The Legacy (Salvatore novel)
First book in the Legacy of the Drow series.
The Legacy, a 1992 fantasy novel by American author R. A. Salvatore, kicks off his Legacy of the Drow series. It picks up where The Icewind Dale Trilogy left off: Wulfgar and Catti-brie are planning their wedding, and Drizzt has just returned from another visit to Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon. Back in Mithral Hall, Drizzt finds Catti-brie unsettled and Regis acting oddly—the halfling has returned after leaving his post as a former member of Pasha Pook’s thieves’ guild. Bruenor is busy with wedding arrangements, while Wulfgar’s tribe settles Settlestone and starts to thrive. But Wulfgar’s relationship with Catti-brie is strained; she sees his possessiveness as excessive and unwise. Tension spikes when Wulfgar confronts Drizzt with hostility, though the drow manages to calm things down without any physical attack.
A new character appears: Thibbledorf Pwent, a dwarf battlerager who was knocked out during Mithral Hall’s invasion and now swears loyalty to Bruenor. He’s known for his awful smell and ungreased, ridged armor that doubles as his main weapon. Meanwhile, in Menzoberranzan, Drizzt’s sister Vierna—already a priestess serving as a subordinate under Matron Baenre after House Do’Urden fell—is plotting to recapture her brother. She believes this will earn her Lolth’s full favor. To do it, she hires Bregan D’aerthe, the top mercenary band in the city. Their leader, Jarlaxle, briefly questions Vierna’s sanity and plans, but she convinces him, and the ruling council turns their brother Dinin into a drider.
Back in Mithral Hall, Bruenor assembles a team to check on a goblin disturbance in the unexplored lower tunnels. After routing the goblins, tension between Wulfgar and Catti-brie grows: Wulfgar wanted her to sit out the fight, and she wasn’t satisfied with his reasons. Soon after, a patrol goes missing, and Drizzt prepares to investigate. Oddly, Bruenor suggests Regis go along. Drizzt hesitates but agrees. The pair find the slaughtered patrol; Drizzt identifies the killers as dark elves and gives chase. After the battle, he questions Regis about his sudden combat skills and realizes the halfling is not Regis at all, but someone else in disguise. Drizzt is then handed over to the dark elves, who escape into the Underdark.
- author
- R. A. Salvatore
- published
- 1992
- series
- Legacy of the Drow
- genre
- Fantasy novel
- nationality
- American
- publisher
- TSR
- notable
- First TSR hardcover novel; reached New York Times bestseller list
Lore & Background
The Legacy continues the story of Drizzt Do'Urden, Wulfgar, Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Regis. Wulfgar and Catti-brie prepare for marriage, while Drizzt returns from visiting Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon (having visited her before in The Icewind Dale Trilogy). Tension arises from Wulfgar's possessiveness and a hostile confrontation, though no physical attack occurs. New character Thibbledorf Pwent, a dwarf battlerager, pledges fealty to Bruenor. In Menzoberranzan, Drizzt's sister Vierna, already a priestess serving as a subordinate under Matron Baenre, plans to recapture Drizzt to gain favor with the goddess Lolth. She enlists the mercenary band Bregan D'aerthe, led by Jarlaxle, and the ruling council turns her brother Dinin into a drider.
Reader's Guide
The Legacy is significant as TSR's first hardcover novel, marking a milestone in fantasy publishing. It debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number 9 and quickly rose to the top, demonstrating the commercial viability of novelizations tied to role-playing game settings. The book deepens the character arcs from The Icewind Dale Trilogy, particularly Drizzt's moral struggle against killing dark elves and Wulfgar's possessive behavior. It introduces Thibbledorf Pwent, a memorable dwarf battlerager, and continues the rivalry between Drizzt and Artemis Entreri. The novel's plot sets up the Legacy of the Drow series, expanding the lore of the Underdark and the drow city Menzoberranzan. Its success helped establish R. A. Salvatore as a leading author in the fantasy genre and solidified the popularity of the Forgotten Realms setting.
Did You Know?
- The Legacy was TSR's first hardcover novel.
- The novel debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number 9.
- Thibbledorf Pwent, a dwarf battlerager, makes his first appearance in this novel.
More in Novels by R. A. Salvatore 1-24
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