthatoryl, or Nalavara the Red, once an elf of Cormanthyr whose lover was murdered by Andar Obarskyr before the founding of Cormyr. Nalavara is in the form of a massive red dragon, imprisoned in the city they are in, but spells cast by Vangerdahast help to free her.
When Tanalasta is ambushed immediately after teleporting to Suzail, she realizes that the ghazneths have a spy. Vangerdahast encounters a new ghazneth in the goblin city. In Suzail, Tanalasta learns that Sembia is using the chaos in Cormyr as an excuse to send in a force of soldiers, which she recognizes as an invasion disguised as assistance. A faction of nobles, led by Emlar Goldsword, seem open to accept the help, but Tanalasta dispatches Giogioni Wyvernspur to the border with orders to invade Sembia if any troops cross into Cormyr. Vangerdahast realizes Rowen Cormaeril is the final ghazneth. He pursued an illusion of Tanalasta rather than deliver an important message, allowing the other ghazneths to seize on that betrayal and convert him. He hid in a copse of Trees of the Body, elven memorials, and encounters the spirit of Iliphar Nelnueve, King of Scepters, who gives his the Scepter of Lords, with the power to destroy any evil created by the elves, as long as any related evils perpetuated against the elves are also made right. Azoun and Alusair continue to battle orcs while Tanalasta and Filfaeril research the ghazneths and contend with treacherous nobles. While retrieving the Scepter of Lords, Vangerdahast and Rowen are attacked, and Vangerdahast uses his Ring of Three Wishes to wish her out of existence. However, this merely sends her to Cormyr, where she begins wreaking havoc alongside goblin and orc armies. Tanalasta discovers means of weakening the ghazneths and sets forth with a group of soldiers, including Korvarr Rallyhorn, captain of her guard, and his foolish younger brother Owden. However, the ghazneths always seemed warned of her arrival and avoid being trapped. In one of these battles, Tanalasta’s pregnancy is exposes and she is forced to announce her marriage to Rowen Cormaeril. Neutral nobles, who are unwilling to side with Tanalasta or Emlar Goldsword, start to be assassinated. 
Vangerdahast seizes an iron crown, offered to him by Nalavara, that affixes itself to his head and forces him to become ruler of the goblins. Arabel falls to the orcs. Tanalasta makes a show of force, reminding the nobles that according to the Rule of Law, she has complete authority to punish crimes against the crown. When she executes a noblewoman who complains, the other nobles fall in line and commit their soldiers to the cause. Owden Rallyhorn is exposed as the ghazneth spy.
Tanalasta uses Oweden to lure Luthax, the ghazneth of wildfires with which he had been communicating, into a trap. She then executes her plan. Due to her encounter with Xanthon Cormaeril, she realizes that the ghazneths lose their powers if they are given their greatest desires. She gives Luthax the crown of Galaghard Obarskyr I, stripping him of his powers, and imprisons him in an iron box when he claims knowledge of Rowen’s fate. 
She continues to move against the ghazneths, taking advantage of a ban on magic that weakened them and made them desperate for spells to drain. She learns though a magic communication with Vangerdahast that the only way to truly kill the ghazneths is to forgive their betrayals against Cormyr. The magic draws in Melineth Turcassan, ghazneth of pestilence. She removes his power by gifting him with gold and forgives his crimes, causing him to dissolve. Next, she uses magic to tell Azoun that the red dragon is Nalavara, which she learned from Vangerdahast. This spell lures in Ryndala Merendil, ghazneth of war, and Xanthon Cormaeril, ghazneth of swarms. She gives Ryndala the throne of Azoun Obarskyr I and forgives her, causing her to die, and Xanthon Cormaeril a royal signet ring, naming him royal cousin. Although this drains his powers, Tanalasts is unable to forgive him when he reveals that they turned Rowen into the seventh ghazneth and therefore he does not die.
Azoun and Alusair win a great victory against the orc army, but Alusair’s force is attacked by Nalavara and she goes missing, and Azoun is severely wounded in battle with Nalavara. Tanalasta and Filfaeril are informed of the tragedy, and Owden opens up a gate to free Vangerdahast to take command in Azoun’s absence. He arrives with the Scepter of Lords. Alusair survived the dragon attack, but enters a strange patch of mist and is teleported to the goblin city. Vangerdahast helps Tanalasta defeat Suzara Obarskyr, ghazneth of blight, by giving her the wealth and luxury of Suzail, then not only forgiving her but thanking her for her sacrifice. However, Tanalasta does not know what desire to give Boldovar Obarskyr, gazneth of madness, the only one remaining aside from Rowen.
Although Vangerdahast tried to keep it secret, Tanalasta realizes Rowen was trapped with him, and has Owden open another gate. However, Rowen refuses to pass through, and Owden is sucked through the gate, which closes. Tanalasta is killed by Boldovar, but gives him her pain and forgives him, also managing to deliver her baby just before her death. Azoun sacrifices his life in battle with Nalavara. Rowen flees when he learns of Tanalasta’s death. Alusair ascends to the throne of Cormyr.
==Index==
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
Death of the Dragon cormyr map.png|The map of Cormyr, the Goblin Marches, and the Stonelands featured in Death of the Dragon.
===References===
de:Die Ritter des Purpurdrachen
Category:Novels
Category:Books
Category:Works by Ed Greenwood
Category:Works by Troy Denning
Category:Published in 2000
Category:Published in 2001