The Crystal Shard

Salvatore's first novel and Drizzt's debut in Icewind Dale.

The Crystal Shard is a 1988 fantasy novel by R. A. Salvatore, the first book of The Icewind Dale Trilogy and his first published novel. It introduced Drizzt Do'Urden, the renegade dark elf ranger, living on the edge of the Ten-Towns in the far north.

Quick Facts

Author: R. A. Salvatore
Cover artist: Larry Elmore
Country: United States
Language: English
Series: The Icewind Dale Trilogy
Genre: Fantasy
Set in: Forgotten Realms
Publisher: TSR, Inc.

Facts from the source article.

Background

Even in remote Icewind Dale, Drizzt is trusted only by the dwarves he has befriended. When the Dale's barbarian tribes unite to wipe out Ten-Towns, which they see as invaders, Drizzt learns their plan and warns the halfling Regis and the dwarf Bruenor. Regis, a member of the towns' council, uses a magical ruby pendant to talk the quarrelsome leaders into standing together, and the barbarian attack is beaten back. Drizzt fights the barbarian king Heafstaag, and Bruenor knocks out a young standard bearer, then saves him from the townsfolk and takes him in: Wulfgar, son of Beornegar.