Line #143 Literature/TheSunSword


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/west_sun_sword.png]]
2	An epic fantasy series by Michelle West consisting of six {{DoorStopper}} books. The series centers on events in the Dominion of Annagar and the neighboring Empire of Essalieyan. Both kingdoms are caught up in the schemes of the [[GodOfEvil Lord of Night]] and the demons of the Shining Court, who plot to assert dominance over the mortal realms.
3
4	The series consists of:
5
6	* ''The Broken Crown''
7	* ''The Uncrowned King''
8	* ''The Shining Court''
9	* ''Sea of Sorrows''
10	* ''The Riven Shield''
11	* ''The Sun Sword''
12
13	This series forms a part of West's overarching Essalieyan Saga; it is preceded by the Sacred Hunt duology and is followed by the House War series, which directly continues Jewel aTerafin's plotline.
14
15	----
16	!! This series provides examples of:
17
18	* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Markaso di'Leonne was widely disliked due to getting the Dominion involved in a costly war which he lost. That being said, not all of the clans are willing to support his assassination & the overthrow of Clan Leonne.
19	* AerithAndBob: Northern names run the gambit from Reymalyn and Cormalyn to Bruce Allen.
20	* AmbitionIsEvil: Alesso & Sendari are resentful that their position as second sons prevents them from having true power. They cannot bring themselves to assassinate their older brothers, so they decide to seize the throne instead.
21	* AncestralWeapon: All the important clans have their ancestral swords, wielded by the current head of the clan.
22	* AndIMustScream: The rituals that make the Kovaschaii assassins so powerful, and their link to the Lady, goddess of death, means their souls cannot escape their bodies until freed. Only other Kovaschaii know and can perform the ritual. Kallandras is the only Kovaschaii traitor ever, and he went into it knowing this would be his fate.
23	* AnimalMotifs: The 3 commanders of the Imperial army are known as the Eagle, the Hawk, & the Kestrel. There's also the Black Ospreys, who are under the command of the Kestrel.
24	* ArchnemesisDad: Sendari was a loving & doting father to Diora for most of her life. Then [[spoiler: he participated in a coup which resulted in the deaths of Diora's husband & sister-wives. This betrayal causes Diora to work against her father in pursuit of vengeance.]]
25	* ArcWords: The cradle song.
26	* ArrangedMarriage: Most common form of marriage among the Annagarian clans
27	%%* AscendedFanboy: Aidan.
28	* AssassinOutclassin: [[spoiler: The Ospreys thwart multiple attempts on Valedan's life.]]
29	* AssassinationAttempt: Valedan is subjected to numerous assassination attempts.
30	* AssholeVictim: Even characters opposed to the coup agree that Markaso di'Leonne was a bad man and a weak Tyr'agar.
31	* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: Standard among the Kialli. Close to it among the Annagarians. A clever assassination and usurpation of power is more admired than hated.
32	* AuraVision: Kiriel can see the souls of others.
33	* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: [[spoiler: Happens to Valedan at the end of the series. The moment when he draws the Sun Sword for the first time also counts.]]
34	* {{Backstory}}: Lots of it, even for the minor characters.
35	* BadassLongRobe: Mages often, and Meralonne [=APhaniel=] especially. Already deadly in a bathrobe. Be very afraid if he puts on his armored robes.
36	* BadassPreacher: The Radann kai el'Sol & the four Radann par el'Sol. They carry the five demon-killing swords of the Lord's Hand and they know how to use them.
37	* TheBard: Kallandras, naturally.
38	* BatmanGambit: Alesso has the Northern hostages executed publicly & brutally in the hopes that the Empire will have no choice but to execute their hostages in response, thereby removing Valedan as a threat.
39	* BattleButler: Avandar Gallais. [[spoiler: This isn't a surprise. What is a surprise to Jewel and everyone else is just how effective he is. Turns out she accidentally hired an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] PersonOfMassDestruction.]]
40	* BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil: Anya a'Cooper
41	** Being tortured after showing unrelated prodromal psychosis and then having a psychotic break made Anya willing to work for a demon. It's hard to know if her mind works well enough to understand good and evil, or even the fact that people don't like being slaughtered.
42	%%* BloodKnight: Auralis
43	* BloodMagic: Blood is a key ingredient in many Voyani spells.
44	* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Kiriel, at least by the standards of the rest of the Ospreys-- though from 'her' perspective, it's humans who have this. Possibly Anya.
45	* BodyCountCompetition: Kiriel & Auralis have a competition to see who can kill the most demons despite working as a team.
46	* BodyguardBetrayal: Virtually unheard of among the oathsworn Toran and Tyran bodyguards of the high clans. [[spoiler: Also the ace that Alesso plays to assassinate the Tyr'agar]]
47	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Anya a'Cooper. Notable in that she was going crazy first and brainwashed later.
48	* BrokenBird: Diora [[spoiler:after her husband and wives get killed as part of Alesso di'Marente's and Sendari's plan to wipe out the Leonne family and replace them with a strong leader]]
49	%%** [[spoiler: Anya]]
50	%%* BroughtDownToNormal: [[spoiler: Teresa]]
51	* CadreOfForeignBodyguards: The Ospreys for Valedan. This becomes an issue when he returns to the Dominion, as the Ospreys are feared & hated for their actions during the previous war.
52	* CallingTheOldManOut: Teresa calls out Sendari [[spoiler: for expecting Diora to not resent him for killing her wives, killing her husband and destroying her happiness]].
53	* CassandraTruth: Averted by the seer-born in general and Evayne in particular. She can't even give full prophecies, just urgent instructions. Nobody likes them, and nobody likes seeing a HarbingerOfImpendingDoom. Almost everyone does what she says even when they hate her for it.
54	* CastingAShadow: Kiriel, as part of her heritage as the daughter of the Lord of Night.
55	* CategoryTraitor: Some Annagarians view Ramiro di'Callesta this way for being more interested in having peaceful trade relations with the Empire rather than pointless, destructive wars.
56	* TheCavalry: Mareo di'Lamberto [[spoiler: showing up with a huge army just as Jewel and her people are about to lose the bridge]] in ''The Riven Shield''
57	* ChekhovsGun: Levec initially refuses to tend Jewel in book two because he's busy dealing with plague starting up in the city. It's not mentioned again until four books later, when it's back with a vengeance.
58	* ChekhovsGunman: The healer who saves Lissa's life at the start of the first book.
59	* TheClan: Clans are the primary social structure of Annagarian society, and loyalty to one's clan is valued extremely highly.
60	* ClingyMacGuffin: Myrddion's rings.
61	* CombatByChampion: [[spoiler: Valedan challenges Alesso to this to determine who will be Tyr'agar. He accepts, & most of the clansmen agree to support the victor.]]
62	* CombatPragmatist: The Ospreys were created to be this. They can commit necessary atrocities and spare the scruples of the rest of the Essalieyanese forces.
63	* CompellingVoice: The bard-born of the Empire. In the Dominion, it's grounds for execution. Teresa and her niece Diora both have powerful voices, and they take great pains to hide it.
64	%%* CoolOldLady: Yollana
65	* CoolSword : The titular Sun Sword. Only the true ruler of the Dominion of Annagar can draw it from its sheath and wield it without being consumed by fire. The 5 swords of the Lord's Hand, which glow when demons are near, also qualify.
66	* TheCoup: [[spoiler: The Tyr'agar is overthrown by Alesso di'Marente & his entire family is massacred.]]
67	* CrossingTheDesert: Much of the plot of ''Sea of Sorrows'' consists of this. Margret has to cross the Sea of Sorrows to the site of the Tor Arkosa so she can be fully accepted as Matriarch.
68	* CultureClash: Between the Empire in the north and the Dominion in the South. Also between the Voyani and the clansmen. Valedan in particular experiences this when he returns to the South after having spent most of his life in the North.
69	* CynicismCatalyst: [[spoiler: Auralis's inability to save Anya from a demon attack was the beginning of his descent into bitterness, cynicism, and self-loathing.]]
70	* DamselOutOfDistress: Teresa and Diora are gentle flowers of womanhood. They also pull this off sometimes.
71	* DarkAndTroubledPast:
72	** Kiriel was raised in the Shining Court, surrounded by demons who tried to kill her. Her biological mother died giving birth to her and her adoptive mother was murdered by the demon who served as her mentor.
73	** The Ospreys in general. It's understood among them that other Ospreys' pasts are off-limits.
74	* DecadentCourt: The Shining Court of the Kialli is most definitely this, mostly minus the decadence. The Tor Leonne comes close, and the deadliness is again greater than the decadence.
75	* DeadpanSnarker: Avandar to Jewel. Alina di'Lamberto also qualifies by the standards of the clansmen. It's the reason she's sent North as a hostage.
76	* DealWithTheDevil:
77	** Alesso enters into this with the Kialli of the Shining Court. He knows full well that demons have ChronicBackstabbingDisorder and that they're using him for their own ends. He just tries to use them for his ends at the same time.
78	** Common within the Ten, the major Houses of Essalieyan. The actual royal court has provisions in place to limit the damage done by House wars.
79	* DeathByChildbirth:
80	** The fate of Diora's mother.
81	** The very beginning of the first book, in which Askeyia is kidnapped and raped. Notable in that her kidnapping is explicitly because as healer-born she, unlike everyone else, can survive long enough to die ''in'' childbirth rather than ''before'' childbirth.
82	* DeathGod: Two. Mandaros is the god of the dead and the Lord of Judgment. The Lady is the god of death in the sense of dying. The former gets prayers. The latter, unsurprisingly, gets little worship except from an order of religious assassins.
83	* DeathSeeker: [[spoiler: Avandar]] has been at it for a staggeringly long time. He's also a Type I immortal, arrogant, and immensely powerful.
84	* DeclarationOfProtection: Kiriel vows to protect Ashaf's home village from anyone who would harm it.
85	* DefendsAgainstTheirOwnKind: Kiriel chooses to defend mortals from demon attacks, despite being the daughter of the Lord of Night.
86	* DefrostingIceQueen:
87	** In a very unusual version, [[spoiler: Aidan and Valedan defrost Sir Anton di'Guivera into feeling affection again instead of just a need for retribution.]]
88	** Human warmth returns. Romantic hangups are not substantially abated.
89	%%** [[spoiler:Diora]] in ''Sea of Sorrows''.
90	* DemonLordsAndArchDevils: Any important demon with a name qualifies.
91	* DemonicPossession: [[spoiler: Demons possess the bodies of Mareo di'Lamberto's Tyran & assassinate the kai Callesta, ensuring that Lamberto will be blamed for the death & the two clans will not become allies.]]
92	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Despite being a BadassNormal wielding a sword with no special demon-killing powers, Ramiro di'Callesta manages to sever the shield arm of one of the most powerful kinlords. When Ishavriel appears later on, he is unable to summon his shield.
93	* TheDitz:
94	** Serra Fiona and Serra Marlena, especially when compared to the other clanswomen in the books
95	** Marlena is truly TheDitz, too everyone's varied amusement and disgust. Fiona is not; she's just no match for Sendari's previous wife. This is intentional, as he's afraid to risk falling in love again.
96	* DivineParentage: The god-born, naturally. They have one divine parent & one human parent.
97	* DoorStopper : The books each range from 687 pages to 957 pages
98	* DrawSwordDrawBlood: ''Bloodhame,'' the sword of Clan Callesta, cannot be sheathed until it has drawn blood.
99	* TheDreaded: The Ospreys have this reputation in the South. They were the only unit of the Imperial army the Annagarians came to fear. This causes a problem for Valedan when he travels south with the Ospreys as his bodyguards. The Kalakar ends up retiring their colors so they can accompany Valedan without issue.
100	* DreamingOfThingsToCome: Jewel's Seer ability frequently takes the form of prophetic dreams.
101	* DuelToTheDeath: [[spoiler: Between Valedan & Alesso, with the throne of the Dominion as the prize.]]
102	* DuelsDecideEverything: [[spoiler: Alesso agrees to single combat with Valedan once the battle is over to decide who will rule. Most of the clansmen are willing to accept the winner as the new Tyr'agar. Justified in that their culture values strength above all.]]
103	* ElementalPowers: Mages can summon the elements (earth, air, fire, or water). Also, four of Myrddion's rings grant their wearers power over one of the elements.
104	* EmotionlessGirl: Diora pretends to be this [[spoiler: after her wives and her husband get killed as part of her father and Alesso di'Marente's plan to rule Annagar]] to keep herself safe and not fall under suspicion until she has the perfect chance to reveal her true feelings. Also mistaken as this by Margret in ''Sea of Sorrows''.
105	* EmotionsVsStoicism: A bone of contention between Voyani women and clanswomen, [[spoiler: especially between Margret and Diora in ''Sea of Sorrows'']]
106	* EnemyMine: [[spoiler: Alesso di'Marente's army fights side-by-side with Valedan's army against the demons.]]
107	* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Neither Sendari nor Alesso can bring themselves to kill their older brothers for power, and Sendari's love for Alora and Diora is a foundational character point. Subverted with the kin, who really do know nothing but power.
108	* EvilEmpire: Subverted. The Empire of Essalieyan is not evil at all. It's certainly a much nicer place than the Dominion, and while it has
109	%%* EvilMentor: Isladar to Kiriel.
110	%%* FamilyOfChoice: Jewel's den
111	%%* FantasticHonorifics: Ser & Serra among the clansmen. Also Tyr & Tor.
112	* FantasticRacism: Between the Annagarians & Imperials. The Annagarians view the Imperials as weak & refer to their kings as demons. The Imperials view the Annagarians as barbaric.
113	* FantasticRankSystem: The clansmen have their own rank system, with the Tyr'agar at the top followed by Tyr'agnate, Tor'agar, & Tor'agnate.
114	* FantasticSlurs: "Annie" for Annagarian. The Ospreys try to avoid using it within earshot of Valedan.
115	* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The Dominion is a blend of Asian cultures, particularly Japan and India. The Voyani are a Fantasy Counterpart Culture of the Romani.
116	* FantasyPantheon: The Empire worships a variety of gods, while the Dominion only worships the Lord and the Lady, associated with the sun and moon respectively.
117	* FantasyWorldMap: Right-justified though, not left.
118	* FeudingFamilies: Happens from time to time among the clans. Callesta and Lamberto are historically enemies and frequently raid each other's territories. This proves to be a problem when Valedan needs to win the support of both clans.
119	* FictionalHoliday: The Festivals of the Sun & Moon in the Dominion. Dedicated to the Lord & Lady respectively, they take place over several days & culminate on the summer & winter solstices. The Festival of the Sun features various competitions in the form of the Lord's Challenge, presided over by a clanswoman in the role of Lord's Consort. The Festival of the Moon involves wearing masks & taking part in revelry.
120	* FishOutOfWater: Life in the Shining Court left Kiriel woefully unprepared for life in human society. Concepts like money need to be explained to her.
121	* FounderOfTheKingdom: Leonne the Founder, who received the Sun Sword from the Lord & united the clans under him. He was responsible for banishing the Lord of Night from Annagar.
122	* FourthDateMarriage: [[spoiler: Diora & Valedan. They marry shortly after meeting, a necessity given the political situation.]]
123	* GenderIsNoObject: The Empire allows women to serve in the military with no restrictions. Ellora [=AKalakar=] is one of the Empire's three top commanders.
124	* GodEmperor: Variation. The Empire of Essalieyan is ruled by two Kings who are the sons of the gods of wisdom & justice. They aren't worshiped exactly, but they ''are'' treated with the reverence shown to the god-born in the Empire. The Annagarians refer to them as demon kings.
125	%%* GodOfEvil: Allasakar/The Lord of Night.
126	* GodOfTheDead: Mandaros, the god who receives and judges the souls of the dead and sends them onward to reincarnation.
127	* GoingNative: Happens to Valedan during his time as a hostage in the North. He has to downplay this when he returns to the Dominion so the clansmen won't consider him too Northern and reject him.
128	* GrimUpNorth: The Northern Wastes are the location of the Shining Court upon the mortal plane.
129	* HadToBeSharp: Growing up in the Shining Court surrounded by demons who tried to kill her taught Kiriel not to show any sign of weakness.
130	* HalfHumanHybrid: Kiriel. Also the god-born, who have on divine parent and SupernaturalGoldEyes.
131	* HeirClubForMen: The Dominion of Annagar, among the clansmen. Completely subverted by the Voyani, whose leadership is an HeirClubForWomen
132	%%* {{Hellhound}}: Falloran
133	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Fredero kai el'Sol draws the Sun Sword during Alesso's coronation, sacrificing himself to undermine Alesso's legitimacy.]]
134	* HiddenBackupPrince: Unintentional example. Instead of being the heir to the throne, Valedan is sent north as a hostage precisely because he is the son of a minor concubine. He ends up being a Hidden Backup Prince by virtue of being the only member of Clan Leonne to survive a RulingFamilyMassacre.
135	%%* HiddenDepths: Avandar Gallais
136	* HighPriest: The Radann kai el'Sol is the head of the Lord's priesthood & is the only person aside from the Tyr'agar who can wear the sun ascendant.
137	* HonorBeforeReason:
138	** The defining trait of clan Lamberto, as viewed by others. From the Lambertan perspective there are good reasons for their honor. And from the perspective of the Empire of Essalieyan, this is largely the hat of the entire Dominion.
139	** Very common. Mareo kai di'Lamberto (and many other clansmen) are more than the HonorBeforeReason ProudWarriorRaceGuy types they appear to be on the surface.
140	* HostageSituation: After the war, the Empire & the Dominion exchange hostages to ensure peace. Most of the clans don't take it seriously & send minor family members. The exception to this is Ramiro di'Callesta, who sends his own brother, the captain of his Tyran. This is understandable, considering his Terrean bore the brunt of the fighting.
141	* HypercompetentSidekick: The point of the domicis. They are hired, for a period or forever, to be perfect assistants and aides. They do it for various reasons and with various skillsets that must match with their clients' needs.
142	* IAmNotMyFather: Valedan has to win support by convincing the Annagarians that he won't be a weak and ineffectual ruler like his father was.
143	* IKnowYourTrueName: Knowing a demon's name allows you to bind that demon to your will.
144	* ILetGwenStacyDie: [[spoiler: Auralis feels guilt & shame over running away & leaving Anya to die. Finding out she's alive later doesn't diminish his shame.]]
145	* IShouldHaveBeenBetter: [[spoiler: After his failure to save Anya, Auralis is determined to never run from demons again. He becomes a skilled swordsman & racks up more demon kills than any other Osprey save Kiriel.]]
146	* ImprobableWeaponUser: The Kovaschaii use unusual, but not improbable, blades. Kallandras takes to wielding a pair of demons reshaped into blades.
147	* InhumanlyBeautifulRace: The demonic Kialli. The Arianni. Most non-humans are beautiful. Actually subverted by the Kialli: since they have to force the world to give them a form, they are only as beautiful as they care to be (not all care much about human aesthetics) and as they can force from the elements (not all have the skill to appear as anything but monsters).
148	* IronLady:
149	** The Voyani matriarchs tend to be this out of necessity since they have to lead their clans in the hostile and misogynist Dominion of Annagar
150	%%** The Kalakar
151	* KillTally: The Ospreys keep tallies of how many demons they've killed. Kiriel & Auralis, despite having the most kills as a team, have their own competition.
152	* LibationForTheDead: It's common in the Dominion to pour libations of water, wine, & blood for the dead.
153	* TheLostLenore: Diora's mother Alora is this for Sendari. He never really gets over her death.
154	* LostOrphanedRoyalty: Variation in that Valedan isn't actually an orphan, but he is the only member of Clan Leonne left alive after the rest of the family is massacred. He only survived because he was a hostage in the North, & not for lack of trying on the part of the conspirators.
155	* MagicMusic: Any song played by someone who is bard-born can qualify as this.
156	* MagicalRomani: The Voyani. They have distinctive magic of their own, which includes {{Seer\|s}} abilities.
157	* MamaBear: Teresa to Diora. She swore an oath to Alora that she would protect her daughter.
158	* TheMarvelousDeer: Jewel acquires one after her encounter with the Winter Queen. It's actually the Winter King & can speak to her inside her mind.
159	* MasqueradeBall: Not a ball exactly, but Annagarians celebrate the night of the Festival Moon by wearing masks & partying.
160	%%* MasterSwordsman: Anton di'Guivera.
161	%%* {{Matriarchy}}: The Voyani.
162	* MissingMom:
163	** Kiriel on two counts. Her true mother died giving birth to her, and her adoptive mother Ashaf's death left a scar on Kiriel's soul.
164	** [[spoiler: Margret's mother Evallen isn't missing at the beginning of the series, but she is by the time Margret herself appears.]]
165	%%** Diora's mother.
166	* MoralityPet: Ashaf is a posthumous morality pet for Kiriel. Thinking of Ashaf brings out Kiriel's human side. Her feelings of love for Ashaf are so strong that they extend to other people associated with her. When Kiriel travels to Ashaf's home village, she vows to protect the villagers from the coming battle.
167	%%* AFatherToHisMen: The Kalakar
168	* MusicalAssassin: Kallandras. Notable in that he is both an assassin and a bard, but the two have nothing to do with each other.
169	* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: Diora's failure to use her CompellingVoice to save her sister-wives fills her with guilt, even though Evayne a'Nolan told her she must remain silent. Also, Auralis's failure to save Anya.]]
170	* MysticalWhiteHair: Meralonne [=APhaniel=] & Lord Celleriant
171	* NamedWeapons: Standard practice for swords in the Dominion. Examples include the Sun Sword, the 5 swords of the Lord's Hand, and the ancestral swords of the clans.
172	* NervesOfSteel:
173	** Teresa, who raised Diora to have them too.
174	** A trait prized by the Annagarians.
175	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: When the mages came for Anya. If they had let her lover come to the capital with her, she wouldn't have been running away where there was no one in the know to help her with the whole going-crazy-while-developing-powers thing, and the demons wouldn't have found her. But they just had to go all "She'll have no use for you once she's a powerful mage!" on them, thereby provoking them into running away together.
176	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Kallandras [[spoiler: betrayed the Brotherhood, the assassins who are his only family, who he loves, to save the world. Not because he particularly loves the world, but because he loves them and they're saved in the process. His reward? They [[HonorBeforeReason hate him]], and when he dies none will come to release his soul from his body. He volunteers for AndIMustScream knowing this will happen]].
177	* OnlyTheChosenMayWield: Only members of the Clan Leonne may draw the Sun Sword without being incinerated on the spot.
178	* OracularUrchin: what Jewel [=ATerafin=] used to be before she became a member of House Terafin. She's still oracular, and as she frequently notes, it's much easier to take the girl out of the street than the street out of the girl.
179	%%* OurDemonsAreDifferent
180	* ParentalBetrayal: [[spoiler: Diora is betrayed by her father when he participates in a coup resulting in the murders of her husband and sister-wives.]]
181	* ParentalSubstitute: Sir Anton di'Guivera for Aidan, somewhat. [[spoiler:Aidan's father isn't dead, just [[TheAlcoholic broken]]. Even when he gets better, Aidan still looks up to Anton, who in turn takes Aidan under his wing.]]
182	%%** Teresa for Diora.
183	%%** Ashaf for Kiriel.
184	* PersonOfMassDestruction: Powerful mages qualify. Anya and [[spoiler: Avandar/Viandaran]] are the ones who can wreak cataclysmic destruction with ease.
185	* ThePlan: Probably what Isladar is up to, although it's not entirely clear.
186	* PimpedOutDress: Diora wears an elaborate, pimped-out sari twice. The first time is when she marries the Tyr's heir. The second time she wears one as the Lord's consort.
187	* PoorCommunicationKills: [[spoiler: This and CultureClash led to the death of Mareo's eldest son in the backstory. The Essalieyanese tried to offer him a way to spare his own life and accidentally forced him into suicidal battle. Neither side realizes that the other had no desire for that outcome.]]
188	* PowerNullifier: Myrddion's ring acts as this for Kiriel's demonic powers. She's not happy about it.
189	* PretextForWar: Alesso attempts to goad the Imperials into executing the Annagarian hostages so he'll have a pretext for war against the Empire.
190	%%* ProudWarriorRace: The Dominion, so very much. The Lord respects strength above all.
191	%%* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The male ideal among the clans.
192	%%* PsychopathicManchild:
193	%%** Anya a'Cooper
194	%%** Kiriel hovers on the verge of this.
195	* PublicExecution: The Northern hostages are executed publicly & brutally.
196	* PuppetKing: What the Southerners fear Valedan is for the Northern empire
197	* PutOnABus: [[spoiler: Jewel returns home to House Terafin less than halfway through the last book & isn't seen again. Her story is continued in the SequelSeries ''The House War''.]]
198	* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: The Ospreys and Jewel's den
199	* RaisedByWolves: Kiriel was raised by demons. She comes out surprisingly functional, which still leaves her woefully unsuited for human society.
200	* Really700YearsOld: Most non-humans fit this. They tend to be older than any of the countries that exist. Or, for that matter, any of the countries that any human has ever heard of.
201	** [[spoiler: Avandar Gallais, previously Viandaran the Warlord of the Cities of Man.]]
202	** [[spoiler: Meralonne [=APhaniel=]]] probably isn't just a human old man. It's not clear what he is, but he's recognized and respected by demons, elemental forces, and immortals.
203	** Averted by the god-born. You might expect them to live long lives, but you'd be wrong. Divine blood burns brightly, and it burns fast.
204	* RecruitedFromTheGutter: The Ospreys were recruited from men & women who'd been sentenced to the gallows.
205	* RedOniBlueOni: Ellora [=AKalakar=], the Kestrel, and Devran [=ABerrilya=], the Hawk. Notably, they can't stand each other and can't work together, and Bruce Allen, the Eagle and the third commander of the Empire's forces, has to carefully manage them.
206	* RequisiteRoyalRegalia: The Empire has the sword & rod. The Dominion has the crown & Sun Sword, with the Sun Sword being the more important of the two.
207	* {{Revenge}}: [[spoiler: After her wives are murdered, Diora's main motivation is vengeance on those responsible.]]
208	* RightfulKingReturns: Valedan spends the series trying to do this. As the son of the Tyr'agar's least-wanted concubine, raised entirely in a hated foreign country, going up against the usurper who's a respected war hero with those same hated enemies supporting him, he has a tough time winning over the Annagarians.
209	%%** This plays into [[spoiler: Margret's return to the Tor Arkosa]].
210	* RingOfPower: Myrddion's rings are a set of five magical rings. Four of them have a gemstone (diamond, ruby, emerald, & sapphire) while the fifth consists of a plain gold band. The four grant their wearer power over an element. Three of the rings are used in the series: diamond by Kallandras, ruby by [[spoiler: Auralis]], & the gold ring by Kiriel.
211	* RoyalHarem: Standard practice for the Tyr'agar & the clans as a whole. Unique in that the harem is ruled by a clansman's official wife (Serra), who selects concubines for him.
212	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething:
213	** The odd system of Essalieyan accomplishes this. The kings are the sons of Cormaris, Lord of Wisdom, and Reymaris, Lord of Justice. They marry queens, and then the two gods beget sons on the queens who will be the new Wisdom-born and Justice-born kings. The result is a rather effective court ruled, well, wisely and justly.
214	** Princess Mirialyn, a rare daughter of the Wisdom-born king rather than his father. Having no divine parentage, she can't inherit, but she still effectively defends the capital and represents the Twin Kings' authority.
215	** Valedan spends a long time trying to prove he can do things when royalty alone just isn't enough to win allies.
216	* RulingFamilyMassacre: [[spoiler: Happens to the Clan Leonne in ''The Broken Crown.'' Everyone, including the wives and children, are murdered. Valedan only survives because he was a hostage in the North at the time.]]
217	* SamuraiPonytail: Standard hairstyle among the clansmen.
218	%%* SarcasmBlind: Kiriel.
219	%%* SatanicArchetype: The Lord of Night
220	%%* TheSavageSouth: The Dominion is seen as this by Northerners.
221	* TheScottishTrope: The name Allasakar is never spoken. Instead he's referred to by epithets such as the Lord of Night.
222	%%* {{Seers}}: Jewel [=ATerafin=] and Evayne a'Nolan
223	* ShaggyDogStory: [[spoiler: The second book is all about Valedan trying to prove that he is worthy of kingship by some kind of skill, not just by birth. Then at the end he disqualifies himself when a demon erupts in the middle of the last challenge. Winning wasn't really the point; proving that he was badass enough to fight a demon works better anyway.]]
224	* ShedTheFamilyName: [[spoiler: Diora introduces herself as Diora en'Leonne when she presents the Sun Sword to Valedan. This serves to both separate her from her traitorous father and communicate her intention to marry Valedan.]]
225	* SiblingMurder: It's common for a new Tyr'agar to murder his brothers upon assuming the throne. This is the reason why Leonne is a small clan. Averted among Callesta, where the Tyr'agnate's brothers typically become his Tyran.
226	* SilkHidingSteel: Diora and Teresa are made of this trope.
227	* SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Slavery is illegal in the Empire, & as such Northerners are very uncomfortable with serafs. This includes Valedan, who avoids having serafs attend to him.
228	* SoBeautifulItsACurse: Subverted and played straight with Diora. Because she is the Flower of the Dominion, the son of the Tyr'agar, ruler of the Dominion, marries her. Because the Tyr'agar is weak, he and all his family are killed except Diora, who is protected by her father. Because she is the Flower of the Dominion, not just an ordinary Serra, she is able to use herself as a weapon against the usurping Tyr. Diora's beauty determines the course of her life.
229	* SpareToTheThrone: Valedan. He was only declared a legitimate son in the first place so his father could send him and his mother north as hostages.
230	* SpellMyNameWithAThe: The heads of the Ten are typically known as The (House Name).
231	* StartOfDarkness: Devlin a'Smith was a nice guy who was fully devoted to Anya. His failure to protect her from a demon attack led him down the path that would result in him becoming the bitter, self-loathing [[spoiler: Auralis [=AKalakar=] of the Black Ospreys.]]
232	%%* StepfordSmiler: Diora
233	%%* TheStoic: Diora and Teresa
234	* SugarAndIcePersonality: Teresa, Diora, and generally most clanswomen belonging to powerful families who aren't stupid tend to be this character type.
235	* SupernaturalFloatingHair: Happens to Kiriel's hair when she uses her powers.
236	* SupernaturalGoldEyes: The most obvious trait of the god-born. In the Dominion, gold-eyed babies are killed at birth. Even in Essalieyan, where the god-born are cherished, Kiriel hides her eyes to avoid awkward questions about just which god is her parent.
237	* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: The Sun Sword is the ultimate symbol of sovereignty in Annagar & no man can hope to rule without being able to wield it. Alesso knows he can't wield it while Valedan is still alive, so he tries multiple times to assassinate him. Much of the plot of the later half of the series revolves around getting the sword to Valedan so he can prove he's the rightful heir and wield it against the forces of the Lord of Night.
238	* TearJerker: Many of them with the cradle song.
239	* ThatManIsDead: Devlin leaves behind every aspect of his old life, including his name, after he fails to protect Anya.
240	* TookALevelInBadass: Valedan over the course of the series.
241	* TopWife: The Serras of the clans. A clansman's Serra is his principal wife & the ruler of his harem. It's her duty to select concubines for him and only her children are considered legitimate.
242	* TournamentArc: The primary plot of ''The Uncrowned King'' is centered around this. It's also something of a ShaggyDogStory. Valedan [[spoiler:disqualifies himself from the final challenge in the process of fighting a demon. Ultimately, he doesn't care about winning; his purpose was prove himself worthy, and he does so without even finishing the tournament.]]
243	* TheTourney: The Kings' Challenge is a weeks-long event consisting of multiple competitions (swimming, archery, fencing, etc). The Dominion has its own variation with the Lord's Challenge, which takes place during the Festival of the Sun.
244	* TragicKeepsake: Ashaf's necklace is the only thing Kiriel has to remember her by. [[spoiler: Eventually she has to give it up, as it's actually the Heart of Havalla & Yollana had only loaned it to Ashaf.]]
245	* UndergroundCity: The Cities of Man, ancient cities buried in the desert. They are the original homelands of the Voyani, which ended up buried during the previous war against the Lord of Night. [[spoiler: Margret & Diora are able to ressurect the Tor Arkosa at the end of ''Sea of Sorrows.'']]
246	* UnexpectedSuccessor: Valedan. As the unimportant son of a minor concubine, he was never expected to rule.
247	* UnstuckInTime: Evayne a'Nolan volunteered to be sent to specific times when she is necessary, without knowing where or when she will be from one step to the next, in order to save the world. It's a miserable job, but the force that directs her seems aware enough to send her to places to rest and heal and recuperate when she is at her breaking points.
248	* TheUsurper: [[spoiler: Alesso di'Marente.]]
249	* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: [[spoiler: Diora feels this way after delivering the Sun Sword to Valedan & marrying him. She'd been focused on vengeance for so long that she hadn't considered what she would do after.]]
250	* WarriorPrince: Valedan. In the beginning of the series he is skilled, but lacking in any actual combat experience. He has to prove his skills to the Annagarians to get them to accept him as Tyr'agar. [[spoiler: He eventually succeeds at this by killing Alesso di'Marente in a duel.]]
251	* WeaponOfXSlaying: The Sun Sword and the Five were made specifically to kill demons.
252	%%* TheWildHunt: The court of the Arianni.
253	%%* TheWisePrince: Valedan evolves into this.
254	* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity:
255	** Inverted with Anya. She's the most powerful human mage to live for ages. She's utterly insane. She went mad and developed her powers at the same time, but it's unclear if they're linked or not.
256	** The maker-born in general are sane and useful, widely regarded as having the most day-to-day valuable gift by birth except maybe the healer-born. The Artisans, the greatest among them, are stark raving insane.
257	* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Diora. She spends most of the series using her beauty, or rather her reputation for being the Flower of the Dominion, as a weapon against her enemies.
258	* YouAreNotAlone: Kiriel & Auralis. They see echoes of their own [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark and troubled pasts]] in each other & a close bond forms as a result. By the end of the series, they're willing to die for each other.

Context Literature / TheSunSword