Gauntlgrym

Gauntlgrym, a fantasy novel by American writer R. A. Salvatore, takes place in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and opens the Neverwinter Saga. Published in October 2010, it continues the story of the drow elf renegade Drizzt Do'Urden, occurring 66 years after the events of Transitions: The Ghost King.

The plot begins in 1451 DR within the dwarven stronghold of Mithral Hall, though the prologue flashes back to earlier events. King Bruenor Battlehammer, alongside Drizzt, mourns the loss of his friend Regis and adoptive daughter Catti-brie, both lost to the Spellplague in 1385 DR—66 years earlier. Wulfgar has returned to Icewind Dale and chosen to stay there. Bruenor laments to Drizzt about the changes since those events: the Treaty of Garumn's Gorge has brought peace to the Silver Marches, and Obould II rules the Kingdom of Many-Arrows, though he lacks his father's cunning. Above all, Bruenor regrets never finding the legendary dwarven home of Gauntlgrym.

The gnome inventor Nanfoodle and the orc Jessa Dribble-Obould plot to poison Bruenor. Nanfoodle poisons the king's ale. Thibbledorf Pwent, the battlerager, suspects something is wrong but cannot identify it. Bruenor drinks the ale, and Mithral Hall mourns his sudden death. Banak Brawnanvil becomes the Eleventh King. Distraught, Pwent seeks out Nanfoodle and Jessa outside Mithral Hall. During their confrontation, Drizzt and a very much alive Bruenor arrive. Bruenor reveals he faked his death with Nanfoodle and Jessa's help to pursue Gauntlgrym, leaving Mithral Hall in Banak's hands. The group—Drizzt, Bruenor, Jessa, Nanfoodle, Pwent, Guenhwyvar, and Andahar (a magical unicorn gifted to Drizzt by Silverymoon's council)—departs on the secret quest.

In 1451 DR, the elf warrior Dahlia Sin'felle speaks with her vampire lover, Korvin Dor'crae. The Red Wizard lich Szass Tam has tasked Dahlia with creating a Dread Ring, an enchanted area producing undead minions, and she is sent to Neverwinter Wood to investigate. Flashbacks reveal Dahlia's childhood cruelties: raped by Netherese barbarians and impregnated by the tiefling Herzgo Alegni, she killed her demon offspring shortly after its birth. Dahlia wields Kozah's Needle, an eight-foot break staff that can split into four two-foot sections linked by a chain and summon lightning. She wears diamond studs in her ears—eight in her left for lovers.