Enchanter

The first formally-named Magewar fought in the Five Duchies since the fall of the Magocracy. A conspiracy between Baron Dunselen of Greenflower, Baroness Isily, the captured-and-resurfaced warmage Nothoua ("Lady Mask"), and Enshadowed allies aimed to build a witchstone-breeding nursery, run a magelord-eugenics programme, and assassinate Minalan's wife. Mask was captured at Sevendor before the operation. The night assault on Castle Salaisus killed Dunselen, recovered four witchstones including a charred black one, rescued nine babies from the nursery, and ended at the climax with Alya destroying the bound witchstone in Isily's lacis with the pommel of a broken dagger. The blast killed Dunselen's mind through Isily's stolen connection, reduced Isily's mind to vegetation, claimed Alya's unborn child, and scattered Alya's mind for years.

Baron Arathanial of Sendaria's campaign to recover lost House Lensely lands from Sashtalia, fought across Books 6 and 7. Sevendor backed Arathanial with intelligence, magical-supply (a Carmella-built warstaff for his new Court Wizard), and tacit permission for Sevendori vassals to hire on as mercenaries. The result reshaped the Bontal Vales: Sashtalia was defeated and partitioned, the Lensely cadet barony of Taravanal was carved out for Arathanial's elder son Arlastan, and the Riverlords balance tilted decisively toward Sendaria.

<p><strong>Pentandra</strong> weds <strong>Captain Arborn</strong> after completing the full <strong>Kasari</strong> rites in <strong>Bransei</strong>, in the Wilderlands of Alshar near <strong>Kasar</strong>, the homeland of Arborn's tribe. <strong>Minalan</strong> held custody of her torus-shaped witchstone for the duration of the rites, on the principle that she had to win her ranger by her wits and not by magic.</p><p>The marriage strengthened the alliance between the <strong>Magelaw</strong> and the Kasari of Bransei, with Arborn eventually serving as Baron of <strong>Lotanz</strong>. The couple later had daughters together, and faced multiple assassination attempts from former slavers seeking to restore the slave trade in the region.</p>