The first forgotten realm.
The Moonshae Trilogy is a series of novels by Douglas Niles, set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Darkwalker on Moonshae, the first novel in the series, was the very first Forgotten Realms novel ever published as part of the Dungeons & Dragons Expanded Universe.
A cursed denizen of an ancient era again walks the islands of the Moonshaes, and the sacred realm of the Goddess Earthmother shudders under its vile onslaught. A bold but reckless prince, a beautiful young druidess, and their companions both magical and mortal do their best to protect their cherished homeland. If only their best was good enough.
The books were notable for the fact that they weren't originally intended for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting as detailed by Ed Greenwood but were a self-contained fantasy setting in their own right that was put in the Realms as a way to advertise the soon-to-be-released setting with some details changed.
- Darkwalker on Moonshae
- Black Wizards
- Darkwell
It is followed immediately by The Druidhome Trilogy.
This book contains the following tropes:
- Action Girl: Allicia Kendrick goes from being an ordinary young woman to the Chosen One of the Earth Mother as well as badass Nature Hero.
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: Tristan Kendrick is named High King of the Moonshaes by having the sunken crown retrieved by druidic magic.
- Big Bad: Bhaal is the ultimate villain of the trilogy. The Lord of Murder himself.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Genna Moonsinger in a fashion similar to Diedre Kendrick. She is corrupted by the Heart of Kazgorath and turned into a mindless puppet for Bhaal.
- Bloodlust: The narration points out how much Kazgaroth enjoys the blood of its victims. It comes with being an aspect of the chaotic evil god of beasts and hunting.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: It takes awhile for both Tristan and Robyn to warm up to one another.
- The Dragon: Bhaal has a number of these, being a god.
- Kazgaroth handles a lot of the murder and mayhem he spread throughout the Moonshaes, including starting a totally unnecessary war. He ends up slain by Tristan but his heart is harvested and given to Hobarth (see below).
- Co-Dragons: Hobarth is a high priest of Bhaal who helps lay the groundwork for his deity's arrival on the physical plane. He is allied with Cyndre, who provides the arcane muscle to do what Bhaal needs. Eventually, Cyndre is defeated and Hobarth becomes Bhaal's sole dragon.
- Kazgaroth handles a lot of the murder and mayhem he spread throughout the Moonshaes, including starting a totally unnecessary war. He ends up slain by Tristan but his heart is harvested and given to Hobarth (see below).
- Disney Villain Death: Cyndre ends up being swallowed up by the Earth when Allicia Kendrick unleashes her full druidic powers on him.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Grunnarch, the red king of the viking-esque northmen is quick to get the chance of conquering the Moonshaes and subjugate the Ffolk. He is also genuinely horrified by Kazgaroth's Blood Riders and the carnage and destruction they cause.
- Evil Knockoff: The Children of Bhaal, consisting of an enhanced owlbear, flock of perytons, and a displacer beast to counteract the Earthmother's leviathan (whale), unicorn, and pack of wolves.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The Moonshaes is basically the British Isles with the Ffolk being nature-worshiping Celts and the Northmen being Horny Vikings.
- Fat Bastard: Hobarth is a particularly depraved and disgusting priest of the Lord of Murder. He's also a rapist who uses his enchantments to "seduce" women.
- Evil Sorcerer: Cyndre is a former Red Wizard of Thay who wields vast power and works with Hobarth to take over the Moonshaes.
- Evil Chancellor: Cyndre becomes this, briefly, brainwashing High King Carrathal and taking over the Moonshaes for a time.
- Fish People: The Sahaugin race, basically underwater orcs, plays a large role as Mooks for Bhaal.
- God of Evil: Bhaal, the god of murder and patron of assassins, is the main antagonist.
- Hate Sink: Hobarth is a Fat Bastard rapist priest of the Lord of Murder who hates water and dogs.
- Heroes Love Dogs: Inverted with the fact Hobarth hates dogs just to let you know what an utter bastard he is.
- Heroic Dog: Canthus, Tristan's pet moorhound, who manages to take down a werewolf and lead a pack of wolves into battle against the northmen.
- Hobbits: Pawldo the halfling, who is a long-time friend of Tristan.
- Humanoid Abomination: Kazgaroth is capable of assuming a human guise despite naturally looking more like a demonic Tyrannosaurus Rex.
- Kill and Replace: Kazgaroth kills Thelgaar Ironhand before starting a war with the Ffolk.
- Macguffin: The Heart of Kazgaroth provides Hobarth the ability to do a lot of things beyond his clerical level.
- The Man Behind the Man: Bhaal manipulates a lot of events throughout the first two books before making a personal appearance at the end.
- Mother Nature: Chauntea the Earthmother is the Forgotten Realms equivalent of Mother Nature.
- Nature Hero: Both Robyn and Alicia Kendrick are druids loyal to Chauntea, the goddess of nature.
- Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Kazgaroth is a shapeshifting fiendish Tyrannosaurus who can create werewolves and undead warriors.
- Not Blood Siblings: Robyn was raised as a ward of Tristan's father, making their hostile relationship all the more notable.
- Our Zombies Are Different: The Blood Warriors
, A group of zombie soldiers created by Kazgaroth from Thelgar's army. - Physical God: Bhaal's goal is to harness the Moonwells in order to become this as he otherwise wouldn't be able to rampage and slaughter personally.
- Secret Police: The Scarlet Guard established by Cyndre is used as this, persecuting the druids and solidifying Cyndre's power
- Slap-Slap-Kiss: Robyn and Tristan start out as very hostile but their attraction is immediate.
- Starter Villain: Kazgaroth is an aspect of Malar and servant of Bhaal that softens up the Moonshaes for Bhaal's arrival and is defeated by the heroes at the end of the first book.
- Terrifying Tyrannosaur: Kazgaroth's true form in a nutshell. The difference is that its arms are larger and longer than the ones of a T-Rex.
- Villainous Breakdown: When the heroes banish Bhaal back to his home plane, the usually smug and confident Hobarth loses his composure and starts whimpering for his god to help him before Grunnarch finally kills him.
- You Are Who You Eat: Kazgaroth has the power to transform into the animals and people it devours, including an attractive woman and a flying gargoyle.
