Dragonmancers

The dragonmancers were a powerful group of scavengers, living in and running the village of Talisman. The dragonmancers are Master Trout, Crow, and Gorge. There were four dragonmancers, but one was sacrificed to the dragons so the others could increase their share of stolen treasure.

History

Dragonslayer

The dragonmancers were treasure smugglers who set up Talisman to be a hideout. There used to be four of them, but after they got enough treasure, they sacrificed the unnamed fourth dragonmancer, resulting in more treasure for the remaining three (Gorge, Crow and Master Trout), as well as the loyalty of the residents of Talisman.

At the beginning of Dragonslayer, the dragonmancers attempted to sacrifice Wren to dragons during the Gift for the Dragons ceremony. Wren escaped by wriggling out of the ropes and became a misanthrope, distrusting humans and believing them to be worse than dragons, despite her growing up being taught that dragons were "giant flying sharks". According to Rowan, Wren's oldest sister, there have been others sacrificed before her, including several unnamed dragonmancer apprentices.

In the ending events of Dragonslayer, Wren exposed the dragonmancers, using a treasure-share logbook as evidence. They no longer rule over Talisman, but it is unknown who is now in charge of Talisman and what the villagers did to the dragonmancers.

Visions and Sacrifices

The dragonmancers claim to have visions telling them what the dragons want, which often result in the sacrifice of a villager as a gift to the dragons. These gifts are usually younger people known to misbehave and disobey the orders of the dragonmancers, who are tied up and left out in the open where any dragon flying ahead can easily see them. These visions are simply made up stories that enforce the belief in the villagers that the dragonmancers are their saviors and can protect them from harm by dragons. Wren is currently the only named sacrifice for this so-called Gift for the Dragons. Grove may have been another sacrifice if Rowan, Leaf, and Thyme hadn't pleased the dragonmancers by bringing treasure back from the SkyWing Palace.

Gift for the Dragons

The Gift for the Dragons ceremony is a ceremony invented by the dragonmancers to give sacrifices to the dragons in Dragonslayer. These rituals are held when the dragonmancers have their "visions" and sacrifice someone (normally someone who tried to reveal the secret of the dragonmancers and is a threat) to the dragons.

The ceremony has large amounts of chanting, using the phrases "Hear us, o mighty wings of flame" (said by Crow), "We offer you this gift, that you may spare the rest of your lowly worshippers" (said by Gorge) and "Thank you for the lives of those-" (said by Master Trout, cut off by Wren.) The sacrifice is taken into the woods and left on a giant stone slab overlooking a river, where the sky is wide open and dragons can easily see the sacrifice. Wren is tied up to be sacrificed, but whether this happens to other sacrifices is unknown.

Apprentices

All apprentices are eventually sent to steal treasure from the SkyWing Palace. If they do succeed, they are sacrificed, allowing the dragonmancers to increase their shares of treasure without having to divide it with another person. If they fail this mission in death, another young villager that they deem trustworthy will be selected by the dragonmancers to be an apprentice. Leaf and Tadpole are the only named dragonmancer apprentices so far.

Known dragonmancers

• Master Trout
• Crow
• Gorge
• Leaf (former apprentice)
• Tadpole (apprentice)
• Several unnamed dragonmancer apprentices