One Night at Imrondel's

The memoir One Night at Imrondel's by Kara Zhan is a widely circulated tome, originally published at the dawn of the Third Age. As of 300 YR, the book is not commonly reprinted, but it is not difficult to find a copy in most large cities, and imitations are frequently sold in smaller communities where the original may not have reached the populous.

Synopsis

Presented in a narrative fashion, One Night presents a series of vignettes and interludes ranging from political to mundane to lascivious, all under the pretense of a gala at the residence of the infamous Archmage Imrondel. Venturing through the sprawling estate with intersecting and often contradictory architecture, Zhan's "memoir" creates a sweeping narrative of how many assumed mages to live during the late Caelian Empire.

Major Characters

Imrondel "the Turbulent" Gwamiel - The Archmage of legend. Previously Menim's assistant, Imrondel made a name for herself after breaking with her mentor and distancing herself from the brewing war with the Caelian Kings. In One Night she is only attributed with dialogue in 3 of the 15 vignettes, but is an acknowledged presence in each chapter.
Moroes - The Castellan of Imrondel's palatial residence, Moroes appears in the first vignette of each major section, still effectively stewarding the reader from beyond the grave. From his initial appearance in The Banquet Hall the reader is introduced to impeccably precise persona.
Bjern Bjernson - "Bjern the Boastful" is a favorite character for bards and puppeteers recreating popular segments from One Night in their own performances. Most readers perceive Bjern as a buffoon with an absurd backstory who imagines himself to be a romantic hero. Clearly at a disadvantage among the witty and talented crowd drawn to Imrondel, the character experiences a bit of a redemption arc during The Opera House.
Baroness Millstipe and Baron Drueger - Appearing in The Banquet Hall, Moroes introduces the reader to these figures. The use of pseudonyms for these characters is presumed to be a clever move by Kara Zhan to ensure she didn't create any undue political enemies who might halt publication of her book. Others see the inclusion of these characters as proof that Zhan's work is a novel and not a record of fact. Fewer still believe a conspiracy theory that these are not pseudonyms, but actual aristocracy who have been erased from the public record and collective memories.

Critical & Commercial Reception

Zhan's opus was among the best selling tomes in Dawn Garden and Beaushire for a number of years. Officially banned in Sirastir for some of the more provocative sections, as well as the official stance that Imrondel "may never be completely removed from Menim's atrocities".
During Zhan's lifetime, literary critics disagreed about the veracity of the work's claims. While the debate was vastly beneficial for book sales, it eventually drove Zhan to madness. In the centuries that have passed, it is generally accepted that One Night is an entertaining collection of stories from interviews Zhan performed without having ever stepped foot in Imrondel's demesne.

Type

Text, Literary (Novel/Poetry)

Medium

Paper

Authors

• Kara Zhan