Road of the Patriarch

Entreri and Jarlaxle answer for their actions at Zhengyi's construct.

Road of the Patriarch is the third book in The Sellswords trilogy, part of the Forgotten Realms fantasy novel collection by R. A. Salvatore. The novel concludes the series by revealing the dark truths behind the childhoods of Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle, as well as their dwarf associate Athrogate. It also shows a different side of the assassin Entreri as he becomes involved with the half-elf Calihye.

Quick Facts

Author: R. A. Salvatore
Country: United States
Language: English
Series: The Sellswords
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Released: 2006
Format: Print

Facts from the source article.

Did You Know?

A reviewer from Publishers Weekly called this a 'bloody, brooding sequel' to Salvatore's Promise of the Witch-King.
The audio recording of Road of the Patriarch received a favorable review from California Bookwatch, which praised the plot, action, and narration by David Colacci.
Road of the Patriarch reached 13 on The New York Times Best Seller list on November 12, 2006.

Plot summary

The series concludes with Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri facing consequences for what happened at Zhengyi's construct. The Spysong network and the Citadel of Assassins both lost people at the castle and are looking for someone to blame. Entreri, given a magical flute by Jarlaxle that puts its owner into a heightened emotional state, finds himself falling in love with the half-elf Calihye, something he would never normally do. Calihye, still holding Entreri responsible for Parissus's death, betrays him during an intimate moment by trying to stab him through the heart, but Kimmuriel's kinetic barrier stops her.

Jarlaxle takes control of Castle Perilous, and King Gareth leads an army to attack him. Jarlaxle surrenders at once, confessing he made a public power grab only to unite Palishchuk's people behind Gareth by acting as a shared enemy. Though the queen wants Entreri and Jarlaxle executed for treason, they and Athrogate are allowed to leave the city alive, swearing never to return. The three travel to Memnon, where Entreri decides to face his inner demons and the city of his birth.

He finds Memnon ruled by a corrupt high priest who keeps people poor through fear, selling indulgences to promise dead children a pleasant afterlife. Entreri learns the priest knew his mother intimately and may be his biological father. Sickened by the priest's obscene wealth and the city's poverty, Entreri kills him and orders the second-in-command, under threat of the same fate, to give the riches to those in need. Finally, Jarlaxle admits he gave Entreri the flute hoping that embracing emotions suppressed since childhood would help him rediscover his heart and find a purpose beyond power. The story ends with the two parting ways, Entreri saying he never wants to see Jarlaxle again.