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Readers have frequently asked why Fyodor wasn't resurrected, and why Xzorsh died. Here are my thoughts on the matter.
Fyodor of Rashemen
Fyodor's death was a forgone conclusion from the beginning of the trilogy. The prelude to Windwalker depicts the battle that resulted in his death sentence, which was commuted to exile from his native Rashemen. His final task brought him into contact with Liriel and entwined her quest with his. In a way, she represented a reprieve for him--a chance to love, to seek adventure, to serve in the honored tradition of warrior-guardian to one of the Wychlaran. But throughout the trilogy, Fyodor knew he was living on borrowed time. Because he considered himself to be a dead man, he made decisions and took risks that a sensible warrior might not otherwise have taken. Honor and duty were of great importance to Fyodor, and he was deeply troubled by his inability to control his battle rages, and the resulting danger to those around him. One of the reasons he felt so comfortable around Liriel is that he knew she could stop him, if need be.
This story was about two intertwined quests, and the complex interaction of choice and destiny. Both Liriel and Fyodor realized their goals, and neither could have achieved them alone. That was the story. This was never intended to be a traditional romance with a happy Harlequin ending. I've read a lot of traditional romances, and frankly, I've put down many a book and thought, "I give those two three months, tops." Issues and circumstances that add conflict and dramatic tension to a story can't always be resolved with a tastefully described tumble and a declaration of eternal love. The Realms is not a politically correct place, and no drow could reasonably expect to live in Rashemen with a human mate, 2.5 half-drow children, and a golden retriever. Nor would Liriel survive this settled existence. Fyodor, on the other hand, was deeply tied to his homeland and would never be happy in a life of wandering. Their love affair was deeply meaningful to them both, but it was never destined for happily ever after.
Why wasn't he resurrected? First off, it's my opinion that the resurrection spell should be confined to gaming sessions, used to keep the game moving and allow players to make the occasional bad roll without losing a long-term, cherished player character. In fiction, resurrection spells destroy any vestige of dramatic tension by removing the stakes. If people can easily be brought back to life, where's the risk? The heroism and sacrifice? Also, I'm opposed to the notion for philosophical reasons. It seems to me that a return from the afterlife is a profound thing, something that should be rare and an extreme last resort.
I'm a gardener, and I get piles of garden catalogues. Several of them have advertised a garden ornament that looks suspiciously like a grave marker, and bears this dubious sentiment: "If love could build a stairway, And tears could forge a chain, I'd walk right up to heaven, And bring you home again." Wow. I know that grief is inherently self-absorbed, but this philosophy strikes me as profoundly twisted: "I miss you, so if I could, I'd interrupt your afterlife and drag you out of paradise." In a nutshell, that's my opinion of resurrection spells and their use in FR fiction. But because this spell exists in the D&S system, I usually go to considerable lengths to build into the story a reason for NOT using the spell. Fyodor was gravely wounded twice before, but Liriel had good reason for not supplicating Lolth for his healing. In addition to this, she was not a cleric of sufficient level to employ a resurrection spell, even if she trusted Lolth to grant such a boon without adding strings. And keep in mind that she was NEVER a priestess of Eilistraee. At the end of Windwalker, she had reason to believe that the priestesses of Eilistraee would be disinclined to help her. And even if they did, why would she raise Fyodor to face exile from his homeland? If she did, the act would be as selfish as that proposed by the garden marker in all those catalogues.
Will Fyodor be brought back in future books? I seldom give a hard-and-fast answer, but in this case I can assure you that Fyodor is home at last, and there he will remain. I should stress that this is my personal feeling on the matter. Since the Forgotten Realms is a shared world and WotC makes final decisions regarding characters and storylines, anything is possible. But I find it exceedingly unlikely that WotC would find a reason to resurrect Fyodor.
Xzorsh
I was surprised, and for that matter perversely gratified, to learn that so many people related so strong to a secondary character. Xzorsh was one of my favorite characters, too. He was a strong person, someone who was devoted to his friends and his duty, yet determined to pursue his own dreams. In this age of jaded, world-weary characters, Xzorsh was unusual in that he possessed a sense of wonder and a vast capacity for appreciating and enjoying what life has to offer. His death struck many readers as senseless, and perhaps gratuitous. To some extent, this was precisely the point I was striving to make.
Several readers have commented that they were surprised by Xzorsh's death, even though they acknowledged that it was foreshadowed in Windwalker and in Tangled Webs. Xzorsh's death emphasized the theme of actions leading to unexpected consequences, but it had another storytelling purpose. His quest was a reflection of Liriel's. Few sea elves have magic, but Xzorsh was determined to learn. Few drow could take magic to the surface, but Liriel was determined to find a way. Both of them left their original homes--Liriel the Underdark and Xzorsh the sea. Xzorsh's quest ended in tragedy, thereby reminding the reader of the great risks in the path Liriel was walking.