The Obsidian Trilogy is a three-novel fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 series, chronicling the journey of Kellen Tavadon in relation to the third war between the Light and the Endarkened, co-written by Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...

 and James Mallory. The series began with The Outstretched Shadow

The Outstretched Shadow

The Outstretched Shadow is the first book of Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's Obsidian Trilogy. It is followed by To Light a Candle.-Plot:...

, released in 2002, continued in 2004 with To Light a Candle

To Light a Candle

To Light a Candle is the 2004 second fantasy novel of Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's Obsidian Trilogy.-Plot Summary:Vestakia, Kellen, Jermayan, and Shalkan return safely to elven lands. Kellen is still very weak from his dealing with the key stone...

and reached its conclusion in 2006 with When Darkness Falls

When Darkness Falls

When Darkness Falls is the third and final book of Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's Obsidian Trilogy.It is preceded by The Outstretched Shadow and To Light a Candle.- Plot summary:...

.

Characters

Kellen Tavadon

The protagonist of the trilogy, Kellen is the first living Knight-Mage in a thousand years. Born in the mage-city of Armethalieh, he was raised in the restrictive atmosphere of the Mageborn elite; his father, Lycaelon, (currently the Arch-Mage of the City), felt his son was a disgrace. After discovering his Three Books of Wildmagery, Kellen is Banished from the City of a Thousand Bells -- a veiled death sentence as told by Lycaelon in the seventh chapter. However, he is spirited away by a unicorn, Shalkan. With Shalkans help and his own budding Knight-Mage skills he barely escapes the 'Outlaw Hunt' with his life.

Idalia Tavadon

Idalia is Kellen's older sister, a Wildmage-Healer, (also Banished from Armethalieh). After Kellen escapes the Outlaw Hunt, he is brought to Idalia's cabin by Shalkan in the Wildwood outside the Bounds of the lands owned by the City. There she heals him of his wounds given him by the Outlaw Hunt and the terrain of the forest. Idalia begins Kellen's training in the Wild Magic.

Jermayan

An Elven-Knight (chosen to accompany Kellen on his journey to destroy the Black Cairn), and Idalia's lover. Jermayan is the first Elven Mage in thousands of years; this is made possible through his Bond with the dragon, Ancaladar. Thus allowing Jermayan to manipulate the world around him a way that users of the High Magick and Wildmagic cannot.

Cilarnen Volpiril

Cilarnen is a Mageborn Citizen of the City of a Thousand Bells who is Banished from Armathalieh under the charges of treason. Eventually, he becomes the Allied Army's only High Mage. Normally when one with the ability to use the High Magick is Banished, their Magegift (their ability to use High Magick) is "burned out", however, this is not the case with Cilarnen whose Magegift remains intact so that Anigrel may use him as a weapon to murder Kellen later on. Even though Cilarnen is (unjustly) Banished from the City, Cilarnen always considers Armethalieh his one and only home.

Vestakia

The daughter of a Wildmage and the Prince of the Endarkened, Vestakia has the appearance of a Demon, but has a kindly human soul thanks to her mothers wildmagic. She is a skilled healer and Kellen's love interest.

Shalkan

A unicorn and Kellen's best friend , he rescued Kellen from the Outlaw Hunt, as long as Kellen agrees to pay the Mageprice of remaining chaste and celibate for a year and a day. He is always nearby to make sure Kellen doesn't get into trouble.

Redhelwar

The general of the Elven army, Redhelwar regards Kellen's Knight-Mage judgment as highly as any. He places great trust in Kellen.

Queen Savilla

The leader of the Endarkened and the main antagonist of the trilogy. Her goal is to bring He Who Is (the Demon's Creator) back into the world of light, allowing her to become supreme ruler of the world. Savilla, like all the Endarkened, takes pleasure in torturing mortals and using them as sacrifices in her Dark Magery.

Chired Anigrel

One of Savilla's agents, Anigrel is a Darkmage concealed at first as Lycaelon's personal secretary and then as a High Mage living in Armethalieh as the Arch-Mage's newly adopted son. He essentially controls the workings of the City, convincing the High Mages that the Wildmages and the "Lesser Races" (unicorns, Elves, centaurs etc.) are the Enemy and responsible for the horror and atrocities committed by the Endarkened.

Other characters

• Andoreniel - King of the Elves, he resides in the city of Sentarshadeen. he is more open to change than other elves are

• Lycaelon Tavadon - present head of house Tavadon, and the Arch-Mage of Armethalieh. The Father of Kellen and Idalia

• Prince Zyperis - the Prince of the Endarkened, Savilla's son and lover, and Vestakia's father.

• Ashaniel - the Queen of the Elves.

• Sandalon - the young Prince of the Elves, Sandalon is very active, playing games with the other Elven children. He has great respect for Kellen.

• Kardus - a Centaur Wildmage, friends with Cilarnen.

• Ancaladar - Jermayan's Bonded dragon, he has remained in hiding for thousands of years to escape the fate of his brethren who Bonded Mages and thus were forced to fight and kill their own kin in the last war between the Endarkened and the Light.

The Elven Lands

As suggested by the name, this is the land in which Elves reside. The Elven Lands lie to the east of the continent. There are nine major cities in the Elven lands:

• Sentarshadeen
• Deskethomaynel
• Ondoladeshiron
• Realthataladon
• Thultafoniseen
• Valwendigorean
• Ysterialpoerin
• Windalorianan
• Lerkalpoldara

The latter three cities are located to the north of the Mystrals mountain range which separates Ondoladeshiron from Ysterialpoerin, with the rest lying to the south.

Sentarshadeen is the political centre of the Elven lands, housing the King of the Elves. Lerkalpoldara is the northernmost city, surrounded by mountains, and accessible only by a single mountain pass. The Elven lands are home to other locations of interest, including the Fortress of the Crowned Horns of the Moon, a safe-haven for the Elven women and children during wartime, and the Jeweled Caverns of Halacira, an Elven jewel mine-turned-fortress between Sentarshadeen and Ondoladeshiron.

Armethalieh

Armethalieh, also known as The Golden City and City of a Thousand Bells is the home to the High Mages. It lies to the west of the continent, built on the western sea, surrounded by the Delfier Valley. Armethalieh relies on the "Home Farms" in the surrounding valley to feed its people. The ruler of Armethalieh is Arch-Mage Lycaelon Tavadon. A notable difference between the city and other locations in the Obsidian Trilogy world is that it is solely inhabited by humans, and in fact, people of the "Lesser Races" are persecuted and disallowed entry to the city.

The name, City of a Thousand Bells is derived from Armethalieh's extensive magically linked network of bells. At intervals of 15 minutes and 2 hours, the bells chime on different levels to mark what time it is. Additional bells toll to mark dawn - notably rung several hours after the actual rising of the sun - and noontide, and evening. The bells toll together in perfect harmony.

Delfier Valley

The Delfier Valley is the lush forested farmland surrounding the Mage city of Armethalieh. Consisting of many scattered villages, less than a day's ride separated from each other.

Armethaliehan

The high mages in Armethalieh are the government and the law. Ambitious mages rise to the top of the social ladder through corruption and treachery, and the government is self-elected, maintaining a dictatorship over both mages and commoners. All goods and culture are censored, with many being rejected from the city as too new or different. The mages are obsessed with maintaining the pretence that all the work they do is "for the good of the city".

The high mages control and maintain the city wards that keep enemies (and any non-humans) from entering the city, in addition to maintaining fine, clear weather. The mages also wipe people's memories and magical abilities at their convenience. This is often done in females, who are Forbidden to practice the high magic.

The mage college in Armethalieh teaches male youths who show any skill in the art magickal. As they continue their studies, based on their performance, the students rise through the ranks of Student, Apprentice, Journeyman, Undermage, Mage, High Mage, and, if they have sufficient skill, Arch-Mage.

Armethalieh is also home to many commoners who do not possess magical ability. Most of the commoners' district is slums; however there are some wealthier areas and a bustling outdoor market.

Their government is that of a utopia

Utopia

Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...

 based on Plato

Plato

Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...

's utopian theory of rule of the elite.

The Elves

The Elves are the oldest race alive in the Obsidian Trilogy world, predating even the Endarkened. They live very long lives of a thousand years, have very explicit formalities and insist on tea ceremonies at every meeting. Elves tend to be obsessed with crafts and small details and have a very discerning eye; Kellen meets a potter who shows him a room full of pottery that would sell for thousands on the human market...and the master potter describes them as failures. Everything is perfectly suited to its surroundings, and anything inharmonious to the eye must be corrected immediately; making the choice of clothes for the day a very important matter.

It also is considered rude to ask a direct question, no matter how mundane: 'How is the weather?' would be considered somewhat brutish. 'One might wonder when it will rain next' would be used instead in civilized conversation. Allowances are made for times of war when soldiers may ask each other direct questions; this is known as War Manners, and is part of the Elves' Knightly training. It's mentioned in the sequel trilogy, The Enduring Flame Trilogy

The Enduring Flame Trilogy

The Enduring Flame Trilogy is a three-novel fantasy series, that continues the story covered by The Obsidian Trilogy. This tale takes place over a thousand years after the conclusion of The Obsidian Trilogy and chronicles the journey of Tiercel Rolfort and Harrier Gillain as they discover that...

, that "To ask a direct question is to demand it be answered", explaining why the Elves, who favor ease and calm, would consider direct questions offensive.

Time measurement

In the Obsidian Trilogy world, time is measured in different units to the real world, even though many are units that have been used in the past like sennight. Units differ even further in Armethalieh and may have been based on archaic naval terms.

• A Sennight is equal to one(1) week. The word is a concatenation of seven and nights.
• A Fortnight is equal to two(2) weeks. The word is a concatenation of fourteen and nights.
• A Moonturn is roughly the same as one(1) month. It is equivalent to one cycle of the moon, which is roughly 27 days.

In Armethalieh

Armethaliehan time is the same as the above, but instead of using seconds, minutes and hours, they use a "bell-based" system, attributed to the many bells found in every district of the city.

• A Chime is equal to fifteen minutes.
• A Bell is equal to two hours.