Pellinor
Encyclopedia
Pellinor is a fantasy
series
by Australian author Alison Croggon
, spanning four books, the last of which was released in June 2008 in Australia, September 2008 in the UK and March 2009 in the USA.
The series is the retelling
of the "Naraudh Lar-Chanë", the Riddle
of the Treesong, set in the fictional world of Edil-Amarandh. The story mainly revolves about the character
of adolescent
girl Maerad, who was forced into slavery
along with her mother as a child, after the sacking
of the Bard
school of Pellinor.
by Penguin Books
in Australia, Walker Books
in the UK, Candlewick Press
in the US, and Bastei-Lübbe in Germany, with the translation done by Michael Krug.
The Gift
begins with Maerad
, in "Gilman's Cot" as a slave, where she has been for most of her life, with few memories of her former life, her mother having died several years before. She is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great mystics known as Bards, who reveals to her that she too has "the Gift" shared by all of these, by which she is able to command nature
to do her will. Cadvan soon discovers that her mother was the leader of the First Circle of the destroyed School of Pellinor, of whom it was previously assumed that there were no survivors. Knowing this, Cadvan decides to help her escape, believing that it might not be random chance that he came upon the only known survivor from Pellinor.
Cadvan finds that Maerad's Gift is unusually powerful for one never formally taught; he begins to suspect of her more significance than he had before. Cadvan takes her to the School of Innail, to make the presence of a survivor from Pellinor known and to establish Maerad a Minor Bard of Pellinor. During their time there, Maerad obtains a long-forgotten prophecy
concerning the Foretold One who will defeat the Nameless One. This Nameless One is a corrupt political leader, formerly called Sharma, who discarded his own true name
in order to become immortal. Twice has he attempted to conquer the land of Edil-Amarandh, and he has twice been vanquished. His last bid for power
is the one in which the Foretold One, Elednor, will defeat him, leaving him dead or helpless forever. Maerad's own history, being coincident with that of the Foretold One, implies that she is Elednor, although Maerad does not immediately embrace the idea.
After their brief but enjoyed stay at Innail, Cadvan takes Maerad across the country of Annar to the city of Norloch, intending to have her instated as a full Bard and given her Name, and also to see his old teacher Nelac. En route, they discover that the Nameless One's corrupt Bards, the Hulls, are roaming freely, so that non-users of magic are terrified and terrorized; that Maerad is descended on her mother Milana's side from Lady Ardina, a faerie creature, an Elidhu, who still lives in the forest as monarch
of a Lothlórien-like settlement; and that Maerad has a younger brother, called Hem or Cai, who, like her, is an inheritor of the Gift.
When Maerad and Cadvan, who has become her tutor, reach Norloch, they discover that corruption has penetrated even here, in that the First Bard has fallen under Sharma's influence. He is revealed as the one who had Pellinor destroyed and who sold Maerad into slavery
. Largely as a result of this, though also because of his own misogyny
, this Bard refuses to admit that Maerad is the Foretold One, or even to let her be instated as a Bard.
Therefore, Cadvan and Nelac invoke an archaic ritual called the Way of the White
Flame, by which Maerad is initiated as a full Bard. Her Name, at this point, is revealed to be that of the Foretold One; Elednor, which means "Fire Lily".
Driven out by their enemy's hostility, Cadvan and Maerad flee. Maerad's brother is sent to another place for safety.
The Riddle sees Maerad and Cadvan continue the search for Maerad's destiny
, which takes them to the lively island School of Busk, which is a Hellenistic community; north to the realms of the Pilanel, who are Maerad's kin through her father Dorn; and finally to the very heart
of the realm of the Ice King, Arkan, who is a glacial spirit allied with the Nameless One. Hem/Cai (Maerad's brother) has fled south along with Saliman.
As in Innail, Maerad settles in Busk and feels very much at home – more so than previously, perhaps because she is no longer accustomed to expect bullying – while Cadvan continues the search for the mysterious "Treesong", the key to Maerad's destiny
. Maerad also begins to explore her powers and their full potential
, producing some humorous outcomes. Their peace is shattered by dark events at the annual "Rite of Renewal" and the news that they have been named traitors to the White Flame after the shocking revelations of The Gift, which causes them once again to flee.
Their journey is constantly blighted by setbacks, and by the constant threat
from both Arkan and other Bards. Maerad also begins to fear
the "darkness
" within her own heart
, as she begins to wonder about herself, her powers, and her place in Edil-Amarandh's destiny
. This fear resolves itself into a constant tension between herself and her mentor, Cadvan, and leads Maerad into an almost unforgivable act that may threaten their relationship and Maerad's wellbeing forever.
The Crow follows the journey of Maerad's brother, Hem
, as he begins his training as a Bard in the southern School of Turbansk, where he was taken by the Bard Saliman. The events in this book occur during the same time as the events of "The Riddle". Hem has difficulties fitting in in this strange land; he does not know the local language
and finds it hard to make friends after being a loner for many years. All the while the Nameless One is building his armies to the east; thus, the threat of war is growing. In this climate
, Hem makes his first friend in the form of a girl, Zelika from the eastern school of Baladh, and begins to discover his own unique talents and his place in the "Treesong". Hem will learn one half of the tree song, rivaling the half Maerad learns.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
series
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
by Australian author Alison Croggon
Alison Croggon
Alison Croggon is a contemporary Australian poet, playwright, fantasy novelist, and librettist.-Life:Born in the Transvaal, South Africa, Alison Croggon's family moved to England before settling in Australia, first in Ballarat then Melbourne. She has worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning...
, spanning four books, the last of which was released in June 2008 in Australia, September 2008 in the UK and March 2009 in the USA.
The series is the retelling
Reminiscence
Reminiscence is the act of recollecting past experiences or events; when a person shares their personal stories with others or allows other people to live vicariously through stories of family, friends, and acquaintances while gaining an authentic meaningful relationship with a person...
of the "Naraudh Lar-Chanë", the Riddle
Riddle
A riddle is a statement or question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. Riddles are of two types: enigmas, which are problems generally expressed in metaphorical or allegorical language that require ingenuity and careful thinking for their solution, and...
of the Treesong, set in the fictional world of Edil-Amarandh. The story mainly revolves about the character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
of adolescent
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
girl Maerad, who was forced into slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
along with her mother as a child, after the sacking
Looting
Looting —also referred to as sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation, and pillaging—is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting...
of the Bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
school of Pellinor.
Books
So far the books have been publishedPublication
To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...
by Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
in Australia, Walker Books
Walker Books
Walker Books is an independent British publisher of children's books, founded in 1978 by Sebastian Walker.The success of their Where's Wally? series enabled them to expand into the American market, starting a sister company called Candlewick Press in 1991.Amelia Edwards, co-founder of Walker Books,...
in the UK, Candlewick Press
Candlewick Press
Candlewick Press, established in 1991 and located in Somerville, Massachusetts, is the American division of the British publisher Walker Books Ltd....
in the US, and Bastei-Lübbe in Germany, with the translation done by Michael Krug.
The Gift
First published in Australia in 2003, the United Kingdom in 2004, and as "The Naming", in the United States during 2005.The Gift
The Gift (Alison Croggon novel)
The Gift is 2002 fantasy novel by Alison Croggon. It is the first in her Pellinor quartet.-Background:The Gift was first published in Australia on 1 October 2002 by Penguin Books in trade paperback format...
begins with Maerad
Maerad
Maerad is the principal character of the first two books of Pellinor: The Gift / The Naming, and The Riddle by the fantasy writer Alison Croggon.-The Gift / The Naming:For several years, Maerad and her mother lived at Gilman's Cot as slaves...
, in "Gilman's Cot" as a slave, where she has been for most of her life, with few memories of her former life, her mother having died several years before. She is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great mystics known as Bards, who reveals to her that she too has "the Gift" shared by all of these, by which she is able to command nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
to do her will. Cadvan soon discovers that her mother was the leader of the First Circle of the destroyed School of Pellinor, of whom it was previously assumed that there were no survivors. Knowing this, Cadvan decides to help her escape, believing that it might not be random chance that he came upon the only known survivor from Pellinor.
Cadvan finds that Maerad's Gift is unusually powerful for one never formally taught; he begins to suspect of her more significance than he had before. Cadvan takes her to the School of Innail, to make the presence of a survivor from Pellinor known and to establish Maerad a Minor Bard of Pellinor. During their time there, Maerad obtains a long-forgotten prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
concerning the Foretold One who will defeat the Nameless One. This Nameless One is a corrupt political leader, formerly called Sharma, who discarded his own true name
True name
A true name is a name of a thing or being that expresses, or is somehow identical with, its true nature. The notion that language, or some specific sacred language, refers to things by their true names has been central to philosophical and grammatical study as well as various traditions of magic,...
in order to become immortal. Twice has he attempted to conquer the land of Edil-Amarandh, and he has twice been vanquished. His last bid for power
Power (sociology)
Power is a measurement of an entity's ability to control its environment, including the behavior of other entities. The term authority is often used for power perceived as legitimate by the social structure. Power can be seen as evil or unjust, but the exercise of power is accepted as endemic to...
is the one in which the Foretold One, Elednor, will defeat him, leaving him dead or helpless forever. Maerad's own history, being coincident with that of the Foretold One, implies that she is Elednor, although Maerad does not immediately embrace the idea.
After their brief but enjoyed stay at Innail, Cadvan takes Maerad across the country of Annar to the city of Norloch, intending to have her instated as a full Bard and given her Name, and also to see his old teacher Nelac. En route, they discover that the Nameless One's corrupt Bards, the Hulls, are roaming freely, so that non-users of magic are terrified and terrorized; that Maerad is descended on her mother Milana's side from Lady Ardina, a faerie creature, an Elidhu, who still lives in the forest as monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of a Lothlórien-like settlement; and that Maerad has a younger brother, called Hem or Cai, who, like her, is an inheritor of the Gift.
When Maerad and Cadvan, who has become her tutor, reach Norloch, they discover that corruption has penetrated even here, in that the First Bard has fallen under Sharma's influence. He is revealed as the one who had Pellinor destroyed and who sold Maerad into slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. Largely as a result of this, though also because of his own misogyny
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
, this Bard refuses to admit that Maerad is the Foretold One, or even to let her be instated as a Bard.
Therefore, Cadvan and Nelac invoke an archaic ritual called the Way of the White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
Flame, by which Maerad is initiated as a full Bard. Her Name, at this point, is revealed to be that of the Foretold One; Elednor, which means "Fire Lily".
Driven out by their enemy's hostility, Cadvan and Maerad flee. Maerad's brother is sent to another place for safety.
The Riddle
The Riddle begins where The Gift left off, with the main characters fleeing Norloch. It was first published in Australia in 2004, in the United Kingdom in 2005, and in the US in August 2006.The Riddle sees Maerad and Cadvan continue the search for Maerad's destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
, which takes them to the lively island School of Busk, which is a Hellenistic community; north to the realms of the Pilanel, who are Maerad's kin through her father Dorn; and finally to the very heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
of the realm of the Ice King, Arkan, who is a glacial spirit allied with the Nameless One. Hem/Cai (Maerad's brother) has fled south along with Saliman.
As in Innail, Maerad settles in Busk and feels very much at home – more so than previously, perhaps because she is no longer accustomed to expect bullying – while Cadvan continues the search for the mysterious "Treesong", the key to Maerad's destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
. Maerad also begins to explore her powers and their full potential
Potential
*In linguistics, the potential mood*The mathematical study of potentials is known as potential theory; it is the study of harmonic functions on manifolds...
, producing some humorous outcomes. Their peace is shattered by dark events at the annual "Rite of Renewal" and the news that they have been named traitors to the White Flame after the shocking revelations of The Gift, which causes them once again to flee.
Their journey is constantly blighted by setbacks, and by the constant threat
Threat
Threat of force in public international law is a situation between states described by British lawyer Ian Brownlie as:The 1969 Vienna convention on the Law of Treaties notes in its preamble that both the threat and the use of force are prohibited...
from both Arkan and other Bards. Maerad also begins to fear
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
the "darkness
Darkness
Darkness, in contrast with brightness, is a relative absence of visible light. It is the appearance of black in a color space. When light is not present, rod and cone cells within the eye are not stimulated. This lack of stimulation means photoreceptor cells are unable to distinguish color...
" within her own heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
, as she begins to wonder about herself, her powers, and her place in Edil-Amarandh's destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
. This fear resolves itself into a constant tension between herself and her mentor, Cadvan, and leads Maerad into an almost unforgivable act that may threaten their relationship and Maerad's wellbeing forever.
The Crow
Published in Australia May 2006, in the UK July 2006, and in the US in 2007.The Crow follows the journey of Maerad's brother, Hem
Hem/Cai
Hem, named Cai at birth is a Minor Bard in the Pellinor series of fantasy adventure books by Alison Croggon. He is the brother of Maerad and like her has amazing Bardic skills....
, as he begins his training as a Bard in the southern School of Turbansk, where he was taken by the Bard Saliman. The events in this book occur during the same time as the events of "The Riddle". Hem has difficulties fitting in in this strange land; he does not know the local language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
and finds it hard to make friends after being a loner for many years. All the while the Nameless One is building his armies to the east; thus, the threat of war is growing. In this climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, Hem makes his first friend in the form of a girl, Zelika from the eastern school of Baladh, and begins to discover his own unique talents and his place in the "Treesong". Hem will learn one half of the tree song, rivaling the half Maerad learns.
The Singing
Published in Australia June 2008, in the UK on 1 September, and in the US on 10 March 2009.
In a desperate race against the dark, Maerad must try to solve the final riddle of the treesong. Only then will the Nameless One be defeated and peace restored to the Seven Kingdoms. But Maerad only holds the key to half the riddle - her long-lost brother, Hem, has the other.
Before embarking on a perilous journey to find Hem, Maerad must first wage an epic war against the Landrost. And Hem, fleeing the advances of the Black Army, must endure betrayal and mortal illness in his search for Maerad.
But the Dark grows ever more powerful - will brother and sister reach one another in time or will all be lost in a final, apocalyptic battle?
Characters
- Bard - A term used to indicate a human who is born having the ability known as the 'Gift' or the 'Voice', by which one is able to command nature. Command of nature is wielded by use of the magical language known as the Speech, which all life-forms understand and which any human may learn as a means of communication (as in the region of the Suderain, where it is used by politicians in discussion), though only those born with the Gift can use its words as a means of supermundane power. Although use of the Voice is inherent and usually appears at some point in a child's life, one born with it must learn and develop it as if it were a skill. Individual Bards have differing strengths of power, which determine the limits of their command. All Bards live according a code of honor known as the Balance and belong to a faction known as the Light, which is sometimes mythologized as a deity. Because Bards are thoroughly schooled to the ideas of the Balance, they are often perplexed by greed and selfishness. All Bards are given an education in the three disciplines of Reading, Tending, and Making, which make up the Bardic way of life. Different Bards adhere to different aspects of these three arts, which overlap and are therefore versatile. Each Bard has a particular speciality within the arts that is central to its life; specialities including both mundane activity and psi phenomena. The word "Bard" refers to a talent and liking for music which all Bards share. Frequently, they are poets, whose poetry reflects beauty and mortality. Most esteemed among the Bardic paradigms is the 'Way of the Heart', which consists of compassion, strong interpersonal bonds, and love. In the diverse societies of Edil-Amarandh, Bards perform roles variously resembling those of musicians, artists, scholars, priestkings, healers, caretakers, protectors, political advisors (in which role they have great influence), mystics, and shamans. All human mystics who appear in the story are Gifted, though not all are considered Bards, given that some of them may not have received training in the Three Arts or schooling in the ethics of the Balance. Both training and potency of inherent Gift determine the extent of a Bard's ability.
- MaeradMaeradMaerad is the principal character of the first two books of Pellinor: The Gift / The Naming, and The Riddle by the fantasy writer Alison Croggon.-The Gift / The Naming:For several years, Maerad and her mother lived at Gilman's Cot as slaves...
- an adolescent girl (16 at the beginning of The Gift) who grew up with her mother, Milana, in Pellinor, then as a slave in Gilman's Cot. Later, she was rescued and tutored by Cadvan, a Bard of Lirigon. She is believed by Cadvan to be the Foretold One, known as the Fire Lily, who will save Edil-Amarandh from the Nameless One's most powerful attack; a beliefBeliefBelief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
supported by the fact that her true name is Elednor, which means "Fire Lily" in the Bards' magical Speech. As the books progress her relationship with Cadvan progresses and at the end of The Singing the two are a couple. - Cadvan - Cadvan of Lirigon is a travelling Bard who rescues Maerad from Gilman's Cot and has her initiated as a Minor, then full Bard. He appears to be around 35 years of age, but is likely to be around 70, because Bards live thrice as long as do other people. He is tall and slender, with long black hair, dark blue eyes, and an aquiline nose. Cadvan is known to have disastrously handled evil magic in his youth; to have been a worker against the powers of Darkness ever since; and to have extensive knowledge. It is also revealed that he has a preference for coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, which exists in the novels as "a drink from the Suderain" (probably a reference to the Middle-Eastern origins of coffee), a stronger liking for mushrooms, and the innate ability to provoke revelations of truth from other people, even if they are not aware of knowing it. This ability is called "Truthtelling" by the characters. - Sharma – commonly known as the Nameless One, Sharma is the chieftain and would-be sorcerer who eschews his own true Name in order to become immortal. He is a lord of Darkness, the evilEvilEvil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
force that threatens Edil-Amarandh, and is obeyed by several other evil beings, among them the mountain spiritSpiritThe English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
Landrost and the Ice Witch Arkan, although MaeradMaeradMaerad is the principal character of the first two books of Pellinor: The Gift / The Naming, and The Riddle by the fantasy writer Alison Croggon.-The Gift / The Naming:For several years, Maerad and her mother lived at Gilman's Cot as slaves...
has reason to believe differently of Arkan in particular. According to the prophecy, Sharma will attempt thrice to conquer the world, only to be vanquished during the third attack, which is the setting of the story. His domain is Dén Raven, a southern monarchy described as "little more than a huge prison". - Saliman – Bard of the Circle of Turbansk, one of the realms nearest that of the Nameless One. Because of his dark skin, he is seen with some racismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
by Bards less wise than himself. Saliman is a friend of Cadvan's and later harbors Hem. - Enkir – First Bard of Norloch, capital city of the domain called Annar. Enkir is a rigid, self-opinionated figure whose arrogance and bigotry appear to have increased immensely since his rise to power. He ultimately betrays Annar by siding with Sharma and implementing the latter's agenda in Annar, while giving to more gullible Bards that the harsh security measures imposed by himself are imposed for the benefit of the Light. It is he who had sold Milana and Maerad into slavery, and he who later supplies Sharma's agents with weapons.
- Nelac – Cadvan's aged and trusted tutor. He harbours Cadvan and Maerad during their time in Norloch and later helps initiate Maerad as full Bard. Nelac is imprisoned by Enkir on a charge of rebellion, almost certainly because of his role in Maerad's escape from Enkir.
- Hem/CaiHem/CaiHem, named Cai at birth is a Minor Bard in the Pellinor series of fantasy adventure books by Alison Croggon. He is the brother of Maerad and like her has amazing Bardic skills....
- Maerad's younger brother. He goes to Turbansk with Saliman after being found by Maerad on her travels with Cadvan in the first book. Unlike Maerad, who resembles their mother's ethnic background, Hem resembles their father and is thought to have closer ancestral ties with the latter's relations. In the third book, Hem infiltrates one of Sharma's military camps and ultimately Sharma's capital city itself. There, with the help of the book's titular character, the crow called Irc, Hem acquires half of the Treesong. The presence of Irc causes Hem to be dubbed "White Crow" (Lios Hlaf in Turbansk's native language) when they have become famous for helping Turbansk resist Sharma's armies. - Milana - The First Bard of the Circle of Pellinor, mother of Maerad and Hem. She died in Gilman's Cot, her power and will to live having been broken by Enkir.
- Dorn à Triberi - husband of Milana and father of Maerad and Hem. Little is known about Dorn, save that he is a member of the Pilanel people born with the Bardic Gift, who traveled south to Annar for his training. Dorn was killed during the sack of Pellinor. He is survived by his children; by Sirkana, the more intimate (with him) of his two sisters; and (until the second book) by his nephew Dharin, who accompanies Maerad to consult with the Pilanel's northern neighbors.
- Irc - A white crow rescued by Hem from being killed by his flock. His name is said to be a synonym of "bird" derived from Hem's ancestral language, Pilani. Irc is an insouciant, spunky, clever, self-important character who acts as Hem's companion, comforter, and messenger. Unlike an albino, he has golden eyes and a black beak. When Turbansk is attacked by the mutant "deathcrows" sent from Sharma's realm of Dén Raven, Hem is inspired by a dream to invoke the help of native birds; at his request, the entire bird population of Turbansk attack and destroy the deathcrows. Irc, throughout this operation, acts as a messenger between Hem and the pelican called Ara-kin, who is commander of the birds. Irc later accompanies Hem to the underground city of Nak-Al-Burat; to the espionage missions on the borders of Dén Raven; and finally into Dén Raven itself. There, Irc observes a quarrel between Sharma and his second-in-command Imank and steals a tuning forkTuning forkA tuning fork is an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork with the prongs formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic metal . It resonates at a specific constant pitch when set vibrating by striking it against a surface or with an object, and emits a pure musical tone after waiting a...
that contains half of the Treesong. Irc thereafter rejoins Hem and travels with him out of Dén Raven. During the story, Irc is shown to have an instinctive sensitivity to imminent danger and to be capable of counting up to five, but not above. He resents being made undignified and enjoys theft, argument, and mischief. - Ceredin – Cadvan's former sweetheart and loyal friend. Ceredin was killed during Cadvan's handling of evil magic, whereinafter her death proved the catalyst for his refusal to handle it again.
- Dernhil – A Bard originally trained at the coastal School of Gent, who is first seen at Innail as a librarian. He teaches Maerad how to read and write during her time at Innail. Maerad, being beautiful, unintentionally tempts Dernhil to court her; because Maerad is hostile to courtship as a result of being exposed to and almost becoming a victim of rapeRapeRape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, she refuses him and actually punches him in panic. Dernhil forgives her and composes a poem to apologise. Later, he is interrogated by two of the Nameless One's corrupt Bards, the Hulls, who are searching for the then-departed Cadvan and Maerad. Dernhil then kills himself in order to protect them. - Ardina – A faerie creature of the species known as Elidhu, which in Edil-Amarandh predates humanityHuman RaceHuman Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
. Ardina is renowned in human legend for her strong stance against evilEvilEvil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
alongside the human Ardhor, through whom she is the ancestor of the family called the House of Karn, whereof Maerad is a member. Ardina herself lives a strange, multiple life, wherein she is sometimes a playful, elfElfAn elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
in sprite of the forest, sometimes a wise, solemn woodland queen, and sometimes a "Moonchild" (a figure that seems to be composed partly of moonlight); wherein she might give forth useful discourse or sing such songs as describe the different and often contradictory facets of her character. The fact that she has multiple personalities is revealed only to Maerad (and thereby to the reader), because Cadvan would not "brook contradiction". - Arkan – Called the Ice Witch, the Winterking, and the Ice King, Arkan is an Elidhu who appears as a humanlike figure taller than a man. His power, and indeed his essence, is in the ice, the snow, the winds, and the mountain where he lives. He is a prominent, albeit ambiguous figure in the legends of Edil-Amarandh; often he is a villain, or a personnification of Ice AgeIce ageAn ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
s. In either role, he is sometimes an ally of the Nameless One. Arkan is often considered Ardina's rival, though he is shown saying that they are not enemies. His views of life are very different from those of humans, whom he holds in some contempt. In The Riddle, he has Maerad captured and holds her in his palace, surrounding her with illusions of a luxurious interior which are only dispelled when she plays her lyreLyreThe lyre is a stringed musical instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later. The word comes from the Greek "λύρα" and the earliest reference to the word is the Mycenaean Greek ru-ra-ta-e, meaning "lyrists", written in Linear B syllabic script...
. Here, the relationship between them begins to develop along the lines of a slightly romanticized version of the HadesHadesHades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
and PersephonePersephoneIn Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....
story. Because of their contradictory purposes, Maerad escapes him. In one of the earlier chapters of The Singing, Arkan is shown contacting Maerad by telepathyTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, scoffing at her fear of the creatures Sharma has sent against her. By this time, it is evident that Arkan is no longer Sharma's ally. It is he who reveals the Treesong to Maerad, and a suggestion exists that he did so moved by his own attraction to her. - Dharin á Lobvar - Maerad's cousin, the son of one of her father's two sisters. Dharin is a cheerful, confident young man who has long been a trader among the Pilanel and their neighbors. At the behest of their mutual aunt, Sirkana á Triberi, Dharin accompanies Maerad on a journey northward to consult for advice the InuitInuitThe Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
-like people who dwell in the farthest north. Their means of transport is a dogsled whose dogs are loyal to Dharin. During their return from the people whom they have consulted, Dharin is killed by the barbarian tribe known as the Jussacks, and Maerad taken prisoner. His death is said to have been foreseen by Sirkana, who is a Bard. - Hull - A corrupt Bard. Unlike Bards, who try to maintain the 'Balance', Hulls seek only power and often work for whomever can get them the most power. Currently they work for Sharma, the Nameless One. Hulls have all the skills of Bards, but none of the moral inhibitions. They use their perverted gifts to create monsterMonsterA monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s to aid them in their questQuestIn mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
of destruction and devastation. Whereas Bards are unusually long-lived but can be killed like other humans, Hulls are nearly immortalImmortalityImmortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
and can only be destroyed by Bardic skills, which requires enormous effort and strength. MaeradMaeradMaerad is the principal character of the first two books of Pellinor: The Gift / The Naming, and The Riddle by the fantasy writer Alison Croggon.-The Gift / The Naming:For several years, Maerad and her mother lived at Gilman's Cot as slaves...
of Pellinor has single-handedly defeated several of the strongest Hulls at once, leading to speculation over the depth of her powers. The average Hull appears to the heightened senses of Bards as an undead-like creature having leathery yellow skin, red eyes, and no hair, although they are able to disguise themselves as humans to deceive the eyes of ordinary people. A remark by Cadvan suggests that a Hull can be restored to humanity; but no instances of this are shown. - Nerili – Fondly called Neri, Nerili is the First Bard of Busk (a School located on the island of Thorold) and is a stern, commanding, compassionate figure, confident in her authority, and wise in the Bardic "Way of the Heart", a system of beliefs to which Bards adhere. She is magically the strongest Bard of her School and lives (by her culture's standards) an austere life. It is suggested twice or thrice that she and Cadvan have had a sexual affair, according to the premise that flexible sexual lives are permitted among Bards. She shares with Cadvan the ability to compel truth from her partners in conversation. Her grandfather is Ankil, who lives as a goatherd in Busk's internal mountains.
- Cur/Snout – Children captured by Sharma's army and gradually brainwashed into serving it by a combination of drugs and psychological conditioning. Because the Bardic ethos considers child soldiery an abomination, the presence of the Curs weakens the defences of the cities they are sent to invade. This impact is enhanced by the ruthlessness of the snouts, who are trained to be merciless or even sadistic, and sometimes by the presence among the snouts of a defender's own child or relative. Snouts are introduced in the third book, wherein Hem infiltrates their training camp in search of his friend Zelika (see below) and accompanies a troop of Curs to Dén Raven.
- Dogsoldier – A category of infantry serving Sharma and his Hulls, dogsoldiers are described as cyborgCyborgA cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
-like constructs consisting of humans to which mechanical appendages have been attached. The name is derived from the double-pronged metal "snout" that projects from each dogsoldier's head; this being one of their chief weapons. All of a dogsoldier's weapons are built onto its body and consist largely of a "liquid fire" of undisclosed composition that is sprayed, often from the snout, onto victims. Dogsoldiers are unvaryingly loyal to their commanders and show no mercy to those whom they are sent to kill. - Imank – Sharma's second in command. Imank is a Hull who commands the "Black Army" of Dén Raven when it makes invasions into the region surrounding Turbansk. He is said to have held control of Dén Raven during Sharma's long absence, and to be the most direct threat to the neighboring kingdoms. Perhaps as a result of having been ruler in Sharma's absence, Imank is rebellious against Sharma and resists him throughout the third book. Their final quarrel begins when they contest questions relating to the management of their resources, and leads to fighting between the factions loyal to Imank and those loyal to Sharma. Ultimately, Sharma confronts Imank, who attempts to kill him. At this, Sharma summons the monstrous 'Shika', a race of "uncreatures" that Sharma can imperfectly control. Imank's fate is not revealed; but because Sharma cannot be killed even by another magic-user, Imank is presumed dead.
- Zelika – Daughter of a noble house called Il Aran, which lived in Baladh (a city adjacent to Turbansk) before it was annexed and destroyed by Sharma's forces. Having survived the slaughter of her family, Zelika traveled to Turbansk alone, intending to die there fighting against the invading army. In Turbansk, she literally ran into Hem, who took her to Saliman, with whom he was living. Zelika became Hem's friend and teacher of the local language, Suderain. She accompanied Hem on several of his adventures and later joined him and Saliman when they fled from Turbansk immediately prior to its destruction. By this time, her obsession with revenge for the decimation of her family had been reduced, so that she no longer desired to die and was more amenable to suggestion. During their stay in the underground city of Nal-Ak-Burat, Zelika was, in partnership with Hem, trained as a spy for the Light. Their only mission ended in near-disaster when Zelika saw her brother among the child soldiers of the Dark's army and was captured trying to take him from them. She was later killed, although Hem did not know this and risked his own life trying to find and rescue her. After her death, Saliman followed the children's trail to the site thereof and buried her. Hem, upon visiting her grave, stated that he had desired to marry her "when [they] grew up".
- Nyanar – An Elidhu, said to be more typical of his species than are Arkan or Ardina. It is suggested that he was worshipped as a godGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
by the people of Nal-Ak-Burat, in which he appears as a painting. Several times, Nyanar is shown contacting Hem, variously in the form of a "tree man" (a figure combining characteristics of a man and characteristics of a tree), of a humanoid spirit, and of a deer. In the last, he reveals the Treesong to Hem; in the former two, he had sheltered Hem in the places through which Hem travels by concealing him in the memory of those places as they were before they were despoiled by Sharma. Most of Nyanar's character is expressed through his speeches.