by T.A. Barron
Ahearna, the Star Galloper
"The great horse on high" of legend, Ahearna is a creature of the stars. She has massive wings, powerful legs, and a strong, rippling neigh. Her wings bear silvery white feathers that gleam as if made of starlight. Her deep brown eyes have seen much—including Merlin the wizard, whom she carried into the sky when he finally departed Avalon in the Year 694. Ever since that time, she has flown ceaselessly around a star known as the Heart of Pegasus. Just why is a secret known only to her and Merlin . . . until she shares that secret with Tamwyn.
Aileen
This young elf maiden is one of Brionna's closest friends. Like Brionna, she grew up in eastern Woodroot, near the deepest forest of El Urien—and the rumored lair of the Lady of the Lake. Aileen lives in the highest tree house of a settlement built into the boughs of eight enormous elms. Unusually skilled as a carver, she is well on her way to becoming a master woodworker. More important to her friendship with Brionna, however, is Aileen's skill at brewing a tasty cup of hazelnut tea. Like most elves, she is a peaceful soul, although she could be convinced to fight for the survival of Avalon.
Angus Oge
This fire angel showed remarkable courage, as well as kindness, as he explored the farthest reaches of Avalon—so remarkable that he is remembered centuries later by Ayanowyn storypainters. As Gwirion explains to Tamwyn, Angus Oge gave so openly to the world that the world always found a way to give back to him.
Once, when Angus Oge was traveling across a distant realm, he lacked any food and was close to starvation. Weakly, he set his last remaining water to boil, hoping at least to make some thin soup from local plants. But he couldn't even find any leaves or roots that were edible. Just before he passed out from hunger, however, a wild hare bounded over and leaped right into the pot.
Arc-kaya
Her yellow eyes ablaze, this gray-haired eaglewoman healed Scree after he was badly wounded by a deadly shard from Rhita Gawr. Despite her fierce yellow eyes, her heart is deeply kind. Scree learns just how kind as he observes her helping others in Stoneroot's Iye Kalakya clan. He also learns that she lost a son, named Ayell, when the young eagleman threw himself into the path of an arrow that had been shot at his mother. Irrationally, Arc-kaya blames herself for her son's death. She wishes, above all, that he were still alive to follow her clan's ancient blessing: "Soar high, run free."
Ayanowyn (Fire Angels)
… Any hope they may rise again is merely a spark blown upon the wind.
The Ayanowyn people—the fire angels—live deep inside the trunk of the Great Tree (a region called the Middle Realm). Inhabiting the caverns and tunnels near the upward-flowing Spiral Cascades, these people have painted the walls with spectacular murals that tell the story of their lives in Avalon. Theirs is a story that is truly glorious: Centuries ago, they traveled far rootward, to the realm of Shadowroot, and founded Dianarra, the City of Fallen Stars (called today the Lost City of Light). Yet their story is also truly tragic: As the fire angel Gwirion explains to Tamwyn, his people have declined terribly since the Age of Great Light, the Lumia col Lir.
Nothing reveals the fire angels' decline more clearly than their own withered forms. When healthy, their winged bodies flame bright orange with llalowyn, the fire of the soul. But when body and soul are ailing, as they are now, the fire angels can no longer fly—and resemble smoldering charcoal.
The last seer of Gwirion's clan, the elderly woman Mananaun, prophesied that, one day, the fire angels would return to wisdom and glory. They would regain the power of their wings and the flame of their soulfires. Then, the seer proclaimed, they would fly back to the stars from whence they came long ago, in the time before storypainting began. The fire angels would be greeted by the great spirit Dagda himself. At that moment, their story would be renewed and they would gain, at last, their true name as a people. But when Gwirion first hears this prophecy, he dismisses it as wishful thinking. He is convinced that his people have fallen too far; he is sure that any hope they may rise again is merely a spark blown upon the wind.
Babd Catha, the Ogres' Bane
Never have the ogres of Avalon met a fiercer foe in battle than Babd Catha. While still a child in Stoneroot, she lost both her parents as well as her sister to marauding ogres. According to bards, the ogres attacked during a sudden snowstorm, and ever after, Babd Catha felt an irrational fear of snow. Even in her later years, as a famous warrior, it was said that she would stop fighting and retreat if even a single snowflake fell upon her.
Although she was very young when the ogres destroyed her family, and despite the fact that her own leg had been so badly injured that she would always walk with a limp, Babd Catha vowed to do whatever she could to prevent such tragedies from happening again. By the age of ten, she had become an accomplished swordswoman, and in that very year she fought her first ogre. While she was not able to kill the enemy, she did manage to frighten it so badly that it turned and ran off toward the high peaks of Olanabram. What distinguished Babd Catha was not just her ferocity, but also her tenacity—which is why she tracked that ogre for over two hundred leagues before she finally caught and killed it. Taking a lock of its hair, she wove the lock into her shirt, thus beginning a simple victory tradition that she would continue her whole life.
At thirteen, she had felled more than a score of ogres, usually during their attacks on human settlements. Although broadswords remained her weapon of choice, she also perfected the skills of wielding axes, maces, lances, and pikes. By her sixteenth birthday, she had collected enough locks of ogre hair to weave an entire shirt. That is why it surprised so many that she joined the new Society of the Whole as a follower of Elen. The following spring, in the Year of Avalon 18, she became one of the first priestesses ordained. She remained a friend of Elen, Rhia, and Merlin throughout her life. She was even invited to the wedding of Merlin and Hallia, but decided to battle ogres in Rahnawyn instead.
She lived a very long life, possibly due to a few drops of wizard's blood that Merlin once gave her to heal her wounds. Finally, she perished while saving the life of the great dragon Basilgarrad in the Battle of Fires Unending (chronicled in Ultimate Magic, the final book in the Merlin's Dragon trilogy). She bequeathed her entire collection of ogre hair shirts to the Eopia College of Mapmakers.
Basilgarrad, Wings of Peace
The greatest dragon ever to live in Avalon, Basilgarrad's name means Basil the Great Heart. His origins remain a mystery . . . although some believe that he sprang into being as part of Avalon—making him a living embodiment of his world. Others believe that he spent his youth hidden in a secluded place. But what place could have hidden such a huge dragon? Still others claim that he started out as a tiny, unremarkable lizard, although this theory is very difficult to believe. In any case, Basilgarrad's first known adventure was a great journey with Aylah, the wind sister. Soon he earned the name Wings of Peace by vigorously protecting smaller creatures who were bullied or attacked. In the War of Storms, he fought so courageously that he became a living legend. He angered many of his fellow dragons by siding with elves, humans, and eaglefolk in the centuries-long war. But he swiftly proved himself an extraordinary warrior, often defeating several dragons at a time—less through his vast size and strength than through his supreme bravery.
In time, Basilgarrad became a great friend of the wizard Merlin. It is said that the dragon actually saved Merlin from a deadly, magic-devouring kreelix—and that during the fight, the dragon suffered his first battle wound: a broken tooth. He possessed the unusual ability to cast smells over great distances (including his favorite smell, that of the herb basil). But as a green dragon from the western coast of Woodroot, he could not breathe fire. Even so, his sturdy scales shielded him from the flames of attackers. And his unusually broad wings gave him remarkable mobility in flight. His massive tail, though, was his most powerful weapon. "Brutal as the tail of Basilgarrad" goes the saying, for good reason. Yet this warrior could also be extremely gentle—as he proved
to the female dragon who became the love of his life: Marnya, the only water dragon who ever learned how to fly.
When the War of Storms finally ended in the Year of Avalon 694—thanks to Basilgarrad's stunning victory over Rhita Gawr and his servant Doomraga—the great dragon carried Merlin all the way to the stars, so that Merlin could relight the darkened constellation known as the Wizard's Staff. After that journey, however, Basilgarrad mysteriously disappeared. Although many have pondered where he might have gone, no one is certain.
Batty Lad
Never, in all his travels, did Tamwyn meet a more bizarre creature than this scrawny little fellow with wings so crumpled that they resembled dead leaves. Because of his batlike appearance, as well as his erratic behavior, he earned the name Batty Lad. Yet there was also something mysterious about him, hidden behind those glowing green eyes. Tamwyn could not identify it. All the young man could say with certainty was that this creature never failed to make him smile. Perhaps it was Batty Lad's cupped ears that dwarfed his face, or his wacky flying maneuvers, or his peculiar manner of speech—which included such words as "wetwater," "silwilly," and "absolooteyootly." Or perhaps it was that lingering sense that there was simply more to Batty Lad than could be seen.
Bonlog Mountain-Mouth
The eldest daughter of the giant sorceress Jubolda, Bonlog has long been feared because of her violent temper—and also her huge, drooling mouth that constantly spills rivers of saliva. In the Battle of the Withered Spring, in the Year of Avalon 498, Bonlog was saved by another giant, Shim, who accidentally crushed her attackers. Filled with gratitude, she tried to thank him with a kiss. But the mere sight of her puckering lips with rivers of drool terrified him so much that he shrieked in terror and dashed off into the mountains to hide. Humiliated, Bonlog Mountain-Mouth chased after him. Although she never caught him, a terrible thing did happen to Shim. For no explicable reason, he began to grow smaller and smaller, until he stood no taller than a young dwarf. Yet this misfortune did not diminish Bonlog's wrath: She continued to search for him, vowing revenge.
Brionna
… She was stolen into slavery.
As the granddaughter of Tressimir, the revered historian of the wood elves, Brionna grew up learning about the languages, customs, and stories of Avalon's many peoples. She loved doing anything with her Granda—including traveling with him to other realms. The elf maiden even went with him to Shadowroot (where she nearly died from the sickness elves call darkdeath). Like other elves, she was raised to cherish all life. So she found herself in a terrible dilemma when she was stolen into slavery and told that she must either help the wicked sorcerer Kulwych—or watch her beloved Granda die.
Brionna was slim, strong, and an expert archer, carrying a longbow made of springy cedar. A natural beauty, she wore her honey-colored hair in a long braid. And she was also feisty, with a very sharp tongue. Whenever her deep green eyes flashed in anger, it was time for others to beware, a lesson that Scree was especially slow to learn.
Brionna preferred to wear a loose-fitting robe woven from sturdy barkcloth, whose greenish brown color helped her blend into the forest. Often, she would sit or stand completely motionless, appreciating the many wonders of the woodland realm. In doing that, she found moments of great joy. Yet she also experienced times of great sorrow, and those memories sometimes felt even more painful than her wounds from a slave master's whip.
Catha
This silver-winged falcon is the maryth of the Drumadian priest Lleu, great-grandson of Lleu of the One Ear. Brave and bold, as well as intensely loyal, she is very similar in spirit to the hawk Trouble, who befriended Merlin ages ago. Appropriately, she is named for the famous warrior Babd Catha, the Ogres' Bane.
Ciann
A fire angel, Ciann belongs to the Ayanowyn people. But while he shares the same village with Gwirion, they have little else in common. Ciann may recall the glory of the fire angels' past and of their first great leader, Ogallad the Worthy, but he has forgotten the basic principles of his people. That is why he seeks power instead of redemption, ritual instead of meaning—which he shows when he tries to burn Tamwyn as a sacrifice on the clan's holy day.
Coerria (High Priestess Coerria)
Even as a young woman, Coerria struck the Drumadian Elders as wise beyond her years. Her serenity was such that her fellow priestesses dubbed her Quiet Island, since she held within herself a place of profound tranquillity. Now, at the age of nearly two hundred years, Coerria has grown frail in body, but that wisdom and serenity are as remarkable as ever.
As she strolls through the grounds and gardens of her beloved compound of the Society of the Whole, Coerria's long white hair is continuously straightened and braided by her maryth, a hive spirit named Uzzzula. As she moves, Coerria's elegant gown, woven of spider's silk, glistens, though not as brightly as her eyes. Those eyes are as blue as an alpine tarn. And they are no less observant for their years: Coerria is well aware of the personal ambitions of Llynia, just as she is quick to notice the potential of someone quite unusual—an apprentice third class named Elliryanna.
Cuttayka
To win the rank of first among the Clan Sentries, this burly eagleman with an angular jaw and sturdy wings had to prove his skills as a warrior. And he also needed to prove his loyalty to Quenaykha, the ruthless leader of the Bram Kaie clan of Fireroot. Cuttayka did both, many times over, as the battle scars on his chest proved. But as Scree discovered, Cuttayka gave his highest allegiance not to Quenaykha—but to the clan itself.
Deth Macoll
This master of disguise was Avalon’s most dangerous assassin—which is why the sorcerer Kulwych enlisted his services. Though human, Deth Macoll could alter his appearance almost as drastically as a changeling. He could appear, at one moment, as an elderly woman so hunched over that her head nearly touched her knees. Then, at the next moment, he could become a bumbling jester who wore tiny silver bells all over his clothes, so that he jingled whenever he moved. He could assume many other guises as well, although his true form was that of a bald man with a sallow face and flinty gray eyes.
More than the art of disguise, Deth Macoll enjoyed the sense of complete power he felt the instant before he killed someone. He savored that feeling, and often prolonged it by stretching out the death of his prey. As a youth, his parents disappeared just when his health deteriorated; during those years, what he most craved was a measure of control. Later in life, whenever he thrust his hidden blade into a new victim, he found exactly that.
Deth Macoll and Kulwych never enjoyed each other's company. But they did sometimes work together because it was mutually profitable. When Deth was hired to hunt down the young priestess Elli, however, the old relationship suddenly changed. For their goal was not just to eliminate someone, but to gain enormous power in the process—power they would be unlikely to share.
Doomraga
Deep in the darkest part of Avalon's most dreaded marsh, in a pit of rotting corpses, a terrible monster swelled in size—directly in proportion to the misery and suffering it had caused. Doomraga, surrounded by fearsome marsh ghouls, roared in rage as its body grew into a gigantic troll whose one red eye glowed ominously. For the arrival of its master, Rhita Gawr, was fast approaching, just as their long-awaited chance to conquer Avalon and crush the dragon Basilgarrad was also fast approaching.
Drumalings
Tamwyn first encountered these strange, treelike creatures in Merlin's Knothole, and then later in the branch-realm of Holosarr. Standing twice a man's height, their woody skin is knobby and weathered, with grassy tufts sprouting from their many limbs. Their faces are found midway up their scraggly forms: Each has a ragged slit for a mouth, a double knob that might be a nose, and a lone, vertical eye that is as tall and narrow as a twig. The eyes never blink. Drumalings, as Tamwyn learned from Ethaun, think not with words, but with emotions. And Tamwyn also learned, to his detriment, that those emotions often veer toward violent rage.
Edan
Th
is wood elf is known for his skill as a tracker through the forests of El Urien. He is also known, as Brionna learned early in her childhood, for his temper. (His name, in the elvish tongue, means fiery moods.) Even so—like Brionna, Aileen, and other elves—he would not go to war unless Avalon was truly threatened.
Élano
The essential life-giving sap that flows within the roots, trunk, and branches of the Great Tree of Avalon, élano is a source of tremendous power. First discovered by Merlin, it seemed to him "the sum of all magic," a substance that held both power and wisdom. His staff, Ohnyalei, contained much élano, as did the magical portals throughout Avalon. Lleu of the One Ear was the first person to write about its life-giving power in his masterwork, Cyclo Avalon.
Elements (Seven Sacred Elements)
The seven sacred Elements of Avalon constituted the philosophical core of the Society of the Whole. In the words of the Society's founder, Elen, they were "the seven sacred parts that together make the Whole." Each of the Elements—Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, LightDark, and Mystery—inspired many treatises, ballads, and meditations. Together, they produced the life-giving power of élano, which flowed through every part of the Great Tree of Avalon. Because of that power, the Secret Spring of Halaad could heal any wound; portals could carry travelers to distant realms; and Ohnyalei, the precious staff of Merlin, could radiate wisdom. As Aelonnia of Isenwy explained to Tamwyn, her people's ability to create new life sprang from combining the Elements of Avalon with the magic of Merlin.
Elliryanna Lailoken (Elli)
… Elli's laughter was always as lilting as the song of a meadowlark.
One year after the dreaded Year of Darkness, Elli was born in Mudroot. A playful and resourceful child, she roamed with her father, a Drumadian priest who played the harp, and her mother, an herbal healer with extensive knowledge of the plants in the jungles of Africqua. Then, just before her tenth birthday, her life was torn asunder: Gnomes murdered her parents and stole Elli to make her a slave. For six brutal years, she lived in the gnomes' dark underground caverns, keeping herself alive (as well as sane) by playing her father's harp. Finally, she managed to escape. Having heard about the Society of the Whole from her father, she went to the Drumadian compound to learn the ways of Avalon's founding spiritual guides, Elen and Rhiannon. By a mysterious coincidence, an ancient pinnacle sprite by the name of Nuic arrived at the compound simultaneously. Despite Elli's penchant for skipping her assigned duties, and her habit of missing formal prayers to meditate at the Great Temple whose origins dated back to the Dance of the Giants, she was made an apprentice third class priestess. Nuic became her loyal maryth, though he refused to reveal his own past.