History Literature / Nightrunner

* OutnumberedSibling: Seregil has four older sisters. His father's desire for a son was the reason that led his mother to risk her life, having far more children than is the norm for Aurënfaie, eventually dying in childbirth.

Flewelling also wrote a spinoff, the Tamír Triad, set in the same universe roughly six hundred years earlier.

* ColonelBadass: Princess Klia, of course. She loves battle and is *very* good at it.
* ComfortingComforter: Seregil to Alec.

* TheDragon: Vargûl Ashnazai for Duke Mardus.

* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: Ylinestra puts Alec (a sixteen-year-old boy) under a spell and has sex with him while he is under the influence. And yet everyone seems to treat it lightly. Seregil even debates whether he should tease Alec about it. Nysander is annoyed that Ylinestra would use magic on an unwilling subject. Alec is a bit upset, but gets over it in no time.
** Ylinestra insisted that the sex was consensual and the unwilling magic was something she was doing afterwards, which Nysander stopped her from. Alec was more confused than upset. Nysander and Magyana both say that if she used magic to coerce him, that's wrong and should be punished, but they're not sure what really happened. Seregil's reaction is the odd one out, since Alec even admits he was bespelled and Seregil keeps chuckling over it. Alec himself notes that he felt dirtied by the experience and has no further desire to interact with Ylinestra afterward.

* GodOfFire: Sakor is known as "The Flamebringer" and is also the god of the sun, war, and victory. Sakor is also associated with a mid-winter holiday called "Mourning Night", the day on which the god died (and was reborn the following morning), marked with the dousing of all flames in the city.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: [[spoiler:Phoria]] seems to be a mild version of one. She loves war, hates the sister by a different father who rivals her in popularity and thus can aim for the throne, bullies her weaker siblings, does not listen to perfectly sound advice if it goes against her perceptions. Also seems unable to see the bigger picture and long term consequences.

* StuffedIntoTheFridge: [[spoiler:Thryis and her family]] in ''Stalking Darkness''.

* ALighterShadeOfGray: Both Skala and Plenimar have no qualms to use war to further their interests, can be/are ruled by overly ambitious or incompetent rulers, use gruesome punishments, and are plagued with intrigues. However, the Skalans are presented as being more chivalrous and humane towards war prisoners and civilians, whereas slavery is well and alive in Plenimar and the Plenimaran soldiers are universally cruel.

* BigBrotherMentor: Seregil for Alec.
* BigDamnKiss: Twice. The first shortly before the climax of ''Stalking Darkness'', resolving the long lingering [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]], the second in ''Shadows Return'' [[spoiler:just before Alec gets killed]].

A series of HeroicFantasy novels by Lynn Flewelling that follows the adventures of two {{Loveable Rogue}}s and their friends and allies.

A 16-year-old orphan named Alec is imprisoned and tortured for a crime he didn't commit. But just as he's starting to welcome the idea of his inevitable death, he is made to share his cell with the ''real'' criminal -- a man named Seregil, who breaks them both out of their prison. Seregil, a spy/thief for hire, recognizes the innate thieving skills Alec possesses, and offers to take him on as his apprentice. Alec accepts, and is immediately drawn into deadly intrigues, an impending war, and a secret society of spies and wizards.

Seven books and a short stories anthology have been published so far. The second book is a sequel to the first, and the remaining are standalone. The seventh is supposedly the final book in the series.

Flewelling has also written a spinoff, the Tamír Triad, set in the same universe during a different time period (roughly six hundred years earlier).

* InfantImmortality: Both averted early on and later played straight in ''Stalking Darkness''. And in ''Casket of Souls'', there are dozens of children among [[spoiler:Atre's numerous victims]].

* OurElvesAreBetter: The Aurënfaie are typically very beautiful, live for several hundred years, and were the first beings to possess magic. However, Flewelling herself has expressed distaste for stereotypical elves. Thus, while the Aurënfaie are an entire race of {{Pretty Boy}}s and Beautiful Girls, they do not possess such features as pointy ears and can pass for human with little effort. They also have a more diverse culture based on clans, many of which favor interests that in no way resemble "classic" elves, and even the clans appear to have some internal diversity. This surprises some characters.

** Ylinestra insisted that the sex was consensual and the unwilling magic was something she was doing afterwards, which Nysander stopped her from. Alec was more confused than upset. Nysander and Magyana both say that if she used magic to coerce him, that's wrong and should be punished, but they're not sure what really happened. Seregil's reaction is the odd one out, since Alec even admits he was bespelled and Seregil keeps chuckling over it.

* GoodScarsEvilScars

* TheVamp: Ylinestra.

* DeadpanSnarker: It would be easier to list the ones that do not indulge in this. Even high queen type Idrilain cannot help herself when two forgers declare their loyalty to her after they had been linked to the Lerans. Seregil and Thero engage in SnarkToSnarkCombat any time they are in proximity to each other. One person who never snarks is the eternally good natured Nysander.

* PropheticName: At the end of the last book, [[spoiler:the only name that Thero and Klia manage to settle on for their daughter is Tamír. Which prompts Seregil to respond "the Third". Thero seems aware of it, since he has assigned several of the people he trusts the most to be his child's guardian after the jealous and bitchy Princes Aralain kicks up a fuss about the name, saying only ruling queens bore that name.]]

* EveryoneIsBi: Well, almost everyone.

* BiTheWay: Seregil, Alec (after he gets over his Dalnan prudery), and a couple of minor characters. Appears to be quite normal in Skalan and Aurënfaie society.

* {{Patronymic}}: The standard naming system in Aurënen and Skala. Women use matronymics.

%%* KissingUnderTheInfluence: Alec and Ylinestra.

* BadassPrincess[=/=]LadyOfWar: Practically obligatory in the matriarchal monarchy of Skala. Even when not in armor or military uniform, the female Skalan royals (and many of the nobility) are not to be underestimated, as most have extensive combat training and experience. Teenage Princess Elani greatly enjoys working archery contests, hunting or sword practice into her courtly activities much more than lounging about gossiping.

* KissingUnderTheInfluence: Alec and Ylinestra.

* Fingore: [[spoiler:Princess Klia loses two fingers]] after being poisoned during the third book.
* Foreshadowing: In ''Casket of Souls'', Thero's thoughts after watching a play:

* FreakyFriday: Seregil and Thero in ''Luck in the Shadows''.

* NonActionGirl: Princess Aralain, in stark contrast to [[ActionGirl her mother, sisters and daughter]].

* Twincest: Seregil has this suspicion regarding Phoria and Korathan. However, there's no other evidence that this might go beyond strong loyalty and affection. Phoria is known to have had [[spoiler:Lord Barien the Viceregent]] as a lover, and [[spoiler:was deeply affected by his suicide in the first book]], while Korathan has had a fair share of young (and apparently exclusively male) lovers throughout the years. [[spoiler:Phoria's apparent jealousy over Korathan and Seregil being lovers decades before]] might stem from simple disapproval of his influence on her brother.

->''Thero found him­self seat­ed be­tween the dark-​haired beau­ty, Me­ri­na, and the pret­ty young wom­an named Tan­ni, who'd played the wiz­ard’s daughter - an­oth­er in­con­sis­ten­cy, that, since Orës­ka wiz­ards were al­ways bar­ren.''

Flewelling has also written a spinoff, the Tamír Triad, set in the same universe during a different time period.

* AboveGoodAndEvil: The Four Gods, who patronise both good and bad things (e.g. Illior/Aura gives light and knowledge but is a patron of thieves and madness; Sakor guards the hearth and brings the sun but favours [[BloodKnight Blood Knights]] etc). Also how rulership in Skala is decided: the Immortals only cares that it's a Queen from Thelamios bloodline, not whether she's a good or bad leader. Even if a man usurps a throne for good reasons, Bad Things will happen.
* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: The sewage system of Rhiminee, according to the design of Queen Tamir the Great. In ''Stalking Darkness''. "Why did they build it so big?" "So that the poisonous humours that can collect do so overhead, and the air down here is good." (Paraphrased, natch.)
* ActionGirl: Beka, Princess Klia and many others. Being one is actually a requirement to be Queen of Skala to the point where one princess is not actually in the line of succession because she lacks military prowess.

* AnnoyingArrows: Averted. Alec in particular proves just how lethal a skilled archer can be. Also, the Plenimarans dip their arrowheads in feces, specifically with the intent of causing infected wounds. [[spoiler: This is what leads to Queen Idrilain's death]].
* BabiesEverAfter: [[spoiler: The seventh book ends with the birth of Tamir a Klia, the daughter of Princess Klia and Thero.]]
* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler: Alec, courtesy of Sebrahn]].
* BadMoonRising: The comet, called a plague star.

* BattleCouple: [[spoiler: Seregil and Alec. Beka and Nyal. Some others among the minor characters, such as Mirn and Steb]].
* BecauseDestinySaysSo: The prophecy of the Guardian, the Shaft, the Vanguard, and the Guide
* BigBrotherMentor: Seregil for Alec
* BigDamnKiss: Twice. First short before the climax of ''Stalking Darkness'', resolving the long lingering [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]], second in ''Shadows Return'' [[spoiler: just before Alec gets killed.]]
* BiTheWay: Seregil, Alec (after he gets over his Dalnan prudery), and a couple minor characters. Appears to be quite normal in Skalan and Aurënfaie society.
* BigBad: Duke Mardus, the Overlord of Plenimar, [[spoiler: Ulan í Sathil]], Rhazat...

* BloodKnight: In Skala they are considered to be Sakor touched. Many characters have mild elements of this trope like Beka, Klia, Myrhini, and even Micum.
* BloodMagic: Necromancy, practiced by the Plenimaran elite. Mild variations (e.g. tracking people using their blood) are practiced by Orëska wizards though it's generally frown upon and the Aurënfaie completely shun blood magic.

* CantArgueWithElves: Because of their long lifespans, convoluted customs, religious absolutism and Byzantine politics, the Aurënfaie can keep a debate going for longer than most humans can endure. They can also hold grudges that outlast entire generations of humans.
* ChekhovsGun: The Akhendi charm bracelets. Also from the same book the dragon bite that Thero receives in his scrotum. [[spoiler: It cures his Wizard typical sterility and he knocks up Princess Klia.]]
* TheClan: The various Aurënfaie clans, complete with [[PlanetOfHats hats]] in the form of headscarves.

* CoolBigSis: Adzriel to Seregil. Beka takes this role for Alec too and it's implied her little sister Illia looks up to her that way.
* CombatPragmatist: Nightrunning as well as being a Watcher cannot afford honourable fights. Seregil manages to instill this fighting philosophy to those he teaches (Alec and Beka).
* CreepyChild: Sebrahn. [[spoiler: He lives off Alec's blood, can cure any illness or injury and even bring people back from death, and kills men just by singing.]]
* CulturedBadass: Seregil to a tee. Can fight like a demon and is a well known patron of arts, is well versed in gourmet food, and speaks a multitude of languages. He trains Alec to be the same. Also the Skalan nobles and royalty that are in the army. They have the education that befits their status and plenty of badass skills.
* CunningLinguist: Seregil speaks Aurënfaie, Skalan, Plenimaran and some more living languages, as well as two or three ancient ones.

* TheDragon: Vargûl Ashnazai for Duke Mardus

* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: Ylinestra puts Alec (a sixteen year old boy) under a spell and has sex with him while he is under the influence. And yet everyone seems to treat it lightly. Seregil even debates whether he should tease Alec about it. Nysander is annoyed that Ylinestra would use magic on an unwilling subject. Alec is a bit upset, but gets over it in no time.

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: In Stalking Darkness, when Alec is separated from Seregil and kidnapped by Mardus, he tries to kill himself and is suicidal for most of the "trip".He got better, thankfully.]]

* FantasticRacism: Many Aurënfaie consider themselves superior to Tirfaie (humans), in some parts of Aurënen [[HalfHumanHybrid half-breeds]] are treated with disdain, though this is not true of all clans. Conversely, the Plenimarans prize the Aurënfaie as slaves (and sacrifices for necromantic rites) and conduct slaving raids into Aurënen as well as breeding 'faie slaves much as they would horses. Also, the Leran plots are based on the fact that the Skalan royal line has Aurënfaie blood. The Hâzadriëlfaie though take the cake on racism, although it is revealed that [[spoiler: this is because they have more dragon blood than other Aurënfaie and can be used for some seriously messed up magic]], hence they studiously avoid most other peoples, including other Aurënfaie.
* FantasyPantheon: The Four: Astellus the Traveler, Dalna the Maker, Illior the Lightbearer and Sakor of the Flame are the primary deities worshiped by the peoples of the Three Lands. However, many Plenimarans have taken to following a foreign god, Seriamaius, the Eater of Death and patron of Necromancers, in the hopes that he will bring their nation victory over Skala and Mycena. There are also minor gods, such as Bilairy, who guards the gate to the afterlife. The Aurënfaie are either henotheistic or monotheistic, worshiping only Aura (Illior) and none of the other gods.
* FreakyFriday: Seregil and Thero
* FriendToAllChildren: Alec all over the place. Micum too has a very soft spot for children, thanks to being a father of five.
* FunctionalMagic: Multiple varieties. Inherent Gift magic is standard with the Aurënfaie. The human Third Orëska wizards combine this with Rule Magic. [[ReligionIsMagic Theurgy]] is employed by the Drysians and the Rhui'auros. [[{{Necromancer}} Necromantic]] [[BloodMagic Arts]] are popular in Plenimar. [[AlchemyIsMagic Alchemy]] is studied by some wizards, and there are also dedicated specialists to this magical discipline. MagicMusic is practiced by centaurs and the human Retha'noi mountain people.
* {{Gayngst}}: [[spoiler:Happens to Seregil when he falls in love with Micum and later Alec.]]
* GentlemanThief: Seregil
* GenuineHumanHide: The ancient ''dyrmagnos'' Rhazat [[spoiler: appears as a beautiful woman by literally wearing the necromantically transferred skin that she flayed off of Nhandi the Wise, the last Hierophant]].

* GodOfEvil: Seriamaius. Worshiped with torture and human sacrifice. His eventual goal is to strip the bones of the world.

* GoingNative: Seregil, an Aurënfaie, can blend in almost anywhere in human territory, and is particularly knowledgeable about Rhiminee life. He's also completely adapted to the human way of thinking and action to the point that other 'faie in Aurënen find him strange.

* GreenEyedEpiphany: Slightly subverted. Seregil already ''has'' an eye on Alec at that point and is very aware of it, but too concerned about exploiting Alec to act on his attraction. Still, him being jealous when a male prostitute gets touchy-feely with Alec is new (but then it again takes a good while for Seregil to admit that he ''is'' in love and not just in lust). However, during this same scene Alec likewise finds himself jealous of the men around Seregil and starts to question his own feelings.
* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler:Alec, half 'faie]]
* HappilyMarried: Micum and Kari, Seregil and Alec (or, well, happily talímeníos-bonded), [[spoiler:Beka and Nyal]] and probably soon Thero and Klia.
* HappinessInSlavery: Subverted with Alec's Master in "Shadows return"[[spoiler: who expects Alec to be calm and cheerful at the prospect of a life as a test subject for Yakobin's alchemic endeavours.]] And then there's his pet slave Khenir who will be freed soon and is happy at the prospect... but well... it still ends up a solid case B. Most 'faie slaves are either a type B or C and in general: et's just say, Mrs. Flewelling gets the point across that slavery is shit no matter how kind a slave owner deems themselves to be.
* HealingMagicIsTheHardest: The FunctionalMagic levels in this world are fairly high and magic can be readily used to, for example, transform people into animals or even inanimate objects. But healing is rarely a quick fix affair. In particular it is not always effective at curing diseases or poisoning. Hence the incredible value of a successfully created ''rhekaro''.
* HelpingHands: The Dyrmagnos
* HeroicBSOD: Happens to Alec when [[spoiler: he thinks Seregil is dead]]. Also happens to Seregil after [[spoiler:Nysander's death]].
* HighPriest: The ancient Hierophants were effectively priest kings[=/=]queens of the early Three Lands and leaders of the worship of the Four. In modern times the individual gods have their own High Priests in each nation. Averted with the Aurënfaie, whose Rhui'auros are the most committed clergy of Aura (Illior), but are mystics that have little to do with regular society.
* TheHighQueen: Gherilain the First, Tamir, Idrilain the Second during the series, Princess Klia also has shades of this.
* HonorBeforeReason: Of all people ''Seregil'' throughout almost all of ''Traitor's moon'' - granted he acts this way to prove to the Aurënfaie that he does have honor, unlike what they think of him and hopes to get his exile lifted - but damn when it includes letting himself being beaten up by a hostile party without even defending himself [[spoiler: or returning to face an almost certain death sentence after running away - to do the RIGHT thing and prevent a war -]] because his honor says so - we really are with Alec and Nyal and all the folks who call Seregil out on it. And they are many.
* HonorRelatedAbuse: Alec's mother Iriya a Shaar was murdered by her own brothers for breaking the law and becoming pregnant with a half human child. Alec's father Amasa kills them in revenge later.
* IncurableCoughOfDeath: [[spoiler: Ulan í Sathil develops this, and it motivates his involvement with a Plenimaran alchemist who is working to create a ''rhekaro'', a magical creature with extraordinary healing powers. The experiment is a success, but Ulan never manages to benefit from it]].

* InfantImmortality: Both averted early on and later played straight in ''Stalking Darkness''.

* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Seregil and Alec. Most Aurënfaie, really.
* LongLived[=/=]WizardsLiveLonger: Aurënfaie and the Orëska wizards (who have Aurënfaie ancestry anyway). It is unclear if other magic users have extended lifespans as well, although Necromancers may become undead.
* LovePotion: The enchantment spell Ylinestra uses on Alec in the second book. She also wears at all times a magically alluring perfume. It is enthralling to men and sickening to women.

* MadOracle: The human Oracle of Illior and the Aurënfaie Rhui'auros, both of whom follow the same god of magic, knowledge and madness.

* MayflyDecemberRomance: Beka and Nyal. Thero and Klia.
* MindRape: Vargûl Ashnazai's preferred method of torture.
* ModestRoyalty: UpToEleven, only one of the royals that gets screen time seems to wear finery. The rest have a strong preference for military uniform.

* NeverMyFault: Ilar blames ''Seregil'' for him being enslaved because [[spoiler: Seregil inadvertently killed someone instead of just causing an embarrassment for his clan as planned]]. Nevermind that Seregil was very young and naive and manipulated into the whole thing by Ilar himself and that [[spoiler: the slavery was orchestrated by Ulan, the person behind the plot to cause scandal for Seregil's clan]].
* NoBiologicalSex: Sebrahn. Also, the Four Gods, who are each said to be either or both genders.

* NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering: The Iia'sidra. As a fairly large nation where a significant chunk of the population can use magic, Aurënen could easily be the dominant power in the region, eclipsing any or all of the Three Lands. But the many clan divisions and the contentious politics of the Iia'sidra tend to prevent the Aurënfaie from acting as a unified nation.

* OldRetainer: Runcer, Seregil's butler counts. Also Lady Kassarie's servants.
* OlderThanTheyLook / ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: The 'faie, and wizards.

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: The young ones are as common as lizards in Aurënen, and roughly as intelligent. They do not become intelligent or develop magical powers until they reach a very large size and age, which only a few do.
* OurElvesAreBetter: The Aurënfaie are typically beautiful, live for several hundred years, and were the first beings to possess magic. However, Flewelling herself has expressed distaste for stereotypical elves. Thus, while the Aurënfaie are an entire race of {{Pretty Boy}}s and Beautiful Girls, they do not possess such features as pointy ears and can pass for human with little effort. They also have a more diverse culture based on clans, many of which favor interests that in no way resemble "classic" elves, and even the clans appear to have some internal diversity. This surprises some characters.

* OurGodsAreDifferent: Lots of differences of opinion here. The Four: Astellus, Dalna, Illior and Sakor are the traditional deities of the Three Lands. However, Illior and Sakor are definitely favored in Skala, whereas people in Mycena and the northern regions prefer Astellus and Dalna. The ruling class of Plenimar, a nation in which most people worship the Four as well, instead favor the foreign god Seriamaius because of the power he promises. Meanwhile, the Aurënfaie exclusively worship Aura (Illior) and it appears to vary from person to person whether or not they even believe in the other gods. At the same time, the Retha'noi are quite adamant that their moon goddess is ''not'' the same deity as Aura/Illior.

* OverlyLongName: In the south a highborn person's name includes the given name, the names of same-sex parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, and place of birth, much to Alec's perplexity. The standard way of politely referring to someone would be e.g. ''Seregil i Korit'' or ''Klia ä Idrilain''. Alex has the abbreviated name of "Alec i Amasa Kerry" as he doesn't know all the names.

* {{Patronymic}}: The standard naming system in Aurënen and Skala. Women use matronymics.

* TheProphecy: A few. One is the reason Skala is ruled by a line of warrior queens. Then there's the prophecy of Seriamaius's return that drives the plot of the first two books. And though they've never actually given a prophecy about him, it's clear the oracles at Sarikali have at least some knowledge of Seregil's future. [[spoiler: And the prediction about Sebrahn that Alec misinterprets.]]
* PropheticName: [[spoiler: The only name that Thero and Klia manage to settle on for their daughter is Tamir. Which prompts Seregil to respond 'the Third'. Thero seems aware of it since he has assigned several of the people he trusts to be his child's guardian after the jealous and bitchy Princes Aralain kicked up a fuss about the name.]]

* PunctuationShaker: Aurënfaie, Aurënen, Orëska, Rhui'auros, etc.
* RageAgainstTheMentor: Alec is incensed when he discovers that the first house Seregil has him burgle [[spoiler: is Seregil's own]].
** Seregil himself isn't too pleased that his beloved mentor Nysander is very cagey about [[spoiler: the meaning of the symbol on the disc that nearly gets him and Alec killed]], going as far as threatening to kill him if he tries to uncover the mystery. Later Seregil has an even nastier shock when it turns out that [[spoiler: Nysander plans to get himself killed by Seregil's hand to permanently destroy the Helm]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Queen Idrilain, who executes traitors without mercy but would listen to advice and petition. Likewise, her eldest son Prince Korathan, despite being very loyal to his twin sister Phoria, does recognise and employ people who genuinely want to work for the good of Skala.

* ReligionIsMagic: The drysians that serve as clergy of Dalna have magic that is separate from the Orëska magic that humans received from crossbreeding with the Aurënfaie. The high priestess of Illior is shown as unleashing a magical attack at one point, and there are also oracles who receive prophetic insights. The Aurënfaie Rhui'auros are explicitly called "wizard-priests". Necromancy is supposedly the gift of the god Seriamaius, and most necromancers worship him. However, their rituals lean more towards BloodMagic, SummonMagic and manipulation of LifeEnergy than directly invoking their deity for magic.

* RichBitch: Plenty of the female nobles but especially Princess Aralain.

* TheRival: Thero to Seregil, for Nysander's affection and recognition.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: The entire Skalan royal family. The Queen is also a general, as is the Princess Royal. In fact, each of her six children (bar one) is in the Army, and half of them die on the field of battle.
* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler: Rhazat, the ancient ''dyrmagnos'' who brought the art of Necromancy and the worship of Seriamaius to the Three Lands. The last Hierophant and her Aurënfaie wizard lover imprisoned her in a PocketDimension that mirrored the sacred isle of Kouros. The creation of the prison triggered a cataclysm that caused the island to be virtually abandoned for a long time. But then simple natural erosion broke the magical seal on the Kouros side of the barrier allowing Rhazat to begin to exert influence on the island, which was once again inhabited and recently reclaimed by Skala, and prepare to make her escape]].

* TheSpymaster: Nysander and later [[spoiler: Magyana (for a short while) and Thero]], who manages an intelligence network known as the "Watchers". It's a hereditary post pass from master to disciple and the Watchers are active well beyond Skala borders. They work not only to uncover political plots but also to collect scholarly knowledge.
* SquishyWizard: Subverted. [[spoiler: Nysander]] survives an all-out assault on his home to take part in the final battle of the second book, although he is badly weakened. [[spoiler: Thero]] survives a deadly poison almost all by his own power. He even says it to the effect of "Why do you think wizards live so long? Because we're hard to destroy".
* StarCrossedLovers: Alec's parents, Ireya ä Shaar and Amasa of Kerry.

* TheStoic: Rieser the Hazad is a hardcore stoic.
* StreetUrchin: A network of them in Rhíminee.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: [[spoiler:Thryis and her family]].

* TakingTheBullet: Or rather, the arrow: near the end of ''Shadows Return''.
* TemptingFate: Every time Seregil declares himself bored some horrendous disaster happens soon after. [[spoiler: Klia and Thero name their baby daughter Tamir, after Queen Tamir the Great. Seregil remarks 'the Third' before Klia protests that little Tamir is not in the succession.]]

* TimeAbyss: Applies to all of the "dyrmagnos", necromancers turned into extremely long-lived, dried out, black husks. [[spoiler: Prime example however would be Rhazat at an age of over 1000 years. She's the Mother of necromancy, bringing the art to Plenimar in the first place.]]
* TrainingTheGiftOfMagic: Most of the Aurënfaie and many humans with 'faie ancestors exhibit some Inherent Gift. It is usually very minor unless they work to develop proficiency with it. The Third Orëska of Skala actively seeks children with magical potential and recruits them as apprentice wizards.

* WellDoneSonGuy: As a child, Seregil always tries to please his father who he thinks blames him for his mother's death and thus is always cold and critical toward him. It proves to have disastrous consequences. Seregil retains a bit of this trait in his affection for Nysander.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Seregil, by Aurënfaie standards. The faie typically not only live long but also mature more slowly than humans. At around 60 years-old, Seregil would normally be considered only a young adult in Aurënen. However, Seregil's life in Skala, especially his spy career, has gained him lots of life experiences. Likewise, Alec is advised not to talk about his actual age when visiting Aurënen, since he would literally be regarded as a child despite being almost an adult by Skalan standards.
* WizardingSchool: The Orëska House, of course.

* IncompatibleOrientation: Seregil fell in love with Micum after the two first met, and while Micum considers Seregil one of his closest friends he's 100% straight.

* TheObiWan: Nysander.

* OurGodsAreGreater: Lots of differences of opinion here. The Four: Astellus, Dalna, Illior and Sakor are the traditional deities of the Three Lands. However, Illior and Sakor are definitely favored in Skala, whereas people in Mycena and the northern regions prefer Astellus and Dalna. The ruling class of Plenimar, a nation in which most people worship the Four as well, instead favor the foreign god Seriamaius because of the power he promises. Meanwhile, the Aurënfaie exclusively worship Aura (Illior) and it appears to vary from person to person whether or not they even believe in the other gods. At the same time, the Retha'noi are quite adamant that their moon goddess is ''not'' the same deity as Aura/Illior.

* LeftJustifiedFantasyMap: Averted.