Line #121 Literature/TheSeventhTower


1	[[quoteright:272:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7tower_6689.jpg]]
2
3	A six-book fantasy series by Creator/GarthNix concerning two groups of people living in a world of complete darkness, thanks to the Veil, a powerful black shadow that envelops the entire planet and blocks out the sun: the Chosen, a group of [[ColorCodedWizardry light-manipulating magicians]] who live in a multicolored Castle and believe themselves to be superior to everybody, and the Icecarls, a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior race]] eking out an existence on the endless Ice beneath the Castle. The two do not mix (indeed, the Chosen do not even realize the Icecarls exist), but are thrust together when an ancient war between the people of the Dark World and the spirit realm of Aenir threatens to flare up once again.
4
5	The books follow Tal Graile-Rerem, a young boy of the Orange Order of the Chosen, and Milla of the Far-Raiders, an Icecarl girl in training to become a Shield Maiden, as circumstances force them to rely on and trust one another and they attempt to unravel the ancient secrets surrounding the Castle and the war against Aenir, so long ago.
6
7	The books are:
8
9	# ''The Fall''
10	# ''Castle''
11	# ''Aenir''
12	# ''Above The Veil''
13	# ''Into Battle''
14	# ''The Violet Keystone''
15
16	----
17	!!The series contains examples of:
18
19	* ActionGirl: Milla. Any female Icecarl, really, but Milla is by far the most prominent.
20	* AlasPoorVillain:
21	** [[spoiler:Sushin]], who regains control of his own body minutes before dying and spends that time wondering exactly how he got [[spoiler:inside Violet Tower]] and all torn to shreds.
22	** [[spoiler:Fashnek as well]], who is revealed just before he dies to be a broken and pathetic man who made a DealWithTheDevil with [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] out of desperation and [[spoiler:perhaps appropriately]], whose life has been a living nightmare ever since.
23	* AllPowerfulBystander: The Old Khamsoul is hinted to be the oldest and most powerful being in Aenir, but seems pretty committed to noninterference beyond answering questions.
24	* AmazonBrigade: The Shield Maidens of the Icecarls. Although male Icecarl warriors do exist (referred to as Sword Thanes), they are quite rare and generally operate on their own, rather than in groups like the Shield Maidens (Milla claims this is because Icecarl men don't work well with each other). Technically, ''[[ProudWarriorRace all]]'' non-Crone Icecarls are warriors; Shield Maidens and Sword Thanes are ''professional'' warriors.
25	* AnotherDimension: Aenir. Sometimes referred to as the "SpiritWorld"; a dangerous land full of powerful magic where nothing is as it seems.
26	* TheArchmage: Chosen Shadowlords and Icecarl Mother Crones, who both represent the highest level of power in their respective forms of magic.
27	* BadassAdorable: Tal's creature from his game of Beast Maker in the first book is basically [[FairyDragons a faerie dragon]]; it's described as a beautiful, brilliantly-colored bipedal lizard with massive, delicate-looking wings. Compared to his opponent's hideous creature -- a blubbery, rust-colored ball with three arms at either end and four sets of eyes and mouths spaced around its middle -- it looks pretty weak, and almost everybody expects it to lose. Then it bites off one of the blubber-thing's arms, outwits it by being much tougher than it looks, and proceeds to gouge out most of the blubber-thing's eyes before preparing to close in for the kill. If it hadn't been for the malicious intervention of Sharrakor, Tal's creature would have ''won''.
28	* BadassNormal: Most non-Crone Icecarls (not Milla, ultimately, as she learns to use Sunstone magic starting in the second book), Crow.
29	* BeneathTheEarth: There's a massive complex of tunnels under the Castle, full of things most of the Chosen and many of the Underfolk have forgotten or never knew about. Best showcased in the fourth, fifth, and sixth books.
30	* BenevolentGenie:
31	** The Codex of the Chosen wants nothing more than to help the human race as a whole. The only problem is that it can't do much on its own, and can only answer questions.
32	** The Old Khamsoul allows any individual a single question. When Tal asks questions he already knows the answer to, the Khamsoul declares those don't count and lets him ask another. At the end, he's asked three questions, but still not used up his one question, so he promises the Khamsoul he'll be back one day.
33	* TheBerserker:
34	** Do not get in the way of Jarek when the red anger comes over him. Human or Spiritshadow, he will kill you. He's a Wilder, which is an Icecarl term that basically means "berserker", though he's the only one to appear in person.
35	** Milla almost turns into one when [[spoiler:Tal sells her shadow in Aenir]] but this trope is defied when she uses meditative breathing exercises to calm herself down.
36	* BigBad: Shadowmaster Sushin. [[spoiler:Except he's actually just a shell possessed by the ''real'' BigBad, Sharrakor]].
37	* BigGood: Tal thinks that the Empress is this. [[spoiler:It turns out she's just [[PuppetKing a pawn]] for Sharrakor, actually helped free him from his imprisonment, and isn't a particularly pleasant or talented person on top of that. She is killed off unceremoniously. The closest thing to an actual BigGood is probably Ebbitt]].
38	* BigGuyFatalitySyndrome: [[spoiler:Jarek dies during the raid on the Violet Tower.]]
39	* BloodBath: Jarek the Wilder Icecarl slew a Norrworm in its cave and had to swim in its blood for days until it drained out. The dip turned his skin blue and made it Nigh Invulnerable.
40	* BloodOath: The Icecarls like to seal pacts in this way, and do so by making a triangular cut on each person's wrist and having them mix their blood. Some overlap with SwornBrothers, as it is this kind of oath that ultimately is keeping Milla from killing Tal: "We have shared too much blood."
41	* BondCreatures: Spiritshadows and Shadowguards are Aenirian beasts who have been magically bonded to a human partner by sacrificing the human's shadow to them. As a result, in the human world, they become creatures of living shadow. Several characters [[LampshadeHanging point out]] the problems with this practice.
42	** Spiritshadows don't necessarily ''have'' to like their bonded humans, either. Shortly after bonding to Milla, the Storm Shepherd Odris expresses her discontent with Milla (who, as an Icecarl, regards their link as an abomination) and wishes she'd bonded with Tal instead. Ironically, Tal himself wishes he'd chosen Odris, who is smarter than her brother Adras.
43	* CaveMouth: Invoked by the Cavernmouths of Aenir, which are large, implicitly reptilian monsters with extendable jaws that dig themselves into the sides of hills or mountains and then just sit there with their jaws wide open. If anything gets too close -- and they have glowing, eye-like tonsils to lure the incautious closer -- their jaws can shoot out at massive speed, so you don't even need to enter the "cave" to be devoured.
44	* CharacterDevelopment: Plenty for all the main characters. Tal learns humility and discipline; Milla learns how to think through her problems and make plans rather than charge around blindly; and Crow learns to channel his anger towards helping people and not just hate all Chosen indiscriminately.
45	* ChekhovsGun: The corpse Tal and Milla find in the heating tunnels turns out to be [[spoiler:the previous emperor]]. The Sunstone he was carrying is [[spoiler:the Violet Keystone]].
46	* AChildShallLeadThem: [[spoiler:Tal takes over as Emperor of the Chosen at the end of the series. Milla is made War-Chief of the Icecarls in the fourth book and retains her position to the end.]]
47	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}:
48	** Ebbitt. He's so eccentric that Tal feels the need to warn anyone he takes to meet Ebbitt in advance. The author describes him as being like a comet with an erratic flight path: brilliant, but unpredictable.
49	** Adras has his moments. His head dwells so much in the clouds that he comes close to endangering Tal's life on multiple occasions, much to Tal's frustration.
50	** Lokar [[GoMadFromTheIsolation while imprisoned in the Red Keystone]] also has her moments; being trapped perpetually in a tiny crystal with no one to talk to but a Spiritshadow can apparently make you a little... odd.
51	* ColorCodedCastes: The Chosen's society is arranged in a RainbowMotif to match their [[LightEmUp light-based magic]], determining the colours they wear and the privileges they're allowed. There is some caste mobility, so everyone dreams of ascending to a Violet lord, while the Reds are one misstep away from losing their magic rights and being demoted to white-robed Underfolk.
52	* ColorCodedWizardry: The Chosen society use their Sunstones (capable of generating light) for just about everything, ranging from throwing around rays of destructive light in battle, to creating HardLight structures, to healing wounds, to simple etiquette and courtesy (woe betide anyone who is bathed in the White Ray of Disgust, and does not give the Blue Ray of Humble Apology in return).
53	* CoolOldGuy: Tal's great-uncle Ebbitt, who says and does many very strange things. However, it appears that he is ObfuscatingStupidity, and his surprisingly extensive knowledge of the Chosen and their Castle comes in very handy on many an occasion.
54	* CosmicKeystone: The seven Keystones, which [[spoiler:power the Veil and keep the sun blocked]].
55	* CrapsackWorld: The Dark World is permanently cut off from the sun, and outside the Chosen's castle is a desolate, frozen wasteland. Turns out that [[spoiler:saving humanity involves ''keeping'' it that way]].
56	* CreateYourOwnHero: Tal starts out wanting nothing more than a replacement Sunstone for his family. After Sushin and Sharrakor repeatedly stymie his efforts out of [[KickTheDog simple malice]], Tal resorts to a desperate heist that sets him on the path to learning the truth about Sushin, Sharrakor, his own DisappearedDad, and the AwfulTruth behind the Tower.
57	* CrystalPrison:
58	** In the fourth book, Tal and Crow find the Red Keystone; imprisoned inside of it is its guardian, Lokar.
59	** Tal's father is stated by the Codex to be in the Orange Keystone. [[spoiler:He's freed after Sharrakor is defeated.]]
60	* CultureChopSuey: While the Icecarls are mostly Norse, their nomadic lifestyle and domestication of reindeerlike creatures bears some resemblance to the Lapps as well.
61	* CulturalPosturing: Both Tal and Milla engage in it, partly due to their shared animosity, but partly because their respective cultures are mutually incompatible. For example, the Castle has such complete gender parity that Tal cannot even comprehend the idea of a distinction between Shield Maidens and Sword Thanes, and slavery is such a taboo in Icecarl society that Milla finds the idea of the Underfolk abhorrent.
62	* DeathSeeker[=/=]DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:After having Odris bound to her, Milla]] is pretty darn determined to kill herself near the middle of the series. She never gets the chance to actually do so. [[spoiler:She willingly goes into a {{Dying Dream}}-like state which will kill her after she delivers her final message.]]
63	* DeathWorld: In addition to its deadly fauna, Aenir contains traps seemingly made to lure in passersby. One wooden building [[UnnaturallyLoopingLocation prevents anyone from leaving once they've set foot inside by warping them back]]; every day at dawn, it goes up in flames. One garden contains tempting sources of water, but according to a local, anyone who goes past the first row of hedges never returns.
64	* DemonicPossession: What [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] was doing to [[spoiler:Sushin]].
65	* {{Determinator}}:
66	** Jarek, a berserker Sword Thane, who was once drenched in Norworm blood, giving him blue and NighInvulnerable skin. [[spoiler:{{Subverted}}: after his companion Kirr dies, he is unable to find the will to live when fighting a giant robotic bug. The fury never came.]]
67	** Tal; he's just a kid with no real knowledge of what's going on who's on a vague quest to save his family. He is blocked every turn by powerful adults and their cronies, falls thousands of feet onto a tundra he has no idea how to survive in, is forced to make a pact with a girl who really wants to kill him, is captured multiple times, beaten within an inch of his life several times, thinks he killed what few allies he has, has his shoulder dislocated a few times, finds out there is no BigGood, is poisoned a few times, and in general never has a real chance to rest or eat for about a few months. He never gives up; he just keeps on moving and fighting.
68	** Milla too; at one point she even enters a special Icecarl meditative trance that will ''ensure'' she stays alive long enough to accomplish her mission- and then die immediately afterwards. [[spoiler:Or she would have if the Crones hadn't saved her]].
69	** Amongst Aenirian creatures, Borzogs and Niphrain Apes are both renowned for their undying will, making these cards useful for the Heart slot in games of Beastmaker. In fact, the Borzog card can be turned ''into'' the Niphrain Ape in Beastmaker, such is their mutual association with determination.
70	** Tal tries to invoke this trait in his monster in a game of Beastmaker by giving it a Heart of a Hrugen, a kind of super-invasive Aenirian weed that is all but impossible to eradicate. He notes it's a gamble, but it pays off.
71	* {{Deuteragonist}}: Milla. She isn't introduced until the second half of book 1, but from ''Castle'' onward she becomes the secondary POV character and receives about equal pagetime.
72	* DiesWideShut: Sort of. Whenever Milla thinks she's about to die, she opens her eyes wider. We find out why in an aside in ''Into Battle'', when she gives someone a DueToTheDead by manually opening their eyes "so they might see their way ahead".
73	* DramaticDislocation: The strain of retrieving the Codex, on top of all the prior stress his arms had been subject to, dislocates one of Tal's shoulders. Milla puts it back in after.
74	* TheDreaded:
75	** Sharrakor. Even Ebbitt goes pale when hearing about him, and he's a character who is generally consistently fearless and is probably the strongest-willed of the Chosen. [[spoiler:And that's ''before'' we find out Sharrakor's the BigBad!]]
76	** Fashnek is this as well.
77	* DumbMuscle: Adras is dim-witted, much to Tal's frustration, and is the larger of the two siblings.
78	* EarthAllAlong: The pickled animals in the Seventh Tower seem to imply such.
79	* EccentricMentor: Ebbitt. He's a brilliant light magician, he knows more about the Castle's secrets than pretty much all the other Chosen, and he's really, really weird.
80	* ElementalEmbodiment: Storm Shepherds are rare creatures from Aeneris that appear as giant humanoids made of cloudstuff, with the ability to generate water and lightning, as well as to manipulate the weather.
81	* EmpoweredBadassNormal: Milla starts out a BadassNormal, but starting in the second book she receives a Sunstone of her own and starts to learn magic.
82	* EnemyMine: Tal and Milla's relationship in a nutshell, at least at first. They really don't like each other for most of the series, but recognize that there are far more dangerous threats out there than each other. They gradually become, if not exactly touchy-feely, at least close allies with a powerful rapport.
83	* EverythingTryingToKillYou: Aenir is ''full'' of creatures that are dangerous or deadly to a person.
84	* EvilChancellor: Shadowmaster Sushin. One of his many titles is even "the Dark Vizier".
85	* EvilIsNotAToy: [[spoiler:The Empress and her brother]] freed [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] from his imprisonment to help them gain domination over the other Chosen. ''He'' wound up dominating ''them''.
86	* EvilOverlord: [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] used to be this, apparently- his Aeniran title ''is'' "Overlord", and he's certainly evil. [[spoiler:It turns out most of the plot was set in motion by his gunning for the position again]].
87	* FantasticCasteSystem: The Chosen have seven castes named after the seven colors. Mobility between these castes is based on formal displays of skill with light magic. In theory, the Chosen all aspire to Violet and are meant to cooperate. In reality, the lower castes resent the upper castes and try to drag them down, while the upper castes look down upon the lower castes and try to keep them in their place. Tal, being Orange and second from the bottom, receives flak from both the Reds below him and everyone above him.
88	* FantasticRacism: The Chosen look down on everyone and everything but themselves, most notably the underfolk, Icecarls, and Spiritshadows. The Icecarls, for their part, consider the Chosen to be arrogant weaklings and the Spiritshadows dangerous demons. Nobody is entirely right or wrong in any of these perceptions.
89	* FantasticUnderclass: The Chosen's caste system follows a Rainbow Motif to match their light-based magic, with some caste mobility. Beneath even the lowest of the Reds are the Underfolk servants, who are denied Sunstones and have no chance to become Chosen.
90	* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The Icecarls live in a land of ice and snow, are a ProudWarriorRace, write using runes, recite songs and epics very reminiscent of the Poetic Edda - they are clearly Fantasy Vikings.
91	* FatBastard: Sushin. [[spoiler:Until Sharrakor leaves him, anyway.]]
92	* FateWorseThanDeath: Being cast out of your clan or devoured by Wreska is seen as this by Icecarls, as the latter is a dishonour both to the clan and the convicted, while the former is to be forgotten forever, to be [[UnPerson erased from Icecarl history]]. You never were an Icecarl. To a Chosen or Underfolk, being sent to the Hall of Nightmares is this, as it means they will be subjected to hideous psychic tortures.
93	* FearIsTheAppropriateResponse: Unlike the overconfident Milla, Tal actually understands there are occasions where running for your life is the only sensible response, and hasn't been raised in a way that makes sensible retreat shameful. Milla does, eventually, learn the value of self-preservation.
94	* FictionalBoardGame: Beastmaker. Players are dealt cards depicting various fantastical beasts, and assign them to various stats to create their own beast. Each card also has two other cards it can be changed to by applying the appropriate color of light. When both players have assigned their final cards, the game board creates two beasts out of light, and they fight.
95	* FireForgedFriends: Tal and Milla by the end, having come to recognize that while they'll never see eye to eye, their abilities and personalities complement each other and that each can trust the other under fire.
96	* FragileFlyer: Subverted. Tal's [[MixAndMatchCritters Mix-and-Match Critter]] in the magical game Beastmaker manifests as a {{Fairy Dragon\|s}} with large, delicate wings. Everyone (including Tal) expects it to be a weakling, but it turns out to be tough, [[LightningBruiser agile]], tenacious, and smart enough to exploit its fragile appearance with a WoundedGazelleGambit.
97	* FunctionalMagic: The Chosen use Sunstones for Device Magic; the Icecarl Crones seem to use a kind of Force Magic, and Aenir is just chock full of WildMagic.
98	* GardenOfEvil: The characters pass by one of these in Aenir. It's seemingly idyllic, but once you go in you can never leave.
99	* GeniusLoci: The hill that Adras and Odris are bound to is a hungry one. It tries to eat them when [[spoiler:they are banished back to Aenir by Sharrakor]].
100	* GreatBigBookOfEverything: In book 3, the Codex of the Chosen.
101	* HalfHumanHybrid: Fashnek, the operator of the Hall of Nightmares, who lost a large amount of his body in an accident. To keep himself alive, he had his Spiritshadow permanently join with what remained of his body. Considered hideous and vile, an abomination... perfect for the master of nightmares.
102	* HappinessInSlavery: Well, okay, maybe not happiness, but the Underfolk have been subservient to the Chosen for so long that most of them can't imagine life being any different. Only a very, very few actively want freedom, and the rest don't seem to be able to wrap their heads around the idea.
103	* HeadbuttingHeroes:
104	** This nicely sums up Milla and Tal's relationship. They will work together and even risk their lives to save each other out of a strange mix of pride, necessity and basic moral decency, but Milla actively wants to kill Tal for a good part of the series, and even Tal wants to be rid of Milla as fast as he possibly can. This calms down towards something resembling a Hero-Lancer relationship towards the end, as the two finally mature and come to an understanding with one another. Even by the end, though, there is still a certain frostiness between the two protagonists.
105	** Tal and Crow in the fourth book. [[spoiler:When they team up again in book six, Crow has calmed down considerably and is much more pleasant company, though that in itself weirds Tal out]].
106	* HardLight: Light magic can create solid objects out of light.
107	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Crow]] when he uses cave roach poison to kill [[spoiler:Sharrakor in human form]].
108	* HeroOfAnotherStory: Jarek gives off this vibe.
109	* TheHecateSisters: Icecarl society has a society of [[AmazonBrigade warrior women]] called [[ActionGirl Shield Maidens]], headed by [[ActionMom Shield Mothers]] to whom they look for protection. For spiritual and political guidance they look to the society of Crones.
110	* HiveMind: Sort of. The Crones are not a single consciousness, but any Crone can at any time link themselves to the entire community of Crones (or at least, any who are actively paying attention at the moment) to communicate and share information, and it's possible for the Crones to collectively speak out of one of their number, which is called the Voice (and is apparently pretty hard on the Crone in question; the usually unflappable Malen is visibly shaken after carrying the Voice).
111	* HumanoidAbomination: Subverted in ''Aenir''. Hazror is introduced as a horrifically powerful and evil Aeniran monstrosity who looks like a cadaverous human- but he's actually just an ancient man who essentially wears a suit made of Sunstones and is very, very good at magic (though he's heavily implied to be a SerialKiller). Fortunately for Tal, once he realizes Hazror's human he ''also'' realizes that he's a SquishyWizard.
112	* IAmXSonOfY:
113	** Chosen surnames are their parents' first names put together. For example, Tal's parents are named Graile and Rerem, thus he has the surname Graile-Rerem.
114	** Milla introduces herself, "I am Milla of the Far Raiders. Daughter of Ylse, daughter of Emor, daughter of Rohen, daughter of Clyo, in the line of Danir since the Ruin of the Ship."
115	* IDieFree: [[spoiler:Crow's last words when he [[HeroicSacrifice poisons himself and Sharrakor]] are this sentiment.]]
116	* InstantSedation: The venom of a type of GiantSpider that lives in the tunnels under the castle has this effect.
117	* {{Jerkass}}:
118	** Tal, initially, due to his Chosen upbringing teaching him that he was part of the superior race of people in the world. He gradually grows out of this, as it is repeatedly demonstrated to him that he is ''not'' as superior as he once thought.
119	** Milla and particularly Crow start out this way as well.
120	* LaResistance: The Freefolk, a group of Underfolk delinquents who desire to overthrow the Chosen and gain freedom for the Underfolk. Currently consists of six members, most of them children.
121	* LeeroyJenkins: Milla's reluctance to retreat has put herself and Tal in varying degrees of pain, from getting them hauled off by violet guardsmen to almost getting them smote off a hillside. She's considerably more tactically refined by book five. Tal, for his part, also has a habit of attempting insanely dangerous things without prompting, though he tends to only do so if there's great need (like his attempt to [[spoiler:save his little brother.]])
122	* LightEmUp: The powers of the Chosen.
123	* LightIsNotGood: The Chosen are light-themed magic users, and are also terribly corrupt and decadent. [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] in his Aeniran form is described as bright and shimmering.
124	** In a strange reversal, the characters also consider the Sun above the Veil to be unbearably harsh and bright, and a source of pain rather than life. The BigBad wants to destroy the Veil and allow the Sun to shine down again to strengthen his forces, but even ignoring that, the heroes consider the very idea of the Sun being [=unVeiled=] to be an [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt apocalyptic scenario]] that would utterly destroy the world they hold dear. For the Icecarls, having the ice melt absolutely ''would'' destroy their way of life.
125	* LivingShadow:
126	** The Spiritshadows, beings from Aenir that the Chosen bind to themselves as servants in a rite of passage. In Aenir, they take on their true forms, which are many and varied, but in the Dark World they appear as shadows, weakened in darkness and strengthened by light.
127	** And shadowguards, the junior version, which act like children's natural shadows come to life. They're much less powerful and exist to keep Chosen kids safe... although Tal's has the opposite effect when he meets the Icecarls, since it identifies him as a hated Chosen.
128	* LudicrousPrecision: After she and Tal retrieve the Codex from under the mountain, Milla wonders how long it was there. It replies, "22 years, 23 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes, and 42 seconds."
129	* TheMagocracy: The Chosen rank themselves largely based on who is best with Sunstones and who has the most powerful Spiritshadows. Anyone who has neither is a second-class citizen at best. The Icecarls don't really have a formalized government, but they generally look to the Crones, an order of female magic-users and sages, for leadership.
130	* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: At the climax of the third book, Milla runs Sushin through on her sword. He laughs it off, and when the sword is removed he ''doesn't even bleed''. [[spoiler:Because Sharrakor's presence in his body is keeping him alive and healthy no matter what happens to him]].
131	* TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler:Sushin appears to be the BigBad till Sharrakor is revealed to be not bound to the empress. Sharrakor plans to destroy the Veil and begin a new war between Aenir and the Dark World.]]
132	* MagicalForeignWords: There is an ancient language that's magical, but is never addressed plot wise.
133	* MagicKnight: Milla eventually becomes this, albeit very reluctantly.
134	* MercyKill: [[spoiler:Tal to Ethar during the invasion of the Violet Tower.]]
135	* MindRape: The purpose of the Hall of Nightmares. [[spoiler:A FateWorseThanDeath for Chosen and Underfolk. Doesn't really work on Icecarls or Tal when he is in it.]] It's eventually revealed that the Hall was originally used for the exact opposite purpose, to help people who were already suffering from nightmares.
136	* MundaneUtility: High-ranking Chosen tend to wear ''lots'' of Sunstones as jewelry. Not only is this visually impressive, it also allows them to have access to lots of magic at a time.
137	* MurderIsTheBestSolution:
138	** Milla seems a little too eager to kill Tal in their first meetings.
139	** Icecarls in general kill first, ask questions later. Crones are the exception to that rule.
140	** Tal begins to think this near the end of the series after all he has been through.
141	* NapInducingSpeak: Ebbitt defines the word "soporific", using Crow as an example: "Blueshrike's tales of his bravery were extremely soporific."
142	* NiceJobFixingItVillain: The only reason [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] even has to contend with Tal as an enemy is because Shushin [[spoiler:under Sharrakor's control]] was a dick to him and prevented him from obtaining a primary Sunstone for no discernible reason.
143	* NoEyeInMagic: You have to be able to see a Sunstone in order to make it do anything more complex than glow; as a result, a blind person can't learn to do light magic and someone who is blinded loses the ability if they had it. This is a major phobia for the Chosen as a result, and Tal ''freaks'' when Sushin blinds him temporarily.
144	* NoIndoorVoice: Adras and Odris. Storm Shepherds' normal voices sound like thunderclaps, so even if they're whispering, it sounds quite loud to humans.
145	* NonIndicativeName: Though many Crones are old women, not all of them are; Malen is a Crone who is only a year or two older than Tal and Milla, though she's explicitly stated to be the youngest.
146	* NotAfraidToDie: Icecarls in general because of their warrior culture.
147	* TheNotLoveInterest: Tal and Milla never develop attraction or romantic feelings for each other, even though their relationship is the emotional core of the series and they're both reasonably attractive teenagers of about the same age. Apart from once acknowledging that he thinks Milla is pretty when the topic is brought up (and admitting that he hadn't really given it much thought before) the idea is never raised by Tal, and never at all by Milla.
148	* NotSoStoic: When she's first introduced, Malen comes across as totally unflappable and wise and serene beyond her years, which annoys the HotBlooded Milla to no end. However, as the fifth and sixth books progress, Malen's inexperience and the resulting cracks in her emotional armor show through, and she becomes much more open with the other characters.
149	* ObfuscatingInsanity: Ebbitt's eccentricity hides a sharp and creative mind.
150	* TheOmniscient: Several beings are mentioned that have access to functionally infinite knowledge; the Codex and the Old Khamsoul both put in personal appearances; the Hollow Oracle does not.
151	** NotSoOmniscientAfterAll: But the Khamsoul won't answer Tal when he asks who originally started the war between the Dark World and Aenir. From the way it frames its refusal, though, it might be that the Khamsoul ''doesn't'' know, or might be that it simply considers the question irrelevant as neither side was blameless.
152	* OneWingedAngel: Inverted. The shapeshifting [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] uses his physically impressive dragon form as a default, and rather than turning into something even worse, at the climax he's forced into a much weaker humanoid form.
153	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: When Inkie talks, everyone listens.
154	* OverlyLongName: The Kurshken seem fond of these, but have the courtesy to offer alternate names for non-Kurshken to use.
155	-->'''Quorr Quorr Quorr Quorr Quorr Jak-Quorr Jareskk Yazeqicka ("Yazeq"):''' Come, you must be tired. You may rest in our guest roro, or as you may wish to call it: roroqquolleckechahen.
156	-->'''Ebbitt:''' I'll say 'roro'...
157	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Sharrakor. [[spoiler:Though he's not actually a dragon, "just" a shapeshifter who likes to use that form. His true form is never specified; it could be nothing, or any one of a number of forms]].
158	* OurMonstersAreWeird: There's some damn bizarre things in Aenir. Two prominent characters are Storm Shepherds, powerful giants of cloud and lightning who--as Tal realizes--make very powerful Spiritshadows. And they're among the more normal creatures. The ''really'' weird ones include Hugthings, [[ManEatingPlant rectangles of turf that leap up and squeeze you to death]], and Cavernmouths, which are [[CaveMouth caves that eat you]].
159	* PowerIncontinence: In ''The Violet Keystone'', Milla uses her Sunstone to create a giant wave of violet energy, on the logic that it's the most powerful form of destructive magic she could perform. She's right, but unfortunately she can't control what she's unleashed [[FridgeBrilliance which is probably why no more experienced Light mage ever tries that move]], though [[spoiler:her Sunstone being half of the Violet Keystone can't have helped. Ordinary Light Magic disappears when the caster isn't concentrating on it, but the Violet Keystone is pretty much in its own tier of magical power...]]
160	* ThePowerOfTheSun: Sunstones. Spiritshadows also require light to become powerful; light from any source will do, but sunlight works best. [[spoiler:Which is why Sharrakor wants to bring down the Veil]].
161	* ProphetEyes: Mother Crones have solid white eyes. Other Crones also have weird things going on with their eyes as well; apprentice Crones have abnormally bright blue eyes, while regular Crones have faintly glowing silver ones.
162	* TheProudElite: The Chosen. Even those of lower status see themselves as being superior to Underfolk and Spiritshadows.
163	* [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race Girl]]: Milla, so very very much. Actually, a lot of the Icecarls could be described as such, but Milla is by far the most prominent.
164	* PunchClockVillain: Ethar, captain of the Empress's guards. Their respective positions mean she has to do whatever [[EvilChancellor Sushin]] tells her to, but it's also plain that she's an honorable woman who dislikes many of the things she's forced to do. [[spoiler:And in the end, she's killed off for [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outliving her usefulness]]]].
165	* PuppetKing: [[spoiler:The Empress and her brother, the Light Vizier, are really nothing more than powerless figureheads for Sharrakor]].
166	* PurpleIsPowerful: Violet is the highest class of the Chosen, and the color of the most powerful magic.
167	* RainbowMotif: The Chosen have eight social classes: one for each of the seven colors, with Violet at the top, plus a colorless "Underfolk" caste at the bottom for the servants.
168	* RockPaperScissors: Jarek and Kirr are mentioned to be playing "Stone-Hide-Knife" at one point.
169	* {{Room 101}}: The Hall of Nightmares, the worst punishment a Chosen can receive: trapped in a neverending nightmare as a form of interrogation and torture. Those who come out alive are mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. Ironically, the machine used to produce these nightmares was originally created to help dispel nightmares.
170	* RoyalBlood: Averted. [[spoiler:Tal]] becomes emperor not because of his ancestry, but because he [[spoiler:mastered the Violet Keystone]].
171	* ScaledUp: [[spoiler:Sharrakor, who [[OneWingedAngel reveals his true form]] as a shadow-dragon when he leaves his host body.]]
172	* SealedGoodInACan: [[spoiler:The guardians of several of the Keystones, including Tal's father and Lokar]].
173	* SealedEvilInACan: Sharrakor. He was released decades before the series began by [[spoiler:the Empress]].
174	* ShapeshifterDefaultForm: The shapeshifting [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] normally prefers to look like a dragon, but can also turn into a humanoid form and a [[PuppeteerParasite mind drill]], and possibly others. It's unclear which, if any, is his actual form.
175	* SingleBiomePlanet: The Dark World is one large tundra, and nothing else. Justified because, true to its name, it doesn't get any sunlight. At all.
176	* SmartPeoplePlayChess: In this case Beastmaker, a Chosen strategy game that involves each player drawing seven cards depicting beasts from Aenir and deploying each card to fill one of seven categories: Head, Heart, Temper, Skin, Speed, Strength and Special. Light magic then combines the categorical trait of each selected creature to produce a light construct monster, which then does battle, gladiator style. To further complicate matters, each creature card can be turned into two other creatures by applying a specific color of light: mastery of the game requires a thorough knowledge of the beasts of Aenir, as well as both the ability to remember what variant creatures each card can assume and the ability to successfully fake out an opponent, as strategically changing cards prior to deployment can drastically alter the resultant monster. The fact that Tal is good enough at this game to beat one of the Empress' attendants shows that he's ''a lot'' smarter than he initially seems.
177	* SmugSnake: Sushin, who is cunning but too petty and hedonistic to be a true MagnificentBastard. [[spoiler:Of course it turns out that the "Sushin" the reader sees is just a facade put on by Sharrakor]].
178	* SquishyWizard: Most Chosen, apart from the Empress's guards; Tal starts out as one but becomes tougher across the series. Crones also usually stay out of direct combat, though they're only squishy by the standards of a ProudWarriorRace.
179	* StrangeSalute: The Icecarls have a few. To say nothing of the Chosen's many Sunstone-based social customs.
180	* SwissArmySuperpower: A Sunstone can produce a tremendous array of supernatural effects, if you know how to use it properly.
181	* SwordAndSorcerer: Tal and Milla start out as the "fighter and GlassCannon" version of this one. The line is blurred as the series goes on and Tal becomes better at fighting, and Milla better at magic.
182	* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:Crow kills Sharrakor with caveroach poison, poisoning himself in the process and dying within seconds himself.]]
183	* ThatsNoMoon: The Codex is initially hidden [[spoiler:by Sushin]] under a huge rock creature that could easily be mistaken for a mountain.
184	* ThirdPartyDealBreaker: As an [[MonsterLord old Lord]] of the SpiritWorld Aenir, the villain [[spoiler:Sharrakor]] can give some orders to [[{{Familiar}} Spiritshadows]] that supersede their bond to their human. One is to force them back to Aenir, leaving the human [[ImHavingSoulPains incapacitated]] by the damaged bond.
185	* TookALevelInBadAss:
186	** Tal starts the series as a novice at using most Sunstone magic, not knowing any combat magics. By the end, he is one of if not the most proficient users of Sunstone magic. From a physical abilities stand point, he would go to bed for a week from minor burns at the story's start; by the end, having his shoulder dislocated, burned, and other burns and bruises, combined with hours of constant Sunstone use, does not distract him from his fight. He even comes to the point of being able to [[MercyKill kill a suffering royal guard]] with a point blank shot (something even Crow admitted not having the balls to do) and singlehandedly escaping the nightmare chamber by defeating the warden in a mind battle before killing his shadow minions.
187	** Milla gets one when she picks up the Talon of Danir, and another when she shows the ability to use light magic at a higher level than the Chosen soldiers.
188	* TortureTechnician: Variation. Fashnek [[MindRape tortures the mind]], not the body.
189	* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Sushin is constantly munching on shrimp. [[spoiler:It's unclear if this is a trait of the original Sushin or Sharrakor, or both]].
190	* TriggerHappy: Tal begins to get like this towards the end due to strain, almost snapping off a red ray of destruction at Crow when he was (uncharacteristically) giving light out of respect. To be fair this was an unheard of gesture from Crow, and last time they met, [[spoiler:Crow made a very good attempt at killing Tal.]]
191	* TrueCompanions: What Tal and Milla eventually grow into: neither of them can call the other a friend, and they spent most of the series with a healthy distaste for one another, with Milla frequently desiring nothing more than to fight and kill Tal, and Tal thinking her a violent, if brave, barbarian whom he should ditch at the first opportunity. However, circumstances keep conspiring such that the two need each other, and in the end, a bond of trust develops.
192	* UnequalRites: The Chosen view Icecarl magic as primitive and unsophisticated while the Icecarls view magic from the Castle to be evil. The only person to show any real interest in both is Ebbitt, who is dangerously eccentric by the standards of both societies.
193	* UnnaturallyLoopingLocation: One wooden building in Aenir prevents anyone from leaving once they've set foot inside by warping them back. Stepping out through the doorway makes you step ''into'' the building. Trying to fly away warps you back to the roof once you land. The only way to get out is by holding onto something that extends in from the outside, such as a rope, and following it out.
194	* UnwittingPawn: Tal's little brother is used to lure Tal into a trap. Tal escapes this one, but then proceeds to get tricked again, this time using his mother. [[spoiler:He ''is'' caught this time, to almost disastrous effect.]]
195	* TheUsurper: The Empress took the throne by violently ousting her predecessor, Mercur [[spoiler:with a little help from Sharrakor]].
196	* VillainBall: If Sharrakor had just let Tal have a Sunstone he would have won because Tal would never have had to do anything that he did to save his family and in turn the world. It's never indicated ''why'' keeping Tal's mother sick (the whole reason Tal begins his quest) is so important to Shushin (and therefore Sharrakor) in any way beyond being evil, though it may be out of a general spite it feels towards the Keystone guardians.
197	* TheVoiceless: Inkie, one of the Freefolk, who rarely ever says a word.
198	* VoluntaryShapeshifting:
199	** Sharrakor, greatest of the Spiritshadows and the only one who has a name, can take many different forms. He generally remains in the form of a massive dragon, because [[GarnishingTheStory really, why wouldn't he]]? He can also assume human form or the form of a Mind Drill, which is capable of MindControl.
200	** Shadowguards, the lesser Spiritshadows bound to children, also have this capacity, but no matter what shape they take they're still very weak.
201	** The Codex is able to do this in the Dark World, letting it get away from Ebbitt.
202	* VortexBarrier: The Old Khamsoul, a TimeAbyss oracle in the Spirit World, can only be contacted from a spire in the eye of an extraordinarily powerful and destructive tornado, and might in fact ''be'' the tornado. The main characters reach it by flying over the top with the aid of some [[ElementalEmbodiment Storm Shepherds]].
203	* WarriorPoet: Milla shows shades of this in her (comparatively rare) quieter and more reflective moments, which usually amazes Tal. Since the Icecarls are essentially a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Vikings, it's not all that surprising.
204	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: The Spiritshadows are seen as little more than servants to the Chosen despite the fact that they can be chosen from species that are fully sapient and even capable of speech.
205	* WoundedGazelleGambit: In the game of Beastmaker, after Tal's beast takes a hit to its wing, it feigns not being able to fly, and after it's knocked across the board, it feigns being knocked out. Then when the other beast bounces up to crush it, it attacks.

Context Literature / TheSeventhTower