264:, she falls under the influence of the Grey Robe healer and magician Riveda. Riveda himself is not a Black Robe, but time and again he is accused of not being stringent enough in punishing the Grey Robes who stray into Black Robe teachings, and he even admits to admiring the Black Robes' ambition to use power without concern over "good" or "evil" uses of magic. Riveda succumbs to his desire for power, and leads Deoris and Reio-ta in a ritual that leaves magical scars on Deoris' chest, disfigures Riveda's hands, and secretly returning Reio-ta's sanity. During Deoris' recovery, she and Riveda become lovers. A short time later, Riveda tells Deoris that she must return to Domaris' care, but first performs one last Black Robe ceremony with her, waking The Man With The Crossed Arms, a deity-like figure of destructive powers. Domaris is able to reverse the ceremony, but it is too late, and Riveda's actions have doomed the Ancient Land to eventual destruction.
268:
been conceived during that rite. In an attempt to save Deoris, Domaris burns the girdle, then dedicates both of them and their children to
Caratra through eternity, lifetime to lifetime, until Deoris' spiritual debt is paid. Riveda is convicted of black magic, and executed, but Deoris' life is spared because of Domaris' actions. Reio-ta, having recovered his senses, proposes he be named the father of Deoris' child in order to save the child from being considered "nameless" in the Temple. Deoris reluctantly agrees, and they are married. It is also calculated that Deoris' child must have been conceived in between the two Black Robe ceremonies, lifting some of the stigma from the child.
276:
makes his farewell to his mother, and meets his cousin Tiriki for the first time. Domaris dies. Micail and Tiriki are falling in love; upon hearing from
Rajasta that there is a prophecy concerning Micail founding a new Temple in a new land, after the obviously impending death of the Sea Kingdom, they ask that they be married as soon as possible so that they are ready to work together to ensure continuity. The novel ends with everyone aware that Atlantis is doomed to disappear, but hopefull that with careful planning, their traditions will endure.
272:
Domaris agrees, and gives the girl her everyday name of Tiriki. Thus
Domaris raises Deoris' child, while Deoris stays in the Ancient Land and has more contact with Micail, who is a few years old when Domaris leaves. As further penance, Deoris volunteers to provide an heir for Domaris' husband, as Domaris has been unable to carry any other children to term after Micail's birth.
240:
His younger brother, Reio-ta, attempted to save Micon by allowing the Black Robes torturing them to channel his own powers. Reio-ta loses most of his sanity and his memory; when they meet again, Micon disowns Reio-ta, saying it would have been better if Reio-ta had died rather than letting his powers be used that way.
267:
Over the coming months, it becomes apparent to everyone except Deoris herself that Deoris is pregnant. Domaris discovers that Deoris is wearing a girdle that somehow binds her to Riveda, as well as blocking her memories of the last Black Robe rite, and her awareness of her pregnancy, presumed to have
218:
Domaris and Deoris are sisters, born in the Temple of Light in the
Ancient Land, one of many islands, including Atlantis, making up the Sea Kingdom. Domaris, whose temple name is "Isarma", is the elder sister, while Deoris, or "Adsartha," is much younger. Their mother died when Deoris was born, and
243:
Micon and
Domaris meet and fall in love, and though they cannot marry, Domaris does have the right to bear a child to a man other than her future husband before she is married. Micon asks Domaris to invoke this right, and she agrees. Their child is born, named Micail (temple name "Osinarmen"), and
239:
by the secretive Black Robe sect for his hereditary power as an
Atlantean prince to control certain elemental powers. Micon is now hiding in the Ancient Land's Temple of Light, struggling to stay alive long enough to father an heir to his powers, so that they do not pass on to his brother instead.
275:
Years pass, and
Domaris sends for Rajasta to see her before she dies. Rajasta and Deoris come to Atlantis, not knowing that Domaris is dying, and Deoris discovers for the first time that her daughter is alive, and has been living with Domaris. Rajasta and Deoris have brought Micail with them; he
271:
Deoris gives birth to her daughter, temple name "Eilantha," in the aftermath of an earthquake. Delirious, she believes the child was stillborn; in reality, Reio-ta has persuaded
Domaris to leave the Ancient Land for Atlantis with the child so she does not grow up ostracized by her parents' sins.
319:
as a title is somewhat misleading. The book does not describe the destruction of
Atlantis, or the other related Sea Kingdoms. Instead, the book shows the events and actions taken in the Ancient Land that are believed will lead to Atlantis' destruction in the next generation.
251:
Through all this, Deoris becomes increasingly jealous of
Domaris' devotion to Micon, which leads to her rebellion and alienation between the sisters. There seems no harm in her initial choice to be dedicated to the temple of Caratra, the mother
223:
of the Temple of Light, and a figure rather absent from their everyday lives. Their father-figure, and Domaris' mentor, is another priest named Rajasta. Domaris' role in the temple, in particular, is planned out for her according to her
328:~description of the work's initial reception and legacy based on the work of literary critics and commentators over the years, give citations; if no literary significant should just be called reception~
39:
198:
disappeared: a forbidden religious ceremony carried out in secret, releasing dark powers and dooming the sea kingdom to destruction. Originally published seperately as
244:
Micon survives only a few days beyond his birth, long enough to pass on his powers. Domaris grieves deeply after Micon's death, at times sinking into
228:, and while she has no passion for the man she is supposed to marry, she accepts both her role and her fiancé as part of the way things simply are.
41:
File:~file reference to the image ideally named after the title of novel~ (n.b. first edition cover if available - and permitted) ~
305:
157:
219:
so Domaris is both sister to Deoris, and the only mother-figure Deoris has ever known. Their father is the high
336:~lists awards the work received, and significant nominations, if applicable; include in reception if brief~
191:
55:
225:
206:
168:
200:
301:
256:
of the Ancient Land, rather than the Temple of Light. But in her desire to become not just a
152:
65:
187:
125:
85:
17:
245:
236:
136:
284:~thematic description, using the work of literary critics (i.e. scholars)~
261:
195:
253:
95:
75:
257:
232:
220:
248:, and in general taking little notice of anything besides Micail.
105:
344:~references to sources etc~ ~include quotes or links to
292:~history of the novel's development, if available~
231:That starts to change when Deoris is assigned as a
163:
151:
143:
131:
121:
111:
101:
91:
81:
71:
61:
51:
38:
345:
210:, they were later republished in one volume.
8:
32:
235:to Micon, a man who has been tortured and
31:
46:~caption about the edition of the cover~
194:. It explores one possible reason why
308:, Pub date 1 February 1987, paperback
7:
324:Literary significance and reception
24:
312:Explanation of the novel's title
300:1987, USA, BAEN (2nd THUS ed)
1:
367:
37:
226:astrological birth chart
332:Awards and nominations
260:, but the rare female
311:
192:Marion Zimmer Bradley
56:Marion Zimmer Bradley
33:The Fall of Atlantis
317:The Fall Of Atlantis
183:The Fall of Atlantis
296:Publication history
288:Development history
169:Ancestors of Avalon
34:
176:
175:
122:Publication place
62:Cover artist
358:
164:Followed by
113:Publication date
66:Darrell K. Sweet
44:
42:
35:
366:
365:
361:
360:
359:
357:
356:
355:
354:
342:
334:
326:
314:
298:
290:
282:
216:
207:Web of Darkness
178:
132:Media type
114:
47:
40:
29:
26:
22:
21:
20:
12:
11:
5:
364:
362:
353:
352:External links
350:
341:
338:
333:
330:
325:
322:
313:
310:
297:
294:
289:
286:
281:
278:
215:
212:
174:
173:
165:
161:
160:
155:
149:
148:
145:
141:
140:
133:
129:
128:
123:
119:
118:
115:
112:
109:
108:
103:
99:
98:
93:
89:
88:
83:
79:
78:
73:
69:
68:
63:
59:
58:
53:
49:
48:
45:
23:
15:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
363:
351:
349:
347:
339:
337:
331:
329:
323:
321:
318:
309:
307:
303:
295:
293:
287:
285:
279:
277:
273:
269:
265:
263:
259:
255:
249:
247:
241:
238:
234:
229:
227:
222:
213:
211:
209:
208:
203:
202:
197:
193:
189:
188:fantasy novel
185:
184:
179:
172:
170:
166:
162:
159:
156:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
127:
126:United States
124:
120:
116:
110:
107:
104:
100:
97:
94:
90:
87:
86:Avalon series
84:
80:
77:
74:
70:
67:
64:
60:
57:
54:
50:
43:
36:
30:
27:
19:
343:
335:
327:
316:
315:
299:
291:
283:
280:Major themes
274:
270:
266:
250:
242:
230:
217:
205:
201:Web of Light
199:
182:
181:
180:
177:
167:
28:
25:
18:User:Kltk78
340:References
306:0671656155
246:depression
158:0671656155
346:Wikiquote
147:512 pages
137:paperback
102:Publisher
262:magician
196:Atlantis
72:Language
254:goddess
237:blinded
135:Print (
96:Fantasy
76:English
348:here~
304:
258:healer
233:scribe
221:priest
171:
82:Series
52:Author
186:is a
144:Pages
92:Genre
16:<
302:ISBN
214:Plot
204:and
153:ISBN
117:1987
106:Baen
190:by
139:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.