Feathered Dragon

Feathered Dragon is the third book of the Maztica trilogy by Douglas Niles.
==Summary==
The surviving Nexalans, Kultakans, and Golden Legion members, along with Halloran, Erixitl, a Qotal priest named Xatli, and Gultec, travel through the newly fertile desert south of Nexal, pursued by Hoxitl and the monstrous army of Zaltec's followers. Chical leads the Nexalan warriors and Tokol leads the Kultakan warriors. The sun dwarves gather their chieftains and consult the Sunstone. Coton find Halloran’s horse Storm and rides it to Lotil's house. Poshtli, in the form of a great eagle, appears before the Nexalans and guides them towards Tewahca, the City of the Gods. 
The Ancient Ones, turned into driders and led by Darien, march towards Far Payit, leading an army of giant ants created by Lolth. Amn sends an army in pursuit of Cordell led by a rival, Don Vaez, and Pryat Devane, a cleric of Helm. The sun dwarves receive a vision of impending destruction from the Sunstone and muster for war, traveling to Tehwaca led by Luskag of Sunhome. Zochimaloc recalls Gultec to Far Payit. A stone obelisk sacred to Zaltec that was buried in the center of Nexal grows massive, becoming humanoid and animate. 
Erix, Halloran, Daggrande, and a young Nexalan named Jhatli follow Poshtli to Tehwaca while the other refugees travel to an oasis. The trolls of Hoxitl’s army pursue this group while the orcs and ogres attack the Nexalan refugees, but are driven back. The Tehwaca group meet up with Coton and Lotil, and Erix gives up the Cloak of One Plume so Qotal can manifest. However, Zaltec’s avatar interrupts the manifestation and defeats Qotal’s incomplete form. Qotal returns to the Astral Plane with Poshtli in tow. 
The desert dwarves save Erix and the men from the trolls, and Zaltec and his army retreat to Nexal. Gultec is unable to stop the advance of the ants and Far Payit evacuates. The Tehwaca group and the dwarves travel to Twin Visages to try to bring Qotal back once more, along with a tribe of pygmies that swears loyalty to Halloran. They meet up with Gultec and the people of Far Payit, who are battling the giant ants. Zochimaloc sacrifices himself to bring down a mountain on the ants, and the armies wipe out the stragglers. Darien casts a hishna curse on Erixtl which causes her to fall unconscious. 
The armies gather at Ulatos, where Cordell takes control of the new soldiers from Don Vaez and sends ships to pick up his surviving men and the Kultakans. The armies battle Zaltec’s forces while Erixtl and Halloran go to awaken Qotal at Twin Visages, where the driders wait. Lotil and all driders but Darien die, but Qotal and Poshtli return to the Prime Material Plane. Qotal battles Zaltec, and their fight threatens to destroy Maztica. Coton breaks his vow of silence to curse the battling gods, then Poshtli kills Coton and Darien, banishing the two gods. The monstrous army retreats.
==Index==
;Characters
:Caknol • Carac • Dackto • Erixitl • Garrant • Harak • Harl • Jhatli • Kashta • Katl • Keesha • Kilti • Millston • Luskag • Pullog • Tokol • Totoq • Traj • Tranph • Xatli
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
Maztica night of wailing.png|Post–Night of Wailing Maztica.
===References===
de:Feathered Dragon
Category:Novels
Category:Books
Category:Works by Douglas Niles
Category:Published in 1991
Category:Maztica novels