Knowledge (XXG)

417:- a human who is born having the ability known as the 'Gift' in Annar and the Seven Kingdoms or the 'Voice' among the Pilani of the Howes of Murask and Tlon, 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 to 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 687:– daughter of a noble house called Il Aran, which lived in Baladh (a school adjacent to The School of Turbansk) before it was annexed and sacked 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, Suderaini. 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 grew up". 681:– Sharma's second in command who is called, several times over the course of the story, a sorcerer. 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. 421:. 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. Bards age slower than regular people do, starting when they turn 20 years of age, and have three times the lifespan of other people. 590:– a fabled Elidhu - once called the Jewel of Lirion - and ancient enemy of Arkan the Winterking. Ardina is renowned in human legend for her strong stance against evil alongside the human Ardhor, through whom she is the ancestor of the family called the House of Karn, whereof Maerad and Hem are members. Ardina herself lives a strange, multiple life, wherein she is sometimes a playful, fey, in 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 sings 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". She acts as a haphazard guide and savior to Maerad and Cadvan at certain points. 663:– fondly called Neri, Nerili is the First Bard of Busk (a School located on the Isle 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. Ankil does not have any formal training unlike his brother Elenxi, who is among the First Circle of the School of Busk. 584:– a Bard originally trained at the coastal School of Ghent, 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 causes Dernhil fall in love with and court her, but because Maerad is hostile to courtship as a result of being exposed to and almost becoming a victim of rape, 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. 567:, 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 486:- an adolescent girl around sixteen years of age at the beginning of the series. She grew up with her mother, Milana, in Pellinor as young child before the sack of their home. Sold into slavery, Maerad lives her life from the age of seven to the start of the novel at sixteen in the confinements of Gilman's Cot. She is discovered by Cadvan, a powerful Bard of Lirigon who rescues her and tells her that she is a Bard, a person with the "Gift". Later, 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 belief supported by the fact that her true name is 669:– 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 and accompanies a troop of Curs to Dén Raven. 675:– a category of infantry serving Sharma and his Hulls, dogsoldiers are described as cyborg-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. 541:- 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, Dagra, 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" ( 131: 500:- 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 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 634:-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, with no formal training, only the "Voice" and the "Sight", which is the special power of foresight. It is very rare, even among Bards. Lanorgil of Pellinor, one of Maerad's ancestors was a prominent Seer. 527:– 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. 557:- 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. 385: 34: 478:, is able to change shape with ease and identifies himself with and as his environment. Bards, even those such as Cadvan and Saliman, often show a distrust of them - judging them as fey and amoral beings near-totally beyond human ken and concepts such as good and evil; a judgement that, with the notable exceptions of Ardina, Arkan, Nyanar, and the Landrost, is essentially accurate. 596:– 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 personification of 452:. The power of the hybrids is higher than the average of the two components: Maerad is stronger than the midpoint of the average Bard and the average Elidhu. The Elidhu generally have little interest in the goings on of the mortal world and are seen as neither good nor evil, with two notable exceptions. These are Arkan, the personification of 404: 510:– 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 evil force that threatens Edil-Amarandh, and is obeyed by several other evil beings, among them the mountain spirit Landrost and the Winterking Arkan, although 504:, 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. 640:- a corrupt Bard. Unlike Bards, who try to maintain the 'Balance', Hulls seek only power and often work for whoever 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 352:, 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. 697: 290: 630:- 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 336: 274: 257: 514: 403: 656: 571: 384: 253: 468:(an ability inherited by Maerad), and sometimes appears as a "moonchild"; a celestial fairy able to hover upon the air, travel great distances within minutes, and heal wounds with a touch. Arkan is shown creating deceptive illusions, producing light from no apparent source, and commanding the 563:- 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 533:– 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. 624:, 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. 600:. 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 698: 270: 287:-like settlement, Rachida; and that Maerad has a younger brother, called Hem or Cai, who, like her, is an inheritor of the Gift. Ardina happens to be known by many names: The Elidhu, Queen of Rachida, The Moonchild, Daughter of the Moon. 291: 169: 521:– 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 racism by Bards less wise than himself. Saliman is a friend of Cadvan's and later harbours Hem. 464:); and Ardina, Maerad's ancestor, who is seen as good. The Elementals also have a variety of abilities uncommon to humans, though these, in turn, seem to vary among individual Elidhu. Ardina is shown having taken the form of a 245:, 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 210: 329:, 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 266: 578:– 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. 341: 376:, 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 657: 333: 348: 472:. Landrost, spirit of the mountain, summons strange demonic life-forms called "wers" to his aid and can direct them by his will. Nyanar, a forest Elidhu appearing in 551:- 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 of Norloch. 319: 262: 295: 604:, 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 275: 490:, which means "Fire Lily" in the Bards' magical Speech. As the books progress her relationship with Cadvan progresses and at the end of 117: 648: 55: 763: 693:– an Elidhu, said to be more typical of his species than are Arkan or Ardina. It is suggested that he was worshipped as a 233: 98: 298: 70: 608:. Here, the relationship between them begins to develop along the lines of a slightly romanticized version of the 44: 51: 718:"@zeldaskeleton Basically up to about 20 physical maturity is the same but after that they age much more slowly" 77: 237: 228: 130: 748: 84: 249:, who reveals to her that she too has "the Gift" shared by all of these, by which she is able to command 545: 437: 616: 721: 66: 202: 394: 307: 399: 441: 361: 195: 337: 652: 717: 155: 91: 757: 418: 284: 187: 191: 162: 649: 568: 380:. Hem has difficulties fitting in this strange land; he does not know the local 183: 151: 33: 613: 438: 246: 366: 621: 20: 219: 474: 381: 263: 259: 725: 641: 597: 537: 469: 449: 373: 326: 280: 148: 742: 653: 564: 511: 501: 482: 457: 445: 425: 276: 250: 242: 166: 645: 631: 609: 430: 349: 338: 330: 292: 129: 605: 465: 254: 171: 694: 453: 27: 258: 325: 279: 182: 58:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 19:For the character from Arthurian legend, see 8: 372:follows the journey of Maerad's brother, 118:Learn how and when to remove this message 345:, which causes them once again to flee. 708: 620:, Arkan is shown contacting Maerad by 460:is given reason to think otherwise in 456:, who is often seen as evil (although 16:Fantasy book series by Alison Croggon 158:, spanning four books and a prequel. 7: 429:- Faerie-like creatures who predate 56:adding citations to reliable sources 433:in Edil-Amarandh, they are called 14: 716:Alison Croggon (30 March 2015). 165:of the "Naraudh Lar-Chanë", the 32: 749:Alison Croggon's official forum 43:needs additional citations for 134:Alison Croggon, author of the 1: 215:The Friendship (short story) 268:Elednor, Edil – Amarandh na 223:The Gift (also: The Naming) 780: 392: 359: 305: 226: 18: 229:The Gift (Croggon novel) 743:Alison Croggon web site 572:argument, and mischief. 406: 139: 644:to aid them in their 494:the two are a couple. 401: 154:by Australian author 133: 764:Fantasy novel series 174:school of Pellinor. 52:improve this article 395:The Singing (novel) 308:The Riddle (novel) 198:in the US (except 161:The series is the 140: 128: 127: 120: 102: 771: 730: 729: 713: 362:The Crow (novel) 196:Candlewick Press 123: 116: 112: 109: 103: 101: 60: 36: 28: 779: 778: 774: 773: 772: 770: 769: 768: 754: 753: 739: 734: 733: 715: 714: 710: 705: 628:Dharin á Lobvar 411: 397: 391: 364: 358: 310: 304: 231: 225: 217: 208: 180: 124: 113: 107: 104: 61: 59: 49: 37: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 777: 775: 767: 766: 756: 755: 752: 751: 746: 738: 737:External links 735: 732: 731: 724:) – via 707: 706: 704: 701: 700: 699: 688: 682: 676: 670: 664: 658: 635: 625: 591: 585: 579: 573: 558: 555:Dorn à Triberi 552: 546: 534: 528: 522: 516: 505: 495: 479: 422: 410: 407: 393:Main article: 390: 387: 360:Main article: 357: 354: 306:Main article: 303: 300: 227:Main article: 224: 221: 216: 213: 207: 206:The Bone Queen 204: 200:The Bone Queen 190:in Australia, 179: 176: 156:Alison Croggon 126: 125: 40: 38: 31: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 776: 765: 762: 761: 759: 750: 747: 744: 741: 740: 736: 727: 723: 719: 712: 709: 702: 696: 692: 689: 686: 683: 680: 677: 674: 671: 668: 665: 662: 659: 655: 651: 647: 643: 639: 636: 633: 629: 626: 623: 619: 615: 611: 607: 603: 599: 595: 592: 589: 586: 583: 580: 577: 574: 570: 566: 562: 559: 556: 553: 550: 547: 544: 540: 539: 535: 532: 529: 526: 523: 520: 517: 513: 509: 506: 503: 499: 496: 493: 489: 485: 484: 480: 477: 476: 471: 467: 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 443: 440: 436: 432: 428: 427: 423: 420: 419:psi phenomena 416: 413: 412: 408: 405: 400: 396: 388: 386: 383: 379: 375: 371: 367: 363: 355: 353: 351: 346: 344: 340: 334: 332: 328: 324: 320: 318: 315:begins where 314: 309: 301: 299: 296: 294: 288: 286: 282: 278: 272: 269: 265: 261: 255: 252: 248: 244: 240: 239: 234: 230: 222: 220: 214: 212: 205: 203: 201: 197: 193: 189: 188:Penguin Books 185: 177: 175: 173: 168: 164: 159: 157: 153: 150: 146: 145: 137: 132: 122: 119: 111: 100: 97: 93: 90: 86: 83: 79: 76: 72: 69: –  68: 64: 63:Find sources: 57: 53: 47: 46: 41:This article 39: 35: 30: 29: 26: 22: 711: 690: 684: 678: 672: 666: 660: 637: 627: 617: 601: 593: 587: 581: 575: 560: 554: 548: 542: 536: 530: 524: 518: 507: 497: 491: 487: 481: 473: 461: 434: 424: 414: 402: 398: 377: 369: 368: 365: 347: 342: 335: 322: 321: 316: 312: 311: 297: 289: 273: 267: 256: 241:begins with 236: 235: 232: 218: 209: 199: 192:Walker Books 181: 160: 143: 142: 141: 135: 114: 105: 95: 88: 81: 74: 62: 50:Please help 45:verification 42: 25: 618:The Singing 569:tuning fork 492:The Singing 389:The Singing 194:in the UK, 703:References 673:Dogsoldier 614:Persephone 602:The Riddle 462:The Riddle 435:Elementals 409:Characters 378:The Riddle 323:The Riddle 313:The Riddle 302:The Riddle 285:Lothlórien 108:April 2016 78:newspapers 67:"Pellinor" 667:Cur/Snout 622:telepathy 543:Lios Hlaf 184:published 163:retelling 21:Pellinore 758:Category 650:immortal 642:monsters 598:Ice Ages 515:prison". 475:The Crow 431:humanity 382:language 370:The Crow 356:The Crow 343:The Gift 339:humorous 317:The Gift 264:truename 260:prophecy 238:The Gift 144:Pellinor 136:Pellinor 726:Twitter 582:Dernhil 576:Ceredin 538:Hem/Cai 519:Saliman 488:Elednor 470:weather 442:hybrids 327:destiny 281:monarch 149:fantasy 138:series. 92:scholar 691:Nyanar 685:Zelika 661:Nerili 654:Maerad 588:Ardina 565:albino 549:Milana 512:Maerad 508:Sharma 502:coffee 498:Cadvan 483:Maerad 458:Maerad 446:Maerad 426:Elidhu 277:faerie 251:nature 243:Maerad 167:Riddle 152:series 94:  87:  80:  73:  65:  722:Tweet 679:Imank 646:quest 632:Inuit 610:Hades 594:Arkan 531:Nelac 525:Enkir 350:heart 331:heart 293:White 283:of a 247:Bards 178:Books 147:is a 99:JSTOR 85:books 638:Hull 612:and 606:lyre 466:wolf 448:and 444:are 439:Bard 415:Bard 172:Bard 71:news 695:god 561:Irc 454:ice 450:Hem 374:Hem 186:by 54:by 760:: 745:. 728:. 720:( 121:) 115:( 110:) 106:( 96:· 89:· 82:· 75:· 48:. 23:.