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The Mage Wars series

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The Mage Wars series is a prequel trilogy set approximately 2,000 years before the rest of the books. They focus on the wars fought between Urtho and Ma'ar, and the resulting birth of the refugee town of White Gryphon.

The Black Gryphon[]

Black gryphon

The Black Gryphon is the first book in the Mage Wars trilogy, and the only one to take place during the Mage Wars proper. It primarily follows Skandranon Rashkae, the titular Black Gryphon, and Amberdrake, a Kaled'ai'in kestra'chern, through their experiences during the end of the Mage Wars initiated by Kiyamvir Ma'ar. Skandranon is on the front lines as part of the forces of Urtho, the Mage of SIlence, while Amberdrake serves as morale support back in the camp underneath Urtho's Tower, practicing his kestra'chern arts with the soldiers to keep them from cracking under the strain of the war.

As Ma'ar inexorably pushes back Urtho's forces, Skandranon and Amberdrake, along with Zhaneel, an outcast and the first gryfalcon, and Winterhart, a close-lipped Trondi'irn, face struggles within the camp as well as without. The gryphons bristle at being used as little more than tools of war by uncaring human officers, and at being held hostage by Urtho's grasp over their ability to bear young. Amberdrake and the other kestra'chern struggle with their lascivious reputation among the ranks even as the weight of collective despair increases. The increasing pressure brings old traumas out into the open for Winterhart, and allows Zhaneel to grow beyond them. One thing is certain, however: Urtho is losing the war by inches. Ma'ar and his ruthless tactics erode the army, bit by bit, until he is poised to strike at the Tower itself.

Before this can happen, a betrayed, dying Urtho provides Skandranon with one final task: take a weapon deep into the heart of Ma'ar's power, and end it, once and for all. The deaths of Urtho and Ma'ar bring an end to the Mage Wars--but also to a great many other things, as the twin rebounds from so many undone spells collide, bringing about the Cataclysm.

The White Gryphon[]

White gryphon

The story takes place ten years after the end of The Black Gryphon. The k'Leshya tribe of the Kaled'a'in nation, along with the gryphons, some hertasi, tervardi, and kyree, have fled from the gates that they escaped before the Cataclysm from the end of the mage wars. They have traveled very far and have reached the ocean, and now have established a city called, White Gryphon. The city is named based on its shape, a large gryphon preparing for flight over the ocean, and the white gryphon, Skandranon.

The city has established a council to control all aspects of the city life. The council members consist of Skandranon, Amberdrake, Cinnabar, Judeth, and Snowstar. The Cataclysm has led to mage storms that causes magic to be unstable, meaning that many that had the mage ability have lost their powers, or are seriously weakened. Amberdrake as one of the council members brings up a man that is practicing as a kestra'chern illegally. Judeth orders for the arrest of this man, Hadanelith, through her position as the leader of the newly established Silver Gryphons.

Hadenalith is arrested while he is molding a woman to be his slave. The city does not have a jail, and his crimes are not severe enough for instant death, so the Silver Gryphons decide to exile him to the forests on one side of the city, presuming that the animals will take care of him. Hadenalith is very upset about the interruption to his deeds and swears revenge on Amberdrake, and White Gryphon.

Later, there are ships spotted by a gryphon, and Skandranon is contacted using the city's mind connection, Kechara. Kechara has been recruited by Judeth and is being used to communicate with the Silvers in White Gryphon. Some of the council members, Skandranon, Amberdrake, Judeth, and Tamsin, arrive on the dock and await the people to exit the ships. Amberdrake has identified the crewmen as members of the Haighlei Empire, a nation of all black people. Three of the Haighlei crewmen exit the ship and claim that the land that White Gryphon is part of their country. Judeth makes a stand claiming that the gryphons flew from one part of the land to another and never saw any markers that showed that the land belonged to any other place. At this time, the crewmen finally notice Skandranon and decide that they need to contact their home city.

After the discussion with their leaders, the crewmen decide to stay in the city of White Gryphon and then take Skandranon, Zhaneel, and their children (Tadrith and Keenath), along with Amberdrake, Winterhart, and their daughter (Windsong) back to their nation.

The Silver Gryphon[]

Silver gryphon

The Silver Gryphon is the third novel in the Mage Wars trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. It mostly consists of one of Skandranon's sons, Tadrith, and Amberdrake's daughter, Silverblade, struggling to survive in a forest whose inhabitants are magic drinking wyrsa.

Twelve peaceful years have passed since the action of The White Gryphon, while Skandranon the Black Gryphon and Amberdrake the Healer settle down into comfortable middle age. An elite warrior force, the Silver Gryphons, has been formed to protect the city--a force that Skandranon's son Tad and Amberdrake's daughter Blade, showing rebellious streaks, have joined. Following two long, hard years of training, Tad and Blade are given the difficult assignment of occupying a remote guard post reachable only across miles of unknown territory. On the way, a strange force drains Tad's magic powers. So, alone, injured, and desperate, Tad and Blade find themselves beset by wyrsa, dreadful mage-created hybrid creatures who have the power to absorb magic.

Characters in the Mage Wars series[]

MageWarsUK

British cover of The Mage Wars omnibus

Places in the Mage Wars series[]

Magewarsfrench

Cover of French omnibus edition

  • Dakola District - Haighlei empire, Kimbata
  • Great Garden
  • Haighlei Empire
  • Hall of Fragrant Joy - Khimbata, Haighlei Empire
  • Khimbata - Haighlei Empire
  • Pass of Stelvi
  • Polda
  • Salten Sea
  • Western Sea
  • White Gryphon
  • Wtasi Empire

Terms in the Mage Wars series[]

  • Basket spell
  • Beglamorment
  • Betrothal Necklace
  • Black Kings
  • Brancher
  • Disciplines
  • Evening Court
  • Great War
  • Greater Gates
  • Green bands
  • Hover sled
  • Lion Lilies
  • Lion Throne
  • Loriganalea
  • The Migration
  • Raebuck
  • Ratha
  • Silver Gryphon
  • Wyrsa

Timeline[]

Roughly estimated timeline of events

See also[]

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