Black Jewels Trilogy

The Black Jewels Triology is a series of fantasy books by Anne Bishop, telling the tale of a young girl who is destined to become the new Dark Queen.

Books

• Daughter of the Blood, March 1998
• Hier to the Shadows, April 1999
• Queen of the Darkness, January 2000

Plot summary

Set in a twisted world, where Darkness is worshiped almost as a god, and women rule in matriarchy. The protagonists are a strange mixture of demons, witches, and sex slaves.

It is foreseen that a young girl will be born who is "Dreams made flesh". She will become the Dark Queen after many long centuries with sub-par rulership. She is not just any old witch, she is Witch.

Two brothers and their father, High Lord of Hell, seek to serve and protect her as she grows up among the dangerous and mundane, while power-hungry Queens and demon-witches seek to win her to their side.

Character summary

Protagonists

• Jaenelle is the main character, the young witch destined to become Queen. Birthright Black.

• Saetan SaDiablo is the High Lord of Hell, and is Jaenelle's spiritual and adopted father.

• Daemon Sadi (SaDiablo) is the son of Saetan, and fiercely loves Jaenelle. He was raised by Dorothea SaDiablo as a sex slave, and she controls him through the pain-giving Ring of Obedience around his genitals. Birthright Red, decended to Black.

• Lucivar Yaslana (SaDiablo) is also the son of Saetan, and also fiercely loves Jaenelle. He is half-Eyrien, so he has wings. He is owned by the Queen of Pruul and controlled through a Ring of Obedience. Birthright Red, decended to Ebon Gray.

• Surreal SaDiablo is a prostitute and assasin. Birthright Green, decended to Gray.

• Cassandra is the former Dark Queen, thought to be dead for 50,000 years. Saetan served her and was her lover. Birthright Red decended to Black.

• Titan is demon-dead, mother of Surreal SaDiablo. Birthright Green.

• Andulvar Yaslana is demon-dead serving Saetan in Hell. Birthright Red decended to Ebon Gray.

• Mephis SaDiablo is demon-dead serving Saetan in Hell. He is Saetan's eldest son. Birthright Red decended to Gray.

• Prothvar is demon-dead serving Saetan in Hell. Grandson of Andulvar. Birthright Opal decended to Red.

• Tersa is the Black Widow who foretold the coming of Witch. She wanders the Twisted Kingdom, meaning she is insane.

• Char is a demon-dead child who leads the other children on Cildru Dyathe Island.

Antagonists

• Hekatah is the demon-dead former wife of Saetan, and mother to his first two sons, Mephis and Peyton. She seeks to win Jaenelle to her side, and use her to control the realms.

• Dorothea SaDiablo is the Queen of Hayll and controls most of Terrielle. She seeks to destroy all Queens who are a threat to her power. Red Jewled.

• Greer is a stooge of Dorothea.

• Kartane SaDiablo is Dorothea's son, and was raised alongside Daemon Sadi. He is also Surreal's father. He has a taste for very young girls.

Locations

The world is divided into realms, much like dimensions or planes of existance. Within each realm are many territories.

Realms

Terrielle

This is the realm which is most like Earth. It is the land of the living, and society is much like a harsh medieval culture combined with the refinement of the aristocracy class of 18th century Europe.

Each region is ruled by cruel Queens who have hundreds of years of leisure time to fill. The whole realm is controlled directly and indirectly by Dorethea SaDiablo.

• Hayll
• Chaillot
• Shalador
• Raej
• Tacea
• Dena Nehel
• Dhemlan
• Askavi
• Pruul
• Saetan's Keep

Kaeleer

Kaeleer exists between the realm of the living and of the dead. Here there are many mystical regions where humans are not allowed.

• Sceval
• Arachna
• Arceria
• Fyreborn Islands
• Centauran
• Tigrelan
• Philan
• Scelt
• Nharkhava
• Pandar
• Dea al Mon
• Dharo
• Glacia
• Little Terreille
• Dhemlan
• Askavi
• Saetan's Hall

Hell

This is the realm of the dead, where the demons live. Saetan is the High Lord over this realm.

• Hekatah's Territory
• Harpy Territory
• Cildru Dyathe Island
• Dhemlan
• Askavi
• Saetan's Keep

Magic system and mythology

Members of the proper bloodline, aka "The Blood", are capable of doing magic. Each person is gifted with a birthright jewel. Through various rituals, they can earn a stone up to three levels darker: the darker the stone, the more powerful.

The Blood can channel magic without possessing a stone, but their jewel must be on their person in order to use its charged power.

Magic can be used to do just about anything, such as travel from place to place via a web, turn invisible, and walk through walls. The darker the stone, the stronger the magic, but even within one color of stone there are differing strengths. Intelligence also goes a long way towards what one can do with the power they possess.

Drugs made from herbs can be used to block a person's power by making them mentally incapable.

Special witches are called "Black Widows". Witches with a specific talent towards healing are Healers.

Animals can also be of The Blood, and these are called "kindred". These animals also carry jewels and can cast spells.

References