Riverwind the Plainsman
Paul B. Thompson
 Riverwind the Plainsman begins in the village of Que Shu shortly before the southern invasion of the War of the Lance. Riverwind the Plainsman is slightly different than the rest of the Preludes series, in that Riverwind was unknown to the other companions at this time. However, Riverwind's blue crystal staff was one of the focal points of the original Chronicles series. This is the story of how that staff came into his possession. The story starts with Riverwind undergoing tests of strength and courage in order to be allowed to be betrothed to Goldmoon, the princess of the Que Shu tribe. Goldmoon's father Arrowthorn, along with many other villagers, sees this as an unpopular match. Riverwind is from an outcast family not even permitted to live within the city walls. Their crime was believing in the true gods instead of recognizing the chief as a god, and Goldmoon as a goddess. Riverwind passes his tests, and so Arrowthorn gives Riverwind a quest. Arrowthorn instructs Riverwind to leave Que Shu with only a day's supply of food and water and search for proof of the true gods; only upon proof will Arrowthorn allow the betrothal. Upon leaving the village, Riverwind is joined by another tribal outcast: Catchflea. Old and slightly crazed, Catchflea is a self-proclaimed seer, who tries to divine the future in reading acorns shaken out of a gourd. Riverwind and Catchflea are not gone long before they find themselves unwilling participants in a civil war. Accidentally falling down a magical shaft while chasing a thief, they discover a new race of subterranean elves, who were originally Silvanesti elves, the Hestites, which fled Silvanesti during the Kinslayer Wars. These elves had, over 2,000 years ago, founded their underground city of Vartoom, which operated under a caste system consisting mostly of a warrior class, a smithing class, and a slave class. Riverwind and Catchflea are befriended by Di An, a female elven slave and one of scores of "Barren Children"- children born without military or magical inclinations put to work as diggers in the many underground mines. They are taken prisoner and taken to the queen of Vartoom, Li El—a cruel and idealistic elven wizardress. Eventually, Riverwind and Catchflea learn of an impending war between Li El and her former lover, General Mors. Mors recognizes Li El's evil and cruelty for what they are, and leads an invasion against her. A spellbound Riverwind fights in the ranks of Li El, while Catchflea teaches the slave class the lost art of archery and the use of pepper as a sort of biological agent. Mors is victorious, Riverwind is released from the spell, and Vartoom is liberated. Mors wants Catchflea to remain in Vartoom as an ambassador and consultant, but is outwardly cold toward Riverwind after a magicked Riverwind had fought in Li El's ranks. Riverwind and Catchflea are forced to escape Vartoom with the help of Di An, who by this time is in love with Riverwind. For miles, they trek secret tunnels until they come upon the sunken city of Xak Tsaroth, which is by now swarming with Gully Dwarves (Aghar), goblins, and Draconians. In Xak Tsaroth, the three meet an almost indifferent dark cleric named Krago, who is in Xak Tsaroth under orders from the Queen of Darkness to continue creating and perfecting more Draconian warriors. Xak Tsaroth's second in command (behind the Black Dragon Khisanth)is a juvenile Draconian named Thouriss, whom Krago created was grooming as a perfect sire to future generations of Draconians. Krago only initially takes interest in the three when he learns of Di An's stunted growth in relation to her age due to living underground her entire life and being largely malnourished (although the three tell their hosts that Di An is a Silvanesti Elf to avoid suspicion). Thouriss is a dangerous combination of extreme naïveté and irritability who doesn't know if he wants to graciously host the three outsiders, or eat them. Krago is also creating the perfect female specimen to mother future generations of Draconians, whom he names Lyrexis. Riverwind narrowly defeats Thouriss in battle by drowning him when he correctly assumes Thouriss hasn't yet been taught to swim. Riverwind is dragged underwater during his battle with Thouriss and is assumed dead when neither warrior rises to the surface. Catchflea and Di An are taken hostage by an increasingly frustrated Krago. Di An takes an alchemical blood purifier that she finds in Krago's lab and is wracked by pains throughout her body. This chemical begins to "cure" Di An's stunted growth and the elf girl starts to slowly grow to the correct size for her age and species, starting at her feet. Riverwind goes back to Krago's lab to free his companions and escape the city. By now, Lyrexis is awake and out of control, attacking the companions as well as crushing Krago's hand. She escapes the lab and heads into town where she attacks and easily defeats many goblins, but pauses when confronted by fellow Draconians. During Lyrexis' battle with the Draconians, the three with Krago taken as hostage reach the huge pots that are raised and lowered to and from the surface. Krago casts a spell to lift the pot but is killed by a Draconian crossbow bolt, ending the spell. The three are forced to climb up the chain to the surface as bolts whistle all around them. While escaping the city, Catchflea is shot by an enemy crossbow bolt and dies. It is here, in the above-ground section of the city, where Riverwind sees Di An succumb to a sort of reverse-agoraphobia and run off. Her many years living underground had given her a strong and powerful fear of open spaces, fearing that she would "fall up" into the open sky. It is also in the above-ground Xak Tsaroth where Riverwind encounters Khisanth, the Black Dragon who guards the city and helps to oversee the creation of the Draconians. It is during this encounter that Riverwind is given the blue crystal staff of Mishakal by the goddess herself when he is forced into a temple by the Black Dragon and her company of Draconians. Riverwind is able to repel the dragon and Draconians by using the staff's ability to severely injure any being aligned with evil if the staff even slightly touches them. After finally escaping from Xak Tsaroth, Riverwind finds Di An and the two enter the swamps. Riverwind became afflicted with swamp fever and Di An was still suffering the effects of being above ground. Mishakal gave Riverwind a choice. He could either use the staff to heal Di An, or use the staff to heal himself. Ultimately, Riverwind decided to use the staff to heal Di An, who instantly vanishes along with the staff. Di An is teleported by the Goddess back to Mors (whose blindness has been cured by Mishakal in preparation for Di An's return) and the rest of the underground Elves. Di An is to spread the word of the True Gods among her people. Now without his proof of the true gods, Riverwind set off for Que Shu to admit defeat. While journeying back to Que Shu, the staff materializes in front of Riverwind. Now with his quest complete, Riverwind continued to the village and, still delirious from the fever, collapses at Goldmoon's feet. The story ends with the staff being taken to Arrowthorn, who will decide if it is sufficient proof. The authors do not tell us the outcome.