The Realms Trilogy is a fantasy saga written by Angus Wells around 1988.
The three books talk about the conflict between the Goddess Kyrie and the fire god Ashar and the tale of the man chosen to fight back the evil, Kedryn Caitin, alongside with his allies and friends, against the evil plots of Taws, Ashar's servant, and later of Ashar himself as he fights for the future of the Three realms of Tamur, Ust Galich and Kesh.
The books are "Wrath of Ashar", "The Usurper" and "The Way Beneath". While not very famous, the series deserves some credit. Not to be confused with The Forgotten Realms, which has a lot more books than just a trilogy.
This trilogy contains examples of:
- Always Chaotic Evil: Subverted: the Beltrevan barbarians seems this at first, but they're not too bad after all.
- And I Must Scream: Those killed by the Messenger Taws are sent to the Limbo of Ashar's domain, where they'll wander forever in a red mist, their bodies consumed by worms and maggots.
- Animal Motifs: The Drot shamans, namely a bear, a boar, a cougar, a wolf and a wild bull.
- Asskicking Leads to Leadership: In order to ascend from Ulan to Hef-Ulan (the leader), the challenger must kill the current chief in a duel.
- The Atoner: After realizing that she's been manipulated by Taws and Hattim, Ashrivelle decides to become a Sister in the third book .
- BFS: Drul's sword. Later Ashar made a similar sword to fight Kedryn.
- Beast Man: Part of the Netherworld are inhabited by shapeshifting were-beasts.
- Big Bad: Ashar. Technically, he's the Greater-Scope Villain to Taws' Big Bad role in the first two books.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: The Netherworld has a kingdom inhabited by weird, ant-like giants who seems to be friendly.
- Big Damn Heroes: In the second book, the now officially married Kedryn and Wynett arrives just in time in the capital to save everyone from Taws.
- The Brute: In the first book Niloc Yarrum may be the "Hef Ulan" of the Horde, but he's a mere pawn to Taws.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Kyrie favours the color blue, while red and black are associated to Ashar. Taws, however, is completely white.
- Convection, Schmonvection: Averted: many barbarians wonder on how can Taws stand right next to a giant fire without suffering. Furthermore the climatic battle between Kedryn and Wynett and Taws destroys much of the throne hall, melts the stone throne and shatters several windows.
- Cool Sword: Niloc Yarrum, the Horde leader, has a sword which was enchanted by Taws in order to make him invincible.
- Deal with the Devil: Hattim Sethiyan ends up doing one with Taws in order to marry Ashrivelle and become king.
- Demonic Possession: Taws does this to a Sister by turning into a big spider and forcing himself down her throat.
- The Determinator: Kedryn. Not even the dangers and monsters of hell could keep him away from Wynett.
- Diagonal Cut: Tepshen is first seen doing this while training.
- Eldritch Abomination: The Leviathan, whose description leaves a Lovecraftian taste on your tongue.
- Evil Is Burning Hot: Ashar is the god of fire, his creature Taws is born in a gigantic inferno of flames, is immune to fire, addicted to heat and he once burned a horse alive (as in, he kept it alive the whole time burning and melting).
- Eye Scream: In the first book, Kedryn is blinded by Borsus cursed blade, and part of the second book focus on finding a way to heal him.
- Face–Heel Turn: Hattim Sethiyan is persuaded to serve Taws.
- Fate Worse than Death: What happens to Brannoc after he's poisoned by the were-creatures.
- Giant Spider: During their journey in Hell, Kedryn and co has to venture across a mountain infested by cannibalistic giant spiders with ten legs.
- Heroic Sacrifice: In the first book, Sister Grania use all her life energy to wipe out Taws' cloud of darkness.
- In the second book, Wynett offer herself as a sacrifice to Borsus' rotten soul in order to obtain his sight back, but luckily she's spared.
- In the last book: Brannoc, in order to pay the price of Taziel.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Ashar ends up defeated by the sword he made for Drul.
- The Horde: Long ago, a warlord named Drul led all the barbaric tribes in the north in a gigantic battle against the Three Realms, but was defeated. Taws tries to rebuild another Horde to destroy the realms.
- I Am a Humanitarian: Taziel.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Ashar's fate.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Wynett, stating that as a Sister she must stay a virgin despite her love for Kedryn. She eventually sees their union as "blessed by the Lady" and agrees to marry him.
- Karma Houdini: Taziel kills Brannoc and gets away unscathed.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Tepshen sword is a katana in everything but the name.
- Kiss of Death: Taws can recharge his energy by sucking the life out of his victims, who are automatically sent to Ashar.
- Kraken and Leviathan: Ashar's servant, which looks like a cross between a sea serpent and Cthulhu.
- MacGuffin: The holy talismans given to Kedryn and Wynett.
- MacGuffin Guardian: Drul's wraith guard the gate to Hell. The Leviathan is the second guardian.
- Manipulative Bastard: Ashar, as Eiryk. The point is that the reader probably knows that he's lying, but Wynett has no choice but to trust him.
- Marshmallow Hell: While having sex with Kedryn, Wynett push his head against her chest.
- Meaningful Name: Eiryk. Quite fitting for Ashar, the nemesis of Kyrie.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Both Hattim and later Ashrivelle have their moments.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Near the end, Ashar tricks Wynett (who he had kidnapped earlier) into giving him her talisman, which he use to power up a demonic sword, which is used to kill her. However the talisman's presence allows Kyrie to resurrect Wynett.
- Physical Hell: Not that getting there is easy though, but still seems pretty physical.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Bedrin Caitin and the king of Kesh.
- Schmuck Bait: While crossing Hell and passing through aggressive trees, carnivorous giant spiders and a desert that corrodes the spirit, there's a happy grassland with a castle full of jolly, friendly people that invites you for the night. Which are a bunch of were-monsters, slaves to Ashar.
- Sealed Evil in a Can: Drul sword ends up sealing Ashar to his throne.
- Serrated Blade of Pain: The barbarian's weaponry.
- Sinister Scimitar: Averted by Brannoc and the Kesh.
- Technicolor Blade: Ashar's sword is red.
- Ultimate Blacksmith: Taziel, who forged Drul's sword.
- Undying Loyalty: Tepshen to the Caitin family.
- Unholy Holy Sword: Drul's sword was forged by Ashar, but according to some prophecies it can be merged with Kyrie's talisman and used against the god.
- Weaksauce Weakness: Ashar's creatures seems to be afraid of water, except for the Leviathan.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: After kidnapping Wynett the Leviathan simply disappears.
- When Trees Attack: Hell trees that shoots deadly leaves to their prey.
- Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Averted: as soon as Taws realizes that The Chosen One Kedryn was spying him, he orders his servant Borsus to go after him and kill or at least wound him with a magical arrow, and he succeeds in wounding him.
- Wutai: Tepshen Lahl has a vaguely Chinese-sounding name and seems to come from a Japan-like country.
- You Have Failed Me: Though Ashar uses the words You Have Outlived Your Usefulness to Taws.
