Review: Kallinor's Charge by Mark Price & David Roomes

Kallinor's Charge is a piece of Tie-in fiction to the recent adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus. It can be found for free in Dragon+ issue 28, which was published in October 2019. It is the last piece of fiction before Ice Out was released just last month; a sad reminder that sometimes we have to wait a whole year for more Realms fiction. Just like the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist tie-in fiction stories, Kallinor's Charge is also written by Mark Price and David Roomes.

Our protagnist is Captain Kiran of the Hellriders of Elturel. She and her two lieutenants Lyra and Mallor are sent to Darrow Estate from Candlekeep. Kallinor, an almost legendary, retired Hellrider, has something they believe can save Elturel, which has been taken completely into Avernus, the first layer of the Hells. This artifact is the staff Imminent Light. The trio does not understand the consequences of wielding the staff, though warned by Kallinor. They find out the hard way, witnessing the infernal curse.

Price and Roomes have shown they make a good writing duo, and I'd like to see a novel from them like we have seen from other Realms' duos in the past. The imagery is great, the emotions are described well, and the combat narrated smoothly.

An interesting ending, one I want to find out more about. Is Kiran in the adventure? Yet another I have not experienced for myself. This is Exceptional. The last paragraph is a lovely echo of the first, I really appreciated it when I noticed; it works well. 

"There she stood, poised at the threshold, poised in readiness."

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