History Literature / StarCraftTheDarkTemplarSaga

''[=StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga=]'' is a trilogy of novels in the ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' ExpandedUniverse, set between ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft|I}}: Brood War'' and ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''. They were written by Christie Golden and published from 2007 to 2009.

* HeartbrokenBadass: Zeratul is in self-exile due to guilt over killing Matriarch Raszagal near the end of ''Brood War''.

* MeleeATrois: Multiple times between the various factions due to their interest in Ramsey: the Shel'na Kryhas, Ulrezaj and the Tal'darim (no relations to the Tal'darim of ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''), the Zerg Swarm, the Dominion, and the Nerazim.

* ReforgedIntoAMinion: Crimelord Ethan Stewart was captured by the Zerg while on the operating table and infested, becoming Kerrigan's consort and one of her troop leaders.

* FantasticDrug: The Sundrop, a sweet-smelling drug applied to the skin. It is highly addictive to the point of withdrawal symptoms being lethal to Terrans, and has the effect of rewiring Protoss brain chemistry to cut them off from the Khala.
* KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge: Ulrezaj was one of these [[spoiler:before he was exiled.]]

* HeartbrokenBadass: [[spoiler:Zeratul is in self-exile due to guilt over killing Matriarch Raszagal near the end of ''Brood War''.]]

** Ulrezaj, the insane dark templar extremist from ''Enslavers II'', wants to kill Zamara to prevent her from revealing his secrets. His cultists were responsible for the original attack on her.

* CouldntFindAPen: Zamara left a message written in Khalani on how to enter the temple where she crash landed, in hopes that a Protoss would understand the clue and help save her memories.

* {{Hypocrite}}: The Tal'darim fears the Dark Templars (as was common with the Khalai pre-''VideoGame/StarCraftII'') but are addicted to a drug that cuts them off from the Khala - in essence turning them into Dark Templar. [[spoiler:And that was before getting to the fact that their leader is secretly a dark archon.]]

* KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge: [[spoiler:Ulrezaj was one of these before he was exiled.]]

* CallBack: Ulrezaj from the first game's optional ''Enslavers II'' campaign is one of the BigBadEnsemble, and Zamara is found in a Xel'Naga construct like the one in ''Shadow Of The Xel'Naga''. We're also introduced through Zamara's memories to such protoss luminaries as Khas (founder of the Khala), Adun (savior of the dark templar), and a young Matriarch Raszagal, who (aside from Raszagal, who appears in ''Brood War'''s protoss and zerg campaigns) had previously only been alluded to.

* ConflictingLoyalty: [[Valerian ordered Ethan Stewart to hand Rosemary and Jake over to the Dominion as part of their business contract, and refusal would get him killed. Ethan wanted to keep Rosemary safe and didn't believe in Valerian's promise to keep her unharmed, but felt that he didn't have a choice in the matter.]]

* EldritchAbomination: Ulrezaj, an insane dark archon created from merging six powerful dark templar psionicists.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: [[spoiler:How Valerian somewhat optimistically explains his father Arcturus's insistence on torturing Jake to find out what Jake knows about the protoss, despite Jake offering the knowledge freely. Arcturus is so used to fighting tooth and nail for everything he wants that he simply can't believe Jake ''would'' talk for free.]]

* JustFollowingOrders: {{Subverted}} to tragic effect when Adun fakes his Conclave-ordered extermination of the dark templar and starts teaching them psionic tricks to stay hidden. This leads to the inexperienced dark templar accidentally unleashing a psionic storm that causes destruction across Aiur.

** Adun in ''Shadow Hunters'' is one for the dark templar (and to a lesser extent the mainstream protoss) for [[spoiler:sacrificing his life to protect them from the Conclave]].

* TradingBarsForStripes: {{Exploited}} by Zamara. Terran rank-and-file soldiers tend to be {{brainwashed}} convicts. Zamara undoes the resocialization of one of Jake and Rosemary's guards to create a diversion for them to escape Valerian's troops. [[ImAHumanitarian He turns out to have been a cannibal.]]

** Ulrezaj, the insane dark templar extremist from ''Enslavers II'', wants to kill Zamara as a way to attack the mainstream protoss. His cultists were responsible for the original attack on her.

* CallBack: Ulrezaj from the first game's optional ''Enslavers II'' campaign is one of the BigBadEnsemble, and Zamara is found in a Xel'Naga construct like the one in ''Literature/StarCraftShadowOfTheXelNaga''. We're also introduced through Zamara's memories to such protoss luminaries as Khas (founder of the Khala), Adun (savior of the dark templar), and a young Matriarch Raszagal, who (aside from Raszagal, who appears in ''Brood War'''s protoss and zerg campaigns) had previously only been alluded to.

''[=StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga=]'' is a trilogy of novels in the ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' ExpandedUniverse, set between ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft|I}}: Brood War'' and ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''. They were written by Creator/ChristieGolden and published from 2007 to 2009.

Archaeologist Jake Ramsey is called away from a dig at the behest of Valerian Mengsk, Crown Prince of the Terran Dominion, who wants him to investigate the ruins of a Xel'Naga temple of the same type the Dominion previously encountered in ''Literature/StarCraftShadowOfTheXelNaga''. Paired up with hardened mercenary Rosemary Dahl as his bodyguard, Jake and his team set to work. Deep inside the ruin, though, Jake discovers the body of a protoss archivist named Zamara, stuck in suspended animation at the edge of death for decades. In her desperation to live, she [[MindHive transfers herself into his body]]. Wanting the information Zamara possesses, the Dominion turns on Jake, forcing him and Rosemary into flight for their lives, while Zamara begins to show to Jake the stories of how the protoss came to be what they are now. Worse yet, they attract the attention of Sarah Kerrigan, the Zerg Queen of Blades, and [[EldritchAbomination the insane dark archon Ulrezaj]].

NeedsWikiMagicLove.

* MessianicArchetype: Khas for the mainstream protoss, as the founder of the Khala after traveling on a journey to discover lost knowledge of the Xel'Naga. Adun for the dark templar (and to a lesser extent the mainstream protoss) for [[spoiler:sacrificing his life to protect them from the Conclave]].

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Dominion stops pursuing Jake and Rosemary, who have become an OfficialCouple, but only because Devon Starke sacrifices himself to Mengsk's torturers to save their lives. [[SealedEvilInADuel Ulrezaj is defeated by Zamara sealing herself into a khaydarin crystal with him]], rendering her knowledge of protoss history largely LostForever.]]

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: [[spoiler:How Valerian explains his father Arcturus's insistence on torturing Jake to find out what Jake knows about the protoss, despite Jake offering the knowledge freely. Arcturus is so used to fighting tooth and nail for everything he wants that he simply can't believe Jake ''would'' talk for free.]]

* CallBack: Ulrezaj from the first game's optional ''Enslavers'' campaign is one of the BigBadEnsemble, and Zamara is found in a Xel'Naga construct like the one in ''Literature/StarCraftShadowOfTheXelNaga''. We're also introduced through Zamara's memories to such protoss luminaries as Khas (founder of the Khala), Adun (savior of the dark templar), and a young Matriarch Raszagal, who (aside from Raszagal, who appears in ''Brood War'''s protoss and zerg campaigns) had previously only been alluded to.

* ContinuitySnarl: The ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' manual states the Ara Tribe was founded by Khas and his students after his rediscovery of the Khala. ''Firstborn'' depicts Khas as a member of the Shelak Tribe, which is attacked by the Ara Tribe at one point.

* SeriesContinuityError: Ladranix claims protoss had not killed each other since the Aeon of Strife, apparently forgetting the civil war that happens during ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'''s protoss campaign between Tassadar and the Conclave (less than a decade before this novel).

Administrivia/NeedsWikiMagicLove.

* PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo: Both protoss player characters in ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' appear in ''Twilight'''s supporting cast: Praetor Artanis, the PC of the original campaign, and Executor Selendis, believed to be the PC from ''Brood War''.

* CallBack: Ulrezaj from the first game's optional ''Enslavers'' campaign is a secondary villain, and Zamara is found in a Xel'Naga construct like the one in ''Literature/StarCraftShadowOfTheXelNaga''. We're also introduced through Zamara's memories to such protoss luminaries as Khas (founder of the Khala), Adun (savior of the dark templar), and a young Matriarch Raszagal, who (aside from Raszagal, who appears in ''Brood War'''s protoss and zerg campaigns) had previously only been alluded to.

''[=StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga=]'' is a trilogy of novels in the ''Franchise/StarCraft'' ExpandedUniverse, set between ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft|I}}: Brood War'' and ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''. They were written by Creator/ChristieGolden and published from 2007 to 2009.

''[=StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga=]'' is a trilogy of novels in the ''Franchise/StarCraft'' ExpandedUniverse, set between ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft|I}}: Brood War'' and ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'' and published from 2007 to 2009.