Dzur (novel)
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Dzur is a fantasy novel by Steven Brust in his Vlad Taltos series, originally published in 2006 by Tor Books. It takes place immediately after Issola.
The novel is named after one of the seventeen Dragaeran Houses, which in turn was named after one of the native animals of Brust's fictional world of Dragaera.
[edit] Plot
[edit] Prologue: Peasant's Platter
Vlad has dinner at Valabar's in Adrilankha. (The titles of the Prologue and chapters come from the foods and drinks he had in this meal. Each chapter begins with a description of that part of the meal and Vlad's conversation with Telnan during that part; most of these segments do not directly advance the plot.) There he is approached by two Dragaerans. The first is Telnan, a Dzur and one of the newly revived Lavodes, who has been sent by Sethra for Vlad's protection. The second is Mario Greymist, who has been sent his lover (so it has been rumored, and he tacitly acknowledges this) Aliera. Aliera is a friend of Norathar, and Norathar is a friend of Cawti, and Cawti is having trouble. Madam Triesco, presumed to be from the Left Hand of the Jhereg, is trying to seize control of activity in South Adrilankha from her. Aliera wants Vlad to help out.
[edit] Chapter 1: Dry Red Wine
Vlad returns to Dzur Mountain. At his request, Sethra contacts Aliera, who agrees to let Cawti know he wants to talk with her. Cawti arrives and reluctantly accepts Vlad's offer of help.
[edit] Chapter 2: Garlic Bread
Vlad returns to South Adrilankha. He visits the bootmaker, Jakoub, and orders new boots and a sword sheath. Jakoub tells him a group of Jhereg, the Strangers Group, is running things from a house on Strangers' Road. Vlad goes to Strangers' Road where Loiosh observes two female sorcerers at the house, apparently alerted to Vlad's presence probably because of his Morganti weapon (Godslayer, a.k.a. Lady Teldra). Vlad then crosses the river and locates Aybinn, from whom he receives information and to whom he gives instructions (both unspecified). After leaving Aybinn Loiosh senses Vlad has been located. Vlad draws Lady Teldra...
[edit] Chapter 3: Shamy
Lady Teldra has changed. From a long dagger, she has turned into a shorter, curved knife. A female sorcerer appears before Vlad, apparently not by the usual means of teleport. Vlad spins Lady Teldra a couple of times and points it at the sorceress, and she apparently vaporizes. Vlad returns to Dzur Mountain. He asks Sethra if he can see Kiera; Sethra leaves and soon after Kiera arrives. He discusses the Left Hand with her, and she tells Vlad about the five Dragaerans (not Jhereg) who founded it. Kiera leaves and Sethra returns. They discuss Great Weapons. Sethra says they can kill Jenoine and gods, and that they will act to preserve their owners' soul and possibly life. Godslayer is supposed to destroy Verra, and to "cut out the diseased flesh in the world".
[edit] Chapter 4: Mushroom-Barley Soup
Next morning. Sethra teleports Vlad back to South Adrilankha, casting a spell to keep him from being located for a few minutes. Vlad buys new clothing to disguise himself as a clerk named Sandor. He rents a room at the Hunting Horn, as arranged by Aybinn. That evening he returns to Strangers' Road.
[edit] Chapter 5: White Wine from Guinchen
(In the introductory paragraphs, we learn Telnan carries a Great Weapon.) Vlad follows each of six runners as they leave Strangers' Road and to learn the places they go. He then goes to Donner's Court to find out what the Left Hand is making money at there; it used to be the Jhereg didn't have any action there at all. While touching both an altar of Verra and Lady Teldra, he has a mystical experience in which he recalls meeting the Goddess, and he seems to regain some memories she had taken away from him.
[edit] Chapter 6: Sertalia Cheese
Vlad picks up his new boots and sheath from Jakoub. On the way back to Strangers' Road Loiosh (with Lady Teldra's help) blocks an attempt to locate Vlad. Vlad sends Loiosh to find Daymar, who is waiting at Vlad's room when he returns.
[edit] Chapter 7: Fish
Daymar and Vlad converse about using psychics to locate someone, not physically, but mentally. Daymar tries to explain what mental location means. He says he can't go from psychic location to physical location, but that Vlad can -- when he used witchcraft to fix a mental location in a crystal, so Daymar could convert it to a physical location. Vlad did not realize this is what he did. While they are conversing Daymar detects an attempt by a female sorcerer, in a cold rage, to locate Vlad. He says he can find her psychically. Vlad could use witchcraft to enable her to be found physically, but he would have to remove the Phoenix stone amulet that protects him. Daymar offers to shield him while the amulet is off. Loiosh suggests another approach...
[edit] Chapter 8: Steamed Goslingroot
Daymar does a mind probe on Vlad. He learns the sorceress is named Crithnak, and her hatred is because Vlad killed her sister and destroyed her soul. Vlad had not realized he had destroyed the soul of the sorceress who'd attacked him; it disturbs him. He spends some time wandering South Adrilankha, and then a plan occurs to him.
[edit] Chapter 9: Chilled Defrina
Vlad drops in on his old friend Ricard and asks him to help him recruit people to gather information. He mentions that he's just recovered his memory of Verra cutting his palm and collecting some of his blood in a vial, and of Morrollan prostrating himself before a statue of Kieron the Conquerer near Deathgate Falls, after which Morrolan said he knew how to get through the Paths. After recruiting his information people, Vlad goes to do research at the Imperial Library.
[edit] Chapter 10: Salad
With a Tsalmouth researcher named Deleen, Vlad spends three days working in the library. He learns Curithne, the head of the Jhereg, had died about a year and a half earlier (of heart failure, we learn later), and that the leadership position was still up for grabs. No war is going on. Poletra, Daifan (the Demon), and Terion are among the contenders. Terion's mistress is Triesco. When Vlad returns to his room, Kiera is there waiting. She had located him with Morrolan's help. She tells him Kragar has contacted Aliera, wanting to know how to reach Vlad to offer help. He tells her about Triesco, that she was born Athyra and joined the Jhereg before the Interregnum -- for love. Kiera suggests South Adrilankha is the price Terion is paying for the support of the Left Hand, and perhaps Terion wants to deliver Vlad's head to put himself in a stronger position with the Jhereg. Kiera says Mario wants to know of Vlad needs his help yet. He says no.
[edit] Chapter 11: Descani Wine
Vlad meets with his "Irregulars". One, Vincent, says the Ristall Market closed that day. Gossip is that someone threatened to beat up the merchants if they opened. Another Irregular, Claude, gives Vlad the name and address of a Ristall Market merchant, Francis. Francis tells Vlad some thugs started trying to muscle in on the merchants about a week earlier, Three days earlier a Jhereg told the merchants he wanted to help, and that if they all shut down the thugs couldn't do anything. He paid the merchants to shut down.
[edit] Chapter 12: Chicken with Shallots
(We learn Telnan's weapon is called Nightslayer.) Vlad, no longer disguised as Sandor, confronts Josef, one of the market thugs. He roughs Josef up and tells him the market operation is over, leave town. He gets the name of the Jhereg behind the operation, Vaasci. Vlad spends some time in South Adrilankha without incident before going to see Vaasci. He tells Vaasci the market operation is over and that the Jhereg (Right and Left) are to leave South Adrilankha alone.
[edit] Chapter 13: Descani Wine (Continued)
As Sandor, Vlad crosses the river into the City and goes to his former office -- now Kragar's -- on Lower Kieron Road. He tells Kragar he knows he (Kragar) is Mario's contact [I haven't figured out how Vlad figured this out] and tells him to have Mario kill Crithnak. He tells Kragar that the Ristall Market scheme was something one of the contenders for the head of the Jhereg Council (not Terion, but Vlad doesn't know who) had cooked up. He identifies Crithnak as Terion's mistress. [This appears to be an error on the part of Brust and his editor.] He asks Kragar to find out who was behind the Ristall Market scheme. He talks about killing Terion. Kragar suggests instead leaving Terion alive, to give Vlad bargaining power with the other contenders. Vlad tells Kragar he wants a meeting with the Demon.
[edit] Chapter 14: Brisket of Beef
Vlad goes back to Donner's Court, lays Lady Teldra on top of Verra's shrine, and is transported to Verra's Halls. She refuses to explain her plans involving him, but offers to help him. She cannot interfere with internal matters of the Great Houses, directly, but agrees to send a dream which will help him get out of a confrontation at Strangers' Road alive. She sends Vlad back.
[edit] Chapter 15: Dumplings
Mario comes to Vlad's room to report having killed Crithnak. The next morning, Vlad sends Kragar a note, in response to which Kragar sets up a meeting with the Demon. At the meeting Vlad offers to deliver the Council leadership to the Demon in exchange for the Jhereg keeping out of South Adrilankha until the end of the next Dragon Reign. The Demon says he can't call off the Left Hand; Vlad says he will be "negotiating" with the Left Hand at Strangers' Road later, and invites the Demon to be there.
[edit] Chapter 16: Red Wine
Kragar and Vlad return to Kragar's office. He says Nylanth was behind the Ristall Market scheme. Vlad returns to Strangers' Road. After a confrontation with four sorceresses (one named Nisasta) outside the house, during which the Demon arrives, they agree to go inside and talk.
[edit] Chapter 17: Palaczinta
There are six sorceresses present, including Triesco. Another, Caola, seems to be in charge. Vlad tells them to stay out of South Adrilankha, to recognize their plan to put Terion at the head of the Council has failed, and to make no objection to the Demon taking charge. In return he will not kill any of them and destroy their souls. His position is strengthened when Telnan, summoned by a dream, arrives with Nightslayer. The Demon points out that Vlad is a dead man whether he is killed there and then or later. Over Triesco's objections, Caola lets Vlad and Telnan leave, and agrees to his terms.
[edit] Epilogue: Ailor Dessert Wine
Vlad and Cawti discuss their child, Vlad Norathar. Vlad wants to meet him, and Cawti goes to get him. Vlad offers to take Kragar out to Valabar's.
