Chapter Summaries

After defeating Mannacorn in their duel, Aaron was overwhelmed when the Bane Godspawn sacrificed his humanity and transformed into the Dreadbringer. Aaron survived the Dreadbringer’s attacks and awakened Golden Law Incarnation, leaving the battle poised to continue.

• Mannacorn ordered Duke Caspar’s soldiers to surrender, then began his duel with Aaron at Lady Yew's Club.
• Aaron used spells and Khorne’s power to batter Mannacorn, but Mannacorn surrendered himself to Bane’s divinity and transformed into the Dreadbringer.
• The Dreadbringer overwhelmed Aaron with Bane’s remaining divine power and pinned him beneath a gigantic iron fist.
• Aaron refused to give up, and Khorne answered his resolve by unleashing his full power.
• Golden light engulfed Aaron as he awakened Chaos Unification-Golden Law Incarnation and advanced toward the Dreadbringer.

Aaron fought Bane Godspawn in his Golden Law Incarnation, seeking to seize Bane’s divinity and understand the portfolio of strife. After Aaron overwhelmed Bane Godspawn with Drach'nyen, Bane Godspawn fell and was absorbed into the primordial daemon’s blade.

• Aaron and Bane Godspawn clashed in the heavens, while Disma protected abandoned kittens and watched their battle from Suzail.
• Disma realized that his lack of power had kept him from the life he wanted as Aaron and Bane Godspawn’s duel shook him to his soul.
• Aaron pierced Bane Godspawn with the Blade of the Dark Moon and entered Bane’s memories, learning how Bane had understood strife and claimed his divine portfolio.
• Aaron and Bane Godspawn were hurled apart when their Golden and Dark Laws repelled each other, and Bane Godspawn lost his reason after seeing the origins of the Chaos Gods.
• Aaron drew Drach'nyen and struck Bane Godspawn, whose body collapsed into the blade as Bane Godspawn fell.

After defeating Mannacorn and exposing Duke Caspar as the daemon behind the rebellion, Aaron helped secure Alusair’s political future but collapsed from the cost of his transformation. As he recovered at the Royal Palace, the young Force Dragon Aegir declared that Aaron was the treasure he wanted.

• Aaron defeated Mannacorn, who warned him about Bane’s powerful son Iyachtu Xvim and begged him to spare his private troops; Aaron agreed to take over Anaheim Armaments.
• Mannacorn died, and Aaron accepted the golden signet ring while Duke Caspar was dragged before Alusair.
• Duke Caspar transformed into a daemon, and Alusair cut him down with the Sword of Azoun IV, convincing the gathered nobles and knights to accept her rule.
• Aaron explained to Eleanor that the upheaval would break the old order and strengthen Alusair’s claim, then collapsed from the cost of becoming the Golden Law Incarnation.
• The forces of the Princess Regent began purging Suzail and arresting the rebels while Aaron was carried to the Royal Palace, where gods watched him.
• Two Force Dragons arrived at the palace treasury, and the young dragon Aegir pointed at Aaron and announced that he wanted him as his treasure.

Aaron avoided being taken by the force dragons when Selûne intervened and declared him her Chosen. He then made a High Dragon Pact with Aegir, who agreed to settle in the Realms and aid him in exchange for a share of his gains.

• Faenor and Aegir arrived at the Royal Palace and Aegir demanded Aaron as his servant, but Alusair and Eleanor refused to let them take him.
• Aegir lunged for Aaron, prompting the Hand of Dawn to intervene before Faenor stopped his daughter from using her breath weapon.
• Selûne appeared, declared Aaron her Chosen, and rejected Faenor's claim that the High Dragon Pact entitled him to take Aaron.
• Aaron proposed a compensation agreement, and Aegir agreed to establish a High Dragon Pact with him and build a lair in the Realms.
• Aaron and Aegir swore the pact in the name of Ao, with Selûne as witness, and agreed that Aegir would receive twenty-two percent of Aaron's gains.

After Aaron defeated Bane’s Godspawn, the gods and rulers of the Realms reacted to the victory while Aaron fell into a prolonged recovery. A fragment of Bane’s divinity freed his imprisoned son Iyachtu Xvim, whose escape threatened to renew Bane’s legacy.

• Selûne helped settle matters between Aegir and Faenor, then told Eleanor to take the exhausted Aaron home to recover.
• Alusair began punishing nobles, soldiers, and officials involved in the Fire of Suzail while postponing Aaron’s rewards.
• Torm, Ilmater, and Tyr celebrated Aaron’s victory and agreed that the gods should establish an organization to monitor the Dead Three’s Godspawn.
• Cyric became obsessed with a mysterious artifact after receiving a message from Nate, while the Lady of Loss praised Aaron’s actions and anticipated meeting him again.
• A fragment of Bane’s divinity entered Iyachtu Xvim, allowing him to break free from his magical prison in Zhentil Keep.
• Iyachtu Xvim declared his intention to inherit Bane’s divine throne, and news of his escape spread through Zhentil Keep the next day.

Xvim escaped imprisonment and declared his return as a rival to Cyric and Aaron, while Aaron recovered from the coup and learned that Alusair had seized Anaheim’s arms industry. Aaron’s recovery was interrupted by a visit from the Great Sage, who asked about Greenwood and his company.

• Xvim sensed Mannacorn’s final moments and glimpsed a terrifying power behind Aaron before severing the connection.
• Xvim named Aaron and Cyric his enemies, then announced his return to Bane’s loyalists and the Zhentarim.
• Aaron woke weakened by the Golden Law transformation and reflected on the coup’s outcome, his new Chaos knowledge, and plans for his fief.
• Eleanor fed Aaron and told him that Alusair had executed and punished the coup’s leaders and confiscated Anaheim’s arms industry.
• Eleanor reported that Doherty and his Blood Sword troops had killed Anaheim’s senior leadership and everyone at Anaheim Manor.
• Aaron woke in the afternoon to find the Great Sage waiting and asking about Greenwood and his company.

Aaron met Elminster, who explained why the Harpers had to remain unlike the authoritarian Zhentarim and warned Aaron not to let ambition corrupt him. Before leaving, Elminster entrusted Cormyr’s future to Aaron, though he admitted he did not know whether Aaron would bring stability or destruction to the Realms.

• Aaron recognized Elminster and learned that Filfaeril was Elminster’s daughter and Alusair was his granddaughter.
• Elminster deduced that Aaron had let people suffer so they might learn from the Bane Godspawn’s actions.
• Elminster explained that the Harpers’ loose organization prevented them from becoming like the Zhentarim, then warned Aaron against arrogance and unchecked ambition.
• Elminster gave Aaron five books and told him that he could not return to the same world he had left.
• Elminster explained that gods across different worlds could be both connected and independent, and said he had never met the four divinities within Aaron.
• Elminster said Aaron would bring tremendous change to the Realms and entrusted his granddaughter and Cormyr’s future to him.

After Elminster left Aaron with books and warnings about powerful organizations and parallel worlds, Charlotte surprised him by climbing through his window and embracing him. Just as she hid beneath the bed to avoid being caught by Alice, Alusair entered through the window and recognized Charlotte’s scent in Aaron’s room.

• Aaron reflected on Elminster’s warning about powerful organizations and concluded that multiple parallel Earths existed, while suspecting Elminster had withheld the full truth.
• Charlotte climbed through Aaron’s window, reunited with him, and sobbed with relief and guilt over missing the Fire of Suzail while he had been injured.
• Aaron comforted Charlotte and persuaded her to stay with him instead of confronting Eleanor, while she resolved to care for him during his recovery.
• When Charlotte heard that Alice was approaching, she hid beneath Aaron’s bed to avoid being discovered after lying about her plans.
• Alusair climbed through Aaron’s window to check on him, noticed Charlotte’s scent, and asked why it was in his room.

Alusair secretly visited Aaron, thanked him for changing Cormyr’s political situation, and offered him land, titles, military command, and wealth as rewards. When Eleanor came to investigate the noise, Alusair hid beneath Aaron’s bed and discovered Charlotte was already there.

• Alusair questioned Aaron about Charlotte, then discussed how his actions had made her the true master of Cormyr.
• Alusair comforted Aaron, proposed extensive rewards for him, and offered to make him a duke if he married into her family, but Aaron refused to change his surname.
• Alusair teased Aaron and kissed him passionately while Charlotte watched from beneath the bed.
• Eleanor knocked on the bedroom door to ask about the noise, so Alusair hurried to hide beneath the bed.
• Alusair lifted the bedsheet and came face to face with Charlotte, who was already hiding there.

Alusair and Charlotte hid beneath Aaron’s bed while Eleanor visited, where they overheard the Cleric’s intimate, easy rapport with him and grew jealous. After escaping, the two women formed the Anti-Eleanor Alliance and planned to move in next door to Aaron.

• Alusair and Charlotte stopped fighting and hid beneath Aaron’s bed when Eleanor arrived at his room.
• Eleanor noticed signs of a visitor, but Aaron distracted her by pointing out the window and then chatted with her about dinner and plans for his future fief.
• Eleanor stayed with Aaron, and Alusair and Charlotte listened from beneath the bed, becoming jealous of their closeness.
• After Eleanor left to prepare dinner, Charlotte and Alusair climbed out through the window and departed with Fiolena’s help.
• Charlotte and Alusair agreed that Eleanor was a threat, then planned to connect a house beside Aaron’s residence and set up a teleportation circle.

After recovering, Aaron hired Moradin’s dwarven construction team to build his castle and began searching for a magical adviser. He met an unexpectedly short, heavyset sun elf named Barrel Moonflower, who applied for the position.

• Aaron met Kimgon Firepattern and hosted a feast for the dwarven construction team.
• Kimgon priced Aaron’s castle project at fifty-four thousand gold coins, and Aaron agreed to the costs and construction terms.
• Aaron authorized the dwarves to collect their initial funding from Eleanor and turned to finding a magical adviser.
• Robert told Aaron that a Master-level sun elf from Evermeet had applied, and Aaron agreed to meet him.
• Barrel Moonflower arrived late at the Dragonrider Club and urged Aaron to hire him as his magical adviser.

Aaron hired Barrel Moonflower, a Sun Elf sent by Evermeet to study Astral Magic, as his magical adviser. Afterward, the bald Singer delivered information about Hell and negotiated to buy a Hellfire War Machine, then revealed that Aaron had given him hope of escaping the Nine Hells.

• Aaron questioned Barrel Moonflower about his background and motives, and Barrel explained that Evermeet wanted him to learn Astral Magic and was considering reclaiming Myth Drannor.
• Aaron hired Barrel as his magical adviser for five hundred gold coins a month under a fifty-year contract, granting him access to Salian's Nine Books in exchange for magical knowledge and assistance.
• Aaron met the bald Singer, who gave him documents about Hell and explained that Zariel had replaced Bael as ruler of Avernus.
• The Singer asked Aaron to sell him the Hellfire War Machine that Bael had supplied to the Son of Tyranny, and Aaron agreed to a price of sixty thousand Golden Lions.
• Aaron refused the Singer's proposal to establish a trading post, and the Singer revealed that Aaron had made him hope he could escape the Nine Hells.

Aaron negotiated with the bald Singer, a former merchant seeking to escape Hell, while Aegir conquered a territory and arrived at Aaron’s investiture ceremony. Aaron became Sunset Viscount and Wall-Mounted Hero, and Aegir accepted the title of Cormyr’s Guardian Dragon as Aaron prepared to depart for his fief.

• The bald Singer told Aaron how Mammon had turned him into a greater devil after winning their soul-futures wager, and revealed that an unpaid contract fueled his desire to escape Hell.
• The bald Singer offered Aaron a lead on the missing Lady of Wealth in exchange for help crossing free of Mammon’s control, and Aaron agreed.
• Aegir took a kobold and half-dragon tribe as servants, killed the gnolls and a behir, and claimed their treasure and territory.
• Princess Regent Alusair invested Aaron as Sunset Viscount and Wall-Mounted Hero before Cormyr’s assembled nobles and dignitaries.
• Aegir interrupted the ceremony, declared Aaron under his protection, and accepted Alusair’s title of Guardian Dragon of Cormyr.
• Aaron prepared to leave for the Sunset Lands, his new fief.

Aaron visited the Purple Dragons with Aegir and found Disma arguing with Mentor Lucian over a rejected promotion and an arranged meeting with a Druid. Disma renounced the Purple Dragon Knights and left to seek his chance elsewhere.

• Aaron remembered his father with Aegir, who discovered how to take human form and accompanied him to the Purple Dragons.
• Aaron and Aegir overheard Lucian reprimanding Disma for refusing to meet Miss Shiva, a Druid he had hoped to match with him.
• Lucian told Disma he would nominate Reynard for Purple Dragon Banneret instead of him, citing Disma's past conduct and lack of discipline.
• Disma accused Lucian of favoring Aaron and Reynard, threw down his Purple Dragon Knight Medal, and declared he was leaving the order.
• Aaron tried to stop Disma and offered to speak to Her Highness, but Disma refused charity and left the Purple Dragons.

Aaron left Suzail for the Sunset Lands as Alusair issued sweeping reforms, while newly uncovered clues suggested a hidden Bhaalspawn might be in Suzail. He arrived to a jubilant welcome and promised to defend the people, claim the land for its residents, and make chicken affordable for everyone.

• Aaron departed Suzail after arranging for Alusair and Charlotte to visit his fief, while Alusair issued decrees on land surveys, military restrictions, and trade.
• Robert showed Aaron files revealing that Mannacorn had believed Aaron was a Son of Tyranny and had detected a Bhaalspawn in Suzail before the ritual's cleric was murdered.
• Eleanor connected Disma's departure from the kingdom to the possibility that he might be the hidden Bhaalspawn, and Aaron chose to focus on his new fief rather than pursue him.
• Aaron and his companions arrived at the Sunset Lands, where residents welcomed him and the local militia leader swore allegiance.
• Aaron promised to answer violence with justice, establish the people's authority over the land, and make chicken affordable, winning the residents' cheers.

Aaron established the administration and Shepherd Legion of the Sunset Lands while overseeing construction of his castle. After completing the Round Table Hall and summoning the Chaos Gods, he advanced to Master rank and declared the age of Chaos had begun.

• Aaron appointed Eleanor High Priestess and named Norrington, Barrel Moonflower, Kimgon, and others to offices in his new court.
• Aaron prioritized the Round Table Hall, hired the Dwarf Engineering Corps, and worked with Barrel Moonflower to oversee the construction funds.
• Aaron formed the Cormyr Ninth Legion, named it the Shepherd, and restored its soldiers’ discipline through training and village duties.
• Three months later, Aaron entered the completed Round Table Hall and transformed it with his powers of Chaos and the Golden Law.
• Aaron opened the Court of the Covenant, summoned Khorne, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh, and pledged to advance their aims across the Realms.
• Aaron formally completed the Court of the Covenant, freed the powers of the Four Gods from his body, and advanced to Master rank.

Be'lakor sensed Aaron's rise and set out to kill him and claim the power needed to become the fifth Chaos God. In October 1361 DR, Nastya escaped Drizzt's failed ambush with mysterious guidance, while Aaron considered how to unlock Nurgle's power and prepared to reunite with Lady Mysty Tanshul.

• Be'lakor emerged as the Original Daemon Prince and, sensing Aaron's ascension, crossed out of the Warp to challenge him.
• Nastya Baenre's ambush of Drizzt Do'Urden failed as he broke through her forces with help from his reinforcements.
• Nastya confronted Drizzt, declared that he would face the supreme Matron, and followed a mysterious silver thread to escape an incoming blast.
• Aaron considered Tzeentch's advice about Nurgle's passivity and wondered whether he could unlock Nurgle's power by visiting Myth Drannor.
• Aaron decided to first keep his promised reunion with Lady Mysty Tanshul.

Aaron inspected Falling Star Town’s growing industries, encouraged the Ninth Legion, and collected dividends from Fujal’s serpent-pattern steel business. He then revealed war rune technology to Fujal, leaving the dwarf astonished by a new forging technique.

• Aaron praised Kimgon Firepattern’s construction and learned that Fujal could advise him on firearms.
• Aaron used chaos magic to resize Private First Class Kalon’s boots, addressed the Ninth Legion’s equipment problems, and promised that promotions would depend on ability and merit.
• Aaron visited Fujal’s expanding smithing guild and discussed the profits and security risks of serpent-pattern steel production.
• Fujal gave Aaron twenty-seven Gold Notes worth twenty-six thousand five hundred gold coins in dividends, and Aaron praised him for resisting the temptation to keep the money.
• Aaron showed Fujal a complete set of war rune techniques from his bloodline memories.

Aaron demonstrated Chaos-enchanted firearm technology to Fujal, who eagerly agreed to learn it, and returned home to Eleanor. He told her he would leave alone the next day to keep an appointment, leaving the territory’s affairs in her hands.

• Fujal gave Aaron a Dwarven flintlock musket called Moradin's Sausage and explained its limitations.
• Aaron enchanted the musket with Chaos power and destroyed a target at the shooting range with an explosive shot.
• Aaron called the method Salian technology and agreed to teach Fujal Boltgun technology.
• Aaron returned to his temporary home, where he cooked dinner with Eleanor after nearly distracting her from the stove.
• Aaron told Eleanor he would travel alone the next day to keep an appointment with Lady Mysty Tanshul.

Edward Teach waited impatiently as the snow elves debated Aaron Salian’s invitation to migrate from High Ice. After learning that Aaron had killed a Tyranny Godspawn and was known among other elven peoples, the snow elf clans agreed to begin the migration, leaving Teach eager to report back and earn a reward.

• Teach complained to Rhaelta Deep Snow about the snow elves’ delays and warned him that the legendary mammoth had grown more active while the yakfolk remained cautious.
• Rhaelta described the mammoth’s powers and the dangers posed by winter wolves, whose recent hunt had killed twenty-seven humans and eight snow elves.
• A druid summoned Teach and Rhaelta to a meeting where Badler Deep Snow announced that Aaron Salian had killed a Tyranny Godspawn and was the Chosen of the Lady of Silver.
• Badler declared that the Deep Snow clan would accept Aaron’s invitation, and more than seventy percent of the snow elf tribes chose to join the migration.
• Teach reflected that the news of Aaron’s power had persuaded the snow elves where his efforts had failed, and resolved to gain more power while anticipating his reward.